Adjournment (The Fate Series) (24 page)

A few hours and two teams out later, it’s down to once again Molly and Dean vs. Simon and me. Judith left an hour ago since she needs beauty rest, and Mom left shortly after to finish Dad’s work.

“You could give up if you want, you know? We will tease you much less if you just accept defeat instead of continuing with this ridiculous idea of you winning!” Simon yells over his shoulder as he steps up for his turn.

“No, you aren’t going to win so easy. If we’re going down we’re at least going to put up a fight!” Dean yells back.

“O-oh man, you mean you two are actually trying to win? Oh, this is sad. You realize this is my last turn before the game is over. Have you looked at the score?” Simon yells back as he lines up his shot. Everyone goes quiet, Simon swings the ball back gracefully, his tall stone frame holding its position as he launches it forward, sending it rolling into a strike and ending this long night.

Most people don’t know that this playboy is an amazing bowler. Not that anyone would need to know that, I guess.

“As you were saying?” He points to the scoreboard as he walks back over to the seats to take off his shoes.

“Well we gave it all we had.” Dean shrugs, running his fingers through his hair. Molly gives him a pat on the back, and they toe their shoes off.

When all the stuff is put back we all head back to the great room, and Simon slides his arm over my shoulders to pull me into his side.

“For as long as it’s been since you’ve played you were good.” He squeezes my arm.

“I guess it’s like riding a bike.” I start looking back and forth between everyone walking ahead of us.

“Perhaps,” he shrugs, walking easily next to me.

I look up at him with an uneasy smile.

What is with this routine… what is he trying to pull…

Once we’re back in the great room everyone grabs a seat, lazily lounging around and talking. Releasing me Simon walks toward them, and I look back toward the doorway where the beach was calling to me earlier.

Escaping out of the great room is easy since they’re all laughing and telling Lexi about how Simon and I always cheat.  Poor Lexi… she thinks she’s getting a good bonding with everyone.

They are going to eat her alive tomorrow. That’s twice she hasn’t listened to me. And you know, what kind of friend would I be if I saved her?

That’s right—a terrible one.

What lesson would that teach her?

Honestly…

I sneak down the path toward the beach, slide out of my shoes and toss them into the awaiting bush. We always did this when we were teenagers so our shoes didn’t get filled with sand when we snuck out. I walk over the small dunes to the beach which feels strangely silent.

A tall figure to the side catches my attention.

“Come on out, ya creep.” I shake my head at how obvious he is. He hesitates before turning around and walks toward the direction of his mother’s house.

Where is he going?

Digging my feet into the sand I rush quickly behind him. My strides becoming more and more urgent when I see him enter the yard of the house that sits between my family’s and his. “Hey! Wait for me!” I begin to run but the dry sand under my feet makes it too difficult to run fast enough to catch up with him. I watch as he takes a long stride into the yard, and I remember the owner has the house on a crazy alarm system. Following his movements, I’m in the backyard of our neighbor and my mother’s friend, Mrs. Carmichael. A strong feeling of nerves tries to push against me as I walk through the yard, whispering his name.

“If we get caught we are so screwed, Simon.” I squint trying to find him.

After a few minutes, I throw my hands up.

“Fine, I hope you get caught.” I begin to walk away.

“STOP!” he shouts from the beach.

How did he get back there?

“You almost hit the alarm.” He points down at the wire I forgot was there. “What are you doing over there? Do you know what happens if you get caught?” he growls as I step over it.

“What were you thinking?” Grabbing my arm he pulls me down the beach.

I—was thinking I was following you…

“I—I thought I saw something over there. Is she home this weekend?” I ask, my head turned as I scans her yard.

“No, you know she has that charity thing she does… Christmas in July? Or something like that.” He continues to pull me away from the house.

Good, I hope someone breaks in and steals everything the bitch has. Of my mother’s two friends, I enjoy Judith more. Yeah, I know, hard to believe, right? But there is something about Mrs. Carmichael that puts me on edge, it always has. She looks at us and the McAllisters like we’re gum stuck to her shoe.

Letting go of my arm when we’re back in front of my house he begins to pace.

“What were you doing over there?” He then grabs both my arms.

“I told you I thought I saw some—thing.”

It’s not entirely a lie.

“I don’t care if you see Freddie Prince Jr. himself over there.” He lets go of me and starts pacing again.

A smile quickly tugs at my lips.

“Don’t go over there.” He points at me, but my smile is non-fading. “What?” He glares at me.

The moon highlighting his face just enough for me to see it.

“Freddie Prince Jr.?” I cover my mouth to laugh. “How do you remember that?”

His face softens. “Your walls were covered with teen magazine photos of him. You read me every interview the man ever had. How could I forget that?” His smooth laugh fills the air, and I watch his anger subside.

“I’m sorry I dragged you down the beach.” He looks out to the water.

“No, it’s my fault… You’re right, I shouldn’t have been over there.” A distant memory begins to push its way through my tall wall. “Do you remember her kids? They were so weird.” An uneasy tremor shakes my body.

He nods silently watching the waves as they race to touch our toes.

“Were you ever—when you were younger…” I try to figure out a way to ask a question I’m not sure I want an answer to.

“We weren’t allowed,” he says, answering my mind’s question.

Well, I guess Judith has one thing in her favor.

“You know, Pet, she isn’t a bad mother, or a bad person.” He closes his eyes for a moment before he turns to look at me.

“Maybe this time around you’ll see that not everything is always as it appears. Some of us just know how to play the game better than others.” He steps closer brushing my bangs behind my ear.

“Which is exactly why I left, I have no desire to play rich people games.” I shrug away from him.

He nods and turns to walk back to the house.

“Are you coming?” he yells back, and I can feel his eyes on me.

Facing the water, I yell over my shoulder to him. “No, I miss the beach. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I drop down to sit, digging my feet into the newly wet sand as another wave washes up and rolls over my feet. Turning my head back to the darkened house, I stare at it, waiting for some kind of movement. It doesn’t come…

Could I have imagined it?

Images of Mrs. Carmichael and her two bratty, mousy-looking girls fill my head. The way they always hung on the boys, and their mother with her hooded eyes watching us. Something about the woman always made me uneasy. My mother would just roll her eyes at us kids and tell us to stop watching
Scooby Doo
. I was more of a Nancy Drew fan myself, though…

Our mother would tease us, saying that we were just jealous of the attention they gave the boys, “our boys” is actually what Mom would call them. But “our boys” never gave them the time of day. So her theory was wrong… there was nothing to be jealous of… it was a different kind of feeling… not jealously, more protective.

I know it sounds crazy.

What kind of man would need a woman’s protection?

Well, I’ll tell you what kind of man…

The stupid playboy kind who would stick his “brain” into the first thought to came his way.

Jackass.

I get up and stroll back to the house. But instead of walking through the room where everyone is still hanging out, remembering fun times, I decide to take the back steps up to my room.

I’m not here to reminisce. 

“Come here, lovey,” Grams says, startling me, and waving me over to where she is parked by the bar on the patio.

Collapsing on the chaise next to her wheelchair, I shift my head toward the ocean. The two of us gaze into the moonlit darkness of the beach when she starts to speak.

“You two act as if no time has passed. Almost as if it hasn’t been years since you’ve been here,” she says in that know-it-all Grams tone.

“As I told him, Grams, I don’t play these games anymore.” I can’t help the tremor in my voice as the words come out.

“I see,” she says in a low tone. I catch her head turn toward me from the corner of my eye, and I put on a smile when I twist my head to look at her. To my surprise she holds the same expression. “You look well. Life seems to be kind to you.” She squares off her shoulders and takes a sip of her drink.

I look back at the ocean before answering her. “You know what, Grams, I have everything I’ve ever wanted. I love my job and my roommate…” I say, but something feels wrong.

I do love everything I have now, so why does it feel like I’m lying to her?

“I’m glad to hear that.” She takes a deep breath.

She isn’t.

“You are?” I roll over to face her.

“I will be glad with whatever choices you make. I will love you no matter what. I’m a grandmother, it’s a rule.” She gives a light laugh.

This might be the most personal conversation I’ve ever had with her.

“And we all do what we have to, to survive.” She looks somber for a second. Guilt once again begins to eat away at me.

I didn’t just leave the house and Simon… I stepped back to let them all move on.

I owed them that much.

However, maybe this is Fate giving me a second chance. Not with Simon, mind you, but a second chance at my family.

Maybe they have moved on in their own ways… maybe people do change?

Shaking her head she gives me a mischievous smile. “On a positive note, just because Simon is good-looking and charming doesn’t make him outstanding in the sack,” she finishes, reaching out to hold my hand.

Nope, they don’t.

I gape at her in shock. “Grams!” I say through a fit of laughter.

There isn’t a thing about her I would change.

“What? If you think every good-looking man knows what he’s doing then you haven’t learned much in your life,” she jokes, looking back to the ocean.

At least I think she’s joking.

“Okay! Well, thank you for what was almost a touching moment, I’m going to my room to have nightmares now.” I laugh and sit up to kiss her goodnight.

“Just think about what I said,” she sings behind me as I walk away.

“I’ll try not to,” I sing back in the same tone.

“Oh, and lovey?” she says.

Stopping in my tracks, I turn to look at her. “If you ever dare to stay away from me again, I will have your uncles hunt you down and follow you everywhere you go.” She gives me a warning that makes my blood freeze.

This is where my mother gets it.

“I missed you too, Grams.” I swiftly nod.

I walk up the steps as fast as I can to get away from her, her threats, and her sex advice. I quickly scurry through the lounge and down the hall to my room.

I can’t wait to just snuggle in my bed, and put this day behind me. But dreams of Simon and me makes for a restless night’s sleep.

Thanks. A lot. Grams!

Hell hath no fury like a woman who needs a cigarette.

The next morning I awake to the sounds of people yelling and bickering. It’s much different from the mood I left them in last night.

I open my door just as I hear my mother shouting, “If I wanted the people to park in the parking spots by the tennis courts I would have hired transportation to get them back and forth!” to no one in particular as she storms past my room.

She’s so mad she didn’t even notice me

I stick my head out and watch her storm down the hall, throwing the double doors to the lounge open as she marches through and out onto the balcony to go up to the third floor deck.

She is going to smoke.

It’s nice to see she still thinks that hiding from us will somehow make us unaware that she smokes when she’s stressed. It’s not that we don’t know where she is or what she is doing, it’s just better to let her go cool down and not follow. It also gives us time away from her until the next round.

I sneak out of my room, slowly shutting the door so it doesn’t make any noise behind me before running down the hall toward the steps.

If she hears me, she’ll want to talk about it. I love my mother, but I can’t talk about anything without coffee. Especially if it has to do with the tennis court parking and transportation.

The smell of breakfast fills the house, pulling me closer to the great room with its evil scent.

Looking back up the steps as I race down them I make sure she isn’t behind me. Just as I hit the last step I run straight into something hard, and I look up to see I’ve run into Dean’s chest.