Chapter 38
Setting the cup with tea on the table Kelly sunk on the sofa grabbing her cell phone that she threw there minutes ago on her way to kitchen. Dialing the familiar number she waited.
It was Sunday afternoon and they returned from the airport half an hour ago after dropping off Cindy. Upon their return Brandon decided to take Thea to the playground leaving Kelly home alone.
"Hi Kel!" She heard her friends voice on the other end of line.
"Hi Don! How are you doing?" Kelly asked.
"Good. Baby's going crazy, but I guess I got used to it after having Ruby and Ryan." Donna laughed.
"Aww, just talk to the baby. Andrea should get married before he or she makes its appearance."
"We already got that covered, wait till the wedding and then hurry up so she can leave for her honeymoon." Donna giggled. "Speaking of honeymoon, how was your date night?"
"Hmm...there is just one word to describe it...amazing." Kelly grinned still feeling completely relaxed.
"I can hear that." Donna teased her.
"It was like we were dating again. I knew I missed those times, but never realized how much I missed it." Kelly explained.
"Right, so tell me about the meeting with your caseworker. Was it bad?" Donna asked curiously.
"I wouldn't say bad, intimidating might be the right word. But that's their job I guess, they can't give a child to anyone. She was nice, we talked about us, how we met, how do we plan to raise our kids, the infertility issues and bunch of other things. The oddest question by far was how and when do we plan to have the sex talk with our daughter."
"Eek, that's crazy. In between the diapers, tantrums and chasing them down, this hasn't even crossed my mind and I do have two of them and third on the way." Donna said sympathetically.
"Tell me about it. She's seventeen months old, she has been walking for a few months, she's still learning to talk and we won't be starting the potty training any time soon, she can't write, she can't count, there is a hell lot to master before we come to that talk." Kelly rolled her eyes holding the phone against her shoulder as she reached for her tea. "But I think I spotted a shadow of Jim Walsh in Brandon's eyes when she asked that question. You know that moment when he realized that his little girl is going to grow up one day and there is nothing he can do to stop her."
"He is his father's son." Donna noted. "Hey, you can still send her over for the talk to Auntie Donna. I can explain how waiting might not be that bad." Donna laughed.
"I don't know, Don. Do you really want to be held accountable by her father if she loses her virginity before thirty? Since that's the age he's tentatively planning to allow her dating and there are moments when I think he's only half joking when he says that." Kelly laughed.
"Nope." Donna concluded laughing as well. "What's next?" She questioned.
"She wants to interview each of us alone next weekend and then she'll come over to the house, they'll do more of the background check, talk to the referrals, another interviews. If we're lucky enough and get approved we might have a child in our arms by Christmas." Kelly concluded.
"Sounds exhausting." Donna concluded.
"It is, but given that we abandoned the idea of a newborn, the chances to be paired with a little child within half a year after approval are higher." Kelly explained.
"I'm sure it will work for you two and Thea. Any child will be lucky to have you as parents and Thea as a sister." Donna said.
"You heard it from Valerie." Kelly smiled.
"Yes." Donna confirmed.
"You're not mad at me?" Kelly questioned her.
"No, I'm not. We all have to get past this and granted that David has a child with her, she'll be around. Besides I love the image of Thea nurturing Axton."
"She was so sweet with him. Even I and Brandon were surprised to see that." Kelly rambled.
"She'll be a great sister." Donna concluded.
"I hope so." Kelly smiled. "So back to what lies ahead. How do the preparations for Andrea's wedding shower look?" Kelly asked.
"The glasses got here yesterday and they look perfect. I'll send you a picture after we get off the phone, but believe me they look even more amazing in reality." Donna gushed.
"I told you they'll look great." Kelly grinned.
"You were right, just get the other tidbits and the present from the four of us will be ready. Brenda called Nat and he'll be more than happy to supply the food and drinks, so we have the catering sorted out as well. All we need is to get the remaining decorations and think of some more activities for the party and we're good to go." Donna narrated.
"Sounds good. I hate being stuck up here though, it would be so much fun to plan this with you, Brenda and Janet." Kelly confessed.
"You are planning it with us, we already used so many ideas that you provided." Donna assured her.
"It's not the same." Kelly said sadly, suddenly feeling homesick again.
"Why don't you, Brandon and Thea come down here before the wedding?" Donna asked.
"We can't. We have the interviews with caseworker next weekend, than the picnic the newspaper is hosting the weekend after. We won't be able to make it down to LA earlier than on the wedding weekend." Kelly explained.
"You know I'd come up there in a heartbeat, but flying is out of question and driving nearly 400 miles with a three year old and a two year old in tow... I love you...but I'm not going to do that." Donna giggled.
"I know." Kelly laughed. She heard the front door open and Thea's cry. "I have to cut this short, Don. It looks we have an emergency."
"Alright, Kel. Bye! Talk to you next week." Donna said quickly.
"Bye!" Ending the call she threw her cell phone on the sofa on her way to the hallway.
"What's wrong?" She asked Brandon who carried nearly hysterical Thea in his arms.
"We've a bruised knee." Brandon turned the little one slightly away from his chest so she could see the small trail of blood on her leg.
"Let's go into the bathroom." Kelly said following them. Grabbing the antiseptic and plaster from the cupboard they quickly took care of Thea's knee and as soon as she was in her mother's arms the cries turned into occasional soft whimpers.
"Slide?" Kelly asked rubbing Thea's back as she sat next to Brandon on the rim of the bathtub.
"No, the path. She stumbled and I was not able to catch her anymore." Brandon rubbed his temples.
Kelly looked at the palms of Thea's hands, they were slightly red and felt warm. She kissed the top of her head. "She's going to be fine, Brandon." She said seeing there was something on his mind.
"I know...it's just, I was not able to console her, she was nearly hysterical all the way from the playground and once she's in your arms she's all quiet." He pointed out.
"I spend most of the day with her." Kelly said carefully.
"Yes, it got me thinking if all of this time at work, working from home...if it's worth it. I can't console my own child." Brandon stated.
"Come on. Of course, you can." Kelly smiled handing Thea to him, watching as the little one rested her head on his chest quietly and Brandon rubbed her back.
"You freaked out when it happened, that's why she freaked out as well. She felt it, she's still too little to fully communicate with us verbally, crying is one of her forms of communication." Kelly tried to explain.
"I guess this is when your degree in psychology comes handy." Brandon smiled kissing Thea's head.
"Sometimes I put it into a good use." Kelly grinned leaning in to kiss him. Looking down she spotted Thea who was now looking at them. Tickling her side the little girl squealed in delight, Brandon soon joining them in for the fun, the bruised knee already forgotten.