Holding Out {LeviHan} || Requested

Chapter 7: Plan It Out

Jim's POV

"We do know that Mom's heading off to her 7th month by now, huh?" I looked down to Taiko, who was busy cuddling with Haylee. Kellie was next to me, looking out onto the street. Mom and Dad were still out- leaving us two alone with our female companions. "Not long before we get a sibling..."

After all these months, my stance never changed. Taiko never changed. I still haven't taken up Dad's offer to give a DNA test. Not sure how everyone would react if Taiko wasn't his. Other than Mom screwing with other guys... it seemed we were just... a dysfunctional family. 

"Taiko, what are we going to do?"

He looked back at me as his girlfriend pushed him a bit. "Stop berating your mom like that," Haylee says, "she's stressing out. That's not good for the baby."

I scoffed, waved it off. "What's the worse can it do?"

Kellie shook her head, giving me an eye roll. "Jimmy, you should've known about this. You do know that when a pregnant woman is stressing, it'll hurt her." She scoffed, tapping Haylee's shoulder. "You hear this guy? Taiko, you better not be like your younger brother."

It was when Taiko didn't answer when Kellie was struck with surprise. 

"Seriously? Taiko?! It's your mother!" She scoffs once more, looking at the both of us with disgust. "What is wrong with you?! At first, I thought you guys were joking or something. Maybe in a bit of denial that you guys are getting a younger sibling- but this... this is terrible! Terrible sons and terrible brothers."

Perhaps it was just a burst of anger. I hated... I hated it all. I let it slip... probably my worst fear that I kept hidden deep within me. "The baby is ruining our family."

Taiko never looked back- keeping his silent posture as his girlfriend and Kellie looked at me stunningly. I felt their stares eyeing both me and Taiko... but it seemed that we didn't really care. The fact is... it's true.

I repeated myself, saying it sternly and proudly. "The baby is ruining our family. We may have been imperfect... but it was functional. Now we are going to have a baby sibling in the house. It messes everything up. I wanted my life to be perfect... but this... this isn't perfect. How would you feel if your parent suddenly wanted a baby out of nowhere."

"Honestly..." Kellie says with hesitation. "I would like it." She smiled brightly and confidentially, I was scared this wasn't the girl I loved. "Having a baby sibling like that would be amazing. Builds up skills to see if you can be a parent in the future."

"I've never really thought it like that." Haylee chuckled, pushing her hair behind her ears as she stared happily onto the street. "I thought having a baby sibling would be adorable- babysitting and all. Oh- but it must be a girl thing, you boys might be saying." That tone soon became snappy. "If we were in your place, we would be thrilled."

Finally, Taiko spoke aloud. "But haven't you thought about her getting hurt? Jim here thinks about what's right. I mean, I do too. But... Mom... she's getting older. What if she dies from it? It's not rare for people to get killed during childbirth. Then what will happen with Dad? He's too attached to her... you all know that, right? If something happens to her... he'll snap."

"Since when did you-"

"Jim, I didn't care anymore. What am I supposed to do? Tell Mom that I hated it? Threaten her life even more? Or just ignore it as a protest? Rather than really grinding her up like that... I've... I've kept silent."

We stayed out there in silence for awhile. Feeling the warmth quickly being extinguished. The darkest feeling fell upon us when we heard Dad's panicking voice on the phone... asking us to stay home and clean up the house. I've never heard him like that... what made him panic in that way?