Time Life Music Series
Disclaimer: See previous.
Bobby awoke suddenly, sitting straight up in bed, not entirely sure of where he was for a moment. He looked to his left; Alex was sound asleep beside him. He lay back down and focused on the cracks in the ceiling. Being retired was not all it was cracked up to be. Usually he'd be getting up right now, taking his shower and starting on the coffee before getting Alex and Meredith up. Now he didn't have to get up if he didn't want to and neither did Alex. As it turned out, Meredith had this week off due to midterms. Meredith, Bobby thought, panicked. He got up and rushed as quietly as possible to her room…where his daughter wasn't. The light from the TV flickered in the living room, and Bobby could hear voices. She had better not have friends over, Bobby thought. He crept into the living room and peered around the wall next to the couch. There his daughter sat, cell phone beside her, eating Haagan Daz coffee ice cream and watching…an infomercial for the Time Life Music Series: Am Gold? Bobby looked at the TV in confusion.
"Dad, why are you just standing there? You scared the shit out of me," Meredith whispered loudly, more than annoyed. Bobby looked back at her and decided to chance it – he sat down next to his daughter on the couch. He smiled, noticing the little scrap of her baby blanket she always kept pinned to whatever comforter she had on her bed.
"Um…what are you watching?" Bobby asked quietly, watching the screen, lest he look right at her and annoy her right back into her room.
"The Time Life AM Gold collection…it's one of my favorites," Meredith responded, almost shyly. Bobby smiled as Meredith continued. "I'm waiting for the linens to come on Home Shopping Network. Jewelry is on right now; I hate the jewelry." Bobby nodded as Meredith curled up into a more relaxed position, changing the channel to her beloved bed linens.
"What are you doing up so late, if you don't mind me asking?" Bobby asked warily. Meredith shrugged and yawned.
"I couldn't sleep. I guess I am kind of like you after all," Meredith replied, shooting him a side-long glance, a smile playing on her lips. She elbowed him gently before resting her head on his shoulders. Not too long after that, she fell asleep. Bobby turned the TV off, collected his daughter, comforter and all, in his arms and deposited her on her bed…after pushing a year's worth of Glamour off of her mattress.
"Goodnight, baby girl," Bobby whispered, tucking Meredith in…turning off her stereo on his way out.