Chapter 11
--DISCLAIMER: I did some researching on PA and decided that the town the Hess family lives in is Bensalem, one of the small towns in Bucks County..I was re-reading the story and realized that I actually wrote 'downtown Bucks County' in one of the scenes..how vague is that? Anyways, enjoy! ;)-
It was later that evening, around 11:00 pm. Alicia, Merrill, and Bo were resting comfortably in the Sarah and Ben Spencer's home in Drexel Hill. Alicia sat in the kitchen table, stirring cream into her coffee. Bo was sleeping soundly upstairs, and Merrill was talking to Ben on the outdoor patio. Sarah pulled out a chair and sat next to her daughter.
"So honestly, how are you and Merrill?"
"Well..Mom, remember how when something bad happened to me, you'd say that it had happened for a reason?"
"Of course."
"Before the invasion, Merrill and I were on the verge of breaking up. We constantly fought, we didn't speak for days on end..it was horrible and I think it was an aftershock of sorts from the accident. But when everything started happening and we thought we were going to die, we realized how selfish we were being. Now we're better than ever. And I've also come to another realization."
"And what would that be?"
"Maybe..maybe Merrill and I weren't meant to be parents. I've seen so many of my friends have babies with their boyfriends and it ruins the relationship. I'm not trying to say that babies are bad, but your life changes after that nine months is over. You don't really get to know that other person because the baby is what your world revolves around. Mom, Merrill is my life. I can't imagine what life would've been like as a single parent, without him."
"How do you know this?"
"I just do. We're gonna wait a while before trying to have another baby. We're gonna get to know each other even better and spend quality time as a married couple." "But your father and I hadn't even been married for a year when Colleen was born..and the same thing happened with Colleen and Graham with Morgan."
"Merrill and I are different. We're black sheep of our families. We both deal with a lot of issues and..sometimes it's really hard. But I think we'll be OK."
Before Sarah could respond, the phone rang. As she got up to go get it, Alicia left her uintouched cup of coffee on the table and went into the living room. She sat next to Merrill, who draped his arm around her.
"Are you guys actually talking about something besides baseball?" she asked.
"Actually," Merrill replied, "we were talking about the invasion."
Ben added, "President Bush is going to be on TV in an hour."
"So he's OK?"
"I guess so. Unless he has a decoy that's pretending to be him."
"I'm sure he does, Dad."
Alicia was aching for a cigarette. She stood up and stretched her arms.
"I'm gonna get some fresh air. I'll be right back."
She went out the back door and sat on a chair in a corner of the porch. Lighting the cigarette she found in her pocket, she took a long drag and then sighed.
"I'll quit tomorrow. I'll quit tomorrow," she repeated in her head.
"Alicia? You out here, honey?"
Alicia threw down the cigarette and said, "Over here, Mom!"
The last traces of smoke escaped through her nostrils as Sarah approached her.
"That was Graham on the phone. He's talking to Merrill right now."
"Is Morgan doing OK?"
"Yeah. He said he should be discharged by tomorrow afternoon."
"Good."
"Honey, were you smoking?"
"I was stressed out, Mom."
"I don't know where you picked up that habit. Do you remember what Colleen would do when she was stressed out? She'd-"
"Play the piano. I know, Mom. And how many times do I have to remind you that I'm not Colleen?"
Sarah didn't know what to say. Instead, she sat down next to Alicia and they gazed out upon the lights of Philadelphia in the distance.
"Good old Drexel Hill," Alicia said, "I love the serenity of Bensalem, but coming back here sometimes is so refreshing."
"We enjoy having you, sweetheart. We wish that you would come by more often."
"I know, Mom. It's just that..it's been hard gathering the strength each time I come here. All I can think of when I'm here is Colleen. I know that's selfish on my behalf, but.."
"It's not selfish at all. It's your way of dealing with the loss. Each day we make a step forward..and then you have some days where you fall a few steps back."
"You're telling me."
They heard the screen door swing open, and Merrill appeared.
"There you are," he said, kissing the top of Alicia's head.
"I'll leave you two alone," Sarah said, standing up.
"No, Mom- don't leave."
"It's OK. I'm gonna go clean the kitchen a little before the President comes on TV."
"OK."
As Sarah left, Merrill sat next to Alicia and held her hand.
He said, "For the first time in a week, I actually feel safe."
"Me too. So how's Graham?"
"Better. Mom and Dad got a hold of him. They're fine."
"Thank God. What about you?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. There were moments last night when you were pretty freaked out. Are you OK?"
"Knowing everyone's safe? Definitely."
They stretched out on the swinging bench and Alicia leaned her back against Merrill's chest.
He placed his hands on her stomach and said, "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately."
"About what?"
"Our life together. We need a change."
"What kind of change?"
"First of all, I don't want to work at the gas station anymore. I'm gonna try to get a coaching job with a high school..or something like that. Even if I have to be a waiter, I don't care. I'm sick of the gas station. We'll move back to Philly and eventually try to have a baby again..I want to give you the life you deserve, Alicia."
"Why don't you shoot for the minors again?"
"Nah. That means I would have to travel like crazy again. I hate being away from you, baby."
"You'd give up your dream for me?"
"I'm so in love with you, it makes me sick. I'd die for you."
Alicia turned her body around and gave Merrill a kiss.
"I love you more, stud."
Ben's voice interrupted their moment.
"President Bush'll be on TV in 5 minutes!"
Merrill and Alicia got up and went inside to the living room. Ben turned up the TV and then sat next to Sarah on the opposite side of the room.
"Aunt Alicia?"
Bo was at the top of the stairs, her hair disheveled from sleep.
"Hi, sweetie. What's wrong?"
"I had a nightmare that I was here by myself, and the aliens had gotten you and Uncle Merrill and Grandpa Ben and Grandma Sarah."
Alicia met Bo halfway on the stairs and picked her up.
"Come watch TV with us. The President is about to make a speech."
Alicia sat beside Merrill, with Bo curled in her lap.
Ben said, "Here he comes."
President Bush appeared on the TV, with the same expression that was on his face after the September 11th attacks.
"My fellow Americans, I stand before you tonight not as your President, but as a victim of these horrific attacks like yourself.."
--DISCLAIMER: I did some researching on PA and decided that the town the Hess family lives in is Bensalem, one of the small towns in Bucks County..I was re-reading the story and realized that I actually wrote 'downtown Bucks County' in one of the scenes..how vague is that? Anyways, enjoy! ;)-
It was later that evening, around 11:00 pm. Alicia, Merrill, and Bo were resting comfortably in the Sarah and Ben Spencer's home in Drexel Hill. Alicia sat in the kitchen table, stirring cream into her coffee. Bo was sleeping soundly upstairs, and Merrill was talking to Ben on the outdoor patio. Sarah pulled out a chair and sat next to her daughter.
"So honestly, how are you and Merrill?"
"Well..Mom, remember how when something bad happened to me, you'd say that it had happened for a reason?"
"Of course."
"Before the invasion, Merrill and I were on the verge of breaking up. We constantly fought, we didn't speak for days on end..it was horrible and I think it was an aftershock of sorts from the accident. But when everything started happening and we thought we were going to die, we realized how selfish we were being. Now we're better than ever. And I've also come to another realization."
"And what would that be?"
"Maybe..maybe Merrill and I weren't meant to be parents. I've seen so many of my friends have babies with their boyfriends and it ruins the relationship. I'm not trying to say that babies are bad, but your life changes after that nine months is over. You don't really get to know that other person because the baby is what your world revolves around. Mom, Merrill is my life. I can't imagine what life would've been like as a single parent, without him."
"How do you know this?"
"I just do. We're gonna wait a while before trying to have another baby. We're gonna get to know each other even better and spend quality time as a married couple." "But your father and I hadn't even been married for a year when Colleen was born..and the same thing happened with Colleen and Graham with Morgan."
"Merrill and I are different. We're black sheep of our families. We both deal with a lot of issues and..sometimes it's really hard. But I think we'll be OK."
Before Sarah could respond, the phone rang. As she got up to go get it, Alicia left her uintouched cup of coffee on the table and went into the living room. She sat next to Merrill, who draped his arm around her.
"Are you guys actually talking about something besides baseball?" she asked.
"Actually," Merrill replied, "we were talking about the invasion."
Ben added, "President Bush is going to be on TV in an hour."
"So he's OK?"
"I guess so. Unless he has a decoy that's pretending to be him."
"I'm sure he does, Dad."
Alicia was aching for a cigarette. She stood up and stretched her arms.
"I'm gonna get some fresh air. I'll be right back."
She went out the back door and sat on a chair in a corner of the porch. Lighting the cigarette she found in her pocket, she took a long drag and then sighed.
"I'll quit tomorrow. I'll quit tomorrow," she repeated in her head.
"Alicia? You out here, honey?"
Alicia threw down the cigarette and said, "Over here, Mom!"
The last traces of smoke escaped through her nostrils as Sarah approached her.
"That was Graham on the phone. He's talking to Merrill right now."
"Is Morgan doing OK?"
"Yeah. He said he should be discharged by tomorrow afternoon."
"Good."
"Honey, were you smoking?"
"I was stressed out, Mom."
"I don't know where you picked up that habit. Do you remember what Colleen would do when she was stressed out? She'd-"
"Play the piano. I know, Mom. And how many times do I have to remind you that I'm not Colleen?"
Sarah didn't know what to say. Instead, she sat down next to Alicia and they gazed out upon the lights of Philadelphia in the distance.
"Good old Drexel Hill," Alicia said, "I love the serenity of Bensalem, but coming back here sometimes is so refreshing."
"We enjoy having you, sweetheart. We wish that you would come by more often."
"I know, Mom. It's just that..it's been hard gathering the strength each time I come here. All I can think of when I'm here is Colleen. I know that's selfish on my behalf, but.."
"It's not selfish at all. It's your way of dealing with the loss. Each day we make a step forward..and then you have some days where you fall a few steps back."
"You're telling me."
They heard the screen door swing open, and Merrill appeared.
"There you are," he said, kissing the top of Alicia's head.
"I'll leave you two alone," Sarah said, standing up.
"No, Mom- don't leave."
"It's OK. I'm gonna go clean the kitchen a little before the President comes on TV."
"OK."
As Sarah left, Merrill sat next to Alicia and held her hand.
He said, "For the first time in a week, I actually feel safe."
"Me too. So how's Graham?"
"Better. Mom and Dad got a hold of him. They're fine."
"Thank God. What about you?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. There were moments last night when you were pretty freaked out. Are you OK?"
"Knowing everyone's safe? Definitely."
They stretched out on the swinging bench and Alicia leaned her back against Merrill's chest.
He placed his hands on her stomach and said, "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately."
"About what?"
"Our life together. We need a change."
"What kind of change?"
"First of all, I don't want to work at the gas station anymore. I'm gonna try to get a coaching job with a high school..or something like that. Even if I have to be a waiter, I don't care. I'm sick of the gas station. We'll move back to Philly and eventually try to have a baby again..I want to give you the life you deserve, Alicia."
"Why don't you shoot for the minors again?"
"Nah. That means I would have to travel like crazy again. I hate being away from you, baby."
"You'd give up your dream for me?"
"I'm so in love with you, it makes me sick. I'd die for you."
Alicia turned her body around and gave Merrill a kiss.
"I love you more, stud."
Ben's voice interrupted their moment.
"President Bush'll be on TV in 5 minutes!"
Merrill and Alicia got up and went inside to the living room. Ben turned up the TV and then sat next to Sarah on the opposite side of the room.
"Aunt Alicia?"
Bo was at the top of the stairs, her hair disheveled from sleep.
"Hi, sweetie. What's wrong?"
"I had a nightmare that I was here by myself, and the aliens had gotten you and Uncle Merrill and Grandpa Ben and Grandma Sarah."
Alicia met Bo halfway on the stairs and picked her up.
"Come watch TV with us. The President is about to make a speech."
Alicia sat beside Merrill, with Bo curled in her lap.
Ben said, "Here he comes."
President Bush appeared on the TV, with the same expression that was on his face after the September 11th attacks.
"My fellow Americans, I stand before you tonight not as your President, but as a victim of these horrific attacks like yourself.."