Chapter 64
"I have missed you!" Erin cried out running into Kelly's arms in the arrival hall of SFO.
Kelly laughed softly holding her sister. "It's been only three weeks since we were down in Los Angeles."
"A lot has changed since then, for example you look really pregnant now." Erin replied kissing her sister's cheeks and looking down at the baby bulge that was visible under Kelly's shirt.
"Yeah, that belly appeared virtually overnight about a week ago I think the days when I was still able to fit into my jeans are inevitably over." Kelly chuckled.
"Are you sure it's not twins? With Thea you were just desperately trying to find the slightest hint of wobbling around this time." Erin noted as the two were heading out of the arrivals hall.
"Absolutely sure, there is just one baby in there, I got the doctor triple check it for me this morning." Kelly grinned.
"Good, twins are a scary concept." Erin laughed.
"Tell me about it, especially if you have to chase after two toddlers as well." Kelly laughed along.
"Oh yeah, speaking of the two toddlers where are they and Brandon?" Erin asked, when they talked last Brandon and the kids should have come to the airport too and they were all supposed to head to the ZOO together.
"Change of plans." Kelly said briefly, their talk halted while they got into her car.
"What happened?" Erin asked once they were buckled up and ready to leave the airport parking place.
"Brandon was supposed to have the whole day off, but while we were waiting for my appointment he got a call about some urgent meeting with his boss, so he headed straight to the office afterwards. Thea and Lucas are at home with the sitter, waiting for us to arrive." Kelly narrated.
"It must be something, if they call him to the office on his day off." Erin smiled cheekily.
"Yes, maybe..." Kelly agreed, she really did not give it any thought earlier on. "So Berkeley of all places, that's quite sudden decision as well. How's mom taking it?" Kelly smiled changing the topic quickly.
"She is being supportive, but I guess she will be disappointed if they accept me and I will move up here too." Erin said slowly.
"She will get over it." Kelly assured her sister. "Besides by the time when you move up here, we might be moving back to Los Angeles."
"Yes, that too and if Berkeley does not work out, there is still CU which she will be thrilled about." Erin laughed.
"Hey, there is nothing wrong with CU." Kelly warned her jokingly.
"No, there really isn't but so far I do like Berkeley's arts and humanities program a lot better." Erin explained.
"Then I do hope they won't disappoint you during the visit tomorrow." Kelly smiled at her sister.
The rest of the drive was a lot quieter as Erin's comments made Kelly wonder what was behind the newspaper calling Brandon to the office so suddenly. Coming up with a few wild guesses, she decided to leave the topic behind once they arrived at the house.
"Auntie Ewin!" Thea shrieked as soon as the door opened, running into her Erin's arms. Albeit smiling Lucas has been a lot more reserved standing near the stairs and observing the scene in front of him.
"Are you not going to give your aunt a hug, Lucas?" Kelly asked squatting down next to her son.
"Daddy?" He asked quietly. For the past few days he has been really attached to Brandon.
"Daddy had to go to work, but he will join us as soon as he will be able to." Kelly assured him, brushing the dark hair away from her son's forehead.
"No, daddy here!" The little boy shook his head running to the door looking for his father outside, but when he could not see him, he just remained standing there quietly.
Kelly exchanged a look with Erin who was keeping Thea occupied and headed to her son picking him up and closing the front door. He did not fight her, so she carried him to the living sitting down on the sofa with Lucas in her lap.
"You remember how we talked that daddy has to work to earn money for our family?" Kelly asked slowly, making sure Lucas was looking in her eyes.
He nodded his head before speaking. "ZOO."
"Yes, he was supposed to head to ZOO with all of us today, but he got called to work. He will come and join us as soon as he can." Kelly explained.
Lucas nodded his head but remained silent this time.
"So what do you say we head to the zoo in the meantime, just me, you, Thea and Auntie Erin?" Kelly asked hopefully.
"Pingu?" Lucas asked his little face brightening up.
"Yes, we will go and check the penguins." There was no more persuasion needed as the little boy jumped down from Kelly' knees he stopped running just few feet away from the door turning around with a big smile on his face.
"Come mamma, pingu!" He yelled from the door.
Brandon quickly greeted the receptionist on his way to the elevator. Kelly's appointment run slightly longer than they expected so he had just few minutes left before the urgent meeting that was called that day, he still had no idea what this was all about.
Running out of the elevator he nearly bumped into someone. "Sorry!" He called out before taking in the person in front of him. "Susan?" He asked stunned to see her after all those years.
"Brandon." She let out equally surprised.
"What bring you over here?" He managed to ask before they were interrupted by Brandon's boss.
"I see that you two already met each other." He smiled stopping next to them. "Brandon, let me introduce Susan Keats to you, if everything goes well she will be taking over the San Francisco office from you."
Brandon blinked a few times; he was certainly not expecting this when they called him about the urgent meeting earlier that day.
"Daddy!" Thea and Lucas shrieked running into their father's arms when they spotted him.
"Who are these wild animals and what happened to my two kids?" Brandon chuckled, seeing his kids painted faces.
"We've exchanged them for a tiger and penguin." Erin joked as she and Kelly joined them.
"It's good to see you up here Erin." Brandon said as the two greeted each other.
"It's good to be here." Erin smiled, taking Thea from him as she was already reaching out for her.
"We were just heading to see the tigers." Kelly said slipping her hand into Brandon's as they moved forward, Kelly pushing the stroller and Lucas still in his father's arms.
"Did you have fun without me?" Brandon asked.
"Not really, just ask the little one in your arms he was missing his daddy terribly, although seeing penguins made him feel a little bit better." Kelly smiled up at her son, who was observing what was going on around them. "How did the meeting go?"
"Good, it was luckily very quick." Brandon smiled at her not elaborating any further; Kelly raised her brows but did not push the topic, knowing Brandon well she knew that once he will be ready he will tell her more, so they both continued walking in silence.
Moments later Brandon felt as Kelly's hand slipped out of his before she joined Erin and Thea, he and Lucas remaining few steps behind them. Soon Thea was tired of walking so they had to stop and sit the little one in the stroller and as Lucas was nodding off to sleep they did the same with him.
Erin volunteered to push the stroller, while Brandon and Kelly remained few steps behind her. That was his chance to tell her. "They have found someone." Brandon said just loud enough for Kelly to hear.
Her eyes were on him in a moment, her whole face brightening up. "Really?"
"Yes, she will be starting on Monday." Brandon confirmed.
"She?" Kelly raised her brows.
"Mhm, and you know her as well." Brandon chuckled. "It's Susan." He said finally.
Kelly laughed slipping her hand into his. "Life indeed has a wicked sense of humor."
"Yes, but I'll take that if it means our family can move back home before we will grow by one." His eyes slipped down looking at Kelly's belly.
