CHAPTER TWELVE
After dinner that night Jack went straight to his room. Martha had noticed that he had hardly spoken since Megan and Grace had left. Tony had tried to speak to him about the visit; but Jack brushed him off and said that he didn't want to talk about it. Martha decided to give him some space, and chose to watch a dvd with Tony and Lucas. But now the movie had finished and Martha was starting to grow tired.
"I'm pretty tired, so i might head off," she said to Tony and Lucas. "I'll just pop in and say goodbye to Jack," she finished.
Tony and Lucas both smiled at her and then went back to watching a game of footy that had just started on TV. Martha walked towards Jack's bedroom and softly knocked on the door before entering.
Jack was lying on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. He rolled his head to the side and looked at Martha when she sat down next to him.
"I'm going to go now," she said softly; placing her hand on his stomach.
"Why?" Jack asked, sounding confused.
"I'm tired," she told him.
"I thought you were going to stay here tonight," Jack said, sitting up.
Martha sighed. "Well after today i figured that you would probably want some time alone. So i thought i should just go home," she said.
"No," Jack shook his head. "I really want you to stay. I'd feel better with you here," he explained. "Besides, i've been working alot this last week, so you haven't stayed here in ages," he kept on, trying to encourage her to stay.
Martha was worried about what would happen in the morning. She knew without a doubt that she would be sick, but she didn't want to let Jack down. So she agreed to stay. "Kay," she nodded.
"Good. Now, come here," Jack smiled, and fell onto his back; pulling Martha down beside him.
"Fine, but no funny business," Martha laughed as she rested her head on Jack's chest. "I was serious when I said that I was tired," she continued.
"No funny business," Jack promised.
"But before I go to sleep, I think we should talk about today," Martha said, turning serious.
Jack sighed. "There's nothing to talk about," he told her.
Martha sat up again; looking down at Jack. "You met your daughter for the first time today. Don't you have anything to say about that? I really think we should talk about it," she urged.
"I don't want too," Jack exclaimed, starting to get frustrated.
"Jack, you can't kee...," she started, but Jack cut her off.
"I said No," he snapped at her.
Martha stared at Jack in shock. He hadn't gotten angry at her like that since before they had gotten together. She didn't know how to take it, so she stood up and took a step back away from him.
"Um, i'm gonna go," she stammered, trying not to show him that she was upset.
Jack immediately felt guilty. He couldn't believe that he had just snapped at her like that. And he had obviously hurt her feelings; he could tell by the look on her face.
"Martha, wait. I'm sorry," Jack jumped up quickly, taking Martha's hand and pulling her towards him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you. You didn't deserve it," he apologised.
"Don't worry about it," Martha muttered, not looking at him.
"Hey," Jack said softly, cupping her face in his hands; making her look at him. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," he apologised again.
"I just wanted to know how you were feeling about Grace and Megan's visit. You've been quiet all afternoon and night. I'm just worried," Martha explained.
"I know you're worried. But I honestly don't know how i'm feeling. But when I do; you'll be the first person I speak too," Jack said. Martha didn't say anything, she just nodded.
"Please don't go," Jack then said. "I really want you to stay".
Martha nodded again, and then walked over to Jack's chest of drawers. "I'm going to put my PJ's on," she told him, pulling out a spare pair of pajama's that she had left there. "Then I'm going to sleep," she said, walking towards the door so that she could go to the bathroom.
When she brushed past Jack, he grabbed her and put his arms around her waist; holding her close to his body. "Are you mad at me?" he asked.
"No," she smiled at him. Jack smiled back at her, before kissing her softly.
The next morning Martha lay in Jack's bed clutching her stomach. She was silently willing away the urge to spew. She had felt pretty good when she had first woken up, but now she wasn't feeling so good. Jack was already up, and she could hear him singing to himself out in the kitchen. Tony and Lucas had already left for school.
"Good morning," Jack called as he walked into his room.
Martha looked up at him and smiled. "Morning," she said to him as she sat up.
"I brought you a cup of coffee," Jack said as he sat down next to her.
Martha gagged at the smell of the strong coffee, and held her hand up to her mouth. "Ah, no thanks. I couldn't possibly drink that," she told him while pushing his hand holding the coffee away.
"Are you okay?" Jack asked, looking concerned.
"Yeah, just feel a bit off today. Nothing to worry about," she smiled. "Just get that coffee away from me. The smell of it makes me want to gag," she continued.
"Sorry," Jack laughed, as he placed the coffee on the nightstand beside his bed. "Oh my poor baby feels sick. Is there anything i can do to make you feel better," he asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her and moving in closer so he could kiss her neck.
"Is that all you ever think about?" Martha giggled as Jack teased her neck with his lips.
"Hey, it's not my fault that my girlfriend is a total babe," Jack protested.
"Right," Martha smiled as she looked him straight in the eye. "Sorry, but i don't think i have enough energy to fool around right now. Maybe later," she promised. "But there is actually something i want to tell you," she said to him.
"What is it?" Jack asked.
She was going to tell him about the baby. She couldn't keep it from him any longer. "Well...," she started, but was cut off by Jack's phone ringing. "Hold that thought," Jack shot out, and raced out to the kitchen were he had left his phone.
Martha sighed. She was scared. Scared of Jack rejecting her. Scared of Jack getting angry. But she had to tell him. He had a right to know. She waited a few minutes before Jack came back into the room.
"Sorry, but that was McGrath. I have to go into work for a few hours. There's some stupid meeting i have to attend," he told her.
Martha tried not to look disappointed. "It's okay," she said.
"I have to go now," Jack started. "I'll call you when i finish, okay. I love you," he said, leaning down and kissing her quickly.
"Love you too," Martha called as Jack left the room.
"Damn it," she muttered, after Jack had left. She'd finally gotten the courage to tell Jack; but now the moment had been ruined. She'd have to prepare herself all over again. Just great, she thought to herself.
After Martha had a shower and got dressed, she decided to go for a walk on the beach. Some fresh air would do her good. She needed to clear her head and prepare herself for the conversation that she was going to have with Jack once he got home. So many thoughts were going through her head. She didn't know if Jack would be happy about the baby, or if he even wanted another baby right now.
In the distance Martha noticed Megan and Grace playing in the sand. She also noticed another women with them; whom she guessed was Megan's mother. Martha started to turn so that she could walk in the other direction, but she was stopped by Megan calling her name. Martha watched as Megan made her way towards her.
"Hey," Martha said when she reached her. "Is that your mum?" she asked, pointing at the lady playing with Grace.
"Yeah it is," Megan replied. "So, where's Jack today?" she then questioned.
"He had a meeting at work that he had to attend," Martha told her.
"Oh. Well since i've got you alone; there's something i want to talk to you about," Megan said.
"Sure," Martha smiled.
Megan let out a small sigh before beginning. "I think it's safe to say that we don't like each other very much," she spat out.
At first Martha looked at her in surprise, but then she smiled a little. "Finally it's out in the open,"she said, agreeing with Megan.
"Look, i'm going to get straight to the point. I want Jack to be a family with me and Grace. But that's not going to happen with you hanging around all the time," Megan started. "So, we have two choices here. One; you can end your relationship with Jack, or two; I'll make Jack choose between you and Grace," she finished.
Martha was in shock. She couldn't believe that Megan would actually stoop this low just to get Jack.
"You can't be serious," Martha glared at her.
"Oh, i'm very serious," Megan said. "I want what's best for my daughter. And i think we both know that Jack's not the type of man to abandon his child," she kept on.
"You can't do this. You're being unfair," Martha exclaimed.
Megan laughed a little. "Life's always unfair. Now, you're going to lose Jack either way, so which way do you want to do this?" she smiled.
"I'm not doing it. I love Jack, and i'm not giving him up," Martha told her.
"For godsakes Martha. Jack will not choose you over Grace. She's his daughter, and he won't abandon her," Megan snapped.
"Jack can be a part of Grace's life, and be with me at the same time," Martha stated.
"Incase you hadn't realised, i want Jack aswell," Megan said smartly. "Now, if you break up with Jack; you won't have to go through the pain of him choosing Grace over you. I'm giving you an easy way out," she said.
"You're unbelievable. And you make me sick," Martha hissed at her.
"Look at my daughter. She deserves to have a father. Don't take that right away from her," Megan exclaimed, looking down the beach at her daughter.
Martha looked at Grace playing further up in the sand. Megan was right; the little girl needed her father. And Martha couldn't stand in the way of that. This was one of the hardest decisions that Martha had ever made in her life. She loved Jack more than life; but she needed to put that little girls needs ahead of her own.
"Fine. I'll do it," Martha cried. She then turned around and walked away before bursting into tears.
Megan walked back towards her daughter and mother with a huge grin plastered across her face. She couldn't believe how easy it was to convince Martha to break up with Jack. She knew Martha was heartbroken; she could tell from the look in her eyes. But Megan didn't care whose feelings got hurt; she just cared about Grace and Jack.
"Who was that girl?" her mother asked when she got back.
"Oh, nobody important. Just some girl i met the other day," Megan explained.
"She seemed a bit upset," her mother exclaimed.
Megan nodded. "Yeah, she was just telling me that she and her boyfriend were going to break up," Megan said.
"Poor thing," her mum sighed.
"Mhmmmmmmm," Megan pretended to agree. She thought about Jack. Now all she had to do was win him over. Hopefully it would be easy.
NEXT CHAPTER-
Will Martha break Jack's heart?
Martha tells someone else that she's pregnant. But who?