Thanks to everyone who reviews you are my inspiration. I finally got my laptop back and working so the updates should come a lot sooner. And for anyone who was reading my other story Happiness through Tragedy I should have an update for that by the end of the week.
Thank you all again for you awesome reviews.
Disclaimer: I only own the characters that I made up as well as the storyline.
Chapter 11
The five of them arrived at the café and it was obvious to anyone that there was tension in the air.
"Hey guys how was your first practice." Karen asked coming around the counter.
"It was awesome mommy. This is my coach…Coach Tim." Lucas said excitedly.
"Yeah we played the second graders and we almost beat them." Nathan said proudly.
"And now we had LeeAnn bring Coach Tim to dinner with us." Jake beamed.
"Wow it looks like you boys had a full night. Do you want your usuals?" Karen asked.
"Actually Aunt Karen do you think I could try it with a bun." Nathan asked.
"Of course hunny." Karen said ruffling his hair.
Over in the booth LeeAnn and Tim had started talking.
"Ok so how did you end up with all of them?" Tim asked curiously.
"Oh well umm I am actually Nathan's guardian, Lucas is his cousin, and Jake is one of their best friends."
"Wait Nathan's yours." Tim asked confused.
"Well no I didn't have him but he's been living with me for a couple of years now."
"And what is that like I can't imagine having a 6 year old boy running around all the time."
"Oh well that's easy its when my sister Haley comes over with her friends too that it gets hard."
"Oh so is your place sleepover central." Tim asked smirking.
"Yeah pretty much but I love it all the kids are so good." LeeAnn smiled at the thought of the three little girls who had her heart too.
Just then the boys came back over.
"Hey guys did you all get your food." LeeAnn asked.
"Yup can you guess what we got?" Nathan asked with a grin.
"Hmmm let me see Lucas just got a grilled cheese sandwich no crust with two pieces of cheese."
"Aww how did you know." Lucas pouted.
"Jake you just ordered two hotdogs one with a bun and one without."
"You always get it right." Jake smiled.
"Now for you Nathan….. I think you got a hamburger no bun with 12 French fries."
"WRONG." Nathan laughed. "I asked for the bun too." He grinned.
"You mister are tricky. So you finally decided that the bun wasn't gross and evil."
"I don't know yet I haven't tried it."
"Ok just remember monster man, if you don't like the bun then you don't have to eat that part ok."
"Ok." Nathan smiled.
"Ok how did you do that?" Tim asked.
"Do what." LeeAnn asked confused.
"Know what they had all ordered."
"Oh that well its kind of easy when they get the same thing every time." LeeAnn said laughing. Tim joined in and the boys just sat their pouting.
Karen came over with the food and the three boys dug in.
"So Nathan what do you think of that bun." Tim asked.
"I don't really like it that much but it's not gross either." Nathan said confused.
"Sweetie if you don't like the bun you can take it off and I'll cut up your burger for you." LeeAnn said knowing better.
"Umm ok." Nathan said ripping the bun off the burger.
Everyone laughed and then went back to eating.
"Alright Nathan, Jake its time to go." LeeAnn said brining their plates to the counter.
"Thanks again LeeAnn for picking Lucas up." Karen said taking the plates from her.
"Karen you know that its no problem I love Lucas and he's a well behaved kid." LeeAnn said smiling as she looked at the ragged little boy.
"I know. He just always looks like such a little raga muffin. I swear you would think we were homeless." Karen laughed.
"That's all right one of these days the ladies are going to love that look." LeeAnn nudged her.
"Oh yeah well look at Nathan. He has that look in his eye. You're going to have to deadbolt the door to keep them out." Karen said nudging her back.
"Argh don't remind me. Although I have a feeling a certain sister of mine will be the one to keep him in line." LeeAnn laughed.
"Oh yeah how is Haley. Lucas told me about how Nathan yelled at her in school."
"He what." LeeAnn asked shocked.
"Yeah when the kids were picking on him I guess that Haley jumped in and now Nathan thinks he looked like a wuss."
"And that would be why she hasn't called to say goodnight to him yet."
"You might want to talk to him about it."
"Oh trust me I will." LeeAnn said slightly angry.
"Nathaniel Cooper Scott." LeeAnn bellowed.
Everyone even Tim turned in fear.
"Ok buddy now that I have your attention do you want to tell me what happened with Haley today." She said sitting down next to him.
"No." he simply said.
"Fine but you just remember that she is going to be staying all next month so whatever the problem is you too better fix it." LeeAnn said sternly.
"Oh LeeAnn can I stay at your house then too. I love playing with Haley." Lucas said excitedly.
"Lucas you're at my house everyday you will have plenty of time to play with Haley." LeeAnn laughed at the boys' enthusiasm.
"LeeAnn I'm getting tired do you think you could bring me home." Jake asked rubbing his eyes.
"Sure sweetie. Come on Nathan lets get to the van." LeeAnn said taking both of their hands.
"Hey." She heard Lucas say behind them.
"Oh I'm sorry did I forget something." LeeAnn asked in fake forgetfulness.
"Yes." Lucas pouted.
"Was it my purse?"
"No."
"Umm my money."
"No." Lucas said now giggling.
"Umm to tickle you." LeeAnn said rushing at him.
"Ahh no." Lucas squealed.
"Oh I got you now mister." LeeAnn said tickling him.
"Stop…LeeAnn please stop…." Lucas laughed.
"Oh wait I know what I forgot." LeeAnn said.
With that she gave him a hug and a kiss on each cheek."
"Now that wasn't so hard was it?" Lucas said putting his hands on his hips.
LeeAnn just burst out laughing. "Oh hunny I don't know if you should hang out with Brooke anymore."
Lucas just looked confused as the rest of them walked out the door. "Bye Lucas I love you." LeeAnn said causing a smile to form on the little boys lips.
LeeAnn got the two boys into the car and turned to say goodbye to Tim.
"Wow I'm surprised that you actually survived your first dinner at Karen's café." LeeAnn smirked.
"Oh yeah and why is that."
"Oh trust me you'll probably see next time."
"Next time huh."
"Well this will most likely be something we do after every practice and you are more then welcome to join us. The boys really seem to like you."
"Me you have them all wrapped around your finger."
"More like they have me wrapped." Leann laughed and Tim joined in.
"Well you should probably get them home." Tim said somewhat sad to see his time with LeeAnn pass.
"Yeah I don't want to deal with a cranky Nathan." LeeAnn said as she got into her van.
Tim just stood there and watched her drive off.
"She's a very special young woman you know." Karen said as she came up behind him.
"Yeah I'm beginning to see that." Tim said as he turned and walked towards his car.
LeeAnn had dropped Jake off and was now on her way back to the apartment with a sleeping Nathan.
When she glanced back she could see the lines that tormented his forehead and silently wondered if they would ever go away. He was much too young to carry the weight of the world.
She pulled into the parking lot and got Nathan out of the van.
"LeeAnn. Nathan said groggily.
"Shh... go back to sleep baby boy I got you." LeeAnn said as she carried him up the stairs.
"K" Nathan said putting his head back in the crook of her neck.
LeeAnn managed to somehow get the apartment door open and get Nathan into his room. She didn't even bother to change his clothes he just looked to peaceful to wake. Except those damn line. LeeAnn took her hand and tried to smooth them out from his forehead.
Leaning down she gave him a soft kiss on his forehead. "Goodnight I love you my boy."
It was the next morning and LeeAnn woke to a loud banging on the door. Curious as to who would be knocking at 7 on a Saturday she rolled out of bed and went to the door.
To bad this was one of the last people she wanted to see.
"Mr. Scott how may I help you." LeeAnn asked blocking the door way.
"I'm here to pick up Nathan that's what." Dan barked.
"You said that you didn't want him this weekend." LeeAnn defended.
"Yeah well I changed my mind so go get him I expect him ready in 10 minutes." Dan said pushing past LeeAnn and sitting on her couch.
"You can wait half an hour so that he can shower and eat."
"Just make it quick." Dan said turning on her TV.
LeeAnn just walked to Nathan's room disgusted with the man that was sitting in her living room.
Walking over to Nathans bed she couldn't help but notice how cute he looked with his little face all scrunched up into his pillow, body spread out across the whole bed.
"Nathan hunny you need to get up." LeeAnn said rubbing his back.
"Why." Nathan said stretching and looking at her with glazed over eyes.
"Because your dads here to get you." LeeAnn said dreading the reaction that she was going to get.
Nathan's eyes turned dark blue and for a moment he looked terrified.
"But you said that I didn't have to go with daddy this weekend."
"I know hunny but he just came by and said that he wants you for the weekend now."
"But we were going to go to the park." Nathan said sad.
"I know sweet heart and I promise that when you get back on Sunday that we will go to the park. Me you and Haley." LeeAnn said leading him to the bathroom. "Now you take a shower and what do you want for breakfast."
"Oh can I have blueberry pancakes with eggs." Nathan asked grinning.
"How do you ask?"
"Please."
"Of course you can. Now take a quick shower and make sure to wash your feet good along with your private parts and behind your ears ok."
"I know LeeAnn I'm a big boy now you don't have to remind me." Nathan said closing the door.
LeeAnn turned once she heard clapping.
"What do you want Dan."
"I just wanted to congratulate you on almost filling the role of his mother."
"Look Dan I'm not going to argue with you. I am going to make Nathan breakfast and you can go to hell for all I care."
"Now now that wasn't very nice."
"Yeah well how about I'll be nicer once you stop treating your son like something you just stepped in." LeeAnn shot back.
"Don't you dare talk to me that way. I would hate to see what would happen if Nathan had to live with me all the time."
"Over my dead body." LeeAnn spat.
"You know that could be arranged."
"That's it get out of my house. I will bring Nathan by when he is done or you can wait outside. But I am not going to stand here and listen to you insult me in my own home. You're on my turf now Dan which means you play by my rules." LeeAnn said opening the door for him.
"You better watch it before that smart mouth of yours gets you and Nathan into some trouble." Dan said walking out the door. "I'll just wait in the car." He said with a smirk.
LeeAnn slammed the door and couldn't help but almost let out a scream. What was wrong with that man? Why did he have to be so infuriating?
However LeeAnn was ripped out of her thoughts when she heard Nathan scream.
She ran to the bathroom.
"Nathan hunny what happened." LeeAnn asked turning off the water and looking at the little boy holding his eye as she wrapped him up in a towel.
"I got shampoo in my eye. It hurts. Get it out get it out." Nathan started whining.
"Ok just hold still baby." LeeAnn said turning on the sink faucet and tipping his head back.
"What are you going to do?" Nathan asked turning the faucet off.
"You need to open your eye sweetie so that I can flush it all out." LeeAnn said soothingly.
"No, it's going to hurt." Nathan said starting to squirm and rub his eye more.
"Nathan baby trust me I would never to anything to hurt you. This is going to make it feel better I promise." LeeAnn said tipping his head back under the faucet.
"Promise."
"I promise baby. Now I am going to put the water on really low and I need you to keep your eye open ok." LeeAnn said finally getting his eye under the faucet.
"Ok." Nathan said as LeeAnn carefully turned the faucet on cold and low.
"See sweetie I told you that it wouldn't hurt that bad. Now were you done or do you still need to finish." LeeAnn asked.
"I still need to finish." Nathan said turning the water back on in the shower.
LeeAnn finished making breakfast for him and laid out some clothes on his bed.
Nathan emerged out of his bedroom a couple minutes later. Clothes on and bag all packed up.
"Is my breakfast ready LeeAnn." Nathan asked as he sat on the stool.
"It sure is. Blueberry pancakes with eggs coming right up." LeeAnn said as she placed the plate in front of him. "Now do you want milk, orange juice, or water to drink?"
"Umm can I have soda?" Nathan asked smiling.
"Umm let me think NO." LeeAnn laughed.
"Fine then I just want orange juice." Nathan said eating his pancake.
Once he was done LeeAnn put his plate in the sink and walked him down to Dan's car.
"Now Dan don't forget that Nathan as basketball at the school from 6-8." LeeAnn said as she put his stuff in the trunk.
"He's not going." Dan said simply.
"But daddy I love it there." Nathan said
"You are going to train with me instead. I don't need people teaching you to be soft." Dan said turning on the car.
"Dan he is only 6 my god let him go to his practice it will be good for him to play against other kids." LeeAnn said trying to make it sound like a competition.
"Yeah daddy and today we are playing the 2nd graders again."
"Fine you can go as long as we get all of our stuff done first so no slacking on your part. And if you want to keep going on the weekends you need to score at least 20 points." Dan said smirking.
"Dan the kids don't even make that many in the whole game." LeeAnn said outraged by his ultimatum.
"Well I guess they will now." Dan said as he put the car in drive. "Say goodbye to LeeAnn Nathan."
"LeeAnn will you be at my game tonight." Nathan asked threw the window.
"Of course monster man I wouldn't miss it for the world." LeeAnn said giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You be good. I love you Nathan."
"I love you too." Nathan shouted out the window as the car pulled away.
Nathan turned back around in his seat and looked at his dad.
"So what are we going to do today daddy." Nathan asked quietly.
"We are going to go to the park." Dan said smiling.
"Really." Nathan asked head shooting up smiling at his dad.
"NO." Dan barked at his son.
"Oh." Nathan said looking down sad. "LeeAnn would have taken me." He muttered.
"What was that young man?" Dan asked looking at his son.
"Nothing." Nathan said looking out the window.
"That will be 10 more sprints for you."
"But daddy."
"No buts Nathan unless you want to do more."
"No sir." Nathan said looking back out the window as a single silent tear rolled down his cheek.
Please review and I will make sure to reply to each of you. Let me know of any ideas that you have for the story.