A Haught Date

by Leela Lou Dahlin

  “She left when I was little, and I was sent to live with different relatives. First my grandmother, and then different aunts and uncles…”

  “Were you neglected?”

  “No, I was never treated poorly I just wanted to be…”

  “Special. Like you think Gemmi’s been treated.” She shrugged and took a sip of her drink. “I’m not a psychologist, so I don’t know how you are going to fix the hole you’ve got in your spirit, but I am going to ask you a favor.”

  She looked up, and he noticed how tired she appeared. This was not the happy, flirty woman always ready with a raunchy joke or a saucy retort, but the real person who lived behind that persona.

  “What is it?”

  “I want you to get to know Gemmi. Not the Gemmi you think she is, but the person you never really cared to know.”

  “You’re not going to ask me to apologize to her?”

  “No, I’m not.”

  “That’s a surprise. Can I ask why?”

  “Why I’m not asking you to tell her you’re sorry for how you behaved?”

  “Yes.”

  “An apology isn’t something you can command someone to do, but I know if you really knew the person Gemmi is you’d be sorry for the way you’ve treated her now and in the past.”

  “You really like her, huh?”

  “I do.”

  “And I messed that up?”

  He took a deep breath. He wasn’t one to kick a person when they were down, but there had been way too much dishonesty all the way around. “We both did.”

  ***

  All she wanted to do was sleep. She’d called True and told her she wasn’t going back to the Haught Spot for any reason and was grateful that no questions were asked. She was just told she could meet her in the morning at the studio.

  She had the whole evening to herself and nothing to do. She’d been with Camden for the last few weeks, and she hated to say it, but she really missed him. There was no reason to carry on with the farce since everyone knew that she really didn’t have a boyfriend and was the pitiful mess they all thought she was.

  A knock on the door made her excited and wary at the same time. She wanted it to be Camden, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen. She’d kicked him out of her life, and he wasn’t a man who had to come crawling back to anyone.

  “Who is it?” she said as she walked to the door. She jumped back when she looked out the peep hole.

  “It’s Rosalyn, and I already know you saw me. Open up the door.”

  “Why should I?”

  “Because I want to talk to you and I don’t want to yell what I have to say to a door, but I will.”

  Damn it. She didn’t want to hear anything she had to say, but she knew her cousin would yell it for the whole neighborhood to hear and then she’d be more embarrassed than she was now.

  Gemmi opened the door and walked into the living room and to the couch not even offering to take Rosie’s coat or ask her to come in. She could follow if she wanted, she did what she wanted anyway.

  She was surprised to see that Rosy came bearing gifts. Sudoku sushi take out, wine, wine glasses and a box of Heaven candy. It was probably all poisoned. What was this about?

  Rosalyn poured the wine and offered Gemmi a glass as she sat down on the couch facing Gemmi. “I wanted to bring something for you to eat. Aunt Carol says she hasn’t spoken to you in a few days, and she’s worried about you.”

  “I texted her this morning and told her I’m fine. It’s not like this is the first time I’ve been embarrassed at the family reunion. It’s almost a tradition.”

  “Yeah, about that.” Rosy cleared her throat and sounded nervous. Gemmi had to look over at her because this wasn’t something she had ever seen before. “Nothing happened between me and Camden. We got stuck in the bathroom, and we didn’t get out until the cleaning lady called someone to open the door.”

  This seemed like such a nice and neat story, but she wasn’t buying it. “Did you have anything to do with locking yourself in the bathroom with Camden?”

  “I may or may not have had something to do with that.”

  “I’m not going to play with you, Rosalyn. Did you set out to make me look stupid again or not?”

  “Yes.” The voice was so quiet and meek. Gemmi’s jaw dropped. Who was this woman and what had she done with the real Rosalyn?

  “Why aren’t you happier about it? You were strutting like a peacock when you fucked both my other boyfriends. Are you upset you couldn’t get this one in the sack?”

  “You knew I’d always had a thing for Camden, but he wasn’t interested. I just had someone point a few things out to me that may have made me feel like I haven’t been right to cast you as the villain in my life.”

  “We used to get along Ros. I don’t know what happened. I went away to college and when I came back you had changed, and I was the enemy.”

  “You’ve always had it so great. Both of your parents loved you and were always rooting for you, even when you dropped out of college, they welcomed you with open arms.”

  “And that angered you because…”

  “I was having fun with your mom. Working in her garden, helping with her baking and spending time walking in the mall and talking for hours about nothing. Then you came home, and that was all gone.”

  “Are you serious?” She looked over at the face of her tormentor and could see the first, sincerity she’d witnessed on her face in a long while.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think you’re crazy. My mother wondered what she’d done to drive you away. She talks about how much fun she had with you and all the things you too used to do together and how you didn’t want to be around her anymore.”

  “I didn’t want to get between you and her. I knew she’d probably rather be doing those things with her daughter, but it was fun while it lasted.”

  “So, you didn’t want to damage my relationship with my mother and me, but you still took it out on me.”

  “I guess so.” Rosy frowned. “Why didn’t Aunt Carol ever say anything to me?”

  “I don’t know. I was always trying to outrun your daggers when you were around to notice every nuance of the conversation.”

  “Well, you do those things with her now?”

  “I do because she’s a great woman, and she enjoys it, but I think she would appreciate if we both do it. She misses you and clearly you miss her. I don’t have to be there. I understand if you want some time alone.”

  “You’d be willing to do that for me? After all, I put you through?”

  “Sure. That’s not really me doing anything. You were free to spend time with her whenever you wanted. Now you’re going to have to explain why you did the things you did, but family forgives…” The smile on Rosalyn’s face was sweet and that’s not a word Gemmi thought she’d ever use on her. “Eventually.”

  “I brought over your favorites, and I decided, although they aren’t my favorites I’ll eat them too, so you don’t think I’ve poisoned them.” They both laughed, and Gemmi felt better than she had in a few days, but then Rosalyn had to go and bring up a sore subject.

  “Have you spoken to Camden lately?”

  “You mean since the fiasco that was the family reunion? Yes, he stopped by when he returned from South Carolina to explain to me what had really happened.”

  “Didn’t you believe him?”

  “I did, but you’d already guessed that we weren’t really a couple, so there was no need to continue the act.”

  “I know we are newly reunited, so you don’t have to believe everything I say. I know you will probably doubt me, and I’m fine with that, but… I talked to Camden the other night.”

  Gemmi sat there quietly, not knowing where this was going and afraid of what she may say next.

  “This is hard for me to say.” Ros picked up her wine and took a sip. “Camden really likes you. I don’t know what went on between the two of you, but he looked so sad, and I’ve bee
n at the club enough to know his moods.”

  “I doubt it was because of me.”

  “This has been all week. Everyone’s been talking about it, he’s still as hot as ever,” she looked at Gemmi and shrugged. “No offense, but he doesn’t joke and laugh, and he just looks pitiful.”

  “It wasn’t real, Ros.”

  “Maybe it didn’t start out that way, but I think it may have changed for him. It definitely changed for you, didn’t it?”

  “I don’t want to talk about him.”

  “I know you don’t, but I was thinking… why don’t you do something special for him? Like a party or something.”

  “His birthday is coming up in a few days, maybe I could throw something together for him. Just so there’s no hard feelings, I don’t want to talk to him about trying to start something. I’m just doing a friendly gesture.”

  “Good. I’m glad I could help. I also brought a few action flicks for us to watch.”

  “Why action flicks?”

  “Well, I thought we’d already be sad with all the talking and wine drinking, so I thought we could watch a couple of hot guys acting like bad-asses to take our minds off everything.”

  “Sounds like a great idea…thanks for thinking of it and thanks for coming over.”

  “Anytime…cousin…anytime,” Rosalyn said right before Gemmi tackled her with a bear hug that always made them both laugh as children.

  Chapter 12

  It had been five days, three hours and twenty-five minutes since Gemmi had seen Camden and she’d missed him miserably every minute of it. She’d told him not to come back that she needed time to sort everything out, and he’d respected that.

  She needed time to process everything that had happened and find the self-respect she’d lost in the embarrassment that her life became a year ago. She lost the self she had, and she was trying to get her back. She’d promised Camden they could be friends, and that was something she wanted to be. She thought acknowledgement of how much he meant to people for all the things he did and the person he was inside.

  She’d worked with his brother Beau getting this set up and planning the big surprise at the club. That he’d never celebrated his birthday with a party was a shocker. Especially since his birthday was the day before the Fourth of July. He was entitled to at least a two-for-one party. This was quite the party family, and they had a great set up for it, but they didn’t think of it. They even put up bar specials for the night including half price on that Mexican beer Camden loved so much and decorations for the occasion.

  The back room of the bar was used for parties and was set up and announcing his twenty-eighth birthday. The signal was given, and the lights turned off while they waited for Beau and Camden to come in.

  “Dude, why are True, Nadia and Alec covering the bar? I knew it was dumb for us both to be out on a Saturday. Good thing there’s nobody’s here. We better think about more advertising if we’re this dead on the weekend.”

  “Shut up and turn on the lights will ya? We need to get a few more chairs for the front,” Beau said from behind him.

  The lights came on, and everyone yelled “Surprise.” The look on Camden’s face didn’t say “surprise.” It read “horrified,” but no one seemed to notice. She watched while everyone went up to Camden with their happy birthday wishes.

  She wanted to go over to him so badly, but he had on his category one level one smile. Something was definitely wrong, but she didn’t know what it was. How could people not know this wasn’t his usual genuine happy smile? She wanted to touch him, but she waited for the throngs of people to well wish and move on. She waited patiently for her turn.

  “Happy birthday, Camden,” she said while he was standing over the cake staring at it like it held the answers of life.

  “Thanks, Gemmi.” The smile was a smidgeon better, but not much.

  “You look like you could use a bit of fresh air. Why don’t we step outside?” He didn’t say yes, and he didn’t say no. He looked traumatized. She led him to one of the benches in the outside seating area that was empty thanks to the unseasonably cool temperature.

  “What’s wrong?” She tried to see if he would open up to her.

  “Nothing… I’m glad to see you,” he said, moving and enveloping her in his arms. She knew he was trying to distract her, and she again tried to find out what was wrong with him. When he kissed her lips with those light sucking kisses she remembered how much she missed touching him…smelling him…tasting him.

  With the smell of Camden surrounding her, she was sorry she’d waited this long. She was also upset that she was this stubborn, and terrified she’d done just what True always said she did—pushed men away when they got too close. He moved his hands from her waist up, her sides and into her hair. His kiss was getting wilder and wetter, their tongues parrying and thrusting, and she was beginning to feel breathless.

  He moved them over to the metal bench sitting down and pulling her onto his lap. Frantic and eager she relished his rare lapse of control. Until the moan that sounded like it originated from deep in his soul shook her out of his enchanting kiss.

  “You can’t fool me, Camden. I know something is wrong.”

  “I just don’t know who would have set up a birthday party for me. I never celebrate my birthday… Never. I don’t even talk about my birthday. No one except my brothers even know the exact date, but I doubt they would throw me a party,” he said with his eyes narrowed and looking at the ground. He seemed stumped at the reason and rationale behind this party.

  “Why wouldn’t they throw a party for the best baby brother they’ve ever known?” She tried to make a joke because he was more intense than she’d ever seen him.

  “The day of my birth was…” Camden looked like it was actually painful to say whatever he had to say.

  “Go on.” Gemmi sat on the bench and prepared to be there for a while. She wanted to hear whatever he had to say that made him look so defeated.

  “It was also the day of my mother’s death. She died after I was delivered, something about too much blood loss or something my family didn’t talk about it much. My father grieved himself to death. He died seven months after my mother.”

  Gemmi couldn’t remain seated. She walked over and wanted to do something…anything but she wasn’t sure if that is what he needed. Grabbing on to his hand and hopping he could feel the support was all she felt she could do, because she didn’t want him to stop talking.

  “I never knew all that until my seventh birthday, and I overheard Alec asking why they had to celebrate the day mom died. I knew she died when I was young, but I never knew I was the cause of death.”

  “How did you find that out?” Gemmi wanted to give him room to talk, but he stood staring into space and she wanted to know what he was reliving as he told this story.

  “I’ve gone out of my way to make sure I pulled my weight and never became a burden to my family or society, and I never wanted to celebrate my birthday and put my brothers through this.”

  “Camden, I’m sorry. I didn’t know any of that. I just wanted to do something for the man who seems to do so much for everyone else. I thought a party would be an enjoyable way for all your friends and family to celebrate you being in their lives.”

  “You put this party together? How did you know my birthday?”

  “When you went missing in the hotel I called the police, and they wanted your name and birthday, and since you left your wallet in the hotel I just looked in it and told them.”

  The silence was deafening… she felt like he would be screaming if he hadn’t had the wind knocked out of him. He looked so lost and defeated.

  “Well, I guess it’s enough that I found out who did this.”

  She went over when he stood up and tried to give him a hug, but he stopped her. “Let’s just get through this,” he said.

  She nodded, but it felt like this was the end. He was cold to her as he walked her back to the room.

  The party ha
d moved into the main bar area, and she watched Camden work his way through and out of the party.

  She had so many emotions swirling inside her, she didn’t know what to do with them, but she had to find a way to get rid of them or she felt like she would explode.

  She turned on the tap on her shoulder and was surprised at whom the universe sent to receive the wrath of emotions.

  “It was a great idea for you to give Camden a party.” Alec said. The scar she noticed when she first met him stood out against the deepening red color of his face. It went from his hairline, to his chin dissecting his left eye and through his lip. It healed well, but it was a very noticeable and hard for her not to stare at it. He wasn’t scary because of the scar, but his standoffish attitude along with his mean countenance was a bit intimidating.

  “Did you know that your brother overheard you complain about celebrating his birthday when he was seven and had spent his whole life trying to pay the world back for taking away your mother?” She felt like she was spraying venom the way he stepped back from her words.

  She felt him grab her arm as she was pulled through the bar into the kitchen. She saw the look on True’s face and knew she must be delusional because there was full force jealousy coming from her. Gemmi would deal with True later.

  She went along in his office, but with the door closed and him looming over her, she thought about the recklessness of this move. His face was red, and it offset the whiteness of the scar that ran down his face.

  “You want to say that again.”

  “I said your brother Camden has been under the impression that no one should celebrate his birthday since said birthday is the anniversary of your mother’s death.”

  “That’s what I thought you said.” He released a breath and walked around the desk and flopped into his seat. “I know exactly when he heard that, but I swear I didn’t know he was anywhere around. He must not have heard what grandpa said to me either.”

  She sat down on the chair facing his desk. “What did he say?”