On the Rocks
On The Rocks
Jessica was sitting watching as Charles watched something on TV. She was tired, and exhausted and was beginning to feel depressed and she felt like she couldn’t tell her husband about it. Kaylee was pulling away from her and not telling her why, and to top all that off she thought she was pregnant again. She sighed as she moved down to the floor and pulled her three year old into her lap. He cuddled up against her and continued watching his movie.
Matt was sitting in Jimmy’s kitchen talking to his friend when he watched Chrys walk in followed by three year old Rayne, and the cat that Jimmy had bought his daughter. Chrys sat a photo album in front of Matt and he thanked her as she bent down and picked up Rayne. Matt saw the love in Jimmy’s eyes when he looked towards his wife, who was six months pregnant with twins. It seemed that Jacey wasn’t the only one that the twin gene had hit. Matt flipped open the photo album and was looking for the picture he had come over after.
“I think it’s in that one Matt.” Chrys said. He was looking for a picture that he knew Chrys would have because it was a picture from before Jess had met him, A picture that very few people hardly ever saw, because you really don’t keep your sisters wedding album out after she divorces a guy, and Matt knew that Jacey had planned on throwing it out. Jessica’s birthday was coming up and this year he was getting her something that he knew she had been wanting to start, so he was starting it for her. She wanted to make a scrapbook that she could display at the house. She wanted something that Kaylee and Charles could look at and say that’s my mom and dad, or say I remember that day. Matt smiled as he found the picture he was looking for. It was of Jessica and Kaylee before the wedding. Jessica was kneeling down in her bridesmaid dress cleaning two year old Kaylee’s face. Matt remembered that Savannah had been two years old when her parents had gotten married and she had been five when they got divorced. Kaylee and Savannah had been best friends for as far back as either girl could remember. He took the picture carefully out of the album and when he went to close it a picture on the next page caught his eye. It was Kaylee and Savannah side by side in their matching dresses. Chrys pulled it out for him and handed it to him.
“I have a copy of it in another album. Take it Matt.” Chrys told him.
“Thanks, and remember not a word of this to Jessica.”
“Not a word of what to Jessica?” heads turned when Jacey spoke. She was carrying five month old Skye on her hip and Calliegh and Chase darted in around her legs. “Hey sis, Jimmy, Matt, Rayne.”
“AUNT JACEY!” Jace handed her daughter to her sister and picked up her niece giving her a hug.
“Hey isn’t that…?” Jacey said carrying Rayne and walking over to the table. She looked down at the album and rolled her eyes.
“It is Jace I kept it for Savannah.”
“I’m not mad, I forgot about that picture.” she replied as she flipped through the pictures. There was one of her, Chrys, and Jess at the reception laughing together.
“Pretty fond of that one actually.” Chrys said taking it out and looking at it as Jacey sat Rayne down.
“All in all it was a good day. Savannah might actually want some of those pictures.”
“Speaking of, how is my niece?”
“She‘s good and she‘s going to her dads after school. Jami got this idea for a family night and wanted to include Savannah, so James is actually cooking dinner for Jami and Savannah and Christa.”
“Wow, don’t be surprised if she doesn’t show up for work tomorrow.”
“What’s that supposed to mean Matt?” Jimmy asked looking at his friend.
“James ain’t that great of a cook.”
“Yeah true. At least he tries.” Chrys replied.
“I’m just glad he’s happy. And did you hear Savannah, Christa, and five month old Stephan are gonna have a new sister or brother.”
“Are you serious?” Matt asked
“Yeah, Jami couldn’t wait to tell me the other day. She’s happy. James is happy and Savannah is extremely happy and calls her Momma, and said that I’m Mom, and mommy and Jami is Momma. Oh and Christa she‘s becoming very talkative, and less shy.”
“Wow kinda like James is Daddy and Aaron is Daddy Aaron?” Jimmy asked.
“Yeah”
“OK, well I have to get going, I’ll see you guys later.”
“See ya Matt.” They all chorused at the same time. He nodded to them and walked out the door. As he got in his car he sat thinking about how everything was going in his life right now and wondered if maybe he wasn’t imagining things and there was something coming between him and Jessica. He shook the thought from his head and drove home. When he got there he immediately noticed that Jessica’s car wasn’t in the drive way and that worried him. He got to the front door and had to unlock it. Jess hadn’t told him that she had somewhere to be. He had told her that he would be home by noon to get Charles and take him to his parents house, but here it was noon on a Friday and his wife wasn’t there. She had to work that night so she should’ve been there. He walked around the house and there was no sign of her and apparently Kaylee hadn’t gone to school that day because her back pack was on the floor of her bedroom. Kaylee never missed school. Something was definitely up. He was going back downstairs after putting the photo’s that Chrys had given him in a book that he knew Jess didn’t touch when she walked inside with both kids following her.
“Jess, honey why isn’t Kaylee at school?” Matt asked her. She glanced up at him and said nothing for a moment.
“She didn’t want to go today.” Jessica said and walked into the kitchen, Kaylee following her. Charles ran to him and he picked his son up. He walked into the kitchen carrying their son and looked at his wife.
“Jess is something wrong?”
“No everything’s just great.”
“Jess…”
“I’m pregnant Matt.” She said slamming a sippy cup on the counter that she had just taken out of Charles diaper bag.
“Really?” Matt asked a hint of a smile on his face he looked at the son in his arms and his daughter sitting at the table. He could definitely see them being a good brother and sister to the new baby. What happened next though shocked him to the core.
“Yeah really.” She yelled before shoving past him and going upstairs. Matt looked at his kids for a moment.
“Kay, watch your brother, I’ll be back down in a little bit.”
“Okay daddy” the ten year old watched as her dad went upstairs after her mom. Matt walked into the bathroom just off of their room and saw her sitting on the floor crying. Something was wrong and she wasn’t telling him. He hadn’t been imagining things, there was something between them. Then a thought crossed his mind that he didn’t like at all. ‘Oh fuck, there’s someone else.’ He ignored the thought and kneeled down in front of her on the ground.
“Jessi, what’s wrong? Something’s bothering you.”
“Nothing is bothering.”
“Then why’d you get pissed downstairs?”
“Just forget about it Matt.”
“Jessica…”
“I said to fucking forget about alright. What the hell is with the third degree?” She stood and slammed out of the bathroom and then out of the house five minutes later. Matt sat on the bathroom floor stunned. A moment later Kaylee and Charles walked into the bathroom.
“Daddy, is mommy mad at me?”
“No Kay, she’s mad at me… I think.” Matt said and pulled his daughter over to him. Charles threw his little arms around his dad and sister. And Matt felt his heart begin to break into tiny pieces.
Later that night Matt had put both kids to bed and was now sitting in the living room thinking about what the hell had happened earlier. She hadn’t come home and now he was worried. His earlier thought popped back into his head. What if she was cheating on him? What if the baby wasn’t his, but whoever she was seeing. She didn’t want him anymore. After three years was she done? He looked up as the front door opened and Jimmy, Brian, Johnny, Zack, Aaron, and James walked in. It wasn’t her.
“Go away guys.” Matt said as he turned the TV off seeing as it was just noise at this point and not blocking his thoughts.
“She’s at my house, if you’re wondering about your wife.” Aaron said. Matt’s head shot up. He was about to accuse him of sleeping with her, but remembered that he loved Jacey and wouldn’t hurt her.
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, she’s just a little depressed and she said something to Jace about some guy…”
“Some guy…” Matt asked looking up at Aaron.
“Nick or something like that.” Matt did some fast thinking where had he heard that name before. Then it hit him.
“Kaylee’s dad?” James glanced towards him and nodded. Matt’s fist balled. She was seeing him…this was just fucked up in so many ways.
“Look I only caught the name, not the conversation. I also heard her say you two were fighting.”
“No we weren’t Aaron, she was the only one yelling.”
“Well whatever, we figured we’d all come see if you were okay and see if there was anything that we could do to help.” Jimmy said.
“Yeah whatever.”
“Hey Jo was pretty pissed that I came over here, I can go home and spend time with my girlfriend if you don’t want us here. For god sake I just asked her to marry me about half an hour before Aaron called.” Brian said glaring at Matt. The green eyed man looked at him.
“Brian, she’s more important than my problems. Go home.”
“I’m already here.”
“The way I hear it you have both kids right?”
“Yeah Zack why?”
“They in bed?” Jimmy asked
“Yeah”
“Lets get fucking wasted then and help you forget just for tonight. You can deal with everything tomorrow after the girls talk Jess into telling you what’s going on.”
“Gee, sounds like a plan, but you James Hart are asking me to forget that my wife just told me she’s pregnant and she’s acting as if there’s someone else.”
“She’s pregnant?” Brian asked.
“Are you def?”
“I heard you just fine, but I don’t think its someone else’s man.” Brian said. Johnny was keeping quite and so was Zack they didn’t have the drama that the others did, because they were between women at the moment. At the moment they were thankful for that.
“Just I want to be alone.”
“You sure man, cos there’s a bunch of chicks at my house and I don’t wanna go home.” Aaron said. James laughed,.
“Yeah, lets see you got Jess, Jacey, Chrys, and Jami…” James trailed off smiling at that last name.
“Oh god, all the pregnant women are at my house, Matt I’m crashing here.”
“Fine if ya’ll insist on staying stay, I’m going to bed.” They all shrugged and a moment later Matt walked back downstairs grabbed a shot glass and the bottle and poured himself a shot. He looked at it for a moment and then put the bottle to his lips. The other guys watched him chug half of the bottle. “Okay now I’m going to bed.” And he walked back upstairs. The guys laughed and after a couple drinks most of them went home. Brian saying that he needed to make up walking out to help Matt, to his woman.
Brian walked into his house and saw Jo sitting on the couch staring at the wall. He walked into the living room and stood in front of her. She looked up at him.
“Jo are you okay baby?”
“Please tell me that you didn’t leave to go meet another woman.”
“Jo, honey, I didn’t, if there was another woman I wouldn’t have put that ring on your finger. I just witnessed one of my best friends chug half a bottle of Jack. Because he had to sleep in an empty bed.”
“So there’s no one else?”
“No, why’d you even think that?”
“You just left after getting a phone call and…”
“I’m not a cheater. Well okay there was that one time I cheated on you, but I was drunker than normal and pissed off, but I told you about it. And it hasn’t happened again.” Jo stood and wrapped her arms around Brian’s neck and kissed him to shut him up. He smirked that trademark smirk and together they went upstairs to their bed.
James walked into his house and noticed that the TV was on. If Jami was home then she had actually parked in the garage for once because her car wasn’t in the driveway. He walked into the living room and there she was with Christa curled up beside her asleep, while she was asleep as well. James smiled at the scene before him and took and picked his ten year old up and carried her upstairs and put her in bed. He tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. Savannah was next and he smiled when he saw that his oldest child was asleep curled up tight under her covers. He kissed the top of her head and the he closed her bedroom door gently and then walked down the hall to the nursery and checked on Stephan. He was asleep in his crib. He pulled the blanket back over his five month old and then closing that door leaving it only open a crack, walked downstairs to wake his wife. She stirred when he touched a hand to her shoulder and said her name. She looked up at him and smiled. He took her hand and they went upstairs to bed.
Aaron looked at Jacey as she walked into the bedroom after checking on the kids for the millionth time. She was feeling antsy and he just wanted her to calm down. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Aaron for a moment before she spoke.
“Nick’s back, and he wants Kay.”
“What?” Aaron said looking at his wife.
“Yeah that was our reaction too.”
“But Jace I thought he gave up all rights to her.”
“He did, but that’s not stopping him from wanting her.”
“Is that what has Jess so fucked up right now?”
“Yeah, he called her out of the blue and said that come hell or high water he would see his daughter.”
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah she said something else too about Matt hiding something from her.”
“What the hell would Matt hide from her?”
“I don’t know.”
Chrys walked into the spare room at the end of the hall that used to be Savannah’s and watched as Jessica curled up in a ball asleep. She hated seeing her friend like this. She had told her that maybe what Matt was hiding from her was something he wanted to surprise her with and she had shot that down, saying that Matt wasn’t good at hiding anything from her. Chrys looked up as Jimmy walked toward her.
“You look sober.”
“I am, I just watched Matt chug half a bottle of Jack, what’s going on?”
“She says he’s hiding something from her, and Nick wants Kaylee.”
“Oh shit.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Chrys, I’m gonna go back over to her place. See how far he is on that thing and talk him into giving it to her early.”
“Yeah that’s a good idea. You okay with her staying here tonight. We figured Rayne was less likely to wake up if she started crying, than say oh Skye seeing as she’s a little bit younger.”
“A lot younger and yeah, I’ll be back. I love you baby.”
“Mhmm, I love you too.”
The next morning Jessica walked into her house and looked around it was too quiet. She walked through the house, but there were no signs of her kids or her husband for that matter. She wanted to break down and cry, she had been an idiot yesterday and now he had walked. She was walking down the steps when the front door opened and then closed. She was down the steps in a heartbeat and saw that Matt was alone. He smiled at her.
“Where are the kids?”
“At Chrys and Jimmy’s.”
“No they aren’t I was just there.”
“I know”
“What?”
“Jimmy called the minute you pulled out of the driveway. I took the kids over.”
“Why?”
“We need to talk.”
“I know”
“But first things first. This is for you.” He took the wrapped scrapbook off the top shelf of the entertainment stand and handed it to her.
“You bought me a present?”
“No”
“Then what is it?”
“Open it please baby.” She did as she was asked and when she flipped through it the tears began to flow.
“Matt…”
“After yesterday I found out you thought I was hiding something from you. That was supposed to be your birthday present.”
“This, this is what you were hiding?”
“Yes”
“I’m sorry Matt, I thought that maybe…”
“No, no other woman. You’re it for me. But isn’t there something you need to tell me?”
“Nick wants Kay.”
“He’s not gonna get her. Baby you should have said something. Yesterday when you got mad I thought you were pissed that you were pregnant, and then I thought maybe it was someone else’s.”
“No oh, god no Matt the baby is yours. I just…I’m afraid that Nick will take Kaylee from school or something or show up here or at the school and make a scene.”
“Honey if he does we’ll work through it together. We’re a family. And besides a judge is gonna look at him and laugh anyway.”
“Why?”
“Because he signed his rights to our daughter over a long time ago. She’s mine more than she is his.”
“You’re right. I love you Matt and I’m so sorry I made you think the worst. I really am happy that I’m pregnant.”
“There’s that smile I love so much, c’mon baby, lets make the best of the kid free time.”
“Mmkay.” And Matt pulled her to him and pressed his lips gently to hers before going to their room with her beside him.
Chrys was sitting at the kitchen table when the doorbell rang and she got up to answer the door and was shocked to see Nick standing there. It was probably a good thing she had looked out the tinted side window and hadn’t opened the door. She closed her eyes and walked back to the kitchen. Jimmy looked at her.
“Who’s at the door?”
“Nick.”
“Take Kaylee up to the rec room and call Jess.”
“Okay, but be careful baby.”
“Hey I’m always careful.”
“uh huh.” was the sarcastic remark that he got. As Jimmy made his way to the door he got himself under control, this was his friends life this guy was fucking with and he’d be damned if anything around here changed.
“What the fuck do you want?” Jimmy said stepping out on the porch and closing the door behind him. He heard it lock a moment later and knew Chrys had come back downstairs.
“I want my daughter. Who the fuck are you?”
“Chrys’ husband, and you gave her up.”
“He’s right you did.” Nick turned and looked at Jess as she made her way across the lawn with a guy beside her.
“Well I changed my mind.”
“Too late Nick. You have two options, you leave and I don’t call the police, or you stay here and I call the police, or you keep talking shit and my husband is gonna beat the living shit out of you.”
“That’s three babe.”
“Oh oops my bad, I mean three options.” Jessica said taking Matt’s hand in hers.
“You can’t threaten me.”
“And you gave up my daughter.” Jess shot back.
“Besides, Matt’s her dad now and he cares a hell of a lot more than you do. Why do you want her anyway?” Jacey said walking up to join them. She was short her four kids and her husband.
“Good question, why do you suddenly want her?”
“She’s my daughter.”
“That’s it, CHRYS CALL THE POLICE!”
“Already did.” Chrys said walking out on the porch just as the police pulled onto the street. Jessica smirked and thirty minutes later they had arrested him and Jess and Matt were shaking their heads at everything that had happened when Jo and Brian walked up. They only lived about three houses away from Jimmy and Chrys. Aaron showed up ten minutes later with the three of his kids and James and Jami showed up with Vannah, Christa, and Stephan. Soon everyone was there and they ordered pizza and it seemed like for now everything was back to normal and Jessica was glad that her marriage wasn’t on the rocks any more. She was happy knowing that Maybe it was okay for them to have some secrets, like the scrapbook, and some things needed shared. She smiled as Matt sat beside her and rested her head on his shoulder as their kids sat down with them.
Matt was sitting in Jimmy’s kitchen talking to his friend when he watched Chrys walk in followed by three year old Rayne, and the cat that Jimmy had bought his daughter. Chrys sat a photo album in front of Matt and he thanked her as she bent down and picked up Rayne. Matt saw the love in Jimmy’s eyes when he looked towards his wife, who was six months pregnant with twins. It seemed that Jacey wasn’t the only one that the twin gene had hit. Matt flipped open the photo album and was looking for the picture he had come over after.
“I think it’s in that one Matt.” Chrys said. He was looking for a picture that he knew Chrys would have because it was a picture from before Jess had met him, A picture that very few people hardly ever saw, because you really don’t keep your sisters wedding album out after she divorces a guy, and Matt knew that Jacey had planned on throwing it out. Jessica’s birthday was coming up and this year he was getting her something that he knew she had been wanting to start, so he was starting it for her. She wanted to make a scrapbook that she could display at the house. She wanted something that Kaylee and Charles could look at and say that’s my mom and dad, or say I remember that day. Matt smiled as he found the picture he was looking for. It was of Jessica and Kaylee before the wedding. Jessica was kneeling down in her bridesmaid dress cleaning two year old Kaylee’s face. Matt remembered that Savannah had been two years old when her parents had gotten married and she had been five when they got divorced. Kaylee and Savannah had been best friends for as far back as either girl could remember. He took the picture carefully out of the album and when he went to close it a picture on the next page caught his eye. It was Kaylee and Savannah side by side in their matching dresses. Chrys pulled it out for him and handed it to him.
“I have a copy of it in another album. Take it Matt.” Chrys told him.
“Thanks, and remember not a word of this to Jessica.”
“Not a word of what to Jessica?” heads turned when Jacey spoke. She was carrying five month old Skye on her hip and Calliegh and Chase darted in around her legs. “Hey sis, Jimmy, Matt, Rayne.”
“AUNT JACEY!” Jace handed her daughter to her sister and picked up her niece giving her a hug.
“Hey isn’t that…?” Jacey said carrying Rayne and walking over to the table. She looked down at the album and rolled her eyes.
“It is Jace I kept it for Savannah.”
“I’m not mad, I forgot about that picture.” she replied as she flipped through the pictures. There was one of her, Chrys, and Jess at the reception laughing together.
“Pretty fond of that one actually.” Chrys said taking it out and looking at it as Jacey sat Rayne down.
“All in all it was a good day. Savannah might actually want some of those pictures.”
“Speaking of, how is my niece?”
“She‘s good and she‘s going to her dads after school. Jami got this idea for a family night and wanted to include Savannah, so James is actually cooking dinner for Jami and Savannah and Christa.”
“Wow, don’t be surprised if she doesn’t show up for work tomorrow.”
“What’s that supposed to mean Matt?” Jimmy asked looking at his friend.
“James ain’t that great of a cook.”
“Yeah true. At least he tries.” Chrys replied.
“I’m just glad he’s happy. And did you hear Savannah, Christa, and five month old Stephan are gonna have a new sister or brother.”
“Are you serious?” Matt asked
“Yeah, Jami couldn’t wait to tell me the other day. She’s happy. James is happy and Savannah is extremely happy and calls her Momma, and said that I’m Mom, and mommy and Jami is Momma. Oh and Christa she‘s becoming very talkative, and less shy.”
“Wow kinda like James is Daddy and Aaron is Daddy Aaron?” Jimmy asked.
“Yeah”
“OK, well I have to get going, I’ll see you guys later.”
“See ya Matt.” They all chorused at the same time. He nodded to them and walked out the door. As he got in his car he sat thinking about how everything was going in his life right now and wondered if maybe he wasn’t imagining things and there was something coming between him and Jessica. He shook the thought from his head and drove home. When he got there he immediately noticed that Jessica’s car wasn’t in the drive way and that worried him. He got to the front door and had to unlock it. Jess hadn’t told him that she had somewhere to be. He had told her that he would be home by noon to get Charles and take him to his parents house, but here it was noon on a Friday and his wife wasn’t there. She had to work that night so she should’ve been there. He walked around the house and there was no sign of her and apparently Kaylee hadn’t gone to school that day because her back pack was on the floor of her bedroom. Kaylee never missed school. Something was definitely up. He was going back downstairs after putting the photo’s that Chrys had given him in a book that he knew Jess didn’t touch when she walked inside with both kids following her.
“Jess, honey why isn’t Kaylee at school?” Matt asked her. She glanced up at him and said nothing for a moment.
“She didn’t want to go today.” Jessica said and walked into the kitchen, Kaylee following her. Charles ran to him and he picked his son up. He walked into the kitchen carrying their son and looked at his wife.
“Jess is something wrong?”
“No everything’s just great.”
“Jess…”
“I’m pregnant Matt.” She said slamming a sippy cup on the counter that she had just taken out of Charles diaper bag.
“Really?” Matt asked a hint of a smile on his face he looked at the son in his arms and his daughter sitting at the table. He could definitely see them being a good brother and sister to the new baby. What happened next though shocked him to the core.
“Yeah really.” She yelled before shoving past him and going upstairs. Matt looked at his kids for a moment.
“Kay, watch your brother, I’ll be back down in a little bit.”
“Okay daddy” the ten year old watched as her dad went upstairs after her mom. Matt walked into the bathroom just off of their room and saw her sitting on the floor crying. Something was wrong and she wasn’t telling him. He hadn’t been imagining things, there was something between them. Then a thought crossed his mind that he didn’t like at all. ‘Oh fuck, there’s someone else.’ He ignored the thought and kneeled down in front of her on the ground.
“Jessi, what’s wrong? Something’s bothering you.”
“Nothing is bothering.”
“Then why’d you get pissed downstairs?”
“Just forget about it Matt.”
“Jessica…”
“I said to fucking forget about alright. What the hell is with the third degree?” She stood and slammed out of the bathroom and then out of the house five minutes later. Matt sat on the bathroom floor stunned. A moment later Kaylee and Charles walked into the bathroom.
“Daddy, is mommy mad at me?”
“No Kay, she’s mad at me… I think.” Matt said and pulled his daughter over to him. Charles threw his little arms around his dad and sister. And Matt felt his heart begin to break into tiny pieces.
Later that night Matt had put both kids to bed and was now sitting in the living room thinking about what the hell had happened earlier. She hadn’t come home and now he was worried. His earlier thought popped back into his head. What if she was cheating on him? What if the baby wasn’t his, but whoever she was seeing. She didn’t want him anymore. After three years was she done? He looked up as the front door opened and Jimmy, Brian, Johnny, Zack, Aaron, and James walked in. It wasn’t her.
“Go away guys.” Matt said as he turned the TV off seeing as it was just noise at this point and not blocking his thoughts.
“She’s at my house, if you’re wondering about your wife.” Aaron said. Matt’s head shot up. He was about to accuse him of sleeping with her, but remembered that he loved Jacey and wouldn’t hurt her.
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, she’s just a little depressed and she said something to Jace about some guy…”
“Some guy…” Matt asked looking up at Aaron.
“Nick or something like that.” Matt did some fast thinking where had he heard that name before. Then it hit him.
“Kaylee’s dad?” James glanced towards him and nodded. Matt’s fist balled. She was seeing him…this was just fucked up in so many ways.
“Look I only caught the name, not the conversation. I also heard her say you two were fighting.”
“No we weren’t Aaron, she was the only one yelling.”
“Well whatever, we figured we’d all come see if you were okay and see if there was anything that we could do to help.” Jimmy said.
“Yeah whatever.”
“Hey Jo was pretty pissed that I came over here, I can go home and spend time with my girlfriend if you don’t want us here. For god sake I just asked her to marry me about half an hour before Aaron called.” Brian said glaring at Matt. The green eyed man looked at him.
“Brian, she’s more important than my problems. Go home.”
“I’m already here.”
“The way I hear it you have both kids right?”
“Yeah Zack why?”
“They in bed?” Jimmy asked
“Yeah”
“Lets get fucking wasted then and help you forget just for tonight. You can deal with everything tomorrow after the girls talk Jess into telling you what’s going on.”
“Gee, sounds like a plan, but you James Hart are asking me to forget that my wife just told me she’s pregnant and she’s acting as if there’s someone else.”
“She’s pregnant?” Brian asked.
“Are you def?”
“I heard you just fine, but I don’t think its someone else’s man.” Brian said. Johnny was keeping quite and so was Zack they didn’t have the drama that the others did, because they were between women at the moment. At the moment they were thankful for that.
“Just I want to be alone.”
“You sure man, cos there’s a bunch of chicks at my house and I don’t wanna go home.” Aaron said. James laughed,.
“Yeah, lets see you got Jess, Jacey, Chrys, and Jami…” James trailed off smiling at that last name.
“Oh god, all the pregnant women are at my house, Matt I’m crashing here.”
“Fine if ya’ll insist on staying stay, I’m going to bed.” They all shrugged and a moment later Matt walked back downstairs grabbed a shot glass and the bottle and poured himself a shot. He looked at it for a moment and then put the bottle to his lips. The other guys watched him chug half of the bottle. “Okay now I’m going to bed.” And he walked back upstairs. The guys laughed and after a couple drinks most of them went home. Brian saying that he needed to make up walking out to help Matt, to his woman.
Brian walked into his house and saw Jo sitting on the couch staring at the wall. He walked into the living room and stood in front of her. She looked up at him.
“Jo are you okay baby?”
“Please tell me that you didn’t leave to go meet another woman.”
“Jo, honey, I didn’t, if there was another woman I wouldn’t have put that ring on your finger. I just witnessed one of my best friends chug half a bottle of Jack. Because he had to sleep in an empty bed.”
“So there’s no one else?”
“No, why’d you even think that?”
“You just left after getting a phone call and…”
“I’m not a cheater. Well okay there was that one time I cheated on you, but I was drunker than normal and pissed off, but I told you about it. And it hasn’t happened again.” Jo stood and wrapped her arms around Brian’s neck and kissed him to shut him up. He smirked that trademark smirk and together they went upstairs to their bed.
James walked into his house and noticed that the TV was on. If Jami was home then she had actually parked in the garage for once because her car wasn’t in the driveway. He walked into the living room and there she was with Christa curled up beside her asleep, while she was asleep as well. James smiled at the scene before him and took and picked his ten year old up and carried her upstairs and put her in bed. He tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. Savannah was next and he smiled when he saw that his oldest child was asleep curled up tight under her covers. He kissed the top of her head and the he closed her bedroom door gently and then walked down the hall to the nursery and checked on Stephan. He was asleep in his crib. He pulled the blanket back over his five month old and then closing that door leaving it only open a crack, walked downstairs to wake his wife. She stirred when he touched a hand to her shoulder and said her name. She looked up at him and smiled. He took her hand and they went upstairs to bed.
Aaron looked at Jacey as she walked into the bedroom after checking on the kids for the millionth time. She was feeling antsy and he just wanted her to calm down. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Aaron for a moment before she spoke.
“Nick’s back, and he wants Kay.”
“What?” Aaron said looking at his wife.
“Yeah that was our reaction too.”
“But Jace I thought he gave up all rights to her.”
“He did, but that’s not stopping him from wanting her.”
“Is that what has Jess so fucked up right now?”
“Yeah, he called her out of the blue and said that come hell or high water he would see his daughter.”
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah she said something else too about Matt hiding something from her.”
“What the hell would Matt hide from her?”
“I don’t know.”
Chrys walked into the spare room at the end of the hall that used to be Savannah’s and watched as Jessica curled up in a ball asleep. She hated seeing her friend like this. She had told her that maybe what Matt was hiding from her was something he wanted to surprise her with and she had shot that down, saying that Matt wasn’t good at hiding anything from her. Chrys looked up as Jimmy walked toward her.
“You look sober.”
“I am, I just watched Matt chug half a bottle of Jack, what’s going on?”
“She says he’s hiding something from her, and Nick wants Kaylee.”
“Oh shit.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Chrys, I’m gonna go back over to her place. See how far he is on that thing and talk him into giving it to her early.”
“Yeah that’s a good idea. You okay with her staying here tonight. We figured Rayne was less likely to wake up if she started crying, than say oh Skye seeing as she’s a little bit younger.”
“A lot younger and yeah, I’ll be back. I love you baby.”
“Mhmm, I love you too.”
The next morning Jessica walked into her house and looked around it was too quiet. She walked through the house, but there were no signs of her kids or her husband for that matter. She wanted to break down and cry, she had been an idiot yesterday and now he had walked. She was walking down the steps when the front door opened and then closed. She was down the steps in a heartbeat and saw that Matt was alone. He smiled at her.
“Where are the kids?”
“At Chrys and Jimmy’s.”
“No they aren’t I was just there.”
“I know”
“What?”
“Jimmy called the minute you pulled out of the driveway. I took the kids over.”
“Why?”
“We need to talk.”
“I know”
“But first things first. This is for you.” He took the wrapped scrapbook off the top shelf of the entertainment stand and handed it to her.
“You bought me a present?”
“No”
“Then what is it?”
“Open it please baby.” She did as she was asked and when she flipped through it the tears began to flow.
“Matt…”
“After yesterday I found out you thought I was hiding something from you. That was supposed to be your birthday present.”
“This, this is what you were hiding?”
“Yes”
“I’m sorry Matt, I thought that maybe…”
“No, no other woman. You’re it for me. But isn’t there something you need to tell me?”
“Nick wants Kay.”
“He’s not gonna get her. Baby you should have said something. Yesterday when you got mad I thought you were pissed that you were pregnant, and then I thought maybe it was someone else’s.”
“No oh, god no Matt the baby is yours. I just…I’m afraid that Nick will take Kaylee from school or something or show up here or at the school and make a scene.”
“Honey if he does we’ll work through it together. We’re a family. And besides a judge is gonna look at him and laugh anyway.”
“Why?”
“Because he signed his rights to our daughter over a long time ago. She’s mine more than she is his.”
“You’re right. I love you Matt and I’m so sorry I made you think the worst. I really am happy that I’m pregnant.”
“There’s that smile I love so much, c’mon baby, lets make the best of the kid free time.”
“Mmkay.” And Matt pulled her to him and pressed his lips gently to hers before going to their room with her beside him.
Chrys was sitting at the kitchen table when the doorbell rang and she got up to answer the door and was shocked to see Nick standing there. It was probably a good thing she had looked out the tinted side window and hadn’t opened the door. She closed her eyes and walked back to the kitchen. Jimmy looked at her.
“Who’s at the door?”
“Nick.”
“Take Kaylee up to the rec room and call Jess.”
“Okay, but be careful baby.”
“Hey I’m always careful.”
“uh huh.” was the sarcastic remark that he got. As Jimmy made his way to the door he got himself under control, this was his friends life this guy was fucking with and he’d be damned if anything around here changed.
“What the fuck do you want?” Jimmy said stepping out on the porch and closing the door behind him. He heard it lock a moment later and knew Chrys had come back downstairs.
“I want my daughter. Who the fuck are you?”
“Chrys’ husband, and you gave her up.”
“He’s right you did.” Nick turned and looked at Jess as she made her way across the lawn with a guy beside her.
“Well I changed my mind.”
“Too late Nick. You have two options, you leave and I don’t call the police, or you stay here and I call the police, or you keep talking shit and my husband is gonna beat the living shit out of you.”
“That’s three babe.”
“Oh oops my bad, I mean three options.” Jessica said taking Matt’s hand in hers.
“You can’t threaten me.”
“And you gave up my daughter.” Jess shot back.
“Besides, Matt’s her dad now and he cares a hell of a lot more than you do. Why do you want her anyway?” Jacey said walking up to join them. She was short her four kids and her husband.
“Good question, why do you suddenly want her?”
“She’s my daughter.”
“That’s it, CHRYS CALL THE POLICE!”
“Already did.” Chrys said walking out on the porch just as the police pulled onto the street. Jessica smirked and thirty minutes later they had arrested him and Jess and Matt were shaking their heads at everything that had happened when Jo and Brian walked up. They only lived about three houses away from Jimmy and Chrys. Aaron showed up ten minutes later with the three of his kids and James and Jami showed up with Vannah, Christa, and Stephan. Soon everyone was there and they ordered pizza and it seemed like for now everything was back to normal and Jessica was glad that her marriage wasn’t on the rocks any more. She was happy knowing that Maybe it was okay for them to have some secrets, like the scrapbook, and some things needed shared. She smiled as Matt sat beside her and rested her head on his shoulder as their kids sat down with them.