Jake Understood

I moved Nina’s plastic water jug to make room on the small table for the piece of paper and took a pen from the woman.

“You’re a lefty.” She smiled.

“Yup. My son, too.”

Filled with pride, I looked down at my daughter’s first name on the form. Nina and I hadn’t discussed a middle name. I wasn’t even sure if we were going to give Kennedy one. So, when I noticed that Nina had filled that line in, it took me by surprise. But what really shocked me was the name she chose. She’d told me the story, so I knew it wasn’t a coincidence. It was a beautiful sentiment meant to give us some closure. More than that, it spoke volumes about the kind of person my wife was. It was a bigger level of acceptance than she’d ever gifted me with before. It touched me so deeply that the pen was shaking in my hand.

Kennedy Aria Green.

CHAPTER 23

NINA

Four weeks later, our house had turned into a virtual zoo. Somehow, in the midst of the baby coming home, A.J. had convinced us to get a dog. We ended up adopting a black pug. We came up with the name Luna because it’s the Spanish word for moon.

So, we had a newborn baby, a pug yelping at all hours, and now Skylar and Mitch were arriving for a weekend visit to meet Kennedy for the first time. They were bringing their entire family: three kids and their aging blue-fronted Amazon parrot, Seamus. A.J. had gotten on the phone earlier this week and begged them to bring the talking bird who always provided hours of entertainment.

On his way home from visiting Ivy, Jake was out stopping for beer and wine. So, I was alone with the kids when our friends arrived. The noise that emerged from behind the door was evident before the doorbell even rang.

I lifted myself off the couch with Kennedy attached to my breast before throwing a blanket over her head to hide myself. Luna raced me to the door as her tiny scurrying paws scratched against the hardwood floors.

I opened the door. It was quite a vision to behold: Skylar, Mitch, three kids and a caged parrot.

“Pick a lane, ballbag!”

“Ugh…what did the bird just say?” I asked, stepping out of the way to let them enter.

Skylar sighed. “Sorry. We have no way of controlling what things stick with him. Mitch got a little bit of road rage on I-95, and Seamus just won’t let it go.”

The bird squawked. “Pick a lane, ballbag!”

“Well, that’s just great for the kids,” I said, sarcastically.

Skylar kissed me on the cheek. “Welcome to our lives, Sissy. How’s your fiery vagina, by the way?”

“Only you would ask me such a question right off the bat. It’s actually a lot better. Thanks for asking.”

“Let me at her.” She lifted the blanket to get a peek of Kennedy, who was still suckling on my breast. “She looks just like Jake.”

“I know.”

Mitch was holding their one-year-old son. “Do you know your Wi-Fi password? Henry needs the internet.”

“Sure. It’s written down next to the cordless phone in the kitchen.”

Mitch and Skylar’s older son, Henry, had autism and was mostly non-verbal. He kept to himself the majority of the time while fixated on electronic devices. Henry had already taken his spot on the couch with his iPad.

Their daughter, Lara, who was around A.J.’s age, went in search of my son.

A.J. appeared, holding his tablet. “Hey, Lara. You wanna play terraria in my room?”

“Sure.” Lara’s long auburn hair swung as she followed him down the hall.

Mitch lifted a sippy cup to Mitch Jr.’s mouth. “If your son is anything like his father, I think we’re gonna have to put a stop to the hanging out in A.J.’s room in about five to seven years.”

“We’ll deal with that when it comes.” I laughed.

“That’s gross. They’re practically like brother and sister,” Skylar said.

Mitch put his arm around her. “That’s not gonna matter to them when their hormones start taking over. Remember how we felt at that age? You were sort of like my sister back then, and I wanted to do very bad things to you.”

I interjected, “Well, I’m his mother, and I have to agree. A.J. is just like Jake, and if that’s the case, we could be in trouble.”

The door slammed shut, and Jake appeared. “Did someone call my name? Trouble?”

“We were talking about how similar you and A.J. are and how they might want to lock Lara up in about seven years.”

“Oh, without a fucking doubt,” Jake said, taking off his coat.

Mitch sat down with the baby next to Henry. “I have to say, having a daughter gets scarier with each year.”

“Lara’s starting to get boobs already.” Skylar shook her head. “It ain’t even funny.”

Jake walked over and kissed me before lifting the blanket to peek in on Kennedy. “If this little thing ends up being anatomically anything like her mother, I better start a gun collection.”

Skylar took Mitch Jr. from her husband and joined them on the couch. “I was just saying how Kennedy is like your mini-me, Jake.”

“What can I say? Let’s just hope she’ll at least have Nina’s sweet personality.”

“Pick a lane, ballbag!”

Jake whipped his head to the left where the bird sat in his cage in the corner of the room. “You brought Seamus?”

Laughing, I said, “Yes, I told them to bring him, figuring it’s a zoo around here lately anyway. We might as well add him to the mix.” ns class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">