chapter fifty-eight // disclosure

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You talked to JJ before you left for the day, telling her you were proud of her and to call you if she needed anything at all. You explained the entire situation to Emily on the way home. She was desperate to help JJ. You didn't tell Spencer as you hadn't asked JJ about him, so you'd let her take the lead on it.

You got Maia from daycare and she was so excited to see you. "Mommy!" It was a relatively new word for her to say, she could say very little: "yeah"/"uh-huh", "no"/"nuh-uh", "mama", "mommy", "papa", and "bop"/"boppa", which she had taken from "bottle" as she couldn't yet say the full word.

She reached up for you and you picked her up. "Hello, my lovey, did you have a good day?"

"Yeah!"

You took your sweet girl home and she started crying, putting her fingers in her mouth. "Oh, honey, it's okay, love..." You got her a teething ring from the freezer and she sat on the floor playing with her blocks. You sat next to Spencer on the couch. He was watching her, pride in his eyes and his smile. "She's pretty great, isn't she?"

"She's wonderful. I...I feel so lucky." Spencer got down on the floor with her and helped her build a small structure with her blocks.

-

Spencer was up in his study reading and Maia was in bed when there was a knock at the door. Emily opened the door and you saw blonde hair drape over her shoulder. She pushed the door closed and held JJ's arms. "Honey, what happened?"

"He...he was at my house. He—he said that he, he lives there and he's not—he's not gonna let me..." JJ was sobbing and hyperventilating Emily helped her over to you and you took her to the couch. You held her tight in your arms until Emily returned with a pill of some benzodiazepine you'd been prescribed to quell panic and anxiety attacks. You'd had several after Maia was born, enough to warrant a prescription. You didn't use too many, though, so there were a bunch still in there.

When JJ calmed down, and her breathing had been slower for several minutes, you asked, "JJ, honey, what happened tonight? I already told Em everything, you're okay." JJ took in a breath, hesitating before asking a question.

"Do I have to move? I can't look at you when I tell you, can we just lay here?"

"Of course, Jayje," replied Emily. "Start wherever's easiest, okay?" JJ swallowed and nodded.

"He...Will...Will was in my house when I got home from the attorney's. He said that...that Henry lived there, and he didn't want to turn Henry's life more upside down than it already was. I mean..." The tears were recollecting in her throat.

"Shh, shh, you're okay, we're here," you whispered. "What happened next?"

"He—he told me to, to pack up my things. He looked really mad. We just stared at each other for a while. I didn't want to leave. But I thought he was gonna hurt me, and I didn't want Henry to have to see that if he came out of his room." You nodded to encourage her to continue.

"You're doing so great, JJ," Emily told her.

"I...I just packed up my stuff and got out, I was really scared, guys, I—I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do,"

"Don't apologize, you did what was best for you," said Emily.

"I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have come here, this is ridiculous." She started to get up but you left your arms around her. "I'm so sorry, I can find someplace else, I just didn't know where to go,"

"JJ, do you have anything to sleep in tonight?" She opened her mouth and sort of pointed at the door. "In the car?" you asked. JJ nodded. "Okay. You can sleep in some of mine or Emily's clothes tonight, alright?"

You give JJ some house clothes and make sure she's as comfortable as she can be in this situation. "Jayje, you wanna sleep in our bed?"

"I really don't want to intrude,"

"You're not," Emily says. "You don't have to do anything you don't wanna do, but if you do want to be in our bed with us, you're absolutely welcome, honey." JJ bit her lip and nodded.

"Thank you."

JJ's crying as you're all falling asleep. Emily's already down on the other side of JJ, and you snuggle up to the blonde. "Jayje, it's all gonna be fine. What did the lawyer say today?"

"That Will doesn't have a legitimate claim, and we're likely to win. I'm just...I don't want Henry to get hurt, you know? And what if I am an unfit parent for him? I love him so much, I don't know what I'm supposed to do," she sighed. She rolled over and faced you, being careful not to stir Emily. "Everything's falling apart."

You held her face to your chest and let her cry. Poor thing. Your hand runs up and down her back until she pulls away. "I'm sorry. For all of this." You shake your head and cuddle her. She needed it. "I'm really not trying to put a burden on you guys, or get pity, or...I'm just so scared,"

"Shh, I know, JJ. I know. You're not a burden on us, we're here to help you all the way. Okay? I want you to be happy and have your son and not have to deal with that rat-bastard hick anymore." She laughed through her tears.

"Thank you. You, Em, and Spence are my best friends,"

"Speaking of Spencer, I didn't tell him what's going on. He's probably already in bed, do you want to tell him or do you want me to? In the morning, I mean,"

"...could you? I can if you don't want to, it's just—"

"Honey, don't worry. I got it all under control, m'kay?" She nodded and nestled into your chest. "I'm gonna talk to Em and Spence tomorrow about getting you set up in the guest bedroom, alright?"

"You don't have to, I can find a place..."

"JJ! Absolutely not! If you'd rather, then by all means do that, but we for sure have space here, Maia loves her godmother...I'm gonna chat with them in the morning, but there shouldn't be a problem."

JJ slept right beside you, and when Emily woke up in the night, she smiled to see you keeping JJ grounded and feeling safe even in sleep.

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