by Donya Lynne
“Maybe not, but he can take most of it.”
“You’re sweet.” He pulled his sweats back up.
“And you’re…”
“I’m what, Karma?”
“You’re…very sexy.”
“Right back atcha.” He lingered, not wanting the call to end, but he had to finish going through Solar’s project manuals, and he needed to take a shower and grab a change of clothes. “I should probably get going. I need to clean up.”
“Me, too.” She giggled. “I have to leave for my parents’ house soon. And I need to get back to my reading.”
“Aaahh, that’s right. The mysterious reading about how to please a man.”
“Something like that.”
“Well, I won’t keep you from that then. Especially if I get to be the benefactor of whatever it is you might be learning.”
More laughter. “I certainly hope so. But don’t get your hopes up too high. I’m still a novice.”
He shook his head. “Don’t underestimate yourself, Karma. Just the sound of your voice is enough to get me hard.”
She gasped.
He laughed. “And with that, I think it’s time I let you go.”
“You stinker.”
“I am that. Enjoy the rest of your Memorial Day.”
“You, too. Bye, Mark.”
He set his phone down and smiled as another bolt of lightning lit the sky.
He had always liked storms, but now he was beginning to like them even more.
Chapter 32
I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.
-Mahatma Gandhi
Karma sighed and looked up at the white ceiling of her bedroom. What a nice phone call that had been. Surprising. She’d heard Mark come twice, but had never seen him. Did he look as sexy as he sounded? Did he close his eyes? Leave them open. Clench his jaw? How did he feel? Would the muscles of his back bunch under her hands? Would his body stiffen and shudder?
She tried to imagine him on top of her, under her, behind her. These books she had been reading—and especially the pictures in the Kama Sutra book—had given her a lot of ideas to play with, each of them more exciting than the last.
Doggy style, for instance. She had never done that. But something about the pictures of couples where the man was behind the woman excited her more than all the others. Would Mark do that?
A check of the time showed Karma was running late, so she removed the glass egg, hopped up, changed, pulled her hair into a ponytail, and hustled out the door. She could fantasize about Mark doing her doggy style tonight after she got home.
Less than fifteen minutes later, she pulled onto her parents’ street and nearly stopped the car. Johnny’s big fat Audi was in the driveway. Shit. He wasn’t supposed to be here. That’s what Dad had told her…that Johnny was having a small Memorial Day get-together at his house. So, what the hell was he doing here?
A dark cloud formed over Karma’s head, and it had nothing to do with the storms they were supposed to get later tonight. The same ones hitting Mark right now, as a matter of fact. But if Johnny and Estelle had decided to crash Dad’s cookout, tonight was going to suck balls.
She opened the door and was greeted by her cat, Spookie, who lived with her parents because her apartment complex didn’t allow pets. She really needed to look for a new place so she could have her cat with her twenty-four-seven. Spookie wasn’t Mark, but she did give good snuggle.
Spookie purred and crisscrossed between and around her ankles.
“Hey, pumpkin,” Karma said, lifting the all-black bundle of fur-and-purr into her arms. Spookie settled against her chest, her paws making biscuits on her shoulder, and nuzzled her cheek. “I’ve missed you, too, love bug.” She carried Spookie to the kitchen, where her mom was already in conversation with Estelle…and Jolene. Great. The day just got better and better.
“I wish he would learn not to antagonize him,” Mom said, glancing out the window.
Estelle stood at the sliding glass door beside Jolene, both of them gazing out into the backyard.
“Hi, Mom,” Karma said, entering the kitchen.
Jolene flashed her an evil glare then glanced out the door again. If only she knew that Karma was aware of her fling with Jake, she might have been less cocksure.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Mom said. She kissed Karma’s cheek and appeared relieved she didn’t have to deal with the terrible twosome by herself anymore. Mom was just as uncomfortable around Estelle as she and Dad were. It seemed the only one who got along with the pointy-nosed woman was Johnny. Well, and Jolene. “I see you found Spookie.” Mom rubbed the cat’s ear.
“More like she found me as soon as I walked in the door.”
Mom smiled. “She misses you.”
“Well, I miss her.” Karma stroked the cat’s silky fur and nodded toward the backyard, where Dad and Johnny appeared to be in a heated discussion in the back corner. “What’s going on out there?”
Normally, Karma tried to avoid Johnny and Dad together whenever possible, because when those two got around each other, they were like roosters in a cockfight, and she was usually the one who ended up losing feathers and bleeding. Not to mention, Johnny still felt the need to constantly torture her, just like when they were kids.
Mom waved her hand dismissively and returned to the stove. “Oh, Johnny’s just being Johnny. You know how he is.”
Yes, Karma knew all-too-well how Johnny was.
Estelle shook her head. The gesture almost looked like pride. Estelle and Johnny were like vinegar and oil, separate, but in a good-for-each-other kind of way that usually left everyone else with a sour face. To make matters worse, her raging pregnant-woman hormones made her even less tolerable, if that was even possible.
“Well, that’s my Johnny,” Estelle said. “He never backs down from anyone. You know that.”
Karma struggled to bite her tongue. Yeah, Mom knows that. She raised him. He was hers before he was yours, dummy.
“What are they talking about?” Karma strolled to the door, avoiding eye contact with el prego Estelle-o and her sidekick Not-so-Jolly Jo.
“Mm-hi, Karma,” Estelle said, her greeting coming out like a snobbish, nasally slur.
“Hi,” Karma said blandly. “What are they talking about?” It would be nice if someone could answer that question.
Mom huffed and threw the kitchen towel she was holding over her shoulder as she checked on the guava glaze for the chicken. “They’re arguing over the best method to seed the bare patch in the backyard.”
Estelle rested her arms over her swollen belly. “We had the same problem when we bought our house last year.” She waved her long fingers and kept her gaze out the back door. “Hopefully your dad will take his advice. Our yard looks fabulous now.”
Karma exchanged glances with her mom and forced herself not to say something snarky. “Well, I’m sure Dad has it under control.” She opened the fridge and pulled out a beer with the hand not cradling Spookie’s rump. She rarely drank, but the niggling on her nerves told her this was a good day to partake.
“Oh, I’m sure he does.” Estelle offered a dramatic conciliatory glance toward her and Mom, as if they were toddlers in need of a grown-up. “I’m just saying Johnny knows what he’s talking about.”
“Johnny always knows what he’s talking about. That’s the problem.” Karma managed to twist off the bottle cap and took a healthy swig.
Estelle huffed, opened the door, and stepped out onto the patio. Jo followed, flashing Karma an eat-shit glance, and slid the door closed again.
Karma shot her mom a hard look. “Dad told me they weren’t going to be here today?”
Chagrined, her mother stopped stirring the glaze. “They had a change of plans. Something about running out of propane for the grill.”
“And he couldn’t go get more?”
Mom gave her a look that confirmed what she was already thinking. Johnny had come over to stir up trouble. Most likely with h
er. Well, to hell with that. If he tried, he would get a dose of the new and improved Karma. Either she had finally grown a spine, or all those affirmations she was telling herself were now paying off, but one thing was certain, she was done taking Johnny’s—and everyone else’s—shit.
“And then he had to go and bring Jolene,” Mom said. “When he knows you two don’t get along.”
“I’m sure that’s why he brought her.” Karma took another drink and looked outside at her jealous coworker with permanent PMS and a case of verbal diarrhea. And the horns and forked tail she had started growing didn’t help.
“Your dad doesn’t like her, either. To be honest, I think your dad appreciates you being here. The day will be more tolerable with you here.”
“He could have at least warned me.”
“I know, honey. But they just showed up. He probably didn’t even think about calling.” She smiled in that way that all mothers must have to master before becoming parents. It was a mix of compassion, humor, and apology. “Why don’t you go out there and give your dad some moral support.” She patted Karma on the back of the shoulder.
“Why can’t Johnny just cool it and stop being a jerk?”
Mom shrugged. “Think of it this way. Your brother teaches us patience.”
She lowered Spookie to the floor. “No. He teaches us that he’s a Grade A asshole.” With Bud in hand, she reluctantly went outside and joined Estelle and Jo on the patio. Dad and Johnny’s bickering seemed out of control.
“Hi, Dad!” She waved to get her dad’s attention.
While Johnny was in midsentence, her dad waved back and began to walk away. “Hi, honey. You made it.”
Johnny scowled after him and threw his hands in the air. “I wasn’t finished.”
“I was,” Dad said over his shoulder.
Good for Dad.
Estelle sucked her teeth. When Karma looked at her, she was pursing her lips and scowling, which made Karma want to slug her. But she was sure there was some law against hitting a pregnant woman.
Dad hugged her. “Hi, sweetie.”
She squeezed him back.
“Hi, Carmine.” Johnny brushed past her, making no secret that he loathed her intrusion on whatever lesson he’d been trying to teach Dad.
Jolene snickered at the masculine nickname Johnny had teased her with when they were kids.
“I see you still haven’t outgrown your junior high insults,” Karma said as her dad turned his attention to the grill. Mom brought out the glaze and handed him the pan.
The nickname had been a dig to imply Karma was a boy instead of a girl. Well, now she was a woman…with claws…and big woman balls. Thanks to Mark. So Johnny needed to watch out.
Johnny was holding a bottle of beer and laced the fingers of his free hand between Estelle’s. “Only because they still piss you off, sis.”
What a little shit. This was why she avoided Johnny like he was a Norovirus. A few hours with him left her in need of intense therapy, partly because his insults cut with the precision of a neurosurgeon. Johnny magnified her faults, dissected them, and splayed and gutted her in public like she was no more than shark bait.
But Johnny’s lapses of judgment didn’t just begin and end with Karma. He was naturally a cocky little cuss with the ego of Zeus and the god-like attitude to go with it. The fact that Karma worked as a “lowly” executive assistant when he was the owner of a successful business at such a young age only added fuel to his irritating spew of insults.
As if reading her mind, Johnny said, “How’s work?”
He emphasized the word like it was profane, but Karma knew he simply wanted to point out that he considered her job work, while his was a career. In his opinion, there was a big difference.
She parked at the table by her dad, who was paying eagle-eyed attention to the conversation, ready to jump in to rescue her at a moment’s notice. Which, of course, was what Johnny wanted him to do and what Karma wanted to prevent.
“Work’s fine,” she said casually.
“I hear a consultant has come in to restructure the company and lay people off.” Johnny exchanged glances with Jolene, who sneered.
Of course Johnny would have heard about that. But what bothered Karma even more was to hear Johnny talking about Mark with that self-righteous tone. “I suppose our esteemed Jolene told you that, huh?” Karma pointed her beer bottle Jo’s way. Karma was no longer the quiet one who kept her mouth shut. A couple months ago, Karma wouldn’t have been confrontational. She would have taken their shit and let Johnny cut her to the quick. But that was old Karma. Johnny had yet to meet Karma, version two-point-oh.
“Is it a secret?” Estelle said innocently. Too innocently, which was confirmation that Jo had been talking about Mark. And probably her, too.
“If I were you, I’d get my résumé ready and start looking for a new job,” Johnny said. “We recently let go two of our administrative staff. They’re simply not needed, anymore. Unemployment statistics show that administrative employees are on the endangered species list. Their jobs are becoming obsolete, with management taking on more of the tasks typically done by administrators. This consultant guy is probably going to axe your job, sis.”
“That’s enough, Johnny,” her dad said, jumping to her defense.
But Karma could fight her own battles now. “No, Dad. It’s okay.” She placed her hand on his arm.
Estelle leaned forward and tapped her bony, cold fingers on the back of Karma’s hand. “Don’t worry. If you lose your job, I know the Director of Human Resources at the University Hospital Downtown. I helped decorate her new home. I’m sure I can get you in for an interview.”
“First of all,” Karma said to Johnny, “shut up.” Then she turned on Estelle. “And don’t worry, Estelle, I’m not going to lose my job. I don’t know the first thing about working in a hospital, anyway, and wouldn’t want to.”
“Look, Karma,” Estelle said in that quiet, fake-concerned tone of hers, “Jo told us all about the consultant you’re working with.” She nodded between Jo and Johnny then looked back at Karma. “We’re just trying to help.” The way Estelle said the word help made it clear that Jo had gossiped about how she thought Karma and Mark were an item.
She wasn’t going to give them any more fuel for that fire, but she could sure turn on the fire hose.
“You know,” she said, looking at Jo. “Johnny’s right. Administrative staff is becoming obsolete, and one or two of Solar’s admin staff just might get the axe before Mark’s job here is done. So, Jo, has Johnny suggested that you get your résumé in order and start looking for a new job, too? The way I see it, I outrank you, and since I already do half your job while keeping up with my own, I figure that if I go, you go. What do you think? Wouldn’t that make sense to you?” She glared at Jo, then Estelle, and then Johnny.
All three looked a bit stunned. She had never doused them with their own vitriol before. Always in the past, she had taken their crap in near silence.
But this was the new her, and she was ready to unleash a little payback.
“Uumm…” Jo’s yap opened and shut, but no words came out.
Johnny started to say something, but Karma cut him off.
“No. You shut up for once, you self-righteous little shit.” She got up and shoved her finger into his chest. “I’ve had enough of your crap, little brother. Emphasis on little.” She dropped her gaze to his crotch and let it rest there long enough to let everyone know what she was referring to. She had grown up with the weasel and seen him in his birthday suit a time or two—after which she had wanted to burn out her eyes. But he wasn’t exactly packing heat in the meat department the same way she wasn’t packing it up top. She suddenly wanted to kick herself for not realizing that sooner. Using that against him when they were kids might have shut him up. Better late than never, because he was certainly quiet now, with a red face to boot.
Karma pointed at Jo then glared at Johnny again. “I suppose she’s tried to tell you
that the consultant and I have a thing going on, too. Am I right? She’s trying to pass that shit around the office, too.”
Estelle averted her gaze. Johnny set his jaw uncomfortably.
“And you believed her, didn’t you? Even though you know she lies and gossips about everything. Everyone knows it. She’s a big, fat, lazy liar, and you both think she would be telling you the truth about…what? An affair? That I’m sleeping with some guy that could ‘axe my job’?” She made air quotes at Johnny. “Really? You think I’m that stupid? You’re such an ass!”
Technically, she wasn’t lying. She and Mark hadn’t slept together. Not yet, anyway, in either the literal or figurative meaning of the phrase.
But so what if she was? She hated lying, but if lying was the only way to put Johnny and Estelle in their place and get Jo off her trail, she would lie her ass off. She wasn’t going to let Mark get in trouble for what they were doing with one another. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and she would do whatever it took to protect his job and his reputation.
By now, Mom had rejoined them on the patio. She held a plate of corn on the cob wrapped in foil, and Dad was standing behind her like a sentry.
“I’ve had it with all three of you,” Karma said. “I don’t want to hear one more word from any of you about my job, my personal life, or anything else. Got it?” She looked at Jo. “And if I hear any more rumors or gossip you’ve spread that I’m being inappropriate with Mark, I’m going to HR and filing a report, and I don’t think you’ll like what I put in it.” She thought about Jo’s affair with Jake. “You hear me, Jo? I’m finished with your shit.” She turned toward Johnny. “And as for you, pencil dick, my name is Karma. From now on, you call me by my given name or risk this being the only child you’ll ever have.” She pointed to Estelle’s belly. “Because your nuts will be too far up your ass to give you a second. I’m done being your punching bag.”