It must be love

Chapter 7

Nigel

"..... Don't you agree Nigel?" Jack asked suddenly and I blinked looking away from Ava.

What did Jack just ask? Not knowing what else to say I just nodded, that must have been the right answer because he and dad both grinned and continued their conversation. I looked back to where Ava had been standing but her attention was no longer on me.

Soon dinner was put on the table, there was all sorts of food and I felt my stomach grumble and I remembered that I had not eaten since breakfast. My mom looked over at Kayla with a smile and asked if she wanted to say grace and of course being the eager beaver that she was, my little girl jumped at the opportunity. She demanded that everyone close their eyes and then launched into her prayer, which was followed by a chorus of amen after she finished.

"This is amazing" I said as I shoveled the mash potatoes into my mouth.

"Ava made that." Jen smirked and arched a brow at me.

I nodded and looked over at a blushing Ava. Dear God she was beautiful.

"So son, when are you and Jen planning on having kids?" Mom asked bluntly looking towards Nick.

His eyes widened and he choked and Jen patted his back and poured him a glass of water.

"Oh yes! Jen I would love some grandbabies." Amelia added nodding her head excitedly.

Jen looked at her mother and mine in horror and shook her head mumbling something that I couldn't hear, I watched the scene in amusement. Nick shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked down at his plate. I chuckled, glad that for once I wasn't the one being put on the hot seat about “Meeting a nice woman and settling down.”

"You two better start soon, we're growing old." Mom said adamantly and Amelia echoed her thoughts then they began discussing baby names and making a huge fuss about it till Nick interrupted them.

"Actually, we decided to at least wait two years before we have kids." He mumbled, eyes still on his plate.

My mom gasped and so did Amelia muttering, "Dios Mio, but you two have been together for almost 8 years! What’s the wait for?"

"Exactly Nicholas! You can't-"

"Now, now Melanie, leave the child be." My dad interrupted mom and I winced, big mistake. Mom hated being interrupted, especially if she was mid-sentence of what she saw to be a compelling argument.

"Nathaniel, don't you interrupt me when I'm talking. Since when is it right-" my mom's rant was cut off by Victoria asking who wanted dessert. My dad sent her a grateful smile, knowing that my mom would have ranted about being interrupted throughout the entire dinner.

Dessert was served but I couldn't help stealing glances at Ava and apparently it didn't go unnoticed by her uncle.

"You like my niece?" Jack whispered from next to me arching an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said dodging the question.

He smirked and shook his head looking amused, "I saw you staring at her like a lovesick puppy throughout dinner. If you want to date her, go ahead just don't hurt her or else I'll be forced to bring out my shotgun." He warned me sternly. I shook my head at him amused, he didn't own a shotgun.

"I will keep that in mind." I whispered back and he grinned looking satisfied with himself.

"What are you two whispering about there?" Amelia asked curiously.

"Nothing" I said the same time Jack said, "Sport."

She narrowed her eyes at us but didn't say anything. Soon the table was cleared and everyone went about their own ways into the house, I sat in the TV room with Nick. It was the first moment alone we’ve had since he proposed to Jen.

"Did you see last night's game man? That was an amazing shot done by Lamar Odom!" Nick said and I couldn't help but agree. I studied him for a second and though I knew that he was excited and happy, I had to ask.

"Are you sure about marrying Jen?"

His entire face lit up like a Times Square on New Year's Eve, eight years later and he still was madly in love with her. "I'm 100% sure bro. I love her, I don't see myself spending the rest of my life with anyone else." He answered and I smiled then nodded my head.

"Well then I'm happy for you Nick" I meant every word, that’s all I wanted for him, happiness.

"Don't get emotional on me" he teased and I rolled my eyes and flipped him off. "That's more like it!" he laughed.

Kayla came running in the room giggling holding an iPhone.

"Whose phone is that?" I asked her as she got closer to me.

"It's Aba's. Look daddy!" She flashed the screen in my face and I saw the video of a twerking teddy at Walmart. "I want one!" She giggled and showed my brother.

"Oh dear Lord" I said out loud and Nick chuckled but covered it up as cough when I glared at him. Kayla, being the easily distracted toddler she was, handed me the phone and started dancing along to an ad that was playing on TV. I glanced down at the phone and attempted to switch it off but it instead went to photos and a rather... interesting photo of Ava popped up. My eyes nearly bugged out of my eyes and my jeans became a little too tight. Ava came into the room seconds later looking for her phone and I held out the phone to her with a giddy smile on my face and she froze.