Never Look Back

Jordyn had been the perfect teenager for the past two weeks in hopes that it would build her credit enough to ask Jon if Dylan could come over for a few hours that Friday night.

Jon begrudgingly opened the front door that night, staring down at Dylan who stood in the doorway anxiously.

“Hey Mr. Toews.” He offered a mostly civil greeting.

“Dylan.” Jon replied. “How’s it going?” He asked, still not inviting the teen into his home quite yet.

“Fine, sir.” Dylan replied, trying his best not to blink and appear sincere. He knew that Jon didn’t like him and the last thing he wanted to do was offend Jordyn’s Dad. Dylan really liked Jordyn and he didn’t want to screw things up so early.

“What’s on the agenda tonight, Halvarsson?” Jon asked, folding his arms over his chest. Before Dylan could reply, Patrick lazily wandered into the entryway, a Red Stripe in his hand and an unamused look on his face.

“How’s it hanging, Halvarsson?” Patrick asked, taking another drink of his beer.

“Good.” Dylan nodded. “The plan’s just to watch a movie, maybe play video games.” Dylan replied to Jon’s previous question. He looked back and forth between Patrick and Jon for a few moments as silence filled the space between them.

“I don’t like you.” Patrick drawled lazily.

“Alright, well Jordyn’ in the family room.” Jon ushered the kid in, decking Patrick in the shoulder as Dylan headed past them into the house. “Dick! If he says something to Jordyn then it comes back to me, not you.” He hissed. “Even if I hate the little prick too, just suck it up or you’ll have Jordyn doing that thing she does when she doesn’t talk to you but you know she’s still really angry.” He finished.

Patrick rolled his eyes, moseying his way on into the kitchen to grab some of the cookies Jordyn and Amy had baked the previous day while the team was in Atlanta.

If only Jon knew what Patrick knew, he would have knocked that little asshole into next week.

“I hate that kid.” Jon mumbled before stuffing his face with a cookie, grabbing himself a beer from the fridge. “I don’t trust him as far as I could throw him.” He added.

“Yeah well, you shouldn’t.” Patrick shook his head.

“Why do you say that?” Jon asked, sitting up on the kitchen counter.

“No reason.” Patrick quickly saved, “he just looks like a little brown-noser with a hidden agenda.”

“You know who he reminds me of?” Jon asked, leaning back against the cupboards, bringing the tinted green bottle to his lips again.

“Who?” Patrick asked, mimicking his friend’s actions as his phone buzzed with a text from Sara. He had to be home soon to read Gabe’s bedtime story.

“Bur.” Jon replied. “Like he comes off as all nice and shit but you know deep down he’s a cocky son of a bitch.” He added, making them both frown. They sat and mumbled back and forth for another few minutes before Sara sent Patrick a ten minute warning.

“Gotta run, Gabey-baby’s bedtime.” He laughed, smiling at the display picture on his cell phone, Patrick and Gabe on the ice as the older of the two skated after his son like Gabe was out-skating him.

“Remind him that we have movie time next week.” Jon said, “and tell Sara I say hey.” He added.

“Will do, try not to kill anyone tonight.” Patrick advised.

Meanwhile, in the family room, Major League had only just started.

“Your Dad really hates me.” Dylan laughed as Jordyn spread out a blanket across their laps. She still had a hard time retaining a stable body heat and almost always changed into sweatpants and a sweatshirt whenever she came home from school to warm up.

“He doesn’t hate you, but he does still think I’m eleven years old and think boys still have cooties.” She pointed out.

“You don’t right?”

“Don’t what? Believe in cooties?”

“No, you don’t have cooties, right? Because I just got myself checked and going to that doctor is embarrassing.” He joked, making Jordyn burst into giggles before resting her head against his shoulder, loving the way his arm felt around her shoulders.

“I really like you.” Jordyn sighed as his hand engulfed hers under their shared blanket.

“I really like you too.” Dylan whispered back.

“But we can’t be more than friends for a long time, my Dad’s rules are a little…”

“Crazy? Psycho? Amish?”

“I was going to say outdated.” Jordyn giggled. “He didn’t grow up with girls, just my Uncle Davey, and I know he doesn’t really get things, but he’s my Dad and I love him and respect him.” She added.

“I totally understand, Jord, and waiting until you’re sixteen is no problem for me if it’s no problem for you.” He insisted as she looked up at him with a soft smile.

“Of course not.” Jordyn shook her head. “It’s just, you and Sammy Gray, people always talk about how the two of you…”

“I know what people say, I dated her a long time ago, I really have no feelings for her whatsoever.” He shook his head. “I won’t lie and say that all those rumors aren’t true, but that’s not really who I am anymore.” He insisted.

“It’s just, even when I turn sixteen, I won’t be ready for stuff like that.” She whispered, embarrassed.

“I already said, Jordyn, I don’t mind waiting.” Dylan insisted. Jordyn smiled and kissed his lips softly before resting her head back against his chest.

Dylan was just so perfect.

Not half an hour later, Jon decided to poke his head on, offer a snack or ask if Dylan needed a ride home later, even if he already knew the answer. Clutching a big bowl of Orville Redenbacher’s he stuck his head in first to see the movie playing on the opposite wall. It was what he saw next that made his blood boil in his veins.

Jordyn was perched in Dylan’s lap, his hands on her legs and his tongue down her throat.

“Jordyn!” Jon barked, making her jump right out of her skin and into the floor, scaring the living daylights out of her. “Dylan, it’s time for you to go.” He all but growled, still staring down at Jordyn, fearing that if he actually looked at Dylan, he’d end up beating the shit out of a minor, and he was sure the league would frown upon that. Dylan hopped up from the couch and looked at Jordyn, avoiding all eye contact with Jon, wishing his boner would go away.

It took every fiber in Jon’s being to not clothesline Dylan as he ran past him, a hand over his shorts as he made a beeline for the front door.

“Daddy, I-”

“Don’t Daddy me.” Jon sighed. “I… don’t even know what to do right now.” He shook his head. “We had a promise, Jordyn. I thought I could trust you!” He pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes tightly.

Jordyn didn’t know what to say. She and Jon had a promise that she couldn’t have a boyfriend until she was sixteen, so did that mean she couldn’t even kiss a boy until then? Her eyes began to water in confusion, embarrassment, and self-pity.

“I – I’m sorry.” He voice cracked as tears spilled over the edge of her eyelashes. She shook her head, not being able to find the words for all of the different things she was feeling at the moment. “I’m just – sorry.” She cried softly. Jon looked down at her, the air between them thick and tense before he shook his head and walked upstairs.

What was going on with his Jordyn?

After they both had some time to cool off, Jon found Jordyn again in the kitchen, stirring a pot of Pasta Roni pathetically, and her eyes still puffy.

“Hey.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry for embarrassing you.” Quick, like a band-aid. “I know you like Dylan and I can respect that as long as you respect our promise.” He insisted.

“Don’t worry about it, I can assure you it won’t be a problem anymore. After this I’ll be surprised if he ever even looks at me again.” She mumbled.

“I’m not the bad guy here, okay?” Jon muttered.

“So then who is? Me?” Jordyn huffed.

“No, no one’s the bad guy.” Except Dylan. “I think we both could just use some JJ time.” Jon offered up.

“I can’t, I have homework and practice every day, season starts Monday.” Jordyn shook her head.

“You can make time.” Jon insisted.

“No, I can’t.”

•••

“I am just not a baker, Grand-mère..” Jordyn shook her head as she struggled with the crust for the Toews’ pumpkin pie. “But I am an eater, so I will help you.” She added, making Andree laugh with a wide smile.

“You’ll get better, I wasn’t a baker at your age either, but my Maman loved to bake, so I think of her when I do.” She replied.

“Jord, babe, can you grab me a water from the fridge?” Amy asked, leaning in the archway of the kitchen.

“Sure.” Jordyn replied, turning around, grabbing an Aquafina and handing off to Amy.

“Thanks, sweetheart.” She smiled, taking the water before disappearing back into the family room where she was cuddling with Jon on the couch, watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

“So, tell me the truth, you like Amy, non?” Andree asked quietly.

“Sure, I love Amy.” Jordyn nodded. “She’s super nice and I can tell she really loves Dad.” She added. “Plus it’s nice to have another girl around the house when Sara is busy with Gabey and doesn’t really have time to do girl stuff with me. And when you’re all the way up here.” She finished with a frown, causing Andree to drop a kiss on Jordyn’s forehead.

“You’re surviving.” She insisted.

“Plus Amy kind of tones Dad down, I can get away with more when she’s around.” Jordyn grinned. “And she doesn’t seem to mind that I take up most of Dad’s free time. She’s pretty understanding, and she isn’t smothering me by any means. I mean, they’ll probably get married, right?” She asked, making Andree nod.

“I hope so. I really like Amy, too.” She replied, and they’ve been together for what? Two years?” She asked.

“About a year and a half by my count.” Jordyn nodded.

“Either that or Davey needs to find the love of his life so we can get some more grandbabies in this house.” She tutted, clicking her tongue.

“Grand-mère.!” Jordyn laughed, her cheeks flushing a dark pink even though she had entertained the thought of having a cute little brother or sister around.

“Oh hush.” Andree laughed.

“What are you two conspiring about now?” Jon asked, walking into the kitchen and giving his tummy a scratch.

“Conspiring?” Jordyn gasped. “Us? Never!” She giggled as he walked over and enveloped her in a warm bear-hug, his cologne swirling around her as well as his body warmth.

“I’m so sure.” He shook his head. “Maman, combien de temps jusqu'au dîner?” He asked, rubbing his stomach.

“Just a bit longer, your father can carve the turkey in just a while.” She insisted. “Now scoot on out of here and go collect Davey and Miranda.” Andree spoke of Jordyn’s uncle and his on again, off again girlfriend who where laying in the hammock out in the backyard.

“I don’t want to get near that.” Jon scrunched up his nose. “You do it.” He poked Jordyn in her side.

“Nuh uh, you do it, he’s your brother.” She insisted.

“Yes, but I am your Papa, and you have to do what I say.” He smiled proudly, making Jordyn scoff.

“You wish.” She laughed, shooing him out of the kitchen.

“Everything is good at home, non?” Andree asked, filling the last pie before sticking it in the oven, and dropping a bowl of seven layer salad in Jordyn’s hand to help her load down the table with the food they had been preparing for days.

“Out, tout va bien.” Jordyn replied with a curt nod and smile. “You know how Dad can get at the beginning of the season.” She sighed, “a little tense, a little cranky, but fine.” She finished.

“School is fine? How is Terri? How is Dylan? And lacrosse?” She asked.

“Bien, bien… frustrating, and fine.” She shrugged.

“Frustrating? Pourquoi?” Andree frowned, slicing a generous portion of butter on top of the piping hot mashed potatoes, Jordyn’s favorite.

“No boys until you are sixteen, Jordyn Rose, you are just a child!” Jorydn mimicked her father’s stern voice, shaking a finger and making Andree laugh.

“As much as I love my boy he really is just too tightly wound sometimes.” She sighed, setting out the pickles and olives as Jordyn arranged a variety of wheat and white rolls.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Jordyn sighed. “But it’s fine, I can understand, especially with the kind of trouble other girls in my grade are getting in, sometimes I can be thankful for the rules… not that I would ever tell Dad.” She giggled.

Before too long, the Toews family plus Amy were sitting around the table, thanking those who they were thankful for and passing around plates and plates of scrumptious food.

“And next year, we can have a precious little bebe pulled up to the table in a booster seat.” Andree sighed wistfully, causing Amy’s eyes to widen and Jon to shake his head. Andree had been conducting the baby-train for far too long.

“Are you pregnant then, Maman?” Jon asked casually, making Bryan choke on his potatoes.

“Very funny, Jonathan.” Andree rolled his eyes.

“Hysterical.” Bryan wheezed out, making Amy laugh.

“I’d like to hope Jon is smarter than that.” Davey added before feeding Miranda a bite of potatoes. If there were a photo in the dictionary for sappy, obnoxious couple their picture would be right there. Davey was damn near obsessed with the twenty-one year old brunette he met his first year playing for the Anaheim Ducks.

“Or at least another Toews… a Toews-to-be.” Andre was really laying on the hints.

“Maman, please.” Jon sighed, placing his hand on Amy’s knee.

“Désolé, désolé, I’ll drop it.” She replied. “For now.”

But Jordyn knew better, and she had to wonder herself, when would their little family start expanding?