Code of Love

by Sharon Cummin

  Before Julie knew it, they were headed toward her parents' house.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, after she hadn't spoken in almost an hour. “Something seems off with you. I just can't tell if you're sad or mad.”

  “I'm fine,” Julie said, as she looked out the window. “I've just had a strange morning. I'm not sad or mad. I'm good.”

  Julie heard the ding of her phone and hurried to grab it.

  Jessie: So, did you spread them wide for the doctor? Did you get on the pill? Can you two ditch the condoms? Can you fuck like rabbits?

  Julie: Something like that.

  Julie set her phone down and looked out the window. For the rest of the drive, she asked Cody about work and brought up little things that didn't really matter. There was only one thing that really mattered, but there was no way she was bringing it up on their way to her parents' house.

  As soon as Cody drove the car up the driveway and parked, Julie had her door open and was on her way to the house. There was only one person she needed in that moment, and that person was her sister. She would understand.

  Julie swung the front door open to find her sister waiting for her on the other side.

  “I messaged you back, but you didn't answer,” Jessie said. “What does something like that mean?”

  Julie didn't have to say a word. Her sister grabbed her hand and took off up the stairs, pulling Julie along with her.

  “You're pregnant,” Jessie said, as soon as they were in a bedroom with the door shut behind them.

  “What?” Julie asked.

  “Don't even try to lie to me, Julie,” her sister snapped. “You're fucking pregnant, aren't you?”

  “You can't tell anyone,” Julie said.

  “You didn't tell Cody?” Jessie asked.

  “When? On the way here? No! I didn't tell him. He's going to freak out. He wants me on the pill. What does that tell you? He doesn't want a baby?”

  “How can you say that?” Jessie asked. “Have you seen him with Jackie?”

  “Your baby,” Julie said. “He's good with her. That doesn't mean he wants one of his own. We've been together for a month really. We just got engaged a week ago.”

  “You have to tell him,” Jessie said.

  “What if he's not ready?” Julie asked. “Shit! I don't even know if I'm ready.”

  “Doesn't matter,” Jessie said. “The two of you are having a baby, so you better get ready. What do you think he's going to do?”

  “Leave,” Julie said, as she looked at her sister with tears in her eyes.

  “Bullshit!” Jessie snapped out. “That man loves you.”

  “He's also deep in the middle of trying to take over the world,” Julie said.

  “So are you,” Jessie said. “How do you feel?”

  Julie couldn't stop the smile from filling her face.

  “So happy,” she answered honestly. “I'm already so in love with the little one inside of me.”

  “He will be too,” Jessie said.

  “I don't know,” Julie said. “He wants me on the pill. Did you miss that?”

  “He also fucked you without a condom, Julie. This is not all on you,” Jessie said.

  “I'll tell him,” Julie began, “just not right now. You have to keep this quiet. Do you hear me?”

  Jessie narrowed her eyes at Julie, and Julie narrowed hers right back.

  “Don't give me that look,” Julie snapped. “I kept the same secret for you, but I did it your entire pregnancy and two months after your baby was born. I'm not asking that much here. Not a word. Do you hear me?”

  “I hear you,” Jessie said. “I love you, sis, and I love you too, little one.”

  When Jessie's hands moved to Julie's belly and rubbed, Julie smacked them away.

  “Stop it,” she said. “You are such a pain.”

  “Come on,” Jessie said. “We better get down there before they come looking for us.”

  “I know it,” Julie said. “Cody already thinks something is up with me. Time to put on a happy face.”

  On the way down to face their family and her fiancé, Julie thought to herself. You can do this. It's only one night. You'll tell him once you're home tomorrow.

  As Cody came into view at the bottom of the stairs, Julie knew she was going to enjoy every single second she had left with him that night and the next morning, in case they were the last she'd ever have again.

  Chapter 34

  Cody

  When Cody left Julie's New Year's Eve morning, everything was great. They'd spent every night together that week, and they'd been completely alone. With each night that had passed, he'd thought more and more about marrying her and never having to be without her again.

  They'd only been apart for a couple of hours, but in that short time, something had changed. He saw it right away, as soon as he opened his door and saw her standing on the other side. Something was different, but he had no idea what it was. Where she'd been happy when he'd last seen her, that happiness was gone, but what replaced it, he didn't know. She seemed sad or nervous or maybe even a bit angry. What the hell had happened, he wondered?

  Cody had asked her if she was okay while they were driving toward her parents' house, but she blew it off. She was okay. She'd had a strange morning. What did that mean? Why wouldn't she tell him? When her phone dinged, she looked at it and quickly typed something out before putting it away, but she didn't mention who it was. Was it her sister? Was it one of her parents? Was it Jason? Who the fuck was it? When she began asking him about work and other shit, he knew she was trying to get him off of whatever it was that was going on, and he didn't like it, not one bit, but he didn't say anything, and he didn't plan to either, not until they left her parents' house and headed back home.

  It didn't matter how much Cody tried to convince himself that it was nothing, it didn't work. It was definitely something, and it was pissing him off more by the second. He was her man, her fiancé. He was the one she was supposed to talk to. She could tell him anything. Didn't she know that?

  The closer they got to their destination, the more the situation got to him? Maybe it was him. What could he have done? Shit!

  When Cody parked the car in her parents driveway, he wanted to throw her over his shoulder, take her to her room, toss her on the bed, crawl over her, and hold her there until she told him what the fuck was going on, but even if he could, he never had the chance. She hurried out of the car and to the door. The second it opened, she took off up the stairs with her sister, and when she finally came back down with sadness in her eyes, her family was there, surrounding her.

  “Everything okay?” her dad asked, as he walked over to Cody after he'd hugged his daughter.

  “Everything's fine,” Cody answered, having no idea if he was telling the truth or not.

  “You sure about that?” her dad asked. “My little girl looks sad. You do something?”

  “Not a thing,” Cody said, feeling like someone had punched him in the stomach.

  “It's all good?” her dad asked.

  “Yep, all good,” Cody answered, as he walked away from Julie's dad and went to sit down on a couch in the living room.

  Cody felt a tiny bit of relief when Julie's dad took off up the stairs toward the bathroom instead of following him to ask more questions he didn't have the answers to.

  Once everyone else was done hugging Julie, they made their way to the living room as well.

  “Everything okay?” Julie's mom asked Cody.

  “Of course,” he answered, feeling like he was lying more by the minute.

  “Hey, Cody,” Jessie said, as she sat down next to him. “How's it going?”

  “I honestly don't know,” he answered. “I'm sure you know more than I do.”

  “Did you miss me and Jackie?” she asked, with a smile, totally changing the subject.

  “Of course,” he answered. “Jackie is always tons of fun, but it was definitely quiet without you.”

  “Shut up,” Jes
sie said, as she smacked him on the arm. “If you think I'm loud, you haven't seen anything yet. Just wait.”

  “What's that supposed to mean?” he asked, feeling confused.

  “I'm just messing with you,” she said.

  “Dinner is ready,” Cody heard Gracie say from behind where he was sitting.

  “I definitely like you and my brother being together,” Jessie said.

  “Oh yeah,” Gracie said. “Why's that?”

  “We don't have to have the whole damn crew around to have your amazing food now,” Jessie said. “We even get it when it's only our little family. That's a win for me for sure.”

  “Jess,” Gavin said, as he narrowed his eyes at her. “My woman is not your personal chef, she's mine.”

  “I can see that,” Jessie said. “You better get your ass to the gym a bit more each week or you're not going to be able to slide down that pole much longer. You're muscles look a little weak.”

  Jessie burst out in laughter, as Gavin stood from his chair and lifted his shirt.

  “Not a damn thing wrong with any of this,” Gavin said, as he moved his hands up and down his stomach. “Ask Gracie. Her tongue is all over.”

  “Stop!” Gracie snapped out, cutting him off. “You leave my tongue out of this.”

  “Come on, baby,” Gavin said. “Tell her there's not a damn thing wrong with my abs.”

  “Not a damn thing,” Gracie said, with a smile, as she turned and walked back toward the kitchen. “You all coming, or are you eating your food cold tonight?”

  “I have to agree with Jessie,” Julie's dad said, as he came down the last step. “Since Gracie's been coming over here without everyone else, your mom's picked up a few great recipes.”

  As soon as he rounded the bend, he looked at Cody and narrowed his eyes at him. What the fuck was that about, Cody wondered? He hadn't had that look when he'd headed up the stairs to the bathroom, and nobody else had been up there.

  “Seriously!” Julie's mom snapped, pulling both her husband and Cody's attention away from each other and over to her. “You really want to go there?”

  “Not at all, Woman,” Julie's dad said. “I'd like to have your tongue on my abs tonight. You're the best cook ever.”

  “That's more like it,” Julie's mom said.

  “That's disgusting,” Jessie said. “Can we please continue to think you two don't touch each other?”

  “Please,” Julie said, from where she was standing, holding Jackie.

  Cody didn't miss the fact that she still wasn't smiling.

  “Definitely,” Gavin said.

  “And you guys wonder why I go to my friend's house for these dinners,” Nate said.

  “How do you think the four of you came about?” Julie's dad asked.

  “Dinner,” Gracie yelled out from the kitchen.

  Everyone was up and headed for the dining room before either of Julie's parents had a chance to say anything else.

  Cody walked over to Julie, leaned in close, and kissed her cheek.

  “Love you,” he whispered.

  “Love you too, Cody,” she whispered back.

  “Did you miss the baby?” he asked, as he kissed Jackie on her little cheek.

  “I did,” Julie answered. “I really did.”

  “So did I,” he said, as Julie looked over at him. “This little girl can demand attention, but she is definitely adorable. What are you going to do when you move in with me?”

  “I'll think of something,” Julie said, with a nervous tone in her voice. “I will miss her though.”

  Cody pulled a chair at the table out so Julie could sit down with the baby, and just as he turned to walk toward the kitchen, he heard her whisper.

  “Maybe I won't be moving out after all.”

  He stopped for a second. Had he heard her right? Of course he had. Why had she said that? He wanted to know. He wanted to demand she tell him, but he knew he couldn't, not in front of her whole family.

  “I'll get you a plate,” he said, before moving again.

  “I can get it,” she said.

  “I said I'll get it,” he said roughly, as he walked through the doorway to the kitchen.

  “You sure you're okay?” Jessie asked, as soon as he saw her.

  “No,” he answered. “There's something going on. She's hiding something from me, and I'm an inch away from losing my shit.”

  “It's okay, Cody,” Jessie said, as she put her hand on his arm. “It really is.”

  “You want to know what really sucks?” Cody asked, in a whisper. “I have the biggest feeling you know exactly what it is she's hiding, and that's bullshit. I'm the one she's supposed to come to, but instead, I'm the one that doesn't know, and there isn't a damn thing I can do about that here.”

  “Cody,” Jessie said, as he pulled his arm away from her.

  “I'm not sure I'll ever be what she wants,” he said. “Shit! I don't even know what the fuck that is.”

  “Cody,” Jessie said again. “It's not like that. I swear.”

  “Doesn't matter,” he said, as he walked away and filled a plate with food.

  He set the plate in front of Julie before going back to make his own. Then he sat down next to her and looked over.

  “Let me hold her while you eat,” he said.

  “I'm good,” she replied. “I'm not that hungry. You eat first.”

  Cody looked around the table to find Julie's dad looking right back at him with a pissed off look on his face.

  “You know what,” Cody began, but stopped and shook his head. “I'll be back.”

  Then he got up and took off up the stairs to the bathroom. What the fuck was going on, he wondered? Julie was acting strange, and she'd obviously talked to Jessie. They were twins, so that made sense, but what was up with their dad? Why was he staring daggers across the table? What did he know, and how did he find out?

  Cody looked in the mirror and shook his head. He couldn't do it. There was no way he was waiting through the night and well into the next day to find out what was going on with Julie. It didn't matter if her whole damn family was there, he was going down those stairs and demanding his woman talk to him. Not to her family, but to him.

  Cody swung the bathroom door back open only to come face to face with Julie's dad.

  “You,” her dad growled out at him.

  “What about me?” Cody growled right back.

  “My little girl,” her dad said roughly.

  “What about her?” Cody snapped. “What the fuck is going on?”

  “You've been together for one month,” her dad said, as he pointed his finger into Cody's chest. “One fucking month. In that time, you've already asked her to marry you. When I gave you my blessing, I had no idea.”

  “No idea what, Gavin?” Cody snapped.

  Gavin walked by Cody, picked up the trash can, and flashed it in front of him.

  “Have you lost your mind?” Cody asked. “Why are you waving your bathroom trash can at me?”

  “Look inside,” Gavin snapped.

  Cody looked down and his heart dropped.

  “What the fuck?” he snapped out, as he looked from the stick with the word positive on it back up to Julie's dad.

  “You got my little girl pregnant,” Julie's dad growled out. “This is why her and her sister ran up here.”

  “Shit!” Cody said, as both of his hands went up and ran through his hair. “I had no idea. That's why she's been acting so weird. I can't believe this.”

  “Is this why my little girl has sadness in her eyes?” Julie's dad asked, as he shook the trash can that was still in his hand.

  “I don't know,” Cody said.

  He walked around the pissed off man in front of him and headed for the stairs.

  “We're not done,” Julie's dad snapped, as he followed after Cody.

  “We are for now,” Cody said, as he took the steps two at a time.

  As soon as he hit the bottom step, he took a deep breath. Then he slowed down and
did his best to pull his shit together.

  When Cody walked into the dining room, he looked over to see Julie, with the baby still in her arms, pushing her food around on her plate. She was pregnant. She was having his baby, he thought, and he couldn't help the happy yet sad feelings that filled him. He walked over and sat down. Then he turned slowly toward her, doing his best to keep his voice calm.

  “You're pregnant,” he said.

  “What?” Julie asked, as her eyes widened, her fork dropped from her hand, and she looked down at the little girl in her lap.

  “You're pregnant, and you didn't tell me,” he said, as he reached forward, lifted her chin, and looked into her eyes.

  Jessie was on her feet and over to them in seconds. Just as she reached down to take the baby, Julie grabbed her arm.

  “How could you tell him that?” Julie asked, as tears filled her eyes.

  “I didn't do anything,” Jessie said, as she continued to take her baby before stepping away.

  “It wasn't her,” Julie's dad said roughly, as he rounded the corner and looked over at Julie. “It was me.”

  “You?” Julie asked, with confusion in her tone. “I never told you.”

  “You didn't have to,” her dad said, as he walked closer to the table. “You left your pregnancy test right on top of the trash.”

  “Pregnancy test?” Julie asked. “I never took a pregnancy test.”

  “You're not pregnant?” Cody asked, instantly feeling relieved that Julie's dad wasn't going to try to kill him but also feeling sad that she wasn't having his child.

  “Shit!” Julie said, as she pushed her chair back and stood up.

  “Julie,” Cody said, as he was instantly up, right next to her. “What's going on? You've been acting strange since earlier. I've been freaking out all damn day, wondering what I did wrong. The second we got here, you took off. Then your dad jumped my shit for getting you pregnant. Now you're saying you didn't take a test. Is it yours or not?”

  “No,” she cried out.

  Cody reached out to pull her close, but she pushed him away.

  “If you're not pregnant, then what's the problem?” he asked, as he reached out to her again.