Nothing Else Matters

Jimmy opened my car door and greeted my daughter. "Hey there, beautiful," he said, unbuckling her car seat. "Wanna come in the house? I've got cookies!"
Jade smiled and reached out for Jimmy. "Cookie! Cookie!"
I laughed and headed for the front door. I hated that Jimmy had been the only one to know about my being pregnant, but I had never been able to keep anything from him. Jimmy and I always had this special bond even though I was always in love with Matt.

Inside Jimmy's living room, I put Jade's diaper bag near the couch and turned when I heard them coming through the front door. Jade had her hands wrapped around Jimmy's hair and she was pulling so hard his head was pulled to the side. "Ow, Jadybug, that hurts."
I shook my head and took my daughter into my arms. "Come here you." I sat on the couch, bouncing her on my knee while Jimmy went into the kitchen to grab the cookies.
"You want anything?" he called from the other room.
"Just some milk," I yelled back. Jade crawled off my lap and waddled into the kitchen giggling as she tried to trip Jimmy. "Jade, baby, come here. Leave Uncle Jimmy alone."
The toddler walked back to me, rubbing her eyes. It was time for her nap. "Mommy? Seepy."
I nodded and picked her up. "Yeah, honey. You're sleepy. It's time for a nap." I was about to head up the stairs to put her to sleep when Jimmy stepped in front of me. "Here," he said taking her into his arms. "I'll put her in my bed. You stay here. I'll be back."

Jimmy went upstairs with my daughter and I sat back on the couch. If it had been anybody else, I wouldn't have let them take her, but this was Jimmy. He had been around since day one. He always helped me out when I needed it while keeping it a secret from the others.
Which, I guess he didn't need to do now that Matt knew about her. I had been planning on telling him for a while now, I just hadn't had the guts. I mean, how do you tell somebody something like that? "Oh hello, Matt. Do you like your two year old daughter you knew nothing about?"
But now, because of a chance meeting, Matt knew everything. Well...not everything.
Jimmy came back down the stairs, grabbed a cookie off the table and sat down next to me with a sigh. "Well, Jade is fast asleep. That was easier than usual."
I nodded. "She had a big day, meeting her father and all."

"That's right," he said. "You said he knew when you showed up. So? What happened?"
"I was at the store with Jade," I began. "She saw something she wanted and when I said no, she started to cry. I picked her up and was trying to get her to stop when I heard a very familiar voice call me 'Bubbles'. I turned around and there he was, Jimmy. He looks just like he did the day I left. Only now he's got these dark circles under his eyes."
Jimmy nodded. "He's missed you. Poor man has barely slept the last two years."
"And it's all my fault," I said, putting my head in my hands. "I hated doing that to him, but I had to figure things out for myself. And now that he knows, you'd think that this great weight had been lifted off my shoulders, but it hasn't."
"How'd he take the news?" he asked.

"Surprisingly well," I said, looking up at him. "At first it seemed like he would be very angry with me. Then Jade grabbed his hand and he just melted. He turned into this adoring father and I could see love in his eyes for Jade already. It made me miss the way he used to look at me."
"You can get that again, you know," Jimmy said. "I know he wants that. He never shuts up about you. And now that he knows, we can all get together again. It'll be like old times."
"But it's not like old times," I said. "I have a baby, a job, friends and not to mention--"
Jimmy held up his hand, interrupting me. "We're not going to mention him. You just started seeing this other guy. You've known Matt your whole life. I think Matt wins this round."
"It isn't fair," I argued.
Jimmy shook his head. "It is fair. Now, me and the rest of the guys are having a barbecue at Matt's. You and Jade are both coming."

Before I could say anything, we could hear Jade start crying. I stood to go upstairs but Jimmy stopped me. "I got this. I've missed my Jadybug." He started up the stairs then turned to me with a smile. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

I smiled after him and sighed.

I guess I was going to a barbecue tonight.