Brotherhood of Six

NICOLE

We’ve been on the road since four this evening.

My sister is driving the U-Haul, and Nora decided she wanted to ride with her.

I know Nora is upset about moving—all my kids are—but once I let Bell know that he, if he wants, has a spot on the baseball team starting tomorrow, he’ll be happier about it.

They’re upset about leaving their friends, but I think the sports and activities they were involved in are what they were most upset about.

Elena rode with Bell. All my kids are close to one another, but when something happens between her and Winston, she always wants her big brother.

So, here I am, driving in front, Bell following me, and Warner, my sister, in the rear with the U-Haul.

This means I have plenty of time to think.

Eric and I were high school sweethearts. He was a senior and I was a sophomore.

At the time, my dad was the football coach, and before that, he was part of the NFL until he busted his knee and had to retire early.

Eric and I met when I had to wait for my dad to get done with a practice. It didn’t take long for me to fall for Eric.

My dad wasn’t happy about one of his players dating his daughter, but he got over it quickly. We dated all through high school. He was my first. That’s how we ended up with Bell.

Yeah, I was the sixteen-year-old cliché.

But Eric was supportive. He decided to join the army after graduation before I was even pregnant with Bell.

We had a month left before he would graduate, and then, he would be leaving. I knew he was going to join the army from the first date. I was okay with it.

The same day I told him I was pregnant, we went and told my parents. They weren’t happy about their sixteen-year-old daughter being pregnant, but they supported me through it.

Eric and I got married after graduation. He was able to push off basic training until he couldn’t. I was thirty weeks along before he couldn’t put it off any longer.

I ended up going into labor at thirty-eight weeks.

Eric had roughly two weeks left of basic, so he couldn’t get away. I went through it with only my mom and sister in the room. My two younger sisters and three older brothers were able to make it.

I was in labor for nineteen hours. It was hell doing it without Eric, but I was able to get through with my parents and siblings.

Two and a half weeks later, Eric came home and met his son for the first time. I was able to finish school and graduate with the help of my family.

After graduation, I moved to Tennessee with Eric, and we ended up getting pregnant with the twins shortly after moving into our new home.

He was on deployment in Afghanistan when I went into labor with the girls.

London was there with me. We went to the same college and quickly became friends during our freshman orientation. (I got my real estate license and business degree.)

Eric made it to the hospital, surprising the hell out of me, with five minutes to spare before I had to start pushing.

After the girls were born, I found out he was on his way home when my parents called and said I was in labor. He was going to surprise Bell and me by coming home. I couldn’t be happier.

My mind knew I didn’t want to think about it, but it decided to jump to my kids and me walking into our family home to see him screwing my best friend.

I forgave him after a while, but I never forgot it. We were working through everything until London showed up claiming she was pregnant.

As it turned out, that claim was confirmed, and it was Eric’s. I knew then that I couldn’t stay with him. It would always be a reminder that I wasn’t enough to satisfy my husband and keep my family together.

I couldn’t put the kids or myself through that. So, I decided that the kids would finish this school year and start fresh in my hometown. Bellamine will be a senior when school starts. Elena and Nora will be sophomores.

I’ve constantly asked myself if I’m making the right decision, but I know I am. I’m doing what needs to be done. Although, I’m not getting away from Eric, or London, as easily as I hoped.

They are his kids, and I accept that, but that doesn’t mean I want the two of them flaunting what broke us in my face. But I’ll be civil with them for the kids.

I’m brought out of my thoughts by my phone ringing. I look at the time and see that it’s eight already. We’ve been driving for four hours and I still haven’t talked to Bellamine about Jaxton’s offer.

That’s another thing my mind takes me to, but my incessant phone is bringing me out of my thoughts once again.

“Hello?” I answer.

“Mom, we’re getting hungry. Can we pull off somewhere and stretch and eat?” Elena asks.

“Yeah, baby. Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts. We’ll pull off at this exit and eat. Hey, put your brother on speaker—I have some news,” I say.

“Okay, Mom, you’re on speaker,” Bell’s voice rings through the phone.

“Hey, baby. I got a call a while ago from Coach Stark from Hanover High. I guess Coach Tanner called him and told him you were moving and wanted to see if he had a spot on his baseball team for you.

“I guess he just lost his pitcher and said the spot is yours if you want it. You have practice at eight tomorrow morning,” I say.

“Are you serious? Next to my old team, they’re undefeated. I wouldn’t pass that opportunity up. Are you sure it’s okay, Mom?” he asks.

“Of course it’s okay, Bell. It’s your dream to join the MLB, and I support you in everything you want to do—other than getting a girl pregnant at your age,” I say.

“Nah, I’m more careful than that,” he says.

I like how we can talk about anything and everything.

“This is true. All right, the exit’s coming up. Meet at Denny’s. Call your aunt and let her and your sister know. I’m going to call Jaxton and let him know to expect you,” I say.

“Jaxton? You know the coach?”

“Yeah. He was in your father’s grade, and I was in school with one of his brothers.”

I don’t tell him how I had the biggest crush on Jaxton before I met Eric. I don’t tell him that if I didn’t end up with his father, I would have done my damndest to get with him.

But I’m getting off track here.

“All right, I’ll meet you guys there. Love you both.” I disconnect the call and call Jaxton.

He answers after the third ring.

“Hello? Hey, give me a second to get somewhere quiet.”

I hear rustling, then doors open and close.

“Sorry about that. My brothers and I are catching a game.”

“Oh, sorry. I just wanted to let you know that Bellamine will be at practice tomorrow morning. We have about four more hours of driving and are stopping for some food.”

I don’t know why I’m telling him this. I should have just left it about baseball.

“Sounds good. I’ve heard many good things about him and seen some DVDs that Tanner sent.

“He’s good and has a chance at the majors. Scouts will be out this year. I know he’s going to be a senior, but they’ll still look at him. So, why are you moving back here after all these years?” he asks.

“His dream is to play for the Yankees. It’s been his dream since he started playing T-ball. Eric and I couldn’t be more than happy with him or our twins,” I reply as I pull off to the exit.

“Yeah? Well, I’d be damn proud too if he were my son. Twins? Damn. How’s things with Eric?” he asks.

“Yeah, twin girls. I ended up getting pregnant with them shortly after moving to Tennessee. Eric went off to Afghanistan and barely made it back for their birth. Finished his tour and never re-enlisted.

“We worked through his shit and fifteen years later, my kids and I walked in on him fucking my best friend in our home.

“Tried to work shit out, but she came back pregnant with his kid, and I couldn’t put my kids through being reminded why we were broken.”

Once again, I don’t know why I tell him this. I mean we were friends, but that didn’t happen until Eric and I started dating.

“What an asshole. Need me to kick his ass?” he asks and lets out a laugh.

“I wish it were that simple. I decided to move home so I wouldn’t be reminded of everything that went down every day, but he decided to follow us. Anyways, we’re here at Denny’s, and the kids are starving.

“It was good to talk to someone other than my kids or my family. See you around eleven, neighbor. Tell Emerson no loud parties. I have kids.” I disconnect the call and head into the restaurant with my kids and sister.

Yeah, I knew he and his brothers all lived in that subdivision. It’s one of the main reasons I picked it.

Soon, I tell myself. It’ll all be okay and work out the way it was supposed to all those years ago.