The Billionaire's Dance(28)

Neither of them noticed their families quietly slipping out of the room,  giving them much needed privacy. They didn't notice the happy looks  between Joseph and John, the two meddling fathers.

"Of course I forgive you Alex. I love you so much. I wanted to come home  the minute I left. I was already thinking I'd rather live with you,  without love than without you," she replied.

"So we're going to be alright?" He asked her.

"We're going to be more than alright. I think we can finally be a real family," she said.

"Speaking of families," he began, "how do you feel about giving Jacob a new brother or sister?"

Jessica beamed at him. "Nothing would make me feel better than having a  houseful of children running around, filling up the empty corners," she  beamed at him. "As soon as I get out of here, we'll have to start  working on that."

Alex gave her a blinding smile. "I don't mind practicing for baby number three but number two is already cooking," he said.

Jessica looked at her husband in confusion for a few moments before she  realized what he was saying. "Are we … " she began, when he nodded his  head. "We're really pregnant?" she asked with hope.

Alex nodded his head. He was so overcome with emotions he couldn't speak  for a moment. He found it amusing he was the one telling her they were  pregnant as it was normally the other way around.

"I can't believe it," she gasped. "How do you know?"

"They ran all kinds of tests to make sure you were alright and found you  were twelve weeks along. The baby's fine. As a matter-of-fact, they are  going to bring a monitor in this afternoon so we can have our first  peak at the little one," he said.

"I can't believe I didn't know I was pregnant. I just thought I had a  touch of the flu. I guess even the flu can't last that long," she said  feeling a little foolish.

"I should've noticed something was up myself. You have been sleeping a  lot and hardly eating. We have to get you taken care of so you can  properly take care of our baby," he said and gently rubbed her belly,  which had a small bump on it.

Jessica looked at his hand on her stomach and gave a small laugh, "I  thought I was just putting on weight," she said, turning a little pink.

"I would love you no matter what you looked like," he said and she could see he really meant it.

Jessica was thrilled to be carrying another baby of Alex's. "I never thought my life could be this perfect. I love you. Alex."

"I love you to Jessica and I'll spend the rest of my life showing you just how much," he said as he gently kissed her.





Jessica shivered as the doctor applied the cold gel to her belly but  soon all her pain seemed to fade away as she got her first look at their  baby.

"Is that her?" Alex asked in awe, as a perfect little head came into  view on the monitor. He was gripping Jessica's hand in his as he got the  first image of their child.

"How are you so sure our child is a girl?" Jessica asked with a proud smile. She too had a feeling the baby was a girl.

"Because this world won't be complete without a mirror image of you in it," he stated as fact.

Jessica's eyes filled with tears once again. She couldn't believe just a  couple of short days ago she'd been filled with such despair. She felt  like she would burst wide open from the joy she was feeling.

Her eyes returned to the monitor and she took in every detail of the  three dimensional image of her child, whom was safe within her womb  becoming stronger each day.

"Thank you for being a wonderful husband and father," she said, barely able to get the words out of her tightened throat.

"No Jessica, it's me who needs to thank you for having so much faith. I love you, Jacob and our daughter," he said.

Jessica knew from that day forward her life would be a great adventure  and even though there would be trials now and then, things would work  out for them all. She looked from the monitor to her husband and then  sent up a silent thank you to God for blessing her life with so much.





Epilogue





Joseph loved Thanksgiving. It was a time of gathering with his family,  eating great food and reflecting back on another wonderful year with his  dear family and friends. He had so much more to be thankful for this  past year with the birth of another beautiful granddaughter and three  other grandkids.         

     



 

He cuddled Emily close to him and breathed in her magical scent. She was  only one week old and he'd been overjoyed when she'd made her entrance  into the world.

"You're such a great gift to our family," he whispered to her gently, while stroking her soft head.

Emily stared up at her grandfather, seeming to be mesmerized by his voice.

"Tell us another story gampa," Jasmine demanded.

"Of course," he replied to his eldest grandchild. "Twas the night before  Christmas when all through the house … " he began and all four grandkids  gave their full attention to their grandfather.

Just as Joseph was finishing his story, Emily started to fuss and  Jessica walked into the warm den. "It sounds to me like Emily's ready  for her Thanksgiving dinner Dad," she said to him, before bending down  and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Joseph reluctantly handed Emily over to her mother. She chuckled at him,  "Don't worry grandpa, you can have her back soon," she said.

"I'll take the kids out and let you have some privacy," he replied gruffly before departing.

Jessica sat down in the comfortable rocker Joseph had purchased for her  and Amy. She fed her child and felt so much contentment she could easily  overflow.

"There you are. Dinner is being served. When you are done feeding her, I  can burp her while you go sit down. You need to keep your energy up,"  Alex said as he walked into the room.

"We're almost done," Jessica said quietly.

They sat there in a companionable silence while Emily finished eating.  Jessica then handed her over to her father and sat with them as he  gently burped her. "You can go eat," he said with an affectionate smile.

"I know but I'd rather wait. I still can't get over how wonderful she  looks in your arms. Your hands are bigger than her little body," she  replied.

Alex chuckled. He'd been so afraid to hold his tiny daughter the first  time. She was so little, he felt as if he'd break her but once Jessica  placed Emily in his arms he knew he could hold her twenty-four hours a  day and it still wouldn't be enough.

Alex finished burping her and she was sound asleep. He laid her down in  her bassinet and then walked hand in hand towards the laughter coming  from the dining room.



Joseph was out on the balcony saying a prayer. He was so thankful for  his ever-growing family. He got a twinkle in his eyes as he thought  about his youngest son. "Ah Mark, I've found you the perfect match," he  whispered into the night.

Joseph chuckled to himself as he imagined his youngest son fighting to  keep his bachelorhood. He would definitely fight it but the fall would  be ever so sweet.

"Joseph, everyone's waiting on you," came the sweet sound of his Katherine's voice.

"They can wait one more moment. Come here my beautiful wife," he said, while holding his arm out towards her.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a deep love that went  beyond passion. She was a part of his soul. He'd been through the good  and the bad with his wife and prayed each night they'd have many more  years together.

"Okay my bride, let's go have some dinner," he finally said. They walked  hand in hand into the dining room. Joseph looked around the large  table, filled with laughter and a bit of chaos.

Jacob was mashing his food all over his face and high chair. Jasmine was  giggling about something her uncle Mark said to her and Isaiah was  asleep in his father's arms. Joseph looked towards the den and knew baby  Emily was safe in her basinet.

He was so filled with love he had to sit there for a few moments before  finally standing to make a toast. Everyone knew Thanksgiving dinner  didn't officially begin until he'd made a toast and each year the  blessings became greater and greater, making him appreciate so much  more.

"I would like to make a toast," Joseph began in his normal booming  voice. "I'm so thankful for the new additions to our family. Amy and  Jessica, you have brought such light and joy to my sons and I will be  grateful each and every day you somehow manage to tame these hooligans,"  he said.

Everyone at the table laughed, while the happy couples moved just a little bit closer to each other.

"Of course the biggest blessing of all is to finally have the pattering  of little feet running about. I love each of you beautiful babies," he  continued, as he looked at Jacob, Jasmine and Isaiah. "And what a  blessing to have Emily born just one week before this most thankful of  days," he said and then gave a slight cough.

Everyone knew he was trying to contain his emotion, so they all  pretended not to notice and gave him a moment to regain his composure.