"Take Me Out..Period"

Chapter 9


Bethanie smiled as she rang the doorbell to T.C.'s home, he'd invited her over for a day with his family. Unsure what that would entail, she was sort of nervous, but mostly excited to play with his adorable daughters and meet his mother.
"Come in!" called a voice from beyond the door, and she twisted the door knob to find it was open.
Slowly, she walked through the front door, "Hello?"
Two sets of feet echoed in the long hallway, and two tiny bodies flung themselves at her knees. "Miss Bethie!" added Shiloh.
Shadow smiled shyly and reached her hands up to be held.
"Hello girls." she lifted both of them off of their feet and set one on each hip. "Where's Daddy?" she asked.
"Store." supplied Shiloh, wide eyes taking in their teacher at their house.
"Oh..where's your Grandma?"
"Right-a here, dear." came a soft voice from beside her.
"Hello Mrs. James." she smiled at the woman, T.C. looked mostly like his mother she noted as she took in the woman's features.
"Please call me Vivian,love." Vivian lay a soft hand on her shoulder and smiled at the girls. "They like you, Bethanie, you're all they talk about when they get home."
By they Vivian meant Shiloh, obviously.
"I'm glad they like me, because I like them." she put in, kissing each tiny forehead.
Shiloh and Shadow nodded in unison, smiles large on their faces.
"Daddy's home!" a deep voice beckoned from the kitchen.
Both girls squirmed to get out of her arms and race for their father, she smiled and set them on their feet before following them to see T.C. She was just as anxious to see him as they were. Smiling, she rounded the corner and saw him with the girls. Her heart melted in her chest as she watched him gather them in his arms and kiss their little faces.
"Afternoon, cowboy." she smiled.
"Bethanie." he smiled back, standing and setting the grocery bag he held on the kitchen table. "So nice to see you again."
"You too."
His mother rounded the corner, "Oh stop acting like you don't know each other and hug already." she smiled at the two as she reached for the bag he'd set down.
Swiftly, as if not waiting for another request, Tucker pulled her into his arms. "Gotta' listen to my Mama." he whispered in her ear.
"Glad you did." she whispered back with a wink.
--
"A baseball game?" he held the tickets in his hand and smiled at a hopeful looking Bethanie.
"It's tradition, every game all of my friends go to the games. We sit together and have tons of fun." she supplied.
"Sounds like fun, let's do it." he couldn't resist the way she was looking at him.
"Good, I can't wait for you to meet them all. Their a great group, and I'm sure that the girls will love Cole and Ava." she reached for his hand.
He supplied his hand, rubbing his fingers over her's. "I'm sure they will. Won't you girls?" he asked, looking down to where his daughters played in the sandbox at their feet.
Shiloh nodded, "Baseball."
Shadow looked up, "Miss Bethie?"
Both adults stopped talking and looked down to where Shadow sat playing as if nothing had happened. She'd spoken!
"Yes, Shadow?" asked Bethanie, still looking shocked.
"You come baseball game?" she asked, brown eyes accessing.
Bethanie nodded, tears glistening in her eyes, "Yes, Shadow, I'm coming."
"Good." the simple word had tears rolling down Bethanie's cheeks.
T.C. smiled and rubbed at her tears, "Yes, good." he whispered.
"She talked..." Bethanie's voice wore thin as she stared into his eyes.
"To you." he completed her sentence and kissed her cheek, "Yes, she did."
"Amazing." she whispered.
"You are, incredibly so." he kissed her quickly with a smile. She was perfect for them.
--
Jazzi smiled as she grabbed her ticket to the game and shoved it in her purse. Bethanie today. Bethanie and T.C. had been going out for two weeks now, and finally they were going to a game together. They were bringing Shiloh and Shadow as well, apparently. Her smile widened as she took her steps two at a time to get to the front door faster.
With any hope she'd be at the stadium in time to take her seat far enough away to watch the couples interact. The traffic would be bad today, so she walked. Smiling at a few people, but mostly keeping to herself she hurried along. Her breath stopped in her chest as she nearly ran into Rachel and the man she'd seen in her dreams for nearly a month.
"What, no hello?" asked Rachel, her eyes accusing.
"I meant to say hello, I was just sidetracked..yes sidetracked. Hello." her eyes weren't on Rachel at all, instead they were locked with the brown eyes of her "dream man." It just so happened that was what she called him, she didn't mean anything by it. At least, she hoped she didn't.
"No harm done." Rachel smiled, "So, did you know my friend?"
"Um...no.." she whispered, frowning she cleared her throat and stole her gaze from his. He smiled at her, only making it worse. "No, but I really must run. Sorry, about that, but I've got a previous engagement."
"Ah, that really is too bad." he said, his smile appeared, and she frowned as it was all she could do to stay on her feet.
"Yes, too bad. See you all later." she said, pushing past Rachel.
"Yes, yes, goodbye!" called Rachel.
Deep breaths, Jazzelle, don't pass out. He was being friendly, that's all. She said that over and over to herself as she walked down the street toward the stadium. Only her imagination wanted to make the best of things, no. She wouldn't let that happen.