Charlotte's Web
Chapter 8
Several months had passed. The rumor mill ran rampant until Billie Joe had had enough. He called a small press conference and told the world that he and Adrienne were expecting, but told them that the child was indeed his, much to Adrienne's pleasure. He was also quoted saying that if anyone thought differently they could "Eat shit and die."
They never found out who had leaked them, but after a while they didn't care. In November, Adrienne was put on bed-rest. The doctor was concerned about Adrienne's small size, age, and other factors and prescribed little activity as possible until her due date, which was March 5th. She had an odd pleasure of watching Billie Joe play 'Mr. Mom' and sometimes fail horribly at it.
Brice had become a familiar fixture at the Armstrong house. Billie Joe eventually got over the fact that almost everyday he would see Brice sitting in his, Billie Joe's, chair, watching his television, waiting on his Charlotte so they could go out. Charlotte's friend Katie was also a familiar face. She often stayed entire weekends and then the next weekend Charlotte would be at her house.
Christmas time had arrived. Adrienne was six months pregnant and very temperamental. However, on this particular night, she was laughing and enjoying herself immensely as she sat on the couch with a wine glass of her favorite flavored water. It was their annual Christmas party and it was being held at her and Billie Joe's home.
The past few months, which were laced with drama, were all forgotten as people drank, ate, and Tre' attempted to tell his own rendition of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.' Billie Joe, Jason, Mike, and several other friends were all standing around the piano singing drunken choruses of 'I'll Be Home For Christmas,' while Charlotte and Brice snuggled underneath the mistletoe, out of Billie Joe's line of vision. The kids darted back and forth around the tree and Tre's circle of storytelling, each one hyped up on the fact that it was Christmas Eve.
Everyone was happy. Everyone was content. It was an odd feeling after the past few months but it was a welcomed one.
"Hey baby." Billie Joe slid off the arm of the couch so his body was behind Adrienne's. He grinned up at her from around her arm. "Havin' fun?" His speech was slightly slurred.
A grin teased the corners of Adrienne's mouth as she ran her fingers through his dark hair. "Mmmm hmmm. But I think you have had a bit too much to drink though babe."
Billie Joe's grin dropped. "Uh uh." He sounded exactly like Joey. He fell pensive for a brief moment before a smirky grin cracked over his features. "Okay, maybe a bit." He moved his head forward and kissed Adrienne's bugling belly. "I love you." His eyes moved upward to her chest. Adrienne's breasts had ballooned to a much greater size than she ever had with Joey or Jakob. "I love you two, too. Mmm hmmm, I do."
When he went up to kiss her there, Adrienne gently pulled his head back so he was looking at her eyes. "Billie, I don't think you need to drink anymore tonight."
"You're right." He agreed. He leaned down to the coffee table and picked up a random drink someone had left behind. He said, "I won't drink anything else tonight," before he backed the drink. "Starting now."
Adrienne giggled as she leaned up so he could wiggle out from behind her. She discreetly pulled the front of her shirt up. Its deep neckline was not a smart choice with her current breast-situation. Billie Joe had insisted she wear it and it was clear as to why. He sat next to her and pulled her close. He kissed her softly and Adrienne could taste the liquor on his lips before someone sat down hard on his lap.
Charlotte smiled at them perkily amid Billie Joe's groan from her sudden weight as she leaned her back on Adrienne's knees so she was laying on top of the couple.
"What do you want?" Billie Joe mock snarled as he took the glass of wine from her hand and began to drink it.
Adrienne saw it. "Charlotte, you know you're not supposed to be drinking any alcohol." She teased.
Charlotte grinned cheekily. It was obvious she had a good buzz. "Billie Joe said I could."
"Yep." Billie Joe said around the glass. "I know she's gonna drink and if she is, I rather her do it in front of me." He and Charlotte laughed together as if they had just shared a hilarious joke.
Adrienne shook her head. She had never really been completely sober during any of the get together parties. Now, she just felt like an outsider while everyone else was drinking, laughing, and having fun. She didn't understand half the jokes that were said and it was frustrating her.
"Adie," Charlotte tapped her arm. "Whose that guy?" She pointed to a tall guy with dark hair.
"Why do you want to know?" Billie Joe asked aloud. "You all ready have one."
Charlotte sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "It's not for me, it's for Katie. I'm going to hook her up."
"Really?" Adrienne checked out the guy again. "That is Sean Hawkins. He works at Adeline with us. He's a graphic designer. Seems pretty nice."
"How old is he?"
"21 I believe."
Charlotte sat up. "21? That's not bad. Katie's 17. Is he single?" After determining all the basics, Charlotte went to find Brice and Katie to eventually move over to Sean, after she snatched her almost empty wineglass away from Billie Joe.
Adrienne started to stand but was stopped when Billie Joe pulled on her arm. "Where you going? You know you're supposed to just relax. What do you want? I'll go get it."
Adrienne pulled her arm away. "I have to go pee. I'll be back in a minute." She left a corrected Billie Joe and went to the bathroom. She had to pee quite frequently as the months of her pregnancy wore on. As she was coming back, she faintly heard the phone ring. She dug the cordless phone up from a wad of mysterious garland and answered it. "Hello?"
"I will get you all. I will hunt you down and kill you one by one. Your baby's Daddy's coming home Adrienne. Remember the scotch on the rocks with a twist? Tell anyone and I'll kill your kids." The phone went silent.
They never found out who had leaked them, but after a while they didn't care. In November, Adrienne was put on bed-rest. The doctor was concerned about Adrienne's small size, age, and other factors and prescribed little activity as possible until her due date, which was March 5th. She had an odd pleasure of watching Billie Joe play 'Mr. Mom' and sometimes fail horribly at it.
Brice had become a familiar fixture at the Armstrong house. Billie Joe eventually got over the fact that almost everyday he would see Brice sitting in his, Billie Joe's, chair, watching his television, waiting on his Charlotte so they could go out. Charlotte's friend Katie was also a familiar face. She often stayed entire weekends and then the next weekend Charlotte would be at her house.
Christmas time had arrived. Adrienne was six months pregnant and very temperamental. However, on this particular night, she was laughing and enjoying herself immensely as she sat on the couch with a wine glass of her favorite flavored water. It was their annual Christmas party and it was being held at her and Billie Joe's home.
The past few months, which were laced with drama, were all forgotten as people drank, ate, and Tre' attempted to tell his own rendition of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.' Billie Joe, Jason, Mike, and several other friends were all standing around the piano singing drunken choruses of 'I'll Be Home For Christmas,' while Charlotte and Brice snuggled underneath the mistletoe, out of Billie Joe's line of vision. The kids darted back and forth around the tree and Tre's circle of storytelling, each one hyped up on the fact that it was Christmas Eve.
Everyone was happy. Everyone was content. It was an odd feeling after the past few months but it was a welcomed one.
"Hey baby." Billie Joe slid off the arm of the couch so his body was behind Adrienne's. He grinned up at her from around her arm. "Havin' fun?" His speech was slightly slurred.
A grin teased the corners of Adrienne's mouth as she ran her fingers through his dark hair. "Mmmm hmmm. But I think you have had a bit too much to drink though babe."
Billie Joe's grin dropped. "Uh uh." He sounded exactly like Joey. He fell pensive for a brief moment before a smirky grin cracked over his features. "Okay, maybe a bit." He moved his head forward and kissed Adrienne's bugling belly. "I love you." His eyes moved upward to her chest. Adrienne's breasts had ballooned to a much greater size than she ever had with Joey or Jakob. "I love you two, too. Mmm hmmm, I do."
When he went up to kiss her there, Adrienne gently pulled his head back so he was looking at her eyes. "Billie, I don't think you need to drink anymore tonight."
"You're right." He agreed. He leaned down to the coffee table and picked up a random drink someone had left behind. He said, "I won't drink anything else tonight," before he backed the drink. "Starting now."
Adrienne giggled as she leaned up so he could wiggle out from behind her. She discreetly pulled the front of her shirt up. Its deep neckline was not a smart choice with her current breast-situation. Billie Joe had insisted she wear it and it was clear as to why. He sat next to her and pulled her close. He kissed her softly and Adrienne could taste the liquor on his lips before someone sat down hard on his lap.
Charlotte smiled at them perkily amid Billie Joe's groan from her sudden weight as she leaned her back on Adrienne's knees so she was laying on top of the couple.
"What do you want?" Billie Joe mock snarled as he took the glass of wine from her hand and began to drink it.
Adrienne saw it. "Charlotte, you know you're not supposed to be drinking any alcohol." She teased.
Charlotte grinned cheekily. It was obvious she had a good buzz. "Billie Joe said I could."
"Yep." Billie Joe said around the glass. "I know she's gonna drink and if she is, I rather her do it in front of me." He and Charlotte laughed together as if they had just shared a hilarious joke.
Adrienne shook her head. She had never really been completely sober during any of the get together parties. Now, she just felt like an outsider while everyone else was drinking, laughing, and having fun. She didn't understand half the jokes that were said and it was frustrating her.
"Adie," Charlotte tapped her arm. "Whose that guy?" She pointed to a tall guy with dark hair.
"Why do you want to know?" Billie Joe asked aloud. "You all ready have one."
Charlotte sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "It's not for me, it's for Katie. I'm going to hook her up."
"Really?" Adrienne checked out the guy again. "That is Sean Hawkins. He works at Adeline with us. He's a graphic designer. Seems pretty nice."
"How old is he?"
"21 I believe."
Charlotte sat up. "21? That's not bad. Katie's 17. Is he single?" After determining all the basics, Charlotte went to find Brice and Katie to eventually move over to Sean, after she snatched her almost empty wineglass away from Billie Joe.
Adrienne started to stand but was stopped when Billie Joe pulled on her arm. "Where you going? You know you're supposed to just relax. What do you want? I'll go get it."
Adrienne pulled her arm away. "I have to go pee. I'll be back in a minute." She left a corrected Billie Joe and went to the bathroom. She had to pee quite frequently as the months of her pregnancy wore on. As she was coming back, she faintly heard the phone ring. She dug the cordless phone up from a wad of mysterious garland and answered it. "Hello?"
"I will get you all. I will hunt you down and kill you one by one. Your baby's Daddy's coming home Adrienne. Remember the scotch on the rocks with a twist? Tell anyone and I'll kill your kids." The phone went silent.