Her Journey Begins (21 page)

  
“
Well
…
After we dropped you off, Brent and I went and checked out those two apartments.
”

Chris grins.
“
Are you in a hurry to move?
”

Brandon looks at her with that mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
“
Yeah, I think I am. I
’
m kind of excited at the thought that you and I will be living in our own place, not having to sneak around and hurry to get home. We can go to bed together, make love and fall asleep next to each other. I think I
’
m going to like that.
”
He stands up and puts his arms around her.
“
Brent
’
s mom and dad would like to meet you.
”

   
“
Oh Brandon, no
…”

Squeezing her tighter he whispers,
“
It
’
s okay. They aren
’
t like my mom. You
’
ll like them.
”

  
“
Me liking them, is not the problem Brandon. It
’
s them liking me that I
’
m worried about.
”

  
“
Well you are going to meet them and they are going to love you. They invited us to dinner Friday.
”

  
“
Alright, if I have to. Now
…
tell me about the apartments.
”

  
“
Well one is furnished and one isn
’
t. The furnished one is $25.00 more a month, which makes sense, but it is also, well it is to me, in a nicer complex. So I think I would feel better leaving you there at night by yourself, when I
’
m at work or school. Besides if we take the unfurnished one, we are going to have to get furniture. We
’
ll go by both of them tomorrow after school so you can see what you think.
”

  
“
Can we afford an apartment right now?
”

  
“
Yes, I have some money saved up, so I will pay two months in advance and by the time the rent is due again, I
’
ll be working here full time. I don
’
t want you to worry about it, okay?
”

  
“
Don
’
t worry, I
’
m not yet. Right now, I
’
m too busy worrying about meeting Brent
’
s parents. Ugh!
”



   Barb wakes up during the night, she stops and listens at Chris
’
door, then continues down the stairs. Walking into the living room a smile spreads across her face. There
’
s Brandon and Chris asleep on the couch, both fully dressed, spooning, Brandon has his arm around Chris. They must have fallen asleep. The blanket is folded on the chair and Chris still has her shoes on.
These late hours are probably getting to them both. Thankfully they will be done with school next week.
Barb picks up the blanket, covers them up and goes back upstairs.



   Rolling over to face him, Chris sees Brandon smiling at her.
“
What are you doing? We can
’
t do that here.
”

He kisses her,
“
Well, I wouldn
’
t be getting excited if you weren
’
t wiggling.
”

  
“
Come on we have got to get up and get ready for school. Do you want to take a shower?
”

  
“
With you?
”
He asks as he slides his hand up under her shirt.

  
“
No
…
Brandon
…
Behave yourself.
”

  
“
No, I
’
ll take a shower at school before first period. That is if we get moving.
”



  They agreed they would wear their rings.  If anyone inquired they
’
d tell them, but otherwise, they decided they would keep it quiet. Nobody at school knows she
’
s pregnant, except her, Brandon, and Brent, so when Amber asks Brandon what
’
s up with the ring, he innocently tells her, that they got married yesterday. It didn
’
t take Amber long to spread it around the school and for it to get back to Chris, when one of the cheerleaders walks up to her.
“
You
’
re pregnant?
”

Chris smiles at her,
“
What gives you that impression?
”

  
“
Well Amber
’
s telling everyone that you and Brandon had to get married because, and this is Amber
’
s words not mine.
“
The little slut couldn
’
t keep her legs together.
”

Chris laughs and tells the cheerleader,
“
Whatever
”
And walks away.



   Barb is just finishing the dishes when she hears the doorbell.

  
“
Hi, may I help you?
”

  
“
You must be Barb.
”
Barb smiles and nods at her.

  
“
I
’
m Mary, Brent
’
s mom. May I come in?
”

  
“
Yes, please come in. I
’
m sorry you just caught me by surprise. Would you like a cup of coffee?
”

  
“
I
’
d like that, thank you.
”
Mary follows Barb into the kitchen.
“
You are probably wondering what I
’
m doing here.
”

Barb hands her, her coffee.
“
Sit
…
please.
”

  
“
Brandon
’
s dad stopped by and talked to me last night and I was wondering if you might help me.
”

Barb looks at her suspiciously.
“
Help you with what?
”

Mary smiles,
“
It
’
s not what you think. Brandon
’
s dad asked me to go out and get some things the kids will need. And I thought maybe you would be interested in helping me shop and
…
We could give them a reception party.
”

Barb chuckles,
“
You had me scared for a minute.
”

  
“
I
’
m sorry.
”

  
“
So why is he doing this? I thought they were against Chris and Brandon
”

  
“
No, Brandon
’
s dad doesn
’
t share his wife
’
s view on this, and if she were to find out what he
’
s doing, well
…
So will you help?
”

 
“
Of course. Where do you want to start?
”



   Getting into the car Brandon is grinning at her,
“
How was your day my promiscuous wife?
”

 
“
I take it you
’
ve heard the rumors? See, I told you, I
’
ll never get rid of that moniker.
”

Brandon pushes out his lower lip.
“
Sorry
…”

  
“
Yeah, I bet you are. So, are we going to look at the apartments?
”

  
“
If you want. I take it you didn
’
t like sleeping on the couch with me.
”

  
“
I liked sleeping on the couch with you, but I
’
d rather sleep in bed with you and not in my clothes.
”

  
“
I love the way you think.
”

  
“
I knew you would. Now why did you tell Amber we got married?
”

  
“
We agreed that if someone asked
…”

  
“
I know
…
Never mind.
”



   They go check out both apartments. Looking at the furnished one last, Chris agrees with Brandon, this one is better. Brandon pays the first and last month
’
s rent and the $100 security deposit and the manager hands him the keys. Brandon opens the door and picks Chris up. The manager smiles and walks away.

  
“
Brandon. What are you doing?
”

  
“
Carrying my wife over the threshold.
”
He kisses her and whispers,
“
Chris, I want to stay here tonight.
”

  
“
But Brandon, we don
’
t even have sheets for the bed.
”

  
“
I can go get some sheets while you are at work and maybe we can get some blankets from either your mom or Brent
’
s mom. Chris, are you scared?
”

   
“
A little
…
But if you want to, then we will. We should make up a small list of what we are really going to have to have. We
’
ll need some dishes, towels, sheets
…”

  
“
Whoa
…
Slow down.
”
Brandon laughs as he puts his arms around her.
“
For tonight we just need sheets, blankets, and pillows. The rest
…
we will sit down and make a list and put on it things we can
’
t live without.
”
Chris
’
stomach starts gurgling.
“
And food should be number one on the list. Oh Chris, I love you so much.
”
Brandon places his hand on Chris
‘
stomach.
“
And I love our little girl, too.
”

  
“
Oh so you think it
’
s a little girl?
”
Smiling Chris places her hand over his,
“
I think so too.
”



   After they eat dinner at Barb
’
s Brandon drops Chris off at work and then takes the bedding over to the apartment before he runs to the store to pick up some food.



  
“
Hello beautiful.
”

Chris smiles at him and then glances at the clock.

  
“
Hi you. You
’
re early again.
”

  
“
I know. I
’
m getting antsy. I want to take you home.
”

  
“
Did you get the bed made and go to the store?
”

  
“
Yes I did and I hope you like powder sugar donuts.
”

  
“
Oh wow, we are going to be having a gourmet breakfast tomorrow. So what do we get to wash down those donuts? And please don
’
t tell me milk.
”