Hello, again! :) Surprise! Yes, this fast again. It's also quite short. ;)
Thank you so much to alicheriee, sayyouwontletgo and itsallgleektome for your lovely reviews!
Everyone much fun with this chapter. :)
Jade is fifteen weeks pregnant by now. It's Friday. Their friends know for a week, her grandparents have been told on Tuesday, while he will fly to Canada with his parents next weekend to tell his own grandparents.
Beck is somehow hungry, when he comes back from school today and that's the only reason he walks into the house right when he comes home. He sees that both his parents' cars are there, which must mean they are home. Well, they do sometimes have both short days on Friday and enjoy the time together. They still love each other after now being married for twenty years. Beck thinks that's amazing.
"It's our best option," he hears his mother's voice, already from the small hallway, and then his father's answer, as he walks into the living room, still not being able to look into the kitchen: "I don't know. Fighting for custody..."
Beck instantly comes to a halt. Fighting for custody? Custody of whom?
"What else are we supposed to do? You do agree that we should have custody, right? You just said so," his mother says and his father answers: "But we should talk to them first. Maybe, they are willing to give it to us on their own."
"You know, that girl never would," his mother says in a harsh voice. 'That girl'... the way she always calls Jade, since she has met her and has deemed her not good enough for Beck.
Beck gets sick. They can't be serious.
His mother continues: "And that mother of hers seems reasonable enough, but... I think we should directly take it to our lawyer. Figure out if we can already get something done about it before the child is born. There could be important decisions to make right after its birth."
The sickness turns into anger. Who do his parents think they are? They seriously think about taking custody?
He knows that they have accepted the thought of a grandchild by now. Not happily, but they have. They have talked to Beck a few times more about all the things they would need to buy, how they kept some of his old things from childhood, how they would show him how to change diapers and feed a child. They have even talked about a college fund for the child already, while Beck thinks that's a little crazy as they can't even see the child yet.
But now they even want custody? They want to push him, but especially Jade out of this? Well, he's sure his parents still would want him to take care of this child, but they definitely would push Jade out with this. The mother of the child.
Without thinking any more, he finally bursts into the kitchen, where his parents are standing and talking. "Are you fucking kidding me?" he asks loudly, startling both of them. "You are thinking about taking custody away from me and Jade?" Him and Jade, who would naturally have custody. Possibly, only Jade would actually have custody by default, Beck isn't sure. But he is sure that Jade would want joint custody with him as much as he would want that.
"Not from you," his mother dismisses, quickly over the shock of him having overheard, and how does that make anything better? Not to mention... If his parents have custody, he in fact doesn't have.
But even if it's just Jade, they want to push out... "Everyone tries to make it work and you want to break it apart again!"
Jade's mother tries so hard as well, has also talked to him and Jade a few times about stuff they need to think about, only hints yet, because it's still so early in Jade's pregnancy and apparently, you never know what happens that early. And they've been to school together, have talked to Eikner and Lane, who have both assured them of their support. Even their friends are absolutely on their side and want to help them. (Her grandparents aren't on their side and he doesn't know yet about his grandparents, but... they also aren't important, just like he doesn't care much about her father.)
"We don't," his father claims now. "Beck. We still want you and Jade to primarily take care of your child."
"Like she would after you made a court say she can't raise a child," he practically yells. They have to know that Jade will run if that happens. She will run and never come back, in one way or another. He won't let that happen.
"We just want..." his mothers starts and for a second he thinks she doesn't even know what she wants, except pushing Jade out, then she claims: "If push comes to shove, we want to have the last word about this child. You and Jade both aren't adults and are not able to make the tough decisions."
"Then, we will go to you for help," Beck says because obviously they would. They can't do this on their own and they know it themselves. But taking custody away from them? That's a whole other story.
His mother huffs. "Like Jade would ever do that. She would go to her own mother at best and look what kind of child she has raised."
"She has raised the love of my life," Beck says, his voice now dangerously low. He won't take this from his mother. He won't let her insult Jade.
"That's ridiculous," his mother says.
And... Well... It's not like his parents do have that much say about all of this, about the child growing inside of Jade. He hasn't looked up anyone's rights, because he hasn't thought it'd be necessary, but he knows he would always fight for Jade – and now also for this child. "Seriously? If you ever ask Jade or her mother to get offical custory for my child, I swear I'll do everything to have you never see that child. Not to mention that you will see me at court at best for the rest of your lives."
He looks into both their eyes, wants them to see it's not an empty threat, then he turns around: "I'm going to Jade's."
Both his parents call after him, but he doesn't care as he leaves.
.
.
He thinks about calling one of the older kids from school to ask them to pull his RV somewhere else, anywhere else, while he sits in a bus on his way to Jade. He doesn't think he can stand living on his parents' property anymore.
But on the way, he calms down a little. They are still his parents. And if they understand, how serious he is, they will never go through with even asking for custody. They will come around.
Of course, he would like to move away for the idea alone, because they just can't be like that at all. But he knows they also just want to protect the child. Like they always protected him. And there's still something inside of him, some safety, he has also felt, every time, his parents have talked to him about what they would need for the child. It's something about the fact that his parents only once asked him if he's the father of the child. Even now, thinking about custody, they apparently haven't talked about also asking their lawyer about a paternity test or something. They do believe and trust him at least in that judgement of Jade.
So, he won't move his RV away for now. He's still in a bad mood, when he arrives at Jade's.
But he is a good actor, so when he rings the bell, he puts on one of his smiles and her mother lets him inside and directly sends him up, probably not noticing a thing.
He also has to tell Jasper that he doesn't want to play at the moment, then he's finally up and knocks on Jade's door.
She calls him inside and he finds her lying on her bed, reading a book. She turns as he comes inside, checks who comes in though she probably knew by the way he knocked.
"Hey," she shortly says before she turns back to her book.
"Hey," he answers, closes the door behind him, kicks off his shoes and lies down on the bed next to her.
He's used to Jade at least finishing up a chapter when she reads, even when he comes in. Sometimes, she even reads further if there's not something else going on, if they haven't planned on going somewhere. He has gotten used to cuddle up to her by now, while she finishes reading. Sometimes, he also reads a few sentences, which often gets him interested in the book (they do have a similiar taste about stories, reading and writing). At other times, he just closes his eyes, while he holds Jade close, and enjoys their silent time together. He really loves Jade and loves being close to her in any way possible.
He now also definitely needs her close, needs to hold her and is glad to get the chance to do so this easily, without her having to notice anything. He moves up all close to Jade and she presses her body against his without hesitation.
He smiles as he closes his eyes. Gosh, he loves her so much. And she's actually having his child. It's still unbelievable. It's unbelievable that it's growing inside of her right now. And he will never let his parents take it away from them.
"Hey, baby," he also whispers, letting his hand shortly glide over Jade's belly, greeting their little child.
Then, he presses a kiss on Jade's ear, while she already asks: "Is something going on?"
She has glanced at him when he has come in and then again, right before he has lied down. He wondered if she was able to see something. This isn't a question she usually asks. Has she somehow seen in his expression that something happened with his parents again? She's good at noticing when he doesn't feel well, but he has done his best to smile as he has come in – and he has also felt like smiling because he's always happy when he sees Jade.
"No," he now just answers and hopes that she has just randomly asked and not because she knows something is up.
But his answer makes her push herself slightly away from him to be able to look at him. She has noticed. In his expression and now even in his voice as he has answered.
"What's wrong?" she asks, looking in his eyes.
Beck looks back and... god. He can't tell her. He has burdened her enough with problems with his parents. His parents have never been happy with her around, haven't liked her since they have first met her, days after they got together. He has already felt safe telling her everything when they were dating – since they are a couple, she is pretty much the only person he feels truly safe to talk to. And when he has fought with his parents, mostly about Jade, he couldn't help himself and told Jade about it, just to talk about it. He also knew she was strong enough to take it somehow, to take his parents' mean comments, to make him feel better.
He knows she's still strong. But... The pregnancy is a lot for her. Now also putting the threat of his parents onto that? After her grandparents' reaction? He can't do that, can he?
But he also can't claim there's nothing going on anymore though. Jade obviously knows and she will get angry if he says otherwise.
"Don't make me tell," he therefore just says.
Jade sits up, puts her book aside and looks at him intently. "Beck. What's going on?"
He sits up as well and shakes his head: "You don't want to know."
"Tell me," Jade demands, her eyes cooling down.
Okay, he has to tell. He doesn't want her to shut him out and that will obviously happen if he doesn't say it now. He wish he could've covered it better – or would now know something else to tell her, something she would also believe, which wouldn't be so bad.
But he doesn't know anything and also can't easily lie straight into Jade's face, even if he would think it would be better for her. "I caught my parents talking about fighting for custody."
"What?" she asks shocked, her hands instinctively finding her slowly growing belly.
"They are assholes," Beck is quick to add. "They say they still want us to take care of our baby, just to have the last say. It's awful. I told them to never think about it again."
Jade looks down onto her own belly, her face unreadable. Beck watches her and tries to think of something else to say, something to take the pain away that his parents bring her, that he has just now delivered. Why do they have to be such idiots? Jade has never done anything bad to them, has never even made a mean comment at them.
Before he can think of anything, Jade softly says: "Maybe, they should have custody."
Beck is sure to have misheard. "What?"
"They know what they're doing, Beck," Jade says, looking back up and suddenly, there are tears.
He has seen her cry once before, after he has met her father for the first time and they have talked about him afterwards. But for the last few days, he has already been sure to have seen tears in Jade's eyes every now and then. Not in too important moments necessarily, instead even if they have watched a movie or something. (Though also after they have visited her father's parents. He has almost been sure she would cry in her arms then, but she has pushed the tears away, while he has hugged her tightly.)
She has just gotten more emotional in a way. They haven't talked about it; Beck has pretended not to see instead. At home, he has searched online, if women get more emotional during their pregnancy, because he was able to imagine that – and didn't want the emotions to stem from the immense stress they are suddenly under, the immense pressure. Indeed, some women do experience being more emotional, and he guesses that and the stress and pressure are what do it to Jade. (He has thought about asking his mother about it before he has decided to google it. He has decided on the internet in this case, because he didn't want to talk to his mother about Jade's feelings. After all, Jade is a private person and definitely doesn't want everybody to know what she feels. Obviously, he has made the right decision there, as his mother apparently can't be trusted with this whole situation.)
Jade continues, now with the tears so obvious in her eyes and eventually running down her face, without her covering it: "They love you and they will love this child. Maybe, you and your parents should just take it. You can still let me see it, but maybe... it won't be messed up like me if I'm not too close to it. If my whole family isn't too close to it."
He feels horrified. How can Jade say something like that?
"What are you talking about? Jade! You are not messed up. You're wonderful. You will be a great mother. This child will need you, and you will love this child. You love it already."
Of course, his parents also will love this child, but how is that important? Jade also loves it. He knows she loves it already, with the way she absent-mindly strokes her belly, how she reads up on the internet all the things she is and isn't allowed to do during a pregnancy. With the way, she just... looks at him as well. He does know her.
She loves their child and she will forever protect it, and that's the most important thing for every child.
They look at each other for a long while, before Jade takes a shaky breath. "I'm so scared, Beck." She sounds broken and weak.
God, it's still a mess. All of it. They are both scared like crazy and then his parents come along and scare them even more. Can't his parents see that this is the only thing they achieve with even thinking about needing to take custody?
"I am, too," he honestly says and brushes her tears away with his thumbs, which she lets happen, still holding her belly. "But we can do this. Together. And yes, with help of our parents. But only help. It's our child. We will have the last decision over it." Even if they both think they can't do it. Does any parent really feel ready to take whole responsibility for another human being? He can't imagine. And they will be able to ask for help, to ask their parents for their thoughts, before making decisions. And there are two of them, Jade and him. Together, they will be able to do this somehow. They will love and protect this child together, will take care of it and send it on its way some day as a great and strong human being. And... "We will never talk bad about whomever our child loves." Like his parents, who make mistakes like that and still, he turned out okay. He's fine and their child will be too under their care. His parents won't take this away from them, won't ruin all their lives.
Jade is the one to lean forward, pulling him into a hug, he naturally returns. They lie back down, still embraced and are just with each other. The two of them and their child growing inside of Jade.
Beck closes his eyes, has long seen Jade do the same.
"Beck?" Jade whispers after a while.
Beck opens his eyes again, sees her watching him. "Mhm?" he makes.
There are no tears at all anymore, but a strong look in Jade's face. "I need you to do a few things for me."
"Anything," Beck says readily. If he could, he would give Jade the whole world.
Jade digs her fingers into his shirt. "Always tell me the truth, even if it hurts me. Better being hurt one time big than finding out everything has been a lie."
He looks at her and doesn't know what to say. Can he always tell her the truth? He hasn't wanted today, has wanted to keep his parents' thoughts for himself. He doesn't like hurting Jade at all, he doesn't want to do it. And she doesn't need to know everything, to be stressed out by stuff like this. She's pregnant and there's enough going on.
Jade clearly states, when he doesn't say anything: "I need you to promise me to be honest with me."
It's important to her, so damn important. And he knows he doesn't like it, but if that's what she needs... "I promise."
Jade nods and suddenly takes one of his hands in hers, pulling it onto her belly. "And I need you to stay with this child. No matter what happens between us or our parents, or our grandparents for that matter... Your main concern has to be our baby's happiness."
Because she knows, she can't count on him always staying with her. They are fifteen and they feel like they will love each other forever, but... he knows that every teenager feels like that and yet rarely any teenage couple stay together forever. Jade knows that, too. And because she can't ask him to be with her forever, she instead makes him promise to always stay with the child. Too many parents, especially fathers, don't take care of their child anymore if the relationship between the parents breaks apart. She doesn't want that to happen to their child, she wants it to have both of them.
He wants it, too. "Okay. I promise," he therefore easily says.
Jade looks at him for another moment, before she draws him into a slow kiss.
And suddenly, he knows what he needs to do with his parents. He would do anything for Jade and it's good that she has just told him what she needs, what the two most important things are for her at the moment. His parents also would do anything for him.
.
.
He only goes back home the next day. His parents both sit in the living room, when he walks in. Both stand up as he comes in and he directly says: "We need to talk about yesterday."
"Beck, you have to understand that we don't mean any harm," his mother quickly says.
His father nods: "We want to protect you and your child."
He knows, that's true. The rational side of him knows, though the blood is still pumping angrily through his veins as he thinks about them wanting to take his child away from Jade – and also from him in a way, because they don't want him to have custody but want it themselves (probably because they deem him too influenced by Jade or whatever).
He takes a deep breath to stay calm now, and says: "You don't protect us if you seek custody. That will make sure that Jade and I won't feel like we're able to take care of our own child, and we won't be able to do it because of it. You won't have the final say in the child's life, but we of course will ask you for help. Neither Jade nor I know what to do. But I need you to support and trust us. I need you to be on my side on this, no matter what, to give me advice but never go over my head. I can't have you attack Jade in any way."
After that, it's silent. His parents look at him and he looks straight back. That's what he needs right now from them. He can't have any of this stress.
Finally, his parents share a glance, then his mother says: "Okay. We are sorry. We love you, Beck."
"I love you, too."
