Pieces Of a Puzzle

Chapter Three

We all chatted for a while as we waited for the guys to arrive.

Ding-dong!

"That must be them." I announce, pushing off the couch and walking over to open the front door with as much finesse as I possibly can, which isn't much.

"Hey Julie!" Jared bellows, wrapping his arms around me and squishing me into a bear hug in a blink of an eye with all the joy in the world. I feel warmth spread across my cheeks and neck feeling his arms lift me off the floor and spin me in a circle.

"H-hey Jared... can't... breathe." I mutter against his black t-shirt covered sternum. After what feels like hours but merely seconds passing by he finally set me down with a booming laugh and walks in with Luke behind him with the really large pizza boxes in hand.

"Nice house." Luke compliments, looking at the pictures hanging by the door in mismatching picture frames. One was a picture of Drew barely three months old in a cute sailor's suit completely with a white hat and matching little white converse. The next one is a picture of me in my junior year prom dress with Drew in my arms dressed in a baby tux and my older brother in a matching tux as the baby, with his arms wrapped around us, all of us smiling at the camera with mega watt smiles.

"Is he the dad?" Luke asks pointing at the picture with my brother. I study the picture more closely, noting my older brothers' black hair was freshly cut and styled in an up due as if he had just rolled out of bed and merely ran his hand through it, knowing damn well it took a lot of time get it the way it had been. His bright eyes  shining the same color as Drew's. Taking in the whole picture, I remember not believing he still towered over us even thought I wore a pair of killer 5 inch heels.

"No, he's my older brother; Jackson." I smile at him, coming back to present time. I look up and see Luke continue to stare at the picture for a few seconds before turning a breathtaking smile directed solely at me.

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For five hours we are  all lounging around my house and watched movies. 

"Drew fell asleep." Jared announces as he cradles my sleeping baby in his arms very cautiously and slowly eases up from the couch from my side.

"Let's take him to his crib." I groan tiredly, rolling over lazily and slowly standing up as my body complaining with every move. I lead Jared down the small hallway that barely fits two people walking side to side and into Drew's light green nursery room as I remember how, last year we had been painting these walls as soon as we found out he was a boy. "You can set him down over there." I said pointing at the black wooden crib in the corner farthest from the window. Jared gently lays him on the soft mattress and wraps a thin blue blanket around him. After we make sure Drew is asleep for the night, we soundlessly walk out of the room and leave the door open ajar before making our way back to the well lit living room. Nick is still sitting with his back against the couch Luke is laying on, stomach first with his head resting on his folded arms. Isaac's sitting on the black love seat with his elbow on the armrest and leaning beckon the cushion legs spread wide as if he needs so much room to spread out, looking at the TV with a blank expression as if lost in thought. Jared drops on the gray carpet and yawning, stretching his arms over his head before getting comfortable sprawled out on the plush rug.

"Hey." Isaac smiles at me, focusing his capturing gaze on me and locking me in place. I slowly make my way towards him, letting my body fall into the seat next to him and lay on my side, my head using his lap as pillow and let out a deep, exhausted sigh.