Boys Vs. Girls
Travis
Yeah, I noticed the girls, I notice every damn time. Especially Becky, our receptionist. She never gave up and it was annoying. What I wouldn’t say was the fact that that it was physically impossible for me to mix business with pleasure. Becky always wasted her time, even if I didn’t have the problems I did, it wouldn’t happen. Knowing she fucked my friends was a really huge turn off, but she was also far from my type. I mostly dated the good girls, like Drakos would call them. Unintentionally, most of my former girlfriends were nurses or in the medical profession. I was already interested in them before I knew their profession, but there was always something about nurses, a quality that attracted me, but I was never sure which quality I liked about them the most.
It was getting late and I still had to make my daily stop to see Addie. If I didn’t, Morgan or Creed would call and hand the phone to her and I’d get an earful. It was worse when I traveled and didn’t call. Addie didn’t quite understand time zones and always expected that call before bath time.
Wrenly helped me pack up. I stopped at Victor’s office on our way out and told him to go home before we left. We hopped in the side by side then headed that way.
“I never saw you as a guy that paid much attention to kids.” Wrenly said as I turned into Creed’s driveway.
“I paid attention to you, didn’t I?”
She laughed. “That’s different because you were a kid too.”
I shrugged. “Granger had Dylan before we even built Creed’s Lake, and Steph had two more kids since then, so we’ve been around their whole lives. They were the only kids I knew, and we spent a lot of time around them. We even lived in the same house for a while, so they kind of grow on a guy, I guess. Then Addie came along, and she obviously has to be the center of attention. She has a way of growing on a guy rather quickly. Plus, almost as soon as Morgan got custody of Addie, Creed had to leave for his last mission. Creed left them under our care and we all spent a lot of time with them. Magnus lived here with the girls, but he still had responsibilities, and we all helped out. That was around the time I was assigned to the shop. It used to be Creed, Magnus and I that ran things there, but now it’s all on me.”
“You don’t like it much.” She noticed.
I shrugged one shoulder. “If I wanted to be a businessman I would have become one. Of course, I’m a good mechanic and would love to work on that end, but I haven’t worked on bikes in a long time. Its why we are on the hunt for more executives. I’ve told Creed several times that the shop could be ran by a civilian, but he doesn’t agree. He thinks they will become suspicious of the way money flows. Don’t get me wrong, the shop doesn’t fund Creed’s Lake, it’s a front and all that, but it’s the payroll he thinks will be suspicious. I have voiced my opinion about separating all outside ventures from Creed’s Lake, but he likes keeping them incorporated. Plus, we would have to explain the salesmen needing time off for missions.”
“Creed says you travel a lot. Do you have any trips coming soon?” She asked.
“I just returned from Australia. We are working on a prototype for a movie production company, so I’ll have to go back sooner or later. All the salesmen travel, mostly for custom bikes for private buyers, but most of the time they come here to have a look around the showroom. I have to travel for the big sales. They’re mainly for movies, so we will build look alike bikes, but if it’s a biker movie or television show we would need to build several for each character. I take on the sales that are worth millions, the salesmen take care of the rest.” I explained.
“That’s too much for one person. You don’t even have an assistant. You run the whole place on top of that and you have work for Creed’s Lake. Once you do find the help you need, what will you do full time?”
I stopped the side by side and spoke as I put it in park. “I’ll command missions and finally have time to actually go on a few. I haven’t been able to take a mission in months. Of course, the Originals are all part owners, so we have to oversee the community and all the divisions. Right now, it’s Axton overseeing all the Government and Military contracts, with Creed looking over the rest, so all that will be divided up. Creed and Granger don’t take on quite as much because they have families, but don’t get me wrong, they’re still busy.” I glanced at her, and she was giving me a soft smile.
“You’re all working hard now to help establish things so someday you can have the same as Creed and Granger?”
I chuckled. “Not all the Originals want what those guys have, but we would all like to focus more on our personal lives. Well, our personal lives, but also the jobs we enjoy. I’d like to get back to missions and also work at the bike shop. I haven’t worked on a bike in a long time. I haven’t designed one in a few years now either.”
She sighed. “All three of you did the work you do by yourself for the bike shop now?”
I nodded. “Yep, and since Morgan came along, our movie contracts have tripled. I’m doing more than what we did before they met. We’re all like that, though. We’ve added divisions and Creed’s out there starting more businesses. Plus building the small school and more housing, buying up more land, and he still gets calls from the Pentagon about various situations he consults on. Baros is out there working on a very big undercover contract, so that makes one less of us. Bolton is commanding missions, helping run the medical center, seeing patients, and running our non-profits. She takes care of all the grants and donations to the DV division.”
The outside light to the house started flashing on and off so I chuckled. “The boss lady is getting impatient.”
She laughed. “She’s going to run this place someday.”
I chuckled. “Someday? She already runs it.”
We walked up to the house and Addie flung the door open and stood there with her hands on her hips. “You’re wate!” She then glared at Wrenly. “Oh, it’s da wady again.”
“Her name is Miss Carlson if you’re going to be mean, Addie.” I scooped her up into my arms then stepped out of the way to let Wrenly in, then shut the door behind her. Addie was holding on to me like a monkey, as usual.
“I your best girl.” Addie whispered into my ear.
I heard footsteps and looked over to see Morgan. She was all smiles as she waddled up to us. I could have sworn she got even bigger overnight.
“Come on in you two. Let me get you some hot cocoa to warm you up and some of the apple cobbler that’s almost ready. It’s freezing out there tonight, might as well get warmed up.” Morgan greeted Wrenly with a quick hug then tried to take her hand and pull her toward the kitchen.
“That’s okay, Morgan. You should really get off your feet.” Wrenly said as they walked away.
Addie pulled back to sit on my arm and I smiled. “Wrenly hasn’t learned not to tell your mom no yet.”
Addie giggled. “Daddy mad at mommy cause her feet are fat and ugly, but she still cook stuff. He call Zoey.”
I sighed. “I hope you help mommy because she should have her feet up and getting some rest.” I tapped her little nose, and she giggled as we walked into the kitchen where I found Wrenly making Morgan sit, while Creed was already making hot chocolate. He looked at me and I could tell he was annoyed.
With a spoon in his hand, he pointed. “That one is about to get her blood pressure checked because she refuses to take it easy.” He moved the spoon from Morgan to Addie. “And that one forced me to have to give her a bath because she thought she was big enough to wear makeup and nail polish. She had nail polish all over our bathroom. I used almost a whole bottle of remover cleaning it off her and the bathroom. While I’m doing that…” The spoon moved from Addie back to Morgan. “That one decided to make an apple cobbler. We agreed I would never do bathroom stuff with Addie, but no, I guess all agreements are off. Then I had to finish making the damn cobbler while she sat in the chair and told me what to do, she is so damn particular …I swear this day can’t end fast enough.”
Morgan scoffed. “Particular? You tried making a double batch, but we don’t have enough apples. Yes, that matters. Then you tried doubling the cinnamon, and no, butter and margarine aren’t the same thing. Look, the filling you spilled is drying to the stovetop. You have to clean as you go, Creed. The magic fairy you think exists to clean up after you is me, not some magical creature. So, if you don’t clean it up soon and still don’t want me to do it, it’ll be hard to get off and you’ll scratch the glass top.” Morgan argued.
“Why did you even start making it anyway? Nobody in this entire community expects all your baked goods right now. You need to relax and take it easy.” Creed made a good point.
Addie and I watched them go back and forth as Wrenly walked over to the sink for a washcloth to help Creed.
“It’s my body and I know how to read it. If I didn’t think I should bake, I wouldn’t have started it.” Morgan also had a good point.
“You were told by your doctor to keep your feet up. They were swelling by the time you finished cooking the dinner I told you not to make. I can order food, not every meal has to be homemade.”
“Ugh, my family needs well rounded meals. I need well rounded meals too, and I’m trying to cut the salt out of my diet. I’m fine to make dinner for my family after work.” She was as annoyed as him.
As they continued to argue, Addie snickered like it was funny, while Niko laid down next to Morgan like she was bored. Wrenly helped Creed with the hot chocolate and also pulled the cobbler from the oven. Finally, we sat down to enjoy the hot chocolate and cobbler but then Zoey walked in, and I was ready to leave. Addie wouldn’t let go of me and had a fit to stay on my lap while we had dessert.
Addie about died laughing when Zoey made Morgan go up to bed and followed behind her with a plate for the cobbler and a cup of hot chocolate.
Creed finally sat down then sighed. “I can’t wait until the twins come and I can get my wife back.”
Wrenly choked on her hot chocolate and laughed.
Creed turned and looked at her. “What’s so funny?”
Wrenly shook her head then took a sip of hot chocolate with a smirk on her face, which made me laugh.
“You think things will get easier after the twins?” I chuckled. “You’re both going to have a lot of adjustments to make. It’ll be a while before Morgan will be like she was before you knocked her up…twice. My grandma said having twins was a blessing, but not always a walk in the park. You’ll be begging Morgan to rethink the whole nanny thing.”
Creed shook his head. “I forgot your dad was a twin.”
I nodded. “Identical too, just like yours.”
“I wonder how many times we will mix them up.” Creed rubbed the back of his neck. “Girls might be easier to tell apart than boys.”
“I think you’ll know who is who, my dad and Tony were identical in almost every single way, but I could always tell them apart.”
Wrenly giggled. “I could too. Tony was more handsome, and I think that’s because he made the cutest facial expressions. He also kept his hair a little shorter than Robert. Even when they were both in a t-shirt and jeans I could tell the difference.”
“No!” Addie jumped off my lap and put her fists to her side. “Day girls, no boys!” She stomped her foot.
Creed groaned. “Not again, Addie. It’s been a long day today.”
Wrenly’s eyes grew as she watched the tantrum Addie had about the twins. It went on until I spoke up.
“Addie, Wrenly and I are going to go home if you don’t stop.” I warned her.
Addie’s little head swung around, and she looked at me. “Why?”
“Because that’s not what we came to see. I stop by every night to see your smiling face, not a tantrum.”
She gave Creed a warning look then climbed back on my lap.
“Nobody has any control over the twins being boys or girls. Why do you think it’s so bad when most your favorite people are boys? I’m a guy, and was a little boy once. Ask Wrenly.”
Addie looked at Wrenly and Wrenly gave her a soft smile. “Travis was the best friend a little girl could have, and boys and girls have the best friendships. Travis was really tiny back then, and can you believe I was taller than him at one point?”
I groaned. “Here we go.”
“Really?” Addie leaned in and listened.
“Yes, we were twelve and I remember it like it was yesterday. My legs and arms were longer so I could run and climb trees faster. But then he got tall really fast, and it didn’t last long. We were really little when we met, even younger than you. We did everything together and Travis helped me a lot. Not only when I felt sad and needed a good friend, but also with other things. I loved sports so every time I tried out for a team he always practiced with me. He was like a boy cheerleader. He always told me I was the best and could do it better than anyone.”
Addie smiled real big then curled into me. “I his best girl.”
I chuckled then kissed her little head. “You’re everybody’s best girl, Addie.”
Addie yawned. “She your best maween.”
I chuckled again. “She’s my Wrenly.” I gave Wrenly a wink and I swear she blushed. “Maybe it’s time for bed.” I suggested.
“Go pick your book out for tonight and I’ll be up to read it.” Creed said.
Addie shook her head. “Not yet.” She snuggled in closer, so I gave her a little squeeze and looked at Wrenly, but Addie spoke again. “Uncle Twavus da best too?” She asked Wrenly.
Wrenly gave her a soft smile. “Nobody could make a basket like Travis. We played basketball almost every night we could, and he always got all the points. Sometimes other kids from our neighborhood would come and he was always the best at it. He could run really fast too.”
I chuckled. “How did I learn to run fast though? That’s right, I had to…” I realized what I was saying and stopped.
“What?” Addie asked.
The last person on earth I would tell about lawn jarts, and bb gun wars was Addie.
“Outrun Wrenly so the other kids didn’t tease me.” I sort of lied. “Girls have it easier because nobody laughs if they’re the slowest.” I explained.
Creed just sat back and watched as he listened to us talk about our childhoods.
“That not fair.” Addie said.
Wrenly gave me the warmest smile. “Uncle Travis was better than any other friend I had in my whole life. He was way better than any of the girls. That’s why he was my best friend, and I never replaced him after he moved away. He is the only person that could ever be my best friend, so that’s why we have to be nice to boys. They might be the best friends you ever had, then you miss them terribly when they’re gone.” I could hear the pain in her voice, and it broke my heart.
“That sad.” Addie frowned.
Wrenly’s eyes lit up. “But I have him back now and neither of us are leaving. We don’t want to say goodbye again.”
Addie yawned then looked up at me. “I be sad if you gone.”
“I don’t plan to go anywhere. How about you head on up to bed and I’ll see you tomorrow?”
She looked at Wrenly then me. “You my best guy.”
“Let’s go, kiddo.” Creed spoke up and Addie whipped her head around.
“Otay, wets go Niko.” She kissed my cheek then headed upstairs with her German Shepherd pup trailing sleepily behind her.
Creed looked at me. “Thanks for stopping in every night. I know it can be a hassle when you’ve got your own life to live. I really do appreciate it, she sees all of us as one big family and has a fit if she goes one day without seeing you.”
I stood and pushed my chair in, Wrenly doing the same. “It’s not like I care to go a day without seeing her too. Any updates on the adoption?” I always worried it would fall through.
“Not yet, the social workers are still looking for an independent contractor to do the home study. They had one, but I guess the lady quit the agency and the others have a longer wait list than the last one they tried. I’m used to pulling strings to get shit done, but this is out of my hands.” He walked us to the door.
“Thanks for the cobbler.” I chuckled. Creed wasn’t exactly the kind of man to bake.
“That’s the one and only time I bake a damn thing.”