Knocked Up

Kimmy hadn’t decided to move earlier instead she kept to their original time line, she spent Hanukah in Montreal and Ottawa her mom flew out to spend time with her and her friends in the two cities. On the last day of Hanukah she’d gone back to Buffalo and finished packing, she and her mom were going to use the lack of Christmas Day traffic to drive down to Philly where his parents, sister, her husband and kids were waiting to meet them. They would have a Christmas dinner together even though the Krantzbergs’ didn’t celebrate Christmas and in majority of eastern Europe Christmas dinner and gifts where done on Christmas Eve.

Wayne had gone back to Toronto for Christmas so they had the house to themselves but even then space was tight so Claude had agreed to house his family even though neither he nor Matt Reed would actual be there. To make everything worse he was technically in the middle of a road trip and would have to hit the road again on the 27th till they’d get back on the third so he wouldn’t really be around. Which he was sure would piss Kimmy’s mom off since she was set to fly back on the fifth so he’d have the 26th and the 4th to convince her he was going to be there for her daughter and then he had practice during that time. So that was going to look great.

“Is Kimberly really showing yet?” His mom asked as she and Petra stood in the kitchen preparing progi they had him on stuffing duty whilst his mom and Petra did the crimping. His brother in law, dad and nephews had managed to escape they were upstairs in the games room.

“Yeah it’s noticeable now I’ve only seen it on Skype though and in pictures.” He loved it but also knew they had to beat the rumours they were planning on taking a picture together tonight to tweet saying she was pregnant.

“Are you going to find out the sex?” Petra asked him as she passed him some more dough circles to fill whilst his mom switched the bowl of filling from mince to potato.

“No, I want to but Kimmy refuses she doesn’t want to. We did start talking about names though, she got really angry at me for been called Jakub because she loves the name but doesn’t like naming kids after their parents, grandparents yes, parents no.” He couldn’t help smiling at the memory she’d gotten so angry at him to the point she’d hung up the phone only to call him back half an hour later crying and apologizing for been such a bitch.

“What are you thinking?”

“If it’s a boy Kimmy really wants to call him Adrian, she said I can give him his middle name if I let her call him Adrian. If it’s a girl I don’t think I am getting a say she seems pretty set on Eryn Marie, I can understand Marie but I am not sure on Eryn.” Wasn’t sure was an understatement he hated it, the way she wanted to spell it was weird and the name together Eryn Marie he just thought it sounded so old. He really wanted to give his kid a Czech name but he also understood Kimmy wanted to give them a British or Hebrew name, though most the Hebrew names she’d come up with had been thrown out.

“You still have plenty of time, five months to pick anything.” He didn’t want to think about how they only had five months and with the Flyers looking out of the play-off chances there was talk about him going to the Worlds and Kimmy’s due date was right in the middle of them.

“The doctors want her to have a C-section early because they are worried about the scaring from her accident now they are getting are able to predict the size they think beans going to be a big baby which is worrying them.” He’d missed her last appointment at sixteen weeks, where they’d decided Kimmy would need to have more frequent appointments due to the scaring on her womb and the trauma to her spine from the accident. But whilst Kimmy was causing concern for her doctor at least bean wasn’t, the doctor had been happy with bean’s progress. They had everything ready to send to her new doctor in Haddonfield and her first appointment set for the fifth of January.

“Well you are tall and Kimmy if pretty tall for a girl does she have any siblings?”

“Half siblings they are all six foot plus, her Dad is six five so.” The look on both his mom and his sisters’ face said everything he needed to know. No way was this baby going to be small both his nephews had been big babies and all his sister had done was complain for the last two months of her pregnancies.

“Have you heard how far out they are?” Jake pulled his phone out of his pocket on his mom’s request he knew they’d left five hours ago so they shouldn’t be that far out now but he didn’t have a message from Kimmy and she said she’d text once they hit Philly area so they couldn’t be there yet.

“No not yet… can I go now please?” He’d been dying to go play with the boys since his mom had dragged him into the kitchen to question him about Kimmy with Petra over and hour ago. He’d got them a remote control cars for Christmas and some new Lego kits he really wanted to play with.
Because really what he bought for the boys was merely what he just needed an excuse to buy to play with himself.

“Yes you can go play with the boys Christmas presents.”

“Thanks, love you both.”

“I pity you’re kids at Christmas they aren’t going to get to play with anything.” His sister called after him which made him chuckle.

What made him laugh more was the fact when he got upstairs the boys where sat on the sofa watching as their Dad and Grandfather sat on the floor playing with their scalextric’s. “Uncle Kuba tell them to let us play!” His eldest nephew whined looking at him from under the hockey helmet he’d bought him which along with the pads he’d gotten was proving tricky to get off him. His other nephew just as attached to his new hockey stick and jersey, a personalised Flyers Jersey number 93 of course but instead of Voracek their last name signed by all the team.

Kimmy’s Hanukkah gift under the Christmas tree was a similar idea except it was a 94 Krantzcek combining their two names in the couple name the team had come up with and numbers, again signed by everyone including Jagr and Briere. He’d even got her mom something though really it was for both of them and his mom and sister to bond likely over hating him in a spa.

“How about we play with your new Lego?” He suggested and even though it wasn’t as cool both the boys jumped at the chance. Petra always said they’d do anything if it was with Uncle Kuba, he was taking them with him to practice tomorrow letting them skate with him for a bit. Neither of them knew or no way would they sleep.

They’d only been playing about ten minutes when he got a text from Kimmy or at least Kimmy’s phone, he wondered how she’d deal with her mom driving her around she hated it when he did it, saying they were only twenty minutes out. Basically someone forgot to text when they got just North of Philly. Leaving the boys to keep playing including his Dad and Brother in Law whose races seem to have got more and more competitive heading down to tell his mom and sister.

They were sat in the living room watching one of the Czech TV channels he paid a fortune to stream via his wifi on to his TV to never watch unless his family was here. “Kimmy and his mom are twenty minutes away.” He told them taking the space between them.

“Does Kimmy’s mom speak Czech too?”

“Very little enough to get around Prague without Kimmy so barely any. Her English is really clear
though and Kimmy and I can translate anything you don’t understand.” Kimmy’s idea in an attempt to make this less awkward had been to have a three way Skype conversation. Which had consisted of a lot of questions from Ms Krantzberg (he still wasn’t at the point he could call her Caroline) and a lot of Kimmy saying ‘Mum’ and ‘Jesus Mother Kuba wasn’t the only guy in the hotel room you know’. He’d left the conversation unsure whether it had helped, Kimmy had also been hopeful them spending the week together before she could bring her mom around.

“I can’t wait to meet her, she looks so pretty in the pictures you showed me.” His sister smiled, it had been the first thing she’d demanded when she’d walked through security she wanted to see pictures of Kimberly. She’d already spent over an hour on Skype questioning him about her, in their family the roles seemed to really have been reversed. He’d liked her husband from day one, the huge age gap between them meant she’d got married whilst he was still a kid really he hadn’t known how to distrust her husband. But Petra hated anyone who tried to date him instantly she was really protective of him he was her baby brother, though she often put the emphasis on the baby part of the saying.

‘Does Penn State have the death penalty?’ Jake looked at the text he’d just received from Kimmy and let out a small laugh. He’d been down stairs about fifteen minutes which meant they didn’t have long till Kimmy and he mom would arrive.

‘I am not sure why?’ he replied his phone vibrating almost straight away.

‘because I am about to murder my mother, please say you have progie and tea?’

‘of course’

‘I need like a bucket of tea’

‘whats up’

‘she hasn’t stopped all fucking day, from packing the car to commenting on my driving you think I am bad I dare you to get in the car with my mother! I just can’t do anything right today’

‘I’ll put the kettle on’

‘I need a really long soak in the bath and some good food’

‘I can provide you with both, my mum and sister have been cooking all morning’

‘they didn’t have to do that’

‘they’ve been excited my mom can’t wait to see you or my dad and Petra’s desperate to meet you’

‘I am scared my mum is going to kill you… jokes… no jokes… I think I got through to her guess this is the big test’

‘not filling me with confidence’

‘can I have a hug’

‘as soon as you get here’

‘we are just entering the estate my mum is yelling it the satnav’

‘I’ll see you in couple of minutes’ He sent back before climbing off the sofa, “They are nearly here.” He told his mom and sister before heading in to the kitchen and turning the kettle on pulling two mugs down putting coffee in one and a tea bag in the other.

He’d just poured the milk in both cups when the front door opened picking up the cup of tea and coffee he walked down the hall way to the kitchen to see Kimmy unwrapping herself her mom behind her. He’d seen Caroline on skype and in pictures but he hadn’t been ready for how tiny she really was barely five feet tall she was dwarfed by her daughter and it was adorable. “I figured you’d want a coffee after your drive Kimmy said you take it with milk no sugar.” Jake stated offering Ms Krantzberg her coffee once she’d taken her coat off.

“Thank you.” She looked shocked he’d do that for her but took the cup anyway.

“And for you Princess a cup of tea,” He showed her the cup of tea before placing in on the table next to the door and wrapping her in his arms, “And a hug.” He smiled before kissing the top of her head as she buried herself into his chest and wrapped her arms around him.

They stayed like that for a moment before she pulled back took her cup of tea and looked up at him, “We should go in the living room introduce everyone.”

His Dad, brother in law and nephews where already in the living room when they’d walked in but they’d left a space for Kimberly and her mom to sit but first things first was introductions.

“Kimberly look at you so beautiful, so big.” His mom smiled instantly walking towards the woman she’d starting referring to as her daughter-in-law already Jake found it hard to believe they hadn’t got on weeks ago.

“It’s great to see you again Hanna, Milo…” Kimmy leaned past his mom to hold her hand out to his father who took it and placed a kiss on her knuckles, “This is my mum Caroline Krantzberg… mum these are Kuba’s parents Hanna and Milo Voracek.”

“It’s lovely to meet you Ms Krantzberg you’ve raised such a lovely daughter.” His mom had been practicing the sentence all bloody morning It was great to see her pull it off at least he wouldn’t have to hear her say it again.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Jake noticed the shortness in Caroline Krantzberg’s voice and knew it wasn’t directed at his parents but him. She couldn’t compliment him like his parents had Kimmy because she still hated him the guy who’d knocked up her daughter.

“Please this is our daughter, Petra and her husband Alex and there boys Petr and Maks.”

“It nice to meet both of you Kuba speaks of you so often Kimberly it’s nice to finally put a face to a name.”

“I am sorry Kimberly I can’t do this I can’t play happy families when he is ruining your life.” With that Caroline had turned and walked out of the room instantly Kimberly turned to follow her shaking her head but Jake knew what he had to do.

Reaching for Kimberly’s arm he shook his head, “I’ve got this.” She’d handled his mom it was his turn to do the same. So he followed Caroline Krantzberg out of the room she was still in the hall way.

“Can we talk in the kitchen please?” He asked and Caroline looked him with distain but she still nodded and let him lead the way into the kitchen. He felt ready to be sick his mind was running at a hundred K an hour with idea’s on what to say his hands where sweaty and he knew he only had one chance.

This was worse than taking a shot in a shoot-out in the play-offs.