While Paul’s small attempt at kindness was a sweet gesture, Naomi and Cole didn’t get to sleep in nearly as long as they’d hoped. At around a quarter ‘til ten Cole’s mother Janette barged into the guest room, clapping her hands together obnoxiously. Cole groaned and covered his ears, hoping to drown out the sound of her obvious attempts at waking him up. While it helped, he could still hear her telling him to get up, get up, get up. He turned and threw his pillow at her. She easily caught it and dropped it onto the mattress Noah had used earlier.
“C’mon, Coley, it’s time for breakfast!”
“Mom, I’m tired,” he whined, turning over huffily. He gave her the darkest glare he could possibly muster but was well aware that it was less intimidating with his current state of bedhead. She simply smiled at him and crossed her arms across her polo-clad chest. If she didn’t wear such unflattering outfits, Cole knew his mother would be a knockout. She had the same mousy brown hair as him and though she still did her bangs like she lived in the 90s, she had an almost ageless face. Paul had once called her a MILF to which Cole punched him in the stomach.
“Awww, my baby’s tired. That’s how we felt last night when you and your friends were being loud. So, as punishment, you get to have breakfast with us! Now, go wake up Naomi and get dressed. You know I hate when you wear nothing but your boxers around the house.”
“Whatever,” he grumbled. Janette smiled and spun on her sneakers, marching out of his room and closing the door behind her. Cole rolled his neck and climbed out of bed. He walked to his bedroom for a change of clothes, and in a matter of seconds he was dressed in an orange t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants. Neither one was very fresh, but sitting at the table with his smell would serve her right for waking him up so goddamn early.
Cole plopped down on his bed next to Naomi. “Get up, hoe.”
“Fuck off, bitch,” she said without missing a beat. Cole grinned and nudged her repeatedly. “What do you want from me? I’m trying to sleep.”
“My mom said we have to have breakfast with her and my dad since they didn’t sleep well last night because of us.”
“Sometimes I wish your folks would just drink themselves to sleep like mine.”
“Well, until then, get up. Let’s go make their breakfast hell.” Reluctantly, she sat up and rubbed her eyes, smearing her mascara. Thanks to Cole keeping her up so late, she’d fallen asleep without removing it. She’d probably have clogged pores out the butt within the next few days.
“Give me five minutes to wash my face and get dressed,” she said. Cole did just that. He stomped downstairs to announce his arrival. His mother sat at the table with his father, sipping a glass of tea. The look on her face was a mixture of humor and sternness. He dropped into his seat and shrugged.
“Here I am.”
“Good, now go make some food.”
“You mean you didn’t cook anything and still made us get up so early?” Cole didn’t try to hide the surprise in his voice.
“Oscar,” she said, turning to his father, “Since when did I become a personal chef?”
“Y’know, I’m not sure. Never?”
“Ah, that’s right.” She turned back to her son and smiled sweetly.
“Ugh,” Cole muttered, rolling his eyes as he stood to walk to the refrigerator. He peered inside, pulling out the carton of eggs and the package of bacon. Janette caught sight of the meat and held a finger up. She swallowed her tea and said,
“Honey, no meat, please. I think I caught whatever stomach bug Paul has and just the smell...”
“Plus, there’s not enough for the both of us, and if it came down to it, I’d fight you for bacon,” Naomi said, spinning around him and tossing the bacon back into the fridge. Cole returned the eggs as well.
“There’s a few boxes of cereal in the pantry,” his mom offered. Naomi and Cole surveyed the boxes, each choosing a different one. They poured their bowls and milk then took a seat at the dining room table to eat. Oscar scooped oatmeal from his bowl and watched the two of them while he ate.
“Cole, how are you and the N-word doing?” Naomi choked on her cereal.
“Dad! I told you, call him by his name when other people are around!”
“His name’s Paul,” Naomi said defensively. Cole made a face.
“What? No, he’s talking about Noah,” Cole assured her.
“Oh dear, I didn’t mean to…” Oscar turned red and held his hand over his heart. Naomi relaxed and began laughing. Soon they were all laughing about it.
“Noah and I are doing fine. Fine enough that we can refer to him by his name now,” Cole grinned, shaking his head while he dug his spoon into his soggy, marshmallowy bowl of cereal. Oscar nodded with satisfaction.
“That’s good to hear. I’m glad you guys worked through whatever it was that happened.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that, but… yeah. We’re not plotting each other’s deaths anymore.” Janette stood to pour herself another cup of tea, patting Cole on the shoulder as she passed. He smiled slightly and slurped the rest of the milk from his spoon.
“Now, it’s time to plot someone else’s death,” Naomi said to Cole, handing him her cellphone. He read the text message from Paul and smiled. They now had the address Robert was being held at.
“Whose death are you plotting?” Janette asked.
“Just… someone,” Naomi said coyly, finishing off her bowl of cereal as quickly as possible. She placed the empty bowl in the sink and rinsed it out with water. Cole followed her example, adding a burp before he left the table.
“Don’t get yourself killed, Cole,” his mom warned.
“I’ll be on my best behavior, I promise. C’mon, let’s go,” he said to Naomi. The two of them headed upstairs eagerly. When they were in the privacy of his bedroom, Cole rushed to his closet and began pulling out his darkest clothes.
“What’re you doing?”
“If we’re gonna be breaking into Mara’s house, we need to dress dark.”
“Ah. Well, I’m not going to be breaking in anywhere. You and Noah are.”
“How come?”
“Because,” she said as she sat on his bed, “Robert is your baby. We’ve done all we can, but you getting your baby back now depends on you two. It’s only right that his daddies come to save him, right?” Cole shrugged.
“I guess. Whatever, Noah and I will do it. First, we’ve got to get them out of the house.”
Naomi grinned evilly, twirling a pink strand of hair between her fingers. “Don’t you worry. I’ve got that covered.”
At seven thirty that night, Noah and Cole sat in the back of Laura’s Prius, dressed from head to toe in black clothing. Noah had been a bit resistant to the idea of the looking like cat burglars but eventually he gave in and dressed appropriately. Laura glanced over her shoulder at the boys. “You two sure you’re ready for this?”
Noah nodded confidently. “I’m ready to go right now.”
“They’re still inside, but once Naomi starts posting lines from his journal on Twitter, he’ll eventually take Mara with him and meet Naomi at the gas station,” Kendall said. He was the most hyped about shutting Anthony down, which was understandable. While Cole and Noah had received plenty of crap from the jerk, Kendall had been ‘friends’ with Anthony since middle school. He’d put up with all of his badmouthing and fights silently, and giving him a taste of his own shady, underhanded medicine was going to be sweet.
“What’s her plan after that?” Cole asked.
“Oh, nothing. She’s not gonna be there, but she’ll tell him to wait for her. That’ll give you two enough time to get in, grab Robert and Amber-Lynn, and get out.” Cole nodded with intent. While he was excited to break in and save Robert, getting caught and the possibility of a confrontation was a bit worrisome. He didn’t have to worry too long, because a moment later, Laura excitedly said,
“Okay, okay, she started tweeting. Get ready to run across the street when you see them turn the corner.” Her eyes flicked between the phone in her hands and the front door of Mara’s home. The rest of the car fell silent. Despite his better judgment, Noah reached out and squeezed Cole’s hand reassuringly. They shared a smile. Across the street, they watched Mara stumble out after an upset Anthony. He seemed huffier than usual, and Laura couldn’t resist smiling at his unhappiness. They both climbed into his Jeep and backed out of the driveway. Noah gripped the door handle, and the moment his Jeep rounded the corner, the two boys hopped out of the car and darted across the street.
Just as Naomi had promised, there was a spare key under the doormat. Cole scooped it up and fumbled to unlock the door. He then returned it to the hiding place and entered. Once they were in, Noah closed and locked the door. He glanced down at the note on the end table near the door. It was from Mara’s parents about how they’d be out of town for the weekend. Noah shook his head. Knowing Anthony, he probably thought that they’d be able to hookup without interruptions.
“Alright, we’ll split up and look for the babies. If I find them, I’ll yell your name. Same goes for you,” Cole said.
“Let’s just hurry,” Noah said, heading upstairs to look. Cole scanned over the living room, taking note of the grocery bags still sitting on the coffee table.
“Someone doesn’t know how perishables work,” he muttered to himself before walking down the hall. The first door on his right was a closet, and on his left was a bathroom. He closed the doors and opened the last one on the right. The room was much bigger than he’d thought, but there were no babies inside. It must have belonged to Mara’s parents. He closed the door and turned around, walking through the kitchen to see if there were any rooms left. The only door led out to the backyard, where tables and chairs surrounded the pool. Cole muttered how dangerous it was to keep a radio next to the pool before turning around to leave. On the counter he spotted an unopened pack of gum and swiped it. Nobody would miss it.
“Cole!” he heard Noah yell from upstairs. Without a second thought, he bounded up the stairs, following the sound of the other boy’s voice. He found Noah standing in what appeared to be Mara’s bedroom – if the One Direction posters were any indication. Sitting in the corner were two baby carriers, each with an infant inside. Noah was squatting, trying to open the lock on Robert’s. Cole dropped to his knees, removing the seatbelt and pulling Robert into his arms. With his free hand, he popped Amber-Lynn upside the head.
“Ugly ass baby,” he muttered. The soft noises Robert made meant he was sleeping. Cole smiled at Noah before handing him their child. He figured Noah would need more time with the baby since Robert had been taken the day Noah was supposed to care for him.
“I hate to admit it, but…” Noah said.
“You missed him?”
“Hell yes, I missed him,” he grinned. Cole smiled and picked up Amber-Lynn’s carrier and bag. He made sure her second diaper and bottle were inside before slinging it over his shoulder. He watched Noah close his eyes and gently squeeze Robert. It was as if Cole could actually see his stress fade away. All of the worry fell off of his shoulders the moment he held the baby. After a silent moment to bask in their reunion, Noah returned him to his carrier and buckled him up.
“Make sure to grab his –,”
“His bag, I know. Don’t worry, Cole.”
“Sorry,” he chuckled. Noah adjusted the bag and his carrier and started for the door. He paused and walked into Mara’s bathroom. He grabbed her toothbrush, scrubbed the tiled floor and the inside of the toilet with it, and returned it to the counter. Cole’s mouth fell open in shock.
“It’s what she deserves for stealing Robert,” he said mischievously. Cole laughed and followed the boy downstairs. They looked around the living room and kitchen to make sure everything looked the same as it had before they entered. That’s when they heard the sound of closing doors outside. Cole’s stomach dropped and he peeked through the curtains on the window. Rather than there being a Jeep in the driveway, there were two other cars; one was green and the other was cobalt blue. Cole’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he scrambled to get it out.
“What the hell’s going on?” Noah asked.
“Hello?”
“Cole, either get out of there or hide, now!”
“Paul, what’s happening?” Cole watched a few familiar faces walk up to the front door and search for the key under the doormat. He dragged Noah up the stairs. “Paul?”
“I – I don’t know! Kacey, hand me that paper. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah, okay, no I didn’t write the address down wrong. This is definitely Mara’s house. I don’t know who these people are, but you need to get out of there.”
“Okay, well I don’t know how! They just walked in!” Cole and Noah hurried back into the bedroom and softly closed the door. “I thought Naomi said nobody would be home and –,”
“Shit. Shit, shit,” Paul interrupted.
“What, what?”
“Goddamn it, Kacey!”
“Paul! What the fuck is going on?”
“Kacey, she – ugh, fuck. That paper she gave me to write Mara’s address down on was a fucking invitation.”
“To what?” Cole asked, pressing his other ear to the door. He had to make sure nobody was coming upstairs.
“To her party. She’s having a party tonight.”
“She’s… a party tonight. Of course. She’s having a party tonight,” he said to Noah.
“The groceries Anthony was bringing over earlier. The note next to her door. Of course,” he groaned.
“How many people are outside?” Cole asked.
“There’s only three cars now, but you know how her parties are. Everyone comes over.” Cole wanted to throw his phone across the room. Instead, he put Amber-Lynn back in the corner and tossed her bag into her lap.
“Well, can’t we just pretend we were here for the party and sneak out the back?”
“You could have,” Paul replied.
“Could have? Why do you say could?”
“I guess Anthony called Naomi’s bluff, or Mara got sick of waiting in the parking lot, because they just came around the corner.” Out of frustration, Cole hung up and put the phone back in his pocket. Noah stared at him with wide eyes, looking for some kind of instruction.
“What’s happening?”
“Anthony and Mara just came back from the gas station. She’s having a fucking party. And everyone’s gonna be here. So we’re stuck.” They heard the front door close and a few people shout a welcome. Soon there were footsteps up the stairs and the boys both heard the distinct sound of Anthony laughing. Noah dragged Cole into the closet with him, scooting far to the side to make room for the both of them. The moment Cole closed the closet door, the bedroom door opened and Mara and Anthony entered, his hands on her waist.
“Just like you to choose sex over blackmail,” she grinned, pushing him down on the bed. She locked her bedroom door and began unbuttoning his jeans. Cole suddenly felt as sick as Paul did. Anthony ran his fingers through her hair while she undressed his waist.
“Just make sure it was worth the blackmail, baby,” he smirked.
“I give the best head in California. Now, shut up and enjoy,” she said. Cole glanced at Noah who was trying not to laugh. As much as he wanted to watch the horrific act going down, he couldn’t stare through the slats of her closet door. The wet sucks and slurps turned his stomach too much and he averted his eyes. Noah leaned down and whispered into Cole’s ear.
“You’re better at that than she is.” Cole buried his face into Noah’s sleeve and stifled his laughter. The last thing they needed was to have their cover blown. There was already too much blowing going on for Cole anyways.
“Damn, you look so beautiful. Yeah, keep that up, baby. Shit.”
After what felt like hours but was only four minutes, Anthony made the most disgusting noise yet and finished. To Cole’s surprise, Mara didn’t spit. She wiped her mouth and stood up to leave. Without a look back, she returned to her party. Anthony was left to wipe himself off, and that’s when Cole saw what the guy was working with. Ah. Well that explained it. Cole whispered into Noah’s ear this time.
“Now I see why he’s so angry at the world.” Noah snickered softly, biting down on his fist to keep from getting loud. Meanwhile, Anthony was clearly satisfied. He zipped up his jeans and followed her downstairs. After a moment of silence, the boys broke into a fit of laughter. They sat down in the closet, unable to keep quiet any longer. Thankfully the music bumping downstairs was louder than they were.
“I give the best head in all of California,” Noah said, mimicking Mara’s voice.
“You look so beautiful with my Vienna sausage in your mouth, damn, baby,” Cole added.
“Holy hell,” Noah exclaimed, holding his sore stomach. Their laughter faded into dramatic sighs.
“We’re gonna be stuck here all night, aren’t we?” Cole asked.
“Yep. All night long.”
“Fantastic.”