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Kitchen
3:00 pm
Carrie, Kevin, Mary-Kate, Ashley
"Okay. I'll be sure to tell him. We'll look forward to seeing you guys." Carrie said as Kevin walked into the kitchen. She hung up the phone and Kevin kissed her.
"Who was that?" he asked.
"I have a surprise for you." She said smiling.
Just then, Mary-Kate and Ashley walk in arguing .
"I didn't tell her what you told me Ashley. Why would I tell her?" she asked.
"Then how come I only told you, but it was spread around the whole school with in 15 minutes!" she yelled.
Mary-Kate looked puzzled.
"Girls, what is going on?" Kevin asked.
"Mary-Kate told Cheryl, the most gossipy girl in school that I. Wait... Why am I telling you?" She said.
"I didn't Ash..." Mary-Kate started.
"Girls can't this wait?" Carrie said.
"I have news for your father." She said thinking he would be excited.
"Well what is it?" he asked anxious.
"Guess who is coming to visit!" she said.
"Who?" he asked impatiently.
"Your mom and dad." She said.
"What!" Kevin asked. His face turned white and his knees felt weak.
"Yeah. Your mom just called. Their arriving Thursday." She said excited.
Kevin ran out of the room. Mary-Kate looked at Ashley worried.
"What did I say?" Carrie asked confused.
"It wasn't you Carrie. It's just that dad and Grandpa haven't spoken since my mom died. Plus, there was a whole bunch of other issues like from when dad was a kid. They never got along." Ashley said.
"I better go talk to him." Carrie said leaving towards Kevin's room.
"Ashley, Are you still mad at me?" Mary-Kate asked.
"Well did you tell Cheryl?" Ashley asked.
"Not exactly. She just asked if you have ever been kissed, and I said I didn't know." Mary-Kate said.
"Then what?" Ashley asked.
"She said, I guess that's a no. Then Mr. Mc Gravy told us to stop talking and start listening. Then I didn't see her for the rest of the day." Mary-Kate said.
"But I have been kissed, and now all the guys think I haven't." Ashley said.
"Well it wasn't any of her business. I didn't know what to say." Mary-Kate said.
"Well that doesn't change the fact that I'm never going to be asked out!" Ashley yelled and stormed off to her room.
"Whatever." Mary-Kate said and got a snack from the fridge.
~*~
Kevin's Room
Kevin, Carrie
Carrie walked into Kevin's room. He was sitting on a chair going through a picture album. He felt like crying. Carrie sat across from him on a chest in front of his bed.
"Kevin. What's the matter. Why don't you want your father coming?" she asked.
Kevin paused for a few moments. Then he looked into Carries eyes.
" My dad and I aren't the best of buddies. I don't even know why he's coming. I haven't spoken to him in five years." He said choking up.
"When is the last you saw him?" Carrie asked.
"Jane's funeral. He didn't even say anything nice to me there. He came up to me shook his head and said.
"I hope you know what you did. Now you're left alone, Alone to raise two girls. What do you know about girls? You killed her. Why did you make her go out. You caused the accident Kevin." He quoted through tears.
Carrie hugged Kevin as he sobbed in her arms.
"Kevin it wasn't your fault. You didn't kill your wife, the car accident did. It's not your fault." She said.
Moments later Kevin calmed down and wiped the tears from his face.
"That man wasn't a father to me. He should have never said that. If he could see how hard I worked to raise these girls with the help of you, he still would find something wrong. But you know what. I'm not going to let this bother me. He' not coming for another two days. And when he does, I'm going to show him." Kevin said.
Carrie didn't know what to say. She just smiled. But really, she thought Kevin should get help.
~*~
Mary-Kate and Ashley's room
Ashley walked into the room to find Mary-Kate crying on her bed. She wondered what was up. Ashley sat next to Mary-Kate, but Mary-Kate turned away to hide her tears.
" Mary-Kate why are you crying? What's wrong?" Ashley asked concerned.
Mary-Kate began to cry harder. Ashley hugged her sister.
"Mary-Kate what's going on? What happened. Mary-Kate sat up.
"Dad was crying." She said.
Ashley looked shocked. She had never seen her dad cry, except for her mother's funeral.
"He was. Why?" she asked.
"I over heard him and Carrie talking about grandpa. He told dad it was his fault mom died and he would never be able to raise us." She said crying.
Ashley began to cry too. That so wasn't true. How could someone say that?
~*~
Kitchen
Carrie, Kevin, Mary-Kate, Ashley, Eddie
Kevin and Carrie were in the kitchen preparing dinner. Kevin was making a salad and Carrie was cooking pasta and sauce. Eddie walks in.
"Hey guys." Eddie said taking his jacket and scarf off.
"Hey Eddie." Carrie said.
"Hi." Kevin said down.
"What's wrong Kev?" Eddie asked concerned.
" Nothing. Why. DO I look like something is wrong?" Kevin said.
"Yeah." Eddie said plan and simple.
"My parents are coming to visit." Kevin said.
"Oh. You mean your father. Man didn't he.." Eddie started.
"Eddie. Could we please not talk about this right now." Kevin said.
"Talk about what?" Ashley said as she and Mary-Kate entered form the family room. They took the seats at the table.
"Nothing girls." Their father said.
"Kevin, don't you think you should talk to someone? I mean it's been five years and fights before then." Eddie said.
"LOOK!" Kevin yelled. "My father is and was an idiot. I'm not going to let him put stress on me. Just leave me alone." He yelled and ran up the stairs to his room.
Mary-Kate elbowed Ashley.
"Oww!" Ashley said.
"Come here." Mary-Kate whispered.
Ashley followed her to their room. When they arrived, Mary-Kate shut the door.
"Don't you think we should help dad?" Mary-Kate asked.
"Yeah, but how. We don't know what Grandpa and dad have been fighting about. Besides were only his daughters, not physiatrist." Ashley said.
"Dad doesn't need a physiatrist!" Mary-Kate yelled. "He needs us." She said.
Ashley sighed.
~*~
Kevin's room
Kevin, Mary-Kate, Ashley
Kevin was lying on his bed thinking. He was really stressed. His father was coming, he had to finish his report for the deans, he had to grade papers, do Christmas shopping, and loads more. He wished he could turn back time. Ashley and Mary-Kate knocked on his door.
"Who is it?" he asked.
"Us." Ashley said.
"Come on in guys." he said.
The girls came in and sat on their dad's bed. He sat up and put his arms around them. He kissed their fore heads.
"What everything that is going on, you two always seem to brighten up my day." He said smiling.
"Dad?" Mary-Kate asked.
"Yes sweetie." He said.
"What's the matter. Why are you upset." She said.
"Yeah dad." Ashley said. "We hate seeing you like this."
"I'm not upset." Kevin said.
The girls gave him a yeah-right look.
"Well, you girls are to young to understand." He said.
"Dad we're 15. What's to understand." Mary-Kate said.
"Okay. Well, we have a good relationship. Right." Kevin said.
"The best." Ashley said.
"Well, I've never had that with either if my parents, especially grandpa. He was a bad man, always out of a job and he took it out on me and Uncle Matt. He would hit us and verbally abuse us. When I meant your mother, everything changed between us. He started visiting more often and we started to become friends almost son and father. He got really close to your mother and so did grandma. They called her the angel from heaven. Things were going really well. All you two probably remember how nice he was, because things were different when you guys were born." He said.
"So what happened?" Mary-Kate asked.
Kevin sighed and thought about his wife.
"It doesn't matter. You girls should go wash up for dinner." Kevin said.
"But dad." Mary-Kate said.
"But nothing. I told you, your too young, now do as I say." He said.
Mary-Kate left leaving Ashley with her father. He almost had tears in his eyes. Ashley went up to her father.
"Dad." Ashley said.
Kevin looked at her.
"Mary-Kate told me she over heard you telling Carrie that grandpa said you could never raise us the right way, but if you didn't notice, you did a pretty good job." She said getting tears in her eyes.
Kevin pulled Ashley close. They both cried and hugged.
~*~
Wednesday morning
Kevin, Ashley, Mary-Kate, Eddie, Carrie
Kitchen
Carrie walks down the stairs to find Kevin asleep on the table. She goes over to him and wakes him up.
"Kevin have you been up all night?" Carrie asked.
Kevin pulls a piece of paper off his face. It was stuck.
"Yes. I was behind on my report, and I had to grade the tests from Monday. What time is it?" Kevin asked.
"7:00." Carrie said.
"What!?" Kevin yelled. "Oh no. I forgot to wake the girls up, they're going to be late." He said running up the stairs.
He swung open Mary-Kate and Ashley's door. Both girls were sound asleep.
"Mary-Kate get up." He said shaking her.
"Ashley. Come on girls it 7. We're late!" he said in a panic.
"What!?" Ashley yelled jumping out of bed.
"Dad I can't be late. There's a cheerleading meeting at 7:20." Ashley yelled at her father.
"Dad!" Mary-Kate said. "Did you wash my uniform for band?" she said as she opened her closet.
"Oh no. Mary-Kate I'm sorry I've just been so busy this week..." he started.
"Dad!" she whined. " I have to hand it in today, at 7:30. If we don't, were going to be or I'm going to be in a lot of trouble. It's the last day of marching band. I reminded you 20 times." She whined.
"Well maybe I can wash it real quick, or wait I can't I have to meet the dean in an hour." He said think out loud.
"Just forget it!" she yelled.
Ashley sifted through the big mess of clothes on their floor looking for her cheerleading uniform.
"Listen be ready in 10 minutes. I'm going to see if Carrie can drive you, because I'm going to be late." Kevin said.
" 10 minutes!" Ashley yelled. We can't be ready in 10 minutes! We have to shower!" Ashley said.
"You don't have time! Just put your hair in a pony tail and throw some clothes on." He said.
"But today's picture day! We are suppose to be wearing our uniforms, which aren't washed or to be found." Mary-Kate said.
"Ah!" Kevin yelled. "This is a nightmare."
"I knew you wouldn't be able to handle these girls." Said a familiar voice.
Kevin turned around to find his father in the doorway. His face turned to a ghost and his knees got weak. All of a sudden, he got a major pain in his left arm. He grabbed it and sat on Ashley' Bed.
"Dad are you okay?" Mary-Kate said.
Kevin closed his eyes. You could tell he was in pain. Ashley ran to get Carrie. When she came in, she ran to Kevin.
"Kevin. Kevin!" she said.
"I think I'm having a heart attack." He said.
"Quick. Mr. Burke, call 911." Carrie yelled.
He ran to the phone.
Mary-Kate and Ashley surrounded their dad, but Carrie told them to wait down stairs for the ambulance. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. The girls watched their father being carried in a stretcher to the hospital. The girls clinged on t each other for support. Carrie rode in the ambulance with Kevin and Eddie took Mary-Kate, Ashley, and the grandparents.
~*~
Hospital
Kevin did indeed have a heart -attack. He had to go into surgery. The family sat in the waiting room waiting anxiously to see Kevin. Mary-Kate stood up.
"Carrie is it okay if Ashley and me go for a walk?" Mary-Kate said.
"Sure. There is no sense on waiting, but don't go far." Carrie said.
They left. Mr. Burke looked towards Carrie.
"You treat them, like you're their mother." He said.
"Well, I am very close to them and they need a mother." Carrie said offended.
"They have a mother!" he said.
"Yes I know Mr. Burke. I am not taking their mother's place; I am trying to give them the love their mother would have given them. The girls seem to understand this, why can't you?" she said.
He looked at her.
Mary-Kate and Ashley went to the maternity ward. They sat down. There was silence for a good 10 minutes. Finally, Ashley broke the silence.
"I should have never yelled at dad. I was just putting more pressure on him. I'm so stupid. If I only would have thought. I mean I could have set an alarm clock. It's not dad's fault we didn't get up." Ashley said.
"It's not your fault Ashley, It's mine. I was screaming at him just because he didn't wash my band uniform. I mean it wasn't that important. And I knew he wasn't thrilled about grandpa coming, I could have helped him." Mary-Kate said.
"It's not your fault." Ashley said.
"Yeah it is." Mary-Kate said.
"It's mine." Ashley said.
"No, It's mine." Mary-Kate said.
Ashley smiled.
"Were fighting about who put dad in the hospital." She said.
"Yeah." Mary-Kate said. "Your right. It was both of our faults." She said.
Ashley looked at her and sighed. That wasn't the point she was trying to make.
~*~
Kevin's room
Kevin just got in from surgery. He was awake and in a bit of pain. Carrie went in to see him. She kissed him on the forehead.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"I've been better." He said. "Where are the girls?" he said.
"I'll go get them." She said.
Mary-Kate came in first. She felt like crying. She didn't like seeing her father in the hospital. Her voice was shaky when she spoke.
"Daddy. I'm really sorry. I should have never yelled at you, you would have never had a heart- attack then." She said.
Kevin tried to sit up a little. Mary-Kate sat down next to him on the bed. He kissed her and hugged her.
"Sweetheart, it is not your fault, or Ashley's fault that I am in the hospital. You didn't do anything wrong. My heart was clogged up, because I haven't been eating to well. The only thing that put stress on me was Grandpa coming to visit and my job. You or your sister didn't do anything. You two brighten up my day. Infact, sitting here with you is making me feel all better." He said.
Mary-Kate hugged her father. A few minutes Ashley came in. He explained the whole thing to her too. She sat next to Mary-Kate and the three hugged.
"I love you girls." He said.
"Love you to." Ashley said.
"Love you." Mary-Kate said.
A few minutes later Mr. Burke entered. The girls left so they could be alone.
"I put you here didn't I." Mr. Burke said.
"No." Kevin said.
"Don't lie." He said.
"Well did you think I would be excited about you coming? The last time we spoke, was at my wife's funeral. I mean first of all you told me I killed her, and second with our past of verbal abuse, did you think I was jumping for joy when Carrie told me you were coming? I mean give me a break. Why are you here anyway?" Kevin asked.
"To apologize. Life is too short to live in the past. I wanted a future. And in my future, I saw you, you and my grand daughters and Matt. I've changed a lot and I feel terrible for what I put you threw. I mean I gave my son a heart attack." He said.
"Dad. Do you think we're going to solve all our problems in one night?" Kevin asked.
"They do on 7th Heaven." Mr. Burke said.
Kevin smiled. "I think we should go to consulting." Kevin said.
"If that's what you think we need, I'm there." Mr. Burke said.
He went over and hugged Kevin. The whole family came in and saw.
"Awww." Everyone said.
Kevin looked up and smiled.
"This is great he said, but what am I going to do about work?" he said. The hospital phone rang and he picked it up.
"Hello?" "Oh hi Mr. Lockwood. Yes. Uh uh. Okay. Alright Thank-you very much." He said hanging up.
"What did he want?" Ashley asked.
"Well, looks like I have the next three months off with pay." He said smiling.
"Actually dad, I'm glad you came." He said laughing.
Everyone laughed.
"Well, looks like things are getting back to normal." Mary-Kate said to Ashley.
"Yeah, and the best part is we are all a family again." Ashley said.
They hugged.
The End
