Chapter 80
Chapter 80
”Jack, can I ask you a question” Bruno asked Arissa’s dad.
”Absolutely, Bruno. What’s up? ” Jack answered him.
”When did Arissa start getting anxious about everything?” he asked.
”She has always been a little anxious. But, if I could pinpoint a specific event…” Jack paused to think about it all. ”It would have to be 5th grade when one of her classmates passed away….”
Bruno looked at his father-in-law trying to understand everything. ”A boy in her class passed away in a car accident. I remember them being very close…his family lived down the street from us. We were walking the dogs early in the morning with Cami who couldn’t sleep seeing them putting things in the back of the car. Arissa had a thing for the kid. I could tell because she stayed close to me while I talked to his dad. She asked him if he wanted to come over and finish a project with her on Sunday evening. When he didn’t come over that evening it broke her heart. She didn’t talk to us at all that night. And then, after we put the girls down for bed his mother called us in tears. She asked if Kelly could come over to the house really quick. I stayed here. She came back about two hours later in tears. We decided to tell Arissa in the morning before she went to school. After the initial shock she told us the only reason he went was because his friend Alex wanted to go. Alex got sick that morning and didn’t go. She told us that Alex was really mean to her saying things about how the boy, Eric, didn’t like her and that she was gross. She told us that Eric would always stand up for her, tell her that she wasn’t gross. Even in 5th grade that was a big deal. He protected her from this Alex kid. And then he was gone…and middle school and high school were hell for her because Alex got everyone to gang up on her. She tried..or she tries to put all those things he and his friends said to her in her past, but I know she still feels that out there, somewhere, these boys are still saying horrible things about her…so to keep herself from getting hurt, she just pulls away. ”
”Oh…I can see that. She does pull away…she hesitates…and then the one time she didn’t hesitate…something bad happens. But, I won’t ever hurt her, Mr. Henderson. ”
”We’re so grateful for that, Bruno…because we do see a change in her. She is happier with you than we have ever seen her. We just wish she could let herself be happy. You have to find a way to let her know that it’s okay to be happy. ” Jack finished.
”I’m trying to find a way.” Bruno told Jack. As he finished that sentence he heard Arissa’s steps behind him.
She sat down next to him smiling at her father and her husband. ”What were y’all talking about?”
”We were talking about how extraordinary you are, Riss.” Bruno told her.
**
The next morning Arissa and Bruno got dressed for his hearing.
”Riss, everything will be fine.” he told her seeing the concern on her face. She walked over to him to fix his sideways tie smiling at him.
”I know it will, B…there. It’s perfect. Have I ever told you that I could rip your pants off when you’re dressed like that?” she told him.
”I would let you..” he smiled at her kissing her.
”Oh my god. Not now.” she whispered in his ear. ”Later, I promise.” she said walking out the door toward the car her parents had fixed for her.
”Don’t get in another accident, Riss..” he said getting into the car. She smacked the back of his head playfully.
”Oww…that hurt like a bitch. Are you using your pregnant super powers?” he asked her.
”You don’t even want to know how that would have felt had I used them.” she laughed at him.
A few minutes later they were walking toward the courthouse with Brad next to Bruno.
”Oh, shit. Look at all the news people…” Arissa said quietly.
”Just keep walking, Riss.” he squeezed her hand tightly knowing that what happened today would be all over the world news within 5 minutes. Brad led them through the tv anchors as a few called out to Arissa as well. Oh shit. I don’t look too pregnant do I? She thought to herself. She unconsciously touched her stomach as they walked it the door.
”Oh my god, she’s pregnant!” she heard one reporter say to another. Shit. Arissa thought to herself.
**
”So let’s get this out of the way…real quick. I don’t like all the attention this is getting…” the same female judge said to the group in the court room.
”Mr. Anderson…” she asked Brad a question.”How does Mr. Hernandez plead?”
”Guilty, your honor.” Bruno said quietly.
”Then I am asking you to pay a $,000 fine and we’ll be on our way.” Bruno nodded his head in *agreement. ”Case dismissed.” she answered hitting her gavel. ”And get out of here before you get in anymore trouble, Mr. Hernandez.” she told him.
”Yes ma’am.” he said turning around as everyone else left the court room. Walking out of the room Bruno took Arissa’s hand holding it tightly. ”It wasn’t that bad, was it.” he asked her.
”No, it wasn’t that…” she paused squinting at the flashes that caught her off guard. ”well, no. Now it’s kinda shitty.” she finished.
They went back to Arissa’s parents’ house. Arissa sat next to him laying her head on his shoulder as he started to look at his twitter account. She watched him scroll through his mentions stopping at one from Perez Hilton. ”What’s next? Is he going to kill someone? That @BrunoMars has got to be stopped.”
”What a jerk.” Arissa said out loud. ”Whatever, he doesn’t know anything…” she moved his hand scrolling for him. He watched her read the supportive mentions. ”Aww, look at this one…’ I wish @BrunoMars would beat up my ex. I bet he’d kick his ass.’”
”I’ll do it.” Bruno smiled at the reply. ”But only for you, Riss…because I’ll do anything for you…and…” he touched her small stomach. ”and our little one.” he kissed her gently moving the laptop from his lap.”
”They won’t be home for another two hours…” Arissa said seductively standing up in front of him. He raised his eyebrow at her advances. She leaned down putting her arms on either side of his head returning his gently kiss. He pulled her in toward him having her fall on his chest. He brought her in closer to him having her wrap her legs around him. He watched her move her body around him in awe of her flexibility. He picked her up holding on to her tightly as she kissed his neck. He stopped in her bedroom door frame putting her down gently. She threw off her black cardigan frantically taking off his plaid shirt. He lifted up her shirt matching her pace. ”Hurry up, B. I’m going to explode.” she told him. He grabbed her tightly again guiding her toward her unmade bed. He moved down taking off her pants slowly kissing ever little bit of her as the pants fell down. He flipped her over gently watching her hair fly all over the place. She took off his pants spending extra time kissing his stomach. She heard him say something but couldn’t make it out as she moved up to kiss him on the lips.
”Arissa…I love you so much.” he said sincerely as he reached up to kiss her.
”I love you too, Bruno…” she answered touching his cheek. He kept his arms around her sliding to the side of the bed getting on top of her. He heard her try to keep herself from screaming even though he hadn’t even gotten to the best part. So this is what Phil was talking about….wow. She needs to stay pregnant all the time. Then I won’t have to be on my A game every time…he thought to himself. He ran his fingers gently on her arms as he continued to kiss *her. ”Oh my goooodddddd. Brunnnoooooo. Fuck me.” she said loudly. ”Just fuck my brains out. Please.” she demanded digging her fingers in his back bringing him as close as she possibly could. She bit his shoulder as she always did as he responded to her demands.
**
Later in the evening Arissa sat on her bed packing. Bruno sat down next to her watching her fold their clothes. She leaned over looking at the spot she had bitten into him earlier in the day. She touched it trying not to crack a smile. ”I’m sorry, boo.” she said kissing his neck.
”You can bite me all you want.” he laughed. ”And fuck my brains out? That was really hot.” he replied saying the last part as though it was a regular conversation.
”Come on, Brunoooo…you’re always late….” Arissa yelled at him from the couch.
”Hold your horses, Mrs. Hernandez, geez.” he said hopping into the room putting on his shoes. She waved her feet in front of him showing him that she had flip-flops on
”It’s a lot easier if you just wear these, babe.” she told him.
”I don’t have pretty pink toes like you…” he answered looking at her feet.
”We can change that if you want…” she laughed at him grabbing her purse taking his hand walking toward the car.
He turned on the radio as he started the car. She instantly changed the channel to a Top 40 station. ”What are we singing today, Riss?” he asked her.
”Whatever you want, baby.” she smiled at him. ”As long as it’s on this station.”
”Oh, I like this one…” he responded as Mirrors came on the radio. She started to sing his part toward the middle of the song.
”Riss, how do you still not know the words to this one?” he asked her.
”I don’t know…but what I’m singing is right. You’re wrong. Obviously.” she told him.
”Oh, even though that’s what I recorded in the studio?” he played along with her.
”Umm, yes. Obviously, I’m the queen of song lyrics.” she answered him frankly.
”Alright Queen Arissa.” he finished the conversation waiting for the next song to come on.
”Bruno…I’m going to be the next Britney Spears…duh..” she said dancing in her seat to the Ke$ha song that came on after.
”Riss, you are sooo funny.” he told her.
”Shit, I know. Our children are going to be so funny that they’re going to be on Saturday Night Live.” she told him.
”I can live with that, Riss…” he said.
”But really, I just want the baby to be healthy.” she confessed moving away from the flirtatious conversation they were having just moments before.
”The baby is going to be beautiful, baby doll.” he said looking at her. ”Because their mama is the most beautiful woman in the world.” he told her taking her hand intertwining his fingers in between hers kissing her hand.
Aww, don’t flatter me, Brunz.” she answered.
**
”Bruno…look at all the baby pictures..7” Arissa said pointing to a bulletin board by the chair.
”Ours is going to be up there in March…” she told him.
”I’ll blow the picture up so big that those babies won’t even know what’s coming for ‘em..” he said flpping over a picture to look at the name. ”Shiloh…”
”No way..look at that baby’s lips. That’s Brad and Angelina’s Shiloh…” Arissa pointed to the pouty lips.
”Your doctor has magic hands for touching Angelina like that…” he laughed at her reaction.
”Oh, you are so gross, Bruno…” she hit him on the side as the door opened.
”Was I interrupting something?” she asked them.
”Oh no, he was just being gross..” Arissa told the doctor.
”Okay..so let’s get you all set up…and how are you feeling?” Dr. Benson, a sweet woman close to her forties with light grey hair, asked her.
”I’m feeling fine..I think all the morning sickness is finally gone.” she told the doctor.
”That’s what I like to hear!*” she responded. ”And cravings?” she asked.
”Umm..not more so than usual…yet.” Arissa answered.
”Don’t lie, Riss. You want oranges and caramel sauce all the time.” he told the doctor.
”Okay, so yeah. I want that..and I hate oranages. The peels get in my nails…he just doesn’t like peeling them for me.”
”It’s the only reason I’m going on tour…so I don’t have to peel the damn oranges..” Bruno laughed.
Arissa sniffed responding to his sarcasm. The doctor looked back and forth at each of them trying to figure out their relationship.
”Okay..so this will be cold, Arissa…” the doctor told her rubbing the gel on her stomach. She cringed at the cold looking at Bruno laughing at her.
”God, you really have no idea, do you?” she asked him smiling.
”I won’t let the mean doctor hurt you, Riss..” he replied looking in her eyes.
”Thanks. I was really afraid there for a second..” she laughed hearing the beating noise. She stopped talking to him as he walked over to her grabbing her hand.
”Oh my god…look…there’s a baby…” Bruno said in shock.
”It’s a boy, guys…” Dr. Benson said pointing to the middle of the screen.
”Are you sure?” Bruno asked.
”Yep….” she pointed to all the baby’s body parts.
”Wow…” Arissa responded not taking her eyes off the screen.
”Here are the pictures…” Dr. Benson told them handing Bruno two copies. Arissa snapped one out of his hands as the doctor wiped off of her stomach.
They scheduled her next appointment which he wasn’t going to be at walking out to the car hand in hand.
”Bruno! Oh my gosh. It’s a Brunito!” she exclaimed when they got in the car.
Chapter 81
Over the next few months Arissa and Bruno got excited, nervous and even more excited about starting a family. They visited Texas and Hawaii to celebrate the news. She continued to work, getting involved in the fashion industry. She had even contemplated starting her own PR firm that catered toward midline fashion designers and make-up artists. She had kept the dream to herself knowing that it wouldn’t be something that Bruno would support. He didn’t want her to get hurt, knowing that going into business on her own would be hard on her and her ego. She would tell him about it one day…but for now she was fat and happy and that was the way she liked it. By the time the Grammy’s came she was extra big and lacking any self confidence, but he wanted her to go to the Grammy’s with him. She went back and forth as to whether she wanted to go, but he finally won her over by promising to get her whatever she wanted – food, clothes, jewelry, a new car, for the last three weeks of her pregnancy. She couldn’t say no to jewelry. He was not above bribing her into doing things.
”Brunnooooooo…..” she yelled from their closet. ”I don’t know if my dress is going to fit me….” she told him walking out in a loose fighting bright pink dress with a black trim. She twirled around in a circle showing him that it wasn’t zipping.
”Risssss….” he matched her whine grabbing the back of the dress zipping it up.”There…” he finished brushing her hair off her shoulder kissing her neck.
”Bruno…I just put the dress on you’re not going to get it off…” she told him turning around facing him.
”Don’t worry baby doll, I don’t think I would be able to zip it back up…” he told her.
”Bruno! I know I’m fat…you don’t have to rub it in, geez.” she said putting her hair in a quick ponytail.
”But I can rub your tummmyyyyy…” he said leaning down to kiss her stomach. She ran her fingers through his straightened hair as he kissed her stomach. ”I love you, babyyy…” he sang to her. “Okay, this hat….” Bruno asked pointing to a brown fedora ”Or the white one…” he picked up the white one with a blue feather in it placing it on his head.
”Bruno…why would you cover up your sexy straight hair?” she asked him.
”Damn…I knew you’d veto both of them…that’s why I wasn’t going to wear one at all.” he smiled at her. He handed her a pair of his sunglasses putting on another pair he had sitting on the dresser. He handed her the white hat after she had a hold of the sunglasses. ”You wear those…” he told her.
”In the car. That’s it…” she responded.
”I can’t ever win….geez.”
”Bru…if you wanted me to wear them I would have picked something that matched…” she explained to him.
”You have to embrace the fedora, Riss…it’s all in how you carry yourself.” he said placing it on her head making the bun fall. She laughed at him rolling her eyes keeping the hat on placing the sunglasses on after.
”I’m ready, Mr. Mars…” she told him dancing out the door.
”Your shoes, Riss?” he asked her.
”I’m going boho tonight…” she told him running back in the room picking up her black flats.
”Very boho…” he smiled at her as she sat down on the edge of the bed. He took the shoes from her hands. She lifted her feet up as he placed them on her feet.
”Can you tell I have pregnant feet?” she asked him.
”They’re cute pregnant feet, though.” he responded taking her hands lifting her up to go to the car.
**
Bruno held on to Arissa’s hand tightly as they made their way through the Grammy red carpet. He stopped in front of the group at E! smiling at Guilana Ransic.
”And who is this lovely lady?” she asked him after they exchanged hellos.
”This is my lovely, amazing, beautiful wife, Arissa…” he said squeezing her hand again.
”Well, you look absolutely beautiful Arissa, he’s a very lucky man to have found someone as beautiful as you. ”
”And the baby isn’t even his…” she laughed.
”This is news to me…” Bruno answered.
”Haha, no it is…” she joked squeezing his hand back. ”He just better thank me during his speech. Or else it won’t be his.”
”Oh…she’s feisty, Bruno…” Guilana answered.
They finished their conversation heading to the CBS pre-show.
”Bruno! We wanted to congratulate you…you won Best Pop vocal already tonight!” the correspondent said. Arissa’s mouth dropped in shock. Oh my gosh… she thought to herself. She rubbed his back smiling next to him.
*”Wow! That’s so exciting! I didn’t even get to check my messages to find out…” he said genuinely surprised. ”Are you sure?” he asked the correspondent.
”Yep. 100%...” she answered.
**
Bruno won one more award that evening for Best Collaboration with Timberland. His speech as enduring- thanking his family and Arissa for supporting him through everything. He pointed toward Arissa making her blush. ”And check her out. She let me get her pregnant…” he finished his speech.
”God…he would do that…” Arissa said quietly.
He drug her to an Elektra after party after winning the Awards completely oblivious to her mood. She was struggling to stay awake with her feet hurting feeling a handful of sporadic contractions having to get up to go to the bathroom several times. She sat in a cushy chair watching him talk to all of the celebrities. One of her PR friends touched her on the shoulder sitting down next to her.
”He was so good tonight, Arissa…” she told her.
”I know he was…” she smiled watching his hands move with his conversation. He was so happy and she adored it. ”But I’d really like to just sleep…” she said laying her head on her friend’s shoulder. Her friend rubbed her head.
”Yeah..I do too…” she answered her. Bruno caught a glimpse of Arissa closing her eyes realizing she was tired. He excused himself sitting in front of her.
”Riss?” he asked taking her hand. ”Let’s go home…”
She nodded her head. He took her hand helping her stand up.
”Uff…I’m huge…” she told him.
”I like you that way…” he said leading her out the door to a handful of flashes.
”Smile, Riss…they all love you…” he whispered to her. “Because I do…”
He led her to the car opening the door for her even buckling her seatbelt. He kissed her grazing her lips. ”Go to sleep, sweetheart.” he told her.
”That won’t be a problem…” she replied laying her head on the window falling asleep within minutes.
”Aww, Riss…wake up, baby…” he awed pulling up to the house. He undid her seatbelt grabbing her sound asleep to put her to bed.
”Good night, Riss…” he told her covering up her bright pink dress with their big down comforter.
”Good morning, Bruno…” she whispered to him as he pulled away from her head kissing her on the forehead.
Chapter 82
Arissa struggled to get out of the bed the next morning for work. She got up carefully and quietly trying not to make any noise in her fancy dress.
”Shit, how did I sleep the whole night? ” she asked herself wandering into the bathroom. She finished getting dressed, taking a quick shower blow drying her hair. She put on light make-up, a leggings, a long t-shirts reminiscent of the 1980s and a pair of flats for work. She glanced at herself in the mirror. ”Damn, I’m hot…” she told herself sarcastically.”But at least my baby will be hot…” she finished opening the door seeing Bruno sprawled out on the bed. She wandered into the kitchen making herself yogurt and toast for breakfast. She took the food to the couch to watch the morning news. She knew he would wake up soon to come and see her….she glanced over to their bedroom waiting for him to get up. By 7:45 she had given up. Struggling to get off the couch she sighed heavily putting away her breakfast. As she bent down to close the dishwasher she felt him touch her. She jumped scaring both of them.
”Good morning, beautiful…” he told her laughing at her reaction.
”You were scared too, Bruno!” she responded kissing him on the cheek pushing herself out of the way. ”Your hair is cute today, B. Keep it that way…” she told him as she started to walk toward the door with her purse and prenatal yoga bag in her hand. ”You’re coming tonight, right?”
”I wouldn’t miss it” he told her flashing a huge smile.
”Okay. I’ll see you then, B.” she said blowing him a kiss as she closed the door.
**
Three weeks, 7 yoga classes and 5 parenting classes later they sat in the doctor’s office. Arissa was 4 days past her due date of March 14th. Even though Bruno could put up with a lot of her complaining and whining, it was getting a bit out of control. They both needed that baby out…and fast.
”She better say she wants to induce me….” Arissa complained as he flipped through his text messages.
When are we going to see this kid?
Arissa is like a year pregnant. Get that kid out, Bruno…
We can’t wait to see him! Today better be the day!
”If she doesn’t induce you….I will, Riss..” he told her.
”We tried that….yesterday…and the day before…and the day before that…” she said with a sad face.
”Don’t be sad, baby doll..” he replied standing up in front her to run his fingers through her hair to comfort her.
”We’re not having any more kids…and I haven’t even had this one yet…” she responded to hm.
”Oh come on, Riss. You’re being a drama queen.” he looked into her eyes. ”I know you want to have 1 of my babies…” he said holding up his hands.
”That’s only 10 and I’m cutting you off at 3…” she told him.
”Fine..today you win. It’s 3..but tomorrow…” he winked at her sliding his chair next to her watching the door open with Dr. Benson welcoming them..hopefully for the last time.
”Okay…so you’re having this baby boy today…” she responded to their looks.
”You are my hero…” Arissa said.
**
Bruno watched Arissa sleep late in the evening. Her mother and sister ran to McDonald’s to get something to eat while they waited for the baby to come. All of his siblings had come and gone except for Eric who had talked him through the last three weeks of Arissa’s horrible mood swings.
”Does she always sleep that soundly?” Eric asked him.
”We both slept through the last earthquake…” he told his brother.
”That big one that knocked down the TV?” he asked.
”Yeah…that one. We’re going to need some giant mother fucker to keep us from sleeping through the baby crying…” he laughed.
”You won’t be able to sleep through the baby, bro. I promise…” Eric reassured him.
”Bru….” he heard Arissa’s voice. ”Can you get me some water?” she asked him.
”Of course…” he handed her the big water bottle they had brought with them.
”He is so beyond fashionably late, guys..” Arissa commented after taking a sip of her water putting in on the table next to them.
”The best things in the world are the ones you have to wait for, Riss…” he told her reaching over to her hand kissing it lightly.
”Shut the hell up, Bruno…” she snapped at him. As she finished yelling at him the doctor came in.
”Arissa…are you ready to push? You’re 10 centimeters and fully effaced.”
*”Oh my god…yes…please…” Arissa said. ”I want to see my baby….” she responded. As she finished the statement her sister ran in the room.
”I didn’t miss the baby did I?” she asked.
”He’s still in there, sissy…but not for lon….no I won’t say that…” Arissa finished.
Bruno held onto his wife’s hand looking into her bright determined green eyes the whole time. He bent down next to her between every push to remind her that she was the most amazing woman in the world.
”Really..is there a record for how long a girl can push before the baby comes out?” Arissa asked after thirty minutes of pushing.
”Arissa…” the doctor gasped as she held her hands up with crying baby in her hands. Bruno and she gasped in shock. The nurse handed Bruno a pair of scissors to cut the umbilical cord.
”Oh my god…he’s so….so….so ours….” Arissa said taking the wrapped baby from her husband’s hands holding him on her chest.
”Christian Peter Hernandez….” Bruno said looking at his wife and son. Arissa turned to look at Bruno who had a single tear coming down his cheek. She reached over to wipe it off his face smiling at him.
Chapter 83
By the time baby Christian was 6 months old Bruno had completed a third album and was getting ready to go out and promote it. He and Arissa had decided that he couldn’t, no he wouldn’t be away from them for more than weeks at a time. It sounded great in theory, but then he started to do radio shows on his own without his band mates, he was gone for at least a month at a time. It broke her heart to know when they first started dating he would fly to Texas to stay with her for the evening and the mornings and then leave right away…now, he wasn’t even bothering to spend those short amounts of time with her or their son.
In the early Fall of that year Bruno insisted that she come to New York with him for a series of shows. She was happy to be spending time with him and as a family, but quickly realized that she had lost him in some way. She didn’t know what to do. As she walked towards the hotel holding the baby and carryon bag she caught his eye, he was waiting for her. She wanted to run to him, to hug him, to have him hold her and tell her everything was okay. She didn’t do that. She waited for him to come up to her. He kissed her lightly making her heart melt and then took hold of his son watching him smile.
”I missed you, Beautiful….” he told Arissa taking her hand walking toward the elevator.
”I missed you too, Bruno…” she said quietly holding on to his hand. She watched him put down her things next to his pile of clothes.
”Bruno….you are such a mess…” she laughed at him picking up a few of his shirts. A note fell out of one. She glanced at it reading it out loud,”Nicole….818-34-543…who is that?” she asked him.
”The girl from the Pussycat Dolls…she’s going to be here tonight for the show…”
”Oh, the hot one…I don’t like her…” Arissa said sarcastically. Bruno didn’t respond to her opting to grab his son and hold him while he watched Arissa pull out diapers and a change of clothes for Christian. ”B…will you change him?”
”I will…” he said taking the diaper from her. She watched him intently not sure how she felt in anyway. She could tell that he felt the same way. They hadn’t acted that way since Milan. And it scared her. She didn’t know what was going on.
**
Arissa sat in the back of the room to watch Bruno perform that evening. Nicole introduced herself to Arissa admiring Christian saying that he looked so much like Bruno, except with blonde curly hair. Arissa smiled politely at this new girl. She trusted Bruno; it was Nicole that she didn’t trust. Bruno always told her what he was doing, always…but he had failed to mention tha he was going to be working with her.
By the time the show ended Arissa was ready to pass out. Christian had fallen asleep in her arms to the loud music and Bruno had to go to some bar for an appearance. He had promised her that he would be back by 1. She didn’t count on it. But, as she flipped through the channels on the TV, stopping at Friends with Benefits she heard the door open. Bruno walked in, completely sober smiling at her.
”I love you, Arissa….” he said flopping on the bed with his hat falling of his head. He leaned in to kiss her wrapping his arms around her neck. She hesitated pulling away.
”Bruno….what is going on?” she asked him bluntly.
Chapter 84
”What?” he responded her backing away from her, able to tell that she was stressed out by something. She looked at him not breaking his stare back at her. ”I can’t kiss my smoking hot wife and baby mama?”
”Not until you tell me why you didn’t tell me about hot Nicole…” she answered
”Arissa….” Bruno paused touching her hand.
”Her people called me like two days ago…it’s just work. I forgot…” he touched her hair trying to reassure her that nothing was going on. She didn’t respond to his touch. She started to get up grabbing a sweater sitting in the small cushy chair on the other side of the room.
”Brunz…you look at her like you look at Jessica Alba…you don’t fool me.” she explained with a tear falling from her eye.
”Arissa….don’t act that way. You always assume the worst…” he continued to talk to her from the safety of the bed. She shook her head still upset at him.
”And you don’t come to see us anymore…” she started to cry realizing she had only told Rachel about the things that were bothering her. ”I feel like I’ve lost you somewhere between March and today…and I thought that things would only get better….”
”Rissy…we never said this would be easy…” he told her patting the spot where she was sitting before motioning for her to come sit next to him.
”I know it’s not going to be easy…but I got spoiled…” she told him walking back toward him. He wrapped his arms around her kissing her head. She closed her eyes falling asleep on his chest.
**
Arissa heard the baby start to cry in the middle of the night. Bruno had fallen asleep with her laying on her. She turned around to see him stretch out on the bed. The baby stretched out his arms for Arissa. She picked him up kissing him on his chubby cheeks, ”Good morning, Beautiful…” she told him bouncing him over to table where she had left his clothes. She pulled out the baby food from the mini-fridge. She sat Christian down in the big cushy chair bending down to feed him. She started laughing at Christian’s faces as she made funny noises to get him to open up his mouth to eat the baby food.
”Riss?” she heard from behind her. The baby started to smile seeing that Bruno was walking up behind them. He started dancing behind Arissa making faces at his son. Bruno took a hold of the spoon from Arissa starting to feed him.
”I’m going to take a shower…you’ve got him?” she asked him.
”Riss…I can do it….” he told her looking at her with a serious face.
”Bruno…you haven’t seen him for a month…I just don’t trust you sometimes.”
”Arissa…quit it. Go take a shower…” he hit her on the side making a face at her.
”Fine…” she said faking a temper tantrum waving her arms around upset at him.
”I love you, Risssss…” he laughed at her.
Bruno washed Christian’s face, changing him into new clothes. He started dancing around in circles with him singing some random songs to him. In the middle of his dancing and Arissa’s long shower his phone buzzed.
Come see me. I’m ready.