Eric (Men of Honor 2)

Before I could light into my ex for bringing them here and trying to cause trouble in my marriage, Tyler went ham on her ass. “You don’t have anything better to do? You bored?”

“I don’t appreciate your tone Tyler. No matter what, I gave birth to you, I was in labor…”

“Kill that shit Janine, save it for someone who doesn’t know better.” Her mouth dropped open so wide her chin was about to meet her chest. “You gave birth to me, gee thanks, pigs give birth every day, big fucking deal. I don’t owe you shit, and neither does my dad. I’ve ignored all the little bullshit things you’ve done over the years, but what you’re not going to do is fuck with my dad.”

He leaned in close to her face while she was still reeling. “If you don’t get back in your car and take your ass back where you came from, I’ll send your husband the pictures I have of you and your little boy toy.” The fuck! I looked from Tyler to Janine and back. I have got to start keeping better tabs on my kid. From the way Janine blanched and sputtered, I guess he knew of what he spoke.

Tyler turned his attention to Kristen next. “Aren’t you supposed to be writing an apology? Dafuq are you doing down here trying to start shit? My dad might be willing to let you off with a warning but I will straight up get your husband blacklisted. And I’ll turn that that little town where you spread all those rumors and basically ran Justine and Lora out of their own home against you. Don’t think I can? Try me. And don’t you have friends?”

Here he pointed at her hair and then to her chest. “Your dye job needs work, and your silicone looks like it’s leaking. Why don’t you ask Janine for her guy’s number? At least hers looks like he did a halfway decent job.”

“TYLER, how dare you?” Janine growled.

“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” He snarled at her.

Now I know I should chastise him for this shit, but as his dad, I was feeling too proud and trying too hard not to laugh to do that shit. I’m no hypocrite. I dragged him away when the two women didn’t move fast enough, and he looked like he was going to pounce. “Alright, slugger, let’s go.” We were halfway across the street when I broke and laughed my ass off.

Tyler was so pissed he jumped into the driver’s seat when I pressed door open on the key fob like he forgot whose car we were in. I didn’t even argue, just threw him the keys and sat back in the passenger seat for the ride home. I did a good fucking job with this kid.

Justine

I’m too nervous to sit still any longer. Eric has been gone for a while, and I haven’t heard a word. Surely if things had gone south, he’d have called, and I’m even more surprised that I haven’t heard from Sam or Kristen. I’m sure neither of them is pleased that I wasn’t the one who showed up. They hate missing an opportunity to beat me down.

I was trying to keep a brave face on for Lora, and since Eric had forbidden me to tell her about her dad’s visit because it would only upset her, I couldn’t talk to her about what was bothering me when she kept asking.

“Nothing’s wrong, sweetie. Did you say Tyler left with Eric?” Maybe that’s a good thing. I’m positive that Eric wouldn’t get into trouble with his son there, so at least I had that to help ease my worry.

“Did you and Eric have a fight?” I reached over and ran my hand over her hair gently and forced a smile even though my insides were quivering. “Of course not love,” I reassured her once again.

Lora has finally started to relax and settle into her new life. For the three months Eric and I dated before he proposed, and the last four months since we’ve been married, she’s been on tenterhooks, something I blame Sam for. I’d love to blame Kristen as well, but the truth is, Sam is the one that owed his daughter and me his loyalty, not her. She was nothing to us then and still isn’t.

My poor daughter learned a hard lesson at too young an age, and I can see the distrust and fear that still lives inside her. No matter how much I tell her that Eric is not like her dad, she still needs to see for herself, which I understand even though it pains me to see her like this.

Tyler has been great with her, something I’d worried about when Eric first popped the question. I was worried about two teenagers being thrown together, and any jealousy that might crop up since Tyler had been alone with his dad for so long. I needn’t have worried, though. I should’ve realized that being the kind of man he is, Eric wouldn’t have raised a son that petty.