Here's the next chapter that takes place about four years after Beck's mom wins the legal battle. I hope you guys enjoy and thanks. =) I own nothing except Jackson.

{Jade}

I finished cutting up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and put it in a plastic Ziploc bag. Next, I put it inside a brown paper bag alongside a small packet of chocolate chip cookies, a juice box and a banana. Loud footsteps were descending down the stairs. I looked up to see a tan six-year old boy with dark smooth hair standing in front of me. He flashed a toothy grin. I handed him the lunch bag and he quickly stuffed it in his Batman backpack. I smiled and grabbed my digital camera off of the coffee table. The little boy grabbed my hand and ran out the door. I smirked and followed him willingly.

"Slow down, Jackson! It's only 8:00. The bus isn't here yet." I said with a smirk. The bus came at 8:20.

"Come on, Mommy! I don't want to be late!" he chimed. I smiled at the boy's excitement over starting 1st grade today. My cell phone vibrated; it was Beck. I sighed and answered with a simple platonic 'hello'. Jackson could hear Beck on the other end. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" yelled the little boy. "Let me talk to him!" Beck chuckled as I put the phone on speaker. "Hi, Daddy!" Jackson said grinning. I smiled at the cute scene. Beck laughed.

"Hey, buddy! How are you doing?" Jackson chimed good and soon began to babble on about nonsense. You know, kid stuff that parents are supposed to agree to, nod and reply. Beck exhaled sharply after several seconds of the childish babbling. "Let me talk to Mommy." he said abruptly. I sighed and my heart cracked a tiny bit with disappointment. Beck was just so rude sometimes and whether he knew it or not, I don't know.

"Okay, Daddy! I love you! Talk to you later! See you Friday!"

"Alright, buddy! Have a good first day at school! I wish I could be there!" he said. Another crack in my heart. Beck promised me he would be at the bus stop. It was supposed to be a surprise. Beck would've pulled up in his truck several minutes before the bus got here. But the night before, Beck had texted me and said he couldn't make it. I tried to ask why but he got all defensive, rude and confrontational. He wouldn't reply so i blew him off. Typical Beck. Your son only has one first day of school. Not like a first day of school but this would be the first time our son would step on a school bus. I sighed, and pressed the speaker off. "Hey." Beck said. "Am I off speaker?" I nodded. "Good. Take a bunch of pictures, will you? My mom will be mad if there's less than five." I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"What will she go? Sue me?" I asked cockily. By now, Jackson was running ahead of me on the sidewalk. I could talk freely without him hearing my conversation with Beck. Beck scoffed when he heard that.

"Come on, Jade. It's been five years. You still bitter about the whole thing?" hhe asked. I rolled my eyes.

"Of course, Beck. You don't understand. You never will because you're a guy and your mommy's behind you every step of the way. You're not here for your son. Look at you! You're not here to even see him get on the school bus for the first time!" I exclaimed. Beck sighed. I know he was probably doing his classic "brush his hand through his beautiful hair" trick.

"I told you why I can't be here."

"No, you didn't. You just said you couldn't make it. Why? Why exactly, Beck? What am I going to tell your son if he asks why you weren't here? Why you're never here?"

"Shut up, Jade! Just...god...I'll talk to you Friday. Bye." Dial tone. I scoffed and threw my phone back in my pockets. I pulled the camera out and got it ready to take pictures. Mrs. Oliver needed her ten photos. Maybe if her son was a better father, she would have a better relationship with her grandson. Immediately, I started taking a bunch of pictures. I knew it was bad when Jackson started getting embarassed.

"Mom! That's enough pictures!" he exclaimed. The yellow bus pulled up with a loud squeal. I could feel my tear ducts filling up. I bit my lip to stop myself from crying. I told Jackson one more. "Fine. I'll stand in the bus." I took about three more pictures of Jackson in the bus. But then, the driver started complaining and Jackson was whining. "MOOOM!" I sighed and rose my hands.

"Alright, alright! Give me a hug and kiss." I demanded. Jackson ran off the bus for a moment and hugged me and kissed me.

"Bye, Mommy! See you later!" Jackson said, getting on the bus. I watched as the mechanical doors shut and the yellow vehicle drove down the road. The other mothers on the block didn't talk to me. They acted like I was nonexistent. I know they talked about me. Their glares. Their whispers. Their quick turns of their heads when I even so much as glanced at them. They were for sure saying I was a whore. Having a child but no husband. I didn't care what they thought but it hurt not to have one friend. Well, I have Cat. But I wished I had a friend that was a mother or someone else around my age. Jackson has friends and I'm cordial with certain mothers but they always gave me looks. They always think I'm after their husbands because I'm single. It disgusted me.

{Andre}

I was sitting behind the desk at the library when I saw the little kids came in behind Mrs. Rodanthe. Where was Gertrude? She said she would be back before the little kids came here for the tour and it was already 1:00! I volunteered regularly at the elementary school library. I helped out Gertrude Van Blithe, the old librarian, with stuff from restocking books to helping out the kids. However, the first-graders were here already. I wasn't exactly ready to do a tour. I always watched and just helped out with the tour. Never actually helped out though.

Mrs. Rodanthe came over and smiled somewhat, pushing her glasses up her nose. "Mr. Harris." she stated. "Where is Ms. Van Blithe?" she asked. I sighed and looked around.

"I don't know..." I trailed nervously. Mrs. Rodanthe frowned.

"What do you mean not here?" she asked firmly. I shrugged.

"I don't know. She said she had to go do something and she just left me here...I'll have to do it." Mrs. Rodanthe sighed sharply.

"It'll have to do. Children, over here please." I saw the group of thirty first-graders file over to stand in front of my desk. I stood up and rubbed my hands together. "Children, this is Andre Harris. He's the assistant librarian. Ms. Van Blithe isn't anywhere to be found so Mr. Harris is going to lead the tour today." I chuckled and held a hand up.

"Please. Mr. Harris is my father. The kids can call me Andre." I said. One little kid with smooth dark hair and tan skin spoke up from the back of the room.

"Your name sounds like Doctor Dre! My mom listens to his music! Her favorite song is something about 3 A.M..." the boy trailed. There was something about this kid. I don't know if it was the eyes or the skin or the hair or the Dr. Dre part. All of it screamed only one person. But no...a lot of people look like that. A lot of people like Dr. Dre, especially his song 3 A.M...right? Mrs. Rodanthe snapped at the boy.

"Jackson Oliver, please be quiet so we can go on with the tour."

Jackson. Jackson Ryan Oliver. Jade's son. And Beck's son too but I was on the birth certificate. After Beck's mom made me give up some DNA so her son could get on the certificate, I decided to distance myself from Jade and Beck. I hadn't talked to either in several years. I see them occasionally out and about but I try to hide in the adjacent aisle and lay low for a bit until I'm sure they're gone. It's not immaturity. I just feel embarassed. I don't know why. Right now, my face flushed a deep red. Jackson grew quiet but I just went on with the tour cordially.

It felt like forever when the first graders finally left and Ms. Van Blithe came in with a satisfied smirk on her face. "Where have you been?" I asked sharply. "I had to give those kids the tour!" she smiled.

"I know."

"What do you mean 'you know'?" I exclaimed.

"It was a test, Andre." she said, "And I have to say you passed. You could have been a little nicer to them but it's fine. I would have been the same way." she said with a smile.

"What was the point of the test?" I asked.

"Nothing really. Just me affirming why you're the greatest volunteer an elementary school librarian could ever have. I say, if I left the library tomorrow, I would highly advocate for you to replace me." I blushed.

"Ms. Van Blithe..."

"Good night, Andre." she said pointing to the clock. It was 4:00. My shift was over. I got up, slipping on my jacket and throwing my satchel over my shoulder.

"Oh alright. Good night, Ms. Van Blithe. See you on Thursday." I said. Thank goodness today was Monday. I'd have a little break from that crazy librarian and maybe when I come back, I won't be so wonky from seeing and talking to Jade's son.

As I got into my tiny red truck, I just got an itching to go past 152 Oriole Lane. Jade moved from her apartment in Hollywood to the outskirts of L.A. It was a nice development; I had swung by there once just to be stalky. Not like I'm creepy or anything...I was just curious to know where she was now. When I first rode by, I nearly couldn't find them! Jade had traded in her Hummer for a more family-friendly Dodge Charger. It had the same decal though. I knew it was her because Beck and she were outside fighting.

This time, I went slow and when I saw the black car, I went even slower. When I saw movement in the front living room, I stomped on the gas pedal and drove away terrified.