by Aja Cole
She couldn’t rib me about my secret when she’d been hiding the fact that she and my DAD were back together.
Shouldn’t that be something you told your child? What if I’d been holding out hope for them or depressed or something. Just selfish, the two of them.
I was joking, but it did surprise me. I hadn’t known what drove them apart but I was honestly glad they were back together. It did seem like my dad got lonely, and my mom – well...she had a special charm. If you knew her, you loved her. But she didn’t always make it easy for new people to get to know her – especially men.
We were shopping once when she visited me, and an older man came up to us.
He was pretty cute for an old guy! Thick salt and pepper hair, clean shaven, dressed well. The type of guy you’d expect my mom to snap up.
My mom was a looker. She was always dressed well, her hair was never out of place, and her skin was glowing and showed no signs of aging anytime soon. I wanted to be her when I grew up – to an extent. I still loved my casual sweats.
The poor man had come up, and complimented her, saying that the dress she was looking at would look stunning on her. Old Mr. Smooth went on to say that he’d love it if she’d wear the dress when she went to dinner with him.
She looked the man up and down once, and in the blandest voice I’d ever heard from her – she replied, “I don’t date men who pick up their dates at daycares. Find me when you’re not in the middle of a midlife crisis.”
Apparently, she’d seen him in the shop already with a younger woman and hadn’t been impressed. I’d laughed for days, while she looked on like it was the most normal occurrence in the world.
A complete character. But if there was anyone that could deal, it was my dad. They weren’t the most likely couple. My mom was quick wit and polish, while my dad was more street smarts and didn’t believe in dry cleaners. But if they were happy, and hadn’t killed each other yet – then I was happy.
“I feel like this is the perfect opportunity for an inappropriate joke, but since those are your parents, I will contain myself.” Luc took a beer from the fridge and laughed at the dirty look I gave him.
“Wow, you’re so kind,” I quipped, putting ice in a glass and pouring the sparkling water over it. “Is this what you expected today? To be hanging out with my newly-reconciled parents like one little happy family?”
“Nope. But I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” He pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “Should we order food or do you want to cook?”
“I’ll cook,” I said, just as my mom called from the couches.
“Thea, I’d rather not be subjected to food poisoning tonight. We should order in.”
“What a b—,” I started, but Luc gave me a warning look and I simpered sweetly. “What a beautiful idea, Mother.” I raised my voice so she could hear me. “Not bitchy at all!”
We took the drinks in to my parents and settled into our couch. We talked, ordered food, and my parents got to know Luc. My dad eventually couldn’t help himself from going all gung-ho about Luc’s team.
At some point, we’d need to talk about what I would do when he had to go back home.
But I would worry about that later.
Much later.
34
Theodora
I worked conditioner into my hair, enjoying the feel of the vibrating scalp massager and thinking about the state of my union.
It’d been two weeks.
Two weeks since Gerard and Kimmy decided to go on a spur of the moment trip to California, since they were in the country.
Luc had gotten a short text saying said they’d be back soon.
Mighty convenient that she’d disappeared right after Luc and I said we’d talk about things that night.
I knew she’d lied to me at this point.
I just didn’t know what I was going to do about it.
And I didn’t know how she’d lied to me.
It was probably time to re-hash the entire timeline and find the evidence.
We hadn’t talked about any of it again since the day we realized something didn’t match up. Luc had enough to do with shooting commercials and spreads. I’d been doing some design work remotely. My parents stayed for a few days, and I got to be traumatized when I heard my mom moan from the next room.
We’re not going to talk about it.
I rinsed myself off and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my hair and another around my body. I hit pause in the middle of the Bruno Mars song that was playing on my phone. Then hoisted the Bluetooth speakers, my hair oil, and my phone into my arms, all while trying to keep my towel secure.
Luc and I were…damn, we were perfect.
He was at a doctor’s appointment, making sure that there were no damaging effects from his concussion. For a few nights over the past two weeks, I’d stroked his hair in complete darkness as he laid on my lap because his head was bothering him so much. He’d also been getting dizzy occasionally, but trying to keep it to himself. I’d been putting off sex because I didn’t want to cause him any more problems. He’d thrown a fit and made me promise that if he got the all clear from his doctor once and for all – I would “stop this nonsense.”
I couldn’t help worrying about him. I’d just gotten Luc back and I wanted to keep him as long as I could. I’d seen enough episodes of Grey’s to be a little paranoid. You think you’re going in for a routine appendectomy, and then BOOM – you need a leg amputated or something.
My phone rang as I was plugging in the blow-dryer.
“Miss me already? I just got out the shower.” I put the phone on speaker, sitting it on the counter as I started to detangle my hair with a wide-toothed comb.
“Always, baby. But I have a question for you,” he paused like he wasn’t sure if he should continue.
“Go on,” I prodded, twisting one section of hair up and clipping it at the top of my head.
“I hope you won’t be mad at me. I need you to go downstairs, and when you hear a knock on the door, just answer it. Promise me you won’t look through the viewer.”
If he was anyone else, I would’ve noped out of there quick, fast, and in a hurry! The request reeked of scary movie material. Everyone knows they always kill the black people first! Then it’s the lovesick best friend. Then it’s the dumb jock. Last, the vapid idiot that decides it’s a good idea to run in the direction of the killer.
I wasn’t a fan of scary movies.
“Ookay. You know, a divorce is cheaper than hiding my body. I wouldn’t ask for anything from you.”
“Ha ha, you are such the comedienne.” I smiled, imagining the unamused look on his face. He got prickly when I joked about us leaving each other. I thought it was kind of cute. “You’ve got 5 minutes to put on some clothes. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be anything but yourself.”
He was being so cryptic. It made me nervous, but had my curiosity fully roused. He’d probably anticipated that.
“I’m really nervous because you said don’t hate you, and I have no idea who is going to be at the door.”
“Just be open, okay? Te amo.” He stayed on the phone until I’d repeated it to him.
When I hung up, I went to the bedroom and pulled on a lightweight sweatshirt and leggings, not bothering to put on a bra. The sweatshirt was baggy and I was impatient to know who was going to be at the door.
I made my way down the stairs and stood there like an idiot, waiting to hear that fateful knock. I jumped when it came, fighting the urge to cheat and look first. I opened it slowly…and promptly started crying.
“Damn, didn’t know you hated us so much.” Vivi, one of my best friends when I was growing up, smiled at me through watery eyes as she and Blair came in with small suitcases. I stared at them, completely shocked, and then practically tackled them. We toppled to the floor and I started to laugh as tears ran down my face, until we were all laid out on the carpet laughing like crazy people.
“I missed you guys so much
.” I hiccupped, wiping my eyes,.“I’m so sorry I pushed you away.”
“Your husband explained when he called us, along with your mom. We all know what you’re like when you get something into that thick head of yours, thinking you need to keep all your problems to yourself to spare the rest of us,” Blair said, putting up a manicured hand when I opened my mouth to speak. “Not a word. We love you, baby doll. No amount of time passed or stupid thought processes is going to change that we’re your best friends. Of course, we were angry and hurt, but at least now we have tons to catch up on.”
“And we’re staying for the—,” Vivi stopped talking suddenly and I looked back at Blair, who was behind me, but she was just watching Vivi talk. “We’re staying for however long you want us. You still have a heap of explaining to do. I expect you to bake me something wickedly amazing to make up for my pain and suffering.”
“And I expect home-cooked meals,” Blair piped up, blinking thickly lashed green eyes.
“It’s kind of the least I could do,” I agreed softly, looking between the girls I’d grown up with. I couldn’t believe I’d wasted so much time just because I was scared to let people know I’d made what I thought was a dumb decision.
Only to find out that nothing was what it seemed.
“Luc called you? What’d he say?”
“Your mom called us, and he was with her. He told us how much you’ve talked about regretting not letting us in and telling us what was going on. He said that he loved you and didn’t like to see you hurt this way, and he wanted to know if we could forgive you,” Vivi explained.
“Of course, I said no…” Blair started.
“Of course you did, because you’re a raging bitch,” I teased her, swatting her leg.
“No, really, I said yes before Vivi did. I love her, but damn she gives terrible advice compared to you!”
“Well fuck you.” Vivi stuck her tongue out. “We missed you just as much Thea. If he hadn’t called us, we would’ve called you soon. We just didn’t know if you wanted to hear from us.”
“Every damn day. I was just too much of a coward to reach out in case you hated me.”
“Well, we’re here now. And we want to know all the details. Start with where I get me a man that goes to these lengths and has an accent that sounds like sex on steroids.”
I got up from the floor, sticking a hand out to each of them to help them up.
“So what had happened was…”
35
Luciano
I opened the door to my place, guest in tow, and immediately saw Cassandra in my kitchen. She hadn’t been there when I left hours ago, but I should’ve expected it.
I’d told Thea that I would curb the natural annoyance that rose because of her hanging out with someone that clearly had their sights on her. She’d gotten to know Cassandra well, and was even re-designing her bedroom.
I was being a fucking saint about it, in my opinion.
She seemed to at least have Thea’s best interests in mind. A little part of me had hoped that if Thea reconciled with her old friends, she’d let Cassandra fade away a bit.
It’d been a week of Vivi and Blair staying with us.
No such luck.
“Cassandra.”
“Male.” She smirked, sauntering back into the living room with a full pitcher of what was probably Margaritas.
Apparently, Thea and her friends were making up for lost time.
“Dime que ella es soltera,” Manuel pleaded, squeezing my shoulder.
“Yes, she’s single, but you both have one important thing in common.”
“We both like sex?” he said hopefully, a predatory glint already lighting his eyes. I smiled sympathetically, and started to walk away.
“You both like women.”
“Joder!” he cursed, dropping his suitcase. I was going to take him by the hotel later, but I wanted him to meet everyone before the ceremony this weekend.
Truly, I wanted him to see everyone that was off limits to him.
Thea had no idea that the things I’d been asking her over the past three weeks were so I could make things as perfect as possible, without alerting her that I was planning anything. I’d been taking her on little dates, asking a question here or there, like I just wanted to get to know each other all over again.
Which I did.
I also wanted to give her the ceremony surrounded by our friends and family that we didn’t have the first time.
Kimmy seemed to have disappeared. Gerard called a few days earlier and said that he appreciated us letting him and Kimmy stay with us briefly. He mentioned that his daughter had fallen sick, unexpectedly. He said he didn’t know where Kimmy was, and was worried.
Thea and I had decided to move on.
She believed me, and after seeing the images and video myself, I saw exactly why she’d retreated. I almost thought it was me, and I know I never did any of that shit.
I told Thea about the pass I remembered Kimmy making at me not long after she left for the States. Kimmy had shown up at my flat one night wearing nothing but a trench coat and a smile. I shut her down promptly.
I hadn't thought much of it at the time. Thea called me a typical male for that thought process.
I'd always felt that Kimmy was jealous of Thea, and I knew she got around. After I told her to get lost, she'd tried to play down her behavior, saying she was just drunk.
Obviously, it’d been more than that.
After a long discussion about fully letting go of the past, and a lot of tears – I will admit that some came from me – we were on completely solid ground.
We’d talked about life after I went back to the team.
She would move with me, and when it was time for me to retire, we would move back to the US if that was still appealing.
I was fine with having everyone visit us whenever they wanted, and she’d already put out feelers for jobs. Cassandra was helping her with that.
I was grudgingly appreciative.
Mi madre would get in tomorrow, because we didn’t want to alert Thea by having so many people suddenly decide to visit. I was excited and terrified and hoping that I was doing the right thing.
I was confident in my powers of persuasion, but this time, the only thing I wanted her to feel was pure happiness.
“Manuel!” Thea shrieked, climbing over bodies and scrambling upright. I tried to smooth my face to not be so amused, but I failed. “Hey! Don’ laugh. I’m just a lil…I’ve had a lil,” she hiccupped lightly, grinning ,“a lil’ to drink!”
Even tipsy, she was fucking adorable. Her loose hair tumbled around her shoulders, the new deep caramel color still being something I was getting used to. She joked that I was only so fascinated because every time she changed her hair, it was like she was a new person.
I didn’t care what was on her head, as long as she was still mine.
Manuel hugged her, winking at me over her head and mouthing, “All grown up.”
I believed half his blood was gone from his brain at all times. I tugged her back gently and wrapped my arms around her when I thought his hold was going on too long.
“Your muscles are so nice,” she mumbled, poking at my bicep with one finger.
“Thanks, baby,” I kissed the top of her head, waving at the girls gathered in the living room. “Who are your friends?”
I recognized Cassandra, Vivi, Blair, and Mrs. James. There were two other girls there that I didn’t know.
“Oh, they’re Vivi’s friends! Well they’re my friends now too but they were Vivi’s friends first. Isn’t she nice to share her friends with me?” her eyes were wide and glazed enough that I decided to cut her off from the alcohol tap before she woke up tomorrow miserable.
That wouldn’t be a good start to what I hoped what be a perfecto day.
Vivi squinted at me, waving back. “It’s the hot husband!”
One of the girls I didn’t know burst into laughter, while the other said, “I’d be mad that I coul
dn’t drink if watching them wasn’t so funny.” She got up and came over to us, sticking her hand out. “I’m Faith, and my tipsy friend over there is Daya. Sorry about turning your home into a bar.”
“I don’t mind at all,” I reassured her, letting Thea go when she wiggled.
“Your wife is great. My husband and I have a place in London that we try to get to when we can. You two should definitely visit us when you’re home!”
“I’d love to. Thank you. I’ll tell Thea when she’s more likely to remember.” I nodded to where she was giggling over something with Vivi.
“Luc!” Blair yelled out, “Who’s the tall glass of whiskey?”
I raised my eyebrows, following her gaze to where Manuel was getting a beer from the kitchen. “My cousin, and he’s a one night stand type of guy. Not the type of guy I want you or Vivi looking at,” I warned. They’d only been around a week, but I started to think of them as little sisters.
And Manuel shouldn’t have been near anyone’s little sisters.
I wasn’t going to have Thea mad at me because my cousin broke one of her best friend’s hearts. I’d had all the drama I needed to last me awhile.
“Maybe I only want him for a one night stand.” Blair smiled big, blinking her eyes innocently.
“No,” I answered, giving her the same look I gave Thea when she started to curse at her mom.
Blair pouted as Manuel came up beside me and popped the cap on his drink. “Fine, spoilsport.”
“If you’re only looking for a one night stand…” Cassandra trailed off, smiling at Blair. Blair’s eyes popped even wider, but she didn’t say no. I started to protest, but then I realized that if she started anything with Blair then her eye would be off my woman.
“Wonderful idea. Thea, Cassie should get to know Blair better, bien?”
“Ooh, yeess,” she exhaled, “Blair likes men and women.”
“Amigo, por favor,” Manuel murmured, putting a hand over his heart.
“Off-limits,” I reiterated.
“I once dated a woman,” Mrs. James started…but she didn’t finish her sentence because there was a knock on the door.
