by Natalie Ann
He looked around to make sure no one was within hearing distance. “She doesn’t want anyone to know.”
“She doesn’t?” his mother asked, frowning and not looking really happy.
“Both of us, I guess. I want to say something, but it’s early yet.”
“Early, meaning in your relationship or the pregnancy?”
“Both.” She smacked his arm. “Ouch. What was that for?” He was rubbing his arm, pretending it hurt, just humoring her like they all did. She had some fast fingers on her when she wanted to.
“Don’t you let her do this alone. Don’t you let her feel like she’s alone right now either.”
How the hell did this get turned around to him?
“I’m not,” he argued. “I never have. I want her to move in with me, but she wants to wait until she’s done with school. I get it, but we’re spending every night together.”
“Oh,” she said. “How far along is she?” Her tone was calming down, but his mother never calmed down. He was waiting to have to jump out of the way of her hand again.
“Barely six weeks. It’s really early. She had no clue until they told us at urgent care. It’s been a lot to take in.”
“That was less than two weeks ago.”
“Exactly,” he said. “So cut me some slack. And I said I wouldn’t tell anyone and now you’re turning me into a liar. How the hell am I supposed to get out of this?”
“You didn’t tell me,” she said. “I guessed.”
“It’s the same thing,” he said, still looking around waiting for someone to pop in the doorway on him.
“Do her parents know?”
“No. No one does. You aren’t supposed to know either.”
His mother just huffed out a big breath as if she were blowing a fly out of her path. “Why aren’t they being told? If Ella was pregnant I’d like to think I’d be the second person to know, if not the first.”
“It’s different. She doesn’t have that great of a relationship with her parents,” he said.
“What’s wrong with it?”
“First off her mother has high expectations of Jessica and this isn’t going to go over well. Second of all her mother doesn’t think too highly of me.”
“What?” his mother said, her eyes flashing daggers and her arms crossing. Oh boy, he was getting ready to back up. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Guess I don’t measure up to her mother’s standards.”
“We’ll see about that,” his mother said. No one insulted her or her family, but Mason just found it hilarious that his mother was getting so worked up. All five foot four inches of her. Thankfully it wasn’t aimed at him at the moment. At least he didn’t think so.
“There’s nothing to see about,” he said. “I don’t care what her mother thinks. I only care what Jessica thinks and since she’s carrying my child and she’s kind of living with me, I’d say she’s made her choice.” At least he hoped so.
“What about her father?” his mother asked.
“They aren’t close either. He’s remarried with another family. They talk now and again, but not much. He does know about me, and Jessica said he was fine with it and kind of excited since he enjoys a good beer himself. He asked if he could get some shipped out to him.”
“I might like her father,” his mother said.
“I’m reserving judgment on them both. And right now all I care about is Jessica. I’m letting her make the decisions for the moment. I think it’s all about acceptance with them. Or needing it. It’s not like what we had as kids.”
“You never thought you were accepted for who you were,” his mother threw in his face. “How do you feel now?” She was grinning that sly grin of hers.
“I feel like my mother knew all along what I needed so she knows how I feel now.”
“Damn straight I know you. I’m proud of the changes in you, Mason. I’m proud that you found it’s fine to just be yourself and know you’ll be accepted without fear of being judged. That you weren’t as rugged as the others for years. You’re your own man and plenty tough in your own way. The right way that works for you.”
“Yeah,” he said, his eyes itching. She always did know best.
“As for Jessica, she doesn’t need their acceptance. She has ours,” his mother said firmly.
He loved his mother. She always knew the right things to say and when too. “She’d like to hear that at some point.”
“I’ll go tell her now.”
“No,” Mason said, but it was too late because Jessica was standing in the doorway when he turned around.
“Tell me what?” Jessica asked.
***
She’d been looking for Mason since he hadn’t come back with her water. When she didn’t find him in the kitchen she was going to go back outside, but she’d heard Mason’s voice in the front of the house and followed it. She was going to leave until she heard her name.
“Tell me what?” she asked, looking between Mason and his mother. She didn’t like the way they were staring at her right now.
“Oh, sweetie,” Jolene said moving forward, her arms out wide and a massive smile on her face. “I’m so happy.”
“You told her,” Jessica said. Her eyes were starting to fill. “We said we weren’t going to. Why did you?”
“He didn’t,” Jolene said, bringing her in for a hug. “I guessed and Mason doesn’t lie very well. None of my kids do.”
She returned Jolene’s hug, like she had much of a choice at the moment. It just felt good so she was going to hold on and know that someone was happy about this news.
“I’m sorry, Jessica,” Mason said. “She trapped me. She’s good at doing that.”
“I am,” Jolene said proudly. “I’ll teach you how to do it if you want.”
Jessica wanted to laugh, but couldn’t. She didn’t know what to feel right now. There was a lot of anger that the secret was out but a ton of relief. She knew her mother wouldn’t feel this way so she was going to bask in the joy of acceptance for once in her life, trying to hold onto the memory.
“That’s okay,” Jessica said. “Can we keep this quiet? I don’t want anyone else to know.”
“I can’t tell the rest of the family?” Jolene asked and she looked like she was going to cry.
“Don’t play that guilt card on her,” Mason said, moving his mother away and putting his arm around Jessica’s shoulder. “I told you it’s her call and it’s going to remain that way. You figured it out, but the rest of them didn’t. It won’t be much longer before we’ll tell everyone. Right, Jessica?”
“Just give us a bit more time, please? We’re figuring things out. I want to get past the first trimester.”
“I can’t keep my mouth shut for another six weeks,” Jolene wailed. “Tell her, Mason.”
Mason cringed. “You want me to choose between my mother and the mother of my child?” he asked, looking mortified. “No. Not fair, Mom.”
Jolene burst out laughing. “You should see your face right now, Mason. Fine. I won’t tell your siblings.” Then she left the room before either of them could say another word.
“I’m sorry,” Mason said, pulling her in. “I was ambushed. She does that all the time.”
“She won’t tell the others?” she asked, but not really believing it.
“I’d like to think she won’t, but if she slips they won’t say anything outside of the family boundaries. It won’t get back to your parents, that’s for sure.”
“I’m not really worried about that.”
“Then what are you worried about?” he asked.
She couldn’t tell him fully. That she was afraid everyone would think she’d trapped Mason. That she got pregnant on purpose to get his name and be part of the business.
Instead she said, “If something happens I don’t want to have to tell everyone. It would hurt too much.”
“Nothing is going to happen,” he said, pulling her tight and kissing her forehead. Part of her believed it
, but what she really wanted was for him to say how much he loved her. If he did. Maybe she should say it first, only she couldn’t get the words past her lips.
***
“I didn’t think they’d ever leave,” Jolene said the minute the last person was out of the house.
“You never want them to leave. What’s going on? You’ve been acting all jumpy since before dessert came out.”
She looked around at the empty house, as if making sure no one was hiding behind the furniture like they had when they were kids. “Jessica is pregnant.”
“What?” Gavin said. “What is wrong with Mason?”
She reached out and swatted his arm. “Don’t blame Mason. You don’t know it’s his fault.”
“Since his seed ended up inside her and hitting an egg, I’m placing the blame on him. I taught those boys better.”
“Stop it. Of all of them, Mason is the most responsible. I’m sure it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Come on now. We’re going to be grandparents.”
She couldn’t stop her feet from dancing in place. She looked like an Irish folk dancer that he’d always pictured her as years ago. She should have had red hair rather than brown.
He stopped and smiled at her. “We really are. I didn’t think it would work. When are they getting married?”
“Please,” she said. “I’m supposed to keep quiet on the pregnancy for another six weeks, I didn’t dare ask about marriage.”
Gavin burst out laughing. “You keep quiet. Not happening.”
“I promised,” she said again.
“Yet here you are telling me. If those kids ever find out how much you’ve broken promises or lied over the years they’d never forgive you.”
“They’ll always forgive me,” she said. “Everything I do is for their own good. They’ve all got their own secrets that I’ll take to the grave with me.”
“You tell me everything,” he pointed out.
“Telling me and me telling you is the same thing. You’d never say a word either. None of those kids know that we both know everything about them. It’s best they keep thinking the way they do.”
“Now what?” Gavin asked. “We’re just supposed to act surprised when they announce it?”
“Let’s just see how it goes for the next few weeks. I’ll keep trying to give Mason a little shove and you can too.”
“A shove for what?”
“For him to tell her how he feels. I can tell they are both keeping it to themselves.”
“The fact she is pregnant should say enough,” he said, snorting.
“You men. You don’t get it. A woman needs to hear those words. You remember those days, right?”
“Yeah,” he said, laughing. “You wouldn’t stop pestering me.”
“And I never will. So remember, push Mason.”
“Do you know how hard it is to shove a mule when it doesn’t want to move?” he asked her. “Mason will do what he wants, when he wants and nothing we say will make a difference.”
“Then I guess we have to just let them be,” she said, not really liking the words that just came out of her mouth, he could see by her pout. “Brody and Aiden are falling into place and I’m positive Mason will too. I’ve got faith.”
“You’re just asking for trouble,” Gavin said.
“Life would be boring if I didn’t.”
Tone of Disapproval
Several weeks later, Jessica was pacing around the airport. Her mother’s flight was due in any minute. Graduation was tomorrow and the small hope that her parents wouldn’t attend had been squashed. Her mother wanted to see her walk the stage and her father wanted to meet Mason.
That part had surprised her, but since her father seemed so excited about her dating someone, she went with it. It was better than her mother’s reaction.
Of course, Jessica had kind of hoped her father would be excited to see her graduate, but it seemed he was more concerned about Mason. She asked him the other day about that and he said, “I always knew you’d graduate with honors. No worries there. I never knew who’d you end up with though, so as a father it’s my job to check him out.”
Jessica knew it was best to see how the meeting went before she broached the subject of the pregnancy. Especially since she was so happy her father was taking such a big interest in her life right now.
But since her mother was flying in so early on Friday, Jessica had taken the whole weekend off of work to spend some time with her. Mason was even going to get out of work earlier too. She hadn’t asked him to, but he seemed to know she’d want it.
Then again Mason had been going out of his way to do everything she wanted or he thought she needed. It was sweet, but getting a bit annoying too.
Her mother hadn’t been happy when Jessica said there was no need for a hotel, that she’d just stay with Mason and her apartment would be empty for her mother. But too darn bad. She’d been pretty much living at Mason’s anyway, even though she’d said she wouldn’t make that decision until school ended. The problem was, she couldn’t seem to stay away from Mason lately.
She was hoping that the more time they’d spent together the easier it would be for them to tell the other how they really felt, only neither of them broached the subject. Were they planning the future and their child? Yes. Were they talking about love and marriage? Unfortunately, no.
“Jesse.”
She turned and saw her mother coming through the gate, approached her, then hugged her tight, trying to keep her stomach pushed back as much as she could. The itty-bitty bump was there, but not noticeable with the clothing. She still wasn’t taking any chances.
Jessica and her mother weren’t talking as much as they used to. Her mother still wasn’t thrilled about her dating Mason, so she knew the pregnancy wasn’t going to be well received. Part of her was glad there was less communication, but the other part was just plain hurt. She never expected her mother to behave like this.
“How was your flight?”
“Not bad. Glad to be on the ground.”
“Did you eat lunch yet?”
“I did. I ate before my flight. What time do you have to go to the college for rehearsal tonight?”
“I have to be there by seven. I thought Mason and I could take you to dinner beforehand.”
“So I’m going to meet him for the first time in a restaurant?” her mother asked, the tone of disapproval coming forth. That didn’t take long to start.
“No. He’s at my apartment right now. You’ll have a chance to meet him there. Have you even looked at his family business at all? Seen how well respected and successful they are?” There was a tiny hope that’d be enough for her mother to soften a touch.
“I did,” her mother said, almost forcing the words out. “It still doesn’t matter that I don’t think he’s a good fit for you.”
Jessica wanted to bite her tongue, but decided at this point there was no use. “You haven’t met him at all. You know nothing about whether he’s a good fit. He has the same degree as I do but you don’t care.”
Her mother just started to walk away, forcing Jessica to follow. “We’ll see about that when I meet him.”
But Jessica knew nothing would change. Her mother had had high expectations in life. Her mother wanted to live her life through Jessica. Or at least her career. No matter what Jessica did, it was never good enough.
They drove in relative silence to her apartment and she was thrilled to see Mason’s truck already there like he’d said. At least he didn’t get held up at work or decide to not show up after the way Jessica had been talking about her mother. When she opened the door, Mason stood up and came forward.
“Mom, this is Mason Fierce. Mason, my mother Veronica Corning.”
“Nice to meet you,” Mason said.
“Likewise,” her mother replied, but an idiot could see that wasn’t the case.
Jessica looked at Mason and shrugged, but he only grinned at her. She wasn’t letting her mother bring her down. In the past few week
s, she’d come to accept she was going to be a mother herself and she knew all the things she wouldn’t do with her own child. All the things she thought her mother did wrong. Even her father.
And though there were still so many things to figure out between her and Mason, she knew he’d be a great parent, because so far he’d been a great boyfriend the past few weeks. Not just then, but before. She couldn’t ask for more…only she was. She just wanted to hear he loved her.
Should she say it first? Probably. But she was so afraid to. So afraid that she felt she was trapping him as it was by being pregnant, so she was watching her words even more, hoping to find some clue or sign letting her know it’d be okay to say it.
Her mother walked into the room and left her bag against the wall, then looked around. “This is a very tiny apartment, Jesse.”
“It’s bigger than my dorm was and it’s private.”
“I suppose. I hope you still get to spend time at school and are doing activities there. That you aren’t spending all your time at work and with Mason.”
“Jessica is allowed to come and go as she pleases,” Mason said, his lips twitching. “I don’t have a leash on her.”
Jessica snorted, not expecting Mason to say that, but happy he did. At least he was trying to find humor in this.
“I would think not,” her mother said. “But then again, you’re old enough to know that Jesse needs time to mature and make some decisions in her life.”
“That’s enough, Mom,” Jessica said.
“What?” her mother said. “You’re obviously not making good decisions. I can tell you’ve put some weight on. Must be you’re drinking more than you’re letting on.”
She started to laugh. What was worse right now? Her mother thinking that she was an alcoholic or getting knocked up.
“No, Mom. I’m not drinking anything at all. I haven’t in several months. Want to know why?”
Her mother just looked at her, understanding starting to dawn in her eyes. “Why?”
“Because I’m pregnant.” There she said it. The floor didn’t open up and suck her in. Matter of fact, Mason’s big arm went around her and pulled her close for support.
