Indelible Love Series + Entwined Bundle

by DW Cee

  “I don’t think he knows all the heartache facing his future. What about kids? If you marry this woman, is she willing to have more kids? Forty is not a good age to be bearing children.”

  “Mom. We just started dating.” That poor excuse for an answer shredded my heart into pieces.

  We just started dating…

  Fearing the rest of Jamie’s answer, I opened the door and hoped I looked decent enough.

  “Sorry,” I smiled only at Harold. “I hope I didn’t alarm you. I tend to be a little on the weepy side where Paul is concerned.” Then I turned to Rose to answer the question she posed to her son. “I’d love to have more children but unfortunately it probably won’t happen. If you’d like a detailed explanation, please ask Jamie. He knows the story. Thank you for a lovely evening, Harold.” I was saying my goodbyes to the only person who seemed to care. “I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through tonight without your kindness.”

  With that, I got up, picked up my purse and walked out. Jamie didn’t instinctively get up with me. I held back all my tears till the door closed and then suddenly my feet ran a mad dash to the safety of my car.

  “Olivia!” Jamie yelled, finally. “Liv!” It continued till I locked my car door and peeled out of his neighborhood.

  The cell phone rang continuously.

  The tears fell increasingly.

  My heart broke completely.

  Not once did Jamie stand up for me, my daughter, or our relationship. I was willing to let him go for his and Dani’s sake but he had insisted we could work.

  We just started dating…

  What had happened to, I want to spend at least the next 50 years with her comment he made to my mother just a few weeks ago?

  As much as I wanted to cry my eyes out and dwell on my pathetic state, I pulled myself together and thought only of the here and now. I had a daughter to pick up. Arriving at the Bachman’s, I touched up my makeup and practiced my smile.

  “Hey, Olivia. It’s been way too long since we’ve seen each other. Come in.” Holly Bachman, Dani’s best friend’s mom, welcomed me into her home.

  “Hi Holly. How have you been? How are Jim and Ben doing?”

  “Jim is out of town on business, again! Ben is out on a date, if you can believe that, with the nicest girl I’ve ever met. Dani and Jessica were giving him a hard time tonight, tailing him around the house till he left.”

  “He’s dating, already? It’s disconcerting how fast all these kids are growing up. Did Jessica tell you about Dani and Ian?”

  “Yes. I was so jealous when I heard Ian asked Dani to the prom. He is the sweetest boy in their high school. Jessica needs to date boys more like Ian.”

  “Oh, hey, Mom.” My daughter came up and hugged me.

  “Hi, sweet pea. Did you and Jessica have a good time tonight?”

  “Yeah. Why are you back from your date so early?”

  “You went out on a date? I didn’t know you were dating again.” Holly wagged her eyebrows at me and grinned.

  “You should see this guy, Mom. He’s so hot!” Jessica chimed in.

  “How do you know, Jess?”

  “He came to help Coach Mark the other day at our softball game. All the girls were drooling. He was gorgeous.” Jessica had a bit of a devilish look on her face. “Mrs. K, I didn’t think you had that cougar side in you.” She giggled while Dani slapped her on her shoulder.

  “My mom is not a cougar!”

  “What do you mean, cougar? How old is he?”

  “He’s young, he’s hot, and he’s madly in love with Mrs. K. He forced her to make out with him in front of the whole team – not that any of us would need any forcing to make out with him.”

  “Ooh, Olivia, you’ve been hiding the good stuff from me. Bring him by. Let me meet him and live vicariously through you. As it is, Jim is out of town half our lives. I can use some excitement around here.”

  “Let’s go home.” I dragged us out of the Bachman home. “Goodnight.”

  “I meant it when I asked you to bring him by,” Holly yelled from her front porch.

  “You okay, Mom?” I loved that Paul left me a daughter who knew me well enough to ask about my welfare. “Something’s wrong, huh? Did you and Jamie have a fight again?”

  “Did I tell you how much I love you? I’m so grateful your daddy didn’t take you with him. He knew there was no way I’d make it if you left me as well.”

  “Ice cream sundae time?” Dani asked with a sorrowful smile.

  “Ice cream sundae time!” I answered with tears.

  “I can’t believe I’m eating this massive bittersweet hot fudge sundae all by myself,” I bemoaned while licking my spoon.

  “I have the same size as you do.” Dani had only eaten half her sundae while I was done and ready to dip my spoon into her bowl.

  “You’re only eighteen, you can burn it off. I’m forty, this’ll go straight to my thighs.”

  “Come off it, Mom. You’re still thinner than I am. I was so depressed when I tried on your dresses for prom. Half your closet was a size or two too small for me.”

  I started to chuckle. “You got your big bones from your father’s side. You’ve seen the Kingston family. They’re all tall and big-boned. Thankfully you’re the thinnest of the group.”

  “Yeah, thanks. I’m the one who should’ve eaten the kiddie size sundae. Here,” she pushed the rest of her dessert my way, “you finish it. You’re the only Kingston who can afford the extra calories.”

  “Suit yourself. Your loss.” Regrettably, I finished both enormous bowls.

  “So… what happened tonight? Your eyes were swollen when you got to Jess’ house.”

  “Oh, Danielle. Why is life so complicated? I wish I were twenty-two again. I meet your father on a Monday, go out on a date with him on a Friday, then by the following week, I’m married. Those were simpler times,” I sighed loudly.

  “If you were twenty-two, I wouldn’t be here to listen to your problems. There’s definitely something wrong with this picture when I’m listening to my mom’s issues about her love life.”

  “You’re the best, you know that?”

  “I got it. Now, spill!”

  “I met the wicked witch of the west, in person tonight.”

  “And who might that be?”

  “Jamie’s mother. She was mean.” A forced laugh came out of nowhere. “She didn’t like me…at all.”

  “You finally met someone who didn’t fall for your charm? Was his father there? I bet he liked you.”

  “Danielle Lydia Kingston. How do you know me so well?” I giggled as my daughter shook her head and rolled her eyes. “I’m feeling much better after consuming a thousand calories and chatting with my daughter. Let’s go home. It’s bed time.”

  There was so much I wanted to talk about and I had a heart that needed gluing back together, but I thought I’d let my daughter just be my daughter, tonight.

  DANI 2005

  “Hey, Ian.” Maybe I shouldn’t have sounded so excited that he called my cell phone at ten o’clock at night. I didn’t want him thinking that I wanted nor expected this call all evening.

  “Hi Dani. Did you and Jessica have a good time tonight?”

  “Yeah. We hung out at her house and drove Ben crazy before he went out on his date. What did you and your buddies do?”

  “We went to The Joint, had dinner, and now we’re bowling.”

  “Ian, it’s your turn.” Some girl was calling him back to their game. Instantly my mood turned sour.

  “I’ll be right there,” he answered back to giggly voices.

  “Sorry about that.” I couldn’t decide whether or not to calmly take his apology. “Dani? You still there?”

  “Yeah. Why don’t you go back to those girls and your game. Bye.” That was it. I hung up on him. At least I said goodbye rather than hanging up unexpectedly. This was possibly a sign that I was growing up.

  “How come the conversation was so short? Is Ian going to sto
p by?”

  “No,” I answered gruffly. “He’s bowling with some girls.”

  Mom chuckled on her end but kept her opinions to herself.

  “Hey, Mom. One o’clock, red Subaru, a man who looks about as happy as you do.” Mom’s head took a violent turn. “And by the way, what man drives a red car?” I laughed loudly disregarding Mom’s feelings.

  Mom must have been really upset with Jamie because she parked her car in the garage, closed the garage door on him and went into the house – straight up to her room. It was me who had to go to the door and walk over to Jamie.

  “Rough night with Mom?”

  “How’d you guess?” Even his sarcastic smirk was cute. My mom definitely knew how to pick the good-looking ones.

  “You know, Jamie…my dad never, ever, made Mom cry, at least not until he died. You’ve done this to her several times now, I believe. I don’t know if I can have your back if she keeps spilling tears over you. Nobody is good is enough to break Mom’s heart and make her cry. That position is mine and mine alone.”

  My serious, tough girl look only got me a tousle on my head and a kiss on my temple.

  “I’m very sorry, Danielle Kingston. I’ll make sure I don’t make your mom cry anymore.

  “Dani.”

  Shoot, that was Ian’s voice. Following Mom’s avoidance tactic, I ran into the house, far away from my boyfriend. Had I just thought of Ian as my boyfriend? My head shook automatically. What boyfriend leaves his girlfriend and frolics with other girls? Jerk!

  The voices from outside could be heard in the kitchen where I went to make Mom a pot of coffee.

  “You in trouble too?” That was Jamie talking.

  “Yeah, but I’m not sure why. Dani can be unpredictable.”

  “So can Olivia but I know why I’m in trouble.”

  Hearing Ian explain that he had no idea why he was in trouble ticked me off. “What do you mean you don’t know why I’m mad? And I’m unpredictable? You’re the one bowling with other girls!” I met both guys in the foyer of the house.

  “See you later,” Jamie patted Ian on the back. “And good luck.”

  “Yeah, same to you. I think it’s going to be a long night.”

  “Yeah,” Jamie grunted.

  “What is this, some comedy act between you two?”

  Jamie chuckled and walked up the stairs to Mom’s room.

  “Dani. What’s this all about? One minute I’m calling you because I missed you. Next minute, you hang up on me and I’m leaving all my friends to figure out what I did wrong. This is not helping my reputation with the guys. As it is, they think I’m whipped.” He stepped in closer and his arms snaked around my waist before I could escape.

  I did a little happy dance – secretly, of course – when Ian told me his buddies thought he was whipped.

  “What am I to you, Ian?”

  “You’re my girlfriend.”

  I was? That was news to me.

  “Since when?”

  “Since right after prom? I don’t know. I’m a guy. I don’t have dates circled on my calendar every time we go out. Isn’t that the kind of stuff girls do? You tell me. Since when have we been together?”

  “I’m not the one in trouble here.” I was about to yell this out but stopped when I heard Mom’s argument begin.

  “Leave, Jamie. I don’t want to see you right now – maybe never.”

  “I’m sorry, Liv. I know. I was a jerk tonight but let me explain.” Jamie sounded sorry enough.

  “Don’t want it, Jamie. You explained enough through your silence tonight. I’ve never felt as alone as I did tonight. Your mother had every right not to want me for her son. But, you had no right to ignore me like you did.”

  I could hear Mom start to break down. The quiver in her voice was unmistakable.

  “I need to help her. Let me go, Ian.”

  “No. She and Jamie will work out their problems. You are not a part of their argument.”

  “She needs me,” I pleaded twisting my body this way and that.

  “What she needs is for Jamie to explain whatever he did wrong, even if he did nothing wrong.”

  “What are you insinuating?” This time, I was able to pull myself away.

  “I’m sick of this, Dani. Tell me what you believe I did wrong or I’m leaving.” This guy had the gall to give me empty threats.

  Oh my gosh, his threats weren’t empty. He was walking away from me and stepping out the door.

  “Then why were you such a timid mouse tonight if you had an all out battle with your mom earlier today? I didn’t hear you defend me at all.” Boy, Mom’s voice could be quite loud. That actually stopped Ian from leaving and he looked upstairs to the drama unfolding.

  “I did defend you! All I did this morning at her house was defend you. By the time my parents showed up at my house I was just trying to make the situation as comfortable as possible for you. I didn’t want to upset Mom and have her retaliate by getting in your face about us. I told her how much I loved you and no matter what she thought, I was not going back to Melinda...that I was going to start a relationship with you.” Jamie could match Mom’s pitch, no problem.

  “What about, ‘we just started dating’?” That’s when the decibel dropped dramatically but the sadness in her voice kicked up to a whole other level. “What happened to ‘I want to spend the next fifty years with you’? You’re feelings are too fickle for me, Jamie. I can’t be believing one day that we’ll grow old together, then wondering the next day if you’re just exploring your options.”

  As riveted as Ian and I both were with the conversation upstairs, I caught his movement from the corner of my eyes and stopped him from leaving.

  “Why are you out with other girls if I’m your girlfriend? You haven’t really asked me out on a date since prom. We went to prom, then to a movie, even though I wasn’t your first choice as a movie partner, then that was it. If you want to see other girls, I guess I understand. I know I haven’t made anything easy for you.”

  “Dani.” Ian’s voice softened and he came over and hugged me tight. “You can be so annoyingly self-assured then so adorably insecure at the same time."

  Ian’s kiss started off slowly and gently but took off like a stealth bomber. Next thing I knew, his tongue was in my mouth, his hands were way inside my shirt, my hands were around his neck, and we were fully making out in my foyer with my mom and Jamie fighting for their relationship.

  “How can you say I’m fickle? Since the day I walked into this house, all I can think about is you and your daughter. Honest to God, I didn’t want another battle tonight with my mom with you caught in the middle. I’m sorry you think I made the wrong choice by keeping quiet. I thought it was the best choice for us considering…”

  “Hey,” Ian whispered. “You gonna keep kissing me or are you more interested in what’s going on upstairs?”

  “Huh?” To my boyfriend’s chagrin, I’d pulled my lips away and concentrated on the conversation above us. Our bodies, though, stayed entwined.

  “How about we move our party outside to the swing and give your mom and Jamie some privacy.”

  That wasn’t what I desired but I followed him anyway.

  “Whatcha up to tomorrow?”

  “I have a practice in the morning for a couple of hours then I don’t know…bum around the house with Mom?”

  “How about we go to the beach? It’s going to be a nice day tomorrow and you were right. Between spring break and your baseball games, I haven’t asked you out on a date since prom.” He then smirked before asking, “Danielle Kingston, would you like go out on a date with me tomorrow?”

  “I’d love to!” I answered with enthusiasm.

  “Hey, you two. I hope you aren’t up to any naughtiness out here by yourselves.” With that annoying comment, Jamie sat himself right in between us on the swinging bench. That was no easy task because we were super close to one another – like practically on Ian’s lap, close.

  I checked M
om's eyes as she greeted Ian with a hug and a kiss. She looked better than expected.

  “What’s this I hear about you going out with other girls, Ian?” Even her mean face turned out looking cute. Ugh! There was no competing with my mother.

  “Well if she would’ve given me a chance to explain on the phone, I’d have told your daughter that we ran into some school friends at the bowling alley and since there was only one lane available, we decided to join forces and play together. But instead, I’m here, rather than hanging out with my friends, despite all the heckling I got for leaving early.”

  “I had no doubt, Ian.” Mom winked.

  “Man, you’re whipped.”

  “Seriously? You calling me whipped? You done groveling to Mrs. Kingston, old man?”

  “Groveling? Old man? I think I need to teach you a lesson.” With that came violence of the comical kind.

  “Mrs. Kingston?”

  “Yes, Ian?”

  I talked to my parents and they said that it would be okay for me to join you and Dani for a couple of weeks in Africa if I’m still invited.”

  “Really? How come you didn’t tell me?” I almost jumped out of my seat with excitement when Ian made that announcement.

  “My parents just let me know tonight. You don’t know how many extra chores I had to pick up around the house to convince them to let me go.”

  I beamed. “That’s so cool. Thanks for doing that. I can’t wait for you to meet my grandparents. You’ll love them and they’ll love you.”

  “And I have more good news.”

  “Yeah?” I couldn’t help my stupid grin.

  “We are celebrating Mother’s Day in Seattle at my sister’s house so we can see each other up there as well. If it’s okay with your family, my family would like to meet you that weekend.”

  We both looked at Mom.

  “Sounds fine to me. Dani will have plenty of time with her family before you get up there since we’re leaving on Tuesday.”

  “Why are we leaving so early?”

  “Grandma Maize will be there by then.”

  “She’s coming?” This night was only getting better.