Subtle Reminders

by D. J. Pierson

  Afterwards, I lingered just inside my room. I took one look at the bed where Joey had been, then went down the hall to Lex’s room. She had a few things in her dresser, so I borrowed a shirt and pair of shorts, then climbed underneath her blankets. Refusing to dwell on anything, my eyelids lowered, the alcohol I had in my system doing the rest. A few hours of unconsciousness was all I needed to start over…again.

  At dawn, birds chirping in the tree outside Lex’s window woke me up. Shame on them for not knowing the value of sleeping in on a Sunday morning. Instead of getting annoyed, I used the opportunity to get some things done. The first chore was stripping my bed and taking the sheets down to the basement. The washer was far enough from my parents’ room that it wouldn’t disturb them.

  While the machine ran, I threw clothes on, straightened the kitchen from Mom and Dad’s snack the night before, and watched a little mindless television. It was probably the worst time to try and find something good on, so I switched to a sports channel running highlights on the second round of playoff hockey. No matter which team you rooted for, it was an exciting time of year for fans.

  Feeling myself start to doze off, I got up to switch my sheets into the dryer. On the way back, I saw my clutch sitting on the table by the front door. Grabbing my phone, I was somewhat disappointed there were no missed calls or voicemails, the only text being from Lex.

  Lex: Let me know when you guys are awake. We want you to come over for brunch.

  Me: I’m up. Why do you want us there? Shouldn’t you be in bed with your new husband?

  Lex: I’ll have plenty of time for that in Hawaii ;).

  Me: Mom & Dad are still sleeping.

  Lex: They have 30 minutes before I wake them up.

  Me: You’re brave.

  Lex: I’m the baby. They won’t yell at me.

  Me: You’re a married woman. I think that “being the baby” shit has expired.

  Lex: NEVER!!!

  Twenty-seven minutes later, the house phone rang. She was definitely brave…and impatient.

  As Lex predicted, Mom and Dad got right out of bed and ready to go. Mom was finding it difficult to believe her youngest daughter was going to be nearly five thousand miles away from her for an extended period of time. That’s when I realized why Lex begged me to stay home for a second week. She wanted Mom preoccupied and not constantly worrying. If my little sister only knew how well our mother multitasked.

  “Are you ready, Brie?” Mom wondered, coming into the living room.

  “I’ll meet you there. The dryer is almost done. Plus, I want to run by the bakery and grab something to bring over.”

  “We can wait for you.”

  “I’ll be right behind you,” I clarified, turning off the TV.

  “Okay. Rich?” she called up the stairs. “Brielle’s driving separately. Let’s go.”

  “All right, Barb. I’m moving as fast as I can.”

  “Men,” she grumbled to herself, and I stifled a giggle.

  Within a few minutes, they were gone. Shortly afterward, my bed was remade and I was feeling better. Given the circumstances, making the most out of the sunny day seemed like a decent attitude to have. Since the fancy clutch was a little much for my jean shorts and simple babydoll top, I dumped it out, only taking my wallet, lip gloss, and keys.

  The bakery smelled incredibly delicious, causing my stomach to growl. It was definitely the wrong place to be if you were hungry. The options were endless. Pastries, cupcakes, muffins, cinnamon buns, and pies stared at me from every direction. Those damn bakers made my decision almost impossible, so I did what any reasonable person would do. I bought a variety. Someone would eat it, right?

  Once the goodies were securely stored in the trunk and out of my reach, I drove toward Lex’s neighborhood. The ride was uneventful until a police cruiser pulled out from a parking lot, flashing lights lighting up my rear windshield. At first, I assumed Jack or someone else I knew thought it would be a good idea to screw with me. Then the officer got out of the car. It was at that precise moment my “looking on the bright side” outlook went to shit.

  It took me over three-and-a-half hours to realize I bolted from my best friend’s wedding reception without telling him and his wife goodbye. The mistake would cost me a ton of ball busting and sad faces for the rest of my life. There was no amount of sweet-talking or bribery that would get me out of it, either. I did it to myself. One of the very few times I senselessly freak out and this happened.

  I went directly to my parents’ place to pick up Maddie. From there, we hit the highway, not stopping until I parked in the driveway of our shore house. It was pitch black and completely quiet, but my baby girl thought it was time to play. She jumped out of the truck and ran around in circles on the small patch of grass.

  “Come on, girl,” I called, walking to the door. She barked in protest, but came anyway.

  Inside, I flipped on the air conditioning, filled Maddie’s water bowl, and trudged up the stairs to my room. I stripped out of the remaining pieces of the tuxedo I hadn’t taken off already and fell onto the bed in my boxers. Despite the burst of energy she had outside, Maddie passed out. However, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling. I replayed the good and bad events that led up to me being alone. It was somewhere close to the two o’clock hour when I began wondering if my kneejerk reaction may have been slightly on the irrational side.

  In the morning, the seagulls had Maddie up and running to each window. Those damn things tortured the shit out of her, which was usually hilarious. Not so much so on only a couple hours sleep. To make matters worse, Maddie noticed I was awake. She leapt onto the bed, plopped on top of me, and got in my face. I squirmed, trying to get away, but she didn’t care.

  “Fine!” I surrendered, laughing. “You win! I’ll get up.” The little thing wagged her tail in victory.

  Folding the clothes scattered on the floor, I pulled my phone from the pocket of the pants. There was a missed call and voicemail from Jack, which were “accidentally” deleted, as well as two texts.

  Mom: I hope Maddie’s with you. Otherwise, we have a problem.

  Vince: Get your ass up. Lex is cooking.

  The last one had been sent only a few minutes prior. I’d never get back in time.

  Me: Can’t. Thanks anyway.

  Vince: From Lex… I wasn’t asking.

  Me: So you finally marry her, but she’s still a pushy bitch?

  Vince: But she’s MY pushy bitch, so it’s cool.

  Me: Lucky you.

  Vince: Yup. What time will you be here?

  Me: I’m an hour away. Won’t make it.

  Vince: From Lex… Start driving now and you’ll be early.

  I started typing again, but another text came through before I finished.

  Vince: From Lex… You’re wasting valuable travel time.

  Me: See you soon.

  Vince: From Lex… That’s better.

  Me: You’re both a pain in my ass!

  Vince: From Lex… I know.

  “Well, Maddie, guess we’d better get you some breakfast and hit the road.”

  When I arrived, I saw I wasn’t the only one invited. Roni and Brian’s minivan sat alongside the curb. Cheryl’s hybrid was in front of them. Rich’s car was parked in the driveway behind Lex’s SUV. Luckily for me, there wasn’t a red Mercedes or silver Acura in sight.

  Vanessa and Tori pushed their way onto the porch when they saw Maddie running up the lawn. Hopefully, they’d tire her out and she’d take a long nap later in the afternoon.

  “You really need to get those girls a dog,” I said, stepping into the foyer and seeing Roni.

  “Sure. First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll let them each pick one out,” she smiled. “And we’ll keep them at your house.”

  “If that’s what it takes to make those beautiful little girls happy…” The very tired mother of three rolled her eyes and called the girls back inside. Maddie followed.

  Lex and Barb were destroying the kitc
hen, pans covering every burner on the stove. “Hey, handsome,” Lex greeted me.

  “Mornin’, Mrs. Lyons.” Seeing her beam the way she did made my heart feel a bit better. I hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Thanks for being such a pushy bitch,” I whispered.

  “Anytime, my love.”

  Vince, his dad, Brian, and Rich sat around the table, discussing hockey. I shook Vince’s hand, falling into the seat next to him. “Where’s your mom?”

  “She went to change Liam,” Brian responded. He may have been almost as exhausted as his wife.

  “Too much partying for one night?”

  “When you have three kids, it was too much partying for a year,” he grumbled. “Good time, though.”

  “Definitely,” I agreed.

  “Uncle Joe? When did Maddie get a new collar?” Tori asked. I had forgotten it was still on her. It had to go.

  “Uh… The other day.”

  “I love it!” Vanessa declared. “Don’t ever take this one off her.” So much for getting rid of it.

  The sound of the door opening alerted Maddie to a newcomer and she darted toward the front of the house. Evidently, my lucky streak had just expired. BC’s voice drifted to me, but no one else in the room acknowledged how uncomfortable shit was about to get. Not even a little part of me would be able to tolerate looking at the doctor without causing a scene. Lex forced me to be there. The wedding was over and my heart had no reason to beat, so nobody could hold me accountable.

  “Hi, guys,” BC said, entering the kitchen. “Where should I put these?” I was the only one who didn’t respond. Vince even stood and went over to her.

  “What the hell did you buy, Brie?” Lex inquired.

  “A little of this. A little of that.” BC sounded…off.

  “Shut up, babe!” Vince told Lex. I glanced over my shoulder to see him place two white boxes wrapped with string on the counter.

  “I’ll be right back. There’s more in the car.” My chest tightened. I hated that something wasn’t right. And she had to be alone if she needed to go back outside.

  “Please, tell me you’re kidding!”

  “Lex!” Vince shushed her.

  “We’re leaving tomorrow. We don’t need all this.”

  “Yeah, we do! I have the best sister-in-law in the world!”

  “I’ll get it,” I offered, getting up. Her hair was pulled up and she wasn’t wearing makeup. Normally, I preferred it to the overdone look, but she looked frazzled.

  “Uh… No. That’s okay. I got it.”

  “Stop.” She looked away, uneasy. “I’ll get it.”

  “You probably shouldn’t. I’ll just do it myself.”

  “What took you so long?” Barb suddenly asked. “You said you were right behind us.” What the fuck was going on?

  “Let me go get this stuff first.” Barb and I exchanged glances.

  “Brielle.” I never used her whole name, so it startled her. “Talk to your mom. I’ll get everything.”

  “Joey, it’s not a big deal…” BC tried standing in front of me.

  “Then knock it off so I can go get the shit.” I pushed past her, done with the nonsense.

  Her car was next to Rich’s, the trunk already open. Rounding it, I immediately noticed both taillights were broken. “What the fuck?” I knelt down, inspecting it further. Pieces were still resting inside. I tore the other two boxes out of the trunk, slammed it shut, and stormed back into the house. “What the hell happened to your car?!” I shouted before reaching the kitchen.

  “What’s wrong with her car?” Lex immediately joined in. The entire room silenced, waiting to hear the answer.

  “Nothing. I’ll take care of it tomorrow.” She turned her back on me.

  “B, that’s not what I asked. Start talking before I fucking flip!” She knew better than to keep pushing.

  She sighed, whispering, “Please, let this go, Joey. Lex doesn’t need this today.”

  “No fucking way!”

  “Brie?” Lex added, drying her hands on a towel.

  BC glared at me, ripping her phone out of her pocket. She tapped the screen a few times, turned up the volume, and set it on the counter.

  Nothing surprised me when I heard the familiar voice coming from the speaker.

  “Wondering why I pulled you over?” McCray questioned. My head fell, my hands balling into tight fists. I pictured him walking up alongside her car, his hand on his gun.

  “Hmm… If I had to take a guess, it would be so you could take out my taillights, but what the hell do I know?”

  When he laughed, I vibrated with anger. “Apparently, you didn’t understand what I meant the other day when I told you to get the hell out of town.”

  I grabbed the phone, hitting pause. “You saw him another time?” She nodded. “When?” My teeth were clenched so tight, I wasn’t sure she heard.

  “The day I had Maddie,” she quietly responded.

  “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me then?!” My voice rose, but I couldn’t help it. Pissed wasn’t a strong enough word to explain the emotion I felt. “You should’ve called me while he was standing there, B!”

  “I saw no need to bring you into it!”

  “You saw no need?! Are you for fucking real? He smashed your car, B! What if he did something to you?” As the words left my mouth, it dawned on me. I was more terrified of what could’ve happened to her than I was angry at what did.

  “I’m sorry,” BC snapped, holding back tears. Fuck me! I went to her, but her knuckles on my chest prevented me from getting any closer than two feet.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.” She hid how shaken up she truly was from everyone…except me. Those beautiful brown eyes said it all. Why was I making the situation worse? “I’ll take care of this. Promise.”

  “I don’t want you to.”

  “I figured as much, but I will anyway.” Inquiring as to where the hell the doctor was when all this shit went down hung on the tip of my tongue. What good was he if he couldn’t even keep my girl safe from a scumbag like McCray?

  “What the hell’s going on in here? Did someone die or something?” Jack broke the stillness. I hadn’t even heard him come in.

  “We have a problem,” Vince told him.

  Jack surveyed the room. Lex was leaning on the counter, her hands in her hair. Rich and Barb were staring at each other, as if speaking telepathically. Roni and Brian took the girls into the other room. Vince’s dad had left, I assumed to update his wife.

  Just as I would have, he singled out the most important person. “Brie, you okay?”

  “She will be,” I said.

  “What’s up?”

  Calmer than I thought I’d sound, I said, “Do you know where Pop is?”

  He shrugged. “At home probably. Why?”

  “Here.” Barb took her daughter’s hand. “Go deal with this,” she told me.

  “Mom, they need to eat first,” Lex protested.

  “I’m not very hungry anymore.” She shot me a look at my attempted apology. The thought of abandoning BC sucked, but I needed to talk to my dad. “B, I’m going to see Pop. I’ll come back and tell you what he says. Okay?”

  “Joey...” Something bugged her, but she’d never say exactly what it was. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea.” Vince motioned for Jack to follow him. At least he’d be filled in and not breathing down my neck.

  “Jack will come. It’ll be fine.” She half-laughed, not believing me. I didn’t blame her. If I saw the motherfucker, I’d most likely lose not only my badge, but also my freedom. And I’d never once regret it for as long as I lived.

  BC shook her head. “Forget it.”

  “I can’t do that,” I said. “Pop needs to know. This guy isn’t someone I trust to have our backs.”

  “Brie, where were you?” Jack yelled into the room, his phone pressed against his ear. My dad was already aware of the situation.

  She sighed, aggravated. “Park Street, just past the ban
k.” That wasn’t even an isolated area. He had the balls to do this right out in public? Jack repeated the information into the phone.

  “What time?”

  She peered at the clock on the wall. “I’m not sure. Twenty minutes ago?”

  “Check her phone,” Vince advised. It would’ve stored the time, date, and location, if she had that setting on.

  “Give me your keys.” I dug mine out of my pocket and put them on the counter.

  “Why?”

  “Because I don’t want you driving your car around like that. Take mine until I can get yours fixed.”

  “Joey…”

  I grabbed the bridge of my nose. “Are you really going to fight me on this, B? Pop knows. He doesn’t let shit like this slide.”

  “Brielle, give him the damn keys,” Rich told her. She handed them over, not particularly happy about us ganging up on her.

  “Did you get cinnamon buns?” I said, trying to distract her. We used to get them from that particular bakery every Sunday morning.

  “Yes.”

  “Save me one. I’m eating it as soon as I get back.”

  “Hang on. I’m going with you,” Vince chimed in.

  “Oh no, you’re not. You’re officially on vacation.”

  “This is my family he’s fucking with,” he argued.

  “You may as well let him come with you. He’s just going to show up anyway,” Lex pushed.

  Barb gave BC a bottle of water and took her to sit at the table. I held up her phone. “I’m taking this with me. You’ll get it back later.”

  She let out a deep breath. “You’re taking my car. Why not the phone, too?” I left before provoking her further.

  After Vince and Jack checked out the damage to the car, we decided Vince would ride with me. As he headed toward the passenger seat, I hit the button on the fob, unlocking the doors.

  “I guess you got my message,” Jack bragged.

  “Uh… What message?”

  “Right, you douchebag. I suppose now that you know she didn’t chose the doctor, you feel stupid about throwing that ridiculous temper tantrum and will pretend it never happened? Deny it all you want. I saw it. Good thing I was there when she came back in. Otherwise, you may never have known it was you she picked all along.”