Not Even Duct Tape Can Fix My Broken Heart, Can You?

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” I asked, Jamie and Zacky both pouting childishly. “I’m kidding, say thanks, guys.”

“Thank you, Uncle Zack and Mommy Jamie,” All four of them said in unison.

"You're welcome!" Zacky smiled back at them.

"My turn," Brian said as he handed them all his presents, they opened them and started squealing.

"I got a baseball mitt!" James shrieked

"I got drum sticks!" Charlie screamed as he jumped up and down.

"I got make-up like Mommy Jamie's!" Keely yelled as she ran and jumped in Jamie's lap to show her.

"I got…Uncle Brian," Keegan whined and held up a flea collar for a dog. "I'm not a doggy."

"I was kidding, because of the arm…thing yeah anyway the real present is in the bottom," Brian said after he seen the look I gave him, and Jacklyn.

"Oh! It's a autograph from The Rock!" Keegan screamed happily, that boy loved wrestling and loved The Rock.

"Hope you like," Brian smiled as he set beside Jacklyn who was holding Acelin in her lap. "Hey Jack, why did you dye you're hair blonde again?"

"I felt I needed a change," she said as she watched Keely open Jimmy's present, which was a princess dress from the Halloween store. "I used to be blonde so, I wanted to go back to blonde you know?"

"Yeah, but do some red tips or something," he laughed

"I'll do something, spontaneously though, I'm taking Jamie with me tomorrow with Keely and Acelin to the hair salon my mom owns."

"Please don't say I have to come, she hates me," Brian winced.

"No, I know she would burn you with a hot iron," Jacklyn laughed. "I'm taking Johnny so he can watch Codi and Aiden."

"Thank God," Brian laughed

--------The Next Day-------Jacklyn's POV------

"What are you getting done?" Jamie asked as she held Codi in her lap, she sat looking through a hair book in a blue plastic chair, her legs crossed and bouncing.

"I don't know yet, I was thinking short, like styled short."

"Oh I know," Johnny said as Aiden played with Acelin. "Black and styled with layers like this."

He showed me a picture of a girl with short layered hair, long in the front and short in the back. "Oh I like, but blond is staying."

"Awesome." Jamie said smiling. “Hey, Jack?”

“Hmmm?” I looked over to her.

“Do you think Zack would be mad if I got my hair done without asking him about it first?” Jamie smiled, holding up a picture of a shoulder length choppy cut in pink, blue, and blond. I shrugged. “Well, I’m gonna get it done anyway. Sweetie,” She stood up and sat Codi back on the chair. “Stay here and listen to Uncle Johnny, okay?”

“Alright, mommy.” She nodded and picked up a magazine. Jamie smiled and walked over to me.

“You’re crazy. What if Zacky doesn’t like it?” I laughed slightly as Jamie and I walked up to my mom.

“He’ll deal with it,” Jamie said as my mom approached us. “Hi, I’m Jamie!” She was grinning widely.

‘Hi, I’m Jacklyn’s mom, Heather.” My mom held out her hand, which Jamie gladly shook. “So, how do you know Jacklyn?”

“I’m Matt’s best friend’s wife.” Jamie nodded. “And her new best friend!”

“Yeah…” I couldn’t help but smile.

“Ahhh!” Johnny laughed, making Jamie and I turn around to see Aiden pulling his hair.

“I’ll be right back…” Jamie shook her head and went to pull Aiden of Johnny.

“So?” I turned back to my mom.

“She seems… Nice…”

“She is a sweetheart. She really is. Aiden and Codi are her two kids. What, you don’t like her?”

“It’s just…” Her sentence faded out.

“What?”

“All the tattoos and piercings, I guess.”

“Oh, yeah. But Matt’s like that, too.” I pointed out.

“I guess I’m just not too used to it, yet. But don’t worry, sweetie, I’ll warm up to them.” She smiled warmly at me.

“I can only hope…” I sighed, Jamie walking back up to us.

“Heh, sorry. He’s just like his dad…” Jamie laughed slightly, rubbing the sides of her arms. She must have been nervous.

“It’s alright. So what do you two want done?”

“I was thinking something short, but stylish.” I smiled.

“And I was hoping you could just surprise me!” Jamie giggled. “I’m up for anything!”

“Alright, here, I’ll do Jack first and then I’ll do you.” My mom grabbed my arm and pulled me into the shampoo chair.

"Careful lady," I laughed as she sat me in the chair, she rolled her eyes and began to rub the shampoo into my hair.

"Oh hush," she laughed as Jamie giggled and sat in the chair beside me watching with interest.

"I want to learn to do hair, how long did it take you?" Jamie questioned, my mom looked up and smiled widely.

"About three years because at first I wasn't that great at it because I didn't know the perfect technique, but its not that long for people who do well," Mom said as she washed my hair out and then added conditioning to it.

"Oh," Jamie said smiling. "I could do that! Would you teach me if its not to much to ask?"

"Oh of course not," Mom laughed, she was really warming up to Jamie and it made me extremely happy. "I would love too, I taught Jacklyn."

"You did?" Jamie asked wide eyed. "You never told me Jack?"

"Eh," I said shrugging my shoulders. "I don't boast about it."

"What you do for work is something to boast about baby," mom said smiling. "You do great."

"You do hair for a living?" Jamie's eyes went wide as she hyperly jumped up and down in her chair like Aiden and Codi.

"Part time, the other is photography," I said shrugging my shoulders as my mother put my hair in a towel and moved me to a barber chair.

"You should have told me and I could have gotten you to do Zacky's hair last week," she whined as she walked over and sat beside me.

"Jackie!" Johnny yelled, I looked up and smiled as Acelin attached herself to Johnny's left leg, Codi had his right and Aiden had attached himself to his back. "I need help!"

"Hey there is my grandbaby," mom laughed as she started to comb my hair out straight.

"I'll be right back, Aiden! Codi get off! Acelin sweetie Johnny needs his leg back," Jamie said as she walked over to Johnny in a fast walk.

"But," Acelin whined as she hugged his leg tighter.

"Acelin," Jamie said slowly. "I'll give you a dollar."

Jamie pulled out a dollar from her front pocket and waved it in front of Acelin's face, Acelin grabbed it and jumped off Johnny's leg, she ran over to the toys and began playing with them. "Wow," I said shaking my head.

"Wow Jack," Jamie said as she walked over laughing. "You have a kid attracted to money."

“Yeah, that can’t be healthy for her,” My mom laughed slightly. “So , Jamie, tell me a little about yourself.”

“Alright!” Jamie smiled and sat back in the chair.

“Great mom, now she won’t stop talking,” I laughed.

“Shush! I’m trying to talk to your mommy!” Jamie held up a finger over her lips to quiet me. I nodded and stopped. “Thank you. Well, uh…”

“What?”

“I don’t know what to say.” Jamie shrugged. “I’m not good with this kinda stuff.”

“So you can get up on stage in front of thousands of people but you can’t talk to my mom?” I looked up at her.

“Nope.” Jamie grinned and shook her head.

“Well, just tell her your full name, for starters.” I sighed.

“Oh, yeah. It’s Jamie October Brander-Baker.”

“Go on…” I said.

“Uh, I’m married to Zachary James Baker. I have twins, Codi Marie Baker and Aiden Mathew Baker. I met the boys when I was just starting high school. I’m a generally happy person, just don’t get on my bad side. Family and friends are everything to me. My very best friend…”

“Something wrong, sweetie?” My mom looked overt to Jamie.

“Uh, no, I’m fine. My very best friend Kodah Marie Sanders died of a blood clot during the birth of her quadruplets. And I think that’s about it.” Jamie nodded.

“Oh, alright,” My mom said softly and lifted up my head. “Jack, get up and get in that chair.”

“Okay, mommy!” I smiled and skipped over to the seat.

-----After Jamie and Jacklyn got their hair done-----

“Thank you! It’s amazing!” Jamie smiled and hugged my mom.

“I’m glad you like it.” My mom smiled at Jamie, who was admiring her bleached blonde hair with both dark and light brown highlights in the mirror. I had decided on a long front, short back cut.

“And my hair is awesome, too. Thanks, mom.” I nodded and grabbed Jamie’s arm, pulling her out of my mom’s salon.

“Your mom is so nice! I wish my mom was like her!” Jamie climbed into the passenger seat of my car.

“What’s wrong with your mom?” I didn't mention she's my godmom, I guess I wouldn't since I loved her like I did my real mom.

“Fucking crazy, that’s what.” Jamie slouched down as I pulled out of the parking lot.

“I’m sure she can’t be that bad…”

“She killed my step-dad, and I’m pretty sure she killed my real one, too. She was an abusive, alcoholic whom I never loved, never will.” Jamie nodded.

“Well aren’t you so nice?” I laughed sarcastically.