To Break Her Heart

Chapter 35 ~ "I swear, if I wasn't holding a child right now-"

Chapter 35: "I swear, if I wasn't holding a child right now-"

I stared down my big brother while I held my little brother in my arms. "Seth, I still don't understand why I need to go to school here," I said in a tone that was vaguely whining.

"You're going to be here for three months, Jordan. What the hell would you do otherwise?"

Marie, who was breast-feeding her Carly at the kitchen table, looked up at me. "Don't you want your diploma?" she asked curiously. "We can't have you fail out of senior year."

I pursed my lips, my leg shaking without my noticing. "Yeah, I guess. You said I'm already registered?"

Seth nodded. "Yup, I got the administrators from back home to send your transcript here so that they'll put you in the right classes."

"Where do I get my schedule?"

"When you go to the admin building at the school, the secretary should give it to you. Make sure you go a bit early so that you can figure out where to go."

I nodded and sat next to Marie, bouncing Theo up and down my knee to get rid of all the energy I seemed to have inside me. She smiled at me. "Want me to take Theo and feed him?"

I cocked my head and made a face. "I'm not sure how I feel about my brother being breastfed by his sister-in-law."

Marie rolled her eyes. "Fine. Honey, can you please go grab a bottle and some formula from the kitchen?"

"Sure. Remember Jordan, try not to scare everybody tomorrow, okay?"

"I swear, if I wasn't holding a child right now-"

"I'm serious. If I get any calls from the headmaster complaining about how you threw a chair at somebody, or you made somebody cry, or anything like that, I'm taking away your Skype privileges."

Theo gurgled at Seth's words, and I nodded in agreement. "You're right, Theo. Our brother is a big meanie." Seth smacked the back of my head on his way to the kitchen, and I stared accusingly at his wife. "Did you see what he did?" I complained.

"How old are you, Jordan?"

I scoffed. "This sudden transition from college students to parents is really fucking annoying."

"Language!"

"Please, they can't even sit by themselves without their necks flopping around like limp spaghetti. I can say 'fuck' for a couple more months at least."

"Jordan, I think maybe you need a break to call Luke or something. You seem...stressed."

"What are you talking about? I'm fine," I muttered. "Right, kid?" He gurgled happily when I rocked him back and forth. I smiled slightly. He was so cute.

"Seriously, go put Theo in his rocker and call Luke. Please?"

I did want to talk to him, so I agreed. I stood up and gently tucked Theo in his rocker, turning it on and lowering the music's volume. "I'll be right back, kiddo," I told him, poking his nose. He blew a spit bubble in response. I bounded to the guest room where I would be staying for the time being, and closed and locked the door.

I smiled when I saw Luke's ridiculous face on his contact picture, and pressed 'call.' In a couple of seconds, he picked up. "Beautiful."

Even miles away, he could make me grin ridiculously. "Hey Luke."

***

"What's your name, dear?" the white-haired secretary asked, peering at me over her thick-framed glasses.