This chapter would likely take place when Veronica is six months old which is probably sometime around the end of season one or the beginning of season two.
It started as just another weekend in Lawndale Daria was gentling singing a lullaby while Veronica nursed. Early in her pregnancy she never would have imagined that she'd embrace doing this with her. Bottles and formula the whole way she figured but like many plants the family had they all fell away once Veronica was born. This tender moment was shattered by the sound of two soda cans hitting the floor and a shriek of.
"OH MY GOD!" Their Jane stood mouth agape, the two cans of soda rolling on the floor. It had started out as such a normal day for Jane too. She got up took a shower had breakfast if you could call eating at eleven o'clock breakfast. After that she headed over to Daria's to hangout and maybe get some help with her math homework. In fact the only unusual thing that happened today up until this moment was finding a moldy old sandwich in the back of the Morgendorffer's fridge when she was getting the sodas.
Finding Daria's door closed wasn't unexpected Jane guessed her friend was probably spending time with Veronica she was about to knock but upon hearing Daria softly singing a lullaby Jane had to see this with her own eyes. Although Daria had become a little more open to Jane watching her cradle, soothe and otherwise dote on Veronica. Jane had yet to witness her friend singing… to anyone. In fact Daria happily singing was near the top of the list of things she'd never imagined her best friend doing. Opening the door the first thing Jane noticed was Daria cradling Veronica with her shirt wide open. Now that didn't seem weird to Jane holding a baby half dressed was a hallmark of the Lane family. But seeing Daria apparently nursing her [i]little sister[/i] was a little much to handle.
"Jane…" Daria looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. There it was she was busted, any plans she may have had to work up the nerve to tell Jane the truth on her own terms were out the window.
"I… I should go." Jane turned to go but was stopped by Daria's plea.
"Wait Jane I can explain!"
"Explain what? I walked in and saw you breastfeeding your sister I don't even know how to begin too…" she gripped her head trying to shake the image from her mind.
"She's not my sister!" Daria cut in before Jane could finish. "She's my daughter."
"Oh I get it now!" Jane laughed. "Your pulling my leg you heard me coming up the stairs that's really some doll isn't it." Daria rolled her eyes and pulled Veronica away so Jane could see her clearly. "Daria! You're a mom I'd never have imagined…" Jane took a seat next to Daria on the bed and let everything sink in as Daria resumed nursing Veronica. "So telling everyone that Veronica was your little sister was just a cover?"
"Highland… was hell. I got hassled constantly during my pregnancy, they called me all kinds of names so the family decided it'd be easier for me if everyone thought Veronica was my little sister…."
"But at home…."
"I'm her mom" she smiled stroking her daughter's hair. "That wasn't the plan at first, originally she was going to be raised as my little sister but after holding her in my arms for the first time I just couldn't let go."
"Whose the father?" Jane asked trying to picture the man. "No offense Daria but I can't even picture you making out anyone… ever."
"He's serving ten to fifteen years back in Texas." Daria spat. Whenever her mind drifted back of that horrible night Daria took comfort in the knowledge the man was imprisoned
"Oh." Jane realized the implicated. "I'm sorry…" The idea that someone had hurt Daria like that made the anger boil in the pit of Jane's stomach. She couldn't imagine going through what Daria must have gone through she held back any more questions. If her friend wanted to share the details she would Jane wouldn't pry.
"Its ok I'm over it." Daria wasn't sure if that was a lie or a truth. But maybe if she said it enough times she'd believe it. "I just wish that bastard had kept resisting arrest so Officer Jack could have to used lethal force. But oh-no the ass gets his gun shot out of his hand and he surrenders right away."
"Officer Jack?"
"He's the Texas Ranger who led the investigation."
"You mean like Walker Texas Ranger? Do they really dress like modern cowboys?"
"No" Daria laughed. "But their dress code does require some western wear, including the hat and the boots."
"So when did you plan on telling me about Veronica…. The truth I mean."
"Never." Daria admitted plainly.
"Never? Don't you trust me?" Jane felt a little hurt.
"Maybe not never but they persecuted me at my old school and I couldn't bare to lose my only friend. I can handle being a social outcast… right now I'm nearly invisible but if word got out…. I couldn't risk suffering through that again."
"Alright" Jane admitted putting a supportive arm around her. "I guess that makes sense…. But I'm not like that even if you'd gotten pregnant from being a crazy party girl I'd still be your friend"
"Thank you… I'm sorry for not trusting you sooner." They sat in silence for a few minutes Daria's attention seemed to have returned to her daughter. Now that Jane thought about it the resemblance was uncanny she should have seen that Veronica was Daria's kid sooner.
"Wait a second." Jane growled. "Is this the reason Quinn pretends you're her cousin?" It never really bothered Jane before that Quinn denied being Daria's sister but now she was thinking about hurling a couple paint balloons her way and or shaving Quinn's head while she slept.
"No she's been doing that for years… she's actually been good about helping me when she can babysitting running interference to keep you from knowing."
"Well now that I know, you and I can do things together with her, she should get to know her [i]auntie[/i] Jane better."
"Auntie?"
"Of course the mothers best friend is always called auntie."
"I'd like that." Daria smiled. Veronica just gurgled her desire to switch to the other breast.