“Wrong?” Grace shouted. “You and Ella never got on, but isn’t it funny that you’ve married the Martin most like her? Christina may look like her father, but she’s her mother’s daughter. The problem is you’re not as compliant as Jack Martin and that’s the only way a man could survive a woman like that.”
Riley felt like his mother had slapped him in the face. It was true. He and Ella Martin had never got on, but he didn’t think Christina was anything like her mother. “That’s bullshit,” he snapped.
Grace let out an unladylike snort. “Is it? I think I’m closer to the mark than you want to admit, Nicholas, but you’re going to do what you want to do regardless of how it affects anyone else.”
Riley was over this conversation. Leaning into his mother’s face, he smiled coldly. “Christina doesn’t know it was you, but she’s not stupid, and she knows it was one of us that laid the complaint. There’s a birthday party tomorrow night for the Martins and you’re all coming. You’re going to buy presents and do what you do best, pretend everything’s perfect.”
Shock and disbelief registered on his mother’s face and he nodded at her. “Oh, yes. You’re going to play nice whether you like it or not. If you can’t do that Mother, I’m gone. I’ll take Christina and leave here. We’ll start some place else away from all this drama and bullshit. The choice is yours and if you’re not there, I’ll know your answer.”
Riley left the house, walking past his silent family members, and out the back door. He made his way to the farmhouse, processing what had just happened. His mother: his ice-cold mother. He thought he got his ruthless streak from his father, but he was wrong. He was his mother’s son.
**********
“Everything okay?”
Riley met the concerned eyes of Jed and shrugged. “I’ve had better days.”
He found Jed and Dave waiting for him at the farmhouse. He debated with himself before unburdening his concerns to his friends about the conversations he’d had with both Eddie Robinson and now his mother. He left out some of the more controversial aspects because he couldn’t get his own head around them.
“Jaysus,” Jed whispered. “So what are you going to do?”
“About my mother?” Riley laughed. “Nothing. There’s nothing I really can do, but about those other pricks? I’ve got plans for them.”
Dave groaned. “It was years ago. Why drag it all up now?”
Riley’s head snapped up and he glared at Dave. “This is the first I’ve heard of it and why didn’t you tell me about what happened to Dina? You must have known.”
Dave shrugged. “You two were broken up. I didn’t think it really mattered and she left afterwards anyway. It was nothing to do with me.”
Riley stared at Dave in disgust. If looks could kill, Dave would be dead, reanimated, and then killed again. Riley was just about to open his mouth, but Jed beat him to it.
“You’re such a caring sort, Dave,” Jed deadpanned. “I’m surprised Bono hasn’t approached you to be humanitarian of the world. But anyway, what are we going to do?”
Rolling his eyes, Dave pulled a ‘whatever’ face at Jed. “You’re not going to do anything stupid, are you?” Dave sighed.
At this moment, Riley wanted to hit Dave around the head, but resisted the urge. “If you mean stupid, Dave,” he snapped “as in smacking someone in the head… then yeah. I’m going to do something really stupid. Repeatedly.”
Dave snorted. “This is what you want to do? Go beat up some guys for something that happened nearly ten years ago? With all the resources that you’ve got at your disposal, you’re going to go beat them up? Like we’re in high school? You could bankrupt them, drive them out of town, make their lives a living hell, but this is it?”
Riley and Jed cast sideways glances at one another. Grimacing, Jed raised an eyebrow. “I hate to say this, but Dave’s got a point. How about as a compromise, we give them a couple of smacks in the head? Two each, maybe three at the most,” he shrugged, “but not a proper beating? Then you can decide whether you really want to fuck their lives up after that.”
The men argued ethics, tactics, potential hazards, and the pros and cons of their undertaking. Riley and Jed were all pro, accentuating the positives and downplaying any negative. Dave was more con, arguing they should be concerned with little things called the ‘law’ and getting arrested.
After some deliberation, Dave agreed to go with them. “Alright, I’m coming too. I don’t agree with what you’re doing and I just need to say it. Okay? But I’m looking out for you.”
Riley hit Dave on the shoulder. For everything, he was grateful for Dave’s support, even if it was only reluctantly given. They’d never agree on Christina, but Dave had always been a loyal friend.
Chapter Eight: Boom
Christina, Shanwick, The Present, Friday, November 9, 2012
“Wow,” Bonnie said sweetly, but her eyes held a hint of mean. “That’s so sweet and he didn’t mention once in his poem how much he likes boning you. He must be getting sentimental in his old age or does he need Viagra?”
Like the proverbial breath of fresh air, Bonnie Howard, all glorious 5’10, red hair, and porcelain skin, had roared into town in her little white Porsche. Officially, Bonnie was staying three houses down from the Martins at her parents, but unofficially, she was staying with Jed at Riley’s farmhouse. Jed and Bonnie had been seeing each other for the last six weeks and for someone that was as commitment resistant as Bonnie, this was a big deal.
Currently, Christina, Bonnie, Mandy, and Gabby were sitting around the Martin kitchen table finishing the Vodka Skittles. The women were catching up on gossip and as most of it centered on Christina she found herself the focus of unwanted attention. Being the target of Bonnie’s teasing was a familiar, if not annoying, position for Christina to be in.
“I can assure you,” Christina smiled tightly, “Riley does not need Viagra.” In fact, it was the opposite, that man needed an anti-Viagra tablet. It probably wouldn’t stop him anyway. He’d view it as a challenge.
“Is that all he gave you?” Bonnie’s blue eyes narrowed, a smile playing over her face. “A poem and a drawing? I’m speaking about actual presents, Dina,” she stage-whispered, “and not sex.”
Rolling her eyes, Christina clamped down her annoyance. Bonnie ignored the beauty of Riley’s creativity, going straight for value based on material possessions and dirty - always, the dirty. Bonnie would never understand the sentimental attachment Christina placed on Riley’s gifts.
Leaning forward, Bonnie laughed. “By the way, I can tell you’ve had lots of sex. You’re kind of glowing, which makes a nice change from the way you usually look. You know… Like you need a hug, in your vagina, with anyone’s penis.”
“Besides,” Bonnie shrugged. “We’ve all heard the audio. Hell, I even listened to the remix.”
Mandy shrieked with laughter and then covered her mouth, but her eyes were dancing in amusement. Christina flushed and grimaced. She’d had enough of that stupid audio-clip and it was time that those closest to her, especially her two BFFS, let it go.
It wasn’t as if she didn’t have some ammunition of her own. Laughing to cover her annoyance, Christina retorted. “Seriously? We’re going there?
Turning to Mandy, Christina smiled. “We’ve all heard you – Riley, Bonnie, Johnny, and I – doing your squeaky rubber ducky impression with Dave groaning like the lead singer from the Crash Test Dummies.” Mandy went bright red and cringe-grimaced.
“And you,” Christina pointed at Bonnie. “The stories I could tell, but my favorite? I think is the time you jerked some guy off at a nightclub and he-”
“DINA!” Bonnie and Mandy shouted across her. Bonnie looked at Christina, shaking her head, but there were tears of laughter in her eyes.
Folding her arms, Christina smirked. “Oh, yeah. We can go there.”
“All I’m saying is the guy is loaded, Dina,” Bonnie sighed. “It’s not like we’re in high school anymore and he
has to make you presents at shop. I’d be a little underwhelmed.”
Christina opened her mouth to utter a rude comeback, but Gabby beat her to it. “He also gave her a credit card. A black AMEX,” Gabby said meaningfully.
Bonnie and Mandy’s eyes lit up. “Ooooh,” Bonnie enthused, but Mandy interrupted, clapping her hands in glee. “Oh, Dina,” Mandy giggled, “that’s fantastic. It gives us an excuse to go shopping.”
Christina tried to keep the horror off her face. As far as she was concerned, shopping was functional and not some leisure activity, like her two best friends viewed it. They treated shopping as if it was an art form and a modern Darwinian exercise in the survival of the fittest.
She hated the assumption that she would just use Riley’s resources without question. She was going to fulfill the promise she made to Riley about using the card by buying a stick of gum. “I don’t want it,” Christina stated firmly. “I don’t want or need his money.”
Bonnie rolled her eyes. “You’re an idiot, Dina. Most women would give him anal facing Tiffany’s for one of those.”
“Shut up, Bonnie!” Christina cringed, casting a meaningful look in Gabby’s direction. Due to the age gap between Gabby and Christina they didn’t have an open and sharing relationship about sexual matters.
In fact, her family wasn’t frank about sex at all. She recalled god-awful conversations with her parents, especially her father, which went way beyond awkward. Sexual issues couched in incomprehensible metaphoric discussions that she now pretended never happened.
Picking up on Christina’s discomfort, Mandy tried to smooth the waters. “What are you wearing tomorrow night?” Mandy beamed. “Bonnie and I have some ideas.”
Christina rubbed her forehead. She loved her two best friends, but they had completely different tastes in clothes, music, and men. Whenever she went shopping or played ‘dress-up’ with Bonnie and Mandy, she always ended up looking like ‘Slut-Barbie’.
“We, Gabby and I, already have something organized,” Christina said quietly, trying to end the conversation.
Bonnie snorted. “Show us. I’m curious, Dina, because let’s be honest, you are a fashion refugee.” Mandy giggled at Bonnie’s comments, but Christina made eye contact with Gabby.
Both the Martin sisters smiled like Cheshire cats. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” Gabby smirked. “It’ll be a surprise, but it won’t be cookie-cutter conformist,” she pursed her lips, looking at Bonnie “or rock-star-wife-chic,” she smiled at Mandy
Christina didn’t fail to see the looks that passed between Mandy and Bonnie. She expected Bonnie to chew Gabby’s face off, but for once she remained quiet. “Speaking of presents,” Mandy enthused. “We have some for you, Dina. We were going to give them to you tomorrow night, but Bonnie and I decided we wanted to do it now.”
Her two best friends produced some boxes that looked expensively wrapped and Christina smiled with a wary enthusiasm. Mandy handed over the smaller of the two, waiting patiently as Christina opened it up gently, trying not to ruin the paper. Her eyes opened wide at what was inside.
“They’re beautiful,” Christina gasped. Mandy had bought her chunky gold bracelet cuffs with skull motifs. She’d wanted these for ages, but hadn’t purchased them because she couldn’t imagine when she would ever get to wear them. She leaned over hugging Mandy, who grabbed her back, squeezing her tight.
“And,” Bonnie grinned and winked. “This is mine. Hope you enjoy it.”
Christina opened the larger of the boxes and blinked. “Err,” she started, but was interrupted by her father and Tessa. She slammed the lid down, covering it with her arms and trying to pretend it wasn’t there.
“Hello, girls,” Jack beamed at Bonnie and Mandy. “How are you?”
“Fine, thank you, Mr. Martin,” Mandy and Bonnie said in unison.
“What have you got there, Dina?” Her father smiled, staring at the boxes in curiosity.
“Presents,” Christina replied quickly. “Look at this, Dad. Mandy and Bonnie bought me these.” She put the cuffs on, holding them out and waggling her wrists in front of her father’s face, trying to distract him.
“They’re lovely,” her father smiled with faux parental interest, acting like she was six years old, and showing him her artwork from school. It was apparent that he had absolutely no interest in the bracelets and his focus was elsewhere. “What’s in the bigger box, Dina?”
Christina cringed, leaving the box unopened and clinging onto it trying to preserve some semblance of dignity. Her mouth opened emitting ‘gaaah’ noises, unable to stop the train wreck of embarrassment that was about to occur. She sat frozen, like a deer in the headlights, as her father reached for the box.
To her relief, Bonnie intervened, grabbing Dad’s arm and drawing him away. “It’s a neck massager, Jack,” Bonnie said serenely, nodding her head for emphasis. “It’ll help Dina relieve stress from all those long hours at work.”
“Oh,” Dad replied. “I could do with one of those.” He pointed to his neck and shoulders. “I get tight all in there, but Tessa helps me with it.”
“No,” Gabby groan-whispered. “Just… kill me now.” The Martin sisters shared horrified looks, but the next statement made Christina nauseous.
“I’ll have to borrow it off you one day, Dina,” Dad said, “and see if it helps with the tension.” Mandy and Bonnie snorted, but Christina shut them up with a look. She blocked the images running free flow through her mind for her own sanity.
“Um,” Christina muttered. “Sure, Dad. Whatever.”
She waited until her father and Tessa left the room before rounding on Bonnie with an: ‘are you kidding me’ look. “Okay,” Christina hissed. “Maybe the next time you give me a giant vibrator for my birthday, we could do it somewhere my father won’t see it and want to use it?”
Bonnie just shrugged and then Christina had another thought; a horrible one. She got out the vibrator and stared at it. It had been taken out of its wrapping and Christina dropped it back into the box with a clatter, wiping her hands down her sides. “It’s… you didn’t take this for a test drive before giving it to me. Did you?” Christina blurted.
“Ewww,” Mandy shrieked. “Bonnie!”
Bonnie sighed, rolling her eyes. “No. I put batteries in it for you, so it’s ready for action. God, Dina,” she groaned. “I’m a slut and a pervert, but I’m not a complete freak.”
“Good to know,” Christina mumbled, grabbing a drink and avoiding eye contact with everyone. She loved Bonnie and would do just about anything for her, except share giant vibrators. That was way beyond the bridge that was too far.
**********
“OH! THEY DID NOT!” snarled Bonnie with her blue eyes blazing. “Who do they think they are? Who’s up for a little payback?”
The women filled Bonnie in on their Halloween encounter with Carl Beaumont and Shane Palmer. The more they had to drink, the more courageous they became in their revenge fantasies. They weren’t drunk, but they weren’t quite sober either and with the three of them together, it was heading into the danger zone.
Mandy cleared her throat and said to everyone’s astonishment. “Count me in.” She met their disbelieving looks by pouting. “Well, I am.”
If Mandy was in, Christina was in too. There was no way she was playing chicken in front of her oldest and dearest friends. She had a reputation to uphold. Granted, it was a bad one, but it was better than being thought of as a pussy.
“Well, what have you got in mind, Bonnie?” Christina asked. In her gut, she knew this was going to be a bad idea, but she also knew she’d be doing it anyway.
“I’ve got an idea,” said Gabby.
“You’re not coming,” Christina instantly retorted backed up by Mandy and Bonnie with “SERIOUSLY” and “OH PUH-LEEZES.”
“Why not?” Gabby squealed.
“Gee, I don’t know,” Christina deadpanned. “Maybe because you’re just recovering from nearly dying? You are not coming.”
“I agree with Dina,” Bonnie said firmly. “You’re not coming, Gabby. Now back to our plan. Focus, ladies, focus.”
“Why don’t we just go and knock on their windows?” Mandy suggested. “Or we could throw eggs at their house?”
Bonnie looked at her and blinked. “Oooh, yeah,” she snapped sarcastically. “Why don’t we give them wedgies as well? Or we could pull their pants down and squirt them with water pistols? That’ll show them.”
Then Mandy and Bonnie started arguing, leaving Christina and Gabby watching them bickering. Gabby sighed. “Shut up. I have an idea. Now, listen up.”
**********
“Iron vaginas,” Christina suggested. “We’re the iron vaginas. We’re always the iron vaginas.”
“No,” Bonnie said, shaking her head. “Not this time. We’re Charlie’s Angels.”
Before Bonnie could go any further, Mandy wanted details. “The originals or new ones?”
“Duh!” Bonnie frowned. “The originals, of course. Mandy, you’re Kelly, I’m Bree, and Dina, you’re Jill.”
“I don’t want to be Jill,” Christina protested. “Jill’s blonde, I’m not blonde.” She also didn’t want to be the character played by Farrah Fawcett. It was okay when they were kids because it was a claim to an innocent type of vanity she no longer possessed.
Bonnie sighed. “Stop being an idiot, Dina. Jill was the shortest, so you’re it.”
Christina inwardly groaned. Although she was tall for a Martin woman, both her best friends were taller than her. She got stuck with lots of things through the “being the shortest” excuse.
“Woohoo,” cheered Gabby, “I can be Kris Monroe, Jill’s little sister.”
“No,” smirked Bonnie. “You’re Charlie. You stay home and are never seen. Now, we don’t use our real names, okay? Code everyone.”
Everyone agreed and then Mandy asked the question Christina didn’t want to think about. “Dina, is this a crime?” Of course, it was a crime and she couldn’t plead ignorance of the law. If they got caught, she was in big trouble. The type that ruined careers and got someone disbarred.
Ties That Bind Page 15