Out Of Bounds (Balls To The Walls)

by Lolah Lace

  “I thought so. My dad said yes but my mom says no. My mom doesn’t like you.”

  “Do you like me?”

  “Yeah but I don’t act like I do in front of my mom.”

  Damn, what do I say to that? “Okay.”

  “She calls you bad names.”

  “Really.”

  “Yeah and she always asks me a lot of questions when I get home.”

  “What kind of questions?”

  “Like, stuff like, where did you go? What did you eat? Who was there? Did dad kiss you? Weird questions. I don’t know.” Hannah shrugged just like her father and it was so Mason-like and so cute.

  “Yeah those questions are weird.”

  “I know right. I don’t want to tell my dad. I don’t want him to be mad at mom.”

  “You don’t have to tell him if you don’t want to.”

  “I like coming over here.”

  “This is your house too. You guys have two houses now.”

  “That’s what dad said.”

  “Your father is really smart. You should listen to him. I do.”

  Hannah was thinking about what I had said. “Yeah and he’s really strong.”

  I smiled but I wanted to stick my size eight and a half foot in Tess’ skinny ass.

  “I’m going to go play.” Hannah smiled.

  “Okay I will call you guys when the food is ready.”

  Hannah skipped away. I almost called Mason but I didn’t. I will give Tess a pass for now but once the baby is born I’m going to read that bitch if she continues to try to poison her kids against me.

  ***

  Time went by quick. It was July before I knew it. I went into labor on the tenth of the month.

  Mason rushed me to the Bolingcreek Hospital. Things between us were better than ever. Mason just seemed too gradually accept the situation. I knew it was hard for him but I loved him more and more as time went on even though I didn’t necessarily express it.

  Being big and uncomfortable made me mean sometimes. Tess had stopped her foolishness for the time being. Or maybe Hannah had stopped telling on her mom.

  I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I didn’t want to feel the elation of thinking the baby was Mason’s only to be gravely disappointed later.

  Mason was very prepared. He had fixed up the nursery for the baby a month before the due date. He painted the baby’s room and built the cradle himself. Mason was good at building things.

  To say my labor was a breeze is really an exaggeration. But compared to Trey’s birth, there really was no comparison. I pretty much sleep through the contractions. Mason was asleep in the huge lounge chair next to me. He didn’t bother to even wake up when the nurse came in to check the progression of my dilation.

  My Mama came to the hospital. She spent all her time talking to Mason and ignoring me. Mason was too charming for his own good. Mason finally sent her home but he promised to call her as soon as it was time for the delivery.

  She lived a few blocks from the hospital so I was sure she would make it in time. Why she wanted to see the delivery when she had already seen Trey’s was strange. I wasn’t about to argue with her. I was too tired.

  Every time the nurse entered I opened my eyes to Mason’s face smashed against the brown leather. Mason was a rumpled Irish Italian god. How could one man be so sexy while sleeping? He had a little drool leaking from the corner on his mouth and he still was fine. He has made me feel really beautiful throughout my pregnancy. He is a dream to me. I hope he accepts this baby whether it’s his or not.

  When the doctor showed me the head at the opening of my vagina I thought it was kind of gross. My eight pound ten ounce baby girl was born with Mason and my mother at my side. I named her Karson, which was Kari and Mason mixed into one name. Her middle name was Simone after singer Nina Simone. Karson’s last name was Fenderson and I got Mason and Jack to agree to a hyphenated last name depending on the paternity test results.

  I spent a few days in the hospital and I had already told Jack not to come. I wanted him to come to the house and see the baby. The drama of two guys trying to be the father in front of the hospital staff would have been too embarrassing for me to handle.

  When I got home from the hospital my cell would vibrate like crazy. My friends called but for the most part it was Jack. He wanted an update every second of the day. Well it felt that way and I made sure Mason didn’t know how much Jack was texting and calling me.

  Mason had gone back to work and it was like Jack had ESP because he started blowing up my phone.

  “Hello.” I finally got fed up.

  “Kari.” Jack voice was cool but frantic, if that makes any sense.

  “Jack I’m tired.”

  “Why?”

  Did he really just ask me that? “Because I have a brand new baby.”

  “Oh. What is she doing?”

  “She’s sleeping Jack.” I groaned. I would like to get some sleep but some German is all on my phone.

  “Send me a picture.”

  “Seriously, I sent you a picture yesterday.”

  “I want another one.”

  “Karson looks the same. She hasn’t changed from yesterday. You can’t stare at her pictures and figure out her paternity.”

  “She looks like me.”

  “Jack, please. She looks like a baldheaded blue-eyed pale white baby.”

  “When are we taking the test?”

  “Very soon. I already found a place. Give me a minute. I have a baby.”

  “Please don’t make me get a lawyer.”

  “Stop threatening me. Calm the fuck down. We will get the test.”

  “Kari, don’t fuck with me.”

  “I’m not. Just give me a minute to heal and adjust.”

  “I want to see the baby.”

  “Fine, call me in a few days.”

  “I will call you tomorrow.”

  Dang! “Whatever.” I hung up.

  He works my nerves.

  ***

  Jack was kind enough to let me have two weeks with the baby. He came over to the house and I watched him and Mason looked completely agitated with one another.

  “Where is she?” Jack asked. He was too eager and that scared me.

  “She’s sleeping upstairs.” I answered.

  Mason was paler than I ever remembering seeing him. I wanted to give my husband a hug but I steered away from touching him. It wasn’t because of Jack’s presence. It was because I didn’t want him to crack or breakdown in front of Jack. Mason and I were a team. We were a united front. No matter what the results of the future paternity test, it was us against him.

  I knew in my heart that Mason had serious doubts about baby Karson. He stared at her but he barely touched her in the two weeks she has been born. I thought the name would soften him up but Mason is so closed off and stoic. At least he consented to Jack coming over today.

  Jack followed me up to the nursery and Mason stayed downstairs fretting I’m sure. Jack was in our house and Mason was being real mature about it. I love my husband.

  Jack held Karson but she didn’t even wake up. I hoped to get this test over with as soon as possible but it turned out that it took us a month to get in to see someone. Karson caught an infection and that pushed back the paternity situation.

  A little over five weeks after her birth we all went into a DNA testing laboratory accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks.

  We arrived with one purpose. We all would be taking part in the paternity test. Baby Karson was first. She was cradled in my arms and as they swabbed the inside of her cheek I stared down and tried to figure out if she looked like Jack or Mason. It was a mystery that would soon be solved. My pale blue-eyed baby looked like any other pale blue-eyed baby. She didn’t really look mixed but I was sure she would darken up.

  I hated not knowing the truth. I hated that baby Karson just didn’t give me any clue to who her father could be. I was getting use to things not going my way. Why would this be a
ny different than all the other times? Pessimistic much?

  One week later it was judgment day. It was the day Maury Povich did his big reveal but there was no studio audience. There was no Maury Povich. It was just me, Mason and Jack.

  My mother had Trey and the baby. I was happy to leave Karson with my mother. I felt bad about feeling that way but this news was big, huge and alarming. I needed the time and space to break down. I also may need to break up a fight and I can’t do that with a baby in my arms. This news would change my life.

  I tried to focus on stupid things to take my mind off the paternity results. It was odd how Mason and Jack were practically dressed alike. They were both in dark denim blue jeans and light blue polo shirts. Their eyes were hidden behind sunglasses. I couldn’t tell what they were thinking or who they were looking at.

  It was so quiet. I mean both Mason and Jack could talk forever and a day but today they were silent.

  I’m nervous. I’m not in the habit of hurting anyone. I think Jack wants the baby more than I ever could have dreamed. I know Mason wants the baby to be his. He has his doubts. He always has. Why do I think he’s going to leave me? He made it clear that we are forever but I’m still scared.

  My palms were sweaty. My underarms were wet. I know I want and love this baby. I know how badly I hurt Jack but I don’t want this baby to be his. I’ve had enough of this unconventional love triangle gone awry. I’ve had nine months, no actually ten months of not knowing and this is not the life I see for myself.

  We didn’t have to wait long for the doctor to enter the small conference room with an eight by ten manila folder. The doctor was an average looking man with graying brown hair and thin lips. He was wrinkled around his eyes but you could see he was once very attractive.

  Dr. Myer placed the folder on top of the desk and took a seat at the head of the table. He flipped over the folder and opened it. Inside was a sealed plain white envelope. These were the results of the paternity test. We all were so quiet and resigned. Mason and I were on one side of the table and Jack was alone on the other side.

  “Okay, is everyone ready?” Dr. Myer asked.

  No not really but today is the day. We could have had the results delivered to the house but I didn’t want Jack to accuse Mason of tampering with the results. Jack seemed to be in a desperate place. He really wanted my baby to be his.

  The doctor opened the sealed white envelope.

  Dr. Myer started to clearly read the single sheet of paper. “Our tests use 15 different loci or markers to determine paternity. The test concluded that the test subject Mason Lorenzo Rizza, is the father of the child with 99.99 percent inclusion. The test subject Jack Unger was 100 percent excluded as being the father of the child in question.”

  There was silence. It wasn’t hard to understand. The doctor pushed the paper with the results over to me and I actually sat there and read it.

  Dr. Myer stood. “I will give you all some time alone to go over the results.”

  Mason and Jack remained quiet. I couldn’t even here them breathing. “Thank you doctor.” I said and Dr. Myer left us all alone.

  Jack slowly stood. At first I thought he was going to take a look at the paper in front of me but he didn’t. He went straight for the door and left Mason and I alone without even saying a word.

  “Mason.”

  Mason looked over at me. I glided the paper over to him on the table. He picked it up and looked at it but didn’t say anything. He ran his hand over his face like he was wiping sweat.

  “Mason.” I called out again hoping for some kind of response.

  “Kari, I’m happy but I didn’t think it was me so I’m shocked. I’m happy but I am shocked so bad that I can’t even express my happiness. I thought I was going to flip this fucking table over. Now I just don’t know how to be. Karson is my daughter. She’s ours.”

  “Yes she’s ours.” I looked in Mason’s eyes and I could see the tears forming. Those tears were contagious because now I was crying.

  “I didn’t try to love her because I thought she wasn’t mine. I’m sorry. I swear I’m going to love her. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” I reached over and hugged my husband. His honesty warmed my heart. I was more than happy with the outcome. Mason cried into my shoulder and after we composed ourselves we left the office.

  CHAPTER 11

  MASON

  There was silence on the ride home. Kari wasn’t talking and I was feeding off of her mood. I honestly wasn’t sure what mood she was in. There was no energy to feed off of. We stopped at a light before words were spoken.

  “Mason.” She called out to me.

  I looked over at Kari in the passenger seat. “Yes.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m good.” As good as good gets, I was still very shocked by the news. I can’t deny that. I had hoped, prayed and wished in a fallen star but I just knew Karson wasn’t my daughter. The chances were slim and I guess I had already wrapped my mind around the worse case scenario.

  I even felt guilty for keeping a safe distance between Karson and me. I didn’t even allow myself to love her and she was just a baby.

  In the end, as it now stands she is my daughter. She was a Rizza all along. What a stupid assclown move on my part. Who taught me how to parent, Lamar?

  “Are you good?” I asked Kari. I wondered if she knew how I had distanced myself from our daughter. Of course she did. Kari has to think I’m an unfeeling asshole.

  “Yeah, I’m happy. I’m just glad its over.” Kari donned a smile.

  “I feel the same way.”

  “Let’s go home first before we get the kids.” She suggested. Kari is probably tired given all that has happened today.

  “Okay, you want to lay down for awhile?”

  “No, I want to fuck my husband.”

  My cock would have hit the steering wheel and caused an accident if I didn’t have these blue jeans on. I swallowed hard as I imagined being inside Kari. I hadn’t had sex with my wife in six weeks.

  “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

  “Yeah, I’m healed. My body feels ready. I’m ready, yeah I am.” Kari’s left hand crossed over into my territory and rubbed my leg. Shit! How many miles to the house? I thought my evil twin brother was dead but here he is trying to break through denim just like David Bruce Banner.

  Today was the day I realized I had everything I wanted. Today was the day I was a pleased man. Today was the day a daughter was born to me. As far as I’m concerned Karson has two birthdays. The day she arrived into the world and the day her stupid father welcomed her into his heart and loved her more than anything.

  I drove a little faster trying to make it home to do some nasty things to my wife.

  Six weeks is a long to live off masturbation and the occasional blowjob. I love getting blowed but nothing on earth could beat the warm wet feeling inside my Kari. Thinking of it makes my cock ooze.

  ***

  Life is what you make it. Life was going good for me. As weeks passed it only got better for my family and me. I was happy.

  It was late when I crept into the nursery to see my daughter Karson. She was sleeping like a baby because in fact she was a baby.

  I adored her and Kari even thought it strange how I stared at her all the time. She was beautiful in a way that I couldn’t describe. She was like a miracle to me and I wasn’t quite sure why I felt that way. I love Karson’s mother so much that when I look at her all I see is love.

  There was only a glimmer of light that shone threw the window this peaceful summer night. The moon was full and it cast a heavenly glow on my little baby as she slept, my beautiful baby girl Karson Simone.

  We had a video baby monitor but I had to always come in and check on her when she wasn’t in bed with us. It was well past midnight and the entire house was peaceful.

  Trey had fallen sleep in his room with his Nintendo 3DS pressed across his face. The music was still playing when I went to che
ck on him earlier.

  I was going to pick up Hannah, Matt and Tim in the morning so we could all hang out together. Tess was going to let them sleep over. I knew I should get some sleep but happiness had me up in the night.

  There was something about life here at plaza de Rizza that was tranquil. Jack had been eliminated from our lives and now we could breath. Now I could truly enjoy my good fortune.

  I almost made it to bed when my cell phone rang. I hurried from Karson’s room. I should have had my phone on vibrate this late at night.

  “Hello.” I said as I quickly answered the call.

  I was having a déjà vu moment. I had been summoned to Edward’s Hospital in Naperton. I jumped in the Rover and drove beyond the speed limit.

  This was the same hospital my mother died in. I did not want to be here. I didn’t have a choice. My nephew was here. That’s what I had been told over the phone.

  I had already built a brick wall around my emotions. I had just seen RJ a few hours ago at the office. I didn’t know what to expect. He was here, his condition a mystery that would be solved soon. He had been rushed to the emergency room. I was too confused by his girlfriend’s words to fully understand the magnitude of what would come next.

  I played her frantic tearful words back in my mind but that didn’t help me at all. Deja said RJ is at the hospital. Come quick. Maybe there was more but I could only recall those words. She mentioned the hospital and maybe there was more. I’m sure there was more. She hung up on me but there was a dire severity in her words that was tragic. Maybe I had read more into it.

  As I walked further into the emergency room I recalled my question to her ‘Is he alive?’ She said yes. I heard that much. I remember that much. I remember I had paced the bedroom before Kari shoved me out the door with the keys to the Range Rover.

  I spotted Deja sitting in a chair across the busy emergency waiting room. She was sitting next to a Naperton uniform police officer. There were a few more officers scattered around her. An officer had unknowingly blocked my view of her and when he shifted a few inches to the left Deja came back into view. That was when I saw the blood. She was covered in bright red. I hurried my pace. It had to be RJ’s blood. There was no other feasible explanation for it. There was so much blood.