Remind Me

“Wanna play family?”

“Sure. Who am I?” I asked him.

“The mom, duh. Does Jeff want to play? He can be the kid!” Nolan answered.

“I’ll be right back, let me go ask him. He went to put Mason in his crib. Stay here.” I said and Nolan nodded with a huge smile on his face.

“Hey Jeff.” I whispered as I walked into the baby’s room. I found him sitting in the rocking chair holding Mason.

“Yeah.” A huge smile came across his face.

“Wanna come play family? Nolan wants to know.”

“After I get him to sleep again, I will come down. Have you seen what time it is though? Nolan has to go to bed about 30 minutes ago.” he winked.

“Oh man! That little guy is so fun! I didn’t even realize what time it was. I will put him in bed now and come right back.” I said, and Jeff winked, again.

“Sounds good. See you in a few!”

After putting Nolan to bed, I went back into Mason’s room and Jeff wasn’t there. I walked over to the crib to make sure the baby wasn’t awake and he wasn’t in there, either. I walked down the beautiful staircase and into the huge living room and I saw Jeff sitting on the couch with Mason, watching the previews of a movie.

“Care to join us?” Jeff asked, patting the couch on the spot next to him.

I walked over to there and sat down. I reached on top of Jeff, grabbing the baby from him and then leaned back to sit comfortably. He looked me in the eyes and softly smiled at me. This time I really felt his smile. I truly believed that he had feelings for me.

“Fun night, huh?” I said to him.

“Very. And it is getting better.” He smiled and put his arm around me.

Usually I would feel weird about this, but it felt right. I was okay with it. I snuggled in closer to him and as soon as I did, Mason began to cry.

“Do you think he needs a bottle?” Jeff asked.

“Yeah, he’s probably hungry. It’s been three and a half hours. Let me go make him one before this starts.”

I began to get up and I felt his hand on my shoulder, pulling me back.

“I’ve got it.” He said, “You just sit here and relax. You deserve it.”

I grabbed his hand as he pulled it out from around my shoulder, “Thank you!” I mouthed to him. And he smiled and walked out into the kitchen.

On the couch next to me, Jeff’s phone was lighting up.

My nosy side got the better of me and I picked it up and read the two messages.

The first one was from Cam Ward.

-Hey. How were the kids for you guys?

I decided that I should just answer him so that he would know, so I replied.

-They were great. Nolan stayed up a little later than he should have because he was playing and Mason is on the couch with us right now. He is going to be getting a bottle. No problems.
Then I checked his other message. This one was from someone named JillyBean.

-Hiiii(: Just wanted to say I missed you and seeing you play on TV just isn’t gonna cut it anymore. I have to see you soon! Love you!

I just didn’t understand. I thought Jeff liked me. Maybe this is how these hockey players are. I wanted to think differently, but I guess I was wrong.

As I stared at the screen in disbelief, Jeff walked in with the bottle.

“Hey… uhmm, Cam texted you and just wanted to know how the kids were. I said that they were great.”

“Oh thanks.” He replied and sat down.

“You had another text too. From a girl named Jilly…”

Jeff’s face lit up, as I traded him the phone for the bottle.

The smile on his face got even bigger while he read the text from her.

“I-I’m going to go in the kitchen to feed him.” I said, feeling very uneasy.

I got up and walked away and Jeff followed me, texting as he called my name.

“Katie! What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I said, placing the bottle on the counter. ”I just thought you were looking for something more out of me and I was silly to. I thought you wanted to be more than friends with me., but it’s alright. I am okay with that. I’m sorry that I didn’t realize that there was someone else. I just need a minute.”

“Someone else? What are you talking about? Why would you think that I didn’t want more between us? What happened when I was in the Kitchen?

“That text… from Jilly.”

“JillyBean!?”

“Whatever you want to call her!”

“That is my sister! Trust me, I am not the kind of guy to two-time anybody.”

“Wait, so you don’t have another girl?”

“No! I want to be more than just friends with you, Katie. I like you!” He said, and he got closer.
His hand was placed on my cheek and I closed my eyes. He gently kissed me on the forehead, slowly pulling away. “I really like you!” He looked at me close adnd our foreheads rested on each others.

He picked up the bottle and grabbed my hand, guiding me back to the couch. “Let’s watch a movie.”

He sat down and pulled me down with him, gently. His hand, once again, found its way around my shoulder and it made it easier for him to pull me in closer to him. I was still holing Mason and now he was holding me. He leaned over and began to feed the baby and my free hand somehow found its way on his leg.

“I need to tell you something.”

“Oh lord, what?” I asked nervously.

“Jealousy looks good on you…”

“Seriously? I am embarrassed enough about this and you had to make it worse?”

“I was just saying. I liked it. It was really hot.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Just feed the baby, buddy.”

The TV screen was finally on the Movie Menu. I grabbed the remote from on the other side of him and pressed the play button. This was one of my favorite movies, The Last Song.

About 30 minutes in, the baby was sleeping. I decided to put him in the bassinet that was in the same room, so that if he woke up I could hear him.

When I walked back to the couch, Jeff was laying down on the on the ottoman part of Cam’s big couch. I laid down next to him, putting the blanket on us and my head on his chest. I could feel him smiling behind me.

“We already are… we already are more than friends.” I heard him whisper to me as he leaned down and kissed the top of my head.