2.4--Taking the Plunge

A few days after the engagement of Feng and Olive, another event was to take place; Adamaris's birthday.
I swear, ALL of my chapters start with a birthday. 0_0

The Dennis family was pretty excited, although Olive wasn't sure she was ready to see her baby grow up.
While Hayley looked slightly perturbed by the proximity of her brother-in-law.

But ready or not, Adamaris morphed into a beautiful little girl.
Who also looks slightly perturbed for some reason.

After the cake was eaten, Olive took it upon herself to play the dutiful hostess and talk to the guests; particularly Feng's family whom she had only had the opportunity to meet once.

"I'm glad you and Feng found each other." Mae, Feng's sister, began.

Olive laughed. "Me too."

"I'm serious.  We were starting to think he was a lost cause.  I mean, he hasn't had a true girlfriend since high school and even that relationship was debatable."

"What do you mean 'debatable?'"

Mae smiled. "I'm pretty sure she was just dating him so he would do her homework.  Feng was the premier nerd at our school; granted I was in my last year of high school when he was just entering so I didn't get to see the full brunt of it while I was there."

"You are aware that I'm standing right here, right?" Feng interrupted, blushing.

Olive took his hand. "Don't worry, Feng.  Nerds turn me on."

"Prove it.  We could always sneak away for a bit."

Mae laughed. "Aaaand this is my cue to leave the conversation."

Olive whispered in Feng's ear. "And this is our cue to find a secluded spot... and quickly."

The bathroom seemed like a logical choice for naughty time.

Once all of the guests had left, Adamaris made herself comfortable in the new room her parents and grandparents had furnished for her.  She gaped and awed at all the new stuff before finally falling asleep, excited for her first day of school the next morning.

The Next Day...

"So... are you excited to start school? There will be a lot of kids to befriend, and homework to do, and trouble to evade..."

"I won't get into trouble!" Adamaris interrupted.

Corrigan laughed. "I wasn't implying anything, dearest niece.  I'm just giving you a heads up; and also letting you know that I'll be there at school... watching you."  

Corrigan made a promise to himself to watch over Ada.  Almost everyone in Twinbrook knew about Olive and Randy's relationship and now that Randy had joined the police force people were starting to believe that Olive was intentionally keeping Randy and Ada separated as a means of payback, not protection or circumstance.  He didn't want those rumors getting to Adamaris or Olive, if he could help it.

"You... you'll be... wa-watching me?" Adamaris stammered.

"Yep, but don't get so flustered.  It's not you I'm worried about."

"What do you mean?"

"Kids can be cruel Mar.  Just don't take anything they say seriously; If they dare to say anything at all, but don't worry about it.  Have fun on your first day and know that I've got your back in case anything happens.  See you there!"

Adamaris nodded, not fully understanding what her uncle meant.

After Adamaris got ready, Olive and Mya drove her to her first day of school.

"You nervous sweetheart?" Olive asked.

Ada shrugged. "Not really."  She *was* nervous after her conversation with Uncle Snuffle, but decided to keep that to herself.

"You know, I remember when your mother and aunt were so nervous for their first day of school that they tried to get out of it by faking sick."

"I did not mother! That was totally all Sybil. I booby-trapped the bathroom, remember?"

Mya laughed. "Oh I certainly remember.  Poor Sybil had to shower three times to get that dye out of her hair."

Olive sighed. "One of my best pranks to date."

"Hey! How come you never told me this mom?" Adamaris interrupted.

"Because I didn't want to give you any ideas that might fuel a rebellious streak." Olive winked.

"But I'm not rebellious."

"I know and I would like to keep it that way."

"Have a good first day Mar. I can't believe how fast you are growing!" Olive said while pulling her into a hug.

"Mooooommmm-" Adamaris said dramatically, "-I'm going to school, not moving out."

"I know, I know. It's just... it feels like yesterday when you were just a little baby."

"It was just yesterday that I was little baby."

Olive laughed. "Go to school and stop correcting your mother."

"Not so fast!" Mya said, halting Adamaris.  "I've been waiting years to be the embarrassing grandmother."

Adamaris started to back away, her eyes wide.  She knew what was coming. "There's kids out here grandma!"

"Exactly!" Mya quickly elapsed the space in-between them and gave her granddaughter a good pinch on the cheek.  "Be a good wittle girl at school now, baby Ada-Mar-Mar!"

Adamaris wiggled her way out of Mya's reach. "Thanks grandma... for everything." She said sarcastically.

Mya shrugged. "That's what I'm here for."

"Are you okay Olive?"

"Yeah.  How did you do it, mom?"

"Do what?"

"Deal with us growing up?"

Mya laughed. "I didn't... trust me.  I still have problems realizing that you and Syb are on your own.  Not to mention Snuffle almost being an adult."

"So how do you cope?"

"Well, it's all a matter of perspective.  You have children, you love and raise them, and then they move on.  It is all a part of life and there's nothing you can really do about it except support them and be there for them when they need you most."

Olive sighed. "So what you are saying is, it doesn't get any easier?"

"Nope. But it does get better. Especially when you see your children mature and start a life of their own knowing that you helped them be successful in whatever manner they found it."

"Do you consider my life successful?" Olive asked nervously.

"Of course I do.  You've had your bumps and bruises along the way, as all of us do, but look at you now.  You're a loving mother with a wonderful fiance and a budding career.  You found success Olive, you just need to realize it."

Olive smiled. "Thanks ma."

Mya patted her hand. "You're welcome."

Once home, Mya, Robert, and Olive decided to go swimming... but Olive wasn't in the pool long before she was complaining of nausea.

And then rushing off to the bathroom.

Robert felt bad for being happy while his daughter was so sick, but he knew what this was a sign of and he couldn't be happier to welcome another grandchild into the world.

"Wipe that grin off of your face, Mr. Dennis!" Mya smirked.

"I will not." He winked. "Looks like we'll be the proud grandparents of another baby."

Mya laughed. "Well at least it's happening in the semi-correct order this time."

"And with someone she loves." Rob added.

Mya smiled.  "That too."

The next night, while Feng was sleeping, Olive began to finally show.  She was worried she might be legitimately sick as the last day or so she has been hovering over the toilet like it was her salvation.

"You're a welcome relief." Olive mused as she rubbed her belly. "Now it's time to tell everyone else."

So the next evening when the whole family was home, Olive broke the news.

Feng was ecstatic, albeit a little bit scared.  Sure he was great with Ada, but there was no telling what this next child would be like.

Corrigan was a bit too tired to process the information and stammered a "congrats sis" before stumbling off to bed.

Robert boasted that his grandparent-senses had been tingling since yesterday. "I knew it! I friggin' knew it!" He said enthusiastically.

Mya, on the other hand, wanted Olive to know that she meant it when she said she wanted enough grand-babies to fill her wallet. "And don't you forget it." She warned, playfully.

Olive laughed. "We'll see about that."

Adamaris was the only one left to tell.  Olive hoped to be able to tell Ada privately as she wasn't sure how she was going to take it; so she grasped the first opportunity to get her daughter alone in her room.

"There's something I need to tell you." Olive said hesitantly, not wanting to broach the subject too bluntly in case it would upset Ada.

"What?"

"Well... it looks like you're going to have a little brother or sister very soon."

Adamaris began to jump up and down excitedly. "Really?! Do you think it will be a boy or a girl?!! I have some toys that a boy might like, but we should go to the toy store and get some for both, just in case. Can I help decorate their room?"

Olive laughed. "Whoa there, Mar.  Slow down!  You're going to have a system malfunction if you keep asking questions at that rate."

"Can I help name it?  Like you got to name Uncle Snuffle?"

"Just for the record, Snuffleupagus was your grandmother's cruel form of a joke.  Sybil and I named him Corrigan.  And I don't see why you couldn't chip-in, in the naming department.  Goodness knows me and your father can't decide on one. Tell you what, make a list of names that you like and when we figure out the sex, we'll pull one out of a hat."

Adamaris smiled. "Okay! Can we still go toy shopping?"

"For you or the baby?" Olive asked laughing.

Adamaris shrugged. "Can't it be for both?"

"You, young lady, are too smart for your own good.  Now get into bed and I'll read you a story."

Two Days Later...

Once the tumult of getting the baby all set up was taken care of, Feng pushed for a quick backyard wedding to make their family official.  Olive knew that their budding family was official with or without a slip of paper, but gave into Feng's wishes.  She was happy just being engaged for the rest of their lives, but she knew that this meant a lot to him; so a wedding was planned by Feng while Olive took care of the logistics of fitting her very pregnant belly into a wedding gown.

Thankfully for Olive, Feng's sister was well-known within the fashion career and was able to whip up a quick dress for the event.

"You look nice, sis." Corrigan offered.

"Yeah well... it wouldn't be possible without Mae.  I looked amorphous in all the dresses I tried on yesterday."

Corrigan laughed. "I don't know. I kind of liked the yellow one you brought home."

"You mean the one that made me look like a fat banana? Yeah, no thanks."

"Well I like this one.  It makes you look like a... robust flower?"

Olive laughed while punching Corrigan in the shoulder. "Shut up!"

As soon as all the guests arrived, Feng and Olive decided to tie the knot.
This time it was Hayley's turn to show up in her wedding gown. 0_0

"I can't believe I actually convinced someone to marry me." Feng mused aloud.

"I can't believe it either."

"Hey! Aren't you supposed to console me and tell me that I'm so totally awesome that there's no way I was staying single for long."

Olive laughed. "If that's the answer you were expecting, then you married the wrong lady."

Feng smiled. "Nah. I married the right one."

Once the "official" business was over, Feng went to hug Adamaris and let her know that he would always be there for her as a father...

...and then ushered the Dennis family to the dance floor; where everyone showed off their mediocre dance moves.

But the Dennis clan didn't care that they looked like dancing idiots, they were just happy to be together... in whatever form that was possible.

--------------------------------------------

A close-up of the gorgeous Adamaris:

Seriously, she's really pretty. The Dennis' are apparently incapable of producing ugly chilluns... for now at least. 0_0


Some outtakes from Ada's Birthday/the Wedding:

Grandpa Cho is upset he missed the cake.

Tanya Cho, Feng's niece, really doesn't like the Dennis'.

Strike a pose!

Mya; the incredible she-hulk.  Seriously, how is she carrying that cake? She looks perplexed/worried about the logistics as well.

Anyway, here are the real updates:

• Rob is officially at level 10 of the PI career. Woot!
• Feng is at level 2 of the Science career (lab tech)
• Olive is still at level 1 of the Athletic Trainer career, but she is friggin' muscular already.
• Haboob (the gnome that scared the shit out of Sybil) is >>dead<<. : (
• I had Olive get two tattoos to make up for the week I missed (whoops!), which will be debuted next chapter.
• I keep forgetting to invite Feng's family to parties (hence Grandpa Cho missing out on the festivities), but they often show up on their own anyway... it's really cute.

Whew! I *think* that covers everything, besides the crap-tastic situation of having to can the Dennis' soon. Four more chapters to go and I'll be moving on to Harper (unless my computer goes kaboom! again).  Can't wait!

*dances*