Hello Readers: And welcome to another day of chapters. I hope that you guys liked the chapters that I posted yesterday and are enjoying where this story is on track to go right now. Now, I would love to get feedback from you on that point, and any suggestions that you guys may have on where I can take this story in the future; I am open to ideas, as I would love to be challenged in how to add in some of your suggestions into my current storyline. So, send me messages as you enjoy my chapters. Thanks again for reading.
XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
He just finished the dishes this morning when he got an e-mail, an e-mail from his friend; but he didn't know why he was getting it, as to whether it was a personal or business-related matter. And that was one of the drawbacks when it came to having your friends as your employees, not being sure as to whether their daily communications with you are of a professional or personal nature. And while yes, he could use his personal e-mail for things between friends, and his business e-mail for things between his business partners; it was just easier to use a single e-mail rather than have to have two e-mails. He learned that mistake when he was still at the CFD and sent a personal message with Gabby (which she later replied to with some intimate pictures from Puerto Rico). Pictures that he still has saved both in his mind, as well as on his computer, to this day. But Gabby didn't know that, as he didn't want to embarrass her. But back to the e-mail that he just received from Natalie. He thought about ignoring it, as he was about to walk outside onto once again.
But he ended up opening it before he walked out, just to see whether it was important; as if it was something related to a big deal that the company was in the midst of making with another company, then he's positive that he could easily get Gabby to understand that he really needs to take care of it. But that's not what it ended up being. Rather, it ended up being information (and files) related to a project that Natalie wants to create for the company's PTSD Services Division. Taking a breath, he thought about replying to the e-mail so that he can let Natalie know that he's received her e-mail; and that he would take a listen to the audio files when he gets a chance, but he instead decided not to as that was what he promised Gabby to do. He promised Gabby that he wouldn't do anything work related on her birthday, and this was something that was more work-related than friendship related. And that was the deciding factor when it came to whether or not Matt was going to listen to the audio files that were attached to the e-mail he just received.
The deciding factor was that it was a work-related matter, rather than one that was related to their friendship; which is the only way that he is going to be interacting with his company executives today, as their friends. And that was why he decided to send Natalie a text message, letting her know that he received her e-mail (and that he'd listen to it at a later date), rather than sending her an e-mail. If he sent her an e-mail, that would make him feel like it's okay to work today; but that's not the case, as today is Gabby's birthday...a non-work day for him and their friends. 'Hey Natalie. I got your e-mail re: the music. Just thought I'd let you know. But I am not going too be able to get a chance to listen to them today, as I promised Gabby that today is a no work day. Feel free to come join us as we celebrate her birthday today. Thanks.' Putting his phone back into his pocket shortly after sending Natalie a text, Matt soon continue to make his way outside once more so that he can continue to spend Gabby's birthday with her and the kids; and her disapproving stare.
Looking at her husband as he came out of the house, Gabby Casey couldn't help but wonder what exactly he was just doing on his phone; especially when they already agreed that he wasn't going to be doing business today, as it was her birthday. Still, that didn't mean that she wasn't going to give her husband the benefit of the doubt; so she decided to ask him, after giving him a warning that his answer better be good. "Matthew, I am going to give you a warning. You are going to be sitting next to Severide if I get a bad answer to this question, while Stella is going to be coming to sit with me." Matt gulped as he heard Gabby say that, well aware of what this question was going to be related to. "I saw you on your phone when you came out here, and I don't want to know any details if it was work related; but if it was, then got sit down next to Kelly and tell Stella to come sit with me." Matt bit his lip. "Okay, it was a bit of both." Gabby just looked at her husband when he told her that, not exactly understanding how that could be the case.
"Okay, I'm curious; but I'm only giving you a bit of latitude." At the same time, Kelly couldn't help but laugh over the fact that this is how the couple are currently interacting with each other. Turning his head to look at him as he sat on the opposite end of the couch (that was located in the indoor-outdoor space of their home), Matt gave him a glare. "Hey Kelly, you like that credit card I gave you to buy stuff for your twins? You know, the one that you can pay back slowly because it's my money, rather than an American Express; which means there's no interest rate?" Kelly got scared when he heard his best friend say that, as he's well aware of the exact card that he's talking about. "Well, keep laughing if you want to continue having access to that card for your twins." Stella then turned to look at her husband, not impressed. "Hold on a second, you told me that we were using your dad's money!" Walking over to Gabby with her water, Matt smiled as he sat down next to her while also looking at Matteo (who was still sitting in her lap).
Wrapping his arm around Gabby, Matt smiled as he turned his head and then kissed her forehead softly. "Sorry for the drama that's about to be created thanks to what I just said." Turning her head, Gabby smiled as she heard Matt say that. "It's fine baby. I mean that. Plus, it's not your fault that your best friend has been lying to mine." Gabby said, turning her head to throw some shade towards Kelly. After which, Matt turned his head and looked at her and Gabby's little boy. "Here, how about you give me Matteo? You need to take a drink babe." Gabby agreed with Matt when he told her that, before going ahead with passing him Matteo this morning. Picking Matteo up, Matt smiled as he held him up. "Yeah, you're going to be held by daddy for a bit; aren't you Matteo?" Matt then brought him close to him, going ahead with kissing his 14-month old namesake son's cheek; and boy did that make him laugh. "Oh, Matteo likes it when daddy gives him kisses; yes he does." Smiling as she looked at her husband, Gabby could help but just be so happy right now.
At the same time, Kelly just laughed as he thought it was just him acting. "Man, you can calm down with the acting; you don't have to put on this big of a show just to show us that you love your kids, we already know that you love your sons." Bringing Matteo down into his lap, Matt cuddled up to him before kissing the top of his head. "Who said anything about me acting about how much I love my sons, they need to get attention from their daddy too." That's when Andy decided to bark at Kelly, reinforcing what Matt just said. "See, Andy agrees with me." Kelly just looked at his best friend when he said that. "You know what, I'm not going to even mention it." Matt just looked at his best friend when he said that, unsure of what he's talking about. "Care to share what you're talking about Mr. Severide?" Kelly took a breath, knowing that he was going to have to talk now; or else he'd be in trouble with his boss, and his wife. So, he did that as he took a breath. "I just don't find it that appropriate that our best friend's namesake Andrew Casey...is a dog."
Kelly took a breath when he said that. "And I'm sorry about that, but I have been holding back ever since you named the dog. You were really struggling with your PTSD back then, and then we had all the drama related to the media frenzy in Hawaii; but now, I think it's time I say something, over how inappropriate I feel it is that our late best friend's namesake is a dog." Matt took a breath when he heard his best friend say that, well aware that was the case; and he was about to say something (about why his name is Andy), when Gabby decided to speak up for him. "Who said anything about us being the ones that chose his name? Maybe we chose him, because of his name?" Kelly was confused when he heard Gabby said that. "Sorry, I'm confused as to what you're trying to say?" Matt then took a breath, before proceeding to speak to his best friend. "Kelly, I get what you're saying. And the truth is, I was a bit apprehensive at first. But then, we were there, and it felt like a sign, a sign that this guy here was supposed to be our service dog."
Matt then smiled as he looked down at his service dog. "I can't explain it, but I just felt a connection to him right away. This connection that I had, and I just...like I said, I can't explain why I felt like he was supposed to be my dog. Sure, I thought it was weird at first. But that didn't mean that I didn't feel something, like Andy was already a part of him. I feel Andy with me much more often when I deal with my PTSD with him. Plus, Heather said it was okay." That's when everybody heard Heather say something as she walked around back. "Sorry, what did Heather say was okay?" Turning his head, Matt smiled when he saw Heather and the boys walk into the backyard this morning; which is definitely something that both Matt and Gabby love, really happy to see Ben and Griffin again.
XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Getting up from her seat, Gabby smiled as she walked over to Heather so that she could hug her (and welcome her to her birthday celebration). "How are you doing?" Heather smiled when Gabby asked her that. "Good, but a bit confused as to what I'm supposed to be okay with?" Walking over to Heather too, Matt smiled as he continued to hold Matteo in his arms while explaining what he said. "You're okay with my service dog's name being Andy." Heather looked at Matt when he said that. "Did he...." Kelly then spoke up as he looked at Heather. "Seriously? How did you know?" Heather laughed as she looked at her godson (yes, Matteo has two godmothers...Stella and Heather); after all, Andrew is his middle name. "Here, give me my godson and then I can talk to Kelly for you. Sorry, I've missed holding a baby." Matt laughed as he heard Heather say that, before giving Matteo to her. After which, she turned to look at Ben and Griffin. "Go get changed and go enjoy the ocean. Mom needs some adult time."
Matt laughed as he heard Heather say that. "Give your uncle Matt a hug first?" Ben and Griffin both agreed as they hugged him, smiling as they hugged him; after which, they both made their way inside so that they can get changed to go into the ocean together. At the same time, Heather smiled as she looked at her friends. "Okay, now which couch are you guys sitting on? It'll sit next to you guys." Gabby smiled as she heard Heather say that, before getting close to her. "Actually, there's something you need to know first." Heather was confused when she heard Gabby say that. "Come sit down and I'll tell you what names we're thinking of using." Heather agreed with Gabby, proceeding to walk over to the couch with her; that is, until she realized what she just said. "SHUT UP!" Gabby laughed as she looked at Heather, who then turned to look at Stella. "Here, Stella; can you hold Matteo for a minute?" Stella agreed with her, as she got up to go grab Matteo from her arms. "Hey, be careful Stella. Remember, you're 30 weeks." Stella agreed.
"Kelly..." Kelly then shut up, agreeing with his wife. After which, Stella proceeded to go grab her godson from his fellow godmother for a moment. "Hey Matteo, how's my godson?" Heather laughed as she heard Stella say that, before going to hug Gabby. "Congratulations and Happy Birthday Gabby. Wait, when did you find out?" Gabby smiled as she heard Heather ask her that. "Best birthday gift in the entire world." Heather was shocked. "Are you serious? You found out on your birthday?" Gabby agreed with her son's godmother, before smiling as she watched Heather walk over to her husband so that she could hug him. "Congratulations Matt." Matt agreed with his late best friend's wife when she said that, before smiling as he hugged her. "Thanks Heather." Heather agreed with Matt when he said that. "Maybe keep the boys out of your arms for a bit, because you know Ben and Griffin are going to want to hug you when they come out to get in the water." Matt agreed with her when she said that, smiling as he figured that would be true.
After which, Heather smiled as she turned to look at Matteo's fellow godmother so that she could get him in her arms. "Okay, you live with them; time for his other godmother to get some time with little M. Andy." Walking over to Gabby, Matt proceeded to sit back down next to her; but after hearing what Heather just said, he couldn't help but be a bit continued. "Sorry, but last time I checked, my son's name isn't Mandy." Picking Matteo up in her arms, Heather smiled as she proceeded to carry him over to one of the couches so that she can explain to Matt what she meant when she said 'M. Andy'; which, to be honest, she's surprised he didn't get. "Oh c'mon, you're so smart a business...but you don't get the nickname that I gave to him?" Going to sit down on the couch, Heather smiled as she looked at Matteo's father while relaxing with him. "No, I don't understand." Heather just laughed, before looking at him.
"Matteo Andrew. His nickname can't be Andy because it's not his first name, so M. Andy can be his nickname though." Thinking about it, Matt snickered as it was quite clever on her side. "Well, that makes sense." Heather agreed with Matt when he said that, before smiling as she turned to look at Gabby. "So Gabby, how are you feeling right now? What are your thoughts on being pregnant so soon after the boys?" Looking at her best friend, Stella couldn't help but wonder about that question too. "Yeah, I want to know that too." Jay and Alex both agreed as they came back outside from getting themselves some water, as well as some water for Max. "Same here." Gabby took a breath when she heard them all say that. "Listen, how about you all sit down? Then I can answer that question when Will and Natalie are here? Because I know that they're going to have the same question as all of you." Jay agreed with Gabby, well aware of the fact that Natalie is going to want to know. "You do realize that she'll be able to help you, right Gabby?"
Looking at Jay after he mentioned that Natalie is going to be able to help her, Gabby couldn't help but smile as she hadn't even thought about that fact; nor did Matt point it out to her, even as she sat down next to her this morning (and, of course, wrapped his arm around her once again while putting his hand on her thigh). "To tell you the truth, I hadn't thought about that until you brought it up right now." Jay agreed with Gabby when she said that, before smiling at her. "How about you wait until she's out here? Then you can talk to her, or you can go to their place and talk to her for a moment?" Turning his head, Matt looked at his wife. "I can already see that's what you're going to do, and that it's going to be staying on your mind until you talk to her about it." Gabby smiled as she looked at the man she loves more than anything in the entire world, before smiling at him. "Are you okay with me going to talk to Natalie right now? I can tell them." Matt smiled as he agreed with his wife when she asked him that, more than okay with it.
He then gave her a big grin, and smiled at the woman he loves. "Gabby, go do whatever you think you need to do right now?" Gabby agreed with her loving husband as he told her that, before getting up; after which, Gabby leaned over him this morning and kissed her softly. Taking things nice and slow with the man she loves more than anything in the entire world, Gabby smiled at him. "I love you." Matt agreed with his beautiful wife as she told him that. "Just make sure that you take it easy and relax." Gabby agreed with her husband as he reminded her to relax, Gabby laughed. "Baby, I know that I need to relax. Please, don't worry about me." Matt sighed as he looked at Gabby, before shaking his head. "Gabby, we both know that I'm always going to worry about you." Gabby agreed with her loving husband as he told her that, smiling due to the fact that he truly is the man of her dreams. "I'll be back soon okay? And remember that I'm going to go talk to doctors who know what to do." Matt agreed with his wife when she told him that, smiling.