AN: Sorry it took so long, good news I found a new apartment and moved in and also found a new job. Other possible good news, although I don't have a lot of time to work on this I want you to know that I have mapped out events for the story for the next year or so of the timeline, so there is plenty more to come if anyone is interested in reading it just let me know. Thank you to the reviewers I always get so excited to hear what you think.
Chapter 11: Off to College
Tuesday, July 20, 2010, 9:08 A.M.
"Morning Angel," Natalie said as she saw her daughter wake up.
"Mom?" Julie asked rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Were you watching me sleep?"
"It is my right as your mother," Natalie said as she moved over to sit on the bed and swept the hair off Julie's face tucking it behind her ear. "You ready for today?"
"I think so," Julie thought about it, "I am excited, but a little scared too."
"Me too kid," Natalie leaned over and kissed her daughters forehead, "I think that is how it is supposed to feel."
"How long do we have before I have to go?" Julie craned her neck but still couldn't see the clock.
"How about never?" Natalie proposed, at Julie's look of exasperation she gave a sigh and answered, "it is just after nine, so we leave in two hours, but don't forget Adrian is going to come over for breakfast and to say goodbye around ten. He wanted me to make sure that was still okay and to offer to go with us and help you to move in, but he understands if you want it to be just the two of us."
"I want to see him to say goodbye, but it would be nice if it were just you and I going there," Julie said.
"Okay, well if you change your mind let me know," Natalie said, "about anything, even this moving away to college thing, you could always stay here."
"Mom," Julie groaned.
"Okay, I'm sorry,
Julie quickly showered and got dressed before heading downstairs and finding her mother with a cup of coffee waiting for her. "Mmmm coffee," Julie inhaled deeply from her mug before taking a sip, "ahhh," she sighed instantly feeling better, "thanks."
"I figured coffee would be essential today," Natalie said with a shrug thinking about the long day ahead of them.
"At least it won't be so crazy moving in because I'm there early," Julie reasoned. "That's one good thing about my workshop, I will just be there with the theater kids and get to know them before I have to deal with classes and papers and other people."
"That's true, but there's a lot of good things about your workshop sweetie," Natalie knew that today would be tough for her but she didn't want her nerves to affect Julie, she wanted her daughter to be positive.
"I know," Julie agreed, "hey, we're doing a production right before school starts. It's going to be small, but maybe you could come if I get cast?"
"I will be there whether you are cast or not," Natalie promised. There was a knock at the door as Natalie finished her sentence. Natalie went to go let Adrian in as she opened the door she saw him standing there with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a box in the other arm. "What did you do?" She asked sweetly.
"These are for you, the mother of the college student," Adrian said handing her the flowers then leaning in to kiss her softly. "The box is not yours, it's for Julie, it's just something for her dorm."
Natalie smiled up at Adrian as she took the box and flowers resting them on the table in the entryway before taking his face in her hands and kissing him deeply.
"What was that for?" Adrian asked as they eventually separated.
"For being so amazing." Adrian smiled at Natalie and leaned down to kiss her again.
"Would you two get in here, I want breakfast," Julie called to them from the kitchen.
"I guess her coffee has kicked in," Natalie said as she took flowers in one hand and Adrian's hand in the other.
Adrian grabbed the box for Julie with his free arm and walked with Natalie into the kitchen, "good morning Julie, how are you?"
"Hungry."
"Alright then," Adrian stepped into the kitchen, "let's get breakfast started."
"Oh, I already started it," Natalie said as she went to the sink and started cutting the stems of her new flowers. "Pancake batter is over there, and the bacon is in the oven already."
"Thanks," Adrian placed the box in front of Julie and then went to the stove to start cooking the pancakes.
"What's this?" Julie asked gesturing to the box she had just been handed.
When Adrian didn't say anything, Natalie spoke up, "it's for you, from Adrian, and he brought me flowers."
"That's nice mom, but what is this?"
"I don't know, sweetie," Natalie said, "you kind of have to open gifts to find out what's inside of them."
"It's for your dorm room, some things I thought you would need," Adrian finally spoke up.
Julie opened the box in the first thing she pulled out with a small fire extinguisher. "Thank you, Mr. Monk, but I don't think I need a fire extinguisher."
"Julie, I know you won't smoke or drink, but the amount of people that do in college is astronomical," Adrian practically ranted. "Someone falls asleep with a cigarette in their mouth the next thing you know the whole dorm burns down.
"It's actually a good idea," Natalie said, "I mean they don't want you to have your hot plate because of the risk of fire, so shouldn't you have a fire extinguisher?"
"There's also a label on it with the correct directions," Adrian gestured to the label he adhered to the back. "The directions on those things are all wrong." Natalie smiled brightly at Adrian's comment thinking of the first time they met and how far they both had come since then. Julie retrieved the next item from the box, and no one was surprised to see a small first aid kit which although she wouldn't want to bring her mother did think again that it was important having the dorm.
The last item Julie pulled from the box was a picture frame. When she turned it over, she saw it was a picture of herself with her mother. The photo was a few years old, and in it, they were smiling but were unaware that their picture was being taken. It was Adrian's favorite picture of them, it was one of Adrian's favorite pictures of anything. "I just thought that you might want a picture on your desk of you with your mother. I know this one's old and I probably should have used one from graduation."
"It's perfect," Julie said cutting him off she got up and walked over to Adrian who is still at the stove cooking. She waited for him to take a break with the flipping of pancakes before she stepped forward and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, "thank you, Mr. Monk." Julie was touched when he didn't wipe off the kiss, not even with his shirt sleeve.
A few minutes later Adrian was done cooking and brought three perfect plates over to the dining room table they sat together eating and chatting sometimes talking about their plans for moving today and sometimes avoiding the idea entirely. Adrian looked at the two girls beside him, his girls, and was filled with a sense of family that he'd never felt before. After breakfast Adrian helped them carry the last few items into the car and what he nervously started to 'fix' how the car was arranged. Natalie let him know that it was okay, they would be fine. It was time for him to go and leave mother and daughter to this moment together.
"Okay, Julie, I'm going to leave you two alone," Monk said, "but I am going straight to my house, and I will be there all day, so if you guys need anything you can call me there I can take a cab up and help."
"Thank you," Mr. Monk.
"Have fun in college, learn a lot. Berkley's amazing and you're going to do so well there. Adrian hugged her this time squeezing her tightly as he told her, "I am so proud of you."
"Thank you, Mr. Monk."
Adrian walked down off the porch to find Natalie still standing by the car having watched his exchange with her daughter. He tilted her head up and saw that she was crying slightly. Leaning in, Adrian kissed her tear stained cheek. He pulled her gently into his arms and held her for long minutes, "everything will be okay. She's going to be great."
Natalie sniffled and nodded her head, "I know," she murmured, "I'm just going to miss her so much."
"Do you want me to come over tonight when you get back? Should I just come to your house?" Adrian asked.
"I don't want to come back here tonight without her in the house," Natalie admitted, "can I stay at your place tonight?"
"Of course," Adrian rubbed soothing circles on her back as he held her. "Call if you need anything I already told Julie, I will stay at the house today and can come up if you change your mind.
"Thank you," Natalie kissed his chest, "and thank you for coming here this morning."
"I wanted to be here, there's no need to thank me for doing what I wanted to do."
.
Natalie and Julie spent the day moving boxes from the car up to her new dorm room and then unpacking and setting up the space. Julie's roommate, a fellow thespian and the only other freshman to be invited to the summer workshop would be moving in later that day. Around two in the afternoon Julie assured her mother that she could do the rest of the unpacking on her own and that they should go get a late lunch. They walked over to a restaurant just off campus Natalie would not go back to Rocco's again. After lunch, Natalie suggested that they walk around the area and see what would be available on and off campus for food and shopping and other things that were within walking distance. Julie was excited that as a freshman she could have her car on campus, but that wouldn't be until the semester officially started in two and a half more weeks.
"So, you and Mr. Monk seem to be doing well," Julie commented as they strolled down the road together.
"We are," Natalie couldn't help the soft smile that crossed her face, "but we are taking it slow still, it's early."
"Is he staying over with you tonight?" Julie smirked at her mother.
"No," Natalie said before murmuring, "I am going to his place."
"Mom sleepovers three weeks into a relationship isn't taking it slow."
"It's not what you are thinking Julie," Natalie said, "I am literally just sleeping at his place."
"You still aren't taking it slow," Julie insisted, "you are closer to him than any other boyfriend you have ever had."
"Yeah but we started that way," Natalie explained, "we were already such close friends before."
"Do you love him?" Julie asked, looking her mother in the eye.
"Maybe," Natalie admitted, "I don't know. I love him like a friend, and I know that I couldbe in love with him, I am just not quite there yet."
"Do you think that this is it for you."
"Yeah kid," Natalie reached out and stroked her daughter's hair, "I think it might be, we have a long way to go though. Is that okay?"
"What that he might be the one? Or that it may take you two a while?" Julie asked
"Either."
"It is okay with me, mom," Julie said, "I know I didn't react well when I first found out, but I think I was thinking of how he used to be when I would stay with him when you went out."
Natalie laughed slightly, "he has changed a lot since then."
"I know, and thinking of how he is now," Julie explained, "how he was there for you this morning, I think he is exactly who you should be with."
"Me too kid," Natalie said, she then linked arms with her daughter and continued their walk, "so when we get back, your roommate should be there."
"Yes, but you should probably call her Jo and not just my roommate when you meet her."
"Did you find out anything else about her?" Natalie asked realizing she hadn't heard anything new about it in the past two weeks.
"Nothing, I tried again to get her contact information last week, but it was a no-go," Julie said, "what if we don't get along?"
"Well you are very likable, so I am sure she will like you, and you are in the same program and workshop so you will have plenty in common, I bet you will get along great."
"But what if we don't?"
"Well, then you will deal," Natalie said, "you will always have some people that you don't like, and you will have to co-exist with them. And you will make other friends and if you really need to you can request a new roommate for next semester or year."
"I guess," Julie said, "I have never lived with anyone but you before, and I never had to share a room, "I guess I am just nervous."
"It will be great," Natalie reassured, "I promise."
When they got back to the dorm room Jo was there, Natalie introduced herself and was pleased to see that Jo seemed very sweet right away. Natalie didn't want to intrude so soon after getting back she told them that she was going to get going.
"Wait mom I will walk you out," Julie said.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Natalie asked, "so what do you think?"
"I really like her."
"See I told you it would be fine." They walked down the hall in silence for a second before Natalie started her goodbyes.
"Okay well if you need anything at all just call me, it isn't that far. And I will see you in a few weeks. And don't forget that you have the credit card for books and emergencies.
"I know Mom."
"And don't forget that I love you." Natalie pulled Julie into a tight hug.
"I love you too, Mom," Julie held her mother firmly, "I will see you soon okay?"
"Yeah, sorry I'm a mess," Natalie finally let her daughter out of the hug, "this is going to be amazing for you."
"Thanks, Mom."
"Okay, I'm going to go now," Natalie said, "you go have a great first night in college."
Julie just nodded and started to tear up as well. Natalie stepped forward again and kissed Julie's forehead holding her face in her hands. "Bye Julie, see you soon."
"Bye Mom, I love you."
"I love you too," Natalie said, then stepped back and watched as her daughter finally turned around and headed back into her new building.
Natalie didn't even make it to the car before she started to cry. At first, they were small silent tears easily wiped off her cheeks. By the time she sat down in the driver's seat, she had collapsed on the steering wheel sobs racking her body. Her baby girl was gone. And she knew that she was currently just a few feet away, and while Julie was in college she would be less than an hour from the house. Natalie knew she would see Julie all the time. But she also knew that when she woke up in the morning, her daughter would not be in her room. And there was a good chance that although she is there for brakes, her baby girl would never live at home again. She was grown up. So, Natalie sat and cried. She let herself cry until there was nothing left until even if she had wanted to her body would not be able to produce one more tear. When Natalie could finally breathe, when she could eventually move again, she sat up and dug through her purse. Pulling out her phone she dialed a familiar number which barely rang before he answered. "How are you?"
"She's all moved in," Natalie said by way of explanation.
"Are you on your way home?" Adrian asked.
"I'm leaving now," Natalie said turning the key in the ignition, "I'll be there in less than an hour."
"Can I do anything for you?" Adrian's voice was full of concern for her.
"No, just be prepared," Natalie finally pulled out of the parking lot, "I'm probably going to be a little emotional when I get there."
"Okay, drive safe," Natalie could hear in his voice that there was something else he wanted to say but didn't.
Although Natalie thought she had gotten every possible tear out on the way home, she had to stop on the side of the road when her body still somehow found a way to cry. When she eventually made it in Adrian's door, his arms are around her immediately. He offered her food or something to drink, but she said the now all she wanted to do was be held. So, Adrian led her to his bedroom and tucked her under the covers before crawling into bed on the other side. He immediately pulled her close, and she tucked her head into the crook of his neck as if she was trying to burrow right into him. Natalie wasn't aware of the fact that she fell asleep at some point until she woke sometime later, Adrian was still right there holding her making sure she was okay.
"Hey there," he greeted slowly stroking her cheek with his thumb.
"Hi," Natalie greeted with a small smile, "what time is it?"
"9:16," Adrian looked over her shoulder to the clock, "how are you?"
"Better, I think sleep helped."
"Good, do you want some dinner or do you want to do something together, watch something, do you want to just get your pajamas and call it a night?" Adrian desperately wanted to make Natalie's night better for her.
"Dinner would be great," Natalie admitted, "I'm starving."
"Okay, I'm going to go get things ready why don't you get in pajamas anyway that way you'll be comfortable," Adrian suggested.
After Natalie got changed, she joined Adrian and the kitchen to see him warming up grilled cheese and soup that it looked like he made earlier. "You made my favorite comfort food," Natalie side happily.
"Well, today definitely seems like a day for comfort," Adrian said. "There are brownies with ice cream for dessert too."
Natalie smiled shyly, "speaking of brownies, you earned a lot of brownie points today mister."
"What are brownie points exactly?" Adrian wondered, "do I want them?"
Natalie smiled he was still Adrian Monk. "You do, they're not a real thing, you've just been so wonderful to me today, and brownie points are a cute way of me telling you I appreciate it."
"Is there a scale or score should be keeping?" Adrian asked seriously.
"No, Adrian," Natalie tried to explain, "it's kind of like Karma chips no scale, no score, no physical points just I appreciate how wonderful you were today and I will remember it in the future, and it will come back to you in a good way."
"I didn't do it for points," Adrian said, "I just wanted you to feel better."
"I know, that's why you got them," Natalie clarified, "if you were only kind to me to get something out of it, then it wouldn't have meant much."
"So, I can only get brownie points when I don't want brownie points?" Adrian puzzled.
"I guess," Natalie admitted, "I never really thought about it like that."
"Well if you knew about brownie points, why didn't you think about how they worked?"
"It's just something cute Adrian," Natalie's smile brightened, "if you want something tangible to trade them in for we can make out after dinner."
"Okay, now I like brownie points."