by Amy Muscat
Holding his palms up, he said he understood.
Just then the front door opened and Sandra’s voice called out.
“Robert darling, is that Keller’s car out front? I didn’t know he was coming over today, you should’ve told me and I would’ve rearranged my lunch with the girls. They were get...” Sandra stopped talking when she saw me, sitting on the couch next Keller.
“Peyton?” Her face was one of shock and horror, which I didn’t get.
“Hey there, Sandra, long time,” I didn’t smile at her, just gave her a chin lift.
“What are... what is going on here? Why is she here? She broke your fucking heart, why is she in my house?” She demanded.
Stupid bitch.
“Okay one, don’t swear in front of my kid. Two-” Keller started to say, but was rudely interrupted.
“What?! What kid?” She again demanded, and it was starting to piss me off.
“Princess come here,” Keller said to Ivy, who had been laying on her stomach drawing in her coloring book.
I saw Sandra’s eyes move from our faces down to our feet where Ivy was.
“Ivy say hello to Sandra,” Keller said, grabbing our daughter and lifting her up onto his hip.
“Hello Sandra,” Ivy’s cute voice said. She smiled and waved to her.
“Hello,” she replied back, slowly, like she couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing in front of her.
“My momma said, that I can only call you Sandra, ‘cause you ain’t my nana. I only got two nanas,” she said sticking her pointer and middle finger up to Sandra, when she said ‘two,’ inadvertently telling her to fuck off, without meaning to. “I can only use nana Lily and nana Rosie, ‘nana,’ otay?” She spoke such innocence, in her small tinkering voice.
With her nose stuck up in the air Sandra, snottily said, “Well, that’s just lovely isn’t it? No worries, I’m far too young to be a grandma anyway.” She then turned and gave me daggers, continuing with, “How did you manage to sneak yourself back into his life, anyhow? And how can you be so sure that this child is Keller’s?”
A rush of emotions came over me all at once; anger, disdain, murderous rage and the need to punch her in her plastic nose. Standing up, intending to follow through with a hit to her face. Stupid fucking bitch. Who the fuck did she think she was?
“Who the fuck do you thin-.”
Keller’s loud, angry voice interrupted me.
“You shut your mouth, Sandra. You don’t say shit about stuff you haven’t got a clue about, do you hear me?” His face was tight and you could see all the anger lines popping out everywhere.
Putting a hand over her heart and acting all innocent, she said, “Keller, I’m just trying to help you. Don’t take this out on me. Were you in the army when she was pregnant?”
Reluctantly he nodded his head.
“And you don’t find this suspicious?” She said in a condescending tone that I didn’t like at all.
“No, I don’t, Sandra. Look at Ivy, she is the spitting image of myself- actually she looks like my mother. The resemblance is uncanny. So you need to shut up and keep your wrong accusations to yourself,” Keller said. He was so mad, I was sure if he were a cartoon character, there would be steam coming out his ears.
I couldn’t believe the audacity this woman had.
“Okay, everyone calm down, please. No arguments when there are children around, for heaven’s sake,” Rob said, holding Ivy to his chest, slowly rubbing her back.
“Baby, wanna come to momma?” I asked holding my arms out for her.
She shook her head and tucked it back into Rob’s neck. “No, I otay momma. I stay with Grandpa Rob,” she mumbled.
My heart gave a sharp tug. Oh god, had my arguing with the evil step-witch, scared her? So bad that she didn’t want to even come to me. To not come into the arms that had always been there to comfort her?
Fuck.
Fuck, Sandra and her stupid self.
“We just wanted to come by and introduce you to Ivy and vice versa. We wanted to explain how everything happened that made us split up, wasn’t true. But with how things are going ‘round here, I think it'd be better if we did this another day. I’m not having my daughter and girlfriend upset, especially over lies, and wrongful truths.” Keller said taking my hand and wrapping it in his.
We went over to where his dad was and Keller took Ivy from him.
I leaned up and wrapped my arms around him and gave him a kiss on his cheek, saying bye, and that I’d be in touch.
Rob asked if he could come by one day during the week and spend some time with Ivy. I told him of course- he had a right too, she was his granddaughter and they both deserved to get to know each other.
I now knew that I should’ve never kept Rob away from Ivy. It was wrong of me. I should’ve thought about his feelings and Ivy’s, no matter what. But I was young and heartbroken and a new mom. A single mom at that and my judgment was tainted by being an emotional eighteen-year-old girl.
I told him that I’d get his number from Keller tonight and we could arrange something. Agreeing, he kissed my cheek and told me he’d missed me and it was good to see me again.
Walking out, without even sparing Sandra a look, (I think I would’ve rethought the no punching option) we all jumped into the car and left.
NINETEEN
6 weeks later
Time had flown by, the days turning into weeks and before I knew it more than a month had passed.
Everything was falling into place now.
I’d gone back to work at the club, as a barmaid. I enjoyed it, much more than the stripping and I still got good tips. Amelia and I had a good laugh behind the bar together. It was nice to still be able to talk to most of the customers, too. Don’t get me wrong 60% of them were there to see naked women and to drool over them, but 40% of them were just men who wanted to talk to someone, to talk to a woman. Some just wanted some compassion and if they needed to pay a couple of dollars to get it, then so be it. Who is anyone to judge what people spend their money on?
Ivy loved having her parents together- so she said, repeatedly. Sometimes, when we’d be sitting there watching a movie on the couch or just hanging out all together, I would catch her watching us with awe.
She was getting spoiled left, right and center. ‘Grandpa Rob’ and Keller were doing a wonderful job of that. Anything she asked for or even looked at for a second longer than normal; they would get her. I thought it was too much and often told them that and they would both tell me the same thing. It always went something like this- “Peyton, I’ve missed out on four years of her life, please just let me buy her what she wants, it puts my mind at rest to know that she ain’t wanting for anything, okay?” Then when I’d go to talk back, Keller would normally shut me up with a passionate kiss that stole my breath. Rob would kiss my cheek, give me a hug and grab Ivy up and runaway from me with her, making her laugh.
Lottie was- well she was Lottie.
She had been busy lately at work. She’d told me the other day how their newest client had just released the first book of her New Adult trilogy and everyone had loved it. She told me how everyone was pining for the second book, and they were trying to get everything sorted so that they could release it as soon as possible. So everyone on her particular team were rushing around like ‘headless fucking chickens’ as Lottie liked to say.
It was her birthday the other day- 23rd of April and apparently that was Saint George’s day in England. Something that made her very patriotic, she even took a mini flag with her to work and wore a white T-shirt with big red glittery cross on it. She wore a smile all day, and we’d gone over to her parents for dinner. It was a great night.
And Keller and I?
We were getting on like a house on fire.
He was so loving, homely and passionate and was the best dad to Ivy that I could ever imagine. She was his princess, and that’s how he treated her. And he treated me like his queen.
Keller had always be
en the best boyfriend anyone could ask for when we’d been younger, but now we were adults and could go and do adult's things, without having a curfew and parents on our backs telling us ‘not to do this’ and ‘not to do that.'
And the sex!
Well... that was off the charts. Like mind-blowing, multi-orgasm inducing, screaming-so-loud-it-probably-broke-the Richter scale-sex. It wasn’t just the sex I’d missed; it was the small things like; kissing and cuddling, the hand holding and having someone there to love you in an intimate way.
And I did love Keller.
I’d finally admitted it to myself last week, when we had just finished making love. We were just lying there with our arms wrapped around each other, and our legs entwined together, rehashing old memories; laughing and joking about this and that- and it just came to me.
I was in love with Keller James. Again.
But I’d been too scared to admit it to him. Some small part of me was scared that maybe he didn’t feel the same yet, or that it was too soon. So I’d held back, biting my tongue, so I didn’t blurt it out. I don’t think he’d realized it yet. Thank God because he hadn’t said anything or given any indication that he knew.
We were all going out tonight to celebrate Lottie’s birthday, and I’m sure with some Dutch courage I would be telling him later.
“Peyton...Peyton...PEYTON!” Lottie’s shouting of my name and her fingers clicking in my face brought me from my thoughts and back to the present. Lottie was standing in front of me half naked in just her bra and panties.
“What?”
“Fuck me Pey, you really go into your own little world, huh?” She said her lips twitching.
“Shit, sorry. I was just thinking some things over, ya know?”
“Pshhh... I know what was going through your head girly, and I’m betting it was about a certain 6ft 3in, tall, dark and handsome man. With a six pack that most men would kill for, am I right?” She said grinning at me smugly.
Laughing I nodded sheepishly and asked her why she was only standing in her underwear, albeit very nice underwear; black lace panties with a pink bow on the front and a matching bra.
“I just wanted your opinion on something. My dress is on my bed waiting to be put on, and my hair and make-up’s already done. Before you start moaning about us being late, It’ll only take a minute to put on.”
“Okay, get to the point where my opinion comes into play,” I said making a motion with my hand for her to hurry up. We were gonna be late if she didn’t move her ass.
“Right, sorry, sorry. So, I think I’m gonna shag Blake tonight, and I just wanted to know, if you think I look sexy in this knickers and bra set?”
Gobsmacked, would be the word I would use right for this moment.
Abso-fucking-lutely gobsmacked.
I couldn’t believe she had just come out and said that, like that.
“Jesus Christ, Lottie!”
“What?” She asked, looking confused.
“What do you mean, what? You can’t just throw that out there and why do you think that you’ll be ‘shagging’ Blake tonight? You don’t even like him, for god’s sake!” I was in shock, to be honest.
I’d honestly thought she didn’t like him; she was always giving him dirty looks when he was around and moaning about this and that when he was around- which was often- so I couldn’t help the surprise, when she said that.
Snorting she said, “Whatever gave you the impression that I didn’t like him?”
“Erm... maybe the fact that every time he’s here or we’re at the same place, you always find a way to be as far from him as you possibly can be? Like that time, we all went out for something to eat, and he was chatting up the hostess and you said to me you thought he was a ‘chauvinistic pig and you hoped that he got a STD if he had sex with her. Don’t you think that sounds like someone who doesn’t like said person? It’s that or you like him... Ohmygod you like him!” I said jumping up and pointing in her face when I said that.
Her face was one of shock and was the color of a fire hydrant.
“You do!”
“Oh, shut the fuck up, no I don’t!” Her defense was her downfall, and Lottie tended to blush and fidget when she lied- I’d learned a lot from living with her for so long.
“Don’t even try it Lotts, not with me. Why didn’t you tell me?” I was slightly hurt by her not telling me her- now obvious feelings for Blake. I mean if you couldn’t tell your best-friend who you liked, then who could you tell?
“I’m sorry; you were busy getting your love and normal life back together, and I didn’t want to bother you with my inconsequential and dull love life and all that.” She said shrugging like it was no big deal. But I knew Lottie, and I knew it was a big deal.
“Lotts... I really am sorry that you thought you couldn’t come and talk to me about these things. You’re my best-friend. Forever. You are the sister I never had and always wanted; I’ve told you this. Your love life is not insignificant not to me. You can always talk to me whenever and no matter what I’m going through. I don’t think I would’ve come this far with Keller if it hadn’t been for you. So you can rant, rave, moan and groan about whatever and I will sit there with you, with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, and listen to it all. ‘Cause that’s what friends do for each other, okay?”
Sniffing, she said okay and gave me a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug saying thank you, and she’ll be getting dressed, before walking to the door.
“Oh and Lotts?” I called out before she got past the threshold.
Turning back to me, she said, “yeah, Pey?”
“I think you look fucking stunning in your panties and bra, you’ll knock him dead when he sees it. If I swung that way, I’d do you,” I said shrugging.
Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open from shock, right before she grinned, and her eyes twinkled.
“Why thank you, sugar.” She said, in her best-southern accent, “I would ‘do’ you too if I were that way too.” She laughed.
“You’re welcome, ma’am,” I said winking, copying her fake accent and pretending I had a cowboy hat on and did the ‘hats off’ gesture to her.
She giggled as she walked out and into her bedroom, and I finished getting dressed, ready for our night out.
We were going out; out-as Lottie liked to call it.
****
The bass of the music coming from the hundreds of speakers was thumping through the club and vibrating my dancing body.
We’d arrived about an hour and a half ago, and I was already tipsy.
We’d met up with everyone at the club.
Amelia was off at the bar with John hanging on to her every word. I’d told her the other day about John’s feeling about her. I just couldn’t deal with John’s moods and his pining over her, and I was sick of her naivety.
To say she was shocked would be an understatement. She sat there for about five minutes looking into space her face flushed with a look of complete bewilderment on it. Then she asked if I was sure, and after telling her yes 100%, she pranced off to the toilet and came back about 15 minutes later with a smile on her newly painted face. I think she was gonna do something about it tonight- if her increased flirting over the past hour was anything to go by.
Lottie and I were on the dance floor, cutting shapes as she liked to call it.
Mr. Probz was singing about waves and drowning, and mine and Lottie’s arms were above our heads, doing the motions of a ‘wave.'
“I need a drink!” Lottie shouted out to me, “I’m gonna go to the bar, you coming?”
“Yeah,” I shouted back to her. I was thirsty actually. We’d been dancing for about half an hour, and now I was hot and sweaty and in need of a nice cold alcoholic drink.
We teetered to the bar, where the rest of the guys were, and I saw two blondes and a brunette standing next to Keller, Blake and Ethan, giggling and twirling their hair.
One of the blondes moved closer to Keller putting a hand on his bicep and squeez
ing slightly.
“Whoa, Barbie number 1 is all over your man Pey, what you gonna do about it?”
I just smirked at her as I watched Keller, politely remove her hand and shake his head at her, saying something to her.
“Nothing, ‘cause I know he would never do anything, so I don-”
I stopped abruptly as Barbie #1 apparently wouldn’t take ‘no’ as an answer and practically threw herself at Keller and held tightly to him as she whispered something in his ear.
“Whatthefuck!”
I watched as Keller tried to detangle himself from her, but the girl must be desperate or drunk- probably both- ‘cause she wasn’t letting go for shit.
I calmly walked over to them, with Lottie next me.
As we stopped just behind them, I tapped the girl on her shoulder, waiting for her to turn around.
When she did, she looked me up and down and turned her nose up at me before turning back to Keller and slowly moving one of her claw-like fingers down his chest.
Keller looked over her shoulder at me, and I saw what he was trying to say to me with his eyes.
Getting pissed off at her pawing my man, I tapped her again on her shoulder, this time harder than before.
Whipping around she sneered at me, with her thin long nose scrunched up, making her look like a witch.
“Do you mind?” She asked in a nasty, nasally voice.
“Yeah- I do actually.”
“And why’s that?” She spat out.
“‘Cause that’s my man, your grubby hands are all over. So. Take. Them. The. Fuck. Off. Him.” My words were a staccato that matched the quickening of my anger. She was pissing me off. When a woman comes over and tells you to get your hands off her man, it obviously means said woman is the man’s girlfriend.
Evidently, the bimbo in front of me had never gotten the memo.
“Really? He’s with you?“ Her disbelieving tone grated on my last nerve.
“Err, yeah. So if you don’t mind,” I said waving at her to go away with a flick of my hand.
I saw Keller take advantage of the fact that the bimbo was distracted and stepped back from her and moved over to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and whispered in my ear for me to calm down.