Right Here Waiting

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To say this family gathering wasn't awkward would be a real understatement.

There was so much tension, you could cut it with a knife.

I kept trying to catch Chance's eye but he looks away the second our eyes meet.

I sighed deeply and tried to focus on the conversation around me.

I smiled as I looked at Charlie, Chad, Channing, and Chazz who unknowingly gathered around me.

They were in protection mode for sure.

Growing up in a house full of boys made me a tough girl.

And my brothers don't see me cry very often.

So their instincts go off to keep that from happening again.

And they're protecting me from my brother whether they realise it or not.

And then there's Cam.

I can't help but lean into him and sigh that he's here by my side.

He's amazing.

I looked down the table again and saw Terry staring at Cam.

My eyes narrowed and my fists balled up into tight fists.

She leaned over and whispered into Chance's ear and his eyes shot to me, his icy stare making me shudder.

I turned back to look at Chazz and I could see his eyes were on me.

And he looked pissed.

I asked everyone to not say anything.

I didn't want to give that bitch the satisfaction of knowing she got to me.

No way in hell am I gonna let that happen.

I could see that Chazz really wanted to pummel Chance.

And as sweet as it is to know that my brother will fight for me, I don't need him to fight my younger brother.

I pushed away from the table.

"Dinner was great mom." I said, taking my plate to the garbage and kissing her cheek.

Everyone else started getting up soon after and I was quickly getting bored.

"Who's up for a game of football?" I asked with a grin.

All my brothers started to cheer and I grinned, watching Chance stand up as well.

I can't believe he's actually going to play.

Well I guess I can believe it.

He loves football.

He went to school on a football scholarship.

We split our teams and needless to say, my brothers, Cam and my father were being rougher with Chance than normal.

I looked over to see Terry and my mom sitting on opposite sides of the table.

It gave me a great amount of pleasure to see the disgruntled look on my moms face every time she looked at Terry.

A wicked smile came across my face.

"Why don't you join us Terry?" I asked her, my voice friendly and completely fake.

"I'm fine. I'm not into sports." She said, her high pitched voice bothering me.

"Yeah I figured." I let out a huff and turned my back on her, smiling as I walked over to Cam.

He picked me up and hugged me tightly.

"Nicely done, baby." He murmured in my ear.

"I just want a chance to tackle her ass to the ground." I chuckled.

He grinned and set me back down.

I heard a chair scoot across the slab of concrete and I turned to see Terry making her towards the grass.

Charlie nudged me.

"Nice." He murmured and I grinned.

"Okay. I'll play." She said.

Chance's arms went around her and I almost gagged.

"Are you sure babe?" He asked in a soft voice.

I had to look away and then Cam was there, holding me close again.

"Yeah I'm fine. Who's team am I on?" She asked, her eyes on Cam.

"Mine baby." Chance said.

I could've laughed at the disappointment on her face if I didn't want to punch her.

"Let's play!" I bellowed, wanting to get this show on the road.

Me, Cam, Charlie, and Chazz were on one team.

Dad, Chad, Channing, Chance and Terry were on the other team.

We started the game and even though it was supposed to be touch football, my brothers always tackled the hell out of each other.

Charlie hiked the ball and Chazz caught it, looking to see who he could pass to.

I waved my arms around, searching side to side to make sure no one was tailing me.

The ball was in the air and I reached out to grab it, holding it tightly in my arms.

I grinned widely and started towards our teams goal line.

I was almost there when a foot kicked my shin and I lost my balance and fell over.

I rolled over and saw Terry standing over me with a smirk.

"Terry maybe you don't know the rules, but you can't trip other players." Charlie said.

Cam and Charlie came over to help me up.

"She didn't trip Chase. She's always been clumsy." Chance said.

"However true that may be, I saw it with my own eyes. Terry tripped your sister." My dad said in a hard voice.

"Daddy its fine. I'm okay. Let's do the next play." I told him.

My brothers and Cam all looked pissed but I winked at them.

We lined up again and this time Channing was hiking the ball to Chance.

He looked and saw Terry all by herself.

"Babe." He yelled, throwing her the ball softly.

I grinned as she started to laugh and run with ball.

I slide tackled her and she tripped over me and fell on her face.

I couldn't help but grin at her laying face down.

My brothers whooped and hollered, giving me high fives and huge smiles.

"What the hell is your problem Chase." I heard Chance growl, shoving me to the side.

If I had been prepared and paying attention, I wouldn't have been caught off balance.

But he caught me totally by surprise and I wasn't expecting his angry reaction.

I stumbled and tripped over the ball still on the ground.

Before I even knew what was happening, there was an uproar and Cam was holding Chance by his shirt collar, and his feet weren't touching the ground.

I jumped up from the ground.

"If you ever touch her again, I'll kill you." Cam whispered menacingly, his voice dark and threatening.

He dropped Chance and he fell to the floor.

He scrambled to his feet and glared at Cam.

I put my hand on Cam's shoulder to calm him, not wanting any more trouble.

"I didn't even push her hard." Chance yelled.

And then it was my father who was in Chance's face.

And regardless of what anyone may say, my brothers both respect and fear my father.

Them getting older hasn't changed that fact.

I saw Chance take a step back.

"What difference does it make how hard you pushed her? It shouldn't have happened in the first place. That is your sister. And she's a woman. Under no circumstances do you ever, ever put your hands on a woman Chance! Not ever. Do you hear me!" He bellowed, and even Terry took a step back, hiding behind Chance.

My fathers face was turning an unusual shade of red.

"Yes sir." Chance mumbled low.

He turned and grabbed Terry's hand, pulling her through the house and out to his car.

We all stood there for a minute, registering what must happened.

My brothers may fool around with me, but they've never put their hands on me in anger.

Not ever.

And the fact that Chance did it without a second thought, had tears burning my eyes for the second time today.

And then his warm arms were around me.

I buried my face in his chest and he rocked me back and forth.

"I'm so sorry baby girl. I have no idea what's going through that boys head." My dad said softly, his hands combing my hair back.

"It's fine. I don't want everyone to be fighting." I said.

"As long as he's with that girl and acting like he has no sense, we're always going to have problems. And that won't be your fault." My dad said.

He held me tightly to his chest and started moving us around, and before I knew it, we were dancing.

"There's two things I know for sure..." He sang and I couldn't help the smile that went across my face.

"She was sent here from heaven, and she's daddy's little girl..." He sang, his voice low but still beautiful and powerful, full of love.

He hummed the lyrics until he got to the chorus and I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks, now for a completely different reason.

"Butterfly kisses, after bedroom prayer. Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair. Walk beside the pony daddy, it's my first ride. I know the cake looks funny daddy, but I sure tried." He sang, and I could see all of the emotion in his eyes.

My dad heard this song a few months after I was born and told me in represented how much he loves and cares for me.

We danced to this song at every birthday, including my sweet sixteen and eighteen birthday.

And I definitely plan on dancing my father-daughter dance to this song at my wedding in the future.

It's just our song.

Always has been.

And anytime I've been down, he'd pull me into his arms, sing this song, and he'd hold me until I felt better.

And there has never been a time when it hadn't worked.

Including this time.

I could see his eyes glazing over with unshed tears and I knew what part of the song we were on.

"She'll change her name today. She'll make a promise, and I'll give her away. Standing in the bride room, just staring at her. She asked me what I'm thinking, and I said I'm not sure. I just feel like I'm losing, my baby girl. And she leaned over...." He sang, his voice catching on a couple of words.

And I reached up on my tippy toes and gave him butterfly kisses.

"Gave me butterfly kisses, with her mama there. Sticking little white flowers all up in her hair...." He sang.

"Walk me down the aisle daddy. It's just about time. And does my wedding gown look pretty daddy? Daddy don't cry..." I sang, wiping at his eyes that we're dropping tears out of the corners.

We couldn't finish the song.

It had been an emotionally exhausting day for all of us.

My dad pulled me against his chest and I could hear his heart beating strongly under my ear.

My arms squeezed him tighter, feeling the love practically radiating off of him.

I can handle a lot of things.

And when I feel I can't, I know I'll always have my family here for me.

They are my rock.

Especially my dad.

And having that strength, and love and support with me, well, I can do anything.