Chapter Three
Molly was jostled awake by the bumpiness of the plane's landing. Sitting up gingerly, she winced at the pain that shot throught her head. How in the hell am I gonna drive home? she wondered, gingerly rising from the seat and filing off the plane in front of John. He'd insisted she walk in front of him in case she fainted or something. Excited at finally seeing the airport itself, Molly didn't notice the small step from the ramp to the door. Just as she was sure she was gonna make a fool out of herself and land flat on her face, she found an arm wrapping around her tightly. Righting herself, she turned in John's arms.
"Thanks" she said, noticing how blue his eyes were this close up. Slowly his hold relaxed and Molly was able to step away. She turned a little too quickly, though and started to sway with lightheadedness. Strong arms swept her off her feet and the next thing she new, she was being carried through the airport and being placed gently on a bench. John sat down next to Molly and gently rubbed circles on her back.
"You gonna be okay, Molls? You want me to take you to the hospital or somethin'?" Molly mustered up all her strength to paste a fake smile on her face once again.
"Nah. I'll be fine. Thanks." she started up and quickly sank back down onto the bench. "Oooohhhhhh" she groaned.
"Wait here." A few minutes passed and Molly was sure John had left her. Oh well. she thought with a small shrug, I would've left me, too. She rose slowly and after the initial dizziness passed, she slowly made her way to the parking lot, where she always had a car waiting. Just as she reached the elevator to go to the lower floor, a hand reached out, whirling her quickly around. She found herself looking up at very angry John Cena.
"Didn't I tell you to wait for me? Good God, woman, you're in no condition to walk by yourself, let alone drive!" He grabbed her bag from her hand and placed a hand firmly at her back, propelleing her into the elevator. "Are you always this damn stubborn?"
A hand held up to her head, Molly said, "Please refrain from using vulgar language in front of me." John's eyes widened in shock. What in the ---? She wanted him to watch his language? Then it hit him---the reason he and Molly had never really spoken. She was a prude! Not one of his fellow superstars had ever dated her, or seen her go out with another guy. Speculation was that she was a lesbian...nah. She was too "holier than thou" for that. He sneered at her comment.
"My language? As I recall, sweetcheeks, it was you who said and I quote..." he cleared his throat and spoke in a high squeaky voice, "Let me go! The Bitch has it comin'!" Molly blushed and straightened her shoulders. Throwing her head back, she looked John dead in the eyes.
"I was angry."
"So that excuses you?"
Molly hesitated. "No, not really." she finally said, albeit reluctantly. Suddenly she was very tired and just wanted to go home. "John, I'm feeling better. I'll be able to drive, no problem, so you can just go now..." John shook his head. He was ready to get away from the confusing woman and go home as well, but had a slight problem.
"Well, see...I sorta forgot to reserve a car and there's this big convention in town this week..." Molly sighed and stepped off the elevator. As she walked out, John couldn't help but note the sexy sway of her hips. Shaking his head, he grabbed his stuff and followed her. She stopped in front of a 1965 mustang fastback and popped the trunk. With a low whistle, John walked around the car, running a hand along it's sleek black panel with appreciation. "This is YOUR ride?"
Molly smirked and unlocked the driver's door. Her headache was quickly diminishing and the grumpy mood that usually followed didn't let her down. "Surprised? About what? That I drive a classic car or that I can drive at all?" she asked drolly. John glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"Both actually." he said calmly, leaning against the panel and watching as she dropped her purse and the book he had lent her into the console. She frowned at him.
"Alright, Cena, let's just go. I've got places to go and ---"
"And lover's to see? " Molly gestured for him to get in. While he was putting his luggage in the trunk, she breathed a sigh of relief. If John thought she was hurrying home to be with a lover, then she'd be happy to let him think that. The sooner she got him home, the better. He'd stopped asking her questions about why she was in such a rush to get home and Molly couldn't have been happier. He climbed in, and Molly pulled out of the parking garage, eager to start her vacation.
The silence in the car lasted about two blocks.
"So where am I headed, John?" John turned his eyes from the familiar passing scenery.
"Huh?" Molly sighed and shook her head.
"Your address, Cena? I need to know where I'm taking you." John gave her his address and Molly noted that it wasn't far from her home, only about10 blocks. At her silence, John assumed she didn't know where the place was.
"Do you need me to tell you how to get there?" Molly looked at him in annoyance. Did this man think she was an imbecile? She batted her dark eyelashes at him.
"Well, suh, I just might, seeing as how I'm just a poor lil ol' country girl." she said in a thick Southern accent. John grimaced at her sarcasm. Holding up both hands as if to ward off any more verbal blows, John tried calming her down.
"Alright, alright. Sorry I asked." He turned to look out the window again. "Are you always this bitchy after one of those headaches?"
Molly sighed heavily. It really wasn't John's fault she was in a bad mood, and it was unfair of her to take out her grouchiness on him. She waited a few moments, then smiled over at him. "Sorry. Migraines always put me in a bad mood after the initial pain and nausea wear off." John just looked at her oddly and nodded, returning to his scenery watching.
Less than 10 minutes later, they were driving through Molly's neighborhood. "Look's like Mr. Breece has got his grandkids for the summer again." she said, glancing over at a large brick house on her left. John looked as well, then focused his attention on Molly.
"You know this part of town?"
Molly laughed. "Yeah, you could say that. That's my house, there." she pointed to a two story deep red brick with a beautiful lawn. John looked at her, surprise evident on his handsome face.
"I didn't know we lived so close to each other." Molly shrugged.
"We only moved in two years ago. It's quite a change from Alabama." Molly noticed her slip too late, but John hadn't missed it at all.
" 'We' , Molly? You and who else?" Molly floundered a bit, then said calmly, "Why, Crash and Bob of course. They're the only family I have."
John seemed disappointed. Probably thought he'd get some dirt on the "Virgin Molly" to tell all the guys, Molly thought with disgust. She hadn't exactly lied about that...just not told the whole truth. They were silent the rest of the short car ride. Molly pulled into the driveway of the number John had given her. A large, white clapboard Victorian house, with a real honest-to-God white picket fence. She turned to John and watched as a faint blush stole up his neck. He shrugged, reaching for the door handle.
"I always wanted a white picket fence." He got out and went around to the trunk to get his luggage. His and Molly's duffle's looked the same, but he knew that he'd put his on the left hand side. Grabbing the bag, he walked up to Molly's rolled down window. "Thanks for the ride, Molly."
Molly reached out and briefly touched his arm. "John, I really do appreciate all you did for me today. I'm sorry I acted like such a...well, you know." she flushed. Amazingly, John believed her apology. He nodded his head and waved as she slowly backed out of the driveway and sped off. She's an alright lady he thought, diggin around for his keys in his pocket. Most of the guys probably just haven't gotten to know her. John thought about that as he grinned and unlocked the door. Dumping his bag on the floor to unpack later, the first thing he did was strip down, ready for a nice long shower. He walked, naked up the stairs to his private bathroom and turned on the shower. Waiting for it to heat, he checked his answering machine.
"John, this is your mother...call me when you get home. I haven't seen you in ages!"
John smiled at that. "Ages" to his mother was a week to any normal person. He got along great, with her, though and with his dad. He decided to go visit this evening after his shower and nap. Erasing the rest of the messages, from telemarketers and an old girlfriend, he made his way back into the now steamy bathroom.
As he stepped under the hot spray, his thoughts went back to Molly and why no one seemed to like the diva. Probably afraid of what Crash and Bob will do if they get too close. John thought. Everyone knew how protective both the Holly's were about their little cousin. He let the warm water ease his aching muscles and relax his tired body. He suddenly vivdly remembered Molly's curvey bottom pressed up against him snugly when she tripped coming off the plan. John groaned and thought about her soft breasts pressing against him as she hugged him, thankful for the ticket home. Glancing down, he noticed the evidence of his arousal staring him in the face. He groaned and turned the facet on cold. His muscles automatically clenched against the contrast, but the one "muscle" he was trying to get to relax wasn't cooperating. He sighed and turned the water back on warm. He reached over to grab the bar of soap and quickly lathered his right hand. If cold water wasn't gonna do it, and he didn't have a woman handy, he was going to have to take matters into his own hands.
Molly slammed the car door and hurried up the front steps of her home. Before she could reach it, the front door was flung open and a little dark-haired whirlwind launched himself at her. "Mommy! Mommy! You're home! It's my birthday and you're home!"
Molly hugged the little boy with all she had, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. She'd missed him so much these last 2 months! Phone calls everynight were great, but it wasn't the same as holding your baby, being able to tuck him in at night. She pulled back and gazed into the tiny face, so much like her own. "Hi baby! Happy Birthday!"
He pulled away and put his hands on his hips. "Mommy, I'm not a baby anymore! I'm five today!" Just hearing him say that brought tears to her eyes again. She gave her son a watery smile.
"I know, sweetie, but you'll always be my baby." He pulled her in the house, barely giving her time to close the door behind them.
"Izik! I told you not to slam that do--" The older lady that walked out of the kitchen, a dishtowel in her hands, stopped. "Molly! You're home!" Nora Holly came and gave her niece a huge hug. "You look so tired, sweetpea! They work you too hard!" Molly laughed and returned the hug gratefully. It felt wonderful to be home. Pulling back she looked closely at the woman who had been her only mother figure the last 3 years. Critically, Molly took in the slenderness of her frame and the laughter in her eyes. She smiled.
"Nah, Aunt Nora, I work myself too hard." She turned to pick up her son to follow her aunt into the kitchen while she rambled on about how Molly, Bob and Crash all worked too hard. Molly knew he was really too big to pick him up and carry him around, but she couldn't help herself sometimes. She so rarely got to spend time with him and he was growing up so fast....
She shook her head clear of the depressing thoughts and focused her attention on her son, who was trying to sneek a sweet potato slice from where aunt Nora was peeling them. She grinned, remembering when she had done the very same thing herself. Izik turned and saw that his mother had caught him. She winked and held a finger to her lips. He grinned, displaying a new gap in his front teeth, and snatched one for his mother, too. He ran over, crawling up into her lap, just as aunt Nora turned around.
"Izik Jacob Holly! How in the world did you mana--Molly! You too?" She turned back to her stove, muttering under her breath. "Twenty-six years old and still snitching taters." Molly laugh and got up, walking over to give her aunt a kiss on the cheek.
"You know you love it." she said as she was pulled away by a very impatient little boy. Pulling her into the spacious living room, Izik immediately plopped down on the sofa and tugged his mother down to meet him. Whispering conspiratorily, "Mommy? Did you bring me a present?" He looked down at his scuffed sneakers and remembered that Aunt Nora didn't like for him to put his feet on the couch. He dropped his legs over the side of the cushion. "Aunt Nora says I'm not suppose to ask 'cause it's im-imp---"
"Impolite?"
The boy smiled brilliantly at his mom. "Yeah! That's it! But I thought that since you're my mommy, and it is my birthday, that it would be okay..." Molly smiled and pulled him close for another hug.
"Well, I might have brought you something home..." Izik jumped up, tackling his mother and raining kisses all over her.
"Can I have it now? Can I mommy?" Molly grinned. "Sure bab--I mean, sweetie" she said, catching herself. She walked to the front hall where her bag had been dropped, forgotten in the rush of happy greetings. She knelt down and unzipped the side compartment where she had placed the model train set she'd bought for her son. As soon as she opened it, she knew something was wrong. Her bag didn't normally smell like Paul Sebastian...she reached in and pulled out a wadded up basketball jersey. Molly stood there, staring at the jersey as realization dawned. John must've grabbed the wrong bag! Molly quickly hid the shirt as she heard her aunt approaching.
"Dinner's on the table in about 10 minutes...Molly? You okay, sweetpea?" Molly nodded, smiling at the older woman.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all." Nora clucked her way back into the kitchen muttering about her sons and niece working too much. Molly turned around and saw her son waiting expectantly. She quickly came up with an excuse.
"Well, maybe it'd be better to wait until your party tonight. Don't you think?" She interupted his pleas before they really began. "I mean, it's something you're gonna want to show everybody..." She knew she had him there. He had just enough of his father in him, no good bastard that he was, to want to hog the limelight. He nodded suddenly, coming to a decision.
"You're right, Mommy. I'll wait." Aunt Nora yelled for him to come help her with something and he took off, leaving his mother to smile at his energy. She sighed and turned back to the bag. John would probably have figured out by now that they had mixed up their bags. As she pondered over whether or not to call him, or just take it over, the doorbell rang. Molly walked to the door, preoccupied with her thoughts. Opening the door, all thoughts fled her mind. She was going to be able to save herself the trip...because John Cena was standing on her front porch.