Mine To Love (manxman)

18-Jelly Bean

JEREMY

 It was three days later that I showed up on Frankie's doorstep with three suitcases and a whole heap of boxes filled with my meagre possessions. To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. But it was a good kind of shocked. We fooled around for most of the day before sorting through my stuff, putting my clothes away in drawers and in the wardrobe where he'd already made room for them. Optimistic much? Yes he was.

Today was to be our first baby appointment and we were both excited to see our little boy or girl on the screen. I wasn't looking forward to seeing Deb though. I can tell that she has mellowed a bit in her hatred for me but I still don't trust her. The minute I moved in we had the custody papers and my adoption papers drawn up. We're waiting until the baby is born for them to be signed and I won't rest easy until that's done.

"Come on, baby. We need to get going or we'll be late." I snapped back to the present and looked out the passenger window to see that we were parked in front of the clinic. I felt the butterflies in my stomach take flight at the mix of excitement and anxiety. Here goes nothing.

I jumped out of the car and took Frankie's offered hand. The moment our palms made contact my anxiety settled and a genuine smile broke over my face. I could almost feel him vibrating with his own excitement as we found the waiting room and saw Deb sitting there waiting for us.

"Hi." She smiled at Frankie and turned to look at me. "Hi Jeremy. I haven't been called yet so why don't you two take a seat." I was starting to feel like I'd been sucked into the twilight zone. Who was this almost pleasant woman and what had she done with the bitch that I remembered?

My backside had barely touched the seat when a woman in a white doctor's coat came through a side door and called Deb's name. We were asked to wait outside until Deb had undressed and put on a hospital gown. Once we were allowed back in I saw Deb lying on a table with her feet up and a blue cloth covering her lower half. I made sure to stand up near her head with Frankie as the doctor talked us all through what she was going to do.

I was immediately captivated as the little screen came to life and our little jelly bean came into view. It really did look like a jelly bean. I didn't realize that I was crying silently until Frankie pulled me in close to his side and wiped away my tears.

"This is your baby." The doctor pointed at little Jelly Bean before doing something that I couldn't see. The sound of his or her heartbeat filled the room. "And this is their heartbeat. It all looks and sounds good. Baby is healthy and growing as it should. I don't see anything that would concern me at this time. As we discussed before you're due to deliver at the beginning of September. Keep taking the supplements I prescribed." The doctor smiled over at me and Frankie. "How many pictures would you like?"

I looked up at Frankie. "We'll need one to frame for the entry hall, and at least one each for our parents. Maybe four?" I asked him. We'd need to find the perfect frame for it, maybe a big one and we could get the picture blown up.

Frankie chuckled and cuddled me close. "Whatever you want, love. Four it is." He looked over his shoulder at Deb. "How many would you like?" I felt like such an asshole for not thinking to ask her. It was her baby too.

"Maybe just one, I don't really want anyone else knowing about this but it would be nice to be able to take it out and see it every now and then."

"Maybe we could send you pictures on each birthday. You could make up a book and see how he or she grows over the years." I tell her. And watch as a light seems to come on in her eyes.

"That would be great, Jeremy. Thank you." See, I could try to be civil with her. I was on my best behaviour, and so it seemed was she.

The doctor handed us our pictures. "Why don't you both wait outside while Deborah gets dressed. And remember to make your next appointment before you leave." She spoke the last to Deb and we both slipped out of the room behind the doctor, giving Deb privacy to put her clothes back on.

"I can't believe that's our baby." Frankie sat in the waiting room studying one of the little pictures. "Do you want to find out what we're having when they can finally tell us?" He smiles at me. I love the little twinkle in his eyes as he talks about our son or daughter.

"I don't know." I tell him honestly. "I want to know, but at the same time I want it to be a surprise. Do you want to know?" I ask him.

"I don't think I do. I mean either way we're going to love him or her. I want to be surprised." He smiles.

"You know Jelly Bean might make the decision for us. My cousin Catherine's little boy flashed her on screen. There was no doubt after that, that she was having a boy." I chuckle at the look of shock on his face.

"Jelly Bean?" He asks confused.

"The baby looked like a jelly bean on the monitor so I've been calling it Jelly Bean in my head ever since. It sounds better than saying it all of the time." I explain.

"Jelly Bean." He feels out the words and looks back down at the picture. "I like that. It already has a little nickname from its Daddy." He kisses me, a brief brush of his lips on mine before they're gone.

"Thank you for waiting. I have the next appointment and I asked them to write it down on an extra card for you too." Deb appears and hands a small card to Frankie which he puts in his back pocket.

"Thanks Deb. Are you okay to get home or would you like a lift?" He asks her while taking my hand in his and we make our way to the exit.

"I have someone picking me up, but thank you again, for everything. I know I'm asking a lot of you both."

"We're happy to do this. We'll take care of this little one and give it all the love it can handle." I smile at her trying to ease her concerns. "It may have been unexpected for all of us, but I don't think we'd change it for anything. I never thought I'd be a Daddy, so thank you for giving me this opportunity Deb." I tell her, meaning every word.

We had made our way to the carpark and Deb waved at someone sitting in a silver saloon. "That's my ride." She reached up and kissed Frankie on the cheek. I bit my cheek knowing that it was meant as a friendly gesture and nothing more. I was floored however when she turned to me and did the same. "Thank you Jeremy. I don't think I would have been so understanding in your place. This baby is going to be very lucky to have you." She smiled at me before turning and walking to the silver car.

"So are you ready to tell our parents?" Frankie smiled at me cheekily while waving the baby scan pictures in the air.

I groaned as I remembered something I hadn't had the chance to do. "I still haven't even told them that we're together yet." I admitted. "Have you told your Mom?"

He nodded. "She screeched for about an hour in excitement. She's happy for us. And for herself, because she's thrilled that you're now going to be her real son, kind of."

I laughed as I pictured his mother doing as he said. "Let's go to her house first." I chuckled.

A/N: You would not believe the amount of times both yesterday and today that I was interrupted while trying to write this. I have two best friends with separate drama's who kept texting me. And ok they're pretty serious drama's so I won't fault them for that. And then there's my family....Drama, drama, drama. Help!!

Please vote and remember to follow me so you can read chapter 11 which was made private because of the naughty moments ;)