{semi charmed life} reddie

{the big apple}

Bill kicked lightly at one of the boxes closest to him and let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay, I know you're in there because I saw you run from the kitchen into the room as soon as I opened the front door. I literally heard you turn the lock, and that's really immature, I might add-"

The door flew open and his girlfriend was suddenly glaring angrily up at him. Bill's heart lurched in chest, even knowing the fight they were about to half, and the struggles they were about to face, he'd missed the hell out of his girlfriend and seeing her still took of his breath away every time. For the first time since he'd been told, the thought that this beautiful woman he loved was carrying his child gave him a spark of excitement instead of a spark dread.

"Baby..." Bill whispered.

Audra's eyes sparkled up at him. "Don't you baby me because I'm only realizing right now how much I fucking missed you and I'm trying to be pissed at you!"

Bill cupped the side of Audra's face, pressing their foreheads together. "Let's put that anger on pause, fuck now and fight later?"

Audra giggled and leapt up to wrap her legs around Bill's waist. "I guess that is how we should break in our new apartment."

"I fucking love the way you think, baby."

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Beverly leaned over the side of crib, peering down at the sleeping baby inside. She furrowed her brow and tilted it to the side. "So this is..." She started.

"Yep." Richie confirmed.

"And you and Eddie..."

"Yep."

"Huh." Beverly stepped away from the sleeping child, running her fingers through her tangled red hair.  "And how long have you been...."

"Well, we met in 1982 so give or take..." Richie cleared his throat awkwardly. "Thirteen years this November."

Beverly's mouth dropped open as her mind went spiraling. "Thirteen... Wait, wait, wait. You guys were together in high school? What the fuck, why didn't you..."

"Tell you?" Richie bitterly. "Bev, I adore you but it took you almost six months to even speak to me again after we broke up. The last thing I wanted to add onto that was 'oh, hey, also I'm gay.'"

Beverly let out a small laugh, rolling her eyes at her friend. "You know, that might have made it better. If you'd told me that you liked Eddie, I definitely would have believed you. I didn't cross my mind back then but now that I'm looking back at it- it adds up a lot of shit."

"Ha ha ha," Richie mocked laughed, but the amusement in his eyes was real. Tossing an arm around Beverly's shoulders, he lead the girl back to the kitchen where Eddie was holding up two packages of pasta in front of Frankie's face.

"Just pick one," Eddie said in calm voice, a voice that Richie instantly recognized as I'm about to loose my shit with this fucking child and he grinned. "Bow ties or shells."

"I want bow ties AND shells!" Frankie cheered, reaching out for the bags with gabby hands. Eddie clenched his jaw and widened his eyes, Richie ducking in and swooping the now-giggling girl into his arms.

"Come on, Franks. Bowties are your favourites! Why don't we just make those and we can have shells another night?" Richie asked her, balancing the little girl on his hip.

Frankie furrowed her brow and smacked at Richie's chest. "Don't call me Franks, Daddy! You know I hate that!" Beverly raised her brow at Richie as Eddie chuckled under his breath.

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Patty ducked back into the apartment, two bags of take out food in her hands. Stanley had been mostly silent the entire ride back to the city and she chalked up to Stanley's dislike for travelling. Back home now, in their half packed up apartment, and Stan still hadn't said anything, and Patty felt her anxiety rising.