Chapter 16

Jon took that moment to come in to see what was going on.

"You lost Dean?" noting the glass of water in his hand. "Sambora and water? I never thought I would see the day Dean!"

He tried to make light of the fact that not only was his best bro was looking upset, but his best girl was looking worse.

"Hey why all the long faces? You want Mookie instead of your old dad to take you Saturday?" He watched them walk past him, sort of like dead man walking.

"Frank you take her, I think I might take in the Mets game." Richie said as he walked past Jon who looked more puzzled than before.

Richie and the Mets, are they playing the Dodgers? he thought it was strange that he would all of a sudden decide to go to a baseball game. Richie didn't even like baseball.

"Well, I have a date for Saturday." Alex said walking back into the family room.

Once again thinking to herself its just one game, its just one game. She sat on the sofa next to Jessie, Meo claimed up in her lap.

"Oh yeah Jessie, Matthew said to tell you that there is a roster change and you are back on second base. Mark wants to go back in the outfield."

With that announcement Stephanie broke down in tears and Jessie left the room slamming the door behind him.

"What did I say?" Alex looked dumbfounded. Jon went to his daughter and Richie went out after Jessie. Alex looked down at Meo and asked, "Do you know what is going on Meo?"

Romeo looked up at Alex and shrugged his little shoulders. "Meo not like Maffue...Youckie!" She scrunched his face. Alex ruffled his hair and whispered in his ear. "Me neither Meo, Me neither."

Richie caught up with Jessie as he headed up the stairs.

"Whoa there buddy. You and I need to have a little one on one." he followed Jessie up to his room and grabbed he door before he could slam it shut.

Richie waited for Jessie to talk. Jessie felt like he had been kicked in the gut. He had used Miss Alex, used her, just to get second base back. Miss Alex would do just about anything for them and he ruined everything.

"She is going to hate me isn't she?" he finally asked looking up at Richie. Doubt shadowed his face.

"Not sure Jess, but I think you need to go and talk to her." Richie walked around the very neat and tidy room. Takes after his mother, not a thing out of place, he thought not a thing like his dad.

"No way Uncle Mookie, then she will hate me for sure!" he grabbed the ball and glove off his pillow, pulling it on he began to slam the ball into the mitt. "I should have just played outfield and let it go at that."

Richie reached in and grabbed the ball. Damn that hurt he thought the flicked his hand to stop the stinging. "She might understand, I just can't understand why you used Stephie to do your dirty work?" He sat on the bed next to him, putting the ball back into his mitt.

Jessie laughed a little at that.

"Not so sure I am proud of that myself." Kicking off his shoes he turned and sat cross legged on the bed facing Richie. "She and Steph hadn't gotten along, well not at the first."

"What do you mean Jessie?" Richie was now interested in what had happened since Dorothea had left.

Jessie preceded to tell Richie about how mean Steph had been to Miss Alex, not letting her get close. Then after Stephanie's little trip looking for their mom, things had been different.

"They got really close Uncle Mookie." he looked down into his mitt. "I knew if Stephie asked her, Miss Alex would go." He slumped down and tossing the glove on the floor he buried his head into his hands "I used my sister and my sitter. Kill me now Uncle Mookie, before they do."

Richie shook his head. "Can't do that Jess, I think I am third behind the girls!" He chuckled. "come on lets go down and face the music. I promise it will only hurt once, well maybe twice, knowing Stephie, Miss Alex on the other hand...." he cooked his head to one side, "She might just let you slid on this."

Jessie looked up, fresh hope in his eyes. "You think so Uncle Mookie?"

"You'll just have to wait and see kiddo. We'll think of something to make it right. Won't we?" they headed back down to the family room.

~~~

Mean while back in the family room, Jon knelt down in front of Stephanie.

"Honey whats wrong?" He hated it when they cried. Somewhere in the back of his mind he always thought it was his fault, even when it wasn't. Crying always gave him a major guilt trip.

Stephanie was crying so hard that all he and Alex could make out was...Jessie....coach....bench....ruined....and something that sounded like Kill my brother. Jon looked at Alex, puzzled at what to do next. Dorothea had handled all the problems and he just made the money and paid the bills.

Alex sat Meo on the sofa and went over to Stephanie, dropping down beside Jon, she lifted Stephanie head and wiped a tear away.

"Stephanie, did someone die?" she asked and Stephanie shook her head. "Is someone sick?" Stephanie shook her head again. "Did you and Jessie fix me up with Coach Davis just so Jessie could play second base on Friday?" Jon looked dumbfounded when Stephanie nodded her head.

"You got all that out of what she just said?" he asked stunned at how in such a short time, she had become more a parent than he was.

Turning to look over at Jon, it just dawned on her how close he was to her. She could actually see the little flecks of gold in his eyes. Get a grip girl, he is your boss, she chided herself.

"Doesn't take rocket science to smell a set up." She chuckled.