by Shelly Jones
“Damn, I was like that with Evan. It was the worst.”
“I do not like it. I’m hoping it doesn’t last long.”
“What time will Eric be home?”
“Around five. Is pizza ok for dinner,” I ask.
“Yeah that sounds fine,” my dad says.
“Does Jack need anything special on his pizza?” I ask.
“No, he’ll eat anything and everything. Thanks though.” Evan replies.
Madison comes back with her son Deacon a little while later.
“Hey Deacon,” I say and walk over, giving him a side hug.
“Hi.”
“You want a snack?”
“Sure,” he answers and smiles big.
I ask Evan if Jack can have a snack and he said sure. I make up a plate with crackers, fruits and other things and take it outside where the kids are sitting at. The adults are outside with the kids as well.
“Thanks Katie, thanks mommy,” I hear from the kids giving them their plate. I get light headed and grab the side of the table
“Katie,” I hear as Madison is grabbing my arm. “You ok?”
“Yeah just light headed a little.”
“Well sit your ass down,” she snaps at me.
All of us sit at the table and chat about everything, mainly getting to know Evan. I’ve learned that he’s thirty two and is divorced with full custody of his son Jack. He’s an Emergency room doctor and has been offered a job at the same hospital Madison is working at. He took the job to be closer to his mom when he won full custody of Jack.
Eric comes home with pizzas in hand and walks outside where we all are at. He looks around like he’s shocked there are so many people here.
“Hey,” he says.
I get up and greet him, “Hi,” I say and give him a kiss.
“Hi. How are you?”
“I’m alright. How was work?”
“Rough. Very rough,” he says. He puts the pizzas down and Ava comes up and hugs his leg. He reaches down and picks her up and cuddles her. He says something to her, but I haven’t a clue what. I’m starting to wonder his rough day had something to do with a little kid.
“Eric, this is Evan. Evan this Eric,” I introduce them. They exchange, “Hey’s’”.
Eric and Evan seem to get along good, which is a good thing since I’m pretty sure my dad and Dana are pretty serious and Evan will be a part of this family.
“Is Madison ok,” Eric leans in and asks me.
“She will be. I’ll tell you later.” I squeeze his leg.
“Well guys, as much as I would love to hang out all night. I need to get three kids home and ready for bed,” Madison says. Deacon and Charlie moan that they don’t want to leave. I tell them they’ll come hang out this weekend if they want. That made them happy to a point, but not totally.
“Yeah I should be going too,” Evan says, followed by my dad and Dana.
Eric, Ava and I say goodbye to everyone and now it’s just the three of us.
“So you want to talk about your day,” I ask.
“Just a bad accident today. Little girl involved. She’s in critical condition. Makes me wonder why I do the job I do.”
“I’m sorry babe.” I wrap my arms around him.
“So you want to tell me about this dizzy spell?”
I start laughing. “It’s normal Eric, nothing to worry about.”
“You sure?”
“Yes, if there was something wrong, I would have gone to the ER. I fainted a couple of times when I was pregnant with Ava, but that was because of stress. I, we’ll be fine.”
“Ok, I just don’t want anything happening to the three of you.”
“No worries babe, I’m one of those who listen to her body and then overreacts.”
“Ok good,” he smiles.
After Ava goes to bed, Eric’s mood shifts. There’s something wrong and I know it. I know what it is and we might as well get it out. “You’re pissed at me.”
“No,” he says.
“Well you’re not happy!”
“You’re right, but it’s none of my business.”
“Eric, if this has to do with me going to Dean’s funeral, you need to stop. I would expect you to go to Heidi’s or any other ex’s if it were to happen.”
“But why him, he put you through total hell!”
“Eric, damn it, stop. I am badass, hard-ass Katie, but I’m also the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. I’m the girl from ten, fifteen years ago. I still care about people even when they don’t deserve it. It will help put closure to this whole damn thing. I don’t care if you accept this or not. Right now it’s not your choice to make. It’s mine,” I snap.
“Then I guess there’s nothing to say is there,” he says as he paces back and forth.
“I guess not. I’m going to bed.” I get up and walk away.
It’s been a week since Dean died and today is his funeral. Against everyone’s wishes I am going. Dad has Ava, Eric and Rachel are both at work, so Madison has agreed to go with me. I wear a black mid-calf cotton dress and my black flats. I finish getting ready when Madison comes over.
“You ready,” she asks.
“Ready as I’ll ever be. Thanks for coming,” I reply.
She gives me a small laugh and grabs my arm and we head to her car.
We get the funeral home and there are not many people there. I take a deep breath and walk in. Thankfully I’m not showing yet with my pregnancy. The last thing I want is for Heidi and Reagan to know, and they are who I spot immediately. “Fuck,” I whisper.
“You want to leave?” I shake my head no and grab Madison’s hand. I walk up to the casket to say my good bye to Dean. I need this. I need to see he’s actually dead for closure.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I hear from behind me. I turn around and see Heidi glaring at me.
“Not here Heidi, not here,” I tell her.
“The fuck not here, you have NO right being here,” she snaps.
“Really, you might want to tell his mom that. She invited me.”
“Fucking liar!”
I don’t even waist my breath. I just walk past her. I see Reagan and walk up to her. “You ok?” I ask her.
“I’m fine,” she says in her normal bitch tone.
“Well ok then. Maddie, let’s go take a seat.”
“You’re not actually going to stay are you,” she asks with her eyebrow raised.
“Yeah I am. He’s as much a part of me as he is to you.”
“You’ve got balls Katie,” Reagan laughs.
“I know!” I wink at her and take a seat.
Throughout the rest of the funeral I was getting dirty looks from Heidi.
When the service was over, Madison and I walked out.
“I don’t know why the fuck you showed up! You got Eric, what fucking more do you want?” Heidi shouts.
I take a deep breath and turn on my heel. “You’re right. I got Eric, I got all of Eric, but what you idiots don’t realize is yes, that man in there lying in that casket beat the fuck out of me, but Dean was also someone I loved so much. I wanted to marry that man, spend the rest of my life with him. So yeah I got Eric, but a part of me will always love Dean despite the pain he caused to me and my family. And even the last time I saw him, I saw the Dean I once knew, but he was buried under hate not for me, but from Steve and Reagan. Really if anyone shouldn’t have been here, it should have been Reagan.” And I walk away. My head held high.
I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder and it spun me around.
“You’re a fucking bitch! I wish my brother would have killed you,” she says and spits in my face.
“Heidi! That’s enough!” I hear a voice from behind me. I turn to the right to see Eric speed walking towards me.
“Oh look, your night and shining armor is here to save the day,” she laughs.
“Fuck off Heidi,” I snap.
“Back off Heidi and I mean it. Back the fuck off of Katie,” he
warns her.
“Why? Why the fuck should I?”
“Because I am asking you too.”
“I don’t owe you shit!”
“You’re right, you don’t, but don’t you dare come another inch closer to them,” he says.
“Them? What is she pregnant?” she snaps.
She looks at me and then at Eric and starts to cry, “Go fucking figure,” and she throws her arms up in the air. “Have your fucking life. I’m done with you Eric. Fuck you and fuck her,” she cries and inches closer.
“My last and final warning; stay away.”
“Eric you won’t have to worry about Heidi. She leaves for Chicago in the morning,” a guy says from behind.
Eric starts to laugh. “Good, then you’ll make sure she goes.”
“We’re already packed,” the guy says and wraps his arms around Heidi’s waist
Eric looks down at me. “You ready to leave babe?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I say confused.
“That’s Charlie. The guy she cheated on me with.”
“Ohhhh,” I say and start laughing.
“Madison, follow us back to our place,” Eric tells her.
“Ok,” she says.
Once we’re back at the house, Madison asks, “You ok?”
“Yeah I’m good. I think I’m more than good. I’m hungry,” I laugh.
“Well then, get this girl some food,” she says.
“Madison what’s going on with you and Dylan,” Eric asks.
She laughs hard, “He’s divorcing me. He left last week to go back to Colorado.”
“Oh shit, I’m so sorry.”
“Nah, its fine, we have been miserable since day one. It’s best this way.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I ain’t leaving. This is home. I will raise my kids on my own. I’ll be fine!”
“I’m sure Katie has already said it, but if you need anything just let us know.”
“Thanks. I might need to steal your woman from time to time for a girl’s night out or in!”
“Have at her,” he laughs.
I go to our room and change out of my dress. When I come back out, Madison and Eric are whispering about something. Not sure what, but as soon as they see me, they stop talking.
“Care to share?” I raise my eyebrow at them. They both look at each other like they’ve just been busted
“Um, I was just telling Eric I thought Evan was hot.”
“And that made you smile babe?”
“Yeah, well, I only want what’s best for you girls.” Yeah I don’t buy the shit at all.
Madison leaves and Eric and I go to bed.
“You’re not mad at me are you?” I ask him.
“Not at all, you did what you had to do tonight. And as long as you’re happy, then I’m happy.”
“I am,” I say kissing him. He pulls back and smiles. I bite my lower lip, “Wanna play around for a little while?” I ask.
He chuckles, “Your wish is my command,” he says and then kisses me deeply.
Chapter 23
Eric
It’s been a month since Katie went to Dean’s funeral and life has been normal. We’re in a better place. Katie is going into her second trimester with the babies and isn’t feeling as sick. She’s got this cute little belly going on. I think she’s hot as hell. Her breasts are huge and I love them.
She’s decided to put the bakery on hold for a while and was able to get out of the lease. I’m pretty sure it pissed Rachel off, but we didn’t care. Katie wants to focus on a healthy pregnancy and I could already see the bakery would have added too much stress on her.
The weather is colder now; fall is defiantly in the air. A couple of weeks ago Katie shocked the shit out of me. She came by the firehouse with treats for all of us. I didn’t recognize her at first. Her hair went from brown to blonde. She said it was part of her “closure” with her past. I personally think she’s gorgeous as a blonde and I’ll support her no matter what especially if it means moving forward with us and not living in the past. Steve is gone, Dean is gone and so is Heidi. I’m not too worried about Reagan. Last I heard, her and Parker hooked up and are happy. Whatever, as long as she leaves me and my family alone, I could care less what she is doing or where she is.
Katie’s dad is getting married tomorrow in our backyard. These old people, when they pop the question, they don’t waste time. They get it done. My dad is his best man and Dana asked my mom to be her maid of honor. My mom is doing amazing. She’s not cured by any means, but for whatever reason the cancer hasn’t gotten worst. She keeps telling us it’s because of those gummy bears in Katie’s belly. Yep that’s what we’ve decided to call the twins, Gummy Bears. It’s kind of cute. The last time we got a look at them they looked like gummy bears. I can’t wait to meet them. I fall more in love with Katie, Ava and our gummy bears every day. I have it all planned out how I’m proposing to Katie too, and it’s happening soon.
“Earth to Eric,” Brady smacks me on the back.
“What fucker?”
“Dude, where the fuck were you?”
“Just thinking about shit.”
“Where are we setting up the tent,” Brady asks.
“Over there,” I point and start helping the guys with the tents.
“Thanks for helping out,” I tell the guys. Brady, Brody, Jeremy, Greg, and a bunch of other guys are over here helping out; their pay - free beer and an invite to the wedding.
We get the bon fire started while the girls are getting the chairs set up. I keep looking over at Katie. “I should just ask her tonight,” I say out loud.
“Do it man! Shock the shit out of her,” Brady tells me.
“I don’t want to steal her dad’s day.”
“Dude, he won’t care. Do it!”
“Nah.”
“Puss!”
“I am not! I don’t want to take away from her dad.”
“Oh yeah, like her dad would fucking care. He’d be all for it. I’m going to go ask him.”
“Ask me what,” her dad says from behind us.
“Nothing,” I say.
“Bullshit, ask me what?”
“Eric here made the comment about asking Katie tonight to marry him but he thinks it would take away from your day.”
“Well this ain’t my day yet and it would shock the shit right out of her,” he says with a smile.
“You think?”
“Eric, I’m not going to tell you what to do, but if you want to ask my little girl to marry you tonight, you have my blessing,” he says and smacks me on the back.
“Ok well I’ll think about it...”
“Just let me know in advance so we can make sure everyone is around.”
I take a moment and watch her. God I love this woman and I can’t wait for her to be my wife. Fuck it, I’m doing it. But I’m not telling anyone when I’m going to do it.
It’s about two hours into the night and everyone has eaten. We’re all sitting around talking. The girls are giggling over something, the guys and I are drinking, and the kids are playing.
“Hey, I think Eric and Katie should sing something tonight,” my dad says.
“Yeah old man, what do you want to hear?”
“Anything.”
Katie comes over by me. “We Were Us” by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert,” she says.
“You got it.” Everyone was clapping and smiling. It was a great feeling. After that song we sang “Our Kind Of Love” by Lady Antebellum and Rachel and Madison got into it with us.
Katie was singing with the girls and the kids, and even danced over by our parents.
“Ok, I want to sing something. Not just for Eric, but for Dana. Dana it’s been a really long time since I’ve seen daddy this happy. I am honored that you have agreed to love this man. I don’t think I could have picked a better woman to marry my daddy besides my mom, and I know mom is staring down at us going, ‘Well it’s about damn time dip shit!’ and dad
you know those would be her words,” Katie says and wipes a tear from her eyes. Dana and Gary’s eyes are wet. “Sorry babe, but I’m taking over,” she says and grabs my guitar.
She sang, “When You Walked Into My Life” by Lila McCann. The song gave me chills. Right then and there I knew tonight was the night. I’m asking Katie to marry me!
After Katie sang, there wasn’t a dry eye sitting around the fire pit. Even my tough guy buddies were wiping their faces.
“Oh god, can we stop with the sappy shit,” Jeremy shouts. Madison smacked that boy hard on the back of the head, making us all laugh. “What the fuck was that for?”
“Quit trying to be Mr. Macho. Your eyes are wet!”
Jeremey just shook his head in shame. She busted his ass and he knew it.
Katie turned on the radio and played “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction and “Locked out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars.
“You going to do it then?” Katie’s dad asks.
“Yes sir. If that’s ok?”
“Yeah Eric, its fine!” He stands back and smiles.
“What’s going on over here?” my dad asks.
“Well, it seems like your son is going to ask my daughter to marry him tonight.”
“No! Really?”
“Yeah dad I am.”
“Well I hate to rush you, but make it quick. Your mom is going to want to leave soon to get some sleep.”
“No problem. I just have to run inside quick,” I say with a wink at them and run into the house.
I go into the spare bedroom and grab the box I have hidden in there. I open it. “Yep, perfect,” I say looking at the one carat halo cushion cut ring with seven diamonds on each side. I’m proud of myself.
“Oh my god! Is that it,” Rachel screeches in my ear.
“Don’t you knock,” I snap.
“Fuck you! Are you? Oh my god! Tonight? Holy shit Eric it’s beautiful,” she says. It’s hard to keep up with her.
“Yes tonight! Now shush! I don’t want her knowing anything.” She takes her fingers and seals her mouth shut. I shake my head and walk away from her. My god she’s annoying! Taking a deep breath I head for the back yard and thankfully everyone is still sitting around.
Katie’s dad is thanking everyone for coming out. I’m looking at everyone here. All of our friends are here, two of her aunts and her four uncles are all here, my parents are here, everyone we love is here. I could ask her to marry me in private, but that wouldn’t be us. I fell in love with her all those years ago signing in choir, so this makes sense.