Page 40 of Wait for the Dream

“Dallas the favorite, my ass. Listen, that man may be one of my best friends, but I will be Little Bear’s favorite uncle. I will fight both of them.” Maddox is talking with his hands and getting fired up.

I just shake my head at him for a moment before saying, “I’m sure you will be Maddy. Don’t worry.” My voice is placating, like I’m talking to a child.

“How are things with Bailey?” Pop asks me, changing the subject.

“They’re great. Since the kiss that everyone walked in on we have been better than ever. Being able to call that girl my girlfriend has been amazing. We act like we’ve always acted, but completely different at the same time. Nothing and everything is different. There hasn’t been any weirdness with the shift in our physical relationship which is a bonus. She’s still my best friend, but now I can touch and kiss her whenever I want.”

“I don’t need to hear about your sex life with one of my little girls.” Pop growls at me. “But I’m happy for you, Son. I told you over Christmas that you should talk to her, and it took you longer than I thought it would, but I’m so happy you guys figured it out.”

“They’re fucking cute, Pop. Like they’ve always been sickeningly adorable with each other, but since they finally admitted their feelings for each other it’s so much sweeter. I kinda want to vomit when they’re together. I’ve never seen either of them so happy.” Maddox is the biggest hopeless romantic, he plays like he hates it, but sometimes he’s the first to sit down when the girls are having a night of chick flicks. Whoever he ends up with will be really lucky. He will treat them like royalty.

“I am happy. This is all I’ve ever wanted,” I tell them.

“I already know the answer to this question, but I have to ask, are you sure you’re up to raising Rowan as your own?” Pop turning the conversation serious.

“I’ve never been more sure about something in my life. Bailey is the love of my life, and that little girl is part of her, there was never a doubt in my mind.” There isn’t a hint of doubt in my tone. “Honestly biology doesn’t make a family. Bailey isn’t biologically your kid, but you don’t treat her any different than you treat any of us, and Maggy, Charly and you” I point at Maddox, “love Bailey more than y’all love me, so I don’t see how Little Bear would be any different for me.”

“I have never been more proud of you, Aiden. You have grown up to be an incredible young man. Momma and I have loved Rowan since the moment we found out about her, well before you and Bailey figured your shit out. She is our grandchild as much as any of you hellion’s kids would be.” Pop gets up off the couch, sets his coffee mug down, walks over to me and hugs me.

“Thanks Pop,” I’m fighting back tears. Knowing my dad is proud of the man that I am is amazing. “I wanna plan a surprise for Bailey, think you guys can help me?” After both Pop and Maddox agree to help and keep it a secret from all the women in our lives, we get to work on putting the plan in place.

Bailey has been a bit withdrawn the last few days. She keeps telling me she is fine, but I think we all know by now that when a woman says that she is fine, it means she is anything but. I think that between the pregnancy hormones, feeling more and more uncomfortable as the weeks go on, and the lack of sleep that seemed to come with the third trimester, she has a lot on her plate. On top of all of that, her blood pressure has been higher than normal for the last week, which has her doctor concerned. I want to help her, and most of the time I know exactly what she needs, but right now I feel a little lost. The girls took Blue shopping again today to get more baby stuff this afternoon. When they went shopping a few weeks ago they got all the big furniture picked out for the nursery in Alpine, but they still need to pick out the small things like the mattress, bedding, car seats, bottles, things like that.

While the girls went shopping for baby things, the boys are helping me get the final piece of the surprise I have been planning for Bailey. With it in hand, Pop, Maddox, Dallas and I sit down to lunch at our favorite Italian place in Denver. Bash was supposed to come up this weekend to help, but Luca got sick, so they decided to stay home. I was a little bummed, but we will see them in two weeks for the baby shower.

We’ve just gotten our drinks and ordered our meals when the door to the restaurant opens and Bailey’s parents walk in. I stiffen in my seat, and look at Pop and Maddox, who are sitting in the booth across from me, their backs to the door. I knew this day was coming, but I kind of hoped that the moment I saw them again would be further removed from all the drama they have caused. I’ve heard Denver described as the biggest small town, and while I didn’t really understand before I moved to Alpine, I think I do now. Everyone seems to know everyone in Denver, and there are certain places that everyone hangs out at. I guess this Italian spot is one of those places. Fuck my life.

“Don’t look now, but the Michaels just walked in.” I say quietly. If we are lucky, they won’t see us. Although, even if they do, I don’t see a real reason for them to approach us.

Pop must see the murderous expressions on Maddox and I’s faces and says, “Don’t do anything that will wind you in jail, boys. I hate them as much as you do, but I really don’t feel like bailing you out tonight.” Pop tries to add humor in his voice, but he’s just as upset about seeing them as we are, so it falls flat.

I sense the moment that they realize we are here. I can feel their eyes on me as I try not to look their way. I do not want to interact with these people. My momma always told me if I don’t have something nice to say, I shouldn’t say it at all, and while, I’m not sure she has ever taken that advice a day in her life, I try to abide by it, and I have nothing nice to say to these people.

“Fuck. Me. They’re coming over here.” This is coming from Dallas. He knows their faces from the one time he met them at the closing of their house. He’s heard plenty about them, and to paraphrase Olaf, “All bad things, all bad things.” Yes, I’ve seen Frozen, I have two little sisters, and my best friend is a girl. Sue me. “It was such a good day.”

“Maybe we should sick Chloe on them.” Maddox says quietly as they approach the end of our table.

“Hello Matthew.” Ellis says, “I was hoping to run into you soon. Do you have a minute to talk…in private?”

“Ellis, Danika. I’m not sure what you want to discuss, but whatever you have to say you can say in front of them.” Fuck I love my Pop.

“I do not think that would be appropriate.” Danika says. She looks pointedly at me, like I’m the problem here. She sounds like a stuck up housewife, which is what she is, but has she never heard of a contraction.

“And why is that?” My tone is laced with sarcasm, the smile on my face is anything but warm and inviting.

“You are the one that got my daughter into the mess she is in right now. I mean, seriously, a baby at their age? You cannot think this is a good idea, Matthew.” Ellis’s face is a mask of fake concern, and I would very much like to punch it right off his face.

“I have done nothing but take care of your daughter her entire life. I have been there for every laugh, every tear, every heart break, every celebration. And where were you? I honestly couldn’t tell you. You just weren’t there. We may be young, but Bailey is my entire world, and I will do everything I can to take care of her.” I am trying to keep my voice down so we don’t get kicked out of one of my favorite restaurants.

“Matthew, I just want what’s best for my daughter. She’s always trusted you. Talk some sense into her for us, please?” Danika has fake as fuck tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. “You’re a parent, you understand don’t you?”

Pop takes a slow, deep breath, and I know that whatever is about to come out of his mouth is going to make my entire year. “I will never understand the way you guys have ‘parented’ your child,” He uses air quotes around ‘parented,’ “if that’s what you want to call the utter lack of care you’ve shown her.” Danika gasps audibly, but Pop continues, “I have always held my tongue when it comes to you for Bailey’s sake, but since you no longer have a daughter, at least that’s what you told her when she called you about the baby, I don’t have to anymore. You two are the worst parents in the history of parenting. If it weren’t for my son and my family, who knows what would have come of that girl.” I can hear the love he has for Blue in his voice, “Until my family moved in next door, that girl wasn’t shown an ounce of love, and even to this day she has a hard time believing that someone could love her for no other reason than she is an amazing human being. She was a child! And you told her she was a mistake. She was a child! And you treated her like a doll, not a daughter. SHE. WAS. A CHILD. And she cried herself to sleep on multiple occasions because she didn’t understand why her mom and dad didn’t love her. So no, we cannot speak in private. No, my son is not a bad influence, and no, I am not going to talk some sense into Bailey. I’m pretty sure it was you that said you never wanted to hear from her again, so I would suggest you take that advice for yourself, and not contact her or anyone in my family ever again. And in case it wasn’t perfectly clear, Bailey is part of my family. I will always protect her with every bit of the power that I hold.”

“Well, I never.” This, unsurprisingly comes from Danika. I’m pretty sure if she had them on, she would be clutching her pearls.

“You Bakers turned my daughter against me.” Ellis says.

“You did that all on your own the day you told her that you never wanted to hear from her again if she didn’t abort her baby. The baby is perfectly healthy, by the way,” I say, “Not that you deserve an ounce of information about Bailey or her child.”