the end

toby

now.

"Tobias William Swan Wilder!" Shit.

"Shhhhhh…" I motioned, covering Ava's warm, kiss swollen mouth with my hand. She stifled her fucking adorable giggles, staring with wide, teasing blue eyes. "Yeah?" I shouted in reply to my mom.

"We're leaving in exactly eight and half minutes for the high school. I swear on the cat's life, if you're not dressed and ready…" She tried the locked door. "Toby…"

"Mom, chill. I'm tying my tie."

"Liar. Don't lie to your mom. That's seriously bad karma, dude," Ava whispered, biting my calloused knuckle. "And you have to pitch on Tuesday. That bad juju will mess you up big guy… just saying."

"You know I love when you call me big guy." I trapped her tight beneath me, hands over head.

"Awwww…. Stop. Let me do that. I wanna help you…" Mom pouted beyond the door, her heel tapping the wood floor. "Toby, open the door, please." Ava slipped out from under me, pulling on her green running shorts. I reached to love smack my favorite ass, but she was too fast. Always and forever too fast. From third grade to senior year she could out run me from first to second to third to home. And sliding home with her was always the best. Mental note… hit up Edward for some condoms. Tonight. She will be all about it tonight after watching me sign that paper.

"Toby, open the door." Shit, now Dad. "Toby, there's a house full of people here and more people waiting at the high school for you. Open the damn door. Let your mom tie your tie. Let's get this thing rolling."

"Why is my dad so fucking sour now?" I pulled Ava onto my lap, nuzzling her sweet suntanned neck while she hastily braided her hair.

"Oh stop. Today is a big deal, Toby. Everyone's just wound up... get it." She clicked her tongue, wrinkling her nose.

"Yeah, I get it. Your pitcher speak makes me hot."

"Ohhhhh really?" She turned to straddle, smooching all over my face. Fuck, I'm toast. This girl…

"We're celebrating later right? Privately. You and me. Hudson's Hideaway. You bring the s'mores stuff and I'll bring the other stuff."

"We'll be getting our s'mores game on, big guy." A wink, one soft kiss on my mouth, and she threw her backpack over her shoulder. "I have to go get girly for you."

"Hey…" I held her gorgeous, natural face in my hands, brushing my thumb under her long lashes. "You're always beautiful to me. Next week, it's all you. Well, after Tuesday's game. I'm all yours." I held her tight, slowly inching towards that fucking door everyone wanted open. Her scholarship wasn't huge like mine and that's the way shit was boys vs. girls. Such bullshit. She kicked ass. She owned softball and me.

"Hey Toby, your mom's having a freak out. Wanna open the door?" For Edward… anything.

"Hi, Mr. Cullen. Looking sharp! See ya at the school soon." She bolted.

"Okay. Yep thanks, Ava." He eyed me, knowing if my mom saw her on her way out, there'd be some rip roaring hell to pay. "How about getting dressed?"

"Yeah, I'm halfway there." He stepped in behind me. I pulled on my white dress shirt, started to tie, fuck up, re tie my plaid school tie.

"You got it?" He watched in the mirror over my dresser.

"Yeah. I hate this fucking thing. After a hundred years of Catholic school I should be able to tie my tie blind. So Mom's being nuts?"

"She's just nervous. And excited. And proud. And your dad's in the house with about forty other people and Frankie didn't take a nap and the wine sucks because I ordered the wrong case. So yeah…"

"Edward… you're the shit." He laughed, straightening his own tie. "Hey… so…" I reached to shut the door again. "I was wondering…" He tightened. We'd had the talk forever ago. Both of them coming at me to talk love and sex and protecting Ava and myself and all that fun but necessary, embarrassing crap which ended with really gross stories of their first times. Of course we'd already done it and I'd already made it special and perfect and protected for my girl. But Edward was always cool. He did the big stuff. Like the nasty break up and almost arrest when I thought that dickhead outfielder from Anaheim Country Day was making his move on Ava and I may or may not have almost but not really broke his weak ass hand. And when shit went down in Calculus this year with Coach Mullins. Edward was a true champion in the dean's office, handling it better than Dad ever would've. And Mom still doesn't know about it. He's always helped me keep shit locked down. "Do you have a couple condoms I could take? Have? Borrow?" Edward rubbed down the back of his neck, cringing a bit.

"Actually, no. Don't really need them anymore. We're all sort of set now. But…" He slapped my back. "Want me to stop and pick some up for you?"

"Yeah. That'd be great. If you don't mind. My debit account is hovering at zero and I gotta hurry cause Coach wants to talk before the ceremony."

"Sure. No problem." See… the coolest. Mom rushed down the hallway, smacking love all over my baby sis.

"You're finally ready! You need to comb that mess on your head, though."

"Mom, don't fuck with the flow. I've been cultivating this for four years. It's a work of art. A pitcher's paradise. A baller's right of passage."

"Why did I even pay for Catholic school? Like this is a serious question? Whatever it is, it needs to be brushed and you're lucky your face is as cute as mine." She kissed Edward, always a little longer than she should with company around. She pushed past me with Frankie, laying her on my damn bed to change a diaper. Christ. "And Toby, don't think I didn't see Ava run out of here…" Fuck. If I get grounded on signing day…

"Oh hey, babe…" Edward leaned against the door. "Toby needs us to stop for condoms." She froze, staring stupid and silly at the baby, surely swearing swears. Edward and I exchanged our secret smirk.

"Boys are so dumb, Francesca Cullen. Every last one of them. They think they're so funny but really they're just dumb. All you ever need is me. Okay?" Frankie squirmed, pretty freaking cute, Mom snatched her up and blew past Edward and I, tossing me the dirty diaper, all the way evil eyeing.

The Jesuit High School auditorium was packed to the dark paneled walls. My huge ass family filled the front two rows, uncles and cousins and aunts and my kick ass grandparents all in from Miami and beyond. They barely missed anything. My grandparents flew across the country for nearly every game I pitched. Edward kept my mom's hand in his. It was his thing whenever my dad was in town. Really, he's always kept my mom close and safe. Dad fought some of their decisions for me over the past two or so years, so shit got real a few times. But my mom wouldn't back down for anything. My dad's just weird. And I don't think he likes Ava. So fuck that.

Ava finally walked in with her parents. She looked like goddamn perfection. She wore my favorite yellow dress and my jersey over it. She wore my fucking baseball jersey. My girl almost looks hotter in a jersey than a dress, if I'm telling the truth. She wiggled a finger wave, and I lit up. Our shortstop and the quarterback were also signing so we sat side by side with our respective college banners laid out on the table in front of us. I felt larger than life, just like on the mound.

My mom hugged Ava and pulled her into the seat beside her, front and center. Just like she did at all my games. My mom's pretty much the best. She definitely freaks out a lot. But moms who freak basically rock at the end of the day. But hell if Ava didn't need to pull her dress down or I was going to embarrass myself.

Coach got started. The band played the school fight song, then we prayed. I may have sent up a small side prayer up to cover that little white necktie lie, because damn if Ava wasn't always right and I do pitch on Tuesday. I live by the Gospel according to Ava. We were each introduced, the college coaches spoke and our parents were called to the stage for the signing. My mom's always the youngest and prettiest there. I hear Edward tell her all the time how beautiful she is, I hear a lot of other shit I wish I didn't too, but hey at least I know they're still rocking it after ten years and a new baby.

She kissed my cheek and tugged my flow under the fresh collegiate cap when she moved behind me. My dad towered over me, leaving his hand on my shoulder like a lead weight. I gestured to Edward still sitting in the front row near Ava with Frankie in his arms. He nodded, squared his shoulders and walked up. I felt my dad's hand drop. Who cares. Man up, dude. He's my dad too. I signed a full ride baseball scholarship to the University of Florida. Wow.

"I want to take a minute to say a few words about these fine young men up here. Starting with our varsity pitcher for four straight years, Toby Wilder." There was a ridiculously loud round of applause because my family is used to sporting events. They're awesome. And Ava whistled her trademark whistle. She does this thing with her fingers in her mouth and it's pretty damn obnoxious but sexy and I love it. "So, this scholar athlete actually came to California from Miami and is now headed back to Florida. You won't find a more deserving young man. He puts in the extra. On the field. In the cage. In the bull pen. In the classroom and in the community. He's been working straight summers at his uncle's community gym in inner city Miami with their little league program. He's a stand up young man. A little mouthy. But fights when the fight's right. Edward and Bella you've outdone yourself with this one."Hell yeah.

Lots of small talk, hugs and photos later, my mom was ushering, actually pushing me through the crowd towards the main door. I lost Ava in the sea of school excitement, but knew I had her to myself until curfew. "What's up? Something wrong? Dad's being an asshole?"

"No. Hush. Come on…" She blinded me with her hands as soon as the perfect California night air hit.

"Mom, you're seriously so weird. What the hell?" She dropped her hands after we stumbled down the stairs. Edward was grinning wide next to the sweetest fucking Jeep I'd ever seen. "Are you guys for real?"

"Completely for real." He handed me a set of keys with a Florida Gator keychain. And they both hopped in faster than my fastball. "Holy shit!" We settled in, the top already off in the quiet parking lot. I palmed over the dash, the shift, the steering wheel. "Thank you." Mom rolled her head against the front seat headrest towards me. Edward kicked back behind us, Frankie asleep against his chest.

"You're welcome," she whispered. "You're so loved, Toby." I leaned to hug her. I felt her shiver, saw her eyes tear.

"I know I am, Mom. I love you guys."

We sat. Quiet. Still. Appreciating the open air and stars and being together. "Toby Swan Wilder don't you dare have sex in this new car tonight. I will return it to the dealer, you know I will." We burst. My mom was straight up nuts but always for damn real. "Listen to me. We're so proud of you. Please be wise and don't fuck anything up. You have gifts beyond measure and so much ahead." Don't fuck up like she did. We had that talk also, not too long ago. That one was not fun. But I loved her more for it after. She was fierce. Chose me over the rest and I admire her more than any woman ever for the shit she handled my first eight years. She deserved what she and Edward had so much.

"I know. I won't. I promise."

a/n.

swearing swears. love him. they grow and go.

thanks sweet friends, please stay close.

for tara. onward. xoxo