#133: Alice and Dude's New House

Alice and Dude bought the "Glass Box" house, which was between the Regina-Bill house and the Lou-Peter house,

and across the street from the Kelly-Derek house.

They had bought a dining set and a trashcan,

a bar (so that Alice could practice making drinks for work) and a bassinet for Daedelus,

a bed,

two loveseats and a TV,

and--most importantly for Dude's continued progress at his job--a piano.

He needed to be at Level 2 of Piano in order to be promoted--and he was currently at Level 0 (and could play with only two fingers).

But the baby, Daedelus, seemed to enjoy his father's practicing, anyway,

as well as the clinking sound of the bottles when his mother was practicing her bartending skills.

They kept their son with them during the day.

Dude went to his job in the early evening,

and Alice went to her own job a bit later.  Before she did, she took Daedelus over to Regina and Bill's house and left him in their nursery with their baby daughter, Scout.

Dude and Alice both got home late at night, went to sleep,

and then one or both of them went back to Regina and Bill's in the morning to pick up their son.

_______________

Peter brought over some rugs and plants as house-warming gifts,

and--since Lou always left early for her medical job, and since Peter did not like to paint without  company--he generally came over with his spare easel to paint in the terrific light at Alice and Dude's house.

"Just so you know, I'm aware I suck at piano," Dude said grimly, plunking away.

"That's okay," Peter laughed.  "I remember back when you sucked at guitar"--Peter was recalling the time at the Utopia House when all the roommates had insisted that Dude practice outdoors so they didn't have to listen to him--"and look how good you are at guitar NOW."

Alice appreciated that Peter was so supportive,

and was glad that he had taken up painting at their house whenever Lou was away at her job.

_______________

Regina came over early afternoon.

"Do you want to go visit Kelly's baby?" she asked Alice.

"Sure!" Alice enthused.

"You guys going to be okay with the baby?" Alice asked, as she and Regina were leaving.

"I'm good," Dude replied.

The girls left for Kelly's.

"Man, am I EVER up shit's creek," Dude lamented to Peter.

"It's just one small baby," Peter reasoned, somewhat confused.  "How much trouble can he possibly be?"

"That's not the problem," Dude said ruefully.

Dude then told Peter what the problem was.

"Wow," Peter said.  "Just--wow.  When are they coming?  And how much have you told Alice???"