CHAPTER FIFTEEN: HASH IT OUT
( episode five + six: midsummers + parcel 9 )

✲*'。

"Kie," Arden muttered, a few hours later as she was discharged, with appearances to her doctor for once a week for the next four weeks.

"Yeah Ard?" Kiara muttered, as she finished up packing up the small bag for Arden that Sarah had brought in earlier.

"Where the fuck is my mother?"

Kiara winced, sitting down beside Arden. "Ard your mother wasn't listed as your emergency contact. It was some man who I have never seen before. It's also listed he's your legal guardian."

Arden blinked in surprise, looking straight at her friend. "What's his name?"

Kiara cocked her head to the side as she tried to recall the name. "Lionel? Lucas? It was something like that. I didn't manage to catch his surname."

Arden nodded in surprise, her mind trying to solve who the fuck this Lionel or Lucas person was. "The name doesn't ring any bells. Did he stay at all?"

Kiara shook her head. "No. He sighed everything and said that they were only contact him again if you took a turn. You could sign yourself out. He gave his approval."

Arden huffed. If her mother had known at least, Arden would have somewhere to go for the the moment. "My parents know and my moms offered for you to stay with us for the moment. She hasn't said it to your mom —— after a lot of convincing mind you. She just said it to your mom that you want to stay with us. Your mom was on so much of euphoric high she didn't really question it."

Arden rolled her eyes. That was something that well and truly did sound like her mother. "Thanks Kie," Arden smiled warmly. "You didn't have to .... after everything ..." she trailed off while Kiara waved away her words.

"You and Have are my best friends, obviously so are the boys but before I met you and .... Sarah they were all I had and it's nice, having girls around. And I do say so myself, Haven, You and I make a fine triad trying to wangle those idiotic fools."

Arden smiled, standing up and awkwardly making her way over to Kiara, using her good arm to link her to Kie.

"Let's get the fuck outta here!" Arden declared, marching onwards, Kiara dashing after her friend.

As they walked out to the entrance of the hospital, Arden paid Kie's nervous strides no attention. She wasn't too sure what was making her friend so angsty, assuming it could be that Arden was going to staying with her for the next few days. She knew her father wasn't the most approving of her situation, chalking it up to that.

Arden would just stay out of Mr Carerra's way——winning him over another large sum of money from her purse again if needs be. Just as they were about to walk out the front doors, Kie abruptly wrapped her arm around Arden's good wrist, pulling her backwards.

"Promise me you'll just go with!" Kiara begged, startling a wide eyed stare from Arden.

"Just go with what?" She asked in confusion, trying to work out what had gotten Kie into such a nervous mood.

"Just trust me Ard."

"Okay...."

With that, Kiara tightly pulled Arden out of the hospital, keeping a good grip on her as she wanted to still her movements at the sight of JJ leaning against the Twinkie. Just like usual, a dark glare was on his face, just for her.

"Get in." JJ hissed, pointing at the open door, not sparing her a glance. After sharing a brief concerned look with Kie, Arden did as she as was told for once and leapt into the back, curling in on herself.

Man she was hoping this wouldn't be an awkward drive.

✲*'。

Turns out the car journey was a hell of an awkward trip home, the total opposite of what Arden had been hoping for. When she had situated herself in the back, JJ angrily thrust himself in beside her, never once making eye contact with her. The only point of contact they had was the tight hand that JJ clutched to her swollen belly, wanting to feel any sort of movement from their daughter. The only times the silence was broken was when Kie attempted to crack some jokes as they made their way to 'The Wreck.'

When they did arrive, JJ didn't even wait to for Kie to actually stop the vehicle, leaping out just before she could bring the Twinkie to a stop. As she watched JJ marching on inside, Arden was glad to see the back of him for a few minutes. Her temper was really beginning to want an outlet, especially after that car ride home. However instead of losing it, Arden turned around to Kiara, opening her mouth to speak until she caught the guilty look forming on her friends face. "Why would you do that?" She questioned suspiciously as she followed Kiara into the building.

"So .... uh, the guys are coming over to discuss what do next about the —g game. The reason I him asked to pick us up was so that you both can clear the air."

Arden nodded in understanding, trying to force down the unknown ugly emotion beginning to fester in her stomach. She shouldn't have gotten her hopes up. It was idiotic of her. Of course no body would want to be around her for the moment.

Arden shot her friend an uncertain look as they hopped out of her Twinkie. Arden chanced one glance towards JJ who continued to stare at her in barely disguised anger from behind the windows of the building.

"I don't think he wants to talk Kie..." Arden trailed of, while Kiara scoffed in response. "He'll talk to you! I for one am not doing anything else with you by my side. Especially if Sarah Cameron's going to be apart of this!"

Arden blinked in surprise, wondering what on earth Kiara was talking about. She shook her head, focusing her attention back to the matter at hand. Finding some common ground with JJ. She could deal with .... whatever it was going on with Kiara and Sarah at a later date.

As she for up, walking over to JJ, Arden winced at the sound of feet, echoing against the rapid beat of her heart. The already short distance felt much longer as JJ kept his stare determinedly on the table in front of him.

"Can we talk?" She asked softly.

"Your here already aren't you Princess?" JJ spat out. Arden forced herself to exhale and inhale, trying not to lose her temper. No, she needed to be the calm one. Not the docile doll she had been the other night nor the hot headed fool which caused her to fracture her arm. She needed to be rational and calm one. The peacemaker, a role Arden hadn't been in for such a long time. She missed it.

"I'm sorry." Arden stated, watching as JJ finally met her gaze. Instead of hostility, JJ watched her with wide azure eyes. He clearly hadn't been expecting her to be so brutally upfront and apologise first. It was almost as if he had been expecting for her to make up some sort of deadbeat excuse instead of owning up to her actions.

"What I did was wrong. Not telling you the truth, lying to you. You deserved to know about our daughter."

JJ finally sat forward, his undivided attention on Arden solely. "I'm not going to try and defend what I did. It was wrong, I'm well aware of that and I'm going to make it up to you ... if you'll let me."

"Why did you do it Ard?" He asked, the rarest trace of insecurity lingering in his voice as he stared at Arden with tears shining in his eyes. "Is it because you are afraid I would harm jelly bean like my da—"

Arden immediately leapt out of her chair, awkwardly running to JJ ignoring the pain in her leg from the way she harshly stood up. Arden ignored the little warning bell ringing away in her head as she plopped herself down into JJ's lap. She could feel the way he flinched, keeping his fists tightly clenched.

"Baby please look at me," Arden whimpered, her heart metaphorically shattering into pieces as the tears began to shed down his cheeks at the thought.

"I promise you that's why I didn't tell you. You could never hurt her JJ. I have known you my entire life and I know you would never hurt her or me." Arden declared. She leaned forward slowly, resting her forehead against JJ's, hesitantly cupping his cheeks with her hands so she could meet his gaze head on.

"I love you, JJ," Arden muttered, watching the way his eyes widened at his words. "Yes like that you dummy. I also know you might not know how that feels. But what I do want you to know is that the love I feel for you and the love I know our daughter feels for you is so pure. I want you to know that familial love isn't all bad. Together we have actually have a real crack at raising this kid right." Arden muttered, rubbing away JJ's tears with her thumbs as they began to fall.

"Why didn't you tell me then Ard?"

Arden sighed, leaned away slightly but never moving her hands from his cheeks. "That .... I haven't even told Have or Kie yet. It has nothing to do with you baby, I promise." Arden swore, leaning down to peck his nose.

"My mom .... she's kept something from me, everyone, the police and let's just say what she told me ... it's something I'm still trying to process and get out of her. I promise you that I'll tell you soon ... I'm just not ready yet."

Arden watched as the conflicted emotions surfaced across his face as JJ took in everything she said. For once they weren't shouting or shooting one another petty remarks. They were dealing with this like adults.

"Ard, you know that I feel that way about you ... I just can't say it yet." Arden smiled down at JJ, nodding.

"Don't even worry about it." She replied, leaning down to wrap JJ into another hug. No more was said between them as JJ gathered himself. He finally had gotten an explanation. It wasn't the complete and whole one he knew he should have gotten but it was a start. Whatever it was .... it had to be serious if Arden hadn't attempted to tell anyone else. Whatever it was, it was weighing her down, messing with her head. He didn't know what it was, but JJ ... he trusted her. Despite it all, JJ still trusted Arden Kim and knew she would tell him when the time was right.

As the reality of the situation began to grow on JJ, a beaming smile began to grow on his face. He wrapped his arms around Arden's waist, pulling her in for a tighter embrace as she clung to him. It felt good to have her back in his arms; this time eoyh the addition of his daughter in her belly. His baby girl. JJ had only ever dared to dream once about a possible future with the girl in his arms before all of the drama. JJ had always known what he would have wanted to call his kids with Arden. Now it was his time to make all of previous dreams a reality.

"Logan." He stated, prompting Arden to look down at him in confusion.

"What? What about a Logan?" She questioned, playing with the blonde locks, a beaming smile on her face as JJ's body shivered underneath her from her actions.

"Logan. Logan Kim. That's what I want to name her."

Arden blinked, pulling away from the embrace slightly as she tried to process what JJ just said. He ... he wanted to name their child now?

"Now? Now you want to name her?" Arden questioned incredulous at his words. JJ shrugged, laying his arm down on her bump protectively, a radiant smile settling on his lips as he felt the comforting thump.

"Don't you think it's time I finally got to do something for my kid?"

"By naming her?" Arden cried out incredulous but the wide smile on her face betrayed her. "It suits JB! Traditionally it can mean little hollow or little warrior and given who I am, our kid needs to be trooper!"

Arden rolled her eyes before a breathy giggle escaped her lips.

"I like it except for one thing."

"What?" JJ grunted, annoyance shining on his face.

"Logan Maybank. That sounds much better than Logan Kim." Arden stated, watching as JJ stared at her with wide eyes.

"You mean it?"

"Why wouldn't I mean it!" Arden squawked, a mini argument breaking out between, just like the old days.

From the opposite side of the room, Kiara watched on a bright smile on her face as she watched her friends together.

"My first act as a godmother has worked out better than anyone could have hoped for, if I say so myself."

✲*'。