Lucky Stars
Part 4
[Okay, here is where it starts to get good; the real plot is about to come in. I'd say maybe two, three more parts after this one? Something around there. And you should know, this is gonna skip around some on the time frame. Okay? Okay!]
I missed it? Joey said into the phone. Don't tell me I missed something else with Mariah! Joey said.
Sorry, Joe, Taya said.
What did I miss this time? he sighed. So far he missed the first time she rolled over, her first time sitting on her own, and her first laugh.
She WALKED! Taya practically yelled.
Joey practically yelled back. She- you mean, she took her first steps?
Taya said, excitedly. She just was walking holding onto the table, you know, how she does? But then she just bursted away from it and came straight to me. Of course, she didn't make it the whole way, she fell, but she was WALKING!!
Did you get it on tape? Joey asked, holding his breath. That was how he saw the first time she sat up. Taya had caught it on the video camera.
she said, regret in her voice. Sorry. I would have tried to get it if I knew or thought she was gonna walk. But she just surprised me with it!
That's okay, Joey said. I mean, I got to see when she first held her head up, and her first smile, and.....and when she first pulled herself to a standing position.
You have to come see her, Taya said. Maybe she'll walk to you.
She's probably done with the walking thing for a few weeks, he said, sadly.
Nah. I bet she'd do it again, with some coaxing.
Can I come over, then?
Taya said. We'll be waiting for you, she added as she hung up.
Come to Daddy! Joey said, trying to get Mariah to walk to him. She looked at him and smiled, then crawled over to him.
Taya said. You gotta walk to him, Riah! she watched Mariah happily get to Joey. Come to Mommy! she said, holding her hands out as Joey helped her gain her balance and stand up. Once again, she fell to her knees and crawled over to Taya. She looked at Joey. I guess you were right, she said.
Unfortunately. I have a lot of nieces and nephews. And they were all that way, he said. Come on, Mariah, he tried again. Come to Dada.
she yelled. Joey looked at her, then looked at Taya.
Did she just say....
She did!
Has she said that before?
Taya said, shaking her head.
Has she said anything before?
Taya said. Awwww, my little girl is growing up!
Come to Dada, Joey tried again, holding out his arms.
she said, still making no attempt to walk to him.
Oh well. I'm fine with you just saying that over and over! he said. He got up and scooped her up. Wow, you are getting so big! he said, watching her face break into a smile as she was pulled into his arms.
She did it! Joey said into the phone. She walked to me! He had Mariah for the day, and she had finally decided to show him how she could walk from one place to another.
She did? Taya asked. That's great.
Yeah, it was so cute, he said. She just toddled over and fell into my arms. Then she had this huge grin on her face. Like she was so proud of herself! I gotta go. She may be walking around somewhere, he added, before hanging up.
Joey called. Come to Dada! he said. He was trying to get her to walk to him again, this time the video camera was ready and in place.
she said.
Yeah, I'm Dada. Come to me! he said. She was standing holding on to the table and trying to decide if it was safe to let go and attempt walking again. Come on, Ry, he said. She smiled and let go of the table and went straight to her father's arms, the camera catching it all.
she said, happily, once she made the journey across the room.
*&*&*
Daddy, can I get that coloring book? Mariah asked.
Not right now, Mariah, he said.
But Daddy, she protested. I really want that one!
Mariah, not right now! he said.
she said. I WANT that one!
Mariah, we just came in here to buy Emma a birthday present. That's all. Nothing else.
she said. I really want that one! Daddy, please!
No, Mariah, he said. Let's go and look at the dolls.
No, I want to keep looking at the books! she said. And I want to get that one.
Mariah, all I have is enough to buy Emma's birthday gift, and go.
All you care about is Emma! she shouted.
Mariah, that's not true, he said. Now come on, he said, taking her hand and starting to pull her from the aisle.
No! I don't want to go! she screamed, grabbing onto the edge of a shelf to keep from being pulled.
Come on, now, he added.
she said, the tears starting to fall, and the screaming coming.
he said. We are going, right now. This is not how you act when you want to get something!
But I really really want it! she said.
Well then, you shouldn't have been acting like this. Now you won't get it. AND you won't get any ice-cream for a week.
No, Daddy, no fair! she said. She threw herself to the floor and continued crying.
he said once again.
I want ice-cream! she yelled, now more worried about that than the book.
No. This is not how you act in a store. Now we're going to take you home to Mommy's.
But I don't wanna go home!
Well then, maybe you should have listened to me when I said no the firs time.
What about Emma's party? she asked.
You don't get to go.
No, NO FAIR! she said, screaming and crying again. He grabbed her and picked her up, taking her screaming and crying to the exit as she pulled things off the shelf on her way. NO FAIR! she yelled again as everyone watched him leave with his screaming four-year-old.
Where's Mariah? Rachel asked when Joey got to Emma's birthday party.
Mariah didn't get to come, he said. She had a tantrum in the toy store.
Ohhhh, those are bad, Ross said, knowingly.
Haven't had that yet, Chandler said.
Just wait until she hits three and starts wanting everything, Rachel said.
It was terrible, Joey said. Everyone was looking at us. Probably thinking she was some spoiled brat when she's really not usually like that.
Don't worry about other people, Rachel said. They've probably all forgotten what they saw happen with some strangers at a toy store by now.
Yeah, I guess. But now I feel so bad that I didn't let her come. I mean, I could have just taken away something else, like TV, he said. She can always get that back. But the party will be over, and she can't get that back.
Don't worry about it, Rachel said. Emma has had her fair share of things taken away that she can't get back. That was the only way she seemed to learn.
Yeah, but didn't you feel terrible? Joey asked.
Rachel said. But she learned her lesson. It's part of being a father.
Hi Mariah, Joey said into the phone that night. He called her to say goodnight, just like he did every night.
she said, not sounding like she was very excited to hear from her father at this time.
Just wanted to say goodnight, he said.
she said, giving him the shortest goodnight she ever had.
I take it you're mad at me? he asked.
Yes. And Mommy is even going along with your punishment. She wouldn't let me have ice-cream.
I'm sorry, Ry, but you needed to have something taken away.
But why'd you have to take away the party? she asked, sadly. He could hear that she was near tears.
I just did, Joey said.
I'm sorry, Daddy, she said.
I forgive you, he said. Just, please, don't do that again.
I won't, I promise! she said, tears falling and she sniffled.
Good night, honey, he said.
Night, Daddy.
He hung up the phone and sighed. He got into bed, Rachel's words ringing over and over in his head. It's just part of being a father.
Mariah yelled, running to his arms. He just picked her up at Taya's house. She hadn't seen him for a few days.
Hey there, he said, lifting her up. Miss me much?
she screamed. What are we gonna do today?
Ummm, I was thinking zoo, he said. But I don't know... he joked, knowing she loved to go to the zoo more than anything.
Yes, ZOO! Zoo, zoo, zoo! she chanted.
Okay, so, zoo it is! he said. I just hope they don't put you in with the monkeys. She giggled at him.
They won't! Let's go, let's go! she said.
Are you sure that they won't try to keep you with the monkeys?
They haven't before, Daddy! she said with a giggle, and headed towards the door. Now c'mon!
Coming, coming, he said.
&*&*&
I take it she's tired? Taya asked with a smile when Joey brought Mariah back that night. She was asleep in his arms, her head resting on her shoulder and she had a stuffed giraffe in her arms.
Yeah, kinda, he said with a smile. He walked through the apartment, stepping over toys and books, and made his way to Mariah's room. He put her down on her bed, pulled her shoes off, and pulled the covers over her.
It seems like only yesterday, he said. That you were that little tiny baby in a crib.
Thanks for taking her, Taya said. She looks forward to her time with you so much.
I don't know, is it me or the zoo? Joey joked.
Oh, it's you, Taya said. She'd go to a garbage dump if it was with you.
Well, I don't know what I'd be doing there, he said with a smile. Tell her I said good night and I that I love her,
I will, she said. Hey, it's late. You want to just stay here tonight? she asked. Then you can tell her yourself in the morning.
I don't know.... he said. What is she gonna think if I'm still here in the morning?
That you spent the night on the couch. Like you will. She isn't gonna think we had sex or something. She's four.
Yeah. Yeah, it would be easier, he agreed. Okay, I guess. Thanks.
Taya said. Let me get you a shirt to sleep in. I have some big ones that I use to sleep in, she said. Should fit you, she added with a smile, and went into her room. When she returned, she handed him a t-shirt.
he said. She smiled at him warmly. Sleep good, she said, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek.
What was meant to be a simple kiss on the cheek soon turned to a kiss on the lips, then another kiss on the lips, and numerous kisses on the neck and arms and shoulders.
What are we doing? Joey asked.
I don't know, Taya admitted. But, but, let's keep doing it.
But, we shouldn't...
Joey, we shouldn't do a lot of things, but we do them!
You're right, he said, kissing her again. But what about Mariah?
She's asleep. Out like a light.
he said. If you really want to...
And what was meant to be a night of Joey sleeping on the couch turned into a night of Joey sleeping in Taya's room.
When he woke up the next morning, he looked around, confused. Then he remembered.
Oh, God! he said, realizing what he had done last night. He slept with Taya. The mother of his daughter. A woman he sometimes didn't even really like. He only put up with her for Mariah. he asked himself.
Why did I do it?? He quickly got out of bed and pulled on his clothes, and left the apartment before Mariah had a chance to see him. She should wake up any minute now.
Ummm, I'm kinda confused, Joey said to Chandler and Ross that night.
What? Why? About what? Ross asked.
Well, you know how my relationship with Taya is mostly just so I can be with Mariah?
Chandler said.
Well, I think I kinda made my relationship with her more than that.
Ross asked.
Because, I, I, ummm, slept with her.
You WHAT?? both Chandler and Ross exclaimed.
I thought you didn't even really get along with her! Chandler said.
I don't. Sometimes I do, though. And last night she was being really nice. So we just kinda....
Just because she was being nice? Ross asked.
Well, I don't know. It just happened!
So what does this mean? Chandler asked.
Nothing. Nothing, it doesn't mean anything, Joey said. I don't think.
Hi, Daddy! Mariah said into the phone. I didn't get to say good night last night. Mommy said you said so, though.
Yeah, I did. Joey said with a smile. Hey, Ry, does Mommy seem mad at me?
No. No more than usual, she said. She was in a happy mood this morning.
Oh. Okay. Good, he said. Good, good, good.
Why? Is she supposed to be mad at you?
No. I mean, I don't think so, he said. Just checking.
She gets mad at you a lot, Mariah said.
No she doesn't, Joey said. You just think she's mad at me.
Mariah asked, confused.
Nothing, never mind, he said. I'll see you soon, okay?
she said. I love you!
I love you, too, he said. Bye, Baby.
she said, before hanging up her end of the phone.
a panicked voice said over the phone.
Yeah, yeah. Who is this? he asked.
I'm Genevieve. Taya's sister?
Oh, yeah. Hi. What's up?
Joey, it's not so good, she said.
What's the matter? he asked, instantly worried about Mariah. Is it Mariah?
No, no, she's fine, Joey.
Then what is it?
It's Taya, she said.
TBC.........
