Don't Tell My Heart
Chapter 7: Is It This Easy?
[Okay, so here we go. I've been thinking a lot about this series lately, I want to try and actually get it done now, lol. So I have like three endings, and have no idea which to use! Well, actually it's between two, the other one will be included anyway. So which one to use? Hmmmm. Also, the other day I was walking/jogging, and I was thinking about the end, and I have a good idea for a part a few parts from now, but not so much the next two or so, lol. So wish me luck with this. I hope you guys end up liking this when it's done, it's hard! The ending dilemma is driving me CRAZY.]
Hi Monica, Schuyler's small voice said. Monica turned around and smiled at Schuyler, who was trailing behind Autumn. The girls had just entered the kitchen.
Hi Sweetie, Monica said. I didn't know you were here already. Your mom just drop you off?
Schuyler said. She was in a hurry so she just had me walk to the door myself.
Autumn said impatiently. Can I show Schuyler Grace now?
Sure, she's in her room, sleeping. Try to be quiet so you don't wake her up, she added.
Okay. C'mon, Schuyler! Autumn said, pulling her towards the stairs. Monica watched her dark hair disappear up the steps.
After a few minutes, Monica decided to go up to Grace's nursery and see how things were going. She stopped in the doorway and smiled as she watched the two girls peer into Grace's bassinet, watching her sleep.
She's tiny, huh? Autumn said to Schuyler.
Yeah, she is, Schuyler said. You're lucky, I want a baby sister or brother.
You can't get one? Autumn asked.
Nope, my mommy and daddy aren't married anymore, she explained.
Oh yeah, Autumn apparently remembered.
And anyways, Mommy says it's fun to be the youngest, no one little to annoy you. But instead the bigger ones boss you around, Schuyler said.
Very true, Monica said. The girls' heads whipped around to see come into the room.
You're the youngest? Schuyler asked in a whisper.
Monica nodded. Yeah, only of two, but I'm the youngest, she replied in a whisper as well. Schuyler smiled, happy that she found someone to agree with.
Yeah, but Mommy and Uncle Ross are good friends now, Autumn realized. He's your brother isn't he?
Yep, that's him, Monica said, checking on Grace. The girls headed out of the room.
You like your brother? Schuyler asked, shocked.
Yeah, we get along really well. NOW. When we were little we didn't get along that well.
My brother's annoying, Schuyler said. My sister's not that bad, but my brother is.
I like your sister, Autumn said thoughtfully. She's funny.
I like your sister, too! Schuyler said. She's so cute. I want a baby sister still. Especially after seeing yours. The girls continued talking as they went into Autumn's room. Monica smiled and went downstairs.
She had been trying not to think about how much Schuyler and Grace looked alike. Even though Grace was only a few weeks old, she could tell that they both looked alike; they both looked exactly like her.
She wondered if Autumn would notice this ever. How long until she would notice if she didn't notice now? If the girls continued being friends, they would notice. Maybe not right now, they were too young. But eventually, they would notice.
She pushed those worries out of her head and headed down the stairs with a baby monitor, trying to also stop thinking about how much Schuyler and Grace looked alike.
The whole thing, Autumn and Schuyler being switched, had been such a shock. And even then she didn't think about it too much, because she was preparing for Grace. But once Autumn and Schuyler were around each other all the time, and once Grace was born, it was becoming more and more of a nagging thought. Of course the loved Autumn and wouldn't trade her, but seeing Schuyler always gave her a dull pain.
MOMMY, ALLISON IS HERE, Autumn called out later that evening. SCHUYLER'S LEAVING.
Monica came into the room, carrying Grace, and smiled at Allison.
Hi, Monica, Allison greeted. Oooh, is that Grace? she asked, stepping inside the door.
Yep, the one and only, she said with a smile.
She's so gorgeous, Allison said, moving the blanket away from Grace to take a look at her.
Monica said with a smile. I like to think so.
Allison looked to see where the girls were, and noticed the were across the room. She looks just like Schuyler did as a baby, she added with a sad tone, but with a smile on her face. She's gonna look just like her, I'm sure.
Oh, I know, I mean, I've only known Schuyler a few months, and Grace is only a few weeks old, but I can already notice how they look alike.
Wow, this is so weird, Allison said, looking at Grace. She's so adorable, though, she added.
Thank you, Monica said with a smile.
Chandler said, coming in the door. he said with a nod. He went over to Monica and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Hi Sweetie. He smiled at Grace and played with her hands and feet. And hi Gracie, he added with a smile.
Autumn said happily when she and Schuyler appeared from the kitchen.
There's my girl, he said with a smile, picking her up into his arms. Well, one of them, anyway, he said, kissing her on the side of her head.
Hi Chandler! Schuyler echoed. Monica and Chandler had told her that she was welcome to call them by their first names, and she had called them Monica and Chandler since. Likewise, Allison had told Autumn that she was welcome to call her by her first name, and she always did.
Hey Schuyler, he greeted, patting her on her head.
Okay, we better get going, we've got to pick up Micah at soccer practice, Allison told Schuyler.
Wait, Mommy, Schuyler said. Guess what? Me and Autumn are sisters now!
You are, are you? Allison asked.
Yeah! We decided that instead of being best friends, we should be sisters, Autumn added. And Schuyler and Grace and Mommy all have a freckle in the same place, she said. Isn't that weird?
Wow, that's... Allison started to say, pretty crazy.
Yeah, so look! Autumn said, pointing to the side of her neck. I drew one on me!
Chandler, Monica, and Allison looked at the girls for a minute before anyone said anything.
That's very clever, Allison spoke first.
It is, huh? Autumn asked. She smiled and waved at Schuyler as she headed towards the door.
Bye Sister! she called out.
Bye Sis, Schuyler responded, heading out the door and waiting for her mother. Allison looked at Monica and Chandler.
It's okay, she reminded them. I'll see you guys soon. Call me if you need to talk or anything, she added.
Monica said. We will. Bye guys, she added.
Bye Monica, Schuyler said. Thanks for having me over, she said in her ever so polite Schuyler way.
You're welcome anytime, Monica added. She closed the door behind them.
I'm gonna go put away the stuff we were playing with in my room, Autumn said, running up the steps.
You've taught her well, Chandler noted as he took Grace from Monica.
Yeah, I guess I have, she said with a laugh.
You okay? he asked her, noticing the distant look she had gotten since Autumn had showed off her new freckle.
she said. Yeah, I'm okay. I just think it's so unfair that Autumn is the one drawing freckles on herself just to fit in with her mother, sister, and best friend. It doesn't seem right.
Well, it's not, Chandler pointed out. But she's fine. She's just a kid, she doesn't realize that anything is weird about that.
But what happens when she's not just a kid anymore, Chandler? She's gonna realize. You know how much I could notice that Schuyler and Grace look alike today? And I didn't even know Schuyler when she was Grace's age. And you know what Allison said? That Schuyler looked just like Grace when she was a baby. Which means that they're probably going to look alike when they grow up. Not to mention that Schuyler looks like me and Autumn looks like Allison! How long until they figure this out?
I don't know, he said, looking down at Grace in his arms. But what can we do? We can't separate them. That would take Autumn from Allison and Schuyler from us, he pointed out. Not to mention that the girls would be devastated if they couldn't see each other.
I don't want to separate them, Monica said quietly. I just want this to have never happened. I want Autumn to be ours and Schuyler to be Allison's, and everything to be normal like it should be.
Chandler put Grace down in her car seat carrier. I think we all want that, he told her. But what's done is done. This must have happened for a reason, he added.
Maybe you're right, she said. It's just so confusing.
I know, he said, pulling her to him in a hug.
I'm not gonna worry about this anymore, she decided. I mean, look, she gestured to Grace who was asleep in her carrier. We have better things to worry about, she said with a smile.
I could just watch her sleep all day, he noted. What is that? I mean, Grace, Autumn, you, he said with a smile. Why is it that you can just watch the people you love the most sleep?
She smiled. I don't know, she said, looking at Grace. Maybe because they look so innocent.
Nah, can't be, he said. It's not like you ever look innocent.
She laughed. I hate you, she said with a smile on her face.
I know. I hate you more, he added with a smile and kissed her on the cheek before he left the room.
***
Where are you going to enroll Autumn for kindergarten? Allison asked Chandler and Monica. I'm thinking of putting Schuyler at Will Rogers Elementary, she said. Monica and Chandler had just dropped Autumn off at Allison's house.
Yeah, we're probably going to put Autumn there, too, Monica told her. It's closest to our house, and it's supposed to be really good.
Wow, they'd love it if they were at the same school, Autumn said. I mean, and I guess it looks like they will be.
That will be good for them, Chandler added. I mean, to know someone else there on the first day of kindergarten.
Allison added. I don't think most of the girls she's friends with at her preschool are going to go there, she realized.
Yeah, same with Autumn's friends in preschool, Monica said. But then again, the only person she's really friends with is Schuyler.
Did you get your papers? Allison asked. I mean, the adoption papers. I got mine a day or two ago.
Chandler said quietly. We got ours, he said.
And my lawyer told me that the hospital doesn't want to fight the lawsuit, and they're going to probably give us what we asked for.
Yeah, he called us and told us that, Monica added. Which is good, that money can help Autumn's college fund, she said.
Yeah, I mean, with two kids ahead of Schuyler I'm definitely going to need money for her for college, Allison added with a laugh.
Chandler smiled. Yeah, well in our case Autumn's the first one, so she'll be easier, but Grace might be a bit harder.
We better go, Monica added. Grace has a doctor's appointment.
I'll see you guys, Allison said. Around five? she asked.
Yeah, I'll be back for her around then, Chandler told Allison with a smile. He picked up Grace's carried from the porch.
So I guess the legal part is almost over, Monica realized as they headed down the path from Allison's house.
Chandler said. It is.
I can't believe how easy it all was, she said. I mean, the hospital is going to give us the money we asked for, the girls legally belong to the people who have been raising them now. It seems like it was too easy for such a huge thing.
Well, that part was easy. But we still have to figure out if and when we're ever gonna tell the girls.
We're gonna have to. One day, she said. Don't you think? I mean, if they stay friends even a few more years it would be hard NOT to tell them.
I wish we didn't have to.
I wish we didn't have to, too, she added.
I guess I'll end it here. LOL. This part wasn't too great, once again. The kinda fun/interesting stuff should be coming up now. If I can decide how I want to end this! Heh. Anyway, thanks for reading and holding out faith in this series! I don't know if I've really made Monica/Chandler/Allison shocked or upset enough in this story, though, lol. Oh well. It's gonna start skipping large periods of time now, too, just to warn ya! LOL.
I want to change my user name, do you think that will confuse too many people? LOL. I liked it okay when it was just my name, but now with the 2 after it, I think it just looks lame. *shrug.* I mean, maybe I will, but I think that might throw people off.
Guys, just six more new episodes of Friends left now. :'( I'm totally excited for this week's, though! :0)
