I shake my head. “It's all right. Is everyone comfortable?”
“I could use a vanilla shake with Oreos crushed in it,” Madison says. “And a double cheeseburger and cheese fries.”
“Oh... I'd kill for some fries,” Alissa moans. “And that cheeseburger; with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and a sour pickle with a peppermint stick.
Mariah groans. “A cheeseburger does sound good... with lots of tomatoes... that vanilla shake sounds good, too; and a Snickers.”
“Chocolate,” Madison and Alissa moan.
“Follow me,” I laugh and walk to my desk and open my stash drawer. “Help yourselves.”
The room erupts into laughter as the three of them drool at my stash.
“Why do you have all this? Are you pregnant, too?” Mariah moans.
I blush. “Yes, I am.”
“Pumpkin! Why didn't you tell me?”
“I was going to during dinner tonight, Daddy. I'm due October 12th.”
My family hugs and congratulates me.
“A month after me,” Mariah mumbles, chewing on a Snickers.
“Two before me,” Alissa groans into a Reese's peanut butter cup.
“And one before Madison,” I say.
“Four babies in four months. We're going to be living in the hospital at the end of the year,” Lil chuckles.
“I already do,” Marcus laughs as Madison loses herself in a Twix.
“I'm sorry,” Madison says. “I get this way every time I get pregnant.”
I laugh and tell her it's all right. I grab a Milky Way and Twizzlers and go to my seat.
“Vicky... when you said 'help yourself'...” Alissa says.
“I meant take all you wanted. I have to go shopping anyway,” I smile.
The ladies come back with hands full of candy and we chuckle at them.
“I still want that double cheeseburger, Smith,” Madison says to Matthew.
“Is that your middle name, Matthew?”
The room laughs.
“What?” I say.
“My middle name, I'm sad to say, is Oliver.”
“Why are you sad to say that?”
“Oliver? These two get Alexander and Andrew. I get Oliver. It's the middle child syndrome from birth!” Matthew mutters.
I fight to hold back a chuckle, but fail. “I like Oliver. I see nothing wrong with it.”
“Yeah, right,” Matthew pouts.
“So what is the Smith from?” I ask Madison.
“Not Smith, Vicky. Smf. S-M-F. From the Prince song. It would be too crass for me to address him as that in public,” Madison says grinning. “So I've been told.”
I grin. “Sexy Mother–”
“Pumpkin,” Daddy reddens, interrupting me.
“Oh, come on, Daddy!” I laugh.
“’Sexy Motherfucker,' Lil says, smiling. “What's wrong with that, Caspar?”
“Yeah, Caspar, Madison's a mother and I fuck her. And I'm sexy,” Matthew grins.
“Excuse me, Vicky,” Katherine says, heading for Matthew. She smacks his head.
I laugh again. “Why do you do that, Katherine?”
“Gets him to shut up and calm down. If I don't, he'll keep going until someone reddens or leaves.”
“A good smack in the forehead works, too,” Mariah says, devouring her watermelon again.
“A good fuck would, too,” Matthew murmurs at Madison.
“Hell, yeah,” Marcus chuckles. “I'm always game.”
“We know you are, Marcus,” Mariah smirks, rubbing her belly.
“It's your fault you're like that again; walking around the house in that sexy, purple gown.”
Mariah shakes her head. “I'm going to burn that thing when I get home.”
“Madison's the same way. Damn red thin-strapped thing; drives me crazy when she puts it on!”
“Lisa and her navy blue lace gown. Matching panties,” Nathan growls at Lisa.
“Burgundy bra and panties, lace,” Tom pants out, staring at his wife.
“Butt fucking naked! Fuck those clothes,” Ethan laughs.
“Anything in green. I don't care if it's her scrubs... Evie puts on green and that is enough for me,” Russell laughs.
“Mandy has this light blue gown that hits her thighs at the right spot... like her ass is playing peek-a-boo with me. Drives me in-fucking-sane,” Joshua says quietly, staring at his wedding ring.
“Lissa has this corset, man... I swear she got pregnant this last time wearing that damn thing. I thought I was going to explode when I saw that shit!”
“Mariah once had this hunter green corset with crotch-less panties... I got dizzy trying to break her back when she wore it that first time!”
Mariah's eyes widened and her cheeks reddened.
“Red corset and come-fuck-me heels, I fell in love all over again!” Matthew shouts high-fiving Marcus.
“They ever wear that baby doll thing?” Russell laughs. “Damn, Evie's got this white one... man, I tell you... that thing with the matching panties... whew!”
Madison blows out a deep breath and drops her candy on the table in front of her, then looks up and down the women on her side. The men are still talking about lingerie. All of a sudden, the women do the rock paper scissors move, and Lil gives me a look. Watch this, she mouths.
Alissa does paper as everyone else do scissors. She shakes her head and looks at Madison.
“Alissa...” Madison says softly. “I don't believe I've told you how beautifully glowing you are.”
“I am?” Alissa smiles.
“You are,” Madison smiles. “I don't believe you and I have ever before shared a kiss.”
“A kiss? With me?”
Nathan smacks Ethan's arm. The men quiet and watch Madison.
“Yes, you. I really want to, right now.”
“Um... I don't know.”
“Aw, come on... Ethan won't mind one... little... kiss,” Madison turns to Ethan. “Would you, Ethan?”
“Uh...” is all Ethan can get out.
Madison smiles, stands and walks slowly to Alissa.
“Your husband might mind,” Alissa says.
Madison smirks. “Hello? I'm married to Matthew. He'd only mind if you were a man. And a man you are not, Alissa.”
Madison stands in front of Alissa then pulls her to her feet. Her arms circle her waist as Alissa smirks.
The room has gone silent.
“Don't... please don't.”
“I will fucking kill you, Nathan,” Russell murmurs.
Madison smiles and leans in, kissing Alissa with slow ease right on the mouth. My eyes widen and I chuckle. It's a joke kiss, no intimacy. Madison pulls back and smiles.
“Yummy. I'm jealous. Of Ethan,” she says softly. “I can't wait to do that with you again, Lissa.”
Madison caresses Alissa cheek and a groan escapes from my right. I look over and the men are fighting to leave the room.
I laugh so hard my side hurts.
“How often do you do that?” I ask, panting.
“Every time they act like that,” Madison says.
“Effective.”
“Very. Learned that in high school with this one,” she points at Mariah.
“What happened?”
“Madison and I were enemies in high school, at first. She convinced herself I could sing better than her and she lost every lead to me. She confronted me in the girl’s room. I told to get over herself and try harder. So, we ended up having a four-hour singing contest for the lead in ‘A Chorus Line’. She bruised her vocal cords because she refuses to sing from her diaphragm. Stressed them out.”
“My mother took me to the doctor and after I rested my voice, she dragged me to Mariah's house and made me apologize for my spoiled ways. Mariah wouldn't hear it. She shrugged off my apology and I've hero worshiped her ever since.”
“No, until she abandoned me to go off to New York for college,” Mariah says, winking.
“Cookie, stop saying that,” Madison
whines.
“After that we became inseparable. We even sang a song together in a talent show at school. Well, the next day the boys were hounding us that we were gay because only a lesbian couple would dare sing that song together.”
Rachel chuckles. “It was full of innuendo, Mariah.”
“I don't think it was, Rachel. Besides, it's not our fault that's the song we pulled,” Madison smiles. “Blame the producer of the show.”
“Well, they were irritating us between classes and Madison flipped out, 'Oh, my God!' she screamed. 'What, should I grab her boob? Will that shut you up?'”
Madison chuckles. “You should have seen their faces.”
“Yeah, they were pretty stunned,” Mariah laughs. “One guy said, 'No, give her a kiss.' So Madison grabbed my arms and kissed me right on the mouth, at my locker. It went silent so fast. When she released me, the boys took off like roaches in the light, pretty much how these guys do.”
I laugh at that. “Out of curiosity, what was the song?”
Madison smiles, “Father Figure by George Michael.”
I try to recollect the song when Madison starts singing. She sounds awesome. Then Mariah sings a part and she sounds beautiful, too. I listen to the words as the men start coming back in the room. They silently listen to them sing.
Their voices love one another and they harmonize well together.
“Wow,” I say and applaud. “I feel like I've just been to a mini-concert. You sounded great.”
“Thank you,” they say together and giggle.
“Can you sing, Vicky,” Mariah smiles.
I smile, “Little bit.”
Daddy scoffs.
“Caspar? Is she holding back?” Madison asks.
“I may have had a voice lesson or two.”
Caspar scoffs again.
“Oh, I think we should here this,” Ethan smiles.
Everyone stares at me.
“I tell you what. After the session, I will sing a few bars, if you're still interested. Deal?”
“Deal!” they say.
I smile and pick up my notepad. “So Marcus was telling us about his call from Joshua, and you refuse to elaborate on your part of the outcome.”
“Certain things I will, Vicky.”
“By all means, Marcus. Please continue.”
“Ask me something.”
“Okay. Did you arrive in Calabasas alone?”
He studies me a moment. “No.”
“Did you go to Joshua's school alone?”
“Yes.”
I nod. “Once there, how did you help Joshua?”
“I went home when I got into town and told Mother I would get Josh from school and that he and I were going to a movie. She didn't bat an eye. She tried to get me to include Matthew but I made an excuse about Joshua calling me saying he missed me; that it needed to be just the two of us. I told her since I was in town through the weekend; I'd do something with the both of them Saturday. She agreed and didn't question me.”
I nod.
“I parked my car at the exit of his school so that he could see me as soon as he came out. When he did, he had such a look of relief on his face that, yeah, I hugged him. An old teacher of mine spotted me and started chatting and I noticed Joshua looking around nervously. I excused myself and as we walked to my car, I asked him why was he so nervous. He shrugged, and said very tightly, 'I don't know if she'll show up here. She knows I go here.'”
“Then you said--”
“Nothing, Joshua. I said nothing,” Marcus glares.
Hmm...
“After that, I took him straight to a doctor. Paid cash and got him tested and the antibiotics and pain relief he needed. He also got a long lecture about sex that I had to make him sit through; he didn't want anyone to know what happened.”
“Is that right?” Matthew murmurs. I look over and he's on the phone again. I frown but then raise my brow at his next words.
“In 1994? ... Isn't that something? ... Any witnesses? ... Wow... No, I'm not sure how my clients will feel about that... Did they ever find the car? ... Okay, thanks, George. Turns out, Daria Hull was beaten in an alley and hit by a car in 1994. She died a week later.”
“You don't say,” Marcus murmurs.
“Marcus, no one is going to rat you out,” Madison says.
“Rat me out about what?” Marcus asks, feigning innocence.
“You might as well talk, Cramp. I can figure it out. You know I'm just that good.”
“Shut up, Toad. Like you've always been forthcoming about the shit you've done.”
“I haven't hidden anything from you.”
“Where were you April eleventh, Toad?”
Matthew's lips go into his mouth and his eyes widen.
“You tell and I will,” Marcus glares.
Matthew looks at the floor for a minute. “Are you still on retainer, Ethan?”
“Nope; gimme a buck.”
Matthew hands him a fifty. “This should take care of everybody in the room,”
Ethan nods.
Matthew looks at his wife. “Ethan, a couple of my associates beat the hell out of the asshole that raped my wife in college in 2008.”
Ethan leans over and gives him his money back.
“I'm still on retainer from that. I know... we know all about it.”
“I don't,” Mariah frowns.
“Neither do I,” Madison scowls.
“That was you?” Alissa gasps at Madison.
“Every year, I fly to the south and beat the shit out of him on the anniversary of the rape. This year, I decided to sit back and watch. I had a fresh haircut and didn't want to get it all sweaty.”
Madison shakes her head. “Enough.”
“Aw, Smooch!”
“Enough!”
“Fine... but I'm not releasing him from my hold!”
“What hold?”
Matthew grins. “He can't get laid without my permission. He can't take a shit without my permission.”
Madison sighs, “Fine, but no more beatings.”
We look to Marcus. He sighs.
“I had a woman friend of mine beat the hell out of her.”
“A woman?”
“As much as I wanted to, I never touched Daria Hull, and I wasn't about to let Pete or Rob touch her either, so I called this woman I know and I told her Joshua had been hurt and she became enraged. She scared the hell out of me, she was so angry. We picked up my female friend then called that woman's cell and arranged to meet her. Daria showed up and my friend beat the hell out of her. She antagonized Daria first, making sure that bitch hit her first. Daria was no match for her. We left her in that alley. I put up Pete and Rob in a hotel, where my friend cleaned up, and then I dropped her home and went to Joshua's school.”
I bet he went back to that alley after dropping off his friend but before he went to Joshua’s school.
“Where's this woman now?”
“Why, Mother?”
“I want to thank her... quietly.”
“She knows of your appreciation.”
“How could she?”
“She's a mother herself now.”
“Oh! Well, I'd like to do something for her children then.”
“It's not necessary, Mother.”
“Yes, it is. I want to. I need to, Marcus. You could give it to her with my gratitude. I don't have to meet her. I just want to thank her. Surely she wouldn't deny me, as a mother herself, the opportunity to show my appreciation for her efforts! She wouldn't possibly deny her children my generosity!”
“Mother...”
“No, Marcus. I owe her. Let me do something for her children.”
“You do enough for them, Katherine, thank you.”
“I knew it! Kick-ass strikes again!” Matthew laughs.
“Evelyn! You didn't!”
“Yes, I did, Thomas.” Evelyn looks at Joshua. “And I'd do it again.”
“You knew all this time?” Joshua asks his sister.
&
nbsp; Evelyn shakes her head. “Marcus called me and said some woman hurt you so bad that it made you call him crying. That's all he told me about it, and that was enough. I told him to pick me up as soon as he got into town. I faked cramps and hung out in the nurse’s office. Good thing Marcus was on the list of approved adults.”
We all stare at Evelyn.
She looks around the room with a frown. “What? They took ballroom, I took martial arts.”
Chapter Nine
I Married…
“What happened next, Marcus?”
“Rob and Pete spent the night in the hotel. I went to get them the next day and they stayed at our house for a few days while I made sure Joshua was all right. We went back that Tuesday and I was back a week later, for summer break.”
I look at Marcus. Something in his tone is nagging at me.
“What is it?”
His eyes widen. “I'm sorry?”
“What are you regretting?”
He shakes his head, “Nothing. I was glad I was able to help my brother.”
“Marcus. Honesty applies to you, too.”
Marcus exhales and looks away. “I should have gotten him more help.”
“You did, Marcus,” Joshua says frowning at his brother.
“Therapy,” Marcus sighs, “It's twenty-six years later and it's still affecting you. It's about to ruin your marriage.”
Joshua looks at his wife and sits straight up. “Ruin? Are we... finished? You said you didn't want a divorce.”
“I don't but we may have to. You don't trust me.”
Mariah and Marcus look at one another. Huh. Trust issues there. Mental note: Ask what that was about.
“I do trust you. I don't know if you can trust me.”
“What does that mean?”
“That you can trust I won't do it again.”
“Isn't that why we're here?”
Joshua shrugs. “I'm here because I don't want to lose you; for you to understand what happened and why.”
“I do understand. It's just...”
Silence.
“What Mandy,” I prompt.
“He doesn't touch me anymore and it makes me feel rejected. And there is a child out there that may be his that is not coming from me,” Mandy says quietly.
“There's nothing either of you can do about the child. You will have to wait until it's born, then await the results of a paternity test. Can you stay with Joshua if this child is indeed his?”
Broken: Book One of the M Series Page 10
