Bad Boy Dom (13 page)

“Michelle, I’ve told you. You’re not sick anymore, you’re better. I’ve told you, it’s no time to talk about that kind of stuff.”

“Domenic,” I started, feeling the air come out of my lungs in a rush. “What happened?”

“You really don’t remember?” Dom looked at me, narrowing his eyes. “Sit down.”

“I think it’s going to rain,” I gestured at the sky, pointing upwards. “And I’m getting cold.”

“Michelle, it’s perfect outside.” Dom settled in his lounge chair and leaned back, with his hands folded behind the back of his head. “Just relax and enjoy the sun. You’ve always been much too uptight, you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” I mumbled, admitting defeat and flopping into my chair. The canvas no longer warm from the sun, and it felt rough against my bare thighs.

“Michelle, we’ve always been together,” Dom started, leaning forward and looking at me. He rested one of his elbows on his knees and thoughtfully rubbed his chin. “Ever since we were little kids.”

“We grew up together,” I said slowly. “We lived right next door to each other.”

“Yes,” Dom agreed. “We did. I’m glad you remember.”

“What else happened?” I asked, my voice sounding sharp. When Dom narrowed his eyes, I managed to squeak out an apology and ask again, sounding nicer this time.

“Well,” Dom said, settling back in his chair and looking pleased. “I do love when you ask me to hear our story again.”

“You’re the best at telling it,” I lied, completely unsure of what was actually going on.

“We were best friends.” Dom grinned at me, looking roguish and very sexy. “We were closer than anything. I asked you on a formal date when we were 15, and we went to junior prom together. And homecoming the next year, and senior prom after that. And then I told you I loved you for the first time.”

“You did?” I asked, sounding skeptical. Even when Dom had dated in high school, I knew it hadn’t been very romantic. He’d only been looking out to get laid, and I couldn’t imagine that he would have gone to three dances with the same girl. Or that he’d even gone at all.

“Oh yes.” Dom looked at me with a very serious look on his face. “Because you’re mine, Michelle.”

“And what happened after that?”

“We went to college together,” Dom said dreamily. “I studied art and you were pre-med. And I proposed to you on the night of college graduation, and you said yes. And we just got married,” he added excitedly. “It was a beautiful ceremony, there were flowers, and art, and everything.”

“Who came?” I asked suspiciously, feeling a few raindrops on my skin. “Dom, it’s raining,” I said again, more urgently this time.

He looked at me like I had three heads. “Everyone came,” he said in a skeptical tone. “All of your sisters, my family.” He broke out into a little grin. “Remember when Ryan surprised us with that beautiful sectional couch? Won’t that look amazing in our new home?”

“I don’t have any sisters,” I said, picking at my ragged cuticles. The rain was beginning to pick up and I screwed up my nose as I felt a few cold drops on my face. Dom looked completely unfazed by the rain, and I wondered if he even noticed that it was happening.

“Michelle,” Dom said in a ‘duh’ voice. “Your sorority sisters, from Tri Delt!”

“I wasn’t in a sorority,” I said flatly. “You know I think those girls are a bunch of fake bitches.”

Dom looked away and leaned back. “I told you, you’re not yourself,” he said, sounding upset. “We should get you back to the hospital.”

“What hospital?” I demanded, getting up from my chair. Lightening flashed in the distance and I felt a very real bolt of fear in my stomach. My skin was freezing cold from being exposed and the warm breeze had turned icy. The water looked angry, and I could see the tide was coming in, making its slow and deliberate way towards our beach chairs.

“The one where you spent a year after college,” Dom said quietly. He looked me in the eye. “You were very sick, Michelle. You said lots of horrible things about the past and accused me of being a horrible human being. You said you were lonely and had no friends,” Dom paused, clearing his throat. He looked like he was getting very emotional. “Sweetheart, you have so many friends, and I just want you to be better and realize that!”

“That’s not true,” I argued. “None of this was true, except for the fact that we grew up together!”

“Then all of it was true,” Dom said with a small smile. He looked tired. “It’s all true.” He reached out to touch me and I had a flash of my past: me, watching Dom seduce some girl at school again for the millionth time. Me, watching Dom watch a naked Desiree in our parents’ living room. I pushed his hand away angrily.

“Dom, fuck you,” I spat, turning away. “I want to go home!”

“We are home,” Dom said in a patient tone. “We’re here, Michelle.” He gestured behind us to a small cottage. “We live here, and I paint.”

“What do I do?” I snapped angrily. “My entire life isn’t just worshiping you!”

“Yes, it is,” Dom said in a cruel voice, glaring at me and showing anger for the first time. “Your job is to follow me around and love me, just like you always have. That’s the only thing you’re good for.”

I felt tears spring to my eyes and I sniffled—even though I had no idea what was going on, I couldn’t believe he was insulting me like that when I didn’t even want to be there! I got up from the beach chair and ran towards the cottage, stumbling. The sand stretched out in front of me, making what looked like a short distance before seem like miles. Thunder clapped overhead and I jumped, twisting my ankle and landing on the sand. I stretched out my arm towards the cottage but it just fell further and further away and I began to cry out of frustration, beating the sand and screaming. Rain started to pour and I looked around for Dom, for our chairs, for anything.

There was nothing. Dom had vanished, the cottage had vanished, the ocean had vanished. I was in a sinkhole of my own mind, clawing and reaching and screaming furiously, desperately searching for-

“Augh!” I screamed, bolting up in bed. My skin was soaked and my heart was pounding, my ragged breath seemed incredibly loud. The house was silent; light from the street lamps outside flowed in through my curtains and painted the floor a weird silvery-white.

I realized it was early Friday morning, the day that Dad and Sandy get home. With a heavy heart, I turned and faced the wall, trying to will myself back to sleep.

When I was finally able to drag myself out of bed, Dom was downstairs, cleaning. After my dream, the usual arousal I felt when I looked at him was tinged with a slight fear. But in the daylight, there was no hint of the Dom that had screamed at me, had called me worthless because I’d love him for so long. Luckily, he didn’t actually know that I felt that way, and now that we weren’t planning to be together, he’d never have to find out.

By noon, the house looked about as clean as it had when Dad and Sandy had left for the honeymoon. Dom made lunch for both of us and left it on the counter, not even bothering to tell me when it was ready. Every time I looked at him, I felt rage boil and bubble within me. It wasn’t fair, and I wanted to scream at him and beat my fists against his chest. It wasn’t fair, but I knew it was what we had to do.

I expected him to come into my room and confess that he’d been wrong. I wanted to hear him say that he loved me and that he’d never let me go. But all afternoon, Dom stayed in his room. I could only imagine that the halfway completed portrait of me was resting somewhere in the trash; there was no way Dom would want to finish it, not after what had happened. I had a weird feeling that he knew about my dream, even though he didn’t make an attempt to bring it up. As long as I waited, no apology came. And when I heard Dad and Sandy pull into the driveway, I realized that no apology was going to come.

Dom must have heard the car, too, because he was downstairs before I’d even opened my bedroom door. He turned and looked at me, holding my gaze as we heard Sandy squealing outside. I bit my lip, hesitating. “Dom?” I called out, swallowing hard.

“Yeah?” He called back, stepping back from the door. Just as I opened my mouth to say something, the front door swung open and Sandy stepped in, looking gorgeous and tan. My dad followed a few feet behind her, pretending to struggle with the luggage. Sandy screamed when she saw Dom and flung her arms around his neck. It was like they’d been gone for months.

“My baby!!!” She squealed, jumping up and down. I could see Dom gently try to pry her hands away as he stepped back, already having forgotten about me.

“Hi, Mom,” Dom replied in a slightly chastened tone. “How was the cruise?”

“Is Michelle here?” Sandy called, looking around and ignoring what her son had asked. “Michelle?!!!!!” She called loudly, not waiting for Dom to answer her.

“I’m here,” I said, coming down the stairs. She rushed up towards me and crushed me in a tight hug that smelled like suntan oil and flowers.

“How are you?” She cooed at me, stroking my hair like I was five. “Did you have a good time?”

“It was fine,” I said flatly, attempting to disentangle from her clutches. “How was the cruise?”

“Ohmygod!” Sandy squealed in one word, and her voice was so loud that I winced. She excitedly began to dig through her bag and emerged triumphantly with her iPhone. “Let me show you pics!” She gushed, opening the phone and scrolling through a blur of sunny, beachy photos.

“Honey,” my dad said, sounding weary. “Maybe we should do some laundry and relax for a while.”

“Archie!” Sandy scolded, giving me an annoyed expression.
Men!
She seemed to say, clearly waiting for me to agree with her. “We
just
got home!”

“Yes dear,” my dad agreed, already sounding like they had been married for years. “I was just thinking it would be a good idea, that’s all.”

“You and your good ideas!” Sandy exploded in a fit of giggles and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. I made a face at Dom, as if to ask ‘is she always this manic?’ Dom ignored me and looked away.

“Well marrying you was one of them,” my dad huffed, starting up the stairs with all three suitcases under his arm. “And you seemed to like it at the time.”

“Oh, sweetie!” Sandy gushed, throwing her arms around my dad and planting a big kiss on his cheek. “I was teasing!!!” She squealed and buried her face in his neck. “My new husband,” she sang in a muffled voice. “I love him!”

Feeling like I was going to vomit, I stepped out of the way and let them pass. Predictably, Sandy chased him into the bedroom and I could hear footsteps and giggling as I headed down the stairs. Dom stood in the foyer, looking contemplative.

“Big family dinner tonight,” he said, stretching his arms up and over his head. “I think Mom’s going to make fish.”

“I don’t think she’s planning on making anything,” I said in a snide tone. “From the looks of it, all she cares about is getting my dad without his pants on right now.”

Dom blushed and looked away, and I felt a stab of pride for making him feel uncomfortable.
Good
, I thought to myself, resisting the urge to rub my hands together.

“So should we plan on helping out then?” Dom asked, sounding neutral and even. Gone was all the passion and teasing from his voice, he was talking to me like he was a bored telemarketer. I shrugged.

“No idea,” I said, in an effort to sound breezy. “I was thinking of going out to look at schools.”

“Don’t be rude, Michelle,” Dom said. He scrunched his face at me. “They just got home, and they’ll want to socialize before you fly off.”

I sighed, knowing that he was probably right. “Fine,” I said, glaring. “Order a pizza. I’ll be in my room.”

Dinner that night was painful. After a few hours, Dad and Sandy emerged from their bedroom. I couldn’t help but think about how fucked up it was that now they were the ones having orgasms in their own house. I had to fight back a wave of desire as I thought about Dom sitting across the table from me, and how easily I’d turned him on. Sandy was all sunburnt and chirpy; she kept talking about how she and Dad just had to go back as soon as possible. My dad was more his usual self: restrained and polite.

“So, Michelle,” my Dad began, clearing his throat. “Have you decided when you’re going to start looking at medical schools for real?”

“I think I’m going to go tomorrow.” I said, swallowing a bite of pizza. “I was going to go tonight, but you know.”

“It’s so sweet that you wanted to hang out with your dad and me!” Sandy gushed, her eyes shining with love and possibly mania.

“Of course,” I lied, looking away. Dom kicked me under the table. “I mean, of course.” I smiled at Sandy and Dad, gritting my teeth. “What was the best part of the honeymoon?”

“Was it swimming with dolphins, honey? Say it was swimming with dolphins!” Sandy chirped, gazing at my dad with a lovesick look on her face.

“I’d say it was probably getting the chance to relax in the peace and quiet.” My dad replied in a dry voice, gazing at Dom and me. I snickered, feeling a heat rise to my cheeks. At least, I didn’t have to worry about my dad going all batty and lovesick just because he was married again.

“I bet that must have been great,” Dom said smoothly, looking between Dad and Sandy. “I’d love the chance see the Caribbean.”

“We’ll all have to go back!” Sandy cheered, glancing around for approval. “Well, what do you say?”

“Sure,” Dom and my dad responded at the same time. She giggled as if it was the funniest thing on earth.

“Maybe.” I shrugged. “I’m going to have a lot going on with school.”

“Oh, that’s right!” Sandy exclaimed. “It’s almost time for you to start!”

“Yeah,” I said, looking down. “That’s what I was talking about earlier.”

“Michelle,” my dad said, staring at me. “There’s no need to be rude.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, getting up from the table. “This is just weird, that’s all. I’m sorry, I’m not really used to being home again with all of you.”

“I know,” my Dad said, visibly softening. “You’ll be on your own again soon.” To Sandy, he turned and said: “She’s touchy when it comes to other people in her space.”

“She’s fine,” Sandy beamed. I got up from the table and grabbed my plate.

“I’m turning in,” I said. “Big day tomorrow of looking at schools.”

“Good night!” Sandy sang, getting up to hug me. She wrapped her arms around me while I awkwardly held onto my plate, trying to avoid spilling pizza on the dining room carpet.

“Night,” Dom called, not looking at me.

“Night, sweetie,” my dad said placidly as he took a bite of his pizza. “You hit ‘em hard tomorrow!”

“I will,” I muttered. “You can be sure of that.”