Ch. 15

Come clean

JR looked up to Jamie's face and gripped the wheels on his wheelchair tighter. He was not really in the mood to talk to Jamie, but that wasn't going to stop him.

"Well, you sure got a job here quick. If must help to have a granddaddy here to look out for you."

"How are you feeling?" Jamie asked.

"Like you care."

Jamie just sighed and looked down, "I do care, just..."

"What, not as much as you care about Babe? You sure had a hell of a way of showing you cared about her, calling her a cheating whore, and stupid. And by the way, you will not do that again." JR warned.

Jamie raised his eyebrows, "Why do you care so much about what I say to her? You say the same things about her all the time."

"Not anymore. You stay away from Babe. She has done more for me then you will ever know and she doesn't need your shit. She is a caring, loving person, and I owe her so much." JR said forcefully, but there was something else in his voice also, and Jamie noticed it.

"I get it now... you defending her and asking her to live with you... you have Babe on the brain again. You care about her, don't you?" Jamie asked, shocked.

"Don't be stupid." JR said, and started to roll around Jamie.

"You wouldn't care this much if I called Babe a slut if you didn't feel something for her! You love her again, don't you?" Jamie stepped in front of him.

"You know what, why don't you stay the hell out of our lives?" JR looked up at Jamie.

Babe came jogging up next to JR, "Is there a problem?" Babe asked Jamie vehemently.

Jamie glanced over to Babe, "No, I was just asking him how he was."

Babe looked down at JR, "Why don't you go on ahead? I'm going to talk to Jamie for a minute."

"No, I don't think I should..." JR started, but Babe cut him off.

"JR, please?"

JR looked up at her, and then gave Jamie a dirty look, "I'll be right over here."

JR wheeled away. Babe turned and watched him go, and then when she was sure he was out of hearing range, she turned on Jamie.

"You leave him the hell alone, do you hear me?" Babe commanded.

"Listen, I was just asking him..." Jamie started.

"Like hell you were asking him how he felt. I could tell that you weren't. He has been through so much, and he doesn't need to deal with you. So if you see him in this hospital, and you probably will since it looks like you have a job here now, I want you to walk the other way. Don't talk to him, don't look at him, got it?" Babe's face was red from anger.

Jamie stepped back, "Fine, I'll leave you two alone."

"Good." Babe said shortly, and grabbed her things and walked away from Jamie towards JR who was waiting for her near the elevator.

"It's too bad if you don't love Babe JR, because she loves you." Jamie said almost below a whisper as he watched his ex and his brother leave together... again.

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After Babe and JR returned home, Babe took Little A upstairs to put him down for his nap. JR was sitting in the living room, pouring himself a glass of water. He heard the front door open and shut and he turned himself towards the living room doors.

"Hello Kendall, what can I do for you today?" JR asked as soon as he saw Kendall walk through the doors looking like she had some things on her mind.

"What you can do is get rid of that lying slut upstairs." Kendall said, throwing her purse down on the couch.

"This is another Babe rant, huh?" JR took a sip of his water.

"How can you sit there like that, all calm? While your ex-wife is upstairs doing god knows what?"

"Well, she has probably just finished putting Little A down to sleep so right now she is either changing into more comfortable clothes or taking a shower." JR informed her.

"Changing clothes... taking a shower... does she think she lives here?" Kendall asked, outraged.

"Actually, she does. I asked her to move in and she accepted." JR said calmly.

Kendall's eyes opened wide, "JR... you what? How could you do that? After everything... she is probably after your money... or your son... or something else! JR I think that accident messed with your head because the JR I know would not ever do this." Kendall was so angry she had to pause to take deep breaths.

"Kendall listen, Babe has done more than anyone else has for me. She has been there for me day and night, even at 2 in the morning when I need to talk." JR said.

"JR, if you need to talk to someone at 2 in the morning, call me! Not her!"

"I know I could have called you, but I didn't. I needed to talk to Babe. She is the only one right now who I'll tell everything to." JR said.

"But why? She is probably just going to use it against you. You think she is helping you for you? No, she is after your son, or your money!" Kendall said forcefully.

"She has been helping me for months, and not once has my money gone missing, and she hasn't taken a wrong step around our son. Believe me Kendall, at first there wasn't one place in this house she could go without an eye on her. And never once did she try. All she did was help me."

"What do you mean 'at first'? She should be watched constantly."

"It's not necessary anymore. I trust her." JR admitted.

"You're crazy JR. You shouldn't trust her, not one bit."

"Well I do, and you're gonna have to get used to it. I get that you are looking out for me Kendall, that's what best friends do, but you need to back off on this one. You're not going to win."

"I'm not just gonna stand by and watch her play you."

"Kendall, even if she was playing me and she isn't, you are just going to stand by. Leave Babe alone." JR ordered.

Kendall grabbed her purse, "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."