Post by larue on Dec 28, 2006 10:31:48 GMT 10
This is a Luby AU.....the Kovac Family from 'The Things We Do', 'Rules of the Road' and 'The Camper's Guide...'. No shoot out in the ER, no baby Joe....just a delicious baby Lauren and a happy Luby couple. Multiple chpaters so it won't fit in the challenge. Hope you like it.
Abby drew the large toggle around her suitcase and zipped the bag shut. She was finally finished. She managed to get everything inside. She smiled a little as she thought about the two dresses she had hidden in her bag. One for her and one for Lauren. Silver. Silver satin. Her mother had made them from pictures and measurements she had sent to her. They fit perfectly, even though Maggie had made them in Minnesota. Abby had known they would be exactly as she wanted them to be. Maggie could do anything when it came to material and threads. Luka hurried into the bedroom and stopped when he saw her standing next to the closed suitcase.
“You’re packed?” he asked. She nodded and he shook his head in frustration.
“I can’t find the book I bought Tata for a Christmas gift. The art print one?” Abby crossed the bedroom to their closet and pulled the heavy volume of art prints from the top shelf. Luka smiled and sighed as he took it from her.
“Thank you.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and hurried out of the room and down the steps. She crossed the hall into Lauren’s bedroom and switched on the night light on her dresser. The little girl was sprawled on her tummy in her crib zipped into a warm purple sleeper. Abby watched her sleep for a moment and then straightened the soft baby blanket over her daughter. She kissed her finger tips and pressed the kiss to Lauren’s cheek. Quietly she went through the suitcase on Lauren’s changing table and counted and recounted pants, shirts, dresses and socks. She added a few more pull ups and diapers to the stacks in the suitcase and zipped it closed. She double checked the contents of the backpack they would use for Lauren’s carry on and closed it as well. She peeked at her daughter again and then turned out the light. She carried the suitcase and backpack to the head of the stairs and then went down in search of Luka.
He was on the couch going through the contents of the bag of things he was taking to his family. Jeans, CDs, books, an ipod for Natasya.....it looked like Christmas tree bootie. Abby shook her head. It might have been easier to take the money and do their shopping in Croatia.
“Can I help with anything?” she asked as she went to the kitchen sink and filled the tea kettle with water. “Don’t you think you should get some sleep?”
“I always sleep on the plane,” Luka said absently. “It’s a long flight.”
“But you’ve never done it with us, you know,” Abby said. ‘Do you think Lauren is going to let either of us get any rest trying to entertain her?” Luka looked up at her and then chuckled.
“You’re right,” he said. “I have never taken this trip with a family.” He reached for her hand and pulled her next to him on the couch. His arm snaked around her and held her close.
“Tell me about them again,” she asked.
“My brothers?” he frowned. Abby nodded.
“And your sisters in law and nephews and your niece....” Luka sighed.
“Well...” he started. “First there is my brother, Andro. He is three years younger than me.....”
“And an engineer...” Abby interrupted.
“He is married to Valerija and they travel a lot. They have two boys, Javor and Viktor, who are away at college. They’ll be home for Christmas though.” Abby nodded and nestled a little closer to him.
“My brother, Zoran, is six years younger than me and a teacher and soccer coach. He is the poor one in the family.”
Abby chuckled as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Zoran is married to Jelena - also a teacher - and they have a daughter named Natasya who is...um....14 now. I haven’t seen her since she was nine,” Luka shook his head. “She won’t be a little girl any more.” They were both lost in private thoughts for a moment.
“Did they love her?” Abby asked finally.
“Who?”
“Your wife.”
“Valerija grew up close to Danijela so they knew each other well. Jelena never met her. By the time she met Zoran, we had lost ....well...it was over.” They were quiet again and then Luka’s arm tightened around her.
“They are going to love you, Abby,” he said softly. “They will love you because I do.” She tipped her face toward his and smiled slightly.
“Your father too?”
“He already loves you.” Luka kissed the end of her nose and shifted on the couch. “You have given him a gorgeous granddaughter that he worships from afar.” Abby chuckled. That was true. Josef sent regular emails asking for more and more pictures of Lauren. Abby spoke to him on the telephone occasionally when he phoned for Luka. He seemed nice enough. It was still worrisome.
Abby drew the large toggle around her suitcase and zipped the bag shut. She was finally finished. She managed to get everything inside. She smiled a little as she thought about the two dresses she had hidden in her bag. One for her and one for Lauren. Silver. Silver satin. Her mother had made them from pictures and measurements she had sent to her. They fit perfectly, even though Maggie had made them in Minnesota. Abby had known they would be exactly as she wanted them to be. Maggie could do anything when it came to material and threads. Luka hurried into the bedroom and stopped when he saw her standing next to the closed suitcase.
“You’re packed?” he asked. She nodded and he shook his head in frustration.
“I can’t find the book I bought Tata for a Christmas gift. The art print one?” Abby crossed the bedroom to their closet and pulled the heavy volume of art prints from the top shelf. Luka smiled and sighed as he took it from her.
“Thank you.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and hurried out of the room and down the steps. She crossed the hall into Lauren’s bedroom and switched on the night light on her dresser. The little girl was sprawled on her tummy in her crib zipped into a warm purple sleeper. Abby watched her sleep for a moment and then straightened the soft baby blanket over her daughter. She kissed her finger tips and pressed the kiss to Lauren’s cheek. Quietly she went through the suitcase on Lauren’s changing table and counted and recounted pants, shirts, dresses and socks. She added a few more pull ups and diapers to the stacks in the suitcase and zipped it closed. She double checked the contents of the backpack they would use for Lauren’s carry on and closed it as well. She peeked at her daughter again and then turned out the light. She carried the suitcase and backpack to the head of the stairs and then went down in search of Luka.
He was on the couch going through the contents of the bag of things he was taking to his family. Jeans, CDs, books, an ipod for Natasya.....it looked like Christmas tree bootie. Abby shook her head. It might have been easier to take the money and do their shopping in Croatia.
“Can I help with anything?” she asked as she went to the kitchen sink and filled the tea kettle with water. “Don’t you think you should get some sleep?”
“I always sleep on the plane,” Luka said absently. “It’s a long flight.”
“But you’ve never done it with us, you know,” Abby said. ‘Do you think Lauren is going to let either of us get any rest trying to entertain her?” Luka looked up at her and then chuckled.
“You’re right,” he said. “I have never taken this trip with a family.” He reached for her hand and pulled her next to him on the couch. His arm snaked around her and held her close.
“Tell me about them again,” she asked.
“My brothers?” he frowned. Abby nodded.
“And your sisters in law and nephews and your niece....” Luka sighed.
“Well...” he started. “First there is my brother, Andro. He is three years younger than me.....”
“And an engineer...” Abby interrupted.
“He is married to Valerija and they travel a lot. They have two boys, Javor and Viktor, who are away at college. They’ll be home for Christmas though.” Abby nodded and nestled a little closer to him.
“My brother, Zoran, is six years younger than me and a teacher and soccer coach. He is the poor one in the family.”
Abby chuckled as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Zoran is married to Jelena - also a teacher - and they have a daughter named Natasya who is...um....14 now. I haven’t seen her since she was nine,” Luka shook his head. “She won’t be a little girl any more.” They were both lost in private thoughts for a moment.
“Did they love her?” Abby asked finally.
“Who?”
“Your wife.”
“Valerija grew up close to Danijela so they knew each other well. Jelena never met her. By the time she met Zoran, we had lost ....well...it was over.” They were quiet again and then Luka’s arm tightened around her.
“They are going to love you, Abby,” he said softly. “They will love you because I do.” She tipped her face toward his and smiled slightly.
“Your father too?”
“He already loves you.” Luka kissed the end of her nose and shifted on the couch. “You have given him a gorgeous granddaughter that he worships from afar.” Abby chuckled. That was true. Josef sent regular emails asking for more and more pictures of Lauren. Abby spoke to him on the telephone occasionally when he phoned for Luka. He seemed nice enough. It was still worrisome.
And THIS lubyfamily. 
