The girl with the snake skin

43. Christmas With The Family

Christmas is finally here, I can no longer hide my belly unless it's a really loose shirt. We've decided on a name I really like, Demetri Alex Lahote. Alex is Paul's middle name and it fit so we both decided to use it. I look through my clothes trying to pick an outfit when Paul walks into the room, "How're my babies doing?" "Your son is trying to do flips. He might start kicking soon. Did you see your dad?" He shakes his head, "Old man was probably too drunk to answer the door." He sits on my bed, I stand between his legs as his arms go around my waist, "Hey it's the thought that counts. You tried to spend the holidays with him and he didn't even try. That makes you the bigger person even if he couldn't see your efforts. What matters is what you do when this one stops sitting on my bladder." He smiles, "How do you always know what to say?" I shrug, "I don't know. Maybe I should become a counselor." "What about your music career?" I look down, "I don't know. I love it but I also didn't expect to become a mom so soon. I don't want to start going on tours missing parts of my child's life. I can always write music where ever I'm at, but I can't be there for the people who need me if I choose that path. I might just become a songwriter and sell my works to artists and make money that way." "Either way you have the support of everyone around you especially me." I smirk, "When did you get so sentimental and cringy?" He laughs, "Same day you agreed to go on a date with me." "Indoor skydiving does that to a girl." He pulls me in for a kiss, "Get dressed, Sue's almost done cooking. I can smell her frybread all the way up here." I quickly change into black ripped skinny jeans and a white low cut shirt. I slip on a red and black flannel before slipping on my checkered vans. I brush out my hair before putting on hoop earrings. "You haven't worn those in a while." "Mmm feels like it's been too long." He grabs my hand as we head downstairs, everyone takes a seat at the new table dad bought to fit everyone. "You ready to yell your sister." I shake my head, "Nope. I'm surprised Nessie hasn't yet though." Dad rolls his eyes, "Please that girl loves you, she wouldn't disrespect you like that." I smile, since the sleepover I've gotten closer to my niece. Edward bought her a phone so she could stay in contact with me. She always asks questions about Bella. Like what was she like growing up? Or what my favorite food is so she can try new foods. Or even random questions just to get to know someone outside of the house. Edward told me it gets her out of the atmosphere of everything going on.

We quickly finish eating before we settle in the living room waiting for Nessie to get here. My dad stands by the window continuously checking for their car, "Dad chill I'm the one that's supposed to be nervous." He looks at me before looking outside again with a smile seeing the car and head to open the door. "Welp here goes nothing." I stand up fixing my flannel to cover most of my belly before following my dad outside. He greets an excited Nessie who sees me and runs for a hug being careful with my stomach, "Rosie! Merry Christmas." I smile down at her, "Merry Christmas Nessie." She continues to hug my side not letting go, I look up at Edward nodding in his direction before looking at Bella for the first time since the day I found out I was pregnant. She looks the same yet so different. She's standing taller. I smile at my older sister, "Merry Christmas." She looks like she wants to rush in for a hug, not yet seeing my belly. My dad leads Nessie and Jake inside leaving me alone with Bella and Edward. I cross my arms closing my flannel, "You should tell her Rosie." "Tell me what?" I look at him silently cursing him out. "The day I went to visit." "What about it?" I look at my feet, "You can't be disappointed. I'm happy. That day Carlisle thought something was wrong with me." She steps forward so she's in front of me as I kick a piece of snow, "What's wrong?" "Nothing to be exact." I move the flannel so she can see my stomach, "I'm 18 1/2 weeks pregnant." She sighs before pulling me into a hug I didn't know I needed. "How did dad and your mom take it?" "They're both happy for me. My mom way happier than dad, bet she's already buying him shoes and stuff." "It's a boy?" "Yeah he already has a name, dad has the ultrasounds on the fridge."

We pass around and open our presents. When the time comes we head to Emily's for even more presents. Currently we're almost at my mom's house. When we climbed in the car I slipped on my leather cut, fidgeting with my zipper. "What's wrong?" I look at Paul who has his eyes on the road. "I don't know. Everytime I come down something is going on. My mom never mentions anything to keep me out of the loop especially now with Demetri. I just feel like something's going to happen." "What could possibly happen that I can't protect you from?" I smile, "okay macho wolf." He laughs, "I'm serious babe. What could possibly happen?" I shrug, "I don't know, I know one of the other hangs has been slowly taking over the Southside. I've been having dreams about one of the gang members." "Like what?" "It's always the same person. I told you how the serpents killed a ghoulie leader because he raped me. In the dreams it's his son coming for revenge." I watch Paul's knuckles turn white as he grips the staring wheel. I decide to not tell him how the dream continues to prevent damages to the car. "Babe you know you're safe with me." I grab his hand, "Trust me I know. I just can't stop the dreams." "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" "Because you have enough to deal with. With the pack and all the vampires in the area. I was just hoping the dreams would stop and be a one time thing." Paul stops the car in front of my mom's house, "Babe you and this baby are the only things I continuously worry about." "Come-on my mom's probably growing anxious." We climb out of the car and walk to the front door before we get the chance to even try and open the door Toni swings it open. "Thank goodness you're finally here. Your mom was about to start pulling out our baby pictures." "Aww damn I wanted to see those pictures too." "Shutup preggers and get inside." I walk inside with Paul following me as I shout "I'M HERE!" My mom's the first to pull me into a hug before pulling back, "Did you decide on a name yet?" FP pushes her to the side, "Let her say hi to everyone first woman." My mom softly slaps his arm as he pulls me into a hug, "Please she did this the day we found out the gender." He laughs as I go around the room greeting people and introducing Paul to the ones who don't know him yet. "Grandpa!" I spot Toni's grandfather sitting in one of the armchairs and I bend down to pull him into a hug. "Thought your mom was trying to pull a fast one on us but I guess it's true." He lightly touches my stomach, "The spirits strong in this one." I laugh, "Paul this is Toni's grandfather. Everyone just calls him grandpa." They shake hands before my mom comes up next to us, "Okay now did you decide anything." "Marissa you're going to stress out the poor child before it's even born." I laugh as Grandpa teases my mom. She gives me a look saying she's serious. I roll my eyes, "We decided on Demetri. Even though it's still EXTREMELY early." She does a little cheer before moving onto other people.

After a while I kick off my shoes and make myself comfortable on the couch next to Paul. I easily slide my feet onto his lap where he subconsciously starts rubbing them as my friend sit around us talking. "I've never seen so many leather jackets in one room." Fangs laughs, "Wait until you experience one of our parties." I push his head as I laugh, "Please half of them aren't even parties." Everyone gets quiet as a group of older serpents start talking. "They're going to take over we either have to fight back or relocate." I look at Toni knowing she'll tell me the truth. "What's that about?" "Penny Peabody sided with the ghoulies. And Hiram Lodge bought the White Wyrm. The serpents are basically getting kicked out of the Southside. If only we could get something on the ghoulies then they'd back off." "Has anyone figured out where they're making their drugs?" The guys look at me, "Come on you can't be serious, you never tried to figure out where they make their drugs. All they care about is their tacky fashion and their drugs. I said it before the high school closed and I'll say it again. I believe their the ones making Jingle Jangle." I look at Paul, "Don't ask. It's like crack." Jughead interjects, "But we caught who was behind the jingle jangle." "Did that ever stop them from making it?" Their faces tell me no, "So someone is still making it and selling it. You get evidence and threaten to get their stuff taken and shut down you have your town back. Or you leave them with nothing and relocate." "What kind of evidence?" I point to Toni, "Get Cheryl on board, you know she'd love this. Find out where they're making it and get photo evidence. We put it on a drive and make a copy. Threaten them to expose it then when they comply we give them the copy that they'll most likely destroy while we still have the original. So if they ever try stepping out of lines the photos can anonymously appear in the paper or something. Somewhere the mayor can see it and target the ghoulies." Sweet pea leans back, "That's smart." "It's called using your brain you should try it sometime."

Finally dinner comes around after we eat everyone passes around presents. Of course my mom got stuff for the baby. Everyone starts to leave my mom and FP head up to their room after saying goodnight. I lead Paul up to my room where we change for bed. "Merry Christmas Baby." I smile, "This is the start of our family." "It is. Right now it's small." "It'll grow with the years." "I was thinking." "Did it hurt your head?" He chuckles before continuing, "I was thinking that when this baby is out and walking, we could move into a house. A place that's ours where we can grow and expand our little family." I pull him into a soft kiss, "Sounds like a plan." We climb into bed and quickly fall asleep after our day with my family.