Chapter 11
Elisha grabbed the box that’d come in the mail from home, a smile on his face. Jael had told him that she’d sent a care package. His stomach rumbled with anticipation, a care package from his wife often meant home made baked goods and coloring pages from the kids. Sitting on his bed he ripped open the box and removed the tell-tale box of cookies. Underneath the cookies lay a smaller box, with an envelope beneath it. OPEN FIRST, labeled the oblong box and he shook his head. What a woman. Curiosity got the better of him, and Elisha could wait no longer he pulled open the box and gasped. A positive pregnancy test lay in the box, the envelope was next in his hands and he opened it quickly. Inside lay a picture of Khalil and Eliana wearing matching Big brother-Big sister shirts.
A smile tugged at his lips as the note on the back of the picture read "Call me, Daddy."
Elisha reached for his phone and dialed home quickly. "You didn’t tell me on the phone!" he exclaimed.
"I wanted to tell you in a special way." he could hear her smile across the phone line.
He chuckled and touched the picture of the two little ones they’d adopted. "It was special, love. Thank you. I can’t believe that you’re pregnant... I want to be there."
His wife sighed softly, "I want you to be here too. I wanted you to be here when I found out, and again when I told K and Elli."
Being away from them made his heart hurt, and now there’d be a third baby who’d need him. "Maybe this should be my last tour of duty." he said quietly.
"That’s your decision, Elisha."
He nodded and sighed, this was never easy.
--
Cami walked into the empty apartment that Ezra sat in alone."Hey love." she said, walking over to sit next to him on the floor. "Why are you here all alone?" she asked.
"I was just thinking." he said.
Cami smiled and wrapped her hand around his arm. "Thinking about what?" she asked.
He took a deep breath and looked at her."Cami, I feel like I’m doing the right thing moving here to be with you. I just want to make sure I know and you know that this is the right thing for us to be doing. You know? We're moving on to another part of our relationship." he said.
Cami nodded."Yeah, I like this though. I like having you around. Actually, love having you around." Cami said, laying her head on his shoulder.
Ezra smiled."Are we going to get married?" he asked.
Cami looked at him speechless. "Cambria, I love you." he said before kissing her.
"I love you too, Ezra." she said with a smile. "Where is this all coming from?"
Ezra smiled and shrugged."Your sister is so happy with Elisha and her kids and I want to be that happy." he said.
Cami looked forward picturing the look in her sister’s eyes as she looked at her kids and husband. She smiled. "I want you to be that happy." she said looking back to him.
"I want to be that happy with you." Ezra said. He put his hand in his pocket and took out a box.
"Ezra, what? What is this?" she asked.
He handed her the box and let her open it.
"I don’t know what to say." she said looking at the ring that sat in the box so perfectly.
"Cami, I know it’s early in our relationship. But, we don’t have to get married right away. We can take some time. A lot of time? Just say yes. I don’t want to be with anyone else." he said.
Cami stared at the ring, then closed the box. She took his hand and placed the box in it then closed his fingers around it. "Ezra, this is not a no. But, I think this is too early." she said as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Ezra wiped the tear from her cheek. "Don’t worry about it. I know it’s early. I still love you Cam." he said pulling her closer to him. "Think about it though?"
Cami nodded. "I will." she said.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.
--
Jael sat on the couch with a book in her lap glancing at the clock. It was far past the time she generally went to bed, but Cambria hadn’t returned yet and she was worried. The sound of keys in the door had Jael sighing in relief as she looked up to see her sister standing in the doorway. "Where have you been?" she asked, putting a book mark into her book and laying it on the coffee table before her.
"Being proposed to." Cambria stated matter of factly, flopping unceremoniously onto the couch beside Jael.
"Excuse me?" Jael could feel her mouth drop open much like her sister’s had earlier.
Cambria kicked off her black flats and tucked her legs beneath her, "Ezra opened a ring box and asked me to marry him tonight." She sighed and folded her hands and set them in her lap. "I said no."
Jael’s eyes widened involuntarily. "You said no to Ezra? The man you’ve loved since you were what sixteen?! Why would you say no?"
Shaking her head quickly, she looked down at the ground. "I don’t even know exactly...I just know that we need more time to get to know one another as a couple before we can marry each other. I mean, look at you and Elisha. You’ve been together for years and finally decided it was time and everyone was after you about how soon it was. How could I be officially with the man for a week and get engaged?"
Reaching out, Jael hugged her sister tight and smiled. "You do whatever it is that makes you happy, sister. Whether people accept it or not, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you’re in love and you are happy with Ezra. Everything else is cake."
"Thanks, Jae. I’m going to get to bed." she mustered a small smile as she walked to her bedroom.
"Call Ezra!" Jael called after her sister. With that, she consulted the clock again and dialed Elisha’s number hungry for communication with her husband.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Life,Love,and Other Mysteries-Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Cami walked into the kitchen mostly everyone was there. "Good morning guys. How’s it going?" She asked. She gave each of the kids a kiss on the cheek and Ezra also.
"Sister, do you think you can watch Khalil for me? The baby has a doctor’s appointment today and I don’t want him to be bored." Jael said. Cami nodded.
"Of course. I have to go shopping so he’ll hafta suffer through buying cookies and candy." Cami said with a wink towards Khalil.
The little boy clapped his hands and laughed. "Tookies!" he said.
Cami smiled and picked the boy up.
"Don’t spoil the child." Jael said.
Cami shook her head. "I never do." she said with a smirk.
Jael laughed and picked up the baby. "Alright were heading out. Khalil have fun and be good. Cami no spoiling my child!" Jael said before walking out the door.
Cami looked at Khalil and shrugged. "I like spoiling you though kiddo." she said.
"Spoil kiddo." He repeating.
Cami nodded."That’s what I thought!" she said. She walked into the nursery to get him dressed and Ezra came in to help.
"Can I come?" he asked.
Cami raised an eyebrow. "Come where?" she asked.
"The store. I need some stuff for my apartment." he said.
Cami turned around and widened her eyes."You got an apartment?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Oh my gosh I’m so happy for you!" she said hugging him.
He laughed and hugged her back.
"When can I see it?" she asked letting him go.
He shrugged. "We can go now if you want." he said.
She nodded and picked Khalil up. "Come on little man let's go see this new house."
--
Cami took Khalil out of the stroller and let him run around the empty apartment. "This house is so cute. So it’s official now? Your really staying?" she asked.
Ezra put his arms around Cami and kissed her cheek."Yes it is. Just have to go back to my mom’s and get my stuff, but I’m not leaving after that." he said watching Khalil jump around.
Cami laughed as Khalil ran over and put his hands up for her to pick him up. "What do you say we go get our shopping done eh?"
--
Cami walked into her house with arms full of bags. "Hello? Jae ya home?" she asked.
"Yeah, I’m in the living room. Do you need help bringing stuff in?" Jael asked running into the kitchen.
"No, I've got it all. Ezra’s bringing Khalil in. He fell asleep in the car." Cami said starting to put stuff away.
Jael helped put the stuff away than sat at the table with Cami.
Ezra walked in and sat with them.
"So Bryna told me that you were talking about marriage?" Jael asked.
Cami raised her eyebrows and looked over at Ezra who had his eyebrows raised as well.
"What are you talking about? I should shoot her." Cami said under her breath.
"Hey there don’t get too crazy" Ezra said. "I mean we’ve only been together for a month."
Cami nodded and looked at Jael."Welcome to the family." Cami said.
Jael laughed. "Seriously." she said.
Ezra shook his head. "Thanks."he said before standing up to get a drink.
Jael and Cami both laughed. Cami knew that he really didn’t know what he was getting himself into going out with her.
--
Jael watched Ezra walk away and she turned to her sister, "Hold onto that one, he’s good for you." she said.
"I’m going to try. How’s Elisha?" Cami asked.
"I haven’t heard from him today, but yesterday he was okay, missing home. I’m trying to think of a creative way to tell him I’m pregnant." she said, gauging her sister’s reaction.
"Excuse me?" Cami’s mouth dropped open and she wrapped her arms around Jael.
"I said, I’m pregnant. Elisha and I are having a baby..How do I tell him?"
"Send him the pregnancy test." Ezra stated from the doorway. "And a picture of the kids in big brother and big sister shirts."
Cami’s mouth dropped again, "Where did that idea come from?" she questioned him.
"Television." he chuckled his face reddened as he ducked back into the kitchen.
"What a man you’ve got on your hands sister." Jael laughed. "But I just might use his idea."
"I can’t wait! Another nephew or niece." she hugged Jael again, and stood. "I’m going to find Ezra and tease him relentlessly about this idea."
Jael shook her head and grabbed her laptop off the desk, it was time to find t-shirts for the kids. Her hand rested on her stomach and she sighed, she wished that Elisha was here so that they could’ve found out together. Instead, he was a whole world away with no idea that he was going to be a father again. Another sigh left her lips, no sense in feeling sorry for herself, it was time to start looking up.
Cami walked into the kitchen mostly everyone was there. "Good morning guys. How’s it going?" She asked. She gave each of the kids a kiss on the cheek and Ezra also.
"Sister, do you think you can watch Khalil for me? The baby has a doctor’s appointment today and I don’t want him to be bored." Jael said. Cami nodded.
"Of course. I have to go shopping so he’ll hafta suffer through buying cookies and candy." Cami said with a wink towards Khalil.
The little boy clapped his hands and laughed. "Tookies!" he said.
Cami smiled and picked the boy up.
"Don’t spoil the child." Jael said.
Cami shook her head. "I never do." she said with a smirk.
Jael laughed and picked up the baby. "Alright were heading out. Khalil have fun and be good. Cami no spoiling my child!" Jael said before walking out the door.
Cami looked at Khalil and shrugged. "I like spoiling you though kiddo." she said.
"Spoil kiddo." He repeating.
Cami nodded."That’s what I thought!" she said. She walked into the nursery to get him dressed and Ezra came in to help.
"Can I come?" he asked.
Cami raised an eyebrow. "Come where?" she asked.
"The store. I need some stuff for my apartment." he said.
Cami turned around and widened her eyes."You got an apartment?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Oh my gosh I’m so happy for you!" she said hugging him.
He laughed and hugged her back.
"When can I see it?" she asked letting him go.
He shrugged. "We can go now if you want." he said.
She nodded and picked Khalil up. "Come on little man let's go see this new house."
--
Cami took Khalil out of the stroller and let him run around the empty apartment. "This house is so cute. So it’s official now? Your really staying?" she asked.
Ezra put his arms around Cami and kissed her cheek."Yes it is. Just have to go back to my mom’s and get my stuff, but I’m not leaving after that." he said watching Khalil jump around.
Cami laughed as Khalil ran over and put his hands up for her to pick him up. "What do you say we go get our shopping done eh?"
--
Cami walked into her house with arms full of bags. "Hello? Jae ya home?" she asked.
"Yeah, I’m in the living room. Do you need help bringing stuff in?" Jael asked running into the kitchen.
"No, I've got it all. Ezra’s bringing Khalil in. He fell asleep in the car." Cami said starting to put stuff away.
Jael helped put the stuff away than sat at the table with Cami.
Ezra walked in and sat with them.
"So Bryna told me that you were talking about marriage?" Jael asked.
Cami raised her eyebrows and looked over at Ezra who had his eyebrows raised as well.
"What are you talking about? I should shoot her." Cami said under her breath.
"Hey there don’t get too crazy" Ezra said. "I mean we’ve only been together for a month."
Cami nodded and looked at Jael."Welcome to the family." Cami said.
Jael laughed. "Seriously." she said.
Ezra shook his head. "Thanks."he said before standing up to get a drink.
Jael and Cami both laughed. Cami knew that he really didn’t know what he was getting himself into going out with her.
--
Jael watched Ezra walk away and she turned to her sister, "Hold onto that one, he’s good for you." she said.
"I’m going to try. How’s Elisha?" Cami asked.
"I haven’t heard from him today, but yesterday he was okay, missing home. I’m trying to think of a creative way to tell him I’m pregnant." she said, gauging her sister’s reaction.
"Excuse me?" Cami’s mouth dropped open and she wrapped her arms around Jael.
"I said, I’m pregnant. Elisha and I are having a baby..How do I tell him?"
"Send him the pregnancy test." Ezra stated from the doorway. "And a picture of the kids in big brother and big sister shirts."
Cami’s mouth dropped again, "Where did that idea come from?" she questioned him.
"Television." he chuckled his face reddened as he ducked back into the kitchen.
"What a man you’ve got on your hands sister." Jael laughed. "But I just might use his idea."
"I can’t wait! Another nephew or niece." she hugged Jael again, and stood. "I’m going to find Ezra and tease him relentlessly about this idea."
Jael shook her head and grabbed her laptop off the desk, it was time to find t-shirts for the kids. Her hand rested on her stomach and she sighed, she wished that Elisha was here so that they could’ve found out together. Instead, he was a whole world away with no idea that he was going to be a father again. Another sigh left her lips, no sense in feeling sorry for herself, it was time to start looking up.
Life,Love,& Other Mysteries-Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Cambria stood holding the picnic basket staring at her sister’s retreating car. "I cannot believe that woman!" she exclaimed, turning to look at Ezra, who was smiling at her.
"Don’t look at me," he replied, holding his hands aloft in mock surrender, "she’s your sister!"
"Yeah, unfortunately...she’s a brat!" she laughed and looked down at the picnic basket. "But, as long as we’re here we might as well eat."
"Yes ma’am." Ezra said, saluting.
Together they walked to a nearby tree and sat in the shade. Cami began to pull out the contents of the picnic basket and smiled at the organization of her sister’s basket. "Look at this!" she exclaimed, tipping the basket slowly so he could see the contents. The entire basket was laid out in sections from main course down to dessert, each item had its own small tupperware container or baggie.
"I hate to say this, but Jael has a problem." Ezra contended finally.
"You’re just realizing that?"she chuckled softly and handed him a container holding a sandwich, then another with a small helping of potato chips.
"Well, I think I’m getting a fuller revelation than I had before." he winked at her and opened the container and quickly took a bite of the sandwich. "She is quite the picnic supplier though! And, she gave us some nice quiet time together, for which I’m very thankful."
"You and me both!" Cambria stated taking a bite of her own sandwich. She’d remember to hug and smack Jael when she got back to the apartment.
--
Jael tucked Eliana into her crib and kissed her cherubic cheek. "Guess who’s next?" she whispered.
"No!" exclaimed Khalil as he reached for her ringing cell phone. "Daddy!"
Jael could hear her husband’s chuckle on the phone line as he greeted Khalil. Her heart warmed at the little boy’s smile and conversation with his dad.
"Elli nappin’, Daddy." he said climbing onto his bed looking all too old for two. "Went to park. Yeah, fun!" Khalil nodded as he talked.
Finally the little one passed her the phone and lay down on his bed. "Daddy say nap, Lil." he smiled at Jael and reached for the covers.
"Hello handsome." she said as she tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder, pulling the covers over Khalil and kissed his chubby cheek. "Goodnight darling." she whispered.
"I’m not sleepy yet." Elisha laughed softly.
She laughed softly and shut off the light in the nursery. "Not you, silly, my other darling."
"Well that makes me jealous." his deep laugh warmed her insides as she sat on her own bed and cradled the phone against her ear.
"Oh does it?" she laughed with him, "You know you’re my one and only, Elisha."
"Of course." he answered quickly. "How are the kids?" he asked finally.
"They're okay. Missing you already, Elli was babbling dada today." she smiled remembering her little girl’s babbling in the carseat on the way home from the park. "K was asking for you all day long...I took them to the park to pre-occupy them. And did a little matchmaking while I was there." she giggled softly.
"Who are you messing with now?" his joking reproach warmed her.
"Ezra and Cambria. It was only a matter of time, you know that."
--
Cami laughed as she walked into the door. She looked in the living room where Bronxon and Bryna sat looking at Ezra and Cami. She looked back at Ezra and winked.
"You mean Bronxon actually did that? Oh my Gosh that’s hilarious." She laughed. Ezra looked at her than laughed.
"Yea exactly it was so funny." He said.
"What did I do?" Bronxon asked. Cami and Ezra walked into the room and started to laugh.
"Nothing were just fooling around." Cami said. She sat on the couch and Ezra sat next to her. "So what are you two love birds doing in here?" She asked.
"Just talking." Bry said. Cami smiled and held Ezra’s hand.
"About?" She asked.
"Stuff." Bronx said. Ezra stood up and still held onto the basket.
"Hey guys I’m gonna go take a shower. After sitting on that ant hill I feel a little dirty." Ezra said.
Cami laughed. She pictured Ezra jumping off the blanket as Ants attacked his clothes. All she could do was laugh. Ezra smiled and walked out of the room leaving Cami with Bronxon and Bryna alone.
"So you guys seem extremely happy together. What’s going on?" Bryna asked. Cami smiled and sat back.
"Stuff." She quoted Bronxon. Bryna rolled her eyes.
"Oh come on Cami." Bry said.
"I think its to early to know exactly what’s going on. I mean obviously were together and happy but I think it’s to early to know marriage wise." Cami said. Bry and Bronx both widened their eyes.
"Marriage?" Bronx asked.
"Well every girl wants to get married and dreams of it. You know Big wedding, Friends and family there to witness your love for each other. But like I said it’s way to early to think that way."
"But its not wrong to think that way." Bry said. Bronxon looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Do you think about marriage?" He asked. Bry nodded.
"All the time. Like Cami said it’s something that is always on a girls mind. They can’t help it." Bry said.
Cami laughed a little before standing up. "You guys have fun talking I’m going to bed."
Cambria stood holding the picnic basket staring at her sister’s retreating car. "I cannot believe that woman!" she exclaimed, turning to look at Ezra, who was smiling at her.
"Don’t look at me," he replied, holding his hands aloft in mock surrender, "she’s your sister!"
"Yeah, unfortunately...she’s a brat!" she laughed and looked down at the picnic basket. "But, as long as we’re here we might as well eat."
"Yes ma’am." Ezra said, saluting.
Together they walked to a nearby tree and sat in the shade. Cami began to pull out the contents of the picnic basket and smiled at the organization of her sister’s basket. "Look at this!" she exclaimed, tipping the basket slowly so he could see the contents. The entire basket was laid out in sections from main course down to dessert, each item had its own small tupperware container or baggie.
"I hate to say this, but Jael has a problem." Ezra contended finally.
"You’re just realizing that?"she chuckled softly and handed him a container holding a sandwich, then another with a small helping of potato chips.
"Well, I think I’m getting a fuller revelation than I had before." he winked at her and opened the container and quickly took a bite of the sandwich. "She is quite the picnic supplier though! And, she gave us some nice quiet time together, for which I’m very thankful."
"You and me both!" Cambria stated taking a bite of her own sandwich. She’d remember to hug and smack Jael when she got back to the apartment.
--
Jael tucked Eliana into her crib and kissed her cherubic cheek. "Guess who’s next?" she whispered.
"No!" exclaimed Khalil as he reached for her ringing cell phone. "Daddy!"
Jael could hear her husband’s chuckle on the phone line as he greeted Khalil. Her heart warmed at the little boy’s smile and conversation with his dad.
"Elli nappin’, Daddy." he said climbing onto his bed looking all too old for two. "Went to park. Yeah, fun!" Khalil nodded as he talked.
Finally the little one passed her the phone and lay down on his bed. "Daddy say nap, Lil." he smiled at Jael and reached for the covers.
"Hello handsome." she said as she tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder, pulling the covers over Khalil and kissed his chubby cheek. "Goodnight darling." she whispered.
"I’m not sleepy yet." Elisha laughed softly.
She laughed softly and shut off the light in the nursery. "Not you, silly, my other darling."
"Well that makes me jealous." his deep laugh warmed her insides as she sat on her own bed and cradled the phone against her ear.
"Oh does it?" she laughed with him, "You know you’re my one and only, Elisha."
"Of course." he answered quickly. "How are the kids?" he asked finally.
"They're okay. Missing you already, Elli was babbling dada today." she smiled remembering her little girl’s babbling in the carseat on the way home from the park. "K was asking for you all day long...I took them to the park to pre-occupy them. And did a little matchmaking while I was there." she giggled softly.
"Who are you messing with now?" his joking reproach warmed her.
"Ezra and Cambria. It was only a matter of time, you know that."
--
Cami laughed as she walked into the door. She looked in the living room where Bronxon and Bryna sat looking at Ezra and Cami. She looked back at Ezra and winked.
"You mean Bronxon actually did that? Oh my Gosh that’s hilarious." She laughed. Ezra looked at her than laughed.
"Yea exactly it was so funny." He said.
"What did I do?" Bronxon asked. Cami and Ezra walked into the room and started to laugh.
"Nothing were just fooling around." Cami said. She sat on the couch and Ezra sat next to her. "So what are you two love birds doing in here?" She asked.
"Just talking." Bry said. Cami smiled and held Ezra’s hand.
"About?" She asked.
"Stuff." Bronx said. Ezra stood up and still held onto the basket.
"Hey guys I’m gonna go take a shower. After sitting on that ant hill I feel a little dirty." Ezra said.
Cami laughed. She pictured Ezra jumping off the blanket as Ants attacked his clothes. All she could do was laugh. Ezra smiled and walked out of the room leaving Cami with Bronxon and Bryna alone.
"So you guys seem extremely happy together. What’s going on?" Bryna asked. Cami smiled and sat back.
"Stuff." She quoted Bronxon. Bryna rolled her eyes.
"Oh come on Cami." Bry said.
"I think its to early to know exactly what’s going on. I mean obviously were together and happy but I think it’s to early to know marriage wise." Cami said. Bry and Bronx both widened their eyes.
"Marriage?" Bronx asked.
"Well every girl wants to get married and dreams of it. You know Big wedding, Friends and family there to witness your love for each other. But like I said it’s way to early to think that way."
"But its not wrong to think that way." Bry said. Bronxon looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Do you think about marriage?" He asked. Bry nodded.
"All the time. Like Cami said it’s something that is always on a girls mind. They can’t help it." Bry said.
Cami laughed a little before standing up. "You guys have fun talking I’m going to bed."
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