Cinders

~85~ Flying Pigs

Today is the day mom comes home!!!! I'm ecstatic. The stupid part is that I got detention and I don't get to be there until later.

I finally get to mom's and I see her sitting on the couch, holding Sasha.

"Hey bud! Where have you been? We were expecting you at 4," she says as I go over to give her a hug.

"Sorry. I got detention." I say simply as I take Sasha out of her hands and go to sit down with her, giving her a kiss.

"For what?" She asks, rolling her eyes.

"I didn't turn in my homework today. It was kind of a big assignment, so my teacher was mad," I say as I flip the channel on the tv.

"So much for never getting in trouble again." Taylor chuckles as he takes the remote out of my hands and changes it back to what he was watching.

What is promised when your mom is in the hospital, stays in the hospital, dude...

"Yeah, well I lied," I say, shrugging as I try to take the remote back out of Taylor's hands.

"If you two crazies are going to fight over the remote, give me the baby first," mom says, reaching out her arms.

"No way! You've had her all day, you baby hog!" I say as I pretend to guard her away from mom.

Suddenly Sasha lets out a huge burp and projectile vomits all over me.

I might very well throw up right here with her. How gross.

I've never heard Taylor laugh that hard before. "I appreciate you taking one for the team, bud. That'll teach ya to get detention again." He snorts, still laughing hard enough to look stupid.

"Ugh," I say as I pull my shirt away from my chest. "For being so cute, you're pretty disgusting," I say, pretending to glare at Sasha.

I could never really be mad at her though. She's just too cute.

I get up and hand the baby to mom, tearing off my shirt. I then throw it at Taylor before I go to take a shower. I didn't appreciate the laughs that were still coming from him. Maybe a little puke will shut him up.

At first I wonder if he will be mad, but then I hear...

"Ack! The little punk!" He says, getting the shirt off of him and throwing it in the hamper in my room, giving me a wink.

~*~

When I get out of the shower, mom and Taylor are sitting next to each other. Taylor is holding Sasha, and mom is trying not to fall asleep.

"Man, we must be boring company if you're falling asleep at 5:30," I tease.

Mom smiles and chuckles. "Sorry."

A little later, while we're eating pizza, the doorbell rings. Taylor starts to get it but mom puts her hand out to stop him. "Please let me—I've gotta get off of this couch."

Taylor just nods and helps her up, keeping his hands around her waist until he's for sure she's steady.

Mom walks over, slowly, and opens the door.

It's Jake.

"Hey!" Mom says, surprised.

"Hey yourself," he says in a soft tone—Totally different than the one he normally has.

Mom moves out of the way and motions for him to come in.

He comes in and awkwardly looks at us. "I, uh, came to bring you a 'glad you're not dead, but here's something that will kill you', gift." he says, starting to hand mom a case of soda. Then he realizes that it's probably too heavy for her right now, and hands it to Taylor instead.

It normally would be an odd thing to bring someone, but for him it was perfect.

"Thanks Jake," mom says, giving him a smile.

"You good?" He asks her, staring at her hard.

She nods. "Still dizzy, but I'm getting better."

"Ok, well I just wanted to check on you. I'll get out of your hair," he says as he turns to leave.

"Jake?" mom says softly.

He turns around and stares at her.

"Taylor said you haven't held her yet. Wanna meet your niece?"

"Really?" Jake asks, his voice getting husky.

"Yeah. She's going to need her uncle to teach her how to fight. I have a feeling Taylor and I are going to have our hands full keeping the boys away."

"I'd love to hold her," he says with a smile.

Taylor comes over and hands Sasha to Jake.

Jake is mesmerized—He can't take his eyes off of her. He just stares at her hard, rocking her gently. He then takes his thumb and carefully caresses her cheek.

"I don't think I've ever seen such a pretty baby before. Sorry, Liam, but it's true," he says, looking at me sheepishly.

"I was a very pretty baby," I pout, acting offended.

Jake looks at me and rolls his eyes, smiling a little.

"Yes you were, baby," mom says in a mocking tone, pinching my cheek.

We watch him as he continues to stare at Sasha. He takes her and goes over to the couch, sitting down and holding her to him close.

"Did dad and Justin get back ok?" Mom asks, trying to start a conversation.

Jake looks at mom and shrugs. "I have no idea. I hardly ever talk to them."

"You don't?" she asks, completely shocked.

"I know I make it seem like it's us leaving you out, but it's not—They left us both behind, Ellie," he says, the hurt evident in his voice.

"Well, we don't need them," she says, smiling gently at him.

He looks at her hard again. "It was never about you.....I. You. Umm," he stammers, pausing to figure out how to say it.

"I remind you too much of mom," she says for him.

He just nods, embarrassed.

"I know that—I always knew that."

"Can you forgive me?" He asks with tears in his eyes.

Mom nods. "Yeah," she says, coming over and giving him a hug, and sitting next to him on the couch.

"She's not kidding about you teaching this kid to fight. I hope that you do. Ellie's got a killer right hook thanks to you." Taylor says, smiling at Jake.

That's the first time I've seen him smile at Jake. I think pigs are flying outside right now. This day is getting weird.

"How would you know that?" Jake asks, raising his eyebrows and looking at mom. "Did you punch him too?"

Mom rolls her eyes. "Not on purpose. I was sleeping."

Jake just snorts and looks at Sasha again.

"I'd better get going—I've got a date here in a bit. I'd like to come back though, sometime, if that's ok."

Taylor nods and mom smiles.

"You better," she says, squeezing his arm. Jake smiles as he stands up and hands the baby to Taylor. Then he reaches over and gives mom a true hug—Not an awkward one. He gently kisses her on the top of her head. "I love you. Thanks for not dying, Ellie," he says with a smile.

"I love you too. And you're welcome," she says with her goofy grin.

Once Jake leaves, mom has tears falling down her face.

"What's wrong, Ellie Jane?"

"I had no idea that he doesn't talk to them either. He's been more alone than I have all these years," she cries.

Taylor just shakes his head and pulls her into him. "Not anymore. Now he's a part of this crazy family," he says, smiling at me and giving mom a kiss on her head.

We are a crazy family—But it's my family. And I love it.