Authors Note: This chapter contains mild BDSM. If you would rather not read that, skim over the sex scene.
G Younger
Chapter 29 -- What Would You Even Do With Three?
Sunday November 20
I was awakened when my bed moved. It was Tracy crawling into bed with me. I glanced over at my clock and saw it was two in the morning.
"Just hold me," she ordered.
I rolled over on my side and took her into my arms. She didn't say anything else, so I just went back to sleep.
---
I woke and found Tracy smiling at me. She'd used one of my t-shirts as a nightshirt. I mentally shook my head, knowing I would never see it again. It was one of my favorites, one I'd gotten on my trip to Japan. I wondered if I might trick her into taking a different one.
"What's up?" I asked.
"I'm feeling a little unsteady. You leave at the end of the week, and I'm off to college at the first of the year. I think I'm worried I won't see my friends enough. I'm sorry if this is a problem," she said as she teared up.
Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her into a hug, and that caused the waterworks to start. I just held her as she let it all out. There were times when I forgot how vulnerable she was. Tracy seemed to be so in control most of the time. I hated what Bill Rogers had done to her and how it changed the confident woman she should be.
Part of the problem seemed to be that she didn't think we would still spend time with each other. I'd recently turned her down when she asked me to help her with her food video blogs reviewing desserts at local restaurants. Uncle John had taught me that I needed to be able to say 'no.' I wondered if I should change my mind. My volunteering my girlfriend might not have been the right thing to do.
"We will always be friends," I assured her.
"It's just ... I don't know," she said as she realized she was about to say something I would make fun of her about. She looked me in the eyes. "I don't even know where you plan to go to college."
She'd been after me to decide so she could figure out where she would go to school. I'd thought she was going to USC, with Pam just down the road at Pepperdine.
"I'll make you a promise. If you go to USC, I promise it'll be in my top two. Plus, I have a house there, and I'm sure I'll be out west for movies and other stuff."
She laid her head on my shoulder.
"Thank you, I appreciate that. I want you to go to the school that's best for you, not where I plan to go. I won't hold you to that promise. If USC isn't a fit, don't go there."
We fell silent, and then she giggled. I looked down, and she was looking at the tent Mr. Happy had made with the covers.
"I should really take advantage of that," she suggested.
My first thought was, 'Yes, you should.' Instead, I rolled out of bed and gave her a little show as I swaggered to the bathroom to take my shower. When I came out, Tracy was gone--along with my t-shirt.
I called Brook to let her know what had happened last night. She was surprisingly okay with it. I guess she'd finally come around to the fact that I loved her and I wouldn't stray. The Destiny incident, where Brook had assumed I'd slept with her, had made Brook realize I would never hurt her that way. If she knew what my mom had gone through, and the promise I'd made to her, she would never have had to worry.
---
I met Brit coming in the door of my apartment. Precious wanted to stay with her, but I made the cat go out. When I let Duke out of the house, he got the vibe that the cat from hell was back and gave her a wide berth. She ran to the door and started to meow. I was wise to her and made sure I was out of reach when I opened the door to let her in. She did try to take a swipe at me.
Duke was acting like a total goof because there was about four inches of snow on the ground. I contemplated getting the snow shovel out to clear the sidewalks and driveway when I saw Wolf pull up with Yuri. Duke decided he should help supervise as I walked into the house.
I found Melanie puttering around in the kitchen. She looked up when she heard me.
"Your mom tells me you eat a special diet. After I check to see what all you have, I plan to go to the grocery store later this morning."
"I try to eat high protein with low carbs when I can, as well as a lot of vegetables and fruit. I'm not as strict about it as I should be, so don't worry if you don't do it all the time. Plus, I sometimes just poach some chicken and eat salads if Mom and Dad are eating something I really shouldn't have."
Mom and Dad came downstairs.
"Go get the boys," Mom told me.
I ran upstairs and found Peggy dressing Coby. Little David was standing up in the playpen and reached up to be picked up.
"You're getting too big for this," I told him.
"I agree. I think he needs to get a job while he's at it," Peggy said.
Coby reached for me too.
"You little traitor," Peggy teased my son as she handed him to me.
I spun in a circle, ran out into the hall and then bounded down the stairs. The boys loved it when I did that and were all giggles when I came into the kitchen.
"You better not get them too wound up because they're going to church with us today," Mom warned me.
They liked being fussed over by every woman at church.
Mom talked to Melanie about who would be coming this week. I was surprised to find it wouldn't be just family. It was almost everyone I knew who would be in town for Thanksgiving and/or our championship game. We'd found out last night we would play Wesleyan. Somehow, I couldn't think of a more fitting opponent.
I figured out Wolf and Yuri had planned it so they would get fed. I didn't blame them; we'd discovered that Melanie was a good cook. Then again, it was hard to mess up ham and eggs. She cut slices of tomato and put cottage cheese on top for me instead of hash browns. Someone had actually listened to me.
---
The boys did well at church. I suspected that Mom brought them to get some women who'd been requesting to see the babies off her back. Most everyone wanted to talk about football and the upcoming game. The whole town was buzzing about it, so I should have expected it at church. It was kept to a minimum because my mom was with me and she wouldn't put up with too much foolishness.
When we got home, Scarlet texted me that Ashley and her boys were almost here. Scarlet asked if I would come over and help them unload her car. Mom and Dad accompanied me so they could see their grandkids.
