Chapter 21 - A home
Stepping out of the truck, Andy couldn`t feel anything but an overwhelming satisfaction. It was something about the crispness in the air in this particular neighborhood. Admiring the house in front of her, she had a very good feeling that this was the start of something quite memorable. A future maybe.
It just felt somewhat... Right. Calm if you can believe that.
Tucking herself in her winter jacket just a tad more, seeing she, at this very point, is unable to close it, because, well, apparently, being pregnant does that to you. And buying a new one just because she was too big for the ones she already had was out of the question. Really.
Because, one; (according to Sam), she was too damn stubborn, and would rather freeze in the cold, Canadian winter, than to actually give in and buy a new one because she was, as she said herself; too fat to fit in it. Two; why on earth would she waste money on something she would only wear for a couple of months, seeing that she eventually would get too damn fat for that one too.
So, here she was, stubborn, cold and almost convinced to actually give up, and buy a new jacket. Daydreaming about what was right in front of her, when her hormone-filled thoughts were interrupted by a suit-clad man in his probably mid 40`s, who came out on a front porch outside a house she knew-, just by standing outside looking at it, she wanted.
"You must be Sam and Andy. Come on inside".
"Hi, I`m Sam Swarek, and this one is my fiancé Andy McNally", he presented as he held one arm on Andy`s back as they walked inside the house.
"Sam, yes, I remember. We talked on the phone. Andy, Nice to meet you too", the realtor smiled as he held out his hand.
"So, I bet you are excited to look around yeah?"
Andy and Sam nodded with a big amount of enthusiasm.
"This is a 5 bedroom house, with three bathrooms, an on-suite right next to the master-bedroom, one downstairs and the third upstairs", the realtor began explaining as he started to walk them through the house.
Being the woman that she was, Andy didn`t take long before she had decorated the entire house in her head. Trying to not come off as an overeager buyer, like she actually was, she worked hard to seem somewhat indifferent to the whole house.
"It`s ours! We got it!", Andy nearly screamed as she threw her phone on the kitchen table.
Sam cracked a laugh. "Yeah, I kind of figured by the way you were screaming at that poor man". Half joke, - half serious, he responded as he joined her in the kitchen.
Closing in on each other, making the gap of air between them vanish, they both took a firm grip on the body in front of them.
"Meaning-", Sam began, between soft kisses. "We just bought our self's a damn house McNally. Welcome home beautiful".
"Uh-hu-", she responded as she willingly repeated his way to show how happy he was. "Talk about one hell of a Christmas present, honey", she said giggling.
"You hear that rookie? I get to carry all your furniture down one stair and up another. Again", he said smiling as he Placed his hand on her belly.
"Yeah, well, you should try to hold on to those manuals, you know, just in case?"
"Oh, you think that`s funny don`t you? I`ll show you funny", he answered as he picked her up bridal style and carried her towards the bedroom.
Let`s just say, the twosome managed to find a happy way to celebrate their newest purchase.
"Hey, Sammy! I heard you got the house! Congrats brother. I`m happy for you. You both deserve it", Oliver said when he found Sam by his desk.
"Thanks Oliver. We`re really excited you know, especially McNally. It will be good for her. For us. You know a fresh start. Clean slates maybe. Create new memories if that makes any sense to you".
"Of course it does Sammy. You know, you both have been through a heavy load of crap these past couple of years, not to mention these last few weeks. And, you`ll be okay, you know. Eventually".
"Yeah, I mean, I really don`t think I can complain. It`s her that`s been through the worst part, and honestly, I have no idea how to help her move on, or deal with it. She says she is doing okay, you know... taking it one day at a time, but uh... I can hear her cry when she don`t think I`m there or when she thinks I can`t hear her. I tried to get her to talk to someone, if not me, someone else... You, Traci or a department shrink. She refuses. Says she`s fine. Always fine. Can you believe that? Like she don`t know of any other word for it".
Oliver ached for them. For Andy. Seeing his best friend and her suffer like this, killed him. They so deserved an happy ending.
"Hey, you know how McNally is. She`s stubborn as hell. But, I know for sure that she is strong, and catches anything that gets thrown her way. However, this is something that she shouldn`t deal with on her own".
Sam gave him a vague smile.
"Tell you what-", Oliver continued. "I`ll make an appointment for her. I`ll tell her the department demands it, before she`s cleared for any duty".
"Thanks brother. I really appreciate that."
"Of course. Now, go home. You`re still on leave. Don`t you have some packing to do by the way?"
Sam cracked a big smile and looked at his watch. "Shoot, I said I would be quick. Need more boxes".
"Go on, get home! And let me know if you need any help. However, I want a beer an some pizza as payment".
"Yeah, sure thing Oliver. See you later brother. And uh... Thanks for... you know, everything".
Sam left the station, bought some boxes to pack in and eventually went home to Andy.
"Sam? I guess that was the last of it", Andy said as she walked up behind Sam in their living room.
He was looking outside the window to the backyard. The backyard he had been looking out on for almost a decade. A lot had happened in those years. Some good, some bad. But he was well on ready for a new chapter. With his soon to be family.
"Yeah, I guess this is it huh?" He pulled her in his arm and patted her belly. "You tired?"
"Sam, it`s okay for you to be bummed you know. This was your home. Your paid off home. Bachelor pad and all of that. I get it, I do", She responded, as an attempt to be supportive of whatever he was feeling.
"No, Andy. I don`t care about any of that. I`m just... It holds only bad memories now. We should have moved right after...uh... I should never have taken you back here, and for that I`m sorry".
"Sam, don`t do that. Don`t put any of this on your shoulders. I never said anything too you about struggling when we came back to this house. Don`t blame any of this on you.
"I used to love this house you know. I was always so... Homey, warm and calm. It was safe. But I never got that feeling back, and I`m sorry for that".
"Hey-", Sam began, cupping her face in his hands. "I`m so happy that we`re leaving this house. That`s all it have been lately anyway. A house, not a home. We get to start over, make it ours. Decide things together. I wouldn't have it any other way Andy". He placed a soft kiss to her head and put both arms around her.
"Come on, let`s go home McNally".
It was December 22nd. Another heavy load of snow had made an new white-covered blanket over Toronto. In a quite neighborhood on Huntingwood Drive, Sam and Andy was ready to officially name their house a home, as they stood out on the front porch, about to turn on the Christmas lights that were placed on to cone spruces, one on each side of their front porch stair.
"You ready for this McNally?"
"Yes! Come on! Switch it on please!" She was almost jumping on her feet in excitement, not being able to stand still.
He gave her a smile and switched it on.
"Perfect!", Andy decided. " I love it Sam". Putting her arms around his waist and snuggled just a tad against his chest, she got to thinking that they were finally settled for their first Christmas together. In their new home. And only days to spare.
Sam had watched her rearrange the decorating pillows on the coach before deciding their place and fluffing them.
"I`m pretty sure it`ll be comfortable either way you put them McNally".
She eyed him in the most Andy-like way there was. "Sam, really? If it weren`t for me, you wouldn`t have had any pillows at all. Believe me, I know you secretly love them".
He reached out his hand for her to take, and pulled her down on his lap. " I don`t secretly love them. Secretly, I love you McNally. Just don`t tell anyone".
"Really? Then I suppose getting me accidentally knocked up and then proposing to me in front of all our friends was a mistake?", she had answered with an raised eyebrow.
"No McNally. The mistake was not knocking you up almost 5 years ago. Intentionally."
"Huh. Seeing you were my T.O, I really don`t think that would have been a very god idea. Sir. And, you know, since our first meeting don`t exactly goes in the category of good-first-impressions, I highly doubt that knocking me up was in any of your interests. Especially since I knocked you down first".
Wow.
The feisty woman was back.
"I love it when you talk like that McNally. And you`re wrong, by the way. I would have knocked you up back then too. Because I loved you event then. Secretly. But uh, don`t tell anyone that either".
"Yeah, yeah. By the way, when are you planning to stop calling me McNally?"
He let one fingertip breeze over her engagement ring. "The day I get to call you Swarek. McNally".
She smiled and slid her finger down his chest. "And when are you going to call me Swarek, Swarek?"
They were on this roll again. One outsmarting the other.
"That depends on when you want to walk down that isle, Andy"
"Well, seeing that I`m already past my fifth month, that leaves us under 4 months to get our act together. I didn't exactly plan on waddling my way down an aisle. However, we did manage to sell a house, buy a home and be ready for Christmas in less than three weeks. And because we`re not exactly time-and-space people anymore, I say we try to pull this off".
The smile on Sam`s face was priceless. He captured her lips with his own. Pulling her even closer, which was nearly impossible.
"I say we give it a go. How about the last Saturday in February?"
"Thank you Sam. For everything. For this. Us".
He placed her face in his hands. "I love you, you know. Wouldn`t have it any other way".
"I know, I love you too".
"So, you want to plan a wedding with me?