Chapter 17

Our plane made it to Atlanta in one piece. After getting our bags from baggage claim, John and I took a taxi from the airport and to my parents' house. Amy and Phil took another to Amy's mom's house.

"All right," John said as we were in the taxi. "Let's send a text message to my brothers and parents." He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

I smiled. I had called my parents as we all got off the plane and let them know we were all safe.

"All right," John said. "We made it to Atlanta and are headed to Trish's parents' house. Trish also told me while on the plane that she is 8 weeks pregnant! No fooling! I'm going to be a dad! Send."

"This should be very interesting." It wasn't long before John's cell phone went off with the replies. "Who's first?!" I said.

John looked at his phone. "My mom. She says: Congratulations! Give me a call when you can. Next is my dad: YES! I'm going to be a grandpa! Congrats my boy!"

"Awe, that is nice," I said.

John read me the replies from his brothers. They were all very happy for us. Boog was shocked, though. "Holy crap, bro! Haven't you heard of protection?!" John read.

"Really?!" I said. I grabbed hold of his phone to see if that really said that and it did. "I'm going to hurt him when we get back to Boston."

Another text message was sent to John's phone. He opened it. "It's from Boog: Ha-ha! Just kidding! Congratulations to you and Trish! I can't wait to be called Uncle Boog!" John looked at me.

"Okay, now I won't hurt him," I said.

John chuckled.

The taxi pulled up in front of my parents' house a half hour later. I paid for the fare. John was out of the car and grabbing our bags from the trunk. After I paid, I then got out of the car and closed the door behind me. John had both our bags and his garment bag.

"All right, my lovely," He said.

"Okay, come see where I grew up as an American," I said.

John chuckled. We walked up the driveway and to the front door. The driveway had a few cars in it. My parents' cars were in there garage. One of the cars belonged to Melissa and then another belonged to Christie. The rest of my family would be getting in now or tomorrow morning.

I had my keys in hand. I had a key to my parents' house. I put the key in the lock and unlocked the door. I then opened the door.

"Hello my wonderful parents and sisters," I shouted.

"Yay, Trish!" I heard.

I smiled. I walked right into the living room of the house. Christie came over to me and hugged me.

"Hi," I said.

"I missed you," Christie said.

"Me too."

"Hello again John."

"Hi," John said.

John and I greeted my parents and Melissa with hugs. I was so happy to see my parents.

"I'm going to show John to our room," I said. "Then we'll be right back out."

I lead John to my old bedroom. My parents hadn't packed up my sisters' and my own rooms. Each of us had lived with our parents while we went to college. Melissa was still living with my parents. My parents didn't mind us living with them. We had all lived rent free.

"This is it," I said, opening the door. I had not been in my old room since before I moved to Boston. When I walked in, I smiled. It was still all the same. I had pictures all over the place. They were pictures of me in middle school, high school and college. They were pictures of me with Amy and our families. I had pictures in my bedroom back in Boston. They were pictures of me with John, Amy, Phil, Torrie, Randy, Stephanie, Paul, and John's family.

"Oh, you were cute in middle school and high school," John said looking at the pictures.

"Thank you," I said.

"Is this where Patricia Stratigias became a woman?" John asked referring to my bed.

I smiled. "No, that was my boyfriend's bed. But this bed saw him and one more."

"I think it needs to see some of me," John said with a wink.

I shook my head. "Come on." I grabbed John's hand and led him back to the living room.

Melissa and Christie were sitting on the sofa with my mom. My dad sat in his chair, a Lazy boy leather chair. John and I took a seat on the love seat.

"How was your flight?" Mom asked.

"It was great," John said.

"Did she tell you on the plane?" Melissa asked.

"Yes, I told him I was pregnant," I said.

"Yay," Melissa and Christie said.

"Yes, before when we were in the cab, I sent a text message to my parents and brothers. They are all excited. Oh, I need to call my mom," John said.

"Do it right here," I said.

"Yes, put your mom on speaker phone," Dad said. "It'll be a conference call."

"Okay," John said. He pulled out his cell phone and called his mom.

"Hello John," Carol said.

"Hi Mom," John said.

"Hi Carol," I said.

"Am I speaker phone?" Carol asked.

"Yes, you are. My sisters and parents are right here too."

"Well hello, Jay, Alice, Melissa, and Christie."

"Hi," Melissa and Christie chorused.

"Hello Carol," Mom said.

"Good evening," Dad said.

"So Saturday is the big day, huh, Christie?" Carol said.

"Yes, it is," Christie said. "I am so excited!"

"You and John are going to take lots of pictures for me to see when you get home, right, Trish?"

"Of course," I said. "I have to take lots of pictures of Melissa for Boog."

"Really, Trish?!" Melissa said.

"Oh, yes, Melissa," Carol said. "He asks about you all the time. It is all I hear usually when I am around him, Trish, and John."

Melissa blushed.

"I think I should have brought him with us," John said. "But he had school and work."

"Maybe we can get an invite for Melissa to Steve and Chelsea's wedding," Carol said.

Everyone laughed.

"Okay, so I want to talk about Trish being pregnant," Carol said.

"Yes, let's talk about that!" Mom said.

I smiled. "I've been to an OB/GYN and I saw the little peanut baby on a sonogram."

"You didn't tell me that!" John said.

"Oh, well, I have it," I said. I got up and ran back to my room. I went into my purse and pulled out the little sonogram picture I had been given two weeks ago. I then went back out into the living room and handed it to John.

"Okay, let's see it," John said trying to find it. I pointed it out to him. "That little thing is the baby?"

"For right now," I said.

"Oh, wow."

"That is going to be shown to me the next time I see you, John," Carol said. "You got it, Momma."

John passed the sonogram picture onto my sisters.

"When are you due, Trish?" Carol asked.

"November 11," I said.

"Oh, that baby is getting spoiled when Christmas comes."

"Spoil the baby before his or her arrival," John said. "We'll have to prepare for it."

"You and Trish are going to prepare for him or her," Carol said.

"That is what a baby shower is for," I said. "We'll have to buy the furniture and all that. But the baby shower gifts will be everything else we need."

"Actually before we worry about getting baby furniture we need to have another talk," John said. "That one needs to be just you and me."

I nodded my head. That was true. We needed to have a discussion about us and then the baby, a very lengthy discussion.