With You

Chapter 9

Ricky's POV

I was sat in the backseat of E.J.'s aunt and uncle's car. I was sitting between E.J. and Ashlyn. Currently, I was holding E.J.'s hand rubbing comforting circles around it. E.J. flashed me a nervous smile.

He had agreed to meet his mother while his aunt, uncle, and Ashlyn would come to say hello and then go shopping. E.J. had invited me along for moral support and he told me, he wanted his mother to meet one of the biggest parts of his life. I was flattered that he wanted me to meet his mom.

We arrived at a small cafe and that's where we were meeting with his mom and siblings.

"You ready for this?" I asked E.J.

"I guess," He told me hesitantly. Before we could go inside, E.J.'s uncle pulled me aside.

"Ricky, I need to talk to you real quick," He told me with his hand on my shoulder.

"Yes, Mr. Caswell?" I asked him.

"Ricky, I told you a thousand times call me Dennis," He told me a small smile on his. "That's beside the point but you make E.J. really happy and his mother is probably going to try and manipulate him into something. Please look after him."

"Yes sir," I told him. I would have E.J.'s back during this whole thing.

"Let's do this," E.J. told me grabbing my hand when I went back to him. We walked in behind his aunt, uncle, and Ashlyn.

"Dennis, Debbie, it's so nice to see you again," A woman told his aunt and uncle hugging them. "Is this Ashlyn? You've gotten so big."

"It's nice to see you again Aunt Cynthia," Ashlyn told her.

"Well we're gonna get some shopping done but we're going to leave you with E.J. here," E.J.'s uncle told her. We watched as they left leaving me, E.J. and his mother.

"E.J. my baby boy. You've grown so much," She told E.J. "Who's this?"

E.J.'s grip tightened on my hand. I sent him a reassuring smile. I rubbed his hand soothingly. I could tell he was nervous.

"This is Ricky, my boyfriend." He told her. She looked at our intertwined hands and smiled. She sent me a warm smile.

"Hi Ricky, I'm Cynthia. E.J.'s mom." She told me shaking my free hand. " My boyfriend is over there ordering some stuff."

I sat and listened as E.J. started to tell his mom about his life and how he was in the musical and how he was captain of the water polo team.

"Mommy!" came a little voice interrupting the conversation. A little girl ran up to E.J.'s mom and sat on her lap. A little boy toddled after her, not quite as good on his legs as his sister.

"E.J. this is my boyfriend Michael." She said pointing to a man who had picked the little boy up. "Michael this is my son E.J. and his boyfriend Ricky."

"Hi guys," the man told us sending us a smile.

"I'm Adelaide," the little girl on E.J.'s mom's lap announced proudly. "I'm four. How old are you?"

"I'm 16," I said. I nudged E.J. who was frozen in shock.

"Uh- I'm 17," E.J. said.

"And this little guy is Thomas," Michael told us. "He's two."

"E.J. this is your little sister and brother," Cynthia said.

"Wait he's my brother?" Adelaide asked.

"Yes sweetie," Cynthia responded kissing the girl's forehead.

"Are you my brother too?" Adelaide asked me.

"No, I'm your brother's boyfriend," I told her.

"Cool," She said.

Soon after E.J. and I left with E.J. promising to stay in touch. He told me he was still iffy about his mom but wanted to be apart of his little sibling's life.

"How do you feel?" I asked E.J. when we were in his room lying in his bed.

"I feel good. Thanks for coming with," He told me planting a kiss on my forehead.

"No problem, I'd do anything for you," I told him.

"You're so cheesy," He told me smiling kissing me quick.

"Only for you," I told him smirking.