Unexpected

Chapter 6

"Hey, everyone." Jordan smiled, waving a hand around "Thank you all for coming today, it's good to see all our friends still come by to eat and drink for free."

The guests all laughed and saluted him.

"I must confess... I organised this barbecue with second intentions." He winced, and everyone frowned, whispering at each other "And I couldn't think of a better place and people to share my news with than all of you."

"Oh, for fuck's sake! Just spit it out already! My burgers are getting cold!" Rocco yelled from the other end of the lawn, and everybody joined in.

"Right" Jordan chuckled nervously.

I felt for him, he was so nervous! I grabbed his hand and crushed it hard. He smiled down at me and nodded.

"I'm... I'm going to be a dad. We're having a baby" His voice was so filled with emotion that it cracked a bit, and I felt my throat swollen with emotion.

"What?!" Angela gasped, her thin hands went to her trembling lips "You're having a baby? And he'll be my grandchild?!"

"Yes, that's usually how it works, mom" He chuckled, but it was obvious in his red-rimmed grey eyes that he was more affected by the emotion that he was trying to show.

I think people were more confused than anything else, really, at first. Jordan wasn't dating anyone that they knew of, and out of the blue, he was going to be a dad?! Yep, it was strange, it was clear that it hadn't been planned – honestly, I felt a bit ashamed of that.

However, his family and friends hugged us, congratulated us and made suggestions for baby names, baby products and even daycares. The Marshalls seemed like the kind of people to move along the weird and just get cracking on solutions.

"Oh, God! Can I?" Angela sobbed, pointing at my almost flat belly.

"Of course," I smiled.

Her trembling hand rested over my bump and she sobbed. She was so dramatic, I would think she was Eva's mom and not cool Jordan. Tears rolled down her eyes as her mascara got smudged – she looked like a red panda and it was hilarious. I chuckled but hugged her, patting her back.

"Oh, how long?" She asked, trying to clean her eyes.

"Just over eight weeks," I smiled.

"Oh..." She seemed impressed "It's very early, then. How are you feeling?"

"Tired, most of the time." I admitted, patting my bump "I swear I'm thinking of moving my bed into the toilet – and I'm not even that pregnant yet."

"How are your mornings?" Angela smiled, making me sit with her on the picnic table.

"I don't get sick a lot." I shrugged, and smiled as I caught Jordan from across the lawn, talking to his friends from the tattoo parlour "At least not for now."

"Oh, please, you have to tell me how you two met! Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled about the good news, but I had no idea Jordan had a girlfriend!" Angela explained, grabbing both my hands.

I told her the gist, Eva's tattoo, us getting along – obviously I left the sordid sexy details out, those were too private –, and things just happened.

"Oh, when are you two getting married, then?" Angela asked, with a massive grin and sparkling eyes.

"Ah..." I mumbled, certainly blushing "We haven't... set anything, yet."

"I guess the baby is the most important thing, now" Angela smiled, grabbing the plate of food behind me and handing it over to me.

Eva, Stella, and Dred eventually joined us again, and I met the grandparents, the cousins, the second cousins, Mr. Pratt from down the road, the postman and a whole bunch of local characters that all welcomed me into the family.