Chapter 58-61

Chapter 58

Isela rolled over in their bed the morning she was going to bring Bruno home from the hospital yawning and stretching out in the bed.  He’ll sleep in the bed with me tonight. Yeeeesss. She thought to herself. I miss him. A lot….oh crap. Eww. That’sgross. Oh my god. Isela jumped out the bed to throw up. “Oh baby. You better be nice to me. Or you’ll have another thing coming when we see you.” she said out loud after wiping her mouth, turning on the water for the shower and brushing her teeth.  I still don’t know how I’m going to tell him. What do I say? Do I get all excited and surprise him with something baby related? And for some reason I don’t feel anxious about this like I did with Selena. I don’t feel scared. Like this is going to be okay. And I don’t understand why I feel differently. Why?! Maybe because I’ve been through it before..I don’t know..I don’t get it. But I know this will be perfect. Her head didn’t stop spinning while she was in the shower, getting dressed or even driving to the hospital to pick Bruno up.

Isela walked into his room which was full of balloons and teddy bears.

“We’re taking these downstairs…” he told her with two giant teddy bears in his hand. “And I signed ‘em and everything.” he smiled.

“That’s a really good idea. You should just hand them out too.” Isela told him.

“If you’ll help me.” he said pointing to the mounds of stuffed animals next to his bed.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. Give me two seconds…” Isela turned around to talk to a nurse outside his door quietly. The nurse nodded her head hurrying to get her supervisor. The supervisor smiled hugging Isela.  Isela came back in his room.

“You have to sign all your discharge things. They’ll get all your goodies and then take them upstairs. The PR guy is going to come and get you. And then you’ll hand ‘em out. It’ll be precious.” Isela smiled kissing him.

“Oww.” he replied to her kiss.

“I’m sorry..” she said rubbing his arm.

“Not for that.” he told her.

“For what?” she asked him.

“For being breathtaking beautiful.” he said reaching over to take her hand. (ahaha…brunomarsimagines.tumbrl.com)

“Shut the hell up, Bruno.” Isela said leading him out the door to sign his papers.

A young man with dirty blonde hair wearing a dark blue shirt and black pants came up to them introducing himself as Ryan, the Community Relations Coordinator.  He led them through the hospital explaining he had to stop very quickly in labor and delivery. Yes. That’s perfect. Isela thought to herself. Then he can’t freak out. We’ll walk by the babies and I’ll say something ridiculous.

I’m really sorry I have to drag you both up here. It will take a few minutes.” Ryan told them.

“It’s alright..” Bruno said with a sad voice. Ryan was obviously thinking of their past.

“Let’s go look at the babies, Bru.” Isela said. “There has to be a cute one in there…like a boyfriend or girlfriend for ours.” She told him.

“Isela...quit being silly.” he said walking her over to the babies.  What a dream taker. Isela thought to herself. She stood next to him looking at the babies silently waiting for him to piece together what he said.

“No!” he turned around shocked.

“Yes!” she said to him smiling.

“Oh…oh…oh my god, Isela! When did you find out?”

“A few days ago. I haven’t been to the doctor or anything.” she answered.

“Isela!” he looked at her shocked.

“It was when I was getting my stitches…” she pointed to her arm. “They had to make sure I wasn’t allergic to the stuff so they did a blood test.”

“I think that one…Emmanuelle would be good for Brunito…” Bruno pointed to a baby quietly sleeping off the right.

“We’ll end up with the one that’s crying their head off…like…like…Stella over there…” Isela moved his hand to the other side of the nursery.

“It doesn’t matter, Selly. As long as they’re ours.” he said sweetly.

“Aww. You are too cute.” Isela said pinching his cheek.

“It’s the truth.” he said turning to her with a tear coming down his cheek.

“I love you, Bruno…” she said wiping the small tear off his cheek.

Chapter 59

Isela watched Bruno in the middle of the room handing out his stuffed animals. He took pictures with the children and spoke to parents who all greatly appreciated his quick appearance. Isela must have been staring at him intently when a mother came up to her.

“Isela?” she asked.

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry. Hi…”

“Isela…I think he would be a great father.” the mother told her.

“I know he would be.” Isela smiled at the mother.

“My daughter is so in love with him.” she explained to Isela that at the age of 12 her daughter and she happened upon one of his performances in Santa Monica. Her daughter freaked out because she had heard Billionaire on the radio.  After that performance she was beyond in love with him.  As a mother, she had to comfort her daughter who was in tears when she found out the two of them had gotten married.

“Oh my gosh.” Isela laughed grabbing her purse pulling out a bright butterfly ring she kept in her purse to remind her of Bruno. He bought it for her when she was in college to celebrate one of her personal records. Of course, there was more to the celebration, but for some reason the ring always stayed with her.

“Hang on a second.” Isela touched the mother’s hand motioning for Bruno to come talk to her for a second.

He leaned down slightly wincing to talk to Isela. Isela got close to his ear whispering, “The girl with the red teddy bear...her name is Madeline. Go talk to her. She’s a real hooligan….and give her this…” she handed him the ring wrapping his hand around it.

“The butterfly?” he asked. “But..”

“No. Give it to her.” Isela told him.

He waited until everyone else was gone to talk to Madeline, a tall, incredibly skinny 16 year old who was in the hospital, again, for her cystic fibrosis. She coughed several times during the conversation making Isela’s heart break a little.

“She’ll be okay, Isela. It’s the weather. It happens every year around this time…” Madeline’s mother Ashley told her.

“Ohh…but it still breaks my heart.” Isela answered.

“It is hard…but you find the strength. And you have to be the strongest person in the world for your little ones. Even if you are faking it.” Ashley answered watching the exchange.

**

“I’m glad I’m bringing you home, Bruno.” Isela said as they drove the familiar route to their house from the hospital.

“I’m glad you are too, Selly.” Bruno said kissing her on the cheek.

“Oh…will you grab my phone? I think that was Yuliana…” she said pointing to her purse. Bruno dug through her purse looking at her phone.

“I didn’t say you could look at it!” she told him sarcastically. He didn’t answer her looking at the text message stunned by what he was looking at.

“Isela...”  he handed her the phone.

“What a bitch. She stole my thunder.” Isela laughed. “Oh my god…”  They stopped at a stop light giving Isela a chance to look at the text message. She gasped again looking at her sister’s pregnancy test with the caption “Babies!”

“Babies!” Bruno exclaimed laughing at his wife’s reaction.

“Ours will be cuter, though.” Isela told him moving the car forward turning onto their street. “But how do we tell everyone now? Or do we?” Isela asked him. “A mass text is not okay…” Isela told him.

“It’s not…” Bruno replied.

“We should just tell everyone over family dinner on Thursday…” he told her.

“Just say, oh hi y’all we’re pregnant again?” Isela wondered.

“They’ll have 9 months to let it sink in.” he told her.

“Your simplicity is genius, Bruno.” she told him as they walked in the house.

Chapter 60

Isela scheduled a solo doctor’s appointment with Dr. Garcia a few days later. Surprise, she and her sister had the same doctor.

“The Ortiz girls are pregnant at the same time..well isn’t that something…” she said sweetly.

“But the baby will be okay, right?” Isela asked.

“We’re going to do exactly the same thing we did last time, however, you will be sent to bed the second something looks a bit funny. Even if that’s tomorrow, okay, Isela?”

“I will stay in my bed for nine months, if that’s what it takes.” Isela answered.

“I don’t think that will be necessary, but I will write it down, Isela.” the doctor joked. “So, it looks like you’re about…10 weeks pregnant..so that means baby is due….December..Christmas Day.”

“What?! Are you shitting me?” she asked in shock.

“And your niece or nephew is due on….December 19.” Dr. Garcia continued.

“Oh my goodness.” Isela knew it would probably have to be around that date, but it was still a shock to hear the actually words.

“And I will see you next week and the week after we’ll hear the heartbeat. Okay?” Dr. Garcia wrapped up the appointment.

** A week later

Isela sat next to her sister who was still gushing about the pregnancy. Bruno was still out of town so they hadn’t told anyone yet. After everyone left Yuli and ben’s house, that week’s destination for family dinner, Isela helped her sister clean up.

“You look so happy, Yuli…” Isela told her putting plates in the dishwasher.

“I am. I cannot believe it. But, I also want to make sure the baby is safe and all…”

“Sissy, what happened to me won’t happen to you. Your body is perfect…and mine..well…” she answered looking down at her dress. “Broken I guess…”

“You’re not broken sissy. You’re pregnant.” Yuli answered.

“What? How the hell….”

“The twin force is strong….Iselita.” her sister answered.

“You couldn’t have known. I haven’t seen you in a few weeks…not since Bruno got out of the hospital..”

“You’re right I haven’t. But I did go to the doctor today.”

“Damn Dr. Gracia.” Isela muttered.

“I know! I was like…my sister didn’t even get to tell me! I wanted to see your reaction when we all found out…but don’t worry. I didn’t even tell Ben yet. So we can keep it a secret until you two are ready.”

“Thank you…and Christmas! A baby for Christmas!” Isela screamed.

“Two babies for Christmas!” Yuli hugged her twin sister. They started dancing with each other in the kitchen to Julieta Venegas (google her..she’s amazing) that was playing in the background.

**

The next week Bruno sat next to Isela in the familiar spot.

“I liked your boobs last time..” Bruno said pointing to the same poster that he looked at during their very first fist to Dr. Garcia after finding out she was pregnant with Selena.

“I liked the sex…” Isela answered.

“Shoot, Selly…I always like the sex.” He said kissing her on the cheek running his finger against her cheek.

“Oh my.  Don’t do that. Please.” Isela responded glancing at the door. He touched her knee making her slightly uncomfortable that it made her want to jump on him that very second.

“She’s going to be a while…” Bruno said.

“Eww! You’re so gross. Keep it in your pants until we get ho…” they heard a knock on the door.

“Y’all ready to see baby’s heart beat?” Dr. Garcia said walking in with an ultrasound technician. The technician gasped a little when she saw Bruno.

“She’s pretty, isn’t she?” he asked her.

“Oh…yeah. Mrs. Hernandez, you’re beautiful.” the tech answered slightly embarrassed by her reaction.  Isela hopped on the table waiting to see the picture. Bruno rolled his chair over to her. He touched her hair trying to calm his own nerves. He could not figure out why she wasn’t freaking out about this time the way she did with Selena. It was as if she knew this time they would be able to hold their baby forever….

“Alright…do you see that little black….” Dr. Garcia paused for a second. “Those two black dots….” she put her hand up to show them the dual heartbeats.

“Twins?” Bruno asked.

“Twins…” Dr. Garcia answered. Isela’s mouth dropped.

“No way!” Isela screamed.

“Yes way, baby!” Bruno got up pointing to the two black dots. “Baby, we’re having babies!”

“On Christmas!” Isela exclaimed. “I think we just officially stole Yuli and Ben’s thunder.”

Chapter 61

Isela put two tacos, two blobs of guacamole and two buñuelos  on every single plate she was serving.  Two days later, they had invited both families over for dinner. It was an early Spring day, sunny, and cool. Bruno was out with everyone talking, being loud, being himself. Yuli came in the kitchen asking to help.

“What do I need to do?” she asked.

“I’ve got it. Bruno is going to help me.” she answered.

“What are you doing? I always help.” she asked.

“Just go back outside, Yuli..come onnnn. You’ll ruin it.”

“Oh. We’re talking about what we talked about last week, then?”

“Yes! Now go, go. Vayas!” Isela pushed Yuli out of the kitchen.

“Finnne. I already know though.” Yuli said.

Isela rolled her eyes at her sister while Bruno walked passed her kissing his sister-in-law on the cheek.

“Ewww. Stop.” Yuli told him. He laughed at her while wandering over to Isela. He put his arms around her waist glancing over her shoulder at the plates. He put his finger in one tasting the homemade guacamole.

“Eww. Stop.” Isela told him. He took another taste of it, this time putting his finger near her mouth.

“Taste it!” he told her.

“I know what guacamole tastes, like babe.”

“Fine. I’ll eat.” he said licking his finger. “Mmmm. You’re missing out.” he said grabbing plates to take outside.

“That one is yours, Bruno! No one is going to want Bruno fingers in their food.

“I havvveeee fooooodddd.” Bruno yelled walking out the back door. He set down two of the plates watching his toddler nephews get excited about the tacos.

“He’s not going to be able to eat two, Bru..” Claudia told him.

“Well, I want to see him try to eat two, tacos. And two buñuelos, and two scoops of guac…and two tomatoes…and two…”

“Bruno! Stop! Just say it!” Tahiti yelled.

Isela was walking out the door when Tahiti was yelling at him.

“What?” Isela asked smiling at her.

“Isela! Twinsssss?” Tahiti asked with Claudia holding Liam in her arms next to her.

“Yeees!” Isela gushed.

“Whaaaa?” Bernie turned around with another baby in her arms.

“Yeees!” Isela repeated putting down the plates.  Everyone else reacted much in the same way, hugging the two of them and congratulating them.

**

“This house is such a messss…” Isela whined walking out to the table where Bruno was writing.

“I’ll clean tomorrow when you’re at work, baby.” he said looking up at her quickly going back to what he was doing. Woah. He thought looking back up at her. She was just in a t-shirt, cotton shorts wearing her hair in a bun with her glasses on.

“What?” she asked him.

“You just look amazing right now.” he told her.

“Oh. Thanks.” she answered. “I’m tired…she told him scratching her head.

“I can tell…” he responded.

“How?” she asked him.

“You only put your hair in a bun when you’re ready for bed.” he smiled at her.

“Hmm. I guess I do…” she said turning around toward the bedroom.

“I’ll be there when I’m done with this…” he said watching her walk away.

“Yeah. So, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” she told him.

“Most likely…” he answered laughing at her. He put his head down to finish his song.

Isela turned off the big lights in their enormous bedroom leaving one light on so Bruno could come in the bedroom without falling all over the clothes and other junk on the floor slipping into her comfortable spot on the left side of the bed. She laid down on her stomach closing her eyes drifting into her sleep. A few minutes later Isela felt a light touch on her head. She opened her eyes to see her mother sitting next to her.

“Mama?” she asked.  Isela saw her mother sitting in a chair a few feet away from her rocking Selena. “Como esta mi Selenita?”

Translation: Mama…how is my Selena?

“Selena es tan preciosa como mi Iselita…”

Translation: Selena is as precios as my Iselita.

“Todavia me gustaría que ella está con nosotros.”

Translation: Still, I would like it if she was with us.

“Ella siempre está con ustedes, preci..”

Translation: She is always with you both, precious.

“Pero a abrazarla y amarla. Eso es lo que quiero..a celebrar su primer cumpleaños…a celebrar su primeros pasos..todo. No vamos a ver estos, mami. Si, vamos a tener otros….pero la primeria es…la primera. Nada puede reemplazarla…”

Translation: But to hug her and tol ove her. That is what I want. To celebrate her first birthday…her fist steps..everything. We aren’t going to see these, mommy. Yes, we are going to have others…but the first…is the first. Nothing can replace it.

“Si, y entiendo. Y yo…yo…todavía estoy tratando entender por qué.”

Transation: Yes, and I understand…I..still am trying to understand why.

“No sabes la repuesta de Selena?”

Translation: You don’t know the answer about Selena?

“No, mi amor. Es algo que solo Dios puede entender.”

Translation: No, my love. This is something only God can understand.

“Mama….”

“Si, mija?”

Translation:  Yes, daughter?

“¿Me puede dar un poco de tranquilidad de que estarán con nosotros para su primer cumpleaños?”

Translation: Can you give me some confort in that the babies will be with us for their first birthday?

“Tiene fe, mija. Fe es la clave.” ‘

Translation: Have faith, daughter. Faith is the key.

“Okay…” Isela answered closing her eyes falling asleep to her mother’s touch.