After calming down a bit, Keri reached for her cell phone. She scrolled through her contact list, clicked a button and listened.
“Hello?”
“Vance? Thank God!”
“You okay, Keri? What’s wrong?”
“I, I really need someone to talk to. Can you come over?”
“Uh, yeah, sure. I guess I can.”
Vance arrived within thirty minutes. He went right up to Keri’s room, where they spent the next two hours talking.
“Do you understand now, Vance?”
“What a bitch! Oh my God! Your mother has to be the sickest person I’ve ever met!”
Keri sobbed.
“I’m sorry, but it’s true.” Vance handed her a tissue.
“No, you’re absolutely right.” Keri began to cry and swiftly moved closer to Vance. “Hold me,”
Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her, giving her time to cry it out.
“Is there anything you want? Anything you need?”
She wrapped her arms around him. After a moment, she held the back of Vance’s head and slowly lowered it to her lips.
Vance’s eyes grew wide. It felt wrong, but somehow was so right.
They shared a kiss that seemed to last forever. All of a sudden a warning light went off in Vance’s head. He gently withdrew his lips and pushed Keri away. “What the hell was that?”
“I believe it was a kiss, Vance.”
“I know what it was. I just want to know why you did it.” He moved from the bed to the desk chair.
“I don’t know any other way to say this, so I’m just going to come out with it.”
He grew tense, not knowing what to expect.
“Vance, I think I’m falling for you.”
He gathered his thoughts. “You think you’re falling for me, or you are falling for me?”
“I, I’m falling for you.”
Vance shook his head. “Well, what are we going to do about that?”
Keri stood before Vance. “I know one thing we can do.” She smiled and slowly reached for her belt buckle. She slowly lowered the zipper on her jeans.
“Are you freaking kidding me?”
Keri was offended. “What? You don’t like women? You don’t enjoy sex?”
Vance nervously began to chuckle.
Keri crossed her arms.
“Sorry. Yes, I love women and enjoy sex. But I’m not stupid enough to go around banging my best friend’s girl behind his back!”
Keri uncrossed her arms and let her pants slide down her smooth legs.
Vance couldn’t help but look.
“When was the last time you made love?”
Vance considered for a moment. “Uh, October 4, 2005.”
Keri swiftly removed her top.
“Keri, stop. I really can’t. Seth is my best friend, and if he ever found out,”
Keri sensuously straddled his lap. She places an index finger to his lips to quiet him. “We’ll be fine.” She leaned forward and kissed him passionately.
“Plus, what Seth doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
In the week following their sexual encounter, Keri felt increasingly guilty and contemplated confessing to Seth. She still wasn’t sure what to do, so she decided to play it by ear.
CHAPTER 6
By that Friday, Seth and Keri planned a sleepover at Seth’s house.
When they got to Seth’s house, they went right up to his bedroom to do their homework. During this time, Seth noticed Keri was acting a little peculiar. She was peeking over her textbook at him.
Keri seemed absentminded. Seth finally placed his binder on his bed and confronted her. “Are you all right?” Seth waited for acknowledgement. “Keri, hello?”
She finally glanced over at him. “Hmm? Did you say something, sweetie?”
“Yes. I want to know if you’re all right.”
She smiled weakly. “Yes, no. I don’t know.”
“That doesn’t sound reassuring.” Seth took a moment. “What is it, babe? What’s wrong?”
Keri closed her textbook and placed it in front of her.
“You know you can talk to me about anything, right? So please don’t think you have to hide things. I want us to be open with each other.”
Keri was confused and unsure of how to proceed. In this moment she wanted nothing more than to tell Seth about the night she and Vance spent together—that and the plan her mother conjured up. Keri opened her mouth but became choked up.
Seth moved closer to her and massaged her back. “You’re really beginning to scare me, hon.”
Keri panted.
“It’s okay, Sweetheart! Nothing could ever be that bad we couldn’t overcome it together.”
Seth’s kind and gentle words, along with his loving touch upon Keri’s back, calmed her. It seemed every time she went to tell him, something stopped her. She finally decided no matter how much it may hurt and devastate Seth, and how much it may tear her up, she was going to fight it and tell him everything.
She took a deep breath. “Seth, something happened last week, and I just have to tell you about it.” Keri grew quiet for a moment.
Seth became nervous and swallowed hard. “Okay, what was that?”
“Last week I was feeling sad and very, depressed over a disagreement I had with my mother, so I,” Keri suddenly stopped speaking. It was again like something was holding her back from telling Seth the truth.
“Yes, so, you …” Seth said with worry and impatience.
“So I called Vance, and he came over. When he got to my place, he, we,”
Seth suddenly became uneasy. “Oh God, he touched you, didn’t he?”
Keri looked at Seth. She could tell he was upset at the thought of Vance touching her. She decided she couldn’t go through with it. “Well … in a way, that’s true.”
Seth said nothing. He stared at Keri, and a fire shined in his eyes.
“Vance held me that night. And he only held me to console me. That was the extent of it, I promise.”
“I’m sorry. You had me going there for a moment, Keri.” Seth chuckled.
“What’s funny?”
“It’s not really funny. But it’s just your approach to the conversation. You had me thinking it was something more serious, that’s all.”
Keri got on her knees and removed her top.
“Uh, honey, what are you doing? You know I’m out of condoms.”
Keri placed the binders and textbooks on the floor. She then swiftly removed her pants. “I know you’re out, but that’s okay,” Keri got down on all fours. “I just really want you!” Like a sexy lioness, she crawled over to Seth.
“Keri, wait!”
Keri pounced on Seth and passionately kissed him.
“We no longer need condoms.”
“We don’t?”
“Nope.”
“Why not?”
Keri didn’t know what to say. She was unprepared and unrehearsed. The words erupted from her mouth without too much thought or effort. “Because I went to my doctor the other day, and it turns out I can’t have children.”
Seth thought long and hard; something didn’t seem right. “Were you sick? You didn’t tell me you went to the doctor.”
Keri didn’t like his questions. She took it for granted he wouldn’t think too deeply into this. She didn’t like that Seth could possibly be on to her. She somehow had to turn this situation around in her favour. “God, Seth! Do I have to tell you every little thing I do?”
Seth swallowed hard. He knew he struck a nerve. “No, no, I’m sorry. Why can’t you have children?”
Every excuse ran through Keri’s mind like a bullet train. She was stumped; so much for turning the situation in her favour! She didn’t know what to tell Seth, so sh
e figured she’d know when she said it. “Because I have a tipped uterus.”
Seth was quiet. The more he thought, the harder it was for him to shake the feeling he was being lied to. He didn’t know why he had this feeling. He just knew it was strong and unshakable.
“I don’t know, Keri. Something seems, out of place. It doesn’t seem right.”
Keri panicked. She decided to try one last trick. It might just work if she could gather the strength without going completely into panic mode. She crossed her arms and exhaled through her nose.
She pretended to be insulted. “Are you calling me a liar?”
He didn’t want to argue or cause anyone grief. “No, absolutely not, I just,”
Keri placed her finger on his lips to quiet him. She slowly leaned in and kissed him.
“Okay, then, drop it, and take me.”
Seth surrendered to passion. They spent the whole weekend in bed. Making love between watching movies and eating meals, this was the first time in months that things seemed right and less hectic to Seth.
*
When Keri got home Sunday afternoon, she was pretty exhausted.
“So,” Carol said. “How was the day dreamer this weekend?”
A legitimate smile formed on Keri’s face, because she was happy being with Seth. She sluggishly made her way to the couch, deep in thought.
“So?” Carol asked with anticipation.
Keri turned to her mother. “We went unprotected.”
Carol smiled deviously. “Hot damn!” She chugged her beer and then took a seat beside her daughter. “Details, please, how was it?”
Keri smiled jubilantly. “It was amazing,”
Carol’s mouth tightened, her brow dropped and she gave Keri the stink-eye. “Do you mean to tell me you enjoyed yourself?”
“Yes, I did. I legitimately enjoyed myself. Are you trying to stop me from enjoying myself?”
“Absolutely not, Keri. I just don’t want you enjoying yourself with the wrong people.”
Keri was offended. “Yeah, well, I can enjoy myself with anyone I damn well please!”
Carol held her hand up to stop her daughter from speaking. “I really don’t want to argue with you.” Carol decided to change topics. “So Seth actually fell for it, huh?”
“He did, I had to lie to him first, but he came around.”
Very intrigued, Carol moved closer to Keri. “Really? Tell me, tell me.”
“I told Seth the doctor told me I couldn’t get pregnant because I have a tipped uterus.”
“That’s so, despicable, so loathsome, I love it! And Seth fell for it?”
“Seth was a bit reluctant at first, and he tried analyzing the situation. He probably would’ve figured it out too, except I acted insulted, which threw him off.”
Carol grinned. “Sometimes you make me proud to be your mother. I taught you so well.”
*
Later that night, Marlon and Carol were enjoying a quiet night of watching TV. After taking a healthy mouthful of liquid courage, Marlon finally asks his wife the burning question.
“Carol, what’s your beef with Seth? Why do you hate him so much?”
Carol thought long and hard, she finally answers after taking a mouthful of wine.
“It’s not that I ‘Hate’ him, dear. I know he’s a bright, intelligent young man with a lot of promise. But he’s just not focusing his intelligence in the right direction, and truth be told, I absolutely hate people like that.”
“So basically, Seth isn’t living up to your standards?”
“That’s correct, dear.”
“But why all the head-games? Why go through all this trouble?”
“Because, Seth has gone through life thinking it’s a game. I’m just lowering myself to his level.”
Months passed, and by this time Seth’s film was winding down, while problems with Keri’s and his relationship were increasing.
“What! Why?”
“Because, Crystal, my mom doesn’t like him.”
Crystal chuckled.
“What the hell’s so funny?”
“Keri, we’re best friends, and you can tell me anything. So please answer truthfully. Do you love him—seriously love him? I mean, after two years you’re just going to up and leave without a real reason, because your mother says so?”
Keri rolled her eyes. “Am I the only person alive today who still listens to her parents?”
“No. But you’re the only person I know of who takes the unreasonable advice of her parents.”
Keri’s mouth dropped. “Unreasonable? Tell me how listening to your parents is unreasonable.”
“First, you have to answer my question. Do you love him?”
Keri took a moment to think about the question. “Of course I do. I love Seth more than anything.”
Crystal looked astonished. “You do, really?”
“You know I do. Why does this come as such a shock?”
“Well, if you love Seth as much as you say you do, you wouldn’t have thought as long as you did to answer my question. Secondly, you cheated on him with his best friend. That is the opposite of a loving relationship.”
Keri wasn’t sure what to say. “You’re making me feel like a bad person, Crystal.”
“Keri, I’m going to be brutally honest with you. I know Seth loves you very much and you mean the world to him. And what you and your family are doing to him is cruel and monstrous. I absolutely hate seeing you put Seth through this sick mind game.”
“What the hell do you want me to do?”
Crystal suddenly became agitated, and her face flushed, her hands curling into fists. “I want you to grow the hell up! I want you to grow a goddamned backbone! You say you love him, then fine, prove it!”
*
New Year’s Eve came rather quickly, so Keri decided to have a small intimate get-together with Seth, Crystal and Vance. The four sat around all night playing Resident Evil: Outbreak.
Carol and Marlon entered the living room shortly after eleven o’clock. Carol held a big bottle of wine in one hand and a half-empty glass in the other. They took a seat on the sofa.
Her mother said, “Keri, would you be a dear and shut this shit off?”
Keri shook her head. “Fine, whatever.”
“What do you mean, fine? It’s almost midnight!” Seth snapped.
Carol stared at Seth. “So how’s this epic production of yours coming?”
Seth glared at her. “Just fine. Things are starting to wind down now.”
“You’re completely finished school in June you know. Do you have plans to go to college? Or at least have a job lined up?”
“I don’t have a job lined up, and I would love to go to college if I can find one that suits my particular needs”
Carol was in the middle of a wine guzzle but immediately stopped after hearing Seth’s comment. “Your particular needs?”
“Yes. I’m not going to college if there’s nothing of interest to me. And I’m not going just for the sake of it; that would be a waste of time and money.”
Carol grew annoyed. “A waste? Just who in the hell do you think you are?”
Marlon firmly placed his hand on Carol’s shoulder. “Easy!”
“Don’t you dare tell me to take it easy, Marlon. Do you hear the mouth Seth’s opening?”
Marlon squinted. “I swear to Christ, Carol, if you don’t ease up on the boy, I’m going to kick your ass out of this house really fast!”
Carol’s mouth shut and her cheeks flushed.
“Seth, I apologize for my wife’s behaviour. When she gets alcohol into her system, she becomes, well, stupid!”
“Not a problem, sir,” Seth turned to look at Carol for a second. “So I’ve noticed.”
Just then the New Year countdown on T
V began. “Three, 2, 1—happy 2008!” Marlon shouted.
Carol placed her wine glass and bottle on the table and stood. She bent down and yanked Marlon to his feet. “We’re going to bed, kids. Try not to stay up too much later, huh?” She dragged him up the stairs.
Keri got to her feet. “Well, you guys, let’s get the floor made up for bed and then we can put on a movie.”
Within 10 minutes the floor was made up, and 20 minutes into the movie, Seth and Crystal were asleep.
Keri looked at them and filled with excitement. “Vance, Vance, they’re asleep.”
Vance looked over. “Yeah, so?”
“Yeah, so? Vance, now is our time.”
Vance looked confused. “Our time to do what, sleep? I think that’s a good idea.”
Keri stood in front of Vance. “No, you asshole, time to sex it up.”
Vance was startled. “Did you just say, ‘Sex it up’?”
“What, are you deaf or something? Yes, I said sex it up.”
“Oh, you’re joking, right? You’re a funny lady.”
Keri glared at Vance, and after a couple of seconds, he realized she was serious. “My best friend—your boyfriend—is sleeping right here.”
Keri grinned. “What’s your point, Vance? That just makes it that much sweeter and more thrilling.”
Vance shook his head in disbelief, not believing what he was hearing. “God, Keri, you really need mental help.”
Keri crossed her arms and pouted, thinking of a way to get what she wanted. “Okay, fine, Vance. If we don’t have sex now, I’ll scream at the top of my lungs and tell everybody you tried to rape me.”
“You wouldn’t,”
“Don’t tempt me,”
Vance exhaled deeply. “Fine, you win.”
“I always do.” Keri reached down to help Vance to his feet. She held his hand and led him into the basement.
“You know, I really hate that we’re doing this to Seth. He is my best friend.”
“Just be thankful then.”
“Thankful for what?”
“Thankful that I’m screwing around with you and not some stranger. Because in all honesty, that’s how it would be.”
She went to the corner of the basement and lifted a table., quickly wiping the dust away. She turned to Vance, who was still standing on the steps. “Are you coming?”
Growing Pains Page 5
