by Kitty Parker
"We're pushing you more than anyone else because you have the talent to take you further than any of the others," Shawn says.
Matty just shakes his head. "I'm tired," he says for the third time with a frown.
"You think Walter Payton never got tired?" Shawn asks with a matching frown. "Hell, before Ditka came, that was a running back carrying an entire team. An NFL team."
"But he's not Walter Payton and this isn't the NFL, Shawn," Daisy almost snaps. "He is nine-years-old."
"And you keep treating like he's nine-months-old," Shawn snaps back. "Are you ever going to cut the cord and let this kid live a life that you're not hovering over?"
"Don't talk to her like that," Jack says in a low voice, glaring at his brother-in-law.
It's quiet for a few minutes after that and the tension is thick over the table, the adults tense and Matty staring down at his plate of food, clearly not wanting to talk anymore.
T-Dog stands up then and they all look at him. "Matty, do you mind taking me out in the back and showing me how Otter plays catch? You've talked about it so much, I think it's time I see him in action."
Matty nods and without a word, he pushes himself away from the table and goes to the basket in the kitchen, grabbing the tennis ball, and both Otter and T-Dog follow him outside, the back door closing behind them.
Daisy instantly glares at her brother. "You are such an asshole," she breathes at him. She rarely curses but right now, she feels like it's both appropriate and understandable.
"Why? Because I see that that kid has talent and I'm making sure it doesn't go to waste?" Shawn snaps at her.
"I am not wasting his talent!" Daisy is almost yelling now. "He came to this decision all on his own after another practice run by his slave-drivers!"
She stands up even though she's hardly eaten a thing and carries her plate back into the kitchen. Morris is there, sitting up on the counter by the stove, and she normally will tell the black cat to get down but tonight, she could care less. She feels her heart pounding and her blood pumping in her ears. She can hear voices from the dining room – Jack and Shawn and Shawn sounds calmer. Their voices are low, sounding like murmurs to her ears, and she can't make out exactly what they're saying to one another.
Thank God for Jack. There's something about him where even when he's angry, it still seems so calm. Daisy, meanwhile, has always been the sort to always show her emotions and she knew tonight, she would definitely get emotional.
She knows her brother loves her son and Shawn just wants the best for Matty and she doesn't deny that her son has a talent. He really does and Shawn wants to make sure Matty's talent only gets better. For the longest time, Shawn was the man male figure Matty had in his life and even with Jack now as Matty's dad, Shawn still takes his role seriously and Daisy loves him for that. But sometimes, Shawn straddles the line of caring uncle and tyrannical coach and tonight, the line is so blurred between the two, Daisy's not sure which is angry over Matty's wish to stop playing football.
She hears steps behind her but she knows it's not Jack. She knows his steps and when she turns away from the sink, she's right. It's Shawn and he actually looks apologetic. Daisy wishes she knows what Jack had said to him.
"I'm sorry, Daisyy," Shawn says, looking genuinely apologetic. "I'm a dick."
She doesn't argue with him over that.
"I just see what that kid can do. He's nine, Daisy, and he…"
"I know," she nods her head slightly and she does know and sees it, too.
She lifts her eyes when she sees Jack leaning in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room and his face is blank and she's married to this man and no one else can like she can but even she sometimes has no idea how to read him.
So Daisy gives him a small smile and Jack's lips twitch in a small smile in return.
The back door opens just a couple of seconds later and Otter trots in, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, looking tired but content, and Matty comes in next, smiling, too, tossing the tennis ball into the air and catching it easily. And then T-Dog is behind him, smiling, too, in that grin that makes everyone want to smile, too.
"You wanna tell them?" T-Dog asks with a hand on Matty's shoulder.
Matty nods and he's still smiling. He looks right to Daisy. "I'm going to play tomorrow."
Daisy tries to keep smiling though she can't help but feel a little disappointed. "If that's what you want to do, Matty," she says and tries her best to sound supportive though she's wondering how much pressure T-Dog had just put on him to do this.
"I'm going to play tomorrow but then I'm going on a break for a few weeks," Matty continues. "I don't want to leave the team high and dry. I'll still go to practice and to games-"
"But just to watch," T-Dog finishes for him and then looks to Shawn. "And then you, me and Tyreese are going to sit down and start re-working our offense. Come up with some new plays."
Shawn nods in agreement and puts a hand on his nephew's head, shaking it back and forth playfully. "Sounds good," he smiles.
Daisy smiles a little easier now. "Sounds great." She takes a deep breath. "So, who wants some pudding?"
…
She wants a baby. Really, really wants a baby. She really wants a baby with Jack.
But every time they have sex, it's not just about making a baby. It's about being together and sharing this together because oh goodness, the sex is so good. So, so good. She had had no idea sex could be good like this until she had sex with Jack for the first time. He had apologized beforehand, already thinking it was going to be nothing that would possibly take her breath away. But that's exactly what it did. And what it's done every time since.
He'll still apologize sometimes, gasping breathlessly into her ear if he feels he's cum too early, but Daisy just smiles and wraps her arms around him and nuzzles his ear. He always makes up for it – as if he has anything to make up for. He'll use his mouth on her then and he never seems to care that he's cum inside of her just minutes later. He simply slips down her body and spreads her thighs and doesn't come up again until she cums and is on the verge of cumming a second time.
She always smiles at him as he comes back up her body and he smiles a little, too, and she then kisses him on the lips, tasting herself and him all mingled together on his lips.
They don't talk about it. She knows they are both very aware of what they are doing; what they are trying to do. She knows he wants to be a dad and have a baby as much as she wants one. They have bought a little house with three bedrooms and right now, there isn't anything in the last room. They haven't even used it for storage for the time being, wanting to keep it empty and only fill it with things for their baby.
They're optimistic. There's no reason why they shouldn't be. They're both healthy and Daisy prays and has faith. It will happen when it's supposed to. And she reminds Jack of that because sometimes, she knows that he gets impatient.
"When are you getting my deer?" Daisy asks as they lay there, him lying behind her, his arms wrapped around her and his face pressed to the back of her neck.
He snickers softly and she smiles. His arms squeeze around her. "Tomorrow. After the game," he promises her. "Maybe I'll take Matt with me if he wants to go."
Daisy sighs softly and stares out the window beside their bed that she's facing. "You called him Matt," she says softly.
Jack's quiet for a moment and she thinks like maybe he has fallen asleep but then his nose nuzzles into her hair. "He's growin' up. Know you don't like it but kid's makin' his own decisions and is startin' to realize what's good for him."
Daisy is quiet at that. She knows it's the truth but that doesn't mean she has to like it. She always had her family, yes, but for a long time, it was just her and Matty. She was so determined to be the best mom in the world to him. She wanted him to look back and have only good memories of his childhood with her. She just wanted to be able to give him everything.
And she think she's done that. He's nine but he's already g
rowing to be such a good young man and isn't that what every mom of a boy wants him to be?
She just can't imagine not calling him Matty anymore though. He'll always be her Matty.
…
Daisy knows that it really doesn't make sense but it's the truth nonetheless. She and Carolina are friends and Daisy really likes her. Carolina is a fun girl – a bit crazy and she likes her vodka but she loves to laugh and make others laugh and she loves being the center of attention. It could be a little awkward – after all, Carolina and Jack used to hook up – but that feels like it had been forever ago and it doesn't even matter anymore. Jack and Daisy are married and Jack has adopted Matty, making him his official dad, and Carolina and Adam Hersh, one of Jack's closest friends, had gotten married just last month – catching everyone off guard but not really surprising anyone when they returned from a weekend to Atlantic City, both wearing matching wedding bands.
They have no plans to have a wedding redo – no matter how many times Casey likes to remind Adam that he was best man when he married Tana – but they have talked about having a reception with all of their friends. And Carolina has declared that instead of a wedding cake, she wants cupcakes. Made by Daisy, of course.
Unfortunately, on Sunday, it's raining so their housewarming party has to be kept inside. Otter doesn't do that well with too many people all in one space at the same time so he is spending the party in the garage. Everyone – their friends and family – is inside their house, socializing with one another and eating and complimenting Daisy on the house. It's a little house – she knows – but it's what she and Jack can afford and still live comfortably. They don't need to have a house with thousands of square feet and endless space. They don't need all of that. And she's so happy to show it off.
She has just met him but she's become such a fan of Eric Raleigh, Aaron's husband. As Jack and Aaron went to the garage so Jack could show Aaron his workbench after the man had expressed interest in it, Eric walked the rooms with Daisy and told her what he thought about possible colors for the room and she definitely should not think about getting carpet because why would she ever want to cover up these floors? And he offers his help immediately with helping her decorate if she ever needs it.
Aaron and Eric seem very different. Eric is very forward and vocal and Aaron seems to be a bit more quiet and subdued, having no issues with letting his husband take the spotlight. They almost remind Daisy of her and Jack in some ways.
There's a football game on the television in the living room – of course – and that's where most of them have congregated but some have lingered in the dining room and kitchen. Jack has gotten the deer – as promised – and has it grilled for that afternoon and Daisy has the dining room table covered with salads and sides and of course, cupcakes, and everyone has been eating their fill.
Daisy is in the kitchen, mixing up some more potato salad, and Carolina is sitting at the little kitchen table the room is able to have and looking through one of Daisy's cupcake books.
"Adam!" She suddenly shouts out. "Do you like lemon?"
"No!" Adam shouts back from the living room. "On what?" He then adds after a beat.
"I'm going to have Daisy make lemon cupcakes!" Carolina tells him.
There's another pause. "Fine!" He answers and Carolina smiles triumphantly at Daisy.
"Your lemon blueberry cupcakes you made that one time have always been my favorite," Carolina tells her, closing the book with finality.
Daisy smiles and she always feels so proud of herself when someone compliments one of the cupcakes she's made. Her shop sells six and blueberry lemon isn't one of the regular ones on rotation but she loves that people still remember ones she has made in the past and it seems as if everyone has their favorite.
"I think thirty-six will be a good number," Carolina says as she stands up to put the book back on the shelf where Daisy has all of her other cooking and baking books.
"Thirty-six all lemon blueberry?" Daisy asks and Matty has entered the kitchen just as she's finishing up so she hands the bowl of potato salad to him to put on the dining room table and she then turns to wash her hands off in the sink.
"I think so. And if not everyone eats one, that's just more for me," Carolina smiles.
Daisy laughs a little as she goes to her desk that has been crammed in the corner to write a note to herself. "I'll make up a formal quote and get it over to you."
"Daisy, what are these?" Tana asks, coming into the kitchen, holding a kabob.
"Green pepper and barbecue covered possum," Daisy informs her with a smile. "It's an acquired taste. We boil it as long as we can but it can still be a bit greasy."
Tana has gone a little pale as she looks at the kabob in her hand. She had already eaten one and this is her second and now, Daisy wonders if she's going to have a sick guest.
Tana visibly swallows and then pokes her head out of the kitchen, looking around the corner through the dining room into the living room. "Jack Belton, you can't serve possum at a house-warming party!" She scolds him.
Daisy can hear Jack standing up and a moment later, he comes into the kitchen, Tana turning back around to look at him. "Why not?" He asks and drops his empty beer can into the recycling bin they have next to the garbage can. "You ate it, didn' you?"
"It's possum," Tana frowns at him. "Vermin of the woods. Who knows what they eat?"
"Celtus was able to catch a possum once. Alive," Jack leans back against the counter next to Daisy. "Fed it nothin' but peaches for a week 'fore killing it. Cleaned its system out and you ain't tasted nothin' like a peach-fed possum."
Tana is still making a face.
"Got the deer and this possum is Matty's first shot," Jack tells her. "'course we were gonna have it to eat today."
Matty grins at that from where the boy has just gotten a kabob for himself. They have invited Michonne, Tavon and Michonne's youngest, Andre, over and Daisy watches as Matty and Tavon and Henry Raleigh each take a kabob, the boys saying something and laughing over it. Daisy smiles at the sight. She knows Tavon was angry with Matty for wanting to take a break from football and the team but it seems like – with all arguments between friends – that it has been forgotten. At least for the time being. Tavon is a talented quarterback all on his own but he has gotten so used to having Matty there next to him during games. It will be a new adjustment for everyone.
But after the game yesterday – another Gators win – Daisy noticed immediately how much Matty was smiling. He walked off that field with a smile and smiled the rest of the day – as if he was an adult who had just gotten two-weeks paid vacation from work. And today, he still seems so light. He's not worried about practice or plays or the next game.
He went hunting with Jack yesterday afternoon and came home, beaming as he held the dead possum by the tail, and Daisy had looked at him and he was still Matty. Not Matt. He's still Matty and he's just a little kid and he's still acting like one. Daisy wants to make sure he's able to act like one for as long as he can.
As the talk is still about possum, Daisy's eyes slowly drift down to her still flat stomach. She meant what she said to Jack about their baby that will hopefully happen soon. If it's at all possible, she wants to keep this baby far away from any kind of sport. But she knows that if that's what their baby wants to do, she and Jack will let them do it. She just wants a healthy and a happy baby. She really wants a baby.
Casey has come into the kitchen, eating his own kabob in one hand and a piece of deer in the other and Tana is asking him how he could possibly eat that, knowing what it is. Daisy lifts her eyes to become involved in the conversation once more and when she does, she sees that Jack is looking at her. His own eyes drop down to her stomach and then his eyes lift back up to meet hers. She gives him a small smile and he smiles a little, too.
…
Part Three.
Jack wakes up like he's been waking up for the past couple of weeks. Daisy on her side and he's curled his body around her, his arm over her
hip and his hand on her stomach. There's not much there yet. Just the slightest bump that she is able to hide behind looser shirts than what she normally wears and he's sure everyone has already guessed that she is but none have come out and straight asked either of them about it. And Jack's grateful because he wants to keep it between them for just a while.
She closes the cupcake shop up early on Thursdays and she comes to the garage to see him, bringing lunch with her like she usually does on every other Thursday. She's holding two bags and a box. The bag is from the diner in town, the little box is holding the leftover cupcakes to bring to the shop for him and the other guys, and the other bag is brown paper and blank and he can't see what it is.
She smiles as she enters the front office where Jack is standing behind the front counter, straightening things up a bit, and she sets the food bag and box down in front of him. She then leans over the counter and gives him a quick kiss.
"How's work today?" She asks him.
He nods. "Pretty good. Had to keep myself from punching a customer earlier in the face though."
"Just one?" She laughs. "That is a good day for you then," she teases and he smirks a little. She holds up the paper bag. "Do you mind if I use your bathroom real quick?" She then asks – as if she has to ask.
He has just taken a French fry out of the diner bag and he looks at her, about to tell her that, but he stops. She's smiling and she's holding a brown paper bag and she's just asked to use the bathroom. And Jack has absolutely no experience with anything like this but he can think of only one reason for any of this. He doesn't ask her though. He just turns and heads into the staff bathroom, making sure the toilet is flushes and there's plenty of toilet paper and Daisy comes in after him.
"Are you going to watch me do this?" She laughs a little, her cheeks pink.
"Yes," he nods and with that, he closes the door behind them both.
Daisy pulls the pregnancy test box from the paper bag, dropping the bag into the trashcan and a moment later, the box the test comes in.
