Oops (General Hospital)

Baby Shower

A Few Weeks Later

     "Are you ready to go home with me and Mommy?" Julian asks Kenny, kissing her little head.
     Kim laughs and picks her carrier up, moving to towards him. "Kenny's probably wondering why you're making such a big deal out of going home. She's already been there. Mommy's coming home too. Now Daddy doesn't have to bring you to this stinky place to see me. No long rides here and back. No nurses waking you up in the middle of your nap. And no more formula. Mommy's gonna finally get to nurse you full time."
     "She will be so happy to have you at home. So will the boys. Leo's been so anxious and Oscar hasn't been much better. Derek is, well, he's still Derek. The bed is lonely. I just got back and you just left. But now, everything is getting back to normal."
     "Nice and normal, for sure."

A Car Ride Later

     Julian unlocks the front door, holding it open for Kim. She walks in slowly, heavily favoring her right leg. Julian closes the door behind them and turns around, seeing what has Kim standing motionless, smiling.
     He looks out over his smiling family and friends. "What's all this?"
     "It's a baby shower." Oscar announces, setting Leo on the ground and going over to Julian, taking Kendal out of the carrier on his chest. Sam comes over and takes Derek. Leo wraps his arms around Julian's legs.
     Julian picks him up, making almost everyone cringe and get ready to help. He rolls his eyes and looks at Leo, then back at the party. "Aren't I supposed to do this for you?"
     "Are you kidding?" Paige asks.
     "You've done so much for us already. Let us do something for you." Marissa says.
     "You're bringing my children into the world, that's more than I can ever ask for."
     "Barf." Rose laughs, throwing a pillow at him. Leo catches it, trying to throw it back, but falling short.
     Julian brings Leo into the living room and puts him on a couch, going back to help Kim in as the rest of the group settles into seats. Kim takes the spot just to the left of Julian, who's got Leo on his lap, Oscar sits next to her with Kendal. Rose sits next to him, her mother next to her. Ellie sits next to her, helping Marissa sit. She gets up to help Paige sit next to Marissa, then reclaims her spot. Ava takes the spot on the loveseat directly across from Julian. Liz sits next to her. Sam sits to Julian's right, Derek asleep in her arms. Alexis sits next to her, and Kristina next to her. Molly takes the spot next to her, completing the circle.
     "So," Julian asks, "what's the game plan?"
     "Secret Santa!" Rose exclaims, looking excitedly at Paige.
     "Sort of." Paige explains. "Alexis, Rose, Kim, Julian, Marissa, and I all had our names randomly chosen twice and assigned to different people. Each person was responsible for one gift and each of us will get to. The only rules were you can't talk to the person you get, you can't ask who got you, and the gift has to be for the mom, or dad."
     "I didn't get anyone anything." Julian says. "I, I wasn't told. I never got my person."
     "You and Kim didn't get one." Marissa tells them. "You've already bought seven nursery sets for here, and four more for our houses. You've taken care of us for months and we know you'll never let us not he one big family. You've done so much already, we're not making you get us anything else."
     Julian blinks his understanding and thanks, then looks around the group. "So, how are we doing this?"
     "I'll go." Rose offers, taking the card out of her purse and passing it around. "This is for Kim. I know it doesn't look like much, but it's good for a full day of whatever you want."
     Kim takes the gift card out of the envelope, reading it and smiling. "Oh, a spa day. Thank you, Rose. I could really use one of these. It's very thoughtful."
     Rose looks at her mother, motioning down to her present, which is huge in comparison. Matilda passes the bag to Marissa. "Now, there is something for the twins but it's just an extra gift."
     Marissa takes out a set of dark gray onesies and reads them aloud. "Legen- wait for it dary." She laughs. "I love that show so much." She mumbles, taking out the pair of slippers.
     Matilda covers her mouth as Marissa rubs the slippers. "I know how hard twin boys can be, I want you to be as comfortable as possible."
     "That's so sweet. I've needed a new pair of slippers, and these are perfect. Thank you so much, Mrs. Harke, you're an angel." Marissa says, putting the bag down.
     "There's more. Your main gift is still in there." Matilda tells her.
     Marissa picks it back up and takes out the sweater, starting to cry. "Is this, is this?"
     "It's the lesbian pride flag. I wanted you to have something unique and personalized." Matilda says.
     Rose taps her mother's arm. "Ma, Mari isn't a le-"
     "It's perfect." Marissa interrupt. "Thank you." She looks to Ellie. "If we're going in order, you're up."
     "Rose, this is for you. Not your brothers or the baby." Ellie says, passing the box to Rose.
     Rose tears the wrapping paper off, squealing with excitement. "A VR headset? Thank you, Ellie. I've wanted one of these for so long but I've never had the money to just get one. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! I see you getting all nervous, Julian. Don't worry, I won't play it until after the baby is born. Not too much at least."
     "It's no Oculus Rift, but it's still got some fun games." Ellie says.
     Marissa kisses her wife's cheek. "Thanks for outdoing me, darling. Paige, I got you something I know you've wanted. It's not a Blue Apron subscription but it's a knockoff version. It's still just as good, only it's half the price. There are twenty meal tokens on there. We expect to be invited to dinner at least once."
     Paige laughs and throws a napkin at Marissa. "Of course you two can come over for dinner sometime. Oh, I'm next. Alexis, I honestly didn't know what to get you. I asked your two younger daughters and they told me you've been craving pie for your entire pregnancy." She starts to pass the box over to Alexis.
     Alexis takes the box out. "A mini pie maker. This is brilliant and solves my midnight cravings. Thank you, Paige."
     Paige nods and looks over to Ava. Ava passes a small bag in Rose's direction. "That's only a part of the present. I found out that you have a love of painting and want to pursue it. I got you an interview with Don Pierre for an apprenticeship. It's not guaranteed, it's just a ticket in the door. There's just candy in the bag. I heard you like candy."
     Rose nods. "Thank you." She croaks through her tears, the biggest smile across her face.
     Ava looks to Liz, who's looking at Julian. He shakes his head. "Anyone but me."
     "Oh, it's you." Liz says, getting up and bringing him his present. He hugs her, trying to hold back his tears. She cups one of his cheeks. "Don't be like that, Audrey would want you to be happy."
     Julian let's the tears fall, kissing her cheek. "You being here makes me very happy. She would like that Mommy and Daddy are friends."
     "We won't be if you don't open your damn present." Liz jokes, heading back to her spot.
     Julian laughs and covers his face. "A Daddy Survival Kit. This is funny. It has strong K-cups, rubber gloves, a binky, a set of goggles, gas mask, extra onesie and bib, oh, and beer."
     They wait until the laughter calms down before Molly drags her gift over to Paige. "Careful, it's heavy."
     Paige takes the tissue paper out and throws it at Marissa, making her laugh. "A fondue set! You people know to pick gifts. Straight to my heart. Molly, you're coming over one of these days for fondue. I love you all. Thank you for keeping me fed."
     They all quiet down when they see Kristina looking at Julian. He swallows and braces himself as she brings a box over to him. She places it on his lap and sits down. Carefully, he opens it, covering his mouth. "Oh, Kristina, thank you. Thank you so much. How did you even know?"
     "Oscar told me. He was the one who handed out the groups. He said you mentioned loving the original Planet of the Apes. I tracked down a box set for you. It's got the original five movies. Do you like it?"
     Julian nods. "Oh, yeah. I really love it."
     Alexis finds her hand over her heart, but drops it. "Marissa, you've got a lot on your plate with twins. I put together a little kit for you. It's everything you'll need after you give birth."
     "Oh that's very sweet of you, and I'm sure I'll use it all, but I'm not actually giving birth. I am, but not like that. I'm having a c-section."
     "That's plenty giving birth. You still deserve all the creams and everything that's in there. I won't get into it, some of it's a little gross." Alexis says. Marissa swallows and smiles.
     Sam holds her mother's hand. "Mom, I got you. When I had Scout I got this goat milk soap. I swear by it. So, when I got your name I just knew what you needed. I went and bought the whole collection for you. There's bathbombs and bubbles and all kinds of bath and shower stuff that's gonna make you feel so great. Fill up that nice, big bathtub and just soak."
     Julian turns his eyes away from her to Leo, kissing his son's head. The mix of emotions that tub brought him was overwhelming. On one hand, it was something so special to him and Alexis, something he'd never have again, but on the other, it was what he did just before he found out Leo wasn't dead.
     Alexis catches his gaze, more so the lack there of. "Well, it looks like we're done. We have all kinds of desserts. We should get those out."
     "Wait." Oscar says. "I haven't something still. I got my mom." He hands her a box with a bag on top of it.
     She takes what's in the bag out and reads through the first one. "Fifty two things I love about you, Mom." She reads, kissing her son's head. She opens the box, sliding the massive wooden picture frame out. "It's a beautiful frame. Why are there only a few pictures?"
     "I'm leaving room for all the memories our family still needs to make." 

Guess what the next chapter is! It's good, let me just say that.