Chapter 18
Elle
“That was a hard-fought game. The Spartans nearly had you, what do you attribute tonight’s victory to?
” a reporter asks at the post-game conference.
It was an away game, so the boys left fairly early on Saturday.
Sadie and I cleaned up our mess from Friday before heading home.
She’s now over at my apartment, snuggling my cat, watching the post-game press conference with me.
We managed to find a site where we can stream it to the tv.
Archer answers the question with poise and credits the whole team but puts emphasis on the defense for keeping the Spartans from scoring in the final half of the fourth.
A greasy looking man, with salt and pepper hair holds up his microphone to Archer and I don’t know if I’m imagining it or not, but Archer’s face seems to grow colder as he makes eye contact with this reporter.
“Archer, you were seen with your ex-fiancée and her family this past Friday. Are you burying the hatchet? Are wedding bells back on the horizon?”
I know I definitely don’t imagine his jaw clenching as he responds.
“Ms. Johnson and I’s relationship is private and has nothing to do with football but to squash all rumors here and now, we are no longer in a romantic relationship, we have both moved on with different partners and are very happy.
Ms. Johnson and I were friends before we entered a romantic relationship, and our friendship has endured even after our separation.
Now, that is all I am going to say on this topic Mr. Williams. So if you have nothing to add about football, please make room for someone who does. ”
Sadie turns to me grinning. “He just told everyone you guys are dating!”
“Thank goodness he didn’t mention my name specifically.”
“No, but you are about to be the topic of every Wolves fandom page until they find out who you are.” Sadie states.
We watch the rest of the press conference as Sadie monitors the various Wolves Facebook groups.
She wasn’t wrong, they’re already buzzing about Archer’s mystery girlfriend.
“Many women and some men are lamenting the fact that he is no longer single.” she giggles.
“One girl already says she’s riding at dawn to protect you from Kirk Williams.”
“They don’t even know who I am.”
“Yeah but apparently, Kirk Williams has been an absolute bully to the Wolves and other teams for quite some time now. They seem genuine in their desire to keep him out of your business. “
“That’s sweet.” I bite my lip, a nervous habit I’ve had for as long as I can remember. “I should probably tell my parents about all this.”
Sadie drops her phone. “You haven’t told Jim and Joyce about this yet?!” She pins a look on me that if I had balls, they would shrivel.
“Well… no. I love my parents. They are the best but you know how they are. They would want to come down, meet him, have a huge cookout, invade his privacy in the best way and then show up for every home game. And then I’m stuck with them in my space for every home game!
” “You need to call them, like now.” She commands.
Taking a deep breath. I call them up on FaceTime. I’m greeted by my dad’s smiling face and my mom’s backside as she messes with a halloween decoration. “Hey Pumpkin!”
“Hi! Dad!”
“Is that Ellebelle?” My mom asks as she turns around.
She’s wearing a Wolves T-shirt and spider earrings and her blonde hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail.
“How are you sweetie?” She smooshes her face beside my dad’s, her skin pale in comparison to my dad’s olive tone.
His hair has more gray in it than I remember but his hazel eyes and freckles still match mine.
“I’m great. What are you guys up to?”
“Oh we just finished watching the game and Erica is drowning in sorrow that her fake boyfriend Archer just announced that he has a girlfriend.”
Sadie tries her best to muffle her laughter over the fact that my baby sister has a crush on my boyfriend.
Erica is what my parents call their happiest accident.
The rest of us were planned and only have a few years separating us.
Estella, who goes by Stella is the oldest at thirty.
Then there’s me at twenty-eight. Next is Easton, my only brother who is only three years younger than me at twenty-five; then there is Erica who is currently sixteen.
“Oh… man, that’s uh…” Sadie makes a go-ahead motion with her hands, encouraging me to continue with my confession. “That’s going to be really awkward.”
My parents’ brows furrow in confusion. It’s amazing how they’ve picked up the same mannerisms over the years. “Elle, you have something to say, so stop beating around the bush.” My dad states. He knows when I’m procrastinating.
I close my eyes willing for strength and patience for the inquisition that is about to be upon me. “I’m the one dating Archer Bell.”
There’s silence until Erica screeches in the background. “SHE’S DATING WHO?!”
“Pumpkin,” My dad drawls, ignoring my sister’s demands that I answer her questions. “When did this happen?”
I roll my lips. “About a month or so.” Shit, it seems much longer than that. It really hasn’t been long at all has it?
“Oh.” My mom says, choosing her words carefully. “I can see why you haven’t told us, he’s a very popular athlete and it hasn’t been that long. How did you two meet?”
“Well, you know I knew him in college. We had class together.” I start. “I reached out to him after that nasty loss to the Chimeras and well one thing led to another and here we are.”
“I forgot he attended State for his freshman year.” My dad says.
“Makes sense why I wouldn’t remember, he didn’t get any playing time there.
” He pauses for a minute before continuing “Well it’s a good thing we are already Wolves fans, would hate to have to change my allegiance this late in life. ” I crack a smile at that.
“Well, I can’t wait to meet him.” My mom says. “We’ll have to come in for a game or two. We’ll get a hotel room though. We wouldn’t want to intrude on your private time. I can’t see you guys having a lot of time where your schedules align.”
My father makes a face at my mom for suggesting alone time, but I am grateful they won’t be in our space the whole time when they do come visit.
“Well whenever you come down, I’ll make sure that we plan something to do together.
Maybe we could go bowling or to the driving range or have a game night.
” I say. My family is big on family activities.
Every Thursday night growing up we had family game night.
Thursdays were the best nights because us kids always had some sort of activity over the weekends.
I had my races, Easton had his baseball tournaments, Stella always had some sort of club activity or fundraiser, and Erica’s various sporting events still seem to dominate their weekends.
“Monopoly is out, your father cheats.” My mother states and my father sticks his tongue out at her.
“I do not cheat; it’s not my fault that you insist on playing the Disney version and only buy your favorite movies on the board. That’s just bad business sense.”
I can’t help but smile at my parents bickering. Erica takes the phone from my parents.
“Okay, I need proof you two are actually dating, mom and dad may take you at face value but I need receipts.”
I sigh and send her a photo that Archer and I took after one of our impromptu after work dates at the Honeybee Cafe.
Hayley was working that night and had gotten up the nerve to ask Archer for a photo, he agreed of course and then we proceeded to take a selfie as well.
I think I look cute in this photo which is why I picked this one to send to Erica.
Archer’s chin is resting on my head, and my nose and cheeks are a little rosy from being outside from our class field trip to the pumpkin patch that day.
“Ew. You two look sickeningly cute together.” I guess she got the picture already.
“Thanks?” Not exactly how you want to be commented on by your baby sister but whatever.
“Have you told Stella and Easton?”
“You think I told them before I told Mom and Dad?”
“No I suppose not.” She hums, she still has dad’s phone and is also scrolling on hers.
Sadie shoots me a look, surprisingly staying silent through this whole conversation.
“Okay, I’m hanging up if you’re just going to doom scroll on your phone.” I say and end the call after a chorus of goodbyes from my family. No sooner after I hang up, I receive a barrage of texts from my siblings in our group chat. I look at Sadie for help.
“They’re blowing up my phone!”
“I will see you tomorrow at school.” She gives me a hug and kisses Fish on the head and heads home, leaving me with the chaos of my sibling chat. The first new message in the long line of this group chat is mine and Archer’s smiling faces.
Sibs Chat ??
Erica: Look who has been holding out on juicy family gossip.
Stella: Elle Lucille Taylor! What the actual fuck!
Easton: Woah, do you think he can come to our gender reveal party and make me the coolest dad to be in front of all my friends.
Elle: That’s what you’re taking away from this?
Easton: I mean congrats?
Stella: Seriously Elle. What the fuck. We talked on the phone for like an hour last week and you said nothing!
Elle: You had your hands full with the kids and your charity golf outing. I didn’t want to distract you anymore.
Stella: That’s a shit excuse and you know it.
Elle: I’m sorry for thinking of your career?
Easton: Okay but seriously, are you guys coming the gender reveal?
Elle: I will be there, I don’t know about Archer.
Easton: I’ll name you godmother if you bring him
Erica: what the hell, you told me you had to be married to be the godmother
Easton: I said you had to be an adult, which legally you are not.
Stella: We will be there.
Stella: The twins are excited to have a cousin! They think they can play with them at the party. I have to keep reminding them that their cousin is in Aunt Nikki’s belly.
Easton: Just the twins?
Stella: Oliver drools excitedly?
I stop paying attention to my phone now that I am safely out of the hot seat. I clean up the very few dishes that Sadie and I made and get ready for bed when my phone rings, Archer’s handsome face flashing on the screen.
“Hey!” I answer and put him on speaker while I finish my nighttime routine.
I hear him juggling his phone and keys. “Hey! Sorry, I almost dropped my phone there. Did you watch the press conference? Not that it matters if you didn’t, I just may have revealed we were dating to the world.
I didn’t say your name. I figured you would want to remain anonymous as long as possible. ”
“I did watch your press conference and it prompted me to tell my family.” I spray my hair down and put it in heatless curls for tomorrow to help maximize the amount of time I can sleep in the morning.
“Oh? What did they say?” I can’t tell exactly but it sounds like Archer is nervous.
“My sisters are pissed at me for not telling them sooner. My little sister has a huge crush on you so sorry for that awkward encounter that will inevitably happen.” I take a breath.
“My brother wants you to come to his baby’s gender reveal and I quote ‘make me the coolest dad to be in front of my friends.’” Archer laughs at that comment.
“My parents are excited they want to come down for a weekend and meet you.”
“That sounds great honestly.” He must be in the hotel room because he’s not trying as hard as before to talk quietly. “And when is the gender reveal? As long as I’m free I will try to make it.”
I have to look up the date on my phone for the gender reveal. “It’s on November 3rd.”
Archer must be looking at his calendar as well because there’s a pause. “I can actually make it that weekend. We have a Thursday night game that week so I’m free that weekend.”
“Great. I will RSVP for us then, I’m pretty sure you just guaranteed the baby will have the middle name of Archer or Belle depending on the gender.” I joke, but as soon as the words leave my mouth I’m not so sure if it’s a joke.
“Nikki wants us to wear the color we think the baby will be.”
“Oh, what are you thinking?” He asks.
“A boy. Basically, because I really want another nephew so it’s even. Plus, I have a very cute, blue dress I want to wear.” I smile and make my way over to bed and get under the covers. Archer and I continue to talk until I begin to fall asleep on him.