-Chapter Nine-
"Wow, it's like déjà vu around here," laughed Christie," Sean said the same thing."
Christie noticed Craig's camera sitting on a table nearby.
"Aren't you going to bring that?"
"My camera?"
"Yess your camera, why not?"
"Well I just didn't know if you."
"It's YOUR passion, bring it!"
Craig walked over and picked up the camera and a leather jacket.
"Well let's head out of here, okay?"
"Sure thing."
Craig walked over to Angela and kissed her on the cheek. Christie waved to her and Angela waved back with a smile and a yawn.
"Bye Joey, we'll get out of here so you can put sleeping beauty to bed."
Craig and Christie walked to his car and he put the jacket and camera into the backseat along with some other things that Christie couldn't see.
"Hey Craig, what's that stuff back there, and where are we going?"
Craig winked," You'll see."
As they drove, they listened to the radio, they laughed and sang. They were having so much fun just being there together, it didn't matter to either one of them what they did. Craig had something in store though, something he hoped she'd never forget.
They pulled into a lot near an open field of grass. There were a few picnic tables, but other than that, it was just grass. Grass and a view of the clear, beautiful night sky, filled with stars.
Craig got out of the car and walked around to Christie's side opening her door.
"Thank you," she said. She stood there looking up at the stars while he pulled a few things out of the car and walked out into the field.
When Christie got to him he had laid out a blanket, with a picnic basket and a small telescope. He turned around and saw her walking toward him with a huge smile on her face. When she got close enough, she threw her arms around him and hugged him for what seemed like hours. When she finally let go they sat down and began to talk.
"Craig, you're amazing. I haven't known you for long, but I FEEL like I have."
"I know what you mean," he said. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what was going so wrong at home that you had to move here?"
This was a sore subject for Christie, but she felt comfortable with Craig and she wanted to be open and honest to someone so that there would always be at least one person she could trust, besides Emma. "Well, my mom became and alcoholic about three years ago. She would go out every night and come in late, sometimes five or six in the morning. My dad worked a lot because he was a doctor, so I was pretty much on my own. Taking care of myself, getting myself to and from school, making meals and so on. That doesn't seem to bad so many kids have to do that, except last year things took an even worse turn. One night my mom came home around one with a guy she had met. I was still up watching TV, and when she saw that I was still in the room she became furious. She started kicking me, and calling me names, luckily I was able to crawl away from her and I locked myself in my room. She didn't care enough to come after me, she just wanted me gone. She beat me up a lot after that, for petty things. The more I tried to get away the worse it got. By the time my dad finally found out, he decided that he needed to get me out, and fast. That's when he asked Spike if I could live with them, and here I am. My parents are getting divorced, lucky for my dad, but I will probably be here for a while."
"Wow," Craig said. He didn't look half as surprised as she had thought he would and what he said next told her why.
"Joey's my step-dad. I didn't know him very well for a long time, because I lived with my real dad and he didn't want me to have anything to do with Joey or Angie, even tho I loved her to death. My dad beat me too, one day I came home and I found my dark room and a photo album I had put together of Joey, Angie and I as the perfect family ripped to shreds. My dad ran in and pushed me into a shelf causing everything to fall on top of me and my camera to break. I had some pretty serious bruises, but I never told anyone. It hurt me just to breathe. One day when I was playing with Angie in the park she saw them, and I told her a dinosaur had hurt me, a few days later when I tried to get myself out of here, Sean went to Joey and told him that he thought my father beat me. It was Angie that saved me, because she told Joey what I had said about the dinosaur at the park and he came looking for me. Luckily, I left my dad and Joey took me under his wing. I'm finally happy, I get to see Angie whenever I want and Joey's awesome."
When he looked up, he saw that Christie was crying. "What's wrong?"
"I just, I can't believe I found you."
Craig pulled her close and kissed her forehead as the two just stared at the stars. After silence for about ten minutes Christie spoke.
"Now, what's in the picnic basket," she said with a smile.
Craig pulled it over and opened it. He took out a plate of brownies, two glasses, some napkins, and a bottle of that sparkling fruit juice stuff you always got on New Years Eve as a kid.
"Craig, did you make these?"
He nodded," With Angie's help, I'm not to bad at making brownies."
Christie grabbed one and the look on her face when she bit into it told Craig that she was enjoying it. The pair ate and drank as they chatted about favorite books and movies, colors and music, everything under the sun.
As Craig was packing everything back into his car, Christie grabbed him by the arm. "You brought your camera right?
"Yeah.."
"Well are you planning on using it? Take some pictures baby!"
Craig smiled and pulled out his camera. He began snapping Christie in various places and poses. Making faces and dancing around. All he could think about was how wonderful she was. Everything he had ever wanted, she could understand his experiences and she was gorgeous. Most of all she was kind, to everyone at anytime.
When she looked @ her watch it was about 9:50. "Well I think we ought to get a move on to that coffee place, okay?"
Craig nodded and the pair hopped into his car to meet Sean and Emma.
When the two walked in holding hands Emma and Sean had already gotten a table.
"Don't they look perfect?" cooed Emma
Sean nodded," Craig definitely deserves this."
Craig and Christie called over to them and waved as they approached the table. Christie gave Emma a hug and said hi to Sean. Craig and Sean shared a high five and Craig said hi to Emma.
The four talked and drank coffee, and soon enough it was 11:45. Emma and Christie decided it would be a good idea to head home.
Craig was the only one with a car so he said he would drop everyone off. When he got to Emma's, she got out of the car and told them to take their time and she would tell Spike that Christie was home.
Craig got out of the car after Emma went inside and opened Christie's door.
"Craig, I had more fun tonight then I have ever had. Thank you so much for everything. Nobody has ever done something like that for me and I'm glad the first person was you."
"Don't mention it. I'd do anything for you; I would have fun just sitting and talking all night, nothing else. I'm a really lucky guy to have someone like you in my life."
Craig placed his hand on Christie's waist as she lightly stroked his cheek with her hand. They leaned into each other and shared a soft kiss, exploding with feeling, though it was gentle and only lasted a few seconds. They pulled away and smiled @ each other saying that they would talk soon, and Craig drove away.
Christie walked inside and saw Spike and Emma eagerly awaiting details on the couch. She took off her shoes and scarf and sat down.
She smiled," He's amazing you two. He took me to a field where it was so clear you could see every star you'd ever want to see. We talked about everything, things I'd never told anyone that wasn't in my family and we found out how extremely similar we are. He packed brownies that he made himself, and then before we left he took pictures. Millions of pictures..it was wonderful. I've never been on a date like that"
Emma sighed," Wow, can you ask Craig to give Sean a few pointers?"
The three laughed and Spike told Christie she was very lucky, and not to let Craig go easily.
Emma and Christie went upstairs and talked about the night some more, and then went to bed.
"Wow, it's like déjà vu around here," laughed Christie," Sean said the same thing."
Christie noticed Craig's camera sitting on a table nearby.
"Aren't you going to bring that?"
"My camera?"
"Yess your camera, why not?"
"Well I just didn't know if you."
"It's YOUR passion, bring it!"
Craig walked over and picked up the camera and a leather jacket.
"Well let's head out of here, okay?"
"Sure thing."
Craig walked over to Angela and kissed her on the cheek. Christie waved to her and Angela waved back with a smile and a yawn.
"Bye Joey, we'll get out of here so you can put sleeping beauty to bed."
Craig and Christie walked to his car and he put the jacket and camera into the backseat along with some other things that Christie couldn't see.
"Hey Craig, what's that stuff back there, and where are we going?"
Craig winked," You'll see."
As they drove, they listened to the radio, they laughed and sang. They were having so much fun just being there together, it didn't matter to either one of them what they did. Craig had something in store though, something he hoped she'd never forget.
They pulled into a lot near an open field of grass. There were a few picnic tables, but other than that, it was just grass. Grass and a view of the clear, beautiful night sky, filled with stars.
Craig got out of the car and walked around to Christie's side opening her door.
"Thank you," she said. She stood there looking up at the stars while he pulled a few things out of the car and walked out into the field.
When Christie got to him he had laid out a blanket, with a picnic basket and a small telescope. He turned around and saw her walking toward him with a huge smile on her face. When she got close enough, she threw her arms around him and hugged him for what seemed like hours. When she finally let go they sat down and began to talk.
"Craig, you're amazing. I haven't known you for long, but I FEEL like I have."
"I know what you mean," he said. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what was going so wrong at home that you had to move here?"
This was a sore subject for Christie, but she felt comfortable with Craig and she wanted to be open and honest to someone so that there would always be at least one person she could trust, besides Emma. "Well, my mom became and alcoholic about three years ago. She would go out every night and come in late, sometimes five or six in the morning. My dad worked a lot because he was a doctor, so I was pretty much on my own. Taking care of myself, getting myself to and from school, making meals and so on. That doesn't seem to bad so many kids have to do that, except last year things took an even worse turn. One night my mom came home around one with a guy she had met. I was still up watching TV, and when she saw that I was still in the room she became furious. She started kicking me, and calling me names, luckily I was able to crawl away from her and I locked myself in my room. She didn't care enough to come after me, she just wanted me gone. She beat me up a lot after that, for petty things. The more I tried to get away the worse it got. By the time my dad finally found out, he decided that he needed to get me out, and fast. That's when he asked Spike if I could live with them, and here I am. My parents are getting divorced, lucky for my dad, but I will probably be here for a while."
"Wow," Craig said. He didn't look half as surprised as she had thought he would and what he said next told her why.
"Joey's my step-dad. I didn't know him very well for a long time, because I lived with my real dad and he didn't want me to have anything to do with Joey or Angie, even tho I loved her to death. My dad beat me too, one day I came home and I found my dark room and a photo album I had put together of Joey, Angie and I as the perfect family ripped to shreds. My dad ran in and pushed me into a shelf causing everything to fall on top of me and my camera to break. I had some pretty serious bruises, but I never told anyone. It hurt me just to breathe. One day when I was playing with Angie in the park she saw them, and I told her a dinosaur had hurt me, a few days later when I tried to get myself out of here, Sean went to Joey and told him that he thought my father beat me. It was Angie that saved me, because she told Joey what I had said about the dinosaur at the park and he came looking for me. Luckily, I left my dad and Joey took me under his wing. I'm finally happy, I get to see Angie whenever I want and Joey's awesome."
When he looked up, he saw that Christie was crying. "What's wrong?"
"I just, I can't believe I found you."
Craig pulled her close and kissed her forehead as the two just stared at the stars. After silence for about ten minutes Christie spoke.
"Now, what's in the picnic basket," she said with a smile.
Craig pulled it over and opened it. He took out a plate of brownies, two glasses, some napkins, and a bottle of that sparkling fruit juice stuff you always got on New Years Eve as a kid.
"Craig, did you make these?"
He nodded," With Angie's help, I'm not to bad at making brownies."
Christie grabbed one and the look on her face when she bit into it told Craig that she was enjoying it. The pair ate and drank as they chatted about favorite books and movies, colors and music, everything under the sun.
As Craig was packing everything back into his car, Christie grabbed him by the arm. "You brought your camera right?
"Yeah.."
"Well are you planning on using it? Take some pictures baby!"
Craig smiled and pulled out his camera. He began snapping Christie in various places and poses. Making faces and dancing around. All he could think about was how wonderful she was. Everything he had ever wanted, she could understand his experiences and she was gorgeous. Most of all she was kind, to everyone at anytime.
When she looked @ her watch it was about 9:50. "Well I think we ought to get a move on to that coffee place, okay?"
Craig nodded and the pair hopped into his car to meet Sean and Emma.
When the two walked in holding hands Emma and Sean had already gotten a table.
"Don't they look perfect?" cooed Emma
Sean nodded," Craig definitely deserves this."
Craig and Christie called over to them and waved as they approached the table. Christie gave Emma a hug and said hi to Sean. Craig and Sean shared a high five and Craig said hi to Emma.
The four talked and drank coffee, and soon enough it was 11:45. Emma and Christie decided it would be a good idea to head home.
Craig was the only one with a car so he said he would drop everyone off. When he got to Emma's, she got out of the car and told them to take their time and she would tell Spike that Christie was home.
Craig got out of the car after Emma went inside and opened Christie's door.
"Craig, I had more fun tonight then I have ever had. Thank you so much for everything. Nobody has ever done something like that for me and I'm glad the first person was you."
"Don't mention it. I'd do anything for you; I would have fun just sitting and talking all night, nothing else. I'm a really lucky guy to have someone like you in my life."
Craig placed his hand on Christie's waist as she lightly stroked his cheek with her hand. They leaned into each other and shared a soft kiss, exploding with feeling, though it was gentle and only lasted a few seconds. They pulled away and smiled @ each other saying that they would talk soon, and Craig drove away.
Christie walked inside and saw Spike and Emma eagerly awaiting details on the couch. She took off her shoes and scarf and sat down.
She smiled," He's amazing you two. He took me to a field where it was so clear you could see every star you'd ever want to see. We talked about everything, things I'd never told anyone that wasn't in my family and we found out how extremely similar we are. He packed brownies that he made himself, and then before we left he took pictures. Millions of pictures..it was wonderful. I've never been on a date like that"
Emma sighed," Wow, can you ask Craig to give Sean a few pointers?"
The three laughed and Spike told Christie she was very lucky, and not to let Craig go easily.
Emma and Christie went upstairs and talked about the night some more, and then went to bed.