Normal Life
Chapter 6
By: Bella
Jaqueline Jenson, or Jackie for short, admired a simple but pretty ruby necklace that was on sale at the jewelry store and being showcased in one of the store's front windows. The necklace had a gold chain and triangular shaped ruby in the center with tiny diamonds on the three corners. Ruby was her sister's birthstone and although her birthday had passed, Christmas was just a few months away. Deciding it was worth a closer look, she headed for the entrance of the store.
"Do it, do it!" Tristen said while trying to supress the laughter inside that she so badly wanted to let out and giving Joel a little nudge from behind.
Entering the store was quite possibly the largest hunk of woman Joel had ever seen. She had to be at least six feet tall, and he was certain that she had more muscle than the members of Good Charlotte combined. She definitely looked like a body builder, and although a very pretty one, she intimidated the hell out of poor little Joel.
"She could squash me like a bug," Joel thought as he approached the woman who had just set foot into the store. She noticed him watching her and gave him an intimidating look. She was used to getting odd looks from strangers, especially guys, and had learned to put up a cold, tough front. "Um, excuse me miss?"
"Yeah?" she asked quickly in an annoyed tone. This only made Joel even more frightened of asking her out.
"Uhh… I was just, uh, noticing how gorgeous you are and, um, I'm sure that you're already involved with someone but just in case I had to ask. Could I, uh, maybe take you out sometime or something?" he asked nervously, shifting from side to side. She could tell that he was nervous and was used to this type of behavior. She had had enough of it.
"What makes you think that I would want to go out with a little pretty boy like you? Look at you, you're afraid of me and I'm not even within striking distance … yet," she said, giving him a disgusted glare and turning to continue her way to the front of the store. He was hurt by her nasty dimenor.
"A little pretty boy like me, huh? Well, you know what? I'll have you know that I may not be freakishly large in size like you, but I happen to be quite successful and if you even had a clue as to who you were speaking to you'd be embarrassed to even be thinking such … such … so little of ME!" he retorted, suddenly gaining confidence. He had been shut down by girls before, but never so humiliating like this. "And you what else? I didn't even want to ask you out, SHE dared me to!"
Tristen's eyes got wide as Joel pointed at her. Jackie just continued to glare, now at both of them, which made them very uncomfortable. Horrified, Tristen ran out of the store, and Joel followed her. When they were safely out of the store Tristen hit Joel in the arm. "You stupid son of a bitch!"
Joel was doubled-over laughing and couldn't stop. "Oh man, that sucked so bad, but you know what? I made you look bad and in the process earned $50. Cough it up, sis. I take cash, check, plastic, whatever you got."
"I hate you," Tristen whined as she got out her wallet. Billy soon came out to find them, followed by a carefully speedwalking Benji with AJ.
"What the hell was that all about?" Billy asked, with a surprised look on his face and a confused laugh.
"Don't ask," Tristen replied angerly as she shook her head in disbelief and wrote Joel a check.
---
(a couple weeks later)
Tristen woke up on a Sunday morning in her usual position, sleeping on the right side of the bed and with her right cheek against Benji's chest, using him as a human pillow. She slightly turned her body so that she could turn her head so that her left cheek was against his chest and was surprised to see him already awake and looking down at her.
"Morning," he whispered, smiling, keeping it down so that he wouldn't wake a sleeping Adah who was in her bassinet next to their bed.
"Morning. Happy other anniversary," she whispered back, referring to the anniversary that was public, since no one knew about their private wedding in Las Vegas. They had secretly celebrated a "real" anniversary on that day. She pulled herself up and kissing him.
"A whole year officially, huh?" he said, in disbelief. "Time flies when you're having fun."
"So, what do you think we should do today?" she asked.
"Well, I hadn't really thought about the day too much, but I have a surprise for you tonight," he said.
"What is it?" Tristen asked eagerly.
"You'll see," he said with a smile, knowing how much she hated not knowing what was going on.
"Damnit," she said.
---
Later that afternoon, there was a knock on the door. Tristen answered, and it was Joel.
"Hey!" she greeted him, giving him a quick hug and then running into the family room where she had left a now fussing Adah in her bouncer seat. Joel followed her and took the baby from her after she picked her up.
"Joel Madden, first time babysitter, kick ass uncle, and message deliverer … at your service," he said with a little bow. Tristen was confused.
"Huh?" she asked.
"I'm gonna watch the baby for you guys tonight, because Benj has something special planned. He told me to tell you to go get dressed in something casual and you'll need a sweatshirt, and not to tell you that he's at the florist getting you flowers even though he told you that he was picking something up at Tony's place," Joel said. Tristen laughed.
"Uh, ok. Thanks!" she said, going to their bedroom to get dressed. She decided on a pair of jeans, a light pink shirt with dark pink sleeves and a star in the middle, and a GC sweatshirt. She put her hair up in a messy bun and when she was done, Benji was home. Sure enough there was a boquet of flowers waiting for her. They told Joel where all of the baby things were and when she needed to be fed, and then left for Benji's surprise.
Not long after they left, Joel realized that babysitting a tiny infant was quite boring. All that there was to do was hold her, feed her, change her diaper, and watch her sleep. After about an hour of it, he decided to take her for a walk, since there was nothing good on tv and everyone he had called was either not home or had plans. He got her stroller out and loaded it with the essentials. He made sure to bring a pen and paper incase he got a sudden inspiration while on their outting.
The walk led them to a large park and shaded grassy area near a pond. The scenery was nice, so he decided to stop and sit on a bench by the pond and take it all in. After a while, he decided to do some writing, but was interupted not long after by a baseball hitting him with a lot of force in the back. Startled, he jumped up and turned around to see who it was. The spot on his back was throbbing.
"I'm so sorry!" a woman yelled, rushing toward him. She was far away.
"Damn, she must have a good arm," Joel thought to himself as she continued to make her way over to him to retrieve her baseball and see if he was alright. When she got closer, Joel panicked. He realized he had a lot more to worry about that a throbbing spot on his back.
---
"When are you going to tell me where we're going?" Tristen asked. They had been driving for a half an hour and looked to be going somewhere by the coast.
"When we get there," Benji replied. About ten minutes later he parked in a small and nearly deserted parking area. They got out and Benji got a bag and a blanket out from the back. Tristen raised her eyebrows.
"Is this what I think it is?" she asked, excitedly. She had been trying to talk him into a romantic picnic like the one they had gone on during their honeymoon since they got back, but they had never had time or he always had an excuse.
"Indeed it is," he replied, laughing at how excited she was. "You up for a little picnic and a long walk on the beach?"
"Of course," she replied as they went to find the perfect spot.