Jordan stood up, then leaned down and kissed her. “I love you. I’ll be right back.”

Annie smiled as she watched Jordan leave, then her gaze drifted over to a sleeping Jacob. He was wrapped up tight in his blanket, his dark hair covered with a cap. She reached out and pulled the crib closer to her bed. She would let him sleep another half hour before she woke him. She leaned back on her pillows, still smiling as she stared at him. He really was beautiful. She’d told everyone she didn’t have a preference—boy or girl—but secretly, she’d hoped it would be a boy. She also knew Loraine wished for a boy. Not that Jacob could ever take Matt’s place, but he would at least be a tiny replica of his father.

She turned to the door when she heard a light knocking on it.

“Come in,” she called. She was surprised to see her mother open the door.

Her smile faltered a little as her mother came into the room. She wasn’t sure what to say to her. Their relationship had deteriorated even further, and Annie hadn’t seen or talked to her in over a month. Christmas had come and gone without so much as a greeting. Even with all of that, she still expected—hoped—that her mother would show up for the birth.

“Are you okay?”

Annie nodded. “I’m fine.”

Her mother’s gaze slid to Jacob. “A boy?”

“Yes.”

Her mother came closer. “What did you name him?”

“Jacob Matthew,” she said.

“He looks beautiful.”

“Yes. I’ll wake him soon. He needs to eat.” She smiled. “My breasts are huge. They’re going to show me how to use a breast pump.”

Her mother finally looked at her, meeting her eyes. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”

Annie shrugged. “Loraine was here. And Jordan, of course.”

She noticed her mother’s expression harden at the mention of Jordan’s name. She had yet to tell her mother the extent of their relationship. She could only imagine her reaction. She feared it would drive a permanent wedge between them and she wasn’t ready for that. She hoped that the baby could bring them closer together again.

“Are you going to continue to live there? With her?”

“Yes.”

“You’re going to need help, Annie. You could come home with us,” her mother offered.

Annie tilted her head. “Mom? During my whole pregnancy, you’ve been ashamed of me. I know at the beginning, it was a shock to you. But after all this time, you’ve still remained distant. Why is that?”

“I think maybe it is you who has been distant.”

Annie shook her head. “No.” She paused. “Is all of this really because I’m living with Jordan?”

“You know how I feel about her.”

“Yes, you’ve made that perfectly clear. The problem is, you don’t even know anything about her. She’s…she’s so kind and caring. She’s…she’s solid. No matter what, she’s been there for me. Through all of this, from the first day I met her, she’s been my rock. I don’t think I could have made it through this without her.”

“You don’t have to try to sell her to me, Annie. I simply don’t approve of her lifestyle.” She pointed at Jacob. “And now you’re going to expose an innocent baby to all that. God only knows how he’s going to turn out.”

Annie bit her lower lip, trying so hard to keep her retort inside. She failed, however.

“Turn out?” she asked loudly. “Children of gay parents turn out perfectly fine, thank you. He will have a very loving home. And he will have grandparents who love him and spoil him.” She paused. “Well, at least one set, anyway.”

“You act like I don’t want to have anything to do with him.”

“Do you? You don’t want to have anything to do with me.”

“Nonsense. If that was the case, I wouldn’t have offered for you to move back with us.” She took a step closer. “Please consider it, Annie. If not for you, then for the baby. He needs a normal home. You don’t know what she might do to him.”

“Oh, God, I can’t believe you just said that.”

“It’s the truth. You don’t know. She could—”

“Stop it,” she said. “Please don’t say something you’re going to regret.”

“Regret?”

“Yes. Because Jordan and I are—”

She stopped when the door opened, relieved to see Jordan there. Jordan paused when she saw her mother, but Annie waved her in.

“Hello, Mrs. Thomas,” Jordan said with a smile. “Glad you could make it by.” If Jordan noticed the tension between them, she didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, she handed Annie a plastic wrapper. “Cookie,” she said.

“Thank you.” Annie looked up at her mother, seeing the scorn on her face as she avoided looking at Jordan. Annie had had enough. She took Jordan’s hand and smiled as Jordan’s eyebrows shot up. “As I was saying, Mom…Jordan and I are more than friends.” Her mother looked at her sharply. “I love her.”

Her mother gasped and held a hand to her chest. Her eyes went between them, landing on their clasped hands. Annie was shocked by the rage she saw on her face. Her mother turned to Jordan.

“What have you done to her?”

Jordan’s expression softened, and she smiled slightly. “I fell in love with her. That’s all.”

Her mother shook her head violently. “No! No. This is outrageous.” She turned to Annie. “You will come home with me. I won’t have you—”

“Mom, stop.” Annie held her hand up. “I’m happy. For the first time in my life, I’m happy with someone. This is who I am.”

“No! This is not who you are. Not ever, do you hear me?”

“I’m sorry,” Annie said. “But yes, this is me.”

Their loud voices apparently roused Jacob from his sleep and his face turned red before he let out a cry. Jordan scooped him up and held him for a moment, then gently handed him over to her.

“He’s hungry,” Annie said. She unbuttoned her gown and her mother turned away from the sight of her breasts.

“Mrs. Thomas, I’m sorry that you don’t understand this love between us,” Jordan said. “But it’s real. I love your daughter very much and I only want to make her happy. That’s my goal. To love her and make her happy.”

“You can’t possibly know—”

“I know I love her. I know she loves me. Nothing else matters.”

Annie watched Jacob suckle her breast while she listened to their exchange. She was surprised her mother hadn’t already walked out.

“What about him?” her mother asked, pointing at Jacob.

“We’re a family now,” Jordan said. “He will have plenty of love.”

“He needs a father.”

“Well, he’ll have two moms instead,” Jordan said. “And I hear Derrick has offered to teach him how to play baseball,” she said, surprising Annie. “I happen to have taught Matt how to play, so I’m pretty good myself. And then there’s Brandon. He’s our water expert. Swimming and sailboarding are already on his list.” Jordan shrugged. “My father, of course, plans to be very active in his life. He’ll have plenty of male role models.”

Annie watched her mother closely, reading her expression. She knew exactly what her mother’s next words were going to be.

“So…Derrick will be involved?”

“She said Derrick has offered his baseball expertise, that’s all,” Annie corrected. “Please don’t take that to mean Derrick and I will be involved.”

“And does he know about…well, this change in you?”

Annie smiled. “No. I haven’t seen him in a while. I hear he’s got a girlfriend.”

“Really? But I thought—”

“He’s not holding out for me, Mom. I told you, Derrick and I talked.”

Her mother rubbed her forehead. “I don’t understand all of this.” She looked at Jordan. “I knew she shouldn’t have ever moved in with you in the first place. Then this wouldn’t have happened. I tried to warn her.”

“It still would have happened,” Annie said. “I love her, Mom. I want you and Dad to be a part of my life, a part of Jacob’s life. But just know that Jordan is a part of that too.”

“You think I can accept this? Accept that my daughter is having an affair with a woman?”

“It’s not an affair,” Jordan said.

“And what do your parents think about this?”

Jordan shrugged. “My parents love me, they love Annie. They don’t try to interfere.”

Her mother shook her head. “It’s just such a shock. First, the pregnancy. Now this? It’s like I don’t even know you anymore.”

“Then get to know me, Mom. Once we’re settled, come by the house. Loraine is going to stay with us for a few days, until I’m comfortable with him on my own.”

“She is?”

“Yes. I’d like for you and Loraine to get to know each other better too. She’s a wonderful person, Mom.”

Her mother hesitated a moment. “I suppose I could come by. Your father will want to see Jacob, of course.”

Annie nodded. “Good. I’d like that.”

Her mother cleared her throat. “Well, I should probably get going.” She walked over to the bed and touched Jacob’s head. “Looks like he took to breast-feeding easily.”

“Yes.” Annie grabbed her mother’s hand. “Thank you for coming by.”

Her mother nodded. “I’ll…I’ll call you in a few days. We’ll come by to see you.” Her mother turned to Jordan. “And we’ll see you too, of course.”

Jordan smiled. “Looking forward to it.”



Chapter Forty-Five

Jordan turned as Annie came out on the deck. She was carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses.

“Escaped, did you?” Jordan asked.

“He’s in good hands, I think.”

“Are they arguing over who gets to feed him?”

Annie smiled. “They’re telling stories about when we were babies.” She poured wine into the glasses. “I’m glad I’m not breast-feeding anymore. That pump was a bitch.”

Jordan laughed. “Thankful for small breasts after all, huh?”

“Oh, I’m glad I got to experience breast-feeding, but I’m not that disappointed that I couldn’t produce enough milk for him.” She held her glass up and touched Jordan’s. “Besides, now you don’t have to drink alone.”