Happily Ever After? Chapter 6

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Joan and Sam continue to adjust to their new life as the summer winds down. Plans are made to attend cousin Melissa's wedding.

Chapter 6

We Should Always be Together

I had no idea what prompted him to make my dinner. He also insisted on doing the clean up when it was over, though I did try and protest. The warmth generated by our bodies as we hugged soothed my soul. He insisted that I go out to the living room and sit down. I really wanted a smoke, but was going to cut back as much as possible and hopefully leave the damn things behind entirely.

I was sitting on the couch with the TV on for background when I remembered that Sam had been reading a book. I smiled as I recalled his feeble attempt to hide it from me. He’d slid it under the couch. I reached underneath without looking and of course my hand found his reading material.

I almost wept as I read the title. "Prenatal Care in the 21st Century." He did care! My heart leapt with joy at the realization. I almost couldn’t believe it. He’d always been so nonchalant about the whole thing. I jumped off the couch and ran into the kitchen with the book clutched firmly in my hands.

"Sam!" I yelled out to him as he stood at the sink with his eyes focused outside the window over the sink. I ran up behind him and hugged him. "You do care!" I yelled yet again though my mouth was only inches from his ears.

"Joan, be careful! There are knives in there," he said indicating the wash basin in the sink. The Peters had a dishwasher but it hadn’t been used in ages.

"Oh Sam! I love you so!" I hugged him so tight that he actually shrieked with pain. I finally realized that he was teasing me and broke out in a fit of giggles. He slowly turned around and saw why I was so excited. I’d placed the book on the kitchen table right there in front of us.

He stared deep into my eyes. "Joan, I just want to give our children the best chance possible and thought this might help," he said indicating the book.

"Maybe we can read it together?" I offered wanting to become as involved in all of this as possible. He smiled at me, caressed my hair gently, and kissed me deeply with a fervent passion. Finally he released me and I began drying off the dishes that he placed in the rack. It felt so right, the two of us working together. After the last dish had been put away I picked up the phone and called cousin Melissa.

I asked her if everything was going according to plan. She laughed in response and asked me if I thought something might have changed? She then went on to ask me if I’d fill in as one of her bridesmaids. Her friend Sue had suffered a broken leg in a water-skiing accident and while she planned on attending, would be unable to perform her bridesmaid chores.

I told her that I’d love to, but I didn’t have a gown or anything else for that matter. She laughed in return and told me she was certain that Sue’s gown would fit me without needing any alterations. It seemed I would be attending my second wedding in a month’s time as a member of the wedding party. Finally, I told her that I’d be happy to help out but only if I could be partnered with Sam. She burst out laughing and told me to consider it done.

There were plans in place for a rehearsal/dinner on Saturday. We both began giggling and going on about the upcoming wedding. At some point during our conversation Sam picked up the book and headed into the living room. She told me that her father would be arriving on Friday. I hadn’t seen Uncle Harry in years. I began wondering if he planned on taking up residence in my bedroom as well.

I quickly caught myself and remembered that the only reason Aunt Melissa was here was because I’d asked her to come. I found myself getting sad as I realized that more changes were on the horizon. What would become of us all when she finally went back home?

We finally said our goodbyes and I made my way to the living room. I sat down next to my husband who was reading intently. I put my arm around him and began gently massaging his shoulder. He laughed and leaned forward to grant me access to both of them. The next half-hour passed quickly as I sat there erasing the tension that had built up in them.

We made love that night. It felt like the first time. Everything was just perfect. We fell asleep in embrace and I drifted off as his breath washed gently over my cheek.. I dreamed once again of the twins. They were fighting and Sam was the arbiter. He had them both laughing and giggling before they could remember what they’d been fighting about. He was a very special father. I was truly blessed.

Thursday morning arrived and Sam had his doctor’s appointment. I was a bit distressed at being unable to attend. I had three more jobs to complete before my day would be done. Sam seemed a bit upset that I wouldn’t be going with him. I told him that he’d be fine and patted his rear affectionately as I headed out the door.

The work went smoothly. By two o’clock I was already started on my last job of the day. Both of those jobs were quite simple; bedrooms. Sometimes when I finished so quickly people would eye me with a bit of resentment before handing over the money. As if to suggest that if they’d known it was going to be that easy, they’d have done it themselves.

I smiled to myself as I realized it wasn’t nearly as easy as I made it look. The Boone home was a more difficult task. Once again I had to explain that the job was going to cost far more than sixty dollars. I managed to finish up by seven o’clock and was on my way home.

I was anxious to see Sam. What had Dr. Feingold said to him? I feared that Sam would be back at the ballpark with the boys. As he greeted me at the front door, I could see a look of sadness in his eyes. My heart quickly found its way to my throat as I worried for my babies. "Sam? What’s wrong?" I almost screamed.

He hugged me close and began weeping. I’ve never been so scared in my life. "Sam, sweetheart, what is it?" I asked gently and tried to keep the tremor out of my voice. I waited for him to reply as I stood there fearing the worst.

"Dr. Feingold told me that I’ll have to forget about baseball for the rest of the season," he cried. My heart began beating again. I’d been so worried for the twins that I hadn’t even considered Sam’s feelings for the game. "She also told me that it wasn’t too late to stop all of this," he half-whispered. Every muscle in my body tensed as I digested what he was telling me.

I thought we were way passed all of this. I thought that we’d bought our tickets and were on our way to our final destination. Was I simply asking too much of him? Was it fair of me to insist that he continue? I fought back my doubts. "Well Sam, if that’s what we have to do, then that’s what we have to do," I said as bravely as I could.

He eyed me suspiciously. "You think I should abort the twins?" he asked seriously.

"Sam, I love you with all of my heart, and I love our babies even more. But, if playing baseball is more important to you than anything, then maybe you should follow the doctor’s suggestion." My eyes filled with tears and my heart filled with hate as I stood there awaiting his response. Hate for the doctor who saw my babies as nothing more than a mass of cell tissue. My knees went weak and I felt my eyes roll back in my head as I collapsed in his arms.

When I opened my eyes I was lying on the couch with my head in Sam’s lap. He looked down at me with tears still streaming. A sad smile covered his face. "Joan, I’m sorry." The look in his eyes sent me into yet another tailspin. Had the doctor already performed the murder of my babies?

"Sam, you didn’t? You couldn’t?" I screamed with the last bit of hope left in me. He continued to cry and told me that he hadn’t, but that he’d been sorely tempted. As I lay there, I shifted to my side and wrapped my arms around him and began incessantly kissing his belly. "I love you Sam," I said yet again.

He looked down at me sadly and simply replied, "I know." The words were softly spoken, but the pain was sharp. Was that what he’d felt when I gave that very response back to him at the beginning of it all? No wonder he’d responded as he had. I was determined not to let his response get to me the way that mine had gotten to him. We were in this together. Till death do us part, together. Those weren’t some words spoken merely out of custom and tradition. I was determined to make this work and not just mind-numbingly work, but work with a sense of pride and joy for all of us.

Friday arrived and I had to get to work yet again. Three jobs to complete and then a weekend of wedding. I left Sam asleep and smiling as I headed out the door. I hoped that he wouldn’t come to resent his decision as the baseball season wore on. He’d made some friends on the team. Surely they would now all come to hate him. I sighed aloud as I pedaled to the Liebovitz’s home.

I found it hard to smile as I stood there ringing their doorbell. Moments later the maid let me in. It was quite a getup she was wearing. She didn’t know what to make of the smile that I granted her as I was led to the scene of the crime. I soon became lost in my work and was grateful for that opportunity. Three hours later I was off to the Hoffman’s after stopping briefly for lunch. I spent the rest of the work day on auto-pilot and headed home just after seven.

My purse was overflowing. I’d have to make a trip to the bank in the morning. I put the bulk of my earnings in one of the drawers that I’d co-opted from Sam and made my way downstairs. He seemed a bit lost to the world. "Come on Sam, we’re getting out of here," I said as I pulled him up off the couch. The only way to gain his cooperation was to bribe him with food. Finally in a standing position he wrapped his arms around me and steeled me in an embrace. I smiled up at him confidently and led him to the door.

Sam’s determination increased with every step. I grew a bit nervous as he led me to the boardwalk. What if Billy and his pals were wandering about? I worried for the twins. Still, Sam didn’t seem to have a care in the world and I wasn’t about to burst his bubble. We made our way to one of the nicer restaurants with a view of the ocean while we dined. He eyed me with guilt as I paid the bill. I smiled at him and told him not to worry about it. He was a quick study and soon we were on our way.

The evening spent was simply heavenly. A few girls started flirting with Sam and he held up his hand showing off his ring, shrugged his shoulders, laughed, and held me a bit tighter. I laughed along with him. And then, as we made our way home I realized that I’d be unavailable for band practice again this weekend. I’m not sure why that even came to mind at the moment, but it did.

Would Fred and Darla understand? Had they replaced me already? Maybe I could schedule something with them for Monday. The band really was important to me. My life had become so full in the last few months it was hard to know where to begin anymore. I couldn’t remember the last friendly conversation I’d had with Darla. It seemed forever ago. Ah well, no use in worrying about it now. I’d simply call her in the morning and figure out where things stood.

"Earth to Joan, come in Joan," Sam shouted at me. I arrived back in the moment feeling a wee bit uneasy. "What’s wrong sweetheart?"

"Sam, I was just thinking about the band. It’s been weeks since we’ve practiced together. I hope they aren’t planning on replacing me," I sighed.

"Well, I haven’t heard the three of you perform together, but I do know one thing. You simply have to be the best one in the band, so how could they possibly think of replacing perfection?"

I smiled up at him and hugged him gratefully. Those were words I needed to hear. Whether they were true or not was not important. The fact that he said them and meant them was. We walked home arm in arm. It felt nice leaning against him as we made the leisurely stroll.

Saturday morning! I was up early and filled with concern. I realized that I hadn’t even gone over to meet Uncle Harry last night. I felt a lot more comfortable explaining my situation to women than I did to men. Hopefully, no explanations would be required. Hell, I hadn’t seen Uncle Harry since I was five years old.

I put a load of laundry in, took a shower, and headed across the street. It was eight o’clock as I walked through the front door. I almost felt like a visitor in my own home. It was weird. Shandy, not standing on protocol, reminded me of my place in the overall scheme of things. I wrapped my arms around her golden fur and hugged her tightly. Her mile-long tongue kept searching for a spot on my face that hadn’t yet been bathed in saliva. Her nails clicked on the floor as she followed me into the kitchen.

Aunt Melissa was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and a cigarette looking a bit down. "Auntie M, is something wrong?" I felt compelled to ask. She looked up at me with a wan smile and extended her arms to me. I moved forward and was embraced in a vise-like hug.

"Oh Joan, don’t ever change!" she exclaimed as a tear rolled down her cheek. It was then that I really began to worry.

"What’s the matter? Everything’s ok with Dan and Melissa, isn’t it?" My first thoughts were of the wedding couple. She finally released her grip on me, told me to pour myself a cup of coffee and sit down. I did as directed.

"It’s your Uncle Harry. It seems his only daughter’s wedding isn’t important enough for him to take time off from work. Sure, it’s a long flight from Brisbane, but it’s the most important day in Melissa’s life. How could he do this?" Without thinking, I grabbed one of the cigarettes from the pack on the table and lit it. It had been a few days since I’d had a smoke. I cursed the relief that washed through me as I inhaled.

"Oh Aunt Melissa! I’m so sorry!" She looked at me angrily for my expression of sympathy. "I wish there was something that I could do?" I stated helplessly. Her lips turned downward, she frowned into her cup and lighted another cigarette. I wasn’t about to remind her that she already had one burning in the ashtray.

"No worries, Joan. We’ll carry on as best we can. We’ve got a wedding to prepare for and, I understand you’ve been promoted to bridesmaid!" Her enthusiasm for the upcoming wedding almost seemed believable, but I could tell her heart was breaking on the inside. "It seems the Nuall girls are unlucky in love," she said and laughed sardonically. It took me a moment to process that. I hadn’t even known my own mother’s maiden name.
With my own distant relationship with my own grandparents, I guess that was to be expected. Still, it struck me as odd that I hadn’t known till now.

A thought occurred to me. "Aunt Melissa, are there any extra seats available for the reception?" Yes, perhaps it was selfish to be thinking of myself, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to invite Darla and Fred if at all possible.

"What did you have in mind, Joan?"

"Well, you remember my friend Darla, and Fred, you know, the guy that did the music and the photography? I was wondering if it might be possible to invite them?" I asked hopefully. Hell, I had no idea whether or not they’d even want to attend. Still, I felt compelled to do something.

"Joan, the wedding is tomorrow. Do you actually think they’d even want to come?" she asked seriously forgetting her own troubles for the moment. How did I answer her very real question? I put my brain on hold and responded.

"Honestly, I’m not sure, but I’d love to be able to ask them. If there are any seats available, that is?" I asked pleadingly. She smiled at me in understanding and told me that of course it would be alright if I wanted to invite my friends. She went on to explain that there was at least ONE cancellation that she knew about and laughed.

I hugged her tight, thanked her and spent the next few hours doing yard work. Shandy was busily at work protecting the perimeter and followed me up and down as I mowed the back yard. I was excited at the prospect of Fred and Darla attending the wedding. Eleven o’clock finally arrived and I figured it was time to give Darla a call.

"Darla? It’s Joan," I said as I heard her pick up.

"What do you want Joan?" she asked aggressively. This wasn’t going well at all. My enthusiasm for the whole idea died in my throat. I figured that since I couldn’t practice this weekend that at least we’d all be able to spend some time together. I sighed aloud.

The seconds ticked by as I contemplated just what to say. I finally figured that the best and only way was to simply come out with it. "Well, I was wondering whether you and Fred would like to attend my cousin’s wedding tomorrow?"

"What, did your cousin’s DJ cancel on her and she needs a replacement?" That cut to the bone. I hung up the phone before she could hear the cry that was lodged in my throat. What had I done to upset her? She’d been acting a bit aloof for some time now. I felt horrible as I stood there staring at the phone. How could she treat me this way?

Not a minute went by before the phone started ringing. I lunged for it anxiously. "Joan? Joan, I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me?" A moment ago, I’d have forgiven her anything. Now, her simple apology set me on edge.

I fought for control and finally, I asked her: "Darla, what have I done that you’d treat me this way?" I couldn’t hide the pain that I’d been feeling any longer and the tears burst forth.

The sound of her own tears echoed in my ears. "You haven’t done anything Joan. Really, you haven’t. Sometimes though, when I look at Fred and remember the way he held you in his arms and kissed you, it just upsets me. I hope you can understand and forgive me?" she blurted into the receiver.

I guess I’d never thought about things in that way. It kind of made sense and I felt bad about the whole thing. "Darla, I’m so sorry. Hey? We’re sisters remember? No guy should ever come between us, and I promise you that none ever will!" I didn’t know what else to say? I hoped it would be enough.

"So, where and when is this wedding tomorrow?" she asked seriously. I smiled into the phone and gave her the particulars. She promised me that both she and Fred would be there if she had to chain him to the roof of his own car. I laughed at that and told her I loved her. The whole mood had changed in minutes’ time. We finally said our goodbyes and I felt better about everything. I was at peace with myself for the moment.

Looking at the clock on the wall, I realized I’d better go and check on Sam. I practically ran across the street and into the front door. Sam was sitting on the couch with a huge bowl of cereal on his lap laughing at the insane goings on of the cartoon characters on the television in front of him. I envied him his peaceful outlook. Hell, today was a game day and he hadn’t once mentioned the ‘Waves.’ I wasn’t about to press my luck and bring it up myself. I was just glad that he was here and safe.

Just one more thing for me to feel guilty about, I suppose. I sighed aloud as he sat there laughing at the animation before him. "So, are you ready for the wedding rehearsal today? You can’t sit there all afternoon, we have to go and pick up your tux." Was I turning into some kind of shrew? He looked at me curiously for a moment before his brain finally clicked.
"Oh, right. I guess I’d better go and get cleaned up then? How are we getting to Taylor’s?" Yes, a tuxedo rental place named appropriately, Taylor’s. I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t even considered transportation.

"Is your mother home?" I hated to ask Aunt Alice for a ride, and if we had to we could do it by bicycle, but getting the tux back home would be difficult indeed.

"She should be in the kitchen," he replied. Without another word I made my way into the kitchen. Aunt Alice sat at the table staring blankly out the window into her own backyard.

"Aunt Alice, do you think you could give me and Sam a ride to pick up his tuxedo?" I asked politely.

"Excuse me?" she retorted. Her eyes danced about in anger. What was with everyone these days? Some kind of anger epidemic seemed to be in play. And then it hit me. She wasn’t put off by my request, but by the fact that I’d referred to her as ‘Aunt Alice.’ I’m not sure why I was having such difficulty with the term, but I’d sooner retrieve the tux on my bike before I’d call her ‘Mom.’

She stared at me challengingly. "Do you think you could give me and Sam a ride to pick up his tux?" I asked again. I prayed that she wouldn’t make an issue of it. She read the look of desperation in my eyes and considered that victory enough.

"Sure I can, daughter," she said smirking. She was acquiescing and letting me know that I’d displeased her at the same time. I really hated these mind games. Still, there was enough going on already to get involved in a pissing contest with Aunt Alice.

"That would be great!" I ran back to the living room to fetch Sam. He carried his bowl into the kitchen and told me he was ready to go, while burping loudly towards the window. I didn’t want to fight with him over his appearance and simply asked him if he was ready to go. Moments later we were on our way to the store.

Sam refused to try on the tuxedo insisting that his dimensions hadn’t changed in the last couple of weeks. I studied his middle carefully and was about to suggest otherwise when I decided to simply leave it alone. Aunt Alice’s mood had changed and she actually seemed a bit excited about the wedding. Her attitude change quickly put a smile on my face. Sam as usual, seemed oblivious to all that was going on around him.

Bobby McGee (yep, named after the character in the song), a classmate of ours was working part time at the tuxedo store. All bets were off when he asked Sam why he wasn’t at the game. Sam’s eyes clouded over and I broke in explaining that Sam had suffered an injury and wouldn’t be able to play for the rest of the season. I needn’t have wasted my efforts. Bobby’s eyes glazed over as I made my explanation. He simply offered his condolences and we were on our way.

Sam’s mood had shifted so rapidly that I began to worry about him. Then, I realized, that hormones probably had a lot to do with it. Still, that didn’t explain the sudden shift in Aunt Alice’s attitude as well, or did it? I smiled at the insanity of it all as we made our way home.

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Comments

Darla, Superb Chapter!

Wow, its amazing how much your style and way of storytelling have changed in comparison to all before it. I am finding it much easier to connect with the story and the characters. If anything, you have passed another milestone in your writing. Much more emotion is coming forth in your phrasing, the characters are beginning to change and make a whole lot of sense to me. I do not know what you did to reach this level, but I love it!

Please continue your writing Darla: I love it and you! never forget that! :)

*Hugs*

Sephrena Lynn Miller

Thanks

For hanging in there to continue your story.

It's a story worth telling and you are doing a great job.

Hugs, Fran

Hugs, Fran

Whohoo Darla!

I enjoyed this new chapter like I have each of the previous ones. I am very glad to see Joan and Sam together as a couple. The die is cast and now Sam has to face the rirst of the consequences of his pregnancy which is leaving the team. As a reader, I am hoping that Joan gets closer to Sam as she has started to in this chapter so she can percieve and thru her eyes we can see what Sam is going thru as it becomes more and more obvious that his body is rebelling against the form of who he wants to be. Hopefully Joan will be able to get Sam thru what would seem to be a very tramatic time in his life Its really nice to see Jaon and Sam together and being supportive of each other as this chapter unfolds.
Thanks again for a wonderful chapter. You Rock Darla!!!
All my hopes,
Sasha

All my hopes
Sasha Zarya Nexus