Stretch Marks

[PlayOn]

I got this idea yeterday when me, mom and dad were on a boat. I looked at a scar on my mom's belly and asked her if that was from the c-section she had to have me. She said no. It was from a sugery. That led me to thinking, though. What if it HAD been from me. Women go through so much to give us life. I hope to help young women and mom to bes with this. God bless you women. You know us men are babies and couldn't take the morning sickness, mood swings, etc. lol.
NOTE: Stretch Marks takes place a few after the series end.
***

Dorothy “Tootie” Ramsey-Wilson waited by the phone, waiting to hear something from her new husband of a few months, Trey. Although, she was black and he was white, they loved each other. They ignored the stares, gawks and remarks as they walked the streets together. Their love was more important than what people thought.
They met at a fighter fighters charity ball. Tootie (or Dorothy, as she liked to be called), put on a few scenes from a play about fire fighters she was in a few months prior. Trey Wilson was a fire fighter trainee who was sitting a few feet from the stage. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her beauty. After her performance, she walked off stage. Trey’s chance. He went backstage to her dressing room (after knocking, of course) and they talked for hours. They had a lot in common. He loved the theater; she acted in one. She respected firefighters; he was one. He went to an all boys school; she went to an all girls school. They were both the youngest among their peers and friends. They decided to give a relationship a shot. What did they have to loose? A year to the day after they started dating, Trey proposed. Dorothy accepted. The rest is history.
She now waited by the phone, waiting to hear form Trey. He promised to call as soon as he got off of work. It would be a lot easier, Dorothy thought, if he wasn’t a firefighter. They were like policemen. They put their lives on the line every day. To make matters wose, this was his first day. Scary. Suddenly, the phone rang and Dorothy jerked it off the cradle.
“Trey?!” Dorothy asked, excitedly and nervously.
“Sorry,” came a familiar voice.
“Oh. Hi, Nat.”
“Still no word, huh?” asked Natalie Green, who had been Dorothy’s friend for years. They were still tight.
“No. Can I call you back? I need to keep my cell line and the land line free.”
“Sure.”
“Alright. Bye.”
“Bye.”
They hung up. And Dorothy went back to worrying. Earlier, she tried to take her mind off all this by cleaning. She couldn’t. She tried to watch TV. Soap opera’s usual baby switching stories weren’t helping. Especially since she, herself, was pregnant by a few weeks.
***

[ZeldaGilroy]

Ooooohhhh...a new fic! Great start Brandon! I can't wait for more.

[LoveMrsG]

Originally Posted by EricsUndeadFans

I got this idea yeterday when me, mom and dad were on a boat. I looked at a scar on my mom's belly and asked her if that was from the c-section she had to have me. She said no. It was from a sugery. That led me to thinking, though. What if it HAD been from me. Women go through so much to give us life. I hope to help young women and mom to bes with this. God bless you women. You know us men are babies and couldn't take the morning sickness, mood swings, etc. lol.

You're awesome, Brandon!

[RoryGilmore]

Excellent start, Brandon, cant wait to see where you take this

[PlayOn]

Here's more. Enjoy.

Dorothy stood at the kitchen sick, washing tomatoes that were going to go in a vegetable soup she was going to cook for dinner. She heard from Trey a few minutes ago. He was on his way home as they spoke. Of course, Dorothy couldn’t have been more relieved. But, she couldn’t help but wonder: was it going to be like this every day? Worrying if her husband was going to make it home or not? If so, what kind of life was that? With her being pregnant, stress is no good on the baby. Nor for her. Selfish, maybe. But she couldn’t help it.
“I’m home,” Trey announced as he walked through the front door.
“In the kitchen!”
“Hey, babe,” Trey said as he walked in the kitchen. He went to Dorothy, wrapped his arms around her wait and kissed her neck. He smelled like smoke and he wasn’t the cleanest guy in the world. “What are you doing?”
“Fixing supper. Hope you’re in the mood for vegetable soup.”
“Sounds great.”
“Trey,” Dorothy said, nervously, wondering if she should even ask this. But she couldn’t just walk on eggs shells and pretend this was ok. “Is it going to be like this for now on?”
“Like what?”
“Me at home worrying every night if your going to make it home or not?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You being a firefighter. Face it, Trey. It’s not the safest job in the world. I don’t know if I can take what I went through today. I don’t think the baby can take what I went through today.”
“Are you saying I should quit?”
“I just want to know if the stress is going to let up. You’re dad was a firefighter. How did your mom take it?”
“Fine. She was nervous at first, like you, but after a while, she realized he was helping people and that she being selfish.”
Dorothy must’ve told herself that a million times that day, but it didn’t help then and doesn’t help now.
***

“That movie looks funny!” Natalie exclaimed, taking a bite of salad and chewing.
“I think so, too.”
Natalie and Dorothy were sitting at a little sidewalk café in Peekskill, New York, a place where they lived for years. Natalie moved to Washington to become a journalist at The Washington Post. Tired of reporting what was going on behind The First Family’s bedroom doors and wanting to do something that was actually journalism, she moved back to Peekskill to work for the local paper, The Peekskill Press. Not glamorous, but it was something.
Dorothy moved to LA to act in movies. She did get a part where she costarred with Denzel Washington, but grew tired of the process very quickly. The 3 am wake up calls to do a scene over when you’ve just done it 50 plus times can take a lot out of you. After the movie wrapped, she, too moved back to Peekskill. The movie was a box office smash and the studio begged her to come back and make a sequel, but Dorothy declined. She was a New York girl.
“When’s your next appointment?” asked Natalie.
“Tomorrow.” replied Dorothy, rubbing her tummy. “Nothing special. The good stuff happens after we find out the gender.”
“You’re going to find out?”
“Yea. I have to know what color to paint the nursery, pink or blue. Plus, you know if there‘s something to find out about somebody, I‘m going to find out.”
“True.” Natalie laughed. “I still can’t get over it. Our Tootie is pregnant.”
“Oh, gosh! Stop it! I want to be called Dorothy. Tootie makes me sound like I’m a train noise.”
Natalie laughed. Suddenly, her cell rang.
“Hey, Blair,” she said to the person on the other end of the line. She paused to listen. Blair Warner-Warner was a great friend of Natalie and Dorothy’s. Blonde, rich and beautiful, she was headmistress of Eastland School for Girls, the school she, Dorothy, Natalie and another girl named Jo attended. She was great at it.
“OK,” Natalie replied. “On my way.” They, then, hung up. “Britney is causing trouble.”
“Again? Isn’t that the 3rd time this week?”
“Yea. And it’s getting old.”
Britney was Natalie’s one and only daughter. Her former husband, Kyle, divorced her when he deiced he wanted something better (aka: a young supermodel with Molly Simms looks). Natalie was 6 months pregnant. She’s been on her own ever since. Dorothy (as well as all of their friends) felt sorry for her. But Nat didn’t have time for sympathy. She didn’t want it. She was strong. Everybody guessed she tore a page from Jo’s book of life. But, still, they worried.
Natalie laid down the money for the salad and walked away.
Blair sat in her office, talking on the phone. Her husband, Brad Warner, who was a banker, said he was going to be home late. He was always late.
“Why can’t they get somebody else?” she asked. “You’ve been working late all week. Even God took time off.”
“I’m sorry, sweetie. But the bank’s birthday is this this week and we’re throwing a big gala.” came the reply.
“And you’re one of the party planners?”
“I’ll be home as soon as I can. I have to go. I love you.”
“But, Brad…”
Too late. Dial tone. Blair said a cuss word under her breath and hung up. Suddenly, there came a knock on her door.
“Who is it?”
“Natalie,” came her friends voice.
“Come in.”
“I’m sorry about Britney,” said Natalie as she walked in the little office. “Where is she?”
Blair pointed to a sofa that was on the other side of the room. A 15 year old girl with sandy hair, skinny build and dressed in the traditional Eastland uniform sat on it.
“Britney,” Natalie began, sitting with her daughter on the sofa. “Why? This is the 3rd time this week Mrs. Warner has had to call me.”
“I’ll be outside.” Blair said, getting out of her chair.
“I can’t stand her.” Britney stated after Blair was out of the room.
“You can’t? Even after she took you in after every school threw you out because you’re such a handful. You can’t stand a woman like that?”
“I didn’t ask to come here. I was happy at Peekskill High with Travis.
“Travis? You mean that boy with all those tattoos and rings in his noise?”
“Yea.”
“He hustled drugs. No way I was going to let you go out with him.”
“You don’t even know him.”
“I know enough.”
“By what, mom?” Britney asked, looking at her mother. Anger was in her eyes and voice. “What people say? Way to judge.”
“Britney…” But Natalie didn’t know what else to say. After almost a week full of these arguments, she said the same thing over and over. Obviously, it wasn’t sinking in her daughter’s head, so why bother? Just then, she decided what she was going to do: fight fire with fire. “OK, you’re going home. You’re grounded. No TV. No music. No fun.”
“But mom…!”
“No buts, Britney. I’m sick of this. You’re supposed to listen to your elders. Go grab your stuff. Hurry.”
Britney sighed and rolled her eyes as she got up and walked out of Blair’s office. Natalie put her face in her hands and sighed in distress, hoping and praying she was doing the right thing.
***

Jo walked in her house, exhausted. Although she loved being a cop, it took a lot out of her. It shouldn’t have, though. She was in her 30’s, was in great shape and loved what she was doing. It was demanding by no means. Until a few weeks ago.
She fell down on the couch, put her feet up on the coffee table and sighed with gratitude. She kicked off her shoes as her husband of 2 years, Jake, walked in from the kitchen.
“Hey, babe,” Jake said. He leaned over and kissed his wife. “How was your day.”
“Long. My feet are killing me. Yours?”
“Same. Do to this economy, people are firing more than they are hiring.”
“I know. A man from work found out yesterday his mother got laid off of her job that she had for 30 years. It’s a shame.”
When Jo met Jake, he was working with one of his friends from college building houses, garages, fences, whatever people needed. She was walking past one of their earlier jobs one day when she noticed Jake and his coworkers on a space that was usually empty. After asking what was going on, Jake answered: building a house for a needy couple whose home had burned down for a little of nothing. He was taken aback by Jo’s beauty and asked her out. She accepted. A few months later, they walked were married in front of family and friends.
A few years later, prices on the materials needed to build houses sky rocketed. So did gas. Terry, Jake’s friend who hired him, couldn’t take it. He couldn’t pay for the truck’s gas, the materials that went into building AND pay his workers. We had to cut back. Jake was one of them. He’d been a stay at home husband ever since, looking at the classifieds everyday. Nothing. More layoffs than hires. It hurt him so much that, sometimes, while Jo was asleep, he would get out of bed, go to the living room, fall to his knees and pray that something would open up. He also prayed that Jo would never loose her job as a police officer. She loved it. Plus, what would they do then?
“Well, I have a doctors appointment in a few days,” Jo continued. “If this keeps up, I’ll ask him what’s going on when I go in.”
“I hope it’s nothing.”
“You and me both,” Jo smiled, turned and touched her husbands cheek, stroking it softly.
***

[ZeldaGilroy]

This is really great Brandon. I am intrigued...hope you can post more soon!

[RoryGilmore]

Excellent job can't wait for more

[PlayOn]

Wait no more. Here's more. Enjoy.

“So, how did your appointment go?” Trey asked as he and Dorothy sat down to dinner the next night. He took a sip of wine.
“Great. Everything seems to be in order.”
“I can’t wait to find out what we’re going to have.”
“I know, but we’re going to have to.”
Suddenly, the telephone rang.
“I’ll get it.” Dorothy said, attempting to get up.
“No,” Trey said, “let it ring. We’re in the middle of dinner.”
“It could be something important.”
“But…”
But it was too late. Dorothy was on her way out of the dining room.
“Hello?” she said after she picked up the telephone. “Wilson residence.”
“Dorothy, it’s Frank.”
“Oh, hi Frank. What’s up?”
Frank was Trey’s boss at the fire department. Although he and Dorothy got along great, she always hated his calls because she was fearful he would drag her husband away to put a fire out.
“Is Trey around?” asked Frank in his thick New York accent.
“Yeah. He’s eating.”
“Tell him to come to North Street 2044. Big fire.”
One of Dorothy’s worst fears had come true.
“But, Frank…”
“Tell him to hurry. Bye.”
“Frank. Frank?”
Dial tone. Frank had already hung up.
“Who was that?” asked Trey as Dorothy walked back in the kitchen and sat down.
“Frank. He said he wants you to come to North Street 2044 and hurry. A big fire.”
“Oh, great! So much for enjoying a good meal.”
“If you hurry, maybe you’ll be back before it gets cold.”
“You’re right,” Trey replied, throwing down his napkin on the table and getting up. “I’ll be back asap.”
He kissed Dorothy on the cheek and walked out of the room. Dorothy sighed heavily. She tried to finish the rest of her meal, but it was too quiet. She turned on the TV and went back to eating. It didn’t help. You can’t have conversations with a box.
***

“Britney, I said get down here!” Natalie yelled up the stairs. “Britney!” No reply.
Suddenly, Natalie’s cell rang (ring tone: ‘Some Beach’ by Blake Shelton). How I wish I was on that beach Natalie said to herself as she flipped her phone open and held it against her ear.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Nat.”
“Dorothy?” asked Natalie in shock. She looked at the watch on her wrist. “It’s after 9 o’clock. Is everything ok.”
“Yes and no.”
“Huh?”
“Yes, everything’s fine. But, Trey isn’t back yet. He left to put out a fire and hasn’t come back yet,” Dorothy sounded upset. Like she’d been crying. “That was at 6 o’clock.”
“OK, calm down. Don’t jump to any conclusions. Have you tried his cell?”
“Yes. No answer.”
“Have you tried calling the fire department.”
“All they said was he’s at the fire scene.”
“It’s probably bigger than they excepted. Try not to worry.”
“Nat, I have a feeling something terrible has happened.”
“Like the same feeling you had when you saw the movie ‘Aliens’ for the first time? You said you ‘feel’ as though a new girl that just joined Eastland was one of ‘them’ and she came to suck the life out of all of us.”
“Hey, that girl was creepy. And, no. This is a different feeling. I can’t explain it, but I know it‘s true.”
“Well, what do you want me to do?”
“Just talk. It’s too quiet.”
“Alright. It doesn’t look like Britney’s hungry anyway,” Natalie looked up at the ceiling, sarcasm in her voice.
“Did you bring her home?
“Yea. No way I was doing 4 trips to Eastland this week. I’ve seen the inside of the headmasters office more this week than I have when we were students their.”
“She’s a teenager. She’s going to ignore authority.”
“So did Satan.”
“It can’t be that bad,” Dorothy laughed.
“Wait until you have your own kids. Speaking of which, how did the doctors appointment go?”
“Good. Everything’s in check.” Just then, Dorothy’s door bell rang. “Hang on. Somebody’s as at the door.”
“Alright. I have to go check on Britney anyway to see if she’s still in her room.”
Both women laid the phones on a local hard surface and went to check on what they needed to check on.
“Frank,” Dorothy said, surprised, as she opened the door and saw Trey’s boss standing on her brick porch. It looked like he’d been crying and still was. “What is it? Where’s Trey?”
“I’m sorry, Dorothy.”
Those 3 words said so much. Judging by them and Frank’s appearance on her door step, she knew. Trey was dead. But it still didn’t seem real.
“No,” she began crying. “No. It can’t be. I called the department and they didn’t say anything about it.”
“It happened not long after you called. I thought a face to face would be better than a phone call. I’m sorry.”
“NO!!!!!!” Dorothy screamed and fell to the floor. Frank walked in and hugged her, tears of his own dripping down his face.
***

Streets away, Natalie walked in her daughters room to find her asleep on her bed. Thank gosh she said to herself. She walked to Britney’s bed and looked down at her. She looked like an angel. Too bad she didn’t act like one when she was awake. Maybe Dorothy was right. Britney was a teenager and most (if not all) teenagers ignore authority. Her and her fellow Eastland friends did. Would anyone not call stealing the school van to go to a bar ignoring authority? Or going to New York after your house mother told you not to, like in Tootie’s case. God, Natalie silently prayed to herself, if any of that is going to happen to Britney, give me strength. But not so much strength that I kill her when I tear her butt up.
Then, she remembered about Dorothy being on the phone downstairs and she quietly walked out of the room, leaving her daughters door open.
“OK, I’m back,” Natalie said into the mouth piece. No reply. Then, she heard the cries. “Tootie, are you ok?” Cries. “Dorothy?!” Hanging up the phone and grabbing her purse and coat off the coat rack, she opened the front door and walked out, closing and locking it behind her.
***

[ZeldaGilroy]

Oh no, poor Tootie! I can't wait to find out what happens next. Post again soon please.

[RoryGilmore]

Poor Tootie.....

[PlayOn]

Thanks, guys. I'm hoping to lightnen it up some, so it won't be like this throug out the entire thing, although alot of it will be. Anyways, enjoy.

Mrs. Edna Garrett walked the dark streets of Wisconsin. She hadn’t been walking for a few days and it was starting to show. So, when her husband, Bruce and Leon, a 10 year old boy they adopted a few years ago, were asleep, she thought took advantage of the situation.
As she looked around at the familiar sights she was used to seeing as a little girl, she smiled. Life is funny. Years earlier, if you had told her she would move back to Wisconsin, she would’ve laughed at you. Yet, here she was, walking the same streets she walked as a kid. Things had changed, though. Some trees that she climbed on years and years ago were gone. Houses that weren’t their before were staring her right in the face. Heck, they even tore down her favorite ice cream shop to build a pharmacy. As sad as it was, at least she still had her memories. Like the time she feel out of a tree trying to sneak out to Make Out Point with Larry, one of her many boyfriends throughout her high school years and she scrapped her knee. She screamed so loud when that branch broke, it woke up the whole block. She was grounded for a week, and Larry was sent off to military school. She smiled now thinking about it, although at the time, young Edna thought it was end of the world.
A short time later, she walked past and stopped outside the Appleton Cemetery and looked at it through the closed, wrought-iron gate. Her mother and daddy were in their and tears welled up in her eyes. Although they have been dead for years, she still cried for them time to time. It didn’t last long. Now that she, her husband and adoptive son were living in her parents house, the house Edna grew up in a kid, taking care of her oldest sister who has cancer, she didn’t cry like she thought she would. Which is odd because when they moved in, it was the first time Edna had seen it since her parents passed. They been living in it for a few months. They moved in right after Dorothy and Trey married. A few days later, Edna’s older sister showed up on their doorstep, saying she has cancer and was wanting to be taken care of their mothers home instead of the hospital, if it wasn’t an imposition. Being a Christian, nurse and person, Edna couldn’t turn her away. Bruce felt the same way. So did Leon. He liked his aunt and she liked him.
Coming back to her senses, she continued on her walk.
***
“How’s she doing?” Jo asked as Natalie walked in the living room where Jo and Blair were.
“As excepted,” Natalie replied. “Upset. She won’t eat anything or talk. All she does is stare off into space.”
“I wish I could something,” Blair said, her eyes puffy and red from crying.
“We all do,” Jo replied, “But we can’t magically bring Trey back. Not all the hope and faith in world can do that. I tried. When pop died, I suddenly remembered stories in the Bible where Jesus and his apostles would bring people back to life. Like Lazarus. I stood over pop's head stone, closed my eyes and wished with all my mind and heart he would come back. Didn’t work” Tears were in Jo’s eyes now and she let them flow.
“Where’s Britney?” Blair asked Natalie, trying to change the subject.
“At home. She didn’t want to come. She’s glued to MTV and the phone.”
“How’s she doing?”
“Same old Britney, sadly.”
“Things will get better,” Jo said. “Heck, we were no better than her and look at us now. We’re mature adults.”
Jo’s phone rang then. Her ring tone was the sound of farts and kids laughing.
“Well, some of us are more mature than others,” Blair commented, a dry look on her face to match her tone.
“Hello?” Jo said as she held the phone to her ear.
“Jo, it’s Mrs. Garrett.” said the red-headed woman.
“Oh, hey Mrs. G. Are you in town yet?”
“No but will be in a couple hours. I was just calling to make sure you girls were meeting to Dorothy’s house.”
“Yea. Me and Blair have to go in couple hours, but Natalie will be here all night.”
“Alright. Tell her I’ll see her soon.”
“Will do. You enjoying the flight?”
“It’s OK. A bit bumpy, but OK.”
“Alright. Well, you be careful.”
“You, too. Bye.”
“Bye,” Jo said back. She hung up and put the phone back in her pocket. “Mrs. Garrett said she’ll be here soon. Didn’t say when. I told her you’d be here, Nat.”
“Good,” Natalie replied. “I’m glad she could make it. Too bad she had to leave Bruce and Leon to take care of her sister, though.”
“When I called her to tell her about Trey,” Jo began. “She said if they could, the boys and her sister will fly in for the funeral. Speaking of which, has anybody begun making plans for that?”
“No,” Natalie replied. “I was waiting until we could set down together. You guys, Mrs. Garrett, myself, and Dorothy.”
“Good luck on having Dorothy joining us for that,” Blair commented.
“I know,” Natalie stated. “All the money in the world couldn’t make her face the next couple of days.”
***

Dorothy laid in her bed, hot tears flowing from her eyes. Why did this have to happen? she asked herself. Her and Trey were just starting out together. They were going to be parents and live the American dream. Who knew? Maybe even have a couple more kids and a few dogs. They were young. The whole world was in their hands. Now this? Life wasn’t fair. Dorothy turned on her side, facing the bedside table. On it, sat a picture of Trey in his fireman uniform, smiling at the camera. He was so handsome with his brown eyes and short brown hair. She turned to the other side, so as not to face the picture. Another bad thing to do. Trey slept on that side. She turned on her back, staring at the ceiling. How am I going to face tomorrow? she asked herself. Or the day after that? How am I going to face life from now on?
***

[ZeldaGilroy]

Originally Posted by EricsUndeadFans

Jo said. “Heck, we were no better than her and look at us now. We’re mature adults.”
Jo’s phone rang then. Her ring tone was the sound of farts and kids laughing.
“Well, some of us are more mature than others,” Blair commented, a dry look on her face to match her tone.

Jo's cell phone ring is hillarious!

Seriously though...you are doing a great job with this fic Brandon. I like how you've added some humor in an otherwise emotional story. I also like how all the girls are pulling together to help Tootie through this. I think this is your best fanfic yet! I can't wait for more!

[RoryGilmore]

Haha love the ringtone too!! You're right you did lighten it up some!

Anxious to read more

[PlayOn]

Thanks, guys. I was hoping the ringtone bit would work. And, thanks, Billie for saying 'SM' is my best work yet. Drama isn't really me. I like to write it, but it turns to out to be soap opera-ish. lol. Anyways, enjoy.
***

Natalie got a pile of blankets and a few pillows off of the top shelf of the closet, closed the door and walked to the living room. Blair and Jo went home to their husbands hours earlier. Jo offered to pick up Britney and take to her house. Natalie agreed. Who knew? Maybe Jo could straighten her out. Guess she would find out tomorrow, seeing as how the girls agreed to take turns staying with Dorothy each night in case she needed anything. Tomorrow was Jo’s turn.
As she fixed her bed on the couch, a car pulled up in the drive. Looking out the window beside the door, Nat saw it was a cab, dropping Mrs. Garrett off. The former dietician of Eastland paid the driver and got out of the car. As the cab drove away, Natalie opened the door for Edna.
“Thanks, sweetie,” Edna said, wiping her feet on Dorothy’s Welcome mat.
“Mrs. Garrett,” replied Natalie. She hugged her former school mom. Heck, all of the girls thought of Mrs. Garrett as their own biological mother. She stood up for them against Mr. Parker, the former headmaster at Eastland, God rest is soul. And offered them advice whenever they asked for it. She even gave it to them when they didn’t. Just like a mother.
“Where’s she at?” she asked, taking off her coat.
“Upstairs in her room. She’s been up their all day. Jo, Blair and I tried to bring her out.”
“Let me.”
***

Excepting it to be locked, Edna twisted the knob. It turned and the door opened. Surprised, she tiptoed to Dorothy’s bed and stared down at her. Tears welled in Edna’s eyes. So young. She and Trey were just starting out in life. Edna thought that to herself over and over ever since Jo called her, revealing Trey was killed by a burning beam that had fallen on him while he was trying to save a young girls life. They could revive the girl. Wish they could say the same about Trey.
Suddenly, Dorothy made a soft groaning noise and she turned on her other side, still asleep. Mrs. Garrett sat down on Dorothy’s bed as softly as she could. A few minutes later, Dorothy opened her eyes and saw her visitor. Sitting up and throwing her arms around Mrs. Garrett, she began to cry. Mrs. G wasn’t human if she didn’t shed a few years of her own.
“Thanks for coming,” Dorothy whispered softly.
“You know I’m always here for you. Nothing can keep me from my girls.”
“That’s why I love you.”
“And I love you, my precious girl.”
They hugged each other tighter, neither wanting to let go.
***
“Thought you might want some breakfast,” Mrs. Garrett said as she walked in Dorothy’s bedroom the next morning, carrying a plate with scrambled eggs, bacon and a biscuit on it.
“No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”
“Sweetie, you have to eat.”
“I will. Later.”
Mrs. Garrett started to protest, but thought better of it.
“Alright,” she sighed. “But you ARE going to eat later.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You were up all night, so you must tried.” Mrs. Garrett said, putting the plate on Dorothy’s bedside table.
“Actually I’m wide awake. Thanks for staying up here with me last night. The talk was much needed.”
“Anytime.”
Then, Dorothy yawned.
“Lay down,” Mrs. Garrett insisted.
“But, I’m not sleepy.”
“OK. The girls are down stairs. Do you want them to come up here?”
“No. Please, not now. I just want to be with you.”
“They’re really worried about you.”
“I know. And I’m sorry, but I just can’t face anybody right now except you.”
“Any why’s that?”
“Because you understand. You must have experienced a lot of deaths in your life. They didn’t.”
“I think you’re wrong. Look at Natalie. She lost her father. Jo did, too. Blair, although she hasn’t lost anybody, witnessed the loss of both Natalie and Jo’s dads. True, I have experienced more than they have, they still understand what it’s like to lose somebody they love.”
“I’m just afraid I’ll hear the same old ‘have faith’ and ‘he’s in a better place’ speech. I already know I’m going hear that from my and Trey’s family and friends at the funeral. I don’t want to hear it any more than I have to.”
“That’s understandable.” Mrs. Garret pounded her mind, trying to figure out anything to change the subject. Nothing.

[ZeldaGilroy]

That was sweet between Tootie and Mrs. G. Tootie really needs her right now. I also can't wait to see how it goes with Jo watching Britney!