Momma's Empty Nest

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Read my stories in order of upload if you want them to make any sense lore/story wise. Each upload is a continuation of the last. Sorry for the delay, turns out my boyfriend of two years had a secret wife. So if y'all could cut me some slack, that'd be great and I'd really appreciate it. As much as I love writing for you guys I do have a life outside of this.)

Two weeks had gone by since Courtney had come clean about everything and she had contacted Phillip to set up the appointment for the DNA test. She forced him to find a clinic that provided the fastest results, which cost extra and the shortest wait he could find was two days. There were two options for how the paternity test could be done, there was the simple blood lab and cheek swab and then there was the giant needle going into her pregnant belly that risked a miscarriage. There was no doubt which test Courtney agreed to. And since he wanted the test done in the first place she made him be the one to pay for it all out of pocket. Phil didn't have that much money to spare so she let him have those weeks to pull extra work hours to afford it. Now that he finally had enough money, he went ahead and made the appointment on the date of her choice. A date she knew Corey would be able to make it but Phil had no idea that her son was coming. And even a lesser idea that her son was the father.

Corey spent these past few weeks doing his best not to dwell on it. The anxiety would eat him alive if he thought about it for too long, so he kept himself busy with school work and baseball practice. The team's first game of the season was coming up and their coach was really wearing them down to have this first win in the bag. Corey would come back home from practice spent and sore but it kept him on track and he was too tired to lay awake at night and think about that paternity test. Derek and Corey were getting close. He had finally approached Derek after one practice to break the ice. He told him that he had met Valentina and appreciated the compliment on how he plays. Derek seemed embarrassed that his girlfriend had brought it up but both were happy to have a new friend from the team.

The two boys were beginning to hang out outside of practice more often and their other teammates had taken notice. Rumors amongst the locker room had begun to spread. Corey didn't have to hear them first hand to know what they were saying and he admired Derek for being unphased by them. He really didn't care what other people thought of him and he appreciated that Corey didn't stop being his friend just because they were calling him gay now too. Corey had come to find that Derek was actually a pretty good guy. He met Valentina at an anime convention and the two were total geeks for the same types of shows and video games. They had been a couple for over a year now and went to the same college just to stay close to each other. Corey didn't really pry about their relationship or dynamic, he was still unsure what their deal was or their intentions towards him were but he enjoyed their company. No one had made any passes yet, just the occasional flirty joke every so often. There was definitely a tension in the air when the boys were alone but Corey felt that it only amplified when Valentina was around. He didn't know what was gonna happen, but he was liking it so far.

Derek and Corey had just gotten off their last practice of the week. Their first game was next week and since it was Friday that meant they got to take the weekend off. Corey would drive back home tomorrow since the appointment wasn't until the afternoon and he was much too tired to make the trip tonight. The two boys had decided to skip the shower in the locker room. Derek had gotten into it with one of the homophobic jocks on the field. It had gotten so heated that the coach had to break it up. Derek didn't feel like meeting him again in the shower, so Corey said he could shower at his place. Valentina was parked in her usual spot waiting to pick them both up and drive them to Corey's apartment. They walked and talked on the way to her old banged up car that had seen better days.

Derek's head kinda hurt from his hair being yanked by that asshole earlier and he was still rubbing his scalp as they were walking. Corey notices and frowns. "You need an ice pack or something?" Corey would have stepped in had he not been in so far away from the fight. That guy had been on Derek's case since they first met and the coach threatened that if the both of them didn't cut it out then they'd be pulled from the team. Which Corey didn't think was fair, Derek was only defending himself and was being punished for it.

"Nah, I'll be alright." Derek sighs and takes his hat off. "I think I just need to lay off the ponytails for a while." He takes the hair tie out and lets his hair fall. Corey hardly ever saw his hair down when it wasn't wet, it was very feminine and looked healthy like he took good care of it. Derek spots Corey staring and smirks. "Do I look pretty?" He does a dramatic hair flip.

Corey chuckles. "Always." Derek bumps Corey with his hip then Corey shoves back, making his much smaller friend almost lose his balance. They finally reach his girlfriend's car and Derek hops into the passenger seat while Corey climbs into the back.

"Hey babe." Derek kisses her cheek and she smiles.

"Hey you two. How was practice?" Valentina was fully aware how much of a mom she came off as.

Corey lets Derek answer since she didn't know about the fight yet. He groans and buckles his seatbelt. "It fucking sucked. My hair got pulled."

"What?!" His girlfriend's happy mood immediately switches to anger. "Who the fuck???"

Corey jumped at her sudden yelling. "Truman, he's one of the bigger guys." The guy was over 300lbs and at least 6'3. It wasn't a fair fight at all since he's a monster compared to Derek's size. He had it out for Derek for no reason and today Derek had finally had enough of it. The stress of the first game right around the corner got to them both.

Valentina gently strokes her boyfriend's hair with a look of concern. She hated that he was getting bullied and hated it even more that the coach wasn't doing anything about it this whole time. "What happened?"

Derek removes her hand and shakes his head. "I don't really wanna talk about it right now. I just wanna shower."

"Let's just go then..." Corey texts Valentina his address and she starts up the GPS map and begins heading that way. Thankfully he didn't live too far off campus so the ride wasn't very long.

When they arrive, Corey lets Derek take his shower first which just leaves him and Valentina alone. Neither of them had seen Corey's place before so she was taking a look around while Corey lounged on his bed. "You don't work, right?" She looks through his game collection to see if there was anything good. "Your parents pay for the place?"

"My dad already paid it off for the whole year." He says while scrolling on his phone.

"Oh yeah?" She grins and sets all the games back where they were. "That checks out. You seem like the spoiled type." She turns to him and he smirks back.

"I can't argue if it's true." He shrugs. Her phone goes off and she's quick to check it. A smile stays glued on her face as she types. "Whose got you smiling like that?"

"This girl I've been seeing for a while. We're gonna go out again tomorrow night."

Corey's eyebrow raises. "What- like a girlfriend kind of girl?"

Valentina laughs then tucks her phone back in her pocket. "Yeah, like a girlfriend kind of girl." She could tell by the look on his face what questions were about to be next. "Derek and I are poly." She does air quotes. "One of those 'open relationships'."

He sits up straight and bites the inside of his cheek as he thinks about it. "So, you guys date other people? Not just sex?"

"Yessir." She nods and puts her hand on her hip. "We don't do that polycule stuff though, where everyone is dating each other like a group. That sounds too busy."

Corey chuckles. "I get it..." He was familiar with juggling two relationships when he was still seeing Camille, but it was just behind her back. "So Derek knows about her?"

"Of course he knows." She tucks her hair behind her ear. "Communication is the whole idea. Talk to each other, respect our boundaries." She throws herself on the bed and lies on her back to relax since he didn't have many seats in the apartment yet. "It's not as complicated as people make it out to be."

He looks down at her as she keeps her eyes closed. "What boundaries?" Corey was becoming genuinely curious. He thought he could learn a thing or two and it'd hopefully help him maneuver this long distance thing he had going on with his mom.

"Well." She opens one eye to look at him. "Every couple is different." Her body stretches out before she sits up straight like he was. "But ours is to always wear a condom." She holds up one finger with each rule. "We have to get along with each other's new partners and we can't fuck each other's friends unless we fuck them together." Only three rules and all seemed pretty clear and fair. And that last one really got his attention.

"Interesting..." He smirks then they both look towards the bathroom as the door opens.

Derek was still drying his hair with his towel as he came out in just his underwear. "Your water pressure is amazing." His pale face was flushed from how hot he had the water running. Steam was still floating out of the doorway behind him. Corey couldn't help but look over his exposed body. There were some bruises on his hip and stomach from being thrown to the ground earlier on the field. Valentina gasps when she notices.

"Babe!" She quickly stands and approaches him, hovering her hand over the bruises as she studies them. "What the fuck did that guy do to you?!"

Derek kisses her forehead and slings his towel over his neck. "I'm fine, it's not that big of a deal."

Corey scoffs and both his friends turn to him. "He grabbed you by your hair then tossed you on the ground like a rag doll." He frowns. "I think it was a big deal..."

Valentina grows more upset and begins cursing in Spanish while the two boys continue to look at each other. Derek didn't know Corey cared so much, but he was flattered. "I'm fine." He repeats himself with a smile then steps out of the way so Corey could finally have his shower. "It's all yours." He leaves the couple alone so he could take his shower next. Now Derek had to settle down his angry lady. She was furious that a guy that big could get away with manhandling someone so small and made Derek tell her exactly what happened, even if he'd rather drop it.

The whole team was out on the field for practice. Corey was out in the left field far from where Derek and Truman were playing. Truman was catcher and it was Derek's turn to bat and so far he had already one strike. The coach was really letting the boys have it today, so Derek was a bit nervous with each swing and seemed to be psyching himself out. And Truman's taunting from right behind him sure wasn't helping.

"C'mon, pretty boy! I thought you were an expert with balls!" Truman's shit talk was loud enough for some of the other boys to hear and laugh at.

Derek sighed and shook it off, getting back into position for the second pitch. His fists clenched tight around the bat and he readied himself. He kept his eyes locked on the ball as it hurled toward him and it was another swing and a miss. Truman caught the ball with ease and laughed while doing so. Derek dramatically groaned and kicked the dirt beneath him. This was really starting to piss him off and if he had one more strike out the coach was gonna give him and the rest of the team hell.

The coach was ready to just about burst with frustration. "Damn it, Key!!! Get your god damn head in the game! You're killing me!"

"Sorry..." Derek muttered under his breath with a frown then wiped the sweat on his palms off on his outfit. He breathed out deeply and tapped the bat on the ground twice to focus. He could feel everyone's annoyance with him, even the pitcher seemed to be well over it by now. He got himself back into position and did his best to ignore the snickering right behind him. The pitcher swung his arm back one last time then let it rip. It zoomed right past Derek's swing, leaving Derek humiliated and disappointed. His bullies erupted with laughter and the coach turned his back and began to pace away to calm himself down. Corey winched and felt bad for his buddy, even from afar he could tell that he was taking it hard.

Truman tossed the ball in the air then caught it. "Looks like pretty boy needs some more practice." He then threw the ball at Derek's feet. "I could give ya some private lessons." His large hand cupped Derek from behind right between his legs, copping a feel of both his ass and his balls.

Derek flinched then quickly turned around with a swing of his bat and it knocked Truman right in his shoulder. Truman took a hold of the bat and yanked it forward, pulling Derek up with it. He then grabbed Derek by his ponytail and swung him down hard on the dirt. They would have kept going had the coach not blown his whistle and some other guys not held Truman back. Practice was called off after that. They both got a stern yelling at then were dismissed. As much as Corey wanted to give Truman what was coming to him, he also wanted to make sure Derek was okay and to get him out of there.

This story just made Valentina all the more upset. Both boys had failed to mention the part where her boyfriend got sexually assaulted, mostly because Corey was too far away to have seen that part so the coach probably was too. She was furious that this happened and wanted Derek to take this as seriously as it was instead of just brushing it under the rug like he wanted to.

"Babe, you have to tell someone at the school!" She held Derek by his shoulders so he'd look at her but he was visibly uncomfortable and still avoiding her eyes.

"I really don't want to make a big deal out of this, Val..." He frowns and removes her hands. "All it's gonna do is stir up more shit for me. He's either gonna get kicked off the team and everyone else resents me or nothing is gonna happen to him and he's gonna get pissed that I told on him." He shakes his head and rubs where his scalp still hurts. "Just drop it, okay?"

Valentina sits down next to him on the bed then gently kisses his shoulder. "Okay..." She really wished he would change his mind but he had a point. The shitty reality was that the school wouldn't give a shit and Derek would end up more socially punished for it than Truman.

Corey was out of the shower now and was checking his phone to respond back to his mom. She had texted him asking if he was coming over tonight and he had to let her know that he'd be arriving in the morning instead. Tomorrow they'd finally get the DNA test done and both of them were anxious but ready.

'I'm gonna spend the night here then head out in the morning. I'm pretty tired from practice. But I'll see you tomorrow, momma. Love you.' He sends, followed along with several heart emojis.

Courtney was currently at the store with Dale. They were getting groceries for the house and also so she could make some of Corey's favorite foods while he was over. Even though the test was being done tomorrow, they still had to wait two days for the results. So she wanted to spoil him all that she could and all that she knew how. Which was home cooked food and sex. She even threw in an extra surprise to really lift his spirits, she hated seeing him so worried even though she was feeling it too. She begins to text back as Dale returns to the cart with produce.

'Aw! Okay, baby. I'll see you then." She spams several kissy lip emojis in return then tucks her phone away as her ex husband approaches. "Corey isn't arriving until tomorrow, so I guess it's just the three of us for dinner." She strokes her sore belly and Dale tosses in the vegetables along with the rest of the groceries.

"More for us then." He smirks then checks the list she had written him so he wouldn't forget anything. "I think we got everything..." He double checks the front and back. "You're really going all out this weekend with the cooking."

Courtney shrugs and pushes the cart along as they walk together. "Spoken like a man that doesn't want to take any leftovers."

"Well- hey! I didn't say all that!" They both chuckle and enter a line for the checkout.

The two were close but still maintained some distance and boundaries between them. Dale felt scared straight when their son nearly caught him in the act and Courtney heard their son loud and clear when he expressed that he didn't want his dad taking things far between them. They'd have dinner together and still watched TV afterwards, but now Dale didn't get so close with the cuddling. At most he kept his arm around her but didn't let her fall asleep on him anymore like the night Corey came home.

Toby was getting more used to Dale being around too and not acting as stubborn with the cold shoulder like he was in the beginning. He could feel his mom's anxiety these past few weeks, little did he know it was all over him in the first place. Courtney would have nightmares about something happening to Toby because of the test, even though she was only doing the cheek swab and not the invasive test that would actually put him at risk. When she was doing research online about the DNA test and got to that scary part, she practically threw up everything she had in her stomach.

Dale stayed up with her all night to offer comfort and to wash all the soiled bed sheets. He hated that Courtney was being put through this just to shake off that pest of an ex of hers. He wanted to go with her, to basically stand guard over her. Dale was much bigger than Phillip by a long shot. He was taller, stronger and overall just generally more masculine. If he was there then there'd be no chance of that prawn picking any fights with her or trying to get in her head. Dale wasn't aware yet that Corey would be coming with her to get the test done and she also hadn't outright rejected the proposal of Dale tagging along either. If she were being honest about it, she kind of wanted both of them to come. For the sense of security and to get Phillip to fuck all the way off.

While the two went off to the checkout line, Corey and his friends had cracked open a leftover bottle of cheap vodka Valentina had swiped from the last party she attended. The only mixer in the apartment was a flat off brand soda that Corey had kept in his fridge for a while. It wasn't the best mixed drink but it gave them all a nice buzz. They all sat on the floor in a small circle just talking. Derek's white cheeks were becoming warm and red from the alcohol. He was a bit of a light weight since he didn't party much and none of them were twenty one yet, so he didn't have the means to drink often.

Valentina came from a Mexican family. There were always half empty beers all around the house during family events that she'd polish off or sneak to her bedroom. She seemed to be the heaviest drinker out of all three of them. While the two boys were certainly feeling the booze from just one cup, Valentina needed a second to feel where they were at. She had her arm lazily draped around her boyfriend's shoulder and twirled his now dry hair around her fingertip. She loved his hair and how it smelled right after a shower.

Corey grabbed the bottle to help himself to a second cup then shook it as a gesture to see if his friends wanted a refill as well. Derek happily holds his cup out, paying no mind to his girlfriend's fidgeting in his personal space. Corey refills both their cups then sets the bottle back down on the floor while Valentina still works on finishing her second drink.