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@Kaner88: Just landed in Buffalo, ready to get this weekend with @GemmaaStarr started!

@Eastyn_loveee: You kids have fun now! @Kaner88 @GemmaaStarr

@JonnyToews: Good luck man! @Kaner88

@Kaner88: I hope your surprise turns out. Good luck to you too bro @JonnyToews

@Eastyn_loveee: Surprise…? @Kaner88 @JonnyToews

@JonnyToews: Thanks for outing me “bro” @Kaner88

@Kaner88: Whoops. My bad @JonnyToews

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“What surprise are you guys talking about?” Eastyn cornered Jonathan in the kitchen. For the past week Jonathan has been spending more and more time at Eastyn’s apartment, not that she minded at all.

“Jesus! I didn’t even hear you come up behind me!” He jumped. “I was going to buy my mom a new car for her birthday later this week.” Jonathan lied.

“Oh it’s her birthday?! Should I get her something too or is it too soon?”

“I’ll just sign your name on the card.”

“Well, fine…” Eastyn huffed.

“Hey do you mind running to the store real quick? There isn’t any milk.”

“There’s a whole carton right there…” Eastyn pointed to the unopened carton of milk that she had just purchased yesterday.

“Soy milk.” He blurted.

“Uhm okay? Do you want me to go for it right now?”

“Yes.”

“God, you’re acting so weird!” Eastyn glared at him before grabbing her bag and keys. As soon as Jonathan heard the door close, he pulled out his phone and dialed Nikolai’s number.

“Hello?” He answered.

“Hey Nikolai? This is Jonathan Toews, Eastyn’s boyfriend, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?”

“Uh sure, what do you need?” Nikolai was trying to hide the excitement in his voice.

“Are you doing anything right now?” Jonathan tapped on the counter anxiously.

“Not at all.”

“Could you call Eastyn and ask her to help you with a project or something? Keep her busy for an hour? I have a surprise for her but I need to go pick him up.”

“What did you do? Get her a male stripper?” Nikolai joked.

“No way, I adopted a puppy from the Humane Society. A little teddy bear puppy. I am also going to give her a key to my condo.”

“Oh my god Mr.Toews you found the key to a girl’s heart. I will surely help you!”

“Thank you so much! I will text you when it is safe for her to come back.” Jonathan smiled. Within five minutes of hanging up, Jon got a text from Eastyn saying she had to help Nikolai with one of his articles so she’d be out for a while.

“Perfect.” Jonathan smiled to himself while grabbing his keys.

*****

“Patty Cakes!!!!!” His sisters yelled lifting their sign up higher. He smiled at them waving with his free hand. His other hand was holding onto Gemma’s.

“Hey girls!” He let go of her hand to hug each one of his sisters. “I want you all to meet someone,” Patrick found her hand once again “you guys, this is Gemma. Gemma these are my sisters Erica, Jessica, and Jacqueline.”

“Hi it’s nice to meet you.” Gemma offered a hand to Erica but instead she was pulled into a hug.

“In this family, we hug.” Jessica explained as they hugged.

“It’s just so rare when our Patty Cakes brings a girl home.” Jacqueline added.

“Come on, mom and dad are grilling out at home. They can’t wait to meet you.” Jessica took Gemma’s arm in hers.

“Hey Jess, we still have to get our bags.” Patrick laughed at his sister.

“Good job, Pat.” Erica hugged her brother.

“I really like her Erica.” Patrick watched as Gemma laughed with his other sisters.

“Oh I can tell!” She smiled and walked to the baggage claim area. After grabbing their bags, the group headed to the truck. Gemma became less nervous when his sisters included her in their conversations. She started to think that this trip might be entirely enjoyable.

“Mom! Guess what we dragged home!” Jacqueline yelled as they walked into the beautiful house. Patrick shoved her into the couch as a result of her insult. “Hey!”

“Patrick!” His mother came dashing into the kitchen from the back patio.

“Hi mom!” He exclaimed as he hugged her. Gemma smiled at how excited Patrick was to see his mother again.

“And is this Gemma? Darling, she is gorgeous!” Donna hit his arm.

“Hello Mrs. Kane, thank you, it’s so nice to meet you. This is a beautiful home.” Gemma leaned into a hug.

“Honey, please call me Donna. Goodness, you are more beautiful than Patrick described.” She held Gemma by her shoulders and leaned back to look at her son’s guest. “Come out back to meet Pat.” Donna led Gemma to the back patio. Everyone followed as well.

“Hey dad!” Patrick Jr. and Sr. were reunited once again.

“Well where is this girl you brought home?” He said immediately.

“Nice to see you too…” Patrick feigned disappointment. “She’s right here, this is Gemma.”

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Kane.” Gemma smiled.

“Gemma huh? That’s an interesting name.” Pat said with a stern face.

“Uhm yes, my mother has a very unique taste.”

“I see. Well, dinner is ready. Everyone grab plates.” He turned away from her. Gemma turned nervously to Patrick. He just shrugged his shoulders and mouthed I don’t know what’s wrong.

*****

Jonathan smiled as he tied his condo key to the puppy’s neck. He has not given the fluffy little guy a name yet, he figured Eastyn might want to. He stood up when he heard the door jiggle open.

“Babe, do you know how many kinds of soy milks there are?!” Eastyn walked into the dimly lit room. “What is going on?”

“Eastyn, I want you to know that I care about you a lot and I love you. I think that it’s time I give you this…” Jonathan turned around to pick up the dog but he wasn’t there. “Shit!”

“Give me what…” Eastyn wrinkled her eyebrows.

Jonathan whistled a few times, “come here boy! Come on little guy!”

“Jonathan, who are you talking to!?” Eastyn asked when Jon got on his hands and knees. He just continued and call after the lost dog. After an hour of looking for him, Jonathan finally found him sitting in the shower.

“I wanted to give you him…” Jonathan carried the little guy out to Eastyn who was waiting in the living room.

“Oh my god! It’s a puppy!” Eastyn screamed and launched herself at the little fur-ball in Jon’s arms.

“And on his neck…”

“A key…?”

“To my condo.” Jonathan smiled.

“Wow, Jonathan…I can’t believe this. This means a lot, thank you.” Eastyn began to cry.

“Don’t cry babe.” He hugged her and the puppy. “We still have to name the little guy.”

“You know what? I have the perfect name.” Eastyn wiped her eyes. “Since you lost this little guy…I think we’ll call him Nemo.”

“He ran from me!” Jonathan raised his hands in defense.

“Okay…” Eastyn laughed. “Jonathan…I’m really glad this happened. All of this, you me…us together.”

“Me too, babe.” Jonathan kissed her, long and passionately. He couldn’t wait to find out where this relationship would go, but with her he’d be willing to go anywhere.

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@Eastyn_loveee: So… @JonnyToews and I are parents :D

@Kaner88: WHAT?! DUDE WHAT THE HELL! YOU CAN’T BE A FATHER!!!!!! @JonnyToews

@Eastyn_loveee: What?! No!!! You guys, he got me a puppy! We are the proud parents of a new puppy, Nemo! I am NOT pregnant.

@GemmaaStarr: Oh my god, you just scared the shit out of Patrick and I @Eastyn_loveee

@JonnyToews: Wait…what do you mean I can’t be a father? @Kaner88

@Kaner88: I meant…you…congrats on the puppy man :D @JonnyToews

@JonnyToews: Shady as fuck dude. I’d make a great father @Kaner88

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As dinner went on Gemma tried to talk to Patrick’s dad as much as possible, trying to get a positive response from him but no matter what she said, he kept his stern look and short answers. After they all ate, the girls cleaned up the table as the Patricks went into the living room to talk.

“Dad…do you have a problem with Gemma?” Patrick asked his father.

“Not exactly.” Pat answered with a shrug.

“Why aren’t you being nice to her dad, I really like her.”

“Patrick…my problem isn’t with her, it’s with you.” He motioned towards the couch. “Sit down.” He did as he was told. “I know you Patrick; I know what you are like in Chicago. I read that stuff online and I know you. You don’t like to settle down. You like to take girls home every other night and I like her Patrick. I do, I really like Gemma. She’s a very nice girl.”

Patrick ran a hand through his curls. “Why are you being mean to her then?”

“I don’t want to get to know her and have her know us when you might dump her in a couple months.”

“Dad that’s ridiculous, if I didn’t know that I wanted her around for a long time I would not have brought her home. I REALLY like her dad, a lot.” Patrick surprised himself at how true it was.

“Are you sure, I would actually really love to see her back here after this trip.”

“I’m positive dad.”

“Come here, you did a great job picking her out.” Pat gave his son a big hug. “Let’s go join the girls.”

“Okay.” Patrick got up and walked into the kitchen.

“We were just making dessert.” Donna pointed to the bowls of ice cream.

“Gemma can I speak with you?” Pat asked.

“Sure, no problem.” She walked over to him nervously.

“I haven’t been very nice to you tonight, I apologize.”

“That’s okay Mr. Kane.”

“You can call me Pat sweetheart. I was just weary about Patrick but I can see you make him very happy…welcome to the family, Gemma.” Pat pulled Gemma into a hug. Now Gemma was sure that this weekend would be amazing.