Ch. 12

Invitation

Babe woke up early the next morning and stretched, looking towards the bathroom. She decided she should take an early shower and ask JR if she could have a day off to go and get her things and look for a new place to live. Babe hurried and got in the shower and as she got out and wrapped a towel around her wet body, she realized she didn't have any clothes to change into.

She blew air out of her mouth noisily. Then she remembered Krystal's room was next door. She opened the bathroom door and walked into her room and quietly opened the door and peeked into the hall. No one was there.

Gritting her teeth, Babe pulled open the door all the way and rushed into the hall towards her mom's room. She got there and tried to open it but it was locked. Babe groaned, and looked down the stairs.

She saw the table sitting in front of the front door and saw Krystal's purse lying on it. She looked at the lock on Krystal's door and knew the key was probably located inside her mama's purse.

"God, why do people have to lock their doors?" Babe sighed, and tried to look downstairs to see if anyone was there.

Babe was desperate for new clothes since Little A had decided yesterday that it would be more fun for Babe to be wearing his cake then it would have been for him to eat it.

Babe tip-toed down the stairs, trying to make the least amount of noise possible. As soon as she reached the table she grabbed for her mother's purse.

Just then, JR's door open and he wheeled out in just his PJ bottoms. Babe turned around and blushed. JR stopped where he was and his mouth opened slightly and his breath caught in his throat.

"Oh... hi." She said sheepishly, pulling at the towel self-consciously.

"Hi... is there a reason why you are running around my house half naked?" JR asked.

"Needed clothes, Mama's room locked, keys in purse... you know." Babe shortened the explanation.

"I see..." JR answered, still staring at her.

He couldn't take his eyes off her. So looked so beautiful standing there, soaking wet and shaking. All JR wanted to do was take her into his arms and kiss her and make her warm again.

Babe noticed JR staring and cleared her throat, "I better..."

"Yeah, good idea." JR agreed.

Babe stood there for a moment longer, and then turned and hurried up the stairs. As soon as Babe shut her door, JR let out a deep breath. He didn't think he had taken a breath since he had seen Babe in just a towel.

JR shook his head and wheeled himself towards the kitchen, trying to get the image of Babe in just a towel to leave his mind but knowing it wouldn't for quite some time.

Upstairs, Babe leaned against her mama's door and breathed in and out. She couldn't believe she had just been caught by JR running around his house in just a towel.

Babe rubbed her head and then went towards her mama's closet to find some clothes.

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A little while later Babe walked into the kitchen wearing a pair of black pants and a red turtleneck with her mama's high heeled boots. She had straightened her hair that morning.

JR couldn't help but notice that she looked sexy as hell in her mom's clothes.

"I see you found something." JR remarked as he read the paper and took a bite of his eggs.

"Yeah. I have always loved this outfit and was dying for an excuse to be able to wear it." Babe smiled, "Yum, the eggs smell good."

"Go ahead and help yourself." JR said and set his paper down to watch her.

After Babe had grabbed a plate and placed the eggs on it, she turned towards JR, "Uh-oh. It looks like you have something that you want to talk to me about. Listen, I know you're probably angry about this morning but..."

JR held up a hand, "No, it's not about that. I'm not angry. I wanted to talk to you about something."

Babe set her plate down, "OK, you have my attention."

"OK, now I have been thinking about this since last night... and maybe the idea had just come from my lack of sleep or something like that. I'm not sure. All I know is that I'm really not sure why I'm about to suggest what I'm about to suggest." JR rambled on.

"JR... point?" Babe stopped his babbling.

"Right... well I know since you now don't have a place to stay and I need a full time nurse living at my home... I thought you might move in here." JR said quietly.

Babe, who had just taken a bite of her eggs, choked on her eggs and started coughing.

JR sat up straighter and looked alarmed, "I knew it was a bad idea... I was just saying..." JR tried to make up an excuse for his invitation.

Babe shook her head and grabbed for JR's glass of OJ and took a big drink. After taking in a few gulps of air she said, "No, I don't think it is a bad idea. I'm just surprised, that's all. I thought you would rather get teeth pulled than live with me."

JR shook his head, "No, I wouldn't want that. I'm speaking from experience; I would hate to have to get another tooth pulled." JR said, "You're more tolerable."

"Well, I'm glad I'm tolerable." Babe said back.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just..." JR stopped when he saw Babe was smiling.

"If you are really serious, yes, I would move in here with you. It would make my job easier, and I wouldn't have to worry about a hotel. And you can just dock some of my pay to pay for rent." Babe said.

"No, I'm not going to do that." JR said firmly.

Babe nodded, "Wow, this is weird."

JR cocked an eyebrow and looked at her, and Babe continued, "Moving back into this place. After everything that has happened..."

"I know. If you would have told me a couple months ago I would be asking you to move back into my house I would have sent them to the psych ward in the hospital." JR said to Babe.

"Yeah, no kidding. Does Adam know about this?" Babe wondered.

JR smiled and shook his head, "Oh boy, no he doesn't. And I don't want to tell him."

"He'll find out sooner or later." Babe pointed out.

"I know, but let's just hope it's later rather than soon." JR said, and he and Babe both smiled at each other.

"Well, I guess it's kind of pointless now to ask you my question." Babe said.

"What was it?"

"I was going to ask for a day off to go and get my things and find another place to live."

"Well, you're still going to need to get your things, so I think you should take the day off and go and get your stuff."

"If you say so... will you be OK by yourself?" Babe asked, walking closer to him.

"I'm not by myself, my dad is here and besides, I need a father/son bonding day with Little A." JR said.

"Ah, the mother has been around too much, huh?" Babe joked.

"No, we just haven't had one in a while. So go and get your things and get them here, and then you can spend the rest of the day fixing up your room."

Babe grinned at him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Thank you so much JR. For this, for letting my spend time with my son... for actually giving me a chance."

JR looked up at her, "I should be thanking you. You have helped me so much. I don't think I've ever really thanked you for your help with me in the hospital and here."

Babe shrugged, "It's no big deal."

"Yes, it is. You've helped me so much more then you know... I don't know what I would have done... without you." JR finished the last part in a whisper.

Babe looked down at him, "I didn't know you felt that way."

JR nodded and looked away, not being able to look at her.

"I'm so glad that I helped you JR, you don't know how much you saying that means to me."

Babe then looked away and said, "Well, I better get going and get my stuff."

Babe headed towards the door when JR stopped her, "Good luck with Jamie."

Babe sighed, "Thanks, I guess."

With one final smile at JR, Babe walked out of the room.