The drive back started in silence. The boys were in the back watching... you guessed it... ESPN. Jake held her hand as she stared out the passenger's side window.
"It's going to be alright, Persephone." He kissed the back of her hand. He knew she was emotional and shouldn't take advantage of the situation, but he was ready to get her back. He knows he can get her back if she never finds out his secret.
Still staring out the window, she asks, "Jacob, what if he tries to take my boys? I have money, but he has five times more than I do. What if he brings up my stint in rehab?"
"You didn't want to eat, not trying to battle a heroin addiction."
She turned and faced him. "Still, that shows that I am mentally unstable. That I..."
Jake looked in the back seat and said, The bonus, with their ear pods engrossed in the show. So he cut her off. "You went through so much..."
"Yeah, if you think about it, a guy drove me crazy enough to develop a medical issue that I can fall off the wagon at any moment. I think about it still. But that is a different conversation for a different day. I can't do anymore today."
"I'm here when you want to talk."
"I still think about you too."
The corner of his mouth curled up slightly. "Do you now?"
Her cheeks flushed. "It's not like every day, but you often cross my mind. So many things around here remind me of you and me. I don't call you as often as I should."
"As they say, the phone goes both ways," he said, kissing her hand again. He couldn't believe she was letting him.
"You want to know who does call me often? Andromeda."
She took in a breath. Why was he telling her this? "Oh, that's nice that you stay in touch."
"Stay in touch? Babydoll, she is the most enormous pain in my ass. I said she called me. I don't call her."
She blushed again. This time, her ears turned into a ripe tomato. "Babydoll? Did you call me babydoll?"
"Did I ? Must have just slipped out."
"Ah. So you call someone Babydoll often to have that little slip-up."
"What? Nooo. I swear that I do not call someone Babydoll. Like I said, it slipped out because... that's what I wanted to call you. You have to admit it's ten times better than Periwinkle."
"She smacks him on the arm."
"OUCH! What was that for?"
"Don't say that. He's called me that for our entire friendship. It will always mean something to me."
"I'm sorry. You're right. I should have been more considerate of your feelings. I was just trying to take a cheap shot at Bodhi."
"You hit me with friendly fire." She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Persephone, I am so sorry."
She glared at him. "Persephone? What happened to Babydoll?" She gave him one of her sexy little smirks.
"Then let me phrase it. Babydoll, I'm a dickhead. I am sorry for what I said. It was childish and disrespectful to you. Tell me what I can do to make it up to you." They stopped at a red light, and he cupped her cheek. He swore that she leaned into it slightly.
"Wow. That beats the shit out of I'm so sorry. You should rephrase things more often."
"GREEN LIGHT! YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO AT SOME POINT, UNCLE JAKE."
"God, how loud does he have his earbuds?" She tapped Bodhi on the leg. "Bodazefa."
"He took the pods out. "Can I help you?"
"How loud do you have those?"
"Oh, I don't even have them turned on. How could I listen to you all?" He tapped his brother. "Might as well take them out...they know."
"They know?" Patrick said and gulped.
"We know," Perri and Jake said together.
"Are we in trouble?" Patrick asked.
"Yes, and is it big trouble, like we may have broken your favorite coffee cup, or is it that we fixed it, but it's accidentally glued to the cabinet trouble?" Bodhi asked.
"Do you have a mouse in your pocket? I know you are not talking about me," Patrick said.
"What color is that bus about to run you over, Patrick?" Perri asked.
"It's a blue prison bus." Patrick retorted.
Jake laughed. "I see not very much has changed."
"Yes, it has. They got a lot smarter. Jacob, I am an educated woman, but they move too fast for me to keep up."
"Then don't."
"Boys, this is tall talk, so put the buds back in and turn them on loud. If I find out you were eavesdropping, There will be consequences and repercussions."
"Did you really just quote an Eddie Murphy movie?" she asked with a small laugh.
"He mentioned prison. Guess my brain kicked that in."
They glanced at each other. "You gonna eat your cornbread?" They said together. They smiled at each other.
"Hey, Mom."
"What, Patrick?"
"Who was that man? The giant? You know him, don't you?"
"He's an old friend of Mommy's and Uncle Jake."
"Hey, Uncle Jake. Do all your old friends kick your butt when you see them?" Bodhi asked.
"No. He's an extra special old friend. We were messing around. You know how you and your brother go at it sometimes?"
"Yeah, like the time you gave me a bloody nose," Patrick said.
"Or the time you slammed my finger in the toy box."
"No, I did that on purpose. You needed to be taught a lesson."
"Patrick Holden! That was not nice, nor is it your job to teach lessons," Perri said.
"So, this old friend. Does he have a name?" Bodhi asked.
Jake and Perri looked at each other. Jake shrugged.
"Why don't we get home, and Jake and I can tell you about him."
"Okay," Patrick said. "You think maybe you can go a little faster?"
Patrick might want him to go faster, but Perri wants them to leave and walk. The more time she had to try to come up with an explanation for who Bodhi was.
"Hey, who wants to stop for ice cream?" Jake asked.
"Does Bodhi suck at basketball!" Patrick said.
"Hey, there is no reason to get so personal! That cut me. That cut me real deep."
Jake looked at Perri.
"It's a line from Shrek. Don't pin that one on me."
"Have you got their I.Q.s tested?"
"Yes, I have."
"AND?"
"They're higher than yours," she let out a little laugh.
"BURN!" Bodhi exclaimed.
"Okay, we're here! Everyone out of the car!"
Everyone got out of the car. The boys were fighting over who would open the door for Mom.
"Jacob, how am I supposed to have this conversation? How am I supposed to tell them about him without telling them he's their father? When I tell them his name, they will question why I named them after an old friend. When Bodhi learns his name, he will know that this is the Bodhi O'Neill from the Black Bears."
"COME ON MOM! THE ICE CREAM WILL BE MELTED BY THE TIME YOU GET HERE!" Bodhi said, holding the door.
They got their ice cream, and thankfully, the boys wanted to sit at a different table than the grownups.
"Jacob, I need to ask you something, and you have to be honest with me."
"Ah. I wouldn't say I like how this conversation will start. You could have said, Hey Jake, we need to talk."
"Okay. Hey, Jacob, we need to talk, and I need you to be honest with me," she said, smiling.
"You are such a smartass. What do you need to know?" He licked his ice cream.
"Did you know he was coming today?"
He stopped mid-lick. "I am going to plead the fifth."
"That only works in a court of law," she said. "And to me, if you plead the fifth, you are basically saying that you are guilty."
"Can we please not have this conversation?"
"How long have you known?"
He sighed. "Holden called me and asked if I had any time off. He said that Bodhi was in town, and he wanted all of us to get together. He didn't tell me about you being involved till two days before. So, no one knew but Holden and me.′
She spoke softly, "How could you have done this to me?"
"Holden made an excellent argument. And I think he asked me to be here, so if things went sideways, I would be here for you and the boys."
"Objection. Speculation."
"I am, though. Maybe it wasn't his idea, but it's what I will do. Unless you want me to drop you off and leave, never to see you again."
"What did you say that started the fight?" she asked while playing with her cup of ice cream.
"Please don't make me tell you that. I came clear about knowing."
"That bad, huh?"
"It was true what I said. It just really wasn't necessary," he admitted.
"Well, it's not mean if it's true."
"Like I said, it was not necessary. I did it because I was angry at him for continuously telling me I wasn't the boy's father no matter how much time I had spent with them."
"It's not mean if it's true. But my guess is he was goading you on." She took his hand and interlaced their fingers. "It might be true, but you know how much I appreciate you being there for them. So, what did you say?"
"I may have said something about how many times he made love to you compared to how many times I was able to."
"Oh, Jacob Thorsell, no, you didn't."
"Well, now I know why he kicked your ass," she said, taking a spoonful of ice cream.
"He didn't kick my ass. I was holding my own."
"He knocked your tooth out," she said.
He rubbed his jaw. "Yeah, don't remind me. It was a molar. I guess I really don't need to worry about it. So, are you mad at me?"
"I am not mad. I am hurt a little. But you are right; I am glad that you are here. When do you go home?"
"Yeah, that. I want to talk---"
"Hey, mom! We are done and need to get home in time for Pardon the Interruption," Patrick said.
"Do they watch anything else besides ESPN?"
"Yes."
"What would that be?"
She stood up. "Fox Sports."
"I just can't."
How do you like the story? Who do you think Perri should be with, Jake or with Bodhi?