Lightweight
Chapter 7
Analise was starting to panic. Oh, why did this have to be so damn hard? She's been standing up to her family defending Bobby, so bringing him over for a simple family dinner should be a breeze. So why did she want to just grab his hand, get back into her SUV, and drive far away from there? Just the two of them and the open road! Jeez, what was wrong with her? This wasn't some damn cowboy movie!
"So are we going to stare at the door or we going to go in, Five-O?"
The woman laughed at Bobby's teasing, some of the tension leaving her. Taking a deep breath she opened the door, the aroma of the food hitting them, as well as all the chatter coming from the kitchen/dining room. Analise gripped Bobby's hand for support as they got closer to her family. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea, what with everyone still pissed off about her seeing Bobby when she was younger and now pretending that they were dating. Taking a deep breath Analise entered the kitchen, giving her family a tight smile when they noticed them and immediately became quiet.
"Oh God," she whispered when her eyes landed on Brody, her hand tightening in Bobby's.
Before anyone could say a word it was Brody who spoke up, anger rolling off of him. She knew that Bobby left some Chicago cops pissed off about who knows what and it seems that Brody was one of the few.
"You son of a bitch! I told you I will kick your ass if you ever showed your face again!"
Bobby pushed Analise away when Brody charged at him. "Let's go doughnut face! I'll rearrange your nose again!"
"Hey, whoa, no!" Analise cried, as did the rest of her family.
Even though Brody was ready to fight, the two men merely stood inches away from each other, Bobby glaring down at the other man as he was taller. The young woman wedged herself between the two men, trying to push Brody away from Bobby. Sheila's eyebrows rose thinking that her niece would have pushed Bobby away from Brody instead as she's always had a crush on Richie's partner. Now it seems that her crush on Brody was only a front for what she was really feeling for the one who broke her heart.
And Sheila knew her niece had her heart broken two years ago because she spent all her time making sure she was busy and didn't have time to sit down and think. Now those three agonizing months was because of Bobby, it seems, and she wanted nothing more but to kick his ass herself for the grief he put her niece in.
"Stop, both of you right now!"
Analise continued to push Brody back as she put her back against Bobby's chest. She knew that Bobby could do more damage to Brody, whether the other man didn't think so. But neither men wanted to back off, continuing to glare at each other and wanting to get as close as possible to start some shoving and/or punches. Muttering a curse Analise put all her strength into pushing Brody back before turning to Bobby and placed one hand to his roughed cheek and the other on his chest.
"Bobby, look at me. Bobby,"
Slowly exhaling the anger, he looks down at Analise, his gaze softening as his hands unclenched–somehow the young woman had always been able to calm Bobby down, and that scared the shit of him. Brody stared with disbelief, as did everyone else. They couldn't believe what it was that they were seeing. Analise stared at him, her own gaze softening to sympathy and regret. With a shake of her head Analise turned to her aunt.
"This was a bad idea. I knew it was going to be like this. Come on Bobby, let's go home."
Taking his hand Analise walks out of the kitchen, feeling almost defeated–despite the protests from her family. Bobby frowned with regret himself and stopped her by the entrance, turning her so she was facing him.
"I'm sorry Bobby, this was my fault. I should have never brought you."
"Hey," Bobby took hold of her face, "This isn't about me, Ana. This has always been about you and besides I invited myself. I came because it was important to you that your family gets to know me, I could have cared less and you know it." he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "I'm doing this for you and no one else."
Sheila and Abby, who were walking slowly behind them, felt pride swell inside them, but both made sure not to show it. Sheila already liked the idiot just for the way he was treating her niece as though she was a fragile glass item, but he still wasn't out of the woods in her books. Abby, on the other hand, was starting to loosen up with the guy–which didn't mean that she liked Mercer, just liked him enough of the fact that he was taking care of his baby cousin; her baby sister.
"Well, I can see how easily you fell for his charm,"
The couple turned to Sheila and Abby, Bobby wrapping an arm around Analise's waist. Mother and daughter saw the protectiveness in not only Bobby's stance, but in the way he held Analise close to him. They even saw how she leaned against him, comfortable like they've been doing this for so long–and they probably have without the family's notice.
"But he's right. This dinner–aside from getting to know Mr. Mercer–was to see you again. Honey, I've missed you in the last couple of day's you've stayed away."
"And you were right," Abby said begrudge-ly. "We should have never judged a person no matter what they've done or who they are…no matter if you're a cop or not."
Analise sighs, Bobby kissing her hair as encouragement to go back to her family–and not just because he was hungry, but it might have a bit to do with his decision in staying for dinner. And the food just smelled wonderful. There was no way he wanted to pass that up!
"Fine, but if any one of them tries to provoke Bobby we're leaving."
"Okay," Shelia agrees with a smile.
They walked back to the kitchen/dining room where all the men looking on with disbelief. Both Brody and Steve moving forward with a glare. Shelia rushed between them as Analise held back Bobby, standing in front of him–though she really didn't need to as Bobby stood back. Shelia glared at Brody and Steve before moving on to the rest of her children and husband, making sure that they saw just how serious she was.
"Alright no more provoking or interrogating Bobby or so help me you all will have to fend for yourselves with food for a month. Do you understand me?"
There was a hesitation but everyone muttered, "Yes ma'am," begrudge-ly, Brody moving away to stand next to Richie. Sheila raised an eyebrow at her husband, who was glaring at Bobby. He was the most stubborn–just like she was–and knew he would be the toughest to crack…except when it came to her cooking. Now, to make him look at her so the glare could be in better effect.
"Don? Donald!" she yelled at her husband, hands on hips.
Don snapped to his wife and finally saw the seriousness and glowered at the thought of eating cereal or sandwiches for a month. "Fine!" he muttered angrily.
Bobby whistled low, chuckling. "Damn Five-O, now I know where you get your feistiness from."
Analise flushed as Shelia laughed, pleased. Though she didn't like the nickname he has for her, Shelia was starting to like the other man just a bit more. His charm and personality was starting to win her over, and she could only imagine how easily Analise was able to really fall for him. Of all the men she thought her niece would fall, she would have never thought a man on the other side of the law would be the one; especially when her uncle and cousins were all cops.
"She also got my cooking from me." Shelia told him with a smile.
Bobby grinned, "I guess I'm about to find out."
Analise smiled, urging Bobby to sit next to her aunt as she sat next to Brody. That way there would be no fighting during the dinner. She slanted a look when Bobby took off his leather jacket to place it behind the chair before sitting down. She really did love how his muscles twitch when he moved around and wished they were alone. Analise cleared her throat and looked up to see Donnie giving her look, making her flush. Richie took hold of the mash potatoes when Bobby barked at him, everyone but the young woman taken aback.
"Prayer first, boy!" cringing inwardly, he cleared his throat, "Force of habit."
"No, you're right. We need to do this more often." Sheila said, nodding for everyone to hold hands. "Would you do the honors, please."
Bobby gives her a curt nod. "Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, thank you for this day. Thank you for this food we're about to receive, and thank you for bringing us together. Amen."
"Amen,"
"So, you're Christian?" Don asked as everyone started to pass food around.
"Yes, but I really don't follow like I should."
"More like habit," Abby said with a smirk.
Bobby smirked in return, "Yeah, it was because of Ma I found prayer and God."
"But only when you need it most." Richie stated.
Bobby grinned, "Sometimes." he chuckled, "But it could be because she scared the shit out of me into following her rules when I went to live with her."
Everyone frowned as Analise smiled, "Bobby was in foster care until Evelyn Mercer adopted him at the age of thirteen."
"Ma was a saint–and tough as nails, adopting and raising four degenerate bastards." Bobby smiled fondly as memories of his mother came to him, "And she not only gotten our respect but we were able to love her when me and my brother's thought we couldn't love anymore."
Shelia smiled, looking towards Don. "I would have loved to have met this woman, she's sounds wonderful."
Bobby smiled ruefully, his hand tightening on his fork. Analise took his other hand underneath the table and squeezed, letting him know that she was there for him. She knew that he hurt for his mother, and hated that he was never home enough to have protected her. Bobby squeezed back gratefully, looking over to the woman, wondering not for the hundredth time how he would be able to leave her again. The rest of the family continued to look on with amazed puzzlement. How this hard ass man on the wrong side of the law can get so soft around Analise when men like him don't fall in love.
"Ma would have liked you too, ma'am, you remind me a little of her. She would have liked Five-O, too."
Donnie shook his head, "Why do you keep calling her Five-O? She's not a cop."
Bobby grinned as Analise chuckled. "Bobby and I first saw each other at the precinct when I went to surprise Uncle Don with lunch and try to convince him to let me move out two years ago."
"How long did you guys hang out?" Don asked suspiciously, but he had a feeling that he already knew.
"Well, I saw him again a week later and we started to hang out for a year until he returned home." Analise said nonchalant.
"So that's what the three months was about," Abby muttered, staring at her youngest cousin.
Analise flushed, looking away from Bobby, who stared at her curiously, but let it go…for now. The rest of dinner went with no more incidents. Her family continued to question Bobby as much as possible without pissing Analise off, the two of them continuing to hold hands underneath the table. Like Abby, the group asked if their relationship was going to be a long distant one since Bobby was returning to Detroit the next day. The two didn't answer as they still didn't know themselves what they were going to do.
After eating apple pie–Bobby having fallen in love with the desert– Analise used the bathroom before they were to leave for the club, the woman taking a few seconds for herself. The smile she's had all dinner has yet to leave her, and hoped it never will. Of course she probably spoke too soon when she saw Brody waiting for her.
"What are you doing with that lunatic, Ana? Don't you know how dangerous he is?"
"He's not dangerous Brody, I know who he is and what's he done. There isn't anything you can say about Bobby that will surprise me."
"Did he tell you he was in jail for–"
"Two years for attempted murder. How he picked many fights throughout the foster care system and his adult life? How he was caged in more than he was out? Yes, I do know."
Analise stopped in the middle of the entrance way, and stared at the distress man. For so long she thought she was in love with Brody, but after meeting Bobby, experiencing his absence, than having him around for the last couple of days…Analise now knows her crush on Brody was her way of dealing with grief and trying to fill the hole Bobby left her.
"Bobby has told me almost everything there is to know about him. Just because you two have some bad encounters many years ago doesn't mean that you can butt into my life."
She went to leave but Brody took hold of her arms. "That's not it, Ana. The way his life is, he's pissed off some dangerous men and you can get hurt in the process!"
"Let me go Brody, you have no idea who Bobby is!"
"And you do?"
"Let her go asshole, I wouldn't mind kicking your ass but I promised Five-O to behave."
Brody glared at him as Bobby calmly stared him down. Because he was fisting his hands the muscles in his arms were bulging with controlled temper, crinkling his jacket in the process as Bobby has yet to put it on. Analise jerked her arms out of Brody's hold and moved over to Bobby. He calmly unclenched his hands and wrapped an arm around her waist. He was still spewing anger though, but didn't do what he always did–and knew that it had to do with Analise. Brody shook his head, looking from the arm around Analise's waist to her eyes.
"Do what you want, I just tried to make sure that you didn't get hurt; you're my little sister after all."
Analise exhaled sharply as Brody walked past, not really knowing what to feel with what he said. She learned that he was a substitute for Bobby, but why did hearing the words hurt? Or was it her imagination that was making her hurt? Turning to Bobby she smiled, the hurt disappearing. It had to be her imagination because Brody was right he was like another brother to her, nothing more.
"Come on, we don't want to miss Jack's concert."
Bobby grinned, wrapping his hands around her hips. "I don't know, I can think of a few other things to do than listen to Fairy make noise."
Analise shook her head, but couldn't help smile. "Come on, you horny bastard."
Bobby laughed as he wrapped his arms from behind Analise as they walked towards the door, "You love it when I get horny, don't deny it."
"Who said I was?" Analise teased back, grinning at him.
Bobby laughed once more. Sometimes her teasing always surprised him as she was this little shy girl that would blush at anything sexual. But, maybe, his influence was starting to get to her as it seems she was starting to hold her own against him now. Which was a bit of a good thing.
A/N: Please review and let me know what you guys think!
