by Ava Danielle
Kinda? But yeah, we’d love to. Need me to bring anything, besides the wine of course?
A man of taste, I’ll need it.
We both laugh.
It’s going to be fine, baby, I promise. I have a customer so I’ll need to get back to work, but I’ll give you a call later, if not, I’ll see you at your house. I love you!
I love you, too. Until tonight.
Even if that wasn’t much, that phone call helped a lot. I really love this man. He knows me without really knowing me. Sounds ridiculous, I know. There’s just something magical, unexpected, and wonderful about all this.
I grab my purse, head out the door, jump into my Audi, cranking some Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Piece by Piece’ and singing along with the lyrics. What must the neighbors think since the windows are all the way down.? Fuck ‘em. I’m full on adrenaline again, nothing new.
I drive to the grocery store. I need something yummy to impress Brandon. Not so much to impress him, but I don’t want him thinking I’m worthless. I guess you could say that impresses him. Either way, I need something delicious and of course easy since I’m not a big fan of cooking.
In the store, I grab a cart and remember the time I ran into Brandon. That is a sweet memory. Smiling I walk through the store. I make it to the produce section and consider making a salad. I continue down the meat isle, I’m pretty sure he’d like a pot roast, everyone likes pot roast. I remember I need potatoes, and walk back that way. I see Ms. Leslie over in the bread section. Shit. I better get my ass moving. That woman always has bad timing of showing up. You see her, you better bring lots of time because she loves to talk. She always knows the latest gossip from the neighborhood and she’ll share them with any and everyone.
I turn my cart, when I run into Michael. Shit. Why am I always running into people at the store. Especially Michael. “Hey,” he says smiling. “Hey” I say back. We look at each other for a minute, not sure what to say next. “I need some food for the fridge and the cabinets, especially if the girls ever came over unexpected, they’re growing teenagers and aspiring teenagers,” he says nervously with a smile. “Yeah,” I agree with him.
Like this predicament isn’t troubling enough, Mrs. Leslie walks around. “Hello darling,” she says. Shit.
“Hey Mrs. Leslie. How are you?” I ask politely.
“Well my arthritis is acting up again; it’s getting so hard to do much. You two buying so many groceries today you need two carts?” She bluntly asks us.
Michael and I both just look at each other and smirk. “No, Mrs. Leslie. We came here at different times,” Michael explains to her. “Well, I need to get the rest on my list. I will see you all later, I still have to get to work,” I point out and remove myself from all this. Mrs. Leslie will start any rumor she likes; it’s never stopped her before. I carry on to get my things as fast as I can to make it to the check out just in time for Michael to also be finished. “Fancy running into you again,” he throws at me. Fucker.
I just smile and move forward in the line.
This is awkward, extremely awkward. I never thought this far. Mrs. Leslie isn’t too far behind us. “You two not pay together? Modern families are so strange. My George and I always went shopping together. May he rest in peace.”
What is it with old people always throwing that out there? I just smile at her. I pay for my few items, luckily I was first in line, and headed out the door and don’t take a look back. I don’t know what Mrs. Leslie and Michael were talking about, but I didn’t care.
I piled everything in the trunk as quickly as I could, returned the cart, got in my car, and disappeared out of that parking lot as fast as I could. As I looked in the rear view mirror, I see Michael walking to his car. Whew. Made it. I drive home, no music, I need a minute to replay all that in my mind. I make it home when a text from Kristina chimes in.
I’m coming over, you better be home.
Good timing, I just got home.You can help me cook for tonight.
I put up all the groceries onto the kitchen counter, getting all the veggies ready to peel and slice them when Kristina walks through the door. “Hey bitch,” she shouts at me. “I’m in the kitchen.”
She storms in and throws her keys and phone on the counter. “Got any wine?” She spits at me as she opens the refrigerator. “This early, Kris?” she just giggles. “Ok, you may be right; I still need to function for the kids.”
Her 9 year old twins, Samantha and Stephen keep her on her toes. They’ve been little hell raisers since they were little, always getting into things and they seem to scheme together, definitely not to Kristina’s advantage. I find it hilarious, Kristina, not so much. I make fun of her all the time. I try to explain to her that it’s harder to have three girls than one boy and girl. Granted it was twins and she had double the trouble at the terrible twos, but having two girls fifteen months apart wasn’t a piece of cake either, I remind her all the time.
“So, what’s got you having to guzzle down a glass of wine this early in the day?” I say as I hand her a potato peeler and the potatoes to keep her mind off the wine.
“Ryan is being a jerk.”
Shit.
“Oh no, not the two of you now.”
Thankfully Michael has moved out and not causing any family issues. “Yeah, he’s just been grumpy. I swear he’s on his fucking period. He’s always wanting to go to the fucking gym and I guess now he’s got Michael convinced to go. I just think he’s trying to live the single life vicariously through Michael, I don’t fucking know,” she says as she’s starting to let out her anger at the potato. “Honey, the potato can’t help your frustration.” I attempt to say to her when she interrupts me, “Fuck yeah it will. The bastard will feel my fury and will taste fucking good later, and you’ll think of me when you swallow.” Oh my god that girl. “Really Kris? That’s something I would say. What’s gotten into you?” she starts to laugh. “That felt good. I guess I’m overreacting, I should be excited over the extra free time.” she says as she eases off on the poor potato. I smile at her.
“Brandon is coming over for dinner with Benjamin,” I say to her. She stops for a minute, looks up at me with her forehead wrinkled, “You nervous?” H
How the hell does she know me so well? She looks at me and it doesn’t matter what I say, she knows exactly how I’m feeling. This best friend shit is real!
“A little. I told the girls a bit since V and Chey noticed us holding hands the other day. Leave it to them girls to notice the little shit.” She laughs, “Where’d they see that? At the coffee shop, huh?” I laugh, “Most likely, you know them girls, nothing gets past them,” I say back. “So they know everything now?” she asks me finishing the last potato as I’m still fighting with carrots. “Bitch, slow down. No, not everything. I just don’t want them to think that Brandon is the entire reason for splitting up, he’s really not. But how do you tell kids their age that without them thinking the wrong thing?” she nods. “It’s not easy, Addi, but it’ll work out.”
“I know, Brandon assures me of that all the time. I guess I better start believing it somehow.” I smile back at her.
“You know, I see how you two are, happy and that love glitter in your eyes, he does you so good, so much better than Michael ever did. I’m happy for you no matter what, I’ve always supported you no matter what decision you make, so I what I’m trying to say is, that I’m here for you no matter what. Shit, I just got totally cheesy. Hand me an onion so I have a reason to stand here and have tears in my eyes.”
I laugh out loud as I toss her the onions. “Here you go crybaby.”
We both stand in the kitchen laughing and cooking away. I can always count on her, ALWAYS. She’s even in her helping me with a dinner I’m most nervous about preparing and easing all the nervousness from me. I love her, I couldn’t live without her. We both giggle and laugh and make one joke after the other. Life is finally back on the right track. About. Damn. Time.
Chapter 15
After Kristina left, the kids did
their homework, and dinner was ready, I set the table. I was starting to get butterflies. I have no idea how this is going to go. The doorbell rings, I answer it, and Brandon stands there with black jeans, a nice white dress shirt tucked in, yet loose, with the top two buttons undone. He is fucking sexy. His hair is a mussed mess, and he’s wearing that Calvin Klein cologne I absolutely love on him.
Benjamin is standing next to him, spitting image of his dad.
“Hey beautiful,’ he says as he leans in with the roses in his hand and kisses my cheek. ”I didn’t know what kind of flowers you like, can you believe that?” he says as he hands them to me. I laugh. “Anything is fine babe. Come in.” Emma comes running down from upstairs, “Hey Benjamin, I gotta show you the latest skin I have on Minecraft,” she pulls on him and they both go into her room. “Well, that was quick.” Brandon says to me.
Emma is such a tomboy; I don’t think she’s ever played with Barbie’s. We gave her Violet’s and Cheyenne’s once they outgrew playing them, but I don’t think she spent more than 5 minutes playing with them.
Brandon comes up behind me in the kitchen, I just pulled the pot roast out of the oven, he wraps his arms around me, “I’ve missed you,” he whispers in my ear. I can’t concentrate and throw my head back onto his shoulder and whisper it back. He starts to bite my earlobe, and licks it a bit. He drives me absolutely mad.
“Stop. What if the kids catch us?” I say as I enjoy every finger he rubs across my body, every teeth mark I feel on my ear and my neck, “I can’t stop, Addison. You drive me crazy. I can’t stop touching you once I finally have you in my arms.”
Fuck, I love this man, he always says the right words at the right time. Right as he plants a kiss on my neck, I hear the kids come down the stairs. We immediately stop.
I introduce them to Brandon, pretty sure Benjamin already got introduced by Emma. She doesn’t waste any time.
We all sit down to eat dinner. The mood is pretty good. The girls ask Brandon questions, but nothing too personal, being on their best behavior. I swear, I didn’t say anything to them, I’m surprised myself. I hear a car pull into the driveway. I ignore it though. I’m pretty sure it’s someone turning around again, they like to do that around here, it’s like I’m the perfect driveway for someone to go ‘shit, wrong street’ and go about their business. I start to bite off a piece of potato of my fork, when the door gets thrown open. What the fuck!
We all drop our forks, when I turn around. I hear Michael screaming my name. What the hell is going on? He storms into the dining room, clearly pissed off. “What the fuck, Michael?” I scream at him. “Don’t fucking What the fuck me, Addison. What’s going on here? You invite another fucking man into MY goddamn house and I’m not supposed to care?” Clearly Michael had one too many to drink. I’m pretty fucking pissed off at this point. “Michael, we’re having dinner, can we talk about this another time?” I try to reason with him. “Are you kidding me? I’m not fucking leaving.”
Brandon gets up and tries to simmer down the situation. “Hey Michael, it’s Brandon in case you don’t remember,” he says as he reaches out his hands to Michael. “I know who the fuck you are. You’re the fucking reason Addison threw me out. Her boy toy if you will,” he shouts at me.
Oh now I’m pissed.
“Michael, you need to leave. NOW.” I yell as Violet stands up, “I knew that he was the reason you left daddy,” and storms off to her bedroom. “Good Job, Michael, you proud of your fucking self now?” I yell at him. He just stares at me.
Brandon is right next to me, I’m not sure if he’s trying to make sure that Michael doesn’t do anything stupid or to make sure to let me know he’s here in case I need him.
“Get the fuck out Michael and after you sober up, maybe we can talk.” I say in a more sober tone.
“Fine. Don’t think this is over though. You’ve never talked to me like that before. What’s the fucker done to you?” he throws at us as he stares at Brandon.
“Easy now buddy, you need to listen to her,” Brandon says to Michael.
“I’m out. Don’t ever fucking call me buddy,” Michael says as he storms out of the house.
What the hell just happened? I’ve never seen, NEVER, Michael act like this. It actually did scare me a bit. “You ok?” Brandon asks me as he slides his hands on my hips, takes his finger and raises my chin making sure I look into his eyes. “Yes, that just showed me a side of Michael I’ve never seen. I didn’t know he was capable of that. The other day he told me he’d fight for me, I didn’t realize this was what he considered fight for me.
Brandon hugs me as Cheyenne clears her throat to make sure we know they are still sitting at the table. “Sorry girls, Benjamin. Let me go see Violet and we’ll continue eating.” I say as I make my way upstairs.
I go to open the door to Violets room to find her gone. Where the hell did she go? “Violet?” I yell throughout her room, through the hallway, down to the bathroom. She’s nowhere in sight. I can’t recall her coming back downstairs. I go back into her room to look around, she’s nowhere in sight. I happen to notice her window being open. Shit. The girl ran away, that’s the first thing that pops into my head.
As I’m leaving her purpled wall, girly as all get out, room, I see Brandon in the doorway, “Everything ok?” I shake my head, tears streaming down. “She’s gone.” I say as I run into him for a hug. “What do you mean she’s gone?”
“Her window is open, she’s nowhere in the house,” I get out between sobs.
“Let’s call Michael, she probably went over there. She’s upset, she needs time.”
Hoping he’s right I nod into his chest.
I hope to God he’s right. In the back of mind, I’m still trying to come up with other options just in case. Where the hell does a fourteen year old girl go if she’s running away? I never ran away from home, never had a reason to, they’ve never ran away, but since in their eyes I messed up their family life, it seems a good reason to leave. Fuck!
Brandon leads me back downstairs, “Get your phone and call Michael,” he says as we walk down the stairs. He never lets go of my hand.
We walk into the kitchen, when I grab my phone and dial Michael. No Answer. Worry starts to pick up, when I call Kristina and hope she answers. “Hey sexy, I thought Brandon was over for dinner?” she slurs at me, clearly getting into that glass of wine she was begging for earlier “Kris, is Michael or Violet at your house?” I stutter. “No, should they be? We’re all just sitting watching TV. What’s going on?”
I explain to her in cliff notes what had just happened. “I’ll be right over” and before I could stop her, she’d already hung up. “Kristina is coming over,” I say looking at Brandon. He hugs me even tighter.
The kids have cleaned up their plates and have disappeared into their rooms. I’m so thankful they aren’t asking a billion questions. I couldn’t handle that at the moment. Kristina storms into the house, as Brandon holds me tight. I have a hard time letting go of him, he makes me feel so fucking safe. She comes over and hugs me “Group hug,” she says. “What are we, in high school?” I manage to get out.
“I don’t know where to look, Kris.” I say as I let go of Brandon’s hold.
I’m walking back and forth in the house trying to figure out where she could’ve gone. I call all her friends when I hear the ambulance drive by, the sirens so loud they capture my attention. “Ryan is out looking for Michael. Maybe he knows where Violet is” Kristina says after I hang up with some of her friends.
The sirens have subsided again, not thinking twice about them anymore. “Maybe I’ll go down to Michael’s house to check if he’s there. He might just not answer my call,” I say to both Brandon and Kristina. “I’ll stay here with the kids, you two go check.” Brandon says.
I walk over to kiss him on the lips, he grabs a hold of me, holding me tight, “I love you Addison, be careful.”
He doesn’t trust Michael after his outburst earlier. Can’t say I blame him.
“I know. He’s a godsend, but I’m so sorry this happen on our night of getting to open up to the kids though.” I say to her walking faster and faster.
As we approach Michael’s house, there are no lights on and his car is gone. Fuck. Where the hell did he go after his outburst? I knock on the door like a mad woman, “MICHAEL! MICHAEL!” I shout, banging on windows.
Kristina has walked around the entire house and when she comes back, she shakes her head back and forth, “He’s not anywhere in sight.” I get so mad, I bang on the door with my foot. “Where the hell did he go? Figures the one time it’s important, I can’t get to him.” I’m so pissed.
We walk back to my house, we take the short cut this time, going through some of our neighbor’s yards, when I see the ambulance at the other end of the road, at the intersection to the other subdivision. I don’t know what it is about this stupid ambulance. “Wonder what happened there?!” I point out to Kristina. “I don’t know, but it’s odd. Nothing ever happens here. You know how we always complain there’s nothing juicy to talk about, and then on a day like today we can’t even enjoy it?” I nod and give her a small smile.
I don’t know, but there’s something about that ambulance. “Maybe we should go check it out.” I say to Kristina, as she pulls my hand and we start to head that way.
The one time something happens in this neighborhood, my daughter goes missing.