Friend with Breasts & All the Rest

"You must be Mike," he said extending his hand to shake mine in a firm grip.

"Nice to meet you Mr. O'Brien... and Mrs. O'Brien," I added nodding towards her mother who was stood behind him with the others.

"Call me Russ or Rusty if you want, and she's Mel," he said looking towards his wife and holding the door for me.

"It's so nice to finally meet you Mike," said her mom Melinda as she gave me a kiss on the cheek and a hug. It was easy to see where Terri got her beauty. Her mother's hair was cut a lot shorter but otherwise it was the same curly red. Her face was freckled like her daughter's and showed a few fine lines around her eyes, but remained pretty nonetheless. If this was what Terri was going to look like 25 years and 30 pounds from now then I was even luckier than I thought. "I can't thank you enough for encouraging her to dress like a lady once in a while. I finally have my pretty little girl back. I thought Rusty has ruined her forever with all those ball caps and sports shirts. I kept telling him no boy is going to want a girl who dresses and acts like that."

"Well actually Mrs. O'Brien... uh I mean Mel..." I said when she have me a sharp look, "When I first saw Terri in her Sox cap I was thrilled."

"See! See Mel I told you didn't I? She just needed to find a man who knew his sports and could appreciate her for it," he smiled in triumph.

Her family welcomed me with open arms. I had always known her father would be the easy one to win over because he liked all the same sports teams as me. Terri had needed a birthday gift for him about a month back but couldn't think of anything. I'd suggested a picture of Bobby Orr like the one I had and she thought it was perfect. She didn't have the money to buy one so I told her to take mine and I'd replace it later, but she wouldn't agree unless she wrote that it was from both of us and she made me sign the card. She admitted to me later that she told him the whole story behind it, knowing that it would put me in his good graces. Her mother was so sweet to me and seemed genuinely happy for us, laughing at me as I put my arm around Terri and then jerked it back quickly when I saw her looking our way. From all the jokes Martin made I was half expecting her to ask about my sperm count. I told Terri so afterwards and she giggled telling me she lied to her mom, telling her I wore boxers all the time so she wouldn't fret. She was joking, I think.

We sat together the next day watching proudly as she accepted her diplomas and was recognized for making the dean's list. She also received a special award from the English department for her outstanding honors thesis. Her parents treated us to dinner, just her parents and I as Martin and Sara made excuses to skip it so the four of us would have some time alone. Her parents gave her a matching bracelet and necklace, plus a big check to help pay for grad school. She tried to turn it down saying she had plenty of scholarship offers but they insisted she take it anyway since it had been saved for her education. I had gotten Martin to find out what her parents were giving her and picked out a nice gold watch for her. Her eyes lit up when she saw it and she brushed away tears when she read the inscription on the back that read simply: To Terri with love, Mike.

"I have a question for you guys," I said looking from Russ to his wife and back again as dinner was winding down. "All year Terri and Martin been arguing over who was supposed to be looking after who. So which is it?"

"Mike I can't believe you couldn't figure it out on your own," said Melinda.

"It should have been pretty obvious," said Russ shaking his head. "Sara was there to look after both of them," he finished and started laughing as we all joined in, even Terri.

"I want to thank you both so much for making me feel welcomed," I said when the laughter subsided. "I'm not sure what you daughter sees in me to be honest, but I promise you both I'll take good care of her for as long as she'll have me," I continued as Terri took my hand, crossing her fingers with mine. "I realize how lucky I am to be with her everyday."

"Michael Davidson," said her mother in a scolding voice. "If you're half the man our daughter makes you out to be then we're the lucky ones."

"Well we've been talking about living together," I said with a near wince, knowing I had to bring it up.

"So Terri tells us," said Russ in a stern voice.

"Daddy stop trying to make Mike nervous," she said as I looked at her in alarm. "I already told them sweetie and they're ok with it," she finished with a kiss for me.

With Martin and Sara getting married in late summer and Terri needing to decide on a grad school, she moved in with me for good the following week. She was trying to narrow her choices down to a single school and kept asking what I thought of the different ones she was considering. I told her to pick the one she liked best and I'd find a job wherever it was. She ended up picking a school in Boston and we moved into an apartment there in late June. I would have been happy moving anywhere with her but being able to see the Sox play live at Fenway was quite the added perk. I was able to line up a job there before we moved so we were all set to begin our life together.

I was walking through the mall a few days before we were leaving for the big city when I passed a pet store and saw the perfect housewarming gift for her. In the window was a cute white and orange tabby kitten that made me think of her soon as I laid eyes on it. I hated cats, but Terri loved them so like the lovesick fool I was I bought it for her and left it with Martin and Sara until we moved. They helped us on moving day and kept the cat in their car down in the parking garage until we had everything else inside. I brought it in while she was in our bedroom putting away her clothes and put it on the couch in an open lid box. In front of it I placed a framed painting of a similar cat all tangled up in a ball of yarn and told her to come out and see her surprise. Terri saw the picture and loved it going over to pick it up for a closer look. She nearly dropped it when she saw the real kitty in the box and scooped it up hugging it to her chest and kissing it on its little pink nose. Terri named her Azrael and giggled prettily when I asked if that meant I was Gargamel. Within weeks the little hellcat managed to claw up every piece of furniture we owned. We do have a nice scratching post for sale if anyone is interested though, I swear its never been used. I'm always thinking of getting rid of it, but when I watch Terri's face light up every time we come home and Azrael is there to greet her with a meow, I tell myself she can keep the damn thing for just a few more days.

She worked a job at a library in Boston that summer and remembered her promise to take me on a date once she was working. I rushed home after work on a Friday in early August and got dressed in my best suit, knowing she'd be back any minute now. She came home wearing the Sox jersey I had given and her old worn cap. I looked at her with a stunned look on my face.

"C'mon Terri get ready were going to be late. You got the tickets right?" I said straightening my tie. She'd spent all week prepping me for the play so this time I'd be able to follow along this time.

"Oh I got the tickets," she said with a smirk. "But not for the play. I hope these will do."

"Where did you get these?" I asked in awe looking at the pair of tickets to game one of a weekend series between Yankees and Red Sox she handed me.

"I made a few calls and managed to scrounge up a pair. Sure we could have gone to the play but I knew you'd be thinking about the game the whole time. I knew I wouldn't be happy unless I took you where you wanted to be," she said paraphrasing my words from our first date. "I think that's how it goes doesn't it?" she said giving me a smile to die for.

At the game we sat so close to the Yankees dugout I knew they had to hear everything we yelled at them. I'll never forget the glare from some of them looking like they'd like nothing more than to flip us off but couldn't dare. Wakefield's knuckler was dancing that night, the bats were hot, and we ended up winning 9 to 2, though I'd like to think our taunting of the Yankee hitters played a pivotal role too. It was hard to believe I had met Terri less than a year ago as I sat next to her that night. I knew I loved her and I wasn't going wait forever, like Martin had with Sara, to let her know.

"I'm still taking you to that play Mike," she told me when we got home having spent the ride home discussing the game. "I got tickets for next week, I just couldn't resist taking you to the game."

"Thank you honey I had a great time," I said taking her into my arms and kissing her. "I love you Terri."

"I love you too Mike," she said kissing me back. "On our first date when you told me why you had to get tickets for the play I knew I was with a special man." She led me to our bedroom by the hand and afterwards as she lay in my arms I began planning how to propose.

Two weeks later I picked her up after work with little velvet-covered box in my pocket and a weekend getaway planned. She was starting classes next week so this would be our last chance to get away for a while. We stayed at a little bed and breakfast right on the coast where we could watch the waves break against the shore. I took her for a long walk on the beach Saturday night and asked her to marry me in the twilight. She said yes before even looking at the ring and we cried and kissed and made love on a deserted corner of the beach. It was a year to the day since we had met. It had taken me 365 days to make the love of life mine.

We planned the wedding for the summer of 2003 when she would be finished with grad school. Between Terri and our mothers I scarcely had a say in the planning. When she asked me my opinion on things like which invitations to use or what tablecloths I picked one or the other trying to help, but I didn't have a clue. I did make one good suggestion though. I told her we should hire a traditional Irish folk band to play at our wedding and she looked as happy as if I had asked her to marry me twice.

Some men will talk about being nervous on their wedding day or how they were having second thoughts, but not me. When the big day arrived in June of 2003 I had never been more certain I was doing the right thing in all my life. I only had to close my eyes and try to imagine being without her to know I was right. I watched her walk down the aisle on her father's arm and smiled wide as could be, gazing at her radiant beauty. We had a traditional wedding, exchanging vows in front of friends and family, at an old rustic church in her hometown. After the ceremony we walked out of the church together as husband and wife ready to live the rest of our lives together.

At the reception we were announced as Mr. and Mrs. Davidson as we entered. Hearing it said aloud for the first time like that brought a flood of emotions to me and I had a hard time keeping it together. I was touched when she told me she wanted to take my name when we wed. I knew how much she cherished her roots and was expecting her to keep her maiden name, but when I said as much she smiled and said, 'I am proud of it and it does mean a lot to me, but it doesn't compare to my love for you Mike. I can't wait to become Mrs. Davidson.' After dinner we danced our first dance to an old Irish wedding waltz. I didn't even notice the music to be honest as I held my glowing bride close whispering I love you over and over. Between sets by the live band, a DJ spun tracks from the 80s as we laughed and smiled dancing long into the night. When the celebration was over I took her to bed for the first time as my wife and made love to her tenderly. We stayed up all night holding each other and watched the sunrise from our hotel room before falling asleep.

I tried to surprise her with our honeymoon destination by not telling her where we were going until we got to the airport, but she knew me well enough that it was blatantly obvious where I'd be taking her. She at least tried to act surprised when she I told her we'd be spending three weeks in Ireland and I loved her for it. We traveled all around the country visiting the towns where her ancestors came from and what seemed like every little bar in between. I saw lots of women with red hair and freckles while we were there, but if there was one who looked half as a beautiful as my bride I didn't see her.

That Fall the Yankees and Red Sox faced off in the playoffs with a berth in the World Series on the line. We made love passionately the night Nixon homered to win a game and afterwards hoped she'd get pregnant with a son we could nickname Trot. Soon after we lost game seven on an extra innings homerun by Aaron Boone. She called her father right away crying into the phone with him as I tried to comfort her. That night I held her close as she sobbed into her pillow and for the first time in my life questioned my loyalty to the Sox if they could do this to the woman I loved.

In 2004 they met again. Down three games to none I though we could at least take solace in the fact that getting swept wouldn't hurt nearly as much. Then the strangest thing happened, the Red Sox started winning and couldn't stop. When game seven rolled around I was sure the baseball gods couldn't be cruel enough to do it to us two years in a row. We hammered them that night and were off to the World Series, we'd beaten the Yankees at last! Terri and I had planned to dip into the money we were saving for a house if that's what it took to get tickets for the deciding games back in Boston, but the Sox won in a sweep. After waiting for so long who would have thought it would be so easy in the end?

That Christmas Terri and I exchanged gifts in our bathrobes and made love under the tree. When we were done she said she had one more gift for me and ran to the bedroom. She came back with a small rectangle box wrapped with a bow. I opened it as she watched me with an endearing smile. It took me a moment to realize what I was looking at but when I did threw my arms around her and kissed her like never before. It was the plastic stick from a home pregnancy test, we were going to have a baby.

Which brings us to today. The kids are just over a month old now. We had twins, a boy and a girl, and if I had any remaining doubts about her parents accepting me they vanished the moment I saw them hold their grandchildren for the first time. We named the boy Curtis Patrick, after our playoff hero and her grandfather. We have this crazy dream that he might one day play for the Sox, but no matter what he does we'll love him forever. Our little girl we named Kayla Abigail, Kayla because we liked the name and Abigail for my grandmother. I've already taken to calling her Abby and hope she grows up to be just like her mother.

We haven't smoked any weed since last fall and maybe we never will again. It's ok though because I have a new drug in my life. Her name is Terri and I'll freely admit that I'm addicted to her.