The Curve Ball - Samantha Lind Page 0,8
cuddle with a now very relaxed and full Evie.
“Nope. That’s JJ’s baby. I’m just helping him watch her while he’s at work.”
“Uncle JJ’s?” she asks, the question and disbelief evident in her voice. “No, Uncle JJ doesn’t have a baby,” she states matter-of-factly.
“Yep, she’s his. He just found out about her last night.”
“Wow,” she says as her eyes get big. “Mommy, can I hold her now?” Addison asks again.
“Sure, you can, bug. Sit back on Auntie Ry’s lap,” Jillian instructs, and she does just as she’s told.
“Look at you, such a big girl. You’re going to be all trained and ready for when the baby comes,” I tell her as she supports Evie’s head correctly. I’ve got my hands on either side of her, just in case she needs someone to swoop in and help her support Evie’s weight.
“When can I play with her?” she asks, smiling at Evie, who’s starting to squirm around just a bit.
“Not for a few more months. Evie’s still pretty little and can’t play much,” I explain. “It will be the same way when your baby sister or brother comes home. He or she will be small and fragile for a while. You’ll have to be super careful and help Mommy whenever you can,” I tell her quietly as I shift Evie in Addison’s arms, taking most of the weight off of her, so she can touch Evie’s face and grip one of her tiny fingers.
“Who’s dis?” Penelope asks, joining us as she stands in front of us.
“That’s baby, Evelyn,” Jillian tells her as she scoots forward and picks Penelope up and sets her on the couch between us. Penelope looks over the baby and up at me, obviously very curious where this baby came from. “Uncle JJ is Evelyn’s dad,” Jillian explains to Penelope. She has almost the same look her sister had only a few minutes ago when she found out the same news.
“Okay,” she says, leaning forward to place a kiss on Evie’s forehead before she slides off the couch and goes back to her toys and watching her movie.
“Oh, to be three and not have a care in the world.” Jillian laughs as we watch Penny go back to playing.
“Did you think of anything that JJ might need for this cutie that I didn’t bring over this morning?”
“Nope. I got the pack-n-play and swing all set up after you left. I’m sure we’ll need to buy some more formula before the week is over, but that’s easy enough to grab. He did give me his credit card and said to buy whatever she needed, so if I think of anything, I can either order it or go pick it up. I might see if I can find another base for the car seat. Either for my car or whoever he ends up hiring to watch her.”
“That’s a good idea. So much easier to just snap in than fumbling with the seat belt every time,” Jillian confirms.
“That’s what I figured, and I don’t think JJ is going to want someone else driving his car everywhere.”
“Hell no. His prized possession is his car. He doesn’t let anyone, and I mean anyone, drive that thing.”
“Do you know anything about what he has to do for paternity and with the courts?” I ask Jillian once both girls have gone back to playing.
“I don’t know for sure, but I’m assuming the first step is to confirm that he is, in fact, her father. Once they’ve determined paternity, then rights and guardianship can be set.”
“What would happen if he wasn’t her father?” I ask and instantly feel a stab of pain at the thought that this little girl could potentially not be JJ’s, and then she’d be ripped out of our lives. I’ve already become so attached to her, and it’s been less than twenty-four hours since any of us even knew she existed.
“I think the state would take custody of her then. If they couldn’t track down her mother, then I’d guess they’d place her with a foster home, but I don’t know, to be honest.”
“That would suck. I’m sure JJ is still reeling from the bombshell that dropped on his doorstep last night, but I can’t imagine this precious one being taken from all of us now. That, and she’s the spitting image of him. There’s no way she isn’t his.”
“I’d have to agree with you on that one. The apple does not fall far from that tree. I’m sure everything will work out,” Jillian