Baby, I Think I Love You

“Well, aren’t you the cutest?” I cooed at Quinn’s little girl as Nathaniel bounced her up and down on his knee.

Natasha giggled in delight, clapping her hands loudly. Nathan smiled down at her and then to me. Quinn casually slung her arm around my shoulder, stealing my attention.

“Maybe we should let Nate have her for a bit? I always have her,” she murmured, watching her husband through soft eyes. She tore herself from me to embrace and kiss him softly—though it looked awkward considering a small child was in between them. Quinn returned to me with a grin plastered to her face.

“Oh, you can’t rub that in my face. After all, Jasper and I make hot, passionate, sweaty love seven times a day!”

“Yeah-yeah,” she muttered, pulling me upstairs and into her and Nathaniel’s bedroom. I jumped onto her bed, bouncing in my seat. When she closed the door she had a huge grin yet again on her face, but I didn’t trust it at all. “Oh, Jade, I do believe it’s time for girl talk!”

“Oh dear Lord, not girl talk!” I shrieked in horror, making a mad, dramatic dash for the open window. I was tackled the second my feet touched the floor.

“Oh, humor me,” she mumbled jokingly, helping me up.

“Oh, great aunt Marsha? Is that you?” I asked in a daze. “I was walking along when all of a sudden a great, big, giant, fat she-devil was launching herself onto me! Good thing I died on impact or I’d surely be paralyzed!” I laughed when my best friend glared at me, but helped me up anyway. “Equinox, what have we got to talk about? We’re both married mothers! Life isn’t a rave anymore now that we’re desperate housewives.”

“I know that, but I’m curious. Oh, and I watched that show the other day and don’t get me started! Someone needs to throw a pie or something! Anyway, how are things with Jasper?” She seemed a little uneasy despite her mentioning pies being tossed into someone’s face in a humorous fashion.

Wow, I just managed to make comedy boring! I’m like Hitler! ...No hate-mail, please.

“Things are fine. Why?” What’d she know that I didn’t?

“Is he just like old times? You know, Mr. Handsome-Emo-Yet-Popular-Jock getting all the ladies?” I sighed, tired of her already.

“He’s a guy, so of course he’s going to look. He doesn’t touch any other women. He’s working on it, okay? I can’t expect him to change himself entirely. What is this really about?” I was a bit impatient, I’ll admit.

Quinn took in a shaky breath. “Does he treat you like a princess, Juliette Montague?”

My eyes narrowed into mere slits as I glared daggers at her. How dare she bring him up? Did she think it didn’t hurt me enough to know that I had been the straw that broke that poor camel’s back?

Oh, poor Edwin had a hump in his back now? What have I done? But I’ll have to laugh at that later because right now it's time to be pissed off.

“Samantha, this is my business and my business alone. You don’t need to pry!”

“Jade, it’s just that he—!”

“I don’t care!” I hissed, shoving past her and running to the door. Nathaniel was quiet as I nearly tore it off of it’s hinges. I stopped dead in my tracks.

“Uh, hi, Jade,” Edwin greeted me, shocked. I stared at him as he stood on the front porch, clearing his throat while Monique and Avery stood beside him. Manny darted to me, hugging me as though we’d been separated for so much longer than a day.

But in the silence there was so much that needed to be said.