Page 19 of Jocked Up

“I hope she understands, Drake, I really do. We’re here for you buddy, all of us. Anything we can do just let us know.” Ben sat back on the bench, relaxing for a moment. He’d taken quite a few hits today and the line-backer was getting old for a player in his position, he needed to destress for now.

“It’s all good, Ben. We’ll get this game done and I’ll go home and take my new daughter a shiny new ring.” Drake drummed up some false enthusiasm before walking away to try to call again. Why wouldn’t they answer?

There was still no answer by the time half-time was over and Drake went back on the field but his mind was only half on the game. Every pass he made, though, went right to its target, his muscles knowing what to do, even if his brain didn’t. His knee started bothering him in the last ten minutes of the game but at the point, they were so far ahead his team could have sat down and given the ball to the other team and they still have won.

Drake was happy when the game was over and he was crowned with the MVP trophy, he smiled for the cameras, and laughed as his team poured a cooler full of liquid on him but his mind was back in Louisiana, in a hospital room where not a single person was answering his call. Somehow he made it through the interviews, gave the requisite speeches, and made it through the night without blowing his top. All he wanted to do however was get in his truck and drive back home. He could be there in eight hours if he drove straight through. But he had more interviews to give, more obligations to fulfil, and not a single phone call. He knew he didn’t deserve one but his sister could have at least let him know what was going on.

Drake sent texts, left messages, but gave up by 3 am. Nobody was answering him, not even Mike. He was in some serious trouble here and he knew it.

* * *

“I called that bastard’s agent and told him either Drake comes home by tomorrow morning or there’s going to be hell to pay.” Amelia’s face was thunderous as she came into my bedroom at the house and took Petra from me. My plan had been to name her after my mother but Peter had been so enamored with her I’d decided to name her after him. Drake and I really hadn’t talked about it much, he’d asked my plan, I’d told him, he’d agreed. He hadn’t bothered to call since the baby was born so I’d done as I’d pleased with my daughter.

I knew he was busy, I knew it was hard to get a minute to himself, but this was ridiculous. I was starting to get agitated and Amelia was furious, downright furious.

“What did the agent say?” I watched Amelia place Petra in her bassinet.

“He said he didn’t know anything about you but he’d call Drake right away.” Amelia still didn’t look happy but I knew she’d done her best.

“I don’t know what’s got into him. He was so looking forward to this and now, well, now I don’t know what to think.” I looked down at my new little girl, perfect and precious, and so like Peter at that age. I’d be blissful if Drake would just come home.

“I’m going to hunt him down myself if he’s not home soon. I’m not having it. His daughter is beautiful, her mother is radiant and awesome, and his life is perfect now that he’s won the Super Bowl. I’ll castrate him. Yeah, castration.” Amelia had obviously gone back to the many ways she’d decided she was going to torture her older brother.

Amelia’s phone buzzed and she looked down at it. Her eyes narrowed and I knew who it was on the other end.

“Be gentle, Amelia, he might have a perfectly good excuse.” Yes, I’d learned my lesson about jumping to conclusions.

“Where the hell have you been? What do you mean we never answered your calls or texts? We’ve not had any? What? No! Not a single one from you and I’ll tell you this much bother mine, I’ll have your balls when I see you, Super Bowl ring or not! Congratulations on both that and your new daughter by the way. She’s perfect.” Amelia’s face had contorted as she fumed at her brother but softened when she looked down at the baby.

“What’s that? Oh, well, I suppose that could happen. I don’t know. I suggest you get a new phone then. But first, bring your ass home? What? No, she isn’t mad you giant asshat! She loves you and she just wants you to come home so bring your ass home!”

I felt my cheeks redden at the mention of love but had to smother a giggle as Amelia began to swear at her brother. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her so upset.

“Fine, I’ll see you then. But you’d better arrive with a truckload of apologies and flowers, I can tell you that much now. Bethany was in labor for sixteen hours pushing out this kid of yours, you can at least bring her some flowers!” Amelia hung up then and sat on the bed next to me where I was resting. It had been a week but my body was still adjusting to not being pregnant and the long labor. The labor hadn’t been overly complicated but I’d lost some blood and transfusion had been mentioned but decided against.

Now we were home and I just wanted some peace. Apparently quite a bit had happened that I was unaware of. I’m glad now I hadn’t jumped to conclusions but I expect Drake was still going to have hell to pay when he got home. Amelia was still plotting out ways to torture him under her breath.

Chapter Twelve

Drake walked into the bedroom later that evening with a weak smile on his face. I’d heard Amelia downstairs, her voice much louder than her small frame should have been able to produce. She’d screamed at him about his responsibilities, about his child, about his life, and how he needed to straighten up or she’d kick his ass, even if he was bigger than her. She’d stand on a chair if she had to, either way; she was not going to allow him to abandon any of us.

Then everything had gone quiet and a few minutes later I’d heard his steps coming up the stairs. I didn’t know what to expect and my nerves tightened as he approached my bedroom door. His steps sounded heavy, hesitant, and that didn’t make my heart sing. This should have been a joyous moment, a moment when he ran up the stairs and into the room to pull the baby and me into his arms. I suppose his sister had deflated some of that. We still hadn’t talked, after all. A gentle knock and the door opened.

“May I come in?” He looked at me as though prepared to have projectiles launched at his head.

“Of course, you silly man! Get in here! Where have you been?” I held out my hand, wanting him to come and sit down beside of me so I could hand his daughter over to him.

“I wasn’t here for you. I let you down.” Drake’s head hung down to almost the middle of his chest as he came to sit down beside of me. “I let the baby down and I promised not to do that.”

“Oh Drake! That couldn’t be avoided darling, believe me, I tried to keep her in there for you. I knew you didn’t come home because you couldn’t. Now if you’d known ahead of time that I was about to give birth, completely blown it off, and run off to Hawaii to hang out with some friends, now that would have been failing, that would have been being a giant jerk. But you were working darling and taking part in the biggest dream of your life! I’m proud of you Drake, I’m not angry with you!” I could only hope my words got through to him as he sat studying my face.

He must have finally seen the honesty in my face because his face broke into a grin, the deep pain hiding in the shadows of his beautiful grey eyes now gone as he pulled me to him to hug me tight.

“Oh thank goodness! I’ve felt like such a failure, Bethany, such a terrible father. I was afraid to come home because I just knew you wouldn’t want me to come home.” His voice broke as he spoke.

“Oh baby, that’s my fault. We’ve not done very well at this being adults thing have we?” I laughed through tears of joy as he pulled away to look at me.

“No, I guess we haven’t. But we can do this Bethany, I know we can.” He looked at me with bright positivity but then Petra cooed from where she napped. “Oh my.”