by J. C. Cliff
I understand why Dad is so overprotective; I truly get it. It’s because I’m all he has left in this world. Rumors spread after my mother’s death that it was foul play, but there was no way to prove it. She passed when I was almost two years old from a heart condition. It’s taboo to discuss her, so we don’t. Dad has never remarried, saying he didn’t have a desire to and that I’m all he’ll ever need. Ever since I could remember, he’s called me his princess. He made it my nickname, going so far as to embarrass me in front of my friends by only calling me by the endearment. When I was younger, I used to believe he didn’t even know my real name, but of course, after finding myself in trouble, I discovered he was aware my name is Julianna Oakley.
Dad changed at some point along the way, though, and I believe he changed for the worse. We used to be very close, especially after my mother passed away. It was around the time I turned nine when I found he was becoming more and more distant. A couple of years later, I found myself miles away in a boarding school. I lived at a private Massachusetts boarding school from the seventh grade on. He enrolled me in some of the finest, most-elite schools the country had to offer.
Once I got over the initial shock of living so far away from home, it really wasn’t all that bad. I made a boatload of friends, and to avoid getting homesick, I kept myself busy with so many extracurricular activities it would make your head spin. I ventured from karate and self-defense lessons to donating my time to community service programs and hosting food drives.
Mindlessly, I find my left thumb has slipped under my first two fingers, playing with my engagement ring. I rub the band back and forth with the pad of my thumb as I begin reflecting back on Adam’s proposal—he proposed to me on Valentine’s Day—and I smile. He’s such a romantic.
When we first met, he was a sophomore at Harvard, just as I was wrapping up my senior year in high school. He was teaching a soccer camp I was enrolled in for the summer, and we bonded immediately. When our eyes locked for the first time, he seemed to speak to my soul; it was as if it could’ve been love at first sight.
The demands Harvard placed upon him were insane. We barely got to see each other during his college years. We’ve known each other for a little over three years now, but it has really been over the last one where our relationship has had the time to grow into something stronger. Ever since he graduated Harvard with a degree in architecture, he’s had much more time on his hands and the ability to pour his time and attentions into our relationship.
I was elated when he was able to secure a job in Boston with an architectural firm. It didn’t take him long to get that job, either; they hired him within a few weeks of graduation. With him living in Boston, it was only a short jaunt from my college to his door. If I wasn’t too bogged down with my own studies during the school year, I was usually able to see him almost every weekend.
I still have to be the one to visit him, however, since the college I attend is an all-girls school. I could’ve chosen to go to other, more-elite universities, but I didn’t really care so much about the name of the school as I did with needing to be closer to Adam in miles.
Next spring, I will be graduating from Wellesley College obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts. I’ve always loved everything to do with music and art. Seems I can’t even breathe if I don’t have music, a paintbrush, or a book at my fingertips.
I feel the turbulent jolt of the airplane as it dips from an air pocket, and I automatically find myself looking out the window. I let out a long, heartfelt sigh as I take in the view. Looking down from above the clouds, my problems seem so small compared to the world’s. I love flying, just so I’m reminded of how insignificantly small I am in the scheme of things.
My thoughts veer back to Adam again. I’m so glad he’s able to get almost two weeks off work to spend time with me in Atlanta. I’m really looking forward to having him there, especially for my birthday extravaganza. It’s going to be a blast. Since the eighties rock-and-roll era is my all-time favorite, my father booked a local band who will be playing songs by glam-metal bands for all of us.
I look down at my engagement ring as it glistens against the bright light streaming in from the plane’s window. I grin to myself. What Adam doesn’t know is that I’m planning to give him my virginity for my twenty-first birthday. I have been saving myself for the love of my life, and now that we are engaged, waiting until that special wedding day seems so trite. Adam is my happily ever after. I have been with Adam for years, after all, and the reality is over the past year, we have become extremely intimate anyway.
Every time we kiss, I feel a slow storm brewing deep inside, and it becomes more difficult to stop at second base. There are times we become so desperate for each other, we soon find ourselves at third base, and many times, I thought we were going to hit a home run. Adam, however, would never cross that line when we were in the throes of heated passion.
Not only is Adam a handsome man, he is honest, kind, and caring. He is willing to wait until we are married to make love for the first time. One of the things that first attracted me to him was his respect for me. He wasn’t like most of the boys I had dated, who wanted a home run after a couple weeks of dating.
Since I was sent to boarding school, I had always felt myself at a loss and starved of having a large family. I never got to know my extended family. We both dream of having at least a few of our own kids one day. He’s adamant that I be a stay-at-home mom when the time comes for me to become a mother. It won’t be for a good while, however, as I want to be selfish with his time, and also explore my career.
We spent countless nights together sketching out our dream home. Watching the fantasy come to life on paper, our future seems almost tangible, especially since I’m so close to graduating. I toy with the ring on my hand, realizing this ring is the only piece of Adam I will have to keep me warm at night until the next time I see him. My stomach begins to constrict, and it churns at the thought of being separated from him for this long. It’s truly going to be a long summer. I close my eyes at the thought and allow myself to fall asleep.
*~*~*
Stepping into the Atlanta terminal, my senses are assaulted with the smell of food and noisy background chatter. I make my way to the underground tram that will take me to the luggage claim area. I already know my father will not be there to greet me; he always sends one of his bodyguards. I smile to myself, knowing this time it will be Jake. He has always been my favorite bodyguard. I consider Jake family. I’ve known him since I was a toddler, and he’s made his way into my heart, portraying the big brother I never had.
I slip onto the tram and watch the doors close in front of me. I think Jake turns forty-two this year, but he doesn’t look like it. Every time I see him, it looks as if he hasn’t aged a day. I frown at the thought that he isn’t married by now. Dad has always kept him so busy; he’s never really had the time to put into a relationship. He seems happy enough, though.
He’s an incredibly handsome man for his age; I’ll say that much. He always keeps his body buff and in top condition. He looks like a middleweight champion, sports an eight-pack, and even when he wears something as simple as a t-shirt and jeans, his physique is still showcased; It’s disgusting the way some women scratch and claw at each other to garner his attention.
I find myself descending the escalator that takes me into the luggage claim area. Being up so high makes it easy to spot Jake from a mile away. I see him in the distance, and my heart rate speeds up just from the mere sight of him. I grin as I realize just how much I’ve missed him. He stands there with his gold-framed, mirrored glasses and his perfect dark hair that’s cut military-style with just enough fluff on top for some lucky lady to run her hands through. He’s wearing a black, tight-fitting polo shirt and a pair of jeans. I chuckle out loud as I watch all the other women walking around him. They’re stumbling over their own luggage trying to get a good look at him.
When Jake catches sight of me, he starts making his way to the
bottom of the escalator. Reaching the bottom, I don’t even get the chance to take a leap off the last moving step before he has scooped me up and is embracing me in his arms. He stands at six-foot-five, and my feet find themselves dangling in the air. I squeal as he twirls me around in his strong arms.
“Hey, Jules, my girl! I’ve missed you so damn much!” he exclaims. He sets me down on my own two feet, holding onto my shoulders. His upper body pulls away from me, leaning back to give me a full-on grin as he inspects me, as if I’ve grown five more inches from the last time I saw him. He shakes his head at me as he says, “My, my, my, it seems like every time I see you, you’ve become even more beautiful, if that’s even possible.”
I feel a blush drifting up my neck, and I playfully swat at his large chest. “Stop it, Jake. You’re embarrassing me here,” I say with an amused grin.
“Well, it’s true.” He takes a strand of my hair and gently lets it slide through his fingertips, watching it drop back in its place. “You and your Rapunzel hair, and the way you’ve grown up,” he shakes his head in mock disapproval. “I’ve got my work cut out for me this summer. I can tell already.” He then puts his arm around me, pulling me into his side. “C’mon, we’ve got to pick up Ten-Ton Tilly.” I giggle at him. We walk toward the luggage carousel with his arm draped protectively around me.
“I also hear a congratulation is in order.” He’s talking about my engagement, and I hold out my left hand for him to inspect my ring. He takes my hand and holds it in the light, breathing out with a long, low-pitched whistle. “Whoa, that’s a serious rock. You must be something really special to this guy.” Then his brow arches, and suddenly he turns serious, as any big brother would. “If he breaks your heart—“
I interrupt him, “Stop it, will you, Jake?” I grin at him. “We are truly in love, and he’s so good to me.”
“I’m just protecting my little girl’s heart is all,” he says, placing his hand over his heart.
Jake shifts his gaze and narrows his eyes at something behind me. “Damn, that was quick. I can spot that ten-ton luggage anywhere.” He looks down at me and gives me a boyish grin. I watch him stroll over to the carousel, and as he lifts it off the conveyor belt, he lets out a loud, strained grunt. “Damn, woman! What the hell you got in here, anyway? Bricks?”
I laugh at his silliness and place my hands on my hips. I raise a brow and playfully say, “Well, I am a woman, after all. I need my stuff, all twenty-thousand pounds of it.”
“I’m gonna get a damn hernia lifting this,” he moans while lifting the handle on my luggage. As we make our way to the exit, Jake pulls Ten-Ton Tilly behind us while we stroll arm-in-arm. I notice the looks I’m getting from all the surrounding women, and I start to giggle.
“What’s so funny?” Jake asks.
“You. You and your GQ-worthy looks. You have every woman in here slipping and sliding all over their own drool.”
He lets out a chuckle and shakes his head. He’s speechless; he never has been able to take compliments well. We make our way to the car and take off for home. It’s not really a home to me, though, more like a castle—a castle that keeps me trapped by endless rules and sometimes tyrannical force.
“So...tell me all about this proposal.”
I squeal with excitement and give him all the details. After about fifteen minutes into the drive, the atmosphere turns quiet. Jake glances over at me with a worried expression on his face. “What’s wrong, Jules?”
“Nothing, really. I just have a feeling it’s going to be a long summer.” I shift in my seat to look at Jake. I’ve always been able to talk to him. “I mean, really, why this summer? He’s never demanded I stay home for an entire summer before. All the years past, it’s only been for a short visit or two, but never the whole summer. What makes this one so different, and why is he demanding it?” Jake glances my way and I give him a shrug. “It’s not like he’s going to take any special time out from his busy schedule to spend it with me.”
Jake takes his eyes off the road to look at me for a moment, and even though he has mirrored sunglasses on, I can tell he’s concerned for me. He reaches out for my hand. I place mine in his and he gently squeezes it, not letting go. He stays quiet for a moment, contemplating his next words. “You think maybe he wants you home because this will be the last full summer he’ll ever have with his little princess? Next year, you’ll be graduated, married, and looking for a job, you know?”
Then he winks at me and gives me a beautiful smile, showcasing his stark-white teeth. “No worries, Jules, I’ll keep you busy, and before you know it, you’ll be heading back up north.”
“Are you going to play my knight in shining armor and rescue me from the castle?” I poke out my bottom lip.
“Aw, c’mon, it’s not that bad.”
“Yes, yes it is, Jake,” I huff out. “You know how it is when I come home. I feel trapped, claustrophobic, and held captive. He’s out of touch and unrealistic. It’s like he wants to lock me up in that castle of his every time I come home, and then he all but throws away the key.”
Jake chuckles and grins at me, shaking his head. I watch as he lowers his glasses and exposes his beautiful brown eyes, arching a brow. “I have all the keys, babe. You won’t have to play Icarus to get out. I have a few tricks left up my sleeve.” Then he waggles his brows, making me burst out in laughter. I really am thankful for Jake’s friendship over the years. I’m just glad to have him as my main bodyguard, and I get him all to myself.
Seems like every time I come home on break, my father almost doubles his bodyguards. I don’t understand why we even have bodyguards. Every single time I approach the subject with my father, he just shrugs his shoulders and tells me my safety is paramount. He also tells me since I’m his little princess, he can never take enough precautions in today’s world, especially since I’m all the family he has left. The rest of the drive is spent in silence, and I watch the familiar surroundings pass by as we grow nearer to my gilded cage.
CHAPTER TWO
“Ugh,” I grumble out loud as I pound my pillow. I roll over to find a new position, trying to get comfortable on my bed. I’ve been trying to fall asleep for some time now, but I’m too restless. Adam is supposed to be coming in tomorrow evening, and I’m too excited to sleep. He was able to fly in sooner than expected, and I find my mind racing, thinking of nothing but my fiancé.
Over the past two months, I’ve had a heck of a time sleeping. Jake had held true to his promise, keeping my days busy. It’s only late at night when I find my mind restless, and it’s then I miss Adam the most. Jake was right; the past two months have flown by, and despite my dad’s overbearing rules, it has been one of my better visits. My father seems more relaxed this trip. Actually, this is the most relaxed I’ve seen him in a long time. I hope it stays this way. He even took a week off work and spent it with Jake and me. Well, I say he took a week off; he worked from home, but still, it was a major improvement. Maybe he is changing after all.
The three of us have been putting the final touches on my birthday party. We’ve had a lot of laughs doing it, too. I turn my head, peering at the soft glow of my alarm clock through blurry eyes. It’s 11:30 pm. Shit. I let out a groan, thinking perhaps I may finally need to break down and take one of my dad’s sleeping pills. I’ve never been one to take prescription drugs; heck, I’ve never taken any kind of drugs, for that matter. I don’t even like to take headache medicine. I know my father has sleeping pills, though, because I remember seeing them last month when I ran out of floss and was looking in his medicine cabinet for more. Who am I kidding? I’m not going to break down and take that medicine. Maybe a glass of warm milk? Eww, that just sounds gross. I let out a sigh; I’m willing to try anything at this point.
I swing my legs over the side of my bed and stand up, stretching out my tired limbs, making my way to the bedroom door to open it. Quietly, my bare feet patter down the dark hallway. As I glide my hand along the upstairs bannister, reaching the top of the
stairs, I leisurely begin my descent. Maybe Jake will be up and we can make popcorn and watch a movie. When I get halfway down the steps, I’m pulled from my thoughts. I notice someone has left several lights on downstairs. My brows furrow in question; no one ever forgets to turn the lights out at night, especially that many.
When my foot touches the last step, I hear raised voices coming from my father’s office down the hall. I freeze in my tracks while gripping the end of the bannister. I hear a strange voice bellowing an obscenity from the top of his lungs. Who in the hell would be at our house close to midnight in a rage? My ears go into high-alert as I slip into stealth mode, ready to eavesdrop.
Growing up in this house, I have committed to memory which floorboards squeak and what corners are best to spy from. Noiselessly, with my back sliding against the hallway wall, I begin moving toward the voices, slipping into the dark shadows. As I move closer to my father’s office, the voices are getting louder and the conversation more heated. I jolt at the sound of my father’s commanding and prevailing voice as he roars in anger.
“Are you threatening me?” my father yells incredulously.
“I’m just stating the facts from my chain of command. You can take the orders anyway you damn well please, but it won’t change the plans. You would be wise not to resist me.”
“I’ve got this under control, dammit! I’m the one in charge here. I only need one more week, and I will have everything in order,” Dad argues. I have never in my life heard anyone speak to my father in such a way and live to tell about it. The fact Dad is letting this man get away with treating him this way confuses me. He has always been the one to have the upper hand in everything. Obviously, he doesn’t seem to be the one with the upper hand tonight. “Look, I ran into a small glitch; it just pushed me back one week. Just one fucking week! We’ve waited this long; one week is not going to affect the final outcome.”