KNOTTED: The Manhattan Bound Series, Book Three

by Juliet Braddock

  Maxine recalled those fond moments of her childhood when her dad would play that song. Tom was quick to take her tiny hands in his as she twirled around the living room, always mindful to catch her from falling. At that moment, Maxine was daddy’s little girl again, fluttering about to their favorite song while he looked down upon her with all of the love he had to give.

  “I just hope you’re having the best day of your life, Princess.”

  “I am,” Maxine said, unable to fight her tears. “And you made everything perfect for me.”

  “It’s my duty and my honor, Maxie…” Tom said. “And I’d do it all over again if we could relive this moment.”

  Maxine found herself back in tears all over again once Drew and Maggie took the floor to Natalie Merchant’s “Kind and Generous.” While so simple in sentiment, the lyrics weighed heavily upon Drew’s heart.

  And as Drew looked so deeply into that soft gaze—those caring eyes that hadn’t changed in the years since he’d first looked into them from his bed in the children’s ward—he realized once more that without this woman, he wouldn’t be the man he was that day. He would never have had the opportunities that life brought his way without Maggie’s gentle guidance. And for certain, he would never have met and married Maxine.

  Holding her just a little tighter as the song played on, he whispered in her ear, “I love you, Mom…”

  “And I love you, too, Drew,” she said. “You’ll always be my little boy…”

  As the night continued on, Maxine made sure she danced with everyone. Naturally, she saved Gaga and her “Bad Romance” for Ben, but she also joined in a mini-kickline with Jillian and Vicki to “Lady Marmalade.” With a nod toward his little prank at Maggie’s gala back in the fall, Maxine also took a few turns with Adam to “The Twelfth of Never.” She even managed to pull Declan out to the floor with a little Sinatra, while her dad led Vicki around for a giddy dance.

  When the deejay took his set break, Maxine tugged at Drew’s lapel. “Glass of champagne, my sweet husband?”

  “I would love to, my darling wife.”

  As they headed over to the bar, Maxine caught sight of Jillian and Adam off in the far corner.

  “Well, look what Emile and Nellie dragged in,” Adam said, and then ordered two beers and two shots.

  “I’m letting it slide—but only because I’m in the best mood of my life tonight,” Drew told him, then added out of the side of his mouth, “even though you cued the moon late…”

  “Right now, I’m just going to have a quiet moment here with my lady, and get ready for some more dancing,” Adam said as he raised his glass. “Here’s to you, my sexy woman…”

  However, Jillian was quick to rebuff his offer of adult beverages. “Adam, I can’t…”

  “Oh, come on!” he shouted as he stomped his sandaled foot. “You promised me you’d have a drink with me at the wedding.”

  “I said maybe…”

  With her protestation, Adam’s anger boiled. He’d been so worried about Jillian, and his only hope was that she’d just loosen up for one single night. At the core of his problems sat the fact that she refused to even tell him what the hell was wrong with her. He was tired of her bullshit stories about antibiotics and exhaustion for the last month. Adam cared so deeply for Jillian that he wished he could just shake the truth—whatever the hell it was—out of her, once and for all.

  And then, as his face deepened to a darker shade of red, he just snapped.

  “What the hell is with you?” he suddenly accused. “It’s starting to piss me off.”

  Neither Drew nor Maxine expected an argument during their own wedding. However, they didn’t budge or utter a single word. Sometimes, it was best to just let Adam go. They’d both help him repair the consequences with Jillian later.

  “You’re not acting like your old self,” Adam charged onward. “Shit, you've even been a little more cuddly with me.”

  All the while, though, Jillian held that cool she’d mastered over the years. She refused to allow him to break her, no matter how freely the anger flowed between them. “Please just stop…”

  “I want my old Jilly back—that feisty and fiery girl I fell in love with. That woman who could bitchslap me with her eyes alone…”

  “Adam McKenzie, I am giving you one warning…” Jillian’s even tone echoed softly between them. “Stop right now.”

  “I will not stop!” he insisted. “I care about you so fucking much, and I can’t ever read you. One minute you’re all Jillian, then the next minute, you’re someone I don’t know. You’re sick, and you won’t even tell me what’s wrong. Meanwhile, I toss and turn at night, worrying that it’s something serious. But do you even care? Do you? Sometimes, I just—”

  “Dammit, Adam, shut the hell up right now!” Jillian finally shouted. “I’m pregnant!”

  Collectively, Drew and Maxine held their breaths, gripping each other as they both smiled through gritted teeth. They didn’t even dare to look at each other. The words had been spoken, but certainly hadn’t resonated. And Adam’s face was absolutely impossible to read.

  Pregnant. That word just reverberated in Maxine’s mind. Neither one of them were supposed to have children anytime soon. They shared a solidarity against Maggie and her grandbabies campaign. They were supposed to do things together as young couples in love—bar nights, movies, dates, vacations.

  Perhaps it was just an April Fool’s Day joke…eighteen days late.

  “Jillian…” Adam finally managed. “Oh, Jillian…”

  From their barstools, Drew and Maxine watched as Adam reached out slowly, then hesitantly took Jillian’s hands. His face softened, and the always present mischievous look in his eyes faded to concern and compassion. Drew knew that look. He saw it when he was a child—when he and Adam were alone in their room as Drew cried himself to sleep. He recognized it again, later in their lives, when Louise was arrested.

  “Really?” he asked, his face suddenly brightening. “I’m…I’m gonna be…a dad?”

  “Only…” Jillian shook her head. She was crying. “Only if you want to be, Adam. I can do this all on my own, if—”

  Adam needed no further coaxing. While still clutching her fingers, he got down on one knee right in front of everyone standing around the bar. “Jilly, I…I don’t have a fancy ring with me right now—but I’ll get you the prettiest one in the world, I promise you,” Adam said, nearing desperation. “But…will…will you marry me?”

  “Oh, Adam!” Jillian placed her hands around his big head, then bent down to kiss him right on the lips. “Of course, I’ll marry—” Then she stopped herself suddenly and patted her tummy. “Of course, we’ll marry you! I love you, big guy…”

  “And I love you…pregnant lady…”

  Around them, the crowd cheered as Declan and Maggie made their way over to see what sort of trouble Adam was causing now.

  “And we love you both the most!” Drew chirped. “You’ve just bought us at least an extra year to live like newlyweds in the Grandbaby Game! Oh, God, I cannot wait to be an uncle…”

  “James Andrew McKenzie, bite your tongue!” Maggie scolded. “Adam…Jillian…is it true?”

  Now, Jillian just had to turn away as she nodded. She simply couldn’t look Maggie in the eyes. “Yeah, it is…”

  Of course, Maggie would have none of Jillian’s sudden shyness and moved around to face her. “I’m really going to be a grandmother?”

  “You are, Maggie,” Jillian blinked against her tears. “I’m having Adam’s baby…and I’m not very far along yet…not quite three months…”

  Her sigh was heavy, heaving her body, and Maggie wavered in her husband’s arms with a smile on her face. “This truly is the happiest day of my life…both of you…my wonderful boys…”

  Finally, Drew released Maxine and headed toward his brother to offer the proverbial slap on the back. “Leave it to you to steal my moment at my own friggin wedding…”

  Taking a step back, his eye
s downcast to avoid his brother’s teasing gaze, Adam danced rather nervously in his spot. “Hey—Jillian’s the one who finally confessed!”

  Drew couldn’t possibly imagine what was going through Adam’s mind. This was the most serious event he’d had to deal with in his life. He was about to bring a child into this world when he had so vigilantly fought his own passage into adulthood. This was going to be a learning curve, and Drew just hoped that both Adam and Jillian were ready.

  “I love you, Adam,” Drew kissed his brother’s dewy forehead. “And I’m sure that where you lack in fatherhood, I’ll make up for in being that baby’s uncle…”

  At last Maxine found her break in the crowd of their little family and made her way toward Jillian. As her arms opened, Jillian regarded her almost apologetically, as if she’d just fucked up their collective youth for the both of them.

  “I can’t wait to meet this baby,” Maxine whispered as she embraced her dear friend. “And I can’t wait to be a part of that child’s life with you…”

  “You’re happy for us, Max?” Jillian asked. “Really?”

  As Maxine settled into the notion of Jillian’s pregnancy, she began to conjure all of the wonderful moments that being an aunt would behold. Beyond everything, though, Maxine promised herself that she’d give that little child everything she had to give—her love, her support, her affection—and that she would treat that baby just like she would her own.

  “Yeah, Jill,” Maxine’s smile widened. “I really am. And I promise you, I’m gonna be the best Aunt Max ever…”

  “Know what?” Jillian hugged her tighter. “You already are…”

  And right beside them, the McKenzie boys had a moment of their own.

  “Drew…” Adam clutched his older brother’s elbow and looked at him with desperation seizing his soul. “You’re…you’ll be there for me…right?”

  “Always, Adam,” Drew promised. “Forever. I love you, little bro. And I love that kid already.”

  “Love you, too, Mack…”

  Eventually, the deejay returned from his break, but their little crowd was reluctant to scatter. Talk transcended from honeymoons to nurseries, but Declan carefully reminded them of the present celebration and sent them all off to pack the dance floor again.

  “Well, maybe not in the order that we’d planned,” Declan began, “but you’ve seen two lifetime wishes play out today, Mags.”

  “And I’m proud of both of our boys for finding such wonderful women,” she said, then took a step back to look into her husband’s eyes. How she hoped that Drew and Adam would both have a lifetime of love, too. “Dance with me, Dec?”

  Catching her in his arms, Declan grinned. “I shall lead the way.”

  # # #

  “Play that again!” Ben shouted to the deejay over the final notes of Lady Gaga’s “The Fame.”

  “Uh…may I have my wife back?” Drew asked, tapping Ben on the shoulder. “They’ve already played that twice for you…”

  “And I haven’t danced to it yet with you, Broadway Boy,” Ben laughed and swiveled his hips. “Gimme some wedding dance love, buddy…cha-cha-cha!”

  “Sorry, Uncle Benjy,” Drew said as he folded his arms around Maxine. “I’m a married man now, and my wife doesn’t take kindly to flirts. I do have this friend, though, whom you might like…”

  “Yeah, and he’s dancing with Aunt Frannie,” Ben said, his bottom lip puckering over in a pout. “Apparently, Adam got sprung of his babysitting duties once it was confirmed that he’d produced the first heir, so Jeffrey and I have been on call.”

  “Trying to shame us, Uncle Benjy?” Maxine asked. “Because it’s not working.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Ben muttered. “You know…Mandy’s over there in the corner, looking a little lonely. Perhaps I should ask her for the next dance…”

  “It’s what I love about you, Ben,” Drew said in all seriousness. “You always do the right thing.”

  Kicking his patent leather loafers against the floor, Ben took the long road to navigate toward Mandy. While mother and son were certainly at a better spot those days, Ben often still felt uncomfortable in her presence.

  Far too many years had passed during which she exhibited nothing but reluctant affection for him. As long as Amanda Worthington could pretend that her son was straight, she was fine. However, the second her only child reminded her of his sexual orientation, her claws emerged, fighting him.

  Standing all by herself right at the edge of the dance floor, Amanda looked as if she were waiting for something—anything—to happen. At times, Ben had to remind himself how much Maxine missed Judy, and that she’d give anything for just five minutes more with her mom. One day, he didn’t want to regret his own strained relationship with Mandy. He made efforts. He tried to force her to find some semblance of family in their little world.

  That night, though, he wanted a little break. He just wanted cut loose and not have to think about his own sexuality and what his parents thought of him. He just wanted to be himself.

  “Hey, Mom,” Ben smiled as he wiggled his way over in time to the music. “Dance with your son here?”

  While Mandy returned his smile, Ben noted the traces of melancholy upon her face. “I was watching you and Max out there,” she said. “You two aren’t bad…”

  “It’s all the booze, Mom,” Ben insisted. However, his mother clearly had her own share of the stash that night, as he could smell it on her breath in his approach.

  “My silly boy…” Mandy pulled him close, and Ben just froze, as he always did when she attempted to show him physical affection. “Why don’t we go outside and get some air? Take a little walk…”

  Ben didn’t really want to leave without telling Jeffrey first, but Drew would likely explain that he’d gone off to spend a moment with Mandy. He couldn’t just allow her to wander out in the darkness by herself. He didn’t want her to get hurt.

  “Sure…” he said as he offered his arm to her. “C’mon, Ma.”

  Almost immediately, however, Ben could sense the lack of celebration within his mother. In fact, he’d noticed that she could barely muster that fake smile she'd slapped on that afternoon. For a while, Ben allowed himself to believe that she was excited—if not thrilled—by Maxine and Drew’s engagement. However, he realized in a matter of hours that the finality of his best friend’s marriage had finally settled in.

  All hope had been shattered by that day. Maxine made her commitment to another man. While Mandy wondered if that marriage would actually last, given the drastic differences within their social standings in life, she knew that for the moment, Maxine was taken. And Ben was still dating Jeffrey.

  “The Captain looked so beautiful today,” Ben said, his heart just brimming with emotion. “She picked the perfect dress.”

  “You know, she really did,” Mandy actually agreed with him. “Max isn’t all about the big ball gowns and glitter. And she really did look stunning.”

  Strolling out into the night, Ben took note of the sparkling stars above them in a dark but clear sky. It was chilly, and he took off his jacket to place upon his mother’s shoulders. “One of these days, maybe she’ll believe us as to how lovely she is.”

  “No, Benjamin,” Mandy spat as she slovenly waved her index finger in the air. “That’s not Max. She’s kind…and humble…and…”

  “And…”

  One lone sob shook Mandy, and Ben knew it was the alcohol talking. His mother often got weepy when she drank. “And I wanted her to love you, Ben. I wanted you two to fall in love…”

  In the morning, while she’d have a third-degree hangover, this emotional pain wouldn’t be so intense. That didn’t erase her own son’s unease, though, at present.

  “Where’s Dad?” he thought quickly. Perhaps Mike could take her off his hands for just a bit and get her some much-needed coffee, allowing Ben to enjoy the rest of the night.

  “Oh, you know Daddy…” Suddenly, she’d forgotten all about her tears. “He�
�s with the boys somewhere, having a drink…”

  Somewhere off in the short distance, likely behind the row of tall hedges that surrounded the pool, Ben thought he heard some rather passionate sounds reminiscent of two people in the throes of lovemaking. Probably a couple of inebriated wedding guests, he assumed, but that was the last thing he wanted to hear as he tried to calm his drunken mother down.

  “Back to Max,” Mandy said, her spike heels now sinking into the grass as her legs wavered beneath her. “What’s your prognosis?”

  “My prognosis?” Ben laughed. “On her marriage? A lifetime!”

  Oh, he wished they could just move somewhere else to have this damn discussion. Those echoes of lust were growing louder. For Maxine’s sake, he was glad the deejay was still spinning.

  “No!” Mandy waved her hands in the air, almost as if she were trying to take off into flight. “She’s poor. He’s rich. It’ll never last like it did for Daddy and me…”

  “If she’s poor, and we’re so rich, how do you think she and I would ever—”

  “Ohhhhhhhhhh...” Those groans echoing from the poolside intensified, but resonated with a voice that was awfully familiar to Ben’s ears. However, he chose to ignore his own overactive suspicions and made an effort to pay attention to his mother.

  “Alright…this has got to be some kind of joke here…” Mandy said, knocking her head backward in the direction of the pool. “Who screws like that at a wedding?”

  “Well, obviously someone who—”

  However, Ben was silenced by the continuing noise.

  “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” the nameless, faceless woman called out into the dark April evening. “Oh, Michael! Harder, Michael...now...”

  Michael? No...it couldn't...

  “Oh, yeah, you little slut...just like that...”

  Michael Worthington...

  That was his son of a bitch of a father, fucking someone other than his mother!

  As Mandy tore off through the grass, Ben felt helpless. He watched her stumble and slide down the short hill before she just kicked off her shoes, but he wasn’t sure if he should run after her or stay put. After all, it was his father fucking around behind those bushes. And Ben knew all too well that once his vision was struck and violated, things could not be unseen.