My Number One Fan

~2 hours later~
“We’re late,” I said as we rushed into the diner.
“Only by 15 minutes,” Jeff said, his hand on the small of my back as we made our way to the tables our group constantly sat at.
“Hey,” I said as we walked up to them. “Sorry, we know we’re late.” I sat down in one of the two remaining chairs, beside my father. The last one was beside me, with Matt on the other side.
“Lost track of time,” Jeff added, sitting down beside me and his brother.
“Riley, you look particularly radiant tonight,” Mandy observed.
“Do I?” I asked, looking around to my aunt. She nodded, wonder in her eyes.
“You look more exhilarated than normal to there bro,” Matt said to Jeff. “You look like you just got laid or something.” I couldn’t help it, I blushed so deeply I knew I could be picked up by a meteorologist as a hot front. I buried my head in my arms as Jeff laid his head on mine.
“Busted,” he muttered to me.
“Well, nothing wrong with two people showing their love like that,” Aunt Marylyn muttered. “How do you think you kids got here, or Gunner for that matter.”
“Marylyn,” Dad’s voice said and I knew he was just as embarrassed as Jeff and me. I finally looked up and laughed when I seen Sara’s face as red as mine.
“Youth,” Aunt Marylyn muttered just as Tricia walked up.
“Well, there’s the two love birds.” she said, handing us sodas. “Why girl you’re as a red as a beet.”
“You have no idea,” I muttered, laying my head on the table again.
“Oh, sexual intercourse is natural in a young and healthy relationship.” she said, rubbing the back of my shoulders.
“Is nothing private in this place?” I asked, turning to stare at Jeff. He laughed just as he was taking a sip of his drink.
“I heard about the two of you. You’re aunt won’t stop talking about it. Can I see?” I knew she was talking about my engagement ring, so I held up my left hand for her to see it.
“Wow, that’s a mighty fine ring you have there, but even better man.” Tricia said, picking up menus.
“Thanks Tricia, that means a lot.” I said, actually meaning it. Jeff grabbed my hand under the table, rubbing the back of it with his thumb.
“Well, we’ll get your orders out to you in no time at all.” Tricia said, walking to the counter.
“So Jeff,” I heard Matt whisper as everyone else started talking. “How was it?”
“Shut up Matt,” Jeff said as I blushed again.
“Matt, leave them alone.” Mandy said, smacking his arm.
“Oh, Aunt Mary, Mandy, Sara, we have something we wanted to ask you,” I said, suddenly remember what Jeff and I discussed before we watched the movie, and other things.
“What’s that?” Aunt Marylyn asked, looking up at us.
“Well, we were talking earlier, and we already decided a date for the wedding.” I said.
“Oh really, what day is that?” Sara asked.
“May 3rd of next year.” I replied. “And you know Jeff and I are going to be so busy being on the road and everything?” When they nodded, I glanced at Jeff. He nodded as well, so I continued. “We were wondering if you wanted to help us plan everything. You know, set up invitations and venues and stuff, and when we’re home we can help with the more detailed stuff.”
“What the rush with getting stuff started to plan out?” Matt asked. “You said May of next year, meaning 2008. That’s a year away.”
“The sooner things get started the better,” Marylyn replied. “Of course we’ll help, right?”
“Absolutely,” Mandy replied.
“Wouldn’t miss out on it,” Sara spoke up.
“Thank you,” I said, leaning against Jeff. I noticed Dad got a suddenly distant look in his eyes.
“I’ll be right back.” he said, standing up. Sara muttered something to him and he said something back. He walked out the front door and stood on the sidewalk. I stood up and followed him out of the diner.
“Dad, are you okay?” I asked him. I heard a sniffling, which told me something I haven’t seen out of him in years. He was crying.
“I’m fine,” he said, his voice confirming it more.
“Daddy,” I said, wrapping my arms around his much bigger one. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he said, sniffling again.
“Yeah right, your not fooling me for a second.” I said, shaking his arm.
“I’m just,” he started saying, but stopped and stared at the sky. “It’s coming to fast.” he finally admitted. “These past years have gone by so fast. One minute I’m in meeting my little girl for the first time, then the next I’m watching her perform in the ring, and getting ready to get married as well. I watched a little girl grow up into this beautiful woman, and now I have to give her away.”
“Dad, when you give me away, it won’t be forever.” I said, moving so I was standing in front of him. “I’ll still be around, it’s like you told me before, I’m going to be having my own family.”
“That’s what’s scaring me so much sweetie.” Dad said. “Your grown up, you’re a woman now. When you came by earlier today and said that you didn’t need me anymore, it really showed me how far you’ve come in life.”
“Dad, you know I’ll still need you for things. Who am I gonna get to kick Jeff around if he’s being mean to me?” I asked. He chuckled, but sound died instantly. “Who’s going to help me understand what’s going on with my son or daughter when they’re fussy? Who’ll help me show them what wrestling really is?”
“I get the point, and Jeff will help you with the last two,” Dad said.
“The point is, I might of said I don’t need you, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t need you later on in life. You’re not losing me Dad, your gaining Jeff.”
“I know, but it’s still weird, seeing you so grown up. First time I saw you you were in a dress your aunt picked out for you, pigtails in your hair, with Jeff none the less. You were so nervous walking up to me, but Jeff was even more terrified.”
“I remember that,” I said, thinking back to that day. “But you have to think, that day was also his mother’s funeral.”
“Yeah I know. Riley, I know you want so badly to remember your mother, but I can’t really tell you anything besides how great of a woman she was. I fell in love with her after that week of us seeing each other, but I was 16, and I had to go home. If I could of though, I would of stayed.”
“Don’t think like that Dad, if it wasn’t for you leaving, would everything that happened actually of happened to bring us where we are today?”
“Yeah, but you wouldn’t of missed out 9 years of having a father.” Dad replied.
“You’ve made up for those 9 years,” I said, laying my head against his arm. “Way more than you should have.” He kissed the top of my head and we just stood outside, staring up at the stars.
“We should get back inside.” Dad said. “They’ll think we ran away or something.”
“No, they’ll think I ran away and your trying to find me,” I replied, following him back into the diner.
“Yeah that to,” he said, smiling back at me. I sat back down beside Jeff while Dad took his seat back next to Sara and me.
“Everything okay?” Jeff asked as I grabbed his hand.
“Yeah, just more unresolved confusion.” I said, glancing up at Dad. He smiled and winked, taking Gunner off of Sara’s lap and onto his. Gunner looked over at me and held out his arms.
“Riley, I think someone wants you,” Dad said. I held out my hands and Gunner reached for me even more. I placed him on my lap as he laid his head on my chest, his fist in his mouth.
“She’s a natural.” Marylyn said, watching me with my little brother. I rested my head on top of his just as our food arrived at the table.
“Oh, isn’t that sweet. You and Jeff planning on having any kids?” Tricia asked when she saw Gunner on my lap.
“Probably 2,” Jeff answered, looking over at me. I nodded my agreement.
“Well, you two will make great parents.” Tricia said. “Enjoy everything now.”
“Always do Tricia!” Matt shouted as she walked toward the counter.
“Ignore him Mandy,” Jeff muttered, leaning around Matt towards Amanda. “He’s had a crush on her since he was knee high to a grasshopper.”
“Shut up Jeff,” Matt said, pink coloring his cheeks. The rest of the night, Gunner actually stayed on my lap, and I had no idea how I could never claim this little guy as my brother. He was just like me in so many ways, and he even looked like me. I tried to picture what a baby Jeff and I would have would look like, but somehow it wasn’t turning out right. When it was time to leave, I handed Gunner, who was now fast asleep, to our father. Jeff and I walked out to his car and left.
Jeff started saying something, but I was to wrapped around my own thoughts. When I felt his hand on my arm, it startled me back to reality.
“Sorry what was that?” I asked, looking at him.
“I asked if you were okay. You’ve been pretty spaced out for a while.” Jeff replied, leaving the town and heading toward our house.
“I’m fine,” I said, not to convincingly.
“Riley,” Jeff started saying.
“Remember when Tricia said that we’ll make good parents?” I asked him suddenly. I watched as he nodded his head, paying attention to the trees so he knew where to turn. “Well, after that, I tried to imagine what our kids might look like, you know, what the perfect baby would be for us. Most people can picture it, but I couldn’t.”
“So, you’re freaking out because you can’t picture what our baby would look like?” Jeff asked, slowing to turn up our driveway.
“I know it sounds stupid, but I’ve always been able to, but now I can’t.”
“Riley, you’re just stressed out honey,” Jeff said. “With everything that’s going on, it’s no wonder you can’t imagine it.” He turned the headlights to bright mode. “Besides, you know most of the people who picture what their kids will look like get more disappointed than the ones who don’t care?”
“Because they never get that perfect looking baby. Parents who only care about happy and healthy babies are almost always granted what they want.”
“Yeah, that makes sense.” I said. “I still wish I could see something though.” I muttered.
“I know baby, I know.” Jeff said. We pulled up to the house and quickly went inside. “So, are you ready for bed, or do you just want to find something to do?”
“I want a nice long hot bath,” I said, heading to the bedroom to get my nightclothes. “You can join me if you want.” I said, looking back at him. He quickly grabbed a pair of shorts and a tank top, placing them on the sink beside my clothes. I made sure the water temperature was suitable for the both of us, not to hot for me, not to cold for him.
“Oh and to answer your earlier question,” Jeff said suddenly as we laid in the water. “Nothing in this town is private.”
“I was so red when Matt casually talked about you having sex wasn’t I?” I asked, horrified.
“Sweetie, if there was a challenge for the most red and it was between your face and a fire truck, you would of won.” Jeff replied. I splashed a little water at him as he laughed and dunk his hands under the water.
“Jeff, stop!” I shouted when he started attacking my legs. He smiled wickedly, but continued. “Jeff I’ll shank you where you stand!” I shouted warningly, unable to stop the laughing.
“Where I stand, hate to tell you sweetheart, but I’m sitting down right now.” he smirked, going up a little higher.
“Jeffrey Nero,” I said, squirming and slipping on the slippery bottom. My head ended up going under the water. I felt myself get pulled up before I realized what had happened.
“I’m so sorry,” Jeff said saying as I sat up, sputtering water from my mouth and throat.
“It’s fine Jeff, I’m fine.” I said, wiping water from my eyes. I opened them and seen the worry in his eyes. “Stop it, I’m okay. I wasn’t even under long. I was up before I realized what happened.” When he continued to be quiet, I sighed. “Are you ready to get out?” I asked him. He nodded and pulled the plug, grabbing two towels from the pile in the cabinet. He handed me one, which I used to dry myself off with. After getting dressed, we walked into the bedroom and sat on the bed. Jeff had remained silent, laying on his side and facing away from me.
“Jeff, will you stop.” I said, walking around the bed to face him. “It’s not like I was in danger of drowning. You were in there, and if you wasn’t, I would of gotten up anyway.” he remained silent. I groaned and turned away from him. “Know what, fine.” I said, walking toward the front door. “I’ll be in the guest room when your ready to stop being such an ass.” I stormed from the room and into the guest bedroom, slamming the door shut behind me. I sat down on the bed, suddenly feeling very lonely. A silent knock on the door had my head whipping around.
“Riley,” Jeff’s voice called through the door. “I’ sorry Ri.” he said. “I just felt guilty about it.” I opened the door and he stepped in, sitting on the bed beside me.
“You’re always feeling guilty about something you couldn’t prevent Jeff.” I said. “You need to stop that. Whatever happens to me isn’t your fault.”
“You can tell me that all you want, but I’ll still feel guilty because I know there was more I could of done to protect you, but I didn’t.”
“I understand that Jeff, but you have to understand that no matter what we think, we’re not going to be around each other all the time. I’ll be somewhere far from you and you won’t be able to stop anything from happening to me.”
“I know,” Jeff muttered. “I just have no idea what I would do without you Riley. You’ve been there whenever I needed you, and I don’t want to know what it’s like to not have you around.”
“You already have, remember?” I said. “9 years ago, when I left and moved to Houston.”
“Yeah, but that was different.” I could tell he was trying to convince himself more than me.
“No, it wasn’t. I wasn’t there for you during that time, and I’ve felt bad about it for the longest time.” I said.
“You had no reason to,” Jeff said, shock in his eyes.
“Like you have no reason to feel bad,” I said, trying to get the point across his mind. He sat there and thought for a moment before realizing what I was saying.
“You’re right,” he said finally. “Okay, no more feeling bad if something happens to you, if I’m not around. If we’re together, then I’ll feel bad.”
“Deal,” I said grabbing his hand. “As long as you agree to the same thing with me.”