Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty

The day after Rochelle's wedding I met her for lunch, I wanted her to know about everything before she went on her honeymoon so she didn't have to worry about money or limiting anything when she was away and I also couldn't hold it back any longer

I promised my parents when I read the will, though they were already dead, that I wouldn't tell her until she was married, it's been a really hard secret to keep.

"Hey." She smiled at me as she slid into the booth across from me.

"Sleep well?" I asked and she smirked

"Not at all, how about you?" she asked as she took a bite of the chocolate cake I ordered her, her favorite from here.

"Actually I did, I'm exhausted lately." I was always tired and I knew it was only going to get worse.

"Oh I bet. Any plans on how to tell him?" she asked me

"I told him last night." I smiled remembering it all.

"Oh my god, what did he say?" she asked

"He was so excited Rochelle, he cried and he's been touching my stomach all morning bugging me about going to the doctor. He wants to see for himself that there is a baby inside here." I put my hands on my stomach.

"I thought so, I'm so excited for you, and you're going to be a mom! When are you telling Riley?" she just wanted everyone to know.

"Monday after our appointment. You know, this isn't why I asked you to meet me girl, I wanted to talk about you." she just waved her hand in dismissal

"Oh whatever about me, baby is so more important." She took another bite of her cake

"Rochelle, you just got married yesterday, that is more important." She just shrugged

"You've been waiting for this for a long time and you deserve it, I want to gush over it and talk about it excessively because we finally get to have babies together." Michael wasn't even six months old, they would be pretty close in age, maybe a grade apart growing up and I was as excited as she was but I didn't want her to just focus on that, yesterday was a big deal.

"And you've been waiting to be married for a long time and I want to talk about that." I argued

"We have a kid together already, it's whatever." She tried to play it off.

"Don't argue with me, I'm the moody one and I said we're talking about you so stop. We can talk none stop about babies when you get back from your honeymoon but until then it's all about you, no arguing." I added at the end because I knew she wanted too.

"Fine." She sighed

"Okay, I wanted you to meet me for a kind of official reason actually." I grabbed my purse and pulled out the paperwork I needed.

"What?" she asked confused

"Mom and dad's wedding gift to you in a way." I handed over the paper to her. There were some things I changed of course, when Michael was born a college fund was set up in his name just like with Lina, Mia and Miguel and just like there will be with my child.

"They took care of his college?" she asked me

"I set it up just like they set it up for Lina and Mia, as it will be for all of their grandchildren." I grabbed the folder again and shuffled through the papers until I found what I was looking for, there was a letter to her that was still sealed and I had no idea what it said but I assumed that it was a lot like the one they left me, a letter in case they weren't there to see us get married.

My parents were very thorough in their affairs, when they passed we hardly made any funeral arrangements because they took care of that already as well, they updated their will yearly and always had it ready for if they died tomorrow and as far as I know Chase and Rochelle were always in it, some greedy people may be pissed about it but Riley and I weren't bothered by it when we went over it with their lawyer after the funeral.

"This is what I was talking about." I pointed at the paper

"Fuck." She swore

"What?" I asked her

"What is this?" she asked me and I looked at the sheet again

"Half of your inheritance." I told her

"Half?" she asked as she stared shocked at the paper.

"Yes. As set out in the will you get half when you get married, they knew you were always a little wild and reckless and that if you were to get married, it meant you were settling down and they weren't going to hand you a bunch of money until then."

"But they paid for college and I got twenty thousand when they died."

"And now you have a lot more." My parents had more money than I ever imagined and I felt a lot like she does when their affairs were gone over with us.

"Yeah, this is too much." She pushed the paper away

"This has nothing to do with me Rochelle; this was all set up years ago and the money is already set to be transferred today into an account with your name. Technically, you don't ever have to work again and now you can afford to take a year off to be home with Michael." She talked about wanting to do that so badly but that they couldn't afford a child and a wedding and to live going down to just Scott's income.

I wanted to tell her about it when she had him so she could just stay home but I promised I would wait.

"This is a lot to take in." she stared at the papers in front of her

"I understand that but you have to understand that this is how much they loved you." was it a lot of money? Oh hell yes it was. I'm thankful for what I have every day and I know I'm lucky that I will never have to worry about finances and now she won't either.

"This is all for real?" she asked and I nodded as her eyes welled with tears

"I would give all this money up if they were still here." I knew how she felt, I would too. You can't put a price on your parents, on their love and their presence in your life.

"Me too." I reached across the table and held her hand and I let her sit in silence as she soaked all of this in. This opened a lot of possibilities for them as a family, they could get a house, take time off work, go on family vacations, afford the things they needed, buy a new car and still be fine.

"I paid for your wedding because I knew they would have if they were still alive, no expense was spared for Monica to them because she was their daughter and I know it would have been the same for us. It's not Riley and I and then you and Chase, it's the four of us and it always has been." She nodded.

My parents loved Chase but they loved her more as their own child because Chase's parents were so active in his life and I understand it's a lot but I don't know why it's come as such a surprise. It was a drastic change, Rochelle always worked hard for her money and as an adult she learned to save it instead of spend it and I think it's about time she got to spend some money on herself.

"I have to talk to Scott." She mumbled and I smiled

"Ditch me then." I sighed

"No, it's not like that, I don't mean right now, I mean I just need to talk to him." she kept staring at the paper so I shut the folder.

"Do you want to go see a movie?" I asked her and she nodded. She put it all in her bag and we walked down the block and watched a movie so she didn't have to think so much, just enjoy.

Monday came quick and Rochelle and Scott would be leaving tomorrow, it was father's day after all and there is no way that Scott would spend his first one away from his baby.

We were all going out to dinner but beforehand we went to Chase's parent's house for lunch so we could spend some time with his dad and we were telling them today, I was nervous and excited. Telling Rochelle was one thing but telling everyone else, it made it so real.

We were having a baby and after today everyone would know so after breakfast we headed to the doctor to get our ultrasound done, we were going to get to see our little one for the first time and I felt like I could throw up at any moment.

Partly because I always did and the other part was I was terrified as much as I was looking forward to this. I know we talked about having one but what if I wasn't ready to be a mom?

"It's okay." He kissed my temple and pulled me to his side while we waited.

"Brylee Rodriguez." My eyes shot to the nurse at the door and I looked back at Chase. He stood first and held a hand out to me.

"Ready for our new adventure?" He asked and maybe I was scared but he just looked so happy, he had no reservations about bringing a child into this world with me, he wanted too and deep down I knew it was what I wanted too, it's why I left my pills at home when we went on our honeymoon.

We wanted this and now we got to have it.

"Yes." I stood up and we followed her into the room where she took my temperature and blood pressure and all that crap they usually do then left us to wait.

"Are you okay?" he asked and I nodded

"Yeah, just nervous, you're okay with this right?" I asked. I was afraid he wouldn't be because I didn't talk to him about it before going off my birth control, I just did and that was wrong of me to do.

"I'm more than okay about it, I'm not mad about what you did Brylee, we talked about starting a family and I enjoy thinking back to our honeymoon, thinking in detail about every time I pulled you too me and came inside you. I know it's impossible to know but I like thinking about which of those times could have gotten you pregnant. I'm happy with you and I'm happy about being a dad." He kissed me and my hormones were so out of control I wanted sex now.

"Chase." I groaned

"When we get home baby." He promised before pulling away from me. He sat behind me on the table thing and I leaned against him while we waited.

"Hello Brylee." When I found out I was pregnant there wasn't anyone else I wanted to deliver mine, Dr. Kline delivered all of my little nieces and nephews too.

"Dr. Kline." He was a great man, his father had delivered Riley and I but he retired, so when Monica got pregnant my mom called here and he was great at what he did, just like his father.

"So I finally get the other twin in my room." He smiled and I nodded

"Yeah, we're going to have too many kids running around between us." Lina and Mia were a lot older but this would make baby number five for us, five freaking kids between all of us and Rochelle and I just got married.

"You'll be fine, Chase off the table." he slid off and I laid back "Want to pull your shirt up to just under your breasts so I can have your whole stomach?" he asked and I rolled it up for him.

"Do you suspect how far you are?" he asked me

"Two months about, we were planning on trying now but I guess this one wanted to come early." And as I sat here I was more okay with that then I was in the waiting room, I think it's just first appointment nerves.

"We should be able to pick up the baby this way and we can try for a heartbeat but it may be too early."

"Heartbeat?" I asked as I looked at my stomach and he smiled at me.

"Yeah, we can usually pick it up at about ten weeks." Chase held my hand and I cringed when he put the cold gel on my stomach. He grabbed the thing that finds the baby and he ran it through the gel and coated my skin with it.

"Ready to see our little one?" Chase asked and he smiled as he looked at my stomach, there was a tiny difference, my stomach looked ever so slightly rounded.

"Yeah." Dr. Kline turned it on and he moved the thing around my stomach and I never understood how people could look at them and be like oh, there's my baby! I never could do that nor understand how they could be so sure of a boy or girl.

"Alright." There was no sound at first and as he moved it around he smiled.

"Everything look okay?" I asked him and he nodded

"I would put you around ten weeks, sound about right?" he asked

"That means I got pregnant at the beginning of our honeymoon not the end." We were gone two weeks and that would create some dirty images for Chase now he can narrow it down.

"I guess little one really did want to come early, huh?" Chase asked, it seems like that nickname would stick until we found out the gender.

"We may have one problem though." He said and my smile instantly faded

"What's wrong?" I asked and all I could think about was how this couldn't happen, not again.4

"Well there are some abnormalities with the ultrasound, seems like little one didn't want to come early but little two did." He said and my brain didn't process that right away.

"Two?" Chase asked and he nodded and turned the screen

"Two distinct babies are growing in there." I looked up and there were two little dark areas

"Two, twins?" I asked and he nodded.

"Twins." He confirmed then he turned the sound on and you could make out two rapid heartbeats.

"Twins." Chase looked at my stomach

"Oh god." I was scared, I was expecting one baby but what was I going to do with two? I know Lina and Mia and that Riley and Monica did it at like sixteen but they had mom and dad to show them what to do and how to raise two babies at once, I didn't have them.

"It's okay." Chase squeezed my hand and I just listened and this was so fucking real now and I was suddenly freaking out about it.

"Is it, two babies? Chase we don't even know how to raise one." We would have but well, life had other plans.

"It's going to be okay Angel, we get to have twins, they get to grow up and have someone like you had Riley. They'll always have each other like you two do." I just nodded because he was right.

I was crying and he was just smiling at me.

I loved being a twin. It was a bond you couldn't describe but it was an amazing one and I could only hope that they'll grow up to be as close as Riley and I are.

"It's okay." I said and he nodded.

"It's okay and we get to tell my dad that for father's day we found out he gets to be a grandpa twice." I nodded again and I just took a few deep breaths, it was a shock but it was okay. Chase and I wanted a big family and two babies are an amazing thing.

"I love you." the doctor let us look at them for a few minutes before printing us off copies and giving us a cd. I was telling Riley today and I know he'll be happy for us. He has Michael but he'll get his first blood related nieces or nephews.

Boys ran in Chase's family and I thought it would be funny to have twin boys to go with his twin girls.

"I love you too."

We left the office and we went to Chase's parents, Riley and Monica went to hers and Scott and Rochelle went to his and then we would all meet up later for dinner, this was the last father's day that Chase would ever have without being one and even though we just found out and they aren't here, he gets to celebrate it a little bit.

We got to his parent's house and I could tell he was so excited for this and I never thought he could be this excited, hell he was probably more excited than I was and that's saying something.

"No going back now, huh?" he asked me and I laughed as I shook my head

"Wasn't planning on it, ever." Chase got out first and opened my door for me, placing his hand on the small of my back as we walked to the door and then in. His mother was in the kitchen making lunch while his dad watched some sports channel.

"Happy father's day." Chase said and his dad jumped slightly but stood up for a hug as soon as it clicked that we were here.

"Happy father's day, dad." I hugged him too and he squeezed me

"Thank you sweetheart."

"Oh honey you're here." She instantly went in for her hug, the kind that kind of leaves you light headed as she squeezes the life out of you, but with love.

"Always nice to see you baby." She hugged me too, I went to help her with lunch and left Chase to spend time with his dad.

"Where's Thomas?" I asked

"Hiding."

"I'm not hiding." I peeked under the table and sure enough he was hiding out with a book

"Well if you're not hiding come say hello to your brother and sister you dork." She didn't have to look at him but he blushed before scooting his way out.

"Hi Brylee." He wouldn't make eye contact, he was so painfully shy.

"Hi sweetheart, come here." I opened my arms for him and he looked at Linda before hugging me real quick and taking a step back, we would get there. They adopted him recently and he was still adjusting and he was only nine.

Linda smiled at him and he went to stand by her side and I didn't push him anymore.

"So Thomas, I was going to take Lina and Mia out for ice cream this weekend, do you want to come?" I asked him and he blushed again, I think he had a little crush on Mia; they were both very awkward children but I loved them both.

"Okay." He said shyly; well that was progress.

We sat down for lunch and it was great, Chase and I had bought him a new watch for father's day, a little tip from his mother and when we gave it to him he was pretty excited.

"We have a second gift for you too." Chase told him and I'm pretty sure he was trying not to bounce out of his seat right now.

"Oh you guys didn't have to get me anything, being here is enough."

"I think you'll like this one more than the watch." I told him and handed him over a box and then one to Linda, we had to improvise a little after finding out about the twins.

"I get one?" she laughed and I nodded.

"Open them together." They were small boxes but they did the trick.

They both opened them and pulled off the lid to each see a onesie in there.

One that said 'You've been promoted to grandparents.' The other said 'Guess who's going to be grandparents!' I found them cute but I find pretty much everything cute that has to do with babies, so cute I usually end up crying, like right now, damn it.

They both stared at them for a good twenty seconds.

"Are you serious?" His mom asked and we both nodded.

"Yeah, I'm pregnant." I confirmed and his mom squealed which made both David and Thomas jump.

"I get to have a grandbaby." She got up to hug me and Chase.

"Not just a grandbaby, you each got a box for a reason." I told her and she was so excited I was afraid she would fall over.

"Twins?" she put her hand on my stomach and I looked over to see David standing by Chase and he was smiling too.

"Yeah, there are two of them in there, we found that part out this morning. Happy father's day to Chase for that one." Not only has he succeeded on getting me pregnant, but with twins, I'm pretty sure he gets some satisfaction from that.

His mother sat there fussing over me and touching my stomach every five minutes but I didn't mind, his dad was just as happy for us but calmer about it and he just said it was the best father's day present he could have gotten, which was beyond sweet of him to say and I couldn't wait to share the news with everyone else.