Another One Bites the Dust

by Lani Lynn Vale

  My baby brother, the big-hearted bear of a man, was devastated. He’d been telling me about this girl for a long time now, and I thought that they had a wonderful connection when I’d met her a few weeks ago. Seeing how everything turned out today, I realize that I have a shitty judge of people.

  Two bad mistakes I’ve made in the past couple of years have made me think I’m not the best judge of character. The first was trusting Rory. That was the single biggest mistake of my life. I thought I loved him, but he singlehandedly stole all the innocence I had. He may not have committed the actual crime, but he did leave me there to suffer that fate.

  The second mistake was trusting Corinne. When I saw her, I really thought she loved my brother. I was the one who told him that she looked like she loved him, and look where that landed him. He was likely going to be stuck with this crazy bitch for the rest of his life due to the fact that she’s indeed pregnant.

  We have yet to determine whether the child she carries is actually his though. Tomorrow we’re set to go see my parents. During the circus that Bennett and I call life, mom called. It was almost as if she had a sixth sense for trouble. Max will be meeting them for the first time in the middle of a shit storm. Lucky him.

  After getting Bennett another blanket, I headed into Max’s bedroom. Alpha went and laid down next to the door, as per his usual routine, no matter where he was. Max lay in the middle of the bed. He was on his stomach with his face turned away from me. His casted arm was hanging over the side of the bed, as was his leg. The rest of his body was covered with the big micro suede comforter concealing the rest of his body from my view.

  Learning from my earlier mistake, I said, “Max.”

  He came awake with a start, his head whipping around to look at me. His eyes were clear and very much aware. How he was able to be so clearheaded when I’d just woken him from a dead sleep was anybody’s guess.

  His sleep-roughened voice filled the silence. “Come ‘ere.”

  I shivered a little, but obeyed. Stripping off my jeans, I walked slowly towards the bed. In nothing but a thong and t-shirt, I crawled into the bed and settled under the covers. Max pulled me closer and I rested my head on his bicep as he spooned me from behind.

  “I’m sorry. We’ll figure this out, Payton. Your brother is a strong man, and he can handle this. Go to sleep.” Max said.

  I rolled my eyes at his high handedness, but was actually secretly grateful. His words made me realize that yes, it was a big deal, but it wasn’t the end or the world. My brother was a big boy, and he could handle a lot. Things could have been worse.

  Which, unfortunately, I was about to find out.

  Chapter 7

  What’s for dinner you ask? Go to hell with a side of make-it-yourself.

  -E card

  Payton

  I still remember as if it was yesterday.

  My boyfriend at the time, John, came to pick me up for the senior prom. My mom helped me pick the dress out, and I felt like a fairy princess. I was even wearing a push-up bra. I’d planned to lose my virginity that night, but nothing could have been further from the truth.

  John showed at the house right on time. I was just coming down the stairs when my dad told John to have me home by eleven. We’d argued, but he held firm since he knew that the senior prom would end by ten-thirty. That would give him thirty minutes to get me home

  We thought we’d be sneaky and leave the prom early so we could go to a secluded spot near the river. There we would do what we’d wanted to do for months now, and then he could have me home in time for my curfew. Everything was working out as planned. We’d gotten to the river, and were just about to get down to business when there was a tapping at my window.

  I was in the process of putting the condom on John when I looked over to see my father staring at me, disappointment in his eyes. Mortification couldn’t even begin to describe what I felt in that moment. Although he couldn’t see what I was doing, he could darn well guess, and guess he did.

  I’d never saw John again after that night until two years later. I’d confronted him, and he told me about my dad’s visit to him the next day. He didn’t go into details, but I didn’t need them, I could guess. My imagination was incredible. Needless to say, it wasn’t a nice visit, and John declined to see me ever again. He even went as far as moving in with his dad, who lived two states away.

  “Payton, you need to relax. Your father isn’t going to hurt him.” My mom said from across the kitchen island.

  “How do you know? Do you remember John? I swear daddy paid him off so he would leave and never come back.” I insisted.

  I watched as my mom went from the cake she was frosting to the oven to check on the chicken that was baking. “Your father didn’t do anything to John. Your father never liked John anyway. He ran that background check on him and found out he had a record. Did you know he was charged with a misdemeanor because he stole something from an electronic store? He should be in prison right now.”

  “Mom, he got caught stealing a candy bar. I would hardly call that something that deserved prison time.”

  “Stealing is stealing honey. Now why did your brother stay with you last night?” She asked trying to divert my attention.

  I allowed this. My mom was a freakishly smart woman. She and my father have been married going on thirty years now. I was their oopsie baby. My brother likes to tell me that I was the reason they had to get married in the first place. They met while my dad was in basic training, and married by proxy while he was deployed. When my dad got home, he had an instant family. I was six weeks old the first time he met me. He made up for it though. From then on, he was an integral part of our family. He was the type of dad that knew your every move, even before you made it.

  “Max wants to get married.” I blurted.

  “We know. Your young man stopped by this morning to speak with your father. He also told us what happened with Benny last night, too. Now, that was something we should have heard from you and Benny last night. Not when you both finally worked up the courage.” She chided.

  I was utterly flabbergasted. The highhandedness of that man wholly amazed me. Showing up to speak with my dad likely went a long way in convincing my father that he was serious about me. “What was dad’s answer?”

  She pulled the chicken out of the oven, and my mouth watered at the lovely aroma that accompanied it. “He said he could have you, but that he would eviscerate him with a knitting needle and a hack saw if he ever stepped out of line. Your father hasn’t been the same since you were hurt. The two of them never once had a conversation like your young man and he had this morning. They spoke for over two hours.”

  I pulled my phone out of my pocket and texted Max.

  Me: You are in so much trouble, Big Boy.

  Max: What’d I do now?

  Me: Did you have a nice visit this morning?

  Max: Your dad knows a judge. Saturday morning you’re mine.

  My breath caught in my lungs, and elation filled me. I knew he was joking, but him teasing about this made my heart happy. I mean yes, he’d asked my mom, but surely, he’d buy me a ring first, right? I wanted to get married with my father walking me down the aisle. Not some shotgun wedding where everyone assumes I’m pregnant and in need of a shotgun wedding. That was just one of many things we needed to speak about; I had a mile long list of stuff that needed discussing.

  Me: We need to talk about this. Dinner’s ready.

  All joking aside, I haven’t felt this happy in well over a year. It felt so good to have someone who knew me so well, inside and out. Luckily, my family thought he was pretty awesome. If they didn’t like him, then there was no way I was staying with him. I’ve learned my lesson after Rory. My father told me over and over again that I needed to cut him loose, but I never listened. I also paid for it.

  My father, Bennett, and Max filed into the room a few minutes later.

  “You know what Army stands for, right?” My dad asked.

&nb
sp; “No, sir. What’s that?” He said with his eyes filled with mirth.

  “Aren’t ready for marines yet.” He guffawed.

  Max’s eyes narrowed, and he countered, “You know what marine stands for, right?”

  “What’s that?” My dad asked snidely.

  “Muscles are required, intelligence not essential.” Max said as he took a seat at the table, pulling me down beside him.

  It was probably to keep my dad from taking out his kneecaps. He wouldn’t harm his baby, and Max knew that. He smiled evilly at my dad, and then threw his arm around my neck.

  My daddy was a big man. He was massive at six foot four and two hundred and fifty pounds. He laughed like a bear, and hugged like one, too. He strode up to me and wrapped his big brawny arms around me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him back. I loved my dad with everything that I am. He could be overbearing, embarrassing, and overprotective, but what good father isn’t all those things?

  He set me down on my feet and we all took a seat at the dining room table. Conversation wasn’t an option for the first ten minutes as there was good food to be eaten. My family is very serious about food, and speaking was not tolerated until all the plates were cleaned of their offerings.

  “That was the most divine thing I’ve ever tasted.” Max declared.

  He leaned back in his seat, and ran his hands up and down his stomach. The cast was now a bright pink, and “Property of Payton” was written in bubble letters over the entire length of it.

  “I can’t believe he let you write that on his cast.” My mom chastised me.

  I smiled. He didn’t even care. His mind was on other matters at the time. For instance, my underwear clad vagina running against his blue-jean covered length. “He had his mind elsewhere.”

  “Gross! That’s disgusting, PP.” Bennett whined.

  “PP?” Max asked.

  “Bennett thinks it’s funny. He’s been saying it since he was six. For some reason, my parents don’t seem to think it was that big of a deal.” I said as I glared at said parents.

  “Oh, Payton. That’s a brother’s job. Although, Ember started giving me nut shots when I did stuff she didn’t like. My parents didn’t stop her either.” He said a little sadly.

  Sensing the sore subject, I switched it. “Max helps battered women get away from volatile situations.”

  The table went quiet, and Max looked a little funny.

  He looked at me and asked quietly, “How did you know that?”

  I was confused, was I not supposed to know? “Cheyenne told me. When I first met Sam, there were five ginormous men in the room, and I thought I was going to throw up. Do you not remember me leaving as soon as I walked into the room? I didn’t really have to pick up my brother, I just needed an excuse to leave. Y’all made me extremely uncomfortable. Anyway, she sensed what my problem was, and told me what y’all did to help all those women.”

  His eyes softened as I spoke. He knew how scared I was in situations such as the one I’d entered into, but he most not have put two and two together from back then. Dad was watching Max with a considering look and mom had tears gathered in her eyes.

  Bennett was a different story. “Can I help?” He asked.

  “As of right now, we need people with certain types of skills. Jack’s good with a computer, but we could always use someone who is good with that type of stuff. Can you work a computer?” Max asked.

  “No, sorry. My fingers are like sausages. They can only chicken peck.” He said holding up his hands.

  His fingers were large. They always reminded me of a tennis racket. They were seriously that massive. His feet were a size sixteen. When Bennett finally grew into his body, he would be one intimidating person. Now, he looked good for a sixteen year old, but still resembled a teenager, not a man. When he started to put on some bulk, he’d be a heart breaker.

  “I’ll ask, but right now I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.” Max said.

  “I’m not good with a computer, but I have connections. If you boys ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” My dad said.

  “Thank you, sir. I’ll keep that in mind. You never know when you will need help. These women and children could use all the assistance they can get.” Max explained.

  “Maybe when you get out of the Marines, Benny. You will probably have a lot more skills, and could help them much more.” Mom added her two cents.

  My eyes caught a devilish gleam, and I bared my teeth at Benny in a manic smile. “Oh, Benny, maybe you should tell them about the Navy recruiter you spoke with the other day. Daddy, did you know that Benny plans to go Navy?”

  My dad’s breath sucked into his body, and it felt like all of the air in the room went with it. Bennett’s eyes narrowed on me, and the fork with a spoonful of mashed potatoes lifted into the air, but I knew it was coming and dropped to the floor underneath the table to avoid it.

  “Bennett Lee Alvarez! Put that fork down. Don’t make me come over there.” Mom yelled.

  When she pulled out the mom voice and the middle name, you knew you were in trouble. I didn’t get three named yet, however. Once under the table, I ducked down and duck walked to Bennett’s legs. He was wearing shorts, so this would work perfectly.

  Smiling deviously, made quick work of his shoelaces while they argued from above me. Then I tackled his leg, wrapped myself around it, and started making friction circles with the palm of my hand against his hairy leg. Anyone who’s done this before, knows it’s painful to get the hairs untangled once you get the friction going well enough, but even more it makes the hairs on your arms stick together, tangle, and then rip out when you tried to unravel them.

  Benny had some hairy legs, which is why this worked so perfectly.

  “Get off me, you witch!” Bennett yelled, and tried to kick me off him.

  I hung on for dear life, just so I could get the maximum tangle time. He kicked with his leg, and dragged me out from under the table when he lurched back to stand up from his chair. I let go then, because I knew when to cut and run. Annihilation isn’t my favorite thing to experience.

  Darting back under the table, I made a mad dash for Max’s legs, just making it in time to grab ahold of his legs before Bennett was there trying to pull me back out on his side. Max was laughing his ass off from above me, and it sounded so goddamned sexy. Although, I couldn’t let my concentration waver, otherwise my precious brother would get me.

  I squirmed and kicked before finally kicking him off. Diving underneath Max’s chair, I came up the other side so he was between me and Bennett, who was ready to kill me if his face could be believed.

  Mom and dad were finishing off the remains of their meal, acting as if this didn’t bother them in the slightest. Which, it probably didn’t. We’d done this exact scenario so many times that we could probably copyright the act.

  Max stopped laughing when Bennett made a go for my ponytail, but Max stopped him with a steely glare.

  I shimmied my ass and stuck my tongue out at Bennett. “Nanny, nanny, boo, boo.”

  “Payton, I can’t always protect you from your brother. Keep instigating, one day I might not be around, and he’s going to shove you into the dryer.” Max teased.

  “He’s tried that before. We broke Mom’s brand new front loader, and she never forgave us.” I supplied.

  He rolled his eyes up to the ceiling and rolled his eyes. “I’m glad Ember isn’t like this.”

  “Yea, you’re lucky your sister’s not a psycho nut job.” Bennett grumped as he ran his fingertips over the matted hair on his leg.

  Bennett could whine all he wanted, but just last week he’d given me the mother of all Indian burns. I still had marks on my left arm. Even Max noticed them a week after Bennett had given to me. Bennett caught me on the way to my car after dinner with my grandparents; tackling me to the ground and sitting on me worked every time.

  I draped my arms around Max’s neck from behind, and leaned into him before saying, �
�You had it coming after what you did to me last week.”

  “That was retaliation for you putting girly smelling shit in my…” Bennett said before his words trailed off. His eyes went wide and he threw his hands up.

  “That was you?” Max said harshly.

  I kissed him on the cheek and whispered into his ear. “We are rough, Max. Get over it.”

  The rest of dinner remained quiet. My dad was upset about the Navy thing, but didn’t want to bring it up again. He didn’t like to yell. He was all about control, and right now, he didn’t have any. Bennett going into the Marines made my dad so proud; he was happy his only son was following into his footsteps. Now, to hear that he didn’t want to do that, and quite frankly never wanted to, was a hard pill to swallow.

  Two hours later, my dad was walking us to Max’s bike. He gave it a hard look, and then made sure to touch both of the helmets with his hand as a silent order. My daddy wasn’t happy that I was riding the bike, but he trusted Max enough to realize that he could handle this large machine.

  If my daddy only knew how Max rode the machine, he might’ve said something. In fact, Max rode the bike as he went through life. Full speed ahead. He was a take no prisoners type of person. He rode hard, played hard, and lived life to the fullest. He gave as good as he got, and I loved him more than life itself.

  He passed the daddy test, now he has one more to go, and that’s my Pepaw. If he could impress that man, then I would marry him, and have his babies. Of course, we would have to practice a lot first, but definitely lots of babies. Pleasing a man like my Pepaw would take a miracle, but I had faith in Max. If anyone could do it, he could.

  “Can we stop one more place before we go home?” I asked before he started the car.

  “Sure, where to?” Max asked as he put his helmet on.

  Taking my helmet from his hands, I strapped it on before telling him where I wanted to go. My father burst out laughing, and said, “God help you, son. Let me know how it went when you get home, Payton.”