Rain Check?

~103~

  Chris alerted his family and closest friends to be on the look out for a bit of social media storm over the next couple of weeks. He encouraged them to comment, without giving anything away.

  The first post went up that night. He had taken a sweet picture of Dodger laying on the floor beside him at his dining table. The pups eyes were big and almost sad like. He captioned the photo with: "Dad, do you think maybe it's time for you to settle down?"

  Of course only his family would actually know that Dempsey was sat on the opposite side of him.

  His feed blew up immediately. Several random comments about how the females would volunteer as tribute, along with a couple of guys as well. A few just simple hearts or aww's. 

Scott commented, "if Dodger's invested in your love life, I really do fear what's ahead of you."  

Carly joked about matching puppy dog eyes with his father. While Lisa just simply commented "Grandma's sweet boy."

  Dempsey had liked the photo of course, but did not throw her two cents in. They didn't want to draw too much attention to her page just yet, even though it's still set to private with no photos available. But, time was ticking and they were getting ready for the next step. 

  Following Chris' direction, Demi took a candid photo of Star, similar to the type Chris had taken of Dodger. A simple caption of "Ma, I think I'm ready for you to find my daddy." Because of the angle of the photo you could easily see the star in her fur. Under Chris' suggestion she used the hashtag "capspup" and "starspangleddogwithaplan."

  Of course she wasn't expecting too much at the moment, but flipped her privacy over to public, keeping another photo of Star as her profile picture. 

  "Anything happening in the world of Chris Evans media?" Lisa asks Dempsey early one morning almost a week after the first post.

  "Not too much outside of his fans speculating a secret relationship." Demi looks up from the cell in her hand. "They seem to think that the novelty of a normal girl wore off. They're even guessing Ana at this point," she sighs.

  Lisa sits down next to her. She makes sure to reach Demi's gaze. "But you know that's not true, right?" 

  For a half a second her heart falters.  She trusts Chris. She knows all the things he's said to her, believes them herself, and yet she wonders if there will always be a constant tiny nagging feeling telling her that she needs to be wary. 

  "Demi?"

  "I know," she answers Lisa. 

  "Trust him, sweetie. .It's really all you can do. I think he's been working on proving it to himself just as much as you over these last few months. And, if he screws up, he's out of the family and you're in permanently," she teases. 

  Dempsey's family knew all about what was going on, of course. Well aware of the engagement even before it had taken place, an inclination being given as soon as Leigh Ann opened the door to see a nervous Chris standing in front of her. 

  "Evening, Mrs. Abrams. I hope I'm not interrupting."

  "Not at all," she answers with a kind smile. "Come on in." She pops her head out to look around once Chris moves closer to the entry. "Where's Demi?"

  "She's at home still. Finishing up a paper that's due by Friday."

  Leigh Ann had gone to her apartment's leasing office shortly after the shooting occurred. She begged them for a ground floor apartment, but nothing was available. They added her to a list and shortly after Dempsey went home with Chris they offered Leigh Ann a second floor apartment. It still wasn't ideal, but it was certainly better than the third floor, and with Chris' help Demi had been able to visit a couple of times. It was always few and far between however because it tired her body out so easily after long therapy sessions. 

  She offers Chris a bottle of water which he graciously accepts. As he brings his hand out to take it from her, Leigh Ann notices the shakiness in his fingers. "You okay?"

  He takes a breath, his heart racing before he even begins a single full sentence. "Yeah, yeah, I think so."

  "Have a seat," she points over to her small dining table. She feels like he's hiding something, choosing to sit across from him so she can see him more clearly. His tells however, look to be completely nervous.  "What's going on, Chris?"

  She knew her daughter was okay, so that didn't concern her. In fact she'd spoken with her just this morning, thrilled by the fact that she'd gotten more feeling in her right foot. 

  Chris leans up, resting his elbows on the table before scratching a spot in his beard. "I love your daughter."

  "Tell me something I don't know," she says cheekily.

  Her tone makes Chris chuckle and relax for a moment. "I know I screwed up, months ago. And quite frankly probably do even now without realizing it. Not in the same regard, of course. I would never cheat on her again. I've learned that I don't have to be that friendly with all the reporters, or fans-"

  Leigh Ann taps the table in front of her, "Honey, you're rambling."

  "I just," he pauses to take a shaky breath, eyes watching his fingers mindlessly pull at the label of the bottle, "I want you to know how much I regret doing that to her." When he looks up, his eyes are glassy.

  "I know," she simply nods. 

  "Do you hate me for it?"

  Leigh Ann chuckles, raising an arched brow at his question. "I certainly did. You hurt my baby. You hurt Archie's baby. Archie wasn't here to bust your balls for it, but I certainly wanted to. Dempsey never would let me though. Even in the midst of her heartbreak, and anger towards you, she wouldn't let Conor or myself bad mouth you."

  This was news to Chris. He had been so sure that they'd probably had at least one night filled with ice cream and a bitch fest about how horrible of a human being he was. 

  And yet, why does it surprise him that they didn't? 

  Because, that's just not the type of person Demi is, plain and simple.

  "But," Leigh Ann slows his thoughts, "when you took care of her while she was ill, and then all those little moments after, she told me that you were working towards a friendship. Even told me that it felt like it did in the beginning before she knew who you actually were. That took a lot for her to see you in that light again." She stops to swallow back her own emotions. "And then," her voices wrought with pain, "in the hospital. I think you were present more than I was, Chris. I know she's worried about whether you're doing all of this out of guilt, maybe pity, but even as little as I actually  know you, I know it's not that at all. I  know you love my girl. So, with that said, why are you here?" 

  "I know that technically Demi and I have only been back together a short time, but I've known for a few months now that she is who I want by my side for the rest of my life. I love that she still doesn't see me as much more than a student's uncle. I love that even without words she reminds me daily of how blessed I am for another day with her. I want all my days with her, Mrs. Abrams. I'd like to ask for your permission to marry your daughter."

*Unedited.