Justin and Kim were in the airport, wrapped in each others arms waiting for his flight to be called. One of his arms rested comfortably on her shoulder and the other was draped around her waist. It was just a little past midnight and his flight was about to board.
The airport seemed nearly empty, with the exception of the crowd of people near the food court. During their wait, they had shared small kisses and whispered sweet nothings to each other. Now, it was time for him to board his plane back to Chicago.
"I love you. Bye."
Those were the exact words that Kim didn't want to hear at the moment. Not because she didn't like them, but because it meant that he really was leaving.
"Appelle-moi," Kim whispered, kissing him one more time.
"I forgot you used to take French at school," Justin chuckled slightly. Kim smiled and stared into his stunning eyes. "I'll call you as soon as I land. I promise," he continued.
Justin hugged her one more time and walked toward his gate number.
Kim turned and started to walk away. She couldn't watch him board the plane. She just couldn't, no matter how weird it may have sounded to other people. It wasn't like they were never going to see each other again because he'd be back for Christmas. He wanted to spend the holiday with his family and see his baby sister, Lilly. She would just count down the days until she got to hold him, and kiss him again. Yeah, she'd be okay.
*********
"Lilly, please," Helen complained as she cradled her crying child. She'd been up for almost forty-five minutes trying to soothe her baby and she was dead tired. It was almost one in the morning. That was the latest she'd been up since college and she just wanted to get some good sleep which was becoming more difficult with the newborn.
Kim walked into the house and tossed her keys on the small table near the door. "You look dead," she commented, noticing Helen's state. The poor woman looked like a zombie.
"I am tired. I should wake up Steve and make him feed Lilly."
"Do you want me to make her a bottle?" Kim asked walking into the kitchen and opening the fridge.
"Oh, I'd be so grateful if you did," Helen rushed out with a small smile.
"You know what, go to bed and I'll take care of Lilly," Kim exclaimed, feeling sorry for the new mother.
"You sure? You don't have to do that."
"But, I want to. It's okay, babies like me and you need your rest," Kim replied, walking over to Helen.
She remembered some of the mothers in her old apartment building would ask her to babysit, while they were out taking care of "business." Sometimes they paid her for looking after their kids and sometimes they didn't. She didn't really care. She just didn't want them getting caught in the middle of their mother's bad decisions.
Helen smiled and carefully placed the baby in Kim's arms.
"Let me know if you need anything," Karen exclaimed before walking towards the stairs.
"Okay," Kim said, slowing rocking the baby back and forth in her arms. The baby continued to cry out loudly until Kim finally prepared the bottle. She sat down on the sofa and began to offer the bottle to the baby. Immediately, Lilly latched onto the bottle and began to drink.
"Aww, somebody was hungry," she whispered, watching the little girl greedily drink the milk.
Lilly was adorable and tiny. She had Steve's eye color and dark hair. Her eyes were wide and expressive, always seeming alert as to the things going on in this "new world." Her lips formed the cutest little Cupid's bow and her chubby cheeks were begging to be kissed or pinched. She wondered what her children would look like.
She couldn't imagine not having kids with Justin. She knew deep down that he would be a great father. What kind of mom would she be? She wasn't going to dwell too much on it though, she was only eighteen and wanted to go to college and have a good job before having any kids.
Kim continued to admire the little girl until the bottle was finished. She burped her for a few moments before cradling the baby in her arms.
"Finally," she sighed when Lilly fell asleep in her arms. She smiled watching Justin's sister. "You're too cute," she whispered, walking towards the stairs.
*********
"Aww, she's adorable," Mackenzie exclaimed, looking closely at the baby pictures on Justin's phone. Marcie nodded in agreement as the two looked through the small slideshow on his phone.
Mackenzie and Marcie were still angry with Justin when he left to go back to California, but when he came back he revealed that he told Kim what happened. At first they didn't believe him until explained how the situation went. They both agreed that he deserved the treatment he originally got, but were happy that he worked it out with Kim.
Gradually, Mackenzie and Marcie forgave him. However, they had yet to forgive Erin for what she did, or tried to do. She hadn't even spoken to them since that night. 'Good riddance,' Mackenzie and Marcie thought.
Justin sat there and thought about California while the girls looked at the pictures. He had been back in Chicago for almost a week and he was already homesick. He didn't just miss the warm weather of California compared to the chilliness of Chicago, but he missed Kim. He missed Lilly. He missed his mom and even Steve.
"What did they name her?" Marcie asked, unintentionally breaking his train of thought.
"Lillian Marie Pratt. Lilly for short," he replied with a smile.
"Who's that?" Cole asked, sitting down with the group and looking towards the phone.
"Justin's sister," Marcie replied, showing him a picture.
"She's cute, but wait until she reaches the terrible two's," he replied with a smile.
"Well, I don't think I have anything to worry about. It's two years away," Justin replied with a shrug.
"Just remember I tried to warn you," Cole laughed. "Anyway, there's going to be some party off campus later tonight. Who's the designated driver?" he asked.
Marcie scoffed and looked at Cole like he was stupid. "Do you ever spend your free time studying?"
"Nope, why would I?"
"Ummm, something called academic probation which you barely escaped a little while ago," Mackenzie cut in.
"You're academic history isn't perfect either."
"Yeah, but now she has me to keep her in line," Marcie exclaimed.
Cole rolled his eyes and looked at Mackenzie. "My grades are ancient history, besides its only one night of booze, babes, and my fantasy of a threesome with two hot lesbians coming true," he exclaimed, winking at Mackenzie and Marcie.
"Oh please, Cole, if I had to stare at your naked body I think I would be an even bigger lesbian than I already am," Marcie snickered.
"Aww, don't be like that. Don't friends help each other out?"
"Yeah, but there are limits and seeing you in your birthday suit is one of them," Marcie replied.
"Cole, give it a rest. They're clearly not interested," Justin laughed, taking a bite out of his sandwich.
"No chick can turn down this," Cole replied running his hands down his body and trying to be sexy.
"Eww, I lost my appetite," Mackenzie said, making a disgusted face. Marcie nodded her head in agreement and they both got up.
"Hey, where you guys going?" Cole asked.
"Far away from you," Marcie exclaimed, already walking away. Cole looked at Mackenzie and Marcie as they walked away, tilting his head to the side to get a better view of their...assets.
