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Post by Tiff on Feb 8, 2011 22:08:36 GMT -5
Tess unfolded a thick blanket and fanned it out over the hard earth, she had Gage for the weekend, since Nick had him during the week. She'd missed her little boy and though the little one would have been just as happy to play in the living room of their house or on the rug in his nursery, she felt like taking him out. She'd bundled him up, picked up a mess load of his favorite toys, including several balls, and a detachable basketball hoop Lace had given him for Christmas. It was one of his favorite toys now that he could actually dunk the ball through the little plastic hoop. She glanced at Gage in his stroller and smiled at his bright smiling face. "Only one more second bud." She said, snapping the hoop together and securing the net. She went to him, unbuckled him and lifted him from the stroller. "There you go little man." He squirmed from her hands as soon as his feet were on the ground and ran as fast as his little legs would carry him to the hoop. He searched for his ball and then proceeded to dunk the ball into the hole. He clapped his hands as the ball popped through the net and rolled. "Baw..." He pointed after it "Go get it." Tess encouraged. He scrunched his face up in excitement and ran to get it. "Baw!"
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Post by Raebee on Feb 9, 2011 2:26:53 GMT -5
Jade jogged through the park, her ipod blaring in her ears. Trying to get back to her peak fitness for basketball, she'd taken to running around town so she wouldn't get bored. As she ran past the playground she smiled at the small children clambering over it.
As she crossed the grassy area, her gaze caught a mother and her small child playing on a rug and she slowed to a walk. Is that? It is! It's Gage. Wow...that must be Tess. Placing her hands on her hips, she stopped walking and leaned against a tree, watching them play together. He's walking and talking now. He's getting so big. I majorly suck as his godmother.
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Post by Tiff on Feb 9, 2011 20:26:26 GMT -5
Gage picked up his ball and then dropped it as he was attempting to get it again, he managed to kick it and it rolled off the blanket and toward the tree Jade was leaning against. He scrambled off the blanket and after the bright colored ball until something on Jade's person caught his attention. "Jada...!" He exclaimed.
Tess was on her feet before Gage got two steps off the blanket, and though she'd never personally met Jade, she didn't move to collect him, she offered a smile and waved. "Who is that Gage?" Gage turned and looked at his mom, then ran right up to Jade, patted her leg. "Jada..."
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Post by Raebee on Feb 10, 2011 3:42:55 GMT -5
Jade grinned as she watched Gage toddling along as fast as his little chubby legs could carry him. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise as Gage said her name, and her heart soared as his little hand touched her leg.
Bending down, she hugged him tightly and ruffled his hair. "Hey little man. Is that your mummy over there? Should we go say hi?"
Picking up the ball, she tossed it through the little hoop and smiled. "I used to have one of those when I was little too."
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Post by Tiff on Feb 10, 2011 14:36:44 GMT -5
Gage watched as the ball went through the hoop and then he wanted to try it. He chased after the ball, kicked it way like he had before, picked it up and without another distraction ran back over to the hoop, he stood a little ways away from the hoop and tried to toss it at the hoop like Jade had, it didn't make it, but he was determined to try again.
"Hey, that's the first time I've heard him call anyone by name besides Nick and I." She smiled and settled back down on the blanket. "He's really into that dadda, momma thing right now, so hence the 'da' on the end of your name. He's also into copying." She grinned as Gage launched the ball over the little hoop.
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Post by Raebee on Feb 10, 2011 15:40:59 GMT -5
Jade laughed as she watched him, moving over to the mat to join Tess. Folding her legs under her, she smiled at her somewhat nervously. "Really? He's growing so fast... the last time I saw him he was only crawling, and he couldn't say it."
She watched as Gage tried again and cheered his efforts. "It's ok little man. You'll get there, don't worry." Pushing a strand of hair back into her ponytail, she looked back at Tess. "Well, I guess introductions are a little redundant now huh? It's um.. it's nice to meet you finally. I have to thank you. For making Nick so happy. He's like a completely different guy these days."
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Post by Tiff on Feb 10, 2011 17:23:56 GMT -5
Gage scrambled back around with the ball and returned to just dunking the ball in the hoop. "I don't think we really need the introductions either, I mean I know who you are, well I knew who you were, now I have a face to put to it." She smiled. "You're really pretty." She picked up the ball that rolled to her and handed it back to Gage. "I'm surprised Nick could be even remotely attracted to me with a friend like you hanging around." She smiled, she wasn't worried or trying to be accusatory. "I'm glad that I can make him happy and that other's can see it. I was afraid he might not be happy."
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Post by Raebee on Feb 10, 2011 18:29:16 GMT -5
Jade laughed loudly, and shook her head. "No way. Me and Nick have known each other since he was about five or something. He's like a brother...well, you know. One I like." She didn't mention the one time they'd kissed. It was a stupid thing that had happened at a very low point for her, and she didn't see any need for Tess to know.
"Yeah, there's definitely a change. He's more grown up than I am now. Lecturing me about school and everything. It's amazing that you guys are still at school, and raising Gage and stuff. I don't know how you do it all and spend time together." She paused, grinning sheepishly. "You guys are kind of my role models."
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Post by Tiff on Feb 10, 2011 18:54:29 GMT -5
It was Tess' turn to laugh. "Oh god, he's lecturing you about school? I mean I'm sure his grades aren't as bad as they used to be, I know mine have improved quite a bit, but we were just talking about how bad we are at school, that we need Gage to be a super baby genius so he doesn't have to ask us about his algebra homework." She grinned. "We've definitely grown up since before Gage. I can't imagine doing anything I used to do." She shook her head. "I wish we could spend more time together." Gage waddled over and picked up Jade's hand and placed the ball in it, then turned to look at the hoop. "I think he wants you to shoot again."
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Post by Raebee on Feb 11, 2011 2:47:14 GMT -5
Jade took the ball gently from Gage and turned to the hoop. "Ok kiddo, here goes." Once she'd tossed it through the hoop, she hopped off the rug to retrieve it. Bringing it back to Gage, she held it out for him to take. "Your turn."
Turning back to face Tess, she smiled. "You know, I wanna confess something. I was sort of harsh on Nicky when all that stuff was going down with Madison. So I kind of...put off meeting you. I'm sorry for that. It wasn't about you at all." Looking down at the fabric, she played idly with a loose thread, suddenly unable to meet her eyes. "I wish I hadn't been so..." Lost for a word she fell silent, continuing to fiddle aimlessly.
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Post by Tiff on Feb 11, 2011 14:36:04 GMT -5
Gage giggled endlessly as Jade tossed the ball and ran to retrieve it, it blew his mind that it was possible to throw the ball and make it in the hoop without standing right over it. He took the ball from Jade with both hands and held it against himself, staring at the hoop. He pushed if away from his chest, it hit the rim, did a circle and went in. He squealed and ran to get the ball, excited about his amazing feat.
"Oh don't worry about it." Tess said. "I mean I wasn't exactly innocent in the entire thing, I knew about Maddie, I hated her and didn't think she was right for Nick." She shrugged. "I mean of course I didn't because I wanted to be right for him." She laughed. "And though I didn't know that about you, I didn't exactly make a conscious decision to meet you." She shrugged. "No hard feelings?"
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Post by Raebee on Feb 11, 2011 18:45:14 GMT -5
Jade looked up to see Gage get the ball in the hoop, and clapped her hands wildly. "Way to go! You're so clever."
Meeting Tess' eyes, she nodded quickly. "Absolutely no hard feelings. Fate has a funny way of working things out, don't you think? Cause I knew Madison wasn't right for him."
She decided to change the subject. Girlfriends past was a murky subject. "Hey, I don't know if Nick told you or not, but if you guys ever want to go out and see a movie or whatever, I'm free to watch Gage. I can come to your house, or Nick's. Or he can come to mine, whichever is easiest."
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Post by Tiff on Feb 12, 2011 1:19:12 GMT -5
Tess celebrated as her son made the shot and then returned to the conversation she was having with Jade. She was happy she and Jade could finally meet and talk so openly together, having a boyfriend with a female best friend was supposed to be difficult, but it felt easy with Jade. She didn't feel like she needed to compete. "He might have mentioned it, but probably not." Tess said. "But I'd love that actually." She shook her head as she continued to watch Gage play. "I spent the night with both of my boys a week ago, without his mom knowing of course, but still, it was wonderful, Gage hardly slept a wink because we were both there, it would be wonderful to spend some alone time with Nick without having a monster begging for our undivided attention." Gage turned at the name 'monster' and giggled. "Yeah, you know you're the monster huh? I know Nick would like it too. So thanks for the offer, I'll have to take you up on that sometime." She smiled, it was really nice of Jade to offer her time.
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Post by Raebee on Feb 13, 2011 15:45:52 GMT -5
Jade smiled as Tess talked. For some reason she'd always imagined that this meeting would be tough, and in fact, her imagination always had Nick as a buffer. But Tess was much more mature that Jade had expected, which helped her immesurably when it came to talking to her. It was a relief that she didn't just sit there giggling about how cute Nick was. "No problem. It'll be good to hang out with Gage, I've missed so much. It's my job to spoil him and I haven't done that yet."
She frowned slightly as she watched Gage continue to play, then turned back to Tess. "How come you guys don't live together with him? I mean, it's not like your parents don't know what you get up to anyway, so why don't you both stay in the same house?"
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Post by Tiff on Feb 15, 2011 0:23:20 GMT -5
Tess smiled, she had heard Nick had made Jade Godmother and she was alright with that too. But with Jade's question she frowned, shook her head, and shrugged her shoulders all at once. "It's never really crossed my mind, maybe it's to prevent another Gage from happening." She chuckled a bit. "Though who wouldn't want another Gage around." She met Jade's eyes. "I mean it could happen again even with us not living together, it certainly did the first time around and we weren't staying together. Maybe Nick and I could convince one of our parents to let it happen. We've certainly become more responsible since Gage was born, so maybe they'll allow it." She shrugged. "We'll see." She watched Gage play and turned her attention back to Jade. "So what about you, do you have a guy in your life? You're in college right, there has to be a dozen gorgeous guys running around trying to get your affection?"
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