by Mj Fields
Tommy remembered last time and knew there was no way in hell he would ask. He decided to call Alex.
Alex and his father had left last night instead of this morning and were about thirty minutes away. John agreed to stop and get Lucas.
When John and Alex arrived at the hospital Tommy was walking in, too. They talked to the nurse at the desk and she showed them to Lucas���s room. Lucas pulled his hat down over his eyes as they walked in.
Shit, Lucas thought.
���John,��� the sheriff said. They shook hands.
���Mr. Links, was in a bit of an accident and has a concussion; he needs an adult to take him home.���
���We can do that,��� John said. ���You alright son?���
���Yes, sir,��� Lucas said.
���Well, not exactly. He passed the breathalyzer, but I���m not convinced. However when I talked to the judge he said he would rather not come in and deal with this on a Saturday night. He also said he wants Lucas to kick ass in sectionals. Our problem lies here; his mother is in rehab for the next three months, and he needs supervision until he���s nineteen. You willing to take him on, John?���
���Yes, I am,��� John said. ���He can stay with us.���
���Mr. Ross, I appreciate it, but your daughter is going to be pissed off,��� Lucas said, laughing.
���Never mind Tessa. I���ll deal with it. Let���s go.���
* * *
The girls were laughing as they saw Chewy taking their swimsuits, they had not noticed until he had the last one. They saw headlights pulling in the driveway.
���Oh shit, get out and run, someone is pulling in.���
They all jumped out laughing hysterically as they streaked across the yard.
���Damn it, it���s my dad!��� Tessa yelled.
���Oh boy, Tommy is behind him,��� Jade laughed her fool head off as she went in the house.
The girls ran upstairs.
* * *
���What the hell was that all about?��� John asked Alex.
���Dad, I have no idea,��� he said and started to laugh. Damn Phoebe is fine he thought.
���Holy shit Lucas did you see that?��� Tommy asked.
���Hell yes,��� Lucas said laughing, ���it���s going to be an interesting night,��� he laughed until he saw John���s face in the window.
���You boys forget what you saw,��� John said sternly.
���Yes sir,��� Lucas looked down.
They walked in the kitchen and saw two empty bottles of wine. John shook his head.
���Tessa Ross, get your ass dressed and get down here. Now. The rest of you too!��� he yelled.
Lucas sat with the rest of the boys at the table looking down all trying to hide the big smirks on their faces when the girls walked in in their pajamas.
���What the hell is he doing here?��� Tessa looked at Lucas and then her father and put her hands on her hips.
���Tessa, sit your ass down and keep your mouth shut,��� John snapped.
���No. Why are you home and why is he here?��� she said and stomped her foot.
The boys all chuckled. Tessa gave them a dirty look.
���Tessa, you are to sit now,��� John yelled and slammed his fist on the table. ���I am going to talk, and you, have a lot of explaining to do, so I certainly wouldn���t start sassing me young lady.���
Tessa scowled and looked down. She sat on Jade���s lap.
���Jade, should I call my brother?��� John asked.
���No Uncle John, please don���t,��� Jade said quietly.
���First of all, Lucas will be staying with us for a while, possibly for three months until his mother is out of rehab. He was in an accident and was released with conditions, one of them being that he has supervision. Tessa will have to deal with it. I���ve already given my word,��� John said.
���I don���t think that���s a good idea, Daddy,��� she said. ���I might kill him in his sleep.���
���You were both fine at the game. What the hell has changed? You know what, never mind. Who the hell knows what tomorrow will bring. Lucas will sleep ��� .���
���Speaking of sleep, what kind of sleeping arrangements will we have here? You shouldn���t want him under the same roof as me,��� she snapped.
���Tessa, shut up,��� Alex said warning her.
���NO!��� Tessa yelled.
���Tessa enough,��� John said.
���No.��� She started to cry.
���Tessa, don���t cry ��� .���
���Shut up Lucas! Just shut up!
���Both of you knock it off. You need to make a phone call, Lucas. I will have some explaining to do with Maggie in the morning.���
Lucas stood up and walked outside.
���Hey Audrianna, this is Lucas, you still with Dad, oh ok���can you do me a favor? Thanks I kind of got in an accident tonight, no I am fine, I already went to the hospital and everything was fine. No Tessa���s father came and picked me up. Well the cop and the judge both are football fans so I got out of a lot of trouble. No it wasn���t alcohol��� you really want to know? Okay good, can you call dad in the morning before the insurance company does? Thanks so much. One more thing could you call Tessa in an hour and let her know what I told you about Leah, yes everything, well she���s avoiding me I will explain, later. Ok thanks are the girls awake? Ok can I talk to them in the morning? Thanks Audri, you too.���
When Lucas walked back in John pointed to the empty chair and then looked at Tessa. ���Now, what the hell are you four thinking tonight?���
���Well, I thought I was in love with that boy over there. I forgot his name, but the one right there,��� she slurred, pointing and scowling. ���And the night I saw mom at dinner, I got drunk on our date. It wasn���t the stomach bug. I was a bad girl ��� .���
���Tessa, enough,��� Alex said.
���Lucas, is that true?��� John asked.
���Yes sir, but I got her home to Alex,��� Lucas looked at Tessa and widened his eyes as if to say, what the hell are you doing?
���Tessa, is that true?��� John asked.
���Yes, but there���s more, Dad. I kiss him a lot and I like it,��� she said obnoxiously.
Her dad looked at her confused and Lucas sat back and covered his face partially with one hand.
���And when I wanted to go out with my friends, he was pissed, and we brought him dinner and Sadi���s head popped out of the water because she was giving him a blow job,��� Tessa snarled at him..
���Is that true, Lucas?��� John asked.
���Yes sir, the night I came home and found my mom on the floor, I called the ambulance. Sadi���s cousin is on the ambulance squad. They took Mom to the hospital. When I came home I smoked pot and sat in the hot tub. I woke up to your daughter���s voice and Sadi coming up from out of the water. I assume Sadi���s cousin called her,��� Lucas explained.
���None of that shit goes on in my house.��� John stopped and rubbed his head a appeared to be trying to calm himself down. ���Seeing your mom like that must have been rough, Lucas. I am sorry. But you shouldn���t be smoking that stuff,��� John scolded him.
Tessa looked at the floor. ���Oh, and he went to his dad���s house and had sex with Leah when he told me he loved me.���
Tessa quit while you���re ahead, Lucas thought and laughed.
���It�
��s not funny, asshole.���
���Tessa watch your mouth. Lucas this is my daughter. Is what she said true?��� John asked.
���No sir. I had sex with her a year or so ago. She happens to be my sister���s babysitter, and she got wet while helping them shower. She asked for a shirt to change into ��� Audri insisted she stay since it was the first overnight they���d with my father since he and Audri spilt ��� and I gave her mine. I fell asleep thinking of Tessa and woke up to someone kissing me. I stopped it as soon as I realized it wasn���t Tessa. Apparently my ass hit the phone and called,��� Lucas said looking down.
���Tessa, do you have any other questions you need answered?��� her father asked.
���Yes! Were you drunk or high?��� Tessa snapped.
���I had a few drinks with my dad at the country club, and he drove us home,��� Lucas said. ���That���s probably why it took me a few minutes to wake up.���
���Well, maybe you have a problem with alcohol,��� Tessa yelled at him and hiccupped.
Everyone laughed, and she put her face on Jade���s shoulder and cried.
���Lucas, I think you���ve turned away more than I have had in a year.���
���Dad that���s not funny��� Tessa yelled at him.
���No nonsense under this roof, do you understand?��� John asked.
���Yes, sir,��� Lucas said.
���Girls, why are you drinking?��� John asked
���Cause Tessa was sad and wanted to, Uncle John,��� Tessa glared up at her. ���And we wanted to. We stayed here no one drove. We won���t do it again.���
���Why where you in the hot tub naked?��� John asked. The boys burst out laughing, ���Boys, enough.���
���Well Mr. Ross, nudity isn���t really that bad unless it���s for sex that���s not between husband and wife,��� Becca tried to explain.
���Really, Rebecca?��� he asked.
���Jade had a point; we weren���t born with clothes on,��� Becca said quietly.
���Alex I���m done with this for tonight. Can you make sure everyone stays clothed and doesn���t drink anymore?��� John asked as he walked toward his room.
Tessa who stood up and went to the bathroom. When she came out, the TV was on. Alex looked at Tessa and shook his head in disappointment. The only place left to sit was next to Lucas. She sat on the floor instead. Lucas picked her up and sat her next to him. She let him.
���Are we okay?��� Lucas asked.
���You���re a freaken hero, and I am a whore,��� Tessa pouted.
Lucas laughed. ���I think we know better than that. Where is your phone?���
���In the kitchen on the counter. Why?��� Tessa asked.
���Audri is going to call you, just in case you don���t believe the Leah thing. She knows about it, and I want to tell you, Audri likes you a lot,��� Lucas smiled.
Chewy came in and dropped her bathing suit bottom on his lap.
���That���s my boy,��� Lucas giggled and bent down to pet him.
Everyone laughed. ���Tessa, you believe me, don���t you?���
���Yes,��� she said. ���I just feel like an ass, and I am loa- ded.���
���I would have thought the same thing, Tessa. I just wish you���d asked me,��� Lucas said.
���Why didn���t you tell me about your Mom?��� she asked.
���I didn���t want you to pity me. I wanted you to love me for me, not because I was a cause,��� Lucas said.
���We all have things that we could do without in our lives, right guys?��� Tessa asked wanting Lucas to feel like he was not alone.
���I do. My mom is a junky,��� Jade laughed.
���I was almost raped by two different foster kids,��� Becca blurted out. They all gasped.
���My dad shot my mom and then himself, in front of me,��� Phoebe laughed. They all looked at her. ���Please don���t tell anyone it���s rather embarrassing,��� she whispered.
Alex pulled her closer and hugged her.
���My family is a mess right now, and I���m no better,��� Tessa said breaking the silence.
Everyone looked at Tommy. ���I have a huge penis.��� They all laughed.
Jade looked at him and then around the room. She looked down at his crotch and then back up at him and blushed. A sly smile started creeping across Tommy���s face and then he winked at her. She shook her head back and forth
���He���s not joking, Jade. He���s unbelievably well endowed,��� Lucas said.
���How do you guys know? You hang out naked together? Gross,��� Tessa said, immediately regretting it.
���This coming from the streaker.��� Lucas laughed, ���I bet it was your idea.���
���It was,��� the girls all said at once.
���I love your curiosity,��� Lucas whispered in her ear.
���I love you,��� Tessa whispered.
Lucas cradled her face and kissed her.
���No hands, man,��� Alex reminded him.
Lucas let go and raised his hands in the air.
Chewy whined and Tessa stood to take him out. ���Come with me,��� she said taking his hand.
���Be good. I promised Dad.��� Alex scowled at Tessa.
���Maybe they don���t want to be,��� Phoebe said, looking at Alex. ���Maybe I don���t want to be.��� She kissed him. He slowly kissed her, he put his hand on her back and pulled her closer to him.
Thankful for Phoebe���s distraction Tessa nodded to the door and smiled at Lucas.
As soon as they were out the door Tessa jumped on Lucas, wrapping her legs and arms around him. He walked to the back deck and sat on the picnic bench as he kissed her.
���Tessa, we need better communication,��� he said breathing deeply.
���Not now, please. I have missed your lips, your arms, your eyes. God I want you now,��� Tessa said. She kissed him, unable to control herself. Their tongues swiftly met one another���s. She could feel him beneath her and she wanted him. She stood and pulled off his shirt. ���God, you are gorgeous.��� She sat back on his lap, bit his lip, and kissed every inch of his face, then moved to his neck and chest. He moaned, and when she looked up at him, he looked like he was in pain. She moved back up to his mouth.
He lifted her up off him. ���Tessa baby, no drunk sex with you, and not here.��� She stomped her foot and he laughed. ���That���s twice I have seen that move tonight. I kind of like it.��� He smiled, ���Tessa Ross? Will you be my girlfriend now and forever?���
���Lucas Links, promise to never shatter me again. No more drinking. That can���t happen again Lucas. If that���s all it took to allow her back in your life than you cant, ever.���
���I wasn���t just drunk Tessa. I was fucked up, so fucked up. I swear I had no idea she was the one in the hot tub. Fuck if you knew what it was like walking in my house finding mom ��� .���
���Okay,��� she hugged him. ���I���m so sorry you���ve had to go through that. I am so sorry.���
���She had a fucking needle in her arm this time ��� .���
���I love you Lucas. I���m so sorry. Just please talk to me okay. Third time would not be a charm.���
���I won���t Tessa, ever,��� Lucas promised.
���Then yes, forever,��
��� she smiled.
She thought of Toby and her smile disappeared.
���What���s wrong, Tessa?��� he asked rubbing his fingers slowly up and down her side.
���Toby,��� Tessa said quietly.
���He���s a good guy,��� Lucas said. Tessa was shocked. ���What? I���m not stupid,��� he laughed.
���I just feel awful. He has never done anything but show me kindness,��� she said. ���And then there���s you.���
���What?��� he asked.
���Well Lucas, you really didn���t do anything either except not communicate with me and the stuff with your Mom. I���m so sorry.��� Tears formed in her eyes. ���I���m a bitch.���
He laughed.
���What���s so funny?��� she asked.
���You���re drunk, Tessa, and you���re kind of funny.���
���You���re stoned, so probably everything is funny,��� she said. They both laughed. ���What is my dad thinking, letting you stay here?���
���I don���t know, but I am grateful; you get to do my laundry and cook for me.���
���You wish,��� she pushed on his chest.
���No really it���ll be like being married but without the sex,��� Lucas laughed.
���By the sound of my Dad tonight, it���s exactly like being married.��� They both laughed harder. She straddled his lap and hugged him. ���I love you, Lucas Links.���
���No more, Toby. I won���t share you.��� Lucas lifted her chin.
Tessa nodded. ���He���s my friend though, Lucas. I can���t just������
���I don���t get the whole friends with the opposite sex thing. It pisses me off, but I want to understand. Let me ask you a few questions. Does he get to do this?��� His finger tips lightly ran across against her pebbled nipples. She shook her head. ���These are mine, right, baby?��� He bowed his head and nipped them through her shirt.
She whimpered and pushed into him. ���God, yes.���