All Aboard Andi's Dream Ch. 07

"I aired up the tires and took it off blocks the other day," said Harold. "The tires seem to be ok."

"That's not a Volkswagen," said Paul as the morning light fell on Andi's car.

"No sir, it is not," gasped Kenny.

"That's what daddy called it," insisted Andi as she ran her hand across her father's 1969 Series B Porsche 911 S Targa.

"The founder of Porsche designed the first Volkswagen beetle," said Kenny, as he opened the rear hood and looked at the six cylinder flathead. "That's why people nickname these 'Fast Volkswagens.' The hoses and lines need to be replaced."

"Why?" said Andi. "They look good."

"They're dry and old," said Paul. "It's best to replace them and the tires just to be safe."

"YOU'RE dry and old," said Andi as she hip bumped her husband.

"I learned to drive in this car," said Sandy as she climbed into the driver's seat and tried to turn the steering wheel.

"Me too," said Madeline from the passenger's seat and she yanked at the gearshift lever. Every time the twins spent the night with Grandma Heather, they would spend hours in Grandpa Danny's Volkswagen, driving all over their imaginary world.

"What do you say darling," said Paul. "Gus and I can work on it..."

"I'll help," said Kenny.

"We can get it running... or I can drop it off at Mile Strip Road and let the boys do it right. Buff out the paint and everything. What do you say?" When Paul mentioned Mile Strip Road, he meant the Jarecki Motors location on Mile Strip Road in Orchard Park, where Paul sold high end imports and had a team of foreign supercar specialists in the garage.

"That shop is for supercars, isn't it?" said Andi.

"This is a supercar," said Kenny, who was losing the fight not to drool.

"Really?" Andi was shocked, all her life it was just a Volkswagen, but she still remembers rides in the mountains with mom and dad, everyone laughing and having fun... the Beach Boys on the radio and the joy would never end... then an IED in Iraq shattered the lives of all three. "How long will they take?" asked Andi, trying to fight back the tears.

"Let's find out." He called the head mechanic's personal cell phone. "Hey Darwin, this is Paul. We have a 1969 Porsche 911 S Targa that's been in storage for about 20 years. How long will it take to get it road worthy?"

"A 69 Nine Eleven S? Two months... maybe three."

Andi pouted. She clearly didn't want to wait two or three months. "Andi's not very happy with that," said Paul. "It was her father's car."

"Wait a moment... what color is it?" asked Paul's head supercar mechanic.

"Burgundy red."

"Why didn't you say it was burgundy red? I can get it done in three weeks. I'll order the lines and hoses now."

Paul looked at the car again, and it had the factory rims and hubcaps. "Get a set of traditional five spoke wheels also."

"Will do boss, see you in a few days."

With Andi at the wheel, the twins in the back seat waving at grandma, and Macy helping push, the 911 made its way into the sunshine for the first time in twenty years. It wasn't easy getting it on the trailer, but they made it and tied it down. They almost locked it up when Paul noticed the twins peering out from the back seat. "Come on you two," said Paul and he helped the twins down.

"We want to ride back here."

"No matter how much we would enjoy that, no. You ride in the fancy van with us," said Andi.

"We like the fancy van. Can we keep it?" asked Madeline.

Andi and Paul looked at each other and Paul finally said, "You guys made such a big mess in the back the rental company probably doesn't want it back."

"It's what we need," said Andi.

"You and Yi decide what you want in a Transport, and I'll get one on order."

"Yay!" said Andi. She thoroughly enjoyed having a "Fancy Van" and she was getting sure that they need the room for expansion.

Yi stuck her head out the back door of Harold and Heather's house. "Breakfast burritos are ready!"

The twins raced for the house. Yi's breakfast burritos are one of their favorites and they were followed by Paul and Kenny, but Andi and Macy hung behind. "I am not hungry this morning," said Macy.

"I'm not either," said Andi.

"Your loss. Come on girls," said Yi as she guided the twins into the house, leaving Andi and Macy next to Andi's dad's "Volkswagen."

"Are you ok?" asked Andi.

"I missed my period," said Macy. She was caught somewhere between elation and terror. "I get so tired, I'm cramping, and I have to pee all the time."

Andi took Macy's hands in hers and said, "Bell Sour, I think we need to get some pregnancy tests, and if you are, we don't say anything until you talk to John... what's so funny?"

"Mon cher, it is pronounced 'belleh sir.'" Andi had completely flubbed 'sister-in-law' in French.

"Oh. Sorry." Andi felt tears rising that she had no explanation for. As she sobbed softly, Macy hugged her and soon was crying too.

"You think you might be... like me?" asked Macy.

"Pregnant? That's why I'm crying, I'm so happy."

"Moi aussi. (me too) I thought I was in the past, but it was never like this."

"We'll do it right; we'll get the tests and soon as we get home we take the tests then tell John and Paul," said Andi.

"Oui! It will be merveilleuse!" They opened the kitchen door, but the smell of the breakfast burritos made them nauseous, so they retreated to the fancy van and cleaned up the twin's mess in the fancy van. After picking up dozens of crayons, scores of cheesy puffs, and quite a few empty juice boxes, the family was done with breakfast and were saying their goodbyes to Harold and Heather.

"Don't cry mom, you'll get me crying too," said Andi with a sniff.

"But you're finally leaving for real," said Heather. "Just when we finally found a peaceful spot in our lives."

"Mom, I need you to come out for a while this summer. Please?"

"For how long?" asked Heather. Andi whispered in her ear, then said, "I haven't told Paul yet."

Heather gasped, then hugged Andi and said, "I will be there as long as you want."

Harold and Heather waved goodbye to their daughter and granddaughters. "When is she due?" asked Harold.

"How did you know?" asked Heather.

"I'm nearly blind and can't sing, but I'm not deaf yet," he said. "I hope it's a boy, the twins will have fun tormenting him."

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The trip was three days long, but they had fun. With their cell phones, the two vehicles kept in touch with each other. Paul and Kenny spent most of their time in the rented truck, and in the fancy van Andi, Yi, and Macy swapped out driving responsibilities with every potty break, which was often.

"I should have kept count," said Paul. "I never realized how many potty breaks a woman will take." They were in a rest area in Indiana, and their planned stop for the evening would be in Ohio. They were having a picnic in the rare early spring warmth. Lunch was sandwiches that Paul and Yi made last night, chips, and fruit.

"At least we made it through Chicago without stopping" said Kenny with a sigh.

"Oh stop it you two, nature happens. The twins have a bladder the size of a walnut," Yi scolded.

"I'm talking about Andi and Macy."

The last stop was in Ashtabula, Ohio, which was fairly close to home. They couldn't get a suite that night, but they got a large motel room with two queen-size beds and a hide-a-bed couch. They sat up watching Nickelodeon and eating pizza with the twins, but pizza wasn't appealing to Andi and Macy. Instead, they wolfed down two bags of butter free microwave popcorn and washed it down with ginger ale. After the twins fell asleep on one bed, Kenny and Yi unfolded the couch and lay down together. Andi and Macy lay down on the other bed, leaving Paul with the twins who were bed hogs.

It was a tough day of travel that carried them through the traffic nightmare of Chicago, so everyone was exhausted. Kenny and Yi were soon asleep, followed by Paul. "Mon cher," whispered Macy. "Are you awake?"

"Wide awake," said Andi. "What's up?"

"I want to take the test right now. I am going crazy not knowing."

"Knowing doesn't help anything, not with your first," said Andi, as she brushed a hand gently on Macy's cheek. "It's scary and you don't know what to do and you're so terrified for the baby."

"How did you get through it?"

"Lucy," said Andi. "Frank was such a jerk, I'm sure he was trying to determine if there was money in pregnant porn. And when I found out it was twins I really freaked out, but Lucy was there for me constantly."

"Very scary, no?"

"I had no one. Frank terrified my friends and family and no one would come to help. He threatened to hit my mom once."

"What did you do?" asked Macy.

"What I didn't do was tell Harold. He would have killed Frank." Andi took Macy's hand between her hands and continued. "You have John and I have Paul and we have each other to help. We'll help each other through this," said Andi, as they held hands.

"Oui."

"I just realized, we can go camping any time we want," said Andi. "We'll just pack up the girls and go! Paul and John can catch up with us when they're done with work."

"We always could," said Macy. "Why are you just finding that out now?"

"I don't know. I suddenly want to go camping."

When they woke in the morning, Andi and Macy discovered they had Madeline sleeping between them, but oddly, Sandy wasn't in bed with them. Sandy was sleeping between Kenny and Yi, and Paul was in the shower.

Paul emerged from the shower, and Andi ducked into the shower. Shaking his head, he dressed and stepped out of the bathroom to find Macy waiting impatiently for him. She dashed into the bathroom as soon as he was clear of the doorway. Yi was sitting on the couch and Kenny was slowly waking up, but Sandy and Madeline were still fast asleep. "I'm going to go investigate the breakfast while y'all get dressed," said Paul. As he left, he tapped on the bathroom door and said, "You guys want coffee?"

"Tea!" Andi and Macy called out in unison.

"Hang on," said Kenny. "I'll go with you."

"Can you get me a coffee bae?" asked Yi.

"Can do," and he pulled on his jeans and sneakers and went down to the lobby with Paul.

While the guys were gone, Yi said, "no, I can't do another motel breakfast. I can't take another motel waffle with 5% maple syrup, reheated frozen pancakes, powdered eggs or sausage gravy with no sausage."

"Donuts," said Andi.

"Donuts!" agreed Macy.

When Kenny and Paul got back from the lobby, the girls were cleaned up and ready to go. "They have..."

"There's a Mr. Donut six blocks away," said Andi, as she kissed his cheek and she and Macy took their tea and headed out to the parking lot.

Yi shrugged as she carried a sleepy Madeline and led an equally sleepy Sandy. "Cravings," was her only explanation.

"Wait here, we'll be right back," said Andi, as they headed out of the parking lot. Twenty minutes later, Paul and Kenny were waiting by the rented truck and the fancy van pulled up. Andi handed Paul a sack of donuts and a cup of coffee. Yi slid open the door and handed Kenny the same. "Gotta go. Time's a wasting!"

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It was late on a dark rainy afternoon when the fancy van pulled into the driveway and Andi and Macy spilled out. They raced into the house only pausing for Macy to give John a kiss, then they dashed upstairs. "Gotta go potty!" they called. Both were carrying a small plastic bag from the King Sooper pharmacy in Denver.

"Ok," said John. "Be that way."

"Give them a break," said Gus. He was sitting at the kitchen table with Lucy. Andi and Macy raced right past them as they dashed upstairs and didn't notice they were there. Andi disappeared into her room. Out of habit, Macy disappeared into Yi's room, and they closed the doors.

"Where's Paul and Kenny?" asked John.

"They're dropping Andi's car off at Paul's shop to get a cleaned up," said Yi. She pulled out her phone and showed a picture of Andi's 911 being pushed on the trailer. "It's been sitting since her dad died."

"Beautiful, but yeah, it will need some work," said Gus.

"Probably rebuild both carbs," said Lucy.

"It's beautiful. I was expecting an old Toyota or something we could use as a field car at the cabin," said John.

"YAAAAAAA!" shouted the twins as they dashed through the house with an overjoyed chocolate lab. "We missed you Wonka!" said Madeline as she hugged the big dog.

"Come on Wonka, let's race!" called Sandy, and they dashed into the library and began running around and around the library until they got on the big wheel bikes they got for Christmas and began riding in circles around the house.

"Halt!" cried Yi. "Not in MY kitchen." The twins came to a screeching stop and Wonka dashed past them and went out the other kitchen door.

"Wonka's going to win!" said Sandy as she crossed her arms and pouted.

"Yeah," agreed Madeline.

"I know you've been cooped up for three days and it's raining out but if you're going to go crazy, go crazy in the library."

"That's too little," complained Madeline.

"Yeah," agreed Sandy. But the girls stood up, turned their tricycles around and headed back to their library through the parlor.

As Gus, John and Lucy discussed Andi's "Volkswagen" the rented truck pulled up out front, towing an empty trailer. Soon Paul and Kenny came walking up the driveway and Sandy shouted up the stairs, "MOM! POPPA'S HOME!"

"Coming!"

Andi and Macy slowly walked down the stairs, whispering to each other. They walked into the kitchen and neither had realized that Gus and Lucy were there. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you when I came in," said Macy.

"I didn't either... I really had to go."

"I know the feeling," said Lucy, but Macy and Andi weren't paying attention. They turned two kitchen chairs around and pushed John into a chair and the moment Paul entered the house, Andi shoved him into the other chair. Then Andi and Macy sat on their husband's lap facing each other. Yi got out her phone and got ready to take a picture and she tried to signal Gus and Lucy to do the same, and Lucy understood. She rose and stood next to Yi, phone at the ready.

As they kissed their husbands, Macy whispered to John, "je vais avoir un bébé."

Andi said it in English when she said, "I'm going to have a baby."

John was thunderstruck. "For real?" Macy nodded and handed him the test. "Dear God, thank you lord!" John cried and held Macy tight as they kissed. Their dream is going to come true! "When is it due?"

"November, gushed Macy, pronouncing it No-vombreh.

"November," said Andi with a kiss. "He's a Valentine's baby." She handed Paul the pregnancy test she took upstairs just minutes before, and Paul whooped with joy.

The two couples were so involved with each other they didn't notice Lucy, Gus, Kenny, and Yi clapping for them and taking their pictures. The twins began hopping up and down, crying, "What's going on?"

"Your mommy and your Aunt Macy are going to have a baby," said Paul.

"The same baby?" asked a confused Madeline.

"No," said Paul as he tried not to laugh. "Your mommy has a baby in her tummy, and Aunt Macy has a different little baby in her tummy."

"Oh!" Said Sandy, "her Christmas baby!"

"I'm hungry," said Madeline.

Paul looked at Andi, who said, "It's going to take a while to settle in. Believe me, they'll be full of questions before the evening is over."

Gus and Lucy congratulated the expectant parents when Paul looked around and said, "Where's Kenny and Yi?"

"They went to get supper," said Sandy.

Madeline nodded in agreement. "Fish place." She meant Worzels, which serves fish on Fridays.

"That sounds good," said John. "Care to go to Worzels?"

"I love Worzels," said Macy as she kissed her husband. They tried so hard for so long to have a baby, and now it looks like it's really going to happen.

The friends pulled on their coats and grabbed umbrellas and walked up the street, laughing and enjoying each other's company. It was one of those days that, despite the icy rain, was ideal. March comes in like a lamb, and leaves like a lion, but this year, the ides were perfect.

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All Aboard Andi's Dream Chapter 8 is going to be a little different. Hang on for the ride.