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December 9, 1991

As November ended, everyone was filled with holiday spirit and the excitement of Christmas looming over them.

"How are we looking so far?" Lynda asked, she and Kellie decorated the Christmas tree together.

"What do you think Kyle?" Bronson asked as he held Kyle snugly in his arms, a small noise escaped from him "Yeah I don't like it either" Bronson said.

"Very funny" Lynda said.

"Oh, Kel I think someone's getting a little fussy here" Bronson said as Kyle began to whine and started crying.

"He's probably hungry" Kellie said "Aren't you sweetie?" she asked taking Kyle from her brother and taking him into the kitchen.

“Merry Christmas!” Kellie's oldest sister, Kate said as she entered the house.

“Katie!” her mom said surprised.

“Mom” Kate said hugging her.

“Jack” Lynda said hugging Kate's boyfriend.

“Nice to see you again” he said as they hugged.

“What are you doing here? We thought you weren’t coming until next week?” Lynda asked.

“Well we both ended up getting more time off at work so we figured…why not?” Kate said.

“Plus this way it lets us spend time with both our families and friends” Jack said to her.

“Oh I’m so glad you’re here” Lynda said hugging Kate once more.

“So? Where is he? Where’s my nephew?” Kate asked looking around.

“Oh Kellie took him into the kitchen to feed him” Lynda said as Kate hurried into the kitchen.

“Oh my goodness” she said smiling once she saw the baby.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Kellie asked upon seeing her sister.

“Jack and I decided to come early, I just couldn’t wait to meet my nephew” Kate said to her “He's so cute” she said taking off her coat “Hi I’m your aunt Kate” she said holding his hand.

“Hey Kel” Jack said coming into the kitchen.

“Hey Jack” Kellie said to him.

“Wow look at him” he said.

“Can I hold him?” Kate asked.

“Sure” She carefully passed him to her and Kate cuddled him in her arms.

“Wow, look at those big green eyes”. “I have such an adorable nephew” she said smiling at Kellie.

He began to wail "Oh what's wrong?" Kate asked bouncing him.

"He's just hungry that's all" Kellie said "Come on sweetie, time to eat" she said as Kate passed him back.

“Oh Kel he is just so perfect” Kate said as Kellie held a bottle up for Kyle to eat from.

“Yes he is” Kellie said smiling down at him as Kyle’s little hands held the bottle.

“How are you?” Kate asked.

“Well…you know everything’s pretty hectic anymore but…it’s okay, I’m taking it one day at a time, that’s all you can do right?” Kellie asked.

“Hey, if you need anything, you know you can always come to me” Kate said to her.

“I know, thanks” Kellie said to her.


~*~



"We are expecting tonight's snow storm to leave at least 3 to 6 inches..." a weatherman said on the TV. Jessie sat on the couch, fiddling with two knitting needles.

"Getting cold out there" Jeremy said coming in the house.

"You get it?" Jessie asked.

"Peanut butter vanilla ice cream and barbecue chips" he said handing her a shopping bag.

She opened the tub of ice cream and the bag of chips and scooped the ice cream onto the chip.

"Ugh" Jeremy said disgusted.

"Trust me, it's delicious" she said to him "Ooh" Jessie moaned setting the ice cream on the coffee table "She's moving again" she said "I don't believe this" she said irritated.

"What's wrong?" Jeremy asked.

"I have to go to the bathroom again" she said.

"Arms out" he said as he pulled her up from the couch.

"Don't eat my ice cream" she said waddling past him.

He heard the bathroom door shut upstairs, he looked at the bag of chips lying next to the ice cream, he picked the bag up, swiping a chip through the ice cream.

"Mmm...this is good" he said to himself.

"Jeremy!" Jessie screamed from upstairs.

"Coming!" he said rushing up the stairs "You okay?"

"My water broke" she said.

"What? are you sure?" he asked frantically.

"Positive" she said shaking her head.

"Oh god...okay let's just everybody stay calm..." he then ran from the room "Where's the bag? Where's the bag?!" she waddled calmly into the room, opening the closet door and picking up an overnight bag.

"Oh" he said as she handed it to him.

"Calm huh?" she asked, he helped her down the stairs and into the car.


~*~



"Uh huh, well thank you so much for calling, give her our love, okay, bye dear, call us if anything changes" Michelle said "Jack!" she yelled "That was Jeremy, Jessie's in labor, he just took her to the hospital, we almost have a granddaughter!" she said happily.

"Mom!" Melissa screamed from upstairs "Something's wrong!" she yelled, Michelle and Jack rushed up the stairs "What's happening?" she asked, they looked down to see the carpet was sopping wet.

"Oh my god" Michelle said.

"Is this supposed to happen?" Melissa asked nervously.

"Yes!" Michelle said "Honey your water broke!"

"What?" Melissa asked.

"Come on we got to get you to the hospital" Michelle said taking her hand.

"I'll get the car" Jack said rushing from the room.

"Nathan! get in the car!" Michelle yelled.

She helped Melissa to the car and they sped off towards the hospital.

~*~


"Excuse me, we need help, my daughter's having a baby" Michelle said to a nurse.

"Oh my god...AJ, I forgot about my boyfriend!" Melissa said as she sat in a wheelchair.

"Does it really matter?" Jack asked.

"Jack!" Michelle yelled at him “Honey don’t worry as soon as you’re settled in, I’ll call him” she said to Melissa.

"Hey" Jeremy said walking towards them "What are you guys doing here?" he asked.

"Missy's in labor" Michelle said to him.

"Seriously? Jess is going to love this" he said.

~*~


Michelle stood near a payphone, the phone pressed up against her ear.

“Hello?” Denise asked answering the phone.

“Oh Denise hi it’s Michelle” she said.

“Oh hello” Denise said.

“Listen I know it’s late but I’m calling because Melissa just went into labor” she said.

“Oh my…are you serious?” Denise asked frantically.

“Yes and she’s asking for AJ is there anyway you can get here as soon as possible?” Michelle asked.

“We’re on our way” Denise said hanging up.

“Hey, what’s going on?” AJ asked coming into the room.

“You’re about to be a father” Denise said to him.

“What?” he asked.

“Melissa’s in labor, she’s at the hospital, get in the car!” she said to him.


~*~



“Jess, look who’s here” Jeremy said as he and Jack entered Jessica’s room.

"Daddy” she said happily “I said you didn’t have to rush down here” she said.

“Well as soon as we got off the phone with you, your sister's water broke" he said.

"Missy's in labor?" she asked.

"Your mom's getting her all settled in now” Jack said “She’s just waiting for the boy” he said.

"The boy?" Jessie asked.

"Alex, AJ whatever he's calling himself these days" he said bitterly.

"Daddy, I know you don't approve in Melissa's choice in boyfriends but...he's the father of your grandchild you're going to have to accept him sooner or later" Jessie said to Jack.

"Yeah Jack, from the conversations I’ve had with him, you wouldn't believe how excited he is, he really does love and care about Melissa" Jeremy said to him. "He's going to love that little boy just as much" Jeremy said.

"So, can you just try for the sake of your grandson?" Jessie asked.

"I'll try my best" Jack said.


~*~



"Good girl, just like we learned in class" Michelle said to Melissa as she practiced her breathing exercises.

"This is so stupid!" Melissa said throwing her head back to the pillows "How is breathing supposed to help?" she asked.

"Melissa" AJ said running into the room, Denise following behind him.

"Oh my god" she said, he went to her side and hugged her tightly.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I am now, I'm so glad you're here" she said.

"What's happening now? what's going on? Are you going to deliver soon?" he asked.

"Not for a while" Michelle said to him.

"This is going to be a long night" Melissa said.

"It is, so lay back and just relax" Michelle said to her.

"How can I relax when there's a person coming out of me?!" Melissa asked.

"Try and rest" Michelle said smoothing her hair out.

"There you are, how's Jessie?" Michelle asked as Jack came into the room.

"Just fine, she's actually asking for you" Jack said to her.

"Oh, okay, I'll be right back" Michelle said to Melissa.

"How are you doing princess?" Jack asked.

"This hurts so bad" Melissa whined "I'm so scared" she said.

"Oh don't worry, you're going to be just fine, I promise" Jack said soothingly.

"Thanks daddy" Melissa said smiling at him.

"Hey got you some...ice chips" AJ said coming into the room "Mr. Jordan" he said, handing the cup to Melissa.

"Alex" he said, they froze and turned to look at him in shock.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing it's just...you've never called me by my actual name before usually it's just 'you'" AJ said.

"I know, look I may hate what you've done to my daughter but for the sake of my grandson I'm willing to try and be civil with you" Jack said.

"Wow uh...thanks" AJ said "uh..." he held his hand out and Jack shook it.

"But...you knock up my daughter again...there'll be hell to pay" he said bringing him in close.

"Daddy" Melissa said to him.

"Just promise to take care of my grandson" Jack said.

"I swear on my life" AJ said, Melissa reached over and took his hand. He sat next to her on the hospital bed, wrapping his arm around her.


~*~


December 10, 1991


The snow outside went from a light flurry to fluffy clumps of white, coating the town and the hospital's parking lot. It came down heavier as the morning arrived, the sky turned a bright orange pink color. Melissa began to feel restless, waking from her deep slumber, she took deep breaths from the strong pain radiating through her body.

“Mom” she said “Mom” she said once more, Michelle then woke up, opening her eyes and jumping from her seat.

“Honey? Honey what is it?” she asked going to her side.

“This is it” Melissa said breathing, Michelle then ran from the room waking up AJ.

“Miss? Hey, you okay? What’s going on?” he asked rushing to her side.

"This is it, it's time" she said to him.

“Jeremy” Jessie said, Jeremy snored away in a chair next to her “Jeremy!” she said louder.

"You okay?" he asked sitting up in the chair.

"I think it's time, get the nurse” she said.

"I'll get her" Jack said rushing from the room.

"Excuse me, I think my daughter's about to deliver" Michelle said a nurse in the hallway.

"Nurse!" Jack said to the same nurse "My daughter's about to deliver".

“Good morning” a doctor said coming into Melissa's room “I hear we’re about to deliver” he said sitting at the foot of the bed and throwing the blankets up over Melissa’s knees.

“Good morning Jessica, how are we feeling?” her doctor asked.

“Well doc I think it’s time” Jessie said to her.

"Let's see what we're dealing with here" she said examining her “You would be right…let’s have a baby” the doctor said.

“Alright everyone, let’s have a baby” Melissa’s doctor said as well "Melissa on the count of three I want you to start pushing."

“Jessica I want you to push on three okay?” the doctors said to them.

"1..."

"2..."

"3!" both doctors coached.

Melissa lifted her legs from the bed as she pushed, gritting her teeth.

"Okay again, 1...2...3" the doctors said to them, Jessie glommed onto Jeremy's hand, squeezing it tightly.

"He's crowning."

"She's crowning" the doctors said to them.

"Come on, again" the doctor said to Melissa as she pushed harder, nearly crushing his hand.

Jessie screeched as she pushed, falling backwards.

"Come on Jessie just one more."

"One more Melissa, you're almost there" both doctors coached.

They both gave one final push, screaming in agony and falling back in relief.

"Here she is" a nurse said holding up Jessie and Jeremy's daughter, she wailed loudly in response.

“Oh my god, Jess, Jess look at her” Jeremy said, still clutching her hand tightly.

“She’s absolutely perfect” Jessie cried.

"Here he is" another nurse said holding the baby up for Melissa.

"Oh my god" she said happily.

“This is probably the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life” AJ said in awe “I love you so much!” he said kissing Melissa’s head.

“He’s so perfect” Melissa said crying happily, he wailed, kicking his legs as they passed him to another nurse.

"Want to cut the cord?" he stepped forward taking the surgical scissors and cutting the umbilical cord.

Jeremy also clipped the cord, the nurses cleaned her up and bundled her in a pink blanket.

"Here's your daughter" the nurse said handing her to Jeremy.

“Want to hold your son?” a nurse asked Melissa.

“Oh god yes, please” she said holding her arms out, the nurse smiled and placed him safely in her arms.
She smiled down at him, tears forming in her eyes “Hi…hi little Adam” she said tearfully “I’m your mommy” she said as she began to cry happily. “And you have no idea how much I love you” she said kissing his little head.

“Hey…hey little guy” AJ said looking at him in awe “I’m your daddy” he said in a whimper.

They looked at each other, Melissa tearfully smiling at him, he then kissed her lips softly.

“I love you” she said to him.

“I love you so much” he said to her.

A short while later, Denise held Adam in her arms “My goodness” she cooed looking down at his face “He is your spitting image” she said to him.

“He is isn’t he?” Melissa asked.

“How do you feel honey?” Denise asked.

“I’m exhausted” Melissa said.

“But it was worth it wasn’t it?” she asked.

“Every bit” Melissa said as Denise put Adam back in her arms.

“Missy…someone wants to see you” Michelle said coming into the room, she then stood aside as Jeremy wheeled Jessie into the room, holding their daughter tightly.

"Hi" she said softly.

“Oh my god, Jess she’s perfect” Melissa said to her.

“Little Zoey wanted to meet her cousin Adam” Jeremy said.

“Zoey?” AJ asked.

“Yep, Zoey Michelle Montgomery" Jessie said looking down at her daughter.

"What happened to Eve?" Melissa asked.

"Well it came down to that and Zoey and we thought about it for a while..." Jeremy said.

"And we realized in the end, Zoey was the better choice" Jessie said.

“Should we celebrate?” Jack asked setting two cupcakes on Melissa’s bed table. He stuck a blue candle in one and a pink candle in the other and lit them.

“Happy Birthday to you…” he sang “Happy birthday to you” everyone said following him “Happy birthday dear Adam and Zoey…happy birthday to you” everyone sang.