Chapter 16

Julie

Julie brought her sister and beautiful niece home when the baby was only two days old. Jessie had set it up at work to be off for a full twelve weeks, so Julie knew she had that long before her sister would need her help more than ever.

It was time to get to work, and Julie did. She'd made a huge commitment, one that could either make or break her chances at starting her own company, and she was not about to mess it up. She came home from class each day and worked as hard and long as she possibly could before going to bed, getting up, and doing it all again, day after day.

Cody sent messages each day, and she answered them. They talked on the phone each night, but Julie made sure her work was done before she'd take his call. On the weekends, she'd get up extra early to work so she could be finished in time to see him. She enjoyed the time they spent together, and there was no way she was going to miss it. By the end of most of those evenings, she ended up with her head on his shoulder, asleep, but she wouldn't have had it any other way. She'd wake up the following morning on the couch, with a pillow under her head and a blanket over her body, with a note on the table next to her. They were always short but sweet, letting her know he hoped she'd slept well and telling her to have a good day, and she kept every single one of them.

Julie also spent time with her niece. Every chance she got, she picked Jackie up and held her. She'd hug her tight and tell her how much she loved her. There were even times she'd been able to feed her. Those were few and far between, but she took them whenever Jessie would let her.

Neither Jessie or Cody questioned Julie about the changes in her behavior. Jessie thought her tiredness was because of school and spending time with Cody, and Cody thought it was because of the new baby. Not once did Julie correct them. Did she feel bad? Of course she did, but she couldn't tell them. She needed to see what happened without anyone knowing. She had to do it for herself.

Julie was finally done, and she'd finished in record time. It had only taken her three weeks. She made an appointment and turned her project in. When she met with the team, they seemed impressed, and that made her proud, but she wasn't even close to being ready to tell anyone. Then something happened hours later that she didn't expect. She opened her email to find an offer to bid on a job with that same company. It was a large project, and she was only one person. It was a huge deal.

Julie was no fool. She knew her dad and Cody had received that very same offer. There was no way they hadn't. Just thinking about being considered along with them had her ready to scream with joy, but she didn't. She also knew how much her dad would bid on a job that size. It wasn't like she'd walked into it blindly. She'd been around the figures all her life. Yet another reason her dad should have seen her worth in his company. If she was right, Cody would underbid her dad, but not by much. She wasn't concerned about her uncle either. He'd be right up there with her dad. So, she thought about it. She'd have to underbid Cody, but not by too much. She knew how much work the project would involve. It would be worth a slight loss to prove herself. Since she was small and new, she couldn't come real close to his offer. They wouldn't find it worth the risk. She also couldn't go too low either. Then they would think she wasn't as serious as the big dogs. So, she came up with a figure that would be fair for her and make the risk they were taking on her worth it. She hit reply to the email and sent them her offer. Part of her felt horrible for trying to outbid both her father and the guy she cared deeply for, but another part of her was too damn proud to let herself feel guilty.

It felt like only seconds after she hit the send button that her phone rang, and she jumped to grab it. Seeing her mom's face sent a wave of guilt, larger than any she'd felt yet, straight through her. Her mom was a huge part of one of the two companies she was competing against, and that hurt. Julie was close to her mom, closer than any of her siblings. She always had been. They were passionate about the same thing, and that was something the others didn't have. For her mom, it wasn't about money, not one bit. It was all about the coding and amazing programs that came from it. It was true passion through and through, and that was exactly how it was for Julie too. With Julie wanting to start her own company, she needed to think about money as well. She just wasn't sure exactly how she felt about that yet.

Just before she knew her phone would stop ringing, Julie took a deep breath and answered it, making sure she was in her room with her door shut. The baby was in her crib asleep, and Jessie was asleep on the couch.

“Hey, mom,” Julie said, as soon as she answered.

“Hey, baby girl,” her mom said. “How's it going?”

It was as if she knew, Julie thought. It really was, or maybe it was just the guilt making Julie feel even worse than she already did.

“Great!” Julie answered. “How's it going with you?”

“Good,” her mom answered. “It would be better if your father wasn't so pissed that you weren't here, but that's his problem, not yours.”

“That's his fault,” Julie said, quickly defending herself. “He was so wrapped up in Gavin being his right hand man.”

“I know it,” her mom said. “I'm not blaming you at all. How are your classes going?”

“Very well,” Julie said. “I honestly love teaching, especially the people that really want to learn. It feels good. How's Gavin? Is dad giving him shit?”

“Julie,” her mom snapped.

“I know,” Julie said. “Sorry.”

“He's doing really good,” her mom said. “When he first got hurt, I wasn't sure he would make it. I really wasn't. I don't mean the physical wounds either. It was very hard on him, and for a minute, I was afraid we were losing him too, but it's not like that now. He was only home a few days when he started smiling and returning to the man that left. I was actually pretty surprised. You know he has his own place, and now that he's at the fire station with the guys, he's perfect. Being in an office was never going to be his thing.”

“I know that, and you know that,” Julie said.

“Don't be so hard on your father,” Julie's mom said.

“It's not as easy as it sounds,” Julie said.

“I know,” her mom said. “Just give him a chance. He really wants you here with him.”

“No, he doesn't,” Julie said. “He wants me there for him. There's a big difference.”

“You two are so damn frustrating,” her mom said. “I didn't call to argue. I called because this weekend will be six months since we lost Jack. We're all getting together with Josh, Lisa, and Gracie. We want you and your sister here to support Gracie. She's doing great, but she needs her crew. You know, the one that won't let the parents in.”

“Mom,” Julie said, with surprise in her tone.

“What?” her mom asked. “Do you all honestly think we're just a bunch of dumb parents? You couldn't be more wrong about that if you do. We know your game, every last one of you. We have a secret too. We're so damn happy you're all close. How does that feel?”

“Very funny,” Julie said.

Just as Julie's mom laughed, a sound Julie was really beginning to miss hearing, the baby cried out.

“What was that?” her mom asked, her laugh dropping off immediately. “It sounded like a baby.”

“Yeah,” Julie said, silently cursing herself for the lie she knew was about to come out of her mouth. “I'm at the store. I'll call you back when I get home. I think it's about to get loud in here.”

“You're both coming this weekend, right?” her mom asked.

“I'll let you know when I call back,” Julie said. “Bye.”

Without even waiting for her mom to say goodbye, Julie hung up the phone, dropped it on her bed, and took off for Jackie's room.

She scooped the baby up into her arms and walked out into the living room, where Jessie was already getting up and sitting down on the couch. Jessie stuck her arms out, so Julie handed her the baby.

“I could have watched her for a bit,” Julie said.

“Two more months,” Jessie said. “I only have two more months with my precious baby girl before I have to go back to work. Believe me, you'll be helping me enough then. There's no way I'm going to abuse that privilege now. I can't have you running away from us yet.”

“I'm not going anywhere,” Julie said. “I will always be here for you and my favorite niece.”

“What are you going to do if you have another niece?” Jessie asked.

“Like that's ever going to happen,” Julie said, with a laugh. “I don't think Gavin will ever settle down. You're too busy with this one to go and have another. Our other brother is way too young to even think about that.”

Julie noticed a sadness in her sister's eyes, but there was no way she was going to ask. Since Jessie and the baby had gotten home, her sister had cried more than she'd ever seen her cry in her life.

“Who was on the phone?” Jessie asked. “I heard you talking.”

“It was mom,” Julie said.

“Shit!” Jessie snapped.

“Don't worry,” Julie said, “I told her I was at the store. You're going to owe me huge. I hope you know that. I'm not a liar.”

“I know,” Jessie said. “ I owe you for a lot more than that. Did she call to beg you to come home and save dad?”

Julie let out a nervous laugh knowing that her dad would definitely not be happy if he knew what she'd just done.

“She called for me to come home,” Julie began, “and she wants you there too.”

“What?” Jessie snapped out.

“This weekend marks six months since we lost Jack,” Julie said, and she watched her sister instantly tense.

When they lost Jack, Jessie was the one that had been there for Gracie. She'd cried with her and comforted her. Each of the crew dealt with Jack's death in their own way. For the twins, it was different. They'd lost one of their closest friends, but they'd also kept their brother. They'd thought that they'd lost him too, but they hadn't. He'd been injured, but he was okay. Their emotions had been all over the place, and just thinking about it again had Julie's eyes welling up with tears.

“I can't believe it's been that long,” Julie whispered. “It feels like yesterday.”

“It sure does,” Jessie said, as she hugged her little girl close. “Are you going?”

“Are you?” Julie asked.

“No way,” Jessie answered. “I can't.”

“You can,” Julie said. “We haven't been home. We need to be there. Don't you want to be there for Gracie?”

“I can't,” Jessie said, as she looked down at her little girl and kissed her on top of her head.

“Come on,” Julie said. “Mom and dad are going to find out about her eventually. You need to tell them.”

“Tell them all at once?” Jessie asked, as she shook her head. “Not happening.”

“Jessie,” Julie began, but her sister cut her off.

“Do not Jessie me,” Jessie said. “What do I tell them? They're going to be so disappointed.”

“No they aren't,” Julie said. “They're going to be pissed and hurt. That's what they're going to be.”

“Not yet,” Jessie said, as she stood up with her baby in her arms. “I need more time.”

“Jessie,” Julie called out, as her sister walked away.

“The anniversary of Jack's death is not the time,” Jessie said. “You go. Tell them I have to work.”

“Fine,” Julie said. “but you can't put this off forever.”

“Next time,” Jessie said, as she walked into her room and closed her door. “I'll go next time.”

“Why don't I believe you?” Julie mumbled, as she walked into her own room. “It's only one secret. How bad can it be?”