FicWad

Luke arrived at the townhouse just as Monica and Elle were returning from the movies. He saw Monica get out of the car and raced across the parking lot to help her. She was struggling in the rain trying to get Elle, who’d fallen asleep, out of her car seat. As soon as Monica got her seatbelt undone Luke lifted Elle in his arms and carried her to the door.
“Thanks.” Monica said as she slipped the key in the lock. “You have great timing. Did Kelly know you were coming by?”
Luke shook his head. “No, I’ve been trying to call her but she isn’t answering her phone.” He walked in and gently placed Elle on the sofa. As soon as he did Elle’s eyes popped open.
“Hi Uke.” She said with a smile.
He grinned back at her, “Hi Bug.”
Monica spoke to Luke. “She didn’t answer your call?” She called out Kelly’s name but there was no answer. Quickly she walked over to the steps and went to her room. There she found Kelly curled up on her bed sleeping.
“Kelly.” She gently nudged her. “Luke’s here.”
Kelly’s eyes slowly opened. “Oh, okay.” She sat up and Monica could see she’d been crying. “Honey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Kelly slipped off the bed and walked towards the bathroom. “Tell Luke I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

“Hey Baby.” Alicia said picking up her glass of mineral water before taking a seat on the sofa. “How was your flight?” She was glad he had called. It gave her a chance to sit down for a while.
Mikey sighed, “Okay but I’m tired. I’m so ready to come home.”
Alicia could hear the exhaustion in his voice. “I’m ready for you to come home. Hey, you’ve only got two more concerts.” She reminded him hoping to cheer him up a bit.
“Yeah, I know.” He said. “This has been a fucking long tour.”
“I know, Baby.” Alicia took a sip of water, “So how’s everyone else?”
“Tired.” He answered honestly. “So I got to see the new Ieros. Frank sent us pictures. Cute kids.”
“Yeah, I got to hold them today. Did Frank tell you they decided on names?”
“Yeah.” He shifted the phone, “So you have an thoughts on what we’ll name our baby?”
Alicia grinned, “All the time. But every time I think I’ve decided I hear another name I like.”
Mikey laughed, “So what’s the name of the day?”
“Lela.”
“Not bad. And if it’s a boy?”
“I thought we already had this discussion.” Alicia said, “We are having a girl.”
Mikey rolled is eyes, “Sure, are you?”
“Absolutely.” Alicia said, “I’m sure we are going to have a beautiful baby girl.”

“I painted the bedroom today.” Christa told Ray. They had been speaking for several minutes and she was now giving him the update on the house he’d asked for.
“What color?”
“It’s called Sandstone. It’s like a light brown but with a touch of peach.”
Ray tried to picture the color in his mind. “Okay. Do you like it?”
“I do.” She hoped he would too and told him her thoughts.
“Babe, if you like it that’s all that’s important.”
Christa looked around the room and sighed, “There’s still so much to do here.”
“I’ll be home soon.” He reminded her. “I can’t wait to get there.”
“Yeah.” Christa sighed.
Ray knew something was on her mind, “Hey, what’s up?”
“Nothing.” She answered too quickly.
“Babe, come on. Tell me.” He prodded gently. He was shocked when he heard her break into tears.
“Oh shit Ray. I don’t know how it happened.” She sobbed, “I was gonna just wait until you got home to tell you. This is so stupid. I’m so stupid.”
Ray was alarmed, “Babe, what is it?”
Christa tried to get her emotions under control. She had promised herself she wouldn’t tell him until he got back. Now she had messed everything up. “Can we just talk when you get home?” She said brokenly.
“No.” He answered, “Something is wrong and you’re upset. I want to know what it is.”
She reached over and grabbed a tissue. “I’m just so sorry.”
Ray gripped the phone tighter. She was scaring him. “Christa, what’s going on?”
“I’m pregnant.” She said softly. “I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
He sat down as her words sunk in. “Oh.”
Christa began crying harder, “I’m sorry.” She knew he would be shocked. They hadn’t even been engaged for all that long. His silence was killing her.
“Babe.” He whispered, “Thank you.”
Had she heard him correctly? “What?”
“Thank you. You’ve made me happier than you’ll ever know.” The smile that covered his face spoke volumes. If only she could have seen it, all of her earlier worries would have disappeared.

Bob and Kara decided to stop by and see Monica and the girls on the way back to the apartment. They were both silently hoping that things were okay and that they could be on their way home to Chicago soon. Luke answered the door.
“Hey, Luke. How goes it?” Kara breezed past him into the apartment.
“Luke.” Bob greeted him with a nod.
“Good.” Luke answered Kara as he closed the door. “I’m just waiting for Sunshine and Monica is giving Bug a bath.” They all sat down in the living room.
“So how’s thing been here?” Kara asked looking over at Luke.
He shrugged, “Same.”
Kara sighed, “I figured.” Bob put his arm around her shoulder.
“Hey, guys. How was the trip?” Monica asked walking in holding Elle’s hand.
“Hey Mom.” Kara smiled. “It was great. We stayed at a bed and breakfast that was beautiful.” Beside her Bob chuckled.
“Kawa.” Elle ran to her. “Mes missed youse.”
“I missed you too Squirt.” Kara said giving her a hug.
Elle broke away and moved to Bob. Instead of speaking she crawled up into his lap.
“Hey Bug.” Bob laughed, “I guess you missed me too?”
Elle nodded. She liked Bob. He seemed like a big teddy bear.
“So, you talk to Gerard?” Kara asked. She wanted to find out if anything had happened while they’d been gone.
Monica shook her head.
“Mes talked to Dadgee.” Elle announced surprising everyone in the room.
“What?” Monica sputtered. “You talked him?”
Elle nodded. “Mes did.”
Kara looked over at her mom and saw how surprised she looked.
“When honey?” Monica asked Elle.
“When mes was at grammas.”
Monica took a seat across from the sofa. “Oh.” She explained, “She stayed with Donna Friday while I was at the hospital.”
Kara looked over at Elle, “What did Dadgee say?”
Elle grinned, “He wuvs me.”
Monica felt her heart catch. Suddenly she felt sure Gerard would come back and take Elle from her.
Kelly walked into the room. She has tried to repair her makeup but still her face looked tried and drawn. “Have a good time?” She asked Bob and Kara.
“Of course.” Kara laughed. “Bob took me to the Nightmares Fear Factory. It was a blast.”
Bob didn’t want to discuss that part of the trip. “Niagara Falls was pretty cool.”
Elle looked up into his face, “Yous falls?”
“No, we went to see a really big waterfall. Wanna see?” He took out his cell phone and showed her the pictures he’d taken.”
Kelly sat down on the arm of the chair Luke was sitting in. He reached over and took her hand in his. She looked so sad. “I think the rain has slowed down. Wanna go outside on the balcony?” He wanted to get her alone to talk.
She shrugged. “Sure.”
Monica waited until they’d walked out through the sliding glass door before she spoke. “So you two heading to Chicago in a couple of days?”
Bob looked over at Kara waiting for her to answer. “Should we?” Kara asked. She knew her mom would understand what she was asking.
Monica forced herself to sound happy. “Oh course you should. Things are fine here.” She lied. “I’m starting a new job in the morning.”
“You got a job?” Kara asked.
“Yeah, working in a doctors office. It’s just temporary but it will do for now.”
“Who’s gonna take care of Bug?” Kara asked.
“Kelly will be watching her this week.” Monica answered. She couldn’t say what would happen once Gerard got back from the tour.
Kara understood what her Mom was thinking. She could hear the sadness in her voice. “Bob and I will probably stick around here for a while. Besides we have to see the babies tomorrow.”
Monica knew they were worried about what would happen when Gerard returned. “You and Bob will go home on Tuesday. Stop worrying, okay?”
Elle snuggled up to Bob. She wasn’t sure why but everyone seemed kind of sad. Bob hugged her understanding she was confused. He too had wondered if Gerard really planned on taking Elle from the woman who had become her mom. Silently he hoped that wouldn’t happen. The situation seemed so hopeless.

“Sunshine, I have to tell you something.” Luke stood at the railing looking out at the mist. “Gerard called me. He told me you called him.”
“Oh.” Kelly said. She moved closer to him.
“You went to Donna’s?” Luke spoke softly not wanting to be overheard even thought the door was shut.
“Yeah, I walked over there while Mom and Bug were at the movies. I wanted to talk to him but Mom told me not to call.”
“Why didn’t you ask me to go with you?”
Kelly sighed, “I don’t know. It was stupid for me to even call him.”
Luke took her hand, “Why?”
“Cause he don’t care. He told Elle to tell me that he misses me and that he loves me but I don’t think he means it.” She didn’t turn to face Luke.
“Sunshine.” Luke said softly. “I think he really does mean it. He told me he was sorry he missed your call. He was on a flight.”
Kelly turned to face him. “He was?”
“Yeah, he was.” Luke confirmed.
“I don’t understand why I feel like I do.” Kelly decided to tell him the truth. “When I think about him I can’t get any real feelings. It’s like I just feel empty.”
“Maybe cause you’re too close to the situation.” Luke guessed. “Maybe that’s why.”
Kelly shrugged, “I don’t know but it scares me. Before I could feel that he loves us. Now I can’t.”
“Just because you can’t doesn’t mean it’s because he doesn’t still love all of you.” Luke hoped that he wasn’t getting Sunshine’s hopes up but there had been desperation in Gerard’s voice that had convinced him he really was sorry for the things that had happened.
Kelly moved closer to Luke and he put his arm around her. “I’m just scared.” Kelly whispered. “What if this is how it’s gonna be from now on?”
“Just try to keep thinking positive thoughts. Gerard told me he wants to talk to you when he gets back.”
Kelly leaned her head against his shoulder. She closed her eyes and tried to believe it was all going to be okay.


Author Note: Happy 4th of July to all my American readers. It's a holiday weekend for me. New chapter on Monday. Have a great weekend everyone! Love to you all - SanDee XOXO