3rd Wheel

Family Affair

Candon:

Thanksgiving rolled around and the evidence gathering was still going on with Paul's professor. We had quite a bit and the legal team said soon we'd have enough for a solid case. we went to Jaeger's family's home for dinner. Not only had we spent the last few months working on us, but repairing relationships with his family as well. They accepted the relationship the three of us were in from the beginning and when Jay left, we sort of pulled back.

His sister and her family were there as was his brother and his family. Everyone was warm and friendly to Paul and I and greeted us with hugs and kisses as if nothing happened. That's what I loved about Jay's family. They are forgiving people. My family...there's no such thing. Grudges run deep and long.

The children were cheerful and playful and wore Paul out playing. Jaeger disappeared into the kitchen to help the cooks and I was left with his father, brother, and brother-in-law by the grill.

"So, Candon. Your wife finally came home," Jamal teased.

I laughed softly. "Yes. Although, I did chase him to another country with the intent to drag him back."

Terrance snorted.  "Oh, he'd hate you for life if you did that."

I laughed. He was right.

"Get everything sorted?" Jay's father, Gary, asked.

"We're working on it."

"Never go to bed angry and always talk things out," Gary said pointing the spatula at me.

I nodded respectfully.  "I see that now."

"How's your family?" Jamal asked.  I don't why he did. 

I snorted. "Snobbish and boorish as ever. I'd much rather be here than within a mile of them."

"Why?"

I sighed.  I disliked talking about my family.  They were alot like Paul's family.  "Other than my dad, no one supports my relationship with Jay and Paul. So we keep our distance."

Terrance put his hand on his dad's shoulder as if he was trying to get under my skin.  "That's gotta be hard."

I shrugged.  "Nah. They stay out of my way, I stay out of their way life is good. I have Jay and Paul and all of you." I pointed out everyone in the yard.

"Awwwww!" They said at the same time.

Jamal threw his heavy ass arm around my shoulder and pinched my cheek.  "Smooth talker!"

"What about Paul?"Gary asked.

I frowned. "He hasn't had any contact since they kicked him out two almost three years ago."

Jamal stepped back and took a drink.  "Ouch."

"That's brutal."

I nodded.  If only they knew the half of it.  "It eats at him. But he tries not to let it get to him."

"Things like this, being with other people's family, don't bother him?" Terrance asked.  Paul had one of the kids in the air doing an airplane.

I looked over at Paul. He was truly happy playing with Jaeger's nieces and nephews. He put little airplane down and picked up another kid.  A smile made its way on my face as he lifted the smallest and blew raspberries on his stomach making him giggle. Boy, if he or Jay could get pregnant, they'd be fat with babies all the time.

"Earth to Candon," Gary waved his hand in my face.

They laughed as heat rushed into my cheeks. "I think Paul likes this. He probably wishes we had kids of our own."

Jamal handed me another drink.  "Why don't you?"

"Everyone was working or going to school or working and going to school. Then Jay left...it's been kind of rough. We're working on us. We haven't discussed kids."

"You want them?"  Jamal took a pan of burgers and covered them.  The grill sizzled as Gary slapped down some beef hot dogs.

I couldn't help the evil smile that crossed my face. "If they could get pregnant they'd be knocked up right now."

We all laughed. Jay walked by with a bowl of potato salad.

"What are you demons talking about?" He kissed my cheek and smiled.  

His brother Terrance is one year older and loves to tease Jay. "Why you're not pregnant."

Jaeger's eyes popped wide, smile gone. "What the hell are you saying!?"

I chuckled and put my arm around him. "Well, all the sex we're having you should be pregnant."

He glared at me and sucked his teeth. "Stop drinking. It's making you stupid."

We started laughing again and he walked off muttering under his breath. Paul walked over a few minutes later with Terrance's two year-old Zari on his hip.

"What did you do to Jay?" he asked.

"What's he whining about?" Terrance asked drinking his beer.  He knew what we did.  

Paul looked at all of us.  "He said something about stupid ass men."

We laughed again. Did Jay forget he too is a man?

Jamal kept laughing.  "Terrance was asking him why he wasn't pregnant yet."

Paul rolled his eyes. "You guys. Really?"

They chuckled. I reached out and pinched Zari's fat little cheek. Before I could stop myself, "You guys look good with babies," slipped out of my mouth.

Paul's face turned red. "I'm going back over there." He turned and sped walked it out of there. Terrance, Gary, and Jamal laughed behind me.

"You scared him off," Gary chuckled.

I laughed softly.  They could run for now. But this was far from over. We never really talked about children. I loved them. They loved them. I'd definitely want one or four. Once we got fully stabilized and solved this nonsense with Paul's professor, I'd definitely be bringing it up again.