by Taryn Steele
Out of nowhere Jameson freezes.
“Did you hear that?” He asks.
“Hear what?”
“I thought I heard a noise.”
“You’re always hearing things. Let’s get back to business.”
I grab him by the back on the neck bringing my lips to his, intertwining our tongues in their own erotic dance. I rake my nails down his back and he moans in to my mouth. I know how much he loves when I do that.
Then it’s my turn to freeze. I grab Jameson’s shoulders and give him a small push off of me.
“Oh-My-God Jameson! I think I heard the door open. Someone’s in the house.” I whisper in a panic so he’s the only one who can hear me.
Jameson quickly climbs off of me and tip toes on the floor. He walks to the gun case under the nightstand, enters the code, and takes out his Walther 9mm pistol.
“Stay here.” He commands quietly.
I pull the sheet up to my neck and begin trembling. I’m scared to death. I know his revolver is also in there but it’s too big for my hands to handle if I need to, but I’ll make it work if it comes to it. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect what’s mine.
I can’t stand the quiet and the not knowing. I get out of bed, grab my night shirt and put it back on. With Jameson’s revolver in my hand I inch my way out of our bedroom and in to the hallway. I can see Jameson at the top of the staircase, still completely naked with just his gun in his hands. I watch as he takes a few steps down the stairs and I slowly follow behind him. He hasn’t noticed that I left the room. I don’t want him to know. He’ll yell at me to go back and I don’t want to. I need to know what is happening. I need to know what is going on. I can hear movement downstairs. I hear Jameson pull the chamber back on his gun.
“Jesus fucking Christ Ma! I almost shot you. What the fuck are you doing in here?” Jameson shouts.
Are you fucking kidding me right now?
I exhale the breath I’d been holding since I took Jameson’s revolver out of the gun case.
“I called first but no one answered.” I over hear Marcie say.
“That doesn’t mean you let yourself in to our house. We thought you were a burglar. I almost shot you. What the fucking are you doing here?”
“I had to drop something off.”
“What did you have to drop off that couldn’t wait?”
“Umm, I found this yarn I thought you might want.”
“Are you fucking serious right now Ma? You called more than once, then drove over here, let yourself in, and I almost shot you over some fucking yarn that I know damn well I didn’t ask for because I don’t fucking knit. This shit has gotten out of hand.”
Jameson’s anger is nothing like I’ve ever heard before.
“I’ll just leave this hear and get going.” Marcie is barely audible.
I hear the back door close. I quickly make my way back to our bedroom putting the revolver back in the case and climb in to bed. I can hear Jameson stomping down the hallway. I turn my head to the door and he comes barreling through the doorway like a bull just let of its pen. His face is bright red. He tosses his pistol on the bed and begins pacing the room back and forth. With his hands on his hips, he is trying to control his breathing and obviously his current state of rage. I’m at the point right now where I’m not sure if I should speak up yet or not. I’m still attempting to gauge his anger level. If I was to measure it from one to ten I’d say he’s at a nine hundred right now.
IT’S MARYN’S FIRST birthday, and we’ve invited the grandparents and Godparents over for cake and ice cream at 7 p.m. We’re going to have the big birthday party with everyone next weekend. We’re having a ‘Fun To Be One’ theme. I’m so excited to have this party. I can’t believe how fast her first year went.
We haven’t heard from Marcie since her intrusion in to the house where Jameson almost shot her. We have no idea if she’s coming tonight or not. So far everyone but Marcie is here. I’m giving her two minutes and I’m lighting the candle on Maryn’s cake. Jameson and I made it ourselves. I found a Mickey Mouse cake pan at the craft store. Maryn loves the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show on the Disney channel. We stayed up way passed our bedtime decorating it. It’s not perfect but we’re pretty damn proud of ourselves.
Maryn is in the dining room sitting in her high chair with everyone. Time is ticking and she’s getting antsy. Just as I’m about to tell Jameson I’m lighting the candle we hear a car door slam closed. Jameson and I quickly step to the nearest window, peer out and see Marcie making her way to the front door. My heart rate starts beating double time. My chest feels tight. I have no idea what she’s capable of anymore. Is she going to cause a scene? Does she have some sort of agenda by coming here without telling us she was in fact coming? Jameson left two messages for her over the past two weeks looking for a response and we received none.
The front door opens and she steps in, without knocking of course. She doesn’t make eye contact with anyone. She doesn’t acknowledge anyone. She walks towards Maryn and says ‘happy birthday.’ Jameson grabs me by the shoulders, looks directly in my eyes and says, “If she causes any sort of trouble I will take her outside and talk to her.” Somehow that makes me feel better knowing he’s on top of the situation and makes me uneasy me at the same time knowing that he thinks she is capable of doing or saying something. Would she actually do that to her only grandchild on her first birthday?
I shake the frustrating thoughts from my head and motion to Jameson to get a lighter so we can get the show on the road. I have the cake in my hands, the candle is lit and we make our way in to the dining room singing to our beautiful baby girl. I keep my eyes focused on her and no one else. Right here and right now it’s only about Maryn and no one else.
We gave her a few attempts at blowing out the candle but in the end I took care of it for her. I’m happy to see my brother sitting next to her at the table and interacting with her. This is only the third time he’s seen her since she was born. He has a new girlfriend and it’s all about her and her son. She’s extremely close with her family so she keeps him busy with them. I have a feeling we’ll be lucky if we see him at any holiday or family functions if they stay together.
My parents don’t stay long since they have the furthest drive home and they both have to work tomorrow. My brother takes advantage of their exit and makes his as well. Amy is playing with Maryn in the living room with her new birthday toys. I decide to start cleaning up the cups and plates while Amy has Maryn occupied. Walking from the living room in to the dining room I realize Marcie is sitting at the table alone picking at her slice of cake.
Shit! I thought Jameson was near-by. Where the hell did he go?
I know I should say something but I know how I am, and I know all that will come out of my mouth is a bunch of swears. I choose to collect the plates and cups from the table and go straight in to the kitchen.
As I busy myself washing the dishes I hear the back door slam shut. I peak my head around the corner and I see Marcie and Jameson through the glass on the door. Her arms are crossed with a scowl on her face. I don’t want either of them to see me snooping so I go back in to the kitchen. If shit gets loud I just hope it’s loud enough for me to hear from in here.
Not even ten minutes go by and I hear the beginning of a shouting match. Amy comes in to the kitchen with Maryn in her arms.
“I’m going to take her upstairs and get her ready for bed. It’s starting to get loud out there. Then I’m going to get the hell out of here before it gets worse and I somehow get dragged in to it because I’m family.”
“Thank you, and I don’t blame you. Your lovely aunt out there hasn’t made things easy for us lately. If I could go with you I would,” I admit.
She smiles with a wink and makes her exit.
Just as I’m about to double check the mess in the dining room I hear the back door open and the familiar voices that follow.
“I didn’t do anything wrong, so I don’t understand why you two a
re mad at me. I’ve been mad at you two for yelling at me when I was dropping off the yarn. That’s why I haven’t called.”
“You can’t be serious Ma?”
“You and I were fine before her. Ever since she got her claws in to you you’ve drifted from me. We always had a great relationship. I worked my ass off for you. This is how you repay me?”
“Did you do a lot for me growing up? Yes. But don’t think for one minute that I will ever forget that you lied to me when I was just a kid about my father. You told me he didn’t love me. You told me he wasn’t coming for me. When he did come you would lock me in my room and in return tell my father I didn’t want to go with him. Once you no longer had control of that you started messing with me and Hillary. I have done everything. Hillary has done everything. She was so excited to have a mother figure in her life that understood her, got a long with her. Out of nowhere you flipped. I don’t know what is going on with you but you better figure it out real fast.”
The door slams shut. I look out in to the dining room and see Jameson standing with his hands on his hips and his head hunched down. Frustration written all over his body.
I watched my mother and Grandma Nowal battle for years growing up. I strived to never have that type of relationship with my mother in law. I can still remember the first time I met Marcie and how much I liked her, how well we got along. I told her about my strained relationship with my mother. She told me about hers. When Jameson and I started dating I was elated at how great things were. The three of us could hang out and watch TV, play cards and have a great time. It all changed so fast. Marcie changed. She resented me. I tried to look past it, but it was never enough for her. No matter what I said, no matter what I did it was never enough.
How far will she takes things to ruin us?
FOR MARYN’S SEVENTH birthday she wants me to start a Twitter account for her so she can follow Justin Bieber’s every move. She loves him. Jameson and I can’t stand the kid or his music but it could be worse, it could be Marilyn Manson or some crap like that.
I know how Facebook works. I have a Facebook account but I have no clue about this Twitter world, but for her I’ll look in to it. I won’t let her have her own account, she’s only seven for Christ’s sake. I’ll create a random account and peruse the site and see how it goes.
I log on to the Twitter site, and click the ‘Sign Up’ button. I fill out all of the necessary information, wait for the verification notice and start skimming the site. First things first I need to find Justin Bieber’s page. I had no idea how many people use his name for their own Twitter page. Good Lord he has a lot of fans, millions in fact.
After a couple of weeks of tracking The Biebs for Maryn I’ve become a fan of Twitter myself. It’s like my own little world where I can say and do whatever I want. No one knows me here. I can voice my opinion to others about politics, feminism, health, sex, anything. I even have followers, one-hundred and fifty-one to be exact.
I come across a picture of Marilyn Monroe that someone posted and I think back to one of my favorite quotes of her’s and decide to tweet it. A few minutes later I see a notification that someone commented on it.
@hogcatch says: love marilyn. love her quotes.
I notice that the profile picture is of a man’s chest in a suit and tie. It’s a nice tie. I like making new friends so I simply reply ‘thanks. nice tie.’
We’ve been messaging back and forth for weeks now. Where did he come from? He seems to understand me like no other, not even Jameson at this point in our relationship.
What am I doing entertaining this … this … what is this? I can’t stay away. It’s like I’m addicted. Everyone has an addiction, mine just happens to be him right now.
Cheers!
POMPELMO
7½ oz. Campari15 oz. SKYY Infusions Blood Orange Vodka 7½ oz. triple sec1 grapefruit chunks20 oz. grapefruit juice20 dashes of bitters
Place grapefruit chunks in a punch bowl or pitcher filled with ice. Add remaining ingredients and stir gently.
HORIZON BLUE SKIES
1 oz. SKYY Infusions Citrus
1 oz. Blue Curacao
1 oz. lime juice
1 oz. triple sec
Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.
X-RATED TANGERINE TOUCH
1 oz. X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
1 oz. Sagatiba Pura Cachaca
2 oz. guava juice or nectar
Juice of half of a lime
Garnish: apple slice
Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, strain into a martini glass, and garnish with an apple slice.
RED DEATH
1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz Southern Comfort® peach liqueur
1/2 oz amaretto almond liqueur
1/2 oz triple sec
1/2 oz sloe gin
1/2 oz lime juice
Cranberry juice
THE WAKE UP CALL
2oz. New Amsterdam Vodka
1oz. coffee
1/2oz. triple sec
1 oz. milk
MORNING ROOSTER
1-1/2oz. Espolon Tequila Reposado
1/2oz. coffee liquer
8oz. coffee
2Tblsp agave nectar
To my husband and daughter, thank you for understanding my time away while I write this story. You’re constant love and support means more to me than I could ever express.
Sarah Banks, you saved my butt at the last minute. I owe you a huge thank you for your time and squeezing me in to your schedule. Don’t go anywhere, I need you for book three.
Robin Harper you have the patience of a saint. Thank you for making so many adjustments to all of my cover requests. You are the best!
To my beta readers, I love you. You’ve stuck by me all year and I truly appreciate each and every one of you. I can’t wait to send you book three.
Annie Hubbard, you are such an amazing supporter. I appreciate you so much!
Aimee, Joe and Jess, I know scheduling our photo shoot was painful with everyone’s different schedules but we made it work. I am so thankful to you all.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me through this amazing writing adventure.
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