Chapter Four - Very educated and lovely
Spots of yellow and blue moved across the green field, some jumping up and down. The kids were laughing and running, taking the warm-up before soccer practice as a time to catch up with their friends and fool around.
Rory sat on the tall bleachers across the field, watching the kids play. She couldn't help but smile to herself. Perhaps it was the warm sun bathing her cheeks, or the charming sound of the children's laughter, but she felt blissful this afternoon.
After a fun weekend with the family, she had gotten used to Ruby, Luca and Dean and the family dynamics. They went grocery shopping, warning the kids not to race each other on the carts, and made a big dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy. She read them bedtime stories, while Dean watched TV in the living room, coming over to give the kids goodnight kisses right before they fell asleep. After cleaning the dishes together, Dean and Rory would cuddle for a bit on the couch and enjoy the quietness. It was all so ordinary. Yet, so perfect. Rory felt like she could get use to this life. Her life with Dean. Most importantly, with Luca and Ruby. But, the nagging feeling in the back of her mind would surface every once in a while. She feared for herself and the kids. She still didn't know why.
"Rory!" Someone calling her name broke Rory's daze. She turned to her right and saw Dean jogging towards her.
He stopped before her, wearing blue shorts and a blue and white shirt. He was the soccer coach for Ruby and Luca's team. He leaned down to grab the water bottle beside Rory and took a long drink. When he was done, he wiped the corners of his mouth and sighed. "It's nice day, huh?"
Rory looked up at him and nodded with a smile.
Dean bent down to give her a kiss on the lips. "I have a surprise for us after the practice." He whispered in her face.
She cocked an eyebrow. "I'm intrigued."
He grinned with lines appearing around his cheeks.
"Daddy! Are we starting yet?" Luca yelled from the field, his sharp little voice echoing in the warm air.
Dean patted Rory's arm and said. "I'll see you later." Then, he turned around and jogged off.
oo
Halfway through the practice, Rory yawned into her hand and decided to pull out the book she brought with her. At home, she had seen that there was a whole shelf of books in her study room. She had wondered whether she was a writer, since she didn't go to work on the weekdays. When she had browsed through some files on her laptop, she saw that she was right. It was interesting to read through works that she supposedly wrote. There were novels and short stories. They spoke to her right away. After going through an unfinished novel that was modified most recently, she had typed away, instantly continuing the story.
Flipping to the bookmarked page, Rory began to read. Her most favorite thing to do was read on a nice, cloudless day like today. The beautiful weather embraced her mood for some beautiful work written by fascinating figures. Just as she emerged herself into the different world, a voice spoke to her.
"Whatchu reading there?"
Rory lifted her head to the sound. She saw a man in his mid-thirties with dark blonde hair and brown eyes smiling at her. He was attractive for his age, she thought, before she remembered she was also in her mid-thirties. She smiled and replied. "Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt." She turned the book to the cover to show the stranger.
He leaned in and read the title. Rory noticed the faint smell of his cologne wash over her. "Ah, a beautifully real memoir."
"You've read it?" Her tone was surprised.
"Twice, actually." His eyes seemed to twinkle under the natural light.
"I'm surprised." The words came out of her mouth without thinking.
His eyebrows shot up with amusement. "Why? I don't look like the type who reads?"
A faint blush tinted Rory's cheeks as she fumbled. "Oh no. You look-" She gestured to him up and down. "Very educated and lovely." She cringed at her own words. "It's just not many guys I know have read this. It's quite dark and, like you said, depressingly real."
He nodded with a smile. "Not many women I know come to a kids' soccer practice to read."
Rory remembered why she was there and the soccer practice going on. She looked at the field and, to her surprise, saw Dean staring at her. He wore a slight frown on his face and his posture looked tense. She quickly looked away and said to the stranger. "Actually, my husband is the coach for the blue team that my kids are on." She pointed out Luca and Ruby who were intently playing on the field.
"They're precious." The man said.
Dean started walking towards the bleachers in a fast pace, the frown on his face deepening by the second.
"Which one is your husband?" The man asked.
Rory blushed some more and nodded towards the angry figure coming towards them. "The one looking like he's about to explode."
The man chuckled deeply. His laugh was smooth as velvet.
Dean was now just a foot away. His eyes bored into Rory's as he approached them. "Hey, honey. Who are you talking to?" His tone was forceful, but pleasant.
She was caught off guard by his question and the term of endearment that she hadn't heard from him until now. "Uh, this is…"
"Rick." The man extended a hand towards Dean. Dean looked at it with clenched jaws and shook it firmly.
"I'm Dean, her husband." He said through hooded eyes.
Rick gave a flippant grin back and nodded. "I've heard."
Ignoring Rick's smile, Dean turned to Rory with a hard expression and said. "Honey, why don't you come down to the field? Luca says he wants to show you some new moves he learned."
Rory examined his face and couldn't help but feel he was using an excuse to get her away from the man sitting beside her. She cleared her throat and closed the book in her hands. "Okay." Then, she turned to Rick with an apologetic smile. "I guess I better go."
Rick's mouth was slightly curled at the corners as he nodded. "It was nice meeting you, Rory." He got up in a graceful move and acknowledged Dean before he turned and walked away.
oo
In the evening, Rory and the rest of the family got home after a picnic in the park. Dean had planned it as a surprise. Although the kids had enjoyed it and had a lot of fun, eating chicken wings and playing Frisbee, there was undeniable tension when it came to Dean and Rory. She was starting to remember why they didn't work out before. He was a sweet guy, but could be overbearingly protective when it came to Rory's guy friends and social life at school. Now that they were so much older and had a family, Rory couldn't believe he hadn't changed. She knew his jealousy stemmed from insecurities, and couldn't help but feel bad for making him feel that way. Watching Ruby and Luca run and giggle on the grass that afternoon, she had felt love towards them and wanted to forgive Dean's behavior.
After their showers at night, Ruby and Luca cuddled with Rory on the couch while watching TV. Dean was in the shower.
"Mommy, I learned something today." Ruby put her small hands on Rory's face and turned it until Rory was looking into her hazel-blue eyes. Her cheeks were rosy and tender and her hair was in wet brown locks around her ears.
"What did you learn?" Rory asked gently.
Luca climbed onto Ruby to get closer to his mom. "Mommy, I know too!" He tried to jump on Ruby causing a squeal to come out her mouth.
"Hey! Get off!" Ruby tried to push Luca away into the corner of the couch.
"Stop. It." Luca pouted while clinging onto Ruby's legs.
"Go away, I'm telling Mommy something." Ruby gave a shove, making Luca tumble and roll with his butt in the air into the couch's arm.
"All right, you two. Be nice." Rory reached out and steadied Luca who was frowning with his brows almost stuck to each other. "Luca, you can come sit on my left." She patted to the space beside her.
Luca's eyes immediately brightened as he exclaimed. "Yay!" He crawled over with excitement.
Rory turned to Ruby. "And now you can tell me what you learned, sweetie." She brushed Ruby's cheek and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Okay, I learned that air has weight!" Ruby exclaimed while sitting up straight.
"Wow, where did you learn that?" Dean's voice came from behind as he stepped out of the bathroom.
Ruby turned to her dad and said. "From Mrs. Coleman." She flipped her hair behind her back. "Oh, oh. And we're going to start a novel next class!"
"What's a novel?" Luca interrupted as he tried to get Rory's attention by hugging her neck. He added in a whisper by her ear. "Mommy, what's a novel?"
Dean walked over to the couch and picked Luca up while sitting down and placing him on his lap. "It's like the book Mommy was reading today at practice."
Ruby jumped off the couch and ran over to the dining table where Rory's purse was. She fumbled through it and came out with the book. An opened bag of Skittles came out of Rory's purse as well and fell on the table. A few Skittles rolled out and Ruby grabbed them. Quickly, before Luca saw, she put them in her mouth.
Running back to the couch with the book hugged to her chest and Skittles in her mouth, she said. "See? See?"
Rory laughed and took the book from Ruby to show Luca.
Luca flipped the pages carefully with his small hands.
"You won't understand it, but I can." Ruby raised her head high.
Luca pouted at his sister. "Yes, I can."
Ruby reached across Rory's lap and tugged the book out of Luca's hands. She flipped the pages roughly. "Oh yeah? Liar! Read this then." She jabbed her finger to a passage and shoved it in Luca's face.
Dean reached out and took the book away. "Don't do that, Ruby. That's very rude."
Luca giggled and stuck his tongue out at his sister. "Yeah, that's very rude."
He reached up and took the book from his dad. As he tried to flip the cover open, a small white card fell out of the pages.
"What's that?" Ruby quickly reached for the card.
Out of instinct, Rory grabbed the card first. She didn't know why she wanted to see it so badly. But, noticing Dean's expression change, she became anxious to see what it was.
Ignoring Dean's glare burning into her face, she looked down and flipped the blank card over. Her heart sped up and thumped in her chest when she saw what it contained. A number was scrawled on it under the name Rick. She gulped, her head swimming with thoughts, trying to remember when Rick could have sneaked it in.
Dean's hand tore the card away. His face was livid as he read the name.
The kids' bickers and giggles subsided as they noticed their dad's anger.
Dean slid his son onto the ground and got off the couch. He towered over Rory and, with his eyes blazing, he asked. "When did he give this to you? Why didn't you tell me?"
Rory glanced at Ruby, whose face was pale. "Dean." She hissed. "You're scaring the kids."
Dean took a deep breath while he closed his eyes. He looked like he was trying to collect himself. But, his fist clenched around the card as his eyes opened. "Rory, don't let that be an excuse. Answer my question." His voice was lower, attempting to stay calm.
Rory stood up while putting an arm protectively around Ruby who got up with her. She faced Dean and looked up at him. "I don't know, Dean. I didn't even see it until now."
His jaws twitched. "Don't lie to me. I saw the way you talked to each other. And this isn't the first time."
Rory was puzzled. How dare he accuse her? And what did he mean this wasn't the first time? She was so angry that she didn't know what to say.
Dean stepped closer and continued. "That teacher at Luca's school? I saw how he talked to you."
"What?!" She was shocked to hear this. There was no way she was really cheating on Dean, was there? He must be overreacting as usual. And how could he do this in front of the kids?
"Don't play dumb, Rory!" Dean raised his voice, which boomed off the walls.
Luca flinched and ran into Rory's arms, clinging onto his mom and sister. Both kids hid their face in Rory's body. Her arms wrapped tighter around the kids as courage rose in her out of protectiveness. She knew for sure Dean was overreacting. She wasn't the kind to cheat, especially not with these kids in her life.
She straightened herself. "We're not talking about this, Dean, especially not in front of the kids. There's nothing going on with me and that teacher, or Rick or anyone. You're being ridiculous."
Dean lost it. "God damnit, Rory. I'm not blind." He stomped to the table and grabbed her purse. "I'll prove it." He rummaged through her belongings.
Rory was getting scared by his behavior. "What are you doing? Dean! Calm down!"
He started pulling out her wallet, another book and a sweater, one by one, and slamming them on the table. Each loud bang shook the air violently in the room, causing the kids to flinch in Rory's embrace. She pulled them closer and sank down onto the couch. She wanted to go to Dean and grab him, to make him stop. But she couldn't leave the kids. All she could do was hold them in her lap. "Dean! Stop it! You're scaring them."
He continued to rip through the contents in the purse, shaking the clothes and book as if more cards would fall out. His face and neck was red and his body was tense. When he couldn't find anything he was looking for, he threw the book on the table with a loud bang.
"Mommy!" Luca shrieked with tears streaming down his cheeks as he shuddered and grabbed onto Rory's shirt.
The sharp cry resounded in the room, piercing through Rory's ears. Dean froze at the sound. He seemed to snap out of his anger. Rory watched him in fear as he stood there over the table. Heavily, he breathed in and out and slumped onto the table, with his head in his hands.
She didn't dare to speak. She just held tightly onto the kids and watched the man who was her first love. He was now someone she didn't know at all.
Dean slowly brought himself up and turned to Rory. His eyes were hard as ice with his face tightened into sharp angles. He asked in a low voice. "Did you tell that guy your name today?"
Rory was caught off guard by his question. She racked through her brain for the conversations between her and Rick earlier.
"Did you?" Dean pressed on, raising his voice, with his eyes not leaving her face.
She tried hard to focus and remember.
"Did you?!"
"No!" She answered, frustrated.
Dean's shoulders tensed and the muscles on his arms flexed through his shirt. "Then, how come-" His voice was low as he said evenly. "How come he called you Rory when he left?"
Her heart caught in her throat as shudders racked through her body. He was right. How did the guy know her name? She was certain, now looking back, that she didn't tell him. "I don't know…" Her voice was a desperate whisper.
A loud thump exploded in the room as Dean's fist made contact with the table's hard surface.
Rory jumped as whimpers came from the kids. Luca was crying into her shirt while Ruby gripped the ends of it so tightly that the fabric cut into Rory's stomach.
Dean ran his hands furiously through his hair and seethed through clenched teeth. "Why do you always lie to me?"
"I'm not!" Rory tried to stand up.
"Just stop!" Dean yelled while he furiously swung at the contents on the table causing them to fly off and hit the ground. Skittles of all colors of the rainbow flew across the floor and skittered into the corners.
Rory shut her eyes as fear trembled through her. Hearing Ruby and Luca's cries against her body and their tears soaking her shirt, she was so scared for them. She squeezed her eyes so tight that they hurt.
Please get me out of this.
"Rory…" She heard Dean's soft, but tense voice.
Please let this be a nightmare.
Panic and fear rose in her chest as she felt the little grips around her body tighten and the kids' face press further into her stomach.
"Rory, don't" The voice was getting closer.
PLEASE BE A NIGHTMARE. PLEASE GET US OUT OF THIS. Though she was only thinking it and her lips didn't move, Rory's pleas filled her ears as her voice echoed against her eardrums.
PLEASE BE A NIGHTMARE. PLEASE GET US OUT OF THIS.
A sudden dizziness filled her head as light shone against her lids. Her body felt like it lifted into the air and was as light as feathers. Keeping her eyes closed, she tried to feel for the kids in her arms, but she was met with nothing but a lukewarm air. A sudden drop in her stomach caused her body to jerk.
Her eyes shot open. She was completely bemused by what she saw.
A/N: Were you shocked by this chapter and how Dean was behaving? What do you think is happening at the end of the chapter? Thanks for reading and the reviews!