A/N: Nice to see y'all are liking this sequel. Now let's find out who's pregnant. Or if she's even pregnant!
Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or its characters. However right now I do own a cold
Sunday night equals Sunday dinner at the Johnson household and tonight is Sunday night. Beth and I weren't here last Sunday due to being on vacation for our four year wedding anniversary. If you know how to do to simple math then you have figured out that the year is 2014.
A lot has happened since Palex's wedding. That summer after the wedding Alex and I got our trust funds, I received two million dollars while Alex received one million. Alex and I both invested our money but Alex and Paige also bought a house with some of it. Jay and Manny had a baby girl last October and named her Emma Julietta Hogart, after Emma and Manny's mother. She's actually quite a cute baby, from the pictures that I've seen. She has brown hair and Jay's blue eyes. According to both Jay and Manny, Emma is quite dramatic. From what I've heard and seen Jay is an amazing father and he's very protective. Numerous times already he has said that Emma is not allowed to date till she is thirty and if any boy ever tries to do anything with her he will cut that boy's brake line. So Jay is a bit too protective but it's nice and cute. Craig and Ellie are married. Craig proposed to Ellie at one of his concerts last summer and they got earlier this year in January. It was a beautiful winter wedding and Ashley Kerwin even made an appearance with her husband, Alister. Yeah she ended up marrying the guy she had dated in England those many years ago. I don't think anyone cared all that much though. And guess who else is also married! Marco and Dylan! Yeah, they were in Los Angeles for one of Dylan's road games and decided to randomly get married in West Hollywood. When everyone found out there was a mixture of happiness and anger. Happiness because the two were married but anger because they decided to get married with no friends or family at the "ceremony". I don't know who was madder though, Paige or the parents. Apparently Paige had been waiting for those two to get married for a long time because she wanted to throw a big gay wedding. I think Paige might have a problem, just saying.
Dinner has just started and we're all sitting in our usual spots. Mom and Brian are sitting at the opposite ends of the tables, right at the heads where the "king" and "queen" belong. Beth and I are sitting on one side of the table while Alex, Paige, and Major are sitting on the opposite side. Major use sits by me but lately he's been sitting by Paige. I think he might be developing a crush on Paige, which I find slightly weird because she's practically like a sister to him, but whatever.
"So Major, you're about to start the second grade soon," I start. "How ya feeling?"
"Easy peasy," Major answers. "Grade one was easy, I'm expecting the same for grade two."
"Oo, someone's confident," Alex says.
Major shrugs his shoulders nonchalant. "When you're a Johnson you're nothing but confident."
Everyone laughs, including our parents. My little brother is very confident. I hold out my fist and Major pounds it and we do the explosion at the end.
"That's the mindset you should always have," I tell him. "We Johnsons ooze confidence." I look over at Alex. "Isn't that right Alex?"
Alex is shaking her head. "I'm not partaking in this," she says.
"Nice to see that one of my children is normal," Brian says.
"Hey!" I exclaim and point at Brian. "You're the one who said Johnsons ooze confidence."
"I told you that when you were fourteen because you were scared to ask that girl to homecoming," Brian says. "I didn't think it'd stay with you for the rest of your life and then you'd pass it down to your younger brother."
"So we don't ooze confidence?" Major asks, confused.
"Johnsons definitely ooze confidence honey," Mom says and looks at Brian. Brian smirks and winks at her.
Paige clears her throat and we all turn our attention to her.
"Alex and I have some news," Paige tells us with a big smile on her face.
Alex quickly looks at Paige with wide eyes. "We're going to tell them now?" she asks through clenched teeth.
"Might as well Lexi," Paige answers. "Besides I can't keep this a secret anymore."
"I hope this is good news," Mom says, sounding worried.
Paige grins at Mom. "It's AMAZING news Felicia," she says happily.
Paige takes Alex's hand into hers and places her other hand on her stomach.
"Alex and I…" pause for dramatic effect. "We're having a baby!"
Oh my God! There's so much noise in the dining room right now and it's all coming from two people! Mom and Brian are standing up and yelling and whooping in excitement. Alex and Paige are both grinning from ear to ear. Major has a confused look on his face. Beth looks happy but also something else, something I can't put my finger on it but I can definitely tell something is up with her.
"Congratulations," Beth says happily with a smile on her face.
"I'm going to be a grandma!" Mom says excitedly.
Uh-oh, a look of realization just appeared on her face. She sits back down in her chair.
"I'm going to be a grandmother," she says, this time a little less excited. "Oh my God, I'm getting old."
"I always thought you were old Mommy," Major says.
Ha ha! That has to be one of the most hilarious things I've heard so far this year from Major. And what makes it funnier is the fact that Major said it so seriously and innocently. Brian sits down and places his hand on Major's shoulder.
"Son, never tell a woman she's old," Brian tells Major. Brian turns his attention to Palex. "I'm very happy and excited for you two," he says in a fatherly tone. "I'm very excited to become a grandfather."
"And I'm excited to become a grandmother," Mom says.
"Wait, what does that make me?" Major asks.
"An uncle," I answer.
Major's face lights up. "Like a monkey's uncle?" he asks excitedly.
Everyone starts laughing. Paige puts her hand on Major's shoulder.
"No hon," she says. "Not a monkey's uncle, just a regular uncle. Hopefully this child won't be a monkey." Paige looks down at her stomach and rubs it.
"Well since half its genes will be from Alex it'll probably be part monkey, or at least act like it," I tell them.
"Hey!" Alex shouts, offended.
Alex picks up a carrot. It looks like she's about to throw it at me.
"Alexandra Deanna Johnson Nuñez-Michalchuk, you put that carrot down right now," Mom orders her.
Wow I never quite realized how long Alex's name is. Try saying that five times fast.
Alex puts the carrot down with a guilty look on her face. Amazing that even at the ages of twenty six we still don't like being reprimanded by our parents. I'm smirking and Alex is shooting daggers at me with her eyes.
"You're having a baby and you can't even stop doing childish things," Mom says.
I start laughing. Alex getting in trouble with Mom tends to be good entertainment for me. Ow! Beth just elbowed me in the side.
"I don't know why you're laughing Jordan Athena Johnson-Perez," Mom starts. "Major acts more mature than you do."
Oh now that's just not fair. Major is grinning widely. He's lucky he's seven and cute or I'd throw something at him right now.
"Well it doesn't matter if I'm mature or not because I'm going to be an AMAZING aunt," I tell everyone. I point at Palex. "Your kid is going to LOVE me," I tell them.
"That's what I'm slightly afraid of," Alex says. She's smiling at me now. "Just kidding. I bet our child is going to love hanging out with you and Beth. Of course you two will be permanent baby sitters."
"Until you have children of your own of course," Paige says quickly. "Then we'll just take turns babysitting each other's children."
"Excuse me," Mom says. "Grandparents like to take care of their grandchildren sometimes."
"When the kid needs a diaper change we'll bring him or her right over," Alex says.
Brian is shaking his head. "Nu-uh," he disagrees. "You bring the baby over here when he or she has already been changed. I'm done changing diapers for the rest of my life, unless it's my own dirty diaper I'm changing."
Ew, that's just nasty. Major is laughing though, but once again he's seven so almost everything to him is funny. I raise my glass in the air.
"To Paige and Alex," I start, giving a toast. "Congratulations on the pregnancy and here's to the new little Johnson that on its way."
Everyone raises a glass, except for Major who instead raises a Red Lobster kid's cup, into the air and cheer. Paige and Alex share a kiss and once again they're wearing grins on their faces and I'm pretty sure their faces are about to be stuck like that.
Later:
Whew! I am exhausted. The rest of dinner was all baby talk. Beth didn't talk much during dinner unless she was spoken to, which is weird because usually she's talking to my mom about new recipes, or to Paige about numerous things that I don't care about, or teaching Major some new words in Spanish but this time… Maybe she just didn't feel like talking about babies. I know something is up though because she was also silent during the car ride home.
I'm in the bedroom right now getting ready for bed. Beth walks into the room and I can just sense that something if off with her.
"Beth, what's wrong?" I ask her.
"Nothing," she replies shortly without looking at me.
She's standing in front of her mirror while taking off her jewelry. I walk over to her and place my hands on her waist and rest my chin on her shoulder. I look at her through the mirror.
"We've been married for four years now," I tell her. "I know when something is wrong."
Beth turns around quickly. "Exactly Jordan," she practically shouts. "We've been married for four years and Paige and Alex have been married for one year. One year Jordan!"
"Ok? I didn't know this was a competition."
"Paige and Alex live in a nice house with a backyard and a driveway and they have a baby on the way and they've only been married for ONE year! Jordan, we've been married for four years and it's still just us living in the condo our parents bought us after graduation."
Where in the world is all of this coming from? Beth truly looks upset right now.
"Paige and Alex's life has been very stable and established," I tell her. "When they got married Paige already had a very well established career and Alex was finishing up her training to be a physiotherapist and already had job offers. When you and I got married we had just finished college, you were about to start veterinarian school and I was working the night shift at the radio station. You just graduated from school and you just took the test to get your license and I'm still working the afternoon shifts at the station. We're both still trying to get our careers off the grounds."
Beth shrugs her shoulders. "So what?" she starts. "I have to wait till I have my very own animal hospital and you're a big shot nationally syndicated radio personality?" Beth asks. She sighs and she's looking at me with sad eyes. "Jordan, I thought you wanted kids. I really want kids and if you don't want kids then that's going to be a problem and maybe we should-"
"Shh," I interrupt her rambling and place a finger over her lips. "You're rambling. Of course I want kids. It's just you've been busy with school these past four years and can you imagine what a pregnancy would have done to you? Do you understand how much stress would have been put on your body? And we both know that I have no desire whatsoever so carry a child in my body."
"But Jordan, I've been out of school for months now and not once have we talked aboot kids. We haven't really talked about having kids at all this whole time we've been married. Why?"
I shrug my shoulders. "I just figured it wasn't the right time for us yet." I place my hands on both sides of Beth's face and look into her eyes lovingly. "Eight years ago I promised you three kids and I intend to keep that promise. If you're ready to have a baby now then let's do it."
Beth's face lights up but she also seems slightly surprised. "Really?" she asks surprised. "Are you serious Jordan, because if you're not-"
"Let's have a baby," I tell her and smile. "I would love to see a little you running around."
"Really? We're going to have a baby?"
I nod my head. "The only catch is that we have to wait till Paige has her baby. Because there is no way I'd be to handle a pregnant you, a pregnant Paige, and a stressed out Alex."
Ah! Omph! Beth just jumped on top of me and because she caught me by surprise we fell to the ground. Ow, my back hurts. Mmm, but not Beth is kissing me. Forget about my back pain.
"I love you Jordan Johnson-Perez," Beth says. She jumps off of me. "I'm going to call Dr. Robinson tomorrow," she says excitedly and runs to the kitchen to write herself a note.
"Ok," I say out loud. I drop my head back down on the floor.
What the hell did I just do? I must be crazy. I just told Beth that she could have her baby right after Paige has hers. Oh my God, a pregnant Paige and then a pregnant Beth right afterwards. These next eighteen months are going to be very long, stressful, and interesting.
A/N: So I know what some of y'all are thinking. Why was Jordan with Paige while she was finding out she was pregnant? Well Alex was at work and Paige really wanted someone to be with her and some support and Jordan was there.