by Emily Camp
“Bree, what are you doing?” Garrett gripped the office door with his free hand before it could swing shut on her.
“You really need to chill,” Jake said as he finally made it to the office himself.
Garrett’s smile faded, and he nodded toward Jake. “Porter.”
Bree looked at Paige, whose smirk hadn’t left. “Mr. Aiken sent us for disrupting class.”
Paige seemed to enjoy this. Her heavily lined eyes flicking toward Garrett, but he was still staring at Bree.
“What?” Garrett tilted his head, and his eyebrows scrunched. He looked rested. How was that? He had Bailey two nights in a row.
“Your baby-mama needs to pull the football out of her …”
Principal Turner’s office door swung opened and he called in Jake and Bree. Bree hesitated, looking from Paige then to Garrett, before entering the office. She tried not to think about it, she was being stupid. Paige was only volunteering and Garrett running an errand.
***
“A warning.” Bree pushed her salad around on her tray. The morning, mixed with the night before, had left her with little appetite. “Can you believe it?”
The lunch room was a loud rumble around her.
“At least you didn’t get in trouble,” Carly shrugged as she took a bite of her fruit.
“I didn’t do anything,” Bree practically squealed. “I shouldn’t have a warning.”
“I’m still confused,” Garrett’s deep voice sounded beside her.
She turned and started to open her mouth to explain further, but she didn’t get a word out before Carly began talking. “Jake’s been harassing Bree all school year.”
Garrett’s eyebrows lowered as Carly spoke, and he didn’t take his eyes off Bree. She looked back down at her inedible food.
“Bree stood up for herself in Mr. Aiken’s class, but since Mr. Aiken doesn’t like her, she got in trouble along with Jake.”
The fork scraped against the hard plastic as Bree swirled her food around.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Garrett’s voice was soft and his hand light on her back. Bree flinched, not because she didn’t want him to touch her, but because she didn’t like public displays of affection, especially at school, when everyone was already looking at her like she was a slut.
“It’s not a big deal,” she mumbled and glanced over her shoulder, making sure no teachers were watching.
“Yeah, it is. Jake’s supposed to be my friend. If he’s giving you a hard time …”
“What’s up?” The table shook when Lewis flopped down beside Carly, his large frame dwarfing her. On the outside, Lewis and Garrett seemed unlikely friends. Lewis was a womanizer and thought more highly of himself than he should. After the school shooting last year, they bonded, as did all the football team, after losing one of their own.
“Porter’s been harassing Bree,” Garrett nodded toward Lewis.
Lewis laughed, shaking his small carton of milk. He glanced beside him at Carly, who glared daggers at him, “What? Are you still mad? It was last year.”
Carly rolled her eyes and climbed out of her seat, her skirt bouncing as she stomped away.
Lewis held his hands up, twisting the upper half of his body around. “I said I was sorry.”
Then Lewis turned back to Bree and Garrett. “What?” With broad shoulders, bright blond hair, and his dark, clueless eyes wide, he was the poster child for dumb jocks. It was over a year ago but things happened with Lewis that Carly wasn’t coherent enough to consent to. Bree wasn’t sure if she’d settle for a sorry if it were her either.
Garrett shook his head and looked back at Bree without responding. “I’ll have a talk with Jake at practice today.”
“Don’t,” Bree’s voice was barely above a whisper. She couldn’t look at him.
“I’m not going to let anyone treat you like that,” Garrett said.
Bree finally looked up at him. His plump lips sat in a frown.
“I’m sorry, I just … I just can take care of myself. Okay?” She stood and swept up her tray with the uneaten salad. She tossed it in the trash on the way out of the cafeteria, joining Carly.
***
Finally, 2:37 came and Bree was free, well, sort of. There were still mountains of homework, bottles and diapers, and family drama awaiting her. At least she didn’t have to worry about stupid boys or judgmental teachers for another seventeen hours. Her locker was the last stop before release.
“What was that, at lunch?” Garrett’s breath warm against her ear.
She turned from the mess on her locker shelf. His face was so close, it wouldn’t take much to be kissing. “Sorry for snapping at you.” She leaned back, looking around the hall to make sure no one was watching.
His dark lashes blinked over his eyes. “I just want to help.”
Bree bit her bottom lip, diverting her eyes to the scuffed floor. “I … thanks … but I don’t want you to think you have to always be saving me.” That, and she didn’t want to be like her mom, dependent on guys.
“I want to. You’re my girlfriend.” He leaned in closer, hooking his hand over her locker door, holding it open for her.
“I know, but I need to know I can handle things,” she mumbled, tossing her books in her backpack.
“You don’t have to.” He scratched his stubbly jaw with his thumb, and glanced over his shoulder. “I gotta go get ready for practice. You coming over for dinner?”
“I don’t know.” She hoped she remembered everything as she zipped her backpack. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to spend time with him, and she loved his mom’s cooking. “I need to see what’s up with my mom and everything else first.”
His shoulders rose slightly with a deep breath he took in. She could tell he wanted to say something, but she was thankful he didn’t. She tossed her bag over her shoulder. Garrett shut the door when she stepped away, knowing if she told him about Nate and Lexi moving it’d only make it worse.
“I’ll call you after practice.” His tone was flat, and it made her heart ache. Why did he make her feel like she had to choose between him and her family?
“Okay.” She forced a smile, pretending she didn’t notice his disappointment.
Then he leaned into her, his rough hand gently holding her elbow. “I love you,” he whispered, taking her insecurities away.
“You too,” she whispered back with a quick smile, then glanced away from him.
“C’mon, I’ll walk you out.” As he started to walk, he moved his palm from her arm and placed it in the center of her back. The crowd parted for them, offering greetings to Garrett as they passed.
“Aren’t you going to be late?” She adjusted the bag strap on her shoulder.
“I’ve got a little time. What’s a few extra laps and pushups anyway?”
Being this close to him, made her want more. She wanted to say forget her mom and her drama and go spend the evening with him at his calm, chaos free home. Since school started, they’d been seeing less and less of each other. She was afraid it was only going to get worse.
Chapter Four
The cries coming from the back seat broke Bree’s heart. Car rides were on the ever-growing list of things Bailey hated along with bedtime and baths.
“I know. I know,” Bree sighed over the cries. She shut off the engine and climbed out of the car, thankful Lexi let her borrow it for the night. The air was cooler by the lake than at Garrett’s when she picked Bailey up.
The seat needed an extra push for Bree to get into the back and wrestle Bailey out of the child restraint. Bailey didn’t care that Bree was trying. She wasn’t working fast enough for her, as limbs flailed with her crimson face puckered and wet.
Just as she pulled Bailey up to her chest and tossed the diaper bag over her shoulder, a low purr of an engine pulled in. Without looking, she closed the car door. Bailey continue to cry as Bree fought with her full hands to click the lock button on the key chain.
A soft thud came from the vehicle b
ehind her, then Bryson’s excited voice, “Bree’s here!”
She turned to see him bouncing toward her. Not recognizing the large blue truck he’d jumped out of, she looked over his head. Her mother emerged from the other side and a strange, tall, burley man climbed out of the driver’s seat.
“Stew, this is my oldest daughter, Breanna.” Mindy strode toward Bree like she was mother-of-the-year.
Stew lowered his chin, his lip protruding out. “Hello.”
“Hi?” Bree wrestled with Bailey, who was still crying. She looked at her mother in confusion.
Mindy bent down to Bree’s shoulder and talked to Bailey like that was going to get her to quit fussing. It didn’t help. Bailey didn’t even know her grandma.
“Why so mad? Did mommy pinch you?” Mindy’s attempt at a squeaky-baby voice came out raspy and was followed by a cough. Bree smelled the stench of stale smoke covered by cheap perfume. “She’s a cutie. A loud one, but cute, isn’t she?”
“She needs to eat.” Bree nodded toward the apartment.
“Then feed her.” Mindy winked and laughed, all while batting lashes toward Stew.
Stew opened the bed of his truck. “Kid, gimme a hand with this.”
Bree hated when random men thought they could boss them around just because their mom was interested.
He tossed a bag to Bryson, who smiled despite the work, the small white sack cradled in his arms as if it were huge.
“That a boy.” Mindy patted Bryson’s shaggy hair.
Bryson beamed at the unusual attention from his mom and headed up the metal stairs, toward Parker’s lake-view apartment.
Then Mindy stuck an unlit cigarette in her mouth. Bree cringed, following Bryson, and thankful that Bailey’s cries drown out her mother’s flirting.
When they reached the apartment, Maggie was sprawled out on the sofa, her hair spouting out on top of her head like orange coils. A can of Coke in her hand, the television blared so loud it could be heard down the hall.
“Did you not go to school today?” Bree strode inside, making her way toward the kitchenette, only separated from the living room by a waist-high bar.
“No,” Maggie didn’t take her eyes off the T.V. to respond.
“Stew got some of our stuff from Lloyd.” Bryson flopped down beside Maggie and tossed the bag in between them.
Bree placed the diaper bag on the counter and fished inside for a bottle. Bailey’s cries grew louder.
“Hold on,” Bree whispered and kissed her damp cheek. “It’s coming.”
“They’re all nice at first.” Maggie sipped on her Coke. Though she and Bree had their differences, that was one thing that Bree agreed with. The boyfriends all were nice in the beginning, when trying to woo their mom. Little did they know that wouldn’t make a difference to Mindy. Bree poured the powder in the water, capped the bottle, and shook. She bounced Bailey in her arms on the way into the living room. Bailey greedily took the bottle offered to her like she’d gone all day without eating.
Finally, Stew and Mindy came strolling in, a cloud of smoke following them.
“Did you find a place today?” Bree eased into the recliner, Bailey cradled in her arms, suckling and waving her hands around, almost smacking Bree on the chin. She tried not to think about how she needed to start looking for a new home, as well.
“No,” Mindy sighed then looked at Stew, who carried a couple of garbage bags, which he tossed beside the couch. He smiled a slimy smile that made Bree’s gut twist.
“I’m just a few doors down.” Stew made a swinging motion with his hands.
No, Bree thought as Mindy batted her dark eyelashes at him.
“I’m sure Parker will let you stay one more night,” Bree said. What she was sure of, was that Parker wasn’t going to be happy with her for volunteering. She had to do something before this turned into the same situation they were in.
“Anytime,” Stew winked then turned out of the apartment.
Mindy’s smile melted off when the door shut behind her. “What was that about?”
“What?” Bree shrugged and Bailey squirmed in her arms.
Mindy’s hands were on her hips. The knotted dark hair on the top of her head bounced. “You don’t have to be so rude.” She pointed toward the door Stew just disappeared out of. “He’s a nice guy.”
“Aren’t they all in the beginning?” Bree rocked Bailey back and forth.
Mindy looked from Bree to Maggie and Bryson. “You guys think he’s nice, right?”
“Yeah!” Bryson came up off the couch, throwing a fist in the air.
Maggie didn’t respond. Instead, she picked up her phone, ignoring the commotion around her.
“He got my Legos, and the football Garrett gave me …” Bryson pointed at the toys scattered from the bag, sitting on the edge of the sofa, making room for his goodies.
“Did you even look for a place yet?”
“I can’t.” Mindy shook her head, pulling her crinkly pack of cigarettes out of her cleavage. Bree hoped she didn’t think she was going to smoke inside. She waved the pack as she spoke. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
“We can check online.” Bree lowered Bailey into her lap after hearing the small burp. Though the last time the thought crossed her mind, she quickly dismissed it, she wasn’t even sure why she blurted out the words. “Nate and Lexi are moving away. I’m going to need a place, too. Maybe we can move in together.”
Bree was sure when Bailey immediately began to cry again that it was because she didn’t want to live with her grandmother any more than Bree did.
“Parker said we’re going to play basketball tonight.” Bryson hopped toward Mindy. Bree wondered when he last had his ADHD medicine.
“Not now, Bub, we’re talking.” Without taking her eyes from Bree, Mindy swatted at Bryson like he was a fly, getting the side of his head. Bree frowned when she watched the smile fade from his face and his shoulders slump. “I don’t think we can afford a place on our own,” Mindy continued her conversation with Bree as if she didn’t just break Bryson’s heart.
“We can get jobs.” Bree placed the bottle back in Bailey’s mouth, soothing the cries. “I have a little saved up from babysitting.”
Mindy sighed and blinked up at the ceiling. She slipped a cigarette out of the pack and placed it between her fingers. “If only I wasn’t too old to dance.”
Bree tried to keep that mental image out of her brain.
Bryson sulked toward the sofa, crossing his arms across his chest and sinking in beside his toy clutter. A bundle of Legos shattered on the floor when he kicked them. Bailey pulled away from her bottle and let out a wail.
“Bryson, what is wrong with you?” Mindy popped her cigarette in her mouth and shoved the pack between her breasts.
Bryson scowled.
Bree coddled Bailey, standing and swaying until she finally received the bottle again.
“Don’t you make that face at me.” Mindy waved her lighter toward Bryson, her voice muffled around the cigarette.
“Please don’t smoke in here,” Bree shielded Bailey with her palm as if it would protect her from her grandmother’s ignorance.
Mindy rolled her eyes at Bree. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Keep your panties on. I’m going outside.” She shuffled toward the door. “I smoked when I was pregnant with you and it didn’t hurt anything,” she mumbled as she shut the door behind her.
Bree looked at Bryson. “Parker should be home soon. Maybe you should get your tennis shoes on.”
His lip puckered out. “I don’t got no tennis shoes.”
“You don’t have any.” Bree wrestled with Bailey.
“Sure, correct my grammar like Maggie.”
Maggie brought her face up from the phone screen long enough to sneer, “I wouldn’t have to if you weren’t so stupid.”
“I’m not stupid, you’re the stupid-head.” Bryson kicked his football. It rolled onto the floor, and bounced against the coffee table leg.
“Nei
ther of you are stupid. Quit saying that.” Bree lifted the empty bottle from Bailey’s mouth and sat her up on her lap. Bailey’s head bobbed as she took in her surroundings and cooed.
The door swung open, “All I’m asking is move away from the door.” Parker’s voice made Bryson perk up, his brown eyes big and wide.
Bree watched as Parker strode in, his body tense in his button down shirt and dress pants.
“Are we gonna go play now?” Bryson jumped off the sofa and soared through the air before landing with a crash on the floor.
“Whoa,” Parker reached for Bryson, helping him up. “Let’s not do that again. Might make the people below us mad.”
Bryson’s smile didn’t fade. His eyes beamed up at his big-brother, his superhero. “Can we go play basketball now?”
Parker ran a hand over his head. His hair neat and close cut since he’d started working for his dad. “Give me a minute.”
“Yes!” Bryson shouted pumping a fist in the air. Bailey giggled at this, bringing Bryson’s attention to her. His nose crinkled. “She laughed.”
Bree smiled and nodded. “She thinks you’re funny.” Bree bounced Bailey on her knee. Bailey’s bitty hands wrapped around Bree’s pinkies. Bryson shouted again doing the same fist pump-jump as before. Bailey giggled again, her whole body shaking.
Maggie lowered the phone and turned toward Bailey. “Do it again, Bryson.”
“Yes!” He jumped and pumped his fist. Bailey’s laughter got louder and deeper, as if it was coming from the depths of her belly. It was a first for her. Until then Bree had only heard her let out petite giggles.
After everything Bree went through the last couple of days, this made it better. Parker knelt down in front of them, his mouth curled up in a grin himself. “Uncle Bryson’s silly,” he said in a squeaky voice that guys only got away with talking in when speaking to babies.
Bailey cooed. Letting go of Bree, she reached her hand out, curling her chubby fingers around his nose. Parker leaned away. “Ouch,” he said dramatically, rubbing his fake injury. At that, Bailey laughed again.
The front door swung open and in came Mindy, floating on her cloud of smoke. She let out a raspy-cough and said, “Bryson hasn’t stopped talking about basketball today.” She trotted to the sofa, oblivious that everyone’s attention was on the giggly baby. “Move it, Red,” she said as she nudged Maggie with her foot. Maggie’s smile faded. She slid over, making room for her mom, and then went back to looking at her cellphone. “He’s been a real pain.” She lowered herself down to the open spot.