Warning: Sexual content! It is not overly explicit, but if you're underage or you're uncomfortable reading that stuff, then don't read that part.
Love and Obsession
Chapter 5
- September 11, 1999 –
Michelle sat on a bench at the entrance of Bayview Mall, her blue denim purse lying beside her as she waited patiently for Teddy, Lisa, Derek, Aaron, and Denise to meet her there. She didn't have to wait long. Teddy was the first to arrive and the rest of the group soon followed.
"Hey guys!" Michelle greeted.
"Hi Michelle!" They replied in unison.
"Where should we go first?" Denise asked, reaching into her pockets and pulling out a purple change purse.
"How about that new music store that just opened up last week?" Teddy suggested.
"Yeah!" Aaron exclaimed happily.
"Good idea." Lisa agreed.
"Grand idea indeed." Derek chimed in.
The group strolled past some of the first floor shops and rode the escalator up to the second floor, then they passed a few more shops until they reached Rockin' Robin's Music Emporium. They wandered through the store until they found the ones they wanted. They each selected one or two CDs, including Counting Crows, Whitney Houston, Smash Mouth, Boyz II Men, Janet Jackson, and the Goo Goo Dolls. They paid for the CDs and continued shopping and walking around.
Meanwhile, Jesse and Rebecca were home alone, enjoying three peaceful hours to themselves. Stephanie, Josh, and Sadie were at the mall after dropping Michelle off with her friends, Joey and Elise were on a date at the movies, and Danny and Vicky were at the park having a picnic while Nicky, Alex, Leah, and Matthew went with them to hang out on the playground.
Rebecca sat on the couch in their attic apartment, her arms wrapped around Jesse as they kissed passionately on the lips.
"I love you, Beck." Jesse said gently, running his fingers through her hair.
"I love you too, Jess."
"Becky, I've been thinking. Since Leah turned two, I've kind of missed having a baby in the house."
"I miss it too. I think Leah does as well. She's been asking for a sister since she learned to talk."
"Really?"
"Yes. She loves Sadie and all, but it's not the same."
"I guess not." Jesse chuckled. They discussed the idea a little more until they reached an agreement. Leah would turn three in early February and Nicky and Alex would be eight in November.
'The timing is just right.' They thought.
"Let's have another one."
"Have mercy!" They laughed a moment and he carried her to their bed. They hugged and kissed lovingly and stripped off their clothes. "You sexy Mama." He whispered into her ear, his breath tickling her.
"Shut up and make love to me, damn it!" She replied, pressing her lips against his. The lyrics to 'Let's Get It On' by Marvin Gaye came from the CD player as they made love under the covers.
At Steve and DJ's apartment, Steve and DJ were getting ready to go on a double date with Kimmy and Duane to play miniature golf. DJ hadn't played the sport since Junior High and she was delighted at the chance to do it again. Afterwards, they planned to go for dinner at their favorite Chinese restaurant.
DJ was wearing a pink t-shirt, khaki shorts, and black and white Adidas running shoes. Her hair was down with a small black clip on each side. Steve dressed in a dark green polo shirt, light blue jeans, and black Nike tennis shoes.
A few minutes later, Kimmy and Duane arrived. Kimmy's attire was crazy as usual. She wore an orange t-shirt with what looked like paint splattered all over it and hot pink denim shorts, and purple Converse sneakers. Duane was dressed in a light blue t-shirt, a black vest, red high-tops, and a red cap with a lightning bolt, worn backwards.
"Ready to go?" Kimmy asked.
"Yeah, let's go." DJ agreed. The two couples left the building and made the short drive to the mini-golf place. They paid for a full eighteen hole game and chose their clubs and golf balls and went to the first hole.
Steve went first and scored a hole-in-one, scoring in just one shot. DJ did well too and sunk it in two shots. Kimmy and Duane tied, scoring a par. They continued playing and at the final hole, everyone took their shots, except for Kimmy, who managed to knock an unsuspecting middle-aged man's toupee off his head.
"Whoa baby!" DJ and Kimmy exclaimed.
The man turned around with an embarrassed look on his face as he readjusted his hair piece. He picked up the ball, tossing it back to them.
"Nice shot, Gibbler!"
"Thanks Steve-O. I'm awesome, aren't I, Duane?"
"Whatever."
"You know, I almost feel bad for the guy."
"I do too, Deej." Steve agreed. Kimmy placed her ball back at starting position and retook her shot, scoring in five shots. DJ added up everyone's scores and Steve came in first with sixteen points, she came in second, scoring twenty-three, Duane third with forty-one, and last but not least, Kimmy scored fifty-nine. They turned in the equipment and headed off to China Town for dinner.
Back at the mall, Michelle and her friends finished shopping and went to the food court to meet up with Stephanie, Josh, and Sadie and get something to eat.
"Guys, can you please give Michelle and I a moment to ourselves? I have something I want to say to her." Teddy asked, hoping the others would give them some privacy.
"Sure." Denise, Aaron, Derek, and Lisa walked away, but hid behind a nearby column, listening in on the conversation.
"What is it you want to tell me, Teddy?" Michelle wondered.
"Umm...I...I was wondering if..." He stuttered.
"Wondering what? Just say it already, dude."
"Okay. I...I really like you, Michelle. Will you be my girlfriend?" The four other preteens watched in excitement as Michelle nodded her head.
"Yes. I will." She told him, a huge smile on her lips. Teddy reached into his pockets and pulled out a small black box. He opened it and her eyes widened as she saw a gold-plated bracelet with her birthstone in it. "It's beautiful! Thank you."
"You're welcome." He unclasped the bracelet and put it on her right wrist. Cheers erupted and they realized their friends were spying on them the entire time.
"You can come out now, you guys! We know you're watching." Michelle called.
"Busted." Derek mumbled, and he and the others walked back to their table.
Stephanie and Josh arrived not too long after, pushing Sadie in her stroller. Sadie cooed as Michelle lifted her out and sat her on her lap.
"You got Sadie's ears pierced?" Michelle inquired, shooting Stephanie a look of shock.
"Yeah. We did."
"She was very brave. She hardly even flinched." Josh added.
"Wow! You look very pretty, Sadie." Michelle complemented, earning a toothy smile from the almost sixteen month-old. The group walked over to the various food places and ordered their meals and they sat and ate. Then Stephanie and Josh waited for Michelle's friends to be picked up before they drove home themselves.
As they walked toward Josh's car, Stephanie gasped in horror as she saw glass shattered all over the seats and outside the vehicle and one of the front tires slashed.
"Oh my god!" Josh shouted.
"I'll call Dad and see if he can pick us up."
"Okay Steph. I'll call the police and order a tow truck." To Stephanie's dismay, Danny's phone was off, but she got a hold of Jesse and Rebecca.
"Hello? Tanner residence." Rebecca answered.
"Aunt Becky?"
"What's the problem, Steph?" She asked, hearing the panicked tone in her niece's voice and a screaming toddler in the background.
"We were just about to drive home, but when we got back to the car, it was all smashed up. Can you give us a lift?"
"Sure. We'll be there in a bit."
"Thanks! See you then." Rebecca hanged up and grabbed her car keys off the mantle. She and Jesse got in her car and drove to the scene of the incident in time to see a police car with its lights flashing and Josh's car, wrapped in plastic, being lifted onto the back of the tow truck.
"Are you guys alright?" Jesse asked, taking his frightened nieces into his arms. He led them to Rebecca's car and waited with them while Rebecca waited with Josh and helped him file a police report.
The officer wrote down the information on the complaint form and asked more questions, then he drove to the station to file the report and the family got into their car and went home.
It was eight-thirty by the time they got there and Sadie cried inconsolably the whole way. Josh patted his daughter's back gently in an effort to calm her as he and Stephanie carried her up to bed. They gave her a bath and put her lavender colored pajamas with a Tweety Bird print on, then they put her in her crib and sang 'Hush, Little Baby' until she calmed down and fell asleep.
A lot of stuff in this chapter, but I hope it's good. Next chapter soon!