Hanging on (Jessica Brodie Diaries #2) Page 24

  “Shauna,” William said firmly. “Jessica is just renting and knows nothing of Gladis’s monetary affairs. She doesn’t talk to Gladis of those affairs. You will need to take up your father’s and Gladis’s monetary concerns with Gladis.”

  “I heard Gladis, I mean Mom... well the rumor is--”

  “Shauna!” Gladis yelled from across the room.

  Shauna straightened up and looked ever the disrespectful youth. Except, she was middle aged. Shouldn’t all this crap be left in teenage rebellion?

  “What’cha doin’ given all our rights to this ingrate?” Shauna said across the room. You would think she was raised in a trailer with no education instead of a mansion and an Ivy League school.

  Her and Dezeray could have hooked up and combined forces. Turned out I had plenty of haters. This one, thankfully, had nothing to do with William.

  Gladis just looked at her straight faced. It was obvious she was really pissed off. Lady came over and escorted an equally mad Shauna to Gladis. They were shuffled away.

  “What was that all about?” I asked William. “Gladis never said anything to me about money or property or anything. Am I somehow interfering with her kids’ rights in rent or something? Am I not paying enough?”

  William looked at Tom for a fraction of a second. I swore Tom shook his head. William looked around the room then back at me. “Gladis had a natural born daughter that didn’t make it. Those kids are step-children. Since their father died they are constantly fighting about money. Gladis’s husband was the sole provider, but Gladis came to the marriage with a giant dowry from an esteemed Southern family. She was left everything from the marriage, and everything from her parents. She is sitting on a giant fortune.

  “The kids have their trust funds from the father, which is generous, but equivalent to what mine might be, say. They got another lump sum when their father passed, per his wishes. But with the giant pot Gladis is sitting on, the kids want more. I don’t know legalities from there.”

  “Willie,” Tom said hastily. “I don’t think you need to give quite a giant scope.”

  “She will know sooner or later,” William said with resignation.

  Tom looked uncomfortable, but said nothing. Rich people had all the money, but seemed to never want to talk about it. Poor people didn’t have either of those issues. My friends and I were always comparing prices, rents and salaries. When you don’t have much, there isn’t much to tell. No secret when the next person is in the same boat as you.

  “The kids,” William continued, “leave Gladis alone a lot of the time, except in dire situations. Then they take turns visiting. Like at the hospital. The youngest showed up eventually. But the party, the middle child. Next event, it will be the oldest. And so on.”

  “Right, that makes sense,” I said thoughtfully. “But what does that have to do with me?”

  William looked at Tom, who looked at Denise. It was Denise that answered.

  “They all think you are here to take their fortune.”

  I gave a bark of laughter. “Right. I am paying rent, but somehow I’m going to get left the fortune of my landlord. In what world does that make sense?” I laughed again and shook my head. “Don’t get me wrong, that would be awesome, but no, I’m not that lucky.”

  Those kids must seriously have nothing to do all day but plot ways people are trying to screw them. Maybe not having to work wasn’t a great thing. They were probably like dragons sitting on their fortune! All guarding, no spending.

  Denise looked at a still uncomfortable Tom with a small smile, who looked at William.

  William tried to suppress his laughter. “Yes, that is what they think. Somehow you came from half a nation away with the intent of taking a giant fortune from an old ladies’ heirs. It doesn’t help that you are taking better care of the old lady than those kids...”

  “William Joseph Davies!” Denise said half in rebuke, half in laughter.

  “Well?” William said with a smile.

  He was so handsome. He didn’t even have to try at it. His bliss at life, his movements, his subtle facial expressions; whenever he walked through a room every woman noticed. It was a blessing that I got to touch him and see him in his finest—his birthday suit and a smile.

  Seriously, what had this sap I had become done with Jessica?

  It got to a point in the late afternoon when the older people started to leave. The girls took that as a sign to start drinking more. Ami included. The music was turned up in the ballroom and people started to migrate in.

  William and I took a turn around the room. I was being twirled and brought close, twirled and brought closer, then given a kiss. At the end of the dance I got a deep kiss that curled my toes and heated my face. William seemed to stop caring what people thought, and was just having fun with me.

  Some old dude cut in, and we danced for a while. I noticed all the girls on the dance floor with old to older men that didn’t think they should have left with the other old timers. Adam was slowly taking Gladis around; William was dancing with his mother. We were having a great old time.

  At nearly 10:00pm most of the party was ended. We were making plans to get into bathing suits and head to the pool when Lump asked, “Will you stand behind me for a second? Not too close, but kind of close?”

  “What? Lump, what are you talking about?”

  “I want to apologize to Adam. I owe it to him. I am just afraid he’ll piss me off and I’ll want to hit him again. I need you to run in if that happens. Stop me, you know?”

  “Lump, when have you needed someone to stop you?”

  “Since now I guess. Just...please?”

  I sighed and nodded.

  Adam was getting a beer from the bar. Lump walked straight across the dance floor and directly up to him. As he turned around, he saw her approach, and I could tell all his warning sirens went off. His defenses were water tight.

  He looked unruffled, though. He calmly waited. He kept his beer in his hand, but brought his other hand up closer to his chest. I had a feeling he was getting ready in case she tried to punch him again.

  I walked around to them the long way, pretending I needed a drink. That looked dumb because I had a half a glass a wine in my hand, but whatever. Adam didn’t notice me.

  “Adam?” Lump said politely.

  “Yes Betsy?”

  Fuck!

  Either Adam knew she hated that name with a passion and was out for blood in his own way, or he just made a horrible mistake.

  Lump’s fists tightened immediately and her whole body tensed. She took a balanced step toward Adam. Her movements must have set off alarm bells with Adam because he straightened up and looked en guard, though to his credit, still 100% relaxed.

  I looked around wildly for William. I wouldn’t be able to break this one up.

  “Where did--” Lump clamped her jaw tight.

  Adam had an amused look on his face. He was out for blood, then. I wondered how he found out her real name. I felt sorry for whoever told him.

  Did I ever tell William?

  Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.

  Lump lost all trace of guilt. All trace. She adopted a stance that I knew, knew, was a marital art stance. I didn’t know which one, but I had seen her training a couple times, and she did that stance when she was “ready” but didn’t know from where the attack was coming.

  Seriously. Oh fuck. Where was William?

  “Adam.” She said it like a statement. “I came over to apologize for last night. I did not mean to hit you like I did.”

  “Then why did you?”

  Lump was having a really hard time with her anger. I hoped she could keep it together, for the sake of everyone.

  “I was ready for you to make a move. When you came at me I reacted. I didn’t know until after that you were pushed.”

  “Why were you ready for me to make a move?”

  “Because it looked like you were going to.”

  “You under the impression I pick on women?”


  Lump stared at him, no expressions showing on her face. Through his confidence and her tensing body, it looked like he had the upper hand in this one.

  He didn’t move or say another word. He was waiting for her to reply. Another pissing contest.

  “I don’t know if you do or don’t; I don’t know you that well. You looked like you wanted to hit me. I was ready.”

  Now it was Adam that was struggling to control his anger. “No. You don’t know nothin’ about me. You ain’t even tried to get to know me. Do you think all men hit women?”

  “No.”

  “So...” Adam turned slowly, deliberately, and put his beer down. He turned back just as slowly, balanced on the balls of his feet, towering over Lump, his body language aggressive. “You just think I hit women. That it? Not most men. Just me?”

  Lump’s voice went deathly quiet. “You look like you want to hit me right now.”

  I would have been shitting myself if a guy that big was standing over me like that, but Lump looked completely at ease. Not a worry in the world.

  “Your fists are balled,” she continued in that same flat voice. “Every muscle on your over six foot frame is taut. Your eyes are pure rage, except for a tiny bit of fear. You are quivering from the exertion of remaining in control, and I bet your genitals are half erect from the surge in adrenaline and testosterone.

  “You might not think you would hit a woman, though from the look of this very moment I think you might surprise yourself, but you are trying to bully me with your physical presence. That, Adam, gives me the impression you would hit me.”

  Now she had the upper hand. And she was right.

  Unlike Adam, she didn’t wait for a reply. “I should not have hit you last night. It was dangerous for us both. I am sorry. It was not my intention to physically hurt you without cause. I sincerely apologize.”

  I could see she meant it. Despite his desire to get under her skin, despite the way he was handling this situation, she truly meant that apology. It would be easy for a person to lose sight of that intent with a man trying to intimidate her, especially a man Adam’s size, but she didn’t waver. She was, successfully, the bigger person here; she was walking away without a fight.

  She turned and walked toward the door leading outside. I hurriedly followed. Adam didn’t notice me, or notice William who finally realized there was a problem and came over. He watched Lump walk away, nothing changing in his demeanor but his eyes.

  I would have loved to observe more closely, but Lump was walking really fast. I had to jog in high heels to catch up.

  I met up with her on a bench under a big Willow tree. There was a pond fairly close that looked regularly tended since there weren’t any weeds or moss growing all over the place. It would have been a great place to spend the afternoon reading a book, or having a picnic.

  I needed to remember that. I also needed to remember about those secret passageways!

  Mental lists put aside, I once again secured myself in the present. Lump, sitting still and looking straight ahead at nothing, didn’t generally like to be touched when her dander was up, so I sat close and looked at the pond. She would speak when she was ready. Jane joined us a second later. She sat next to Lump on the other side, looking at the pond as well. She had an extra beer that she put at Lump’s feet.

  We all sat there, quiet, for about ten minutes. Claire stuck her head outside to see if she should come sit with us. I could tell Flem was right behind her asking her questions because she was slightly moving her mouth and muttering. I shook my head. If Lump hadn’t talked yet, more people would make the whole process only take longer.

  Claire backed away, pushing the hidden Flem as she did so. I could hear them arguing, but then it quieted down again.

  Another ten minutes of nothing but crickets chirping. It was actually kind of peaceful. It would be a wonderful spot to lay on a blanket and look at the stars with William.

  Focus.

  I was just about to suggest that Jane and I leave when then the unthinkable happened: Lump started to sob. I looked over at her in awe. Jane was looking at her as if she had just seen a ghost. In all my years as Lump’s friend, which must be going on ten years by now, I had never, never, seen her cry.

  And now she was sobbing. Her body racking, her face screwed up, her hands at her sides; sobbing.

  I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t. I didn’t know what to do. Oh God, I was panicking.

  This must be what guys felt like.

  Jane hugged her, with more woman instinct than I had. When she didn’t get thrown off I followed suit.

  “He—he...he scared me!” Lump cried and hiccupped at the same time. “He is so big and, and...and angry!” Her body heaved and snot and tears dripped from her face.

  Jane produced tissues from her bra. God bless tiny boobed women!

  Lump caught her snot, but didn’t give a damn about the tears. Her body still shook.

  “I thought he was going to hit me! He is so—so...” She shuddered with sobs. “BIG! And stro—strong.”

  More sobs. More snot. A few hiccups.

  “Lump,” I tried to console, “you could have averted his punch if he tried. You could have gotten away. He wouldn’t have been able to hurt you.”

  She cried harder. “I don’t know. He is fast. He was so, so...angry. So mad.” She gasped for breath. “I didn’t know if he would hit me. He is faster. I didn’t know what would happen. I have never been so scared!” She was uncontrollably crying now. Deep, racking sobs that shook the whole bench, and Jane and I with it.

  “But Lump,” Jane tried, “you have had guys try to hit you before. You had two guys try to kidnap you once, remember? They tried to get you in a car? You put them both in the hospital.”

  She shook her head. “No! They were idiots! Adam could really hurt me. He co—could overcome me. I don’t, don--” She gasped for breath, wiped at some snot. Jane produced more tissue.

  “I don’t think I would have made it long. Not against--” She started crying louder and harder. “He is so strong and angry. So full of ra—rage.”

  My turn again, desperately trying to talk rationale to get her calmed down. “You have had your crazy, giant brother try to beat you up. Kill you probably. And he knew more martial arts and fighting and stuff than you did. You fought him off.”

  “I kne--knew him. He was trained, had rules. I knew--” Sob, wheeze, snot wipe, swallow. “...knew what he might do. Adam is so...wi--wild!” Racking sob. She shook her head. “He hates me.”

  I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t think Adam would ever hit anyone, but if he scared Lump this bad, maybe there was something dark in him I didn’t see. If Lump knew something about people, it was how to tap into their dark side and see if the demons lurking there were dangerous.

  I looked at Jane. She shrugged back. We hugged tighter and stroked her hair and back. Lump was still crying, but I thought it wasn’t as bad as before. I wanted to rock her, but with three people on a bench, that might not be doable.

  I heard quarreling by the door. It was a man and Flem and Claire. They were probably listening to the whole thing and now trying to bar William, or maybe even Adam, from coming out. I then distinctly heard William tell someone to get out of the way. He sounded mad and forceful. He only got like that when it really mattered. Or when I got lost in the ghetto.

  Would this be boys against girls? I knew for a fact William would not hurt me, and I was pretty sure Adam was harmless, too, but Lump was in crazy-ville and there was no telling what she would do. I would have to be the road-block on this one. No one would hurt little ol’ me—not even Lump. Still, I wasn’t looking forward to it.

  Sure enough, William barged through the door, Adam directly behind him.

  “Fuck!” I heard Jane mutter. Lump looked up and saw what was happening.

  “Jane, take Lump elsewhere. Get her cleaned up. I’ll head them off.” I stood.

  “Got it,” Jane re
sponded.

  “I’m fine.” Lump was deathly calm again. I now knew this was probably terrified calm, but not surrendering. Strong woman. She would have probably killed Dusty had our roles been switched.

  She did not move, even when Jane and I were trying to lift her up.

  William slowed down until he was beside Adam, who was purposely striding out to us. He had a look of determination on his face. When he got close enough to see faces through the dark, he looked at Lump’s face and stopped dead. Disbelieve overcame determination

  She stood, squared her shoulders and jaw, and lifted her head. Her body no longer quivered. She looked like a woman accepting her fate. Like she would fight against terrible odds.

  It broke my heart.

  Alice in Wonderland meets cage fights. It was a fitting end to a screwed up day.

  Flem and Claire were running behind and saw that Lump had been crying. I heard a “What the fuck?” from Claire, and a sudden intake of breath from Flem.

  Then things got weirder. For some reason Flem took Lump crying as an act of violence. She put herself between Adam and Lump and soundly slapped Adam in the face.

  He didn’t move—he was still staring at Lump with an unreadable expression.

  Lump screamed for them to stop. She obviously thought Adam would explode.

  Jane and I were in the way and wouldn’t let her pass. Adam let the girls hit and kick him while he looked up at Lump again with confusion and intense guilt. A look you might have if you killed your kitten in a fit of anger.

  I’d called the wrong person Lennie when I’d first met these guys. It wasn’t Moose at all.

  William grabbed the girls, one in each hand, and dragged them away. The girls changed their attack targets, not really knowing what was going on. Now I was yelling at them to stop when I saw Adam coming through us for Lump.

  “No!” I yelled. “Adam, don’t hurt her. Adam! What is happening with you? Leave her alone!” I was pleading by the end.

  His voice was shaking when he said, “Jessica, please move. I won’t hurt her.”

  I was still nervous, but Jane and I let him pass.

  Madness. All of this was madness. I no longer knew up from down.