Courtney POV
Dribbling the ball as I watch the bleachers for my mom and dad I spot Justin, who I haven't been treating the best of ways along with the rest of my family and friends, who is smiling a waving at me and I can't even attempt to fight the small smile that makes its way onto my face, he grins at me giving me a thumbs up and I nod just as Vaughn catches my attention and gestures to the gym doors where my mom and dad enter through with Max attached to my mother like a Koala bear. I immediately notice the larger than normal gap they have between each other as they move through the people over to our family she greets the boys with lingering hugs and kisses to the cheek before taking her seat between Uncle Em and dad with Tony and Sammy sitting behind her and my dad. I watch her as her eyes steadily search the benches until she finds me and blow me a kiss causing me to smile brightly, I love my mom.
We won the game easily 64-21 yeah a blowout, they relied on drives to the back and they just weren't getting there enough tonight to make much of a difference.
"Mom" I shout happily as I make my way out the school
"Well hello to you too" she smiles hugging me tightly normally I wasn't this uncontrollably happy after my mom being gone for 2 days but with the way my dad was acting it felt like she'd been gone for 2 months rather than 2 days,
"I missed you" I sigh squeezing her tightly
"I missed you too sweetheart congrats on the win" she smiles
"Thanks" I grin stepping back to look up at her being 5'11 while wearing 6 inch pumps dwarfed my healthy 58'' height
"And you didn't want to play" Vaughn smirks smugly as he swings his arm over my shoulder
"Shut up" I grumble as we make our ways to the cars
"Check it out" Bryce notes nodding his head up to the front so I follow his eyesight to see my mom and dad closing the gap as my dad's hand rest on her lower back as they talk to one another
"Guess it wasn't that bad huh" I smile
"Yeah" Cason nods
Edward POV
"You leave again on Saturday?" I mumble running my hands softly through Bella's hair
"Almost guaranteed" she replies stroking my side ever so softly
"What's this for again?"
"Movie"
"How long is that going to take?"
"If I do it… until August"
"Almost a year"
"I know"
"I can't do that"
"You don't want to do that"
"No I don't….what about the kids?"
"I know"
"Do you?"
"Yes I do"
"They might be teenagers and independent but you saw them tonight…they're not the same with one of us gone"
"I know that"
"You really want this movie"
"I do…but…."
"I want you happy but it's different now"
"They notice, they called Tracy"
"Did she tell them?"
"She was vague"
"What was the story they gave her"
"Something about a surprise"
"Why can't you do the other stuff you did a move already this year"
"I know"
"Please"
"We'll talk to them when I get back on Sunday"
"That doesn't answer me"
"I don't have an answer"
"You don't want to give an answer"
"Is there much of a difference?"
"You're killing me here"
"Ditto, good night"
"I love you…so much"
"I love you too" she replies turning around as I wrap myself around her and tangle our legs
"Good night" I whisper softly kissing her shoulder softly before inhaling her scent allowing the sleep to engulf me
I woke up early in the morning as usual and unwrapped myself from Bella before changing into some sweats and heading down to the gym, I'll have an hour to myself before the kids join for their own weight training usually Bella joins me but under the circumstances and her jet lag I know she won't wake up until she has to.
I don't know what it is this time honestly, we've had this conversation plenty of times before but this time the dynamics are different…all our kids save Max are in high school and although many see that as the time the kids would need us less that can't be further from the truth. In high school parents become the bass line to an intricate song when it's there no one notices…but as soon as you take it away everyone notices. We've grown our kids on holding family close and sure they might worry about their parents relationship more than the average teen but they've never sealed themselves off the way they have now and I know they get that from both Bella and I….it isn't a good thing because it'll stress them out and they don't handle stress well sure they blossom under pressure but they lash out and let their temper get the best of them when they're stressed.
Looking up at the sound of the gym door opening I smile at my kids as they filter in
"Morning" they chorus and give them a grunt in response as I continue my horizontal squats
We worked in silence which is a rarity especially with Leo and Levi around but today is one of those rare days…today won't be a good day either.
Courtney POV
We take our time getting ready not in any mood to get to school early and stand around,
"You guys really need to tell someone what's going on" Tony sighs parking in the school parking lot just as the warning bell rings and everyone begins moving to the entrance
"We're fine" Vaughn replies as we climb out the car to join the others giving short waves of acknowledgement when they address us but nothing more
"Alright let's go" Tony sighs and we follow behind him as we head to homeroom and take our seats,
"So it's the silent treatment again today?" Kylie questions living up to her title of being Aunt Rose's daughter
"Looks like it" I shrug adjusting myself in my seat, I am my mother's daughter after all
"Hey Courtney" Justin grins making his way through the aisle
"Hi" I reply giving him a small smile
"I didn't get to congratulate you in person so congrats on the win" he smiles softly
"Thanks" I nod
"And what seems to be the problem with you?" he questions crouching in front of me so that he could look me in the eye
"Nothing" I shrug
"Uh huh sure….you don't want to talk about it, okay then, but we'll talk later and save me a seat at your brother's game tonight" he instructs squeezing my hand before standing and heading towards my brothers
"Well at least we know it's universal now" Maggie notes
Once the bell rang I stand and wait for Carter to join me before making our way to Chemistry,
"So am I going to have a one sided conversation with you like yesterday?" Carter questions as we make our way through the hall
"I guess so" I shrug
"No wrong answer Courtney the answer is, no Carter you will not be having a one sided conversation with me like yesterday and by the way I am sorry for the way I treated you yesterday because we're family and I know you're here for me"
"It's complicated"
"Fine don't tell me what's got you and your brothers in this funk but don't treat me like it's my fault….unless of course it's my fault which in case you're supposed to tell me so I can fix it"
"You didn't do anything"
"Well then we're going to talk"
"Okay"
"Good" Carter smiles pulling my chair out for me before taking his seat
He got me to talk even though I would've rather not but the guy got me to talk because Carter's more of a brother than a cousin they all were, Carter's just the one that got me alone first.
"Be careful with this one guys, she's snarky today" Carter instructs as he hands me over to Nicholas and Wyatt
"Oh really?" Wyatt smirks
"Yup, see you guys later off we go Maggie" Carter declares leading Maggie off
"Off to math we go woman" Nicholas declares as he and Wyatt carry me off to Algebra 2
By the time lunch time came around I was in a better mood but nowhere willing to be around anyone other than my brothers and it was clear they felt the same way except for Leo and Levi who had no one to pester them into participating more than needed in life they weren't even in the mood to eat but they ate and then proceeded to rest their heads in my lap,
"You guys okay?" Vaughn questions rubbing Leo's back while Cason rubs Levi's back
"Fine" Leo mumbles
"We're going to fix this…okay?" Bryce mumbles
"Yeah we know" Leo nods softly
We sat quietly the rest of the period before dumping our trays ignoring some of the curious looks we were getting before heading to our separate classes.
"Thanks for saving my seat" Justin smiles as he takes the seat on my right
"Hi Mr. & Mrs. Cullen's and Mr. & Mrs. Hale" Justin grins waving at them
"Hi Justin" they chorus with warm smiles
"I love when they do that" Justin grins turning back to face me
"You're a first" I note bouncing Max softly in my lap
"I'm weird like that" he shrugs before turning to the game as the buzzer goes off and the game begins
You know there's a difference playing the game than watching the game. When we play we move in sync knowing when to react and you never think about it but when you watch someone else do it and how they react it's kind of scary to know that's exactly how you look on the court, but yet still very breathtaking in every way possible…there's no denying that….ever.
Everyone forgot what they were upset about the entire game my mom and dad hang over each other and screaming encouragements like they did at my game the guys and I couldn't help but join our competitive side coming out as the game progressed, never calming down until the final minutes when we were sure they weren't coming back from the 30 point hole we'd put them in.
Standing off to the side with Justin as we wait for Levi and Leo I can't help but smile at my mom and dad's interactions from her small smiles to the soft kisses he gives her, most teenagers look forward to the wild life full of experimenting but when I have parents like that as an example of married life I can't help but want only that for myself and hope I don't have to wait long either,
"So I think if the ref could give you a technical they would've given you a few" Justin smirks stuffing his hands into his pockets
"I'm passionate about the game" I shrug
"Oh no doubt…I'll see you at the game tomorrow too right?"
"Yeah"
"Save me a seat?"
"Of course"
"And when are you going to one of my matches?"
"When are you going to invite me to a match?"
"Fine fair enough….my first match is next week Saturday"
"What time?"
"2:30"
"Okay good"
"I'll see you tomorrow" he grins before waiving at the rest of my family and joining his parents
"And what was that about?" my mom smiles as wrap my arm around her waist as my dad, uncles, brothers and cousins….the male one's anyway joke around, everyone else was leaning on their mothers except Max who was fast asleep in my mom's arms
"What was what about?"
"Mr. Gray sure seemed happy about something"
"I agreed to go to his first match"
"Wrestler, nice choice"
"Mom"
"Don't worry, I'll stay on this side of the fence you can open the gate when you need me"
"Thanks mom"
"So what time is this match?"
"Next week Saturday at 2:30"
"Just you?"
"If the boys want to go they can go"
"You can let them know then"
"Thanks"
"No problem"
"Time to go boys" my mom calls as she begins heading to the car
Unlike times before my dad didn't bother to catch up to my mom but instead opted to walk right by and hold the door open for her, unlike times before my mom didn't acknowledge my dad's presence as she strapped Max in and climbed into the passenger seat, unlike times before they didn't share a kiss over the center console, unlike times before they didn't instinctually reach for one another's hands, and unlike times before they both didn't speak….this was bad.