Summary: This may be out of order in whatever way, but hey, its my story, I get to decide how it goes. ;-) Sorry if it takes a while for me to get it posted, but I've been writing it in whatever time I get between classes and stuff and I'm laptop less so its all scribbled down on paper and I've actually gotta find time to type it all up. But hopefully I'll find enough time somewhere. :-) Also, I've decided to make it easier on people to let me know what they think, and give me more ideas of what to write. If you would like, I can be reached via email or Yahoo! messenger at or via AOL instant messenger as PrincessSpzMnky . Feel free to drop me a line if you'd like. :-) Happy Reading:-)
Hey Everyone,
Well, is another chapter for everyone to enjoy. Is anybody even reading this anymore? I didn't get a single review today, after I posted 4 new chapters, which I thought was very odd . . . . . I did get a one email though, which I can't remember who it was from, but thank you, I totally appreciated it! And for the other person who sent me the instant message, thanks to you too. :-) And to the rest of you guys, Shame on you! ;-) J/K It's just kind of odd to not get any reviews, especially after doing a major update.
I actually have an important question to throw out at everyone . . . . . I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I have come to the conclusion that maybe it is about time to end this story . . . . . I'm not sure what I want to do but I would like to get everybody's opinion. Do you guys want me to end, or should I keep going? Let me know what you think, ok? Thanks!
Well, with that said, I guess it's story time:-) Please send me reviews, they make me happy! ;-) LOL Thanks :-)
Dreams
My Home Is With You
"The house is a good family home. It's welcoming, and gives you a homey feeling." Tommy added.
"AnneMarie, I think you would like it if you saw it."
"I don't know . . . . . Angel Grove is my home . . . . ."
"I know exactly how you feel." Kimberly said with a sympathetic smile. "Angel Grove is home to all of us. We all grew up here . . . But you know what? Sometimes, change is a good thing . . . I have always loved this city, but when I moved to Florida, that became my home too. I got to start over in a new city, where no one knew me . . . No one knew any of the stupid mistakes I made, or expected anything from me. I got to live my life exactly the way I wanted to, instead of constantly having to live up to what other people expected of me . . . . . I absolutely love Angel Grove, and I will always have a home here. But I want my family to have everything they deserve . . . Tommy deserves this job. He's worked his entire life to get to where we all are today, and if moving to Reefside is what he needs to be happy, then I'm moving to Reefside . . . . . But you don't have to go. For you, this whole move is entirely optional . . ."
"AnneMarie, you know that Kimberly and I love you more than anything else in our lives. And Mariah absolutely adores you. We're a family, and nothing will ever change that . . . . But if you don't want to move to Reefside then we don't go . . . . ."
"It's all of us, or none of us." Kimberly agreed.
" . . . . . I don't know . . . . . I won't even be here most of the time. But as much as I hated moving her at the time, this is my home, and I've always known that no matter what happens, I can always come back here . . . . ."
"AnneMarie, you know we're giving you the condo, whenever you're ready for it." Tommy reminded her.
"Or if you'd like, we could sell it, and you can live here." Kimberly offered.
"This isn't home without you guys though . . . I'm already going to miss you so much while I'm away at school. And all my friends are leaving too . . . . . There's really nothing to keep me here if you guys leave . . . . . I want to be able to come home to my family when I get a vacation and after everything you guys have given up for me, it's not fair that I'm the one holding you back . . . . . Tommy deserves this new job he's worked really hard for it . . . . ."
"AnneMarie, there will be other jobs. Yeah I worked really hard to get my degree, but I've also worked really hard to make us a family, and to keep us together. It's all or nothing for big decisions like this one. We're not leaving this house unless the entire family is in agreement. And apparently as long as there is a park, Mariah is happy. But your opinion is just as valid. We won't leave unless you come with us."
" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I don't want to leave . . . . ." AnneMarie answered softly. " . . . . . . . . . . But being a family means giving things up for the betterment of the whole . . . . . . . . . . . Tommy has done more for me, than anyone else in this world and I can't ever repay him for that . . . . . So as long as Tommy says it's for the best, then I guess we're leaving . . . . . . . . . . ."
"AnneMarie . . . . Are you sure?" Kimberly asked as Tommy gave her a grateful smile.
"He's never led us wrong before . . . . ."
"Ok . . . . ,. Then I guess we're moving." Tommy said after taking a deep breath. "Now we just have to tell everyone else."
"That can wait a while though." Kimberly said as Mariah moved toward Tommy. "Tommy still has to call the school and accept the job, and we have to sign the papers on the house to start the escrow process."
"Kim is right." Tommy said as Mariah moved into his arms. "But right now, I know a little girl who wants some ice cream."
"How about we get some pajamas on, then we can have some ice cream." Kimberly suggested.
"Mariah, why don't you run and get your pajamas on, and I'll have a bowl of ice cream waiting in the kitchen when you're done." Tommy told her.
"I don't know where they are."
"Come on Sweetie, I'll help you." Kimberly said as she got up from the couch, and took Mariah's hand to go get her pajamas.
"AnneMarie . . . . ." Tommy started as he moved to sit next to his sister. "You don't have to do this, you know."
"I won't even be here most of the time Tommy. You've ben the best parent in the universe to me. You deserve that teaching job, and the new house. It's not fair for me to stand in the way after you've given up the last 10 years of your life for me. Ariah and Kimberly deserve the best you can give them, and right now, that means moving to Reefside."
"I love you so much AnneMarie!" Tommy said, pulling her into a hug. "You know, when you moved here so I could help raise you, I never thought that you would be helping me raise my own daughter."
"Hey, spoiling her is easy. It's what aunts do."
"Mariah absolutely adores you."
"I adore her too. She's completely perfect."
"Yes she is. We've been very lucky with her."
"Mariah deserves everything none of us ever got."
"Exactly." Tommy smiled. "That's all I've ever wanted for all of us. No one in this family deserves anything less than the best."
"Daddy, we have icream now?" Mariah asked, running back into the livingroom in her pajamas.
"Yes Princes," Tommy answered, scooping his daughter into his arms. "we can have ice cream now."
"Yay!" Mariah cheered as Tommy kissed her cheek, then got up and carried her into the kitchen.
"Do you want a cone or a bowl?"
"Cone."
"Ok, hold the ice cream for me." Tommy said as he took the box out of the freezer, and handed it to Mariah before reaching for the box of cones, then carrying her over to an empty counter. Tommy set Mariah down on the counter next to the box of cones, then reached for the ice cream scoop as Mariah pulled the lid off the carton she was holding.
"AnneMarie, you want some ice cream?" Kimberly asked as she joined the duo in the kitchen.
"Sure, I'll be there in a minute." she answered as she started to get up fro the couch.
"Sweetie come here, I don't want you falling off the counter." Kimberly said reaching for her daughter.
"Mommy!"
"Yes Sweetie?"
"I love you."
" . . . . . I love you too Baby." Kimberly smiled, hugging Mariah tight, then kissing her as Tommy held a heaping ice cream cone out toward them.
"Thank you Daddy." Mariah smiles as she took her ice cream.
"I need a kiss, from an adorable little girl." Mariah leaned in and gave Tommy a kiss before Kimberly set her down at the table to eat.
"Bowl or cone?" Tommy asked a AnneMarie entered the kitchen.
"Bowl."
"Coming right up."
"Mommy? Will you read me a story?"
"Sure Sweetie. As soon as your teeth are brushed, we'll go cuddle and read a story."
"Honey, bowl or cone?" Tommy asked, handing AnneMarie her ice cream.
"Cone is fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"Ok, here you go."
"Thanks Honey." Kimberly said, taking a cone from her husband, then taking a seat at the table. "AnneMarie, are these today's phone messages?"
"Yeah. Kenny wants you to call him before bed though. He said he doesn't care what time it is."
"Any other important ones?"
"No Aisha came over around 4, and checked the machine in your office."
"Oh, excellent!"
"She said she would take care of all the calls, and talk to you about them tomorrow."
"Tommy, you h ave a message here from Mr. Mercer. And it looks like your Dad called too."
"What did he say?"
"He wants you to call when you get a chance. He mentioned something about your Grandma coming to town." AnneMarie answered.
"My Grandma? That's odd. She hates traveling."
"That's what I said."
"Ok, I'll call him later then."
"Hey Kim?" Tommy started as he walked into Mariah's room an hour later.
"Shhhhh . . . . ."
"She's asleep?"
"Fell asleep while I was reading." Kimberly said as she rocked their daughter.
"Want some help getting her into bed?"
"Actually yeah, that would be nice."
"Come here Princess . . ." Tommy said as he gently lifted Mariah out of Kimberly's arms.
"I'll get her bed ready." Kimberly offered as she got up and turned down Mariah's bed.
"Here you go Baby. Sweet dreams." Tommy said as he gently laid Mariah down, and helped Kimberly tuck the blankets in around her.
"I love you Sweetie."
"I love you too Princess." Tommy echoed as they both kissed Mariah's forehead, then stepped back to watch her sleep.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Kimberly said softly, as she leaned into Tommy's side.
"She's gorgeous. Just like her mother."
"She's growing up so fast."
"She'll always be our little girl though."
"Sometimes I wish we could slow the clock down. Mariah is everything we've ever dreamed of, and I'm not ready for her to grow up yet."
"I know, me either . . . But no matter how big she gets, Mariah will always be our baby."
"I don't want her to ever grow up. I already miss rocking her to sleep at night. I don't get to do that very much anymore." Kimberly said wistfully.
I wonder if this is how our parents felt when we were little."
"My mom rocked me to sleep every night until I was five."
"Your Mom always said that some of her best times were spent rocking you."
"Kim . . . . ."
"Hmmm . . ."
" . . . . Did you ever think . . . . .Maybe . . . . . One day . . . . . . . We could have another one? . . . . . . . . . ."
" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . You want another one? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ." Kimberly asked confusedly.
"Well . . . . . I mean . . . . . We used to talk about growing up, getting married, and having a big family . . . . . I just thought . . . . . I don't know . . . . . Just maybe . . . . . . . . We could try for another . . . . . . . . . . ."
" . . . . . You want a baby? . . . . ."
" . . . . . I don't know . . . . .We're all so busy, but look at how much we adore Mariah . . . . . I was just thinking that maybe someday . . . If you wanted . . . . . Maybe we could try again."
" . . . . . . . . . You miss having a little baby around?"
" . . . . . In all honesty? . . . . . Mariah has been the biggest joy of our lives . . . . . And there is nothing I have enjoyed more than being a parent . . . . . . . . ."
"Yeah . . ." Kimberly agreed. "It has been amazing, hasn't it?"
"I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."
" . . . . . Me either . . . . . I've gotta admit, I have thought about maybe having another one someday . . . . But I don't know if I'm ready . . . . . Mariah is still a baby . . . . . I want to hold onto that as long as she'll let me . . . . ."
"I know what you mean . . . . . I'm not ready for our little girl to grow up yet."
"I don't think it's one of those things that anybody is ever really ready for . . . I remember when AnneMarie first moved to Angel Grove, we weren't at all ready to be parents . . ."
"You're telling me."
"But we did our best."
"And now we have our own little girl who is growing up so quickly . . . . ."
" . . . . . Do you ever wish we could start al over? . . . . ."
" . . . . . I've thought about it., What it would be like had we never broken up, had Mariah earlier, waited longer to have her . . . . . But in all honesty Kim . . . . ." Tommy sighed as he wrapped his arms around his wife. " . . . . . I'm perfectly happy with the way things are right now; the way they turned out . . . . . Sometimes I do wish they were different, but on the other hand . . . I couldn't ask to be any happier . . . . ."
"You really mean that?"
"I do . .. I love you Kim, and I wouldn't trade the life we've made together, for anything in the world."
"I love you too Tommy." Kimberly agreed as Tommy leaned in to kiss her.
To Be Continued . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .