Mollify

by Xavier Neal

  “I’d lov-”

  “Faith,” a scolding male voice says, cutting off the words I didn’t have to think about.

  I don’t know what’s wrong with me! Basically anything he says my answer is yes. Funny thing. When we were kids it was the other way around. Remind me to tell you about how I convinced him to climb a tree to try to save my cat from the rain.

  Dean pulls us slightly back the direction we came taking us towards the voice.

  Seeing a blonde male who has the body of a soccer player, I turn to Dean for information. Quietly he says, “My Uncle Luke. Aunt Erin’s brother. By blood.”

  “Why did you hit Alex in the face?” the scolding continues. “What are hands for?”

  Faith wiggles her small body around, so the bottom of her pink tulle dress starts to sway. “Coloring.”

  “Good,” he nods. “And?”

  “Popping bubbles.”

  “Good. And?”

  “Spoons.”

  “Wonderful. And?”

  “Hitting.”

  “No,” he quickly says. My hand flies over my mouth to hide the snicker. “Not hitting. No hitting Faith.”

  “Daddy used his hands to hit and he was super special!”

  “Incredible,” Luke mutters to himself. “Your brother dates like him and you fight like him.”

  Did you hear that too? What’s that supposed to mean?

  “Ignore him,” he whispers in my ear.

  “Bubba dates a lot.”

  “And ignore that.”

  We are not ignoring that. Either of those things. Write that down for questions later. Oh...who am I kidding? There’s not gonna be a later. Hell there shouldn’t be a now. And I need to tell him that. And why. Right. Now. Okay maybe in a few minutes. I really wanna eat and plus there’s cake...

  “Faith,” another male interrupts holding a small little boy in his arms who looks identical to him. “Why did you hit your cousin?”

  “Because he wasn’t listening.” She exclaims. “I said no! Mommy says no means no.”

  “No does mean no,” Luke quickly reassures her. “But that doesn’t mean to hit when you’re not heard.”

  “Alex,” the man holding him says. “Why did she tell you no?”

  “That’s my Uncle Stuart. And Alex is their son.”

  I nod right before the little boy says, “Because it was her book.”

  “Did you try to take it?” He questions.

  “I wanted to read it.” His small voice whimpers.

  “We take turns.” He parents. “And when you do things like that, when you take things that don’t belong to you, there are consequences. Like getting hit in the face.”

  “Twice,” Alex sighs.

  “You hit him twice?” Luke tosses his hands in the air.

  Faith looks away less than innocently.

  “Two minutes in time out.” Luke points to the living room couch.

  She turns and sees Dean in the process. Her whole face lights up which is when he says, “No-huh. No Bubba. No Pretty Megan until your time is served. Go.” Her bottom lip pokes out as her feet stomp loudly to the couch.

  Stuart looks at his son, “Don’t be surprised if she hits you for stuff like that. People don’t like when you take their things Alexander.”

  “Don’t say it like it’s his fault,” Luke nags.

  “Don’t say it like this isn’t a natural consequence at this age.” He puts Alex down. “They’re learning Luke. It’s gonna happen.”

  “Doesn’t make it right.”

  “Doesn’t make it wrong,” Stuart argues as Alex runs over to Faith who is sitting on her hands.

  “Ha-ha,” he teases her. Immediately she slaps him across the face and he cries.

  Cute as a button, quick as a cat. Not a little girl to be messed with.

  “Natural order.” Stuart waves a hand.

  Alex rushes to Luke who shakes his head, walking away to give the child another lecture with Stuart behind them.

  When I turn to look at Dean, he shrugs, “Kids will be kids.”

  I shake my head trying not laugh again. “Where are your parents?”

  “I didn’t see them outside, I bet—” his stops. He tilts his head back the direction of the stairs.

  A gorgeous woman with mocha skin who can’t possibly be that much older than us is leaned against the wall with a guy who looks like a spitting image of Dean.

  I mean like looking into a magic mirror of what he could grow up into! Holy hell! It’s not bad enough I’m pretty sure Dean’s probably melting panties all around, but there’s two of them! Victoria Secret must be getting extra business between them. Geez, I need to make a trip now myself.

  “You, Mr. Kellar, are in trouble,” the woman coos sliding her hands around his neck.

  “If you let me get into you again soon, I’ll show you just how much,” he says in a husky voice before kissing her passionately.

  Immediately I turn away to see Dean with a goofy grin on his face once more. In a whisper I say, “Doesn’t it bother you to watch your parents make out?”

  “Nah.” He shakes his head. “I like that they’re still in love.” Looking down at me he says, “Besides, I would much rather see them kissing than arguing.”

  “Mommy!” Faith’s voice whines loudly interrupting and dragging our eyes back to them. All of our attention turns to her and she whimpers, “I wanna get up.”

  “Why are you there?” She heads for her daughter, hand still wrapped with husbands, dragging him with her. “What’d you do?”

  “She hit Alex in the face twice. Well, three times now.” Dean pulls us towards them, mimicking the action of his mother.

  Is it weird to you too that we look almost like a younger version of them? I wonder if she likes books or had a boyfriend that used to hit her...

  “Little Bit, why are you always hitting Alex?” Logan scolds over his wife’s shoulder.

  “I don’t like him,” she states bluntly.

  “Who put you in time out?” Dean’s mother asks.

  “Uncle Luke.”

  The woman turns and looks at Dean, “Did she do all her time?” When he nods she says, “You can get up, but you keep your hands to yourself unless you are using them for eating or something nice like hugging. Understood?”

  Faith gets ready to run when her father says, “Faith Kellar, what do you say?”

  “Yes ma’am,” she hums at her mother before flashing her father an adorable smile.

  Can we keep her? She would so fit right in my pocket.

  Running past them, she darts straight to me and lifts her hands in the air. “Pretty Megan!”

  I lift her up and touch her nose. “You’re the pretty one! I love your dress!”

  “I love your dress!” She touches the neckline of my halter top, light blue, summer dress I quickly changed into. “Pretty Megan, can you have cake with me now?”

  “What am I invisible?” Dean grouses.

  Faith gives him an unhappy look. “You let Uncle Luke put me in time out.”

  “But—”

  “Bad Bubba.” She rests her head on my shoulder.

  Dean tries again, “But—”

  At that point his new father plops a hand on his shoulder. “Let it go. She’s like her mom. You know this.”

  “Oh she’s like me when she has an attitude, but you when she’s cute?” the woman sighs giving him a sarcastic look.

  “Yeah. Duh,” her husband says and she slugs him in the arm. “Ouch!”

  “Oh please.” The woman rolls her eyes and extends a hand towards me. “I’m Maxx, the Kid’s mom. You must be Megan.”

  “Pretty Megan,” her daughter corrects her.

  “My bad,” she says. “Pretty Megan.”

  With a giggle I drop her hand. “Just Megan is fine.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Maxx smiles warmly again.

  Did you feel that too? That strange jolt of...I don’t know, family juju or something. Was it ju
st me?

  “I’m the Kid’s dad, Logan Kellar,” he offers me his hand too. “You can call me Kellar.”

  Shaking it, I nod, “It’s nice to meet you. I definitely like you better than Mr. Cofax already.”

  “Who’s Mr. Cofax?” The little girl looks up at me.

  Shit. What if she doesn’t know he’s adopted? Did I really just mess up my first meeting of his parents? Should I be this concerned? I mean...it’s not like I’ll see him after tonight right? No matter how much I want to...huh? What’s that? Don’t say of course I will! I can’t put Dean in the middle of my messy long awaited break up. Not happening.

  “Remember we told you Bubba used to have a different mommy and daddy?” Maxx starts to explain.

  “A bad daddy.” She shoots her head up. “And now he has the best daddy ever!”

  “Exactly.” Kellar nods.

  Maxx rolls her eyes, “Ugh. Daddy’s girl.”

  “Rightfully so,” he jokingly argues.

  “What about Bubba?” Dean leans down in her face. “Can you love Bubba too now?”

  “My Bubba!” She reaches out and leaves my grip for his. “I want cake with Pretty Megan too!”

  “We’ll all go,” Maxx insists.

  Following behind them we walk out onto the patio area where everyone is gathered now stuffing their faces with hot dogs and hamburgers, grilled chicken and fajita meat.

  You know how in movies the shit looks amazing and then it tastes like cardboard? I pray this isn’t the case.

  Maxx and Kellar make intros to the people Dean told me about while he grabs us each a plate. His Mimi and Pop, which are actually Maxx’s aunt and uncle who raised her like parents, are just as warm and welcoming as everyone else.

  This is so foreign to me. How is it any group of people can just be so welcoming to a complete stranger? My own aunt and uncle could barely stand me living in the same house, and Marcus’ family, well they looked down at me every chance they got. Rarely was I allowed at any of the functions they hosted. Why can’t all families be this warm?

  After a couple hours of discussions filled with playful banter between the couples, and embarrassing stories as much as proud ones about the man Dean has become, the sun is starting to fade just like the two children.

  “Mi Amor,” Mimi says planting a hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go put your sister in the guest room to sleep?”

  “I can do that,” he replies.

  Faith wiggles in his lap, eyelids drifting closed.

  “I can do it,” Maxx volunteers preparing to get off of Kellar’s lap where she’s spent most of the night.

  “It’s cool Mom. I gotchu,” he says standing up with his little sister basically limp in his arms.

  While it’s unusual to hear him call someone Mom, it’s truly heartwarming. He never had that growing up and now he does. I had it and now it’s gone. It’s like we switched places. I would never ask to switch back. Not because I enjoy being miserable, but because he’s alive and happy and loved. That’s all he ever wanted. That’s all I ever wanted for him. Well, that and of course to be his princess since he is my prince. What I meant was… Don’t look at me like that.

  “I’ll come with you.” I stand, which is when Erin speaks up.

  “I’d run from this family too girl.”

  Shaking my head I sigh, “I don’t wanna run from this family, are you kidding? If anything I wanna run to this family.”

  Damn. Too honest. Why didn’t you stop me?

  “You are more than welcome here,” Mimi says as Pop hands her a coffee mug. “It’s nice to see my grandson finally taking after his mother instead of his father.”

  “Ouch Mimi.” Kellar pretends to be wounded.

  “Oh.” She waves a hand at him. “If it wasn’t for Maxx we all know you would’ve never settled down. Too handsome.”

  “At least she thinks I’m handsome,” are the last words I hear before we’re in the house.

  Hearing me giggle, Dean shoots me a look, “I’m sorry about that. Mimi is—”

  “Honest?” my question causes his shoulders to slump.

  “It’s not like that.”

  “It’s not?”

  “Not exactly,” he mutters heading up the stairs.

  “You mean to tell me you don’t have chicks just rolling in and out of your bed.”

  “Okay...” Dean wets his lips. “It’s exactly like it sounds. But it doesn’t mean it can’t change.”

  Nervously as we reach the top of the stairs I ask, “Why would it change?”

  With a very serious look he says, “Because I found you again.”

  My mouth drops to argue but I’m not sure with what.

  Now would be a great time for some help.

  “You were the big part of life that made all that shit not so bad—”

  “We were just kids,” I try to fight.

  Why am I fighting? Right. Marcus. You’ve seen what he can do to my face...can you imagine what he would do to Dean’s? I mean...I kind of think Dean could take him, but still. What a shitty thing that would be to make Dean deal with my past when I can’t.

  “Maybe. But we’re not now. And you still manage to make my life better. Even if it doesn’t need it now like it did then.” The words shut my mouth.

  That’s fine. Swoon. I did.

  I follow him into a guestroom that’s clearly for children with the small beds, toys all over the floor, and kid’s books spread out. Dean carefully places his baby sister down on the bed. Leaning against the door frame I watch him sweetly kiss her forehead and tell her how much he loves her, painting a perfect picture of the type of man you wanna have kids with.

  I love kids, one of the many reasons I want to be a teacher, but I would never have them with someone like Marcus who would use them like some sort of pawn every chance he could.

  Sliding out of the way I let Dean shut the door, leaving us right on the other side. Before I have the chance to move away, he slides one hand around the back of my neck and one on my hip bracing me against him tight enough to show his obvious intentions, but with a loose enough touch if I want to walk away I can.

  Would you walk away?

  Slowly he lowers his face, lips lightly feathering mine in what feels like fear. The soft feeling makes me whimper and melt into him, which is when our lips press together. A moan that borderlines on a growl comes out of him as he grips me tighter, tongue meeting mine with several long hard pushes one right after another until my knees buckle.

  I’ve never been kissed like this before. And now that I have, I’m not sure I can ever be kissed by anyone else ever again. Damn it. Dean Kellar has ruined kisses for me from all other men. Funny how I said that at 10 when he kissed me on the swings with just a peck and here he is almost ten years later proving why that’s a fact and not an opinion.

  Chapter 5

  Dean

  When I kissed Megan the first time we were 10. It was the day before she moved away. At the time it just seemed like the right thing to do. Kiss your best friend goodbye. Kiss the girl you love goodbye. That way she never forgets you. But a few nights ago when I kissed her at my grandmother’s party it seemed like the right thing to do and not because she’s my best friend, but because she’s my girl. I know she’s not mine yet. You don’t have to remind me. Trust me. I’ve been kicking myself in the ass for not asking if she was single. Or married. I just jumped the gun. I couldn’t help it. Have you seen those lips? Fuck, I’m in trouble.

  “Mr. O late for work,” my best friend, Blaine, jokes resting his back against the lockers beside me.

  Blaine looks like a fucking Disney prince. Too shiny. And too perfect.

  “What would your dad say?”

  “Why did you hire Blaine?” the response gets a laugh and fist bump.

  “How was class fish breath?”

  “You know, I hated English in high school,” I start and rip off my t-shirt to replace it with my work t-shirt. “And I hate it even more in col
lege. I’m a fucking business major. I get needing to write proposals and shit, but classic lit? I don’t fucking need that.”

  Don’t let my mom hear me say that. She’d light me on fire. She’s a huge book nerd. I dig comic books but that’s it in that department.

  “You’ve got that class with Katie Muller right?”

  “Miller.” I drop my jeans to change into my black gym shorts. “And she’s not much better about being blown off after having her back blown out.”

  Blaine starts chuckling at the same time Jackson, my other best friend, walks in.

  One looks like a prince, the other a choir boy. Believe me. Both are actually far from what their looks suggest.

  “What are you two dick brains laughing about?”

  “Just another story about one of Mr. O’s satisfied yet unhappy customers.”

  “They don’t pay me fuckhead,” I snap tossing my clothes in my locker. “If girls paid me for orgasms, let’s just say I’d make Bill Gates look poor.”

  “Cocky much?” Blaine folds his arms.

  “Just cause it’s cocky doesn’t make it not true.” I wink.

  Jackson shakes his head. “Speaking of chicks, there’s this blonde at the front desk, with the best pair of legs I’ve ever fucking seen. Offered to help her but she’ll only talk to the owner’s kid. You’re up Mr. O.”

  “Another day, another blonde,” I mumble and Blaine gives me another fist bump with a chuckle.

  Come on now. You’ve seen me in action. You wanna deny that’s true? Puh-lease.

  Walking out of the staff locker room of “Push It to the Maxx” the very popular, exclusive gym that my father owns with his old agent from his fighting days, I hustle down the steps and around to the front desk where I see a face I do know quite well.

  “Legs,” I greet the woman Jackson was describing with a wink.

  “Oh don’t wink at me.” She shakes her head as my two best friends end up slightly off to the side while I place myself behind the counter. “You were too young when we met and you may be legal now, and just as sexy as your father, but you will always be too young to tap this.”