RECAP:

"How did you expect me to get into the house? She pushed past when I opened the door." He explained.

"Shut up, Trey." She said. He swivelled around.

"And you can get the fuck up out of here." He screwed her.

"Sharnell, what do you want?" My tone was bored. Trey moved so I could see her.

It really had been a while. She had on a white short puffer jacket, a short denim skirt and white converses. No wonder her thirsty arse was cold.

"Look, I know the last time we saw each other we weren't the best of friends-"

"What, do you want?" I questioned again.

"I just wanted to see my best friend again. And meet my nephew." She smiled. This bitch.

"I am not your best friend and he is not your nephew." My anger was slowly beginning to rise.

"Come on, Shanae. We've been friends for time."

"No, we were friends. We aren't cool anymore." I turned back to Malachi.

"Is that him?" She asked.

"Get out." I was so sick and tired of people treating me like a mug.

"I just want us to be friends again."

"No, that's not going to happen. Now you can leave. Bye."

"Shanae man."

"Bye." Surprise visits from people I didn't like seemed to be a regular occurence. Trey led her out of the bathroom and escorted her out of the house.

I just wanted to focus on my son now. I smiled as he looked at me. He was my world and I would do anything to protect him.

END OF RECAP

It had now been 2 months since I gave birth. Today I was going to take Malachi to go and meet Jake's mother.

I wore black jeggings, a black peplum tee with flowers on it, a denim jacket and my all black low top converses. I pulled my hair into a bun on the top of my head.

I made sure to pack all of Malachi's essentials into his changing bag. I fed him one more time before putting him in the car seat. His pushchair was already in Jake's boot.

I watched TV quietly as I waited for Jake to come and pick us up. Soon enough he walked through the door and joined me on the couch.

I gave him a hug.

"Hey, I missed you." I sighed.

"I missed you too, b." He replied, kissing me on the cheek. He moved his head to my neck and inhaled deeply.

"You smell good." He held me tight. I laughed.

"Thank you." I smiled and let him go. He didn't remove his hands from me and I stared at him.

"Shouldn't we get going?" I asked.

"Mum wants to tidy up the house a bit more before you come."

"She doesn't have to do all of that."

"She wants to impress you."

"Who am I to have to impress?" I laughed. He smiled and pulled me in closer to him.

"She's gonna call me when she's done. She shouldn't be long, the place looked fine when I left."

I nodded and placed my head on his shoulder.

"You alright?" He asked. I nodded.

"I can't believe it's been two months already." I sighed, smiling slightly as I gazed at Malachi.

"Me either."

"He's so big now."

"Yeah, imagine he's gonna be a grown man and it'll only feel like he was born yesterday." He laughed. I smiled.

"He's looking more and more like Murder everyday you know." He shook his head humorously while I on the other hand sat still. My smile faded completely as realisation hit me.

It was true. He was starting to look like Reuben. I sighed.

"Sorry b. I didn't mean to hit a nerve." Jake apologised.

"It's okay." I shook my head.

"I just hope he doesn't turn out to be a bum like his dad." I watched him as he slept peacefully. Jake shifted his position and stared at me.

"He won't." He said.

"I bet that's what Reuben's mum said."

"Hey, stop thinking like that. He's going to grow up to be an amazing guy. Do you know why? Cos he's got an amazing mum. One who cares about him and loves him to death. He'll know how to be respectful and learn how to treat people. Do you know how? I'm gonna teach him, that's how. You worry too much, b." He spoke.

Maybe I did worry too much. I wouldn't allow Malachi to grow up to be a fool. No way. We sat on the couch talking for a while.

"My mum thinks you're my girlfriend." He glanced at me. I stared back, my eyes wide with shock and my mouth gaping.

"And why would she think that?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Maybe because my sisters told her."

"And who told them?"

"Not me. They were making assumptions." He laughed nervously. I watched as he looked down at his lap, tapping his nails on his phone. I turned to him.

"Do you want me to be?" I asked. His head popped up.

"I don't know, do you want to be?" He peeked at me through his long lashes. I smiled and placed my hand on his.

"I mean you don't have to be but if you want to be I wouldn't be opposed to that at all I mean you're gorgeous and so kind and I'm talking entirely too much." He stopped himself and I watched and he began to blush.

"Aww, why are you so nervous? It's just me." I cuddled up to him.

"Just you? Shanae you're everything." He sighed. Rah. I sat up completely shocked. He seemed embarrassed that he let that slip.

I on the other hand couldn't stop smiling.

"Aww." I cooed. "You're sweet." I added.

"Thanks." He smiled. I gave him a peck on the cheek and left to go and use the toilet.

What he said made me go haywire. My mind was buzzing I just could not stop thinking about what he said or the look on his face. He was serious.

I heaved out a breath as I stared at myself in the mirror. How the flip could he like someone like me? I had no income, I was a 16 year old who didn't finish school and has a two month old baby. I didn't wear makeup my body wasn't perfect and I looked a mess half of the time. How could he find someone like me attractive let alone worthy enough to be his girlfriend? I shook my head. If I thought negative I wouldn't get anywhere in life.

I washed my hands and proceeded back downstairs.

Jake was standing by the front door, on the phone and holding the car seat. He was speaking a language I was unfamiliar with. He ended the call abruptly.

"Mum's ready." He smiled. I nodded. I grabbed my bag and Malachi's and we left the house.

He opened my door for me and waited till I sat before he put my seatbelt on and strapped Malachi's car seat in. I waited patiently for him and we headed off to his mum's house.

It took us a little under 15 minutes to get there.

I was nervous but excited at the same time. We weren't together or anything but it was still a huge thing for me. We hadn't clarified what we were to each other and our earlier conversation just confused me more. He was more than a friend but he wasn't my guy.

"Are you ready?" His voice pierced my thoughts. I turned to him.

"Yeah. Are you?" I questioned.

"I guess so." He smiled. We got out of the car. He held my hand and held Malachi in the other. I think his mum was watching us from the window because she opened the door when we were close enough.

She beamed brightly at us. Her smile made me smile.

"Hello!" She welcomed us into the house. She was a plump woman, about 5'3 with green eyes and red hair. She wore a long black top and leggings.

She grabbed Jake, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, my son!" She exclaimed.

"Hi, mum." He chuckled. She let him go and looked down at me.

"Hi." I waved shyly. I didn't expect her to be so loud and have so much character. Jake was so quiet and calm while she was obviously bubbly and talkative.

"Shanae! My daughter." She hugged me and I smiled.

"Welcome."

"Thank you." I blinked. She looked down at the car seat and gasped, placing her hands by her mouth. She spoke again, in what I assumed was Turkish. Jake laughed.

"Yeah, that's him."

She spoke again. He looked at me and smiled.

"What?" I asked.

"She said he's beautiful." He looked me up and down.

"Like his mother." He added. I gave a small smile. We took off our shoes and his mum walked us into the living room.

She offered us some tea and I gladly accepted. She left to go to the kitchen and Jake turned to me.

"You good?" he asked. I nodded and smiled although I was a little bit nervous. It did help that she seemed really friendly and kind though.

She returned with ginger tea and some honey. I smiled my thanks and stirred some honey into my mug.

"So how are you?" She asked me, as she sat down.

"I'm fine thank you." I sipped on my tea. I was really awkward when meeting new people so I didn't really know what to say. She stared at me, probably expecting me to say more but I didn't.

"How are you adjusting to motherhood?"

"It's hard sometimes but I think I'm getting the hang of it." I looked down at Malachi who was still fast asleep. She nodded.

"Yes, when I first had Jake I was so scared because he was my first son. I didn't know if I was doing anything right or wrong. But he's grown into a fine man, eh, so I did something right!" she smiled and I laughed.

"Yes, you did." I smiled. We talked for a bit, she showed me some pictures of Jake when he was a kid and told me a little bit about his dad. In the pictures I could see how happy they were when Jake was little. It looked like he was his parents best blessing. His dad was tall, with brown hair, brown eyes and a goatee.

"How old were you when you had him?" I asked.

"Well I got married at 19 and had Jake at 20." She told me.

"Oh okay." We were chatting until we heard keys in the door. In walked in these two girls and a woman. 

The girls stared at me before looking at each other. Oh. They must be Amy and Chloe. The older of the two, Amy, had her brown hair in a high ponytail and wore a white top with blue jeans and converses while Chloe's hair was in a half up half down style and she wore dungarees and white converses.

I smiled at them once I realised who they were. I saw how excited they became and they rushed into the living room but Stephie stopped them. Her tone made it seem as though she was telling them off and they backed away, taking off their trainers.

"You're so pretty!" Chloe squealed. Stephie told them off again and warned them that they'd wake TJ.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"When are you marrying Jake?" she asked. I froze. Sorry what? I'm not even in a relationship with him, what? I was in complete and utter shock. I turned to Jake and he was equally as shocked as I was. He was so embarrassed he couldn't even look at me.

"Okay that's enough. Shanae, this is-"

"Chloe and Amy. Yeah, I figured."

"This is my auntie Havva." he said. I nodded and smiled politely. I wasn't mad at him but we certainly needed to talk later.

Auntie Havva was about the same height as Stephie, had on leggings, a scarf and a long patterned dress. Her eyes were hidden behind massive brown sunglasses and her brown shoulder length hair was down.

"I heard you had a baby." she said to me. I nodded and pointed down to him. The girls didn't realise he was here and started getting excited when they saw his car seat. Stephie told them to calm down as them being noisy would wake him up, which she was right about. He started to cry and I picked him up. He settled down quickly as I cradled him to my chest. I asked the girls if they wanted to say hello to him and they both nodded eagerly. I signalled for them to be quiet and they tiptoed over. They hovered over me and stared at TJ. He opened his eyes and stared at them.

Amy held his hand and Chloe stroked his face. They seemed entranced by him. Havva commented on his big green eyes and I told her he got them from his father. She announced that she was leaving shortly after and left. The girls went upstairs and got ready for dinner, Stephie went to the kitchen leaving Jake and I with TJ.

I turned to him. "We're getting married, huh?"

"Shanae, I'm so sorry about that. I don't know why Chloe said that."

"I'm joking. It's not your fault." I smiled at him, humorously. My boobs were hurting and TJ was getting hungry so I fed him. I let Jake hold him and watched as he played with him.

I watched as TJ laughed and squealed, clearly enjoying himself. I smiled. I didn't need Reuben. TJ didn't need him. We had all we needed already. TJ wasn't Jake's son but Jake sure treated him like he was. The bond they had was impeccable. I couldn't imagine that type of bond with Reuben in all honesty. Now that Jake was here, Reuben was not needed. I had all the support I needed.

Lol hi guys! So I haven't updated since December. Yh I'm slacking, I know. This chapter was kinda dead tbh. Oh well. There's so much I want to happen in this story that I've been wanting to happen from the start but I just haven't gotten around to writing it yet. I son't want to rush through the story either so yh. I'm gonna try and write the next chapter right after I publish this one so hopefully I'll have chapter 29 out soon. Keep reading, I love you all! xx

Love Samantha

Xxx