“Michelle,” Brent said. There was a tone of warning in his voice. “Maybe now is not the best time to have this conversation.”
“No, Dad. I don’t give a shit. Let Andi’s boyfriend and his family hear this. I don’t care if the whole world hears. I love Sophie. There’s no way that you’re going to keep me away from her. I’ll run away if I have to. And you can’t ship me off. I turn eighteen tomorrow remember?”
“You are still my son. I can do anything I want as long as you’re under my roof,” Michelle said.
“So I won’t be under your roof. We’ll stay with Sophie’s dad. He already said we could. He’s happy for us. He’s excited about having a grandkid. Why can’t you be happy for me Mom? Why do you always have to be such a bitch?”
“Riley,” Brent said. “Don’t talk to your mother like that.”
“Why not? You know that she’s stuck up. She tries to play it off like she’s not, but she is. You know that she’d rather have me going out with some stupid cheerleader. Then maybe she’d be happy that I had gotten my girlfriend pregnant. She’d probably be planning my wedding right now if my girlfriend fit in to what she thought my life should be like. I don’t care what she thinks. I love Sophie whether she’s got purple hair or green hair or brown hair. I think it’s hot that she’s got piercings and a couple of tattoos. I plan on getting some myself. I already pierced my tongue.”
Riley stuck his tongue out at his mother. She let out a little gasp as he put it back in his mouth, because there had indeed been a stud in his tongue.
“Riley, give me your phone. I don’t care if I have to lock you up in the basement myself. You will not see Sophie again.”
“Is that what you want Mom? For me to walk away and never look back? No one will ever be good enough for your kids will they? I heard you talking to Dad about how Carl’s not good enough for Andi because his dad’s a cop and his mom’s a pothead. Well, too bad Mom. Your son is in love with a girl with purple hair and your precious daughter is already knockin’ boots with Carl. Fuck you and your self-righteousness Michelle.”
Riley got up from the table. Tory heard the front door open and slam shut. Everyone around the table was quiet for a minute. She thought that Keith looked a little pissed, but Lori was her usual cheerful self, still smiling.
Michelle started to get up, but Brent put a hand on her arm. She shook his hand off and gave him a dirty look. When she started to rise again, he helped her gently but firmly back into her chair. “Leave him be Michelle. Let him blow off some steam.”
“Why? Do you not think that slut is still in town?”
Brent sighed. “Sophie is not a slut and you know it. He told me about Sophie’s pregnancy yesterday. I told him that I would assist them in any way that I could.”
“How dare you go behind my back like that? In case you’ve forgotten, I gave birth to Riley.”
“He didn’t want to tell you because he was afraid you’d act, well, like you’ve been acting. I’m sorry Keith, Lori. I think we’d better go.”
“Nonsense,” Keith said. “We’re family. What’s a spat between family?”
Brent gave him a weak smile. “Thank you. Do you think that I could talk you out of that beer you offered me earlier?”
“Of course.”
Lori started to get up, but Keith waved her back into her chair. “I’ll get it.” He kissed her as he walked by. Tory heard him say “I love you my pretty pothead.”
“I love you too, my big stupid cop.”
Keith chuckled. Brent shot them a look, but Lori merely smiled at him.
“Uh Dad,” Andi suddenly said.
“Hush Andrea. We already know that you snuck out of Grandma’s house the other night. Don’t get yourself in any deeper. That we will discuss later.” He turned to Carl. “Carl?”
Carl looked up. “Yes sir?”
“Promise me that you’ll be careful. That you’ll be a man if you get my little girl into the same kind of trouble that Riley that has gotten Sophie into.”
“Yes sir. Of course.”
“It’s not trouble Dad,” Andi said. “Why is it trouble when they’re in love?”
Lori laughed softly.
“Shut up Andrea,” Michelle said. Tory thought she was starting to sound a little drunk. Her glass was empty. Lori passed her the bottle of wine and she filled her glass, taking a huge gulp.
“Michelle that was hardly necessary. She was simply giving her opinion. It was my understanding that we were the kind of parents that allowed our children to do that.”
Michelle let out a harsh laugh. “And look where that’s gotten us. A son who’s gotten his weird girlfriend pregnant and a daughter who is probably going to be the next one to be pregnant. Where did we go wrong Brent?”
“We didn’t go wrong anywhere Chel. We’ve got two wonderful bright kids who happened to have fallen in love before you wanted them to. They’re both growing up. You have to let them. Do you not remember how beautiful young love can be?”
Keith returned with three cans of beer. He passed one to Brent and tried to pass one to Tony who shook his head, reaching out to squeeze Tory’s hand. Keith winked at Tory and then gave a little shrug, placing both cans of beer in front of his plate. He popped one open and took a long drink.
“I don’t remember it being so beautiful that I gave you oral sex in your parents’ backyard,” Michelle said.
Andi giggled. Brent gave her a dirty look. “No, but we did something similar when we were about that age in your parents’ backyard.”
“We were older,” Michelle said. Tory could see that a light color had risen to her cheeks. Now she knew where Andi got her frankness about sex from she thought. It wasn’t her mother.
“Hardly. Now, I happen to know that Sophie is still in town.” Brent chuckled. “Those two can hardly stand to be away from each other. We are going to have coffee, all of us, and we are going to discuss this like mature adults. No insults, no off hand comments about Sophie’s hair or the clothes she wears. She is going to be our daughter-in-law Michelle. The mother of our grandchild. You don’t have to like her, but you’re damn well going to respect her. You will lose Riley if you don’t. I personally am not going to let that happen. Even if you refuse to accept her, I already have; long ago. I am going to continue to be a part of our son’s life and I will be a part of our grandchild’s.”
Michelle sighed. “If he had to get a girl pregnant why did it have to be her Brent? Why couldn’t it have been that nice Paula from down the block?”
Brent let out an exasperated sigh. “Because love doesn’t always go the way we’d like Chel, especially when it’s not our own. Sophie and Carl are both wonderful kids. We should welcome them into our family instead of thinking that they’re not good enough. Don’t you think that Sophie’s parents and Keith and Lori think the same things sometimes? That no one can ever be good enough for their children?”
“We love Andrea,” Keith said.
“And we love Tory too. Since Tony has always been like a son to us.” Lori smiled at Tory.
“Thank you Keith, Lori. Finish your dinner Andi. We have to go meet Sophie soon.”
“But Dad, can’t I stay here with Carl? I already like Sophie. I don’t care that she’s going to be my sister-in-law. Their baby is going to be so cute. She’s really pretty if you look past all the weird stuff Mom.”
Brent chuckled. “She is a beautiful girl. But no Andrea. You may not stay with Carl. I would never forbid you to see him, but you have been spending entirely too much time with him as it is. And we will discuss your punishment for sneaking out the other night.”
“But Daddy, can’t you ground me after we get home? Please. I won’t care if you ground me when we get home.”
“Yes Andrea, we will save your grounding for when we are at home.”
“Thank you Daddy.” Andi gave her father a huge grin.
“Finish eating sweetheart. I’m assuming Riley has already gone ahead to meet Sophie.”
She started to get up from the table but Michelle said “Lori?”
“Yes Michelle?”
“I’m sorry that I said those things about you and Keith. You know that I love you both. You’ve been such dear friends to us all these years.”
Lori smiled. “It’s okay Chel. I am a bit of a pothead and Keith is a cop. A damned good one, but still a cop.”
Keith chuckled, popping the top on the second beer.
“Thank you Lori, Keith. For everything. I really do like Carl. I think he’s good for Andrea. I think he’ll settle her down. Your daughter has gotten quite wild lately Brent.”
Tory almost laughed because she could see that Andi was blushing.
Carl gave Andi a look. She mouthed “I’ll tell you later.”
Lori soon came back with two foil wrapped plates. Michelle handed them to Brent, who said “Thank you,” and got up from the table. “Come on Andrea.”
She gave her father a pout, but leaned behind Tony to kiss Carl. Tory heard her whisper “I love you.”
Carl whispered back “I love you too.”
Lori heard it and shook her head at Keith, who laughed. “I’ll see you out.”
Lori followed Andi, Brent and Michelle to the door. Keith said “You sure you don’t want a beer Tony?”
“Nah, I’ve got to be good. I promised Tory.”
“You’re still coming to the New Year’s party aren’t you?”
“Wouldn’t miss it Uncle Keith. Are you guys still going to visit my mom?”
“Yeah. Your aunt told me that Monica’s nurse seems to have a bit of a crush on her.”
Tony made a face. “Don’t remind me.”
“It would be good for your mother to fall in love again. She misses your dad so much.”
“Why does it have to be a twenty-seven year old with tattoos Uncle Keith?”
Keith laughed. “Because love doesn’t care about age or appearance when it comes knocking on your door Tony. You have to learn not to turn it away. I didn’t see you turning Tory away because she’s only seventeen.”
“That’s only four years though. And not even four whole years because her birthday is before mine.”
“Details. I could have let Mom turn me away from Lori because she never liked her. Then I’d probably be alone and feeling old. I love Lori more than anything in this world. Except you and Carl of course. I know that you love Tory in that same way. I can see it when you look at her. Let Monica be happy. She deserves it. Even if it is a twenty-seven year old with tattoos that finally makes her happy again.”
“I know. I just don’t want to end up with a stepdad who’s barely older than me.”
“Take it one step at a time son. Get to know him. Find out why your mom likes him so much. Monica is a very smart woman. She always was. It’s been hard for her without your daddy. You can’t stand in the way of her happiness because you don’t like her boyfriend’s age. Because you know she’d let you.”
Tony sighed. “I don’t think he’s her boyfriend. Yet.”
“So see, there you go.”
Tony started to say something but Tory’s phone rang from inside her purse where she’d left it on a chair in the corner of the kitchen. She got up, hoping it wasn’t her mother. When she pulled out her phone and saw that it was she turned to the men and said “Will you excuse me please?”
Keith nodded and Tony said “Is everything okay Tor?”
“It’s my mom. I gotta answer Tony. It’s gonna switch over to voicemail. I’m not in the mood to play phone tag with Lindsey.”
She walked out of the kitchen. She heard Keith make a remark about her calling her mother Lindsey, but couldn’t hear Tony’s response.
“Hello,” she said.
She slipped out the front door, at first not noticing Lori and Carl sitting on the porch swing together. She gave them a weak smile as she dropped into a chair. Lori held the joint she was smoking out to her, but Tory shook her head.
“Tory, what in the hell do you think you’re doing? Didn’t I warn you about ruining your life? Now you get engaged to that man before you’re eighteen. Are you sure you’re not pregnant?”
Tory sighed. She smiled up at Lori, who dropped the blanket that she and Carl had been using in her lap on their way back to the house since Tory had forgotten her jacket. “I’m not pregnant Lindsey, I promise.”
Lori and Carl went in the house, closing the door quietly behind them. “So what do you think you’re doing? You could have had so much potential and now you’re throwing it all away.”
“What would you know about my potential Mother? You’ve never bothered to pay attention to anything I’ve ever done in school. I don’t know what the hell I want to do with my life.”
“So you think the solution is marrying some loser?”
“Tony isn’t a loser.”
“Did you not tell me that his mother is in an insane asylum? Insanity is in the blood you know.”
“I guess I’d better watch out. And it would come from you and not from Dad by the way.”
“Funny Tory. I won’t let you do this. I’ll have him arrested for statutory rape.”
“Try it.” Tory had verified the laws and the age of consent was sixteen, or the age difference had to be greater than five years to be considered stat rape in their state.
“What makes you think that I can’t?”
“I’m not retarded Lindsey. I can do an internet search as easy as anyone else. You can’t charge Tony with stat rape. Even if you could, I’d wait for him. And I’d hate you even more after he got out of jail.”
“Do you really hate your mother that much?” Unlike the other night, Tory thought that she halfway sounded like she cared.
“I don’t hate you Lin. . . I mean Mom. But this is my life. Dad’s okay with it. Why can’t you be?”
“I want you to have a good life Tory. I don’t think that Tony can give you that.”
“He can give me everything that matters because he loves me. I think you really did love Dad. I think you were just too afraid to admit it. You were afraid to let everything go and let his love be enough for you.”
Lindsey laughed, but Tory could tell that there was a false note in it. “It hardly matters now.”
“Did you tell Langston where his Jaguar is?”
Lindsey sighed. “No, but he found it. He showed up on Loomis’s doorstep, begging me to take him back.”
“Because he still loves you for some strange reason. Even after you tried to take his head off with an ashtray.”
“I didn’t mean to hit him. He’s usually smart enough to duck when I throw something at him.”
“Nice excuse Mom. So are you going to give up on trying to talk me out of marrying Tony?”
“I suppose. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“It doesn’t mean I have to like you marrying that old man either.”
“Loomis is a very nice man, very generous. He would send you to any college you wanted, even Ivy league.”
“I don’t know if I want to go to college anymore.”
“Tory, did you let that boy talk you out of it so that he could keep you in his bed all the time?”
Tory smiled. She didn’t think she’d mind being in Tony’s bed all the time. “It’s not Tony’s idea. I’m still thinking about it.”
“Keep thinking. You don’t want to end up depending on one man after another like I have.”
Tory almost let out a gasp at Lindsey’s admitting that she used men to take care of her but managed to hold it in. “I don’t plan on letting any man besides Tony take care of me.” Lindsey sighed. “I don’t mean sex Mother. We’re happy. That’s all that matters. We’ll figure out what we want to do with our lives soon enough.”
“So your boyfriend has no idea what he wants to do with his life either? Oh Tory, you are in for a hard road. I’m sure Loom
is would be willing to help you some of course; and even that silly Langston, but you can’t always depend on your parents.”
“I don’t plan on it Mom, but thank you. And Langston’s not silly. No, I take that back. He’s insane for still being in love with you after four years.”
“You are hilarious darling. I have to go. Loomis is waiting on me. He’s taking me out to this restaurant that usually has a waiting list of years for reservations. Of course, he’s got enough money that it doesn’t matter.”
“Oh. Have fun.”
“I will. Goodnight Tory. Have a Happy New Year if I don’t talk to you again before then.”
“Thank you. You too. I love you Mom.”
“I love you too, Tory. Goodbye.”
Tory almost dropped her phone. Her mother had said the three words that probably rolled off any other mother’s tongue like nothing. Maybe this old guy was good for Lindsey, she thought.
“Bye Mom.”
She felt tears prick her eyes as she closed her phone. She picked up the blanket and took it back inside with her.
Tony took one look at her and crossed to her. “Baby, is everything okay?”
She laughed and wiped her eyes. “My mom told me that she loved for me for the first time that I can remember in seventeen years.”
“That’s so great Tor. I told you that she loved you.”
Tory laughed again. “It was only after she told me that we were in for a hard road if neither of us knew what we wanted to do with our lives. Oh yeah, and after she threatened to have you arrested for statutory rape.”
Keith chuckled. “Welcome to the family Tory. We’re glad to have you.”
“Thank you.”
She felt like she was going to cry again and had to turn her head into Tony’s shoulder. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Lori.
“We will never forget what you’ve done for Tony. You’ve been his saving grace honey. We were so afraid that he was never going to straighten his life out. But he took one look at you and knew he had to do better. We’ll be proud to call you daughter and I’m sure Monica will too.”
Tory laughed, because now she felt like she was really going to cry. “Thank you. You’ve made me feel so welcome. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like I had a real family.”
Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set Page 140
