14 Weeks Pregnant
Jo was feeling a lot happier now she was further into her second trimester, in the first 12 weeks she'd wound herself up, constantly fearing the worse, it was crazy how only a few weeks ago her world felt like it was about to combust but now the sun actually shined. Most of the hospital knew now and of course, there were the usual whispers but she'd found the majority of her friends were supportive, hell they were even understanding like her falling pregnant with Alex's baby made sense to them all.
Speaking of Alex they were doing much better, it was always gonna take time to put back the pieces of what was broken, they had to learn how to communicate again, they pretty much were starting from scratch the people they once were no longer the same.
But they were getting there, slowly but surely Jo felt herself healing with the hell of Carly and actually accepting that this baby was a good thing, something to be celebrated and not the dark cloud it had felt like.
She was really showing now, her bump fitting nicely under most of her clothes. To most it probably could still look like she'd eaten too much but to anyone who knew it was obvious, Alex loved it he'd taken to measuring her every time he saw her, he was so excited with every change and to be honest Jo was happy she'd started letting go of her hurt, that she could enjoy these moments for what they were.
This week had been on the schedule as one of Alex's away weeks but instead of Alex doing his usual trip to Kansas, the twins had come to him with Izzie and her boyfriend to see Izzie's mom and would be here for the next two weeks. Since they'd arrived she'd seen less of Alex understandably he'd spent most of his free time with them, he'd been so excited to show them around Seattle and to get them together with Mers kids. So she was surprised to see his name pop up on her phone.
"What's up?" She answered, huffing out a breath, her loose hair fanning her face.
"Hello, to you too."
"Sorry, I'm trying to wrestle Mia into clothes actually suitable for the Seattle weather." Jo sighed, smiling at Mia who was frantically pulling her toys out of the toy box Jo had just sorted through, she'd managed to negotiate her to at least wear a nice warm jumper along with her spotted tutu. Jo had tried for jeans, she really had but Mia has a real aversion to looking anything unlike a fairy at all times, instead, they'd settled for some pink woollen tights with flames up the side.
"Ah, I see…"
Jo waits a moment for him to get to the point of the call but instead, she hears his slight chuckle down the phone only irritating her further. "Was there something you needed?"
"No just wondered what you two ladies were up to?"
Jo sighs, standing up deciding to leave the mess Mia was making for another time. "I think we're gonna go get some lunch before we both become so hangry that we end up having tantrums...you?"
"Thinking about having lunch with you and Mia."
Jo frowns pulling away from the phone, she was surprised by his answer, to be honest, they spent most of their time together at the hospital but he'd only spent a few evenings with her and Mia, Jo was still wary of giving Mia the wrong impression.
"Wait what?"
"I'm outside…"
Jo frowns heading towards her bedroom window, pulling back the curtain she spots him easily, leaning against the bumper of his rental car, that stupid Alex Karev smirk plastered across his face as he waves up at her. "Why?"
She watches him shrug, pushing off the car as he motioned for her to come down. "I figured we hadn't really seen each other much lately and our days off rarely coincide."
"Really?" Jo narrows her eyes on him before letting the curtain fall making her way towards the stairs. This was weird right? They had nothing to discuss about the baby nor did they have the cover of work as an excuse to see each other. I mean voluntarily going to lunch was weird right? "You don't have to waste your day off Alex I'm sure you need the break you've been going back and forth for months now."
She hears him groan before he starts to shuffle around at the end of the line, hearing her front gate open she knows he's coming up her path. "Jo if you don't wanna come to lunch with me that's fine but I'm already outside it's pissing down with rain and I'm paying so…"
"Give me five minutes."
In the restaurant Mia had taken to climbing all over Alex, she was pretty much smitten since their Lion King sing-along a few weeks back, she especially loved that Alex always took the time to compliment her fairy wings.
It was turning out to be quite a nice lunch, both adults focused on Mia who was telling them made-up stories, sat on Alex's lap while she coloured in the paper table cover.
That was until Alex clocked a figure on the other side of the restaurant, the laughter dying down as he turned to Jo flashing something that looked a lot like pity as Jo turned to see what had caught his attention.
Ah...she got it now. Watching a beautiful blonde sashay towards their table Jo immediately knew the look on Alex's face. Izzie was here, Izzie Stevens, the woman he'd left her for, was here right now walking up to their table, a bright smile on her face as she approached.
"Alex I didn't know you'd be here?" Her sing-song voice rang out making Jo's blood run cold, she was just as perky as she'd always imagined.
"Iz.." Alex nods in greeting. "Where are the kids?" He cranes his neck around her to see where she'd just come from.
Izzie just smiles eyeing Mia on Alex's lap curiously, as her well-manicured hand clutched tightly at the bag in her hand. "With my mom and Jeremiah, I'm here...I'm here to see Mrs O'Malley." She points to a table by the window where an elderly lady was sitting looking out at the water.
"You are?"
"Yeah you know I'm still in touch with her."
Alex nods shifting uncomfortably, one arm wrapped around Mia who was sitting comfortably in his lap staring up at Izzie with wide eyes. Jo felt the overwhelming needs to reach over and take her back but she really didn't wanna cause a scene right now. Izzie glanced to the toddler in his lap and back to Jo, her bright smile still on her face as she took in the set up. Both women are clearly waiting for Alex to say something...anything.
But he doesn't say anything. He just sits there as uncomfortable silence falls between them, his eyes never moving from Jo's.
Jo sighed as the initial shock wore off, picking up the napkin from her lap and throwing it onto the table she reached out to lift Mia up from Alex's lap. "Why don't you two talk for a bit, while I take my daughter to the toilets."
"I don't need to go pot pot." Mia mumbles making Jo groan inwardly.
"Jo please sit down," Alex spoke gently, rising from his seat.
Jo shook her head, holding Mia close to her body one hand cradling her daughter's head protectively, this was all too much, she wanted to curse herself for letting Alex drive now she was gonna have to make a dash for the toilets and call Link to come and get her. "No, I'm good you two talk."
"This is Jo? Your Jo?" Izzie asked just as Jo had begun to move away.
Your Jo. What did she mean your Jo? She hadn't been Alex's in a long time and if anyone knew that it was Izzie.
Whipping around Jo met Alex's eyes, he'd held her confused gaze as he nodded slowly before turning back to Izzie with a grim look on his face. "Yes, this is her and her daughter Mia."
Suddenly Jo realises the pity on his face earlier wasn't for her, it was for Izzie. The bright smile had been wiped off her face as she offered her hand out for Jo. "It's so nice to finally meet you."
Jo nods reframing from making a sarcastic comment about it not being that nice at all as Mia begins to squirm in her arms, Izzie's perky tone is gone as she speaks and Alex gives her a sad smile as Jo finally lets Mia down who hurriedly makes her way back to her colouring, climbing back into Alex's lap making Jo want the room to swallow her whole, she wanted to call Carly, she wanted to scream and break things and it was taking everything in her to just breathe.
"When did this happen?" Izzie motions to the scene in front of her as Jo gives into Alex's pleading eyes and finally sits back down.
"We're not..." Jo begins to protest unsure why she feels the need to prove herself to this woman.
Alex interrupts her though. "Jo's pregnant." He spits quickly and Jo winces glad Mia doesn't really understand nor is she paying attention to the obvious awkward situation around them as she hears Izzie take a sharp intake of breath.
She looks a little dazed for a moment but she shakes it off plastering on the bright smile she'd arrived with as she looks between Jo and Alex. "Oh, congratulations."
"Thanks," Jo mutters staring down at her plate.
"I should go and let you get back to your lunch. You're still good to have the kids tomorrow?"
Alex just nods and Jo can feel his eyes still burning into her.
"I'm glad you found your way Alex" Izzie whispers slowly leaning down closer to Alex before she mutters her goodbyes and disappears off into the busy restaurant.
"What does she mean you way back?" Jo asks, scared she might already know the answer as she narrows her eyes on him. Whatever happiness she'd let herself get caught up in was over now...this wasn't their life...they had two very separate lives and she was kidding herself by letting herself imagine anything else.
Alex sighs, "Can we talk about this later?" he grumbles looking down at Mia.
"Wook wook...momma." The little one cheers as if she knew they needed to change the topic, the bright blue crayon in her hand hitting against the table as she excitedly pointed towards her mess of colours across the table cloth.
"She means my way back to you...Izzie did...that's what she meant."
He glanced back to where Mia was sleeping softly in her car seat. The tension during the car ride home was almost too much, the rest of the lunch had been awkward with both adults only talking to Mia the whole time. He knows Izzie's words had been replaying in Jo's mind since she'd said them and my god he wished she hadn't.
"When me and Izzie broke up there was a lot going on, we had a lot of issues." Alex turns in his seat to look at Jo who was staring straight ahead. He drummed his fingers against the wheel. He really didn't like talking about where it all went wrong with Izzie, it wasn't the proudest moment of his life. "I made a stupid stupid comment about losing the love of my- I told her there would never be a way back to you that I'd lost you forever."
He hears the click of the seatbelt watching her gather her bags as she exits the car. "And you think of knocking me up is your way back to me?" Jo turns making her way around to Mia's door, slowly lifting the sleeping toddler out of her car seat.
Alex huffs before getting out to help her get the car seat out.
"I hope it is."
She doesn't say anything stroking Mia's hair softly, her eyes flashing a deep sadness as she turns away from him heading up her path without a second look.
Hope - Nathan Wagner
And this boulders heavy but you take the load and these storms gone crazy but you take the blows and I can't offer nothing. Still you won't let go, you take this broken man of stone and make him whole.