Broken Hearts and Homework

Chapter 11: Family Additions

Jack didn't sleep well. Partly because of Sandy's snoring – Bunny and Tooth had offered for him to stay over so he didn't wake Grandpa North – And partly because Jack just couldn't stop thinking!
Whenever he closed his eyes he saw Punzie's smile and he suddenly felt revitalised and energised, which was cool, except when it was three o'clock in the morning and you were trying to get some shut eye.
Finally, he managed to drift off, but it seemed like only seconds later when he was awoken by Tooth telling him that breakfast was ready.
He and Sandy dragged their feet downstairs, tiredly. Tooth was glowing with happiness and danced to Indian music as she made pancakes. Jack's mouth watered at the smell of the delicious breakfast food.
The two boys sat down to eat.
Sandy frowned a little in thought, and once Tooth hurried off, saying she needed the bathroom, he turned to Jack and started signing something.
Sandy's sign language was something Jack had never quite learned, so Sandy tried more of a charades route. He puffed out his tummy and pretended to have a huge belly, then pointed to the door Tooth had disappeared through.
"You think Tooth's getting fat?" Jack guessed.
Sandy shook his head and put his arms in front of him and swung them a little from side to side, as if he were holding–
"A baby?" Jack thought for a moment then his eyes widened with realisation, "You think Tooth's pregnant?!"
Sandy nodded.
At that moment, she returned to the room and Jack was unable to question Sandy about his suspicions further, but as Jack looked more closely at his adoptive mother, he noticed that something did seem different about her.
She had always been petit, rather short and slender, but now she seemed to have lost a little weight on her arms and face, whereas her stomach seemed to be a little larger than it had been. Weirdest of all, she seemed to be stressed about something, and not just a short-term worry; her short, brown hair needed washing, and the colourful streaks in her bangs were fading out.
Maybe, just maybe, Sandy was right.

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Once Sandy went home, Tooth started washing the dishes used in the making of her edible masterpieces.
Well, Jack thought, now's as good a time as ever.
"Uhh, Tooth?" Jack awkwardly hovered by the door, "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can Jack, anything." Tooth answered with a smile.
"It's just, something Sandy mentioned when he was here, and it got me thinking, and I was wondering if it was true." He really hated explaining things, "Are you- are you pregnant?"
Tooth stopped, halfway through washing a plate. Then turned to look at him, "Take a seat, honey." She sat at the same time he did. "I was really hoping Bunny would be here for this conversation, but we both know how upset he gets when we interrupt his football." She paused.
"Yes, I'm four months pregnant, it's due in March. We were going to tell you along with everyone else during Sunday dinner but, come to think about it, now is better."
"I- congratulations! I mean-" Jack was unwillingly upset. The last time he'd heard that was when he was 8 years old, and 2 weeks later he was tossed back into a children's home.
Tooth put her hand over his soothingly, "I want you to know, no matter how cliche it sounds, that even though we're having a child of our own, Bunny and I still love you. And you're stuck with us till you're grown up and fed up with us. We won't do what the Carltons did when they fostered you, I know how you felt replaced. But our love for you hasn't been divided for the baby, our hearts have just grown bigger for it."
"You're right, that does sound cliche. But I know that Baby Tooth will be happy with us, and I know first hand that you make a great mom." Tooth smiled, and Jack cleared his throat to put an end to the touchy-feely moment, "I've got heaps of homework that I need to get started with."

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A/N
I had such awful writers block with this chapter that I decided to publish it here, despite it being half the size of all the other chapters.
I've started writing the next chapter, and I'm thinking about writing another story in the same school, but with all the other characters, so I can more focus on the right characters, but still being able to vent the awesome character that high-school Hatter is. As well as others.
Be back soon
Quill