by Layne Harper
Once it’s on the Internet, it’s there forever. “I just uploaded a picture of us from Grandmother’s ball.”
He’s quiet for a bit while Jude seems trying to compel him to say yes by holding her hands in prayer and giving me pleading, puppy dog eyes.
Finally, “Up to her,” he replies with a slight shoulder raise but he looks like he swallowed a bag of rocks.
“Thank you so much,” she claps as she gives Aaron a kiss on his cheek. His shoulders fall just a bit maybe in relief that he’s made her this happy. Whatever the reason, I’ll show him the final edited package before I upload it, giving him and chance to change his mind.
I grab my jacket and video camera bag and we head out the door.
Our first stop is a hidden gem about a block off of Magazine Street. It’s a resale shop which funds a charity organization. Grandmother and all her friends donate to it, and we’re not talking about dropping off old socks. There are some real treasures to be found.
I hand Aaron the camera. “Okay. You’re going to record Jude and I introducing this store. Ready?”
He smirks. “Born ready.”
When the light turns to green, I say, “Hey guys! It’s MK, and I’ve a friend helping me thrift shop here at one of my favorite stores.”
Jude does a little curtsy. “Thrift shopping is one of my favorite things to do. I learned the ropes from MK, and I’m excited to share our finds with you.”
Learned the ropes . . . how cute. I’m sure she’s never needed to second-hand shop in her life. Knowing Aaron, he probably backs up the Brink’s truck and gives his princess whatever she wants.
I take the camera back from Aaron as we enter the store. It’s pretty quiet for a Saturday. Everyone must be getting ready for Thanksgiving.
“Can we start with clothes? I want some new stuff for school,” Jude says.
Aaron rolls his eyes. “You’ve got a credit card. Go buy what you need. You don’t have to purchase used clothing.”
My thoughts exactly.
Her hand goes to her hip. “Tell him, MK. It’s much better if it’s vintage.”
Smiling, I kiss his stubbly cheek. “It’s better if it’s vintage.”
It becomes obvious Aaron has a daughter, mother, and sister, because that man can hold purses and clothes to try on like a champ. He follows us from rack to rack, never seeming to mind or barking at us to hurry up. Finally, we take our loot to the dressing rooms.
I hand him my camera. “Here’s the deal. Film us trying on the clothes. We’ll model for you.” I nod to Jude, who seems to be vibrating with excitement. “I’m going to edit, so record as much as you want.”
There’s no chair, so Aaron drops to the ground with his legs crossed across from the three-way mirror.
Jude and I agree to try on party dresses first. The one she chose is bright magenta pink and sequined. Mine is a deep shade of purple with lots of poofs. We count down. “Three . . . two . . . one . . .”
We both pull back our curtains at the same time and burst into laughter. Jude’s is actually pretty cute. It would be a fun dress to wear to a club. Mine is just hideous.
We walk to the three-way mirror and model for Aaron.
He points to Jude. “Too damn short. Bend over.” He makes her touch her toes. “Dear God, I can see your ass cheeks. No!”
“Please, Daddy,” she begs. “Aunt Gracie says a lady picks things up like this.” She turns her knees to the side and preforms a very polite drop to the floor.
He rolls his eyes. “And you.” He points to me. “You look like someone unwrapped the present and forgot to throw away the paper. Next!”
We giggle and scurry back to the dressing rooms. We try on a bunch of things, most of which Aaron does not approve of, but he does a good job of playing cameraman. Jude finds a wool coat, a pair of designer jeans, and a blue sweater. I get a velvet dress straight out of the 90s and a choker to go with it.
As we’re checking out, I receive a text from Bella. “Hey y’all. Bella and Nyall are in the neighborhood. Want to meet them for an early dinner?”
Aaron and Jude agree. Aaron carries our bags, and I loop arms with Jude while we walk to the wine bar. “So Jude. Let me share a bit about my very best friend in the whole wide world, Bella.”
“Okay,” she says, as Aaron gives me a look I can’t discern. “I’ve just heard her voice on your videos.”
“We met in Catholic school in the third grade. One of the mean girls stole my lunch except for my cup of peaches. I marched over to her and dumped the sugary juice and fruit over her head and the new girl, Bella, stood up and grabbed her chocolate chip cookies and crumbled them in her hair. Bella and I became best friends while we sat outside the head mistress’s office, waiting to hear what our punishments were.”
Both Aaron and Jude laugh.
“What was her beef with the kid?” Aaron asks.
I whisper, “Remember y’all. This is the south. The kid had said under her breath as Bella walked by that she was a high yeller.”
It must be obvious to Jude by my whispering and the gasping sound Aaron makes that this is something bad because she asks, “What does that mean?”
Aaron answers, “It’s a fucked up, outdated, obscene term for saying that someone is of mixed race.”
“Oh,” Jude says with big eyes. “No wonder Bella was happy to help you get revenge.”
Wistfully, I reply, “She’s great.” Laughing, I keep on with my story. “In ninth grade, a boy from our brother school was bragging he had seen my panties. As if. He was a troll, but that’s beside the point. Bella confronted him and said that if he didn’t admit he was lying she’d tell everyone that I said his penis was so tiny I didn’t know it was hard.”
Aaron cackles.
“You better believe he changed his tune real fast.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Jude says as I open the restaurant’s front door.
Softly, I assure them, “This is a wine bar, but they have great food and non-alcoholic drinks.”
A waitress smiles and shows us to a table in the middle of the restaurant. Aaron says, “Mind if we grab that back one?”
She shrugs, hands us menus, and we seat ourselves. Jude whispers to me, “It cuts down on us being noticed.”
Aaron takes the back corner, and I sit next to him. Jude sits on my other side. She gushes, “This has been such a great day. See, Dad, you said I didn’t need to come back this weekend, but look how much fun we’ve had.”
“Today’s been great,” he says, grabbing my hand and kissing my fingers.
“Normally when I visit, it’s all band stuff. I get forgotten in the corner, stuck playing on my phone. Aunt Gracie is always too busy running your life.” She motions toward Aaron. “I like when we do stuff together.”
Her words surprise me. Aaron seems focused on music when I’m not around, but drops it for me. I’m wondering if this is a post-rehab sort of thing.
“What about when I took you to Paris?” Aaron challenges.
“We went sightseeing for a few hours, had dinner, and you worked or recorded the rest of the day.” Jude replies.
His eyes narrow. “You said you loved Paris.”
“And I did, but I would’ve loved it more if you weren’t so busy,” Jude challenges.
Mental note: Make sure Aaron and Jude spend time together without me around. I don’t want her to grow jealous of me.
The waitress comes, and I order us the grilled cheese appetizer and me a glass of Merlot. Aaron asks for iced tea, and Jude orders a glass of Moscato.
I cut my eyes to Aaron to see if he’s going to let her drink. He doesn’t object, and she doesn’t act like it’s a big deal. I remind myself I’m not her mom and bite my tongue.
Moments later, Bella and Nyall walk through the door. I stand up and wave at them. She waves back, and I leave the table to meet them halfway.
“Thanks,” I whisper as I give her a hug.
“No problem,” Bella says. “What are
best friends for?”
When we reach the table, I introduce my friends to my person and his daughter. Bella sits next to Jude and Nyall brings a chair up, placing it in between Aaron and Bella.
“Well, Aaron, it’s nice to finally meet you. My friend here”—Bella gestures to me—“has been keeping you hidden.”
“I don’t think it’s exactly hiding,” he quips.
Jude makes a face.
Under the table, he grabs my wrist and traces his finger over my star tattoo. He gets it. Grasping my wrist protectively, I look up and smile.
After the waitress takes their order, I give Bella a wink and begin, “Let’s just get this all out on the table. I’m MK, and I quit my job to chase my dream of making my site into a worldwide phenomenon. I’m dating a rock star. I’m a terrible sister and aunt, and I’m a horrible Catholic, yet I attend mass every Sunday. I’m also a bit clueless at times. I’m a great cook. Britney Spears used to be favorite musician, but now, I’m more of an ACE kind of girl.” I wink at Jude. “And I love thrift store shopping. Next . . .”
Bella knows what I’m doing, and plays along. “I’m Bella. I’m engaged to a Brit, jobless, and have a star scar on my cheek. I can’t wait to be pregnant with British babies, and I do a shit job at planning weddings. That’s why NPC will help me.”
Nyall laughs. He’s played this game before. “Well, you see, I’m Nyall. I’m betrothed to the gorgeous girl to my right. I’m not a wizard, although I wish I was. Yes, I know that I look like Harry Potter. And, oh by the way, I swear my allegiance to the British crown.”
We all look at Aaron. His eyes are wide.
I help him. “You state the obvious.”
He smiles and relaxes a bit. “I’m Aaron. I’m a famous rock star who just got out of rehab because I like booze and coke and pills way too much. My stage name is Johnny Knite. I have an eighteen-year-old daughter, and I’m only thirty-eight.” He flashes Bella and I a smoldering grin. “And I think scars and tattoos are sexy.”
Jude claps. “This is fun.” She takes a deep breath and exhales. “I’m Jude. My dad is famous. I’m not. He’s rich. I’m not. He can sing like a god. I can’t. But I love horses.”
She giggles when she’s done, and it’s so contagious that we all laugh. Bella holds up Jude’s glass of wine. “And that, folks, is how we break the ice.” She takes a swig out of it and hands it back to her. “You’re too young to be drinking.”
Jude’s cheeks pinken, and she looks at her dad. Aaron shrugs, and she passes her glass to Bella. When the waitress comes, Jude orders an iced tea also.
Nyall and Aaron visit while Jude, Bella, and I chat. Jude tells Bella all about our shopping trip. Bella responds with, “Good. You be her thrift store buddy then.”
Jude seems all too pleased to take the title. She tells us about school and friends. She doesn’t seem to have many. As she talks, I turn over in my head why. She’s beyond gorgeous, like she could walk a runway. She’s also humble. You’d never know she grew up a rock princess. But I don’t think girls are jealous of her. I think the kid has been really sheltered. She talks about being homeschooled by tutors because of Aaron’s hectic life. She seems immature, childlike really. She goes on and on about her horses which Aaron had moved to Tennessee to be near her. She seems to get along better with them than other girls.
Bella asks, “Do you have a boyfriend?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t really date.”
“Why not? I know it’s not because you aren’t getting asked out.”
“I just don’t think I’m ready for that.” Her eyes cut to the floor.
“Look, Jude. College is such a carefree time. Say yes to some of those date invites,” I add.
“Do you ever just wish guys wore labels like ‘Hello, My Name Is Nice Guy,’ or ‘Hello, My Name Is Asshole?’’’ Jude replies.
I take a sip of wine on that one.
She continues, “It’s like you talk about on your site—guys are really jerks. I remember the video you did on the morning after, and how you cried after your one-night stand when he didn’t remember your name.”
I sigh. “I remember that one well.” Bella nods. “But that doesn’t mean you quit trying. If I had, I wouldn’t have met your dad.”
Jude looks uncomfortable for a second, and she glances at Aaron. I don’t turn quickly enough to see his reaction.
Bella asks, “Want to know how I got this scar?” She gestures to her cheek.
“If you want to share,” Jude replies.
Aaron grabs my hand.
“Oh, baby. I tell the world.” Bella slams the Moscato and makes a sour face before she takes a sip of water. “When I was twenty-one, I was dating a guy who presented himself to be a good man, but he was really a thug.” I glance around the table, and both Nyall and Aaron have quit talking and are focused on Bella. Nyall scoots his chair closer to hers and gives her scar a kiss.
“We were high. We’d been smoking for a couple of days. He wanted sex, and I didn’t. I thought I loved him. I begged him to let me come down a bit and then I’d do whatever he wanted. He didn’t want to wait. He tied me up and raped me, and then decided to mark me for life so everyone would know who his piece of property belonged to. He took a lighter to a star cookie cutter his mom used to make birthday cookies and held it against my cheek until he was satisfied that I was branded.
“The pain was so awful; I fell into unconsciousness. The next thing I know, I’m waking up in a hospital wishing I would die. Bastard thought he’d killed me and dumped me in an alley. I was found by garbage collectors. Nothing anyone can do, but let me tell you there are real son-of-a-bitches in this world, but there are also great guys like Nyall. If I had never dated again, I wouldn’t have met him, and I wouldn’t be this happy.”
Glancing over at Aaron, I see his head slowly moving back and forth and disgust mars his features. His grip on my hand tightens to uncomfortable levels. I take the pain. I’ve lived Bella’s story and still can’t believe sometimes that it really happened to her.
“Show her your tattoo,” Bella instructs, and I hold up my wrist. “That tattoo and my brand mean we’re strong. We’re fighters. We wear our scars on the outside for the world to see. I survived and am a better person for it. MK was by my side and made me fight when I was ready to give up. She took every step with me.”
“Just like when you crumpled the cookie in the mean girl’s hair for her,” Jude says, and Bella and I lock eyes and then break into hysterical laughter.
Aaron leans back in his seat, releasing my hand. Finally, blood makes its way to my fingers.
“Yes. Just like when I helped take down that mean little snot in third grade.” Bella and I clink our empty glasses.
“My dad had to go to rehab because he beat up the guy who tried to rape me,” Jude says quietly.
Aaron grips my thigh. “Baby, I needed to go to rehab. Yes, I beat the shit out of that punk bitch, and I would do it again. It wasn’t because I was high or drunk. I’d been using too much of everything for a long time. The assault charges were what forced me to get help.”
She bursts into tears and gets out of her seat and rushes to Aaron. Bella, Nyall, and I stand up with our empty glasses and move to another table closer to the front of the restaurant, giving Aaron and Jude a moment. Fortunately, we’re the only ones here besides the wait staff so the father and daughter are able to have their time without too many prying eyes.
“Too much?” Bella asks as we sit down.
“I think it was needed. I’ve a feeling Aaron and Jude never dealt with a lot of things that have happened in their life.” I don’t elaborate, but Aaron treated Jude’s mother’s death as no big deal, but Jude brought it up this morning. I hope Grace and Aaron’s mom have been more in tune to her needs, but after meeting Grace, I doubt it. “So tell me about the wedding plans.”
Another round of wine later, I’m caught up. Bella seems on board with sharing her wedding with my viewers. It’s so exciting.
This will also fulfill my promise to my followers to share more of the important people in my life. My heart is full of emotion. I turn to Bella. “We’re living our dreams.”
She smiles at Nyall and grabs his hand as she replies, “Yes we are.”
Jude and Aaron approach our table. They’re holding hands and Jude is wiping her eyes. Standing up, I meet them. I give her a hug and him a kiss on his cheek.
“We’re going back to my house. I think Jude wants to spend some time with Grace, and the band is ready to get started.” He meets my eyes. “You okay to get home?” He hands me my shopping bag and camera case.
“Of course,” I answer as I turn to Jude. “If I don’t see you again before you leave, kick ass on finals.”
“Thanks.” She smiles. “I can’t wait to see our video. Today was really great, MK.”
“Good. I’ll send it to your dad, and he can forward it.”
“No need. I check your site every day.”
Jude walks over to tell Bella and Nyall goodbye, giving Aaron and me a moment of privacy.
“Is she okay?” I ask, looking into his concerned eyes and noting his slack jaw.
“I think so. Remember that counselor we talked about? Might need one for the family.” He’s serious, which isn’t a side of Aaron I’m used to.
“You guys are going to be just fine,” I assure him as I wrap my arms around his neck. He hugs me back with such force that it momentarily knocks me off-balance.
“Will you stay at my place tonight?” he asks when he releases me, and seems to be studying my face. “We’ll be in the studio. You can just come in and go to bed.”
My brain says MK, give him space. Stay at your place. But what do I respond with? “Sure. I’ll come over when I’m ready.”
He beams. Literally, you would have thought that I just showed him a secret stash of sugary breakfast cereal. “See? Isn’t it better when we don’t have to argue because you’re being stubborn?”
That earns an eye roll.
Chapter Seventeen
MK Landry @NoPinkCaddy
Make sure you check out www.NoPinkCaddy.com. I posted some scoop and a picture of my boy. #MKHasABoyfriend