Trying to Survive (The Kiser #1) (5 page)

    
“Thanks mom.”
 

    
Dad and Austin walked in, Austin still talking a mile a minute about his
jeep.
 
Smiling at the sight, I thought
now this is family.
 
I felt better today, physically and
emotionally.
 
Did I still miss my Graysen?
 
Absolutely, but it was getting much
easier.
 
For the first time in two years,
I felt like I’d be okay.

    
“Shall we eat or open presents first?”
 
Mom jolted me back to reality.
 

    
“Presents, definitely presents.”
 
Austin insisted and everyone laughed at his eagerness.
 
He may be eighteen, but Christmas was his favorite
holiday and it showed.

    
Sitting around the living room, mom started passing out gifts.
 
Of course, a lot of them were for Beth and
her family.
 
As Austin enthusiastically
opened his gifts, he got clothes, video games, and a $200 visa gift card.
 
“That’s to help with gas and dates.”
 
Dad told him with a mischievous grin.

    
“Thanks Grandpa!”
 
He stood up and
gave mom and dad both a big hug.

    
“Now you.
 
Go on, open it.”
 
Mom said with a smile on her face.

   
I took the small red and green package and slowly untied the silver
ribbon on top.
 
As I opened the box, my
heart fluttered and my breathing became more labored.
 
Looking through the box, tears filled my
eyes.
 
Looking up at my smiling mother, I
said, “Mom, this is too much.”

    
“Nonsense dear.
 
You deserve this
more than anyone I know.”

    
“What is it mom?”
 
Austin asked
with curiosity.

    
Smiling with glossy eyes, I looked at him.
 
“It’s a trip to New York.”
 
Mom and dad had purchased a plane ticket, and
paid for a hotel room for eight days.
 
I’d always wanted to visit the Big Apple, but never had the chance.
 
Now I get to bring in the New Year there.

    
“Awesome!”
 
Austin said peering
over my shoulder to look in the box.

    
“Will you be okay with me being gone for New Years?”
 
I asked, suddenly concerned.

 
   
“Of course, we worked everything out.
 
I didn’t know where you were going, but
Grandma asked me to stay with them, and I’m going with Kaitlyn to Jason’s house
for a New Year’s Eve party.”
 

    
“Do I need to call you and tell you to stay safe that day?”
 
Raising my eyebrows as though I mean what I
asked.

    
Blushing, “Mom please don’t!
 
Oh
God, I need to get out of here before you embarrass me in front of Grandma and
Grandpa.”
 
Everyone laughed at that.

    
“Thanks mom, thanks dad.”
 
I
hugged them both.
 
“Wait, what about Megan
and her plane ticket?”

    
“It’s okay, she purchased hers when I bought yours.
 
She’s all set.
 
Knowing her, she’s probably packed and ready
to go.”
 
And she probably was.

    
We stayed a few more hours before it was time to leave.
 
I needed to make sure I got plenty of rest,
and I needed to pack.
 
Our plane left the
day after Christmas so I only had about a day.
 
I can’t believe I’m getting to go to New York!

    
The next day, Austin and I watched old movies, ate left over food, and I
rested a lot.
 
That evening, I pulled out
my suitcase and started to pack.
 
Our
plane left at 2 p.m. on the 26
^th
, and the closer the time got, the
more excited I became.
 

    
“I’m glad you’re going.”
 
I looked
up to find Austin standing in the doorway with a solemn look on his face.

    
“Are you okay?”

    
“Yeah, I’m just glad to see you finally getting out of the house.
 
It’s about time you did something for yourself.”
 
A faint smile graced his face.

    
“I guess so.
 
What about
you?”
 
I took a seat on my bed so I could
look at him while we talked.

    
“Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the airport then head over to Grandma’s.”

    
“Please be careful, and when you go out New Year’s Eve, please don’t be
drinking.
 
It’s bad enough knowing you’ll
be on the road with everyone else that night.”
 
My heart started pounding at the thought.
 
Austin would be driving, and so would a lot
of other people, drunk people.
 
Oh
God!
 
My breathing became labored to the
point I thought I’d pass out.
 
I’d surely
die if anything happened to him.
 
I can’t do this!
 
I can’t do this!
 
I need to stay home, stay with him
.
 
What was I thinking?
 
Austin was saying something, but I couldn’t
hear him over the roar in my ears.
 
My
head began to swim and my vision blurred.
 
Nothing made sense.
 
Strong arms
wrapped around me, and my world righted again.
 
Someone was whispering to me.
 
Who
was it?
 
Then I knew, I knew it was
Austin.
 
My baby.
 
My strong man.

  
  
“It’s okay mom, I’ll be
fine.
 
I promise.”
 
But how could he know that?
 
None of us knows when our time will
come.
 
I thought I’d go before Graysen,
I’m the one born with a genetic disease, but that didn’t happen.
 
“Mom, listen to me.”
 
He said with authority.
 
He leaned back and looked in to my eyes.
 
“Jason’s parents don’t want any of us on the
road that night for the same reasons you don’t.
 
We are all spending the night and his parents will be home.
 
It’ll be okay.”
 
He said smiling.
 
I took the first deep calming breath since
thinking about it.
 
He wrapped me up in
his arms and I knew it’d be okay.
 
I
prayed it would.

    
The next day, with my luggage packed and loaded, we headed to Megan’s
house to pick her up.
 
I’d hugged Austin
all morning, but I’ll have to admit, I was now excited.
 
We were heading for New York!

Christmas
and New Year’s, Can it get worse?

    
Arriving at mother and father’s house for Christmas dinner, I had to
swallow the distaste in my mouth.
 
Hoping
I could get through the next couple of hours.
 
Since Thanksgiving, I’d thought about the ultimatum they had giving me
and so far I hadn’t come up with anything.
 
I didn’t
need
their money, but
I did need mine.
 
Father could break me;
I had seen him do it to other people many times before.
 
Would he though?
 
That was the real question.
 

    
Ringing the doorbell, Gary, the butler greeted me.
 
Always professional and treated me like a
guest, I nodded to him as he led me down the hallway to the dining area.
 
I found mother there in a long dark blue
dress that spoke of money, and father in his suit.
 
Looking around I noticed Uncle Rob and
Bambie
, huh
, I guess
they’re still together.
 
That’s
surprising.
 
And to the far left, I
saw an older man and woman with a younger lady.
 
The older woman had on a red flowing long dress, and her black hair
pulled back in to a severe bun.
 
The
other man also wore a suit, and the younger lady was smiling at me with a
calculated look in her eye.
 
She had on a
cream-colored long dress that formed her body, with a sweetheart neckline.
 
She also wore her bleached blonde hair in a
severe bun, and had on way to much make-up.
 
Of course, she was stick thin, and after looking from mother to
daughter, I shivered.
 
In thirty years, she’ll look like her
mother.
 
Hell, they look alike now.

    
“Colin,
I’m so glad you could make it.”
 
Mother
came over and placed her hands on my upper arms while she air kissed my
cheeks.
 
Slightly shaking her off, she
flashed me a
Don’t fuck with me look.
 
It was so quick, I’m sure I was the only one
that saw it.
 
Turning, she said, “Colin,
I’d like you to meet Adele and Bob.”
 
I
nodded, “And this is their daughter, Maria.”

    
Walking over, Maria pulled me in to an embrace.
 
Immediately I sized her up as being bold and
taking what she wanted.
 
Not my kind of
girl.
 
I liked to be the one in control,
and I could tell that she did to.
 
“Nice
to meet you Colin.
 
I’ve heard so many
wonderful things about you.”
 
I wondered
from who because nobody in this room knew a damn thing about me, including my
parents.

    
“Nice to meet you to.”
 
I stepped
back, but she stayed close.
 
Looking
around, I noticed that everything was decorated which was unusual.
 
A white tablecloth stretched across the long
table with five chairs on each side and one at each end.
 
Perfectly placed white
candles with greenery and red bows wrapped around them dotted the table.
 
Green vines hung off the far edges, and even
adorned the chandelier above that also had red roses weaved throughout.
 
The table was set with mother’s fine china,
and crystal glasses.
 
No doubt, she was
flaunting her wealth.
 

    
“Shall we have a seat?”
 
Mother
asked as she moved to the chair at one end of the table while father sat at the
other.
 
I went to my normal chair;
noticed Maria followed, and took the other chair to my left.
 
“Son, I was telling Maria before you arrived
about your business and how proud we are of you.”
 
What
the hell?
 
They have never showed any
interest before and they have certainly never said they were proud of me.

    
Taking a sip of wine, I didn’t say anything.
 
With mother’s glare, I finally relented and
said, “Thank you.”

    
“So Colin, where exactly do you live” I could actually see the greed in
her eyes.
 
She may come from a good
family, but she wasn’t any different than all the other women I had fucked.

    
“I live in Manhattan.”
 
There,
that was a good enough answer.
 
She
looked as though she had to ask me more, but mother interrupted her.

    
“Colin, I thought you might ask Maria to accompany you to the New Year’s
Eve Gala?”
 
She raised a questioning
eyebrow while I clenched my jaw and gritted my teeth.

    
“Oh, I’d love to!
 
Thank
you!”
 
What the fuck!
 
I did not ask
her!
 
Turning my head slowly to give
her the
are you insane look
, she
never even looked my way.
 
Cunning and
manipulative, just like mother.

    
Two excruciating hours later with dinner finished, and the right amount
of time allotted for dessert and small talk, I scooted my chair back and stood
up from the table.
 
“Thank you mother for
a lovely evening, but I must be going.”
 
This time I ignored her warning look.

    
“Colin, surely you can stay a little while longer?”
 
Mother asked in her sweet voice, which was
actually a warning.
 

    
Ignoring her, I turned to Maria.
 
“It was a pleasure to meet you Maria.”

    
“The pleasure was mine.
 
I’ll get
your number from Mrs. Withers and contact you about the Gala.”
 
She smiled sweetly and batted her eyes while
I clenched my teeth once again.
 
She knew
better than to ask me for my number.
 
I
just nodded before turning to leave.

    
“I’ll walk you out.”
 
Mother said
before I got two steps from the table.
 
She hurried out of her
seat then strolled
up beside me.
 
Taking my arm as we left
the room, she hissed, “You better not embarrass me.
 
I expect to see you at the Gala with Maria on
your arm.”

    
“Whatever you say
mother.”
 
I sneered.
 
As we got to the door, I jerked my arm from
her and left without saying goodbye.

    
As I got in my car, I let the rage of this evening feel me.
 
Driving way to fast, I headed home.
 
Before making it there, I turned around and
headed to a bar not caring which one it was.
 
This was New York after all and there would be plenty open today.

    
Finding a little whole in the ground bar, I parked and went inside.
 
Several people littered the bar stools also
trying to forget.
 
This day should be
about family and not about standing…social standing.
 
Everything my parents did was calculated, and
nothing was from love.
 
Sometimes I still
bought them a present, but I couldn’t remember the last one I’d received from
them.

    
Sitting down, the bartender came over and asked, “What’ll you have?”

    
“Whiskey, neat and the most expensive one you have.”
 
He raised his eyebrow and left to get my
drink.
 
When he returned, he sat it in
front of me and I handed him my credit card.
 
“Start a tab.”

    
After my third drink, I felt someone saddle up beside me.
 
Turning, the first thing I noticed was her
long shapely legs.
 
Continuing up, I took
in her small leather mini skirt, the skintight tee, long slender neck and ruby
red lips.
 
When I finally met her eyes,
she stared with interest.
 
She had on way
too much eye make-up and used too much perfume, but she was here.
 
“Hey sugar, want some company?”

    
“Sure, why not.”
 
I turned back to
my drink as she slid onto the stool beside me.

    
“Buy me a drink?”
 
She asked so I
waved the bartender over.
 
“I’ll have
what he’s having.”
 
I raised my eyebrows
in surprise.
 
I figured she’d have some
type of girly drink.

    
After another couple of drinks and some idle chitchat, I excused myself
so I could go to the men’s room.
 
Just as
I entered, she pushed the door open and followed me in.
 
Surprised and very drunk, I asked, “What are
you doing in here?”

    
“I thought you could use some help…help to forget whatever you are
trying to forget.”
 
She walked over to
the bathroom sink as I just stood there watching her.
 
She spread her legs and bent over.
 
Looking over her shoulder she asked, “What
are you waiting for?”

   
 
What was I waiting for? Noticing
she didn’t have panties on, I walked over to her and unzipped my pants.
 
Taking my dick in my hand, I slid a condom on
and aligned it up with her pussy before surging forward.
 
She wasn’t very tight, and that said something
because I had a big dick.
 
I worked it in
and out until I felt that familiar tingle at the base of my spine and I erupted
in to the condom.
 
Holding the base of my
dick to keep the condom in place, I withdrew.
 
As I flushed it down the commode, I zipped up.
 
“Thanks sweetheart.”

    
Grinning, she said, “No problem.
 
That’ll be $100.”
 

    
I knew my face showed dawning and then anger.
 
I have
never
paid for sex, and I didn’t
intend to now.
 
She must have read my
thoughts, “Butch is outside to make sure you pay up, and I also know who you
are.
 
If you don’t pay, it’ll be all over
the news.
 
You know, how you stiffed a
prostitute.
 
Get it?”
 
She giggled.
 
I wanted to strangle her; instead, I opened my wallet and threw a $100
bill on the floor.
 
As she reached down
to get it, I headed back to the bar.

    
“I’m finished. Close out my tab.”
 
The bartender had a sympathetic look in his eyes.
 
Undoubtedly, he’d seen this scam way too
often.
 
He handed me my card and receipt,
and after leaving him a tip, I left as quickly as possible.
 
Heading toward my car, I kept muttering to
myself.
 
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
 
That
was the first time in many years that I let someone take advantage of me.
 
I knew the whiskey had caused my severe lack
of judgement, but I still should have known better.
 
Shaking my head, I climbed in to my car and
headed home.
 
After almost hitting a
light pole, it dawned on me that I probably should have called Seth to come and
pick me up but I really hated to bother him on Christmas.

    
Somehow making it home without incident, I made my way to the elevator,
nodding at Dean on the way.
 
I showered
and then fell into bed, just wanting to put this horrible day far behind me.
 
Tonight had been an all-time low for me.