by Marie York
The woman pressed her hand to her chest. “Isn’t that precious?” she said to her husband, who looked like he was asleep in his eggs.
“Well, Little Miss Joy, you have fun on your date.”
“Oh, I will,” Joy said, then took my hand and guided me toward the door.
“This one’s going to be a heartbreaker,” I said over my shoulder to the old woman who was still watching us.
“That she is,” she said before we pushed outside.
“Where to first?” I asked.
“Ice cream, silly!”
“Of course. I am silly, aren’t I?” We walked, hand in hand, down to the beach where I knew an ice cream truck set up shop every day, and ordered two vanilla cones with rainbow sprinkles.
I think more of the ice cream wound up on Joy’s face and clothes than it did in her mouth.
“We need more napkins,” I said to her as vanilla dripped down her chin.
“In the bag,” Joy said, pointing to the pink monstrosity on my arm.
I sat Joy on a curb, and opened the bag. Right on top were wipes. I took a few out, and went to clean Joy up when she ripped them out of my hand. “I do,” she said, and smacked the wipe to her face, smearing the vanilla all over.
“Okay, you do,” I said, trying to figure out how I would get her to let me help her.
“All done!” she said, holding her arms up, but still having shit everywhere.
I dipped my finger into what was left of my cone and smeared it on my face before turning back to Joy.
She let out a high-pitched laugh, and pointed at me. “You made a mess.”
“No, I didn’t,” I said, shaking my head.
“Yes, you did!”
“Can you help me clean it up?” I asked, and handed her another wipe.
She walked over to me, gave me her dripping cone to hold, and then smacked my face between her little hands. Her eyes focused on the ice cream taking on a very serious tone before she began meticulously cleaning me face.
“All better!” she declared, and pulled back to examine her handiwork.
“You sure? You didn’t leave any behind?”
“No!” she yelled. “All better!”
“Okay, my turn,” I said, taking out another wipe.
“No!” she yelled again, and shook her head back and forth.
“You helped me. Now, it’s my turn to help you,” I explained.
She swished her lips around, and tapped her foot like she was in deep thought. Streaks of white dripping down her chin. Her eyes narrowed, and then she nodded. “Okay, fine.”
Thank God, it worked. I got down on my knees, and wiped all the white shit and sprinkles away. I pulled away, and she threw her hands up again. “All better!”
“All better,” I declared with her, throwing my arms up, and not caring how ridiculous I looked because the look on this kids face made it all worth it.
Chapter 13
Kenzie
I rushed home from my annual checkup, and ran up the stairs to the apartment. I got inside, expecting to find total chaos, but, instead, I found Joy and Bronx on the floor playing with her dolls. Frozen was on TV, and Joy had stopped playing to watch her favorite part.
I stood there for a second, taking in the scene. Bronx, a big bad fighter, was on the floor, holding a doll and watching Frozen. It was the cutest thing I had ever seen.
Quietly, I closed the door, but it was enough for Joy’s head to snap toward me. “Momma! Momma!” she yelled, as she dropped Sally and ran into my arms.
“Hi, baby.” I got down on my knees, and pushed her unruly curls behind her ears. “Did you have a good time today?”
“The best!” she exclaimed, and then went into a tangent, cramming a few hours into five minutes.
“Wow,” I said. “That does sound like the best day ever!”
“Not day, Momma. Date. We went on a date,” she corrected me, and it was the first time I looked over at Bronx since she ran to me. He was still on the floor, crossed legs, with a doll in his lap. He looked so freaking adorable that I could barely take it.
Joy ran away, grabbed the doll out of his lap, and went right back to playing.
“I hope she wasn’t too much,” I said, as Bronx got to his feet, and left Joy to her own imaginings.
“Not at all. She’s a great kid. You’re lucky.”
I thought it all the time, but, hearing someone else say it, made my insides warm. Justified everything I felt and thought. “Thanks.”
Too consumed in Bronx and Joy, I didn’t notice the delicious smell coming from the kitchen. “Are you cooking?” I asked.
“I hope you don’t mind. You’ve cooked for me every night since I moved in, so I thought I’d return the favor.”
“Not at all!”
“What is it?” I asked, wanting to know what could possibly smell that good.
“Old family recipe,” he said, and I lifted an eyebrow at the vagueness.
Joy ran over to me, then, and tugged on my shirt. “Yes, baby.”
“We’re having sketti,” she said.
“Spaghetti?” I exclaimed. “Your favorite!”
Joy nodded, and then wrapped her arms around Bronx’s leg. My heart pitter-pattered at how comfortable she was with him. “You weren’t supposed to tell. It was a secret,” Bronx said, resting his hand on Joy’s shoulder.
She held her hands up, and shrugged. “I forgot. But, I didn’t tell her about the meatballs.”
“Shh!” Bronx said putting his finger on his lips.
Joy squealed, and then slapped a hand over her mouth. She said something through her hand, but it would be a miracle to know what exactly it was.
“I don’t think she heard either,” Bronx said, and I realized he understood her. “Why don’t you go play with Sally, and me and your mommy can have some boring adult time?”
“Okay!” She skipped away and plopped down in front of the TV with Sally.
“You’re good with her,” I said, walking to the kitchen, which was only a few feet away, and leaning against the counter.
Bronx lifted a lid off a pot of sauce, and the smell made my mouth water. He stirred it, and then pulled out the spoon, blowing on the red sauce. He held his hand under it as he brought it to my face. “Taste,” he said, and I moved my lips to the wooden spoon.
My eyes closed, as the flavors exploded in my mouth. “Mmm.”
“I’ll take that as you like it.”
“It’s delicious. Is it really a family recipe?”
“It is,” he nodded, and put the lid back on the pot.
“Where is your family?” I asked, wanting to know more about him.
“Mom is in Pennsylvania, brother is in New York, and, last I heard, my dad was in California.”
“Are you not close with him?”
“Not really. He was kind of dick. Always made me feel like I wasn’t good enough. Most people get torn up about their parents divorcing. Not me. I was thrilled. My mom deserved better, and she found it in Pennsylvania. She’s been married to Steve for seven years now, and she’s happy which makes me happy.”
“What about your brother? Are you close with him?”
“No. We’re like oil and water. I take after my mom, and he takes after my dad. Bad combination all around. To be honest, he’s a pompous douchebag who thinks his shit doesn’t stink. I see him for weddings and funerals, and even that’s too much.” He placed a hand over his mouth, and looked over to Joy who was completely oblivious to us. “Sorry,” he said.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind the cursing. I just don’t want Joy to be around it.”
He reached out, and ran a hand down my arm, before leaning into the counter beside me. “What about you? You said that you had a sister. Are you guys close?”
“We were, but that was a long time ago. I used to think that she was the selfish one. That she resented me because she got stuck with me when our parents died, and maybe she did. But, now that I have Joy, it helped put things in pe
rspective. My sister might have resented me, but she always made sure I had a roof over my head and food on the table. So, even though we don’t talk anymore, I wouldn’t say I hate her.”
“Have you ever thought about getting in contact with her?”
I shook my head almost too quickly, but it was something I had thought about time and time again and always came to the same conclusion. “No. She’s happy now, and it’s obvious it’s because I’m no longer weighing her down. She has her life, and I have mine. No reason to go back.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, and tried not to think about Mila. Tried not to picture her walking down the aisle without me there.
Bronx tapped my head. “What’s going on in there?”
“Thinking,” I replied.
“What are you thinking about?”
I didn’t want to talk about Mila anymore or my past. Like I said, there was no reason to go back. I just wanted to move forward. “I’m just thinking how you took my daughter out on a date, yet I’m still waiting for an invitation.”
His lip curled up at the corner, and he turned to me, taking my face in his hands. He brushed a thumb across the apple of my cheek.
“You want to go out with me?” he asked.
I let out an exaggerated breath. “I don’t know. I have to think about it.”
His lips parted, and his eyes widened in shocked amusement. “You have to think about it?”
I smiled. “I thought about it.”
“And?” he asked.
“I’d love to.”
Part 3
Vindicated
Chapter 14
Bronx
I hadn’t been on a real date in years. Even when I wasn’t living in my car, I never really dated. I fucked girls and partied, but that was about the extent of it. Kenz was worth more than a fuck to me. She deserved all the stops. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the money like I used to. So, until I did, I had to be creative.
I waited for her on the couch while she got ready in the bathroom. Joy had been in there with her, and being alone wasn’t helping my nerves. Which was ridiculous. This was Kenzie I was talking about. The girl I already lived with, and had seen in her pajamas with no makeup, hair in a messy bun.
The door opened, and I jumped up. Joy came out with lipstick on, and blush on her cheeks. “Look at you, beautiful,” I said, as she spun around in her princess dress.
“I pretty,” she said, twirling around, letting her dress flow out behind her.
“Yes, you are,” I said, sitting back down. Joy came up to me, and crawled into my lap.
“Wait till you see mommy.” She opened her eyes wide, shook her head, and sucked in a big breath like the words were sucked out of her.
“Does she look beautiful?” I asked, knowing she did because the girl made pajamas and a messy bun sexy as hell. She also could rock a dress like no one’s business.
“Look!” Joy said, and pointed over my shoulder. I stood up with Joy. She locked her arms around my neck, and I positioned her on my hip as I turned.
My eyes landed on Kenzie, and beautiful didn’t even do her justice. There simply were no words. Her navy blue dress clung to every curve, accentuating all her best assets. Her tanned skin glowed, and her eyes, lined in black, were the most gorgeous green. She was in a pair of tan heels that made her legs look like they went on for miles.
“So?” Kenzie said. “What’s the verdict? Beautiful?”
“Stunning,” I offered.
“That’s what a girl wants to hear,” she said.
“Come here, baby,” she said to Joy, bending down to her level. “Now, you be good for Gamma, okay?”
“When are you coming home?” Joy asked.
“Not too late,” Kenzie said, and gave her a kiss on the forehead. There was a knock on the door, and I let Frieda in.
“Oh, sweetie, you look gorgeous!” Red crept up Kenzie’s neck to her cheeks, and then Frieda turned to me. “You don’t look too bad yourself,” Frieda said, giving me a wink. I adjusted the collar of my shirt, and gave her a wink back. She laughed, scooping Joy up, and attacked her with kisses.
“Me and this little princess are going to have some fun at Gamma’s house. Right?”
“Right!” Joy squeaked.
“Thanks for taking her,” Kenzie said, and Frieda swiped a hand at her. “Please. It’s my pleasure.” Frieda took the overnight bag Kenzie had packed earlier.
“Give momma a kiss goodbye,” Frieda said, and Joy took Kenzie’s face in her hands and gave her a kiss.
“Okay, let’s go,” Frieda said, but Joy shook her head.
“No, I have to say bye to Bronx.” She ran over to me, grabbing my legs, and giving them a hard squeeze. “Bye, Bronx.”
“Bye, short stack. Have fun.” I ruffled her curls, and she tugged on my shirt. I bent my head, and she waved at me to keep coming. I got down on my knees, and she held her hand up to my ear.
“Are you going to dance?” she asked.
“I’m not sure,” I answered.
She waved me back, and held her hand up again. “Mommy said she misses dancing.”
Who would have ever thought that one day I’d be getting dating advice from a two year old?
“Good looking out, short stack. Now, you go with Frieda. I’ll see you later.” She smushed my face between her little hands, and planted a kiss on my cheek, before grabbing Frieda’s hand and dragging her out the door.
“What was she saying?” Kenzie asked, grabbing her bag and placing it under her arm.
“It’s a secret.”
“You can’t tell me?” Kenzie laughed.
“Nope, girl code,” I said, causing Kenzie to laugh harder.
“I see how it is,” she said. “My daughter has you wrapped around her little finger.”
“That might be so,” I said, snaking my arm around Kenzie’s waist, and pulling her tight against me. “But I’d love to be wrapped around her mother.”
“I guess we’ll see,” Kenzie said.
“See what?”
“How the date goes,” she said with a wink, and headed out the door. I ran after her, catching up and taking her hand in mine. “Where to?”
“Wherever the night takes us.”
“You don’t have a clue do you?” she asked.
“Don’t underestimate me,” I said, with a wink.
Chapter 15
Kenzie
I didn’t know what to expect when Bronx led me out onto the street, and we started walking west. He brought me down a side street that I always passed but never went down. He stopped in front of a place called Bailamos! Salsa music poured out of the door onto the street, causing my hips to start moving.
“A little birdy told me you wanted to dance,” he said, and I realized what Joy had told him. That girl was like having my own personal recorder. She remembered everything, and repeated all of it. He took my hand, and guided me inside.
There was a live band going to town while the dance floor erupted. I didn’t want to waste another second, and pulled Bronx onto the dance floor. I closed my eyes, letting the music consume me, and take over my movements. My hips swayed to the rhythm, and Bronx’s hand wrapped around me, pulling me tight against him.
We swayed together, absorbing the music, and moving as one. His hand ran down my side and back up, sparking my desires. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and hung my head back, pressing my center against him, before letting the music take me back up.
I could feel the moisture pooling between my legs. It had been so long since I had sex, and, until Bronx came into my life, I hadn’t had a single desire. Now, my sex throbbed, my thighs tingled and butterflies fluttered away in my stomach. My body was on full alert, and we were only dancing. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if this night led to my bed.
His lips pressed against my neck, as his hands continued to roam my sides. He trailed a path of fiery kisses up my neck to my ear, biting the lobe, and almost caused my legs to give out. I tig
htened my arms around his neck, and he ran his hands down the bare skin. “I want you so fucking bad,” he said, hot against my ear.
“I want you, too,” I said, turning my head to his. This time, he crushed his lips to mine, swiping his tongue across my crease before thrusting it across the divide. I met him thrust for thrust, giving and taking as much as I could. My fingers went up his neck, getting lost in the soft strands of his hair. I knotted my hands in his hair because, if I didn’t hold on, I would float away.
He pulled his lips away from mine, kissing the corners of my mouth then resting his forehead against mine. Both our heads were slick from the heat radiating off of us, and I imagined our bodies slick and wet sliding against each other. “We just got here, but I want you so bad. I had a whole night planned.”
“Fuck your plans. Let’s go home,” I said, pulling his mouth back to mine and biting at his bottom lip.
“We have to go through the diner. People will see us. They’ll know.”
That was the one downside of living at the same place of your employment. “I’ll say I don’t feel good. They’ll never know.”
“Then, what the fuck are we waiting for?” Bronx grabbed my wrist, and yanked me out of the club. We made our way back home, practically running down the sidewalk. Neither of us said anything too determined on the end goal.
When we were one building away, Bronx stopped. “I’ll take the lead,” he said, and I nodded, feeling like, if we didn’t get upstairs right now, then I would rip his clothes off in the middle of the damn street.
We walked into the diner, and Juan the waiter spotted us. Neither Bronx nor I said anything, and, as casually as possible, made out way to the stairs. “I thought you guys were going on a date?” Lou stuck his head out from the kitchen.
I rested a hand on my stomach, and shook my head.
“She doesn’t feel good,” Bronx said. “I think it was all the ice cream. Last time I take a two year olds advice on what to do on a date.”