Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
“It works for me,” Jenna says, looking up at me with a smile, and the tears pooling in her eyes reflect back my own tears to me.
“Billy Jacobs Junior,” I repeat, feeling the name settle into my heart like putting back a piece that has been missing for a long time.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Over One Year Later
Jenna
“Watch out!” I call out in my Dad’s direction. “He’s on a rampage again!”
We all chuckle as baby Billy toddles right past my Dad’s waiting arms and instead grabs the edge of a cushion on the nearest armchair, pulling it down and making himself tumble into a seated position in the process.
He’s slightly stunned for a moment – but only a moment – before he scrambles back up and starts to run around in that same slightly unsteady way of his.
“He’s doing so well for a one-year-old,” Dad says, shaking his head in admiration. “I don’t know where he gets all this energy from.”
“I think it’s just that you’re old, Dad,” I tease him. He scowls at me but good-naturedly. He’s doing a lot better these days. Since Billy was born, he seems to be on a brighter path. Maybe it’s because he has a reason to come back home and see his grandson instead of staying out looking for somewhere to gamble.
“Here we go,” Hunter says, coming back into the room with three drinks balanced in his hands. “Does Billy have a full bottle of water?”
“He’s all set,” I tell him. “Sit down. We’ve all got everything we need for now.”
“Alright,” Hunter says, flopping himself down on the couch next to me. I love when he plays busy daddy – industriously making sure that every eventuality is covered – but it’s nice to be able to relax together, too. “What’s the topic of conversation?”
“I was just telling Jenna about my new job,” Dad says. “It’s going pretty well, I think. They said it’s likely I’m going to make my three-month probation and keep the job permanently. Just so long as I don’t do anything to screw it up in the next couple of weeks – which I’m not going to.”
“That’s great, Frank!” Hunter exclaims. “Did Jenna tell you about her news?”
For a moment, I almost jumped out of my seat. How did he know I had news? But then I realize he’s talking about school and not the other thing I have to tell them.
“I’m graduating top of the class,” I say with a grin. “I got the news earlier this week. I beat a lot of kids who came from really fancy schools, Dad. And none of them have families, either. My professor said if I didn’t have all this other stuff going on, he thinks I would have been in the top one percent in the country for my major.”
“Wow,” Dad says, shaking his head and looking at me with complete admiration. “I can’t believe I raised you. You’re so much better than I ever was, you know that?”
I shake my head back, hating whenever he talks down about himself. “You had a lot going on too, Dad, all these years.”
“That’s no excuse,” he says gruffly. He clears his throat, grabbing his drink as if we’ll believe he’s just thirsty. “Your mom would have been so proud of you.”
I feel tears welling up in my eyes at his words. It’s not just what he said – it’s the fact that I know what else I have to tell them tonight. The way he mentioned her almost seemed to bring my mom here, into the room, as if she were with us to share this moment.
I miss her so much sometimes, especially at times like this. But I have Billy and Hunter, and I have my Dad, and I’m about to have someone else, too.
“Actually,” I say. “I have more news that I wanted to tell both of you tonight.”
“Oh?” Hunter asks, looking up at me. I can tell he’s wondering what it could be that I didn’t tell him in advance. At that moment, Billy half-trips and half-climbs into his daddy’s lap, waving a toy giraffe in the air.
With all of them looking at me expectantly – Billy, too, given the sudden anticipation in the room – I suddenly feel a flush of nerves, heating up my cheeks and making my eyes drop down for a moment.
I raise them again because I know I have something amazing to share – and I don’t want to hold it back for a moment longer from the people I care about.
“I took a test last night,” I say, and grin as I look from my dad to my husband. “We’re going to have another baby!”
“What?” Hunter exclaims, his entire face lighting up immediately. “You’re pregnant?”
“I am,” I confirm with a giggle.
“Oh, congratulations, sweetheart,” Dad tells me, getting up from his chair to pull me into a hug. Hunter pulls Billy up as he stands, and they join me in a family embrace.