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“She thinks that because Julie’s the oldest she got more attention from Momma, because without her, she and Daddy might not have met. Then thinks that because I look the most like Momma, Daddy gave me more attention than her. She’s not so bad once you get to know her,reallyknow her,” Jackie adds making me smile a bit at the way she stresses it.
“You pretty much have to make sure that Troy’s by her side unless you want her to be snide about things,” Serena confirms, and I nod, glad to know that I’m not imaging it.
“Honestly, she always seemed to have the need to compete for everything, which again, we’re pretty sure stems from being the middle of us older girls. She was already fourteen when the twins were born, so until then she was in the middle of us three girls and stuck in her ways. Jasmine has no issues being in the mix of the boys, and Jaime and Jillian have each other, so we’re pretty sure Jennie just didn’t know where she fit into things. She’s actually cooled off a lot since she and Troy got married and had Zack,” Julie tacks on and if her attitude now is Jennie cooled off, I’m glad I didn’t have to meet her before she was married.
We settle in at smaller tables in what Annie calls the sunroom with plates, and I’m a bit hesitant when Jennie joins us as we linger over desserts. Jude took Emma to change her diaper, making the guys smirk and comment on his total one-eighty, which prompted the other girls to defend him, confirming that he never shied away from helping any of them with their kids, he simply said he didn’t want them until me.
That soothes my soul and also makes me laugh softly when the boys find it odd that it’s not a shock to me that Jude used to say he didn’t want kids. I just shrug, resting my hand on my belly, thinking about the way Jude kisses it every time he sees it bare. Those kisses aren’t to make me hungry for him. No, it’s from his happiness that our babies are growing inside me.
“So, is your father part of your life?” Jennie asks, earning a hiss from Julie to shut up.
“It’s okay,” I assure her, seeing the anger on Jackie’s face growing alongside Julie’s. At least I have these two sisters on my side, plus Serena, Maddie, and Carly, who are all glaring at Jennie as well. “No, he’s not. I have no idea who he is. He walked away from my mom when he found out she was pregnant and was never involved in my life.”
“Really?” Jennie says, her brow lifting, a little hint of a smile on her lips.
“Yes, really. All she told me was that he was a junior when she was a freshman. He asked her to go with him to a New Year’s Eve party and ended up pregnant within a couple weeks. It’s why she told me to keep my head on straight and finish school before I even thought about boys. She struggled when I was little because her parents kicked her out after graduation, and I wasn’t about to cause her more trouble by falling for some smooth talker. It wasn’t hard since I wasn’t interested in any of the guys at school, and most left me alone after it got around, I never accepted dates, or went to parties,” I add, making her brow lift a bit at that.
“What’s it to you, anyway?” Julie asks Jennie, her tone filled with warning even I can hear.
“Just wondering if she wants to know who he is or not,” Jennie says, shocking me and it simply grows when she adds, “I knew who her mom was. We all knew who her baby daddy was, even if he ignored her the rest of the year. Mainly because he ignored her the rest of the year and all the way up through graduation,” she tacks on, and I simply sit there staring at the girl. “Every girl in my class hated her, not because she was pregnant but because she got his attention when everyone else wanted it. When it became obvious that Nina was pregnant, he found out what it was like to be ignored. So, I was curious if he changed his tune and became part of her life.”
“I think that’s enough, Jennie,” Jude says, kneeling next to me, taking my chilled hand into his, pressing a kiss to it, letting me breathe again. “Don’t even try to upset Eden, or else you’ll have to answer to me.”
“You don’t want to know who your father-in-law is?” Jennie asks, drawing more attention our way, including her husband’s.
“Jennie,” Troy says, staring her down, but she simply smiles at him in return.
“I’m not trying to be mean. Honestly. Knowing your family history is important though, isn’t it?” Jennie replies and Julie smacks her hand on the table, pulling Jennie’s gaze off her husband and back towards us. It’s not surprising that Julie would be angry at that remark. Jude told me more about how his mom and dad met. How Julie wasn’t planned but wanted by him the second Jake learnt she was on the way, and how he protected her when she was a baby, and her birth mother was revealed to have psychological issues. I couldn’t imagine anyone trying to harm an innocent newborn and was so glad that I had him in my life to keep us safe.
“Unless you want to get your butt kicked the way Daddy never let us when we were little, you’ll shut your mouth right now about that shit,” Julie warns her.
“They’re having babies,” Jennie states, her gaze not malicious but not entirely kind compared to the way Annie and the others have been towards me. “You don’t think they’d want to know that her father has a child with cystic fibrosis, and that they probably should inform their doctor of that information?”
“You could have simply told your brother that in private,” Annie says joining us, her hands resting on my shoulders, calming me down enough to breathe. “There was no need to do it like this. All you’ve managed to do now is upset and worry Eden. We raised you better than this, Jennie Maureen.”
“Once a brat, always a brat,” Julie groused at her, making a tiny smile appear on my lips, but the fear Jennie’s news created won’t go away, leaving me nauseous the rest of the day.
Chapter 7
Jude
Ipress a kiss to Eden’s forehead as we sit in the doctor’s office Friday afternoon. I could easily strangle my sister for putting this new worry in my girl, especially when I was finally seeing the old ones fade entirely from her. But no, my sister had to drop this potential timebomb on us.
It would have been one thing for her to do it the way she did if Eden and I were simply dating, or engaged, about to be married. But to do it when my girl is pregnant with these babies that we already love…I can’t see forgiving her happening any time soon.
I called Eden’s doctor first thing Monday morning to discuss the possibility of it being an issue after watching my girl’s eyes fill with worry when she thought I wasn’t watching. Her hand would rest on her belly and the look on her face…killed me.
I came for a rushed screening, when Dr. Miller let me know that even if Eden is a carrier, both of us would have to be to have one of our babies have the disease. I didn’t want to put Eden through the stress of coming for another appointment, then sit worrying more about it as the days slid past, so I came by before I went to the office that morning. She promised to have the results in quickly, but also wanted Eden to come in for a check up if she continued to seem stressed and anxious this week.
I’m positive most of Eden’s morning sickness this last week has been related to Jennie’s bombshell, and I swear, I will teach her a lesson if it hurts my girl and our babies.
To say Dr. Miller was surprised to find me the father of Eden’s babies is an understatement. Our family likely paid for her house with as many babies as we’ve had. She was Mom’s doctor for her later pregnancies and has seen all of my sisters and sisters-in-law through their theirs. I’m hoping she doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon because I know our family isn’t done having babies yet.
“Are you okay, baby girl?” I ask rubbing her cheek. Her paleness worries me, but she nods, resting her head against my shoulder, and I slip a hand behind her head, giving her a soft kiss. I’m not even close to being bothered by the amused laugh I hear as the door closes.
“Good to see you again, Eden, Jude,” Dr. Miller says, putting a little wrinkle in Eden’s forehead I kiss away.
“Dr. Miller’s been delivering Cartwright babies ever since…Jamison and Jasmine I think,” I explain, putting a little grin on Eden’s face when the woman nods.
