Happily Ever After

Forty Seven~ Road Trip

Jenna

After a very eventful few days in Chicago it was kind of a good thing that we were going to Vegas. I love that city with all my heart and that's home to me, but there's a lot of baggage there. I haven't left that place since we moved there and I think it's high time I spread my wings. Get to know Kris on a deeper level and show Mary that there is more to this life than what she knows in Chicago.

Since Kris is extremely anti flying we take turns driving out to Vegas. It's a 24 hour drive without stops so we had a hotel for a night before finishing the drive. Luckily for us Mary knocks out on car rides or it would but nothing but Disney sing alongs the whole way there. But she sleeps peacefully with her Olaf stuffed animal stuck under her arm.

"So, how are you feeling" Kris wonders as he drives. His hand reached over sitting on my thigh as my hand rests on top of his.

"Feeling about what" I wonder. That's a very intricate question with many different answers. And if I don't need to bring up some shit I don't need to.

"Coming to Vegas. I know your brother showing up was a shock to you and if you don't want to do a lot we can stay at the house we're renting. We don't have to do anything for thanksgiving, we can just hang out with Mary and watch football" he assures me.

I squeeze his hand as I smile at him. "I appreciate that darlin', but I'm gonna be fine. If god puts you to it he will put you through it. I'll be okay" I promise.

"It's okay not to be okay" he reminds me. "I don't want you to feel like you have to be okay all the time. I understand that you want to be able to grieve and hurt before moving on. Even if you're on good terms with your brother I don't expect you to feel great after seeing him. You haven't seen him since you were in Texas and I know all that baggage came with seeing him again. I can see it in your eyes" he accuses.

"It was hard, there's not doubt about it, but I needed that. Some kind of closure from my younger days.  We got the short end of the stick and I forgot about that for a while. But just because I forgot doesn't mean the problems were fixed. It just mean that it was pushed to another day to be fixed. And I did a lot of fixin' with Cameron. I got some thing off my chest because I know he would understand because he was there. He saw what happened, his room was right next to mine he knew what went down. And he was just as helpless as I was in that situation. But seeing each other and being to just talk without being afraid to say something allowed us to heal. And I'm still healing but I promise you Kris, I want to be here with you. I want to meet your family and do something new for once" I promise.

"You sure" he asks one more time.

"Positive" I smile.

After driving for two days we arrive in Vegas around 6 at night. Kris helps me unpack and we were going to join his parents for dinner to catch up.

"I'm tired" Mary whines as she jumps on the bed.

"You're tired" I gasp. "Baby you haven't been driving for two days" I argue.

"No. But being this cute takes a lot out of you" she claims and I raise a eyebrow at hear.

"And where did you hear that" I question.

"Joe" she admits.

"Joe" I mumble. Of course it was Joe.

"Well you're going to have to wake up because we're going to dinner shortly. So pull yourself together" I tease.

"Fine. But only because you're feeding me" she insists.

I swear that girl is the sweetest when she is with everyone else but only sassy with me.

Once we were all set we get to Kris' parents house and they give us the tour. Kris' dad takes Mary and Kris to their indoor batting practice facility and I hang out with his mom like I did back in Ohio for the allstar game. She was working on dinner and I was still learning my way around the kitchen so I make sure I watch her closely and listen.

"So how have you been? It's been a while since I saw you last" she admits.

"It's been a hot second" I agree. "But I've been good. Work has been going well and leaving that city was hard. All my clients and I have a good relationship and we've made progress, but the pyramids weren't made over night y'know. Progress happens over a period of time so me coming here let's them get me out of their head for a little while and they can see how far they've come and how far they have to go" I explain.

"That's really good to hear. And how has my boy been treating you" she wonders.

I just smile as I turn to her. "He's been incredible. We recently moved in with him and it's only been a week and some change but I have enjoyed a lot of it. He's so laid back and he can't tell Mary no so we're enjoying it" I giggle.

"I couldn't tell that little girl no either" she laughs with me.

"I know what you mean. Luckily all she wants form Kris is a father figure and he is one of the few men I can look at and believe that they were meant to be fathers. But looking at his dad it's not hard to see why" I insist.

"My boys like to act tough and rowdy when I know that not so deep down they're soft. I'm talking my husband went out of his way to get some stuff for Mary to play with while she's at the house soft" she chuckles.

"I love that. And I know Mary appreciates that too. She hasn't had men in her life and I'm so lucky that she can grow up to believe that not all men are awful like I did" I admit.

"I would hate to be the guy who breaks her heart. He's got a lot of heat coming his way" she smiles.

"That he does, but I don't think he's making it past me anyway" I joke.

"What about you? You thought about having kids of your own" she wonders.

I just shrug as a soft sigh passes my lips. "I've thought about it a little bit but I don't really know what to think. I love Mary like she's my own but she's not. I didn't have to carry her and feed her and go through all of that. I don't know if I'm ready for that yet" I defend.

"But you want kids eventually" she insists.

"I do" I smile.