2016
A/N: The only thing I have to say here is about the little outtake for the wedding. I wasn't planning on doing one, but I've gotten a couple of reviews asking for one, so I think I will do one. Do you have any suggestions/things you want to see? Those would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! And now, on to the story!
"These next two stories are about another very special someone," Amy began with a smile towards Emily and John, "who has had a major role in John's life, if I do say so myself. I know that she has definitely been a big part in my life and in Ricky's life."
"I would have to agree," Ricky returned as he smiled at the group as well.
The Tuesday had been a normal one. John had gone to school, gotten picked up by Tony's mom to go to soccer practice, and Ricky had picked John up after practice. John began to discuss his day with his dad like he did everyday. But, not like every other day, Ricky seemed preoccupied with something.
"Are you listening Dad?" John asked curiously.
"What? Yea, of course I am bud," Ricky answered distantly.
"Then what did I just say?" John asked the way Amy taught him.
"Ummm…I need to talk to Mommy about teaching you to say those kinds of things. Look I'm sorry bud, but I had some work stuff I was thinking about. Want to repeat what you were saying?" Ricky asked.
"Well, I was just telling you about how Jason invited me to his birthday party, but I don't think Mina was invited so I don't know if I'm going to go," John said in a slightly annoyed tone as his dad seemed to be preoccupied again.
"Speaking of your mom," Ricky began before John quickly interjected.
"We weren't talking about Mom, Dad," John said.
"Right, but now we are. So, speaking of your mom: can you remind me that the three of us have to talk after dinner? I mean, I'm sure Ames won't forget, but just to make sure. Now what were you saying about Jason and Mina?" Ricky replied creatively.
"Well I was just saying I was invited to Jason's birthday party, but I don't think Mina was invited" John started as he began to retell his whole school day. After about fifteen minutes of walking, the father and son arrived at their house in Queens. John put down his backpack, still talking, and followed his dad into the kitchen to begin dinner. The two continued to talk about how John's day was, how Ricky's day was, what was for dinner, when John's soccer game was—although Ricky already knew—and what John thought about his team's chances.
"I'm home!" Amy yelled while walking into the house about thirty minutes after Ricky and John had arrived home from soccer practice.
"In the kitchen!" Ricky answered. Amy followed the sound of her husband's voice and found him and her son finishing up a delicious looking dinner.
"Hi," Amy said, walking up to Ricky and giving him a quick kiss.
"Hi," he replied earnestly.
Amy turned to give John a loving hug and kiss: "Hi Baby; how was school? And what are we having for dinner? It's smells amazing."
"I'm good! We did a science experiment today, and Mrs. A. finished the book we were reading, and I got invited to Jason's birthday party and Tony is going but I don't think Mina was invited, and we played on the playground, and my couch said that I might be playing in the front during the game this weekend! And we had art class and I we are working on self portraits and I got a new book from the library that Daddy and I are going to start reading..." John began to talk at warp speed.
"Ok baby, slow down. I can only take in so much information. It sounds like a…what is that smell? It smells…I'm gonna be sick!" Amy exclaimed before running off quickly the nearest bathroom.
"Ames? I'll be right there. John, can you finish setting the table? Thanks bud," Ricky said quickly before rushing off to the bathroom as well. John was baffled: why is Mommy feeling sick? She was feeling sick this morning too, maybe she has a cold. I had a cold a couple of weeks ago, but Daddy stayed home to take care of me…maybe Mommy got it from me anyway.
After Amy had finished clearing her stomach, the two parents walked back into the kitchen. "Sorry bud, I think I must have had something bad for lunch or something," Ricky gave her a small nudge, so she turned to him and spoke in a hushed tone: "we aren't going to tell him now; we can tell him later. It's not even been a full trimester yet." Ricky sighed in reply.
"So can we eat now?" John asked in a slightly impatient tone.
"Yea, of course buddy," Ricky replied. The family sat down for dinner and although Amy had looked quite hungry when she arrived home, she barely touched her food.
"Ames, you should eat. You told me you didn't eat much of a lunch either and you were sick this morning, so please eat," Ricky asked in a pleading tone.
"I'm just not that hungry Ricky," Amy answered with an exasperated tone.
"Can I be done?" John asked, not wanting to get involved in his parents bickering. He hadn't eaten his green beans—because his dad had run to the bathroom, he left them cooking too long—but his parents didn't seem to take notice. John doubled timed the stairs, but stopped at the balcony to hear what his parents were going to argue about. But, much to his surprise, they didn't begin to argue.
"I guess I should have figured, you'll probably be down here at like 12:30 and you will be starving and you will be looking frantically for food like you did last night. Which reminds me, do you have any idea what you will want on your midnight raid? I can fix something for you," Ricky offered.
"Now, I won't know until that minute. That's the thing with these cravings; I have no idea what I want until I want it. Badly. Like when I was pregnant with John, I wanted wings. But, sadly, I don't think that the cravings will be the same this time. Which reminds me: do you really want to tell John now? I mean, I just feel like we would be springing it on him," Amy asked.
"I think that now is better than ever. I mean, it will be a pretty big change for him no matter when we tell him: he's been the only child for seven and a half years. This is a big deal! But it's exciting. I just want to tell him because I'm excited. Ok, maybe he won't be excited as I am, but he'll become pretty excited eventually." Ricky said and John could hear a pause, which cued a kiss between his parents.
As Ricky finished his portion of the story, he could hear John snort. "Is something funny John?"
"It's just that I remember when I was sitting on the balcony and when the two of finally told me I was a little less than 'excited'" John said and Amy snorted as well.
"You answered with a flat out no. And you didn't talk to me for a week. So I would have to agree with you, you were a 'little less than excited'" Amy returned.
"You weren't excited that I was going to be born Johnny?" Emily asked innocently.
"No Em, I wasn't at the time. And it wasn't until you were about three and Mom was pregnant again that I actually started to like you." This earned a stern look—one that had been learned clearly from Amy—from Emily, so John began to backtrack, "well, I liked you once you were born, but Ididn't really start to like you until Mom got pregnant again. I liked being the only child, but I absolutely adore you now," John finished. Emily wasn't entirely satisfied with his answer, but it would have to do.
John knew that his parents were different. He knew that they were not usual parents because they had had a child when they were still in high school. He knew that most people are not a major part in their parent's wedding. And John liked this non-conventionalism. He liked that his family was unique, and a sister was going to make his family conventional. And John would not have that. John was not upset because he enjoyed being the only child and wanted to be selfish and didn't want to have to share his parents with his sister—because that was what even seven year old would say—it was because of the whole idea of his family being unique. Yea, let's go with that.
Although John already knew about the news—whether he wanted to or not—it didn't take very long for Amy to come around to telling him. After John had finished his homework and taken a bath, his parents called him down for a "family meeting."
"Johnny, why don't you sit right there," Amy said as she pointed to his chair. In a couple months, there will be another chair here instead.
"Bud, Mommy and I have been thinking very hard about how to approach telling you this and we have decided that just being open is the best plan. So John, how would you like to have a little brother or sister around your birthday? Wouldn't that be fun?" Ricky asked with a smile on his face that was almost as big as Amy's.
"No."
"John, I don't understand. What are you saying no to?" Amy questioned with a very concerned look on her face.
"I'm saying no to having a little brother or sister. I don't want one. Mina has one and he is annoying. He is always bugging Mina and me to play with him and it's not fun. Can't you take it back or something?" John returned with an upset look overtaking his features.
"No, bud; that's not how babies work. Look, I'm sorry, but you're getting a little brother or sister whether you like it or not. I know you may not want one now, but you will get used to it. You may even really love him," Ricky spoke softly as he tried to calm down John.
"Or her," Amy interjected.
"I don't want one." And with that, John headed to his room.
"That went well," Ricky said sarcastically: Amy only hit him in response.
"I'm going to go talk to him. Will you come with me? I have a feeling he may not want to talk to me," Amy told Ricky.
"Why? I have as much to do with this as you do," Ricky responded with a smirk on his face.
"I know," Amy said as she smirked back, "but John doesn't."
Ricky laughed in agreement as the two trudged up the stairs. "Buddy, can Mommy and I talk to you?"
"No."
"Look Bud, I know that maybe having a little brother or sister wasn't on your list of things you wanted, but it could be a really good thing for us. I promise you really will love him!"
"Or her, Ricky, it could be a her. Baby, may we please talk to you?" Silence.
"Bud?" Ricky asked in a concerned tone.
There was a humph in response, "you can come in, maybe," John responded. Ricky opened the door and the two began to walk through when another murmur was heard. "I said you could come in Dad, Mommy can't." Amy stepped back with a look of surprise across her features.
"Bud, why can't Mommy come in?" Ricky asked with a tone mirroring Amy's face.
"Because it's Mommy's fault that she is having a baby and so I don't want to talk to her," John said simply.
"Bud, let Mommy come in. Please?"
"No. And if you continue to ask I won't let you come in either," John said in a compromising tone.
"John, I'm going to let you wait this out in there for right now because I'm not coming in unless Mommy can come in too," Ricky said with a slight tone of sternness.
"I never said you had to come in," John said simply. With that comment, Ricky closed the door to John's room and proceeded angrily towards their own.
"I can't believe he said that! I feel like we should give him a talking to or something! It's just that—why can't he be excited! It's exciting! I'm excited!" Ricky concluded as he looked towards Amy, "Ames, why aren't you saying anything?"
"It's just that, well, it's not surprising. I mean most only children feel this way when their parents tell them that they are going to have a little brother or sister. It's natural. And with John, it's especially hard because he has had seven and a half years where it was just the three of us—well, when it was me and sometimes you," Amy said with a smile.
"I thought you forgave me for being such a jerk and not helping you more with John! And besides, you weren't too much of a picnic during that time either," Ricky smiled as he moved closer to Amy.
"I admit I could be a little difficult. But hey, at least we have this one to make up for it," Amy returned the smile and the two of them shared a quick kiss. Ricky began to deepen the kiss, but Amy pulled away suddenly, "I have two things to say: first, I didn't stop because I don't enjoy kissing you—I do, very much—but this may lead to something that I'm not particularly up for. I'm still feeling sick and I just don't feel very good about my…well, my everything really. But, if I remember correctly, their will definitely be times later that I will practically be dragging you every which way to go do it," Amy began as Ricky started a smile/smirk, "but let's just not do it tonight. Also, can you please go talk to John? I really want him to understand that we didn't do this because we don't love him—because we do, very much—and since he won't talk to me, maybe you could try to tell him that."
"I'll go try. I love you," Ricky whispered before kissing her quickly and heading towards John's room. After Ricky knocked on the door, which elicited a mere grunt in response (which Ricky took to mean yes), he opened the door slowly. "Buddy? Can I talk to you?"
"I don't wanna."
"Baby, it will just take a minute," Ricky said in a persuading voice.
"I'm going to start counting now then," John responded.
"I'll make it very quick then. Look, baby, your mommy and I aren't having another baby because we don't love you. We love you, very much. You are our pride and joy and we could never have gotten a better child. However, your timing was not the best for us. Mommy and I weren't together at the time and we just didn't understand how we could have a baby together. And, after about three years, we finally figured it out. And you've been wonderful. We couldn't have asked for a more amazing kid than you are John. But, since you mom and I are together now, we want to have another baby and do the whole 'raising the actual baby' thing together. And we would need your help. We aren't giving you up, and we aren't going to start ignoring you, but things may be a little different. But just know that no matter what happens, we love you. And we want you to take your own time to come around to this new idea, but I promise, eventually, you are going to love it. So please think about it?"
"That was more than a minute," John said after a moment of silence. Another moment of silence followed before he continued, "I'm not going to talk to Mommy yet, but I'll think about it. Will you read with me now?" John asked innocently.
"Of course I will buddy. I love you and Mommy loves you. Just remember that, always."
"And then I was born and everybody loved me right? That's how the story ends?" Emily asked hopefully.
"Yes, Em, that's sort-of what happened. But this is a story about John, remember," Amy answered.
"Ok, fine," Emily compromised in the way only a ten year old can manage.
A/N: Ok, I know what you are all thinking (WELL besides the fact that you are about to review this chapter): "Oh, I'm so excited! Next is going to be Emily being born!" but in fact, the next chapter is NOT Emily's birth. It takes place after Emily's birth. I know some of you are now somewhat disappointed (and are starting to think, "Jenni is so annoying that I'm not going to review this chapter" but that is a naughty, naughty thought), but I have reasoning: this is a story about John and although I do have an idea of what would happen, it's would be more super Ramy (Ricky/Amy) fluff. And it would not have very much John. And since this is a story revolving around John (and, of course, Ricky and Amy), I wasn't going to do it in this story. But, never fear! I'm going to be doing some outtakes from The Graduation Present such as the reception of the wedding and the birth of Emily; so, if there are any scenes or scenarios that you would like in that, please let me know! Thanks for reading! Oh, and by the way, does anybody actually read my author's notes? I would love to know! John knew that his parents were different. He knew that they were not usual parents because they had had a child when they were still in high school. He knew that most people are not a major part in their parent' And John liked this non-conventionalism. He liked that his family was unique, and a sister was going to make his family conventional. And John would not have that. John was not upset because he enjoyed being the only child and wanted to be selfish and didn't want to have to share his parents with his sister—because that was what even seven year old would say—he was more mature than that.
P.s. John's second grade teacher, Mrs. A, is a shout out to my own second grade teacher whose name was Mrs. A. (she had a long last name that was difficult to pronounce and spell, so we just called her Mrs. A).
Please, please, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! It would mean so much to me!