Close To Me

Chapter 13

Monday nights were a favorite among the Evans family and the Williams. When Karla and Blake had moved in across the street when Blake was two and Lisa started babysitting Blake in the day, she normally watched her until Karla got home from work around five. Monday's were always a longer shift for Karla though and she didn't get home until 6:30 so Lisa always made a big meal and had them stay for dinner and ever since then, Monday night dinners were always a thing and even now that everyone was grown, they always came to Lisa's that night, and tonight was no different.

Everyone had just finished their meal and were all having a loud conversation when a scream interrupted them. All the adults hurried out to the living room where they found the source of the screaming.

Dodger, who Chris had owned for a little over a month now, had grown a lot and was no longer a tiny puppy but still thought he was. Stella had been laying on the floor and Dodger trotted right over to her and sat down on the little girl, pinning her to the floor.

"I stuck!" Stella whined.

"You can get up sweetie," Carly encouraged her daughter.

Chris laughed loudly at the sight before telling his niece, "Say, get up Dodger!"

"Get up Dodger!" The little girl grunted and she tried to pull herself from under the dog who was happily sitting on her, wagging his tail.

Blake took pity on the tiny girl and went over, leading Dodger off of Stella and freeing her. She then sat on the floor and let Dodger curl up in her lap and she pet his head. The rest of the family migrated into the living room and sat around while Chris went to sit on the floor next to Blake and draped an arm around her shoulders, using the other one to rub Dodger's fur.

"Just think," Karla started as she looked at the scene. "That could be you guys with a baby instead of a dog."

"Mom!" Blake rolled her eyes.

"I'm with Karla on this one, I think that's a great idea. You two just need to get married already!" Lisa dramatically said from her spot on the couch.

"I don't think that dating for six weeks constitutes getting married," Chris replied before joking, "Seven weeks though, that's totally fine."

"Oh seven weeks is totally acceptable," Blake snickered.

The couple laughed before falling into their own little world of conversation as they always had. The family all shared looks, knowing that this was nothing knew, but the way that they now looked at one another in these conversations was as well as the little kisses they occasionally swapped.

When Scotty saw Chris whisper something in Blake's ear and then start to gently nibble at it, he rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at them, "Get a room!"

"Can we?" Chris joked, making everyone laugh.

"Sweetie, why don't you tell everyone the news," Karla encouraged her daughter.

"You've finally come to your senses and are breaking up with Chris?" Scott guessed and it now was Blake's turn to throw a pillow back at him.

"No," She rolled her eyes.

"What is it?" Shanna bounced.

Blake could feel everyone's eyes on her as she began to explain, "I didn't tell anyone but my mom because I didn't know if it would happen or not and I didn't want to get my hopes up. But, I was at that art gallery downtown, and they told me that they wanted to feature some photography and were having people submit theirs and I submitted mine and I just found out today that they accepted it! So my photography is going to be featured in their new show!"

The boisterous group of people erupted in cheers before they all came over to give Blake hugs and kisses, congratulating her on the huge accomplishment.

"The show opens on Friday, so I hope you guys all can come to the opening night," She told them.

"Are you kidding? We wouldn't miss it for the world," Lisa said while kissing her cheek. "My daughter-in-law is going to be featured in a gallery!"

"Ma, calm down, she's not your daughter-in-law," Chris laughed before sending Blake a mischievous grin as he added, "...yet."