CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
JUSTIN.
"What do you mean Ashley knows about Hannah?" I asked Jen with wide eyes. "How?"
"Apparently they were hanging out in Australia," Jen answered and I nearly dropped the bag of balloons I was holding.
"What do you mean apparently?" I asked, all I could remember was Hannah stalking me.
"Well according to Kia.." Jen began and my ears perked up.
"Kia? Well then.." I started and Jen sighed.
"Justin," she said and placed a hand on my arm, "It's over ok? We're over it."
"Well I'm not," I told her and turned away from her. "She hurt my best friend. She hurt you. How can you be so forgiving to her?"
"Because we've been friends for a long time," Jen sighed and I shook my head.
"So?" I asked her. "If it were Trace that did that to me or her... The point it I wouldn't forgive him ok?"
"I know but I'm not you," Jen replied softly as I kept my back to her and picked the balloons back up before walking around the living room putting things where they needed to be.
"Where is Trace anyway? Wasn't he supposed to be here with the damn cake already?" I asked, changing the subject already. I was too stressed out with this party, I didn't need to worry about Kia, Hannah and whoever as well.
"Shelia just called," Jen muttered and walked up behind me. "They'll be here in a few moments." Just as she spoke the door bell rang and I let out a long sigh.
"Thank God!" I muttered and made a beeline for the door, only to open it and see the last person I wanted to. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Hey J," JC grinned as if nothing had happened between us since he decided to join me on my honeymoon with my wife and his crazy girlfriend. "Can I come in?"
"Can you come in?" I repeated and shook my head. "No you can not come in. What made you think it was okay for you just to waltz up in here like nothing happened?"
"I just.." he began and I glared at him with arms crossed. He looked down at his shoes. "I broke up with Ashley and..."
"How dare you mention her name?" I snapped, causing him to look up at me totally confused before it registered in his thick head. "So is that how you found out and decided to rat me out?"
"I did not rat you out okay?" he snapped back, now he was angry at me too. "I did it because I care for you like a brother."
"Oh really? Then why did you decide to bring her with you to Maui?" I asked sarcastically.
"She told me about Hannah while in Maui. We broke up that day I came to tell Jen. The day I found out," JC answered glaring back at me.
"Then why did you tell Jen all that stuff about me?" I asked him.
"Because it's true. You knew Hannah was dangerous and didn't do anything about it!" JC retorted.
"I did ok? You weren't there. So don't go making assumptions ok?" I answered.
"Am I really making assumptions J?" JC questioned with a raised eyebrow. "If you did do anything about it how come she still managed to break in?"
"How am I supposed to know?" I asked, "I'm not her babysitter. She had a restraining order against her. It's not my problem if she wanted to break it."
"It is when both Jen and Sara's lives.." JC began but I cut him off.
"I know okay?" I basically yelled and let out a frustrated sigh. "Look man..."
"Justin?" It was Jen and she was standing behind me with an angry look on her face.
"What?" I asked her and turned to face her, ignoring JC. "I'm a bit busy right now..."
"Trace and Shelia are here with the cake," she whispered and avoided eye contact with both me and JC. I sighed and turned back to JC.
"Ok. Come in man," I told him and let him into the house. I knew Jen was still mad at him but I didn't care. We needed to finish our conversation and maybe it would work better around other people. "I'm going out back to help T with the cake. Jen can you give Jayce a drink or something? Keep him out of my brain."
Jen looked at me, so did JC, they were both thinking I was mental. I shrugged and ran through the house to find Trace and the cake.
"Here's the birthday girl!" Mamma smiled as she brought Sara into the room and everyone oohed. She did look so cute in her green and pink giraffe pajamas. I felt so proud.
"And here's the proud daddy," Trace joked coming up from behind me and slapping my back. "You look like a moron."
"Why?" I asked him, looking around the room to see JC sulking in the corner. "Because I love my women?"
"No because you're grinning like a kid on Christmas morning," Trace laughed and walked past me to Jen. "So, can we sing the kid happy birthday yet?"
"Oh yeah!" Shelia piped in a bit too enthusiastically. "Why don't her daddy and uncles sing her a little something?" I groaned inwardly and shook my head. Jen smiled and turned to look at me.
"Yeah J," she said, "Why don't you?" She took Sara from mamma and handed her to me. I looked at the baby, who looked at me expectantly.
"Uh ok," I nodded and looked around me for the guys. "Guys?"
"What shall we sing?" Joey asked as a joke and everyone laughed, before someone mentioned with a sarcastic tone that we needed to sing happy birthday. I noticed it was JC, he was still grumpy as heck. Luckily Chris slapped his shoulder. I smirked.
"Yeah," I nodded and looked back at my daughter. "Happy birthday." All the guys agreed and slowly we began singing, with Jen quipping in from time to time. When the song was done Trace pushed me towards the table gently.
"Ok," he said with a laugh, "Now the kid's gotta make a wish."
"Come on munchkin," I told Sara and lifted her up so she could see the Dora shaped cake. "Let's make a wish."
"Yeah Sar-Sar," Jen said walking up to us, "Make a wish. Before daddy steals it." I looked at Jen and noticed the smile on her lips, I wondered why she looked so damn happy. Then I remembered it was Sara's birthday.
"I won't steal it," I said a bit defensively and everyone laughed. "Don't listen to mommy Sara, just make a wish."
"Da-Da!" Sara squealed, reaching her hands out towards the cake and causing everyone to laugh. I chuckled and kissed her forehead.
"Well thank you baby," I told her, "And your wish will come true. Daddy will always be there for you."
"Jen?"
"Hmm?" Jen turned around in the bed and faced me, leaning her head on her hand.
"Uh..." I found myself tongue tied and I just grinned like a monkey at her. These past few days she'd been so great and understanding, it kinda got me in a sappy mood. Once she found out about Hannah, instead of going crazy she was nice and concerned for me, taking the time out to make sure I was okay. I didn't really get it but I liked it.
"Justin," Jen said, placing a hand on my cheek and snapping me out of my daze.
"Yeah?" I asked and she smiled at me before kissing me.
"What's wrong?" she asked, this time there was a hint of concern in her voice. I smiled and shook my head, kissing her back.
"Nothing," I told her, "Just thinking about how wonderful this year has been."
"Yeah me too," she agreed but I knew she was lying. I knew she still thought about Crystal. Instinctively I reached forward and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to me.
"No you weren't," I whispered in her ear and kissed the side of her head. "You still miss her?"
"Yeah," Jen whispered and I could hear the tears in her voice. "I can't help it."
"It's ok," I assured, rubbing her back gently. "It's good you think about her, that way when Sara is older we can tell her about what a wonderful woman her mother was."
"Yeah we can," Jen repeated but I knew something was still plaguing her. I sighed and looked down at her. She placed her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes.
"Jen?"
"Can we just go to sleep?" Jen asked so quietly I had to strain to hear her.
"Yeah," I grumbled, even though I wanted to pursue the conversation I knew it wouldn't happen. It wasn't long before I heard Jen's breathing even out and when I did I knew it was ok. I climbed out of bed and made my way to Sara's room, all of a sudden feeling a little down myself.
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