Beautiful Perfection (Beautifully Unbroken Book 2) (2 page)

She was finally beginning to see that her happiness didn’t come at a cost because this was what life now owed her, it owed her everything that her heart desired and I was the man lucky enough to be taking the journey with her.

One place stood out to me as we drove past. The local church was only a short distance from our new home and sat alone in the middle of a large field. It was the most traditional and oldest church I had seen since arriving in England, yet it looked very well maintained still keeping its old world character. Jo’s mom and dad had married there and Jo had been baptized there as a baby. One day, that would be the church where I would make Jo my wife, and where our children would also be baptized. From how Jo talked about the church too, I could tell that she was imagining the same.

*~*~*

Tim looked like the cat that had well and truly gotten the cream when he opened the door to us with a towel over one shoulder and an empty milk bottle in his hand from the baby, his eyes were black and he looked exhausted, as though he hadn’t slept for weeks even though the baby was only born yesterday, but he looked like one very happy, content bastard. I couldn’t wait to look just like that in a few months’ time. Jo rushed straight past him however, desperate to see her niece.

Even though Jo and Jemma were cousins, they were more like sisters, there was no talk of cousins and these ladies were instant aunties to each other’s children.

“Congratulations Daddy,” I shook Tim’s hand as I stepped into the hallway, Jo was already nowhere to be seen as she had been like a rabbit out of the traps as the door had opened, hidden behind the huge teddy that we had brought for the baby.

“How was it? Does it look as painful as they say it is?” I asked. Tim laughed as I followed him into the kitchen where he set about cleaning a small amount of baby bottles.

“Have you ever watched the exorcist?” His eyes widened in mock horror as he failed to contain his smile. “Seriously Blake, I have the marks to prove it, if our baby had hung on in there for any longer, I think I would have been carted off to the mortuary.” The image that Tim had presented to me made me laugh. “God help anyone who goes through it twice in one sitting, that’s all I can say.” As my laughing stopped, Tim began again.

“You’re kidding me right?”

“No, I am deadly serious,” Tim laughed shaking his head as he loaded the bottles into the sterilizer. “And whatever you do,” his face straightened as he checked over my shoulder ensuring that we were still alone. “Do not under any circumstances complain about how uncomfortable the chairs are, how bad your back aches, nothing. She certainly will not thank you for it. See this here?” Tim lifted his sleeve and revealed a scratch that ran from his wrist to his elbow, “All because I said the room felt hot and it made me feel sick, which it did I might add. I don’t know how I didn’t throw up everywhere. And see the finger marks here?” He then pointed to a red mark on his neck. “I was only trying to get her to breathe, you know, like how they teach you at the classes? She went berserk, tried to rip my head off literally. No one will ask how you are feeling, not a single person will care about you Blake. Just go with it, that’s all I can say.”

I felt my skin clam up as tiny beads of sweat formed on my brow.

“You okay Blake?”

“Sure, yeah ... I mean, of course, after everything that you have just told me, I’m absolutely fine.” I scratched the back of my neck nervously, hoping -no praying- that Tim was going to tell me that it was all one big joke.

Tim laughed as he patted my back, “your face is a picture.”

“So you are kidding me about all of that then?” I asked feeling relief wash over me.

“No,” Tim said firmly as he continued to laugh. “These marks speak for themselves,” his laughter then stemmed. “I’m sorry Blake, I didn’t mean to scare you, but when that baby does finally arrive, be it one hour, two or ten, all is forgotten, that baby is all that matters from the moment they look up at you, I’d have taken a million scratches and punches for that. The moment you hear your baby cry for the first time, it’s priceless. Jemma instantly changed from wanting to kill me to telling me that she couldn’t have done it without me,” he smiled. “Just do as Jo asks and keep your mouth shut, and all will work out great. Come on; let’s go and meet your niece.”

*~*~*

Jo was sat on the sofa slowly rocking forward and back as she cradled the baby. The baby’s tiny fingers were wrapped tightly around Jo’s thumb as both of them watched each other in awe.

“She is beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Congratulations to you both.” I leaned forward and kissed Jemma’s cheek before taking the seat next to Jo. “Does she have a name yet?”

“Oh my God, I never even asked her name.” Jo smiled as she finally took her eyes from the baby and looked over at Jemma.

“Aunty Jo and Uncle Blake, meet Elianna.”

Jo gasped with happiness, “You named her after Granny Summers,” she stated happily.

“It just felt right,” Jemma smiled, “and her middle name is Summer,” Jemma snorted, “bit ironic I know seeing as it’s Christmas Eve, but I thought it sounded nice; Elianna Summer Robinson.”

“Meet the Robinsons,” Tim laughed as he gestured around the room.

“Great film.” I nodded.

“It will be meet the Mackenzie’s before you know it,” he added. “Not long now.”

“I’m not a Mackenzie.” Jo said. Her expression was unreadable as she looked up quickly.

“You will be, very soon.” I leaned across and placed a kiss to Jo’s cheek, she smiled back but the smile never met her eyes.

“The three of you are going to have the same surname Blake, just like Jemma has the same surname as Elianna.”

“We talked about this remember? You said that you wanted the babies to be there at the wedding and as soon as you felt ready, we would get married.” I placed my arm around Jo and gently stroked her shoulder, I could feel her insecurities rising again and I hated her to get stressed while she was carrying our babies. Jo smiled and nodded before turning her attention to Jemma, I had a feeling we would be discussing this again before the day was over.

“So, tell me about the birth,” she said as she looked down and began stroking Elianna’s face. Elianna’s tiny fingers were still tightly attached to Jo’s thumb. “Is it as painful as it looks?”

“Ah, it wasn’t too bad, I think I did okay, didn’t I Tim?” Jemma smiled lovingly at Tim who was trying his best to hide a smirk. His eyes darted to me before he looked to Jemma.

“You did wonderful darling, I don’t know why people make such a fuss, you made it look easy.”

“Ah, I couldn’t have done it without you.” Jemma looked from Tim to Elianna lovingly. “I never believed it you know, but its right what they say; you do forget the pain afterwards, so it can’t be that bad can it?” Jemma laughed and shook her head, “I’m actually looking forward to doing it again in a couple of years, how mad is that?”

My eyes immediately shot to Tim who was mimicking a rope around his neck while sticking his tongue out which made me laugh.

“What’s funny?” Jemma asked as she looked to Tim who had luckily placed his hands back in his pockets.

“Nothing darling,” he replied unconvincingly as Jemma turned her attention back to Jo. “I think I will go and stick the kettle on.” He said before rushing back into the kitchen.

“So Jo, tell us all about your new home, I can’t wait to come over and see it again; I still don’t know how Blake pulled it all off.”

“With a lot of help from your dad Jemma, that’s how,” I smiled.

“The house is just perfect.” Jo turned to me and smiled, “everything is just so bloody perfect right now.” Jo’s smile literally lit up the room; it made my heart swell with pride.

Jo

I was annoyed. Not with anyone else, but with myself.

How had it taken me six months of being pregnant to realize that I was going to have a different surname to my babies? I know that it didn’t matter, I wasn’t even against having a baby without being married, it was simply the fact that I wanted to share what my babies were going to share with Blake; his surname.

Did that make me selfish? Maybe, but since leaving Jemma and Tim’s house I just couldn’t get the ridiculous thought out of my head. Why did I have to be such a drama queen where stupid things were concerned? No, I wasn’t being a drama queen and I wouldn’t allow myself to believe that I was being stupid. I was hormonal, yes, very hormonal, and twice as much as I would be if I were carrying only one baby. I was simply a pregnant, hormonal woman who had spent the past twenty-four hours living the fairytale that I had always dreamed of; the only thing missing was that I had found my prince; I just hadn’t yet married him.

“You’re going to have no lips left if you keep chewing on them like you haven’t eaten for weeks.” Blake’s voice swiftly pulled me from my thoughts on the drive home from seeing baby Elianna. “What are you thinking about?”

“Just stuff,” I shrugged. “Nothing important,” I smiled and turned my attention back to the outside world.

“You promised me this morning that you would always tell me if something is bothering you, and I can tell that something is obviously bothering you,” Blake’s eyes focused on me as we pulled up at a set of traffic lights. “You haven’t spoken more than two words since we left Tim and Jemma’s house, so tell me, what’s up?”

“I’m just….” I really didn’t want to bring up getting married again, not today when we were spending our first full day in our new home and it was Christmas Eve. Blake was right when he said that it was me that had chosen to wait; he had wanted to marry me since the day that we found out I was pregnant, bringing it up now would only make me sound like a spoilt brat who wasn’t happy with everything that Blake had given me. I was more than happy, the happiest I have ever been in fact, stupid horrible hormones.

“Seeing the baby, it just made me think…”

“You’re worried about the birth.” Blake stated as the lights changed and we were moving again, I was grateful that his focus was back on the road in front.

“Yes,” I sighed. “I’m worried about the birth.” Blake’s hand reached over and rested on my thigh.

“Well, I have been given some expert tips from Tim,” Blake said with a smile. “You have nothing to worry about, I promise. If I could have those babies for you, believe me I would. But because that is impossible, I will do anything else that you need me to do to get you through it. Plus, remember what Jemma said, you soon forget about it straight after.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry I’m such a moaner.”

“That’s okay,” Blake took a deep breath as he squeezed my thigh gently, “I’m used to it by now,” he laughed.

And that right there was the reason that I was going to marry this man as soon as it became possible.

*~*~*

Blake insisted on buying the biggest tree that the farm had to offer, I wasn’t entirely convinced that it was even going to fit, but he was adamant that no other tree would do. He then purchased every single decoration that the small shop attached to the farm had left, they were every single color of the rainbow, but neither of us cared, whatever we put on that tree was going to look amazing; it was our first Christmas tree in our new family home.

We were lucky that the drive home was short, being sat with a big baby bump while keeping hold of the top of the tree wasn’t the most comfortable I had ever been, but I loved it, it was the beginning of the new memories that we would be making together.

As we passed the local church a large banner stood out against the gates inviting everyone to a carol service that was taking place this evening, I didn’t need to tell Blake that I wanted to go; he had already told me that we were going before I had even opened my mouth to speak. This was fast becoming my favorite Christmas ever and I knew that next year’s was set to be even better, regardless of what we had ahead of us in the new year with Sara’s trial, I wouldn’t let anything get in the way of my happiness anymore.

“I told you it was too big,” I laughed as Blake stood with one hand on his hip while the fingers of his other hand tapped at his chin deep in thought.

“It’s not too big,” he replied, “we just need to snip a couple of branches here and there, maybe move it a little more to the left, and forget about putting the star on the top.” Blake relaxed and stepped back towards me pulling me to his side. “Then it will be perfect,” he smiled.

“It is perfect. Everything you do is perfect Blake. Let’s just leave it how it is, our first tree exactly how we brought it. We will just have to breathe in if we want to get out of the room.”  I smiled as I placed my head onto Blake’s shoulder.

“Are you happy?” Blake asked as he pressed his lips against my temple.

“Do you even need to ask me that?” I smiled up at Blake who was looking down at me with concern on his face.

“What?”

“I just worry about you. You have had one heck of a bad year and I know that even though you are stronger now…. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to pretend if there is something bothering you, ever.”

“There is nothing bothering me, I promise,” I smiled. “Look around us Blake, there is nothing else that I could want that I don’t have already.”

“So you’re not still thinking about the surname thing? Because I can tell that it was still on your mind when we pulled up at the farm, even though you went along with me and pretending it was the birth that you were thinking about.”

I took a deep breath in and wrapped my hands around Blake’s neck, “I was being stupid, and I have a habit of that as you know. I know that we will get married as soon as the time is right and when everyone that we love can be with us to share our special day. I am hormonal, whiney and emotional, it’s the pregnancy.” I stated defensively.

“Really?” Blake teased, “I’m pretty sure that you were all of those things when I first met you.”

I playfully punched Blake in the arm which made him laugh even more before his smile faded and his expression turned back to concern.

“I promise you, that as soon as we can, we will get married. Believe me when I say that I cannot wait to make you Mrs. Josephine Mackenzie, it is all that I have wanted since the day I fell in love with you.” Blake took my face in his hands and touched his lips to mine gently.