16 Pregnant & The Mom

Ch. 23 Empty Nesters

Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews. Happy Holidays to you all. I am hoping to have Chapter 24 out by New Year's. Just a few chapters left.

Cindy

(Dave's point of view)

Erin and I started planning our wedding. Since we had both been married before we just wanted a small ceremony and then a party afterwards. I already bought a beautiful gray Italian suit. Erin had a dress made with Italian lace it was to be a pale yellow color. We decided to get married in early spring in my cabin.

JJ, Penelope, and Emily had been helping a lot with the plans. We had less than six months left. Erin and I had decided on pale colored roses. Erin would be walking down the aisle to Frank Sinatra. Our first dance will be Bless the Broken Road. It is one of Erin's favorites. We're having a catered party outside of the cabin.

The wedding had been keeping both Erin and I busy. We still missed Melissa and Molly. All of the kids had been busy. We talk to them on the phone often. I knew the house seemed empty to Erin though.

I had just arrived home from a case. I was exhausted. We had been gone for ten days. I could tell Erin was just as tired as I was. I was looking forward to having a nice peaceful night at home.

After ordering food Erin's phone rang. I figured it was one of the kids. Then I noticed Erin's face. It was obviously someone she didn't want to speak to. I was worried.

"Hello Howard." Erin said into her phone.

"Hello Darling. How are you? How are the children?" He asked her as though he called often.

"Why are you calling?" Erin asked him sharply.

"I just wanted to know how my family was. The kids don't answer and I wanted to talk to you." Howard answered.

"We aren't your family. Why are you calling?" Erin asked again angrily.

"Shannon left me. She says she won't even let me see our daughter." Howard said pitiful.

"How is that my problem?" Erin asked as I smiled proudly at how far she has come.

"Erin I need you. I still love you. I miss you." Howard whined.

"I don't miss you." Erin stated.

"I miss our children too." Howard said.

"You don't have any children. You walked away from me and our children. We have David. We are all doing just fine without you." Erin said calmly.

"Erin he's going to leave you and them for the first young tart that looks his way. He'll never commitment to you. He'll let our children down." Howard yelled.

"Well considering we're engaged and it was you that left me for some young tart I would say you're so wrong." Erin said yelling too.

"Stop fooling yourself he'll never stay with you. You're old and not sexy. He won't want a snobbish witch like you." Howard screamed.

"Give me the phone." I said sternly.

"Okay." Erin said clearly hurt.

"Listen to me you S.O.B. if you ever call here again you'll regret it. Don't forget who I am. Also I could still have you put in jail for the back child support. So hang the phone up and forget about Erin, Garrett, Amber, and Melissa. They aren't your family. You gave them up. They are done with you. This is your last warning." I said as he hung up.

Erin was looking down. I thought she was crying. I was really worried. Then I realized she was laughing. She hugged me tightly. She just kept laughing. I didn't have any idea what was going through her head.

"Bella are you alright?" I asked.

"Oh David I love you." She responded still laughing.

"I love you too. What's so funny?" I asked.

"He probably peed his pants. He's always been scared of you but, now wow. Wait until I tell the kids." Erin answered as I laughed as well.

"We'll have to call them." I said.

"I miss them all so much." Erin said looking sad.

"So do I. Hopefully we'll get to see them in a few weeks it will be fall break." I said.

"I hope so." Erin responded.

[Three days later]

I suggested Erin and I go to my cabin. I missed it. We rarely both get a whole weekend off. She agreed quickly. I knew she had been missing the kids still. I missed them also. I knew my surprise would help her.

"Why didn't we pick up any food?" Erin asked.

"We'll go to the store tomorrow." I answered.

"That's kind of stupid. We pass the store. It takes 30 minutes from the cabin." Erin said.

"Trust me Bella." I said as we kept driving.

We were both quiet. Erin seemed annoyed. I knew she would understand once we arrived. As we pulled up she said something about soup.

"Surprise." Garrett, Amber, and Melissa yelled as we arrived.

"Oh my babies." Erin said crying as she hugged each of them.

She's gotten so big." I said as I took Molly.

"She sure has Dad. She eats everything." Melissa said making me smile. I still hadn't gotten use to her calling me Dad.

"Hey Dad thank you for getting us all here. We've missed you and Mom." Amber said making me tear up it was the first time she called me Dad.

"Yeah Dad and thanks for making Howard go away." Garrett said hugging me.

"No problem son." I said as I looked at my beautiful family.