“Oh,” he exclaimed coming to a stop when greeted with the sight of Abby cradling a crying Connor who she was bouncing around.
“I think he might be hungry, and Tasha has gone for a ride with Trav and Lexi.” Abby gave a small grimace as she looked down at Connor.
“Hey, buddy.” Jim threw his suit jacket onto the sofa and lifted the little boy from his aunt's arms. “You hungry and the milk machine has gone out? We need to remind your momma that she needs to leave something for you when she's out.” He soothed Connor who was quietening now at the reassuring sound of his father's voice.
“She did,” interrupted Abby, holding a bottle of expressed milk in the air. “He won’t take the bottle properly. I think it's a poor substitute.”
“I would have to agree with him there,” replied Jim with an arched brow and a smile.
“Eww, you are both sickeningly happy and in love. Can I ask you something?” Abby sounded quite serious.
Jim took the bottle from her and sitting down began to tempt his son to give the bottle a chance to satisfy him. “Sure.” Smiled Jim as Abby sat opposite him.
“Has Bobby said anything to you?”
“Bobby has said plenty to me Abby, so you may want to be a little more precise.”
“Sorry. About me, us?”
Jim smiled at her sympathetically. “You’ve been spending too much time with my wife. That was Tasha like precision. What about you, both of you?” He really hoped Abby wasn't about to reveal marital problems.
“Has Bobby said anything about wanting another baby?” She looked completely aghast that the words were out.
“Shit, Abby.” He sighed. “You should talk to Bobby about that. About what he wants from his marriage and family, not me.”
“I'm scared Jim. I love Bobby and Alexi and if things had gone better with my first baby I’m sure we’d have had more, but they didn't, and I'm scared; scared that if I have another baby history will repeat itself and if I don't, then I may damage my marriage beyond repair.”
“Fuck, Abby.” Jim felt compromised to be having this conversation with his sister-in-law and when he looked down at his son realised he was hearing every word he was saying, good and bad. “Sorry buddy, don't tell Mommy that Daddy's cursing in front of you.”
He turned his expression from his son who was grinning from behind the bottle he was now almost willingly accepting to his sister-in-law. “Talk to Bobby. You have both been making sounds about another child since Tasha found out she was pregnant with Connor, and I don't mean to be an ass about this, but you are older than Tasha so don't have as long to consider it.”
“Thanks for that Jim,” she said with a wry smile, but knew he wasn’t being an ass, he was stating facts.
“This is a conversation for you and my brother, but I get your concerns and reservations, so maybe you should consider all options.”
“What options? I can only see two, have a baby or don't.”
“Yeah, but the journey you take to get there offers more possibilities.”
“What do you mean? You're talking in damned riddles, Jim,” she accused.
He laughed and shook his head. “If you and Bobby decide you'd like to increase your family, but you don't want to carry your own child, your natural child, then don't. There are millions of kids in this world that need loving families like yours.”
“Adoption?” She asked as if she was mulling the idea over.
“Yeah, or speak to a doctor about the likelihood of you having a repeat performance of your experience with Lexi, but first, talk to Bobby.”
“Thank you,” Abby almost whispered. “I'll speak to him.”
“Good. How long has Tasha been gone?” Jim was happy to revert conversation back to his own family.
“About an hour.”
“Is she okay?” Jim asked, suddenly worried.
“She's fine, better than fine. I think she went for Lexi as much as herself and we had a nice morning and lunch with Lucy and Amanda,” said a laughing Abby.
“What?”
