Chapter 17: Starting A New Life
"When I hear that robin sing / Well, I know it's coming on spring / Ooo, we and we're starting a new life / We gonna move / Move way on down the line / Girl, we been standing / In one place for too long a time"
Move in with me
"What?" Sasha asked, all thoughts of going to check on his apartment forgotten. Payson stared up at him, her blue eyes shining with excitement.
"Move in with me and Harper," Payson repeated. Sasha faltered.
"Payson…" He winced as her face fell, the light in her eyes dimming slightly. "I love you, and I would love to move in with you…"
"But what?" Payson pressed. Sasha sighed, running a hand over his face and moving around the edge of the couch to sit down next to her.
"More than anything in the world, Payson, I want to be married to you. I want to be your husband. I've tried very hard not to push you, because I know you're scared, and I appreciate this as a step in the right direction, but I'm also worried that if we move in together we'll get stuck…playing house," Sasha explained.
Payson twisted so that she was kneeling beside him and reached forward to take his face in her hands. He sighed.
"I promise, we will not get stuck playing house." Payson didn't know what she could say to him that would make him believe she was trying, and she understood his fears, but she knew that moving in together was the next step for them. It didn't scare her the way marriage did. "So will you move in?"
Sasha gave her a small smile. "I'll move in."
#
"He's moving in?" Kaylie shrieked happily, clapping her hands together. Payson turned down the volume on the video conference call until her friend's voice dropped back to a normal octave.
"Yes, he's moving in but not for a couple of weeks. His landlord agreed to let him break his lease without penalty if he waited until the end of the month to move out," Payson explained.
"Pay, that's great," Emily said quietly. "I'm really happy for you."
"Thanks Em. I'm really happy too."
"Does that mean we'll hear wedding bells anytime soon?" Kelly asked. Payson snorted.
"No. Although I did promise Sasha that this wasn't the end of the road, so I'll have to consider it at some point, I suppose."
"Payson," Kelly snapped. "It is seriously time to get over this whole fear of marriage thing." Payson waved her away.
"I know, Kelly. You've told me your opinion on the subject at least a thousand times. And I'm still saying you're a little bit of a hypocrite," Payson said with a shrug. Kelly scoffed and flashed her middle finger.
"Okay, you two," Kaylie warned, ever the peace keeper. "We should all just be happy for Payson and Sasha. Have you explained it to Harper yet?"
"No, we're doing that tonight. Sasha wants to take us out to dinner and make it really special."
"God," Kaylie moaned. "He is the best dad."
"A hell of a lot better than her real dad, that's for sure," Kelly said. Payson heard the door opening and the pitter-patter of Harper's little feet running inside.
"Gotta go, guys."
"Mommy!" Harper flew into the room, jumping into Payson's lap and turning towards the laptop screen. She waved brightly at the girls.
"Hi Harper," Emily said.
"Hi Aunt Emily! Aunt Kay! Aunt Kelly!" Payson laughed.
"Blow kisses goodbye baby, Daddy Sasha wants to take us out," Payson said, pressing a kiss to Harper's temple. Harper blew three quick kisses before Payson said her goodbyes and closed the screens.
"Mommy, Daddy said tonight is special and that you should wear something really pretty. He said to wear your swan dress," Harper babbled. Payson laughed, knowing exactly the dress Sasha wanted her to wear. It was waiting in the back of her closet, and she hadn't worn it in years.
"Okay sweetie. Why don't you pick out some jewelry for me to wear?" While Harper ran to her jewelry box, Payson went to her closet to get the dress. It was the same black dress she'd worn the first time Sasha took her to the ballet; short, with a keyhole back, a scooped neck and fitted at the waist. When she was seventeen it had added the curves her elite gymnast body had lacked, and now, nearly halfway through her twenties, it enhanced the curves she'd gained.
"Mom! These?" Harper asked. Payson had to laugh; Harper was holding up the same earrings she'd worn that night as well, small rhinestone bows with a shiny pearl hanging down.
"Perfect, baby."
#
"You look stunning," Sasha whispered into Payson's ear as they walked into the restaurant behind Harper, who was taking charge of the situation. She told the maitre d' just who they were and that they had a reservation, and that they were very hungry.
"You've seen me in this exact outfit before, you know," Payson laughed. Sasha pressed a kiss to her neck.
"I know, but I couldn't tell you then just how fantastically stunning you were. It would have been inappropriate," Sasha said. The maitre d' led them to their table and Sasha lifted Harper into a booster seat before pulling Payson's chair out for her.
"Even then?" Payson asked as they sat down. He glanced up at her from his menu, his eyes sparkling.
"Even then." Payson leaned over to kiss him.
"Ew! Cooties!" Harper shouted, clapping a hand over her eyes. Payson sat up straight, reaching over to tickle Harper.
"Shh, sweetie. Remember, soft voices," Payson whispered, mimicking the volume she wanted Harper to use.
"Soft voices," Harper whispered back.
Payson sat back and watched Sasha help Harper pick out her dinner, a sense of calm happiness spreading through her. Sasha was such a wonderful father to Harper, even though he didn't have to be, and he worked so hard to take care of them, to make them happy. He put up with a lot from her, too. She couldn't wait to spend the rest of her life with him, maybe even have another baby. A boy that looked just like Sasha would be the perfect addition to their family. She reached out and laid her hand across the back of his neck, scratching lightly. He looked up at her and smiled before leaning in for a kiss while Harper hid behind the menu.
"I love you so much," Payson whispered against his lips.
"I love you."
Their food came and they decided it was time to explain to Harper what was going to happen. Chances are she wouldn't really have noticed a change anyway, because Sasha practically lived with them already, but they wanted to tell her, to make it formal.
"Harper, you know how sometimes Daddy Sasha has to go to his house? How sometimes he has to leave before you go to bed and isn't there when you wake up?" Payson asked. Harper nodded.
"Yes, but it's only sometimes." Payson can almost hear her adding that Jeffrey was gone a whole lot more. So far, Harper hadn't seemed too affected by Jeffrey's disappearance from her life, but Payson wasn't sure she would stay unaffected. For now, though, Harper seemed perfectly happy to act as though Sasha was the only father she'd ever known.
"That's right, it's only sometimes. Daddy Sasha and I had an idea though, what if he left his house and came to live with us forever?" Payson asked, trying to put the situation into language a toddler would understand. Harper's face brightened.
"Yes, yes!" Harper shrieked, clapping. Sasha reached for Payson's hand and she smiled at him.
"It's settled then. Daddy Sasha will live with us."
"Happily ever after!" Harper said with finality. Payson and Sasha shared a look, one that said no matter their obstacles or disagreements, they would indeed live happily ever after.
#
"Ladies, gather round!" Payson smiled as she listened to Sasha giving his morning instructions to the Rock athletes. Though his voice had dropped and she could no longer hear him, she knew that he was telling the girls that the pressure was only going to build now that it was just Olympics Trials and the Games themselves left in the cycle. She clearly remembered hearing the same speech herself, almost eight years ago. Had it really been eight years?
Payson was ready to get lost in her memories, lulled by the rhythmic pounding of feet on the mats and Sasha's voice instructing, ready to neglect her paperwork in favor of nostalgia, but she was interrupted by another voice from her past. One she didn't necessarily want to hear ever again.
"Hi Payson!" Summer Van Horne…Tanner now, Payson had to remind herself, sailed into the office like she still worked there.
"Summer. What can I do for you?" Payson asked, shuffling papers like she had been busy working. Summer sat down in the chair opposite Payson, tucking her hair behind her ears.
"Steve and I just wanted to invite you and Sasha and your little girl to dinner this weekend. Lauren will be home and I know she'd just love to see you." Payson fought the urge to grimace. She and Lauren hadn't spoken since their post-Olympic press tour ended and she very much doubted that Lauren had requested the dinner.
"I don't know, Summer, we're very busy," Payson said, trying to sound apologetic and failing. Summer brightened.
"Oh, but we purposefully waited until after Worlds, so that there would be a bit of a lull in your schedule. Steve wanted to have you over weeks ago to celebrate your win, but I knew that at least Sasha would be too stressed." Payson bristled. Summer talked about Sasha too knowingly, like they'd shared a long and committed relationship, rather than a brief and tumultuous one that Sasha regretted with every fiber of his being.
"I'll have to talk to Sasha," Payson finally conceded. She might dislike Summer, and Lauren…and Steve, actually, but Steve had helped her through the entire situation with Jeffrey and she felt like she owed it to him to be nice. One dinner wouldn't kill her. Or Sasha.
"Great! Just come by the house at, say, six thirty? On Friday?" Summer pressed. Payson sighed and nodded, rubbing her forehead.
"I'll talk to Sasha about it, Summer, and I'll let you know."
Payson watched Summer leave and then headed for the floor, abandoning all hope of catching up on her paperwork. Looking around for Sasha or Annabelle, she found them together, standing practically nose to nose, glaring at each other.
"Hey guys," Payson said carefully. Sasha glanced at her, his jaw twitching. "What's going on?"
"Tell Sasha I need to keep training my triple! I can't take a break from it right now, if I do I might lose it!" Annabelle cried. Payson shook her head gently, taking Annabelle by the shoulders.
"Belle, you won't lose it. Sasha's right, you need to focus on some other skills too and your body needs a break from the triple. I promise you won't lose it." Annabelle deflated, looking back and forth between Payson and Sasha.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Sasha grunted.
"Get back to work," Payson said softly. They watched Annabelle trudge off towards the beam before Payson turned to Sasha, taking a moment to enjoy the slight shadow of stubble dusting his jaw. She reached up and traced her fingers of his cheek.
"Hey," she said, continuing with the soft tone. He smiled, pressing his cheek against her hand.
"She's been a handful since Samantha's accident," Sasha observed. "Did you know she's been staying in her house alone?"
"What?" Payson cried, her voice rising in shock. Annabelle hadn't said anything to her about her about staying home alone. Payson knew her parents were still in London with Samantha, who hadn't been given clearance to fly yet, but she figured that Annabelle was staying with a family member, or a neighbor or something. Certainly not alone.
"I just found out today; she mentioned it to one of the girls. I don't think she realized I was standing close enough to hear."
"We can't just let her stay alone, Sasha. She's only sixteen," Payson whispered. Sasha nodded.
"What is there to do?" Sasha asked, sounding lost.
"She's going to come stay with us. Harper will love it," Payson said. Sasha frowned.
"Don't you think people will find that inappropriate?" Sasha asked. Payson shook her head.
"If she were only staying with you, yes, but she'll be staying with our family." Sasha stared at her a moment, something she couldn't quite name in his eyes. Then, so quickly she almost missed it, he leaned in and kissed her.
"Annabelle!"
#
"Tell me again why I agreed to this?" Sasha asked as he and Payson approached the Tanner house. They'd opted to leave Harper at their house, watched over by their new houseguest Annabelle, in case the night imploded which it likely would.
"Because Steve helped me out with Jeffrey," Payson reminded him. The heavy front door swung open and then Lauren Tanner was flinging herself into Sasha's arms.
"Sasha! I missed you so much!" Lauren gasped, hugging him tightly. Payson had to resist the urge to growl. Then Lauren turned on Payson. "Oh, Payson!"
Payson cringed as Lauren threw her arms around her neck and squeezed.
"Lauren, hi," Payson gasped, trying to extricate herself from Lauren's arms.
"I can't believe you two are together now. When Daddy told me, I almost died," Lauren sighed dramatically. Payson marveled at how little the Bitch of the Beam had changed in the last eight years. She still acted like she was sixteen with unlimited access to her father's credit cards.
"Payson, Sasha, we're so happy you could make it," Summer said, coming from the kitchen. Apparently she had given the cook the night off and attempted to make the meal herself. It smelled like…Romanian stuffed peppers. Payson nearly growled in jealousy until she felt Sasha squeeze her hand. She looked up at him and he quickly winked, telling her that he found it as ridiculous and sad as she did.
"Thank you for having us," Sasha said as he shook hands with Steve.
"Shall we start with a drink? Sasha, I know you're a Scotch man. Payson, what'll you have?" Steve asked.
"Just a white wine is fine, thank you Steve." Payson never thought she would see the day when Steve was the Tanner that least annoyed her.
"So, Lauren," Sasha started. "What have you been up to?"
"Oh you know, just jet setting all over the place for shows and stuff. I'm back here to design a new line of, wait for it, leos!" Lauren shrieked as she said it, like it was the most exciting news any of them had ever heard. After the Olympics, Lauren had found some success as a fashion designer; right off the bat magazines had dubbed her fashion's fastest rising star.
"Leos? For who?" Sasha asked. Lauren rolled her eyes.
"For the Olympic Team!"
"Uh, Lo, we usually get our leos from GK," Payson said quickly. Lauren waved her off.
"Please. This time around, you're getting them from me and they are going to be just fab!"
"Can't wait," Payson muttered.
"God, I can't believe I was right about you two," Lauren said, gesturing between Sasha and Payson. They both frowned.
"I'm sorry?" Sasha asked.
"I've always said you two were closer than just a coach and his athlete. And look! I was right!"
"Well, Lo, you know Sasha and I hadn't seen each other in years before I moved back to Boulder. It's not like we were hooking up when I was sixteen," Payson clarified. Lauren snorted and waved her off again. Payson was about to break her hand.
"Payson, how is Harper taking the Jeffrey situation?" Steve broke in. Summer moved them into the dining room where they sat down around a table full of food.
"I'm sorry, can we say grace first? And then you two can pick this up?" Summer asked pleasantly.
"Of course, honey," Steve said. He, Summer, and Lauren linked hands, and waited for Payson and Sasha to do the same, which they did reluctantly.
Summer's prayer was short, and soon enough Payson and Sasha were released to talk about other things.
"Harper is doing well," Payson told Steve while Sasha dished her a plate. "I'm not entirely sure she knows that this is a forever kind of thing, but with Sasha around she doesn't seem to care. She never asks about him."
"Good, I'm glad she's adjusting," Steve said sincerely.
"She is. And with Sasha moving in, it will be like Jeffrey never existed," Payson said lightly, teasing. She heard Summer choke on her wine and Lauren reach over to pound her on the back.
"Move in?" Summer asked through great, gulping breaths. Payson and Sasha shared a glance.
"Yes. Sasha is moving in with us, as soon as he can get out of the lease on his apartment."
"That's awesome!" Lauren cried. Summer cast her a disapproving glare before turning it back on Payson and Sasha.
"Don't you think that's a little irresponsible? To teach your daughter that it's okay to live with someone out of wedlock?" Payson and Sasha both bristled.
"I hardly think Harper understands what that means right now," she said, choosing to ignore that fact that Summer was basically calling her an irresponsible parent. Summer's frown deepened.
"Someday she will. And she'll put it together that the two of you were undoubtedly sleeping together, and is that really the kind of example you want to set? Not to mention that it's following very quickly on the heels of your divorce, Payson. What will that do to her view of the sanctity of marriage?"
"Summer!" Steve admonished.
"No, Steve, it's okay," Payson started, fighting to keep her temper under control. "What Harper will know is that Sasha and I love each other very much and that we are committed to each other. She will learn what a healthy relationship is. And I would much rather her have Sasha and I, unwed though we may be, as an example than her cheating, drug addict father!"
"Payson," Sasha said softly, his hand settling over her knee. Payson deflated a little.
"I'm sorry, certainly Jeffrey isn't the best example of a parent and maybe you were right to remove him from Harper's life…"
"Maybe she was right?" Sasha interrupts. Summer looks at him with wide eyes, like an animal backed into a corner.
"Well yes, I'm still not convinced it was the best option…"
"Well then it's a good thing your opinion on the subject was neither asked for nor appreciated. "
"I…"
"She's sorry," Steve jumped in, silencing Summer with a pointed look. "So, how's the team looking? I only caught a bit of Worlds, but I heard about Samantha."
Conversation turned to the much safer topic of gymnastics, with Lauren interjecting her opinion about every third word. Summer mostly sulked. The evening passed by at an excruciating pace. Finally, they had cleared their plates, enjoyed desert and coffee, and begged off with the excuse that Annabelle was a houseguest, not a live in nanny and that she deserved a break.
As they made their way to the car, Sasha put his arm around Payson's shoulders, pulling her in close.
"You're a wonderful mother," he promised. Payson bit her lip. Despite disagreeing with Summer, Payson couldn't help but let a little doubt seep into her mind at the argument Summer had presented.
"Sometimes I'm not so sure," she whispered. Sasha stopped moving and turned her around to face him.
"You are." Payson sighed.
"It's like…like going on a cross country road trip without a map; I have no idea how to get where I'm going. Kids should come with an owner's manual," Payson huffed. Sasha laughed deeply, the sound warm and rich, and pulled her in for a hug.
"Your mother is a wonderful mother, Payson, she gave you all the tools you need. And trust me, you're the best mother a child could have." Payson was silent for a moment and then smiled up at him.
"And you're the best father a child could have."
"Well then I'd say that Harper is a pretty lucky little girl."
A/N: THANK YOU to Egyptian Kiss, flowerchild3286, crayon115, JCI, Hope Flies, goalie19, explamation points forever, Kiwiflea, BearyFunny66, and SunStar123 for your reviews!
I know this chapter had less major drama than the one before, but hopefully it didn't feel too much like filler. For some reason, this one came a whole lot more easily than some of the more recent chapters. Also, I feel as though I sort of verged on Summer bashing, and that wasn't really my intent, so if you're a Summer fan and you feel that I was mean; I'm sorry. But I do feel that the way she reacted is pretty close to how she would really react on the show.
Anyway, only a few more days until the move! Saturday is the big day! Woohoo!
As always, let me know what you thought of the chapter. I so love to hear what you all have to say, even if its criticism (constructive, of course)!