We all fall down

July, Summer 2012, Edward Christian Sr. is 58, Joy is 34, Edward Jr. is 14, and Angel and Connor are 5. Last update: A looong time ago! (Brooke Sanchez is 14)





Joy is busy cleaning. She needs to get those last minute things cleaned, packed, and put away before the shuttle arrives. Summer break brings summer vacations. And the Christians are about to go on one. Joy yells for everyone to finish up what they are doing and to get ready.






But it's like talking to a brick wall. Edward is out in the garden tending to his peppers. Making sure they will last the week that they will all be gone.

He shakes his head. He's really messed up with regards to Davon and AJ. He was supposed to go on a spring fishing trip with them last spring, but at the last minute he canceled. It wasn't as if he wanted to, the restaurant needed him, Joy needed him, the twins needed him. He figured AJ and Davon would understand, they were grown now.

He's new family comes first. But they didn't and still don't understand. Davon will speak with him but AJ refuses to say a word to Eddie. But he vows that once they return home from this vacation he's going to make things right between his two oldest.








Edward Jr. is in his room saying good bye to Brooke. If it were up to him he wouldn't even be going on this silly vacation. He would much rather spend his time with his girl, not ruffing it in the mountains. Plus, in a few weeks he'll be leaving for soccer camp, which again, will take him away from Brooke and her sweet kisses.






Connor and Angel are just plan excited about the vacation. This is their first time leaving Riverdale and they can't wait. Too bad they won't get dressed and finish packing.





Connor finally decides that he better get packing whereas Angel asks Eddie to play football with him.


After five minutes Joy comes running outside chastising the both of them. She takes the football and give a slight whack on Angel's behind. "Get in there and get dressed. And make sure you pack enough clean underwear." She says.


Angel rubs at his bum and marches into the house. "You better be packed too, mister."

Eddie holds up his hands in self defense. "Yup. Just waiting to leave."

Eddie sits and things about all the kisses he's not going to get from Brooke for one whole week. Family vacations suck!

The shuttle comes and takes them to the airport, and after a two hour flight they arrive at Three Lakes. Both Eddie Sr. and Joy settle on camping in nature. The boys wanted a hotel room, but camping would build character. So tents it was. Their welcome to the beautiful camp site was a fight with two locals. Joy snatched up the boys and ushered them to their tents.

Eddie is bored out of his mind. One can only fish so many times a day. And the axe throwing is only fun for five minutes. At least at Camp Kick It he has is soccer ball to fill his time, and his buddy Viggo Kim. But here, he has nothing, no cell phone (since his parents won't buy him one) to call Brooke, no television, not even a good book. He could kick himself for not bringing one like he had planed. He glances over at his brother, Connor screaming and laughs. Maybe he could entertain him.

Connor runs past his older brother screaming for their mother. He really wants to collect as many Three Lake bugs as possible but getting attacked by bees were not in his plans.

The days passed for the family and Eddie's boredom soon gave way. They explored many places that Mrs. Kim hadn't taken them to at camp, and Eddie was amazed. One the final day they decided to relax and stay at camp. Eddie Sr. wanted to try his hand and bug collecting as well but was pretty bad at it. All he caught was mountain air. This amuses Eddie Jr.

The last night the temperature dips into the mid 50's, and Joy is glad she made everyone bring an extra sleeping bag. But Eddie clearly had another way to keep warm on his mind.

The first thing Eddie does when they return home is call over Brooke. He tells her what a good time he had, and how surprised he was that he actually enjoyed himself.

Brooke is glad and now wants a family vacation of her own!

The night before he leaves for Camp Kick It Eddie tells one of his dad's teen employees about how great came it. That she should look into going next year, because once she's in her final year of high school she can no longer participate.






She thinks Camp Kick It sounds great and wants to tell her parents about it when she gets home.

Over dinner Joy tells Angel some exciting news. She's pregnant and he and Connor will become big brothers!

He's excited about the baby. He can't wait to see it. Maybe he'll get a baby sister. That would be cool! He already has two brothers. So, yes, a sister would be nice.







He tells Joy how he'll have three best friends once the baby is born. She's glad that the kids are as excited about the new addition as she and Eddie are!

After dinner is done and the dishes are all washed Eddie and Joy take a few moments to lay out under the stars. This a clear cloudless summer night and if one knows where to look they can find the Big Dipper. Which is what Eddie points out to Joy. She giggles, remembering that this was one of the reasons she fell so hopelessly in love with him all those years ago.

Joy can hardly keep her eyes open and heads off to bed. Eddie decides to tend to his garden before turning in, just to make sure that his veggies are okay and to tell them good night.

Everything happens so quickly, first there is a tightening in Edward's chest, knocking the wind out of him. Though he is standing right below his bedroom window he is unable to call out for help. Then this indescribably pain grips his cheats, he clutches at it in vein, trying to wheeze the word "help."

Soon it's over and Eddie drops dead in his garden. His last thoughts are that of his oldest sons and how he wasn't able to make things right between them, and who would look after Joy and the kids now that he's gone? Then, everything goes black.

Joy wakes up to Eddie Jr. screaming. She jumps up swiping away the sleep cobwebs in her head, and runs towards her son. He's outside standing before his father's limp form.

Joy races to him and realizes that he is gone, he's cool to the touch. But she still calls for her son to call 311 and she starts CPR. Everything moves in a blur after that.

Once they take her husband's body away Joy wanders into the bedroom, locking the door behind her and breaks. Everything she knows is not gone. What is she going to do?

***

Poor Joy. After Edward died she went straight into the red and ended up losing the baby. I was so tempted to exit without saving cause I wanted to know if she was going to have a boy or a girl, but in the end I left it alone. Eddie was her life I have no idea what she's going to do without him

On a lighter note I've finally seen Big Foot. Eddie Jr. found the secret location and he and Connor were the only ones not to roll the Big Foot fear want. So I let them go meet him before their vacation was over.

notes from GB: Sadly, Edward rolled the ROS death by illness. So I wrote it up as if he had a sudden heart attack. I was sad to see hm go. *sniff* Even with all his short coming he was a good father to his later three kids, and he was actually a good father with Davon, this is why their relationship is so high. He and Jamie divorced before AJ was born and he never made much time to be with him.

Him patching things up with them was my fault. I forgot to have him invite them over to work things out and I remembered after I killed him off. Silly me, but like in RL that happens some times.

Eddie is really taking his dad's death hard like his mom. I feel bad for Connor and Angel because right now they have to fend for themselves. Thank goodness for leftovers.

Oh, and if you see a change in Joy's age that's me again. I never wrote down how old she was. I know she's much younger than Edward but I need to make note of it.