Could This Be Happening? Part 50
Title: Could This Be Happening? Part 50
Author: christykq
Rating: M for language and innuendos mostly, some sex
Characters/Pairings: LoVe, ensemble
Word Count: 4244
Spoilers: Begins with 3.05 and goes through S3.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in the VM universe, it all belongs to the master RT. I also do not earn a profit from any one of the many brand names named in my story and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Character’s thoughts are italic.
Part 50
VMVMVMVMVMVMVMVMVMVM
[After Season Three]
[June 20, 2007]
Keith wakes up and glances at the alarm clock on Alicia’s side of the bed. Oh gosh, it’s only seven-thirty. I doubt the hospital’s visiting hours are open yet. Keith sighs loudly and cuddles into Alicia’s side. “Do you want pancakes for breakfast this morning?” He whispers into his fiancé’s ear.
“Mmm. That sounds wonderful.” Alicia coos with her eyes still closed, savoring the last bit of sleep she can get.
“You stay in bed, Honey, I’ll bring you some coffee when it’s ready.” Keith says softly and climbs out of bed.
“Did you manage to sleep at all since you woke up earlier?” Alicia says quietly as Keith pulls his robe over his shoulders and ties the robe tight.
“A little. I can’t help it, I’m anxious. I’ll make breakfast.” He says as he pads into the kitchen and Alicia sinks back into her toasty, warm bed.
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Logan and Veronica watch Renee, the maternity nurse, wheel their baby out the door. Logan immediately scoots closer to his wife, on top of the covers of her hospital bed. “Hi.” He says seductively as he moves in to kiss her lips.
Veronica snaps her head to the side and blocks Logan’s lips with her hand. “I have to go brush before you get a smooch.”
Logan leans back from her hand and face and watches Veronica jump out of bed and head for the bathroom, moving nimbly, not like a woman who delivered a baby a few hours earlier would move. “Good to know.” He calls after her then waits for her return.
She enters the room again, ready to jump back into bed and receive the kiss Logan was just offering but she stops when she sees a tower of three light blue boxes, stacked one on top of the other, with a white silk ribbon bow draping down the sides of the pile.
“What’s that?” Veronica says quietly as her eyes move from the boxes to her husband.
Logan sits on her bed with an innocent smile on his face. “I don’t know, why don’t you open them and find out.”
Veronica picks up the boxes and climbs back into her spot. “Babe, really, you didn’t have to do this.” She smiles at Logan then unties the ribbon. “No card this time?”
Logan nods no.
She sets the two larger boxes on the blanket and opens the smallest box.
“Wow.” Her eyes widen at the sight of a diamond and platinum ring. “Oh my God, Logan, this is too much. Why did you buy this for me?” She mumbles as she takes the ring from it’s box, slips it on her right ring finger and admires it with her hand stretched out at a distance. The ring is three rows of round diamonds in an alternating pattern of round and almond-shaped platinum forms surrounding each gem. It is modern and simple and absolutely stunning.
“Because you’re beautiful and you had to carry my child and deal with being pregnant for thirty-seven weeks and I love you.” Logan slides closer to Veronica and touches her cheeks with the pad of his thumbs. Her eyes reach his as she leans into his touch and smiles.
Logan bends toward his wife and seductively kisses her mouth, keeping his hand on her cheek. He releases her mouth and moves away slightly, touching his forehead to hers and stares deeply into her blue eyes, rubbing his thumb over her cheekbone. “You gave me the best gift you could ever give me, our perfect son.” Logan smiles. “These are just a little something to make you feel special. It’s the least I could do, Sugarpuss.” He pecks her lips with a short kiss. “I love you and Will more than anything in this world.”
A few tears fall from her eyes and Logan wipes them away with his thumbs. She bites her lower lip shyly. “I love you too. Thank you.”
Logan kisses her lips, her nose and her forehead quickly. “Now, get to the other presents before I open them for you.”
Veronica snaps out of her Logan-induced haze. “Oh right, right, right.” She snaps the ring box closed and opens the second box. “Wow, Honey, you really outdid yourself.” The second box contains a matching diamond and platinum bracelet. She takes the bracelet out of the box and hands it to Logan. “Will you put this on me, please?”
“It would be my pleasure.” He smiles and clasps her bracelet. “Wow, that looks better on your wrist than it did on the model.” Logan says as Veronica stretches her arm out and appreciates the beauty hanging from her extended limb.
“Wait!” Veronica glares at Logan. “You got to ogle a model while you were picking out my jewelry?”
Logan smirks mischievously. “But I was only thinking of you while I ogled, Snookums. Besides, she was a brunette and, you know, brunettes don’t do it for me.”
“Uh huh.” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. “I bet she was busting out of her shirt too, right?”
Logan smiles but says nothing.
She shuts the second box and opens the third and largest box. “Oh my. Okay, you’re forgiven for drooling all over a jewelry model, these are stunning and you have to put this on me right now.” Veronica pulls a matching necklace out of the light blue box and hands it to Logan then turns her body and lifts her hair off her neck to assist her husband. The necklace is the same pattern of platinum round and almond shapes with diamonds but, unlike the ring and the bracelet, the necklace only has one row of alternating pattern, not three.
Logan kneels on the bed to reach Veronica’s exposed neck and covers her skin with kisses before latching the necklace in it’s place around her neck. “Wow.” He mutters as Veronica turns in her spot and touches the necklace against her neck.
“Wait, wait, I have earrings to put on before you start ogling me.” She quickly takes the earrings out of the box and hangs them from her ears. “Now, you can ogle.” She smirks at her husband as she strikes a few poses, accentuating her new jewelry and making Logan laugh.
He crawls over the bed coverings and closes the space between them, locking eyes with his wife the entire journey from his side of the bed. Logan softly kisses her lips, trailing the kisses along her jaw and over to her ear while he places his right hand on her neck on the other side of her head. Whispering in her ear, he drops his voice for effect. “I want you to wear this new jewelry…” He runs his tongue around the edge of her ear. “…and nothing else, when we get home.” Logan sucks her earlobe and sits back down in his place.
Veronica takes a deep breath and exhales loudly, trying to calm her desire. “You’re gonna have to hold on there, Big Boy. I just had a baby and I’m still bleeding.” She says quietly as she collects the Tiffany & Company boxes and puts them on the bedside table.
Logan wrinkles his nose at the thought. “Well, that sucks. When can we have sex?”
“Knock, knock.” A small, graying woman bounces into Veronica’s hospital room. “I think I can answer that question for you.” Dr. Hotmer chuckles and offers her hand to both Logan and Veronica.
“Dr. Hotmer, Hello.” Veronica shakes the tiny doctor’s offered hand. “Doctor, this is my husband, Logan.”
Logan nods. “Yes, we’ve met before.”
Dr. Hotmer nods in agreement and turns back to Veronica. “How do you feel, Mom?”
Veronica smiles bright. “Great.”
“Well, I just gave your baby his first exam and he is healthy and beautiful. He lost a little weight but that’s normal, he’ll gain that back in the next few days. The circumcision went well. Now, let me check you out, Veronica.”
Logan stands and moves to the far wall, staying out of the doctor’s way, not sure if he should leave while Veronica gets examined but decides to stay until he’s asked to leave the room.
Dr. Hotmer asks Veronica to lie flat on her back as she raises her shirt to expose Veronica’s stomach. The obstetrician pokes her abdomen in various places then asks Veronica to lower her pajama pants and underwear.
Logan looks across the room, out the window trying not to look at Veronica’s exposed lower body. He was sure she had stitches in all kinds of nooks and crannies and he did not need to see that much of his beautiful wife. He zones out for a few seconds, watching a bird in a tree outside the window while Dr. Hotmer finishes Veronica’s exam.
“Logan.” Veronica says loudly, breaking her husband out of his trance as she shimmies her underwear and pants back on and sits up.
“Yeah.” He turns to Veronica and Dr. Hotmer. “What’s up?”
“Dr. Hotmer, here…” Veronica gestures toward the doctor with her hand. “…was going to answer your sex question.” She gives her husband a smirk.
“Oh, yeah…” Logan he says with excitement then realizes he is a little too enthusiastic about getting answers about sex with his wife from a female OB/GYN and contains himself, looking a little embarrassed and lowers his voice to a whisper. “…cool.”
The doctor chuckles and Veronica rolls her eyes as Dr. Hotmer begins. “Veronica has quite a few stitches, inside and out.” Logan makes an ‘eek’ face. “Her hormones are all over the place right now and she might not be feeling bad now but the aches and pain may hit her in the next couple of days, along with the mood swings. Going through labor and delivery is not easy on your body and you need to rest, Veronica.” Dr. Hotmer talks, looking at Logan and Veronica. “Your stitches will dissolve by themselves, use antiseptic spray if you have hemorroids, the bleeding your experiencing is normal and can last for up to six weeks. Don’t use tampons, only pads until the bleeding stops.” The physician looks directly at Logan then back to Veronica. “You’re cleared to have intercourse when you’re ready, Veronica. I would say to wait as long as you can to let your body heal properly, like five or six weeks.”
Logan groans. What the fuck, I have to wait five or six weeks? This sucks.
Dr. Hotmer directs her attention to Logan. “You can do other things to be intimate with each other, without having intercourse. You would be surprised how intimate a walk can be sometimes.”
Logan rolls his eyes and Veronica chuckles at his reaction. Yeah, somehow I don’t think a walk is going to get me off, Doc, sorry. Logan thinks as his eyes meet Veronica’s and she smiles softly at him and his heart skips a beat. But, if Ronnie isn’t up to it, I guess I’ll be supportive. The poor thing did just have a baby, after all. I should shut the hell up and be a man.
“Take the baby out and walk. It’s a great way to be together and work off the baby weight.” The doctor locks eyes with Logan and her voice has a more serious tone to it. “When you do have intercourse, use multiple types of protection. Did you hear me, Dad?” She gives Logan a stern look. “Veronica’s hormones are mixed up and her monthly cycle has to reestablish it’s timing and until she has her first period, it is very, very easy to get pregnant again.” She turns to Veronica and gives her the same stern look. “Unless you want to be right back here again in another nine months, use a few types of protection.”
Logan nods and Veronica agrees quietly.
“Now, you’re not breastfeeding, correct?”
“Correct.” Veronica utters softly.
“When your milk comes in, do not do anything to extract the milk, that will make the pain worse. Just put ice on your breasts and take Tylenol. The swelling will taper off after about twelve hours but can last up to twenty-four hours. Do you have any questions?”
Veronica and Logan nod negative.
“Good. Now, since you were brought into maternity very late, you get to spend another night in the hospital.”
It was Veronica’s turn to groan.
“You can go home tomorrow if there are no complications with you or your baby.” The doctor finishes her explanation with a bright smile and a handshake to Logan then Veronica.
“Thank you, Dr. Hotmer.” Logan says as they shake hands.
Dr. Hotmer turns to Veronica. “Make an appointment with your OB/GYN for a six-week check-up and contact your pediatrician to take your baby in within the next four days.” The doctor shakes the new mother’s hand and smiles. “Beautiful jewelry, Mom.”
Veronica’s hand immediately goes to her necklace and she blushes. “Thank you.”
The doctor turns to leave the room, patting Logan on the elbow as she exits. “You have good taste in jewelry, Dad.” She laughs and Logan smiles.
Veronica runs her fingers through her hair and looks at the scraggly split-ends. “I’m going to take a shower, real quick, before visiting hours begin. Can you hold down the fort without me?” She smiles and slides out of bed.
“I think I’m up to the challenge.” Logan says dryly getting up from Veronica’s bed and sits in the nearby lounge chair, flips on the television and makes himself comfortable.
Veronica goes to the dresser in the corner and digs through her overnight bag, picking through her clothing and selects a comfortable outfit for today. “Honey, I’m going to need you to do me a favor today.” She bites her lower lip and turns toward her husband.
He looks at his wife and waits for her to continue her request.
“I need you to go to the store and buy me some maxi pads.” She smiles slightly, bracing herself for Logan’s freak out.
“Nope. No way. Nuh uh. Not gonna happen.” Logan vigorously shakes his head no.
Veronica twists on her heel, slowly walks toward Logan batting her eyelashes and tilting her head. “Honey, I need them.” She runs her hand up the inside of his thigh. “I’m stuck here in this sterile hospital, you have to do it. It’s your job as a husband.” She caresses his unit through his pants and he swats her hand away from his body.
“Fine.” He exhales, frustrated. Veronica stands upright and returns to her overnight bag with a slight smile of accomplishment on her face.
“Tell me exactly what kind, size, shape, color, everything so I don’t have to go back again. You know I hate that aisle of the grocery store and you’re not playing fair when you start touching me like that. You’re evil, Echolls.”
“Great. I knew I could count on you, Dear.” She kisses him quickly on the cheek and disappears into the bathroom.
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Logan is dozing in the lounge chair next to Veronica’s bed when Renee, the nurse, appears at the door pushing Will’s crib into the room.
Logan sits upright and rubs his hands over his face to wake up as Renee walks to him and takes the card from the bedside table. “I’m leaving Will with you and taking the card. Is that okay, Sir?”
“Logan.” He stands and offers his hand to the nurse. “Please, call me Logan.”
“Okay, Logan. Will is sleeping and he’ll probably want a bottle in about a half hour or so.” Renee says as she leaves Veronica’s room.
Logan goes to the crib and picks up his son, careful not to wake him up. He can hear the shower water running and he’s happy he gets to spend some quality alone time with his boy while Veronica finishes in the bathroom. He sits in the lounge chair and gently holds Will in his left arm, cautiously.
He examines his son thoroughly: he notices Will’s length compared to the size of his own arm; he makes a mental note of the heat penetrating from his son’s body against his skin; he adjusts the hat on the boy’s head to make sure Will is presentable when visitors begin arriving and observes the wisps of light brown hair under the hat and he memorizes the curves of his son’s face, every detail from his pudgy cheeks to the tip of his tiny nose. “You are so beautiful. My son, my lovely, healthy, living son.” Logan blinks back a few tears as he rubs his fingertips over Will’s forehead. “I love you so much already and I promise you, Will, that I will never hurt you like my father hurt me. I will protect you and love you and cherish every minute I have with you.” The tears fall freely now, rolling off of Logan’s cheeks and falling on the receiving blanket wrapped around the baby.
“William Keith Echolls, you and I have a big job in this world. We have to stand tall and prove to the world that we are nothing like Aaron and that having the last name of Echolls is not a curse but a blessing. We will show the world what honorable, proud, loving men we are.” Logan sniffs and wipes his face with his shirtsleeve.
He hears the water in the bathroom turn off and he sits watching his son sleep peacefully in his arms. “Your grandmom, Lynn, is smiling down on us right now, you know that, Buddy? She would love to hold you in her arms and smother you with kisses, like she did when I was a little boy. She’s watching over us. We have a few guardian angels and they are all watching us from heaven and I bet they are laughing at mommy and me and our life. Mommy and me haven’t always been nice to each other, but we love each other so much and we’ve realized that we can’t live without each other. Welcome to the family, Will. I love you.” Logan bends and kisses his son’s forehead and pulls him in a little closer to his body and pats his teeny, little butt with his hand gently in a perfect cadence.
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“Mackie, are you awake?” Dick whispers in Mac’s ear.
“No.”
“Did you hear that?” Dick looks across his bedroom to the door leading to the living room in the pool house. “It sounded like-…”
“Yo! Dick it’s just me. I’m sleeping on your couch for a few more hours.” Brad calls from the living room.
“It was only Brad, you big scaredy-cat.” Mac whispers.
“You have to protect me, MacKenzie, and you fuckin’ curl back into the covers.” Dick kisses her bare shoulder. “I’ll remember that.” His fingers wander to her breast.
Mac giggles and wiggles away from Dick’s touch. “We need to get up and go visit the baby.”
“Nah, this is more fun.” Dick says against Mac’s skin. She rolls onto her back giving Dick complete access to her chest and he takes full advantage of the opportunity she gives him.
“Let’s take this to the shower. Brad is right on the other side of the wall.” Mac whispers.
“Shit. Let him hear me make you scream.” Dick says as he sucks her nipple and circles the nub with his tongue. “That is so fuckin’ hot.”
Mac shoves Dick’s head away from her body. “No! I’m not doing that. Brad doesn’t need to hear us doin’ it.”
“Oh, come on.” Dick whines as Mac gets out of his bed, taking the top sheet with her, wrapping it around her naked body and walks to the bathroom, shooting him a sexy glance on her way.
Dick scurries after her, pulling at her sheet as he runs into the bathroom and slams the door behind them.
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Veronica took an extra long time in the bathroom, enjoying the ability to reach and shave her legs, without help, for the first time in about three months. When she got out of the shower, she blew her hair dry and applied a small amount of makeup, at her leisure.
She knew Logan was probably sleeping or watching television, anyway, and he would probably appreciate her extra efforts. Will was safe and sound in the nursery so why shouldn’t she take some time for herself? This might be the last time I apply makeup and blow dry my hair for a while. She chuckles and hopes she can manage a bit of femininity while she raises her newborn.
In the mirror, she admires her new jewelry. Jesus, Logan has certainly outdone himself with these pieces. She smiles. I guess he really does love me. She chuckles and continues her primping.
Veronica enters her hospital room, ready to find Logan sleeping on the lounge chair with the television on, but she is mistaken. Logan is wide awake, holding their sleeping baby in his arms.
“Feel better?” Logan says softly with a smile, looking up at Veronica as Will holds his index finger in his tiny hand.
She smiles at Logan and Will, leans against the doorframe and points with her chin toward Logan. “Happy?”
He laughs and looks at Will while he wiggles his finger in his son’s hand. “Like you would not believe.” Logan’s eyes reach Veronica’s and he winks at her. She smiles in response and throws her dirty laundry in her overnight bag and sits on her bed.
“You got flowers while you were in the shower.” Logan nods toward a large bouquet sitting on the windowsill. “They’re from John Mann at Integrity Jaguar.”
Veronica looks at the beautiful bouquet then back to Logan. “I guess you’re still buying the Jag?”
“Yep. I told him I’ll be in touch this week sometime.” He holds Will up off his lap slightly. “We had a change in plans.”
Veronica smiles. “How long has Will been in here? Does he need to eat or get changed?”
“Done and done, my Dear. Renee brought him in about ten minutes after you went in the bathroom. I successfully fed him, burped him and changed him…” Logan beams with pride. “…all by myself.”
Veronica smiles and leans into her husband and kisses him with purpose. “And you lived to tell about it.”
“Yep, but the diaper might be on backwards. I wasn’t sure about that.” He shrugs and Veronica chuckles.
There’s a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
“A few more bouquets of flowers, Mrs. Echolls.” A young girl, probably a volunteer, says as she pushes a cart into Veronica’s hospital room.
“Oh my gosh.” Veronica says loudly when she sees the six arrangements of various sizes with an assortment of flowers. “Put them wherever you can find a spot.” She waves her hand pointing out the few flat surfaces on the other side of the room.
Once the young girl exits the room, Veronica takes the card out of it’s holder in the closest bouquet and reads it out loud for Logan’s benefit. “Congratulations, Balboa County Sheriff’s Department.” She replaces the card and moves to the next bouquet.
“Another Echolls to kick our asses in poker. Congrats, Luke, Casey and John.” Veronica states, turning to Logan to see his reaction.
“They should be scared. We’re going to teach our boy all of are poker tricks, Honey.” Logan laughs. “He’ll be a second gen card shark and he’s going to show those losers how to play poker.”
Veronica continues with the cards. “All the best. The Kirmanis.”
Logan nods. “That’s nice. I like them…” He frowns. “…except when they prevent me from getting laid.”
“Congratulations Logan and Logan’s girlfriend. Please stop by and see me again soon. Tina.” Veronica laughs. “You know, I like Tina. She’s sweet.”
“Yeah, sweet.” Logan jokes in a sexy voice, trying to get his wife’s dander up. She doesn’t disappoint and shoots him a glare that could kill. He laughs. “I know you so well, Bobcat.”
“Uh huh.” She pauses. “Moving on. ‘All the best from your friends at the Neptune Grand Hotel and Conference Center’.” Veronica puts the card back in the cardholder. “I wonder how they knew. Did we make the tabloids already?”
“I don’t know. Someone will see it and tell us about it, if we did.” Logan says as he rubs his fingertips over Will’s cheek.
“God Bless You and your little bundle of Joy. The Capistrano Family.” Veronica smiles. “That’s nice. I wonder how Bonnie is doing. I haven’t seen her since I solved the case of her roommate slipping her that abortion drug…” Veronica thinks for a second. “…like four months ago.”
Logan grunts with acknowledgement, paying attention to his sleeping son in his arms, not listening to Veronica, at the moment.
Here are photos of the necklace, bracelet, earrings and ring that Logan gave Veronica after she had the baby.
The necklace.
© 2008 Tiffany and Company.
The bracelet.
© 2008 Tiffany and Company.
The earrings.
© 2008 Tiffany and Company.
The ring.
© 2008 Tiffany and Company.
Part 51
Author: christykq
Rating: M for language and innuendos mostly, some sex
Characters/Pairings: LoVe, ensemble
Word Count: 4244
Spoilers: Begins with 3.05 and goes through S3.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in the VM universe, it all belongs to the master RT. I also do not earn a profit from any one of the many brand names named in my story and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Character’s thoughts are italic.
Part 50
VMVMVMVMVMVMVMVMVMVM
[After Season Three]
[June 20, 2007]
Keith wakes up and glances at the alarm clock on Alicia’s side of the bed. Oh gosh, it’s only seven-thirty. I doubt the hospital’s visiting hours are open yet. Keith sighs loudly and cuddles into Alicia’s side. “Do you want pancakes for breakfast this morning?” He whispers into his fiancé’s ear.
“Mmm. That sounds wonderful.” Alicia coos with her eyes still closed, savoring the last bit of sleep she can get.
“You stay in bed, Honey, I’ll bring you some coffee when it’s ready.” Keith says softly and climbs out of bed.
“Did you manage to sleep at all since you woke up earlier?” Alicia says quietly as Keith pulls his robe over his shoulders and ties the robe tight.
“A little. I can’t help it, I’m anxious. I’ll make breakfast.” He says as he pads into the kitchen and Alicia sinks back into her toasty, warm bed.
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Logan and Veronica watch Renee, the maternity nurse, wheel their baby out the door. Logan immediately scoots closer to his wife, on top of the covers of her hospital bed. “Hi.” He says seductively as he moves in to kiss her lips.
Veronica snaps her head to the side and blocks Logan’s lips with her hand. “I have to go brush before you get a smooch.”
Logan leans back from her hand and face and watches Veronica jump out of bed and head for the bathroom, moving nimbly, not like a woman who delivered a baby a few hours earlier would move. “Good to know.” He calls after her then waits for her return.
She enters the room again, ready to jump back into bed and receive the kiss Logan was just offering but she stops when she sees a tower of three light blue boxes, stacked one on top of the other, with a white silk ribbon bow draping down the sides of the pile.
“What’s that?” Veronica says quietly as her eyes move from the boxes to her husband.
Logan sits on her bed with an innocent smile on his face. “I don’t know, why don’t you open them and find out.”
Veronica picks up the boxes and climbs back into her spot. “Babe, really, you didn’t have to do this.” She smiles at Logan then unties the ribbon. “No card this time?”
Logan nods no.
She sets the two larger boxes on the blanket and opens the smallest box.
“Wow.” Her eyes widen at the sight of a diamond and platinum ring. “Oh my God, Logan, this is too much. Why did you buy this for me?” She mumbles as she takes the ring from it’s box, slips it on her right ring finger and admires it with her hand stretched out at a distance. The ring is three rows of round diamonds in an alternating pattern of round and almond-shaped platinum forms surrounding each gem. It is modern and simple and absolutely stunning.
“Because you’re beautiful and you had to carry my child and deal with being pregnant for thirty-seven weeks and I love you.” Logan slides closer to Veronica and touches her cheeks with the pad of his thumbs. Her eyes reach his as she leans into his touch and smiles.
Logan bends toward his wife and seductively kisses her mouth, keeping his hand on her cheek. He releases her mouth and moves away slightly, touching his forehead to hers and stares deeply into her blue eyes, rubbing his thumb over her cheekbone. “You gave me the best gift you could ever give me, our perfect son.” Logan smiles. “These are just a little something to make you feel special. It’s the least I could do, Sugarpuss.” He pecks her lips with a short kiss. “I love you and Will more than anything in this world.”
A few tears fall from her eyes and Logan wipes them away with his thumbs. She bites her lower lip shyly. “I love you too. Thank you.”
Logan kisses her lips, her nose and her forehead quickly. “Now, get to the other presents before I open them for you.”
Veronica snaps out of her Logan-induced haze. “Oh right, right, right.” She snaps the ring box closed and opens the second box. “Wow, Honey, you really outdid yourself.” The second box contains a matching diamond and platinum bracelet. She takes the bracelet out of the box and hands it to Logan. “Will you put this on me, please?”
“It would be my pleasure.” He smiles and clasps her bracelet. “Wow, that looks better on your wrist than it did on the model.” Logan says as Veronica stretches her arm out and appreciates the beauty hanging from her extended limb.
“Wait!” Veronica glares at Logan. “You got to ogle a model while you were picking out my jewelry?”
Logan smirks mischievously. “But I was only thinking of you while I ogled, Snookums. Besides, she was a brunette and, you know, brunettes don’t do it for me.”
“Uh huh.” Veronica says, rolling her eyes. “I bet she was busting out of her shirt too, right?”
Logan smiles but says nothing.
She shuts the second box and opens the third and largest box. “Oh my. Okay, you’re forgiven for drooling all over a jewelry model, these are stunning and you have to put this on me right now.” Veronica pulls a matching necklace out of the light blue box and hands it to Logan then turns her body and lifts her hair off her neck to assist her husband. The necklace is the same pattern of platinum round and almond shapes with diamonds but, unlike the ring and the bracelet, the necklace only has one row of alternating pattern, not three.
Logan kneels on the bed to reach Veronica’s exposed neck and covers her skin with kisses before latching the necklace in it’s place around her neck. “Wow.” He mutters as Veronica turns in her spot and touches the necklace against her neck.
“Wait, wait, I have earrings to put on before you start ogling me.” She quickly takes the earrings out of the box and hangs them from her ears. “Now, you can ogle.” She smirks at her husband as she strikes a few poses, accentuating her new jewelry and making Logan laugh.
He crawls over the bed coverings and closes the space between them, locking eyes with his wife the entire journey from his side of the bed. Logan softly kisses her lips, trailing the kisses along her jaw and over to her ear while he places his right hand on her neck on the other side of her head. Whispering in her ear, he drops his voice for effect. “I want you to wear this new jewelry…” He runs his tongue around the edge of her ear. “…and nothing else, when we get home.” Logan sucks her earlobe and sits back down in his place.
Veronica takes a deep breath and exhales loudly, trying to calm her desire. “You’re gonna have to hold on there, Big Boy. I just had a baby and I’m still bleeding.” She says quietly as she collects the Tiffany & Company boxes and puts them on the bedside table.
Logan wrinkles his nose at the thought. “Well, that sucks. When can we have sex?”
“Knock, knock.” A small, graying woman bounces into Veronica’s hospital room. “I think I can answer that question for you.” Dr. Hotmer chuckles and offers her hand to both Logan and Veronica.
“Dr. Hotmer, Hello.” Veronica shakes the tiny doctor’s offered hand. “Doctor, this is my husband, Logan.”
Logan nods. “Yes, we’ve met before.”
Dr. Hotmer nods in agreement and turns back to Veronica. “How do you feel, Mom?”
Veronica smiles bright. “Great.”
“Well, I just gave your baby his first exam and he is healthy and beautiful. He lost a little weight but that’s normal, he’ll gain that back in the next few days. The circumcision went well. Now, let me check you out, Veronica.”
Logan stands and moves to the far wall, staying out of the doctor’s way, not sure if he should leave while Veronica gets examined but decides to stay until he’s asked to leave the room.
Dr. Hotmer asks Veronica to lie flat on her back as she raises her shirt to expose Veronica’s stomach. The obstetrician pokes her abdomen in various places then asks Veronica to lower her pajama pants and underwear.
Logan looks across the room, out the window trying not to look at Veronica’s exposed lower body. He was sure she had stitches in all kinds of nooks and crannies and he did not need to see that much of his beautiful wife. He zones out for a few seconds, watching a bird in a tree outside the window while Dr. Hotmer finishes Veronica’s exam.
“Logan.” Veronica says loudly, breaking her husband out of his trance as she shimmies her underwear and pants back on and sits up.
“Yeah.” He turns to Veronica and Dr. Hotmer. “What’s up?”
“Dr. Hotmer, here…” Veronica gestures toward the doctor with her hand. “…was going to answer your sex question.” She gives her husband a smirk.
“Oh, yeah…” Logan he says with excitement then realizes he is a little too enthusiastic about getting answers about sex with his wife from a female OB/GYN and contains himself, looking a little embarrassed and lowers his voice to a whisper. “…cool.”
The doctor chuckles and Veronica rolls her eyes as Dr. Hotmer begins. “Veronica has quite a few stitches, inside and out.” Logan makes an ‘eek’ face. “Her hormones are all over the place right now and she might not be feeling bad now but the aches and pain may hit her in the next couple of days, along with the mood swings. Going through labor and delivery is not easy on your body and you need to rest, Veronica.” Dr. Hotmer talks, looking at Logan and Veronica. “Your stitches will dissolve by themselves, use antiseptic spray if you have hemorroids, the bleeding your experiencing is normal and can last for up to six weeks. Don’t use tampons, only pads until the bleeding stops.” The physician looks directly at Logan then back to Veronica. “You’re cleared to have intercourse when you’re ready, Veronica. I would say to wait as long as you can to let your body heal properly, like five or six weeks.”
Logan groans. What the fuck, I have to wait five or six weeks? This sucks.
Dr. Hotmer directs her attention to Logan. “You can do other things to be intimate with each other, without having intercourse. You would be surprised how intimate a walk can be sometimes.”
Logan rolls his eyes and Veronica chuckles at his reaction. Yeah, somehow I don’t think a walk is going to get me off, Doc, sorry. Logan thinks as his eyes meet Veronica’s and she smiles softly at him and his heart skips a beat. But, if Ronnie isn’t up to it, I guess I’ll be supportive. The poor thing did just have a baby, after all. I should shut the hell up and be a man.
“Take the baby out and walk. It’s a great way to be together and work off the baby weight.” The doctor locks eyes with Logan and her voice has a more serious tone to it. “When you do have intercourse, use multiple types of protection. Did you hear me, Dad?” She gives Logan a stern look. “Veronica’s hormones are mixed up and her monthly cycle has to reestablish it’s timing and until she has her first period, it is very, very easy to get pregnant again.” She turns to Veronica and gives her the same stern look. “Unless you want to be right back here again in another nine months, use a few types of protection.”
Logan nods and Veronica agrees quietly.
“Now, you’re not breastfeeding, correct?”
“Correct.” Veronica utters softly.
“When your milk comes in, do not do anything to extract the milk, that will make the pain worse. Just put ice on your breasts and take Tylenol. The swelling will taper off after about twelve hours but can last up to twenty-four hours. Do you have any questions?”
Veronica and Logan nod negative.
“Good. Now, since you were brought into maternity very late, you get to spend another night in the hospital.”
It was Veronica’s turn to groan.
“You can go home tomorrow if there are no complications with you or your baby.” The doctor finishes her explanation with a bright smile and a handshake to Logan then Veronica.
“Thank you, Dr. Hotmer.” Logan says as they shake hands.
Dr. Hotmer turns to Veronica. “Make an appointment with your OB/GYN for a six-week check-up and contact your pediatrician to take your baby in within the next four days.” The doctor shakes the new mother’s hand and smiles. “Beautiful jewelry, Mom.”
Veronica’s hand immediately goes to her necklace and she blushes. “Thank you.”
The doctor turns to leave the room, patting Logan on the elbow as she exits. “You have good taste in jewelry, Dad.” She laughs and Logan smiles.
Veronica runs her fingers through her hair and looks at the scraggly split-ends. “I’m going to take a shower, real quick, before visiting hours begin. Can you hold down the fort without me?” She smiles and slides out of bed.
“I think I’m up to the challenge.” Logan says dryly getting up from Veronica’s bed and sits in the nearby lounge chair, flips on the television and makes himself comfortable.
Veronica goes to the dresser in the corner and digs through her overnight bag, picking through her clothing and selects a comfortable outfit for today. “Honey, I’m going to need you to do me a favor today.” She bites her lower lip and turns toward her husband.
He looks at his wife and waits for her to continue her request.
“I need you to go to the store and buy me some maxi pads.” She smiles slightly, bracing herself for Logan’s freak out.
“Nope. No way. Nuh uh. Not gonna happen.” Logan vigorously shakes his head no.
Veronica twists on her heel, slowly walks toward Logan batting her eyelashes and tilting her head. “Honey, I need them.” She runs her hand up the inside of his thigh. “I’m stuck here in this sterile hospital, you have to do it. It’s your job as a husband.” She caresses his unit through his pants and he swats her hand away from his body.
“Fine.” He exhales, frustrated. Veronica stands upright and returns to her overnight bag with a slight smile of accomplishment on her face.
“Tell me exactly what kind, size, shape, color, everything so I don’t have to go back again. You know I hate that aisle of the grocery store and you’re not playing fair when you start touching me like that. You’re evil, Echolls.”
“Great. I knew I could count on you, Dear.” She kisses him quickly on the cheek and disappears into the bathroom.
VMVMVMVMVM
Logan is dozing in the lounge chair next to Veronica’s bed when Renee, the nurse, appears at the door pushing Will’s crib into the room.
Logan sits upright and rubs his hands over his face to wake up as Renee walks to him and takes the card from the bedside table. “I’m leaving Will with you and taking the card. Is that okay, Sir?”
“Logan.” He stands and offers his hand to the nurse. “Please, call me Logan.”
“Okay, Logan. Will is sleeping and he’ll probably want a bottle in about a half hour or so.” Renee says as she leaves Veronica’s room.
Logan goes to the crib and picks up his son, careful not to wake him up. He can hear the shower water running and he’s happy he gets to spend some quality alone time with his boy while Veronica finishes in the bathroom. He sits in the lounge chair and gently holds Will in his left arm, cautiously.
He examines his son thoroughly: he notices Will’s length compared to the size of his own arm; he makes a mental note of the heat penetrating from his son’s body against his skin; he adjusts the hat on the boy’s head to make sure Will is presentable when visitors begin arriving and observes the wisps of light brown hair under the hat and he memorizes the curves of his son’s face, every detail from his pudgy cheeks to the tip of his tiny nose. “You are so beautiful. My son, my lovely, healthy, living son.” Logan blinks back a few tears as he rubs his fingertips over Will’s forehead. “I love you so much already and I promise you, Will, that I will never hurt you like my father hurt me. I will protect you and love you and cherish every minute I have with you.” The tears fall freely now, rolling off of Logan’s cheeks and falling on the receiving blanket wrapped around the baby.
“William Keith Echolls, you and I have a big job in this world. We have to stand tall and prove to the world that we are nothing like Aaron and that having the last name of Echolls is not a curse but a blessing. We will show the world what honorable, proud, loving men we are.” Logan sniffs and wipes his face with his shirtsleeve.
He hears the water in the bathroom turn off and he sits watching his son sleep peacefully in his arms. “Your grandmom, Lynn, is smiling down on us right now, you know that, Buddy? She would love to hold you in her arms and smother you with kisses, like she did when I was a little boy. She’s watching over us. We have a few guardian angels and they are all watching us from heaven and I bet they are laughing at mommy and me and our life. Mommy and me haven’t always been nice to each other, but we love each other so much and we’ve realized that we can’t live without each other. Welcome to the family, Will. I love you.” Logan bends and kisses his son’s forehead and pulls him in a little closer to his body and pats his teeny, little butt with his hand gently in a perfect cadence.
VMVMVMVMVM
“Mackie, are you awake?” Dick whispers in Mac’s ear.
“No.”
“Did you hear that?” Dick looks across his bedroom to the door leading to the living room in the pool house. “It sounded like-…”
“Yo! Dick it’s just me. I’m sleeping on your couch for a few more hours.” Brad calls from the living room.
“It was only Brad, you big scaredy-cat.” Mac whispers.
“You have to protect me, MacKenzie, and you fuckin’ curl back into the covers.” Dick kisses her bare shoulder. “I’ll remember that.” His fingers wander to her breast.
Mac giggles and wiggles away from Dick’s touch. “We need to get up and go visit the baby.”
“Nah, this is more fun.” Dick says against Mac’s skin. She rolls onto her back giving Dick complete access to her chest and he takes full advantage of the opportunity she gives him.
“Let’s take this to the shower. Brad is right on the other side of the wall.” Mac whispers.
“Shit. Let him hear me make you scream.” Dick says as he sucks her nipple and circles the nub with his tongue. “That is so fuckin’ hot.”
Mac shoves Dick’s head away from her body. “No! I’m not doing that. Brad doesn’t need to hear us doin’ it.”
“Oh, come on.” Dick whines as Mac gets out of his bed, taking the top sheet with her, wrapping it around her naked body and walks to the bathroom, shooting him a sexy glance on her way.
Dick scurries after her, pulling at her sheet as he runs into the bathroom and slams the door behind them.
VMVMVMVMVM
Veronica took an extra long time in the bathroom, enjoying the ability to reach and shave her legs, without help, for the first time in about three months. When she got out of the shower, she blew her hair dry and applied a small amount of makeup, at her leisure.
She knew Logan was probably sleeping or watching television, anyway, and he would probably appreciate her extra efforts. Will was safe and sound in the nursery so why shouldn’t she take some time for herself? This might be the last time I apply makeup and blow dry my hair for a while. She chuckles and hopes she can manage a bit of femininity while she raises her newborn.
In the mirror, she admires her new jewelry. Jesus, Logan has certainly outdone himself with these pieces. She smiles. I guess he really does love me. She chuckles and continues her primping.
Veronica enters her hospital room, ready to find Logan sleeping on the lounge chair with the television on, but she is mistaken. Logan is wide awake, holding their sleeping baby in his arms.
“Feel better?” Logan says softly with a smile, looking up at Veronica as Will holds his index finger in his tiny hand.
She smiles at Logan and Will, leans against the doorframe and points with her chin toward Logan. “Happy?”
He laughs and looks at Will while he wiggles his finger in his son’s hand. “Like you would not believe.” Logan’s eyes reach Veronica’s and he winks at her. She smiles in response and throws her dirty laundry in her overnight bag and sits on her bed.
“You got flowers while you were in the shower.” Logan nods toward a large bouquet sitting on the windowsill. “They’re from John Mann at Integrity Jaguar.”
Veronica looks at the beautiful bouquet then back to Logan. “I guess you’re still buying the Jag?”
“Yep. I told him I’ll be in touch this week sometime.” He holds Will up off his lap slightly. “We had a change in plans.”
Veronica smiles. “How long has Will been in here? Does he need to eat or get changed?”
“Done and done, my Dear. Renee brought him in about ten minutes after you went in the bathroom. I successfully fed him, burped him and changed him…” Logan beams with pride. “…all by myself.”
Veronica smiles and leans into her husband and kisses him with purpose. “And you lived to tell about it.”
“Yep, but the diaper might be on backwards. I wasn’t sure about that.” He shrugs and Veronica chuckles.
There’s a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
“A few more bouquets of flowers, Mrs. Echolls.” A young girl, probably a volunteer, says as she pushes a cart into Veronica’s hospital room.
“Oh my gosh.” Veronica says loudly when she sees the six arrangements of various sizes with an assortment of flowers. “Put them wherever you can find a spot.” She waves her hand pointing out the few flat surfaces on the other side of the room.
Once the young girl exits the room, Veronica takes the card out of it’s holder in the closest bouquet and reads it out loud for Logan’s benefit. “Congratulations, Balboa County Sheriff’s Department.” She replaces the card and moves to the next bouquet.
“Another Echolls to kick our asses in poker. Congrats, Luke, Casey and John.” Veronica states, turning to Logan to see his reaction.
“They should be scared. We’re going to teach our boy all of are poker tricks, Honey.” Logan laughs. “He’ll be a second gen card shark and he’s going to show those losers how to play poker.”
Veronica continues with the cards. “All the best. The Kirmanis.”
Logan nods. “That’s nice. I like them…” He frowns. “…except when they prevent me from getting laid.”
“Congratulations Logan and Logan’s girlfriend. Please stop by and see me again soon. Tina.” Veronica laughs. “You know, I like Tina. She’s sweet.”
“Yeah, sweet.” Logan jokes in a sexy voice, trying to get his wife’s dander up. She doesn’t disappoint and shoots him a glare that could kill. He laughs. “I know you so well, Bobcat.”
“Uh huh.” She pauses. “Moving on. ‘All the best from your friends at the Neptune Grand Hotel and Conference Center’.” Veronica puts the card back in the cardholder. “I wonder how they knew. Did we make the tabloids already?”
“I don’t know. Someone will see it and tell us about it, if we did.” Logan says as he rubs his fingertips over Will’s cheek.
“God Bless You and your little bundle of Joy. The Capistrano Family.” Veronica smiles. “That’s nice. I wonder how Bonnie is doing. I haven’t seen her since I solved the case of her roommate slipping her that abortion drug…” Veronica thinks for a second. “…like four months ago.”
Logan grunts with acknowledgement, paying attention to his sleeping son in his arms, not listening to Veronica, at the moment.
Here are photos of the necklace, bracelet, earrings and ring that Logan gave Veronica after she had the baby.
The necklace.
© 2008 Tiffany and Company.
The bracelet.
© 2008 Tiffany and Company.
The earrings.
© 2008 Tiffany and Company.
The ring.
© 2008 Tiffany and Company.
Part 51