Jewel

56

Adam  pulls Julie to the side and asks her silently, 'would you like to know what you're having?'

'Just your children or all of them?'

Adam caresses her, 'They are all mine, since they are yours. But I meant all of them.'

'You can tell?' Julie asks excitedly. She couldn't go to have an ultrasound due to the nature of the babies.

'Yes, do you want to know? My mother has been badgering me to find out. Something to do with shopping for the babies.'  Adam tells her. Julie shudders. 

His parents had come to the dinner loaded with gifts.

"Julie darling, happy birthday and congratulations!" Mary Ann told her coming in her arms loaded.

Andres could only nod in greeting he was loaded completely with gifts and could barely walk.

Once they greeted each other they went on into dinner. The other guests had already arrived.

Julie had seen a large box where her place setting should be. She went over to the box and not finding a card opens it up.

She puts her hand up to her mouth and fought the tears. 

She looks around the table until she finds Alex. "Thank you Alex. You didn't need to buy this for me."

Alex smirks, "It's a good thing I was there. Had you been there you wouldn't have gone high enough to win it." He loses the smirk and a pained look comes into his eyes, "It's my fault you left before you could bid on it in the first place. It's the least I could do."

Julie carefully brings out one of the pieces from the antique tea service she had wanted at the auction.

She went to Alex and hugged him. Adam carefully removed the box from the table and the maid swiftly set the place setting down.

The gifts from Adam's parents were all very nice. 

She opened the smallest box that was flat and looked up confused.

"It's a gift certificate to a china shop in the city. You are to pick out whatever you like. Adam assured me that he would pay any difference and then I would pay him back."

Julie hugged Mary Ann and Andres for their thoughtful gifts. Andres wasn't nearly so stiff this time, but he was still a bit uncomfortable. Julie smiles to herself as she sits down, she's going to get Andres used to her hugs eventually, just like she did the boys.

'I would very much like to know what I'm having. I mean what we're having.' Julie smiles at him.

Adam takes her to a different room, from the looks of it a conference room. In there already waiting were the other brothers, his parents and Margo and Mike and Michelle. They are all waiting excitement and impatience on their faces.

"This is far more reliable than the human machines." Adam says softly as he has Julie sit down. He kneels before her and places his hands on her abdomen.

"Azlo, your child is a boy. Arthur yours is a boy as well." Adam moves his hands a bit. "Aiden, a boy. Alex a boy. Aaron a boy." Adam needs to move his hands a bit. "A boy and a girl."

"We're having one of each?" Julie asks smiling.

"Yes," Adam says with an answering smile.

There is general cheering from all in the room. Michelle and Margo run over to her and give her hugs and chide her for not telling them earlier about the babies. Mike comes over and congratulates her as well.

There are general congratulations to all the expectant fathers.

"A girl! Finally, I'll be able to spoil her rotten." Mary Ann says all but squealing.

Julie looks at Andres and Adam with horror. They chuckle a bit. "I will endeavor to restrain her in her shopping. But it will be impossible to stop it completely."

Adam pipes up, "At least you won't be forced to shop with her." He laughs at the look of outright horror that suffuses Julie's face.

Adam goes to Julie and holds her. She soaks in his love and doesn't even notice as the others slowly leave the room.

"You are pleased, Adam?" Julie asks nervously.

"I didn't care, but truly, I have no idea how to deal with a female. I've been surrounded by males all my life."

"I've been an only child, so I'm not sure...I'm scared, terrified actually. I would be even if it was just the twins." Julie confesses to him.

"I know, we'll be hiring some nurse maids/nannies soon to help out. The cook has a niece that is looking for work in the child care line. She is familiar with us and what we are and wouldn't have trouble living here."

"Is she nice?" Julie asks nervously she's still so unsure about so many things. Especially about finding people to help her with the babies.

"Yes, but before I hire her we'll be having a meeting with her and my brothers. If you or any of my brothers don't like her then we won't hire her." Adam assures Julie.

"I'm going to need more than just her." Julie whispers to Adam. This had been bothering her. She has no idea of how to care for a baby. She is an only child and she never babysat. She didn't have any one to learn from. She sure the hell didn't have her parents. She's not going to do anything like they did to her.

"We'll find as many as you want and need, Jewel. We are having seven healthy babies. They are going to require a lot of work. We are aware of that and are looking for help already. Although, I'm not sure where my brothers are looking.

"We will find enough helpers so that you can still have some life. That I do insist on. Each day that is dedicated to one of us will be the day that one helps with the babies. That's not to say we won't help more."

"You're not helping much, but I do thank you for trying. I love you so much Adam."

"I know, and I love you just as much if not more. We'll get through this, we'll figure it out together. All together, you, me and my brothers and very likely my parents will be under foot constantly." Adam says that last part rather dryly. 

When he was growing up his parents weren't there too often. He has a feeling his parents will be there far more often with the grand kids then they were with their own kids.

He's almost jealous of them.

But then just thinking of his children makes him feel warm inside. Something that has only ever happened when he thought of his Jewel. Never had he thought he could love someone so much. 

Never had he thought he could love.

He thanks whatever deity out there for sending Julie to him and his family. She's saved them all.