Back to You (An International Story)

Pray

February 2028

Alexia's POV:

"You almost ready?" Jenni looked at me.

"Just packing some stuff for Maxi." I said. "You ready?"

"Yep. And so is this little man. Look at him." I looked at Jenni and smiled. "He is perfect. When I met you I thought, I'll never love anyone more than I love her. Then he came along. Sorry babe, you're in second place." 

"That's fine. You were always in 2nd place for me." I kissed her cheek and walked to the car.

"Excuse me what?" She walked after me. She got Maxi in the car and got in the passenger seat. "What do you mean?"

"It was always Nala then you, babe." I put my hand on her cheek. "You thought you were always first." I smiled. "That's cute, it really is." 

We got to Lola and Carmen's and greeted everyone. "Why are we here?" I smirked and hugged Carmen.

"We can't invite our friends over?" 

"You can but I feel like there's more." 

She laughed. "Fair enough. It's about our secret marriage."

"Where's my nephew!" Lola jumped up. 

"With his mother." I laughed and walked over to Leila and Mariona. "How are you two?"

"Great." Leila smiled. "I love her more and more everyday." 

"And you?" I looked at Mariona. 

"Surprisingly she's a better wife than I thought." 

"Cute."

"How's Maxi?" Leila asked.

"He's great." I nodded. "Gave us a scare but I guess that's our way of knowing Jenni's his mother."

"He has no Hermoso genes though." Leila asked. 

"No, but he'll be like her. I feel it."

Jenni's POV:

I sat with Maxi on my lap. Lola played with him. "Making you want kids?" I asked.

"What! Huh? No! Kids are GROSS!" She got up and walked away.

Mariana and Mapi came in. Mariana had Felicia and sat with me and Maxi. "Hi, cutie." She smiled. "Look at the cousins." 

I laughed. "Still giving Mapi the silent treatment?" I smirked. 

"Yep. She's so pissed."

"How much longer till she snaps?"

"I give her till tonight." 

Virginia walked over. "Give me my goddaughter."

"Why?"

"Because I miss her."

"Ok." Virginia took her and left.

"I still don't understand Vir being a godmother." I said.

"I trust her. She's been my rock, now she can be Felicia's too." 

"Ok! I have an announcement." Lola said. 

"Here we go." I mumbled. 

"So as you all know, Carmen and I got married in secret. We feel bad about not having you guys there so we are having a small ceremony."

"Yay another reason to drink!" Virginia smiled. Nahikari covered her face in embarrassment. 

"And we have another announcement." Carmen said. "I'm pregnant. About 15 weeks."

"YES! Another baby! I love babies!" Leila smiled.

"Then have one?" Alexia said.

"And lose this body? No thanks."

"Mom bods are hot though." Mapi said.

"Oh no." I covered my face.

"Don't get cute."

"You do speak!"

"You wanna do this now?"

"Yes."

Mariana tried to stop them but Lola and Carmen wanted it to continue. Mariana and Mapi began to argue, a sight that hurt all of us. 

"You're doing to me what Alexia does to Jenni!"

"You wish you got that." I said. I saw Alexia shake her head and looked down.

"What did she say?" Leila asked.

"That the hardest part of having a baby was picking the name." 

They continued to argue after that was brought back up. Alexia stayed near Mariana. Virginia and Nahikari tried to distract Felicia from seeing her parents fight.

"I have to walk on eggshells with you now!"

"Uh oh." Lola looked between them.

"Really. Maybe if the things you say weren't so fucking stupid."

"Stupid?"

"Yes stupid, Mapi! Some of the shit that comes out of your mouth. Think before you speak."

"I'm leaving."

"No. I'm leaving." Virginia passed Mariana the baby. "And I'm taking my daughter."

"Your daughter?"

"Who almost died when she was born? Oh, wait I forgot, naming her was more of a challenge." Mariana left. 

After telling Mapi off, she left too. Where she went and how she got there, we don't know.

"Well, congratulations," Leila said to Lola and Carmen. "Parenthood am I right?"

"Read the room." Nahikari whispered.

"I should go check on Mari." Alexia said to me. 

"Yeah. Let's go." 

We got everything together and went to see her. She let us in and immediately fell into Alexia's open arms. 

We sat with her and she didn't say anything. "She was so excited when I told her I was pregnant. What happened?" She shook her head. "I can't do this by myself."

"You won't have to." I grabbed her hand. Felicia began to cry. "I got it." I got up. I went into her room and saw her. "Hey baby girl." I picked her up. "It's your aunt Jenni. Mama is having a hard time right now, but it's going to be ok. Wanna know why? Because she has all of us, and you have us too. I might not be your godmother, but I will always be there for you." I kissed the top of her head. She fell asleep in my arms and I sat down with her.

"You ok?" Alexia walked in. "You've been in here for like half an hour." She smiled. "Mariana's all cried out and wants to try to sleep. How's Felicia?"

"She is asleep." I whispered. I laid her back down and walked out of the room. "Where's Mari?"

"Kitchen." 

I walked in to see her. "Come here." I opened my arms. "Never think that you're alone." I rubbed her back. "You need me, you call me and I will run here if I have to. Ok?"

She nodded and looked at us. "Thank you. You didn't have to come here."

"You showed up whenever we needed you." Alexia said. "Time to return the favor." 

We said bye and got in the car. I got Maxi settled in the car seat and we drove home. "Let me be the first to say that Mapi better pray I don't see her anytime soon."

I know I said I was only going to update The Quiet Girl but the projects I have to do are really kicking my ass and I haven't felt good at all today. So I decided to write instead. 

No updates till Monday. I'm taking tomorrow off.