Authors: Alexis Lauren
"I can't help it. I'm alive, I'm home, and I'm back in your arms. How could I not wake up happy?" Jenna said as she grinned from ear to ear.
"You know what? You're absolutely right. That definitely makes it a perfect day." Nicholas smiled as he cuddled closer to Jenna. "There's only one bad part though."
"What's that?" Jenna asked, almost afraid to hear what he was going to say. She took the bait anyways.
"Well honey, as much as I love you, you kind of stink." Nicholas told her, then pinched his nose closed and fanned his hand in front of his face.
Jenna's eyes widened in shock. "Nicholas! I can't believe you'd say that to me! It's not my fault I haven't been able to shower." She pouted playfully.
"I have the perfect remedy for that. I'm going to draw a bath for us so that I can hose you down. I just hope there won't be too many flies left in the bathwater once I get you out of there." He teased as he made his way out of the warm and comfortable bed.
"And to think, I was thinking such nice thoughts of you this morning you little shit!" Jenna playfully scowled as she threw his pillow at his retreating form. She knew that his teasing was all in fun, but she had to admit, she did stink! And her hair…it was plastered to her head and felt so greasy. Yes, they cleaned her up while she was in the hospital, but it wasn't as good as a bath or a shower would feel.
A few minutes later, Nicholas came back into the bedroom and scooped Jenna out of bed. He carried her into the bathroom where the tub was filled with water and bubbles, and the air was filled with the scent of plumeria. He carefully set her in the bathtub, then climbed in behind her.
"You know, I can walk from the bed to the bathroom." Jenna told him.
"I know, but it's so much fun carrying you, and thinking that you depend on me. You've always been so independent, it's nice to feel like you need me for something." Nicholas admitted.
"Oh, honey, whether I am independent or not, I will always need you." Jenna said sweetly as she took his hand in hers. "I'm sure there will always be a bug I need killed, or a jar I need opened." She teased. Jenna turned her head so she could get a better look at Nicholas's face. "Seriously though, I do need you in my life, whether I show it every day or not. Yes, I like to be independent, but that doesn't mean you aren't needed. I need you more than I have ever needed anyone in my life, and that kind of scares me. I don't want to end up being a weak woman who relies on her man for everything. I've always had to take care of myself, and I guess I just got used to that. But if you want to pamper me, I think I could get used to that." She finished with a smile.
Nicholas pulled Jenna back to him and hugged her tight. He softly began washing her body, being extra careful around her cuts and bruises. Next he grabbed a cup from beside to the tub and filled it with water. When Jenna tipped her head back, Nicholas slowly poured the water over her forehead, so that the water would run backwards into her hair. After it became soaking wet, Nicholas poured some shampoo in his hands and massaged it through her hair. His fingertips ran along her scalp, sending a tingling feeling throughout her body. She was so relaxed, that by the time she was all clean, she was almost asleep again.
Nicholas let Jenna stand on her own, but held her hand tightly. He didn't want her slipping in the tub, and hurting herself more. He helped her out and grabbed a big fluffy towel to dry her off. He wrapped the towel around her naked body, then pulled her close to him. His lips softly caressed her neck, sending shivers all the way to her toes. Nicholas was getting turned on, even though he knew that there was no nookie to be had for a while. He forced himself to stop with the kisses because if he hadn't, he'd want to go much further than that. Instead, he inhaled deeply through his nose, trying to get the romantic thoughts out of his head. "Yup, you smell much better." He told Jenna as he tried to calm his body down.
Jenna went to the bench in the bathroom, sat down next to the clothes Nicholas had laid out for her, and began getting dressed. She put on some loose cotton short that fit perfectly around her protruding stomach, enjoying the fact that they didn't dig into her skin because they were too tight. Next she reached for her Yankees jersey. As she spun it around to put it on, her brows furrowed together.
"This isn't my jersey." Jenna said, looking to Nicholas for an explanation.
"Well, I noticed the last time you wore yours that it was getting a little too tight around the stomach, so I had Mike get you a new one. Actually, he got you three, all in different sizes so that you won't grow out of them." Nicholas laughed nervously. He knew how sensitive Jenna was about getting bigger.
A wry smile spread across her face as she looked at the back of the jersey. "And I'm guessing they all say Mussina too?"
"Of course! Do you think his ego could take it if he had to give you another Giambi jersey? I think it killed him the first time he saw you in a jersey that didn't have his name on it." Nicholas laughed, thinking of his friend and remembering that day that he had introduced him and Jenna. Jenna looked like she was in heaven, and so did Mike, but for two entirely different reasons. Jenna just loved the fact that she was meeting a Yankee, but Mike loved the fact that he was meeting the beautiful Jenna. Nicholas was counting his blessings that Jenna hadn't left him right then and there…Mike would have taken her in a heartbeat. He smiled, thinking back to that day…and that night, the first time they explored their passions beyond kissing. "Come on, let's get you downstairs to the couch so that I can get the kids ready for school." He said, breaking from his trip down memory lane.
*****
Nicholas drove the kids to school, then headed back to the house. When he walked back through the doors, he was on his cell phone, talking business with someone. After a little bit of arguing, and even more negotiating, Nicholas hung up the phone satisfied.
"Honey, if you have to, go to work. You don't need to stay here and babysit me." Jenna told him, feeling bad that he was missing so much work because of her.
"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Do you mind if I infiltrate your office for a while, just until you get back on your feet?" Nicholas asked.
"What's mine is yours, but really, if you have to work out of your office, I can handle myself."
Nicholas shook his head. "You can't get rid of me that easily." He bent over the couch and placed a soft kiss on Jenna's lips. "Oh, there's one more thing I forgot to tell you…" He began but was interrupted by the doorbell.
Nicholas opened the door to find a woman with her purse clenched between her teeth, and two big boxes in her arms.
"No thanks, we don't want any." He said with a smirk and began to shut the door.
The eyes of the woman narrowed to slits, as her lips curled into a snarl. She was yelling at him, but all he heard was, "Mphnmp ror hss!"
"I'm sorry, I don't speak your language." He said, trying to hold in a laugh. In the end, he felt guilty, so he took the boxes out of the woman's arms.
With her hands now free, she took the purse out of her mouth. "You're lucky you're my boss or I would seriously kick your ass. Now let's get moving. We've got a lot of work to do." Zoey said as she shoved by the man who now stood holding the boxes as he laughed at her. "Are you sure this is ok with Jenna? I mean she just got out of the hospital and all."
The two of them walked into the living room where Jenna was laying on the couch, watching some corny daytime TV. "Um, Jenna, this is what I forgot to tell you. Not only will I be working out of your office here, but Zoey will too. Do you mind? There's just a few things that we can't let go, especially not since I haven't been to work in over a week."
Jenna looked up from the couch to see Zoey standing there next to Nicholas. "No, um, that's fine I guess." She said as she rolled over to put her back to her fiancé and his assistant. Unconsciously, she began rubbing her belly, as if to tell the baby everything was going to be alright. Sure, she trusted Nicholas, but she just couldn't help feeling some resentment towards Zoey. She wondered if Zoey really did have a thing for Nicholas.
"Hey, why don't you take those boxes to the office and I'll be there in a minute." Zoey said, motioning that she wanted to talk to Jenna.
"Ok, I'll be right back." He said as he looked between the two women with worried eyes.
After he had left the room, Zoey circled the couch and went to sit in the chair that was facing Jenna. She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees and took a deep breath. She wasn't quite sure what she wanted to say, or how she wanted to say it, but she knew that there were words that needed to be said.
"I know you're probably upset with me, but you have to trust me…I have no romantic interest in Nicholas." Zoey said.
"I'm sorry if I'm a little untrusting, but I've heard that one before, plenty of times." Jenna said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"We truly were trying to plan a shower for you Jenna." Zoey pleaded.
"I have no doubt about that Zoey, but why did you need to talk to him for so long? Why did you feel the need to plan it? You barely know me, and you're doing something that should be reserved for one of my best friends? It just seems like there is a little more to it, like you are trying to get a little closer to Nicholas, get on his good side." She said, voicing her suspicions.
"Jenna, if I really wanted Nicholas, I would have tried to get him a long time ago. That ship has sailed, and there was no one on the boat." She paused. "I know that it seems weird that I wanted to throw a shower for you, but when you hear why, you'll understand. Just give me a chance to explain."
"I'm listening. It's not like I can exactly get up and leave." She said, reminding Zoey just how bad the accident was, and that she was the reason that Jenna left so hurt and angry that day.
Zoey nodded slowly, then began softly. "I know what it's like not to have family. My parents died at a young age, and I was an only child. I guess I always hoped that if I had a baby, someone would do something like this for me. You see, I look at Nicholas not only as a boss, but also as family. He's like a brother to me. When I watched everything he went through with Leslie, it nearly killed me. Not only was he not happy with her before they got pregnant, but then when she died, he just turned off emotionally. Now I see the light back in his eyes, the fire that was gone for so long. And I just can't help but want to be close to the person who did that for him. I guess in a way, I look up to you…so many people have tried to get Nicholas to live again, and the only one who achieved that was you. You did something really special, and I just wanted to give something special back to you." Tears slowly began to fill Zoey's eyes. She didn't realize how emotional she would get by telling Jenna her feelings.
Jenna too was getting misty eyed. "I'm nothing special Zoey. Look at what an idiot I was when I accused you of wanting Nicholas."
Zoey laughed. "Hey, if I had someone like him, I'd want him all to myself too." She wiped the tears from her cheeks. "So, am I forgiven?"
"Only if I am." Jenna said.
The two girls laughed and hugged, completely unaware of the man watching them. He felt the pride in his heart as he watched the two women work through their differences. He never realized the depth that either woman cared about him, but the scene that played before him made him understand just how special he was to each of them…only for different reasons. He just hoped that they realized how much he cared for them too. Zoey was not only a great assistant, but also a true friend. Jenna was…well, Jenna was Jenna, and there could never be anyone to replace her or even come close to replacing her…not in Nicholas's eyes or his heart.
The days and weeks wore on endlessly for Jenna, with nothing more to do than lay on the couch, read, and watch TV. There was only so much she could read, so much that she could watch on TV, until it didn't hold her attention anymore. From her position on the couch, Jenna could see out into the back yard, where she longed to be running and playing with the kids. But, or now that wouldn't happen. Instead, she was confined to the couch that she loved so much in the store, but now detested. She felt like she was going stir crazy, and seriously wondered if anyone ever died from such a serious case of 'cabin fever'. If they had, she was the next to go, for sure.
The highlight of her days included walking to the bathroom on her own, and spreading her legs for her doctor. As hard as Nicholas tried to cheer Jenna up, nothing quite did the trick like the doctor giving her the ok to start moving around a little, as long as she didn't overdo it. As soon as the words were out of the doctor's mouth, the sparkle immediately came back to Jenna's eyes. She looked as though she was going to jump off the exam room table and crush the doctor in a big bear hug. Thankfully, Jenna retained her composure and didn't do either.
That night, Nicholas took Jenna out to celebrate. It was her first time out since the accident, when she wasn't going to see the doctor. Knowing that they still needed to be cautious and not push Jenna too hard, Nicholas was cautious in choosing the restaurant. He didn't want to keep Jenna out for too long, as he was sure she was going to get tired easily, after not having moved much in the past 6 weeks. It also didn't help that Jenna was just over 5 months pregnant now, and growing quite large.