The whole Eve family was out in the families backyard playing their ritual birthday game, volleyball.
Bridget didn't play the first round, instead she was running around the back yard, playing hide and seek with her niece and nephew's. Besides the four of them, the rest of the gang was having a good ol' time playing volleyball. Screaming and yelling everytime there was a big play. Bridget had gotten alarmed the first few times they had yelled, but after Bridget had a few margaritas she was feeling loose and free.
"Bee! We need some help on this side and we know you'll win the game for us!" Monica excitedly called.
"Not fair! At least finish the damn game, first!" Blake was agitated because he knew how good Bee was.
Elisha gave Blake a stern look, straight in the eye. Elisha didn't have to say anything for Blake to understand. Blake instantly took a couple steps back into his position and said no more, waving the palm of his hands at his mom, gesturing that he was sorry.
Elisha didn't want anyone to mess anything up for her daughter. Monica was trying to get Bridget to come play, and join her family in one of Bridget's favorite activity's.
"No one can watch the kids then." Bridget frowned.
"Aunt Bee!" Jay yanked on Bee's arm, in frustration.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Jay... I know, you are not a kid, you're a man." Bee smiled, and ruffled up her nephew's hair.
"I need a break anyway... Play for me?" Monica asked.
"Um.. Sure...." Bridget hesitated.
She didn't know how good she was with volleyball, anymore. She usually made the excuse of watching the kids at the last couple family get togethers. Bridget did not want to let down her family, if she lost the game, just because of a foolish mistake she made.
"C'mon Bridge!" Blake insisted on her to play now.
Bridget got to her position and at first was a little rusty, and continually apologized to her mother and father that were on her team.
"Bee, stop being sorry. We're just here to have fun, it's not a big deal to lose." Julian patted his daughter on the back.
"I know... I just... I don't want to let you down."
"Bridge, shut up, and play the damn game! Loosen up and have some fun!" Bruce ran over to give his sister a hug, playfully telling her those things, making Bridget feel a little more comfortable back in the game.
"Get ready to go down!" Elisha declared to her sons.
"Well, duh! You have Bridget. It's pretty obvious that we're going down." Blake sighed, but chuckled.
Bridget finally got the swing of things again. Monica joined the other side, so it was an even number of players on each team. Bridget hit 'em and hit 'em, like she had never stopped playing, and her team won.
They wound up playing two more games and Bridget's team won each time.
"Yeah!!! That's my girl!" Elisha shouted, pulling her daughter into a hug, after winning the third game.
"Tony, what are you doing?!" Monica shouted in disgust.
Everyone's eyes glanced over to Tony, seeing that he was yanking grass out of the ground and feeding it to Beeatrice.
Tony immediately stopped what he was doing and blushed at the sight of everyone's eye's on him.
"She was mooing at me.." Tony tried to defend himself.
"No, Tony! You do not feed grass to your sister. She's not an animal!" Monica walked over to her son, pulling the grass out of his hand.
"Well... In Tony's defense, cows do eat grass..." Bruce added in.
"Bruce, do not even start with me! Is your daughter a cow?" Monica's voice turned stern, frustrated with her tipsy husband.
"Sorry, sorry! It's the beer talking!" Bruce replied, pointing to the beer can in his hand.
"I love you.." Bruce added while his wife's face changed from anger to a small, sweet smile.
"It was kind of funny.. Just not around the kids.. And, I love you too." Monica whispered in her husband's ear.
Bridget was giggling from the conversation, while she was standing there with some joy in her heart again... Bridget couldn't remember the last time she had felt this way... Bridget asked herself, 'why today, all of a sudden am I asking myself these questions, and feeling somewhat cheerful? Why today?'
Maybe it was because she had a few margaritas, however the most logically reason is because Ryan isn't around..
Bridget had not thought of Ryan and that was for the best... He was out of her mind for the time being, and her family was trying to keep it that way, and for Bee to stay at ease.
Everyone was taking a break from sports, relaxing outside before dinner. They all had wonderful conversations and of course, Bruce would make his witty, sarcastic jokes now and then, making everyone chuckle.
"Dinner is ready!!" Elisha shouted from the kitchen, coming out the back door to see who was hungry.
"Let's go eat!" Bruce hollered to his kids.
"If we eat now, we'll be able to play another round of volleyball before it gets too dark." Julian told Bridget as they walked to the door.
"Yeah... Let's eat fast, I wanna play another game!" Bridget announced, then she jogged inside.
Everyone was left speechless from Bridget's actions..
"Don't say anything..." Elisha whispered, not wanting anyone to ruin Bridget's happiness.
"She's happy! Can't you hear it in her voice, and see her glowing smile? Oh my.. It's a good day." Elisha grinned from ear to ear, which everyone else did as well. They all agreed with Elisha, they could tell Bridget was acting more cheerful.
Bridget had a twinkle back in her eyes, a smile that glowed, a spring in her step, and a song in her heart.. Bridget felt unstoppable in this moment, and it almost seemed like her true self was peeking through... Almost.
However, she did not know what was yet to come... There was much, much more that was heading Bridget's way today, and it most definitely would zap the twinkle out of her eyes.
~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~
Hey there!
Sorry for the short chapter, and also if this is going too slow.. I want you all to get to know all the characters a little more before the story really gets going! :)
Let me know what you think.
Comment & Vote, pretty please!
& Again, thank you very much.
Lots
Of
Love.
Xo.
