Chapter 9 #8
Blue had to fight to keep from laughing.
He’d accidentally set up Polly’s friend to dance with the hottest teacher in school.
And he’d shut down Turner without having to get ugly and cause a scene.
You’re on a roll, Wallace! It occurred to him that he might need to stop on the way home for some lottery tickets, because it certainly seemed his day was going well.
And he’d have quite the story to tell Anne!
“And oh my gosh, Mom, when Blue came down to dance with me, I told him to dance with Crystal first, and he went over and asked Mr.Cox to dance with Crystal so he could dance with me. And Crystal was so excited because Mr.Cox is the hottest teacher in the school, and everybody’s got a crush on him, and she got to dance with him!
And it was the best dance ever , Mom! Really!
” Polly had been talking nonstop for ten minutes, first about what everyone was wearing and then about the decorations.
“And what about Blue here? Did he look nice?”
Polly rolled her eyes. “Mom, he was the hottest dad there. I mean, really. Look at him. All the girls were drooling over him and staring at him.”
“What?” Blue sat straight up and his eyes went wide. “The girls were drooling over me?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you notice? They were all staring at you!
And when I was at the refreshment table, I heard one of the teachers say to another one, ‘Whose dad is that? He’s a hunk.
’ I almost said something, but I didn’t dare.
” He could tell from the way she spoke that she wasn’t kidding, and he didn’t know what to think.
“I wish you had,” Anne almost barked, and it startled Blue. Polly jumped too. “I wish you’d said something, told them he was taken.”
Blue reached over and laid a hand on Anne’s arm. “They don’t need to know that. We know it, and that’s all that matters.” There was no chance for him to say anything else before she hopped up, jetted away from the table, and disappeared out the back door.
“What was that about?” Polly asked, still startled.
“I don’t know, but I’m about to find out. You go get ready for bed. Make sure Toady’s getting ready too. One of us will be in there in just a few minutes.”
“Okay.” The girl rose from the table and headed down the hallway, but Blue called out to her.
“Polly?”
She turned. “Yeah?”
“Thank you for inviting me tonight. I had a good time. It was fun! We should do that sometimes, just the two of us. You know, go someplace and have dinner or something. I should do that with Toady too,” he said, musing aloud at the end.
“He’d like that.” As soon as she stepped into her bedroom, Blue took off out the back door to find Anne.
It took him a second but when his eyes adjusted to the dark, he saw her, leaning up against the tree across the yard.
“Anne? Baby? You want to tell me what that was about?” he asked when he reached her, but she didn’t say a word.
“Anne?” When she still wouldn’t answer him, he grabbed her, spun her, and stared into her face.
She was crying, and that scared him. “Babe, what the hell?” he whispered, and all she did was sob. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No! Don’t you get it? Women are watching you, looking at you, wanting you. I’m thirty pounds overweight, my hair is a mess, and I look worn-out and old. I can’t compete with that, Brent!”
“You don’t have to. You already have me. There’s no competition. Look, I’ve had those women.”
“Those women?”
“Yes. No. I mean, women like them. The kind that undressed me with their eyes when I walked into a room. Yeah, it’s an ego stroke, but in the end, it’s just plain boring.
You know what’s way better?” When she shook her head, he grinned.
“Getting my cute, sexy little neighbor lady to stop hating me and have sex with me. Now that’s way better!
” Even though tears were still rolling down her face, he heard her chuckle just a little.
“Well, it’s true! Hell, I’d go to a bar and I could look around the room and tell you which women would fuck me.
It wasn’t me. It was any man who came across their path.
There was nothing particularly special about me.
They just wanted a fucking from a guy they knew they’d never have to see again.
So, congratulations to me. I was the local resident dick with some muscle behind it.
You know what it got me? Alone. That’s what it got me.
What I have with you? That’s real, babe.
You know what I love most about making love with you?
When we’re finished, I know it’s not going to be the last time.
For me, that’s not just good. That’s fucking amazing, baby.
I wouldn’t trade that for all the cute teachers in the world. ”
“When you say it like that, I believe you.” A soft hand rose and stroked down his face, its touch seeming a bit odd without his scruff.
“I love you, BrentWallace. I love you because you’re real and raw and open.
You don’t lie, and you don’t mince words.
You just say what you’re thinking and how you’re feeling, and even though you try to do it without hurting anybody, you don’t hold back. And I really, really respect that.”
“Good. Then we’ve got something to work with here. Now come on. I’ve got two nights of sets coming up, so I need some sleep. And then on Sunday we can relax and kick back. Is Indie down for the night?”
“I hope so. She was fussy tonight. I think she missed you.”
“I missed her too, but I had a good time with Polly, and that little Crystal girl is cute as a button. Oh, and I made some friends. Five guys. One of them is named Randy something, and his daughter and Polly played soccer in elementary school.”
“Randy Carver?”
“Yeah! That’s it!” Blue slipped an arm around the back of her waist and turned her toward the house, then started walking slowly that direction, pressing her along. “Him and four other guys. And you won’t believe who was there.”
“Who?”
“Turner!”
“No shit?”
“No shit. He started in on me and I let him have it.”
“Brent! Did you cuss and carry on like―”
“No! I did not! I was very clear but I was very careful. I didn’t want to get thrown out of the dance!”
“So what did he…” They kept chatting as Blue walked her across the yard and through the back door. He needed some sleep, but he could honestly say the night had been worth it. He’d learned a lot about himself. He’d learned about Anne’s insecurities too.
His plan? To love them right out of her.
“Results!” Blue had run from the mailbox to the house, the big envelope in his hand. Saturday afternoons were almost sacred for the little family of five. They were getting ready to go to the park for a picnic when Blue thought to check the mailbox.
“Did you pass? Tell us! Tell us!” Polly screamed.
Blue ripped open the envelope and pulled out two pieces of cardboard. “You know what this means!” he bellowed.
“You passed!” Anne shouted. It was his third ASE certification, and the gold seal on the bottom of the certificate glittered in the sunlight.
Wentworth had paid for one, but Blue had the money to take a couple more, and it had paid off.
That meant he’d get a master certification, and he’d be even more valuable to them.
She was smiling the biggest smile he thought he’d ever seen.
“Yes! Yes, yes, yes! We need to celebrate. How would you guys like to ride the boats at the park?” he asked the kids and they started to scream and jump up and down.
“I’m so proud of you,” Anne said while the kids shrieked and chattered.
She grabbed him around the waist and gave him a huge kiss.
In seconds, both kids wrapped their arms around Blue and Anne and they all laughed and hugged.
The baby gurgled and laughed, and Blue picked her up and held her up in the air, laughing at her and watching her chew her fist and giggle.
They gathered everything up and headed out the door just in time to see a car pull into Blue’s driveway next door. “Who’s that?” Anne asked and pointed.
“I don’t know. Hang on. Let me go check.” Blue climbed out of the van he’d bought for all of them to use and started across the yard. When the car door opened and the woman got out, Blue’s knees went weak with fear.
It was Cindy.
His mind screamed, What the hell? He couldn’t imagine what she wanted, but it couldn’t be good. “Cindy?”
“Blue!” She started toward him, arms outstretched, and he stood stock still and let her hug him. He didn’t hug her back―he didn’t want to hug her at all, and he really didn’t want her hugging him.
“What are you doing here?”
“Oh, Blue. I’m so sorry for what I did. I really am. Where’s Indie?”
Blue pointed to the van. “We were getting ready to go out. What do you want?”
Cindy looked surprised that he’d ask her that. “I came to get her. I’m back in town now, and I’ll just take her back.”
For a split second, Blue thought he was having a heart attack. But that second was all it took for him to go from terrified to pissed off. “Take her back? What, you think she’s like a sweater you left at a friend’s house?”
Cindy cocked a hip and folded her arms across her chest. “Look, I know I shouldn’t have left her with you, but I was going to California with Derek and he doesn’t like kids. But we’re not together anymore, so I thought I’d…”
“No. You can think whatever you like, but you’re not taking her.”
She gave him a curious look. “And you’ve suddenly become a daddy?”
“Suddenly?” Blue yelled. “Suddenly? She’s been with me for six months, Cindy. She’s saying da-da and pulling up and trying to walk. She’s happy and healthy. And you think you’ll just waltz in here and take her back? I don’t think so.” Blue turned to walk away.
“I can get her back, you know. All I have to do is ask the court and they’ll give her right back.”
Blue turned to look at her, his face burning. “Oh, yeah? Well, you try it. Just go ahead. I’ll fight you for her until I draw my last breath.”
He heard a sound behind him. “Brent? What’s going on?”
Reaching for Anne’s hand, he pointed at Cindy. “This is Cindy. The woman who left a baby in a basket on my doorstep when she didn’t even know if I was home or not. She wants her baby back. And I’m thinking I’m not giving up that easily.”
“You can’t do that,” Anne yelled at Cindy. “Brent won’t let you do that. Tell her, babe.”
“You’re not getting my daughter,” Blue spat. “Over my dead body.”
“I’d hoped you wouldn’t be like this. Really? You want to raise a baby?”’
“I’ve been raising a baby, and I love her.
I love her a whole lot more than you ever did,” Blue said through gritted teeth.
He turned to Anne and squeezed her hand.
“Come on, honey. We’re going.” Glancing back at Cindy, he said, “Good luck, bitch. You’re not getting my child.
” Then he stormed across the lawn, almost dragging Anne behind him.
“What’s going on, Blue? Who is that lady?” Polly asked, crying. “Who is she?”
“She’s nobody, sweetie. Nobody at all.” Blue started the van and slipped it into reverse as he watched Cindy standing in the yard, glaring at him.
As he drove toward the park, Anne took his hand and squeezed it, but it didn’t make him feel one bit better.
After the first three months, he’d figured Cindy would never be back.
And now, when his life was in order and things were going well, she showed up out of the blue to ruin everything. Could she manage to do that?
He was terrified that she could. He said nothing as he drove, and the kids were silent.
One look at Anne and he saw the tears streaming down her cheeks.
She loved Indigo too, and she was as scared as he was.
As soon as he parked the van in the park, he opened the side door and stood there, taking in the sight of the two frightened children and the baby who had no idea what was going on.
She blew a spit bubble and yelled, “Ba-ba-ba!”
“Listen to me,” Blue said to the kids. “Indigo’s not going anywhere. I’ll do whatever’s necessary to make sure that doesn’t happen. Do you understand?” Both kids nodded. “No one is taking her away from us. I won’t let that happen.”
“Please don’t let that lady take her, Blue. She’s my sister,” Toady mumbled and began to cry.
“She’s not leaving us, buddy. Not gonna happen. Let’s have a happy day and try to forget about all that, okay?” He hoped he could take his own instructions, but he was afraid that wouldn’t happen.
And he was right. The image of Cindy standing there, glaring from across the front yard, dogged him all afternoon. He managed to shake some of the apprehension, but when they loaded up in the van to go home, it came right back.
Stuck in his front door was a scrap of paper with a phone number written on it. The only other thing written there was, You’ll be hearing from me .
And that was precisely what he was afraid of.