Hanging Pawns (The Fate Series Book 2) (18 page)

The most important part of Christmas, and I ruined it.

Filling the tub, I get in, sighing at the fact that I ruined another Christmas. I sit back remembering how when I lived with my parents the tub was my sanctuary. Hot water can soothe the most painful of bruises and soap can wash off most of the ugliness I felt from her words. As soon as the holiday is over I am leaving to go pack up my things back home.

Turning on the small TV, the news is on doing a report on what seems to be my mother’s Gala that is taking place in a few days. The girls are so excited they even made new gowns to wear to it. When I told them I couldn’t go, they said they were going to give their tickets to other people. I told them it was silly to do that since they were so excited.

Maybe moving out is for the better.

We all might come from the same world, but they are working to become a part of it, whereas I am working to get away from it.

Closing my eyes, I lay my head back as I continue to listen to them go on and on about how giving my mother is.

“Well isn’t this nice,” I hear Josh say from the doorway.

“I leave to grab you something to eat, because I’m pretty sure you had gone crazy from hunger and you just get up to take a bath… without me. I was kind enough to offer you some of my shower space but clearly you are not a sharer since I received no invitation to join your tub party,” he huffs, bringing over a tray of food.

Umm… what?

“I—I thought you were mad because I didn’t get you anything for Christmas,” I blurt out.

“I am mad. Look at this fucking tub, Mea! And a refrigerator? I bet there’s some yummy snacks in there you’re hoarding. Wait… are you watching TV! Man, you are one selfish woman.” He shakes his head at me. “You are lucky I love you so damn much, because this is almost a deal breaker. Now move over and promise me that you will never do this kind of deceit again.” He grabs a bottle of champagne out of the fridge and takes two glasses off the hooks. Placing them on the side of the tub, he strips down, gets in and pops the bottle open.

“I’m waiting…” He raises a brow to me.

“I’m… sorry I’m in the tub without you?” My head turns to the side a little, my eyes squinting at him.

“I accept your apology even though you look confused.” He nods, handing me a fluted glass.

“You don’t care that I didn’t get you anything?” I can’t help but be confused.

Christmas has always been about the gifts at my house.

“Christmas is about spending time with the people you love, Mea. Not about the gifts.” He gives me a look. “The way I see it.” He lays his head back against the edge of the tub. “You gave me hours of what I have wanted since I met you. And now we are going to lie here and relax, eat some snackage that I brought, and you hoarded, and drink this perfectly chilled champagne that you were going to let sit in there and waste, while we watch TV… in the fucking tub because who does that? It’s just crazy!” He clanks his glass off of mine, takes a sip, and looks at the TV. With a guttural moan, he shakes his head. “Love, I can tolerate just about anything, but I will not watch your horrible excuse for a mother all night. I’m sure Miracle on 34th St is on one of these channels.” He moves to change the channel.

My mouth opens to release the air that’s just been knocked out of my body. 

After flipping through about five stations he’s finds it starting from the beginning.

“How did you know that was my mother?” I finally get the nerve to ask.

He looks down for a moment before speaking. “A few days after your father left, a letter came that needed a signature. I saw that it was addressed to Charlotte Carmichael.” He looks up at me. “Your father, when I met him, said to call him Ted instead of Mr. Andrews… that was because his name isn’t Mr. Andrews. I am guessing Mea is your middle name, the Andrews coming from someone in your family?” he asks, and I nod. “Right, well I signed for the letter and took it so that the others never found out. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, love, you were always so skittish. I wanted you to tell me, but then I looked up your family, your accident, and I replayed that night with your dad. I thought maybe you might go to your grave without ever telling anyone and that is a long time to keep a secret to yourself. It’s even longer when I have to watch you go to someplace I can’t save you from.” He turns away from me to look at the monitor. 

“I never knew who she was. If I had I would have never moved in with you all…” His head snaps in my direction.

“Which is exactly why I took the letter. You make poor decisions when it’s left only to you.” He shakes his head at me.

“Madness knows…” I whisper, looking at the water.

“Then there you go,” He reaches over to pull me closer. “Madness is the one I would be afraid of,” he muses. “I can promise you, love, your secret is safe with us.” He whispers against my temple before kissing the spot.

I actually believe him, too.

“You said you loved me… did you mean that?” I ask, the tears swelling up at the edge of my eyes.

“Of course I do,” he replies, his face serious when he turns to look at me.

“No expectations, no conditions?” I check.

“Oh, I have them. Like I expect you to stay in the bed when I get up to get something and not run off. If you do run off it better be to start a bath, and you have to tell me so I can join. No more all about Ms. Mea… Lastly, and this is the most important one, I expect you to believe me when I say that I love you because I will never lie to you. I have loved you since I tricked you into letting me ahead of you in line, and I will love you until I can trick you into letting me die first, because I don’t want to live a second without you. Remember it took you this long to realize it was love, not me.” Giving me a kiss on the top of my head he pulls me into his chest. “Now stop talking, I love this movie, and I want to spend our first Christmas watching it together,” he whispers against my hair.

I don’t give a damn about the movie though, I found my miracle.

“We must use time as a tool, not as a crutch.”

~ John F. Kennedy

“Merry Christmas, lovebirds!!! Now get up!!!” Molly yells, jumping on the bed.

“Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?” Josh asks, stretching out next to me.

“Yes… in fact everyone here has.” She lets out a maniacal laugh.

Reaching behind my head, I grab a pillow, launching at her stomach.

“Oh, it’s like that is it? Okay, we can fight dirty. I have a feathered pillow… yeah, take one of those bitches in the eye.” She spins my pillow in the air.

I laugh, getting up to head for the bathroom to brush my teeth and hair before meeting everyone out front. Grabbing my robe, I head toward the door when Molly runs in front of me like a psycho.

“Hurry up, we’re all waiting on presents!” she yells, clapping her hands and racing back out the door.

Turning around, I make a face at Josh, who is just standing there laughing.

“She’s your friend,” he says strolling over to the door. “I need to get dressed,” he informs me.

“Oh yeah! Well… she was yours first!” I shout before he can close it.

I gather my gifts and walk out to meet Josh in the hall.

Get dressed? All he did was grab a t-shirt.

Casting him a dirty look, we head out toward where the Christmas tree was set up yesterday while we were being anti-social. Looking around, I see that everyone is still in their pajamas and robes. I’ve never had a Christmas morning like this. We always had to be dressed up and ready by the crack of dawn. Exchanging a dirty look with Molly, we sit down.  A burst of excitement takes over the room when everyone shouts over one another about who should go first. It doesn’t work and instead becomes a free for all of wrapping paper and “I can’t believe you got me this” coming from everywhere.

The boys’ mother had their gifts sent over, too, so they would have them come Christmas morning, but they really seem to love the paintball guns that I gave them. The girls’ family seems very excited with all their alcohol… especially Grams, which is what the girls said would happen. The guys gave us each a Team M jersey and the girls are relieved when they open their little blue boxes to discover they didn’t contain engagement rings after all… just key chains.

When all the presents are opened Madness stands up to announce that breakfast is ready.

“Josh, you didn’t get Mea anything?” Molly looks at him.

“Christmas is about spending time with the people you love.” I look at him. “And I love you,” I whisper.

“That is the best gift you could ever give me, and you said you didn’t get me anything.” He leans down to kiss me.

“Let’s pop some champagne! You guys didn’t propose!” Morgan yells, startling me. I look at her, holding the bottle and glasses. Chase shakes his head at her. Molly fans herself, collapsing onto the couch. Morgan fills the glasses and raises her glass for a toast.

“I was scared, I never know what you might try and pull on me,” she points at Chase.

“Morgan, my love. When you marry me it will be because you asked me… or because you were medicated,” he jokes.

“So, medicated it is,” Dean quips.

“Chase, the day I marry you will be a cold day in hell,” Morgan admits.

“So, winter at our mother’s house?” Simon mutters.

Everyone turns slowly to look at him.

“Touché.” Morgan nods to him. “There is the Simon we all know and hate,” she smirks at him. “To one of the most emotional Christmases I have ever had. To loved ones who can’t be here.” Her voice cracks, and she bows her head to regain her composure. Chase steps closer, putting his hand at the nap of her neck.

“To family, friends, and finding people who we can’t imagine not having in our lives.” Molly picks it up when Morgan can no longer speak.

I look back at Morgan, who tries to brush the few tears that have escaped away. “Must be dust in the air,” she laughs, wiping a tear away.

“To… Time. May we all spend it wisely because it waits for no one,” I add, looking at Simon.

His finger taps against the glass in his hand as he studies me.

“To someday…” He nods to me.

My lips curl just enough for him to see.

To someday…

“Here, here.” I raise my glass with the group.

Taking a sip, I look around and see all of the girls’ family is missing.

“Where is everyone? Did they go to eat?” I ask.

I have learned to fear when you don’t know where their family is.

“They are making bets on pool. We aren’t allowed to play… stacking the deck and all,” Molly says with a shrug. “Let’s eat before them so they don’t take everything.” She rubs her palms together.

“Is there anything you two aren’t good at?” I ask with a laugh.

“Of course. But then we cheat and no one is the wiser,” Morgan snickers, clinking her glass off Molly’s.

“Yeah, the guys call Morgan and Sidney hanging pawns,” Molly laughs, and Morgan shakes her head.

“Hanging pawns?” I question Chase.

He glances at Morgan and winks.

“It’s a chess term, long story.” Morgan tries not to smile at Chase.

“It’s because they always have the possibility of controlling key elements that can be used to our advantage, but they can also be weak if they don’t have a proper defense. They are just pawns after all,” Chase explains.

Something tells me he isn’t talking about chess anymore.

“They are always properly defended,” Simon growls through his teeth.

“Why don’t you two have your pissing contest somewhere else?” Morgan pushes them along.

They walk out, bickering back and forth.

“Thanks, they were getting annoying.” Dean sits, putting his feet up.

“GET OUT!” she yells at him. “I’m going to talk about girl things and… just get out!”

He stands, fixing his shirt, and walks out saying something about not being welcome.

“They never fucking leave.” Morgan shakes her head. “Okay, so we are going back to the house the day after tomorrow,” Morgan says.

“I thought you were all going to the Gala? This isn’t about me, is it?” I say, feeling bad for their sudden change in plans.

“No, no. We have talked with our parents and have decided to change our major to fashion design. We hate accounting. It’s so boring, and we don’t want to take over their business someday. We want to build our own. So we showed them the dresses we made for the Gala, and they are very happy with how mature we have become. Someday I hope I get the chance to thank Sidney for that.” Morgan bites into her lip. “Someday… I hope I can explain how much not being able to call her and tell her this myself kills me. But she’s better off.” She shakes her head. “Someday… it won’t hurt so much.” She recites it like a mantra she has become used to saying.

“To someday…” I whisper.

“My heart feels like someday is forever away.” She takes a slow breath.

“We forgot to tell you all!” Chase and Dean yell, walking into the room. “We convinced our mother to let us change our major!” Chase smiles.

“Don’t tell me you three are becoming fashion designers, too!” I squeal.