Thank you for the reviews. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to leave comments. I originally intended this story to be about Tess and Kate, and I did not do well in integrating the other characters. I looked over chapter four and realized there was a lot missing so I present the new revised chapter four along with chapter five. I explain things better (including an additional explanation) in the revised chapter four, and there are a few changes so you may want to skim it over. I'll share a little tidbit, this chapter actually contains parts of the first Ross story I wrote over a year ago put never posted. Thanks again, only two more to go.
Part 5: Friday
"Do either of you have any idea what I could get your mother for our anniversary?" Doug asked Tess and Kate.
He was on his way to drop the girls of at school. He was trying to find the perfect anniversary gift for Carol. He knew Carol had picked out his gift months ago; she always did. Here he was the day before their anniversary trying to decide on a present. Asking Tess and Kate was his last resort.
"You haven't gotten her anything yet?" Tess questioned in disbelief.
"No, and I would appreciate your help," he told her.
"It has to be something romantic," Tess said. "After all, it is your anniversary not just a birthday."
"You never went on a honeymoon," Kate said softly from the backseat.
"What?" Doug asked not hearing a bit of what she said.
"You never went on a honeymoon. You could take her on one," Kate replied louder.
Doug thought for a moment before saying, "That is brilliant. I'll stop of at a travel agency on the way to work."
"Seriously, Kate, you scare me sometimes. I would have never thought of the that," Tess told her.
"Probably because we never go on vacations," Kate responded.
"Hey," Doug interjected.
"Yeah, be fair. We went to Disneyland that one time when we were four," Tess said stressing the last four words.
"I didn't think you liked being seen in public with us," he told them.
"That only stands until you take us somewhere good," Tess explained.
"Let me plan one trip at time," he said. "Considering Kate just saved me, I'll think about it."
Kate gave a half smile and returned to her homework. As brilliant as she was, she hadn't manage to complete her history assignment.
Less than fifteen minutes later, Doug stepped into a travel agency. He walked over to the shelves of brochures. He glanced down at his watch realizing that he was supposed to be at work in five minutes.
"Is there something I could help you with, sir?" a young woman asked.
"Sir," Doug thought that was something he could never get used to being called. "Actually," he said, "I am looking to plan a honeymoon."
"When is the wedding? That is if you want to leave right after the wedding," she questioned.
"There isn't a wedding. We're already married," he explained.
"Oh, a second honeymoon. Some couples going on their second honeymoon choose the same location. My husband and I decided to go to a different destination," she said. "Where did you honeymoon?"
"We didn't," Doug replied. He also didn't think the woman in front of him was old enough to have gone on a second honeymoon unless it was with a second husband.
The woman stared at him briefly as if she was planning to ask another question but didn't know what to ask. "Did you have a location in mind?" she asked.
"No, but I would prefer someplace warm," Doug answered. He looked at his watch again. "How late are you open?"
"Eight until five Monday through Thursday and from eight to eight on Fridays," she said.
"Do I need an appointment?" he asked.
"No, but I would call ahead if you plan on coming in on Friday evening," she told him.
"Listen, I'm already late for work. Could you give some brochures to look over, and I'll give you a call during my lunch break," Doug requested.
"Of course, here is my business card." She walked over to the counter and pulled out a folder labeled Honeymoon Hotspots. "These are the most popular destinations, but there is a list inside of other recommendations," she explained.
"Thank you," he said looking down at the business card, "Mindy."
Later that morning, Carol stood in front of the sink in the staff bathroom. She was staring into the mirror, but the woman looking back at her was not who she wanted her to be. She had once dreamed of completing medical school. She only needed less than a year of classes to graduate. Just as she began her last year, She became pregnant with Meg, and had to put her plans on hold once again. She was the head nurse at a women's health clinic, and that should be enough for her. But it wasn't.
"Carol, you're needed in room six," a woman said as she entered the bathroom. Carol acknowledged her and started to wash her hands again.
Across town, Doug at in the staff lounge looking at a stack of travel brochures. He had made three piles: no way, Carol might like but he wasn't thrilled about, and maybe.
"Couples therapy," he read out loud tossing another brochure in the no way pile.
That afternoon, Kate sat on the floor of her room feverously writing in her journal. Suddenly the door opened and Tess appeared.
"Can I borrow your black purse?" Tess asked.
"No," Kate answered without looking up.
"Why not?" Tess demanded.
"I don't feel like letting you borrow it," Kate explained.
"Whatever, I'm taking it anyway," Tess said.
Tess walked over to her sister's closet and proceeded to take the purse. Kate stood up and ripped it out of her hand.
"What is your problem?" Tess asked.
"You," Kate replied. "Give me my purse and get out of my room."
"No," Tess responded.
Kate turned and punched Tess. Tess grabbed a hunk of Kate's hair and pulled her sister across into the hall. The fight continued in this fashion.
Carol was preparing dinner in the kitchen when she heard very clearly, "I'm going to kill you," She took the pot of the burner and made her way upstairs. She tried to put herself between the girls but was unsuccessful. After a struggle, she managed to separate the pair.
"What is going on?" Carol demanded.
"Kate won't let me borrow her purse," Tess said.
Carol looked at Tess as she spoke and said "Tess, go downstairs and put some ice on your eye."
"Now?" Tess questioned.
"Yes, now," Carol told her.
Carol stepped out into the hall after Tess. Kate made her move. She slammed and locked her bedroom door. Kate looked around for something to place in front of the door. She cleared her desk and pulled in front of the door.
At that moment, Doug pulled into the driveway. He parked his car and was starting to walk towards the house when a voice called, "Dad." He looked up to see his youngest daughter, Meg, swinging from the branch of a tree.
"What are you doing up there, Meg?" Doug asked her.
"Just hanging around. Get it? I'm hanging around," Meg said amusing herself.
Meg pulled herself up so she was now sitting on the branch.
"Come down from there, please," he requested.
"All right," she said.
Doug waited patiently as Meg made her way down the trunk. Once Meg was on the ground, he noticed she was not wearing a jacket.
"Where is your coat?" he asked her.
"I don't need one. It isn't cold," she told him.
He put his hand to the bare skin of her arm.
"Your arm feels like a Popsicle," Doug stated.
Meg shrugged and smiled.
"Inside," Doug told her.
She followed him into the house where they found Tess sitting in a chair with an icepack against her eye. Doug looked through the mail without paying much attention to the conversation between the girls.
"What happened to your face?" Meg asked.
"Kate punched me," Tess answered.
"Wow, can I see it?" Meg asked in amassment.
Tess pulled the icepack away revealing a swollen black eye.
"Eww, it looks gross," Meg commented.
Doug looked up from the mail to see Meg poking at Tess's eye. He walked over and asked, "Can I have look?"
Tess nodded.
"You're going to have quite a shiner for a few days," he told her.
"I hope I gave Kate one too," she mumbled.
"Hey, none of that," he warned. "Where is your mom?"
"Upstairs trying to get Kate to unlock her door," Tess explained.
"I'll be back," he told Meg and Tess.
Carol was leaning against the hallway wall.
"Any luck?" he asked.
"No, for all I know, she could be passed out on the floor. She hasn't said one thing since I've been up here," she informed him.
Doug stepped closer to the door and said authoritatively, "Kate, open the door right now, or I will find a way to open the door."
Kate pushed the desk out of the way and sat on her bed. The door open a few moments later, and Doug and Carol stood in the doorway.
"Are you hurt?" Doug asked her.
She shook her head no.
"What is the matter than?" Carol questioned.
Kate shrugged.
"Answer your mother," Doug told her.
"I don't know," Kate mumbled as she looked down at the carpet.
"What happened between you and Tess?" Carol asked.
"It was stupid," Kate admitted.
"You are damn right it was stupid. Your sister has a black eye because of your little scuffle," Doug lectured.
"Can you please leave?" Kate asked her parents.
"No," Doug started to say, but Carol stopped him.
"We'll let you know when dinner is ready," Carol said. She pulled on Doug's arm, and they left the room.
Kate laid her head on her pillow and wept.
Downstairs, Tess and Meg were watching television in the family room. Carol looked into the pot before placing it back on the stove. Doug began setting the table in the kitchen. The house had a dinning room, but they rarely used it.
"Why did you let her off so easy?" Doug asked quietly so Tess and Meg would not over hear him.
"Tess was involved too. I'm sure she isn't innocent," Carol explained.
"You let them walk all over you, and they do not listen to anything you say" he told her.
"I do not," she argued.
"Really?" he questioned. "Meg was outside without a jacket on."
"I didn't even know she was outside," Carol told him. "You try to get her to wear more than a T-shirt. You know what? You are just trying to start something."
Meg stood in the kitchen waiting for her parents to finish. "When is dinner going to be ready?" she asked.
"A few minutes. Why don't you go tell Kate?" Carol said.
Meg skipped out of the room and up the stairs. She returned without Kate.
"Kate is sleeping. Do you want me to wake her up?" Meg asked.
"No, she can eat later," Carol told her youngest daughter.
The four members of the Ross family seated themselves at the table. Doug began serving himself. Meg shot him a nasty look.
"What?" he questioned.
"We say grace before we eat," Meg told him.
"All right," Doug said throwing up his hands in defeat.
Meg recited a short prayer of thanks, and the meal commenced.
They ate for awhile in silence. Tess finally said, "I was supposed to go to the movies tonight, but I don't think I'm going now."
"Won't Ryan be sad?" Meg questioned.
Tess kicked her sister under the table.
"Who is Ryan?" Doug asked.
"A friend," Tess answered quickly.
Carol tried to hide her smile, but Doug noticed.
"You know about Ryan?" he asked her.
Carol nodded.
"I am the only one who doesn't know about Ryan," Doug said. "Well before you and Ryan go anywhere, I need to meet him."
"Dad, no. We never go out alone," Tess pleaded.
"So you've been out several times?" Doug questioned.
"Mom," Tess said looking at Carol for help.
"Doug, stop," Carol told him.
"Tess brought it up," he said.
"No, Meg started talking about Ryan," Tess corrected him and gave Meg another kick.
"I would still like to meet this Ryan," Doug told her.
Tess stabbed her fork into her salad and did not look up.
"Dad, are you going to my swim meet tomorrow?" Meg asked.
"What time is it?" he asked.
"Noon," Carol said knowing Meg had no idea what time the meet was.
"I don't have to work tomorrow so there should be no problem," he told her.
"Good," Meg said before she went back to her dinner.
"Speaking of tomorrow," Carol said. "I made dinner reservations at Rosette's."
"I thought we were going to that charity dinner for the health clinic," Doug said.
"We are. I just wanted us to be alone for at least part of the evening," she explained.
"Rosette's sounds wonderful," he told her.
Later that night, Doug entered the master bedroom.
"Could you make sure the girls are in bed?" Carol asked him.
He saluted and did an about-face. His first stop was Tess's room. He heard talking and knocked on the door. She opened it with the phone pressed to her ear.
"Bed," he mouthed to her.
She waited until the person on the other finished speaking before saying, "Lizzie, I have to go my father is doing a bed check."
"Why does it matter if I'm in bed?" Tess asked.
"I need to make sure my babies have enough sleep," he told her.
"I'm not a baby, and it is Friday night," Tess whined. "This isn't fair."
"Well, it is good you learn life is not fair while you are young," he explained. "Goodnight, Tess." he said turning off her light.
"Night," Tess said as she climbed into her bed.
Doug closed the door partway, and Tess waited until he was down the hall before she hit redial. Lizzie had a cell phone so it didn't matter what time Tess called.
Meg and Kate were both asleep so Doug walked back to his room. He could hear Tess whispering on phone, and he smiled to himself.
"Everything all right, private?" Carol asked him.
"Twin one is still asleep, the munchkin is sleeping, and twin two thinks I don't know she is still talking to Lizzie on the phone," Doug said from his attention position.
"At ease," Carol said rolling her eyes. After all these years, Doug could still be too much for her.
Part 5: Friday
"Do either of you have any idea what I could get your mother for our anniversary?" Doug asked Tess and Kate.
He was on his way to drop the girls of at school. He was trying to find the perfect anniversary gift for Carol. He knew Carol had picked out his gift months ago; she always did. Here he was the day before their anniversary trying to decide on a present. Asking Tess and Kate was his last resort.
"You haven't gotten her anything yet?" Tess questioned in disbelief.
"No, and I would appreciate your help," he told her.
"It has to be something romantic," Tess said. "After all, it is your anniversary not just a birthday."
"You never went on a honeymoon," Kate said softly from the backseat.
"What?" Doug asked not hearing a bit of what she said.
"You never went on a honeymoon. You could take her on one," Kate replied louder.
Doug thought for a moment before saying, "That is brilliant. I'll stop of at a travel agency on the way to work."
"Seriously, Kate, you scare me sometimes. I would have never thought of the that," Tess told her.
"Probably because we never go on vacations," Kate responded.
"Hey," Doug interjected.
"Yeah, be fair. We went to Disneyland that one time when we were four," Tess said stressing the last four words.
"I didn't think you liked being seen in public with us," he told them.
"That only stands until you take us somewhere good," Tess explained.
"Let me plan one trip at time," he said. "Considering Kate just saved me, I'll think about it."
Kate gave a half smile and returned to her homework. As brilliant as she was, she hadn't manage to complete her history assignment.
Less than fifteen minutes later, Doug stepped into a travel agency. He walked over to the shelves of brochures. He glanced down at his watch realizing that he was supposed to be at work in five minutes.
"Is there something I could help you with, sir?" a young woman asked.
"Sir," Doug thought that was something he could never get used to being called. "Actually," he said, "I am looking to plan a honeymoon."
"When is the wedding? That is if you want to leave right after the wedding," she questioned.
"There isn't a wedding. We're already married," he explained.
"Oh, a second honeymoon. Some couples going on their second honeymoon choose the same location. My husband and I decided to go to a different destination," she said. "Where did you honeymoon?"
"We didn't," Doug replied. He also didn't think the woman in front of him was old enough to have gone on a second honeymoon unless it was with a second husband.
The woman stared at him briefly as if she was planning to ask another question but didn't know what to ask. "Did you have a location in mind?" she asked.
"No, but I would prefer someplace warm," Doug answered. He looked at his watch again. "How late are you open?"
"Eight until five Monday through Thursday and from eight to eight on Fridays," she said.
"Do I need an appointment?" he asked.
"No, but I would call ahead if you plan on coming in on Friday evening," she told him.
"Listen, I'm already late for work. Could you give some brochures to look over, and I'll give you a call during my lunch break," Doug requested.
"Of course, here is my business card." She walked over to the counter and pulled out a folder labeled Honeymoon Hotspots. "These are the most popular destinations, but there is a list inside of other recommendations," she explained.
"Thank you," he said looking down at the business card, "Mindy."
Later that morning, Carol stood in front of the sink in the staff bathroom. She was staring into the mirror, but the woman looking back at her was not who she wanted her to be. She had once dreamed of completing medical school. She only needed less than a year of classes to graduate. Just as she began her last year, She became pregnant with Meg, and had to put her plans on hold once again. She was the head nurse at a women's health clinic, and that should be enough for her. But it wasn't.
"Carol, you're needed in room six," a woman said as she entered the bathroom. Carol acknowledged her and started to wash her hands again.
Across town, Doug at in the staff lounge looking at a stack of travel brochures. He had made three piles: no way, Carol might like but he wasn't thrilled about, and maybe.
"Couples therapy," he read out loud tossing another brochure in the no way pile.
That afternoon, Kate sat on the floor of her room feverously writing in her journal. Suddenly the door opened and Tess appeared.
"Can I borrow your black purse?" Tess asked.
"No," Kate answered without looking up.
"Why not?" Tess demanded.
"I don't feel like letting you borrow it," Kate explained.
"Whatever, I'm taking it anyway," Tess said.
Tess walked over to her sister's closet and proceeded to take the purse. Kate stood up and ripped it out of her hand.
"What is your problem?" Tess asked.
"You," Kate replied. "Give me my purse and get out of my room."
"No," Tess responded.
Kate turned and punched Tess. Tess grabbed a hunk of Kate's hair and pulled her sister across into the hall. The fight continued in this fashion.
Carol was preparing dinner in the kitchen when she heard very clearly, "I'm going to kill you," She took the pot of the burner and made her way upstairs. She tried to put herself between the girls but was unsuccessful. After a struggle, she managed to separate the pair.
"What is going on?" Carol demanded.
"Kate won't let me borrow her purse," Tess said.
Carol looked at Tess as she spoke and said "Tess, go downstairs and put some ice on your eye."
"Now?" Tess questioned.
"Yes, now," Carol told her.
Carol stepped out into the hall after Tess. Kate made her move. She slammed and locked her bedroom door. Kate looked around for something to place in front of the door. She cleared her desk and pulled in front of the door.
At that moment, Doug pulled into the driveway. He parked his car and was starting to walk towards the house when a voice called, "Dad." He looked up to see his youngest daughter, Meg, swinging from the branch of a tree.
"What are you doing up there, Meg?" Doug asked her.
"Just hanging around. Get it? I'm hanging around," Meg said amusing herself.
Meg pulled herself up so she was now sitting on the branch.
"Come down from there, please," he requested.
"All right," she said.
Doug waited patiently as Meg made her way down the trunk. Once Meg was on the ground, he noticed she was not wearing a jacket.
"Where is your coat?" he asked her.
"I don't need one. It isn't cold," she told him.
He put his hand to the bare skin of her arm.
"Your arm feels like a Popsicle," Doug stated.
Meg shrugged and smiled.
"Inside," Doug told her.
She followed him into the house where they found Tess sitting in a chair with an icepack against her eye. Doug looked through the mail without paying much attention to the conversation between the girls.
"What happened to your face?" Meg asked.
"Kate punched me," Tess answered.
"Wow, can I see it?" Meg asked in amassment.
Tess pulled the icepack away revealing a swollen black eye.
"Eww, it looks gross," Meg commented.
Doug looked up from the mail to see Meg poking at Tess's eye. He walked over and asked, "Can I have look?"
Tess nodded.
"You're going to have quite a shiner for a few days," he told her.
"I hope I gave Kate one too," she mumbled.
"Hey, none of that," he warned. "Where is your mom?"
"Upstairs trying to get Kate to unlock her door," Tess explained.
"I'll be back," he told Meg and Tess.
Carol was leaning against the hallway wall.
"Any luck?" he asked.
"No, for all I know, she could be passed out on the floor. She hasn't said one thing since I've been up here," she informed him.
Doug stepped closer to the door and said authoritatively, "Kate, open the door right now, or I will find a way to open the door."
Kate pushed the desk out of the way and sat on her bed. The door open a few moments later, and Doug and Carol stood in the doorway.
"Are you hurt?" Doug asked her.
She shook her head no.
"What is the matter than?" Carol questioned.
Kate shrugged.
"Answer your mother," Doug told her.
"I don't know," Kate mumbled as she looked down at the carpet.
"What happened between you and Tess?" Carol asked.
"It was stupid," Kate admitted.
"You are damn right it was stupid. Your sister has a black eye because of your little scuffle," Doug lectured.
"Can you please leave?" Kate asked her parents.
"No," Doug started to say, but Carol stopped him.
"We'll let you know when dinner is ready," Carol said. She pulled on Doug's arm, and they left the room.
Kate laid her head on her pillow and wept.
Downstairs, Tess and Meg were watching television in the family room. Carol looked into the pot before placing it back on the stove. Doug began setting the table in the kitchen. The house had a dinning room, but they rarely used it.
"Why did you let her off so easy?" Doug asked quietly so Tess and Meg would not over hear him.
"Tess was involved too. I'm sure she isn't innocent," Carol explained.
"You let them walk all over you, and they do not listen to anything you say" he told her.
"I do not," she argued.
"Really?" he questioned. "Meg was outside without a jacket on."
"I didn't even know she was outside," Carol told him. "You try to get her to wear more than a T-shirt. You know what? You are just trying to start something."
Meg stood in the kitchen waiting for her parents to finish. "When is dinner going to be ready?" she asked.
"A few minutes. Why don't you go tell Kate?" Carol said.
Meg skipped out of the room and up the stairs. She returned without Kate.
"Kate is sleeping. Do you want me to wake her up?" Meg asked.
"No, she can eat later," Carol told her youngest daughter.
The four members of the Ross family seated themselves at the table. Doug began serving himself. Meg shot him a nasty look.
"What?" he questioned.
"We say grace before we eat," Meg told him.
"All right," Doug said throwing up his hands in defeat.
Meg recited a short prayer of thanks, and the meal commenced.
They ate for awhile in silence. Tess finally said, "I was supposed to go to the movies tonight, but I don't think I'm going now."
"Won't Ryan be sad?" Meg questioned.
Tess kicked her sister under the table.
"Who is Ryan?" Doug asked.
"A friend," Tess answered quickly.
Carol tried to hide her smile, but Doug noticed.
"You know about Ryan?" he asked her.
Carol nodded.
"I am the only one who doesn't know about Ryan," Doug said. "Well before you and Ryan go anywhere, I need to meet him."
"Dad, no. We never go out alone," Tess pleaded.
"So you've been out several times?" Doug questioned.
"Mom," Tess said looking at Carol for help.
"Doug, stop," Carol told him.
"Tess brought it up," he said.
"No, Meg started talking about Ryan," Tess corrected him and gave Meg another kick.
"I would still like to meet this Ryan," Doug told her.
Tess stabbed her fork into her salad and did not look up.
"Dad, are you going to my swim meet tomorrow?" Meg asked.
"What time is it?" he asked.
"Noon," Carol said knowing Meg had no idea what time the meet was.
"I don't have to work tomorrow so there should be no problem," he told her.
"Good," Meg said before she went back to her dinner.
"Speaking of tomorrow," Carol said. "I made dinner reservations at Rosette's."
"I thought we were going to that charity dinner for the health clinic," Doug said.
"We are. I just wanted us to be alone for at least part of the evening," she explained.
"Rosette's sounds wonderful," he told her.
Later that night, Doug entered the master bedroom.
"Could you make sure the girls are in bed?" Carol asked him.
He saluted and did an about-face. His first stop was Tess's room. He heard talking and knocked on the door. She opened it with the phone pressed to her ear.
"Bed," he mouthed to her.
She waited until the person on the other finished speaking before saying, "Lizzie, I have to go my father is doing a bed check."
"Why does it matter if I'm in bed?" Tess asked.
"I need to make sure my babies have enough sleep," he told her.
"I'm not a baby, and it is Friday night," Tess whined. "This isn't fair."
"Well, it is good you learn life is not fair while you are young," he explained. "Goodnight, Tess." he said turning off her light.
"Night," Tess said as she climbed into her bed.
Doug closed the door partway, and Tess waited until he was down the hall before she hit redial. Lizzie had a cell phone so it didn't matter what time Tess called.
Meg and Kate were both asleep so Doug walked back to his room. He could hear Tess whispering on phone, and he smiled to himself.
"Everything all right, private?" Carol asked him.
"Twin one is still asleep, the munchkin is sleeping, and twin two thinks I don't know she is still talking to Lizzie on the phone," Doug said from his attention position.
"At ease," Carol said rolling her eyes. After all these years, Doug could still be too much for her.