I swallowed hard and fought back tears. Damn hormones.
Gwen placed a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast in front of me.
"Thank you," I sniffed, still fighting the tears.
"Oh dear, what's the matter?" Gwen dropped the spatula and came to my side.
I shook my head. "Hormones," I sniffed again.
She laughed.
"When I was pregnant with Jackson, I cried over all the milk being gone." She giggled at her memory.
I smiled and inhaled a deep breath. That's when Christopher entered the kitchen. He locked his eyes on me and rushed over.
"What's wrong?" His eyes scanned my face and body.
"Nothing, just hormonal." I shrugged.
"Are you sure?" He held my chin in his fingertips. I nodded. He kissed my nose and then looked at my untouched food. "Aren't you hungry?" He looked worried now.
"Yeah, I am. Gwen just put them there before you came in."
"Oh, sorry. Eat, please" He moved, taking a seat next to me. Gwen put a plate in front of him.
I picked up my fork just as he traded me plates.
"What are you doing?"
"Mine will be warmer," he turned to what used to be my plate and started eating.
I looked away from him, but caught Gwen's small smile.
We spent a week at Gwen and Nicholas's house. He showed me the music room where Gwen had gotten him to start talking and playing piano.
"It was here that I spoke for the first time after my mother's death." He whispered, sitting side by side on the piano bench.
"Because of Gwen?" I tapped a few keys. The sound carried around the silence.
"Yeah." He sighed. "She seemed to be in here playing a lot when I first arrived. Drawn out of my room by the music, I would sit over there and listen." He pointed to a window seat in the far corner of the room. "Then one day when she finished a particular song," he began to play. I assumed it was the song he was referring. "I said, again." He chuckled lightly. "I still remember the look on her face when I spoke." He chuckled again and stopped playing. "After that she coaxed me closer and closer to the piano, until she got me to play."
I leaned my head on his shoulder as he started playing again. One deep breath filled my senses with him. Listening to him play confirmed the truth. He could relate or connect to me in some way he never had with anyone else. The only thing that had the same affect was music. I grasped onto that fact as reassurance we could make this work.
We tried to do things around Seattle, but the paparazzi had gotten wind that we were around and together. They first appeared when we exited a restaurant one afternoon. It was expected, but when the questions and flashes started to go off it was as if I forgot how to deal with all of it.
"Is it true that you're living together?" "Are you getting married?" "Mia, are you aware of the other girls Chris is associated with?" "Mia, are you pregnant?"
It took everything in me to keep myself composed after the pregnancy question. Chris wrapped me up in his arms and hurried us through the crowd. One cameraman was a little too forward. He jumped in front of us and I stumbled. Chris caught me before I fell, but I couldn't stop him from reacting.
"You idiot," He screamed. "You almost knocked her down," he growled.
"Give us a picture man." The guy ignored Chris's anger.
"It's okay Chris, just calm down." I grabbed his shoulder.
He shrugged off my hand, grabbed the camera from in front of the guys face, and smashed it to the ground.
"Chris!" I grabbed his arm. The cameraman backed away quickly.
"You are going to pay for that man." The guy threatened. "You all saw what he just did."
A couple of reporters mumbled in agreement, but there were a few telling the guy he'd caused the whole thing.
Chris quickly shoved me into his car and drove off. We were silent the ride back. When we entered the house, Nicholas called out for Chris.
"What?" His tone still clipped.
"Would you care to explain to me why I am getting calls about you damaging someone's personal property?"
"He almost knocked Mia over, what did you expect me to do?" Chris argued.
"Calm down," I spoke in a hushed tone.
"No, I won't calm down," he snapped at me before turning back to Nicholas. "I was trying to protect her."
"You didn't have to destroy his camera Christopher. Now we have a lawsuit to deal with." Nicholas was undoubtedly frustrated, but he was controlling his anger. Christopher on the other hand was explosive. "Not to mention what the press will do with this."
"Just pay for the fucking camera and he will get over it."
"It's not that simple and you know it." Nicholas stood from his desk. "The bigger issue is your temper. You need to get it under control." Nicholas rubbed his neck. "Have you called Dr. J yet?"
"Yes," he growled. "I talked with him over the phone this morning."
"Did you schedule a session?"
Chris scowled.
"Why the fuck are you starting this again?"
"Because you need to see your therapist and deal with your anger issues."
"I'll deal with it." Chris snapped and pulled me from the room.
We stayed two more days and at the end of the week, we went back to Whidbey Island.
The drive back was as quiet as the drive there. I slept most of the way and when I wasn't sleeping, I was thinking about Christopher's actions with the photographer. It had started to throw up new red flags. When we got back to my house, I decided to speak to him about it.
"Chris?"
"Yeah," he mumbled into my side. We were lying in bed about to fall asleep.
"I think that you should go back to Seattle."
His head popped up from my side. He looked at me with confusion and fear. He opened his mouth to argue.
"Let me finish." I stopped him. "I think you should go back and set up some time to see Dr. J."
His face hardened.
"You want me to leave?"
"Come on, you know you were out of line with the photographer and it's pretty damn obvious you have trouble with your temper." I placed my hand on the side of his face.
"I'm fine," he growled.
"No you are not –"
"I'm. Fine." He settled back in to my side. That was the end of the discussion. He didn't want to listen.
Christmas came quickly. There was four feet of snow outside and it was downright frigid. Two days before Christmas Eve, we went to watch Ryan in his preschool production of the manger scene. Then we spent Christmas Eve at John and Linda's house where Serena and I grew up. Christopher examined so many photos and went through my bedroom thoroughly. Making sure to tease me about my boy band posters I had from that phase in my youth. Christmas morning we were all woke up before seven in the morning by a screaming Ryan.
"Santa was here!! Santa Claus came!!!" he ran up and down the halls and the steps until we were all dragging ourselves into the living room so he could open gifts. Elliott seemed to be having as much fun as Ryan.
"Oh check this out," Elliott would ohh and awe with Ryan.
"Do we have batteries for this?" Elliott looked to Serena with real worry.
"Yes, we have batteries." Serena pulled out a shoebox full of them. Both Elliott and Ryan's faces lit up like it was another present.
Ry had gotten so much stuff I thought we were going to have to put an addition on the house just for toys.
Laney got Jackson a leather jacket and another gift he wouldn't take out of the box. His smile indicated that it was for a more private time. Jackson got Laney a million gift cards to go shopping and he also got her a membership for a spa in Seattle.
Elliott got Serena a diamond necklace that she thought was too much. Serena got Elliott the complete 'rock band' video game and accessories along with a whisper of another gift later. Elliott smiled so wide I thought his cheeks would split to his ears. He scooped her up and put her in his lap as he helped Ryan get the remote control robot
out of its box and filled with batteries.
Christopher slipped a small box onto my lap as I sat between his legs, my back against his chest.
"Christopher we agreed not to buy each other anything," I grumbled.
"I didn't," he shrugged. "I already had it."
I bit my lip and opened the small package. After the paper was off it, I saw the small leather square ring box. I was about to scowl at him again, but he spoke first.
"It's not what you're thinking so don't panic." He kissed behind my ear and ran his nose down the back of my neck.
Opening the box, I saw a small silver ring with a green stone. It was simple and beautiful.
"It's beautiful Christopher, but –"
"It was my mothers," he held on to me tighter. "I want you to have it, please."
I chewed on my lip for a moment before turning my head and kissing his cheek.
"Thank you," I said closing the box. He grabbed the box quickly before I could set it down and took the ring out, placing it on my right ring finger.
"I want you to wear it." He almost sounded childlike. I turned my body from my waist up and kissed him. I turned back around and he handed me another square package.
"Christopher…"
"It's for the….baby," he said quickly.
Feeling my heart rate increase, I opened the package and found a CD. The cover read 'A Lullaby'. I turned sideways now and looked at him.
"I...um…wrote the song for the baby," he rubbed the back of his head. "It's just on the piano and it's just an instrumental." He shrugged it off. I didn't think my heart could handle what he had done.
"Don't shrug it off." I ordered. He looked worried for a moment. "It's the most beautiful thing I have ever been given." I took a breath to calm myself from attacking him on the couch. I put my hand on the side of his face. "Honestly, the most beautiful."
"No. That would be you and…" he placed his hand on my stomach. Tears slipped from my lids. He wiped them away and kissed me gently.
New Years came just as quick as Christmas; however, by New Years photographers had finally found our house and stalked the outside on a regular basis. We knew it was coming, but still you can't help but hope it won't.
Leaving in our own cars was no longer an option, unless we wanted followed. Now we had two black cars with dark tinted windows that we shared use. They were similar looking so we could use one as a decoy when necessary.
The group separated for New Years. Laney and Jackson flew to New York to appear on the MTV countdown in Time Square. Kat disappeared without too much detail to her plans. Jimmy, apparently, met a girl and was spending a lot of time with her.
Serena, Elliott, Ryan, Chris, and I stayed home for a quiet and relaxing New Year. Ry fell asleep before eleven, so after they put him to bed Chris and I decided to let them have some alone time. Serena and Elliott rang in the New Year with pizza and beer, while my New Year rang in with an orgasmic explosion.
The Sunday after New Years we received an unexpected knock on our door. Serena answered and screamed at the top of her lungs. I stood up and watched our old neighborhood friends enter the house.
"Oh my God!"
Christopher stiffened next to me. He quickly stood and wrapped his arms around me. I turned to him.
"We all grew up together." I smiled and patted Christopher's chest excitedly. "He’s been in Afghanistan for almost a year." I pushed away from him to greet our guests.
"Mia," Jace, Sean’s best friend opened his arms. It had been so long since I’d seen him.
"Jace," I hugged him tightly. "I can't believe it!"
Laney ran into the room and jumped on him. Kat soon followed.
"Holy shit! Look what the dog drug in!" Kat laughed loudly as she ran to hug him as well.
Jace was surrounded by us and laughing. I reached up to hug him one more time. This time when I did, Jace leaned down and kissed me on the side of my mouth. It wasn't romantic.
Chris didn't know that. And the next thing I knew Christopher roared.
"Don't touch her!" Everything seemed to go in slow motion when Christopher's fist hit Jace's face, Jace fell back, and then regrouped enough to attack Christopher.
"Christopher!" "Jace!" "Stop!" My shouts ignored.
Chapter Twenty-Six
"Christopher!" "Jace!" "Stop!"
She screamed, but I couldn't stop. The fury raging within me pushed me into the red zone. All I wanted was to kill him for touching her.
My jaw clicked when his fist connected. The minute I got my balance back, I threw my body weight onto him, sending him onto his back. Straddling him, his arms crossed over his face, I let my fists fly repeatedly into his face making a connection to his nose.
"Get the fuck off me!" He tried to push me off, but there was no way the red haze would allow that.
"Get off of him!" A familiar voice screamed and then hands on tugged on my upper arms. Shrugging the hands off, I continued my assault.
"Stop! Christopher, Stop!" The hands returned with the scream and pulled harder. Then bigger, stronger hands grabbed me and yanked me off him. I tried to lunge again.
"Don't ever touch her!" My hands couldn't reach him, but my warning could.
Sean and another guy grabbed him before he could lunge in my direction. Elliott and Jackson held tightly to my arms and shoulders. Then there was Mia.
"Stop!" "Both of you, Stop!" Tears streamed down her flushed face. Immediately I stopped struggling Elliott and moved to her.
"Mia…" I couldn't finish when I saw the look on her face. I froze at the pain and anger on her face and in her beautiful eyes.
"Mia…" his voice pulled me out of my frozen state. I pulled Mia behind me, taking a protective stance. As I eyed him with a silent threat and challenge, Mia tried to move around me but I kept her blocked.
"Christopher move!" She hit my back, but I wasn't moving. "Damn it, move!"
"Who the fuck is this?" He sneered at me and took a step closer.
"Jace, I am so sorry. I don't know how to apolo –"
"You have nothing to apologize for," he said, his eyes never leaving mine. "This asshole on the other hand –"
"Here use this." Laney appeared with a rag for his nose. Laney turned her eyes to me with a furious glare. Mia shoved me harder and moved around me, toward him.
"I'm sorry Jace. It's just that…well…Christopher is kind of…protective," she sounded disgusted when she said my name and I flinched. Then she hugged him. I moved trying to grab her arm and pull her away. She yanked her arm out of mine and turned on me.
"Let go of me!"
I dropped my hand and she turned back to him. Why does she keep going to him?
"I'm gonna go. I'll visit some other time, okay?" He turned toward the door.
"Jace, Sean, don't go. Please." He shrugged at Mia and waved on his way out the door. "Come on–" Her shoulders hunch forward and her head dropped. Then she turned toward the stairs. I followed.
"Mia—" I
"Leave me alone," her tone was sad and defeated. I tried to speak again, but again she cut me off. "Go away!" I put my arms around her. She shoved me away and turned on me.
Her eyes filled with heated angry fire.
"How could you do that? What the hell is wrong with you?" She hit me in the chest. "I cannot believe you attacked him! What the fuck did –"
My possessive angry red haze started to return. She was angry for me hurting him? Who was he?
"Me?! He kissed you and had his hands all over you!" I was seething and holding her by her upper arms. She tried to yank away from my touch again.
"He's an old friend, Sean’s best friend, and you completely overreacted. I can't believe –"
"What kind of friend? Cause his lips and hands were –"
"Don't you dare!" She poked me in my chest. "I want you to leave!"
"Fine," I spit. "At least now I get why you don't want to marry me."
Her eyes widened. "You're an asshole!"
"Don't w
orry, I get it, I'm just the guy who fucked up and knocked you up. I get it now!" The venomous words spilled forward before I could stop them. Regret filled me after they'd fallen from my lips. I released her arms.
Her eyes filled to the brim until she blinked and the large tears rolled over her round cheeks. She fled up the stairs.
"I suggest you go asshole." My head flew forward from the hard smack to the back of my head.
"What the fuck?" I spun around. Serena stood there glaring at me.
"You need to get your woman, Elliott!"
In my peripheral vision, Elliott stood "Baby…"
"Sit down and shut up!" Her glare was now on him, but she turned back to me as soon as Elliott froze.
"You son of a bitch! How dare you treat her like that?" She brought her hand up again, but I grabbed her wrist.
"Watch what you say to me." I warned.
"Or what?" she snorted, "You'll treat me like you just treated Mia? You're such a bastard!"
Serena shoved me. I stumbled. She made her way up the stairs after Mia. I turned toward Elliott who was standing there with wide eyes.
"Don't look at me. You've really fucked up this time." He crossed his arms over his chest.
Anger coursed through my veins. Grabbing my coat and keys, I stalked out to my car. Jackson and Elliott yelled for me. I slammed the rental car door shut, revving the engine and sped the tires.
How could she….she is just so….His hands were all over her! His lips were on her lips!
"Fuck!" I slammed my fist onto the steering wheel and sped out of fucking Whidbey Island.
Ten days later, I rolled over in my bed, alone, to pounding on my door. I reached onto my nightstand and heard bottles crash to the floor. I tried to locate my cell phone. Once in my hands, I forced my eyes open. It was eleven in the morning. Fuck my head. The room was too bright. I needed a few more pills and vodka – definitely more vodka.
"Christopher," the muffled yell followed by more pounding on the door.
"Go away!" I buried my head under a pillow.
Some clicks and slams alerted me to their entrance. Then the voices got closer. I sighed heavily into my bed.
"Christopher?" Nicholas's was in stern mode. I'm sure he was looking over all the bottles I'd gone through in the past ten days. "Christopher?" he said louder, angrier.
Falling Stars Page 35
