Slim to None

by A. H. Shelton

  “What’s this all about?” I ask irritably, wanting her to quit beating around the bush.

  “It’s about Jacob - and me,” she says, this time not even trying to conceal her amusement, as the look on my face betrays my calm demeanor.

  “Wait - What?” I ask, my mind not able to process her meaning.

  “You see, as soon as Jacob found out about me and Lukas breaking up, he was quick to offer me condolences. He told me he’s always fantasized about me, and that Lukas was a fool to give me up.”

  Fighting with all my might to hold back the tears that are threatening to fall, I take a deep breath and wait for her to continue.

  “Well I mean, Jacob is a very handsome guy, and I couldn’t refuse his affections, so one thing lead to another...well, we’ve been sleeping together ever since Lukas walked out,” she says matter-of-factly.

  Swallowing hard, I finally find my voice. “Why are you telling me this?”

  With a laugh, Jessica says, “Are you really as surprised as you look? Kassidy, honestly, what did you expect? Maybe not Jacob with me - but surely somebody!” she says incredulously. “Oh...did you really think that he loves you? Oh my goodness, you did, didn’t you?” The fake look of pity on her face is about to send me over the edge.

  “You need to leave now,” I say, rising to my feet, heading for the front door. What she says next stops me dead in my tracks.

  “I can’t believe you didn’t know that he only came around here because of guilt.”

  I whirl around, livid. “What did you say?”

  “Poor Jacob was devastated when he realized that if only he had waited for you to drive away that night, Buck couldn’t have attacked you. So, he tried to make it up to you,” Jessica says flatly.

  “You’re lying,” I say, my heart aching severely. “He would never do anything so cruel!”

  “Ask him yourself - and while you’re at it, ask Lukas,” she says with a shrug, a smug look on her face. “I just thought you should know.”

  And with that, Jessica walks around me and closes the door behind her.

  Filled with equal parts of disbelief and rage, I hit Jacob’s number on speed dial.

  “Hey babe...” he begins, a smile in his voice.

  Quickly cutting him off, with a bitter tone, I tell him, “We need to talk, and not over the phone. I need you to come over - now.”

  As soon as I open the door, Jacob knows something is up.

  “Kassidy - babe, what’s wrong?” he says, his hand reaching out to cup my face. Being quick to respond, I block him with the sweep of my left hand, before using my right hand to let him know not to try and come near me.

  “What the hell is wrong with you? How could you?” I ask, my voice rising as surely as my blood pressure.

  “What’s going on? Kassidy, this isn’t like you, babe.”

  “Don’t call me ‘babe’ - and don’t you dare tell me what I’m like! You’re the one who’s a complete fake!”

  “What...”

  Before he can ask me what I mean, I hold up my palm to silence him.

  “I had a visitor today - Jessica!”

  I watch the blood drain from his face as he grasps my meaning, while he simultaneously tries to think of what to say to me. I know instantly that Jessica was telling the truth.

  As his lips part to speak, I cut him off.

  “What? What could you possibly say to justify what you’ve done?”

  “Kassidy, if you’d just let me explain! I know you don’t wanna hear this, and you’re not gonna believe me anyway, but Jessica seduced me! It sounds lame, and cliché, but that’s how it happened. I never wanted to hurt you; I swear! She did every possible thing to get my attention - I know it’s no excuse, but Kassidy, I’m just a man - and she’s ... But I begged her not to tell you, because I knew I’d messed up, and I never meant to break your heart!”

  “’And she’s’ what? Beautiful? Sexy? Everything that I’m not? I don’t even know you anymore. I never asked for any of this - not your time, your affection...none of it! And that wasn’t even the only lie! You felt guilty about Buck, so you pretended to be attracted to me? What kind of person does that? You’re not a man - you’re a pathetic excuse for a human being! I never wanna see you again!”

  The hurt look on his face as he turns to walk out cannot begin to compare to how my heart is feeling right now. I slam the door behind him.

  “Kassidy, what in the world?” Mama rushes into the room, alarmed by the sound of my voice being raised in anger.

  As my face crumples in anguish, I throw my arms around my sweet mama’s neck and cry like the child that I wish I was.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Lukas

  On Wednesday evening, I hear a car pull into the gravel driveway, and looking out the front window, I’m surprised to see Kassidy gettin’ out of her car.

  “Well hey there!” I greet her, as I walk out onto the porch. “I didn’t expect to see you till Saturday.”

  The look on her face tells me this is not a social visit.

  “You know, I really would’ve expected better from you, Lukas Crawford!” Kassidy is madder than a wet hen, and I have no idea what I’ve done to provoke it. Matter of fact, I can’t ever remember a time when Kassidy was mad at me.

  “Well now you’re gonna have to tell me what you’re talkin’ about, because I’m completely lost right now,” I say, taking off my hat and scratching my head.

  “I’ll tell you what I’m talkin’ about – Jake and Jessica!” This girl is fightin’ mad, and the fact that these two names are what’s got her fuse lit doesn’t really surprise me. I still have no idea what she’s goin’ on about, though.

  “Hold on, now. Let’s sit down here on the porch and get to the bottom of all this. Can I get you some sweet tea?”

  “Yeah, that sounds good. But I ain’t done bein’ mad,” she says, hands on her hips.

  “Well there ain’t much doubt about that,” I say, stifling a grin. She sure is cute when she’s mad.

  When I get back with the tea, Kassidy’s sittin’ in one of the rocking chairs, petting Sam’s old dog Roscoe.

  “Alright, now what’s this all about?”

  She gets straight to the point, which I would expect no less from Kassidy Kane.

  “Lukas, how could you know that Jacob was just comin’ around out of guilt, and not tell me?” Her face is blood red with anger, but there was a quiver to her voice that let me know that she’s hurt. So here it was – she finally knows the truth…but how? I was soon to find out.

  “Kassidy, you gotta know that I’d never keep somethin’ like that from you on purpose,” I say sincerely. “I was pissed about it from the day he kissed you on the cheek and asked to start comin’ round to see you. But there’s some things you gotta understand – for one, I couldn’t really prove it. I confronted Jake on the way home that same day, and he denied it…I still had my suspicions all along though – why do ya think I’ve been so pissed off lately? And another thing, I wouldn’t dare break your heart like that, not to mention the fact that you might not believe me, and there goes our friendship. So yeah, I had my reasons.”

  Kassidy is sitting there silently staring at the floor like maybe things are adding up for her – or maybe she’s trying to figure out whether to believe me or not. But there is one more thing I just have to know.

  “So, what made Jacob decide to come clean with you about it? Mighty decent of him to do that, after all this time,” I say with thick sarcasm.

  “He didn’t – Jessica did.”

  “Come again, now?” I heard what she said, but it just doesn’t make sense to me how that would come about.

  “Jessica paid me a visit at my house today,” she says with a disgusted look on her face.

  Stunned, it took me a few seconds to respond. “Now, why on earth would she feel the need to come to your house after all these years? She’s never had one kind word to say to you since I’ve known her,” I am beyond pissed, but I’ve
gotta hear this.

  “Oh, she had plenty to say – definitely not kind,” Kassidy says. And what she says next takes my anger to the next level.

  “She felt the need to confess to me that she and Jacob have been sleeping together ever since you two broke up,” she says flatly.

  “What?!” I’m so shocked by her words that I instantly jump to my feet. Pacing back and forth across the porch, I run my hands across my face, trying to control my anger.

  “I can’t even say that I’m shocked, honestly. Those two deserve each other. I’m definitely not jealous – she’ll make his life a living hell, just like she did mine, and he’ll get what he asked for. But what I’m pissed about is that she just couldn’t wait to tell you – to break your heart! She really is just as evil as I finally – thankfully realized she is! And Jake didn’t even try to stop her!”

  “Actually Jacob didn’t know she was gonna tell me – she even told me that he begged her not to…that’s what he told me too, when he came over,” she says, rolling her eyes in disgust.

  “Wait a minute – so Jessica and Jake have been to your house today? I just cannot believe the level of disrespect – even from them two.”

  All of this has got me floored. I know all too well how manipulative Jessica is, but to think that Jake fell for it – when he knows the kind of person that she is…that’s just pathetic. I also know exactly what her motives are for this whole thing – hurting Kassidy. I swear that girl has had it in for Kas for years, but this – this has done beat all.

  “I called him and demanded that he come over so I could ask him to his face about what Jessica told me – he couldn’t have denied it if he tried…his face said it all. I’m just pissed at myself for not realizing that it was all just a lie. I mean, I wasn’t in love with Jacob or anything – it was just nice to feel wanted, ya know?”

  Suddenly I’m feeling a lot less angry, after hearing that Kassidy hadn’t fallen for Jacob after all, and that brings on the strange questions again – why does knowing this make me feel so happy? I push the question to the back of my mind, along with all the other ones.

  But those two are definitely gonna get a piece of my mind. Its about time to take Jessica Henderson down from her high horse. She’ll never be half the person that Kassidy is, despite her high-price shoes and her fancy clothes…all bought with her daddy’s money. Kassidy’s got more class in her pinky finger than Jessica’s got in her whole dang body! I’m gonna let her know that she had better enjoy gettin’ by on her looks now, because once they’re gone, she’s gonna be the pathetic loser that she claims Kassidy to be.

  As I jump up on his front porch, the thought of snatching Jacob up by the shirt collar is soundin’ real good to me, but I’ll settle for handing him a verbal ass-whoopin’ – for now. Banging on the heavy oak door, I am not prepared for the sorry-lookin’ sack of snot that stands before me – apparently a broken Jacob. Not that I feel sorry for him in the least, but I honestly thought ol’ Jakey had the flu – pajamas, bathrobe, general look of pukeyness on his face…I mean, the boy was lookin’ pretty bad. He wasn’t smellin’ that great, either. I stand glaring at Jacob – but of course, he hadn’t expected me to be there selling cookies. He knows what he’s done, and just how pissed I was gonna be when I caught wind of it.

  “The only reason I came to you first, is because I know you didn’t do it out of meanness, and that you’re basically a decent human being.” I cut to the chase before Jake has a chance to speak. There was no need mincing words. “I know you ain’t never been too bright, but damn son – I thought you had better sense than to get mixed up with Jessica Henderson!”

  The look that Jacob shoots me clearly says, ‘Really?’ I mean let’s get real here – I was with the girl for twelve years, on and off – how intelligent does that make me?

  As silent Jake turns and walks into the kitchen, I follow, still not done being pissed at him, but wouldn’t mind a cup of strong coffee after the night of tossing and turning I’d just had. I help myself as Jacob sits stoically at the dining table.

  Sick of his silence, I turn on him with the anger that I’ve been trying to keep at bay.

  “And you’ve got nothing to say?” It’s more of an observation than a question – but I wanted answers anyway. This is just a pre-cursor to the very real and very hostile discussion that Jessica and I will be having soon.

  “What do you want from me, Luke? I feel like total shit, does that make you happy? I can’t eat, I can’t sleep – I feel like a total asshole for what I did to Kassidy.”

  “As you should. You hurt that girl – and I told you – I told you that you were gonna hurt her. I tried my damndest to make you understand that it wasn’t right, but you wanted to play Casanova. Naw, what you really were trying to do is let yourself off the hook for being neglectful that night, the night that Buck was out for vengeance. What were you thinking, man? If you had just listened to me, none of this would’ve happened. Not that it would’ve kept Kas from getting attacked – but for God’s sake – now she can’t help but feel like she’s been attacked again, by you and Jess!”

  I’d come there to have my say, and I damn sure did. Jacob has the nerve to look shocked by the brunt of my words, but I mean every one of them. Scum – they are scum in my eyes, and I would be scraping the both of them off the bottom of my shoe after today.

  As I turn to leave, I hear Jacob mutter, “It damn sure sounds like you’ve got some feelings for her, if you ask me.”

  “I didn’t ask you – but at least one of us does.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Kassidy

  “You did not!” Melanie is squealing with laughter while rolling across my bed. Niko runs for his life, hiding underneath the bed, from this crazy girl.

  “I most certainly did!” Poking my chin out, I gave my bestie the most defiant expression that I could muster. “I was not playin’, not one bit!”

  “You expect me to believe that you just drove up to Lukas Crawford and blessed him out like that?” Barely able to contain her giggles, Melanie makes me tell her the whole story again – minus the visits from Jessica and Jacob.

  “Wow, girl – I wouldn’t have ever believed you had it in you. To go off on Jacob is one thing, but Lukas has always been your crush. Just the thought of you going off on him, well, that’s major!” She flashes me a goofy grin.

  “I mean, what’s the big deal? I was pissed, and he was basically involved – because he did keep it all a secret from me, ya know?”

  With a romantic sigh, Melanie breathes, “Yeah, but what an honorable reason, though!”

  “Yeah, well. He’s just lucky that I didn’t haul off and smack him, mad as I was,” I say with a shrug.

  “Likely story,” Melanie smirks. “Are you sure you’re not having those mood swings that the pills might cause? I mean, you’re pretty feisty in general, but here lately, you might’ve kicked it up a couple of notches,” she raises an eyebrow, studying me.

  “Hey, stop treating me like I’m some lab rat,” I scold. “I felt a certain kinda way, and I made my feelings known – that’s all.”

  “Okay,” Melanie says skeptically, still eying me a little suspiciously, which made me laugh.

  “How bout some Keto ice cream? It’s vegan!”

  “Sounds like a hot date to me – the only one I’m gonna be having any time soon,” Melanie giggles, as we head down to the kitchen.

  “Now girl, you know that you are lovin’ the single life,” I tease her. “How are you gonna move to Charlotte to become a news anchor and be juggling a man and a herd of kids?”

  “A whole herd? Yes girl, you are so right!” She howls at the hilarity.

  “Now that’s what I love to hear – laughter and fun,” Mama says, sipping her coffee on the front porch as we join her with our bowls of creamy goodness.

  “Yes ma’am, Miss Linda – we are strong independent women – we will let no man put us asunder!” Melanie says, raising her spoon in salute.

/>   “Men,” Mama says with disdain, “Psssch, what peculiar creatures they are,” shaking her head. “Who in the world could ever even begin to understand them?” She releases an exasperated sigh.

  “Well, I dunno, Mama,” I nudge Melanie to go along with me. Trying to keep a straight face, I continue. “Seems that I recall just the other day the very mention of one man in particular brought some flush to your cheeks!”

  “Kassidy Kane, now that is just nonsense!” Mama states hurriedly. “Why, I haven’t talked with Sam Gentry in ages. He’s a kind soul, and that’s all there was to it. Of all the foolish ideas – me and Samuel Gentry…” Mama trails off, drifting in her thoughts, just like she had the other time I’d spoken to her about the subject.

  “Mama? Omigosh, you are blushing! Melanie, don’t it look like there’s some color to her cheeks?” I gasp and become giddy with joy, seeing my mama this way. Melanie agrees, and we tease Mama a little more, before something in the mood shifts – before Mama seems a little melancholy.

  “You can’t think about what might have been,” Mama says morosely. “All you can do is focus on the here and now – and you, my beautiful girl, are my here and now.” She gives me a wistful smile, before getting up to go back in the house with her empty coffee cup.

  As she passes by me, I take her hand. Something in her demeanor worries me.

  “Mama? Are you alright? I was only teasing – please don’t be embarrassed or sad,” I plead with her, gently stroking her soft hand – the hands that have cared for me since birth, and that are the world to me.

  Smiling sweetly, Mama lifts my chin in her other hand, tilting it upward. “Of course, you didn’t make me sad. You are the bright spot in my world. If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

  I give her a smile in return, as she walks back through the front screen door. Melanie looks at me with distress.

  “What just happened?” she asks.