Meet The Maxwells - Chapter 30

Chapter XXX

Suspicions
~ * * * ~

Vanessa bent down to stare at the little girl. "My, aren't you precocious! Hymm....a birthday present for your Daddy. Oh, that's right his birthday is close, isn't it?" she said with a little smirk on her face.

Meg continued, "Do you know my Daddy!"

Vanessa was amused, "Why, yes, your Daddy and I were very good friends when we were younger."

Then she straightened up and looked at Madra. "Why they look just like you! If I didn't know better, I would never guess that they were Peter's children! And, two of them no less!"

Max' birthday was approaching, so Madra took the girls out shopping for a special gift for Daddy. Afterwards they were going to meet Max for an early supper. The girls were excited as they walked into Armani's. As they entered the store, Madra heard a familiar voice - "Well, if it isn't Peter's little wife." She turned and saw Vanessa Stewart. Vanessa continued, "Well, who do we have here? Are they yours?" she asked. "Hello, Ms. Stewart," Madra replied, "and yes, they are mine and Max' girls."

Emma immediately hid behind Madra's skirt, clinging for dear life. Madra sometimes wished she wasn't so shy, unlike her sister. Meg stared at Vanessa and asked, "Who are you? My name is Meg and this is my sister, Emma! We're shopping for a birthday present for my Daddy!"

Madra brought the girls over to a chair, handed them a book from her purse and told them to sit quietly and look at the book while she spoke with Vanessa.

She then took Vanessa aside and asked, "What do you want Ms. Stewart? Shouldn't you be out trying to find evidence to aquit Mrs. Jamison?"

Vanessa gave a haughtly little laugh and said, "Oh my, it's clear you don't understand how the legal system works. The detectives find the evidence, I merely use my expertise to see that Mrs. Jamison does not pay for the crime!"

"I assure you," Madra began, "I know Rebecca very well, and I am convinced that she did not murder that woman!"

Vanessa pretended to pick a piece of lint off Madra's collar and said, "Believe me, given the right circumstances, anyone could be driven to commit a murder."

Madra was slightly taken aback not only by Vanessa's words but by the look on her face. "Ms. Stewart," Madra began, "I don't know what your agenda is here, but...."

Vanessa cut her off in mid-sentence, "Agenda? Peter called me, remember? I imagine that he realizes that I am the best at what I do! True, I am flattered that he remembered me after all these years....."

It was Madra's turn to cut her off "Ms. Stewart, Max merely called you to represent a dear friend and nothing else. Max and I are very happy, I assure you!"

Vanessa gave that smug little smirk again, "Oh, really, then I wonder why you felt the need to inform me of that. Could it be that you are worried about Peter and me? After all, I was his first, you know! And you know what they say about your first love. I know, I will never forget the man that made me a woman!"

Vanessa turned on her heel and left. Madra was speechless staring after her. The girls came running over when they saw Vanessa leaving.

They each grabbed her legs and began squeeling, "Mommy, Mommy! Can we go see Daddy now?"

Madra put her hands on the tops of the girl's heads, but couldn't speak as yet. A million thoughts were running through her head, but one resounding one kept crawling back in ~ Max told me they were just friends, could it be that they were more than that to each other? But....Max has never lied to me....never!

~ * * * ~

As promised, Jax had taken Gene to see the doctor Mike recommended that morning. The doctor assured them that the baby and Gene were fine, but that Gene needed to relax more and take it easy. He warned them both about too much stress. He told them that her blood pressure was a little on the high side and that they would have to monitor her closely. He told Jax to take Gene home and see that she got plenty of rest.

When they got back to the ranch, Jax took Gene to their room. "Baby," he said, "I want you to make sure you do what the doctor says. I want you to rest a while."

He made sure that Gene was comfortably resting and told her he would be right back.

When Jax returned, he found Gene lying on the bed. He sat by her side, put his hand on her shoulder and said gently, "Gene, there is someone here who would like to meet you."

Gene looked up and saw that he was carrying Simon. Jax began, "Gene, this is Simon, our son. Simon wanted to meet his Mommy."

"Mommy?" Gene asked.

"Of course," Jax said, "Gene, you are going to be the only Mommy this little guy will ever know. And, I know that with you he will have the best Mommy any little boy could ever have!"

With that Gene sat up in the bed and truly looked at Simon for the first time. She put her hand on his cheek and said, "He really is an adorable little boy, Jax. And, he looks just like you!"

Jax touched Gene's cheek and wiped away a tear. "Gene, you know I love you. I don't know how to be a father, but I'm sure with your help, I can do it. Will you help me, Gene? Will you be Simon's Mommy?"

Gene gave Jax a weak little smile and said, "Of course, I will Jax. You know I'd do anything for you! I love you. I have enough room in my heart for Simon and our baby!"

With that he helped her lay back down and placed Simon in her arms. Simon seemed very happy to be with Gene and started babling at her. Gene's heart melted and she hugged her little boy tight. "Oh, Jax, we're going to have two wonderful little babies to love!"

Jax stroked her shoulder and said, "Yes baby, hopefully our next one will be a little girl that is as beautiful as her mother!" He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. He took Simon from her and told her to get some rest, and that he was going to take Simon out to the stables to see the horses.

Gene kissed them both and told Jax to be careful with him around the horses. Jax laughed and told her not to worry.

After they left, Gene tried to rest, but couldn't. She tried to read a book, but couldn't concentrate. She got up and looked out the window to see if she could see Jax and Simon.

What she saw surprised her ~ there was Jax and Simon riding Midnight, and both father and son were wearing matching white cowboy hats!

Jax enjoyed his ride with Simon. This "father thing" could actually be fun, he tought! This boy is as smart as a whip and appears to be very natural riding! He thought about the first time his own father had brought him riding. How much fun he used to have, sitting high in the saddle with his Dad, riding fast into the wind! When they returned from their ride, Jax held his son up and said, "When you get a little older, I am going to get you your own horse and teach to to ride! You are going to be the best horseman in these parts! Then he hugged his son close and felt something he though he never could. This is my child, he thought. Now I understand what Gene was trying to tell me..... I hope we have a little girl just like Gene, he thought. She'll be the prettiest little girl who ever lived! And you, Simon, will be her big borther. It'll be your job to protect and take care of her!

In her room, Gene was wathcing the touching scene. She had been watching as he rode with his son on the magnificent horse he loved so much. She watched his face, so excited and free. She watched as he hugged his son, his face full of pride and thought to herself, what if I do have a girl? Will he love our little girl as much as his son? And, if it's a boy, will he be like Jax - with his love of horses and free and easy spirit? Oh, I have to stop thinking like this she thought. Of course, Jax will love our child....of course he will.

She crossed the room to go try to lay down a read a bit. As she approached the bed, she was overcome with a sharp pain. Ohhhhh......she doubled up and grabbed her stomach. Oh, no.....oh no..... please God, no......I can't lose this baby.....I just can't......

To be continued.......

As promised, Jax had taken Gene to see the doctor Mike recommended that morning. The doctor assured them that the baby and Gene were fine, but that Gene needed to relax more and take it easy. He warned them both about too much stress. He told them that her blood pressure was a little on the high side and that they would have to monitor her closely. He told Jax to take Gene home and see that she got plenty of rest. When they got back to the ranch, Jax took Gene to their room. "Baby," he said, "I want you to make sure you do what the doctor says. I want you to rest a while." He made sure that Gene was comfortably resting and told her he would be right back.	When Jax returned, he found Gene lying on the bed. He sat by her side, put his hand on her shoulder and said gently, "Gene, there is someone here who would like to meet you." Gene looked up and saw that he was carrying Simon. Jax began, "Gene, this is Simon, our son. Simon wanted to meet his Mommy."
"Mommy?" Gene asked. "Of course," Jax said, "Gene, you are going to be the only Mommy this little guy will ever know. And, I know that with you he will have the best Mommy any little boy could ever have!" With that Gene sat up in the bed and truly looked at Simon for the first time. She put her hand on his cheek and said, "He really is an adorable little boy, Jax. And, he looks just like you!" Jax touched Gene's cheek and wiped away a tear. "Gene, you know I love you. I don't know how to be a father, but I'm sure with your help, I can do it. Will you help me, Gene? Will you be Simon's Mommy?" Gene gave Jax a weak little smile and said, "Of course, I will Jax. You know I'd do anything for you! I love you. I have enough room in my heart for Simon and our baby!"
	With that he helped her lay back down and placed Simon in her arms. Simon seemed very happy to be with Gene and started babling at her. Gene's heart melted and she hugged her little boy tight. "Oh, Jax, we're going to have two wonderful little babies to love!" Jax stroked her shoulder and said, "Yes baby, hopefully our next one will be a little girl that is as beautiful as her mother!" He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. He took Simon from her and told her to get some rest, and that he was going to take Simon out to the stables to see the horses. Gene kissed them both and told Jax to be careful with him around the horses. Jax laughed and told her not to worry.
After they left, Gene tried to rest, but couldn't. She tried to read a book, but couldn't concentrate. She got up and looked out the window to see if she could see Jax and Simon.	What she saw surprised her ~ there was Jax and Simon riding Midnight, and both father and son were wearing matching white cowboy hats!
Jax enjoyed his ride with Simon. This "father thing" could actually be fun, he tought! This boy is as smart as a whip and appears to be very natural riding! He thought about the first time his own father had brought him riding. How much fun he used to have, sitting high in the saddle with his Dad, riding fast into the wind! When they returned from their ride, Jax held his son up and said, "When you get a little older, I am going to get you your own horse and teach to to ride! You are going to be the best horseman in these parts! Then he hugged his son close and felt something he though he never could. This is my child, he thought. Now I understand what Gene was trying to tell me..... I hope we have a little girl just like Gene, he thought. She'll be the prettiest little girl who ever lived! And you, Simon, will be her big borther. It'll be your job to protect and take care of her!
	In her room, Gene was wathcing the touching scene. She had been watching as he rode with his son on the magnificent horse he loved so much. She watched his face, so excited and free. She watched as he hugged his son, his face full of pride and thought to herself, what if I do have a girl? Will he love our little girl as much as his son? And, if it's a boy, will he be like Jax - with his love of horses and free and easy spirit? Oh, I have to stop thinking like this she thought. Of course, Jax will love our child....of course he will. She crossed the room to go try to lay down a read a bit. As she approached the bed, she was overcome with a sharp pain. Ohhhhh......she doubled up and grabbed her stomach. Oh, no.....oh no..... please God, no......I can't lose this baby.....I just can't......