My Beloved Monster

"Oh, that reminds me." I smiled getting my purse off the floor. I pulled out my planner that I had been writing everything in, which also held the pictures and the discs of the heartbeat and sonograms. "Would you like to look through it?"

Dunn knew better than to complain seeing how these two women were on the verge for qualifying to be bipolar, but he didn't want to sit here, while they talked about baby crap and stuff.

"Knobs?" He tried to approach carefully.

"What a new nickname?" Ape mused. "Ass wasn't good enough?"

"No, more like my alias name so," I sighed. "So Bam doesn't find out about me here."

"Adel." Ape moaned. "This is such a bad idea. Yes, what happened wasn't right both on Bam and Wolf's part, but really, you can't go through with this."

I bit my lip, "Can we try it this way and see what happens. I mean if he's meant to find out, he will."

Ape sighed knowing that at the moment, no matter how tired Adel was, she was not going to back down. "For now, I'll give in. But, we will do it my way when I see it's not working out. Okay Knobs?"

"Okay," I laughed, "So what did you want Dunn?"

"I know you two like your little chatting going on, but I'm afraid you are starting to eat away at my testosterone and you know me, we really can't have that." He rambled on.

"Oh, so you want to get going?" He nodded slowly. "Okay, let me-"

"She's going to stay with you?" Ape cut me off and looked between us.

"Well, yeah. I wasn't going to let her look around for a hotel or something." Dunn thought he was doing the right thing. But, he should know by now that to women he will never be able to do the right thing.

"Are you out of your mind!" Ape stood up ready to knock some sense into him. "You are worse that a fucking chimney!"

Dunn's jaw dropped and we started to laugh at how she was turning red. "I thought I was being generous."

"Yeah," Ape rolled her eyes. "Because killing her slowly with your cigarettes is really generous."

"I didn't think about that." Dunn tried to save himself, but it was a lost cause.

"Of course you didn't think!" Ape threw her hands up. "None of you ever think!" I stuck my tongue out at Dunn taunting him since he was in the hot seat. I was feeling pretty good until Ape turned her pointed finger towards me. "And you Adel! Did you even consider what this could have done to my grandchildren!? And with your blood pressure, did you even consider how that could have affected that?"

A giggle slipped when she was already calling the twins her grandchildren, but that was a bad move when I saw her glare at me. I coughed clearing my throat, "Honestly I didn't know what to do April. I jumped on the next plane here, obviously I'm not thinking."

"I know, you just need to be more careful now Adel." Ape sighed and then turned to Dunn, who, much to my amusement twitched upon eye contact. "Dunn can you go get her bags for me and call the airport to have them pick up the car."

Like he would object to anything at this point. Besides he was not going to give up on an opportunity to leave the room. "Yeah sure."

She then turned her attention back to me. I was just sitting there curled up on the couch petting Bruno. "How about you relax here and I'll make us something to eat?"

"That sounds good." I smiled leaning my head on the arm of the couch holding a pillow. Vaguely I heard the door opening once more, but I was a goner.

"Where do you want 'em?" Dunn asked with the two bags over his shoulder.

"Um," April thought about where to put me. "The other room with the bathroom on the right when you walk up the stairs." She went into the living room to see what I wanted only I was passed out. She smiled to herself and covered me with a warm blanket.

The door burst open once again and in strode in Dico and Novak. "Yo Ape, wheres-"

"Shut the hell up!" She whispered.

"What's with the angry yelling whispering?" Dico laughed.

"Adel's asleep." She rolled her eyes and smacked them in the back of the head with one swing. They complained, but followed her anyway into the kitchen. Ape rested her hands on the island and leaned on it. "I want to know what you two know."

"What, Adel came here to check on Phil." Dico shrugged not seeing what she was so worked up about.

"Oh he doesn't know?" Ape asked Novak.

"Know what?" Dunn and Dico asked at the same time.

"Nope, ha I know something he doesn't." Novak smirked feeling smug.

"What don't I know?" Dico asked.

Ape smiled flipping threw the sonogram pictures and handed them to him. "She's going to be a mommy."

"Yeah, Bam's mommy." Novak laughed. Ape smacked him in the arm and rolled her eyes. "You're feeling pretty abusive today."

"You're shitting me." Dico laughed. "They are so messed up."

April sighed knowing if she didn't ask again she would have totally lost their attention. "So I ask once again, what do you guys know?"

Dico shrugged and looked at Novak. "I took her to the ER because of the plane ride since she wasn't supposed to fly to make sure everything was alright and then she got a little dizzy-"

"But, she's okay right?" April asked worried.

"Yeah," Novak shrugged. "I mean her blood pressure was a bit too high, but it went back down and the doctor cleared her. Why?"

Ape sighed, "Because she had a problem with her blood pressure when her mom died and once before that. But, it was really bad those two times because of stress and those lead to a serious asthma attack."

"She has asthma?" Dico thought out loud. "I never knew that."

"Well kind of, it was brought on by stress." Ape shook her head hoping that it will never get that bad for her again. "So when she gets them those rare times, they are really bad."

"And being pregnant makes things more complicated." Dunn nodded understanding her concern. "A year."

"What about it?" She shrugged.

"That's how long she plans on staying." Novak smiled sadly. "Once the twins are able to go on a plane she plans on going back to Germany I guess."

Ape felt her heart ache. She didn't want Adel leaving especially since this pregnancy would make them literally family, not that she and Phil didn't feel that way before. But this would just make it legit. She sighed. "I can't believe I'm going to ask this, but I'm desperate."

"Thanks Ape." Dico said sarcastically. "I can practically feel the love radiating off you."

She sighed hoping she wasn't going to bite off more than she could chew. "You guys are the spawn of the devil so be creative and help me think of how we can get her to stay."

"Coffee?" Dico said randomly.

"Come on we can be more creative than that." Dunn got comfortable on a barstool.

"No, over the summer, that weekend you and Bam were at that skate demo." Dico reminded him.

"Oh, yeah the jell-o slip 'n slide." Novak grinned at the memory; that was a good day.

"Well, I asked her what she would want to do if she wasn't fairy skating." Dico smiled remembering how I made fun of him for that lame ass comment. "She wanted to open up her own coffee shop with a small section for flowers if that."

"What so we make a coffee shop for her?" Novak was smacked for asking such a stupid question.

"Calling Glomb?" Dunn asked Ape smirking.

"Calling Glomb." Ape smiled hoping this would work. And then jumped up excited. "That shop down the road from the salon, the one you guys would graffiti should still be available."

Dunn went into another room and dialed up Tim's number and explained the situation to him. Dunn came back into the kitchen smiling, "He says he'll check it out no problem. If that place doesn't work then he said he'd find another one."

"Thanks Dunn," Ape smiled her appreciation. "Okay, one more thing. I want you to drop her alias name in conversations so he'll get nosy."

"Alias name?" Dico chuckled.

"Dude it was so all my idea." Novak laughed. "We are going to call her Knobs from now on."

"Knobs? Nice." Dico laughed. "Maybe the drugs didn't kill off all those cells of yours."

Ape and Novak hit him at the same time. "Moron," Ape shook her head. "Anyway, just don't let him know that 'Knobs' is Adel or a woman that way I keep my end of the deal. Can I count on you to handle that simple request?"

They all nodded their head and reassured. Ape was still skeptical, but she had no other choice then to trust them on this that they'd listen. Though, she hoped that since they all loved Adel that they wouldn't let her down.

After they all had left April made some lunch for herself and Adel. She put out some dog food she still had from the summer for Bruno and went into the living room where she found Adel still sleeping.

Ape sat on the edge of the sofa and rubbed her back. "Adel?"

I groaned and opened my eyes, "Hallo."

"Hey sweetie." She smiled. "I made some lunch."

"Lunch?" I rubbed my eyes confused and looked at my watch. "Isn't it dinner time?"

Ape looked at my watch and laughed. "Sweetie it's 6:30 in Germany not here."

"Oh," I stretched out pushing a lazy Bruno out of the way. He got off the couch and went into the kitchen. I took off my boots and wrapped my sweater tighter around my dress. Then, on top of that I wrapped the blanket around me and followed April into the kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" She asked setting a turkey sandwich in front of me.

"Tired." I laughed tiredly. "I thought it was time to sleep soon."

"That and you've been running around everywhere Adel." She rubbed my back and sat down next to me.

"Yeah," I nodded eating my lunch. "Oh, I have to call Chaz and Helga."

"Adel just eat. You can do that later." Ape rolled her eyes. "Do you want to come with me, I'm going back to Phil after we finish."

"Is it okay if I stay?" I asked feeling guilty staying behind.

"Of course, I was just making the offer open. You can rest and I'll be back later. Oh and tomorrow, Phil is coming home anyway." She smiled, happy her husband was finally well enough to come home.

"Are you sure I won't be in the way here?" I asked not wanting to burden her further.

"Adel, come on, you know better than that." She smiled shaking her head. "You are never in the way here." She took our empty plates and kissed my head.

"Would you tell Phil for me while you're there?" I turned in my seat to face her.

"Yeah, no problem Adel. I'm sure he'll be just as happy." She put the wet dishes on the drying rack. "So who does know about your pregnancy since you've been here?"

"Well you, Dunn, and Novak. That's it." I shrugged.

Ape dried her hands with a dishtowel, "And now Dico, he came by with Novak while you were sleeping."

"I don't mind. So are you coming home tonight?" I walked with her to the door as she put her coat and gloves on.

"Probably," She gave me a hug. "But don't stay up late. I know, I know you're an adult now."

I laughed as she corrected herself. "That's alright, it is nice to be looked after sometimes even as an adult."

"You are too sweet Adel, or Knobs I should say huh?" She shook her head smiling.

I laughed shutting the door behind her leaving the cold air outside. I went to my purse next to the couch and place the blanket over my lap. Bruno took a seat next to me following the same protective routine like in Bayreuth.

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed up my house. "Hey doll." I heard Chaz's voice when I picked up. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. We're all okay." I heard him sigh in relief. "Did you let Helga know what was going on?"

"Yeah, I called her a little while ago. I'll let her know you're okay, but she understands."

I let out a deep breath, "Chaz?"

"Yeah, doll?"

"How could you lie to me?" I leaned back into the couch.

"What are you talking about?" He asked totally confused.

I licked my dry lips. "He came after me?"

He sighed, "You found out about that?"

"Did you really expect me not to?" I said frustrated.

"No," He rubbed his face. "That's not what I meant."

"Then why don't you explain." I said figuring maybe I missed something.

"I told him that you didn't want to talk to him. Bam was ready to stand his ground until Wolf came." Chaz realized that he should have just told her the truth earlier, from the start. "Wolf and Bam got into a little fight. But, only one punch was thrown."

"Wolf?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, he gave Bam a sucker punch. But, it was what was said that really messed with his head." Chaz tried to remember that day. "More or less he said that if he really loved you then he wouldn't have really said those things."

"Which, is true I suppose except the love part." I sighed. Though, probably if I were there, I would have spoken to him. "That is it?"

"Yeah. Listen Adel, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner." Chaz whispered not knowing what else to say.

"I know." I sighed. "What's done is done. It no longer matters Chaz, it's okay."

"Did Wolf call you?" Chaz asked me changing the subject.

"Did Wolf call me? Oh did he call me. He chewed me out mean while he did that?" I clenched my jaw at his hypocrisy. "He had no right to do that."

"We were, are worried about you Adel. I'm sure what he said was out of love." Chaz said trying to be optimistic.

"Yeah because making me feel guilty about killing my children is out of love." I said sarcastically. "You know what I don't get. Is why he is so protective of me when he has his own wife to worry about."

"Come on you know the answer to that." Chaz smiled. "You are family to us, we really just try to look out for you."

I sighed playing with the strings on my sweater. "I know."

"I really didn't think that it would end up like this." Chaz said quietly.

"I know." I said in the same tone.

"Look doll, why don't you take a nap to adjust to the time difference. I'll call up everyone and update them." Chaz took control, relieving me of some responsibility to make things easier for me. "You're blood pressure is okay though right?"

"Yeah, it is now." I closed my eyes feeling sleep sneaking up on me again. "It was a bit too high before, but I was checked out and the doctor cleared me."

"Please doll, please take care of yourself." Chaz begged knowing the consequences as of having dealt with them before with me. "Just don't over do it."

Everyone has been warning me lately of this, but I know they are just watching out for me knowing what has happened in the past. "I promise."

"Thank you Adel." Chaz smiled relieved. "I will speak to you soon then doll okay?"

"Okay." I agreed. "Love you."

"Love you too doll." He hung up.

I flipped my cell phone shut and ruffled Bruno's fur. He looked at me happily with his tongue hanging out. "Boys are crazy huh Bruno? Well, except for you I guess." I smiled rolling my eyes.

I carried the blanket and went into the room I was supposed to be staying in that April told me about. I through the extra blanket over the bed and snuggled under the covers getting a rest that both my body and mind was in desperate need of.