Mark kept his arm around Steph's waist, as they exited the courthouse. They were going for dinner and a McDonald's nearby, and they ended up being joined by his parents, Linda, Shane, Joan, Anna, Hunter and Glen. He wasn't sure if Steph could stay awake for much longer. But she needed to eat too.
"How are you holding up?" Mark asked.
"I feel a little crushed, my father just went to prison for a decade." Steph replied.
Mark kept from replying, because he knew he wouldn't be able to stop a sharp remark about Steph's father. Part of him prayed that the baby wouldn't inherit, it's father's smart mouth. That could be...Problematic.
"Have you ever seen something that crazy?" Glen asked.
Mark looked at him and replied: "Not as crazy as getting burned alive, or getting thrown into another person's casket. By an insane brother, might I add."
"Good point." Glen answered. "You think this stuff wouldn't faze me anymore."
"True." Mark replied.
He noticed Steph chuckled at their back 'n forth. They filed into the restaurant and sat down. And after their food came, another conversation sparked.
"Although I am not very happy, we never got to meet your wife until today, I'm glad you've settled down." Frank commented.
Mark thought for a moment. "Yeah, me too."
"Do you know what gender the baby is?" Frank asked.
"No. Steph decided to be 'surprised'. Really makes it hard to prepare, woman." Mark answered.
Frank laughed and Glen returned with sodas.
"Thanks." Mark said, as he was handed his Coke.
"Man, the girls have been chatty tonight. Almost lost an ear, tryin' to get these." Glen commented.
"Try being in the car with, Steph and Anna, it was pretty bad the first year we were dating. Steph never shut up." Mark said, lowing his voice for the latter part of that sentence.
"I heard that!" Steph exclaimed.
"You didn't hear anything!" Mark retorted.
"Anna didn't like the fact that, when Steph always did something secret, Anna couldn't tell a soul. And she wasn't afraid of McMahon either." Mark replied.
Glen had been eating but spoke up again: "Steph never shut up? What was she talking about? You? Because you never shut up about her."
"Preach it, brother!" Anna called.
Frank laughed and Mark rolled his eyes at Glen.
"Don't roll your eyes at me, it's the truth." Glen replied.
"Seems like a match made in heaven. I can't stand the sappy stuff." Hunter commented.
Apparently he was done with his meal, and had come to stand next to the table, where the three stooges were.
"Says the guy that just proposed." Mark fired at Hunter.
"So? I least I won't be getting 'lover boy' chants." Hunter fired back.
"Hunter wins this round." Glen commented.
"Yeah, it's pretty bad when the boss can't even go into the locker room." Mark stated.
His father was just listening and laughing to the conversation brewing around him. Which started a chain reaction of Glen laughing, then Hunter, and finally Mark. While the girls just looked at them like they were nuts.
What a way to end a crappy day.
_________________________________________________________
Conversation with myself after posting last chapter:
"I have to work on Blood Drops."
"Screw that, I'm not finished with this yet!"
"I am very behind with Blood Drops."
"Forget it, I'm bored and I can do it later. And besides, it's a Mark chapter! These are fun to write."
"You win. Two publishes for the price of one, today!"
Freaking werido.
Anna belongs to Debwood, I might edit that in to the other chapter, but I'm not sure. Also, Betty and Frank may be around a lot, since Steph is due soon. Does this chapter move the story along? Barely.