Chapter 23

Joanne came home from work around five thirty. Quickly she slipped her coat off, and slid off her shoes, and then proceeded to head into the apartment.

"Honeybear I'm home." Joanne called out.

"Pookie!" Maureen cheered as she ran out of the kitchen and around the corner. "I'm a house wife! I made dinner for you and our son!"

Joanne smirked, while she wrapped her arms around her wife. "You did? What did you make?"

Maureen's face fell a little. "Kraft Dinner. I know it's not the best but at least it's something."

"Very thoughtful." Joanne said before placing a kiss on Maureen's lips. When she pulled away a funky smell hit her nose. "What's that smell?"

Maureen looked around, taking in a few sniffs in the process. "I don't know…"

Joanne let go of Maureen and headed in the kitchen, the smell leading her to a burning pot on the stove. "Oh shit!" Joanne stated, before she quickly ran over to the stove with a pair of oven mitts. She then grabbed the hot pot, and tossed it in the sink.

Maureen saw the entire thing play out in front of her. "Did I burn dinner?"

Joanne made sure the pot stopped smoking before she turned around to face her love, and gently replied. "You did."

Maureen's lips pouted together, and began to quiver, while tears rested in the back of her eyes. "I'm a terrible wife, and mother!"

Joanne quickly pulled Maureen into a hug. "No you're not."

"Yes I am." Maureen frantically answered. "I can't even cook Kraft Dinner! What kind of a mother, and wife, can't cook Kraft Dinner?"

"It's okay…" Joanne soothed. "We can order out, it's not the end of the world."

"Yes it is…" Maureen whined one last time before she rested her head on Joanne's shoulder and let the lawyer sway their bodies together.

"Are you two fighting?" Jake quietly asked from the doorway.

Joanne lifted her head, her eyes landing on Jake. "No sweetie."

Jake smirked. "Good. So is dinner ready yet I'm starving!"

Maureen sniffled, and nuzzled Joanne's neck. "No, we're all going to starve to death!"

Jake shot Joanne a look of worry.

"No where not…" Joanne said. "We're going to order out."

"I'll do it…" Maureen said while she pulled away from Joanne. "I ruined dinner; it's only fair that I fix it. You guys want tacos tonight? I'm feeling a little Mexican."

"Sure babe." Joanne replied.

"Yeah." Jake added. "I love tacos."

"Good." Maureen chirped her mood suddenly changing from distressed, to chipper. She then grabbed the cordless phone and skipped out of the room.

Once Maureen was gone, Jake nervously looked toward Joanne.

"Um Joanne…" Jake began. "What do I call you?"

Joanne knitted her eyebrows together in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well now that I'm yours…and Maureen's." Jake said. "Do I call you mom? Or do I keep calling you Joanne?"

Joanne pondered the question, she never really thought about it before. "I don't know…whatever you want I guess. It doesn't matter to me, I just adopted you, so I know things will take time…"

"Okay…" Jake replied and then turned to leave the kitchen.

Later that night after Joanne cleaned up, and Jake was in bed, the lawyer settled into her own bed and turned on the news, while Maureen was in the leaving room rehearsing some lines for a new play she was in.

"One of the roughest storms of the seasons…" the newscaster said. "It's going to hit some area's earlier then others, and last about two hours."

Right after the weather man explained the storm, a loud clash of thunder could be heard, followed by the sound of the pouring ran.

"Joanne!" Came a small voice.

"In here." Joanne called out.

Jake quickly flew into the bedroom, and quickly jumped on the bed. Maureen followed behind with a worried expression.

"Is there a reason why you almost knocked me over out there?" Maureen asked Jake.

Jake nodded and flinched as a bolt of lightening filled the room. "I'm scared of thunderstorms." He shyly answered.

"A little warning would be nice for next time…" Maureen mumbled while she left the doorway, and headed back out into the living room.

"It's okay…" Joanne smirked. "You can sleep in here tonight."

Jake smiled, and curled next to Joanne, his eyes starting to close, until another loud bang of thunder went off, causing Jake to jump awake.

Joanne giggled at the reaction. "It's okay Jake…"

Jake rested his head on Joanne's shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. "Where's Maureen…she's isn't afraid of anything…"

Right after the words left his mouth, a spark of lightening entered the room, causing the power to go out.

"Joanne!" Maureen cried out. "I'm alone in the dark, and I'm scared!"

Joanne couldn't help but giggle, but she couldn't exactly get up and save Maureen, since a certain little eight year old was attached to her. "Follow my voice honeybear."

"Okay…" Maureen quietly whimpered.

It wasn't long before Maureen made it into the bedroom, where she quickly climbed into bed.

"Stupid storm." Maureen said, before she kissed Joanne on the cheek, and then cuddled up beside her.

More thunder could be heard from outside, causing Jake to roll over Joanne, and wiggle in between his two parents.

"What the…" Maureen began but then remembered Jake was there too. "Aren't you a little old to be afraid of storms?" Maureen teased.

Jake settled himself against the two; his body positioned half on Joanne, before he replied. "Aren't you a little old to be burning Kraft Dinner?"

Maureen and Joanne both giggled at the comment.

"Good one." Maureen smirked. "You're learning from me quite well."

"Just what we need…" Joanne playfully said.

Before Jake could respond to any of this, more thunder roared through the sky, causing Jake to whimper, and to hide his face on Joanne's chest.

Maureen smiled, and moved closer, draping his arm across Jake and over Joanne's stomach.

Jake relaxed a little more, the fact that he was snuggled in between both women put him at ease.

"Night." Maureen said before resting her head on Joanne's shoulder, where she quickly fell asleep.

"Good night." Joanne replied.

Jake then sighed with contentment, before saying, "Good night mom and mommy."

Joanne's heart fluttered at the words, it hadn't really hit her before, but once Jake uttered the domestic name, she couldn't help but let tears of happiness sting her eyes. It was different, but it felt right, and all Joanne could do now was pull her family closer, and drift off into a peaceful slumber.

The End

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How lucky is Jake...pretty sure i'm jealous...he gets to snuggle in between MoJo!

Anyways...that was the last chapter.

I want to thank EVERYONE for reviewing! Thank YOU so much! I loved writing this story, and I really enjoyed everyone's reviews. Thanks again for R&Ring! Love you all!