by Emily Camp
Garrett leaned over her, his hand on the bed beside hers, the plate empty and forgotten on the end of the mattress.
“You know I like it rough,” his voice came out husky. A smirk stretched across his face as he pushed her books out of the way.
“Gare,” she giggled again, pressing her palm to his chest, “Stop.” She bit her bottom lip with a smirk, looking over his shoulder at the crib in the corner. If it wasn’t for that, it’d look like the typical teenage boy’s room, filled with sports paraphernalia, and today’s dirty clothes thrown in the corner.
A throat cleared from the hallway and Bree felt her cheeks heat up. By now, Garrett was almost on top her.
“That’s enough, Garrett,” his dad’s deep voice bounced off the walls.
Garrett righted himself with a smirk on his face and his eyes never leaving hers.
Humiliated, Bree ran her hand down the front of her tee shirt like she’d been caught with it off. It wasn’t the first time Randy had broken them up, and it wasn’t the most embarrassing, either.
Randy waited from the hall, watching as they turned back to their homework. Garrett placed the fallen fork on the plate, but it wasn’t until Garrett looked down at the school books that Randy nodded and walked away.
The entire bed shook as Garrett belted out a laugh.
“It’s not funny. I don’t want your dad to hate me.”
“My dad loves you, Babe.” He pressed a kiss to the side of her head as she finally jotted down the answer to the final question, not even sure if she was correct.
Her backpack seemed light when she picked it up off the ground. Garrett was back to working on his stuff, now humming as he scribbled his math problems out. She wished it would be that easy for her. She had to work for the grades she got and right now they weren’t that great. Reaching into her bag, she shuffled the books around, but it wasn’t there. She pulled everything out, her notebooks, folders, binders and textbooks. Her heart dropped to her gut.
“My geometry isn’t here.” She said in a panic, pushing her stuff around on his bed, as if she did this enough times it would magically appear.
“What?” Garrett leaned over, placing his palm flat beside her.
“I don’t have my geometry book.” She let out a huff and stared up at the ceiling, blinking back the tears.
“Relax,” Garrett’s voice was soft and he touched her arm. “You can make it up.”
Tears pooled in her eyes and she pushed the dangling hair out of her face. “You don’t understand. Mr. Aiken hates me.”
“C’mon. He doesn’t hate you.”
Bree wasn’t sure which was worse, feeling like Garrett was making fun of her, or the fact he didn’t believe that she wasn’t treated fairly in that class.
“Maybe Carly has hers.” Bree gathered her books and shoved them back in, not even caring that papers crumbled and her folders tore.
“Wait, you’re not leaving now, are you?” Garrett reached for her.
“I have to. I need to get this homework done tonight.” She looked at the crib when she stood, tossing her backpack over one shoulder. It was her night again, but Bailey was sleeping so peacefully. “I’ll come back for Bails.”
“Wait.” He stood before she could get out of his room. His hand on her elbow. “This is the first night we’ve been able to hang out in forever.”
“We’re doing homework.” She bounced her foot, nervous that now she wouldn’t have time to finish.
“But we’re together.”
“I have to get this done, and I can’t concentrate when Bailey’s awake …”
Garrett frowned down at her. She didn’t know whether to be swooning because he wanted her around, or upset because he didn’t understand the importance of it. She stood on her tiptoes, to reach him, giving him a quick kiss. “I’ll be back to get Bailey.”
His hand was above her, gripping the door. He looked over his shoulder at the baby. “Leave her. She’s sleeping.”
“But she wo-”
“Just go.” His voice was low when he shut the door behind her.
“Leaving so soon?” Robin asked, her hands elbow-deep in suds.
“I forgot a book,” Bree said. “I’ll get Bailey after school tomorrow.”
“You’re not going to the game?”
Bree paused, her hand on the door handle. “I don’t have a babysitter.”
Robin pulled her hands out of the sink, giving a quick shake then wiped them off on her dish towel. “I’ll watch her.” She said like it should have been obvious.
“But you’ll have her all day.”
“I don’t mind and I’ve seen Garrett play a million times. I’m sure he’d rather have you there than me.”
Bree appreciated the offer, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to go. It’d be cold, crowded and loud and she probably wouldn’t be able to think about anything other than that she should be at home with her baby. Instead of going into all of that though, she nodded and said a simple, “Thanks,” before heading out.
Chapter Seven
The numbers on the paper blurred in front of Bree’s sleep-deprived eyes.
“Can we take a break now?” Carly whined and leaned back on the leather sofa, in the crook of Parker’s arm.
Parker let out a low chuckle. Bree rolled her eyes up at the whirring fan above. They hadn’t been working long.
When she showed up at Carly’s, she was thankful to see both Parker and her, and it was even better to find out Carly happened to be working on just what she needed help with.
Bree rested her elbows on her knees and put the pencil to the paper. Unlike Carly, she didn’t have all night to work on this. “I really need to get done.” Bree ignored the lips smacking together as Carly and Parker acted like they didn’t see each other every single day.
“Okay.” Parker unwound himself from Carly’s grip and leaned beside Bree.
“Garrett has Bailey tonight. What’s the rush?” Carly whined, her curly head popping out from behind Parker.
“The rush is,” Bree turned a stern face toward Carly, who batted her over-lined eyelids at her, her hair spilling over her forehead from her high pony tail. Bree couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of Carly who still had time to make herself up every day and look cute without making an effort. “I need sleep.” Bree motioned in a circle around her face.
Carly pouted a lip out, “My brain hurts.”
Parker laughed again, his large hand clamped over Carly’s knee. It was starting to annoy Bree. She didn’t feel like being the third wheel, especially since the goal was to work on homework.
“Forget it,” Bree sighed, sitting up, gathering her pencil and papers strewn over the coffee table.
Carly let out a giggle that only irritated her more. “Quit being dramatic.”
Bree clenched her jaw and glared back at Carly, her hand clamped around her notebook. “I’m trying really hard. You have no idea how much I have to work now to prove myself.”
“Hey.” Parker shot up and reached for the load in her hands. Bree loosened her grip, allowing Parker to take the books and sit them down on the coffee table. “I’m here to help, little sis, I’ll make Carly cooperate.”
“Uh,” Carly protested with her hands on her hips.
Parker snickered. “I love you,” he said as he reached an arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders and pressed his lips to her forehead.
“Okay,” Bree bent down to grab her books as Carly giggled and responded back to Parker with her own ‘I love you.’
“Wait, wait, wait, we’re done, I promise.” Parker pulled his hands back and held them up with a smile still on Carly.
Bree pressed her lips together and rolled her eyes at Parker.
“I’m serious, I’ll make her behave.”
“Hey,” Carly slapped his bicep.
Ignoring her, Parker retrieved Bree’s books once again. “Sit.”
“So what am I now, a dog?” Bree crossed her arms and twisted her lips up.
<
br /> Parker chuckled. “Oh, my sissy, have a seat and I’ll teach you the ways of the numbers.” He bent at the waist and held his hand open like a butler.
“You don’t have to be a dork about it.” Bree eased back down, though hesitant.
“I’m not a dork.” He wrinkled his forehead.
“He’s a geek.” Carly bumped her hip against his as she made her way back to the sofa.
Parker smirked and shook his head, smiling at Carly like she was gold.
Bree thought of Garrett, her heart had a little pang. If only she’d remembered her book instead of flaking out and leaving it at school, she could be bantering with him right now. Like Carly and Parker.
She shook her head and looked down at the paper she couldn’t think about it. She needed to concentrate on math and getting some sleep before starting all over again tomorrow.
The sofa dipped as Parker took his seat in between her and Carly.
“Okay.” He leaned up and glanced over Carly’s shoulder at the problem. “So to figure out the value of x …”
Bree didn’t hear his explanation though, because her phone began buzzing in her pocket. Nothing scared her more than phone calls when Bailey wasn’t with her. It wasn’t Garrett though. It was her mother.
“Did you get that?” Parker asked.
Bree looked up, “No, sorry, what was it again?” She wasn’t sure if she should answer the call or not.
“Carly, can you explain it?”
Carly laughed and shook her head, “I don’t remember a word you said.”
Parker sighed, running a hand over his head.
As soon as the buzzing stopped, and he started explaining again, it started back up.
“I’m sorry, Parker, it’s Mindy.” Bree pulled her phone to her ear. Parker’s jaw clenched as she answered.
“Bree?” It wasn’t her mom. It was worse. Bryson, and he sounded small, his voice squeaky and quiet.
“Bry, what’s up?”
Parker sat up straight, watching Bree.
“It’s Lloyd. He found us.”
Just as Bryson spoke the words, Bree heard the screaming in the background again. Though it wasn’t Lloyd this time, it was Mindy.
“You still at Parker’s?”
Parker nodded, his lips pursed at the same time Bryson said, “Yeah.”
“We’ll be right there.”
***
It shouldn’t have surprised Bree when she pulled up to the apartments to see Lloyd and Mindy on the balcony, illuminated by the porch light, they weren’t fighting, they were kissing. He with his long gray ponytail and potbelly. She in her leggings and bright oversized shirt. First off, they were way too old to be doing this, and second, he just needed to leave.
As Bree climbed out of the car, Parker pulled in beside her. He mumbled something to himself when he hopped out, staring at his porch and the sick make-out session.
“A lot can happen in ten minutes,” Parker grumbled, striding toward the stairs.
Bree followed him, taking two steps at a time. The nights were getting much cooler now. Here by the lake, it was a bitter cold.
Once round the corner, they came into clear view. Parker cleared his throat.
Mindy removed her mouth from Lloyd, her face flush and eyes batting toward her lover.
“Thanks for keeping her till we cooled off, son.” Lloyd turned toward Parker, his hand splayed over Mindy’s leggings.
“I’m not your son.” Parker’s jaw twitched.
Mindy’s palm lay flat on Lloyd’s chest. “Parker, don’t be rude.”
Parker glared at Lloyd. “You need to leave.”
“Parker!” Mindy screeched as if she was a teenager and Parker was the disapproving dad.
Parker then turned toward Mindy, leaning to her height. “If he does it again, I’m not recusing you.”
“I thought you’d be happy, us going home.”
Parker clenched his fists at his sides. “There is no ‘us’ going home.” He pointed at his apartment door. “You’re not taking them back to his trailer.”
“They’re my kids.” She stepped away from Lloyd, her hands on her hips as she swayed her head back and forth.
“You don’t deserve them.”
“What did I ever do to you?” Her voice loud and tears flowing.
Parker held his arms out. “How about abandoning me? Or calling me stupid? I don’t know, how long you got, because I could be here all night.”
In slow motion, Bree’s heart climbed to her throat as Lloyd’s fist collided with Parker’s jaw. Mindy let out a piercing scream. Stew from down the hall came barreling out in his plaid pajamas, grasping a shot gun. What little bit of hair he had stood straight up.
Mindy turned to Lloyd. “What’d you do that for?”
Parker’s apartment door swung open and Bryson and Maggie stood in the doorway. Bree grabbed Bryson and held him against her, cupping her hand to his cheek, pressing him to her leg as if it would shield him from the drama. Maggie blinked her big honey eyes, her phone hanging by her side.
“Get out of here!” Parker held his cheek with one hand while pointing to the parking lot.
“You heard the boy.” Stew’s voice was gruff as if he’d just been woken from his sleep. His shot gun pointed at Lloyd.
Lloyd’s hands went up. He backed away. Looking at Mindy, he said, “I don’t do crazy.” Then he was gone, and Mindy shouted, running after him.
“You okay, boy?” Stew lowered his gun.
Parker nodded.
Mindy’s sobs and pleads echoed off the apartment building.
“What’s the woman see in that hippie?” Stew grumbled.
“He’s mean.” Maggie’s voice was flat and she stared straight ahead. “That’s how she likes them.” Then she slunk back into the apartment.
Bree’s gut twisting, knowing that Maggie was right. It was sad Mindy chose that kind of man over others, because they weren’t just mean to her, they were mean to all of them.
“Let me know if you have any more trouble,” Stew said.
“Sure.” Parker turned back to the parking lot, where Lloyd had suddenly gone from all hugs and kisses a minute ago to his normal shouts and curses. Parker shook his head, holding the door open for Bree and Bryson as they slipped inside.
Parker didn’t say much as he stalked through his apartment, straight to the kitchen. He ran water, then opened the freezer.
Bree sat down on the sofa next to Maggie. Bryson wiggled beside her. Everything was silent. So silent, they could still hear the altercation going on in the parking lot.
Parker slunk into the recliner, a bag of frozen something against his cheek.
After what seemed like forever in the heavy silence, it was Maggie that finally spoke. “Did you mean that? That you’d keep us?”
Parker let out loud breath through his nose, his lips still pursed and staring at the door, his elbow propped on the armrest and hand holding up his frozen remedy. “Yeah, I did.”
“I want to live with you,” Bryson said, then looked down and swung his bare foot, “but I’d miss my mom.”
Bree didn’t know what he’d miss about her? Being ignored, or yelled at? When Bree was taken, she was much younger than him, but she never remembered missing Mindy.
Parker’s eyes met Bree’s and they both knew that Parker couldn’t legally keep them. Bree put her arm around Bryson and kissed the top of his head. “You should get a shower.” She tried to mention it as a suggestion, not an order, but he smelled.
“I don’t want to.” Bryson leaned into her.
“You’re so gross. You didn’t take one yesterday.” Maggie was back to flipping her phone out. Whatever that second was of her being normal instead of broody already disappeared.
“C’mon, Bry.” Parker stood up, removing the frozen pack from his injury, which was already turning red. “You can use my manly soap.”
Mindy burst in, her body shook with her sobs. “What am I going to do now?” She flopped on
the sofa between Bree and Maggie, shaking the whole couch. “Why did you have to …” She couldn’t finish her sentence she was bawling again. “He said he loved me and he missed me.”
Maggie rolled her eyes. Unfolding herself from the couch, she walked down the hall, focused on the phone in her hand. Mindy took the opportunity to throw herself face down, crying again.
Bryson shook his head, “Lloyd always makes her cry.”
“So how about that shower?” Parker had to shout over Mindy’s cries.
***
.
With Mindy asleep on the sofa, Maggie in the spare room, and Bryson in Parker’s room, the only place they had to work was out front. Bree sat with her back against the wall and her feet straight out. Two cups of coffee steamed between them. She’d probably regret the caffeine soon, but right now, she needed it to stay awake enough to concentrate.
As the last problem was answered, Bree sighed, her legs cold against the concrete, though she wore Parker’s Oak Hill basketball sweat shirt. It was huge on her, covering half her legs.
“Good?” Parker asked.
Bree nodded, shutting her notebook and shoving it back in her backpack. She cradled the cup between her hands, taking a slow sip. If she was going to drive home, she definitely needed this.
Parker pulled his knees up, sipping on his drink as well. “Bryson told me Lloyd hit him.”
Bree let out a long breath. Coffee steam hit the tip of her nose.
“Did you know that?”
She lifted a shoulder, staring out into the star speckled sky. “Mindy moved in with him right before I got pregnant. After my dad kicked me out, and she wasn’t fighting him for visitation, I just quit going.” The guilt hit her more now than it had.
“I still can’t believe your dad disowned you like that.”
Bree didn’t want to think about it. When she was younger, before Parker was taken away, she was a daddy’s girl, though she didn’t remember clearly. She was seven when he found his new wife and she became a burden.
“Almost all her boyfriends did, though, push Bryson around. Sometimes Maggie would have a bruise or two …” She sipped her coffee.
Parker exhaled loudly. “I should have taken Stew’s gun and shot him myself.”