Chapter 38: Not Ready For This

Ever since that beautiful conversation with my wife, our relationship has blossomed. We could not be happier! Sure, things are still hard, and we still see each other like every three days, but I am more in love with my wife than I ever had been before. Well…that is to say I’m IN love with my wife now. It’s strange to say, but before, I liked her a whole lot…a WHOLE lot! I respected her, I trusted her, but for whatever reason I was afraid to love her. But she has been soo patient with me. And not that it’s any of your business, but y’all know I keep it 100…the next time we were able to be together after we talked…I MADE LOVE to my wife for the first time! It was the most mind blowing woo hoo EVER! See, before, I was just woo hooing a beautiful woman I was attracted to and mostly just fulfilling my manly desires. But now, I make love to her, and it’s beautiful. I understand what Ava and Jaxson have now! Oh…and it was a bit of a surprise, but we even had another son!! Meet my baby son, Jared! He’s the only Pruett male that doesn’t look like a Pruett–minus the blonde hair of course. But at least Jazzy has a sibling that looks like her now. He is a joy. Neat just like his mother! Not that I ever wanted to have a child in the middle of my life, but he came at a good time. He has three capable teenage siblings that pitch in whenever they need to, and he just happened to be born in the middle of Dee’s and my off days. No daycare for this kid!

As I was saying, Dee and I made the most of our short bursts of time together, and our relationship now is as strong as strong as it has ever been. We’ve been talking a lot and getting to know one another on deeper levels, and although Ava holds the title of “best friend,” Dee is my BEST friend! I finally got a chance to give her the history of our family, the house, and explain the legacy. She was very intrigued and honored to be part of something so rare and so great. Of course, she was a little upset that Jasmine wouldn’t inherit everything being the first born and all, but she eventually got over it. Besides, Jayden has developed a great sense of family lately and has the perfect attitude to be the next heir–not that his attitude matters, but it helps. He desires to have a successful family. You could imagine how proud and relieved I was when he told me. You all remember the drama with my father and how the legacy was almost lost!

As much as I enjoy speaking with my son and teaching him lessons about life and preparing him to take the reigns of the family, I am NOT enjoying talking to him and girls and giving woo hoo talks!! OH-EM-GOODNESS!! Is it that time already?!

It feels like just yesterday I was changing his diapers, and now he’s talking to me about these TWO girls!! Jazzy doesn’t talk to me about boys at all, but I know there’s someone because she spends an awful lot of time at the park these days. Jayla…well, I don’t know about her sometimes. She doesn’t get into trouble, but she’s changed. I don’t know, it’s like she enjoys mischief or something. I’m keeping my eye on her. Dee and I decided that we needed to talk to ALL of our children together just so they know what we expect from them. This was just before Jared was born.

Of course, they were embarrassed and just wanted to crawl under their covers and hide from everyone, but it’s necessary to have these conversations with your children! I’m proof of that. My dad had one conversation with me, and then he died. That conversation came from a place of guilt–not love–and I just wasn’t ready to receive it. So, yeah, I did stuff with Dee that I probably shouldn’t have, but luckily she had my heart, so I didn’t go around messing with other girls and become a heart breaker. Do I think Jay will be that way? No, but the heart is deceitfully wicked. You never know what you’re going to do  until you do it.

With all the hustle and bustle that comes from raising teenagers and having another baby, we forgot about Dee’s birthday! I felt like a failure as a husband, but Dee assured me that she was ok–although I saw her moping about a few times. She said she was more concerned about Jazzy’s birthday party. Jasmine’s birthday fell on a weekday, and her mother and I were both working. Her mom was working 4-12 and I worked 2-9, so neither of us would be at home. But, Jazzy had her heart set on having a huge party. I mean, she wanted the works: a mixologist and a caterer! Dee and I were NOT comfortable having this huge shindig while we were away from home, but you only turn 18 once. And you know how I am with Jazzy. She’s still my little princess and gets whatever she wants! However, I didn’t appreciate her not telling me who was going to be at this party until I agreed that she could do it! She said it was going to be a co-ed party with just “people” she met the park. I asked her who these “people” were, and she said, “just some guys.” I asked her who these knuckleheads were (because, of course, ANY guy who wants to step to MY baby is a knucklehead!) and it turns out there are these three 21-year-old guys who live together and just moved to the neighborhood!!! I almost hit the fan! How could she think that was ok?! I know she did this on purpose.

When I tell you she had a house full…I mean she had a house FULL of kids! Of course, they’re all kids to me. Both of Jay’s girls were there and the other kids that they live with. I was determined to get home before the party broke so I could see which one of those knuckleheads thought they were going to holla at my princess!

Luckily, the party was still going on at 9:00 when I got home, and I had JUST missed her blowing out the candles!

Everything seemed to have gone well. Nothing was broken, the house wasn’t a mess, and I didn’t find kids in places where they shouldn’t be doing things they shouldn’t be doing!

“Happy birthday, princess! I just want to say that I’m proud of you for keeping things on the up and up while we weren’t here.”

“Dad…could you not call me princess in front of my friends?”

I’M NOT READY FOR ANY OF THIS!!!