FicWad

Kelly was hard at work on her new bedroom putting the touches on it that made it truly her own. She and Donna had arrived just as the delivery truck had pulled into the driveway. Now as she stood in the center of the room she turned slowly admiring her new bedroom set.
“A bed that has steps to get into it.” Donna said with a laugh. She was standing in the doorway watching Kelly. “I love your new furniture.”
“Thanks, this is my dream room. I fell in love with this bed when I saw it. I couldn’t believe it when Dad told me he had bought it for me.”
“Gerard told me he could tell by the look on your face that you loved it.” Donna said walking further in the room.
“Kara will be so jealous.” Kelly said with a grin. “My room is much nicer than hers.”
“Oh sisters” Donna said laughing. “Always trying to one-up each other.”
“Well yeah, she’s always thought she so superior to me just cause she’s older.” Kelly said with a nod.
“Mikey said the same thing about Gerard when they were growing up but for the most part they were always close.”
“They seem so close.” Kelly agreed. She leaped up on the tall bed. Donna used the small pedestal steps to get up and sit next to her.
“I’m glad my sons are so close. They always look out for each other and know they can always depend on each other. The bond between Mikey and Gerard is so strong.”
As she listened to Donna’s words Kelly felt something she couldn’t explain. It was a feeling of deep sadness, a feeling of despair. Was it because she didn’t think that she and Kara had such a bond? No, she really didn’t believe that was the cause of this feeling.
“Kelly, what’s wrong?” Donna said softly, “Honey, you have the saddest look on your face.”
Kelly swiftly moved over into Donna’s arms. Tears sprang to her eyes, “Donna, I don’t know sometimes I get these feelings I can’t explain. Right now I just feel so sad and I don’t know why.”
“I’m sorry honey but we all feel sad sometimes it’s just part of life.”
Kelly sat up straighter and dried her eyes. “You’re right.” She knew Donna didn’t understand. She wasn’t talking about her own feeling that caused her to feel sad. Kelly knew that what she was feeling was caused by someone else’s emotions. Emotions that were cause by events that sometimes hadn’t even happened yet. It sounded crazy even to her so how could she expect anyone else to understand? She slipped off the bed “Come on. Let’s help Mom. I want to see how the dining room furniture looks.” She helped Donna off the bed.

“I love all your new things.” Christa said walking through the house with Monica. She and Ray arrived just as the delivery truck was leaving and had just finished a tour of the house.
“Thanks” Monica said with a smile. “I’m really pleased with how everything looks.”
Ray who was a bit bored looking at furniture looked for his friend, “So where’s Gee?”
Monica laughed, “He in the backyard last time I looked, staring at a pile of lumber.”
“A pile of lumber?” Ray repeated
“Yep, you should go see. Frank is helping him.”
Now Ray was very confused, “Frank is here? I talked to him earlier and he didn’t say anything about coming over.”
Monica giggled “Come on.” She led them through the kitchen and out on to the deck. She pointed out across the yard, “There they are.”
Ray and Christa stared at the sight that greeted their eyes. Gerard was indeed standing staring at a pile of cedar lumber. At his feet the black and white puppy jumped up and down barking.
“Frank’s a dog,” Christa said laughing.
“Our new puppy. Gee gave him to me to me yesterday for my birthday.”
“He’s cute.” Christa exclaimed, “Hey, how come no one told me it was your birthday?”
Monica looked sheepish, “I was kinda trying to ignore the whole thing.”
Ray and Christa looked puzzled.
“Okay, I was being stupid about it. The whole turning 36 thing was getting me down.”
They both laughed and Monica joined in. Gerard noticed them standing on the deck and signaled for them to join him. They crossed the yard and were greeted by Frank who ran to meet the new arrivals. Christa knelt down to pet him.
“So what’s this?” Ray asked looking at the lumber.
“A gazebo” Gerard answered “I just gotta assemble it.”
Ray looked at the lumber once more then turned to Gerard. “Are you the same guy who told me it was gonna take you years to assemble some shelves?”
“Well, yeah but this is different.”
Ray waited for an explanation. When he didn’t get one he asked, “How is this different?”
Gerard tried his hardest to come up with an answer. He gave up, “Oh fuck. I don’t know. It just is. Wanna help?’
Christa and Monica left the two of them pouring over the plans. Frank did his part by trying to chew his way through a bag with wood screws in it.

Frank and Jamia had just arrived back at the apartment from her doctor’s appointment. They had been pleased with the doctor’s assessment of the pregnancy. Things were going well and the babies were developing nicely. Now as Frank helped Jamia settle herself back on the sofa he thought about dinner.
“Veggie burgers tonight?”
“Yeah, that sounds good.” Jamia answered. She put her feet up and watched as Frank slipped her shoes off. He had started for the kitchen when she called him back. “Frankie do you love me as much now as you didn’t when we first got together?”
Frank recognized the tone. The pregnancy hormones were speaking. “Jamia honey that’s a silly thing to ask.”
She sighed, “I just want to know.”
Frank gently sat down beside her and took her into his arms. “Jamia I don’t love you like I did when we first got together, I love you more.” He kissed her softly, “And tomorrow I will love you even more.”
Jamia laid her head on his chest. “I love you too, Frankie.”
He held her realizing that dinner would have to wait. She had fallen asleep in his arms.

“Come on. Let’s go” Mikey said pulling Alicia to her feet. “Ray just sent an SOS text.”
“What? Why” Alicia asked.
“He and Christa are over at Gerard’s. My brother is handling a power tool.” The way he said it made Alicia burst into a fit of laugher.
“A power tool? Should we alert the president? This could put the whole nation of red alert.”
Mikey shot her a look, “Gerard and a nail gun. Come on. You have to see the seriousness of the situation.”
“Okay, Okay, why is Gerard armed with a nail gun?” Alicia asked as he pulled her to the door.
“Ray said something about a gazebo. I guess Gee is building one in their backyard. All I know it that Ray said I need to get over there and help.”
They were out the door and almost to the car. “But Mikey, you don’t know anymore about building than Gee does. What are you supposed to do?”
Mikey shook his head, “Fuck if I know but Ray also said that Monica and Christa are making tacos for dinner so at least we get a meal out of this.”
“I’m all good with that.” She said as they got in the car. “So why didn’t he just have someone built the thing?”
Mikey pulled into traffic and shook his head, “Not sure but knowing Gee he’s trying to prove something. I’m guessing he wants to prove to Monica he can be Mr. Fix It Homeowner.”
Alicia laughed, “Gee a homeowner. Wow who da thunk it?”
“Who da thunk it, indeed.” Mikey said with a smile.

Kara was nestled in Bob's arms, his head resting on her shoulder. They stood gazing over the city of Chicago from the Observation Deck of the John Hancock building. The normally bubbly Kara was speechless staring at all of the twinkling lights and the dark expanse of the lake. She gave a contented sigh thinking back on the day.
Bob had surprised her with reservations at the Hilton next door for the night. After checking in he had escorted her to the Water Tower Center - seven floors of shopping. Kara had been in little hog heaven.
Bob had also made dinner reservations at the beautiful Signature Room in the Hancock. After dinner they had split a piece of white and dark chocolate mousse cake and toasted each other with milk while enjoying the stunning view and reliving the day.
Then it was up to the Observation Deck where they has been for the past half hour oblivious to everyone around them, gently swaying to the music in their own heads.
"Bob?"
"Yeah?"
Kara turned in his arms until she could look into his eyes. "This has been the best day of my life. I'll remember it forever. I love you."
"Ditto” said Bob before giving Kara a long lingering kiss.

Monica was already in bed when Gerard crawled between the sheets. “Hey, there.” She said rolling over to face him.
“Hey there” he smiled. “I checked on Kell. Wanted to see how she was doing her first night in her new room.”
“And?” Monica reached out and stroked his cheek.
“She’s on the phone talking to Mike.” He frowned, “Should she still be on the phone? I mean it’s kinda late.”
Monica smiled, “Well it is Friday night so I think so. Don’t you?” She knew he was struggling with the whole parenting thing. It was important that she let him make decisions about rules for the girls.
“Yeah, since it’s Friday night it’s okay.” He pulled her into his arms. “This is so fucking perfect, this is my dream. Our home, you in my arms, our daughter in her room…oh shit.”
Monica raised her head, “Oh shit?”
“It’s Friday. Kara will be back on Sunday. We don’t have her bedroom ready. I mean she’s been in Chicago so she hasn’t picked out her furniture.”
“She could stay at Donna’s Sunday night or sleep on the sofa. Then on Monday after school we could get her furniture.” Monica said lying her head back down on his chest.
He shook his head, “No, she can’t stay at Mom’s. I want her here with us. Do you think it would be bad if we set up the bedroom for her?”
Monica tried to choose her words carefully, “Honey, I think that would be fine. I really don’t think she’ll care. Bob is her world now and you know that they plan on marrying as soon as she gets out of school.”
He sighed, “She’s so young to be marrying.”
Monica tried not to smile. “Gee, she’s marrying one of your best friends. Bob loves her you know that.”
“Yeah, I know but I still worry.”
Monica hugged him. She loved it that he was so protective of the girls.
It was as if he could sense her thoughts, “Monica, you and the girls are my responsibility. This house is our home and I just want everything to be right, you know? I don’t want to fuck this up.”
She pulled herself up and leaned over him. “Everything is prefect. Stop worrying it will give you gray hair.”
He ran his hand down her thigh lightly. “Would you still love me with gray hair?”
Monica ran her hand down his thigh, “Oh hell yeah.” She leaned into a kiss that showed him just how much she loved him now and would the day he got his first gray hair.

AUTHOR'S NOTE - No new chapters for several days. I'm heading out to Colorado for Projekt Rev on Monday. Yeah it's over 600 miles but hey, I can't miss the last stop of the tour. Love you all. SanDee XOXO