"So how long have your folks been here?" Heath asked while waiting for his turn.
"Got here yesterday and they leave tomorrow." Cappie said. "Just long enough to cause a little chaos in my life."
Heath called out his move in Pledge Checkers. He jumped one of Beaver's pledges.
"Wait, are we red?" Beaver asked Tobias.
"Yup. And Heath just jumped our guy!"
"Dang it!" Beaver yelled.
"Another point for us!" April yelled excitedly. "Nice move Heath!"
"Thanks Mama April!" Heath yelled back as April pulled the pledge off the board.
While Heath waited for Beaver and Tobias, he went back to his conversation with Cappie.
"But your life is always chaos. Controlled chaos, isn't that how you said you always wanted to live your life?"
"Yeah but this time is different. That lovely couple down there has decided they don't want to be together anymore."
"Your parents are splitting up?" Heath was a little shocked. They seemed so good together.
"Yeah, for kind of the same reason as me and Casey. My dad wants to go and my mom wants to stay...not here, but you get it."
Heath calls out another move, jumping another one of Beaver's pledges.
"So, now what?" Heath asked.
"I don't know man. It just feels like Karmic Synergy is working against me, which has never happened before."
Heath put his hand on Cappie's shoulder. "Do you think that maybe it's not Karmic Synergy, and that it might be you."
Cappie shrugged him off. "You sound like my mother."
"What did your mom say?" Heath asked.
"She basically said that I should go with Casey. She said where I am doesn't matter as much as who I'm with."
Wade decided to jump into the conversation. "Well she's right. If you're worried about the house you know the boys and I have got it!"
"It's not just that." Cappie said, watching his parents bonding with his brothers. "It's just...I finally feel like I put roots down somewhere and I love being here and being with you guys. Why would I want to give that up?"
"To be with the love of your life!" Wade stated the obvious.
Cappie took in what Wade said. He was right. Casey really was the love of his life. Was he really ready to give up his life with Casey and Kevin for his life at the Kappa Tau house. And why was Karmic Synergy making him choose between the two? Maybe Heath was right. Maybe it was on him.
The guys could tell Cappie was deep in thought.
"You good dude?" Heath asked.
"Yeah we're sorry if we said something wrong." Wade added.
Cappie shook his head. "No, you actually helped me figure things out. I was telling my mom and Heath how Karmic Synergy was kicking my ass which never happened before, but now I'm realizing it wasn't Karmic Synergy. It was me. Karmic Synergy can't tell me which path to choose. It can only guide me on said path once I've chosen it."
The boys stared at him a little dumbfounded.
"Dang Cap, are you sure you aren't a philosophy major?" Heath asked.
That's when I lightbulb went off in Cappie's head.
"Great idea. Thanks Heath."
Cappie grabbed Kevin out of his baby seat and put him in his chest carrier.
"Keep my parents busy. I'm going out for a bit!"
Casey had just gotten out of class and was helping the pledges get ready for their "Woman Crush Wednesday" sister bonding date night. She was kind of getting used to the idea of a whole week of Valentine's Day celebrations, even though it made her miss Cappie. That's what made tonight so great, all girl bonding and no boys allowed!
She was so busy she hadn't noticed the knock on the door. The person knocked again.
"I'll get it!" Ashleigh yelled over the pile of giggling girls.
She opened the door and was surprised by who she saw.
"Hey Cap. Last I checked my calendar said it was Wednesday. Please tell me you're not dumping off your little munchkin a day early." Ashleigh said.
"Nope. Getting every minute with my little man that I can get. But I would like to talk to his mommy if she is available." Cappie replied.
"I'll see if she's around." Ashleigh went back into the house with a weird look on her face. What the heck kind of big comeback was Cappie planning now?
"Hey Case, your baby daddy is here!" She yelled over the pile of ZBZ's.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Casey. She wasn't supposed to have Kevin until tomorrow afternoon, so they all knew something was up.
"Ooh, Casey, your man is showing up unannounced. Should we give him the usual 'no boys upstairs' talk?" Laura joked.
"I would, considering he's probably here to see if Casey wants to make another baby on Valentine's Day." Rebecca added, also joking around.
The girls continued to poke fun at Casey as she headed toward the front door. Even Casey couldn't figure out why he was here? What could be so meaningful in his life that it couldn't wait until tomorrow?
Casey walked out the front door and shut it behind her, trying to give her and Cappie some privacy. Too bad privacy wasn't a thing given to people in a sorority. All the other girls ran to the windows as quietly as they could so they could eavesdrop.
"So what brings you by Cap?" Casey asked, pleasantly surprised to see him. "Are you trying to get rid of this little guy early?"
She kissed Kevin's cheeks.
"What is with the ZBZ girls thinking I'm trying to get rid of my kid? Nope, he's staying with me as long as he can!"
Casey smiled. "I know. And he loves spending time with his daddy. I'm just curious as to why you're here."
Cappie returned her smile. "Well, if you must know, since it is Valentine's Day week, this little man just wanted to tell you how much he loves you, as do I."
Cappie handed Casey a cute construction paper card. Casey's heart melted when she saw the front.
"Are these Kevin's feet in the shape of a heart?" Casey asked, admiring the red painted baby footprints on the front.
"Well they are way to small to be mine, although don't think I didn't think about it." Cappie laughed. "No, my contribution is on the inside."
Casey opened the card and read it. "Happy Valentine's Day from your two favorite boys! We love you! Heart, Cappie and Kevin Thomas."
Casey's heart melted even more. She loved when Cappie put effort into things.
"Keep reading." Cappie told Casey.
She kept reading. Her eyes got bigger as she read the smaller print underneath.
"You want to take me to dinner?" Casey barely believed what she just read.
"Well, we would like to take you to dinner. Just to show how much we love you and appreciate everything you've done for us the past year."
Casey was torn. Her heart said yes but her brain said no. Cappie could sense her hesitation.
"Listen, I made a reservation for tomorrow at six at Don Giovanni's. I know how much you love it there. Talk it over with your sisters since I know they are eavesdropping anyway." Cappie peered toward the window and watched about ten girls drop to the floor. "If you decide you don't want to go, I can call and cancel."
Casey nodded. "Ok, yeah I'll text you and let you know tomorrow."
Cappie smiled. It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either, so he had hope. He turned back around and headed back towards KT before Casey had a chance to crush his heart.
"I'll be back tomorrow with this little guy!"