3 Months Later
"Come here little man, Auntie Bree's got something for you." I pick up my nephew from his crib and walk quietly down the hall trying not to wake Tara. As soon as I put him in the high chair, he bangs his hands against the hard plastic, laughing uncontrollably at the loud sounds he makes.
"He's full of energy today." Tara's voice startles me as she walks into the kitchen.
"I thought you were sleeping." I frown a little. I know she's had it rough lately and hadn't been getting the sleep she should. I made a mental note to mention it to her later.
"I was, but I couldn't get comfortable." She rubs her hand over her already protruding stomach.
"Nervous?" I ask.
"No, well kind of. I just hope the baby's healthy." She muses, grabbing cereal out of the cabinet and pouring herself a bowl. I focus on feeding the squirming child in front of me. He smacks his lips as I feed him some kind of fruit. He laughs as I make goofy faces at him.
After Tara's finished eating and showered, Neeta arrives to take Abel to Gemma's. We are all going over there after the appointment for family dinner. She was celebrating the ultrasound and her final release from house arrest. I had actually gotten used to it just being me and creepy Chucky.
I wasn't quite looking forward to Gemma's return. She was growing more aggressive in her pursuit of me and Kozik. He and I had become better friends bonding over how ridiculous and irritating the queen had been while stuck in the house.
Tara started asking me to go along to her appointments. Apparently Mama Gemma was getting under her skin too. We were growing closer and it was like high school again. Most of the time, it made me miss Donna even more. Lately I was visiting her all the time, ranting and raving about everything haunting me.
"You ready for your weekend off?" She asks when we're sitting in the waiting room.
"Yes. God I can't wait." I put my head back against the wall behind me. "It's even better that I don't have to check in at Gemma's."
"Yeah she's something else. Did you see the daggers she threw at that Emily girl Kozik brought to the last dinner?" She shakes her head and casually turns the page in her magazine.
"Well I can't stand that chick either but it has nothing to do with Kozik." I lean forward and rest my elbows on my knees. "She's just sleazy."
"Better her than that nasty skank Ima." Tara shuddered at the memory of their run in.
Lyla and Opie had thrown a cookout for my dad's birthday and the porn slut showed up drunk. She knew better than to lay a finger on Opie or Filip at the party but she draped herself all over the prospects and Kozik. Tara's hormones made her even angrier at the tramp. I escorted the hooker out after she made a scene.
"That's true."
"Tara." The nurse calls and we make our way back to the dark room. I wait outside the door while Tara changes into her attractive hospital gown. The tech walks in a few moments later.
"Ready Ms. Knowles?" She asks, hooking up the monitors. Tara's a little shaky, I know she is just hoping that the baby is healthy but she's secretly eager to find out the sex, knowing what Jaxson predicted.
Tara lies back on the table and grips the sides. The tech wipes the gel all over Tara's baby bump before placing the monitor against the bulge. The screen lights up with movement and I strain to see something. The tech settles the monitor and the thick thrumming sound of the heart echoes in the room. This isn't the first time I've heard it but it still brings a smile to my face. The tech points at a white area on the screen.
"Here's the head, see the silhouette? There's a hand by the baby's mouth." I can make out the shapes as she explains. Tara's eyes are filled with happy tears and she grabs my hand. The tech moves the monitor again, stopping at another area. "These are the legs and if we move this way." She swings the monitor up a little further. "We have a very healthy baby boy."
Tara releases the breath she had been holding and her tears overflow. I squeeze her hand and put my arm around her head.
"We're screwed. Another Teller boy? God help us all." I tell her, smiling with great pride.
"I know, I'm totally outnumbered." But she is grinning from ear to ear. I know she can't wait to tell Jax. The tech takes a few more images and then prints out three copies of each view. Tara hands me a set and I flip through them beaming.
She finishes up her appointment and I head back outside to the waiting room. Filip is sitting there, lounging in a chair. I raise my eyebrow in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" I sit down next to him and place a sweet kiss on his cheek.
"I figured I'd go with ya two ta Stockton. I'll visit Bobby with ya." He shrugs, swinging his arm around my shoulders.
"I'm sure he misses you. Spooning with Juice can't be as much fun." He laughs at me.
"So, what's the doc having?" He asks.
"No way Filip. She told you that you had to wait until after she told Jaxson. I'm not getting between that. I'm surprised Gemma's not calling." His face glows red and I realize why he's there. "She sent you? Oh man, she's sneaky."
"Baby, ya know she's just . . . enthusiastic." He tries to defend the woman.
"Enthusiastic my ass. She's nosey and controlling." I hadn't really told him about her recent issues with our relationship.
"Just think; she's back to work tomorrow." He leans over and kisses away my irritation. I hear Tara clear her throat and laugh at us.
"Can we go before I feel like I'm watching one of Lyla's movies?" Her hands rest on her bump and she starts walking toward the door.
"So Tara; how's the baby boy?" Filip asks. Luckily she knows better because she turns around and without missing a beat she covers smoothly.
"Nice try Filip. I threatened her with certain death and I don't care how amazing you are in bed, she's more afraid of me than you." I can't help but agree and Filip's face breaks into a large smile.
"Ya know, I think Gemma may have some competition on her hands with the two of ya. Let's go." He ushers us out the door and to Tara's car. Holding the door open for her and then rushing over to get mine before I could do it myself.
"Listen up boys. My daughter-in-law has something to say." Gemma silences the dinner table quickly. We had barely made it back from Stockton in time and she was already in a mood. I sat between Opie and Filip almost giddy from the coming announcement.
"It's a boy." Tara beams with pride.
Everyone erupts around us, rushing over to hug her and offer congratulations. She pulls out the pictures, flaunting the first pictures of our little Thomas. I was so happy when she told me that she had decided to name their boy after Jaxson's brother. I had vague memories of the boy. He had helped me terrorize the older boys despite the age gap. I had no problem hanging out with the young boy, even when he fell ill.
Filip holds me close as he discusses our visit with my dad. Opie joins us and asks if he can borrow me for a few minutes. We walk outside and sit on the trunk of my car.
Donna's birthday was just a week away and I knew it was weighing heavily on his mind. He had snuck off to her grave a few times without telling Lyla. I think he was afraid to hurt the girl. I doubted that my brother would ever be anything close to whole again. The damage Clay and Tig caused was irreversible and it broke my heart.
"Do you love Lyla, Op?" I ask quietly.
"Yeah." His single word response wasn't convincing. "Well as much as I can. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to love someone like I loved her."
"Just don't shut down again. I couldn't take losing you big brother." I lean into his arm and wrap my arm through it. "Bobby says you're doing an awesome job keeping the club whole. Just don't let keeping everyone else whole, take over. Make sure you take care of your family too."
"What about you? You like Lyla?" He asks, ignoring my advice.
"I do. As much as I can like another sister-in-law; no one can replace my best friend Op." I need to be honest with him, even if it's painful.
The door closes behind us and Filip steps out, lighting a cigarette.
"Done hogging my girl's attention brother?" Filip slaps Opie on the arm.
"Yeah, you guys heading home?" Opie asks, grabbing the cigarette from Filip and taking a few puffs himself.
"Aye."
"Keep my sister safe Filip." Opie threatens.
"I'm not letting her leave the bedroom until Monday, brother. No threat there." My brother growls as he stands up. Filip ducks away from him and laughs loudly.
"You better go before Filip's back at St. Thomas Bree." He snarls before walking back inside. We follow behind him to say our goodnights and get out of there.