Hope For Us Yet

Chapter Eleven: New Hope

I wake up to Austin's camcorder in my face. "Wakey wakey! Today's the day!"
"How did you get in?", Taylor yawns.
"Jerry picked the lock"
"Hey", Jerr smiles with a little wave.
Andrea peaks her head around the door, "Let's go! They're waiting!"
"Well everyone out of the room first!", I say, getting up and motioning everyone out the door.
"Ella, your hair!", Austin laughs, noticing my frizzed morning mane.
"Oh god, don't film that!", I gasp and push him into the hallway. I hear a squeaking noise from behind me. Taylor is jumping up and down on the bed, smiling widely. She beckons me towards her. Taking her hands I join her on the bed.

"It's happening! It's actually happening!", she squeals.
"Don't cry", I beg, smirking, even though I'm on the brink of happy tears myself. We balance ourselves as our bouncing comes to an end. Taylor wraps her arms around me tightly and takes a deep breath.
"Let's do this", I say with a firm nod. We get ourselves ready and head out the door. "Do we need breakfast?", Taylor asks.
"I'm starving! Yes, we need breakfast"
She rolls her eyes but we grab a quick coffee and a muffin before beginning our taxi ride to the baby home. Austin's got his camera at the ready.
"And today is our final day of waiting. Ella, any words?"
"I'm sweating"
"Nice. Taylor?"
"What do we name the baby?"
Jerry gasps from her seat at the wheel. "Can we name it Jerry Two?"
"Jerry Two?", Austin says pointing the cam in her direction.

Taylor's giggling so much at my unimpressed expression that she has to open a window to let some air in.
"How about something that means 'angel' or 'hope'?", Andrea suggests. "I think a name with some sentimental value would be nice. You two have had such a hard time and this is a little miracle happening"
I rest my head on Taylor's shoulder. "Yes, I think that would be lovely"
"I guess we'll have plenty of time to think about names when we get there", Tay smiles.

Soon enough we reach the place, tall, proud and brightly coloured.
"Oh my god", I breathe, squeezing onto Taylor's hand, Austin capturing the moment. "I just realised, will the baby be okay on the long ride back?"
"I'm she'll be okay", Taylor says, even though she seems a little worried about the situation.
"I've got all the details sorted, don't worry", Andrea assures. "I know just what to do if the little darling feels uncomfortable".
"Of course", Tay smiles. We walk through the doors. Little children are playing around the main desk, some of them on tricycles.

They stare up at us, big eager eyes wondering who this new couple was going to take home. Taylor informs the lady at the desk of who we are and we're immediately taken away from the room and into another. It's an area filled with baby cribs. Little snuggled bodies lie fast asleep in their cots. My heart begins to pound, both with happiness and nervousness. Which one will be ours?

There were at least fifty little faces in the room. Some of them are awake, big eyes of every colour looking around at what there was to see. Other couples are in the room with their new bundles of joy. Some have twins. Some have triplets! Teary eyed happy families are being created here. "Come this way", the lady says and brings us to a cot in the middle of the room. Pink blankets, pink teddies, pink clothes.

There she is.

She's awake, too. And giggling, happily. The lady picks her up and hands her to us. "I'll let you bond! Excuse me for a moment, I'll be right back"
I don't hear a word she says. I'm too focused on what has been given to us. She reaches out her little fingers. "Hello", Taylor whispers. "I'm your new Mommy. And guess what? You don't have just one, you've two!", she breathes, trying to steady her shaking voice. "We're a little different", I smile. "Oh Taylor, she's beautiful". And I'm crying now. Austin is probably filming the whole thing, loving every tear that falls. Jerry comes up behind me and takes my shoulders. "Darling little thing, oh my goodness!", she coos. Andrea and Scott are smiling from ear to ear.

This is it. This is that second chance we deserve. She's right here. And she is beautiful. All the saddening heaviness is melting away. Those invisible waves are quickly become nothing but a few drops of rain. Every bad thought, every sickening event doesn't matter anymore. I can breathe again. Hello, angelic hope. We've been waiting for you. We've been waiting so long.

I kiss the top of the baby's head. "Name?", I ask, looking up at Taylor. "Hmm...a name that means hope...a name that means angel...Angela...Angeline..Angelyne.-"
"Angelyne?"
"Do you like that? I do"
"I do, I love that"
"I do, too", Jerr adds. "Maybe not as much as Jerry Two but it's still as good!"
"Pretty cool", Austin says. "Angelyne Swift O'Connor...Still a mouthful, though"
The lady comes back to see how we're doing.
"Awh, red eyes and tears. That's what I like to see"
Bit of an odd liking.
"She's wonderful", Taylor smiles.
"When can we take her home?", I ask.
"As soon as you've filled out just a few more papers and then we'll give you a 'thank you' basket before you go!"
A thank you basket. More stuff! I can almost feel Austin's eye roll behind the camcorder.

Eventually, after signing our names on this and that, we can leave. Mum gives me a call after I send a picture of Angelyne. Her voice is shaking.
"I'm so proud of you two, keeping it together, not giving up", she whimpers.
"I can't wait to see you", I smile.
We hang up after a few more words of how things are and when we'll be returning home.
Taylor is kissing Angelyne hundreds of times, each kiss sweeter than the last.

"So much for Jerry Two", Jerr sighs.
"Jerry Two will be our second baby's name", Taylor says.
"Second?", I grin.
"Maybe even our third!", she replies.
"Let's enjoy what's been given to us right now, shall we?", Andrea sighs.
Angelyne giggles as if she knows what's up. She reaches out to my hair and tugs weakly.
"No", I laugh, pulling her little fingers away from my locks.
Her eyes are still slightly blue. But a hint of a spring green is coming through. Little tufts of blonde hair are sprouting from her delicate head, her skin is soft and pale. A pink hue warms her plump cheeks. She is an angel.

Our new hope.

***

It's been one week. The penthouse is warm and happy once more. Is it difficult trying to avoid the paparazzi lens? Extremely. The minute we go outside I feel tense, gazing around to see who else wants to get a close look at what we've brought home. But today we're staying indoors. I watch and smile from my reading chair as Taylor plays with Angey. She kisses at her chubby face and claps when she giggles in return.

Jerry walks in, uninvited as usual. "Just checking on the happy couple", she says, setting her bag and coat down.
"Come on in", I greet sarcastically, opening my arms.
Jerr slumps against the pillows of our couch and smiles down at Taylor who seems to be slightly disapproving of her surprise visit.
"I got a new lock", Tay groans.
"Yeah, I noticed. I'll tell ya what, I bent my last pick because of it. Had to use a hair clip. So cliché", Jerry says. I try to hold back my laughs. I kind've like it when Jerry works Taylor up over small things like this. It's always amusing.

"Never leave if I ever get arrested. I'll be out in a matter of minutes and then we could make a break for it"
"What would someone like you ever be arrested for?", Taylor asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Kidnapping the babies of parents who refused to name them Jerry Two", Jerr replies with a twiddle of her fingers.
"You never had this problem with Juliet", Taylor giggles. And I smile a little. I'm glad that she can talk about Julie without bursting into tears now.
"Who says I didn't?", Jerry smirks. "Poor little thing", she sighs as she crosses herself.
Taylor smiles softly. "I'm glad that she happened"

The phone rings, breaking the quietness of the tender moment.
"I'll get it", I say and stand up to answer. Jerry joins Tay on the floor as I do.
The voice on the other end of the line speaks before I can say anything.
"Ella"
They're breathing heavily, like they'd been running before they answered.
"Hello?", I answer, keeping my voice low.
"I've found you", the voice wheezes. It's a man. And his tone is threatening, though I'm still not afraid of whoever this could be. I suspect a prank.
"Who is this?"
"I've found you. Both of you"
This is ridiculous. I'm about to hang up but his last sentence makes me freeze, my grip on the phone tightens.
"I can see you"
My heart swells unpleasantly. I side glance over at Jerry and Taylor, happily cooing and playing with Angeylnn. I gulp as I try to speak,
"Mark?"

The line goes dead.

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AN: MY PROFILE PIC SLAYS. Also, apologies for the lateness of this update. I told you this would be a very infrequently updated fic! :D