Brandon's POV

After Jude storms out of Lena's office, I contemplate on going after him. But the moment I reached for the doorknob, she stops me. "Brandon, I don't think that's a good idea. He just needs some time to… adjust to all of this. He's just surprised is all."

"Is that what you all think?" I ask when the sudden realization dawns over me.

"What?"

"That I took her from you?"

"Brandon…that was a long time ago—"

I interrupt her, "That's not what I asked." I lower my tone when I realize that she's not the one I'm really mad at. I was the one that screwed it up for Jude and for them. "Is everyone else still mad at me?"

"No, Brandon," she tries to assure me but I'm not so sure I believe her.

I'd rather be told the truth now and not risk any more surprises. I wanted to be prepared. "What about mom? Does she still hate me? I know she does."

"Your mom and I could never hate you, Brandon. Neither of you… To be honest, we were confused at first… And angry. But so much time has passed since then, and we understand now, why you did it. Mariana and Jesus were outraged with the both of you, but they've moved passed those feelings. And Jude will come around. He just took this the hardest..."

"What if he doesn't? Callie won't be able to take it, if he treats her anything like he just treated me. How could he say that she didn't miss him? She dreaded the thought of leaving him. He was all she ever thought about. And what? Now she has to dread the thought of coming back to him." I shake my head with annoyance, "I told her that coming back was a bad idea. I won't have her see him like this. Especially not now."

"What do you mean?" she asks in confusion.

My cell-phone's text-tone went off, distracting me from the conversation. It was Callie's tone. "Hold on one second."

I glance at the screen and read it:

Change of plans. We can't tell them about the baby yet. Long story. Fill you in later. Btw, we're walking inside of the school.

I put my phone back in my pocket.

"Brandon?" Lena tries to get my attention focused on her again.

"Huh?"

"You just said that you wouldn't allow her to see Jude like this now. Why?"

"Because…" I start nervously. "He hates us, and I don't want him to hurt her. She's already been through so much hurt and I won't allow him to yell at my wife like he just yelled at me."

Lena nods her head, and I can she's surprised by my defensiveness toward Callie. But I can't help how I feel. And it's just gotten worse since I heard about the baby news. The last thing I wanted was for her to be upset at all.

"That's completely understandable… but don't you think that it should be her decision to make? You're not going to tell her to just leave after you just got here, because you're afraid that she'd get hurt…And besides, who knows best how to calm Jude down, than Callie?" she smiled and put her hand on my shoulder. "Have a little faith in her."


Just then we heard a knock on the door.

Lena sighs, "Who is it?"

"It's me," I hear mom's voice answer, causing my nerves to rise from a 3 to a 10 in a millisecond.

Lena must've noticed because she looks at me and whispers, "Relax," as if that would really help. I nod though as if it does. I have no other choice. "Come in, babe."

Mom opens the door slowly and stands at the doorway, staring at me with an obvious gleam in her eyes. I was glad that she actually seemed happy to see me, since I thought she would be the most anger-filled one of them all. I watch as she takes a deep breath and tears begin to fill in her eyes, which just upsets me. That was the very last thing I wanted to happen. "Mom, please don't cry," I beg but she just leaps into my arms.

"Don't you dare tell me not to cry, after finally seeing my son for the first time in years," she orders but she holds onto me tightly, as if she were actually trying to hurt me, or as if she was afraid that if she didn't, I'd actually get away again.

I hug her back and couldn't help but tear up too. I've always missed her but it wasn't until she was standing right in front of me that I realized how much.

"B, promise me something?" I hear her ask with a cracking-voice.

"Anything," I chuckle, afraid of what she was going to make me promise, but fully willing to do it.

I would do anything for her at this moment.

She loosens her grip on me and looks into my eyes, "Promise me not to ever do something so incredibly STUPID again?"

I glance over her shoulder at Lena, and see that she too is waiting for my reply. I turn my gaze to Callie who just walks through the doorway and see her smiling at the sight of my mother and I.

"I promise," I answer.