Harlan raised a brow and looked a him, he dug into his pocket and handed him a picture.
Negan blinked and looked at it. "Seriously?" He looked at Harlan. "You're the goody-two-shoes older brother?" He let out a laugh handing the picture back of Lucille and Harlan at Lu's high school graduation.
"Yep." He smiled slightly. "My dad married her mom, when was 12 and she was 2.." He shook his head. "We had a falling out after mom died, and dad was going downhill. She didn't like that he went on hospice."
Negan nodded listening. "Yeah, she said something about a fight, but never talked about it." He shrugged. "I met Lu when I was home visiting while serving in the army." He smiled slightly. "Your sister could belt out AC/DC like nobody's business." He laughed slightly. "She was in tight leather pants, and a red crop top." He looked down, and sighed, then took a drink. "How'd you know about the stillbirths?"
"She wrote me." He sighed. "She somehow found my address, and got a hold of me just breaking down in a letter about losing three babies, and wanted to know if I could suggest a doctor after 3 more years of trying.."
Negan looked at him. "Well. The doctor you gave her diagnosed her with stage 2 uterine cancer. Hysterectomy, and radiation." He took a drink. "That's what broke her." He sighed. "Went into remission, and it came back about a week before this lovely word turned to shit." He rubbed his face. "Mel and I slept together after getting drunk, and pretty much broke down over the news when she told us. She kept it from me for a few weeks." He laid his head back. "Fucking surprised she made it for as long as she did before…" He cut off looking out into the living room seeing one of the kids turning.
"I'm sorry about all that." Harlan said looking at Negan. "No wonder Mel talks about her all the time." He smiled slightly.
"God… She… was upset a day or two after Melanie found out she was pregnant. Was upset with me about a week after finding out it was mine." He laughed. "Then something switched, she felt like she had something to live for.." He looked at Harlan refilling his flask with some cheap brandy he found. "She was a rockstar helping Melanie through labor.." He rubbed his beard and looked at Harlan. "She loved Ford." He took another drink. "Wished she could have experienced that herself. She deserved it."
"How far along where the other pregnancies?" Harlan asked drinking some water.
"Jacob was 35 weeks, Mike was 29 weeks and Aaron was 40 weeks." Negan said putting the flask away. "Shit. Haven't talked ot anyone about this shit in a while." He kicked back in the chair, and closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry that happened, Negan. I wish I could have been around more to help." Harlan said standing up.
Negan grunted slightly and fell asleep. Harlan kept watch.
A while later, Negan woke up and took watch, while Harlan slept.
Melanie woke up breathing hard, "Damn." She moved on the bed, the sun was rising. Negan had left the room and was cooking food. She grabbed the glass of water off the table and took a drink.
Negan came in with some food for her, and Harlan. "Eat up." He said softly, he looked like shit and smelled like cheap brandy.
"Someone had a rough night?" She asked looking up, and took a few bites.
"Yep.." He fed the kids, kept them busy.
Melanie ate a little bit and really felt the contractions getting more painful and close now. Harlan finished eating, and came in to check on her. "How you feeling?" He asked sitting down, after washing his hands.
"Great." Melanie panted.
Negan heard her and came in also to check on her, the kids where playing with some toys and books.