A Little Bit of Trouble (26 page)

     “Stop it,” she says but her voice is breathless. I know that voice, that’s her horny voice. With a smug smile I kneel between her legs, keeping one arm clamped over her hips to stop her from scrambling away and pull her panties down. She tries but to no avail. “God. You’re so annoying.”

     “Glad to hear you’re finally using the appropriate name for me!” I slide back up her body and lean on my elbows so my face is above hers.

     “What?” she laughs once. “Annoying?”

     “No baby. God.” I give her a chaste kiss on the lips and collapse on top of her.
And then I push myself between her legs and slide into her wet depths with a groan. “You’re always so wet for me babe.”

     “Yeah, you owe me a lot of new underwear,” she starts giggling and wriggles her hips, then stops and moans. After inhaling deeply she murmurs, “I’m still pissed at you.”

     I slide out and back in, “I know. Go to sleep.”

     “We’re not having sex?”

     I shake my head, “No, it’s extra security. If you leave, my dick will get cold and I’ll wake up.”

     Her mouth opens, I kiss it. “You’re an ass.”

     “Yep. Good night.”

     “You’re crushing me.”

     “You’ll be fine.”

     And then I sleep.

    
“Remind me why we’re doing this again,” I grumble as we take a left towards the middle of nowhere. “It’s late, the girls should be in bed.”

     “It’s one night Lucas,” she snaps and exhales deeply. “When did you get so boring?”

     “I am not boring.”

     “Whatever,” she scoffs and I can feel an argument brewing so I remain silent.

     I look out over unfamiliar surroundings, “Where are we?”

    “Will you stop fucking moaning?” she practically shouts. “I just want to do this one thing, this one nice thing for my family and all you do is fucking moan!”

    “Crystal,” I sigh but she’s already pulling over and climbing out of the car. I watch her stomp and snarl under her breath as she paces the length of the car. With another sigh I climb out and walk around to her. “Get back in the car. I’m just tired.”

     “You’re always fucking tired! We never do anything anymore!” she shrieks.

    I laugh in disbelief, “You’re so full of shit.”

    “Excuse me?”

    “You heard me. I said you are full of shit. It’s not me who doesn’t want to have sex anymore. It’s not me who is always fucking late from work! It’s not me who is always starting shit at home!”

     She laughs a little manically, “Oh that’s rich… coming from you. I don’t want to have sex because it’s fucking boring. The same shit every single time.”

     “What are you saying?” My heart stammers. “You don’t like having sex with me?”

     Her face softens, “No Lucas. I love having sex with the old you. Not this you.”

     “There’s no fucking difference you crazy bitch! It’s you that’s changed! Forever moaning at me for every fucking thing from forgetting to put the milk back to asking you to make me a drink.”

     She rolls her eyes, “Well maybe if you would be more considerate.”

    “Considerate? I’m the one that works twelve fucking hours a day and then I come home and look after the girls.” Now I’m really pissed off. “All you care about are your stupid fucking photos and your stupid books.”

     “Fuck you Lucas!”

     “That’s the problem,” I grip her arms. “You won’t fuck me.”

     “So fucking leave me, go find a whore to fuck. It’s not like you haven’t before.”

     I nod and pull the car door open, “Yeah. You’re right. I will.”

    Her mouth drops open in horror, “You wouldn’t. Don’t bullshit Lucas. We both know you wouldn’t leave me.”

     “Like you’ve said,” I tug my seatbelt across and secure it. “I’ve changed.”

     “So you want a divorce?”

     I shrug, “Right now, I’m not responding. I’m angry, you’re angry, we’re always fucking angry. I love you but sometimes I really fucking hate you.”

     “And right now?”

    “Right now I wish you’d just fuck off,” I bite out angrily. Tears instantly fill her eyes and spill down her cheeks. Ah shit. “Babe, don’t cry.” I pull her to me over the console, she sobs into my neck. “Please babe. I’m sorry.”

     “Can we just stop arguing? It’s not healthy for the girls,” she sniffs. I nod in agreement. “I’m sorry too.”

     “I know,” I whisper. We set off after five minutes more of cuddling. “I love you Crystal.” I kiss her temple and relax back into my seat. “And you’re really sexy when you’re mad.”

    She giggles and it happens.

    There’s a flash of lights, I reach for the wheel, it’s too late. Crunch. I watch as Crystal’s head hits the side window on impact, something hits us from behind we’re jolted forward again. Amelia starts wailing, something smashes and hits me on the back of the head. It burns, my entire body fucking hurts. Warm liquid trickles down my neck, everything flashes past the windows in a blur of movement. We are jolted again, there’s a loud bang and the car feels like it has jumped. More movement, fuck, I feel sick. I want to react, respond, grab Crystal and hold her back but nothing works. My body is numb. It’s like I’m not even here, like I’m watching whatever the fuck this is from the side.

    “Annie, Amelia,” I call as soon as the car comes to a stop
, Amelia is still wailing. Why’s the blood rushing to my head? Shit. We’re upside down. “Is everyone okay?” I turn to Crystal, with what little strength I have I touch her hand. “Baby. Please.” There’s blood soaking her neck.

    “Oh my god, oh my god,” I hear someone shrieking. “Sir, do not put your head back.”

    “Help us,” I croak, Amelia falls silent.

    “Sir, we’re gna get the baby out of the car,” someone else says.

    “No, don’t move her,” my voice is barely above a whisper. I can smell smoke. Fuck, I can’
t breathe! “Don’t… don’t move any of us.”

     “I can’t hear him. What’s he saying? Is the ambulance on its way?”

     “Dude, we’re going to fucking jail.”

     I shut out their conversation and look at my wife. Her arms are dangling down, her hair and hands resting on the roof of the car. She gasps, she’s still breathing.

    “Baby?” I say softly and touch her cheek. I wish I hadn’t as she starts spluttering and a flow of blood spills from her lips, over her nose and eyes. No… NO!
My heart stops. “Please baby. No. Don’t… don’t leave me.”

    
“NO!” I sit bolt upright, my body is clammy with sweat. “Shit.”

     “Lucas?” Loryn calls sleepily. I feel her hand touch my sweaty shoulder. “Jesus Lucas. Are you okay?”

     Without answering I stumble from the bed and practically fall into the bathroom before darting into the shower and turning on the cold spray. Nausea overwhelms me, I feel so sick.

     “Lucas?” Loryn calls again. I see her outline through the frosted glass. “Lucas? You’re scaring me.”

     “Get out,” I grumble and bury my face in my hands. “I need to be alone.”

     “Lucas. Please.”

     “Fuck off!” I snarl angrily. I’m not angry at her, I’m angry at myself. I’m angry at the fact I’m alive when I shouldn’t be. I’m angry that I’m finally starting to get the memories back that I wished I never would. “I can’t… deal right now.”

     The shower door opens, she clearly won’t take the hint. Nude Loryn stands before me, normally I’d stare at her beautiful nakedness but right now all I can see in my mind is the blood. So much fucking blood painting my upturned wife’s face red. She can’t breathe, the blood is going into her nose.

     “Shit that’s cold,” Loryn sinks onto her knees in front of me. “Whatever it is… I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

     I don’t say anything, I just sit until our lips turn blue. It’s then that she turns the heat up and climbs onto my lap. Her lips touch my neck as the now hot spray hits our bare skin.

     “I love you Lucas, don’t ask me to leave,” she mumbles and kisses my neck once more. “Because I won’t.”

     We stay in the shower until our skin wrinkles and can’t take any more moisture. Words are left unspoken, my heavy heart becomes solid stone as we get dressed in the bedroom. All I can see is red, and not because of anger, but because of blood. So much blood. I don’t know how I manage it but somehow I actually fall back to sleep.

My Woman… Mine

     We eat breakfast in silence, Amelia has already finished hers and is playing in the living room. Loryn glances at me every so often, I know she wants to ask about last night but I’m grateful that she doesn’t.

     “Greg will be here to pick me up soon,” she says quietly.

     My hands clench into fists, “You’re coming with me.”

     “No I’m not. We’re going to walk the dogs, a couple of them need training before they go to their new homes. I offered my help to his mom.”

     “Then go and help his mom, not him.”

     She sighs with exasperation. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

     “I don’t like him.”

     “You don’t even know him.”

     “I know he wants to fuck you and that’s enough for me!” I growl and stand abruptly. “Do whatever the fuck you want.”

     She shrugs and stands facing me, “I will, don’t worry. Cal
l me when you’ve calmed down.”

     She leaves not long before I do, I don’t see her out. I’m sulking. I don’t want her to go with Greg. How the fuck am I supposed to look after her when she’s with that douche? Yes, okay, maybe I’m being a little bit obsessive but
… she’s mine. Not his.

Talk about a toddler claiming a toy!
Whatever.

     Well Summer and Chris were right, their house is awesome and huge and so bright. It’s similar to the house Crystal and I owned except this one is bigger. Chris definitely got a raise.

    Summer kisses me on the cheek and immediately takes Amelia to the garden to play on the tire swing as Chris helps me with my tools.

     “Thanks for coming man,” Chris says and leads me through to the huge den. “I need help fixing this.” He pats the wooden design around the open fireplace. Haven’t seen an open fireplace for a few years now. It’s sweet. The wooden frame of sorts has come loose. “If I tried doing it I’d end up wrecking it. Can you handle it?”

     I nod, “Yeah, no problem.” We get started.

     Summer comes in after a few minutes with cold drinks for us both
on a shiny metal tray, “I feel like a little house wife. This is awesome.”

     “Whenever I call you that you tell me I’m a sexist bastard,” Chris scoffs in disbelief.

     “Baby, when you say it you mean it in a sexist way.” She rolls her eyes and looks at me, “He says and I quote. Baby go and get me a beer like a good little housewife.” I start laughing with Chris and high five him which earns us both a slap around the head from Summer. “Men!”

     Five tiresome hours later I’m happy to report there isn’t a loose bit of wood in this entire house. Summer and Amelia go around with a sweeping brush and a
vacuum and clean up the mess we left behind as Chris and I sit on deck chairs in the back garden, completely depleted of energy.

     “Good little house husbands,” Summer says and pats us both on the head.
“Hungry?”

     “
Ung,” we both respond, meaning yes.

     “I’ll go order pizza.”

     “Ung,” we both repeat, meaning thank you.

Lucas
: Are you staying at mine tonight?

Loryn
: Not tonight.

Lucas
: Why not?

Loryn
: Because I’ve been at yours all week and I need to pack. I’m moving to Marie’s tomorrow! Or have you forgotten?

Lucas
: You have about 5 things to pack.

Loryn
: You are such a fucking ass hole!

Lucas
: Is Greg there?

     She doesn’t reply, I’m surprised the vice like grip I have on my phone doesn’t shatter it.

     “What’s up?” Chris asks, clearly sensing my anger rise.

   “Women.”

     He nods as if agreeing. No explanation needed.

     “What’s wrong Lucas?” Summer asks, also sensing my anger as she enters the yard with Amelia behind her. They’ve just ordered pizza I’m guessing. “You’re red in the face.”

     That’s because my blood is fucking boiling in my veins. “
Loryn.”

     “Is she okay?”

     I grumble under my breath, “Oh yeah, I’m sure Greg is tending to her needs.”

Lucas
: Is Greg there? Answer me!

     “He’s her friend.”

     I look at Chris for back up, “Would you let Summer hang around with someone who you know wants to screw her brains out?”

     Chris shakes his head and pulls Summer onto his lap, “Not a chance in hell.”

     “He’s her friend.” She repeats with an eye roll.

     “Why are females so oblivious when it comes to men? It’s so damn obvious sometimes!”

    Summer shrugs, “Maybe because you’re reading too much into it.”

    “Or maybe Loryn isn’t reading into it enough,” Chris states. Yes, exactly. “I’d be furious. You gonna go check on her?”

     I want to but no. “Nope, I’m going to have pizza and chill.”
And this is exactly what I do. Well it is until Marie and Jacob arrive with a case of beer, and it is until after a round of Monopoly and shots I get tipsy and Summer puts Marie in a spare room.

Lucas
: Is Greg still there?

     “Stop texting her,” Marie snorts, Summer has filled her in on the details. “She’s not cheating on you.”

     “I’m not worried about that. I’m worried about that asshole putting his hands on my girl.” I gripe and twist my hands in my lap. “What if he attacks her or something?”

     “Now you’re just being silly,” Marie snorts and picks up her phone. “Hi Loryn…” my ears instantly perk up. “What are you up to? Huh.” Her face falls. “Well, we’re having a small gathering at Summer’s new place.”

     “Hello,” Chris waves his hand as if to say, remember me.
“My place too.”

     “You coming?” Marie’s phone conversation continues. “Okay then. No… yes he’s here… no of course he didn’t. Yes, he is.  What did you say you were doing? And why’s that? Oh. Is he okay? Right. Yeah sure. Okay, bye.” She hangs up and shakes her head. “Apparently Loryn is at Greg’s house.” Boiling blood. “She’s already at a small gathering with her old college buddies. They’re reconnecting. Also, Greg slipped over and hit his head but he’s okay.” Such a shame. “She told me to tell you she’ll call you tomorrow when you’ve calmed down.”

     “I am calm,” I hiss through clenched teeth and suck down another shot. “So very calm. Can’t you see the calm just pouring off me?”

     “Talk about possessive, want me to give you a ride?” Marie snickers and Jacob elbows her.

     “You would?” I say with raised eyebrows.

     Jacob shakes his head, “Don’t even think about it. You’ll push her away.” Dammit. “Come on, let’s have another round of monopoly. I wish Maya was here, I still have yet to beat her.”

     “That bitch is crafty,” Summer agrees with a laugh. “She only buys the most expensive on the board and wins every damn time.”

     Marie smirks, “I beat her once.”

     “How?” Jacob asks.

     “I tipped beer over her hotels and screamed, Tsunami! Hope you had insurance,” we all start laughing our asses off, we wouldn’t put it past Marie to do that.

   
Summer adds, “Oh my god, I remember that. And then she slapped you around the face with the board. That was when Maya and I weren’t talking. When she hired a gigolo for me because I said that I needed to get laid.”

     Oh my god, I’ve heard this story but it still cracks me up every time. “
Yeah, back in the days when James was completely smitten with her.” Marie laughs loudly. “He used to send us chocolates and flowers and shit when we were rooming together. Used to beg her to date him.”

     “And let me guess,” I laugh a little. “She shot him down every time?”

     They both nod, Summer continues, “He was completely in love with her. She was there when his dad died you know? She saved his life. Only for an hour but he got to say goodbye to his family because of Maya.”

     This is a story I haven’t heard. I nod for her to continue.

     “Well he had a problem with his lungs, when he was younger he had to have some kind of operation because the skin around the lung collapsed. They knew he wouldn’t live past fifty five. Maya was leaving for Europe just a few weeks after this incident,” Summer clears her throat and tucks her legs beneath her. “Her dad apparently asked her to take some files over to James’ parents, which is odd because normally she’d take them to James’ house but I think he was having work done on his apartment so he was staying there at the time.” She claps her hands together. “Anyway… when she got there James wasn’t in but his dad was. Fortunately Maya doesn’t understand personal space and walked into the house uninvited.”

     Marie sighs, “Good thing too. Because when she reached the den his dad, I think his n
ame was Phillip or something, was on the floor in the living room blue in the face.”

     “Yeah, she started to do CPR, chec
king his airways, she called an ambulance and apparently shouted at the dispatcher because they said she needed to stay on the phone but how could she do CPR at the same time? So she hung up the phone and tried to make him breathe but the air wasn’t filling his lungs. His lungs had filled with fluid.”

     “Apparently, she got a biro pen case cut his throat and slotted it in with some tape to hold it but that didn’t work. By this time she was frantic and had her own dad on the phone. He told her he was on his way but Phillip was dying
she had to act fast. He was pretty much purple, and as bad luck would have it, James walked in, he didn’t have a clue what to do so Maya did the only other thing she could think of. She got another biro pen, and like before took the ink cartridge out, using a sharp knife she cut him between his ribs and slotted the pen into his good lung.”

     “Voila, he instantly started breathing. The ambulance didn’t get there for another five minutes, if she hadn’t have acted he would have died right there,” Marie shudders. “James had broken down, he was crying, he was frantic.”

     “What did she do?” I ask.

     Marie grins mischievously, “She
slapped him and kissed him and slapped him again.”

     “This seems like a pretty big story for them to not repeat,” I frown. “I remember James telling me she saved his father but he didn’t elaborate.”

     “You know what Maya’s like, she doesn’t think what she did was brave
or heroic, James doesn’t bring it up because he watched his father die an hour later. I think it still makes him cry, but yeah, I think that’s when he fell in love with her. All of those emotions, all of that fear and suddenly, the girl you have a huge crush on is snogging your face off and hitting you and doesn’t stop until the ambulance arrives, it’s all horribly romantic,” Marie chuckles and makes a gagging motion with her fingers in her mouth.

     Wow. “So why did Sylvia dislike her so much?”

     “The plot thickens,” Marie giggles and sits o
n her knees. “Well Maya fucked off to Europe not long after the funeral, which she did attend but stayed only for the service. During the time she spent in Europe Sylvia went to visit her a couple of months later, to thank her personally, she was in France already… anyway. When she got there… you know about Paul?” I nod. “Good, well, Maya had recently flown Paul down for a couple of weeks. The same time Sylvia arrived was the same time Paul and Maya were going at it like rabbits in Maya’s apartment. Sylvia knew James loved Maya. It was obvious, we think Maya was his last attachment to his dad apart from his mom of course. When she asked Maya what she was doing, giving herself so quickly to another man. Maya responded, dude we’re just screwing around. Sylvia instantly called Maya’s father who did nothing.”

     “What could he do?” Summer snorts. “Maya was almost twenty, and Paul’s a good man. Her dad wasn’t thrilled about hearing his baby girl was having sex before marriage but what could he say? Maya was independ
ent, she was taking the world by storm. Sylvia didn’t hate her because of this though because she sort of agreed with Maya’s dad. Sylvia hated her after Maya agreed to marry James and she caught Paul and Maya at it… yet again. A few months before the wedding.”

     “I thought she hated her because of her sluttiness?” Marie says looking a little perplexed. “I didn’t know this part of the story! How did I not know?” Join the club.