Loving JJ

Homebound

I walk back into my apartment for the first time in months after me and Sacha started arguing.

Sacha had accused me of lying about having ADHD after he got that phone call and while I could not fathom who had told him because for once it wasn't Julien or Manon.

He told whoever it is was on the phone about what I said and they must've said something so good that he believed them.

It must've been so convincing that he was willing to throw away whatever faith in me he had to be so annoyed with me and by God he was.

The arguments were truly insane and I'd haul ass to River's apartment every single fucking time.

I couldn't take it anymore and while he was at work just up and left to Alaska and to Ireland and France to finally get some peace and quiet.

I only came back because River and Elijah needed my help with Maxy.

I look at the apartment and see that he kept it well and go into my room to shower and get changed.

They'd be arriving with Maxy soon.

I get out to see Sacha waiting on my bed and I ignore him.

I put all my stuff from my suitcase away and then put on my coat and sit down at my desk and write in the card I got for Maxy.

"To Maxy,

Welcome to New York. I'm so happy to see you here with such incredible people for parents. Trust me, you are in good hands and I will make sure Elijah and River are on their top behaviour. I'm so excited to be your friend!

Lots of love,

JJ."

I put the card in the envelope and then wrap the teddy bear I got him up.

If I was going to help him with his nightmares, this would be the first step.

I put them in a bag and see that he's still there.

"What do you want?" I say as I get ready to leave my room.

"Where the fuck did you go?" He asks me and I look at him in disbelief.

"You know you have some fucking nerve, asking me, where I've been acting as if you give a singular shit about me." I say as I grab the stuff for him.

"You were gone for months! Obviously, I started to worry." He says with audacity.

"How dare you! How fucking dare you suggest that you were worried about me when you were the reason I was gone in the first place! The things you accused me of, the things we argued about, they hurt me so much that I left my own fucking home! Don't you dare suggest that you were worried about me, EVER again." I say as I leave my room and sit on the sofa, waiting for River to tell us they're nearly here.

I rest my head on my knees as I try to take some deep breaths but find myself growing even more angry and I end up throwing all the cushions at the walls. I'm lucky I didn't break anything if I'm honest. I had a tendency to do that when I'm angry.

I get a message from River saying that they are nearly there and to let ourselves in on my Apple Watch and realise that I left my phone in my room and go and get it to see Sacha sitting over it trying to guess my password.

I grab it from his hands and get my crocs and put them on at the door and go upstairs with my keys.

Sacha jogs after me to catch up and we wait for the elevator.

We go to their floor and open the apartment an get the sign and put it up and get the balloons.

I grab an apple and chomp on it while I wait, anything to ignore Sacha.

He tries to speak and I just chew very loudly.

I try not to cry as I think of my own adoption experience and how traumatising it was at first but push those feelings down.

We hear the door open and we make sure the social worker has walked through the door before we get the balloons and release them as Maxy walks through.

"Welcome to your new home Maxy!" River says as she puts him on the stool at the island. "This is Jolie and this is Sacha."

We wave.

"Hi, I'm Sacha." Sacha says as he puts his hand out, making Maxy laugh.

"I'm Jolie but you Maxy, can call me JJ." I say and give him a high five.

"Juliet Jolie Beachaump Sinclair and Sacha Dupont." I say as I turn to the social worker and she hands me her pen so I can write it down then I give it back to her.

"So you are familiar with adoption?" She asks and I nod.

"Indeed. I was adopted myself, as was River." I say and River nods.

"It is listed here that you both suffer with ADHD, is this true?" She asks and we nod.

"Yes, however does that not impact my ability to be a parent or a nurturing figure. I am a great older sister, in my opinion." River says and I nod.

"I can attest to that. She has a great attitude to learning new things as well and she is indeed a great older sister and comes with me to visit my own siblings." I say.

"Oh so you two were adopted by the same people?" The social worker is clearly interested with our family dynamics.

"Sort of. Same adoptive fathers but different mother, Jolie's is her aunt, mine is the wife of my adoptive father. Our adoptions were particularly difficult." River says and I continue.

"Yes. River's parents are still alive and well and take care of all this other children and when my parents passed away, it was stated in their will that I was the only who wouldn't 'burden' my older brother or my aunt and uncle and so was put into the system." I say and Elijah and Sacha look at me.

To be fair it is particularly egregious but I just shrug as if to say it didn't bother me, it did, but not in front of Maxy, Elijah or Sacha.

"Could we discuss this later? We'd like to get Maxy introduced to his new home." River says, knowing the hurt we were both feeling right now.

"Yes, sorry about that. Sure." The social worker says and we show Maxy his room, which he loves and his first night commences.