Wait For It || Reddie ✔️

epilogue

Richie stacked the used ingredients onto the shelves of the fridge, being careful so the butter didn't slide off the egg carton. He closed the fridge door and from the forceful breeze, a corner of a paper flys up. Richie glanced at it, a small smile easily settling on his face.

Richie, me, and our future dog - 1989

The paper had folds and creases pressed into it, but that didn't damage the love Richie held for the simple drawing. "Richie, move your ass. I need the milk," Eddie said and nudged him in the arm. He only laughed and pressed a quick kiss to Eddie's temple. "Anything for you, my love."

He goes back to the stove, checking on the noodles and sauce as the fridge door closed once more. Richie felt Eddie brush past him and the padder of nails on the ground. "Bee, no," Eddie said as he walked to the counter. The Pomeranian yipped loudly and Richie looked over his shoulder to watch the dog paw at Eddie's leg. She let out another whine and tapped her paw to Eddie's shin.

"Richie, tell her to sit," Eddie said and Richie let go of the wooden spoon to fully face the two. "Sit, girl!" The dog drops to her paws, her tongue hanging out as she pants. "I think she's hot," Richie said before adding quickly, "Overheated! No bestiality here. No, siree." Eddie snorted and turned around, glancing at Richie before looking down at their dog. "I knew what you meant." He picked the dog up, pressing a kiss to her head as he walked out of the kitchen. Richie turned back to the stove, smiling when he heard Eddie's drifting coos saying, "Who's a good girl? Annoying, but a good girl."

Richie looked down a separate hallway where the front door and stairs to the upper levels lay. "Abs!" He called out. "Is the table set at all?" Footsteps ran from the dining room and a girl barely even 12 comes sliding into Richie's vision. She flashed him a smile before smacking into the wall.

"Ooh.." Richie sucked in a breath and watched as Abby collected herself, a strand of her brown hair sticking to her lip-glossed lips. "Yes!" She said, excitement easily masking over whatever pain stings at her side. She made her way down the hallway, picking up her pace as she walked past the open basement door. "Where's Bee? I was going to take her outside."

"Eds kidnapped her somewhere."

Abby nodded and walked through the kitchen to the direction Eddie went in. Richie glanced at the clock, 4:02. Only an hour until everyone arrives...

He spun in a circle, going from the stove to the oven sitting right next to it. He tapped on a button and a dull, yellowing light flickers on inside the oven. He looked over the cookies to make sure they weren't burning up. Abby had begged Eddie to get the cookies, hanging onto the back of the shopping cart and stubbornly dragging her feet until he gave in. He came back home from the shopping trip grumpy, but when he watched Abby dig out the cookies and run to show her other dad, he couldn't help but smile to himself.

"Dad! Dad! Dad!" Abby chanted as she ran into the kitchen. "Abby! Abby! Abby!" Richie chanted right back, making the kid giggle. "When is everyone gonna get here? I'm bored and I wanna beat Uncle Bill and Mike at Just Dance again!" She balled her hands and bounced on her toes, unable to keep her excitement contained. "In an hour, baby. Be patient and bother Eds for me." She broke out in a grin and nodded, turning and running out of the kitchen yelling, "Oh Daaaadddd!!"

~~~

A thudding knock sounded at the front door and Abby sat up. "They're here!" She yelled out as she and Bee both scrambled to their feet. They raced each other to the front door, Abby giggling all the way. Bee yapped in return, jumping up on her back legs and spinning around in a circle, a trick Eddie and Richie taught her years ago. Abby picked her up and waited for one of her fathers to come down the stairs.