Almost a year later...

Kim had her baby a few months ago, little miss Daisy Pearl Schlapman and Becky just had hers two months ago, little miss Penelopi Jane Sweet. I'm so excited to have little babies around. Jimi and I promised to each other that we'll spoil them every chance we get. Most mornings go the same way. I try and let Kim and Becky sleep some during the mornings so I get up and get the babies, some mornings when Jimi wakes from the crying he gets up with me too. Today I woke up at 4, which isn't usually when the babies wake up... but they did. As soon as I heard them I got up brought them to the front, laid them on their blanket on the floor and got down on the floor with them and played with them calming them down, when they were calm enough I changed them and fed them.

I look up at the time and it's 6 in the morning. I look at the babies and smile. They are each holding a finger on my hands. Daisy holding my left pointer finger and Penelopi holding my right pinky finger, because it's smaller for her to hold. Daisy is a few months old and she has a more firm grip. Penelopi is slowly grasping the concept of holding. She can wrap her little fingers around small stuff with a very lose grip. I sit like that for a while just watching the babies look around, Penelopi falls asleep and Daisy would look at me as I'd make faces and she would laugh, kicking her arms and legs happily. I did that for about 20 minutes and Penelopi started walking again. So I made faces at both of them and Penelopi started smiling. I sit there and do that for however long.

I didn't realize that I was being watched by practically everyone. I was too concerned with making faces and watching the babies smile and laugh which would make me smile. It was an endless circle. Everything was happy and I finally smiled and looked at the time and as I looked up I seen everyone watching me.

"Good morning..." They smile and Kim walks over.

"What time did they wake up?"

"They both woke around four, Penelopi just woke from a 20 minute nap but Daisy has been up since. They were both changed and fed." Picks up Daisy for Kim to take and Rebecca walks over.

"Kare why don't you go rest for a while. You were up early." Passes her Penelopi.

"I'm okay. I'm not that tired right now."

Phillip walks over to Becky. "Karen you woke up with the babies everyday since they were born. We see it in you face that you need sleep."

"I'm fine. I promise. I'll sleep some later." Kim nods

"You better. And let the mommies wake up with their babies. We are capable."

"I know. I never meant to make you think you weren't... I just... I love your guys babies and I wanna do as much as I can to help you guys out... These are the only babies that I have in my life... I just thought I could help..." Kim makes a sad face.

"Karen, you will have a ba-"

"Don't. Don't say something that might not happen. I just wanted to help you out. Sorry if I've been doin too much... I'll make sure I leave you guys to do it from now cause your their mothers... you know best..." I am kinda upset and I walk to the bathroom shutting the door and I hear Kim say my name in a apologetic way but I just lean against the closed door and slide down it silently crying.

I hear a knock on the door a few minutes later.

"Go away"

"Baby it's me... please..?" I get up and unlock the door backing away some. He heard the click and opened the door looking at me. He came in and hugged me. I cried into his chest not caring if people heard anymore cause Jimi left the door opened. I just gave up. I couldn't hold back when he had me in his arms. His arms made me feel safe and I can finally let go when I'm in them. I feel like I don't have to be strong when I'm in his arms. I cried for a while until I calmed down. He guided me to my bunk and I laid down and he climbed in beside me. I move on my side and tangle our legs together and lay half on him. He never once let me go. I feel asleep shortly after.

I was awakened by a strange noise and so was Jimi. It didn't sound normal. The bus wasn't moving either. We looks at each other and got up. We walked to the front and everyone was gathered on the couch holding each other.

"What's goin on?" Phillip looked at us

"Tornado!" Jimi and I both look out the front window to see a tornado moving across the road and being shifted many ways by the wind. Everyone was together because they were praying the tornado didn't make a shift towards us. Just as we were about to look away a piece of bored was flown coming directly at the front window. I feel hands around my waist pulling me down to the ground as the window smashed beside us. I feel glass shards hit me and hear it hit the floor. I heard people yell, seconds later after it went quiet I felt hands on my sides and then heard Jimi's voice.

"Karen!?" I lift my head to look at him and everyone else, they were holding each other protecting themselves and the babies, I get up shaking the glass off me and look out the window as the tornado was moving away. I hug Jimi and he holds me.

"Are you okay?" I nod my head and look at him.

"Are you?"

"I'm fine baby." I look at everyone else and the reassured me they were fine.

As I was looking at everyone Jimi noticed red on the floor. Where I was standing.

"Baby? Is that blood..?" I look at the floor and back to him

"I think.." He walks around me and searches me and finds a small cut from the glass on my arm. He got something and wiped it off and held it there. I watched him and he kissed my head.

"There was no warning for the tornado..." Phillip spoke up while holding Rebecca.

"It was so sudden, no body had time for anything and when we seen it the driver stopped and waited to see and he backed up but there was nothing. He stopped and it went away. Then it shifted, threw wood through the window and now it disappeared." I nod.

"Why didn't y'all yell and wake us..? If there was a tornado about to hit us you think you would let us know.." Kim passed Daisy to Steven and stood.

"Karen, we barely knew what to do ourselves... we weren't sure what the tornado was gonna do. It was headed away and when the bus stopped y'all came out. We're all sorry for not waking you... we were panicking and worried and couldn't really do anything."

"I get it Kim. It's okay... I never meant anything by it." She nods and hugs me and I hug back. Jimi keeps trying to hold a cloth to my arm and moves behind me as he tried to keep pressure on it.

"Jimi I think the cut is fine."

"It's still bleeding."

"Then get a bandage."

"There might be glass still in it" I sigh and let go of Kim. I grab hold the bandage to my arm.

"Go get what you need to look at it and I'll hold this here"

"Okay babe" He goes to the bathroom getting what he needs and I sit at the table and wait. He comes and lays everything on the table and moves the cloth and starts looking at it.

"Baby I think there is some glass in there.."

"Okay. Get it out"

"I don't know how deep it is."

"It's not very deep if I ain't complaining about it."

"Okay." He does what he can and attempts to take it out. Not gonna lie, it did hurt more than I thought. I winced a couple times as he was taking the glass out. Once it was out Jimi cleaned it up and put a small bandage on it to cover it.

"Thanks baby."

"Always." He holds my hand and slightly pulls it, pulling me off my chair and to him. I sit on his lap sideways and he slides his hands around waist and I put my arm around the back of his neck. We sit like that for a while just relaxing.

The driver dealt with all the calls to deal with the broken window the tornado and all that. Which was very helpful. We had people come and take a look at it. We were just outside Oklahoma. We drove into the town and the bus driver took the bus for repairs right away. I get up and go to the back of the bus and put on a thin sweater. Jimi comes back and wraps his arms around my waist.

"What ya doin baby?"

"I'm gonna go for a walk. Look around some, you wanna come?"

"Sure baby. I'll get ready."

"Okay." I smile and watch him put on his sweater. I keep watching him and my eyes kinda lower to his ass. He turns around and watches me bite my lip and look up quickly trying not to get caught but I did. I smile and he walks over.

"See something you like?"

"I seen it a long time ago and new I liked it."

"Really..?"

"Mhmm... but it's also mine now."

"Yours..? I don't see how?"

"We're married. What's yours is mine."

"Ohh... so I'm guessing these are mine..?" He slides his hands up my sides and holds my breasts. I laugh and smile.

"Nope, What's mine is mine. What's yours is mine. I get it all."

"Why do you get it all..?"

"Cause I said so." He laughs and shakes his head. "Of course they're yours... I would not have married you if I didn't like sharing." We both laugh and he leans down and kisses me. I kiss back and he moves his hands to my hips and moves me backwards to a wall. We keep kissing and I use my hands to hold his waist under his shirt.

After a while we pull away and smile at each other. He kisses my lips once more.

"I like it when we have a conversation and it turns to a full on make out session." I laugh at his words and kiss his lips as well.

"Maybe there will be more. But I'm actually very warm so let's go for a walk please."

"Okay baby. Did you wanna ask to take the babies for a walk..? Get them outside?"

I bite my lip and shrug.

"I don't know... you know about earlier... I think I should just back off for now..."

"Karen they are their mothers. But what you do everyday is making you work harder than you have too. You shouldn't have to get up with them everyday. Let them do it. You need more rest than what you get."

"I just wanted to help... they already do so much for them. I just love them so much and I just wanna spend time with their babies..."

"I know baby. C'mon. Let's get you on that walk before you melt." I nod and he takes my hand and we walk off the bus and down the street some.

Jimi holds my hand and looks at me. "What if we try?"

"Try for what?"

"A baby."

"Jimi we've been trying since we got married. Even before. It didn't work."

"That doesn't mean we should stop."

"It hurts me and I know it hurts you every time we get let down and it comes back negative."

"But the trying part is fun.." I laugh and shake my head.

"I suppose it is. But after so many let downs it starts to affect me and I don't wanna be let down..."

"If you do get let down by this I'm always here. I know it hurts. I hurt too. Because I want so. Badly for this to happen for us. But we can't give up because it hurts... we have to try and give any baby that may come our way a chance." I nod and he pulls me close for a hug. I hug him tightly and he holds me. After a few seconds before I let him go he whispers.

"We can start practicing now"

"Jimi we are standing in the middle of the street." He shrugs and I laugh.

"You are so gross."

"I meant in the hotel beside us. We don't have to be let down if you don't take tests."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just try for a baby. Don't take those silly tests. Just enjoy our moments. And when you start changing in a different way then we can try to see if your pregnant."

"I guess..."

"Baby trust me. This way we don't get our hopes up and we can enjoy ourselves for many times without a pause to be let down. Just enjoy it until you feel a change. And not old age change" I hit his arm playfully.

"I'll show you old age." I take his hand pull him into the hotel and we start practicing.