Chapter 4

Apparently a lot could happen in the 45 minutes that it took me to find and make up with Jake. I returned home happy that things were finally going my way to find my house in ruins. Toys, dress up clothes and pizza littered the floor. Magic marker was drawn on the walls and worst off Seth was in my prom dress that I couldn't bear to get rid of. Well shards of my prom dress. It would have been harlious if I wasn't so pissed.

"PAUL! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY HOUSE!" I screamed and Layla, Seth and Paul stopped running around and looked at me. They hadn't noticed me come in.

"Jacey…uh…" Paul started but I cut him off.

"I'm going to leave for one hour and when I get back I want my house cleaned, Layla bathed and ready for bed. And somehow you will fix this dress. I don't care how you manage to sew it back together but I want it fixed, perfect. Do you understand me?" I said my voice dangerous low, my eyes narrowed. Without waiting for a reply I turned on my heel and stormed out.

I jumped in my car and drove back to the beach hoping that Jake was still where I left him. I saw him walking along the road and slowed down "Hey, sexy you need a ride?" I called over the gentle rainfall.

Jake looked up and smiled, he walked around the side of my Jeep and climbed in. "I thought you had to get home?"

"Yeah, I went home and saw Seth in the ruined shards of my prom dress, my child covered in marker and my entire house a mess. So I set the two morons to clean it up." I replied as I pulled back onto the road. "Where are we going?"

"Seth in a dress! Priceless. You should have taken a picture." Jake laughed. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Uh we could go to my house…next right."

I nodded and followed the rest of his directions to his house. I pulled into the driveway and parked. "Cute house."

Jake hopped out and I followed him inside, it was small but cozy. Jake plopped down on the couch and turned on the tv. "Make yourself at home."

I smiled at him and sat down on the other end of the couch. "It's like old times isn't it? Just us watching tv, before it all happened."

Jake slid closer to me. "Jacey what happened? You never really told me that night, you just came over crying and then we never talked about it. A few months later you were gone." His arms slid around my waist.

I closed my eyes and relaxed into him, it was comforting. "I was drunk and you know how I can hold my liquor…well it sorta happened. Paul was sexy, he was there and drunk. It happened so fast, I lost my virginity that night. I was scared and confused. My first time was supposed to be special, romantic and it wasn't. It was horrible. I came here, and Jake I was so ashamed, it wasn't supposed to happen like that! Then when I found out I was pregnant I couldn't…I was so ashamed. And I told Paul and he said "It's not mine, you're a slut. I can't help if you can't remember who you slept with." Then when my dad told me we could move if I needed to. I did, I took off without any goodbyes, and they would have made it impossible to leave." Tears started pouring down my cheeks, but I didn't stop them. With Jake I didn't need to cover my pain.

Jake lips softly touched mine and it felt right so I deepened the kiss. All too soon Jake pulled away, "Jace, you could have told me. I would have helped you through it."

I just shook my head and glanced at the clock, "I gotta get home. It's late and I have to put Layla to bed." I stood and Jake walked me to my Jeep.

"Do you wanna hang out tomorrow after I get home from work? I'll bring over dinner." Jake offered as he closed the door of my Jeep.

I buckled my seat belt and considered it. "Sure." I smiled starting the engine. "See you then." I called while backing out of the driveway.

I drove home thinking about Jake, how nice it would be just to hang out with him again…I had really missed him while I was in exile. I quietly opened the door of my house, all seemed well on the home front. The walls were free of magic marker and the trash and toys were picked up. I continued my inspection down the hallway, all seemed clean. I opened Layla's door expecting to find a mess, instead I found Paul curled up sleeping on the floor next to Layla's bed. And Layla sleeping on Seth's chest, while Seth was rocking her in the rocking chair.

I smiled at Seth and pointed towards Layla's bed. Seth nodded and passed Layla to me.

"Mommy?"

"Shh, sweetie go back to sleep." I said softly as I kissed her and placed her in bed. I pulled the covers up. "Goodnight baby."

I gently kicked Paul and indicated that Paul and Seth needed to leave the room.

"Well? How's the house?" Paul asked as we entered the living room.

"Looks wonderful. But I'm not about to thank you seeing how you did ruin my house. But I do wonder why the hell was Seth in my prom dress? And is that being repaired?" I said sitting down in the chair facing Seth.

"Yeah, well it was Layla's idea we play dress up!" Seth answered defensively as he yawned bade goodnight and left.

"Is my dressed being repaired?" I asked again, as Paul sat down on the couch.

"Yeah, I called my friend Emily and she said 2 weeks tops and it'll be perfect. And Jacey, I'm really sorry." Paul said leaning closer and touching my knee.

"I believe its time you went home."