Sliding into Home - The Bradford Series Book Two

Chapter 27

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Chapter 27

Ash

It feels weird being here. The field has always been a place with great, happy memories for me. Mom and I met the Bradford's here all those years ago. Football camp held the best memories for me. Not just because I loved the game but Mom was happy for those few weeks every year. Because she got to see Derrick every day.

Cade and Derrick were my idols. They were the good guys in our lives who kept their word, who made promises to us and didn't let us down. They are loyal, trustworthy, honorable men and I wanted to be just like them. I studied business in college because of Cade. I help with the camp every year because of Derrick. And I swore when I had kids, I'd raise them just like Cade had for his own. I never saw myself as his son in law, or the father of his grandson. But here we are.

There's rows and rows of chairs that are full of family friends, coworkers and press. The press are in the far back. Today isn't about publicity, it's about family. It's about Maddie, one of my best friends. She was such an amazing, inspiring, intelligent woman. Most of all she is the mother of my child.

"I don't know how I'm going to do this alone." I mutter, looking at the crowd who has gathered around the field. Fans of the Bradford's who didn't get the invitation to be here.

There's signs telling us that they are here for the family. There's others that say they love us, well, them. The Bradford's. Blake and Derrick give the crowd a wave in thanks for their support but make no effort to get in a spotlight. None of them do, it's not the day for it.

How do they do this? How do they grieve with all these cameras and eyes on them? No one knows me from the valet, but they will. Dalton and I will be subjected to the scrutiny that my mother didn't want to put me through. Maybe she should have let me deal with it when I was younger and thought it was cool to be famous. Maybe then it wouldn't scare the shit out of me.

Now I understand why Mom refused to let Derrick in. All those people watching us. It's intimidating.

Cade gripped my shoulder and got my attention. "You aren't alone, Ash. You'll never be alone again."

"Neither of you." Isabelle threads her arm through Mom's and offers her support. "You will sit up front with us. Front row, the rest of the family will be behind us."

Mom's head spun, shaking her head refusing. As I wondered what she was so worried about, I watched the color drain from her face. "Oh! No, that's not..."

"I'm sitting with them." Derrick announces coming up behind Mom and taking her hand. "They're my family now too." And I know that statement just made Mom uncomfortable. I don't understand that. But today isn't the day to address it.

Each family lined up behind us. When the music began to play through the PA system, it broke my heart. Maddie's favorite song played and brought us to tears. She used to sing this song as loud as she could every time we got in the car. The bluesy velvet tone singing about Memphis held memories of her in every verse.

My eyes burned as we walked down the long rows of chairs. Eyes watching our every step. Some whisper behind they're hands, others point toward us and I know the question they're asking. Who are they and what makes them so special to sit with the family. They don't know that I'm family now, that Derrick and Mom are... whatever they are.

My hands are shaking and my heart breaks. How am I supposed to be father for Dalton? A good parent, like Mom was for me? She put all of her dreams on hold for me. I remember when she wanted to go back to college but she put me in football instead. I remember getting up in the middle of the night thirsty and she would be sitting at the dining room table with a pile of bills she struggled to pay. I offered to help and gave her my piggy bank with a hundred pennies in it.