Okay, here it is! It took me a long time to find the time to write this chapter up, but I'd like to think that this is a filler to what is to come...enjoy!
Chapter 32: Time to Get Up“Mama? Mama?” Gabby was at Abby’s side, trying to wake her up. “Mama! Get up now!”
“Mmmhmm.” Abby said, feeling around for her little girl.
“Mama. Tata said to eat now. Eat now!” Gabby said, climbing up on the bed and touching Abby’s cheek. Abby smiled, her eyes still closed.
“Okay, sweetie. I’ll be there in a minute.” she said, her eyes still closed.
“I’ll wait for you Mama.” Gabby said.
“Okay.” Abby said and she opened her eyes to see a little Gabrielle staring her in the face. She sat up and pulled Gabby onto her lap. “Did Tata ask you to come get me?”
“Yeah. I’m hundry.” she said.
“Okay, let’s go downstairs then.” she said. Gabby hopped off her lap and then off the bed. She walked to the door, just like she was supposed to, to make sure Abby didn’t see the crib hidden beneath the big cloth. Abby swung her legs over to the edge of the bed and pushed herself off the bed. She walked over to Gabby, not even noticing the crib in the corner of the room, took her hand, and walked downstairs.
“Hey sleepy head.” Luka said as he met them at the end of the stairs and kissed Abby. He scooped up Gabby and sat her down in her booster chair next to Taylor.
“Hi Mama! I used da potty today! Gramma helped me!” she said pointing to Maggie, who was sitting across from her.
“Really? Wow, that’s great honey!” Abby said as she sat next to her at the end of the table. They all ate their dinner which included Josip’s homemade beef stew and noodles. After they finished, Maggie and Josip went back to her apartment and Luka cleaned up.
“Luka, why don’t you let me help you?” she said getting up from the table.
“Because you are tiered and overworked and I can do it by myself.” he said.
“But...” Abby said as she picked up a couple of the dished and made her way over to the sink.
“Abby I can do it. Just go sit down and relax okay? When I’m done cleaning up the girls and I have a surprise for you.” he said and kissed her on the forehead to let her know that he wasn’t upset with her. He really only wanted her to get some rest. He could only wonder why she was so tired now. Was it his fault? Was he not doing enough around the house? Or should she stop working now? And should he tell her that even if he knew what the answer was going to be?
Luka stopped what he was doing the moment she mentioned it. “Luka, I’ve been so tired lately...do you think I should stop working now?” she asked him quietly. So quiet he almost didn’t hear her ask. It shocked him that she would ask this question, but maybe she knew that she was over exerting herself and it was not good for either her or the baby.
He didn’t want to seem too straight forward about what he thought so he simply said, “I think if you feel that you are doing too much, you should stop working and get some rest. But, only if that’s what you know you want to do.”
“I think I want to finish next week and see how I’m feeling first.” she said, and a feeling of relief washed over Luka. Abby could tell that he was happy. “You were hoping I would say something like that weren’t you?” she said in response to his big grin.
“Mmhmm.” he said and walked over to her and kissed her. He grabbed her hand and said, “Come on. The dishes can wait. The girls and I have surprise for you.” He helped her up and led her first to the girls room.
“Time for surpwise?” they asked him when they saw them both in the doorway.
“Yeah, come on.” he said and they dropped their toys and walked over to Abby. They both grabbed one of her hands and leaded her to her bedroom.
“Come on Mama.” Taylor said and pulled her a little. Abby started walking and before she knew it, they were at the door of their bedroom.
“Close your eyes.” Luka said, as he reached for the door.
“Luka...I was just in there! I didn’t see anything special. Everything was the same as it always has been!” Abby said as she reluctantly closed her eyes.
“I don’t think so.” Luka said as he pushed open the door. He nodded to the girls and they pulled the sheet off from the crib.
“Otay Mama. Open eyes.” Taylor and Gabby said together.
Abby opened her eyes. What she saw was beyond anything she could have imagined. In the corner of their bedroom was a crib and next to that was a new rocking chair, cushioned and everything. She could not hold her emotions back and began to cry.
“What’s wrong?” Taylor asked.
“You don’t like it?” Gabby asked, her face looking sadder by the second.
“No...it’s not that. I’m just so happy and I love it!” Abby said. “Thank you guys.”
“The girls picked out the bedding.” Luka said as they walked over to the crib.
“Yeah...aminals!” Taylor said happily.
“Well I love it!” Abby said as she sat down on the rocking chair and beckoned for the girls to come over. “Thank you my little angels.” she said and hugged each of them. “I love you both so much.”
“We wuv you too!” they said and pranced out of the room and back into their own room to continue playing with their dolls and tea party set.
“So do you really like it?” Luka asked.
“I do.” she said. “I love it.”
“Do I get a hug like they did too?” he asked.
“Of course you do. Come here my big Croatian hero.” Abby said. He walked over to her and knelt down. She hugged him and then pulled his face to her own and kissed him.
When they broke apart he asked her, “Since when did I become your big Croatian hero?”
“Since the day you came back here and I was sitting in the airport.” she said.
<3 nicole
Oh and BTW, thank you charmaine for being so concerned. I'm getting better now, except for the fact that i have a really bad cough...