Twisted (29 page)

"Back off Hunter!  I don't need you to make me feel
better.  I'm doing just fine without you," Aliah shouted, swatting him
away.

"That may be, but we are so much better
together
Aliah.  Please give me another chance," he pleaded.

I couldn't tell whether any of Hunter's words were getting
through to her now, but I knew it would hit her later.  She stormed off to my
car without a response.

"Sorry.  I'll talk to her," I told Hunter, though I
knew better than to make empty promises.  Regardless, I still owed him one for
helping me with Edwin.  I hurried to my car where Aliah was waiting to be let
in.

"Can you please unlock the door?" she demanded,
rude and impatient.

I clicked the button on my keychain and she got in
immediately.  I slipped into the driver seat and immediately detected that she
was on the brink of an emotional melt down.  "Take a breather or you're
going to give yourself a heart attack," I said.

"Can you believe him?" she squealed, ignoring my
advice.  "He actually wants me to believe he's sorry?"

"I don't think he wants Maddie, Ally.  Why else would he
be going to such trouble?"

"Maybe you're right, but what's gonna stop him from
having another
moment of weakness
, as he called it?  It’s bull shit,"
she whined.

"It really sucks, I know.  Chances are so hard to come
by, and I was lucky Edwin gave me another one.  I don't know what I would've
done if he didn't take me back."

"It's not the same," Aliah groaned.

"How's it so different?” I asked.

"There was no sex involved.  That definitely ups the
ante."

"Fine, I'll give you that," I said.  “It’s still
fresh; but that bad feeling in the pit of your stomach will fade eventually. 
And I bet he'd do anything to prove himself to you, if you’d just give him the
chance."

"Yeah, I just can't do it.  It's still all too much for
me.  I believe that there's only one person you’re destined to be with.  I just
can't see how that man whore could possibly be my destiny."

"Well, that's your decision and you make a good point,
but you know Maddie was making it real difficult for him to say no.  She was
throwing herself at him and he is just a man."

"Whatever.  Please don’t repeat his lame excuse.  A
cheater is a cheater."

She was right.  And I agreed.  But I also truly believed that
Hunter was one of the good ones.  Aliah thought so too, or she wouldn’t have
fallen so hard for him.

"I realize that, but you pulling Maddie’s hair and all
didn't exactly help the situation.  It just made him feel sorry for her."

Anger was floating in Aliah’s eyes.  "That bitch totally
took advantage of the situation.  Ugh I hate her!"

"Yeah, shit happens.  What’s new?"

Aliah crawled out of my car.  “I’m not giving that bastard
another chance.  I don’t care what you say.”

The words came out of her mouth, but I could already sense
the strength of them diminishing.  “Okay,” I said.  “Call me if you need me.”

She grunted some unintelligible words and slammed the door
shut.  I waved goodbye and barrelled back to my place, leaving just enough time
to grab a bite to eat.  Edwin and I had a date with the couch.  Survivor was on
at eight and I couldn't be late.

When I walked in my front door, Edwin was sitting at the
couch already and had an iced-mocha latte and a bag from Timmy’s waiting for
me.

"You're here,” he said.  “I was starting to think you
weren't gonna make it in time."

"Babe, you're so sweet.”  I dropped my bag, plopped down
onto the couch and curled up next to him, scooping up my treat.  “Thanks.”

I pulled a big hunk of muffin out of the bag and popped it
into my mouth.  Between my iced-latte, the icy air conditioning and my recent wet
hair, I had to pull on a throw blanket that was conveniently tossed over the back
of the couch.  Our house was absolutely frigid and I loved it.

"My toes are cold," I said, inching them under my
rear.

"I'll warm them up," Edwin said, reaching out an
open palm.

I gladly leaned against the arm of the couch, and let Edwin
work his magic.  He sniffed my feet sensually as he pulled off the fresh
socks.  The pressure of his fingers felt so good, but then Edwin brought my
foot to his lips.

"Eww, stop!" I squealed.  "You know I hate
that.  It’s so gross!"

"If you say so,” Edwin teased, dropping a wet kiss on
the top of my foot.  “I guess your feet will freeze then."  Ignoring my
wincing, he sucked on my baby toe.

I yanked my foot away and jammed it under his butt to warm
them up, with an unconvincing pout on my lips.  Edwin smiled and I knew it was
because he would lick my every toe if I let him.  I never would.

The show started and we watched it, picking our usual sides
and playfully arguing for our favourite player.  After that, an old episode of
Community came on and we left it on in the background as we talked about our
day.  Before long Edwin was kissing me, but it was soft and innocent, being
that I had already satisfied him earlier in the day.  Twice.

By 10:30 we were both ready for bed, the joys of working a
9-5, so we hit the sack.  Our sleeping arrangements had been sporadic ever
since our trip.  Though we had slept in the same bed together every night
since, we both loved our own beds so much that we had to agree to switch beds
every couple of nights to be fair.

"My bed tonight baby!" I cheered, skipping to my
room.

Edwin followed me, though much less enthusiastic about it.  I
hadn't found the right time to have that serious conversation about our future
together yet, but I knew it was only a matter of time.  If we were going to
make our house a family home, then we would have to start living that way.

As I lay next to Edwin quietly in bed, I thought about how I
would bring it up without totally freaking him out.  He wasn't exactly
commitment-phobic, but I knew stunning him with it was a bad idea.  I would
have to ease in on it.

"Want to have sex?" Edwin asked.

"We had sex this morning," I reminded him.  “And at
lunch.”

"So.  We used to always have sex at least twice a day, usually
three times or more."

"Yeah, but it's not possible for a couple to keep that
up forever.  Besides, I had a long day and I'm exhausted."

"Fine," he replied, but from the tone I knew the
pleading wasn't over.

A few seconds later, "Seriously Abby, I need sex.  Your
skin's so soft, it's turning me on.  If you don't have sex with me I’ll never
fall asleep."

"Edwin!"

"I'll do the dishes for you tomorrow."

"Hah!  You say that now, you gonna put that in
writing?" I teased.

"Yeah, tomorrow."

"Mmm, hmm.  I'm not in the business of giving the
service before I get paid.  I know the odds."

"You can bet on me," he said, deviously.  “You know
I always deliver."

He leaned in close and kissed me tenderly, his hands
delivering a gentle caress.  Though I tried to fight off his advances, so I
could worry about our future, he won me over with his touch.  We made love,
quick and efficient, and before I knew it, I was back in happy land.

"That was quick," I said, still tingling from head
to toe.

"Yeah, but it was good," he replied confidently.

"Very good.  Can I go to sleep now?"

"I meant to ask you earlier tonight… but I forgot. 
Don't get mad," Edwin said, freaking me out.

"Forgot what?" I asked anxiously, instantly taking
my roundtrip back to worry land.

"I want to take you to the Corset Caves this weekend.  I
was going to surprise you, but I don't want to piss you off.  Are you
mad?"

"No.  But isn't it the Festival of Lights this weekend? 
We can't miss it, we go every year."

"Oh shit, yeah.  Well, if we go early in the morning, we
should have enough time to explore the caves during the day and be back in time
for the light show."

“Okay," I said, too exhausted to argue.  “Night Eddie,"
I sputtered through a hushed yawn.

He settled in and hooked his arm around me.  "Night Abs."

"Love you," I whispered, pulling his warm hand up
under my chin and tucking him close behind me.

"Love you too babe."  He snuggled his face in my
soft, messy hair.

Ahh, silence at last.  Time to return to my worries in the
safety of my own head.  But as I tried to focus my burdened brain, a foggy haze
swept over my eyes, closing my heavy lids and shutting out the night.

I AM NOT
A morning person.  I have never been a morning person.  I will never be a
morning person.  Nevertheless, someone had decided to wake me from my peaceful
slumber at the bright and early hour of 6:05 am.  To awake to the sound of the
insufferable ring of the phone can only be described as debilitating.

"Can you get that," I moaned in aggravated
frustration.  I swept my hand over the bed behind me and found it vacant and
cold.  The realization that Edwin was already out of bed just stoked my
annoyance with a marshmallow roaster.  The phone did not stop and, unable to
bear another chime, I steam rolled out of the bed and jammed all the buttons
with my eyes half closed.

"Hello?" I snarled.

"Abby… is that you?" a woman whispered.

"What," I growled incoherently, still having
difficulty finding consciousness.

"Can you talk?" she continued quietly.

"Who the hell is this?" I asked, finally coming to.

"It's Maddison."

Stunned, I tried to conjure up why Maddison would be calling
me at such an hour, but came up short.  "Why are you whispering?" I
asked, suddenly very curious.

"I don't want Edwin to hear what I have to say."

I could hear the hum of the jets and the water streaming
around our deep tub.  That would explain why Edwin didn't pick up the phone.  "You
don't have to worry, Edwin's in the shower.  So what is it that couldn't wait
for work?"

"I'm so sorry for bugging you, but I didn't know who
else to call.  Can you promise to keep a secret?  Even Edwin can’t know."

"You know I won't do that Maddie, but I can lend an ear
if I must."

"Then promise me.  Promise me that you'll help me first
and judge later," she demanded.  I could sense the tears trickling into
her eyes, stifling her voice.

"What is it?"

"Promise!" she cried.

Secrets can murder your relationship.  That's not exactly
classified information.  And yet I can’t even tell Edwin that I want a baby. 
It was way too early to be thinking such heavy, unstable thoughts and
attempting to rationalize them, but what am I so afraid of? 
Secrets will
murder your relationship.

"Fine.  I promise.  But I'm not keeping it from Edwin if
he asks.  You know as well as I do that secrets are a relationship killer.  I
doubt Edwin will care anyway.  Now tell me."

After a lengthy silence, I started to really worry.  What
could be that important?  "Are you injured?" I asked.

"No!" she cried.

"Dying?" I asked softly, more concerned than ever.

"No, damn it!  I'm pregnant."

I’M
PREGNANT?
 
THAT was the last thing I expected to
hear.  The nightmare for Maddie had just begun and, at the risk of Edwin
hearing my shock, I tried to reserve my tongue.

"What?"  I gasped, and then covered my mouth with
my hand after noticing my pitch.

 "I know.  I've taken like every test the pharmacy has
and they all say pregnant.  I thought I could sleep it off, you know?  But
nope… still pregnant."

Maddie started to cry hysterically and suddenly my
selfishness stifled me.  I recognized the sound of the shower curtain as Edwin
flung it open. 
Shit!
  Maddie needed a friend, a shoulder and a sounding
board, and with Edwin on the prowl I wouldn't be able to console her.

"Maddie, Edwin is coming.  I have to let you go.  Where
are you now?"

"I'm at home," she sobbed, wiping away the snot
with her shirt sleeve.

"Okay, I'm gonna get ready for work and then I'll be
over as soon as I can."

"Hurry, please," she cried.

I cradled the handheld in the receiver, but it was too late. 
Before I spun around, I knew Edwin had entered the room.  A fluffy, mocha-brown
towel was wrapped loosely around his hips, his hair still wet and spiky.  His
eyes were warm and relaxed, but they still revealed his curiosity.  He knew
something was up. 
Shit!

Secrets can murder your relationship.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"Maddison," I answered promptly.