A/N: Look, two in one week! Another adorable family fic. I will willing admit I love the Imagination Movers. If you have never heard of them, check them out!
I OWN NOTHING
"Hurry Jess, we have to get home!" Don prodded as his wife signed her name on the credit card machine. They were out buying the last minute things for Eli. However, they had big plans for the evening. They were taking Maeli to the Imagination Movers concert. She loved the show and truth be told her parents enjoyed it too. Don had never really watched it, until he had his two weeks of leave and watched it with Maeli every morning before school. He thought the episodes were quite funny and he didn't want to beat his head in after watching them. They got Maeli the tickets for Christmas. It was her big present for the year. They hadn't yet informed her that they got the "Mini Mover Upgrade" which gave them seats in the first ten rows and admission to the "mover party" after the show where she would actually get to meet the movers! This was really going to be their last big family outing before Eli was born. They were going to make it special. They were going to go out to dinner and then to the show.
"Donald, you cannot hurry a woman who is eight months pregnant," Jess scowled. Don threw up his hands defensively.
Maeli was a little ball of excitement when they picked her up from school and from the look of exasperation on her teacher's face; it appeared she had been that way most of the day.
"I'm sorry, we should have just kept her home today," Don laughed.
"Oh, it's ok. I'm sure I'll get the whole story about the movers on Monday," the teacher returned with a soft smile.
They decided to let Maeli pick where to go for dinner, she of course decided on the restaurant with the best macaroni.
"What have you eaten a lot of this pregnancy, so I can know to stock up when Eli gets older?" Don teased as they walked back to the car.
"I don't know, Jello?" Jess laughed.
"I thought you hated Jello." Don mentioned.
"I do, but I crave it," she shrugged.
"Come on, we can't be late for the 'magination movers!" Maeli urged, pulling her father towards the car.
"Ok Bug, hold your horses!" Don laughed.
The entire concert, Maeli was on her feet. She was dancing and singing. She stood between her father's legs as he sang along. Jess didn't even try to stand. The loud music stimulated Eli and he was doing summersaults the entire time.
"You ok?" Don asked as Jess walked slowly behind them to where they were supposed to meet for the mini mover party.
"Yeah, my insides are no longer being assaulted. Your son enjoyed the show as well," she laughed.
Maeli rushed into the room with all the other kids. They all went straight to the healthy snacks laid out on a small table in the corner. Maeli returned to her parents with a handful of carrot sticks.
"Where are the movers?" she wondered with her mouth full.
"They are coming sweeite, and don't talk with your mouth full, please," Jess reprimanded. Jess looked at her family. They were all dressed alike. Don thought it would be fun to have shirts made so Maeli would actually get something in the gift rather than just a piece of paper. They were blue t-shirts with their names in the yellow and red circles to the right side, just like the movers jumpsuits. Jess's had and extra circle over her belly that said "Mini mover in the making: Eli".
Don watched the carrots fall from his daughter's hand and her little mouth drop open as the four movers walked into the room. She patted his leg, wanting to be held.
"There they are," she whispered in his ear. "Rich, Dave, Smitty, Scott," she added, pointing at each one.
"Let's get in line to meet them," he instructed. He could tell Jess was about ready to go home. They knew going into it, this would be a long night for Jess, but she wasn't going to miss it for the world. This was a big deal to Maeli and they were going all out. Don set Maeli down in front of the movers. She looked up at the four men.
"My name is Mover Scott, what is your name?" Scott asked, kneeling down. Maeli started at him for a second, wide eyed.
"My name is Maeli Arabella Flack and I'm going to have a little brother soon named Eli Donald Flack," she blurted.
"Oh wow, that is so exciting. It is nice to meet you Mover Maeli," Scott replied, glancing at her parents. Maeli stepped forward and hugged him fiercely.
"I wanted to name my brother Scott, because your my favorite," she whispered. Scott laughed and picked Maeli up.
"Mover Maeli, these are my friends, Mover Dave, Mover Smitty, and Mover Rich," he introduced. "This is Mover Maeli," he continued. Maeli spent the next few moments with the movers. Jess snapped as many pictures as she could. Eventually Jess and Don told the movers they like the show and were happy with what it taught Maeli. All three of them got a group shot and went on their way.
Maeli chattered the entire way home about the meeting the movers. She was talking about calling Mac and telling him the whole store. Don shook his head, he wouldn't subject Mac to that if he could avoid it. He noticed Jess was nearly asleep in the passenger street. He reached over and threaded his fingers through hers. She opened her eyes briefly and gave him a tired smile. Maeli gave up talking and was singing along to the cd.
Jess went straight to bed, leaving Don to calm Maeli down. They watched a couple recorded episodes of Imagination Movers and by the end of the second one, she had drifted off. Don put her in bed and continued towards the home office. He had commandeered Jess's phone before she went to bed so he could look at the pictures from the evening. I printed off a couple of the ones of just Maeli and movers and enlarged the entire group shot. He found a particularly good one where Maeli and Mover Scott were having an animated conversation. He cropped that one appropriately and printed it as well. He dug around in the box in the corner until her found a couple frames. He filled one and set it on Maeli's night stand and filled another, setting it on Jess's nightstand.
Jess was awakened by the mixed sounds of humming and singing. She rolled over to see her husband sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling on his socks.
"Remove your shoes from the left and the right, grip the tops of your socks and you pull um up tight," he sang.
"Are you singing about putting your socks on?" she asked tiredly.
"No, I'm singing about bouncing, it's a mover's song and it's stuck in my head," he admitted.
"Boy, are you going to get picked on today," she teased.
"And you're going to hear all about Mover Scott until you are blue in the face," he tossed back.
"I'll just have her call both sets of grandparents and all of her aunts and uncles. She can tell all of them all about the concert," Jess planned.
"Smart plan, I like it," Don approved. "I printed some of the pictures," he mentioned pointing out the frame.
"She had so much fun," Jess noted, engrossing herself in the pictures.
"I know, it was a good night," he smiled. "I've got to get to work, but I will see you when I get home. Call me if you need me," he added.
"Ok, love you," Jess replied.
"Love you too," Don smiled before leaving the room. She could still hear him singing what she assumed was an Imagination Movers song.