11 Years cont…

"Hey?" Donnie looked at Joey. "That kid looks like us?" he said pointing to a boy their age. Danny looked at them too, with the same look. "Lets go talk to him." Donnie walked over to the other little boy. William was right behind him. "Hi?" Donnie said to Danny.

"Hi?" Danny said back. "I’m Danny. What’s you guyses names?" he wondered why they looked like him. Dante stopped in his tracks and looked at them.

"I’m Donnie and these are my brothers Joey and Willy." Donnie said to his mirror image. "Where are you from?"

"Boston." Danny answered. "I have uncles, well they aren’t really my uncles, but their names are Donnie and Joey."

"Wow, that’s neat." said Willy.

Dante walked over to them. "This is my big brother Dante." Danny introduced "and that’s my little brother Kevin."

"Why do we look alike?" asked Danny.

"Donnie and me are twins," said Joey. "Maybe you are a twin too?" he explained.

Jordan looked up at Dante and Danny talking to three little boys. He looked down at his fries and then looked back up. "What?" he said out loud. "They, they look like Danny?" he said to himself. "No it’s just my imagination."

Maria looked up at the boys, they were playing with a few boys. It was time for them to go. She grabbed her purse and went outside to get the kids. "Donnie, Joey, Willy, it’s time to go." She looked at Danny and Dante and did a double take.

"Mommy, why does he look like us?" asked Joey.

Maria was spooked. "I don’t know honey lets go."

"Maria?" Jordan said. He was right behind her. She spun around.

"Jordan?" she looked dead in the eyes of the man she had once loved.

"Jordan?" Evy walked up to him "what is going on?" she asked then she looked down at Maria. "Well, well, well, isn’t it the little bitch herself. Looks like you have gained more weight Pig." Evy looked at Maria like she was a bug. "You finally found a place to run and hide? You couldn’t keep your man happy and lost him to little ole’ me." she smiled " he came running right back to me like he always does."

Jordan just looked at Evy "Evy stop it." He said to her sternly.

"Why bother to protect her Jordan she took your two sons and ran." Evy said looking at the triplets. "Oh, is that one Jordan’s to?" she said pointing out William to Jordan.

"It is none of your fucking business." Maria said coldly. She looked at Evy and back at Jordan. "You guys are still married?" she asked him. He nodded his head. "Come on kids we need to go." she got the children and walked out. She didn’t look back.

Jordan looked over at a man watching Maria. "Do you know her?" he asked the man.

"Yeah, I was her high school government teacher." he said. "Why?"

"Oh, I am her ex husband. Do you know where she lives?" he asked.

"It’s in the book." the elderly man walked away.

Jordan walked over to a phone booth and pulled out a phone book. "Knight, Maria. Hmmmm, she kept the name. 359 Sacra Via?" he closed the book. Walked up to the counter and asked where Sacra via was.

"Your not going after her are you Jordan?" Evy looked at him coldly.

"Of course I am, I love her." he said "I’m going to divorce you Evelyn."

"The hell you are." She looked at him "I don’t think so." she said angrily.

Jordan got directions and drove, with Evy and the kids to Maria’s home. He walked up to the door and rang the bell. A man he had never seen before opened the door. "Can I help you?" the guy asked.

"Is Maria here?" Jordan asked peering into the house. It was a nice house. "Who are you?" he asked praying that she was not involved with anyone.

"I’m the sitter. Jeff." he opened the door wider. "Maria will be home in a few minutes." He smiled at Jordan not knowing who he was.

"I’m Jay." Jordan didn’t know if this guy knew about there past.

"Hmm, cool." Jeff looked at him. He looked like a decent enough guy. "Maria is kind of upset today. She saw that asshole of an ex-husband of hers today." Jeff began. "She had a nervous breakdown and bashed her TV with a ball bat when she found out he got married to the bitch he cheated on her with." Jordan was listening attentively, he could tell this guy liked to gossip. "She hasn’t been the same since. She never told him about William."

"Who’s William?" Jordan had a good idea, but wasn’t sure.

"William is the kid she was pregnant with when she left him. She was getting ready to call him and tell him when she saw the Son of a Bitch on TV." Jeff snarled. "It was one of those Damn New Kid on the Block guys."

"Really? What has she said about him?" his curiosity was getting the better of him.

"Oh, just that she loved him and he took everything she gave him and flushed it down the toilet. After his tour she was going to work things out but then she found condoms in his wallet and when she accused him of it, it was a test you see, he admitted it." Jeff was getting madder. "See she believes, well, believed, that there is only one love in her lifetime, and now she thinks she will be alone the rest of her life."

"Oh," Jordan had no idea how she found out or that she believed that way.

"See, Maria is a very special girl, she is a one in a lifetime friend." Jeff looked down. "I was her boyfriend in high school." he sighed. "I protected her when everyone else made fun of her. This guy did the same, but he did the unthinkable, he stabbed her in the back. She will never get over it. I could kill the bastard." He looked up at Jordan. "She says she will never forgive him. But I told her she should listen to what this guy has to say. I just want her and the kids to be happy, they are like my kids now, I love them like my own." Jeff smiled at Jordan. "How do you know her?" he asked.

"Never mind that, it isn’t important." Jordan did not want to ruffle this guys feathers. He outweighed Jordan by at least two hundred pounds. He heard a car pull in the driveway. He looked outside and it was Maria. She was alone.

Maria pulled into the driveway and saw Evy looking at her. Maria walked up to the car and saw three children, Dante, Danny and another boy. "That must be his other baby," she said to herself.

"You got a problem bitch?" Evy snarled..

"You are on my property so don’t call me a bitch." Maria snapped back. Evy got out of the car.

"Things are the way they are supposed to be now that you have been out of the picture." Evy stepped close to Maria so she was in her face. "Except that brat you left behind. You should have taken him to so it would be just me and Jordan’s kids."

Maria swung at Evy and smacked her hard in the face leaving a red welt in the shape of a hand. Evy swung back knocking Maria to the ground. Maria grabbed Evy and pulled her to the ground with her and kicked her hard. Evy grabbed Marries leg and twisted it. Maria grabbed Eve’s hair and pulled not letting go as Evy screamed, Evy grabbed Maria’s arm scratching it till it started to bleed. Maria did not let go. Jeff and Jordan ran out and pulled the two girls apart. Maria opened her hand and had more than a handful of Evy’s hair and Evy’s scalp was bleeding. "You bitch." Evy fell to her knees crying. "Jordan how could you let her do this to me?" Evy looked at Maria.

"No Evy, I’m not on your side. You shouldn’t have provoked her." Jordan looked at Maria. "Are you ok?" he asked. She nodded her head and went into the house. He followed her.

"Why are you in Marietta Jordan, and why did you bring her?" she asked as he followed her into the kitchen. She pulled out some ice and turned around to face him. She put the ice on her arm where Evy had scratched her.

"We were on our way home from Kings Island and I took a wrong turn somewhere then we had a blow out. It looks like it was fate." he smiled at her he was so miserable without her and seeing her again gave him hope.

"Jordan, sometimes people choose their own fate. You choose to cheat on me and I choose to leave. Why are you in Marietta, you are good with maps and directions, I don’t buy the Lost bit." she looked at him.

"Ok, so I saw a sign pointing towards Marietta and acted like I was lost. I wanted to at least see a peek of you I miss you." he looked at her with sad puppy eyes.

"Jordan you cheated, I can’t forgive that. You married her after swearing I was the only woman for you." she had a hot tear go down her face. "I love you, I mean loved you." she slipped she didn’t want him knowing she still loved him.

"I still love you Maria and it took me five years to realize that." He looked at his feet. "Is that other little boy mine?" he asked

"Yes, his name is William. He doesn’t know about you. None of them do." She turned around and looked out the window. Evy was getting into a cab. "Why is she leaving?"

"I told her to. We are getting a divorce," he said.

"That’s sad your second divorce and you are only 34." She turned and looked at him. "What happened?"

"She cheated on me and I don’t love her. I’m sorry that I cheated on you, I never meant for it to happen. I really love you and I loved you then, but I was so lonely." he looked in her eyes hoping for her to forgive him.

"If you loved me so much you wouldn’t have done that," she said angrily. "You felt devastated when Evy cheated on you didn’t you. Well, you have known for years that she never loved you. I believed with all of my heart that you loved me and all my friends warned me that you would cheat on me. I defended you to the death. Thank God none of them pulled the I told you so’s on me." She was just as furious as she was when he admitted to cheating on her. He just stood there looking at her in disbelief. She looked at him and a lightbulb went off. "You were expecting me to want you back? You were expecting me to let you walk right back into my life with ease?" she was even angrier now. "How dare you think you can come back into my life so easily. That is a fucking insult Jordan. Maybe one day I can forgive you, but don’t even think about me taking you back." She turned around to see Jeff getting in his car and leaving. "That is Jeff, he is and always has been my best friend, he loves me, I don’t love him the same way. As far as I am concerned he is the only father of my children."

"What?" Jordan looked at her. "What are you saying!" he grabbed her and turned her around. "Are you saying that they think that man is their father!" He was pissed.

"No Jordan, they know that he is not their daddy. He is the only father figure they have." She looked at him. "I am not going to put myself or my children in the potential danger of being hurt again." She looked at him coldly. "I have this feeling that you would do it again."

"But Maria I want to be with you." he assured her.

"Then prove it," she said.

"How?" he asked.

"Damn Jordan just prove it. You are supposed to start a ten month world tour are you not?" she said reminding him.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot." He looked at her.

"As long as you are touring. I don’t want you in my life." She looked at him.

"My career is important to me Maria," he said.

"Jordan you are the father of six children, your career is over, you are thirty four years old. It is time for you to grow up. You can still be in the business and not tour. Evy may have put up with you coming in and out like that, disrupting children’s lives, but you will not do that to me and my children ever again." She hated to make it that way but she knew how much it would damage the kids. "You make your decision and then we will talk about it.

"What your telling me is that as long as I am doing what I love then I can’t have you?" he looked at her. He couldn’t’ believe she was going to make him make this choice.

"No Jordan, I know you love what you do. But do you love it more than you love time with your children." She turned back around "Until you figure out your priorities I don’t want to see you." She sighed as a tear ran down her cheek. She knew what his decision would be. "I’ll know when I turn around. If you are there you will stay. If you are gone, well, good luck in all you do." she sighed. She counted to thirty and she turned around. He wasn’t there, neither were Dante, Danny or Kevin.

"Mommy who was that man and those kids?" Donnie asked.

"No one, honey, no one." She sighed "how bout showbiz for dinner?" the kids started getting excited she loved to see her boys happy. She wanted Jordan but she knew as long as he would tour that the boys would not be happy. If they got to love him and know him and he left they would be devastated.

A month later when the tour was ready to start Jordan was gathering up Danny’s things. He looked down at the little boy. He got on his knees and looked in Danny’s dark eyes. "I love you. I always will. You are my heart and soul. Since me and Evy are breaking up and I can’t take you on tour, you are going to go with Donnie and he is going to take you to someone who will love you and take care of you."

Danny nodded his head. "Another tour, I know." the little boy looked down at his feet. "She won’t be mean to me like Evy was will she?" he asked.

"No, the lady in Ohio. You remember, she had the boys that look like you?" Jordan was hoping that would make the transition easier.

"Yeah, she was nice and they were fun to play with." he smiled and started getting excited. Jordan knew that Danny didn’t understand all the stuff that was involved. But he knew that Danny would be happy there. The door downstairs opened and Danny ran down to see Donnie.

"You ready kiddo?" Donnie said. When Jordan came down Donnie looked at him. "Are you sure about this man? You know he can stay with us?"

"He needs to be with her." Jordan said. "I have to have time to think about things."

"You’re not going to get of that done on tour." Donnie looked disapprovingly at his friend. He didn’t agree with anything Jordan had done since Maria had the triplets. But he was there regardless.

"Man, don’t start ok." Jordan snapped.

"Fine, I’ll let you know what happens." Donnie helped Danny into the cab. They drove to the airport and got onto a plane to Columbus. They got a rental car and drove to Marietta. He found his way to Maria’s house without any problems. He rang the doorbell and a little boy opened it. It wasn’t one of the triplets, but he looked like Jordan. "Hey, little man, is your mom home."

"His name is Willy." Danny smiled at him. Donnie looked up and saw Maria.

"Hi, Donnie, Danny, come on in." she opened the door wider so they could come in. "What is going on?" she asked looking at Donnie. She was expecting the worst since Danny was with him. Danny saw Joey and Donnie playing in the yard. "The boys are outside if you want to join them." She said to him so that her and Donnie could talk. "Well, I guess he made his decision." she looked at Donnie "you want a drink?" she asked.

"Sure, Pepsi." He looked at her with sympathy. "I’m really sorry about how Jordan is acting."

"Don’t be, it isn’t your fault. How is Kim?" she asked.

"Fine." he sighed. "Jordan wants you to take care of him. With Donnie and Joey the transition will be easier. Who is the other boy?"

"He didn’t tell you?" she was surprised that Jordan hadn’t mentioned William.

"No, is he Jordan’s baby?" Maria nodded yes. "That son of a bitch."

"I see he was to chicken to come himself." she was beginning to despise Jordan. Donnie nodded. "You are welcome to stay for dinner."

"No thanks I really have to be on my way." He looked at her and stood up. "I think I should warn you. I don’t know if Jordan plans to come get him. And he gave me this to give to you. It is four million dollars, I don’t know why, but he said to give this to you. It has already been put in your bank."

"Did he send a note?" she asked hoping Donnie just forgot it.

Donnie looked down. "No Maria, he didn’t I’m sorry. I hope he comes to his senses soon."

"Me too." Maria shut the door after him. She walked outside and started to play with the boys.

Seven months went by and Danny had adjusted fine. He went to Danny went to the second grade with his brothers. She had explained to him that they were brothers and that she was his mommy. He didn’t ask any questions but Donnie, Joey and Willy were full of them. They didn’t understand why there daddy didn’t want to be around and she had no way of knowing how to explain it. It was the last day of school and they began walking home.

A few kids behind them were picking on them. The all looked at each other and turned around to face them. "Don’t pick on us!" Danny yelled.

"You guys don’t have a daddy. And your momma is a whore." yelled one of the third graders.

"She is not, and we do so have a daddy he is at work!" Joey yelled.

"Yeah at work making more babies!" said a bigger boy.

"Who says?" Willy asked pretending to be tough.

"My momma says that your daddy goes around singing songs about sex and then he has sex with all of them!" said one boy.

"That’s not true!" Donnie threw down his bag.

"Ok Donnie, then have you ever seen your daddy?"

"Well, well, once." he said getting ready to cry.

"And Danny your daddy dumped you here. He is never going to come back for you." yelled yet another boy.

The four boys ran home and into the house. Maria had just gotten home from work when Danny came in the kitchen. "Is daddy ever coming to get me?" he asked.

She looked at him and got on his level. "I don’t know honey, I don’t know." At that moment the doorbell rang. She stood up and went to the door.

"Mrs. Knight?" asked the man at the door.

"Yes that is me," she said. He was a fed-ex man.

"This is for you." she signed and pulled the envelope out of his hands. She sat down and opened the letter.

Maria,

I love you and I love our children. I have told the record company after this tour that I will retire. Hmmm, retire, I never thought I would use the word at such an early age. I will leave the tour and come straight to my family. You guys are my family. I was wrong to ever choose differently. I love you and I know that with lots of work, mostly on my part, we can be happy together. I want my children to know me and I want my children to know you. I have gotten custody of Dante and Kevin, I hope you don’t mind, but Evy has gotten remarried and the man does not want them around. I love you and I can’t wait to come home, if you want that to be my home. I love you and I always have. Sorry it has taken me so long to come to my senses.

Jordan.

She looked at the envelope and hugged it. She sat there crying. The boys came running downstairs to see what was wrong. "Daddy is coming home for good."

Epilogue

Maria got out of bed. She stretched. "Hey, old man, get up!" she hollered at Jordan.

He rolled over. "What?" he asked.

"Get up sleepy head. Today is a big day." She got out of bed. She looked at her 36-year-old body. "Was I ever stupid to complain when I was a teenager." she smiled at Jordan

"Honey you look fine." He got out of bed. "Look at me, I have a beer belly and gray hair." he laughed. "But at least I’m happy." he smiled at him. "Did Dante get home last night?"

"He better have. It’s a long drive from Notre Dame." Maria smiled and went down stairs. Donnie, Joey and Danny were all in there best suits. "Did Dante get home last night?" she asked.

"Yeah mom." they answered in a chorus. She heard a thunder come from upstairs. Kevin and Willy came running down the steps. Dante was right after them.

"Mom!" a young girl screamed from upstairs. "Tell them to leave me alone."

"Boys leave your sister alone." Jordan came down the steps. Now go outside and open your graduation presents.

"Strippers right dad?" Donnie laughed.

"I don’t think so!" yelled Maria. She wrapped her arms around Jordan. " I am so happy. I love you." she had a twinkle in her eye.

"What do you have up your sleeves now?" he asked

"How bought another baby to raise?" she looked at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Your boys really can swim." she laughed.

"No, no, no. Mom, dad you can’t have another baby!!!" yelled the ten year old twin boys from the steps.

"Sorry kids. It’s to late now." Jordan said. "Hey, did you get Carrie and Tori out of bed?" he asked.

"Yeah, they are in the tub." Maria said as she sat a table for 13 places.

"Four down, 8 more to go." Jordan said sitting down.

"Nope, 10 more to go, I’m having twins." Maria laughed. "I love you Jordan."