by Mj Fields
“They think I’m pissed. We have at least a half hour," she said and grinned.
"Sounds like a great idea," he said and pulled her upstairs.
~
The next week was crazy for Tessa; she worked and went to school, three weeks and counting. She didn’t see Lucas nearly enough, but when she did… it was wonderful.
The six went to camp the following weekend. They spent every evening by the fire, during the day they helped around the farm. Lucas learned to drive a tractor, and for some reason he loved it. Tessa loved to ride with him, and she made sure he loved her there too.
Jade was meeting with the attorney on Monday, Lucas insisted that Ryan take her, not that it took much effort to convince Ryan. Ryan had bought a new vehicle, a blue Tahoe; he had been saving for awhile.
“Nice ride Brooks. When did you get this?” Jade asked getting in.
He shut the door and ran around and jumped in.
"They delivered it this morning," he said acting nervous.
He was quiet the whole ride watching Jade out of the corner of his eye while she played with all the buttons.
"This is cool," she said as she opened the moon roof and stood up.
He lightly took her hand and pulled it down, “Jade careful.”
“Sorry,” she sat quietly.
She watched him as he drove. He felt her eyes on him and got very uncomfortable. He grabbed his white hat off the dash and shoved it down blocking his eyes. If he couldn’t see her he may not feel so damn nervous.
"TJ hasn't moved today," she said reclining the seat.
She took his hand and put it on her belly. He let out a breath and left his hand there. He still wasn’t moving so Ryan rubbed her belly gently.
He kicked, and Ryan smiled “Hey, buddy!”
He smiled. “I’m sure he likes me.”
"Me too," she said and put her hand over his, “I mean… I’m sure he does, too.”
"I get it Jade," he smiled.
They pulled in, and he jumped out and opened her door.
“Wow-- this is very high off the ground.”
He helped her down and she did her best to hide her grin. They walked towards the office and she slowed down.
“Ryan, I’m scared,” she admitted.
“You’ll love her, and whatever she says we’ll figure it out,” he said finally releasing her hand.
They walked in, and the secretary seated them in a small room to wait. Jade fidgeted the whole time. A tall pretty red head in her forties walked in.
"Ryan," she hugged him, “I was glad to hear from you.”
“Thank you for seeing us, I mean Jade. She has a lot of questions and needs you to tell her what she’s in store for legally,” he said.
“Well let’s talk through it. Hi Jade, you look nervous, kind of like you did the first time we met Ryan. Look at him Jade, he got through a very difficult time, and he’s still here.”
Jade asked a lot of questions, and Ryan asked a few too. She gave them more information than she even knew she needed. They walked out, and she called Ryan back in the office.
“You like her, don’t you Ryan?” she asked.
“She’s a sister to the twins, remember my friends who died in the accident?” he asked.
“I do. She seems great, very pretty and very scared. Be careful.”
“I don’t know what that means?” Ryan asked.
“If you like her as much as I’m sensing, go slow and easy,” she smiled.
“I will” he blushed.
They drove out of the parking lot, and he glanced at her.
“Jade, what’s up?” he asked.
"Well... I’m totally overwhelmed," she started to cry.
“You’re going to be fine. Let’s go feed my little buddy and then I’ll take you to school okay?” he asked.
She shook her head and grabbed his hand and put it on her belly, “Please.”
Ryan rubbed her belly as he drove into town. TJ kicked up a storm.
"That’s so cool," he said softly.
After they had eaten he dropped her off at school. He ran to the Auto store and bought steps for the passenger side of the SUV.
~
He told Lucas he’d swing by after the appointment to go over some blueprints, making up for the time he had missed. Ryan enjoyed this job very much, and he was good at it. Lucas had told his Dad to watch him. He and Lucas went over the blue prints and had plans for the next three days. Lucas went to check out Ryan’s new vehicle, and saw the steps. He helped put them on, and they talked about what the attorney had said.
Lucas texted Tessa
-Ryan is here why don’t you and Jade come over? I'll make dinner…LL
-Sounds good…LT
They pulled in and got out. They walked in, and dinner was on the patio. Lucas smiled when he saw Tessa. She smiled back, he was such a different person and so was she, they didn’t fight anymore, and when she saw his face whether it was first thing in the morning or times like now she felt like she was home.
"Hey baby," he kissed and hugged her, “I missed you today.”
They ate and talked about what the attorney had said and came to the conclusion that Jade, who had already planned to breast feed as long as she could, had nothing to worry about. No judge in their right mind would insist she express milk for her to share her new baby with them. Tessa had a picture of the hand print on her face that she knew might prove useful.
Lucas’s mom and her friend spent a lot of time together, “If you two want to stay here when I’m at school Jade, you can. Mom is thinking about moving in with her shrink, which I think is perfect,” he laughed and Tessa smacked him, “Tell me I’m wrong baby?” she laughed.
Her other options were to not name Tommy as the father on the birth certificate which she just couldn’t do.
“I’m pretty sure the breast feeding thing is going to work Jade, but you need to remember that’s a temporary fix. You can’t breast feed until he’s five,” Ryan said seriously.
"I can't believe we’re sitting here talking about how my boobs are going to save the day," Jade laughed.
Ryan wrote a few things down, “I’m going to call her in the morning and run this by her. Jade what are you willing to do, I mean can you give her a few hours a week for visitation or will that be too much?”
“I’d thought about letting her watch him while I was at school the two and a half hours five days a week, but I don’t think I can,” Jade said.
“No, I don’t think so, that is setting a precedence. Will they let you take him to school?” Ryan asked.
"I can find out.”
“Good, so what do you think, two hours on a Saturday or Sunday too much?” he asked.
"After what she did I would not like even that.”
Ryan wrote it down, “Okay, anything else?”
“Why are you doing all this for me Ryan?”
“That’s what friends do,” he got up, “Your brothers would want to know you’re being looked after.”
“Well thank you” she called after him. She looked confused and frustrated.
They hung out, and Ryan said he was going to go.
“Can you give Jade a ride?” Lucas asked.
“Sure, you ready?”
"Yes," she said quietly.
She walked to the truck and got in, “When did you get steps?”
“Earlier” his answer was short.
He pulled his hat down, he was uncomfortable.
They were about half way to Jade’s and had said nothing. Jade finally broke the silence.
“Ryan I don’t want you to feel like you have to do all this for me,” she said softly.
He pulled to the stop sign and looked at her.
“I don’t feel like I have to Jade, I want to. If it upsets you, I won’t,” he said as they pulled forward.
“I like you being here, and so does he," she said and grabbed his hand and put it on her belly.
Ryan smiled when he kicked
him. “Good.”
The week went by, and Friday night they all went to Tessa’s. Her Dad was not going to be home, and Tessa missed the kids. They decided to play baseball in the yard.
“Jade, can we talk for a minute?” Ryan asked.
“Only if you rub my belly.”
“Alright… come with me” Ryan said, and they walked into the living room.
“I talked to Julie, the lawyer, and right now she says that’s a good plan, she would like to have a meeting with Tommy’s parents and feel them out, are you willing to do that?” Ryan asked.
“What do you think I should do?” she said and grabbed his hand and put it on her belly and laid her head on his lap.
“Well,” he said nervously. “If that’s okay with you I think you should.”
She was staring up at him as he rubbed her belly and smiled.
“Then I will.” The baby kicked, and she laughed, “He likes you as much as I do.”
"You want to kick me?" Ryan laughed.
“Nope,” she said grinning and bit her lip.
He closed his eyes and sat back, he rubbed her belly some more. She sat up and touched his face and kissed his cheek. “Thank you Ryan.”
The meeting would be in two weeks. Ryan agreed to go.
Chapter 16
Tessa woke up at three in the morning thinking of Lucas. Her Dad had already left, and the kids were at her mom’s. She had an awesome dream, and she could not get it out of her head. She showered and brushed her teeth. She jumped in the Jeep and drove to his house. She used her key to get in. She went in his closet and put on the black outfit she had bought when she was prom dress shopping. She grabbed the whip and giggled. What am I doing? She looked over, and he lay without covers, the moonlight beaming across his body. He looked so peaceful sleeping, she watched him for awhile.
His alarm went off, and he mumbled “Ten more minutes,” and went to hit the snooze.
She took the whip and lightly hit his hand, he instinctively pulled it back and rubbed his eyes, he went for it again, and she hit his hand again. He sat up and opened his sleepy eyes and squinted rubbing them again.
"No way," he said under his breath and opened his eyes again.
She raised her eyebrow at him.
“Tessa, you look so fucking…” he stood up, and she pushed him back gentle with the whip.
He smiled and sat back. She walked over and pushed play on his stereo. She danced slowly to Alice Cooper’s Poison, and he watched her steamy eyed and jaw tight. He went to stand again, and she pushed the whip into him. The song finished, and she went and straddled him and pushed him down. She slowly kissed his belly and moved lower.
“Baby…” he moaned.
They got out of the bed and kissed, “I want to wake up like that every day for the rest of my life” he said smiling.
“We will, I love you” she threw on underwear and a tank top and ran downstairs and made him breakfast.
He ran downstairs, “We’re going shopping after you get out of school today.”
Lucas scooped her up and kissed her.
“Oh yeah? What are we going shopping for?” she laughed.
“More outfits. Fucking hot!”
~
After class Jade seemed irritated.
“What’s going on Jade?” Tessa asked as they pulled out.
“I’m hungry” she said and looked down. “And I like Ryan, Tessa… I really like him.”
“Have you told him?”
“No, I don’t want him to run scared, don’t you tell Lucas,” she snapped.
“I won’t. But he would never tell him.”
“He would hate me, Tommy has only been gone for four and a half months, and I have a crush on someone? What the hell is that about?!”
“Jade, Tommy wouldn’t want you to be alone. You’re seventeen, and in a couple weeks you’ll be eighteen. He would never expect you to be alone forever. Ryan’s a good guy, he works hard, cares for you, TJ likes him more than me,” Tessa gaffed, “and he’s really nice to look at. I was thinking the other day; he has a very sexy voice. Deep and smooth Jade, I bet he would be…”
“Can we go eat, please?”
Tessa laughed and pulled over to text Lucas.
-Hey hot stuff, Jade is starving, and we are going to stop and feed TJ. Hope you’re not upset…LT
-Not at all. Just getting ready to leave here myself, where you going?...LL
-Probably Olive Garden to carb her up…LT
-Great, text me later baby…LL
They walked in to the restaurant to get a table. Lucas walked out and smiled.
“Would you like to join us?” he smiled, “There’s no wait.”
They sat down, Ryan pulled the chair out for Jade and Lucas did the same for Tessa.
“You know it’s going to take a lot more than that to get me to go home with you sir,” she whispered.
“Alright” he smiled. “Will that at least get me to the parking lot?”
“Of course” she smiled and started to stand up.
He laughed, “Could we eat first?”
“Sure you can” she laughed and sat down.
“You hungry Jade?” Lucas asked.
"Yes," she looked down.
“You okay?” Lucas asked.
"Yes, thank you," she said quietly.
The waiter brought out bread and salad. Jade took a bread stick and nibbled on it. Tessa looked at her.
“Jade what’s up?” Ryan asked.
“Nothing,” she answered.
“Then eat-- little man is hungry,” he rubbed her belly.
She jumped.
"Oh sorry," he said and raised his hands in the air.
“Hey Lucas, I think I forgot to lock the Jeep, come with me please?” she looked at him with her eyes wide. He followed her out.
“Sorry if I offended you Jade,” he whispered.
She looked down, “You didn’t, I like when you do that.”
“Ok, so what just happened, are you alright?” he asked.
“No, Ryan I’m not” she got teary eyed.
“Jade do you need to go to the doctor?”
“No, ” she said and a tear dropped down her face, “Ryan I actually like when you touch my belly, I like that you’re around whenever I need you, I like you, really like you, and I know it’s stupid that you’re just a really good friend, and I’m knocked up at seventeen and…”
“Are you done yet?” he asked.
“No…”
“Can I kiss you?”
Her eyes widened. “Do you honestly want…” she started, and he kissed her.
Tessa and Lucas walked in, and they both smiled and sat down. Jade and Ryan didn’t even notice they had returned.
Ryan started to pull back, and Jade grabbed the back of his head and kissed him again. The waitress came to the table, and Tessa giggled. Jade jumped, and they both looked around. She blushed.
“Can I tell Lucas now?” Tessa asked and laughed.
"Shut up, Tessa," Jade looked down.
“Can I tell Jade how you have looked at her since I met you?” Lucas asked.
"Shut up Lucas," Ryan said.
“You hungry now, Jade?” Tessa asked.
"Yes," she laughed.
Ryan sat back and rubbed his hands through his hair and took a deep breath. Jade looked at him and smiled. He smirked and looked down.
Jade ate until she couldn’t move, “Can I give you a ride home?”
“Yes, please Ryan.”
~
Tessa and Lucas went shopping. He threw everything he saw in the basket and she laughed. She grabbed a pair of elephant trunk underwear and smiled at him, he shook is head no. She grabbed a pair of banana undies and he dragged her out of the department and to the cash register he grabbed a pair of handcuffs, she shook her head no, and he raised his eyebrow and said, “Oh yes”.
They checked out, and she tried to pay, he pushed her back and laughed. The cashier was red by the time she f
inished ringing them out. They walked out laughing and right into Sadi.
“Well hello there Lucas, hey Tessa” she smiled, “You guys a happy couple now?”
“Hello Sadi, how are you?” he asked.
“Oh great, you know it’s been a rough year though. I’m sorry about Tommy” she said. “But I see you got through that just like you did when our baby died. Tessa did he tell you it was a boy?”
“I’m very sorry, Sadi,” Tessa looked down.
“Why are you sorry it made it easier for you?” Sadi laughed.
“It wasn’t a competition Sadi, we talked about that,” Lucas said calmly.
"Oh wow check out that ring, Tessa!”
“Sadi are you still seeing your therapist?” Lucas asked.
“Nope, I’m all set though. You both have a great night, oh and enjoy whatever is in that bag.” She began walking away, she stopped. “By the way, I got into SU Lucas, where are you going?” she laughed as she walked away.
“You okay?” they both asked each other at the same time.
He hugged her.
“Lucas, your baby was a boy?”
“Yes,” he looked away.
“You wanna leave, bud?” she asked rubbing his back.
"No-- I want to forget about that and go into that store," he smiled.
“Okay Lucas, if that’s what you want.” He gave her a look. “I love you, and I want you to be okay, it’s not pity Lucas”
“I know,” he kissed her.
They went in, and he grabbed a bunch of front clasp bras and boy shorts, he made sure they all had matching pieces. He grabbed crotch less panties and two garter belts.
“Alright I think we’re good for now” he kissed her head.
They stood in line, his arm around her. She was embarrassed and put her head in his chest. As they were being rung up Tessa heard a familiar voice and looked up.
“I can take it from here; you can take your break now.”
She took a deep breath and looked down. Lucas didn’t even react. He kissed her head again and squeezed her.
“I see you still like the front clasp, did you finally master that?” Sadi asked, and he didn’t respond. “Oh boy shorts, that’s new. These aren’t though, did he ask you not to wear panties yet?” she whispered. “Four hundred thirty two dollars and eighty cents, you sure she’s worth it, you don’t have to pick hay out of these do you?”
