Chapter 39

Jess straightened up her school shirt before pulling her new black jumper over the top. She had been out with her Mum to get some bigger school clothes. Yet even in the bigger jumper her expanding bump was still visible. She was pushing towards four months pregnant and she could feel her body changing each day. Her bump was growing and with it her chest. She sat down on her bed and ran her hands over her bump. She was sure that she could feel a flutter in her stomach every now and again. Every day it seemed more real, and every day she knew she was closer to feeling a proper kick from her baby and the day when it would eventually arrive.

"You nearly ready?" Jess heard her Mum's voice from the door way. She pushed herself off the bed and nodded picking up her school bag on the way towards her Mum.

"Yeah. When you were pregnant how did it feel?" She absent mindedly ran her hands back over her bump again. She wished that she could spend all day looking at it and running her hands over the growing bump.

"I don't think you can describe it...I guess that everyone feels it differently. It's strange but you know that there's something growing inside of you...and that feels amazing." She put a hand on top of Jess' bump. "I'm so proud of you Jess...so proud." She lent forward and kissed her cheek.

"I love you Mum. So you and Rob, spill all." She smiled towards her Mum and gently nudged her arm.

"You ready to go?" Karen quickly changed the subject and turned away before Jess could see her starting to blush. She quickly moved down the stairs. "I'll give you a lift."

Jess watched her Mum hurry down the stairs and couldn't help but laugh. All three of them and Aiden knew that the relationship between their parents was serious. They were all finding it more and more amusing that neither of them seemed to want to talk about it. She hung her bag over her shoulder and walked down the stairs ready to head towards school.

…

"I'll see you later then kids." Karen pulled her car into her head teacher space. She watched as the kids got out of the car. Rob had pulled his car into the space opposite and Karen watched as he and Aiden got out of the car.

"You know that this is mad Mum...why don't you just drive in together?" Jess opened her door but spoke to her Mum as she was leaving.

"Jess there's too much going on at the minute with..." She broke off as she realised that everything going on involved Jess in some way, and she didn't want to put any extra pressure on her daughter. She knew that there was enough going in on her head and her body to worry her with something else.

"Sorry." Jess knew what her Mum was trying to say and she hated it. She felt that her Mum and Rob couldn't be together because of the mess her life was in.

"Don't apologise Jess. It's not a bad thing, if I'm honest it's meant that neither of us have been able to get carried away with it, and instead we've got to know each other." Karen smiled and reached back to stroke Jess' face. "It'll all be worth it in the end...I promise."

Jess nodded. "Yeah maybe. Anyway, double science, performance and maths. Lucky me." She smiled at her before she got out of the car. "You never know, maybe Dad will have phoned in sick." She shut the door and started walking towards the school with Bex and Vicki.

Karen watched her go and tried to smile. She felt so helpless when it came to Charlie. The last thing she wanted was for Jess to hurt anymore, but there was nothing that Karen could do about it anymore. They were waiting for the court order to come through on the divorce. Until then there was nothing Karen could do, it was as though she had no control over her school. She was knocked out of her thoughts as Rob opened her passenger door and got in next to her.

"Jess giving you another grilling?" He smiled and placed a hand on her knee and squeezed it gently.

Karen smiled. "Sort of. She's worrying that the two of us can't be together because of everything's that going on...and I don't want her to have to worry about that."

Rob nodded. "I understand Karen...and we know where we stand, and you know that I'm ok with it." He lent forward and gently kissed her on the lips. "That doesn't mean that I can't kiss you...or touch you, or love you any less." He lent forward and kissed her again.

Karen knew that she shouldn't be kissing him back, but she couldn't help it. It was as though there was a whole new emotion in her body. There was nothing she had felt before that could describe the way she felt about Rob. It was as though she was breathing another type of air. He made her feel giddy and happy. It was a whole new way of love, and it belonged to her. She pulled back aware that they were still in the school playground. "I suggest that we carry this on later Mr Scotcher...maybe in my office if you're lucky." She ran a finger down the side of his cheek and smiled at him before opening the door of the car.

Rob gave her a cheesy school boy grin. "Thank you." She gently leaned towards him and tucked a hand into his jeans pocket.

"What for?" She looked down at him and tilted her head to one side, she knew that it would make him smile. He always said that was what she did when she was confused.

"For making me happy."