If I Never Knew You Trilogy Bundle

by Aubrey Bailey

  "Uh huh, how about we don't...and say we didn't?" I suggested. Orion just smiled. I looked at Andy. "I've got to get back to work, kiddo. I'll see you tonight. Better find out what you missed in Chemistry. Mom would be so mad if she found out you skipped class!"

  "Didn't you start working at this morning?" Orion asked me.

  "Yes," I said. "Why?"

  "Well, wouldn't the normal quitting time be after lunch? That's still considered the afternoon is it not?"

  "I'm working a double shift today," I said. "Times are...tough...so I do double shifts whenever I can." I got up and took the glasses and plates. "See you later, Andy."

  "Bye," Andy said. I started walking to the back of the restaurant. "Hey, you have a girlfriend. What were you doing, coming on to my sister?" I couldn't help but smile as I heard Andy's whispered objection to Orion's behavior.

  Technically, my second shift started an hour before my first shift ended. My manager assured me that I'd still be getting paid for sixteen hours, not just fifteen. He did ask me why I willingly took so much work all the time. I explained to him that my mother was trying to keep us in our family home, despite the fact that she was a single mom and could only find part-time work for now. As her eldest child, I felt an obligation to help out my mom, at least until Andy was on his own. My boss, Bruce, was a great guy, and I appreciated his concern.

  "Madison, please go home!" Maggie, one of the second shift girls said. "You're so close to falling asleep, it's not even funny. And you have to be here tomorrow at seven! That's barely six hours of sleep, if you go home at eleven!" It was almost ten o'clock now.

  "Don't worry," I reassured Maggie.

  "I swear if I see you tomorrow after three, I'm gonna kick your ass!" she warned me playfully.

  "My shift is over at three-thirty," I reminded her.

  "Okay, fine. If I see you after that and you're still working-I'll escort you out the door," Maggie said. "For tonight, please go home early. I'll clock you out at eleven, but make sure you just go home."

  "She's right," Emma, one of the other girls said. "You're here like all the time. No wonder most of the regulars know you. Go home, Madison. Spend some time with your mom and Andy."

  "Am I being mentioned again?" My eyes went to the front door. Sure enough, it was Andy who said that as he walked into the restaurant.

  "What the hell!" I said, going over to him. "What are you doing here?"

  "I thought I'd come and keep you company for the last hour, then we can go home together," Andy explained.

  "Did you get a transfer?" Maggie asked.

  "Um, yeah," Andy said.

  "Good, so you can take your sis and get on the next bus," she told him, coming over to us with my jacket and bag.

  "You're going home early?" Andy asked. He looked hopeful. I just sighed and nodded. "Cool!"

  I put my stuff into my bag and did up my jacket. After a quick good-bye to the staff, Andy and I left. We were about to cross the parking lot, when a car stopped in front of us.

  I felt Andy stiffen slightly as the owner of the car stepped out. I felt somewhat the same, but had to stay calm as my boyfriend Damian walked around the car to us.

  "I thought you had another hour left," Damian said, standing in front of me. I was about a foot shorter than him, at five foot four. He was taller than most guys, at six foot three.

  "Everyone convinced me to leave early because I was falling asleep," I said, shrugging.

  "Okay," Damian said. "Well, want a ride home?" He glanced at Andy. Neither of them liked each other very much. Andy was only a little taller than me, maybe only two inches. So, he wasn't very intimidating compared to Damian, but that didn't mean my brother was scared of him. Andy was quicker on his feet and could outsmart Damian any day.

  To stay on the safe side, I stepped forward and spoke, before Andy could do anything.

  "Yes, thanks," I answered, while Damian just smiled. I got into the front seat, while Andy took the rear. Damian pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the main street of the town of Knightsbridge, where we lived.

  "So, I'm going to be leaving tomorrow for that business trip I told you about," Damian told me. "It's only for a few weeks, maybe a month. I'm sure you can do some stuff while I'm gone."

  I was glad it was dark, so that he couldn't see the look of disappointment on my face. I looked back at Andy, but he was staring intently out the window. I looked at his hands, to see them clenched into fists on his knees. I took a deep breath, looked back out the front window and said that my time would be spent working and hanging out with my family.

  As soon as the car stopped, Andy jumped out, said thanks and good-bye, and all but ran into the house. I frowned.

  "So," Damian said.

  "I really wish we could spend more time together now," I said. "But I've got to get to work at seven tomorrow morning."

  "Alright," Damian said with a sigh. Then he gave me a long fervent kiss.

  Sad to leave him, I shrugged and gave him a look that, I hope, seemed extremely apologetic, before getting out of the car and walking into the house. Mom was in the living room watching TV, while Andy was sitting on the stairs leading up to the second floor.

  "Hi, honey. You must be exhausted!" Mom said to me. I told her a bit about my day, listened to her account of a funny incident at work, then gave her a hug and went up the stairs to bed.

  I lay in bed for a while thinking about everything-especially about Orion and Damian. Andy's room was right next to mine and I knew he wasn't asleep either, because I could hear him get up for a glass of water. Then, he put on a CD of Orion's band, Horizon. Andy said that Orion had come up with the name Horizon himself.

  His voice floated through the wall and into my room.

  I sighed and rolled over, facing away from the wall separating my room from Andy's room. I closed my eyes and allowed Orion' voice to drift around me.

  I fell asleep as the song ended, with images of Orion on a stage singing that song in my head.

  CHAPTER THREE

  THE NEXT DAY, after work I walked from the bus stop to my house, totally exhausted. The lack of sleep wasn't good and Fridays were especially tiring because everyone seemed to want to come eat at Wayside. I wound up having to work until four, because there were a few people who just didn't seem to want to leave my section.

  I was feeling so lethargic, I didn't even stop and try to figure out who the car in my driveway belonged to; I just opened up the front door and walked in.

  "No way! You are so not passing me!" Andy shouted.

  I looked into the living room to see him and Orion sitting on the floor, Orion leaning against the couch and playing some war simulation video game. I was kind of surprised that Orion was here, because Andy hardly ever invited his friends over-unlike me, whose friends came over regularly, especially Lindsay.

  "Looks like I am, bro," Orion said.

  I went into the kitchen, and raised an eyebrow at the lack of dirty dishes, before realizing that Mom had cleaned up before going out to do the grocery shopping, which she did every Friday.

  "Can't beat me," Orion said. "I told you that already."

  "I let you win," Andy lied.

  I heard them drop the controls and they both walked into the kitchen. Orion sat on a kitchen chair, while Andy went to the fridge. "You should have seen it Madison. I was so close...and then he beat me."

  "I heard," I said, smiling slightly.

  "So, what's for dinner, Mad?" Orion asked.

  I paused at his unusual nickname. Most people just called me Maddy or Madison. "Mom usually picks up something easy to prepare on her grocery day. We'll have to wait until she gets back to find out what she got," I explained.

  Orion said that he didn't want to impose and suggested we go to his place instead.

  "You cook?" I asked.

  "He does everything ." Andy said, closing the fridge door and leaning against it.

  "Actually, I'm not really in the mood to cook today. Why don't we
go somewhere to get some grub?" Orion suggested. When I hesitated, Orion put his hand on my shoulder. "On me," he assured me.

  "I'm in no mood to be going anywhere, so why don't you two go?" I said.

  "We can have takeout," Orion said, "or how about delivery?"

  "Let's do delivery!" Andy said. "What about Chinese! Madison and Mom love the food from the Twelve Dragon place downtown."

  "Alright then, we'll do Chinese," Orion said. "It will also give your poor mom a break from cooking-Andy told me how hard you guys are always working. Andy, why don't you give The Golden Dragon a call and order the dinner special for four," Orion said.

  "Sure," Andy replied. He ran out of the kitchen to the phone in the living room. Just then, we heard the front door open, and in walked my mother, Barbara, with a few bags of groceries.

  "Hello, everybody!" she greeted us. She had already met Orion once when he had been at our house when I was working.

  When she found out that she did not have to cook dinner, she was thrilled, and proceeded to unpack the groceries.

  "Orion, that's great. Thanks so much!" she exclaimed. We were all happy to give her a break; she deserved it for being such a nice mother.

  "So how're you doing?" Orion asked me, after asking Mom. He was leaning against the stove and looking at me.

  "I'm okay. Why?" I asked.

  "Well, you worked late last night, you worked late today," Orion started, "Seems like all you do is work, according to Andy."

  "Oh, and what else has my dear little brother been telling you about me?" I asked.

  "He's said that you're stubborn," Orion said. "He said you work a lot of double shifts.

  At this point, my mom looked over and interjected, "Yes, Orion, that's true. I worry about Madison, you know. I wish I could help out by working full time, but after my spinal surgery, I was advised by my doctors to work only twenty hours a week." Mom looked dejected when she said this, and I loved her all the more for her vulnerability.

  Orion nodded sympathetically and looked at me, changing the subject. "Andy tells me you're the family-first kind of girl. And more like a best friend to him than anything." I smiled. "He never mentioned that you were this pretty, though."

  "This is me in my work uniform," I said.

  "So, you're more beautiful without it, then?" Orion asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "Man, you better not be saying what I think you are," I warned, pointing a finger at him. He laughed. "And, by the way, don't you have a girlfriend?"

  "How'd you know?" he asked.

  "What-you think Andy just tells you about me and not the other way around, too?" I teased.

  After a few minutes of light banter, the phone rang.

  "Hello?" I said. "Hi, Damian. No, I've only just gotten home." I looked at Orion, who was now looking at the stereo.

  He pushed the play button, and I recognized one of his own songs as it began to play.

  I waved my hand to get Orion's attention, and try to get him to turn it down or turn it off.

  "No Damian, it's just Andy, I swear." I waved my hand more frantically, and Orion finally looked up. I mouthed 'Turn it down'.

  After giving Orion a desperate look, he finally turned the stereo down. I mouthed 'thanks' to Orion, who just nodded.

  "Tonight? Okay, I'll be there...Yeah...Well you're my boyfriend. I should be there to see you off." I chewed on my bottom lip. I wanted to hang up so badly, but I didn't want the consequences. Orion was watching me now, leaning against the wall with his arms loosely crossed. "Yeah, sure...Okay...Nine? I got it. See you then." I hung up the phone

  "Everything cool, Mad?" Orion asked.

  "Yes, I'm fine, I guess," I said, with hesitation.

  Orion looked worried for me. "Well, I don't know much about this relationship of yours and I realize it's not exactly my business, but from what Andy has said, it doesn't sound too great."

  "What has he said?" I asked.

  "His thanks that Damian is not good for you and you seem almost afraid of him at times," Orion said. "And listening to your side of that little phone conversation proves the second half of that theory." He pushed himself away from the wall and stood in front of me. "What's he done?"

  "Nothing," I said, too quickly. "It's none of your business. He's just...a little...protective. Then he gets carried away and sometimes doesn't realize what he is doing." Orion didn't seem to buy my defense of Damian, and inwardly, I didn't as well.

  "Madison," he said. "If you ever want to talk, I'm a great listener. I mean, your brother is a good friend of mine, so it's only natural that I care. I'm just trying to be your friend-someone to lean on when you need it."

  Mom then walked back into the room and I could tell the tension in the air was palpable, but if she could tell, she was too polite to make us aware of it. Instead, she asked me to set the table, while she quickly tidied up the counter and put out some dishes for our meal.

  "Food's here!" Andy yelled. Orion smiled at us before going to the door to get the food and pay for it.

  "Andy ordered Chinese," I told Mom.

  "That's great, Orion. We all love Chinese. Thanks again!" She thanked Orion. Andy and I thanked him, too, and we all sat down to eat.

  The phone rang again during dinner: it was Dad's brother, Uncle Jack. I remembered that Andy had told me about Orion's band playing at Uncle Jack's bar, Knightsbridge Tavern, this weekend. Uncle Jack wanted more information about their upcoming show, so I gave the phone to Orion, who raised an eyebrow at me. "It's my uncle...he owns the bar your band is playing at this weekend."

  "Ohhh," Orion said, slowly. He took the phone and started talking about the songs they would be singing and the length of each set. Orion came back into the kitchen as we started eating dessert. He grabbed a bit of everything before joining us at the table.

  "So what was that all about?" Andy asked.

  "Just doing some last minute arrangements with Jack," Orion said. He looked at me.

  After some contemplation, I said, "I would love to see your show. What time are you on?"

  "At nine. I can get you two in for free tomorrow, if your uncle won't do it," Orion said.

  "Really?" Andy asked, looking excited and even bouncing slightly.

  "You're sixteen. Calm down." I said, trying not to smile. "It may not be possible."

  "Just show up with me," Orion said.

  "I don't know," I hesitated. Uncle Jack was not the easiest person to get along with-just like dear, old Dad-and I didn't want to push any buttons.

  "But, you don't work tomorrow night," Andy reminded me. That was true-I had tomorrow off all day. In all honesty, though, I didn't want to arrive with the lead singer of a band that, as I was learning, was actually really popular around town. Especially since that singer supposedly had a girlfriend. I did NOT need to give my uncle any more reasons to believe I was a 'schemer', as he thought I was.

  "Come on, Madison. It'll be fun. And you really can't say you don't like the music because I've caught you humming it."

  Damn...busted.

  "Yeah, Mad, come on," Orion nagged me. He nudged my leg with his foot. I gave him a look, but he did it again and within seconds both of us were kicking each other under the table.

  "Madison, you and Andy would have a good time, so why not go for it?" my mom suggested. Mom was such a cheerleader for us, but wouldn't take any credit for all her efforts. Talk about humility...

  "Fine, I'll go!" I said, pulling my legs out and tucking them out of Orion's reach. I smiled at Mom then glanced at Andy, who looked relieved that we were going to Knightsbridge Tavern. Even though we didn't show it sometimes, we had a brother-sister bond that was very strong and we were reminded of it now.

  After dinner we went into the living room, where Mom and I sat talking on the couch, while the boys resumed their positions on the floor and began playing another game. At one point during the game, after Mom had left the room, it looked as if Orion was going to win.

  I smiled, leaned a bit clo
ser, and whispered seductively in his ear, "Don't mess up."

  Orion smiled and turned around to look at me. His eyes met mine and I gave him a wink.

  "Yes! You lose! Suck it!" Andy shouted. It must have worked.

  "Yeah, okay. You win," Orion said and gave me a look like the defeat was worth the moment we had just had.

  I continued watching them for a while, before I suddenly remembered about Damian. I had to figure out how I was going to get home from the airport after seeing him off.

  "Where are you going?" Mom asked as I returned from changing into jeans and a t-shirt. Orion looked at me appreciatively.

  "I'm going to see Damian off. He leaves tonight, remember?" I said, pulling on my shoes.

  "Oh, yes," Mom said. "He's picking you up?"

  "Yes. His friend is going by the airport tomorrow to get his car."

  "Then how are you getting home?"

  "Bus?" I suggested.

  "I'll get you," Orion offered.

  "Nah, don't worry," I replied.

  "Nah, you don't worry," Orion said. I figured I wasn't going to win this, so I just nodded. "When's he leaving?"

  "Umm, he has a nine-thirty flight so..." I said.

  "I'll be out front at nine-forty then," Orion said.

  I had no chance to ask questions or argue, because just then Damian pulled up and was honking outside. After saying good-bye to everyone, I grabbed my jacket and headed outside to Damian's car.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  I WAS SURPRISED that Damian really didn't do anything. I thought for sure he'd want something more passionate, but all he did was kiss me before he left. As soon as I stepped out of the airport departure area, I saw Orion and his car parked not far away. We didn't talk much on the ride back to my place, but I sensed we were both happy to be together again. When we arrived at my house, Orion told me that he'd pick Andy and me up at six the next evening. I was definitely more excited than I let on.

  On Saturday, after helping Mom clean the house, I was sitting in Andy's room watching him as he looked for something to wear. Lately, Mom had managed to save up some money so that he could get a gym membership. He goes two or three times a week after school, and it shows too. I wonder sometimes why he wanted it so badly. My initial thought was that he wanted to build up muscle to beat up Damian. That thought still lingers in my mind, even though I've never gotten a straight answer from Andy.