Aaron waited until they had put Jack to bed before talking to Pen. He had been quiet throughout dinner and she knew something was on his mind. He was sitting in one of the chairs out on the patio. Pen came and slid onto his lap.
"What's wrong Aaron?"
"Alice called me today and said they wanted to spend Mother's Day with Jack?"
"He's not going to want to do that."
"I know. We already have the day planned and that will interfere with our plans but she is his grandmother."
"What if they saw him on Saturday instead?"
"I suggested that and she said no."
"What does the lawyer in you say?"
"I don't have to share him that day or any other day but I should."
"What if he saw them for a couple of hours and then you do what you had planned? Maybe for lunch?"
"I was thinking something along those lines too but they probably won't agree to that too."
"Did you call the lawyer?"
"He said it was better to compromise so we wouldn't have any more problems but it was up to me."
"You haven't talked to Jack yet, have you?"
"No. if I had you would have been a part of that conversation. I wanted to talk to you first and then talk to him. I guess I'll talk to him tomorrow night since this weekend is Mother's Day."
"Aaron we can do what you have planned for next weekend."
"I'm not going to mess up my plans for them."
The next night after dinner they sat down with Jack and talked to him. It took a lot of convincing for him to agree to spend a couple of hours with his grandparents. Aaron told him he would be with them from around noon to two and then they could do what they had planned. They would drop him off and pick him up. The Brooks on the other hand wanted more time with Jack but it was either agree to that or they would get nothing. Jim started arguing that Penelope didn't need any time with Jack because she wasn't his mother and Aaron had put an end to that argument real quick. The reluctantly agreed and that was that.
Sunday morning found Pen waking up in bed alone. She angled her head to see if she heard any noise coming from the bathroom. She didn't hear anything so she decided on getting out of bed when she heard a knock.
"Mom are you awake?"
"Come in Jack."
Jack bounced into the room with a smile on his face, flowers in his hands and with Aaron behind him. He had a tray in his hand. Jack handed her the flowers as he jumped on the bed.
"Happy Mother's Day Mom!"
"Thank you Jack." She said. "What is all this?"
"Those flowers are for you. Are they pretty? Me and daddy made you breakfast so you could eat it in bed."
"Thank you so much Jackers. The flowers are pretty and breakfast smell delicious. Did you help daddy make it?"
"He only let me make the pancakes. I did put everything on the plate."
She looked down at the tray that Aaron sat in front of her. It had pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast and fruit. There was also orange juice and a smoothie.
"I won't be able to eat all this by myself, are you two going to help?"
"No mom. We already ate breakfast." He laughed.
"I guess I'll have to eat all then."
"Happy Mother's Day baby."
"Thank you."
She started eating her breakfast while Aaron put her flowers in a vase and Jack talked with her while she ate. She managed to eat everything but a pancake. Aaron took the tray and set it aside.
"We have plans for you today but they're a secret."
"I love surprises."
"Go take a bath and get ready. We'll wait for you in the living room. We have a stop to make before we drop Jack off."
Thirty minutes later she was in the car and they were heading to the cemetery. This was something they had done together since Haley died. Aaron took Jack whenever he asked but on days like today and her birthday, she went with them. The ride was quiet. They parked as close as they could and the cemetery had people visiting loved ones. The three walked hand in hand to her grave. When they were close enough to see her grave, Jack let go of their hand and they stood back, letting him go on his own. This was his moment and they didn't want to intrude. They watched as he kneeled down and started talking.
"Happy Mother's Day mommy. I brought you a card and some sun flowers, your favorite. I miss you but I think of you a lot. I have some great news. I'm going to have a baby brother. Pen found out she is having a boy. That machine was so big and I could see a fuzzy picture. I could see my brother. It was so cool. I'm going to love my brother so much. You would love him too. I know it. Daddy bought us a new house and it's so big. I wish you could see it."
Aaron held Penelope as she cried listening to Jack words. He knew coming her made her emotional but Jack's words about his brother made him tear up too.
"Schools is so much fun. I have a lot of friends. I have to go now mommy but I'll come back soon. I love you."
Jack ran back to Penelope and hugged her. She bent down to kiss his head and then she went toward the grave. She knelt down and arranged the flowers Jack had brought.
"Happy Mother's Day Haley. I know you can see Jack and tell how happy he is. I promise I'm taking good care of him, of both of them. I've kept that promise I made to you and I will keep that promise for as long as I live. Jack will always know you are his mom."
Penelope stood up and then Aaron took his turn. "I'm doing my best with Jack. I'm trying to make sure he's happy and that I give him everything he needs. Penelope loves our son like her own and for that I am very grateful. Happy Mother's Day."
When he was done he walked back to Penelope and Jack. They walked back to the SUV and left. On the drive to Jessica's everyone was quiet. As they neared, Jack started asking questions.
"Are you sure it's only for a couple of hours?"
"It's only from noon until two, sweetie."
"Then we will pick you up."
"What are you going to do?"
"We got somethings to for the wedding."
"Remember Jack, don't tell them when the wedding is. They don't need to know."
"I know daddy. I won't tell them."
They parked along the curve in front of Jessica's house and her kids were playing outside. Aaron got out to open Jack's door but he had into the front and gave Penelope a hug and kiss before he got out. He held onto his daddy's hand and they went up to the door. Jessica opened the door with a smile.
"Hello Aaron, Jack. Come in"
"No thank you. I just came to drop Jack off. I'll back at two to pick him up."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay?"
"My fiancée is in the car, can she stay too?" The look on her face said it all. "I didn't think so."
"Behave Jack I'll be back before you know it."
"Ok daddy."
Aaron and Penelope spent the hour and half shopping for their wedding. It was weeks away and they still needed to get the party favors, table arrangements and a special surprise that she needed to get Jack. It felt that they had a million things to do.
"Are you ready for the wedding?"
"Yes. I'm excited and panicked at the same time."
"Why are you panicked?"
"I don't want anything to go wrong." She said. "We didn't invite Emily and I don't think we should. Derek either will come or he won't. It's up to him. I'm sure Emily will find out where it's at."
"I doubt she is brave enough to cause a scene in front of a lot of people."
Their wedding was going to be a small affair with less than a hundred people. Neither one of them asked anyone to stand up with them. She wanted Derek to give her away but that seemed like an impossible idea.
"When do you pick up your suits?"
"We go Monday the week of to make sure they fit right. When do you pick your dress?"
"The Saturday before. JJ's going to keep it at her house and then bring it over Friday night. You're staying at Dave's right?"
"Yeah. Jack is excited he's going to spend the night at Dave's. Even more since he's knows Henry is going to be there. You sure that you want to spend the night apart."
"Its tradition Aaron."
"I was just asking."
"Let's go. It's time to pick up Jack."
They picked up Jack with no incident and then they went home. They told Penelope to go outside and relax on the patio. She heard noises coming from the kitchen and smiled. She wondered what they were doing.
"Close your eyes mom."
"Do I have to?"
"Mom." Jack laughed.
She felt him near her and then he told her to open her eyes. Her first instinct was to cry and that is what she did. Standing in front of her was her son with a shirt on that said "I LOVE YOU MOM" and a wrapped gift in his hand.
"This for you mom but you can't open it if your crying."
"I promise I won't cry anymore."
She took the gift and started opening it. After all the paper was off, she held a long black case. She looked at Jack and then opened it. She gasped. Inside the velvet lining lay a white gold bracelet with MOM surrounded by diamonds and one red stone, which she knew was Jack's birthstone.
"It's beautiful Jack. This is your birthstone right." She touched the stone gently.
"Uh huh. When my brother comes you can put his stone too."
"Did you pick this out yourself?"
"Uh huh. I told daddy that I wanted to get you something and he took me. I picked that out."
"Oh Jack." She couldn't keep the tears from coming as she pulled Jack into her arms. "Can you help me put it on?"
He nodded and after they had it on she hugged him again. "I love you Jack so much."
She looked up to see Aaron leaning against the door with a smile and mist eyes. She smiled and he came closer to her. He knelt down in front of her.
"That's not all baby. You have more surprises."
He pulled out another velvet box that he didn't bother wrapping and this time she laughed. "This gift is from me."
"You didn't have to get me anything."
"Yes I did. You are a mother to Jack and a mother to our son. Go ahead open it."
She opened the box to reveal a white gold locket with her initial P in the middle. It would match the bracelet that Jack gave her. She touched it with care.
"It holds a picture and I wanted you to the one to decide what went in there."
"What are you going to put in there mom?"
"A picture of you and your brother when he's born." She whispered. "Thank you Aaron."
"Your welcome but that's not all." He handed her an envelope. "In here is a spa certificate for a pregnancy massage the morning of the wedding. There is also a certificate to have mani and pedi that morning also."
"Aaron this is too much."
"There is nothing as too much for you. You deserve all this and more. In addition to that I've have your stylist come here to do your hair and make-up instead of you going there. I also have ordered a light lunch that will brought to you. You just have to let me know what time you will be back from the message and the nail salon."
"You're going to spoil me."
"That's the plan." She giggled. "Now go get changed we have reservations at the best steak house in town."
"Ooh I love steak."
"Yeah. That's why you always order chicken."
She laughed, then kissed him and Jack before she left to go change.
"I think we did good Jack."
"I think so too daddy."