Rhythm & Blues 4 Rhythm & Blues - Episode 4 "The Missin' My Dad Blues"
Written by: TVM (mrtvm@mrtvm.com)
Archive: www.asstr.org/~TheVertManArchive/Stories/RB/Index.html
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** ** ** Later @ Sasha's Apartment ** ** ** "SASHA SPEAKING"
"I hope she likes this" I said as I looked at the shiny box that contained Cara's new laptop. A nice one too, $1299 worth of nice to be exact. See it's been almost a month since we last talked and so many things have changed in my and Cara's life (as well as Val and Kim's, I'll let her speak on that a bit later). First I turned 18 (and graduated early) and my Uncle Jon Paul hired me as his personal assistant/secretary. I'm so excited and with the new income, Cara was able to quit her job at the diner and focus on the baby. She's getting big, almost 7 months now, and her mood swings are sometimes hard to take. We've had a few screaming matches, but nothing we can't work out in therapy (two times a week still). Also my Aunt Carolina (Uncle Jon's sister) gave me her old car to use until I can get one of my own. Nice one too. So anyway, the laptop, well it's not exactly bought and paid for, it's on credit, but she's wanted one for so long I just couldn't resist.
"Lucy I'm home" I said as I came through the door and into the kitchen. Setting the bags down and seeing a site that immediately made my heart skip a beat. Cara was sitting on the couch crying into her hands. "Cara? What's wrong, it is the baby?"
"Huh?" She asked in confusion as she looked up at me.
"The baby is it OK?" I asked as I dropped to my knees in front of her and gently got her to look at me. Sitting the bag with the laptop in it down beside of me undetected. "We can deal with it together."
"Nothing is wrong with the baby" Cara said as she glared at me. "You can stop worrying, this time it's me, nothing to worry about huh?"
"Excuse me? What's wrong with you?" I asked softly.
"I'm over 7 months pregnant, I look like a fat pig and no one gives a fuck about me" She said. "As long as the baby is OK, who cares what Cara feels like."
"OK, calm down, I care what you feel like" I said as some of the anger in her eyes started to fade. "I do, you know that."
"Mom called and got me all upset about missing one stupid Doctor's appointment" She admitted. "I scheduled another one, I was sick this morning."
"I know" I said, "You feeling OK now?"
"Like you care" She spat back.
"I'm getting tired of these mood swings and you lashing out at me" I said softly. "Most of the time it's not even me, and I don't deserve that."
"Hormones" She said as I laughed. "For the millionth time, I'm sorry."
"It's OK, just try and keep in mind that I'm really in your corner" I said. "Completely and totally in your corner."
"Mmmmm-hmmmmmm" She said and finally smiled. God that makes my heart beat faster every time I see that. I think I'm seriously starting to fall in love with her. You heard that here first. "Sooo...you bought some stuff?"
"I did"
"What did you buy for the baby?" She asked. "Cause I know it's not for me."
"OK yeh, I did buy a few things for the baby" I said, "But you little miss mood swing are wrong about me buying you something. I did."
"OK what?" She asked with a bright smile as I reached over and pulled the large brown paper bag next to me up and sat it on her lap. "What is it?"
"Look" I said with a huge smile. She slowly pulled it out of the bag and screamed in excitement as she saw the box and threw the bag away and hugged the box like it was her baby. "You like?"
"For me? Really for me?" She asked as I nodded and smiled proudly. "Ohmigod, mine?"
"Yes Cara yours" I said as she looked at it again. Then laying it down on her lap and motioning with her finger for me to lean closer. Which I did, expecting a kiss on the cheek (hell hoping for it). But Cara gently touched my cheek and leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips. Even letting me kiss her back for a few long wonderful moments before we parted. "WOW!"
"Mmmm-hmmmm thank you" She said with her eyes never leaving mine. "For everything, but that kiss was for this."
"You are so beautiful" I said as she smiled and seemed genuinely touched by my compliment. "You are, and don't argue with me please?"
"If you say so" She said with a smile on her face.
"I do" I said and gently caressing her cheek as she tilted her head a bit and into my hand and purred like a kitten. "You happy that someone thought about you first for a change?"
"So happy" She said. "Now I feel like a nap."
"You get happy and you wanna go to sleep?" I asked as she laughed. "Cara Aquilera, you're a weird girl."
"I'm tired is all, been crying a lot today, mood swings" She said as I laughed. "But first help me to the bathroom?"
"Then we can take a nap?" I asked as I stood and took her hands and pulled her to her feet.
"I'm sure, me looking like this, you wanna get close to me" She said with hands on hips.
"Shut..." I said softly as I circled around her and wrapped my arms around her. Both my hands coming to rest on her stomach as I laid my chin on her shoulder playfully. "...up. I decide when you look good to me. Not you. And believe it or not, I worry as much about you as I do this baby."
"He's kicking...owww...you little booger" Cara said as she looked down at her belly and I laughed. "When you get here you're already grounded."
"Just like his Momma, always gotta be the center of attention" I said as Cara tried to hide a smile as she glared at me.
"Well you sure don't mind paying attention to me" She fired back.
"You're hot" I said as she blushed and gave me a 'sure I am' look. "You are, I always thought so."
"Can we continue this later?" She asked as I smiled. "Bathroom, me gotta go bad."
"If you say so" I said in a mocking voice as she groaned.
** ** ** Later @ Kim's Place ** ** ** "KIM SPEAKING"
"Mom what is up with you and that dress?" I asked as Mom came out of her bedroom in a sleek black formal dress that looked sensational on her. "You look sensational."
"Well thank you" She said with a smile. "I had an invite to the school board annual social mixer."
"Dress to kill huh?" I asked as my little sister, Gemini, came out of my room being chased by Val.
"HELP ME, HELP ME, VAL GONNA GET ME" Gemini screamed as she charged into my arms and I picked her up just as Val arrived beside me. Mom giving us a weird look as she had just seen Val come out of my room. Val seeming to not notice as she began to poke a squealing Gemini in the stomach. "Help me Mommy..."
"What?" I asked Mom.
"You two are certainly more than friends now are we not?" Mom asked.
"Yeh" Val answered on my behalf.
"I'm not too comfortable with her being in your room alone" Mom said firmly.
"Why not?" I asked. "If you think we're doing that Mom, get real."
"I don't wanna know what you're doing" Mom said.
"Me playing Xbox with Gemmy in my lap" Val said as she kissed Gemini's cheek and both smiled at the other.
"Her play Scooby Doo" Gemini announced as she happily crossed into Val's arms. The thoughts of the momentary tickle torture from earlier now gone. "Big monsters Mommy."
"You're a little monster" Val said as Gemini gave her a dirty look.
"And you a cheeseburger" Gemini said as Val laughed.
"Anyway, Mom why can't you trust us?" I asked and drawing the attention back to me. "We are 17 and it's not like you caught us doing anything. Trust us until we do."
"We'll talk about this later" Mom said. "And this dress is for the nice gentleman that offered to escort me."
"Gentleman? I don't think we've met him and unless we approve no date young lady" Val said as Mom smiled.
"Yeh Mommy, no date" Gemini announced with a finger point.
"You heard the boss" I said as Gemini smiled proudly.
"His name is Jon Paul Stevens and he's the President of the Savings and Loan on Clark Street" Mom said. "His niece goes to school with you I believe."
"Stevens? I don't think I know a Stevens girl" I said and looking to Val.
"Me either" Val said.
"I do" Gemini said with a raise of her hand.
"Shut up motor mouth" I said to my little sister with a finger point. She grinned and stuck out her tongue a moment later.
"You a cheeseburger too" Gemini announced as I smiled.
"Whoa Mom you look great" Tori said as she came out of her room in her night clothes. What little they were of them, a shirt that showed off her six pack abs and a painted on pair of shorts. I saw Val's eyes open slightly at the sight of Tori before her. "Where you going?"
"Mommy gots a date with Paul Bunyan" Gemini announced as I fell against the wall laughing.
"You got a date?" Tori asked, "Seriously?"
"Yes honey, the school board's social mixer is tonight" Mom said. "And a nice gentleman is escorting me."
"OK" Tori said simply but looked to not exactly be in favor of the planned activity.
"Do you want Mommy to put you to bed before I go?" Mom asked Gemini.
"Val gonna read me story" Gemini said. "Right?"
"You know it Gemmy" Val said as she smiled at my little sister.
"Good, I didn't want to anyway" Mom said as she stuck her tongue out at Gemini only to have Gemini return the favor as both laughed. A light knocking, barely audible in the upstairs hallway coming from the front door. "Oh no, I'm still a mess and he's already here."
"Chill Ma, take your time, we'll get it" Val said as Mom smiled and ran off towards her bedroom to finish getting ready.
"Can I meet him too?" Gemini asked as Val followed me down the steps with Gemini still in her arms. Finding a nice looking older gentleman at the door waiting patiently. Prompting my motor mouth little sister to ask, "Who you?"
"Evening ladies" He said as he stepped inside, "I'm Jon Paul Stevens, and I do believe your mother is awaiting my arrival?"
"Yeh she's getting ready" Val giggled.
"I said who you" Gemini demanded with a determined look on her face.
"He just told you Gemmy" Val said as Gemini smiled. "His name is Jon Paul Stevens."
"This is my little sister, Gemini, and my...ummmm..."
"Valerie McCree, nice to meet you" Val said. "We're friends."
"No, we're more than friends" I said as Val smiled.
"Oh I hadn't realized, your mother has made no mention of either of her children having a significant other" Jon said.
"Well nothing official" I said softly. "But we are more than friends, I hope that's OK."
"That is a battle you have to fight young lady, not me" Jon said as I smiled. I like him already.
"You're pretty Mister" Gemini announced as Val started to laugh.
"Why thank you young lady, it's never a bad time to be told you're pretty" Jon said with a gentle smile to Gemini. "You are too."
"Heavens Jon I am so sorry to keep you waiting" Mom said as she came down the stairs in a hurry, being trailed by a depressed looking Tori. "I hope my daughter's didn't give you too hard a time."
"Not at all, just getting to know each other" Jon said. "This must be Tori?"
"Hi" Tori said before turning and walking off towards the kitchen without another word. Me following Val's eyes as they followed Tori's barely covered butt.
"Well I guess she's gonna be the one who resists" Jon said.
"Torrance Castleberry get back here now" Mom demanded as Tori pushed open the kitchen door and disappeared inside.
"Mom let her go, I'll go and talk to her" I said, "You and Jon go and have a good time."
"You do look stunning tonight Connie" Jon said as Mom blushed and excepted her jacket as he held it up for her. "Shall we go?"
"Talk to her please?" Mom asked me before nodding to Jon as they soon left.
"What do you think is up with her?" Val asked as we turned towards the kitchen.
"She a cheeseburger" Gemini announced as we both laughed.
"First time she's seen Mom with another man" I said softly. "You know we've never had much of a father?"
"Yeh you told me" Val said as she followed me into the kitchen. Tori now planted at the counter with a soda and looking depressed.
"What's up?" I asked as I moved beside her. "Mom on a date?"
"Yeh" Tori said. "You think she'll marry him?"
"Not tonight" Val said as her and Gemini began giggling.
"I don't know Tori, why does it matter he seemed really nice" I said.
"He's not my dad and he better not try to be" Tori said. "I wish I knew my real dad."
"Yeh and he's out scoring drugs or something and we'll probably never see him again" I said. "You don't even remember him. How could you, he's been gone since you were like 2."
"Do you remember him?"
"Nope" I said firmly. "Not really. Who wants too?"
"Me, he's my dad" Tori insisted. "He is."
"I know" I said. "But Tori, unless he comes back and he's in a lot better shape than Mom says he was in when he left, there's no reason to get all excited about it. Besides who says Mom is gonna marry this Stevens guy."
"I do" Gemini announced. Prompting Val to cover her mouth and my little sister to begin wiggling to get it off as we all laughed.
"That's much better" I said as Val laughed and moved her hand away from Gemini's mouth.
"You're mean to me cheeseburger" Gemini said as she gave Val a dirty look.
"I'm hurt, you said mean things" Val said with a hurt look.
"I sorry, you my best friend" Gemini said with a bright smile. "Don't be sad?"
"OK but only cause I love you Gemmy" Val said as she kissed her cheek as Gemini laughed.
"Can we play that driving game tonight?" Tori asked with a hopeful expression as she moved beside of me. "You remember the one about Rally?"
"Might be fun, take Gemmy and get the xbox and wheel from my room?" I asked.
"Sure" Tori said with a smile as Val sat Gemini down. Tori taking her hand and leaving the room, momentarily distracting me until I felt a pair of soft lips against my cheek. Smiling as I met Val's gaze, she kissed me instantly.
"Someone happy to have me all alone?" I asked as she shrugged and kissed me again. Something that after just a few weeks had begun to feel so natural and right every time she did it. Not that she was always the one kissing me, cause I've certainly kissed her a few times and I honestly think she already knows how I feel just from that. Which is a completely different subject all together and one that I know I'm not quiet ready to think about just yet. Right now it just feels so good to be wrapped in her arms and my lips moving against hers in a slow and steady rhythm. No pressure to go farther than a kiss or anything, we haven't talked about that yet. She actually seems really ok with me taking things slow and I do mean slow.
"Oops" Tori said as she came back into the kitchen trailed by our little sister and caught us kissing. Gemini looking up at us in confusion as Tori tried to hide a smile. "You two need to get a room and just go ahead and share your poontang."
"You're dead little sister" I said as she laughed.
"I like sharing" Gemini said as all three of us looked at her for a moment in shock, before we broke up laughing. "What? I do."
** ** ** Later @ Sasha's Apartment ** ** ** "SASHA SPEAKING"
"Oh god I feel like a beached whale" Cara growled as she laid on her back now on the bed. I couldn't help but smile and she took that as me laughing at her. So as she spotted me she growled, "Help me up...and stop laughing."
"I'm not laughing" I said as I took her hands and pulled her up to her feet as she breathed a sigh of relief. "I wasn't seriously."
"God I wish sometimes I'd never slept with that loser Tony" Cara said as I smiled. "What are you grinning at?"
"Calm down, it's ok" I said as I placed my hands gently on her stomach. "In a few weeks this will be over and you'll be raising a brand new baby."
"No, we will, you promised" She said as she touched my face gently. "Please tell me you didn't change your mind."
"Try and run me off and see what happens" I said and saw Cara flash me that adorable smile that just kills me. "Stop worrying ok?"
"Yeh right" She giggled. "Do you know who you're talking to?"
"I know, I know, you worry a lot" I said. "But the baby is your main priority I'm taking care of the bills for now. And doing a good job thank you very much."
"You are and doing good in therapy" She said. "OWWWWWWWWWW...you little booger."
"Kid's gonna be a kicker" I said as Cara held her stomach and tried to laugh.
"I'm really wishing this was over" Cara said. "He's already to be born the way he kicks. Now I gotta use the bathroom."
"You ok?" I asked from outside the bathroom door.
"Not much better, but it helps...owwwww" Cara said as I opened the door and found her holding her stomach now. "Help me up please?"
"Of course" I said as she rose with the helps of my hands.
"I'm so fat I can't even put on underwear anymore" She said as she looked down at her long night shirt. "I am never having another baby, ever."
"I think you're beautiful" I said, and how is it women who are pregnant never seem to notice the glow they have? Cara sure does, I remember my Aunt Bertie (that's my Uncle Jon Paul's late sister) she had such a glow about her most of the time when she was preggy.
"You're just saying that to get on my good side, so when I have this baby you get laid" She snapped. Mood swing #2414.
"Chill with the mood swing, I called you beautiful and you're attacking me" I said. "I meant what I said."
"And I didn't" She said as she covered her face for a moment. "I'm sorry...again. Don't leave me..."
"I understand what kinda stress you're under" I said as I moved beside her. "Not a chance of that."
"Why couldn't you be this good to Val?" She asked softly.
"I don't know" I said. "Therapy helps."
"You are still going?"
"I show you my appointment slip every time" I pointed out as she smiled.
"Mmmmm-hmmmmmm" She said and with a bright smile now on her face.
"You wanna lay back down?" I asked.
"UMMMMMM...noooo, I been laying all day" She said, "Come stand on the porch with me for a while?"
"You saying you wanna you watch the stars with me?" I asked with a playful grin as she blushed.
"Well there will be stars and you and me so..." She said softly. "...yeh?"
"It's ok, no pressure" I said as she smiled. Never resisting an inch as I kissed her cheek. "But just so you know, I like you. I always have."
"OK" She said with a smile and nervously stuffing her hair behind her ear as I took her other hand and we made our way out of the bathroom and down the hall and out onto the porch. Ms. Paddington, our nosey but well meaning neighbor, who was ever bit the irish imigrant that she claimed to be, right down to the accent. She was standing on the porch already enjoying a late smoke it looked. She did though put out the cigarette as she spotted us and came down the porch to meet us. "Evening."
"Evening, and how is our expected mother today?" Ms. Paddington asked.
"As big as a cow" Cara said.
"Child you're not even on the list of biggest pregnant women I've seen" She replied as Cara smiled. "I was literally to big to big to fit through the double doors at the hospital. You're a stick still."
"6 weeks to go and he's kickin like crazy" Cara said.
"She said he was already grounded" I commented as me and Ms. Paddington laughed, Cara blushing.
"Well, he's got a pair of strong feet" Cara said.
"This one is gonna be a healthy one" Ms. Paddington said. "Boy or girl yet?"
"I'm waiting on that one" Cara said, "It's killing me wondering. I want a girl but then again I wanna a boy too."
"Our little decision maker" I said as Cara laughed.
"Names?"
"UMMMMMMM...Jamie Lynn if it's a girl?" Cara asked as she looked to me. Talk about a surprising moment as that is the combination of both of our middle names. Mine being Lynn and hers being Jamie.
"I love that, like Sasha Lynn better though" I said as she gave me a 'shut up already' look.
"And if it's a boy?" Ms. Paddington offered, told you she was nosey.
"Daniel, Diego, Hunter?" Cara said in a slight ramble. "Not sure which one or if any of them will be something I like when he gets here."
"You still got time to decide that sweetheart just don't go stressing out over that" Ms. Paddington said softly as she touched Cara's hand.