Men of Steel (Book 1)

by Fields, MJ

  Tommy gave Jade his hand as she jumped out, he smiled at her, “Come to my game this weekend he asked.”

  “My Cousin play’s Tommy, I will be there,” she smiled.

  “Oh that’s right, well when I make a touchdown and hold my hand like this,” he grinned making his fingers into a J, “you know I will be thinking of you pretty girl”

  She laughed and walked towards Tessa. “He is so cute, and funny, and he really likes me” Jade said grinning ear to ear. She talked the whole way home about the J when he made a touchdown and how he called her pretty girl. She liked this boy.

  What does this Tommy have a parrot fetish Tessa wondered? They walked into the farm house and there where suit cases in the kitchen, Jade gave Tessa a questioning look, Tessa shrugged her shoulders. She knew it was coming but wasn’t thinking it would be this soon. Jade called her dad for a ride and he answered from the barn, “I am here with John,” he said “Meet me at the truck.”

  “Dads waiting outside, call me later Tessa,” Jade gave her a hug and walked out.

  Tessa’s parents sat the kids down at the table and told them they needed a break from one another, but it was nothing to do with them. Maggie had an apartment about ten miles away and was going there tonight. The kids were going to stay at home for the week to not disrupt school. They did not get to or have to choose who they stayed with. There was no discussion or choices about this, as in most cases the adults in the situation made the decisions. Maggie was going to get the apartment set up so for the next two days they were definitely staying at home. Kendall and Jake cried but the others said nothing. Tessa put her shoes on and went for a walk to her favorite thinking place. She walked behind the barn then ran down the dirt road as fast as she could to reach the edge of the woods. She started down the trail and began to cry. Hypocrites she thought one love, one marriage, and family first. She had tried her whole life to live up to their expectations and now this. “What the fuck!” she screamed, and it felt good. She walked down and sat next to the water; she threw stones and watched the water crash down over the rocks. Ironic, she thought. She could see the sun starting to set behind the towering pine trees and decided to head back up the trail towards home. She realized her legs were sore and slowed down a bit.

  When she reached the edge of the woods she saw her sister Molly with her boyfriend Cory making out. Damn it this is embarrassing, she thought. She cleared her throat loudly as she walked out of the woods. “You okay Tessa?” Cory asked. She shook her head yes and started to jog home.

  Molly and Cory had dated for three years; he was in his second year of college. He kissed her head and told her everything would be alright, she kissed him deeply, his kiss was intoxicating and took her mind off of what was going on around her. Her mother had told her that morning and she called him, he drove four hours home. She would be going to a college and hour away from him next fall, after finishing her two year degree at a local community college.

  “Molly we should walk up to the house, I need people around, and you’re driving me crazy,” She kissed him again and placed her hand on his knee and began moving it up his leg, he was holding his breath and finally let it out, “Molly damn it, stop.” He said. She began to cry, “Hey hey, don’t cry I just don’t want it to be like this, and you would hate me,” He said hugging her.

  “I hate you right now,” she said pulling away from him, “Now I am embarrassed.”

  “Don’t be,” he said taking her hand he pulled her up and hugged her, “I love you, and I want to, just not under these circumstances.” They walked back to the house arm in arm.

  Tessa walked in the house and grabbed her phone. Three missed calls from Jade and two text messages. She ignored them all and started the shower, her third today. She got out, wrapped a towel around her head, grabbed her robe, and ran upstairs to the girl’s room. She threw on a tee shirt and pajama shorts and walked downstairs. Kendal sat on the couch with Jake and her Dad was on the phone. She put her butt between Jade and Kendall and scooted it back and forth like a broom sweeping stairs, so that she could sit with them. They both had red eyes and snuggled into her as she hugged and kissed them. “So crazy cousin Jade has called three times I think she thinks we are really upset. We should take a picture of us making super silly faces and send it to her so she doesn’t worry,” Tessa said and they smiled and took about twenty crazy-faced pictures and sent them all to Jade. She finally texted,

  -Glad to see your all still nuts, see you in the morning…Jade

  “Can we sleep in your bed Tessa?” Kendall asked.

  “Well that may be a little tight but maybe we could all get our sleeping bags and sleep on the deck,” she said.

  “Could we really Tessa on a school night, wont Dad be mad?” she asked

  “Look at him. He won’t even notice,” she said. The kids could sense her sadness by the sound of her voice. “But that’s why this is going to be so cool,” she laughed tickling them.

  Jade knew that Tessa must be hurting, but she kept herself very busy taking care of the kids. She would be crushed if they were hurting. She couldn’t help herself. When they were kids and the cows on the farm gave birth she was always there. One time the uterus came out, the farm help said the cow had cast its withers, and Tessa stayed with the cow for three hours keeping her uterus wet and covered until the vet came. It was three in the morning, and she continued talking about it for a year. Tessa was all heart.

  Jade received a text message, it was from Tommy,

  -hey pretty girl, I was just thinking about u, T

  -what were you thinking? J

  -about how much fun I had with you, you are a lot of fun to be around, T

  -yes, yes I am…J

  - I would like to take you out this weekend…unless you have a boyfriend… T

  -I don’t know I am a pretty busy girl…no boyfriend…u have a girlfriend…J

  -not yet…working on it…T

  -well if she will be upset by you taking me out, I don’t think you should take that chance…J

  - Oh Jade I am ready to take that chance…T

  -I will check my schedule, time for bed, very tired…J

  - Sweet dreams pretty girl…T

  -they will be now…J

  Wow, she thought, he is so perfect, cute funny athletic and into hot chicks, she laughed as she smiled the biggest cheesiest smile. She fell backwards and kicked her feet in the air, he’s working on it. It’s going to be a great year, she rolled over and turned out her light hugged her pillow and fell asleep smiling sweetly.

  Tessa’s phone chimed.

  -Tessa Ross, do you know how gorgeous you are? I don’t think you do. I want to get to know you much better. If I am wasting my time let me know…Lucas Links.

  She stared at the phone and shook her head and threw the phone on the table. She tossed and turned and grabbed her phone and read it again. Seriously, he was pushy she thought, but he was very cute even without the white hat. I can’t do this now. He made me hide what the hell am I even considering this for? Well at least it takes my mind off this train wreck. She fell asleep.

  Tessa woke up remembering her dream. He was smiling at her in her dream, and he kissed her. She kissed him back and she had a ring on her finger. What was that about she wondered as she walked in the bathroom to get ready for school.

  A peak at the Wrapped Series

  Wrapped in Silk Chapter 1

  Chapter 1

  “Goodnight London I love you,” Emma kissed her daughter’s milky white cheek and pushed her brown hair out of her eyes as she tucked her into bed.

  Her perfect little girl, who she would move mountains for, and the past seven years she had done that exactly. London hadn’t come easy, Emma spent two years taking fertility drugs in hopes that someday she would have children. Something she assumed would come easily, and it did not. For years she felt like less of a woman and less of a wife. She cried each month when she menstruated. She was devastated each time she miscarried.
She silently mourned, hiding in the bathroom holding her stomach wanting to hide the anger and self loathing she felt from those she smiled brightly for everyday. It always surprised her that no one could tell how she was feeling.

  When Emma miscarried with her first pregnancy all her soon to be ex husband Troy could do was give her a cold hug, the kind you give an ex or an old acquaintance, one you really didn’t like all that much. He acted as if he could have cared less, but was adamant that they would not be adopting. After they had London Emma wanted more children, and he refused.

  Before they married they had discussed children, and after marriage he said he did not want them. Troy enjoyed his friends and her driving him from party to party or picking him up from golf, or whatever activity he had decided to do that always involved drinking.

  Emma knew Troy for four years, all through college. He changed as soon as they said I do. His partying didn’t change, but his need for all things except family did. The final straw was when she found out he had cheated. When she confronted him he didn’t deny it. He told her it was her fault that she wasn’t there for him like she was before they had a child.

  Emma had checked through cell phone bills and credit card statements and found information that looked suspicious. She took his phone while he slept and made calls, two were women she did not know. Emma called the numbers and when they answered and she didn’t say anything they would say his name with a knowing smile in their voice.

  The next morning she confronted him about it. Troy looked at her and did not deny it, “So leave if that’s what you want to do.”

  Emma remembered the evening three weeks after that conversation. London was in bed, and she had enough. He would come home and eat the meal she had made and set with their daughter on the couch never saying more than thank you when she gave him his food on a plate, as he sat not even looking in her direction.

  “I don’t like you drinking in front of her ever day,” Emma finally confronted him.

  “I don’t care,” he replied coldly rolling his eyes at her.

  “No kidding,” Emma quietly replied.

  “I have to drink to be around you, I can’t stand you, I haven’t liked you in a very long time,” he yelled.

  “Well that makes two of us,” she laughed.

  “Then fucking leave,” he screamed.

  “You leave,” she demanded.

  “Oh if you did that would mean you’d have to get off your ass,” Troy spewed at her.

  Emma had gained weight over the years, but he had never mentioned it before. It stung.

  “You know I agree with your indirect cut, our daughter certainly deserves better than a miserable drunk father and a fat mother. So get out,” she yelled.

  Troy left that day and was gone for two weeks. Emma filed papers for custody, and he wasn’t happy.

  “Thanks for the papers,” Troy said as she answered the phone.

  “I told you they were coming, I wanted us to work it out together and you wouldn’t. What did you expect?” Emma asked. She had tried to sound strong, but the nervous quake in her voice gave her away.

  Troy wanted to come home, and she said no. Emma had found a place for her and London to move into, she couldn’t afford the house. Emma had stayed home and watched kids before and after school and a few over the summer while he worked at the bank twelve hours a day. He didn’t want her to work, but she hated being scrutinized over every dollar she spent. She had always worked until London was born and she didn’t want to miss a moment, this way she didn’t have to.

  Troy and Emma went to court, and he agreed to overnight Friday to Saturday and one night a week taking her to dinner. Emma felt it best that he not see her just every other weekend and this way she would only be away one night and not two in a row.

  Emma moved into a half a house just inside the small village. She continued watching children and submitted resume after resume. She needed a job with benefits, and no one seemed to want to hire someone who had been out of the work force for seven years. Emma was going to be substitute teaching during the upcoming school year to make extra money.

  ~

  London was used to taking end of the summer mini vacations and Emma scraped enough money up to get away for three nights. They decided on going to New York City, to site see and shop, and she knew they would have fun.

  Emma walked into the bathroom of the hotel and wanted to scream. She sat on the ground and cried into a white hotel towel. This was not what she expected after eleven years of marriage and knowing that he would be coming down for the long weekend to take London to the shore for three nights drove her almost over the edge. Three nights without her daughter were going to feel like a lifetime.

  Emma packed her bags and got things ready for the next day. She had gotten London a cell phone so that she could keep in touch, but really because she wanted London to be able to call if Troy drank. Per their separation agreement neither was allowed to drink when they had London. This was easy for Emma; she had not been able to enjoy an adult beverage since she could remember. But for Troy it may be harder.

  ~

  Emma opened the hotel room door, and Troy looked her up and down. Troy was handsome, five foot eleven inches tall, and was built well. He had dark brown perfectly groomed short hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in jeans that were a bit tighter than he use to wear and a button up shirt with some sort of winged design. Emma smiled and stepped back allowing him to come in.

  “Hey London,” Troy walked into the suite and looked around, “Nice place Emma, I see my child support isn’t going to waste.”

  Handsome until he opened his mouth that is, Emma thought.

  Emma didn’t respond, “Give me a hug,” she said to her daughter, “Back seat and make sure you have your seat belt on. I love you more,” she whispered in her ear.

  “No I love you more,” London smiled.

  “Not possible,” they both laughed, “Call me when you get there, have fun. Sunscreen, remember sunscreen.”

  “I think I can handle it,” Troy snapped as they walked out.

  ~

  Emma lay in the hotel bed and sobbed. When she couldn’t cry anymore she decided to take a run in Central Park. Since her separation she had lost thirty pounds and was back to her weight before she had London. She loved running, walking, biking, or anything that kicked those endorphins in to overdrive. She needed it right now. She tucked her phone in her bra and threw a hat and glasses on and headed out the door. She had three hours before check out.

  Emma jogged around the park and looked at all the people. There was so many. Coming from a small town it was nice to blend in. She wasn’t stopped by people she knew asking her how she was doing; even those who had never had a conversation with her about her personal life before thought it appropriate to ask now. It was unbelievable the audacity of some people. She knew many just felt sorry for her, but that didn’t make it any more comfortable.

  Her phone rang and she slowed down and answered. “Hey sweet girl is everything alright?” she asked breathlessly.

  “Yep, we will be there in thirty minutes, I just wanted to say hi,” London giggled.

  “Well hi to you,” she laughed.

  They hung up, and Emma started running harder, she didn’t want to cry. She was always so stunned when she talked to London on the phone, London sounded so much younger. Emma chose to focus on what was happening now. Emma would be checking out of her hotel at eleven and going to stay with her college roommate, they had not seen each other in years. Lila worked as a publicity agency and was single and loved her very social lifestyle. They had always had such a great time together up until Troy came into Emma’s life.

  God just run faster harder she thought as she picked up the pace.

  ~

  Brody Hines opened the door to his hotel room and grabbed the newspaper. The front page of the paper had the news of his separation plastered on it, still even after several months. He picked up the paper and looked at his soon to
be ex-wife with another man and tore it in half and threw it out. He was blindsided, he never would have thought after three years of marriage she would have done this to him. He didn’t even know she was unhappy. Ariel was a model and traveled a lot. Brody was a musician who had moved from Liverpool in England to New York seven years ago. They both enjoyed the lifestyle that their professions afforded them.

  Brody hated his personal life being more important to his fans than his art. His song Blue Love had been at the top of the charts for five weeks, and it brought a lot of unwanted attention. Brody was six foot three and one hundred and ninety seven pounds. He had thick brown hair and light blue eyes. It wasn’t easy hiding from the media who pounced whenever they saw him. It was even harder to not tell them to fuck off whenever they got in his face. Brody’s new publicist tried to impress upon him that it would hurt his career. Brody was trying to listen and consider her recommendation, and it wasn’t easy.

  He was thankful that he and Ariel didn’t have children, which he had wanted and she had wanted to wait. It was awful having the whole world watch as your life was falling apart, just waiting for you to break so that they could pounce. He grabbed a hat and glasses and walked out of his room and took the service elevator. He exited out the back of the hotel where none of those annoying photographers would be. He needed to get out of there. He hadn’t felt like himself for weeks now, and he knew it was because he was held up in that room. He was going to run and hoped that his face now full of stubble, the dark glasses, and baseball cap would disguise him.

  ~

  Emma’s phone rang and she stopped and answered.

  “We are here Mommy,” London said cheerfully, “It is so nice right on the beach, and we are going to look for shells!”

  “That’s fantastic; can you find one for me?” Emma asked.

  “I will find two,” she laughed.

  “Do you have sunscreen on?” Emma asked knowing Troy would have forgotten.

  “Nope, Dad I need sunscreen,” London yelled.