CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER
SIX
That voice. That voice still made her quiver inside.
“Now is not the time to discuss this. You made it clear you didn’t want me or them.”
“Bullshit. I never knew about him,” Jayson seethed, glaring angrily at her.
“Who’s spreading the bull now?” Lana fired back.
“You messed around on me and then when I called you, the same chick you swore you never slept with or had anything to do with, answered your phone while she was on your dick. You told her to tell me you didn’t give two shits what I had to say before hanging up on me. ”
“Okay you two, now is not the time for this. Son, stand down. Lana, please, can we talk about this after the wake?” Jayson’s father pleaded.
“Them?” Jayson’s mother asked in confusion.
“Mommy, are you okay? Why are these people mad at you?”
“Yes, baby, I’m okay. Everything is okay.”
Lana watched the shock in Jayson and his parents’ eyes widen. Yeah, there was definitely going to have to be a conversation after everything was over with.
“Yes, Mrs. Kenwood. Them, as in twins. This is Jayson Kenneth, and this is Danielle Lynnette.”
“Y-you named him after my father and I despite how you feel about us? Our daughter has my mom’s name, too?” Jayson asked in surprise.
“Dani was named after my mother and yours,” Lana replied softly as she wrapped her other arm around her daughter who came to her opposite side.
“After the wake,” Jayson reminded her then walked away.
“I’m so sorry, Ice. I had to use the restroom,” Rocky quickly said, panic in her voice.
“It’s not your fault, Rocky. The Kenwood’s have a right to know their grandchildren. The other one, only time will tell.”
Lana made it through the rest of the memorial without breaking down as she listened to everyone who shared a story about her father. She knew that he was a good man who had his flaws, but she loved him unconditionally.
She just wished they’d had longer to get past the issues that they’d had. They had started to, then her father pulled back, sadly, now she knew why.
She was currently in the kitchen cleaning the dishes and focusing on the “what could haves” and the “what should haves” when the Kenwood’s stepped into the room.
“Here, let me help you, sweetie.”
Lana looked over at Mrs. Kenwood and softly smiled at the woman as she stepped to the side. She had been seriously dreading this moment all evening.
Not because she didn’t like the Kenwood’s. She actually cared for them a great deal.
She just dreaded the questions about what happened and why. Hell, even she didn’t know those answers herself.
“You must really hate me,” Lana softly said tears streaming down her face.
“No! Goodness no. We are hurt that we didn’t know about them. I mean, we are still confused about what happened between you and Jayson. You two were so happy together. He won’t even tell us what happened.”
Lana grabbed a dish towel and dried her hands as she turned to brace her backside against the kitchen counter. They deserved her honesty.
“To be honest, I don’t even know what happened.
I thought once I’d been officially stationed at Bragg, alongside Jayson, everything would be great.
We found a place together, worked a few missions together, and planned for our future.
I was assigned to another team for an op that had us gone for four months.
During that time, we kept in touch as best as we could.
His team was assigned a new intelligence officer in my absence.
When I got back from my op, she was bragging to me and a few other intelligence officers about how her and Jayson were doing the deed and about how I was holding him back from his true potential.
He kept telling me she was lying about them being together, but she knew things about him that only I should have known. ”
Lana startled when she felt Mrs. Kenwood pull her into her arms. She hadn’t realized until then she had folded her arms across her belly as if protecting herself and her babies, who were actually in the other room currently.
“The straw that broke me was when she showed up at the apartment with photos from an ultrasound announcing she was pregnant with Jayson’s baby.
He just stood there. No reaction. So, I went to my X.O.
and told him I needed an emergency transfer.
I got sent to Texas and left a couple of weeks later.
A couple of months later, I found out I was pregnant.
Turns out I was already four months along.
I had just assumed my symptoms were from the stress of everything and heartbreak.
I tried to call him to tell him, see if it even mattered, but another male had answered his phone and told me to never call back again, along with some other harsh words.
I tried to call again when the twins were born, they were born at twenty-five weeks gestation.
Jay almost didn’t make it. He almost died twice in a twenty-four-hour period.
When I called, a chick answered his phone.
I won’t even go into detail of that conversation. ”
“Oh, Lana. Honey, I am so sorry.” Mrs. Kenwood hugged her tighter, her own tears falling.
“Lana, I know my son isn’t perfect, but you two need to sit down and hash this out.
I don’t know all of it, but I know a good majority of what happened.
For my grandchildren’s sake, you two need to talk and find common ground.
My wife and I would love to get to know our grandchildren and be a part of their lives. ”
Lana looked at Mr. Kenwood and nodded. “I’m willing to do that, for the kids’ sake. And I would love for you guys to get to know them. They are great kids. I thought Jayson was going to be there with you?”
When the Kenwood’s looked at each other warily, she knew it wasn’t going to be good news. It rarely is with that kind of look.
“He and Peter went to Rusty’s. He’s hurting, Lana. A lot.”