*Hey Readers! Eh, nothing to say this time around…. enjoy the post!*
‘You know,’ Jasper says, it’s been 3 months since I found out I was pregnant, ‘this stuff doesn’t look very appetizing anymore.’
I laugh, ‘I told you not to get it! “Duck Food A La Carte” didn’t sound very good…’
‘Well… I wanted to be experimental, to try something different… I don’t think I’ll do that again.’
Jasper tosses the contents of his bowl into the bush behind me.
Some old paparazzi guy has begun to take notes.
‘Interesting…’ he mumbles to himself.
I feel myself clench up. I hate paparazzi, absolutely hate them. I have only recently begun coming outside again, and only with Jasper. Whenever I leave our house, we have paparazzi ambushes. Erg. I hate them. I mean, what I do in my spare time doesn’t matter to them.
‘Hey buddy,’ Jasper barks, ‘You wanna leave us alone? Do our personal lives mean that much to you? Go get a life.’
I laugh nervously. The last thing you want is an angry paparazzi.
‘Ha ha ha… He’s kidding, right Jasper?’
He looks at me and understands. His face changes from anger to happiness in a second.
‘Of course I’m joking! I would never say anything like that to someone who makes his living off starting rumors.’
He’s laying it on a little thick… scratch that. A lot thick. I kick his leg under the table.
‘Ouch!‘ He mumbles and looks at the guy again.
‘Truly, I didn’t mean it. What fun is it being a celebrity if you can’t goof around with the paparazzi?’ He finishes with a good-natured laugh.
The guy just looks at the two of us, he focuses a bit to long on me, I immediately look down at my food, and he walks back to his car.
I keep looking at my food.
‘What?’ Jasper says.
‘What? What do you mean “what?” These guys can say terrible things about us! Don’t make them mad!’
‘Oh come on Brook! Whatever they say, it’ll be rumors, and as long as we know what’s true, why does it matter?’
‘Why does is matter?’ I reply sharply, ‘It matters because the very same guy has put in the paper that my -I mean our- child belongs to,’ I take a gulp, ‘Winters.’ I look Jasper straight in the eye, ‘Do you know what it’s like, having everyone in town think I’m a slut? That I willingly went with him? And now, apparently, I’m carrying his child. So don’t ask me “why does it matter” because it matters to me.’
I finish eating and a waiter comes and clears out plates away.
Jasper looks stunned. ‘I-Im sorry. I really didn’t know. I don’t think everyone thinks that about you, I mean, look at your family, this is how you can tell who really cares about you. People that are your real friends won’t believe that-’
‘Hey sexy!’ I glance up, and see yet another paparazzi snapping pictures like crazy. ‘Come on! Look up, beautiful! Let’s get some shots of that pretty little face.’
When I don’t look up, he pulls out a recorder, presses record, puts it in a holder on his pocket and begins asking questions, all the while not stopping taking pictures.
‘So? What’s it like being out again? If you were really kidnapped. Were you? Or was this a publicity stunt? And what about your “new man”? Anything like your old lover? What about your child? How long have you known? Is Jasper angry because it isn’t his? Come on beautiful! Lets hear.’
I’m outraged that he would ask these questions, these are really personal, after all.
‘Look,’ Jasper begins, ‘This isn’t any of your business. You need to leave us alone-’
‘Jasper?’ I interrupt, I have this speech down pat, for weeks after I was rescued, reporters, paparazzi, national news castors, everyone wanted to know what happened. I was sought after day and night until I finally decided to do a closed interview about what happened.
‘It’s okay, I’ll answer.’ I look at the paparazzi. ‘First of all, my name is Brooklyn, Mrs Hawthorn to you, not “sexy” or “beautiful”. I do enjoy being out again, and like I said in the news papers, I was kidnapped. No it wasn’t a publicity stunt, if it was, it would have been pretty elaborate.’ I pause and try to remember the questions, ‘”My Lover” as you insensitively put it, was actually psychotic, and I would rather not go into details,’ This is always the part were everyone begs for details, but really, if I tell them, they would wish they didn’t know, ‘and Jasper is the best guy ever, he’s done things so amazing that I can never repay him. And finally, our child is not the kidnappers.’
The paparazzi stops shooting and looks me dead in the eye, ‘Sorry sweetheart, I don’t believe you.’
With a final flash from his camera, he leaves. And I can stop shaking. Sweetheart. I despise that word. Jasper reaches over and presses his hand on my cheek. I relax. Jasper knows the drill.
‘You wanna go to the park?’ He asks me. I say yes, and we head over to Central Park.
‘Jasper! Jasper I caught one!’ I yell.
‘That’s great Brook,’ he replies, he’s in a very serious chess match with a co-worker. At least, that’s what he keeps telling me.
‘Jasper I wanna keep it.’ I say happily.
He looks up from his game, ‘You wanna keep a butterfly?’
‘Yeah! I’m going to name him Central.’
‘Why is that?’
‘Because I found him in Central Park! Jeez Jas! I though it was pretty obvious!’
He laughs and goes back to his game.
I quickly run back to Williams to grab an empty jar and stick Central in it. I run back and leave the jar beside Jasper.
‘Hey! Auntie Brook!’
I look over and see Betty calling me over. I smile and walk over.
I walk by a lady, and she collapses into a fit of giggles. I give her a nervous wave, and she laughs louder.
‘Aren’t you going to do something about that?’ Betty says looking at the women having a melt down.
‘Nope, let her freak out, there’s nothing I can do anyway. So what’s up?’
Betty tells me about her grades in school (Straight A’s) and life in general until it occurs to me that I haven’t told her the news yet.
‘Hey, did I tell you that I’m pregnant?’
‘No!’ she exclaims, ‘That’s great! When is it due? Do you know the gender yet? Yay! I’m gonna have a cousin!’
‘It’s due in 6 more months, and we didn’t want to know what the gender it is. We want it to be a surprise.’
‘I’m so excited! Keep me and Janna updated! I gotta go Auntie, I’ll see you later.’
I say bye, and Jasper and I head home as well.
When we got home, I spent the next few hours writing Thank You letters to everyone that sent Jasper and I wedding gifts. We got things like paintings (from Josh), washing machines (from Serena), and other little things. It took me hours to write every letter, but finally I finished. I don’t think I want to write another letter ever again.
For the next few hours, Jasper and I read some ancient pregnancy books. According to the date written on the inside of the covers, they have been around since when my grandma was pregnant with my dad. That’s pretty old.
A Few Months Later
I’m 9 months along now, I’m going to be giving birth soon. And yet again, my back aches like crazy.
‘Jasper,’ I say slightly whiny tone, ‘Can you give me a massage? My back is killing me.’
‘Of course,’ he replies. Oh my god, he gives the best massages.
‘Thank you,’ I say after he finishes.
He hugs me and draws little circles on my shoulders, ‘It’s no problem, really. Come here, I gotta give you something.’
‘Hold on,’ I reply, ‘I have to get changed.’ As quickly as I can, I hobble to our room, change clothes, and hobble back out to Jasper
He hands me a small white box. ‘Here,’ he says shyly, ‘I though you might want something different to do.’
I don’t really understand what he’s talking about until I open the box and find a little envelope. I tear it open and find a gift certificate to the local music store, Mong and Lquade. I’m still a little confused.
‘What’s this for Jasper?’
‘I thought later we could go down to Mong and Lquade and get you a piano, or guitar or something. I didn’t know what you would want-’
‘Thank you, thank you, thank you!’ I jump into his arms and hug him. ‘Lets go now!’
A few hours later, we come home with a brand new Gibson J-45 Custom acoustic guitar. I immediately tune it and begin to play.
There is something about being pregnant that makes me feel so… creative. Like, I want to make things. Or music. Really bad. So, that night it took me 5 hours to play like a pro. Even at the store, the clerk said I had a natural talent.
‘Jasper! Look at me! This is so much fun!’
‘Glad you enjoyed it,’ he says from the computer.
After a few more hours of playing, I head to bed. Jasper tells me he’ll come later. Just as he’s coming in, I feel a kick. A strong kick. Way too strong to be a normal kick.
‘Jasper, the baby’s coming.’ I say calmly.
I stand up, and he begins to freak out.
‘What?! What do I do? Are we doing it here? Oh my god! How are we gonna manage this? What if it comes out like in that movie we watched, you know, the one with the little mammal thing, it was furry with little ears and it was so small it could fit in my hand!?’
‘Jasper, you are describing a hamster. I am not giving birth to a hams-’
The first real contraction starts, and I almost flop back onto the bed, it hurts so bad.
‘Jasper!’ I gasp, ‘Get me to the hospital!’
We race down to the hospital, it took us 4 minutes to get there. That must be some kind of record.
Finally, after 4 hours of labor, Peyton Hawthorn is born.
(Peyton is named after peyton224′s username, the Legacy’s most faithful reader (So far) Hope you liked it peyton224!)
As soon as Jasper, Peyton and I got home, Peyton was exhausted. I went into the nursery and placed her in her crib.
That night, Jasper and I …. celebrated….
A 2 weeks later, I took Peyton on a walk in our new stroller.
I think she really liked it.
It is beginning to get darker out earlier (That’s about all it does in Sunset Valley during Winter) so Peyton and I were about to head home when I hear tapping behind me. I keep walking.
‘Hey! Hey you! Brooklyn Hawthorn! Wait up!’
I walk faster.
Someone cuts me off, ‘You don’t make it easy for an old woman to catch up, you know.’
I don’t say anything. This woman is another paparazzi. I don’t want to say anything I’ll regret.
‘I’m sorry.’ I begin stiffly, ‘I didn’t hear you.’
She looks at me knowingly, ‘Sure you didn’t. So who’s the child?’
‘This is my daughter Peyton.’
‘Oh yes. The Vampires child. Will you keep her? Or will you pass her off to the Adoption Agencies? The public must know.’
I explode, ‘She is NOT Winters’ child! Will you all stop saying that! She is mine and Jasper’s. That’s it. Nothing more. If you want the “real story” use the one I’ve been telling you!’
I regain calmness. ‘Excuse me. I must be going.’
‘Do as you must…’ I hear her say.
I hear the tapping of her cane fade away behind me, but it’s not loud enough to drown out the click! of a voice recorder turn off. I huff, and keep walking. I’m almost sure my outburst will be on the cover of every newspaper and news cast across the country.
5 Star Celebrity Mom, Brooklyn Hawthorn Verbally Attacks Elderly Lady.
I can just see it now. Erg…. I hate paparazzi.
After a while of walking up hill, I feel sick I stop the stroller and hold my stomach. I try to breath deeply, hoping to calm my queasy stomach.
I hold a hand over my mouth. I will not throw up.
To late. I puke on the side of the road. Peyton’s baby gurgles have stopped. Either she fell asleep, or I’m making weirder noises then she is. I bet it’s the latter.
I straighten up, and feel eyes on the back of my head.
‘You just can’t keep yourself together, can you?’ A mans voice says.
Ugh, it’s the old paparazzi from Williams. I don’t even have the energy to challenge him. I walk around him, grab the handles of Peyton’s stroller, and continue home.
Questions, Questions, Questions
1. What do you think of the “Paparazzi Problem”?
2. Do you like the present Jasper gave Brook? (It’s a real guitar, you know 
)
3. You like Peyton’s name peyton224? 
Bonus Question!
I was just wondering, but does anyone honestly mind that this generation is going on for so long? Feedback is much appreciated!
Oh Brook, you don’t do it like that!
Interesting Fact
Brooklyn is super mega smart during pregnancy, she got to level 8 for guitar in like, 8 hours! I don’t know why, and she’s not a virtuoso, but oh well! I just like to hear her play 
She’s really good!
:’( I wish it was! I’m waayy to busy; I’m taking extra classes in school, working harder on my guitar (hoping to be in a recital-thing in the spring) and I started writing a book (Which I hope gets on the best seller list someday!). So for the next 3 years, I will have absolutely no spare time.
)
