Chapter 7 - She's The Do-It-All Kind of Girl

Murphy Brown arrived home from work with Frank and Kay in tow. As they entered the house they heard the sound of beautiful violin music coming from the living room. The last time that kind of music was heard coming from that room was well before Avery was born. When walking into the living room Murphy, Kay and Frank were stopped when they saw Lisa, with headphones on, playing the violin. They watched, impressed by her playing.

"Hi everyone!" Avery Brown walked out of the kitchen wiping his hands with a dish towel.

"She's very good." Frank commented.

"She does this when she can't finish writing a song or when she's nervous. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

The doorbell rang and for a moment they were drawn away from Lisa. Avery answered the door and it was Corky. "Sorry, we're late. I had to pick up Kelly and Kenny from daycare." Kelly and Kenny were Corky's four year old fraternal twins. Kelly looked like a miniature version of Corky and Kenny looked exactly like Corky's husband, Hank, a doctor she met on a cruise. Corky had waited late in life for children, much like Murphy. She always wanted two children, a boy and a girl, and luckily she got them both in one pop. "And Hank sends his apologies. He can't make it. He had an emergency delivery."

"It's great to see you Aunt Corky." Avery hugged Corky.

Corky whispered in his ear, "I have something for you." Then she slipped a small gift into his pocket.

"Thanks Aunt Corky."

"Don't you mention it, Mr. College Graduate. We're all so proud of you." Corky smiled at Avery.

"And these aren't the little babies I remember you bringing home from the hospital? They've grown so much."

"We're this many now." Kelly tried to hold up four fingers but she had to count them before she did.

Avery smiled at the twins and they immediately wrapped themselves around his right and left legs. "Whoa. What are they doing?"

"Take us for a ride, a ride!" Kenny yelled.

"We're hoping this is just a phase they're going through. But it means they like you. At least that's what Dr. Spock says." Corky looked down at her children. "Kelly Jo, Kenny Jo, now y'all know better. Let Avery be please."

"Okay Mommy." Kelly said.

After releasing their grip on his legs Avery bent down to their level. "I'll give you a ride later, okay?" Kelly and Kenny jumped for joy.

"What's that music?" Corky asked. "I didn't know this was such a classy gathering that you'd hire a violinist."

"No, it's Lisa. She plays."

"Well she's just a do-it-all kind of girl, isn't she?"

"She sure is." Avery took Kelly and Kenny's hands and led the three of them into the living room where Frank and Kay were still intently watching Lisa play. Murphy was busy opening her mail.

"Uncle Frank!" Kenny and Kelly yelled at the same time.

"Oh no! It's the booger twins!" Kelly and Kenny ran to Frank and jumped on his legs. He started carelessly swinging them around.

"Don't call them that, Frank! You know they copy you. The other day Kenny asked one of the kids in his class to pull his finger. I wonder where he got that from?"

"You're absolutely right, Corky. I won't ever do it again…Right booger twins?"

"Right!" The kids laughed harder as Frank threw them around. Corky knew it was a lost cause.

"Wait, I know this song!" Kay said, referring to Lisa's playing.

"I don't." Murphy replied then returned to her mail.

"I do too, Kay." Corky said.

"She wore a raspberry beret. The kind you find in a second hand store. Raspberry beret. If it was warm she wouldn't wear much more. Raspberry beret." Corky, Kay, and Avery sang the chorus together.

"I love that song. That Prince is so yummy and not to mention that nice little..." Kay stopped. "Oh, Kelly and Kenny are here. When did they get here?"

"Prince? Of what?" Murphy asked as she looked at Frank confused.

"Never mind, Mom." Avery walked over, tapped Lisa on the shoulder and she jumped. Lisa quickly took off her headphones, placing them back on the borough. "They're all here."

Lisa turned around and looked at the group. "Oh God all of you saw that? Didn't you? I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be. It was beautiful." Kay said.

"Hi everyone." Lisa stood up and in her long black skirt and wrap around top she walked over to the group. "I don't think I've met you. I'm Lisa Kennedy." Lisa directed her comment to Kay.

"Very nice to meet you, Lisa. I'm Kay Carter-Shepley, executive producer of..." Kay knocked herself on the side of her head with her hand. "I keep forgetting I don't work there anymore. You'll have to excuse me, I forgot to take my ginko biloba today."

"And this must be Kelly and Kenny. They're precious Corky." Kelly and Kenny were too busy playing with Frank to even acknowledge Lisa.

Corky was just happy they didn't jump on her too. "Thank you."

"Hey, what happened to the music?" Eldin walked out of the little hallway that led to the den adjusting the collar on his dress shirt.

"Whoa, Eldin! Hot stuff!" Murphy commented.

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."

"So we're all here. Let's get started." Avery said. "I hope everyone's hungry. We're having liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti!" It was just like a film student to make the slithering sound Hannibal Lecter made in Silence of the Lambs.

Lisa rolled her eyes. "That joke is so old. And anyway, we're still missing one person. I wonder where he could be."

"Maybe the Twerp isn't going to be able to make it," Murphy said as the doorbell rang again. "Damn, spoke too soon."

Avery opened the door and was introduced to Troy. "Um, does Murphy Brown live here?"

"Yes I think so." Avery looked back. "Do you live here, Mom?"

"Unfortunately yes."

"I had trouble finding your house. This map was all wrong." Troy handed Avery a hand written map. "See, the little car is taking a right on Pennsylvania Avenue. I did that and ended up being pulled over at gun point by the secret service."

"You're supposed to take a left...hold on. Mother this is your hand writing. Come in Troy. I'm Avery, Murphy's son."

"Oops, so sorry about that Troy." Murphy laughed as she walked into the dining room. "Gee, where's my head?"

"Well, that was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Thank you, Avery." Corky said as she wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin. Everyone else weighed in their respective compliments to the chef.

"It wasn't me, Aunt Corky, it was all Lisa." Avery looked at Lisa longingly and kissed her on the cheek. "Wasn't it honey?"

"You know you helped, but thanks."

Murphy watched all of this. She was still uncomfortable with the notion of Avery and Lisa's open affection for each other. Who did this person think she was anyway, some contestant on The Dating Game? No, this was real life, not some TV show. Frank thought their fondness was refreshing, but what Avery said in his office today still weighed on him and he wondered just how real this really was. Corky, Kay and Eldin, on the other hand, thought they were sweet and it warmed their hearts to see two people so obviously in love. Troy, who had made his place at the kiddy table with Kelly and Kenny, still had no clue. He was too busy trying to make the kids laugh by blowing bubbles in his milk and using his eating utensils to facilitate in making goofy faces.

"Okay, time for desert," Avery announced. "Aunt Corky, would you give me a hand?"

"Of course." Corky rose from her seat and followed Avery into the kitchen. After they left, the room fell silent. It felt uncomfortable, so everyone focused their attention on Kelly and Kenny who were still incessantly laughing at the ridiculous farce that was Troy.

"So Lisa?" Kay asked trying to break the uncomfortable feeling. "A little bird tells me you really know your stuff when it comes to news."

"I do?" Lisa looked at Kay with confusion.

"Yes you do Lisa." Frank interjected, now tired of watching Troy make an ass out of himself. "I mean, to watch you today, saving Murphy's story the way you did, reminded me of my early days in newspaper."

"Oh great, now we've got him started on his newspaper days," Murphy added. "Let me sum it up for you so we won't have to be here until the next millennium. Frank busted this ring of park bench thieves in Central Park. He dressed up like a bum for a week and one morning found himself in a warehouse on the west side."

"It was a warehouse in Jersey! You always get that wrong. And it was a brilliant piece of investigative journalism!"

"I hope every one likes chocolate cake. I baked it myself, with Lisa's guidance of course." Avery announced returning from the kitchen with Corky in tow, placing a slice of the chocolate cake in front of every one. Avery sat down in between his mother and his girlfriend and looked around at everyone as they dug into the cake he made. He was waiting for it to happen.

"Mommy? Mommy?" Kenny ran up to Corky, plate in hand.

"Mommy will get you some more milk in just a minute. Sit back down please."

"But Mommy?"

"Kenny, what did Mommy tell you about being impatient?"

"That I'd end up like Aunt Murphy."

Corky looked at Murphy and laughed. She quickly grabbed her napkin and her son and began vigorously wiping his mouth. "The things kids come up with? I don't know where he gets it from?"

"You said that Mommy."

"Ha, ha. Sit now!" Corky leaned down and whispered in her son's ear, "We'll talk about this later."

"But Mommy?"

"Kenneth Jo! I am not happy with this behavior!" And that was all it took. Kenny started to cry. He was also trying to say something at the same time, but because of the crying no one could understand him. Corky picked him up and put him on her lap. She held him close and in some small way was trying to apologize so he'd stop crying. Instead he cried louder and continued to endlessly repeat whatever he was trying to say. "Mommy can't understand you, Kenny. Stop crying."

"He said he just wanted to know what was on his plate." Kelly stated while poking her finger in her chocolate cake.

"Is that all you wanted to know Kenny?" He shook his head and calmed down. "Okay let's see." Corky took the plate in her hand and looked at it.

"Mommy, what's on it?"

"Oh gosh Avery, I'm so sorry."

"For what Aunt Corky?"

She laid the plate down in front of him. "I mixed them up and gave this one to Kenny."

Avery stared at the plate, knowing that his plan was now foiled.

"What does that say?" Murphy asked, trying to decipher words written in what she only hoped was chocolate on her good china.

"It says..." Avery dropped to his knee, taking Lisa's hand in his. "...Will you marry me?" He retrieved a box out of his pocket and opened it, exposing a beautiful diamond ring. "I had this big speech planned, but frankly, I don't remember any part of it right now so I'll just say what I'm feeling. Lisa Santa Maria Fernanda Guadalupe Kennedy, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I'm hoping you'll do me that honor. So will you marry me?" Avery smiled at Lisa.

Lisa was in shock as she looked into Avery's eyes. She had no clue he had planned this. Sure, they had talked about marriage before, but never seriously. Lisa put her arms around Avery's neck and leaned in to whisper her answer in his ear.

Murphy's mouth was agape along with everyone else's in the room, with the exception Corky, who had known all along. Frank wasn't the last person Avery visited before he picked up Lisa from FYI, Corky was, and she helped him pick out the ring.

"For God's sake, what did she say?" Frank abruptly asked.

Avery and Lisa released their embrace and stood. "She said yes," Lisa answered.

Cheers and congratulations were heard all around as everyone hugged everyone, but one. Frank made his way over to Murphy and hugged her. "I guess you're going to be the old dreaded mother-in-law now huh, Murph?" He didn't feel anything in return. She was stunned, completely motionless. "Murph? Are you all right?" Frank looked at Murphy and for the first time in her life something had caused her unable to move or speak. He knew he had to get her out of the room so he grabbed her by the shoulders and walked her out.

"Where are you going?" Troy asked.

"We'll, be right back, right Murph?"

"Jail cell!" Through tears, those were the only words she could get out.

Frank awkwardly hugged Murphy. "She's over come with happiness, what can I say?"

Frank backed Murphy into the living room. Murphy broke away from him and headed straight for the box of tissue. "I can't believe I did that! God Frank, I probably ruined it for him."

"Aren't you happy?"

"Happy? How am I supposed to be happy? I did the same thing when I was his age and it was wrong, completely wrong. All I could see was his father and me and that Jail Cell!" Murphy wiped under her eyes, making sure her mascara had not run.

"So that's what you meant by…never mind."

"No, no. I was too young and so is he. I don't want to see him make the same mistakes I made."

"Murph, he's not a child anymore."

"He's still too young."

"Listen to me." Frank took the tissue out of Murphy's hand and began to wipe her face for her. "He's a grown man. He really loves Lisa and he wants to make a commitment, at least that's what he said when he came to see me today."

"Wait! He came to you?"

"Yes."

"You knew about this all along and you didn't warn me?"

"I didn't know, hell, I'm as surprised as you are. He wanted to talk about commitment."

"God! You talked to him about commitment! What do you know about commitment? You couldn't even keep that fern Corky gave you alive for more than a week!"

"Look who's talking about commitment! Fine! If you're going to insult me then here's your tissue back. Just deal with it yourself! I'm outta here." Frank started to walk back into the dining room. "By the way, you've got mascara on the tip of your nose."

"Sorry. I'm sorry." Murphy blew her nose. "I just can't see this happen again."