Chapter 5
Jenna
“I’m fine,” I tell Adam for the fifth time.
I puked in the ladies’ room before the flight, but my stomach is mostly settled now. Morning sickness hasn’t been too bad. I know it’s not necessarily a first trimester thing.
Some women get sick throughout and I hate the thought of that, but I can deal with it. Adam can’t.
“Do you want to announce the issue to everyone?”
“No,” he says, his lips tightening.
“Then stop hovering over me like I’m going to break.”
“I want to take care of you.”
“You do,” I stroke his cheek. “But right now, you’re mothering, and it is not sexy.”
The look on his face has me melting. He wants to take care of me, and he does, amazingly. He’s always there when I need him, but he also gives me the space to be me. Especially as I went ahead to my meeting at work this morning.
I left him to call around, trying to find out what Jordan was up to. I came straight back once I was finished. We packed a bag for three nights, just as we’d been instructed.
Sometimes, Jordan forgets a few of us are normal people, with normal jobs. We can’t just run off at the drop of a hat.
Although we have done. All of us are here.
I kiss Adam’s lips and lean back in my chair. I look out of the window as we fly through the skies. I’m used to hopping on a private jet these days. It used to be hard for me.
I learned fast, having access to private planes or at least first class is a blessing. He’d be mobbed otherwise. I hate it when girls crowd him. I don’t begrudge them wanting to meet their idol. But hell, let the guy walk through the airport without screaming and pawing at him.
Nick’s face appears between our seats, his eyes stretched back, as there isn’t enough room to fit his head. Adam slaps the top of his head, making him lurch back. Nick just laughs.
“Anyone text Bianca?”
“Are you serious?” Adam asks. “There is no way Jordan told Bianca. He hides from her at the best of times.”
“Which makes me think he’s trying to pull the wool over our eyes. We’d never assume Bianca knows anything about this.”
“Not with this,” Adam disagrees. “He’s still scared of her.”
Nick chuckles. Elsa stands up and puts her arms over the back of our seats. There is enough leg room between the rows. Adam chose seats that weren’t facing others.
“I think it’s romantic,” she says.
“Wedding?” I suggest and Elsa nods. Nick and Adam both laugh at us. “What?”
“No way,” Nick tells her. “Not Jordan.”
“You all said that about him getting a serious girlfriend too,” I point out. “Look how that turned out. They’re joined at the hip.”
“That doesn’t mean they’re getting married,” Nick says.
“Brooke agrees and I think Archer does too.”
Elsa rests her head on Nick’s shoulder. They’re too cute, I’m so thrilled they worked things out.
“That’s because he’s scared to disagree with her,” Adam laughs.
“Damn right he is.” We look at Brooke as she passes us. “And they’re getting married,” she says succinctly as she continues on her way.
“What the hell, woman?” Archer yells. “We disagree. All the time. And I’m not afraid to do it.”
Brooke looks at him for a long moment, then sashays away. We all watch him watching her ass, a dopey smile on his face.
Nick throws a bag of peanuts at him, which he bats away. Then has to apologize when the flight attendant ducks to pick them up.
“What else could it be?” Elsa asks, taking a green shake from the table behind her. “And don’t say orgy. Alessa would string him up by his balls just for the suggestion.”
We all laugh at that.
“Wouldn’t Ciro know?” Nick asks, quieter than before.
It still makes me laugh that they’re all so wary around him. Yeah, he is quiet and intense, and has the whole, stare you down till you feel like you may wet yourself, thing going on. But I kinda like him.
He hit on Brooke back on the night Adam and I got engaged. Although she hasn’t come out and admitted it. I know they hooked up that night.
It was pre-Archer. I imagine it would be awkward if Arch knew the guy sitting in front of him slept with his girlfriend. I remember how awful it was when Adam was on tour with his nasty ex working alongside them.
“Ask him,” Adam says, fiddling with his wireless headphones.
He is about to put them in and tune us all out. He recorded himself playing his new song this morning, so he’ll be working on the lyrics.
“Hey Ciro!”
Nick yells. Nash and Jack look at us, then their heads turn back to Ciro. He is reading a book and slowly raises his head.
“You heard anything from Alessa about this?”
“No,” he says. Then goes back to his book.
“Thanks, man,” Nick says.
“No problem.”
Nash kicks Ciro’s calf and earns himself a scowl. “Dude, do you know anything? Seriously, how did you get on the plane before us?”
“I asked which plane it was and if I could get on.”
“Why didn’t we think of that?” Arch rolls his eyes.
Ciro looks at him, his eyes lingering for a moment before he again goes back to his book.
“Because we’re all normal, friendly people who like to be around other normal friendly people,” Jack states.
He’s slouched in his seat, his long legs crossed at the ankles. He has a blanket from his knees to his chin and is still wearing his sunglasses.
“Ciro is an island,” he drawls.
That gets a laugh from the group. Elsa comes around and asks Adam to switch seats. He fusses and makes a show of getting up to move before dropping a kiss on my forehead.
“Why the fuck aren’t you sitting next to me?” Nick asks as Adam moves to the back of the plane.
He ignores him as he puts his earphones in. Archer goes to sit next to Nick instead, and pretty soon they’re watching something on Nick’s phone.
Elsa kicks off her shoes and pulls her feet up. She sits side on, so she is facing me, her back to the aisle.
“So,” she says. I wait, but she doesn’t continue. I raise my brows. “So?” she repeats.
“I’m kind of at a loss,” I tell her.
Elsa has become one of my closest friends since meeting the band and hanging out in LA. She is really sweet and caring and has a wicked sense of humor. She is absolutely perfect for Nick, too.
Her eyes drop to my stomach. I put my hand over it, then quickly pull it away and grip the arm rest. Too late, though. She is staring at me, blue eyes wide.
“How did you know?”
“My older sisters all have kids. I always guessed when they were expecting. I don’t know, it’s a gift, I guess. So, it’s true?” she squeals, but I put my hand on her arm.
“No one knows.”
“Really?”
“Not even mom.”
Immense guilt hits me again. We agreed we would wait to tell everyone, just until it was safe, that we passed that three-month mark. But mom is all I have. We’re each other’s only family, besides Adam and the band, who she has adopted as though they’re her own kids. She’ll be thrilled knowing she is going to be a grandma.
“Oh honey,” Elsa takes my hand and gives it a squeeze.
It’s only then I realize my vision is a little blurred. Another side effect of being pregnant, I keep bursting into tears. For no reason most of the time.
“I completely understand the three-month rule,” she says, as if she’s read my mind. “But look what it’s doing to you, keeping it from your mom and your friends. You should be celebrating. I know it’s worrying. What you need to remember is, your friends and family love and support you. They’ll be there through the good and any bad. This is so, so good. So exciting! But I won’t say a word if you don’t want me to, I promise.”
I wring my hands, thinking over her words. She hands me a tissue so I can dab my eyes. I know what she is saying is true, but part of me feels like telling everyone makes this… real.
Admitting its real, means admitting I’m going to be someone’s mom. And I’m terrified. I’ve never been excited but terrified all at once.
The insecurities hit me as soon as I saw those red lines. I have my shit together. I’m a highly functioning, professional, independent woman. Those lines had me reaching for the counter for support.
Adam was over the moon. Initially, he’d been too excited to see I wasn’t quite as happy as him. He talked me around. And I am happy. Now and then, I still get scared.
“All new moms go through this,” Elsa whispers.
“You know all this just from your sisters?” I ask with a watery smile.
“Oh yeah, and tons of friends, too. I’m surprised I’ve lasted this long without one of my own.”
“Your own what?”
I lurch in the chair as Nick’s face appears between the seats again. I splutter, my mouth hanging open, totally frozen.
“A car,” Elsa says without a second thought. “Even in LA, everyone used to say I was nuts for not owning one. Hell, I don’t even have a driving license,” she laughs.
Nick looks at her funny. “I’ve seen your driving license, babe. Your photo is cute.”
“It expired. Years ago,” she waves her hand like it’s not important.
“Why are you talking about owning a car? You live in New York now. Cars are pointless.”
“Especially when you have a driver,” Elsa muses.
All the guys have drivers when they need to go anywhere. Adam does own a car, though. He uses it when we go out of the city.
“And I’m discussing it because I want to.” She puts her hand between the seat and pushes his face away. “Mind your business, buddy.”
“Els, you had a car in LA too,” he looks even more confused.
Oh God, I groan, putting my face in my hands. Her cover story is falling apart right before us. Her blue eyes flit to mine in panic.
“You’re hopeless,” Brooke comes up behind us. “You two, go do something useful, like write a new album.”
“Ain’t that easy doll face,” Arch says without looking up from his phone.
“Well, all I ever hear from you is how amazing you are. What a fantastic musician and lyricist. Go prove it to me.”
“Why am I dragged into this? I told him to keep his nose out of their conversation,” Archer gripes.
“Move,” Brooke says, looking at Archer, then Nick.
Wisely, Nick gets up and heads to the back of the plane. Archer is slower to go. He grabs Brooke by the hip and plants a long, noisy kiss on her lips. It almost has her spitting like a cat. Once they’re both gone, she turns her gaze to us.
“You two, step into my office.”
Brooke has four seats around a table all to herself. She has her laptop set up and has been working since we boarded.
“I think we’re in trouble,” Elsa mutters.
“Yes, you are,” Brooke taps her foot. “Come on.”
We both follow her to the front of the plane and take our seats opposite her. Brooke shuts her laptop and waves over the flight attendant. She requests one of Elsa’s fruit and vegetable smoothies, a green tea for me, and a glass of wine for her. We sit in silence until the drinks arrive.
I stare at the tea. That’s when I know. She knows.
“That’s right, girl,” she says to me, sipping her drink. “I’m a lawyer. The truth is my business.”
Elsa snorts, implying truth and lawyer don’t go in the same sentence.
“How does everyone know?” I groan.
“Because it’s true what they say.” Brooke eyes me over her glass of wine. “You’re glowing. Your hair is shinier and thicker, if that is even possible,” she sniffs. “Adam has been more rash like than normal. If he could get away with carrying you everywhere, I think he would.”
“Shit.” I put my head in my hands. “It’s supposed to be a secret.”
“What is?”
I look at Nick, who has appeared, again.
“Oh my God, you’re like a whack-a-mole,” Elsa cries. “Go away.”
“That wasn’t what you were saying this morning,” he winks. “Come on, don’t keep me in the dark. What are you talking about? All I heard was Adam has a rash, and it’s a secret.”
“Adam has a rash?” Jack says from his seat to the left of us. “What kind of rash and where?” He lifts his glasses and eyes us suspiciously before glancing at the back of the plane.
Adam is blissfully unaware of this ridiculous conversation.
Nick grins. “I hope it isn’t one of those intimate rashes,” he parks his ass on the arm rest of my chair. “Or did he use your face cream again?”
“Fucking hell,” I put my face in my hands. Elsa is cracking up beside me.
“You’re like a damn rash,” Brooke is telling him. “How Elsa gets anything done with you hanging off her skirts is anyone’s guess.”
“She likes me hanging off her,” Nick points out.
Then the questions fire at me.
“What about this rash?”
“Is it contagious?”
“Does he need cream for it?”
“Adam! Better get down here,” Nick yells.
“But not if it’s contagious,” Tia repeats, looking worriedly at Nash, who is staring at us all like we’re nuts. Which we are.
“Why, what’s wrong?” Adam comes barreling down towards us, his eyes on me. “Are you alright?” he pushes Nick off the arm rest and crouches in front of me. His eyes scan everywhere to figure out what is wrong.
“We heard about your rash.”
“My… What?” he looks over his shoulder at Jack.
“Your rash. Are you itching in inappropriate places, dude?” he laughs.
Adam looks even more confused. “What the fuck are you all talking about?”
“What am I missing?” Archer saunters towards us. “Looks like a party up here.”
God, everyone is here now. Except Ocean and Dylan, who are asleep in the bedroom. Otherwise they’d be here too. Oh and Ciro, he’s still reading a few rows back. I glare at Brooke. She at least has the decency to look guilty about Nick overhearing her.
I reach for Adam’s hand, and instantly everyone around us is forgotten. He leans towards me, brushing my hair back, and I smile. He frowns, still unsure if there is something wrong with me, or if everyone else on board has lost their damn mind. I squeeze his hand again.
“The cat is out of the bag.”
“Really?” He looks…happy. I thought he’d be mad. We’d discussed this and both agreed to keep it quiet for now. “Can I tell them?” he whispers, not so quietly.
Everyone else is quiet, waiting. I nod, and Adam turns around to face everyone.
“We’re having a baby. I’m gonna be a dad!” he yells.
A burst of cheers, handshakes and kisses ensues. I’m so overwhelmed I start to cry. Adam lifts me up, takes my seat, then pulls me back on to his lap. Elsa passes over more tissue, dabbing at her own eyes.
Elsa is right. Everyone on board is family, and they’re all as happy as we are. It will always be this way.
“As soon as we get back, family dinner okay, both sides,” Adam kisses my eyelids closed. “Jake is gonna lose his shit,” he adds happily. As will his parents, and Kiera, and my mom.
I feel guilty everyone knows before her. When we tell them, it will be special, more intimate. Not like this crazy bunch.
I wouldn’t change them for all the world.