When I Was 20 Years Old (Mature content) (Complete)

Chapter 16

A month passed.

Both Martha and Aurora went into premature labour and gave birth to two beautiful children. Both were beautiful baby girls. Martha gave birth to Louise and Aurora to Jessica. Luke and Lance, despite their ages, were model fathers and really stepped up to the challenge. Both boys worked and brought in the money to support their families and still came home to change nappies and cradle crying children. Both girls were cute and friendly but, unfortunately for their parents, decided that they wanted to be nocturnal. Their parents unfortunately weren't.

Zac and Ella had finally got used to family life. Zac took the next three months off work so that Ella wasn't raising the kids on her own like she feared she would be. Having twin boys wasn't as painful as they thought it would be and actually that their children had the best temperament of any child and they slept through most of the night meaning that they got evening to themselves as well as enjoying being a family. It turns out that their separating was good for both of them as Zac learnt that Ella wasn't Wonder Woman and needed help as well as wanting to spend time with him and Ella learnt that just because Zac works, it doesn't mean that he doesn't love her or want to be with her and sometimes he can drive her nuts.

Everyday Jasmine grew to look more and more like Alex which sent David spiralling more and more into depression over his deceased wife. His child had his lost wife's eyes and smile and face. She loved to listen to Queen with him though, which made her personality much like her father's. Everyone saw it in her. She was a beautiful young girl which made the grief worse as she was technically the reason Alex was gone. No one could blame her for what happened, but they found it difficult to look at her sometimes.

Antony slowly moved over to England to be with his brother. He wanted to be nearer his brother and he couldn't live in the house in America anymore. Joseph and Mia moved over with him and they all moved in with Antony's mother who, at eighty seven, did need more help in her home. Eventually Antony did apologise to his nieces and nephews for his actions last time they met. He was in a bad way and couldn't think of anything else to do at the time.

David was in the worst shape. Each day became harder for him when battling with pain and bringing up a young child. Jason, Bradley and Shannon had permanently now moved in to help David out with his problems. Shannon, who was now looking a lot healthier and was finally off her anti-depressants and able to function, resumed her job as a carer and was mostly an acting nurse for David. Bradley and Jason looked after Jasmine as their own. Perhaps the saddest part of all, Jasmine didn't recognise David as her father. As far as she was concerned, Bradley and Jason were her parents.

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She gurgled in her Jason's arms as he cradled her. He was sat next to David on the back garden decking. Slowly Jason handed the young girl to her real father. She yawned and rubbed her cheeks with her small hands. David smiled tearfully.

"At least she's too young to remember me," David whispered.

"Dad that's not a good thing," Jason replied, "You are her father."

"No I'm not," David replied.

"Of course you are!" Jason insisted, "You are her crazy, loveable father like you are mine and Ella's and Rory's and Lance's!"

"Jason!" David said seriously, "I want you and Bradley to be the only fathers she knows!"

"No! No way!" Jason cried, "You are her dad not us!"

"Jason look at her!" David muttered, "She doesn't need to know that her mother died in childbirth and her dad was a cocaine addict who died from what was pretty much self inflicted cancer!"

"No it's not fair!" Jason whispered, "After everything you and mum have been through..."

"Jason I know you were denied a surrogate," David interrupted.

"How?" Jason breathed.

"Rory," David laughed.

"Of course," Jason smiled.

"But I know how much you want a baby!" David said, "And Jasmine is taken with you and Bradley and I know that she already considers you her father so I want you to adopt her and look after her when I'm gone."

"But...."

"Is a little girl hungry?" Bradley smiled.

He walked out from the kitchen shaking a baby bottle in one hand. David passed him Jasmine and Bradley fed her while cradling her in the other arm. David looked at Jason as if to say I told you so. Jason sighed. As much as he hated it, he knew his father was right. And Bradley was so in love with the tiny child that's he already knew that they would be the ones who would have adopted the baby girl. He looked over at his father. He knew that, as bad as he looked now, David was only going to get worse. The cancer was in every major organ and shutting them down quicker than they could be used. He's father was right. This isn't how a little girl should see the man she has for a father. Eventually she would know the truth, but for now Jason and Bradley would be her parents. It was the right thing to do.