Give Me Hope (h.s)

24

Arabella

I turn when the door opens, an angry Jacob walking into the house. My head turns to look at Harry on the couch and he looks just as confused as me.

"I got it," I tell him, walking down the hall to my angry sixeen year old's room. It's amazing how time flies with my family, but now that we know we're safe from any threats, our life has been fantastic.

Jacob has grown into a beautiful boy, just like his father. I'm still in awe as to how Harry raised him to be so well-behaved but at the same time, take matters into his own hands when he's not taken seriously.

When he was bullied at a young age, Harry did everything to try to show Jacob how to defend himself in a way that wasn't physical. But now, we have those problems. When he's mad, he likes to hit the people who get him mad. Mostly they're friends and they just move on after it happens, but when girls get him angry, he yells. He never hits girls, he's made sure of it, but he says mean things.

He's extremely head-strong and I'm afraid it's going to get him in trouble one day.

I knock on the door and walk in, his long body laying on the bed. His arms hold a pillow and he rests his head on his forearms.

"What's going on?" I ask, sitting beside him and running my hand against his back.

"I'm pissed at Shay," he says, my eyebrows furrowing. Shay is one of his best friends who he trusts. The two boys do everything together.

"Why?" I ask, trying to calm him down.

"Because he had sex with the girl I told him I wanted to ask out," he says, sitting up while I widen my eyes.

"Oh, Jake, I'm so sorry. Why would he do such a thing?" I wonder, and he shrugs.

"I'm so mad. He, just, he makes me so angry because he treats girls like this. I would never do that to her, just dump her after sex. I just wanted to go on a date. Sex isn't even on my radar," he says, and I wrap my arm around him.

"I know, Jake. But sometimes that's all people want. I'm glad you want to build relationships. That's important because that's so uncommon. You have to trust yourself and listen to yourself too. I don't want you to do anything you don't want to. I know it sucks, but if that's what Shay and this girl wanted to do, then are they really your friends? I don't think a true friend would do that to you," I say, knowing it's hard but I need him to talk this out with me.

"Shay has been my best friend for years, but you're right. I'm not going to be friends with someone who treats my feelings like nothing. I trusted him with that information and he used it against me. I shouldn't get that," he says, and I nod.

He gets up and I walk out behind him. "Dad, let's go throw the football," he says, and Harry takes that as his que he needs to talk. The two boys walk outside and I rush into the kitchen, making dinner. But so many thoughts are on my mind and I look back in the cabinet, seeing my pregnancy test from this morning.

Harry and I have barely gotten alone time since Jacob was born but when we do, we have sex. Jacob was out with friends a while ago and we didn't even think about any type of protection, so here's my outcome. Pregnant.

I plan to tell my boys at dinner and I'm afraid Jacob won't like it. He's sixteen and I'll be having a baby. In my defense, I had him when I was nineteen, so I'm still at an age where pregnancy is acceptable. He, however, is going to think this is gross because he knows how babies are made.

The boy freaks out whenever Harry grabs my ass or kisses me longer than a peck.

When I call them in, I get dinner on the table and my boys sit beside me. They are talking about the upcoming season and I make them stop, both of them looking at me.

"What's going on?" Harry asks, looking in my eyes.

"I have something to share with you both and neither of you can flip out on me," I say, and they look at each other before glancing back at me.

"I'm pregnant," I tell them, Harry's lips parting and Jacob scrunching up his face.

"Oh gross," Jacob says, and Harry kicks him under the table.

"Are you serious?" Harry asks, and I nod. Then Jacob stops and looks at me again, my eyes watching him.

"So this means I'm gonna be a brother. I asked to be a brother like, ten years ago, but I guess I'll take it now," he grins, coming around fairly easily. I smile, reaching out to them to hold their hands. I love my boys and I'm intrigued what this adventure will bring.

Harry

Hosting dinner the night after the homecoming football game is a normal for Arabella and I. And this year being Jacob's last year playing, we were expecting it to be much more somber. But it's not. Because there is a little ball of sunshine occupying the minds of the football players.

The little ball of sunshine is Arabella and I's two year old daughter, Grace.

She's the center of attention and all the boys seem to have been taken under her charm. Grace never ceases to put a smile on anyone's face because she's charming. Always happy and always smiling, Grace is a sunshine in everyone's life.

Currently, all the boys are sitting in a circle, and she's going back and forth between boys, all of which are just tickling her. She's in a fit of laughter and everyone is smiling and laughing along with her.

I hold Arabella in front of me while other parents are standing around watching, but we're happy at how entertaining my daughter is.

Grace falls onto Jacob's lap and he holds her, keeping a close watch on her. It's so strange to think that he's eighteen and Grace is two. The age gap is tremendous, but I don't think we could be happier. We have a complete family.

The boys start to leave with their families, and we're left cleaning up while Jacob is giving Grace a bath. He's so close with her and protects above all things. He's grown up so well and knows what to do with himself. I'm proud of him.

When they come downstairs, I take Grace from his arms while he goes and showers. I relax on the couch with Arabella and hold Grace to my chest. I can tell she's tired due to tonight's activities and it's not long before she's asleep.

"I'm going to put her to bed," I tell Arabella, my lips kissing her her hair while hers kiss Grace's forehead. I put her to bed and knock on Jacob's door, walking in when he lets me.

"What's up?" I ask, his lips releasing a sigh.

"Basketball," he says, and I nod. He's being recruited to all these colleges for basketball and he's stressed out. I just want him to play the game he loves and let that take him where he needs to go, but with all the coaches talking to him, it's stressful.

"You know what I've told you and what mom has told you. Just do what you want. Don't put so much stress on yourself, okay? You play the game you want to play," I tell him and he nods. He hugs me, and I hug him close. It's moments like this that I treasure with him, for he makes me know I'm still here for him. I'll always be his father, no matter where he goes in life.

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