“Pea, go,” I coaxed again. She ran off, lifting her pajama shirt over her head. “Grace, I don’t know if this is okay for me to say or not. I’m sort of new at this.”
“You can say anything you want. I am always here for you to talk to. Sit down.”
I slid into Pea’s chair and took a deep breath.
“This isn’t about doing taxes, is it? We don’t need to discuss that.”
I smiled a crooked smile and shook my head, “No, it’s about Pea. I sort of wanted to plan this party in our new house. I found this really cool party store online, they can customize everything. I can show you. I wanted to do a lion theme. That’s why I want to take her to the zoo, I want to try and get a good picture of her with the lions, but I don’t want to step on any toes.”
“Oh, good lord, child. Don’t ever worry about that. I love that. A lot. But…”
Oh boy, here it comes.
“Can we come?”
My smile broadened and my head nodded, “Of course you can come! I would love that. Pea would love that.”
“I’m going to call Sarah!” Grace was as bad as Pea, she was over the top excited. “I haven’t been to the zoo in ages.”
My day was filled with joy. I mean absolutely, unforgettable bliss. Pea was going to grow up and be a zoo keeper, or maybe just a lion keeper. Although we did walk through most of the zoo, we spent most of our time with the lions. And I knew exactly what I was getting Pea for her birthday. Her mommy and four cubs needed a daddy. Not only was she going to get a daddy lion, I was going to find her an entire pride. This kid was crazy about the felines. She watched every move, we even ate our lunch sitting at a picnic table in front of the lion habitat. That’s when I decided that I wasn’t even going to think about my dilemma until after her birthday. I would come up with a plan after her party, I was too happy to care right now. I was even happier when I left my girls to answer a call from my man.
“Hello.”
“Hey, where are you?”
“At the zoo with Pea, your mom, and Sarah, why? Where are you?”
“Over at the house. Are you going to be much longer? I have a surprise for you.”
“Our house? You’re not at work?”
“Yes, our house. No, I cut out early. You made me feel guilty.”
“I told you that wasn’t my intention.”
“I know, but you’re right.”
“I am? Does that mean you’re going to slow down?”
“Hmm, probably not, but I am home now. Come home.”
Blake was up to something. I could tell by the tone. “What did you do?”
“What do you mean? I didn’t do anything.”
“I don’t believe you, but let me round up our troops, and we’ll be there.”
“Go home and get clothes first.”
I knew he was up to something. “Clothes for what?”
“Just for the night, and pajamas for Pea.”
“Did you buy furniture without me?”
“Makayla stop asking questions and come home to me, I love you.”
“Love you too. I’ll see you in a little bit.”
What the hell was he doing? If Blake picked out furniture without me, I was going to be pissed with a capital P. I wanted to do it together as a family with Pea. He promised me we would.
“Hey, Pea, your dad is home. He wants us to come to the new house. Grab your things.”
“Are we going to live there now?”
“I don’t know. He said to go home and get clothes. I presume we’re at least staying the night.”
“Yay! Can we go swimming?”
“Maybe, let’s go.”
“Are you in a hurry?” Grace questioned, throwing away trash.
“Kind of,” I smiled. The happy expressions on both their faces instantly made me feel guilty. I was leading everyone on, not just Blake, everyone. But, I wasn’t going to think about that. Not yet. I had three more weeks until Pea’s birthday. Deciding that I deserved it, I allowed myself that. Three weeks of being in love and happy. I was doing that.
Listening to Sarah and Grace plan a movie and dinner warmed my heart. I could see the two of them being best-grandma-friends. My laughter filled the car when they added a bar to their evening. The thought of Grace and Sarah being drunk together was a comical thought. Grace had more of a sense of humor than Sarah, but Sarah said serious, off the wall shit all the time. Sort of like Pea. She always made me laugh over things she herself didn’t laugh at. Pea did that to me all the time, I couldn’t tell if she was serious or not. Sometimes I just waited to find out. Like her real estate license; she may never mention it again, or I could very well be walking around the neighborhood while Pea showed me properties. You just never knew with her. Sarah was like that. She made me frown every time she was around.
Both grandma’s helped me stop thinking about Blake buying furniture without Pea and me. I decided to wait until we got there to know what my reaction would be. If he did well, I might not be mad, but if he bought some sort of hard, silver couch, I would be irate.
What Pea and I walked into was the furthest thing from my mind. After a quick stop at Sarah’s, Pea and I took Grace’s car and met Blake back at the house.
Pea dropped all four lion cubs at the door. “Whoa!” she exclaimed.
I looked to Blake wearing a ridiculous smile and walking my way. I’m sure my expression was pretty close to WTF? Blake wrapped an arm around my back and pulled me into a kiss. My lips didn’t pucker back and my eyes stayed on the puzzle in the middle of the living room.
“What is this?” I asked, joining Pea.
“We’re camping.”
“Obviously,” I agreed, looking at the giant tent in the middle of the room. “You do know it’s August, right? It’s like ninety outside,” I explained the fact that Blake already knew. A fire? Really?
“Yes, love. I know. The air’s on. We can’t roast marshmallows without a fire, now can we?”
I shook my head, seeing the metal rods. Blake thought of everything, one big tent, three sleeping bags, a cozy fire, three outside lawn-chairs, and some sort of cricket music playing from his phone.
“Daddy this is way cool!” Pea exclaimed, jumping into his arms. Blake’s hand covered her back and he held her tight while she squeezed his neck. Score. The smile on Blake’s entire face when that little girl expressed her appreciation was epic. And I fell a little more. Blake did this for us. This was way better than furniture shopping.
We spent the evening swimming in our pool and eating hotdogs while we pretended to be on our lunch break. The lions were our job and they rested in their cage below the umbrella table. We all sat in the hot tub and then around the fire inside. Blake played the wooded sound effects on his phone while Pea told us a story; of course it was about a lion pride. Blake’s fingers laced with mine behind her smaller chair. This was the best night ever.
“And the mommy lion had four more cubs. The end. Now you tell a story, dad,” Pea coaxed, moving to his lap. Blake slid her chair over, holding her in one arm while sliding over to me. My hand held Pea’s and Blake’s held them both. Swoon times one-thousand.
“What kind of story?”
“Um, about my mommy.”
“You want to hear another story about your mommy?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, let me think. Okay, this isn’t a story about how sweet your mom was, but about how mean she was. Your mom was queen of reality shows before it was ever cool.”
“My mom was a queen?”
Blake’s smile illuminated with the flickering fires, “Of course she was. You’re a princess, remember?”
“Oh yeah. Well, what’s a reality show?”
“It’s a show about stuff being real, your mom got a video camera for her birthday one year, I think we were fifteen…”
***
“Janie Lynn Holden! I’m not kidding. Your dad is going to kill us.”
“No he won’t, not after he sees the videos.”
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“I’m not doing it. This camera was supposed to be for filming our shows, not scaring the hell out of his guests.”
“Stop being a pussy. We’re not scaring them, we’re entertaining them. It’s a snowman suit and it’s Christmas, we’re only providing entertainment.”
Why did I have to fall in love with the craziest girl on earth? I was going to take the fall. I was going to be the one lectured about keeping Janie out of trouble, yet I couldn’t keep her out of trouble. She wouldn’t listen. “The entertainment is supposed to be a nice quiet piano duo, not this. Where did you even get these things?” I asked, carrying the stupid head.
“I borrowed them from the drama club.”
“Great, now I’m going to go to jail for wearing stolen merchandise.” Janie didn’t borrow them. “Let me be the cameraman. You wear the costume.”
Janie laughed, carrying the stupid round head and turned on her heels. She stopped me with her body and stood on her toes to reach me. The kiss worked like she knew it would. “I promise you won’t get into trouble,” she lied. I would too. I always did.
“Do you have any idea how many promises you’ve broken to me?” I accused in a lighter, I’m a pussy tone.
“Lot’s, but I mean well and I love you, that counts for something. You don’t have to do anything, just stand by the door and be really still. Wait until people walk by and then move, I’m sure it will scare the hell out of someone.”
“Yeah, me too and then we’re both going to be grounded for a week.”
“So what? How boring would the last couple years of your life have been without me making you do things out of your comfort zone?”
“I’m fine in my comfort zone,” I assured her. Janie took my hand and led me to the hotel. The plan was for her to hide behind me and the Christmas tree with her video camera. The kiss and her gloved hand in mine was enough to make me get out of my comfort zone. I would jump through ten comfort zones for her. Whether I wanted to or not.
Janie decided that the entrance wasn’t going to work when she saw how many people were there. I didn’t even let myself think she would give up. No, not Janie Holden. She found an even better place, the twentieth floor. They were owned suites, meaning the people that occupied them were the only ones who owned them year around, and they were all scheduled to fill up. Zazen Resorts were always busy and alive through the holidays with all the local shows and Christmas shopping. This floor was at least better than the main entrance and it may keep Holden from finding out.
Janie took her position with the camera and I stood just outside the elevator. If Frank was the attendant he would say he didn’t see a thing but if it was Garrett, his brown nose would run right to Holden. I had a fifty-fifty shot at not getting caught. The odds were better than they were downstairs in the lobby.
“Do you want to go to Los Angeles with us for Christmas? My mom said it was okay.”
“I can’t. My parents would never let me leave over the holidays.” I explained, standing in front of her in the stupid snowman suit. I wasn’t wearing the head yet, it was too hot, and I had plenty of time to put it on before the doors opened.
“No, we’re not going until the day after Christmas, we have the show here Christmas Eve dummy. We’re going to celebrate the New Year there.”
“I’ll ask. I don’t know if my dad will go for it. That’s a long way from home.”
“Well, I want you to be there, I don’t want to celebrate a new year without you.”
“You don’t?”
“No, and if you’re not coming, I won’t celebrate it until we get back.”
I turned in my puffy, white suit and kissed her. The kiss was never ending. I didn’t want it to end, I wanted to taste her strawberry lips, smell her hair, and feel her body pressed against mine forever.
“Elevator!” she finally called, pushing me away.
“Janie,” I tried one last time.
“Put the head on. Hurry.”
I did laugh. I laughed so hard it wasn’t funny. The first couple off the elevator owned one of the penthouses. They were arguing, but playfully.
A tuxedoed man and his beautiful wife stepped off the elevator. “If you’re dragging me to that show, I’m dragging you to the casino.”
I wasn’t going to do it, I didn’t even move on my own. It felt too much like interrupting. I either had to move from my frozen state or fall. Janie pushed me.
“Fine, I’ll go to the—Aahh!!!” The lady screamed and grabbed her husband’s jacket. I don’t know who laughed harder, Janie or the husband. I removed the snowman head and laughed with them. Even the wife was laughing. They both jumped out of their skin and Janie got it all on film.
“Thanks. We needed that,” the guy said, handing Janie a fifty-dollar bill, “add this to your film directing school.”
“Thanks,” Janie said taking the money, “you’re not going to tell my dad about this, are you?” she asked.
“No, Janie. My lips are sealed.”
“Awesome. Thanks Tony!”
“No, thank you. I haven’t heard Claire scream like that since—”
“Tony!” the beautiful wife chastised, ushering him along. Janie and I smiled at each other, exchanging the knowing look. “Merry Christmas,” she smiled and moved him along.
“Oh my God. That was epic! I can’t wait to see this. Did you see his face? He was as scared as her.”
“He was pretty cool, but can we stop now? Just because you got one nice couple, doesn’t mean you’ll get another one.”
“Yes we will. Everyone on this floor has watched me grow up here and I’ve heard Tony Rawlings can be a real dick. He’s never been a dick to me.”
“I believe you. You’re the luckiest person I know. One of these days your luck is going to run out. You mark my words.”
“Shhh, here comes someone. Put the head on. Stand right by the elevator this time and just turn your body when they pass.”
Again it was priceless. I think the husband screamed louder the next time. Janie was right about them too, they knew her by name and promised not to tell on us. They wanted a copy and even gave Janie another twenty bucks and an email. What the hell? She was getting all the money and I was doing all the work. Not to mention I would be the one to take the ass chewing when it ended badly.
The next couple wasn’t for another twenty minutes, and they were the last; the couple that got us into trouble, but not on purpose. The wife thought someone should talk to us after what went down. I was back by the tree with Janie when the doors opened. I didn’t move. It was very clear what was going on. The guy had his hand up the girl’s short party dress and she was, well, she was right there.
“Drew, stop. Please,” she begged.
“Come, Morgan,” he ordered, moving his hand frantically between her legs. Thank God for the snowman shield. My jeans became instantly tight. Jesus, this guy was going to get her off right there in the elevator. The gorgeous female moaned, her head tilted, and the look of pure rapture on her face was evident. She was going to explode.
“Aahh, Drew,” she moaned, raising her leg around his waist. His fingers stilled and I knew her orgasm was contracting around his fingers. Jesus. I wanted to do that to Janie.
Beep
Beep
Beep
FUCK!
The guy turned to the Christmas tree and right to me. The girl straightened her dress and they walked out. Shit! Seriously? She forgot to silence her phone? I was going to kill her.
“I’m sorry Mr. Kelley. We were just going to scare you, we didn’t mean to spy,” Janie said, walking out from behind the tree.
“You should have announced yourself, cleared your throat or something. What would your father say about this, Janie?”
“He would be very upset sir. I’m sorry. Take the head off, Blake,” she ordered. I didn’t want to. I didn’t want any part of this.
“We really are sorry, sir. We should have let you know we were here.”
“I
’m going to the room,” the embarrassed girl responded, walking away.
“I’m not happy about this. You have called unneeded embarrassment to my wife.”
“Well, technically you shouldn’t—”
“Yes, you’re right, sir. We totally understand. We’re terribly sorry,” I apologized profusely, interrupting before Janie could open her big mouth.
“Get the hell out of here,” he said, pointing toward the elevator.
Janie and I quickly took his place in the elevator. We went down and right back up.
“Oh my God, you recorded it?”
“I had to. I couldn’t just take the camera out of the tree, could I? He probably would have broken it over your head.”
I huffed out a big puff of air, “You’re the one who filmed it, you’re the one who talked me into this, and you’re the one who always gets us in trouble. You can forget all about New Year’s with me. My dad is going to kick you out of his school and my mom is going to tell me to stay away from you.”
“No they wouldn’t. They love me. I’m the innocent one.”
“Because I take all the blame!” I yelled.
“Fine, I’ll take the heat this time.”
“Okay, do it.” I leaned against the back wall crossed my arms. Ugh!
“We have to go back up.”
“Up where?”
“My camera is still in the tree.”
“Great. Sometimes I wish you were just a boring dumb girl. Why can’t you just be normal?”
“Blake?” Janie questioned in a quiet, dramatic tone. Her hair flipped over her shoulder and her eyes glanced at mine then right back to the front.
“What?” I pouted.
“Promise me you’ll do that to me some day.”
“I promise,” I rumbled, clearing my throat. I promise with my life!
“What are you two up to?” Frank asked.
“Oh, nothing, just hanging out,” Janie lied when the doors opened to one of the elevator attendants with a rack full of suitcases and another fancy outfitted couple. I had a hunch everyone was coming from the same show from the looks of the attire.
Frank nodded and eyed my puffy costume. “Get out of here.”