- “So?” She asked
just as a timer went off and Jonathan bolted to the oven to
pull
- out a pan of steaming food.
- “We
wanted to surprise you for dinner.” He said bringing it
over and after
- Jordan had placed a hot pad
on the counter set it down. “There is more.” He
said
- pointing to the stove where
the pasta and sauce sat keeping warm.
- “Smells
good enough.” She said smiling. “You know you have
to clean all
- this up before dinner right?”
She asked.
- “Yes
ma’am.” They said together then looked at each other...~
- “Jay?”
Jonathan said as Jordan drifted off and didn’t answer
his question he
- had asked twice.
- “Sorry
I was rememberring when you conned me into cooking dinner for
- mom.” Jordan said.
- “Yeah
we though we were in big time trouble.” Jonathan said.
- “Yeah
then she goes and gets us bikes, the other’s were so mad.” Jordan
- said.
- “Yeah,
but if you remember we took the bikes back and got her something
- with the money.” Jonathan
reminded.
- “Yep,
then we met Donnie and got suckered into auditioning with
that crazy
- notion we’d be famous.” Jordan
said.
- “Yeah
but I am glad I auditioned.” Jonathan said, yeah his anxiety
had gotten
- to him on the road but he
had his brother and his friends to help him through.
- “I
never said I wasn’t glad, but when it ended it was like a hole.”
Jordan said.
- “I
know, but everything is working alright for us now.” He
said.
- “Yeah,
look I have to go tell Beth congrats for me.” Jordan said.
“Hey are
- you guys pushing the wedding
up closer since you know?” He asked, Tina’s
- constant pulling on his shoulder
was making him regret not pausing to tell her.
- “Havn’t
gotten that far, although it might push it closer.” He
said.
- “Ok
but I really have to go.” Jordan said then said their
goodbye’s again and
- hung up.
- “What,
what, what?” She prodded as soon as he clicked the phone
off.
- “Beth
and Jonathan are going to have a baby.” He said.
- “Oh
my god!” She said happily and she clapped her hands together
before
- her.
- “Yeah
I know, but she doesn’t feel very well right now.” He
said.
- “Morning
sickness, I am so glad I am done with that part of this.” She
said.
- “So
am I do you know what it is like to roll over at three in the
morning and
- wake up to the sound of you
losing your stomach?” He said.
- “Oh,
well next time you can have the morning sickness so I can experience
- your side of the story. Hey
why don’t you carry the next one and I’ll be the
- supporting partner!” She
said and laughed when he paled.
- “That’s
not what I meant darling.” He said and she laughed at
him again.
- “Poor
pitiful you Jordan.” She said climbing onto his lap and
pinning him to
- the bed, he smiled up at her
playfully as she leaned down and kissed him.
-
- “How
do you feel?” Jonathan asked as he rubbed Beth’s back
she was in the
- bathroom again and he was
right there helping her through it. She shook her head
- and he repulled her hair back
behind her head and held it with his other hand.
- “Would you like some ice water
sometimes that helps.” He said and she nodded
- and she felt him leave her
side. Lord was it worth it, she thought all this sufferring
to
- bring another life into the
world then she thought about it and knew that it was well
- worth every ounce of sufferring
she had to endure. This baby was her’s and
- Jonathan’s for better or worse
and she was glad now she was pregnant, of course
- when she had first found out
fear had caught her but now she was all for it. “Here
- honey.” He said bending
down to one knee again and giving her the water which
- she sipped steadily and was
soon turning around to sit facing him. “Better?” He
- asked.
- “For
now.” She said giving him a half smile.
- “Come
on let me make you breakfast.” He said softly, he knew
that eating
- helped morning sickness as
much as it hindered it.
- “Maybe
you didn’t see what I just did.” She said hooking her
head towards
- the toilet.
- “I
know what you just did honey, but you still need to eat. Something
light I
- promise.” He said and
she finally nodded.
- “Oh.”
She moaned when she got up from the floor she wobbled
and he
- pulled her close, she was
hating that phone she decided as it rang suddenly and
- made her jump.
- “Sit.”
Jonathan said pulling her into their room and sitting her on
the bed it was
- almost ten. “Hello?”
He said.
- “Now
that I have had my morning coffee how bout a light lunch just
the four of
- us.” Jordan said.
- “It
took you this long to get a cup of coffee?” Jonathan asked.
- “Yeah
well I got distracted.” He said smiling when Tina licked
at the back of
- his neck as he sat there feet
on floor on the edge of their bed. “Mm.” He couldn’t
- help but moan a little.
- “What?”
Jonathan said.
- “Nothing,
anyway what do you think?” He asked waving her away from
his
- neck at this rate they wouldn’t
get out of bed all day long, then he almost succomed
- to her and hung up the phone
at that idea.
- “Where?”
Jonathan asked.
- “Le
Papillon, cute little place.” Jordan said.
- “Let
me ask Beth she really isn’t feeling so hot.” Jonathan
asked.
- “You
know food will help her feel better right?” Jordan said.
- “I
think you may have mentioned that a time or two.” Jonathan
said then he
- placed his hand over the talking
end of the phone and turned to Beth. “Jordan’s
- invited us to lunch, care
to go?” He asked, she looked horrible her hair was all
- matted up from where she had
been laying most of the morning and she was still
- pale.
- “Have
I a choice?” She asked.
- “Are
you leaving it up to me?” He asked.
- “I
believe I am.” She said.
- “Then
no, dress nice and I’ll help you brush your hair.” He
said, she reached
- up to her hair and groaned
when she felt all the tangles. “Jay, yeah we’ll go.” He
- said and then they talked
for another twenty minutes before hanging up.
- They
were just getting to the front door to leave when the doorbell
rang,
- Jonathan opened the door and
he was staring at his mother. “Hey momma, we
- were just leaving for lunch.”
He said.
- “Sorry,
I just wanted to visit a while Jordan and Tina were already
gone when I
- got there.” She said.
- “We
are meeting them, hey why don’t you come along.” He said
and she
- nodded and smiled and they
all left his house together. “I’ll bring you back for
your
- car.” He said and she
smiled and got into the back seat.
- “So
what is new for you two?” She asked then she got a look
at Beth’s face.
- “Are you alright dear?”
- “Fine
really.” Beth said.
- “You
look like you need to spend the day in bed Jonathan why are
you
- dragging her out?” She
asked looking at her son who’s eyes met hers in the
- rearview mirror.
- “Mom,
she’s fine nothing nature can’t take care of in nine months.”
Jonathan
- said smiling.
- “Nine
months?” Marlene said giving her son a confused look.
- “Yeah,
of course we have to find out when we are due but yeah nine
months.”
- Jonathan said.
- “Explain
yourself young man.” She said as he stopped at a red light.
- “We
are going to have a baby.” Jonathan said then his mother
leaned back
- into the seat and smiled.
- “You
and Jordan both are making me a grandmother, first your sisters
and
- now my boys.” She said
and he laughed.
- “I
take it you approve?” He said.
- “Approve?”
She asked crooking her eyebrow. “Darling I am delighted!”
She
- said.
- “Good.”
Jonathan said turning on his left turning signal and getting
over so he
- could turn into the lot of
the restaraunt where Jordan could be seen sitting with his
- ass against the hood of his
car and his ankles crossed while he looked intently
- down at something in his hands.
Jonathan parked about three spaces down and
- they call climbed out, Jordan
looked up and smiled then tilted his head when his
- mother got out of Jon’s car
as well. He hadn’t expected a fifth.
- “Hey!”
Jordan said standing up and tossing the item into the
front seat of the
- car and walked towards them.
- “Where
is Tina?” Jonathan asked.
- “Inside,
she had to go to the bathroom and I told her to just get seated
- although I didn’t expect and
extra guest.” He said.
- “What
did you have in your hand?” Marlene asked.
- “Nothing
mom.” Jordan said praying his breath didn’t give it away,
he had
- slipped back into smoking
and really didn’t want anyone to know that was why he
- had told Tina to go sit down.
- “Don’t
stand here and lie to me.” Marlene said.
- “I
think I am old enough to make my decisions mom.” Jordan
said.
- “And
that decision was?” She asked following him to the car
as he leaned
- into it through the window
and retrieved the pack of cigarettes.
- “My
nerves have been on edge.” He said flashing the pack then
tucking it
- back into the place he hid
them.
- “You
made me a promise young man I expect you to keep it!” She
said then
- walked away from him and into
the restaraunt where Beth followed and they found
- Tina and sat with her.
- “You
can’t keep peace can you Jay?” Jonathan said shaking his
head and
- walking away.
- Jordan
sighed heavily and followed, hell he knew they were bad for
him but
- with the complications Tina
had been having lately he needed something to calm
- his nerves. He shook
his head, no that was still not an excuse he had made a
- promise to his mother last
new years and had kept it for how long? He groaned
- then went into the restaraunt
and found his family in deep conversation, he sat down
- quietly and without being
noticed by anyone but Beth and Tina, obviously his mother
- and brother were ignorring
him. Dinner was ordered in relative silence, and eaten
- the same, suddenly Jordan
pushed away from the table and stood up he couldn’t
- stand the dissaproving looks
he was getting from his mother.
- “Tina
dear, finish your dinner. Jonathan I trust you will bring
her home?” He
- asked and Jonathan nodded
curtly and Jordan began to leave.
- “Jordan?”
Tina asked softly pulling him down closer to her so she
could talk
- to him in relative privacy.
- “I
forgot to do something, it’s alright.” He said and she
nodded and he left.
- “Did
I do something wrong?” She asked after her husband left.
- “No!”
They all said together.
- “Nothing
you did dear, he used to do something and promised me he
- wouldn’t and has started back
up again.” Marlene said. “Maybe I was being a little
- hard on him tonight for not
speaking to him.” She said.
- “Ok,
that something would be?” She asked.
- “Smoking.”
Jonathan said.
- “Oh.
I havn’t noticed him smoking.” She said.
- “Probably
doing it when you aren’t around.” Jonathan said.
- “I
am not going to say I approve, but everyone slips sometimes
you can’t be
- hard on him for a slip.” Tina
said, she paused. “How long has he gone without
- them?” She asked.
- “Almost
two years.” Jonathan said.
- “I
have been having a lot of problems with the baby lately, of
course that isn’t
- an excuse but if he needs
something for his nerves why don’t you try helping him
- find it instead of condescending
him for slipping?” She asked.
- “True.”
Jonathan said looking at his mother who nodded.
- “How
did you get so smart?” She asked Tina.
- “Trying
to out do my family kept me on my toes. Jordan doesn’t
know that I
- have been on the wagon for
three years now, they drove me to drinking then Kyra.
- God rest her soul, she helped
me before she died from cancer to stop drinking.”
- Tina said.
- “That
is good news honey.” Marlene said smiling at her and patting
her hand.
- “Yeah,
so what do you think will help him?” Tina asked.
- “No
idea.” She said.
- “Beth?”
She asked.
- “You
could try aromatherapy.” She said.
- “Sounds
like something.” She said.
- “Acupunture,
but he hated that.” Jonathan said.
- “How
about massage?” Tina said, she had been studying out of
books on
- massage tactics and she wanted
to try them out on Jordan and surprise him.
- “That
might work.” Jonathan said, and so they said formulating
different plans
- to help Jordan stop smoking
again.
- When
Jonathan dropped her off she looked through the house and found
- Jordan sitting in the entertainment
room watching television. She walked up behind
- him and noted the cigarette
in his hand he looked up at her after she had settled her
- hands on his shoulders and
shot her an apologetic look and put the cigarette out.
- He slowly let the smoke out
of his mouth and brought his hands up to cover her
- smaller one’s. She
looked at him again and saw the shine of tears where they had
- flowed down his cheeks.
- “Don’t
cry, everyone slips into old habits.” She whispered and
began to
- knead his shoulders lightly.
- “I
let mom down.” He said silently, he grabbed her hands
and pulled her arms
- around his chest so she could
hold him.
- “We
got to talking after you left, I don’t agree with the dissaproval
she sent
- your way.” She said.
- “I
made a promise, like so many other promises I can’t keep. Don’t
keep.”
- He said.
- “You
know I used to be an alcoholic?” She said coming around
to sit beside
- him.
- “What?”
He asked.
- “Yeah,
three years ago I found AA and have been on the wagon since.
A
- friend helped me, she didn’t
condescend me she didn’t admonish she helped. I
- told your mother that you
needed help not dissaproval and she shouldn’t be hard on
- your for slipping.” She
said.
- “Bet
that went over like a lead brick.” He said.
- “She
agreed with me.” She said.
- “She
what?” Jordan asked surprised.
- “Yeah,
she was feeling bad after you left. Thought she was hard
on you.”
- She siad.
- “Wow,
that’s a change.” Jordan said.
- “Yeah,
and tomorrow since you are home all day again any time you need
a
- cigarette come to me.” She
said.
- “Sex
is great but I don’t think it will stop the cravings.” Jordan
said.
- “I
meant a massage, to relax your body and let your nerves
stop getting
- agitated. Trust me if
I thought sex would help we wouldn’t leave the bed.” She
- said.
- “Really?”
He asked a hint of mischeviousness lit his eyes.
- “Really.”
She said laughing as he almost attacked her right there
on the
- couch.
- “Oh
god I am sorry.” He said when she cringed a little as
her back tightened
- and she pushed him away.
- “It’s
alright.” She said and he helped her sit up. “Only
five more months.”
- She said laughing.
- “We
find out what we are having next time don’t we?” He asked
placing his
- hand over the swell of her
belly smiling.
- “Yeah.”
She said smiling back at him.
- “I
really should know better when it comes to your back.” He
said.
- “Jordan,
it’s alright I let you attack me.” She said and he laughed.
- “Yeah.”
He said smiling. “Come on how bout a nice hot bath
and an early
- bed time.” He said and
she nodded and followed him.
- He
ran the bath for her then helped her into the tub, she sighed
as the water
- enveloped her body and he
smiled at her. She smiled back at him and he almost
- lost it, how could he have
found her when he really didn’t deserve her at all. She
- watched him shake his head
and leave the bathroom silently and she sunk into the
- tub more.
- “Dammit!”
Jordan said as he walked into their room and sat down
on the bed.
- “What the hell is wrong with
me that I can’t accept a gift from anyone including the
- one that holds my destiny
in his hand.” He whispered as he peeled his socks off
|
