NAYERT
Chapter Four-The Surprise
We headed downstairs.
"Emma's got good news!" Becky cried as we jogged down the stairs and into the living room.
"What is it?" Stephanie asked.
"I've decided to move here to San Francisco. There's nothing back in New York for me now," I said.
"What about your singing career?" Jessie asked.
"I'm sure I can find something here," I said.
"You could always audition for a singing fairy with Joey on "Ranger Joe"," Jessie grinned.
Joey gave Jessie a dirty look.
"Hey, she'd be a darn good singing fairy,"
"I know! I wasn't saying she wouldn't!" Jessie replied.
"Is there another place maybe she could go?" D.J. asked.
"Well, let's see…" Danny mused, deep in thought.
Suddenly, Jessie had a thought.
"Hey! I've got an idea!" Jessie cried.
"I thought I smelled something burning," Joey replied.
We all snickered and giggled.
Jessie smirked at Joey. "Ha-ha. At least I can think. What's your excuse?"
"What's your idea?" Stephanie interjected with a big grin on her face.
"She could be our lead singer for the band," Jessie replied.
My bottom jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"
Even Becky was looking at him surprised.
"Jess, are you sure?" Becky asked, slowly.
"Absolutely! She's got a gorgeous voice! Why not?" Jessie asked looking around. "She could live right here in the house and not have to worry about looking for an apartment."
"Well, I think that's a good idea. It's up to Emma though," Danny replied. All seven pairs of eyes were on me.
I broke into a grin.
"That sounds great! You got yourself a singer!"
Everyone cheered. I went and hugged Jessie.
"Sing again!" Michelle cried.
I laughed.
"How about I sing after dinner?"
"You got it dude!" Michelle said, giving me a thumbs up.
We laughed again.
"Oh! Steph, have you decided who to do your report on?" Danny asked.
"Report?" I asked, tilting my head.
"Yeah. I've got to do a report on someone I look up to," Stephanie replied.
"She's having a bit of trouble though," D.J added.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"I look up to a lot of people. I don't know who to do yet," Stephanie replied frowning.
"Well, who are the people?" I asked.
"Dad and Joey,"
"What? You don't look up to me?" Jessie replied pretending to be hurt.
"Jess! Don't confuse the poor girl even more than she already is!" Becky scolded smacking Jessie up the back of the head.
"The hair! Watch the hair!" Jessie cried.
"Jess, it doesn't move on its own," Becky replied grinning.
"Anyway…" Stephanie continued. "If I choose one of them, I don't want the other one's feeling to be hurt."
"Aw, Steph. That's so nice of you," Joey said, softly as he went over to her and sat beside her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
"Does it have to be one person?" I asked, leaning on the armrest of the chair where D.J. was sitting.
"No," Stephanie said, brightening. "I could do it on both!"
"There ya go!" Jessie cried.
"You both win!" Stephanie said laughing.
Joey gave Stephanie a hug, then Danny hugged her.
I grinned. They were a good family. I felt lucky to know them and now, I had become part of it.
Becky looked at me.
"Oh! My God! I almost forgot! Would you like to see the twins?"
I grinned broader.
"Absolutely!"
"Sit down. We'll be right back," Becky said as she grabbed Jessie's arm and pulled him up from the chair. They disappeared upstairs.
I sat on the couch beside Michelle. Joey was standing behind the couch, both hands resting on the top of it leaning over.
A few moments later, Jessie and Becky came down carrying the twins. They came around to the couch and Becky placed one of the babies on my lap. I gently cradled him.
"Who do I have?" I asked, grinning at the baby.
"Alex," Becky replied. "Jess's holding Niki."
"He's such a cutie," I gushed.
The baby let out a happy coo.
"He likes you," Becky said, grinning.
"She looks good holding the kid," Jessie replied.
"Jess, our son has a name," Becky scolded laughing.
"I know," Jessie replied defensively. "I just like calling him 'Hey you'."
Becky rolled her eyes.
Alex yawned and closed his eyes.
"He certainly feels safe with her," Joey replied. "He's fallen asleep!"
"He's precious," I smiled.
"I'm precious…until I take a dump in my diaper!" Joey said in a baby's voice.
We all rolled with laughter.
I handed Alex back to Becky so she could put him to bed.
Just then, the front door bell rang.
"I'll get it," Joey offered.
He walked over to the front door and up the two small steps in front of it. He opened the door.
"Hello? Is there an Emma Donaldson staying here?" a man's voice asked.
Mike.
"Mike? What are you doing here?" I demanded standing up and walking over.
I stood behind Joey.
"You're Mike?" Joey asked.
I caught the anger in his tone and I could tell this wasn't going to be a pleasant meeting.
Mike nodded.
He has short, wavy dark blond hair and blue eyes.
Joey grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him into the house. He closed the door and banged Mike up against the door.
"Joey!" Danny cried as he, Jessie and Becky rushed forward.
Danny and Jessie tried to pry Joey's hands off of Mike's shirt but Joey had a strong grip.
"He deserves to have the stuffing beaten out of him," Joey growled angrily.
He brought his knee up into Mike's midsection before releasing him. Mike was doubled over gasping for breath. Joey backed away, but didn't take his eyes off Mike.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded, folding my arms over my chest.
"I came to apologize," Mike said, his voice coming out hoarse.
"Where's your girlfriend?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She left me," Mike wheezed.
"I wonder why," Becky said, folding her arms too.
"I want to know if you'd want to get back with me," Mike said, keeping one arm against his stomach as he straightened up.
"You've got to be joking," I said, as anger flared. "First, you have some…"
My voice trailed off as I tried to find the right word to use in front of Stephanie, Michelle and D.J.
"Airhead," I said, finally finding the right word. "Call me and tell me that you called off the engagement and marriage! Why? Because you were too cowardly to do it yourself!" I snarled.
"I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I miss you!" Mike cried.
"Yeah! I bet you do! Good-bye, Mike. No way in heck am I going back with you! I'm already involved with someone," I said.
Mike went to take several steps toward me, but Danny, Jessie and Joey took steps toward him threateningly. "Who?"
"Joey Gladstone," I shot back at him. "He's got more feeling and class than you'll ever have!"
"She said, "Good-bye"," Michelle said, angrily.
"Shut up, pipsqueak," Mike said.
"Don't tell her to shut up," I snapped. "Leave."
Mike wouldn't budge.
"She said, "Leave", pal," Jessie growled.
Again, Mike wouldn't budge. So, Jessie and Joey stepped forward and grabbed Mike and literally threw him from the porch.
Danny closed the door and locked it.
"You okay?" Danny asked.
"Yeah. Thanks you three," I grinned as I gave each of them a hug.
"Is it true? You and Joey are dating?" Stephanie asked, eagerly.
"Sort of," Joey said, blushing.
Stephanie and D.J. rushed forward and gave Joey a big hug.
Michelle, however, seemed quiet.
Stephanie and D.J. came over and gave me a hug too.
I looked up at Danny.
"I'm sorry, Danny. You're a great guy. Joey and I just clicked," I said, apologetically.
Danny smiled. "Naw, it's okay. Joey deserves someone like you,"
"Let's celebrate!" D.J. cried. "Kitchen!"
Everyone ran into the kitchen except Joey, Michelle and I.
"Michelle? Is everything okay?" Joey asked, concerned as he and went over to her and sat on either side of her on the couch.
"If you and Emma get married, you'll leave us," Michelle said, quietly.
Joey and I looked at each other, then looked back at Michelle.
"Michelle, I promise. If Emma and I get married, we won't leave you," Joey said, gently as he wrapped his arms around Michelle and hugged her.
"Promise?" Michelle asked, hugging Joey back.
"Promise," Joey said.
After Michelle hugged Joey, she turned and hugged me. I hugged her back.
"Let's go get some ouce cream!"
Joey and I laughed and followed Michelle into the kitchen.
That night at dinner, everyone was happily talking. We ate spaghetti and meatballs. Naturally, Michelle's meal ended up more on her shirt than actually in her mouth. But she was happy none the less.
Stephanie began asking Joey and Danny questions for her report. D.J. and I began talking.
"Um, I just have this one personal question…" D.J. said, shyly. "Have you been married before? Or would that have been our first time?"
I knew what she was asking.
"It's okay, Deej. My first time," I added quietly leaning toward her with a grin.
She grinned back.
"I find that hard to believe," D.J. said. "You're so pretty."
"Thanks. Most of the guys I've dated are only interested in my looks and the fact that I was on Broadway. But your Uncle Joey seems different and I'm glad to know him," I said.
"He's basically a big kid," D.J. said, laughing.
"Yeah…plus he's housebroken," I added laughing too.
I turned to Jessie.
"So, when do I start working with the band?"
Jessie nearly choked on his meatball.
"Um, I think next week," Jessie replied. "I've got to contact the rest of the band."
"I can't wait to start working," I said, eagerly.
I had no idea that things would get worse…much worse.
ONE WEEK LATERJoey and I began seriously dating. He really was a great guy. I can't believe I was scared to date him. He was caring and very sensitive.
Joey said he was going to the pet store because he hadn't been able to go before because I had been robbed. That was more important than a dog treat for Comet.
Joey took off after lunch. He had borrowed Danny's Taurus.
D.J., Stephanie, Michelle, Becky and I were all in Stephanie's room dancing to some music.
It was Hilary Duff's What Dreams are Made Of. Even though I was an adult, I still liked her music.
D.J. was showing us some moves. We all managed to follow her perfectly. We were laughing and having a good time.
After that, we all sat down on the bed, breathless from dancing and decided to have some girl talk.
"So, Deej, do you have a boyfriend?" I asked.
"Not right now…Steve and I broke up," D.J. said.
"What happened?"
"We just weren't getting along," D.J. replied.
"Ah," I said, nodding. I turned to Stephanie. "What about you?"
"No," Steph frowned. "Not yet."
I laughed. "Don't worry. You'll have one. D.J, you'll definitely have another one. Boys come and go,"
"That's right," Becky added. "Don't rush anything."
"Well that's smart," Stephanie said. "I'm slower than a turtle."
We all laughed.
Just then, a girl entered the bedroom.
"Kimmy! What are you doing here?" D.J asked, startled.
"You're father let me in," the girl replied.
"That's Kimmy Gibbler," Stephanie said, leaning close to me. "She's got the IQ of a rock."
I snorted.
"Hey I heard that Squirt," Kimmy replied frowning. "Who are you?"
"Emma Donaldson. I'm Becky's sister," I introduced extending my hand
"Nice to meet you," Kimmy said, shaking my hand. "Hey Deej? Are we going to go to the mall and look for guys?"
Stephanie snorted. "With you there, they'd run screaming,"
I tried to hide a snort, but it turned into a cough.
Kimmy frowned.
"I resent that,"
"What? It's the truth," Stephanie shrugged.
I laughed.
About twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" D.J. called.
Danny opened the door and stepped in. He looked grim.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"There's been an accident," Danny said, slowly.
We all looked at each other. This wasn't good.
