Thank you Deloriantime88 for your sweet comment, I'm so glad to know that people are enjoying this!
Jennifer Lawrence wanted the world to know many things. That she was a good, decent, human being, that she had struggled with anxiety her entire life, that she was not some home wrecking whore. But above all else, what she wanted the world to know most about her was that despite having more money than some small nations, she honestly was the same person she always had been, and that her family, in all honesty, could care less that she was on practically every magazine cover. They still treated her as they always had. Jenn wasn't stupid, she knew what the public thought of her. She knew they truly believed the normal girl persona was just an act, a routine. But as she stood in her driveway and watched her family interact with each other, she knew that if America was a fly on the wall, they would realize this wasn't a routine, this was her life.
"Dude," Ben insisted. "you're putting it in wrong."
"I am not!" Blaine huffed as he struggled to install Brielle's car seat. Ben shook his head.
"Says the man with no children! Take it from a father of one, soon to be two, you're doing it wrong."
"Excuse me, in case you forgot, I'm about to be a father myself."
"It's supposed to click, there's no click!"
"Jenn, don't forget to make a copy of the adoption papers, just for safe keeping." Karen reminded her as she walked past her with another suitcase. "Gary, did you take your blood pressure medication this morning?"
"Sweetheart, it's not even five o'clock."
"How could I possibly forget? You keep reminding me every two seconds." Jenn grumbled. She was tired, upset about having to leaving her family again, and due to start her period any day. Needless to say, she was a ticking time bomb just waiting for a fight.
Closing the trunk, Karen rolled her eyes as her attention turned back on her daughter. "At least tell me you've found a nanny?"
Jenn responded by rolling her eyes right back at her. "I already told you, I am not hiring a nanny. I don't need one." She insisted before heading back into the house. Karen was right behind her.
Ben and Blaine quit their bickering for the moment and looked at each other.
"Ah, shit, here we go." Blaine sighed.
"Twenty bucks says Jenn goes full on Tiffany Maxwell on mom." Ben bet.
"Yeah, and twenty bucks says mom difuses her anger before she can explode." Blaine retorted.
The men shook on it.
"Bro, you got yourself a deal."
Jenn and her mom were as close as could be, but the rare times they did have arguments, things tended to get heated fast. Between Jenn's stubborn personality, and her love of cursing, family arguments were often loud and chaotic.
"You think that I'm not capable of taking care of my own child!" She cried out, before turning her back on her.
Karen scoffed at Jenn's words. Of course she didn't think she was capable of taking care of her own child, not right away.
Karen had of course been thrilled when Brielle's adoption went through. She knew how very much Jenn loved her, and wanted her, but as much as she tried to prepare her daughter for what lay ahead as a single parent, it all fell on deaf ears. Jennifer was completely convinced that she didn't need anyone's, especially not her parents, help in raising a five year old child. Karen and Gary had offered, encouraged Jen to think about allowing them to come out to LA for a month to help the girls settle and adjust. Once again, Jenn refused, determined to do it all on her own.
"I'm sorry, how long have you been doing this for? Forgive me for trying to help you navigate a path I've been on for the past thirty three years!"
"Zing! Point for mom!" Blaine whispered as he and Ben hid out in the garage, trying to hear the argument unfolding between their mother and younger sister.
"Dude! Shut up! I can't hear for crap!"
"Oh please, Jenn's got a voice that could cut steel!"
"Really?"
The boys, crouched down by the door, looked up at the familiar voice to see their father behind them.
"You're grown men, you have wives and children, and this is how you pass your time? By spying on your mom and sister?"
"Ben started it."
Ben whipped his head around at Blaine. "Oh, sure, throw me under the bus! You agreed on the bet!"
Gary simply shook his head as he walked past them and into the kitchen.
"Jennifer, stop!" Karen yelled, her daughter's back to her.
"These are my last minutes with you. Lord knows when we'll see each other again. I don't want to fight with you, I really don't. Please don't let our parting moments be filled with yelling and crying."
Jenn looked up to see both her Dad and Liam walk into the kitchen, and she stopped, trying her best to regain her composure.
"Bear, can you go get Brielle ready and get her in the car? I need a minute with my parents." She whispered, her head down, looking at the floor.
Liam nodded. "Yeah, of course."
He headed up the stairs, unsure of what he was about to walk into. He figured, at the very least, Brielle could use a pep talk.
The past month had been a whirlwind of events for everyone. And Liam knew that if the adults were struggling, Brielle had to be even more confused.
He approached her bedroom door and peaked in, finding her pressed up against the window, watching bag after bag being loaded into the car. Her golden blonde, curled hair had been put into a ponytail, and Jenn had dressed her into a pair of dark wash jeans and a black nylon turtleneck. Her gold locket laid perfectly still against her chest, and she clutched Samantha in her arms. Liam was convinced that doll hadn't left her side since she had received her.
"Hey munchkin."
Brielle looked up at the sound of Liam's voice and smiled slightly.
"Hi Liam."
Liam looked out the window himself, seeing what Brielle saw. Five bodyguards stood around, drinking their coffee in an attempt to wake up, the wind whipped through the bare trees, and the sky was draped in black. It would be hours before the sun rose.
"If I had to guess, I'd say you're a little nervous about this new beginning."
Brielle glanced over at him. "A lot nervous" She replied, playing with her locket.
Liam nodded his head, understanding completely.
"I never been on a plane before. I never leaved Kentucky before."
"You know what I think might help though?" He asked.
"What's that?"
Liam smiled. "If you think of all this as a really exciting adventure."
Brielle watched out the window as she continued to listen to Liam talk.
"Jenn and I love you very much, Brielle, and we want what's best for you. I know it's scary right now, but I really want you to try and trust us. Can you do that for me?"
Brielle sat at the window, staring, and thinking. She remembered the conversation she had with Jenn on Christmas morning. Jenn was her mother now, and where she went, Brielle would follow.
She turned away from the window and faced Liam. It was time to be a big girl.
"Okay."
The goodbyes were harder than everyone had expected. They all knew it would be tough, of course, but they certainly weren't prepared for the intense heartache separating brought.
"Oh come on, no long faces!" Jenn groaned. "you know it'll only be a few months before we're together again, what could really happen in, say...three months?"
"Yeah, not even gonna touch that one." Blaine mumbled under his breath.
Everyone stood in the driveway, alternating between rubbing their hands together and wrapping their arms around their bodies trying to keep warm as they fought desperately to prolong the inevitable goodbye.
Gary bent down and rubbed his hand against Brielle's cheek. Two weeks wasn't nearly enough time to get to know his newest grandchild and very first granddaughter.
"You remember what I told you?"
Brielle nodded. "I is kind, I is smart, I is important."
"You most certainly are sweetheart, I love you very much." He whispered.
"Now, remember, she eats three times a day, and needs plenty of water and sunlight. Also, life hack my friend, I've found cutting out excess sugar does wonders with small people!" Ben instructed, causing Jenn to roll her eyes.
"Seriously though," he continued, hugging her tightly. "call Bec and I anytime if you need anything."
"You know I will." She whispered. "I love you, Ben."
"I love you too, weirdo."
Jenn looked over at her mother, locking eyes with her one final time.
"Mom," she sighed as she walked over to her. "please stop crying. You're making me feel guilty."
"I'm sorry, I'm just so proud of you." Karen cried. "No matter what I think, no matter what anybody thinks, you did this Jenn, you did this all on your own. I couldn't be more proud of you."
Karen wrapped her arms around her daughter, pouring her emotions out into the hug, and wanting to hold on forever.
"Mom, were going to miss our flight." Jenn reminded her.
It was time.
Karen pulled back and dabbed at her eyes. "Right, of course. Uh, just call, you know, when you land."
"We will."
"Okay."
Liam picked Brielle up into his arms and placed her into the black SUV, strapping her in tightly into her car seat, and triple checking that everything was in place. Kissing the top of her head, he closed the door, and walked over to the other side, waiting for Jenn to get in first. Jenn stood at the car door. All she had left to do was get in. Unable to get her body to move, she stood, staring at her family one last time. Goodbyes had never been a strength for her.
"We love you." Gary reminded her, blowing a kiss.
Blowing a kiss back, she smiled. "I love you too."
Finally, she got into the car, with Liam right behind her, and the door finally shut, finalizing the goodbye. Blowing out a breath, Jenn straightened her jeans out and put her seatbelt on.
"Alright," she huffed. "We good?"
"No." Brielle answered.
"What's wrong?" Jenn and Liam asked simultaneously.
"I forgot to go potty."
The car ride to the airport was painfully silent. Sandwiched in between Liam and Brielle, Jenn looked back and forth at the both of them. In near identical positions, they both stared out the window silently, heads pressed up against the glass. Being the lively person Jenn was, she could no longer take another minute of silence.
"What we need, is some music."
Turning on the radio, Ain't no mountain high enough had just come on.
"You ready to sing with me?" She asked Brielle.
"I don't know the words." Brielle mumbled, her face lowered.
"I'll teach you."
It was at that exact moment that Liam realized just how far Jenn was willing to go to cheer Brielle up. He knew that Jenn hated anyone hearing her sing. Hell, he had watched her cry right before she went into the studio to record The Hanging Tree. The fact that she was breaking out into song without so much as a second thought told him that Jenn was willing to try anything. Grabbing a hairbrush out of her purse to use as a microphone, she began belting out the words.
Listen baby, ain't no mountain high,
Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough baby
If you need me call me no matter where you are,
No matter how far; don't worry baby
Just call my name; I'll be there in a hurry
You don't have to worry,
Oh baby there ain't no mountain high enough,
Ain't no valley low enough,
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe.
Liam watched happily as Jenn got lost in the lyrics. Brielle couldn't help but smile as Jenn shook her her entire body and sang loudly. Her head was bobbing, her fingers were snapping, and she did her best to dance while still strapped in by her seatbelt.
It wasn't long before Brielle began to dance along as well, kicking her feet and bobbing her head in her car seat, her mood instantly lifting. The music had been just what they needed to break the tension.
"Again, again!" Brielle demanded. Jenn laughed as she connected her Bluetooth to the car stereo. Pulling the song up again, the girls broke out into song and dance. Brielle's emerald eyes lit up and sparkled as she watched Jenn like she was her biggest fan.
As Liam watched their interactions, he found himself fully at peace. Jenn and Brielle were going to be just fine together. It was obvious the lengths that Jenn would go for this little girl who had yet to be in her life for a month. As the SUV pulled into the Louisville International Airport, everyone felt relaxed and at ease.
The car came to a rest, and Jenn unbuckled her seatbelt, getting out after Liam.
While the boys gathered plane tickets and luggage, Jenn walked over and unbuckled Brielle from her car seat. Brielle wrapped her arms around Jenn's neck and rested her head against her shoulder.
"Jenn?" Brielle asked.
"Yeah, sweetie?"
"Can I call you mommy?"