The next few days at the Cameron Estate were spent playing basketball with the boys, watching movies with the girls, board games with everyone and one day Harper and I nearly destroyed the kitchen trying to bake cookies for everyone. We need a bit more practise or a little less distractions from the boys. We were relegated to practising our baking skills in one of the other kitchens after that.
It's our last full day before we have to go back to college. The boys have training starting again and I have shifts at The Busy Bean. Harper is coming back mostly to spend time with Ethan before classes and assignments take over our lives again. In the last week the two of them have grown closer than ever, leaving Ryan as a clear third wheel, which he didn't fail to point out many times.
I have loved spending my time with the Cameron's, but I am looking forward to seeing Ali and having a little less parental supervision, even if it means going back to a rock hard mattress after the best sleeps of my life this last week.
The morning sun is warm, especially for the 1st December. Joey, Ryan, Ethan and I were playing a game of 2 on 2. Harper had gone for a run around the property while we played, she had been slacking off on her track practise while back home. I wish I could say the boys went easy on me, but they didn't.
We played Joey and I vs Ryan and Ethan. Probably not the smartest of teams because both Joey and I were excellent shots, but defence was our weakness, Ethan was a strong defender, Ryan fell somewhere in the middle. The scores were tight, with thanks to both our 3 point shot skills, but in the end my lack of fitness caused us to lose. Much to the delight of Ethan and Ryan, who took pleasure in gloating about their win.
"I'm out, I'm done. You've ruined me!" I exclaimed, collapsing onto the picnic table that sat beside the half court in the backyard.
Joey laughed, throwing me a bottle of water. "We've gotta work on your fitness babe."
"Surely with the amount you two screw you would have better fitness," Ryan laughs and I flip him off.
"Fuck off Ryan, you're just dirty you aren't getting any!" I retort.
"I've got plenty of ass waiting for me back at school. Might call Ali first, what do you think?"
"That she'd rather stay chlamydia free!"
"Ok kids, settle down," Joey interrupts knowing that Ryan and I can really dig into each other if he doesn't stop us. "Want to do some of the drills coach gave us for the break?" He asks the boys.
"Yeah man," Ethan replies for both of them.
The boys get up to continue with their basketball while I take the opportunity to watch and catch my breath, shooting Ryan a glare as he walks away smirking.
I'm not alone for long. Unexpectedly, Sophia sits beside me at the table. In fitness gear herself, a look I hadn't seen her in but am not surprised. You don't get to look as good as she does if you don't put in the effort.
"Hey," I say as she sits, taking another drink of my water.
"Morning sweetie. How was your game?"
"They slaughtered me!" I laughed, "Those boys don't go easy on me just because I'm female, that's for sure!"
She laughs, "That's because they know your a good shot. They are also very competitive."
"It's good. I'd rather be treated as an equal. I'm just not fit enough to keep up with them. It's been years since I played properly," I explained.
"So you used to play?" She asked curiously. She wasn't prying, rather getting to know me better.
"Has Joey told you anything about my childhood, besides what I already told you?" I ask.
"No, but we haven't asked."
That surprised me. Of course Ben knew, but David and Sophia didn't know anything more than I'd already mentioned, yet they still welcomed me with open arms. They trusted Joey and his opinion of me, they have given me a chance even though they know nothing about my history.
"Well, I told you my dad died when I was 11," I started and she nodded. "He taught me to play. Basketball was our thing, he loved the sport. After he died, it wasn't the same. I was a daddy's girl, my mom, well she didn't get it. Not just basketball, the entire being a parent thing."
"I remember you mentioning you were estranged from your mother. That can't be easy after losing one parent?"
"If I can be honest, my mom has been a stranger to me my whole life, despite living under the same roof. She despised my existence from birth. Post natal depression turned to drug use. It got worse when dad died. I found her frothing from the mouth one day and was put in foster care for 3 years. When I was 16 I went back into her care, or more cared for myself. Now she's in prison, I don't know which one. It sounds depressing, but I don't have a home or a life to ever go back to in San Diego, yet I'm not really sad about it."
"We seem to have a lot in common then," Sophia replied.
"Joey told me the other day that you were in the system from birth, I hope you don't mind him telling me."
"Of course not. I wouldn't expect him to keep anything from you."
"He did at first. I was mad at him for not telling me after I told him my story. But after he explained he wanted me to know you first without knowing your history it made sense. I guess he did the same thing in reverse to you too."
"Everyone has a history Morgan. It's more important who you are now, than what's in your past. Your mothers behaviour is beyond your control, you just got caught up in her mess. It appears to have made you a stronger person though."
I smiled to myself when I realised that both Joey and Ben had said the same thing to me. It appears to be a Cameron family value to respect people for who they are.
"Did you have it rough in foster care?" I ask, curious about her experience. I know I got lucky to have stayed with only one family and not have to change schools.
"I want to say it wasn't too bad, but that's a lie. I had two good homes and I had many more horrible ones. My childhood has made me incredibly grateful for what I have today and what I'm able to give my children."
"You've raised amazing children. It's so easy for children from wealthy families to turn into brats, but it's clear all the Cameron's know the value of family over money. Did you know I had no idea Joey and Harper were even from money for the first two weeks I knew them? It wasn't until I saw their cars!"
Sophia laughed softly, "I guess we did do well didn't we."
I nodded, "Of course I'm slightly bias when it comes to Joey."
She smiled fondly, "We've all noticed. It goes both ways. My son has always been happy, but with you, it's like a whole new fire has been ignited."
We sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the boys. They moved the ball so effortlessly it was mesmerising. Joey glanced over at us, catching my eye he winked then smiled that pretty boy smile. I felt myself blush as I smiled back.
"What will you do when your mom is released? What if she wants to reconnect?" Sophia asked, bringing my attention back to our conversation.
"I want to say I'm done with her. But I don't know if I'm honest. It's a bridge I'll cross if or when it happens. I'm worried she will find me just to ask for money, the bank took our home, so she has no where to go. I'm doing my best to create a life for myself, I don't want her dragging me back down to her level. But she's still the only blood relative I have."
"If you ever need help, we are here for you," she said, placing her hand on my forearm in a gesture of comfort. "I know what it's like to come from nothing to a family that seems to have everything. You feel like you can't accept money or help. But you can Morgan, as far as David and I are concerned, you are family now."
I placed my hand over hers that was still on my forearm. "Thank you Sophia, it means a lot."
"Anytime sweetie. I'm going to start preparing lunch, no doubt these boys will be hungry by the time they are done," she says as she stands up from the bench. With a quick comforting squeeze of my shoulder, she walks back to the house.
The boys weren't doing basketball drills anymore, they had moved onto sets of suicide runs, with a set of push ups in between. I shamelessly watched Joey move, what can I say? He's hot and seeing the way his body moves as he runs, then his muscles flex during the push up. Let's just say I don't need to be doing the exercising to get all hot and bothered.
"So I was thinking, after this morning of physical activity we should really go and have a massage before heading back to campus tomorrow, what do you say?" Harper says, collapsing beside me in a huff, distracting me from my thoughts of Joey.
"Massage sounds great," I smiled. "Ew, but you need a shower!" I said taking in her appearance.
"You don't look so crash hot yourself!" She exclaims in mock offence.
"Looks like the boys are finishing up too. Sophia was making lunch, shower, lunch then massages?" I ask.
"Perfect!" She says clapping her hands together.
"Perfect she says. Your girl really should stop talking about me so much Ethan," Ryan teases as the boys approach us.
"I don't know how your head stays upright, it's so fucking big!" Ethan retorts.
Joey sits beside me, wrapping a sweaty arm around my shoulder and kissing my head.
"Ew, your wiping your sweat all over me!" I cry as I push him off me.
"You didn't seem to mind when you couldn't take your eyes off me," he grins.
"Yeah, it's hot from a distance. Now it's just nasty."
"Let's go shower then," he says wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Don't want to know!" Harper cries out.
"You say that as if I don't know what you get up to with my best friend," Joey defends.
"Alright, enough. The plan is showers, lunch then we are going for massages. You boys can do whatever it is you boys do," I dictate as I stand up from the table. "Coming?" I ask Joey.
He stands up to follow me as Ryan mutters something about being whipped.
"To be whipped and scoring hot shower sex, or to be single and rubbing one out solo, I know what I'd chose," I winked at Ryan as I turned to walk away.
"You two fight like siblings," Joey mutters as we walk across the yard.
"He kind of feels like an older brother that I never had sometimes. It's fun to rile him up a bit," I laugh and Joey shakes his head.
"What did you and mom talk about?"
"My mom actually. I only gave a shortened version, but it felt good talking to her," I admitted.
We entered the house through the kitchen where Sophia called that lunch would be ready soon. We quickly made our way up to Joey's room, rushing to the bathroom, laughing and teasing each other the whole way.
He turned on the water while I begun peeling my clothes off. Stepping into the now hot water, instantly feeling relaxed. He stepped in behind me, hands on my hips as he kissed my bare shoulders. I threw my head back onto his shoulder, "I'm going to miss this when we are back."
"Showering with me? You can come do that any time," he says against my skin.
"Well I actually meant having a private bathroom and a nice shower compared to the dorms," I laughed. "But I'll also miss sleeping next to you every night and being with you all day."
"I know. We'll make time between our schedules. But we should probably make the most of our time now," he says spinning me around and pushing my back against the cool tiles. "Of all the showers we've had together, we still haven't had sex in here," he said pushing his body against me so I can feel how ready he is.
"That's because we have no protection in here," I reply.
"I'll pull out," he begs between the kisses he is now peppering on my neck as his hand massages my breast.
"I was thinking," I start and he pulls back to look at me, showing me he knows my tone and he needs to listen. "I was thinking that when we get back, I'll see a doctor and go on the pill. We can still use condoms, but we could enjoy times like this too, without worrying. Without a discussion on protection killing the mood."
"It's your choice babe, I fully support you and what you want with your body," Joey replies sincerely.
"I think it's important we are on the same page. But right now what I want with my body is you."
He grins like a kid on Christmas before crashing his lips onto mine, our bodies tangling under the stream of hot water, once again showing us both how we fit so perfectly with each other.