Page 107 of Rebound

“Just wait until you see what I do tonight,” she whispers back.

“We’re going to get our bedroom soundproofed, especially sinceyou know whowill be moving in.”

She turns to face me, and we lock eyes. “How do you feel about your father living with us? You’ve only voiced your concerns about me, but what about you?”

I shrug. “I’m stuck with that guy, I guess. I can’t quit him, but he’s my father and my problem. I don’t want him to come between us. If it gets too much with him living here, tell me. I don’t want to lose you if—”

“Oh, please. I’m not going anywhere. And he’s our problem. It will be fine, but enough about that. I have your birthday party all planned.” She hops off my lap and claps her hands together. “It’s going to be the best birthday party of your life, Whorekowski.”

I stand and pull her to me. “It’s also going to be my first birthday party ever, and I can’t wait.” I pull her into me and rest my chin on top of her head. “How did I fall into this life?” I ask, in awe that a boy who came from my circumstances ended up having it all.

Epilogue

Seth

A year later

“Seth, can you come help me with this gosh darn thing?” my dad says loudly from the back of the apartment.

“Give me a minute, Dad,” I yell back. I look at Layla and pretend to shoot myself in the head with the index finger of my right hand. She giggles but comes into the kitchen and wraps her arms around me. She tilts her head up, and I kiss her. “You’re a saint,” I say to her.

“I know,” she says back, but I know she doesn’t believe that. My father has officially moved in with us, but to make it happen, we moved into a bigger unit in the building.

Layla and I like it here, and Jasmine is close to Johnny. At least until the Chastains move, but they are only going a few blocks away.

“Do you really think this job will last?” I ask Layla who shrugs.

“Goddamn it,” we hear Dad say.

I’ve always been stuck with my dad. Even when angry with him, I knew I would never fully cut him off. After all, he’s all I’ve had my entire life. As pathetic as it sounds, he’s been myconstant. Now, I never could have anticipated having a wife who not only tolerates but invites him into our home.

Life has not been good. Life has been great. The Mischiefs won the finals last year, and we made it to the playoffs this past season. As a result, I signed a new five-year contract with the team for three hundred million dollars. Of course, that does not include endorsement deals. Despite that, my wife still wants to work, and I fully support that. She says she wants to be a good role model for our daughter and show her that women can do anything.

Barbara sat in jail awaiting trial, but the trial never happened. She took a plea deal and she’ll be behind bars for the next five and a half years. I plan on being at any parole hearings, and I plan on getting a restraining order once she’s released. While she was in the county jail, she was attacked and beaten up pretty badly. Stella said she was responsible, but I don’t know whether or not to believe her.

Brandi called once to apologize on behalf of her mother, but I told her never to contact me again. So far, she’s respected my wishes. The only time I saw her was on the day of the sentencing. No one on Barbara’s side of the courtroom would make eye contact with me, and I was happy to be done with them. At least for the next five years.

I hear a big crash from my dad’s part of the apartment. He has a big bedroom, and he’s dedicated a portion of it as his office. His new job shipped him his equipment yesterday, and I’m supposed to put it together for him. He officially moved in four months ago, and I sold the house he lived in.

Dad was happy to leave upstate, and since he got here, he’s been lighter. I think Layla was right that a new city would be good for him. He’s still treating with Dr. Reynolds, and he goes out regularly. He won’t go anywhere alone yet, but he’ll go outwith us or take a walk with Dorothy and Jasmine. He won’t get on an airplane, but he drove with Layla to one of my games in Philadelphia.

“Seth, come on, Son. You said you’d help me. I want to make sure everything is working before Monday.” He sounds stressed, but I still roll my eyes at him. Having him here is like having two kids most of the time, but he is good with Jasmine, and she loves having him.

“Go help him,” Layla says. “Dorothy and Jasmine will be here soon, and she has the sleepover with Johnny tonight,” she reminds me.

“I know.” I grimace and look toward my dad’s room, but the truth is, I like having him here. I like that he’s not alone, and I love that my wife treats him like she treats her own relatives. I put my hand on her ass. “And I get to take you on an overnight date even though we paid millions for this apartment, but I can’t wait to put a baby in you,” I whisper.

We had decided to wait to grow our family, but Layla changed her mind. She doesn’t want Jasmine to be so much older than her siblings, and she likes the idea of us being young parents.

“Me neither,” she says. “Now go.”

“I don’t know how he’s going to do this job,” I say to my wife when we step inside our suite at The Pierre. We’re here an hour later than we wanted because my dad had so manyquestions about the computer. He's already called me twice since we left the apartment.

“Enough about that. We are not talking about your dad or our daughter again for tonight. They are both fine. Your job is to put a baby in me and then feed me.” I help her with her jacket, and she jumps into my arms. She wraps her legs around me, and I take her to the bed and drop her. “Get naked, Wakowski,” she orders, and I comply.

By the time I’m undressed, so is she.

“Did you ever think it would be this way,” I say against her lips.

“Never. Did you?”

“Always.”

THE END