"I actually did it! I spent four whole hours at her house and we were just talking and laughing. She's a good kisser by the way." Jamie looked down to the small plaque that read;
'Mason Derek Reid
June 11, 1983 - March 3, 2000'
"It so nice to have someone to laugh and talk to again but, nothing is the same without you... You should be here, the team is a wreck without you, you were our backbone, Coach is even trying to make me the pitcher." Jamie looked away from the plaque. "I wish that night when you left my house that I would've convinced you to stay the night. I really, really miss you." he whipped the tears from his eyes "Everything I do from here on out is for you." leaving the flowers beside the plaque. "You're going to be looking real good when your stone comes." His tombstone was special order and had at least another four weeks before it was finished.
"I'll visit again soon. Love you, Mas."
Sunday Dinner
"What's bothering you?" Henry eyed Joe down.
"Me? Nothing." he continued stabbing his fork into his food.
"Hey. Don't think I still can't sweat a guy."
"I made this robbery collar... Took this guy out with my asp he never saw it coming."
"What's going on?" Frank boomed from the other end of the table making Joe regret he even started the conversation.
"Renzulli wasn't too happy about it, because I didn't draw my weapon," Joe explained.
"This perp was armed?"
"No. But, well, we thought he might have been. Turns out it was just his hand in his pocket."
"Well, then you're lucky you were riding with Renzulli and not me. I would've knocked your teeth in." Henry hissed from the other end of the table
"The guy wasn't armed." Joe defended.
"Joe you know better than that." Danny was equally as pissed.
"Don't you think I know that! I'm pissed at myself!"
"Language Joseph." Mary scolded.
"Why'd you hesitate?" Frank boasted.
"I don't know.. but it won't happen again so let's just drop it."
"I'm not dropping anything we'll talk later-" Danny's mood completely flipped.
"So." Linda wanted to change the tone in the room, "Jamie how schools?"
"Why does the attention always have to shift to me?" He responded with a mouth filled with food.
"Because you're the youngest." Danny quipped.
Jamie rolled his eyes "It was okay... I guess."
"It must be.. you were up all night on the phone." Jamie's skin crawled at Joe's comment.
"Really? who were you talking to?" Frank asked.
"My partner from my photography class." Jaime wanted the conversation to end.
"Eddie?" Joe replied. Jamie dropped his fork onto his plate, making a loud clunking noise, looking down the table to Erin.
"Wha- I didn't say anything! I swear."
"Jamie's crush huh?" Joe smiled.
"Eddie?" Danny repeated.
"Eddie's a girl Danny.." Joe clarified the question in the air. Jamie rolled his eyes at how ignorant his family was being.
"She's not my crush." Jamie spat.
"No one stays up all night giggling and talking If they didn't like the other person." Joe countered.
"You spent all yesterday evening at a girl's house! when I sent Erin to pick you up?"
"Jamie I said nothing I-" Erin tried to explain.
"Relax sis I remembered the name, she was one of the people who called asking for Jamie the day Mason-" Joe stopped not finishing.
"So you knew he was at a girl's house?" Mary boasted to her daughter.
"Mom come on!" Jamie needed her to stop.
"After I picked him up-" Erin began.
"And you weren't going to tell me?"
"Look at Jamie turning into a mini Joe, being sneaky and spending time at girl's houses," Danny added.
"What?" Jamie and Joe said simultaneously.
"First of all—" Joe started. The table was loud and rowdy.
"Enough!" Frank boomed from his side of the table. "Jamie it was wrong of you not to tell your mother that you were going to a girl's house to study…" Jamie leaned back into his chair he couldn't believe he was having this conversation with the whole family. "But you are a young mature adult and there is no reason for us to doubt you." Frank looked around the table. "Pass the green beans please."
"What was that at dinner?" Mary waited the whole evening until she and her husband made it into their room.
"Mary, Jamie turns 18 next month and he is very responsible there's no reason for us to doubt -"
"A girl's house Frank!" Mary roared.
"He would never do anything that would concern us." Frank continued before Mary could interrupt.. "Haven't you noticed Mary.. he's been happy lately and if hanging around this girl is bring him happiness, why are you trying to take that away from him?" Mary thought deeply of what her husband had just said realizing he was right.
"I'm not trying to take anything away… I would like to meet her is all.."
"Chapters to 1A and 1B are due tomorrow.. Have a great rest of your day and get home safely." The class was dismissed Eddie couldn't figure out what was up with Jamie. He didn't call her last night and he barely has spoken to her today.
"Is everything okay?" Eddie wondered.
"Everything is good." Jamie continued packing up his belongings.
"Okay... I just figured since you-"
"My mom wants to meet you.." He blurted out interrupting her. She stared at him shocked. "Not like in a girlfriend kinda way or anything like that, she's just really weird and wants to know all my friends."
"Ohh-"
"I mean you don't have to if-"
"No it's cool, I want to." Eddie interrupted. "When should we meet?"
"Today." Jamie winced, a vivid flashback of his mothers talk with him this morning flooded his mind.
"Today?" She nearly shouted in the hallway.
"I mean she's outside-" Jamie began.
"I don't- what do I even say!?" She slightly panicked
"Just be yourself."
"How cheesy Reagan." Eddie spat.
"Haha, I'll tell you what... I'll tell her something came up and you can meet her another time."
"Would you really?" He nodded. "No!" Eddie pulled her hair behind her ear. "I change my mind, right now is good."
"Eddie... it's just my mom it's nothing majo-"
"It's major to me! I like to leave a good impression." Eddie insisted.
"Well how about we go before you have another panic attack" Eddie growled at his joke. "She's over here." Eddie's heart skipped a beat the closer they got to the car.
"Hey Mom, this is my friend and photography partner Eddie, Eddie this is ...my mom." Jamie was a typical boy that made everything vague.
"Hello, Ms. Reagan." She nervously spoke.
"Please call me Mary." Mary smiled at the young woman. "You are very pretty."
"Thank you so much, Mary." Eddie gushed.
"Well thanks, Mom-"
"Not so fast Jamie." Mary gave her son a scolding look. Returning eye contact with Eddie with a pleasant smile. "Eddie would you by any chance be attending the baseball game tomorrow? I would love to know more about you." Jamie's eyes widen at his mother's proposal.
"Absolutely! I wouldn't miss it."
"Perfect!"
Jamie grabbed his baseball bag from the trunk, "Okay, Thanks for bringing my bag mom." He needed to get away. "Eddie I'll see you tomorrow." Jamie hugged her.
"You need a ride home? Eddie." Mary offered.
"Oh no! Lisa is giving me a ride home, Thank you so much for the offer, Mary! have a great day." The blonde rushed off.
Jamie turned to his mom. "You couldn't have made it more awkward."
"What-? I thought that was great, now that I've actually talked to her I feel a lot more comfortable with you being around her."
"That's great mom. Got to get to practice. Thank you again!" Jamie tossed his bag over his shoulder.
TBC
better chapters soon! Just wanted to update ASAP. Sorry for the short chapter.
Please Review, feedback is appreciated!