The Perfect Wave

by A. J. Pryor

  I started laughing. “Money, Roan. That’s what’s wrong with my family. They all think they’re better than everyone else because they have money. Except my daddy, and he’s the one who made all the money. You know that house I own?”

  He sat very still listening intently to every word I said.

  “I could buy ten houses if I wanted to. My trust fund is quite extravagant. Therefore, my mother tries to set us Baker girls up with men who’ll keep the money safe and not squander it. Only reputable men, she calls them. I call ‘em all gold diggers. My older sister was engaged to one of them. I was home for the wedding and caught him in the pool house with one of the bridesmaids. Not so reputable, in my opinion.”

  Roan’s mouth was hanging open and I didn’t have the heart to tell him to close it. “Roan, aren’t we going to be late if you don’t get back on the road and drive?”

  “Yeah, I will in a minute. I’m amazed at how normal this is to you.”

  I shrugged. “It’s my life. It’s always been this way. I don’t care about the money. I want to live the way I want. My way. And that’s not easy to do around my mother.”

  Roan finally pulled back onto the road. “So, she’s going to hate me.”

  “My mother?”

  “Yes, Jessica, your mother. She’s going to hate me. I bet I’m nothing like the men she wants you to marry.”

  “Well, she’ll think you’re cute, but other than that, yeah, she’ll pretty much tell me to get rid of you.”

  hen I got off the plane in Dallas, my father’s longtime chauffer was waiting for me.

  “Hi, Randy,” I said as I gave him a huge hug. “It’s been a while.”

  “Too long, Miss Jessica. Your momma had a fit when she found out you weren’t takin’ the family plane to come home.”

  “She’ll get over it.”

  He grabbed my bag and looked behind me. “This all you got?” Any of my family members would pack at least a bag for each day of their visit.

  I nodded. “I’m only staying for a few days. I don’t need much more than that.”

  He smiled at me. We walked toward the waiting limo.

  “Your momma’s gonna be fit to be tied when she finds out you ain’t stayin’ longer,” Randy said.

  I took a big breath, knowing he was right. “Well, I have plans, and I’m not going to change them.”

  He peered at me, a curious look in his eyes. “You got yourself someone special back in California, Miss Jessica?”

  I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.

  Randy muttered, “Oh Lord, this is gonna be one interestin’ week. Come on. Let’s get you home and get it over with.”

  Randy pulled up to my parents’ sprawling, thirty-five acre estate. Lighted Christmas trees lined the stretch of driveway that led to the front of the house. A huge wreath hung in every window, and there was a life-size nutcracker on each side of the porch. My parents had never been much for simplicity, but they’d gone completely overboard this year, decorating the house a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Every year it seemed to get earlier.

  I opened the door and looked around. I hadn’t been home in almost a year. Not much had changed. There was still an obscene amount of original art lining each wall. Fresh pine garlands scented the air. They ran from the bottom of the staircase all the way to the top, adorned with gold and silver ornaments. The unused grand piano sat in the foyer. Everything was neat and in its proper place. Everything, except me – I did not fit in here anymore.

  The only thing missing was the welcoming bark of my old dog, Sally, who had to be put down last year. She used to be the first and only one to greet me as I walked through the door.

  “I’ll take your bag up to your room, Miss Jessica,” Randy said. “I think everyone is mulling around the house this evening.”

  “Jessica, is that you?” My mother’s voice rang out.

  Surprised that she even knew what time I was coming in, I called back, “Yes, Mother, it’s me.”

  She walked down the stairs to greet me, her perfectly-coiffed blonde hair brushing her shoulders in an impeccable bob. She wore crisp black pants and a green sweater set, fitting for the holiday season, and a pearl necklace with matching earrings. While my mother was a picture-perfect example of what a high society woman should look like—refined, elegant, and dignified—she was also, at fifty-eight years old, a very beautiful woman.

  “Hi, Momma.” I walked toward her, a smile on my face.

  “Hi, Jessica. It’s been too long.” Her Chanel No. 5 surrounded me as she embraced me. The smile that graced her lips was quickly replaced with disappointment that flashed in her eyes.

  Looking at Randy’s load she questioned, “Is that all you brought?”

  “Yes, Momma. I have to go home on Friday.”

  “What is so important that you can’t stay longer?”

  Her tone of voice brought me right back to when I was eight years old, and I lowered my eyes. Not wanting to tell her about Roan just yet, I tried to come up with anything else to get her to ease off. “I have to help Casey prepare for her wedding.”

  She placed her hand on my shoulder. “Jessica, it’s been a year since your last visit. I’m sure she’s hired people to help her with that.”

  My mother always succeeded in making me feel like I wasn’t old enough to make my own decisions, which was the reason I avoided coming back here. I made myself meet her eyes. “Is Daddy home from work yet?”

  “He should be here any minute. Why don’t you go get freshened up? Dinner will be served in an hour.” Without another word, she walked off. No questions about my flight, my life in California, or any further discussion about Casey’s wedding. Somehow, in the five minutes since I had entered my family home, I’d managed to disappoint her again.

  I made my way upstairs, to my childhood bedroom. Most of it remained the same as when I was in high school. A white-and-pink polka dot comforter on a queen-size bed, picture frames filled with photos of me and some friends from high school I didn’t keep in touch with anymore, and my favorite photo of Sally playing catch with me in the backyard.

  I plopped onto my bed, already wanting to go home, reached for my phone, and called Roan.

  “Hey, Goldilocks,” he answered. “You get there okay?”

  “Hi. Yes, I’m here and already want to leave.”

  “You’ll be okay, Locks. It’s important that you be there for your sister. She obviously adores you.”

  “Jessica! Are you home?” I heard my baby sister calling me from the hallway.

  “Speak of the devil. I better go. Savannah is yellin’ my name.”

  “Okay. I love you, Locks.”

  “I love you, too.”

  At that moment, she burst in my room. “Oh my God, you’re here!” She ran over to me, jumped on the bed, and then pulled me into the biggest hug.

  I sat back and looked at her. She was almost the spitting image of me in looks and personality. “Savannah! How are you, little girl?”

  “Did I hear you tell someone you love them?” She was whispering. Smart girl, knew I didn’t want the whole family to know about my love life.

  “You heard that?”

  “Yeah, sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help overhearing.” Her eyes were huge, clearly wanting my secrets divulged. I was going to tell my family about Roan anyway. Maybe it would be easier if I got someone on my side before I did.

  I took a big breath and dove right in. I told her everything down to the details of our surf lessons and Roan’s less-than-stellar reputation with women.

  She sat on my bed, her chin in her hand, with all her attention focused on me. “And you love him? Like heart-stopping love you don’t think you could ever live without?”

  I nodded. “I love him more than I thought was humanly possible.”

  “Momma is gonna flip,” she said, looking me in the eye.

  “I don’t care what Mother says, Savvy. She doesn’t get to make my decision
s for me.”

  “When are you gonna tell everyone?”

  I shrugged. “I guess at dinner. I don’t know. I’ve already seen Mother, and she didn’t ask anything other than why I was leaving so soon.”

  “She has dates lined up for you all the way into next week. The minute she found out you were coming into town, she got on the phone and hasn’t stopped.”

  I fell back on my bed. “I’m not goin’ on any dates while I’m here, Savvy. You’re gonna need to help me get out of this.”

  “Really? This’ll be the best week ever!”

  We loved our mother, but she made it very difficult to like her. Conspiring against her was Savvy’s dream come true.

  “Savvy, we should go downstairs and get this started. I think dinner’s almost ready anyway.”

  I followed my sister down the spiral staircase that led directly into the kitchen. The aromas of lamb and roasted potatoes drifted through the air. My daddy was in the parlor, pouring himself a drink.

  “Daddy!” I shrieked, so excited to see him. My high-pitched voice startled him, and he jumped.

  “Jessica, no one told me you were here. I would have come up to your room.” He gave me a big hug. “Savannah, you keeping your sister company?”

  Savvy and I were my father’s favorites, and he never hid that fact. I squeezed him a little tighter letting him know how happy I was to see him.

  He chuckled. “That’s some hello. You okay, sweetheart?”

  I smiled big. “I’ve never been better.”

  “Well, I can’t wait to hear what’s got you so happy. Come on. Let’s go eat.”

  Growing up, we’d always eaten our meals in the spacious dining room that fit our large family. The walls were a deep burgundy with original art hanging on each one. A dark mahogany table sat in the middle of the room. Dinner was served family style on my mother’s fine china, with the help bustling about making sure our glasses were filled, and our place settings were just right.

  I’d gotten accustomed to my life in LA where dinner was normally at a trendy restaurant or casually eaten outside amongst friends. But in Texas, habit kicked in and I found myself sitting at the same seat I did as a child. Savannah sat down next to me. Charlotte, Ivy, and Violet, my other three sisters—all brunette with brown eyes, like my father—entered the room right after us.

  “Jessica, you’re here,” Charlotte said, walking over to me. She gave me a peck on the cheek. My other two sisters followed; they kissed me and then took their seats. Everyone was so formal, scared to have one hair out of place, or Mother would give them her lecture on manners and how to act like a proper lady. As if we couldn’t recite them by heart at this point.

  Little did she know that Ivy, the third of her precious daughters, had slept with boys from Dallas to Houston. Charlotte, the oldest, had somewhat of a drinking problem and liked to hide liquor bottles under her bed. And Violet—well, Violet did pretty much anything my mother asked of her, so I guess she was fine.

  My mother was the last to walk into the dining room. She kissed my father and took her seat. “Jessica, it’s so nice to see you, darling. It’s been what, almost a year since the last time you visited?”

  “Yes, Mother, it’s been about a year. Y’all are welcome to come to Los Angeles anytime you want.”

  I watched as Charlotte’s eyes got huge. She loved it when she’d stayed with me a few years back, but—like everyone else—was too scared to upset our mother. She hadn’t returned to LA.

  My mother’s face pinched up in a bit of disgust. She had never liked visiting California. It was a bit too far out of her comfort zone so she saved those trips for when it was absolutely necessary. “So, how is life on the West Coast? I think your father and I are going to try and go to Casey’s wedding. She certainly found herself a worthy man didn’t she?”

  Here we go. It was time to dive right in. “Yes, she did,” I said. “She’s really happy.”

  “Well, I have a few suitors excited to meet you this week. Maybe we can find someone for you like Mason Green.”

  “Actually, Mother, I’m involved with someone.”

  “You’re ‘involved’ with someone? Does that mean it’s serious? When did this happen?”

  I took a deep breath. “Actually, it’s very serious. His name is Roan Anders, and we’re exclusive; so I won’t be goin’ on any dates this trip.”

  “Roan? Well that’s an interesting name. Please, Jessica, tell us more about this Roan Anders.”

  I couldn’t hide the smile on my face when talking about him. I looked at everyone when I spoke except for my mother. I didn’t want to see the disappointment I knew was in her eyes. Well, he’s from Santa Barbara and he’s a sports agent.”

  My daddy’s ears perked up. “Who does he represent? Any player on the Dallas Cowboys?”

  “No Daddy, he specializes in extreme sports, like surfing, snowboarding, and skateboarding.”

  Ivy choked on her water and I shot a dirty look in her direction.

  “Ivy, your manners,” my mother scolded her. Momma’s face turned an interesting shade of white. “Jessica, that doesn’t sound like a very stable career choice.”

  “Veronica,” my father interrupted. “Let her talk; I think it sounds fascinating.”

  “Thanks, Daddy,” I said. “Actually, Mother, it’s very stable. Roan’s clients are some of the best surfers in the world. He travels all over, entering them in surf competitions, getting them sponsors, and making sure they’re treated right.”

  “Jessica, you can’t be serious,” my mother said. “Look around you, dear. Does that really sound like the type of man who would fit in here? He’s probably one of those men who have tattoos!” Her face suddenly blanched. “Does he have tattoos, Jessica?”

  I couldn’t even dignify her question with a response. Roan didn’t have any tattoos, but I wouldn’t be opposed if he chose to get one.

  Luckily, my father saved me. He had stopped eating and was looking at me with such an intense gleam in his eye, it made me uncomfortable. “Does he also do all those sports? Does he surf?” he asked.

  “He does. In fact he’s teaching me to surf.”

  My father slapped his hands together. “I love it. That’s great. When do we get to meet him? Can I send the jet for him tomorrow? Does he golf ?”

  I laughed at my father and all his questions. “Unfortunately he can’t come here this week. But we’ll plan a trip out soon, so y’all can meet him. I think you’re really gonna like him.”

  My mother stood up and backed away from the table. “I’m sorry, Jessica, but I just cannot condone this.” Without another word, she left the room. I never even got to tell her about my cookbook.

  After dinner, my sisters and I watched The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

  “Do you think Momma would ever go on The Real Housewives of Dallas?” Savvy asked. Everyone in the room was silent a moment, and then we cracked up.

  I had forgotten how much I enjoyed my sisters. We were all so different, but we were family. My mind drifted to Blake and how deeply Roan loved him. I needed to capture this moment in my heart so I remembered how important family was, and, even living miles away, I would always have a place where I was welcome.

  “Can you imagine Momma on that television show, tellin’ everyone how to sit and eat? She would drive them nuts!” Ivy chimed in.

  My mother meant well and loved us all, but we were women now, capable of making our own choices.

  It was late by the time I made my way to my room. I checked my phone and had a few missed calls and texts from Roan. I called him back as I lay down on my bed.

  “Hey, Locks, I was starting to get worried.” His voice was deep and husky. A jolt of longing shot through my body.

  “Are you in bed, Roan?”

  “In bed thinking about you. So tell me, how badly does your mom hate me?”

  My heart cracked a little. How could I possibly tell him that my mother would never accept him?

 
“Well, she can’t hate you, since she hasn’t met you. But she is disappointed that I refuse to go out on any of the dates she has lined up for me, and my daddy did offer to send the jet to pick you up.”

  “Jeez, Locks, I can’t even imagine that type of lifestyle. I can’t provide anything like that. Does that bother you?” His voice was full of curiosity, not judgment or hesitation.

  It was hard to find a man coming from the wealth my father provided. Most men I dated either felt threatened or were looking for a handout. While Roan didn’t live the lifestyle I was accustomed to, he wasn’t hurting for money either. And loving his career meant he really never worked a day in his life.

  Mother’s goal had always been to find us our equals, but that didn’t necessarily translate into dollar signs. Finding the person who loved you for you and was able to look beyond the diversity of our upbringings was just as important.

  “I know,” I said softly. “That’s not what I need from you.”

  The silence felt heavy between us. Then Roan, thankfully changed the subject, asking, “Is your room in Texas as pink as your house in LA?”

  “Pinker!”

  “Describe it to me.”

  “It’s pink.”

  “No kidding?”

  I laughed. “Well, my bed has pink and white polka dots, so I guess it’s not all pink.”

  “Will your parents let me stay in your room when we come to visit?”

  “No.”

  “Damn, I’ve never had sex in a polka dotted bed before.”

  “There is no way we are having sex in my parents’ house. There are some rules I won’t break. That would be admitting I was no longer a virgin.”

  That got a laugh out of him. “Why would they think that?”

  “Sex isn’t discussed in my family. If I’m havin’ it, my parents surely don’t want to know about it. They choose to believe we’re all still their little girls and I’m fine keeping that image alive for them.” I paused, not sure how to describe the complexities of my family. “ Did I ever tell you my sister Ivy’s the biggest slut in Dallas?”

  “No way!”

  “Well, she used to sneak boys into our house on a regular basis. I mean, it was like she was running a brothel. One time our housekeeper caught her in the act, like naked bodies writhing against each other. Ivy paid her ten thousand dollars to keep it a secret. Then she paid her another twenty thousand to leave the state of Texas and never return.”