My Number One Fan

~Weekend~
“Dad,” my father said as my grandfather walked up to him. They embraced each other as my grandmother swooned over me.
“You’re just glowing,” she said as I turned my attention back to her.
“Thanks Grandma,” I said, hugging her gently.
“Oh, the first great grandchild,” she said, looking toward her husband. Grandpa Frank just smiled and wrapped his arms around me as well.
“So, I talked to the other family,” I told him. “They said they’ll be down here tomorrow.”
“Great, more time for me to figure out where to lay the bodies.” Grandpa Frank said, rubbing his hands together.
“Grandpa,” I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “I know you don’t like them, but they’re my family too, and I want you to get along with them.”
“I doubt that’ll happen,” Grandpa Frank said. “But for you I’ll give it a try.”
“Thank you,” I said, hugging him again. We left the airport and piled into cars, heading home. Jeff grabbed my hand and kissed it as we drove down the freeway.
“Eyes on the road!” Grandma Cathy yelled from the backseat. I noticed Jeff’s eyes roll, and had to suppress a giggle. He let go of my hand and placed his back on the steering wheel. The rest of the ride was silent except for my grandmother and grandfather occasionally making a comment on the scenery.
“So, you two excited?” Grandma asked as we pulled up the driveway toward mine and Jeff’s house.
“Ecstatic,” Jeff answered, slowing to a stop in our driveway. I rushed to open the door for my grandparents as my Dad and Uncle pulled up with the rest of the family. We each had an extra guest room, so everyone would be spread everywhere, even with Shannon. Shane and Christy offered us the use of their guest room, but we declined since they still had Christian waking up at all hours of the night.
“Thank you for sending the sonogram pictures,” Grandpa Frank said.
“It’s no problem,” I answered, smiling at him. They walked into the house and looked around.
“Did you two decorate?” Grandma Cathy asked.
“Yep, with some input from everyone else,” I said, looking around the living room. Matt helped with this room, and you could tell by the different varieties of candles and Chinese artifacts and pictures. A few pictures were ones Jeff painted though.
“Those are neat,” Uncle Mike said, looking at Jeff’s paintings. “Who’s the artist?”
“That would be your nephew,” I said, wrapping my arm around Jeff’s.
“Really, athlete, musician, artist? What don’t you do?” Uncle Tim asked, looking amazed.
“Absolutely nothing,” Uncle Paul answered his brother. Jeff just scratched his head and looked away. I locked our fingers together and smiled up at him.
“It’s so good to see you so happy Riley,” Grandpa Frank said.
“There’s just one thing I wish could go away,” I replied, picking at my fingernails.
“What’s that?” Uncle Dave asked. I looked up at Jeff, and he knew exactly what I was referring to.
“Her Bipolar Disease,” he answered for me.
“I didn’t know you were Bipolar,” Grandma Cathy said. I nodded and sighed, rubbing my eyes.
“My mother had it, it’s what killed her,” I replied, looking around at everyone. “She let it go untreated for too long, and it finally did her in. I’m not going to make that mistake, but I’m scared to death taking my medication now because of the baby, but it’s not stopping me from doing what I have to do.”
“Thank goodness for that,” Grandpa Frank said.
The rest of the day just went by. The family decided that since there was so many of them and so little room here, they were going to a hotel. If it was one person, I wouldn’t of agreed, but there was 3 uncles, 2 aunts, and 2 grandparents, along with the Mitchells when they got here, so I didn’t argue. It was nearly midnight by the time Jeff and I started getting ready for bed. I walked out of the bathroom after washing my face and brushing my teeth to find Jeff was already in bed asleep. I shook my head and laid beside him as he stirred and settled into a deeper sleep. I felt myself lulling to sleep as I felt his hand rest on my stomach.
The next morning, I woke up to a car horn honking. I groaned as I shifted myself around, finding the bed beside me was empty and cool. Jeff’s been awake for a while. I groaned again and looked at the clock beside my head. It was nearly noon. Cursing, I threw the blanket from my body and went to the bathroom. I quickly got dressed and put on some eyeliner and mascara. I decided to leave my hair down for the day, so I turned and walked out of the bedroom. Jeff was in the kitchen with my grandparents.
“Well, there’s the sleeping beauty,” Grandpa Frank said as I walked in.
“Why did you let me sleep so late?” I asked Jeff, ignoring my grandfather.
“You were tired,” he answered, shrugging. “You needed the rest.”
“I had things to do, now I don’t have enough time to do them in,” I said, turning around and walking toward the front door.
“If you’re talking about Walter and the rest of them they’re already here,” Jeff called from the kitchen, but his voice was louder so he was following me.
“As a matter of fact, it’s not just them,” I said, grabbing my purse and car keys. I opened the front door just as Jeff’s hand appeared on it, causing the door to slam shut.
“Move,” I said, turning to look at him.
“No, not until you tell me what’s up your ass all of a sudden.” he replied, leaning his full weight on the door.
“Well, since you forgot, I guess I’ll have to tell you, like every other thing around here,” I snarled. “I have an appointment at the pet store to pick up a certain little puppy.”
“That’s today?” Jeff asked, looking stunned. “Damn I thought that was next week.”
“No, it’s today, and I’ve been told other people has been wanting to put a down payment on him, and if we miss it today, someone else will take him tomorrow.
“Okay, fine, we’ll go.” Jeff said, moving his weight from the door. I used his moment of distraction to force myself out the door.
“What we?” I asked, running down the porch stairs and to my car. “I can do it, just entertain my grandparents, since it seems to be the only thing you can do is entertain people.” I slid behind the wheel and didn’t even bother with my seatbelt. I pulled out of the driveway, throwing gravel up as I went. As soon as I reached the road though, I pulled over to the side, instantly regretting what I said. I truly didn’t mean to say that.

~POV: Jeff~
The dust was still in the air as I continued to stare after Riley peeled out of the driveway. She was gone, but I couldn’t move. Did she mean what she just said? I wouldn’t think she did, but she’s never said anything she didn’t mean.
“Jeffrey,” Cathy’s voice said behind me. I broke out of my trance and turned to face her. “She’s Bipolar, pregnant, and stressed, don’t take anything she says seriously. The last time we were here, you two were just dating, you wasn’t married. I can see how truly happy she is with you, but her current mindset won’t let her think before she speaks.”
“I know, but she’s never said anything she hasn’t meant.” I said back, staring at the ground.
“You do a lot more than entertain people, you inspire people to be who they want to be.”
“Is that all I have though? I inspire people, okay, but what about my family? What do I do for them? Leave for weeks to months on end to make money for them. I continue this, I’ll miss a lot of milestones in my child’s life. Her first words, first steps, first everything. I don’t want that to happen.” I sighed as I turned to face Riley’s grandmother. “I want to be here for my family. I should of thought this through, with her mindset, Riley’s going to have a lot of challenges to overcome.”
“She will, and she can do it even if your on tour, don’t give up something you love because of obligations. Riley will never forgive you if you do.”
“I don’t have a choice,” I muttered, turning and walking back into the house. I knew what I had to do, the problem was getting my wife to go along with it.