Forever Our Boys: A Beaumont Novella

by Heidi McLaughlin

  “Most of us in Atlantis are big fans,” the clerk tells us as her fingers move wildly over the keyboard. “When we found out you were coming, we all became very excited.”

  “How does one find out?” I ask.

  The clerk stops, but doesn’t make eye contact with us, meaning our question goes unanswered. Great. Perfect. No privacy.

  All thoughts of being hounded run through my mind. We were probably better off bringing the guys; this way we’d have security with us and people wouldn’t dare try to ask us questions.

  The young woman slides our keycards to us and rambles instructions on how to find our room and our private cabana. She goes into detail about our itinerary, telling us when our trip to the spa is, the day we’ll visit the dolphins, and our Island tours. “Here is a list of restaurants, and when you’re ready to go to Aquaventure, let us know. The bellhop will be here shortly to help you.”

  “Thank you,” we both say. We step away from the desk and wait for the bellhop to take us to our room. I have every doubt in my mind that I will get lost if I try to find my room by myself. I only need to be shown once, maybe twice, before I can find my way there.

  “That had to be Eden’s idea,” I say, looking over the flyer for Aquaventure.

  “Do you think we should’ve brought the kids?” Katelyn asks.

  I adamantly shake my head. “First off, you don’t have small children. Yours are gown and out of the house; why on Earth would you want to vacation with them?”

  Katelyn opens her mouth to stay something, but closes it quickly.

  “Second, we need this! Look at this place, Katelyn. They picked it for us because they love us and know we need a break. I do wish they were here though.”

  “We could call them?” she says, but I shake my head. “I know you’re right. I’m feeling—”

  “Like you have an empty nest?”

  She looks at me wide eyed. “Yes. I hate that the kids aren’t together. Mostly, Peyton though; she’s alone in Chicago and I worry about her. I’m constantly watching the news… and I hate the news, Jenna. There is so much crime. Harrison tells me that Peyton is fine, and that she’ll call if she needs anything, but I still worry.”

  The bellhop whistles his way toward us. “Hello, would you like me to show you to your room?”

  “Yes, that would be much appreciated,” I say as I reach for my bag. He takes it from my hand, and reaches for Katelyn’s too. We fall in step behind him, and I quickly find myself chuckling because our bellhop looks a bit disjointed with his arms extended back, pulling two suitcases.

  Katelyn steps forward and slides our key in and opens the door. In my head, angels are singing as we step into our penthouse suite. The windows are open, letting the sound of the ocean wash over the room.

  “Sorry,” the bellhop says, as he rushes past us to close the window. “Usually these are closed to keep the cool air inside.”

  “It’s okay,” I tell him. I hand him his tip and thank him. Once he’s gone, I look at Katelyn and laugh. Our suite is beautiful, but in 4225 West colors.

  “We can’t get away,” she says, trailing her fingers along the black leather sofa with red and white accent pillows.

  “They planned this,” I say.

  “You know they did. They somehow rigged this hotel being drawn.”

  Nothing surprises me when it comes to the guys. Katelyn and I tour the rest of the suite. It’s huge, with a full dining room table that seats eight. Each room has a king-sized bed, and overlooks the ocean. In fact, every space in the room has a view of the ocean.

  “I’m never going to want to leave,” I mumble.

  “And yet, we live on the beach.”

  Katelyn’s right. We have this luxury at our fingertips, yet here we are, vowing to never leave paradise.

  “What time is Josie supposed to arrive?” I ask as I continue to stare out at the perfect sandy beach and blue waters.

  “Not for another couple of hours. Should we visit our cabana?”

  “Yeah, we should.”

  We change quickly and follow the signs that lead to the private beach. We have a cabana reserved for the duration of our stay. As soon as we sit down, a waitress appears, out of thin air.

  “What can I get for you ladies?”

  “Can you surprise us?” Katelyn asks. “We’ll take whatever is your special drink for the day.”

  “And some fruits? Maybe an appetizer tray?” I add.

  “I’ll be right back,” she tells us, leaving us to get situated. Every cabana here is different. Some have a double lounge bed, while others have a sofa and chairs. I don’t know who requested what in ours, whether it was one of the husbands or the staff here, but it’s very accommodating with three single lounge beds, and tables between for us to set our stuff down.

  Katelyn dumps her bag onto one of the beds. Sunglasses, cell phone, and three books spill out.

  “Prepared, I see,” I laugh at her pile.

  “What? I didn’t want to get bored.”

  I spread my arms out wide. “How can you get bored here? I mean, look at this place.”

  “And the eye candy,” she says, nodding toward the side of the pool where two guys are looking at us. I quickly duck behind the curtain and stifle my laugh.

  “No way,” I tell her quietly. “I know you won’t even entertain them.”

  She shrugs. “I mean, we’re here and—”

  “Katelyn Powell-James, I do not believe a single word coming out of your mouth right now.” I pick up one of her books and pretend to throw it at her. A name on the inside catches my attention. Mason’s name is etched onto the paper. It’s faded, but still there.

  I’m afraid to look at her face out of fear we’ve chosen the wrong week to get away. It’s been so long since he passed that dates slip by, and I find myself forgetting to remember him.

  The white gauzy material that makes up the curtains sways with the slight breeze we have, brushing against my skin. I smile at the thought that Mason is here, especially when it seems Katelyn needs him right now.

  That’s why she keeps asking if the husbands should’ve come. It’s something I’m going to have to ask Josie when she gets here. The last thing I want to do is feel like I must walk around on eggshells because I might say something stupid.

  “I’m going to test out the water,” I tell her, motioning over my shoulder. I quickly ditch my cover-up and straighten out my bikini. “Wanna come?”

  Katelyn hesitates for a minute before nodding. She ditches her cover-up and reaches for my hand. Together, we walk to the edge, away from the two men that she saw earlier.

  “Sharks,” she says, nodding to the guys.

  I glance around the resort and see that we’re surrounded. “They’re everywhere.”

  “And will turn into vultures once word spreads that we’re here.”

  She’s right. As much as I want to say no one cares that we are here, the truth is, they do, or will once they find out. To us, we’re the wives of men that entertain millions with their music. We’re the ones doing their wash, making their dinner, and playing dad to their children when they’re out on tour. But to others, we’re the ticket. Many think they can get in good with us, and that we’ll invite them over and let them party with the guys.

  But it doesn’t work that way, at least not with Josie, Katelyn, or me. We’re a closed-off, tight-knit family with steel doors and shutters. Even the kids experience their own turmoil because of who their fathers are.

  Eden is very cautious about who she brings home, and often chooses to spend time at her friend’s house over ours. I hate that for her, but I understand. Jimmy doesn’t. He wants her home, away from the temptations of the world. Even when she has a surfing competition, he’s there, and if he can’t be, a bodyguard is. Eden is protected at all times. The last thing he wants is for his career to interfere with hers.

  Still, it’s happened. Her competitors accuse judges of giving her better scores because of who her father is, w
hich would make sense if her father could surf as well as she can. Now, if Harrison was her father, I could understand, but not Jimmy. He has no influence over the judging of a surfing competition. What’s he going to do, offer them a signed CD?

  Knowing my husband, he would try, if Eden wasn’t any good, but that’s not the case. She’s one of the best on the junior circuit and keeps telling us that she plans to be a professional surfer by the time she’s seventeen. Most of the time I want to tell her no, that she needs an education, but can’t. I don’t want to be the parent that limits their child, but also don’t want to turn my back on an opportunity.

  Jimmy blames me. Saying that if I hadn’t been adamant that we move to California, none of this would’ve happened. I, of course, remind him this is payback for knocking me up in the first place.

  5

  Josie

  The last time I flew commercial, I had flown out to Los Angeles under the guise that I was attending a convention on floristry when in fact I was going to see Liam. I sat in coach, crammed between two men who were conducting business together, and using me as an extra tray to hold their papers. I was too nervous to say anything, even though I wanted to switch seats. There was something about being on the edge that afforded me the ability to escape, even though I knew there wasn’t anywhere for me to go.

  The entire flight to Los Angeles, I had to talk myself into following through with my plan to go see Liam and demand an explanation. I wanted to know everything, and yet I didn’t. There hadn’t been a day in the ten years that he was gone that I hadn’t thought about him, even when I didn’t want to, but never in a million years did I expect him to show up in Beaumont after Mason died.

  That day in his penthouse was a defining moment for me. When I let Liam kiss me, I knew I couldn’t marry Nick, no matter how much I loved him. I would’ve been lying to Nick when I took my vows. That wouldn’t have been fair to anyone involved.

  Now here I am again, flying commercial but as Liam’s wife, and this time in first class. The man next to me is reading a rag mag and laughing. There used to be a time when I would see one of those and break down in tears. Liam would be plastered on the front with a random woman and an unfavorable headline. It took years before I could ignore the magazines. The local store saw how I reacted when I got to the checkout, or noticed that Mason would turn the publications around so we wouldn’t have to look. It didn’t take long before the store refused to stock any magazine with his picture on it. Liam didn’t just leave Mason, Katelyn, and me behind. He left us all. The whole town felt his departure, and when he became famous, most expected him to waltz back into town and sweep me off my feet.

  Everyone that is, except for me. I knew Liam wasn’t ever coming back. If he didn’t have the heart to return my calls after he left, there was no way he’d show his face in Beaumont again. That all changed when Mason died. I had so many thoughts and emotions going through me, but not even one of them was about Liam. Not once did I think that Liam would show up or that he’d even know about Mason. But he did, and his arrival changed everything.

  The man next to me shakes the paper closed, and that’s when I spot my son and his girlfriend on the front page. My stomach twists into knots as my heart beats a bit faster. As Noah’s mother, I’ve worked to protect him from the limelight, only for him to thrust himself right into it. Deep down, I had hoped he would’ve chosen a different career path, but he didn’t. He opted to follow in his father’s footsteps in a roundabout sort of way.

  Everyone, Nick included, thought that Noah would accept one of the many scholarship offers he received. One of the best pitchers in the region, Noah was well sought after. The agent that wanted to sign him hours after he turned eighteen told Liam that Noah was a top draft pick, likely number one, but that wasn’t what Noah wanted. He wanted football, but the sport he loved didn’t necessarily love him back.

  Many college football coaches wouldn’t talk to Noah. At first, I thought it was because of Liam and forced him to make some calls to find out. The truth was, Noah didn’t fit into their system or hadn’t done anything as a standout player to get their attention. Noah took the news with an upbeat attitude and made his own call.

  Years ago, while the band was on tour and we were with them, we’d do the tourist thing. We’d check out different sites and turn each stop into an adventure. One such stop brought us to the University of Notre Dame where Noah fell in love with the Irish pride. That was the one call he made, asking the coach if he could try out for the team.

  Liam and Nick didn’t have the heart to tell him that even if he did make the team, he’d be sitting on the bench. At best, he’d be the third or fourth-string quarterback and would only see field time during practices, if that.

  Instead, Liam helped Noah pack and we drove him to Indiana. While I unpacked his room, Noah and Liam went and met with the coach. I cried the whole way home, worrying about my son. It didn’t take long for the call to come from Noah, letting us know that he was the starting quarterback. I made Liam fly me to his game, where I sat proudly at the fifty-yard line, cheering Noah on.

  Noah played all four years for the Irish. Even though pro scouts highly recruited him, he was loyal to his coach and the program. Of course, it helped that the coach gave Noah a full ride by his sophomore year. Something Noah never stopped earning.

  The Portland Pioneers, an expansion team, drafted him. Once again, I found myself wondering if Noah was making the right choice by signing the contract. My feelings never mattered, but I wanted him to be happy.

  Until this week, I have never missed a game, and believe me, knowing my son is playing is enough for me to want to stay home. Except, Liam and Noah won’t allow it. They say I need this break, although I’m not sure that I do. It’s not like I live a high-stressed life or never get to see my friends. It’s true, that living away from Katelyn and Jenna is hard, but I have Whimsicality to keep me busy, and Betty Paige.

  Still, seeing Noah on the cover of this magazine with his girlfriend makes me wish for a time when women were the farthest thing from his mind and his idea of dating was taking Quinn, Peyton, and Elle to the drive in where all their friends piled into the back of his truck.

  But times changed, and now he’s with Dessie, and as much as I try to like her, I can’t. I’ve tried desperately to welcome her into our home, but something about her I can’t quite put my finger on. I don’t know if it’s because of her job and my experiences with Liam or because of the way she latches onto Noah when I’m around. It could also be that she’s always sullen when we go out to dinner after Noah’s games. It’s as if my presence bothers her.

  I try to look at the headline, but the gentleman next to me stuffs the paper into the front pocket. Only the top of Noah’s head is showing, which makes my fingers itch. I could tap him on the shoulder and ask him to borrow it, but I’m afraid what the story might say.

  Fortunately, the captain comes on, alerting us that we’re starting our descent. I peek out the window, only to see nothing but water. I’ve mentioned to Liam a few times that the band should do a fan cruise. Of course, I said this in front of Jimmy who I knew would be up for it. Liam, not so much, and Harrison was on the fence. Liam doesn’t like the idea that fans would have access to him twenty-four seven. I told him it wouldn’t be like that, but he doesn’t believe me. I figure once I can lay out the details and show him we’d have our own private space that fans couldn’t access, he might go for it.

  As soon as the plane lands, the man next to me is up and out of his seat. His newspaper is still in the seat pocket, beckoning me to take it. I reach for it, only to hesitate long enough that the passenger behind me motions for me to go forward. It’s best I leave it there. The less I know from the tabloids the better off I am. I have learned that lesson the hard way.

  There’s a car waiting for me as soon as I step off the plane. The sign the driver holds up says, “Mrs. Liam Page.” I can’t help but laugh at how over the top Liam is sometimes. There are times
when he wants us to be completely anonymous, and other times when he wants to flaunt it. This is one of those moments.

  The driver takes my bag and helps me into the back of the car, where a present waits for me. I open it, tossing aside the wrapping and the lid, only to find a two-piece bathing suit with Liam’s autograph imprinted on the fabric. The card attached reads, “To the love of my life. Enjoy your week with the girls. You deserve it. Paige and I will hold down the fort. Oh, and be sure to wear the bikini. Every man needs to know who you belong to. Love, Liam.”

  The bikini is white with red piping and black letters. I shake my head at the thought of wearing this, but know that Liam will expect pictures. I send him a quick text letting him know I’ve landed, I have my present, and I love him.

  The drive to the hotel is quick and a bit terrifying considering the driver is weaving in and out of traffic. I close my eyes too many times to count, praying that I’ll make it to the hotel in one piece. I breathe a sigh of relief when the car stops and my door opens.

  “Mrs. Page,” the bellhop says as he reaches for my hand. I want to correct him, telling him that my name is Westbury, but I let it go. This is Liam’s doing because he knows that Page pulls more weight. “Your friends are in the cabana waiting for you. I’ve been directed to escort you there immediately.”

  “What about my bags?”

  “I’ll take care of them,” he tells me as he guides me into the lobby and down the hall. My heels clank against the marble, tempting me to take them off, but he seems to be in a hurry so I follow along until we’re back outside and he’s pointing to a cabana. “You’ll find the rest of your party there.”

  The pool is crowded. The laughter and splashing brings me back to a time when Liam and I used to do that. It seems that relaxation weekends have gotten away from us the older Betty Paige gets. Liam never wants to leave her because he’s gone so much. I get it, but a weekend away with my hubby would be nice every now and again.