Chapter 3

"Hey daddy."

David almost dropped his computer tablet on the floor when he heard his daughter's voice behind him.

"What you doing?"

David didn't know Marissa was going to be home. It was Sunday and she usually went out with Angela on Sundays. They usually went to the movies or to the café and just hang out.

"N-nothing. I was just in the social network."

Marissa's eyes looked towards the computer tablet's screen. David knew she'd seen the picture. It was Regina's latest picture. She wore a bikini and her sunglasses. She smiled beautifully as Tony took her picture. It had been a day out at the beach.

"Is that Aunt Reggie?" Marissa asked.

David felt his face redden. "Yeah."

"Wow. She's a babe," Marissa complimented. "I want to look like her when I'm older. You know I notice a lot of men look at her when we go out together. I bet Uncle Tony would hate to know that." Marissa was kidding but David didn't like what he was hearing.

"What men?" David asked curiously.

Marissa looked at her aunts picture and then back at her dad. "You know ... men in general." Marissa smirked.

David cleared his throat and closed the page out. "What are you doing home? I thought you'd be out with Angela." He wanted to change the subject quickly.

Marissa shrugged. "I might go out later." She smiled and looked away as if she was thinking of someone.

"So are you ready to tell me about the new young man in your life?" David asked his daughter.

Marissa blushed. "Not yet daddy. Soon."

"Well he must be something special if you're keeping him such a secret."

Marissa flopped down on the couch next to her dad. "He is daddy. He's so very special."

"Well can't wait to meet him."

Marissa laid her head back and smiled thinking about the time she'd spent with Henry the day before. She still remembered his taste. You've already met him. You've known him all your life. She wanted to say but refrained from saying anything.

"Hey Henry ... I was thinking maybe you and I could go play basketball down at the park?"

After a late breakfast, Tony, Regina and Henry sat around reading the newspaper. Henry was surprised that his father would want to play basketball. He knew his father wasn't too much into sports, other than boxing or MMA fighting. Even Regina was surprised.

"You ... want to go play basketball?" Henry asked.

Tony smiled. "Yeah. Why not? I used to play with your uncle back in the day and it was fun."

Henry looked at his mother she only shrugged.

"Um ... ok dad. We can go. Oh! Can we invite Uncle David?"

Regina saw the look of disappointment on Tony's face. It seemed every time Tony wanted to do something with Henry, Henry would always invite David.

"Sweetie, why don't you and your father just go? Make it a father/son day," Regina said softly.

Henry hesitated but figured it would be ok. It had been a while since he did spend a whole day with his father. "Oh ... ok then it's just me and you dad. I'm going to go get ready then."

"We'll leave in about twenty minutes," Tony shouted after Henry left the kitchen.

He looked at Regina and reached out to touch her hand. "Thanks babe."

"Hey no problem. I know you want him all to yourself today." Regina squeezed his hand.

"I do. I'm feeling like a bad dad for not spending more time with Henry. It seems he hangs out more with his uncle than with me. That makes me a little ... jealous?" Tony hated to admit.

"Don't feel that way honey. You're his father. Henry loves you so much."

Tony looked away. "Yeah I'm sure he does. It's just that sometimes it feels like David is more of a father to him. I know I'm always busy working but I should make more time for my son."

Regina thought about David, but quickly pushed thoughts about her brother aside. "You try your best honey. That's all that matters."

"You're right babe. You are so right." Tony looked at the clock in the kitchen. "I better get dressed too. I still have athletic shorts don't I?"

Regina giggled. "I believe you do. They are on the bottom drawer right underneath your sock drawer."

Tony sighed. "What would I do without you?" He smiled and went off to get dressed.

"I'd love to see you, you know that. It's just my dad wants to go hang out," Henry spoke into his phone. Marissa had called him to see if she could see him.

"Aww ok. I really wanted to spend more time with you my love," she said sweetly.

Henry's heart fluttered when she called him that.

"I see you at school, but you know how I can't get my hands all over you there. I just want to see you. I miss you."

"I know. I want to see you too. I miss you so much."

Marissa sighed softly. "Can I come down to the park to watch you get so sweaty that you have to take off your shirt?"

Henry blushed. "Yeah, if you want to. I need a cheerleader."

Marissa chuckled. "Ok. I'm going to bring Angela so Uncle Tony doesn't think I'm barging in on father/son time."

"Sounds good. I'll see you out there then. I..." I paused for a minute. "I love you."

Marissa's heart pounded. "I love you too."

"Where are you going?"

Marissa heard her mother asking her just as she passed her bedroom. Olivia was in her bedroom brushing her long hair.

"I'm going to the park with Angela," Marissa explained.

"You already spend enough time with Angela. You hung out with her last Saturday all day and just yesterday didn't you two go to the movies?" Olivia asked sternly.

Marissa pouted. "So what?"

Olivia put her brush down and frowned at her daughter. "So what? Well first of all don't sass me and second of all, you need to spend a little more time here at home. All you ever want to do is go out. This is your senior year and I expect nothing but good grades from you so that you can get into a good college."

Marissa sighed. "Mom, I'm making all A's except in Trig I got a B. I'm working on raising that grade. I'm doing pretty good."

"Pretty good? That's not what Harvard or Columbia wants."

"Who says I want to go to Harvard or Columbia?" Marissa snapped.

"Well, who wouldn't?" Olivia challenged.

"I wouldn't! I want to stay here in Texas where I was born and raised mom!"

"Don't you want to explore other cities?"

"Yes! But I don't have to go to school in another city or state. I'm happy going here. We got a great university here I don't see why I have to go out of state and make you guys pay more money!"

"Hey, what's going on?" David asked coming down the hallway.

"Dad, mom is getting all mad at me just because I'm going to the park with Angela."

David looked at Olivia for an explanation.

"David, she needs to be studying. She already went out with Angela yesterday. She has a B in Trigonometry and she thinks that's good enough."

"Livy, just let her go out for a little while. She'll get back early and study."

Marissa couldn't believe her mother was being so uptight!

"Ok, so you just let her do what she wants don't you? It's been that way since she was a kid! Marissa wants ice cream, oh daddy will get it for her. Marissa wants a bike, oh daddy will get it for her. Marissa wants-"

"Mom! That's enough! Leave him alone! And as a matter of fact leave me alone!" Marissa grabbed her car keys from her purse and sped out of the house.

After Marissa left, David went into the bedroom with his wife. "What was that all about? Why are you mad at me? I just said she can go out for a while and then she's to be back early to study. What's wrong with that?"

"The fact that you let her do whatever she wants, that's what."

David couldn't believe Olivia's attitude. "You know I discipline her. She's grown up to be a good kid. She hasn't gotten pregnant, dropped out of school, been on drugs, been drinking, has a good driving record, has pretty damn good grades so I must say I didn't spoil her."

"Whatever you say David. You always give in to her. You need to be stricter."

"Well too late now. She's 18. She's an adult and will do as she wants anyway. And if I know my daughter, she'll do the right thing, always."

With that, he left the bedroom leaving his wife speechless.

"So you bring me out here to watch your uncle and your cousin play basketball? I thought you said we were going to check out some guys." Angela was complaining as they took a seat at one of the park benches.

Marissa spotted her cousin and waved at him and then waved at her uncle. "So my cousin and uncle aren't guys?"

Angela rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. I thought we were here to scope out single men that aren't related to you ... although ... I must admit your cousin is hot as hell."

Marissa agreed silently.

"You think he'll go to prom with me?"

"I doubt it," Marissa said happily.

"Geez, thanks," Angela sounded sad.

Marissa felt bad. "I didn't mean it like that Angie. I just meant I think my cousin already has someone in mind that he wants to ask that's all."

"Ok, I guess," Angela said and stared at Henry.

Marissa loved to watch her cousin move on the court. She liked how he got all sweaty and sure enough he ended up taking off his shirt which made her drool.

"Nice abs," Angela murmured.

Very nice Marissa secretly agreed.

After the game, Tony and Henry went to get something to eat at the Wendy's drive thru.

Marissa had told him she'd go drop Angela off at home and then go over to his house to "visit."

Marissa got to the house first. Regina was lounging around still wearing her pajamas when Marissa got there.

"Hey sweetie," Regina greeted her niece with a hug. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to visit that's all. Henry and Uncle Tony are on their way with some grub." Marissa went and flopped down next to her aunt on the couch.

"I bet they'll be starving," Regina laughed.

"Yup," Marissa said and looked down.

"You OK sweetie?" Regina asked stroking her niece's long hair.

"Mom and I fought again today."

"Oh? What did you fight about?"

"She gets all huffy and puffy just because I wanted to go to the park with Angela. She said I already spent time with my best friend yesterday and I don't need to spend more time with her again. I need to be studying so I can get accepted to Harvard or Columbia. I told her I don't even want to go to those schools and she gets more mad. Then dad comes to my rescue and she starts bitching at him. I left the house so I don't know what happened."

Regina's heart went out to her. "I'm sorry sweetie. I'm sure your mom and dad will talk things out."

"Daddy is very understanding but you know mom ... she's so strict! She doesn't understand that I'm an adult now!"

"That's true sweetie, but you still have to obey her. She means well."

"I know she means well Aunt Reggie. She's just so uptight!"

"Well, she's a parent. Aren't all parents uptight?" Regina joked.

Marissa laid her head on her aunt's shoulder. Just then the men got home with plenty of junk food. They all gathered around the coffee table in the living room and sat on the floor munching on the food.

"So did you two have a good time?" Regina asked the men.

"Yeah we did mom. Dad's not a bad basketball player. I mean I did kick his ass but he's still OK."

Tony playfully punched Henry's arm. "I let you win."

"Sure dad," Henry joked.

"I'm glad you two had fun," Regina beamed. She hadn't seen Tony and Henry get along so well, as they were at that moment. She was so happy she didn't even notice how Henry and Marissa kept eying one another.

After Henry took a shower, he and Marissa were in his room. Henry wore a simple t-shirt and shorts while Marissa looked stunning in her short white skirt and bright red top. Her hair hung loose and wild.

"So ... my little cheerleader," Henry said as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a long wet kiss.

She laughed softly. "I didn't have my cheerleader outfit ready to wear so I wore what I could. Red and white, our school colors."

"Well I must say this is much better than any cheerleader outfit."

The cousins kissed passionately. Henry rubbed his hands up and down his cousin's sexy body and she lifted his shirt slightly and ran her hands on his abs.

"I swear, when you took off your shirt ... oh my god!" Marissa sighed happily.

"Well, when I spotted you in that skirt, I nearly missed all my shots!"

They both laughed and fell onto the bed kissing and touching one another. Marissa rolled on top of him. She kissed his lips, neck and face. "I love you. I love you. I love you," Marissa whispered over and over.