Since Punk and AJ were residing at Punks brothers for the time being, until Punk could find a place for them to stay, hopefully before Christmas, AJ was having a hard time feeling at home and comfortable, even more so tonight that she had woken to find herself alone in the double bed she and Punk were sleeping in, in the spare room.
It wasn't like Punk to just up and leave in the middle of the night. He knew that it frightened her, and especially since they were all over the place at the moment. She really needed him to cuddle into at night. Not that she wasn't familiar with his brother, she got on extremely well with him, she just didn't want to be alone right now.
She tip toed downstairs after checking the bathroom, walking down the steps slowly and entering through the kitchen, standing at the door whilst she looked on at Punk, who to her dismay, appeared to be making pancakes…
"What are you doing, baby?" She shook her head in a whisper, walking further into the kitchen, looking at the plates of pancakes he had already made, confused as to what he was doing, "It's still night time." She said like a child, looking over at him a he concentrated on what he was doing.
"I… I just thought, you know, when I came home, you know how I have to buy us a new house to live in and stuff..." He spoke rapidly, "Well, I don't know if I can afford a three bedroom house. I mean… I didn't think we'd need one. I thought, two bedrooms. A room for you and me, and a room for the baby. But there's two. You know. Two kids. So I figured we're gonna need three bedrooms." He said as she looked at him with tired eyes whilst his were wide awake, concentrating on flipping pancakes across the kitchen, "And I also looked at one of the brochures in the living room, I think it's Kerry's, do you know how much a crib costs?" He looked over at her, "And then we have to, you know, buy all the extras, the dressers and the changing tables and the clothes." He said, "And then..." He began as AJ huffed to herself quietly.
"And then I thought… school." He said, "Do you know how much money it is gonna cost us to put them in school. And then if they go to college..." He laughed, "And obviously we're gonna want to spoil them, because why wouldn't we?" He said, "So I done the math, added it all up, and it's about half a million dollars." He said, "Which should be fine, I mean you got money, I can… you know, work until I can't feel my legs. It'll be all good." He rambled as she stared over at him, walking around and switching off the stove he was still cooking at, having already made dozens of pancakes.
"Baby, why don't you come back to bed. Huh?" She smiled, taking the spatula from him and sitting it down as he stood helplessly.
"Did I wake you?" He asked, completely exhausted and almost drugged looking, looking down at her as she shook her head.
"No." She smiled soothingly with a cheerful tone to her voice, "C'mon, let's go." She said, holding her hands at his shoulders, guiding him out of the kitchen and upstairs back into bed. His head was clearly in a different planet. She'd talk with him in the morning.
"He always does that when he's worried about something." Sean said, sitting with AJ the next morning in the kitchen for breakfast. Punk was showering whilst Kerry was already away to work, leaving TJ in the hands of his father, and uncle and aunt of course.
"Cooking? Really?" She laughed.
"It could be worse. He could still sleep walk. Used to do it as a kid all the time. Sometimes he'd find his way out onto the street. My mom would have to guide him back into our house." He laughed, "Was he rambling?" He asked as AJ nodded.
"Yeah. It was like he wasn't breathing. Words were just spilling out his mouth." She said.
"He was probably half asleep." Sean laughed, "I'm surprised this is the first time you've seen him do it." Sean laughed, "I'd just play him along when he used to do it in our old house. One time he'd gotten up and made a three course meal." He laughed.
"Why the cooking?" She asked curiously.
"I think it's to do with our mom. She was always cooking. I think something just triggers him. Like I said, he does it when he's most worried." He said just as Punk walked through the door, "Oh, look. It's the walking pancake." Sean sniggered as Punk shoved by him, pushing him lightly.
"Shut up." Punk growled.
"I'm gonna go check on TJ." Sean excused himself, leaving Punk and AJ, giving them some space whilst closing the kitchen door over behind him.
"You ok?" AJ asked as Punk nodded, shifting his neck from side to side, "You seemed a bit… off, last night." She said as he nodded.
He was aware of his hour of panic. Sometimes it was what he done. He'd let things steep into his head, and he'd think about the worst of everything, and at this moment in time, he was thinking and worrying about being a good father, to his now two children who were on the way. Not just one. Of course he was worried and panicking.
"I'm sorry. I was just… sometimes things just get to me. What I said… well, I mean I had a point. It's gonna be a lot of money."
"I'm not really bothered about the money, Phil." She admitted, "What matters is that, we're gonna have two amazing, beautiful, healthy and happy babies in a few months. I wouldn't care if we were homeless, because the only thing these babies need, that doesn't even have a price tag, is love. And we can give them that. I know we can." She smiled, "Don't get caught up in financial things. You underestimate yourself. You have a great job that pays great, and so do I. We're going to manage just fine." She reassured him.
He could always count on her to turn a darkened moment into light for him. He was worried about being a father, and the thought of there being two babies instead of just one was terrifying, but with AJ by his side, and her kind words and her strong belief in him, he could really do anything. She was right. These babies just needed love, and he already loved them, unconditionally.
"I know… I'm sorry." He apologised for freaking her out, "I just over think things, I guess." He chuckled, running his hand through his hair.
"Yeah, you do." He agreed, "No more worrying, ok? We're past all that." She reminded him as he nodded with a smile edging across his face.
"Yeah." He nodded, "I'm sorry." He apologised again.
"It's fine." She smiled, making her way round to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly, resting her head on his chest. She understood he was scared. Just because she wasn't showing it didn't mean she wasn't. In fact, she was just as terrified as Punk was, but she knew they could do it. Now that there wasn't so much fear and dread going around, they could concentrate on the babies more so now than ever.
"Hey, at least we have all these pancakes for breakfast." She joked with him as he rolled his eyes, pushing her away playfully as she giggled.
"You're just as bad as him in there." He said, referring to his no good brother in the living room, "It calms me down when I'm worried about things." He told her as she laughed.
"Whatever floats your boat, baby." She smiled, pressing a kiss on his cheek. She thought it was sweet that he was nervous. She wasn't expecting him to be all macho and ready. No one was ever ready to be a parent. Fact. But they could prepare themselves. He had no reason to be worried. Not about the financial side of things or just the general thought of being a parent. She knew he would be the greatest dad in the world.
10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.