Authors: Sabel Simmons
Callum smiled and congratulated them.
Connor turned to Jenna, thoroughly confused.
“Aunty Jen, are you also having a
baby?”
“Yes, little buddy … twins actually.”
“Really? Like Caitlin and me?”
She nodded and he looked at Callum.
“And you Uncle Call? Are you
also having twins? What about you Daddy?”
Everybody burst out laughing, only now
realizing why Connor was so worried about where all the babies were going to
sleep. Then Jenna snapped and asked Megan excitedly.
“Are you expecting twins again?”
“Yes! I am so stressing
out! Two sets!”
Callum calmly explained to Connor how
many babies there would be and he seemed relieved.
“Phew … I was worried! Caitlin
and I thought you would forget about us with all the new babies!”
“That will never happen! You two
squirts will always be our favorites. Remember, you will always be the
first!”
Jenna’s cell phone rang and she saw it
was Kevin and excused herself to answer the call.
“Hi Kev. This is a surprise.”
“Hi sis. I have some news and I
am worried how you would take it.”
“I have news too, so shoot, brother
dear.”
“Ahum … I am getting married.”
“WHAT? With who? No! You
didn’t Kev! How am I going to tell him? How could you do that to
me! You’re my bloody brother!”
“I love her, sis. She is the one
I have been waiting for my whole life.”
Jenna heard the love in his voice and
sighed, knowing she could not deny him to love and be loved. She just did
not know how Callum was going to react.
“Does she love you?”
“Yes. Will you come to our wedding,
sis?”
“Of course! I would not miss
it!”
“What is your news?”
“Ehm … I have not told Daddy yet, so
please don’t tell him. I am pregnant.”
“What! I hope he is going to
marry you!”
“I refused.”
“Jenna, it is his child.”
“Yes. But that is no reason to
marry. Please, Kev, I do not need a sermon now! I am happy for you
and wish you all the happiness in the world!”
They chatted for a little while longer
and then said goodbye. Jenna returned to the den, biting her lip.
Callum immediately noticed something bothered her and pulled her down onto his
lap. His hands folded around her belly protectively.
“Everything okay?”
She nodded and smiled at him, still
worried about telling him the news.
They went to bed early. Callum
was sitting up against the headboard when Jenna walked out of the bathroom
wearing one of her tee-shirts. He sighed and scowled at her.
“I don’t know why you still bother,
Jenna. You know I want you naked against me at night.” Jenna sat down on
the edge of the bed and looked at him.
“I … ehm … have something to tell
you.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’m not exactly sure how you are
going to feel about this.”
“You are not leaving, Jenna!”
“It’s about Kevin.”
“What about him?”
“Ehm … he is … ahum …”
“Jenna, I am sure it cannot be all
that bad. Just tell me.”
“Kevin is getting married … to
Shelly.”
His eyebrows lifted and then he
smiled. Jenna frowned.
“You’re not upset?”
“No. Why would I be?”
“She was your fiancé. Until
recently. Why aren’t you upset?”
He stared at her for a long moment,
then he sighed.
“We’ve known each other for twelve
years. Our engagement was sort of a mutual decision. It suited both of us
as it kept unwanted advances away. We were both committed and had every
intention of marrying. We both acknowledged that we were naïve to believe
it would work. We’ve never slept or had sex together. Nor would we
ever be able to. She’s too much like a sister to me. I think she
was relieved when I broke it off.”
Jenna sat frozen and felt the anger
bubbling to the surface.
“I see.”
“She will always be a special friend
to me, Jenna. We’ve known each other too long to just drift apart
totally. Now she will be family and I hope, not just for my sake, but
your brother’s too, that the two of you could be friends.”
“Oh, sure! We’ll be besties!”
“Why are you angry?”
“Why am I … you made me go through
hell for months, Callum. I believed you were getting married and that it
was a real engagement! Every time you came to me I was deluged with
guilt for making love with an engaged man! And now you calmly sit there
and tell me it was all a farce!”
She was already at the door before
Callum got over his surprise.
“Jenna, come back here, Baby.
Jenna! Where are you … Come back here!”
She ignored him and stomped to her old
room. This time the key was in the door and she turned it to lock the
door. She was not even at the bed when he slammed against the door and
grunted, not expecting it to be locked.
“Open this bloody door!”
“Go away! I am not sleeping with
you tonight. Do you hear me, Callum McGregor! Nor tomorrow night or the
night there after or the one after that. Do you get the drift,
McGregor! This is my room now!”
“Jenna, I am rapidly losing my temper!
I am not going to tell you again. Open the door!”
She walked to the door and stood with
her head against it. She spoke softly and with hurt noticeable even
through the closed door.
“Callum, I cannot be with you
tonight. I need to be alone … I need … I need you to understand and leave
me be. Just leave me be.”
She walked back to the bed and crawled
under the covers. She curled in a little ball and stared out of the
window. Jenna was confused. On the one hand she was angry that he
deceived her and never told her the truth and on the other relieved.
Relieved that he did not love Shelly.
Jenna knew she loved Callum. So
much that it hurt. Hurt even though it was one sided. He never once
made any indication that he had any feelings for her apart from wanting and
needing her. His possessiveness nothing more than sexual. How could
she marry him for that? A marriage would not last purely based on
lust. Bringing up a child in the midst of a loveless marriage was a
recipe for disaster.
She
fell asleep, still without finding a solution.
“Uncle
Callum! Wake up! You have to come quick! There is
something wrong with Aunty Jen! There are terrible noises coming from her
room and we can’t get the door open!”
Callum ran down the corridor and stood
listening against the door. Jenna was throwing up. Her morning
sickness was not letting up, but this sounded worse than any to date. He
cursed that he allowed her to stay here last night. The door was still
locked. He shooed the twins back and took a step back and kicked the door
as hard as he could. It shuddered, but the lock held. He stepped
back and charged the door, leaning lower and rammed his shoulder with all his
weight against the door. It crashed open and slammed against the wall.
He did not even stop to nurse his
throbbing shoulder. He ran into the bathroom and kneeled next to
Jenna. She was huddled over the toilet bowl, shivering and heaving.
Megan came running in and Callum asked her for some water and to go and fetch
the tablets Logan prescribed for the nausea in his bathroom. Liam ran to
his room and was back in a flash. He handed the packet to Callum who
pulled Jenna onto his lap and smoothed her hair from her face. She leaned
tiredly and weak against his chest.
“Take the tablet, my love. You
are so damn hard headed, do you know that, Jenna?”
“Don’t fight … sob … with me.”
And she burst into tears. He
clamped his arms around her and rocked her like a baby on his lap. The
twins stood looking on with big eyes. Callum carried Jenna to his room
and got into the bed with her, smoothing her hair and kissing her on her
brow.
“Sleep, my little painter.”
“When is it going to stop? It is
getting worse every day! I’m sure can’t be good for the baby!
“Stop worrying, Jenna. Stressing
is not good for the baby. I’ll phone Logan this morning just to set you
mind at ease.
“Please stay with me.”
“I am right here, my love. I am
not going anywhere.”
Callum waited until she fell asleep
again before he got up, took a shower and got dressed. He made a quick
call to Logan, who assured him the baby would not be affected. He did say
if the vomiting got worse, to bring her in for a check-up.
Feeling a little more reassured Callum
walked to the porch where Megan, Liam and the twins were.
“Megs, I need your help.”
“Of course! What do you need?”
“I need you to arrange our wedding.”
“Oookay … but I distinctly remember
hearing Jenna say she is not marrying you.”
“She is marrying me. My child
will not be born out of wedlock. Don’t you worry about Jenna that is for
me to resolve. Let’s keep it small and limited to family, close friends
and key staff from the company branch here as well as Jenna’s colleagues.
I’ll give you Kevin’s number. I must remember to phone Uncle Devon and ask him
still.”
“You’re planning the wedding and you
have not even asked for his daughter’s hand?”
He smiled wryly and shrugged.
“Things have been a little hectic.”
“Where and when?”
“Here and today in three weeks.”
Megan gaped at him. Liam waved
in front of her face and smiled at her.
“Breathe, honey. Our babies need
the oxygen!”
“Three weeks! You are crazy!”
“Oh, and you need to get Jenna a dress
too.”
“A dress … three weeks!”
“Ronan and Emily will assist too.”
“Callum … three weeks!”
“Oh and use the twins as well. I
am sure Jenna would want them involved during the ceremony.”
“Wedding … dress … twins … three
weeks!”
“Good, you’ve got it.”
The twins tugged on Callum’s
arm. He turned and they both climbed on his lap.
“Uuuuncle Caaall, what did you get us
for our birthday?”
“Oh, is it your birthday today?
Are you sure it is not only next week?”
“Nooo, it is today!”
“Gosh! I must have forgotten.”
“Uncle Call! How could you
forget?”
He ruffled their hair and
laughed. “Of course I did not forget, rascals. But let’s wait until
Aunty Jen is awake. She helped choosing your gifts.”
Jenna walked in then and the twins
immediately ran to her to hug her, wanting to know if she was okay.
“I’m better now, poppets. So,
what are we waiting for? Let us go find your gifts.”
They frowned and Callum
chuckled. He pulled two small black sashes out of his pocket and called
them to him.
“Why do we have to wear this, Aunty
Jen?”
“We want to surprise you. Don’t
worry, I am sure you will like your gifts.”
Callum tied the knots loosely behind
their heads and hugged Jenna briefly before he picked them up.
“Feeling better, love?”
She nodded and turned, walking outside
leading the way. Megan and Liam were also confused when they walked to
the back end of the house, towards the stables.
“Callum, you didn’t!”
“What! What did we get?”
“This is a big gift, Call. You
should not have.”
“Will the two of you stop? We’re
their godparents and it is our right to spoil them.”
“Can we see? Can we see?”
Callum put them down on the ground and
Jenna and he removed their blindfolds simultaneously. They screamed, then
stopped and grabbed each other twirling in a circle. Then stood still,
just looking at the two beautiful Shetland Ponies that came walking closer and
shaking their heads.
“Mommy, Daddy … look! Awh … they
are sooo beautiful! Thank you, thank you, thank you Uncle Call and Aunty
Jen!”
They hugged each of them and then
approached the ponies eagerly. Caitlin automatically went to the amber
colored pony with a lighter shade mane and tail. Connor chose the brown
pony with a white patch between his eyes and a light mane.
Callum and Jenna smiled at each
other. Each of them choosing the pony intended for them.
Megan took photos and cooed with the
kids over the ponies. Liam looked at Callum with a grin.
“You do know they are now going to want
to come and visit every weekend?”