thirteen: and baby makes three

Levi was a mini-Jeb.

I stared at the little boy with mouth open. The pictures had not done justice to the resemblance.

His grandmother, Mrs. Burgess, was sharp with us but I got the feeling she was just upset about losing Levi. She'd made a difficult decision and it was obvious she was in poor health.

Jeb carried Levi and I followed with the suitcase. Levi was very quiet but his eyes were taking in everything.

Mrs. Burgess had given us a list of favorite foods and they included strawberries and hard-boiled eggs so once we got back to Jeb's house, I made a pretty eclectic lunch. I didn't bother with a plate, just put the food on the tray of the high chair.

He ate two fisted, watching me carefully as he chewed.

I bent down to make sure the plastic tarp was under the chair. When I lifted my head over the top of the tray, he smiled.

My heart exploded.

This baby boy was beautiful.

I was making us a grown-up lunch when I realized Levi had fallen asleep in the chair.

Jeb shook his head, smiling at the egg stuck to Levi's cheeks. Then he gently carried Levi to his new room and put him down for a nap in his new crib.

I followed.

"He's home," I whispered, looking at the little body curled up on the dinosaur sheets.

Jeb turned and pulled me into a tight hug. I lifted my arms around his hard body and squeezed him back.

We didn't say anything, just held on.

Then the timer on the stove went off.

And his stomach grumbled.

Laughing, I took the rest of the eggs out of the cold-water bath and began making egg salad sandwiches. I put out the chopped fruit and chips and we sat down to eat.

"Can I ask you something?" I squinted. "Why are you single?"

"Well, technically I'm not," he lifted his eyebrows as if to remind me. "I've had girlfriends, just not right this second."

"Did you have one when you found out about Levi?"

Jeb's eyes turned dark. "Yeah, actually. She's an engineering student."

"What happened?"

"Kyra isn't ready to be a parent."

"Did you want her to be one?"

Jeb thought for a moment. "No, you're right. Let me rephrase that. Kyra wasn't ready for ME to be a parent."

"That sucks."

"When we hooked up, we had a lot of fun. Then I found out I had an orphaned brother out there and, told her that I thought I was the person in the best place to adopt him. She rightfully wigged."

His eyes told me it had been a bad break-up.

Levi gave a soft cry and he jogged away. I cleaned up. We packed ourselves back into my car and headed downtown to the major park. A beautiful breezy May day and there was a reasonable crowd. We made our way to the little kid part and found Maggie and Marco with their two plus Trip. Laurie was sitting with Grandma Mary off to the side.

I didn't know how to act the whole time. Was I part of the family? Should I step back? Should I make polite conversation? Should I help with Levi? I just fumbled along and smiled a lot.

It was full dark by the time we got back home to the cabin. We stuck Levi in a bath to rinse of the dirt. Jeb knelt next to me as we played with Levi and his new tub toys. Our legs and arms were touching and we both got splashed.

"Alice? You all right?"

"Just tired, I think." Actually, I was so aware of Jeb that my skin went fizzy like it was all carbonated.

"Head off to bed. I'll finish here."

"No, I-"

"You're not an indentured servant. Go Netflix and chill. I got this."

"Um, yeah, all right..." I shook the water from my hands. "But just for future reference?"

"Yeah?"

"Netflix and chill doesn't mean what I think you think it means."

He cocked his head. Then blushed.

I laughed and left them.

That night, my dreams were full of Jeb and Levi. When I woke up the next morning, I reminded myself that we were just playing house.

I padded into Levi's room to check on him.

Jeb was sleeping in the chair next to the crib, his hand through the bars and touching Levi's arm.

Well, damn.

My heart was beating so hard in my chest that I thought it would wake him but I couldn't pull myself away.

Jeb blinked his eyes open. "Hey," his voice was deep and rough.

"Hey."

"He was crying in his sleep." He glanced at the baby monitor on the table.

"Oh, no. Poor guy."

"His third home in less than 3 years. It's a lot."

I nodded. Levi sat up, his curls sprung all over and his chubby fists rubbing his face. He looked over at Jeb and then at me and made a noise with his mouth.

"Baba?" I asked.

He nodded. I left to get him a sippy cup.

For three days, we nested. I didn't know another word for it. Mostly Jeb and Levi being together constantly but often with me. We played, ate, napped, went shopping and changed diapers. Jeb continued to sleep in Levi's room and was looking more and more like a zombie.

Maggie sent Levi an iPad in a thick green foam case and while we debated if Levi would even know what to do with it - he started watching videos on it. Thank you, Lord, because I couldn't take one more episode of Bubble Guppies.

Friday morning, I met my teaching team back at the University for our post-internship assessments.  Then I caught up with a handful of friends at the cafe before we picked up our caps and gowns and reported to graduation practice.

As we all tromped up the aisle, I felt like someone was watching. Naomi. She was glaring at me from a different section. Whatever.

My phone buzzed. Jeb. *Done?*

*Almost*

*Levi wants whatabuger*

*bullshit. Levi eats oatmeal with his hands*

*I want whataburger*

*you gonna share?*

*yea. leaving now. see you at the one between us*

I knew exactly which one he meant. A true Southern girl always knows where the Whataburgers are. I cut out of line with a wave and headed to the exit. As I got to the end of the hall, I stopped.

Finn was standing in front of me.

"Sweet Jesus, you do not give up, do you?"

"Alice, please. We need to talk." He stepped forward to take my arm and I dodged.

"Don't make me call the police. Again."

"You really screwed me and you never even told me why."

"Because you cheated, Finn. On our wedding day."

"But that wasn't about us. That was between you and Naomi and your conflict and I was just a pawn in all that. Then you trashed me. Such a bitch move."

"You were a PAWN?" I blinked. "Between Naomi and me??"

"Of course. You wanted what she had. Isn't that why you were dating me?"

"I was dating you because you asked me out, Finn. I had no idea you were already with Naomi."

"Sure," he snorted. "Whatever beef you and Naomi have, there was no reason to drag me into it!! I'll give you a day - one day - to go to your father and beg his forgiveness for us both. You took my name, my skills, my brand and talked trash to your father. Now you gotta make it right."

"You did those things to YOURSELF Finn! TO YOURSELF! You were the one who called him, you were the one who forged the certificate...you pushed all of this into happening!"

"Forged? That is a legitimate marriage certificate. How does it feel to be a bigamist? How you feeling about the world knowing? What about the press? How would that look against your 'oh happy me' clip with that guy? You messed with the wrong guy, sweetie. Get on the phone, call daddy, and tell him that you are so sorry. That I'm the best actor you've ever seen and you've done me wrong and please Daddy, fix this."

"But you SUCK, Finn. So how am I ever gonna lie like that?"

He stepped towards me, raising his arm as if to slap me and I braced myself. My heel was too swollen to run but I could punch back.

Then the doors slammed open from the auditorium and people began spilling out by the dozen.

Finn's eyes widened and then he quickly turned and melted away with the crowd.

I put a hand over my chest, completely freaked out by what happened. I could barely breathe. "Alice? Is that you?"

I looked up and, in the stream of people, there was Rafe's girlfriend, Lucy. She reached across and grabbed my hand, pulling me against the hallway wall. "You look like you've seen a ghost. You OK?"

"That jerk..."

"Finn, right? Finn Levitt?"

"You know his name?"

"I knew it before. When he showed up Saturday at your reception, I was shocked. That dude is sleaze. Works at Starbucks, right?  He's like a total gold digger. A guy can be that, right?"

"For sure."

"Always the drama with him. You gonna be all right? You want me to call Jeb?"

"Actually Jeb is waiting for me at Whataburger."

"You want me to walk you to your car?"

"Actually, if you wouldn't mind..."

"Mind? Oh hell, no. Just let him get in range. I still owe him for one of my girls back in freshman year," she grinned.

"Thanks, Lucy."

"No problemo, Alice. With Rafe and Jeb like they are, we gotta stick together anyway, right?"

I nodded.

I pulled into the parking lot about 20 minutes later and parked next to Jeb's truck. Levi grinned when he saw me. He had an apple slice in one hand and a french fry in the other. "Hey, there you are," I dropped my purse in the empty chair.

"Thank God you're here, I gotta hit the bathroom."

I waved him off and took over Levi duty. When he returned, he had a little bag in his hand.

"They got shopping in the men's room?"

"No, I had this in the truck," he grinned like a little boy with a secret and passed it over.

It was from a jewelry store. I opened my mouth and exhaled as I snapped open the velvet box. An engraved gold ring and a brown silicone one, side by side.

"Jeb...." His eyes met mine.

"Up to you."

"But you said..."

"Even if we are only in this for 100 days, as Maggie said - we're each other's person. So, if it makes sense for you to wear a ring then it probably means I should, too?"

I sat back. "Something I should tell you - Finn found me at school today."

"What? Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Rafe's girlfriend was there and stepped in. Finn's too much of a coward to try and threaten someone with a witness."

"Threaten?" Jeb growled.

"He's really got himself convinced, in Finn-World, that I set out to ruin his future career."

"What IS it with this dude?"

"I feel like I have so much baggage," I sighed, holding up the juice box so Levi could take a long swallow.

"No big deal," Jeb shook his head. "My baggage weighs 25 pounds and poops his pants. But I am getting worried about leaving you on Sunday."

"I would never let..."

"I know. I'm worried for your safety, Alice."

"It will be fine. You have security at the house."

"Hmm," he shook his head.

"So can I?" I burst out, unable to look at the rings another second without trying mine on. As long as he wasn't gonna bug over Finn and Lonnie then, yes, bring the bling.

He nodded and held up the box. Jeb took the silicone ring and slipped it onto his finger. I did the same with the gold band. It fit. We held up our hands and smiled at each other. I almost laughed.

He reached over and tapped our rings together. "I guess that makes it official."

"Totally legit," I agreed. "Thank you. It's really pretty."

"Nothing but the best for us wonder twins."

I inhaled deeply and nodded as I admired my new ring.