It had been well over a two months since Karen told Jack the news about the baby. He made sure he was present at all the doctor's appointments and he practically moved himself into the manse with her. Karen protested at first, but secretly she was hoping he would move in anyway so it wasn't much of a fight. Being four months along, her belly was beginning to show, a slight protrusion obvious under her tight fitting shirts. She made sure to hide it with blazers and her large purses.
Jack watched Karen pace around the room frantically from where he was sitting at the vanity. They were getting ready to leave to head over to Will and Grace's and tell them about the baby. Karen was a nervous wreck. She had on a violet silk robe, her hair curled around her face and only half of her makeup on. Jack giggled as she padded barefoot around the room, muttering obscenities under her breath as she grabbed items from her closet and threw them on the bed in a huff.
"I have nothing to wear!" she exclaimed, tossing her hands in the air in defeat.
Jack rolled his eyes and stood from the bench, making his way over to her tiny frustrated form. "Kare, you have plenty to wear," he gestured to the bed with a mound of discarded clothes on it. "How about this little number?" he asked, picking up a black form fitting dress. It hit just above her knees and had three-quarter length sleeves with a plunging neckline. He adored her in this dress.
"Jack!" she shrieked, snatching the dress out of his hands and tossing it to the floor. "I can't wear that! It's gonna show-"
"Our baby?"
Karen glared at him and let out a huff. "I'm fat."
Jack threw his head back and let out a raucous laugh causing Karen to gasp and smack him in his stomach. He doubled over from the blow and gulped before composing himself, a smile still present on his face while Karen pouted before him. "You're not fat, Karen!" he giggled. "You're pregnant with our little baby."
When she refused to look at him, tears welling slightly in her eyes, Jack sighed and grabbed her by her shoulders, dragging her over to the full length mirror in the large closet. She forced her arms down to her sides and then untied the belt of her robe, opening it up just enough so he could see the cleavage of her bosoms and the small swell of her tummy. He couldn't help but gasp at the tiny lace thong she wore, but he mentally shook his head and took her hands in his from behind her, placing them on her stomach. "This is our baby, Karen," he said, his warm breath sweeping across her ear. "You are carrying our child in your belly and you couldn't look more radiant if you tried."
Karen stared at where their hands rested on her belly in the mirror, a tear falling down her cheek. "You think so?"
Jack kissed her cheek, his fingers tracing the small bump lightly. "I know so." They stayed like that for a few moments, Karen leaning back against him while Jack hummed softly in her hear. He felt Karen's breaths begin to deepen and he glanced up at the mirror to see her eyes closed peacefully. She was falling asleep in his arms. He let out another small giggle and kissed the top of her head before pulling back from her causing Karen to open her eyes and frown. "Now come on," he said, turning her around. "We're gonna be late for dinner with Will and Grace if you don't finish getting dressed in the next five minutes."
Karen exhaled deeply and nodded her head. "You're right. I still gotta put the rest of my face on."
Jack followed her back into the bedroom and grinned when she picked up the discarded dress he picked out for her. He watched as she let the robe fall from her shoulders and he reached down to grab her black lace bra that matched her panties from the bed, handing it to her. Once she was finished dressing, she stepped down and strolled to her vanity while Jack picked out a pair of shoes for her in the closet. He settled on a pair of red Manolo Blahniks and practically skipped his way back to her just as she finished putting on the last touches of her lipstick.
"Ready?" he asked after he helped her into her shoes.
"As I'll ever be," she muttered.
"Hey guys!" Will greeted as the door of the apartment opened and Jack and Karen strolled in. "Dinner's almost ready."
Jack pranced into the kitchen to bother Will while Karen stood nervously by the fireplace, her arms place precariously over her stomach. The dress Jack picked seemed to emphasize her ever growing belly and she was panicking. Grace emerged from the bedroom and frowned at Karen's odd demeanor.
"Kare?" she asked. "You look like you're about to pass out. Do you need a drink?"
"God yes," she groaned.
"Ahem!" Jack coughed loudly from the kitchen, pointedly glaring at Karen.
"I mean um," she licked her lips and smile weakly at the red head. "No, honey, I'm fine."
Grace looked surprised, but didn't say anything further. She went over to help Will finish dinner and gave Jack a weird glance as she passed him. Jack made a beeline for Karen. "Kare, what is going on?" he asked under his breath.
"I can't do it, Jackie," she whispered harshly. "I can't tell them. They're going to make fun of me. Of us!"
Jack scoffed and stared at her incredulously. "When has that ever bothered you? These are our friends!" he reminded her. "And who cares what they think? The important thing is that we are having a baby together and they can either accept that or fuck off."
Karen's eyes widened in surprise. Jack had never said something so maturely or so crass about his friends. He was growing up right before her eyes and she couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly proud. He was right; she never cared what Will and Grace thought of her before, why would she start now? With a new sense of confidence, Karen took in a deep breath and puffed out her chest, her arms dropping by her sides so her stomach was no longer covered.
"All right, listen up!" She exclaimed. Will and Grace's heads snapped up from their dinner activities and they stared at them from across the room.
"Oh God," Jack gasped. "We're doing it now? Like right now right now?"
"It's now or never, Jackie," Karen said to him, a reassuring smile on her face. She grabbed his hand and practically dragged him to the kitchen. "Jack and I have an announcement to make and if I hear one negative word from either of you then I am walking right out that door and not coming back, do you understand?"
Will and Grace slowly nodded, confusion written all over their faces.
"What's going on, guys?" Will asked slowly, crossing his arms over his chest.
Karen licked her lips and looked up at Jack who's eyes were darting back and forth between the two friends before them. "Well," his voice cracked. "Y-you see, Karen and I are... Uhm, how do I put this delicately?"
"Jack knocked me up."
Grace, who was tasting the tomato sauce at that moment spit the contents out across the counter and Will, being just as dramatic, shrieked out, "What?!"
Jack squeezed Karen's hand and they waited for the bombardment of questions they knew were going to be hurled their way.
"You guys aren't serious," Grace said, wiping the sauce from her mouth and cleaning her hands on a nearby towel.
Karen let go of Jack's hand and turned to the side, revealing her slightly rounded belly. "Oh, I'm serious, honey," she said, her hand smoothing over the thin material of her dress and resting under the bump.
Grace gasped loudly and then ran to her coworker. "Oh my God! Karen!" she exclaimed in excitement. "You're having a baby?"
Karen's face broke out in a smile, relieved at the way Grace took the news. "Yes, honey," she nodded enthusiastically. "I'll be 21 weeks along tomorrow." Grace squealed and began jumping up and down, much like Jack did when he found out, her hands gripping Karen's happily.
"Did you hear that, Will?" Grace glanced up at the kitchen to her best friend. The smile dropped off her face at the sight of Will's angry demeanor. "Will?"
"How did this happen?" he asked, his eyes fixated on a nervous looking Jack.
"Oh dear," Karen sighed, dropping Grace's hands. "Am I gonna have to explain the birds and the bees again?" Will shot a glare her way and Karen immediately clamped her mouth shut. She reached behind her and grabbed Jack's hand again, lacing their fingers together.
"Will," Jack started slowly. "A couple of months ago, Karen and I were at the manse going through some old pictures." He looked down at her and she nodded, giving him an encouraging smile. "We started making out, like we usually do, and then one thing led to another and bang, she's pregnant."
Will's brow furrowed even more, the lines deep on his face. "One thing led to another?" he asked gravely. "Jack, you're gay! How can one thing lead to another?"
"Wilma," Karen warned. "I told you if you go apeshit on us that we are leaving."
Will ignored her, keeping his eyes on Jack. "What the hell, Jack?"
Jack looked up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to keep it together. "Look, Will," he began. "Karen and I have always had a special connection. I mean, you and Grace never make out or play with each other, take baths, showers, all that stuff together... You never have." He looked down at Karen and shared a smile with her. "From day one when we touched stomachs, we had something special. When I say 'one thing led to another,' that's exactly what I mean. We were fooling around and before I knew it, we were making love."
"You mean having sex?" Will interjected.
Jack shook his head, his eyes serious. "No, Will. Making love."
"So," Grace spoke up. "Are you two a couple now?"
Karen laughed and Jack vigorously shook his head. "No, honey," Karen said. "We had one amazing night together, that's it. As a result, I'm pregnant... but we're not a couple."
"Yeah," Jack agreed. "I love Karen more than anything, but I couldn't be in a hetero relationship with her. I'm still as gay as I ever have been."
Will kept glancing between the two of them, at a complete loss for words. Karen noticed this and licked her lips, walking around the table and up the steps to the kitchen, taking Will's hand in hers. "Will, it's okay. Jack's gay, you're gay, Grace is Jewish, and I'm pregnant. It's all as it was!" She realized what she said and frowned. "Well, I mean, not all like it was.. I have a tiny human growing inside of me and I'm sober for the first time in 10 years, but hey, I've adjusted! And so will you!"
Will glanced down at her stomach and sighed, accepting the news and letting it settle in his brain. He tentatively reached out and traced his finger over her tight belly. "Wow," he murmured. "You really are pregnant, aren't you?"
"Duh, silly!" Jack spoke up. "We get to find out in two weeks if we're having a boy or girl!" He hopped in place, his excitement causing both Will and Karen to smile.
"Isn't that a little late to find out the gender?" Grace asked curiously.
Karen nodded. "Yeah, but when I last went to the doctor the baby was in a weird position and it was hard to tell. I want a girl!"
"Aww, Kare!" Jack whined. "I want a boy!"
"You already have son, Jackass," she reminded him and then turned to Will. "You okay, honey?"
Will let out a long breath. "It'll take some getting used to, but yeah." He leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the lips and wrapped her in a warm hug. "Congratulations."
Karen hugged him back tightly and then pulled away when she suddenly seemed noticed the food on the counter. She reached down, swiping some red sauce out of the pot with her finger and shoved it eagerly in her mouth. "Oh God," she moaned. "Can we please eat?"
The three friends laughed and they all pitched in to set the table so they could finally eat dinner.
"You think Will is gonna be okay?" Jack asked later that night when they arrived back at the manse.
Karen shrugged, kicking her heels off and leaving them by the front door. "He will be, Jackie," she assured him. "Now help me out of this godforsaken dress, honey. It's like a thousand degrees in here!"
Jack giggled and followed his best friend up the steps to her room. He unzipped her dress and watched amusingly as she practically tore the material off her body. Knowing her routine, Jack grabbed the makeup wipes from the vanity and waltzed over to Karen just as she unhooked her bra and dropped it to the floor. He took her earrings out of her ears while Karen cleaned her face. She gave him the used wipe and he tossed it in the wastebasket as Karen picked up her nightgown off the railing next to the bed. Jack returned to her and grabbed her hands, stopping her from pulling the garment over her head. Karen looked up at him in confusion and Jack leaned down to place a lingering kiss on her lips. Karen sighed happily against his mouth, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders.
Jack parted their lips and got down on his knees in front of her, pressing delicate kisses to the skin of her stomach. "Hi little one," he whispered. Karen felt her eyes immediately well with tears, no longer in control of her emotions due to the hormones of the pregnancy. "Mommy and daddy can't wait to meet you."
Karen gasped and placed a hand over her tummy right where Jack was speaking to the baby. "Oh my God." The tears spilled out and ran down her face uncontrollably.
Jack stood up, concerned, almost panicking. "What happened? Are you okay?!"
"Jackie," Karen breathed out. She grabbed his hand and placed on her stomach. "I felt a kick."
Jack's face changed from panic to astonishment. "Really?"
"Yeah, honey, feel..." They kept their hands on her stomach waiting, but nothing came.
Jack deflated, sadness washing over him. "Aww, I wanted to feel..."
"Hey, it's okay," Karen said, reaching up to rest her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at her. "Do you wanna stay in here tonight?"
He perked up and immediately tore off his shirt and pants, knowing Karen hated when he wore pants to bed. He hopped onto the bed, bouncing a little, and Karen giggled, clapping her hands in excitement. She pulled the forgotten nightgown over her head and turned out the light by the bed before climbing into the sheets next to Jack. She scooted herself back until her bottom made contact with his stomach and reached behind her, grabbing his arm and placing it on her breast. Jack snickered and buried his nose in her hair, snuggling himself closer to her as he gently squeezed her tit in his hand. Karen turned her head to kiss his cheek, but Jack, anticipating her actions, leaned down and captured her lips in his. Karen gasped, but not in surprise of the kiss. While their lips stayed connected, she grabbed Jack's hand and moved it from her chest to her lower belly where their child was kicking again.
Jack pulled back from the kiss and stared down at Karen with wide eyes. "Oh my God," he whispered. "That's our baby."
Karen nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "That's our baby, Jackie."
Well ain't this a sappy chapter? Lord, I think I have a cavity from all this sweetness.
