April 1989
Milly could barely focus on her homework.
She had her books spread out over her bed, as she sat cross legged, and was currently tapping her pencil against her lips softly. It was a beautiful spring day, and her window was open, the curtains lightly flowing back and forth by the warm breeze that continued to come in. She could faintly hear birds chirping, and kept worrying in the back of her mind about Eric. Mrs. Sherman had taken him to get his driver's permit. He had been studying for years, and thanks to Garry had even gotten plenty of practice in. Still, she was worried there might be a chance he could fail. The thought of him being upset turned her stomach, and she hated that Mrs. Sherman had insisted that Eric do this alone. She knew she was on her side, much like Garry about her relationship with Eric. Never interfering like her mother. Still, Eric's therapist had mentioned how co-dependent Eric and Milly had become. In fact, the only time Milly saw Eric get upset was usually when they were seperated. She hated to admit this herself, but her stomach turned to knots whenever he wasn't around, or had to go to an appointment without her. Still, she pushed these thoughts away, the same thoughts her mother was trying to drive into her, that her relationship with Eric wasn't healthy. She figured it was just because they were so in love, and that she was the only one that knew Eric's secret.
Just then she heard the sound of a car pulling up outside next door. Her eyes widening, she threw her pencil down into her bed, and jumped up, running downstairs. Her mother, who was having coffee with Garry in the dining room, both gave a puzzled look as Milly raced down the stairs, and flew out the front door. Both shaking their heads, they continued talking. Milly ran as fast as she could down the front steps, and down the sidewalk, just in time to see Mrs. Sherman and Eric climb out of her car. Eric was wearing a light jacket and jeans, his floppy hair blew slightly from the breeze, and the second he saw Milly, his entire face lit up. Milly slowed down, and stopped just in front of Eric. She looked at him, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
"So?"
Eric gave one of his signature smirks, before glancing over at Mrs. Sherman who smiled. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out the stamped driver's permit and waved it in front of her. Milly's eyes widened, as she snatched it, and saw that he had passed. Instantly Milly looked up at Eric in complete disbelief, before wrapping her arms around him tight, and giving him one of the tightest hugs she had ever given someone.
Eric meanwhile just smiled.
Later...
It was nearly dusk, and Milly sat laughing in a small clearing in the Mystic Woods. She had told her mother that Eric and her might catch a movie, instead, she had borrowed Gary's car, and had driven out of town, past the farms, and parked off to the side of the road. Together, they walked hand in hand, going deeper and deeper into the woods, before finding the clearing. It had been an hour or so, and the sunset looked absolutely beautiful. Milly sat in a T-shirt and jeans, sitting on the soft forest ground, looking up in amazement as Eric floated at least ten feet in front of her. She loved whenever he did stuff like this. He floated, before doing a few flips, and somersaults, causing Milly to crack up completely. She knew he had been dying to fly, and knew it had been a while since they had gotten the chance to sneak off and be alone. He slowly floated down towards her, before offering his hands. Milly smiled, absently playing with the small gold ring on her finger, before getting up, dusting the dirt off her jeans, before reaching up, and taking Eric's hands.
He gripped them tight, and slowly Milly's sneakers lifted off the ground. She laughed, before they floated up, holding hands, staring right across from each other, as Milly glanced down and saw they were getting higher and higher. The warm breeze blew by them, before Eric let go of one of her hands, and both tilted their bodies flat, before Eric smirked at her, and together they began going above the trees, and flying over the woods and lakes that surrounded the area. Milly laughed, feeling the warm breeze hit her face, all the while watching the beautiful sunset that turned the sky into a stunning shade of red.
That night...
Both flew for almost two hours straight, before Milly knew she needed to get home for dinner. They flew back down, and walked in the darkness towards the car. The drive back they listened to music, and laughed, before pulling down their street, and parking in the driveway. Standing outside of the car, Milly smiled, standing up on her tiptoes, and deeply kissing Eric's plump lips. Once the kiss broke, she smiled, gazing into his big brown eyes.
"You should be proud of yourself Eric. This is amazing."
Eric blushed a little, when suddenly the loud humming of a motorcycle engine filled the night air. Milly froze, waiting for Eric to clap his hands over his ears over the noise. Instead, she watched in amazement as Eric turned his head, completely unbothered, and watched the man on the motorcycle zoom down the street. Milly closely watched Eric's eyes as he followed the bike, before it took a left, and disappeared down the end of the street. Milly raised an eyebrow, impressed over Eric handling the noise.
That's when Eric smirked, and turned and looked down at Milly. Lifting his hands, he signed.
"One day, I'm going to ride one of those."
Present 2009
Eric was sitting in a black T-shirt, the sleeves rolled up over his tanned arms. He was sitting on the end of the couch, his arms open as he smiled and tried to coach Marshall to walk. Milly was meanwhile in the other room, using her laptop and writing down notes on her latest project. She didn't know what it was, but lately she had been on a total roll. The ideas kept coming to her nonstop. Eric smiled across at the baby, who wore tiny red overalls, and was currently sitting on his playmat across the room, drooling and chewing all over his rubby Snoppy toy. The baby gurgled, and giggled, bright eyed, and honestly so beautiful. Milly knew it didn't really count since Marshall was her son, but she honestly believed he was the cutest baby she had ever seen. He had Eric;s eyes, and was slowly growing in some beautiful soft brown hair. His face was chubby and round, and he constantly was smiling and babbling the few words he had just recently learned. His first one had been months ago, when Eric was feeding him in his highchair. Milly would never forget it. Marshall looked up at him, smiled and babbled...
"Dada."
Instantly Milly, who was at the stove, froze, and slowly turned around. Eric was just as stunned as she was, holding the tiny jar of baby food, and the plastic spoon. Milly looked at the baby, before she laughed, and walked over completely amazed.
"What did you just say?! Did you say dada?!"
The baby gurgled, wiggling in his highchair, wearing his bib, before he laughed, and said again...
"Dada."
That was Marshall's first word. It was fitting since instantly Milly saw a bond between Eric and the baby that seemed truly special. Eric rearranged his entire work schedule in order to be home as much as possible. He worked nights, and ever since they finished the condo job, Eric had made enough money to really just be doing mechanic work on the side. Eric took to being a parent like a complete natural. He never minded the nightly feedings, changed Marshall faster than anyone Milly had ever seen, and seemed to be the one that the baby always wanted whenever he was having a meltdown and couldn't stop crying. Milly adored watching them, Eric constantly signed in front of the baby. Both Milly and him had decided to teach him sign language. Still., she noticed he was making an extra effort in trying to speak more in front of him. It was a struggle, but Milly sometimes while doing laundry, would hear Eric softly humming in the nursery. Once or twice she peeked in, and saw Eric either soothing the baby, holding Marshall, and humming to him, or rocking him in the rocking chair, rubbing his back, and kissing the top of his head. Milly knew Eric was over protective of the baby, just last month Geneva had told her about this great swim class for babies at the YMCA. Eric at first thought it was a terrible idea, but Milly wanted Marshall to try it. Eric joined them for the first class, and she seriously thought he was going to either pass out in the bleachers, or jump into the pool. Milly decided to hold off on the lessons until Eric got used to the idea. Sometimes Milly would walk into the living room and smile, watching Eric laying on the sofa napping, with the baby laying on his chest asleep as well. He was truly an amazing father, and she loved watching him with the baby. Today Eric smiled, keeping his arms open, motioning for the baby to get up and walk. Lately he had been really working on it, and had taken plenty of tumbles, but seemed to really be getting closer to it.
That's when Milly heard Eric struggle to say...
"C...C...Come...on...Marshall...y...y...you...c...c...c...can...d...do...it."
Milly looked over and smiled, closing her laptop, when suddenly she couldn't believe it.
The baby slowly stood up, dropping his toy, wobbling back and forth, before he looked across at Eric and giggled. Eric smiled and kept motioning with his hands to come over to him. The baby swayed for a second, before slowly he took one step...then another...then another.
Milly's jaw dropped, before she put her hands over her mouth to hide the gasp that almost escaped. The baby continued to gurgle and laugh, before he continued stepping towards his daddy. After two more steps, he walked right against Eric's legs, before Eric lifted the baby up and hugged him tight. Milly squealed with delight, before jumping up, running around the table, and towards them.
"Oh my God! Marshall! You walked! You did such a great job! What a good boy!"
Eric was covering him with kisses, before Milly sat down beside them, and wrapped her arms around them, hugging and kissing them.
Later that night...
Milly was waiting for Eric as he was putting the baby down. She had changed into her sexiest nighty, which was teal colored with black lace. She had taken a long hot shower, and had done herself up for him. She laid on the bed waiting for him, and couldn't help but smile when he walked in, carrying the baby monitor, when he froze in the doorway. Milly batted her eyelashes.
"I figure we'll celebrate tonight? What do you think?"
Eric grinned before tossing her the baby monitor, which she caught, laughed, and put on the nightstand. Eric meanwhile unbuckled the belt to his jeans, and was in the process of peeling off his T-shirt.
June 1989
It was the last day of school.
Andy was throwing a party, and Geneva had convinced Milly and Eric to go.
The party wasn't that bad, but pretty packed. Milly and Eric mostly stayed out on the back deck. Both were given solo cups of beer, since Andy had a hookup. The two stood side by side, listening to the music from inside, and leaning against the railing, saying hi to everyone who walked by. Andty, and a classmate named Sam had dragged Eric away, asking him if he wanted to play beer pong? Eric signed to Milly to translate, and Milly smiled.
"He says he doesn't know how."
Andy slapped Eric on the shoulder.
"Oh it's easy pal! I'll show you! Come on!"
They pulled Eric away towards the tables set up across on the deck where a small crowd of people were. Eric shrugged looking at Milly who smiled, and nodded that she was fine. Geneva walked over, sipping a wine cooler.
"Not a bad bash huh? I was so pumped when Andy said his parents were going down to Florida for the weekend. Just hope these idiots don't make too much noise and the neighbors call the cops."
Milly laughed, and smiled watching Eric stand with Andy and Sam on the end of one of the tables. He raised a ping pong ball, and tossed it across, which landed in one of the cups. The crowd of people around the table cheered, and Andy high-fived Eric who smiled. Milly stood back proudly, so happy that he was actually fitting in and having fun. They planned on staying at the party for two hours, before celebrating the last day of school together up in the attic together. Milly actually had a few surprises for him, and hoped it would blow his mind. ' Ah-Ha's Take On Me started to play over the stereo as Milly continued to stand with Geneva giggling, and talking.
Both were totally unaware that Keith had just entered the party, already drunk. The second he saw Milly through the glass sliding door, his eyes narrowed, and his hands curled into fists.
Present 2 months later...
Eric stood by the kitchen sink, giving Marshall a bath. His sleeves rolled up, and most of the water splashing on his jeans. The baby giggled, playing with his tiny foam letters. Milly, who had gone out to run a few errands, came home and hurried upstairs after quickly kissing Eric's cheek, yelling down to him she would be down in a few minutes. Now, just as Eric wrapped a towel around Marshall, smiling, he turned and saw Milly standing in the kitchen doorway smiling. She slowly walked up to him, before she lifted a pregnancy test, and showed it to him.
"I'm pregnant."
Eric froze in disbelief holding Marshall, who continued to giggle staring up at his parents.