Chapter 75: Date Night
*There are places in the heart you don’t even know exist until you love a child. – Anne Lamott*
“Kitten, come sit down.” Reese told Helen as she stood at the window looking out across the driveway.
Helen sighed and came back to the couch and sat down next to him. “I’m just worried.”
“Talk to me, kitten.” Reese encouraged.
“He’s my baby.” She whispered. “I don’t like him living away from me.”
“Look at me kitten.” Reese said gently. It took a moment and then she looked up at him. “If you would have said something, we could have made different arrangements.”
“But he goes to the Navy in July.” She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder.
“Do we need to move to the big house?”
Helen looked at him with confused shock. “Wh-what?”
“It’s twenty feet. If we need to move twenty feet, we can.” He gently caressed her cheek.
“You say it like that, it doesn’t seem that far.” She settled back into his side and wrapped her arm around him.
“It’s not. You think I would let Dean stay over there by herself if I wasn’t so close?”
“No.” she sighed. “I just… I’m not ready for him to grow up and feels like he is.”
Reese gave a soft chuckle as he kissed the top of her head. “Cheryl is thirty-three and I’m still not ready for her to grow up.”
“I’m serious, Reese.” Helen said with the sound of hurt in her voice.
“So am I.” He said honestly. “I came home as often as I could while she was growing up. But by the time I came home for good, she was already headed off to college. Now that she teaches for the university, she doesn’t get home as often.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
She was silent for a moment. “I felt like… like you were mocking me.”
“No, Helen. I understand what you’re going through.” He admitted as he pulled her a little closer. “A few years ago, Cheryl and Dean did not get along. Out of all my nieces, I’m closest with Dean, simply because she’s lived with me for most of her life.”
“Cheryl got jealous.” Helen guessed.
“Cheryl got very jealous.” Reese confirmed.
“What changed?”
“Cheryl was talking to Mary who said that she was lucky to have me. She told Cheryl that without me, she didn’t know what she would do. Both her biological parents were dead, my mom was undergoing chemo at the time she found out she was pregnant. The Princess Club hadn’t really been formed yet. I guess you could say it was because of Dean.”
He gave a little chuckle. “Don’t tell her I said that, because her ego is big enough.”
She grinned at the observation.
“I called a couple of my sisters, and they took her in until I was able to come home and buy this place. Even Heather helped her. Mary was nervous about having a baby by herself. But suddenly, she was drowning in sisters.”
“I know how she felt.” Helen admitted. “Bob was barely around, and I didn’t have anyone to lean on. It wasn’t until Bob insisted that Jaxon go to preschool that I met other moms.”
She paused for a moment. “I never saw Bob as abusive, just absent. But the more I learn about him, I realize that he was abusive. I’m scared that because Jolene saw how he treated me…”
“Oh, kitten.” Reese placed her in his lap and held her close to him.
“She always wanted her daddy to notice her, to love her. He finally started paying attention to her and introduced her to Hank.”
Kissing the top of her head, he closed his eyes. He had already decided that he would ruin the Fargo family. Now, he was going to go after Robert Dunning. Reese made a mental note to reach out to his private investigator.
“She doesn’t have to worry about either of them anymore.” Reese promised quietly.
Headlights pulling into the driveway got both of their attention. A few minutes later, Dean burst into his house laughing. As soon as she saw Helen on Reese’s lap, Dean stopped and covered her eyes.
“I’m not walking in on anything am i?” Dean asked and the two adults laughed.
“God, I hope not.” JD said from the doorway.
“It’s fine.” Reese said, keeping his arms around Helen to keep her in his lap. “Come on in and tell us about your night.”
“I had *fuh*.” JD said emphasizing the correct pronunciation.
Dean and Reese had a quick conversation in Vietnamese before Dean started laughing. She came around and sat down on the other side of the couch and looked over at the couple.
“I can’t wait for mom to get home and meet you two.” Dean declared with a giant grin.
“A few more months, princess.” Reese smiled. “What do you think about us moving into the big house?”
“No.” JD said without any hesitation. “I love you mom, Reese you’re great. And I know that you’re great because when we were at the hotel, I *heard* you two. So, no.”
Helen blushed bright red and turned her face to bury it in Reese’s chest.
“We can continue to eat meals together, hang out, mom can kick my ass at chess and checkers all over there. And you two can scream to your hearts content over here.” He continued. “Bunny told me not to judge and to accept the fact that you two are going to have sex. I don’t need to hear it. Ever. Again.”
Dean doubled over with laughter. “Get it, Miss Helen!”
“A simple no would have sufficed.” Reese growled.
“I didn’t want there to be any doubt.”
“There’s not.” Helen said quietly.
“Let me make this clear too.” JD said. “Mom, I’m glad you’re happy. I’m glad you found something outside of us kids. I’m glad you found someone who cares for you. I’m glad that you are finally liking yourself. And I’m proud of you.”
Helen turned away from Reese’s chest and looked at her youngest son. “Thank you.” She whispered.
“And I’m sorry.” JD sighed and then took a deep breath. “I’ve been a selfish asshole.”
She stood up and walked over to hug her son. “You’ve been a typical teenager. You’re supposed to be a little self-absorbed.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “But I shouldn’t have put more strain on you.”
“You’ve been hanging out with Bunny.” Reese surmised.
“No.” JD smiled at him. “I’ve been going to some of the group sessions at the Center. I was scared that I would be like Bob and Hank.” His voice cracked under the weight of his admission.
Dean reached over the back of the couch and squeezed his hand. He turned his wrist and linked their fingers. She knew the event that caused him to go to Bunny and ask for help. Shame still washed over him when he thought about how he almost forced himself on her in the pool.
Reese watched the small interaction between the two teens and wondered if there was more going on between them that he did not know about.
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