Be There

*about one year later*

We're all bustling around Tre's parents house on Christmas Eve, right before dinner.
"Billie Joe still isn't here," Tre's mother says, clicking her teeth.
"Yeah I should call the dummy up," Mike laughs as he pulls out his cell phone.
"Do you need help with anything?" I ask glancing around the kitchen.
"Yes! Salad," Tre's mom says eagerly. I go to the fridge to get lettuce and stuff, "What happened to my son?"
"Yes Mommy?" Tre asks jokingly as he returns to the kitchen from some unknown place.
"Set the table."
"Don't I get any help," He whines as he picks me up from where I'm standing. I let out a little yelp.
"Yup, as soon as Billie Joe arrives, he'll help you." Brittney and Tre's sister Lori just start laughing.
"Someone check on the gravy!" Tre's mom demands.

Once everything is under control and we're just waiting for the turkey (and the Armstrongs) we stand around the kitchen chatting, casually leaning against the counter tops. Frankito and Stella were watching TV with Tre's father in the living room.

"Ten bucks Bill got lost," Mike laughs, his arm slung casually around Brittney.
"Nope." I shake my head as Tre pulls me closer to him, "He keeps having to pull over for bathroom breaks."
"But Mike dear," Tre's mother questions, "Didn't you call him?"
"The operator said his phone is out of service." Mike replies, Tre and I just laugh.
"What's so funny?" Tre's mother demands.
"Billie has the slight tendency to break his cell phones," Tre mutters. He kisses my neck gently, Mike doesn't even seem to flinch at this anymore. We've been openly going out for more than a year now.
"What about Adie's cell?" I ask casually.
"Right," Mike says pulling out his cell phone once again. "Hey Adie, where are you guys? . . . . alright, I'll put you on the phone with Mrs. Wright." He hands his phone to Tre's mom.

"Yes dear? Oh I know where you are, okay turn right at the playground . . . .okay now go straight ahead till you see the church . . . . .okay, I think it's Ashton St. turn left . . .great well not turn right on Kennedy. . . .alright good." She hands the phone back to my brother.

Mrs. Wright looks over the food on the counter.
"Oh Myla," she says quickly, "You forgot to put feta in the salad."
"Feta?" I question.
"Oh yes it's very tasty."
"Mom, that stuff is nasty," Tre whines. I peck his cheek as I head over to the fridge and pull out the container of the Greek cheese. I open it and the smell makes me want to puke.
"Oh god this stuff is horrid," I gasp. "I think it's expired." Mike snatches it from me and smells it.
"No, it's perfectly fine, stop being such a drama queen." He says rolling his eyes.
"But doesn't it just want to make you puke." I insist, "that did not smell like normal feta."
"I just bought it," Mrs. Wright says, clicking her tongue as she takes a whiff. "It's fine."
"Is everyone's sense of smell dulled?" I ask dumbfounded. Tre's mother looks me square in the eye.

"Have you been feeling nauseous and dizzy all day?"
"Yeah, I'm probably coming down with migraine," I say, pushing my hair out of my face casually, "Where's the Tylenol?"
"I think I have some," Lori says going over to her purse.
"Do your boobs feel sore?" She asks. I glare at Tre, yeah he likes to grope my chest when we're getting it on but how the hell is that any of her business. I'm actually disgusted that she asked such a thing.

"Are you suggesting Tre got my sister pregnant?" Mike demands.
"Well how else do you explain her disgust of perfectly good feta?" She exclaims. Lori and Brittney just laugh.

"Hey we're here," Billie says as the front door is heard opening, Joey and Jakob run off to the living room. Billie and Adie come into the kitchen, "What did we miss?"
"Myla might be pregnant," Brittney informs. "They used the feta pregnancy test."
"Okay! People I'm not preg-" I stop for a moment and glance at Tre. "I might be pregnant."
"Just go and buy a damn test," Frank Senior says, obviously aggravated by this conversation. "Boy! Get your ass out there and buy her a test." Everyone just laughs.

"Well go," Tre's mother says laughing. "The turkey still has another half hour." Tre and I had outside only to see Billie's car is blocking all the rest. We go back into the house.
"Billie your damn car is blocking mine," Tre says, pissed. Billie chucks his keys at Tre's head.
"Take my car then, just don't take the test in my car."

"Wow, we could be having a baby," Tre says as we get into the car.
"Yeah, never would I thought of this when I first met you," I laugh as we pull out of the driveway.
"What? You didn't want to have my green haired babies?" he says in mock insult.
"Nope, I just never got past the thought of having my way with you," I say laughing. "Why aren't there any pharmacies closer to your parent's house?"
"Yeah honestly, especially with such a high demand for pregnancy tests on Christmas Eve."
"Grocery store!" I yelp, "They probably sell tests!" he turns into the parking lot of the twenty-four hour grocery store.

We run out of the car and into the store. I grab Tre's hand and lead him to the woman's products. "Why do they hide them?!" Tre says aggravated as we look through the aisle.

"I know they should so put pregnancy tests out in the open," I say as I pass the tampons for a third time.
"Aha!" Tre exclaims holding up in a box. "Any brand of preference?"
"Oh yes Tre, for the past few months I prefer . . . . oh wait! I don't have pregnancy scares on the regular basis," I say cynically. He just laughs as we head to the cash.

"I can't wait," I say hopping around in the line.
"Start thinking pee thoughts so when we get back you can take it right away," Tre suggests. "If you are pregnant, will Mike kill me?"
"Nah, he's cool now, unless he's been cutting down on cigarettes lately," I say smirking evilly. He pays for the test and we head back to the car.
"That's not funny," Tre pouts, "I only have one ball, and I want to keep it."
"Don't worry, I'll protect your precious ball," We get into the car and Tre drove hurriedly back to his parents' house.

"Got the test!" I yelp as we run into the house, I pull Tre into the washroom with me.
"You know Myla, you only need your pee on that test, not Tre's." Mike's voice sounds from the other side of the door.
"Shut-up," I mutter as I sit on the toilette. Tre is watching me from his seat on the counter. We hear bustling from outside the door. "You know I can't go if I know you're all standing by the door!"
"Fuck," I hear Adie mutter. Tre runs up to the door and puts his ear against it.
"It's clear."

I finally manage to piss on the test stick and I place it in the sink. I grab Tre's wrist and look at his watch. "Nothing to do but wait."
"Did she pee yet?" we hear Billie ask.
"Yes Bill she did," Tre says, rolling his eyes.
"Well how much longer till I find out if I'm becoming an uncle?" Mike demands. Tre glances at his watch.
"Ten minutes, now leave us alone."
"She's my sister!" Mike yells.
"She's my fiancée!" Tre yells.
"Fiancée?" I ask cocking an eyebrow. We were living together but we're not engaged.
"Oh fuck," Tre mutters. "Ah well." He goes down on one knee and pulls a small box out of his pocket. "Myla, I love you more than anything, you've been there for me for the past sixteen years I think and I've always tried to be there for you." he pauses to get his thoughts together, "And I want to be with you for the rest of my life." He looks into my eyes, "I really didn't want to do this by a toilette but, will you marry me?"

I drop to my knees and wrap my arms around his neck.
"Did she say yes?" Tre's mother asks.
"Yes!" I say loud enough for everyone on the other side of the door to hear.
"Awe." We hear everyone chant. I just laugh as Tre slips the engagement ring on my finger.
"I love you Tre," I say on the verge of tears.
"Ten minutes is up!" Mike yells, "Tell me if I'm an uncle!" Tre and I get off the floor and peer into the sink.
"You're an uncle big brother!" I yell happily as I wrap my arms around Tre excitedly.