Chapter 8

That weekend was the most fun I'd ever had in my life. I began to realize just how much having a family was going to mean to me, and I really couldn't wait to get back home. I didn't tell my folks about Ray, because I wanted to see the look of joy on my mother's face when I gave her Ray to hold. My stepfather had no children of his own from his first marriage, and he found out after marrying Mom that he was sterile. My son would be like THEIR son, and I wanted Angie to see their reaction. I knew she knew my mom had remarried, but she had never met my stepfather, and I did not tell her much about him other that to say he was a wonderful person and husband to my mother.

Yvette stayed at school that week because Steve came up for the wedding. But Sharon did not - Steve said she didn't want to intrude on Angie and I. Jeannie and my new family rode home together, and Angie had to almost fight Jeannie to get Ray. I smiled to myself. I knew when my sister finally settled down (if ever) she was going to have a large family.

We arrived back home Sunday night tired and happy. My mother was waiting in the living room and my stepfather was in the kitchen. I had told Angie to wait until I signalled her to bring Ray in, I wanted to surprise my parents. She quickly agreed and she stayed in the car, breast feeding Ray. That was so sexy, that she had to shove me out of the car, or I would have happily sucked on her other breast. She gave me her wicked smile and told me she'd make it up to me later.

Jeannie wanted to tell bad, but I made her promise not to. I even threatened to tell Janie that Jeannie had decided to try a woman and wanted her to come over tonight. Jeannie's horrified expression had both Angie and I laughing.

When I kissed Mom she asked if Angie and I were all right. That was what I had been waiting for.

"Mom, Angie and I are engaged (Mom's smile was very wide), and she has a surprise for you and Dad (I called my stepfather Dad, too because he was almost as good a man as my real father). I think you'll like it. ANGIE, come in now!"

Mom was a little surprised that Angie was with me, but Dad had a knowing grin on his face that was completely washed off when he saw Angie and Ray. Mom had not seen Ray yet as she was still looking at me. I motioned Angie over and she put Ray in Mom's lap. Mom went white and then started crying. She picked Ray up and her face radiated such joy I thanked God for giving him to me. Dad reached over and stroked Ray's face. Ray just cooed and smiled.

"Mom, meet your grandson. His name is Ray." That started another bout of crying, but this time Dad was crying to. He knew of my father and respected him a great deal.

Jeannie could no longer stand it and started to take Ray from Mom. Mom just looked at her and said. "You are NOT taking my first grandchild from me just yet. You can have him later tonight. First, I want to see his mother."

Angie came over looking kind of apprehensive. Mom gave Ray to Dad and took Angie in her arms and hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. Tears were running down both their cheeks and Mom spoke "Angie, since the first day I met you, I knew you would be my daughter-in-law. I knew Oscar didn't know it yet, and I'm sure you didn't either, but the look in the two of your eyes I knew very well. You see, it's the same look Oscar's father and I had when we first met. Now I find out that you've given me my dream. Another child to love and see grow up. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Mom got all choked up and she sat there quietly.

Angie looked almost pained. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but she waved me off. "Mom, (Mom had insisted Angie call her that after we'd been together six months), it breaks my heart to have to take Ray away from you, but I have to find some place to live until Oscar and I can marry. I'm not going back to my folks, there is nothing to return to there, and I need to find a job. Do you know of any inexpensive apartments around here?" She was not happy about what she had just said.

Dad finally found his voice after gazing at Ray in wonder for these last few minutes. "Yeah, I know of a real cheap one, in fact, its very close to here. You've even spent some time there before."

I could almost see him smile inwardly. He wanted Angie to figure it out herself. I gave him a wink and he returned it when Angie wasn't looking. Mom gave me a smile, too. Jeannie had gone upstairs earlier to get Angie's room ready for her, she gave me an OK sign from the top of the stairs signaling it was ready. Time to give my fiancee HER surprise.

"Honey, I have something to show you. We'll ask Dad about it later." I gave her a wicked grin like she gave me earlier, she looked stunned, but recovered quickly.

"What about Ray?"

Mom laughed at her. "Don't worry, I've been waiting seventeen years to have a baby to care for again. Let an old woman have some fun." Dad and I almost simultaneously said "You're not an old woman" and we all laughed.

Angie and I went upstairs and I let her lead. She headed for my room, but I ducked into Yvette's old room to wait with Jeannie. It took a couple of minutes, but she came in and stopped dead in her tracks, a look of utter astonishment in her face.

On the back wall of the bedroom was a banner that read "Welcome home sister-in-law." the bed had our favorite sheets and pillow cases on it, the dressers had all her clothes neatly put away, and her school books were resting on the chair. Her dresses were hung neatly in the closet, but the crowning touch for me was the bright orange arrow pointing to my room that simply said "Entrance to Paradise". Angie promptly fainted. I ran to her, scooped her up in my arms and laid her on the bed.

She came to and saw me. "Sweetheart I had this most won... its not a dream is it?"

"No, honey, this your room now, and it will be until we have our room. And in case you're wondering - listen."

Jeannie flipped on a tape recorder. "Hi, Angie, this is Yvette. I hope my new sister-in-law likes her new digs. I doubt you'll be spending much time in there, though if I know my horny brother. Enjoy them. I can't think of a nicer person to keep my old room in the family. 'til we meet again."

Angie was speechless, then she hugged me and called Jeannie over and hugged her too.