It had been four long, boring days since she had died in Port Charles and gotten her "second chance" as Brenda Jacks. She had undergone numerous tests during that time as the doctors explained to her that they just wanted to make sure there were no ill effects from her "death" -- other than her "amnesia". The baby had also been tested, but they had both passed with flying colors.

Brenda sighed and started walking back towards the hospital bed. Other than an occasional visit when Doctor Mueller came to go over her test results, Jax hadn’t been back to see her since that night when he found her crying. She was surprised to realize that she actually missed him.

{This Brenda Jacks that was married to him must have been some piece of work. I guess You weren’t just kidding around when You said his heart needed healing, were You?}

Just as Brenda was about to get back into the bed, she looked up at the sound of the door of her room opening. Her heart sang as she saw a blonde head poke its way through. "Hi." He whispered the word and pushed the door open a little farther.

"Hi!" Brenda stopped and remained standing. She waved her hand anxiously. "Come on in!"

Jax came through the door, almost appearing to be nervous. He held a large bouquet of pink tulips again, and his casual dress surprised her a little. He had on a gray silk shirt with large safari-style pockets and some gray pleated trousers made of a fabric with a knobby weave. He walked gingerly towards her, stopping for a minute at the crib. "Are you sure this is a good time? Isn’t he sleeping?"

Brenda laughed softly and Jax had to control his emotions. {How can it still sound that way -- like the angels singing? She’s certainly no angel.} "Jon sleeps a lot, Jax! He’s a newborn, you know!"

"John?" Jax froze in place by the crib, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Well, I like to think of it as John without an "H" -- short for Jonathan," Brenda replied. She walked towards him with measured steps. "You told me I could name him, and I was getting tired of calling him "it" -- so I thought he deserved a proper name."

Jax looked down at Brenda and then at the baby. "Jonathan," he said slowly, trying it out for himself.

"Jonathan Jasper Jacks," Brenda replied, reaching into the crib to readjust his blanket. "Is that OK? That I didn’t name him Jasper, Jr.?"

"No -- that’s fine!" Jax said in a rush. "Jon’s appropriate, too!" He waited for a reaction but when there was none, he rose an eyebrow at Brenda. "You don’t remember, do you?"

"No." Brenda’s blood chilled. {Oh, God, no -- please don’t let John be the name of the guy Brenda Jacks was fooling around with!}

Brenda nodded and Jax walked slowly with her, supporting her, as she made her way to the bed and sat down gently. Jax set the bouquet down on the bed and caught her legs to swing them up onto the bed. "Is that better?"

Brenda nodded. "Yeah – thanks." She put her hand out to rest it on his forearm. "You don’t have to worry, though – I promise I’m not going to have some kind of hysterical breakdown again like the other night."

"I wasn’t worried," Jax replied honestly, sitting on the bed next to her legs. "And don’t feel embarrassed about that – you’ve been through a lot the past few days. You’re entitled to a little outburst every now and then."

Brenda smiled and folded her hands primly in her lap, brightening as she looked towards the tulips. "You brought tulips again!" Jax nodded and she detected the faintest hint of a blush. "Would you mind putting them over there with the rest of the flowers?"

Jax shook his head and took the bouquet over to her dresser. "Looks like your room is turning into a greenhouse." He fingered a card attached to a large spring bouquet. "These are from mum and dad."

He looked back to Brenda, but she just shook her head. Then, her mouth dropped open. "Oh – is *that* the John and Jane on the card?"

"You don’t remember them either?"

"Nope." Brenda sighed. "But from what you just said before, I guess John must be your dad – and Jane must be his wife."

Jax nodded and moved on to the next bouquet. "These are from Carly Roberts. Ring any bells?" Brenda shook her head. "She’s your best friend." Jax had quickly lost his smile when he said the woman’s name, giving Brenda the immediate clue that she didn’t have the same relationship with Jax. "You like to go carousing and club-hopping with her."

{Uh-oh. Sore subject. Danger, danger! Change subject fast!} "How about those?" Brenda pointed to a large bouquet of exotic orchids.

"I have a feeling I know who those are from without even looking." He moved to the flowers, pulled out the card, and smiled triumphantly. "Yep. Stefan."

"Stefan? That’s an odd name. Who’s he?" {Jax is smiling so obviously HE’S not the home-wrecker.}

"He’s our neighbor and good friend – Stefan Cassidine." Jax paused. "Still not sounding familiar, huh?"

"Nope." Brenda shrugged her shoulders. "And last, but not least, there are the beautiful tulips and roses that you’ve been sending." Jax’s face paled and he moved to the large bouquet of red roses and baby’s breath. "I was a little surprised that you sent the roses after I loved the tulips so much, but….." Brenda stopped when she saw Jax’s mouth set in a grim line. "What’s the matter, Jax?"

"I didn’t send you the roses, Brenda."

"But there wasn’t any card, and if you didn’t, then who……?" Brenda froze as she realized who the sender was. "Oh, Jax….I’m sorry. I had no idea….."

"Was *he* up here?" Jax put his hands to his hips as anger flushed his face. "I gave specific orders at the desk that you were to have *no* visitors but myself."

Brenda crossed her arms in an equally defiant stance. "Well, that certainly explains a lot, but no – he wasn’t up here, Jax. Your orders have been carried out exactly as you gave them."

Jax didn’t notice Brenda’s anger as he came back to stand by the bed. "Good." He glanced over at the crib. "I don’t want him anywhere near you or my son – despite your feelings for him."

Brenda took a breath to answer him but then she stopped. "Wait – what did you just say?" Jax bowed his head and ran his fingers through his blonde hair in frustration. "Jax – you said "MY son." Are you ready to admit that I was right?"

"The results of the DNA tests came back, Brenda." Jax looked over at the crib and then back at her. "You were right. He’s mine."

Deep inside, Brenda was elated. Her feelings for this blonde stranger already ran so deeply that she knew she would be as crushed as he would be if the baby hadn’t been his. But then, anger began to bubble up. "Oh – I get it now." Tears began to sting her eyes. "Now that you’ve got the results and you know he’s yours, Jon is suddenly worth your time and your love. You didn’t come to see us before because you didn’t want to waste any time loving him if he wasn’t yours."

"D*mnit, Brenda, that’s not true!" Jax swore, stalking over to the window and putting his hands on the ledge. He tried to calm his breathing and hung his head. "I just….." He never turned back to face her. "I didn’t want to get attached to him….." His breath caught momentarily. "….it would hurt less when you took him away from me and left with your lover."

Brenda’s breath came out in a sob. "Jax! I would NEVER do that to you! How could you think I would take your son….."

Jax turned back to the bed with tears of his own. "I found them, Brenda. When I was looking for those nightgowns you wanted. In your lingerie drawer."

"Found what?"

"The tickets." Jax slowly began walking back to the bed. "Two one-way tickets to Brazil, Brenda." He laughed sarcastically. "I guess you figured you’d buy one for the baby after you made sure he was healthy enough to travel."

Tension rippled through the room. "Jax," Brenda shook her head and tears splashed on her hands. "…..I wouldn’t…..I mean…." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "….I don’t remember…."

"Yeah – I guess not. Sometimes this amnesia thing can come in real handy." His words were bitter.

"I’m NOT faking this, Jax!" Brenda’s chest began to rise and fall. "I really don’t remember anything about us, or this lover of mine, or any plan sh…." Brenda quickly stopped herself and wiped her eyes again. "…..I had to run away with him to South America and take your son!"

Jax inhaled to launch the next volley when they both heard the baby whimper softly, and then launch into a full-fledged wail. "Bloody h*ll! Now I’ve done it!!" Jax put his fingers to the bridge of his nose, and then back to his hips as he stared at Brenda. "Why isn’t Robin here?"

Brenda winced and tried to swing her legs out of the bed. "I asked her to let me take care of him by myself for a while," she explained as she tried to stand. "After all, Dr. Mueller says I might be able to go home soon, and I’ll have to do it then."

But when she tried to rise, she swayed and sat down quickly. Jon kept crying and Jax came to Brenda’s side of the bed, looking anxiously at the crib. "What do you think is wrong with him? Should I call the doctor?"

"He’s probably just hungry, Jax," Brenda replied, smiling a little. "But I don’t think…..Could you go get him out of the crib and bring him to me? I can take it from there."

Jax’s face turned sheet-white. "Me? Pick him up?"

"He’s *your* son, Jax," Brenda replied calmly. "You’re sure of it now."

"But I’ve never….." Jax looked like he was watching a tennis match as his gaze bounced back and forth between his wife and his son.

"It’s not that hard." Brenda waved at him. "Go on. I’ll coach you through it. You won’t break him."

As Jax moved cautiously to the crib, Brenda talked him through the procedure. He slid his hands beneath the squalling infant and was amazed at how something so noisy could weigh so little. Following Brenda’s instructions to support his head, Jax picked up his son like he was a piece of fine china. With one hand under Jon’s neck and one hand under his bottom, Jax carried him over to Brenda, who had pushed herself back into the bed and was unbuttoning her gown.

Jax was staring so intently at his son that he failed to notice Brenda’s actions until he lifted his eyes. "What are you doing?" There was clear panic in his voice.

"I’m getting ready to feed him, dunce," she replied in a matter-of-fact manner. "That’s why I had you go get the nightgowns – I needed some that opened down the front so I could nurse him more easily."

Jax didn’t know which knocked the wind out of him more – holding his son for the first time, or realizing that Brenda really *didn’t* send him on the errand for the nightgowns just so he would find the plane tickets. When he looked up at her again, he caught his breath at the sight of her rounded, full breast. "OK – well, here he is…."

"Just a minute, can you hold him just a little longer?" Brenda was re-adjusting her gown and pulling the engorged nipple into Jax’s full view. She laughed a little and again, it took Jax’s breath away. "Robin told me I would get the hang of this, but somehow I always think I need a third hand!" As she settled herself against her pillows, she held out her arms to Jax. "OK, now you can put him in my left arm…." Jax delicately placed the screaming infant into Brenda’s arm, and she used her right hand to maneuver the nipple closer to his mouth.

As soon as Jax had been relieved of his precious burden, he kept telling himself to leave – to get out, before the baby had time to entangle his heart even more than he already had. He was fully prepared to spin around and make a hasty exit when Brenda turned large eyes to him. "Ummmm….could you help me with one more thing?"

"What?" Jax was afraid his voice would squeak like some hormonal teenager going through the change.

"I....uh.....someone needs to rub Jon’s cheek a little so that he’ll turn his head towards me and find my .....nipple." Brenda’s voice fell to a whisper as she said the last word. {He’s my husband now! Why should I feel this self-conscious?}

But Jax reflected the same nervousness. "Yeah...sure, I can do that," Jax whispered. He put his right hand out tentatively and finally brought himself to touch his tiny son’s right cheek. Just as Robin had predicted, Jon instinctively turned towards his father’s hand. "Look! He’s doing it!" Jax sounded like a little boy on Christmas morning.

"Would you try one more time?" Brenda re-adjusted the baby in her left arm and her nipple with her right hand. "He didn’t quite latch on that time."

Jax blushed a little as Brenda manipulated her breast. "Yeah -- sure." Jax brushed his fingers against the baby’s soft skin again and to his amazement, Jon turned again and finally found his mother’s nipple.

Brenda squealed a little as the baby began to nurse with a vengeance. "Ooohhh....yes, he did!" she laughed. She began to stroke Jon’s hair lovingly with her right hand as Jon was blissfully content.

"Uh....Brenda?" Jax’s voice disturbed Brenda’s concentration. She looked up and found he was blushing profusely. He glanced down at his son. "I’m....uh.....stuck."

Brenda finally discovered the source of Jax’s discomfort. The fingers he had used to stroke his son’s cheek were trapped between Brenda’s breast and his hungry son. Now that he mentioned it, Brenda felt Jax’s fingers move involuntarily. Suddenly, a rush of feelings came over Brenda, and none of them were maternal.

"Here. I’ll try to move him a little." Jon immediately protested as his mother pulled him away from her breast and freed his father’s fingers, but then she put him back in place and he nursed happily again. She yelped a little as Jon latched on again, sucking mightily.

"Does it hurt....when he nurses like that?" Jax sounded like he was actually concerned about her, and Brenda’s heart soared for the second time that day.

"It did at first, but it’s better now," Brenda answered honestly. Jax nodded, and for a long time, the only sounds in the room were made by Jonathan Jasper Jacks. Robin pushed the hospital room door open but when she saw the bonding taking place, she smiled and retreated as quietly as she could.

*~*~*~*

"So, Mrs. Jacks, since everything appears to be normal and you haven’t had any more incidents of abnormal heart rhythms, I don’t see any reason why you and your son can’t go home today!" Dr. Mueller was smiling enthusiastically as he delivered the good news two days later.

Brenda tried to look happy. {Home. Wherever that is. And whatever it looks like.} "I still get a little shaky on my feet, Dr. Mueller," she replied as she held Jon in her arms.

"You won’t have to worry about that," Jax interrupted. He had arrived in Brenda’s room thirty minutes before the doctor and informed her that he had signed her release papers. The flowers were taken to a waiting car and Robin had begun packing Brenda’s supply of gowns. "Robin will be accompanying us to the house. I’ve made arrangements for her to keep taking care of you and Jon until you’re completely recovered."

"Great." Brenda smiled, and part of her was sincerely glad. Robin had been supportive of her and would continue to be her best ally in her charade of amnesia. In fact, she had grown quite close to Robin, probably closer than Brenda Barrett had ever been to anyone in her life.

A wheelchair took Brenda and Jon from her room to the front door of the hospital. As Jax was shaking hands one last time with the doctors, Brenda felt the warm, humid California breeze kissing her skin. {Well, God, if you had to relocate me, I’m glad You gave me a warm place to live. I always *did* hate the Port Charles winters!} Jax then came and held his son as Robin helped Brenda out of the wheelchair and into the front seat of a Silver Cloud Bentley. After Jon was secured in an infant seat in the rear with Robin, Jax got in the driver’s seat.

"Do you think it would be too breezy for the baby with the top down?" Jax asked, his hand pausing above the control switch.

"It’ll be alright," Robin quickly answered from the back seat. "I’ll put this cap on him and I doubt he’ll even wake up." Brenda heard the whirring as the top of the Bentley folded back and then as they pulled onto the street, she felt the glorious Southern California sunshine.

"We’re going to make a quick stop on the way home," Jax said to Brenda, leaning over to speak closer to her ear as the street noise nearly drowned him out. "I promised Robin I would drop her at her place to pick up her car and some clothing. She’ll be living with us while you recuperate."

Brenda nodded. She was still taking in all the sights around her – Brenda Barrett had never visited California and so everything truly was "new" to her. The tall palm trees, the women in abbreviated clothing who roller-bladed on the sidewalks, the men in business suits who turned and craned their necks to get a better view of those skaters’ backsides…..it was all so *different* from Port Charles.

Jax caught her staring. "I….uh….thought maybe this would be a good idea for another reason," he said tentatively, glancing once in his rear-view mirror as he turned a corner. "Does any of this look familiar to you?"

{Actually, yeah – this looks just like that street they always show on the Rose Parade every New Year’s Day.} Brenda smiled but shrugged. "Nope. Not so far."

Jax sighed. "Well, you probably wouldn’t recognize much in this neighborhood anyway. You and Carly mostly preferred to hang out at the gym or the stores on Rodeo Drive anyway." Jax fell into an awkward silence and Brenda just turned to look out her side of the car.

A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of a large brick apartment building. "I’ll just be a few minutes," Robin said as she got out of the car with Jax’s assistance.

"You’re sure you know the way to the house?" Jax closed the door gingerly after Robin exited the back seat, but not before checking on his son to make sure he was still sleeping soundly. "Because I could just send a driver back here to pick up your things."

"No, thanks," Robin smiled, placing her hand on Jax’s arm. "I would really prefer to bring my own car." She glanced back at Brenda, who was looking around her quietly. "Besides….this will give you and Brenda some time alone. Going home may jog her memory, and I think it’s important you have that experience as a new family. I don’t want to intrude."

Jax couldn’t explain why, but for some reason as he got back in the car with Brenda, he made a silent wish. He knew Robin would think he was certifiable, but as he turned back into traffic, he prayed that the sight of their house *wouldn’t* bring back Brenda’s memories – and the Brenda Jacks that had shared that house with him for three years. For some strange reason, he felt more comfortable than he had for a long time with *this* Brenda.

About thirty minutes after they dropped Robin off, Jax made a slow turn into a long driveway in an exclusive residential section of Los Angeles. Brenda knew she was probably gawking like a tourist, but she couldn’t help herself. "We live…..here?"

Jax nodded, his wrist draped lazily over the top of the steering wheel as he maneuvered the powerful car. "Yep. We have ever since we got married."

Brenda cleared her throat and folded her hands nervously in her lap. "And…..how long ago was that?"

"Three years," Jax answered tersely. He stopped the car for just a minute on a turn. Brenda gasped as she saw the in-ground pool and tennis courts in the distance. "Do you remember any of it?"

"No – I’m sorry, Jax," she said breathlessly. "I know you’re probably disappointed….." She turned to him and he was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "…..but I’m not crazy, really I’m not."

Jax patted her hand. "I know. Dr. Mueller told me it might take you a while before the memories start to come back." He nodded in the direction up ahead. "Why don’t we go on to the house? You must be exhausted, being out of bed for this long."

To punctuate his statement, Jon suddenly shifted in his car seat and whimpered a little. "I think your son is letting you know *he’s* the one who’s getting restless," Brenda smiled. She shifted a little in her seat. "He’s probably anxious for his lunch,".

Jax just nodded and started the car again, pulling up a few minutes later in front of a massive brick Colonial. Brenda only stared wordlessly as Jax opened his door and raced around to her side. He opened her door for her as Brenda saw an elderly man in a white coat and black trousers emerge from the house.

Brenda leaned on Jax’s hand as she got out of the car. But before she could embarrass herself by staring at her house any more, Jon let out a plaintive wail. "I know, little guy -- I’m movin’ as fast as I can," Jax laughed as he shifted his attention to the back seat of the expensive car. Jax deftly undid the fasteners of the seat belts in the car seat and lifted his son to his shoulder. Brenda jumped when she heard a low voice near her shoulder.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Jacks," the distinguished man in the white coat growled.

Brenda looked from this man who obviously was some kind of servant to Jax helplessly. Jax patted his son on the back, trying to soothe him, and swung the car door shut. "Charles, I’d like you to meet the newest, noisiest member of the Jacks family, Jonathan Jasper Jacks."

"He is that, sir," Charles said gravely. He continued to give Brenda a cold shoulder. "Do you need some assistance with him?"

"I’m afraid neither one of us is going to be of much use to Jon," Jax laughed. He cleared his throat delicately. "He’s hungry, and frankly, we don’t have the special equipment that Brenda has to feed him!" Jax surprised Brenda when he went on. "Charles, Mrs. Jacks had a pretty rough time of things during the delivery and I’m afraid she’s suffered a temporary memory loss." He looked at Brenda gently. "Do you remember Charles?"

"I’m afraid not," Brenda replied. But then Jon’s wails rose to gigantic proportions and she reached for him, taking him away from his panicking father. "Ummm.....Jax, could you bring that diaper bag and take us inside somewhere a little less public?"

Jax nodded and gave her a startled look. "Charles, would you show Mrs. Jacks the way to the den on the first floor? I don’t think climbing the stairs would be too good of an idea right now."

"Certainly, sir." Brenda followed the butler into the massive house with her son still crying for all he was worth. She tried to keep reminding herself to close her mouth as they went past works of art that were obviously originals and furniture that was to die for. They finally reached some wooden double doors and Charles opened them grandly. "This is the den, madam."

Brenda nodded. "Thank you, Charles." She passed him and went inside the room but stopped and turned around before he disappeared. "Oh, and Charles?" He turned to meet her gaze. "I’m sorry I don’t remember you. I’m going to need some help around here getting used to things in the next few days and I really appreciate your kindness."

She saw the slight flinch in the butler’s face. {Bingo. I guess if I just act like a decent human being, I’m bound to win some points with *somebody* around here.} "No problem, Mrs. Jacks," Charles answered, his voice a little less gruff. To her surprise, Charles moved back into the room a little. "Is there anything else I can do for you or Master Jonathan?"

Brenda took a breath to answer but just at that moment, Jax appeared in the doorway with the diaper bag. "Not now that his daddy’s here with his lunch," she answered with a sprightly smile. She saw the butler’s face crack again and knew she was making some headway. Brenda saw the confusion on Jax’s face as she reached into the diaper bag and pulled out a bottle.

"Formula?" Jax hesitated briefly, but then his voice grew low and bitter. "I figured you would decide to stop nursing him, especially if it affected your figure."

Brenda tried to ignore the barb. "This is *still* breast milk, Jax," she said in a quiet voice, noticing that Charles was lingering in the doorway. She shook the bottle once, splashed a little of the liquid on her wrist, and then put the nipple to Jon’s mouth. He immediately took hold of it and began sucking greedily. "Robin recently introduced me to these kind of awful contraptions called breast pumps." Brenda snuck a peek at Charles, and he was beginning to blush and fade into the hallway. "I just do my best imitation of a cow at milking time and then Jon can still be fed when it’s not convenient for me to nurse him."

Jax’s face gave away his guilt at doubting this new Brenda. "I’m sorry -- I just.....well, I thought.....the way you always......" He vainly searched for words and ran his hand through his hair as he crouched down next to the chair where Brenda was feeding his son.

Brenda chose to ignore the ugly moment. "Would you like to feed him?" Jax paled at her words. "I mean -- it’s not tough just to give him a bottle."

"I don’t think -- I mean, I just got used to holding him, you know," Jax stammered. Then, Brenda watched as Jax reached out a cautious hand to lovingly stroke Jon’s blonde hair as he continued to furiously drain the bottle. "He’s really something, isn’t he?" Jax murmured, his eyes turning a shade of blue that reminded Brenda of pictures of the Caribbean.

{He’s scared. He knows the baby is his, but he’s still scared that the old Brenda is going to come back and take Jon away from him.} "Yep -- he’s something," Brenda whispered in reply, "but then again -- so are you." Jax raised his eyes to Brenda and almost gasped aloud. He never thought he would see her eyes looking at him that way again. It had been so long.....

Brenda couldn’t believe the words that had just come from her mouth. {You’ve only known him for less than a week! But it’s just sympathy, that’s all. You just feel badly for him because his wife was such a shrew and broke his heart so many times. It couldn’t possibly be….you couldn’t actually have feelings for him….}

Jax’s hand was moving ever so slowly from Jon’s head towards Brenda’s arm when they both heard the sound of Charles, discreetly clearing his throat in the doorway. "What is it, Charles?" Jax asked in a strangled voice.

"I’m sorry to disturb you, sir," Charles intoned, "but there’s someone....um.....you have a visitor......"

Jax rose to his feet, and to Brenda, it almost appeared he was reluctant to leave. "I’ll be right there, Charles." The butler left and Jax patted Brenda on the shoulder. "Will you be alright in here for a few minutes with Jon? This must be something important or I don’t think that Charles would have interrupted us."

"Sure. I’ll be fine." {This was getting *way* too serious, anyway. I mean, we couldn’t possibly be feeling anything for each other….} She looked down at the baby, who had finished about half of the bottle. "It’s probably time to let him come up for air and get burped anyway."

"OK. I promise I won’t be long." Jax gave her one more intense look, and then spun on his heel and left the den.

Brenda sighed. This was going to be even harder than she thought. But then, Jon distracted her from her depression by loudly reminding her that he had gas. "I’m sorry, Jon," she crooned. She put the bottle down on a side table and shifted the baby to her shoulder. After a few pats, she heard the gratifying sound of a loud belch. "That’s my boy!" She put the baby back in her arms and poised the bottle above his lips. "Still hungry?"

To her surprise, the baby whimpered a little as soon as she shifted him back down to her lap. "Hmmmmm, not hungry, huh?" She gingerly shifted his weight and snuck a finger inside his diaper. "Well, you’re not too wet yet, so I guess maybe you’re just as curious about this new place as I am, huh?"

Setting the bottle back on the table, Brenda rose to her feet and placed the baby on her shoulder again. She rubbed his back and began to stroll slowly around the den. "This is really some kinda house, isn’t it, Jon?" The baby nestled closer to her neck and wiggled a little. "I know," Brenda smiled. "You just want the grand tour, don’t you? Well, I’m afraid I can’t tell you much about the place since this is my first time here, too."

She strolled over towards the large windows on one side of the den. "Ooohhh, now here’s some pretty stuff to look at." She turned around and put her back to the window so that the baby faced the view. "See -- do you see all that green out there, Jon? Those are trees, and gardens." She turned her head around so that she could see it, too. "Maybe someday soon we’ll get that Charles guy to take us both outside and show us around." She tickled his cheek with her finger. "Won’t that be fun for you and mommy?"

She was still cooing at Jon when Brenda’s attention was drawn to the gardens. Jax was walking down one of the paths, and when he stopped, Brenda watched in amazement as another woman came from the opposite direction. She was very petite with dark hair. Brenda couldn’t see her face very well, but she could see enough to know that the woman was attractive. She had on a red silk blouse and a short denim skirt with stacked heels that gave her legs a flattering shape.

Brenda didn’t realize she was holding her breath until the baby wiggled again and she jerked with an indrawn breath. Jax was smiling at the woman -- smiling more warmly than he did when he greeted Robin or Charles. As the woman came up to Jax, she laughed aloud, and Brenda gritted her teeth at the beautiful musical sound. Jax shoved his hands in his hip pockets, sheepishly glanced away from the woman for a few moments, and then stared down at his feet with a smile that could melt stone.

The woman raised up on tiptoe and threaded one hand up into the hair at the back of Jax’s neck. She leaned in to whisper something in his ear, and Brenda watched as her hand played with his hair. Jax laughed heartily at whatever she had told him, and then leaned down to whisper something in her ear in return. Brenda leaned nearer the window, trying desperately to see if he really did trail his lips along her chin in the process or she had just imagined it.

Brenda never saw the other woman come into the den. When she let out a loud sigh, Brenda jumped and the baby whimpered at being startled so rudely. The other woman was staring out the same window at Jax and the petite brunette. She had jet black short hair, crystal blue eyes, and the most elaborate manicure Brenda had ever seen.

Brenda took a breath to say something to the woman, but she beat her to the punch. Folding her arms across her chest, the woman shook her head and looked Brenda in the eye. Her words were succinct and to the point.

"Bimbo tramp!!!"

To be continued.....

Music credit: "Quit Playin’ Games with my Heart," by Max Martin and Hubert Crichlow, recorded by the Backstreet Boys.