Learning to Love
Chapter 13 ~ Epilogue
"Michael, hurry up or Abigail will be late for her first day of kindergarten!" I yelled up the stairs.
"We're coming! If you've gotten MJ dressed we wouldn't have had this problem." He shook his head as he walked down the stairs.
"Hey, I've told you a million times to keep it covered and you don't listen! You deserve to get peed on." I smirked.
"Mommy, can we go now? I want everyone to see my lunchbox and backpack." She whined.
"Yes Abby, we can go now. Everyone will love your Hello Kitty ensemble." I smiled.
We all buckled in and Mike drove us to school.
"Ms. Leah!" Abigail ran up to her teacher and hugged her.
"Oh, I love all the Hello Kitty. You better keep it close, I might take it." She gave her a pat on the head and showed Abby to her seat.
We took pictures and talked with a few other parents before it was time to go.
"You OK?" Mike asked.
"Yeah, just my baby girl is all grown up." I restrained a sob.
"Well, this baby is still here for you." He hands me Michael Jr. and I kiss his head.
We had Michael Jr. almost a year ago, but not without trying. We didn't think we'd ever get pregnant again, so we just stopped trying so hard, focused on Abby and I started a private practice with Sam. Then out of the blue we find out I'm pregnant and this one was an easy one, only small bouts of morning sickness.
Michael Jr. is his dad in every way, whereas Abigail is all me.
Abigail adjusted fine to the baby and loves him to death. Of course I catch her putting bows in his hair every so often, but just take a picture and smile, because we were blessed with two beautiful children.
Mike is the best father anyone could ask for. The first time Abigail got an ear infection Mike stayed up with her because he could call out of work, unlike me who other parents relied on.
My dad had finally retired and they moved closer for the grandkids.
Riley got married three years ago to a wonderful woman named Jody. They have a little boy who's 2. His name is Charles Riley III, yeah Riley's real name is Charles but we always called him Riley. Jody had a son from a previous relationship and he's 8. Riley plans to adopt him as soon as the dead beat dad signs the papers. His name is Steven, he's a little rough around the edges, but he didn't have the easiest time the first six years of his life. After Jody and Riley got married the dad stopped coming around and slowly he's learned to trust all of us and find his niche in the family.
Our kids were growing so fast, right before our eyes.
Abigail was off to college, she was taking after her dad and getting her business degree to one day take over the family business. The girls had wonderful memory and knew every different type of ski and boots to camping equipment and MJ was a junior in high school. He was the star quarterback, has been since freshman year and has a full ride to University of Seattle, that is until he told us last week that his girlfriend was pregnant, I will never forget that day.
"Mom, dad you remember Laura right?" he asked.
"Of course, she's too cute." I smiled.
"Yeah, well we sort of got pregnant." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"WHAT?!" Mike roared. "You're throwing away your life because you couldn't keep your dick in your pants!" his dad yelled some more.
"Mike, calm down." I grabbed his hand.
"I'm going for a walk." Mike stood up to walk out, leveling his son with a glare.
"Mom, it wasn't on purpose! I swear! I always used a condom and she's on the pill." He sat beside me and cried.
"Now I like Laura a lot, but are you sure the baby is yours?" I asked seriously.
"Yes, we were both virgins and she's really shy, I know she wouldn't be with anyone else." MJ smiled at the thought.
"OK. You always use a condom?" I ask.
"Yeah." He sighed.
We talked for over two hours and finally concluded that it had to have happened when she was sick and missed a few pills and quite possibly a faulty condom.
"Has she told her parents?" I asked.
"No, I wanted to tell you first. She's afraid her parents are going to kick her out." He croaked, holding back tears.
"She'll be welcome here. I'll smooth this over with your dad. You'll both finish high school and we'll go from there." I stated.
"Mike, if we don't want to lose him this is what we're going to have to do." I snapped.
"Why do we have to raise the baby?" he whined.
"Look, do you want our son to finish high school?" I snapped.
"Of course! He's got promise." Mike smiled.
"OK, then they stay here and then we can help them get a place for college. MJ will have to go, he's got scholarship and U of S wants him to play ball. Laura can take on line classes or something and I can help with the baby." I smiled.
"OK, we'll play it by ear." Mike sighs and kisses me deeply, just like all the years before.
Laura and MJ finished high school under our roof and we let them stay the first year of college, my parents passed away shortly after they'd had the baby and left them enough money to buy a nice little cottage close to the college.
MJ was his degree in sports medicine, hoping he could make the cut and go pro. Laura wanted to be a teacher, she was taking all she could online and then she'd be able to take a class or two at a time and work part time. Her parents had come around a little, they did spoil little Sam and they were paying for Laura's school but that's as far as it went. I was just happy they decided to get involved in their lives again.
Abigail had finally brought home a boyfriend, he was beyond a mega nerd but they fit together. He was a science major and socially awkward. Abigail said he's more talkative than he used to be and all he said to us way "Hi Mr. & Mrs. Newton. Nice to meet you." And shook Mike's hand.
Everyone was coming to dinner tonight so Mike was grilling out and I was finishing the sides and dessert.
I loved when our house was bustling with everyone.
Abigail and Shawn were playing with Steven and right then and there I knew she'd found her man.
The way they looked at each other and Shawn smiled at Steven was priceless.
We had a great dinner, everyone talking and laughing, I was helping with Steven when Shawn stood up and then went down on one knee in front of Abigail, across the table Mike is smiling like a lunatic.
"Abigail, you are the most perfect woman in the world. You get my strange sense of humor, you love when I talk science and I love the way you smile at me and make me feel like the luckiest man in the world. And if you say yes to be my wife, I will be the happiest and luckiest man in the world.
"Yes, yes!" she shrieked and hugged him tight.
After that all the women were in a flurry talking wedding and the guys retired to the basement, I mean man cave to be men and drink beer.
I love my kids and my husband and everyone in between.
Mike and I have a great life and haven't let any of the little things come between us.
Yes we've had our disagreements but we've kissed and made up… A LOT!
Would I change anything we've been through? No, I think it's made us stronger and I fall in love with Mike a little more every day.
THE END
AN:
I WILL be doing an outtake of Mike and Bella's conversation about Jasper…
It just didn't fit in with anything here, so I figured and outtake is better.
It's not really a chapters worth of writing…
I hope you enjoyed this story and continue to read some of my other writings…
REVIEWS=LOVE