Holly Madison (Sins of the Father, 2) (10 page)

Tristan is on time—six o’clock sharp—and we are on the back of his Harley by six oh five.

We ring the doorbell and there were two instances of, “Coming!”  One sounded like Olivia and the other was Jake.  Jake won out, opening the door and pulling me into his arms for a bear hug of epic proportion.  The last time I saw him, I was riding on his back out of El Chili Rojo, drunk out of my gourd.

Once he puts me back to my feet and gives his brother a manly hug and slap to the back, I look over to the sunken living room, which has floor-to-ceiling windows, giving an amazing view of the foothills.   Three steps up leads to a vast kitchen that sits in the center of the house, facing the living room over a breakfast bar.  Next to that, there is a dining room that has a sliding glass door that opens up to the wraparound deck of the house.  On that deck is where Jim is grilling. 

I look to the family room and see Braden, Emma, and a beautiful blonde I have never met along with the cutest little boy who looks like her spitting image, only he’s missing two teeth in the front.  

I smile at them and throw out a, “Hey!”  I get a few heys back as I step down into the living room, squeezing my way in between Braden and Emma, placing my hand on her slightly swollen belly.  I lean in and coo, “Hey, baby girl.”

“Baby girl?  You mean baby boy,” Braden corrects.  “My sperm is strong.  It creates boys.”

Emma and I roll our eyes and giggle. 

“It’s going to be a girl and we’re going to dress her up in anything and everything pink that we can find,” I respond.

Braden, Tristan, and Jake all groan. 

The sliding glass door opens and Olivia comes barreling through it with a tray full of cooked brats.  Emma and I leave the men to themselves and go to see what we can do to help. I wrap my arms around Olivia from behind and give her a tight squeeze before releasing her. 

Emma clasps her hands together.  “What can we do?”

“Do you know how to make potato salad?”

“I sure do.  I could also eat it by the gallon.”

“Everything’s all set out.”  Olivia jerks her head to the counter across the kitchen next to the fridge. 

Emma bounces to the setup and gets to work.

“How about me, Livs?  Whatcha got that I can help with?” I inquire. 

Olivia jerks her head to the breakfast bar, where onions and peppers, a cutting board, and a butcher knife are placed.  “You get the honors of chopping the toppings, gorgeous,” she replies. 

When I move to the veggie station and get to chopping, the sound of the sliding glass door opening catches my attention.  Jim’s head pops in.

He asks, “Can someone get me a beer?  A man has to have a beer at all times while grilling his meat.”

I smile at him and rush to the fridge to get our chef a beer. 

“Thanks, darlin’,” he says with a wink and resumes manning his grilling station.

About an hour later, we are all sitting at the picnic table on the back porch.  I

look around the table as everyone digs into their burgers, brats, and chicken, actually feeling like a part of something.  Something bigger than what I had growing up.  I felt like a part of a unit.  The closest to a big family unit that I have ever experienced.

My mother was amazing, so I don’t want to discount her, but when my father went to jail, everyone in our family alienated us.  It was as if we had done it to that poor woman ourselves.  A guilty-by-association charge with no possibility of parole.  She had to uproot me to a new town because the kids were brutal and their parents were even worse.  They all knew what my father had done and they weren’t going to let me live my life forgetting it either.  I was pushed, kicked, and tripped from behind.  One day, a group of kids chased me all of the way home from the bus stop while throwing rocks at me and hollering, “Your daddy is a killer!”

That is what did it for Mom.  She didn’t want to see me pay for the sins of my father any longer.  So we moved from Spartanburg to Saluda, which is a town over from Tryon, and we began a new life.  That’s where I met Emma.  We became the best of friends instantly. 

I never told her why my father is in jail.  One day, it’ll come out.  It always does.  I know she won’t judge me though.  She would never do something like that. 

I glance across the table and see Tristan’s eyes on me.  He is beaming.  I peer down at my plate and grin.  I feel his foot nudge mine under the table, my grin morphing into a full-blown smile.  Things are going really well with the two of us.  I just hope that we can keep up this streak.

The food is delicious.  Jim really knows his way around a grill.  The conversation at the table is light and easy.  Everyone is clearly comfortable with one another and it all flows freely.  The men talk sports while we ladies discuss Olivia’s business venture with Charlena.

Olivia goes on and on about the new product line and the difference between a clitoral vibrator and a ten-speed G-spot vibrator.  Ten speeds!  Somehow, I get roped into hosting a toy party. 

When all finish up with our meal, we lug our dirty dishes to the kitchen, and now, I am sitting in the living room, surrounded by the women in my life and a newbie.  Her name is Claire and her son’s name is Jett.  He runs between the deck, where the boys are drinking beer and talking man speak, and us as we drink wine (except for Emma, who is nursing a glass of milk) and discuss women things.  Claire is here with Jake, and I wonder if this is the girl from the strip club I’ve heard so much about.  If so, I would be shocked considering how sweet and lovely she is.  Completely unlike someone I would think of as a stripper.  Then again, I don’t know anyone who is a stripper.

So I’m chillin’ with my home girls when, out of the blue, Emma, the nosy little bitch, inquires, “How are you and Tristan doing?” 

To avoid answering her question for just a spell, I take a sip of wine and answer with my own question.  “Pardon me?”

“It looks like you roped him in, honey,” Olivia notes. 

Shit.
  I can’t talk about this with her.

“I, yeah, well…” I start but trail off, unsure of how to respond to them. 

“Well, babe, we’re very excited to see the two of you finally working things out,” Emma says. 

That really makes me smile.  She smiles back. 

“Be careful, honey.  I love my brother with all of my heart.  Just be careful.”  My gaze moves to Olivia.  She leans in and warns, “Do not let Tristan get away with anything.  He’s gotten away with everything all of his life because of what happened to him with Mom.  I get that he has a right to some of the shit he’s done to work it out, but there is no excuse, shitty circumstances in his past or not, to hurt someone else.  Especially someone as beautiful as you.  Got me?”

“I—“I begin, but I get cut off by Emma.

“Tristan is a good man, Olivia.  People grow up.  From what I’ve seen out of him lately, he’s making a lot of progress.  Trying to be a good person.  And I think that he’s doing it for you,” she finishes, tipping her chin at me at the end.

I am so relieved that she feels the same way that I do.  I have seen Tristan’s remarkable transformation firsthand. 

“I understand that, but he does have a questionable past.  My only concern is that he may not be ready for you yet,” Olivia said. 

My head jerks back in her direction.

“Olivia!” Emma snaps.  “Give him a break.  Everyone has their demons.  Some take longer to work through than others.”

“How is the sex?” a small, shy voice asks. 

All three of us gape at Claire, who is looking back at us like a scared deer. 

“I, well… It’s… We’ve only done it a few times, but—“I stammer, not sure why I didn’t just tell her that I don’t share with strangers.

“I’m sorry.  I was out of line.  It’s just—“

“No, that’s a great question,” Emma interrupts.  “Is he attentive to your needs?  Does he make sure he carries you to the finish line before he gets his in?”

“Jesus Christ.  Why the hell must you females do this to me?  Do you realize how disgusting it is to hear you two horny bitches discuss taking out your hornballish ways on my brothers?” Olivia cries.

“Well, I have to say, your brother Braden is quite the manhandler in the sack.”  Emma giggles while holding her baby bump.

“Tristan can be quite creative.  When he draws an orgasm out of me, it’s mind blowing,” I second.

“You bitches are killing me!” Olivia moans.

“Jake gave me my first orgasm and I have a kid,” Claire giggles.

“LULULULULULULULULULULULULULULULULULU!” Olivia wails.

We all laugh hysterically while teasing Olivia until I have to go to the bathroom and excuse myself to take care of business.

When I finish, I head down the dimly lit hall to return to the living room to rejoin my girls when an image on the wall catches my eye.  I stop and stare at the beautiful woman in the photograph.  She has two little boys holding on to her legs and a baby in her arms.  She has dark-brown hair sprinkled lightly with red highlights and brown eyes that barely contain their glow.  She is a happy woman with an indescribable smile.  She is also very familiar.  Maybe it’s because she is clearly Tristan’s mother, but there is something else about her that I can’t quite put my finger on.

I continue my trek to the living room when it dawns on me.  The impact of the realization hits me like a ton of bricks to the head.  My entire body jerks and I have to use the wall to hold myself up before my knees give out.  I do know that woman in the picture.  I just can’t believe it. 

I saw photos of her after my father went to jail.  They were all over the news.  My mother tried shielding me from it, but it was a wasted effort.  I would see her picture and immediately feel the guilt that was always sure to follow.

I slowly back up to the woman on the wall, tears streaming down my face, and whisper, “No.”  I can’t believe it.  I don’t want to believe it.  This beautiful woman who lost her life way too soon due to the carelessness of my father was the mother of the man and the family I am falling in love with. 

The emotion knocks me off my feet, the air leaving my lungs.  I slide down the wall, knees to chest, wrapping my arms around them as if protecting myself from storm that is sure to come next.  I just need a minute to get my shit together. 
What the hell am I going to do?

I hear footsteps coming down the hall, which snaps me out of it and brings me back to my feet.  I wipe my face from the tears that have stained it. 

Emma eyes me curiously.  “Why are you crying, honey?”

I shake my head rapidly, not willing to answer that question at this time.  “I have to get out of here.”

“Holly?  Talk to me, love.” 

I can’t talk to her.  Not about this.  This could ruin everything.  No, correction.  It
is
going to ruin everything.  After all of these years, it still comes back to haunt me.  I’ll never escape it.  Guilt digs her talons into my skin with such a grip that I will never be rid of it as it threatens to rip the flesh from my bones.

When I pass her, her hand wraps around my arm.  I look down to where we are connected and meet Emma’s eyes. 

“I love you, baby doll, but I just can’t right now.  Okay?”

She gives me an expression of understanding and a light squeeze before releasing me.  I don’t know how I am going to handle this.  What I do know is that, once Tristan and the rest of them find out about me, I will never be welcome in this house or their lives again.  Now that Emma is marrying Braden and having his baby, I wonder what that means for our friendship.