Keeping Faith (21 page)

Finally out on the street, Reece took a deep breath and savored the fresh air. She took another breath and tried to center herself. First, she needed a shower, then, she needed food. She was in a very cranky mood, and people weren't on her list of things to deal with, but Faith's mom was in the house. She was frustrated on so many levels, and wasn't certain she could be civil to the older woman. Choosing her destination, the tall woman, headed towards the club, where she had a shower, and a change of clothes always waiting for her.

Faith returned home, ready to explode all the information she had to share. Finding the house empty was a relief and annoying at the same time. A relief, because her mother may have gone home, annoying because she had no one to tell the days events to. She wouldn't call Reece, she could be in the middle of training someone, and she didn't want to interfere. This wouldn't be a two minute phone call, she had a lot to say. She looked down and grinned. The house wasn't completely empty, Smudge was falling all over himself to say hello. She picked him up, and after what seemed like a million happy kisses, took him to the recliner and leaned back.

"Looks like you and me bud. Let me tell you what happened today with that bitch Alicia."

Reece felt a little more human after she cleaned up and ate. Still, she was really preoccupied with thoughts of Faith having sex with Alicia. It ate her the hell up. Faith was hers, and she didn't share well with others. Especially her wife. Reece knew she had to snap out of this dark mood, or someone was going to get hurt, but she couldn't. She just couldn't think about anything else. She decided to stay in her office, away from danger.

A
FTER FINDING THE note her mother left, saying that she went home, Faith immediately called Reece. She was disappointed when the voicemail came on, but left the good news. She eventually went up to bed, hoping Reece would be home when she woke up. When she did awaken, it was early in the morning, and Reece never came home. She knew this because Smudge slept by the front door all night waiting for her. Now, angry, Faith dialed Reece’s cell phone again.

Reece had turned off her cell phone last night after several of the women she was to train kept calling. It didn’t matter to them that Reece said she was married, these girls were persistent, and with Reece already in a destructive mood, she opted for turning off the phone. She didn’t even think about Faith trying to reach her, assuming Faith would know where she was when she didn’t show up at home. She was far too agitated to go home, afraid she’d be horrible to Faith for no fault of Faith’s. Sleeping in her office was nothing new to her, and the couch was comfortable, but it wasn’t home and she woke up pretty much in the same mood she went to sleep in. Her cell phone began to ring the moment she turned it on. At first she growled at the phone until she noticed it was Faith. Then she grimaced. She thought about letting the voice mail take it, but knew that Faith would show up if she didn’t answer. She reluctantly pressed the button. “Yeah.”

Faith heard that tone and sighed. “So, how long are you going to hide out at your club?”

Reece shrugged. “Dunno. Why?”

“Why? Because you’re my wife and I want to see you.”

“Faith, I’m in no mood right now.”

The actress was trying to keep her anger in check. “You just can’t keep running off every time things get to thick for you. You need to stop that shit already.”

“I don’t think you need to be in my company.” Reece said tersely.

“Shut the hell up, Reece. I don’t care what mood you’re in, I don’t care at all, I love you and expect to see you here soon. Besides, Smudge is miserable.”

“But your mother…”

“Is gone. She left because she thought we needed some alone time, now cut the crap and get home.”

Reece groaned. “Faith, please…”

Frustrated, Faith nearly yelled. “You know… do what you want. I’m leaving in a couple of hours. If I see you, I see you.”

Reece slammed her phone shut after Faith hung up on her.

Faith wasn’t fooling herself thinking Reece would come home. She knew better, and she also knew better than to go to the club and confront her wife. She sighed and sat down in the recliner with Smudge. She pet the dog as she made herself angry, thinking about how when she really needed Reece she ran off. Suddenly her hackles rose and she looked around, she felt like she was being watched, and found the photographer peeking out from between two cars, his long lens aimed right at her. She gave him the finger and shut the blinds properly. She thought about what might have happened to that man had Reece been home, and grinned.
My big bad protector. My hero,
she thought with a smile. She missed Reece terribly and wanted to be wrapped up in those strong arms.

Not in the mood for glamour, Faith threw on sweats and a baggy shirt, and was tying her sneakers when the phone rang. Thinking it was Reece, she answered it before the second ring.

“Louise! How’s it hanging?”

Faith smiled instantly. “John you big Mary, am I going to see you today?”

“But of course. Listen, I have big juicy gossip that you just need to hear.”

Faith sat down, knowing John’s gossip could go on for days. “So, what is it?”

“Rumor has it in hair and makeup, that they’re going to ambush you and Miss bitchy panties into doing a nudie scene today!”

Faith jumped up. “WHAT? I didn’t prepare! I need time to mentally deal with that little shit! God, I didn’t shave my legs!”

John laughed his ass off. “That’s the point. They know how famously you two get along and wanted to throw you both into it without warning so there’s no time to think.”

“Holy shit.” Faith was silent as a million things ran through her head.

“Hellooooo…. Did you swoon on me? Don’t bruise yourself, I’m not sure I have enough cover-up.”

“No, I’m here. Shit. Okay, listen I gotta go, I need to shave. Everything.”

John chuckled. “Don’t rush honey, I don’t want you showing up with little bloody bits of toilet tissue all over the place.”

Faith smiled despite her anxiety. “Yes, ma’am.”

After she hung up the phone with John, Faith called Cori and Violet, gave their voice mail the short story and ran to the bathroom to strip herself of hair.

Reece sulked around the office debating whether or not to go home when Faith was there, or after she left. Finally making a decision, she headed home, with the excuse that Smudge needed her. Finding the house empty was a relief and a disappointment for the club owner. She was glad that Mrs. A was gone, but disappointed that she missed Faith. All her procrastinating just made it worse on her when Faith came home later. Reece made her way upstairs, to gather gym clothes for training, and on seeing the mess that used to be the bathroom, she wondered what was going on. With Smudge hot on her heels she didn’t have time to stand there and stare. She quickly scooped up her dog and after a myriad of happy kisses, took him for a walk.

Cori took a sip of coffee as she checked her messages and nearly spit it all over the kitchen. “Vi!!!”

Violet came running into the kitchen, half naked. “What? What happened?”

“Faith’s doing the sex today!”

Violet’s eyes widened. “Today? The first thing they film? How can they do that?”

“John heard a rumor and Faith just conveyed. Man, imagine being Faith.”

“Imagine being Reece?” Violet countered.

Cori made a face. “Yeesh. I better go soothe the savage beast.”

Reece dressed in her gym clothes, and was just about to leave when the door bell rang. Making an annoyed face, she yelled in her most menacing voice. “Who?”

“Me, Reece, you gotta open up, it’s really important!"

Reece closed her eyes and took a breath. She wasn’t in the mood at all to hear another one of Cori’s dissertations about how to treat Faith. She took her gym bag and keys and was preparing to walk right past the dancer.

Cori jumped back as Reece barreled through the front door. “Where are you going?”

“Gym, I got training.” Reece couldn’t help noticing the new addition to Cori’s already freaky body. “Nice hair, and when did you do that?” Reece pointed to the new labret piercing.

“Last night, and thanks, I think this color pink is delicious.” The dancer primped her hair.

“If you like cotton candy. Look, I gotta go, someone is waiting for me.”

Cori hurried to keep up with the long strides of her friend. “Reece, do you have any idea where Faith is?”

Reece shrugged. “At the studio?”

“Yes, and do you know what she’s doing?”

The tall woman stopped and pinned Cori with a look. “Cori, I don’t have time for games, spit it out.”

Cori hated being pinned by those ice blue eyes, especially now when she had to tell Reece the news. “Faith and Alicia are doing a sex scene today.”

Reece swallowed hard. “What?”

“Yeah, John told Faith and now she’s freaking out. I just though you might want to know.”

Reece felt like her head might explode. “Oh.”

Cori held Reece by her forearm. “You knew this was coming, and if you ask me, you should have been there for her this morning, despite your immature attitude.”

Reece narrowed her eyes. “Are we quite done?”

“Yes.” Cori released the club owners arm. “Don’t go doing anything stupid.”

“Whatever.”

Cori watched Reece head towards her bike and took a deep breath. “For Faith’s sake, just go to the gym.”

Reece straddled her bike, put her helmet on and took off.

Reece’s head was swimming and it wasn’t conducive to driving. She pulled over and hit the kickstand hard. Closing her eyes and throwing her head back, she took several deep breaths and tried to think clearly. Right now, Faith could possibly be naked with Alicia. This was not sitting well with Reece at all. Her heart was pounding in her ears, and her stomach felt sick. This was not good. Her instinct was to drive right to the studio and stop it from happening, but her rational mind knew better. The problem was, her irrational impulse was so much stronger and she struggled to stay in control. Her cell phone began to ring, and snapped Reece out of her daze. She cursed as she answered.

“Reece? Is that you?”

Puzzled the club owner cocked her head. “Yeah, who’s this?”

“Jennifer. We had an appointment at the gym a half hour ago, are you coming?”

Reece squeezed her eyes shut tightly and pinched the bridge of her nose.
Faith, Jennifer, Faith, Jennifer…
Her stomach cramped. “No, I have an emergency, I have to cancel today.”

“Oh. I understand. Should I tell the desk?” The disappointment was clear in Jennifer’s voice.

“Please, look, I gotta go.” Reece closed her phone and narrowed her eyes. Faith it is.

Faith zipped out of the black car, leaving Ted to chuckle to himself at her nerves. The blonde complained non-stop about Alicia and having to pretend to like the woman that Ted had no idea what to expect when he picked her up later.

The actress ran right to the make-up room and jumped on John. “Tell me, what exactly did you hear?”

John laughed. “Calm down honey! Sit, let me fix this bird’s nest.”

Faith ran a hand through her hair, “It’s fine, now talk.”

“Well, Alicia seems to have heard the same rumor and is making like it’s no big deal. However, my sources tell me she’s a nervous wreck about her first kiss with a woman.”