So about Dean and Sebastiaen, well, they started hanging out when Gabriel and I started dating. We’d go for dinner, drinks, and hang out together—the usual kind of stuff that friends and family do. A few months after that, Dean and Sebastien surprised us all when they announced they were dating. They actually got married two years ago. They’re immensely happy and insanely in love. They adopted a baby girl last year, and she’s the cutest thing in the entire world. I’m so happy to be an aunt, and Gabriel loves being an uncle. I know we’re both going to love being parents.
I guess the fake boyfriend deal got a two for one surprise out of it.
No, we haven’t bought a treehouse, but we do have a surprise for our families tomorrow. We’re going to tell them that we’re going to be working on something else very soon. I’m going to quit my job, and Gabriel is going to keep doing what he loves, which is working on those software development thingy. I’m not sure what our next step is, but we did find a really cool Earthship that we’re going to be moving into. We finalized the sale last week, and I’m so freaking excited to live off-grid.
After that, we want to do something together. I’m not sure what, but we’ll figure it out in between taking care of two babies. Yeah, that’s right.
We’re going to be parents sooner than everyone thinks, to twins. I went for the ultrasound last week right after we signed the papers for the house. It was the first one, and we were both beyond shocked to find out that there wasn’t just one bundle of joy in there. There were two. Two babies! I know my mom is going to break down into a huge, happy, sappy mess when we tell her, and Gabriel’s mom will probably do the same. God, even Dad might join in with the tears. We’re going to tell everyone tomorrow at the reception before it becomes obvious that I’m not drinking, and why that is. I’m far enough along now that I’m quite confident in doing it. Soon, I’ll start showing, so we figured why not give everyone yet another reason to celebrate?
“That boy has a nice behind,” Grandma Pearl says as she sidles up beside me, a glass of wine in her hand. “You did alright for yourself.” She winks at me. “But then, what did I expect from the granddaughter named after me?”
I’ve been wandering the house for the past few hours, trying to make sure I say hi and chat with everyone, so no one feels left out. There’s a ton of people here, so it’s not the easiest thing to do. I’m glad my grandma finally cornered me in the kitchen.
“Are you talking about my bottom again?” Gabriel strolls into the kitchen. He spots Grandma Pearl and me together and winks. “I know you are. You look guilty.”
“No,” I say quickly. Too quickly. “Not at all.”
Grandma Pearl just cackles away to herself and moves off back into the living room. She was clearly only in the kitchen to get herself another glass of wine.
“So?” Gabriel sets his hands at my waist and gives me a quick kiss on the forehead. “Not getting any last-minute jitters, are you?”
“Umm, no. I think it’s a little late for that. Last-minute would have been five years ago. So no. Definitely not. I’m excited, and I can’t believe it’s here already.”
“I know. Six months went by fast.”
I set a hand over Gabriel’s, right on my stomach, where our two babies are growing. “We have the rest of our lives. I’m really excited to promise you forever, even though I think I already did that a long time ago. Years ago.”
“You did. We both did.” Gabriel gives me another kiss, this one slower, on my jawline. “But I have to admit that I’m pretty excited to see you wearing my ring. Both rings. I can’t wait to call you my wife.”
“You’ve been calling me your wife for the past six months now,” I laugh. “The novelty should have worn off by now.”
Gabriel is seriously a smooth operator, so he just grins at me. “Never. I’ll never get tired of it. And I’m trying to be romantic.”
“Oh? Oh, you are?” I pretend to be shocked. “Well, then. You could just kiss me full on and take me upstairs. I think that would help send the message.”
“With everyone down here?”
“I meant for a nice back massage. Not sure where you were going with that. Ouch!” Gabriel reaches around and pinches my bottom, and I giggle. “Seriously, though. Do you think we can make an escape soon? I’m exhausted. And I really would like a massage. Maybe a foot rub too?”
“Whoa now. Getting carried away, are we?”