It's time

 

Gabby had a feeling she did it this time when she looked at the receipt on her phone from the photo shoot. She winced hard, thinking why was she like this, spending money when she knew she should be saving. She put it on her credit card, so that had to help for something, right? It wasn't that she'd maxed it out, but she was still paying for Christmas.

When she got home, she noticed how the place had been tidied up.

"Did you do this?" She was shocked that Oliver had the energy to do it because he was always dragging with so many lesson plans, and now that track had started, he was helping the high school coach out for extra money from the school.

"No, Mom came over." He shrugged as if maybe he'd been through a horrible talk with her.

"What did she say?" Gabby asked out of concern, as if maybe she needed to say something to her.

"Not anything, she brought some dinners I froze so we'd have something to eat, you know-" He looked at her stomach as if he didn't need to tell her why.

Gabby nodded. "Well, what is it?" She knew they were actually doing OK. Carrie entertained herself a lot with her dolls and artwork.

"I just," he sighed. "I should have asked you sooner," He didn't look at her when he said it, but he took both of her hands, and they sat down on the empty couch that she'd forgotten was so yellow.

"I know we should be married by now," he said.

Gabby told him it was OK. She understood. They were both on the rebound, which felt funny to think. 

"I know it's me," Oliver explained. "I remember thinking when I was young, I always wanted to have a family. But..but it turned out different from what I expected.

"Well, you know, we were both in Foster care growing up." She remembered that, except that she was adopted, he wasn't until he was practically an adult. "I took advantage of my parents; I was not a good teenager." She nodded, thinking she still expected too much, but change was hard.

"You were, you were my friend." He recalled.

"You were a good listener," she told him. "You never once told me what was going on with you. All I could think about back then was what I wanted. And I'm still that way. I know that. "

His smile was weak when he looked into her eyes. She hugged him. Even if she was beginning to feel uncomfortable. She should be out walking, getting ready to have this baby, but they made plans to go down tomorrow to get a marriage license.

Well, it's like this

 Carrie kept talking about (her stepmother) Gabby's photo shoot, which her Grandy (Betty) couldn't help but chuckle.

"But..but honey, she's going to have a baby," Betty squinted.

"Well, she's been planning it for a long time," Carrie hugged herself as if she knew everything going on with her stepmother.

"Is it a new job?" They were busy at the dining table. Carrie was drawing while Betty was cutting out some simple patterns for Barbie clothes she'd found on YouTube. Hopefully, they would fit Carrie's favorite purple-haired Barbie.

"No. She only has the one job she goes to every day of the week except Saturday and Sunday."

Naturally, Carrie was very informative while she colored all over the page with her purple crayon.

Betty nodded. She knew this. Carrie's father, Oliver, taught at the elementary school, and these days Carrie spent her days with Betty. 

"Are you in this photo shoot?" Betty wondered how expensive this would be, but these days, maybe a friend was taking photos of  Carrie's pregnant step-mom.

"No, it's just for her and my baby brother."

Carrie liked the idea of a baby brother more than Gabby. This much Betty knew. Gabby was crushed when she found out they were having a boy instead of a girl, but evidently, she was making the most of her pregnancy, especially documenting her pregnancy with a photo shoot. Something Betty had never thought of doing during her days of early motherhood.

Of course, back then she might as well have been on a soap opera in so much turmoil. It was amazing she'd gotten this far. Something she hoped no one in her family had to go through. Of course, her girls went through their own drama, too. But none of them had time for a photo shoot while they were pregnant. It seemed these days everything had to be documented on social media.

"Your Dad's OK with it?" Betty couldn't help but ask as she started handsewing a sweater and shorts from some of Carrie's little leggings for Barbie's outfit.

"He didn't say," Carrie shrugged. 

"It seems to me he should be in those photos."

"He's at work."

"Yeah, he's working, all right." Betty found herself sighing. Gabby had a good office manager job at City, but she liked to spend money too. The things on her list at the baby shower were quite expensive and they still lived in her two bedroom apartment. 

"Nobody's got time to clean anything, lately." Carrie looked up at her.

"Oh, really." Betty practically rolled her eyes. She guessed she'd have to make a surprise visit.

"All the clothes are on the couch. You can't even find it." Carrie told her.

"I see." She guessed she could start prepping meals, and Oliver's dad could help with tidying up the place.

In every life we have some trouble. But when you worry you make it double

 Truth be told, Gavin didn't want his parents over for the Easter celebration at Kat's grandparents, but then his mom was curious about Kat and her family. He couldn't help but be furious.

"What? We embarrass you that much?" Her question was true, and yet it felt like she was trying to put him on a guilt trip.

"No, it's not that." He informed her it would be crowded, and he knew how she disliked crowds. Besides, she liked to have formal dinners, yet these days, he felt his parents were getting ready to be empty nesters. His sister was away at college, and he knew they couldn't wait for him to leave, too. They tended to be into going out without the kids. "You just won't like it." He swelled a frown as if this was his gig, not theirs.

He'd seen all the wine and beer they'd brought back from the Wall of Wine. Didn't she want to stay home and sip her Dirty Shirlies?

"Well, we could go for just a little bit." She sounded as if she wasn't interested in Easter Egg Hunts or cookouts.

"Mom," Gavin wailed. "Do you have to?" He winced as if she was going to wreck everything.

"I'll go just for a bit," She smirked as if she had something up her sleeve. As much as he reminded her that she knew Kat already. His mother came back with, "But I want to meet the rest of the family."

So his day with Kat was his mom's great monologues with Kat's mother about how Gavin was when he was little.

"I thought he would have lots of girlfriends by now. Especially, the way he liked to kiss everyone in preschool." She told anyone who would listen. Of course, he thought she was the only one getting a good laugh. "Oh, and he kissed the boys, too." His mom batted her eyelashes as if she couldn't wait to think of another tale to tell about Gavin.

"You think she's already drunk?" Kat cornered Gavin.

"No, she'd be wanting to dance with everyone if she was," He sighed. 

Of course, she gave him a hug and held his hand strongly as if she'd be by his side no matter how bad the embarrassing stories got. Gavin smiled back as if he was glad he had Kat.

Right here right now

 

"You look like you are  up to no good." Oliver couldn't help but smirk when he met up with Brick. Of course, he had much more on his mind than spending time with his adopted nephew, but they were both put to work getting items for the weekend Easter egg hunt.

"Oh, you know, it's been a good season," he nodded about being on the basketball team at the university. He'd played more on the court than he ever imagined. "I'm thankful for that."

They pushed a grocery cart along, looking for chocolate bunnies and flavored Peeps, and jelly beans. Oliver remembered the cake mix and icing. It was a tradition to make a white cake and decorate it with Peeps. It was something the kids got to do. This year, cupcakes were included, too. It seemed the house was filled with happiness during the holidays. Of course, Oliver and Gabby still lived in an apartment, and it was very obvious these days that a baby was on the way. Hopefully, by May, but Oliver thought it would come sooner.

"And-" Brick started.

"And?" Oliver looked at him out of the corner of his eye. 

"Well, Lily and I wanted to make it right, you know." He shrugged. "We're married."

"Married?" Oliver's brows furrowed. "You?" He had to laugh, yet he felt kind of bad that he wasn't the one married. It was something he always wanted, but he hadn't had the best situation with Carrie's mother, and he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. Still, he and Gabby were together. It wasn't perfect, but they always seemed to work it out. She was supportive and still working, and of course, there was Betty who would be there to help when the baby was born. Even Gabby's parents were excited.

"Yeah, we decided we wanted to, even if we are still in the dorm. It's a vow between us, you know. I feel better about us and the future." Brick told Oliver.

"You are so brave," Oliver sighed. Maybe he would take the plunge, but knowing Gabby, there wouldn't be a wedding until after the baby was born.