dinner at Jenna and Phoenix’s place. Jack and his wife are joining us. There have been some discoveries in my case to go over.
Tomorrow, we find out if the baby is a boy or a girl. The last few weeks have been filled with flirting, chaste kisses, and a lot of teasing trying to make the other one break. I love the little games we play at home. Even now, across the room from each other, his eyes are on me.
As we help Jenna finish up dinner, us girls are catching up. They are asking about my pregnancy and wanting to know how I’m doing. It's great to have some girl time, yet I can feel the intensity of Storm's eyes on me. When I look over at him, and our eyes lock, I wink. Me being a little flirty makes him shift in his seat. Though, I can see the irritation on his face that he has to keep his distance.
Once dinner is ready, we all sit down at the table. The reason we are here comes out. Storm is sitting next to me as Jack brings up the case.
"Phoenix has found out a few things about Jason's parents," Jack gets the ball rolling.
"Now, this can't be used in court because it wasn't exactly found via legal sources." Phoenix looks at me and Storm. We both nod in understanding. "It looks like Jason's parents are in a lot of debt, and it's very possible this is a money grab."
"How is it a money grab? How can they afford an attorney?" The questions swirling in my brain come right out, and Storm rests a hand on my upper thigh under the table.
The gestures calm me and my racing mind. Well, at least until he leans over to whisper in my ear, "It's okay, sweetheart, I got you. We fight together."
Simple words with a basic meaning to anyone who might hear them, but words that mean so much more after the last few weeks.
"Well, if they get custody of the kid, they could have you paying them child support. Not only that, but they will get the social security benefits and would be entitled to up to half of the money you are getting from the military for Jason's death. As for the attorney, he owes them a favor, so they aren't even paying him. It's more like they are blackmailing him into representing this case," Phoenix says.
"They are also playing up the sob story on social media. But other than a few close friends, it doesn't look like it's getting the traction they thought it would," Jack continues.
That makes me feel a bit better. At least other people are seeing through their bullshit too.
"They were shocked you got a lawyer so fast and didn't hide the fact that they didn't think you'd be able to hire one. “ Jack says. “Also, they know you are waiting on the money from the military and were trying to rush all this so you wouldn't have access to it to pay for a lawyer. I informed them I wasn't worried about money because we are counter suing them for attorney fees. I figure hit them where it hurts. With your permission, whatever fees they are required to pay I will donate to the women's shelter," Jack finishes.
"Yes, of course. You should be compensated for your time. You need to make sure you pay yourself!" I tell Jack, who is already shaking his head.
"He won't take a penny for this because he doesn't need the money. When he shares his story, you will understand," Storm whispers in my ear. Then he kisses the side of my head before turning back to the food in front of him.
The gesture doesn't go unnoticed by everyone at the table, but thankfully no one comments on it.
"Due to them wanting this settled before the baby is born and wanting it done before you get access to the large chunk of money, they are moving fast. Their object is to get their hands on the money before you have an opportunity to fight. They will try to prove you are an unfit mother, with no place to live, no job, no family, and no support system," Jack says.
Storm squeezes my thigh like a reminder that he's there for me.
"I can get my own place, and I am looking for a job," I say. At the same time, I’m trying to figure out how we disprove those claims.
"No, it will make it worse if you move again in such a short time. It could show you are unstable. Stay with Storm until all this is settled because it proves you have a support system. He will be your support in the eyes of the court and in real life. You will need it."
"My family has taken her in as part of the family. They are treating this child like it's their first grandbaby," Storm tells the group. Then he turns to me, "Plus, you have all of us here to support you. It's a much bigger support system than they have."
"He's right. All of us have agreed to show up in court to show our backing of you," Jenna says.
"Now, Jason's parents will try to throw anything and everything at you. Though, I don't see anything that they really can use unless there is anything you are holding back from us?" Jack asks.
It's a question I know he needs answered, but it also feels a bit like he's asking to protect Storm and the rest of the guys. I can't blame him. Since I'm the new girl to the group and here I am already causing a huge storm of trouble, it's hard to believe they seriously want to keep me around.
"No, I've told you guys everything. I was in and out of foster care, and I just tried to keep my head down. Early on, I learned it was easier to be invisible in a foster home and slip under the radar than to cause problems. Not all foster parents were meant to be foster parents." I shrug my shoulders like it's no big deal.
Jason knew how some nights those things that I saw happen to the other kids still haunt me. That's why he was so adamant about protecting me, and he did a great job at it.
"And what did Jason tell you about his parents? About why they weren't in the picture?" Jack asks.
"We've covered this before..." I say, getting a bit annoyed, and Storm’s hand on my thigh squeezes again.
"I know, I just want to make sure we're not missing anything," Jack says.
I've seen enough shows to know that means he's trying to make sure I tell him the same story again. He wants to know I'm not lying.
"Before I entered the picture, to the outside world, they looked like a big happy family. But before I ever met them, Jason would tell me that he felt like he was more there for a photo op than to be with his parents. They tried to control every aspect of his life, and when he introduced me to his parents, it was like something snapped with them. They tried to forbid him from hanging out with me, which didn't work. He realized then that he didn't want the life they had planned. So when he turned eighteen, he signed up for the military, and they couldn't stop him. Instead of coming to terms with it, they threatened to disown him. When he married me, they followed through with that threat. I know he tried to reestablish the connection and would send them letters with updates every so often, but they would get returned without having been opened."
"Do you still have them?" Jack asks.
"They were in his office..." I say, looking over at Storm for confirmation.
"I saw them, and I kept them. They're in a box. Right now, they’re sitting in my office back at the cabin," he says.
"Good. Keep them so we can show that they chose to have no relationship. That will go a long way to prove that they don't know you," Jack says.
"All right, enough of the serious talk. I made dessert," Jenna says.
Just like that, the lunch goes from serious and business to fun and friends. Storm doesn't leave my side from then on. He is constantly finding little ways to touch me as if he's just trying to remind me he's there for me.