Champion

Chapter 3: Out In California

Tommy and I made our way home, we decided to go for a drive, but Kian wanted to stay back with Conor and I didn't mind so much, Tommy and I hadn't really gotten any time together since he was born. It was a lot warmer in California than it was in Pittsburgh and god I missed it, but out here we were living the life.

"Dana still bugging you?" I asked, intertwining my fingers with his as we drove around in the car Jade bought me as soon as we moved out here. As much as I protested against it she went out herself and came home with a 1967 Chevy Impala, knowing that was the one car I dreamed of as a kid, and she knew that so as soon as we moved out to California and we got the house, that was the first thing she did. I was still pregnant at the time, so I got super emotional and cried, Jade was the sister I never had and I loved her so much.

"Course he is" Tommy laughed, leaning his head back into the seat "he's been bugging me since he found out me and Jade were related, wants me to fight his midweight boys" his voice was relaxed but scratchy at the same time.

"I think you should do it" he shook his head, rubbing his thumb on my hand.

"Nah, nah. I'd fuck up the whole Division" he joked, looking over at me with a smile.

"Yeah, unless it's Brendan" I laughed, pushing him playfully.

"OH YOURE REALLY GONNA PULL THAT" his smile was warming my heart, and it made me feel so good to know that he wasn't so angry anymore. I watched the sun glisten against the dog tags around his neck, and I thought of manny. "You know he only won because he popped my shoulder. I woulda killed him."

When we made it home, we walked into the front doors together, the beautiful fogged glass doors with black accents is what originally made me want to look at the house, and the inside was even better, gorgeous wooden floors, spiralling staircase, huge kitchen with a gas stove, big windows, five bedrooms, four bathrooms, plus the huge basement that had a little Irish pub, my favourite part of the house, stone fireplace inside the pub and the pub was sectioned off from the rest of the basement and it felt like a completely different place.

The living room was gorgeous, dark grey walls, a colour I chose because the white was so dull. Oh god don't get me started on how beautiful the bedrooms are, huge windows overlooking the ocean and the bathroom was something I couldn't even dream of, rainfall shower, stone floors. This was the house of our dreams, but I still found myself missing Pittsburgh.

Kian ran up to me, dressed in a little tank top and shorts, something Conor would wear, and little sunglasses on his head. Tommy laughed and picked him up, and I kissed his beautiful cheek several times. His little black hair was matted to his forehead like his fathers usually was and his blue eyes were so pure and big as they stared at me. "Uncle Conor said he's gonna take me for ice cream!" Conor stepped down the stairs and I put my hands on my hips.

"Oh really" Conor gave me a big toothy smile, laughing as he held his arms out.

"Come on, he's so excited! I already told the lad I'd take him, lemme spend some time with him" Tommy looked at me with a smirk on his face, holding the baby to him. "Pleaaaaaaaaaase" Conor and Kian said at the same time. Tommy laughed and set him down as he walked to Conor to hold his hand.

"If you lose my son I'll kill you" I punched him in his arm. "Please, he won't leave my side!" He laughed and him and the little guy walked out the door.

"He grows on you" Tommy laughed, shaking his head, him and Conor actually became good friends despite the bullshit they've been through. We walked into the living room, Brendan, Tess, Frank and the kids headed back to Pittsburgh last night, they came to visit every now and then. But right now, it was just Ronda and Jade, cuddling on the couch and watching movies wrapped in a little blanket together. They turned there heads to see us and smiled.

"Ah finally, where's Kian?" Jade asked, putting some popcorn In her mouth.

"Conor took him out for ice cream, little matching sunglasses and everything" I laughed. "He spoils that kid"

"That's our job as aunts and uncles" Jade laughed, throwing some popcorn at me. "He loves it, and he's a good kid Naomi, I don't remember him ever acting up... Like ever and usually kids his age are insane" we all laughed at Jades wide eyed face.

"He loves to kick me and when I fall over and pretend to be hurt he gives me that little smile and it warms my heart" Ronda smiled.

"You should see when he tackles me when I'm sleeping in the middle of the night, grabs my arm and holds it and screams 'I got daddy in submission I win' then runs around the room with the blanket over his shoulders" Tommy laughed shaking his head.

"He's happy, that's all I want. I wish I was that happy as a kid" the room went silent, and all of us thought back to our childhood and the shit we went through, I knew none of us would ever let Kian go through that.

"He looks A lot like Tommy" Ronda laughed, breaking the deafening silence, and I was glad she did, I felt flashbacks coming on and I didn't want that, not anymore. Tommy smiled, he was so much more happier after Kian's birth and the second he held him in his arms I saw a whole new look of love, like all his anger just melted away. I named him after my father, Kian Marlowe; a nice, strong, Irish name. I insisted his middle name would be Thomas, after his father, but Tommy wanted Joel, and so, in honour of my fallen father and brother, we named him Kian Joel Conlon, and he was the light of my life.