Phoenix: Ride With Me Series

6. Phoenix

My gaze was locked hardon the beautiful woman playing in the yard with the kids.

Today had been a pretty good day so far. Maddie lit up when River arrived and they all got out of her Jeep. Maddie now had a gaggle of kids to play with, besides Penny. The two of them had made the others feel welcome, and they’d been out in the backyard since.

I’d asked her a few times to come over. To bring the whole gang for dinner. Each time was met with unsurety and a polite no. She was working. They had plans. I was sure it wasn’t all that, but I didn’t want to push her. I might have growing feelings, but that didn’t mean she had the same.

“I wish I had that amount of energy again.”

I snorted. “Sorry, old man, those days are over for you.”

“Hey,” Casey popped me on the hand with a plastic spatula, “Stop teasing your dad.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I saluted her. She squinted, her lips peeling up into a grin.

I walked out into the yard from the patio before I really got myself into trouble. As Penny ran by, I scooped her up. She had the nerf football in her hands, and everyone was running after her. Letting her outrun them too. These kids were the best.

I called out, “Interception!”

She squealed in delight when River said, “Get him!”

“Fasssssser!”

I didn’t know how I could go any faster. My boots were not conducive to long-distance running. I should have thought this out better. I chuckled as I went around the swing set and ran back up toward the patio.

I set Penny down, snatched the ball, and held up my hands. “Time out. I need to change my shoes.”

The ball was snatched from me by River. “Don’t blame your slowness on your footwear.” She took off across the yard, cackling with glee.

The kids started laughing.

“Why you—” I took off after her. She let out a peel of laughter that made my heart sing. She was, simply put, amazing. I caught her, wrapping my arm around her waist. Once her feet came off the ground, I slowed and walked her back around the trees, up toward the house.

“That’s cheating,” she laughed harder.

“Don’t blame your short legs,” I teased.

She huffed, going lax in my grip. “Fair. But you can put me down before you throw out your back.”

“Baby, we have to lift three-hundred-pound beams and planks on a daily basis. I am more than capable of carrying you around.”

She leaned back against me and kissed my jaw. It was spontaneous, but I set her on her feet and spun her so I could capture her mouth with mine. The kiss was fevered. I pulled her against me, devouring her before pulling back slightly.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while now,” I admitted. “Since that morning you came to see Maddie to be exact.”

“Me too.” She smiled. “We should do it again.”

This time it was her that pushed up on her tiptoes to kiss me. I lifted her up and grinned as she pulled back, panting.

“You two stop slobbering on each other. Gross.”

“Shush, Rosie.” River laughed softly. “We should maybe hold off… We are in your parents’ yard.”

“Maybe.” I leaned in to press a quick kiss to her lips. Taking her hand in mine, I turned us back toward the picnic tables that sat beside the patio.

“I don’t know about y’all, but I’m starving,” Casey said as she set a plate of burgers and hotdogs on the table. That was accompanied by the cry of a baby through the monitor.

“I’ll get her; you sit and eat, woman.”

Pops was gone before she could protest.

“Why do you let him call you woman?” Rosie asked, scowling.

“Oh, sweetheart, that’s a term of endearment from him. I promise, he means no disrespect.”

“Sounds like it to me.”

“Rosie, stop it,” River chided her.

“Rosie, I promise Pops means nothing bad by calling her ‘woman.’ If he did, Casey would chop off a body part he’d miss.”

Casey had just taken a big gulp of water that she was now spitting out behind her as she choked.

“Crap, sorry, Case.” I snickered and patted her back.

“I’m okay.” She laughed again.

“You’ll see; when you have that special someone, you will have a way of letting them know you love them without saying that. Him calling me ‘woman’ means he’s being serious or playful. It’s all about context.”

“The boys at school try to do that to us. They catcall and say things. I don’t like it.”

“They what?” River’s playful demeanor changed so fast. “Who? What do they say to you?”

“A few of the jerks in my class. I don’t know them, not really. They do it to everyone.” She shrugged. “I ignore them as best as I can.”

“Oh, sis, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you’d go up there and piss someone off. School is hard enough already. People talk about us…about mom.”

“Dammit. I need to get us a place not there. Maybe we can move here to Burke. That way I can get y’all out of the Lufkin schools. Small town gossip sucks.”

“It’s not better here. The gossip, I mean.” Casey patted her hand. “Gossips gossip.” She shrugged. “I’ve been the subject of that a few times. If they’re talking about me though, they’re leaving someone else alone.”

“You’re more than welcome to use my address,” I said, meaning it. “We—” I motioned to myself, Cary, Scooter, and where Pops’ seat was, “are all close to the school between the house and work. If you needed help while you were working that is.”

“And there is a daycare just up the street from Main Street. If you wanted Laura in ‘school’ too. Penny goes three days a week; I’d be more than happy to keep her on the other days. I won’t be going back to work for a while.”

River smiled, taking in what we were offering. “Yes, that’s a great idea,” she agreed. “We can use it temporarily. I will start looking for a place and put my house on the market.”

“What’s a great idea?” Pops asked coming out with Paisley.

“Letting River use Phoenix’s address so she can move the kids to the school here. There’s some issues at the one they’re in now.”

Pops raised a brow, then took a look at the kids’ drawn faces. “I think it’s a great idea. The school here has all new management; I’m sure they have the same issues as any school, but here you’d get a fresh start. Maddie is loving her new teacher.”

“There’s a few houses in the area up for sale too. I pass them on the way home every day.”

Maddie tapped the table to get everyone’s attention. She had her new processor, but getting used to all the noise in a house with a newborn had been an adjustment for her. So when we were over here, she normally took a hearing break. We all wished we could do that from time to time.

She started signing. “Just kick the boys in the nuts. Grandma says that’s the spot to make them leave you alone.”

I let out a bark of laughter. “Maddie—no, ma’am—that is not how we solve conflicts.” I signed as I spoke out loud. “Despite what Grandma says.” I glanced at Casey.

She shrugged. There was no shame there.

“Wait, what did she say?” Rosie asked, curious.

“She said to kick them in the nuts. I mean,” Pops said, shrugging. “That’s not a bad idea.”

“Not you too.” I shook my head.

“No,” River waved a hand in the air, “We are not going to go around hitting or kicking people just because they say something we don’t like. They know my rule about fighting at school, or anywhere,” she said, her brows pinched into a hard line.

“And that is?” I asked, still signing so Maddie got it all.

“They are not allowed to start a fight. However, if someone hits them or tries to harm them in any way, they have my permission to knock their teeth out. I will then step in to deal with any backlash.”

I smirked. I’d seen that fiery temper in play. Anyone coming across that would rethink their life choices for sure.

“Fair enough. Maddie’s been told the same thing; she knows not to start shit but how to handle it if it happens,” I explained.

“Him says sits!” Laura chimed up, pointing her finger at me. I went wide-eyed and covered my mouth.

“Oh, he did. Is he in trouble?” Casey asked, laughter in her voice.

She was nodding her little head, her curls bouncing all over the place. Adorableness in a little package.

“Excuse me, little ma’am, we don’t repeat grown-up words.” River looked around. “You know better.”

“Technically,” Rosie said, “she said sit not the other one.” She smirked, popping a piece of a hamburger patty in her mouth.

“She said what she said, meaning the adult word.” River snorted. “Dang. Y’all are going to get me in trouble.”

“Nah, you’re too stubborn for that,” Dean commented, stuffing an entire wiener in his mouth. His cheeks puffed out like a hamster.

“Dean, you’re going to choke. Jesus. Why are you acting like you’re starving?”

Rosie and Dean shared a look but said nothing more.

I had a bad feeling all of a sudden.

“What?” River’s voice sounded so worn down.

“They didn’t eat for all the times you were gone.” Kenny got up and walked over to her. He leaned in and whispered, “She took the money away.” He looked at his older siblings. “Me and Lala had nuggies and sketties.”

The table was silent as River let that sink in. She got up and walked off across the yard.

“Kenny, why did you do that?” Rosie snapped at him.

“You didn’t say it, so I says it.”

“Hey, come on, kids. Let’s get those bellies full, okay?” Casey stood and moved around to help Kenny and Laura with their plates. “It’s okay, buddy. You did the right thing.”

“Now she’s going to be upset. We got to eat at school,” Rosie said, her eyes feeling with tears.

I scrubbed a hand over my face and went after River. She was leaning against the jungle gym. I expected her to be pissed off, but instead of her cursing a storm, I found her crying.

I wrapped her in my arms, my cheek resting on her head. “Let it out.”

“I have to get them away from her,” she hiccupped, “I’m failing them.”

“You’re not failing anyone.” I squeezed her tighter. “You just tell me what you need, and I’m there.”

“I need to go talk to a lawyer. I have all the shit to do. I need to get custody. I should have done it years ago. How can someone take from their kids’ mouths like that?”

“You said she has?—”

“She’s a glorified street walker. God only knows what else she’s out there doing. Stupid bitch is too busy looking for the next deadbeat dad to add to her collection. I’m done helping her. This ends now. They deserve better than her.”

I tipped her chin up so she was looking me in the eye. “You do too. You’re not alone anymore.” Leaning down, I pressed a soft kiss to her lips. I pulled back, using my hands to cup her face and wipe away her tears. “You have a family that’s behind you.”

“Why? I don’t deser?—”

“Don’t say you don’t deserve anything. You saved my daughter from—” I swallowed back bile at the thoughts rolling through my brain. “You are a great person. You’re taking on the responsibility of caring for your siblings. You don’t have to do that.”

I placed a finger on her lips when she started to say something.

“Please, let me finish. I know we’ve only known each other for a few weeks. That’s been enough time for me to see you. The real you. I watch you with the kids. We can all see the love in your heart for them. That’s what they need. Love. Consistency. A parent.”

“What if I’m fucking them up somehow?”

“Isn’t that the worry of every parent or guardian? Fuck, I have that same thought daily. I wasn’t there when Maddie needed me…but I am here now. You be here for them now, and let go of the past.”

She leaned in and wrapped her arms around me; I held her, letting my strength fill her. I wasn’t sure how long we stood there with her pressed against me before Laura and Penny came toddling over.

“Time to eats,” Laura announced, tugging at her sister’s pants.

“Mommy says to come eats, mister.” Penny was looking up, her finger pointing at me.

I chuckled, letting River go. She mouthed a thank you. I winked, and as if we’d choreographed it, we scooped up the girls and headed back to the tables.

“You can have a booger and fies now.”

“Two burgers and all the fries. Sure thing, squirt.”

“Nots dem alls.”

“Oh yeah, I’mma eat them all up.” I tickled her side, grinning as I moved to sit her back in her spot. The tension and worry that had been here when I’d left seemed to be gone. The kids were all smiles.

Pops met my gaze and motioned toward Casey. Whatever she’d done or said had made them relax. River seeing that relaxed more. Her shoulders lost that strong tension line.

I was never so grateful for her to be a part of this family.