HSM3 hits Disney Channel USA on April 4th! Yay! I'm ready for a trilogy marathon - who's with me?
As always, I own nothing of HSM except several tubs full of trinkets and mementos. I hold the utmost respect for the actors and awesome production crew that brought this generation changing phenomena into our lives! Thank YOU!
Reviews & PM's are always welcome. Please, feed my addiction, and always KTZLF! -adc
Gabriella sat on the couch in the living room watching her youngest daughter play with the Barbie dolls in the floor. The little girl was completely content, for the moment, making up conversations between the dolls and lording over them. Gabriella smiled softly at the scene, adjusted her reading glasses against the bridge of her nose and then glanced back at her laptop computer.
Jon Jack had declined his father's offer to 'help' in the yard. The boy was young but not stupid. Troy had laughed when his six-year-old son gave him a pointed look and informed him, "I've done my work for the day, Dad. I played soccer and scored eight goals. What more are you expecting from me?"
Troy and Gabriella had watched their son make his way up the stairs and heard the water come on in the bathroom that he shared with his sisters. Gabriella had let the smile cover her face and an infectious giggle escaped her lips when the youngster was out of sight. "So apparently a bit of my intelligence has seeped into him." She poked at her husband. "I honestly thought he was gonna be a pure jock."
Troy rolled his eyes and stepped toward his wife to answer her with a quick kiss as he placed his thumb and index finger around her chin to raise her face to his. "No, my darling, what we've created there is a smart jock. That is more dangerous than the bulkiest kid in school. Cause the smart ones can figure out a way around that bulk and score faster than the cheerleaders can flash a dazzling smile at the players."
Gabriella raised an eyebrow as she accepted her husband's kiss. "Just how fast can a cheerleader flash that smile?" she asked with no smile on her face.
Troy thought for a moment as he pulled the less-than-sexy safety goggles over his eyes to head outside. "I can't remember…since our junior year in high school, yours was the only face I looked for during the games."
Gabriella rolled her eyes and smiled when Troy stepped back over and kissed her lips again. "Lines like that are the reason we have three kids you know."
Troy chuckled as he went outside. "And the very reason we took measures not to have four!"
She now heard the weed eater buzzing in the front yard. She looked again at Becca Beth who turned one of the dolls toward her mom. "Who's this one Mommy?"
"Barbie, Sweet Pea. And the boy's name is Ken." She suggested.
Her baby girl picked up the boy doll and made the figure press its lips to those of the female doll. Gabriella furrowed her brow, suddenly very interested in what kind of scene Becca Beth was playing out in that little brain. The little girl ignored her mother's look and apparently the character names she had just provided.
"Toy, not in fwont of da tids." The little voice squeaked. Becca pulled the dolls apart and took the boy doll's hand and placed it somewhat lovingly on the girl doll's behind, patting it gently. Becca's little play continued with a slightly different voice. "Dat's alwight Baby at weast dey know we wuv each odder."
The little girl caused the dolls to kiss again before breaking them apart and heading back over to the other group of stuffed animals that she had placed on the floor. Gabriella just smiled and looked out the living room window to see her husband evening up the grass at their front sidewalk.
She couldn't help but smile and nibble on her bottom lip knowing their youngest daughter was bright enough to pick up on one of their 'adult-only' conversations. Little Miss Mischievous would likely keep them from having a fourth child. She was quite the handful to keep up with.
Between the little one, school and athletic schedules for their two older children, and their own workloads Gabriella was finding the thought of even grocery shopping to be a major task. They were just a couple of weeks into the spring schedule routine – if such a beast actually existed – and she was already ready to lock herself in the house.
When the sound of the trimmer ceased outside she simply figured Troy was finished. She went back to the document in front of her on the computer and waited for him to come back in the house so she could steal a sweaty kiss from the love of her life and share with him the scene she had just witnessed.
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Troy was a little shocked to see the Volvo sedan pull up in their driveway. When the family had left Jon Jack's soccer game that morning, nothing had been said about an afternoon meeting with his mother. And as he glanced closer it wasn't just Lucille Bolton sitting in the car, but his mother-in-law occupied the passenger seat.
Troy quickly turned off the weed-eater, slid the safety glasses to the top of his head and walked over to the car. He opened the door for Maria and tried to hide the worry that had invaded his head.
"Hey Moms." He tried to keep his voice calm but his eyes betrayed him. "Everything ok?"
Maria stepped out of the car and stood momentarily next to her son-in-law. She smiled and placed a hand on his sweaty cheek. Troy noted that both women were wearing jeans, t-shirts and sweaters indicating that they weren't here for a shopping excursion.
Gabriella's mom smiled at him and moved her hand from his cheek, but tiptoed to kiss him in that same spot, which worried Troy even more. He looked down into Maria's eyes which matched Gabriella's. "What's up?" he tried to ask again.
"Everything is fine Troy. Just, after talking to Gabriella at Jon Boy's game this morning, we decided that she needs a little break." Maria answered him.
The worried look only deepened in Troy's eyes. He was supposed to know his wife better than anyone. He was supposed to be in tune with her. Their connection was deeper than anything Troy had ever experienced…and it had been since the second time they met. If Gabriella needed a break, why didn't he see it?
"A break from me?" He smiled and tried to laugh, albeit nervously.
"No Sweetheart." Lucille answered from across the top of the car as she began to head toward the house. "We think she could probably use some Gabriella and Troy time, without the kids. Do you think you could possibly dote on your wife for a couple of days?"
"Have I missed something?" Troy's nervousness was now beginning to show through his joking front.
Lucille walked around the front of the car and put a hand on her son's shoulder. "Just call it Mothers' Intuition, Darling. Gabriella has just made some little comments over the past few weeks." She looked into Troy's worried eyes and rubbed a thumb across his cheek. "Honey she loves you and the kids and will make every little twist and turn in your lives work. But sometimes even the most devoted 'moms' need a little break from mothering."
Troy looked down at his hands for a moment trying to understand what Lucille and Maria were telling him. He obviously had missed some signs that Gabriella needed a break. He wasn't sure if he should be grateful to their mothers, or concerned that it was them, and not him, coming to the rescue.
Maria placed a hand on his back and encouraged Troy to come with them into the house. "We're taking the kids Troy. Lucille and I are both off Monday and Tuesday. Jack is off Monday as well. Luce and Jack have pulled some strings and you and Briella are off on Monday as well. What the two of you do with the time off is up to you. But we'll have the kids. They won't miss school, they won't miss a practice, they'll be in good hands."
As they approached the front door Troy stopped and shook his head. "Wait, you've arranged for us to have Monday off? Gabriella's got a trial that starts on Monday. I've got a team on the way to the state tournament. We can't miss work right now."
Lucille raised a finger to his lips. "That's exactly the reaction we're expecting from Gabriella. This is why we didn't ask either of you about this. We know she's going to fight us about it. Your role in this plan is to assure her that it's all fine…because it is. There is nothing more important than keeping her happy Troy. She's putting on a good front. But here's a chance for a little break. Help her take it."
Troy looked at his mother's eyes and shifted his own back and forth across her face. He looked at Maria who simply nodded in agreement with Lucille.
"She's not going to like this." Troy shook his head as he thought more about their impromptu plan.
"And you're going to feel the brunt of that disapproval." Lucille looked pointedly at Troy's face. "But neither of you have a choice. We're taking the kids. You're taking care of your wife. No questions asked. The court case will begin on Tuesday due to a family emergency. Your team captain and assistant coaches will take care of Monday's workout." Troy looked down at his feet as though he was receiving a punishment.
When he looked back up and saw the parental faces looking back at him he only had one choice. He nodded and then proceeded to open the front door and let his mothers into their house.
"Hey Wildcat you're gonna love this..." Gabriella began when she heard the door open. "Becca Beth made her dolls kiss and…" her voice stopped abruptly when she saw the faces of not only Troy, but her mom and mother-in-law looking back at her.
"What's going on?" she asked suddenly, easily reading beyond the smiles that were positioned on the grandmothers' faces. "Is Coach ok?" Gabriella quickly formed a concerned look on her face and widened her eyes as she removed her reading glasses.
Maria smiled at her. "The Coach is just fine. It's you we're a little worried about. You need a break Honey."
Gabriella looked at Troy and then back at the other women. "When don't I need a break?" she attempted to joke.
Lucille was the one who walked over and sat down on the couch beside her daughter-in-law. Troy excused himself momentarily to simply wash the yard work off his hands and face. Maria came and removed the laptop computer from its indentations on Gabriella's legs.
"We," Lucille pointed between herself and Maria, "each had one child. And Maria knows far better than I do that you just reach a breaking point. Every mom does."
Maria nodded before Gabriella could comment. "When you start believing that you can handle it all on your own something smacks you and reminds you that you aren't Wonder Woman. So before you get to that point, we're here to help." Maria watched as Lucille ran a hand through Gabriella's soft hair.
Gabriella threw them each a confused look and then looked past them to see Troy standing with his arms crossed against the doorframe. "I have no clue what you're talking about." She shared, but the look on her face told Troy especially, that their mothers were correct.
"Do you remember what we were talking about at Jon's game today?" Lucille asked.
Gabriella thought back to their conversation. She didn't think of it as anything more than what they normally talked about at any of the kids' games. Maria, Lucille and Papa Jack tried their best to make as many of the soccer, softball and basketball games that they could. Even helping transport the kids if Troy was tied up coaching games, or if Gabriella had an intense case load.
"We were just talking about the kids' schedules. Isn't that what we normally talk about?" Gabriella looked toward Troy for some indication of what was going on. He crossed his arms a little tighter around his chest and then shrugged his shoulders.
"Sweetheart," Maria sat down on the other side of Gabriella and placed a hand on her daughter's thigh. "You were rambling off dates and times like a computer scheduling service. You were talking about Troy's upcoming trip and how you were planning to get the kids to and from all the stuff they're involved in."
Gabriella looked at her mom and shrugged her shoulders.
"Not once did you ask for us to help you. You talked about taking off work to make everything happen while Troy's gone. You never asked me to come spend a single night with you while he's out of town. Usually I spend a couple of nights here while the state tournament is going on." Maria seemed a bit hurt.
"And Jack said you haven't even talked to him about the Wildcats this season. I know the two of you end up going out for a beer after a couple of the games each season." Lucille's statement caused Gabriella's eyes to widen and look over toward her husband. Troy's eyes were also wide and filled with curiosity.
"You do what?" Troy asked quietly as Lucille continued.
"Jack has missed his father/daughter chats this season. He's actually the one who asked me if you were doing ok. Then after talking to Maria we started piecing things together." Lucille watched as Gabriella smiled a bit at Troy and then shook her head.
"I just have a lot on my mind. The kids are into a lot and I've got a big case coming up and Troy will be out of town…" Gabriella started going over the schedule again in her mind.
"And because of that we are going to help you. Whether you ask for it or not, we will be helping you." Lucille attempted to insist.
"No, we'll be just fine." Gabriella argued back lightly. "It'll be a rough week, but we'll be fine."
"Yes, you will, because we will be helping out." Maria now insisted as her hand squeezed Gabriella's leg. "You are not Super Woman. We have been your support team since before you and Troy married. And we will continue to be here and help you as long as we can." Maria's voice was that of the mother Gabriella had clung to in her younger years.
"Mom, I need to do this. You and Lucille…you've raised your kids. Our three are mine and Troy's responsibility. I'll get it worked out. Troy's only gone a week, it's really no big deal." She practically spat the regurgitated words from her mouth.
From across the room Troy finally saw what his mom and Maria had seen earlier that day and the previous week. He stepped forward knowing the lecture wasn't going to change his wife's mind. He wasn't sure why Gabriella wasn't accepting their help. But he now realized that their offer of a few days without the kids was one he would willingly accept.
"Maria," Troy interrupted. "Becca's in the playroom and Jon just got out of the shower. Would you mind checking on them?" he suggested innocently.
Gabriella immediately began to stand up until Lucille grabbed her arm and Troy stood directly in front of her. "Surprise Baby." He smiled at her intense brown gaze knowing his wife would put him through a complete inquisition once they were finally alone.
Troy looked at his mom who still sat by Gabriella's side. "Mom, Dad and Maria are taking the kids for the next couple of days. That way we can have a little time together, without worrying about practice schedules or what field the game is on."
Gabriella situated herself back against the couch and looked at her husband. "Did you plan this? Because we'll be fine Troy. I don't need to bother your mom to help us."
Lucille was a bit taken aback. She had never considered it a bother to help with her grandchildren. "Honey it's no bother…" she began but Troy touched his mom's knee.
"Gabriella, Baby, it's a lot to handle this year. Mac has a lot more practices and Jon's got games and his class…and even Becca has stuff going on. You don't have to handle it all on your own when we have grandparents right here willing to help." Troy tried to ease her nerves.
"I can raise our children Troy. I may not do as well as Lucille did or alone like my mom did, but I can do it. I swear to you I can." The line brought tears to Gabriella's eyes and a look of shock to Lucille's face.
"I'm gonna go help Maria for a minute." Lucille began but Troy stopped her.
"Let me do that. I'll go pack their stuff." Troy pushed himself up using his hands on Gabriella's knees. Her look was a little foreign to Troy but he recognized it as he turned to leave. She was determined to prove something to herself but the process of doing it was eating her up inside. He hadn't seen that look since their senior year in high school.
Gabriella and Lucille sat quietly on the couch for a few minutes as they listened to the sounds of the children's voices getting more and more excited about spending time with their grandparents.
"You raised…a pretty perfect son." Gabriella finally said with her face still pointing away from her mother-in-law. "Guess I've done pretty well hiding that since Jon was born. Having Becca certainly helped." She let her shoulders slump knowing that Lucille was now more confused than she had been just moments ago.
The older woman stretched a hand out and placed it on Gabriella's shoulder. "I'm sorry." Lucille nearly whispered. "I don't understand." Gabriella could hear the tears hiding in Lucille's voice.
She kept her back turned but placed one of her own hands on top of Lucille's on her shoulder. Gabriella used her other hand to gently wipe at her eyes. "I should be the one apologizing." She tried to start again and found herself looking at her own lap.
"When Mac was born, having a baby was new and sharing her was amazing. To see the looks on your face and Coach's and Mom's… We had five years to spoil her and make sure she was heading in the right direction. Then…Jon Jack came along." Gabriella stopped there and took a long breath.
She turned her body to face more toward Lucille's, brining one of her knees up on the couch and tucking it underneath her other leg. "Troy wanted a son, I wanted to give him a son…having a little boy was perfect. And everytime I watch Troy play with the kids, or give you a hug, or work with his players at school…I just can't help but think that you have raised a near-perfect son. Troy is considerate, loving, devoted…and you taught him all those things. I guess when I went back to work, after Jon was born, it started eating at me. How could I possibly raise our son as well as you raised Troy?"
Lucille ducked her head as she listened to Gabriella's words. "You can't…Troy's far from perfect. Our situations are so different. Gabriella, Sweetheart, you can't compare your situation to mine. I was a stay-at-home mom. But…I…" she couldn't find the words to say and began to let the teardrops roll down her cheeks.
"If anything," Lucille worked to think of her words carefully, "I could say that you've been that positive influence on Troy's life. He's a good kid. I won't hesitate to brag on him." She smiled as Gabriella glanced at her face. "But Troy did a LOT of growing up when you entered the picture. He became a lot more considerate of others. He began making his own decisions, truly, adult decisions. And he discussed those decisions with you. He came to me and Jack to tell us about decisions that the two of you had made, not to ask our opinion. So technically Gabriella, you raised Troy at a very critical turning point in his life. If you hadn't come along he wouldn't have discovered the theater. He would have gone to the University of Albuquerque and we wouldn't have questioned his decision. But somewhere down the road he would have. And, he may have regretted that decision. But because of you, he looked at his choices. He really sat down and weighed his options. Berkeley wasn't just because of you. It was because Troy made the choice."
Lucille stopped for a moment and wiped a couple of tears from Gabriella's face and then from her own. "I'm getting off the subject here. I'm a little jealous of you Gabriella Bolton." She smiled at the surprised look on her daughter-in-law's face. "You mean it hasn't been obvious?" Gabriella shook her head gently in answer.
"You have three beautiful children. You manage to hold down a full time job. You are a housekeeper, taxi driver, nurse, chef, wife and so many other occupations all rolled into one. And you keep my son and my grandchildren happy. You brought my son home to me and gave me those grandchildren. How can I not offer to help you from time to time."
Lucille opened her arms and welcomed the warmth of Gabriella's body leaning in to hers. "My Dear. You are absolutely right." She whispered against Gabriella's hair. "You can raise your children. You prove that every day. There is no denying that they are your children. But please don't take them away from me, and Jack and Maria. We know how hard it is for you when Troy is away. What you don't know is how much pride we take in being able to help you during that time."
Gabriella leaned back and looked at Lucille. "They love spending time with you. And I do too." She admitted. "I don't know what hit me. Maybe the schedules…maybe just knowing how much I'm gonna miss Troy when he's gone. It really shouldn't be any different this year. I know that."
Lucille sucked in a breath and looked Gabriella directly in the eye. "Are you pregnant again? Could this be hormones talking??" she asked with a bit of hope in her voice.
Gabriella looked shocked for a moment before answering. "Um…Tubes tied after Becca was born." She pointed to herself. "And remember last year when Troy had some 'minor surgery'?"
Lucille nodded with a slight pout on her lips.
"Little Miss Mischievous, coupled with Little Mr. I-am-Jack-Bolton's-grandson pushed Troy to…well…snip, snip?" Gabriella worked to get her point across.
Lucille's eyes widened. "Troy had a vasectomy?"
Gabriella nodded with a slight blush on her face. Troy didn't really want his parents to know that three was their final count on grandchildren. They loved each one of them so much. But knowing that Gabriella was content with their family at that point he didn't want to put any more pressure on her to have more children. And both would admit, with Troy's surgery – even with three kids in the house – their sex life had found renewed energy as well.
"You didn't hear it from me." Gabriella added as she accepted tissues from Lucille to try and put themselves back together. They looked at each other and laughed.
"So no more arguing about us helping with the kids while Troy's gone to tournament, right?" Lucille came back into her mothering role.
Gabriella shook her head. "No, but can I ask for a little extra help this time?"
Lucille smiled widely. "Anything. Well, almost anything. You aren't going with Troy are you? I am still the grandmother who likes being able to send her grandkids back home after a night or two." She joked.
"I think I owe Coach a couple of beers over ballgames. Do you think I can accomplish that during tournament time?"
Lucille laughed and nodded just as Troy and Maria came back into the room. Before Troy's mom could add anything else to the conversation Gabriella felt her husband's arm wrap around her.
"Things ok in here?" he whispered into her ear and sighed when he felt his wife lean back into his hold around her waist.
"Yeah." Gabriella shared and smiled at the loving looks coming from both of their mothers. "Yeah, just fine."
"So what's this about you and dad having beers and discussing my basketball team? How come I haven't heard about this one?" Troy wondered with only a slight hint of amusement in his voice. "You don't even drink beer." He added with eyebrows scrunched.
"How about you two discussing that once we have the kids all wrapped up and out of here?" Lucille interrupted.
Gabriella looked around the room and noticed the two small suitcases and one medium sized one sitting near the door. "Sorry, but I need to back up a few minutes. What's going on with our kids?"
The sound of a ball bouncing down the steps and two young voices arguing stopped the explanation.
"I gonna sweep wif Gwammy an Papa." Becca practically screamed.
"Uh-uh. You gotta sleep on the floor in the bedroom where there ain't a bed. I'm sleepin' in Daddy's old room."
"No you not!" the voices continued to rise.
Gabriella immediately stood from the couch. When Troy grabbed her hand she simply smiled at him. "I've got this one Babe." She announced with a voice that proclaimed her, Gabriella Bolton – Mother of three.
"Jonathan Jackson Bolton. Ain't is not a word. And you will sleep where Grammy and Papa Jack tell you to sleep. Becca Beth Bolton…" her voice softened slightly. "You like sleeping in the other bedroom, remember? That's where Mommy used to sleep when she came home with Daddy to visit Grammy and Papa before we got married." She tried to remind the four-year-old.
Lucille looked directly at Troy. "So explain to me why I always found you in the spare room and Gabriella in your bed if she was occupying the spare room on those trips??" Troy feigned innocence at his mother's accusing tone.
Maria laughed under her breath and leaned toward Lucille to add her thoughts on the matter. "Be glad they were in the house and not in the tree." Troy managed not to laugh but couldn't hide his blush.
All three of them looked back at Gabriella in the doorway holding Becca and attempting to keep Jon Jack from kicking his soccer ball through the living room window. She cleared her throat and aimed her statement at all of the adults in the room. "Not helping matters here." She plainly stated as Jon Jack looked toward his father and gently tapped the ball in Troy's direction.
"Daddy why would you take a girl up to the tree house? That sounds boring." His six year old voice mumbled.
The look Gabriella sent to Troy was enough to keep him from answering yet it sent Becca scrambling from her mother's arms in search of the dolls she had been playing with earlier.
The parents watched and listened with burning ears as Becca came back toward them with Barbie and Ken…aka Troy and Gabriella. Maria and Lucille nearly choked as they watched their granddaughter playing out a scene she had obviously witnessed at some point.
"Toy did you wock da door?" her little voice tried to inunciate.
"Baby it jus like da twee house." She pushed the dolls lips together making Troy and Gabriella blush in front of their moms. "…as wong as we be qiet…"
Gabriella covered her mouth trying to keep the embarrassed laugh from escaping while Troy stared at his youngest daughter.
Jon Jack proceeded to smack Becca Beth on the back of the head setting off another round of near screams.
And after threatening her youngest children with trips to the doctor instead of to their grandparents' homes, Gabriella turned back to Lucille and Maria.
"You really want them?" she asked with a shake of her head. "If you really want them, please take them. This would be why there are only three Bolton grandchildren." With a sigh she still accepted the raised eyebrows and sexy smile that Troy was sending in her direction.
Lucille and Maria smiled at all of their children that stood before them. Their smiles said it all. They wouldn't have it any other way.
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Scenarios: Hawaii a book by adcgordon is now available at AuthorHouse dot com; Amazon dot com; or BarnesandNoble dot com . Thanks for all your support! -adc
