Alan
"Rach! How are ya?"
"Surprised to say the least, but I guess that's one of the risks of being a man." she shrugged. "how far along?"
" two and a half months " I said. Nat's telling me that she was going to keep the baby had made me very happy! I had wanted more than two kids back in the day, but Charlie's needs made that impossible.
"I hope you're not hovering, like you did with Margaret"
"I didn't hover!" I protested.
"Yes you did! Both times!" she wagged her index finger, and turned to Charlie with a stern face "How about being a little more supportive?"
"How would you have felt if Granpa Aaron eloped and had a kid at Dad's age???" Charlie challenged her
"I would have been happy for him if that was what he wanted." Rach told him firmly. "Why can't you do the same for your father?"
"That's a lie!" he told her sardonically " You'd be as mad as I am now!"
"Don't talk to your aunt that way!" I told him sternly. He gave us a glare, and walked off. There are times when Charlie can't deal with conflict.
"Maybe including him and Don at your wedding might have prevented some of this animosity" she suggested calmly.
"Ya see..."
"Let me guess...you realized how short life was, and it seemed like the perfect time..." she interupted me. "I know...some of my friends, after getting widowed or divorced, eloped.Would it have killed you to wait until returning to L.A?"
"I thought about waiting, but I wanted to seize the moment"
"Just because they're grown, doesn't mean that any major decision you make doesn't affect them!" she folded her arms.
"Nat's been a part of my life for a good while now. It's not as if her and I just met on the cruise!" I explained.
"More reason to include the boys, don't you think?" she replied tartly.
"Rach..." I began. "The last thing I meant to do was hurt them!"
"I know, but you really should have included them! You know how Charlie sometimes has trouble adjusting to change!"
"I was thinking maybe of doing a small reception, but then I found out Nat was pregnant" I explained to my sister.
"I see...either way you need to talk to Charlie" she advised.
"Of course..." I nodded and, then invited her "Will you be around tonight?"
"Yeah! I was thinking us and Natalie going out to dinner."
"Actually, I'm making dinner tonight! The boys, or at least Donnie is coming. I was going to uh...tell Charlie about the pregnancy tonight" I leaned on my desk.
"Somehow, I doubt a steak would have lessened the shock for him." Rachael said dryly.
"Couldn't hurt to try?" I smiled and shrugged. "Anyway, could you not mention to Nat that you know? I don't want to explain that you caught Charlie and me arguing."
"I won't" she promised.
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Racheal came early for dinner, and helped me make it.
"Would you stop offering her everything in the fridge?" she scolded, when I returned from the living room with an untouched glass of orange juice. "Does she have anyone to help her when the baby comes?"
"Her mother and sister. I'm sure they'll come to help."
A few minutes later, I went back to the living room, desptie my sister's rolling eyes, to see how Nat and Don were doing.
"Where's Donnie?" I asked when I saw that Nat was alone in the living room. She looked tired yet radiant, though it was hard to see the bump.
"He told me that he had to make a phone call, but will be right back" She put her feet on the couch.
"I hope so!" I said. "Is there anything you want me to make for you?"
"I'll be fine babe" she assured me.
To my surprise, Charlie came just as we were about to have dinner!
TBC
