Put You Down (Jerry Cantrell x OFC) (Alice In Chains)

Chapter 12

The next morning, I help my mom with some chores around the home.

I help her with some gardening, in her wild and overgrown jungle of a yard. I pick some fresh blueberries and raspberries from some of the bushes that have been there since I was a kid.
The garden is chaos, but organised chaos and it keeps mom happy. She loves gardening.

We stop for lunch and sit on the picnic bench, with some fresh apple juice and Grapes and cheese to enjoy.

"I've missed this." I say, popping a couple of grapes into my mouth.

"It's so good to have you back for a few days." Mom says as she sips on the juice.

Despite the reputation Canada has in terms of its weather, Vancouver can be quite warm.
I started in a sweater and some black leggings, now I'm in a blue tank top and cycling shorts after a little gardening.
My thick wavy blonde tresses are up on top of my head in a messy bun, my skin exposed to the warmth of the sun.

Rocky comes over and joins us, using his puppy dog eyes to try and persuade us to give him a chunk of cheese.

"Rocky, no. You've had food half hour ago!" She says.

When she isn't looking I sneak the pooch a chunk of cheddar under the table. I have now become his best friend apparently, as he doesn't leave my side. When he eventually realises he isn't getting anymore, he lays down beside my feet under the table, probably waiting in case I drop a crumb.

"Good boy!" I say, stroking the fur on his head.

"So....how are you feeling this morning?" Mom asks.

"I'm okay, tired but probably because vomiting takes it out of me. I hate that part of it." I admit.

"I heard you this morning. In fact, I was exactly the same when I was pregnant with you. I thought I'd eaten some food that didn't agree with me, but then it went on for weeks. It wasn't until the doctor suggested a pregnancy test that I realised." Mom says, taking some grapes off the stem.
"That's when I found your Father in bed with Daphne Leen. Well that afternoon. I packed his bags for him there and then"

"We all know my father is an idiot. I don't know how you were so strong when that happened. Being pregnant with me and dealing with a cheating husband." I reply.

"I wasn't strong. I just pretended I was. Reality is, I was crying every night knowing I'd be on my own to raise you. Crying because the one man I thought I trusted, I couldn't trust at all. Sometimes you have to fake it to make it...or at least that's what they say. I guess it was true." She confesses.

"You are strong. You always have been. I didn't realise when I was younger, but that's inspirational to me. I used to see Jerry come home with other women and hear them in bed, this was before we got together. I can't lie when I say I was jealous of those women, I'd feel a little low that he never noticed me and I wish I was stronger and shrugged it off. Then I accidentally spilled coffee over him. He noticed then!" I giggle. "Then it was just me. I was the only woman. I thought it would be a fling or something. I expected him to be with someone else the next day, but I guess he saw something in me that he didn't see in those women."

"He sounds like a good man....but he hurts you and mamma will set him straight!" Mom says as I laugh.

I spend the next couple of days just catching up with her and seeing a few old friends, before I head back to Jerry's...or ours I should say.

I say my goodbyes to my Mom, tearfully. I know I will see her again but it always seems such a long time in between.

She gives me a huge hug and packs more snacks for my journey than I know what to do with.

"Please let me know when you get home." She says.

"I will. Jerry is getting me from the Airport. You should come up to L.A., I'd love for you to meet Jerry." I say. "Jerry would fly you out."

"Oh you best believe I'll come out there! I'll grab my beach towel and my sunnies and lay by the pool all day..." Mom says excitedly.

We both laugh.

My cab pulls up outside and we embrace for one more time.

"I'll see you soon Ma."

"Take care honey."

I make my way to the cab and get in while the driver puts my luggage in the trunk.

He gets back into the drivers seat and I wave back to Ma as the car drives off.

A few hours later and I'm leaving L.A. X Airport.
The plane journey was awful for my morning sickness and I ended up in the bathroom more than I would have liked, but I was lucky enough to catch some Z's and felt better after some rest.

Jerry comes to meet me outside the airport and I see people gathering around him for autographs and pictures.

I smile.

That's the father of my child.

That's my love.

He sees me and smiles.

"Sorry folks, I gotta go. Nice meeting Y'all." He says before making his way to me.

He takes my bag from me and holds hand with his free one as we walk through the crowds.

I see camera flashes and realise this is now official. I'm being photographed by the paps and this will probably be all over the Internet tomorrow about 'Jerry Cantrell's Mystery Woman'...or some shit like that.

We head straight to his car and get in, with the photographers trying to get a good photo of me.

I feel thankful that Jerry's car has blacked out windows for this very reason.
I take a deep breath and he looks over to me in the passengers side.

"Hey babe, I missed you..." he says before our lips touch.

His touch is warm and safe. His scent that I dreamt of most nights after being without him for only a few.

"I missed you too." I smile.

He takes my hand into his now and kisses the top of it.

"I got a surprise for when we get back." He states with a wink.

"Oh so have I!" I laugh. "I bet mine is more unexpected..."

"Oh yeah...wanna bet your pretty little ass on that?" Jerry smirks.

"Oh you'd lose Mister..." I say playfully. "But when I do win..."

"You get another week off?" He smiles.

"Really?" I say. "But who's gonna do the cleaning and tidying?"

"You haven't won yet Els..." he laughs.

I smirk knowing just how much I have.