The Party Pt. 2
The music was playing, a little bit too loud, like Carol thought. Hopefully the neighbors wouldn't mind. She knew that the kids loved to hear music loud and she also knew that she shouldn't turn it down, especially since it was Liam's party. Her son looked so happy. He was smiling and dancing and laughing and yet she could see some sadness in his eyes. Maybe leaving wasn't that easy for him. Maybe she needed to talk to him later on. "Carol?" she suddenly heard and turned around to find Travis smiling at him. "Hey Trav", she smiled at her future son in law and moved a little so he could sit next to her. "Can I ask you a question?" Travis asked again as he took a seat. Tess looked at him from the other side of the room and smiled. "Of course, what's going on?" Carol answered. "Well, today I talked to Tess about wedding locations. She really doesn't want anything special but she thought about having the wedding here in your garden", Travis said and Carol nodded smiling. "I guess she comes a little bit after me then", she said. Travis nodded, knowing that she got married in the garden of her house in Chicago. "Well…I really don't mind. I would marry her anywhere", Travis answered and Carol smiled again. She could really see how much Travis loved her daughter. "Are we allowed to…I mean…may we have the wedding in your garden, Mrs. Hathaway?" Travis then asked. "Of course, Travis. You don't have to ask", Carol smiled, stroking over his back. "And don't ever call me Mrs. Hathaway again", she then laughed and Travis shook his head. "Alright, I won't", he answered and took a sip of his beer.
"Hey little bro…what are you doing out here? It's your party in there", Kate said as she found Liam sitting at the tree. He looked up and smiled a little. "I needed some fresh air", he answered and Kate nodded, taking a seat next to him. "Same here…I'm getting tipsy already", she chuckled and Liam smiled at his sister. "So, what's on your mind? I think I've never seen you this quiet", she then said and Liam shrugged his shoulder. "Leaving…studying…failing" he murmured and looked down. Kate smiled a little. "Oh, don't be afraid of failing. You've always been the strong one, right? And if you fail, you fail. It's just human. But as I know you, you won't give up. When you fall, you stand up again. And I'm sure you'll do great. You're a Ross, we always find a way", Kate tried to cheer him up.
"So what will your way be, sister?" Tess said, as she came out together with Mason and Emery and handed them a bottle of beer. "Oh, hi Tess…well, I'll tell you when I know what to do", Kate smiled. "Em told me you want to become a nurse?" Tess then asked and Kate looked at Emery. "I said I'm thinking about it…not that I want to become a nurse", Kate said a little bit annoyed and Emery made a face. "Well, I think you could do it. You'll rock the ER like mom did", Mason said and everybody started to laugh. "For sure…and when we're all finished with our studies, we'll all work together", Emery said. "We could start our own clinic", Liam thought and everybody laughed again.
Doug stood at the door and watched his children. It seemed like yesterday when he met his twins for the first time. He could still remember the fear he felt back then, hoping that he would bond with them. The love he felt for them grew every day more and more. They were perfect. When he looked at the triplets, he could still remember the feelings he had when they were born. When they made their first cry. How beautiful Emery's eyes were and how small Mason was. He still remembered Liam's first attempt to ride his bike and Mason's first jump into the lake. Now all five were sitting out there and chatting and he knew that this probably was the last time for the next few years. Suddenly Carol hugged him from behind and he smiled. "I love you", she whispered and snuggled closer to him. Doug turned around and kissed her passionately. "Nice to see them like that, huh? No fighting, just chatting", Carol smiled then and Doug nodded. Of course he remembered all their fights too and with five kids, there were a lot of fights. "It was quite a journey we had with them", he said and smiled a little. Carol kissed him again shortly. "We also had quite a story before they were born", she said, thinking about all the ups and downs they had until finally everything was okay for them. "I know", Doug answered smiling, "and the journey goes on and on and on."
"Alright you two lovebirds, what about some more wine?" Avery asked as she interrupted their kissing and talking. Doug didn't let go of Carol and Carol smiled at her friend. "Do you want to make us drunk?" she asked and Avery shrugged her shoulders. "Why not? All the kids are already drunk – but of course we don't know that – so why shouldn't we have some fun too? I think Jason is ahead of us already", Avery said and turned around to watch her husband goofing around with Travis and Carey. "I think I haven't seen Carey dancing before", she added and made another sip from her glass of wine. "Yeah well, let's show them kids that we're not that tired, old, not fun people", Doug chuckled and went to get another bottle from the garage.
"Oh my God, mom, please stop! You don't have to tell every detail of that story", Tess complained when Carol told everybody about Tess's first crush. "What? It was your fiancé who asked about it", Carol answered laughing. "Sorry babe…and this Seth was a douchebag for playing with you", Travis said and Tess smiled. "You should be glad this didn't work out…maybe I would be married with him already", she said. "Oh baby, you were 14", Carol said and Tess turned her eyes.
"Alright guys, I think we'll head home", Kate then said as she looked at Carey who was snoring already. "You'll take a cab, right?" Doug asked putting his glass on the table. "No daddy…we're staying at the Lawrence's", Kate answered and got up from the couch. "You're just going so I can't tell embarrassing stories about you", Carol said as she looked at her daughter. "Mom, I guess you told everything already", Kate answered laughing and hugged Carol. "I'll call when I'm sober again", she then said and Carol nodded. "Don't call too early", Carol said, closing her eyes. Avery's plan worked out too well.
Half an hour later it was silent in the house. The triplets went to bed after their friends headed home, Tess and Travis went to Tess's old room and the Lawrence family went home too. Carol was closing the door after they left and turned around to Doug who was smiling at her. "Come here, you", she said in a hoarse voice and tugged on his t-shirt. "Still in the mood?" Doug asked and started to nibble on her ear. "Still in the mood", she answered and closed her eyes. "Wanna go upstairs?" he asked again but instead of answering him, she started to kiss him passionately. Doug chuckled and picked her up. "Come on, let's take a shower", he said and went upstairs with her.
Carol giggled as Doug turned on the water. She always giggled when she was drunk, Doug noticed. When he turned around she already got rid of her clothes. "Impatient?" he chuckled and went to her. "Shut up and make love to me", she whispered and tugged on his jeans. "As you wish, Mrs. Hathaway", he answered and chuckled again. "Don't call me like that", she said and got rid of his t-shirt. She stroked over his chest and kissed him again. "Sorry babe" he apologized and led her into the shower.
"Oh boy, mom and dad are taking a shower again", Tess murmured and turned around to Travis, who was almost asleep already. "So? Let them take a shower", he murmured back and Tess made a face. "Travis! They are taking a shower, NOW! You know what that means, right? They're drunk!" Tess complained. "Oh come on, Tess…let them have their fun and let's sleep already", Travis murmured and turned around, not really impressed. Tess rolled her eyes and lay back again. "I wanna have fun too", she said and frowned. "Tomorrow", Travis answered and Tess knew that she wouldn't get any fun from Travis. Well, at least her parents still had fun. With that thought, she fell asleep too.
"Are we bad parents?" Carol asked as she combed her hair in front of the mirror. "Why do you think that?" Doug asked after he hung up his towel. "I don't know…we're throwing a farewell party for Liam, get drunk and then have sex while they're all sleeping already", she said and turned around to him. Doug looked at her with questioning eyes. "What…you want to have sex while they're still awake?" he asked and went closer to her. "What? No! Doug! Ugh…just forget it", she answered and shook her head. Doug chuckled again. "Oh Care…" he chuckled and hugged her. "What?" she asked, stroking over his chest. "I know what you mean. And I guess it's just our way to cope with them leaving…like, we need each other because they don't need us anymore", Doug said and Carol nodded. "Totally right…and…" she kissed him on his neck, "and, we'll need each other a lot, I guess…when they're gone." Doug chuckled and kissed her once again.
The day didn't start before lunch time for the whole family. Everybody was pretty tired and grumpy and some needed Aspirin to really get up. "Mom…what do we get to eat?" Mason asked as he fell down on the couch. "I don't know…go cook something for yourself", Carol answered yawning. Mason sighed. "Come on guys, let's order pizza or something…and then we have to finish packing…I'm flying tomorrow morning", Liam said as he came downstairs and overheard the conversation. "Oh mom, don't cry now", Tess said as she saw Carol's tears. "I'm sorry", Carol just said and got a tissue. The party was over, now it was reality again. She had to let her babies go. "Oh mom", Liam went to her and hugged her, hiding tears in his eyes too. "If this how it's going to be when I'm going to Chicago, I don't want a good bye", Emery murmured and looked at Mason. "Same here", he answered and sighed.
The next day came too soon. Doug, Carol and the triplets were on the way to the airport and nobody said a word. Earlier, Liam said good bye to Tess and Kate and everybody cried. It would be horrible to see him board that plane but everybody knew that they had to get over it.
"I think I'll be back on Thanksgiving", Liam said when they finally got everything settled and waited at the gate. "That would be nice", Carol said and smiled a little. "Please call as soon as you arrive there okay?" Doug asked and Liam nodded. "Of course. And…don't worry, Alex will pick me up from the airport", Liam said. "Alex…that girl you're living with?" Carol said and Liam nodded. "Great…great…just introduce her to us in person before you marry her, alright?" Carol joked, thinking about Casey and his fiancée. "Very funny, mom", Liam murmured and stroked through his hair. "I'm just kidding…but promise me, be good. Don't do any stupid stuff…think about your future and you don't have to go to all the parties there. Call from time to time and let us know how you are", Carol then said and hugged her son again. It was really, really hard to hold back those tears that started to form in her eyes. "I'll do my best, I promise", Liam answered and then turned to Doug. "Will you be okay?" Doug asked. "I will. Thanks for everything, dad", Liam answered and hugged him too. Then he went to his siblings and they group hugged. "Bye big brother", Emery said and wiped away a tear. "Bye bro…and good luck", Mason said and Liam nodded. "I'll miss you", Liam whispered and couldn't hold back his own tears anymore. "Oh come on, you'll have a great time and you'll be back in no time", Carol said and was surprised at her own words. "I know…okay. I have to board now", Liam then said as they heard the message over the loudspeakers. "Okay. Bye baby. Have a good flight and call. Bye", Carol again hugged her son and as they separated again, Liam once more looked at everybody. And when he boarded that plane, the other four stood there and tears were falling like raindrops. Liam's Harvard adventure was just about to begin…