Chapter 25 (Tetris) - Mother's Smother Love

Meadow played with the little kittens.  She imagined they would grow up looking just like their mama Kobe again based on their bright orange fur.

She heard the front door and quickly turned around.

"Tetris! I missed you so much!" she said, pulling her son into her arms and hugging him tightly.

Tetris chuckled.  "Mom, you saw me recently on campus!" he told her with a shake of his head.

"You were gone too long!" she stubbornly protested.  "When you're a parent, you'll understand a mother's love a little bit better!"

"You mean a mother's smother love?" he teased.

Meadow smacked his shoulder playfully. "Hush! I'll send you to your room!" 

"Nicole, can you come over?" he asked nervously.

 Tetris smooched her in greeting. 

Then dropped to one knee.  "Marry me Nicole! I've loved you since I first saw you at the produce stall!"

Nicole excitedly agreed.  It was her wish come true. After all, she had followed him to college.  She was head over heels in love with Tetris!

There was no doubt Tetris and Nicole were madly in love.

 Oh wow, of all the outfits we could've worn, that's the one you picked, Nicole?

Without waiting a moment, Tetris and Nicole exchanged their vows and she took his last name. 

 Welcome to the family Nicole Lee!

 "There's something I want to show you," he told her.

She practically purred.  "Mmm... I can't wait to see it," she said boldly.

"Come on," he said, reaching for her hand and leading her into town.

"Oh wait, where are we going?" she asked as they walked away from the front door.  She'd anticipated an enjoyable honeymoon and consummation of the marriage vows.

"I want to show you were I'll be working!"

Tetris was really excited to show Nicole the Builders trailer he'd set up in town.  He pointed out the windows, which were all a variety of colors and sizes.  "That way if someone hires us, we can show them some of the building materials we have in stock!" he bragged.

"Just wait until you see the showroom!"   Floor to ceiling walls that showcased doors, windows, tiled walls and wallpaper.  All the things that would help turn Calamity Canyon into more than just steel exterior paneled trailers and wooden shacks.

 He led Nicole into his office where he was set up to work. 

 Soon he became lost in his work.

And suddenly he remembered that he didn't actually have the job yet since he went off to college.  It would be nice to be able to pick up where he left off when he was a teen.

😖

With a sad shake of his head, he left the Builders Trailer and headed home with Nicole. 

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get the job soon!" she told him encouragingly. 

 Sookie was having a blast with school friend JJ.

Too bad her carpool came so soon.  She waved goodbye and headed to work.

 "Congratulations on your marriage, sweetheart!" Meadow told her son.  "I'm looking forward to getting to know your wife better."

"What was that?" Nicole called from the opposite end of the table.

Meadow smiled at her kindly. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you!" she called out loudly. 

It would've been much easier to talk if she'd actually sat nearer to them.

 "Mom really liked you," Tetris told his wife. 

"AH!"  Seeing her Dad's ghost really caught Sookie offguard

"Why would he scare me?" she wondered angrily.  "I hate ghosts!"

Muttering, she went back to playing Operation.
 

Aw, what a cutie little cat, Sookie thought as she lifted the stray.  "I bet Kitty would love to make baby kits with you!"

But alas, the cat ran off the moment she set it down.

 Still no job.

Since he wouldn't be working at his dream job, Tetris called up a few college friends to come over and hang out.

 He hoped they loved his wife as much as he did!

 "Bad Kitty! No!" Nicole flicked some water at Kitty to shoo her from the leftover pork tenderloin.

 It wasn't long before she had some exciting news for Tetris.  "I'm pregnant!" she announced happily.

Tetris was feeling pretty damn good about himself.

Nicole's motherinlaw was overjoyed when Nicole told her the news. 

"A baby?!" she gushed. "Oh! I can't wait to be a grrandmother!"

 Since he'd never liked writing, Tetris played the family fiddle to relax and boost his creativity juices.

Sookie spent as much time as possible learning mechanical skill from the Dummy Surgical Training equipment.  She'd found all sorts of things in there!

Baby pop #2

"Are you ready to be a dad?" Sookie asked her brother.

Tetris nodded. "Yeah, I can't wait."

Sookie considered her next move in battle chess.  "Have you thought about how hard it'll be to baby proof this house?"

"Why would I need to babyproof it?" he asked, giving her a look that told her he thought she was ridiculous.

Sookie sighed.  "I'll talk to Nicole."

 Tigger grew up looking more like his father Sake.

Nicole wondered what Winnie would look like. 

 Lol. I don't even know what to say.  Winnie decided to go out to the family cematary and glare at passerbyers.

And then Kitty promptly got into a fight with her sister. 

"Sometimes cats that aren't from the same litter will be jealous of their younger siblings," Meadow explained to Nicole.  "I have the perfect idea, though!"

Since Melissa had already adopted Whiskers, Meadow thought it would be a wonderful idea to reunite him with his sister. 

"Sure, anything for you Meadow," Melissa said, agreeing to take in Kitty without any hesitation.  "Tesira will be excited to have another cat at home!"

 Nicole felt the labor pains and stumbled from bed. 

 Welcome to the family baby girl, Reversi Lee!

"You are the most beautiful little girl in the world!" Meadow said, rocking her grandchild in her arms. 

Sookie had decided to skip college.  She'd seen how much her brother struggled to get back into his career and she didn't want the same thing to happen to her. 

Besides, it's not like you needed a degree to master the Science career!

 Happy Birthday Sookie!

It was work as usual for her.

 Reversi had a house full of people to take care of her, spoil her and love her. 

 I never realized how similar their faces are.  They even have the same deadpan expression.

 Ah, there we go. Finally a smile!  Let's look excited to be holding hands, people!

 It wasn't long before Nicole was telling Tetris that there would soon be another child. 

 FINALLY!

The family kept getting larger and larger!

Tetris invited everyone over to celebrate Reversi's birthday.   The family clapped and cheered.

 But nothing.

Stubborn child didn't want to age up.

Sunday night, Sookie announced that it was time for her to get her own place.  She would be moving in next to Urbain in a plot of land she named Sookie's Shanty.

 Meadow cried, waving goodbye to her daughter.  It felt like she'd never seen her again!

"Mom, I'm just moving down the street," Sookie told her.

Meadow hugged her tightly.  "It's too far!"

And finally Reversi grows up! Happy Birthday cutie patootey!