Page 32 of Catching Our Moment

Shaw

I stepped outside and saw Needle Dick talking to Kelcie, his arms crossed over his chest. I told myself I needed to know what he was saying, if only to be there for my girl.

“I don’t like this, Kelcie. What the hell are you doing putting Aaron on a talk show?”

“What?”

“Smitty Talk or whatever it’s called. Imagine my embarrassment when Mike asked Aaron about meeting TJ Smith and being on his podcast—him and Shaw.” His voice deepened, and his face was molten red. “I never gave my permission for anything like that.”

“It wasn’t a planned thing. He was at Shaw’s place to watch the taping and…well…” She shrugged. “You know how he is when he has an opinion.”

“Can you imagine how bad it would’ve been if Aaron had decided he disagreed with Smitty and had a full-scale meltdown while on the air?”

“It’s not live. It’s a recorded show, James.”

“That’s not my point. He’s a minor, and I should have a say in what he is involved in—and who he’s involved with.”

He was staking his authority, trying to make it clear he was still in charge. But as far as I was concerned, he had to be present in Aaron’s life to have an opinion that mattered.

I had a father who’d walked out, so I knew this type of guy. The only difference between Needle Dick and my father was that Aaron had me.

I wanted to be part of Aaron and Kelcie’s life, but James was going to make things difficult. He’d gone weeks without making any effort to see Aaron, but now that he knew I wanted them in my life, he’d obviously decided to be a pain in the ass.

“What exactly don’t you like?” I said, stepping up behind Kelcie. “Aaron was fantastic on the podcast. He was smart, sharp, and concise. Have you listened to it?”

Aaron ran out of the house. “Shaw! Did you talk to TJ? Did you tell him about my picks?”

James's eyes burned a hole in my head from the frustration of never being able to completely get rid of me.

“Aaron, why don’t you go get your things out of the car,” James said. “And don’t forget the bag your grandmother gave you.”

“Okay.” He ran down the stairs, calling out, “I’ll be right back, Shaw.”

“Sounds good,” I said, but James and I were already staring each other down in a silent face-off.

Kelcie broke the standoff. “Hey, if Amber is already home, shouldn’t you be going?”

But the asshole wasn’t finished yet. He turned to me, inhaling and puffing out his chest—postering. “And why are you here?”

“I live here.”

He shot back, “You live in Charlotte.”

I shrugged. “I have multiple homes, actually.”

“Yeah, and how long is this one going to keep your interest?”

I glared. “We will see what the future holds.”

Aaron came running up. “Let me put my things away, and I will come over, Shaw. The pregame should start soon.”

I held open the door while Aaron raced in the house.

James continued, “What do you think you’re doing?” His posture and expression screamed indignation. “Guarding her or something? Is this another example of that savior complex you play out with her?”

“James, I don’t see how that is your—” Kelcie started.

I stepped forward with the smirkiest grin I could muster on my face. “You don’t have to worry about why I am around her—why I will always be around her.”

James’s step faltered at my innuendo. I knew that Kelcie had always maintained there was nothing between us, but I had no intention of giving him that impression—especially now.

“Yeah, well, I think I’ll just have a word or two with her before I go—in private, to discuss our son.”

Kelcie stepped forward, cutting off the conversation and giving me a pointed look. Then she tilted her head to the house as Aaron came bursting back into the kitchen and grabbed a plate of cinnamon rolls. “Come on! Let’s go.”

I dropped my head, not happy leaving her with this asshole. I wanted to be there for her, a united front. But right now, she needed me to distract Aaron from this conversation.

“A-man. Those smell incredible. Let’s get set up for the game.”

“Okay. Hey, what did TJ say? I told you. I told you Dallas’ defense wouldn’t hold.”

I pressed by James, guiding Aaron back to my front door. “You called it, my man.”

Once inside, Aaron made his way to my refrigerator and grabbed us both two flavored waters, tossing one to me. “Thanks. So, tell me about your weekend,” I asked.

Aaron shouted from behind the fridge door, “Well, I didn’t get to throw much, except when Uncle Mike went outside with me. He has an old shoulder injury, so it didn’t last long,” Aaron said. “But I figured we could do it when I got home.”

“Sure. Maybe tomorrow.”

Aaron gave me the latest predictions and stats he heard from the commentators this morning as I ushered him out the back to my side of the house. “Go get set up on the couch and turn on the television. I’ll be back in a moment. I’m going to grab some more of those cinnamon rolls.”

I paused at the door, seeing both James’s and Kelcie’s body language leaning more to argumentative rather than cordial.

“Shaw…if you want to go check on Mom, just go,” Aaron said from behind me. “I may not know much, but I know when my parents are about to fight. Dad was itching for one all the way down here.”

“He was? Why do you say that?”

“He was spouting off about all the reasons I shouldn’t be so hyper-focused on football.

He says I should find other interests that are more in line with my strengths.

When I asked him what he thought those were, he said I should explore until I found something else that interested me.

” He picked at his fingers. “I said football interests me.” Aaron’s face fell, and he stared at his feet.

That son of a bitch.

“Can you go talk to him? I know he’s telling Mom all the reasons why I shouldn’t be able to play. He thinks I suck. Can you go tell him that I’m good at it?”

His words broke my heart. How could a man be so blind to his own child?

“Yeah, man. I got this.”

He nodded. I swung open the door and went inside, ready to be his proxy.

His parents were too wrapped up in their drama to notice I’d entered the arena.

“There is no way Aaron can play football. You shouldn’t be encouraging him?—”

“Why not? It’s great for his confidence.”

“You know why,” he said. “Stop making me the bad guy by pointing out the obvious.”

“He’s not five. He’s growing up, and he knows when he needs to back away for a break. He’s working with his therapist to identify what triggers him. God, James, he’s so happy and independent. You need to come watch?—”

“Independent? You can’t be serious. Kelcie, come on, stop being so delusional,” James said in a tone that I was not going to allow.

I spoke before thinking and stepped into James’s space. “The only delusional one is you if you think you even know your son after months of ignoring him,” I said, pulling myself up to my full height. I didn’t have a short temper, but this conversation was pushing my limit of control.

“Who the hell—” James took a step forward. I stared down my nose at him.

“Shaw. Don’t—” Kelcie glared at me and put her hand up to stop my progress.

James wasn’t a stupid man. He knew I had fifty pounds and at least five inches on him.

He turned on Kelcie and focused his vitriol on her instead.

“This is all his influence.” James gestured to me.

“Is this your lame attempt at getting him to finally notice you?” he sneered.

“To climb into his bed and live out the fantasy of being a perfect family?”

“I think you better leave.” It was the only warning I was going to give him.

“Is he involved in the parenting of our son now?” He stepped around us, pointing at me. “Tell me, has he lived through some of his monumental meltdowns?”

I spoke before I could even think of the words I formed, everything coming from my heart.

“ He has been here…hanging out with your son.” I pointed at myself.

“ He is sharing something Aaron loves and encouraging him. Where have you been? You can’t just put him on a shelf and take him down when it’s convenient. ”

Kelcie put up her hand. “Shaw, stop.”

Pointing at my own chest, I leaned toward him, causing him to take a step back. “ He has been fortunate enough to become friends with your son. He finds spending time with your son a priority, not a scheduled commitment.”

James pointed at Kelcie, forcing out a condescending chuckle. “Are you really so pathetic that you would dangle our son out as a special project for Mr. All-American-Has-Been just to be part of his life?”

He raised his voice. “He’s not a normal kid.

When are you going to understand that?” Then he turned on me, eyes wide with fury and hands gesturing.

“Has he had a game when a play didn’t go his way, or an official made a call that didn’t go by the book?

Have you heard him scream because they were wrong?

Have they had to stop a game so Kelcie could escort him off the field kicking and screaming he was right and they were wrong? ”

The pain etched on Kelcie’s face was all I needed to see. He was resurrecting memories the two of them had shared. Times when they hadn’t been able to get through to Aaron when he was young. I reached for her hand, and she flinched.

That cut deep.

James spotted the way she withdrew from me and doubled down. “No matter how much you want a little mini-me running around, it’s not going to be Aaron. He has special needs, and not your celebrity or even all your money will change that. He’s not a normal boy.”

“I’m not a normal boy,” Aaron said, once again making a timely entrance. We all froze. He stepped around us and stood in front of his father, his back straight, and purposefully stared him down, which left his pathetic excuse for a parental figure squirming.

Kelcie reached out for him, but I gently coaxed her back to me. “Let him do this.”

“I’m not a normal boy. I’m an amazing kid.” Aaron looked over his shoulder at me. His voice softened, “That’s what Shaw says.”