A Life of the Plain and the Simple
Five
I cannot believe how fast time has flown. My sister's been married for two years and her little girl, my niece, is three. It feels like only yesterday Stella, Aubree, Nate, and Jack signed their deal with Hopeless while I signed my contract as their tour manager. We're all adults now, but I still feel like a kid. I guess until Aubree and I have our own family I'll always have this feeling.
I'm envious of my best friend. Jack has his awesome wife, my twin sister, and his beautiful daughter. They live in this amazing ass house that has plenty of space for Izzy and Ace to play together in yard. I want that life. I want my own family, just like Stella and my dad.
I don't live at home anymore. I moved out after Stella's wedding. I felt it was time for me to leave the shelter too, though must to my mother's protests. Dad helped me find the perfect place and I told Nate whenever he was ready to move out of his parents' place he was welcome to come live with me.
I ended up in the next city over, Timonium. The neighborhood is nice and an elementary school is up the street that I might send my own kids to one day. My house was pretty modest. It was a nice two story colonial fifteen minutes from my parents' house. I have a finished basement that we use as a practice space since I was holding onto Aubree's drum kit since her apartment is too small for her to keep her drum kit and she has close quartered neighbors that might not like to hear her practice. I have a decent kitchen, a nice and cozy living room, a den I use as a game room when I have Jack and Nate over to watch the Ravens or Orioles play. Upstairs I have four bedrooms, I stay in the master bedroom with my own bathroom and a walk-in closet I split with Aubree when she stays over when she needs a break from her school work. Nate lives in the second biggest room in the house. I have one of the smaller rooms as my office and the other Nate uses for his work out equipment and as a studio when he's working with his photography.
"Uncle Tommy," I heard Izzy cheer as Jack sat her down on the ground after getting her out of her car seat.
"Hey Izzy," I greeted her as I took her into my arms. Her dark hair was all over the place, much like how my sister's hair was.
"Hey Tom, how's everything going for you and Nate here," Jack greeted as he locked up his SUV after getting Izzy travel bag.
"Pretty good. It's great to be home for a while. Lots of time to breathe between tours," I replied as I put my niece down and led her and my brother-in-law inside.
"I take it you still haven't found time to go on the hunt have you," he was hinting to my search for the perfect engagement ring for Aubree.
During the last tour, I had pulled Jack and Nate to the side away from the girls to tell them I was ready to live up on my promise to Aubs. I was envious of the life Jack had with my sister. I wanted that too with Aubree. She was my soul mate, I knew it. The love I have for her I compare it to how my parents are. I felt ready to take that step, I wanted to give Aubree my family name and maybe start our family once we were ready to go for it.
"I haven't started yet," I told him.
"You could go today and try to find it," Jack offered, "Izzy and I can help you find the perfect ring for Aubs."
"Really," I asked him, "You'd be willing to be my wingman to find the perfect ring for Aubree?"
"Definitely Tom. You are my brother-in-law and best friend. We are our generations Barakat-Gaskarth team. Let's find you the perfect ring for Aubree," Jack cheered.
We pulled up to the fourth store on the list of jewelry shops to try to find the ring for Aubree. I was a little pessimistic at this point. We hadn't had any luck at the other stores and I felt this one would be no different.
"Hey Tom, come look at this one," Jack called me over.
"It's pretty Daddy," Izzy gushed as she looked at the ring Jack was looking at.
When I saw it, my breath was taken away. It was beautiful. The ring was simple, but it was beautifully unique too. It was definitely for Aubree. I got someone to get the ring out and I made the order for it in Aubree's size.
I finally had the ring, now I just need to figure out the perfect time to pop the question. I'll have to talk to my dad for advice on that.
I'm envious of my best friend. Jack has his awesome wife, my twin sister, and his beautiful daughter. They live in this amazing ass house that has plenty of space for Izzy and Ace to play together in yard. I want that life. I want my own family, just like Stella and my dad.
I don't live at home anymore. I moved out after Stella's wedding. I felt it was time for me to leave the shelter too, though must to my mother's protests. Dad helped me find the perfect place and I told Nate whenever he was ready to move out of his parents' place he was welcome to come live with me.
I ended up in the next city over, Timonium. The neighborhood is nice and an elementary school is up the street that I might send my own kids to one day. My house was pretty modest. It was a nice two story colonial fifteen minutes from my parents' house. I have a finished basement that we use as a practice space since I was holding onto Aubree's drum kit since her apartment is too small for her to keep her drum kit and she has close quartered neighbors that might not like to hear her practice. I have a decent kitchen, a nice and cozy living room, a den I use as a game room when I have Jack and Nate over to watch the Ravens or Orioles play. Upstairs I have four bedrooms, I stay in the master bedroom with my own bathroom and a walk-in closet I split with Aubree when she stays over when she needs a break from her school work. Nate lives in the second biggest room in the house. I have one of the smaller rooms as my office and the other Nate uses for his work out equipment and as a studio when he's working with his photography.
"Uncle Tommy," I heard Izzy cheer as Jack sat her down on the ground after getting her out of her car seat.
"Hey Izzy," I greeted her as I took her into my arms. Her dark hair was all over the place, much like how my sister's hair was.
"Hey Tom, how's everything going for you and Nate here," Jack greeted as he locked up his SUV after getting Izzy travel bag.
"Pretty good. It's great to be home for a while. Lots of time to breathe between tours," I replied as I put my niece down and led her and my brother-in-law inside.
"I take it you still haven't found time to go on the hunt have you," he was hinting to my search for the perfect engagement ring for Aubree.
During the last tour, I had pulled Jack and Nate to the side away from the girls to tell them I was ready to live up on my promise to Aubs. I was envious of the life Jack had with my sister. I wanted that too with Aubree. She was my soul mate, I knew it. The love I have for her I compare it to how my parents are. I felt ready to take that step, I wanted to give Aubree my family name and maybe start our family once we were ready to go for it.
"I haven't started yet," I told him.
"You could go today and try to find it," Jack offered, "Izzy and I can help you find the perfect ring for Aubs."
"Really," I asked him, "You'd be willing to be my wingman to find the perfect ring for Aubree?"
"Definitely Tom. You are my brother-in-law and best friend. We are our generations Barakat-Gaskarth team. Let's find you the perfect ring for Aubree," Jack cheered.
We pulled up to the fourth store on the list of jewelry shops to try to find the ring for Aubree. I was a little pessimistic at this point. We hadn't had any luck at the other stores and I felt this one would be no different.
"Hey Tom, come look at this one," Jack called me over.
"It's pretty Daddy," Izzy gushed as she looked at the ring Jack was looking at.
When I saw it, my breath was taken away. It was beautiful. The ring was simple, but it was beautifully unique too. It was definitely for Aubree. I got someone to get the ring out and I made the order for it in Aubree's size.
I finally had the ring, now I just need to figure out the perfect time to pop the question. I'll have to talk to my dad for advice on that.
Notes
Tom, you are such a romantic like your father. :3I want more comments, darling. They make me super duper happy. :)
10/23/13