New Love (37 page)

“It’s ok
ay I just have plans today, I’ll talk to you later,” Jade walked out quickly.

“Yes you will, I have rights to that chil
d too Jade--- don’t you forget it!”

Tessa turned around and looked at her, “Is ever
ything okay?”

“No, it’s not, she took my baby away and now she doesn’t think I should have the right to have this one under my roof, I told he
r she could stay, too!”

“With all due respect ma’am
, this is her child.” Tessa said cautiously.

“Who’
s going to help her, to make sure he is alright, her drugged up Mother?” she yelled at Tessa.

“I’
m very sorry for your loss, but she is carrying a child. You shouldn’t be upsetting her right now. She has dealt with a lot lately. She made the choice to keep this baby. Her mother won’t be involved, but I’ll help her,” Tessa said softly.

"Oh great
… two hormone filled little whores raising my grandson!"

“Ma’am
, would Tommy want you to treat her like that?” she asked.

She slapped Tessa across the face and was shocked by her reaction, “Wel
l then I’ll see her in court!” She slammed the door in Tessa’s face.

Tessa got in the Jeep “Tessa
, I’m sorry are you okay?” Jade cried.

“I’
m fine, it takes more than that to push us Ross’s down. Remember that Jade--- we got this” Tessa held her hand.

The rest of the ride was quiet, and when they got to
Lucas’, everyone was there.

“You ready for this or should we drive for awhile?” Tessa asked.

"Let's just sit here for a few minutes," Jade said. “Oh Tessa her finger prints are on your face, we should go get some ice on that.”

"We can wait
a few minutes," Tessa hugged her.

Lucas
and Ryan walked out, and both were in swim trunks, sunglasses and white hats.

“What’s going on ladies?”
Lucas asked.

“We’
ll be in, in just a few minutes” she smiled still hugging Jade.

“Alright then
,” he said and bent in to kiss her.

"Alright see you in a
few.”

Tessa noticed Jade checking out Ryan
as he walked away.

“Whatcha looking at Jade?” she laughed.

“Is he hot, or is it the hormones?”

“He has alway
s been a doll Jade.”

"White hat and horm
ones are not helping," Jade laughed as she wiped away her tears.

They walked in the
house a few minutes later and changed into bathing suits. They went out to join their friends. Jade had a perfect pregnant body, she was tall and had only gained weight in her belly and boobs, from behind you wouldn’t even know she was pregnant. She wore a bikini with a cover over it and looked so damn cute.

"Baby
, you look hot," he kissed Tessa’s cheek.

Tessa looked at him and shook her head no and mad a sad face and looked at Jade.

"But Jade I have to tell you I have never seen you look more beautiful," he said “Can I touch your belly?”

Tessa smiled.

Jade sat down, “Sure, but he hasn’t moved a lot today.”

"I can ma
ke him," Lucas said.

He tried, but he wouldn’t move.

“He might be upset; it’s been a rough night. What if something is wrong with him Tessa?” she asked.

Ryan walked over, “He’
s fine Jade, may I?”

"
Please do.”

“Ok little guy you’re freaking your Momma out,” Ryan put his hand on her belly.

He didn’t kick. Ryan rubbed her belly a little and he kicked. Ryan smiled, and Jade grinned and bit her lip and immediately realized how she was looking at him.

“Thanks Ryan,” she
stood up and walked into the house.

She grabbed a glass of water and took some deep breaths.

"Not cool, Jade," she said aloud.

Tessa laughed “Hormones Jade?”

“Maybe Tessa but he has always been around, since my brothers. He’s always been so nice, quiet but nice. I just don’t know. Tommy has been gone for three months and I miss being touched and feeling …loved. I don’t want to lose my friend because I’m a freaking ball of hormones right now.” She hugged Tessa, “But he is cute right?”

Tessa laughed, “Always has been
, Jade.”

They walked outside, and Phoebe, Alex, Becca, Cassidy and Becca’s boyfriend Joshua were there.

“Tessa-- what happened to your face?” Alex asked.

Lucas walked over and grabbed her chin moving her
head, “What the fuck happened to you?”

“Tommy’s mom slapp
ed her” Jade answered, “hard too.”

“Fucking cu…” Tessa put her hand over his mouth.

“Why?” Alex asked.

Jade told them about waking up in the middle of the night and she was sitting on the bed looking at her. That she had asked her to live there when the baby was born so that she could help raise him and teach her how to be a mother. It scared Jade. Then she told them about what she had said to Tessa. And then she finally broke down and cried. Ryan walked behind her and rubbed her head.

“Jade don’t cry. Crazy ass grandma can be dealt with," he said.

“She is
fucking crazy!” Lucas spat as he paced back and fourth.

“What do you mean?” Jade asked.

Lucas told stories about when he used to stay with them, and Tommy’s older sister used to sneak in and kiss him at night. He was twelve, and she was fourteen, every time they got caught she would freak out.

“So one
night, Lucy came in and climbed in bed with me and kissed me, and she walked in. She brought me back here at three in the morning at thirteen years old. Tommy was pissed, and snuck out, he spent the night here. She never got over it, and I never stayed with them again. Tommy knows his Mom’s a judgmental bitch Jade, he wouldn’t be mad at you if you didn’t speak to her again. He couldn’t wait to get out of there!” Lucas explained.

“That’s crazy, he never told me” Jade said. “But I have heard of grandparent
’s rights before.”

“I have a great lawyer who specialized in
custody; I’ve known her for six years. I’ll call her Monday morning, and you can sit down with her,” Ryan said still rubbing her back.

“Thank you Ryan. Y
ou have a six year old?” she asked.

“No Jade” he laughed. “I met her when my crac
k head parents got out of jail. They were fighting to get me back, and the Brooks’ had already started the adoption process. She is very smart and will answer all of your questions. So stop stressing, and maybe little TJ will move for you,” he said and patted her head and walked away.

She took a deep breath and Tessa laughed.

“Get that hat off his head,” she whispered.

“It’s not the hat Jade
, it’s the whole package,” she laughed. “Hey Lucas why didn’t you tell me about Lucy?”

“Tessa you know everyone I have had sex with, you really want to know about all that I did with ev
eryone else with?” he laughed.

“Yes
, and now please,” she stood up and walked inside.

He walked in with his head down and grabbed a cold pack out of the freezer and put it on her face.

“That’s going to bruise. We really need to do this?” he asked.

“No, just let me know if we are in the same room or at the same function or something, I just don’t want to feel like an idiot,” she said.

“Okay, no problem. You want to go back out now?” he asked, taking her hand.

“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 pu
t 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 seate
d 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 do
n’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.