all fall down

[miranda lillian trent]

There was a lot going on in the newest member of the Trent family’s mind. Miranda Trent had gotten back from her honeymoon to be greeted with a surprise that she certainly was not prepared. It was not like they had been careless on their honeymoon, but some how the brunette was pregnant. Randi had been a basket case trying to figure out how she was going to balance everything going on, because not only did she had to deal with being pregnant but she had her new duties as a wife and a college student. It was something that was terrifying her to death, and the only thing she needed was someone to talk her down. Jared was always there whenever she needed her husband, but she also knew that sooner or later they were going to have to tell their family. It was something she had told Jared she wanted to be the one to tell her big brother. There was definitely a special bond between Miranda and Kade Trent, but that was a given. He had been the one to walk her down the aisle and he had always been there to protect her. He was the one who stood by her whenever everything got scary, and that was what was going on with her. She had another person growing inside of her, and this was something that she was not going to be able to hide very well. So she had told Kade that they were going to have lunch that afternoon and that was exactly what she was doing as she sat in Rifter’s with her brother in law, and one of her best friends. She smiled at him stuffing her face with onion rings, thinking of high school and may conversations about which were better onion rings or french fries. She smiled at Kade cheeks finally empty from the onion rings when she spoke. “So, there is a reason I drug you to lunch today. Because if I didn’t do it today Jared would take away my fun.” She was hoping that her nervous would stay in check as she waited to see how he would react to this. She hung her head and let one hand rest on her stomach as she pulled her eyes back up to meet his. “So this is kind of big news, so don’t be angry, okay?” She let her hazel eyes meet his as she tried to find the right words to say that he was going to be an uncle.

[kade marshall trent]

“I can tell you right now, that’s never going to work.” Kade watched as his two younger brothers both heaved on a wrench, trying to tighten something onto this boat motor that they were given the responsibility of rebuilding for as cheap as was possible for them to do. Hunter had gotten the bright idea of using a part from a different model, which might have worked if it would have been at all compatible and didn’t require severe modifications. But, Dumb and Dumber were convinced that if they could just get it to fasten down tight enough and then use some other off-the-wall method to get it to stay there, they’d be golden. Kade shook his head, reaching for the book out of which he was going to have to order the new part from. But, something popped loudly, and Jared threw his arms up victoriously. “Ha! See, I told you it would work!” Kade just glared at his brothers as they high fived each other, then checked his watch. “Whatever. You losers give it some juice and see how long it runs and you’ll see that I’m the right one here. Any, I got lunch with your wife, so I better go.” Then it as Jared’s turn to glare, and Kade just grinned as he threw down the book, thinking that ordering that part could wait, and then he’d make one of those two idiots do it just to spite them. Kade didn’t have far to go to meet the new Mrs. Trent for lunch, just walking up the dock a little ways and into Rifter’s, spotting her easily and taking his seat across from her in the booth. The two of them chatted easily, ordering their lunches and catching up. Kade had gotten a burger and fries, and was enjoying this lunch immensely. Not only was the food great, but he liked getting to chat with Randi, his new sister-in-law and a girl that had always been one of his close friends. He had figured that the main reason of this get together was just to catch up, but then she told him that there as some kind of other legit reason for it, and Kade looked at her slightly confused. He was even more confused when she told him that this was big news, and told him not to be angry. Kade put down his burger. “…Okay. I won’t get angry, promise.” He really couldn’t even guess what kind of news that she would have for him that she thought he might get angry about, so he was kind of eager to hear whatever it was that she had to say.

[miranda lillian trent]

Miranda Trent had made her husband a deal that morning, seeing as how he was going to have to work with Kade all day. She had told him that he was not allowed to tell his big brother, because contrary to popular belief Randi and Kade were really good friends. They always had been which was why she was going to be the one to tell him about the baby Trent that was going to be gracing the new little family in a few short months. The deal had been that Jared could tell Hunter while she was going to tell Kade. So that was why she had invited him to lunch that afternoon. She munched on her food and of course made the small talk that was necessary to get through their cheeseburgers and her onion rings. Telling Kade about a baby was not easy, seeing as how their last serious discussion had been how there shouldn’t be any little Trent’s running around any time soon. That had been the plan whenever they had gotten married, but here they were a month into this and there was a baby coming. So she had a reason to take Kade to lunch, something that obviously had him somewhat confused. But she had needed him to tell her that he was not going to be upset, and that was what he did. “Well I had to tell you today or your little brother was going to ruin it for me. And I think that it should be me that tells you.” So Randi kind of rambled a little bit whenever she got nervous, and tell Kade that he was going to be an uncle this early was enough to make her nervous. She popped another onion ring in mouth trying to figure out how to word this. Her eyes showing every piece of emotion that was coursing through her little body. A body that would not be so little in a few months, but that was not what she needed to think about. “Well, here’s the thing....I am ... well.” her voice trailed off looking for a way without blurting it out, but that was when the butterflies took over and the words escaped from her lips. “You are going to be an uncle. Jared and I are having a baby.” That was all it took, and right now she was really hoping that he would keep that promise and not get angry or disappointed in her because it would break her little heart.

[kade marshall trent]

He probably should have felt a little more nervous about this. Randi had just made him promise that he wasn’t going to get angry at her for whatever she was about to tell him. That should have set off some serious warnings in Kade’s head that what she was about to confide in him was pretty serious, and something that she thought had great potential of sending him right over the edge. Kade’s temper was known far and wide by this point, his obviously the worst and less harnessed of the Trent clan and their fiery angry streaks they had in them. Hell, Randi had witnessed it for herself a few times over the years, but there had been no better display than when her father had decided to pay a visit to Arietta and Kade had beat the living hell out of him. But, there was nothing that Kade could imagine coming out of his sister-in-law’s lips that would inspire that kind of anger in the twenty-five-year-old. Randi was really the kindest, sweetest girl in the world, and her marrying his brother had only improved Kade’s opinion of her. Kade didn’t know what this could be that she would want to be the one that told him rather than Jared, and he really didn’t understand what this could be to be such a big deal. His hazel eyes watched her, his meal in front of him completely forgotten as Randi took his attention. Kade could tell that she was nervous, and some concern came to his eyes for her, but he wasn’t going to poke and prod and rush her into this. She obviously wanted to tell him, and he would let her find the words at her own pace. Randi seemed to stumble over her words at first, but then it all came flowing out and it left Kade wide eyed and mentally having to keep his jaw from dropping. All he could do in the ways of reacting at first was blink. “Did you just say that I’m going to be an uncle? As in, you’re pregnant?” he asked once the words finally found him, and he was staring at her in disbelief. “Jesus… really?” Then the corners of his lips twitched upward into that famous Trent smile. “Randi, I’m not angry. I know I said to hold off, but that was mostly my way of saying I wasn’t so sure how I felt about the universe letting Jared reproduce. But wow… Are- are you okay with this?” Kade’s happiness for his friend was obvious, and his excitement for his brother causing that smile to linger on his lips, but he knew Randi well, and he knew that this wasn’t something that she had planned on at all. It was a lot to take on at once, and he without a word or even a good reason that he needed to check up on his friend.

[miranda lillian trent]

Randi had been trying to come up with the perfect words to tell Kade that she was pregnant. She knew he would not be too upset, okay she hoped that he wouldn’t be upset, but that is what had prompted her to make him promise not to be angry with her. It was her one condition to telling him the most amazing news that the girl could share. It was so hard for her to find the words even though she had been working on the words all day. It was one thing to tell Jared and Charlie, because Charlie was her absolute best friend in the world and well Jared was obvious. But telling the only person that had protected her to the extreme and was her big brother was another story completely. Kade had protected her throughout the years, and because of him she had felt safe. For once in her life the brunette was safe from everything, and if he knew everything that really was dancing in her head well he would not be happy. Telling him that he was going to be an uncle though should not have been this hard; she should have been able to do this without stumbling all over her words. Finally the words slipped from her lips and she watched Kade carefully trying to judge his reaction. His eyes widened and she was actually really surprised that his jaw had not dropped. Instead he stared at her like an idiot and asked her if she had just said that she was pregnant. “Yes, I just said that you are going to be an uncle. So yes, that would mean I am pregnant.” She let her eyes fall from his, waiting for the lecture that she figured was coming. Kade had told her that they should wait, and that had been her plan. She wanted to spend a few years being happy and being a wife. Getting through college and doing all of the necessary things to get their family stable before adding any little Trent’s to the mix, but apparently their plans meant nothing to the rest of the world. Then again plans often times fell through, and that was just how the cookie crumbled. In Randi’s case she was pregnant from the first time she actually slept with her husband. Something she had not been expecting in the least, but whenever her hazel eyes caught Kade’s face it was a smile that was on his lips. Something she definitely was not expecting, but then he started speaking. Randi smiled a bit but Kade was really the first person to ask if she was okay. “Kade, I’m scared. It is more than what I thought we were going to have to deal with, but I’m not going to sit here and say I’m not excited. I just don’t know how we are going to do it all; the house still has so much work that needs done to it, and then there is the fact that I have two years of college left. We are just starting out, and this is not how it is supposed to be.” She paused and popped an onion ring in her mouth hoping that he would spread his Kade wisdom on her, after all he was the big brother. He was supposed to have all the answers.

[kade marshall trent]

Kade almost wished that he could take back what he had said to his younger friend that day she had come and asked him to give her away at her wedding. It had been harmless then, of course, simple and nothing meant. Kade loved Jared and Randi, and he knew that they were going to build an amazing family together one day. Jared might be a little spacey and seemed to live on his own planet a good portion of the time, but he was a responsible young man that had his priorities in line and his shit together. Randi was just a sweetheart, and together they made a pair that made other couples look on in envy. And, when the time came, they were going to be awesome parents. Jared loved little kids, and he could get down on their level so easily and just become one of them without putting any effort into it at all. Randi was basically the same way, and it was simply astounding to think of the life that they were going to have and create. Kade had never really thought that Randi would take his words to heart, and now he felt so bad for planting those seeds of doubt and worry in her mind so deeply that she had genuinely thought that he would be upset with her for getting pregnant. That was the last thing that Kade felt. What immediately came to him in terms of emotion was more like concern for the young couple that was still just starting out and figuring out the whole married life thing. Kade didn’t worry that Jared and Randi would crack under the pressure, but he there was still so much to worry about. Randi had obviously been worrying too, as her answer to his question confirmed. “Well, I’m not going to sit here and tell you how to make it all better, because I am probably the last person that knows anything about dealing with this. But, what I can tell you is that you and Jared are going to have all the support in the world in this. I can help with the house and Kaler went to Yale, for Christ’s sake. He’d probably help you with school without even one smartass remark about it.” Okay, Kaler not being a smartass might be a little farfetched, but everything else was spot on. Kade knew that their little family unit would pull together to help Randi and Jared in everything that they could, and what they were facing wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened. “Maybe it’s not how it’s supposed to be, but it’s how it is. It’s not going to be easy, but nothing really is anymore. If there is a couple out there that can handle this, it’s you and Jared. I have no doubt in that.” He offered her another small, comforting smile and hoped that this pep talk did something to help put her mind at ease.

[miranda lillian trent]

f there was one person that Randi had looked up to since she moved to Arietta it had been Kade Trent. He was always there to talk her down especially whenever she didn’t want to talk to Jared. Those moments were few and far between, because Miranda and Jared had always been inseparable. The funny thing was that Kade and Randi had always had that special bond that most people wished they could have with their brother in laws. She knew that what she had with Kade was unique, and she was thankful that she was always able to come to him whenever things were on her mind. So telling him that he was going to be an uncle was going to be her doing, even if it killed her to do so. The plan had been to get through college and figure everything out from there, but unfortunately their plans did not matter. She should have known that Kade would be excited, because let’s face it Jared and Randi having a family of their own was exciting! Everything with them had been so slow, growing up and getting through high school; however, now that they were together everything seemed to be going at warp speed. So it was more that she was scared of how her life was going to change, because that was what scared her. Jared had just became hers, and she knew that this was a lot to take on at one time. Considering she still had at least two years of college to get through. It was constantly going through her head, but seeing Kade’s infamous Trent grin put her at ease minorly. She still had all of the concern and worry that she had, but those feelings were not going to go away anytime soon. Randi tilted her head as she listened to him, because all of those thoughts were sweet, even the idea of Kaler helping her with her school work. “Then what good are you if you cannot give me the answers I need. You are the big brother, you are supposed to know everything.” Randi’s eyes went wide as saucers when she realized that Kade really didn’t have all the answers. He was her father figure, not just her big brother, so it was hard to know that he couldn’t help her more than she could herself. “Do you honestly think that Kaler would help me without a smart ass remark? This is Kaler we are talking about, even if we have our own weird relationship, and it’s not like I would take it anyway. I think I am enlisting both you and Kaler. Considering Kaler took Jared all that time renovating Peyton’s room, I think he owes me.” She laughed lightly, glad that she could tell Kade about everything that was going on. He always managed to bring her back to her fun playful side, the side that was childlike and forgot everything that had gone wrong in her life. “Nothing in my life is ever easy. I should have learned that by now, but sometimes I just wish for once things worked the way I wanted them too. But thank you, for that. I just get so worried, about things and I don’t know how to do get through everything. But this is me and Jared, we get through everything. Considering we made it through six years and then ended up married. It’s gonna be hard, but our kid is going to have some kick ass uncles and aunts to help raise them.” She smirked knowing it was true, and knowing that sometimes Kade was exactly who she needed to talk to. Big Brother always knew what to do.

[kade marshall trent]

Kade knew that Randi looked up to him like a big brother, hell, almost like a father. It was how the other Trent siblings all looked at him as well, Kade taking on the responsibility of practically raising all of them at a young age because their own parents were both working two jobs to make ends meet at home. Rob and Marion loved their children without end, but when they hadn’t been able to be home they had trusted their oldest son to look out for and take care of the others. Kade had grown up knowing how to take the weight of the world on his shoulders, and it caused a lot of people to look to him in a time of need. Even now people still thought of him as their rock in times of crisis even though he had cracked beneath all that pressure once before when Britt had told him that she was pregnant, causing him to run and make the worst mistake of his young life. It just went to show that he didn’t always have to correct answers for whatever happened in life, but Kade had his own reasons for leaving, and right now he was working so hard to make up for those horrible errors in judgment. He wished that he did have all the answers for Randi, and just offered her that same, comforting smile as before. He listened as she commented on school and Kaler, and then the work that they would need to do on the house. “I don’t know why you wouldn’t accept his help if you need it, Randi. That would just seem stupid on your part to turn it down when he could help make things easier.” Free tutoring would benefit the girl significantly if she happened to be falling behind at any point, and Kade was sure that for the right bribes, Kaler would even just do some of the petty homework assignments that colleges assigned that were more annoying than educational. Kaler was intelligent, and underneath it all he was a damn good friend. Kade personally thought that it was something anyone would take advantage of. “As for the house, I’m sure we’d all be willing to pitch in. We could have that done in no time.” Kade had been impressed by what his brother and their friend had been able to do, and if Kade was helping, along with Hunter and probably even Rob, things would get done quickly. It would be a matter of money and time, but there were always ways of getting it done. After all this, when Randi spoke she seemed much more relaxed even though Kade knew that she was far from being over the freaking out part of this. There were sure to be a lot of ups and downs in her and Jared’s future, but they would survive it. Kade had to chuckle lightly at her comment on the kickass aunts and uncles, though. “Damn straight.” This baby was being born into a large family, and Kade knew that their close friends would also be playing big roles in this kid’s life. There was no questioning how much love this baby would feel, and at the end of the day that was what really mattered.

[miranda lillian trent]

Miranda knew that Kade would do anything in the world for her and the rest of his family, it seemed obvious that she would want to tell him. Their relationship was on a level all their own, and she knew all about the fact that he had cracked under his own pressure. Things have not been easy for him since he got back to town, Britt made sure of that. Randi on the other hand thought that Kade deserved a fresh slate and wiped her mind of the incident. That was until that moment when she realized that she was doing exactly the same thing that Britt had done, only difference was she was his little sister and it was Jared’s baby, not Kade’s. The thing that she needed from Kade was exactly what he was giving her, even if he did not have all the answers. He was there for her, doing exactly what he had done on the day of her wedding. He talked her down enough to pull her out of the worry and insecurity that she had and made her push forward. He had gotten her down the aisle without her completely losing her mind and letting the butterflies get to her, and now he was here telling her that no matter what she was going to figure out how to get her family everything that they needed. It was how Randi and Kade worked as she popped another onion ring in her mouth. “It is not dumb on my part. Most of my classes this semester are writing related. I don’t care if Kaler went to Yale or not, the point is that I need to do this. Even if he was willing to write a paper or two for me.” The brunette was the kind of girl that did everything herself; she never let anyone help her with her homework. Randi had been the girl that was a cheerleader and at the same time she tutored back in high school. She was the smart one, and she was okay with that. But to become a wife, a college student, and a mother all in a few short months was enough to completely throw her for a loop. She knew that Kade would not see why she would refuse Kaler’s help, but that was who she was. Now when it came to her house, she would accept anyone who wanted to help her get the place ready for their little one. “I know you guys would get it done in no time. Considering we would have, Jared, me, you, Kaler, Hunter and Jem....and anyone else that looks at me as the kid sister of the group. Seeing as how Amy is the only one who is younger than me.” It was kind of funny to her sometimes that Randi was this little girl, that no one really remembered that she was twenty years old. Her family though, each and everyone one of them made her life complete in their own way. She knew that without them all she would be lost, but she smiled at Kade and talked about how kick ass their family was. “Well big brother, I need your opinion on me taking some time off from classes after this semester. Jared keeps saying that he will figure it out, but it wasn’t just his fault. I mean, it took both of us, and if I’m not in school it’s more money to save.” Her voice dropped off remembering the conversation she had with Kaler and there was another very important statement she wanted to tell Kade but she knew that he would be angry, but seeing as how she had made him promise not to get angry she figure now was as good of time as any. Her voice quickened and was very low “Oh by the way, I am thinking about telling my parents that they are going to be grandparents.” Her eyes went wide waiting for the disaster that was surely going to happen.

[kade marshall trent]

It was kind of ridiculous how there always seemed to be something that people had to worry about. Kade had come back to this town with his sister being the main thing on his mind, wondering how in the hell he was ever going to be able to take care of her and how they were going to keep her cancer a secret like she wanted. Then, it had all just erupted, Britt adding her own bit of trouble to Kade’s life, and then there was the issue of Hunter and Roxy, Kaler and his stupid ass getting into trouble left and right, Jared and Randi… It never seemed to end, and it probably didn’t help that Kade tried to at least help in taking care of everyone else, taking a lot onto his already full plate. It was just how he had always worked, so of course he would try to advise Randi and help her find the easiest way of doing things when she herself was getting too overloaded with things to worry about. “I know you aren’t the type to let other people do things for you, but you might have to accept that you need the help if you’re going to be able to get caught up and do well. Just ask him.” Hopefully she would let that issue drop and take his advice. It almost seemed funny to think of someone going to Kaler Scott for help with school work as most would see him as the guy you’d go to when you wanted someone to disappear, but Kade knew that Randi and Kaler had an odd friendship between them. Asking the other man for help wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. As for working on the house, Kade knew that if the money situation would cooperate then their rather large group of friends could have Randi and Jared’s house finished long before the baby arrived. It would just be a question of funds, and Kade knew things were tight all around. He was putting almost every penny he made into Mykayla’s hospital bills, barely keeping his head above water. Things would work out, but it wasn’t all going to be easy. However, now Randi was asking his opinion on whether or not she should take some time off from school, Kade’s brow arching slightly. “I highly doubt that Jared would agree with you taking time off. No one wants you to have to give up things just because you’re having a baby. And yeah, it might be more money, but if you finish school and get your degree you’ll end up with a higher paying job, right? I just wouldn’t rush into quitting school. You only have what, three more months in the semester? I’d at least finish this year.” Because it would seem pointless to have put in all that work for this semester just to have it go to waste. At least, that’s what Mykayla kept saying when Kade would hint that maybe she need to take a break but she was so close to graduating with her degree, and she had that awesome Trent stubbornness. Randi’s next line had Kade forgetting everything else, though, his expression going blank as he comprehended what she had said. “Excuse me?” His tone had gone from easy and conversational to one that could kill. “What the hell, Randi?”

[miranda lillian trent]

She knew that Kade was the person that she needed to talk to. Her big brother always knew what she needed to hear, even to get her to go down the aisle. Kade was the only person that she could really talk to about a lot of stuff; especially when she could not talk to Jared. Kade was always there and she knew that unless she was physically going to hurt herself that he would give her the best advice he could. So Randi knew that he had a point with asking Kaler to help. Their friendship was a little uncanny, because Kaler was the one she went to talk to about all those other things in her life that her brothers did not need to know. For instance, whenever she was freaking out about losing her virginity. Who better to ask than the resident manwhore? Their friendship was strange, but it worked. So she smiled whenever Kade basically told her that she was going to ask him. “Alright. I will ask him, it doesn’t mean I’m going to like it Kade. Just for you though, since you are basically twisting my arm, I will ask him. Are you happy?” She said as a smile graced her lips and knowing that she was teasing him. Randi knew that out of everyone to ask for help with schooling it would be Kaler, seeing as how they end up talking some kind of nonsense to each other. It just seemed to fit, but the money was the issue. So maybe putting her education on hold might be the thing to do. It did not seem logical to just about everyone she talked to, but she had two years to get through, and with a baby how was she going to do it? Miranda knew that there were a million people that would help her and babysit for her to go to classes if she needed them to, but it was the money factor that mattered to her. She had to finish fixing her home so that her baby would have somewhere to live. She waited for Kade to answer, and seeing his reaction was kind of humorous. She listened carefully, nodding her head knowing what he said was true to an extent. “Yeah, I know Jared wouldn’t be thrilled. I know that no one wants me to give anything up, but having a baby means sacrificing sometimes. I’m not saying I would quit altogether; just take some time off and help get some money saved up. But yes, three months this semester but another two years of this Kade.” Randi’s eyes lowered as her voice trailed off to the statement that she knew full well that Kade Trent was not going to like in the least. His expression was kind of blank, but she managed to bring her eyes up to his as he spoke. “Excuse me? What the hell, Randi?” That was about the reaction she expected. “Kade, they have a right to know. I’m not saying I want them involved in our lives, I just think they have a right to know that their daughter is having a baby. Seeing as how I don’t think they even know I’m married.” Randi knew that Kade was looking out for her, especially since the last time she had seen her father was when she had been beat around and Kade had beat the shit out of him. It was how it had worked, but now she spoke softly. “You promised not to be mad.” There was nothing the brunette hated more than having Kade angry with her, except maybe if Jared was mad at her.