Jumping up, he jogged away, waving over his shoulder. Standing up, I went to my room and collapsed on the bed. Between the stress and the pregnancy, I was completely exhausted.
When I woke several hours later, I found a note from Momma asking me to go to the grocery store to pick up some food for us to make a dish for the reception after the funeral. After brushing my teeth and making sure I looked presentable, I stepped into my boots and went out to my truck. Driving past Mr. Acer’s house, I tried not to look in that direction but failed miserably. I could see people on the front porch, and I kept on driving.
The grocery store was uneventful, and I managed to find everything Momma had asked for. Afterwards, I was loading the truck and returning the cart when I heard someone approaching me from behind. Spinning around quickly, I came face to face with Markwayne and groaned.
“What are you doing sneaking up on me like that, Markwayne?” I demanded angrily. Ignoring my question, he reached up and pushed the hair from my eyes.
“You look beautiful today, June. I heard about Mr. Acer. I’m sorry about that.” His genuine tone made me drop my guard some.
“Thanks. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got milk that needs refrigerating. I’ll see you around.”
When he grabbed my wrist roughly, I lost control.
“Let go of me, asshole,” I hissed, jerking my hand from his grasp.
“Dammit, June. Why are you always so damn difficult?”
“Me? You’re the one who lied to me about the fertility results.”
His eyes widened, realizing that I had somehow figured it out. A grin spread across his face, and so help me, I wanted to smack it off of him.
“Ju Ju, did you go and get yourself knocked up? Oh my God, this is fuckin’ hilarious!”
Storming away from him, I hopped in the truck and flipped him off as I peeled out of the parking lot. That asshole was impossible. I was tired of assholes altogether. After I had this baby, I seriously considered moving to some town and starting fresh.
Bobby
After my meltdown with June earlier, I locked myself away in my room. I’d completely lost her. As if my heart could take any more damage, I had gone and pushed away the woman I loved and our baby. Our baby. My chest ached to think about it.
When the sun started to go down, someone knocked on my door. Sighing, I got up and unlocked it to find Chaz on the other side. His gaze swept over my appearance before he spoke.
“Okay, it’s time to figure out this song that you wanted to play at the funeral tomorrow. I imagine you want to play the guitar and have me sing?”
I nodded and motioned him into the room, shutting the door again. Walking over to my guitar case, I pulled it out and sat on the bed. Reaching over to the bedside table, I brought out a notebook from the drawer and tossed it to him. He flipped through it until he got to the last song.
“This one?” he asked, holding it up for me to see. I nodded and began strumming a few chords.
Once he’d had time to look at it, I began playing it the way I’d imagined it would sound best. The first run-through, he just listened and scribbled some notes on the page. This was our process—how we made the magic happen. Without the dynamic we had, we would never have grown to the success we had today.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
We practiced and practiced, really fine-tuning the song, and I tried not to focus on the words themselves. This song meant the world to me in more ways than one. It was about two people. Two of the most important people in my life. After a few hours of practicing, we finally decided to call it a night since both of our stomachs kept growling.
I put my guitar away and followed Chaz out into the living room. There was tension in the air between us, and I felt horrible about putting it there. Addressing all three of them, I decided to apologize.
“Guys, I’m really sorry about the way I’ve been acting. This whole situation with my dad and then June really has my head in a weird place. I’m hoping to get past this funeral and back into the studio so I can finally clear my head. You guys are like my brothers, and I don’t ever want you to feel like this again. Please just bear with me one more day. I’ll catch the next flight out of here just as soon as the funeral is over.”
Donnie was the first to speak, and I braced myself for what he had to say. “Man, you know we’ll always forgive you, but why did you have to ruin it with June? That woman adored you. Why would you throw that away?”
He wasn’t being his usual flippant, jackass self, which meant that if Donnie could see what a dick I’d been, then I was being a huge dick.
“I don’t know, man. I just lost it. She deserves someone who won’t hurt her. That ass that she was married to hurt her all the time. I saw the empty look in her eyes when we reunited after all of these years. There’s no way I can ever be responsible for her feeling that way again.”
Donnie smirked. “Don’t be such a pussy, dude. Can you really imagine her with someone else? Some other guy making her moan every night? Another man raising your baby?”
I instantly went furious again and kicked over the coffee table. Chaz gave Donnie a “go to hell” look before standing up to try to calm me down.
“He’s just trying to get you riled up, but he has a point. You’re insanely pissed off about the idea of another man with her yet you don’t want to be that man. Figure your shit out, man, before you make the worst mistake of your life. Now come on. I’m fucking starved. Where do you eat in this Podunk town?”
I laughed, finally pulling myself from my anger some, and headed out the door with the guys in tow.
After eating some of the best chicken fried steak known to man at the diner, we were shooting the shit when a group of guys walked in. When one of them looked over at me and I realized it was Markwayne, I was climbing out of the booth and storming over to him before anyone knew what was happening.
“You,” I growled, sprinting over to him.
His stance became defensive as I charged. I hit his linebacker chest with as much force as I could muster, slamming him into the gumball machines by the door. I was able to get two good punches in on him before Manny and Donnie had pulled me away.
“I should fucking kill you!” I spewed at him. Blood was trickling from his nose, and I wanted nothing more than to make him bleed some more.
“Ah, so you got the bitch pregnant and now you’re pissed. Poor little rock star is a baby daddy now. Y’all are both white trash and belong together,” he taunted and flipped me off. Thankfully, the guys were still holding me because I seriously wanted to rip his head from his body.
Before we could argue more, the guys had dragged me out the front door and to the car. I was stuffed into the back seat with Manny, who was giving me the “don’t even fucking think about it” glare when I glanced at the door handle. Defeated, I slumped in my seat. Chaz started to drive off when Donnie turned around in his seat to look at me.
“Who the fuck was that, man? Do you just lose your shit with everyone?” he asked, astonished at my recent behavior.
“That asshole was her ex-husband. The ex-husband I had to stop from raping her. The same one who told her she had the fertility problems. The asshole who punched her in the fucking face!”
Donnie’s eyes darkened, and he swiveled around in his seat. “Stop the fucking car!” he ordered Chaz. He was fidgeting in the car now, also ready to beat Markwayne’s ass.
“No,” Chaz answered. “You two hotheads need to cool it before someone gets arrested. We’re lucky that we’re in the middle of nowhere and we don’t have fans from these parts. If this was happening in Vegas right now, we’d have a publicity problem on our hands. Now cut the crap and cool off—both of you.”
We drove the rest of the way in utter silence, everyone stewing in their own anger.
June
Since today was the funeral, I got up extra early to get the food ready for the reception that would be afterwards. Once Momma and I got everything cooked, we went back to
our rooms to get ready. After my shower, I took my time fixing my hair with loose curls. I went light on the eye makeup, knowing that I’d be crying a whole lot from the funeral.
I found my only black dress and slipped it on along with a pair of heels. When I looked in the mirror, I smiled. Maybe Bobby would notice how pretty I looked. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I forced it back out. I’d already made up my mind that I wouldn’t think about him today and would avoid him at all costs.
“You ready?” Momma asked, peeking her head in my door. I nodded and grabbed my purse on the way out.
We loaded the car with the food so that we could take it by the church on the way to the funeral home. After we’d delivered the food and were on the way to the service, I decided to tell her the news.
“Momma?”
“Yes, darlin’?”
“I need to tell you something. Momma, I’m pregnant.”
The car swerved a little while she squealed, much to my surprise. “June, this is the best news ever! How could this be? I thought you were unable to have children.”
“Well, Markwayne lied to me about the results. He was actually the one who had the issues. I’m pregnant with Bobby’s baby, but he won’t have anything to do with me. Momma, I don’t think he’ll come around. I’m afraid it’s over for us.” A choked sob escaped my lips as tears dampened my face.
“Baby girl, you don’t worry about a thing. He’ll come around if he knows what’s good for him. If he doesn’t, we’ll take good care of this baby. Let me just tell you, I am super excited to be a grandma!”
I finally allowed myself some happiness with someone over the baby. Momma would be a wonderful grandma. Butterflies danced in my belly as I got excited, chatting with her about nursery themes and baby names. My heart might have been aching because of everything else, but the joy of being pregnant most definitely was beginning to overshadow things.
When we pulled up to the funeral home, I nervously looked around for Bobby. I didn’t see him anywhere, so I hesitantly walked into the building. Donnie had promised to run interference, so if I found him, at least I would feel somewhat better.
“June,” a masculine voice called out to me from behind. I tensed for a moment but relaxed once I realized it was Donnie. He pulled me in for a hug.
“Hey, Donnie,” I whispered against his chest.
“Just wanted to warn you that Bobby has been on the warpath since we got here. I want you to stay out of that path, okay?”
“Most definitely. I can’t handle any more stress. Thank you for warning me.”
He let go of me and walked away. I looked around the funeral home for someone I knew. There were many familiar faces but nobody I wanted to go out of my way to speak to. When my eyes latched on to some familiar ones, my breath hitched and my knees went weak.
I saw the familiar loving look as he perused my body with his eyes and landed back on my own. My heart pounded as I took in his appearance. His normal look was gone as he was dressed to the nines in a black suit and thin, sleek black tie. I wanted to run my hands through his styled hair and mess it up like I was used to seeing it. A smile curved on my lips when I saw his red Chucks, such a contrast to his expensive suit.
When our eyes met again, I saw him play with his tongue ring, and my pussy clenched as I remembered how lovely it felt for him to touch me with it. Just thinking about it had me flushing and I could feel my neck and cheeks burn with embarrassment. Noticing my burning cheeks and knowing what it meant, his brows furrowed as he regarded me hungrily.
I broke our gaze that was making me feel dizzy and sat down in a nearby chair, fanning myself. My eyes looked for him again, but he was gone, and I fought back tears. It was so hard seeing him and not being able to touch or kiss him. Sitting in the chair, I noticed that my dress had ridden up, and I became fixated on the bruising that still colored my thighs. A tear fell, splashing my bare skin as I remembered our beautiful and crazy lovemaking.
When a large hand with a black beetle tattoo on the thumb wiped away the tear on my thigh, I fought back a shudder of pleasure. He left his hand there and stroked the yellowing bruises gently. I kept my head bowed and my eyes on my lap as I watched his perfect hand caress me. I was a selfish woman and didn’t want to break the spell by looking at him.
His left arm slipped around me and pulled me to him while his right hand continued its rubbing. My tears fell uncontrollably, and I fought to keep my hysterics at bay. The hand on my shoulder rubbed me in a comforting way while the hand on my leg rubbed me in a needful way. Between the two conflicting feelings, I was about to hyperventilate.
“I don’t feel so well,” I whispered as the room spun. I felt flushed and lightheaded, my body beginning to shiver.
“I’ve got you, June Bug,” he said softly as he picked me up from the chair. I could hear the murmurs of shock while he carried me to a backroom.
He found a breakroom of sorts and gently laid me on the couch before disappearing. Moments later, he returned with a Sprite and some crackers.
“Sit up, pretty girl,” he coaxed while pulling me to a sitting position.
The room was spinning, and I felt nauseated. I squeezed my eyes shut to keep from vomiting. He opened the can and held it to my lips. I greedily gulped some down, and it instantly started to cool me off. When I felt it was safe to open my eyes again, I took the cracker he was holding for me and nibbled on it.
“Did you not eat anything today?” he asked, brushing the hair from my face so he could see my eyes.
“I got so wrapped up in making the food for after the service that I must have forgotten to.”
“Baby, you can’t do that. You need to take care of our baby by eating right and staying healthy.” His eyes were so tender as he spoke to me, and tears rolled from my eyes once again. The fact that he’d called the baby “ours” had my heart soaring with hope.
“I’ll try harder. Today was just difficult. How are you doing?” I asked, wanting to know how he was holding up.
He stroked my cheek as I ate some more of the cracker and sipped on the Sprite. “Today is going better than I thought. I had a hard time until you got here. Now all I can think about is making sure you’re okay.”
I nodded at his words, because all I cared about was making sure that he was okay. My eyes found their way back to my lap as he swept the hair from my neck. I felt his lips on my neck and I gasped. He gently kissed my neck from my collarbone to my earlobe. My pants were ragged and hungry, a telltell sign of my desire for him.
“June Bug, I love you. Please say we can fix this,” he begged sadly, almost with conviction that I would deny him.
The hand stroking my thigh slid under my dress, and his thumb found my clit through my panties. My head dropped back as he lazily stroked me. I came suddenly, surprising us both. It seemed as though my body craved his touch as much as my mind did.
“Baby, I want nothing more than to make love to you right here. To show you how much I love you. How much I want your forgiveness. But you know we need to get back in there. Will you stay with me? Will you let me love you?”
I turned to him and caressed his cheek, smiling. “I love you, Bobby, more than anything I’ve ever loved before. There’s no way I could ever stop—no matter how much you push me away. All I ever wanted was for you to love me back.”
“God, June, I never stopped.” His lips were on mine in a gentle but passionate way. We kissed until we were gasping for breath. Finally, he pulled away and smirked. “We better get out of here or I’m about to get us both in trouble. I can promise you though—when this is over, I’ll love you all night long.”
I giggled as he dragged me out of the breakroom and back into the chapel.
Bobby
I finally got over my stupid ways and won her back. She had come back easily to me, and I was beyond thankful. I loved her more than life itself. Now she had a growing part of our love inside her, and my heart swelled with pride.
“Bobby, have you no mo
rals?” Donnie teased, wagging his eyebrows at us when we emerged from the breakroom. I squeezed June’s hand, making sure it was real and I still had her.
“Donnie, don’t act like you haven’t done worse,” I joked back, swatting him away. He jumped back and strode back over to Chaz and Manny, chuckling along the way. “Come on. I want you to see Dad,” I told her, leading her to the front of the chapel.
The mortician had done a good job making Dad look healthy and like himself. On the way to the front, we passed the slideshow that was playing on the wall. Manny had surprised me with it this morning. He’d found the camera with all the pictures from the last two months of Dad, June, and me and made a slideshow. While I had been a big dick to my friends and loved ones, they had still been loving and supporting me. I was truly blessed.
June stopped for a moment and grinned as she watched the photos flash by.
“Bobby, it’s beautiful. This is wonderful.”
We watched it for a few minutes more, chuckling over some of the memories we’d had with him in those last moments. Finally, when it recycled again, I pulled her to the front. When we reached the casket, she tentatively reached over and stroked his hair.
“I miss him so much,” she whispered, mostly to herself.
I squeezed her free hand again showing my support. “Me too, babe.”
The reverend did an excellent job of talking about my dad’s life and how many people’s lives he’d touched. When it was time for Dottie to give the eulogy, I was surprised when June pulled a notebook from her purse and stood up to walk to the podium. She winked at me and hurried up there.
“My mother was going to give the eulogy, but it made more sense for me to do it. Mr. Acer, or Sutton as he insisted I call him, was a great man—the best. He loved his son more than life itself. We spent the better part of fifteen years developing a relationship on our mutual loss of Bobby. Every day when I saw him in the diner, we chatted about life, but we also discussed Bobby. Every single time. Not a day went by where that man didn’t express the love he had for his son. So even if his son wasn’t with him, he went about each day never forgetting to mention him.”
Southern Seduction Page 102