June 1st.

It was the boys last week of school.

"Good morning, boys." She smiles.

"Morning mom.  How are you feeling?" James asks.

"Good, how are you?" 

"Good.  Are you still having morning sickness?"

"Oh yeah!"

"When will it go away?" Samuel asks.

"It usually only lasts the first trimester.  So I'll hopefully feel better next week."

"Oh, well that's good."

"When can we see it?" Michael asks.

"The baby?  I go for an ultrasound in a couple days."

"Can we go?" Samuel asks.

"You'd wanna go?" She smiles.

"Yeah!  I mean, as long as it's not a uh.. you know.. a lady check kind of appointment,"

Jessica laughs and says, "No!  No, it's not that!  You guys can come if you want." 

"Yeah, I think that'd be cool.  I don't really remember when you had Mike, do you, James?"

"All I remember is thinking mom ate a basket ball."

Jessica laughs and says, "You two were so cute!  Mama, you ate my bally, you ate my bally!  and Sam, you used to poke my belly, trying to pop it!" She laughs harder.

"Really?" *Laughs*

"Yep!  and Michael, you liked to fight back.. well not really fight, you were a pretty calm baby.  But when Sam would poke you, you'd think it was a game and poke back.... Man, where did the time go?  I can't believe I'm having another baby."

Jessica looks down with sad eyes.

The boys look at each other not really knowing what to say to comfort her, so Sam just puts his hand on her back.

Jessica looks at him and gives him a small smile.

"When are you telling grandma?"

"I don't know.  Usually you wait to tell everyone till after twelve weeks."

"Well you're twelve weeks now.  You should tell everyone, they'll be happy."

"Yeah.. I guess I should."

James looks at the time and says they have to go.

"Alright boys, have a good day."

"You too, mom." They kiss her cheek and leave.

Jessica stands up to serve herself some breakfast.

She sighs and says, "Well Sam.. You got me pregnant!  Heh.. You were always good at knocking me up, weren't you?" She chuckles.

Jessica looks down and runs her hand over her tiny bump.

She smiles and closes her eyes, "This is the first time I've done this.. I guess it's just hard for me.. A time that's supposed to be happy, is.. well, pretty sad.  Your daddy gave me you, and I love you so so much.. It's just hard for me.."

***

Two days later.

"You promise there's not gonna be any vagina, right?"

"Samuel!  No there's not!"

"Sorry, I was just making sure!"

"Mrs. Shepard."

"Come on, boy's."

The nurse watches as the boys stand up and follow Jessica to the back.

"Hello.. Are you two Jessica's brothers?" She asks the twins.

"Haha!  No, I'm their mama!" Jessica smiles and taps their backs.

"Oh!  Okay, and I'm assuming you're Jessica's youngest?"

"Yes ma'am." Michael smiles.

"Very polite!"

"Thank you!" Jessica smiles.

The nurse has her lay down on the table, and lift her shirt.

"Woah, I didn't know you had that already."

James rolls his eyes at Sam, and Jessica laughs, "A bump?"

"Yeah, where did that come from?"

"I guess my clothes can still hide it." She chuckles.

The nurse takes out the doppler and they listen for the baby's heartbeat."

Michael's eyes widen and Jessica smiles.  It was the first time she's heard this baby's heartbeat, and it brought tears to her eyes.

"Sounds strong.. He's definitely a Shepard." Sam smiles.

"Yeah.."

The nurse squirts get on Jessica's stomach, and starts the ultrasound.

"Wow.." She smiles and starts to cry.

James holds her hand, and Jessica wipes her cheeks.

"Looks like a long baby for only twelve weeks!" The nurse says.

*Sniffles* "All my babies were long.  My husband was a very tall man."

"Really?  Well that's cool.  No wonder you boy's are all so tall."

The nurse lets them watch the baby for  while, and Michael suddenly says, "That's so weird that, that's going on inside of you right now." 

"I know!  Look at the little jumping bean!" Sam smiles.

"I know, what an active little guy." Jessica chuckles and wipes more of her tears.

After the ultrasound was over, the nurse left them alone in the room.

Jessica buries her face in her hands and cries.

James sits beside her on the examination table, and wraps his arm around her.

"It's not fair!  He should be here!

...He wanted this baby so bad!"

"I know, mom... I really do believe this baby happened and is coming for a reason.  This little baby is apart of you and dad.  A piece of him is living and moving around inside of you right now.  I think that's amazing.  He's still here, mom.  I know it's hard, but.. He'll never leave you.  He's in all of us, and in this baby.... and I know we'll all make sure and tell him.. or her.. that they had an amazing dad... That there was no man greater on this earth, than he was.  This baby will know it's father."

Tears roll down Jessica's face and she hugs him tight. 

"Thank you.. Thank you all... I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

***

Last day of school.

"We're home, and officially seniors!" Samuel walks into the house.

"My boys!  Oh I can't believe you're gonna be seniors!  My babies!" She hugs them both.

"Yep!  OU, here we come!"

"Yeah.." James looks down.

"Don't be like that, man!  We've always wanted to go there!" Samuel hits his arm.

"Yeah well.. I'm just not sure I'm going anymore.." He says walking upstairs.

"What?" Sam asks.

Jessica follows him into his room and says, "James, what's going on?  I thought that's the one place you wanted to get accepted to?"

"It was.. but I can't leave you."

"Honey, I'm fine.  You need to go to school."

"But you'll be here alone with Michael and a new baby, how am I not supposed to help you?"

"Honey, I'll have plenty of help!  I want you and your brother to go to school... and so did your father..

Come on, this is where you've always talked about going.  I know a lot has changed, but I still want you to work hard and do what you always wanted."

"What about the money?"

"You're smart, I think you'll get a scholarship." She smiles.

"You're my mom, you think a lot of me."

*Giggles* "Maybe!  But I do know that you're smart and you can do anything you set your mind too."

"What if I don't get the scholarship?"

"Then we'll see what we do.  But today was the last day of school for junior year, so let's not talk about that."

"Okay.."

Jessica smiles and gives him a hug.

Sunday.

Every Sunday they go to church.  The same church Jessica's family, Sam's mom and sibling's, and Sarah, Evan and their kids go to.

"Boys, you ready?"

"We're coming."

When the boys get down stairs, Jessica stands in front of them and asks, "Can you tell?"

"Tell what?" Samuel asks.

"That I'm wearing underwear!  What the hell do you think?  Can you see my bump?"

"Oh!  No." 

"Okay.."

"You're not gonna tell them?"

"Not yet."

"Why not?"

"I don't know.  You think I should?"

"I think so."

"I don't know."

"Well you do what you want to."

"I don't know what to do.. It's been so long since I've announced a baby."

"How did you tell everyone about us?" James asks.

"Hm!  Well I was fifteen so they weren't exactly thrilled!  I didn't know what was wrong.  I was sent home from school, sick everyday for a week, and my mother would send me back, because I wasn't running a fever.  Oh God, I was SO sick!

Finally I asked my mom to take me because I thought I was dying. *Laughs*

I was under age, so she was in the room, and when they asked if I was sexually active I about died.  My mom didn't know that your father and I were--"

"We know, mom.  Don't say it!" Sam stops her.

"Hah!  Anyway!"

"What did you tell the doctor?"

"I lied!  I said no!  Being pregnant never even entered my mind, I had to let the thought sink in.. Plus I thought if I said yes, it would kill my mom!"

"So then what happened?"

"They did blood work to see what was wrong, and.."

"What?"

"A couple days later my mom got a call.. They told her I was pregnant, and she gave them an attitude saying that her daughter is a virgin and how dare they say that about her baby girl.  Ugh, it was a mess!"

"So did you tell her then?"

"Not yet.  I was terrified!

She took me for a second opinion and they did the same thing.  I was so scared but I knew already.. After the doctor she took me to lunch.  I was quiet, so she asked me what was wrong, and I said.. Mom.. I'm pregnant."

"What did she say?"

"She laughed and said, Honey that's silly!  The doctor got it wrong, there's no way you're pregnant!

I looked at her and said, Mom, I'm not a virgin.. Sam and I had sex.. I'm pregnant.

Oh she was piiiissed!"

"What did she do?"

"She yanked me by the arm.  Didn't even let me finish my enchiladas!  We got in the car and she yelled and cried.. It was horrible.  She took me for an ultrasound a couple days later.. and there you were.  I was so young, but I felt the love a mama has for her babies.. and I knew it was all gonna be okay."Jessica says as she tears up.

"Aw.. What did dad say?"

"He cried.  He was quite terrified!" She laughs.

"But after the shock of it all wore off, he was really sweet.  He'd go with my mom and I to every appointment.. He loved feeling you guys move!

... He was a great daddy right from the start.." She smiles looking down to the ground as she remembers it like it was yesterday.

The room went completely silent.

Jessica sighed and said, "Let's go, we're gonna be late."

***

I have some ideas but when and how would you guys like her to announce it?