"Take Me Out..Period"

Chapter 3


"Am I late?" Bethanie called to her friends, moving past them to reclaim her seat beside Charity.
"No, no, you're just on time." said Lidia, leaning against Altan as Bethanie scooted past them.
"I knew I'd make it." she huffed as she took her seat.
"Just in time to check out the ring." smiled Charity, extending her hand toward her friend.
"Wow...wish I were so lucky."
"You will be!" called Jazzi, a mischievous smile on her face.
Sitting back in her seat, she shook her head, nothing like a baseball game with her friends and a full day of Jazzi's nose in her business. The field was full of crisp green grass, and light sand in the base line. Sighing, she tried not to picture T.C. James or his wedding ring.
"Whats wrong?" asked Charity in a whisper from beside her.
"Nothing." she sighed again, trying to avoiding her friend's eyes.
"I'm not buying that answer, come for a walk with me."
Before the second inning had even begun, she found herself strolling the corridor behind the stands with her best friend. They walked in silence for a while, until Charity gave her a pointed look that said 'spill.' So, she did.
"I think I've met someone..I always do, you know that. As soon as things start going well, and I run into him somewhere beside the rodeo. He's got kids! Which means, he's married. I can't get past this. Why would he smile at me like that if he were married." her heart readily came pouring out of her lips as her friend stood beside her smiling. "Why are you smiling?" she demanded.
"Because, Beth, don't you see where I'm at with a man who has children?" she held out a hand and showed her ring. "You never know when someone is divorced, widowed or even adopted a child or two. I'd give him a chance until you know for sure."
It was as if a light turned on inside her head, he didn't have to be married. She'd have to wait and see what happened. Leave it to Charity to bring out the truth in a situation so easily, when she'd battled with it for nearly a week. "Thanks, Char."
Together they walked back to their seats, Jazzi smiled and winked at her. She knew exactly what was going on, that sneak. Shaking her head, she vowed to try her best to see past exteriors, but if Jazzi thought she was going to mess in her life without getting something in return she'd see.
--
Blowing out a deep breath, T.C. walked through the front door carrying the acceptance letter for daycare in his hand. "I'm home."
"Daddy!" two sets of tiny feet reached his before he could take another step.
A smile tugged at his lips as he lifted both toddlers off their feet and into his arms. "How are Daddy's girls?"
"They've been good." his mother's voice came from the door, yet she didn't stay long. He could hear her dragging footsteps going toward her bedroom.
He sighed, and sat in a chair at the kitchen table pulling both girls closer.
"Down." commanded Shiloh, her brown eyes twinkling with mischief.
Shadow nodded her agreement.
Frowning, he watched as they toddled away from him toward their toy room. Shadow wouldn't speak, she was very much what her name led to believed. Her sister's shadow. Worried about that, and a list of other things, he laid his head in the palms of his hands and sighed. Things weren't the same since Juliette had passed away. They hadn't gotten any better. The letter in his hands scraped at his face, so he raised his head and stared down at it. Shiloh and Shadow were accepted into the daycare. Bethanie Halloway's daycare, none the less. One thing on top of the other, that was how it went in T.C. James' life. Now he was left with telling his mother that they were going to daycare.
Knocking softly on her bedroom door, he waited for her answer.
"Come in."
Turning the door knob, he walked inside the room feeling the tightness in his chest as he watched her try to make it across the room without her cane. Quickly, he moved himself to her side, helping her to steady herself and getting her onto the bed. "Mama...the girls are going to be going to daycare next week." he said finally.
"I know, baby."
"You know?"
He watched her face soften as she smiled at him and patted his cheek, "I've known for quite some time you were wrestling with what to do for your girls. They need more care than I can give them, darling, we both know that."
He nodded sadly, he knew she was right. However, it hurt him just as much to take the girls away from their main caregiver for most of the day.
"We'll still have time together, Tucker."
"I know, Mama." he hugged her gently.
"I'm not made of glass, Tucker Callum, you can hug me tighter than that."
Chuckling, he hugged her tighter, "I love you Mama."
"DADDYYY!" Shiloh screeched from the next room.
His mother joined in with his chuckling, and he stood quickly, "Be right back." Taking large steps into the hallway, he ran toward the next room," What's wrong Shi?"
"Daddy, Shadow won't give me that doll!" the little girl cried, bottom lip trembling as she pointed to her sister accusingly.
"Shadow, share with your sister." he said softly, sitting between them.
Shadow shook her head back and forth, disapproving of what his daughter obviously thought was a suggestion.
"Shadow Leigh James." he warned, staring into his daughter's eyes.
With a dramatic sigh, the tiny girl plopped the doll into her sisters hands.
"Thank you."
"Denk' you." said Shiloh with a satisfied grin.
"Both of you share, bed time in a half hour." he kissed each of their cheeks producing giggles from both of them. With a smile he walked back toward his mother's bedroom, things were changing, but some things never did.