“Mmmm,” Sheridan said as Luis and her shared sweet kisses, lying snuggled against each other on her couch.
“I’d love to stay all night, and all day for the rest of my life with you, like this. I’d be completely happy, Sheridan.” Luis smiled at her.
“Oh, Luis.” Sheridan cooed. “I am completely happy. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you. If we hadn’t found the truth-“
“But- we did. Leaving you was the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. I promise, no matter what happens, I’ll always be here, from now on.” He rubbed her stomach. “For you, and for our baby.”
Sheridan kissed Luis’ lips. “We’re going to have a baby, Luis! A baby!” She said, her forehead leaning against his, she cupped his face with her hands.
“I know! Isn’t wonderful. He’ll be just as beautiful as his mother.”
“He. A little boy! Are you happy? Or did you want a girl?” Sheridan asked.
“Actually, sweetheart, I wouldn’t care if it was an alien.” He kissed her. “Because it would be our alien.”
Sheridan laughed and they continued lying in each other’s arms, stealing kisses and glances.
“Sheridan, shouldn’t you be singing at the club now?” Luis said, glancing at the clock.
“No, Luis. Those were the days without you, the worst days of my life. I’m past that, now. I told them I wouldn’t be singing there, anymore.”
“You’re probably right. We both need to forget about those days.”
Sheridan kissed his hand. “Now, Luis. We need to do something that I have missed incredibly.” She said, giving him a wicked grin.
***
Luis and Sheridan walked in the club, hand-in-hand.
“Sheridan!” Some of her friends cried. “How wonderful it is to see you!”
Sheridan made her way over to some of her friends. Luis watched, smiling, as she hugged and kissed them, telling them how much she missed them.
“Wow!” Someone said, looking at Sheridan’ full stomach. “Look’s like our old friend is going to be a mama!”
“Yes I am. 8 months along.” She beamed, taking Luis’ hand.
Everyone congratulated and fawned over Sheridan. She smiled at the praise and welcoming she was receiving.
“So, ‘ya going to sing one last time for us Sheridan, or what?” Someone called out.
“Oh- well, I just came to say hi-“
“Please, Sheridan? One more time, for us?”
“Well…”
"C'mon, Sher. I've heard singing to the baby makes it smarter!"
Sheridan turned her attention to the familiar male voice and saw Hank standing there, a giggling Gwen attached to his arm.
"He's right, Sheridan." Luis grinned and raised an eyebrow. Hoots and hollers urged her on.
Her friends, these nice men and woman who had been three for her in the worst, most depressing time in her life, pleaded with her to sing one more time for them. She couldn’t resist.
“All right- I owe you all a happy song, anyway.” Sheridan let go of Luis’ hand and made her way up to the stage.
I'm coming, I'm coming home to you
I'm alive I'm a mess
I can't wait to get home to you
To get warm, warm and undressed
There've been changes beyond my dreams
Everybody wants me to sing
There've been changes beyond my grasp
Things I'm sinking in
Sheridan was singing the song for her friends, but the whole time she couldn’t keep her eyes off Luis.
So keep me, keep me
In your bed all day, all day
Nothing heals me like you do
Nothing heals me like you do
And when somebody knows you well
Well there's no comfort like that
And when somebody needs you
Well there's no drug Iike that
So keep me, keep me
In your bed all day, all day
Nothing heals me like you do
Keep me keep me
In your bed all day, all day
Nothing heals me like you do
And where l'm home, curled in your arms
And I'm safe again
I'll close my eyes and sleep, sleep
To the sound of London Rain
So keep me, keep me
In your bed all day, all day
Nothing heals me like you do
Keep me keep me
In your bed all day, all day
Nothing heals me like you do
Nothing heals me like you do
Luis winked at Sheridan. Subtly, she lifted her finger up, pointing it at Luis, and sang;
Nothing falls like London Rain
Nothing heals me like you do
Nothing falls like London Rain
Nothing heals me like you do
"Shhh!" Luis whispered to his son, who darted around the room. "Don't wake mommy up!"
"Daaaadddyy." The little boy wailed. "I want to show her the picture I drawed!"
Luis laughed. "Drew, Junior. The picture you drew."
But the light haired, dark eyed little boy wasn't paying attention. He bounded on his peacefully sleeping mother.
Sheridan smiled at the bright, happy face of her little boy that looked excitedly down at her. Her smile got even bigger when she saw the husband she loved so much smiling at her from the back of the room.
"Good morning, Mommy! Daddy said you are a sleepyhead today."
"Yes, mommy is somewhat of a sleepyhead today. And she wants to snuggle with her favorite little boy." Sheridan laughed and pulled her son under the covers with her.
"Ma-mmmy." He scolded, but cuddled in her embrace.
"What's that?" Sheridan curiously asked noticing the piece of folded paper in his hands.
"A picture." He sang.
Sheridan smiled, waiting for Junior to excitedly explain what it was. She'd learned form Luis long ago never to ask, 'What is it?'
"It's our new baby, mommy. See, there is the head, and there are the toes. That's you." He said, pointing to the picture.
Sheridan smiled brightly. "It's beautiful, darling. In fact, I think it deserves to be put on display. What do you think, Luis?"
Luis sat at the end of the bed looking amused. He said, giving a very impressed look to his son, "Oh, it definitely deserves a prime spot on the refrigerator."
~*~
"Therrrrr-eeeeeeeesa! Aunt Thereeesa!" The boy yelled excitedly after his father and mother left through the door and Theresa appeared.
Theresa laughed as he leaped into her arms. "How's my favorite nephew?" She asked, brushing his dirty blonde hair with her fingers.
Junior tilted his head to the side and sent her a disapproving look. "Aunt Theresa, I'm your only nephew."
Theresa couldn't help but laugh a little. She got such a kick out of her little nephew. She set him down.
"Aunt Theresa, where did mommy and daddy go? Is she really going to have the baby now?"
Theresa smiled. "Yes sweetie, she is."
Junior pouted. "Aunt Theresa."
"Yes?"
"Daddy and Mommy told me there was going to be a baby, but now I'm not so sure it's a very good idea right now."
Again Theresa couldn't help but laugh. "Know what I think, Junior? I think you'll like having a new brother or sister. I had lots of them, and you know what? I'm glad. I always had someone to play with."
The little boy folded his small little arms and shook his head knowingly, causing more giggles from his aunt. "I sure hope so!"
~*~
"She is so beautiful, mija." Pilar said, holding her baby grand daughter.
"I know, Pilar. She's so beautiful. Just completely perfect."
"A little angel" Luis added, squeezing Sheridan's hand from her beside.
Sheridan turned and gave her husband a peck on the cheek. "Yes, our little angel."
The three turned their heads to the door, where they saw little Junior bound in, Theresa and Ethan following behind.
"Mommy!" He ran to his mother.
"Sweetheart!" She held her arms and embraced her little boy.
"Hi, daddy." Junior looked toward Luis after a moment. "Wait till you see. Ethan and me made a fort out of the couch cushions!" His bright face turned to a frown. "But then, when we asked Theresa to come play, she wrecked it."
Luis tried to keep a straight face as he said to Theresa, "You wrecked their fort?"
"It was an accident!" She smiled, shrugging her shoulders.
Ethan laughed and took a seat next to Luis. "But we made a bigger, better one, didn't we buddy?" He asked Junior.
"Yep, we did. Wait until you see it, daddy!"
Junior's eyes widened in awe when his grandmother sat next to him, a little pink bundle in her arms. "Ahhh." he whispered. "A baby."
"Yes, darling. Meet your little sister." His mother ran his fingers through his soft hair.
"It's a girl? How can you tell?"
Everyone laughed, to Junior's confusion.
"You see, Junior." Luis explained. "She wrapped in a pink blanket. That mean's she's a girl."
"Was I in blue?" He inquired.
"You sure were!"
Junior showed a triumphant smile on his face after his father assured him he'd guessed right.
Sheridan set her baby girl in her crib next to Sheridan's hospital bed and stood up awhile later, walking to Luis to go meet everyone in the cafeteria.
"C'mon, Junior." She held her hand to him.
"Mommy, Daddy?" He asked. "Can I have a moment alone with the baby?"
Sheridan and Luis exchanged long glances at his surprising request.
"Sure, honey, for a minute. We'll be right outside the door." Sheridan said after a moment.
The couple attentively left the room, shutting the door quietly.
Junior stood over his sister's crib when he was sure his parents had left the room. The baby squabbled and cried in her crib.
"No offense, but you are kind of a strange looking." Junior said, standing on his tippy toes to see over the crib. He scrunched up his face when the baby cried and wiggled.
After a moment, though she settled down, and her eyes fluttered open. Beautiful blue eyes stared back at the boy, eyes that reminded him very much of his mother.
"Well, I guess you're not that bad," He reconsidered. After all, no one looking like his Mommy could be strange looking.
"Anyway, little sister, I just wanted to say hello. You will like it in our family. Mommy is the best person in the whole world- sometimes she makes me do awful things though, like go to bed. Daddy will play with you anytime you want to.
And, don't tell mommy I said this, but sometimes he gives me desert even if I didn't eat my dinner." He said, lowering his voice to a whisper.
"Grandma will give you a whole bunch of toys, and Uncle Ethan is great to play with. Sometimes, Aunt Theresa is clumsy, but other than that she's a good aunt. And, she brings me candy every time I see her!"
"There are a whole lot of other nice people in this family, too." He said, and the baby just stared at him in awe.
He admired his sister. "Anyway, baby. I just wanted to tell you that our family is a pretty good place to be."
"It is a pretty good place to be, isn't it?" Luis whispered in Sheridan's ear from outside the door.
"Hmm. Yes."
The couple admired their little boy, and the new little angel that god had sent them. Everything was wonderful; all their problems of the past diminished and forgotten. They were a family now, that was all that mattered.
And it really was the best place to be.
THE END