Dylan sat on the edge of the pool dipping his feet into the water, it was almost 3 o'clock in the morning and Dylan couldn't find it anywhere in him to go to sleep. He was too excited that he was done with high school, only hours before had he gotten his diploma that had signified him actually being able to finally go on to bigger and better things like going to California for school. Sure he was going to be living with his grandparents but he was okay with that because he loved his grandparents and his grandma was more than willing to help him take care of Jordan so he wouldn't be away from him all through the year. He couldn't imagine being away from Jordan for months on end, the thought alone pulled at his heart. Plus his best friend Amanda would be only an hour or so away at UCLA and he was so glad to have her there with him. Thinking about Amanda brought a smile to Dylan's face and his heart started to beat faster, Dylan pushed all thoughts of anything more than PG-13 out of his head because he was not about to screw up his friendship with Amanda because of some lustful feelings he had for her.
"Dylan what are you doing up?" Martin asked sitting down next to Dylan and dipping his feet into the pool.
"Couldn't sleep."
"Something wrong?"
"Nope, I'm just thinking about everything."
"I can't believe you're a high school graduate." Martin thought out loud watching the waves going back in forth in the pool.
"I'm excited that it's over but I'm kinda scared to leave everything behind and start over at school."
"Well at least you'll have Amanda close by and your grandparents."
"Yeah." Dylan answered listening but not really paying attention thoughts of Amanda now floating around in his head.
"Something's bothering you." Martin observed turning his attention away from the pool to his son.
"It's Amanda."
"Did something happen between you guys?"
"Not really, it's just that lately I've been noticing her in a different way. It's like I'm seeing her as a girl that I could possibly see myself with but she's been my best friend for years."
"It's okay to fall for someone that you're friends with, especially if you're as close as Amanda and you are. You're mom and I started out as best friends and look at how we turned out? I think you need to sit down and talk with Amanda about this if you're really serious about it and trust me when I tell you this it'll eat at you till you talk about it. Who knows she might feel the same way and things might work out of the best but you'll never know if you don't talk to her."
"So you and mom had issues sharing your feelings didn't you?" Martin looked at Dylan's smile and laughed, it was funny how Dylan could figure out the underlying meaning of what Martin was saying.
"Yeah but unlike you, your mom and I had had a huge fight that made me realize how much I really loved her. Granted it took me almost 4 months to finally say something to her but in the end I got the girl and now I have the best family that anyone could ask for."
"Thanks dad." Martin patted his shoulder and pulled him up before walking back into the house and grabbing the glass of water he had originally come down for. Dylan followed his dad into the house and hugged him before going upstairs into his room and looking in on Jordan who was sleeping soundly in his crib which put a smile on his face; he had the best kid in the whole world. He shook his head laughing silently at what he had just said and flopped back on his bed picking up his cell phone from the nightstand. He flipped it open and saw that he had a message from Amanda. He smiled as he opened the message and softly laughed to himself when he read that she was still up and wanted him to call her. Without another thought about it he pressed her speed dial number and got up from his bed. He grabbed the baby monitor and turned it on as he headed out of the room and down the stairs.
"Took you long enough." Dylan laughed flopping down on the one of the couches in the living room. "I'm glad that I mean that much to you."
"Now you know that my phone is on silent at night and plus I was outside."
"What were you doing outside at 3 in the morning? Were you skinny dipping without me again?"
"Yep you caught me but I couldn't resist, the water was too tempting." Dylan smiled when he heard Amanda laugh and felt something in the pit of his stomach.
"So Brewer how does it feel to be officially done with high school?"
"Well Howie it feels great! I can't wait to get to California."
"I know just think the two of us with Jordan loose in California, sounds nice. How is my little Jordie?" Dylan groaned when he heard Amanda's nickname for Jordan.
"I hate it when you call him that and Jordan is doing just fine, he's asleep right now." Amanda only laughed at Dylan and he felt the feeling again in the pit of his stomach. The two talked until the sun started coming up and after Dylan hung up he went into the kitchen and asked his dad if he could watch Jordan while he slept in a little bit and Martin just laughed knowing that he was probably on the phone with Amanda and went up to get the now awake Jordan as Dylan turned to go up the stairs there was a knock on the door and before his mom woke up he went to answer it fully ready to be stern with whoever showed up at the house at 6 in the morning when he saw Amanda standing in front of him in her pj's and tears streaming down her face. Instinctively without asking anything Dylan pulled her into his arms as she started to sob. Martin came down the stairs wondering who was the door but shook his head when he saw Amanda in Dylan's arms crying. "Why don't you guys go upstairs and get some sleep?" Dylan looked at him with that 'what will mom say look'. "Don't worry about your mom she'll understand." Dylan nodded and walked with Amanda up the stairs just as Ruthie sat down in the kitchen with Josh.
"What will I understand?" She asked putting the baby into his high chair before getting him some cheerios.
"Amanda's here and she and Dylan are going to sleep in his room." Ruthie nodded knowing that if Amanda is at the house this earlier in the morning that something happened at home and Ruthie was more than willing to let the girl stay here where she was happy and safe. Martin came over by Ruthie with Jordan and Ruthie scooped him up out of Martin's arms handing Martin the cheerios to give to Josh.
Hours later Dylan woke up with Amanda's arm around his chest and her head lying on his chest raising and falling with each breath he took. He smiled and bent his head down lightly kissing the top of her head. Her eyes fluttered opened and she stretched lifting her head off of Dylan's chest lightly rubbing her eyes. "Do you feel better now?" She shrugged and sat up pulling the blanket with her. Dylan too sat up and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She sighed and rested her head on Dylan's shoulder enjoying being next to him. "Amanda I have a question to ask you."
"What's wrong?" She asked seeing the uncertainty swarming in his eyes.
"You're the best friend that anyone could ask for and I'm so thankful to have you in my life to help out with Jordan and accepting him I don't know what I do without you."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I love you." He blurted out instantly clamping his hand over his mouth his eyes wide in realization of what he just said. Amanda sat up a stunned look on her face, she's been waiting for him to say it for months and now that he's said it she can't think of anything to say. She looked at him looking at her watching her every move wondering what she was thinking. Amanda pulled him closer and crashed her lips against his catching Dylan a little off-guard before he let go and kissed her back with everything he had.
Ruthie stood in the doorway with Jordan in her arms and huge smile spread across her face as she turned and left the room the way she came in off to find Martin. She found him in the study working on something and she put Jordan in the playpen with Josh. "You were right, they are just like us." Martin looked up at her confused as to what she was talking about when it dawned on him.
"So he finally told her?"
"Yep only took him a year to it. I'm so happy for him, Amanda's a get choice."
"Don't go planning their wedding just yet."
"I can't I have to get ready for Mac's wedding."
"You think the second time down the aisle will be the last?"
"Those two started out together you know they're going to end together."
"Well then my dear tomorrow is going to be a fun day." She laughed and kissed his cheek. "Remember to have the kids at the church at 5:00 for the rehearsal." Martin nodded and kissed her before she left to go do things with Megan as they finished getting stuff ready for the wedding tomorrow. Mac walked in just as Ruthie was leaving and he joined Martin in the study.
"So are you nervous yet?" Mac laughed and shook his head when he saw Dylan and Amanda kiss at the bottom of the stairs and he nearly fell out of his chair craning to see what was going on outside of the den.
"When did they finally get together?"
"From what Ruthie says it just happened this morning."
"You know those two are just like you." Martin looked up and nodded as Mac went on and on about what they had to do today before the rehearsal.
When the rehearsal rolled around Lexi and Dylan were put in charge of the watching the younger kids and Lexi was currently with Kayla and Kaya playing Candy land while Dylan was put in charge of Jordan and Josh which was easy since Amanda was there to help him, he was really lucky to have her in his life. Martin and Ruthie watched Dylan lean over and kiss Amanda as she played with Jordan and right then and there she knew that they were going to end up together and she couldn't wait for that wedding.
The next day was pure chaos and Ruthie was that it wasn't her wedding. The morning had started out sunny but quickly turned to rain as Megan was about to leave the house so Ruthie being the quick thinker that she was had the limo driver back into the garage so Megan could get in without getting wet and once they reached the church she held up the bottom of her dress as the rest of the bridesmaids held umbrellas overhead so no one got wet but once they got inside the church things went off without a hitch. As Ruthie watched Mac and Megan dancing she was happy for her friends but as the thought of the day being over it hit her that tomorrow morning Dylan would be leaving to spend to get things settled in Glen Oak with her parents and then he would be leaving her. The thought hit her like a ton of bricks and tears sprung to her eyes, her baby boy didn't need her anymore.
Martin sensed what Ruthie was thinking about when he saw tears in her eyes and wrapped his arm around her pulling her close to him. Dylan also saw the look on his mom's face and got up making his way over to his mom. Martin got up so Ruthie and Dylan could have a moment alone.
"Mom what's wrong?"
"It's nothing D."
"Are you upset that I'm leaving tomorrow?" She shrugged not sure if upset was the right word to describe what she was feeling at the moment. "I'm scared." He admitted grabbing her attention and bringing her attention from the floor to his face. "I'm scared that I'm going to fail and disappoint you and dad. I'm scared that I'm going to screw up with Jordan. I'm scared that I'm going to lose Amanda to some awesome college guy and I'm scared that to leave you and dad." Ruthie smiled and sniffled wiping at a stray tear that was falling.
"You're going to do just fine. You're an amazing father to Jordan and one hell of a guy for Amanda because you've been there for her when she needed you and no matter what happens your father and I will always love you. I can't believe that you're all grown up and moving away but I guess the fact that you're going to live with your grandparents makes it a little better." Dylan sighed and hugged his mom the reality of the situation finally setting in. Tomorrow morning he was boarding a plane and heading back to Glen Oak to get thing settled at his grandparents house before flying back and spending the month and a half with his parents before Amanda and he headed back to Glen Oak with Jordan.
The next day Ruthie, Martin, Lexi, and Amanda stood in front of the airport saying goodbye to Dylan. Everyone had given him a hug and all that when it came to Amanda. Before she knew what was happening Dylan had picked up her up and was twirling her around kissing her over and over again. Lexi pretended to be engrossed in what Jordan was playing with and Martin just laughed thinking back to the times when he came home from school and saw Ruthie. Finally Dylan had to go and with a final kiss to Amanda, his mom, and Jordan he walked into the airport and got the plane back to Glen Oak.
Before they knew it Dylan was back in Miami spending the month with them getting everything ready for when he and Jordan headed out to Glen Oak and Ruthie was getting used to not having Dylan around although that meant that Lexi was less likely to get away with that much since she was going to be the only teenager in house and it was going to be crazy with her getting her license and Josh turning 1 Ruthie didn't know how she was going to handle it especially since Martin was playing baseball and gone all the time. In the blink of an eye Dylan was gone again and this time he took Jordan with him and the first couple of days that he was gone Ruthie would find herself sitting in his room on his bed and looking at everything that he had left behind and started crying. She knew that this time was going to come but she didn't think it would come this soon.
Martin stepped out of the dug out for practice and as the season winded down he knew that he had a decision to make. Should he retire when the times were good or stick it out till it got bad? He decided to test the waters by talking about with Dylan since he was in L.A. playing the Dodgers. After the game Martin picked Dylan up from the house and Martin was amazed at how big Jordan had gotten in the short time he hadn't seen him. "So what's on your mind dad?" Dylan asked as they waited for their food to come.
"Well I was wondering if I could run something by you."
"Go for it."
"I'm thinking about retiring."
"Really?"
"Yeah I'm thinking I should do it now when times are good instead of waiting for things to go south."
"Well I understand that, but are you really ready to be done playing ball?"
"I'll still play ball it's not like I'm dying." Dylan laughed at the look on his father's face, he knew that Martin hated being called old.
"I didn't meant that dad, I just meant are you really ready to be sitting at home all day."
"Just because I play baseball for a living doesn't mean that that's all I can do."
"What else are you going to do?"
"I'll probably go back to coaching like I did in college or I'll put my college degree to go use."
"Have you talked to mom about this?"
"Not yet I wanted to see what you thought first before talking to your mom. She's been a little stressed lately."
"What's going on?"
"She's just stressed with juggling Josh and the magazine. Thankfully Lexi is finding activities to do to keep herself out of trouble. Oh! Speaking of Lexi, she was thinking about coming up and visiting Berkeley and wondered if you would go with her."
"Yeah I'll call her later and talk about it. I can't believe that you're gonna retire."
"Yeah it's a scary thought for me too."
"Well at least you might go out a World Series Champion." Martin laughed and smiled as the waitress brought them their food. Martin now couldn't wait to talk to Ruthie about this because he was serious considering it. But he knew that no matter what things were going to work out in the end, all he had to do was tie up the loose ends and everything would run smoothly.