Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Melissa's House
12 weeks...
The sound of Lexi throwing up echoed throughout the quiet house. She'd shot out if bed with the urge to retch—no different from the previous mornings.
She rested her head against the cool bathroom tiles when she was done, in hopes that it would calm her.
Melissa's footsteps registered in her brain not long before she heard the toilet being flushed. Then the woman in question was squatting in front of her, holding a wet towel to her face.
She groaned, turning away from her, but her bestfriend wouldn't have it. She raised Lexi's head and wiped her mouth with the wet towel, tossing it into the bin as soon as she was done.
She rose and went out, returning a minute later with a warm mug of ginger tea, which she handed to Lexi; the aroma soothing her frazzled nerves almost instantly.
This had become their morning routine for the past two weeks. And as much as Lexi hated feeling this weak and being waited on, she was grateful for the help from her friend.
Her morning sickness and overall tiredness were getting to a point where she wondered if Melissa had been right in saying she was probably having twins.
Melissa helped her to her feet and ushered her out of the bathroom to sit on her bed after she had rinsed her mouth. Seated and still a bit nauseous, she sipped on the tea, sighing when the warmth shook off the chill that had descended on her and drove away the nausea.
"Oh Melissa, what would I do without you?" she murmured with a weak smile, leaning back against the headboard. Melissa grinned brightly and stood.
"Nothing at all," she replied, sticking her tongue out at Lexi before walking towards the door. "Breakfast?"
"You bet," Lexi replied quietly. "No bacon or eggs."
Melissa rolled her eyes playfully. "Of course I remember—considering I've also been banned from cooking or eating those around you until your first trimester is over, when the morning sickness has hopefully receded." Alexandra chuckled lightly making Melissa raise a brow in question. "Is this funny?"
"No, not at all. I appreciate your sacrifices. But, if it's any consolation, I can't have a coffee either. The first months of pregnancy suck," she grumbled. She set her mug on the nightstand and scooted forward, falling onto the bed with a huff.
"You can still have a decaf," Melissa told her. "It's not the same as completely losing bacon for a month or two."
Lexi raised her head to look at Melissa. "What's the point of coffee without the caffeine? I love coffee because of the subtle kind of high and alertness it brings. But now..." she trailed off, flopping back unto the bed.
"Okay okay, I get it," Melissa muttered, yanking the door open. "I'm going to get breakfast on. See ya later loser."
Lexi only grunted in response, shifting to lie on her left side.
* * *
Alexandra felt something tickle the sole of her foot and kicked at it to get it off. But a few seconds later, the sensation was back again.
Idly, and with eyes still closed, she wondered what it was. Her own body feeling ticklish? Nope, makes no sense, she thought. Crawling insects? She shuddered.
When she felt it the third time, her eyes flew open, only to find Melissa was the cause of it—that she was tickling the bottom of her foot with an artificial feather.
She reached for one of the spare pillows on the bed and chucked it at Melissa's head, groaning tiredly while Melissa laughed and said, "Finally. I was beginning to wonder if you were dead."
"What do you want?" she grumbled, peeking through her lashes at Melissa. She was stressed out and needed way more sleep than she was getting. Yet, Melissa kept making it difficult—whether by ruining it or making sure she didn't sleep at the 'wrong time'.
"Get up." Alexandra rolled her eyes and buried her face in her pillow. Melissa was not having it. "Lexi, you need to eat for the babies if not for yourself."
"Baby, Melissa," she corrected, her voice muffled by the pillow. "No one mentioned two yet."
"Exactly!" Melissa agreed enthusiastically with a clap that had Lexi wincing. Then she groaned. How was Melissa always so excited in the morning while she struggled to keep her eyes open?
Oblivious to Alexandra's annoyance, Melissa continued. "We have—you have that doctor's appointment today. And we'll find out if what I told you is true. Maybe we should make a cash bet."
Alexandra finally sat up though sleep was still calling to her. "Melissa, the next ultrasound I'm getting is at the end of my first trimester—after my third month comes to an end."
Melissa frowned. "Which hospital have you been attending? Because I remember them saying we could get an ultrasound anytime."
"A public one," she said simply, avoiding Melissa's eyes as she got comfortable in bed. They could afford to throw money around because they were filthy rich, but she couldn't—not yet anyway because of her stubbornness. She had to save what she had left for the baby's arrival.
"Well, I booked a private one—different from Trey's—and that is where you'll be going for the time being. You can get an ultrasound anytime you want."
"I appreciate your helping me Mel, but I can't afford the expenses of a private hospital," she reasoned. "I'll just keep going to the public one -"
"Nonsense," Melissa cut in, eyes narrowed. "Those babies are Robinsons; my brother's babies right there," she said, pointing to Alexandra's belly.
"And God knows Ashley would have our hides if we watch you go to a public hospital when we can pay for a private one to get you the best care. I'm not settling for less than the best for them okay?"
When Alexa didn't respond, Melissa sighed and sat on the bed next to her, taking her hand. "You've lost enough babies. I want to try make sure we get you the best health care this time okay?"
Alexandra didn't say 'Trey got me the best health care he could and I still lost the babies'. She only nodded, appreciative of her friend's help.
Melissa cupped her cheeks, wiping the tears that had fallen. She added, "For you and the babies."
Alexandra groaned at how cheesy she sounded, but Melissa jumped off the bed, winking. "Jason is here with Sierra. They wanted to say 'Hi'."
"Alright, I'll be down in a few."
* * *
Alexandra felt eyes on her as she descended the last two steps. She felt annoyed and self-conscious.
Annoyed because these days people saw her differently—as a fragile glass that could slip and break at any time, but also self-conscious because she had put on a bit of weight.
She wasn't going to blame it all on the pregnancy because her best friend had a hand in it.
Melissa was hell-bent on fattening her up, and she had to admit that so far, she looked good. That didn't mean she felt that good about it though.
Expelling a breath through her lips, she plastered on a small smile and greeted them warmly. Sierra, Jason's fiancée, smiled back and stood to hug her. Then she sat back next to Jason who looked... grim.
"Would you guys like something to drink?" Alexandra asked and Melissa's brows rose in wonder.
"The hell Alexandra, sit. down," he bit out in a disgruntled voice at the same time Melissa stood. Melissa pushed Lexi into a couch to prevent Jason from going through the roof.
She glanced questioningly at Sierra, who just shrugged like she had no idea what was wrong with him, and Melissa decided to drop it. "I'll go get the drinks," she mumbled and walked out of the room.
"Now what?" Alexandra grumbled in annoyance. Everything irritated her these days. She was tired of men taking a look at her and deciding for themselves that she was vulnerable and needed protection.
"What is wrong with you?" Jason asked out of the blue. Sierra squeezed his thigh, and he visibly relaxed while Alexandra sat, stunned, wondering what that was supposed to mean.
"What he means is, how are you feeling?" Sierra rephrased, shooting a glare at Jason who didn't look away from Lexi for a split second as he waited for his answer. "Right?"
"Yeah, same difference," he grunted and sat forward. "No offense Alexandra, but you look terrible."
"Jason, you're not helping," Sierra said letting go of him and turned to Lexi to offer an apologetic smile.
Alexandra smiled back to reassure her, then turned to Jason. "I've been extremely nauseous and haven't been getting as much sleep as I want," Alexandra replied. "Other than that, I'm fine."
Jason squinted at her, wondering if he should take her word for it. Was she really alright when Trey was a mess?
"Why can't you sleep?" He asked, watching her closely. He watched her squirm in her seat, trying to get comfortable.
"Melissa keeps waking me," she said averting her eyes. That wasn't full truth. Yes, Melissa did wake her earlier than she'd like, but she couldn't sleep mostly because Trey wasn't next to her. She missed him badly.
"You're lying to me," Jason said in a voice that suggested he knew she was lying. Alexandra merely swallowed against the dryness in her throat and kept her gaze downcast.
When she made no attempt to deny or admit it, he went on. "Like I said earlier, you look terrible. Not very 'fine' to me."
"Jason," Sierra said warningly. He was undeterred though.
"Well what do you expect?!" She snapped suddenly, making their eyes go wide with surprise. None of them had expected an outburst.
"Your bestfriend - my husband - believed some other person over me and kicked me out while I am pregnant with his baby. How do you expect me to feel?
"Then he kicked me out of work, and I'm having to rely on my bestfriend - who is his sister, and is living in one of his houses. Everyday, I keep thinking he's gonna show up and kick me out..."
Jason bit his lip, seriously considering his options. The woman obviously had kept a lot of things bottled up inside her. Hell, she'd hardly cried after the loss of the second baby.
She'd pretended she was used to it when they could all tell that deep down, she was hurting. She needed to let it out. Or... he could just stop being an ass and let it be. He hated being like this, but he wanted to hear her vent, release all that pent-up pain and bitterness.
"Lexi, you're a mess and so is he. You both need to take care of whatever happened or should I say, is happening between you two. The other time he got so drunk - "
"What do you mean he got drunk?" She cut in with an incredulous look on her face as she sat up in the couch. "Trey doesn't even like drinking - though I can count a few occasions that warranted a bit of drinking."
Jason raised a brow in question. "Calling me a liar?"
"No," she answered cautiously, because in addition to the fact that Jason had been with him longer and therefore knew him better than she did, he was the one who had been seeing much of Trey lately compared to her. "But he hates drinking."
"Don't we all know that?" He asked back, remembering the many times Trey had refused drinks because he didn't want to be anything like his dad was growing up.
"He's taken to it though," he added in a calmer voice. "Go to work, come home and get drunk - repeat the cycle everyday. He goes to work hangover and the employees are always on the receiving end of his crass behavior."
Alexandra closed her eyes, trying to get the images of Trey with bloodshot eyes yelling at Gale - that sweet boy trying to cater for his mom - or at his recently recruited college interns out of her head. This couldn't be happening.
Where did it all go wrong?
"I found him rip-roaring drunk at Dynasty, (one of the clubs Jason owns) and he kept telling anyone who would listen how heartbroken he was over what you had done to him -"
"But I haven't done anything!" she cut in, looking flabbergasted and a bit pained.
Jason gave her a small smile that told her he knew. So she shut up for him to continue, though she really didn't want to hear any of this. "He doesn't know that. I had to drag his ass home, apologizing and making sure none of what happened reached any reporter.
"Then I went to check on him the next day after work, only find him drunk and sprawled on the floor of his home office, with several empty bottles around him. He didn't even change from his work clothes and he was crying like a -"
"I think that's enough," Sierra cut in, realizing it was getting too much for Alexandra to handle. She sat in the couch, knees up to her chest as she rubbed her arms to ward off the chills brought on by Jason's words. Sierra could tell Lexi still cared about Trey.
Melissa snuck back in and set the drinks down quietly as Alexandra tried to process what she'd just heard.
Trey. Drunk.
Those two words were never found in a sentence together. She wanted to scream her pain. She'd done this to him. She didn't know how, but she knew that in a way, she had. She was hurting him just as he was hurting her.
So who was at fault then?
In a weird way, she felt relieved that she wasn't the only one struggling to keep sane, that he was hurting too. That meant he still cared... right?
"Like I said, you both need to fix whatever is going on between you. Personally, I think he's sinking into depression," Jason continued, mentally smacking himself for making her feel bad. But he had to make her see how miserable he was without her. "Deal with it like the adults you are."
"How am I supposed to when he won't even listen to me?" She was starting to look stressed, which wasn't good. Sierra sent a chilling glare his way and he had the right sense to look sorry.
He changed his tactic and spoke softly, trying to help her see the implications that could result from this. "The baby would be here in a few months. You wouldn't want the baby to be caught up in this feud or whatever it is. The baby needs both - "
"Babies, Jason. Plural. Their children would need both of them," Melissa cut in smoothly, looking immensely satisfied with herself. Jason paused to stare at Melissa in bewilderment, then shook his head at her, his eyes going wide and his body going rigid with tension as the words set in.
Babies. Children.
He turned back to Alexandra so fast she was worried for his neck. "You're pregnant with two?" He asked, shock marring his features. Alexandra would've laughed if he weren't serious - if this whole situation wasn't serious. He'd reacted as if he was the one about to be a father of two. She wondered how Trey would react when he found out.
"Nothing has been confirmed yet," she said quietly, the fear and guilt seeping out of her body, leaving exhaustion in it's wake; leaving her drained of energy. "And I'm not against having twins. Just that it would mean finding a job as soon as possible."
"More reason to get your issues sorted out," Jason reasoned, earning the stink eye from both Melissa and Sierra who wondered if he ever gave up. The man was like a mother hen, always hovering, but at times, came on too hard. He raised his hands in surrender, but continued anyway. "Just saying, the baby - or babies - need both of you. Don't make this difficult on them. Don't make them have to choose. Trey didn't listen when I tried talking to him because he's still moping and that is why I'm telling you too. But ultimately, it's your choice, because you don't deserve all he put you through."
Alexandra exhaled heavily. "I'm not trying to complicate things further," she mumbled tiredly, then scowled, glumly adding, "And it's a baby Jase. A baby."
"Mel's just kidding then?"
Melissa shook her head when they all turned to her; Lexi's expression saying 'say one more word and I'll kill you' while Jase and his fiancée were simply curious. Unbothered by Lexi, Melissa went ahead to indulge their curiosity.
"You should see how severe her morning sickness is - but I guess that doesn't count for much since other women having one baby sometimes have it just as bad." Alexandra lifted her hands in exasperation, but before she could say a word, Melissa beat her to it.
"Her tummy is already getting big at just three months of pregnancy. Don't you find that a bit suspicious?" She asked, lifting Lexi's shirt to show them the small hard mound that had already formed.
Alexandra swatted her off and pulled her shirt down, scowling. "I'm not yet three months pregnant. I'll be in a few weeks. I'm twelve weeks pregnant."
"See what I'm talking about?" Melissa chimed in triumphantly. Lexi groaned upon realizing what she'd just done.
Jason swore. "At this rate, you'll be showing by the time it gets to the wedding. And if you don't tell him now, he's going to make a scene when he finds out there."
"I'll be fine," Alexandra said, waving off his concerns.
"Of course you'll be. It's not your wedding that is going to be ruined," he muttered with a tinge of sarcasm, getting a side shove from Sierra, then ran a hand through his hair. "Look, for your own sanity, don't come if you don't want to."
Alexandra snorted, stood, then walked over to stand behind the couch Sierra and Jason were sitting in. "I'll come. If I should be showing more than this, I'll cover up."
"Are you sure it'll be okay for you?" Sierra asked quietly, laying a hand on Lexi's. She sounded worried but her eyes were pleading for Lexi to be there on her special day, and there was no way she was going to miss it - not for the world.
"I'm positive," she answered with a big and genuine grin.
Jason grunted, rising from his seat. "Enough of this sappy stuff. We have to go."
The girls burst into a fit of giggles while Jason continued scowling. He offered Sierra his hand, pulling her up to him when she took it. Lexi pouted. "Do you really have to go now? You're not staying for breakfast? Or drinks even?"
He moved away from Sierra towards her, grumbling, "Why are you always trying to feed me every time I visit you?" He side-hugged her, a smile forming on his lips when he was reminded of just how small she was.
He released her and went back, pulling Sierra to him. "We've still got a bit more of planning to do. How come you never told me weddings were work?"
Sierra smacked his chest, looking offended. He grinned down at her innocently, then looked back up at Lexi. "I hear you've got an appointment today. Save me a pic, will you?"
"Sure," she agreed with a smile.
"Be safe," Sierra admonished, hugging Alexandra, then moving to do same with Melissa.
As they walked to the door - Jason's arm wound around Sierra with her snuggled in his side - she felt wistful. She must have looked it too because Melissa gave her a sympathetic look.
Before she could say anything though, Alexandra beat her to it, yawning. "I'm going back up to sleep a little. You can only call me when it's time for the appointment. Got it?"
Melissa only nodded with a sad smile. Not liking the look, Alexandra turned away towards the stairs, blaming her wistfulness on her hormones.
Stupid hormones.