Happy Birthday Dear Riiivvveeeerrrrr...

[JORDANNA HAILE GARCIA]

"Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba..." River held the blue balloon tight, slamming it down on the ground with every Ba he blurted out and occasionally giggled when the balloon did something silly like hit him in the face or squeak against the floor. The house was decorated with blue and red balloons, each with white polka dots gracing them, streamers, clouds dangling from the ceiling... She'd spent months planning this birthday party, spending hours on pinterest getting the most adorable ideas! Of course he was having an airplane party, because Jo insisted River loved them since he always pointed them out during their walks. Naturally Brandon insisted the boy liked boats more, but Jo had fallen in love with the airplane theme already and she was doing all the decorating, so she got final say. Brandon dealt with it, as he had no choice and had learned to deal with that. One of the many reasons Jo loved her man so much.

The wedding was just around the corner, but first things were first; party for the tot! "I'm gonna getchu!" Jo squealed at the infant who looked up at her and gave her the toothiest grin a baby with four teeth could give. He let go of the balloon, and though he was plenty capable of walking now, he turned onto his knees and speed crawled away. "Where do you think you're going!" The baby shrieked with delight, knowing this game all too well, and again shrieking when his mothers hands clasped around his tiny little waist, hoisting him up to her hip. "We need to change you, stink pot, before you go and scare your guests away!" River reached up towards the ceiling, seeing one of the many toy planes Jo had hung, and continued reaching for it as she hauled him off to the nursery to change his diaper. "Brandon, can you refill the lemonade?" She called out, catching her husband talking to a couple of the guys he worked on the boat with. She wondered how he got them to agree to come to the birthday party.. None of them seemed like the baby party type, but honestly this party was more for them than River. Sort of like a Hey, we've had this thing a whole year and have't killed it! Let's celebrate!

"Oh, and your sister's here!" She called out, waving to Kevin and Mel through the door with a wide smile on her face before heading upstairs. She hoped the box Kevin was hauling in was bigger than what was inside. Melanie had a way of buying large, exciting toys for River. She was always grateful, because Mel had some seriously good taste when it came to kid stuff, but River's things were seeping out of his bedroom and the play area, and into other parts of the home. It was starting to look like a child lived there in every room, now!

"Alright captain stinky pants, let's clean you up." Jo couldn't believe how much the last year had changed things for her. River was everything she had ever wanted. He still had small nubs on his back, small deformed wings gracing his body, but they still had time to take care of that. No one wanted to put River under anesthesia until they knew he was old enough to handle that sort of operation. Probably closer to his third or fourth birthday. In the mean time, he was seen by doctors that Mel knew who were known for working with their kind. It made life simpler for them. She and Brandon were great, too. Better than great.. amazing even! In fact, she was hoping as soon as the wedding was over they could start seriously trying for a second. She wanted another already, loving motherhood dearly even though it left her little time to work on her store. River often came with her to the shop now, and he had a nanny stay with him twice a week just to let Jo work harder. Brandon helped out a lot, though, and she was sure they could handle another soon. He needed a sister! A brother would be nice, but how Jo longed for a little girl to dress up!

Brandon informed her that her mother, step-father and little sister had arrived. She knew they might show up, they said they would, but Jo was always surprised when they did. Her mother had taken some real interest in her since River was born, which was odd considering how little she had to do with Jo before then. "I'll be right down!" She called out, fixing River's bow tie and straightening his shirt that had red suspenders sewn on and an airplane embellishment with a cute 1 in the center. "God, you are so cute!" She nuzzled the baby's face, who kicked his legs out excitedly as his mouth opened wide and another silly shriek escaped. One thing was for sure; River was a seriously happy kid.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

For the first time in as long as Kevin could remember, life was good. Real. good. So good that he was sure that he was dreaming some of the time. He was engaged, working an incredible job that he'd always dreamed of, and was about the settle on his first house. A house!! It was something Kevin never thought possible for himself, and every night he thanked his lucky stars for Melanie. Without her, none of it would have happened. Well, maybe the job, but not likely. She had been the reason he'd even gone out on a limb and applied for it. The job search had started when she came up pregnant, knowing there was no way he could support a family on his current income, and by some miracle someone saw his potential and experience and gave him a chance. He still wondered how that even happened, but in the end it didn't matter; he was going down a very good path and he wanted to keep it that way. Even with all the good things going on, there was a part of him that felt guilty for not being there for his sister more. She had been the one to move out, and though she said she was doing well down in California, Kevin has the sinking suspicion that maybe things weren't going as well for her, but Kelsey wouldn't tell him that. Kevin had carried her for years, and it was strange that things turned so drastically when she left, but it bothered him that he couldn't be there more. He'd sent her money once he had a little extra and she called to ream him out, thanking him but insisting he knock it off. He hadn't sent money since, but was considering visiting her the first opportunity he got. Work was busy, and it was hard to get any significant amount of time off. It was a high stress job, with long hours, sometimes odd ones, but Melanie didn't always mind. She was loving the wedding planning and he helped where he could. Besides, their savings account was growing larger and larger by the day! Even if they were about to empty it on a down payment.

Kevin wasn't sure if he would make it to River's first birthday. He had long since gotten over the fact that his best friends ex girlfriend was engaged to his fiance's brother. It was still a little weird seeing Jo so much, considering their long and semi complicated history, but they were more than civil now. Everyone was an adult, and he and Brandon were friends now. Plus, River liked him. That was a perk, and it certainly got him excited about having children of his own. Despite his adoration of the tot, things at work had been crazy and he couldn't commit until the Thursday before the party. His boss assured him that he could have this Saturday off, he didn't need him, which Kevin was thankful for. Sunday was always a day off, so having a full weekend was nice since he only got them once, maybe twice a month now. He was almost excited to go, never having been to a kids birthday. When he was younger he'd had a sort of birthday party at one of the foster homes he and Kelsey had been at. It was the one he'd met Kit at, and they all had cake and ice cream and he and Kelsey even got a couple of small gifts. No one else ever bothered remembering their parties and they were too broke to have their own parties as adults, not that they had many friends to invite. Going to a child's party was something new and exciting, and it made Kevin want to have children of his own even more. He couldn't wait to throw over the top parties for them, complete with moon bounces, pony rides, face painters.. whatever they wanted, they would get. He had every intention of living vicariously through his children, and he was looking forward to Melanie announcing she was pregnant now. When she'd turned up pregnant before it had devastated him. But now? If it weren't for the fact that they weren't married yet, they would be trying now!

Melanie had gone a little crazy this year buying presents. Kevin tried stopping her, but it seemed every time she came home there was a bag with more stuff for that kid! Sure, the things she found were nice, but he knew the boy barely knew his own name. He didn't need all these toys and clothes! Of course Melanie insisted it was an investment since All of Jo's kids would play with them and wear them and of course their children would get them as hand-me-downs, but investment or not, it was a little ludicrous. She had put together a basket of sorts. The base was a wooden push cart that was natural wood color with baby blue accents, and filled it with organic onesies and pants, things she ordered from Etsy with his name on it, and wooden toys made by some company called Melissa & Doug. All the classic toys babies were supposed to have. He cringed to think how much she'd spent, but he shut his mouth as she wrapped it up, and hauled it into the car for her before heading over to the Garcia-Haile residence.

Brandon greeted them at the door, which had blue and red balloons attached to either side, white polka dots in the middle. He wondered if it was a belated fourth of July themed party. "Hey." He greeted with a wide smile as Brandon welcomed him in, their hands interlocking in a handshake. Brandon and Mel bantered for a few moments before Bran pointed to the gift table, leaving Kevin to make his way over to drop off the goods, noticing the guys from the boat already there with beers. He was suddenly relieved they were there, not sure what he would do, other than eat cake, during the party. Sure, he was excited to be there, but now he was glad he had someone to talk to!

[BRANDON GARCIA]

“I can’t believe you made it a whole year, man!” Brandon laughed and shook his head in disbelief at Garrett’s statement. “Neither can I.” And it was true. The past year had been the best of his life. He had a beautiful woman who was crazy about marrying him and was planning to do just that in about a month. His sister was happy and thriving with a man he could now trust to take care of her. And he had the most wonderful little boy a dad could ever ask for. River was smart, funny and absolutely adorable. At least once a day his baby boy amazed him. It didn’t matter how small the milestone was, Brandon just couldn’t believe all of the changes he had witnessed in the boy since he was born. River was the apple of his father’s eye—and he looked like him! His almost black eyes and light brown hair were identical to his when he was young. He often wondered when he held River if this was how his father felt when he had held baby Brandon. That thought made Brandon miss his old man for the first time in ages. If only Wayne Garcia could hold his grandson to admire him the way Brandon did. Of course there were times when he didn’t admire River so much—the long nights awake with a fussy baby and the many foul diapers he had lived through were among those less pleasant times. But it never took long for Brandon to come back around again. Usually it only took a smile.

“Well, congrats, Cap. He’s a good looking kid.” Brandon brushed his shoulders with a cocky smile. “I know, right? Just like his old man.” The guys laughed, Garrett waving his hand at Brandon’s comment. He was still grinning when he heard Jo’s voice. “Brandon, can you refill the lemonade?”[/i] “Sure thing!” he called back. “I’ll be right back guys.” They turned to talk amongst themselves while Brandon shuffled into the kitchen to get more lemonade. “Oh, and your sister’s here!”[/i] “I can only do one thing at a time, woman!” he called back in playful frustration. He set the lemonade on the counter, abandoning that chore for now to greet the new guests. Melanie grinned happily at him through the windows of the door, but Brandon was more distracted with the massive box in Kevin’s arms. “What the hell is that?” he demanded as he swung the door open. “My favorite nephew’s present! Hi Bran!” He returned Melanie’s hug with a small breathy laugh of disbelief. River had so much stuff they could barely fit in the house as it was! He and Jo were going to have to get serious about finding a bigger place soon, especially with his sister buying out every baby store at the rate she was. When Melanie released him, he grinned at Kevin who returned the smile and they shook hands cordially. “Hey, Kev,” he greeted warmly. They had long since gotten past their differences and were actually friends now. It didn’t make sense to continue warring with him when the man was going to marry his sister in a few months. Kevin greeted him in return and Brandon extended his arm into the house. “Come on in and help yourself to snacks if you want them. They’re over on the coffee table.” “But where’s the star of today’s party?” Whenever Melanie came over, her first instinct was to look for the baby. She loved River so dearly and it warmed Brandon’s heart to see. “He’s upstairs with his mom getting his diaper changed. While you’re waiting for him, Kevin the gift table is over there. I don’t know what my sister is making you haul, but I can’t imagine it’s light.” Melanie put her hands on her hips indignantly. “It’s not that heavy!” she insisted. Brandon wasn’t buying it.

He didn’t have much more time to tease his sister about it, however. The next moment, before he’d even had a chance to close the door, new faces appeared there. It still amazed him how much Jo and her mother looked alike. Her sister didn’t look quite so much like the aging little woman, but there was definitely a resemblance. Brandon’s smile grew as he reached a hand out to shake Jo’s stepdad’s. “How are you doing, sir?” he asked with a kind politeness. Jo’s mom answered for them with a heavy sigh. “Well we’re just exhausted from the trip! But so happy to be here for River’s birthday!” He chuckled softly before the older woman wrapped her arms about his neck and squeezed gently. “How are you, Brandon?” “I’m great.” He’d met her parents a couple times now but he still couldn’t help feeling a little nervous. Jo’s little sister also gave him a shy little hug before he ushered them inside. “Jo, your family’s here!” he called up the stairs. “I’ll be right down!”[/b] came the reply and he nodded at her folks. His eyes fell on Melanie, still nearby and he stepped over next to her. “Mel, this is Jo’s mom, stepdad and little sister. Guys, this is my little sister Melanie and her fiancé Kevin.” The group greeted each other with wide, kind smiles before Melanie emitted a gasp. “There’s the birthday boy! Turning around, the whole group watched Jo carrying River down the stairs looking as cute as ever. Sensing he was in the spotlight, River’s goofy smile lit up his face as drool threatened to breech his bottom lip. Brandon had never seen a baby as cute as his son.

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

Okay, so maybe Melanie had gone overboard on the gift buying. There were just so many cute things! She looked up the most fashionable baby clothes and stylish toys and found that most of what she grew up with in the sixties was back in style! Coming across a set of natural wooden toys and a pushcart with blue accents, Melanie couldn’t help herself. It was even possible to get his name on them! Looking back, it might have been better to keep the name off so her kids or any other kids Brandon and Jo would have the chance to play with it too. She was happy with how it looked, though, and she decided that they could always sand off the name and re-stain the wood if they wanted too. She had settled that those would be his only gifts…until on a whim she searched for more organic baby items and came across the cutest little onesies, pants, and other little outfits all made from one hundred percent cotton! And there was a store in the mall outside of town that carried them! She was certain Kevin wasn’t terribly thrilled with how much she had got for River, but he let her have her fun. When it came to River, Kevin let her do as she pleased. She was sure that was residual uncertainty that stemmed from her miscarriage almost a year ago. If she was being honest, she did still mourn for that little baby and the life she might have now. Being with River made her ache for a baby of her own—but she knew better!

With all of the wedding arrangements, she was glad she didn’t have a baby to worry about. She wasn’t sure how Jo did it! It was wonderful to spend so much time with her future sister-in-law, though. Not only did she get to see her adorable little nephew, but she really got to know Jo. She was proud to say that Jo was one of her closest friends and really hoped that with more time they would become best friends. Jo was a good person and a great mother. They’d had their differences, but that was all in the past now. Even Brandon and Kevin were friends these days! Not to mention that Kevin and Jo were pretty much over their history with each other and might even be considered friends. Melanie sincerely hoped they would be friends in the next couple years. It would make family get-togethers so much more pleasant! Like the birthday party! Melanie had offered to carry the present into the house, but Kevin had insisted on doing it. He was such a gentleman. She couldn’t deny that she was looking forward to seeing him with River. Whenever she saw her big man enjoying the tiny baby in his arms, she fell in love with him all over again. She couldn’t wait to start a family with him!

Of course Brandon had to tease her about the sheer size of the present Kevin carried. Even if he didn’t love it, she knew Jo would and she was certain River would too! Sure, he pretty much loved anything he could play with, but it could be aesthetically pleasing too! Noticing the guys from the boat hanging out in the living room, she waved with an excited, “Hey!” Now Kevin would have some guys to talk to while she cooed over the baby with the girls! Just as she was going to go over and talk to them, Brandon was greeting some people at the door. He called up to Jo that it was her family, but Melanie already had no doubt about that! The woman who hugged her brother must have been Jo’s mom. They could be twins! When Brandon introduced her and Kevin, she shook everyone’s hands with a bright smile. “Pleased to meet you!” she chirped. As Kevin was shaking hands, she saw a figure coming down the stairs and gasped at the sight of Jo and River. “There’s the birthday boy!” Just the grin that came to River’s face melted her heart and she longed to just smother him in kisses. Of course, she knew Jo’s family rarely came to visit and they should have the first opportunity to hold him and gush over him. So instead she simply ran a hand over his light hair as Jo brought him close and then leaned in to press a few noisy smooches on his soft, chubby cheek. He screeched in delight and Melanie grinned from ear to ear. “Happy birthday, baby boy!” she cooed before letting Jo greet her family. She went back to Kevin with her big smile stretched across her mouth and she rested her hand in his. “Want to go say hi to the guys?” she asked in a somewhat hushed voice. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be around Jo’s family, but she figured they could all take some time for themselves. That was if Kevin wanted to go chat and if Jo’s family let them slink off.

[JORDANNA HAILE GARCIA]

"Alright, your fans await." Jo teased as she brought her now clean little man out of his room and towards the stairs. The sound of music and voices wafted up the steps and she felt so at peace bringing him down. She worked with crowds of people so it wasn't uncommon for her to walk into a room full of people, but it was nice that it was all people she knew. Plus they were there to celebrate her offspring, who she cherished dearly. She couldn't wait to get married so they could try for another! All bets were off during the honeymoon; a baby was the only souvenir she wanted!

“There’s the birthday boy!” River recognized the voice immediately and his body bucked with excitement while Jo brought him into the room so he could see his favorite aunt. "I swear he loves you more than me." She teased Mel as she came over to gush at her nephew. She smooshed his face and River shrieked with delight once more, his chubby hands clasping around hers. “Happy birthday, baby boy!” "Say thank you tia Melanie." He slobbered on her hand instead, and Jo laughed softly, reaching an arm around her soon to be sister-in-law, who she had come to love dearly over the last couple years, and greeted her officially before taking River over to her mom.

"You are a little weed! Stop growing!" Her mom said as she reached for River. Jo never thought she'd see the day her mother would hold her children considering their rocky past, but she had done her best to move on. Her mother had changed a lot over the years, and she seemed to be doing a much better job with Jo's thirteen year old half sister, Zoe, than she had with her. "How's school?" Jo asked her sister, who shrugged shyly. "We're on vacation." She offered in a small voice. The girl reminded her of herself around that age, not too keen on talking much. "Well, I know that! You excited to start high school?" Zoe rolled her shoulders and looked over at her dad, who was talking with some of Brandon's friends now about sailing. Her striking blue eyes came back to Jo. It was so weird looking at the girl, who was practically a mirror of herself, only with pale eyes. "I guess." Zoe bit her lip and forced a smile, clearly trying to figure out what to say. "How's River?" Jo looked at the baby who was sucking his middle and pointer fingers as his soft head rested against her mother's cheek. "He's doing really good. He misses you when you're not here you know." Zoe wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "He's too little to miss us." She insisted in her small voice. Jo shook her head, though. "Nah, you'd be surprised. I have a picture of you guys in his nursery. He sees you every day." A hint of a smile creased her lips and Jo felt pleased somehow.

"Alright, I have to go do a few things, mind helping mom watch River?" She gave a nod and moved closer to her mother, practically hiding behind her and looking into River's face. Jo knew one day she'd be a fun aunt, and hoped Zoe went to Greenwolfe University so she could get to know her better. "Mom, you got him for a few?" "Of course! We didn't drive all this way so I couldn't adore him all afternoon." Jo patted her sister's shoulder, ruffled River's hair and greeted her step-father before making her way into the kitchen, catching Brandon as he filled the lemonade. "Hey, sailor." She teased, wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him a hug. "I'm having so much fun.. I can't wait until our next baby turns one! And the baby after that, and the one after that.." She giggled as her dark eyes met his. "How many first birthdays you think I can weasel out of you?"

[BRANDON GARCIA]

“You are a little weed! Stop growing!”[/b] Brandon grinned at Jo’s mom’s comment. He often thought the same thing. While part of him was thrilled to see how his little man grew up, another part wanted him to stay this little forever. There would never be any fights or major disappointment if he could just be a happy baby forever. Then again, it would be a nice change when the boy could wipe his own butt. It was nice to see River enjoying his grandma’s company so much. While Jo sidled up to her sister Zoe and engaged the sullen teenager in quiet conversation, Brandon turned to his future father-in-law. “Would you like to meet the guys I work with?” Jo’s stepdad seemed more than happy to oblige and Brandon led the way—but not before grabbing his future brother-in-law in the process. “Well, Kevin is one of them, but he rarely comes by anymore. He insists he’s too busy for it, but I think we just scared him off. Don’t let his bulk fool you—he’s a teddy bear.” Kevin grinned and made a witty comeback that had Brandon and his father-in-law laughing. “Mel helps on the boat too pretty regularly. But these guys are my crew.” Each of his mates shook Jo’s stepdad’s hand and gave a cordial greeting and introduction.

“I feel sorry for you, getting Brandon as a son-in-law. He ain’t nothin’ but trouble.” Dave nodded gravely while the other guys smirked. Brandon put his hands palms up out to each side. “What are you talking about? I’m an angel.” All the guys laughed, even more so because they knew about the wings on his back. He’d tried to keep it a secret for long enough but it was his stay at the camps that blew his cover. Shortly after returning to the boat, he came clean with his men. Thankfully they had all been very accepting—it turned out Garrett and Dave knew the legends were true and Jake was the only one blind-sided. But Brandon’s father-in-law thought it was funny too; he was married to and father to Therians after all, so it hadn’t been a terribly big leap telling the man that his son-in-law was an Avisaille. “Those wings on your back don’t mean shit.” Garrett’s comment made them laugh more and Brandon shrugged his shoulders. “Say what you want, but don’t make me look bad in front of the future father-in-law, okay? Not until this is locked in.” “You say this like I have any say in Jo’s decisions. She’s about as stubborn as her mother and sister. It’s no wonder men die sooner than women with women like them walking around.”[/i] Brandon grinned and glanced over at his to be wife chatting with her mom and sister, cooing over River. “Yeah, but that’s what we love about them.” Jo’s stepdad grinned and nodded too, looking over at the women.

That’s when he remembered the lemonade. Snapping his fingers, he excused himself with a hasty, “Oops. I’ll be right back.” He slipped past the women into the kitchen, grabbing the bottle of lemonade and carrying it to the fancy dispenser Jo had bought. The liquid glugged as it sloshed into the dispenser, the ice clicking softly. “Hey sailor.” He looked over just in time to see Jo coming up to him. Feeling her arms around his waist, he grinned and set the now empty lemonade bottle on the counter. “Hello beautiful.” He turned in her arms and slipped his around her in return, adoring the loving look in her big, soft eyes. "I'm having so much fun…I can't wait until our next baby turns one! And the baby after that, and the one after that…" She giggled and he chuckled, amused by her excitement to get started on the next one. Their first child was just turning one and she was already thinking about another! "How many first birthdays you think I can weasel out of you?" He tilted his head back, narrowing his eyes and screwing up his mouth playfully. “Hmmmm…” he hummed as he contemplated. When his eyes came back to hers, they were full of warmth to match the smile on his mouth. “I think you could convince me to have as many as you want. And that we can afford.” Smiling wider, he leaned down and kissed her gently. When he did pull back, he rested his forehead against hers and looked down at her closed eyes. “Anything to keep you this happy, babe. Your happiness is my happiness.” He kissed her forehead softly, then her nose, then her mouth, lingering there for a long moment. Never did he think he could have a life this perfect. When he pulled away, he tucked some of her shoulder-length dark hair behind her ear, gazing down into her eyes. “Are you really ready to start on another one? With the wedding so close, at least we know this one will be legitimate.” He grinned, obviously teasing about River being an illegitimate child. That was his first born son—that kid was legitimate whether his parents were married or not. But maybe it meant something to Jo to wait until they were married to try for a second baby. While Jo was a miserable pregnant woman at times, he couldn’t help but be excited at the prospect of a new baby coming into the family.

[JORDANNA HAILE GARCIA]

Jo was grinning before Brandon even answered. “Hmmmm…” he hummed, his dark, almost black eyes finally back to hers. She felt her smiled widen further at his playfulness. “I think you could convince me to have as many as you want. And that we can afford.” His lips found hers and she felt her heart fluttering. She wondered how much they could afford.. if she could manage to expand Sunshine's, and if the new store was a success, they may be able to have four or more! Jo wasn't sure she wanted anymore than that, knowing she would like to enjoy the ones she does have. When Brandon pulled his lips away, he stayed close with his forehead pressed to hers. “Anything to keep you this happy, babe. Your happiness is my happiness.” Again her heart fluttered there in her chest and she grinned peacefully. He was a dream come true. "Oh, you're just buttering me up so I change the next poopy diaper." She teased gently, her voice loving and not meaning what she said. He obviously meant what he said.

Brandon trailed kisses lovingly across her face and part of her wanted to pull him away for some "mommy/daddy time", as she so lovingly referred to it. In the time they had been together, she had never grown tired of him. Sure, he got on her nerves. A lot. And she knew she did the same to him, but they genuinely cared for each other. “Are you really ready to start on another one? With the wedding so close, at least we know this one will be legitimate.” He grinned and she gave a soft laugh in return. She knew what he meant; their poor illegitimate child whose parents weren't even married! Well, it was the twenty first century, and that was semi normal now! "Well.." It was her turn to be the affectionate one, her fingers tugging at the neckband of his shirt and playing with the soft black curly chest hair that was revealed. "I was sort of hoping that we could start trying during the honeymoon." Mel had already agreed to watch River for their trip, so they would really be all alone, and for nearly two whole weeks! "I mean, I'm going to be jumping your bones every waking moment anyway, so.." Her grin turned mischievous as she looked up into his dark eyes, seeing the lust returned. "We're bound to get lucky at some point." She licked her lips and tucked the bottom one into her mouth, chewing on it in a cute mixture of bashful seductive.

Someone's throat suddenly cleared and Jo looked over to see Zoe standing there, looking nervous and averting her eyes, her hands folded in front of her shyly. "Uhm.." She was chewing on her bottom lip now the same way Jo did when she was uncomfortable. The girl reminded Jo so much of a more shy version of her thirteen year old self. Then again, she hadn't seen Zoe stand up for herself yet, so who knew.. maybe they were more alike than she gave the kid credit for. "Mom said to see if you needed any, uhh.. help.. with, like, anything." Jo didn't want to tell her to get lost so she smiled and pushed away from Brandon a little. "Yeah, actually. Thanks!" She turned back to her fiance and smirked just a little. "We'll finish this conversation later tonight." The look in her eyes promised more than the conversation, but she didn't want to be too obvious in front of Zoe. "Alright, we need to check all the snacks and see if anything needs to be refilled." She told the girl, nodding her head and moving towards the backyard where some of the guests had begun to congregate.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

Brandon's hand suddenly clasped around his arm and he looked back over at his future brother-in-law. “Well, Kevin is one of them, but he rarely comes by anymore." It took him a minute to gather what was going on, looking over at Jo's step-dad and figuring things out quick. "He insists he’s too busy for it, but I think we just scared him off. Don’t let his bulk fool you—he’s a teddy bear.” Kevin grinned and shook his head. "It's true, I really left because I was tired of smelling these guys. Fish and BO is not a pretty combination." Both men laughed and Kevin started to feel more at ease. They made it to the group of crew members and Brandon went ahead and introduced everyone to Mike, Jo's step dad.

The guys took turns ragging on Brandon and Kevin watched with mild amusement, deciding to stay out of it, not because he had nothing to contribute, but because he just wasn't a man of many words. He laughed along, though, because what the guys had to say was genuinely funny and mostly very true. Mike went on to talk about how the Haile women were stubborn, and suddenly he felt grateful for his Melanie. Melanie was nothing like Jo, who had always been a hot head, or at least for as long as he'd known her which was a good fourteen years. She'd gotten better, but still, Jo could never hold a candle to Melanie. Speaking of, Kevin looked around for where Melanie had run off to and spotted her over with Jo's mom. He wondered how he could escape the guys.. "Oh, no you don't." Dave was staring him down and Kevin looked back to see several pairs of eyes on him, grinning mouths as they zeroed in on him. "We see you looking at Mel, but you're not running off yet. How's the new job, kid?" Kevin smiled and decided he could escape them later.

He went on for a while about the job and their just finding a house that they planned on buying if everything went according to plan. They hadn't realized that Kevin had proposed yet so he talked a little about that and most promised to go tease Mel later. They bantered for a while and Kevin finally got a little anxious talking about himself so much, so he excused himself to get a beer, making a pit stop over to Melanie and Jo's mom. "Hey, I'm going to get a beer. You guys want anything?" Kimberly almost heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh God, yes. A beer is fine, whatever, some booze would be good." She smiled sweetly and then turned her attention back to River. Kevin tried not to make a face as he looked to Mel. "And for you? Anything?"

[BRANDON GARCIA]

“Well…” The affectionate way Jo ran her hands over the collar of his shirt, her fingers beginning to play with the sparse hair on his chest, really got Brandon going. He was tempted to sneak away from the party for a bit to have some private time with his baby mama. “I was sort of hoping that we could start trying during the honeymoon. I mean, I’m going to be jumping your bones every waking moment anyway, so…” His smile turned wicked as he watched the lust come into Jo’s eyes. If she wasn’t careful, he was going to give into his baser instincts and drag her to the basement. “We’re bound to get lucky at some point.” Her tongue darted out over her lip before she caught it between her teeth and he ached to do some of his own nibbling. It didn’t matter if they made a baby or not, he just wanted to get into the act of making one right now. Leaning down, he held Jo closer to try and catch that pretty mouth with his. No one got him going like this little woman could.

The sound of a throat clearing nearby snapped Brandon out of Jo’s spell. Zoe was standing there, her pretty blue eyes wandering away bashfully. Oops. Brandon had forgotten they were in a public space momentarily. “Uhm…” Zoe chewed her bottom lip and while that usually got him going when it was Jo, on the girl it was just cute how similar she was to her big sister. He loosened his grip on Jo, sliding his hands to her hips and feeling a little embarrassed that a teenager had just witnessed him cozied up with her sister. “Mom said to see if you needed any, uhh…help…with like, anything.” Jo and Brandon both smiled and he dropped his hands from Jo’s body as she pushed back from him slightly. “Yeah, actually. Thanks!” She turned her cute smirk to him. “We’ll finish this conversation later tonight.” He gave her a mockingly stern look, lowering his chin so he was looking at her beneath his eyebrows. “Better not forget about me.” He gave a little wink and then grinned again, turning his smile on Zoe too. She gave him a weak one in return. The girl was so painfully shy—he hoped she would grow out of that at some point. Melanie used to be like that and she’d really blossomed, but Brandon could see Zoe ended up a little like his sister—quiet, sweet and unassuming. She could certainly be worse things.

While Jo gathered her sister to go outside and check on the snacks, Brandon grabbed a beer from the giant bowl full of ice and cold ones. As he was twisting the cap off, he saw a big hulking mass coming his way. Looking over, he saw Kevin coming into the kitchen and they smiled at each other. “What’s up, my brother?” he greeted playfully. “The guys giving you a hard time?” He knew they would, but he also knew Kevin could take it now. After two years, anyone would be used to it.

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

Kevin went over to talk to the guys, but Melanie found herself too enraptured by her nephew. It didn’t matter how many times she saw him, she couldn’t get enough of that chubby little ball of happiness. Kimberly got to hold him, but Melanie found herself grabbing his little feet and making him smile and laugh at the silly voices she used and faces she made. “He just adores you!”[/i] Melanie smiled up at Jo’s mom, releasing her nephew’s feet so Kimberly to turn him and rest him against her shoulder instead. “Well, I do get to see him all the time. I’m pretty lucky in that.” Kimberly smiled and then looked at River while bouncing him around. River’s little hands grabbed at her dark, graying hair, tugging it. “Be nice, River! Don’t pull Grandma’s hair!” Kimberly laughed and used one hand to disentangle one of his little fists. “Oh, don’t worry about it! Zoe did it all the time when she was a baby.”[/i] Melanie grinned over at Zoe, who looked uncomfortable at being brought into the conversation. “I bet you were a cute baby, Zoe.” The girl gave a small smile, but she didn’t look like she wanted to talk about herself at all. “Oh she was adorable! But God were her shitty diapers disgusting!”[/i] Zoe’s face went all red as Melanie looked at Kimberly with surprise, not knowing how to react. She gave an uncomfortable smile before Zoe cried softly, “Mom!” Uh-oh. Kimberly just shrugged, giving a “so what” smile to her youngest. “What? You were a baby! All babies have gross diapers. Yours were just especially bad.” “Can you talk about something else?”[/i] Kimberly sighed and put her free hand up defensively. “Sorry, sorry. Why don’t you go see if Jo needs help with something?” “Gladly.”[/i] Zoe stomped off, obviously mortified by her mother’s talk. Melanie just stood by with an uncertain, wide-eyed look.

When Zoe was well out of earshot, Kimberly rolled her eyes a little. “She’s in that teen stage where everything your parents do is embarrassing.”[/i] Melanie gave a smile, before reaching over and running her fingers over River’s light brown hair. “Did Jo ever go through that?” she asked, imagining Jo as a teenager. She must have been a handful. Kimberly laughed. “She’s still going through it! But at least she’s calmed down in the last few years.”[/i] Though she was trying to be amusing, Melanie noticed the way her smile soured. She must have known she didn’t really do right by Jo. But Melanie only knew that because Jo had told her about it.

Suddenly she noticed Kevin coming closer and she smiled wide at her fiancé. Maybe he would stay and talk with them! That might diffuse some of the awkwardness. Then again, maybe not. Melanie wasn’t sure if he’d ever met Jo’s mom in the past, considering their history. “Hey, I’m going to get a beer. You guys want anything?” “Oh God, yes. A beer is fine, whatever, some booze would be good.” Both Melanie and Kevin looked surprised at Kimberly’s automatic and enthusiastic response. Not wanting to give away their surprise or even minor disapproval, Kevin turned to her next. “And for you? Anything?” Melanie smiled and nodded. “A beer would be great. Thanks, honey.” Kevin gave her a smile and let them know he’d be back. When Melanie looked back to Kimberly, the older woman was watching him go and shaking her head. “Mm. If I were twenty years younger, I would climb that like a tree. I’m surprised Jo never tried. But you are a lucky and smart woman.”[/i] Kimberly gave her a wink and a broad, mischievous grin and Melanie let out a breathy, embarrassed laugh. She wasn’t really comfortable having this conversation with Jo’s mom, even if Melanie was technically older than Kimberly! “Well, thank you! I am very lucky.” What else could she say? Would somebody come over and pull them into another conversation so she could end this one? It was just a little too weird for her.

[JORDANNA HAILE GARCIA]

Jo was having lots of fun hosting the party, though she felt like she just couldn't relax. Fortunately, having run a business since she was basically 16, she's never learned how to properly relax, so she felt right at home refilling snack bowls and picking up after her guests while chit chatting. She put her sister to work refilling the bowls of chips, and Zoe seemed happy to have an excuse to be away from her mother and doing something helpful. It felt odd to think of the girl as her sister since she barely knew her. Hell, Jo didn't know her mom had a baby until Zoe was almost three. She was under the impression that Mike didn't know that Jo existed until around Zoe's birth, either. He'd been really nice though, but Jo was still sure he didn't know the whole story of her youth. If her mom wanted him to know, he would, but no way he would have a baby with a woman who did what she'd done to Jo as a child. Not on purpose anyway, unless she really had changed. Her mom had been a kid herself then, much younger than Jo was now. Either way, she'd done a half decent job with Zoe, so there was something to be said about that.

Jo made her way back towards the living room, catching her mom and Melanie talking. The red in Mel's cheeks told Jo she needed some saving and she inwardly laughed at whatever her mother had done to turn the older girls cheeks so very pink. River was drooling and chewing on a finger, humming softly to himself and looking at the balloons over his grandmothers shoulder when Jo approached and reached for him. "Alright, my turn!" She boasted, getting a dirty look from her mom. "Hey, you get him all the time." She jabbed but Jo just smiled at the baby. "I know but I missed him. And you missed me, didn't you pickle head." She teased, nuzzling the baby with her nose and enjoying his coos of happiness. Would she ever tire of this? "I'm going to give him a bottle and then we're going to get ready for cake. okay?" Jo, smiled at Mel. "Want to help me get the bottle ready?" She offered her almost sister-in-law.

Once Jo got Mel alone she looked up at her, trying not to giggle too much. "What did she say?" She asked, giving the girl a knowing look. "Or don't I even want to know.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

Kevin went on his way to get the beers for the girls, catching Bran on the way to the cooler. “What’s up, my brother? Kevin chuckled at the affectionate way Brandon spoke to him and nodded, offering a soft "What's up." in reply, smiling and giving a gentle chuckle. “The guys giving you a hard time?” He shrugged his shoulders lightly, pursing his lips and looking at the ceiling before laughing and nodding. "Yeah. To be honest I would be disappointed if they didn't." He said truthfully, liking the way the guys still ragged on him even though he'd been gone for a while. They still saw him as one of their own which was nice, and though the money wasn't great, Kevin knew he would always have a place on Brandon's ship among his men. Hopefully, he wouldn't ever need to be in that position again, since he was making quite a bit more than most of those guys were. Never did he feel more entitled, or better than any of them. Kevin would never forget where he came from, and intended to give back to the community if he were ever in a position to be able to do that. For now, he was looking at thirty years of debt paying a mortgage with his absolutely perfect fiance, and with any luck, paying for a handful of kids to go to college. The very thought of his own baby with Melanie made his stomach twist with a sick sort of fear and anticipation, his body unsure if it loved or hated the idea of reproduction.

"Just grabbing the ladies some beers." He explained, moving to grab a few. "Being the good fiance." His tone was friendly and he grinned at Bran's reply. Weird to think they would soon be brothers. Sort of.. That he would get to watch River grow up. It was a strange thought. Would River grow up like regular kids, though? Would it be slower, like Mel? Or maybe more regular, like he and Jo. It weirded Kevin out to think how much faster he would grow than his wife. Melanie would have a baby face forever it seemed. Did that mean his children would grow slow as well? He decided not to think about it there. It was neither the time or place.

Kevin went back and saw that Mel had left Kimberly's side, and River was gone too. He brought the older woman her drink, smiling his friendly little shy smile as she thanked him with a wink. That was weird.. He'd never met Jo's mom prior to this, and had never heard any good things. Of course he'd known through Melanie that she was back in Jo's life, but he could remember when she lived with her aunt and uncle, and the messed up stories she had of her mom. It hadn't been pretty growing up. Still, Kevin knew if his dad waltzed back into his life he might consider giving him another chance. After punching him in the jaw and telling him to go to hell a few times.

Finally Kevin found Melanie with Jo and River and brought her drink over. "So.. when's cake?" He asked, smiling wide enough that his dimples showed. He was a sucker for cake..

[BRANDON GARCIA]

Kevin shrugged at first but then he laughed and nodded and Brandon grinned. Of course the guys were giving him a hard time—it’s what they did. “Yeah. To be honest I would be disappointed if they didn’t.” Brandon gave a decided and exaggerated nod. “That’s the spirit! You know them, they show their affection through scorn.” Grinning, he watched as Kevin turned to pick up some beers and he assumed the guy had been typically nice and stopped to ask Melanie and Kimberly if they wanted something to drink. He liked how thoughtful Kevin was when it came to Melanie—well, to anyone, really. At least from what he had seen. Though he had been reluctant to accept that his sister was dating or getting serious with anyone, he was happy Kevin had endured his criticism and stuck with Melanie. They were good for each other and if Brandon was being perfectly honest, he couldn’t ask for a better guy for his baby sister. A much better choice than Paolo had been with all of his money and his schmoozy attitude. He cared about the unfortunate more than was natural—like it was all an act to catch Melanie in his oily trap. Melanie had loved him, but Brandon had never liked him. Kevin was as genuine as they came with no airs about him and Brandon was coming to trust that. “Just grabbing the ladies some beers. Being the good fiancé.” Brandon huffed a breath of disbelief. “Kiss ass,” he scoffed before grinning again at Kevin. He sipped his beer and walked back towards the living room. “Come on, brownnoser,” he bid to his soon to be brother-in-law, still giving him that wicked smile.

Once in the living room, Brandon sidled up to Mike while Kevin stopped to hand a beer to Kimberly. She gave him a wink and Brandon had to snort a laugh at the awkwardness written all over Kevin’s face. He was called back to attention by Garrett. “Hey Cap, tell Mike about that time we got lost off the coast and ended up in Canadian waters.”[/i] Brandon narrowed his eyes while the other guys laughed heartily. Even Mike was laughing with them as Brandon pointed a defensive finger in front of him. “First of all, I didn’t get lost—I got turned around by that storm that blew us twenty miles off our course. I knew we were going north, I just didn’t know how far north we’d already drifted.” The guys waved their hands and shook their hands at his insistence and Brandon proceeded with his story. He had the guys roaring with laughter, Kevin and Kimberly included as they came in just when Brandon was getting into the story. For about fifteen minutes he had the guests inside entertained, hardly noticing his wife and sister had disappeared into the kitchen.

It wasn’t until he saw Melanie and Jo coming out of the other room with little River that he realized they were gone. Kevin gravitated to his sister and Brandon took his chance to go to his fiancée and son. He smiled wide and put his hands out to River. “What’s happening, Kid? You enjoying all the ladies loving you?” River laughed and waved his arms out, reaching for his dad. “That’s right—you take after your papi.” He indulged his son’s insistence and swept him up into his big hands, lifting him high with a gasp before wiggling him down to his face to make the boy laugh. When he did it again, River squealed with delight and then laughed loudly as Brandon rubbed his nose into the soft little belly. Lowering him onto his shoulder and bracing his butt with his arm, Brandon adored the warm weight of his son in his arms. He kissed the boy’s chubby little cheek before leaning down and kissing his mother’s. “Time for presents?” he inquired softly. When she agreed, he smiled more. “Then do you mind getting the people outside? This crowd in here is a little unruly—looks like they’re going to need a firm hand to wrangle them together.” He gave a little wink to go wit his playfully macho attitude.

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

Just as Melanie was fishing for something else to talk about besides her fiancé, Jo appear with a cheerful, “My turn!” Melanie grinned but didn’t fail to notice Kimberly’s look of displeasure. “Hey, you get him all the time.” “I know but I missed him. And you missed me, didn’t you pickle head?”[/i] Giggling at Jo’s silly nickname for River, she felt the warmth in her chest grow as she watched Jo nuzzling her little nephew to the music of happy coos. Melanie couldn’t wait for that kind of happiness, though she still worried whether she would ever have it. Could she have children? That still remained to be seen. Maybe the experiments they had done to her in the camp…maybe they really had taken away her ability to have kids. Or maybe they really had enhanced them and she just didn’t know it yet. It would take time to answer those anxious questions and she preferred not to think of it then. “I’m going to give him a bottle and then we’re going to get ready for cake, okay?” Jo’s smile turned to Melanie and her eyes widened slightly. “Want to help me get the bottle ready?” Smiling wide, Melanie nodded and followed her almost sister-in-law into the next room.

As soon as they were out of earshot of the others, Jo was grinning mischievously at her. “What did she say? Or don’t I even want to know?” Melanie laughed and shook her head. “I’m not sure, but I’ll tell you anyway. Kevin came over to ask if we wanted something to drink and as soon as he walked away she told me she would, ‘Climb that like a tree,’ and said I was lucky.” As soon as it came out of her mouth and Jo was laughing about it, Melanie laughed again and harder. She hadn’t realized how funny it was until she repeated it! “She also said she was surprised you never went after him.” The face Jo made caused Melanie to laugh again. “Hey now, that’s my fiancé!” She considered a moment and then nodded her head from side to side. “Then again, that’s how I react when anyone says Brandon is cute.” Leaning down to River, she tickled his plump little cheek and got a milky smile while he still sucked his bottle. “But at least you came out cute!” Strange, considering he looked so much like Brandon.

After a few more minutes of milk and chitchat, Jo and Melanie returned to the party at the end of one of Brandon’s stories. He loved to be the center of attention, so different from her. Sometimes it was hard to believe they were siblings. Kevin made his way over and she smiled wide as he handed her the beer he had promised. “Thanks, love!” she chirped, putting her arm through his affectionately. “So…when’s cake?” He grinned so wide his heart-melting dimples showed and she had to grin back warmly in return. “I think it’s after presents. Which should be starting shortly. But you’ll have to be patient. I know, that’s so difficult when there’s cake involved.” She giggled and then sipped her beer before grinning and stepping in front of him so she could talk lowly. “And by the way, Jo’s mom says that when she was younger she would have climbed you like a tree. Just letting you know.” It was so hard to keep her laughter down at the look on Kevin’s face and she muffled the sound with her hand and his chest. Even with that, she snorted as she breathed in, making her laugh harder. “Your face is priceless!” she breathed when she had finally contained her laughter, her cheeks flushed with the effort.

[JORDANNA HAILE GARCIA]

The way Melanie laughed and shook her head told Jo she better brace herself. “I’m not sure, but I’ll tell you anyway. Kevin came over to ask if we wanted something to drink and as soon as he walked away she told me she would, ‘Climb that like a tree,’ and said I was lucky.” Jo's cheeks flushed and she had to laugh, an embarrassed, but amused smile on her lips. How like her mom to say something so crude! "Oh, God.." She said softly, her hand on her cheek as she shook her head. How were they related! “She also said she was surprised you never went after him.” Suddenly she was grimacing, wrinkling her nose. "Gross." She scoffed, realizing immediately that her words were sort of rude. “Hey now, that’s my fiancé!” Mel's laughter told her the girl didn't really take it to heart and she grinned. It wasn't because Kevin was a bad kid or bad looking. In fact, he was pretty sweet and cute. Now. “Then again, that’s how I react when anyone says Brandon is cute.” She tickled River's cheek as the boy played with his bottle. Jo wasn't allowed to touch the thing anymore since River was a strict do-it-myselfer. “But at least you came out cute!” "That's because he came from me." She cooed playfully, slipping her now free arm under the boys butt to help keep him comfortably on her hip. "And it's nothing personal with Kevin. Remember, I've known him since I was, like, sixteen? I'll always see him as that tall, quiet, gawky kid that was my hot boyfriends buddy. I mean, I was in love with Kit, Kevin was just.. he was so boring." She knew Melanie didn't know Kit the way Jo did. He'd been a rowdy asshole, funny and mean and always drunk. The bad boy.. He made her feel alive in ways no one had ever done before that. She'd been a sad, pathetic kid until then. She was surprised Kit didn't have more of an effect on Kevin. "I'm surprised she even remembers I knew Kevin growing up. Not like she'd ever met him anyway." The last part was grumbled more than anything else, a slight bitterness grabbing her. It was sometimes hard to forget where she'd come from. Looking back, she knew it was for the best, but still.. it just hurt.

"Anyway, speak of the devil." She suddenly said, eyeing Kevin as he strolled on over and asked when cake was. “I think it’s after presents. Which should be starting shortly. But you’ll have to be patient. I know, that’s so difficult when there’s cake involved.” Jo laughed and nodded. "Right after presents, I promise." She reiterated, suddenly seeing Kevin again as that poor kid with a similar background to herself. He hadn't been so lucky, but he'd turned out alright. “And by the way, Jo’s mom says that when she was younger she would have climbed you like a tree. Just letting you know.” Jo laughed and shook her head again, blushing red. "Oh, God.. C'mon, Mel!" She scolded with a laugh, looking shyly up at Kevin who look mortified. “Your face is priceless!” Melanie laughed and Kevin simply shook his head. "Man, I really wish I didn't know that.." Jo clapped him on the arm. "Me too, buddy." She laughed. Kevin wrinkled his nose and shuddered. "Well, that's enough of that, how about those presents?" He clearly wanted to change subjects and Jo was right there with him. "Good idea." Jo agreed just as Brandon made his gran re-entrance. “What’s happening, Kid? You enjoying all the ladies loving you?” Jo smiled more genuinely now as her fiance reached for their son and she gave him up willingly, keeping his mostly drunk bottle. He never had interest in it once daddy was back on the scene. Dad equaled play time, which meant milk could wait. Jo took the moment to steal Mel's beer and take a sip before handing it back. She could use a drink. A lot of drinks, maybe.. “Time for presents?” Jo nodded, "It's like you read my mind." “Then do you mind getting the people outside? This crowd in here is a little unruly—looks like they’re going to need a firm hand to wrangle them together.” He gave her little wink and she rolled her eyes. "They're not the only one's who need a firm hand, sailor." She teased, smacking his rear before moving past him. "Mel? You and Kevin mind getting the folks from outside?" When the pair agreed Jo made her way into the other room letting her guests know that they would be doing presents now.

It took almost fifteen minutes to get everyone together and settled, ready for presents. Jo handed Mel a pad of paper and instructed her to write down what was from who so she would know to send appropriate thank you notes later, and then sat down with River on the floor. He was too little to really get the whole unwrapping thing, but He did enjoy playing in the tissues paper and torn up wrapping paper. Brandon dutifully took pictures while Zoe was kind enough to push the presents towards them. There was an alarming amount of presents that were fishing related and inappropriate for a small child let alone an infant. Obviously those had come from Brandon's crew, some of which had kids of their own but had decided to get whatever they wanted anyway, probably because they thought it was funny. Like the bottle of rum. He got loads of clothes which Jo was grateful for since he was growing so quickly, and some nice toys. Even a handful of new books! Melanie's presents, as always, were her favorite even if the basket seemed to hold as many things as Mary Poppins bag. All in all, it was shaping up to be a pretty nice party so far.