Follow Your Bliss

Memo to self: kill Brenda for waking me up so early. Wait, not Brenda, dear hubby Kyle.

I turned the television off that I had used to set for my alarm and saw that Gerard was still sleeping. Lucky. I slipped out of bed and slowly made my way to the bathroom where hopefully a shower would wake me up.

I sighed letting the warm water wash over me and just let it soak my hair and body. I groaned as my body protested as I bent over to grab the soap.

I felt more awake after my shower and wrapped a towel around me, wringing my hair out once more before stepping out of the shower.

I threw my hair into a bun, too tired to play around with it or even blow it dry. Logan and Olivia followed me around as I started enough coffee for Gerard and myself. I walked back down the hall to my room and looked at Gerard with jealous eyes as he continued to sleep.

I opened my closet door looked at my comfy clothes, but chose something a little more presentable so I wouldn't have to change later. Well, I think a tank and jeans are more presentable than pj's anyway.

It felt like my breath was taken away when I stepped outside with the dogs. It was sticky and the air pressure was horrible. I ignored the migraine that was beginning to form and took the dogs around the corner. I walked around the apartment and shut the windows turning the air conditioning on to drown out the humidity left behind from the storm.

"Hey." Gerard said groggily rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"

I crawled on the bed to him and plopped myself next to him in his arms. "You don't want to know."

"That early huh?" He chuckled pushing my bangs out of my eyes.

"Mmmhmm." I snuggled closer to him. "Did you want to come out with me and Brenda?"

Gerard placed his arm behind his head as he laid down. "I'm going to try to get everything worked out so I can go with you this weekend."

I rolled onto my stomach and grinned. "You are going to come with me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" He smiled.

"I didn't think you wanted to." I admitted honestly.

"No, I just wasn't sure if I could." He yawned still tired. "Besides you'll want your girl time with Brenda today to talk about me."

I slapped his chest. "Confident are we?"

"No, I just know how you work." He answered simply and shut his eyes.

"Oh, and fare warning. I get in a girly girl mode with Brenda." I grinned.

"How girly?" He asked amused.

"Extremely." I laughed. "She doesn't do the rock scene at all and has no idea who you are."

"That might be good." He smiled opening one eye. He wanted to tease me that I was girly anyway, but thought better of it.

"But," I twirled the sleeve of his undershirt between my fingers. "She's into rap like you, so you'll have that common ground."

"So I'll finally have someone on my side besides Mikey?" He chuckled knowing rap was one of my least favorite genres of music.

"Yup." I kissed him gently, loving the feeling of his lips on mine. "I'll have my phone if you need me and I walked the dogs so you can sleep in longer if you want."

"Thanks." He mumbled as he began to dose off.

I sighed hating that I had to leave the comfort of his arms again; I could literally lie there all day if I could. I glared at the dogs envious as they jumped on the bed taking my spot. I closed the curtains and poured myself a cup of coffee. Sealing the lid, I grabbed my purse and keys locking the door behind me.

I tuned into the news station on 800 on the AM radio and sighed hearing that I would be hitting traffic on my way to the airport, even at this ungodly hour of the morning. Finally finding a spot, after bumper-to-bumper traffic, I checked my phone for the gate I had to pick them up at.

I locked the car doors not before grabbing my coffee and purse. I look at my watch to see I had a half an hour until the plane was expected. I slouched in an uncomfortable plastic chair near the window and pushed my glasses on my head. I rubbed my temples trying to release the pressure that was building.

I get migraines all the time mostly with the help of the barometric pressure, like my dad, an unfortunate trait that I had inherited from him. I laughed softly hearing 'Maneater,' Brenda's ring tone, sing in my purse. "Hey girl." I mumbled sleepily.

"We've landed." Brenda's voice came through the receiver, her voice sounding just as manly and as tired as mine.

"Should you even have your phone on then?" I chuckled.

"Probably not." She laughed not caring. "I'll see you in a bit."

I shoved my phone back in my purse as well as my glasses, those poor things have been put to hell in back, but I can still see out of them luckily. I opted for my Hollywood sunglasses instead; well I call them that anyway. They're a pair of white-rimmed 50's style sunglasses with a few jewels dazzled on either side.

"Hung over?" Brenda laughed me wearing my sunglasses to block out the light as the sun rose.

I looked up just in time to catch the rambunctious four-year-old. "Ant Caitlin."

"Hey cutie." I kissed her cheeks and scowled up at Brenda. "No. Just a damn migraine, what else is new?" I chuckled as she tossed me a bottle of ibuprofen. I took three and downed them with my coffee thanking her as I handed the bottle back.

"You eat them like candy girl." She rolled her eyes at me. "You're going to get ulcers in your stomach one day."

"Can I have some candy?" Belli asked excited.

I lifted her on my back and handed my coffee to Brenda who began to gulp it down greedily. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've already have had some."

Brenda frowned. "She did. I mean what kind of idiot gives a kid a candy bar at like six in the morning, my time, before she's even had breakfast."

I laughed, "Sounds like you two had a fun flight."

"It was awesome!" Bellini answered for her mom.

"So you want to head to my place first or go out for breakfast." I asked as we made our way over to baggage claim.

"Your place first if you don't mind; I want a shower to wake up before Bell kills us." Brenda grimaced.

"Yeah no problem." I laughed. "Belli and I can play with the dogs."

"You have dogs?" Belli asked excited.

"Yup two." I smiled over my shoulder.

"Two?" Brenda grabbed her daughter's small suitcase. "I thought Devin and your parents kept one dog."

"They did. Logan's brother is still up there. Gerard has a dog that basically lives with me now." I chuckled.

"Ah, yes, the new boyfriend." Brenda grunted grabbing her huge bag. "Do I get to meet him?"

"Of course. He's probably still sleeping right now though." I grinned and lowered Bell to the floor grabbing her hand so she wouldn't run off slinging her bag over my shoulder.

"Lucky." Brenda mumbled. "I swear when Kyle told me the change of plans, I thought he was joking."

"So he's a 'dead man walking' when he comes?" I laughed unlocking the trunk.

"Oh yeah." She grinned. "But, he did promise to take Bell so we can to go clubbing tomorrow night."

"Oh really?" I grinned back knowing we always have fun going to clubs. The first time I went clubbing with Brenda was before Bellini was born and I went and visited her in Cali for my 21st birthday. We drove up to LA and it was the first time I ever got so drunk I couldn't walk. So we made it a tradition since we trust each other when we get in that state, though we have toned it down since Bell was born.

"Nice place." Brenda smiled impressed looking around the apartment as we walked to the guest room at the end of the hall. "I'm so jealous that this is your first place. I remember the pathetic apartment I shared with Jack and his wife."

"Aww, I liked that apartment with your brother." I chuckled; it really was a cramped little thing, but they made due. That's how I had been raised; you made due with what you have and be grateful, even if it wasn't much. It was the same for Brenda as well. I think that's what makes our friendship so good even with a seven year age difference.

Bell tugged on my shirt. "Where are the doggies?"

I smiled, "Go look for them." She grinned and took off to search the apartment.

"So where do I snag a shower before we go?" She tried to rub the sleep from her eyes.

"Two doors down the hall on the right." I pointed down the hall.

Bellini looked behind the couches and under the tables, but couldn't find the dogs. She looked down the hall to see us talking and opened the door quietly and snuck in. She saw what she guessed was her aunt's bedroom, but couldn't care less when she grinned seeing the two dogs lying on the bed.

Pulling on the blankets, she climbed up the tall bed and giggled seeing the puppies.

Gerard rolled over to see the little girl playing with Logan and Olivia. He rubbed his face, "You're not Jane." Gerard sat up chuckling seeing her jump startled. "You must be Bellini."

Bell nodded. "That's me. Is this your doggie?" She pointed to the small brown chihuahua.

"Mmhmm." Gerard nodded smiling. "That's Olivia."

"I like that name; it's pretty." Bell gently put the tiny dog in her lap and played with Logan's floppy ears as well. "So you're Ant Caitlin's boyfriend?" She grinned up at Gerard.

"For some reason I think I should be afraid of that face." Gerard teased. "But, yeah, I'm her boyfriend."

"Do you have any kids?" Bell continued to interrogate him.

He shook his head. "Nope, no kids, just Liv."

"So are you gonna marry my ant?" Bell smiled cutely.

Gerard bit his bottom lip, "I don't know yet."

"But, you love her don't you?" Belli gave him a 'duh' look.

"Yes." Gerard smiled and shook his head at how he was admitting all this to a four-year-old first instead of the one that should hear this confession.

"So?" Bellini giggled as Logan licked her face. Gerard looked at the Bellini and wondered why it couldn't be as easy as she put it?

"Belli?" I looked around the living room and kitten for her. I noticed my bedroom door opened and felt bad for Gerard if she had woken him up. I leaned on the door and saw Bellini talking to him about her pet fish, wishing she had a dog or a panda bear instead.

"Well," I interrupted her. "If we hurry up we can go to the zoo and see the pandas."

"No way." She stood up on the bed.

"Yes way!" I walked over to the bed and jumped on the floor with her as she jumped on the bed excited. Gerard let out a girlish scream mocking us. I stuck my tongue out at him, Belli following suit.

"What, was I not invited to the party?" Brenda walked over next to me.

"Mommy!!" Bell screamed and jumped into her arms.

"Hey baby." She kissed her daughter. "Ready to eat something?"

She nodded and scrambled out of her arms and ran into the kitchen. I turned to Gerard who was scratching his unshaven face trying to wake up. "You want anything? There's coffee out there."

"Sounds good." He smiled sleepily at me getting out of bed and turned to Brenda holding out his hand for her. "Gerard."

"Ah yes, the boy toy." She grinned at my blushing face. "Nice to meet you. Brenda. And my nutcase in there is Bell."

"Yeah, we got acquainted." He laughed.

"Sorry about that." She smiled sheepishly.

"Nah, she's a cutie. No harm done." Gerard played with a belt loop on the back of my jeans.

"Mommy!! I'm hungry." Bell shouted from the kitchen.

Brenda rolled her eyes and looked like she took a moment to count to ten to gather some patience to deal with her wide-awake and very active daughter. "Duty calls. I'll just scrimmage through you stuff."

I laughed nervous at Gerard's intense look and bit my bottom lip. "What?"

He blinked a few times leaving his thoughts behind and smiled. "Nothing." He leaned down and kissed my lips.

I grabbed the waistline of his plaid pajama bottoms and pulled him closer as I kissed him back. I pecked his lips again and grinned. "For some reason, I don't believe you."

After breakfast, we walked to Central park. Well more like dragged by Belli.

"So white hair huh?" She asked stifling a laugh as we looked at the penguins diving in the water. Bellini had her nose pressed up against the glass fascinated as she played with a digital camera.

Kids are too technology equipped too young; it's almost like they're born with it a microchip in them now. I remember when my family got a computer back in '95 and how chunky and huge it is compared to what this generation has, not to mention how slow it was too.

"I think it's more like a platinum blond." I rolled my eyes at her.

"Whatever." She laughed giving me a slight shove. "For some reason I'm shocked with him, but at the same time I know I shouldn't be."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I gave her a funny look.

"Because after Matt, you have dated every type of guy that exists I think." She started to count on her fingers. "That weird guy that was a chef and loved eels."

"Some people think that's a delicacy." I tried to save myself.

"Not so raw they squirmed on the plate." She held out her next finger. "What about that computer science guy."

"Hey, like Cosmo says, they are what you look for if you want to marry into wealth." I chewed on my nail remembering that dreadful experience.

"Yeah, and he was a complete arrogant bastard." Brenda reminded me. "You called me up complaining how rude he was the whole night. Need I go on reminding you of more tragic dates?"

"Well, I wanted to experiment variety." I sighed. "Instead, they were either boring as hell or arrogant."

"Hey!" Bell stomped her feet glaring as her mother and me. "You two are saying bad words."

"That's right." Brenda kissed her forehead. "So don't use them." Bell looked like she was going to say more but hearing a lion roar seemed more important at the moment and grabbed our hands leading us in its general direction.

Brenda turned to me and smiled. "So tell me about this one."

"He's from Jersey." I began.

"Ah, and I'm skeptical from the start." She interrupted me.

"Shut up." I laughed and pouted at Bell, who glared at me for using another bad word. "He's an artist, went to school for it too."

"Hmm?" Brenda looked at me impressed. "Someone from your nature?"

"I'd like to think so." I nodded to myself. "We met at my art gallery."

"That is too adorable." She laughed. "What else?"

"He's in a successful rock band." I bit my lip waiting for her reaction to that one.

"Ah, the bump in the road finally revels itself." She said in a Budda-esque tone.

"Why should that be the bump. I mean Josh goes away all the time now." I tried to shrug it off.

"But, Josh isn't the boyfriend that you're falling for." She rubbed my back. It would be a funny sight seeing how I'm 5'9" and Brenda's just shy of five feet.

"I hate that expression; it's so stupid. I'm falling for him." I mocked and sighed. "But I left the edge of the cliff a while ago."