"I've missed you so much." Mitch wrapped Jennifer in a hug after she opened her door on the Monday afternoon after he arrived home from a business trip. "Is it wrong that I was slapped a by a girl down in the lobby?"
"Oh, that's Camille, Logan's girlfriend. She must be in one of her 'roles.' She's a method actress and loves getting in character."
"All right…"
Katie brushed past them knocking Mitch in the shoulder.
"Don't worry about her. She's not talking to me."
"For what?"
"Something we'll talk about later." She looked around the room trying her best to not make eye contact with her boyfriend.
"Are you okay? You don't seem so excited to see me."
"No, I am. I missed you so much." She put on a fake smile. She was happy to see him, but not so happy that the time had come for the talk she knew he was not expecting.
"Hey, Mom." Kendall entered the apartment with the other three boys following behind.
"Hey, Mama Knight," Logan, James, and Carlos chorused. "Hey, Mitch," James said. Mitch and the boys had met many times before. At first they called him Mr. Olsen, but he insisted they call him by his first name.
"Hey, little baby," Carlos added with a wave causing Mrs. Knight's eyes to bug out of her head. James, who had been right in front of him, elbowed him in the side.
"Did I miss something?" Mitch questioned.
"Th-that's what I wanted to talk to you about." Jennifer pulled Mitch into the room.
"Did I do something wrong?" Carlos kept asking as he was pushed out the door by Kendall along with Logan and James.
"I think you need to sit down for this." She pulled out a chair at the table for him and one for her, but she didn't sit down. "Um, okay, um, while you were away I took a test."
"Uh huh." By the look on his face, Jennifer had a feeling he knew where this was going.
"And um, well, I passed. I mean, it was positive."
"P-positive?"
"I'm pregnant."
"P-pregnant?"
Jennifer nodded slowly.
"I thought we discussed this."
"I know you don't want children. You said that was one of the things that attracted you to me. My kids were almost grown so I was 'out of that phase of my life' as you put it."
"Right. I don't mind Katie and Kendall."
"I didn't plan for this to happen."
"I thought you were on the pill."
"I am, I mean, I was. Those things are only like 97% effective."
"Damn it."
Honestly, Jennifer felt like crying, but she had to put on a brave face to have this discussion. She wasn't going to break down in front of Mitch. She was going to be brave, the brave Jennifer that had been able to raise Kendall and Katie after their father's death, the brave Jennifer who was able to take four teenage boys and a tweenage daughter to Los Angeles and make a life for them there, the brave Jennifer that she knew she was.
"I wasn't exactly thrilled when I found out, you know. My kids are almost all grown. I'm supposed to be done with this parenting thing. But, apparently, not."
"You don't have to keep it."
"What?!" Jennifer shrieked. "You're not talking about an abortion?"
"Abortion, adoption, either one. Don't tell me you want to raise another child at your age. Abortion would be easier since you won't have to get all big and fat."
Jennifer reared back and gave her boyfriend his second slap of the day.
"I sent him home," she said later when the boys returned surprised to find Mrs. Knight sitting on the orange couch munching on a giant cookie instead of out on her date. "He doesn't want the baby." The boys joined her on the couch and pulled Mrs. Knight into a five way hug. She placed her head on Kendall's shoulder and continued. "He suggested abortion or adoption with the preference on abortion."
"You're not going to do it?" Everyone looked up to see Katie enter the apartment. "You can't get rid of my baby brother or sister." Katie walked over to them and joined them in the hug. "I'm sorry I've been such a brat."
"It's okay, honey. This baby is a big adjustment for all of us." Mrs. Knight wiped her eyes. "Don't worry, there's nothing that can make me want to do away with it. It may only be here," she pointed to her stomach, "and not here," she put her arms in the cradling position, "but I love it just as much as I love all of you. I'm its mother and it's my job to do everything I can to protect it."
"Mom, I'm sorry." Katie climbed into her mother's bed later that night. "I guess I was just jealous."
"It's okay. You know I have enough love for everyone." Mrs. Knight squeezed her daughter around the shoulders.
"I'm used to being the baby and now this baby's the baby."
"I told you, you'll always be my baby girl."
"And what if this baby is a girl? Then it'll be your baby girl and Kendall's baby sister. What about me?"
"You'll always be my baby sister," Kendall spoke up from the doorway. He smiled at Katie and his mom before joining them on the other side of his mother. Mrs. Knight kept one arm around Katie and put one arm around Kendall. "No matter what happens you were my first and longest sister. You've got fourteen years on this baby. And if it is a girl—"
"It could be a boy," Mrs. Knight interrupted.
"It could be a boy," Kendall repeated, "but if it's a girl then she'll be your baby sister. You'll probably have a bond I'll be jealous of."
"And all three of you will have a bond I'll be jealous of," Mrs. Knight said.
"Really?" Katie asked.
"No. I'm the mother; I should have the closest bond." She kissed her kids' foreheads. Katie had already snuggled down on the pillow and closed her eyes. "Thank you Kendall for being such a good big brother to Katie. I know you're going to be a great one with the new baby." She was going to add more but one look at him told he was fast asleep.
What do you want? Boy or girl? I already know what it's going to be, but I want to know what you want (or think)!