Wife Material
New York
Cedes sat looking at her reflection in the mirror, it was their 5th year together anniversary and she was looking forward to what Peter had in store for her. That first year he'd actually flew her to Rome and they'd had the most beautiful weekend, romance was in the air the minute they stepped off the plane and stayed with them the whole time, the only thing missing was the proposal, but they hadn't been together for that long so she knew why that wasn't broached.
The second year they'd done a parachute dive, holding hands all the way down, shouting I love you as the air hit their faces and finally screaming at the height, near death experience and absolute rush of it all . Year three they went to see Beverley knight, one of her idols, in concert and finished the evening off with a back stage pass, where they had drinks with the star herself and a signed photo she was in her elements again.
Last year he'd been away on tour, he was an R&B singer and doing really well, she'd forgiven him everything on the premise that this year would be super cool and bigger than all the other anniversaries put together. On top of that they'd actually got an apartment together solidifying their relationship even more, no they weren't married but if this was what he was doing for his girlfriend surely the only way was up, she bounced on her chair with the excitement of what was to come
"Cedes" she heard jumping up to go find her man
"Richard" she stood at the top of the stairs looking down at him a smile on her face "Will I do?"
"You'll do" he said flatly "Come down we need to talk" his voice serious as Cedes smile left her face and she made her way down the stairs
"What's up?" she walked up to him asking
"We need to talk" he turned and walked towards the living room telling her
"Sounds serious" her face twisted as she followed him thinking proposal
"Cedes" he sat down calling her, his position telling her he wasn't about to propose "There's no easy way to say this" he grabbed her hand telling her "I don't want to be with you any more"
"What?" she pulled her hand away form him asking "I mean what did I do?"
"Nothing, this just isn't working"
"Why... why isn't it working? She asked in a daze, this was not what she was expecting "What happened?"
"I just don't want this any more"
"So what changed between Tuesday and today?"
"I just don't want this any more"
"You keep saying that, what did I do?"
"I don't want to hurt your feelings Cedes lets just leave it at that"
"I'm already fucking hurt Richard, just tell me"
"Okay" he looked down at his hands for a while before looking up at her "I know my jobs demanding but yours is just non-existent right now, you're on stage less than ever for fuck sake, I'm carrying you right now, then this no sex before marriage shit is taxing to say the least, I want sex Cedes and lots of it, I sleep with other girls, and basically if you want me to tell all, you've put on some extra pounds lately and really, it doesn't appeal to me"
"What?" she gasped
"Don't make me say it all again" he looked at her shaking his head telling her
"I need you to go, and leave the keys on the table" she stood up saying
"I'll pay my part for the next three months then you're on your own" he told her as she stood waiting for the door to shut before she burst into tears
"Bastard" she shouted at the door as she threw herself on the couch and cried until she was satisfied "This shit should make for good music apparently" she finally told herself as she walked around the house putting everything belonging to Richard in bags and boxes "He's got a fucking cheek telling me I'm not wife material" she flung his belongs into boxes telling herself
By day three she was still devastated about her new found situation, how could she have been so happy and so damn blind at the same time, how could she have not even felt that he was playing away "You didn't have to feel it, you weren't even interested in that man's shit" she picked the box up saying, in that instance she'd decided his belongings needed to leave the house so she piled them up in the garage "He can collect his shit from the back door" she kicked the last box saying as she drove her car out of there and locked Richard's belongings in, if she never saw them again it would be too damn soon.
"Whoever said it was easy to write about your pain was lying" she threw the pencil down shouting as she sat in the music room trying to scratch something out that she wouldn't feel too ashamed for people to hear but everything came out rough, too much pain, anger, hate she needed to calm it down and get constructive about it. She knew what she wanted but the words failed her right now
"Cedes" her brother Mike called some eight weeks after the break up "I just saw Richard's changed his status on facebook, what's happening?"
"Nothing, you know Richard, his agent probably told him to do it to get his followers up or something"
"You're sure"
"I'm sure" she found a giggle to send down the phone
"Okay but call me if anything changed and I'll deal with that man of yours" he giggled back "I love you little sis"
"Love you too big bear" she genuinely smiled with the warm feeling
Their parents had died tragically some 15 years ago and Mike being almost 18 at the time had taken on responsibility for his sister, he'd done some god awful things in the early days but once he got his football scholarship the sky was the limit and he was able to send her to schools she wanted and gave her a good start in her career when she finally decided she wanted to sing. He was only 8 years older than her but for all intents and purposes she could have called him Dad for the way he'd protected her through her childhood, they were tight. She sat after the call wondering why she hadn't told him the truth about her situation
"Miss Jones" she heard her landlord on the other end of the phone coming up to month fours of her single life
"Mr Jarvis" she smiled as she heard his voice "How can I help?"
"Sorry Miss Jones but the rent hasn't gone through this month"
"Sorry" she said embarrassed "I'll sort it out it will be with you by end of play today, she slammed the phone down at the forced memory of Richard. Now she not only had to think about being alone, she had to face the reality of being able to manage the apartment financially "How the fuck did I put so much into that damn man?" she stood thinking "So now I need to find somewhere else to live" she looked around at the furniture in the main room thinking.
Cedes got ready for work, she'd rented some studio time and she was going to see if what she had in her head sounded right to anyone else, it was still angry in her opinion but hell, it was what she was feeling. She grabbed her sheet music, purse and keys and left the apartment "Shit" she stopped the car in the lot saying as she remembered she needed to get the rent. Opting to do that before rather than after work she turned the engine on again and went in search of the ATM "What the hell" she shouted at the machine when it gave her a transaction rejection message, punching her code in again to get a not enough funds message "What do you mean?" she asked the machine punching for a statement "$60 how the fuck can that be?" she took her phone out to call Richard for the first time since he'd left the apartment "Richard" she barked when he answered about to carry on talking when she realised it was his answer service "Call me back" she shouted and cut the call off
"I can not believe that bastard took all my damn money" she hissed going back to the car to get her reserves card. Her reserves lasted two months, what with all the bills and studio time and that high rent, eventually it hit her she had to find somewhere else to live. She went at it with a vengeance, and she wasn't picky but she had standards and realistically what she could afford was not what she'd ever thought of living in "Mike" she cried when he answered the phone
"Sis what's up?" he asked concerned
"Richard left me and I've got nowhere to go"
"Come home baby, you can always come home"
"I feel like a failure"
"And maybe you are, but right now you're my failure and I love you, come home" he giggled
"You always know what to say" she giggled through her cry "I don't have the fare"
"I'll buy you a ticket, just pick it up at the airport and get here"
"I don't know what to do with the furniture and stuff"
"Whatever you want store it or leave it, but don't bring it the house is packed as it is" he laughed "Your make up bag will take up more than enough space as it is" he said in jest "Plus I can't wait to see you"
"Thanks"
"No need to thank me, you know home is always going to be home, I do what I do for you"
Los Angeles
"Hi" she fell into her brothers arms saying, he'd met her at the airport, just as he'd said he would, she didn't realise she'd missed him as much as she had until she saw him, she couldn't stop crying
"Hi" he smiled until her felt her jerking him his arms "It's going to be alright, I got you" he told her holding her as she cried all the pressure out
"I'm over him" she looked up at Mike telling him "It's been five months or so, I guess I'm just happy to see you" she punched his stomach lightly telling him
"Dotto" he laughed "Come on let's get you home, fed and bed"
"I'm 27 I don't go to bed before 11am any more" she laughed
"You're my little sis you do as I say, and I say you need rest"
"Actually I do" she grabbed hold of his swinging hand and walked with him to the car, loaded it and made their way home "God it's been too long" she said as they walked into the house, everything in it had changed but only in terms of old for new, everything was in it's place
"Your rooms still your room" he nodded up the stairs saying "Go get sorted I'll get dinner"
Cedes threw her bag in her room ran into the bathroom and had a soak for twenty minutes before going back downstairs to find Mike "Told you it would take a month to sort that make up bag of yours out" he laughed
"I had a bath"
"Oh, yeah I was going to say" he laughed
"What, that I stink?" she hit him asking
"No" he laughed dodging her slap "That I'm off to a game in Ohio tomorrow I should be gone for three days but a friend will be here he's cool, Sam"
"Is he a friend or a friend?" she winked
"A friend, he's a player too, but he wants to stay out the limelight for a while and I said he could crash here, that was before I knew you were coming"
"So you trust this Sam, to be here with your little sis?"
"He's promised me, and I believe him, there'll be no funny business or there will be a death" he laughed "I think he values our friendship"
"If you say so" she smiled "But is he cute?"
"Cute or not he's a friend of mine and I draw a line right there" Mike warned "You hearing me?"
"I hear you" she rolled her eyes telling him
"So lets eat" he put the two plates on the table telling her, they ate and drank while Cedes gave him the run down on the situation with Richard "he's a bastard and you're not fat, you're thick and a lot of guys like that"
"Yeah, when you find one let me know" she told him deflated "It all feels like just yesterday talking about it"
"Sorry" he took the plates up saying as he walked towards the sink "I'm off at like 4 in the morning so I won't see you tomorrow but Sam should be here by the time you surface, he knows where the key is and everything, he's been here before"
"Okay"
"And I'm sorry but 4 in the morning merits bed at 10 for me, I'll see you when I get back, there's money in the usual place and I've left my card just in case but please don't go mad with it, and yes studio time can be afforded I know that's your life"
"Thank you" she hugged him saying
"But that don't mean you can sit and not find work girl I thought you better than that"
"You did and I will" she kissed his cheek telling him
"Goodnight" he kissed her forehead telling her before he walked away "And don't forget" he held her attention saying as he got to the kitchen door "I love you princess"
"I love you too Big bear" she smiled as she watched him close the door
She sat quietly reflecting on her life so far dating had been one disastrous link up after another for her why did she always fall for these loser types, she only ever saw the good time they were giving her and nothing else, was it something about her no sex thing that was making them that way, should she just free that up and maybe someone would find it worth sticking around for. Something had to change, she needed to make better life choices, it was alright being back at home now but how would that look in say ten years time when she was looking at 40 "Really?" she asked herself for even thinking that far ahead. Watching TV for a while before she gave up and found her bedroom and soon after sleep
The next morning she woke up to hear Richard's song humming through her TV she looked up to see him laying on a couch with girls all over him telling everyone how he could 'Suck on that thing' she rolled her eyes at the fact that only now did that actually mean something to her "Bastard" she threw the covers off her saying, jumping up and grabbing her dressing gown to make her way downstairs
Monday
"Morning" she heard stopping her in her tracks as she stared at this long haired, white boy sitting on the stool at the counter, maybe a year or even two older than her
"Morning, I'm guessing you're Sam" she smiled back at him
"I am and obviously you're Cedes"
"Yeah, sorry I forgot you were going to be here I'm not too good in the mornings" she roughed her hair up some more and grabbed for the cereal
"I only look this good because I haven't slept yet" he laughed
"So mornings are not our thing?" she smiled
"I guess"
"Mike tells me you play, what position?"
"Quarterback same as Mike"
"How do you know Mike?"
"We had the same trainer back in the day when we were with the Socks together"
"So how did you..."
"Too early in the morning for all these questions, I'm thinking bed right now"
"Sorry" she looked at him saying "Mike says I talk too much" she smiled "I'm having a chill day today, so I guess I'll get us some lunch for when you wake up later"
"Thanks" he said getting up to find his bed "in a while" he turned to tell her as he closed the door behind him
"Afternoon" Sam walked into the main room saying "Or is that nearer to evening?" he looked at the lights on over the pool asking
"Hi, there's food in the oven call it whatever you want lunch, dinner, supper" she flashed her pencil around telling him
"Yeah thanks as soon as I wake up" he walked towards the couch saying "What are you doing?" he asked looking at her with pencil and paper in hand
"Trying to concentrate on a song" she looked up for a second to tell him
"Sorry" he backed off and found his way to the kitchen to get that food she'd mentioned
"You sure know what a man needs" he walked back into the main room saying half an hour later, as he rubbed his belly
"Mike's a baller I know what he needs" she told him without looking up from her work
"Yeah" he replied awkwardly "You guys are tight yeah?"
"Yeah" she finally looked up at him "Why?"
"Nothing, he's just as protective about you as you are about him, I guess I feel that"
"Accurate feeling" she smiled before going back to her writing
"Any further with that song?"
"No"
"Maybe you're trying too hard, take a break"
"And do?"
"Talk maybe we could talk find some stuff out about each other"
"Why?"
"There you go with the questions again, how about you just be sociable?"
"I'm all ears" she slammed the pencil down on the notebook telling him "So talk about yourself"
"Well" he got up and went to the drinks cabinet "Do you want one?" he held the bottle of whiskey up asking
"Please" she smiled
"I come from Tennessee, Nashville specifically I grew up on a farm with my parents and several siblings, I loved music and ball as a child and when my bro took music I went into the football hard and well here I am"
"Okay" she took the drink off him as he sat back down on the couch "Thanks" she smiled "I guess you know I was born right here, literally in this house, I'm a California girl through and through, I love music I need to have that hit album that just sends me to the top, I want to make it in this industry and Mike supports me in doing that"
"So what brings you back to Los Angeles?"
"Bad choices I guess, that last bad choice was named Richard, I guess I gave him everything and fell hard when I wasn't enough for him"
"Why what happened?"
"The usual I let him blind side me with all that flawless shit, buying my soul as he went, we did a lot of cool things together, five good years I gave him then on our fifth anniversary he walks in and tells me I'm financially draining, I'd put some pounds on that didn't appeal to him any more, and my no sex thing was pushing him to sleep with anything that moved, my bad"
"What you're married?"
"God no, we'd been dating for five years" she laughed
"So what have you done since you moved on?"
"I did the usual blamed myself for a long while, told myself he was right I was being selfish and complacent, then I brushed myself off shook myself a bit and told him telepathically that he was a bastard and I was well rid of him, and then I told myself that the next brother that gets even a sniff of me better come correct because I am wife material"
"fighting talk, so you're in a good place now?"
"Really good place" she smiled happy with herself "And you, Mike said you needed to keep your head down for a while what's your story?"
"Nothing as exciting as your story, I've got an injury I'm getting over and the stress of the tabloids keep asking questions, its really doing my head in, Mike said I could hide out for a few days"
"And you didn't think to bring your girl?"
"Firstly; I don't have a girl, I try not to actually date more booty calling, they always end up wanting something I can't or don't want to give, but that doesn't happen very often I'm focused on my game, and secondly; even if I had a girl I wasn't bringing them to your parents home" he smiled "Because there's that little thing about Mike beating the shit out of me for disrespecting"
"I know that little thing too well" she laughed
"But you know" he leaned in telling her "There are lots of men out there that would think you were definite wife material, and that booty is banging so take no notice of Richard" he hugged her saying "Our mission these next three days is to find you the perfect man"
"You'd dedicate your time to me?"
"I am dedicating it" he laughed "I need a distraction"
"So mission husband material for Cedes starts today yeah?"
"Yeah" he laughed "Get that pad out lets work on your qualities, what do you expect from your man?"
"Well I guess he needs to be reliable, I need to know he's not going to run off at the first hurdle"
"How are you ever going to know that, you can't dictate the future?"
"I'm not saying we won't split just that he'll give it everything he has before we reach that point, be serious about our shit, you know?"
"Okay, what else"
"He has to be honest loving, I love my feels, considerate, creative, fun and yes funny too"
"Tall order"
"Do you think?"
"Well I guess if he's perfect all that would come as standard" he laughed "It's a start lets get dressed and get out there, and bring your notebook" they did just that and were on the main strip taking in the night life and watching performers randomly doing stuff along the roadside "Something to eat?"
"Yeah lets go Mexican I love it"
"Me too" he smiled looking down the road "And that place is fantastic" he pointed across and down the road
"I agree" she smiled as they made their way, finding a table they sat talking
"So what about your goals, you'd need shared goals with your soulmate?" he bit into his stake asking
"My music of course, he has to at least tolerate my busy schedule when I make it big, and be a laugh"
"Is that a shared goal or a quality?"
"Both"
"Well Barry out there he fits the music one obviously" Sam smiled looking at the busker strumming his guitar in front of the restaurant window
"Funny" she looked back at him saying on seeing the man standing there "And how do you know his names Barry?"
"He's a regular" he told her "Or Winston over there" he pointed at a man sitting in the restaurant, laughing at what they didn't know "Seems funny"
"Do you know everyone?"
"No, I just made that name up for him" he smiled, making her laugh
"Funny" she told him when she calmed down
"Wasn't that one of your qualities?" he smirked
She laughed "I guess other goals would maybe be wanting to settle down marriage even, children I've always wanted children and … I guess for now that's it"
"Get that down" he nodded at her notebook saying as they sat finishing their meal "Ready" he finally asked when she looked up from her notebook, after he paid the bill
"Yeah thanks" she smiled getting up and grabbing her purse
So they walked down to the fountain, watching the water spurt and people throwing money in the base "What do you have to bring to the table for this perfect man you're hoping for?"
"There's only two pieces of baggage I ever bring" she smiled "I love my brother, he comes first to me and my music, if they can go head to head with those two beasts in my heart and find a place to put themselves then they can stay"
"I'll be back" Sam walked off to the public bathroom telling her
"Okay" she shouted, watching him walk, deep in thought when she heard a voice and turned to see a guy looking down at her "Sorry?" she asked
"I said hi my name's Troy"
"Oh hi Troy, I'm Cedes" she held her hand out telling him
"Nice to meet you, I needed to come speak to you"
"So speak"
"Oh, are you seeing anyone?"
"Not just now" she smiled
"If you're looking for someone to give your one hundred percent attention I can make that me" he smiled
"Maybe thirty" she frowned
"I can work with that" he laughed "Are you free tomorrow evening, we could meet here and maybe get some food and have a dance or something"
"Dancing food?" she laughs "Sounds interesting"
"Seven?" Troy asked smiling, his smile playful
"See you then" she smiled as she watched him walk away
"So" she spun round to Sam's voice "I'm guessing you looked in his eyes and saw, what was it; Reliability, Consideration, Love, Fun, husband and all that other stuff you talked about" he laughed
"I looked in his eyes as saw a boy that was full of himself, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings, his boys were watching him"
"Aarr" Sam said holding his heart saying with a laugh "Consideration" he purred jokingly
"Leave me alone" she giggled "I'm just going to blow him off"
"Okay we need this to be a productive night, how about an old flame from school or someone you really fancied?"
"I don't think, boys weren't in my mind at school"
"What not even a spark?"
"I had one kiss with James Francis back in Junior High" she giggled "Well he grabbed hold of me and placed his lips on mine as a sort of a dare I guess"
"A kiss?" Sam asked interested
"Well yeah, but it ended badly, I ended up slapping him so hard he flew across the playground and I guess that put all the other guys at a distance" she laughed
"I can see how that would have that effect" he laughed "But we could maybe look him up and give him an apology and see if you guys could move forward"
"What after slapping the black off him?"
"At least he'll be considerate, I mean he'll think more than once before he tries that again" Sam laughed
"Very funny" she slapped his arm laughing too "But we'll do that tomorrow just to say I've checked all my bases"
Tuesday
The next day they got dressed and ventured down to James' side of town to go find Cedes a husband "shit she ducked down in the car as they neared their destination
"What's up" Sam asked swerving the car
"James" she looked up at him saying
"Where?" Sam looked around the street asking
"Baby in arms, boy walking beside him and what looks like a wife by his damn side
"Oh" Sam said when he saw what she'd seen surprising her when he pulled up near by
"What are you doing?" she whispered surprised
"It might be his sister and her children, we won't know until we ask" he jumped out the car telling her
Cedes had no intention of getting out the car if Sam had questions he could ask them his damn self, she was laying across the seat cussing him in her mind when the door swung open "Sam" she screeched as she sat up
"Cedes" the voice came at her saying as she gave Sam the you're dead look and turned with a smile on her face
"James is that you?" she asked jumping out the car "Gosh how are you" she walked towards him to take her hug
"Yeah long time, what you doing back in LA?"
"Staying with my Bro for a while"
"Sorry" he said looking back at his family standing watching them "This is Beth my wife and my children 5 and just 1"
"Hi" Cedes smiled at the woman saying "Oh sorry and this is Sam our guest" she said as she watched them shake hands and study his face for the familiarity of it
"You're a player right?" James asked
"Yes, but I'm here keeping that real quiet at the moment" Sam replied
"I don't want to seem cheeky or rude but we have a doctors appointment" Beth broke into the silence announcing
"Sorry take care, nice to meet you" Cedes said as they smiled and parted company "Why the hell did you do that to me?" she turned to Sam asking as they watched them walk away
"Well at least now you can cross him off your list of eligibles" he laughed
"I'll get you back" she warned as he opened the car door for her to get back in
"I guess you need a new dress for this date tonight?" he asked as he started up the car "If I buy it will you forgive me?"
"That might go some way towards it" she giggled "look" she pointed as they drove "There's a concert with Jordan Fisher I've got to see him" she bounced on the chair saying "Can we go?"
"I guess you could ask your date to take you"
"Yeah" she looked at him saying unsure if she'd just crossed a line, that was the first time there'd been anything strange between them "It's tonight anyway" she told him before quickly looking through the window for something else to talk about "Wouldn't you want to take me as a friend I mean?"
"Of course I'll take you as a friend, but I thought these few days was about finding you a husband"
"Husband material not the actual husband" she laughed "Actually I'm trying to prove that I'm wife material"
"Why because that idiot told you you weren't, you say what you're worth nobody else"
"I know that now, but I just want everyone else to know it"
"Is that that guy you're seeing later" Sam slowed the car down asking as they watched him hugging a girl on the street
"Stop the damn car" Cedes shouted as Sam came to a halt and jumped out
"Don't make me have to fight" he told her as he let her out
"I got this" she told him as she jumped out and walked across the road to where Troy was standing with this girl "Troy" she shouted as she walked up behind him "I was going to ask for a rain check on our date tonight, but I see you're tied up so, let's just call this fuck you shall we?" she told him not even waiting for him to answer, all she heard was the slap and hoped it was the girl delivering it to him "Yes" she smiled as she walked back across the road and into the car, Sam said nothing just shut the door after her, got in and drove "So I guess that means you can take me to the concert tonight"
"I guess" Sam rolled his eyes telling her
"So the dress" she looked at him smiling "You were talking about buying me a dress I believe"
"A dress" he rolled his eyes saying with a smile on his face "I've never met a girl with so much drama in all my days" he laughed
"Oh I got more" she laughed "Lunch?"
"Just something light we can get something to eat on the way to see this who is it again?"
"Jordan Fisher" she giggled knowing it really wasn't his thing
They got back home and Sam done something quick to eat while Mercy went on the net just researching for nothing but she looked busy. "Watch how your target treats people" she wrote down as she scanned through the pages "How does he talk about himself" she read as she took notes from the system looking up every now and again to see where about Sam was in the room "That's a good one" she scribbled as she read tips on how to spot if someone was interested "I can't do that"
"What was that?" Sam shouted from the kitchen for how loud she'd said that
"Nothing I'm trying to find some words" she shouted back ask him out, Mike would fucking kill him and then me she thought as she scribbled it down anyway, what was the point of following just some of the steps
They finally stood in the living room ready for the night of food and music "I'm buzzed" Mercy smiled "I haven't been to an actual concert as a guest for the longest time"
"The last concert I went to was maybe Chris Brown a while back, and I mean a while"
"Lets" she nodded towards the door telling him as he opened it and they walked out into the car and to the restaurant for their meal "Sam tell me something else about you, sell yourself?"
"Well" he looked around the room saying "I guess I'm shy, maybe a bit too picky in the female department, I love the game and I love listening to anybodies voice but my own"
"OMG I'm not shy at all except when it comes to sex, being a virgin" she looked around as she whispered those last three words "So obviously I'm picky about men, as you know I love my music, and I don't want to hear anyone's voice but my own sometimes, because I'm always right" she finished as Sam burst out laughing
"Sold" he said, watching her as she articulated during the meal before he took the bill from the waiter "Thank you" he smiled up at the man giving him a tip and his card to take payment before making their way to the venue
"It's like sheep" he whispered in her ear
"Get ready to be lifted off the ground when he comes on" she laughed as they paid and walked through, they got to the bar with ease but once they'd been served getting into a good position wasn't as easy
"Here" Sam held his hand out for her to grab "Keep hold" he warned as he stepped off with her hand firming in his, when they finally got to a spot two rows from the front he turned to look at her "Is this good or do you want to get closer?"
"This is good" she smiled gratefully
"You can get on my shoulders if it gets difficult" he told her and he didn't seem to be joking
They rocked through all the opening acts and there were some really good ones, two hours in and they were banging, clapping and cheering for Jordan to come on stage with everyone else the atmosphere was electric, as everyone seemed to push to get to the front they were in a surge. Sam held their spot, Cedes stood in front of him almost forgetting everyone else was there as she fell into a trance for his man's singing, the crowd started pumping as he started singing 'Mess' by Jordan Fisher they didn't start dancing together but the way the crowd was pumping they ended up with Sam rubbing against her backside as they moved together then what started as a fast pump turned into a sort of sexy rock and when Cedes turned round and grabbed his neck it was almost erotic. Sam looked down at her bobbing up and down to the tune, her breasts threatening to leave the green sleeveless t-shirt type dress she had on, her eyes saying something he knew he had to ignore 'You like to mess with me' he sung shocked that she laughed and nodded her head at him before going back in hard at his groin
The crowd was going crazy for the song and Jordan carried it on for a good five minutes as Sam stood praying for Cedes to back the fuck off him before he embarrassed himself, an hour later they were walking with the crowds out of the venue "Did you enjoy that?" Cedes asked him
"He was alright I guess"
"I saw you dancing" she laughed "You enjoyed it"
"If I'm being forced to make a judgement I'd say it was good"
"Result" she shouted as they reached the car and made their way home
"Drink?" he asked as they walked into the main room throwing his jacket on the couch as he asked
"Please" she flopped on the couch saying watching his every move as he made the drink, it was like a bolt of lightening had flashed through her brain but somehow she knew he was Mr Husband Material
"So did you get any more words for your song?" he asked as he joined her on the couch his body language easily telling her he was more than interested as she watched him lift his right leg to rest it on the couch to ensure his body faced her
"Just a few" she lied, luckily for her he couldn't see her blushing for that lie 'he's interested in me' she flashed her eyelashes as she thought it "I think I need to stop thinking on the bad things I went through, and start maybe thinking about where I'm going, actually that might help" she smiled holding the glass up, aware that he was watching her mouth move
"That sounds like a plan maybe ..."
"I lied" she butted in, the urge to touch him forcing her to come clean "I wasn't writing earlier I was looking at signs for someone liking me, and I sort of worked out that you like me Sam, and that's fine because I like you too" she grabbed his hand telling him. His mind focused on the fact that she was touching him made him blank for a second before he realised it was his turn to talk
"Cedes whatever I, or we, feel about each other is irrelevant because I made a promise to your brother and I'll never break it, you're his little sister how would that look?"
"Like we feel something for each other"
"I'm sorry Cedes it's not happening" he pulled his hand away telling her
"Tell me you don't feel something and I'll chalk this up as a misunderstanding" she looked into his eyes asking
He opened his mouth and he really meant for those words to come out, but they got stuck somewhere between his thinking it and saying it, he couldn't say that lie "I'm going to bed" he got up, threw the drink down his throat, put the glass down and left the room 'Can't even focus now, all up in my ear, girl you need to settle down' he sung in his head raking his hand through his hair with frustration
Wednesday
Cedes sat on the couch wondering how she'd missed the second this man walked into her life, she was sure he wanted to jump her "He did" she sipped her drink saying "Mike" she rolled her eyes as the obvious obstacle came to mind. She'd found everything she'd ever wanted in one damn place, in one damn person and if finding him at home, the place were she was born, wasn't an omen what the hell was. She sat looking at her prerequisites in her notepad; Reliable; he's been there for me these past two days, Honest; except for this last thing he's been totally honest with me in a really nice way, actually he preferred to walk away than lie, he makes me laugh, laughs at me, holds my hand, protects me, he came to the concert even though it wasn't his thing, he didn't squirm when I mentioned marriage or children but I wasn't talking to him was I, I was talking about an idea of a man wasn't I?
"And after putting myself out there like that he rejects me" she moaned pouring herself another drink, by the time the fifth drink went down she was well on her way back to pity land, feeling just like she did some five months ago when Richard had walked out
"But he feels something doesn't he?" she sat looking at the bottle waiting for it to answer her "I have some words" she smiled as she grabbed her notebook and pencil and started writing
Sam sat on his bed fighting his feelings, of course he'd been attracted to her from the second he'd seen her, but he'd promised Mike he wouldn't go there and he meant it. He knew he could go thug when he was ready, and so did Mike, maybe he really didn't want someone like him for his sister, and he could understand that, she's a fucking virgin for crying out loud, he grabbed his hair with both hands pulling the band out, deep in thought.
I wanted to scream out loud when she was shouting out her qualities and shit 'that's me, it's me' but Mike keeps jumping into my head, we've cried together, laughed, fucked sisters on the same night, where the fuck does that conversation start "Easy answer Evens, it doesn't, leave well alone" leave her alone
"You need to leave tomorrow" he looked up at the mirror telling himself "Explain to Mike and get the fuck out of here"
None of them slept that night, Cedes was up writing and Sam was up packing and getting his shit set for Mike when he arrived home later that morning
"Morning" he said surprised as he walked into the kitchen to see Cedes already dressed wrapping something and throwing it in a bag
"Morning" she spun round telling him "I have no time this morning I think I got my song, I need to get it down" she smiled walking past him "See you later"
"Cedes I..." he got out as he heard the door bang "I'm leaving today" he said anyway to the empty house
Sam sat with his case at his side in the kitchen waiting for Mike to come back so he could get off "Dude" he burst through the door walking towards him his fist out for bumping "Good to see you, Cedes looking after you alright?" he looked around the kitchen asking "Where is she?"
"She said something about getting that song she's been struggling with down and needing to get to the studio with it, she left at the crack of dawn this morning"
"It's going to be a good one then"
"You can tell already?"
"Yeah every song she's ever done in a day has been a hit for her, I must say this one's been a long time coming, I was getting worried"
"Well she's on it" Sam laughed
"What are these doing here?" he looked down at Sam's cases asking "I thought you were here for the week I was planning some time for us"
I had every intention of staying for the week but then last night ….."
"Shit Dude please tell me shit didn't go down with my little sister"
"Shit never went down with anyone" he smiled "But I guess she wants it to go down, and I must confess the pressures on, I need to get out of here before I break that fucking promise"
"And you know who's side I'm coming down on if that shit hits?"
"So you understand that I have to leave?"
"Dude no offence or anything but she's on the rebound, she just came out a fucking rotten 5 year long relationship and I really don't think she's thinking straight again yet, she goes all in you know?"
"I know we talked about all that" he laughed "It was just that I thought I could help her find her perfect man, I had every intention, and then she goes and describes me, I mean seriously I found my soulmate in your sister, but I'm walking away because I respect our relationship" he grabbed his hand pulling him into him "Catch you on the field"
"Sam" he pulled him back to get his attention "Thanks"
"You'd do the same for me, if I had a sister Dude"
"Watch out Nashville" he shouted after him as he walked out the door, making Sam laugh
Sam was just about to board the plane when he got a message from Cedes, he flipped his phone open quickly realising he'd actually missed her voice today 'Can we talk later?' he read as he rolled his eyes 'No' he wrote back and locked his phone off
He got off the plane and finally turned his phone on as he waited for his car to turn up, looking at a barrage of messages from Cedes calling him a coward, telling him to be true to his feelings, begging him to come back to talk about things, telling him Mike will see with whatever they decide "If that were true he'd have said" he told the message on his phone, more words from that song at the concert they'd gone to the night before buzzing round his head Touch me just a little, and now you're reckless see'
"Sam" he finally heard making his head spring up "What's wrong with you I've been calling for ages"
"Sorry Ben" he told his driver as he climbed into his car 'You like to mess with me' he hummed as he scanned through the messages all the way home "Fuck" he finally switched it off again, any more of that and he'd be taking the first flight back "Cedes" he said through his teeth refusing to respond to her messages
Mercy got home shouting "Where are you?" she walked through the house looking in every room making her way to the kitchen "Where is he?" she asked Mike as she saw him sitting on the stool eating
"Hi Sis" he smiled "Brother you haven't seen in like three days sitting here waiting on you" he stood up saying
"Sorry Bear I'm just mad at your damn friend, he blew me off"
"What do you mean he blew you off?"
"I asked him a question and he plain said no, no explanation, he's not answering my calls or messages just no and nothing else, what's wrong with him?"
"What did you ask him?"
"If we could hang later, he's fun"
"He said no because he's gone back to Nashville, he had to go back and he was almost out the door when I got here"
"Something wrong with his parents?"
"He just said he had to go"
"And here's me stressing over him not calling me back, damn" she said walking out the kitchen
"Are you not going to eat?" Mike shouted after her
"Later"
"I guess there's another hit coming" he laughed still shouting after her
Mike stood smiling, thinking about Cedes, she was so trusting, gullible, he wondered how she'd got through life so far, not actually having a solid understanding of how the world actually worked. A lot of it was his fault after their parents had passed he'd become her parents and he was a protective one, being built like a brick house sort of helped with that, he only ever needed to warn some guys once, and yes some of them had felt his wrath. She was a virgin the last conversation they'd had, when she was with Richard, he felt strange talking to his own sister about giving it up but he really didn't want her to be a forty year old virgin "When did she become so insecure?" he asked himself turning to the sink to wash the cup he'd just drunk out of
Sam was a different conversation all together we'd done everything bar sleeping with girls in the same bed together, he wasn't a dog in fact Sam was an alright guy. He'd been on lots of dates, he wasn't a bad looking guy, but I could count on my one hand the amount of girls he'd actually gone all the way with, he was a game virgin by other guys score boards. He'd always been a solid friend and it must have been hard for him to have that conversation before he left, actually the fact that he left shows the kind of man he is
"Shit they've been locked up together for two damn days and they're so guarded they think their in love" Mike rolled his eyes telling himself
He sat in the main room watching a rerun on a game he'd played taking notes for the afternoon and decided they'd go out for dinner and maybe take in that Jason Fisher concert later to cheer her up, she liked him. It was 7pm and Cedes still hadn't surfaced, eventually he got worried and went to check on her, he heard the noise as he got to the top of the stairs and didn't bother to knock he just walked in "Cedes what's wrong?"
"Nothing" she wiped her eyes telling him "How are you just bursting into my room?"
"Because I heard you crying like your life was over and of course I'm concerned, looking after you, my job" he reminded her "What's wrong?"
"I'm fine just feeling sorry for myself"
"Why?"
"Because I am" she barked at him
"Now you know I'm going nowhere till this is sorted, and please don't tell me you want Richard back after all that pricks done"
"I don't" she used her sleeve to wipe the tears falling down her cheeks "It sounds silly as I say it" she looked up at him saying "But I think I fell in love with Sam"
"Silly is not the word, you guys have been together for two days, and I mean that in the loosest sense" he laughed
"Don't do that Bear it's not a joke, I love him and I've been calling him all damn day and he won't even answer my texts"
"What to tell him on the phone?"
"No" she giggled "I sort of need to speak to him about how I feel"
"Are you sure you're not just missing Richard?"
"He's dust, he was that before I even came back home, I have feelings for Sam, are you hearing me?"
"He's a ball player Sis, you know the life"
"I know the life Bear, and I also know that you're against it, and if your friends with him enough for him to be given the free run of our house, he's an alright guy"
"He is an alright guy but I know more about him than you, and I don't agree with it"
"You never agree with any damn thing I do" she got up saying
"Oh baby sisters are giving attitude to their big brothers who have the power to give them a slap now?"
"Oh big brothers think they can hit little sisters without getting their bits damaged now?"
"Feisty" he laughed "he's not going to be with you sis, he's got too much respect for me, sorry" he frowned
"I know you're going to work this out for me Bear, you always make everything right" she smiled
"I thought we could go see that Jason Fisher tonight what do you think?" he rolled his eyes at her expectations of him asking
"Sam took me last night" she turned to tell him before disappearing into her bathroom, he sat on her bed waiting for her to reappear
"I can't make Sam like you, you know that right?"
"I'm not asking that, I just want you to tell him it's alright for us to date each other"
"I'm not going to do that Sis, I already told you and I meant it"
"You know I love you right?" she asked as he nodded his answer "And I know you love me which means we'd never do anything to hurt each other" she stood in front of him looking down at him saying "Bear this is hurting me"
"And you using emotional blackmail is hurting me" he jumped up telling her as he walked out her room angry
She grabbed her phone, she'd found a weak spot and she was going to use it 'Does this mean you really didn't think I was wife material' she wrote smiling as she sent it to Sam, he might not be replying but he was reading and she was on a mission to send both of them to guilt town big time.
'I didn't say that' he wrote back surprising her, she didn't reply she wanted him to feel the frustration she was feeling for him not replying to her messages and calls
Two Months Later
Two months of ad hoc messages between Sam and her, snappy conversations with Mike and frantic writing and Cedes finally had her song ready for recording "I need to get this final cut down see what it sounds like and then find myself an agent" she told Mike as they sat eating breakfast
"How much have you saved?"
"I can maybe sort the studio time out and some travel costs I need to go to Raz's and get this locked in"
"Okay" he smiled "Don't forget to go to work" he told her knowing how focused she could get once she had a project on the go
Four Months Later
Over the next four months Cedes plunged into getting her record released, just as she'd gotten to a comfortable place with it all Mike suggested she might want to really sell it with a bit of a music video "It's all the craze" he laughed "I'll help fund it"
"I'm not even comfortable with that" she told him as she walked over to his buzzing phone
"I got that" he walked quickly across the kitchen telling her, but she already had the phone in her hand and saw Sam's name come up
"Sam?" she looked up at him coming towards her asking as she opened he message and read it "He's playing the Rams on Saturday, were you ever going to tell me that?"
"No I guess not" he snatched his phone off her saying "Just leave the man alone"
"Why don't you just leave us alone to get on with our damn life"
"Princess this conversations getting tired, we've been on this for nearly six months now can we not just chalk it up as something we're never going to agree on that's never going to happen and park it?"
"You don't even know what you're asking me to do" she moaned "I love him"
"Cedes" he whined
"Don't come at me with the I don't know what love is thing, because I've probably been there ten times more than you"
"Cedes there's more to a relationship than doing great things together, playing house, and pursuing dream jobs, it's about commitment, loyalty and dare I say it sex"
"So it all comes back to the fact that I'm still a virgin?" she rolled her eyes asking "I wondered when that was coming out the bag"
"So you are still a virgin?"
"Yes I am a fucking 28 year old virgin Mike, and as much as that embarrasses you I'm actually proud of the fact that I'm choosy, some brothers would be fucking proud to have a sister like me"
"I never said I was embarrassed, I am proud Cedes, I just don't want you making mistakes and getting hurt by someone I've brought into your life"
"I brought him into my life Bear not you" she sighed her tone lowering considerably as she caught herself "And I depend on you to be there for me when I make my mistakes and get hurt to tell me I'm your failure and you love me"
"You know I love you princess, and I know sometimes I'm a bit overbearing, but I do everything to protect you"
"And that's why I love you Bear but seriously, I don't feel like I need protecting from Sam"
"it's kind of hard for me to see him as your boyfriend just now, give me some time" he grabbed her hand pulling her to sit back on the couch with him "And it will take Sam some time to even think about the concept of breaking a promise, he's a solid guy like that"
"You could..."
"I'm not going to give him permission to take my sister, but if he comes to me about it I'll listen"
"Promise?"
"Promise" he smiled hugging her "Now can we stop this argument?"
"We don't argue we discuss" she giggled punching him lightly in the stomach "My song's coming out on Saturday anyway I can't make the game but bring him home afterwards and we can all talk about this
"I haven't heard this song yet, how's it coming out and I haven't heard it?"
"It's a bit personal I guess" she smiled getting up "Lunch?" she walked into the kitchen asking
"Yeah" he smiled looking down at her note book she rarely ever left out of her sight, he picked it up and decided to read it "Her song" he raised his eyebrows as he started reading the words to some song she was thinking about 'My ex used to tell me I'm flawless, when laying low with other girls, believed him when he said he was honest, then blame myself when I got hurt' "That's definitely Richard" he smiled as he read another section of scribble in the book 'But now you wanna love me, who knows what you'll find, it won't be easy, but I'm down for the ride, just remember, you're not my ex, no I know I can be trouble, Lord knows that it's hard, it won't be simple when I give you my heart' "Trouble is such an understatement" he laughed finding another mass of words on the next page 'No, yeah, it won't be the same, it won't be the same, it won't be the same, I'm fallin' for you, you are fallin' for me, you are' "she's talking about Sam here surely" he flipped the pages seeing words like considerate, funny, reliable, honest "marriage and children" he gasped closing the book as he sat thinking his little sis had put some thought into this she was thinking reasonable, long term goals "She's so over her ex" he told himself as reality hit him "Mercy" he got up to go find her in the kitchen "is this how you really feel?" he held the notebook up asking her
"I write only truth in my notes Bear you know that, yes it's how I feel"
Saturday
"I'll be in the studio at noon, their doing a bit of a TV spread before my song launch at 2pm, if I get the chance I'll meet you at the match" she kissed Mike's cheek telling him as she left the house
"I'll see if Sam wants to come for dinner" he told her making her smile
"Thanks" she buzzed glad he'd come round to her way of thinking
Mike drove listening to Mercy's interview and rocking along to her new song 'Not My Ex' by Jessie J he had every intention of getting to the stadium early, he needed to speak to Sam about this situation, he really didn't know how he was going to handle this or even how Sam was going to take it, he walked into the changing room to mayhem happening "Hey" he walked through the crowd shouting shocked to see Sam fighting one of his team mates "Sam" he said pulling the other guy off him "What's happening?"
"He needs to shut his fucking mouth that's what's happening" Sam pushed Mike's hand off him telling him
"Calm down Bro" Mike told him walking him away from his team mates "Talk to me" he sat down on the bench telling Sam watching him sit next to him
"I can't really talk to you about this shit going on in my head Dude"
"So what just happened, I mean you're playing a game with those guys in less than 30 minutes"
"We were listening to the radio" he rolled his eyes telling Mike "And Cedes was doing an interview for her new song"
"Yeah I heard it in the car"
"Then he starts making comments about what he'd do to her, just disrespecting her in the biggest way and I just flipped, I asked him to stop but he wouldn't so I needed to shut him the fuck up" he raked his hand through his hair telling Mike "I don't mean to think of her like that but I can't help it, I'm in love with her, sorry Mike" he looked at him saying "I don't know how much longer I can keep that promise I made"
"Here's the thing" Mike laughed as Sam braced himself "Seems the feelings mutual so I only need you to keep one promise"
"What?" Sam looked up asking him
"Promise you'll never hurt her"
"Never, she's wife material" he laughed as they heard the announcement saying it was time "I got to go" he stood up hugging Mike and punching his shoulder before they gave each other a knowing look and walked away. Sam was on form for the game, they won the game with time to spare, they stood cheering as he looked to find Mike in the crowd again "I got to go" he told him when they focused on each other, Mike smiled at him and put his thumbs up
Sam showered, dressed and was on his way to his car when his phone rang "Cedes" he smiled opening the call "Hi" he smiled down the phone
"Hi" she said shocked to get a response "I didn't.."
"Loved your song by the way"
"Thanks"
"I was just wondering if, your criteria had changed any?"
"No I still need someone who's Reliable, honest, loving considerate, fun, funny into my music, marriage, children the whole damn lot, did I miss anything?" she smiled as she hugged the phone
"I'm thinking" he laughed "Maybe single"
"I guess that should be up there with honest somewhere"
"What about we add straight?"
"I like that yeah we could add straight" she laughed "What do you want to be straight about Sam Evans?
"Hold up" he told her as she sat listening to movement
"Hold up" she added as she heard the door bell ring "Sam" she smiled when she opened the door
"I want to be serious about our shit" he told her
"What you think I'm wife material"
"You told me you were"
"Yes I am" she told him as he moved to her, what stopped him from grabbing hold of her lips he was unsure, but he needed to take her face in as he watched a tear rolling down her cheek, she was smiling so he wasn't worried
"I love you" he grabbed her cheek telling her as he wiped her tear, his heart beating fast "I did then and I do now, I'm sorry" he told her, all he could hear was the beat of his heart as he watched Cedes face melt. "We do this thing I expect it to last forever, I have all the characteristics you asked for, I promise I will never knowingly or purposely hurt your heart and I pray you'll treat mine the same"
"I love you too and I promise never to hurt your heart" she closed her eyes as her hand went up to pull his head down to meet hers, they shared their first of many kisses
THE END