Judas (6 page)

“Well now you're my lucky charm,” he winked. One by one, they dropped the losing tickets into a pile.

“I'm a whopping nine dollars richer than I was earlier!” she laughed as they collected the  litter.

             
They spent the day there in the country, exploring the surrounding area as they chatted happily. They climbed trees, picked wildflowers, and even walked the jagged trail of the creek bed, holding hands and pointing out oddly shaped stones they saw along the way until at last, it was time to make their way back. It had been a wonderful day, and an ode to his younger days and she was thankful she had gotten to share the experience with him.

             
The ride back through the country was just as enthralling as the first time and she noticed quite a few details that she didn't catch the first time around. They stopped at a small diner on the edge of town to grab dinner before they went back home. "This has been my favorite date," she told him as they waited for their food.

"You say that about all of them," he said, raising a brow.

She laughed, "Not my fault you keep outdoing yourself!"

             
"I thought girls were supposed to like the fancy shit. You mean I could have saved thousands of dollars in theatre tickets? Who knew?"

She laughed at that. "I mean it, Judas. I feel like I've always been a part of your life."

"That's because you are now and the past no longer matters," he said easily as he reached out to take her hand. "It's all us now."

"Thank you. For picking me and for including me... all of it," she said, cursing the tears that had welled in her eyes.

"You picked me back," he winked.

CHAPTER SIX

              He had finally called his mother to tell her about Adessa, which was a conversation that didn't end well. She was livid that he got married to a stranger and even worse, one who had no breeding. It didn't really matter, Adessa could have been a rocket scientist and his mother would have found a reason to hate her. It seemed the only ones able to garner such approval were her high society friends and her mutt. She cared more for her dog than any of her children. She insisted on coming to meet her and he had tried to hold her off until Adessa fully adjusted, but two weeks before Thanksgiving, he was out of excuses.

             
He tried to warn Adessa, but there really weren't any words to prepare a person for Anita Quinn. He had long since given up making excuses and started describing her accurately. Adessa was too good hearted to listen, and she was convinced if she didn't give her a reason to dislike her that she would be just fine. He knew better. He didn't think Adessa had what it would take to handle Anita for an entire two day visit. God knew he couldn't.

He heard the rental car as it pulled into the drive and immediately called for Adessa who was still nervously rearranging nicknacks, trying to make everything perfect for their arrival. Anita strode through the door first, looking every bit the regal queen in her designer pantsuit and dripping jewels that she had spent a lifetime collecting. Her ink black hair was loosely knotted at her nape, and though her lips were curved, the smile was clearly fake.

“You look well, son. What has it been, three, four years?” she sniped.

“Easter, Mother. I spent Easter with you and Dad in Florida.” he corrected, watching her walk right past him, with her humorless brown eyes fixed on Adessa.

             
She looked his wife up and down and finally offered her first words to her new daughter-in-law.

“Hello, Adessa. I've heard so much about you,” the woman said with with deliberate sarcasm.

“Oh?” Adessa asked naively.

“No, but that will change,” she barked as her eyes turned to Judas, standing next to his wife.

"I forgot, where was it you got her?" The insult was not well received.

"Oh, for fuck sake, mother! She and I met at the masquerade, I told you that."

"Yes, now I remember. The slipper fit and she moved into the castle. Is that how it went?"

If looks could kill, the woman would have been dust.

              His father stood in the doorway, carrying two bags. One was larger than the other and one could guess who owned each one. Judas reached to take them as he introduced his wife. “Dad, meet my wife, Adessa. She works at the clinic across town and she is a fantastic cook.”

“Hi there, Adessa, I'm Phillip. Or,  Dad. However you prefer. It's nice to finally meet the red haired beauty my son has so fondly described,” he said with a friendly expression, and Adessa smiled at the compliment. Her response was cut off by the shrill voice of his mother who had grown impatient with the exchange.

“Come, Phillip, let us settle in while Judas's wife finishes our dinner. I'm starving.”

“Actually, Mother, I'm the one making dinner. Adessa's only helping,” Judas corrected her. He'd be damned if his mother would treat Adessa like a servant in her own home.

"Oh, right," she grunted, making her way up the stairs.

Judas groaned. This was going to be a long two days.

              Adessa tried several times to make conversation with the older woman, but nothing she said seemed to be well received. Anita Quinn was not the type of woman who enjoyed small talk. It seemed that everything she said was direct and to a point, which made Adessa feel like she had been scolded each time the woman spoke. The whole encounter was awkward and all she wanted was to crawl under the table and hide. Judas had to come to her rescue several times over dinner, and she was thankful that he had.

             
"Any grand babies on the way for me yet?" she asked as dessert was served.

"We just got married, mother. Let's not rush things. Besides, how do you even know that Adessa wants kids?" he challenged her.

"Of course she does, darling. She's a woman and the fool has already rushed in," she retorted between bites of apple pie.

His jaw clenched as he bit out, "I'm not a fool, mother. If you're in a hurry, you can always look at Mathew or Liam." He knew she was going to win. She always did. He was beginning to imagine
his hands around her throat. Or someone's.

She cackled, "Mathew doesn't like children, and I'm afraid Liam quite enjoys his reputation of the town drunk."

“Are you kidding? Mathew loves kids. It will happen when he is ready and as far as Liam is concerned, maybe he would be sober more if he hadn't been thrown out on his own and denied his inheritance.” He dropped his fork on his plate and pushed it away. He needed to get away from her and fast. He shot an icy glance at his father, who had stayed quiet during the argument.

             
Phillip stood and began to nervously collect their dishes, carrying them to the sink without commenting and Adessa immediately stood to help him.

“The point, Judas, is that I'd like a grandchild. It's the least she could do, since she somehow managed to weasel her way in without a pre-nup.”

“Stop, Mother,” he glared at her as he stood. He was shaking now and he felt like he was in a choke hold.

“I'm being realistic. The marriage is a sham. You could at least get a baby out of it.”

              He shot a glance at Adessa who looked painfully uncomfortable with the whole conversation and he knew he had to let it drop. There was only one other person in the room who understood what had just occurred. He went out to the patio for a smoke and his father joined him, leaving the two women to finish the kitchen.

             
Judas stared blankly out into the yard as he smoked. He was so deep into his thoughts he hadn't even realized that Phillip followed him out there until the old man's voice rang in his ears. "Hold it together, son. I made sure it would be a short visit," he assured him, clapping him firmly on the back.

"It's too late, Dad," he said in a monotone.

Phillip sighed heavily. "Is it still as bad?"

Judas nodded in response and crushed out the first cigarette. He knew his father understood, even if he was helpless to do anything about it. Sometimes, just the sound of his voice could make a world of difference, but never had it prevented what was to come.

              “Something tells me you haven't told your wife about this,” he said, adding, “Probably not in your best interest, I would say.”

“No shit,” Judas growled, lighting another cigarette.

The older man didn't immediately reply and the silence was deafening. “You have someone, then?”

“I still have Jaime, but it's been a long time. I've always made do with the randoms. Keeps me from losing what is left of my mind,” he said dryly.

“Why random ones?  Is Adessa not able to keep up?” He was genuinely asking.

             
Judas shrugged, taking a long drag. “It's not that. I just don't trust myself. She doesn't realize her power over me and if she ever figures it out, I'm fucked. Or she is,” he added dryly.

“I see,” Phillip nodded. "I don't know of any other options. You don't know how many times I've kicked myself for ever allowing this to continue."

"It's not your fault, Dad. I needed help and you did the only thing you could. It's my fault that it has continued this long," Judas sighed.

“Why haven't you gotten yourself into therapy by now? Get some help.”

              “You know why. They'd lock my ass up for being a nutjob. That or sell the story, and my career would be over,” he sighed. All the years he spent working his ass off, first studying and then practicing would be lost in a blink of an eye. Not to mention anything he said could potentially be subpoenaed if any legal issues ever arose. Either way, his secret would never be safe beyond the three people who knew.

             
He raked his fingers through his hair, exhaling a long breath. “How are Liam and Mathew, anyway? He asked, trying to change the subject.

“They're doing well. Mathew is just starting his practice, and Liam, well. He's still drinking up every dime I send him. Well, what doesn't end up in the thong of a stripper. They do ask about you. I think Liam more than Mathew but that's because the two of them don't get along for long periods, we know Liam has no respect for me. I'm only good enough to send him checks when your mother isn't looking.”

              Judas listened as he talked. He always meant to keep in touch but he had his own life and his own problems and he had nearly forgotten his entire life in Florida. The only reminders left were in the form of his mother's hateful voice as she spewed her venom. He knew she had no way to know the monster that had become of her son, but regardless, each time he saw her, she managed to do this to him and now, he knew he was standing at the edge, struggling to hang on.

             
“You know you can call me any time, son. I have told you before, I will do all I can to protect you. Your mother might have the biggest mouth, but I have the most sense.  Don't torture yourself over what you can't change. Just do the best you can each day and be proud. It's all any of us can do,” he said quietly.

“I know, Dad. I will call if I need you but I'm a man now and I am capable of cleaning my own messes,” Judas said, trying to convince himself more than his father. He was sorry he had ever gotten him involved in this part of his life but since he was small, his father had been the only friend he ever had. He was a good father to him and Judas hoped to be just like him if he was ever able to have a child of his own.

              As ugly as he was inside, Phillip had never looked down on his son. Instead, he had given him a simple phone number and to this day, he was thankful for Phillip's sacrifices.

“I love you, son. Now let's go back inside before your wife kills your mother.”

He couldn't picture Adessa killing a fly, much less his mother. “I love you too, Dad,” he said solemnly as they went back inside.

The whole next day, he was just going through the motions, barely responding to his mother's endless scorn. They went to the theatre to see a live performance for which he had been a sponsor and all through the show, he seemed lost in his thoughts.

She had finally learned to ignore about ninety percent of what Anita said. When she wasn't droning on about her dog, she went on and on about seemingly everyone she knew and her list of things to disapprove of was never ending. In honesty, Adessa had a hard time finding fault in anyone other than Anita herself.

             
They went to the mall after the performance and Anita spent the whole time complaining about how "middle class" the act was. She refused to buy a single thing, scowling and whining nonstop, while trying to appear more important than anyone else in the place. Judas held her hand but he didn't seem interested either, so it was up to Phillip and Adessa to try to be comfortable. Adessa had already guessed that Phillip could be happy anywhere and she could easily picture him wearing jeans and carrying a fishing pole.

             
Adessa picked up a bag in one of the stores, but when she headed to the checkout, she was scolded for the last time.

"You're only a nurse, darling," Anita spit, "Are you sure there isn't a Wal-Mart closeby?"

Adessa's face flushed and this time, Judas didn't save her. He simply walked away as if he hadn't heard the remark, leaving her to stand there alone with the horrible wretch. Fine, two can play this game. She handed the clerk her credit card and turned back to Anita. "THIS nurse, happens to now be a millionaire. So thank you for my half of Judas's inheritance," her eyes blazed.

             
Anita looked like she had been punched and Adessa was sure Phillip was choking on something as they both stood and stared at her, stunned. Still not finished, she flipped Anita the bird and yanked the bag and receipt off the counter and stormed away. The ride home was awkward and silent but at least she didn't have to listen to Anita's voice. Judas could be pissed at her all he wants, but no one was going to talk down to her and especially not someone like Anita Quinn. Hell, who was she kidding? He probably didn't even notice the exchange.

             
When they were in bed that night, she could hear Anita and Phillip arguing about what had happened. "I have never been so humiliated in my life!" Anita wailed.

"She's a redhead, that's for sure," Phillip said mildly.

"She doesn't belong. She's just as vile and distasteful as that whore, Leanna," she continued. It took all Adessa had not to react. She just laid there and listened, thankful that Judas was already asleep. They got quiet after a while and Adessa wondered why Phillip even put up with the wretch. She could easily see why Judas had never gone back to Florida.