by Tigris Eden
She looked up at him with helpless eyes. Fuck, where were his manners? This was Wilson’s daughter. Liam was a good friend of his. He wasn’t about to let his friend’s little sister stay in a motel. She was right.
“I’m sorry. You can stay here. There’s a guestroom in the house. Up the stairs and to the left.”
“Thanks, Jackson, I appreciate it.” She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. “I’m really sorry about Anna... It’s too bad she doesn’t understand what a real catch you are. Any woman would be lucky to have you.”
Yeah. Sure. If that were the case, then why was the woman he wanted too blind to see it?
“Turn a little to your left. Yes. Right there. Hold that pose.” The flash from the camera gets the perfect shot.
My boss found a job putting me on the warm sandy beaches of Maldives. Maldives! I was excited, but still a little sad. This shoot was for some European magazine and the owner wanted a fresh new photographer with fresh new ideas. That’s me. All expenses are paid.
Though I don’t want to admit it, I am having an okay time. The models are nice, the staff’s even nicer and I’ve been gone for two weeks. Two whole weeks. I left the same day I found out Talia slept with Jackson. I couldn’t stomach my apartment. I couldn’t be there. My sheets smelled like him. My bathroom still had his things in it. Leaving was the only thing to do.
“That’s it, guys. We can break and then we can take the yacht out to get the sunset shots.”
The group cheers.
I do a little cheer myself because I plan to relax until the next location.
One of the models walks over in my direction as my assistant and I start loading up the camera equipment.
“Hey, Anna, you gonna hang out with us?”
“No. I have a massage with my name on it.”
The island is beautiful. Everything is vibrant and fresh. It even smells different here. A tropical scent I can’t place, but will never forget. Rangali boasts beautiful white sands, and a clear blue ocean. There are two islands connected by a long bridge, one side more secluded than the other. The models are staying on the spa side. I on the other hand am staying in one of the over water bungalows.
“You have this, Jeff?” I ask my assistant. He is only a few years younger than I am. Fresh out of art school.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I told you to call me Anna, Jeff.”
“Yes, Anna, I got this. What time do you want the models back out for the yacht shoot?”
“Sun’s setting at seven tonight, so we’ll cast off about five get a good spot on the water, and then we’re off to the races.”
“Sounds good. I’m going to head over to the bar. They have some excellent wine.”
“Go ahead, enjoy yourself.”
Jeff salutes me and then he’s directing the staff on where to put our equipment. I have submersed myself in the island. I don’t want to be a killjoy. There is a shop that has beautiful bathing suits and sarongs so soft and fine, you could pull them through a ring. I am wearing traditional Maldivian wrap with a black bikini top. My hair’s curly because it's useless trying to keep it straight in this weather. So close to the equator it’s always warm, and because I have to capture the best shots, I’m constantly moving. It causes me to sweat more than I like, but every afternoon, I indulge in a backrub.
The over-water spa is my secret love affair. Two large, clear bowls sit at the entrance with tea lights and flowers floating in the water. One of the staff members always greets me. Una, who is from Europe, does all my bodywork. She has a pleasant accent I can’t place, and magical hands.
“So what do you want done today, dear Anna?”
“We haven’t tried the sugar wrap yet. I’ll go with that.”
“Good choice.”
Give and Take: Chapter 11
“Anna, it’s so good to hear your voice.”
It’s been two months and three weeks. I’d been home for two days, and I’d finally picked up my new phone. It was time for me to stop being nasty to Joey and just talk to her.
“Hey, Joey.”
“I’ve missed you, girl.”
“I’ve missed you to. What’s up?”
“Well, thought you’d want to know that Ava is Jackson’s.”
No, but I guess this is her way of trying to disclose information to me. Since she’d kept his engagement in the dark.
“Thanks, but your brother’s personal life no longer concerns me.”
“It’s like that?”
“Yeah, how’s your oven?”
“Cooking nicely. My baby shower is in a week. You think you’re gonna be able to come down? Please, Anna. You’re my little boy’s Godmother.”
The title of aunt was easily relinquished. If only she knew.
“So you and Treat are having a boy?” I respond, trying to hold in my hurt.
“Yeah, we found out a couple of days after you left. I’m almost six months now.”
“Wow, congrats, Joey. Tell Treat I said I’m so happy for him.”
“You are coming for the shower right? Please say you’ll come.”
“Not a good idea.”
“Why not? You have to. If I have to deal with Vivian, Viola, and that girl Talia, I’ll die.”
“Talia? She’s still there?”
“Yeah, she’s been staying over at Jackson’s place. Her brother Liam and their father have been talking to Jackson about some new security venture they want him to be a part of.”
This is not something I want to deal with, let alone hear.
“It’s not a good idea. I’ll send a gift, okay, Joey. I’ll make sure that I’m there for my little man’s birth. I promise. Gotta take the baby pictures right?”
“Anna, please come. You just have to. I know it’s hard. No one’s talking about the break up any more. If it makes you feel any better, I even invited some of your cousins.”
“Why did you do that, Joey? Nothing good will come out of Lo and them being there.”
Joey giggles. She knows what trouble the Danvers can cause. “Yeah it will. Lola will wreck shop on anyone that tries to start something. Treat said it was a great idea.”
He would, too. My brother loves drama.
“Josephine Storme, you sneaky little rat. What if I hadn’t picked up the phone?”
“Then Lola would have called you and told you. Either way, you gotta come now, if I only to keep your side of the family in check. Your mom said she may even come and so are Treat’s parents.”
I drop my head into my free hand and shake it vigorously. Nothing good is going to come of this baby shower. Too many unstable liabilities in the mix. I can’t let my mother go there knowing Treat’s father is going. That’s a disaster waiting to happen.
“When’s this baby shower induced drama going down?”
“Three days.”
“That’s hardly enough time for me to let my job know.”
“Just tell them you’re doing freelance. Come and take pictures of the shower. I’ll even pay you if I have to.”
She knows I won’t take her money.
“You’re killing me, Joey.”
She giggles again. “You’ll be fine. Just don’t forget to wear jeans and some ass-kicking shoes. You know just in case you need to keep your folks in line.”
“If that happens, I’m blaming you, Joey.”
“Bye, Honeybee. See you in three days.”
Three Days later….
It’s hot and humid in Louisiana. I step off the plane and instantly cringe. I hadn’t told anyone what time my plane landed. I did that on purpose. There is no reason to have a welcome wagon. Jackson hadn’t called me since the last time we’d spoken, and I hadn’t called him. We’re over. If I’m being honest, I can admit I haven’t come to terms with that fact. If I think about what we had for too long, I’ll burst into tears. Chin up. Chin up, indeed.
I’m wearing my skinny jeans and an oversized tee-shirt that hangs off my shoul
der and I have my camera and my overnight bag. I am not staying longer than Joey’s baby shower. My mother knows I’m coming in, and she even advised me to stay home. Especially after I told her Treat’s mother and father would be there. I think what she was trying to tell me is Jackson Storme had moved on, and with my ex-college roommate. How fucked up is that shit? And how fucked up was I to subject myself to the torture of seeing those two together? Beauville isn’t big, and we’re bound to cross paths, whether in passing or at the baby shower.
I just hope not everyone in town has turned on me. I hope that Joey will not invite Talia. If Jackson is there, I’d be subjected to hours of public displays of affection.
You should have brought a date. Yeah, that would have been all kinds of crazy. It would make me look ridiculous too, and people would have said I was trying way too hard. Because let’s face it, there’s no one out there better than Jackson. Yeah. Right. There’s someone. I just don’t want to bother with the hassle of playing the dating game. We’ve been apart for almost three months. He’s a man, what did I expect him to do? Moon over me and show up at my apartment in New York? That’s exactly what you hoped for. Doesn’t matter. Either way, I am off the plane and heading back to Beauville. I have already accepted I am not over Jackson. I fully admit I don’t want to run into him, whether it is on the side of the street, across the street, or at Joey’s baby shower. I am not prepared for any of it.
I square my shoulders and make my way over to the shuttle service. My mother offered to pick me up at the airport, but I opted to rent a car instead. Makes getting away so much easier. I won’t have to wait on anyone to take me anywhere. I can just leave when I want to leave. The attendant at the desk grins at me when he offers me a free upgrade.
“You’re driving into Beauville, ma’am. You might as well ride in style. Give those people something to talk about.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
The attendant’s idea of an upgrade is a Toyota Camry. I don’t have the heart to tell him otherwise. I have about an hour’s drive to get my shit together and another hour before Joey’s party. Enough time to shower, dress, and head over to the park where the shower is at. The same park Jackson and I had hooked up.
Gah! Stop it, Anna! Stop it! I scold myself for the millionth time today. I’m a nervous wreck and I want to be poised. Civil. Anything less than that is un-classy. My Aunt Lorraine’s husband always told Lola and me that classy dames are the best.
The Camry is nice, and the inside still has the new car smell. So all isn’t totally lost in the world. In the city, I don’t need a car. I take a cab or the subway, but mostly, I walk everywhere. New York City has public transportation down to a science.
As I drive, I think about all my actions. What I could have done to avoid it all, and how different today might be, if I responded in another way. Should I have listened to what he had to say? Would it have changed my mind? If it had, could I have lived with it? That’s what it all boils down to. Could I have handled whatever it was Jackson was going to explain to me?
He’s never been one to lie to me before, or any other woman. He’s always been honest with the women he’s slept with. Never cheated as far as he was concerned. He had one simple rule; he slept with whomever he wanted. If a woman happens to end up in his rotation, she was well aware of the other women he was seeing. He’d never been an exclusive kind of man before. Well, with the exception of Vivian and myself.
My cell goes off, alerting me to a call, and because I have it plugged into the car, I hit the button on the steering wheel, and on comes my cousin Lo.
“Girl, your ass finally off the plane? We gotta get your nails did, hair did, everything did.”
I almost laugh. Almost.
I am not doing anything extra to impress anyone. Least of all, Jackson.
“No, Lo. I’m going in regular garb. There’s no need to be fancy, ma.” I say in my fake east coast accent.
“Girl, you ain’t from no city. You better talk to me correct before I knock the country back in your ass.”
“Hush up, Lo. Now, why are you calling me? I’m trying to drive.”
“I was calling to let you know that I will be on my bestest behavior. I promise not to go buck wild on anyone today. This is Joey’s party, and it’s for her baby. I’m not gonna go HAM. I promise.”
“Appreciate it, Cuz.”
“I got you, baby girl. But just as a precaution, I got my kicks and my brass knuckles in the trunk of my car. Just in case we do have to go hard as a motherfucker. You know, wreck house on them uptight wannabe Housewives of Beauville County.” Lola makes a clicking noise with her tongue before she continues, “Girl, I swear that little ho Talina, or Talia, whatever the bitch’s name is, she’s been sweating Jackson like there is no tomorrow. I know you don’t want to hear this shit, love, but between that girl and Vivian, I think Jackson is tired. He don’t know whether he’s coming or going. And that little girl Ava, well she’s his. Let me tell you, she’s cute and all, but if you and Jackson had produced some kids, girl, those kids would have been beauty-ful. You hear me.”
Shaking my head, I turn off the highway to take the interstate that leads to town. I don’t want to hear this. Lola knows, but she thinks that if I hear it from her, it’s easier to stomach. She’s wrong. If she doesn’t stop talking, I am going to turn the car around and take my ass right on back to New York.
“Lo, you think you could stop talking for a second so I can get a word in edgewise?”
The line goes silent.
“Great, I’m about twenty minutes outside Beauville. I’m gonna stop off at my mom’s, dress, and then I’ll meet you over at the park. Cool?”
“Yeah, girl. What are you gonna wear?”
“Don’t know, and don’t care, but I’ll dress normal.”
“Girl, this is a big to do. You know how Jackson’s mama is. Hats and shoes girl.”
Great, it’s a Sunday’s best affair, and it isn’t even Sunday. Joey told me to wear jeans. But maybe she didn’t realize that Corrine was going all out. That means I need to dress semi-churchy. Hat and shoes. I still have the dress I wore last summer at the picnic in my closet back at mom’s, and I do have pink heels and a pink hat to match. My hair though, can’t be saved. No use in worrying about it. I’m sweating out my blowout, and I don’t have time to straighten it, so curly it is.
I intend to be on my best behavior. When I step out of the shower, my mother is standing in the bathroom holding out a towel for me.
“You sure about this, baby girl?”
“No, mom, I’m never sure when it comes to Jackson.”
My mother nods before motioning me into the room, where she has me sit down on the edge my bed so she can towel dry my hair.
“You know, baby girl, you don’t have to go. Joey will understand.”
Sighing, I let my shoulders droop. My mother is right. I’m walking into trap. Not that Joey would do it on purpose. But her friends, as well as my cousins and the entire town all want to see the showdown that is me, Vivian, Talia, and of course the main attraction, Sheriff Jackson Storme. My gut is telling me that I need to turn around, hop on a plane, and go back to New York. But my heart wants to be there for my brother and his wife. Treat may not know I’m his sister, but now that I know he is family, I don’t want to disappoint either of them.
“I know Mama, but I already told her I’d be there. What kind of person would I be if I go back on my word? If they’re there, then I’ll deal. I’m not going to show my ass and act a fool. You don’t have to worry about that. I know Jackson’s—” my throat is swelling, and my mouth feels dry. Even though I know Ava is his daughter, I just can’t bring myself to say the words, his daughter. “I know Ava will be there. This is about Joey and her day, not about me.”
I turn, smiling up at my mom as she dries the ends of my hair. She finishes quickly before placing a loving hand on my shoulder, urging me towards the closet to dress. It’s not as if I want to wear the same o
utfit from last year’s picnic, but it’s the only dress I have to wear to Joey’s party. My shoes match the pink floppy hat, and I make sure to wear minimal make-up. It is hotter than hell outside, and I don’t want to run, smudge, or sweat. The open toe heels will dig right into the grass. At some point, I’ll take them off, but again, I’m at home in the country. There is nothing wrong with getting a little dirt between my toes.
“Alright, baby, you want me to drop you off? I know Lorraine called and said Lola and the girls may go to Harry’s after the shower. I’m sure you want to go over and visit your Uncle Lester.”
Harry’s is a juke joint-turned-nightclub for the three surrounding parishes. My Uncle Lester is a bouncer there, but everyone calls him Tiny. He’s six-nine and weighs over three hundred pounds. There is nothing small about Lester, “Tiny” Danvers. He is my Aunt Lorraine’s husband and just as rowdy as his wife and daughter.
“Do you need my car? I rented the Camry I can take myself.”
“I do. My car needs to go in for maintenance. The tires are bald and Rufus is pitching a fit about my safety. I told Joey I may go to the party, but with Treat’s family showing up, that’s not going to be a good idea.”
“Sure, Mom. If you want to drop me off at the park, that works for me. I’m almost ready just let me grab my shoes, and camera.”
I walk past my full-length mirror, and stop. The woman in front of me is me, but isn’t me. My eyes are dark, and I’ve lost some of my weight, which normally I’d be happy about, but I’m not. It doesn’t look right on my frame. I don’t look rested or even the slightest bit happy. I look a hot mess, and all my clothes do is fail in hiding it. Mind made up, I grab my stuff as I meet my mom by the front door.
“Annabelle Macon, you’re a gorgeous girl, but you need to eat some more, baby. Put some fluffing to go with the stuffing.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
I am going to eat and eat and eat, until there was no more eating left to do. My attention will be on my plate. Not bothered with Jackson and his entourage of women. They’ll be out in droves today. Viola, Vivian, and possibly Talia among them.
