Times change...people shouldn't, chapter 27
Joey slowly made his way back to the room Brooke was staying in, and crept inside. The soft sunlight illuminated the walls and gave the whole room a delicate feeling.
"Hey." Brooke muttered lamely from a curled position in a chair.
"Hey..where's the baby?" Joey asked gently shifting her into his lap and himself in the chair.
"Visiting hours where over and they were going to run a few tests on her lungs and stuff." Brooke sighed as she buried her head into his chest.
"She'll be ok babe I know she will." Joey said as he tried his best to be strong for her. Silently, he lifted his arms and enveloped her into him. "Brooke you have to start to eat." he said upon feeling her shrinking frame.
"I will. I just haven't been hungry. Too much stress I guess." She shrugged, not really caring about her health at the moment.
"Just try ok?" Joey grumbled from the crook of her neck. Brooke nodded and relaxed into her boyfriend's embrace, enjoying the one pleasant moment she had since Kali was born.
"Excuse me Miss Calliway and Mr. Armstrong?" a friendly nurse said popping her head into the peaceful room.
"Hm?" Joey hummed peaking up.
"There is someone here to see you both, may I send them in?" she asked respectfully.
"Sure." Brooke said with her eyes still closed and arms still tightly latched onto Joey.
The women nodded and opened the door fully allowing the visitor in.
"Brooke!! Baby!" the voice shrilled.
"What the fuck?" Brooke muttered lifting her head and opening her eyes to reveal her other's figure before her.
"MOM?!" Brooke said shocked and she froze in disbelief.
"I heard you had the baby and I had to come and see you How are you honey?!" her mother said shutting the door and lifting Brooke up, out of Joey's arms and into her own.
"Mom..your suppose to be at rehab, not here." Brooke said sternly while backing out of her mother's hug.
"I got out early. I wanted to be better for you and my grandchild." her mother said with the fake smile she had been wearing ever since she entered the room. "Speaking of which where is it?!"
"She's not an IT. Her name is Kali." Joey spat at the fake woman, who scowled at him in return but then plastered her smile back on all too quickly.
"Well then where is KALI," her mother said over saying the name to spite Joey.
"She's sick mom." Brooke sighed walking over to her bed and sitting down.
"O....well whatever. Let me know when she gets better. I'll be at home, I really cannot wait to make myself some real food in my own kitchen. Call me if you need anything baby. I love you," her mother said walking over to Brooke and nearly knocking her over with the over-exentric hug. "Bye Joseph." she muttered before shut the door.
"Is that how all people coming out of rehab act? " Brooke said in disgust at her mother's new "attitude".
"God I hope not," Joey said shaking his head in response.
"So did you see Ramona?" Brooke asked trying to change the subject.
"What?" Joey asked jerking his head up with his eyes widening.
"She stopped up to see me while you went to get something to eat. I told her you were in the caf and she said she was going to go see you. Calm down geez." Brooke giggled at her boyfriend's panicked behavior.
"O um yeah, I saw her." he said trying to remain cool at the moment. He was planing to tell Brooke. With Kali now in their lives he didn't want anymore lies or problems with them. But now wasn't the time..it might even be best for Ramona to tell her. I mean after she did admit that it was her fault anyway right? Right, he convinced himself.
Just then the door creaked open yet again, and the couple sighed, thinking it was Brooke's mother. That was until they saw a smiling nurse with a bundled pink mass in her arms.
"Miss. Calliway, Mr. Armstrong we have some excellent news. We finished the tests on your daughter and it seems that once your doctor signs you out, Kali can go home." She said smiling from ear to ear and handing Kali to her mother for the first time ever.
"A-Are you serious?" Brooke stuttered, overwhelmed as she held out her arms for her baby.
The nurse nodded "Congratulations you two. Good luck," she said leaving them both to actually hold and bond with their baby.
***
The following week Joey had made sure the papers were signed and they could finally go home.
"You ready to go home and meet everyone?" he said to his daughter who sucked quietly on her hand with her eyes shut tight.
Carefully, he lowered her into the baby carrier and locked her in safely while he walked out to find Brooke.
She was eagerly signing her name on any last minute things at the front desk, getting annoyed with all the papers they were shoving at her.
"Hey babe." Joey said coming behind her and kissing her cheek softly. "Almost done? I think if we take any longer my mom is going to burst at home."
Brooke smirked as she signed the last thing and dropped the pen. "Let's take our baby home," she smiled, taking the carrier and linking her other hand with his.
***
"Anybody home?" Joey called into his house, opening the door and shutting after Brooke and the baby.
Within seconds Adrienne came scurrying over to the door with Billie hot on her heels to see Kali.
"Hi honey!" she greeting hugging both Joey and Brooke before gentle picking Kali up, out of Brooke's arms and into her own.
"O my God, Brooke she's beautiful." Adi cooed while gracefully walking into the living room and cradling her in her arms.
Joey smiled proudly and tucked Brooke into him, on looking as his parents played with their first grandchild.
"Ok the favorite Uncle is here Where is this baby?!" Tre's voice suddenly said as the front door opened wide and Mike followed in along with Jakob, Estelle, and Ramona.
"I'm sorry but I am the favorite..Joey is my brother," Jakob said pushing his way through.
"Pshh you all know kids love me come on now homie," Tre said, putting on his ganster act.
"Shut up Dad. You'll wake up the baby!" Ramona huffed, closing the door behind them all.
"Too late..." Billie said holding a now screaming baby in his arms before quickly shoving her into Brooke. "Sorry....infants make me nervous when they cry," he admitted scratching the back of neck and cocking his head to the side.
"Great to know you were there for us Dad," Jakob joked.
"So when are we eating? I'm starving," Mike asked looking over to dining room which was set and waiting.
"Right now," Adrienne said, getting up and helping Brooke calm Kali down before they all retreated to have dinner.
After eating, the cooing over the baby continued to go on in the living room, as well as conversation.
"You look tired," Joey said stroking Brooke's hair as her head rested gently on his shoulder.
"I'm fine," she smiled, as she watched Estelle and Jakob play with her daughter.
"I'm going to get something to drink. You want anything?" he asked, getting up and heading toward the kitchen.
"Water," she said bluntly, grabbing a throw pillow off the arm of the couch and curling up with it.
Joey nodded as he walked on the cold tiled floor into the kitchen.
"Hey Joe," Ramona said, as he walked in and she put away the leftovers in the fridge.
"What are you doing?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at her and her sudden urge to clean the kitchen.
"Just helping you mom a little is that such a crime?" she snapped as she shoved him out of her way to get to the sink.
"I know you're still pregnant," he said matter-factly as Ramona stopped dead in her tracks.
"I-I told you Joey. I got an abortion," she said, swallowing hard.
"No you didn't. I know you for too long Ray. I can tell when you're lying and you are lying to me now and you lied to me at the hospital." Joey said coyly leaning up against the marble counter top.
"I couldn't do it Joey! I just couldn't! I went to the clinic and I was so ready but I backed out last minute..I just..I just couldn't do it " She shrilled breaking down and dropping whatever was in her hands and running into Joey's arms.
"Ramona..I don't know what to say." Joey said unsurely as he left his arms to the side of his body while Ramona clung to him for life. "You have to get it done. Do you have any idea what our parents will say?! Do you have any idea what BROOKE will say?! She'll break up with me and I'll never be able to see Kali again and I can't live without them Ray. I just can't. And I know this may hurt to hear...but I can live without you...not them," he said shoving her off of him.
"You're a heartless bastard you know that!" Ramona said, now raising her voice to the point where the other rooms of the house could probably hear their conversation. "I'll get it done happy?! I'll get it fucking done! But not until you tell Brooke." she spat at him harshly.
"You bitch! You know how much shit she is dealing with and you want me to just be like o hey by the way Ramona is pregnant by me cause she wouldn't stop riding me on New Years?!" he exclaimed.
"Well you weren't to slow to rip my clothes off either Armstrong!" Ramona said with tears spilling down her cheeks from his harsh words.
Joey sighed, "Look Ray. We were both at fault ok? But this baby....it just wasn't meant to be. If you want I'll call and make the appointment and I'll even come with you to get it done."
Ramona dried her brown eyes and hung her head. "Ok," she said softly.
"It's for the best Ray trust me," Joey said grabbing Brooke her much wanted water bottle and kissing Ramona gently on the forehead before exiting the tension filled kitchen.
She shuffled his way back into the oddly quiet living room before he saw why.
"Hello Joseph," Brooke's mother said from the couch with Kali in her arms.
Joey forced out a low and weak "hi" and sat down next to Brooke.
"What the fuck is she doing here?" he whispered into her ear.
"Like I know?!" Brooke said back getting up and taking their baby to where her and Joey were sitting.
"So, Mrs. Calliway...aren't you home a little early?" Billie said...starting to grill her.
"I got out early. I wanted to be with my daughter. I just missed her so much " she said with the same nauseating smile she wore a week earlier in the hospital.
"Bullshit." Mike and Jakob said at the same time under their breath.
"Mom...I'm not gonna beat around the fucking bush. Why the fuck are you here?!" Brooke snapped, close to her breaking point.
"Well I needed an opportunity when both Billie Joe and Adrienne were here to stay this to you all," she started.
"Well..."Adi said, now getting pissed
"Well I think we should give Kali up for adoption."
"Hey." Brooke muttered lamely from a curled position in a chair.
"Hey..where's the baby?" Joey asked gently shifting her into his lap and himself in the chair.
"Visiting hours where over and they were going to run a few tests on her lungs and stuff." Brooke sighed as she buried her head into his chest.
"She'll be ok babe I know she will." Joey said as he tried his best to be strong for her. Silently, he lifted his arms and enveloped her into him. "Brooke you have to start to eat." he said upon feeling her shrinking frame.
"I will. I just haven't been hungry. Too much stress I guess." She shrugged, not really caring about her health at the moment.
"Just try ok?" Joey grumbled from the crook of her neck. Brooke nodded and relaxed into her boyfriend's embrace, enjoying the one pleasant moment she had since Kali was born.
"Excuse me Miss Calliway and Mr. Armstrong?" a friendly nurse said popping her head into the peaceful room.
"Hm?" Joey hummed peaking up.
"There is someone here to see you both, may I send them in?" she asked respectfully.
"Sure." Brooke said with her eyes still closed and arms still tightly latched onto Joey.
The women nodded and opened the door fully allowing the visitor in.
"Brooke!! Baby!" the voice shrilled.
"What the fuck?" Brooke muttered lifting her head and opening her eyes to reveal her other's figure before her.
"MOM?!" Brooke said shocked and she froze in disbelief.
"I heard you had the baby and I had to come and see you How are you honey?!" her mother said shutting the door and lifting Brooke up, out of Joey's arms and into her own.
"Mom..your suppose to be at rehab, not here." Brooke said sternly while backing out of her mother's hug.
"I got out early. I wanted to be better for you and my grandchild." her mother said with the fake smile she had been wearing ever since she entered the room. "Speaking of which where is it?!"
"She's not an IT. Her name is Kali." Joey spat at the fake woman, who scowled at him in return but then plastered her smile back on all too quickly.
"Well then where is KALI," her mother said over saying the name to spite Joey.
"She's sick mom." Brooke sighed walking over to her bed and sitting down.
"O....well whatever. Let me know when she gets better. I'll be at home, I really cannot wait to make myself some real food in my own kitchen. Call me if you need anything baby. I love you," her mother said walking over to Brooke and nearly knocking her over with the over-exentric hug. "Bye Joseph." she muttered before shut the door.
"Is that how all people coming out of rehab act? " Brooke said in disgust at her mother's new "attitude".
"God I hope not," Joey said shaking his head in response.
"So did you see Ramona?" Brooke asked trying to change the subject.
"What?" Joey asked jerking his head up with his eyes widening.
"She stopped up to see me while you went to get something to eat. I told her you were in the caf and she said she was going to go see you. Calm down geez." Brooke giggled at her boyfriend's panicked behavior.
"O um yeah, I saw her." he said trying to remain cool at the moment. He was planing to tell Brooke. With Kali now in their lives he didn't want anymore lies or problems with them. But now wasn't the time..it might even be best for Ramona to tell her. I mean after she did admit that it was her fault anyway right? Right, he convinced himself.
Just then the door creaked open yet again, and the couple sighed, thinking it was Brooke's mother. That was until they saw a smiling nurse with a bundled pink mass in her arms.
"Miss. Calliway, Mr. Armstrong we have some excellent news. We finished the tests on your daughter and it seems that once your doctor signs you out, Kali can go home." She said smiling from ear to ear and handing Kali to her mother for the first time ever.
"A-Are you serious?" Brooke stuttered, overwhelmed as she held out her arms for her baby.
The nurse nodded "Congratulations you two. Good luck," she said leaving them both to actually hold and bond with their baby.
***
The following week Joey had made sure the papers were signed and they could finally go home.
"You ready to go home and meet everyone?" he said to his daughter who sucked quietly on her hand with her eyes shut tight.
Carefully, he lowered her into the baby carrier and locked her in safely while he walked out to find Brooke.
She was eagerly signing her name on any last minute things at the front desk, getting annoyed with all the papers they were shoving at her.
"Hey babe." Joey said coming behind her and kissing her cheek softly. "Almost done? I think if we take any longer my mom is going to burst at home."
Brooke smirked as she signed the last thing and dropped the pen. "Let's take our baby home," she smiled, taking the carrier and linking her other hand with his.
***
"Anybody home?" Joey called into his house, opening the door and shutting after Brooke and the baby.
Within seconds Adrienne came scurrying over to the door with Billie hot on her heels to see Kali.
"Hi honey!" she greeting hugging both Joey and Brooke before gentle picking Kali up, out of Brooke's arms and into her own.
"O my God, Brooke she's beautiful." Adi cooed while gracefully walking into the living room and cradling her in her arms.
Joey smiled proudly and tucked Brooke into him, on looking as his parents played with their first grandchild.
"Ok the favorite Uncle is here Where is this baby?!" Tre's voice suddenly said as the front door opened wide and Mike followed in along with Jakob, Estelle, and Ramona.
"I'm sorry but I am the favorite..Joey is my brother," Jakob said pushing his way through.
"Pshh you all know kids love me come on now homie," Tre said, putting on his ganster act.
"Shut up Dad. You'll wake up the baby!" Ramona huffed, closing the door behind them all.
"Too late..." Billie said holding a now screaming baby in his arms before quickly shoving her into Brooke. "Sorry....infants make me nervous when they cry," he admitted scratching the back of neck and cocking his head to the side.
"Great to know you were there for us Dad," Jakob joked.
"So when are we eating? I'm starving," Mike asked looking over to dining room which was set and waiting.
"Right now," Adrienne said, getting up and helping Brooke calm Kali down before they all retreated to have dinner.
After eating, the cooing over the baby continued to go on in the living room, as well as conversation.
"You look tired," Joey said stroking Brooke's hair as her head rested gently on his shoulder.
"I'm fine," she smiled, as she watched Estelle and Jakob play with her daughter.
"I'm going to get something to drink. You want anything?" he asked, getting up and heading toward the kitchen.
"Water," she said bluntly, grabbing a throw pillow off the arm of the couch and curling up with it.
Joey nodded as he walked on the cold tiled floor into the kitchen.
"Hey Joe," Ramona said, as he walked in and she put away the leftovers in the fridge.
"What are you doing?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at her and her sudden urge to clean the kitchen.
"Just helping you mom a little is that such a crime?" she snapped as she shoved him out of her way to get to the sink.
"I know you're still pregnant," he said matter-factly as Ramona stopped dead in her tracks.
"I-I told you Joey. I got an abortion," she said, swallowing hard.
"No you didn't. I know you for too long Ray. I can tell when you're lying and you are lying to me now and you lied to me at the hospital." Joey said coyly leaning up against the marble counter top.
"I couldn't do it Joey! I just couldn't! I went to the clinic and I was so ready but I backed out last minute..I just..I just couldn't do it " She shrilled breaking down and dropping whatever was in her hands and running into Joey's arms.
"Ramona..I don't know what to say." Joey said unsurely as he left his arms to the side of his body while Ramona clung to him for life. "You have to get it done. Do you have any idea what our parents will say?! Do you have any idea what BROOKE will say?! She'll break up with me and I'll never be able to see Kali again and I can't live without them Ray. I just can't. And I know this may hurt to hear...but I can live without you...not them," he said shoving her off of him.
"You're a heartless bastard you know that!" Ramona said, now raising her voice to the point where the other rooms of the house could probably hear their conversation. "I'll get it done happy?! I'll get it fucking done! But not until you tell Brooke." she spat at him harshly.
"You bitch! You know how much shit she is dealing with and you want me to just be like o hey by the way Ramona is pregnant by me cause she wouldn't stop riding me on New Years?!" he exclaimed.
"Well you weren't to slow to rip my clothes off either Armstrong!" Ramona said with tears spilling down her cheeks from his harsh words.
Joey sighed, "Look Ray. We were both at fault ok? But this baby....it just wasn't meant to be. If you want I'll call and make the appointment and I'll even come with you to get it done."
Ramona dried her brown eyes and hung her head. "Ok," she said softly.
"It's for the best Ray trust me," Joey said grabbing Brooke her much wanted water bottle and kissing Ramona gently on the forehead before exiting the tension filled kitchen.
She shuffled his way back into the oddly quiet living room before he saw why.
"Hello Joseph," Brooke's mother said from the couch with Kali in her arms.
Joey forced out a low and weak "hi" and sat down next to Brooke.
"What the fuck is she doing here?" he whispered into her ear.
"Like I know?!" Brooke said back getting up and taking their baby to where her and Joey were sitting.
"So, Mrs. Calliway...aren't you home a little early?" Billie said...starting to grill her.
"I got out early. I wanted to be with my daughter. I just missed her so much " she said with the same nauseating smile she wore a week earlier in the hospital.
"Bullshit." Mike and Jakob said at the same time under their breath.
"Mom...I'm not gonna beat around the fucking bush. Why the fuck are you here?!" Brooke snapped, close to her breaking point.
"Well I needed an opportunity when both Billie Joe and Adrienne were here to stay this to you all," she started.
"Well..."Adi said, now getting pissed
"Well I think we should give Kali up for adoption."
