It's early November, Alex has been living with the Bradys for two months and so far it's been great. Everything is running smoothly in the Brady household, that bully Jason hasn't picked on Peter, and his two month anniversary with Rachel is coming up soon. It was a calm fall sunny morning, until hyperactive Peter runs through the kitchen.
"Whoa Pete, where's the fire?" asked Greg standing in Peter's way.
"Move it Greg!" he said. "I need to go get Rachel the perfect gift,"
"I thought you were getting Rachel the perfect gift yesterday," said Jan.
"And the day before that," added Marcia.
"And the day before that!" added Cindy.
"Okay I'll admit it," Peter said. "I'm having trouble finding Rachel a good gift, but I want to blow her away, last month I made her a crummy necklace,"
"I thought that was thoughtful," said Marcia.
"But compared to what she got me it was crummy," he said. "It was the really neat watch," he said pointing to the watch on his right hand.
"Where does a thirteen year old girl find the money for a watch like that?" asked Greg.
"I don't know, but it sure made me feel guilty I made her a cheap necklace," said Peter. "So I'm going to find a real nice gift to blow her away!" and he raced out the door again.
"These early morning breakfast discussions never cease to amuse me," said Alex after Peter had left the house.
A few hours later Alex was playing against Bobby in basketball. Marcia and Jan walk outside.
"Hey you guys, what are you up to?" Marcia asked.
"playing one on one basketball," replied Alex trying to block Bobby. "Loser pays the winner two dollars,"
"Who's winning?" asked Jan.
"Bobby," replied Alex as Bobby makes a shot in the basket.
"Alright 10 to 6!" shouted Bobby. "The deal was whoever made it to ten first wins, pay up!"
"Double or nothing!" said Alex.
"No way!"
"Fine," Alex pulls out two dollars out of her jean pocket and puts it into Bobby's hand. And he runs into the house Alex walks up to Marcia and Jan.
"So what's going on?" Alex asked.
"Oh, Peter just came home," replied Marcia.
"He wants your opinion on the gift he got for Rachel," added Jan.
"Oh so he finally found a gift?" asked Alex.
"Yeah, we think it's lovely," said Marcia.
"Now he wants to know what you think," added Jan.
Marcia and Jan lead Alex into the living room where Peter stood.
"So Pete, what's up?" Alex asked, as if she had no clue.
"This!" he replied pulling out a tiny box and opened it, Alex took a peek in it and she wore a grin.
"Peter, you really are too generous for words," Alex said, referring to the gift. The gift was a pair of beautiful gold earrings. "And I think it's really sweet, even though I don't wear earrings and I'm not what you would say, a typical girl, but it's really sweet. Where did you get enough money?"
"Ahem," Greg said clearing his throat. "Your welcome, Peter,"
"Oh yeah," Peter said with a grin. "Greg helped a bit,"
"And you'll be doing my chores for the next month and a half," Greg said as he bit into his bright red apple he shined onto his shirt and walked up the stairs.
"I'm taking her to the movies Wednesday night, that's when I'm going to give these to her," said Peter.
"Wow Peter," said Alex, blown away by Peter never knew her cousin was so romantic with women. But he never had a girlfriend before. And he always said if he did he'd treat her like a queen, and he sure is treating Rachel like a queen. "You're a casanova at thirteen,"
That Wednesday, Peter, Jan and Alex walked to the Junior High, Jan and Alex walked off together in a different path than Peter when they saw Rachel.
When Rachel saw Peter, her face brightened. "Hi Peter!" she said cheerfully as she planted a kiss on his cheek.
Peter blushed "Hey Rachel," he replied. "guess where I'm taking you tonight,"
Rachel's face brightened again. "Oh Peter! You're taking me out?" she asked excitedly.
"Yup," he replied. "I'm gonna take you to a movie, how's that sound?"
"Oh Peter!" she said as she swung her arms around him. "That's wonderful!"
Later that day Alex and Jan were in Science class writing notes from the board Jan began to squint. "Alex, do you know what that word is?" she asked. Alex glanced from her notebook to the board.
"Niche," replied Alex as she continued to write.
"Oh," Jan replied then began to write again, a few moments later Jan asked the same thing again, but a different word, "Now, what's that word?"
"Environment," replied Alex as she continued to write. "Jan, can you see okay?" Alex asked.
"I think so, why?" Jan replied.
"Well I can read the words fine, and we're not even that far back, but you can't seem to read too much of the words up there," replied Alex. "Do you need glasses?"
With that question Jan became a bit defensive. "Why does everyone think I need glasses?" she asked.
"Well, if people keep bringing it up, maybe you do,"
"But they'll make me look positively goofy!"
"Positively goofy? You? No way!"
"You're just saying that, you're just too polite of a person to say I won't, just admit it!"
"Okay, I will admit it," Alex began. "I'll admit that you're a beautiful girl, you've got a nice smile, gorgeous hair and great eyes, that no glasses could ruin,"
"Really?" Jan asked blushing a bit. She never heard so many complements at once, from one person.
"Yeah, I wish I had blue eyes like yours," replied Alex, she has hazel eyes. Which she is satisfied with, but sometimes envies Jan blue eyes, she envies Bobby's and Greg's and even her Uncle's crystal blue eyes.
"Jan, I understand your insecurity," Alex began. "I'm insecure about my asthma, sometimes I think I can't play sports because of it,"
"You are?" Jan asked, a bit shocked.
"Yeah, I'm always afraid that people would make fun of my wheezing, if I run too much," replied Alex. "Like back home, I ran a mile and I began to wheeze before I could get my inhaler out, kids began to make fun of me,"
"Well kids who would make fun of something serious like that are real lowlives," commented Jan with a real serious face. Alex nodded with agreement.
After school the trio met up again to walk home. "Hey romeo!" Alex greeted Peter as she put her arm around him. "How was your day alone with Rachel?"
"Great," he replied with a big grin. "Thanks for giving me the day alone with her, I really appreciate it,"
"No problem, anything for my brother," said Alex. Brother. She never had a chance to say those words, 'my brother' she liked the sound of that. Peter was pretty much like her brother, since they were born around the same time, they're only three months apart in age.
That night the family gathered in the family room Greg giving Peter pointers and Carol telling him to bring a jacket and wait outside right after the movie because Greg will pick them up right after the movie ends. And it's a school night and all that. Alex took some pictures of the well dressed Peter. "You're gonna be a hit!" Alex said snapping a couple pictures of Peter.
"Thanks! Rachel's earrings are in my pocket," replied Peter. "I'm going to wait till the right moment to give it to her,"
"You look very charming, Peter," complemented Alice.
"I think you look handsome," added Cindy.
"Thanks, thanks all of you guys," said Peter. "Well, Greg and I are off to pick up Rachel, I'll tell you everything when I get back," and Peter and Greg walked out the door.
"There goes my son on his first date," Carol sighed. Mike put his arm around her.
"Yeah, another Greg is around the corner," Mike added.
At the movies Peter and Rachel were sitting next to each other in the movie theater. Peter slowly make his first move as he did the stretch and arm around the shoulder move. Peter decided this was the perfect moment. "Hey Rachel," he whispered
"Yeah?" She whispered back.
"I got you something, something special," he replied.
"Yeah?" she asked, trying to contain her excitement.
Peter reached into his pocket and pulled out the box. "Happy two month anniversary," he said handing her the box. She opened it and her eyes sparkled.
"Oh, Peter!" she said. "They're beautiful!" she kissed him on the cheek. And Peter blushed. "Well, your welcome, I thought since you got me a nice gift last month that I should get you an even better one,"
"Peter," she said with an awe. "I don't care what gift you get me, or if you get me one at all, I like you, for you,"
"And I like you too, a lot,"
"And knowing that is the best gift of all," she pulled out her present. "And beside I loved that necklace you made me, so I made you one," she put it around his neck. "Sorry it wasn't as good as the last gift it's just I used all my money on the watch last month,"
"Rachel, I don't care if you give me a gift at all, and I love it, thank you," said Peter. "No money could buy a necklace like this, and I love it,"