AFOC Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Damon POV
I can hear all the kids from the backyard yelling and laughing over the pumping music. It’s our family barbeque, signaling the end of summer. We always have it the weekend after our first week of school. Our entire family invites friends and coworkers along with my aunts and uncles. It's a pretty big deal. The number of people seems to triple every year.
I invited Trisha to come; she said she would if she felt up to it. She’s having a rough time with morning sickness, though she complains it’s not right calling it morning sickness when it lasts all fucking day. Her words, not mine.
She did text me an hour ago saying she’s coming. I got the special crackers and Sprite that Dad always got Mom during her moments of morning sickness, hoping it’ll help her if she gets sick here.
My mom wanders into the house, spotting me pacing by the front door. “Damon, what are you doing?”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I answer, “Um, Trisha said she was coming. I wanted to make sure I heard her when she arrived. I don’t want her to get lost or something.” I’m so fucking lame.
She smirks. “Well, when you help her through the maze and defeat the minotaur, please bring her over to me. I want to see how my unborn grandchild is treating her.”
I roll my eyes. “Yes, Mom.”
It isn’t long after Mom joins everyone out back that I hear the doorbell. I fling the door open before the chime ends to find a very wide-eyed Trisha on the other side with her finger still on the doorbell.
“Hey!” I grab her hand, pulling her inside the house. My whole body is vibrating as I look her over. Her face is pale, but there’s a faint blush on her cheeks as she stares at our hands.
I clear my throat. “How’s your stomach?”
Her face looks like she ate something sour. “It’s okay for now, but I don’t know how long it’ll last.”
I squeeze her hand before she pulls away, putting her hands in her sweater pocket.
“Well, I got you some crackers and Sprite, they seemed to help my mom a lot when she had morning sickness.”
She nods her head. “Thanks.”
I lead her through the house to the back and watch comically as her eyes grow bigger as she observes everything.
“Wow, does your family always do barbeques so…” She gestures to the chaos in my backyard.
I chuckle. “Occasionally.” As a large family, we overdo things. Especially with Dad and my uncles.
I steer her over to Mom who’s surrounded by the Cullen women. My mom’s eyes sparkle in the light as she sees me and Trisha walking over to her.
“How is my grandchild treating you?” Mom’s voice is delighted as she stands up to greet us. She takes Trisha’s hand, pulling her over to the table.
Trisha looks back at me with comically wide eyes. I snicker, shrugging my shoulders. My family is just enthusiastic.
“I’m over being tired and sick all the time, but just a little longer and it’ll be over, hopefully.”
Mom plus my aunts and grandma all give her a sympathetic look only women can share.
I clear my throat. “Now that you got to inspect her, can I take her around and introduce her to other people?” I itch to wrap my arm around Trisha’s shoulders and walk around with her like a proud peacock.
“I’m not stopping you.” Mom chuckles, sitting back down.
I pull gently on Trish’s sweater so she’ll follow me. She gives a small wave before she follows me around. I introduce her to my uncles, cousins, and my younger siblings before she sits down near Sam who is sunbathing, Julie laying next to her.
Sarah is with Kate and two other girls from her school doing some weird cheer moves. I spot Lucian and Mike at the basketball court.
“You have a big family.”
I turn my head toward Trisha who seems to hide in her hoodie while looking around the yard. I nod, understanding how intimidating my family can be all in one space. Hell, it took me at least two years to get used to having uncles and grandparents.
“I don’t have a big family, my mom died giving birth to me and my dad never told me about that side of the family. His parents and sister have all cut me out. My cousin tries to be there for me, but her mom has threatened to stop paying her tuition.” Her voice hitches at the end as tears trickle down her cheek.
I don’t know what to say; what do you say to that? I know it’s my fault. Everything that’s happening is my fault.
“They’re so disgusted with me because I’m a pedophile and a whore.” Trisha turns to me with utter despair on her face.
“You are not a whore or a pedophile,” I growl. “Your family is crazy.”
She shakes her head. “But I am a pedophile. I screwed a fifteen-year-old kid.”
I want to cradle her and tell her everything is okay, but I doubt it’ll help her, considering I am the fifteen-year-old kid.
I grab her hands, making her really look at me. “You wouldn’t have slept with me if you knew. You didn't know. I look eighteen; shit, my brother Lucian looks twenty.” I nod my head toward my brother. “You’re not that kind of person. And I know that saying sorry isn’t enough for what you’re going through. But I will be there for you every step of the way; my family will be there for you too.”
She squeezes my hand. “I would never deny you or your family to be part of this baby’s life, but that’s all. You’re the father of my baby. There will never be anything more between us.”
Trish enjoyed the rest of the day with my family. I tried not to take it personally that she didn’t like me touching her after she told me that nothing will ever happen between us.
I’m currently hiding in my room listening to low beat music, trying to sort out my feelings. I feel the bed dip next to me, pulling me out of my musings. I look over and see Sam lying next to me with an unreadable expression.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
She snorts. “I don’t know. I just needed a break for a moment and I figured you could use some company.”
I turn toward her. “Trisha says she only wants me to be the dad to the baby. That nothing will ever happen between us otherwise.”
Why am I confessing to my brother’s girlfriend? Like it’ll help me. Fucking Christ.
She sighs. “Did you really think there ever could be anything more? Better question; do you really want something more with her because of her, or because she’s having your baby and you think you need to have something more with her?”
I grunt, ignoring her insightful question with a question of my own. “Why do you need a break from my brother?”
She rolls over onto her side, propping her head up with her hand. “Your brother is so perfect it hurts to be around him sometimes. And what’s worse, he doesn’t even know. He just is.”
I laugh, unable to help myself because for once someone other than me sees it. “It’s fucking irritating, isn’t it?”
Chuckling, she answers, “Yes, I know he doesn’t try to be perfect. He’s blissfully unaware. But damn, listening to him talk to your uncle and aunt about his plan. I just…” she trails off as she picks at my blanket.
“Yeah, I know. He just is. But he loves you.”
She smiles, looking up at me. “And I love him. It's okay to love someone and still need space for yourself.”
My head bobs as I agree with her. “I don’t know why it bothers me that Trisha said nothing more will happen between us. I like her well enough, but I don’t know, maybe it is because she’s having our baby, and I just don’t want to be like Jake.”
“The fact that you’re worried about it already proves you’re not.”
We hang out for a while longer, listening to music until Lucian comes for Red.
Damon POV
I can hear all the kids from the backyard yelling and laughing over the pumping music. It’s our family barbeque, signaling the end of summer. We always have it the weekend after our first week of school. Our entire family invites friends and coworkers along with my aunts and uncles. It's a pretty big deal. The number of people seems to triple every year.
I invited Trisha to come; she said she would if she felt up to it. She’s having a rough time with morning sickness, though she complains it’s not right calling it morning sickness when it lasts all fucking day. Her words, not mine.
She did text me an hour ago saying she’s coming. I got the special crackers and Sprite that Dad always got Mom during her moments of morning sickness, hoping it’ll help her if she gets sick here.
My mom wanders into the house, spotting me pacing by the front door. “Damon, what are you doing?”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I answer, “Um, Trisha said she was coming. I wanted to make sure I heard her when she arrived. I don’t want her to get lost or something.” I’m so fucking lame.
She smirks. “Well, when you help her through the maze and defeat the minotaur, please bring her over to me. I want to see how my unborn grandchild is treating her.”
I roll my eyes. “Yes, Mom.”
It isn’t long after Mom joins everyone out back that I hear the doorbell. I fling the door open before the chime ends to find a very wide-eyed Trisha on the other side with her finger still on the doorbell.
“Hey!” I grab her hand, pulling her inside the house. My whole body is vibrating as I look her over. Her face is pale, but there’s a faint blush on her cheeks as she stares at our hands.
I clear my throat. “How’s your stomach?”
Her face looks like she ate something sour. “It’s okay for now, but I don’t know how long it’ll last.”
I squeeze her hand before she pulls away, putting her hands in her sweater pocket.
“Well, I got you some crackers and Sprite, they seemed to help my mom a lot when she had morning sickness.”
She nods her head. “Thanks.”
I lead her through the house to the back and watch comically as her eyes grow bigger as she observes everything.
“Wow, does your family always do barbeques so…” She gestures to the chaos in my backyard.
I chuckle. “Occasionally.” As a large family, we overdo things. Especially with Dad and my uncles.
I steer her over to Mom who’s surrounded by the Cullen women. My mom’s eyes sparkle in the light as she sees me and Trisha walking over to her.
“How is my grandchild treating you?” Mom’s voice is delighted as she stands up to greet us. She takes Trisha’s hand, pulling her over to the table.
Trisha looks back at me with comically wide eyes. I snicker, shrugging my shoulders. My family is just enthusiastic.
“I’m over being tired and sick all the time, but just a little longer and it’ll be over, hopefully.”
Mom plus my aunts and grandma all give her a sympathetic look only women can share.
I clear my throat. “Now that you got to inspect her, can I take her around and introduce her to other people?” I itch to wrap my arm around Trisha’s shoulders and walk around with her like a proud peacock.
“I’m not stopping you.” Mom chuckles, sitting back down.
I pull gently on Trish’s sweater so she’ll follow me. She gives a small wave before she follows me around. I introduce her to my uncles, cousins, and my younger siblings before she sits down near Sam who is sunbathing, Julie laying next to her.
Sarah is with Kate and two other girls from her school doing some weird cheer moves. I spot Lucian and Mike at the basketball court.
“You have a big family.”
I turn my head toward Trisha who seems to hide in her hoodie while looking around the yard. I nod, understanding how intimidating my family can be all in one space. Hell, it took me at least two years to get used to having uncles and grandparents.
“I don’t have a big family, my mom died giving birth to me and my dad never told me about that side of the family. His parents and sister have all cut me out. My cousin tries to be there for me, but her mom has threatened to stop paying her tuition.” Her voice hitches at the end as tears trickle down her cheek.
I don’t know what to say; what do you say to that? I know it’s my fault. Everything that’s happening is my fault.
“They’re so disgusted with me because I’m a pedophile and a whore.” Trisha turns to me with utter despair on her face.
“You are not a whore or a pedophile,” I growl. “Your family is crazy.”
She shakes her head. “But I am a pedophile. I screwed a fifteen-year-old kid.”
I want to cradle her and tell her everything is okay, but I doubt it’ll help her, considering I am the fifteen-year-old kid.
I grab her hands, making her really look at me. “You wouldn’t have slept with me if you knew. You didn't know. I look eighteen; shit, my brother Lucian looks twenty.” I nod my head toward my brother. “You’re not that kind of person. And I know that saying sorry isn’t enough for what you’re going through. But I will be there for you every step of the way; my family will be there for you too.”
She squeezes my hand. “I would never deny you or your family to be part of this baby’s life, but that’s all. You’re the father of my baby. There will never be anything more between us.”
*AFOC*
Trish enjoyed the rest of the day with my family. I tried not to take it personally that she didn’t like me touching her after she told me that nothing will ever happen between us.
I’m currently hiding in my room listening to low beat music, trying to sort out my feelings. I feel the bed dip next to me, pulling me out of my musings. I look over and see Sam lying next to me with an unreadable expression.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
She snorts. “I don’t know. I just needed a break for a moment and I figured you could use some company.”
I turn toward her. “Trisha says she only wants me to be the dad to the baby. That nothing will ever happen between us otherwise.”
Why am I confessing to my brother’s girlfriend? Like it’ll help me. Fucking Christ.
She sighs. “Did you really think there ever could be anything more? Better question; do you really want something more with her because of her, or because she’s having your baby and you think you need to have something more with her?”
I grunt, ignoring her insightful question with a question of my own. “Why do you need a break from my brother?”
She rolls over onto her side, propping her head up with her hand. “Your brother is so perfect it hurts to be around him sometimes. And what’s worse, he doesn’t even know. He just is.”
I laugh, unable to help myself because for once someone other than me sees it. “It’s fucking irritating, isn’t it?”
Chuckling, she answers, “Yes, I know he doesn’t try to be perfect. He’s blissfully unaware. But damn, listening to him talk to your uncle and aunt about his plan. I just…” she trails off as she picks at my blanket.
“Yeah, I know. He just is. But he loves you.”
She smiles, looking up at me. “And I love him. It's okay to love someone and still need space for yourself.”
My head bobs as I agree with her. “I don’t know why it bothers me that Trisha said nothing more will happen between us. I like her well enough, but I don’t know, maybe it is because she’s having our baby, and I just don’t want to be like Jake.”
“The fact that you’re worried about it already proves you’re not.”
We hang out for a while longer, listening to music until Lucian comes for Red.
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