I know there are so many bade pregnancy stories! I guess it is just an interesting topic to explore. This story, in my opinion, is set apart from the others because Beck and Jade are adults, in their 30s with successful Hollywood careers. It explores how Jade, whose personality does not exactly conjure up the most common images of motherhood, came to the decision that she wants to be a mother. I use flashbacks to show the moments in Jade's life that led to her to making the decision to become a mother. Of course, once Jade decides to become a mother the journey from that point to holding the baby in her arms will not being an easy or boring path.

Chapter 1

The Right Time

The timing was perfect and she was ready. Jade Oliver was ready to have a baby. She was at the age where it was now or never. At thirty five Jade and Beck's careers were stable and they could both afford to take some time off not only in the financial sense but also in the sense that Hollywood wouldn't forget about them. It could not be denied that they were a Hollywood power couple. Also, at thirty five now was a good time to get pregnant in terms of health, ability, and not being too old to see her kid graduate from college. All she had to do was tell her husband. However, Jade felt that telling her husband that she stabbed someone with scissors and the dead body was in the basement was easier than saying the words, "Hey babe, I think now is the perfect time for us to procreate with a purpose." Jade also felt that if telling her husband was difficult telling others when she did get pregnant would be insurmountable. The reason Jade felt so conflicted about the topic of pregnancy, babies, and marriage for that matter, was rather complicated. As any shrink knows it all started in childhood. Jade's parents were bitterly divorced by the time Jade entered puberty. By the time she got a training bra Jade was vehemently anti marriage and babies seemed to go along with marriage.

Jade had a busy and stressful morning. She was now trying to unwind by writing. However, her mind was elsewhere as she was anticipating the conversation she would have with her husband tonight. It was a long and complicated journey that led to her deciding that she not only wanted to have a baby but that she also was ready to have one now. It had been such a long journey that she was now anxious to get started. The writer couldn't help but think back to one of her first interactions with her baby brother.

"Jade will you watch the baby so I can take a shower and maybe take a really short nap?" her stepmother tiredly asked.

"I don't know anything about babies," the fifteen year old declared.

"He's asleep if he wakes up just pick him up and rock him," Kelly stated, "You'll be fine."

"Fine," Jade begrudgingly stated.

Jade had no baby experience and she wasn't thrilled when she learned that her father and his new wife were expecting. Babies were germy, whiny, helpless, and a product of "love". They did not hold her interest. Richard West wasn't very warm to his daughter and treated her like an obligation so why would he want to give parenthood a second go.

Everything was fine until the baby woke up and started to cry.

Jade picked him up saying,"Shh, don't cry your mother's asleep and I don't want to deal with your cries."

Jade knew it was ridiculous to reason with something that couldn't even hold it's own head up. Slowly, Jade began to sway with the baby in her arms and he quieted down. She didn't know why she swayed but it worked.

He soon fell asleep and Jade let out a sigh of relief as she thought to herself, "That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and he's kind of cute."

Jade was shaken out of her thoughts and tried to refocus on the blank word document before her. However, the impending conversation she needed to have with her husband was taking up residence in her brain as she sat in her dark office. The baby topic had been in the air in the Oliver household. Most of their friends already had children. Cat and Robbie had three girls ages five, four, and three. Cat wasn't so good with birth control or family planning. Jade actually had to go to the obgyn with her so she could make sure Cat got a birth control method the forgetful, ditsy, and busy mom could handle. Tori had a daughter age two. In case you're wondering, yes, she did inherit Tori's cheekbones. Thankfully, Andre had no children, as most of his girlfriends had not been worthy. The musician just couldn't find the right girl. This fact made both Jade and Beck appreciative that they found their mate before fame and fortune arrived to complicate things. Since Beck and Jade had been dating since they were fourteen and married since they were twenty five everyone had expected them to be the first out of their friends to have a baby. However, much to dismay of their friends, family, and the gossip magazines that had not been the case.

The media, paparazzi, their friends, and parents had all been pestering the couple about when they would have a baby. There had been a plethora of tabloid articles stating that the Oliver's were expecting. They were voted number one in the Most Anticipated Couple in the Baby Bump Watch poll in the beginning of the year. It was also only a few months ago that Beck's grandmother had called asking if they were expecting. Jade had overheard the conversation.

"No grandma. Jade's not pregnant. If she was we would tell you so don't believe what you read at the checkout counter. "

Jade then heard a pause in the conversation which made Beck state, "That's a really personal question grandma. Look I really have to go. I'll talk to you soon. Love you. Bye."

Beck's parents were constantly throwing hints their way. Most didn't even register on Beck's radar but as a woman Jade could spot a "when are you going to have a baby hint" from a mile away. Even Jade's mother was getting impatient to have a grandchild. She once went as far as emailing Jade a picture of a black baby tutu. Once when Jade was having lunch with her mother and mother in law they seemed to gang up on her. Carol Oliver conveniently needed to buy a baby shower gift for a friend and Jade's mother Emily stated, "We should just all go together to look. It would be fun." The pestering didn't last long and only occurred intermittently because only a true idiot would pester Jade Oliver. She also had a killer agent and threatened to sue every publication that printed a slanderous or untrue story. Unfortunately, you couldn't sue family members for being annoying. Jade was willing to try but Beck was never for it.

The baby issue had always been complicated. The couple had been navigating it for most of their relationship. There were times, particularly when they were dating, that Jade wasn't so sure she ever wanted to have a child and should therefore end her relationship with Beck. She always felt that Beck would be a great father but she wasn't always so sure she would make a great mother. It was partly the experiences she had with her baby brother along with Beck's confidence in her that made her feel confident that she not only wanted a baby but would also be a good mother.

The college junior's had just tucked in Jade's brother, Ben, for the night. He was six, all boy, and exhausting. Jade's dad and stepmother, Kelly, were on a weekend getaway for their wedding anniversary. To anyone else it would have looked like a romantic getaway. However, Jade knew better. Her father had pulled the same move with her mother. Also, Richard West, while certainly no father of the year, would only leave his son with his daughter and her boyfriend for the weekend if he was desperate. Kelly had been the one to suggest that Beck be allowed to help Jade babysit. Ben had wanted it as he idolized his sister's boyfriend and had known him all his life. As far as Ben was concerned Beck and Jade were a packaged deal. He had never known them as separate entities. To Ben Beck was family. To Jade's dad Beck was a piece of furniture. In spite of what this weekend getaway of her father and Kelly represented to Jade she had been trying to let go of those negative connotations and enjoy being in her father's house without her father but in the dark quiet of the house her mind couldn't help but wander.

"Babe, what's wrong," Jade heard her boyfriend ask as he sat beside her and she was pulled out of her thoughts and into his arms.

"I was just thinking about what's going to happen to Ben if his parents get a divorce or if they don't."

Beck too sensed that Jade's father was headed towards his second divorce.

" Well, at least he'll have a big sister that's been there. I mean it you're a really good sister. If it weren't for Ben you'd probably never come to this house and endure your father, "Beck assured Jade.

Thoughts of Jade's own future also bounced around her head. Earlier as Jade watched Beck play with Ben she found herself thinking about how good Beck was with children. He would make a great father someday. Jade thought those were rather grownup thoughts but she then realized that "being grownup" wasn't that far away. They weren't kids anymore.

"You're really good with him too. He of course assumed you would be coming with me so Kelly must have manipulated my dad into allowing you to join me. He had wanted Kelly's parents or sister to watch Ben but it didn't work out. Apparently, my father doesn't think I'm trustworthy enough to watch a six year old," Jade lamented.

"Well, I'd let you watch my six year old," Beck joked.

"Oh, yeah. You better not have any six year olds," Jade countered.

"I don't, unless there's something you need to tell me, "Beck professed.

The couple was watching television until Jade asked in a quiet voice," Do you ever think about having children someday?"

"Yeah, and you'd be the mother, just in case that wasn't clear," Beck answered as he took his girl's hand in his own.

"I don't know if I ever want to have kids. I just don't know if I could be a good mom. I'm impatient and angry. I want to have a career in showbiz which doesn't really cater to having a family," Jade started to explain.

"Well we have plenty of time before making big decisions. I mean that test we have in Film History takes precedence right now," the aspiring actor joked.

"I want to be fair to you. I know we're only twenty one but you deserve for me to be honest. I don't want you to be wasting your time with me because I see you with Ben and I know you'd make a great dad," she bravely relayed to her boyfriend.

"Babe, I'm glad we're talking about this and laying all our cards on the table but I don't want you to worry about it. I know you're not keen to the notion of having kids. It's not a deal breaker with me. I'm realistic too. I can't imagine balancing a family and a career in Hollywood. You must constantly be disappointing your kids and that thought makes me rethink having kids. If you don't want to have kids one day because of your career or you don't feel compelled too, that's fine. But don't not have kids because you think you'd be a bad mother. I know you'd be good to your own kids. You're so good with Ben. You've shown considerable patience being friends with Cat for all these years," Beck said trying to lighten the mood.

Jade was about to speak but Beck interrupted her. " Yes, you're tough but no one would mess with our kid with you as a mother. You'd fight to make sure your kid got everything they deserved and you wouldn't put up with shit," Beck explained to the girl he loves as he lifted up her chin so he could look her in the eye.

"If I never want to have kids I don't want you to resent me one day," Jade reasoned.

"I know you like to make your own decisions so give me the same courtesy. My decision is you. Whatever that does or does not entail I'm going along for the ride," Beck stated, "Ok".

"Ok," Jade declared as she leaned in to kiss her boyfriend.

He always knew just what to say to her. She just hoped he was right. The truth is when she was fourteen she never wanted to have children but as she spent time with her brother and saw Beck with him she wasn't so sure anymore. She felt rather conflicted. When she saw Beck with her brother she could imagine him with their own child and that thought freaked her out.

Jade had barely more than a paragraph typed, which she kept deleting and refreshing. All of this thinking about the past and future made her think of all of the seminal moments in her life that had made her realize she wanted to have a kid and was making the right choice. With Beck's help, memories of taking care of her little brother, successfully babysitting Cat's wacky brood, and some encouraging words from a few others Jade came to accept that she wouldn't be an awful mother. Beck was always patient with Jade on the issue. He told her that he was ready when she was. If she never was ready he would be ok because he has her and they can just get another dog or babysit Cat and Robbie's litter. Then, they would forget all about babies as Cat and Robbie have three children under five. Jade was pretty sure that Cat had "conveniently" dropped off the girls a few times in hopes of getting Jade and Beck to desire parenthood. Three young children did not help Cat's cause most of the time, it more likely worked against Cat's goal. However, there were still moments, like putting the girls to sleep that made Jade feel more comfortable with the idea of motherhood. A picture of the Shapiro's three girls which sat on the book shelf behind Jade's desk caught her eye. She wasn't going to be getting much writing done today.

"The feeling of successfully putting to sleep Cat and Robbie's three wacky children is equivalent to the feeling I had when the first movie I wrote won the Sundance Film Festival," Jade exhaustedly stated.

It was Robbie and Cat's wedding anniversary and the couple had talked Beck into watching all three children. Jade had not been thrilled when Beck told her what they would spend their Saturday evening doing, especially since she had previously warned him that the couple was on the hunt for a babysitter. Although young they already had distinct characteristics of their bizarre parents. That combined with having three young children right in a row made finding a sitter difficult. Just as the couple thought they could finally relax the youngest, only one month old awoke crying. The couple looked at each other waiting for the other one to move.

"You should get her. She likes you best," Beck explained.

"That's true. I think she only likes me for my boobs though," Jade explained.

"Well, they are good pillows," Beck offered.

"Yeah, the only downside is when she tries to bite them," Jade said as she left the room.

She returned with the baby and held the infant in her arms.

"Why are babies always putting their arm down your shirt or putting their hand on your boob to get your attention? I swear between the three kids I've been felt up more times today than I was in the first two months after you got your driver's license," Jade joked.

Beck gave a small laugh but he was rather distracted. Beck thought to himself that his wife looked really good with a baby in her arms. Jade noticed Beck looking at her and couldn't help but smile a little.

"I know after we finally got the kids to bed I said that I felt like a POW but this one kind of gives you Stockholm Syndrome," the blue eyed woman mused.

"So you thinking about us becoming a victim someday?" Beck said to his wife.

"Yeah, but after babysitting three kids today I think it still might be a little bit. There's a few more career things I'd like to do but I think the day we have a kid is closer rather than farther," Jade let her husband know.

Jade was certainly not going to get any writing done today, she mused, as she looked at the clock knowing Beck would soon be home and she would be sharing a life changing decision with him.

Please review: Did you like it, have any favorite lines, is Jade in character, etc. I will post chapter two soon. I have 99% of the story already written so I will update regularly. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them and am very open about incorporating them.

Preview of Chapter 2:

"Yeah, we should but um I was also thinking that if we wanted to now would probably be a good time to do the kid thing," Jade shakily stated.

"Are you saying you want to have a baby?" Beck questioned as he went to stand in front of Jade.