Chapter 30 � Can I Come Home with You? Saturday October 22

I woke to find my mom sitting in my hotel room.

I was still sore and moving a bit like an old man. But I definitely didn�t want a pain pill today because I needed my wits about me. Not that it would lighten my mood any.

�Four children with three different mothers. All before you graduate high school. I don�t even know what to do with that.�

�Where�s Dad?� I asked.

�Your father made the wise decision to stay out of this conversation. I thought I�d raised you to have better morals than the rest of the Dawson clan.�

�I don�t think this is helping the situation.�

�You do realize that this probably ruined any chances you have of going into politics. It�s good that you have other skills, or your grandmother would be devastated,� Mom said to pile on the guilt.

I knew my best course was to let her get it all out.

�What were you thinking?� she continued. �Trusting two girls you didn�t even know to be responsible for birth control. I would have thought your brother was enough of an example for you.�

What could I say to that? I knew where babies came from. And I knew that condoms weren�t just to prevent pregnancy. I could have picked up something that could have been passed on to others in the form of an STI. After listening to Scarlet last night, I was damn lucky I hadn�t. I�d let myself get caught up in the moment.

I remembered telling them that if something happened, I would do the right thing. How hollow did that sound to two college juniors when it came from a high school kid?

I understood from our talk last night why they didn�t want to tell me about it. As a young movie actor who�d also been accused of abusing Pam, it was almost inevitable they�d have second thoughts about me as a good father.

When I�d met Ashley, I�d wondered if she knew who I was because she�d dressed up with her pearls to attract me. I�d ended up dismissing that at the time. Now I questioned whether Scarlet was the one who had targeted me as a possible way out of her family situation. Then again, it could have been exactly what they said it was, an accident.

What most gave me pause was the fact that both of them became pregnant. What were the odds of that? I knew it was possible, but seriously? I decided to push that little line of thought away. It wasn�t like I could do anything about it now.

I think my mom thought I�d just pulled a Dawson on her and gone quiet.

�Sorry, my mind was off exploring possibilities. I�m not sure they�re after my money, at least not in the long run. I think they need to get out of bad situations with their families,� I said.

My mom shook her head.

�You really are a �stupid boy.� There�s a damn good chance they are, and this time, it could be expensive.�

�Mom, you saw the bodycam video last night, didn�t you?�

Of course she had.

�There�s a decent chance Scarlet might only need financial help for two or three years. And knowing what I know of Ashley�s family now, she might be in the same situation. What we really need right now is more information.�

I had another thought.

�Do you think there�s a chance for custody?� I asked.

�You try that, and I�ll kill you in your sleep. I�m too old to handle five kids under the age of two. I had an unmistakable reminder of that watching everyone for the past two weeks. Plus, in a few months, you�ll be off gallivanting all over the world, doing your movies. Peggy�s a saint, but even she would bail on us if we had three more to watch.�

�What if we just got Carol, the little girl? I�m not sure I want Scarlet raising her,� I admitted.

�Hell, I don�t want you raising Coby. You�ve proven you haven�t grown up enough to stop making babies. Why would I want you raising my grandchildren?�

That one was almost over the line. I thought of several witty comebacks, but any of them would have only made the situation worse. Many had to do with my talks with Grandma Felton and her telling me how my mom had felt unprepared to raise Greg when he was born. Somehow, he�d survived.

�I bet you never thought you would have too many grandbabies,� I said; that got me the death stare. �Too soon?�

I saw her lips twitch.

�Come on, Mom. They�re cute.�

�Puppies are cute. That doesn�t mean I want another one,� she shot back.

�I don�t think we have a choice in the matter. It�s not like we can put an ad on Craigslist. Even though I know you can sell anything on that site.�

�So, what are you going to do?� Mom asked.

�I agree that I don�t want three more babies running around the house, but that doesn�t mean that I don�t need to be in their lives. For now, I want to figure out how I can help the mothers while keeping control of what that help might involve. At least for now, that might mean I pony up and pay them.�

�That�s what your dad said. I know it�s been a challenge for him to get involved in Phil�s life without me taking his head off. At least you found out now,� she quipped. �This will give Brook a chance to run before she gets in too deep.�

I blinked a few times. Would Brook really bail on me? I knew she didn�t come to my room last night.

�Do you know anything?� I asked.

Mom rolled her eyes at me.

�You�re just now worried about that? That tells me you aren�t really in love with her.�

Did it? I could see her point. Brook should have been my first thought if I really did love her. I suddenly felt horrible.

◊◊◊

�How many does that make, Mr. Walking Clich�?� Wolf teased.

I turned to Wolf and Tim�s parents.

�Count yourself lucky that these two are so inept at finding girls that I had to hook them up,� I explained.

�Hey � uh � I guess you did,� Wolf admitted.

Well, it wasn�t entirely true. It was true that I set him up with Sarah for Prom last year, but I hadn�t set up Tim and Tami; they managed that themselves. Though it was me who got them both to Chicago for the summer, so in a way �

Brook came and sat down next to me.

�You okay?� I asked.

�I thought that was my line. While I already knew that dating you came with an instant family, I didn�t realize how big,� she gently teased.

�I promise these are the last ones,� I assured her.

�Your mom has gotten you an appointment at the vet when you get back. She�s going to make sure they are the last ones,� was Brook�s instant rejoinder.

Even though I knew she was joking, it still made me shiver. It wasn�t too great a leap to imagine my mom doing just that.

Mom and Dad joined the rest of us. Wolf�s dad told us bad jokes about the horrors of having kids. That was precisely what I needed this morning.

◊◊◊

We were directed to The Hall of Champions on the second floor of the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility. You couldn�t help but be impressed by the 10-foot crystal football replica walls that represented each of their national championships. Waiting for us were Bo Harrington and Jim Ball. Bo had been my personal quarterback coach until he got the job as Alabama quarterback coach, and Jim was my left tackle at Lincoln last year.

�Welcome. I�m going to have Jim take a bunch of you on a tour while I talk to David and his family. I know he�s still a little gimpy, and I don�t want to strain him,� Bo said to everyone.

Besides, I�d seen the facilities when I�d come to camp. One of the most impressive sights to see was the hall that featured the NFL jerseys of every Alabama player taken in the first round. All it took was seeing the 16 national championships and that hall to know that you were somewhere special, as far as college football was concerned.

This was the school that everyone strove to catch up to. They were the reason everyone was building multimillion-dollar football buildings. They�d built theirs in 2013. When you saw the player�s lounge and locker room, you knew one of the reasons why they had a leg up on everyone else.

Bo took us to his office. He had to get extra chairs for Fritz, Cassidy, and Brook.

�I have a somewhat bigger entourage than since we were on the road together,� I explained.

�Tell me where you�re at with your recruiting,� Bo said, getting down to business.

�In the Big Ten, we�ve visited Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Michigan this year. I�ve also been to Michigan State and Northwestern. We�ve decided that Michigan is the finalist from the conference.�

�What about Ohio State?� Bo asked.

�They would be the front-runner if they were willing to offer Tim and Wolf,� I admitted.

Bo made some notes.

�In the Big 12, we had an official visit with Oklahoma. I was surprised by how much I liked them.�

�If you end up there, you�ll put up some numbers. Their conference hasn�t been noted for defense in recent years. I�m afraid that if you want to win national championships, that�ll be a problem. They�re going to run into an Alabama, or another defensive-oriented team, and struggle,� Bo said to give his opinion.

I�d come to have a similar view.

�In the ACC, we decided to visit Clemson. I think they turned a corner and now have a hammerlock on that conference after beating both Florida State and Louisville. They look like they may be one of three teams that will consistently be in the National Championship series each year,� I predicted.

�What three are those?� Brook asked.

�Alabama, Ohio State, and Clemson. The fourth team would come from the Pac-12, Big 12, or an Independent like Notre Dame,� I said to explain my reasoning.

�What did you think of Clemson?� Bo asked.

�I really liked them. The football culture they�re building is great. I loved the school, and I know they would challenge me academically. It�s basically in a town that�s the same size as where I live now. They have a lot to offer.�

�What about the Pac-12?�

�I visited Oregon after the Elite 11 camp. That was a complete mess. They didn�t know who I was until my mom made them aware.�

�They seemed nice after that,� Mom said.

�But I�m not going there,� I said.

�I agree. USC is a better fit,� Mom said.

I looked at Dad. Where was Mom getting her football knowledge?

�Yes. USC probably makes the most sense if I plan to keep doing movies. And the women �� I said with a big smile. �Where else could you walk out of a football game and have a hooker approach you?�

�What?� Bo asked.

�Yup, even with my parents there, and Brook, she tried to pick me up,� I said.

�At least you didn�t get anyone pregnant there,� Mom said to ruin my fun.

We got sidetracked, and I had to tell Bo about the two girls I�d spent time with at the Alabama camp and the resulting children I met last night.

�Sucks to be you,� Bo observed.

�Tell me about it,� I said and glanced over at my mom, who was scowling at me.

�Back to USC,� Bo said before I got yelled at once again.

�Did you know they have a practice field underground? Why would you ever want to practice indoors if you lived there?� I asked.

No one had an answer for that, so I went on.

�If it were just me, I might pick USC. I think that if I went there, they could get over the hump and win their conference.�

�They have some stiff competition. You have to get past Stanford, Washington, Oregon, UCLA, and Arizona,� Bo ticked off.

He�d left out Utah, Arizona State, and Washington State. All had solid programs.

�Do I need to go through the SEC list?� I asked.

Bo just smiled. The SEC was a meat grinder.

�If you go to Alabama, it shouldn�t be a problem,� Dad said.

�Check�s in the mail,� Bo joked. �That still leaves the SEC.�

�I�ve visited Georgia, and they were honest and told me they had other quarterback priorities. It looks like they�re in the hunt for some good ones. Coach Mason sat me down, and based on the number of recruits in a state versus the number of Division I football programs, he concluded that Rutgers and Georgia were two schools that were underperforming.

�I think Georgia may have figured it out and is starting to put together some special recruiting classes. They just got a new coach, and that may or may not have solved their problem. No one can know right now.

�I�ve liked Kentucky from day one. If this were just about going to play and having fun, I would go there and never worry about it.

�Finally, there�s Alabama,� I said.

�I can go either of two directions with this,� Bo said. �I can stick to the script and tell you why you need to come to Alabama. Or, I can help you decide what�s in your best interest, which very well could be Alabama. Which do you want me to do?�

�I�d rather you helped me pick a school. I keep flipping back and forth as to what to do. To be honest, I�ve considered making the decision based on what�s best for me.�

�What about Tim and Wolf?� Brook asked.

�That�s what has stopped me from going off on my own,� I admitted.

�Let me tell you a few factors that you may want to consider if you come to Alabama,� Bo said. �Baseball is not going to be the priority, football is. I�m telling you that might not be so bad. I just don�t want you to think that we�re going to be as flexible as other schools may be in allowing you to play two sports.�

�Does that mean David wouldn�t be able to play baseball?� Dad asked.

�No, I didn�t say that. I am saying if there is ever a conflict, football will take priority. At some point, you will be asked to make a choice, and the answer will be football.�

I let that sink in. I thought about the circles of trust my uncle had talked about. Bo Harrington was moving closer to the center group of people you wanted around you.

�You said you wanted to play with your friends. I think Wolf has the ability to make it to the field and, under the right circumstances, could someday play in the NFL. I�m not sure Tim has the talent to be more than a backup or special-teams player for us.�

�Ohio State basically said the same, except they refused to make him or Wolf offers. They had higher-rated recruits they liked better. The two of them were Plan B types if the higher recruits chose to go somewhere else,� I shared.

I could see that Brook was shocked that we were talking so frankly about this. I�d never shared with her that Tim wasn�t a high-level Division I prospect after his knee injury. Personally, I thought they were being shortsighted because he had come back stronger and faster.

�Is that why you said you might go it alone?� Brook asked.

�Yes. If Ohio State had offered them, I would be done with all this.�

Bo nodded his agreement.

�In my mind, Michigan is the logical choice if you want to play in the Big Ten. The only thing they�re lacking is elite quarterback talent and an upgrade at offensive line. David solves their quarterback problem the minute he steps onto campus. With him there, they will also attract better recruits who will want to play with him, including linemen. His addition would, in my opinion, put Michigan on an equal footing with Ohio State.

�I think that the same can be said for USC. You make them not only the conference favorite, but put them in the hunt for a national championship.

�The other school you should consider is Oklahoma. In their offense, you would be a lock as a first-round draft pick. You might actually put up record-book type numbers. If I were you, those would be my top three,� Bo said.

�Why not Alabama or Clemson?� Dad asked.

�I�ll take Clemson,� I said before Bo could answer. �It�s the competition at quarterback. They will keep recruiting the top quarterbacks and then throw them together and see who comes out on top. I already have to gray-shirt due to my movies. That means I�ll miss a semester of practice, giving my competition a leg up. I know that I�ll eventually show that I�m the best, but if I ever get dinged up and have to sit out a game, I might never get back on the field.

�I like USC�s approach better. They decide on who their man is and then focus on coaching him up. They seem good at spacing out when they bring in their next choice at my position. That way, there isn�t the constant hard-assed competition among quarterbacks each and every day. That stress is gone, and you can work to make the team better instead of fighting for your job. It seems to work for them because every starter has played in the NFL,� I said.

�Now let me tell you why I don�t think Alabama is a fit for David,� Bo said. �We need our quarterback, more than anything else, to be a game manager. The first time you take off and do what makes you special, the coaching staff will crush you. They have enough talent that they don�t need to do anything risky. They will turn you into an Alabama quarterback. When was the last time you saw one have success in the NFL?�

�Kenny Stabler and Joe Namath,� Fritz answered.

Both played in the Stone Age.

�My point exactly. Yes, AJ McCarron, Greg McElroy, and Brodie Croyle made it to the NFL. Only McCarron is still in the league and looks to be a career backup. If you came here, I would probably suggest that you switch to defense. You could make a lot of money as a lockdown corner or speed-rush defensive end,� Bo said.

Dad saw the gleam in my eyes and shut that down.

�No. You�ve worked too hard and spent too much time and money developing your quarterbacking skills.�

�Because of the Alabama system for offense, you see a lot of turnover on the offensive side of the ball as far as coaches go. They stay around for a year or so to add Alabama to their r�sum�s and then move on to where they can be more creative,� Bo shared.

�You�re thinking of leaving?� I asked.

�I�m on my second offensive coordinator in as many years. It�s only a matter of time until they make another change, and the new coordinator wants their own guy, or I need to make a move for my own career advancement.�

�Honestly, you were the main reason I wanted to come here. Well, that, and I planned to win four national championships,� I said with a straight face.

◊◊◊

I was grateful that Bo had planned ahead and had us taken on our campus tour in six-person golf carts decked out in the Alabama colors and logo. Fritz had insisted that Cassidy drive ours. Brook and I kept our comments to ourselves as she learned how to drive it. She finally figured out that we didn�t need to be going full tilt on the sidewalks. I�m sure the coeds appreciated not having to dive out of the way when Cassidy tried to kill them.

I tried to remember the history of the university I�d learned when I was here last. Alabama was one of the older universities in the United States. During the Civil War, it was nicknamed the �West Point of the Confederacy.� Just five days before General Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Brigadier General John T. Croxton crippled Tuscaloosa by destroying everything of value. That included this�academic institution turned makeshift�military academy.

At the time, the tragedy could have been much worse. The 300 cadets at Alabama were severely outnumbered by the Union troops. Although the corps had field pieces, the Union troops captured them before they could be brought into play. Then the Union trained them on the bridge and its approaches to the city from the Northport side. The Union was armed with repeater rifles that outclassed the young cadets� one-shot models.

University President Garland conferred with Alabama�s Commandant Murfee. Since the two of them were unwilling to commit the corps to a battle that would have amounted to a useless sacrifice, Murfee marched the boys back to the campus. In the middle of the night, they made their escape east along the Huntsville Road.

Woods Hall was the first building built after the campus was destroyed. It was constructed with brick from the ruined structures.

I thought the history of the place was fascinating. Now, though, I had to focus on recruiting.

The Quad was packed with tailgaters. There was a sea of tents and canopies set up. We talked to some students, and they had started camping out on Friday so they could get the same spot each game day.

Dad made the executive decision that we would skip meeting with the academic people and enjoy tailgating. I think both Mom and Dad needed a stiff drink. To be honest, after learning I was a father three more times, I could use one too.

We found a tent where they were making flaming Dr Peppers.

�I have to try that,� I announced.

�Are you kidding me? It sounds dangerous,� Mom said.

�It has Amaretto and rum in it,� our host said.

That was enough to sell Mom. At home, she was already well into the process of demolishing all the rum I�d brought back from Cuba.

These guys filled a shot glass with Amaretto and topped it with Bacardi 151. We were given a fire safety warning before they set the rum on fire and then dropped the shot glass into a half a glass of beer.

I�m not sure why, but Mom made me drink the first one. Everyone looked at me when I took my first sip.

�Uh, I�ll be damned. It really does taste like Dr Pepper.�

Three of those and I felt great. I thought I could walk to the game, but Fritz put a stop to that. Cassidy was a sourpuss because Fritz wouldn�t let her have one. All I know is that my mom wasn�t giving me sideways looks or commenting about how irresponsible I was. She and Dad had enough in them by now that they both found just about everything funny.

It could also have been the �moonshine� drink we tried called �apple pie moonshine.�

After a couple of Dr Peppers, I was up for anything. Again, I was the crash-test dummy. This one had apple cider, apple juice, cinnamon sticks, sugar, and a terrifying amount of Everclear. I was sure that you could�ve lit it on fire too. The scary part was that after the first sip, which seemed only a touch strong, they went down easy. I�d had enough Everclear punch to know that was bad.

We hooked back up with Wolf and Tim. They�d been responsible and had met the academic people, which meant they were in about the same mood as Cassidy.

�Have you been drinking?� Wolf asked.

�Just Dr Pepper,� I said and started to giggle.

I was such a lightweight now. In the good old days of middle school, I could have handled way more than that. Brook had had four and was holding her liquor better than I was, even though she weighed at least a hundred pounds less. It could also be that I took a pain pill before I hit the quad.

�It had Amaretto, rum, and beer in it,� Cassidy told them.

�That sounds gross,� Tim said, throwing a face.

�He also had �moonshine,�� Cassidy tattled.

�Girly, you better stop telling everything you know,� I threatened and then doubled over laughing.

She didn�t think I was as intimidating as I seemed to think.

�What the hell? I think we need to catch up,� Mr. Tams declared.

Mom and Dad absconded with our golf cart and took the other parents back to the tent we�d just left. I doubted we would see them during the game. Tim and Wolf decided that I sucked, and Cassidy agreed.

◊◊◊

Number-1-ranked Alabama was playing number 6 Texas A&M. Alabama had won by 39 over Tennessee the week before. Texas A&M was smart in that they were coming off a bye week, giving them an extra week to prepare for this game. Even though it was a clash of top ten teams, Alabama was favored by 18 points, due to a combination of this being a home game and Alabama just looking that good.

I was right. None of our parents were in their seats when the game started.

Alabama got the ball first and ran all over the Aggie defense. I was surprised when Texas A&M stiffened at the 20 yard line to force a field goal. On the first series by the Aggies, they managed a first down but had to punt. Alabama used their physical superiority to run the ball right down the field. It looked to be a long day for their opponents until the Aggies stiffened and forced another field goal.

On the third drive, Alabama took it to the house to put them up 13�0. I admit that at that point, I lost interest in the game and began to people-watch.

That lasted all of a couple of minutes until my tummy said something was wrong. I jumped up and made my way to the nearest bathroom. Cassidy saw my dilemma and had trailed me. She pushed me into the girls� bathroom, where I found an empty stall. The good thing about a liquid lunch is that when it comes back up, it�s still liquid. I think the �moonshine� drink was a bridge too far. I�d had experience with Everclear punch and should have known better. Whenever you can taste the Everclear, it�s too strong. I think it had tried to burn a hole in my gut.

When I came out, I found something interesting: women�s bathrooms are much nicer than the men�s. I think there�s some kind of discrimination going on. I made my way to the sink and rinsed my mouth out. Cassidy hustled me out when I spit in the basin and received angry glares. Maybe it was because of things like that that guys didn�t get nice bathrooms.

�We better get you something to eat,� Cassidy suggested.

I think Cassidy was hungry. We found Chick-fil-A, and I immediately ordered waffle fries. I needed something salty. Cassidy ordered food for everyone. She looked at me when the woman told her it was almost $200. I mean, seriously, I understand that stadium prices are going to be higher, but even I thought that was excessive.

�Have you ever paid for anything?� I asked Cassidy.

For my smart comment, I had to carry most of the food back to where we were sitting. I made the mistake of grabbing a spicy chicken sandwich. It must be a Southern custom to try to use enough cayenne pepper to make you sweat. The Alabama fans thought I was a wimp.

By now, all the parents were back, and I was glad Cassidy had ordered so much food.

The second half found the Crimson Tide down 14�13. I�d missed Texas A&M�s comeback. Alabama got their act together and came roaring back to win 33�14. I had to grin when a group of fans was sweating the margin of victory. They�d bet on their team and had to cover the 18-point spread.

◊◊◊

After the game, I needed a nap. I�d been up half the night traveling or learning I had three more children.

Fortunately, the effects of the alcohol I�d drunk before the game were gone. It was probably for the best that my stomach had revolted and gotten rid of most of it. To be honest, they�d warned me about the �moonshine� drink. I noticed most of the regulars had sipped theirs.

Tim and Wolf had made plans to catch dinner with Jim. I told them to text me where the party was, and I would meet them there. Brook thought a �nap� sounded good. I let her have her way with me. For some reason, guys tend to go to sleep after a good orgasm.

◊◊◊

Mom sent us a text to meet her and Dad in their room. When we got there, she was on the phone.

�I think he needs to hear that from someone other than me. I agree completely,� Mom said, and then spotted me. �Speak of the devil. Here, talk to Ms. Dixon.�

�What were you thinking?� Ms. Dixon began and then started to laugh. �You really should be a cautionary tale for all my celebrity clients. You just made a couple of stalkers a lot of money.�

�I don�t think they slept with me just to make money,� I complained.

�Hmm � let me ponder this. You expect me to believe that two college juniors played sex games with a high school kid?�

�You seriously don�t think I could go out right now and find two college women to come back to my hotel room with me?� I asked incredulously.

�You better not,� Brook warned.

I just frowned and pointed at the phone. I heard Ms. Dixon sigh.

�The sad part is I do think you could. Now we have to figure out what to do about it. Your parents have arranged dinner for everyone tonight to talk about this. I�ve had a chance to review the bodycam video Fritz sent me this morning. I just want to give you some advice before you talk to them.

�First, and I�m telling you this first because it might help you have some peace of mind, their families� financial situations are encouraging. The key is whether their parents are like Cal and whether we can get past egos or religious issues. If those don�t get in the way, from what I heard, extended support issues may�and I really am emphasizing the word �may��not be insurmountable. I�ll need a lot more information before we know for sure.

�Next, just because they put you down on the birth certificate as the father doesn�t make it so. I think you remember some of this from when you and Pam first discovered that you might be Coby�s father. We can take any of three paths. The first is you sign a document that establishes you as the father. Second is to let the courts decide. The third is to insist on a paternity test before getting into any serious discussions.

�I don�t expect that we�ll know which the best route is until you meet with the parents and have gotten to know them. If they�re reasonable, I would try to stay out of court. Once they get lawyers involved, it�ll get expensive,� Ms. Dixon reminded me.

�What am I looking at if we go to court?� I asked.

�Child support is supposed to be based on the relative financial strength and stability of both parents. Last time, how much Pam made didn�t apply. This time, the existence of the trusts likely will be a significant factor,� she explained.

With Pam, I was told that it would be based on my income. While I�d gotten a substantial advance on my two upcoming Star Academy movies, I was just now starting to receive the bulk of my earnings from The Secret Circle. Rita James had promised me that if it hit certain numbers�basically enough to pay off her investors�she would pay me a bonus. This wasn�t really talked about at the time I helped bail her out when her leading man had quit. At the time, she was scrambling to pull everything together.

The Royal Palm was being released this winter, and I was yet to film the J-drama and the James Bond movie. Ms. Dixon was right. A lawyer would see that potential income stream and go after as much of it as possible. Not that I didn�t want to support my children. I did, but I didn�t want to go broke doing it. The problem was, I might not have the same income moving forward. I�d read horror stories about people trying to reduce their support payments once their income streams dried up.

Then I had the businesses. They were starting to show a profit. My local farm was projected to break even this year, even after all the money we spent to fix it up and clean up the fields and orchards. Uncle John�s farm�s income had jumped when he�d partnered with the neighboring farm. Mom�s real estate company was in the black, and the restaurants had been a hit. My partnerships with Jack Mass and Frank Ingram had dovetailed nicely with our management business, so much so that they�d had to hire additional managers. Frankly, in the long run, this would be how I made my living.

The best outcome would be something based on the assets and incomes of all three families that was amicable and that encouraged everyone to remain friendly. I wanted to get to know my kids and not have them used as bargaining chips down the road.

�I understand that you insisted on paternity tests,� Ms. Dixon continued. �From what your mom told me, they will probably come back that you are the father. I know you never had one done for Coby because you trusted Pam to tell you the truth. In this case, I assume you don�t have that same trust level.�

�Correct. Plus, the girls encouraged me to do so, believe it or not. There shouldn�t be a problem with that.�

�Good. I�ve overnighted test kits to the hotel. Tomorrow, we�ll have everyone do the test, and you can send it back. We should know by the middle of next week for certain.�

�Like I said, I think they�re mine,� I admitted.

Everyone was staring at me, so I put Ms. Dixon on speakerphone.

�What do you want out of this?� she asked.

�If we could do something like we did for Pam and me, that would be great,� I said with a straight face.

Thankfully, Dad grabbed Mom before she could go medieval on me. Brook gave me a look that said if I was going to be that dumb, then I was on my own.

�Strike that,� I continued. �I think my mom isn�t willing to step up like she did last time.�

�Do you blame her?�

�No. I�m rather surprised she�s still willing to take on Coby. His daycare had the flu go through it. We pulled Greg�s and my kids out, and Mom has watched them for the past two weeks. I think three more would kill her.�

�You�d also better think of something nice for your mother as payment for her sacrifices,� Ms. Dixon said to offer even more unsolicited advice.

�I thought all grandmothers wanted to spend more time with their grandchildren. Isn�t that payment enough?� I asked.

Ms. Dixon snorted at that, and Dad laughed as well. They drew my mom�s ire. I had better come up with something good if I wanted to go home and remain alive after this weekend.

�I saw the new Cadillacs are at Sullivans�,� Mom suggested.

�You�ll get that the same time Tracy gets her Mustang,� I quipped.

�I�ll let her know,� Mom said, and her expression dared me to tell her otherwise.

�Back on topic,� Ms. Dixon said. �What�s the ideal outcome?�

�I just don�t have enough information to know for now, but I do think they need some financial assistance, at least in the short term. Both girls just graduated from college and need to set up living arrangements and get jobs, which will mean daycare. I�ll want to make sure they have enough for raising the kids. I�ve discovered they aren�t as cheap as getting a dog.�

�What about visitation?�

�Good question. When am I going to have time? Don�t get me wrong, I don�t mean that in a negative way; I mean that literally. Somehow, I�ll have to make the time. I just don�t know.�

�If you would get your pilot�s license �� Brook pointed out.

She was right. I needed to knock that out. If I had it, I could fly in for a weekend or day and see them.

I wrapped up the call because Dad pointed at his phone. It was time to go to dinner with my new baby mamas.

◊◊◊

We met everyone in the lobby.

�Where y�all want to eat?� Wyatt White asked. �I know of a good barbecue place that�s not too far from here.�

�Daddy, David and his family might not want to go to one of your favorite restaurants,� Scarlet worried.

Ashley and her group were apparently staying out of the decision.

�I could eat some good barbecue,� Mom said. �I hope it�s nothing fancy.�

�It ain�t fancy,� Clay, Scarlet�s supposed boyfriend, assured us.

We ended up about fifteen minutes from Bryant-Denny Stadium. On the ride there, I received a text from Tim, wondering where I was. I checked the time, and it was nearly eight. I must have had a good nap.

We arrived at Dreamland Bar-B-Que, and it looked just like an old-school barbecue place should. Everything was served on paper plates, and they gave you plastic silverware. I shook my head when Wyatt ordered a gallon of sweet tea and then slabs of pork ribs and sides. We decided to just keep it friendly during dinner and not talk about the babies.

Wyatt and Diana White mentioned that they owned a farm near Maplesville, Alabama.

�We have about 10,000 acres that we run a sportsman�s retreat on. We have a large lake for bass fishing, and some of the best deer and turkey hunting in the state,� Wyatt said. �Dove hunting, too.�

He was obviously pretty proud of it.

�I thought you lived on a farm?� I asked.

�No, that�s Clay and his people. They have a cotton farm a few miles from our spread,� Diana said.

�My folks are going to put a trailer back by the pond for me,� Clay shared.

I noticed Scarlet shudder a little at that prospect.

�What do you do?� I asked Mr. Kincaid, Ashley�s dad.

�Our family is involved in the transportation industry, down near Mobile. Brett is in management at one of our warehouse operations,� Hiram shared.

�Don�t get him started on work. He�ll talk your arm off,� Marianne Kincaid said.

�They both sound quite interesting. I know that David has hunted on his uncle�s farm. He and all the older guys in the family went on a ten-day fishing trip to Canada over the summer. I�m sure he would love to check out your resort,� Mom said. �I don�t know anything about the transportation industry, but that sounds fascinating, too.�

When they wanted to, my mom and dad were very good at making people feel at ease. Dad helped steer the conversation away from potential minefields, like �our son knocked up your daughters.�

We decided that we would go back to the hotel and use a conference room to talk about the children. Dad suggested that we do it one family at a time. I figured that was probably the best idea because I could see that they might have different needs. That, and I was worried that Scarlet�s fears might rub off on Ashley.

Before we left, I ordered a case of their barbecue sauce to be shipped home. It was the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. I wanted to have Mary try it and see if we could use it to make our barbecue at the restaurant. There had been a rumor that we might get a smoker, and I wanted to be ready. Wyatt had picked a winner in Dreamland, and Mom and Dad agreed. If I ended up at Alabama, I would come here again.

◊◊◊

At the hotel, we had the Kincaids join us first. I wasn�t sure I wanted Ashley�s boyfriend in the room, but Brook had decided she wanted to sit in. My first thought had been this was family business. I�d used that argument to shut down Tami�s access to all things Dawson when we were at odds. Of course, my mom hadn�t played along, so back then, I�d decided to just let it go. I sighed and let it go this time, too, and started the ball rolling.

�Ashley and I talked last night, and we�re going to move forward right now as if Dawson and Allen are mine ��

�Is there any doubt?� Brett asked to make his presence known.

�How would I know if there�s any doubt or not?� I shot back, which caused his face to go red.

�I think you better watch what you say. You�ve done enough damage without questioning Ashley�s character.�

�I did no such thing. All I�m saying is that we need to confirm paternity. This works in everyone�s favor when there�s no doubt that I�m the father.�

�I�m going to kick your ass,� Brett said as he stood up.

I looked him up and down and thought I could take him in my current physical state. The door opened, and Mom pointed at Brett.

�Get him out of here,� she said to Fritz and Cassidy.

I was glad that Mom had sent them a text before this came to blows. Brett tried to be tough and started to tell them what he thought when Fritz, of all people, took him to the floor. Brett was struggling to get loose when Cassidy found a pressure point. His voice then suddenly went up to dog-whistle range as he squealed like a little girl.

I�d have found it amusing that none of the Kincaids tried to stop my security people, but these discussions needed all of my focus right now.

�If he makes noise about calling the police, have him arrested for threatening physical harm to David,� Dad said.

Fritz nodded and frog-marched him out.

�Sorry about that,� Hiram said.

�See what I mean?� Ashley asked me and then turned to her parents. �I�m not marrying Brett, and I�m not working for the warehouse company while he works there.�

�We�ve talked about this. Brett�s a good employee,� Hiram said.

�I didn�t tell you to fire him,� Ashley shot back.

�And if you�re not going to work for me, you need to figure out what you�re going to do.�

Ashley looked defeated. It was a perfect opportunity, so I ran with it.

�You want to work for me? I have businesses with offices in LA, Chicago, and my hometown. I even have contacts in New York. One of them owns an adult film company.�

�David Allen Dawson!� Mom barked.

Ashley, to her credit, began to laugh uncontrollably. She kept pointing at the expression on her dad�s face and then would start to laugh again.

�I�m sorry. That came out wrong. I�d never have even thought to bring it up, but last night Ashley said she wanted to explore all her options, and I was just trying to help. I didn�t mean it to say anything about her character,� I backpedaled.

Now Ashley was howling with laughter, and it didn�t take long for everyone else to get the humor of it.

�You don�t even know what my degree is in. How would you know if I would fit in?� Ashley asked when she finally could speak.

�I do know that you were able to give tours to a bunch of cocky athletes. You have a sense of humor and can think on your feet,� I said.

�What is your degree in?� Mom asked.

�Art History.�

�Can you say, �Would you like fries with that?�� I asked.

This time, Hiram and Marianne laughed. They knew she�d never have to stoop to that, but an Art History major didn�t translate into a real-world job, either.

�Hey, I figured I could land a job with the Mobile Museum of Art,� Ashley said to defend herself.

�More like you were working on your MRS degree,� Marianne said.

I knew right then that I would get along fine with the Kincaids. I also understood now why Ashley had said her situation wasn�t as bad as Scarlet�s. If it weren�t for the �you must get married� mentality of parents in the Deep South, Ashley would be okay. They weren�t going to throw her and her babies out into the street if she didn�t cooperate, and it was clear they wanted the best for her. They just had very conservative ideas of what the best for her was.

Then Ashley got serious.

�Is the job offer still available even if we find that Dawson and Allen aren�t yours?�

�Have you ever thought about becoming a real estate agent?� Mom asked.

I knew then that Mom liked Ashley.

�I�m not sure if I want to go into sales.�

�In real estate, if you�re selling, you�re doing something wrong. Your main job is to help people find what works for them. You don�t have to twist their arms if it�s the right choice,� Mom explained.

�I like that,� Hiram said. �I can see where that would work for Ashley.�

�Here�s what we�ll do,� Dad said. �I�ll have Caryn, our chief operating officer, call you on Monday and let you know what we have available.�

Ashley asked her mom and dad to give us a moment alone. My parents also left. Ashley got up and hugged me and began to cry.

�I�m sorry,� she managed to get out.

�If I remember correctly, we were both there. I should have insisted on using condoms.�

She then admitted that she was flat broke, didn�t want to hit her parents up for more cash because of the Brett situation, and needed stuff for the boys.

�Brook, would you go with her and help her get what she needs?� I asked, and she nodded, so I turned back to Ashley. �Do you know what all is involved with your trust fund?�

�Not really. I can see now that I need to investigate that for the boys� sake. I just don�t know where to start,� she admitted.

�That�s another thing I can help you with. I have people who can figure it all out for you. You also have my mom in your corner now. With the help of your parents and mine, we�ll be okay. We just have to go through the steps to do this right. We want what�s best for those little boys.�

◊◊◊

Next up was Scarlet. She�d told her family and boyfriend she wanted to handle this alone. Scarlet walked in and handed Carol to me. It hadn�t been missed that Scarlet had named her after my mother.

�How did you know that Carol was my mom�s name?� I asked.

�Google. You can figure out all kinds of stuff on the Internet.�

�Don�t I feel stupid.�

Mom and Dad smirked.

Carol snuggled down into my arms and had a silly smile on her face.

�Wow. I�ve never seen her take to anyone like that,� Scarlet admitted.

�It�s his superhero ability, baby whisperering,� Dad said.

I�d take that.

�So, tell me what you want?� I asked.

Scarlet got a determined expression on her face and launched right in.

�I�m not living in a trailer on a farm, and I�m not picking cotton for the rest of my life. If I don�t find something soon, that�s exactly what I�ll be doing.�

�Would you be interested in what David offered Ashley? Would you like to work for one of his companies? They�re located in LA, Chicago, and our hometown,� Dad said.

�Please tell me you�re not an Art History major,� I said as I crossed my fingers.

�I have my degree in management. I�d like to work somewhere where I could take night classes and get my MBA.�

�We can work something out, I�m sure. You also said you need money, at least until you turn twenty-five,� I prodded.

�Anything you could do would be a help. I�m not asking for a handout. If I could work for it, I�d be much happier,� Scarlet said, surprising me.

Mom made both Dad and I pull out cash to give her.

�I know it�s asking a lot, but could Carol and I come home with you?�

My mom told Dad and me to take a walk. That last question made her want to talk to Scarlet alone.

◊◊◊

When we came out, Fritz told us that Cassidy had taken Brook and Ashley to the store. Then he got a concerned look on his face.

�I just got a call from Paul. There was an incident at your home. The police took Peggy�s date into custody.�

I thought my mom had warned her about that guy. Fritz�s background check hadn�t turned up any information on him. That was why we�d upped our security. Chuck had drawn the short straw and watched Peggy and the little ones.

�Is everyone okay?� I asked.

�Yes. The boys and Duke were at Pam and Lacy�s place. Chuck was watching over them,� Fritz said.

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