by Layne, Lyssa
“Come on, Katy, say something.”
Katy was biting the inside of her mouth. She wanted to scream at this little girl, only fourteen years old, but knew that wouldn’t do any good. Here, her mom was worried about Nora while Alayna was the one having sex.
She slowly turned to the exam table, reading off the tablet in front of her. “How long have you been sexually active?”
“Six months,” Alayna said as she kicked her feet against the table.
Katy’s jaw dropped. “And you’re just NOW getting to a doctor?”
Alayna perked up. “It’s not like I could ask Mom to take me to get on the pill.”
“Have you been using protection?”
Alayna shrugged. “Sometimes.”
“Alayna, I really thought you were smarter,” Katy snapped.
Alayna looked down, embarrassed and ashamed.
“Get changed. Then we’ll talk.” Katy left the exam area and walked to the nurses’ station.
Tiffany smiled. “Not what you were expecting, huh?”
“A little heads up would’ve been nice!”
Tiffany laughed. “Sorry, I had to see your face when you found out.”
Katy glared at her as Alayna walked up. The two Garrity ladies walked to the cafeteria in silence. They both ordered bagels, but neither of them touched the bread as they stared at each other.
“I’m not sleeping around like you think I am, Katy. I’ve only been with Billy and one other guy.”
“In six months, you’ve had sex with two different guys?”
Alayna’s face was turning the same shade as her hair. “I’d been dating the other guy since the dance last year. We were both virgins and decided to get it over with together. Once we did, well, things got awkward so we broke up. Then I met Billy, and he’s awesome.”
Katy shook her head. Awesome, her fourteen-year-old niece was sleeping with someone who was awesome.
“Has Billy been with anyone else?”
She nodded. “Just Kelly and Denise.”
“Then I’m going to run a STDs and HIV test, since you’ve had unprotected sex.”
Alayna sighed. “Well, what are you supposed to do when you don’t have a condom?”
Katy bit her lip to keep from screaming at her niece. Taking a deep breath, she said, “One, I’m going to give you a prescription for birth control that your mom will have to fill.” Katy didn’t believe in birth control, but she didn’t want Alayna getting pregnant either. “Two, if you don’t have a condom then don’t have sex!”
Alayna jeered, “Yeah, that’s easier said than done.”
Katy knew where she was coming from, but couldn’t let on. “Alayna, if you’re old enough to have sex then you need to be responsible about it.” Alayna’s smile disappeared.
“I’m going to give you the chance to talk to your mom first. If you haven’t told her by Mother’s Day, then I will.” Katy knew legally she couldn’t tell Abby, but she was hoping Alayna wouldn’t call her bluff.
***
Exhausted, Katy sat at Jeremiah’s dining room table later in the day. After the two women had talked, they’d gone shopping and enjoyed lunch together as much as they could with the awkwardness that sat between them. The entire time, Alayna felt the need to try to convince Katy she knew what she was doing and that Billy was “the one.” It had been an emotionally draining day, so she accepted the second glass of wine Jeremiah poured her.
He sang along to James Taylor, a favorite of both of theirs, as he cooked dinner. Katy smiled as she stretched her feet onto the chair across the table. This reminded her of the old days when he’d cook for her after crazy ER shifts and they’d swap stories. Their relationship had a lot of ups and downs in the decade they’d gone from friends to lovers and back to friends again. She was just glad they were able to finally be friends.
Jeremiah set a plate in front of her, the aroma of the morsels on her plate tempted her taste buds. She cut a piece of tilapia and it melted in her mouth. “Mmmm,” she moaned in delight.
Jeremiah grinned. “It’s been awhile since I’ve made you moan.”
Katy narrowed her eyes. “Ha, ha. This is delicious!”
“I’m glad you like it.”
The former fiancés chatted over their delicious meal. An empty wine bottle and an hour later, they moved from the kitchen table to the living room. Jeremiah put on a familiar playlist and Katy laughed as she recognized it.
“Is this your old seduction playlist?”
He shrugged as he sat beside her on the floor. “Maybe, but don’t tell me you don’t love every song on this list.”
She smiled as she listened to the lyrics of Too Close, taking her back to their days of med school. Jeremiah pulled her to her feet and held her next to him. His hips ground against hers as he sang.
She laughed. “Oh my gosh, I can’t remember the last time I heard this song.”
Jeremiah kept singing which made her giggle at the words of the song. When the music ended, he whispered and nodded toward the dining room. “You’d performed a running whip stitch for the first time. I played it to celebrate, which we did...on the dining room table.”
Katy could feel her cheeks flush as the memory came back to her. Jeremiah watched her blushing and smiled as they both pictured the same thing. He moved his hands below her waist as Usher came over the speakers.
She didn’t stop him so he inched her a little closer as he started to sing in her ear again. Katy looked up at him and bit her lip. He grinned and leaned down giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. Katy started to wiggle away from him, but Jeremiah didn’t let her go.
“Knockout, we’re just dancing. No harm in that, right?”
Katy looked up at him and nodded, her mind clouded by old memories. He spun her around and pulled her to him, this time her back to his chest. His hands moved to her waist as he ground into her from behind. Katy closed her eyes, reminded of their time together, long ago, in this very apartment. She felt his hand slide over her hips and she jumped slightly, but he didn’t linger.
She took a deep breath and relaxed. She was letting Tiffany’s thoughts get to her and she was ruining a friendly evening...with her ex-fiancé. Katy started to say something, but Jeremiah kissed her neck, still singing along with Usher. She knew she was letting things go too far. Maybe it was the wine, but they were both getting a little touchy-feely.
She turned around and slid her hands around his neck, trying to put some space between the two of them. She swayed her hips to the music while he dug his against her. His hands ran over her hips, down her thighs, and back up to rest on her waist.
Katy laughed. “When was the last time you got laid?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Is that an offer?”
She playfully hit him. “Fat chance.”
Jeremiah stuck out his bottom lip pouting. “Aw, why not? Don’t tell me the sex wasn’t good when we were together.”
Katy had to agree, the sex hadn’t been bad between them. It had actually been phenomenal. Katy knew the main reason it was so great was because the two of them had always been competitors. Every time they got into bed, it was a race to see who could satisfy the other first, and nothing was off limits.
Jeremiah watched her closely as he ran his hand over her stomach above her shirt. Knowing she was distracted, he moved his lips to cover hers. He hesitated at first, but when she didn’t pull away, the kiss intensified.
Katy had been lost in thought, remembering a specific instance when Jeremiah had done something with his hips that had impressed her. Her mind hazy from the wine, she didn’t notice his hand moving over the pocket of her pants right away until she felt his tongue in her mouth. She let out a sigh and kissed him back. He moved them over to the couch. The feelings he ignited reminded of her of simpler days, before Nick and Jesse, and her father’s death when her biggest fear was not passing her anatomy lab. Just as quickly as that memory came, a different one flashed through her mind and she pushed him away.
Jeremiah, breathing hard himself, ran his hands over the back of her thighs. “Can’t or don’t want to?”
She kissed his forehead and leaned over to grab her shoes. “Jer, we’ve had this talk. We’re done, remember? We both agreed.”
He followed her to the door. “No, Katy, you decided for us, remember? Said you couldn’t love again so you left me?”
Katy looked at him surprised. “I did what I thought was best.”
“Best for you! Dammit, Katy, I still love you! I always will, you are the love of my life and I know we’re meant to be together.”
Katy froze, stunned by his outburst. She’d known he’d take her back in a second if she asked him, but she had no idea he felt this strongly about it.
She lightly kissed him as she opened the door. “I will always love you, Jeremiah, just not how I used to.” The love of her life was gone, but there was a close second waiting for her at home.
***
Katy was still asleep when Jesse’s tour ended and he walked in the bedroom. He loved watching her sleep, but rarely had the chance to. He glanced at the clock. Normally she’d be out running by now. He pulled off his t-shirt and let his pants drop to the floor. He crawled in bed behind her, wrapping her in his arms. It had been a long shift and he was exhausted.
He probably should have taken a shower because the smell of smoke always roused Katy from her slumber. She took in a deep breath and sniffed in the mix of burning wood and musky cologne. Jesse was home. She ran her hand over his, rubbing his palm.
He nuzzled her neck. “Mmm, morning baby.”
“Morning,” she mumbled as he kissed her neck. They lay in silence for a few minutes, both trying to snuggle closer to the other.
Finally, Katy rolled to her back and looked at him. “Things got a little out of hand last night.”
He opened his eyes. “Last night? What are you talking about?”
“Jeremiah and I kissed.”
Jesse’s body went rigid. “Is that all?”
She shrugged and Jesse thought he might get sick.
“What else, Kate?” he asked sitting up and pulling away from her.
“We had dinner and wine. Then we danced and he—” Katy stopped not wanting to put this all on Jeremiah, she could have stopped him at any time. “We danced close and then we kissed.”
Jesse closed his eyes. “Why did it stop?”
“I told him we couldn’t…”
Jessed nodded for her to finish her sentence.
“He told me he was still in love with me.”
Jesse felt his blood pressure spike and he wanted to go straight to Jeremiah’s apartment and kick his ass. He rubbed his temples and looked at Katy. He was afraid of the answer, but he knew he had to ask her.
“Do you love him?”
She bit her lip and nodded. “Yes.”
Jesse couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He’d thought things were damn near perfect between them; he was going to tell her his secret soon, and they could be a happy little family. He had to get out of here, away from this woman who didn’t love him.
Katy quickly moved grabbing his wrist. “Let me finish. Yes, I love him and I always will, but I don’t love him the way he wants me to. The way you love me. The way I love you.”
Jesse looked down at her and felt his body relax. Every time she said she loved him, his heart swelled and he loved her more. He kissed her gently, then pushed her back on the bed.
When he’d gotten home, he had been so tired he could barely crawl into bed. Now, at the brief thought of losing her, he peeled off her panties, put on a condom, and leaned over the woman he loved. He was angry with her about Jeremiah, but appreciated she had told him the truth. He pinned her hands down above her head with one of his as he entered her. She smiled up at him and he laughed. His sweet Katy liked it rough from time to time.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Pink pansies and pink feather boas, it was the staple of Mother’s Day in the Garrity family. Andy and Jesse led the girls as they planted flowers in Abby’s front yard. When Andy’s wife and both his sons had been alive, it was a tradition that they planted flowers every Mother’s Day. When Nora was three, she insisted on planting pink pansies and that her Daddy wear a pink feather boa. To this day, pink pansies were planted first in Lisa’s, then Abby’s, and later today in Katy’s front yard while the landscapers all wore pink boas.
This was the second year that Jesse was a part of the tradition. He was a good sport and wore the boa which pleased all the women and relieved Andy that he wasn’t the only man in pink. Jesse threw the feathered end over his shoulder again and Andy laughed.
“The things we do for women, huh?”
Jesse wiped sweat off his brow. “Exactly.”
Andy nodded toward Katy and Abby sitting on the porch.
“You been taking care of her?”
Jesse looked at him and nodded. He was used to being Andy’s other son, not his daughter’s boyfriend. “Yes, sir,” he answered.
A maroon Tahoe pulled into the driveway and Jesse welcomed the distraction. He recognized the man who got out. It was Anthony Monroe and he worked for Engine 75. He was shorter, maybe five feet, seven inches, balding on top, with not nearly as much muscle on him as Jesse had but he was a good firefighter.
Jesse looked at Andy to see if he knew why he was there, but his question was answered as Abby flung herself around him giving him a fat kiss on the lips. Jesse’s eyes got wide as he watched the two of them.
He turned to Katy, who was standing beside him, wanting to see her reaction. She grabbed his hand and pulled his arm around her. He looked back at Anthony and Abby, then down at Katy inquisitively.
Katy smiled and shrugged. “I guess she knows him.”
Jesse laughed and hung his arm around her shoulders. The new couple made their way over to them. Anthony nervously held on to Abby while she ran her hands over him. Abby gave him one more kiss and then looked at them with a smile.
“Family, this is Anthony Monroe.”
Jesse watched Andy to follow his lead. The Garrity patriarch stepped forward and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Jesse followed in suit and shook his hand. “Hey, Tony, how’ve you been?”
Anthony nodded nervously. “Good.”
Katy introduced herself and found her way back under Jesse’s arm. Abby was all smiles, not taking her eyes off her man for even a second. Andy started quizzing Anthony while Katy looked back at the girls who were anxiously pacing in front of the flower bed.
She nodded toward her nieces. “I better go check on them.”
Jess kissed her softly. “Good idea.” He turned around to see Anthony watching him and Katy. He couldn’t read the look on his face, but knew he’d have to find a moment alone to talk.
***
Katy took each girl by the hand and led them inside to the kitchen. Nora jumped up on the counter while Alayna stood nervously by the sink. Katy held out her hands indicating for them to start talking.
Nora shrugged. “He’s okay. Tries too hard and wants to be our dad.”
“So you’ve met him before?”
She nodded. “Yeah, she started bringing him around last month. I think Mom’s the one using all the condoms and trying to blame it on me.”
Katy and Alayna shared a quick glance that Nora didn’t notice.
Nora kept talking. “I mean, it’s whatever. I don’t think she’s going to marry him and if she does, I’ll be away at college. Sorry, Layney.”
Alayna nodded and looked at Katy, with a mixture of urgency and fear in her face. “Katy, can we talk?”
“Sure.”
Alayna grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hallway to the bathroom.
***
Jesse had lost all his help on the landscaping front. Katy had disappeared inside with the girls while Andy grilled Anthony and Abby played referee. Working alone, he w
as lost in his thoughts. There was a lot going on in his life and his lawyer promised him the end was in sight.
The court date was coming up soon and he was anxiously awaiting for the day to arrive. He wanted to have everything finalized before he told Katy what was going on. He knew it would shake things up, but he had faith that their family would be able to handle it.
He smiled. Their family, his and Katy’s. He liked that, he liked it a lot. After things got settled, he would discuss marriage with her again. Things had been going so well, he didn’t want to push it when it wasn’t even an issue yet.
“Can I help?”
Jesse looked up to see Anthony desperately wanting to busy himself. He nodded and handed him a shovel. Jesse gave him a few quick directions as he saw Andy and Abby talking by the driveway. They worked in silence until Anthony asked, “So, did he give you the third degree, too?”
“Who? Andy? Nah, he’s known me since I was born.”
“He’s okay with you dating his son’s widow?”
Jesse felt anger pulse through his veins as Anthony spoke that awful word. “We don’t use the term widow around here. They both hate it.”
Anthony looked down mumbling, “Sorry.”
Jesse let it go and asked, “How’d your crew take it?”
“I’ve been scrubbing dishes for the past month.”
Jesse nodded, but didn’t say anything.
“We’re not like you and the doctor. I didn’t even know who Abby was until we’d been, eh, dating a couple weeks.”
The anger flashed back. “What do you mean not like us?”
Anthony stuttered, “Well, you...you knew...who...she was” His face was neon red as he rushed out the rest, “And you still slept with her anyway.”
Jesse dropped his shovel and stepped up to Anthony Monroe grabbing his shirt. He looked down his nose at him. “Yeah, I knew who she was and it was my responsibility to take care of my friend’s family. In the process, we fell in love so stop thinking with your dick.”
