Ring in Mine
Kim Terry
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(If there are errors I do apologize up front. I am used to getting things as clean as possible and then the editor takes care of the rest.)
Kim
Ring in Mine: Chapter 16
I spent the morning cleaning the apartment. I finally got around to finishing cleaning up the mess Jeremy had made. Even though it had been swept there were little shards of glass everywhere. The TV itself had been taken as evidence. I was a little teary. Papa had given me the little TV they had in their kitchen.
"I think you need this more than Mom does." Papa offered.
I had tried to refuse. "Grams loves her cooking shows."
"Take it Bobby. Papa is getting me a bigger TV." Grams whispered in my ear. I felt bad that this little piece of my Grandparents was gone.
I worried about the equipment Jeremy had tried to steal. The police had taken it as evidence. With all the worry the bump on my head started to hurt. I needed to do something.
I cleaned the oven, wiped out the fridge and turned it off to defrost. Mark and I would be eating out a lot. I had just put the required new coat of wax on the floor and it was noon. I really had no trouble believing that the roommates had left me with all of the between quarters cleaning. I wandered down to Sue's apartment. She had made grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. One of my favorite winter time meals. As we finished she started her story.
"In the Marines there was an incident. Brad had dodged bullets, hidden in foxholes and put up with the jungle heat and had come home safe. He was sure he was out of danger." Sue popped the top on a diet coke and offered me one.
"Back stateside one of his platoon returned from leave. A few days later he wasn't feeling very good. The whole platoon had been exposed to mumps. Brad missed his turn on leave during quarantine. Half of the men came down with the disease. Brad had not been part of the lucky group. It left him sterile." She hugged her sleeping baby tightly.
"We tried everything. I wanted a baby so bad that we finally used donor sperm and artificial insemination. Brad and I decided the only difference between then and if I get pregnant from loving you is that this time the biological father is someone we both care about greatly. You even look a lot like a younger Brad. I do want another baby desperately. If you don't mind Brad and I would like to invite you down now and then to see if the three of us can make a baby together." She finished and waited for a response.
"If you get pregnant, what would I have to do?" I asked puzzling through this revelation.
"We would want you to be the blessing. If you live in the area we would like you to visit your `nephew' now and then. Other than that you would have no other responsibility. Think about it."
"I will. It's sort of scary, the idea of being a father." I worried.
"Don't think of it as being a father as much as helping out a friend." She countered.
"I've thought about it. Let's make a baby!" I exclaimed.
About a half hour later she then remembered the bad news that had been on put hold while I was trying my best to be a sperm donor.
"Brad called. They finished the job he was working on in the other valley. He won't be able to bring Mark back with him tonight. Mark knows and says thanks. You really helped him get over his crisis. Brad said that Mark has started talking about some new friends on his swim team and plans they are making for the break."
I helped clean up the lunch dishes and returned to my empty apartment.
I was sad for a while. I had a lot to think about. Maybe it was time to go home for the holidays. Then I remembered. I don't think I was welcome at home. I sat on my bed and cried.
"I was checking on how you are holding up. I know you were looking forward to spending time with Mark." Sue asked from the doorway. "What's wrong?"
I told her my conversation with my dad earlier in the week.
"I can't believe they would side with that slimy git rather than you." She reassured me.
"It's been that way all my life." I sobbed. I cried on her shoulder until I fell asleep.
The phone ringing woke me up. I had only been asleep for a few minutes.
"Bobby, this is Papa. Your dorm mom Sue called and told me how upset you were. Who cares what Jeremy is saying. As long as you don't drop the charges you are welcome to spend the holidays with Mom and I. Hell, you can spend the holidays here even if you do drop the charges."
I could hear Grams in the background. "I have beef stroganoff on the menu for tonight and Bobbie is welcome to bring a friend."
Beef stroganoff has always been my favorite. As I packed I thought about the last week and found more than one reason to smile.
This was the end of the original story. Due to input from my readers we will learning more about Bobby. I would appreciate hearing from you. ringinmine@yahoo.com