~*~ Chapter 3 ~*~
At the grille, Karen, Scott, Serena, & Chris had sat down for a nice dinner. It was the first time in two weeks that they actually had time to spend as a family.
"So girls, fill me in...what happened around here while I was gone? Serena how was the dance?" Scott asked trying to start a conversation.
"It was nice," she replied seeming to be uninterested in being there.
"Just nice?" he asked glancing at Karen and back to Serena.
"Scott, she looked beautiful and Todd was so handsome. But he was so nervous, I'm surprised they made it to the dance in one piece." Karen joked and Serena just looked at Scott with a small smile.
Realizing Serena wasn't interested in making conversation, Scott turned his attention to Karen and Chris. "What about you two? What's new in your world?"
"Well, you're going to be a grandfather..." Karen replied nonchalantly.
"What?" Serena exclaimed.
"A grandfather? How did that happen?" Scott asked clearly letting his shock overcome him.
"Do you really need her to answer that?" Chris remarked.
"I'm due December 12th. We just found out today and we wanted you to hear it from us first." She smiled.
"Wow. I'm going to be an aunt. Congratulations." Serena said getting up to give her sister and Chris a hug.
"Congratulations, indeed" Scott said "I'm gonna be a grandpa...oh my little girl...truly all grown up."
"Dad, please. Not the mushy stuff in public." Serena pleaded, "can't you gush over her at home?"
"Have you picked names? Is it a boy or a girl? Do you need anything? Just name it...I'll get everything that you need. I'll start the paperwork for a..."
"Slow down, Scott." Karen interrupted.
"Now I know where you get it," Chris mumbled to himself remembering that Karen did the same thing.
"We have enough time to get answers to all of these questions," she said. "I'm not sure that I want to know what the sex is. At least not with the first child, it ruins the surprise."
"Trust me there will be a lot of surprises that will go along with this kid," Scott teased.
As they were finishing dinner, Chris' pager went off. "Oh...it's the hospital...Excuse me."
"While I have my two beautiful daughters alone," Scott began, "I want to thank both of you for being so understanding and taking care of each other while I've been away. It looks like Tuesday's trip is the last one that I am going to have to make and I'll be gone until Sunday. The trial starts next week."
"You not going to know how to act once the trial is over and you will be home all the time," Karen teased.
"Well I'm hoping to get to spend some time with my girls," he smiled. "You have some vacation time coming up, right?"
"Yeah both Chris and I have two weeks off at the end of June," she replied.
"Perfect. I took the liberty of making reservations at a certain Florida resort for those two weeks...for me and my girls." He said, "ah...and the lug head can come too. All expenses paid, my treat."
"Oh Scott...I don't think..." Karen started.
"What? You can't spend quality time with your old man and your sister? I want to take my family on a wonderful vacation. I have never done that for either of you...so now I am," he said stopping her mid sentence hoping a guilt trip would make her agree.
"Hi, honey," Chris said returning to the table. "I have to go to the hospital. Come on, I'll drop you at home on my way."
"Ah...Chris...I'll take her," Scott offered.
"Okay then, I'll see you at home later. I love you."
"I love you too," she replied.
"You girls ready to go?" Scott asked laying cash inside the billfold with the check.
On the ride home, Scott and Karen engaged in some small talk about the baby. He was so excited. As they pulled up to Karen's place, Scott thanked her for staying with Serena. "I feel more at ease knowing you two are together and safe. I love you sweetheart. You know that don't you?" he said.
"Your welcome, it's not a problem Scott. I love you too." She said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for the ride home."
"If you need anything, you call me. Think about the trip to Florida, okay? And take care of that little one."
"Okay" she replied placing her hand on her abdomen. "I'll see you tomorrow...bye sis."
"See ya, Karen," Serena said as Scott began to drive off.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Serena was standing at her locker between classes with her friend Jessica as Todd and Seth approached. "Hey Serena, what's happening?" Todd asked hugging her from behind. "Did your Dad leave for his trip today?
"Yeah he did...why?"
Grinning at Seth and raising one eyebrow he proposed an idea to Serena. "What do you say we skip our afternoon classes and relax at your house then...your sister is at work, right?"
"That sounds like a great idea, Serena!" exclaimed Jessie. "Come on let's do it."
Serena didn't answer. Instead she turned to her locker and placed her algebra book inside and began looking for her biology book.
"Come on, Serena...it's the last couple days of school. We're not doing anything here." Seth pleaded nudging her with his arm trying to convince her.
She look at Todd who was smiling, "Alright, Alright...we'll meet in the park in 20 minutes," she said closing her locker.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Serena and Jessica were standing by the fountain waiting for Todd and Seth to arrive. Unbeknown to them, the boys were hiding in the bushes behind them. When Serena turned her back to them, Seth jumped out of the bush grabbing her from behind and placing his hand over her mouth. In defense, Serena stomped on the instep of his foot and twisted his arm behind his back. "I swear you're an idiot," she said before pushing him to the ground. Jessie and Todd teasingly laughed at Seth "bet you'll never do that again." Todd said chastising Seth.
"Where did you learn that?" Seth asked jumping up.
"From my sister...her ex-husband is a cop."
"Geez, you nearly broke my arm," he complained embarrassed as they all walked to the Firehouse.
It only took a couple of minutes to walk from the park to the firehouse. As they approached Serena looked around to make sure Karen had left for work. Karen was working a 12 hour shift and Serena didn't expect to see her for the rest of the day.
"Here we are...have a seat. Come on, Jess, let's get something to eat." Serena said walking toward the kitchen with Jessica.
"Look at what I brought...a little something to spice up the party," Seth said holding up a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of Vodka and pulling a plastic bag with four marijuana joints in it out of his backpack "and a little dessert," he said placing the baggy in his shirt pocket.
"Cool" Todd replied. "Hey Serena," he yelled, "you got any games around here?"
"Yeah...in the closet by the door." She yelled back.
Todd and Seth rooted through the closet pulling out a twister game. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Todd asked.
"Oh Yeah...co-ed drunk twister."
Just then the girls came back with some sandwiches. "Did you guys find something," Serena asked.
"Sure did," Todd said holding up the alcohol as Seth set up the game.
Jessica grinned at the boys, "cool count me in."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
At the grille, Karen, Scott, Serena, & Chris had sat down for a nice dinner. It was the first time in two weeks that they actually had time to spend as a family.
"So girls, fill me in...what happened around here while I was gone? Serena how was the dance?" Scott asked trying to start a conversation.
"It was nice," she replied seeming to be uninterested in being there.
"Just nice?" he asked glancing at Karen and back to Serena.
"Scott, she looked beautiful and Todd was so handsome. But he was so nervous, I'm surprised they made it to the dance in one piece." Karen joked and Serena just looked at Scott with a small smile.
Realizing Serena wasn't interested in making conversation, Scott turned his attention to Karen and Chris. "What about you two? What's new in your world?"
"Well, you're going to be a grandfather..." Karen replied nonchalantly.
"What?" Serena exclaimed.
"A grandfather? How did that happen?" Scott asked clearly letting his shock overcome him.
"Do you really need her to answer that?" Chris remarked.
"I'm due December 12th. We just found out today and we wanted you to hear it from us first." She smiled.
"Wow. I'm going to be an aunt. Congratulations." Serena said getting up to give her sister and Chris a hug.
"Congratulations, indeed" Scott said "I'm gonna be a grandpa...oh my little girl...truly all grown up."
"Dad, please. Not the mushy stuff in public." Serena pleaded, "can't you gush over her at home?"
"Have you picked names? Is it a boy or a girl? Do you need anything? Just name it...I'll get everything that you need. I'll start the paperwork for a..."
"Slow down, Scott." Karen interrupted.
"Now I know where you get it," Chris mumbled to himself remembering that Karen did the same thing.
"We have enough time to get answers to all of these questions," she said. "I'm not sure that I want to know what the sex is. At least not with the first child, it ruins the surprise."
"Trust me there will be a lot of surprises that will go along with this kid," Scott teased.
As they were finishing dinner, Chris' pager went off. "Oh...it's the hospital...Excuse me."
"While I have my two beautiful daughters alone," Scott began, "I want to thank both of you for being so understanding and taking care of each other while I've been away. It looks like Tuesday's trip is the last one that I am going to have to make and I'll be gone until Sunday. The trial starts next week."
"You not going to know how to act once the trial is over and you will be home all the time," Karen teased.
"Well I'm hoping to get to spend some time with my girls," he smiled. "You have some vacation time coming up, right?"
"Yeah both Chris and I have two weeks off at the end of June," she replied.
"Perfect. I took the liberty of making reservations at a certain Florida resort for those two weeks...for me and my girls." He said, "ah...and the lug head can come too. All expenses paid, my treat."
"Oh Scott...I don't think..." Karen started.
"What? You can't spend quality time with your old man and your sister? I want to take my family on a wonderful vacation. I have never done that for either of you...so now I am," he said stopping her mid sentence hoping a guilt trip would make her agree.
"Hi, honey," Chris said returning to the table. "I have to go to the hospital. Come on, I'll drop you at home on my way."
"Ah...Chris...I'll take her," Scott offered.
"Okay then, I'll see you at home later. I love you."
"I love you too," she replied.
"You girls ready to go?" Scott asked laying cash inside the billfold with the check.
On the ride home, Scott and Karen engaged in some small talk about the baby. He was so excited. As they pulled up to Karen's place, Scott thanked her for staying with Serena. "I feel more at ease knowing you two are together and safe. I love you sweetheart. You know that don't you?" he said.
"Your welcome, it's not a problem Scott. I love you too." She said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for the ride home."
"If you need anything, you call me. Think about the trip to Florida, okay? And take care of that little one."
"Okay" she replied placing her hand on her abdomen. "I'll see you tomorrow...bye sis."
"See ya, Karen," Serena said as Scott began to drive off.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Serena was standing at her locker between classes with her friend Jessica as Todd and Seth approached. "Hey Serena, what's happening?" Todd asked hugging her from behind. "Did your Dad leave for his trip today?
"Yeah he did...why?"
Grinning at Seth and raising one eyebrow he proposed an idea to Serena. "What do you say we skip our afternoon classes and relax at your house then...your sister is at work, right?"
"That sounds like a great idea, Serena!" exclaimed Jessie. "Come on let's do it."
Serena didn't answer. Instead she turned to her locker and placed her algebra book inside and began looking for her biology book.
"Come on, Serena...it's the last couple days of school. We're not doing anything here." Seth pleaded nudging her with his arm trying to convince her.
She look at Todd who was smiling, "Alright, Alright...we'll meet in the park in 20 minutes," she said closing her locker.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Serena and Jessica were standing by the fountain waiting for Todd and Seth to arrive. Unbeknown to them, the boys were hiding in the bushes behind them. When Serena turned her back to them, Seth jumped out of the bush grabbing her from behind and placing his hand over her mouth. In defense, Serena stomped on the instep of his foot and twisted his arm behind his back. "I swear you're an idiot," she said before pushing him to the ground. Jessie and Todd teasingly laughed at Seth "bet you'll never do that again." Todd said chastising Seth.
"Where did you learn that?" Seth asked jumping up.
"From my sister...her ex-husband is a cop."
"Geez, you nearly broke my arm," he complained embarrassed as they all walked to the Firehouse.
It only took a couple of minutes to walk from the park to the firehouse. As they approached Serena looked around to make sure Karen had left for work. Karen was working a 12 hour shift and Serena didn't expect to see her for the rest of the day.
"Here we are...have a seat. Come on, Jess, let's get something to eat." Serena said walking toward the kitchen with Jessica.
"Look at what I brought...a little something to spice up the party," Seth said holding up a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of Vodka and pulling a plastic bag with four marijuana joints in it out of his backpack "and a little dessert," he said placing the baggy in his shirt pocket.
"Cool" Todd replied. "Hey Serena," he yelled, "you got any games around here?"
"Yeah...in the closet by the door." She yelled back.
Todd and Seth rooted through the closet pulling out a twister game. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Todd asked.
"Oh Yeah...co-ed drunk twister."
Just then the girls came back with some sandwiches. "Did you guys find something," Serena asked.
"Sure did," Todd said holding up the alcohol as Seth set up the game.
Jessica grinned at the boys, "cool count me in."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
