Something Wiki by Suzanne Sutherland

was confused, Z held a poker face, and J kept smiling.
    â€œHow’d you know?” Z asked.
    â€œWhen you guys came over here before. When you first told Mom and Dad,” I said. “I heard.”
    â€œYou were listening?” Mom asked.
    â€œIt was kind of hard not to.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you say something?” Dad asked.
    â€œI don’t know. Why didn’t you?”
    This one was a second bomb, a smaller one, but I could see the blast in a wave that passed over everyone’s faces. J was still the only one smiling.
    â€œI didn’t think it was right to confuse you like that,” said my mom.
    â€œI think we’re all pretty confused,” said J.
    â€œSome more than others,” Mom snapped.
    â€œWhoa,” Z said, “Mom. Not here, okay?”
    We all turned to look at Mom, whose face had instantly flushed bright red.
    â€œI’m sorry,” she said in a small voice. “Jen, I apologize.”
    J had flinched a little at Mom’s words, but didn’t seem too fazed.
    â€œIt’s fine,” she said. “We’re asking for a lot here, I know. It’s hard for you guys, for all of us.”
    â€œIt’s no excuse,” said Mom.
    â€œWell, anyway,” J said turning to me, “sorry about leaving you out of the loop, Jo. Or trying to, anyway.”
    â€œIt wasn’t right,” Dad said.
    â€œNo,” Z said, “it wasn’t.”
    â€œOkay,” I said, “sure. It’s, uh, it’s fine.”
    â€œWe just wanted to wait until things were a bit more … decided,” Mom said. “We wanted to have an idea of what our lives were going to look like, moving ahead, before we told you what was going on.”
    â€œYou guys don’t have to baby me,” I paused. Baby . What a dumb word to choose. “You could have just told me.”
    â€œYes, you’re right,” Dad said. “Anyway, we know that now.”
    â€œSo Zim and Jen are going to have the baby and live in Zim’s old room?” I asked. When I finally said the words out loud it sounded so ridiculous that I was almost embarrassed, though I couldn’t tell if it was for me or for them.
    â€œNot exactly,” said Z. “We’ll be staying there for now, though.”
    â€œWe’re going to have to get a bit creative once the baby’s born,” said my dad. “I’m going to renovate the basement so it’s more of an apartment. So the two of them — well, three I guess — can have some privacy.”
    â€œAnd you’re definitely going to have it?” I asked. “I mean, keep it?”
    â€œYour mom and I have been helping these guys sort out their options.”
    â€œYup,” J said, “and this is our choice. We’re going to have the baby together. Zim’s going to be an amazing dad.”
    Z rubbed her leg and nodded.
    â€œWhat about Jen’s family?” I asked, afraid to even look at her, afraid of how real this was all becoming. Surprised, though, that my mouth seemed to be asking questions without my brain’s consent. All the stuff I’d been wondering about since I first heard, but had been too anxious to think about.
    â€œI’m not really in touch with my family,” she said.
    â€œOh. Sorry. Um, why not?”
    â€œIt’s complicated,” said Z.
    â€œSorry,” I said again.
    â€œDon’t be,” said J, giving me another warm, meaning-it smile.
    â€œAre you guys going to get married?”
    â€œWe might,” said Z.
    â€œWe may,” said J.
    â€œThey should,” Mom said.
    â€œBut it’s their choice,” said Dad.
    â€œAnd if we do get hitched, you’ve got be my maid of honour, okay?”
    â€œSure,” I said.
    â€œWith combat boots.”
    I giggled again, and Mom’s tight expression loosened up just a bit.
    â€œI think it’s going to be great having you guys