Generation 1, Chapter 51



The following morning Adam was relaxing in the lab reading a book. He had splept poorly and was up early due to having the same dream about Windy cheating on him. He couldn't shake the feeling that Windy was avoiding his calls. He closed his book in disgust, knowing he wasn't paying attention to what he was reading.

He got up to put the book away, when his parents came into the lab. They obviously didn't know anyone was in there as they could barely keep their hands off each other.  Walking past them, Adam said "Why don't you get a room?"

Giggling a little Jean mumbled "I thought we were in a room."

"I think he meant our bedroom," Peter stated the obvious, chuckling a little at Adam's discomfort.

"Seriously though," Jean said stepping back from Peter "I thought we were going to talk."

"We are," Peter smiled pulling her close again "I'm just distracted."

"Maybe we should go to our room so we can take care of that distraction."

"That's a thought but Elliot is watching cartoons in our room. So I guess I'd better behave."

"Yeah I guess you should."

"So what did you want to talk about?" Peter asked.

"Well," Jean started then stopped. She hesitated to suggest having another child, but she had to know. "I was thinking that with Adam going to college soon we would have room for another child..."

"A baby? You really want another baby? I thought we agreed 5 kids, 6 if you count Windy was enough. What about our plans to travel?" Peter had been looking forward to the time when he and Jean would be alone, without the worry of raising children. Especially since he had been so young when he started his family coupled with the unexpected side effect from the cancer treatment he received his biological clock was reset, so he was barely older than his own children. He still felt older mentally but physically he had the energy and stamina of someone much younger.

"I know we discussed traveling and we still can but..." Jean stopped lifting her eyes, pleading with Peter to reconsider. "Won't you even think about it?"

"What is there to think about? No, my answer's no."

"I don't understand. Why not? We're still young enough."

"It's not that. I was looking forward to enjoying time together. Just the two of us."

"We can still have that. Please won't you consider it, for me?"

Peter wasn't ready to drop his plans for the future. He felt like he was being pressured to give in just to make Jean happy but what about his needs? He didn't want to have another child. However looking at Jean and the sadness in her eyes he didn't have the heart to tell her no. "I'll think about it."

The twins were upstairs in the middle of another heated argument.

"Why didn't you tell me Elias called?"

Shrugging Corina replied "I'm not your answering service. Besides he'll call back. What's the big deal?"

"What's the big deal? I could have met up with him hours ago. Now I'll be lucky to get an hour before I have to be home again."

"It's not my fault you left your cell phone lying around and missed his call."

"But you answered it," Doloris said her frustration rising. Why couldn't she have simply told her? "You're so inconsiderate!"

"Me? What about you? You're impossible, always demanding special treatment."

"I don't. If one of your boyfriends had called I would have told you. It's the considerate thing to do. You used to be nice, what happened to you?"

"Things change. Get used to it. I'm not the 'good girl' anymore."

"You can say that again. You must be taking lessons from Vallari."

"I'm nothing like that woman," Corina said wanting to make her sister eat those words. Just because she wanted a little fun didn't mean she was evil. Neither did forgetting to tell Doloris about Elias' phone call made her bad. "You better get a move on or you won't even have an hour with your lover."

"I'm so mad I could scream," Doloris yelled as she ran to her room to change. She hated losing an argument even worse than not finishing one. But she didn't want to waste anymore time on her idiot sister than she had already.

Elias was waiting for Doloris outside the book store. The store was closing and Elias knew that this date was more because he wanted to see Doloris than anything else.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Doloris said as she ran up. "My stupid sister didn't tell me you called."

"It's ok, you're here now."

 

"It's not ok. I've been waiting for your call all day and when it comes I miss it."

"I thought you said it was your sister's fault."

"It is. She knew I was waiting for your call."

"Why? Did you tell her you waiting for my call?"

"Well, no. But she should've known. I'd have told her if one of her 'boyfriends' called. It's the least she could have done."

Elias could tell she was winding herself up again when he said "As much as I would love to here all about how awful your sister is. That isn't why I wanted to see you."

"Oh? Then why?"

"Well I've been dreaming of doing this," Elias pulled Doloris close and brought his lips to hers and kissed her softly.

"Mmm this is better than talking about Corina."

"I thought so," Elias chuckled.

"I'm going to miss this when you graduate,"

"Who says we have to stop?" Elias asked "Your parents know we're dating. Will they make us stop, just because I'll be eighteen?"

"They haven't said anything and I haven't asked."

"Then we'll continue as we are until someone says otherwise."

Elias smiled as he once again brought her close "But right now all I want to do is kiss your luscious lips."

"Look at the time," Doloris said as she realized it was past curfew. "I have to go."

"One more kiss before you go?" Elias asked hopefully.

"One more."

They parted, each going a different direction. Doloris was almost to where she had left her car when a patrol car pulled up beside her.

"Stop right there young lady," a voice commanded. The police officer got out of her squad car shining a bright light at Doloris. "Do you have any idea how late it is?"

"Yes Ma'am," Doloris answered politely "I was on my way home. My car's right over there," she waved towards the car parked in the corner.

"Well it's your lucky night. You get a free ride home and," the officer said enjoying her own joke "you get to enjoy my company."

Inwardly Doloris groaned as she slumped in the passenger seat beside the officer. Would she ever shut up? They arrived at her house and thanks to the officers call, Peter was up to meet them.

"Thank you officer for bringing my daughter home."

"Just doing my job," the officer stated "Here is the impound ticket. You'll need that to retrieve her car. Good night sir."

Peter glanced at the impound ticket "$500, $200 for towing and $300 for storage fees. This is coming out of your allowance young lady."

"I'll never get that paid off. My allowance isn't big enough."

"Then get a job," Peter stated.

"A job! That'll take too much of my time. I already don't have enough thanks to school and homework."

"Welcome to the real world. But you'll have plenty of time now that your grounded for the next two weeks."

"That's not fair."

"Four weeks. Want to try for six?"