Chapter 9: Young Family Life
The baby gurgled as Rory bounced her in her arms, while trying to simultaneously cook dinner with her other hand.
"It's almost time for your nap..." Rory crooned. "And then, Mommy can finally start writing that paper..." She glanced back to the laptop on her desk nervously.
It was Rory and Marty's senior year. Their daughter, Laurie, was just shy of turning a year old, and remarkably, Rory was still on track to graduate with her husband and the rest of her Class of 2007.
The key turned in the lock as Marty stepped into the apartment. "Honey, I'm home!"
"Over here," Rory called from the kitchen, greeting her husband with a kiss. "Did Lab treat you OK?"
Marty sighed and shrugged. "It's Lab. It goes late, and it's long."
Rory shook her head as she passed Laurie to Marty, then transferred the chicken from the skillet onto plates. "Why does your professor schedule it for the evenings? Does he want you to pull an all-nighter every night?"
"You would think not," Marty threw up his hands. He had long ago given up on understanding the minds of his teachers when it came to things like scheduling. He huffed out a long breath. "Eight more months."
Rory smiled and nodded, seeing the finish line within reach in her mind's eye. "Eight more months." Their little family was ready to get going with life, and raise Laurie somewhere that was not a college campus. The trio ate dinner, Rory pausing between bites to feed Laurie and tap away the first few paragraphs of her French Lit paper on her computer.
"Did your Justice and the Family seminar go all right?" Marty asked.
"It's like it's describing my life!" Rory cracked. Marty smirked at the inside joke. "But I'm learning other great tips too: finances, the benefits and drawbacks to daycare..."
"All good things," her husband approved. "We'll be delving into that even more come May." He paused. "And how was the rest of my girls' day?"
"Laurie has been such a great girl, haven't you, precious?" Rory murmured. "My mom called: Daddy Luke wants to build an extension on the house. For the baby."
Marty gawped. "And us?"
"Yeah, all of us," Rory glanced up from her plate.
"Just a guestroom, I hope."
"I'm pretty sure that's what he's thinking. Although, if Mom has her way, we'll soon be living there full time."
Marty laughed. "You know I love your mother, but I can only take her in small doses." He rose and rinsed his dishes, kissing his wife as he crossed to the kitchen island. "I gotta start writing that lab report. I'll be over on our bed."
Rory wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Would you like... some company?" And she tried to grab at him. Marty dodged, chuckling.
"Later, if you behave. Wait till our girl's asleep."
Rory mock-pouted, but pecked his lips once in approval. "All right. I love you!"
"Love you too, babe," Marty beamed.
In four short years, Rory and Marty had gone from classmates to friends to lovers to husband and wife to parents sharing a child. All before graduation. What a life they had! And neither of them could wait to see what was coming next...
