We Need Help

Even after I called Jethro and Jen, I felt a bit guilty for disturbing them. Then the feeling of being an epic failure at being the Director started to set in. It was only a matter of minutes before the cavalry arrived and the panic subsided for a bit. Jen and I still had our lunch plans intact and I wasn’t about to let SECNAV’s demand or the case itself interfere with me spending time with my sister.
Once Jen got to the agency, she and I had left for lunch. We had gone to a restaurant that was quite similar to Applebee’s. We had both ordered drinks and sodas just to be on the safe side before the waitress had returned to take our order. The waitress had seemed to be quite the social butterfly when she had returned. She had noticed my rings just as she had noticed Jen’s. Apparently our waitress was just recently proposed to by her boyfriend of five years.
“Those are nice rings you two have.” the waitress said.
“Thank-you.” Jen and I replied.
The waitress then asked if Jen and I were related since we looked alike to her. I had told her that we were sisters and that Jen was the older sister before she could ask who was the oldest.
“So how long have you two been married to your husbands?” the waitress had asked.
“Eighteen years.” I answered.
“One month.” Jen replied.
The waitress had a look of confusion on her face. Apparently she didn’t see how I had been married longer then Jen had been.
“Do you guys have any kids or grandkids?”
The thought of the waitress thinking let alone assuming I was a grandmother at my age completely floored me.
“My husband and I have an eighteen year old daughter and twin fourteen year old daughters. No grandkids though.”
I then wonder how Jen would explain her family. Some people in DC didn’t quite approve of the family situation Jen and Jethro had. I had heard some gossip from politicians and other government players sharing their opinions on how wrong it was for Jen to be Kelly’s stepmother while being Liza’s grandmother. So we didn’t know how this was going to go.
“I have stepdaughter, a stepson – in – law and their 1 ½ month old daughter.”
“Oh okay. I’ll be right back with your appetizer.” the waitress said as she quickly departed to the kitchen.
“Don’t you just love how people react to you having a stepdaughter the same age as your younger sister?” I asked.
“I absolutely love it.” Jen responded.
Jen and I moved on to the next topic. We danced around the subject of the case until we got back to the agency. Since I had last seen Jen, I had gone to the hair salon in town. I had my hair cut to shoulder length with a side bang.
“I like your new haircut, Jay.”
“Figured it was time for me to start looking like a mom instead of trying to look like I am still living in my twenties.”
“Well either way it looks good on ya.”
“Thanks sis.”
“Now what’s going on with you Jay, why did you call Jethro and me?”
“I called because we need help with the case we have.”
“Jay.”
“Will you stop with the I know you’re lying, so tell me what the real reason is look. I’m not a child anymore.”
“Tell me.”
“I couldn’t handle being Director. I needed my big sis.”
Within minutes our entrees had arrived and we continued to talk while we ate. It was comforting to have Jen around. We talked for what seemed like hours. We talked about practically everything. We mainly talked our families and our respective husbands.
“If you had asked me twenty years ago if I thought I’d be sitting in a restaurant talking to my sister about children, work and marriage; I would have laughed.” I said.
“I know. I never thought that I would get married either. Let alone be Jethro’s fifth wife.” Jen said.
“None of us thought that you’d be Jethro’s fifth wife. If anything we thought Hollis would have been number five.”
After I had realized what I had said, I could hardly believe how much of a bitch I had just been to the one woman who had been a constant in my life since our mother died.
“I’m sorry, that was bitchy of me. I should have never said that.”
“Its okay, Jay; I know it’s just the stress of the case and stress of being the Director causing you act that way. I was the Director once too.”
There was a bit of silence between us before Jen spoke again.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“I think that I’m pregnant again.” I answered my sister.
“What makes you think that you’re pregnant again?” Jen asked.
“I’m late.”
“The stress of the case and being the head of a federal agency could be the reason why you’re late, Jay. Its happened to me.”
“And all those instances where you thought you were pregnant were with Jethro, I know the stories. Hell; Ziva and I could write a tell all book just from all the stories you’ve shared with us over the years. There is another reason besides me being late for me carrying baby number four.”
“And that is what?”
“Nick and I kind of had a few physical encounters between you, Jethro and Ducky saying your final good-byes and the girls’ graduation the other day.”
“You should take a pregnancy test or go to your doctor to make sure.”
“No shit, Jen. I was planning on taking a test.” I said.
Jen could hear the hesitancy in my voice by the time I stopped talking.
“If you want, I’ll take you to a convenience store and buy a test for you.”
We did just as Jen had suggested. Instead of going to my house or back to the agency with the pregnancy test, we went to Jen and Jethro’s empty house. Jen waited outside the master bath as I took the test. Five minutes later I walked out of the bathroom with the pregnancy test in hand.
“Well what’s the verdict?” Jen asked.
“I’m pregnant; I’m gonna be mom again.” I said completely shocked at what the test had said and what had just come out of my mouth.