Page 97 of Triplet Babies for Pucking Christmas

Jade leans back, her arms crossed tight. “So, the judge is basically saying one of them has to be ‘the’ father before they can even think about custody?”

“Exactly,” I mutter, frustration creeping in. “They’re both convinced it’s them, and I get it. But this isn’t about what we want. It’s about what the judge thinks is right. And for us to get the custody we need, we have to figure out who the hell the father is. And it’s a mess.”

She sighs heavily, letting it all sink in. “That’s a huge burden, Jared. You’ve got to be careful here. This is gonna stir the pot with Savannah, too. She’s probably stressed about all of this.”

“Tell me about it,” I growl, shaking my head. “And that’s not even the worst part. Savannah’s still recovering from finding out about the triplets. She doesn’t need any more drama. She doesn’t need us losing our shit over this DNA test. But, hell, we can’t just ignore it. We’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

Jade stares at me for a second, and then her expression softens. “Look, you need to talk to Jamie and Troy. You all need to sit down and figure out what the hell you’re doing. This isn’t just about you anymore. This is about her and Noah, too.”

I run a hand through my hair, exhaling loudly. “I know. I know. I was just about to call them. I think we need to lay everything on the table—no secrets, no half-answers.”

Jade nods, her eyes sharp. “Then do it. But don’t just keep pushing yourself. You’re not gonna be any good to Savannah or anyone else if you burn out.”

I feel the weight of everything she’s saying, but it doesn’t make it any easier. I give her a nod, grateful that at least one person in my life isn’t acting like everything’s fine. “All right, I’ll get on it. Thanks for checking in, Jade.”

She stands, “Just...take care of yourself. If something happens to you, Dad will have my head on a pike. And don’t you dare screw this up with Savannah. She’s already carrying a lot, and if you screw her over because of this, I’ll be pissed.”

I give her a half smile. “I know. I won’t.”

She leaves, and I take a breath before pulling out my phone. Time to make the call.

It doesn’t take long before Jamie picks up. “What’s up, man?”

“We need to talk,” I say, getting straight to the point. “I’m calling a sit-down. You, me, and Troy. It’s time to figure this shit out once and for all.”

“About what?” Jamie sounds distracted, but there’s a hint of concern in his voice.

“About everything. The DNA test. The triplets. And what the hell we’re doing with Savannah and Noah. We can’t keep ignoring this. We need to talk about joint custody, who’s doing what, and how we’re handling the judge. It’s not just the game anymore, Jamie. We’ve got to get our heads in the game for her.”

Jamie goes quiet for a moment. I can hear him breathing on the other end of the line. “Yeah...shit. All right. What time?”

“Now. Get Troy and meet me at my place. We’ll hash it all out.”

“On our way.”

I hang up and text Troy. Same thing. He’ll be here soon.

When they both walk in, I cut straight to the point. “The DNA test. The judge wants it, and it’s non-negotiable. They won’t give us joint custody unless we figure out who Noah’s real father is.”

Troy’s eyes narrow. “Wait. You mean we actually have to do that shit? We’ve agreed that we wouldn’t get a test for the triplets, man. So, what does this mean for us now?”

“I know,” I say, grinding my teeth. “But the judge won’t budge. We can’t even get joint custody without this test, and if one of you doesn’t step up as the biological father, we’re fucked.”

Jamie shifts uncomfortably, glancing between Troy and me. “This is bullshit. Both of us have been there for him. Both of us helped raise him. Why the hell should it matter who the biological dad is?”

“Because the law says it matters, Jamie,” I say, trying to keep it together. “We’ve got to figure this out. We can’t afford to fuck this up.”

Troy grits his teeth. “Fine. But I’m telling you, man, this is a line we shouldn’t be crossing.”

I take a deep breath. “I don’t like it either, but it’s what we’ve gotta do to make sure Noah’s future is secure. We can’t ignore it.”

Jamie looks like he’s about to argue again, but he doesn’t. Instead, he nods, giving in. “All right. We’ll do it. But I swear to God, if this messes with Savannah...I’m gonna lose it.”

“It won’t,” I assure him. “But we need to handle this with care. We’ve got to show Savannah we’re still all in this together. We need her to feel like we’re here for her—like we’re a team.”

Troy looks at Jamie, then back to me. “All right, let’s do this. We’ll handle the test, but let’s make sure Savannah feels supported. That’s the most important thing right now.”

I nod, running a hand over my face. “Exactly. And we need to show her we’re thinking about her. We have to send regularupdates, let her know we’re all still here, all still in this. It’s not just about the game. It’s about her and Noah, too.”

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