Whoa man, last chapter was intense, and so was the reviews! Thanks to all that showed their opinions! I'm changing things up a little with this chapter; I'm not going to cover Raw this week. But, it'll be worth it, trust me!
Chapter 6- You Can't Take It With You
The Sunday before we left for Raw came on fast. Randy and I hadn't left the hotel building since Friday night, after the incident with Jessica Taylor, Adam's insane female admirer. Randy didn't dare let me out of his sight. And really, I didn't mind that at all. I was still on edge from having a gun pointed directly at me. It was just a miracle Adam and I can out of that alive. Not to mention the danger she put Randy in, and my unborn child. She had no remorse for what she was attempting to do. So, I gladly obeyed Randy when he expressed his wishes to remain recluse for the rest of our Florida stay. Randy had the trainer responsible for me and my baby come check on me regular. I felt fine, but I understood his fears; that the trauma and stress might affect the baby. But I checked out fine each time.
Night was falling fast as I crawled into bed next to Randy, as he watched TV. I laid on my side, and tried to watch along with him. Though, I wasn't paying attention. I was wondering what might happen in the next state and town we get too. What drama awaited us in the next scheduled stop? I couldn't help the sigh that came from my lips. I felt Randy shift next to me.
"What's wrong?" he asked, pulling me closer to him with his arm. I felt tremendously better once his body was touching mine. But I debating on whether or not to tell him the truth; I didn't want him to worry more than he had too. However, I couldn't lie to him either.
"I was just thinking about how much trouble gets thrown at us," I said, laying my head against his chest. His hand rubbing small circles on my lower back.
"I've been thinking about that," Randy murmured. And by the tone of his voice, I could tell he was leading up to something else. I waited patiently as I listened to his breathing. "And I want to ask you to do something for me."
Pulling away from him, I sat up to meet his eye. "And?"
"Well, since we have consecutive shows on Monday and then Tuesday in a different state," he began, beating around the bush. I raised my eyebrow at him, wanting him to get to the point. "Well, I was wondering if you would go to my parents' house a few days earlier."
That was not what I expected. At all. My brow furrowed in confusion. Thanksgiving wasn't for another four days. And we hadn't planned on leaving for his parents' until Wednesday. "Why?"
"For the same reasons that you just said. You need a break, because I don't want to see anything happen. To you or the baby. I've already talked to my mom about it, and she's all right with it."
"But, Randy, I can't. What about my work?" I contested. I couldn't just up and leave because I was too tired. That's not how I ran things in my life. And Randy knew that.
A guilty look came over Randy's face. "Well, about that… I've already talked to Vince too. And he agreed with me that you should get a few days off to get over it."
I knew Randy was just trying to help, but I felt a little upset. That people were discussing my well-being without me there. I, for one, would know exactly how I felt. And I felt fine, just a little run down. But nothing that I couldn't handle.
"Well, I'm so glad that you and Vince talked about what's best for me… without me," I snapped, removing myself from his body completely. I rolled over and laid down with my back to him. I was pretty sure I was being a little irrational. I already felt bad for snapping at him, because I didn't know where the anger came from. Sure, I was upset that I was being discussed without my knowledge, but I felt that I was a little over-dramatic. The bed moved, and Randy shifted his body to get behind me. I didn't move when his hand snaked around my waist, firmly holding my stomach.
"Lora, you know I don't want you to go; and that I know you can still do your job one hundred percent. It's not a question of you ability that's at hand. It's your health. And if you're with my parents, I'll feel more comfortable doing my job; because I know my parents will take excellent care of you," Randy explained, resting his head on my shoulder. I felt my anger dissipate at his words. He wasn't trying to undermine me. He was doing what he thought he had to for me and his child. I sighed, turning on my side to look him in the eye. "And besides, Mom can help you finalize the wedding plans."
I didn't want to be away from him. I felt my safest when he was near me. Especially now, being with child, I was always afraid to be away from him, in case something happened. Though, I knew that his parents wouldn't mind having me there. In fact, they were probably chomping at the bits to see the ultrasound pictures. Randy's fingertips running down the side of the cheek brought me out of my thoughts. I sighed. "Fine."
To my surprise, Randy didn't look happy or smug at convincing me to go. He looked torn, as if he was debating on keeping me here under his eye. Which I would have totally been okay with. But I knew that he wouldn't change his mind. Randy could be selfish sometimes, but if it ever came down to my safety, he knew what to put first.
oo
"Okay, my dad will meet you at the airport in Memphis," Randy said, rolling my luggage up to the terminal. Casie and John were a few feet behind him, watching on in silence. "And he'll take you to the house."
I took a deep breath, to loosen the tight grip on my heart. It didn't work. These damn pregnancy hormones were killing me. I nodded up at Randy, letting him know that I was listening. I didn't speak; I was still trying to get a hold on my emotions. My plane left in fifteen minutes, and it was already loading. Randy and my best friends' plane didn't leave for another hour. A warning came over the speaker for my plane. I saw John and Casie walk up to say their good-byes to me. I hugged them tight, not wanting to leave. Then I turned towards Randy. And the unwanted moisture cropped up in my eyes. I nearly groaned in frustration that I couldn't keep a hold on my own body. I cleared my throat.
"I'll miss you," I mumbled into his shirt, once I pulled him tight to my body. I missed him already, though he was still in my arms. We hadn't been apart since before I was pregnant. But even then, when we had been fighting, we were still in the same area as each other. However, now, we weren't even going to be in the same state. He squeezed my shoulders tightly.
"I'll miss you," Randy murmured into my hair, playing with the tips with his fingers. "But I'll be there on Wednesday. You won't even have time to miss me." I scoffed at his words and he chuckled softly. "You better get going or you'll miss your plane."
I pouted, looking down and played with his fingers. "So?"
Randy groaned softly. "Lora, you promised you'd go. This is already too hard."
I sighed, knowing he was right. I was just being a hormonal baby. I straightened my shoulders, and held my head high, looking up at him. Randy took my head in his hands, and softly brushed his lips over mine. My resolve almost crumbled then. He pulled back before either of us could deepen the kiss. I had one chant going through my mind, "Do not cry". That would definitely make him feel guilty. I gave him one last glance before grabbing up my carry-on and turned to head up the terminal. I put one foot in front of the other, keeping a steady pace. I didn't dare turn around. I knew if I did, I would be to tempted to run back to him. Instead, I walked on, straight to the plane. I found my seat, with the help of the stewardess, and got strapped in. A sign lit up, saying I must shut off my cell phone. I dug through my purse, finally finding my phone. But before I could cut off, I noticed that I had one new text message. I bit my lip; it was from Randy.
"I love you."
I sniffed through my emotions, replied back to him, and shut my phone off. I had a window seat, so thankfully, I would have something to enjoy on this one hour flight. Another thing I was thankful for, the short amount of flying time. Once we were in the air, I got lost in my own thought. All about Randy, and how he wasn't by my side. I sighed, spinning my engagement ring on my finger, reliving the proposal memory in my head. Before I knew it, the plane was in a downwards slope, and we were landing in Memphis. I must have lost track of time. Gathering my bag and purse, I let myself be shuffled off the plane, and back through another terminal. I felt a little out of place, trying to look without being too obvious, for Randy's father.
A hand touched my back, and I spun around to see Bob Orton standing in front of me. He looked the same as he did when Randy and I had last visited about two months ago. He smiled down at me, and wrapped an arm around me shoulders, bringing me into a side hug. He felt familiar; he was my connection to Randy.
"So, how's my future daughter-in-law and my only grandson?" he asked, leading me to the luggage belt. I pointed out my luggage, and he pulled my bags from the rotating belt. I smiled back up at him.
"We are both just fine, thank you," and I tried to help with my luggage. But, just like Randy, he wouldn't have it. I fought the urge to roll eyes as small laughter bubbled to the surface. Bob looked down at me in confusion. "I don't know what Randy's told you, but I'm not as helpless that I can't help you with my luggage."
Bob smiled, a gleam in his eye that I saw in Randy's, "Randy didn't tell me anything. And it's no trouble."
My heart warmed at the tone of his voice. He treated me, as I would imagine my own father would treat me if he were alive. I shook my head, following behind Randy's father, trying not to think of my own father. I stood back, watching him load my bags into his black truck, and we both got in the front. It was very easy to get along with Bob. He had that same charisma that Randy did. I was proud to see, when he got to his drive-way thirty minutes later, that they hadn't paved the drive-way. And I was sure that Randy hadn't pressed his father about since we had first visited, and I expressed my love for a dirt road. Just thinking about Randy, and the little things he did, made my heart clinch painfully, only wishing harder that he were here with me.
Bob carried my bags into his house, setting them right behind the couch. The house was just as homey as it always had been, despite the royal elegance from the outside. I heard soft music playing from the kitchen, a hobby that Randy's mother, Elaine, liked to do while cleaning the dishes. Bob called out to her, pulling me gently in her direction. We rounded the corner, and Elaine looked and smiled brightly at me.
"Oh honey! How have you been?" she exclaimed, hugging me in one of her tight mother hugs. Her graying blond hair was straggling in her face slightly and she placed a kiss on my cheek. Another wave of warmth spread over me. I was really glad that his parents had excepted me so completely. "C'mon, let's go into the living room."
I let her guide me back to the living room, and the three of us sat around the room in the black leather furniture. It was quite nice to sit in something that was actually comfortable. I groaned slightly, stretching my back out. Bob looked over at me.
"Why don't you take your shoes off, girl, and get comfortable on the couch?" he suggested. I didn't hesitate to take him up on his offer. The only problem was, I couldn't bend over to pull my boots off. I was sunk too far into the couch cushions to pull myself out. Bob laughed softly and patted his knee. I took my cue to prop my foot on his knee and his gently pulled each shoe off. Randy was right, I thought, they would take excellent care of me.
"Oh," I said, remembering suddenly, "I've got y'all something." I reached over, grabbing up my purse by the straps. I searched for a few minutes, finally pulling out a brown envelope. I handed them to Elaine. "These are yours."
She took the envelope, and flipped open the flap, and pulled out a set of pictures. Her hand flew to her throat, as she looked at her grandson. Her eyes shined bright with her joy, as she showed her husband. And as if she thought of something, Elaine stood from the couch and shot from the room. I gazed after her, wondering what she was doing, when Bob's voice broke into my thoughts.
"And these are ours, you said?" he asked, still looking at the picture of my baby. My heart was touched at the look on his face. This man would be my boy's only grandfather. And Bob seemed enamored with him already.
I nodded. "Yes sir. I mailed copies to my mother already, but Randy and I thought, since we were coming here so soon, we would just wait to give them to you."
Elaine came back into the room, holding what I found out was a picture frame. I had to resist the urge to gape at her. She must have frames ready on stand-by for such these occasions. My heart swelled, though, watching her frame the photo of my son; the one were he was sucking his thumb. She already loved him, and he wasn't even here yet. I smiled as I watched her place the new picture next to two other sonogram pictures.
"Are those Becky's kids?" I asked. Elaine looked over at me smiling and nodded. She picked up the other two photographs and brought them to me.
"This is her oldest, Lainey Elizabeth; she's four now," she said, handing me the first one. I assumed that Lainey was named after Elaine. I could clearly make out the small face, with the tiny mouth open. "And this is our two year old, Susan Natalie; but we call her Suzie." And she was smiling with her tongue out in the picture. I smiled.
"They are both very cute," I complemented, as Elaine replaced the photos back on the mantel above the fireplace. Elaine opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of a car door met our ears.
"Ah, that should be Nate," Bob said, and I froze. Nathan was here? Randy hadn't told me that he was coming for Thanksgiving. However, he never talked about Nathan to me at all. I hadn't seen Nathan since he ran his mouth about me. I was supposed to have come here for rest, but I didn't see that happened with Nathan here. I cringed at the sound of the front door closing and counted the seconds until I heard his footsteps.
"Mom , Dad, I'm here," I heard him say, but then his footsteps stopped instantly. I didn't dare look to see him, but I knew he was looking at me. I saw Bob give him a stern look, and I had a frightful feeling that both Bob and Elaine knew what had gone about between him and me. "Where's Randy?"
"He's not coming until Wednesday," Elaine said to her son. "Lora came a few days earlier because there was an incident in Florida, and she came here for rest." And if I wasn't terribly mistake, Elaine put an emphasis on the word "rest".
oo
That night, after the dinner with Bob and Elaine, with Nathan mysteriously absent, I got settled into what I was told was Randy's room when he visited. And I could definitely tell, because of the King-sized bed, and dark furniture in the room. Though, without Randy here, I was having a hard time sleeping. I tossed and turned until I made myself thirsty. I slipped on my pajama pants, not daring to walk around the house pantless, and padded my way to the kitchen. However, as I made it to the last step, a shadow moving in the living room caught my eye.
Nathan was standing by the fireplace, holding a picture frame. And I knew exactly was he was looking at, because the two other smiling and yawning sonogram pictures were still on the mantel. I decided that I couldn't just slip past him unnoticed, and I had to make my presence known.
"Hello Nathan," I spoke softly, watching him flinch at being caught. He obviously thought he was alone. He turned on the spot, frame in hand, to stare at him. I raised my eyebrow at him, waiting for him to say anything. But when he didn't, I sighed. "Well, I would say it's been nice seeing you again, but…" I didn't finish my sentence and turned towards the kitchen.
"Wait," Nathan finally spoke. I stopped in my tracks, and turned slowly back around to face him. I didn't know what he had planned to say. I was afraid, but I tried not to show it. Nathan held the picture out for me to see. "He looks… he's adorable."
That took me off guard. I hadn't planned on him saying anything nice, much less comment on my son. I was prepared for something nasty and mean. But his words took away my game plan. I fumbled for words. "Um… Thank you." I turned back towards the kitchen, when his words stopped me again.
"Lora," I braced myself again, and I turned back to meet his eye. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to create a shield. Nathan turned around and replaced his nephew's picture next to his nieces'. He took a deep breath, and faced me again. "You must think I'm a dick, right? Hell, I don't blame you. I was a total ass to you. And I just want to say I'm sorry. I was just trying to look out for my brother, because, he gets that kind of attention all the time, and I didn't want it to get him into trouble.
"But I shouldn't have judged you without knowing you. If I had've been thinking, I would have known from the moment Randy told me he was in love, that he was serious. He doesn't throw that word around a lot," Nathan continued on with his speech, walking closer to me. "I can understand if you can't even stand to talk to me, but I am sorry."
I was stunned. This day was just full of surprises. And I could tell by the honesty in his eyes that he was telling the truth. He looked just like Randy did when he was telling me something true and important. Then, I thought, since he was getting something off his chest, then so should I.
"It's okay," I said forgiving him. And I meant it. It's hard to stay made at someone when they apologize sincerely. "But, you need to tell Randy this. We are getting married in a week and a half, and I want you there. Not just in attendance, I want you in the wedding party, because it would mean a lot to Randy. But, we both know how stubborn he can be, and he won't call you. Right now, I am officially inviting you to the wedding. But if you want to completely make up what you did up to me, talk to Randy. Tell him everything you just told me. Because he needs you, but he's just too bull-headed to admit it."
And I turned on last time, and went to the kitchen for my water.
A/N
Well, Nathan isn't such a prick after all. Wonder what Randy'll think? Thoughts?
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