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Chapter 13: Fight

"Uncle Timmy, guess what?" Tyler said that night.

"What?" Tim said picking up the little boy and putting him on his shoulders. Julie sat in a chair and laughed.

"I have a little sister now," Tyler said proudly, "just like you and Mommy."

"I know, I heard about your little sister," Tim nodded. "It's cool being a big brother right?"

"Uh huh," Tyler said. "And someday, Cammie's gonna have a baby and I'm going to be an Uncle like you." Tim laughed and Julie raised her eyebrows as he flipped Tyler into a handstand and the little boy giggled.

"OK," Julie said, "that's enough of that. Tim, put him down." Tim sighed and put him down. "Tyler, baby, go wash up before bed and then come out and say goodnight." Tyler ran into the bathroom.

"So," Tim said. "He seems fine."

"He'll stay so if you don't drop him on his head," Julie said. "Honestly, between you doing that and Charlie insisting that 'he's built like a defenseman Jules, really,' my son is going to be dead before he hits double digits."

"He is built like a defenseman," Jay said. "Charlie's got a good eye. When did Scooter have a baby?"

"Nice non sequiter," Julie rolled her eyes. "A few months ago. Camille Vanderbilt, Cammie, for short, they're insanely happy."

"Little snot," Jay growled.

"He's entitled to his happiness," Julie said. "Dawn and I are almost friends now actually."

"Now there's a miracle," Timmy laughed. "I always thought she resented you because of Ty."

"I guess now that she has her and Scott's real baby," she shrugged, "there's no reason to resent the bastard child."

"Sure," Jay said. "Do you often call Tyler a bastard child?"

"Rarely," Julie said, "and only when doing so ironically." Jay nodded.

"We're out of beer," Tim said and popped up. Julie laughed as he walked out, obviously to get more. Jay looked at her.

"So," Jay said, "what's your excuse now?"

"What are you talking about?" Julie said.

"For not going back to school," he said. "What's your excuse right now? I'd like to hear it." She groaned. Jay was the oldest, and always trying to make sure everyone was taken care of.

"I just," she tried to come up with one.

"Tyler's good, Scooter's finally paying up, and pulling his end," he said. "You're with this awesome guy who would absolutely support you doing it." She picked at her nails. "You're too smart to spend the rest of your life as a waitress. I mean, no one expected you to do the Ivy League thing after Tyler was born, but you could get an associates degree and be a paralegal or something."

"I really can't think about that right now," she shook her head.

"Hey," Charlie walked in followed by Tim. "Look who I found." He leaned down and kissed Julie. "Mm, hey."

"Hey," she said.

"Charlie," Jay said, "don't you think Julie should go back to school?"

"Jay," Julie shook her head.

"You want to go back to school?" Charlie said, settling in as Julie leaned against him on the couch.

"No," Julie said. "Jay wants me to go back to school. I'm not so sure."

"I think that would be amazing," Charlie said, "wouldn't mind if my girl was a college girl. Would you still study history?" Julie blushed. She loved that Charlie remembered things like that she was going to go to school for history.

"Probably something more practical," Julie said. "Something that would get me away from waiting tables."

"I'm all ready for bed," Tyler came out. "Charlie!" He screamed and hugged him around the legs.

"Hey buddy," Charlie laughed and picked him up. "Oof, you're getting way too big for me to pick you up."

"You said that this morning," Tyler groaned. Charlie laughed. "I'm going to bed."

"I see that," Charlie said.

"Tyler, say goodnight," Julie said. "Charlie put him down."

"Uh oh," the boys looked at each other, "Mommy's got serious face on." Tim and Jay started laughing as Charlie set Tyler on his feet.

"Good night Uncle Jay," Tyler hugged him.

"Night kiddo," Jay said. "I love you."

"Good night Uncle Timmy," Tyler said.

"Sleep tight Ty," Tim nodded. Julie smiled and folded her little boy in her arms as he climbed on her lap they snuggled for a minute.

"I love you most Mommy," Tyler whispered.

"I love you most too baby," she mumbled and kissed him. Charlie smiled seeing them curled up like that. He'd wanted for his whole life to be a part of a real family and now he was. He didn't even mind that he would always be number 2 in Julie's life. He could live with that, so long as Tyler loved him too.

That night Julie lay curled up in bed with Charlie (her brothers were sharing her room.)

"Hey," he whispered. "Mm," he said as she kissed him. "Were you serious about that?"

"About what?" She asked and kissed him. "About that thing I whispered to you after Tim made martinis? Absolutely." They kissed again.

"No," he laughed. "About going back to school." She laughed.

"Oh that," she said. "I don't know, I mean, I'd like to, but it would be such a big change, and, I don't know if I could stop working."

"Julie," Charlie whispered, "lean on me a little. I could take care of you and Ty for a year or so while you got your associates degree." She smiled.

"You're not my husband," she said. "It doesn't work that way yet."

"I want to be your husband," he said. "We've talked bout that." She smiled and kissed him.

"Yes, and I'm not ready to get married," she said.

"Why?" He said. "What else do you need from me?" She sighed and rolled over.

"Charlie I'm too drunk and sleepy to have this conversation right now," she shook her head. He frowned. "Fine," she sat up. "The truth of that matter is, I'm not entirely convinced that you're not just rebounding with me and Tyler." He looked at her.

"What?" He said. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means whatever you think it means, Charlie," she said. "But you and Linda were together for a really long time and then you and I just sort of jumped into this."

"I'd hardly say six months of will they or won't they was jumping in!" He said. "Julie, I'm in love with you."

"I know you love me," she sighed. "I know that. But do you understand what it would mean, marrying me?" He looked at her. "Already, if this doesn't work it's going to wreck my life, I already lean on you way more than I should at this point in our relationship, you're already way too big a part of Tyler's life for me to get out without serious damage. Add marriage, and if it doesn't work I'll have nothing. Maybe you're ready to take that leap, but I'm not convinced you are and I definitely am not."

"Right," he nodded, "OK," he rolled over.

"Charlie," she reached out to put her arms around him.

"Julie," he said. "It's fine, let's just go to sleep."

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