Soul Food Pt. 05

"Goodbye, Coraline... Mom," Denis uttered, just to see how it would sound and to give her a present. "I promise, the moment I land," he said, looking back at her, seeing her nodding as he walked towards the TSA agent.

"Tell grandpa," stopping in his tracks, knowing they earned to be called that for the moment, "when I come back, we'll hunt for that monster again," Denis said with a smirk on his lips, waving to her before being cleared to pass through the security checks. While his time with his birth mother was good, Denis McCarty was eager to be home.

"I will! He's going to be so excited," Coraline called back, losing her hold on her tears as she watched her baby disappearing into the crowd. However, unlike when she was just shy of fifteen when she gave him up, now, she knew there would be a next time.

******

Two hours later...

Denis walked in a calm but purposeful stride towards the airport exit once he had his belongings. Eager to see the smiling faces of his family, feeling like Frogger as he made his way through the crowd. His eyes darting around heads to see a glimpse of his family. As the crowd began to thin out, there she was wearing that same look, just like the day they met that told him one thing when their eyes met. He was home.

Shawna wouldn't let go of his face for five minutes when she caught sight of him. "I've missed you, Denis. How about you and me, special day, after you get settled in, what do ya say?"

"Sure, sounds fun," Denis replied, watching how she sucked on her lower lip as she backed away.

"Oh, Will, I got you something. Found it when I was down there," Denis spoke as he quickly dug through his gym bag where he placed the signed Mike Schmidt ball, given his brother's love of the team, in his brother's hands.

"Wait, you telling me this is a real Mike Schmidt signed ball?" Will asked in shocked awe as he held the signed encased ball.

"Yeah, I have that letter thing here," Denis said, pulling it out from the pocket he had placed it in. "Yes, I got you something too, so don't give me that look; I was waiting to get it to you when we got home and save these good people that squeal of yours," he joked, chuckling when his sister slapped his arm and gave him a shove. Yet, he could see in those brown eyes that she was genuinely happy that he was home.

"Hey, Mom," Denis sighed his greeting as he hugged his mother.

"Hello, honey, did you enjoy yourself?" Helen asked in a motherly voice as she stroked his hair.

"Yeah, the highlight was that fight night," Denis said, fist-bumping his father before he hugged him. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm eager to go home," he uttered with a joking smile.

"Mom, you so have to try that ice cream. If you ever go there, they have a flavor that I'm sure that it will top your favorite's list," Denis boosted as he peered at his mother while pushing his father out as she walked on the left of him.

"Oh? You best be speaking the gospel truth now," Helen said in a stern but playful tone.

"Chocolate black cherry ice cream." Watching how that stopped his mother and sister in their tracks. Shooting Will a smile as they heard them rushing to catch up. "They have your favorite, too, Will," Denis spoke, patting his father's shoulder, "tired both of yours and got to say for not being my go-to flavor it's pretty good."

"We just might get to," George said, patting his son's hand. Grinning like a happy father as he listened to Helen and Shawna pestering him what it tasted like and so on. "Denis?" Looking back between the seats as he slid to the middle of the rear seat beside Will, who couldn't stop gazing at that ball.

"Yeah, Dad?" Looking over at Shawna as she interlaced her fingers with his.

"Your trainer called you got a fight in a week. Also, the coach at Havenwood wants you to come by Tuesday after your school and introduce yourself to your future teammates. He said he ordered you a shirt; he'll get more for you when you're officially a part of the team; it should be here Tuesday. He said if it isn't, to bring a tank top in case it doesn't. Said you might not be able to fight with it for the city, yet in college bouts, you're allowed to wear one as long as it meets league rules."

"Okay," knowing he wasn't going to have a lot of time to train for the fight next week, still that didn't mean he was going to lose, "one step forward, right, Dad?" Denis repeated the mantra George would use whenever he would seek his father's wisdom.

"That's right," George nodded firmly, peering over at Helen as she slid into the driver's seat.

"Now, how about we share a bowl of banana pudding," Helen said, smiling at her son in the rearview mirror as she started the car.

To Be Continued...