The night had been a long and restless one for Brent who roused early and, after slipping on his jeans and sweater went out for a long, brisk fall walk. Andrea hadn't even stirred yet, he let her sleep. He needed this time alone to think. It was chilly, he pulled the sweater sleeves down over his hands to warm them. The whole fatherhood idea was settling on him like the dew on the grass. He kept imagining himself in that role and it felt very strange. How could he, 30 years old, no real home to go to, not even himself grown up enough raise a child? What did he know about kids? You couldn't even write a sentence with what he did know!! He took a deep breath and found he had started to walk very fast. He slowed himself down. He needed time. How long did it take to have a baby? Nine months? Christ, he didn't even know! He wasn't sure that wouldn't be long enough to prepare for that! When he got to the Riverwalk he sat down. Geese came in for a landing on the water, they made a loud splashing and honking sound as they hit the water. Brent watched the steam rise off the water and thought of Andrea. Obviously, he knew she was happy. All women wanted to be pregnant and have babies, didn't they? It seemed like it was all they talked about. He suddenly wondered if Andrea had done this on purpose? He felt his heart skip a beat! Why would she do that, he questioned himself. They had a perfectly good sexual relationship. She didn't need him, she was self sufficient. Besides, as beautiful as she was, she could have any guy she wanted. She could marry some rich doctor and they would have more money then he did. Then he remembered how she'd turned her back on him when she got those pictures in the mail. She was ready to write him a one-way ticket. Realization dawned on him, no way she got pregnant on purpose. It was because he knew she didn't really NEED him that he knew this pregnancy was accidental. He sighed a big sigh again. He was getting cold just sitting there and so he got up and headed back to the house. He thought about babies themselves. Besides costing a lot of money, they were a lot of work. He knew about what it took to raise them, he had friends who had babies. In addition to the money aspect, they were a lot of work and demanded an awful lot of your time! After a few months of having a baby his friends looked tired and haggard. Sleepless nights, busy days. Work didn't stop just because you had a baby. He'd also seen people ripped apart by it. That was the part that scared him the most, how this baby would affect his relationship with Andrea. He slipped into a coffee shop and bought a hot, steaming cup of coffee to warm his frozen hands. He emerged letting the steam waft over his face. He took a little sip of the black beverage and then continued on. He would never be around enough to really help her, that's what it was all about, wasn't it? Parents help each other? What one can't do, the other is there to do? By the time the baby was born Foul would be just about going on tour again. Do you drag a baby from state to state, city to city? And, Andrea ... would she want to go back to work and expect him to take care of a baby by himself? Holy hell, he panicked. He hoped she'd never leave him alone with it. He certainly wouldn't know what to do if it cried! And if it was wet and needed a changing?? Shivers ran up his spine thinking about a load of shit in a baby's drawers. The thought of wiping another human's shit off their ass made him nauseated. He thought of his own parents who were driving up from Tennessee. They would be to Andrea's in a while. He smiled. They would make fabulous grandparents! He would just have to get some time alone with his Dad and ask him about all these things. Jeez, they've been married a long time and, obviously, they made it through the baby years! They would be valuable resources. Brent climbed the stairs to the house and entered quietly. Andrea was still curled up where he left her, Rory keeping watch. He made a pot of coffee in the kitchen and then kneeled down to her and kissed her gently on her head. He'd never seen her sleep like this before. She was always the one up early. He thought he would make her some breakfast when she stirred and stretched. She eyed his clothes, smelled the outside air that surrounded him.

"You're up early. Where ya been?" She said sleepily, sitting up. He sat down beside her. She smelled the coffee brewing. "Oooo coffee ... " She said absently.

"I went for a walk." He said putting his cold hands on her leg. She jumped and pushed his hands off. "It's a little chilly." He said and grinned.

"Damn!" She said rubbing the cold spot. He eyed her still wearing that lacy pink number and thought how appetizing she looked. He started to make his move.

"Wanna go a round?" He asked softly as he placed his lips on her neck and kissed. She pushed him away.

"After coffee Brent." He sat and frowned dejectedly as she got up, grabbed her t-shirt off the floor, slipped it over head and headed for the kitchen. Once she put that t-shirt on the mood disappeared. Now what the hell was that all about, he wondered. He watched as she grabbed a mug and poured coffee.

"Want some?" She asked him.

"Sure." He said, still feeling at odds about what just happened. He got up and joined her in the kitchen. She handed him a mug with coffee in it. "My parents will be here today." He said. She nodded.

"I can't wait to meet them." He couldn't wait for them to meet her. He decided that he would have his little chat with his dad as soon as the two could slip away unnoticed. "I hope they like me." She said sitting down at the table. He sat across from her.

"They couldn't help but like you. What's not to like?" He looked at her, soft and rumpled from sleep. He gazed at her in that oversized t-shirt, messy hair, and tiny purple bags under her eyes. She was still a sight! Forgetting about the rejection he'd received not long ago, he felt himself getting into the mood for her again. Suddenly she got a look on her face. "What?" He asked, worried. She got up from the table and ran to the bathroom. He followed her. "Annie, are you okay?" He called. She leaned over the toilet and wretched.

"Nauseated." She managed to say. He got out of there quick. One thing he could not do is listen to someone else throwing up. He would be next! She joined him in the kitchen moments later. "Sorry, Brent." She said sitting back down.

"Are you sick?" He asked, concerned. She smiled at him.

"No honey, just pregnant." His eyes opened wide in shock.

"What? You throw up because you're pregnant?" She nodded.

"Yeah, it's one of the symptoms. Does it bother you?" He just looked at her.

"A little." She looked down feeling dejected. "How long does that last?" She cleared her throat.

"About 90 days. More or less." He sighed.

"That has to suck." She sipped her coffee, careful not to look at him. The look on his face was like a sword cutting into her. She was emotionally rickety anyway ...

"For you or for me?" She said quietly. He moved over to her, knealt down beside her and rubbed her back.

"For you." He said softly. She smiled at him. "And for me, I can't stand to hear someone throw up, fuck, I'll be joining you before you know it. Can we get his and hers toilets side by side??" She giggled and he kissed her. He looked at her serious now, she had tears in her eyes. "Annie, please bear with me. As new as this is to you, it is completely foreign to me. You have had medical training at least and know worlds more about it then I do." She nodded in agreement.

"I suppose we ought to have a day of 'pregnancy school' and I will teach you all I can about what to expect. Of course, being as this is my first pregnancy I am not quite sure what to expect." He sighed and sat back down.

"Well, as long as I have some idea ..." They had breakfast and then Andrea busied herself tidying up the house and doing some laundry. There had been so many people going in and out lately that the place was quite a mess! Brent sat with his guitar, practicing and serenading Andrea.

At 4:30 that afternoon, Brent's parents arrived. They hugged him tightly, his mom with tears in her eyes knowing that she'd almost lost her baby. Andrea stood and watched with a smile on her face. He pulled them both inside the house. He introduced Andrea and she hugged both of them. Standing side by side she noticed that Brent resembled his mom more than his dad. It was awfully cute. Brent and Andrea followed Mom and Dad out to their car to retrieve their suitcases, all the while Mom asking Andrea if she was sure she didn't mind that they stayed with she and Brent. "I'm quite sure Mom, quite sure. Brent and I wouldn't have it any other way!" Brent grabbed a bad and Andrea grabbed one and started for the house.

"Stop!" Brett hollered at her. She stopped and turned to him, surprised.

"What?" She asked, confused.

"Put that down right now." She gave Brent a look and then turned and began to go into the house. He set down the bag he had in his hand, chased after her and yanked it out of her hand. "If there's one thing I do know it's that pregnant women shouldn't carry heavy things." He whispered to her. She pulled the bag back.

"That's later on in their pregnancy Brent, don't be silly. Give me the bag." He held tight to it. She pulled again and he grinned.

"Wrestle me for it." He teased. She smiled and pushed him backwards.

"Not in front of your parents. Ok, if you want it, take it." She released her hold. Brent's parents watched this exchange with interest. Andrea went over to the suitcase Brent dropped moments ago, picked it up, and carried it to the house. Holding the other suitcase with one hand, he threw the other hand into the air in disgust. They brought Brent's parents things in and then sat down in the living room to catch up on family news. Andrea made coffee and brought it in on a tray. She then sat down next to Brent on the couch, he pulled her to him, putting his arm around her shoulder. Andrea listened to them talk as long as she could and within minutes she was napping. She was awakened a short time later by Brent moving around. He whispered to her, "We're going out for dinner, go get ready." Brent decided they should go to Clara's, since his Dad was Italian Brent thought they might enjoy the home-cooked Italian food Clara's offered. Afterwards they came back home and, while Brent and his dad talked, Andrea and Brent's mom got acquainted. Andrea was quite nervous. She knew how mother-in-law, daughter-in-law relationships went - usually not very good - and was hesitant to talk. She wasn't exactly the daughter-in-law yet but close enough. Luckily Brent's mom did most of the talking. She told Andrea about Brent's brother, "He has a new girlfriend now, " She said. "And she's cute as a button." About Aunts and Uncles ... Andrea listened with great interest. "Are you alright dear, you look tired." Mom noticed. Andrea nodded quickly.

"I'm fine, Mom. Just tired. I have been working a lot lately and this whole ordeal with Brent hasn't been easy." It was the truth but not the truth to the question and she had a feeling Mom knew that. They talked about Brent then. She spoke of Brent and Craig as children, calling Brent her "little scrapper." Andrea found this all too cute and decided to tease him with it later. Craig was a goof, Brent a scrapper. It wasn't long before Brent and his dad joined them and at 10 the night was over. Before heading into the bedroom to go to sleep, Brent's parents hugged him and then Andrea. When Brent's dad finished hugging Andrea, he gave her a kiss on the cheek, a wink, and a knowing smile. Andrea knew then that Brent had told him.

After teeth brushing, face washing, and hair brushing Brent and Andrea crawled into bed and pulled up the covers. It had been a chilly day and now was an equally chilly night. Brent leaned over Andrea and kissed her.

"Well?" He asked. She just looked at him.

"Well, what?" She countered.

"My parents, what do you think?" She smiled at him.

"I think you look like your mother." He shrugged.

"That may be but I have my father's testosterone." He made a face and pulled his arm up to show her his muscles. She pushed him playfully.

"You told your father, didn't you?" She asked him a little serious. He nodded.

"Yeah, I did."

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'I hope it's a boy!'" She smiled at him.

"And we can name him Brent Jr. And he'll be a little scrapper too!" He gave her a look.

"Scrapper? I'll give you scrapper ..." He said and proceeded to tickle her. She giggled then held his arms.

"Stop!" She ordered. "I won't take that from any little scrapper!" And he tickled her more until she couldn't breathe. Then he stopped and hugged her.

"I love you Miss Andrea." He said and kissed her. She held his head with her hands.

"And even though I can barely tolerate you sometimes, I love you Mr. Brent." He smiled at her and bit her lip gently before kissing her.

"Sex tonight?" He asked raising his eyebrows up and down. He already knew the answer but thought he would give it a try anyway. She pushed him away and eyed the next room where Brent's parents were staying.

"Not tonight. I'm tired and a little uncomfortable." He sighed, layed down and pulled her close.

"We'll make up for it tomorrow." He said. Andrea was asleep almost before he finished the sentence. Brent lay there in silence. He thought about his conversation with his dad. His dad stressed to Brent that he should ask Andrea to marry him. He also stressed to Brent not to tell his mom about the pregnancy until Andrea had a ring on her finger. As old fashioned as Dad was, Mom was more so. Brent felt a little strange about the idea of marriage. He felt as though his life was rolling down a hill, gaining speed. He saw a brick wall at the bottom of the hill and felt his stomach flip. Six months ago he was a freewheeling bachelor, enjoying a rock and roll lifestyle, music, booze, women, smokes ... And now, here he was thinking about marriage. And babies. What was next, lawn mowers? "Lawn fucking mowers ..." He muttered and chuckled quietly. Well, he would do what he had to do. He valued his father's advice and would act upon it. While Andrea was back to work next week he would go diamond shopping. He lay there some more and heard an icy rain begin to fall. Rory joined him on the bed and the warmth of the cat's body and his soothing purr lulled Brent to sleep.

Return To Top