by Beth Rinyu
“Who do you think you are speaking to in that tone?” He inched closer to me. “What, do you think you can talk to your father anyway you want now because you’re out whoring around with that boy?”
My heart dropped over his words. “Jeff, that’s enough!” my mother shouted. Tears filled my eyes and I could see his eyes filling with emotion as well as I stared into them. He glared at me one last time before walking into his study and slamming the door.
After I helped my mother clean up, I decided to swallow my pride and make amends with my father. "Hey," I said as I knocked lightly on his study door. He barely lifted his head as I placed the cup of coffee on his desk. I took a seat and looked around at all of my artwork hanging on the walls, some of it dating back to when I was three years old. "So, when did you want to reschedule our tennis match?"
"I don't know right now, Becca. I'm really busy with work."
My eyes filled with tears. "I'm still the same girl, Daddy. I'm still your Becca."
He had a pained expression as he looked into my eyes. "My Becca never lied. She never made stupid mistakes."
“I didn’t make a stupid mistake, Dad. What are you talking about?”
“Sleeping with the first guy that gives you any attention.”
“That’s not true, Dad! I’m a twenty one year old woman. Most girls my age have been having sex since they were sixteen, so how dare you say that to me!”
“You’re not like most girls, Becca! You have the whole world at your fingertips and you’re throwing it away over a guy.”
“How am I throwing my life away over a guy? Because I like him and I enjoy spending time with him? How is that throwing my life away?”
“The next thing you know, you’ll be talking about marriage and then having kids and then that’s it!”
“Dad, just calm down. Drew and I have only been dating for three weeks, we are not that serious.”
“But you’re serious enough to be having sex with him?” He looked at me with sheer disappointment.
I looked down at the ground and shook my head. “Dad, he’s just diff–”
He put his hand up to stop me. “I don’t have time for this right now, Becca, I have to finish up here,” he said, putting his head back down into his paperwork.
I swallowed hard, trying my hardest to halt my tears. “I’m sorry for not being here for Jordan last night,” I whispered as I got up from the chair and exited his study. My father and I never fought. I was constantly living up to his high expectations of me. And although I was sorry for letting him down with my brother, I would never be sorry for sleeping with Drew…. and for that, I would never apologize.
I kept to myself the rest of the day, going out of my way to help my mother around the house before spending a few hours by the pool. My father stayed locked in his study for the afternoon and my brother was still passed out in bed while I took the brunt of his punishment.
"You need some help with that?" I asked my mother as I walked into the kitchen and saw her peeling potatoes for dinner.
"Sure, if you're up to it; grab a knife and start slicing some carrots." She looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back, happy to see that she wasn't giving me the silent treatment as well. I took a seat at the counter stool next to her and wasted no time dicing up the carrots.
"So how was Boston?" I asked.
"Oh you know, hectic as usual, but it was nice to see Lorraine and John again."
I nodded and took a deep breath. "Mom, I'm really sorry for not being here last night. I really thought that Jordan was being sincere."
"That's okay, Becca, it’s not your fault. Your father has to learn that your brother is seventeen years old and has to start bearing the brunt of his mistakes, instead of blaming everyone else for them." She put down the potato that she was peeling and looked at me. "But I am a little hurt that you didn’t share with me just how serious you were becoming with this guy. I mean, your father and I haven't even met him."
"Daddy did meet him the night of the benefit."
"Becca, you know what I mean; we would like to have met him for longer than a minute."
"I'm sorry. I just didn't think Daddy would be very welcoming."
She looked at me and smiled. "Becca, this is all so new to him. You've never had any serious interest in boys before."
"Well, I would love for you guys to get to know him, but I just don't want him feeling uncomfortable."
"You let me take care of your father and I will make sure that doesn't happen."
"Okay," I whispered as I began chopping once again.
"Becca?"
"Yeah," I replied, looking up from my carrots.
"You are still on the pill, right?"
I felt my face turning red. I hated talking about these things with anyone, especially my parents. "Yes, I am."
She nodded. "Well, did you have any questions about....you know?"
I shook my head. "No, Mom, I'm good."
"Okay." She smiled.
“So what’s for dinner?” I asked, trying to break up the awkwardness of the moment.
“London Broil on the grill, mashed potatoes, and fresh vegetables.”
“Oh, can I make my special mashed potatoes?” I asked.
“Sure, knock yourself out,” she replied. My brother strolled into the kitchen and my mother and I both lifted our heads from our chopping and peeling. He opened the refrigerator door to get a drink, looking like he was half dead. “I better go start that grill,” my mother said as she got up and exited the kitchen.
“Becca?”
“What?!” I raised my voice in annoyance.
“I’m sorry if you had to take a lot of crap because of me.”
“What else is new, Jordan? I’m always getting yelled at for your mistakes. If you can’t be responsible and trusted, that’s not my problem. You promised me yesterday that you wouldn’t do anything.”
“I know I did and I’m sorry, but Lindsay came over and then her brother and then a few of his friends and then it just kept going from there.”
“And it never once dawned on you to tell these kids to leave?” He looked at me blankly and shrugged his shoulders. “Whatever, Jordan, I just don’t even care anymore.”
“Ready to start those potatoes?” my mother asked as she walked back in, still totally ignoring my brother. He stood in the kitchen for a little while longer before walking out and heading back up the stairs.
My father finally came out of his study when it was time to sit down to dinner. Jordan came downstairs looking somewhat human after taking a shower and I began to wonder what excuse he had given my parents over his black eye. “These potatoes came out delicious, Becca,” my mother said in an effort to break up the silence.
“Thank you,” I whispered as I took a sip of my water.
“So, Jeff, I was telling Becca that we would really like to get to know this boy that she’s been seeing a little better.” I felt my food instantly churning in my stomach. Why did she have to bring this subject up now? My father continued eating, never lifting his head from his plate. “So, I was thinking next weekend we can have a little barbeque. What do you think?” He finally looked up from his food and glared at her. “Maybe I’ll invite a few other people over so he doesn’t feel awkward,” she continued on, completely ignoring my father’s look of warning. “Becca, ask him if he’s free next Saturday night.” I instantly lost my appetite, just judging by the look on my dad’s face I knew that he wasn’t going to give Drew a fair shot and I didn’t want Drew to have to feel uncomfortable because of it. My only positive in it was that I still had a whole week for my dad to cool down and my mother to work on him, so maybe by Saturday he would at least be a little cordial. I sighed deeply and nodded.
“So Jordan, are you up for some golf with me, Edward, and Ashton tomorrow morning?” my father asked my brother as if nothing ever happened last night.
My brother quickly nodded, knowing that this was his way of escaping further punishment. Tears f
illed my eyes. I stared at my father, who was making sure that he avoided eye contact with me. My brother was the one that had trashed the house. My brother was the one that was underage drinking with all of his friends. My brother was the one that let him down time and time again. Yet, I was the one getting the silent treatment from him all because I finally had a guy in my life.
I got up from the table to clear my plate. “Becca, where are you going? You didn’t even touch your food,” my mother said.
“I lost my appetite,” I said, rinsing off my plate as my father’s eyes finally locked with mine before he looked away without saying a word.
I walked out of the kitchen and upstairs to my bedroom, throwing myself down on my bed. As I checked my messages, there was a missed call from Krista and a text from Lynn Barrett, letting me know that she needed me to run back to Long Island tomorrow morning. I hadn’t heard from Drew since I had left his house that morning which was only adding to my anxiety, especially since I knew who he was with. I grabbed my phone to call Krista back, hoping that would help me temporarily forget Drew’s silence.
“Hey, chickie. What’s going on?” she answered.
“Not much.”
“I hope I didn’t get you in trouble with your dad this morning. I was half asleep when he called.”
“It’s okay.”
“Well, where were you?” There was a brief moment of silence. “Really, Becca, you’re going to hold out on me?”
“I ended up falling asleep over at Drew’s,” I blurted out.
She gasped and giggled. “Becca? Were you finally being a naughty girl?”
Leave it to Krista to make me smile when I didn’t think it was possible. “No,” I said half-heartedly.
“Liar!” She laughed. “Well, I can’t say I blame you, girl, he is a total hottie! I saw him today without a shirt ……wow!”
The smile that was on my face instantly disappeared. “When did you see him today?” I asked.
“Ashton had a little beach party when he and the guys got done kayaking. He asked me to come and then got totally wasted, so I left. You know he’s so hot but he’s always drunk or high and that’s such a turn-off.” That was his biggest turnoff to her? If you asked me, everything about Ashton Barrett was a turnoff but I wasn’t going to go there with her right now.
“So what other girls were there?”
Krista picked up on my insecurities right away.
“No one worthwhile. Just all of Ashton’s little groupies that fall at his feet.” Great, just what I wanted to hear. I knew that all of those girls that Ashton associated with had sex with guys like it was nothing. “Don’t worry, Drew was behaving himself,” she said with a hint of sarcasm to her voice. I pretended to be into the rest of the conversation but my thoughts were totally consumed by Drew and what he was doing, who he was with, and if he was missing me as much as I was missing him.
The sun streaming through my bedroom window and the birds singing their morning tune would normally be enough to put a smile on my face first thing in the morning. But as I picked up my phone and saw the text that had come through from Drew last night, after I had fallen asleep, I was fairly certain that I was grinning from ear to ear:
Sorry for not calling you earlier. My battery died and I had to wait till I got home to charge it. I missed your gorgeous face all day. Talk to you tomorrow.
I loved the butterflies that I got in my stomach whenever I got a text from him, heard his voice, or felt his touch. This was all so new to me. I had never been under the spell of a guy like this before. I just wished that my dad would come around and be happy for me so I could enjoy the feelings I was having without feeling guilty.
I got up, showered, and dressed. I called Lynn as I chugged a cup of coffee down and was on my way out the door to pick up her deliveries for the day. My phone began to ring as I was backing out of the driveway. A smile instantly shrouded my face when I saw that it was Drew.
“Hey!” I answered, switching it to speaker.
“What’s goin’ on, gorgeous?” he asked, still sounding half asleep.
“Oh, just on my way to play gopher to Mrs. Barrett for the day!”
“Where are you going?” His voice suddenly perked up.
“I have to go back to Long Island to the place that we went to the other day. She forgot to give him a few of the donor forms, and she needs the original signatures by today.”
“Well, give me twenty minutes to shower and I’ll go with you.”
“Drew, you really don’t have to waste your time.”
“Becca, just be at my house in twenty.”
“Okay,” I replied before hanging up. I hated taking up all of his time, making him feel like he had to go with me, but I had to admit, I was looking forward to seeing him and spending time with him today.
After I swung by Lynn’s to pick up the envelope, I stopped to get my extra dose of caffeine as well as a cup of coffee for Drew. “Get it while it’s hot!” I teased as he opened the door while pulling his tee shirt over his head. Suddenly, I wasn’t sure if I was referring to the coffee or him.
He took both cups of coffee from my hands and placed them on the table. “Come here you!”
He pulled me into him and placed a gentle kiss on my lips, leaving my heart screaming for more. He must have immediately sensed how I was feeling as his lips came down on mine once again, kissing me with a lot more vigor. I wanted him to take me in his bedroom and make love to me. I didn’t care about the errands that I had to run for Lynn. I didn’t care about the fact that my dad was pissed off at me. I didn’t care about anything else that was going on in my life when I was with him.
“Is it too early for class?” I smiled up at him.
“Are you trying to bribe the teacher?”
I giggled. “Not at all.”
He lifted me off the ground and carried me over to the couch. His hands were up my shirt and unhooking my bra in an instant. I pulled him closer, needing to feel his body close to mine while inhaling the intoxicating scent of his shower gel. “Oh, Baby, I want you so bad right now. You have no clue what you do to me, do you?” My insides were throbbing for him and I wanted to ask him that same question. His voice sounded different…. smoother, almost like he had a sexy southern accent. I shook my head, unable to answer. Why the hell did he have to sound so damn sexy? His hands were slowly making their way to the button on my shorts when my phone beeped with a text message. Even though I didn’t want to stop to check it, I knew that I better. If it were my parents and something had happened, I would never hear the end of it. “Can you just hold that thought for one second?” I giggled.
“You’re killin’ me, Becca!”
I kissed him softly on the cheek before grabbing my phone from my purse to find a text from Lynn Barrett:
Wasn’t sure what time you were going to Mr. Simms, but can you please make it a priority? He’s going away on business and leaving at two. I need those forms and he needs that packet before he goes.
“Here’s an idea, why don’t you go and drop the stuff off yourself, Lynn?” I said into my phone just before throwing it back into my purse.
“What’s the matter?” Drew asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Oh I have to be there by two because the stupid guy has to leave! You know, I’m about ready to tell her to forget this whole thing. I didn’t sign up to be her errand girl and now I have to input a ton of names and addresses of the donor’s into a spreadsheet by Wednesday.” I sighed heavily. “I guess I shouldn’t be complaining, at least she’s trusting me a little bit more.”
He sat up and moved my hair from my face. “Come on, let’s get going. We’ll finish up this lesson later.”
“Fine! She’s starting to get to me, just like her son!”
He shook his head and let out a lighthearted chuckle. “Really?”
“Okay, maybe not that bad.” I smiled back, taking his hand as he pulled me off the couch and we headed on our way.
Two hours later, and
we were pulling up to the elaborate mansion that we were at just the other day. We walked up the driveway and waited for a response after ringing the doorbell. “Wow, could you just imagine living in a place like this?” I asked.
“Not bad,” he joked. We were greeted by a very intimidating looking man all dressed in black. He even towered over Drew, who was well over six feet tall. His personality seemed just as daunting as his appearance. I watched in confusion as he immediately patted Drew down. “I’m cool, bro,” Drew replied. I held my breath as he began to pat me down, wondering what the heck he was searching for. I was getting a nervous feeling in my stomach and I was so thankful that Drew was there with me. I grabbed onto Drew’s hand tightly as the man led us into the sitting area.
“Mr. Simms will be with you shortly,” he said in a very deep voice.
“Drew, what the heck was that all about?” I whispered, still gripping tightly to his hand.
He shrugged it off as if it were no big deal. “Probably just making sure we’re not planning on robbing the place because you’re so scary looking,” he joked. I could tell that he was playing it off to try and put me at ease.
“Ah, Miss Keeton, how are you?” a short, dark haired man dressed in what looked to be a very expensive suit said as he entered the sitting area. “I’m Carlos Simms, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He took my free hand in his, lifted it up to his lips, and kissed it. “And are you the lucky guy that gets to call this beautiful lady his girlfriend?” he asked Drew.
“Yes, I am,” Drew responded. I bit my lip to hold back the smile over hearing him declare that.
“You are a very lucky man,” Mr. Simms said, eyeing me up and making me feel very uncomfortable. “Please have a seat.” He pointed to the posh leather couch. I hesitantly sat down, still gripping tightly to Drew’s hand. “Can I get either one of you a drink?” he asked.
“Umm no, I just had to drop this envelope off to you.” I could hear my voice cracking with uneasiness.
“Yes, of course. Well, let me get those papers and you can be on your way.”