Chapter 3 - Turning in for the Night
Brian pulled into the driveway of a two-story yellow house. Barbara looked at the house and then at Brian impressed.
"You live here?" she asked.
"Yeah", he answered. "It's no castle, but it's home."
"It's still more than what I have."
Brian switched the engine off and opened the door for her.
"Everyone's probably asleep", he said. "So we have to be quiet."
"Where am I going to sleep?" Barbara asked.
"Well I usually sleep on Peter and Lois' bed", Brian said. "You should probably sleep on the living room couch."
"You don't have a guest room?"
"No, and you probably shouldn't sleep in any of the kids' rooms. God knows what Stewie would do if he wakes up and sees you."
Stewie opened his eyes and yawned as he sat up.
"Lois!" he called. "I'm awake, Lois!"
From the corner of his room, he heard a feminine voice yawning. In the corner of his room was Barbara.
"Aah!" Stewie screamed. "Oh my god! Oh my god!"
He reached under his pillow and pulled out a handgun he hid there just in case. He opened fire and shot at Barbara.
"Yeah, that wouldn't be good", Brian said.
They walked to the front door where Brian unlocked the door. Barbara walked inside and looked at the pictures on the wall. There were three pictures of three kids. One picture was a fat kid in a blue suit with a yellow cap.
"That's Chris", Brian said pointing them out.
The next picture was a girl in a pink shirt wearing a matching pink hat. She had short brown hair and wore glasses.
"That's Meg."
"Let me guess", Barbara said looking at the final picture. "That's Stewie, right?"
The last picture was a baby with a football shaped head. He wore a yellow shirt with red overalls. He had an angry expression on his face.
"Yep, that's Stewie", Brian said. "Why don't you go ahead and make yourself comfortable on the couch. I'll bring you a spare blanket."
"Brian, you don't have to do that. I'm a stray, remember? I have no need for a blanket."
"No, you need a blanket", he said. "Look at you. You're hurt. You need to keep warm."
Brian walked down the hallway to the closet. Barbara watched him as she sat on the couch.
"Wow, he's more stubborn than me", she said to herself.
For the first time she noticed how soft the couch was. Barbara had never sat on anything as soft as this. Her whole life she has slept on nothing but cold concrete, splintery wood or rusty metal. She shook as she remembered how much those things hurt.
Brian came back with a spare blanket to find Barbara lying on the couch already sleeping. He smiled as he covered her with the blanket. She must've been really tired. After all she'd been through tonight, he wouldn't blame her. Anyone would be tired.
Brian went upstairs and made himself comfortable at the edge of Peter and Lois' bed. He closed his eyes ready to drift off to sleep. The last thing he saw in his mind was Barbara's peaceful sleeping face.
