An Accidental Family Ch. 02

Sneaky was (and still is) a supernova of talent. He carried his team to the state championship as a senior (making Jason look pretty darn good along the way) and went on to star at a college in the SEC and, eventually, in the NFL. Even at the height of his fame, however, he is still the same goofy kid I first met all those years ago, and, when the season is over, he always comes home to his family and friends.

In their senior year, Jason's biological father showed up to watch one of his son's games for the first time in over 12 years. He arrived in an old and dented sedan with Jen's parents in tow. Over the years, he had put on about 50 pounds and lost most of his hair. His stripper had decided that he was a loser and left him, so he decided that the time was right to find Jesus, reconcile with Jen, and celebrate the football prowess of what was now clearly his son. To this day, I don't know what Jen's parents told him he could expect when he showed up unannounced and uninvited like that but, as you can imagine, it did not go over well.

The game itself was a huge success with Jason throwing for more than 250 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Sneaky. After the game, Jason's biological father pushed his way onto the field to congratulate his son and consummate what he thought would be a touching and emotional reunion. When Jason saw him coming, he looked perplexed and asked, "what are they doing here, Dad?" Of course, he was looking at me when he said it.

His biological father did not take that gracefully, demanding to know who I was and why I was at Jason's game. Before I could answer, he started screaming at me calling me an adulterer and calling Jen, who had just arrived with our girls, a whore. Jen's parents decided to use that moment to demand that she take her husband back and repent of her sinful ways.

Things came to a head when Jason's biological father took a swing at him. He, in turn, was promptly knocked on his ass by Sneaky who had come over to see what all the fuss was about. Sneaky could have done some serious damage to him if he hadn't been held back by half of the offensive line. It wasn't until Sneaky's uncle and several of his cousins came over as well that Jason's biological father and Jen's parents were persuaded to leave. The Jiminez family still looks after their own.

Jason was just as oblivious to Cindy's growing love for him as he was to most other things in life that don't involve patterns or numbers. He didn't date at all for most of high school, and spent all his spare time with Lisa, Sneaky and Cindy. Finally, after much coaxing and even threats of physical violence from Lisa failed to persuade him to ask her to prom, Cindy took the leap and asked him herself. They have been together ever since.

When he picked Cindy up for the prom, Jason arrived with a corsage of her favorite flowers, a first edition of her favorite book, and a small bag of her favorite childhood sweets. When asked how he knew so much about the things that she loves, Jason sheepishly revealed that she had mentioned them in passing over the years and that he had kept a diary of everything that she had ever said near him about her hopes and dreams. Since that day, he has dedicated himself to making her dreams come true (and then highlighting them in the diary to show that they have been completed).

Cindy, in turn, showed remarkable patience with Jason, helping him to navigate a world that he didn't always understand. He wasn't like the frat boys her cheerleader friends dated, but he made her feel safe and loved. Jason proposed to Cindy with his mother's ring and the inscription, "Nierozerwalna milosc" remains as true for them today as it has for Jen and me.

Sneaky and Lisa ended up falling in and, as is sometimes sadly the case, out of love. Having spent so many years of her childhood fighting for herself and her sisters, Lisa found that, as much as she wanted to, she just couldn't stop fighting. She felt hollow inside. At first, Sneaky's love helped to fill the void, but she knew in her heart that she didn't deserve to be loved. The hollowness grew in her like a cancer until she ended things with Sneaky so that he could forget her and find someone worthy of his love.

They both remained close with Jason and at least cordial with each other. Jason and Cindy even asked them to be the best man and maid of honour at their wedding. In fact, as the wedding approached, Sneaky and Lisa were both newly single, but they were sure that their window to be together had closed. Some months before the wedding, however, Sneaky's Abuela had a dream, or what some might consider to be a vision, and ... but that's a different story for another time.

Life is not a fairy tale, however, and not everything works out the way we might have hoped.

We lost my mom far too soon, just a few years after we moved into our forever home. She loved our family with all her heart, but she loved and missed my dad even more. Once she met my accidental family and the rest of her grandkids, and knew that we would be safe and loved, she started to slowly fade away. She passed in her sleep, a smile on her face and a picture of my dad by her side.

We buried her beside my father in the graveyard beside the church just off the old highway.

I wasn't ready to let her go, but maybe we are never ready for that kind of loss. I still miss her terribly, but I know that Dad was there to meet her at the Pearly Gates in a 1967 Shelby GT500 convertible restored to mint condition just for her.

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As for me, despite everything that has happened, not much has changed. I am still the same affable guy that I was before I met Jason and Jen.

Need help moving a sofa? I will grab my truck and some of the guys on my team to help you out. I don't do as much of the heavy lifting as I used to, but there is a dinner at Shelly's in it for the kids that do.

Yes, I am still coaching that same 7-7 team, even years after Jason, Lisa, and Sneaky graduated. Kids still need a team and place to play that will love and accept them. Lucy even started playing for our team this year. Although she is not the athlete that her sister Lisa is, she is still the best player on the team and it's not particularly close. But where Lisa's game was fueled by her anger and hurt, Lucy's is fueled by joy. Rather than driving her team to do better through sheer force of will, Lucy brings out the best in the kids she plays with and inspires them to reach for heights they didn't ever think they could reach.

But, like her big sister, this doesn't stop her from taking advantage of the boys when she plays.

Just last game, she was lined up along the right sideline against the youngest of the Simpson boys. She knew that he was sweet on her, so she waited until just before the snap to give him a wink and a little smile. While he tripped over his own feet, she caught the ball and sprinted to the end zone for the touchdown. After the play, she jogged back up the field and helped him to his feet. I was then informed that he would be coming to Shelly's with us after the game.

I think that boy is in serious trouble.

Bel comes to the games as well, but she normally just brings a book and sits quietly on the sidelines. She is her sisters' biggest fan, but she takes after her big brother and spends most of her time reading and learning new things, and sometimes gaming with her dad. Her soul is full of kindness, and she makes everyone she meets feel like the most special person in the world when she is with them. She might be the best of us all.

Need a wingman for a double date? I am still happy to help, but know that I will be bringing the smartest, funniest and, to my mind, still the most beautiful woman in the world—if we can find a babysitter.

Stuck at a bar and need a ride home? I am still your guy. There is nothing more important to me than keeping the people I love safe. But please, try not to puke on the seats.

I have made peace with not being a main character in life. Those roles are best reserved for the people I love. But I am no longer a side quest either, one that you enjoy and then leave behind. With time and reflection, I have come to think of myself as the Innkeeper. I listen to your stories, share a laugh or a hug when it's needed or even a cry, and I send you back out into the world when you feel safe and ready. And I will always be here to greet you when you come back home.

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Hanging over the fireplace in our forever home are the handprints that used to be part of the slab in the garage. That first summer, Jen had them cut out and mounted in a frame. Beside them is a new set of prints made by Jen and the kids—everyone who is a part of our accidental family. Mounted between both is a smaller slab with a final set of handprints. They are from our daughter, Catherine Shelby, named for my mom and dad, who was born nine months to the day after our honeymoon. She is the spitting image of her grandfather, and she brings joy and wonder with her wherever she goes.

She is so deeply loved, as are we all.

Once again, thank you for spending some time with this story. I really appreciate it. Unlike the first part which seemed to take forever to write and edit, this one felt like it wrote itself and I was the one slowing it down. I think that our story is now pretty much complete ... although Sneaky's Abuela may have something to say about that in the future. If you liked the story, please leave a comment or a rating.

I'd like to dedicate this story to my cousin Stacey, who passed away unexpectedly last year. She was a singer, an artist, and an amazing friend. Stacey, you are loved and greatly missed.