"How'd you know what Nidia and Spike said, were you eeksdropping?"
Brandon accused.
"Was I what?" their Mom leaned forward, a smile playing on her lips.
"Were you eeksdropping?"
She burst out laughing, "No honey, I was not eavesdropping." Her eyes
took on a faraway look and a frown creased her lips, "No, I was elsewhere…."
"Uh guys," Stephanie asked timidly, walking up to the still
cuddling
Matt and Amy. "Have you seen Chris?"
"Can't get enough of me huh?" Chris gloated softly, only inches from
her
ear, as he walked up behind her.
Ignoring the goosebumps along her skin, Stephanie retorted, "Oh please,
don't flatter yourself." She looked up into his clean shaven face,
"Your
suit is so bright it hurts my eyes." *Don't stare at his bronzed chest,
keep
looking up!* Stephanie thought to herself sternly. Stephanie swallowed
hard, a lump forming in her throat, "You're such a jerk Jericho!"
Stephanie
shoved him in the chest and stormed off, slamming the screen door behind her.
"I've been called that lots of times!" Jericho yelled after her.
"Good, then it won't be your last!" she threw back at him as she
stumbled
through the yard. Matt looked in the direction Stephanie had gone then
looked up at Chris.
"I think you should go after her man."
"What?! What are you talking about?! If you think I'm going to go out
there to comfort Princess Stephanie, then you're sadly mistaken, I…"
Amy reached over and hit him lightly on the arm, "Not to comfort her you
dummy, Matt's telling you to go after her to make sure she doesn't step in
any of Penny's holes." *Though if he does comfort her a bit, that won't be
a
problem,* Amy thought to herself with a grin.
Chris looked a little sheepish and rubbed the back of his head, "Oh yeah,
that." He half-heartedly jogged over to the door. "Stephanie's a big
girl,
I'm sure she can take care of herself," he grumbled as the screen door
slammed behind him. "Stephanie," Jericho called out softly.
*There is no way I'm going to answer that cretin!* she thought
furiously. Stephanie looked around her in the murky darkness, shivering
uncontrollably, as the thought occurred to her that Amy and Matt's
"backyard," was over an acre of land.
Jericho turned around, a ways from the house now, and saw everyone
talking and laughing. He watched as Matt drug the huge, metal tub filled
with water, onto the back porch. "Darn, he'd better wait for us!"
*I really don't want to miss bobbing for apples,* Stephanie thought,
deciding to turn around and head back. As she made her way back, the bright
lights of the house looked warm and inviting, and then it happened. "Aiiee!"
Jericho heard a shriek, "Stephanie!" he shouted frantically.
"Over here," she called weakly. Jericho raced over, following the
sound of
her voice. Not seeing her, Chris demanded, "Hey, what is this, some kind of
joke?" he demanded angrily.
"No!" she retorted from below him. He looked down and put his hands on
his hips, "Rolling around in the dirt again Steph, but where's the
guy?" he
asked, his mouth splitting in a wide grin.
"Help me out of here, you moron." She reached up her hand.
Reluctantly, he took it.
"So you really fell into one of Penny's holes huh?" As if on cue, a
rumbling bark startled them as a dark, bulky figure hurtled towards them.
"Ahh!" Stephanie screamed. Quickly, she cowered behind Chris,
clutching his
shoulders tightly.
"Calm down, it's only Penny, their Mastiff," Chris said easily. Penny
sat on her haunches, happily licking Chris's hand. "Such a big baby,"
Chris
said with a smile.
"Only," Stephanie replied, raising an eyebrow.
"You know, it wasn't really a good idea for you to come out here, Penny
doesn't know you. It's a good thing I was here when Penny spotted you,"
Chris said gravely.
"So I suppose you want me to thank you now," Stephanie said haughtily,
releasing his shoulders as she backed away from him.
Chris shrugged, "Whatever, but if you don't want to miss bobbing for
apples, we'd better head back."
"Please continue!" the kids chorused excitedly.
"You're sure you want to hear more?" Dad teased, baiting them.
"More, more!" they chanted.
"Okay, but you really should be getting to bed soon," Mom said
doubtfully, giving her husband a wink.
"No, no, please finish. It sounds like it might be getting romantic,"
Bridgett said, her blue eyes sparkling.
"If you're sure, no falling asleep on us now," Mom said with mock
sterness, waggling a finger at them.
"We promise, we promise!" they yelled, jumping up and down on their
beds.
"As you wish," their Mother said with a smile.
Jericho and Stephanie started walking back to the house, with an excited
Penny at their side. That's when Jericho looked down and noticed Stephanie
limping.
"You really did get hurt didn't you?" Jericho asked, surprised.
"You
want some help?" he suggested casually. "No thank you, I'm fine,"
Stephanie
said coldly, pushing him away.
"Fine ice Princess," he growled. A very confused Stephanie hugged her
arms around herself, *Why is he being so nice all of a sudden? I'm not
comfortable with it,* she thought, a puzzled frown on her face.
Suddenly, Chris grabbed her by the arm, stopping them both. "You know
what, it's not fine Princess! You have no idea how beautiful you look
tonight!" Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her waist, crushing
her to him. Chris's lips descended upon hers, in a passionate kiss. She
tried to push him away, to fight him, but he was impossible to resist.
Stephanie wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back furiously.
Finally, Chris released her, "Was it good Princess?" he asked cockily.
"Yes," she said breathlessly, "now kiss me again!" Stephanie
demanded.
"As you wish," he said with a smile, cupping his hands around her
cheeks
and neck.
"Wow, that was soo romantic," Bridgett said dreamily.
"That wasn't too bad," Brandon agreed.
"Okay, now it's time for you two to get some sleep," Mother said,
tucking
her two babies in, giving each of them a kiss on the head.
"Give us a kiss Daddy," the brother and sister chorused, reaching out
for
their father.
Smiling, he leaned over each bed to give each of his babies a kiss on the
cheek.
"Sleep well and don't let the bed bugs bite," Mom whispered softly.
She
turned off the light and closed the door halfway. In the dark of the room,
Brandon whispered from across the room, "Would you turn on my night
light?"
"Un uh, you can do it," Bridgett said matter-of-factly.
"Trash bottom, bag feeding ho," Brandon whispered ferociously as he
scrambled out of bed.
"Mom, Dad," Bridgett screeched, "Brandon called me a trash
bottom, bag
feeding ho!"
"She's your daughter," Chris said with a smile.
Stephanie leaned her head against the wall and sighed, "See, I told you we
shouldn't have told them what insults we hurled at each other."
"You, you, man-whore!" Bridgett hissed at her three-year old brother.
"Mom, Dad, Bridgett called me a man-whore!"
"He's your son honey," Stephanie smiled sweetly, as they trudged back
to
the kids room. Chris whipped open the door, "Absolutely no name calling,
you
both know better!" Chris bellowed.
"But you guys…" Brandon started to protest.
"We were younger and masked our feelings behind the insults, and we do not
say those things to each other anymore, is that clear?"
"Yes Daddy," they chorused.
"Good, now be good little boys and girls and go to sleep. Remember, we're
going over to Auntie Amy and Uncle Matt's house tomorrow. You guys can play
with Gwendolyn and Becca."
"Oh goody, the twins!" Bridgett clapped her hands excitedly.
Brandon frowned, "Oh man, I'll be surrounded by girls. Will Uncle Jeffy
and Aunt Nora be there?" he asked hopefully.
"Yes," Stephanie said smiling.
"Alright, I'll get to play with Andrew and Peter!"
"That's right, so you two be good and go to sleep," Stephanie
admonished.
"Yes Mommy." With that, Stephanie closed the door.
She sighed and buried her face in her hands, "Tomorrow is going to be
such a big day, with our kids, plus the two sets of twins over at Matt and
Amy's house. Shoot! We almost forgot about the baby shower for Trish and
Perry."
"We?" Chris raised an eyebrow.
"Oh shut-up!" Stephanie said, a smile tugging at her lips. "Fine,
so you
remember, I'm glad one of us does."
"Hon, what's wrong? You seem a bit overemotional lately. Besides, you
know I'm only giving you a hard time." Chris looked at her worriedly.
"Perhaps I could help remedy the situation," Chris said with a gleam
in his
eye. Without warning, he scooped his wife up in his arms.
"Chris, what are you doing?" Stephanie asked, unable to hold back her
laughter.
"Working on Y2J baby #3!" he cried, pushing open their bedroom door
with
his foot.
As he gently laid her down on the bed, Stephanie caressed his face
lovingly, "Already did."
Hovering over her, he looked at her startled, "What do you mean?"
Stephanie, concentrating on unbuttoning his shirt, not bothering to look
up at him, replied, "What do you think it means silly?" She giggled, a
smile
lighting up her face.
He planted a kiss on her forehead, "Trash bottom, bag feeding ho," he
whispered softly.
"Manwhore," Stephanie said softly, as her lips met his.
The End
P.S. The character Penny, is based on our family pet, Gina.
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