An Unexpected Family Pt. 02

Good God! Jack thought. Nagumo is doing a wind up stance? Best time to get him.

Jack took an insane lead at third because the third baseman wasn't covering the bag. Jack was nearly half way to home plate, keeping an eye on the third baseman. As soon as Nagumo began his wind up, Jack broke for home. The girls in the suite began screaming. The catcher never saw Jack coming because Malone was blocking his view.

"SAFE!" screamed the umpire, as Jack slid feet first across the plate, popping to his feet and into a jog to the dugout with a single, fluid motion. The Rangers crowd began their boos again.

Bérénice was proud of Jack. She had never seen anything like it. The girls in the suite were jumping up and down and hugging Bérénice.

Jack was greeted outside the dugout by the entire bench.

Jack scored the only run that night.

Royals 1 Rangers 0.

But, Nagumo was kept in the game for 6 innings, stifling the Royals offense.

Chapter 53

When Jack left the locker room, DFW Royals fans were there to greet him. He graciously signed autographs and allowed photographs. He asked them their names and where they were from. He told them he was from Reims, Texas... Just 110 miles away.

Bérénice and Morgan were waiting on him a few yards away. Bérénice was smiling, enjoying the attention Jack was receiving.

"I haven't heard a bad thing about Jack," Morgan offered to Bérénice. "Trey said he heard the General Manager is bragging about getting Jack at just the right time. He's been playing very well this year and his teammates are thriving because of his success."

Bérénice turned to face her new 5 feet 1 inch friend. "He is doing well, isn't he?"

Morgan nodded and then tilted her head. "Just for my curiosity... How tall are you?" she giggled.

"Just shy of 6 feet... 5 feet 11 and three quarter inches, to be exact... Bare feet."

"And I love your eyes. They're nearly black. Mysterious looking. Oh, here comes, Jack. I'll be over there talking to the girls when you two a done."

Jack was smiling as wide as the concourse when he met Bérénice. Bérénice was wearing the same white Royals jersey, with "Caron' and number 7 on the back. The same one she wore with her family and friends, just three days ago. She also wore 3/4 length skinny jeans and white flats. She looks beautiful, Jack thought. He took her into a loving hug and Bérénice returned his embrace.

"You ... Still... are a distraction for my career. Baseball is so hard to concentrate on because of you."

"I doubt it," she replied. "Three stolen bases? Are you kidding me?"

"Yeah... Crazy, huh? A scoreless, dull game is always the best time to get them napping" he sighed.

"You were great on those steals tonight. The girls in the suite went berserk."

Jack nodded and smiled. With that, the bus horn honked and they both flinched.

"I've got to go. Today is the first day for me, Bérénice. To call you every day and tell you I love you. That I can't wait to see you again."

"I'm looking forward to those calls, Jack. Every day. Hopefully, forever," she offered.

The horn honked twice this time.

Jack moved in for a kiss, and Bérénice took his neck and pulled him into her lips.

"Ahh," the wives and girlfriends sighed.

Bérénice heard her new friends and giggled through the end of their kiss.

"Come home to me, Jack. I love you," she whispered.

"Count on it. I love you, too."

After Jack and the bus left, Morgan stepped up to Bérénice.

"You two are going to make it. You both are in love."

Chapter 54

"The children were absolute angels, Bérénice. John is playing with Patrice and Amélie is sleeping nearly all night," her father offered.

Bérénice sighed to herself, wondering how much longer the peace her father described would last.

"So... you and Jack," Frank Ouellet said, to get his only child and daughter to start a conversation.

Bérénice turned to her father in the front seat of the Suburban and smiled. "It's like we've never been apart. He's so much like Robert. He's so much like Jack. Two brothers who I've been in love with for 16 years."

Frank smiled as he drove toward Reims. "I saw him get hit by the pitcher on TV the other night. He's OK?"

"Yeah... A very bad bruise on his back. I saw it the next morning... he had baseball seam marks still on his skin. But, last night, he played as though nothing was wrong. I meant to ask him about it, but..."

Frank arched an eyebrow waiting for the conversation to continue. "But?" he finally asked, when she didn't continue. He saw her smile.

"We were too busy declaring our love for each other. The bus to the airport kept honking the horn for Jack to let go of me," she giggled.

"It's good, Bérénice... That Jack won't let go of his feelings for you."

"Daddy," she began. "Am I making a mistake moving to Kansas City? I don't feel like I am. It's like Jack is a part of me and I can't stay away."

"Absolutely, not. You're right about Jack. He is a part of you, just like Robert was. You have already seen a taste of his life in baseball. It's not like he will be home every night at supper. It's crazy the hours he keeps. You'll have to adjust and take what little time he has with you as precious. Don't waste one minute with him."

"Thank you, Daddy," she sighed. She paused for a few minutes. "I want to move there as soon as possible. Maybe before he returns from Chicago. I want to greet him when he comes home. Do you think I can do it?"

"Yes... Your mother and I will help you. I've never been to Kansas City."

Chapter 55

Bérénice, her children, and her parents were driving slowly in the neighborhood where Jack lived, looking for the house Jack had given them for the address. The houses were just like any middle class neighborhood. Bérénice remembered Jack told her he was living a modest lifestyle to save money. He knew he couldn't play baseball forever.

"The traffic here is as bad as Dallas-Fort Worth," groaned Frank Ouellet.

"Grandpa!" John yelped. "What is traffic?"

"It means too many people driving cars, John," he groaned again.

Bérénice reflected on losing her friends in Reims on the drive to Lees Summit, Missouri. But, she was also looking forward to being with Jack, and praying she could be his companion, wife, and lover.

"Here it is, Bérénice. Seems like a nice home. Two car garage," her mother offered.

"It is a nice home," Bérénice thought. "Ranch style."

As they began stepping out of her father's Suburban, an older woman stepped out of Jack's home. "That must be Mrs. Campbell, Jack's assistant," Bérénice deduced. Bérénice had called her to let her know they were nearing Kansas City.

Also, Morgan Lancaster pulled up in her minivan to greet them. She had her two little girls and son with her.

"Bérénice! I'm Julie Campbell, Jack's assistant," she cried from the front porch. Julie was a 62 year old grandmother and she looked like she was 47. She kept her figure well and dressed classy for her age, without over doing it. Brunette... brown eyes... and sassy.

Morgan greeted Bérénice and her parents and said hello to her children. Morgan's children were standing around staring at Bérénice's children... Awkward silence among the children.

"OK... Leave your things in the car. Let's go inside the house," Julie Campbell began. Then she whispered to Bérénice, "You get Jack to give you a budget to fix up the house. A bachelor definitely leaves here. Honey, you need to make it a home instead of a place to sleep and take a shower."

Bérénice nodded and grinned. Her parents each took John and Patrice, and Bérénice had Amélie in her arms as they entered Jack's home.

Ugh, Bérénice thought. Julie's right.

"Well," Morgan offered, with a giggle. "You can tell a woman hasn't lived here."

Julie showed them the 4 bedroom, 2 bath home. There was a finished basement, where Jack kept exercise equipment, and the small covered patio was nice, along with the backyard. Jack asked Julie to call Bérénice and have beds delivered for the children and her parents. The kitchen was nice... Roomy, with a breakfast area off to the side. The den was spacious and Jack had a large TV and stereo system there. The furniture didn't match. It looked like Jack bought it at garage sales and dragged it back to his house. The master bedroom was just as bad, but, she gave him credit for the super king size bed... with no headboard. The master bedroom had an en suite bathroom... a huge walk in shower and a separate large tub. It looked like a remodel. It looked great.

Bérénice smiled at Jack's effort... or lack of effort.

After all of the comments about Jack's horrid living style, Julie spoke up.

"One more thing, Bérénice. Follow me." She lead everyone to the garage.

"Jack bought you a used minivan. Honda Odyssey... 3 years old. That man never buys anything new unless he has to. Anyway, he insisted the car be titled in your name. I have paperwork for you to sign and I'll take it back to the dealer." Julie then sighed. "You have yourself a wonderful and handsome man, Bérénice. But you have your work cut out for you changing his bachelor habits."

Bérénice smiled and nodded. "Maybe three children will bring him around. I hope it doesn't scare him off."

Maybe she did have a challenge on her hands. But, you know, she thought. Robert was just like Jack.

Chapter 56

Bérénice woke having heard noise in the kitchen. She knew it was Jack coming home from Chicago. She looked at the alarm clock... 4:38 am. She rose from her bed wearing the same off white satin pajamas she wore in Arlington. Just as she cleared the threshold of the bedroom door, Amélie began crying. She went to the nursery and changed her diaper. When she picked her up to cradle her, Jack spoke up...

"I didn't mean to wake up the prettiest girls in Kansas City."

Bérénice turned to see Jack leaning against the door jamb smiling widely, but, looking tired. As usual, wearing his business suit, but without the tie, and the collar of his shirt open, revealing a t-shirt underneath. He still looks handsome, she thought.

"You're deranged," she groaned. "Look at my hair. No makeup. My eyes lids are swollen."

"I don't think so. I have it on authority, from the wives and girlfriends, you are beautiful. Quote... Her dark eyes, hair, and tall stature are exotic and beautiful. Don't you mess it up, Jack... Unquote."

"You're messing it up, right now. A kiss?" she groaned.

Jack crossed the nursery, took Bérénice in his arms, and planted a soft kiss on her lips. When he broke the kiss, he said, "I love you."

"I love you, Jack."

"And, I love you, Amélie," he continued. He bent down and kissed his niece in her mother's arms.

Jack then wrinkled his nose from the diaper.

"That's right, Jack!" Bérénice giggled. "Wrap that diaper in the plastic sack and take it to the trash in the garage. Welcome home." She chuckled.

When Jack returned to the nursery from the garage, he found Bérénice sitting in a rocking chair, nursing Amélie. Her satin pajama top was unbuttoned and her right side was exposed for Amélie.

"Beautiful," Jack sighed, from the doorway.

Bérénice smiled lovingly in returned. She whispered, "Thank you for letting me buy some things for the nursery. The crib, the changing table, and the mobile. Jack, you're so generous to us." She began sobbing softly.

Her life had changed so quickly and so much the past three and half months, and now, it was beginning to catch up to her.

Jack knelt at her side and placed his arm around her shoulders, hugged her neck, and caressed Amélie with his other hand.

"We're family, Bérénice. We always have been. Please... Anything that will make you comfortable and feel at home here, I will get it for you. I want you to be happy here. With me."

Bérénice took her left hand and caressed his cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Chapter 57

Jack groaned when the spear of mid-August sunlight made an attempt to pluck his eye from his skull. "Thank, God, I have a day off," he groaned. He rolled over to his other side to glimpse at the clock... 11:09 am. Bérénice was gone, too. They had cuddled all night after she nursed Amélie.

He rose from his bed, went to the bathroom, and pulled on some cargo shorts from his dresser drawer. He yanked a Royals t-shirt, size 2XL, from another drawer and pulled it over his head and arms.

As he left his bedroom...

"Uncle Jack!" John yelped, from the living room, and ran to his uncle.

"Uncle Jack!" cried Patrice, right behind her brother.

He knelt and took both brother and sister into his arms. He hugged and kissed each of them. "I have missed you, two. Where's Amélie?"

Patrice pulled herself from his arms and grabbed his hand. "This way." Jack followed his tiny two year old niece to the living room to find Amélie on the blanket-covered floor. Patrice and been entertaining her. Jack leaned over and picked up his beautiful niece and hugged her. "I love you, Amélie," he whispered. He walked over to his recliner and sat to admire the beautiful girl in his cradled arms. "Tu m'as manqué," he said. Patrice crawled into his lap, too, to pet her little sister and to hug her uncle.

"Are you hungry?" came a voice from the kitchen.

"Yes! But I want to hold these beautiful little girls," he replied.

Bérénice rounded the corner of the kitchen to go into the living room. Jack's jaw dropped.

She was wearing off-white form fitting leggings, showing off her slender, but athletic form, and a Royals t-shirt from Jack's drawer. The t-shirt had been cut with scissors to just below her breasts, showing off her athletic tummy. The sleeves of the shirt had also been cut an inch or two below the shoulder. The oversized shirt flowed as she strode into the room.

"Close your mouth, Jack. It's rude," she chuckled, as she knelt to the side of his chair.

Jack reached behind Patrice and caressed her mother's cheek. "You're beautiful... And stunning... thus, my gapping mouth," he mused.

"You're handsome yourself," she replied, as she kissed him softly on the lips. "But, you need to comb your hair. It looks like monkeys played in it last night." With that, she kissed his lips, kissed her two daughters and ordered John to help her in the kitchen. Patrice jumped from Jack's lap begging to help, too.

"I grilled a ribeye steak for you last night, so you could have it for lunch today. I'll warm it up. OK?" she said as she entered the kitchen.

"That's great. It's better than leftover pizza I usually have for lunch," he mused. He then turned his attention to the pretty 3 month old little girl in his arms. Her brown eyes were wide and she was cooing in his arms. Her tiny hands and arms were randomly reaching for his face. He offered her a finger to grasp and tug. They played hand tag while lunch was prepared.

Jack caught a whiff. He shook his head, rose from his chair with Amélie and took her to the nursery for a new diaper. Just when he finished cleaning her bottom and changing her diaper, Patrice walked in.

"I poo poo, Uncle Jack," she reported, with a shy tone.

Jack suddenly realized, he had an instant and unexpected family living in his home. He smiled joyfully as he changed her diaper, too.

Jack returned to the kitchen with two little girls in his arms. "They're fresh and clean," he reported. He set Patrice in a high chair and asked John how his diaper was holding up as he set Amélie in a carry seat. He placed Amélie on the table so he could see her.

"I have pull ups," John reported. "I can change them myself."

Jack looked to Bérénice for confirmation and she smiled with an arched eyebrow. "We'll see," she said. Jack then went to his room and combed his hair.

When he returned, Bérénice set plates in front of her children... cut up hot dogs and mac and cheese. She then placed a ribeye steak, loaded mashed potatoes and green beans in front of Jack.

Jack shook his head. He realized, again, he had never been served lunch in his home... Or dinner, either.

Bérénice saw him shake his head. "Is there something wrong?" she asked.

Jack looked up to her with crinkled eyebrows and replied, "In the last 10 minutes, I held and kissed three pretty girls in my home. I have changed two diapers and been served lunch by the woman I've been in love with since I was 15. This is a first. This is the first time anyone had given me something to eat in my home. I never dreamt I would have a family in my home when I moved to Kansas City. It's unexpected. An unexpected family." His voice quivered with joy. "My God, Bérénice. I have missed y'all so much."

Bérénice knelt at the side of his chair and took him into her arms.

"Nous, t'aimons, Jacques."

Chapter 58

Jack had just placed Patrice in her bed for a nap. When he didn't find Bérénice anywhere in the house, he went to the basement and found her on a treadmill.

"Jack... This is nice. All of this equipment," she offered, a little out of breath from her running on the mill.

"Yeah, I use it on my day's off and during the off season. He walked over to a bench and began curling and butterflying dumbbells.

While they were working out, Jack told her of the Royals chances of winning the division. They were ahead of the Twins by 13 games, with a month and a half left in the season. Jack's basement was long in length. He had set up a tire from a rope in the ceiling and a net and foam backstop. He took a bucket of baseballs and began throwing them through the hole in the tire. He didn't miss the hole once. He had a weighted bat and exercised through 100 swings.

The two had been working out for about 30 minutes when Bérénice came over to Jack while he was doing inverse inclined sit ups with a 40 pound weight in his arms.

"I'm going to take a shower. Come with me?" She smiled a sly smile, as she ripped the t-shirt over her head revealing a blue sports bra. She ripped that off too on her way out of the basement, intentionally hiding her breasts from him.

Jack didn't answer... He just followed her.

When Jack reached his bathroom, he caught the last glimpse of two sexy and athletic butt cheeks stepping into the huge heavy plate glass walk-in shower. He took off his clothes and found a goddess soaking herself under the shower with her back to him. Her long black hair was clinging to her skin as the water cascaded from her head and shoulders. She turned her head to him, winked, and tilted her head for him to join her.

As Jack stepped into the large shower, Bérénice turned to him and held him close, pressing her breasts into his chest and her pubic bone against his stiff rod. Jack wrapped his arms around her and pressed her closer to him.

Bérénice looked into his eyes and kissed him. She pulled away slightly, looking for his approval. Jack approved and pressed his lips to hers. For a minute or two they dueled softly and gently with their lips and tongues. Bérénice slid a hand between them and touched his fully involved cock. She grinned and winked at him again.

"Wash my back?" she asked, as she turned away from him.

They took turns bathing each other... touching each other up along the way. Bérénice raked her fingers and nails across his soapy and chiseled chest. He's so ripped, she thought. When they finished, they dried each other, and Bérénice started a blow dryer to dry her hair.

"Comb your hair and brush your teeth," she offered. "When I'm finished, we'll have some playtime." She grinned and wiggled an eyebrow. Jack arched both eyebrows in faux surprise and chuckled.

When Bérénice finished drying her hair, she pulled it into a messy bun. She took Jack's hand and lead him to the bedroom, gesturing to him to meet her in bed. She went to the dresser and turned the baby monitors on. "If they wake up, playtime is over. OK?" Jack nodded his approval.