Chapter 496) Baby Shower

“Life will break you.
Nobody can protect you from that, and being alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning.
You have to love. You have to feel.
It is the reason you are here on earth. You have to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up.
And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes too near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself that you tasted as many as you could.”

Louise Erdrich

San Sequoia
Connor & Keira's home

Connor and his dog Morpheus both looked up when Keira entered the kitchen. She smiled at both.

“Morning boys.”

The dog raised up from his laying position so Keira could snuggle him briefly, she planted a kiss on the top of the jet-black, shiny fur on his head, then raised up and kissed Connor.

After they separated, chuckling, he shook his head to pour her coffee.

“What?”

“Tells me where I rank in this household. First the dog gets smooched, then the husband. Married for just over two months and I became the boring, unloved toy, that was fast.”

“We BOTH always snuggle Morphy first! Don’t you give me a rough time. My mood’s already in the basement. Another bust, Connor. Another negative test. Still not pregnant. I think I need some booze with my coffee this morning.”

“As I told you about five million times: you’ll get pregnant when the time is right. Nobody wins on first shot. Well, those who do should buy a lottery ticket. It’s that rare. It may take us 6 months or longer, that’s the average, so listen to your husband, the doctor. I do this for a living, Keke. I know what I am talking about here. You need breakfast and to get dressed. Are you even packed yet?”

“What?”

“AG’s baby shower. It’s tomorrow. We said we’d be there …our flight leaves in 4 hours. Did you really forget?”

“Oh no, not THAT now too. Yeah, I forgot. I mean, why is fate so cruel? Everyone is having babies, everyone but us. Can’t we tell her you had a medical emergency, and we can’t make it? You know she only invited us because we invited her to our wedding. I mean, we barely have anything to do with that side of your family.”

“My family? Try OUR family. Babe, you married into this crowd. They are YOURS now too. And yes, we are going. And if I have to dress you and carry you.”

“Your parents aren’t even going. Why do we have to? You’re only the cousin. At least your dad is AG’s uncle …even though he is a lot younger than her mom and Vivien used to torture him when they were kids. No surprise, knowing her. I just can’t with her and her entire family. Entitled bitches with short fuses, all of them, except Nick’s wife, who is a total stuck up sleeping pill. Ugh.”

“Hehehe, down girl. Aunt Viv is a bit much sometimes, but I got no beef with the rest of them and Adrianna is actually really nice, just a lot calmer than the rest of them. And Aunt Vivien didn’t torture my dad, they bickered like siblings do, plus she had already moved out by the time my dad was a teen and dad admittedly was a total nerd, sooo … my little sisters bicker, even though they are peas in a pod.”

“Why is AG pregnant anyway? She clearly doesn’t want a kid, she does not need a kid, I doubt she can handle one, she’s just as mentally unstable as her mother, which is probably why her two other kids live with their father. Speaking of who’s even the father this time? It’s just not fair! We should be pregnant, not her. At least we would love that baby and be great parents! Look at Morpheus, he is better behaved than most children. We took him on our honeymoon with us! And if he isn’t a spoiled rotten and happy dog, then I don’t know which dog would be! If we’re like that with pets, can you imagine our child’s life?”

“I don’t mind the practice to be honest, far as I am concerned, there is no real rush to get you knocked up. It’ll happen when it happens. I mean, we’ve literally been together our entire lives, dated since we were teens, until recently we weren’t in any rush to get hitched, nor to procreate, we got years to go till we’re thirty, so I am not sure why there should be such a rush order on it now. Other than our last names and which box we check when filling out forms, nothing has changed really. But if you are concerned, maybe we should up the babymaking efforts some.” Grinning, Connor wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Such a dude thing to say!”

“Well, last I checked I WAS a dude, so I say dude things, despite your, my mom’s and your mom’s intense efforts to turn me into a girl at times. Let’s be glad that failed or getting us pregnant would be much more complicated. So much easier if you have tab A to insert into slot B. Also medical terms.” Connor’s attempt at humor fell on deaf ears.

“You think there’s something wrong with me? Or us? With the whole unturning I mean, maybe something broke, or is non-functional. Maybe we can’t have kids now.”

“Keke …”

“You’re a doctor, can’t you run some tests, just to make sure.”

“If I agree to run those extremely unnecessary tests, not because I think we need them, we don’t, but to give you peace of mind, will you promise to be your sweet self for AG’s baby shower and not tell her what you said about her and the baby and about her family?”

“Fine, deal!”

“Okay, fine. Now let’s eat up, then get ready. You need to get dressed and packed. My dad will be here in less than two hours to grab Morphy and to drive us to the airport.”

Brindleton Bay
White Ivy Estate, Aria-Grace's home
The next morning

I woke up thinking how a baby shower was … well … not something I wanted, but everyone insisted I needed it. So, here we were, the morning of the dreaded baby shower, and all I wanted to do was roll over in my bed and stay here for at least a month. Sadly, no matter how hard I fought to stay put, even though I was still only in my first trimester, I had to pee like a racehorse every morning. Nature ALWAYS won that battle.

I had just finished my morning business and dragged my butt downstairs for coffee when some red car came up the driveway. Never seen it before, a rental as it would turn out.

Connor and Keira were in from out of town, Addy had insisted I had to invite them to the baby shower since they had invited me to their wedding, and here they were at the buttcrack of dawn to check out my still pretty new home, meet my cat and my horses, since they hadn’t seen any of it yet. Despite of me being still bed-headed, with no make up on, unbrushed teeth and in my pjs, I was pleasant and polite. Well, -ish. I did my best.

While they were going on and on about all the remarkable and fun things that happened on their extended honeymoon, I was making the desperately needed coffee, when Connor suddenly paused in mid-story and rushed out back. I turned to Keira, who shrugged, so I went after him to investigate.

Lo and behold, Connor had Jack by the collar, the two men were arguing until I joined, some indescribable oddish sound of genuine surprise escaped me.

“AG!” Jack just said when he spotted me. I said nothing. I couldn’t. WTF was he doing here? Which fresh hell did I wake up into!?

“You know this creep?” Connor asked.

I nodded, so Connor let go of Jack, but not without a shove, sending him stumbling backwards.

Connor had always been very athletic, which nobody really ever used to acknowledge enough since he was born a vampire who were known to be uber-strong. Now he no longer was a vamp, but his athleticism and strength prevailed and were very impressive.

“Who’s that, AG!? Who is he?! My replacement? A brawny blonde pretty boy?! A surfer dude with a fake tan?! That’s your type ..?” Jack rambled on, surprising me with the implied jealousy. Connor wasn’t surprised, nor amused.

“I promise you my tan is very real and I haven’t surfed a minute of my life, but good idea, will definitely try that next. Better question: who are you? Or let me guess, AG, is this him? The secret baby daddy?”

I sighed, nodding.

“I am a baby daddy?! So, I was right! I knew it! You lied to me! You … LIED … What the hell, woman!?” Jack ranted, and now I realized how badly his voice was slurred, and he wasn’t fully stable when standing, swaying lightly.

“You’re drunk!” I unnecessarily stated the blatantly obvious.

“Not drunk enough. I’ll be drunker … just had to know …” cursing colorfully, Jack stumbled as he turned to walk off, but Connor caught him, Jack tried to fight him off, but as you can guess, that went nowhere, especially not in Jack’s current condition.

“Where’s your guest room? AG, this guy needs to sleep it off. He is not leaving your property like this.” Connor decided as he turned to me, holding a struggling Jack firmly with one hand.

“No, Connor … he can’t … you don’t understand …. he’s not … in the picture …” I struggled for a somewhat intelligible explanation that wouldn’t take me four hours since this story was very convoluted, but only got one arched eyebrow from Connor.

“You don’t understand, AG. He leaves here and anything he does, any accident he causes or gets into will be on our conscience. I can’t let that happen. He’s staying right here, and if I have to sit down at the curb with him till he is sober enough for me to feel comfortable enough to drive somewhere with him.”

“I don’t want your help, pretty boy. Don’t need it. I don’t want her guess broom … guesT room… I want … I wanna …I …I …I wanna …” Jack’s slurring got worse.

“Yeah, I wanna-wanna too, but you are still not leaving, buddy. Let’s get you inside so you can dwell on what you want and don’t want there.” Connor decided.

“Put him on the couch then.” I sighed defeated. So much for me being rid of Jack once and for all. Just like a boomerang he was back, my lie was out the window and Nick had yelled at me in vain for this. Splendid! Argh.

Connor grabbed Jack’s arm, flung it around his neck and started schlepping him inside.

“Keke, run me some water, lukewarm, and get a rag, lil soap on it and a towel. I need to clean this guy up a bit, he’s absolutely filthy. And AG make some real coffee, extra-strong and plenty of it. This bruh here needs all the help he can get to reanimate his brain cells. And bring a lot of water, he needs fluids to help with the hangover he’ll have.”

“Aspirin maybe?” I suggested.

“Nah, without being able to know for sure what he may or may not be on other than the booze and not knowing his vitals and health status I don’t wanna chance reactions or something. We’ll do it the long way. Better safe than sorry.”

“Nnnnnnnnot a junkie! And not your bruh – I don’t get hangovers and take your hands off me. Get off me!” Jack argued, ridiculously slapping at Connor like a cranky toddler, which Connor completely ignored with the patience of a seasoned medical professional as he lowered Jack down on my beautiful white couch. I should probably say formerly white. Connor was right, Jack was nasty filthy. Yup, ladies and gentlemen, I tapped that. My baby daddy, right there. Jealous yet? Pardon the sarcasm.

“I am a doctor, and you are in no condition to go anywhere, Jack. So, yeah, this is happening. We’re gonna clean you up, hydrate you and then you will take a nice nappy like a good boy. The longer you fight me, the longer this will drag out, the longer you will have to deal with my pretty boy face and the less nice I will be.”

Keira had rejoined us, placing a peck on Connor’s cheek as she assisted him, not even questioning any of his fairly short command-like requests, while I felt like the fifth wheel in my own home.

“Wait – so YOU are with HIM?” Jack finally deduced, with uncoordinated movements he shakily pointed first at Keira, then Connor.

“Yup. Pretty boy’s all mine, and I am his proud Misses. Did you think I was his travelling nurse? Hee hee hee.” giggling, Keira briefly wiggled the finger with her wedding set on it in Jack’s face.

“So, you are not with AG?” Jack continued with Connor.

“Ha – she wishes … ” Keira said, winking in my direction, making me roll my eyes.

“He’s my cousin. So, no, I am not with him and no, I do not wish I were either, KEIRA.” I said with an annoyed tone. Keira had hit a nerve, even though probably unknowingly. Not like I was keen to join the cousin kissing community, but a guy like Connor would be just what I needed, someone like that would be so nice for a change, instead of falling for my usual assortment of gay guys and men with screwed up priorities.

“Ah, you’re one of them …” Jack now babbled after some mysterious lightbulb moment must have hit him.

“Them? Them what? Them Camerons? Yeah, I would be one of those.” Connor told him, chuckling.

“Cameron-Vatore, actually, cos we are progressive like that.” Keira added giggling, as she kissed Connor again. Urgh, newlyweds. Yuck.

“Nah, one of them Fangs …” Jack explained, still slurring his words.

Connor and Keira traded glances, laughing.

“Listen friend. No, I am not a vamp. But you still won’t have a chance, so don’t even try. Just be a good boy, let me do my thing, and we won’t have a problem. I will even overlook you trespassing on AG’s property. You know better than to creep around yards of women who live alone, dontcha? That kinda BS lands people in emergency rooms!”

“No, he doesn’t know better … Trespassing is kinda his brand.” I couldn’t help myself.

“YOU trespassed on MY property first!” Jack slurred, gesturing wildly.

“You threw me in a pond!” I countered.

“Okay, NOW I am interested. I need hear the rest of this.” Keira giggled, and her ears literally seemed to perk up like a dog’s.

“Keke …” Connor said.

“What? It sounds hilarious.” Keira shrugged.

“She was being a spoiled brat.” Jack slurred at her.

“Yeah, THAT sounds about right.” Keira laughed.

“You got a problem with me, Keira?!” I challenged, unnerved. Unlike her, I was NOT amused.

“Yeah, I do. What the fuck are you doing with your life, AG? Some people … hmph…”

Connor let off Jack to silence Keira’s outburst with a very intense kiss that made my toes curl, and I wasn’t even at the receiving end of it, but it was that hot.
I wished I had myself a Connor, but all I had was a Jack. A drunk, stinky, filthy, aggravating, annoying, trespassing, with shoes on my white couch lounging, and emotionally unavailable Jack, who rather chased other people’s cows than boink me. Meh! Bet Connor wouldn’t even miss a beat if anybody rang their doorbell in the middle of them humping, and he certainly wouldn’t run after lifestock instead of nailing Keira. I sure knew how to pick ’em. A gay ex, an ex whose Cromwell name meant more than my emotional and physical wellbeing, I don’t even have words for Mauro Conti, whom I meanwhile found out had been married with children while he and I had that ‘casual thing fling’ – and then Jack. Nuff said.

Gawd, my taste in men reeked to high heavens. If I ever give you relationship advice, cover your ears and run. Do the opposite. Eesh.

When the kiss FINALLY ended, with a huff at me, Keira left the room. What had SHE to be grumpy about now?! In typical Cameron fashion, my filter came off.

“Unbelievable! I will NEVER understand why a guy like you ends up with a bitch like her!” I told Connor.

“Hey, slow your roll cuz, that’s my better half you are dissing. Do I need to kiss you too to shut you up?” Connor chuckled, his joke caused Jack to pop up like a whack-a-mole.

“DON’T You DARE!” Jack threatened, trying to sit up to probably fight Connor, but it backfired. For him and for me, as he got violently ill and threw up on my floor. Almost instantly the most putrid stench filled the air of my cozy living room that usually smelled pleasantly of expensive scented candles and diffused oils.

OMG! Somebody PLEASE shoot me. Put me out of this misery. What the ACTUAL …?!

“Eeew! Just lovely!” I exclaimed, then ran out of the room, holding my mouth as I was now sick to the stomach as well. Blame the baby. And Jack. Eew. So gross.

“Smooth moves. Feel better now?” Connor asked Jack, mildly annoyed.

“No. Dammit. Sorry. THIS is why. THIS. I can’t … I am not … I … and she …ARGH!” Jack tried to explain something, none of it made any sense, and he was fighting another bout of sickness.

“Yeah, I get that. Look, I got no business talking here, I don’t know why AG and you are at odds or why you show up here drunk, but how about I’ll get you a taxi and send you back home. With a bucket in your lap. I don’t think this is gonna go anywhere good from here.” Connor suggested.

“Ha – that’ll be a long ride and you’d have to pay for it. I ain’t got that kind of money. My truck gave out on me, dead as a doornail about 3/4 of the way here, I had to leave it at the side of the road and go the rest on foot. That truck’s a goner. You wouldn’t understand. You’re probably rich too. All of you are rich. But I am not. I am not rich. I am not.” Jack rambled on.

“Got it. Look, I am definitely not famous, wifey and I keep it all low-key, but can’t complain moneywise. Partially because we both have regular careers and work hard for a living, but not gonna lie, we’re comfortable for the same reason why AG is. Blaine Cameron is our grandpa, it all trickled down from there. He’s famous, which helped our parents be famous, dot dot dot. So, Jack – you’re not from here. Kinda figured. But where do you hail from? Just for shits and giggles, no worries, I won’t drop by for visits.”

“Chess-nut Ri… URGH!” Jack threw up again right when I had returned with a bucket of water and cleaning supplies, which I dropped at the sight of Jack convulsing on my expensive stained hardwood floors and formerly white rug again. Keira appeared behind me.

The stench of vomit made me sick, so I ran out of the room. Keira stepped in further, also started dry-heaving and ran out.

With a sigh, Connor grabbed the bucket and got to work.

“Hey, you don’t need .. I will …” Jack tried to stop Connor.

“YOU, stay put. I am a doctor. I am used to worse. No biggie.”

“You’re a good man. Your wife is nice. Pretty, very pretty. Got any kids?”

Connor looked up.

“One more word out of you about kids and I will mop this up with your face, Jack. Sore subject around my girl. We just started trying for a baby couple months ago and she is freaking out that she’s not at least 5 months along yet or something, makes no sense, I know that, you know that, but whatever you do, don’t bring up babies.” Connor smirked; Jack chuckled.

“Got it. You’re a nice couple. I wish I …” Jack started, but visibly emotional, he stopped.

Connor gave him a look.

“There is a long story attached to it all, isn’t there?” Connor guessed.

Jack nodded.

“Does AG know that story?” Connor inquired.

Jack shook his head.

“But you’re the daddy of her baby, right?”

Jack shrugged.

“She said I am, my gut tells me I am, but then she told me she lost the baby, sent me away, said she hated me. I left. Weeks ago. But then I just couldn’t let it go, I can’t explain why, so I came back and …”

“Jack, I don’t know if you are sober enough yet to grasp this, but you need to have a brass tacks talk with AG. Whatever your story is, and whatever you are afraid of her reaction being to it, guarantee ya it would only be a hundred times worse if she found out herself, and then probably unforgivable, while now you have a chance – and you know the truth always has a way of coming out. I am no expert, but from the sounds of it, this is a lot more than some strange booty call situation gone wrong. You’re invested, so is AG. But I am a medical expert and finding out for sure if you are the father just takes a quick blood test, even as early on as AG is and if you ask her, knowing her, she’d be more than happy to do it for your peace of mind. I know AG well enough to know that if she says you are the father, then you can take that to the bank. So, rest up Jack, cos you have a party to attend in a few hours.”

“Nah, I don’t do parties.”

“You’ll make an exception then. Two choices: door one, you wanna be in that baby’s life, and possibly AG’s, then you are going to a baby shower party with us. Door two, as soon as you’re at a level of sober I am comfortable with, I will drive you to the airport and stick you on a plane home. Choose wisely.”

“What the heck is a baby shower?”

“Exactly what it sounds like, basically a birthday party for the unborn baby. Usually later in the pregnancy, but when half your family are celebrities with busy schedules, you do it when you can get them all together. My real suspicion is though that they are doing this so AG finally gets into this whole pregnancy thing, knowing she wasn’t gonna keep the baby initially.”

“So, AG’s mother is gonna be there?”

“Oh yeah! You kidding me? Aunt Viv wouldn’t miss this for nothing.”

“Ah, crap. I gotta think about this. Her mother hates me and the rest of her family is … umm … what’s the word …”

“Intense? Yeah, that’s a Cameron family trait. Everyone at that party is gonna be intense, and if not, then they are just friends or in-laws.”

“You are a terrible salesman, Connor.”

“Who cares, I am pretty boy, right? Rest up, I’ll get you some coffee and then I am gonna dig through my bag to see if I have anything decent that would fit you, cos you need to shower and change, you smell like raw sewage, man.”

“I’d like to see you after hiking for hundreds of miles with nothing but a couple bucks to your name.”

“I’d know gas stations have sinks and I’d have packed a bag with deodorant and a change of clothing. I’d have also not looked for answers at the bottom of some cheap booze bottles. So, I’d still look like this, Jack.”

“Smartass.”

“Also, a Cameron family trait.” chuckled Connor.

Windenburg
Westbury Golf Course event center
A few hours later

Walking into my baby shower would have been harrowing for me before, now I felt like Anne Boleyn on the way to the gallows.

Everyone turned to us, all eyes on me, everyone cheered, but there was a hitch in the cheering when Jack came into view, followed by Connor and Keira, probably blocking him from just turning around and running away. It had crossed my mind, and this was supposed to be MY party.

The disbelief and shock of all the guests was palatable. I saw my mom’s reaction, dad and Nick’s eyes almost fell out;

Adrianna’s head turned to Nick whispering something to which he nodded. Addy had never met Jack, but Nick had, so I can easily guess her question.

Bianca’s mouth was open, I was a terrible bestie for blindsiding her like that, but honestly, I didn’t have the time to call and update her as everything happened so fast. Gavin just raised his eyebrows.

Next to Bianca were her and my new friends from the Bay, Valerie Deverell and Beth Whitfield, both heiresses from long lines of the old guard, the old money crowd of Brindleton Bay. Questionable if we’d still be friends after this show, I saw both continuously whisper to each other. I had told them the father of my baby was a deadbeat and MIA, yet, here I was rolling up next to him. I bet THIS wasn’t proper etiquette and I also bet they didn’t expect a guy like Jack as my baby daddy. Well, surpriiiiiise. I had great style, impeccable taste in clothing; in men, not so much.

Speaking of failed choices in men, Rohan was there too, and even his usually deep brown skin seemed a lot paler than normal, and his husband Darren next to him probably regretted having accepted my invite. Darren didn’t attend many of the Cameron events, usually with the excuse of staying home with the kids, and he was so much like Rohan, mellow, kind and definitely not into any sort of drama.

Oh boy.

Once everyone had recovered enough to greet me, mom came over.

“AG …” her tone said more than any words could.

“Was HIS idea!” I pointed at Connor next to me, he smiled while shrugging at my mother.

“Of course it was. Seriously Connor? Where do you get off?! Your nose does NOT belong in this business, and you don’t know the half of it. Just like your dad, always with this weird, surreal and idealistic view of the world and you just have to meddle, hell or high water, often making things worse instead of helping. Chase had his head always in the clouds or in front of a video game, never had a clue, still doesn’t, and neither do you! Had it not been for your mother, Connor, our Chase would probably STILL be sitting in his room at Cameron Mansion in front of video games, completely out of touch with reality. Had Hailey not been such an influence in his life, you wouldn’t even be here, kiddo. In other words, my kids, Liam and I do not need Chase’s advice, nor his sidekick’s, thank you very much, Connor.”

“I’d be happy to discuss my out-of-touch world views with you later, Auntie Viv, you might be happy to know that my dad barely has time to play video games these days, you may have noticed that just like you, he has a very successful music career, I can also vouch that he was and is a very dedicated father and husband, but go ahead and list all the times dad or I made things worse, cos, I’ll be honest, nothing comes to mind. And I get it, everyone knows how close you are with your kids, the quintessential Mama Bear, you want to protect AG, I totally get that, but that guy, Jack, made that baby. It’s his baby too, his DNA, and he clearly wants to be a part of it. Ergo, no guy, no baby, no baby shower, so without him, this wouldn’t be happening. With all due respect, he has every right to be here. How’s that for clueless surreal idealism, Auntie?” Connor told Vivien in a polite, but firm manner.

“Oh, we will see about that, young man. Paint me as the bad guy all you like, my sweet nephew, but wait till you have kids yourself, you’ll start seeing the world differently too, and you’ll realize, it’s not so simple and clean-cut at all. No, Connor, not in the real world. Sometimes you have to be the bad bitch, even appear cruel maybe, to achieve good, to protect. Everything we do has consequences. I have had my fair share of heartbreak, so bad I thought it would kill me at times, so I know how all that feels firsthand. I have nothing against Jack personally and I am well aware that he is the father of my future grandchild but look at the big picture Connor. You can’t deny that there is no scenario with smooth sailing for them, and my poor AG already had to bend every which way to accommodate the other father of her kids, only to end up cast aside with a broken heart. Once you have a child, and they come to you sobbing with heartbreak, THEN we will talk about my overreactions here again. Nothing kills you more than standing by helpless as your child suffers. So, fine, Jack can stay, but ONLY if Aria-Grace wants him to. I want to hear this from her, not YOU, Connor. If she doesn’t, or isn’t sure, watch me kick his reckless cowboy ass right out that door, whether he made that baby or not! You should know better than most, DOCTOR, that making a baby doesn’t take that much, but being a parent or a partner are two VERY different pairs of shoes, Connor. So? AG?”

I swallowed, then looked down.

“It’s fine, mom. He can stay. I hear you, I get where you are coming from, and I appreciate that you are trying to protect me, but Connor’s got a point. Without Jack, we wouldn’t be having this party.”

Mom looked at me, gave Connor a glare, which he acquitted with a grin, to which my mom nudged him in the mid-section, making him chuckle.

Then mom looked over at Jack standing a bit away from everyone else and headed over to him. I wanted to follow, Connor held me back, and I was shocked to hear my mom say

“Welcome Jack. What a surprise you could make it. Come along, you MUST try some of the Tartosian tartlets, my daughter-in-law Adrianna made them, she is Tartosian and an excellent chef.” Mom chirped, as she linked her arm with Jack’s, and dragged him with her over to the buffet. Hm. How about that?

“I think my mom might pull Jack into a dark corner and strangle him. I should stay close.” I told Connor, only really half-joking. I knew my mom was pissed at me for not having been more careful when having sex with a man like Jack, but I was her baby girl, she loved me so much and she was hella protective of both her kids, just like Connor said, so she directed all her anger at Jack, she didn’t know him, so he was the most ‘disposable’ in the picture. Guess that changed when I decided to have him here. Connor really wasn’t just yummy to look at, he really was a genius, like everyone said. If only he had a twin brother, who somehow wasn’t related to me at all. Again, I am only half-way joking.

“Naw, too many people around, you know how Vivien abhors bad publicity. He’ll be fine. Aunt Viv may talk a big game, but she has good heart, besides she would never kill the father of her grandkid. Do we know the gender?” Connor said now.

I pointed to a cake, waiting to be cut.

“Gender reveal cake.”

“Gotcha. AG, do the right thing. Follow your heart, and then listen to what your mind says. Not my place to say what to do with your life, or how and with whom you have a relationship, and according to your mom I am evidently a total airhead if it comes to relationships and family, but whatever you decide, that man IS the father. And I am pretty good at reading people. Jack’s a good guy, an acquired taste, but aren’t we all? Not saying marry him or move in with him but give him a chance to be a dad. Like I told your mom, without Jack, there wouldn’t be a baby, just remember that. If he flakes on you or turns out to be unreliable, you can still cut him loose. But then at least you know for sure.”

Well, I am not gonna pretend all my problems were solved just like that, but Connor was right. Jack should know his kid, and my baby should know his or her father. At least get a fair chance, until he blew it. If he did, at least I could rest easy knowing I tried.

We still faced the same challenges as before, but Jack forgave me, I forgave him, and it became a great memory, the party, and the photo of us cutting the gender reveal cake together.

We incited cheers when Jack decided to feed me the cake, like you do at a wedding. We both knew that wasn’t how it’s normally done, but didn’t care and it was so much fun. Really. Genuine, lighthearted fun. I felt good, for the first time in a long time, just good. Somehow, this felt … good.

Jack seemed to genuinely enjoy himself as well, forgotten was all the discord, anyone who didn’t know would never guess all the drama leading up to this moment.

Jack and I both were ‘damaged goods’, for lack of better terms. What each of us REALLY needed was a solid partner, someone to keep us grounded, someone like my cousin Connor.

I am not saying, not even thinking, that this would be some happy ending, nobody, including me, expected all the problems to just vanish and for Jack and me to have some instant moment where our lives turn into utopia, but it was rejuvenating to see everything so clearly for once. And after all, this wasn’t an ending anyway, but in a way a new beginning for all of us. We still didn’t know what our future would hold, then again, nobody really ever does.

Oh, and Bianca and my new friends were a lot cooler than I thought. We’re all still fast friends.