by M. C. Cerny
Edith chuckles, like I asked a crazy question. “With what money? Stitches would have cost a fortune with no insurance. My dad said it was my fault and I deserved what I got. I’m lucky my mother had some first aid skills.”
“Edith, honey…” I try to hold her, but she backs away.
“Please Jack. Go for your run. I’ll call the two dynamos and ask them to lunch.”
As she walks into the bathroom, shutting the door and starting the shower, I’m gutted. I feel like an asshole for suggesting the dog, but this is another prime example of how little we know about each other.
Chapter Sixteen
Edith
“So who’s ready to party it up in Miami in a few days?” I ask Aiden and Shelby, who join Jack and me at the Grease Lounge. Shelby slides into the seat across from me, Aiden following. Aiden adjusts his glasses, as Shelby slips her winter jacket off, dumping it in the corner of the booth, tossing her blonde braid over her shoulder.
“I am. These biology and chemistry classes are kicking my ass.” Aiden grabs the menu I hold out to him, flipping to the burger section. I already know he’s going to order a double bacon cheeseburger, cheese fries with gravy on the side.
“Honey, I don’t even know why you bother looking at the menu.” Shelby takes it from him and looks at it herself.
“Maybe because I want to see what my options are, Shelby dear.” Aiden grabs the menu and flips back to the burger page with force. They both seem agitated and snippy towards one another. I look at Jack, who looks back with raised eyebrows. I’ve never really seen these two get into it before, but I hope things work themselves out while on vacation.
“Then choose away, big guy. Who am I to stand in the way of you and your staid burger?” Shelby crosses her arms over her chest, an uneasy feeling simmering. I push it away when Jack slips his hand under the table to grab mine, his fingers warm and thick, squeezing gently.
“Okay, how about no fighting at the table, kids.” These two would make any sane person crazy. I gingerly take their menus away. We all know what we’re going to order when the waitress comes over anyway. It’s some cheeky girl in a fifties outfit, tiny little nametag over her boobs, and far too many buttons undone, showing her ample cleavage.
Shelby snorts, rolling her eyes. “Stop drooling, Aiden. If you ask her nicely, I’m sure she might let you give her a physical.” The waitress raises her eyebrows, quickly turning tail and walking away.
“All right. What gives? You two bicker all the time, but even this is unlike you.” Disentangling my hand from Jack, I reach across the table, grabbing my best friends’ hands, attempting to shake some sense into them.
“Shelby is pissed I have medical rotations coming up.” Aiden leans back and looks everywhere but at any person in particular, his neck turning a delightful shade of pink.
“With vaginas,” Shelby pouts. I’m glad nobody else heard it…with the exception of the waitress, who turns right around again and heads back to the kitchen, mumbling about coming back in a few minutes.
“So that’s what this is all about?” Jack laughs. I look over at him and shake my head. Things are only going to escalate between these two and, for one unhappy second, I feel like the spotlight is off of Jack and me.
“It’s an OB rotation at the clinic,” he says, exasperated. She makes a sound and a face to match her unhappiness. “Shelby, you look at naked people all day, drawing penises everywhere.” Aiden tosses his hands up in the air and the waitress, who has tried a third time to take our order, just leaves. I’m pretty sure we’re not getting anything except water deluxe.
“Everywhere?” Jack asks. I try shushing him, but it’s no use. I let my forehead fall to the table, hoping the floor will open up and swallow me. Maybe I can get a fancy teleportation device, like that show Aiden loves with the doctor guy and the phone booth.
“The frickin’ bathroom, man.” Aiden leans over the table, whispering, “They are literally everywhere…”
“Oh, please. At least my hands aren’t up some stranger’s cu–”
I cut Shelby’s tirade off, “And that’s when we all think happy thoughts, remembering that I’ve never flown on a plane before and you all love me enough to behave!” I pick up my water glass and shake it, threatening to toss it on one or both of them if they don’t cut it out. “Who needs to cool down?” Grumbling, they stop and we actually get the waitress to come back and take our order. I wish I had something stronger than coffee to handle these two.
Jack
I’m still curious about these random penises drawn all over Aiden’s bathroom, so discussing our trip seems like the best distraction. “Speaking of Miami, I’ve rented a house on the beach and a car for us to drive while we’re there.”
Aiden checks his phone, reviewing the group itinerary. “Flights are all booked. We’ll come to the house and drive together to the airport.”
Aiden joins me in discussing a fishing excursion I want to take, and the girls drift to safer and more interesting topics, like which bikinis they plan to pack.
Looking up, Aiden growls, “Son of bitch.” He suddenly stands up and out of the booth.
I turn to look behind me to see what he sees. “Baby, don’t turn around.” I keep Edith from looking.
“Jack, stop. What are you doing?” Words muffled, she wiggles in the seat. I practically jump on top of her, pushing her face into my chest so she can’t look at the piece of shit who just entered the diner.
“Edie, listen to Jack.” I look at Shelby, who pales. She grabs Aiden by the arm, her trendy nails filed like bird talons, pressing gouges in his skin to pull him back down to his seat. “Hon, he’s not worth it.”
Aiden looks ready to kill Daniel Munson. While I would be right there with him, Sam Autumns has warned me to keep my mouth shut and avoid contact with the fucker. I’m in enough hot water with Sam for being Edith’s professor this past semester. I dare not get him started on how we met while she was in high school, or how she was just barely legal when we kissed. He told me there was nothing worse than trying to convict a dead man, but I’d have to disagree with him on that one.
“Well, if it isn’t the Marvel Mod Squad.” Daniel’s annoying voice grates on my nerves. The second he speaks, Edith starts to shake uncontrollably in my arms. Fucker deserves what he gets.
“There’s a fucking consent order in place, and there’s the fucking door.” Aiden stands ready to pounce like a bear. Shelby falls back down in her seat when he shakes her off. “Do you need me to show it to you, asshole?”
“I wouldn’t want the good doctor to be banned by the medical board before his career even starts.” His smile is a sickening combination of smug entitlement and perverted desires. “I just wanted to thank Edie. My lawyer says I’ll likely get off…” His voice drops to a disgusting whisper, “and that really turns me on.”
Aiden lunges at him and he takes a step back, knocking into our waitress, the tray of food careening to the floor. Laughing, he leaves as our waitress curses him out, bursting into tears. Aiden and Shelby help her pick up what they can.
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll pay for everything,” I tell her, continuing to rub Edith’s back, soothing her panic.
Our waitress continues grumbling and cleaning the mess up. “That idiot has been in here every damn day, making a nuisance of himself.” Aiden, Shelby, and I exchange a knowing look, wondering what the hell Danny boy was doing in a favorite establishment of ours.
Once everything calms down, Shelby begins her inquisition. “What did he mean he was going to get off?”
“Edie, you need to tell them.” Aiden reaches across the table and tugs a lock of her hair to get her attention.
Slowly, she pulls her head from my arms. Wiping tears off her face, licking her dry puffy lips, she speaks softly, “I want to drop the charges and make everything go away. I want to forget last semester ever happened.” My heart stops when she looks up at me, hurt and scared. “Most of last semester.” She rests her
palm on my face, leaning in to kiss my cheek before resting her head on my shoulder. Rubbing her hand up and down my shirt, she seems to know that my biggest fear is she will leave me after everything we’ve been through in this short period of time.
“Dammit! You can’t do that!” Shelby shouts.
Aiden grabs her arm, pulling her out of the booth. “We’ll be right back. Babe. Outside. Now.”
“It’s cold.”
“Put this on.” Gruffly, Aiden grabs her jacket and stuffs it in her arms, hauling her out of the diner.
Turning to Edith, I take her cold hands in mine, forcing her to look at me. “Baby, whatever you want to do, I’ll support you.” As much as it’s going to hurt like hell, I’m wise enough to know that forcing her to testify will get us nowhere. I want her healthy, emotionally and physically.
Chapter Seventeen
Edith
It’s the crack of dawn and I’m standing in the kitchen, bundled up with hot coffee, scarf, jacket, and flip flops. The only way Jack let me get away with wearing them is because I’m going straight from the house to the car to the airplane. I figured my logic was sound, seeing as I thought it was ridiculous to pack furry boots when the weather would be in the seventies in Miami. Jack’s answer was to buy me a bigger suitcase. I pulled the pouty face out and told him that Shelby was wearing flip flops, which did not earn me any brownie points because Jack called Aiden, who went all doctor on us for wearing improper clothing in a New Jersey winter.
Shelby threatened to withhold blowjobs and, voila. I’ve got cute red flip flops gracing my feet. Boys ain’t got nothing on coercion.
As we wait for everyone to get here so we can get to the airport, I’m getting nervous. I’m twenty-two and have never stepped outside New Jersey. I once ventured near the river in Camden, getting a good glimpse of Philadelphia, but that’s as close as I got. The past few years have been nothing but school, work, and preparing for the day I could support myself in some measure of comfort. Flying to Miami with my friends and my boyfriend is like my first spring break, only it’s December.
Jack rented a well-stocked beach house, so all we have to do is show up and relax. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to fully let go, but Jack assures me I’ll get the hang of doing nothing for a few days. I’m filled with immeasurable gratitude, but I wish Jack didn’t have to work while we were on vacation. He promises it won’t be for long.
“Ready, baby?” Jack comes into the kitchen and pulls me close, nuzzling my ear, taking a long smell of my hair. “I can’t wait to see you on the beach.”
“I hope the sharks stay away. Shelby convinced me to buy this red two-piece suit that makes me sparkle like a human shish kebab. I don’t want to be a snack.”
“I think we can find some activities to keep us away from the sharks, but if you want me to feast on you, just let me know…” He starts to suck on my neck in loud smacking kisses, making me laugh and squirm.
“Jack, stop!” I lean back and push him away. He growls and acts like he’s going to bite me. I get away, but he chases me around the kitchen island. The doorbell dings once before the door opens and I scream, running for it, Jack hot on my tail.
“Whoa. Who let the wild things out?” Aiden catches me and puts me behind his back, pretending to protect me.
“Just a little pre-flight shenanigans.” Jack halts, shrugging. He shakes Aiden’s hand, pulling him in for one of those awkward “bro-hugs” Shelby is always lamenting. She’s a hug or die kind of girl, forcing her love on everyone.
Shelby walks in behind him. “I brought gum, iPod, and ear phones for the in-flight movie.” She opens her big ass hippie bag, which is filled with every distraction I can imagine.
Half-jokingly, I peer in her bag, asking, “I hope you brought tequila, too.”
“Tsk…tsk… No need to be hungover. I brought the Dramamine,” Aiden says, holding up the box.
“You, my friend, are a godsend.” I hug Aiden and snag the box of pills from his hand, stuffing them in my bag for easy access. I had already grabbed Jack’s migraine pills, just in case. Since seeing Daniel at the Grease Lounge, I’ve been sleeping poorly, tossing and turning each night until I passed out from sheer exhaustion, then I would sleep most of the day away. Either Jack doesn’t suspect much, or he’s being overly polite with my newfound laziness.
“Okay. Let’s get rolling.” Jack ushers us all to the car, we pack, and he drives us to the airport.
Jack
The flight is uneventful. After taking the Dramamine and sipping from Shelby’s wine glass, Edith snores lightly, her head on my shoulder. I wasn’t a fan of her taking the pills with the alcohol, but Aiden assured me a sip wouldn’t hurt. I’m glad she’s actually getting some real sleep for a change, instead of tossing and turning all night long. Pretending to sleep next her as I watch her struggle has been taking its toll on me, as well.
I put my arm around her, kissing the top of her head. She’s with me and she’s safe. We’ll deal with the issue of her not wanting to testify later. Before we left, Sam called me and I assured him I was working on it. I said I would support whatever she wanted to do, but this is a criminal matter. If he gets out, it also voids the No Contact order, meaning he’d have free reign to come near her again. I cannot allow that.
***
“Ladies and gentlemen, please prepare the cabin for landing. Stow away all baggage, and place tray tables in their upright position.” I had briefly closed my eyes, but when I opened them again, I don’t see Shelby and Aiden. “Please return to your seats, as the captain has turned on the seatbelt light for your safety.”
One of the first class lavatory doors opens and out walks a grinning Shelby. I look away, hoping we don’t make eye contact. I’m glad Edith is asleep. She’d be mortified to learn that Shelby and Aiden are Mile High Club members.
I pretend to read the Cloud Miles magazine, shopping for outdoor garden lights, and feel rather than see Aiden plop down in the seat in front of me. Shelby has her iPod on, earbuds in her ears.
“Dude, thanks for not saying anything.” Aiden pokes his head around the aisle to my seat. I don’t want to look up and discuss this with him.
“Won’t hear me talking about it, although I do question the sanitary conditions of such a place.” I flip through the magazine, deciding I will buy the entire patio set if Aiden doesn’t shut the fuck up.
“Don’t ask.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
The pilot smoothly lands our plane, not even disturbing Edith when we touch down, jolting on the runway for a fraction of a second.
Leaning over, I whisper in her ear, “Baby, we’re here.”
Chapter Eighteen
Edith
Miami is home to palm trees, the Monroe Matchmatchers, cruise ships, and the beach. I feel blissfully numb and groggy in the midday heat.
Shelby is bouncing around excitedly. “I love the beach. Promise me we’re going there first.” She grabs my arm, pulling me toward our waiting car.
Thirty minutes later, Jack pulls up to a pink house with white trim on a private beach, and I’m pretty sure I’m in love. Shelby and I hold each other up as we get out of the rented SUV, and I look around. Nothing could be better right now. There’s no pending court testimony, no looming semester, and no one who can identify Jack as my former professor. It’s finally all good.
“Last one in sleeps on the beach!” Aiden races into the house. Shelby leaves me to chase after her boyfriend who has a good lead on her.
“Please tell me there are bedrooms at either end of the house,” I say, pleading.
Jack looks at me, smiling. “Don’t worry. After getting to know your friends, I got a house with bedrooms on different floors.”
“Thank you, God,” I joke, laughing, as we walk into the house. Cool blues and greens decorate the walls, and white furnishings look out a big bay window towards the ocean and private beach.
I look at Jack, smiling. “It’s absolutely perfect.”
“Hey, perfect house for my perfect girl.” Jack and I hug in the open foyer.
Hearing laughing, we pull apart to see that Shelby and Aiden have stripped most of their clothes off and are heading back up from the water in their underwear, completely soaked and smiling.
They both nod, challenging us to their game. “Last one in the water is rotten, like the turnpike.”
They playfully push each other out the door, and all we can do is shake our heads. A few days in the sun should have me thinking clearly and figuring out what to do when we get back.
