Chapter 76
Mercedes and Colby both enjoyed having the kids home for summer as much as the kids enjoyed being home. Valerie and Derek were most excited to have their older siblings home almost every day.
Evelyn went out with her friends most of the time in the first month of summer. However, that didn't bother her parents. She was almost fifteen and was getting to that age where she would want to go out all the time with her friends. Andy was also starting to be referred to as her boyfriend.
On July 7, though, it was time to celebrate Evelyn's fifteenth birthday. In celebration of her birthday, Evelyn wanted to do something with her friends. Mercedes had no problems with that, so she suggested a little party. Evelyn was all for it. She didn't invite many people, though. It was just Liza, Christina, and Mona. She just needed her three best friends at the moment. But she knew sooner or later she'd want a bigger party with more people. Her sweet sixteen.
However, Evelyn also want Andy and Trevor to celebrate her birthday with friends.
So, Liza, Christina, Mona with Andy and Trevor came to the house for a small celebration in Evelyn's birthday. Andy and Trevor were really excited for coming to Evelyn's house for the first time. Trevor especially was since he was a wrestling fan. That didn't bother Evelyn, though. Trevor was one of her best male friends now. He was the boyfriend of one of her best female friends and best friend of her boyfriend.
Mona and Liza arrived at the house together. But Christina came with Trevor and Andy. Evelyn was very excited once everyone was there and they were all happy as well.
Everyone shared some small talk before Derek and Valerie came looking for their big sister.
"Your baby brother and sister, I guess," Trevor said.
"Yep. This is Derek and this is Valerie," Evelyn repeated. "Can you both say hi?"
"Hi," Derek said.
"Hi," Valerie said.
"Hi," Evelyn's friends said.
"Come on into the living room," Evelyn said. "It'll be all ours in just a few minutes."
Colby and Mercedes were in the living room. Katianna, Mariah, and Aaron were all up-stairs. Evelyn and her friends would have their privacy, which was what she wanted. Derek and Valerie would be taken up-stairs with their parents as well.
"Hey kids," Mercedes said, seeing everyone.
"Hi Mercedes," Christina said.
Mercedes hugged Christina. Liza and Mona had arrived about a half hour before her, Andy, and Trevor. And Mercedes preferred to be called by her first name by her kids' friends. Colby did as well.
"Hello Christina," Colby said, hugging her.
"Hi," Christina replied. "Let me introduce you and Mercedes to my boyfriend. This is Trevor Roberts. Trevor these are Evelyn's parents."
"Mercedes and Colby," Trevor said. "May I call you that myself?"
"Of course," Mercedes said. "Its nice to finally meet you."
"You too."
"I agree," Colby said. He held out his hand. Trevor happily shook it.
"And great to see you as always, Andy," Mercedes said, seeing him.
"You as well. And Colby," Andy replied.
Colby smiled, shaking his hand as well.
"Let me ask you something, Trevor," Colby said.
"Sure," Trevor replied, a little scared.
"What are your favorite matches of The Shield?"
Everyone laughed.
"Definitely The Shield versus Evolution."
"One of my favorites too," Colby said. "Now I understand you and Andy want to do a little training as wrestlers yourselves?"
"Yes, sir," Trevor replied.
"Just call me, Colby."
Trevor nodded his head. He looked at Andy. Andy smiled and shrugged. He had gotten the same treatment when he first met Colby and Mercedes. But it was all good fun.
"Well, I have actually talked to my friends and fellow trainers of Black and Brave. They don't mind at all if you two come train. They enjoy having some fun with their own kids, please mine. We would love to have you come out. But we will need your parents to sign a few things for permission and such."
"Oh, we figured and Evelyn told us we would," Andy said.
"Yep," Trevor said.
"Good. We can arrange it real soon if you like. Then we'll give a little bit of beginner's training. Which is just some drills pretty much."
"Well, we're used to drills for percussion of marching band. We know its difference however," Trevor commented.
"Drills are drills. You just have different drills for different sports and stuff."
"Well, I'm all up for it."
"Me too," Andy added.
Colby smiled. "Awesome. Well, we'll take Derek and Valerie up-stairs and you kids enjoy yourselves."
"Yes," Mercedes said. "Say bye to everyone." She turned her attention to her youngest two children.
"Bye," Valerie and Derek said.
"Bye," Evelyn's friends said.
"Have fun," Mercedes said, scooping both Valerie and Derek up.
"Thanks, Mom and Dad," Evelyn said.
"No problem, sweetheart."
Evelyn and her friends took over the living room then. They talked, ate, and had fun. Evelyn was very happy to have the time with her friends. And they were happy to have the time with her.
"I can't wait for band camp in a couple weeks," Liza said. "It's going to be so much fun!"
"It is fun," Andy said. "But also, a lot rough in the heat."
"But we only have to spend a few hours in the afternoon in the heat. Only from one o'clock until four o'clock," Christina commented.
"It's still boiling hot!" Trevor said. "But it'll be nice behind those tenor drums!"
"And snare drum," Andy said.
"Hell yeah!"
The girls laughed as the guys gave each other a high five.
"I look forward to seeing your half-time show," Mona said. "I will make sure to watch every week. But hopefully next year, I will be cheering at the football games while you all play in the stands."
"I know you will, Mona," Evelyn said. "You made Junior Varsity for freshman year. And sophomore year, you'll make Varsity!"
"Here's to our freshmen and sophomore years. But great sophomore and junior years next year," Liza said, holding up her drink.
"Banks on it," Mona said, holding up her drink.
"Believe that," Christina said.
Everyone laughed as they hit their drinks together. Evelyn grinned. She loved it whenever her friends referred wrestling, especially with her parents.
"I have a question?" Evelyn asked.
"What?" Andy asked.
"What would your wrestling names be?"
"Turner Andre. Switch my names. But not Andrews or Andrew for my last name. You have Andre. Take away the W in it."
"Hard one for me," Trevor said.
"Sully Hayden," Christina said. "My last name first as well and my middle name as my last."
"I like them so far," Evelyn said. "Mona and Liza?"
"Liza something," Liza said. "Not many wrestlers with the name Liza, right?"
"Nope. But we will figure out a last name for you. Mona?"
"Hmm," Mona said. "Not sure."
"Trevor, do you have one yet?" Evelyn asked.
"No, still thinking," Trevor replied.
"Okay. Mine is Edie Rollins. I was thinking Sadie Rollins originally. My middle name and then my dad's ring name last name. But I suddenly got the idea for Edie. It is a combination of the first letter of my name with that of the few end letters of my middle."
"I love it," Christina said.
Everyone agreed.
"When I had the idea for Sadie Rollins. I had the idea with an S name like my mom and dad had for their ring names," Evelyn said.
"I like Edie Rollins better," Andy said.
Everyone agreed.
"All right, Trevor, do you have one yet?"
"Still coming up blank," Trevor said. "But I will come up with one eventually. I have never thought of it. I just have thought of the idea of training to be a wrestler. I hadn't gotten that far."
"I'm sure my dad and Uncles of Black and Brave would love to help you come up with one," Evelyn said.
"Looking forward to that."
"You know, I know how to wrestle a bit and everything, but I haven't decided if I want to officially be a wrestler. Nothing is set in stone with me. Its not my major career path as it was with my parents," Evelyn commented. "It is for Aaron, though. He is determined to be as great a wrestler as our parents."
"I want to be a nurse," Mona said. "Or even a doctor."
"Just like your mom, huh?" Liza asked.
"Yep."
"We all have great moms," Christina said. "And being like them is not a bad thing."
"Oh, no," Liza said. "I wasn't…"
"…I know you weren't meaning anything. I was just saying there are worse women to idolize or see as our role models.
"Very true," Mona said.
"I agree," Evelyn said. "But there is six women I like to idolize and see as role models. My mom, my grandmothers, and the other Three Horsewomen."
"Nobody better for you to idolize and see as role models on your end, Evie," Andy said.
"Especially your mom," Trevor commented.
"I find nobody better than my mom," Evelyn replied. "The same with my dad. Nobody is better to me than my parents."