Chapter four

Jessie 

I was in the middle of my rounds at the hospital, six weeks after Elliott asked me to be her girlfriend. I was starting to feel lightheaded and bring a hand to my forehead, using my free hand to grab for the wall next to me. 

My mother was walking towards me as I lost my footing and catches me before I collapse. "Jessie," she exclaims with concern. "Sweetheart, are you okay?"

I look at her as everything started to spin and collapse in her arms. "Jessie," she calls out, scared for me as everything fades to black. 

I woke up in a hospital bed and started to freak out as Elliott takes me in her arms. I instantly calm in her arms as she strokes my hair. "You're okay, I'm here," she says soothingly over and over again as my breaths calm down. 

"The last thing I remember I was doing my rounds and I was lightheaded," I choke quietly and she kisses the top of my head. "What's wrong with me?"

My mother enters the room with a light smile on her face and says, "There's nothing wrong with you sweetheart, you're pregnant."

"When your mother told me you collapsed with a dazed look on your face, I had to tell her about our activities," Elliott says with a blush, tears in her eyes.

I look at my mother as tears roll down my cheeks and ask in a choked whisper, "Can I go home?"

"Of course sweetheart," she says coming over to kiss my forehead.

"Can we wait to break the news," I ask looking at Elliott and she gives me a light smile. "Thank you."

"Whenever you're ready," she says kissing my forehead, caressing my stomach. 

"When you come in tomorrow,  I'll secretly do an ultrasound for you," my mother offers softly and I nod lightly. 

"Let's get you home," Elliott says softly and I nod lightly, still letting everything sink in.

When we get home, Elliott gets me comfortable on the couch after we changed in comfortable clothes. She lays between my legs, exposing my stomach and lays a kiss on my abdomen. "Hi peanut, mommy is a little emotional right now, but I'm sure she's happy you're in there. I know that Daddy was surprised to find out about you," she whispers against my skin and tears roll down my cheeks. "Go easy on mommy as you get bigger. I promise to talk to you every chance I get."

She looks up at me with a smile on her face and tears continue to roll down my cheeks. "You're really okay to have a baby with me," I ask in a choked whisper. 

"I'm crazy about you and this baby. This baby is a product of our love and nothing will ever change that. I'm not going anywhere Jessie," she says softly, crawling up to cover me, keeping her weight off me. "I love you."

I break into uncontrolled sobs and she moves us so I'm laying on her chest. She rubs my back comfortly and I let out a calming breath. "Can we visit my parents for dinner with Macy tonight," I ask between shaky breaths. 

"You don't have to ask me, I'll do whatever you want me to," she says in a soothing whisper. 

"Can we go now? I just really need a distraction from these hormones," I choke in a calming breath and she gives me an understanding smile. "Can I wear your clothes?"

"You don't need to ask," she says with a laugh and I smile lightly. 

We go get dressed and head out to pick up Macy from daycare. I must have zoned out the entire ride because I came to either Elliott's hands caressing my face with a worried look in her eyes. She was standing outside my side of the car in my parent's driveway. 

"Baby, answer me," she chokes in a worried whisper. 

"I'm sorry," I say in a distant whisper and she lets out laughing sobs, giving me a kiss.

"You scared me to death," she chokes in sobs, taking me in her arms and I notice that my parents and Macy are standing behind her. "We've been here ten minutes and you didn't answer me."

I wrap my arms around her neck and choke quietly, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I didn't realize I spaced out."

She lets out a calming breath and says, "Come in with us."

I nod lightly and we all head inside. She sits me on the couch and kneels down to remove my shoes. My parents stood by, watching what she was doing. I look around and notice my sister is also here. She was also watching Elliott and looks at me with concern in her eyes.

"What made you space out like that Jessie," she asks in a choked whisper. "None of us could break you out of your trance. Even little Macy tried to get your attention, as her mother." 

Tears fill my eyes and I look at Macy who looked like she'd been crying. "I'm sorry Macy," I choke quietly and she runs up to me.

I take her in my arms, looking at Elliott in front of me. "You okay mommy," Macy asks in a choked whisper and I couldn't stop the smile from spreading my lips.

"I'm okay, just a lot on my mind," I assure her and kiss her head.

"She's asleep," Elliott says in a soft whisper. "Her teacher said they were about to have naptime when we picked her up."

I maneuver myself to lay with Macy on the couch and Elliott kisses my forehead. "Get some rest," she whispers quietly and I nod, closing my eyes.

I woke to a kiss on my forehead and my mother was kneeling next to the couch. "Mom," I ask in a groggy whisper, rubbing sleep from my eyes. "Where's Elliott?"

"Nice to see you too Jessie," she teases with a smile and looks at the opposite end of the couch. "She's been sleeping with your legs in her lap."

I got a sudden uneasy feeling in my stomach and scramble off the couch. I make a beeline for the bathroom off the kitchen and slam the door shut. I just make the toilet as I get sick and moments later feel as someone holds my hair while rubbing my back. I wipe my mouth when I'm done and lean against the person behind me.

I realize its Elliott when she reaches around me to gently rub my stomach and I groan with relief. Her free hand produces what looks like a ginger candy and I raise a shaky hand to accept it. She helps me open it and kisses my head. 

"Thank you," I say in a wavering whisper. 

"You're welcome," she says softly, sitting with me while I wait for the wave of nausea to pass. "Your mother is making you some tea to help your stomach."

"Suppose we should tell the others why I suddenly feel sick. They know I never take a sick day," I say in a breathy whisper as the candy starts to help ease the nausea. 

Elliott helps me stand up and walks me to the kitchen where the others are already sitting at the table with worried looks on their faces. Elliott helps me into a chair and sits next to me, rubbing my stomach. 

"Jessie, everything okay? You never get sick," Jamie says with concern. 

I look at Elliott and she gives me a supportive smile. "I'm pregnant," I say with a light smile and place my hand over Elliott's on my stomach. 

"You guys taking turns who carries," she asks and Elliott chokes on her coffee.

She clears her throat and says, "I don't carry, I produce."

"Oh, so you're like Aunt Alex," she says with an understanding smile. 

"Yes," I say with a sheepish smile, blushing.

"Congratulations," Jamie says and my father stares down Elliott. 

"I'd like to talk with you, if you don't mind," he says to her, but his tone neither said he was happy or angry I was pregnant. 

"Yes sir," Elliott says softly, kissing my cheek before getting up to follow him out of the kitchen.

Elliott 

I follow Mr. Garrett out the sliding door off the kitchen and we sit at a picnic table. I was nervous about why he wanted to talk to me. I could tell he wasn't happy about Jessie being pregnant and was hoping he wouldn't ask me to stay away from his daughter and our child.

"Do you love my daughter," he asks in a serious tone. 

Tears fill my eyes and choke quietly, "I do, very much. I haven't felt like this since my wife died two years ago. My daughter was also in the car while I was on duty and she was lucky to survive. My wife and unborn child were the only casualties of the accident."

He's quiet for a minute as the tears stroll down my cheeks, not for my late wife, but because I was scared he'd make me stay away from Jessie. "I love your daughter more than anything. I've watched her and Macy form this incredible bond these last few weeks. Macy used to come to me with everything, but now she runs to Jessie. Please, don't take that away from her," I choke in broken sobs. "She's been asking me for a mother and until we met Jessie during to her asthma attack, I've turned down many women who begged me to be in a relationship."

He stays quiet with a stern look on his face. My breathing was becoming erratic with anxiety and was having difficulty regulating my breathing. I didn't see him leave the table as Jessie comes to sit next to me, turning my face towards her. 

"Breathe with me Elliott," she says in a calm whisper, holding my eye contact. 

She brings my hand to her chest, taking deep breaths to help me calm my anxiety and I close my eyes. I focus on her breaths, trying to match mine with hers. It takes a few minutes, but the anxiety finally subsides and Jessie comes in my arms, sniffling away unshed tears.

She was trembling in my arms and I rub her back comfortly, looking at her father. "I'm sorry for setting you off, I just feel the need to protect her after her last relationship," he says feeling guilty.

"I killed the bitch," I say in a protective tone and his eyes grew wide. "She held your wife, Jessie and my daughter at gunpoint. That bitch wasn't leaving my house alive."

"When she calms down, I'd like to continue our conversation, man to man," he says with a smile.

"I am legally classified as a woman, I just have a penis," I say with a smile and he and Jessie laugh.

Jessie takes me in a passionate kiss and says, "I'll let you two have your manly talk, just no more anxiety attacks."

"Wait," I say quickly before she heads back in. She faces me and I hand her Macy's inhaler. "In case she needs it. I have a feeling this is going to be a very long talk. The talk all fathers have with their daughter's partners. The talk I will have with our kid's partners."

She gives me another kiss before heading back inside, closing the sliding door. I turn back to her father and he smiles. "Not now, but in time, do I have your blessing for her hand in marriage," I ask with a hopeful smile. 

"When do I get to meet your parents," he asks and tears roll down my cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was a sensitive subject."

I shake my head lightly, waving it off. "My parents left me at an orphanage when I was born and the doctor said I was intersex. Until I met Jessie, Macy is my only family," I choke quietly and he nods in sympathy. 

He holds up a finger and heads back inside. Moments later he returns with a couple of beers and his wife. She notices the tears in my eyes and slaps her husband. I let out a laugh and jump to his defense. "He didn't do anything. Just asked about my parents," I choke quietly, taking a swig off my beer and she gives me an understanding smile. 

"Why did you ask me out here Walter," Mrs. Garrett asks curious. 

"Do you still have that ring your grandmother gave you for when Jessie ready to get married," he asks and she turns her attention to me.

"I don't plan on asking her right away. I don't want us to get married because she's pregnant, I want us to get married because we love each other. Christmas is in two months, I was planning to ask on Christmas Eve," I say with a smile.

"That would be the perfect time to ask her. She lives for Christmas time," Mrs. Garrett says with a smile.

I return her smile as Jessie walks out with tears in her eyes, phone to her ear. It slips from her grasp and I jump up to catch her as she sinks to her knees. I lift her to straddle my lap and held her as she sobs uncontrollably. 

Her mother picks up her phone as the person on the other end was still there. "This is Maggie, her mother...When...What is cause of death," she asks in a choked whisper and I rock side to side to soothe Jessie. "Did you catch who did this?"

I hold my hand out for the phone and she gives it to me. "This is Sergeant Adams, can I ask what this is about," I ask the person on the other end of the phone.

"Elliott, its Jackson," my captain says in sympathy. "Your girlfriend's Aunt Alex was just killed, a shot to the head. They cut off her lower appendage. I called your girlfriend because it was the last call sent out on her phone."

"What is the current situation with the case sir," I ask keeping strong for Jessie. "She just found out she's pregnant and I need something to tell her something to put her mind at ease, please."

"It was Reese's father, he's in custody. Apparently you were his next target for killing his daughter," he says in sympathy. 

"You better make sure he doesn't get out," I say in a protective tone. "I promise you, if he does, I'll kill him."

"He won't be getting out," he says and I breathe a sigh of relief. "I was just informed he took a guards gun and killed himself."

"Can I request time off? I don't want to leave her alone when she needs me the most, especially with her pregnant," I say softly. 

"Take a week, you have sick days to use up," he says and ends the call.

"I'm sorry about your Aunt, the person responsible killed himself when he was taken in custody," I say in sympathy as Jamie comes out with Macy. 

"Mommy, don't cry," Macy chokes as she hugs at Jessie's back, straddling the picnic bench. 

"Her Aunt is with your mommy Macy," I say softly and she looks up with me with understanding. 

"Don't worry mommy, she's not alone in heaven," she says quietly and it makes Jessie cry harder.