23 April 2022 - Saturday
Burkesville, Kentucky
Lucy lay in bed next to Gemma. They had just finished making love and Gemma in true tradition had already fallen asleep.
Her thoughts weren’t on Gemma.
Her thoughts were around her father. He’d called that morning, and they had spent an hour on the phone speaking of her mother. She couldn’t believe she’d been gone two years. The time had flown by.
Gemma and Lucy had started their own restaurant in Burkesville. With the help of Angellica, of course. She had lent them money, and they were doing well.
Lucy was in the middle of gaining her Veterinary qualifications and Daphne let her do more than she was actually qualified to do, but more than capable of doing.
They were in the process of purchasing their first house and planning their wedding.
Her mother wouldn’t be there, and from what her father had said that morning on the phone, he wouldn’t be able to make it either. He wouldn’t accept money for tickets, he wouldn’t accept tickets full stop.
Lucy didn’t want to get married without her parents.
She wanted her Mum back.
She looked at Gemma, snoring beside her and gave her a gentle poke, “You awake?”
Gemma didn’t reply.
She poked her harder. “Gemma? Are you awake?”
Gemma gave a groan, but continued to sleep.
“Fat lot of use you are.” Lucy muttered and snuggled against her warmth. She closed her eyes and found that sleep came a lot quicker than she thought it would.
Caelum had not slept very well. His three-year-old daughter lay in his bed next to his wife, in his place. He’d slept in Cassidy’s bed and it was far too short for him, his feet had hung out over the end of the bed.
His back was sore and he was cranky.
He got dressed while it was still dark and went down to the kitchen for coffee.
He stomped to the front door and pulled his boots on.
His back ached, he was very annoyed. He decided the horses had best not play up for him, or he would be incredibly upset.
Lucien was also tired. Astra had been up all night coughing. It wasn’t her who’d irritated him; it was Azhure getting in and out of bed every fifteen minutes to settle the toddler back into bed.
He’d suggested at some point that perhaps Azhure might like to sleep with Astra. Azhure had not been impressed and had brought the child in bed with them. Lucien tried to ignore the wriggling girl between them that coughed and squirmed. However, it had proved much more difficult than he’d originally thought. He got out of bed early while his girl’s slept soundly.
He was cranky.
As he pulled on his boots before heading out to his truck, he thought briefly to himself, ‘Hopefully no one pisses me off today’.
Adam poured water into his coffee mug. He was awake. He’d slept peacefully next to his beautiful wife. They’d managed a whole night without one child interrupting their sleep. He whistled happily while he stirred.
“Shhh.”
He stopped whistling, he stopped stirring.
Footsteps.
He listened.
Giggling.
He frowned, and moved to see who was coming down the stairs.
Niah jogged down smiling, she stopped halfway to look back up.
She’d not spotted her father standing at the bottom with his coffee.
“Hurry up.” She hissed.
“All right all right, calm down.”
Adam held his breath.
Niah jogged down the last few steps and froze.
She stared at him. He stared at her.
“Before anything is said here,” He paused, looking at the face of the boy on the stairs, “I would like you both to know, you have probably ruined an entirely perfect day.”
“Dad.” Niah started.
He shook his head, “No. Get yourselves up to your mother, now.”
Niah climbed the stairs pushing her friend ahead of her.
Angellica sat up in bed as Adam followed her daughter into their room.
“Gordy Hamilton?” Angellica demanded. “What the hell are you doing here at this time of morning?”
Gordy didn’t meet her eyes; he stood with his shoulders hunched around his bulk. He looked ashamed.
Adam coughed, and shoved Niah forwards.
Niah folded her arms, and defiantly stared her mother in the eyes.
“Niah?” Angellica questioned. “What is going on?”
She shrugged.
Adam coughed again. “Do you want me to tell her?”
Gordy didn’t look away from his shoes.
Niah stayed silent.
“Well someone better tell me what the hell is going on.” Angellica demanded. She threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side. She wore her oversized t-shirt, which covered her enough to not embarrass anyone.
Gordy saw her scar and made a gulping sound.
Niah shrugged again.
Adam stood behind them both, now smirking. He eyed Gordy, then Niah. He expected Angellica to explode and was waiting to enjoy the show.
Angellica’s blood started to boil, as Adam knew it would.
“He was here all night?”
Gordy glanced at her face, and then looked quickly back at his shoes.
Niah continued to stare defiantly.
Angellica looked at her husband. He gave her a look that said, ‘What do we do?’
“Answer me.” She said to Niah. “Was he here all night?”
“Yes.” Niah’s chin lifted.
Angellica grabbed her daughters’ chin, and wrenched her face to stare at her. “What was he doing here?”
“Staying with me.” Niah said.
“Why were we not asked?”
“You would have said no.”
Adam laughed, “Damn straight we would have said no.”
“So what if he stayed.” Niah challenged.
“Did you have sex?” Angellica asked.
“That’s none of your business.” Niah replied.
Angellica dropped Niah’s face.
Adam laughed cynically, “It is when you’re under-age Niah. Tell me something Gordy, are you keen on jail time?”
Gordy just about threw up on Angellica’s bedroom floor carpet.
“I’ll take that gurgling sound as a no.” Adam said in his daughters’ ear.
“You wouldn’t.” She hissed.
“So you did then.”
Gordy took a deep breath. “I’m real sorry, we didn’t mean to, it kind of just happened, I was only going to stay a bit later than you said I could, then sneak out. I promise, we didn’t mean for anything to happen, please don’t send me to jail.” He had gone white.
“They’re not going to send you to jail.” Niah said under her breath.
“What?” Adam moved to look his daughter in the face.
“You wouldn’t.” She said to him.
“No, but I think Gordy’s parent’s might like to know why he didn’t come home last night.”
“They think I’m at my friend’s house.” Gordy blurted.
Niah rolled her eyes.
“So they expected you to be out for the night?” Angellica queried.
“Yes.” Gordy was beaten.
Niah groaned.
“So this was the intent. You mislead not only us, but your parents as well. What do you think they would say if I rang them?” Adam asked.
“Oh shit, please Mr Tarson, please don’t ring them, they’ll kill me.”
Adam smiled, “I doubt they’d kill you Gordy.” He left the room with a laugh.
Angellica looked at each of their faces.
“Oh shit.” Gordy was now a delightful shade of green.
Niah stood defiant.
“Were you safe?” She had to ask.
“Oh Mum, please.” Niah whined.
“Niah, answer the bloody question, were you safe?”
Gordy made another sound like he was going to vomit.
“Yes Mum, we were safe.” She replied. “Do you want any other sordid details?”
“Just one.”
Niah nodded.
“Is this the first time?”
Gordy threw up.
Angellica leapt backwards to miss the mess.
Niah laughed. “No.”
Angellica stared at them both.
Gordy’s eyes watered. Niah covered her mouth to stop the giggles.
Angellica shook her head. “Gordy.”
He looked at her.
“Go get a bucket and clean that shit off my floor.”
“Yes Ma’am.” He dove from the room as fast as he could carry his huge frame.
Niah watched him leave then turned to her mother. “You know, after that I’m not going to see him anymore.”
Angellica shrugged. “Depends on how much you tease him for that.” She pointed at the vomit on her carpet. “You know, for such a big boy, he sure is like a caterpillar.”
“How’s that?” Niah asked.
“Back him into a corner, cut him open, and he’s all guts.”
Niah started to laugh. “Yuck.” She managed between gasps.
“Tell me something else honey.”
Niah nodded.
“Are you over that whole teenager crap yet. Because I’d really like my daughter back.”
The girl nodded. “I think I am. I really like him you know.”
“I’m sure you do.” Angellica put her arm around her shoulders. “I’m pleased you managed to wait this long I suppose.”
Niah smiled up at her mother. “That’s a good point. It was mostly my idea by the way. Please don’t blame him too much. As you said, a caterpillar.”
Angellica nodded, “I don’t blame him at all, and I didn’t really want him to throw up on my bedroom floor. That’s going to be terrible to get out.”
Niah nodded, and looked up as Gordy came back in with a soapy bucket of water and a brush.
Adam followed behind him with towels. “Shit Gordy, you certainly did make a mess there.” He commented.
Gordy nodded, “I’m real sorry.”
Angellica looked up at him. “I know. Don’t stress about the puke, it was about time I got new carpet anyway. Just get most of it off please.”
He nodded.
“Niah, you can give him a hand.” Angellica said.
“What? I didn’t throw up.”
Angellica smiled, “No but you kind of helped the process. It was your idea after all.”
Niah sighed, “Fine.”
Adam stood with his arm around Angellica’s shoulder; they watched the teenagers clean up the mess. Even over the steaming vomit they shared glances and smiles.
Angellica leaned up to her husband’s ear. “It must be something special if you still like someone after you’ve helped clean up their vomit.”
Adam grinned, and whispered in her ear. “Especially after your girlfriend’s mother freaked you out so much.”
“Point taken.” Angellica replied.
Adam briefly wondered if everyone else was having decent day. He would have to call his son later and have a catch up.
“Good evening Son how are you?” Adam asked.
“Absolute shit.” Lucien replied through the phone.
“Oh?” Adam settled back in Angellica’s office chair.
“Astra is sick again. Azhure keeps bringing her into our bed. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Oh that sucks.”
Lucien gave a sharp laugh. “Then to top the night off, I got to work and ended up having two flat tyres on my truck. I forgot my money card, so didn’t have any lunch. I got home and Azhure hadn’t prepared tea, because both Cole and Astra have been vomiting all day.”
Adam chuckled, “Yeah, that sucks, your day was definitely worse than mine.”
“How’s that?”
“Niah had her boyfriend stay the night last night. Without letting us know.”
“Gordy?” Lucien asked.
“Yep, Gordy Hamilton.”
“Did they, well, you know?”
“Yep, with Gordy Hamilton.”
Lucien burst into laughter. “That is fantastic, you just cheered up my entire day. That is fantastic!”
“Don’t laugh.” Adam scolded.
“Niah sneaking her boyfriend into the house makes me feel much better about not having any sleep and sick kids.” Lucien continued to laugh, “Azhure is going to pee her pants. This is wicked.”
Adam had to laugh. “You can go now. I’m sick of listening to you.”
“Okay Dad, thank you for that, it’s awesome.” Lucien laughed again.
Adam dropped the phone back into its cradle and shook his head.
Angellica appeared at the door. “Who was that?”
“Lucien.”
“How are they doing?”
“Good, Astra is a bit crook, but other than that, stoked that Niah had Gordy to stay.”
Angellica laughed. “At least someone is I suppose.”
Adam stood and gathered his wife into his arms. “Actually I think it really cheered him up. He doesn’t seem very happy. Sounded very tired.”
Angellica snuggled up against him, “Sick kids can do that.” She murmured. “Speaking of kids, the twins are in bed. Niah is upstairs and definitely alone.” She gave a chuckle “What would you like to do?”
Adam checked his watch. “It’s early, shall we watch a movie?”
Angellica nodded. “Sounds wonderful.”
They moved into the T.V. room and settled onto the couch. Angellica was asleep in his arms ten minutes into the movie. Adam watched the remainder of the movie, allowing her to sleep and when it was finished, he turned the T.V. off and carried her upstairs to their bed.
“I love you.” She murmured and he put her down.
“Love you too.” He replied looking down at her.
She smiled up at him. “Thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome.” He kissed her forehead.
She grabbed the front of his shirt, “Make love to me?”
He grinned, “It would be my pleasure.” He replied kissing her tenderly on the mouth.
She curled her arm around his neck and pulled him down to the bed. “Mine too” She said against his mouth.
Adam deepened his kiss and she arched against him. “Unquestionably your pleasure.” He lifted her shirt over her head and threw it on the floor.
Niah and Gordy’s relationship managed to last another few weeks before Niah got sick of his puppy dog attitude and she sent him away. She moved onto a different type of boy after Gordy. She moved onto Reiner, he was the biggest nerd in her class at school, but he had a car. After Reiner was Mitch. Mitch had a motorbike. Their relationship involved lots of inappropriate touching around both Adam and Angellica.
By the time Adam got sick of it, Niah had kicked him to the curb. Her latest boyfriend was Daniel.
Both Adam and Angellica liked Daniel.
He was respectful. He used his manners. He held the door open for ladies.
Niah showed no interest in letting him go, which was fine with her parents.
However, Niah had developed a sense of respect for her parents, and always asked permission for her boyfriend to stay the night.
They managed to put aside the fact that she was no longer a child, and decided it would be better for everyone if they knew she was safe.
“Better than a dirty motel, or backseat of a car.” Angellica said to Adam.
“Better not at all.”
Angellica laughed and shook her head. “It’s happening. Either deal with it or don’t. But I would rather her be here and safe where she knows we can help her if need be. I don’t want to force her out where she might get hurt.”
“Point to you.” Adam replied. “I still don’t like it.”
“No one does.” Angellica replied, pushing his coffee at him across the bench.
Adam picked it up and took a sip.
Angellica grinned mischievously, “At least we can’t hear them.”
Adam spurted his coffee on the bench.
Angellica ran, laughing.
Adam chased after her, catching her easily, and lifted her off her feet. They fell onto the couch in the T.V. room laughing.
After they’d gained their breath Adam spoke first. “You’re right you know.”
Angellica nodded. “I know. You should listen to me more often.”