This Is Us - Chapter 14: Chapter 14

MATTY POV
"Why are you like this?"
I asked Jaydean as she strolled out of her room in her favorite jeans and a sweatshirt after I asked her to get dressed up.
"I don't wanna wear a dress today. I wanna be comfy," She pouted and crossed her arms. I went into her massive closet, sorting through the numerous outfits she could have chosen before tossing a button-up shirt, a small sweater to go over it and black skinny jeans.
"I don't care if you wear a dress or not. I care about you looking presentable Jaydean," I chastise her and she accepts the outfit as my compromise.
"You're not like other little girls, there are a lot of people who are watching you because of mommy and daddy's job. They like to take pictures of you and say Daddy, Papa, and I don't love you," I tried to explain as she got changed and she gave me a strange look, her little head tilted in confusion.
"But why would they say that? You tell me you love me every single day to the moon and back!" She points up to make her point and when she put the sweater over the dress shirt, I pop the collar for her and brush her hair back into a ponytail.
"Cause people are crazy," I mutter with the handle of the brush in my mouth as I twist her hair and do a simple braid. Her hair is so luscious and beautiful that it's hard not to spend the extra time to do it right.
"Hey, you guys ready yet? Luca's already got the truck started." Thomas asked from the doorway and I nodded.
"I wanna go see papa!" Jaydean ran ahead of Thomas and me, jetting off to the garage while I gained my bearings for a minute.
"How are you feeling?" Thomas asked with concern as I tried to gulp down the wave of nausea that passed over me.
"I'll be fine," I quickly reassured him but he crossed his arms and gave me a look.
"You don't have to come with us if you're not feeling well Matty. You should be getting more rest anyway, but I feel like these days you've been running around like a madman," Thomas pointed out and I groaned.
"God, were you this overbearing with Jaydean?" I asked but Thomas didn't move.
"Jaydean was a different story. I'm sorry, I don't mean to be overbearing. I'm just telling you to relax more. If not for you...for the babies sake," He decided to toe the tough line and I finally stood up without feeling like the world was spinning.
"I'm fine and the baby is healthy. So stop-"
"What baby?"
Thomas and I both looked to find Luca standing in the hallway looking shocked.
"Surprise, I'm pregnant again. Let's just get out of here," I pushed past both of them and made my way to the truck by myself.
***
"This one daddies!"
Jaydean pointed to biggest Christmas tree she could find and I nearly burst out laughing when I saw Thomas and Luca's faces once they realized they had a lot of work to do.
"Are you sure Jayde? What about that one over there? It's like the size you," Luca tried to point out a scrawny tree in the corner but our little girl quickly dismissed the thought.
"No Papa, I want this one. Now stop your whining and help me cut down this tree," Jaydean said as she bent down and grabbed one side of the hand saw they were going to use to cut it.
I stood back and took a sip of my hot cocoa as I watched them work, knowing I would have to tag team it eventually.
I felt Thomas' arm wrapped around my waist as he stood beside me with the video camera.
"Come on Papa! You can do it!" Jaydean shouted words of encouragement as Luca did most of the work and I chuckled a bit.
"Hey there beautiful, you know you need to turn down the glow before the entire world finds out your pregnant," Thomas says as he kisses my cheek and I lightly smack his rock-solid chest.
"Shut up, I am not glowing," I huff and he rolls his eyes.
"Mhm, says the man who looks like he's floating on cloud nine," Thomas mentions. I take my cocoa in both hands as I take another sip and he pushes a longer piece of my hair to the side. We both watch Luca and Jaydean together, a small smirk growing on his face as he did so.
"To think, by this time next year, we'll have two to chase around," Thomas says and I tried so fucking hard to hide my secret smile as I sipped my hot cocoa like it was tea.
And the tea was not getting spilled today.
"What do you want? A boy or another girl?" I asked him and he shrugged.
"I really couldn't care less as long as they're healthy," He says honestly and I stood on my tip toes to kiss his cheek, before catching sight of Luca falling to the ground and Jayde calling him lazy. She was so mean and aggressive sometimes but I guess that's because she's a miniature version of me.
Here I am in the middle of the woods with a beautiful little girl, two men who love me, and I'm pregnant with three little babies. Life couldn't get any better and I should be thankful but instead I'm stuck in this slump I can't seem to shake.
"What are you going to get Luca for Christmas this year?" Thomas asked and I shrugged.
"I dunno, I haven't really thought about it just yet," I groaned at just the thought of Christmas since I always have such a hard time buying people presents, it's fucking ridiculous.
"I want to ask him to marry us," He says and my mouth drops.
"Us? Like you were going to do this without me?" I accused him and he put his hands up.
"Of course not Matty, why would I be like 'hey you, marry Matty and I' without you knowing? Do you know how stupid that sounds? You would kill me before I could finish the sentence," He says and I watch our giggling boyfriend run around the three to chase his equally adorable daughter.
"I think he would like that, he needs a last name," I mention and Thomas clears his throat.
"I wasn't really asking if he would like it...I was asking about you," He says and I turn to Thomas. The absolute primary love of my life. I could run around the world with other people but at the end of the day I know I'm always going to come back to him.
He's the strongest man I know and the greatest father the world could give. A beautiful superman in disguise with enough love, kindness, and selflessness to fill the house with only the greatest happiness and joy for little Jayde.
Sure, Luca's changed over the course of the past five years, but we all have. Thomas isn't as insecure as he once was. I'm not as much of an asshole and I let people in.
Luca just dropped the super hyper-masculine emotionless front and became this lovable sweetheart where I just want to pinch his cheeks and push him around at the same time.
Seeing how hard Luca's trying to overcome his own trials so we would worry less only makes me admire him more for his resilience. I know there's no one else in the world who could balance Thomas and I out like Luca can. And there's no one else I'd rather share Thomas with than Luca.
"Guys! A little help here!" Luca calls out to us looking exhausted from trying to cut down the tree.
"Nah, I'm enjoying the show," I call back and he narrows his eyes at me.
"The show! I thought this was a joint effort! I'm not a single father!" He shouts at us and I think the whole tree farm heard his propper complaints. Thomas joins him on the other side of the saw to help him out while I continue to watch.
"Ahem, that means you too mister, don't let poor Thomas do all the work!" Luca adds and I generously rub my growing stomach.
"Sorry can't, I'm busy growing a human," I use as an excuse and he grunts.
"You can't only be pregnant when it's to your advantage," Luca calls me out as he breaks a sweat with Thomas.
"Jaydean! Why couldn't you pick the sickly tree?!" Thomas groans and Jayde skips over to me so she could watch the boys work.
"Cause the bigger the tree the bigger the Christmas! Right Mommy?" She asks me and her reasoning has me choking on my hot drink.
"Sure baby," I reluctantly agree while Thomas and Luca both mutter the same sentiments under their breath.