Disclaimer: The usual, I do NOT own anything of Full House, just my stories and Debbie.
A/N: I'm trying to keep the chapters coming fast, but sorry if the actual writing is slow. Please give me critiques in your reviews! Thanks!
The telephone head hung off the table, bouncing up and down from the strong cord. Jesse's eyes grew wide, and the only sound was coming from the phone: "Hello? Jesse? Are you there?" Everyone else was watching Jesse with awe.
Then, like a conductor waving his baton, everyone started talking at once. "What's wrong, Uncle Jesse?" D.J. asked anxiously. "Earth to Jess!" Joey called, waving his hands in front of Jesse's face. Even Comet started barking loudly, making Stephanie and Michelle rush downstairs.
D.J. scrambled to grab the phone and said, "Hi, sorry for the wait." She thrust the phone towards Jesse. "Say something!" she urged.
"Hi, um, I'm going to have to call you back," Jesse said into the receiver. "I have to talk things over with my family first. Thanks." He hung up the phone and shouted, "Have mer-cy!"
"What happened, Uncle Jesse?" Michelle asked, bouncing up and down from excitement. "Who was that on the phone?"
Jesse still looked dazed. "That was the record company," he informed them slowly. "They said my song was reviewed by the critics, and--and--and--" he paused. "And they're giving my whole record an A! They want me to go on tour for a year!" He stopped and waited to hear the expected applauses and cheers. His smile faded when the kitchen was completely silent.
"C'mon, can somebody say something? This is my big hit! Finally, it's all happening!" Jesse cried, but the family's reactions were glum.
"Uncle Jesse, are you leaving us? For a whole year?" Michelle asked, almost tearful. She stuck out her lower lip in a pouting face and added, "I would miss you a whole lot!"
Stephaniecontinued for her little sister. "Yeah, Uncle Jesse, where would you go? What would you do? What would we do?"
Jesse sighed. "I don't know, butguys, I just can't give up my dreams. This is what I've been wanting ever since I saw Elvis on TV! Can't you understand? I'll be traveling to New York City, to Florida, everywhere! It'll be great!" He hesistated. "I wish I could bring everyone along, but I can only take Becky and the twins. I'll miss all of you, too."
Just then, Rebecca came down with Nicky and Alex and, at the sight of everyone's sad faces, she asked, "What's going on? What happened?"
Jesse turned her around and steered her upstairs. "I'll have to talk to Becky first, guys," he told everyone, and he went up to their bedroom, which was in the attic.
"Honey, what's wrong?" Rebecca asked, confused. "Did something happen?"
Jesse sat down on the bed. "I just got a call from the record company, and they said they want me to go on tour for a year. It's great to hear, but everyone wants me to stay. I don't know what to do!" he cried out in frustration. Everything was happening so quickly, and he felt tangled in his problems.
Rebecca walked over and sat down next to him. "I know it's hard, but you'll have to make a decision: your own cynicism, or your whole family's love."
Jesse didn't say a word. He just flopped down on his back and closed his eyes.
"Debbie, I'd like you to meet my family tonight," Danny announced after their date last night. "All except Jesse that is," he added hastily. They walked up the front steps and opened the door. Ironically, there sat everyone in the family but Jesse. They paid no attention to the couple in the doorway, but were talking about Jesse.
Danny coughed, as if signaling their entrance. "Hi, everyone," he said. "I'd like you to meet my friend Debbie. She's an actor."
There was a collected "Hi" from the group, and then they all turned back to their conversation.
Danny became embarrassed at his family's rudeness and raised his voice. "Hello! Thisis Debbie. Now come and say hi to our guest."
Michelle was the first to give in. "Hi, Debbie," she said in a syrupy sweet voice. "This is D.J., this is Joey, this is Aunt Becky and my cousins Nicky and Alex, and there's Stephanie," Michelle introduced, pointing to each person as she said their name.
"Whoa!" Joey said in his Popeye voice. "A beautiful woman in the doorway. With Danny!" He laughed his Popeye laugh and shook her hand gallantly.
Deborah laughed. "You are so funny!" she told Joey. She then turned to Danny and said, "You've got a wonderful family. They have their big group meetings. You all must be involved in your family."
Rebecca stood up. "Hi, I'm Rebecca, but you can call me Becky, if you'd like. These are my children, Nicky and Alex, and my husband, Jesse, is upstairs right now."
Deborah's happy expression turned sober. "Oh...nice to meet you. Hm, Jesse has kids. I didn't know that."
Rebecca looked surprised. "You knew Jesse?"
Deborah nodded. "We used to be, uh, classmates," she said.
Stephanie and D.J. stood up, too. "Hi, I'm Stephanie, and this is D.J.," Stephanie greeted her.
The family--excluding Jesse--played games for an hour, and the Deborah stood up to go. "It was very nice meeting you all," she said, "but I have to go now. Thank you for tonight," she added to Danny, and when good-byes were made, she left.
Danny looked around with a grin. "So what do you think of Debbie?" he asked. "Isn't she great?"
There was an eager chorus of "yes!" 's , so Danny spilled a secret.
"Everything is going so well," Danny whispered to everyone. "Debbie and I have been dating for a really long time--she's just been sort of reluctant to meeting you all--but now that she has, I'm thinking of proposing." He took a deep breath and waited for it all to sink in.
"That's great, Dad!" Stephanie exclaimed. "But aren't you rushing into things?"
"Well, I really think she's the one," Danny explained. "Ever since Pam died, I haven't found the right person for me yet, but now I know how it feels again to be in love."
"I say go for it, Dad," D.J. declared. There was a general nod of agreement.
"This is a really big step, but if you feel it's right, then go ahead," Rebecca told him.
Back in the attic, Jesse awoke from his restful slumber and sat up as though he'd been poked in the stomach. "I know what to do," he said to himself. "I've made my decision about the tour."