Family Comes First

Chapter 35: The New Family Member

The days melted together and seemed to become one. I spent days cleaning and cooking while the boys were outside. Jimmy and Tommy had not gotten into another fight, but Tommy kept that stupid smirk on his lips. Jimmy and I would always go to our room after dinner and he would talk about our sons.

Days passed by. Possibly even weeks. Maybe even months.

I had lost track of time. I was happy with my daily routine. There were no more fights, I hadn't gotten in trouble, Tommy didn't touch me, and they did not go out hunting. Life seemed perfect to me. They were my loving family that gave me a happy home.

We were sitting at the table after dinner one day, and that was when I realized how much time had passed by. I was at the sink washing the dishes and Charles was going through their mail.

"Here's a letter from Taylor," he said.

My hands stayed in the water, but I turned my head so that I could see him rip open the envelope. He pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it. I continued to wash the dishes as he silently read.

"What is it?" Jimmy asked. His voice was soft and concerned.

I could not see Charles' face, but from the tone of Jimmy's voice I could tell that it was not good news.

"Emme had his baby," he said. "It was a girl."

My stomach twisted into a knot. The plate that I was washing slipped from my hand and into the water. I gasped and picked it up praying that it did not crack.

"Better luck next time," Tommy said.

"You seriously can't say that," Jimmy said.

"Oh, come on," Tommy said. "It took Gabe and Lindsay like two years to get Jared. They obviously weren't doing it right."

"You don't know that."

"All I know is that Taylor - unlike you - actually got his girl pregnant."

"Thomas!" Charles said.

I had not turned around while they were arguing. A chair screeched across the floor.

"It's been almost six months, Jim," Tommy said. "But to be fair, we all expected that from you."

Another chair was knocked over. I turned around to see Jimmy leaning over the table. Charles held up his hand to silence them.

"That's it," Charles said. "Thomas, go up to your room. You too, James. I don't want to hear another word from either of you or there will be severe consequences. Understand?"

They both nodded. Tommy ran up the stairs. When Jimmy heard Tommy's door slam shut, he went upstairs. I picked up the dish towel and began drying the dishes. Charles let out a deep breath and sank back in his chair and shook his head. He pulled out his book and began reading.

Charles hadn't said anything as I put away the dishes. When I walked past the table, I picked up the chair that Jimmy had knocked over. Charles watched me as I walked over to the stairs.

"Juliet," he called out.

I turned on my heels. "Yes?"

"Come here," he said, gesturing over to the chair that I had just picked up. "I want to talk to you for a bit."

"Okay," I said as I walked.

I pulled out the chair, and Charles set his book down on the table. I pulled at the sleeves of the sweater that Jimmy had given me. Talking to Charles always made me nervous.

"Now, I know that women in the outside world do things differently," he said. "I just want to make sure that you have not done anything to stop yourself from having children."