Pauline took a notebook and a pen. She sut on the couch in front of the TV. Is been just three days since she finished with the classes she need to pass. The previous night Jesse left for Utah. The League has just begun. She drove him to the airport and saw him leaving. She knew this day will come but she hoped for the best. He promised he'll call when they land. The flight to Utah was about seven and a half hours with one stop in Chicago to change plane.
It was 10.00 am when she chacked the time in her phone. She took the pen and wrote down some possible names for the babies. She wrote about a dozen but she couldn't pick her favourite. She liked them all. She hoped that Jesse will like some of them too. At least they agreed that both of their kids with be named after their fathers. Pauline didn't mind that. After all she was named after her father's mother.
She was lost in searching names in her mind and she didn't hear the door bell. The bell rung for the first time, at least that was she thought. It took her some time to walk to the door. She opened the door and faced smiling Ava, a woman that she has never seen before and a huge bucket of flowers be hold by a guy.
Pauline was looking at the flowers when they go away. The next things she remembers is hugging very close Mike. "Oh my God!" she keep saying until Mike stopped her. "Okay, Pauline we all get that." Mike said and smiled. "Yeah, sorry. Please come in." Pauline said and closed the door behind her. "Have a seat. Can i get you anything?" she asked. "No, we're all fine." Mike amswered.
"I want you to meet my fiance Alison Baker. Alison this is Pauline Timson." Mike said and both women shaked hands. "Nice to meet you Alison." Pauline said. "The pleasure is all mine. I know a lot about you. You know Mike he never stop talking." Alison said and they all laughed. "You know i'm here too?" Mike responeded and walked next to Pauline.
"Why you didn't tell me you're coming when we talked to the phone yesterday?" she looked at him. "If i had told you it wouldn't have been a suprise." Mike looked at her. "Just look at you!" he looked at her belly. Mike sut down to meet her belly. "Hello, boys. I'm Mike, nice to meet you." He stood up.
"You know you look redicioulus, don't you?" Pauline told him. "I know, but i don't care!" Mike said smiling. "i don't know about you i'm going to sit." the 8,5 month pregnant Ava said and she made her way to the living room. The rest followed.
"So, what are you doing here?" Pauline asked the couple. "I work for the McDonald's. I used to control all the restaurants in Michigan. I got promotion which requars me to control New Jersey and New York's restaurants and i couldn't do that in Michigan. So, we moved in Newark." Alison said. "Congrats!" Pauline said. "Thank you." Alison answered.
"Where is Jesse?" Mike asked. "In Utah. Or on his way to Utah. He left this morning." "Oh yeah. I forgot NFL starts tommorow." "Yeah, it starts!" Pauline said. "Anyway." Pauline looked at Ava. "How are you holding up?" "Me? I'm fine, just a little anxious about the labor but in genelar, good." Ava answeerd and smiled. "Until, my father mouved in!" Ava added a few seconds later and everyone in the room looked at her.
"What do you mean he mouved in?" Pauline asked. "He lives in the house now. He said that now Alex in LA for filming the movie and i'm alone he should come to help me. Especially now that my due date is coming." "Oh, it can't be that bad." "You have no idea." Ava answered and shaked her head. "Do you think my dad will come too?" "I hope he does not." Ava said. "I hope that too."
The next few hours past very quickly. It's been very long that they were all together in the same room. They have so much to talk about. They laughed so hard, they all need it. But beacuse good things can not last forever they have to go.
And then pauline found herslef alone on the big house. She realized how lonely she was feeling. Since Louis died she was never alone. And now three months later she faced the loneliness. She was missing him momments like these. He will walk from the patio and sit next to her on the couch. He will rest his face on her legs. This is how they watched movies together.
Pauline look at the notebook on the table in front of the couch. She saw the names she had write down. She smiled. She wanted to find her sons the best possible names when she realized is not the names that matters, is everything else but the names. All those things Jesse and her will learn them about everything in the world. She didn't want to loose anything from their livies. She wanted to be there in every step they take, big or small. Hers and Jesse's job have ohter plans. Outside games for both them, she really wanted to know if they will have time for themselfes. She was so silly thinking things like that. They have the whole life ahead of them.
Her phone ringing brought her back to reality. "Hey, did you land?" she asked Jesse right away. "Yeah, just half an hour ago. Hello to you too." "How was your trip?" "Good. I was sleeping the whole time. How did you spend the last five hours?" "You have no idea who came for a visit?" Pauline said. "Am i have any chance to find it?" "I don't know." Pauline answered. "Can you tell me because i will never find it?"
"Ava, Mike and his fiance." Pauline said exitied. "What? I though he lives in Michigan." "Not anymore. His fiance got promotion and they moved to Newark." "That's great!" "You don't any problem with that?" Pauline asked him. "Why should i have?" "beacuse when we were in High School..." Pauline started but Jesse stopped her. "Baby, all these belongs to the past. We were all young back then. We are different now. I'm glad he's your friend, he's a good guy." "Yes, he is." Pauline answered.
"Did you parents call you?" "Not yet. They have about two hours till they land to Greece." Pauline told him. "Lucky them." he said and sighed. "Worried about the game?" "No, not really. I worry more about you, being home alone." he said and walked a few steps away. He didn't want his teammates hear him. "You don't have to worry about me, i'll be fine. Just focus on the game. I checked their stats, they have no hope." Pauline said.
"Since when you check football stats?" "Since my husband plays in the NFL." Pauline answered him in no time. "I like you calling me your husband, even though i am not yet your husband." "Technicly you are." she said. "I already miss you." Jesse said after a long pause. "I miss you too." Pauline said.
"Jess come we need to check in!"
Pauline heard Cody's voice. "Go. I'll call you before i go to bed." she told him. "Okay." "Have a nice flight." Pauline answered. "Thank you. Bye." Jesse said and hang up the phone.
Pauline left her phone on the table. She checked the wall watch above the TV screen. It was 5.35 pm. She got up. She walked to the bookcase in the living room. She took the book she was reading. After turning on the AC she sut on the couch and lost herself on reading.
It was 10.00 am when she chacked the time in her phone. She took the pen and wrote down some possible names for the babies. She wrote about a dozen but she couldn't pick her favourite. She liked them all. She hoped that Jesse will like some of them too. At least they agreed that both of their kids with be named after their fathers. Pauline didn't mind that. After all she was named after her father's mother.
She was lost in searching names in her mind and she didn't hear the door bell. The bell rung for the first time, at least that was she thought. It took her some time to walk to the door. She opened the door and faced smiling Ava, a woman that she has never seen before and a huge bucket of flowers be hold by a guy.
Pauline was looking at the flowers when they go away. The next things she remembers is hugging very close Mike. "Oh my God!" she keep saying until Mike stopped her. "Okay, Pauline we all get that." Mike said and smiled. "Yeah, sorry. Please come in." Pauline said and closed the door behind her. "Have a seat. Can i get you anything?" she asked. "No, we're all fine." Mike amswered.
"I want you to meet my fiance Alison Baker. Alison this is Pauline Timson." Mike said and both women shaked hands. "Nice to meet you Alison." Pauline said. "The pleasure is all mine. I know a lot about you. You know Mike he never stop talking." Alison said and they all laughed. "You know i'm here too?" Mike responeded and walked next to Pauline.
"Why you didn't tell me you're coming when we talked to the phone yesterday?" she looked at him. "If i had told you it wouldn't have been a suprise." Mike looked at her. "Just look at you!" he looked at her belly. Mike sut down to meet her belly. "Hello, boys. I'm Mike, nice to meet you." He stood up.
"You know you look redicioulus, don't you?" Pauline told him. "I know, but i don't care!" Mike said smiling. "i don't know about you i'm going to sit." the 8,5 month pregnant Ava said and she made her way to the living room. The rest followed.
"So, what are you doing here?" Pauline asked the couple. "I work for the McDonald's. I used to control all the restaurants in Michigan. I got promotion which requars me to control New Jersey and New York's restaurants and i couldn't do that in Michigan. So, we moved in Newark." Alison said. "Congrats!" Pauline said. "Thank you." Alison answered.
"Where is Jesse?" Mike asked. "In Utah. Or on his way to Utah. He left this morning." "Oh yeah. I forgot NFL starts tommorow." "Yeah, it starts!" Pauline said. "Anyway." Pauline looked at Ava. "How are you holding up?" "Me? I'm fine, just a little anxious about the labor but in genelar, good." Ava answeerd and smiled. "Until, my father mouved in!" Ava added a few seconds later and everyone in the room looked at her.
"What do you mean he mouved in?" Pauline asked. "He lives in the house now. He said that now Alex in LA for filming the movie and i'm alone he should come to help me. Especially now that my due date is coming." "Oh, it can't be that bad." "You have no idea." Ava answered and shaked her head. "Do you think my dad will come too?" "I hope he does not." Ava said. "I hope that too."
The next few hours past very quickly. It's been very long that they were all together in the same room. They have so much to talk about. They laughed so hard, they all need it. But beacuse good things can not last forever they have to go.
And then pauline found herslef alone on the big house. She realized how lonely she was feeling. Since Louis died she was never alone. And now three months later she faced the loneliness. She was missing him momments like these. He will walk from the patio and sit next to her on the couch. He will rest his face on her legs. This is how they watched movies together.
Pauline look at the notebook on the table in front of the couch. She saw the names she had write down. She smiled. She wanted to find her sons the best possible names when she realized is not the names that matters, is everything else but the names. All those things Jesse and her will learn them about everything in the world. She didn't want to loose anything from their livies. She wanted to be there in every step they take, big or small. Hers and Jesse's job have ohter plans. Outside games for both them, she really wanted to know if they will have time for themselfes. She was so silly thinking things like that. They have the whole life ahead of them.
Her phone ringing brought her back to reality. "Hey, did you land?" she asked Jesse right away. "Yeah, just half an hour ago. Hello to you too." "How was your trip?" "Good. I was sleeping the whole time. How did you spend the last five hours?" "You have no idea who came for a visit?" Pauline said. "Am i have any chance to find it?" "I don't know." Pauline answered. "Can you tell me because i will never find it?"
"Ava, Mike and his fiance." Pauline said exitied. "What? I though he lives in Michigan." "Not anymore. His fiance got promotion and they moved to Newark." "That's great!" "You don't any problem with that?" Pauline asked him. "Why should i have?" "beacuse when we were in High School..." Pauline started but Jesse stopped her. "Baby, all these belongs to the past. We were all young back then. We are different now. I'm glad he's your friend, he's a good guy." "Yes, he is." Pauline answered.
"Did you parents call you?" "Not yet. They have about two hours till they land to Greece." Pauline told him. "Lucky them." he said and sighed. "Worried about the game?" "No, not really. I worry more about you, being home alone." he said and walked a few steps away. He didn't want his teammates hear him. "You don't have to worry about me, i'll be fine. Just focus on the game. I checked their stats, they have no hope." Pauline said.
"Since when you check football stats?" "Since my husband plays in the NFL." Pauline answered him in no time. "I like you calling me your husband, even though i am not yet your husband." "Technicly you are." she said. "I already miss you." Jesse said after a long pause. "I miss you too." Pauline said.
"Jess come we need to check in!"
Pauline heard Cody's voice. "Go. I'll call you before i go to bed." she told him. "Okay." "Have a nice flight." Pauline answered. "Thank you. Bye." Jesse said and hang up the phone.
Pauline left her phone on the table. She checked the wall watch above the TV screen. It was 5.35 pm. She got up. She walked to the bookcase in the living room. She took the book she was reading. After turning on the AC she sut on the couch and lost herself on reading.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next afternoon Pauline sut comfy on the couch in the living room. She flipped the channel in the sports one, where she will watch Jesse's game. A big bowl of cream and cookies ice cream was in front of her. Being late July, eatting ice cream and going swimming were the best things you can do. Pauline didn't mind both of them. She was eatting ice cream during the winter, she was enjoy it more in the summertime.
The game will start in 30 minutes. As the team was get warming up {auline was trying to find Jesse. It was a little hard because they were all wearing this gold hemlets or gold eggs as Pauline was calling them. She still remembers how Jesse reacted when she said that. She started laughing but the sound of the door bell made her stop.
On her way to the door she was trying to figure out who migh be behind the door. Pauline oped the door and faced always smiling Romeo. Her jaw fell. "Romeo what are you doing here?" "I am here to watch Jesse's match with you." he walked in the house. "I brought some ice cream, cream and cookies, i know is your favourite." Romeo added.
He looked back at Pauline who has the one hand on the door and was looking at him like he was a ghost. "Are you going to close the door or...?" he asked her. "Yes, of course." she said puzzled and closed it. As they both walked in the living room. "Oh i brought the very same ice cream." Romeo said.
"It's okay Romy. By the end of the week your ice cream will be long gone." Pauline said and she and Romeo sut on the couch. "I think they'll win." he said and looked at Pauline, who was kind of lost. "Hey Pauline i'm talking to you."
Pauline shaked her head and looked at him. "What?" "Are you alright? Do you need anything?" "No no, i'm fine." Pauline answered and smiled. "You are suprised seeing me here, aren't you?" Romeo asked back. "This boy is smart." she thoguht to herself. "Just a little." "I should have visit you more often." the young man said.
"If you want to. I'm here." Pauline said. She could see that something was bothering him. But she remain silent. If he wanted to talk all he had to do is start. "I am going to bring something to drink and two bowls to put the ice cream." she said and stood up.
When she returned Romeo was still sitting where she left him. The game had started. "How does it going?" she asked and put on the table the disk. "We win." he answered and took the one of the two bowls. "Who would have thought? Jesse playing for Notre Dame." he said after taking his first bite. "He earn it." Pauline sut next to him. "Yeah sure. He really wanted to play there as far as i remember." he paused. "Will you?" he was now looking at her.
"What do you mean?" she asked him. "I remember the fight you had at his first game. You don't like this team, don't you?" "Romeo it doesn't matter if i like it or not. If Jesse likes there is nothing more to talk about." "Yes, you're right." Romeo answered.
"Have you talked to Jacob?" Pauline asked trying to change the subject. "We don't really talk since he left for Los Angeles." Pauline was keepinga very close eye to 18th year old Romeo. "So, do you know is which College you'll go?" she asked him. "No." he answered and left the half filled bowl on the table. Pauline notised it.
"There are too many and you can't choose?" "There are no Colleges i want to go to." he yelled and looked at her with his eyes filled with anger. "Why everybody is asking me this question?" he got up. "Is it so hard to understand that i do npt want to go on a College?" he said angily. He tunred his back on her. "Everybody were so proud when Jacob got that scolarship." he said calmy now.
"Dad was so proud of him. His son will study Business and Economics in Los Angeles, California." he looked back at her. "I was proud of him too, i really was. But when he left all we talk about was Jacob. When they finished with the conserts all he was saying is 'Romeo John study hard to reach your brother.' Over and over again." he turned to Pauline. "And i am asking you know. How on Earth should i try?"
"I was never fan of studying, Pauline. I tried but i failed. I send letters to all Universities in the Country who have Architecture departement. And guess how many replied successfully?" he paused for a second. "None."
Pauline was looking at him trying to understand what she should answer. The situation was different and it was the first time that she has to answer. Usually she was in Romeo's shoes. But now she must give him an answer. "Look Romeo." she started and looked at the 18 year old Romeo. "There is no way you will get accepted in any College. Even i got accepted who i was born in an another counrty." she paused. "What i am trying to say is that you should re-send those Colleges an application letter. I can help you with that."
"Really? Will you do that for me?" his blue eyes filled now with hope for a second chance. "Of course and i will help you. We are family remember?" Pauline answered smiling. Romeo hugged her tight. "Thank you." he answered.
A few hours later after Notre Dame's victory Pauline asked Romeo. "Would you like anything to eat?" "No, i am full. Thank you." he replied. "I'll go these to the kitchen." he added only two seconds later and got up. Walking back from the kitchen he asked. "Pauline can i stay here for the night?" "Yes, sure. Just let your parents know." "I don't think they will notice me." Romeo said and sut on the couch. "Don't you ever say that again. You are their son. Of course and they wil worry about you. You are their youngest." Pauline said.
"Can call them and ask them? I don't want to talk to them right now." Pauline sighed. "Okay, i will call them."
Pauline after making the guest room for Romeo she lyied to the bed. She thought she had done the right thing. She was one step closer of becoming a better person and a better future mother. She was somehow proud of herself. She had watched Romeo growing up and becoming this young man he is today. She knew he will make it. She have faith in him.
The next moring when she walked downstairs Romeo was already gone. But he had left a frwaing of him and her together. It was beautiful. She wipped off the tear in her eye when the phone rung. "Good morning Pauline." Jesse said happily. "Good morming to you too." Jesse notised her voice was different. "Are you crying? What happend?" "Nothing. Everything it's under control." Pauline answered. "Are you sure?" "Yes, i'll explain you when you get here. Where are you?" "In the room packing. We leave in an hour." Jesse said.
"Do you want me to come to the aiport?" "No, we arive at 11.30 pm. It's too late for women like you." "Women like me?" "I mean prengant." Jesse answered. "You saved it." she said and laughed. "We'll talk later, okay babe?" Pauline said and walked to the kitchen. "Okay, take care." "You too. I love you." "I love you too." Pauline answered and hung up.
The game will start in 30 minutes. As the team was get warming up {auline was trying to find Jesse. It was a little hard because they were all wearing this gold hemlets or gold eggs as Pauline was calling them. She still remembers how Jesse reacted when she said that. She started laughing but the sound of the door bell made her stop.
On her way to the door she was trying to figure out who migh be behind the door. Pauline oped the door and faced always smiling Romeo. Her jaw fell. "Romeo what are you doing here?" "I am here to watch Jesse's match with you." he walked in the house. "I brought some ice cream, cream and cookies, i know is your favourite." Romeo added.
He looked back at Pauline who has the one hand on the door and was looking at him like he was a ghost. "Are you going to close the door or...?" he asked her. "Yes, of course." she said puzzled and closed it. As they both walked in the living room. "Oh i brought the very same ice cream." Romeo said.
"It's okay Romy. By the end of the week your ice cream will be long gone." Pauline said and she and Romeo sut on the couch. "I think they'll win." he said and looked at Pauline, who was kind of lost. "Hey Pauline i'm talking to you."
Pauline shaked her head and looked at him. "What?" "Are you alright? Do you need anything?" "No no, i'm fine." Pauline answered and smiled. "You are suprised seeing me here, aren't you?" Romeo asked back. "This boy is smart." she thoguht to herself. "Just a little." "I should have visit you more often." the young man said.
"If you want to. I'm here." Pauline said. She could see that something was bothering him. But she remain silent. If he wanted to talk all he had to do is start. "I am going to bring something to drink and two bowls to put the ice cream." she said and stood up.
When she returned Romeo was still sitting where she left him. The game had started. "How does it going?" she asked and put on the table the disk. "We win." he answered and took the one of the two bowls. "Who would have thought? Jesse playing for Notre Dame." he said after taking his first bite. "He earn it." Pauline sut next to him. "Yeah sure. He really wanted to play there as far as i remember." he paused. "Will you?" he was now looking at her.
"What do you mean?" she asked him. "I remember the fight you had at his first game. You don't like this team, don't you?" "Romeo it doesn't matter if i like it or not. If Jesse likes there is nothing more to talk about." "Yes, you're right." Romeo answered.
"Have you talked to Jacob?" Pauline asked trying to change the subject. "We don't really talk since he left for Los Angeles." Pauline was keepinga very close eye to 18th year old Romeo. "So, do you know is which College you'll go?" she asked him. "No." he answered and left the half filled bowl on the table. Pauline notised it.
"There are too many and you can't choose?" "There are no Colleges i want to go to." he yelled and looked at her with his eyes filled with anger. "Why everybody is asking me this question?" he got up. "Is it so hard to understand that i do npt want to go on a College?" he said angily. He tunred his back on her. "Everybody were so proud when Jacob got that scolarship." he said calmy now.
"Dad was so proud of him. His son will study Business and Economics in Los Angeles, California." he looked back at her. "I was proud of him too, i really was. But when he left all we talk about was Jacob. When they finished with the conserts all he was saying is 'Romeo John study hard to reach your brother.' Over and over again." he turned to Pauline. "And i am asking you know. How on Earth should i try?"
"I was never fan of studying, Pauline. I tried but i failed. I send letters to all Universities in the Country who have Architecture departement. And guess how many replied successfully?" he paused for a second. "None."
Pauline was looking at him trying to understand what she should answer. The situation was different and it was the first time that she has to answer. Usually she was in Romeo's shoes. But now she must give him an answer. "Look Romeo." she started and looked at the 18 year old Romeo. "There is no way you will get accepted in any College. Even i got accepted who i was born in an another counrty." she paused. "What i am trying to say is that you should re-send those Colleges an application letter. I can help you with that."
"Really? Will you do that for me?" his blue eyes filled now with hope for a second chance. "Of course and i will help you. We are family remember?" Pauline answered smiling. Romeo hugged her tight. "Thank you." he answered.
A few hours later after Notre Dame's victory Pauline asked Romeo. "Would you like anything to eat?" "No, i am full. Thank you." he replied. "I'll go these to the kitchen." he added only two seconds later and got up. Walking back from the kitchen he asked. "Pauline can i stay here for the night?" "Yes, sure. Just let your parents know." "I don't think they will notice me." Romeo said and sut on the couch. "Don't you ever say that again. You are their son. Of course and they wil worry about you. You are their youngest." Pauline said.
"Can call them and ask them? I don't want to talk to them right now." Pauline sighed. "Okay, i will call them."
Pauline after making the guest room for Romeo she lyied to the bed. She thought she had done the right thing. She was one step closer of becoming a better person and a better future mother. She was somehow proud of herself. She had watched Romeo growing up and becoming this young man he is today. She knew he will make it. She have faith in him.
The next moring when she walked downstairs Romeo was already gone. But he had left a frwaing of him and her together. It was beautiful. She wipped off the tear in her eye when the phone rung. "Good morning Pauline." Jesse said happily. "Good morming to you too." Jesse notised her voice was different. "Are you crying? What happend?" "Nothing. Everything it's under control." Pauline answered. "Are you sure?" "Yes, i'll explain you when you get here. Where are you?" "In the room packing. We leave in an hour." Jesse said.
"Do you want me to come to the aiport?" "No, we arive at 11.30 pm. It's too late for women like you." "Women like me?" "I mean prengant." Jesse answered. "You saved it." she said and laughed. "We'll talk later, okay babe?" Pauline said and walked to the kitchen. "Okay, take care." "You too. I love you." "I love you too." Pauline answered and hung up.
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