This chapter does take place after the previous chapter. Enjoy.
They had both learned that keeping the possibility of Zoe being pregnant a secret was a lot harder than they had first originally thought. They wanted to tell their family and friends, it was always on the tip of their tongues, they had almost messed up and let it slip but they were able to quickly recover. Jackie was on to them, she suspected they were keeping something from her; she hinted about it but never came right out and asked them. As much as it was driving her nuts she could wait for them to make the announcement.
They were leaving the hospital in Mobile after they had found out the results. They didn't want to risk it with both Brick and Harley watching over her. They wanted to be able to tell them once they found out and not have them find the results by accident. Hearing that the first test was right that were really are expecting a baby in 7 months was incredible and Wade was in his own little world, Zoe right there with him. This baby was going to be part him and part her, they loved Braxton and Ariel, but this baby was going to be theirs. There was no father to come around when he felt like it and there was no dead mother pulling strings somewhere. This baby was them. Wade was making so many plans in his head on what the nursery was going to look like if their baby was going to be a boy. He wouldn't mind if they had a little girl, but he really wanted to have another boy. He knew what to expect with a boy and if they did have a girl, well he was going to be lost on how to take care of a girl. As for Zoe she wanted a girl, but having a boy wouldn't be that bad either, the main thing was that their baby was healthy. She could picture how she wanted the nursery. The car ride home was done so in silence, even the radio was turned off as they made the drive back from Mobile. They were so wrapped up in such amazing news that when they did pull into their driveway they were shocked that they were home already.
"What's going on?" Ariel asked walking into the house seeing Wade and Zoe sitting on the couch waiting for them.
"Can you please come sit down?" Zoe asked them. Ariel and Braxton shared a look as they sat down.
"We're not in trouble are we?" Braxton asked, quickly thinking if they had done something or if they had forgotten to do anything.
"No you're not in trouble," Wade assured him. Braxton nodded.
"Then what is it?" He asked looking from his dad and back to Zoe.
"We're having a baby," Zoe said, reaching for Wade's hand.
"What?" Ariel asked softly.
"You're going to be a big sister in a few months," Zoe told her daughter softly once more.
"I heard you, but why?" Ariel asked jumping to her feet. "I thought we were enough for you!" She shouted running up to her room. Zoe sighed falling into Wade. She relaxed against him feeling his hand rubbing soothing circles on her back.
"I don't get it," Braxton said making Zoe and Wade jump.
"Don't get what?" Wade asked, looking over at his son.
"Did we do something wrong that makes you want to have a different kid?" He questioned.
"That's not it at all," Zoe told him.
"Do you no longer love us?" He questioned them.
"That's not the case, we love both of you guys so much," Wade told him. "We just want to have a kid to love as mush we love you and Ariel."
"Oh, so you're not like trying to replace us or have better versions of us?" He asked.
"Nope," Zoe told him.
"Okay," Braxton said with a small nod and headed upstairs.
He skipped his room and went into Ariel's room to see her sitting in the middle of her bed, her knees against her chest. "Can you believe them?" Ariel asked with a soft huff seeing Braxton sit down on her bed. Braxton didn't say anything just sat staring at the closet door. "It was easy to get use to having you in my life as a brother because you're my best friend, but a baby?" She questioned.
"I can believe them. It won't be that bad," he said softly. As weird as it was to know that there would be a baby in the house, he always did want to have a little brother. Ariel was awesome but she was a girl and there were things that she wouldn't do. He really didn't think it was that bad. They still loved them. Parents had enough love for everyone. As long as they didn't forget about him then he would be okay with it.
"Babies cry all the time, they need a lot of attention," Ariel told him. It had been her and her mom for so long that when Braxton and Wade came into the picture it was strange at first but she was able to look over that because Braxton easily became like a brother to her right away and Wade had always been there for her and she did see him as a father figure. She loved them both, but a baby that was practically saying that she wasn't good enough for them and that they wanted a better child than she ever was.
"So," Braxton said glancing in her direction. "That just means that they'll be so wrapped up with the baby that we'll be able to get away with a few more things than we are now," he stated.
"I don't care about that, Braxton," Ariel snapped.
"You are enough Ariel. They love you, but this baby it's something they want and I guess there is nothing wrong with having a younger sibling," Braxton told her, slipping from her bed. Ariel said nothing to that as Braxton walked out of her room with a sigh. "We'll always be loved, Ariel," he told her before disappearing into his room.
Downstairs with Wade and Zoe they had remained silent soaking everything in. "They will come around won't they?" Zoe asked softly. "Braxton seems to be doing better than Ariel is doing, so that's something isn't it?"
"Yeah it is and with time," he replied quietly. He really wanted to believe that once they got over everything that they would be okay with having a baby brother or a baby sister. He had a feeling that things weren't going to sit right with them. They both had been an only child and over the last year they had gained a brother or a sister and now they were getting another one. He figured they weren't going to take the news easy, just from the talk they had before about it. But it didn't change anything.
"Why don't we go talk to Ariel, see what's really going on with her," Zoe suggested. Wade nodded. "And after we can check on Braxton."
Zoe sat down next to Ariel, putting her arm around her. "Sweetie you are enough for us. Adding a baby to this mix, it's not to make you feel like you're unwanted or unloved because that isn't the case. We love you very much and want you to be here with us to have a part in everything we do with this baby. You are very important to us."
"We'd never replace you, we couldn't do that. Ariel, having a baby doesn't change anything to do with you. Now you'll be a big sister and you'll have someone to boss around, someone that is going to look up to you. It's not a bad thing, a sister or even a little brother just means that you have another friend like you and Braxton," Wade said from his spot on the end of the bed.
"I get it I do," Ariel told them.
"If you have any questions or any doubts about this come to talk to us about it, okay?" Zoe asked. Ariel nodded her head, hugging both Zoe and Wade.
"It'd be really cool if you had a boy so I could have a little brother," Braxton announced running into the room.
"Seems Braxton has come around to the idea," Wade chuckled. "Buddy we can't promise anything like that, because we don't know if it will be a boy or a girl."
"Why not?" Braxton asked with big eyes.
"Because," Wade started to say looking at Zoe scratching the back of his neck. That wasn't the talk he really thought his son was ready for.
"It's a surprise for us, like when you get presents for Christmas or for your birthday," Zoe told him.
"Oh, okay," Braxton shrugged moving to exit Ariel's room. "Wanna play some video games?" He asked looking at Ariel.
"Sure," she beamed moving from the embrace of Wade and Zoe.
"Only for a little bit we have to leave in an hour to have dinner with the grandparents," Wade called after them.
Later that night they were sitting around the table at Earl and Jackie's place. They had invited over Harley and Norma as well. They found it hard on which set of parents they were going to tell first. Zoe wanted to tell Candice but there was no way she could wait until Candice could fly down to tell them all together. As much as Zoe hated to give such news over the phone, she'd have to do just that when it came to her own mom. Jesse wasn't able to make it so he was going over to their house the following day to see what was going on.
Light chatter was made and Braxton and Ariel were able to keep the big news to themselves all through dinner. They were having pie for dessert when Jackie finally spoke up; she was finding it harder and harder over the last few days to keep quiet about her suspicions when it came to Zoe. She was a mother herself and she could tell that Zoe was glowing.
"I can't complain that we're all here having a wonderful meal together, but I do have to wonder why?" Jackie said, gaining the attention of everyone.
"We have news," Zoe said with a smile on her face, looking at Wade. He nodded letting her know that it was okay for her to tell them. "We're having a baby," she told them.
"I knew it," Jackie squealed pulling both Wade and Zoe into a hug.
Everyone around the table had given Wade and Zoe some form of congratulations. Harley was excited that he'd get to experience everything a grandfather should right from the beginning. He had missed out on not only Ariel but everything to do with Zoe as well. A few toasts were made. Braxton and Ariel seemed to be doing okay with the news now and they both wore smiles as they let themselves get carried away with the rest of them.