Breaking the News

[REMY GRAHAM]

“April first is the due date for the baby, but the doctor says it’s likely that’ll be pushed back. First time babies rarely come on time. But of course, you both know that.” His cool eyes were on her as she spoke, glad she was taking the reigns. Things were starting to get heated with his mother and he was never very good at taming her once she got riled up. Julie was a much calmer presence. “As to the wedding, we don’t really have any dates in mind for that. We figured we’d take one thing at a time and focus on the baby coming for now.” “But the baby will be born out of wedlock.” That was the thing he was waiting for his mother to say and he braced himself for the argument Julie was about to have with his mother, her future mother-in-law. The words made his stomach squirm as he thought them.. Caroline would be her mother-in-law..

“And so was I. I think I turned out okay.” “You also turned out to get pregnant before you were married too. That doesn’t instill much confidence in me for my grandchild’s future.” “We all make mistakes. That does not mean our child will make the same ones.” “You certainly repeated your mother’s mistake.” This was starting to go sour and quickly. Remy felt his body tense again as he glared at his mother, wanting to stand up for Julie, and he might have if she didn't open her mouth and do it herself. “My mother was sixteen when she gave birth to me and she still achieved every dream she had. She also made sure I had a solid foundation to do the same. This isn’t exactly how I pictured my life going, but it’s close enough for me. Remy and I will provide the same strong foundation for our child, regardless of whether we’re married or not when the baby is born. I’m not going to rush into marriage when I’m already rushing into parenthood. Remy and I will be married on our own terms and in our own time.” Though what she said was true, and made sense, it still made him queasy. She was admitting they were going to get married because of the baby, admitting that it was all just a giant mistake, an accident.. It was obvious, but there was no way for him to twist things any other way now, and it only gave his mother more ammunition. This was his biggest fuck-up yet in Caroline's eyes, he knew it. Maybe in time she would ease up and things would be alright. Maybe she'd actually grow fond of the little goblin, especially if it was a girl, but for now she was going to make him suffer for his poor choices.

"Of course that child's going to have a strong foundation! Look who its family is!" She snapped, as if being a Graham was good enough for a strong foundation. Remy knew then and there that his mother was going to be very invested in this child's future, and there were going to be a great many arguments about where it would go to school. Hell, likely plenty of arguments on what it was going to wear! "And you can't expect that child to have any stability if its parents can't commit to marrying one another! You want it to know it was an accident? Children aren't supposed to in attendance at their parents wedding's, that's absurd!" "Caroline, that's enough." There was a calm in Richard Graham's voice that forced the eyes of both his wife and son. He seemed so at ease, which surprised Remy. He'd forgotten his father was even there for a moment. "The boy's about to be a father, obviously that news had been a bit unexpected. They have a enough to focus on in the next five or six months without rushing to plan a wedding that would be suitable. Getting upset and stressing about all of this isn't good for you in your condition, and will only take away from the wonderful news we've just been given. Darling, we're about to be grandparents. Just congratulate the boy!" His jaw went a little slack as he stared at his father in bewilderment. What had just happened? Caroline looked like an insolent child, glowering bitterly at her husband before turning to Remy and Julie, seeming to consider her husbands words. She was silent and Remy just stood there confused, turning to look at Julie a little unsure what to make of it all. "Well, will you at least get married before its first birthday?" "Oh for heaven's sake.." "It's a reasonable question, Richard!" Caroline snapped, and Remy clenched his jaw, squeezing Julie's hand and looking at her for a moment. She didn't seem to have any objection on her face, and though he felt a little shaky he nodded slowly, turning back to his mother. "Yes." His throat was dry and he cleared it before swallowing hard. His mother seemed to ease a little though she was still very visibly tense and upset, probably thinking of all sorts of lies to tell her girlfriends. "Well then, that's settled." Richard came over, his eyes gleaming and a smile wide on his face before he wrapped his son in a bear hug. "Congratulations." He hummed, patting Remy on the back before moving to Julie and offering the same sentiments. Remy had never been so grateful to his father. No unkind words, no warnings, no nothing.. just sheer joy and understanding. Remy was sure he would have sided with his mother.. he always did. Caroline was truly a force to be reckoned with. "Yes, congratulations." Caroline agreed, though not nearly as pleasant sounding as her husband, her voice still stern and her words short and chilly. Though she seemed better now, Remy knew more was to come, probably the second her husband was gone. Remy was really beginning to fear what the next few months had in store for him and his now fiance.

[JULIE BRADY]

“Of course that child’s going to have a strong foundation! Look who its family is!” As if the Graham name was enough to give a child a good foundation. Julie knew it would take much more than that. Sure, they wouldn’t want for anything, but there needed to be love in the equation too. That was something the child would have plenty of from the Brady side of its family. “And you can’t expect that child to have any stability if its parents can’t commit to marrying one another! You want it to know it was an accident?” Julie was going to pop again. Caroline had never infuriated her more! “Children aren’t supposed to be in attendance at their parents’ weddings, that’s absurd!” “Caroline, that’s enough.”[/b] Before Julie had any time for a rebuttal, Richard Graham was inserting himself into the conversation, much to everyone’s surprise. “The boy’s about to be a father, obviously that news had been a bit unexpected. They have enough to focus on in the next five or six months without rushing to plan a wedding that would be suitable. Getting upset and stressing about all of this isn’t good for you in your condition, and will only take away from the wonderful news we’ve just been given. Darling, we’re about to be grandparents. Just congratulate the boy!”[/b] Her eyes were huge, completely taken aback by this unexpected and much appreciated defense. At least someone was happy to have the baby on the way! Remy looked down at her and she returned his confused look but gave a small twitch of a smile. “Well, will you at least get married before its first birthday?” “Oh for heaven’s sake.” “It’s a reasonable question, Richard!” Remy didn’t respond, his eyes coming back to hers as his hand squeezed around hers gently. Would they get married before the first birthday? She gave a small nod, though she didn’t really like it. That was still rushing in her opinion and it put more pressure on Remy to get a ring soon, something she didn’t want to pressure him to do, but at least it bought them a little more time. Finally he looked back at his mother and Julie did the same. “Yes.” Their fate was sealed. “Well then, that’s settled.”[/b] Richard got to his feet with a big smile and gleaming eyes that forced Julie to drop Remy’s hand. Father and son shared a mighty hug and Julie had to give a smile at it. She was so happy her future father-in-law was excited for a grandchild. “Congratulations.”[/b] Then the tall man turned to her with the same big smile and Julie’s eyes actually began to glisten with tears as she returned his smile. He wrapped his arms around her and she gave him a tight hug in return. It reminded her of when Remy and Caroline were in the hospital and she’d felt lost, confused, and frayed at the nerves. Richard had been her comfort then too. She knew that at the very least, she would have a good relationship with her father-in-law. God, that was still weird to think about. She was going to marry into the Graham family! Who would have ever thought? “Yes, congratulations.” That’s all Caroline could say. It left a bitter taste in Julie’s mouth and she didn’t like it. They’d always had a good relationship. Her brow furrowed sadly as she fixed her eyes on Caroline’s.

“I’m sorry for all of this, Caroline. I never wanted to disappoint you. Really.” The older woman gave her a cold, haughty look before looking away. There was nothing more to say. Julie felt drained and hurt, but she knew she’d betrayed the extraordinary trust Caroline had always had in her. It would take time for that wound to heal. She looked at Richard and he just gave her a sad smile of reassurance. “Well…we should probably leave you two to process this. We have a dinner with my folks that we have to get to, anyway.” Her eyes went up to Remy. He looked utterly reluctant to join her, but she wasn’t letting him off the hook. Richard said his goodbyes to them while Caroline gave a terse word of farewell to Remy. She kept her silence with Julie. The woman would come around eventually, but it ate at Julie to know she’d finally disappointed her mentor. It had always been one of her biggest fears. Now it was realized.

Remy let her lead the way out of his mother’s office and shut the door behind them. Julie walked with him in silence all the way to the elevator, keeping her cool and trying to pull herself together. But as soon as they were in the elevator, she could feel the tears brimming in her eyes. Her hands clutched the straps of her purse tightly, struggling to choke them down. It was no use. A sob sounded from her before she could stop it, tears leaking onto her pale cheeks. Finally she hid her face behind one hand and began to sniffle and sob in turn. “I’m sorry…” she sobbed quietly. “That was just…worse than I expected. I’m sorry I let it slip that this was all an accident. I just…I got so angry.”

[REMY GRAHAM]

“I’m sorry for all of this, Caroline. I never wanted to disappoint you. Really.” Remy wished she wouldn't waste her breath apologizing to his mother. She was too angry to accept it now anyway, and he certainly didn't care how disappointed she was in him. She'd always been disappointed in him, and after a while you simply expect it. Poor Julie had always been in her good graces before. “Well… we should probably leave you two to process this. We have a dinner with my folks that we have to get to, anyway.” Remy looked down at Julie, his heart sinking. Hadn't this been enough? Couldn't they cancel her parents? The thought of doing this all over again so soon made him ill. His father said farewell to them both, and still keeping her eyes adverted, his mother wished them farewell. He knew once she processed it she would be a little more open, but for now she was being a snotty old bitch. She wasn't on his good side at the moment.

Remy lead Julie from the office hoping his father would talk his mother down a bit, and shut the door behind him. It was difficult not to slam it closed. The walk to the elevator was long and quiet, neither really wanting to speak about what had just happened. The elevator took it's time getting to their floor, and when the metal doors opened, they entered the box hand in hand. Julie pulled her hand away to clutch at her pure and Remy was fine with having his hands to himself. It wasn't until he heard her choke back a sob that he looked down at her curiously. Was she crying? She sniffled into her hands as they moved to cover her face, and though he knew he should feel bad for her, part of him was almost glad she felt this distraught. She had been careless. She'd gotten them into this mess. Did she really think this would have gone smoothly? That by the girl he impregnated be her, Caroline would suddenly be alright with his mistake?

“I’m sorry…” she sobbed, and his callous thoughts slipped away, feeling a little bad for her. It was hard for him to remember that she didn't want this either, and she was trying to do the right thing. “That was just…worse than I expected. I’m sorry I let it slip that this was all an accident. I just…I got so angry.” Remy sighed and reached his arm out around her shoulder, pulling her into him as the elevator brought them down to the main level. His arms wrapped tight around her, embracing her as she wept into his chest. "She would have known whether we said it or not." Remy assured her. "It's Caroline." He buried his nose into her hair and sighed again through his nose, feeling the air warm up against his face. "The worst is over. At least with them.. and my father came to the rescue strangely enough. He must have had a few too many scotch's this morning." He teased though he didn't laugh. He knew it wasn't a good time to remind her she would be doing all the talking next round. "Actually, a scotch sounds good.. maybe you can cheat a bit before we see your family? I'm sure a drink or two won't harm the little bugger, and I could use a drink or six."

[JULIE BRADY]

Julie heard Remy sigh before she felt his arm around her shoulders. She willingly folded herself into his chest at his invitation, wrapping her arms around his middle and burying her face into his chest. It had been a while since he’d been there to really comfort her when she cried and she found it was nice to have his warmth. His arms felt good around her and the nose sighing into her hair eased some of the pain her raw nerves were feeling. “She would have known whether we said it or not. It’s Caroline.” She gave a small laugh through her tears, sniffling as her cheek pressed against his shirt. If only he would hold her like this more often when she was upset… “The worst is over. At least with them…and my father came to the rescue strangely enough. He must have had a few too many scotches this morning.” She smiled a little into his shirt, pretty sure his dad was stone cold sober. He was a better man than Remy painted him. “Actually, a scotch sounds good…maybe you can cheat a bit before we see your family? I’m sure a drink or two won’t harm the little bugger, and I could use a drink or six.” Sighing, Julie pulled back enough to give Remy a playful stink eye. “Yeah, because that’s just what we need—fetal alcohol syndrome on top of all our other problems.” She shrugged. “Well…maybe that’s an exaggeration. But I would feel the baby judging me as much as its grandmother. It starts in the womb.” Her fingers ran under her eyes and down her cheeks, smearing her tears away before wiping them on her skirt. “And if I have to do this next part sober, so do you. Besides, I’m in charge of keeping you away from booze now. But I’m sure we can find other ways of taking out our frustration.” She leaned up onto her tiptoes and kissed him, hoping to stifle any argument. Maybe she could tempt him enough to stay with her tonight instead of running out and getting drunk by himself.

The drive over to her parents’ house wasn’t a long one, but it was long enough for Julie to calm herself and gather her energy for round two. Remy proposed canceling a couple more times and each time Julie insisted that it was better to just get this over with. It was like pulling off a band-aid. You could pull it off slowly and draw out your pain or you could tear it off quickly and suffer the sting for a few seconds. This was just one giant band-aid. And to soothe the pain, Julie promised to make it up to Remy many times over. She would much rather be at the making up part already than pulling into her parents’ driveway. Their house was cute, warm and inviting with the wind chime pinging softly by way of greeting. Remy looked like he was about to hurl and Julie felt a pang of pity for the man. “They’ll be fine after the initial shock. I mean…this isn’t exactly the best way to meet my stepdad, but he’ll…get over it.” She didn’t sound very reassuring and she bit her lower lip as she realized that. To soften the blow, she leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. “Just think of all the ways you’ll have me make this up to you.” She offered a kittenish smile at his response and kissed him again before she took his hand and led the way to her parents’ door.

As soon as the bell rang, she heard her mom yelling out, “Coming!” Within moments her form appeared in the windows framing her door and she grinned wide as she swung it open. “Oh, hello daughter! We weren’t expecting you this evening.” Julie tilted her head to the side and gave her mother a challenging look despite her growing smile. “Haha. I smell fresh food and we all know you only cook when company is coming.” “That’s not true!” Julie lowered her chin and gave her mom a searching look. “Okay, maybe it is. But I didn’t cook—Luke did. So you’re out of luck.” “Please, don’t you have food to spare for weary travelers?” Cora sighed dramatically and then held the door open. “Okay, fine. My heart is brimming with pity.” Julie grinned and stepped into the house. “Good!” She turned to Remy with a big smile and hovered close as Cora smiled for him too. “Mom, you’ve met Remy.” “Yes, but I never thought he’d be coming to my house as your date. It’s great to finally have a cute boy in the house.” Cora gave her most charming smile as she extended her hand to Remy and Julie rolled her eyes with a wide smile. It was a relief to be around her mom after the stiff formality of Caroline’s office. “Hey, I thought I was cute.”[/i] Luke came around the corner, for once not sporting a backwards baseball cap and a smile on his scruffy face. “No, Honey, you’re ruggedly handsome.” Cora gave a sweet smile to her husband as he gave her a suspicious look. Luke then extended his hand to Remy. “Luke. It’s nice to meet you.”[/i] Remy returned the sentiment and they shared a handshake before Cora gestured towards the kitchen. “Well come in and have something to eat! If I know Ju-Ju Bee, I know her stomach is about to start talking any second.” “Mom, can we minimize the embarrassing nicknames? I’d like to leave this house with some sort of dignity left to me.” Cora looked genuinely offended though Julie knew she was anything but. “And break tradition? I think not.” “Have you met your mother, Jules?”[/b] “A mother shouldn’t subject her child to humiliation every time said child brings a new boyfriend home. It’s cruel.” Cora gave her a wicked grin as they all took their seats around the table. “One day you’ll understand, my child.” Far sooner than Cora knew and Julie’s stomach flipped to know the revelation was fast approaching. She could at least enjoy her stepdad’s burgers and fries first. He made the best burgers and fries.

The meal was great with a surprising amount of laughter and enjoyment. Remy actually seemed to be having a good time hearing all of her mom’s favorite embarrassing stories about Julie, including the one where she found two-year-old Julie playing ecstatically in the toilet. And the one when seven-year-old Julie was on her way to pee out in the woods on a hiking trip and tripped, causing her to roll twelve feet down a hill and land in a patch of poison ivy. And the one where sixteen-year-old Julie was hit by a deer at a stop sign on her first day driving her mom’s old Jeep to school. All the while she was referred to by every nickname in her repertoire—Jules, Ju-Ju Bee, Lili, Blackie Locks, Kitten, and Moon Face. There were even a couple Julia’s thrown in there for emphasis. As her mother said, it was tradition. Of course, Remy was also asked for details about himself. Was he happy working for the hotel and was that going to be his career? What did he actually do there? What sort of hobbies did he have? What was Remy’s first impression of Julie? That actually gave them a good laugh and Remy held up to the line of questioning rather well.

But of course, all of this enjoyment had to come to an end with the news they had. “So Jules, is there a particular reason you invited yourself and your boyfriend to my house this evening?” Julie was in the middle of chewing another fry but she stopped mid chew with her mother’s unexpected question, her eyes wide with surprise. “Come on, Kiddo. You didn’t think we weren’t on to you, did you?”[/i] She swallowed and gave a small, nervous half smile, glancing at Remy. This was it. He looked like he wanted to barf up all of the food he’d just eaten. She cleared her throat and met her mother’s gaze once again. “Uh…well…we actually have some pretty big news.” Her eyes darted between her parents uncertainly and their stares became more suspicious. She licked her lips and glanced at Remy again. When her eyes came back to her parents, she put a nervous smile on. “I’m pregnant.” The silence that followed could have been cut with a knife. She’d never seen such shock on her parents’ faces before. Her lower lip tucked between her teeth as she waited for them to say something. “You’re…pregnant? Like…like having a baby?” It was obvious Cora was stunned beyond reason. Julie nodded. Luke and Cora finally looked at each other, lost for words. Then both of their eyes landed on Remy. Luke’s mouth tightened and his jaw set—Julie had seen that protective look a few times before but never to this extent. “Obviously you’re going to stick around, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. Do you plan on marrying her?”[/i] Cora looked affronted and scoffed. “What’s that supposed to mean? Julie doesn’t have to marry him just because she’s…Jesus, I’m going to be a grandma.” The older woman rested her forehead in her hand, her voice breathless. “I just want to know what the plan is because we know a baby wasn’t in the original one!”[/i] He was losing his cool and Julie gulped wondering how the rest of this conversation was going to go.

[REMY GRAHAM]

“Yeah, because that’s just what we need—fetal alcohol syndrome on top of all our other problems.” He cocked a brow. Maybe she was being a tad bit dramatic there. “Well…maybe that’s an exaggeration. But I would feel the baby judging me as much as its grandmother. It starts in the womb. And if I have to do this next part sober, so do you. Besides, I’m in charge of keeping you away from booze now. But I’m sure we can find other ways of taking out our frustration.” She leaned in and gave a sweet kiss on the lips and he forced a smile. The promise of fucking her was a nice, one, but fucking her plastered sounded much, much better. He knew in that moment that he would be drinking alone now. Not that he was supposed to be drinking, and he would have to confess at the meetings he was attending, but chances were people would understand on some level. Maybe he would just stop going, see if his mother would fire him now that he had a mouth to feed. Two, actually..

Before he knew it they were in the car and nearly at her parents house. He suggested maybe rescheduling, his stomach in knots at the prospect of doing this whole song and dance over again, but Julie was adamant that it would be best to just get it over with, and that it wouldn't be as bad as his family. Remy didn't believe her, though. The way she described her step father wasn't exactly promising, and though she assured him she would make it up to him, he still felt uneasy about the exchange they were about to have. He put on a good face for her, though. It was better to get it all done and over with, pretend to be the doting father to be for her sake. Maybe in the months to come he would soften to the idea of marriage and a family. For now he was still mourning the loss of his youth, the life he'd been living pretty happily up until this point. Sure, he'd taken on loads of responsibilities over the last year or two, but this.. this was unexpected. He hoped he could be genuinely happy with her, with this family..

The house they pulled up to was quaint. It wasn't very large, but not small. Old, rustic and charming. There were wind chimes singing in the evening breeze and it all came off as bordering on whimsical. Julie rang the bell and he could hear her mother calling out that she was coming, her footsteps calling down the hall as she made her way to the door to let them in. “Oh, hello daughter! We weren’t expecting you this evening.” “Haha. I smell fresh food and we all know you only cook when company is coming.” “That’s not true!” They were bantering. Did parents banter with their children? This wasn't what he was used to at all. Hell, his friends parents never spoke to their children in this way. Then again, she was very young. Young enough for Remy to consider one night relations with.. “Okay, maybe it is. But I didn’t cook—Luke did. So you’re out of luck.” “Please, don’t you have food to spare for weary travelers?” “Okay, fine. My heart is brimming with pity.” “Good!” This was so foreign to him. Would this be what it was like with her and their kid? What sort of parent would he be?

“Mom, you’ve met Remy.” “Yes, but I never thought he’d be coming to my house as your date. It’s great to finally have a cute boy in the house.” She smiled at him and he put on a somewhat bashful smile in return, a noise sort of like a laugh choked in the back of his throat. He didn't know completely sure how to respond. He felt more awkward than anything else, unsure how to act or what to even say to this woman. “Hey, I thought I was cute.” The step dad. Remy looked at the slightly shorter man who was a bit stockier. He seemed a little rough around the edges but Remy didn't get a threatening vibe off of him. “No, Honey, you’re ruggedly handsome.” Luke offered his hand to Remy and somehow he felt more comfortable with this. This was how he knew to greet someone. “Luke. It’s nice to meet you.” "Likewise." He offered properly, giving the man a firm handshake. It was the best first impression one could make.

Cora gestured them towards the kitchen, referring to Julie as Ju-Ju Bee, a name she seemed embarrassed about. He smirked slightly, looking down at his...girlfriend? Fiance? He didn't even know what the hell they were, but he cocked a brow, liking that she seemed a little unnerved by the nickname in his presence. Cora insisted that she needed to embarrass Jules whenever she brought a new man home. How many men had she dragged home before? A weird pang of jealousy slithered into his belly. Surely not many.. Julie didn't seem the type to date around much. “A mother shouldn’t subject her child to humiliation every time said child brings a new boyfriend home. It’s cruel.” “One day you’ll understand, my child.” Remy's stomach lurched a little. could she know? No of course not. Remy found himself clearing his throat as he sat down, his brows slightly furrowed as he looked to Jules, almost as if he had no other idea where his eyes should go.

The talking started almost instantly. Cora and Julie bantered through most of the meal, with occasional questions thrown at him and of course plenty of nice embarrassing young Julie stories. Remy got a glimpse into his future. How many meals would be spent around this table? Though he felt very out of place, he couldn't deny the meal was pleasant. Nice, even. The food was good and simple, the questions were non-threatening and his answers were accepted with no recourse. He was surprised how relaxed he felt even if he wasn't used to family gatherings like this. It was nice. He could get used to this.. He could even get used to maybe having a weird nickname of his own. Cora seemed like the kind of woman who would accept him as her son in law even with his history with her daughter, which he was sure she knew all the gruesome details of. She didn't seem to hold anything against him, though. That alone was something to appreciate. But all things must come to an end.

“So Jules, is there a particular reason you invited yourself and your boyfriend to my house this evening?” Remy was surprised by the prompt, swallowing a rather large, not thoroughly chewed bite. His eyes watered slightly and he cleared his throat as the large lump of hamburger pushed its way slowly down his esophagus. He turned and looked a little to Julie, knowing this was it, the moment of truth. Suddenly he was regretting having gotten so comfortable, feeling his guard coming back up. Would they be alright with the answer? Would they freak out on him? He wasn't entirely sure he could handle two sets of parents reacting the same way in one evening. “Come on, Kiddo. You didn’t think we weren’t on to you, did you?” Julie cleared his throat and Remy reached for his drink. “Uh…well…we actually have some pretty big news.” His jaw tensed as she paused, looking around the group. He needed to relax.. “I’m pregnant.” Silence. Silence wasn't a good thing.. Silence meant they weren't thrilled with this news and his stomach twisted. Why did he eat so damn much? Why was the food so stupidly good?! "You’re…pregnant? Like…like having a baby?” Julie nodded and her parents looked at each other before their eyes turned to him. He could feel their words in their look. What did you do to our daughter?! Just their glances made him defensive and he bit his tongue, knowing it would be in poor taste to point out that she had screwed up the birth control, that at least he was being responsible, but knew there was no place for that at this table. At least he had enough sense for that. “Obviously you’re going to stick around, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. Do you plan on marrying her?” What was everyone's obsession with their pending nuptials!? Couldn't he just knock her up without being tied down to her? Of course he had to marry her, they'd already discussed it, but the phrasing made him want to tell the guy no out of spite. “What’s that supposed to mean? Julie doesn’t have to marry him just because she’s…Jesus, I’m going to be a grandma.” “I just want to know what the plan is because we know a baby wasn’t in the original one!” Though Remy understood Luke's reaction, he wasn't thrilled with the tone he was using.

"This was obviously a surprise." He started, trying to keep his calm about him. Maybe this would go more smoothly if he could do that much. "But we've decided that we're going to focus on preparing for the baby's arrival and then we'll work on doing a wedding. Our plan is by its first birthday." They weren't about to pick out colors or invitations yet, let alone a date. Hell the initial shock was still very heavy on both of them. Besides marriage seemed so.. permanent, even though it was less so than parenthood. Remy sat straighter, eyeing Luke almost sternly. He looked pissed, but Remy gave the visual that he didn't care. The man could accept it or fight with him, either way Remy was prepared.

[JULIE BRADY]

“This was obviously a surprise.” Julie almost snorted. That was the understatement of the year. She looked over at Remy, seeing he was struggling to keep his cool. Luke could be a little too blunt and easily flustered from time to time. “But we’ve decided that we’re going to focus on preparing for the baby’s arrival and then we’ll work on doing a wedding. Our plan is by its first birthday.” Julie nodded and looked at her parents. Her mom look very concerned, her eyes now emerged from her hand and Luke was glaring at Remy. She looked to Remy once more and saw the challenge written on his face as he held Luke’s gaze. The pissing test was about to start. Julie opened her mouth to say something, break it up, but her mom beat her to the punch. “Is that what you want to do? Because if you’re feeling pressured into marriage by a baby, that’s not the best way to go.” Her eyes were more fixed on Julie, her brow furrowed and her mouth frowning with worry. Julie gave her mom a small smile, tilting her head to the side a little. “We know that. We’ve talked about it a lot and we’ve decided this is best.” Cora reached across the table and laid her hand on Julie’s, leaning closer and her face insistent. “But is this what you want?” Julie swallowed hard and looked from her mother’s face to Remy’s. He looked irritated and concerned all at once, his baby blues on her face. Remy wasn’t the best man she’d ever dated. In fact, he was probably the worst. But they had been through so much together and they were still going strong. He had tried harder to keep her by his side than he’d tried for any other woman. Not to mention the sex was the best she’d ever had. His flaws were legion, but he was a good man. They would have their fair share of trouble, she knew that, yet she believed their happiness together could outweigh that with time. She smiled a little and looked back to Cora, nodding. “Yes. That’s what I want.” Cora smiled back sadly, her eyes beginning to glisten. “Then I’m happy for you.” Her voice was just over a whisper and before Julie could stop her, Cora was wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in to plant a kiss on the top of her head. It was hard not to cry. This was what she had needed since she found out she was pregnant. She needed her mom’s unconditional understanding.

Luke cleared his throat and sighed heavily, clasping his hands in front of him on the table. His sullen hunched shoulders made the women pull apart from each other, both worried that he was about to explode. “Honey—“ “Don’t worry, I’m not going to start yelling.” He was grumbling, obviously not thrilled but maintaining his cool. Once again his eyes fixed on Remy. Luke had been a part of her life since she was nine and he’d been married to her mom since she was twelve. Though she had a real father that she was close to, her relationship with Christopher was mostly a long distance one. With how much he traveled, the times they were able to see each other had always been rare. So Luke had been the only real father she had ever shared a home with. She called him Pops usually and there was a reason for that. It was no wonder he was so very protective of her. To know this boy had impregnated his little girl must have been infuriating—especially a boy he’d only recently started to hear nice things about.

“I have to commend you for staying.”[/b] It was the last thing Julie expected to hear and her eyes widened. “I’m sure you won’t be surprised to know we’ve heard a lot about you over the years. We know your reputation. I didn’t like you from the moment Julie came home telling us about the owner’s son who kept harassing her. In fact, I told her to kick you in the balls the next time you tried to flirt with her. As far as I know, she never took my advice on that. Maybe she should have to keep this mess from happening.” Julie gave him a warning look. “Pops—” He held up a hand and shot her a look to silence her. It was obvious he was struggling to keep his cool. Looking back to Remy, his weathered face was still stern. “So I was highly suspicious when Cora came home and told me the big secret—you two were dating. In fact, you had been seeing each other for several months. And don’t think I don’t know what ‘seeing each other’ means. I was convinced she was being an idiot for the first time in her life and you were going to break her heart and I was going to have to kill you.” He was so dramatic. Julie rolled her eyes a little. “Maybe I was wrong. I may not be her father, but I’ve known Jules since she was nine. She’s my little girl. I should know by now to trust her judgment—more or less.” Julie’s brow furrowed a little sadly, happy and sympathetic to hear Luke talk about her so affectionately. It wasn’t a normal occurrence since Luke wasn’t a very expressive guy when it came to tenderness. He sighed again and ran a hand through his graying hair. “What I’m trying to say…is that I’m impressed you decided to stay by her side through this. And…I’m sorry for assuming the worst about you.” Julie’s eyes were as wide as her mom’s. This wasn’t what she expected out of Luke. He looked like he had a bitter taste in his mouth as he always did when he was forced to apologize, but the guilty look in his eyes showed his sincerity. Luke didn’t apologize easily and this was a big step for him. Then he pointed at Remy, giving him a look of warning. “I’m trusting you, so you better not hurt her. I’m an excellent shot and I have a big garden I can bury you in.” That was more like Luke. Both of the women sighed and smiled, shaking their heads as if to brush off his threats. Luke gave them a grumpy look and pursed his lips as he lowered his finger. When he looked back at Remy, he tipped his chin back and studied the boy down the bridge of his nose. “So…do you accept my apology?” Julie looked to Remy. She hoped there wouldn’t be any hard feelings between them…

[REMY GRAHAM]

“Is that what you want to do? Because if you’re feeling pressured into marriage by a baby, that’s not the best way to go.” Remy had to bite his tongue. He knew Cora wasn't speaking to him, but she might as well could have been. Remy did feel pressured into marriage. The last thing he wanted to do was to get married, even if he did care deeply for the woman beside him, who happened to be carrying his child. That wasn't the point. Marriage had been one of the furthest things from his mind up until the last couple weeks. Julie smoothed things over with her mom, explaining they'd talked it over and agreed it was for the best. It was. It had been his idea, but that didn't mean he actually wanted to go through with it anytime soon. It scared the shit out of him. “But is this what you want?” He felt his body tense. The meal had been so lovely up until this point. Why was she pushing Julie? Him? Did she have to prod her there at the table while he was watching, listening, as if he had somehow pressured her into this? She was more than willing! She wanted that ring, his promise to always be there, yada, yada, yada.. His eyes went to his plate, looking at the scraps of his meal wishing there was more to busy himself with, though glad there wasn't since his stomach was tight with nerves and resentment. This would have all been so much easier if they didn't have to have these terribly awkward parental conversations.

“Yes. That’s what I want.” His head turned slightly to gaze at his fiance from the corner of his eye, feeling as though this was her way of standing up for him, but showing he wasn't the brute she'd likely painted him to be. “Then I’m happy for you.” Remy watched as Cora wrapped her daughter in her arms, his head tilting ever so slightly to the side in a show of confusion, like that of a dogs. Just like that? She was happy for Julie? For them? Was it really so simple as asking a few demeaning questions? Luke cleared his throat, reminding everyone that he somehow had a say in what happened, or maybe letting everyone know that he was still there as if any of them could actually forget with his ever present scowl. “Honey—“ “Don’t worry, I’m not going to start yelling.” The way he was grumbling didn't do anything to ease Remy's regrowing disdain for the get together. Remy gave the man his attention since clearly he was asking for it, but it was obvious he wasn't thrilled with the idea. “I have to commend you for staying.” His jaw tightened slightly. He didn't like the hidden meaning behind those words. It was an extremely backhanded compliment, one he didn't appreciate receiving. “I’m sure you won’t be surprised to know we’ve heard a lot about you over the years. We know your reputation. I didn’t like you from the moment Julie came home telling us about the owner’s son who kept harassing her. In fact, I told her to kick you in the balls the next time you tried to flirt with her. As far as I know, she never took my advice on that. Maybe she should have to keep this mess from happening.” Remy was seething the more he spoke and Julie gave a warning, to which he silenced her with a single hand. Since when did Julie obey dog commands? “So I was highly suspicious when Cora came home and told me the big secret—you two were dating. In fact, you had been seeing each other for several months. And don’t think I don’t know what ‘seeing each other’ means. I was convinced she was being an idiot for the first time in her life and you were going to break her heart and I was going to have to kill you.” Remy gave a little snort, the thought that this idiot could, or would kill him was preposterous. Luke was the kind of man that was all talk and no action. He may have been in one bar fight in his entire life, knocked an extremely intoxicated man out, and now thinks he has balls of steel. Remy was neither impressed or frightened by the older, stocky man. “Maybe I was wrong. I may not be her father, but I’ve known Jules since she was nine. She’s my little girl. I should know by now to trust her judgment—more or less. What I’m trying to say…is that I’m impressed you decided to stay by her side through this. And…I’m sorry for assuming the worst about you.” Finally he was getting to his long winded point. Another backhanded compliment, spewing his assumptions and irritation at the image Remy was, throwing it in his face before finally admitting that Julie knew him far better than anyone else could have.

“I’m trusting you, so you better not hurt her. I’m an excellent shot and I have a big garden I can bury you in.” It was his attempt to be the big bad dad, but it annoyed Remy more than anything else. “So…do you accept my apology?” Now an apology? After insulting him for the last five minutes, he was offering an apology for simply hating him since knowing of his existence? Remy sat quietly for a moment, contemplating his situation. He was supposed to be making a good impression on her family, and here this jackass was trying to scare him off and welcoming him into the family at the same time, a man who wasn't even her real father. Luke was a real piece of work, that was for sure. After a long pause Remy finally spoke up. "Your apology?" He started. "For assuming that because of the lifestyle I chose to lead prior to dating your step-daughter, that I might not be an acceptable partner for her?" His brows were slightly raised and he was still tense. He could feel Julie's presence beside him, her eyes on him, but she was kind enough to let him finish. "I have led a very privileged life, I'm the first to admit that, and perhaps I was an arrogant young man. Not even a blind man could miss Julie's appeal, and not even a blind woman could miss mine. I'm the heir to a five star hotel, money was never an issue and neither were my looks, so naturally that got to my head. It would get to anyone's and when you're used to women simply saying yes, it's not easy when one constantly says no. But I'm not the young man I was, and Julie is not the conquest she was viewed as at one point in my life. I've worked hard to get to where I am now and I've treated Julie, for the most part, with the utmost respect over the last year during my employment at the Remington, and had little to do with her for several years prior. I may have been a nuisance but I was hardly at the hotel as I finished my degree. Your judgement and assumptions may have been valid at one point, but your unwillingness to see past my youth is evident still, and your disdain is clear. Even as you ask for an apology you're threatening to end my life if I ever hurt Julie. Well here's the truth of the matter. I will hurt her. It's inevitable. We have agreed to spend a lifetime together, and if we manage to do just that we will, without a shadow of a doubt, argue at some point. Hell, if we don't make it we'll be arguing plenty then as well. I'm going to fuck it up on some level, just as you assume I will." He looked to Julie and suddenly felt bad for his outburst, but he was tired of behaving. Tired of being looked down on. Tired of this whole family nonsense. "If your apology still stands, fine. Apology accepted, otherwise?" His hands raised in an almost shrug, showing he simply could care less.

With a sigh he stood, looking to Cora. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I think it's best if I'm on my way." The thought of staying another minute in itself practically drove him to madness.

[JULIE BRADY]

Remy was silent and Julie didn’t like the look on his face. She frowned, her brow furrowed with worry. Couldn’t he just accept it and move on? Luke was just being Luke. “Your apology?” Julie’s eyes closed as she sighed inwardly, her eyes falling sadly to the table. "For assuming that because of the lifestyle I chose to lead prior to dating your step-daughter, that I might not be an acceptable partner for her?" Her eyes shot to his face. Maybe if this baby was a girl he would understand why Luke was so protective. Could he really blame the man for his assumption? She looked to Luke and he too was glaring at Remy. “Yes.”[/b] Well, at least he was honest. Julie looked at her mother, but Cora was too focused on eying Remy suspiciously. "I have led a very privileged life, I'm the first to admit that, and perhaps I was an arrogant young man. Not even a blind man could miss Julie's appeal, and not even a blind woman could miss mine. I'm the heir to a five star hotel, money was never an issue and neither were my looks, so naturally that got to my head. It would get to anyone's and when you're used to women simply saying yes, it's not easy when one constantly says no. But I'm not the young man I was, and Julie is not the conquest she was viewed as at one point in my life.” Everyone stiffened at that comment, Julie glaring a warning at her fiancé. Why was he even admitting that she was ever a simple a conquest to her parents?! “I've worked hard to get to where I am now and I've treated Julie, for the most part, with the utmost respect over the last year during my employment at the Remington, and had little to do with her for several years prior. I may have been a nuisance but I was hardly at the hotel as I finished my degree. Your judgment and assumptions may have been valid at one point, but your unwillingness to see past my youth is evident still, and your disdain is clear. Even as you ask for an apology you're threatening to end my life if I ever hurt Julie. Well here's the truth of the matter. I will hurt her. It's inevitable. We have agreed to spend a lifetime together, and if we manage to do just that we will, without a shadow of a doubt, argue at some point. Hell, if we don't make it we'll be arguing plenty then as well. I'm going to fuck it up on some level, just as you assume I will." Her heart lay on the ground and for a moment she doubted it was even worth picking back up. Why did he have to do this? Why couldn’t he be happy about any of this? Why did he have to say something so cruel to her parents? They wanted to trust Remy with their little girl—how were they ever going to trust him now? Already she could feel the tears burning in her eyes but no words came to her lips.

Remy sighed and stood. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I think it's best if I'm on my way." “Yes, I think that’s for the best.” When Julie looked to her parents with her damp eyes, Luke was glaring at Remy with a firmly set jaw and Cora’s eyes were icy. It was a bad sign when even Cora had nothing to say back. Julie took after her that way—when she was pissed enough, she had no words to offer. It simply made Julie even more hopeless. She stood too, watching Remy’s back as he retreated to the door. She stood in the entry way to the kitchen and looked back at her parents, a tear slipping onto her cheek. “I’m sorry for that. We just told his parents and he’s—” “You don’t have to apologize for him, sweetheart.” The anger in their eyes had faded to pity as they looked at her. They both got to their feet, Luke reaching her first and giving her a big hug. She sniffed into his shirt, trying to stop her tears. Her mother was next to wrap her in a tight embrace. “You can stay here if you need to.” The sentiment was whispered into her hair and Julie found it very tempting. Instead, she shook her head and pulled away. “I’ll be fine.” It wasn’t very reassuring the way she all but whispered it in reply, but it would have to do. “Good night.” She turned away, forcing a smile over her shoulder before shuffling to the door. Remy was there with her coat and she coldly let him help her into it. There was very little possibility that she would be making anything up to him tonight.

The drive back to Julie’s place was mostly silent, her teary eyes watching the scenery pass with a blank stare. She was too angry to say anything and it seemed Remy wasn’t interested in giving her any comfort. Finally the words drifted from her mouth in a soft, agonized voice. “Is it really so bad, Remy? Are you really so miserable at the idea of marrying me? Of having a child with me?” She felt so unwanted and so disappointing. Why else would he be acting this way? Why did he say he would do something that made him so unhappy? At this point, she didn’t want it. She would be perfectly fine to move away and never come back. Her parents could visit her and she knew Sophia would. That would solve all of Remy’s problems and she could devote her whole life to raising her child. She didn’t need a man to do that. She certainly didn’t need a man that was going to make her feel like little more than a thorn in his side. But just thinking of that made her tears rush to her eyes faster. How could she have ever thought she was special to Remy?

[REMY GRAHAM]

“Yes, I think that’s for the best.” The bitterness in Luke's voice left no room for second guessing his decision. He was fucking tired of being on the chopping block and at this point he wasn't sure he'd ever get off it, especially since his intention was to eventually marry into her family. The thought of that alone angered him, knowing he would constantly have to deal with her shit step-father who thought it was appropriate to threaten the fiance of his twenty-eight year old step-child. The thought was ludicrous, she wasn't even his. He could expect such a warning from Cora, but Luke? Cora he could tolerate. She was attractive and funny, and though he was slightly insulted by her as well, she was less obnoxious.

Remy heard the murmuring of the three in the other room as he slipped his coat over his shoulders and pulled Julie's out as well. He wouldn't be surprised if she said she was staying, and he wouldn't fight her. He could use some time alone after the days events. She could have stood up for him, could have helped him more as Luke tore him to pieces and then had the nerve to apologize and say maybe he'd been wrong, but not before getting his digs in first. She could have done more to stop him, and for that he wasn't entirely pleased with her. Finally he heard her feet shuffling and when she didn't argue about staying or going, he stiffly helped her into it.

The car ride was a silent one. He didn't now what Julie was thinking or how she was feeling, but the more they drive, and the further the evening was from them, the better he felt. The worst of it was over. Their parents knew and now it would be time for friends and other relatives to find out, and with any luck they would be much less judgmental, at least to their faces. As they got closer to his apartment, the silence ended as Julie finally opened her mouth, Remy turning ever so slightly as she spoke to catch a quick glimpse. "Is it really so bad, Remy? Are you really so miserable at the idea of marrying me? Of having a child with me?” It wasn't what he expected to hear, and though he was still in a foul mood, her words hit him hard. He hadn't intended to make it seem that way, but he knew his actions might give her the idea that perhaps he was against it all. Just as suspected, he screwed it all up. He was always screwing it all up.

After a pregnant pause he sighed softly, shaking his head. "Miserable, no." He swallowed, glancing at her again. He could hear the tears straining her voice and his pale eyes moved back to the road. "I wasn't ready to take this step yet. I wanted to do it on my time, in my way, when we were both ready. I don't even know if we would have lasted until that point, I was bound to run you off before then, but now we don't even have the opportunity to let things run as they should have." He knew he should be more comforting, but it was difficult to comfort her when he needed so much coddling himself. "I probably could have handled things better this evening, and I do apologize if I made this worse for you than it needed to be, but he was picking on me and you sat there and let him. He verbally attacked me and then ended with a pathetic apology. What was I supposed to do, accept that? He's not even your father. He should have a little more respect for me seeing as I'm joining the family." His tone was boarding on bitterness again as he recalled the smug arrogance of her step-father.

[JULIE BRADY]

Remy didn’t respond for a long moment and Julie wondered if he even would. It would be an affirmation that he really was miserable, in her mind. Why would he get her hopes up just to smash them down again? “Miserable, no.” She allowed her head to turn just enough that she could see him out of her peripheral vision. “I wasn’t ready to take this step yet. I wanted to do it on my time, in my way, when we were both ready. I don’t even know if we would have lasted until that point, I was bound to run you off before then, but now we don’t even have the opportunity to let things run as they should have.” Her brow furrowed more as she finally turned completely to look at him. Why was he always so negative? Why couldn’t he believe she would stay by his side with or without this baby? It had never crossed her mind until the last few months to leave him. Even when he was drinking and she hardly saw him, she believed she could stick it out. Hadn’t she proved that to him? Didn’t he see how deeply she cared about him? “I probably could have handled things better this evening, and I do apologize if I made this worse for you than it needed to be, but he was picking on me and you sat there and let him.” She looked offended and bewildered all at once. What, was he five?! Luke wasn’t picking on him! If she had thought that, she would have said something! “He verbally attacked me and then ended with a pathetic apology. What was I supposed to do, accept that? He’s not even your father. He should have a little more respect for me seeing as I’m joining the family.” She huffed, her mouth setting in a hard line as she glared at him. She needed to set him straight.

“First of all, Luke is my father. He’s the only father I’ve ever lived with. I love my birth dad, but he wasn’t around much when I was growing up—he still isn’t around much. His work requires a lot of travel. Luke is the dad that raised me and you should treat him with the same respect as you would my birth father.” She wouldn’t stand for Luke to be bashed by Remy. Nor would she stand for Remy to be bashed by Luke, which brought her to her second point. Her face softened as did her voice. “Second, I didn’t see what Luke was saying as picking on you, but I’ve been around him much, much more. I knew he was saying all of that to prove some point and his point was actually very shocking for him. Luke doesn’t apologize often or easily. What you took as a pathetic apology was heartfelt—that was obvious to me and Mom. You really offended them by throwing it back in his face.” She could tell he was annoyed by this and she looked down into her lap. “I’m sorry you felt attacked. I guess I’m so used to Luke’s way that I didn’t see how you could be offended by it. If I had suspected you felt that way or would feel that way, I would have stepped in. I never wanted you to feel trampled on.” Swallowing back more tears, she looked out of the window. They were pulling up to his apartment complex and she was happy for it. “I’m coming upstairs with you. We need to talk about some other stuff.” Remy didn’t seem thrilled by the idea, but there was a lot weighing heavily on Julie.

Ten silent and strained minutes later, they walked through Remy’s front door and Julie slipped her coat off, letting Remy take it from her to hang up. As he did so, she gazed up at him with sad eyes. “Remy, I need you to stop being so negative. I knew you always sort of felt like you weren’t good enough for me, but I didn’t know it was such a deep seeded feeling until today. If you keep thinking like that, this isn’t going to work. I can’t handle you constantly questioning my loyalty to you. I meant what I said to your mom—you’re a good man. And you do make me happy. Maybe not when you’re distancing yourself from me or going out and getting wasted every night, but in the past few weeks that hasn’t been an issue.” She reached out and took his hands, holding his gaze. “I want a future with you and I think it can be happy one. But I need you to believe that too. And I need you to be here with me.” Her eyes were beginning to tear again though she did her best to hold them back. “I can’t keep doing this on my own, Remy. I’m terrified right now. I’m glad the worst is over, but you weren’t the only one who wasn’t planning for this. I want to comfort you and I want to ease your fears, but I need you to do the same for me. I need you to be here for me.” Her cheeks colored a little, feeling suddenly bashful about the words on the tip of her tongue. “I just need you, Remy. I love you.”

[REMY GRAHAM]

“First of all, Luke is my father. He’s the only father I’ve ever lived with." Remy was already feeling more sour as she spoke, defending Luke. "I love my birth dad, but he wasn’t around much when I was growing up—he still isn’t around much. His work requires a lot of travel. Luke is the dad that raised me and you should treat him with the same respect as you would my birth father.” His jaw set, not sure he could play nice with the prick, not after the show he'd put on tonight. “Second, I didn’t see what Luke was saying as picking on you, but I’ve been around him much, much more. I knew he was saying all of that to prove some point and his point was actually very shocking for him. Luke doesn’t apologize often or easily. What you took as a pathetic apology was heartfelt—that was obvious to me and Mom. You really offended them by throwing it back in his face.” Her voice was softer, but he didn't care if he offended the guy. Luke pissed him off, and she was right he didn't know the guy which meant he also didn't care about angering him.

“I’m sorry you felt attacked. I guess I’m so used to Luke’s way that I didn’t see how you could be offended by it. If I had suspected you felt that way or would feel that way, I would have stepped in. I never wanted you to feel trampled on.” He was pulling up to his complex, feeling slightly more eased and certainly more vindicated that she apologized. He didn't need her fighting his battles, though. Still, he was glad she could see what a shit Luke had been. “I’m coming upstairs with you. We need to talk about some other stuff.” His stomach sank to his knees. When a woman wanted to "talk" about "other stuff" it was bad news. Now what? What else could she possibly throw at him? He wanted to tell her to just get in her car and call it a night, but things were strained enough and he was, despite popular belief, attempting to be better for her. Still, he wasn't in the mood to talk about anything else, not when there was a brand new bottle of whiskey with his name on it hiding in his cabinet for when they could just be alone.

"Alright." He all but grumbled, getting out of the car and trudging up to the doors. He held the door and they made the quiet ascent to his home. When they got inside she took off her coat and he proceeded to hang it, in addition to his own, a sign that she intended to stay a while. How long was the talking going to last? Late enough to spend the night it seemed. His shoulders slumped, not because he disliked the idea of her crashing, but he didn't want to know what else she had to say. A quiet evening suited him just fine, especially considering the day they'd had. “Remy, I need you to stop being so negative." His stomach gave a weird little jolt. Negative? "I knew you always sort of felt like you weren’t good enough for me, but I didn’t know it was such a deep seeded feeling until today. If you keep thinking like that, this isn’t going to work. I can’t handle you constantly questioning my loyalty to you." He suddenly felt more uncomfortable with this conversation's directions. He didn't question her loyalty, he questioned his own. "I meant what I said to your mom—you’re a good man. And you do make me happy. Maybe not when you’re distancing yourself from me or going out and getting wasted every night, but in the past few weeks that hasn’t been an issue.” She reached for his hand and he turned his head to look down into her eyes, having mixed feelings at the moment. He thought she was an idiot for wanting to stick around. He expected it from certain women, the one's who would put up with anything for a comfortable lifestyle, something he could offer, but Julie wasn't that sort of girl. She didn't have to put up with someone like him, she was successfully making something of herself. She had a good job, and he knew her salary. She wasn't doing bad for someone her age.

“I want a future with you and I think it can be a happy one. But I need you to believe that too. And I need you to be here with me.” Her eyes were growing moist and he was finally starting to what he was doing to her. She wasn't just saying things to make him feel better, she was saying them because she believed it. “I can’t keep doing this on my own, Remy. I’m terrified right now. I’m glad the worst is over, but you weren’t the only one who wasn’t planning for this. I want to comfort you and I want to ease your fears, but I need you to do the same for me. I need you to be here for me.” He needed to grow up. Like it or not he was about to be a father and he'd have to stop acting like such a child. Julie was right, she couldn't do this on her own, and even though she was responsible for this even happening, if he'd been more cautious himself they wouldn't be in this situation. He needed to stop blaming her and step up to the plate. He had to do what was right. He had to be a man now. “I just need you, Remy. I love you.”

Her words startled him and his brows furrowed slightly. Remy felt his throat growing dry. He gazed down at her, first at her eyes and then her stomach. It was still so small.. no one knew yet, no one could know by looking at her yet. The baby deserved parents that loved each other, and on some level he knew what he felt for Julie was love. Had circumstances been different he might have pushed her to keep that sentiment to herself for a bit longer, but he mentally put his foot down; enough was enough. He was going to prove his mother wrong and be the man Julie deserved him to be, whether he wanted to or not. His life wasn't his anymore. He gave that up the second he stuck his dick in her. He'd known from the beginning she was different, and she was. He'd be a fool to ruin this.

"I love you, too." His voice was gruff and raspy, the words sounding strange coming from his throat. He cleared his throat and hesitated for a moment before reaching up and tucking her hair behind her ear. "I'm here for you now." He promised in a soft voice, finally accepting his fate. "I won't make you do this alone anymore. Alright?" He gulped, the hand that had tucked her hair reaching for hers. he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and sighed. "Now please tell me there's no more other stuff to discuss.." He pleaded gently, sounding less like the man he vowed to be and more like a boy again. The new Remy would take time to transform completely.

[JULIE BRADY]

Silence fell between them as Remy’s face had shock and uncertainty written all over it. Julie wondered if he would respond, actually nervous that he would leave her hanging on this emotional wire all by herself. It wouldn’t be the first time and she couldn’t help but be apprehensive. Her stomach was twisting under his fallen gaze, her breath unintentionally held in her chest. Finally their eyes met again. She must have looked rather desperate since she was hanging on his every word. “I love you, too.” Immediately her whole face flushed with delight, her heart skipping and her stomach flipping before she breathed again. It was obvious the words were strange to him, but that made them even more worth hearing. He had never said that to any other woman besides his mother. His fingers tucked some black hair behind her ear. ”I’m here for you now. I won’t make you do this alone anymore. Alright?” She gave a gentle smile, her eyes swimming again in relief. For the first time since finding out about her pregnancy, she felt like Remy was truly on her side. His hand slipped into hers and gave it a gentle squeeze, coaxing her to squeeze back. Finally Remy was with her in this. Sure, they had broken the news together, hand-in-hand, but internally it felt like she was the only one who had come to accept her future. She didn’t have to feel that way anymore.

A sigh escaped Remy and Julie could see how exhausted he was. “Now please tell me there’s no more other stuff to discuss…” His pleading voice was proof that he hadn’t changed completely, at least. She took his other hand in hers and twined their fingers together. “Oh there’s tons to discuss. For instance, how big is this diamond you’re getting me going to be? Will it be Tiffany’s? Cartier? And should we get married in the hotel or on the beach?” The way she was grinning assured him she was joking, not expecting answers to any of these questions. She giggled at the look he gave her, letting his hands slip from hers as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “And who’s going to be your best man? Do you actually have any friends? I know Soph—“ Presumably to shut her up, Remy kissed her and Julie giggled into his lips. She knew she was being a little cruel teasing him like that, but at least she was making light of the situation. As he kissed her, Julie melted more against him, one hand resting on his rough cheek. It had been a long, grueling day. Now they could finally relax and breathe—hell, they could even enjoy each other’s company again. That was exactly what she was going to do.

The hand on his cheek slid back into his hair as their kiss deepened, her other hand curling around a small handful of his shirt over his upper back. She really did love him. Who else could get away with all that she forgave him for? She had always been so pragmatic but Remy made her throw out all of her logic and all of her rules. In the end, she would never stop craving him and the way it felt to be in his arms. She pulled her lips back from his just enough to nuzzle his nose. Then she fell right back into kissing him, intent on forgetting the stress of the last week that had come to a crescendo in the last few hours. Remy loved her and she would focus on the happiness she felt at knowing that.

[REMY GRAHAM]

“Oh there’s tons to discuss." Her tone told him that she wasn't really being all that serious, but he felt the pangs of annoyance anyway. "For instance, how big is this diamond you’re getting me going to be? Will it be Tiffany’s? Cartier? And should we get married in the hotel or on the beach?” His eyes narrowed, not nearly as amused as she was at her teasing. At this rate she'd be lucky to get the kmart blue special. “And who’s going to be your best man? Do you actually have any friends? I know Soph—“ Remy had enough, and the only way to get her to really stop was to force her to by shutting her mouth. He leaned in, cutting her off with his mouth pressed tight to hers. He could feel her relax, which instantly made him do the same. "At least it's easy to get you to shut up." He taunted against her lips, feeling her grin spread against his.

It didn't take long for Julie to slip her hands through his hair, encouraging him to kiss her harder. Remy was relieved the day was done, that the taunting was simply taunting, and he could be off duty for the rest of the evening. Her fingers curled around his shirt, tightening it and sending a clear message that she was ready to reward him for.. for what exactly? He didn't help things along, though he did endure plenty of bullshit. He knew she probably still felt guilty for getting pregnant, and though he was mature enough to stop throwing it in her face, deep down he certainly still blamed her. Maybe in the end it would be a good thing. Maybe it really would be what Remy needed to finally settle down a little.

She pulled back a little and Remy wondered if she could somehow sense the heaviness of his mind, the thoughts that were swirling around, possibly distracting him from performing at his usual level of intensity. Her nose nuzzled his and Remy let his eyes open ever so slightly, looking down at her. Forever was an awfully long time.. would it always be this nice? Would she always put up with this amount of bullshit from him or was there a limit? Maybe, in time, he could stop being such a prick. Julie Fell back into him, again as though she were reading his mind, making silent promises that she would stay, that he was somehow worth it, and not because of who his grandfather was. Remy sighed into her mouth, grunting softly as his hands slipped low to her rear end, cupping her ass and hoisting her up onto his hip. He probably didn't have much longer to do that with his seed rapidly growing in her abdomen, so he took advantage of it while he still could. His groin twitched as he brought her back to his room, trying to clear his mind from thinking about everything, wishing more than anything he could have a few stiff drinks.

He laid her down, keeping himself positioned over her, his body nestled there between her legs as his tongue continued its tango with hers. Finally he pulled back, looking down at her, slightly out of breath. "Maybe you should move in." He suggested, his stomach doing a strange somersault as he made the suggestion out of nowhere. "If we're going to do this, and if I'm expected to be more involved, then we shouldn't live apart." Part of him died saying it, but he knew it was better to jump right into the pool than to slowly wade in as he'd been doing. It might help with the shock of parenthood once it finally rolled around. "Or.. we could get something larger." He gulped before adding a shaky "Together."

[JULIE BRADY]

Remy’s sigh and grunt as his hands slipped over Julie’s backside made her stomach clench as she pressed closer to him. He hoisted her onto his hips and she gave a soft moan while her arms slipped around his shoulders fluidly. Their tongues danced against one another’s as he carried her off to his bedroom and she let the events of the day slip from her mind. The day was done and the night was young—they would need the time to heal the hurts they had caused each other. Remy brought her straight to his bed and laid her down, resting his body between her thighs. She could feel his excitement between their bodies, their kisses getting deeper and more insistent by the second. Julie sighed and whimpered into his lips, her hands holding onto his back tightly. The day was melting away into a steamy night.

The absence of Remy’s mouth drew her eyes open and Julie found him giving her a strange, anxious look. “Maybe you should move in.” It was the last thing she expected to hear and her big, blue eyes widened, the haze in her brain slowly clearing. Did she hear that right? “If we’re going to do this, and if I’m expected to be more involved, then we shouldn’t live apart. Or…we could get something larger. Together.” The shakiness of his voice on the last word did not escape her even though she was stunned into silence for a long moment. First Remy assured his parents that they would be married, then he told her he loved her and now he was asking her to move in. It was so much for just one day! How could he have changed so much in just twenty-four hours? Clearly she was still underestimating the true depth of his feelings and his commitment to their future. She would stop doing that starting now. A smile spread across her face, bright and heartfelt before she nodded. “That’s a great idea.” Her hand brushed against his cheek, enjoying the way his stubble felt beneath her fingertips. “It’ll be good for us to live together for a while before the baby gets here. We can start looking for places in the next few weeks. Now…” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders more tightly and pulled him down closer to her face. “Please tell me there’s no more other stuff to discuss.” Her smile spread with the echo of his earlier words and he appeared amused too. He didn’t taunt her as she did to him, however.

Their lips quickly found each other’s again and Julie moaned her appreciation. His tongue sought hers out and she gratefully went along with it. She let her arms slip from his shoulders to pop open the buttons of his shirt slowly, raising her hips to entice his own. When the last button came undone, she let her hands press into his hairy abs and chest, adoring the muscle and warmth beneath her hands. The haze was rolling into her mind again, but she had the presence of mind to maneuver her way on top. She pushed his shirt from his arms and let her hips fall so that her groin pressed rhythmically in small circles against his. Her hands found his belt and her still parted mouth pulled back from his, brushing his lips as she spoke. “You know…I’ve been craving you for days. It feels like forever since you last gave me a good fucking.” With his belt undone, she let her fingers pull at the fasteners to his pants, her nose grazing his seductively. “I really need it…” Her whole body felt flushed as her fingers traced along the hard length beneath her hand. Normally Remy was the one doing the dirty talk, but she was feeling bold in her desperation. Hopefully her words would spark his need too.

[REMY GRAHAM]

For a moment she seemed unsure what to make of it, or so Remy thought as she stared at him in silence. He wondered if he should have just not said anything. It wasn't like he was excited about the idea of cohabitation, but considering the circumstances it really made the most sense. Besides, he needed to try. He was starting to get too old for this sort of behavior. Right? Remy was already beginning to second guess himself, but suddenly she smiled and he could tell she thought it was a great idea. “That’s a great idea.” He almost laughed as she mirrored his thoughts, that gentle hand of hers caressing his rough, sand papered cheek. “It’ll be good for us to live together for a while before the baby gets here. We can start looking for places in the next few weeks. Now…” His stomach jolted at the timeline. A few weeks.. he only had so much longer.. She pulled him down and he obliged the silent request. “Please tell me there’s no more other stuff to discuss.” He couldn't help but smile a little at the way she threw his words right back at him, and truthfully he was more than glad to forget about this conversation for the rest of the evening, especially as their lips met once more.

He started out hesitantly, but quickly fell back into rhythm with her, their tongues quickly finding their usual groove especially when her fingers found the buttons to his shirt. He loved when she undressed him. It was her silent way of letting him know that she wasn't going to stop him from taking her. It was one of Remy's biggest pet peeves to get a girl riled up and then have her back down last minute. Julie didn't pull stunts like that; she wanted him. She loved him. She loved feeling him inside of her in a way Remy wasn't sure the other girls he slept with did. It didn't mean anything to any of them. Sure, he was certain some would have liked to keep his attention for a while, but it had always just been different with Jules. It had been real, not just lust. It wasn't just fucking, it was making love. He finally saw the difference.

Her hands pressed into his chest and one of his own cradled her face, keeping it close as he kissed her harder, wanting her more with every second. He didn't try and stop her as she rolled them, allowing her to take charge. She pushed his shirt off and Remy moved his arms to aid her in the process. “You know…I’ve been craving you for days." Her hot breath warmed his mouth and all he could do was grunt softly as her tantalizing hips moved circles against his, those delicate fingers working the buckle of his belt. "It feels like forever since you last gave me a good fucking.” He loved hearing her innocent voice saying such filthy things. It sounded so wrong coming from her lips, which only drove him crazier. He groaned, pushing his hips up into her almost instinctively as she got his buckle undone and pulled the end free from the fastener. “I really need it…” His breath quivered as he exhaled, the touch of her fingers on his hard length like electricity. "I bet you do, dirty girl." He teased back, smiling only briefly as his fingers clasped tight around her hair and pulled her lips back in. He tried not to think about her being pregnant, mildly disturbed at the idea of riding her hard now. Could he hurt the baby? Was that even a thing? Thinking about it began to kill his mood, so he pushed it to the back of his mind as he let go of her hair and moved to her waist, starting the process of peeling off layers of all those layers keeping him from her treasure trove.

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