Long way from Conway (50/?)
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A/N: FIFTY FREAKIN CHAPTERS, GUYS! Can you believe it????? I can't. I started this not knowing what the heck I was doing and now....look at this! IT'S CRAZY! So, I'd like to say thank you to all those who've stuck with me and this story for as long as they have. I really appreciate you guys :) Oh, and by the way, the lovely groffiction is going to make us a NEW BANNER!!!!! It's coming in on Wednesday, so I hope you all will enjoy that! Now, enjoy this later-in-the-day update and plz comment ;)
Read on!!!!!!!!
Four days later:
"Thank you all for coming here in the very early mist of the morning for this very important meeting!"
"Brad," Jamie says, yawning, "it's ten in the morning. We're teenagers. Very tired ones, to be exact. We do not want to be up at ten going to 'Babies R Us'."
Brad rolls his eyes. "For someone so sporty, I thought you'd at least be awake. Anyway, thank you all. Today is a day that we shall all raid this glorious store for only the cutest of things for little baby Jessie."
"James, stop that."
"Shut up and stop being so paranoid," James snaps.
"No, I will not until-"
"Excuse me," Brad says with a fake smile, "may I know the reason why you two are acting like an old married couple?"
Ben sighs. "James has been looking at other guys."
"I have not!"
"Have too! You just did!"
"I did not!"
"Yes you d-"
"It doesn't matter," Brad yells, making them both immediately look to him. "We are here for Jessie and Jessie only, so PLEASE leave all that crap for later and HELP ME FIND SOMETHING FOR THE KID, OKAY????"
Gabby laughs. "Someone sounds like he forgot to take a chill pill."
"I'd shut up. I could ruin you in seconds, girl."
"Sure you could, Brad."
Brad gasps. "Are you mocking me?"
"No, why would a little girl like me ever mock a marvelous specimen of greatness like you, oh wise one?"
"Oh, I'm gonna-"
"Hey," Ben says, smirking, "I thought we weren't supposed to fight?"
"But-"
"It's what you said, Brad," James agrees, making Jamie and Casey giggle. "You have to honor your little rule."
"I hate you all. Now let's go shopping."
Ben, James, and Gabby smile and then nod.
It's so fun to confuse Brad.
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"Hello Adam!"
Adam looks up from his little daughter's bedside to see the nurse who did the birth certificate for Jessie beaming from her spot by the door. He returns the smile and then looks back down at his little girl.
"Jessie's doing perfect, today," he says proudly to the nurse. "She even wrapped her hand around my finger. Isn't that cool?"
The nurse giggles. "Good to know. She's doing fantastic for a premature baby of her size."
"It's fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better girl."
"Can I, uh, ask you a question?"
"Sure," Adam says, looking at Jessie, "ask away."
"What will you do with her when you guys have to go to school?"
Looking up at the nurse, Adam becomes speechless. What will they do when school and Senior year comes around? Get a sitter? No, Adam thinks to himself, we couldn't afford that. Leave her with their parents? It seemed like their only real option.
But it also seemed like a very irresponsible one on their part.
"I really have no clue," Adam replies honestly. "I would say that our parents would take care of them but.....I don't want it to seem like I can't....like we can't make it in the real world without their help, you know?"
"You sound like you're in a pickle, huh?"
"I wouldn't exactly put it in those words exactly but.....yeah."
"You know....I can sit for you guys when it does come."
Adam gasps. "No way. You'd do that?"
"Of course," the nurse says with a genuine smile. "I love little babies. That's why I work here, basically. And besides, I can understand how stuck you are. My cousin accidentally got pregnant when she was sixteen and had one hell of a time trying to juggle school and time with her baby. I helped her since I was out of collage already and love it, oddly. She's now about to graduate from UCLA and her little boy is happy as ever! So," she continues, "I'd be glad to help you guys out. Besides, Jessie's adorable."
"I don't know how much I can thank you."
"You don't have to," the nurse says with a smirk, "I just expect a dollar per hour in return."
"But-"
"Get a job. Trust me. You won't regret it. Now, if you'd excuse me, I have to take Jessie for a little check up across the hall. How's about you start getting dressed to leave? I know you guys are like, leaving today."
Adam smiles. "Thanks....and I will....uh..."
"I'm Melanie, by the way," she says as she picks up Jessie into her arms and heads for the door. "Melanie Parker."
"Thank you, Melanie."
"You're welcome.....Adam."
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In the coldness of her hospital bed, Crystal lays and watches the birds outside her window chirp and hop on the branches of a newly planted pine tree. She sees a mother bird near the bottom picking up worms and can see a very small nest up above near the top of the tree. Soon, the mother flies back up to her little baby birds and feeds them, catering to each with a loving nature to her.
Crystal feels a bit jealous of her.
Suddenly, she sees a baby bird wander towards the edge of the nest and begin to wobble on it. It's little wings are trying to move, but it looks doomed.
The mother notices just in time, hops over, and saves her little baby.
Crystal can feel a tear grace her eye.
"What the hell is wrong with me?"
"I can tell you a few things."
Immediately, Crystal turns her gaze from the birds to the figure at her door.
It's Melanie, and she's holding Jessie in her arms.
"What are you holding? Is that my baby?"
"Genetically, yes," Melanie answers, walking closer to her bed. "According to the government and the world? No."
"I want to see her."
"If you wanted to see her, you would have not pushed her away when she was born."
Crystal sighs. "Can I just see her?"
"Fine. But I'll so make Adam and Kris sue your ass if something happens to her."
"I understand."
Even though hesitant, Melanie takes a few more steps forward and hands Crystal Jessie. Crystal easily takes Jessie into her arms, and gulps when she sees Jessie's eyes.
They look a lot like someone's she doesn't like.
"Her eyes look like his," Crystal sneers. Melanie knows exactly who she's talking about.
"Her eyes are beautiful, then."
"I could easily disagree."
"Why in the world are you so against Adam? Can't you just let him be?"
"I could," Crystal says bitterly, "but I can't. He stole my love and now....he stole my daughter."
"If she was your daughter, than you would-"
"SHUT UP ABOUT THAT, OKAY?"
Just like that, Jessie starts to cry loudly. Crystal looks down at her and groans.
"Shush, kid."
Melanie rolls her eyes and holds out her arms. "Give her to me, Crystal. You have no clue what you're doing."
"I DO, TOO!"
Jessie starts crying even harder, and Crystal just sighs and bounces her....a little...too hard.
Melanie can't hold back her laughter when it happens.
"THE KID THREW UP ON ME!"
"Smart girl, I see," she says, cracking up. "Her fathers would be so proud."
"Just get the damn child off me, 'kay?"
"Whatever you say," Melanie says, scooping up the now sniffling Jessie and heading to the door.
"Whoa," Crystal shouts after her, "what about the barf on me?"
"You can deal with it."
Crystal gasps. "NURSE! COME BACK HERE!"
"Bye Crystal," she chirps, shutting the door with a loud 'bang'. Outside of the room, she can still hear Crystal yelling for her.
Revenge is so sweet.
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"Okay everyone," Brad sings in front of the check out counters, "time to show me what you all found! Girls, you first!"
"I found a few cute little pink onesies with different animals on them," Casey says, holding up six outfits. Brad nods in approval.
"I found a whole group of stuffed animals that are simply adorable," Jamie says with a smile, showing Brad a whole group of stuffed animals. Brad smirks.
"She's going to think she lives in a zoo, but...okay! What did you find, Gabby?"
Gabby smirks and holds up a few rattles. "I got her a few things to hit you with later."
"You are such a charmer, Gabby."
"I know, right?"
Sighing, Brad looks over at the guys and bites his lip nervously. "Please tell me you guys chose some good things?"
"I got her a little bouncing crib...thingy, a changing table that I've already bought and packed into my car-"
"Which I saw," Brad cuts in with a relieved smile. Ben nods and then continues.
"...and, I've also bought Adam and Kris a baby monitor. Because I know they might need that."
James smiles at Ben and wraps his arm around his waist. "That's so sweet."
"It better be. It cost me the money I was saving to buy a new set of workout equipment."
"...How sweet."
"What about you, James?"
James sighs and looks through his cart of things. "I got some cute little outfits, a stroller, tons of diapers and stuff for them, and a little musical mobile for the crib."
"How cute," Ben teases, earning a shove from James.
"Perfect," Brad says, clapping his hands. "I've already got the crib and dresser taken care of, thanks to Cass and his flat bed truck, and I have all the bedding needed for the crib. Well done everyone! Now, let's check out! Only four hours until baby Jessie's home!"
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"Shouldn't our boys be doing this?"
"Yeah, but we're the moms. It's our job to do something for our grandchild."
Leila and Kim share a laugh as they roll wet pink paint over the walls of Jessie's new room. Near them, Daniel and Neil are also helping, the bribe of going to a water park afterwards spurring them on to help, but Leila and Kim can barely know they are there.
They're too busy talking about Jessie.
"Are you mad that Jessie's nursery is in my house, Kim?"
Kim shrugs. "Kris does spend a lot of his time over at your house. Besides, the room Jessie would've been in had she'd been in my house isn't as big as this one. She deserves the best."
"Are you worried that the boys are going to lose some of their....teenage-hood here?"
Once again, Kim shrugs, rolling some more paint on the wall. "I honestly don't know if they even will. I mean, yeah, I know they're going to definitely step it up a bit to help support her, but....knowing them and how easily they get through things...I think this'll just be another thing they'll have to go through."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Leila sighs.
"No," Kim says with a reassuring grin, "I know I'm right."
"I can't believe this is happening."
"Same here. But, hey, what can you do? It's not like we can just force this all not to be real."
"Yeah," Leila says with a snort, "genies are exactly real."
"Do you think Crystal will come back, Leila?"
Leila sighs and puts more paint on her roller. "I don't know. Her trial is in a few days. She already has two attempted murder charges, public delinquency, and endangerment of a minor or minors."
"Why that?"
"Well, for two reasons I guess," Leila says deep in thought. "First for possibly harming Jessie. I don't know if that's what they're thinking of, but I really hope it is. The only other reason I can think of is the fact that Adam and Kris and all their friends are under eighteen."
"I'd put my money on that."
"Hello ladies."
Turning around, Leila and Kim both laugh as they see Brad, Cassidy, Ben, James, and all the girls standing at the doorway, some with bags and some with tools.
"I'd say it's about time we get Jessie's room finished, huh?"
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"Okay baby girl, I know it's not designer or anything, don't get all fussy."
Kris smiles as he watches his fiance dress Jessie in the tiny outfit the hospital gave them from the comfort of the hospital bed. "Sweetie, I think she's fussy for another reason."
"Please tell me it isn't her diaper, because nurse Melanie has been doing that for me and I really don't want to have to learn right now."
Laughing, Kris gets up and looks at his daughter. "She looks tired."
"The kid just slept four hours," Adam says in astonishment. "She's slept about two thirds of the day so far!"
"She's a baby."
"So?"
"So," Kris says, chuckling, "she sleeps more than the normal person. Babies need a lot more sleep than you'd think. Besides, we should give her a break. She's only been alive for four days."
Adam sighs and gently slips Jessie's right arm into her faded pink onesie. "I just like when she's up. Things are interesting when she's awake."
"You are in love with her."
"Only woman other than my Mom that I do."
"You mean you don't love me?"
Adam laughs as he sees Allison and Tommy walk on into the room carrying a brand-new baby car seat and baby blankets.
"Of course I love you, girly," he says, embracing her into a hug. "Jessie and my Mom are just...special. Besides, Jessie has a cuter face than you."
"Now I see why you're gay. No way with the ladies."
"Nice," Kris says, picking up Jessie into his arms.
Tommy smiles at the two and sets the baby car seat on the bed, prepping it for Jessie with the blankets. Kris walks over to him and, after a minute, sets Jessie in.
"A perfect fit," he says proudly. "And they said that it was hard to put a baby in a car seat."
"We still haven't gotten her in an actual car with a seat belt," Tommy replies with a smirk. "That will be the real test."
"Hey Kris?"
"Yeah," Kris replies, "what is it?"
"Can we say goodbye to Melanie? I mean, she's going to babysit Jessie and all for barely any money..."
Kris smiles. "Of course. I'd love that."
"Great."
"Hey lovebirds," Allison says from the door, "if you'd excuse us, we'd like to actual get home before the cows come home."
Adam laughs and kisses Kris on the forehead before taking Jessie and her car seat to the door with them. Kris follows him and then, with a sigh, closes the door to Adam's old room in the hospital.
It was like saying goodbye to an old era of sadness.
Halfway towards the elevator that would lead them to the exit from the hospital, Adam spots Melanie sifting through papers at the front desk and stops the group. He then walks up to her and taps her shoulder. She looks up and grins.
"Hey Adam," she says happily, "I thought you were leaving today."
"Oh I am," he replies smoothly with a sparkle in his eyes, "but I still wanted to say goodbye to you."
"That's so sweet of you."
"Well....you are offering Kris and I something that is saving us so much trouble. It's the least I can do. Plus," he says with a laugh, "you did help us through a pretty stressful time."
"It was my pleasure," Melanie says sincerely. "Here....here's my number. Take it and call me when you guys need me, okay?"
"Definitely. Thank you."
"You're welcome. now, go home. Enjoy time with your family, okay?"
"Of course," Adam says. "Bye Melanie."
"Bye Adam."
And with that, Adam goes back to the elevator with his friends and Kris, and with a sigh, leaves with them from the third floor.
A new era begins in his and Kris's lives.
One with their little girl, Jessie.
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"Man it feels good to be going home knowing Jessie is safe with us," Adam says with a smile as they pull up to his house.
"Well, she's as safe as she can be the way we nearly tired her up inside her car seat," Kris says, looking down at Jessie being practically pressed into the seat, her eyes wandering everywhere.
Tommy smiles and looks back to see the little girl as he puts the car in park. "She looks pretty bewildered by everything, huh?"
"Well what do you expect," Allison says as she unbuckles her seat belt, "her to be dancing?"
"I was just saying."
"Just say she's cute and deal with it, 'kay babe?"
"Okay."
"Should I take the car seat Tommy," Adam asks after he has Jessie in his arms, "or should I just leave it for later?"
Tommy shakes his head and walks towards the front door. "Just leave it. I'll get it out before Allie and I leave."
"Good."
Tommy takes Kris's key and opens the door, smiling as he hears faintly the sound of Brad ordering the group around. "We're home!'
"Look Jessie," Adam whispers to his daughter, "this is home!"
"Come on guys," Allison says, dragging the boys along, "we want to show you guys something!"
The group walks towards the back of the house and then walks to the spare room. Allison smiles and then opens it.
"SURPRISE!"
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To be continued............