Jenifer. She was coming back. It was like an apocalypse but the world wasn’t going to implode or anything. He didn’t want to see his sister but as Khaat left the room he realised he needed someone to talk to. Rob walked outside into the garden, deciding to abandon breakfast all together. He flicked his wand at the lawn and a pile of wood and tools landed on the green. He was loosing his mind but sitting in and around a load of wood for the rest of the day would do him some good an he knew it. It was just one of those days when the simplest of tasks would give him the most satisfaction.
He got to work pretty quickly and slowly out of the wood came a number of things. A train set which he’d get around to painting, a dolls house version of Hogwarts complete with an Albus Dumbledore model which he‘d also paint, a rocking horse and he was working on a crib when Jenna jumped over the fence and landed gracefully in the flower beds, thankfully missing the tulips.
“Ah, brother. I have missed you so!” she gushed, running over to wrap her arms around her brother’s neck. “So, do tell what’s going on?”
Rob sighed and put his hammer down. He took the nails out from between his teeth and put them down on the bottom of the crib. He sat down next to Jenna on a few piles of wood and he looked up to see her studying him intently. Some when he’d removed his shirt which was becoming slick with sweat and he realised that his sister hadn’t seen that famed tattoo that their cousin had given him when he was otherwise unconscious the day after his graduation.
“That looks fairly sexy but I still don’t understand. However, word on the street is that you are going to be a daddy!” she squealed.
“Can you get any louder?” Rob asked incredulously.
“I can and I will, baby boy!” she laughed. “Now, explain to me… how, when, where, who, what?”
“Jenna I am not mother, I will no tell you exactly what happened because even I’m not sure now.” Rob said irritably.
“Well you could never remember who you did and who you didn’t so do you know this woman’s name?” Jenna asked, babying him slightly.
“Yes I know her name!” Rob said defensively. “You’re just a crazy four foot-nothing pixie that doesn’t know when to keep her nose out of things that don’t concern her.”
“You’re in denial, Robert Andrew Dent.” Jenna said bluntly.
Rob hung his head and dropped it into his hands. He knew he was in denial. The whole thing was just too much for him to comprehend. He didn’t want to be a father at what, 22? He didn’t know what to do. Sure it was a blessing and everything but he felt as if everything he’d ever done and worked for was going up in smoke. He loved Khaat with all his heart but he just wanted a little bit more freedom. Maybe it was just the testosterone talking but he didn’t want to be tied down. No, that really was the testosterone talking.
“Grow up, Rob.” Jenna said seriously. “For your baby’s sake.”
“Jenifer how am I meant to look after a kid? I mean, I know nothing about being a dad! I could be anything but that! Friend, co-worker, a babysitter or a causal caterer that likes to live in the same house because he just likes to cook for people. I know nothing about being the male influence on someone. I’ve grown up with you lot and I just… I feel lost.”
“You’re a wimp.” she hissed. “A bloody coward. Go back in there and apologize for being such an utter bastard to her! You don’t deserve her or that little miracle that one way or another will be part of your life, either through your conscience because you’ve left them or the first thing you want to do when you get home is pick the little thing up and give him or her all the love and devotion you can muster.”
“Jenna…”
“Besides, I’m going to be an auntie and I want to meet my sister!”
The pixie jumped off of the wood and Rob watched as she ran inside, obviously eager to find Khaat and gush for a while before going into food mode. He knew the idiot would spend all day in that kitchen but it was his sister and once you got her going there was only one way to stop her. Tackle her to the floor and handcuff her to something. Rob jumped off of the wood and ran into the house, hoping against hope that Jenifer hadn’t managed to track down his soon-to-be wife.