Thanks again for the reviews! This chapter is not at all what I had planned. Funny how you can have all the outlines you want, but when the time comes to sit and type you get lead in a new direction. The next chapter will be where Tommy and Jude tell everyone about his cancer coming back. I started this one out that way but was pulled in the direction of "interaction" I loved how I could express the feelings Jude's family has towards little baby Aidan. I know in my own family whenever a new baby is born everyone turns into quite the characters. In a way Jude needed to see the love her family shares, she feels empty at the moment and knowing she has the support will be poignant in this story as I continue with the chapters. I hope you enjoy!
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"You ready?"
Her question echoed throughout his mind as he sucked in a long raged breath. Three days had passed since he found out his cancer had returned, this time around he knew the devastations were permanent. Jude had been unusually quiet since the news had been spoken. He tried to pretend everything was normal, deep down knowing it was all a lame way to get his wife to crack a smile. He hated watching her suffer, he had thought those days were long in the past, how he wanted to go back just one week in time, just seven days and he would know what it was like to feel alive.
Doctor Jacobson worked fast, the day after he found out the news of the tumors he was evaluated by three specialists; each one coming equipped with his or her own team of nurses and physicians assistants. Amazing how once he found out he was dying, people really began to take notice, any time in between he could live day to day passing by, not once would they look up and seem to care. After the evaluations he was sent to the laboratories where he sat through yet another round of poking and prodding. He wondered how much blood they took this time; they could do all the testing they wanted, but deep down he knew the results would be the same. He was still going to die, right?
The second day he was called in for a follow up appointment, after hours of sitting in the waiting room he was finally called in. Dr. Jacobson ran by a list of medications, all Tommy could do was sit there and try to stop the wave of tears that had threatened to fall. The second day was when he really felt the truth settle in. Denial, the first step in grief, the first rung on the ladder to acceptance, Tommy had gone straight for the first one, not even paying attention to the words the doctors were saying, skipping right past, only to land flat in his blissfully painful state of denying he was sick. Lasting only one day, because by the time he was being handed medication referrals he was swimming past the lake of pretending and headed straight towards the raging waters of anger. Oh he had marched out of the doctors office wearing the biggest mask of terror and fury…how could his life turn so miserably in just a matter of hours? How could he be alive one day, living as though he were the happiest man alive (and he was) then get up the next and find his life in utter chaos?
Jude was his saving grace, after returning home that day he found his wife sitting down in the living room holding their son. She had looked so sad sitting there, her hair hung limply around her face, her eyes bloodshot and empty. Tommy had stood in the doorway clutching his fist against his heart, as if the action would keep it from breaking. All the anger he had felt driving home had disappeared the moment he saw his Jude. She was his life, his everything, he lived everyday for her and his son. A small sob had escaped his lips causing Jude to jump and turn towards him, frozen in place Tommy had stared into her broken eyes, finding his resolve melting away…the cold block that had molded his heart chipped. Seconds passed before either one of them made any movement, Jude was the first to recover, blinking away the misery she turned her gaze to her sleeping baby before lifting her head again to see Tommy. A smile lifted her lips, slowly the action took Tommy by surprise, he followed the wave watching as the smile grew until the light in her eyes was turned on. One smile and he had known, life may be cruel but at least he had Jude. She made everything better, even when a grown man felt like falling apart all she had to do was smile his way and his heart could be remolded.
"I'm ready," Tommy answered as he gently laced his fingers with Jude's.
With his free hand Tommy knocked on the door softly.
"You sure?" Jude gazed up at him with a weary expression.
"Yes I'm sure."
"Maybe I'm the one that's not ready," Squeezing his hand Jude breathed out a loud sigh, "Tell me I'm ready."
"Jude, sweetheart we are as ready as we can be."
Before she could reply the door swung open and Victoria Harrison appeared in the doorway, "Honey I'm so happy to see you!" Victoria happily said as Jude and Tommy shared another nervous glance.
"Mom I just saw you last week," Smiling up at her mom Jude leaned in to Tommy's arm.
"I know, but it always seems like a lifetime. Will I always suffer from empty nest syndrome?"
"I hope not, you call almost every hour."
Clutching her chest in mock anger Victoria grinned at her youngest daughter, "I can't help but feel this overwhelming love for my first grandchild, I have to know what he's doing all the time."
"He's only one month old, he eats, sleeps and yes," Making a funny face Jude spoke, "poops."
"A son after my own heart," Tommy piped in.
"On that note why don't you guys come in, everyone is here waiting."
"You mean to tell me Sadie is on time?" Jude asked in surprise.
Smiling in laughter Victoria stepped into the house holding the door open as the Quincy's made their way into the welcoming home. Closing the door she quickly followed the couple into the living room, upon their entrance everyone smiled and all at once flocked over towards Jude.
"Hey! I get to hold him first," Sadie declared as she shoved Stuart out of her way.
"I don't think so dear, I'm the grandpa, I rank over you."
"No you don't, I'm his aunt."
Jude flashed Tommy a look of mock horror before breaking out in giggles. She knew once everyone was settled in her and Tommy would be spilling the news of his illness, but seeing how happy her family was made her heart feel so much better.
"I have an even better idea," Victoria declared as she too pushed Stuart out of the way, "Grandma ranks over the both of you so step aside."
"Mom violent? Who would have thought."
"Jude, mom is always full of surprises."
"I'll second that one," Stuart laughed as Victoria greedily scooped up the baby.
"Watch his head," Jude began before being cut off by her mother's look of impatience, "Sorry, I forgot you've done this before."
Watching as her mom walked out of the room carrying the baby Jude smiled sadly, a feeling of loss always filled her when her son was not next to her. How crazy the emotions snuck up on her once she because a mom.
"You look good Jude."
Tilting her head to the side Jude gazed up at Stuart.
"Thanks dad."
"No I'm serious, you really do look good," Reaching his hand out Stuart gently cupped Jude's chin, "I never thought I would see my little girl so grown up, you matured into a beautiful woman."
"Dad," Closing the distance Jude pulled Stuart into a hug. Her head fell into the familiar softness only her dad could bring. His words touched her more than she could have imagined, no one knew why she and Tommy had asked everyone to meet them there. Tears welled inside her lids as she tightly squeezed them shut.
"Come on mom, don't be a baby hog!"
"Sadie stop it, back off would you?" Victoria replied as she admired the baby in her arms. He was starting to wake up, all the noise from the Harrison's fighting over him finally reached his innocent ears. Her precious grandchild, some days when she spoke the word Grandma it took her by surprise, it still felt like Jude and Sadie were babies themselves, not two grown women. Running her finger across his sweet cheek Victoria leaned over and kissed his forehead.
"I think your mom is in love."
Grinning against Stuarts chest Jude pulled away to see Tommy standing beside her.
"What gave you that impression?"
"The fact that she took Aidan into the other room and has forbidden your sister from entering."
"That woman," Stuart laughed before kissing Jude's cheek, "I'm going in, she can't hold him the whole time like she always does."
"Good luck dad."
Tossing a wave over his retreating shoulder Stuart disappeared around the corner.
"Everyone is so happy, how do we break the news?"
"I wish I knew," Tommy answered in a whisper.
"How long does it take to get some attention around here?" A voice piped from the doorway.
"Well why don't you give us five minutes and then we'll tell you."
"Kwest man I didn't even see you," Tommy stepped forward embracing his best friend in one of their many handshakes.
"Proves my point," Kwest responded while winking towards Jude.
"I guess me and Tom are so used to fending off the baby squad we miss the quiet ones who sit in the corner."
"I learned my lesson right after the little man was born," Holding up his left arm Kwest shook his head as if the memory was painful, "I'm surprised this limb is still attached to my body."
"It's not that bad!"
"When people are baby starved it is, trust me."
"Wait until he leaves a present in his diaper, that's when all the goo-goo eyes are replaced with horror and I get handed the baby," Jude sighed as Tommy and Kwest laughed, "It's not funny, why don't you try changing one of those things?"
Scrunching his nose in disgust Kwest replied, "No thanks."
"Yeah that's what my husband says too, men, you're all pathetic!"
Tommy and Kwest shared a knowing look before speaking in unison, "Hey!"
"Yeah, yeah, if you two don't mind I believe I see my two best friends beckoning me over to them."
"Kat isn't hovering over Vic's shoulder?"
Shaking her head Jude answered, "No, she called me the last time and told me that my mom threatened her, only after Sadie did," Grinning she looked over to Kwest, "I guess she shares your theory."
"I'm not the only one, good."
Jude's eyes met Tommy, he looked nervous, she felt it but she was trying not to show it, unlike him. Stepping closer to him she leaned up and gently kissed him before pulling away.
"Come find me when you're ready."
With that she walked towards Jamie and Kat, knowing they could bring her a silent comfort before she asked everyone to gather around, before she not only re-broke her heart but also broke the hearts of everyone who had come to love Tommy like a son, a brother and a best friend.
