Justin made his way next door, silently cursing the events of the day, and trying to figure out what to say to his grandmother to avoid hurting her feelings. Justin quietly opened the door and made his way around the foyer and poked his head into the living room, trying to gage the mood in the room. His grandfather was nowhere to be seen, and his grandmother was sitting in a chair quietly crocheting. Justin sighed as he made his way into the room and sat down on the couch. Sadie had heard the front door open, and was well aware of Justin’s presence beside her but still refused to look up from her work, waiting on him to start the conversation. “Gram, what’s going on?”Justin asked finally causing Sadie to look up at him.
“What do you mean?”Sadie asked feigning ignorance.
“Gram, seriously, what’d you say to Abbey?”Justin asked his eyes pleading with her.
“I just don’t think it’s appropriate for the two of you to be having ANOTHER baby, especially when there have been no talks of marriage.”Sadie shrugged and continued with her work.
“We didn’t plan for things to happen like this Gram, it just sort of happened.”Justin said trying to make her understand.
“No Justin, it should have never happened, if you had no intention of marrying the girl and making an honest woman out of her, then you shouldn’t be continuing to sleep with her.”Sadie snapped finally setting down the scarf she was working on, and looking up at Justin.
“I never said I had no intention of marrying her.”Justin sighed frustrated and finally understanding what had me so upset earlier.
“Really?” Sadie asked excited as she jumped up and scurried to the other room leaving a bewildered Justin sitting in the living room. A couple minutes later Sadie came back into the room and shoved a box into Justin’s hands.
“What is this?”Justin asked wearily looking at the old box in his hand and back up at Sadie.
“Open it and see.”Sadie grinned nodding at Justin telling him to continue. Justin sighed, knowing he was probably going to regret taking the lid off the box, but did so anyway to please his grandmother. Justin peered down into the box to see a ring with a giant oval amethyst in the center, encircled in round diamonds that continued all the way around the band.
“Gram?”Justin questioned his voice cracking as he stared down at the ring unable to avert his eyes.
“That ring has been in the family for years, and with you continuing your family I think it’s only right that I should pass it onto you, so Abbey can have a nice engagement ring.”Sadie said still beaming, proud of herself.
“Gram, I can afford to get her a ring.”Justin whispered still not able to take his eyes off the ring in his hands.
“Well you haven’t done it yet, and besides this is a family heirloom, and so I would like to keep it in the family, and now you don’t have to wait, you can make things official before it starts to become obvious that she’s pregnant again.”Sadie said still smiling.
Justin finally put the lid on the box before warily looking up at his grandmothers excited face, “I don’t think we’re ready for all of that just yet.”
“Well you better be ready for it, you have another baby on the way. You don’t want this one to grow up not knowing you do you?”Sadie asked perplexed.
“That’s not going to happen!”Justin said getting defensive.
“How do you know?”Sadie asked continuing to push Justin’s buttons.
“Because it’s not, it’s not like that, things are good with us, we love each other, and we have Brayden, and things are great, I don’t want to complicate things right now.”Justin sighed aggravated with how the conversation had ended up.
“If you love each other, and things are great with Brayden, and you’re about to bring another baby into the mix, how can it not be the right time to get married?”Sadie asked starting to get frustrated with Justin.
“Because it’s not, no one even knows I have a girlfriend, let alone a four year old son. I can’t just spring that on the world, I have four other guys to think about.”Justin started before Sadie cut him off, “You better be more concerned with Abbey, and Brayden, and the baby on the way than your career Justin. They need you, and if you put your career before them, they might not be there when you decide to come back.”
“It’s not like that! But, I can’t just quit the group!”Justin exclaimed growing more and more frustrated by the second.
“I never said you had to. I said you need to get your priorities straight.”Sadie reprimanded shaking her head at Justin.
“They are, I’m just not sure that marriage is going to make things any easier right now.”Justin sighed, becoming more defeated as the conversation continued.
“Nothing in life is easy Justin. But you know what needs done, and I trust you to make the right decision.”Sadie said trying to guilt Justin into doing what she wanted.
“Listen, I’ll take the ring, I’m not promising I’ll use this one, but I’ll take it, and I promise you that we will get married.”Justin sighed trying to appease his grandmother.
“Good.”Sadie smiled as she got up and made her way to Justin and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
Justin left his grandparents house and made his way back towards his moms, but instead of going back into the house, he made his way out back to his old tree house and climbed up in it trying to clear his thoughts. He technically didn’t lie to his grandmother, he took the ring, and although he probably wouldn’t use it, it was a nice gesture. He would keep it, and maybe give it as a gift, but probably not as an engagement ring. He also knew he loved his growing family, and that he had no intentions of ever leaving. Yes, he did eventually want to get married, but now just wasn’t a good time. It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought of asking, but logic always outweighed the emotion in the end. It wasn’t that he had decided that it was never an option, or that it would never happen, he just didn’t want it to happen so soon. Things had been a complete whirlwind the last few months, and although he was glad that things had worked out the way he did, he also wasn’t ready for any more pressure or stress right now. Things had been moving so fast with the whole relationship, and he was just now getting to know his son, he didn’t want to push things any faster than they already were. He peered at the ring for a few more minutes before shoving it in his pocket and deciding to make his way inside to check on Brayden, and make sure that I was alright after finally understanding why I was so upset in the first place.
Justin walked into the house glad that his mom and Paul had already made their way to bed, and he slowly walked up the stairs and peeked into Brayden’s room to see him still sleeping peacefully. Justin made his way into his bedroom and quickly slipped out of his clothes before crawling into bed beside me. He pulled me close to him and nuzzled my neck with his head trying to wake me up. I rolled over and buried my head in his chest as I wrapped my arms around him, drawing comfort from him. “I love you so much.”Justin muttered into my hair as I just clung to him tighter.
“I’m so sorry about my Gram, but I took care of it.”Justin sighed rubbing his hand up and down my back.
“Mmm.”I groaned into his chest, not wanting to talk about everything that had happened.
Justin’s hand had slowly made its way from my back and was caressing my bare thigh as he continued to talk, “Don’t worry about anything she said, everything is fine.”
“Shut up.”I groaned as I brought my head up and leaned up to kiss him.
Justin chuckled as he gave in and let me kiss him, as he grabbed me and moved me so I was on top of him straddling his waist. Justin’s hands found their way under my t-shirt and started to caress my sides, slightly tickling me causing me to pull back slightly and giggle, “Jus.”
“What?”Justin laughed grinning up at me.
“Mmm, I just missed you.” I sighed as I bent down and kissed him lightly again before laying my head on his shoulder.
“I know, I’m sorry about today.”Justin apologized again as he ran his hands up and down my back making patterns across it.
“It’s not your fault, but I’m ready to go home whenever you.”I mumbled into his shirt causing him to chuckle beneath me.
“We just have to make it thru dinner tomorrow with my Gram, and then I promise you won’t have to see her again on this trip.” I just groaned causing Justin to continue to laugh, “Come here.” He said as he slid out from under me and pushed me down on my stomach.
Justin’s hands found their way up under my shirt and he started to knead all the stress and tension out of my back and shoulders.
“Mmm.”I groaned as I sat up slightly and pulled my t-shirt over my head, giving Justin better access, before laying my head back down on the bed. “Just don’t leave me alone with her tomorrow.”I grunted out enjoying the feel of Justin’s hands on me.
“I won’t I promise, I told you I’d stay today and you told me to go to the driving range.”Justin reminded me.
“I know, but I really didn’t expect all that, and the look of hatred and disgust she gave me when she found out I was pregnant just kind of sent me over the edge, I probably was a little more worked up than I should have been.”I said sighing and turning my head to glance up at him.
“Shh, stop,”Justin reprimanded pushing my head back down, “My gram was out of line, and you had every right to get upset, but I promise not to leave your side tomorrow.”Justin said reassuringly.
“Mmm, I love you.”I moaned out.
“I love you more.”Justin whispered as he leaned down and breathed into my ear causing me to squirm beneath him from the feel of him so close. I wiggled around until Justin sat up enough for me to roll over then I pulled him back down to me and kissed him hungrily.
Chapter End Notes:
Sorry this ones a little short....but I recently started to read a story that isn't finished...and it reminded me how frustrating it is to get into a story and then not know whats going to happen...so I'm going to make an effort to update more!!
Story Tags: daddyj
