My Visitor

Chapter 61 Friday Night:

     "Blake, you're dressing up." Jess said wetting a wash cloth.
     "But I don't want to put on the little tattoo things."
     "Blake, do as you're told and you won't get hurt."
     "Whatever."
     We were in the kitchen, and Jess came over to help me get ready for the game. She bought theses water stick-on tattoo things, and I could care less.
     "Shouldn't you be somewhere with your..."
     "Blake!" I heard Jackson yell from the door.
     "Jackson!"
     I got up to run to him. It severely affected the way the tattoo looked.
     "Blake Haley..."
     "Oopsy daisy." I called back over my shoulder as I ran to him.
     I gave him a hug, and he hugged me back.
     "What are you two doing in here?"
     "I'm helping Blake get ready for the football game."
     "What's that on your arm?" Jackson ask looking at my arm.
     "A washable tattoo. Jess is forcing me to do it."
     "It's a tattoo, a fake one at that. It's not like it's meth."
     "Alright you two, stop it." He said, "Dad is on his way, so, I need to get ready."
     "Where is Natalie?" Jess asked putting a tattoo on her arm.
     "At her house. She decided not to come... To the game. She did come home. Her mother wanted to go wedding dress shopping, and I can't go."
     "Poor you." I said gently shoving him, "go get ready."
     "I'm going." He said taking his luggage upstairs.
     I walked into the kitchen, and Jess was holding the washcloth to the tattoo on her arm.
     I heard the door open again and my dad walked into the foyer.
     "Hey."
     "Hello." Jess and I said at the same time.
      "Hello, ladies." He said coming into the kitchen, "what are you two up to?"
     "Trying to get ready for the game."
     "Yes, the big homecoming game." He said, "Well, best of luck to your boyfriend. I'll go an get ready because we probably need to leave soon."
     "Sounds good."
     He walked to the master bedroom on the ground floor. I never understood why the house was designed like that.
     "See, this is what the tattoo is supposed to look like." She said showing it to me, "And then look at yours."
     I looked down at my arm.
     "See what you do."
     "I didn't want it to begin with. You're the one that did it."
     "Fine, then just drop it." She said, "wash it off if you don't want it."
     I went to the sink, and washed it off. Then Jackson and my dad came into the kitchen.
     "Are we ready to go?"
     "Yes sir." We said.
     We got in my father's car to go to the football stadium. It was homecoming, and I knew that it was going to be more packed than usual.
     "Are we sitting in the student section?" Jess asked.
     "No, I'm not sitting in the student section. I don't like people."
     "But you like me." She said putting her arm around my shoulders.
     "Where are we sitting?" Jackson asked, "and I don't want to sit near a lot of people."
     "Neither do I." Dad said.
     "Let's go all the way to the top of the bleachers on the complete other side." Jess said, "almost no one sits there."
     "Fine by me."
     We headed toward the bleachers, and walked all the ways up the stairs to the top.
     I hated walking up the stairs, but if I got away from people I could care less.
     "I hope Joshua is as good as his brother Jackson."
     "He has a brother named Jackson?" Jackson asked, "really? I bet his middle name isn't Aaron."
     "I don't..."
     "No, his middle name is David." Dad said, "sorry I'm his councilor."
     Jackson's middle name is our dad's first name, if you haven't figured that out.
     "He is Dad. He's the youngest quarterback on a Texas high school team. That has to count for something."
     "Yes, I suppose so."
     "You're so critical, Father." Jackson said, "that's where I get it from."
     "Yes, and sometimes it's a good thing that you act like me."
     "What a somewhat abusive and semi-estranged father?"
     "But whose the one that's paying for half your wedding, and who out of your parents are here?"
     Jackson didn't respond. He just leaned back against the frame of the back of the bleachers.
     "Okay, let's just watch the game." I said.
*****
     The game started, and we were up by seven points before halftime. They announced the four homecoming queens at halftime. I didn't like any of them, but at least the senior queen that was crowned was a nice person, I think.
     "Well, I'm going to get something to eat. Does anyone want anything?" Dad said standing up.
     "I'll go with you."
     "Bring us hamburgers." I said, "a Sprite and a Mr. Pibb."
     "Alright." Jackson said, "if we must."
     They left and Jess laid her head on my shoulder.
     "I can't believe your brother's getting married."
     "Neither can I, and I'm his sister."
     Joshy Bear:
Really quick. Is your dad impressed by my playing or is he being a hard ass?
     Me:
He's an athletic councilor and an athlete director. Not a college scout.
     Joshy Bear:
Doesn't matter. I still want him to like me.
     Me:
Don't worry. He likes you. Now win the game, and he might actually love you.
     Joshy Bear:
I can arrange that.
     "Who are you texting?"
     "Josh."
     "Why?"
     "Because he wants to know if my dad was approving of him."
     "Kind of." She said, "I mean he's not approving, but he's approving."
     "Yep, and Jackson is just like him."
     "Which isn't a bad thing. I don't know why he gets so mad at your dad for that."
     "Yeah, I don't see why about 90 percent of the time either."
     They came back with food.
     "It took you long enough." I said, "I'm starving."
     "Okay, here."
     Jackson handed me the hamburger and the Sprite, and gave Jess her hamburger and Mr. Pibb
       "Thank you."
     "No problem."
      We ate and watched the second quarter of the game. We won 34-30 (I still don't know how these scores happen). After the game I ran down to the place where all the football players walk to go back to the locker rooms to meet Josh there.
     "Joshy!"
     "Blake, there you are."
     He hugged me, and I hugged him back.
     "We're not going to a party." He said, "I'm telling you that now before anyone starts asking."
     "Okay, that works." I said, "I don't want to go to a party anyway."
     "Good."
     "Do you want to meet my dad, again?"
     "Sure."
     Jess, Jackson, and my dad walked over to us.
     "See, Daddy, I told you that he was the best."
     "Yeah, I guess you're right."
     "See." I said shaking Josh's arm.
     "Alright, well, you go and get out of uniform..."
      "And she'll see you tomorrow for your date."
     "Dad."
     "Yeah, I agree, Josh, just go, and you can pick her up tomorrow." Jackson said.
     "You both suck." I said, "The I guess goodbye, Josh"
     "Bye, Blake."
     He kissed my cheek.
     "I'll see you at noon for our date, and then I'll see you at 6:30 for the homecoming dance."
     "It's a date."