{Authors note: Hi everybody, I have just noticed that I am missing some pictures in several chapters. Thanks to Neffratiri and Cinda Love over at Simmers Garden. These self righteous, religious nuts have deleted my stories and pictures when I left their forum due to a disagreement as they are both crazy,and somehow it has let to many of my pictures being deleted. I can replace them all but it will take some time. Word to the wise back up your pictures or religious nuts will try and destroy you.}

One day, Brandy received a phone call after she got home
from work, that a woman named Jan Tellerman was coming
to see her. You see, Brandy had entered a drawing at her local
building supply store when she remodeled her kitchen. Let's
call the store Lowells. Yeah, that sounds good. Lowells it is.



"Hello Brandy," said Jan Tellerman. I am the representative from
"Lowells Building and Supplies Co. Games and Contest Department.
How are you today?" Jan introduced herself.





"Hello," said Brandy, "It is a pleasure to meet you."
"Please come inside where we can talk."




Once inside , Jan got right down to business.
"So Mrs. Broke ," said Jan.
"Please call me Brandy," said Brandi.
"Ok, Brandi it is. Now Brandy, I am here to let you know,
that you definitely won the "Front Porch Makeover!
We can get started on that first thing in the morning if you like.
You will get a whole new deck , new outdoor furniture,
outdoor lighting, landscaping and a new charcoal grill.



"Oh my gosh! That is so awesome!!"




"Ok, what's the catch?" said Brandy in a very skeptical voice.



"Just one!" said Jan.
"There always is," said Brandy getting a little
disappointed, just waiting for Jan to say, 'You only have to pay
$500.00 to get everything going.'
But much to Brandy's relief that is not what she said.
What she said was...




You have to agree to do a commercial with your family for
a Television Advertizement! Showcasing your new deck and
"Bragging" of course, how great Lowells is.




"Uhmmmm, television? I don't know," Brandy started to back out of
the deal stammering. "I really don't like being on camera," said Brandy,
full of nerves.




"You have nothing to fear Brandy, you and your family will look great on
camera, and you only have to say about 3 lines and you get to use cue
cards." said Jan with great enthusiasm.
"Go for it mom!" said Dustin, "It's a sweet deal! I can tell."



"When you are right, you are right young man!"




"Ok, I'll do it!" declared Brandy. "But I have to work, so I can only
do the commercial stuff on my days off."




"That is not a problem," said Jan. "We can shoot the commercial part of
it at any time. Just let me know when your earliest convenience is
available and we will make all the arrangements.
"Ok, that would be this Sunday or Monday," said Brandi.
"Sounds great. So first, can we get started on your new deck tomorrow
morning?"



"That would be fine," said Brandy as she picked up Beau, who had been
pulling at his mother's skirt for attention. "But my baby and his Nanny
will be here all afternoon."
"Not a problem either, our crew will work
so quickly and efficiently, that your Nanny will hardly notice that they
are here. You will be required to mention that in the television add by
the way," Jan added.





"Let me get this straight - by the time I get home from work tomorrow, the deck should be finished."
"Yes ma'am," confirmed Jan. "It might take them a little longer but no later than 6pm."
"I sure am glad I entered that drawing at Lowells." said Brandy.




"It all seems so strange to me, because I never win anything,"
Brandy confided to Jan.




"Perhaps your luck is changing for the better," encouraged Jan
Tellerman. "The crew will be here at 6AM tomorrow morning to get
started. I will give you a call tomorrow evening and see when we
can come up with a time to shoot the commercial," Jan continued.
"Wonderful, I will look forward to your phone call, have a good night
Jan, thanks for bringing such good news."
"Your Welcome, and you all have a great night. Good bye, now",
said Jan and she left.




The next morning bright and early, five well trained builders came with
tools and supplies, and got to work on Brandy's new front porch.





Tahhhh Daaahhhh!





Dustin, and his on again - off again girlfriend, what's her name, were trying
out the new deck and furniture. (I don't like her much)



I think it turned out nice for a freebee.




After four very successful months of being a Sales Associate
at Jared's Fine Jewelry, the totally expected and unavoidable
thing started to happened to Brandy, as she was on the phone
confirming her work schedule for the coming week.



As soon as she hung up the phone, she started to feel funny,
like bigger - around the middle.



Yup, you guessed it!



The first baby bump had undeniably appeared, and several
long months of ugly maternity clothes lay ahead of her.





But Brandy was extremely happy to know that her unborn child was
growing well inside of her, her last gift from her missing husband Skip.
As many women know who have been pregnant, it is very
easy to swing from
happy to sad and back again, when the hormones of pregnancy are racing
through their bodies.




Its a lot of work, growing a entire new human being in one's own body.
Thinking of work, Brandy knew now that she was definitely showing
her pregnancy, and that she would be required to quit working at
the Jewelry store. Brandy was very upset about this, but was thankful
that she had managed to save up $18,000.00 from working.
Brandy was indeed a very good sales person. She had been promised
a guaranteed maternity leave and would be allowed to come back to
work. She would call work first thing in the morning and let them know
that she would not be back for five months.




.......................Meanwhile, on the new front porch.......................
"Yeah, my mom is going to have another baby; if its a boy were going
to name it after my dad Skip." said Dustin happily.
"That's cool," Angela Pleasant said, in a half interested way. "Hey, you
want to sneak out tonight?"
Dustin gulped hard; he had been in lots of trouble before his dad had
disappeared for the same types of things. He really had caused a lot of
grief in his family. And he had tried hard to behave and help his mom.
His grades were up in school and he was doing well at work.




Angela preyed on his hesitation and teased him into saying yes. They
agreed to meet at 1am; she was going to steal her father's brand new
sports car and they would go for a joy ride.




As Brandy was going through her ups and downs after changing into
maternity clothes, she decided to use the brand new grill and grill up
some ribs. She had been craving them, and she had her mother's recipe.
After she got everything out, she gazed out the window again for a
moment wondering, if just maybe, in a child's dream would she see him
again.



And she did. *goose bumps*
She gasped, as she had not actually thought she would see him again like
she had months before. But there was Skip, walking towards the window
with the newspaper in his hand.




She watched as he seemed to grab a seat somewhere, just to the right
under the window sill.





Skip calmly read the paper.
Brandy found herself holding her breath
again, as she slowly leaned forward over the counter to look out the
window, expecting him to vanish again just as quickly as the last time
she had seen him.




He seemed very intent on reading one section in particular. He kept pointing with his thumb. Just as Brandy's brain started to function again, and ask important questions, like 'What newspaper is that?' 'What is the date on that paper?'
'What section is he reading?'...




....................................... He disappeared!........................................
And Brandy was left alone staring out her window on to the empty street.




Brandy knew that she could not allow herself to freak out. Maybe it was just her imagination playing tricks on her.




But she was determined to keep it together, and keep this strange
haunting to herself. Brandy did not really have any friends, and she was
very much alone when it came to having someone that she could trust to
talk with. Not a good place for a pregnant woman.




As she cooked the ribs, she spent a lot of time thinking.



The ribs turned out great, and Brandy and her sons had a nice meal together.




After dinner, Brandy let Beau out of his high chair to go play.
Beau quickly made his way to most toddlers favorite room - the bathroom.








Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!




"I thought I heard you going in here!" said Brandy, to her thrilled son Beau.






After a nice warm bath, Brandy tucked Beau into his crib.
He was very sleepy and fell right to sleep.