Hope
Hope let out a squeal of joy when she spotted her friend, and her editor, Jenn, approach her table. Jenn moved around the table and wrapped her arms around Hope in a tight squeeze. “Hey you!” Hope greeted her.
“Hey, you!” Jenn stepped back and admired Hope’s figure. “How are you feeling? Where is my EllaBella?” She peeked underneath the table, as if Isabella was hiding there.
“She’s with Chad. They’re collecting swag and getting some autographs from her friends.” She nods toward the crowd that was hustling and bustling, meeting their authors. Isabella had grown up in this scene and had gotten to know some of the authors that frequented similar events. Her and Chad had a routine and she loved that they had this to bond over. It made her heart want to explode to see Chad involved in the industry with her and making memories with Isabella. It wasn’t easy when Chad left for long periods of time, so she cherished these short days so much.
“You don’t have much longer, huh?” Jenn placed her hand on Hope’s belly, feeling around. “Is she active?”
Hope laughed at her friend’s questions, pressing her own hand over her friends to see if she could feel the child inside of her kick. “How do you know if it’s a girl? You know we are waiting to find out. Seven more weeks!”
“Gut instinct.” She winked. “I figured, I have a fifty-fifty chance. Does Chad want a boy?” Jenn leaned into her friend, whispering to her belly, “You’re a little princess, just like your sister.” She stood, grinning up at Hope. “Your table looks stunning, as always.” Jenn peeked at the table.
Hope took her hand and guided her around the front, smiling at her persistent questions. “Chad and I both want a healthy baby; we don’t care if it’s a boy or girl.” She smiled as she leaned into her friend. “I couldn’t have done this without you, you know. First, dropping projects, leaving you all in the hole. I shouldn’t have done that.”
Hope felt an extra squeeze from her friend. “No, you were grieving. No one can blame you for making the decisions you did.” Diverting the conversation, “You did this all yourself. I just fixed the words.” Jenn grinned up at her friend, wrapping her arm around Hope’s waist. “I am so proud of you, girl. I am so proud you came back. Look at you. Eight books.”
“Eight books more than I ever thought I could do.” Hope hugged her friend. “Did you grab some swag? I owe you that much, outside of your books.” She laughed as she gathered small tokens for her friend to take and the stack of books she had set aside for her editor.
Jenn laughed. “Will you sign it?” she teased, but her friend meant it.
Hope shook her head, laughing. “Sure, I’ll sign it, silly.” She grabbed one of her permanent markers and swiftly marked each swag item with her signature. “Is your husband here? I’m sure Chad would love to catch up. Dinner?” She filled a small paper bag up and handed it to her friend.
“Chris is here somewhere.” Jenn waved her arm around the room. “Like Chad, with the kids.” She laughed. “Dinner would be perfect.”
Hope hugged her friend one more time. “I’ll call you? And maybe we can go to the After Party together while the kids hang out.”
“That sounds great. Let’s.” Jenn squeezed Hope one more time before heading back into the crowd.
Hope stood by her table only for a few more moments before a reader, a fan, approached her table. She interacted with the young woman, signing her books and talking about future work after the baby was born. It is also typical that readers want pictures taken with her. As much as Hope wasn’t fond of her swollen form, she always obliged. After a quick hug, she waved her fan off.
This repeated over and over until the sponsor announced the event was over. The readers and fans reluctantly trickled out of the room. It was at this time that Hope saw one of the two loves of her lives come running down the aisle. Isabella hugged her mother’s legs and thighs, her small sweet voice exclaiming about all the items she had discovered. She went on about the people she met and the friends she made.
She felt Chad come around the table, and he stood there, listening to their exchange. Hope shared a nonverbal language with him. She acknowledged him by wrapping an arm around his hip, while he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Isabella just continued her conversation, eager and excited to tell her mother about her day. Hope reached down and kissed her daughter, slowing her down.
Chad began to break the table down to help the clean-up, diligently stacking each book and display. She admired her husband; his devotion to her and her career didn’t go unnoticed. She only hoped that she could honor him in the same way in his career. She gently redirected Isabella to help with taking down the small items on the table as she moved to help Chad. She sat on her chair as she stacked her few remaining books in the boxes, Isabella collected the small swag items and organized them in her box, and Chad handled the heavy lifting as he organized the boxes on a luggage cart.
Between the three of them, they accomplished the task quickly. Intermittently, Hope would reach out and touch Chad, subtle reminders she was thankful for him, thankful for his help. He would always smile down at her, landing his own caresses as he worked around her. Hope loved those touches; she craved them. When their work was stacked and finished, Hope gathered Isabella up in her arms. The two of them made their way back to their room, while Chad loaded their items into the van.
It was a long walk, but both Isabella and Hope sang their way down the hallways, Hope’s soprano voice mixed with Isabella’s sweet youthful voice. Sometimes the songs didn’t make sense, but sometimes it was a song that they shared only between them as a family. Isabella skipped next to her mother as they made their way to the heavy hotel door.
Once inside, all Hope wanted to do was to collapse on the bed, so she did. Isabella, even with all her energy, climbed into bed with her. It wasn’t long before both sound asleep.
When Chad entered the room, and saw his sleeping beauties, he knew there was no way they’d be making it to dinner or after party tonight.
Hope felt his warm body hover over her, his hand cradling her shoulder gently, as he leaned in and whispered in her ear, “I messaged Jenn. You and her will have coffee in the morning, while Chris and I take the kids to the pool. She understands you’re tired.” His hand stroked her hair back from her face.
Hope turned to greet Chad and try to argue the change of plans. “No, no, we still need to go to the After Party.” Hope started to get up, but she felt him gently press her back into the bed, refuting her protests.
“You’re eight months pregnant. If you’re tired, rest. Everyone will understand. Seriously, don’t worry about it.” Chad walked to the opposite bed, hearing the springs press as he lowered his weight on the edge of the bed. “I will order us pizza. Isabella is tired too, so we’ll just stay in tonight.” She heard the creaking of the springs as he leaned over and rubbed her arm.
Hope sighed as she admired his concerned look, the edges of his eyes crinkled. He was handsome, with a very masculine jawline, and she admired his build. Even after a few years, Chad still turned her on, and she loved the way he cared about her. His sweet-natured attitude toward her and Isabella was endearing.
She climbed out of the bed that she shared with Isabella and made her way to the other bed that Chad was sitting on. “Lie with me before pizza?” she asked as she patted the pillow next to hers.
“Always,” Chad said. He leaned over and pressed a tender kiss to Hope’s cheek and then one on her pregnant belly. He kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed next to her. Hope easily slid under his arm, resting her head on his shoulder.
“Thank you for everything today.” She traced her fingers over his t-shirt. “You have no idea how much it means to me to have you and Isabella there when I do signings.” She looked up at her husband fondly, her heart exploding with love.
Chad smiled down and wrapped his arm naturally around her as she settled in. “I will always support you. I love you.” His arms cradled her body against his, and Hope smiled back at him.
“I love you more.” Hope stroked her husband’s chest. “You know, I support you in everything you want to do, right?” Her voice was soft, inquisitive. Hope wanted to make sure that Chad knew that she believed in him. “I hate seeing you leave, but I know that your career has always meant so much to you.”
“Oh, dear.” Chad shifted and pulled her closer, so that they were nose to nose and eye to eye. “Of course. Of course you support me. I don’t ever think you don’t. You know how much I hate leaving you and Isabella, and now this one.” He ran his hand over Hope’s baby bell. “What is bringing this up?” Hope felt a reassuring kiss on her forehead.
“I was watching you today. And…” Hope sighed, running her hand over his face. “I just wanted you to know that I believe in you as much as you believe in me.” Tears began to well up in her eyes, but she began to laugh, covering her mouth, discovering her own absurdity.
“Oh, baby, why are you crying? Of course I know. You are an amazing wife. I wouldn’t change anything.” Chad wrapped her in his arms, pulling her in, through her mixture of laughter and tears.
Hope shook her head, pressing her head against his chest. “I’m just being hormonal.” She brushed off the emotions, but settled against the man she loved. They laid there together for a long period of time. Words weren’t needed. Hope needed these intimate moments to feel secure. There was never a doubt in her mind that he would hurt her, but she needed to know that she was being the wife that he needed.
The challenges of being a military wife, balancing a child, expecting another, and then also trying to juggle a full-time career was sometimes overwhelming. Although Hope would never ask for her circumstances to be different, sometimes she needed moments like these to recharge.
Hope felt Chad roll back, kissing an affectionate kiss on her neck before moving to a sitting position. “Let me order dinner, before we all get hangry.” He chuckled. “What are you craving, Mama?” He sat on the edge of the bed, turning to face her.
Hope laughed softly. She had been experiencing the strangest cravings during this pregnancy and he was always mindful of what she was in the mood for at that moment. “No pepperoni. That is all.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Chad chuckled, reaching back and patting her thigh. “I was afraid you were going to ask for pineapple on the pizza.”
“Never.” Hope threw her head back against the pillow, laughing, reflecting on their first date out for pizza. “It is sinful. Never.”
“You know it’s because we made this child; it knows not to even trigger that craving,” Chad suggested as he pulled the phone up to put in the order with the hotel pizzeria.
Hope playfully smacked Chad’s hip. They had a personal sense of humor that Hope would never trade anything for.
“So, are you taking a break when baby is born? No one will blame you,” Jenn asked, as she brought her iced caramel macchiato to her lips.
“Well, I’m going to play it by ear. I figure it is going to be an interesting transition for Isabella, and with Chad attached to a unit that can up and leave at a moment’s notice, I have to be flexible.” Hope broke off a piece of her croissant.
“Yeah, I remember when Chris would be sent out. It wasn’t easy. You do you, girlie. You know we have your back.” Jenn smiled, reaching over and patting her friend’s hand reassuringly.
“I know you do.” Hope smiled. “I don’t doubt it, one bit.” Hope returned the smile, squeezing her friend’s hand. She was surrounded by an incredible group of people who lifted her spirits and kept her drive going. “There is a story that keeps talking to me.”
“Oh? Tell me about it!” Jenn leaned back in her chair, smiling brightly. “You know I love all your words.”
Hope laughed, shaking her head. She went on to describe her future storyline to her editor, and dear friend. It was going to be about how she and Chad met. She was going to write about how she faced losing her mother and how Chad had to choose to make time for a relationship, in the midst of his obsession with his career. “I am going to call it Pursuing Hope.”
Jenn leaned over the coffee house table, and exclaimed, “I love it! Girl, you have to write it.”
“I know. I haven’t run it by Chad yet, but I’m sure he would support the idea. He seems to like every idea I have.” Hope waved her hand, laughing softly. “I also know my sister Harper will be coming up to stay with us for a little bit, to help with Isabella and the baby. Did you know she moved into Mrs. Lulu’s house when we moved to Norfolk? She took my place at KoffeeHaus,” Hope smiled as she sipped on her decaffeinated coffee. “It’s a family thing, apparently.”
“No way! That is too funny! That is really nice of Mrs. Lulu to give her all that time off.” Jenn traced her finger across the table, mixing the condensation rings together.
“Yes, Mrs. Lulu has always been supportive. She took to Harper so quickly. Harper is painting the inside of the shop with murals, and Mrs. Lulu is taking her under her wing. After Mom died, Harper got lost, kind of like me, but still so different, you know? I know she is struggling with the dating world.” Hope was pondering the weight of the loss of their mother.
“She is an amazing woman. If there is anyone that could get her out of her rut, it would be Mrs. Lulu. Look at what she did with you!” Jenn encouraged.
“Yeah, I know. Harper needs Mrs. Lulu. I love Harper so much. It hurts seeing her hurting. At least I know Isabella makes her happy, and I know this one will too,” Hope reflected, placing a hand gingerly on her belly.
“She’s going to be okay. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you in a few weeks.” Jenn winked at her as they continued to catch up. Their husbands, having taken the kids to the pool this morning, allowed the women some much-needed girl time. Hope knew that Chad and Chris would get along. Chris, although not an active duty Marine, was a Marine nonetheless. They enjoyed each other’s company at these events and Jenn and Chris’ children doted on Isabella like she was a younger sister.
After another hour of chatting, laughing, and reminiscing, Hope and Jenn stood to leave. “Let’s go rescue the men?” Hope smiled as she hooked her arm in her friend’s elbow.
“Let’s,” Jenn replied, leaning into Hope.
Hope pulled the guitar case’s top up and smiled as she saw the reflection off the surface. “Well hello there, pretty girl.” She traced her finger over the wood, referring to her instrument fondly. “Isabella? What do you want to sing?” she asked as she pulled the guitar up and hooked the strap around her neck and shoulders.
Hope looked at the little girl who was sitting on the edge of the hotel bed, as she pondered what her music choice should be. “I don’t know.” Isabella’s little voice was perplexed, as she raised her little hand up in a shrug.
“How about, ‘Did You Ever See a Lassie?’” Hope smiled down at the little girl, not waiting for an affirmative, before letting her fingers strum the strings, singing the nursery rhyme, Isabella joining in on the second line. Hope rested the guitar against her thigh as she rocked and sang with Isabella.
Hope watched Chad walk back into the hotel room, holding two plastic bags worth of Chinese food, and almost instantly joining the tune before their hotel door closed all the way. Isabella climbed up to stand on the bed, raising her arms to wrap around her father’s neck affectionately. Hope watched as Chad placed the bags on the bed and picked up the little girl, as he dramatically ended the song in a twirl, to Isabella’s squeal.
“Now, Isabella, we are not looking for laddies anytime soon, okay?” Chad grinned, placing her back down on the bed, teasing her with the lyrics of the song.
“Now now, Chad, it’s a bit soon for boy chasing,” Hope laughed, standing as she shifted the guitar over her baby bump. “Go grab your guitar. You promised we’d rock out for a bit while we were here.” Hope nodded toward the corner where they had laid his guitar case, with Isabella’s squeals of delight affirming the decision.
“Okay, okay, what song is next? ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’?” Chad winked at Hope when he walked around her.