Chapter 30

A month later, it was time for Thanksgiving once again. My parents had made their trip out to Boston after John III was born and they said they weren't coming for Thanksgiving. They were staying in Atlanta and having Thanksgiving with Christie, Jake, and his family. Amy and Phil flew out to Atlanta to spend the holiday with her mom and brother. Randy and Torrie flew out to Boise to spend the holiday with Torrie's family. John had to work on Thanksgiving as did Dan and Matt. Melissa was flying to Boston to see Boog, but also to spend it with me and her new nephew.

It would be me, Little Johnny, Melissa and Boog all with John Sr. for Thanksgiving. Carol was going to spend it with Steve, Chelsea, and Chelsea's family. Ally and Kourtney would be with their families since their boyfriends were working. John Sr. had been invited to spend the holiday with Chelsea's family. He declined, because he preferred to spend it with me. I was his favorite significant other of his sons, because I had given him his first grandbaby, which happened to be a boy.

Carol was overjoyed to be a grandparent, but she was more so looking forward to Christmas. She preferred Christmas, as did I.

I picked Melissa up from the airport. All her classes were online, so she wasn't on campus for the semester. She was able to work on her own, plus do her internship at the Atlanta branch of the law firm Amy and I worked for. I was on maternity leave and had two more weeks of it.

"Melissa Nicole Stratigias," I shouted.

"Patricia Anne," Melissa shouted back at me. She came running over to me and gave me a hug.

"Oh, I've missed you," I said.

"Me too. Oh, my God, is this Little Johnny?" Melissa asked. She spotted her four week old nephew asleep in his stroller. She had not been able to make it out to Boston with our parents after he was born, so this was the first time she was seeing him in person.

"Yes, this is your nephew."

Melissa grinned. "Can I hold him, please?!"

"Of course," I said. I reached into the stroller and carefully lifted my son up. He didn't cry or scream when I picked him up. I handed him over for Melissa to hold and she was in awe the moment he was in her arms. She had pictures of him, because I sent them to her. Plus I Skyped with her and she had met him that way. But holding him in person was better.

"Oh, my God, wow," Melissa said. She gave him a kiss on his forehead.

I smiled as I let my baby sister hold her nephew for a couple minutes. I then took him from her and put him back in his stroller. We then headed over to package claim.

"Oh, my God, I am so happy to be here," Melissa said once we were on the main highway and on the way to John Sr.'s house. Melissa was going to stay with him and Boog.

"I know," I replied. "I am so happy you're here. Tomorrow is going to suck, because John works a double."

"Oh, yeah, that does suck. There are three reasons why I came out here: Boog, you, and Little Johnny." She turned around and looked at him in the back. He was asleep.

I smiled. "You can't get over how cute and adorable he is, can you?"

"No," Melissa said.

"Even when he has a dirty diaper, I am still in love."

"You're supposed to me. You're his mommy."

"He might be adorable and cute. BUT I'm still sleep deprived and have to get up at all hours of the night to feed him and change him."

"I want to change his diaper. It'll be good practice for me when I have kids."

"And that time better be after BOTH you and Boog have graduated college."

"Don't worry. I'm not pregnant. Besides, I graduate next month."

"Yes, but Boog doesn't graduate until May."

"We're doing a long distance relationship, Trish," Melissa said. "I haven't seen Sean in person since September."

I nodded my head. That was true. Boog/Sean—whatever you wanted to call him—had made his trip out to Atlanta in August/September for Labor Day weekend. After that weekend, he got busy with school and working at the restaurant with his dad.

"I bet you'll be rocking his world later today and he'll be doing the same for you," I said.

"Oh, my God, Trish!" Melissa said embarrassed.

I laughed. "Mission accomplished."

Melissa laughed.

A half an hour later, we arrived at John Sr.'s house. It was about one o'clock. Melissa was out of the car and quickly at the front door of the house. I, on the other hand was busy getting Little Johnny out of the car. As I was walking up to the door, it opened to reveal Boog.

"Seany," Melissa squealed.

"Well, hello gorgeous," He replied.

I smiled as the two hugged and kissed. It was a nice long kiss, a kiss that would make everyone jealous. I had those with John all the time. Boog would get pissy.

"God, I've missed you," Boog said.

"Me too," Melissa said.

"Hey Trish," Boog said.

"Hello," I said. I had Little Johnny in his carrier/car seat.

"How's my nephew doing?"

"Fine. I would like to get him out of the cold, though."

"Oh, yes," Melissa said.

The three of us walked inside the house.

I hung out with the happy couple for about ten minutes before Little Johnny and I went back to our own apartment. I knew the happy couple wanted their alone time and I wanted some quiet time with my baby boy before John got home from work.

Let me tell you: I loved motherhood. I was a brand new woman after I had my baby boy. I was sleep deprived a lot the first few weeks, but it was all worth it to take care of my little boy. He was an easy baby, actually. He slept a lot, which was a relief. He got lots of attention when he was awake and wanted it. Little Johnny and I would Skype with my parents, Melissa, or Christie and Jake. It was for them all to see him.

John got home at 6:45 that evening. I was changing Little Johnny's diaper and getting him ready to go out to dinner with Aunt Melissa and Uncle Boog.

"Good evening, my beautiful fiancée," John said walking into the nursery.

"Good evening to you too," I said. I gave him a kiss and he gave him a hug from behind.

"How's my little man doing today?"

"He's doing just fine. No problems."

"Good. How are you?"

"Happy as ever," I replied.

"As am I," John said. "How are Melissa and Boog?"

"Well, I talked to her at six and she said they'd be at the restaurant waiting for us, which is at seven o'clock."

"Okay, well, are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I am, but I need to pack the diaper bag. Little Johnny needs to get dressed."

"I'll do that," John said. "Pack the diaper bag my lovely."

"You got it," I said. I gave him a light kiss.

John took care of our son while I took care of the diaper bag. Once we were all ready, we got our coats on and headed out the door. We got to Cena's at 7:15. Melissa and Boog were sitting in a booth waiting for us.

"Johnny," Melissa said.

"Melissa," John said.

She got out of the booth and gave him a hug. She gave me a hug too. She then took a seat next to Boog. John scooted right into the booth, while I sat next to him on the outside. Little Johnny lay in his carrier, which sat on the classic restaurant wooden high chair.

Our waitress came over and took John's and my drink order. All the servers knew John, me, his brothers, Chelsea, Ally, and Kourtney. We were the boss's children and siblings of Boog. The waitress was a sweetheart and a great server. She got a lot of compliments from customers, all appropriate compliments.

It was a lot of fun to spend time just the four of us. The last time the four of us were together was at the end of Melissa's summer break. It was fun to be able to double date with my sister.

The fun was short lived, though, because someone from my childhood was back…

"Well, well, if it isn't little Patricia Stratigias," A male voice said.

I knew the voice the moment I heard it. I would always remember the voice, because the man took my innocence and happy childhood away from me.

"Oh, my God," Melissa gasped.

"Can we help you?" John asked, annoyed.

I looked at him. He stood right before our table, looking at me. Melissa had figured out who he was, though.

"You sure grew up into a beautiful woman!" He said, ignoring John.

"Who are you?" Boog asked.

"Sorry, how rude of me," He said. "I'm Joseph Richardson."

Joseph Richardson, the man who sexually abused me as a child.

"I knew Patricia when she was a little girl. I knew all the way back in Canada. I worked with her father. Wow, Melissa, you sure grew into a beautiful woman yourself."

"Get the hell out of here," Melissa said. She got up from the booth.

"You're being very rude, Melissa," Joseph said. "Your parents would be ashamed."

"My dad would be on his feet, wanting to punch your lights out. But I'll do it for him."

"Hang on, Melissa," Boog said, grabbing hold of my sister.

"Let me go, Sean," Melissa snapped.

"Feisty," Joseph said. "I like that. Are you feisty, Patricia? You sure were as a child!"

I couldn't breathe. I was remembering. "Oh, God," I said. "I'm going to be sick."

I got up and ran to the bathroom. Melissa ignoring Joseph and Boog followed me. John was quickly out of his seat.

"Get your ass out of here now!" John said.

"I have every right to be here, buddy," Joseph said.

"Not in this restaurant! My father owns this restaurant and if I go back in the back to get him and tell him who you are, he'll be out here so fast. And I as a member of the Boston PD I would look the other way. My brother, Dan would do the same thing, because he too is a police officer. Everyone knows what you did to my fiancée as a child. And you were convicted of that crime. What the hell you're doing in Boston is beyond me."

"I'm passing through, but I will sure come back and look in our Patricia when I damn well, please. I served my time, but it isn't illegal to have my way with her as a young woman!"

John went to hit Joseph, but Boog stopped him. "Easy, John, easy," Boog said. "Don't end up in jail, because of this asshole.

Little Johnny started crying. John focused his attention on our son. I was still in the bathroom with Melissa. I didn't want to come back out until Joseph was gone. But he would never be gone; he lingers in my memory as the man who sexually abused me. A man as an adult, I had trusted when I was a little girl.

"OH, did Patricia have a baby?" Joseph asked.

"Get the hell out of here!" John snapped.

Joseph shook his head and walked away. He ended up leaving the restaurant.