Fragile Bird
one.
The weight of the bed shifted as Emma slowly untangled herself from her sleeping boyfriend. She looked around the bedroom and sighed at the sight of TJ’s new suit all over the floor. His tie was draped over her vanity, the shirt and jacket over by the bathroom door, and his pants in a ball beside the bed. As Emma began picking up after her messy boyfriend, she heard a whining voice from under the duvet.
“Em, come back to bed. It’s too early and I missed snuggling with you while I was away. It’s just not the same with Bergie.”
She sighed and leaned over the bed pressing her lips to TJ’s, “As much as I would love to just spend the morning in bed with you, Coach and Baby Osh are coming down for the weekend and this place is a disaster. I’m about to run to the food store since you had some of the boys over the other night and ate everything.”
TJ sighed in defeat knowing there was no way he was going to get Emma to stay, “Alright, grab some more beer too. I think Kel and Dave might stop over for a bit.”
Emma nodded making a mental note to pick up some wine for herself and Kelly Backes along with two six packs for all the savage men, “Anything else Bubba?” She asked tossing TJ’s dress shirt in the laundry bag and reaching for the door. The gold-tipped locks
disappeared back under the covers, “Guess not.” She mumbled shutting the door behind herself gently.
She chatted for a bit with her sister out in Maryland. As she mindlessly wandered up and down the aisle with list in hand, Emma couldn’t help ogle at all the kids half asleep in the cart while their parents stared at the filled shelves. Kids had always been the 21 year olds Achilles heel. She knew TJ wanted kids too, but he was so engulfed in his career that it just wasn’t ideal. Checking her watch, Emma drove over the mall and picked up a watch she had ordered for TJ.
Back at their shared loft Emma was greeted by silence. She soaked it all in as much as she could before all three Oshies were there. Emma smiled to herself as she found it such an opportune time to get some writing done for her column and wrap her boyfriend’s anniversary gift. Hoping TJ didn’t snoop too much, she hit the neatly wrapped box in her jewelry box beside the box which held a beautiful necklace he had bought her last year.
“Baaaaby, we’re back!”
The sudden noise made Emma jump. She entered the kitchen to find TJ and his younger brother already reaching into the refrigerator for beer. Her face lit up at the sight of the younger Oshie, “Baby Tay, I missed you!”
TJ pouted and cracked open his beer, “I missed you too, boo.”
“Oh hush, Teej. I see you all the time.”
Coach laughed and poured himself a glass of water. He was the next to receive a hug from his son’s longtime girlfriend, “How are you doing, sweetheart? I hope this fucker is behaving himself.”
Emma giggled and TJ groaned, “Oh, I’m whipping him into shape, Coach. With the exception for last night, I’ve gotten him into the routine of putting dirty clothes in the laundry bag!”
“’Atta girl.” Big Tim encouraged, “When you two get married, he better start learning how to separate the clothes into different loads.”
The mention of marriage made TJ uncomfortable. He didn’t doubt any feelings he had for his girlfriend, he just wasn’t sure she was the one. Saved by the bell, TJ jogged over to the door. David and his wife Kelly had arrived. Pouring two glasses of wine, Emma followed close behind.
When offered the beverage, Kelly declined, “Can’t drink when you’re pregnant.” She laughed.
Emma’s eyes lit up, “Oh, babies!”
The two girls erupted into a fit of giggles as they broke off from their men and wandered into the living room. The three Oshies plus one Mister Backes stood around the kitchen island each with a beer in hand. They managed to clear out an entire finger food platter before the football game even started.
Around 5 o’clock, Emma and Kelly made their way back into the kitchen to begin making dinner for the boys. “Baby Osh, if I catch you sneaking wings before everything else is done, I’m not cooking for you again.”
The younger brother popped the piece of meat into his mouth, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He mumbled.
“Why don’t you boys go see if the game is on?” Kelly suggested. It was a nicer way of kicking all the testosterone out of the kitchen.
David leaned over the counter and kissed his wife before he and the rest of the men headed into the living room, “So, how are you and Osh?” she asked excitedly as soon as she heard the television on.
Emma smiled, “We’re good, thinking about maybe getting a bigger place.”
“Oh yeah, does that mean we’ll be setting up some play-dates soon?” Kelly tossed the
chopped carrots into the large mixing bowl and drizzle oil and vinegar over the mixture.
The brunette nibbled her lip nervously, “I don’t know. I mean, we’ve talked about kids but I really just want to wait until we’re married so who knows when that’ll happen.”
Kelly nodded, “Well do you think there’s a ring in your future?”
Before Emma got a chance to answer, Taylor wandered into the kitchen. He popped a few baby carrots in his mouth, “So, whatcha ladies talking about?”
“Em, come back to bed. It’s too early and I missed snuggling with you while I was away. It’s just not the same with Bergie.”
She sighed and leaned over the bed pressing her lips to TJ’s, “As much as I would love to just spend the morning in bed with you, Coach and Baby Osh are coming down for the weekend and this place is a disaster. I’m about to run to the food store since you had some of the boys over the other night and ate everything.”
TJ sighed in defeat knowing there was no way he was going to get Emma to stay, “Alright, grab some more beer too. I think Kel and Dave might stop over for a bit.”
Emma nodded making a mental note to pick up some wine for herself and Kelly Backes along with two six packs for all the savage men, “Anything else Bubba?” She asked tossing TJ’s dress shirt in the laundry bag and reaching for the door. The gold-tipped locks
disappeared back under the covers, “Guess not.” She mumbled shutting the door behind herself gently.
She chatted for a bit with her sister out in Maryland. As she mindlessly wandered up and down the aisle with list in hand, Emma couldn’t help ogle at all the kids half asleep in the cart while their parents stared at the filled shelves. Kids had always been the 21 year olds Achilles heel. She knew TJ wanted kids too, but he was so engulfed in his career that it just wasn’t ideal. Checking her watch, Emma drove over the mall and picked up a watch she had ordered for TJ.
Back at their shared loft Emma was greeted by silence. She soaked it all in as much as she could before all three Oshies were there. Emma smiled to herself as she found it such an opportune time to get some writing done for her column and wrap her boyfriend’s anniversary gift. Hoping TJ didn’t snoop too much, she hit the neatly wrapped box in her jewelry box beside the box which held a beautiful necklace he had bought her last year.
“Baaaaby, we’re back!”
The sudden noise made Emma jump. She entered the kitchen to find TJ and his younger brother already reaching into the refrigerator for beer. Her face lit up at the sight of the younger Oshie, “Baby Tay, I missed you!”
TJ pouted and cracked open his beer, “I missed you too, boo.”
“Oh hush, Teej. I see you all the time.”
Coach laughed and poured himself a glass of water. He was the next to receive a hug from his son’s longtime girlfriend, “How are you doing, sweetheart? I hope this fucker is behaving himself.”
Emma giggled and TJ groaned, “Oh, I’m whipping him into shape, Coach. With the exception for last night, I’ve gotten him into the routine of putting dirty clothes in the laundry bag!”
“’Atta girl.” Big Tim encouraged, “When you two get married, he better start learning how to separate the clothes into different loads.”
The mention of marriage made TJ uncomfortable. He didn’t doubt any feelings he had for his girlfriend, he just wasn’t sure she was the one. Saved by the bell, TJ jogged over to the door. David and his wife Kelly had arrived. Pouring two glasses of wine, Emma followed close behind.
When offered the beverage, Kelly declined, “Can’t drink when you’re pregnant.” She laughed.
Emma’s eyes lit up, “Oh, babies!”
The two girls erupted into a fit of giggles as they broke off from their men and wandered into the living room. The three Oshies plus one Mister Backes stood around the kitchen island each with a beer in hand. They managed to clear out an entire finger food platter before the football game even started.
Around 5 o’clock, Emma and Kelly made their way back into the kitchen to begin making dinner for the boys. “Baby Osh, if I catch you sneaking wings before everything else is done, I’m not cooking for you again.”
The younger brother popped the piece of meat into his mouth, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He mumbled.
“Why don’t you boys go see if the game is on?” Kelly suggested. It was a nicer way of kicking all the testosterone out of the kitchen.
David leaned over the counter and kissed his wife before he and the rest of the men headed into the living room, “So, how are you and Osh?” she asked excitedly as soon as she heard the television on.
Emma smiled, “We’re good, thinking about maybe getting a bigger place.”
“Oh yeah, does that mean we’ll be setting up some play-dates soon?” Kelly tossed the
chopped carrots into the large mixing bowl and drizzle oil and vinegar over the mixture.
The brunette nibbled her lip nervously, “I don’t know. I mean, we’ve talked about kids but I really just want to wait until we’re married so who knows when that’ll happen.”
Kelly nodded, “Well do you think there’s a ring in your future?”
Before Emma got a chance to answer, Taylor wandered into the kitchen. He popped a few baby carrots in his mouth, “So, whatcha ladies talking about?”