I know, it's been a long time. Graduation just really beat me up. But, I have some great news!!

'Thriller Live' is coming to where I live, and I've been begging my parents to go see it for months now, but they said we can't go because I just traveled and got a new phone... Since my birthday is coming up (May 25th - I know, same birthday as Lily and Eric lol), my parents decided to surprise me with three tickets for my siblings and I who also love Michael! They got us some AMAZING seats, too! AHHH I CAN'T WAIT!!

We're going this Thursday!

Hope all of you have some great news, too! ❤️❤️❤️

Don't forget to comment and vote 😘

~ShoamEmily

~

25th of December, 2006
Michael is 48, Angela is 42

Angela: I felt wet kisses being placed all over my face and groaned.

"Michael, stop..." I mumbled.

"It's not me." he said with a chuckle.

I opened my eyes, seeing Rose planting kisses all over me.

"She whined so I assumed she wanted to come into bed with us, and I took my eyes off her for a few seconds to text my agent, then she's suddenly on top of you, giving you kisses."

I hugged my baby girl, and took in her scent. She smelled like Michael.

"No morning sickness today?" Michael asked, running his hand over my flat stomach.

"No, but it's too early in the morning. It'll come soon, you'll see." I sighed.

Our attempts to get pregnant worked, along with our couple's counseling. Dr. Avery said we only needed around 6 more months worth of meetings, and we'll be the most perfect couple.

And no, I still haven't told Michael I love him. I still get that lump in my throat, so I stop myself. I even practiced it in front of a mirror almost each day, like Dr. Avery suggested I'd do, but whenever I faced Michael, nothing came out.

"I'm so glad we're telling everyone about the baby today." he said.

"Me too," I smiled, while playing with Rose's long curls. "But are you sure your mother is comfortable with celebrating Christmas? I know she's a Jehovah's Witness..."

"Yeah, she doesn't mind. And once we tell her our news, she'll be so happy, she'll forget it's even Christmas."

"Okay, if you say so. Take her, I think I feel last night's snack coming up." I hurried to give Rose to Michael and sprinted into the bathroom.

"You okay in there?" he asked as I crouched in front of the toilet.

"Never better." I said sarcastically.

He walked in with Rose crawling next to him.

"Need help?"

I shook my head and kept hurling.

"I'm so happy we're only have one baby this time. I already know this pregnancy is going to be much easier." I muttered, feeling more vomit coming up.

Ever since we tried getting pregnant we've been going to a fertility doctor, and I got a monthly treatment that monitored my ovulation so we could know when I was ovulating with only one egg.

It was tough, because when we did have the chance to make only one baby, nothing was conceived. Until about two months ago.

"I got it, you can go see if anyone's awake." I said, standing up.

"You sure?"

I nodded and he picked Rose up.

"Okay," he kissed my cheek. "I love you."

I blew him a kiss, then grabbed my toothbrush. He left and I looked at myself in the mirror.

"I love you, too, Michael." I whispered.

~

Michael: "Parry, wake up..." I said quietly to my daughter.

She was the only one of the kids that hadn't woken up yet.

"No, daddy, leave me alone... I don't feel good." she mumbled and turned her back to me.

"You don't feel good?" I asked while putting my hand against her forehead. "Oh, you are a little warm..."

"Can I stay in bed?"

I sighed, knowing Angela would be disappointed if she didn't see Paris's reaction when we tell the family we're pregnant. And we also have another surprise for the children.

"I guess, if you want to miss out on the surprises we have for you today..." I smirked.

Paris turned to me, "What surprises?"

"You'll have to see for yourself. Come on, I'll make you hot tea and I'll wrap you up in a warm blanket." I told her.

"Okay, daddy, thank you."

"Of course, baby. Now go brush your teeth, everyone's waiting downstairs."

As I left her bedroom, I saw Rose and Jared sitting across from each other on the floor, babbling words non of us understood, except for them. It was cute hearing their personal twin language that they had.

"Ugh," I heard Angela groan. "When did you two leave the room? Gosh, you're fast."

She saw me and smiled, "Is everyone awake?"

"Yeah, Paris was the last one... But she has a slight fever. She barely wanted to get out of bed, I had to tell her we have a few surprises for her and her siblings."

"Bummer. How about you take these two, and I'll go make her tea?"

"Yeah. And make sure she comes downstairs." I said, taking each one of the babies in my arms.

Once I was downstairs with them, mother came up to me.

"Give me my grandbabies." she demanded with a soft voice.

"Let's go to the living room first. I want everyone to be ready to open presents."

When we entered the living room where all the kids were, along with my in-laws, everyone smiled at me. Even Luciano and Rosa, and I know how they never really liked me.

"Michael, good morning!" Maria said with her thick accent.

"Good morning, Maria. Did you sleep well?" I asked as I placed Rose on my mother's lap. My father-in-law asked for his grandson, and I obliged.

"Oh, yes, thank you." Maria smiled warmly at me.

I saw Paris and Angela walk downstairs slowly, my daughter wrapped up in a warm blanket.

"What's wrong with Paris?" Maria asked.

"She's not feeling too well today, mamma." Angela answered, sitting Paris down on the couch next to me.

I pulled her close.

"I'll make her tea, and then we can get to the presents, alright?" my wife said.

Everyone nodded, and she went into the kitchen.

Mother, who was on the other side of me, put her lips close to my ear.

"You two seem... A little too happy today. Should I be worried? I mean, the last time you two were like this, you announced your engagement."

"It's a surprise, mother. I can't tell you." I told her.

"You know I don't like surprises, Michael." my mother scoffed.

"I'm sorry, you'll just have to wait." I shrugged.

She ignored my comment and gave her attention back to Rose.

~

Angela: Once the kids went over every wrapped up present that lay underneath the Christmas tree. Even Paris, who looked like she had no intention of getting out of Michael's warm embrace, decided to join her siblings on the floor.

I replaced her in Michael's arms and watched as the kids opened their presents.

"Alright," Michael stood up. "It's our turn."

"What do you mean?" my dad asked when I joined my husband.

"Well, we have a surprise for you..."

Michael looked inside his inner pocket of the jacket he was wearing, then took out the ultrasound pictures from around a week ago. He kept it with him almost everywhere he went, I thought it was the cutest thing ever.

I held Michael's hand tightly and smiled.

"We're pregnant!" I announced.

"You're what?" Katherine's eyes almost popped out of her head.

"We're having another baby." Michael said.

"Angela, that's-" my dad started, but my mom cut him off.

"That's amazing, Jared. Sono così fiero di voi!(I'm so proud of you!)"

"Grazie, mamma." I smiled at her.

"So this means we'll have a baby brother or sister soon, right?" Prince questioned.

Michael nodded excitedly, "That's right, son."

I looked at Rosa and Luciano, who sat close to our parents, with an expression I couldn't understand.

My mom hit Luciano's shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, congrats sis." he blurted out.

I rolled my eyes at my brother, "Wow, Luci, you don't have to be so rude. Just say you aren't happy for me."

Just by hearing him say it like that made me realize he isn't really excited for me. I knew my brother and sister didn't like Michael because they claimed I was replacing Jake, which wasn't true at all.

It hurt that they weren't excited for this specific baby. I mean, they weren't excited for Rose and Jared, either, but unlike my last pregnancy with Michael, I actually am looking forward to this one. And I wasn't forced into having a baby with him this time. I want this baby more than anything.

"Hey, that's not fair," Rosa said, defending our brother. "You knew we never liked the idea of you marrying Michael in the first place, let alone have a baby with him. So don't expect us to be happy for you for being pregnant by him again."

"Fine, I'll remember that the next time you tell me you're pregnant. Oh, wait, I forgot. You can't have kids." I snapped.

Rosa was a barren woman. That's what led her into losing her husband. They got married, then found out she can't have children, so he divorced her.

And that makes me even more furious. I helped her through everything she's been through, from finding out the reason all those times she tried having a baby failed, to the last day of her marriage.

Not only she never supported me when it came to Michael, now she won't support me when I'm actually having a child from him in a time I actually love him.

So maybe she doesn't know our entire story, but it still annoys me.

"That was low, Angela," Luciano shook his head, wrapping his arm around Rosa who started crying at what I had told her. "How could you say that to your own sister just because she doesn't support the fact that you'll have another baby with this man? You know how much that subject is sensitive. We don't own you anything, let alone this husband of yours. First you replace Jake with him, then you had two babies... That hurt us, you know? The thought of you replacing Jake was too much for us. We loved him. And apparently, you didn't."

"Luciano, scusa adesso! (Apologize now!)" my mother said.

"No, mamma, it's fine. He doesn't need to apologize." my eyes burned with tears.

I felt... Defeated. It was like someone knocked the air out of my lungs.

"And how could you say that, Luciano?" I sniffled, and Michael tightened his grip on my hand. "Do you have any idea how much I loved Jake? How much I still love him? I can't express my feelings to my own husband, because Jake always keeps coming back to my mind. I still break down sometimes because Lily and Eric remind me of him so much..."

My brother snickered, "Oh, so now I'm supposed to be sorry for you? It's your fault he died, Angela. Why didn't you stop him from driving all the way to Santa Ynez at 1 in the morning, huh?!"

"Luciano!" my dad exclaimed. "That's enough. The kids are here, and you've taken this too far. Apologize to your sister this instant."

"How about we just leave? I didn't even want to be here."

"I think that would be better for everyone." Michael said.

Luciano rolled his eyes as he took crying Rosa with him and I heard the front door close shut.

I broke down in Michael's arms, feeling hurt and betrayed.

"Shh, baby... Don't cry, please. You know he didn't mean all that." he whispered.

"He did, Mike. And he's right, it all my fault Jake died."

"God, no. Don't dare say that."

"Angela," I heard Katherine say. "Honey, why don't you go lay down for a while? You're upset, and I'm sure it's not good for the baby of yourself to be this stressed out."

"No," I shook my head and wiped my tears. The kids deserved an amazing Christmas. It was supposed to be amazing. "I'm not letting this ruin Christmas."

"Angela, I agree with Katherine. You should rest." dad came over to us and rubbed my shoulder.

"We have another surprise for the kids! Right, Mike?" I said, ignoring my dad.

I will not let my hormones ruin Christmas. They've done that enough already.

Michael sighed, "Yeah, we have a surprise for you."

"Great! But it's outside, so come on!"

All the children, including Paris, ran to the door.

"Let's go, Mike." I smiled, wanting to see their happy faces once they see their surprise.

"Angela, are you sure you don't want to go to bed? Dr. Haring did say to avoid unnecessary drama." Michael told me as we walked after our kids.

"I am fine, Michael. Relax, and let's keep enjoying this lovely Christmas morning."

We joined our kids at the door, exactly when they opened it and saw the duffle bag with the puppy inside.

"It's a puppy!" Paris chirped and ran up to it, totally forgetting about her sickness.

I chuckled along with Michael who couldn't resist being happy as they all gave their attention to the dog.

"Thanks, dad!" Prince hugged Michael.

Michael smiled, "You should thank Angela, she came up with the idea, because apparently, a baby brother isn't enough."

"Thank you, Angie!" Prince came to me and gave me the biggest hug ever.

"You're very welcome." I hugged him back.

They always wanted a dog, ever since I joined the family. When we told them they're having two baby siblings the last time, Prince whined and said he wants a dog  instead.

"She's so cute!" Lily gasped when it was her then to hold the puppy.

"You see?" I whispered in Michael's ear. "Wasn't that worth it? Look at how happy they all are."

He didn't reply and went to the kids who started fighting about who'd get the puppy next.

I decided to let him handle that, so I returned to the living room.

"They sound happy." Katherine said when I sat next to her.

"Yeah, they just got a puppy." I told her.

Just then, the little dog came running through the living room with Prince, Paris, Lily, Eric, and Blanket after it.

Everyone laughed, and I could help but join.

"Anyone hungry?" Michael asked when he came in after the kids.

My stomach decided to grumble at the perfect time.

"I'll make breakfast." I said and stood up quicker than I should have.

My head started spinning, making Katherine grab my wrist and steadying me. Michael called for me, but I didn't hear him.

Soon enough, the dizziness got worse, and everything went black.