"Are you sure you want to make this commitment?" Felix asked as I packed up the rest of Evies stuff into a cardboard box.
"Yup, Evelyn needs her daddy." I replied making quick eye contact with my brother before taping the box shut. Pushing down on it so I could get it closed the whole way.
"You're moving hundreds of miles away with a man, no a boy, that you met up with a week ago!" He exclaimed throwing his arms up in the air in exasperation. His annoyance surprising me as we had just been talking in normal tones.
"We both know that's a lie. Jasper has been a part of both of our lives for years!" I was getting angry as I folded some blankets that I kept lying around. "I'm beginning to trust him and it would be nice if I had your full support Felix."
He stared at me in shock as I glared at him.
"This is a stupid decision and you better not come crying to me when everything goes wrong and you need a place to stay." He shook his head and turned around.
"That's not fair!" I cried out as he left my room. "You're the only blood relative that I have left! You can't cut me out of your life because I want my daughter to have a father!"
"Yeah well less than a week ago you wanted to strangle him!" He turned and spat the words in my face as I flinched away from him.
"You're my big brother." I argued as he followed me into the family room by the front door. "You're supposed to take care of me."
"Isn't that what Jasper is here for?" He growled, centimeters from my face as I cowered away from him. My back hitting the wall behind me. I had never in my life been fearful of Felix, but now, pressed against a wall with his angry face inches from mine, I felt a small ping in my chest.
"Get away from her." An extremely comforting voice ordered in a demanding tone.
"You will not tell me what to do with my sister!" Felix shouted and I moved my head up to see the scene unravelling before me.
"Ma!" Evelyn cried out, burying her face in Jasper's neck, holding him tightly. He had taken her to the park down the street so I could finish packing and I guess he had just gotten back.
"Felix I think you need to go." Jasper said calmly, rubbing circles on Evies back as she cried out again.
"Don't try and contact me again." Felix demanded and I felt a new hole form in my chest as he walked through the door.
"Oh love," Jasper pulled me to his body and I clung to him like a little koala bear. The adrenaline was wearing off from the situation and I wasn't crying, but I was shaking and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. "It'll be alright, I will never leave you."
I gripped his flannel shirt tightly in my hands and buried my forehead into his chest, finding comfort in his familiar scent.
"B-but F-fel-Felix," I stuttered my way through the two words before I stopped talking and furrowed my brows against his shirt. I was still holding him tightly, trying to make sense of the whole situation.
"It's alright. Calm down, don't over work yourself please." He pleaded rocking me back and forth as I held onto him. I pushed away lightly as I thought more about what my brother had said. How could he not want to contact me? I leaned into Jasper's hold again and felt angry all the sudden.
"But Felix was the only one left!" I shouted into his chest out of no where. This is the same feeling I got went my parents died except Felix was comforting me, not Jazz. Except Felix didn't die, he just left. Over something so stupid.
"I won't let anyone hurt you and I swear to never leave your side." He repeatedly kissed my temple and rocked me like an infant until my breathing was normal and my heart rate returned to a semi normal pace.
I slowly pulled out of his embrace and glanced around the empty looking apartment.
"Where's evie?" I asked, suddenly aware that my daughter wasn't around us anymore.
"Down for a nap." He smiled proudly and I sent a weak grin his way.
I walked into the hallway and turned into her room, I slowly reached down and picked her up, cradling her small body and carrying her into my room. I knew it couldn't be good for her to sleep with me so often, but she was like my rock, she held my world together. It couldn't hurt to nap with her every once in a while.
I set her in the middle of my bed and crawled in next to her. She cuddled into me and I pulled her against my chest. The bed dipped and I turned a little to see Jasper wrapping his arms around me and kissing my cheek lovingly. I tried not to flinch when I felt him kiss me, as it was so foreign after so much time apart, but it was so nice.
"Its nice to know that I can hold my whole world in my arms." I grinned and giggled a little at his sweet proclamation, the fear long forgotten.
___________
A small hand touched at my cheek softly and I peered through one eye to see a smirking baby.
"Excuse me, I don't believe I was done napping." I smiled at her questioning face as I pulled her into my body and rolled over to face Jasper. He was still out cold and snoring a bit.
Evelyn looked at me before taking her index finger and gently touching his tooth. When he didn't move, she glanced up to me and grinned with just her gums. Again, she reached out. But this time she touched his tongue and he jumped back in shock.
"Crazy baby." He mumbled in his beautiful morning voice that would make teenage girls across the globe swoon.
"Da!" She squealed so high pitched that we both flinched away from her, but she was oblivious.
"What shall we do now to get our minds off of packing?" Jasper asked as he stroked Evelyn's hair gently and she snuggled into his body.
"Maybe visit your family since they will hardly see us anymore." I answered quietly, my head bowing at the thought of not seeing Mary Kate everyday.
"That's a good idea, but we can always call and video message. Remember?" He asked gently.
"Yeah, it's just going to be weird s'all." I shrugged a little and tried to distract myself with Evelyn's pajamas. We had never changed while packing before Felix stormed out and we napped.
"Alright let's get going! It's already two o'clock and we're burning daylight!" Jasper's voice got comically higher as he lifted Evelyn off the bed and soared her over his head.
"Are you just going to wear that?" I analyzed his flannel shirt and khaki shorts that he wore over this morning.
"Yeah, do I look bad?" He actually looked like a sad puppy but I wasn't going to tell him that.
"Of course not, let's go get her ready." I distracted him easily.
Jazz carried Evelyn into her room and occupied her while I picked out her outfit for the remainder of the day. For once it was sunny, so I wanted to take advantage of the warmth and let her wear a summer dress.
The one I picked out was striped on the top but fed into a pink tutu which I loved. Evelyn looked precious in the fluffy skirt so I knew that it was going to be hers for the day.
I handed the dress to Jasper to slip onto her as I rummaged around for the matching head band.
"Ah ha!" I mumbled to myself as I pulled the pink hair piece from her stuffed drawer.
"What a princess!" Jasper whispered in complete adoration as he slipped her head band on.
"We made a pretty cute kid, yeah?" I asked as I helped her into a standing position.
"Hell yeah," he smirked as I smacked his shoulder in punishment towards his cussing.
He slipped his phone out and snapped a picture of our blue eyed baby as she stood with my support.
"Look how strong you are my love!" I cooed at her as she slowly sunk to the ground.
"Okay you get dressed and I'll pack some snacks for her." Jasper ordered and I looked at him confusingly.
"How do you know what to pack?" I asked as I stood from my spot on the carpet.
He blushed and swayed a little with our baby in his arms before looking up. "I talked to Mary Kate for a very long time about Evelyn and everything she likes and needs."
My heart swelled right there as he showed true love towards our baby, going as far as harassing his sister on everything about Evelyn.
"Okay, I'll be done quickly." I replied, ignoring his bashfulness.
As I finished getting dressed Jasper had just got Evelyn to stop crying before he even packed anything. he was standing in the middle of the kitchen, the diaper bag on the counter and a flustered look on his face.
"How did you do it?" He begged as I took the sniffling baby from his arms. She laid her head on my shoulder and sighed as I kissed the side of her head.
"Do what?" I smirked as I rocked her.
"Be a single parent!" He exclaimed in exasperation.
"I didn't have much of a choice." I answered pathetically as I grabbed the diaper bag and began stuffing all of her little baby necessities inside as Jasper stood helplessly in the doorway.
"Good thing that will never happen again." He finally spoke as I handed him the bag.
"Let's walk to the little restaurant a few blocks down and have your family meet us there." I suggested as I unfolded her jogging stroller with difficulty, even though it's never been used for a run of any type.
"Okay I'll shoot my mom a text." He pulled his phone out and began tapping away at the small screen as I buckled Evelyn into the seat that I finally got unfolded. I tucked the diaper bag in the mesh compartment underneath and sighed happily when I was done.
We left my apartment after locking the doors and headed towards the elevator. The entire ride down Jazz sat and made faces at a grinning Evelyn who soaked up all the attention like a sponge.
When we landed in the lobby I waved to Robbie like usual and continued out into the warm street. Evelyn had a baby book perched on her lap like the little book worm she was and was blabbering nonsense like she could actually read.
"So what is it that she's reading that is so interesting?" Jasper asked with a stupid smile stretched across his face.
"I don't know why don't you ask her?" I grinned back and looked both ways before crossing the intersection.
"Which one are we going to?" He asked as he scanned each store front.
"The little Italian one that we always went to as kids." I answered, abruptly cutting him off to turn towards the restaurant.
"Apparently this one." He mumbled with an eye roll, but still held the door open for us.
"Hello, just three?" The young girl at the podium asked sweetly.
"No there will be five and a high chair please." Jasper grinned as he realized that she recognized him and she giggled a little as she led us back to a large table.
I grunted as I sat down and Jasper chuckled.
"You jealous of a sixteen year old?" He questioned in an annoying tone.
"No." I all but growled.
"Come on, you're beautiful and you've given me the best gift I could ever receive." He assured me in a whole heartedly manner as he scooped Evelyn from her stroller.
"Thank you J." I leaned into his side as we waited for the rest of his family to arrive.
Jasper suddenly sat up and knocked me off balance.
"What is your problem?" I hissed as Evelyn jerked in his grip.
"The paparazzi already found me." He narrowed his eyes towards the greasy men who had their lenses focused on us from the sidewalk across the street. "I don't want Evelyn exposed yet."
Glancing again towards the men, I sighed in relief when his family stepped through the door.