Teenage Love

Chapter 23: Growing Up

"Baby Shai!" Shai shouts to the house. We're having a big Fourth of July cookout. I'm sitting on Theo's lap as he plays with the hem of my shirt. Shai's sitting on Ansel's lap, she recently got a haircut, a bob. Baby Kate & baby Theo are sitting on the ground in front of us playing with some toy that makes a noise. Baby Shai ran into the house to go get her favorite toy a few minutes ago & hasn't come back out. The twins are 3 now, & baby Shai just turned 4. She emerges a few seconds later, hands full of all sorts of different toys. 

"Oh boy what do you got there," I say standing up to help her. 

"Oh boy," she repeats. 

"What are you doing with all these toys Julianne Shai?" I ask. 

"These were all my favorites," she giggles. Theo jumps up & picks Julianne up, twirling her around causing her to laugh like crazy. She has long curly hair. She gets the blonde from me, & the curls from Theo. "Put me down Daddy!" 

Theo pretends to drop her, & my heart drops but he catches her & she goes & sits with baby Kate & baby Theo. Theo comes back over to me & I stand up but then sit back down on his lap snuggling close. 

"Dylan & baby Shai are going to get married one day," Shai says taking a drink of beer. "I can just see it." 

Everyone sees it. Baby Theo is always giving Julianne kisses & picking little dandelions to give to her. But my girl's a heartbreaker & she just shrugs it off or pushes him down. But Dylan's a fighter & he doesn't give up. & Julianne hasn't noticed that we've noticed her giving him kisses & hugs from behind. It's cute, baby love, & I'm pretty sure that Shai's already planning the wedding. 

-The twins & baby Shai's teenage years- 

"Mom," Julianne says as she & a tall boy come into the bookstore. Shai & Ansel are out of town for some big meeting involving the bookstore so we're watching the twins for a few days. "Can Roger come over for a study date?"

"For what class?" Theo asks shelving books. 

"All. We're just going to sit in the living room & do homework," she twirls a piece of her hair. She really likes this boy I can tell. 

"I guess it's alright as long as it's okay with your dad," I look at Theo through my bangs as he gives this Roger a hard stare down. 

"A couple of hours," Theo says. "If I come home & he's still there you won't get another study date together." 

"Thank you daddy!" They take off down the road, & I can hear Julianne giggling. I look over at Dylan who's shelving books on the other side. He just looks at me & looks at his shoes. I ask Lauren who's reading a book if she can watch the register for a few minutes.

"You okay kiddo?" I ask Dylan. I wish I could say he looks something else but sad, but there's nothing else. He just looks sad. 

"I just wish she would give me a chance," he says in a solemn voice. "I love her so much & I would give her the world even if I don't have it." 

"Why don't you tell her?" I ask. 

"I've tried," he says & sighs. He shelves another book. "She just goes to the next crappy guy that even looks at her." 

"Maybe she likes you too but is too afraid to admit it," I point out. I've noticed when Dylan isn't looking that she'll watch him & give him the look I still give Theo when we're alone at night. 

"I doubt it," he says. 

"Let me talk to her," I say & give him a reassuring hug. I'm almost back to the register when I hear him call.

"Aunt Kate," he says. "You know Roger's been with every single girl in school & all she'll be is another notch carved into his bed." 

-Later that night-

I tap lightly on Julianne's door. She's in her room playing some song on her guitar she begged us for Christmas when she was twelve, "Hey Jule, can I come in?" 

"Yeah sure," she says. I open the door & she's sitting on her bed with sheet music surrounding her. She gathers them all up & puts them in her case. "What's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you about this Roger guy," I sit down next to her. "Tell me about him." 

"Well, he's really sweet & nice. He treats me really good. He's the star football player, & everybody loves him," she says. "We've been talking for a few weeks & I think he's going to ask me out soon." 

I nod, "What about Dylan?" 

"What about Dylan what?" 

"That boy is head over heels in love with you," I tell her. "That boy would give you the world even if he didn't have it." 

"I know he loves me mom," she says. "I like him too, but I just don't want things to change if things don't work out." 

"Give him a chance," I say. "What do you like about Dylan?" 

"Everything," she says & blushes. "His smile, his hair, his laugh. I love the way he'll subtlely put his arm around me thinking I don't notice. He's sweet & always says the sweetest things. & I love the way he looks at me. He looks at me the way dad looks at you. No boy's ever looked at me the way he does." 

We're quiet for a few moments & I call Theo in & ask him to make us two cups of tea with two scoops of sugar. He comes back in a few minutes later with our tea. 

"How did you & dad fall in love?" she asks me after our long silence. 

I tell her the story of how me & her dad met. How happy I was, & how we couldn't pratically keep our hands off each other. When I finish I hear her whisper, "I wish that was Dylan & I." 

I smile & tell her to give him a chance & she says she will. I kiss her forehead & go join Theo in our bed.