Double Fated (Book One)

by C.K. Mullinax

  Chapter Nineteen

  Freddie had been doused, alongside the coaches. He found me and Jarron wrestling with a light stand.

  “That was the best game I’ve ever sat through! I’m seriously considering this university. Oh, it was fun shooting the breeze with you last night…” he revealed as he assisted us with the clean-up.

  “Yeah, I enjoyed it too. What time is your flight home?” I questioned.

  “Coach N. called my mom and she agreed to let me stay until Saturday. He wants me to practice with Stick, tomorrow afternoon! That guy’s a real jerk, but he sure can catch a football…” Freddie stated and continued excitedly telling us about what Friday’s practice would bring.

  Jarron started laughing when Freddie called Lyle a jerk. He mischievously winked at me. My spotter lays things on the line. He and Stick don’t get along and they never have. I always assumed it was because Jarron didn’t seem overly impressed with his football conquest stories. But, the rumor-mill contends that Lyle believes I’m secretly in love with my spotter.

  I do love Jarron…just like a brother. And, his girlfriend, Karin moonlights for extra cash as a model. She’s also sweet, intelligent and easy-going. If I were secretly in love with Jarron, I would have been disappointed because his heart belongs to Karin. It’s been that way since the first day I met him.

  Unfortunately, I never discovered a way to broach the subject with Lyle while we were dating. I certainly didn’t want him to believe I was carrying a torch for another guy when we were going out. Now that we’re no longer seeing each other, I will likely never discover the truth and have to live with the mystery. It’s a small price to pay to be relationship-worry-free.

  I was reading Zack’s list while he was talking. And, I happened to notice Paris’ name under Stick’s VIP guest. Sure enough, his new fling was sitting with the senator and appeared to be wearing one of Lyle’s jerseys.

  Unsure of my feelings, Zack had intentionally left out the ‘Paris is here with Lyle’ detail. I found myself giggling over his subject avoidance.

  Zack’s evasion reminded me that I still need to corner the coaches and ask them for relationship advice. Living in my own world, I was considering the time and place to make them squirm. I wasn’t looking around and I certainly wasn’t expecting a touch. I felt the hand on my shoulder and I yelped in fright.

  “Sorry, doll-babe…that stunt you pulled off…” a soaked Lyle offered, but I interrupted him with a gesture.

  “Let me catch my breath…and my heart,” I said, panting and clutching my chest.

  What I meant was…you just startled the life out of me and now, my heart is racing. I need to catch my breath before we talk.

  What Lyle heard was…my heart is fluttering from passion because you are THE football hero and I love you. Let me steady my swooning-self before we speak.

  Jarron and Freddie had both stopped what they were doing to watch us.

  The senator and Paris were working on getting through security to make it to the field. Stalling as long as I possibly could, I realized they were having trouble because of the celebrating fans. Resigning myself to face Lyle, I took a few more deep breaths before I stood back up.

  I was prepared to congratulate him on his victory and/or listen to him take credit for my evening’s accomplishments. But, I wasn’t prepared for what actually happened. I didn’t get a chance to speak a single word.

  Stick picked me up like a toddler, crushed me against his body and kissed me. Stunned and amazed, I froze with my lips locked to his and my arms spread wide. I made a strange squeaking noise as he forced his tongue into my mouth.

  Jarron realized I was shocked into immobility from being French kissed, unexpectedly. So, he pulled me away from Lyle.

  “Hey Spot, whatcha do that for?” Stick asked Jarron, clearly irritated by his disruption.

  Paris had walked up on the scene and Lyle did the same thing to her. So, this is how he plans to celebrate every victory…by kissing every female he can get his grubby hands on??

  I didn’t know how to feel or what to say. Paris watched him stick his tongue down my throat, but she didn’t act like he did it.

  The senator was jockeying for votes and missed his son’s newest mono-inspired ritual. He shook Lyle’s hand and congratulated him on leading his team to victory. They both mugged for the cameras – in true, senator-to-son fashion.

  Paris posed in several pictures with them. She seemed oblivious to Lyle’s despicable behavior. I am his ex-girlfriend. He has no right to kiss me without asking.

  Runway chick, Paris Langley might not take issue with him groping, kissing and cuddling up with all the females on my squad. But, I do not share her sentiment.

  Incensed and ready to go off in front of a half-dozen reporters, I tapped Lyle hard on the shoulder to get his attention.

  “Owww, what’s up with the diva-pom-squad tonight??” he inquired, turning to face me.

  Temporarily blinded by flashes, I had to wait until I could see Lyle before I let him have it.

  A few seconds later my vision cleared and suddenly, I lost all interest in Stick.

  Tray, Jaysen and Reid walked up behind him to surprise me.

  Shoving Lyle aside without answering his obnoxious question, I rushed into Reid’s arms. I was elated to see him after almost nine months. My brother picked me up just like Lyle did earlier. Hugging me, he told me how much he missed me. Tears were sliding down my face when Reid kissed me on the nose.

  “You see…Tray and Jaysen, I told you she would pick me…” Reid told them, comically.

  “So, this is all the thanks I get for giving her a convertible…” Tray replied with over-exaggerated commentary.

  “I tried to tell you she wanted my Stingray and not your Pony,” Jaysen added in humorously, making reference to his classic Corvette.

  One of Lyle’s teammates’ and one of his frat brothers’ saw our reunion and misinterpreted what was happening. They came running over to lend their friend a helping hand and put me in my place.

  “So, you’re the punk that’s tryin’ to buy her with a cheap sports car?” Lyle asked Tray, loud enough for his friends to hear.

  “Bro, I told you there’d be some dude behind her image switch…but three of them? Between the LVU stud-giants, Spot and hot-shot jail bait QB, there…she’s producing a personal episode of college girls gone wild. She’s collecting a stable…” Altez commented to Lyle.

  “All I wanna know is which one of you’s droppin’ dime for her bling-bling?” Terrance asked, attempting to sound like a gangster.

  But, he ended up butchering the term and sounding like a moron.

  Jarron and Freddie had been trying to stifle their laughter while listening to Lyle and his friends make fools of themselves. They were waiting to see just how far they would go.

  My big brothers were silently looking at Lyle and his entourage like they had lost something vital. They were thoroughly amused and attempting to hold in the resulting laughter.

  The weirdly misplaced ‘droppin’ dime’ comment, coming from a skinny Asian frat brother impeccably dressed in Hollister and Tommy, was more than my siblings could take. They were busting a gut, laughing. Jarron and Freddie joined in the hilarity because at that point the inside-joke was over.

  I was flabbergasted! They think I changed my image to attract a male stud population to my stable??

  Preparing to ask them to clarify whether I’m the prostitute or the Madame in their imaginary equation, I was going to smack them all regardless. But, before I could make a move or say a single word, my sisters, niece and two youngest nephews arrived on the field. They trumped everyone’s, everything.

  I ran toward them and the kids tackled me. I dramatically fell over and we landed in a heaping pile, giggling. I wanted to hug and kiss every one of them, simultaneously. And, they must have wanted the same thing. I was being smothered, but breathing wasn’t very important to me at that
juncture.

  My sisters figured out that the only way they would get a homecoming was to join us in our pile-up. Willow and Fallon were crying like me as we reunited between the kids.

  Ember was the last one to make it to my embrace. We held each other for dear life and both started sobbing.

  Tray convinced the reporters to erase their footage and leave our location. He would have veiled us from view, if the circumstances had been different.

  Although it was challenging, I managed to make it back to my feet and hold six hands, simultaneously.

  I was more amused than angry when I worked my way back over to Lyle and his buddies.

  “Stick, Altez and Droppin’ Dime…say hello to my big brothers, my sisters, my impressionable six-year-old niece and two of my handsome nephews…” I stated, succinctly.

  Thunderstruck and completely embarrassed, they mumbled a greeting and stared at their feet. Now, they understood why I changed my appearance.

  Except for Haven, my family members are decked out in traditional gypsy attire. My niece is wearing a State cheerleading outfit that matches my own. The only difference is her collar has bling and mine doesn’t.

  I’m not sure what I would have said to Lyle because I got interrupted, again.

  The female members of my squad glimpsed my adorable niece, dressed like a Mini-Me. They squealed and ran over to meet her. I introduced Haven to them and she stole the show, as usual.

  After formally introducing Jarron and Freddie to my brothers, I planned to have a private chat with Lyle. But, once again, something would capture my attention.

  Zander was basically yanking Quinn over to me. Quinn was attempting to fight him off so he could chat up a, way too old for him, co-ed. Frustrated at being late to the welcoming party, Zander forcibly turned Casanova-Quinn’s head so he could see me. The co-ed was quickly forgotten.

  “Aunt Krista, I love you!! And, I miss you so much. Wait, I know how to make us both feel better. How about I stay with you for a couple of nights or weeks?? We can catch up. You’ve still got an extra bunk, right??

  “I think I’ve died and crashed through the Pearly Gates…” Quinn begged, surveying the female co-ed population.

  “This isn’t heaven, Quinny – for you, it’s more like trouble central. I don’t know what you did, but your mom doesn’t look too happy…” I commented and motioned to Willow.

  “Ouch, that look’s a killa’. Better go smooth mommy bear’s fur or she’ll have dad lock me back inside a bubble shield. I just got liberated ten minutes ago.

  “But seriously, while I’m doing that, think about housing this lonely soul my favorite Aunty. Your sisters will never even know I’m there. Love ya’ muchly…” Quinn told me before he went over to appease his frustrated mom.

  “Oh my little Boo-bear, I love you so, so much…I’ve missed you even more…” I said to Zander, all choked up.

  “Same, but double…” he softly replied as we embraced.

  “I can’t believe you all made it to this game!” I exclaimed, excitedly.

  “I don’t know how happy you’ll be after g-mom gets through with you. From what I can gather, your baby elephant isn’t big enough to be your landing gear – whatever that means. Oh, and that rocking aerial cartwheel you performed almost sent her to the ER…” Zander revealed.

  “I’m a dead cheerleader walking, huh?”

  “Ding-ding-ding – winner. Tray, Uncle Jaysen and Uncle Reid were on the field with Poppy Bradwell during the whole game. They were hawking your every exchange behind a veil. I can’t believe they didn’t start in on you, immediately about those dangerous moves you were pulling off. But, it looks like they let you off the hook – that’s amazing!

  “I got a frantic play-by-play because g-mom made me teach her how to instant message Tray during your half-time performance. I don’t know how she talked him out of kidnapping you, mid-flight and delivering you into a cushy, locked ward in Rising Light. But, she was all for shoving you inside that bubble with Quinn, from now on…so fair warning.

  “I think you were safe from g-mom until you did that triple flip; the one where you landed upside down before they threw you back into the air. Your hair was touching the mat. You even terrified me with that stunt. Meemaw Pricilla fainted and Scarlett started bawling because they thought you had been turned into a pancake.

  “I just knew you cracked something critical. Dad leaped over a dessert cart and was ready to make a beeline to the field to “Vaydem fix” the damage. Mom managed to stop him by yelling that you were standing upright on that guy’s shoulders. Dad hunkered down and collected his worthless remains back together…

  “Hey, don’t gimme that look...that’s what he called them.

  “You got some kinda love/hate relationship with your cranium that we need to be made aware of??” Zander inquired.

  “No! It’s just busy and versatile…you know, thinking, tumbling and crafting clever excuses to remain on the outside of cushy other-worldly prison type situations. And, in no way am I off the hook with any of them. Come over here and let me introduce you to my baby elephant and a few other people. Then, I’ll tell you how I temporarily dodged the bullets still heading towards me…” I told him.

  It turns out my entire sealed family had been watching the game from one of the new luxury boxes. Poppy Bradwell, who had been on the field, was now checking on Meemaw Pricilla and Scarlett.

  Lyle’s buddies had vacated, swiftly. But, Stick was still hanging around, holding Paris’ hand and making small talk with Willow and Fallon – the safer of my family options. He couldn’t leave yet because his parents were still talking to the chancellor, nearby. Occasionally, I would catch them scoping out my glamorous family and sizing them up.

  Although I was rushing to finish gathering the cheer squad’s gear, I wasn’t quite fast enough to get a stay of execution. I figured I would have better luck if I went to the box and started making it up to them. But, g-mom, Grandma Edie, my parents, my traditional gypsy grandparents and Scarlett walked on to the field to join me before I could find them.

  I silently apologized to my g-mom, but I knew it would be about as effective as kissing a shattered bone to make it better. She gestured that we would be having a pow-wow as soon as she frees herself from her current discussion. I’m doomed…

  Oddly, my Meemaw Pricilla would wind up saving my bacon.

  “Hello, gorgeous girl…that was a spectacular performance! I admit you frightened the wits out of me when you first started. It scared me so bad that I forgot your Poppy was on this field to protect you. I’m so silly when I get a start. He would never let you get injured. So, there was no real danger.

  “But, that old man was way too close to your body. He put his hands on you and tried to rip your shirt off. That was completely inappropriate.

  “I’ve told your mother that your place is at home and not in this gorger-infested university. Celeste insists that old man’s ill-advised violation of your personal space was a product of miscommunication. That had better be the case! He is lucky your chaperone is capable. Otherwise your Poppy would have addressed the matter – even with those cameras pointed at him. Your fathers’ have promised to handle the situation with that old man. Your Poppy will be happy to take care of it, if your dads’ are tied up…” Meemaw Pricilla stated.

  She followed me around and continued explaining how Coach Sizelend would need some gypsy come-upins’. My Poppy was cautiously watching both his wife and daughter, while simultaneously looking for the LVU head coach. This environment is still overly populated and the area around me was even more so. Stick and Freddie were each in close proximity to where we were cheering. And, with them is where everyone wants to be.

  My g-mom was carrying on a discussion with my parents and listening to my Meemaw’s rant about that inappropriate ‘old man’. My impending lecture was swiftly placed on the back-burner. Meemaw Pricilla had refreshed her memory
and now, both she and Poppy Bradwell are gunning for LVU’s head coach. I knew precisely who would get to him, first.

  Coach Sizelend is in big trouble. A rabid mother bear would be considered tame in comparison when g-mom is fired up. I watched her storm over to my brothers and whisper something. Then, Reid took off across the field to find her soon-to-be victim.

  “I love you, g-mom…please, let him live!” I silently mouthed to her.

  “I love you, too. But, he and I need to have a friendly chat about boundaries and my Bunny Baby…” she succinctly replied.

  Fretting and sweating, I decided to just leave the rest of our stuff and try to get my family out of here. Intent on persuading them to go by whatever means necessary, I ran toward the more sympathetic, Grandma Edie.

  Senator Harring had been patiently waiting on me to join my family. He knows how to spot potential campaign contributors and was prepared to grease a few wallets.

  “Krista Stewart – stop!” he demanded.

  I complied on autopilot.

  “My dear, don’t take off without providing me a formal introduction to these fine people…” the senator stated, motioning to my parents.

  The last thing I wanted to do was stand around discussing politics. Every second wasted is one second closer to Coach Sizelend’s annihilation.

  “Senator Chad Harring…this is my family…” I said.

  Then, I rushed through their names and titles. My speedy intros didn’t make any difference.

  Coach Sizelend was being escorted across the field by Reid. G-mom said “hello” to the senator before she waltzed over to meet my brother and the offending old man.

  I said a prayer for LVU’s football team…I wonder if they can go all-the-way without their leader?