You Don't Know Me | A Andy Gibb What If Story

Chapter 70

It was Andy's birthday celebration with his parents, and sister and surprisingly Maurice flew in by himself—along with a few acquaintances of his including a few friends from the AA meetings.

I had gone above and beyond the night before decorating and setting the table up. I knew it would be only for myself that would pay attention to the details.

I had also gotten some balloons and stuff set up that I had picked up the evening prior. The house looked nice.

We were now sitting waiting for the chicken to be done in the oven.

I was in the kitchen when Hugh came to check in on me.

"Did you need any help?" Hugh asked kindly.

I shook my head.

"No Mr. Gibb everything is good. I'm just waiting for the chicken to be done," I told him.

He smiled.

"You don't have to call me Mr. Gibb that's too formal," he replied.

I smiled this time.

"It's just custom for me to call someone like a parental or thing like that by Mr," I told him.

"Well you can always call me Hugh just so you know," he replied.

"I will keep that in mind," I remarked as the kitchen timer went off.

I walked to the oven and Hugh stayed where he had been standing. It looked like he had something important to say.

"I came in here to tell you thank you," he told me.

After pulling the chicken out of the oven, I turned to look at him.

"Thank me? For what?" I asked him.

"For being kind to Andy and taking him under your wing and treating him with respect. He's the happiest he's been in years and I know it's due partly because of you," Hugh said as Andy walked in.

"I thought I saw you come in here, Dad," Andy remarked.

"Yeah I was just seeing if (Y/N) needed any help," Hugh said.

I smiled. I wouldn't disclose anything Hugh had openly admitted. It made me feel good because I knew I was happy myself and it was due to the way we communicated.

"Mo was asking how much longer 'cause we had an idea for a song," Andy asked.

"Oh, dinner will be ready in about 20. The chicken's resting now so if you two want to go and work on that song go ahead," I told him.

"I'll come to get you both when it's ready," Hugh said following Andy back out of the kitchen.

I sighed in relief once they both were gone.

The dinner went off without a hitch and before I knew it, it was time for Andy to open his gifts from everyone. 

I had saved another sentimental gift to give him. It was another necklace but this time it was a necklace with his birthstone. It was a bar pendant and had the aquamarine stone.

Hugh and Barbara got him some records and other things that I hardly paid attention to.

As for everyone else, I zoned out. My nerves were getting to me. As happy as I was to be hosting his birthday, the awful thoughts of what he had told me weeks prior about his health overshadowed me. They say to live in the moment but I began to worry if this would be his last.

By 3, only Andy's parents, sister, and Maurice were still hanging out. Mo and Andy were working on the song as I began picking up the house. 

Barbara volunteered to do the dishes for me while Hugh collected all the trash. His sister Berri was helping me put away the dishes after drying them from Barbara.

"You know I feel like I don't even know you," Berri told me.

"Really?" I asked her as we finished drying the last set of the dishes.

"We should start hanging out more I mean you are family now," Berri told me.

I smiled at her comment. 

"If you are free maybe one day next week we could go shopping and hang out?" Berri asked.

"I could do maybe in 2 weeks? I've been working late so I wouldn't want to cancel suddenly on a weekday," I told her.

"Okay I'll call you and see what will work," she told me.

"Sounds good," I told her as Andy walked in with Maurice.

"How's it going in here?" Andy asked.

"Good good we tagged team the dishes," Berri told Andy.

"Dinner was lovely by the way," Andy told me.

"Thanks, honey," I told him as he and Mo went to the fridge.

I assumed they were looking for something to drink.

"I think we're gonna head out in a few," Barbara told me.

Hugh walked in around this time.

"That sounds good to me," Hugh told Barbara.

"Oh let me get you guys some cake to take," I told them.

I had gotten a sheet cake ordered and I ordered a size bigger thinking it would be better to have extra. Well, it was too much cake.

"And I won't forget the plates Mum," Berri told her.

We had made 3 plates for them to take home. I had made too much food for the day.

"It's been a great day," Barbara told me.

"Thanks for coming down. We really appreciate you coming," I told her.

"And thank you for taking care of him," Barbara told me.

I smiled at her.

"I'll run these to the car," Berri told Barbara as Andy said his goodbyes to his parents.

Andy's family besides Mo left. Then, Andy and Mo went back to working on the song again.

After a while, I joined them in the living room.

"How's the song going?" I asked.

"It's going. I still don't know about the bridge darling," Andy told me.

"He thinks it sounds terrible but I think it's a great start," Mo remarked as he handed me the paper.

One thing, Andy underestimated himself in a lot of things still. One of his strong suits was songwriting. He rarely got the credit he should have.

I looked at the paper and I thought the bridge was great. Maybe only Andy would love it if he put a demo together with music.

"Maybe the problem is, you aren't hearing the song. You are reading it," I commented.

It was like a light bulb had gone off in his head.

"I told you so," Maurice remarked.

Andy sighed.

"Well I guess we could go and work on this in Florida later and get the whole music and stuff for a demo together," he told Mo and I.

"It's funny cause I had been telling Andy that same reason why he probably didn't like the way it sounded is cause he wasn't hearing it like he heard it in his head," Maurice explained.

I smiled.

"Well, great minds think alike. I ain't musically inclined like your family but I do know I have an ear for certain things," I told him.

He chuckled. 

"That's why she's a keeper," Mo teased Andy.

Andy smiled.

And as the afternoon winded down, our little world was back to the two of us sooner than later.