Now it was Maggie's turn to be the one that was surprised as she was not expecting Jennifer to say that about Jubal staying at his job so that he could fall in love with Maggie. Jennifer seen that both Jubal and Maggie were quiet at her words, honestly Jubal was just trying to wrap his head around everything, he had screwed up a lot of things in his life, the drinking nearly cost him everything he had ever loved. Now here he sat with the woman he was completely in love with and his sister who was telling his girlfriend how proud she was of him. It was a lot for him to get his head around.
"You already knew he was in love with you right?" Jen was thinking that was why they were quiet
"I did.. He told me yesterday" Maggie smiled as she looked at Jubal and she leaned up kissing his cheek and she ran her thumb under his eye to wipe away the tear at the edge of his eye
"Oh thank god, I thought maybe he hadn't said it when you both went so quiet"
Jubal kissed Maggie's forehead, he then ran his thumb along the skin gently on her shoulder as he felt her press in to his side more resting more on him so that they were sitting closer.
"I'm just a little overwhelmed with emotions and I'm also trying to figure how the hell you and Maggie's sister figured out from one conversation with us that we were both in love with each other.. I mean we only spoke to Melissa via FaceTime yesterday"
"Well when you were on FaceTime were you two acting like… this.." She waved her hand at them chuckling softly meaning the way they were practically snuggled up together right now
"We were just at my place sitting on the couch while talking to her" Maggie looked at Jennifer as she spoke
Jennifer laughed softly "Okay but were you two being as adorable as you are right now?"
"Seriously? I'm not sure how I feel about being described as being adorable for the second day in a row" Jubal laughed softly "Not exactly the best way for a man to be described"
"Even with my career as a lawyer I can't find a better word that describes the way you two look right now other than adorable" Jennifer laughed when her brother rolled his eyes at her "Now you two still haven't answered my question, is this how you were while on the phone with Maggie's sister"
"Hang on we have a picture of it, Melissa took a screenshot and sent it to Maggie" Jubal took his phone out of his jacket pocket and pulled up the picture handing it to his sister
Jennifer took the phone and chuckled seeing the picture "Seriously you two even have to ask? It's very clear that you are two people very much in love. Are you wearing his favourite hoodie?"
Maggie looked at Jubal "You didn't tell me that was your favourite one…"
Jubal shrugged "It was and is but you wearing it makes me love it even more, I don't want it to see it appearing back at my apartment unless you are in it" Jubal put a playful serious tone at the end which just had Maggie shaking her head hitting his chest lightly
"See that's when you know a man really loves you when he gives up his favourite sports hoodie" Jennifer laughed softly looking at them both, she still had Jubal's phone in her hand "Are there any recent pictures on here of my favourite niece and nephew?"
Jubal smiled hearing his sister ask about his kids "There is actually, I haven't gotten around to sending them to you yet, sorry"
Maggie leaned her head on Jubal's shoulder as he was now playing with the loose curls in her hair, they really had struggled to keep their hands off each other since their love declaration yesterday.
"Oh my goodness look how cute Abby is with her hair in a french plait, that is the cutest ever Jubal. Tyler is getting more and more like you, it's crazy, I feel like he's got all grown up since I last saw him. Abby did a really good job taking this picture of you both"
Jennifer turned the phone to show Jubal and Maggie the photo she was looking at of Tyler and Jubal that Maggie and Abigail had taken at the diner and clearly Jubal had totally forgotten about what picture Jen would see next but she hadn't, she discreetly kicked him under the table
"Owww.. hey what was that for" So much for discreetly thought Maggie, she nodded at his phone and he finally clicked "Oh crap" he reached over to take his phone from Jen but it was too late she was now smirking holding the phone facing them with the picture of Abby and Maggie on it
"So you brought Maggie to meet the kids, do they know who Maggie is?"
Jubal knew that his sister was enjoying this a little too much as she was aware that this was the first person he had introduced them to, hell it was the first person he had introduced to Jennifer and her and Sam meeting did not go well
"I did and they do" Maggie hit Jubal's chest lightly when that was all he gave his sister and he shook his head laughing before looking back at his sister "I brought Maggie to meet the kids two days ago, I didn't exactly give her a lot of notice about it"
"By that he means he asked me in the car on the way home from visiting our friend and work colleague in the hospital"
"Jubal Valentine you know better than to drop something that big on someone on such short notice" Jennifer shook her head at her younger brother but she was just teasing him
"In my defence I hadn't seen the kids in almost two weeks due to work, Maggie told me to drop her home so that I could go and see them and I knew I wanted her to come with me, so I kinda just blurted it out… I'll admit it wasn't my finest moment" He looked at Maggie before looking back at his sister "I told Maggie we could tell them she was a friend and someone I worked with but Tyler figured it out and then she became the favourite among my kids"
Maggie laughed softly hearing Jubal "I did not become their favourite, I just offered to help Tyler out with his soccer and…"
"And that picture you seen of Abby with the french plait that she really is the cutest ever in, well that picture was actually sent for Maggie" Jubal had interrupted Maggie to tell his sister who looked at her brother confused "Mag's is the one who plaited Abby's hair for her, that picture" he pointed at his phone "Was taken right after doing Abby's hair and my sweet baby girl gave me the perfect reason to take a picture of my girls"
"So helping Tyler with soccer and plaiting Abby's hair, I'm guessing that means that the kids already approve then" Jennifer had a genuine smile on her face now, no teasing as she knew how important it was for the kids and Maggie to get on really well together "So if you got the picture of Abby yesterday morning and you've met the kids does that mean that Sam knows as well?"
"Oh you didn't tell your sister that you were crazy enough to leave me alone with your ex wife?" Maggie raised her eyebrow smirking at Jubal, she had no idea that Jennifer and Sam hadn't and still don't get on well
"Maggie is joking right? Please tell me you did not actually leave Maggie alone with her?" Jennifer looked at her brother as she handed him back his phone "I'm actually impressed that you didn't run for the hills after being left alone with her"
Now maggie was the one who was confused, she had no idea why Jennifer thought she would run without even knowing how the conversation between the two women had gone "I feel like I'm missing something here" Maggie looked at Jubal and Jennifer
"Sam and I don't see eye to eye and we never will, I've always been pleasant to her for Jubal's sake, and for the sake of their kids because I love them and my brother. When he told me someone was joining us tonight I was getting ready to tell the waitress to just bring me all the liquor they had until he promised me it wasn't her" Jennifer knew that it was up to her to tell Maggie because Jubal always seen that as her business to tell and she loved her brother for being like that
"So that's why you looked as nervous as I felt when you first met me?" Maggie chuckled softly as she looked at Jennifer
Jen let out her own laugh "Oh the minute I seen his reaction to whoever was approaching our table I knew it definitely wasn't her. So can I ask how it went with Sam, of course you can just tell me to butt out"
Maggie appreciated that Jennifer wasn't pushing for information nor was she being bitchy about Sam even though the women clearly disliked each other a lot "I'm only teasing about Jubal being crazy to leave us alone, Abigail had asked him to do bath and bed time and I was not about to stop that from happening just because of my nerves about talking with his ex. I knew Jubal was missing the kids but they had missed him just as much, so I knew that whatever happened with Sam it would be worth it" Jubal kissed Maggie's head and held her closer to him and that was all his sister needed to see to know that he hadn't been comfortable about whatever happened between Maggie and Sam
"Maggie, you honestly don't have to tell me what happened between you and Sam if it makes you uncomfortable" Jennifer spoke so genuine and softly to Maggie that it drew Jubal out of his own mind replaying the conversation and he looked at his sister
"It's not Mag's that feels uncomfortable… it's me.. I'm still not entirely comfortable with it, even though Mag's keeps telling me she's fine about it"
Maggie titled her head a little and kissed Jubal's neck and took his hand in hers again squeezing his hand gently"Jubal,honey…. I really am okay about the conversation, I told you that yes it was awkward and a little like an interrogation, but you know that if it keeps things smooth between you and Sam for you to be with the kids then I'll go through it again"
"Jesus… what the hell happened?" Jennifer had the question out before she could even stop it
Jubal nodded at Maggie that if she was really okay with talking about it then he trusted her to tell Jen what she was comfortable with "She had offered me a glass of wine I had turned it down said it was due to my pain killers" Maggie noticed the look of confusion on Jennifers face "Oh my make up is doing a good job of hiding the bruise I have on the edge of my forehead from the stitches I had there"
"Okay so Jubal first gift you buy Maggie is bubble wrap" Jennifer laughed hoping to help her brother relax, she felt a lot of care for Maggie when the woman wanted to be open with her because she knew that Jen and Jubal were close and that meant something to Maggie and Jen really appreciated that.
The comment about bubble wrap had both Maggie and Jubal laughing with Maggie speaking "Oh please don't be giving him ideas, I think he goes over ideas in his head about how to try and find reasons to put me on desk duty" she pulled a face at Jubal and kissed his jawline before laying her head back on his shoulder
"So the refusal of wine due to pain meds sounds like a legitimate reason to me" Jen had pulled her chair closer to Maggie and Jubal and was sipping her wine completely relaxed talking to them
"And it was a legitimate reason, and she let it go because the kids were still there, but Tyler went to get showered and Jubal took Abigial to get her bathed.. So I joined Sam in the living room, she told me about being the first person Jubal had introduced to her, that she didn't even know any names of the women before me and after her" Maggie seen Jen's hand tighten on the wine glass stem, she wondered if Jen and Jubal realised they were so alike at times
"I just choose to take that as her way of telling me that I was important to Jubal. I apologised to her for me being there with the kids being dropped on her last minute but she said that Jubal had mentioned we had a tough couple of weeks at work. She then asked me if he was coping okay with everything and I knew that she was starting to fish for information about Jubal and it was not my place to share with her anything that he was dealing with or going through. So she asked me if that was the real reason that I turned down the wine.. I told her it was partly that and partly the pain meds"
This time Jubal spoke up as he had noticed the flash of anger across his sisters face "She also told Sam that she would rather be there for me than drown her stress in wine"
That was the first time that Jubal had indicated to Maggie just how long he had been standing there for their conversation, she looked at him when she heard him "You heard that?"
Jubal nodded and this time he had a genuine smile on his face "I did and I'm glad I did because you left that part out when talking to me about it in the car on the way home"
"See another reason why I am going to continue calling you two adorable" Jennifer laughed looking at them, she was glad they had joked with each other as it gave her a minute to let go of the anger
"And then came Jubal's two favourite parts of the conversation" Maggie joked squeezing his hand gently and this had Jennifer paying attention because she already felt that Sam had overstepped with Maggie "His favourite was when she asked me if I would happily never drink again in his company"
"I'm sorry she did what?" Jennifer had to make sure to keep her voice low even though she wanted to shout "Oh that's why you two had the secret eye chat when the waitress offered wine.. But you do know that Jubal can be around alcohol?"
Maggie nodded hearing Jen "I do.. he has been out with us for team drinks and work events where we have all been maybe a little too drunk, so I know that he can handle being around it. But I told Sam that if me never drinking again was what was best for Jubal then I'd happily never drink again"
Jen was feeling so much respect and care for the woman sitting across from her, the way that she loved and protected her brother was incredible and she also got a lot of joy knowing that was the response she gave to Sam "No one managed to catch that on camera no? Because I'm sure Sam's face was priceless"
Jubal shook his head laughing softly "Behave sis.. what Mag's also wont tell you is that she told Sam that she wasn't there to mess me or the kids around and that the kids knew about us and that we had talked about disclosing at work"
"I can see why my brother fell in love with you" Jennifer chuckled softy, but she actually meant it and she had no idea that her words meant so much to Maggie "So what was Jubal's second least favourite part"
"Ah.. that one.. that was your brother's final straw and when he made it known that he was standing there….. Sam decided to point out that Jubal had never looked at her the way that he had looked at me"
Jennifer had just taken a sip of wine when she heard Maggie and it made her cough a little "You are joking right? You two had decided before dinner to add that in as a joke"
Jubal shook his head holding Maggie a little closer as he looked at his sister "Oh trust me I wish she was joking but she's not. My ex wife really decided that those were the best things to say to my new girlfriend"
Jennifer knew that Sam could be a handful when she wanted to be, she had seen it first hand, her and Jubal worked well as co-parents but she had seen how much Sam had tried to control him. She knew her brother was hard work especially with his drinking, but Sam blamed everyone except herself for any of it and for not helping until it was really bad
"So you two had a very quiet journey home and you didn't talk to him until you had to the next day at work?"
Maggie shook her head laughing softly "We were quiet for about the first five minutes, I knew that was enough time to let Jubal come up with the worst scenarios in his head and that it was time for me to step in.. So we talked it through, he kept telling me he understood if I wanted time apart or that if I wanted to run he would get it"
"Anyone would understand that.. I mean Jubal I love you but thats a lot for someone to deal with on their first meeting with the ex wife" Jennifer smiled at her brother as she could see the pain in his eyes still from it all "So how much time did you take time apart?"
"None…I stayed with Jubal that night and the day after, which was yesterday, we told each other that we were in love with each other" Maggie smiled looking at Jubal, he brushed her hair from her face as some had fell in to her face when she tilted her head to look at him "and have told both our sisters and are ready to disclose when the time comes"
