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Chapter Four-Hundred-Eleven




“You know Jackie, I’m going to miss waking up to this wonderful smell in the mornings when you finally have to leave us,” Riley complained as she padded into the kitchen and found her future mother in law busy at work in the kitchen. Brian chucked softly.


“It’s not exactly morning anymore honey, you sort of slept through it. That’s lunch she is making,” he informed and he got up and slid his arms around her waist before pulling her to him and he planted a kiss on her forehead.


“Well, the point is, I am going to miss the smell of her cooking – whatever meal it may be.”


“Well, lucky for you the announcement of your wedding date has me seriously considering on extending my visit,” Jackie informed amusedly. Brian looked at his mother amused.


“Ma, as much as we love having you here and would love to keep you to ourselves, I think dad is beginning to miss his wife.”


“Yeah…well…I was thinking about asking him to come here after he does everything I need him to do there concerning the wedding.”


“And what about my promise to Angel? I told her she could baby-sit Josh when you left, she was looking forward to that money.”


“She can still do so,” Jackie shrugged. “I’m going to get pretty busy as soon as Audrey gets here anyway – someone will have to be here to look out for him when we leave the house.” Riley suddenly became alert at the reminder of her mother’s visit then.


“That’s right…mom is coming today. When is she getting here?”


“She should be here in thirty minutes – right on time to have lunch. I just got off the phone with her,” Jackie answered happily, as the two mothers have developed quite a bond between the two of them.


“Ah jeez…” Riley muttered to herself. “I’m a mess! Brian why didn’t you wake me up an hour ago?” She complained stressfully and Brian looked over at her warily as he can sense a major mood swing coming his way.


“I’m sorry baby, I didn’t think” Brian insisted gently and he wrapped his arms around her and leaned forward and grazed his lips lightly over hers. “But I can assure you that you look just fine. Beautiful as you always are.”


“I at least need to take a shower, and get dressed, and stuff…”


“You are her daughter I don’t think she’s going to be mad at you if you don’t look dressed for a ball or anything like that baby.”


“Yes, but I still like to look nice when we have guests.”


“You wear your pajamas around the house when my mom is here all the time,” Brian pointed out amusedly.


“Yes, but that’s different. Jackie has practically moved in,” Riley insisted.


“Baby I’m telling you, you are fine.”


“No I’m not. You are just saying that because you are my husband and you have to. It’s bad enough that I am as big as the good year blimp already, but I am at least going to be a presentable good year blimp!” she insisted and with that she hurried out of the room stressfully and it was all Jackie could do to stifle her amusement. Brian looked over at his mother then and saw her standing there with her back turned on him as she concentrated on lunch but he could see the I’ve been there before smile on her face.


“Sheesh…” Brian complained warily. “What is the big deal?”


“The big deal is, she’s excited and has never had her mother visit her in the home she shares with you before so I’m sure she’s nervous too and wants everything to be perfect for her. Why don’t you go on up and humor her a little? Straighten up and maybe make sure the boys are in some semi-nice clothes too? I’m sure it would make her happy baby duck.”


“Anything to keep the beginning of that mood swing from getting any worse,” Brian insisted while getting up and heading out of the kitchen and Jackie shook her head in amusement at the typical father-to-be comment. One thing that she is has noticed from moving in and taking care of Brian and Riley is that he is exactly the way his father was – the spitting image. As much as it annoyed her when she was pregnant it’s highly entertaining now that she is just in the audience rather then experiencing it. And she has seen some similar qualities in Riley as well that she went through herself, which makes helping her out all the more easier. The kids were upstairs for the remaining of the thirty minutes and came downstairs just moments before it was time for Audrey’s arrival. Brian walked in the room with a now happy Riley at his side and he was lugging two boys in his arms, both of them turned sideways on each hip. He made sure they put on decent clothes like his mother suggested. Josh put on a pair of blue overalls, a red shirt, and red converse shoes and she can tell Brian combed his hair all nice. Chris was also in a pair of overalls, a blue shirt, and blue converse shoes and Brian made sure his hair was combed nice too. Both of her grandsons were adorned in cuteness just as they always are. Though she would very much like to know how Brian had managed to get them to match like that.


“When I suggested that you should go and straighten up and dress the boys in decent clothes I didn’t mean you necessarily had to go all out and make them look like a male version of the Olsen Twins, Baby Duck” Jackie teased gently.


“I didn’t,” Brian chuckled as he set each boy in a chair at the table. “I went up there and both of them were already dressed. They both claim that it was an accident. All I did was comb their hair.” Just then, the doorbell rang and Chance could suddenly be heard running down the stairs barking excitedly. Brian turned to look at Riley just on time to see her whole face light up and she turned and headed for the door. Brian grinned upon seeing his fiancée smile and he followed after her.


“Chance! Hey, you settle down boy, right now” He ordered gently before gathering the puppy who seems to grow bigger everytime he turns around into his arms so he doesn’t attack Audrey the moment she walks in with cuteness and slobber.



~*~*~*~*~



“Daddy…” Elenore pouted as she walked down the stairs trailing Ryan’s heels with her TMNT comforter wrapped around her. The blanket is ten times bigger then she is, and therefore it’s practically engulfed her and he can barely see her face.


“Princess?” Kevin asked and he couldn’t help but smirk in amusement despite the fact that he can hear that her nose is stuffy and though he can’t see her face, her eyes are probably red and watery too. But the sight of her walking into the kitchen with that oversized blanket over her is too cute.


“I miss my Joshy,” She informed emotionally.


“Aww…I know honey,” Kevin sighed and he met her half way and gathered her in his arms, big comforter and all allowing her to snuggle into him. “Ryan needs practice in the whole snuggling in the morning an’ making things better department,” she informed moodily. Jerald chuckled amusedly as he looked over at Ryan who looked very glad that Kevin had taken over.


“I think it would be a miracle in itself if you managed to get him to snuggle with you at all beautiful,” he informed her gently. “And if you did, I think you should at least give him credit for that because Ryan isn’t one for cuddling but at least he can say he tried.”


“He dids fine for a beginner,” Ellie informed softly. “But he just needs practice.” Kevin smiled some and hugged her close to him affectionately as she continued to soak up all of his snuggles for all its worth.


“When will Joshy be alloweds to see me again?” she asked weakly.


“I don’t know baby, but I will ask Brian okay?”


“Kay…” She sighed and he pulled her blanket down just far enough that he could see her face and he planted a soft kiss on her forehead before bringing her over to a chair. He pulled it out and set her in it and she watched him closely as he made his way across the kitchen. She eyed him warily as he pulled open the cabinet that she’s begun to recognize as the evil medicine cabinet. When she saw him go for her cold medicine, she narrowed her eyes.


“Daddy, no!” she demanded, before pulling her blanket over her head stubbornly as if that is going to prevent him from giving it to her.


“Ellie, yes” Kevin told her gently, though she didn’t mistaken the seriousness in his voice.


“NO.”


“If you don’t take the medicine now, you are going to be miserable all day and then I will have to put you in bed and cancel our day with Kristin. You don’t want that to happen now do you?” Elenore glared at him with angry eyes through an opening to her blanket and he caught her eyes with a gentle look in his own.


“Can I calls Kristin an’ talks to her?” she asked after a long moment, the look on her face softening some. Kevin arched his eyebrow in curiosity as he had not expected that request and he exchanged looks with his brother who was very much taken aback by his niece’s request.


“After you let me give you your medicine.”


“No. Now.”


“Let her call her Kev, it might help” Jerald insisted after a long moment. Kevin looked at his daughter curiously for a couple of moments, and then reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out and he handed it to her.


“Here, hold that while I search for her number” He told her, and then started to walk away when he heard dialing. He paused abruptly and looked at her opening his mouth to tell her to stop when she had already placed the phone to her ear and waited as it rung.


“Ellie?”


“I memorized the number myself when she was telling you,” Elenore informed matter of factly. Ann laughed amusedly at this, as she stood there with one eye on breakfast and one eye on the scene before her.


“But of course you did,” Kevin replied while rolling his eyes playfully.


*Ellie’s phone conversation*


“Hello?” Came Kristin’s caring voice over the phone when she finally picked up causing Ellie to relax almost instantly.


“Hi Kristin, it’s me Ellie.”


“Ellie?” Kristin asked not bothering to hide the surprise in her voice. “What’s the matter sweetie how come you are calling me?” she added, instantly knowing that there is something wrong by the sound of her voice.


“I just wanted to talks to you,” Ellie insisted tearfully. “Daddy is being a meanie head.”


“Why is he being a meanie head?” Kristin asked and she couldn’t hide the slight amusement.


“He’s tryin’ to gets me to take medicine an’ I don’ts wanna cause it’s icky. An’ he don’ts understand that it’s icky.”


“I’m sure that’s not necessarily true sweetie,” Kristin told her gently. “I’m sure he knows how icky it is, but it’s also probably the best thing for you right now. He only wants you to get better honey, he loves you very much.” When Elenore didn’t reply, Kristin continued. “Don’t you want to get better honey?”


“Yes but I don’ts wanna take Icky Medicine.”


“I hear ya I really do. The worst part about having a cold is having to take the icky medicine. But sometimes we have to do what we don’t necessarily want to do to make things better. Life can sometimes be a great big pain like that.” Elenore scowled.


“Uncle Jerry telled me something annoyingly similar to that’s last night.” She informed and Kristin laughed and Jerald arched his eyebrow as he stood there listening.


“Oh he did, did he?”


“Uh-huhs. He telled me life isn’t fair – that sometimes things happen an’ we just haves to deal with it.”


“Well I hate to take sides here sweetheart, but I’m afraid your Uncle Jerry is right.” Elenore made a face.


“Yes, he has an annoying habit of that too. I hates it when he is right.” Jerald grinned triumphantly at these words and Kristin laughed once more before responding.


“Well I hate to break it to you kiddo, but its an uncle’s job to be right when it concerns the well being of his niece. Take that medicine Ellie, it will make you feel so much better.”


“I don’ts want to,” Ellie pouted.


“Aw, come on honey please? Don’t you want to go on our picnic in a couple of hours from now? You could very well end up stuck in bed for the day if you don’t.” Elenore sighed heavily and looked away from Kevin, Jerald, and Ryan stubbornly as if Kristin were there sitting right in front of her. “I know our picnic will be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to it greatly. Please take your medicine Ellie…for me? I don’t want to miss out on our plans.”


“Fine…”


“Yay, thank you sweetheart that will make me so happy. You take your medicine and cooperate for Kevin and I just might have something special for you when I get there…”


“Really? Like what?”


“I’m not telling you, it’s a surprise. But you have to behave for Kevin or you won’t get it.”


“Okay, I wills.”


“Thank-you sweetie. I’ve gotta go though, okay? Or I’m not going to be ready for our date.”


“Okay, Bye Kristin thank-you for listening.”


“Anytime Ellie. You can call me to talk about anything it doesn’t matter what it is. I’m available 24 hours a day every day.”


“Promise?”


“I cross my heart.”


“Kay,” Ellie replied happily.


“Bye Ellie.”


“Bye,” Elenore replied, and then hung up and she looked at Kevin who stood there looking at her curiously.


“Well if you must gives it to me you might as wells get it over with,” She told him dramatically and he and Jerald chuckled. Kevin knelt down in front of her with the medicine already poured and she reluctantly opened her mouth, allowing him to hold the measuring thing up to her mouth so she could drink from it. When she had it swallowed she made a face and Ann held a small cup of water up to her mouth allowing her to take a drink from that.


“Uncle Jerry, how long is 24 hours?” she asked once she regained her composure.


“All day and all night. Why honey?”


“Kristin says I can calls her an’ talks to her about anything an’ that shell be available 24 hours a day, every day.”


“She did, did she?” Jerald asked not even bothering to hide how surprised he is.


“Uh-huhs.”

“Well that was sweet of her,” Ann replied sincerely and she looked her eldest son in the eyes with a look that clearly said I told you so.



~*~*~*~*~



Meanwhile in Jersey, after only being gone for thirty minutes Spencer entered the diner. Kori looked up from talking to Janis upon hearing the bells on the door jingle and she arched her eyebrow upon seeing her son. He ran on over to her then, and crawled up onto the empty stool next to Janis so he was facing his mother.


“Spencer what are you doing back so soon? Where is your father? I thought he was taking you to the mall?”


“He did,” was all Spencer said.


“Okay…well where is he?”


“I don’t know,” Spencer lied easily while shrugging his shoulders. “Momma will you take me to the park?”


“I’m working baby, you know very well that I can’t right now. Why don’t you wait for Scott to get back? I’m assuming that he will be right? Then he can take you.”


“No. I want you to take me.”


“Spencer I told you know.”


“Please Momma?” he pleaded eagerly. “Take a break. You’ve been running yourself ragged all morning.” Kori arched her eyebrow at her son’s choice of words suspiciously.


“Did Scott put you up to this?”


“No…I just want to spend time with you,” Spencer insisted sweetly and he gave her the look that he knows she can’t resist. Spencer scowled.


“Spencer that’s not fair! You know very well that I am working right no-“


“-Go,” Isabel interrupted, suddenly coming up beside Kori and Kori stared back at her incredulously.


“Isabel I—“


“—Right now Kori. I will take over – you need a break.”


Fine,” Kori grumbled and Spencer smiled triumphantly before crawling off of his stool and looking at her. She walked around the counter and took his hand before allowing him to pull her out of the diner. Isabel stared after them knowing perfectly well that Scott is up to something. She didn’t want to get in the middle of this but she has a feeling that if she didn’t give Kori a light push in the right direction, she would continue to be miserable all day long and she was getting pretty tired of watching it. He just better not do anything to screw this up or she’ll kick his ass back to yesterday and make it very clear that he doesn’t deserve her best friend.