______________________________________________________
Trish smiled as she opened the door, although deep inside, she felt unsure.
"Hey," Jeff said genially. "Is Jay here?" He was having a match with the other man that night and wanted to go over one final spot, as he'd just concocted it in his mind.
"Yeah, he's here," the blonde said, holding the door open a bit wider. "We've got company." The diva smiled as she turned toward the interior of the room, where her boyfriend was playing with little Mandy.
Jeff smiled as he approached them. Jay had the little girl up on his shoulders, and then he swung her up and into his arms. The child laughed, enjoying herself.
"Aww, hey - babysittin', huh?"
"Uncle Jeff!" Mandy exclaimed.
The rainbow-haired young man waved at her. She was such an adorable kid.
"Hey, kiddo." He eyed Trish and then Jay questioningly, as though silently asking them where Amy and Adam were.
"Yup, we're babysitting," Trish quipped, a tiny smile on her face as she thought about the way the redhead had looked earlier. The woman had been *glowing*.
"My Mommy and Daddy are getting married!"
The child's revelation brought surprise to both Jay's and Jeff's faces - and then, the younger Hardy realized that Trish showed no reaction of surprise.
"What?" Jay said, confused. As far as he knew, it was *Matt* whom Mandy knew of as 'Daddy.'
Jeff ignored the other man for the moment, his gaze traveling to the blonde woman. She wasn't speaking a word on this topic. Then, kneeling down to Amanda's level, he looked the child in the eye.
"Mandy, your Mommy and Daddy - you mean... *Adam*?" Are *they* getting married?"
The girl nodded wordlessly.
"I... knew about it."
Jeff and Jay both looked toward Trish.
"Oh, my God! This is *huge*!" the short-haired blond man said. Everything seemed to be moving *so* quickly - everything about Amy cheating on Matt with Adam, and about Adam being Mandy's father, had all been so recent. And now, they were *engaged*? "You knew about this, Trish? And you didn't tell *me*?"
The little blonde shrugged.
"I just found out myself when Amy brought Mandy over. And just so you guys know, she didn't *tell* me - but I caught a glimpse of that gorgeous diamond on her finger." The blonde made a contented, longing type of sound - one that had Jay suddenly squirming.
"Okay... I get the picture," the Canadian said.
"Wow..." Jeff said, seconding Jay's exact thoughts on this news. He shuddered at the thought of what Matt's reaction would be when *he* found out. However, in spite of everything, the young man knew Amy and Adam were truly in love. Just to look at them, no one could mistake that. The way *he* saw it, those two never should have been separated all those years earlier - and not only because of Mandy, either.
"Okay... Thank you for telling me, Mandy," Jeff said as he finally returned his attention to the little girl. "I guess your Mommy and Daddy are gonna tell everyone they're getting married pretty soon, huh?"
Amanda shrugged, but her face donned a smile.
"I guess."
Jeff straightened up to stand and swallowed hard. He realized that, for everyone's
best interest, it would probably be better if *he* broke the news to Matt. Lord knew,
it wouldn't be pretty if his brother found out in any other way.