The Call

by B. A. Cubbage

  She laughs and kisses my cheek, then immediately wipes the spot off. “Sorry, lipstick.”

  “Mm, I know somewhere you could put it and not have to wipe it off…” I waggle my eyebrows at her. She licks her lips and her eyes drop to my waist, making my dick hard.

  “Pants down, Stone.” Oh yes please.

  »»•««

  Damon and Sam pull down the driveway right behind us. I’m interested to see what Sam has him dressed in. Sam apparently already knew about the invite. It was just Damon and I that were clueless.

  Opening Reagan’s door, she takes the helping hand I offer. “Have I ever told you how much I love your gentlemanly side?”

  I smile. “No you haven’t.”

  She stands and whispers in my ear, “Almost as much as I love your ‘Adonis of the stars’ side.” She nips my jaw when she pulls away.

  I have to swallow. Hard. “I’ll be sure to show them both more often then.”

  “Mm, please do.”

  “Hey. Hey! Stop that. It’s bad enough that I was forced to get dressed up and have to sit through this shit. I don’t need to see the two of you pawing at each other half the night.” Damon puts his hand on the small of Sam’s back and guides her toward the front door.

  “Aw cheer up. Victoria will be on her best behavior tonight. You’ll be okay.” He curls his lip and sneers at his twin. She shoves him.

  They stick their tongues out at each other. Sam and I look at each other and hold back our laughter. “Come on you two. Let’s get this over with. Then you can have a roll in the dirt brawl when you’re in your playing clothes again.”

  They turn their attention to me and I know I’ve just been ganged up on by the twins. Sweet. They exchange a glance I’ve only ever seen once. But that one time was enough to recognize it now. At some point tonight, I will be the butt of a Winters Twin prank.

  One of the housekeepers opens the doors for us. “Mr. and Mrs. Stone are in the dining hall. They’re expecting you.”

  “Thank you.” We head in that direction. Tara, a new gentleman caller, Cynthia, and her husband all sit on one side of the table. My mother and father occupy both ends. That leaves the four of us with the opposite side of the table.

  Mother gets up and comes straight to me. I stand stark still as she wraps her arms around me. She holds her ground until I relax into the embrace. This is so fucking weird. She hugs Reagan, then Sam, and finally ends with Damon.

  The look on the faces of my father and siblings is comical. They’re as stunned as I first was to see it. Frankly, I’m still really put off by it, but at least she’s making an effort. It’s just odd to see my mother be anything less than formal.

  We all take our places around the dining table. My mother looks between Reagan and myself. “I trust that the two of you are feeling well?”

  Ah, there’s my mother. “Yes, Mother, we are all healed and back to normal. Thank you for asking.” She nods. Their hired help comes in and sets our meal in front of us.

  The first course is a light vegetable soup. The second is a very bright colored salad. The main course platter is a steak cooked to perfection, with a baked potato and a side of beans. Reagan must have gotten ahold of her.

  My suspicions are confirmed when Reagan gleams a smile in her direction. My mother smiles back.

  »»•««

  Believe it or not, we actually made it through an entire dinner without any yelling. My father did stare down Tara’s date for a moment when he openly belched in the middle of our meal. But he kept his comments to himself.

  We have all adjourned to the balcony for tea and conversation. Well, all except for Cynthia and her husband. They left before dinner was through. With Cynthia, if there isn’t drama, she isn’t there. Tara left about twenty minutes after her. Her date was starting to border on the edge of getting his ass kicked by one of us men.

  My father looks at me, “So. Your mother tells me that you have tattoos hidden under that suit. Is that true?”

  I look at my mother. She just sips her tea. “Yes. It is.”

  “One of these days, I will have to show you mine.” Say what? “Don’t look so shocked, son. I was young once too. And I had your uncle for a brother. You’d be surprised to know what all your mother and I did in our youth.”

  “Jonathan. That’s enough.”

  “Oh lighten up, Victoria. It’s a past. We’ve all got one. Including you, darling.” She scowls and throws a sugar cube at him. He catches it and throws it back at her. It lands in her tea, causing a great deal of it to splash her face. My father is smiling while she tries to glare at him around her smile.

  I laugh, actually bust out laughing, not only in front of, but also at my parents. I’ve never seen them talk like an actual couple to each other. The things that Reagan is doing to this family and myself are just fucking perfect.

  My father is the first to join in with me, a good hearty laugh. My mother smiles at first, but then, she is softly laughing with us. Everyone joins in.

  And that’s the first actual step we take in mending our relationships, all because my mother and father acted like normal human beings for half of a second.

  By the time eleven o’clock rolls around, my parents are walking us out to our vehicles. We’re all laughing about a story my father was telling about a time that my mother had to bail him and Uncle Peter out of jail when they were in their twenties, for trespassing on a golf course and being drunk in public.

  They apparently broke in and started racing golf carts on the ninth hole, tearing up the green turf, and since they were drunk, it almost resulted in a D.U.I. because they hit the side street next to the course.

  “Will you four be joining us again next Wednesday?” My father is asking while his arm is around my mother’s waist.

  “I’ll let you know when it gets closer. I’m not sure what my case load is going to do over the weekend.”

  “That’s understandable. Reagan, it was lovely seeing you again. I hope to see more of you and your brother. Maybe I’ll share some of Victoria’s youthful stories.” My mom elbows him in his side, making me smile.

  “We’ll talk to you two soon. I had fun tonight.”

  My mother hugs us all and then we load up and start back toward our houses. I never imagined my parents had a rebellious side. The stories my father told tonight about college, bars, fighting, and getting arrested, somehow make them more human.

  I just never really thought about them in any other way than what they’ve shown me. And I’ve only ever seen them prim and proper, the definition of snobs. I don’t know if it was the accident, or Reagan and Damon telling my mother in no uncertain terms to go to hell. Whatever it was, I’m growing to really like the way that she is changing things.

  But there is a piece of me that is afraid to put too much stock into it. Afraid if I get too comfortable with it, it will be gone.

  I turn to see Reagan staring at me thoughtfully. “What’s got my Adonis’s mind held captive?”

  “Just thinking about how much has changed since you and I started to date. For the better. I love you, angel.”

  “Can I ask you a question?” She turns her whole body in her seat to face me.

  “You already have. But I’ll let you ask another.”

  She smacks my arm. “Smartass. Why do you call me ‘angel’ and ‘sweet girl?’ ”

  I smile to myself. That’s an easy one. “I call you angel because, when I first laid eyes on you in that bar, wearing a white sundress, with your hair pulled over one shoulder, and freckles from the sun speckled across your nose and shoulders, that’s what you looked like. Exactly as I called you to your brothers a ‘wingless angel’.

  And I call you sweet girl because, well, your taste is divinely sweet. Mm, I’m going to taste you when we get home. I hope you know that, sweet girl.”

  “I’m counting on it.” I bring one hand down from the steering wheel and lace my fingers into hers. Lifting our hands while still staring down the road, I k
iss the back of her hand.

  »»•««

  Reagan

  Walking into the tattoo shop with coffees and doughnuts, I’ve got a huge smile on my face. Abraham woke me up early with awesome sex, and then took me for a morning run. We ended the morning with equally amazing shower sex. Mm I love that man. He is a God in the bedroom.

  “Kate? I brought you some decaf yumminess. And doughnuts!” She waddles out of her station making me laugh. I just can’t get over how big she is getting. “How’s baby Kyle?”

  She huffs. “This kid never sleeps. He’s going to be such a handful when he’s out of me. If he’s up this often when he’s being naturally rocked, what is he going to do when he’s in a crib?”

  “Aw, it will be different when he’s actually in your arms and has a nice full belly.” She rolls her eyes and takes a huge bite of a bear claw.

  Mickey comes out of his station. He hands some young woman the directions on the aftercare of a tattoo and sends her on her way. “I love it when you bring food and coffee.”

  He smiles and I return it. “You could always stop on the way in.”

  Kate shakes her head. “I can’t have the smell of coffee engulfing me in the car. I’ll puke. I can still drink it, I just can’t be trapped in a car with it.”

  “Ah, I see. You guys should have told me. I would have stopped and picked some up.”

  “Well I’m not going to stop you if you want to do it from now on, little miss.”

  Damon walks in with Sam. “Hey, sis. I didn’t know you were working today.”

  “I’m not. I got called in by a friend who wanted me to pierce her belly button.” I smile when Kate connects the dots and her eyes brighten.

  Mickey and Damon exchange glances. “What friend?”

  Sam kisses Damon’s cheek and then heads into my office. Damon’s eyes get huge. “What? Oh this is fantastic.” He smiles and we disappear behind the door.

  “Okay, Sam. You ready?”

  She looks a little green but nods. “Yeah, I’m good. Just do it quick. Don’t tell me what you’re doing as you do it though, okay?”

  “I won’t. You want Kate to come in and hold your hand?”

  “No, I’ll just suck it up.”

  “Okay. Stay relaxed and remember to breathe.”

  She is a trooper. She didn’t make a sound and not even one tear fell from her eyes.

  We walk out and Damon is on her before she even crosses the threshold. “Damn, Damon. Let the poor girl breathe. Make sure you wash that two or three times a day, sea salt is best. And Damon?” He turns and looks at me with a goofy grin on his face. “Keep it clean.”

  “I will.” He turns back to Sam. “Are you going to stick around for a little bit?”

  She shakes her head. “I’ve got to go get ready for my afternoon classes. I just wanted to get this done and out of the way. Thanks again, Reagan. Love you.” She kisses my cheek and Damon walks her out.

  Kate is staring at me with judgment in her eyes. “What?”

  “I’m your wife. Don’t you dare cheat on me.”

  I laugh and grab my things. “I would never. You’re the best wife I could ever ask for.” I walk out and get into my Jeep. I’ve got the day off and desperately need to get some laundry done, so I head to the house.

  »»•««

  While I’m putting the whites into the dryer and loading the darks into the washer, spilling fabric softener on my hands, my phone chimes from the counter in the kitchen. I let it go to voice mail so I don’t have to fight with the pink liquid on my fingers.

  The dogs come racing in from the backyard and head straight to their water dish in the kitchen. “Is your water dish outside empty, boys?” Once I wash my hands off, I head into the back yard to check the dish. Sure enough, it’s empty.

  I grab the garden hose, turn it on, and put it in the dish—which, in all honesty, could be used as a horse trough. The dogs come back out and jump in the pool. Abraham would flip out if he saw what these two do when he’s not home.

  Just in the past few hours I’ve caught them on the furniture in the living and game room, on our bed, and sleeping in the guest bathtub. I even caught Thor turn on the kitchen sink, take a drink, and then shut it off again. Abraham would have a stroke.

  “Guys, you better let yourselves dry off before you head back inside the house.” Thor is already sunbathing next to the pool and Dozer is shaking himself off next to the grill.

  A chill runs down my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Both dogs are just lying about so it must just be me. Either way, I head back into the house and lock the slider behind me. Say what you will, but sometimes paranoid keeps you alive.

  Grabbing my phone off of the counter, I see I have fifteen missed calls, three voice mails, and ten texts. Shit. They’re all from Abraham. I go for the voice mails first.

  Abraham’s voice invades my ears. He sounds both pissed and worried.

  “Reagan, I want you to go upstairs, if you’re not already, and lock and load.”

  I click to hear the next message.

  “Reagan. Pick up your damned phone! I’m on my way home. Get your ass and the dogs into the bedroom! Call me!”

  I press next again as my heart rate spikes.

  “Reagan Nichole! Chris is in the neighborhood! One of the cops got a call from one of the neighbors. Call. Me. Back. Now!”

  “Shit!” I tighten my hold on the phone. Putting my thumb and index fingers between my lips, I whistle for the dogs and they come running. The second they are through the dog door, I flip the deadbolt on it. “Upstairs, go, go, go!” The three of us take off. After making a fast pit stop in the guest room for Duchess, I lock us all in the closet.

  Abraham doesn’t seem so ridiculous anymore for installing the locks on the door. I grab a shotgun from the shelf and cock it. The dogs are both in front of me with their hackles up. When there is a noise in the kitchen, the dogs start to growl. “Shhh. Guys, keep quiet.”

  The four of us sit perfectly still. My shotgun is aimed at the door, already pressed firmly into my shoulder and ready to fire.

  “Reagan? Reagan? Baby?”

  My whole body relaxes. “Oh thank fuck. I’m up here!”

  I can practically feel him release a relieved breath. “Unlock the door, babe.”

  “Okay hold on.” The gun goes back up on the shelf and I go to the door.

  The dogs run out and down the stairs. Abraham grabs hold of me and pulls my body to him. “Why the fuck didn’t you answer your phone?” He holds me at arm’s length.

  His eyes are full of worry, his hair is a mess, his suit jacket is off, and his shirt and tie are loose and wrinkled. “I had fabric softener on my hands when it rang the first time and I got sidetracked with the dogs’ water bowl outside once I got it washed off. I left my phone inside on the counter. I’m sorry, Abraham.”

  “You were outside? Jesus! When you didn’t pick up or call me back, and I walked in to an empty house and… I, fuck I thought…”

  He pulls me back to him and kisses the top of my head. “Abraham, I’m okay. What happened?”

  He leads me to the bed and we sit. “I got a phone call from Asher at the police station saying that one of the neighbors reported a man sitting in a car that had been there for a while. When the cops went to go check it out, the car was gone but the woman snapped a picture of him with her phone before he slowly drove off.

  “They don’t know if he left the neighborhood or not. I told them that you were here by yourself and to make sure that you were okay. When I got off of the phone with them, I raced over here. God, Reagan. You scared the hell out of me. Please, please keep your phone on you at all times. And please answer it when I call.”

  “I will try. I’m sorry that I scared you. But look,” I stand up and put my arms out, then twirl in a circle in front of him. “I’m okay. I didn’t see him. And you’re here now. It’s okay.”

  The door slams open and heavy foot falls echo throug
hout the house. The dogs go ape shit. Abraham grabs me and throws me in the closet, locking the door behind us. I cling to his arm. His heartbeat is steady. Mine is trying to jump out of my chest.

  His phone starts to vibrate in his pocket. “Shhh. Fuck, Abraham,” I whisper yell at him. He pulls it out of his pocket and brings it to his ear.

  After a second of no noise I can hear the man on the other end of the line. “Mr. Stone?”

  “Are you in my house?” Abraham looks at me while the man answers.

  “Yes, your friend, Mr. Bennet is here too. There’s no sign of Ms. Winters.”

  I go to start walking out of the closet but Abraham pulls me to a stop. “The both of us are in the master closet. Tell your men to stand down.” Wow, I would have just traipsed down the stairs and probably gotten shot. By a cop. My dumb ass.

  Abraham hangs up and we can hear Officer Asher downstairs say, “They’re upstairs, stand down.”

  Only then does Abraham lead us out of the closet. Our fingers are interlaced as we come down the stairs. My heart settles when I see Mickey and Kate with the dogs in the living room.

  “We confirmed that the man in the photograph is definitely Chris. However, we were not able to locate him in the neighborhood. We have updated the BOLO on him to include the Lincoln though.”

  My attention is peaked. I look at Abraham. “Didn’t you say that Sasha drives a Lincoln?”

  “I did, and she does. I think that you boys may need to pay another visit to the Lafayette household.” His face is turning redder by the second. “Before I do it myself.”

  “That won’t be necessary, sir. We will handle this.”

  Kate scoffs. “Yeah, you’ve handled it so well thus far.”

  The officer turns around but keeps his mouth shut. Preggers is scary.

  “I’ll see to it personally. My officers are still patrolling the area and checking traffic cameras around the neighborhood. I should have some sort of news for you by the end of the night.”

  “Make sure that you get back to me before ten o’clock. Or I will come down to the station.”

  The cop looks a little sheepish. He turns and signals for his men to vacate the area.