Mum it barely fits..." Jess sighed as she pulled the flowing maternity top over her bump. Karen had kept her promise and they were out shopping to find Jess some clothes that fit.
"Well try a bigger one then?" Karen handed her the bigger size. "You're pregnant Jess...that means it's going to get bigger." She reached out and stroked her daughters arm sympathetically.
Jess shrugged and took off the top replacing it with the bigger size. This time it fitted well over her bump leaving some room for some more growth. "I'm so fat..." Jess tried to look grumpy as she looked into the mirror cupping her bump. Her grump didn't last long as her mind flicked back to the scan. She looked over to her Mum. "Does this mean we can starting looking at girlie clothes?"
Karen nodded. "I guess it does..." She smiled at Jess. Neither of them had stopped smiling since they had found out the baby was a girl. Finding out the gender seemed to have given the baby more of an identity and make everything seem more real. Karen looked down at her watch. "Not today though Jess."
Jess nodded. She looked into the mirror again at the top before taking it off and putting it into the pile of clothes she was taking. "I think we're just about done." She looked through the pile and nodded. She had some jeans, some tops and a summer dress. Then there were the school clothes, they had decided to get them bigger so they might last through until Jess finished at school before the baby was born. That didn't bother her though, it meant there was more money to spend on clothes for the baby.
Karen picked up the pile. "I'll go and get these then. Meet me by the lift?" She watched Jess nod and picked up her bag before leaving the changing rooms and walking towards the till.
Jess stood for a minute before she put her top back on. Looking into the mirror she once again traced the curve of her bump. For so long it had seemed so unreal that there was another person growing inside her, but now she knew that person was a little girl. She had so many names running through her mind. She picked up her clothes and put them on before putting on some more lip balm. Glancing down at her phone she saw a message from Bex. The two of them had been in contact all day, they both knew that no matter what Karen said this afternoon was serious. If Jess had got her wish and Karen had full custody of her then they would find out that afternoon. If not then it meant a longer wait.
"Just want this afternoon to be finished. I hate all of this not knowing...At least I have a niece to smile about. B x"
Bex had been the first person Jess had text to tell that the baby was a girl. They were sisters and that meant they were close, but she felt like it was more with Bex. They could easily have not got on after everything that had happened in there family, but it seemed to have bought them closer together. There was nothing that Jess wouldn't share with Bex and visa versa.
"I know I hate all of this waiting...not long now though. We're just heading back. I actually have some clothes that fit. So long leggings. Your niece is excited to meet her Auntie Bex. J. x"
She sent the text before picking up her bag and making her way out of the changing room. She met her Mum at the lift as they had planned and along with the various shopping bags they made their way back to the car.
...
After stopping at the house to pick up Harry and Bex and to give Jess a chance to change into some clothes that fit, the Fishers found themselves on the way to the custody hearing. They spent the first five minutes of the drive in silence. It seemed that no one wanted to think about what could happen. It was Harry that spoke first, he had spent all day thinking about what might be about to happen. "What if they split us up Mum..." He looked at both of his sisters. Of course they argued, but that was normal, and he had got so used to being with them and his Mum. He didn't want that to change now.
"Don't Harry." This time is was Bex that spoke. She too had been thinking and she didn't even want to think about the four of them being split up. It seemed so wrong, they were building a life together. Her Mum and Rob seemed pretty much perfect together and Jess was the happiest she had ever seen her.
"We have to think about it though...and I don't want to stay with Dad and that bitch for even one day a week...surely what I want counts for something. This is my life." Harry was fed up of people trying to tell him what was good for him. He wanted to make the decisions about his life himself.
"I'm sorry..." It was Karen that spoke this time, she didn't know what else to say. Listening to Harry speak made her feel even more that she had let her children down. They shouldn't be in this situation...none of them. She didn't want to make them unhappy, nor did she want to split them up.
"Why are you apologising?" Bex cut across her. "None of this is your fault Mum. Dad made his decision when he decided to stay with Maria after what she did to Jess..." Bex spoke firmly. There was no way she was going to let her Mum blame herself for the situation they were in.
While they were talking Jess sat quietly in the front seat looking out of the window. They were right, none of this was Karen's fault...it was hers. As she thought back through all that had happened she couldn't help the tears that were beginning to fall down her cheek. If she had been stronger then they wouldn't be in this mess...
"Jess?" It was her Mum that noticed the tears first. She hated that they had gone from being so happy about the baby to such a state of despair and unknown in this short space of time.
Jess turned her head away. She didn't know what to say to any of them. She wanted to apologise but she knew that her voice would crack. There was nothing she wanted more than to be curled up on the sofa with the three of them watching films and eating a take away. "This is all my fault." After some deep breaths she managed to get out the words stuck in the back of her throat.
"Are you joking?" This time it was Harry that spoke and the firmness of his voice made everyone else listen. "Jess...none of this is your fault. Maria abused you...as did Chris. You're not even eighteen. Dad made his choice when he decided to stand by his slapper...and we're making our choice to stand by you. We love you Jess..." During the past couple of months Harry had done some silent growing up. He had been watching the relationships around him become more strained, but through that he had seen people come through and show their strengths.
Jess turned her head round to look at her brother. How had she not realised he had grown up so much. "Thankyou..." She smiled at him through her tears before relaxing back into her seat. "Lets do this then."
