Pieces of Forever

70 - JASON

"We're almost there, baby." I try to comfort her.

"Jason, baby, what's wrong?" My mom's voice comes over the phone, sounding so concern. I had put her on speakerphone, so that I don't end up getting pulled over.

"Mel is in labor, momma."

She gasps a little. "Nick." She calls for my father. "Melly is in labor! Get up! We have to catch the first plane to them!"

I smile at her words. "Momma ---"

"Is she okay? Tell her that we're on our way." She lets out a small scream of excitement, before hanging the phone up on me.

My phone rings almost instantly, and I push accept without looking at the screen.

"Is Mel in labor?" Kerri screams, barely able to contain her excitement.

I only called two people. How the hell she know what is going on?

"Um . . ." I start off, but is quickly interrupted.

"I just saw Ms. Richards' post on Facebook! She said that her baby is in labor with her first grandchild. Is this true?" I hear movement on her end.

"Yeah, Ker."

Kerri lets out another scream. At this moment I'm excited that I just have her on speakerphone and don't have the phone to my ear.

"I'm on my way."

I frown up, because how the hell can she be on her way? When Leslie had her son, she said that she had no funds to come and meet him. Now that Mel is in labor, she's on her way? Let me find out that this girl's been holding back on me.

"Bye, baby. Your girl got to make some moves to meet my niece."

I don't get the chance to say bye, before she hangs up the phone. I look over to my baby who has visible tears streaming down her cheeks. She's probably not paying attention to the phone calls. Her only thought is probably pushing Jessica out of her.

My phone rings again, and I look at the screen to see Charles' name. My phone is receiving a lot of action this morning, since that first call with Ms. Richards. I take the call and put him on speakerphone.

"What's up, Charles?"

"I just heard the news, brother in law. Mel is in labor."

I can hear the smile in his voice, which makes me smile. I'm so happy that everyone is so happy and excited about Jessica's arrival. At one time, we had everyone against us and disagreeing with the things that we were doing. Everyone kept saying that we were too young to be so deep in love. Now, everyone is calling and checking up on her and trying to find a way to get to her to show some support. Mel thought that with us being in Atlanta that we would be the only two here to see Jessica the moment that she takes her first breath. I'm just feeling blessed that we have so much support from both our ends.

"Yeah, we're on our way to the hospital now."

"I'm on my way."

I lift an eyebrow to him saying this. Charles doesn't own a car to my knowledge. He also doesn't have a job. He's the definition of a broke college student. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Jasmine and . . . " He pauses for a second, before saying the last name. "Cameron are driving."

I turn to Mel to see if she heard him, and from the look in her eyes she did. "Alright. I'll text you the information to get to the hospital and shit, when we get there."

"Look, My mom and Jasmine are Facebook friends and Jasmine just called me and asked me if I wanted to ride with Cameron. I don't want any drama. I just want to be there for my little sister."

"Thank you, Charles." Mel says quietly. "I love you."

"I love you too, sis. They're on their way, so I have to get off the phone. I'll be there soon."

I end the call. That one call took all my excitement and stomped it into the ground. I know that Cameron might be the father, but I wasn't sure if he were going to be included in the birth. I understand that it's fair that he is here as much as me, but I kind of feel as though he is stealing my moment with Mel and Jessica.

"Sorry." She says, reaching for my hand. "It's fair. And if she's his, this is something that we will have to deal with."

"I know, baby. I just hope that he doesn't come and start drama."

"He won't." She sounds so confident as if this isn't the same dude who brought his cousins to the beach just to fight me one on one. This is the same damn dude who has always felt animosity for me, because the girl he wants is in love with me.

My phone ringing breaks me out of my thoughts, and I answer it. I hope it's not more bad news.

"What's up?"

"So, I'm laying in bed, completely bored out of my mind. I check out Facebook, and I see that Mel is in labor. Jas, you weren't going to call me?" Terrance asks, sounding a little hurt.

"Yeah, I was. I was going to phone you, when she was born. It's three in the morning, and I didn't ---"

"Didn't what? Jay, you don't think I want to be there to see Mel give birth to your daughter? Hell, I would want to be there, because it's Mel. Mel is like a sister to me."

"Is she?" Mel and I both look at the phone in surprise.

"Stop playing stupid. I may think she did some fucked up things, but I care about her. Man, you lucky that you're about to become a father, or else I'll come down there and beat your ass for being stupid. I'm on my way."

I was feeling a bit upset about Cameron coming to Georgia, but Terrance just put a smile on my face.

I pull into the hospital parking lot, amping myself up for us having a baby. We're about to have a baby.