Brandy worked diligently at packing her and AJ’s suitcases. They had decided to go to Savannah and announce their engagement the proper way; the way Brandy had always pictured it. It was important to her that her family approved of the things that she did and AJ understood that.
She made AJ carry the bags out to the car before they left. They felt heavy enough to contain their entire living room suit. She argued that since she had to pack then he had to carry them. He grumbled, but he obliged.
Brandy thought the car ride down there would never end. Every time she was almost asleep he would crank his stereo system up to wake her. He did the same when she opened a book and began to read. She almost wanted to snap his neck until she looked at him. He would then flash that notorious smile at her and she would just playfully punch him. Although his little interruptions got old very quickly, she never grew tired of that smile.
As they pulled up in the Davidson's driveway Brandy nearly fell out of the car to get to her awaiting mother's embrace. She didn't realize how much she truely missed her family. She went down the line, hugging her dad and her sisters one by one. Even though the look on her dad's face showed that he wasn't really pleased with the change in her appearance, the fact that he hugged her and told her how much she was missed made up for it.
Heather and Katy helped them unpack while Ella cooked dinner, just like it used to be. Brandy had actually gotten pretty good on her cooking skills but not in a million years could she hold a flame to her mama's cooking.
Since everything seemed to be so hectic AJ and Brandy decided to hold off in announcing their engagment. They didn't want it to be an eat and run thing.
After dinner, after the dishes were cleaned and put away, everyone retired to bed. Brandy and AJ slept in Brandy's old room. It was just the way she had left it too. AJ fell asleep pretty quickly but Brandy just laid there staring at the bleek ceiling. All she could think about was telling her parents. She knew there wasn't much of anything they could say that would stop the wedding but she really wanted their blessing. She wanted to know in her heart that her parents were proud of her actions. As she dozzed off to sleep she dremt thoughts of pure white dresses and big bouquets of flowers.
Something old... something new... something borrowed... and something blue...
********
Brandy awoke before AJ and decided to slip out of bed without waking him considering it was still pretty early yet. She grabbed her bathrobe off the hook on her door and mopped to the bathroom down the hall.
The light was shinning under the crack of the bottom of the door. Just in case she knocked. No one answered so she eased the door open. There on the floor sat her sister, Katy, cross legged, her head propped on the rim of the toilet asleep. Brandy shook her softly to wake her. Katy looked at her through her glazed over blue eyes and grumbled. She looked part green and part pale white.
"What is wrong with you Kate?"
Katy just grumbled as she tried to stand. Brandy helped her back to her bed and pulled the covers up to her shoulders once she was in the bed. She felt her head and noted that she didn't have much of a fever. She passed it off as a bug but she wasn't quit sure since Katy wasn't talking much.
After her shower she went back to her sisters room to check on her. Realizing that she was asleep she sat down on the edge of the bed. She moved her sisters hair out of her eyes and thought to herself how pretty she looked as she slept. Just as she got up to leave she heard her sister mumble something under her breath. Brandy turned around thinking she was the one being spoken to. Her sisters still sleeping formed tossed around slightly in her bed, wrestling with her covers mumbling over and over the name of her lover.
"Kevin... Kevin," she cried softly. Not lustfully but more longingly. Brandy asked herself if she thought Katy weak enough to let herself be "love sick". Well she didn't truely see her sister very weak at all but there wasn't much that any girl could do with her heart when she was in love.
********
That night before dinner, Brandy and AJ decided that tonight they would tell her family. Both Heather and a rejuvenated Katy was at the table along with Jack and Ella at either end of the table finishing up their dinner. Brandy looked at AJ for reassurance and he clutched her hand as she announced that she had something she wanted to tell everyone.
"Mom, Dad, Katy, Heather, the reason me and AJ decided to come home and visit is because we have something to tell everyone." Although there was a hush over her family, there was a knowing face on her mothers face. One of those "pregnant or getting married?" looks. "AJ and I are planning on getting married."
A sigh of relief escaped her mother and a sharp intake of breath was heard from her father, although he smiled and gave his blessing.
After dinner Jack went out on the back porch and lit up a cigar. Brandy, worried of the sincerity of her father's blessing, went out to talk to him.
"Daddy," she said softly, calling his attention to her. "Are you ok?"
"Yes, baby, I'm fine," he replied as though he were talking to a little girl.
"Are you sure Daddy. You don't look too happy. Are you mad at me?"
"No I'm not mad darlin'." He looked up at his daughter and although he smiled, he shook his head in disapproval.
Tears started to well in Brandy's eyes. She dropped to her knees and took her fathers hands in her own.
"What did I do Daddy? Why aren't you proud of me? I've tried so hard to do the right thing and it seems as though I still let you down."
"I gave you my blessings, Brandy. I told you I was happy for you. What do you want for me to cry tears of joy?" He paused and looked out at the night sky that was lit up with a harvest moon. "Brandy. My baby girl." He looked back down at her depressed form sitting prettily at his feet. "Baby you came out of you mama talking back to the doctor. Me and your mama have did all we could to enstill in you right from wrong. Don't get me wrong, I don't think we failed. But when you set your mind to something you always went for it. You never let anything get in the way of what you wanted." He looked away from her again as his own eyes misted over with fat tears. "Honey, I'm not disappointed in you in the least. I'm very happy that you've did so good for yourself. I just hate the thought of my baby girl being swept out from under my feet."
"Daddy, I'll always be your baby girl," she stammered through her tears.
"No, hush that cryin'. Your not a baby anymore. Your grown; you do what you want to do. Look at this... this make up and your hair, and your clothes."
"Daddy, that's just on the outside. I'm still the same ole' Brandy with the same heart. Adn I don't care what you say; I don't care how grown I get, I'll still be your baby. You'd better not forget it either. When you got grandkids I'd better still be the baby."
She got off of her knees and sat down beside her father. As he hugged her she felt like the littlest girl in the world being hugged by the biggest, strongest man ever made and that's how she liked it. Daddy's little girl.
********
As Brandy and AJ laid in bed that night Brandy told him about talking with her father. Surprisingly, he had also talked with AJ. Ofcourse their conversation was less intimate, more manly "you'd better take care of her" sort of thing. Brandy laughed and cried at the thought of her dad looking at for her like that. Since she never had big burly brothers to look out for her, she just depended on her dad, although he pretty much always came through when it came to any of his girls.
After AJ was asleep, Brandy heard Katy walking down the hallway. The child was so love sick she just walked the floors all night long she supposed. Brandy got up to go see about her.
She found her in the bathroom this time in the corner crying. Brandy rushed to her and huugged her tightly.
"Kate, what's gotten into you?" Brandy asked, concerned.
"Brandy, I don't know what I'm going to do," Katy weeped.
"About what? Tell me what's wrong with you, Kate!"
"I'm pregnant."
