“That I do. Where’s your partner in crime?”
“Tracy will go to Houston. I can’t make it because Mom and I are going to Cora’s place that week. Tracy volunteered to play Aunt Tracy for the boys and help Peggy. Peggy’s doing a fantastic job, by the way. Your mom, too. They let me be as involved as I want to be,” she said and then looked sad.
“David, did we do the right thing?”
“I think the only other choice was for me to marry you and then work full time. I could’ve probably gotten a job at one the big-box stores, stocking shelves at night.”
“Would that have been so bad?”
“Pam, do you want me to marry you?” I asked.
She gave me a slow smile. Oh, shit!
“Did you just ask me to marry you?”
“What did he do?” my mom asked, scaring both of us.
How did she do that?
“He asked me to marry him,” Pam said.
“He does that about once a year. The first was Beth. He got down on his knee and everything. Then he about burned his apartment down, making a grand gesture to Tami. I guess it’s your turn. I would love to have you as my daughter-in-law,” Mom said.
“Is he serious?” Pam asked and started to blink.
“One of my teammates taught me a new term: redneck crazy. Pam Bell, I’m just ‘redneck crazy’ enough to do it. Just say the word, and we can do what’s right,” I said, looking into her eyes.
She bit her bottom lip. Neither one of us had planned this moment. She looked up at me and smiled. Oh, my God! She was going to say ‘yes.’
“I would love to be your wife, but I just can’t now. It’s enough to know you’re willing to do that for me. You don’t know how much you and Coby mean to me. Why don’t you ask me again on his sixth birthday?” she suggested.
“I love you,” I told her.
“I know.”
“David, you have to quit getting my hopes up,” Mom teased and walked away.
“Did you really mean it?” Pam asked.
I thought about it for a moment.
“You know, I believe I might actually be ready for a more serious relationship,” I admitted.
“I know several girls, including myself, who would welcome that. If you want, I can call everyone and let them know you picked me.”
“I want to be there when you do it. Just be careful of Tracy and Tami. They fight dirty.”
“I’ll get Cassidy to protect me.”
“Dunno about that; I’m not so sure she’d help you out. I think she has a crush on me,” I teased.
“Everyone knows she does.”
She gave me a fierce hug. Peggy came up.
“Do I get one?”
I gave her one too.
It was time to leave. I found Paul, and we rounded up Bob to go home. Melissa and Rob had already left. I found the three youngest ones sound asleep, with Kyle and Mac barely hanging on.
“Did you have fun today?” I asked Bob as we drove to his house.
“Yes. You did really well today.”
“Thanks. Today was what every baseball player dreams about. Just don’t expect me to be able to do that every time.”
“You’ll do fine. Everyone says so,” Bob assured me.
Paul dropped us off. I headed up to my room and checked my messages. Greg had sent Lily my stats for the two games, and she’d sent them out to everyone on the separate sports social media account we’d set up. I was glad to see everyone’s congratulatory responses to the news.
I had a voicemail from Saul. It was still early out west, so I called him.
“I got you booked for another commercial on your Japan trip,” he announced.
“That’s good. Have you heard anything about Star Academy?” I asked.
“They plan to rewrite the script and have Ben Doman’s character, Roman, move over to lead your team. They felt that after your conflict in the previous movie, it would add some needed tension,” Saul explained.
Ben and I’d had an epic sword fight in the first movie. I liked Ben personally and liked the idea of his character joining the core group. Saul had shared that Ben and I had tested better than Craig had when they broke down the film. I hoped that would translate into the audience liking the change.
“How’s The Royal Palm going?” I asked.
“They’re about to wrap, and Gabe Francis is singing your praises. Word is getting around about how Laurent Vance treated you and some of the other actors. Gabe is telling everyone that you were professional and turned in a great performance.”
“I never thought I would end up doing that role. But I have to say it was a good experience. I also would never have been able to visit Cuba otherwise.”
“David, I want to thank you. Rita and Halle James called, and I’m representing them now.”
“Saul, you got The Royal Palm back into production after Laurent’s accident. I was happy to tell them what you’d done.”
“Thank you for sticking with me. I know Caryn shopped around. I appreciate you standing up for me.”
He might not be the most likable guy, but he got results. I could live with that.
◊◊◊
Chapter 14 – That Guy Tuesday June 21
I came downstairs to run and found my mom and Paul drinking coffee with Melissa.
“Sit,” Mom ordered.
“What was last night about, and what the hell is ‘redneck crazy?’ From what I heard, you may very well be more than my ‘stupid boy,’ and we’ll have to get your head examined.”
Oh, boy!
“Pam basically told me she wanted more out of me. I guess it was my ingrained ‘do the right thing’ upbringing that kicked in. If Pam wants to marry me and we bring up Coby as a couple, I’m willing to do it.”
“What the hell happened to you not being sure you wanted to get married?”
Melissa and Paul leaned back, a little afraid to get caught in the crossfire. I did notice that they didn’t get up to leave like I was mentally broadcasting. I guess I really didn’t have any Jedi mind-tricks up my sleeve.
“Back in the fall, Pam wasn’t my favorite person. Looking back, I can see it was her father who clouded my vision, even though I tried not to let him. At the time, I felt manipulated and knew that was no way to start a serious relationship,” I explained.
“How is now any different? Can you honestly tell me that if it weren’t for Coby, you would marry Pam? Or, for that matter, that you’d marry anyone? Good God, David! Sometimes I wonder if you’re even my kid,” she huffed.
“Dad told me that when I was in first grade, they did DNA tests, and he assured me you and I are related,” I shot back.
“You little shit. You wanted proof I was your mother?”
“Wouldn’t you? I mean seriously, talk about redneck crazy. Sometimes you take the cake.”
“Listen here, young man. You are not distracting me from why we’re having this talk,” she said as she glared at me.
It was worth a try.
“To answer your question, I’m still a teenager. I have zero desire to get married other than what is best for Coby and, by extension, Pam. If having her in his life on a daily basis gives him a better life, then so be it.”
“Didn’t your uncle have the free milk and cow talk with you?” Mom asked.
I don’t believe Melissa was used to anyone like my mom, because she choked on her coffee. The story went that if you were receiving free milk, i.e., sex, why buy the cow?
“I … I … I don’t even know what to say to that,” I stammered.
Mom shook her head and sighed.
“David, I love you to death, but you’ve got to get a handle on this need for grand romantic gestures. I know your heart was in the right place last night. You were just lucky Pam has more common sense than you do. What you did last night tells me we have to establish a new rule. Before you make any relationship decisions, you have to come to me and talk about it first.”
I blinked at her. Did she just say that? I did what Dawsons do when confronted with a situation like this: I became quiet.