by Mj Fields
“Let’s show our new friends the fort,” they exclaim, pulling me behind them.
Within twenty minutes, Ryan, Alex, and I are stripped of our manhood, sipping pretend tea from tiny tea cups, wearing tiaras and pink pearl-beaded necklaces. Tessa, Jade, and Phoebe are snapping Polaroids, laughing and encouraging my sisters to do more damage to our egos. The minute nail painting is mentioned, I am ready to spank her ass. Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be of the punishment variety, but the thought of her bent over my knee, ass bare … fucking hot.
If I thought Lucas’s house back home was amazing, I wasn’t wrong, but this place … incredible. For starters, it sits on a beautiful lake, the entire back of the house has a two-story deck, all custom built-ins, even the outdoor kitchen.
The inside is like a cabin, but a luxury one and huge, like huge, huge, like enormous. The kitchen is to freaking die for. All the appliances look to be from a restaurant, and all stainless. And the furniture … I can’t even with the furniture. The bar stools look like barrels. I have done my best to act unaffected by it, but I am not. In fact, I am utterly affected by it.
“He’s amazing with them. I don’t think I have ever seen him like that.” Jade smiles fondly as the girls drag Lucas up the stairs, waving for Ryan and Alex to follow.
“He is amazing,” I whisper.
“Was he amazing when you two disappeared for ten minutes before lunch? Huh?” Phoebe half-jokes but also seems to really want to know.
“He was pretty amazing then, too.” I blush. “But don’t tell Alex.”
Phoebe giggles. “Alex is the one who pointed it out to me.”
“No way!” My jaw drops.
“Yes way.” Phoebe nods.
“Is he mad at me?”
“No, Tessa. He loves you and Lucas.” She smiles. “He isn’t happy about it, but he knows there isn’t much he can do about it, either.”
The girls come out with princess tiaras and dresses on, Lucas following with a homemade king’s crown.
“Princess Tessa, will you please come forward?” Ally beckons me, and I stand up off the couch.
“Prince Lucas has a question for you.” Alexandra grins.
Lucas pulls a sign out from behind his back. “Princess Tessa, will you please accompany me to senior prom?”
“I’m not sure, kind Prince. I would prefer to discuss this with the princesses before I can answer you. Princess Ally, Princess Alexandra, do you think that I should tell him yes or no?”
“Yes!” they both yell, jumping up and down.
“Even if I already have a date in mind? Are you quite sure?”
Again, they jump up and down, squealing, eyes like his, beautiful but void of the hurt he’s endured.
I step toward him and curtsey. “Well then, I guess, Prince Lucas, I must accept.”
Grabbing me, he picks me up and kisses me. “Thank you, Tessa.”
“Glad I brought home extra,” Landon booms from behind me.
Lucas presses his forehead to mine and growls quietly. Then he pulls back and looks over my head. “Hey, Dad.”
“Nice crown, Lucas.”
“Pretty cool, huh?” Lucas jokes.
“So, how long can you stay?”
“I think we have to be back Thursday night.”
I turn around and lift my hand to wave.
“Son, you didn’t tell me Tessa was coming.” Landon nods.
“Everything’s good, Dad.” He wraps an arm around me from behind.
“Okay then.” Landon nods. “It’s an unusually warm night for this time of year; let’s eat on the deck.”
We eat while listening to Landon talk about some project in Ithaca that he bid on for the summer and mentions he isn’t sure he’s going to take it since Lucas’s plans have changed.
“No plans not to be home. I’m in.”
“Think you can head this one up?” Landon asks, saying it more like a challenge.
Lucas accepts. “You and I both know I’m more than capable.”
“All right.” Audrianna stands. “Let me clean up and get two little princesses ready for their sleepover.”
“Let me help.” I stand, and she starts to object, and I all but beg with a look to get out of this conversation.
Audrianna smiles knowingly. “I’d love some help.”
Phoebe, Jade, and I hang out in the kitchen, leaving only Ryan and Alex alone with Landon, while Lucas reads the girls princess stories.
When I see Alex glaring at me, we all head back out and sit around the outdoor fireplace.
“So, Alex here is heading to Cornell,” Landon boasts, almost as if it’s his accomplishment. “And Ryan is going to join the workforce. How about you, Tessa?”
“She’s going to be a nurse,” Jade answers for me with pride in her voice.
“Where you going to attend college?”
“Community for a couple years,” I answer.
“And we’re going to take some summer classes so when I have Tommy’s baby, I can curb back to part-time until the baby is old enough.”
“Folks gonna help you out?” Landon asks before taking a sip of his whiskey.
I take her hand. “She’ll have plenty of help.”
He looks at me. “And you and my son? Are you two all right? What’s the status? I get very confused these days.”
“We’re good, Dad,” Lucas says from behind me. I look back, and he winks. “Very good.”
“And what will you do when Lucas goes away to college?” Landon asks.
“To be honest, I never really thought about it. But I’ll be in school.”
“Dad, I haven’t discussed my ideas with Tessa yet.” He squeezes my shoulders and glares at Landon. “You think this is necessary right now?”
“I just think it’s something you may want to think about,” Landon responds.
“Okay, well, her cousin, Jade, will be having Tommy’s child in November. I’m sure Tessa will be very involved in that. I plan to be as much as I can. I was actually thinking of asking Tessa, Jade, and the baby to live with me,” Lucas says, serious as the day is long.
“Oh, I think we are getting ahead of ourselves here,” I reply.
“Why?” Lucas asks.
I look over my shoulder and up at him. “I think that my parents might have a problem with that.”
“You’re graduating; it’s your choice after that.”
“Lucas, I don’t think this is the time to discuss this.” I glare at him.
“I think it’s a perfect time,” he challenges.
“Lucas, I think this is a bit premature.” Landon chuckles.
“You asked. I’m just telling you what I want.” Lucas walks around and sits in the seat next to me.
“Well, it’s really not just about you. Will you please excuse me?” I stand up and walk into the house.
Then I hear him snap at his father, “Was that necessary?”
Inside our designated bedroom, I sit, embarrassed about what just went down.
The door opens, and Lucas walks into the room and shuts the door behind him. He walks over and kisses the top of my head. “Why are you upset? I just told my father I wanted you to live with me, baby; that doesn’t make you happy?”
“It kind of freaks me out, Lucas.” I scoot back against the wall.
“Why? It’s not what you want?” he asks, confused.
“Well, I guess—”
“What do you mean, you guess?” he asks defensively. This reminds me of Old Lucas.
“You didn’t let me finish. We just got back together, and we’re fighting already. How—”
“No, we aren’t. We’re talking about our future,” Lucas says adamantly.
“Okay, well, we’re going to college, and Jade is having a baby. It’s a lot to think about in the two days we’ve been back together,” I try to explain.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lucas snaps.
“God, Lucas, please don’t fight with me. Can’t we just enjoy the nex
t few days?” I plead.
“Well, I was thinking more long-term than the next few days, but if that’s what you want, then fine.” He quickly gets up and walks right out the door, slamming it.
“Hell no,” I say, hopping off the bed and hurrying to his room, finding him staring down at the girls sleeping on the floor, with little pink lantern-shaped flashlights.
“Lucas, don’t be mad at me,” I whisper.
“I’m not mad. I’m confused and maybe a bit frustrated. And that was not the reaction I expected from you when I told my father I wanted this to be more,” Lucas confessed.
“Lucas, I’m sorry.”
He lifts his chin, still not looking at me.
“Do you love me?”
“Of course I do. Do you love me?” he asks, the last bit said sarcastically.
“Yes, madly.” I nudge him. “We need to talk about things and think through them before doing others.” I take his hand and pull him out of his room, closing the door behind us.
“Do you want to talk now?” he asks, backing me down the hall.
I shake my head and wet my lips. “No, not really.”
“Good.” He kisses me.
Walking back out onto the deck, hand in hand, I’m definitely feeling him … again.
When Landon looks at me, he shakes his head, donning a shit-ass grin on his face. Audrianna grabs his hand and looks at him as we sit down.
I hear her whisper, “He loves her, Landon.”
“He’s loved a lot of girls,” Landon whispers back, and I look at Lucas to see his reaction, but he’s listening to something Alex is mumbling.
“No, he has not. Sex is not love.”
They both stand. “You kids have fun now. I know we will.”
“Landon,” Audrianna scolds him as he drags her behind him.
She looks back. “Sleep well.”
Nodding off within minutes, I groan as I push myself up. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight, everyone. Goodnight, Lucas.”
When I start to pull the sliding glass door shut behind me, Lucas is walking toward me.
“See you later, baby?” he whispers.
I can’t imagine any more of all that is him today. Morning oral, two fifteen-minute “quickies.” I shake my head.
He steps in and shuts the door behind him. “Are you mad at me?” he asks, completely serious.
“No, Lucas.” I almost laugh.
“Then, what’s wrong?”
“Lucas …” I sigh. “How many sacks can you take in a game before you fear there may be permanent damage?”
His eyes twinkle, but he shakes his head and rubs his chin. “I’m thinking three, maybe four. Why do you ask?” Then he grins.
“Totally not funny,” I scold him but can’t help smiling back.
“How about I lick it better?”
“How about you just give it time to, like, do what hands do and build up callouses or—”
He covers my mouth, closes his eyes, and says, “Make it go away. Make it go away. Make it go the hell away.”
I pull his hand away, laughing. “Shh …”
“Don’t shh me. Jesus L. Christ, do you know the picture you just drew in my mind?”
“I’m exhausted.” I laugh. “I’m going to bed.”
“Mine’s pretty big,” he says, following me.
“So is her brother.” Alex’s voice comes from behind me, and I run up the stairs, laughing.
I walk in the bedroom and am shocked to see Jade and Phoebe in bed. I didn’t even see them go in. The Lucas Effect.
“Again?” Phoebe gasps.
“No, I don’t think that would have been possible,” I tell her as I grab my sleep tee and shorts from my bag.
“Why? How many times already?” Jade whispers.
“Sex or all the other stuff?” I ask, getting dressed.
“Tommy and I maxed out at four times in one day.” Jade sighs as she lies back down. “Going to guess that’s the day he gave me a baby.”
“How could you walk?” I ask, flopping on the bed beside her.
Phoebe laughs. “It gets easier. You need a little break to heal, though.”
I sit straight up, shocked. “You and Alex?”
Phoebe’s face pales and tears fill her eyes. She shakes her head. “No, Tessa.”
I get up and walk over to the bed that she’s on. “Okay. It’s okay, Phoebe.”
“I’m going to tell you something, and I beg you not to tell anyone.” Phoebe takes a deep breath.
“Phoebe, you don’t have to.” Jade holds her hand.
“No, I want to.” She takes a deep breath. “My parents, they had a lot of parties. A lot of drugs. A lot of people, you know …” Her pain, her tears, the way this is all starting, I don’t want her to continue. I remember how their story ends.
“You don’t have to.” I pull her in for a hug.
“One of my dad’s friends, his best friend, well, he …” She clears her throat. “They call it grooming.” She holds up her hand. “Five years. Then my parents found out. My mom caught us. She went crazy. Dad was higher than her and, well, as you know, they’re both gone.”
“Oh my God, Phoebe.” Jade gets up and walks over, hugging her, too.
She sobs. “Then the last foster home … a boy.”
“Phoebe …” I feel tears running down my face.
“I’m blessed to be with the Brooks family. Please don’t tell anyone, and don’t tell Alex. I want him to go to college and meet a girl like him. He deserves that.”
The door opens, and Alex comes in, looking distraught. “What’s going on?”
Phoebe whimpers, “Oh no,” and hugs her knees.
“Tessa?” Alex demands.
“Yeah?” I wipe my eyes and pull Phoebe closer to me.
Alex walks over and squats in front of the bed. “Pheebs, you all right?”
She nods.
“Hey, Alex, would you wait outside for just a second?” I ask, trying to let her get herself together to breathe.
Ignoring me completely, Alex asks, “Phoebe, do you want me to leave?”
“Sorry, this is embarrassing,” Phoebe whispers as she nods.
“Alex, just give her a minute.” I rub her back.
He leaves the room, hurt.
“Phoebe, I don’t know anyone in the whole world who is as trustworthy as my brother. Do you love him?”
She begins to rock. “I don’t want him to go to college knowing the bad me. He’ll hate me.”
“Oh, Phoebe, he would never. Don’t you see the way he looks at you?” I hold her tighter. “He’s worried about you, Phoebe.”
“Will you tell him?”
“Phoebe …” I whisper.
“I can’t!” Phoebe cries as she pulls away, lying down on her stomach and burying her face in the pillow.
“Okay, okay.”
Hand in hand, Jade and I walk out of the room, and Alex stops pacing. “How is she?”
“She’s going to be just fine,” I assure him.
“She didn’t specifically ask for you, Alex, but I bet she could use a hug,” Jade says sweetly.
He doesn’t wait a second before he walks in and closes the door behind him.
I look down the hall where Lucas is standing, leaning against the wall, bare-chested, arms crossed. He pushes off the wall, walks down toward us, and pulls both Jade and I into his arms. Both of us cry silently.
The room Alex and Ryan are sleeping in opens, and Ryan walks out in boxers, yawning as he passes us, scratching his butt cheek, and into the bathroom.
I notice Jade pushing up on his toes and looking over Lucas’s shoulder at Ryan. Then I see her shake her head, as if to erase the thought.
But she won’t, rings clear as day in my head.
“Everything all right?” Ryan asks, rubbing his eyes as he walks out past us, on his way back to the bedroom.
Jade steps away and whispers to him, “Phoebe, she’s really upset.”
He yawns and nods.
“She alone?”
“No,” Lucas answers.
“Alex?” Ryan asks.
“Yes,” I answer.
“Good. She’ll be okay. But when she gets like this, it lasts a while.”
“Well, we can sleep in here. There are two beds, right?” Jade says. “I mean, unless—”
“Yeah.” Ryan nods. “Sure.”
Jade walks in. “Come on, Tessa.”
“Tessa and I are going to go grab some water. Phoebe might need it,” Lucas says, walking us to the top of the stairs.
Out of earshot, he stops, turns, and looks down at me. “Baby?”
I shake my head, and he pulls me into his arms. “Okay, okay.”
Not a word is said as we make our way to the kitchen, grab three bottles of water each, and head back up the stairs.
I tap lightly on the door, open it, and when I slid in, Alex has Phoebe curled in his arms, rocking her.
“She’s asleep.”
I set the bottles of water on the nightstand between the two double beds. “You okay?”
“I’m livid,” Alex snarls. “How could that have happened to her?”
“I don’t know, Alex, but she’s pretty damn amazing to be who she is in spite of everything she’s gone through.”
Anger evident in his eyes, he shakes his head. “I love her.”
“Well, tell her.”
“I did.” Alex looks down at her. “Piss-poor timing. She looked like she couldn’t even breathe then passed out not a minute later.” He shakes his head and pulls her tighter to him. “You know what she said, Tessa?”
Tears again fill my eyes as I shake my head.
“She looked at me and said, ‘You don’t have to. You shouldn’t. I’m bad.’”
“Oh, Alex.” I clench my shirt above where it hurts—my heart.
“As if I had a choice. I knew from …” He stops. “I just knew.”
“Give her time,” I whisper.
He presses his lips to her head.
“Are you staying with her tonight?”
Adamantly, he says, “Yes.”
When I walk out into the hall, Lucas is walking out of the boys’ room with a smirk on his face. I give him a curious look.
“Jade is in one bed, Ryan in the other. She’s snoring. He’s asleep, or pretending to be. You want to go in there, or will you sleep with me?” He wipes my tear-stained face then cups my cheeks