30-Something Reality

Shannon's Moment

SHANNON's P.O.V.

My brother finally crumbled at Jeanette's feet... I know he still loved Siren... But he knew she felt the same way for me that I did for her... He swears up and down she is running... I look back at the day's events and was starting to think she was right... 

Jared, Jeanette, and I had all agreed to let Siren figure things out on her own... But Jared would make sure things didn't go too far! That scared me more than I thought... I knew she could turn around and run straight to him and he would keep her safe... At the cost of his own heart... If she ran to marry him... I couldn't see him turning her away... I knew he still loved her enough to make sure she was happy.

It was late evening when Siren came flying out of her room looking for Connie.. She saw the three of us curled up on the couch watching a movie and flew to Jared's arms....

"Shhhh.. It's okay... What happened? Connie's in the basenet over here sound asleep... She just finished her bottle... It's okay..." Jared tried not to hurt Jeanette... But we all knew he still loved her... And that was showing no matter who it hurt... It wasn't intentional... it just was how they felt for each other!

"I'm sorry... I just got scared... Where's LoLa?" She wiped the tears from her face and Jared pulled her over to the love seat and sat Siren down... "Hi baby girl..." LoLa had jumped up in her lap and started licking her face... "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to not be out here when Connie needed something... I am such a HORRIBLE mother..." Siren broke down in tears again.

I looked at Jared before he could comfort Siren and I got up and went over to her... I motioned for LoLa to sit on her bed... which was next to Siren's feet... I sat down next to her and pulled her into my arms...

"Stop! You are NOT a horrible mother... I wasn't able to help you, and Jared did exactly what he promised to do... Be there if you needed his help. You never asked! You're stubborn! That is why I fell..." I stopped before I screwed this whole thing up... "I'm here now, so YOU are going to start sleeping better! I'm going to take a few shifts with her... There are two baby monitors and the receiver for them right? So... Connie will stay in her nursery... And I will stay in my room with a monitor... and you will have one with you and Jared! Jeanette even said she would stay over if you needed her to."

"I'm going to get you some frozen yogurt Siren... Raspberry or Chocolate?" Jeanette got up and picked up LoLa's leash.  

"Raspberry..." Siren almost whimpered as she curled up into MY arms! "Jared, can I stay here with Shannon and you make sure Jean gets back safe?"

Jared looked at her with such concern on his face... He was worried about how him leaving with Jeanette would settle with her.  "Baby... are you sure? I can stay here with you if you want me too. Mom or Vickie and Tomo can go with her..."

"No... I trust Shannon... He won't let anything happen to me while you're gone." Siren let's out a sigh and curls into the right side of my chest. "Be safe... I love you..." Jared leans down and kisses Siren on the head. 

"Take care of her brother... I'm not leaving forever!" Jared winked at me and I knew he was trying to comfort Siren so she didn't loose her grip on things... 

Jared and Jeanette leave and I'm pretty sure that as soon as they get alone Jeanette and Jared will be all over each other! But Jared did mention he wouldn't touch Jeanette again until Siren was back with me. I just hope Siren realized how I felt about her before her and Jared were married and expecting Jared Jr.!

"Shannon?" I hear her whisper.

"Yes Siren.." I made sure she knew I had her close in my arms.

"I had the weirdest dream earlier today..." I felt her slide her fingers over my left arm... the few scratches left on that arm were almost faded... She felt me take a deep breath... I was careful as I see her lift her head and look into my eyes... I knew how I felt... That I wanted to kiss her lips and remind her... I couldn't she was so fragile! "I dream that you kissed me, and it took everything I had not to tell you I wanted you back..."

"Siren..." I took a slow deep breath as she stared almost in to my soul... "I can't lie to you... I kissed you earlier today... That is why you had a panic attack at the hospital... That may not have been just a dream you had..."

"Shannon... Why didn't you tell Jared about that kiss?" She looked me dead in the eyes... There was no running... 

"I did... You were asleep... While you were curled up on my arm... Jared and I talked... I told him everything... He wasn't mad at you at all... He was more pissed at me....But when I told him you called out for him when you fainted..."

Her eyes FLEW open! "That was you!" She looked at me with her eyes WIDE open... She didn't know what to say....

"Siren I'm sorry... I..."

"We're back!" Jared opened the door, as it was unlocked since my mother was across the hall... "Forgot to give mom hers..." Jared flew back out the door as I don't think Siren even noticed him come in... Her eyes never left mine!

"Shannon... Just answer me one thing..." She looked down at my hand in the soft cast... "Why weren't you more careful that day? Why didn't you THINK before you got on your bike?" The tears were streaming down her face...

"Because I knew you needed me, and I wasn't going to fail you and Connie a second time... You may not have wanted to be with me anymore... But my daughter needed me... And I will NEVER turn my back on her mother! So I knew to get to you as fast as I could..." Siren looked at me and I was weak... I gently pulled her face to mine and just closed my eyes and kissed her. I waited for her to pull away... She didn't... I took my chance and put both hands on her face and pulled her closer to me... For the first time in SO long... My Siren was kissing me back! Not just cause she felt like she had to... But because she WANTED to... I could not believe I was getting ready to push her away... But I did..."They are already back.... Exactly what are you going to tell them if they walk back in here from my mother and Jeanette's apartment and find us kissing?" I looked into her eyes.... and I didn't care what they found if they walked back in... But before I could kiss her again, the door opened...

"Okay.. Raspberry frozen yogurt for my stunning sister who some how makes mother hood look incredibly easy!" Jeanette stopped in her tracks... "Jared... I think we STILL came in at a bad time..."

Siren looked at me and pulled away..."Jeanette... Will you stay with me in my room tonight? Please?" She never took her eyes off me... 

"Sure sis... Girls night? Let Shannon and Jared take care of Connie tonight... Nothing but frozen yogurt and girly movies?" Jeanette was beaming!

"Yeah... Come on LoLa..." Siren slowly backed away as Siren almost flew back into her bedroom with LoLa and Jeanette... I could hear her lock the door.

"I take it that didn't go so well..." My brother flopped back down on the couch... 

"Wrong! I almost need a drink after that kiss!" I sat up and grabbed my bike jacket... or what was left of it... and pulled my smokes out of one of the pockets... "I'm going outside... If you want to know what happened... I'll fill you in later... But right now... I need to think..."

Jared ended up following me out on the balcony... "She kiss you back?"

"You could say that... She's still really fucked up in the head bro... Like I don't know WHAT the fuck is going to happen... I know she feels guilty for the kiss... AND... she knows about the one at the hospital... She knows you know about it and that I took full responsibility for that with you... She has NO clue that you might be going back with Jeanette..."

My brother and I stood out there on the balcony for a good hour talking... We would wait until after her birthday (the day after tomorrow) to try and talk to her about it if she didn't come to one of us first... Now it was a waiting game...