CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE

"You understand everything right?" I asked Jerome for the hundredth time.

With a mocking smirk, Jerome glances away from the road to mock me.

Pointing towards the road, "keep your f**king eyes on the road," I yelled, getting more upset when he starts laughing at my outrage.

"You'd make a lousy driving instructor" Jerome says mockingly, "thank God your kid's got me, because, me being the cool uncle will teach him the ways of life and that includes driving," Jerome laughs but I didn't.

"Don't worry, with Jamie at my side I will be the best dad ever and my kid, as you called him, won't need to get driving lessons from you." I retorted, looking out the window at the vehicles passing us on the freeway, on our way to the village and Jamie.

Jamie will survive the surgery to her spine, she has to. I stare thoughtfully at the passing vehicles hoping that I'll be strong for the both of us.

"She's tough, she'll survive it," Jerome says softly and I turned to see his eyes steadfast on the road, but he seem to be gripping the steering tighter than he have been doing all day.

Sometimes, I forget that I am not the most important guy in Jamie's life. I forgot that her brother has been her savior since they were children and she's safe today because he kept her that way, for me.

"You're a good brother, you know that?" I said softly.

Jerome didn't answer, but he kept blinking rapidly and I know it's to eliminate the tears that's threatening to escape.

"She made being a brother, easy." He smiled, to himself.

Chuckling to myself, "she made being a boyfriend easy, but the husband thing?" I said to myself.

"It's the accident that changed you both and everything that followed." Jerome adds and I know he's right. "Now with everything going on, you are expecting your first child in the middle of this chaos and this is what scares the f**k out of her." Jerome grimaces.

I listen attentively to what my brother-in-law's saying because I'm so busy trying to make our lives easier, I rarely listen to what is bothering her.

Our life has become a cycle of arguing then kiss and make up, without discussing what caused the arguments and dealing with it.

"She doesn't trust my grandmother," I tell him or maybe I am reminding myself of one the problems that's plaguing our relationship.

Laughing mockingly, "can you blame her?" Jerome retorts, his eyes still on the road.

Shaking my head, annoyed with myself, "maybe I'm not the guy for her," I muttered softly, but still Jerome heard me.

Laughing loudly, breaking the tension in the vehicle. "Well I'm not sure about that," he chuckles. "You did just buy me a brand new SUV." Taking his eyes briefly of the road, he smiles happily.

Laughing with him, "guess if I'm a great brother-in-law, I'm a great husband." I chuckle. "I just have to prove it." I said thoughtfully, turning to Jerome. "How do I prove it?" I asked Jerome.

Without smiling he turned to me, "let her have the C-Section to start with" he suggested softly, realizing that after the chat I had with Doctor Morris earlier, I am still not at ease with it.

Looking out the window as we pass through the village, on our way to the cabin, "we'll see." I mumbled.

"Pull up at the bakery, let's get her a cheesecake to start buttering her up for returning so late." I suggested to Jerome.

Laughing nervously, "yeah and a tub of ice cream to butter her up about the SUV." He winks at me.

"Well dad is also involved since he used his card to pay for it, so" we both laugh as he pulled in front the bakery for the cake and ice cream for my wife.

As I opened the car door, I pulled it back in, "we have to use her card again," I realized.

Laughing out loud again, "that's not a problem, we're buying it for her and she won't miss it yet." Jerome explains, already handing Jamie's card over to me. "And you are her husband, so..." he shrugs as I reluctantly, exit the vehicle.

After our purchases, we hit the road for the extra mile home and whatever awaits us.

It was dust dark but from the distance, I already saw Justin standing down at the lake and with a closer look, I see Jamie and the back of Mrs. Stan's head.

Justin and Jamie seem to be deep in conversation and by the smile on her face, she's giving him some talks.

"Justin had to stay put all day because of us," I tell Jerome as he slowly parks dad's vehicle.

"Home without a single scratch," Jerome laugh.

Dad bargained with him earlier that if there's a single scratch on his Benz, he will send back the SUV, that mom will be driving home with in a while, followed by dad.

"Yeah we got that covered, but we have to deal with them," I point towards the lake and where three pair of eyes are now turned in our direction.

Laughing confidently, Jerome exits the driver side, "that's what the cake and ice cream are for, to fed their anger." He leaves with the ice cream, leaving me to follow with the cake.

"You motherf**ckers owe me big" Justin, yelled as we approached the trio, but my eyes were on the surprise look on Jamie's face.

"Jer, is that you?" She mocks his low hair cut. "Oh my God, you are so handsome," she laughs staring in awe at her brother who really does look great with all the bush on his head cut down low.

Walking closer to Jerome, "I need to christen that," Justin says, slapping the back of Jerome's head, playfully.

Rubbing his head, "hey come on man, you gonna mess it up." Jerome whined.