Chapter 14- A Family Affair
Things seemed to be getting back to normal for the group. Leila still felt a bit weird being in the same room with Pete and Casie at the same time, knowing that they had made out with each other, but was beginning to be able to handle it. Making up with both of them took a huge burden off her life. She could see nothing but clear skies.
Cara was still a little sick, but nothing compared to what she was; in her mind, a few sniffles were heaven in contrast to what she had been going through. Soon before long, it was time for Pete and Leila's check up at the doctor's. Now that Leila had patched things up with Casie and Pete, she didn't want to return to Alabama. That meant not seeing Pete anytime she wanted, seeing that he would be staying more than likely at Cara's place, and Leila didn't want to bring him home with her. It was small and not very cozy. To be frank, she would whether stay on Fall Out Boy's tour bus than to have him there. If the doctor permitted, Pete was able to travel and they were to return to Alabama in three days. It made Leila almost miserable.
Waiting in the doctor's office, Pete finally asked Leila what was making her so upset. She told him about her thoughts on returning home and Pete couldn't help but feel completely loved by this girl.
"I have an idea—" Pete began, but a nurse had just walked out of the door to their right and called out Pete's name. Leila was soon after. After a thorough examination, he was given the permission to leave the state. Pete got out of the doctor's before Leila, so he walked outside to make a phone call.
"Hey, I was wondering…" Pete said to the person on the phone. After a few more minutes of deep conversation, he saw Leila walking out of the doors to the doctor's.
"I got to go, call you later," Pete whispered into the phone.
"Who were you talking to?" Leila wondered.
"Oh, nobody… What did the doctor say?" Pete said, quickly changing the subject.
"He said that I have to keep the cast on for six months," Leila made a face of annoyance, "and I'm assuming that you can travel now?" she finished with a grimace.
"Yeah, but listen. I have a plan," Pete said. Leila gave him a curious look, but he just shook his head. "I'll tell you more when I iron out the details. But I'm sure you'll like it!" Pete smiled at her.
And with that, they returned to Pete's apartment. They found Cara and Patrick sitting next to each other on the couch, however Cara's face was very flustered and Patrick's hair was disheveled; also, both of their lips looked very pink and suspicious. Pete smirked at the both them, knowing exactly what they had just interrupted.
"Hey guys," Pete said in a very lofty voice, "what are you doing?"
Leila was trying very hard to contain her laughter. She knew exactly what they were just doing. She had to bit her lip to can her laughter.
"Patrick, why is your hair so messy?" Leila asked innocently. "And Cara, are you running a temperature again, because your face is so pink?"
"Shut up, Leila," Cara said with a half smile on her face. Patrick couldn't meet anyone in the eye. He knew he was in for a train of torment from Pete. The corners of his mouth started to turn upward; the hilarity of the situation getting to him.
"Get it, Patty boy," Pete said, walking into the kitchen, grabbing a Capri Sun. Patrick flushed a candy apple red.
It was the day before the trip back to Alabama, and everyone was packing there things, making sure not to leave anything. That would be an expensive price to turn the plane around and go back. Pete had been making very many mysterious phone calls over the past two days. Leila's curiosity was peeking to a dangerous level. She needed to know what Pete was planning. Finally, on the day they all went back to Alabama, Pete pulled Leila into his room. They kissed for a few minutes before Pete broke it off. Leila pouted at him, obviously not satisfied; Pete just laughed at the look on her face.
"So you said you don't want to go back to Alabama yet?" Pete asked her.
"No, not at all," Leila said, thinking about returning depressed her.
"Well, how about coming with me to visit my parents in Chicago?" Pete asked. Leila gasped, but he placed one finger on her lips, silencing her. "That way you can meet all of my family, not just my mom and dad; and you get to visit the best city in the world," Pete said, very biased about his hometown.
Leila was just staring at him the whole time he was talking. The thought of going to Chicago, especially with Pete, was fantastic. Plus, they would also get some alone time, away from the others. Leila loved hanging out with everyone, but desperately wanted some alone time with Pete; as, she was sure, Patrick and Cara would agree. Pete could tell that she was very happy with the idea. As soon as he mentioned it, her eyes lit up.
"I would love too!" Leila squealed, throwing her arms around Pete. He hugged her back, laughing at her enthusiasm.
So, as the girls were still getting their things packed, Pete was in the living room, telling the guys his plans for Leila to meet his family. Leila was doing the exact same thing in her room with her girls.
"So, what are our plans for we return home?" Casie said, tossing some shirts into her suitcase.
"Well, actually," Leila began, her smile returning to her face. "I won't be going back home just yet."
Cara looked around at Leila and Casie dropped the shirt she was holding. They both were giving Leila a very curious look.
"Are you and Pete getting married?!" Cara exclaimed. The look on Leila's face was priceless to the girls; her face blushed and her mouth dropped.
"That's a big no. But Pete is taking me to meet his family!" Leila said, almost bursting with the news. It was then Leila started to get nervous.
Saying it out loud to someone really made it hit home to her. What if they thought that she was just some redneck country girl with a thick country-accent? If it was anyone else, she wouldn't care what they thought, but this could be her future family; it was very important to her to make a good impression.
"Oh my gosh, that's totally sweet!" Cara said. "Meeting the family is the last step before marriage with a baby carriage!" They all sniggered at Leila's blushing face.
"Go girl!" Casie said, smiling.
It was then Leila looked down at her clothes; raggedy jeans and a hole-ly shirt. She couldn't show up at Pete's parents looking like this. She ran to her suitcase and started throwing things out of it, looking for something half-decent and not too wrinkled to put on. She settled on a newer pair of jeans and layered an Aerosmith tank top over a plain white tee with her black converse.
The girls had all finished packing and went out to the living room to meet the boys, who all had their luggage by the door. Pete smiled to himself when he noticed that Leila had changed clothes, wondering if it had anything to do him and his family. As they all headed to the door, the girls looked back at the empty living room. It was a bittersweet moment for them. Albeit, they haven't stayed there that long, so many things had happened in that apartment; Cara and Patrick declaring their love for each other, Pete and Leila breaking up, and getting back together, Casie learning that maybe Parker isn't the one for her, as she had thought all along. So many life changing events had taken place; it was hard to say good-bye.
"You guys are more than welcome to come back, any time you want," Pete said, noticing the look on the girls faces. Still in silence, they left the apartment and departed for the airport. Upon arrival, they all gathered just inside the doors to say their good-byes. Leila gave Casie, Cara and Patrick great big hugs; she knew she was going to miss them very much.
"Call me with details," Casie whispered to her during their hug. Leila just laughed at her and moved on to Andy, while Pete said his good-byes to the three heading to Alabama. Three planes left out of the airport that held all the friends. Andy was heading to Ohio to go back to his cousin's place; Casie, Cara and Patrick were heading back to Alabama while Joe, Danielle, Pete and Leila were headed to Chicago.
Pete and Leila walked up the walk of Pete's parent's house. Leila could feel her heart pounding a mile a minute. Pete's other dogs, Pandora and Marley, were jumping up on the glass door, trying to get to Pete. The dog's loud barking made their entrance known. Leila had seen videos of the Wentz's house on YouTube, but it just felt so surreal to actually be there. It made her think of the chain of events that led to this day. It blew her mind to think that just two and half months ago, she was just another Fall Out Boy fan, now she was in Pete's parents' house, meeting his family as his girlfriend. Pete dropped his bags right inside the door by an umbrella stand, and Leila followed suit.
There was a loud commotion from the kitchen and Dale Wentz, Pete's mother, came bustling out. Leila stepped back a little so she could have a straight shot at Pete, but at the last second she turned and headed for Leila. She was pulled her into a tight motherly hug; and this time it didn't hurt. But she was shocked that she passed up her son to hug her. It made her feel apart of the family.
"How are you dear?" she asked, directing her question about her injuries.
"Oh, I feel fine, thank you ma'am," Leila said, a little unsure of herself. She had talked to his parents before, but it just felt different in their home. She smiled at Leila and turned to her son, enveloping him into one of her famous hugs.
"Are Andrew and Hilary here?" Pete asked, pulling away from his mother.
"Hilary is in her room, but Andrew hasn't got here just yet," Mrs. Wentz said, "now let me get back to the rice crispy treats, and show Leila to your room, and take your bags up while you go."
Pete did as his mother directed. Leila picked up her bags and followed Pete upstairs. When they walked into his room, Leila noticed there were two twin size beds. She couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight of a twenty-nine year old's room having twin beds. Pete noticed what she was laughing and just smiled.
"What? My mom likes to keep things PG-13. Not that things ever gets heated up here in my parent's house, but tell that to my mom…" he laughed.
Cara and Patrick were sitting on the couch in Cara's townhouse, watching Elizabethtown; one of Cara's favorite movies. Casie had gone to her apartment, to send Parker all of his things that he had left there. It was going to be a rough night for her, and Cara offered to go with her, but she said that she wanted to be alone for a while.
Cara snuggled closer to Patrick under the red and white, extremely soft, blanket. She had begun to doze off when there was a knock at the door.
Pete and Leila walked back downstairs after unpacking a few things, like shampoo and toiletries. He led her into the living room, where a girl that looked about her own age was watching TV.
"Hilary, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Leila. Leila this is Hilary, my baby sister," Pete said, introducing the two girls. Leila noticed that Hilary had on a Simple Plan shirt.
"I love your shirt, by the way," Leila said.
"Oh, thanks. I love Simple Plan!" Hilary said. Hilary was short just like Pete with long, naturally curly dark brown hair. Unlike Pete, however, she had her fathers' blue eyes. She seemed very sweet and thought that they could become really great friends.
Just then, Pete's father walked in. He smiled as soon as he saw the two new arrivals.
"I knew I heard Leila's distinct laughter," he teased, giving her a hug, and heading for Pete.
"Thanks, Mr. Wentz," she said, in a mock hurt voice.
"Please, call me Pete," he said, "unless that'll be too confusing with both us Pete's here. Has Andrew got here yet?"
"I'm here dad," a voice said from the living room door way. Leila turned to look where the voice was coming from and thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. Pete was standing in the doorway where the voice came from.
"But wait, that's not Pete," Leila thought to herself, "This guys' hair is dark brown, and he has no tattoos… visible anyway."
"Leila, this is my twin brother, Andrew," Pete said calmly. "Andrew, this is my girlfriend, Leila."
Leila shook his hand, but it was still very odd. He was identical to Pete, except for the eyes. Pete had his mother's eyes, and Andrew had his father's.
"You never told me you had a twin, Pete," Leila said, as they went back upstairs to get ready to go out to eat with the Wentz's.
Patrick opened the door to a tall, leggy red head. All the color in Patrick's face drained as he saw the woman before his eyes; a woman that broke his heart four years ago.
"Marianna, what are you doing here? How did you find me here?" Patrick stammered to get the words out.
"I came to give you something, and to tell you I'm sorry," the woman named Marianna said.
Just then a little boy with light strawberry blonde hair came running up to the front door. He had bright blue eyes and a sweet face.
"Patrick, this is your son, Micah."
-note from the author-
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Oooh snap! What's going to happen next!!