Crazy Love

Chapter 45

Jenny's POV

I get up in the morning and grab a waking Lily from her room. She wriggles around in my arms. I'm the first awake.

"FOOOOOD!!!" Lily screams as we walk down the hall.

"Ssh!!" I say to Lily. She says it back, putting her pointer finger on her lips. "Good job."

"Food!" she says.

"I get it, I get it. You're hungry."

"What's the commotion about?" Lilac says, slowly wadding into the kitchen with her big belly. She only has a few weeks left.

"Lily screamed 'food' in the hallway. Sorry," I say.

"It's ok."

"Is everything ready for Amari?" I say, pointing to her belly as I cut some cucumber.

"Yeah. What's it like?"

"What like?"

"Being a mom. Mainly the 'shoving her out of you' part."

"Oh. It's great being a mom. I love it. The other part though... it hurts. But it's so worth it, trust me. Pushing her out is a breeze when you do it. Just don't be nervous about it."

"How does it hurt but it's a breeze?"

"Um... hard to say, really. I mean, it hurts so much but you're really scared for the birth. Hoping that everything will go okay, that she'll be healthy, that it won't hurt; it always will hurt. It just pays off so much. It's easier when you actually do it."

"Okay, thanks."

"Mm," I say, chewing up a slice of cucumber. "No problem. You're gonna be a great mom."

"Thanks..."

At that moment the doorbell rings.

"I got it," I say. "Can you give Lily a quarter of the cucumbers? You can have half. I'll have the other quarter."

"Yeah," she says.

I get to the door and open it. There's a man a bit taller than me. He has my father's dark hair. He has my mother's eyes. He resembles my father so much. But it's not Dad.

"Yes?" I say.

"Is Jennifer Bazile here?" the man asks.

"You're looking at her. What can I do for you, sir?"

"I'm just looking to see my sister." Sister? This man is... my brother? I've had one, traitor brother. Ben

It all happened a few years ago. Ben had just graduated high school. After his graduation party, he spent a lot of time in his room. Nobody knew why. Until the next morning. Out of now where he left. He didn't say goodbye. He just took off with his girlfriend. We were all torn apart. We've never seen him since...

"Ben?" I say, feeling the hatred of that morning. The feeling of loss, the feeling of depression, the feeling of hatred. It's all I feel right now. I feel tears welling up on my eyes.

"Hi. Mom and Dad won't answer the phone..."

"They switched numbers. It's no use calling anyway. Mom has passed. Dad doesn't want to talk to his traitor son. I'm a married woman. And a mother. You've missed a lot. Why did you leave?"

"Mom died?" he says.

"Yes. All you did was leave. You didn't bother with a note or call or anything. Nothing."

"I know, I-"

"How did you find my address anyway?" I ask.

"It took a long time, trust me."

"No. I don't trust you. Leave. Now. I don't want to see you."

"Jenny-"

"LEAVE!!!" I scream, slamming the door and locking it in his face.