As the morning sun finally hit my eyes, I felt groggy and tired. I finally managed to open my eyes, only to squint them shut again as the low morning sun shone between my heavy curtains, feeling like it was drilling right into my brain.
"Ugh, what the fuck?" I thought, feeling like I'd slept for ages and could easily have kept going.
But alas, it was my life, and I had work. It was probably time to wake up. I assumed it was Sunday or maybe Monday morning, meaning I would be hitting my shop a little late, unless the girls or Salvatores had gone in and opened it. It was Christmas week, meaning even if it was Thursday, Christmas would mostly be during the weekend, but Charles, Adam, and the other boys would be home next week. I hadn't gotten many Christmas gifts, though I did have a ton of stuff hidden all over the house, so in a way, I had gifts for everyone, I just hadn't traditionally given them yet.
My door opened, and to my surprise, Charles walked in.
I struggled to moisten my mouth and muttered, "What is going on? Why are you home?"
He smiled, walked over to me, and sat next to me, brushing a stray strand of hair out of my eyes. "Honey, it's Christmas Eve. Damon finally let you sleep. He, along with Number Five, Nine, and Ten, did a hell of a lot of work on your mind the last few days. I got home a few hours ago and had a nap. They told me about your MNDS bout. Worry not; we will have a nice Christmas, and I'll work with you next week when I'm home. And no resistance, my love. Wulfe is also aware, and you get to have some more sleeping therapy. We won't erase your worries, but they've been diluted and will keep diluting even more."
"Oh great," I thought, "Once again my mind got all crazy, causing me to miss three days from work and all the money I could have made."
Charles smiled and said, "Numbers Two, Three, Four, and Six were at our shop. Yeah, you heard me right, it will be ours, packs. I got confirmation from upstairs. It is meant to be, and it will take time for me to apply for the license change, so it will be yours for some time, maybe a year or so. I haven't gotten that far yet, considering the long queues they have, but we'll get there."
Stretching my body, I noticed my growing bump; it felt significantly larger. Considering there were five babies in there, and this wasn't my first pregnancy, it was highly probable I'd resemble an elephant soon. I wasn't sure how much longer I could work. Technically, I could, but I'd need assistance. Then again, would it be wise for me to simply sit there and do a few light tasks while others handled the heavier work? I had countless ideas for the nursery.
Charles chimed in, "The Salvatores want to be involved too; they're getting quite excited as this progresses. Just think, next Christmas, we'll have eight little ones rolling around, and it will be wonderful."
He continued, "Our snakes are doing fine. The Salvatores had a minor issue with Mariella, as she wants to feed them, but they won't let her, given her pregnancy. You should know they are quite strict, which is a good thing. Also, we've planned weekly health checks for both of you and monthly checks for the girls, just to monitor blood pressure, weight gain, and your growing bellies. We'll be prepared if anything seems amiss."
Rolling my eyes, I replied, "I'm barely out of my first trimester. I might have a nervous breakdown before this is all over, and so might Mariella."
Charles reassured me, "It will be alright. Now, up you go, get dressed. Let's go have some breakfast. We have a pampering day planned for you for Christmas Eve, so no need for showers yet."
I nodded, feeling like things were out of my control, but on the other hand, it was good they were so invested. Well, perhaps it was good; I wasn't entirely sure. Time would reveal what this experience would be like.
As he walked out, I got out of bed and began to consider what to wear. My clothes had, once again, been cleared away. I knew I should do laundry at some point, as no one else had taken care of it. I had made it my own little haven, since I loved doing laundry and using all my machines.
In fact, I had several, over ten of them, considering there were 25 adults and eight babies on the way. They would certainly be needed, and I had my own system for it. I had planned a laundry room with magic house witches, so not even Wulfe knew what it was like, but I kept it to myself.
I had also cast spells in my laundry room, designed to transport clean clothes and perform other convenient tasks. However, I had been discreet about doing my laundry, so no one would disrupt my personal sanctuary. I opened the wardrobe and began to decide what to wear.
Thankfully, the Salvatores hadn't raided my clothes yet, as they usually snatched my oversized t-shirts, claiming it was payback for all the jeans I'd taken over the years. I reached for one of my biggest shirts, an old and comfortable one that was actually Jake's. I'd kept it a secret and only worn it a few times, usually when I was recovering. I hadn't told Tim, Damon, or any of the Salvatores about it, knowing they would take it.
I placed the shirt on the bed and was still debating between pants or a skirt. My skirts were a little snug since I hadn't yet gotten maternity clothes. But to my surprise, the door opened, and Mariella and Adam walked in. Mariella's gaze was immediately drawn to the shirt on my bed, and she whispered something to Adam.
He then approached me and said, "Come on, honey, we've made you a new bedroom. Everyone now has their own, and your maternity clothes are there. You don't need that shirt; it's not good for you."
He looked tired and had stubble, which I noticed as I turned to kiss him. Mariella took the shirt without me even noticing, and then Damon walked in and took it from her.
Damon had entered when Mariella said he needed to deal with something. To his surprise, Mimi was about to wear a very old shirt, and he could sense the strong, almost burning emotions attached to it. Love for Jake had literally oozed into that shirt. He knew it wasn't good for Mimi, not now and not ever, as it was her mental crutch. She had worn that shirt during her difficult recoveries from the shed sessions, which were torture sessions performed by his evil twin who had inhabited his body. Only God and Mariella had gotten rid of him, but Mimi had eventually killed him, Damien.
Damon sighed; the memory of Damien's manipulation felt both distant and fresh. He could still feel the ghostly sensations Damien used to instill, making him question reality. He closed his eyes, focusing on pulling the mental anguish from the shirt he wore. It was a nice shirt, one that suited him, and he vowed never to let Mimi wear it again. Her memory was tied to too much, and he planned to tell Wulfe about the shirt as well. Wulfe could be fiercely protective of Mimi.
It was difficult to juggle everything. Part of him was relieved he wasn't the pack leader, but his ego craved the power. He also longed to be pack leader again. Everything felt messy, and he desperately hoped he could be there for Mimi's birth, though he couldn't guarantee it. He knew he would be with Mariella during her labor, a fact that made him feel like a loser. Yet, his love for Mariella was the strongest feeling he'd ever known, a profound sense of love and acceptance. He realized he wanted others to experience this, so he'd pushed them towards Mariella, but their feelings weren't the same.
It was one big, ugly mess, and he knew the coming months would be the best of his life, and perhaps the scariest too. Nothing in this life was certain.
As the alpha female of our pack, I, Mimi Salvatore, was led downstairs to the first floor by Mariella and Adam, leaving Damon behind in what used to be my room.
Mariella announced, "We all have new rooms now, even me. It's not just you, but all of us. And Damon will be spending time with you in your room – yes, it's yours, and Damon's too. This is some pampering day or something, like Christmas even, but we'll have to focus on nurseries after Christmas and New Year, but we have help."
Her voice was eager, which I supposed was normal for her. However, for me, with my hormones leveling up or something, my need for my own space, my den, was rearing its head. The thought of sharing a room with Damon wasn't what I wanted. Then again, maybe I could get him to pay attention to Mariella. But then again, there were ten Salvatores. Ugh, it was so messy. I wanted my time, my me time, and now it was being taken away from me, and once again, I was expected to adjust, which wasn't easy.
The room I was led to was gorgeous, and it was ours. I couldn't help but feel that, but part of my mind wandered, wondering if I would spend a lot of time alone here. Why now? The room was big. It had a mirror on the ceiling, Damon's trademark for our room. The moldings were very ornate, with deep golden and black trimming near them, giving it extra flair.
There was an enormous fireplace, and I recalled thinking of this room as a library, but he had turned it into a bedroom, our room. Next to the fireplace was a door, which led to our room for clothes, bedding — it was a walk-in wardrobe. The rugs on the floor were silk or some other nice material, but not too long-tufted. They were black with golden spirals on them, and as I looked closer, I realized it was vampire language.
Again, I didn't understand everything they said, but my guess was that it was a statement that this room was ours. The bed was huge; the bedspread was dark blue, almost the same shade as the heavy satin curtains hanging on the windows, but the curtains had golden strands giving them shimmer, and I thought of them as Christmas curtains, and they should be changed after the New Year. The bedspread was dark blue. It was silk, and our pillows were plump and inviting. Mine were dark pink, fuchsia, or maybe even a bit of mauve, and Damon's pillows were dark violet.
Feeling a sense of familiarity, though I couldn't immediately place it, the room felt homey. It was as if this were our bedroom. Then, I noticed the bedside tables. They were from our original Arizona house, from our very first bedroom. Or, rather, it had been my bedroom, and Adam had made Damon come sleep with me. He'd only slept there a few nights, but I still recalled it as if it were yesterday. It made this space feel like home, feel like ours, and I couldn't help but sigh.
It was truly gorgeous, and there was so much for me to explore. Paintings adorned the walls, and a huge tapestry hung above our bed; I wanted to examine it further. However, I felt overwhelmed by all the information, and I knew I would need to take a deep breath and take my time to really see everything. Of course, there were the large windows, in which were five different flower poles, though devoid of flowers. I wondered if the dainty ones would hold.
Mariella announced, "The clothes are ready, chosen for you, behind that screen so you can dress up and then get ready for some pampering and relaxation. Oh, it is fun to have a bump; I have taken so many pictures and videos, and I am also making pregnancy journals for the girls, and, oh boy, do I write things down!"
She sounded incredibly excited. I walked to the screen and began to dress myself. The panties, dress, and shoes had all been chosen for me; no socks, but also not my comfy slippers. I supposed it was time to head for breakfast once I was dressed. Despite how gorgeous this room was, I was still unsure of its meaning.
Was this just another random gesture from Damon, or was there something more to it? And what did it have to do with my little bout of MNDS? I didn't think it was that severe, but then again, I wasn't a telepath, and I had no idea how they saw into my mind from time to time when I got a little stuck.
Having dressed, I glanced at my phone and checked my messages. I was elated! One of my suppliers had come through, and I was going to receive a massive shipment of top-quality flowers after Christmas and the New Year. The order included 15% extra, five new species, and sample flowers. It was my largest order yet, and surprisingly, not the most expensive. Mariella, sensing my smugness, was curious.
"One of the flower deliveries is confirmed," I told her. "It's perfect, huge, and the largest I've ever had. I'll be able to create truly top-notch arrangements."
She pursed her lips and said, "Well, you'll probably have someone helping you out; it's not good for you to do too much."
I just rolled my eyes and said, "I'm so excited to get back to work with this order! Those huge peonies, and of course, lilies of the valley, lilies, roses, carnations, orchids, greens, hydrangeas, snapdragons, and so many others."
She still looked doubtful. I had just placed my phone back on the table when the door opened and Damon walked in.
He smiled at me and said, "Come on, baby, time to eat. There are a few new things we need to tell you about."
I followed him out of the room, unsure what this day and this Christmas would bring. However, I doubted it would be normal. In our pack, normality was fluid, and it was simply time to go with the flow. It was time for Christmas, the New Year, and getting even more pregnant. Thankfully, my morning sickness seemed to be easing up, as I was actually hungry at ten in the morning, which was a good sign.