Snapshot (The Jamieson Collection)

by Angie Stanton

  * * *

  Adam awoke, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and realized they’d been asleep for the past couple hours. He moved to detangle Marti’s body from his. Her face looked so peaceful in the low light. He wished he could let her sleep, instead of waking her to the reality of her grandmother’s death, but he knew he must.

  “Marti.” He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. “Wake up,” he said softly.

  “Hmm.” She moaned and snuggled closer.

  He tipped up her chin. “I need you to put your clothes on. I’m not gonna let you get caught like this.” He gazed at her naked body, illuminated by the warm glow of the dying fire. He felt the familiar pang of desire stir within and forced himself to ignore it.

  Marti nodded and peeled herself away from him and dressed.

  Adam felt an immediate void and wanted to pull her back. “Do you want to go back to the cabin and take a shower or crawl into bed?” he offered.

  “No. I don’t want to face anyone else. Can we stay here?”

  She looked so small and fragile, such a shift from her usually strong, stubborn persona. “You bet.” Adam threw a couple more pieces of wood on the fire. He grabbed a soft fleece blanket and positioned the throw pillows on the couch. He lay down with his back against it. “Come here.”

  She crawled in like a lovable pup and snuggled her cute little behind up against him. He arranged the blanket. With his cast-covered arm under the pillow, he wrapped the other protectively around her petite frame.

  The fire began to crackle and flames licked at the wood. “You must be exhausted. Do you think you can sleep?” His low voice rumbled in her ear.

  “Probably not. I keep trying to pretend Grandma didn’t die, but then it keeps popping into my head, and I can’t stop thinking about what a horrible way it was to die. I wonder if she was scared going in to the hospital. Did she now she might die? Why didn’t she call and tell me this was happening? I would have come home.”

  “I don’t know.” He caressed her hair and then tucked his arm back under to hold her hand.

  A log crackled and sparks flew. He rubbed his bare foot against her tattooed ankle. They watched the flames in comfortable silence.

  “After tomorrow, will I ever see you again?” she asked in the most unemotional way, as if she asked if it might rain tomorrow. Apparently his earlier reassurances didn’t sink in.

  “You will if I have anything to do with it. And trust me, I will do whatever it takes.” He squeezed her gently. He didn’t know how he would say goodbye. Now that Marti was in his life, the rest of it didn’t seem to matter. He thought about all the girls he flirted with at record signings and meet and greets. He felt so shallow. They meant nothing.

  “Do you think you’ll ever be able to come to Madison?” She turned and their faces nearly touched.

  “Is that where you’ll be?” he asked and wished he hadn’t.

  “Where else would I be?” Confusion marred her perfect face.

  “I don’t know. I thought you might have to move or something.” He didn’t see how she could stay by herself, but maybe her mom would step up.

  “No way. Grandma might be gone, but I know she would want me to stay in the apartment. Plus, I still have school and my friends. Oh, I have a cat. Did I ever mention that?”

  “No you didn’t.” He laughed. “What’s its name?”

  “Actually, it’s my grandma’s cat. Her name is Kahlua.”

  “That’s a funny name.” He inhaled the scent of her hair, a mixture of strawberry and pine. “And why did she name it Kahlua? Does she drink?”

  “Two reasons. First, because she’s the color of Kahlua and crème, Grandma’s favorite cocktail. And second...” Marti became quiet and hesitant.

  “What’s second?” he urged.

  She wiggled onto her back and looked at Adam. “I can’t believe I’m telling you this.” She rolled her eyes. “Grandma didn’t want me to feel bad about my strange name, so she named the cat Kahlua.

  “I don’t get it. What’s so strange about Marti? What’s it short for?” He tried to think of name origins for Marti. “Is it Martina? Or Martha? I don’t know if I want to be dating a girl named Martha,” he teased.

  “Close, but not quite. It’s… Martini.” She grabbed the blanket and covered her head.

  Adam laughed and tugged the blanket down. “Your real name is Martini? As in ‘shaken, not stirred?’”

  “Yes.” She pouted in the most adorable way.

  “And why did your parents name you Martini?” He tried to stifle his laugh but couldn’t.

  “Because my dad is a moron and thought it would be fun to name his kids after booze.”

  “You have siblings?”

  “Halves. And we have absolutely nothing in common, other than a little DNA. The oldest is my half-sister, Brandy. And the other is my half-brother, Jack. They are total losers, too.”

  “What’s so bad about the name Jack?”

  “Jack Daniels, as in scotch whiskey,” she said with meaning.

  “Oh. I see.” But he didn’t see how her dad could be so off the wall or how her mom would allow it.

  “Now you see why Grandma didn’t want me to feel bad? Teachers would say it on the first day of school, and the kids would have a field day. I’m going to change it when I turn 18.”

  “What to?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet.” Marti yawned.

  “How about you close your eyes and see if you can sleep a little?”

  “I don’t want to miss a minute of being with you.”

  “You won’t. I’ll be right here the whole time.” He caressed her arm with his thumb.

  “Would you sing to me? The only time I’ve heard you sing was that morning with the loons.”

  “If you close your eyes, I’ll sing to you.”

  She gazed up at him. “Deal. But nothing hard rock, I hate…”

  “Shh.” He placed a finger on her lips and grinned. “I know, you hate rock music.”

  She laughed and closed her eyes. He looked at her beautiful face and wanted to kiss her cute little mouth.

  “I’m waiting,” she said, but kept her eyes closed.

  “Alright, let’s see. Nothing rock. How about something classic?”

  He started to hum, and after a few bars, Marti giggled. “I can’t believe you’re humming Classical Gas.”

  “Shh. You’re interrupting my concert. You know people pay a lot of money to hear me perform.”

  “Oh, here we go again. Big rock star ego.” Her face smiled a big sleepy grin. He thanked god he’d given her something to smile about.

  “Shh. Try to go to sleep.” He resumed humming the song and caressed her cheek. She relaxed her body and after a few minutes drifted off to sleep. Adam watched her for a long time until a single tear rolled down his face. He quick wiped it away.

  Chapter 12

  Marti felt like crap. She stood under the weak spray of the shower, gladly accepting her throbbing headache. She deserved it, and so much more, for how thoughtless she’d been with Grandma. She couldn’t get the water hot enough or the pressure strong enough to clean away her sins.

  While Grandma lay dying, Marti got drunk and had sex. A lot. And unprotected. What an idiot! Grandma worked so hard to provide Marti with a better life than her parents had and what did she do? She literally screwed it all away.

  Marti squirted more body wash onto the washcloth and scrubbed her skin. Was she turning into her mother and sleeping around? God, she hoped not. What if she was pregnant? Oh shit, no!

  And the drinking. Marti had always avoided it before, but this week, it came easily. Like it did with her dad. Neither of her parents had any self control and, apparently, Marti didn’t either.

  Was god punishing her for such bad behavior? And here she was thinking only about herself again. Add self-centered to her list of inherited traits. She was absolutely turning out like her parents, and that turned her stomach. What horrible choice would
she make next? What else could she add to self-centered, drunk, slut? She was such a loser.

  She leaned against the shower wall, resting her head against the cool metal. She needed to calm down. She was nearly positive it was the wrong time of the month for her to get pregnant. Fate wouldn’t punish her like that. Would it?

  Please, oh please, God. Don’t let me be pregnant. Anything but that.

  * * *

  “All set?” Tony asked as she and Adam reached the main lodge. They left her bags outside.

  “Yeah,” she answered. Her mother would be here in the next hour, and somehow she needed to brace herself for the meeting. Her mother had never been a big part of her life. She was too busy being an addict. But in times of trouble, family pulled together. She hoped.

  “We left out some pastries and fresh fruit for you in the dining room. I know you didn’t eat this morning.”

  “Thanks.” Food didn’t interest her. Nothing did, other than getting home where she could be in the apartment and hold Grandma’s stuff and try to remember everything they ever did together. She tried to remember her voice, and it was fading. Maybe if she was home, it would bring them closer together again.

  “Adam, I have some not-so-good news for you.” Tony unfurled a local newspaper and showed him the headline.

  Rock Guitarist, Adam Jamieson, Injured at Camp Hiawatha.

  A concert picture of Adam appeared below the headline along with a story about his E.R. visit and more.

  “Great. Just what I don’t need to deal with right now,” Adam mumbled.

  “I know. There are only a few more days left of camp, so hopefully we can get through without too much disruption.”

  Adam shook his head. “We’ll see.”

  Marti would be long gone before the paparazzi fall-out began. She wished they’d leave him alone.

  “I’ll be in my office if you need anything.”

  Tony left them. Marti and Adam sat outside on a carved, wooden loveseat that overlooked the driveway and beach area.

  “You don’t need to wait with me,” she said.

  “I want to. I want to spend every last second with you. Plus, how many kinds of jerk would I be, if I left you now?”

  Marti wanted him there and wanted to push him away. He was part of the reason she strayed down the wrong path. If it weren’t for Adam, she definitely wouldn’t have had sex. Not that she wasn’t an equal, willing participant, but still. He was like a magnet that sucked her closer.

  Two hours later, they were still waiting as the other kids came in for lunch. Word about her grandmother’s death had spread, and she received many pitying looks.

  “Marti! You’re still here!” Haley rushed over. “I thought you’d be long gone by now.”

  “My mom was never good about being on time.” Her mom wasn’t very good at much of anything, except maybe doing drugs. She’d been in and out of rehab too many times to remember.

  “Come join us for lunch,” Brooke said.

  “No thanks, I’ll wait here,” she said.

  The rest of the campers went in for lunch. She could smell the food and hear the clinking of dishes.

  “I’m gonna go get you some food. You need to eat.” Adam left her alone to fetch some food. The reality of how alone she really was finally set in.

  Her mother was never someone she could count on. Even now, during a family crisis. Marti had learned at an early age never ask her mother for anything, but come on, a ride home for her Grandmother’s funeral would be nice.

  A car pulled into camp. Her heart leapt. Her mom finally arrived. She didn’t recognize the car, but then who knew what her mother drove these days. But her joy disappeared when she saw the car loaded with teenage girls. They spilled out, giggling, and checking out the camp.

  Adam, holding two plates with his uninjured hand and a water bottle in his other, pushed the door open with his back. “Grilled ham and cheese, chips, and I got you two pickles.” He smiled with loving concern and handed her a plate.

  “Thanks.” She smiled weakly.

  Adam sat and took a huge bite of his sandwich. Marti pointed toward the girls. “I wonder who they are?”

  He looked up as the girls headed toward the lodge. “Oh shit!” he said with a mouthful of food.

  “What?” Marti asked, and then the shrieks began.

  “Oh my god! That’s him! Right there!” one of the girls squealed.

  “He looks just like the picture in the paper with his hair cut off. Look there’s his cast,” said another.

  “Hi!” Another waved, and they came at him like a torpedo.

  These girls had seen the paper with the story about Adam.

  Adam turned to Marti. “I am so sorry. This is the last thing you need right now.”

  Marti wasn’t sure what to say. She was both fascinated and dumbstruck. If nothing else, the invasion distracted her from her own problems.

  “Hi, my name’s Chelsea, and I heard that you were here, and I even though I’ve only got my temps, I just had to come!” The girl bubbled over with glee.

  “I totally love you!” said a petite little thing with long brown hair and braces.

  “Can I have your autograph and get a picture?” a short, chunky girl asked.

  Adam finished chewing his food and swallowed. He looked at Marti again, frustration brewing in his eyes. “Would you go find Tony for me, please?” he asked.

  “And miss this? No way.” She smirked.

  He shook his head, then set his plate down and stood. “Hi. Who wants a picture first?”

  Adam posed with each girl and then all the girls and then signed his autograph on their fan magazines and CDs.

  “I want to sign your cast!” the chunky girl said.

  “Well, I’d rather not…”

  The girl didn’t even pause before scribbling her name and putting a big heart around it.

  Marti’s jaw dropped. She looked at him, stunned. Adam frowned, clearly not enjoying one second of this invasion. The other girls took out pens and left their hideous marks on his cast as well.

  Two more cars pulled into the lot with even more girls piling out.

  The girl with braces waved and yelled. “He’s right here! Adam’s right here!”

  Adam groaned. “Please, will you go get Tony for me?”

  * * *

  “My god, I had no idea how persistent teenage girls could be, and I’m a camp director!”

  Adam and Marti were tucked safely in Tony’s office, out of sight of any more camp crashing groupies.

  “I’ve set up a checkpoint at the entrance to camp. No one else gets in unless they have official business. Marti, security knows we’re expecting your mom anytime now, so don’t worry, they won’t turn her away.”

  “The checkpoint will help, but I’ll tell you right now, if they want into camp, they’ll find a way,” Adam said.

  Marti wasn’t saying much, and he worried about her. Adam wondered if her mother was really coming. He didn’t want to voice his concern and make her feel more alone than she really was.

  “If you’ll excuse me a minute, I’m going to step outside and make a call.”

  He exited the sliding doors of Tony’s office to a small patio and driveway that allowed service vehicles an area to unload. He placed his call, hoping he wouldn’t get voice mail.

  “Hey little brother, what’s up?” Peter answered.

  “Time for Plan B.”

  * * *

  The afternoon dragged, dinner came and went, along with three girls who got into camp via boat, and four more by hiking through the woods. Marti’s mom hadn’t shown. Marti called Ruth Jenkins again, Grandma’s friend. They both agreed that something had happened, and her mother had let her down again. Ruth said she couldn’t drive that far anymore due to her cataracts, and could Marti ask the camp director to find a way to get her back in time for Grandma’s visitation the next evening?

  Marti slumped in a chair inside the lodge like a forgotten orphan. Her luggag
e mocked her. Despite the fact she wanted Adam with her, she needed out of camp so bad she couldn’t stand it. She no longer fit here.

  Her friends wanted to wait with her, but she wouldn’t allow it. Even though they had exchanged phone numbers and FB info, every time they went off to another activity, they hugged her goodbye again. Exhausted from the emotional toll, she finally told them, no more goodbyes. She couldn’t handle their parting words one more time. She sent them off to join a volleyball game. She wanted to be home and see Grandma’s room. She wanted to use Grandma’s hand lotion, touch her purse, sit in her favorite chair. Anything that would bring her closer, if only for a second, even if it seemed kind of stupid.

  Adam joined her. He ran out of words hours ago. What more could be said? He slid his arm around her, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. “I just want to go home,” she whispered.

  “I know. Soon.” He played with the ends of her hair.

  “She’s not coming.” Marti willed herself not to cry.

  “I know.” He kissed the top of her head.

  She closed her eyes, and they sat in silence. Suddenly, she heard what sounded like a large truck. She heard the kids at the volleyball court talking with excitement.

  Marti opened her eyes to see a huge bus wind around the bend into camp. Her eyes went large.

  “Your ride is here,” Adam murmured in her ear.

  “Is that…”

  He smiled, and his face looked so adorable she wanted to hug him. “That’s the Jamieson tour bus, or one of them, I should say. Shall we?” He stood and held out a hand.

  Her eyes welled up at his thoughtfulness. How did he get a tour bus here so fast? She didn’t even realize herself until a couple hours ago that her mom had abandoned her again.

  “Thank you.” She took his hand, and together they gathered her bags and headed to the parking lot and the gathering crowd of campers.

  The bus rolled to a stop, a loud whoosh of air sounded, and the door opened. Adam hopped aboard. Marti waited, unsure what to do. A few seconds later, Adam reappeared with someone who, Marti surmised, could only be his brother, Peter.