Out of My League, Part 3

by Sharon Cummin

  “Nobody can ever take your place,” he said. “You're my little sister, and that will never change. The only difference is that there's two of you now. I love you, Cassie, and I will always be there for you. I will also take care of anyone that ever does you wrong.”

  James looked over at Parker with a glare that had me nervous.

  “Hey,” Parker barked out. “I didn't do a thing.”

  “It's just a warning,” James said.

  “No warning needed, Man,” Parker said. “I love the woman. I'd kill anyone that hurt her too, so you'd better get in line behind me. I'm the one that will be taking care of her from now on, and nobody, not even family, will get in my way.”

  I couldn't believe what he'd just said. Had he wanted the guys to fly up from theirs chairs and come after him? I heard a rumble come from Lance, but he didn't say anything.

  “You'll have her back no matter what?” James asked.

  “Always,” Parker said, and James nodded.

  “I guess there's nothing I can do then,” James said.

  “Not a damn thing,” Parker said.

  “Just so you know, I did care that you might be leaving. Sammie gave me so much shit for saying I didn't,” James said. “I guess you're one of us now. Just watch out if you knock her up. That guy is something else.”

  James pointed at Lance, who was already standing and halfway across the room.

  “Do not say the words knocked up when you're speaking about any of my girls,” Lance snapped. “I'm not afraid to kick either of your asses.”

  “That won't be a problem,” I said, as I looked up at Lance. “There will not be any getting knocked up when it comes to me.”

  “Then welcome to the family, brother,” Lance said, as he reached out to shake Parker's hand.

  Lance turned around and walked back toward his seat when Lance Jr. stood up.

  “Lauren and I have something to tell you,” he said.

  “Shit!” his dad snapped out, as he stopped walking and turned toward his son. “What is wrong with you girls. You know these men have some fast swimmers. Close your damn legs.”

  “You sure you shouldn't be telling your men here to cover up instead?” Sammie blurted out, and her dad turned to her.

  “I'm not pregnant,” Lauren shouted out defensively.

  “Your damn lucky boy,” Lance said.

  Then he walked back over and sat next to his wife.

  “Lay it on us then,” he said. “We're ready.”

  I watched Lauren and Lance Jr. look at each other with a nervous look before looking back at his parents.

  “We're adopting a baby,” Lance Jr. said.

  “What?” his dad asked, with emotion already in his tone.

  “I've always known that one day I would do for a little one what you did for me,” Lance Jr. answered. “I wanted to bring a baby, who would never know love, into this crazy family so they could have more love than they would ever need. That time has come. In less than a month, we're going to become parents to a newborn baby. We've already met the mother, and she's due just before Thanksgiving. The baby will come home with us from the hospital.”

  “Are you serious?” Lucy asked, with tears pouring down her cheeks.

  “We are,” Lauren said. “So, just so you know, Thanksgiving is happening here, and I'd love some help, because I have no idea how I'm going to do it.”

  “I'll be right here with you,” Lucy said, as she stood up and wrapped her arms around both Lance Jr. and Lauren.

  “Me too,” Lance added.

  Once they were done, the rest of us were up on our feet congratulating them and telling them we would all be there for whatever they needed.

  Parker and I gathered the kids, their costumes, and all of their things and headed back to my place.

  “Sounds like Jackson got that tree house just in time,” Parker said, with a laugh, once we were on the road.

  “You're not kidding,” I replied. “I'm so happy for them. I think it's sweet he wants to do what Lance and Lucy did for him.”

  “It is,” he said. “I'd totally forgotten about him being adopted. That explains why he can't throw a ball for shit.”

  “Parker,” I snapped.

  “Your family is a pretty crazy, awesome bunch,” he said.

  “Yeah,” I said, “they sure are, and it seems you've worked your way in there just fine.”

  “Does that bother you?” he asked.

  “Not one bit,” I answered, and that was the truth.

  Chapter 33

  Parker

  Thanksgiving came, but I wasn't able to get the twins. My parents invited me to go and visit them, but I didn't want to leave Cassie and the kids, so we were hanging out at Lance and Lauren's for the day. The new baby had arrived and was coming home that day, so all of the ladies were getting together to make Thanksgiving dinner as well as a few meals to put in the freezer for the weekend and part of the next week.

  We walked into the house, and I was surprised to see that it was completely decorated for Christmas already. There was a huge tree filled with light and ornaments, and there were decorations everywhere. When I looked over at Cassie, she had a look of surprise on her face as well. The kids, on the other hand, were more excited than I'd seen them yet, and it made me miss the twins. They would have loved it too.

  I stayed with James, Scott, and the kids in the living room, while the ladies laughed, giggled, and cooked in the kitchen. The place smelled amazing, and I knew Lauren and Lance would appreciate the help. When I'd get up and walk toward the kitchen, I'd hear them talking about their men. I was the only name that wasn't slung through the mud. When Cassie talked about me, it was all out of love. They joked that we were too new yet and that she'd be right there with them the next year, but that wasn't going to happen. I was going to work damn hard every single day so that when she was asked about me, love was the only thing that came into her mind.

  The front door opened, and in walked Lance, Lucy, Lauren, and Lance Jr., who was caring a baby carrier. Lauren walked into the living room and fell onto the couch, and I laughed.

  “You look exhausted,” I said. “You sure you weren't the one that gave birth?”

  “I sure feel like it,” she said. “I can't keep my eyes open.”

  “Do you think it has something to do with decorating this place?” I asked her. “It looks amazing.”

  “I knew when the baby came, I wouldn't have a second to do it, and I didn't want Jackson to miss out on decorations for our first Christmas in the new house. I even mailed the Christmas cards already.”

  “I get it,” I said. “Go take a nap. We've all got this. If we could get the ladies to quit talking shit about their men, they might actually get something done in there.”

  Lauren burst into laughter.

  “Oh man,” she said. “I'm missing out on that.”

  Just then, the kitchen door opened, and the ladies emerged, with grandma leading the pack.

  “Where's that precious baby?” she asked, as she headed for the couch and sat down. “Let me see him.”

  Lance took the baby out of the carrier and walked over to grandma, leaning down to put his new son in her arms.

  “Meet the newest Lance,” he said, with a huge smile on his face.

  “He's such a doll,” she said. “Welcome to this crazy gang, little guy. You will never go one second without knowing how loved you are.”

  Everyone took turns passing the baby around, and before I knew it, it was time to eat. I walked into the kitchen to help Cassie get the kids their food, and I was blown away.

  “What?” she asked, as she turned to look at me.

  “I can't believe how much cooking got done in between all the smack talk,” I said.

  “You heard us?” she asked.

  “You know what I heard?” I asked, as I reached out and spun her toward me. “I heard my woman say nothing but great things about her man.”

  “I can't help it,” she said, with a s
mile. “I'm in love.”

  “So am I, baby,” I said, as I leaned down and took her mouth with mine.

  “Really?” Scott snapped, as he walked into the room. “I think I'm dealing pretty well with you and my daughter being together, but this is not something a dad wants to see. You just wait until your little girl is lip locking with some guy.”

  “That won't happen,” I said, as I stepped away from Cassie. “My girls will not be lip locking with any boys.”

  “We'll see,” Scott said, as he laughed and stepped around me to get his plate.

  We ate, and when dinner was over, we were all stuffed. All of the kids were playing, and the place sounded like a circus, but none of us would have had it any other way.

  Cassie was in my arms half asleep. I heard the doorbell ring, and she sat up. We were sitting closest to the door, so she went to answer it. I got up too, hoping to catch a bit of air so I wouldn't fall asleep myself. Cassie pulled the door open to find a guy neither of us recognized.

  “Is Lauren here?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” Cassie answered. “Hold on.”

  Cassie walked over to the doorway and yelled out for Lauren, and the guy stood staring at me. There was no doubt in my mind that he knew who I was, but he didn't say a word. The moment Lauren walked around the corner and her eyes landed on the guy, I knew she wasn't happy to see him, so I motioned for Lance Jr., and he got up to come too.

  “Lauren,” the guy said.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I saw the Christmas card you sent your mom,” he said, and she gave him the strangest look. “We got back together about a month after your grandma died. I asked her about you, but she said she wasn't sure where you'd gone. When I saw the card, I wanted to see you.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  Lance had reached out and pulled her closer to him, and she tucked herself right into his side. The poor thing was already exhausted. I felt so damn bad for whatever it was that was playing out in front of me.

  “Look,” he said.

  “No, you look,” she snapped out, as she stood up and pulled her shoulders back.

  I reached forward, grabbed Cassie, and pulled her in closer to me.

  “You never wanted a child,” Lauren continued, with her voice getting louder. “You left her because of me, and she never let me forget it. You have no idea how bad she made things for me. Not once did you check to make sure I was okay. So, I'm asking you again, what the fuck do you want?”

  “Is this your husband?” he asked, totally ignoring everything she'd just said. “I noticed that your last name was Smith and that the card was signed from you and a guy named Lance. Is this him?”

  “I would be her husband,” Lance Jr. said, in a deep and serious tone.

  “You're too young to be a ballplayer,” the guy said.

  “You're right,” Lance said. “I am too young to be him. Why don't you come in for a minute.”

  “Lance,” Lauren said in warning.

  “Don't Lance me,” Lance said. “Come on in.”

  The guy followed Lance Jr. around the corner, and when his eyes landed on Lance, they lit up. Then they moved over to Scott and Carrie, and that lit up look was gone. When they moved a bit more and landed on grandma, he froze.

  “Wow!” she said, as she looked up at him. “If it isn't the biggest piece of shit I've ever met in my life.”

  “Grandma,” everyone said at the same time.

  “Shit!” the guy said.

  The guys eyes moved over to James, and he took a step back, before quickly moving his eyes back to find Lauren.

  “I just came to see my daughter,” the guy said.

  “For what?” she asked.

  “I was hoping you could help me,” he said.

  “Oh really?” she asked. “Have you met my brother? His name is James.”

  “Lauren,” the guy said, with a slight warning in his tone. “I'm your father.”

  “You know what?” I heard come from next to me and couldn't believe it. Cassie took a step toward him. “That's my brother. You're his sperm donor. He's a great man, and you know why? It's because you left and he ended up with an amazing dad. So, thank you for that. If you weren't such an asshole, I wouldn't be who I am, and I wouldn't have the most amazing brother there is. As for your daughter, you left her too. You know what? Her mom was an asshole too, and that sucks. She wasn't as lucky as my brother. Shame on you for leaving her with someone that blamed her for your leaving. What kind of a man are you? Wait! Don't answer that.”

  My girl was on a roll, and she wasn't even stopping to take a breath. I was watching him, but I wasn't about to interrupt her.

  “The answer to that is already pretty obvious. I just want you to know that your daughter is absolutely amazing. She's a great wife, and she's an awesome mom to a little boy, a baby girl, and a newborn baby boy. She's also an amazing friend, and she's continued to be a great friend to me, even though I was a total bitch to her. Because of you and her shitty mom, she got us. You want to know something about us? We stand up for our own. You know who keeps us all glued together perfectly? The answer is my grandma, and she can't stand you. That tells me more than I'd ever need to know. That woman loves everyone.”

  “Cassie,” Lauren whispered, but my woman wasn't finished yet.

  “Our girl has been through enough because of you, so before you even think about asking her for money because you recognized her real dad's name, you can think again. She will not be there to pick you up when you fall, when you were never there for her. So, you can take your sorry ass right back out the door you came through. She won't be giving you one damn cent.”

  Just when I thought she was done, she went on.

  “By the way, thank you for that too,” she said. “If you weren't such a loser of a father, Lance wouldn't have had the opportunity he did to take care of her, and we would be missing out. So, unless you want to deal with each and every one of us, then you should probably just turn around and go back where you came from. We are a fierce group when it comes to one of ours, think about that and make your decision.”

  The guy was standing there looking like he'd just lost his best friend, but it was more like he'd lost what he thought was going to be his meal ticket.

  “Lauren,” he whispered. “It's not like that.”

  “You've had years and years to come back and be a dad,” Lauren said, “but you never did. I'm ashamed of the man you are. How could you never tell me that I had a brother? How could you leave us both? I'm glad you and mom found your way back to each other. That way, you can be miserable together for the rest of your lives. I hope she's happy having you back, and I hope it was worth losing me. You're not my dad, and you never will be again. So, I think it would be best if you did as my friend suggested and go.”

  “Come on,” he said, almost sounding like he was about to beg.

  “My wife asked you to leave,” Lance Jr. said, as he pulled Lauren even closer.

  Before leaving, the guy looked back at James and then over to Carrie, and before he could even open his mouth, Scott was on his feet.

  “Don't even think about speaking to my son or my wife,” Scott said. “You're lucky you're still walking after what you've done to my family.”

  The guy let out a huff. Then he turned and walked back out the front door. The second he was gone, Lauren walked over to Cassie and wrapped her arms around her.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  Cassie hugged her back.

  “I'm so sorry,” Cassie said. “Thank you for forgiving me.”

  “That's what sisters do, right?” Lauren asked, and they both hugged each other just a bit tighter.

  Chapter 34

  Cassie

  By the time Christmas came, I was exhausted. We'd decorated both apartments. It was a lot of work, but they looked amazing, and all of the kids were happy. That was all that mattered.

  Parker and I spent an entire week looking for a house. He
was determined to have it all ready and us moved in before he'd start being gone again. There was definitely more than one argument before we finally found the perfect one. I said I didn't want one too big for me to handle by myself, and he said we could get someone to help me clean. I let him know that was not happening, and he gave me a what I say goes look. When I gave him one back, he laughed. I let him know it would be our home, and we would be the ones taking care of it. It wouldn't always be spotless, but it would be ours. He wanted each of the kids to have their own room, and I let him know that he was nuts. We ended up compromising. Each child was getting there own room, but it wasn't so damn big that I'd need help. We even ended up with an extra room for guests. When the kids saw the house, they all agreed that it was indeed perfect.

  We signed on the house and got the keys within two weeks of finding it, and Parker wanted to start on it right away, so we did. Most nights though, I was exhausted by the time work was over, so I'd pick up the kids and head home. Parker would come by when he was done working, and I'd feed him a huge meal. Then we'd spend time together, and I'd fall asleep in his arms.

  Three days before Christmas, only one week after getting the keys for the house, something happened. I realized that my being so exhausted had nothing to do with the running I'd been doing and everything to do with me being late. We'd been so busy that it hadn't even entered my mind, not until I was sitting at work, at my desk, that is. I left early, went by the store, and hurried home to take the test I'd just bought. It was nothing new to me, so I did my business without having to read the directions, and before long, the word pregnant appeared.

  I walked into my living room, fell onto my couch, and cried. Was I happy? I honestly wasn't sure. Between Parker and me, we already had five kids. What's one more, you might think, but that wasn't at all what I was thinking. I hadn't wanted more kids. I'd even told Parker that. So, when we looked for the house, we only bought one big enough for the five we already had. The longer I sat there, the harder my tears came. As much as I'd said I didn't want more kids, I couldn't help the happiness that filled me. I was pregnant with Parker's baby. I was happy, but how would he feel? He'd joked about having a little Pete Parker, but it was just that, jokes. Would he want to have a baby with me? Shit! We'd just bought a house. What if things changed? Would he still want to live together? What would he say about the house? I was the reason we got one the size that we did. How could I tell him? When should I tell him? Then it hit me. I knew what to do.