I got out of bed and went into the ensuite in our bedroom. Since we had the kids with us, we had to rent a bigger cabin.
Major’s parents rented a cabin nearby, and they would take the kids with them for the night so Major and I could have some alone time.
We had a small village, but everyone chipped in to help us out. Mariah and her husband had two kids. Their oldest son and MJ were best friends. I prayed this baby was a girl, because Tali would be outnumbered if it weren’t. She and Mariah’s youngest son played together, but they were little, so it didn’t matter. I knew once they got older, that might change.
By the time I got out of the shower, I heard giggling in the kitchen. The smell of food made my stomach growl.
“I’m going to feed you soon,” I whispered to my stomach as I rubbed it. My baby was a little active because I needed to eat.
“Let me help you,” Major said as he entered the room. He took the cocoa butter tube from me.
I leaned my back against his chest as he rubbed the cocoa butter on my stomach.
“Mm.” I closed my eyes and basked in the feel of his hands.
“You are strong and brave for growing a human being. Every day I thank God for you and our babies.” He kissed the side of my head.
Every day, Major rubbed cocoa butter on my stomach, and he would speak affirmations and pray over our baby and me. He’d done it with the first two kids, so this one was no different.
Major never ceased to amaze me. This man went from damn near shooting me to being so gentle with our kids and me. He really was everything to me.
“How are you feeling?” Major asked as he placed the tube on the bedside table.
I turned around and faced him. I put my arms around his back. He looked down at me with so much love in his eyes that I felt overwhelmed.
“I feel blessed. I feel wonderful and hungry.”
Major chuckled, then kissed my forehead. “Let’s get you fed then.”
He helped me get dressed in a silk pajama set since we weren’t going anywhere until later in the evening. For some reason, silk had been my favorite thing to wear during this pregnancy. With MJ, I wouldn’t wear anything but T-shirts and sweatpants. With Tali, I wore whatever I felt like wearing. I guessed it was because I was used to it by the time I got pregnant with her.
“Mommy!” MJ jumped down off the stool and ran toward me.
I bent down to his level and wrapped my arms around his back.
“Good morning.” I kissed his cheek, then released him.
“Daddy said we had to wait for you to eat, but I’m hungry.” He rubbed his stomach, and I laughed.
MJ wore his hair in braids. He said he wanted locs like his dad, but we thought he should wait until he was older. I wanted him to fully make that decision. Not just want them because his dad had them.
Tali sat in a highchair near the counter. In front of her was some dry cereal to keep her occupied. That little girl liked to eat and would have a fit if we took too long.
I walked over to her and kissed her little fat cheeks. She squealed and pushed some cereal toward my mouth, so I ate a couple.
“Grandma said we can make cookies later,” MJ informed me as I sat down at the counter.
“She did? Make sure you save me some.”
“Okay.”
Major went to the stove and finished making the pancakes. The bacon was already made, and he had a couple of eggs boiling in the pot for Talia. MJ wasn’t a fan of eggs, so he would have bacon, pancakes, and fruit. Talia was the complete opposite; my girl loved eggs.
“Baby, do you want eggs?”
“Nope. I hope we have some strawberries, though. I really want some on top of my pancakes.”
Major turned around and smiled at me. “We sure do.” He winked, then went back to fixing the food.
