Naughty Elf: Twinkle (Santa’s Naughty Elf Mates)

11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

“Monty, what if I get so big I can’t fit through the door?”

“Twinkle you are three-months pregnant, and you barely have a pooch.”

I rubbed my belly, thinking of the tiny cookie baking in there. “I love my little pooch.”

“I love your pooch too. How’s the schedule coming for the team this week?”

“Not too bad. You have the Hanson house remodel that starts this week. As soon as that’s done, you dive into the employee breakroom at the Bridal Shoppe. I’ve got Kody working another job right now.”

I’d taken to this new role that Monty created for me within the company like a natural. I knew nothing about construction, but quickly learned faster than I’d absorbed anything from the pregnancy books I’d read. Somehow, administrative tasks just kind of clicked for me and the software that Monty used was packed full of useful information. Anytime I typed in the square footage and the job type, it populated with options for materials that fit. I’d select what we’d need, and it calculated the total for each item and completed the bid. Monty still double checked the proposals to ensure I hadn’t missed anything but for the most part, he was pleased.

“Well, my brothers sure are happy to be back to work full time, including Aiden. I was such a jerk for ignoring their needs. They struggled because I was a lazy bear.”

“Well, now it’s come together nicely, and everybody seems to be happy.” I’d even started watching some of the nieces and nephews here and there when Monty’s siblings had to work. I guess the dads had stayed home and babysat while Monty slept and the mother’s worked. It was fun and gave me hands on experience, and better prepared me for our upcoming addition.

“That reminds me Twinkle, Momma wants you to call her about the baby shower. Did you want me to meet you at the baby store to set up the registration for what we need? By the way, don’t order a crib. Momma said she had dad pull our old one out of storage. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, I can fix it up any way you want it.”

“The very crib that baby Monty slept in. I’m so excited. Do you know which teeth marks on it are yours? I want to keep them. We can fill in everybody else’s. I just want yours.” How weird was that to say?

“I might be able to pick out a couple of them, but not many especially since it went through not only my siblings, but the nieces and nephews too. For a while there my parents kicked kids out like Tic-Tacs.”

“I don’t know what that means, but it doesn’t sound fun.”

“Well, they were having fun, and that was the problem. Then came along the Tic-Tacs meaning my brothers and sisters. There’s barely a year between each of us birth wise.”

About that time Aiden walked in with Kaleb. “Did you forget how to knock?” Monty said as he shook his head at him .

“Don’t listen to him, you’re family.” I took Kaleb from Aiden and stuck my tongue out at Monty as I sat Kaleb on the floor in front of the bucket of toys we now had. I pulled out his favorite truck and handed it to him. “Kaleb is spending the day with Uncle Twinkle.”

“Cookie,” Kaleb said as he made grabby hands. Aiden shook his head.

“Yeah, he’s turned into a cookie monster, and I think we have Uncle Twinkle to blame for that.” Aiden’s words held no malice, the grin on his face said as much.

“I can guarantee you have Twinkle to blame for that,” Monty snagged a cookie himself. “But what’s the fun of having nieces and nephews if you can’t send them home all sugared up for their parents?”

Aiden did that thing with his middle finger Monty said meant a dirty word and I shook my finger at him.

“Little hands learn naughty gestures,” I warned him.

“Naughty,” Kaleb mimicked from the floor and even though they laughed that proved my point. The little pudgy monster was quick and adorable, and I enjoyed my time with him.

“Grace only has a couple of appointments this morning and said to tell you that she should be by to pick him up around lunchtime. From the sounds of it she planned to have lunch with you today, Twinkle. ”

“Sounds wonderful, Aiden.” I only hoped it didn’t come back up later or worse, while she was still here. When would this vomiting nightmare end?

Monty and Aiden left for work, and I put cartoons on for Kaleb and gave him a cookie to snack on. “Here you go, sweet boy.”

“Cookie.” He made grabby hands again. Tina sat nearby awaiting gifts in the form of crumbs. I hardly had to vacuum with her around.

Kaleb and I munched on our cookies and watched cartoons while playing with his building blocks. I’d stack them and he’d crash his toy truck into them and giggle. His laughter triggered mine and that was how Sandy found us, rolling around on the floor being goofballs.

“Knock-knock,” Sandy said as she came inside. I’d learned to leave the door unlocked so the LeClaire brood could come and go as they pleased. Less of a hassle than getting up to answer the door fourteen times a day. Not that I minded, but this was just easier for all.

“Gamma!” Aidan wobbled over to her, and she scooped him right up.

“How is grandma’s little bear today?”

“Cookie.” He knew very few words but the ones he did know he utilized to their fullest.

“I promise he does know more than that word. ”

Sandy just shook her head. She knew me and my minor—not so minor obsession with the sugary confections.

“How are you feeling today, Twinkle?”

“Right now,” I glanced at the new watch Monty got me that tied in with an app on our phones. He claimed it would alert him if something was wrong. I didn’t see how, but if it made him feel better I’d wear it. “I’m okay, and I’m hoping it stays that way. I really wish this morning slash afternoon sickness would go away. Makes it very hard to enjoy having our little one inside me when all it’s doing is making me sick.” I rubbed my belly and whispered. “Daddy loves you, sweet one.”

“Yes, I more than understand that. With Monty I was sick as a dog for the first six months. I kid you not.”

“Six months? There will be nothing left of me by then.” My heart raced and set me on the verge of an anxiety attack. Six months of vomiting every single afternoon. No, just no.

“Twinkle,” Sandy rubbed my back. “Just breathe. It will be okay, I promise. Hopefully that won’t happen to you.”

Kaleb yawned and rubbed his eyes. I filled his sippy cup and held him until he fell asleep, then carefully laid him in the collapsible playpen to nap.

“See, you’re a natural, Twinkle. You’re going to make a wonderful Daddy. ”

I hoped for our little cookie’s sake she was right.

“Now, if you’re feeling up to it this weekend while Monty and the boys are working on the baby’s room, we can take a trip into town? Have a nice lunch and stop by that baby store I mentioned.”

“That actually sounds wonderful, plus it will be nice to get out of the house for a couple of hours. Not that I mind being home but it’s just nice to stretch your wings, if you know what I mean.” I wasn’t sure I knew what I meant so how could I expect her to?

“I absolutely do. Have you read any of the books I brought you or visited the websites I sent you the links for?” Sandy had a wealth of knowledge and has done her best to calm my nerves.

“I’ve been out to all the websites, but I only finished two of the books. I don’t know. Some of it’s just icky.” I scrunched up my face, recalling images I’d rather not have seen.

Sandy grinned. “Icky is probably the nicest way to put it. When it happened to me the words I used would have turned your face red. Do you understand the breastfeeding part now?”

When I nodded she visibly relaxed. Breast feeding was a huge part of this, and it was important I grasped it.

“So, we’ve knocked that worry off your list? ”

“Yes, thank you for that. I’m good with nursing though I’m not sure about pumping it out. But if Monty wants to go out and do anything and you guys are watching the baby, I’d have to. I’m gaining a better understanding, especially with the expenses associated with having a child. I’m enjoying my new role within the family business. I’m a good helper.”

“Yes you are, but you also must understand that in our society, and it was probably the same where you came from, though this part wasn’t shared with you. Omegas tend to take care of the family and don’t work outside of the home. Trust me, don’t discount an omega’s importance. Any alpha worth their weight will tell you that. But like Grace, she works, but her job is assisting the omegas in not only childbirth but in rearing children. Each family is different and how that family operates should only matter to the family operating it, if that makes sense to you. What and how you and Monty decide works for your family only matters to you and Monty and that’s the way it should be. It’s nobody else’s business who works or doesn’t or who does the cooking. If Monty decided he wanted to stay home and you went to work, that would be between you two. Trust me, taking care of a family and a house is a full-time job. ”

“That was probably the most helpful explanation I’ve received to date.” Those words gave me great insight into this new life of mine. Funny thing was, I couldn’t remember the last time the North Pole or any part of my old life came into my thoughts. It no longer mattered, what did now was my new family that I loved and adored and who loved me in return.

It wasn’t long after that Grace came by to pick up Kaleb, and she too stayed for lunch. We discussed my vision for the baby’s room, for which I really didn’t have one and relied heavily on their input. I had no clue what Monty and his brothers had planned for it and being a big fan of surprises, I was good with that. Kaleb would be with us since Aiden was helping with our baby’s room while we shopped and that was fine by me. Kaleb and I bonded, and I loved being around the little guy.

“Sandy, would you like to hear the baby’s heartbeat?”

Her face lit up. Grace popped off the couch and ran to her bag.

“Let me grab my stethoscope. Why don’t you lie back on the couch, Twinkle.”

I assumed the position and waited for Grace to find our cookie’s heartbeat.

“It’s stronger and louder every day, Twinkle. Here you go, Momma.” Grace handed Sandy the ear plug part of the stethoscope and held the metal part in place on my belly. Sandy’s excitement was contagious and had the three of us grinning wide.

“Oh Twinkle, it’s so beautiful. Thank you for letting me hear this.” Sandy’s eyes teared up, as did mine and Grace’s. Family was important. Family was everything.

“What are you two hens doing with my mate?” Monty said as he walked inside.

“Listening to your baby’s heartbeat. Get over here, son, and listen for yourself.” Sandy’s no-nonsense tone had nothing but love behind it.

“Mighty happy to oblige.” Monty took the earplugs from Sandy and a second later he smiled wide. “That right there is the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard, and I can’t get enough of it. Is there a way to record this?”

Grace got that thinky face look. “That’s a great question. I’ve heard stories where after childbirth, the heartbeat has been recorded and the recording placed inside of a stuffed bear. Then whenever they wanted to hear it, they pressed the button, and it played. But I’m not sure how to do that in utero. Let me get back to you on that.”

“Yay!” My excitement could not be contained. The thought of having our baby’s heartbeat available to play whenever we wanted was just, I don’t know, it gave me all these happy bubbles .

“Alright, Momma,” Grace said as she put the stethoscope away. “Let’s get Kaleb and head home. I think we can pass the torch to Monty.”

We said our goodbyes, and off they went down the mountain. Monty showered and we settled in on the couch until that inevitable time of day hit and I took off down the hallway.

“So much for cuddling and movie time.” I complained as Monty scooped me up and carried me to bed, as he did every night as of late. “I love our baby with all my heart, but this has really cut into our alone time.” When was the last time we even made love? Sex for me had become one of those things where you as soon as you opened it, you were addicted and couldn’t get enough. Now I felt so yucky all the time that perk fell to the wayside.

“Sorry, my love, but we can watch it from bed. The movie, I mean.”

“Your mom brought prepared meals with her. I froze all but one figuring I wouldn’t be able to cook…Again.” This was ridiculous. How did omegas do this time and again?

“Twinkle, you’re fixated on things you shouldn’t be. While I appreciate your desire to take care of me, I am capable of feeding myself. You worry about you and our little bee.”

“Cookie. ”

“Cookie? I think you’ve been hanging around Kaleb too much.”

“No, I call her our little cookie.”

“Her?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know for sure, but I just have a feeling it’s a girl.”

“A girl, huh?” Monty got this far away look and smiled. “A sweet princess. Wouldn’t it be fun to make her room look like a castle?”

“I’m no genius so maybe hold that thought until we receive confirmation, Papa.”

“Papa. I like it.” Now that we’d both said it, though I’d only voiced it to myself, it was perfect.

Daddy and Papa it was.