Earth (Complete)

Forty four

"Please. Just help me." I pleaded as he walked down the stairs. "If you can just borrow me the money, I can bail him out and he won't have to go to stand uselessly in court."

Liam rounded the corner, shook some hands with random men, signed some papers, grabbed me by my arm and led me to his office. "Don't you understand?" he asked once we were alone. "I can't give you anything. I can't help you."

"Why not?"

"All my money, is NASA's money. NASA has no business with the law. I can't pull some strings. I can't do his bailiff a favor and get him out. I can't do anything, Jane."

Before accepting defeat, I asked wearily, already knowing the answer, but asked anyway, "What if it's just a friendly loan?" To my disappointment, he shook his head solemnly. I sighed and crumbled into a chair, my bag falling to the floor as I rubbed my face hopelessly.

He pulled a chair up next to mine. "Why don't you just... bail him out yourself?" He whispered as if someone could hear us through the soundproof walls of his office.

I glared at him. "Yeah. Cause I have ten grand lying around under my mattress."

"His bail money is ten grand?" I nodded. "Jane, you have the money." He insisted. "What's Jeremy's is yours. I'm sure he won't even wonder where it went."

I thought about this for a second, but discarded the idea. It was too risky. I couldn't let him find out. Who knows what he'll do to me then? Or Dylan? I forced a smile and stood.

"Thanks, Liam." I said, walking towards the door. "I'm sorry for wasting your time."

"Jane, wait." He stopped me. "What about Cody?"

~~~~

Cody's house was bigger than I anticipated. Living at the edge of the dome had its perks. Most of the mansions were there. And there weren't many neighbors so when you have a screeching, preggo wife, it wasn't really a biggie. I rang the doorbell a couple of times before someone answered the door. But I didn't really want to see the one who opened up.

"Jane." Ursula breathed, wiping her hands on her apron lying far outstretched from her humongous stomach. "What a surprise. Cody didn't tell me you were–"

"He doesn't know." I cut her off as politely as I could. I cleared my throat, "Where is he?"

She hummed. "Oh, he's in the baby's room."

My heart dropped instantly. The baby's room. That was something I truly wasn't expecting. My brother? And a baby? My brother is going to be a father. My little brother...

"Would you like to come in?"

I sat at the island in her kitchen, my humongous bag with barely anything in it perched up on top of it as she wiped the counters, humming sweetly like a little content humming bird. I wished I could be as happy as she was. She looked like she truly was enjoying life.

A second later, Cody walked into the kitchen, a smile that I've never seen before set on his face. "I assembled the rocking chair in for yo–" his eyes landed on me and his mouth drifted open. "Jane, what are you doing here?" He smiled and Ursula walked towards him, placing a kiss on his cheek. And he let her, wrapping an arm around her back like he did in the photo in the paper. Though this time, it didn't look forced at all.

"She came for a visit." She answered for me. I smiled in return and silence passed over us. Cody looked down at her and she caught on. "Oh, I'll just... um, I'll give you two a minute."

Cody turned to me and took a seat. "It's really great to see you, J. And here. In my house." he shook his head. "Feels weird saying that. Anyway. Why are you here?"