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She looks at me and then at Jackson but holds his look a little longer. "I spoke to your friend, and she said yes to all of them. Friday, she will have the rest of her friends to help," he tells her.
"You're still not going." I point to the stool for her to go sit down. "You're leaving the house with us. As you said last night Jack has eyes on the house, so you have to leave on Friday and you'll walk to the park with me, but you won't go see your friend."
“We’re going to go through a few tunnels, which Jackson and I will walk through tonight while John is here. We’re going to find a spot that’s safe—”
“Stop, please stop,” Hope says making us both look at her. “You have one day, Leo. One day to finish this. We’ll have enough people. I’ll have Jackson around meandmy friend so no one will be able to get close to me. You have one day, one shot. Please just—”
"Hope." I cut her off, but I have nothing to say. No words in my head to speak out loud to her. She is showing me this brave side of her that I've not seen before and I'm speechless.
The three of us sit here in silence. The reason Jackson and I are quiet is because we both know she’s right. We have one day, one shot.
"The doctor is coming this afternoon, and she'll book you in for a scan later too," I change the subject, as I think Friday is a conversation that I need to have with Jackson without Hope. No matter what we say, she'll want to do it her way, and nothing else will work.
“I want it to be a girl,” Jackson announces. I turn and frown at him. “Come on, you can’t push me out now! I have to get some say in all this.”
I grin. “And what if it’s a boy?” I ask him.
“Then I’ll be the fun one.”
“And if it’s a girl, you’re going to be what? Thenotfun one?”
“No, I’m going to make sure that no boy comes close to her. Her clothes are all passed by me and if— and I meanif—she dares to have a boyfriend, I think he’ll cry every time he thinks that he can touch her, as he’ll think of what I’ll do to him.”
I start laughing, a full-on fit of laughter. I suppose I couldn’t ever ask for a better brother for myself or a Godfather for my baby.
“So, now that we’re on the same page, if it’s a girl can we please call her Fleur or Nova? I do like those names.”
I turn to Hope as she shifts in her chair a little then back to Jackson. “I take it you’ve never had sex with a woman with either of those names?” There’sno wayI’m naming my child after one of his sex partners.
“No, but they’re pretty names and if it’s a boy—”
“Nicholas, Nico for short,” Hope tells us as she walks to the sink to put her plate away.
I turn to Jackson as I rack my brain. Why does that name sound familiar, like I’ve heard it before?
“Her brother’s name,” Jackson reminds me.
“Nova was her mother’s name.” No wonder she flinched on her stool.
“What are the chances that I mention the name Nova? I totally forgot that it was her mom’s name. Talking about moms, when are you telling Mom and Dad about this?”
“They’re coming to the office this morning.” Now, that is going to be one very interesting conversation. I think my parents never thought they would hear this news, so I’m not sure how they’ll take it. Plus, they haven’t spoken to Hope much either. I just hope that they are happy for us.
* * *
Well, my parents took that a lot better than I thought they would. They both wanted to hug her, but I had to stop them, well at least my dad. I couldn't stop laughing when they told Jackson to find a girl and get married as they want a lot of grandkids. The look on his face was priceless.
Mom asked if she could stay for the appointment with Doctor Adams. Hope said it was fine and I liked that she’s letting my mom be a part of this.
“Okay, I’ve prescribed you some medication if you want to continue with this pregnancy—”
“We do,” Hope cuts her off and the doctor looks at me for a moment. I can see her worried expression. She’s been concerned about Hope from the moment she walked through the door.
I hold up my hands. “I’m not putting pressure on her,” I say, letting the doctor know that I’m not making her keep this baby for me, butwe’rekeeping it,for us.
"Okay, this medication will help with the Lupus, and it will still be safe for you. I'm going to remove your implant now and Leo you asked for a scan, which we can do tomorrow just before lunch." She begins to take a few things out of her bag.
“You’ll need a full bladder,” my mom tells Hope with a smile.
