by Shaw, Robin
Even though Mariska grimaced, she took the money from underneath her plate and shoved it back in purse. “Why are you breaking bread with me?”
I barked out a short dark laugh. “I thought Jill would be here, but Blanca said that you and she switched days. We might as well break bread.” Eyeing me cautiously, she placed the napkin on her lap. “It’d seem ridiculous for us to eat at separate tables when we know each other. That’d only make Blanca have questions, no?”
She nodded and spread butter on her bread roll. Blanca had said that Mariska had a voracious appetite and I wanted to see that for myself. The tip of her bright pink tongue darted out of her mouth, sweeping over her lips. Another appetite of mine was taking root.
“What brought you to the library yesterday?” There wasn’t any trace of condescension in her tone.
“Had to gather some primary resources for a paper I have due this Monday.”
“Have you started your paper yet?”
“I am going to highlight all of my research tonight and go from there.”
“What class is it for?”
“Greek Civilization in its Mediterranean Context.”
A smirk tugged the corners of her lips. “Who’s your professor?”
“Dr. Mastrangelo.”
“Beth had him last year for the Classical Mythology course she took and she said he’d piled on the work. How many credits are you taking?”
“Nine. I am a sophomore. The classes I’d taken in treatment were accredited. I’ve got thirty-sex credits that fulfill most of the general education requirements…” She hesitated to tell me something. “You’re going to bite your tongue?” I shook my head. “Spit it out.”
“Are you just going to school for the heck of it? Have you declared a major yet?”
“Classical Humanities is my major.”
She lowered her eyebrows. “Are you back in school to get another job or advance your career?”
“I always wanted to have a college education. When I was a kid, I’d had an interest in Greco-Roman studies. And I love to draw. One of my old friends in treatment had talked about this tattoo school near our treatment facility and I’d gotten into it to pass the time. I don’t wanna do anything else, but I like to learn. In and out of the classroom.”
“The drawing you did of Beth on her birthday cake was special,” she said. It surprised and irked me that her opinion mattered to me. Why the hell did it?
Once we were done eating, Mariska said, “I’ll tell Jill that you came to see her.”
“Blanca gave me Jill’s number, so I’ve got it, but thanks for offering.”
Chapter 5
Hunter
“YOU CAN SEND A congratulations card like most people do.” Chase paced back and forth in my living room later on that night. Beth sat on my couch with Riley resting on her lap, stroking her fingers on her head. Riley didn’t seem to care that Chase was a little agitated, only that Beth continued her ministrations. Most of the time, when the three of us had spent time together, it’d been at my house.
Narrowing her eyes at him and softening her tone, so that Riley didn’t get frightened, Beth replied, “Gregory and I didn’t end our relationship on a bad note. It’ll be a nice welcome back home party for them.”
Chase’s eyes flew over to me and I neutralized my expression. Beth had told me that her mom’s promiscuity had made growing up in her hometown, Franklin Parks, difficult. Besides Jake and Mariska, Gregory had been the only other person around their age to befriend her and they had become girlfriend and boyfriend. Chase didn’t want Beth anywhere near most of the people in Franklin Parks, but I also knew that he didn’t want her to see Gregory.
“Babe, I don’t mean to be harsh, but I think he invited you because he knew that everyone was invited and you’d find out.”
Grumbling, Riley peeked one eye open and looked up at Chase when Beth stilled her hands on her back. “Gregory went out of his way to call me himself,” she explained. “We were friends first. I wanna see him and Maxine.”
“Why do you wanna see him, if he’s in your past? Why do you care about his wife?” he countered with a swift intake of his breath. As Beth resumed petting Riley, I got up to go to my room.
“Stay,” they both said in unison and Riley shot her head up.
“Keep your voices down.” I shifted my gaze to Riley. “You’re putting her on alert, because you’re both hard-headed.”
Beth planted a kiss on the back of Riley’s head, which seemed to pacify her. Snapping her head back to Hunter, she raked him with a sharp look. The old Chase wouldn’t have gone through any grief over a woman. But his feelings had been invested in Beth from the jump and there was no turning back for him. Or for her. It was hard enough for me to stay clean; I couldn’t handle a relationship too. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to have someone in my life, because my relationship with being abstinent would always have to be the priority. There was no compromise with that. I’d be setting myself up for failure. It wasn’t like anyone would ever really want to be with me. It was a burden for someone else to worry about being a possible detriment to my recovery. That was if I were with someone who didn’t want me to use.
“That’s not what it’s about, Chase! He wants to see how I am. That I’ve moved forward. Ignoring him and the person who he is starting out his life with is cruel.”
Blowing out a frustrated breath, Chase stabbed his fingers in his hair. “You’re being cruel to yourself by going to Franklin Parks. Especially when I can’t be there.”
“Jake and Mariska will be with me. You can’t brush Mr. Penverick off because he’s been a loyal employer of yours. I’ll leave if it gets hostile,” she tried to reason as she started to gently scratched Riley’s belly.
Chase sank down on the couch beside Beth. “I don’t want him seeing you and having any wayward feelings.”
The sound of Beth’s laugh was full and throaty. Chase didn’t look entirely convinced that he had nothing to worry about when it came to her ex-boyfriend.
I kept my eyes on my girl when I told Chase, “Give me the remote, so we can see whose closer to being the Ink Master.”
Mariska
“READ ME ONE MORE story, please,” Pete implored on Sunday night. Mom was working the night shift at the hospital near Franklin Parks and Dad was home more often than he had been this summer. I’d looked after Pete as much as my parents had growing up and in the beginning, I’d resented them for making me do it. Along the way, I’d cancelled dates and hanging out with Beth and Jake, in favor of being with him. Since he had an easier time with his speech, he preferred to be with his friends. I knew the day would come, but I hadn’t thought it’d be so soon. Not too long ago, I’d been his only friend.
“One more,” I said in a stern tone.
“No,” Dad said as he widened the door and the light from the hallway filled Pete’s room. “Next time, you’ll read Mariska the story and practice on your pronunciation. The speech therapist said that you read monotone.”
“Yes, sir,” Pete replied.
“You’re not too big to give me a hug now, are you?” I asked Pete as I raised my body up from his bed.
Pete glanced at Dad before he came over to give me a brief hug. “You won’t ask me to do that in front of my friends like Mom and Dad do, will you?”
“When have I ever hugged you in front of your friends?” I asked him and Dad chuckled.
“When are you coming home again?” Pete asked, settling back into his bed.
“She’ll be here after her midterms. Sleep. Now,” Dad ordered and Pete complied. I’d tried that with him and I hadn’t had the same results.
***
TEN MINUTES LATER, DAD and I were at the family table in the living room drinking rich Columbian coffee. He knew that when I arrived back on campus I’d be hitting the books again.
“How many boys have asked you out?” Dad queried with confidence. He’d scared most of my dates in high school. I’d had to meet up with
Beth, Gregory, and my date at a different location when I’d had a second group date.
“This guy named Scott.”
A skeptical look flitted over his face as he followed my gaze to the fridge. Pete earned himself a whole bunch of stickers for good behavior and academic milestones. He was adapting to my absence without a problem. I felt a little left out of the family, but I wouldn’t admit that. Dad would tell Mom and she’d tell me that I should’ve stayed home when I haven’t second-guessed my decision once.
“Only Scott?” Dad cocked his head. “What kind of boy is he?”
“A senior, and the quarterback of the football team.”
Dad frowned. “Mariska, he’s older and I am sure he’s been around the block plenty of times. You’ve been on some dates, but you’re in college now. It’s a different culture from how we do things here. Have you two gone on a date by yourselves?”
I shook my head no.
“Take him out with your friends. If he isn’t willing to do it the old school way, then he won’t be taking you anywhere.”
“Yes, Dad.”
***
THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY, I was in Franklin Parks again with Beth, Jake, and Scott for Gregory and Maxine Wright’s wedding celebration party. We were allowed to bring one guest with us. Scott had asked me during lunch and he’d also waited for me after our Biology classes this week to set up a time for us to go on a date. He hadn’t looked too thrilled about a group date, but I’d told him we’d be alone for our second date. Tonight, everyone had a date. I didn’t feel like the odd one out.
Beth and Gregory had dated in high school. Beth had broken up with him, because she’d thought that they needed to see other people. The only people who ignored Beth were Mr. and Mrs. Baxter. For most of the year, Beth’s mom, Cindy, and Mr. Baxter had had an affair and, as far as I knew, it was over.
Jake and Beth talked to Gregory and Maxine, despite the frosty looks from some guests. Beth wasn’t deterred from being here. I’d taken my final exam for my accelerated Stats course earlier this morning and I felt confident about it. Jennifer and I had reviewed each other’s work most nights at the library and I’d done well on the practice exams.
“I am going to get some soda,” Scott told me with his eyes trained on the table filled with food. “What do you want me to get you?”
“Some mozzarella sticks,” I answered from the chair I was sitting on, as I kept my purse on his chair.
Unconsciously, my mind drifted to Hunter and how much I’d enjoyed talking to him. Oddly enough, I hadn’t seen him since we’d had lunch at my job. Beth had only brought his name up in passing and that was when Chase and her had been talking in our room. Tom, a former classmate and co-worker of mine sauntered toward me with his uncle and aunt, Steve and Francine, who had been my former bosses for four years.
“Hey! How’s it going?” I welcomed Tom as he awkwardly braced his hand around my waist as I hauled myself up. An attractive female, with sunflower blonde hair that I recalled had been a junior at our high school stood in the middle of Steve and Francine.
“Great,” Tom responded and I nodded my head at them.
When Scott approached us, the girl propped her hand on Tom’s foreman and I titled my head to face him. Jake was talking to Suzie and Chloe, two girls who he had a night of fun with, prior to starting school at UM.
After I introduced Scott to everyone, Tom said, “This is my girlfriend, Rachel.”
Her eyes caught mine and she basked in being recognized by him with the title. A wave of relief crested through me. Earlier in the summer, Tom and I had gone on a date and we’d shared two kisses that had sealed our platonic fate. He’d been so helpful when I’d worked alongside him at Luigi’s that I’d thought we’d be compatible in other areas.
“Send Janet, Patrick, and Pete our love,” Francine said.
“They wished they could’ve been here to see you, but Dad’s watching Pete tonight and Mom was scheduled to work tonight.”
Francine gave my hand a squeeze and they spread out into the crowd. After I finished my mozzarella sticks, and Scott had eaten his slices of pizza, I could actually see Gregory and Maxine, since guests weren’t swarmed around them anymore.
“It’s really great to meet you,” I told Maxine.
A small smile played over her face. “Likewise. Thanks for coming.”
Jake steadied his arm around my shoulder and Beth looked at ease as she stood beside Scott. “When are you guys heading back to Maine?” Jake asked.
Gregory brought his hand to his forehead. “Tomorrow. At five in the morning, for our seven fifteen flight.”
“Have a safe flight, and, again, congrats,” Jake said.
Beth and I echoed Jake’s words and Scott thanked them for letting him attend.
***
SCOTT AND I WERE on the bench located on the same block as our residence hall, after we’d arrived back on campus. Beth and Jake had gone inside when they knew that I felt comfortable spending time with him alone. The sound of loud music and chatter from the windows of the dorm rooms was a complete contrast to the mellow celebration we’d enjoyed for the night.
“Mariska,” Scott whispered and clasped his hand on top of mine confidently. “Are you free this Friday?”
“Pick me up at eight.”
His hand ventured from my arm and traveled upward until he cupped my chin, the blue in his eyes glimmering. He’d been sociable and everyone had seemed to like him at the party.
Chapter 6
Hunter
“YOU NEED TO GET another box of condoms,” Annette announced just outside of my bedroom. Layers of my clothes crumbled up on the living room floor and I listened to Riley sniff them. Annette had already brushed her raven black hair into two pig-tails and she was in a new shirt she’d carried with her, the same jeans and sneakers she’d had on yesterday night. After pulling all-nighters last weekend to finish my research paper, I felt like a zombie.
I nodded. “Did you take her for a walk?” I liked to walk Riley in the mornings, since I spent most of my time with her on the nights and weekends.
Annette’s lips curved into a self-satisfied smile. “You earned it! I won’t charge you for it.” I swung my legs over the bed and pulled myself up from the bed. I shot her a glance as I passed through the door.
We’d fucked in the living room on and off all morning long, but between breaks I couldn’t stop thinking about Mariska taking Scott to her hometown for her friend’s party. I’d thought about how far their date might have gone and if they were going to have a second date. I hadn’t asked Beth, though, when she’d brought it up earlier this week.
Annette was conveniently in this area at one o’clock this morning. We’d started messing around two months ago, when she’d become Riley’s dog walker and sitter. When I’d asked the shelter if there were dog-walkers they’d recommend, they’d given me a list of known dog-walkers and sitters in my area. Annette had been on the list. She and I hadn’t laid down, held each other, or cuddled. None of that shit. My concern was that Riley was thriving while under her care. And we hadn’t had to set ground rules.
***
“HEY HUNTER,” VINCE ASKED me as he entered my tiny space at the back of Lasting Impressions. “I feel like I’ve been glued to my chair lately. How you been?” He was a short guy with curly black hair and had ink from his neck to his toes in different colors, textures, and styles. His specialty was abstract Asian inspired designs and I aimed to one day emulate some of his techniques.
“Alright. Doing my school thing.”
He shook his head. “With the school breaks and holidays coming up, the phones have been ringing off the hook. And then we got to handle the walk-ins ‘cause they’ve been giving the best business and referrals.” He pulled in a deep breath. “You still got Riley?”
“She’s a member of my very small family.” I tipped my chin up to him. “Clarissa still like that poodle you got her?”
“Yup, and the kids can’t get e
nough of Mimi either.”
“You told me the poodle’s name was Enzo.”
“It was.” He squared his shoulders. “When you’re outnumbered by one woman and two little women in training, everything is up for negotiation.”
“There’s time to turn them over to your side, Vince,” Manny said in his booming voice. “You can’t be letting ‘em pull them sad puppy dog eyes on you. That’ll getcha every dang time.” Manny’s gaze veered to me. “You got a walk-in.”
I was getting ready to go home, shower, and get some work done at my school’s library. Nothing about the library made me want to relax. It inspired to get my work done, so that I could go home and chill.
Ari stood behind Manny with a wide grin on his face. “How’d you get here by yourself?” I questioned him and he tucked his black and red hair into a ponytail.
The black leathers and combat boots were his signature style, but many dudes tried to dress like him and looked like dorks. He was one of the lead singers of Tainted Virtue, a country and rock band from Georgia. We’d met five years ago when we were patients at an inpatient treatment facility. People had known that he was in a band, but they hadn’t cared. Over the years, we’d stayed in touch, as much as we could, given his busy life. I didn’t have to talk to him daily to know how he was really doing. We called each other on our shit when it was necessary.
“No more customers in here for tonight; we got the shop closed just for him,” Manny said to me, and he left Ari and I were by ourselves in my room.
Ari hummed to himself and bobbed his head to a beat that was germinating in his head, after my area was cleaned and I put my disposable gloves on. I pointed to the new tattoo on his arm.
“What’s that supposed to be?” I tried to smother my laugh. I’d inked the swirls and the symbols on his shoulders and arms two years ago out in California.
