FALLING: The Negative Ion Series Page 12

When I got home that next afternoon, I saw suitcases in the hall and frowned.

  “Who’s leaving?” I asked when I saw my parents in the kitchen hugging and kissing, acting like a couple of horny teenagers.

  “I am, honey,” Daddy smiled. “I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

  I pouted and joined in on their hug session. “You’re not sure how long you’ll be gone, Daddy?”

  “No, I’m not. There are some loose ends I need to tie up back east. Business and personal. I’m hoping it won’t take long at all but…”

  I nodded and looked at my mother’s tear-stained face.

  “Will you be okay?”

  “Yeah,” Mom sniffed. “I just got him back and now he’s leaving me.”

  “I’m not leaving you, Kitten. I just need to settle the business and get everything on board for the transition. Plus, Mom and Dad’s home sold faster than either of us thought and I’m their lawyer. I have to be at the closing.”

  “I know, sweetie, I know. It’s my hormones. I’ll be okay. Just hurry back to me.”

  “Soon as I can. I wish you could go with me.”

  “Me too.”

  “Why can’t you go, Mom?” I frowned. “It’s not because of me is it?”

  “No, honey. We’ve got something to tell you. Well, more like several things.”

  “Okay, but first can you tell me what you meant the other night about ‘siblings’? What siblings? I know Parker acts immature but he’s still a man now. It’s too late for me to see him grow up.”

  “That’s one of the things we wanted to tell you,” Mom smiled as she sat at the kitchen table. I sat across from her and she held my hands while Daddy smiled as he stood behind her.

  “Itsy, honey… I’m having twins,” Mom gushed.

  My eyes widen. “Twins? Are you sure?”

  “They are. Two distinctive heartbeats in there. Fast and strong.”

  “They sounded amazing,” Daddy beamed.

  “Aw! I would’ve gone too!” I pouted. “Can I go next time? Will they let you hear them again?”

  “They will and of course you can. I was inviting you anyway. I’m going to find out what they are. Would you like to know?”

  I beamed too then. “YES! Please! When?”

  “Tuesday morning, honey,” Daddy said, sounding sad.

  “Oh, you won’t be back by then, will you, Daddy?”

  “Probably not,” he said sadly. “I was hoping it could wait, the business meeting I was to attend, so that the three of us could go together. Hopefully one of you can Skype me during the process so I can find out when you do. If not, picture messaging will have to do.”

  I felt bad for them and all I could do is nod. I’m happy and sad all in one. Twins, yay! Daddy gone on business while the ultrasound was happening, big fucking boo.

  “I’m a pale substitute, but I will be there, Mom. Promise. What time Tuesday?”

  “11 a.m.”

  Perfect I think as I nod. Jaxen has a thing with his band that day. Rehearsal or something for a big gig on Saturday. It was going to take up a lot of his time and while loved him and the band members, I did not like sitting in Sara and John’s garage while they practiced. It was loud and smoky in that confined space. No thank you.

  Samantha and Parker were looking for a bigger place than the one Parker lives in and that took up a lot of their time. Daddy was buying them whatever they picked as an early wedding gift and they wanted to find the perfect place. Terri, not wanting to be one-upped, decided her and her husband Rafe would furnish the place. Rafe was as rich as Daddy; he makes a successful living as a music producer, mostly scores for movies and TV shows.

  “Honey, your father and I decided we are going to move.”

  My eyes bulged again. We’ve been here, Mom and I for 15 years. Her mother found this place and got for a steal. The neighbors are warm and very friendly and I cannot imagine staying in Hampton and not being able to live in this house.

  “Move? Where?” I chokingly asked.

  “Well, honey,” Mom smiles. “You know the old Brinkman place up the street?”

  “Three doors north?”

  “Yeah, that’s it.”

  I nod.

  “The son is finally putting it on the market. We would like to buy it.”

  I blinked back tears then. I don’t have the right to throw a fit but I really wanted to. My home will be gone and they are moving. I guess I better go job hunting and soon. I’m sure they’ve changed their minds about me staying with them.

  “It’s six bedrooms, honey. Which means there will be two guest rooms, after your father picks an office. Of course the twins wouldn’t have their own rooms right away. They will share until they are a little older and your father is insisting we employ a nanny.”

  “And a part-time house keeper,” Daddy nods.

  Yep, I’m in the cold. I put my head down and stare at my fingers. I was looking forward to spending time with my new siblings under one roof and I thought they meant it when they said to wait until I found out if I were accepted to Berkeley or Stanford before I made any decisions. All that has to be put on hold now.

  “Yeah, that too. So you see, Itsy, it all works out. Your father and I in one room, the twins in another, nanny takes a third, one bedroom for an office, and two guest rooms. You’ll have the attic again… unless you’d rather have the basement. It’s completely finished but it needs painting. Those colors are so seventies. Bleech!”

  I snapped my head up and looked at my parents like cream cheese was flowing out of their nostrils.

  “You still want me to live with you?”

  Mom frowned. “Well, yeah. I thought that’s what we all wanted.”

  “But… “

  “No ‘buts’, honey,” Daddy frowned. “You’re still our baby and your mom and I won’t rest if you’re out there alone somewhere. No, for our peace of mind, you will live with us and that is final.”

  I blink at my father and smirk. “Yes, Daddy. Final.”

  My mother is visibly relieved.

  “Whew! I’m glad that’s settled.”

  “But what about this house?”

  Mom’s nose scrunches. “Parker and Samantha want it. Are you okay with that?”

  “Are you kidding?” I screeched. “That’s perfect! Yes! Please! Oh, but uh… what about Terri?”

  “What about her?” Daddy frowns.

  “She’s not going to object to them moving into Mom’s old house?”

  “Who knows or cares. I don’t,” Daddy smirks. “Parker and Samantha are grown and besides, Parker knows how to handle his mother. If this is what he and Samantha wants, he’ll smooth it out.”

  I nod then smile. “When are we moving?”

  A week later, Daddy called and there was an accelerated inspection and closing, and now, the house was theirs. As he spoke, he was having the furnace and central air replaced and the kitchen gutted. The bell rang and it was a contractor, coming to ask Mom about what she wanted for the kitchen. He promised to have it all done in a week when she finished telling him her choices.

  Daddy called again later that night and they went over their plans. We were to go shopping for every room in the house and leave everything there for Parker and Samantha. They only thing we were allowed to take was our personal things, clothes, shoes, etc.

  Every spare moment we got, Mom and I were shopping. She did the guest rooms first, then her bedroom. Next came the nursery and the nanny’s room. When it came to my space, the basement, she went all out. There’s a dining area, living room, a spacious bathroom and a bedroom. No kitchen, Mom insisted. She was afraid she’d never see me if I had one. I agreed.

  Our last day of shopping, there were boxes everywhere in the old house and I made my way past them to the kitchen, with my mother behind me as I held on to the mail. Mom was in desperate need of a peanut butter and kosher pickle sandwich. The thought of those two things together made me want to hurl what I ate for the past week I was in need of an
Alka-Seltzer just hearing that. We made it unharmed to the kitchen and Mom started making her snack as I pulled out my phone to call Jaxen. I promised Jaxen I’d call him and let him know when we were done. I’d seen him the day before and we disappeared in a hotel room… again and I wanted to do that again today. I actually became nauseous watching her eat it and groaned loudly as I threw my phone back in my purse.

  “That’s so disgusting, Mom. My little brother and sister are going to pay for that when they are old enough to get their asses kicked by their big sister.”

  “You touch them and I will show them your baby book!”

  “Naked pictures too?”

  “Especially the naked pictures!”

  I grimaced then laughed as I looked through the mail. It was mostly bills and I tossed those to Mom. Then there was a letter from Harvard. I opened it and read it, certain my face was on the floor.

  “Mom… I got a scholarship. They want me to start in the fall.”

  “A scholarship? From where?”

  I silently read. “From the Women in Law Enforcement League. Did you apply for this for me?”

  “I did,” Mom nodded. “Months ago. Wow. I cannot believe you won. Which scholarship did you get?”

  “The Platinum Academic.”

  Mom dropped her sandwich and stared. ”Honey, that means you get the full ride and an internship. When you graduate, all the firms will be after you.”

  “I don’t care about that, Mom. I’m staying with Daddy. I’m working with him and Parker.”

  “Honey, are you thinking of turning this down?”

  “Well, yeah, I am turning it down. Harvard is on the east coast. I told you and Daddy, I’m not leaving Jaxen.”

  “Itsy, your father is successful in his firm but this can open so many more doors for you and so much sooner. There are people fighting tooth and nail to get their foot in the door for this opportunity and you’re just going to toss it aside, like it’s nothing?”

  “Compared to Jaxen, it is nothing, Mom,” I whisper.

  “I think your father would agree that you need to accept this scholarship, Itsy. Don’t make any decisions on this yet. Think on it and give it awhile. Call and ask questions. Is it only usable with Harvard? Maybe you can use it at Stanford or Berkeley. Just don’t turn it down. How long before you have to give them an answer?”

  “Um… August 15 at the latest.”

  “Okay, good. Think on it, honey.”

  I picked up the house phone and called the W.I.L.L. headquarters and found out it was only good at Harvard, it’s the reason why I got the early admission letter from them. I found myself throwing scenarios at them, thinking one would make them rescind the scholarship. I told them my father was rich. Doesn’t matter, my mother was still a police officer and it’s for academics, stuff like that. No dice. The scholarship was mine and I had until August 15 to accept it.

  “Itsy, I gotta admit, I was a little skeptical about the color when you asked for it but, honey, you look beautiful. Black hair suits you. It’s making your eyes stand out.”

  “You really think so, Mom?”

  “Absolutely,” Mom grinned then looked up at Clarice, my stylist. “Clarice, doesn’t she look beautiful?”

  “She’s giving me a boner, hon,” Clarice droned.

  Mom and I laughed, along with everyone else that heard what Clarice said.

  “When are you going to let Jaxen see it, honey?”

  “I’m not seeing him until the morning. He’s being distant lately, Mom. Like he’s already pulling away from me. I haven’t had the chance to tell him about me staying. But he has to know. I’m sure Samantha has told her parents of the change of plans by now.”

  Mom nodded but said nothing else. I assumed it was because she was too busy yawning. We were all exhausted. We moved into the new house a few days before, Parker and Samantha were moving into our old house tomorrow. Roland was staying the attic space I used to have and would only need to share the kitchen. Parker and Samantha would have privacy and so would Roland. It was a perfect arrangement.

  Eight days to go, and I wanted to tell Jaxen the news of me staying. I excused myself and went to the ladies room. Once there, I had to grip the walls because I was overcome with nausea. Again. Damn. It’s been happening for a month now and I swear I had a period. At least I think I did. Granted, it was lighter than I am used to and shorter but I still counted as a period.

  I bought a pregnancy test when a couple of dizzy spells almost knocked me on my ass. I pulled out the test from my purse and used it. I sat patiently as I waited for the results. Good thing I got digital. It couldn’t have been anymore clearer in its results: PREGNANT. It had to be defective. There was no other answer.

  I immediately threw up and thanked God it went in the toilet. Nope, this was wrong, I thought as I rinsed my mouth. Had to be. I’m going with defective. I need another test. Several. I ran out of the bathroom and as soon as I got in my mother’s vision I slowed down and smiled.

  “I’m thirsty. Are you thirsty, Mom?”

  “A little. I have a taste for that tea I had. Um… um… shit, I can’t remember the name. It was named after a state, I believe, and it was peachy.”

  “Yeah, I remember. I’m going next door. I’ll meet you at the car, okay?”

  “Okay, honey. I’ll pay and be right out.”

  I nodded and ran out, frantically going through the drug store and grabbed six different tests, Mom’s tea and an apple juice for myself. Let me tell you, the ride home that day was long and excruciating. As soon as I pulled into our driveway, I jumped out of the car and ran inside.

  “Where’s the fire, Itsy?”

  “Sorry, Mom! That juice went right through me!”

  “God, Itsy!” Mom laughed behind me. “TMI!”

  I ran into my basement apartment and locked myself in my bathroom. I grabbed a paper cup and filled that sucker. I swear I piss more than a race horse now. I opened all the tests and paced as I waited for the results. All of them were defective, too. Each and every one of them said PREGNANT, had a double line or turned fucking pink or blue.

  “No, no, noooo,” I whined. “I cannot be pregnant! Christ, what am I going to do?!”

  Nothing to do but tell Jaxen. Seven tests, all saying positive is pretty damn convincing but I wanted a doctor’s note or something. I pulled out my phone and made an appointment for the next day, knowing that everyone would be helping Parker, Samantha and Roland move their clothes and personal belongings into the old house.

  The next morning, I dressed and left before Mom woke up. I got in her car and went to the store to find my friends a house warming gift and kill time before my appointment. I found the perfect gifts for them and went to the clinic. I arrived thirty minutes early, sweaty, nervous and sick to my stomach.

  The first thing they asked for was my urine. Not a problem. I had that in abundance and was ready to burst by the time I made it to the clinic. After, they wanted blood. My mind screamed, take it all as they withdrew it.

  I sat numb in the exam room, listening to my doctor say I was indeed pregnant and had suggested an ultrasound, since I wasn’t clear on when my last cycle was. I could not believe the way she wanted to get a picture. I was a little nervous when she slipped a condom on the probe, thinking nothing has ever been up there but Jaxen and tampons.

  “Those things are not effective, Dr. Holder,” I smirked. “Me being pregnant proves that.”

  “Nothing but abstinence is 100%, Kimber.”

  I smirked again and waited for the image, still nervous and unsure of what to do. Then I heard it. A heartbeat. Loud and strong. Dr. Holder turned the monitor around and pointed to a spot. I couldn’t see it. It was so blurry and I had to strain to focus. Then she handed me some tissue and told me to look again when I wiped my eyes.

  I was crying? Wow. Okay, I thought then wiped my face. I looked again and could see the sack she was pointing to. My baby. Jaxen’s baby. I made a baby with a man I loved and who love
d me in return.

  My face broke into a huge grin and I couldn’t wait to find Jaxen and shout it to world that he and I were expecting. I hope he would be as happy as I was. A baby. A boy who looked just like his father, with his brown hair and crisp hazel eyes. And just as handsome as his father.

  I called Jaxen, but he couldn’t take a break then, so he made plans to see me the next day. He said he and the band would be at the music store, and he would meet me in the lot around eleven. I smiled and agreed then told him I loved him.

  “See you tomorrow, Kimber,” was all he said back.

  I frowned as I stared at the phone and wondered what that was about. He never ended a call without saying he loved me too and he hadn’t doing that for about a week. And that calling me Kimber business… what was that about?

  I went home bursting. I wanted to tell everyone the news but my heart told me Jaxen should know before everyone so once again, I fought with everything in me not to say anything. Instead, I thought over and over how to tell Jaxen. I had different scenarios flowing in my head: ‘Hey, Jaxen… will you be busy around the middle of January?’ or ‘Jaxen, guess what? Mom’s not the only one pregnant,’ or ‘Jaxen, does my boobs look bigger to you lately? They do? Huh. Must be the pregnancy.’

  Then I started panicking. I’m not ready to be a mother. I wanted to go to college and be a lawyer. I wanted to see the world, the country at least. I wanted to smother my brother and sister with love and kisses and hugs and bites and tickles. Now, they will have a niece or nephew months younger than them. Ewww. And damn.

  When I got back, my old home was filled with people and I smiled and greeted everyone as I walked through looking for Parker or Samantha to give them their gift. I ran into John and Sara first and almost blurted that they were going to be grandparents. I bit it back at the last minute and kept the conversation light and funny.

  Next, I ran into some friends of my brother’s that I’d known for years. I laughed and joked with them for a few minutes then saw Terri, who smiled at me across the room. I looked in the doorway and saw my very pregnant mother coming in, smiling and glowing. Parker went to see her in and kissed her cheek. Terri saw this and rolled her eyes. Some things never changed, I think as I felt someone grab my elbow and turn me. Roland.