Well here's another chapter for you all. I don't own the ducks or anything just ER and her brothers and anyone else not from a movie.
Chapter 6: Understanding the offer.
Everyone looked at me but I was pretending to be asleep so Charlie answered "Yeah I guess."
"You're Dean Portman right? Number 21, enforcer, and bash brother for Team U.S.A. and now Eden Hall." Matt asked.
"Yeah, you saw the junior goodwill games?"
"Yeah I did. Even went to the last one against Iceland. Could you...?" Matt said.
Portman tried to pull away but I had a very tight grip on his shirt. "I don't think she wants me to."
"Just as I thought she ain't asleep she just doesn't want to talk or she's being a pain in the butt again." Matt said seeing right through my plan.
"How did you know?" Fulton asked.
"Because of her grip. Have you ever seen someone whose grip is that strong when they're sleeping? And we all know for a fact that she it takes longer than five minutes for her to fall asleep." Chris said.
"Now I remember." Fulton answered.
"Look, Becca, I really wanted to tell you. Every day that went by with you thinking I was dead tore me to pieces inside. I was devastated when mom told me not to try to contact you, Ben, or Seth, but more so you. You were my heart and soul, the only reason I went pro is because I knew that's what you wanted. You're my baby sister I loved you so much and I still do. Come on Becca, please talk to me." Matt pleaded.
"Baby please just talk to him I know you still love him and miss him more the rest of us. Baby, Please." Ben tried.
"Lizzy you know that Matt only did what your mom asked him to you know you got to talk to him soon you can't ignore him forever and he's trying to apologize to you for what happened." Fulton added.
"I can sure as hell try." I mumbled.
"Yeah but since when has that ever worked. I've known you for two weeks and you can't even stay mad at Charlie." Portman added.
"Becca, please all I'm asking is you roll over, look at me, and tell me what you want. If you want till after Christmas to think this over, I'll stay away until you come to a decision, as much as it'll hurt I'll do it. If you want me to sit here and talk to you, I'll do just that, I could talk to you all night. And if you want to kick me out of your dorm and never talk to me again, I'll leave you alone. Becca this is up to you. I may hate your decision but I'll respect it and know that I'll always love you and nothing Al-mom will ever do to me or I say to you, or you say to me will ever change that. But please roll over and look at me and tell me what you want." Matt said again.
"I don't want to." I said softly just to Portman.
"Becca you're gonna force me to use it aren't you..." When I didn't answer he did. "Mr. Magoo roll that pretty ass of yours over and talk to me." Matt demanded.
"You know how much I hate you right now?" I asked as my face turned six different shades of red. When I rolled over I noticed that he was sitting on the opposite bed
"At least that got you to talk to me." Matt said smiling.
"Just 'cause I looked like him when I was born, I get stuck with that dumb nickname." I said.
"How come he gets to call you that and every time we try you jump down our throats about it?" Chris asked.
"Because monkey face, he's the only one who can pound me without assistance from anyone else." I said smirking.
"So can you tell me what you want?" Matt asked nervously.
"I don't know what I want; all I know is that I don't want you to leave me ever again."
"Alright how 'bout this. I hate being alone in that huge old house in Stillwater so why don't you invite your friends to come stay for the last half of Christmas break which I hear is in a few days?" Matt offered.
"All of them?"
"Yes all of them."
"You really mean that?"
"Yeah I do."
I jumped out of Portman's arms and right into Matt's. "I love you, I love you, I love you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."
"Becca calm down and breathe you'll die from lack of oxygen before break if you keep this up. Now remind me why you didn't play football with a killer tackle like that?"
"Because of you." I answered calming down a bit.
"Oh right," Matt said. "Why don't you join us for dinner?"
"Us? You?"
"Us meaning Chris, Ben and I, you meaning just you."
"Why not Charlie too?"
"I don't really need to be there." Charlie said trying to stay out of it.
"I thought you'd want to be with family tonight before you spend a lot of time with your old team." Matt argued.
"Charlie is family." I argued back not wanting to be alone with my three brothers tonight in case they decided to bring up the reason I went to Eden Hall.
"Come on Fire-arm." Chris said.
"I ain't going anywhere without my cousin tonight." I said standing up and crossing my arms stubbornly across my chest looking at Ben hoping beyond hope he would take my side for once. A look of understanding crossed his face and he turned on Chris.
"Lizzy please just the four of us tonight." Chris tried again.
"Christian, Matthew," Ben said dragging out their names like he did only when he's trying to reason with them, "you guys aren't gonna win this one. She's got a stubborn streak as big as dad's. There's no talking her out of what she wants now. Like she said Charlie is family and you did say it was about family tonight." Ben said.
They looked at each other then at Ben. Giving him a curious look they contemplated it. Ben never took my side. It was always him and Chris vs Matt and Seth vs me. Sometimes Charlie would help me if he was there but usually I was alone.
"Holy shit, something's wrong with Connie." I said putting a hand on my belly.
"What?" Charlie asked panicking.
"I don't know all I know is she's in trouble." Then we heard a scream. All eight of us ran down the hall. I couldn't see Connie because there were six really muscular guys blocking my view. Her scream seemed to get the attention of the entire floor. "What the hell is going on here?" I demanded.
Three of the guys turned around and faced me parting the crowed a bit. "Mike, Max, Bash? What the hell?" I said questioning three of our player Mike Marshall our catcher, Max Straight our right fielder and Bastian Johnson our third baseman.
They moved even more and I saw something that pissed me off. "Brick what the hell are you doing?"
"We tried to stop him but he didn't listen." Bash put in.
"I'm waiting." I said crossing my arms and tapping my foot.
"You might want to turn around." Connie mentioned to the other three. When Brick finally did his eyes got huge.
"ER I was just...just..."
"Just hitting on me." Connie said looking around Brick.
"I thought I told you not to hit on my friends." I said dropping my arms. "Any girl in this school would kill to go out with you White. The minute I told you not to mess with the girls on the JV hockey team, you go right for them. These guys have been my friends for the past 6 years."
"I um...um...I" He stuttered. At that moment my hands became fists and I tensed up. I felt eight hands grab me. Fulton and Dwayne had a hand on my shoulders, Chris and Ben had a hold of my left arm, Charlie and Matt had their hand on my right arm and Portman had both hands around my waist. Matt being the strongest had a very tight grip on my right wrist.
"Brick just get out of here. If I ever see you on this floor or anywhere near Connie or Julie I will beat the tar out of you." I yelled struggling against the seven of them. Brick and his friends left and as they did, Tex left me and went to Connie.
"Are you ok?" Tex asked.
"Yeah thanks ER. You guys can let her go now she won't go after them." Connie said coming towards me.
They all let go and Portman just loosened his grip. I turned around and faced the team. "Alright gather round I'll introduce you to my brothers." I said as I saw all them looking at my brothers inquisitively. The formed sort of a half circle around us.
"Guys this is the Powerhouse the most awesome pitcher/catcher team to play college ball. I never thought I'd see them in person. They say their awesome because they're like psychic or something." Russ said looking astonished.
"I see someone likes to keep up with rising baseball stars." I said smiling, "Yes guys this is the Jacobs Powerhouse. Christian and Ben Jacobs my two older brothers. Chris is 23 and Ben is 19 both on University of Tennessee's baseball team. Chris, Ben I would like you to meet the rest of the Ducks. Connie, Averman, Goldberg, Guy, Banks, and Jesse are the one's you should remember and the rest are Luis Mendoza, Julie 'The Cat' Gaffney, Russ Tyler, Ken Wu, and the rest have already been introduced."
"Nice to meet you all." Ben and Chris said.
"And I know this is gonna sound strange but this is my 26 year old brother Matt."
"Matt Jacobs? You look a lot like um...oh yeah Matt Johnson, center for the Detroit Redwings." Adam said.
"Favorite team there Cake-eater?" I asked.
"Yeah kinda." He answered.
"That's ok that was my favorite team growing up too." Matt said.
"The reason they look alike is because it's the same person. Short version Matt was drafted for the Redwings and not the North Stars now Dallas Stars, mom got mad and basically disowned him by telling me and Ben that he was dead. Matt this is well every one."
"What's it like to go pro?" Adam asked.
"It's painful and more strenuous then high school or college but it's a lot of fun if you love the game." Matt answered.
"Hey ER if your mom told you he was dead, how did you not know about him with all the press conferences, games, interviews and the like?" Julie asked.
"Well I think that was partially why he changed his last name and she forbid us from watching ESPN and sports channels and kept most of the hockey talk and magazines out of the house so we never knew much."
"Becca we got to go soon if we're gonna make the reservations. You and Charlie have fifteen minutes to change and meet us out by Ben's blue pickup."
"Ok," I said watching them leave. "Guys look I don't know much about what Matt's been up to for the past five years. I just found out he was alive about 1 ½ hours ago so don't ask me anything. Oh and by the way if ya'll ain't doing anything the last half of the break Matt's got a big empty house in Stillwater that he said the out-of-state Ducks could stay in to be closer to the instate ducks if ya'll wanted. The rest can come visit anytime during break I'll be there."
"You're not going home?" Charlie asked.
"You know after five years I finally think I'm going home."
"You still think of Stillwater like that chica?" Luis asked.
"Yeah, yeah I do, but now Charlie and I must go change. Anyone who wants to come stay call your parents and get back to me." I said heading back to my room.
They all dispersed and Charlie called, "Hey Skater-aide what am I supposed to wear?"
I walked into his room and pulled out a blue button down shirt and a pair of black jeans that weren't ripped. "Wear that and yes Charlie I'm sure." I said before walking out the door.
Thankfully during dinner they stayed away from the topic of Seth and did a really good job of keeping me happy.
When we got back I called my parents. My mom picked up first. "Hello?" She asked.
"Hi mom can I talk to both you and dad?"
"Sure just a second." She said then I heard a muffled yell. "Robert your daughter's on the phone."
"Hey baby." My dad said picking up his extension.
"Hey daddy, I've got something to tell you I don't think ya'll are gonna take well. Maybe the two of you should sit down." I suggested carefully.
"Ok what is it baby?" My dad asked.
"Yeah what's going on?" My mom said.
"I'm going home for Christmas and there's nothing you can do to change my mind."
I heard my dad swallow hard I guess he knew exactly what I meant. "So when will you be here?" Mom asked.
"No mom, I'm 'going' home." I said emphasizing going.
"So..."
"No, Alicia she's not coming here. Which means you ran into Chris."
"Actually he and Ben came to see me." I said.
"And..." Dad prompted.
"And he brought me and Ben a surprise. Said he was tired of hiding it from me and we both had a right to know. Can either of you guess what it was?"
"No idea." My mom said.
"Mom I'm 16 not 11 you can't fool me anymore."
"Matt." Dad whispered.
"Yup and he said you guys gave him the house in Stillwater so he invited the out-of-state Ducks and me to spend the last half of the holidays. Well the ducks the last half and me the entire break." I said.
"He did what!" Mom yelled.
"It's his house." I said.
"It is not." She yelled again.
"Alicia it is too. We signed it over to him 5 years ago when I got offered the job in Texas legally making it his house. If he wants her and her friends to stay I say more power to him." Dad argued.
"How could you say that Bob?"
"I told you your plan would come back and bite you in the butt and you agreed that we would have to tell her the truth when she turned 18 but you also managed to forget that he loves her more than anything in this world. So it looks like your smart plan bit you in the butt 2 years earlier than you planed on."
"Fine side with your kids you always have and you probably always will." Mom spat back.
"Mom, Dad?" I questioned.
"Sorry kiddo we never meant to drag you into this." He said as Mom slammed her end of the line down. "Are you alone in your room?"
"Yeah, look Ben and Chris said they stopped by there but that it was a big mistake because Mom's still fuming over what happened with Seth. And at dinner they told me and Charlie that they were gonna stay in Minnesota for Christmas and New Years also. So it looks like it is only gonna be you, mom, and Seth for the holidays in Ohio."
"I want you to know what Chris told me last time he called. He told me that him and Matt have been talking ever since he started college and that Matt was always complaining because he could never talk to you. He also said that Matt wanted to know if Chris and I thought it was a good idea to come talk to you. Matt knew it wasn't a good idea to do it with your mom around, so Chris came up with the perfect idea when Charlie called him the day you showed up at Eden Hall right before he went to bed. Chris called me the next day and I agreed. Baby there was no way I could talk your mom out of this plan of her's. Chris said since Ben was 19, he had a right to know but since you were only 16 you couldn't make your own choice about it since we still had some control over your life. Chris called Matt and told him to meet him and Ben at your school, and you know the rest. When your mom saw the two of them pull up to the house here she told them what Seth did to you and talked to Ben while Chris and I finalized the plan in the other room. I was a bit hesitant about how you would take it at first but he told me you would be fine with Fulton and Charlie around."
"I was a bit upset at first until they calmed down and didn't kill my boyfriend on sight. Christian threatened him but Matt said nothing about it."
"You have a boyfriend already?"
"Do you remember the Junior Goodwill games?"
"Yeah just the two games against Iceland."
"Number 21 Dean Portman, one of the Bash Brothers, and enforcer. And I just found out he's my friend Goose from online."
"Oh ok as long as he won't let you get hurt or hurt you."
"Daddy, why is Mom so upset with Matt?"
"I don't know baby she's not that upset just disappointed."
"Oh ok. Hey Charlie come on in I'll be done in a sec. I love you Daddy and happy holidays."
"You too baby take care of yourself and tell your brothers I love them."
"Tell Seth I said hi and happy holidays to him, bye."
"Will do, bye my baby."
I hung up and looked at Charlie.
Well that's it for now. Tune in next time.