My Beloved Monster

I woke up several hours later still not fully over my jetlag. It was now 6:30 here. At least I managed to get more sleep, even though it was a restless one.

I miss sleeping on my stomach, but I can't say that I hate the reason preventing me from doing so. Bruno was still on the end of the bed watching me through lazy eyes.

I went over to my bag and put on some low cut jeans and a shirt that clung showing my growing pouch. I but on warm socks and my boots with some difficulty of my stomach in the way.

I threw my hair up in a loose ponytail and Bruno followed me downstairs. I laid out some food for him and made a mental note to buy more. I washed my hands and put on some coffee for April. I made a small breakfast omelets for April and I.

"Hey, I thought I smelt coffee." Ape came down and kissed my cheek. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah. Still adjusting to the time zone, but not too bad other than that." I shrugged. She smiled and yawned. "How about you?"

"Hmm." She leaned back in her chair. "Tired. I'm glad Phil's coming home today. But, just trying to prepare myself for it."

I cleared our plates against her protest and began to wash them. I dried my hands on a dishtowel and leaned on the counter. "Are you sure I won't be in the way?"

"Positive Adel." She ran a hand through her hair. "And if you ask one more time, I swear to God Adel, I will lock you up in this house." I laughed. "You think I'm kidding."

"Okay, okay. I get the point." I grinned.

"Good." She kissed my cheek. Thank you for breakfast. I'm going to get ready. Feel free to do whatever Adelina. You're living here now. Act like it." I rolled my eyes. "I saw that." Ape shouted going up the stairs.

I shook my head and laughed at how moms were able to do that.

I went down the hall to slip on my jacket to walk Bruno. I opened the door and saw Jess. I screamed and shut it not expecting to see him on the other side.

I closed my eyes and slapped my forehead. Bruno started barking with excitement. I opened my eyes "Jess?" I called through the door.

"Adel?" I heard his muffled voice.

I slowly opened the door. "Sorry."

He blinked with his mouth hanging open a bit. "There's a face I thought for sure I'd never see again."

"You and me both." I smiled weakly and accepted a warm hug from him.

"What's this?" He smirked motioning to my stomach.

"They are the two monsters that are growing inside me currently." I smiled shyly.

"Oh Adel, don't be so dramatic." Ape rolled her eyes coming downstairs.

"Actually if they were to be more like your son I believe that I am being extremely honest." I grinned cheekily at her.

"Well then let's pray that your blood runs thicker." She rolled her eyes.

Jess watched us back and forth putting the pieces together. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess you're talking about Bam seeing as though I have my own monster."

I glared at him and walked past him to let Bruno out. April laughed before I shut the door, "I thought you weren't going to let the hormones get to you Knobs."

"Mind filling me in." Jess raised an eyebrow.

"As far as I know everything was a huge misunderstanding." Ape sighed. She poured herself another cup of coffee and filled him in on yesterday. "And I am trying my best to stay out of it."

"I'm sure." He said sarcastically. "But, what are you going to do when they come over tonight."

"What?" She asked leaning on the counter hoping she heard wrong.

Jess took a seat on a stool at the island. "I mean Bam just called me to come over here to have dinner. He's ordering out so you don't have to cook. He'll come by when he picks Missy up from work. I figured since I'm going out to pick some stuff up for Kelly that I'd stop by and ask if you need anything."

Ape was touched that Bam had been helpful for a change lately. She sighed.

I stood in the doorway listening to their conversation. "I'll just go out tonight to a bookstore or something. I can keep myself occupied."

"Adel you don't have to do that." Ape tried to think of something that would work.

"Ape," I sighed. "This is my mess. Let me take care of myself."

"You could watch Ava for me and Kelly?" Jess suggested.

"She's apart of your family." I smiled. "You'll need her for your family dinner."

"Adel-" Ape began feeling horrible.

"April, honestly I can take care of myself." I saw the sad look on her face. "Besides if I am to stay longer, I'll need to take care of a few things and make some phone calls and such. I'll just bring my lap top and go to an internet cafe."

"I feel bad because you are apart of this family." She sighed.

"I know that." I hugged her from the side. "But, as far as you all are concerned, I am still in Bayreuth."

"What about Bruno?" Jess asked.

"Oh," I chewed on my bottom lip and looked over at him sleeping near us. "I haven't thought about that."

"Why don't I bring him to our house?" Jess suggested another option. Everything hadn't fully sunken in his mind yet. It was still weird to think his brother was going to be a dad, but he wanted to help in anyway he could.

"Yeah that could work." I nodded. I felt so guilty at what I was asking them to do, but I needed to buy some more time.

"So what time should I be out of here?" I asked fiddling with a wrapper in my pocket.

"Yo Ape!" That dreaded voice sounded throughout the house.

"Now." Jess laughed weakly.

Bruno let out a happy bark. I grabbed him by the collar and all but dove into the bathroom. I kept the light off, but locked the door. "Shhh." I warned Bruno and made him lie down as I sat on the ground near the door so I could hear what was going on.

"I'm getting too old for this." Ape mumbled to herself making Jess laugh.

"I thought I heard a dog?" Bam asked confused.

"Must be hearing things." Jess laughed and kicked the food dish out of site.

"Guess so." Bam sat down next to Jess. "So Ape what do you want me to pick up for dinner."

"Bam you don't have to do this." Ape tried to change his mind, though she already knew that her efforts would be futile.

"Nonsense." Bam waved the idea off. "What'll it be?"

"Whatever you think is necessary Bam." Ape said tiredly.

Bam saw the exhaustion in his mom's face. "Do you want us to do anything? Honestly, you look like you need some help."

April smiled. "Dinner will be nice."

"Okay, let me take a wiz. And I'll go put an order in." Bam got up.

I held my breath and petted Bruno to distract him as I heard footsteps nearing the door.

"No!" Ape shouted.

"There's something wrong with the plumbing." Jess said calmly shooting his mom a look. "She called me over to check it out, but I couldn't figure out the problem."

Bam gave them a weird look. "Why don't I give it a look?"

Ape sighed as he took a step closer. She could let him find her and settle it all out right here and now. But, Ape knew that would be only in an ideal world. She knew if her son were to discover everything now everything would just backfire and she was too tired to deal with Bam's temper. "Bam, you know what happens when you try to fix things. Come on sweetie you aren't that handy."

"Besides we already called up the plumber and made an appointment." Jess added to help his mom out.

"Oh, then I'll run upstairs real quick?" Bam didn't like how confused he's been lately. He figured it was just all the pressure from his dad's scare and hopefully everything would go back to normal soon.

I opened the door a crack when I didn't hear anything. "Is it safe yet?" Jess put a finger to his lips and shook his head. I quietly shut the door.

"You coming with me Jess?" Bam asked wiping his wet hands on his pants.

"I have to drop some stuff off at home and take care of some things." Jess explained.

Bam nodded. "Okay, I'll see you guys here later. I'm figuring Missy gets out around four so we can have an early dinner and this gives time for you and Phil to rest a bit."

Ape smiled. "Sounds good Bam."

Jess laughed long and hard as soon as he knew the coast was clear. April rolled her eyes. "You can come out sweetie."

I heaved myself off the floor and came out of my hiding spot. "Sure laugh it up."

"I don't think I've ever seen a pregnant woman run so fast." Jess snickered.

"Hey, I'm barely five months. I may be having twins, but I'm not that fat." I huffed and then groaned. "Oh no."

Ape nodded and laughed. "I told you. You can't outrun those hormones."

It was around 10 o'clock and most of the stores were closing down. As well as the bookstore I was in currently.

I dialed Ape's home phone as I slid on my coat. "Hello?" I heard his voice.

Out of nerves I dropped it before quickly scrambling to turn it off. I sighed and sat down until the five-minute closing warning was announced.

"Who was it?" Ape asked.

Bam shrugged. "Don't know. Got disconnected or something."

Although she was enjoying herself and a nice dinner with her family, without a food fight, Ape hoped that I was okay.

Before I left, I asked where a 24-hour coffee shop was located. They employee scribbled down some directions to a Starbucks. I got into Phil's car that Ape told me to take before easily finding the coffee shop.

It was interesting how things stayed open so late. In Germany, except for a few exceptions, stores stayed open no later than eight at night.

I ordered some chamomile tea and a pumpkin muffin. I set up my computer and looked up my email and other things to waste the time.

When I looked at my watch, I groaned only to see that only an hour had passed. I then smiled and looked up my website. Wolf had posted pictures of Australia and of his friends in family. I rolled my eyes thinking of how he was protective. It was sweet in some ways, though I still felt like smothering him.

Chaz had also put some up of us and of our trips to the doctors and from my surprise party. Which, reminded me to find a doctor here.

I answered some posts from fans asking I was going to attend the Olympics and such.

It was nearing midnight and Ape still hadn't called me to let me know that it was safe to come home.

I decided to try calling again to have Jess pick up this time instead. "Thank God."

"Was that you when Bam picked up?" Jess laughed.

"It's that same person?" Bam looked up. "Let me have it. Who is it?"

"Knobs." I said hearing Bam's voice. "That's my alias name."

"I'm not going to even ask about that one." He chuckled and held the phone out of his reach. "It's Knobs."

There that name was again. This name seemed to have appeared out of nowhere in the past two days. "Well then why did he hang up?"

"Because you idiot," Jess shook his head. "He thought he had the wrong number."

"Who's Knob's?" Missy asked no one in particular.

"Just a friend of the family's." Ape smiled hoping nothing had happened.

"He's not as crazy as some other friends of the family is he?" Missy laughed at past experiences she's had.

"No." Ape grinned. "Nothing like Phil's relatives."

"That's a relief." Missy and Ape shared a laugh.

"Whatever." Bam rolled his eyes, "What does he want?"

"Oh yeah." Jess laughed slightly forgetting he was on the phone. "You need anything Knobs?"

"Thanks for remembering me." I replied dryly. "I'm ready to find some hotel. I'm exhausted."

"No, don't do that. Ape will get mad at you." He stepped outside the living room. "Why don't you go to my house and crash in the guest bedroom? There's a key underneath the flower pot on the right side of the door."

"How original." I teased.

"Hey, I'm not the one with a secret identity now am I?" He grinned.

"Thank you Jess." I said sweetly.

"No problem Knobs." Jess hung up the phone and rejoined everyone.

"Everything is okay?" Phil asked wrapping an arm around his wife to comfort her.

"Yup." Jess said smoothly. "I took care of everything."

"What did he want?" Bam asked seeing if he could find anything out.

"Nothing much." Jess shrugged.

Bam resisted sighing as frustrated as he was. He wanted to know who this Knobs character was. He definitely did not appreciate being kept in the dark. Well, from his perspective anyway.