THE PREPARATION

The house looked good. It was big, and was in an area which was surely rich.

Emma will be happy over here, thought Paula when the car stopped in front of the Carter house.

They got down of the rental car. As Mark paid the driver Paula looked at and observed the house more carefully.

"Isn't the house really beautiful?" She asked when her husband came and stood next to her.

When no reply came she looked up to see that Mark was busy typing something into his mobile.

"Are you even listening to me? Or are you to engrossed in that mobile?"

"I heard you Paula. You think the house is beautiful and I agree. Now this is an important mail and I need to reply to it. Would you rather that I finish it while we're outside, or do you want me to be engrossed in my mobile inside in front of everyone?" All the while as he spoke his eyes were trained on his mobile.

Paula just huffed and waited for the driver to take out their carry- on bags from the trunk.

It had been their decision to take a rental from the Chicago airport. Alec had offered to come pick them up.

But Mark didn't like the idea of imposing that way.

"Let's go." Mark said atlast when he was satisfied with the mail.

Paula rolled her eyes but still followed him.

They walked up the stairs and rang the door bell.

.....................

"They're here!" Emma said running into the kitchen where Susan was talking to the caterers.

Over the three days she had spent with Susan they had come quite close while doing all the preparations for the party.

She had been standing near the window waiting for her parents to come since morning, poking her head out every two seconds.

And now that they were here, she had a sick feeling in her stomach.

She hoped that they didn't say anything wrong or do anything to hurt any of the members in Alec's family.

"Are they? Why don't I open the door while you go call Alec, okay?" Susan said, dismissing the caterers and walking out.

Emma ran up the stairs. She found Alec in his room just sitting on his bed and staring at the wall.

"Alec, they're here!" She said when she entered his room.

Alec looked up and for a second his eyes were blurred, as if he had been thinking about something very serious and Emma had interrupted him.

"Is something wrong?" Emma asked when Alec didn't reply.

He cleared his throat, "No no... I'm fine. They're here? Good. Let's go down." He said as he raked his fingers through his hair.

Emma was still concerned but just then the door bell rang.

Alec and she walked down the stairs quickly to see that Susan had already opened the door and she was ushering them into the living room.

"Hi mother!" Emma said, she brought on a smile on her face even though she felt sick and kissed her mother on her powdered cheeks.

Paula Burns was as usual immaculately dressed in grey trousers and an off white sweater. Her platinum bold hair, which was chin length surrounded her pretty but sharp face.

"Hello, Emma. How have you been?" She said. Her accent sounded stronger and more pronounced, since Emma had gotten used to hearing the American accent for the past few days.

"I have been great." She moved to her dad and kissed him on his cheek too. "Hello father."

Mark Burns was a tall man, with broad shoulder and a body he had maintained with great pride.

His brown eyes were covered with glasses and his hair was swept back.

He too was wearing a grey pants and a dark green sweater.

He smelt faintly of nicotine when Emma went close to him. Surely from the cigarette he smoked when her mother was not around.

"Hello doll." Mark said.

"Was the journey fine?" Susan asked as she stood behind them.

She felt completely underdressed in her jeans and plaid shirt.

"The journey was good. You must be Susanne Carter." Paula said, before giving her the air kisses which were so famous.

Susan had seen people exchange air kisses a million times on TV but this was the first time she was in their place.

She stood awkwardly while Paula blew kisses and then stood back.

"It's umm... Susan. But that's fine, I'm glad to meet you Paula." Susan said.

"Hello I'm Mark!" Emma's father extended a hand to her.

Susan timidly shook the big hand and smiled, "Hello, I'm Susan, Alec's mom."

"Hello Ma'am. Hello sir." Alec nodded his head at Paula and then was subjected to a hand squeeze by Mark.

Just then Steve and Julia entered the living room.

Both of them were sweating and looked ruffled.

Emma closed her eyes. It was not very difficult to guess what they had been doing before being interrupted by the door bell and what would her parents say about it.

She could see the smile Paula tried to hide her frown behind when Emma introduced them.

Mark didn't even take the efforts to hide the disgust with a smile.

After all the introductions were made, Susan got in cups of coffee for everyone and handed them around.

They all sat on the sofa. There was an awkward silence. While everyone quietly sipped their coffees.

This was going to be bad, thought Emma.

This was going to be horrible.

These people didn't have anything in common.

Susan started talking about the preparations for the party. But is was only so long that someone could talk about hors d'oeuvres and the guest list.

Before long they were sitting in silence again.

"This is really awkward." Emma heard Steve whisper to Julia before Julia shushed him.

She couldn't agree less with him. This was the mother of all awkward meetings!

This was a horrible idea.

.............................

"Mom, Alec... Can we talk to you for a second?" Julia asked coming into the room after she had gone to the kitchen to keep her cup.

"Yeah sure sweetie."

Susan and Alec excused themselves and followed Julia to the kitchen where Steve was already standing.

He had another cup of coffee in his hand and a smug smile.

"Is something going on?" Alec asked suspiciously.

Julia shook her head, "No."

While at the same time Steve nodded from behind, the smile now a full blown grin.

"Julia what is it? It's not right to leave the Burns alone over there." Susan said.

Steve took another sip of his coffee, "Yes Julia.... Do tell." He encouraged his wife.

"You shut up! This is all because of you!" She yelled.

But the smile on Steve's face somehow just became bigger.

"Mom and Alec... See I wanted you'll to be the first people to know... Well ofcourse after me and Steve and the doctor... But that's not counted." She said while wringing her hand.

"You're stalling,Julia ." Steve interrupted.

Julia glared at him, "So why don't you say it?"

"Okay..." He shrugged.

Steve came and stood next to her and looked at Alec and Susan who were both standing with confusion visible on their faces.

"Mom, Alec.... Julia is pregnant." Steve said simply. "Ouch! What was that for?"

Julia had hit him on his shoulder with all her might, "We are pregnant. We! That's how you say it.... You idiot!"

"What difference does it make? And anyways I'm not pregnant. At least I wasn't the last time I checked. Want me to check......?"

But Steve didn't get to continue what he was going to say because Susan had started squealing.

"That's such great news! Oh my God!" She exclaimed hugging both Steve and Julia, her eyes were damp with tears but there was a smile on her face, "I'm going to be a grandmother!"

Once Susan had asked about everything. All the medical details. Julia's diet plan. The due date. The doctor.

The three of them stood back and just grinned at each other.

That's when Steve noticed that Alec had not uttered a word. He was still standing right where he had been with a shocked look on his face and his mouth open.

"So what's your reaction, uncle Alec? Or did the cat get your tongue?" Steve asked, emphasising the uncle.

Alec blinked, "You'll are giving me a niece."

Julia laughed and shrugged, "It can be a nephew. We're not checking though. We want it to be a surprise."

"You are giving me a niece. A niece?" His expression was blank but he went and hugged his sister and Steve.

He kept repeating the words, "A niece?"

This came as a complete shock to Alec, but then when he thought about it, it shouldn't have.

Julia had been away from alcohol ever since she had come to Millbrooke.

Alec had noticed Steve exchanging secret, love eyed looks with his sister and had passed it of as normal couple behaviour.

Julia explained that she had suspected it since before coming to Millbrooke, but she had not told anyone except Steve because she didn't want to disappoint anyone.

The doctor had called that morning to confirm her suspicions.

"And I wanted you'll to be the first ones to know." Julia said, "Mom, to keep up with the bracelet theme I got a charm. Will you put it on my bracelet for me?"

There was a tradition in their family. On the wedding day the oldest Sheridan woman- Susan's maiden name- gave the soon to be bride a charm bracelet with a single charm on it.

And over the years that girl collected charms and put them on the bracelet to mark every special occasion.

Julia took out the charm and the bracelet from her pocket and handed it to her mother.

Susan took a closer look at the small silver charm and saw that it was a small cradle.

She smiled and with tears blurring her vision she put the new charm onto the bracelet and secured it around Julia's wrist.

"So you got a bed... Because that's where you'll did it... And that's the reason you're pregnant?" Alec asked. He was finally over the shock that her sister and brother- in - law were going to have a baby.

"Alec! It's a cradle. Not a bed." Julia said.

"I think it's a bed too." Steve whispered to Alec soft enough that Julia wouldn't hear it.

Susan looked at the bracelet one last time, "It's beautiful." She said.

The bracelet already had a key and an 'S' on it.

Now the cradle was added.

Charm.

Oh no! How could she forget?

Susan stepped back and pressed her hand to her mouth.

"Charm!" She exclaimed.

"Mom?" Julia looked at her mother with concern.

"I've got to... Charm! I'll be right back okay? I'm very happy for you. You don't know how happy! But I have to go! Charm!" Susan said all flustered and then she sped out of the room.

Alec looked at Julia with a confused expression, "What was that?"

"I think our mother finally has gone mad." Julia replied, as the three of them looked at the door through which Susan had left muttering all the while.

..................

"What do you mean she left? Where did she go? She has to talk to the caterers! They don't trust me... And my accent!" Emma snarled when Alec told her about Susan sudden exit.

Alec shrugged, "I really don't know where she went. I'm as confused as you are."

"But the caterers!"

"I'll help you. Come." Alec took her hand and walked to the kitchen.

All the preparations for the engagement party were almost done. It was being held at the Carter house itself. Only the few last minute adjustments were to be made.

With all the confusion of Julia's news and the talk of hors d'oeuvres Alec had not got one chance all day to think about Jade or what he was going to do.

The kiss.

He could still close his eyes and find himself in the playground. He replayed the whole scene.

But the hurt that had been in her eyes before she ran away was enough for him to feel the guilt and confusion come back.

He would have to talk to her tonight, her thought to himself as he out the last buttons of his shirt.

The party was going to start in an hour and he had been strictly warned by the women in the house to not come down till he was completely ready.

Susan had entered the house half am hour back with no signs that would give away clues as to where she had disappeared.

The guests would start arriving any time now.

Jade would come. Would she?

Even the thought of Jade and what he was going to tell her made Alec feel like he was going to hurl.

He didn't know what to do... But he knew that whatever happened he had to talk to Jade.

.......................

!!!!