Chapter Six #2
Drew looked over and noticed his uncle had moved to the cushioned rocking chair in the corner of the porch.
He had the little boy cuddled against his chest and his eyes were closed.
“Hush, now, me and my nephew are bonding.” Drew pulled his phone out and snapped a picture of the two in the corner.
He knew that somewhere there were pictures of Uncle D cuddling each of them in the exact position.
Cal stood and held Ryleigh out to Drew. “She’s been a bit fussy today. Besides, you need to get your cuddles in before the grandparents arrive.”
“Shhh, Ryan and I are napping before his grandpa gets here and claims him,” Uncle D whispered from the corner.
“Uncle Mooney and Aunt Debbie are coming over?” Drew asked as he started rocking side-to-side. He hadn’t spent a lot of time with his littlest cousins but muscle memory from babysitting other babies through high school came right back.
“Uncle Liam invited us over to see you again before you leave for Leonard Wood. Mom and Dad should be here soon. Said they needed to stop and pick something up on their way over,” Cal said quickly.
Drew didn’t know what that was all about but whatever.
He gently walked down the stairs and onto the grass.
He was going to stroll the yard with this little bundle of beauty.
Let someone else worry about whatever his uncle and aunt were up to.
He was going to put his worries to the side for a night and enjoy his family.
His aunt’s voice startled him as she spoke from beside him, “Drew, Luny’s outside and needs some help. I’ll take Ryleigh if you could help him.”
“When did you get here, Aunt Debbie?” Drew asked as he handed over Ryleigh with a kiss to her head.
“Just now. Luny has something out front that he can’t get into the house,” Aunt Debbie told him.
Another kiss to his aunt’s cheek and Drew was jogging across the yard, up the stairs, and into the house. He strode through the house and out the front door. He was so focused he didn’t realize everyone was following him. The loud “Surprise!” from them shocked him.
“What?” Drew exclaimed as he stopped dead at the edge of the driveway. His uncle was leaning against a midnight blue Jeep Wrangler, four-door. It was slightly lifted; the hard top was glinting in the late afternoon sun.
“I couldn’t be there for your pinning,” Cam’s voice came out of nowhere.
Drew turned and saw Uncle Liam holding a baby with one hand and his phone, screen out, in the other.
“Tried to get another coach to cover infield for me for the West Coast stretch but he had a death in the family. Tris sent me pictures before he got on the plane to go back. Do you like it?”
“Uh, it’s a nice Jeep. Why would you buy it here?
Wouldn’t it make sense to buy it in Maryland?
Now it’s going to have all these extra miles on it when your mom and dad drive it home,” Drew said as he walked closer to Uncle Liam, who handed him the phone.
Drew tapped the screen and the camera faced him as he met Cam’s gaze over FaceTime.
“Drew? It’s yours. Graduation gift from me and Tristan. That beater you’ve been driving for six years is not going to get you to Missouri. Now, climb in and take my oldest niece for a spin in your new car,” Cam instructed.
“Cam, you can’t buy me a car! I’ll be fine in the Honda until I’m settled at my first post,” Drew argued.
There was no way he deserved a new Jeep for doing something everyone else had already done.
He was the irritating little brother. The one who wasn’t going to live up to the family’s reputation.
The one who screwed up every time he thought about something.
“It’s too expensive. How about a gift certificate for dinner somewhere instead? ”
“Nope. After all my years in the major leagues, which if you didn’t know, good players — and I was a good player— make a lot of money.
I never got to spoil any of the family. Mom and Dad didn’t let me pay off their house.
Cal and Maddy won’t let me buy them a house.
All anyone will let me do with my money is create college funds for my nieces and nephews.
Tristan doesn’t let me spoil him, either.
Said officers make good money so he doesn’t need or want mine.
Now I know you’re an officer, too, but, you’re just starting in the ranks. If you don’t like the color or want—”
“No! It’s perfect. Just what I would’ve picked out if I bought my dream car,” Drew cut Cam off. How the hell he was going to earn this gift, he didn’t know.
“Good. Now, I know that Dad had a good time driving it over, so grab Amy’s booster seat and take her for a cruise with the top off,” Cam told him. “Love you all! Time for warm-ups.” Before any of them could even say goodbye, the screen was blank.
“Damn, that kid is going to kill us all,” Uncle Mooney said as he wrapped his arm around Drew’s shoulders and held out his other hand with the keys to the Jeep in his palm.
“Let Cam spoil you. Lord knows he’s tried to buy things for his mother and I.
He spoils Amy rotten, much to Cal and Maddy’s despair.
That boy’s heart is so huge it needs an outlet.
You’re on the road to big things and he wants to help you out. ”
“I think you might be right, Uncle Mooney. He sure got me today.” Drew dropped his head against his uncle and grasped the key in his hand tightly.