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When the girls finally returned to the apartment they walked in and saw the bedroom door closed. Veronica motioned for Abby to take the stuff to her room for now. Brandon had told her that John wanted the furniture to be a surprise so she had an idea.



"Abby, lets just start in here." Veronica began to strip off all the bedding from Abby's bed. She pulled out the cleaned sheets for it while Abby went to work replacing pillowcases and helped Veronica make the bed with the new bedding.



"I'll take care of this stuff later," Abby said as she picked up the old linens and tossed them in the closet.



Abby was changing the curtains when Veronica said she would be right back.

~~~~~~~~~



"Hey, are you boys in there?" Veronica asked as she knocked on the door. Reaching for the handle she started to open it when she heard John answer.



"Hold on, I'm coming," he called back. Veronica giggled as she waited for him. John opened the door, buttoning his jeans, still looking sleepy and disheveled.



"Coming huh," Veronica teased as she ran a finger over his groin causing him to blush.



"Where's Abby?" He looked around for her as he came out of the bedroom, still pulling on his shirt.



"She's busy, but I have an idea. Would you take Abby and go pick up something for dinner?" She batted her long blonde eyelashes at him.



"We could just call and have something delivered." John took a look at his watch. "It's still a bit early don't you think?"



"No, John, I think the two of you need to go spend a little time together. Just go have a little fun and bring home some food. Oh, and maybe some ice cream with all the toppings." She ran her finger along his jawbone seductively.



Abby came out of the room and locked arms with him.



"Veronica is kicking us out," he leaned down and kissed her.



"Yes, I am," she nodded toward Abby. "I want you two to go enjoy yourselves for a while."



"Okay, just let me grab my shoes," he smiled. Sneaking back into his room so Abby would not see inside, he wanted to keep his surprise until after dinner.



"But what about...,"Abby whispered to Veronica.



"Not to worry. Just go have some fun."

~~~~~~~~~~



Veronica waited for John and Abby to leave and went in to lie down next to her sleeping husband.



"Hey, Baby, wake up we have work to do," Veronica whispered, lightly shaking Brandon.



Brandon rolled over slowly, allowing the sheet to fall from his body. He stood and picked his pants and shorts up from the floor and put them on watching Veronica watching him. He leaned across the bed and began to pull the covers up, in an effort to straighten out the bedcovers, when Veronica grabbed hold of them and stripped them completely off the bed. She smiled at Brandon as she asked him to remove the curtains. She gathered up all the bedding and put them in Abby's closet.



"Put those in the other closet." She told Brandon as she returned with several bags of folded linens. First she pulled out the drapes and shook them out. She handed them to Brandon and directed him as to how to hang them.



Brandon just laughed. 'What is it with women that they don't think a man would know how to hang drapes?' He thought, knowing that it was so not worth getting into as he just followed her orders.



Veronica asked Brandon for his help removing the mattress and spread out the hunter green dust ruffle. As he went back to the drapes, she put on the extra thick mattress cover, followed by the sheets. The only blanket she kept of John's was a lightweight cotton quilt that he had between his sheet and comforter. After spreading out the new comforter, she zipped the new feather pillows into the slipcovers and shook them into the new pillowcases. Covering the old pillows with the thick shams, she arranged them all on the bed along with several small throw pillows that matched the new comforter.



"So Abby still doesn't know anything about the furniture?" Brandon asked.



"Nope, not a clue," she shook her head.



Veronica went to the broom closet and took out the vacuum and ran it quickly over the carpet picking up small pieces of lint from the new linens. She had Brandon go down to the car and bring up the boxes with the lamps. She removed the old lamps and placed the large cream-colored doilies on each one of the tables, having Brandon place a new lamp on each side of the bed.



She spread out a long dresser scarf on the top of both John and Abby's dressers and set out a beautiful ornate crystal bowl filled with exotic massage oils and lotions. She had a crystal vase with an arrangement of white silk roses placed on Abby's vanity along with the candles from the night before, which she placed around the room.



Veronica still had the duvet cover which she took into the living room and used to cover that old blanket that hung on the back of the couch.



Brandon and Veronica turned on some music and sat in the living room cuddled up on the couch together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~



John and Abby drove out to the lake, after a short walk around the park they decided it was too damn cold to enjoy the outdoors. Instead they decided to go hang out in the mall. It would be a lot warmer and Veronica had told John to take his time so he figured that she was up to something and wanted them to stay away for a while.



As they strolled around, the first stop they made was a shoe store. "Abby, I need a new pair of tennis shoes for work." John exclaimed as he walked inside. He quickly picked out what he wanted as the salesman got him his requested size. He sat down and tried them on. Abby was looking at a pair of black pumps.



"Do you like those?" he asked looking over her shoulder.



"Oh, I was just looking," Abby smiled and looked back at him.



"Try them on," he coaxed.



"John, I don't want you to think that you have to buy me stuff." Abby thought about the idea that Veronica had said that he paid for all the shopping they had done the day before.



"Abby, I don't think I have to. I just want to. If you like the shoes try them on." He leaned down and kissed her. Abby wasn't used to men lavishing so much attention on her. Even while just living together John had always spent more than his share on the bills, groceries and was always bringing her little things 'for the house,' he would say.



Abby did like the shoes and even though she didn't wear dresses a lot she was beginning to get the feeling that she would be again soon if John had anything to say about it. John bought the shoes and they left the store.



"John, if you really want to buy me something, I lost my 'Life House' CD," she said pulling him into a music store. He smiled as he remembered that she was playing that CD the night he took her to the history museum. He had never forgotten that because that was how he had always felt, like they where 'hanging by a moment.' Together they picked out several CD's and again John just handed his credit card to the salesclerk.



Next they stopped in front of a toy store and without even thinking, John started to wander inside.



"Why are we going in here?" Abby asked. She looked at John who just looked back at her with a big smile on his face.



"Because it's fun?" He answered as if it had been a quiz and he was unsure of the answer. Abby just watched him in amusement as he played with various items. First he had stacked a few Lincoln Logs together that sat on a display shelf, and then checked out a toy microscope.



"I always wondered what this stuff was made of." He stretched a piece of Silly Putty and looked at it through the microscope. "Or like this stuff." He poured the Gloop into his hand, squishing it around. He returned it to its container and put it back on the shelf. He picked up a video game and in a matter of minutes was totally absorbed.



Abby picked up a Nerf dart gun and loaded it with a dart; aiming it right at his heart she let it fly.



"Hey, that's no fair," he pouted as he handed her back the dart.



"Fair? I thought all was fair in love and war." She beamed as she reached up and kissed him. He just went back to his video game.



Abby picked up a Hoola Hoop and stepped into it. Twirling her hips in circles until she had it going, "Carter, hey check this out."



He just looked at her and rolled his eyes, going back to his game.



"You must have been one boring kid." She took the video from him and pulled him out of the store. "You're lucky you're not this boring in bed, mister."



John picked up his pace as he tried to ignore what she said.



"John.... John." Abby stopped in the middle of the mall and watched as he just kept going. "Shit, why does he do this?" She mumbled to herself. She decided that maybe he just needed to blow off some steam or something.



It took John several seconds before he realized that Abby was no longer walking with him. Her remark had cut him deeply as he thought of the fact that he couldn't even remember ever being a kid. He closed his eyes tightly against the 'bad' memories. He was not going to let anything ruin his chances with Abby.



He turned around to see her sitting by herself on a bench. He went back and joined her, stretching his long legs. They both sat silently for a minute. Abby turned to John and took his hand as she sat there thinking of how easily her comment had set him off. She also thought about the sexual harassment seminar and how even though he had started off in a pissy mood, she could tell that at times he still managed to try and join in on the conversation.



Something about that day had stuck in her mind and the more she thought about it, the more she knew that something just wasn't right. She had also noticed that there were times when he seemed lost, as if he was fighting with everything within him to remain in control.



"John, can I ask you something very personal?" She looked into his deep brown eyes as they stared back at her. She saw him swallow hard as if he was unsure.



"I guess," he answered just shaking his head, afraid of what it might be that she wanted to know. He knew that in order to make this work he needed to be perfectly honest with her as much as he possibly could.



"About the seminar, well, first I want to apologize. I was really mean to you and said some pretty nasty things that I shouldn't have. I just want to say that I'm really sorry." She placed her palm on his cheek as he moved to kiss her hand.



"Forget about it, okay?" John looked at her, fearing that this conversation had only just begun.



"No, it's not okay, I've been thinking about what you said, about giving you such a hard time about your upbringing and all and you're right, I have no idea what it was like for you."



John sat quietly for a moment. He really didn't know how to respond to that. After all, he had met her mother and had a pretty good idea of what she had lived through and it made his problems seem petty in comparison.



"John, about only being 11, I realized that we were all stupid not to pick up on the fact that there was something definitely wrong with that picture."



"Abby, please, this is not the time or place for us to be discussing that." His eyes begged her to drop the subject. He couldn't talk about that, not now, not here, maybe not ever, he just couldn't. Ever since all those memories had come flooding back he had tried hard to bury them once again.



"John, I don't want you to feel like you can't talk to me about whatever is bothering you."



"Come on, Abby I need to pick up some underwear." John said the first thing he could think of just to get her to stop. He got up and picked up the various packages they had collected and walked towards a men's clothing store. Inside he went straight for the rack of flannel boxers and picked out several pairs. He also found a couple pairs of flannel pajama pants. He liked these a lot better that regular pajama bottoms because they didn't have the slit to have to worry about when he wore them in front of Abby, not that he had to worry about that any more.



"What about these?" Abby held up a pair of silk boxers, red with white kisses and hearts on them. She could see that 'lost' look again and his effort to rise above whatever was bothering him as she made an effort to cheer him up.



"No way." He shook his head.



"Oh come on, didn't you see what Brandon had on this morning?" She smiled and handed him the shorts.



"Whatever," he replied, grabbing an assortment of socks. He hated this part of shopping but figured that since he was here and doing it he might as well get everything he needed.



As John and Abby passed by a jewelry store, John stopped and went back. Something had caught his eye and he wanted a better look. The front display had an assortment of wedding sets. Abby noticed right away what he was looking at and immediately went over to another case looking at a rather large selection of diamond heart pendants.



John leaned over her shoulder to see what she was looking at. "Which one do you like?" he asked as he gestured towards the saleswoman to open the case.



"John, no, they are too expensive and you have to stop buying me everything that I look at or I'm not going shopping with you ever again." She walked off down the center isle of the mall.



John quickly picked out one of the pendants handed to the woman with his card and asked her to please hurry. As soon as she had his signature he asked her to wrap it up and he would be right back. Thinking that it was probably too soon to be thinking of asking her to marry him he really wanted to get her something special.



John ran to catch up with Abby. She was leaning with her back against a display window in from of a bridal shop. John looked at the dress and sighed. Somehow he was beginning to believe that this was all just a big mistake, maybe just a dream, he really hoped that is wasn't.



What was wrong with him that the only women that ever wanted him were those who were after what he had but every woman he had ever wanted seemed to despise him because of what he had? He leaned against the wall next to Abby not knowing what to say.



"Do you want to get something to eat?" Abby asked thinking that maybe he would be hungry by now.



"No, not really, do you?" He questioned back as he reached out to hold her hand. He wanted so badly for this to work out. He knew that he loved Abby and he wanted to believe her when she said she loved him.



"I'm not really hungry but I could use something to drink," Abby answered.



"Veronica wants us to pick something up for dinner and she wants makings for ice cream sundaes." John explained.



"Ohhh, sounds like fun." They both headed for the food court.



John stopped in front of a small booth that served Fruit Smoothies. He ordered an orange, banana, and pineapple. Abby just looked at him puzzled.

John handed her a $20.00 bill and handed her the shopping bags.



"Will you get this for me and get whatever you want; I need to use the bathroom." He took off in a hurry and headed back to the jewelry store where the woman had his gift all wrapped up in shiny gold paper with a big silver bow. He tucked it inside his jacket pocket and went to the bathroom.



Abby got herself a soda and sat in a booth with all of the shopping bags. While she waited for John to return, a young man approached her and invited himself to sit with her.



"Excuse me, but I don't know you and I'm with someone, so you can't sit there, sir." Abby nervously tucked a piece of hair behind her ear trying to be as polite as possible.


"My name is Tom and I don't see anyone else here, I was just wondering if maybe you would like to go get a drink with me?" He smiled broadly as he ignored her reluctance.



"Well, Tom, like I said, I'm with someone and would appreciate it if you left me alone." Her voice cracked a bit as she looked around. 'Where the hell was John? How long can it take to go pee?' She thought as she tried to ignore this man that was beginning to annoy her.



"Come on, just one drink, and if you still want me to leave I will, I promise." He leaned forward and tried to hold her hand.



"No, I think you'll leave the lady alone now," John said, taking Abby's hand and picking up the packages.



"Are you okay?" John asked her after they had walked away from the man.



"Yeah, I'm fine. But I think your smoothie is melted," she smiled, handing him the drink.



"That's okay, now it's a slushy," he grinned back, watching her out of the corner of his eye as they walked out of the mall.



"I guess we have to go to a supermarket now," he opened up the back of his Jeep to load their packages.



"Oh yes, ice cream," Abby teased. "What are we getting for dinner? She asked handing him the last bag.



"I was thinking of tacos," he said. "We have to go to the store anyway and I just feel like tacos."



"So, does that mean that you're cooking?" She teased him.



"Yes, okay so I can't warm milk without burning it, but I can cook, Abby," he grinned sarcastically.



"I know," she smiled over at him.





To be continued...............
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