Chapter 8
What's In a Name (?)
Angel wakes with a start. Something was different she rolls over and discovers she's in their bed alone. This was how the other day started, no this was a new day. Her lover was home and he was getting better. She gets out of bed and after a shower goes in search of him. She walks to the room they decided to put his music room in. This use to be Sophia and Chase's room it hadn't been touched it was just an empty room, they'd taken their bedroom suite to Florida and the room had been cleaned that was about it. She leans in the doorway her guess was right Joshua and her dad where putting something together. "It looks much better as a music room. Am I Invited?"
"You're invited anywhere I am." They both say almost in unison. They look at each other then back her and point to each other saying "He stole my line, Stop that" Angel walks into the room and hugs her dad. She then hugs and kisses Joshua. Jonathon shakes his head with a rueful smile on his face. "Son you're still going to need more cord this space is larger. I'm not trying to tell you how to set this up but if you put that standing speaker by the window you'll soon be replacing a window."
Joshua stopped trying to connect the cords under his microphone bay. Jonathon had called him son. He usually called him talent or his name. He looks over at Angel and she was beaming from ear to ear. He loved seeing her smile. He'd try to throw it back but he didn't want it to have been a slip of the tongue. Well here goes nothing. "Okay um what do I call you?"
"Are you offended?" Joshua says no he just didn't know what he could call him "As long as it's respectful and not Johnny, we will be fine." Joshua says he thinks he knows but what is his real name. "I don't follow?" Joshua brings up the way he introduced himself to Cassandra then the fact that his Interactive pass code is supposedly his name then he has another for. "Ah I get you now. You're very observant. My name is Jonathon Leonel McBride most people screw up my middle name so badly I've even had someone from Interactive call meh Lion-O I thought I was having a bad hair day or forgot to comb it all together. I'm a lot of things but a Thunder Cat isn't one them. I have a question while we are on names." Angel looks everywhere but at her father. Until Joshua tells her he knows about his other name. "That I do but, number one I wouldn't call you that and number two my question is you either paid a lot people or you don't have a middle name. Which is it?" Joshua confirms that he doesn't have one. Seeing that his soon to be kin was staring off into space, he broke the silence that had swept into the room. "Don't worry if you want you can have Lion-O" they laugh at how bad the joke is but it did its trick, it broke the brooding look on the boy's face.
The next week Angel and Joshua head to Candy's house walking to help build Joshua's routine he's been doing great. They had started walking around the house and when he didn't have to stop he wanted to try this since it was downhill. "Hey Babe I wanted to ask you something. It's about the wedding. I have been thinking and before we get to Candy's place I asked her to be my best groom's woman."
They slow down and sit on the bench outside the property. Frank waves at them. They wave back. "Okay whoever you pick is your choice. I asked Sophie to be my maid of honor she said yes. What did Candy say? I mean I know it's not traditional but with me it's who I think can really help me out I know Sophie wouldn't let anything get too nuts and she'd make sure my dress really looks good she just won't lie to me and say it rocks when it really looks like I should put it back on the hanger and tiptoe away." He tells her what Candy said and how he had to talk with her about it before Candy would give him a yes.
"When Candy stated how it would look I got nervous because I didn't know how you would take it. I've pushed so many people away" Joshua shrugs and continues "she stuck. She is one of the only other females that will put her foot in my ass when I'm being stupid. I trust her. I hope she says yes." They get up and walk downhill. "Shit, whose idea was this again?" He stops and bends at the waist like he just ran a race. When he looks up Angel looks around like at any moment she's going to run. She looks down and meets his eyes. He looks around and doesn't see anything. "What do you see?" he pants trying to slow his breathing. He stands back up and almost falls over. She asks him did he want her to run and get the truck. "Show off… No… we got this far." He grabs the fence and uses it to keep him up. He had to stay up. She wasn't looking at or for something she was panicking. "Babe, don't panic… I'm fine." He puts out his hand she takes it and they manage to get to Candy's porch swing. He sits down and lies back taking controlled breaths. "I don't think… it would be smart… to try to climb back up."
"I'll say, I don't think either of us could handle it." He looks up at her and says it looked like she was going to run off or something for a minute. "No, never that, I was trying to figure since we were half way downhill who to call." Angel rings the doorbell. The beginning of the Adams family song plays. "She said she was kidding She really ordered it?"
"That's her old one usually the door is open and no one rings the doorbell they just walk in." Angel shivers saying that isn't something she could ever get used to. "I know face it babe you were raised, and I say this with love but you were raised by a security nut." She says she's not the person that just ordered 4 inch thick double locking windows for the nursery. "Hey like I said I don't want him out on the balcony until he knows what not to do on the balcony. I'm pretty sure the security woman that patrols down the east side of the house would not like anything like a Tonka truck dropped on her head." Joshua pulls his key and lets them in. Angel remains standing on the porch. "Babe its fine she's probably got her ear buds in cleaning or something." They hear slapping and singing. Angel walks in.
Whap… whap… Whap "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me? Darn it" Candy had forgot one of her tools and gets up from her stool in the kitchen. When she walks out into the living room / dining room she stops pulls her ear buds out. "Joshua I'm going to get you. You just had to show Angel why I only do backup vocals thanks bro. Way to keep a secret." When Angel starts to apologize Candy cuts her off "Angel if the words I'm sorry comes out of your mouth your grounded no swinging wicker chair for you." Which Candy knew was Angel's favorite seat in her little house.
"I don't think I should sit in it right now anyway I'd probably bring it out of the ceiling. My baby boy has started liking. Red meat." Joshua rolls his eyes. Candy was thinner than Angel before pregnancy now at 18 weeks she'd gained 10 pounds and was showing. "What's the weight limit on that thing anyway?" Joshua pulls her over and tells her to sit down she's safe. Angel pulls against him saying. "Stop it I'm not trying to have her ceiling on my head." Candy walks over and holds out a hand telling Joshua to stop before he pulled her off balance. She tells Angel to stop pulling against him before she slipped.
"Big sis you're not going to pull it out of the ceiling. The weight capacity is way past what any of us are." She pulls her phone and shows Angel a pic of her and Deon sitting in the chair with Joshua standing on the back of it, making faces at the camera." Angel calms down and lets Joshua help her up into the large wicker egg shaped seat. Joshua gets in with her. "See no cave in. So what brings my couple here to the numbered streets? I didn't hear or see you guys pull up?"
"What's that on your hands?" Angel ask "and you might want to get it off your phone." Candy wipes her hands on an apron around her waist. She hands Angel her phone asking her to please get the clay off her screen. "Sure" Angel takes the screen shield off. It was trash now but it did its job nothing got on the screen. Candy ask Joshua could he get her kit out of the den. He gets up and Candy sits next to her. "I saw the cutest dress in the world." Candy asks if she washes her hands can she feel her godson and see if he will kick her. Angel looks uncomfortable. When Candy says that's ok. "No at least you asked. I was at the first dress place with Sophie and Paula yesterday and the guy just palmed my stomach." Candy gets an angry look on her face. Saying she'll be right back. Angel swings the chair and it bounces. She lays back putting her hands on her belly. "Baby boy, beware of super friendly strangers." She whispers. Thinking on the first place they had went to pick out a dress. She curls up and closes her eyes just for a second.
Flashback
Angel, Sophie, and Paula enter Lopez Bridal a very flamboyant Hispanic male comes out of the back. "Hey there ladies I'm Travis Lopez and welcome to Lopez Bridal. So who are we shopping for today?" Angel beams and raises her hand. When Sophie told the guy the price range he pretends it's no big deal but they both knew that he was a struggling local boutique. Angel wanted to go local for the dress since the wedding wasn't going to be local. The first dress was a little frumpy and Sophie told her so. The second dress looked okay but Angel didn't like the flowers or whatever they were. The second to last dress was near perfect. Angel walks out steps up on the platform.
Sophie asks "Can the dress be altered?" Lopez asks Angel to turn around as he showed Sophie where the back of the dress could be extended. Angel twitched when he touched her back but kept silent.
Lopez says "this is much better we don't need you tripping over the dress and launching that kid across the room. So how far along are you?" Angel was irritated with his statement. She takes a deep breath and says 18 weeks. She walks down the hall towards the platform with the shorter dress on she puts her hand on her stomach her baby boy decided to move. "Oh I want to feel" and before she could say no, Lopez palms her lower belly.
Yeah she was wearing a dress with a slip on but so what. He hadn't even waited for an answer. Angel steps back. "The Answer is NO" she says through clenched teeth as she pushed his hand away. "I have to go"
Lopez got in the way he flips his 42 inches of purple hair to the side (like Cher does) and says "Wow honey I was just feeling it kick. My sister let perfect strangers feel hers. You're cute and all but I have a man. You'll come back when you calm down right?"
Angel didn't like him standing so close giving her best business smile she says. "Sure" and he lets her pass. Sophie and Paula stand when she comes back out wearing her clothes instead of the last dress. They asks what's wrong as she powerwalks out the front door. When they get out to the truck Angel tells them then opts to sit in the back seat. Sophie was driving today since she knew where the places were. Her baby sister looks in the review mirror and asks her did she want to pick somewhere else. Angel meets her sister's eyes in the mirror and says "Just take me home." they took Paula home first Angel sat in the back seat with sunglasses and ear buds in place, her feet up, with both hands on her stomach. Middlebrooks would be proud of her she was calm she had pushed the guy's hand off her person and told him no. She hadn't froze up she'd lied to his face because she wouldn't be back. She didn't care she was safe, Sophie had told her that there were plenty of places on her list.
End of flashback
Joshua comes out of the den as Candy was coming out of the bathroom from washing her hands. "Hey did you speak with Angel about me being you know what?" he smiles and says yes and that Angel was totally cool with the idea. "That's super bro" he asks her why she looked pissed off just now. "Oh wow thanks I didn't know I made a face. It just pissed me off that he would think that was totally okay and professional to touch her…" Now her bro looked pissed, and asked her was she talking about the doctor. "No, the dress guy, um never mind Joshua, please don't say anything. I thought you knew or I wouldn't have said anything."
"What brought that up?" Candy told him about asking her to feel her godson kick. "When she got back last night she was extra jumpy. She was in the shower just standing there whispering something. I asked her did she want me to wash her back and she jumped at my voice and almost fell." He was glad he'd got rid of the damn brush she'd used the puff and he'd smelled his body wash. Last night she climbed in bed wrapped around him and fell asleep. When he was sure she was asleep he moved her arm from under him so he wouldn't hurt her. Sometime during the night she turned over because they woke in their usual position her back spooned against his front.
They walk out in the living room and Angel was sleep curled in on herself. Joshua tells Candy well at least she knows Angel is comfortable around her. He stops the chair from swinging Angel opens her eyes and slowly moves her hands back to the side of the chair. Candy looked guilty and Joshua looked pissed off. "What happened?" she turns to Candy "you didn't say no did you?" They both take a minute to take in what she is asking. "The Best Groom's Woman?"
Candy says "Oh, no, as long as you are cool with it so am I. Angel I didn't know the dress store was a secret. I'm sorry girl."
Angel looks at Joshua "It wasn't a secret I handled it and it's over with. I'm not going back and we aren't out of anything." He looks like a thunder cloud and asks her what happened. She tells him what happened and adds that she was very proud of how she handled the situation. He says the asshole still shouldn't have put his hands on her without asking. Angel put both hands on each side of his face and says "Josh, I'm fine our baby boy is fine. Now please stop looking like a thunder cloud about to shoot out blue lightening and kiss me." He tells her he's going with her to the next place. "Fair enough" Candy says she'll come too and go in the back with her saying no one was going to touch her godson without permission. They start talking about the wedding and Angel rubs her tummy and asks Candy did she want to feel her godson try to kick her. Candy holds up her hands showing back and front saying they were clean. Angel takes her hand in hers and places it on her stomach. Watching her friend's eyes light up in wonder was so sweet.
Candy says in a sing song voice "Hey Josh Jr. this is God ma Candy…" Joshua gets up and walks on the front porch. "Okay did I miss something?" Angel tells Candy he didn't want their baby boy named after him. "How you feel about it? I mean you're carrying him. What do you call him when you talk to him? I mean your all most 4 months don't you think you should call him something?" Angel tears up when Candy asks her "what's wrong?" she shushes her looking at the door.
Joshua heard Candy giving Angel, her (You're carrying him, you name him) speech, and is about to walk in to tell Candy don't start. When he stops at Angel's lowered voice and sniffle. Why the hell was she crying? He sits by the door so he could hear. She said she understood. He makes eyes contact with Candy and shakes his head.
Candy had given Angel a Kleenex and walked over to the door she pushes it up. Angel says "I had the same idea. I called him Joshua Jr. and Joshua wasn't happy about it. I thought all guys wanted to have their children named after them. Then he told me since that isn't his name he doesn't feel the same as he might of. He feels really strongly about this he asked me would I name my baby girl Angel. No I wouldn't want that, it wouldn't even be a choice. As for what I call my baby boy when I speak to him. I call him baby boy in English or Irish." Candy points out that is kind of the same thing because Joshua's real name was Boy. "Please don't say that around him."
"So because Joshua is being moody right now, what is it that you think would happen? I mean say that's the only name that pops into your head when asked what do you wish to name him or are you going to be one of those couples where the kid don't have a name until they can agree. Hence how I got stuck with Candy not Candace but Candy" Candy sighs and wipes her own face. "For a week I didn't have a name and that's what they came up with. You remember when I was following you around the arena and I told you Joshua and Deon where the nicest guys to me. I meant it then and I mean it now. Please name your baby. Joshua is going to be pissed at me if I ever have a kid I'm giving you fair warning watch out for flying debris If I ever have kids I have a full boy's name and full girl's name. Joshua Deon if it's a boy and Angela Candace if it is a girl. Angel's next statement seemed to stop time for the three of them.
"I'm not the one that needs the warning, take it from someone that was hated by her own mother over the wrong name. I don't know what I'm going to name him but I can't name him Joshua I'd be better off naming him Angus. I don't want him to hate our boy because of my dumb ass. If you have a boy and you want it to be loved don't name it after him when you know he has a problem with his name. Transference is alive and well. I'm proof and I wouldn't wish that shit on anyone. I need to go to the restroom before he comes back in here asking me why I'm crying."
Angel wiggles out of the seat as she goes in the restroom. Joshua walks in and Candy is glaring at him. She points back out the door saying she needed a minute. Joshua whispers "You act, like it is true." She shakes her head. He walks over and hugs her. "Candy, I wouldn't care if you named your kid Joshua Deon I'd loved him you know why because my best friend thought of me and put another name with it so it's not a carbon copy of my name. Besides, I think Deon would have a problem with you naming the child Davenport I'm not getting my ass kicked by an angry bass player." He jumps at Angel's voice
"So, It's fine for your god, child but not for your own child. Well Candy, I was wrong your name choice is safe. I'm ready to go whenever you are Joshua." Angel walks out and sits on the porch swing. She puts her sunglasses on and pops in her ear buds. She feels the swing stop and opens her eyes. Joshua sits next to her. He motions for her to pull out the ear buds. She pulls them out sighing "Look, its fine whatever."
Sophie pulls up. Angel gets up and grabs her keys thanking her. Sophie hugs her saying she looked like she needed one. Angel closes her eyes tightly behind her shades. Luke pulls in and Sophie goes to release her Angel let's go and steps back. "You're still going to Chicago I thought you settled out of court?" Sophie tells her she did this was wedding business. "Oh well call me when you land." They were going to have the wedding in Chicago Angel's dream wedding from when she was a kid it was so pretty at night. She waves at Sophie and Luke as they take off downhill. She turns around Joshua is standing right behind her. "I'm not rushing you. She texted me and said she was heading out of town and asked did I still need the truck brought down. I'm going to go sit in the truck."
"There are things you don't know about Candy and I'm not the person to tell you. No matter what she names her child when and if she ever has one I love whatever she has as a god child he or she will not be in my bloodline and she is adding a name so in no way is it a the second the third or whatever. You read way too much in to it. As for our son if it's that important to you, name him after me. I won't lie to you, it wouldn't be my first choice. Especially now. The name Joshua was Sally's idea. So since I'd rather your smile the decision is yours. On what we name our son."
Angel only did it to prove a point. She says in her best imitation of happy "Great Joshua Davenport Jr. it is." He couldn't even look at her as he says if she's happy he was happy.
He was biting the inside of his cheek. He says "You should have just told me how it was to be." She tells him to stop it he cuts her off. "I feel manipulated but I'll get over it. I walked in to this" right now he was pissed and he had hoped she would understand but no she wanted her way. "I'm not yelling I told you I would work on that." She tries to say something. He cuts her off and gets out of the truck. "I'm going to get my head straight I'll be home later. Deon is coming over, I can get him to bring me home." She tries one more time to say something. "Look I'm not running away, I just need time to wrap my mind around what I set myself up for." He walks up Candy's steps and in to her house. She sees Candy look out the window and back at her. Angel puts the truck in reverse and slams on the gas. He did exactly what she thought he would. She backed over Candy's bush cut the wheel and sped up to the house.
Candy looks back at Joshua after watching Angel obliterate her un-killable evergreen bush. "Okay I was thinking of trimming it again between you, her, and her father my bush gets a workout but it'll grow back. So Joshua you know you are always welcome here but I really have to get something done. Will you help me in the kitchen? " He just sits on her couch brooding. "What's wrong I thought you were going out there to straighten this stuff out?" She puts on her apron. They walk in the kitchen. "Just beat the shit out of this clay for me but keep talking." She sprays it with water to loosen it up he sits next to her and starts pounded it with both fists. "Well at least it won't mess up your completion." He starts laughing at her. "Nope you're mine until Deon gets here keep that beat down coming I need all that turned into useful clay."
"What are you making?" She tells him that's not for him to know right now. This was more clay than she used to make the bust of him and Angel. He stops, remembering dragging in 5 boxes of the stuff. She pats his hand glopping clay on it. "Thanks as if I didn't have enough of it on me already. She starts the wheel and asks how pissed at her is Angel. "I don't know why she would be pissed other than I got out of the truck. I told I her I feel manipulated because I do. I always tell her not to hide what she's thinking from me and well I told her what I think." She slows the wheel to use one of her tools and tells him to tell her what he told Angel. He tells her and then says what she said.
"So she played you, or at least you feel she did. You setup her to say ok I won't name our boy after you and then you got pissed when she went in the opposite direction of where you were trying to lead her, if anyone was manipulative I hate to say bro but it was you. What if she gave him a middle name then it wouldn't be Joshua Davenport the second it would be Joshua insert cute middle name then Davenport or do you want your son to have your last name cause Joshua no matter who gave you the name it's what you do with it that makes it different. Yeah my name is Candy but I rock the shit out of it. Angel has three last names to choose from or she will, you might want to decide if you want her to name him Davenport. You've been Joshua Davenport since I met you. Since Angel met you unless you plan on changing your name don't take it out on Angel. She'll probably change her mind but, if she doesn't," She stops the wheel and washes her hands. He gets up as she meets his gaze. "I love that kid already don't take your issues out on him we all have issues with names break the cycle. If I can rock the shit out of my name because of guy in a tree house telling me it was cute and so am I you can rock the shit out of your name you're a whole hell of a lot stronger than I am."
Later that night Deon drops him off. He walks into his music room. He knew where Angel was she was the only one here so she'd be in their room. He sits at his computer and gets on his page. He gets a message from Angel. She'd changed her profile pic he looks at the background trying to figure out where she was. She was at Paula's Bar on stage. She'd changed her name.
Angela ?: What's IN A Name? You wouldn't let me speak. So here are my words. Joshua you said you were happy if I was happy. If this is you happy you must think I'm dumber than I look. The only reason I said name our boy Joshua Davenport Jr. was because it seemed like you were playing games with me. You don't have to worry I'm not naming him Joshua anything. You said it was my choice. I guess I have a lot of my real dad in me because I want our son's name to mean something. I have asked two people how they feel about me naming our baby after them and they were happy that I even thought of it. So thank Candy for me she lit a fire under me to name him, and thank you for acting how I feared you would in the event I named our baby after you. I had it in my back pocket in case I didn't have a proper name. I'm going to sleep now. See you in the morning.
He checks the time stamp she had sent it 4 hours ago. He gets up he wouldn't start hiding out in here. He didn't want to live Vash's life either. Vash was on his second marriage Cynthia was his wake-up call she would show up at his sound board and tell him they had a date. Joshua walks into the shower and takes off the clay covered clothing.
He walked back into the room it was quiet that's what he missed the noise. She didn't have her music playing he looked at the couch and she wasn't there she wasn't in the bed. Putting shorts on he walks down the hall and opens the door to the nursery. She lay on the floor on his air mattress tucked in on herself. She had on her ear buds and a sleep mask. A tablet lay on the floor he picks it up and it was a list of names.
Angel ?
Angela Davenport (?)
Angela Rosa Davenport (?)
Angela Rosa McBride Ivey – Davenport (?)
Michael Joshua Davenport (sad face )
Joshua Lee Davenport (sad face)
Joshua Chase Davenport (sad Face)
Joshua ( Sad Face)
Jonathon Chase Leonel Ivey
Chase Angelus McBride
McBride Angelus Davenport (?)
Davenport (Sad face?)
Jonathon-Chase Leonel (Happy Face)
Angela Rosa Davenport ?
She wasn't going to name their son Joshua Davenport Jr. He had squashed the use of his name. He told her they were creative and her choices that had his name were creative they would be first or only not the second. He jumps at her voice. He looks back and she is staring at him.
"I sent you a message. The baby shower is in a few days. So I figured I'd come in and see if I really wanted him so far away. He'll be four rooms away in a sound proof house." She gets up and looks out of the window.
"No bullshit is that why you're camped out in here?" Joshua walks up behind her. "I got your message. I saw the names that had Joshua in them they're creative."
She sighs "Just Stop Joshua, I love you but I love our son too and I am not going to put him through this name shit. I won't have you dislike our baby boy because you have an issue with your name or you have some left over mad on, because you felt manipulated. We created him out of our love."
Joshua walks back and sits on the airbed. She stood at the window hugging herself. "So what are you naming him the choice is still yours? I want to say something about tonight. We both played with fire I tried to as Candy put it lead you into a decision but you retaliated when I didn't get my way I acted childish about it. I'd love if you named him something with my name and gave him a meaningful middle name like on the list you wrote. No matter what you name him, I'm not Sophia, I won't love my son any less."
Angel turns around and meets his eyes walks back over and sits beside him. "I don't like it when we fight. I don't want you to be mad at me for something like a name. So his name is Jonathon-Chase Leonel JC for short. Like I said I want his name to mean something. You say it wouldn't matter you didn't see you. You didn't hear you. I do appreciate that you didn't yell. So, no bullshit, no breadcrumbs, no guiding, and no playing with fire what do you think about our son's name?"
"I feel like this is a trap" she put her head down and rubs her stomach "And here is why. I like the name, it was well thought out and like you said it is not legacy based. But you put off this vibe that your settling for it for fear that I will not like the other names you came up with. I also noticed that you didn't give him a last name."
She lies down on the mattress and glares at the ceiling "I don't know what you want. If you like the name fine, I like it or I wouldn't have picked it. It's the name combination of two people I respect and love. No trap and please stop saying stuff like that. I'm not a steel cage." He leans back and faces her and asks her what their son's last name is. "That's where you come in. I'm honestly fine with both of these." She grabs her pen and grabs him one takes her tablet writes Jonathon-Chase Leonel on two pieces of paper. You write down his last name and I'll write down what I would like his last name to be. If it the same then great if not I'll understand, and so there are no take backs or confusion apply it to my name as well. Call it legacy or whatever but I'm going to be a married female with a child whatever you choose for our son is what I will choose for me. So don't rush as my father says we don't make snap decisions well. I'll even leave the room I'll write my choice and put it on our dresser when you decide what you want the last name to be write it down and place it on the dresser." She shrugs "This is as fair as I can make it."
Angel goes in their bedroom she had thought long and hard about this. Unlike him she was prepared for either name she writes
Jonathon-Chase Leonel Davenport
Angela Rosa Davenport
Joshua sighs and calls Candy on the house phone Angel and her numbers were the only ones he knew by heart. That was a bonus because he didn't have to learn his home number Ivey Mansion's main line was a number he called millions of times as a teenager. He taps the pen on the piece of paper. Hanging up when it hits voicemail he started writing.
Angela Rosa Davenport
Jonathon-Chase Leonel Davenport
He knew why he was edgy today. He was mad at the wrong person, and took it out on the only person that gave a shit. Candy was right Angel had caught his breadcrumb and through it back in his face. She was also right when she jokingly said maybe it was time for some action. He had not made love since before the kidnapping. They'd slept to together and kept each other warm but maybe it was time. If he was this horny just thinking about her and she was only 4 rooms away. Before he walked in and she was curled up in another room for a fleeting moment he thought she had left the house. He folds his piece of paper with his wife and his son's name on it and hoped she picked the same thing and hadn't let his lapses in good sense change her decision purely out of fear that he was so wrapped up in his name issue that he would love them any less.
Joshua walks into their bedroom her piece of paper was already on the dresser. She had the music on low. Angel had done a slow cover of the song (I Can't Help Falling in Love with You) in that sexy voice of hers. He hands her the paper and she hands him hers. They both count "1,2,3", and open looking at the other's paper. A smile lights her face and she hugs him. He gives her a cocky smirk, takes their paper, sets them on the dresser, and guides her to the bed. Her gaze widens at his obvious intention he whispers "I've been sleeping next you and not able to connect with you in this way. I'm not trying to set any record for speed I just want to make love to my beautiful woman that smells so damn delectable my Angel, my Good luck cha…" She kisses him and soon they are slowly but steadily making love. After making sure she is sated his release is so powerful he thought he'd never stop. Now breathing hard he holds himself above her with his arms locked on each side of her he moves so he wouldn't crush her taking controlled breaths he lays on his back with tremors running up down his body.
He was right, Angel had been feeling edgy and things that didn't usually bug her made her lash out at the only people that cared she owed Candy an apology and thanks for the name idea of blending two people that she cared for making her baby's name mean something. She lies on her side watching Joshua. After catching his breath he looks over at her with that sated and sleepy expression on his face. "You call me your good luck charm. You're my dream come true." He wraps an arm around her pulling her close. She lays her head on his chest as a calming warm feeling spreads from her head to her toes she drifts off to sleep.
Five days later in Pittsburg Texas Paula is sweeping the kitchen of the space she is leasing through Ivey Property Management. She sits down in what with lots of prayer and hard work will become the second The Last Ride Bar and Grill. Her big girl, her Janet took the broom, sweeping the trash into the dust pan and depositing it in the trash can. Paula had tried doing that had almost met the floor face to face. Janet tells her about the shopping trip that she and Ian had just come back from they had went with Natalie to pick up the prizes for the baby shower that. Sophie had sent a gift card In Janet's name for them to pick the prizes saying if she got too tied up with work for them to still have a good time.
Paula was glad Sophie put it in Janet's name the jury was still out on Natalie Sean her older brother's wife. They really hadn't spent a lot of time together when Natalie first came to the house she kept finding excuses to leave until Paula asked her what was up. Natalie had told her that this was the first time she had invited her to her home. Paula busted out laughing. Natalie didn't get the joke and stood saying she had a tanning appointment. Paula called Harold in and asked him to please tell her sister in Law why she hadn't ever invited them to her Grandville home. Harold explained to her that Paula lived in a one bedroom loft. After having that talk Natalie seemed to calm down.
She didn't go to New York as much as she probably should have she had planned on going up for Christmas but somebody robbed the bar and it took a big chuck of her earnings to replace all that damn liquor and her stage set up if it weren't for Mark and Sophie She would have never got to reopen. The guy had waited until Christmas Eve. Paula shivered at the memory that was one of the only times she had cried within ear shot of Mark.
Flashback
Christmas Eve 11:45pm: Tracy and Bubba had gone home Lady had called off so Paula would close and think of hiring more staff. She had closed the bar hundreds of times. This was a small town she knew most of everyone that came through those doors whether it was, GSSEC, or their offspring of newly 21 years olds looking for a night of beer and music. She was closing the bar and had just turned the night lights up to signal that it was time for the stragglers to leave. One person she hadn't seen in here before walks up to the bar and asked for one for the road. He was a skater boy type, as Tracy would describe him but harmless with his tight jeans and tucked collared shirt. "Hey what are you doing I said for the road."
Paula popped the top and hands the guy the beer. "Honey I can't give you a closed beer and have you walk out. This is a bar and I'd lose my license. I tell you what. That one is on the house. Are we square?" Paula smiles at the blonde young man and put out her hand for a shake. She wasn't expecting him to reach past her hand and grab her shirt pulling her half way over the damn counter. Her feet weren't even touching the floor. "If you were smart you'd let me go before I knock the taste out your mouth little boy" Her anger turned to fear when just as she was about to swing the beer he pulls a gun and points it at her head.
"That's right you're going to give my kids Christmas bitch, one way or another. I just love small towns you made a killing tonight. I've been watching you." He slowly lets her go and jumps over the bar pressing her up against the rack she had her hand easing to one of the bottles. He must have felt her movement before she could get a real grip he fired a warning shot so close to her head, after realizing that she wasn't hit by the deafening blast she froze. The bullet was still in the wood where it shattered the mirror. "Now that was a test, try that shit again and I'll blow the hair off your head. You understand don't you?" All she could do was nod. "Good. You just got a shipment of shit from your vender. Let's go to the back door." She numbly followed his instructions. He opens the back door and someone wearing a mask that did not speak walks in with another gun. They cuffed her to her desk the guy reached in her bra and even took her tips. They trashed her office until they cracked her combination on her safe and took all her fucking money. While she sat in her office at her desk at fucking gun point the man went out took her best liquor and her stage equipment. What he didn't steal he broke.
He walks back in rips the phone out of the wall. "If I get caught you die Merry Christmas." He bends down and stares her in the face. "I know where you live." He grabs her hair sniffs her and kisses her on the mouth. His breath and his touch made her sick. He walks away, the other person finally speaks, and it's female.
"Merry Christmas Honey" she purrs and backs out of the office.
As soon as the door closed Paula puked, and cried his stench was still in her nostrils. His touch was still on her chest. The feeling of his body pressing her into the liquor rack made her feel dirty. His damn voice would haunt her sometimes long after this night. After hearing what sounded like a diesel engine rev up and leave from her loading bay she screamed out of frustration, out of pent up fear, out of disgust. She pulled her whole fucking desk to the window. Looking out tears stung her eyes it never snowed in Texas tonight it was snowing. That was also the night Sophie became if not friends they noticed each other more. They looked out for one another. She heard her bar front door open fearing the guy came back to do something she didn't even want to think about. Taking a deep breath and praying under her breath she reached in her desk and drew her daddy's old revolver it didn't have any bullets but the guy wouldn't know that and she was desperate.
Her door opens and her hands shook when Sophie walked in and stopped saying it was her. Paula dropped the gun and begged Sophie to please get her free. Sophie told her she'd try and walked out of the office when she returned with a key and unlocked the cuffs saying they were kink cuffs from next door. Paula thanked Sophie and managed to tell her what happened. They called the cops and Sophie gave Paula her rewards card and told Paula to go to the hotel Ivey, and tell them to let her use the presidential suite. Paula told her she didn't have access to money. Sophie told her she could tell and that if they gave her a hard time to call her. Sophie brought fresh tears to Paula's eyes when she said she'd help her rebuild whatever her insurance didn't cover.
That night sitting in the hotel presidential suite, Paula took the scissors from her purse and cut her long blonde hair into a rough style of the short mullet she now wore. She took an hour long bath and shower. At 1:05am Christmas morning Mark's picture danced across her phone. She hit send and he said "Merry Christmas woman have you reached New York yet?" She'd missed her flight and wouldn't be going anywhere. At the jovial greeting she burst into tears, and told him what happened. He was so quiet she thought the call had dropped. He then growled that he was on his way.
She spent from Christmas till New years with him. He drove from home. By 4am Mark was at the hotel. They didn't do anything they had a strictly emotional connection they were best friends and he was there for her. He helped her clean up the bar. When they discovered that the insurance packet was taken as well, she threw up her hands and said she was going to have to close down. Mark said he'd pay for the shit. She thanked him but told him she didn't have the money to pay him back. That was also the first time those green eyes stopped her speech when he told her that he wasn't asking her he was telling her. The next day she went to pull some money since she had cut off her cards and about fell out in the bank when the woman gave her the ticket with her balance between Mark and Sophie she had $720.000.00 in the bank. She was able to rebuild her bar and lived off what was in her account until profit picked back up.
End Flashback
Janet was shaking her Paula jumps "Huh?"
"Ma you totally were crying and staring off into space what's wrong is my little sister hurting you or something?" Janet bends down and yells at Paula's stomach "Hey you in there this is your big sis speaking cut it out."
"No baby girl let's get this place locked down we got to get ready for the shower." Janet stuck close to her. Natalie comes in from where the stage area is and tells her it's going to be huge, and that it even had a moving wall so she could put in the dance floor she wanted. "Thanks Nat" Paula says as they get in Nat's car.
"No problem sis so have you planned a name for my niece. I'll accept all credit for the name of Faith or Ooh what about Bobbie Josephine, it is a nice southern name."
Janet makes a face and says "Nope, she locked me in my locker. Aunt Megan came to the school. That just made it worse. No bully names please." Janet then apologizes for cutting into the conversation and starts squirming around.
Paula asks "Are you still bullied at school?" Janet was in classes called fast track or College Track. Some of the students were older than her. She would by rank be in 9th grade when she returned. With her fast track classes she took 12th grade and beyond math, Science, and English classes. She was waiting on a notice right now during summer vacation that she may have tested out of high school before she got in it. Janet had it rough with her nightmares of when Racheal, Mark's ex-girlfriend kidnaped her and going back to school after Mania. With moving and everything that went down, to hear that some little bitch was bullying her girl wasn't even an option. "Jan did you tell Mark?" Janet shook her head. "Will you tell me the names of the girls so I don't name your innocent baby sister one of their names?"
Natalie pulls into the yard of Mark and Paula's home and gets out leaving her sister-in- law and new niece to talk. Janet sighs and wishes she could make herself invisible. She closes her eyes. That was better she tells her mama the names of the girls that she had named the Poop Click "Brenda Canton. Steph Marie, Bobbie Jo I don't know her last name she is a senior but I heard she flunked. She hacked my Facebook page and posted the pic of me coming out of my locker I was all blotchy because it was dark and I was crying, I thought I was going to be locked in there all night. I missed my last three classes for the day and Aunt Meg came in when I didn't come to the car. By that time my friend Katie and her brother opened my locker and let me out I saw the flash but didn't care until I saw myself with a tag Taker's girl can't TAKE A JOKE LOL. Aunt Meg went to yelling at her and the next day…" Janet stops talking. She opens her eyes. "Mama if you ever have a boy please don't name him Christopher Joseph"
Paula is pissed but controls her tone as she asks her 13 year old daughter "Who is Christopher?" Janet closes her eyes "Jan please tell me baby girl who is he? Did he say something out of the way to you?" Janet says she can't tell because her dad will be mad but powerless to do anything because Christopher said he was a minor and that saved him from being beat up by The Under faker. "Your dad, doesn't have to beat him up honey. That same law will lock him away if he did anything to you. I need you to tell Mark or tell me now? Either way we need to know." Janet mumbles she wished she could just disappear. Paula was scared on top of pissed now. "Is this the reason that you don't want to go back to Houston right now?"
Janet nods and says "After the party, I'll tell dad but will you be in the room too please?" Paula tells her yes they get out of the car. Paula didn't know how she was going get through this baby shower but Mark wouldn't be here until tonight.
Janet went in her room and Paula walks down the hall Natalie comes out and asks what's wrong saying she had her I'm pissed face on. "I'm pissed but I won't find out what is going on until Mark gets here." Nat asked why she gave Janet a choice and talks about being a parent first and friend later. "Janet has a lot of her dad in her, she'll shut me out, and no amount of yelling will solve the problem. I've at the very least convinced her to tell her dad what is going on. Now Nat, I like you and I respect your parental view, but drop it, don't say anything to my daughter." Natalie says she wouldn't say anything. "Thank you."
They were having the baby shower here because it would be easy for Barbra to just walk in through the side door it was flat no step into the house. Paula walks to the door looks up at the ceiling and says. "God let me get through this?" She felt her baby girl kick her. "I'm going ya little bossy girl" she says with a smile as she looks at her silk covered belly. She is 21 weeks today. Paula could hardly wait to hold her baby. She pulls the door open and lets in Barbra. "Hey Bar, come on in."
Barbra comes in and tells Paula her gift is in the car and asks can Janet go and get it. "What is it I may be able to get Ian to grab it. Did you bring Angela a gift as well?" Barbra smiled and pulled out and envelope. "I'm scared already" we are going to open our gifts at the end. IAN will you do me a favor before you leave?" He runs in and says sure after being introduced to Barbra.
He comes back in with a huge box. "If this is as good as it is heavy you got one heck of a gift." He puts it under the table with Paula's name hanging over it. "Please tell me that is yours?" Paula says yes. "Good"
Angel, Sophie, Candy and as a surprise for Paula, Mark ride back in Mark's truck. Mark had finally managed to catch Angel and ask her about his business and getting a team in there. She was at the last minute hesitant to go but Joshua had told her please go have a good time at her baby shower, not to worry about him or Jonathon they had a project that Jonathon needed his help on. Candy had told Joshua that she and Sophie would be Tag teaming bitches if anything went down. He'd confided in Angel saying that he hoped whatever Jonathon had come up with that he did a good job it was nice to be needed by someone you respect.
Angel was happy to help her Big Guy. "So Mark do you know what exactly my dad is doing?" Mark looks in the rear view mirror. Angel looks back in time to see Sophie shake her head. Mark says no. "So it's a surprise?" Mark says yes.
Paula, Angel, Sophie, Natalie, Janet, Candy, and Barbra all are having a great time. Paula had about flipped when Mark walked through the door. "I Love this game" Janet says as she writes down how many inches Angel and Paula are around. She was close with Paula and she was dead on with Angel.
"No fair, I call foul Chica, didn't Angel just send you those pants you're wearing? You're good enough in math to add to the size." Sophie says. Janet gives her a wicked grin and says she doesn't know what Sophie is talking about. "Uh Huh"
Natalie who did not get a chance to be around Sophie at Paula's wedding or bachelorette party thought Angel's sister was seriously mad at her new niece. "Go sit down lady, the kid has enough to deal with, without you in her face, over what's the prize a Hot Topic gift card?" Natalie felt two inches tall when Janet says in a defensive tone standing in front of Sophie. That Sophie was just messing around this was supposed to be fun and game time. She then got heated that a child spoke out of line. "Little ladies should not talk back to adults when they are not spoken to." Janet storms out of the room. "See that's the problem she been an only child for too long. She didn't even excuse herself. Paula you are going to have your hands full with that one."
Angel gets up, excuses herself, adds a curtsy, and walks out of the room. Paula looked angry. "Well you really know how to kill a party. But not while I'm around." Candy says as she gets up "Paula for the next game when everyone is ready, I was thinking two truths and a lie." Paula sits for a few more seconds and excuses herself walking back into the back of the house towards Janet's room. Candy looks at Natalie. "Well both of the people that are being celebrated are now out of the room. You didn't have to talk down to that girl she was defending a friend that is an adult."
"She didn't have to I can handle my own. What the hell I look like, really getting mad at a little girl over a 25 dollar gift card that I purchased to go in the prize basket? Natalie is it? I know you're a part of the family and all but do not come in this woman's house thinking you are going to run things. There is no reason for you to chastise Janet number one she wasn't rude to you. Number two your little slam at how difficult Paula is going to have it with that one. That one, is a female child, named, Janet. This is neither your child nor your house. So before the Mama bear that owns this den put you out on your ass. If I were you I'd leave her cub alone."
Angel walks to the door and knocks. "Hey Jan, am I invited?" Janet says sure Angel walks in the room that mirrored hers when she was this age but instead of wrestlers her little cousin was into music. A poster of the original Angelic Impression brought her up short. Was this what it was like for Mark and Glenn to see themselves in different stages in their career on her wall? Janet sat crossed legged on her bed playing her keyboard very intently with an earbud in one ear. Angel walks over and sits next to her kin. Wow she was turning into her dad. Family had always meant a lot to her she locked that thought away to pick at later. "Hey this is Paula's and my party and you are invited don't hide away in here. Come back out and be with the girls, don't let one duck spoil your fun you totally got my size right and you have to come claim your prize. Janet was really moving on that keyboard Angel points to the earbud. "May I hear it?" Janet kept count and nodded her head. Angel recognized it the moment she heard it. Joshua played this song as a warm up the name of it was (Torn) by Sandra and he made the Violin paint a picture as her cousin was doing with her keyboard. "I wish I could play like that? If the accountant career doesn't work out you, you could always be a musician."
"Why?" Angel bumps shoulders with her laughing saying she had real talent. When she asked who taught her how to play. "My mother she could play Sex on Fire really fast and she would play faster than the song went. I can't do that but I can play this one really fast." Angel tells her to start slow and don't press as hard. Candy was doing the unthinkable and teaching Angel how to play piano. Janet played Sex on Fire faster than she could even begin to wish to play. She hit the wrong note stopped playing and starts pulling her rubber bracelet letting it snap back against her wrist. Angel puts her finger in the way. Janet looks up at her. "Hey it's not that bad just try again." Janet shrugs and plays faster and faster and doesn't mess up. "See it's only as bad as you perceive it to be and that's with most situations. Are you coming back out?" Janet nods "I already don't get to see you as much as I used to, and I miss you." They both come out of the room as Paula is coming down the hall.
Janet had heard her aunt Nat's comment and didn't want to stress out her mama or make them look bad by not displaying good behavior. Most of her girlfriends were so jealous because when their family members had a baby shower they weren't invited and they surly didn't help plan it. She didn't want to fit the picture that her aunt was painting. "Mama I'm sorry for not excusing myself I really didn't think it was that bad what I said."
"Janet you weren't doing anything wrong. You know I wouldn't hold my tongue, if I thought you were really acting out. This is your home and all you did was tell the truth. You knew Sophie was kidding around and this is supposed to be fun. Nat don't know Sophie as for the adult speak comment. Sophie wouldn't have let it get to far you did what you did out of friendship." Angel agrees and suggests they go back to the party before all the prizes are given away. The doorbell rings and Janet briskly walks toward the door so she could give the new comers their balloon and their piece of paper.
Tracy Paula's employee that manages her Grandville South Bar rings the doorbell. She had asked could she bring a guest to the party and Paula told her yes. Megan stood with her old high school friend she had gone to her therapy session. She wanted to mend the fences with her family member. Now she had been told by her brother, her sister in law, her husband, and a shrink that how and why her behavior warranted the reaction she received. The shrink added that if she wanted to Angel could have sued her for assault and battery because she actually made contact not just showed intent to make contact. She'd heard Angel was taking legal action against a doctor for sexual battery.
Janet opened the door totally excited grabbing her guests balloons Angel's boy, and a sticky note pad for names that began with K, A, R, or M and a middle name that started with ,P,U, J or an L for her baby sister's name. She looks up from her basket of balloons and her mouth drops open. She tries a fake smile. "Hey Tracy, you said a guest I didn't know you knew my aunt Megan. Well here are your balloons, they have a name in them and when we pop them there will be a name that is Angela baby's name the correct name wins a prize. This is your note pad the instructions are on the back. The person, that comes up with the best names for my baby sister win a prize." Janet didn't want to step to the side but she did. "Come on in." As she turns to walk back in the living room she rolls her eyes.
When Megan walks into the living room with Tracy Paula's eyes narrowed. Megan had said to everyone that would listen she wasn't coming to the baby shower, and now that she wasn't invited she had just walked in. "Tracy, thanks for coming is this is your guest?"
"Yeah Meg and I go way back. We went to high school together." Tracy looked back at Meg "Megan what's going on?" Megan tells her that she was invited forgot to RSVP and decided to come as a guest instead. Tracy looked at Paula her boss she wasn't happy at all. She turns back to her friend. "So let me get this straight. You used me to crash a baby shower at my boss's home. I can't believe you would do this." Megan says it her brother's home. "Yeah and unless the news lied your brother is married to my boss. Thanks a lot Meg Pie that's just great."
Sophie mouths Meg Pie and Candy laughs out loud as she starts another game for a few minutes after the game is done everyone tries to ignore the fact that one of the guests of honor had excused herself the minute Megan entered the living room and had not returned. Barbra won the game and Mark comes in the house and tells everyone that the food is done.
It was a good thing he did come home when he did the caterers had taken the order down from Janet and thought she was pranking them so when it turned 4pm and no food was delivered and set up Mark called the company and they tried to explain that when the child said she was 13 they weren't trying to get into trouble if she was charging their service on someone else's card. Mark went off, Janet usually ordered the food for big parties they threw. He told them that they just lost a local loyal customer and that he would never recommend their service to anyone again. When the man said he was new Mark told the guy he knew that, but that was no excuse for telling someone that you were going to provide a service and then don't. When the man asked was he a regular Mark told him to look under Connor and Callaway and while he was at it look under Ivey the man put his manger on the phone and the woman was begging him not to remove his account Mark hung up the phone. He'd barbecued that way he stayed out of the pink and blue papered room but his wife and his cousin's party wouldn't be ruined.
Everyone walked out on the patio except Megan. Mark went in his den. Megan walks back in the hall the bathroom door was open so Angel wasn't in there. She walks into the baby's room and stops when she sees Angel standing near the crib texting. The floor squeaked and it was good a good thing that she had in her ear buds. Megan closed the door behind her that movement drew Angel's attention. The look that stole over her cousin's face wasn't anger, it was fear. Megan put her hands up palms out and says. "I'm not gonna touch you. I just wanna talk to you."
Angel had been texting Joshua saying she knew she shouldn't have come. "Megan, please move away from the door." This feeling was why she was in therapy. Angel envisioned her balloon in her mind and took in slow deep breaths. She couldn't afford to pass out, and then she would be unable to defend her JC. Dr. Middlebrooks's trick was working the panic wasn't rising anymore. Megan had not moved from the door. Angel didn't like feeling trapped, that's why she came in this room because she could stand behind the crib and not be seen in the doorway with the door open. Angel speaks in a monotone voice as she looks just to the right of Megan's head not meeting her eyes Chase's trick for battling stage fright when she had to give an interview. "We spoke, and I told you that you had one more bat shit crazy card to draw on me. You didn't just draw one you drew two. Your presence makes me very uncomfortable. I'll ask you one more time to please move. There is nothing left for us to say."
Megan says in a warning tone "Angel, don't spray me again. I let the first time be forgiven because I was wrong for pulling you off the running board. I'm not going to touch ..." She had no idea what happened one minute Angel was behind the crib the next she drew in blew out and powerwalked towards her. Angel tries to go around her saying they had nothing to speak about. Megan stepped back against the door "Don't be childish" Angel reaches around her and tries to pull the door open repeating they had nothing to talk about. "What you gonna do pull the door open on my ass. I told you I would not touch you but now you are in my face. Back up." Angel put one hand on the wall and tries to pull the door open. When she screams for Megan to move. "Bitch you spit on me." Megan pushed her but tried to yo yo her back to a standing position in that split second after she realized what she did but missed.
Angel tried to pull the door open when she saw it open a crack is when she screamed "Megan MOVE" Megan accused her of spitting on her and pushed her to the floor. "Ah" Angel moaned she had not had time to brace herself Megan had pushed her so hard she lost her grip on the door handle and fell. She curled up in the best fatal position she could she felt pain. The door is pushed open pushing Megan forward and she stumbles stepping on Angel's foot. "Ah Shit" Angel cries out loud. Tracy is standing in the doorway. Angel tried the balloon exercise the fact that Megan was now out of her sight but still in the room was not making things better. She lifted her head to get up but felt dizzy and lay back down. Megan steps across her and tries to pull her up. Megan's jerky motion was making the pain worst. Angel put her hand on Megan's and tried to push her hand off she felt warm Megan was standing over her pulling at her "Stop, I'm don't touch…" Angel passed out.
"What the hell you do Meg?" Tracy says as she stands in the door. Megan shushes her and tells her to come in and help her get her cousin in the rocking chair. As Tracy walks in the room to help her get Angel in the chair all hell breaks loose as people come running in the room.
Mark had heard a scream and come running. He stands in the doorway total disbelief and anger on his face. Candy almost runs into his back then ducks under his arm. Sophie tapped him on the shoulder. When she's sees Megan trying to lift Angel, and since Angel wasn't swinging or kicking to be let free she had to be unconscious. "Put my sister down cause if you drop her I'm going to drop you where you stand." Megan lowers Angel back to the floor. Candy yells at Tracy to go get and Ice pack or something not to just stand there looking stupid. Tracy runs out of the room into Barbra who was coming into the room and knocks the older woman to the floor. Barbra had a knee replacement so when she hit the ground she screamed in pain.
When Candy told Tracy to get something cold Sophie handed her the Capri Sun that she was bringing Paula when she heard Angel scream. Angel started to come around and jerks away from Candy who is on the floor next to her on her knees. She'd been using the drink pouch as a cool pack to rub on Angel's face. "You'll be sticky but you're awake. Angel you okay?" Angel says she must have landed wrong her stomach , arm and her foot hurt she hoped JC was ok she holds her stomach and keeps begging JC to be okay. "What happened? We heard you scream we get in here and super bitch is trying to pick you up. "
"Megan, my den now." Mark says after walking back in from getting Barbra off the floor and settled. Megan looks at Sophie then at Candy and Angel. Tracy said she had enough and left. She walks out of the room. The minute they enter his den Mark shouts "WHAT IS IT THIS TIME?" Megan says Angel spit in her face and she pushed her away from her. "I'm going to tell you this, if you're lying to me, that will mean I can't trust you. Megan if I can't trust you to tell me a simple truth void of omission how am I supposed to trust you when school starts back?" She accuses him of believing anything Angel says over her anyway. "She was On the Floor out cold. Did she faint or did you kick her again?" Megan asked what he thought "DON'T GET FUCKING CUTE! Look I know you have some issues and I love you baby girl but you putting me in a corner. Now what happened?" She tells him Angel charged at her and when she was trying to get out of the way she spit in her face that's when she pushed her but tried at the last minute to catch her. Mark walks around his desk and turns up the sound. Megan said all he was going get was hallway. Mark looks over the screen at her. "That's what you were banking on. Well little girl that check bounced. That room has full audio and video because it is going to be my baby girl's room. When she older I'll deactivate it." He watches and listens from when the motion camera picked up Angel standing by the crib. Watching everything he sits back. "She wasn't charging at you. She was trying to get out of the door." You of all people know I don't like being lied to. You said she spit on you like she just let one fly. If I can't trust you there is no way I'm letting my daughter go back to your house when school starts unless you get yourself under control."
Candy knocks on the door. Mark tells her to come in. "Ok um I've been trying to stay calm. Angel wants to go home. There are three problems with that, the first and most important right now is that she says her stomach hurts. Two she can't put pressure on her foot. That she said Megan stepped on. The third is you drove us here. She doesn't want to go to the hospital here to get checked out she's kind of nervous after um never mind the last part. Can I speak with you Megan alone?" Mark gets up saying he'd get Angel in his truck.
Megan starts to leave the room. Candy blocks the door. "Don't feel so good do it bitch. You like trapping my girl in places." Megan walked up on her. Candy was as tall as Megan they were eye to eye. "Bitch you like pulling and shoving on pregnant women. Back up out of my face. I'm not pregnant try that intimidation shit with me and you'll be picking your teeth along with your ass up off the floor." Megan quickly pins her against the door by the throat between her crossed arms under Candy's chin talking shit. Candy put her arms on the outside of Megan's cross choke, moves her hands up higher and presses her thumbs in Megan's eyes. Megan screams for Candy to let go holding her face. Candy grabs Megan by her hair pushing her down and knees her in the face as hard as she could. Megan hit the floor Candy says "Bitch If you ever touch, look at, or speak to the mother of my god baby again I'll kill you and won't lose an ounce of sleep." She pushes Megan backwards and walks out of the den rubbing her throat the bitch had almost choked her out when she saw spots she remembered Deon showing her how to break certain choke holds.
When the door opened Angel looked up and when Mark walked in she sighs releasing the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Sophie was pissed and told Mark that if Megan came back she'd go ECW old school all over her ass. "Mark I'm sorry she thinks I spit on her that surely wasn't my intent. Something told me not to come. I know I sent Candy in to ask you to drive me home but if Tracy left that leaves you to take Megan home. I just don't want to be in the same room with your sister. That's the reason I came in here when she first came in. Like I told her the conversation was over before it started today. Joshua and my dad are on their way."
Mark asks "Are you going to get checked out while you're here I can take you to the local Hospital?" She said her stomach pain was going away and she would get seen in Grandville South. "Okay, I'll take you back in the Living room this party was for Paula and yourself since it's going to take them at least 3 and half hours to get here I don't want you to have come all this way and not at the very least enjoy your own party sitting in here by yourself. Sophie just looked at him. "Okay not by herself but you know what I meant. Angel I have two quarts of steamed carrots and I have told everyone that they are for you. If you don't feel like going back out here I still want you to eat something. She asks where Megan is going to be. "After I get you what you need I'm taking her ass home."
Forty-five minutes later Angel is sitting on the love seat in the living room. She'd had the carrots and had asked for a hamburger. JC wasn't thrilled about the baked beans the smell made her nauseous but her stomach had stopped hurting. She sipped on a Canada Dry. Candy had resurfaced with someone's infinity scarf on. Mark had taken Megan out the back door. Janet was now leading one of the baby name games. She announced that her mama had picked a winner for best name. Barbra won a day at a spa. The name that Janet and Paula were all giddy about was Katie Jade. Aside from Janet having a friend named Katie Paula had a great-grandmother named Katie who had passed at the age of 103 when Paula was in elementary school. They liked the name Jade because it was pretty.
Natalie sat next to Angel in a chair "You know that Soda is bad for that baby, when I was pregnant with Ian I drank water and skim milk. Why are you drinking out of the plastic are you trying to make it retarded? I heard that from a girl I work with."
Angel had been sipping on the Canada Dry for an hour and chasing it with the 64oz. big cup of Iced Smart Water that Joshua had made sure she had in the things they were taking before coming saying it was hot out today and he wanted her to stay hydrated. "JC is fine thanks for your concern on the topic. What I choose to drink I have spoken to my medical professional and since 7up is not liked by me or my son, Ginger Ale helps settle my stomach. As far as plastic bottles because you got some halfcocked information and thought you would share. I'm not melting the plastic or freezing it so please let me enjoy my few sips of Ginger ale and my water and leave me the hell alone."
"I know that we have not had the balloon pop to reveal your baby's name but the only JC I can think of is Jesus Christ. You're not one of those crazy parents that think your child is the next savior, do you?" Sophie comes over and asks Angel how is her foot before Angel can answer her Natalie turns to Sophie and says. "Oh she hurt her foot you should tell your sister that she shouldn't be trying to run around. She refuses to listen to my advice. I was going to remark about putting your feet on people's furniture but as long as it is necessary I guess it is okay."
Angel and Sophie look at each other and smirk Sophie says "for as proper as you like to appear you are very rude. I don't believe I was speaking to you. Now Angel, how is your foot?" Angel says she is thankful that she could move her foot so at least she didn't think Megan broke it. Angel had about finished the jug of water and asks Sophie to help her to the bathroom. She also wanted to get away for Ms. 20 questions. Paula comes over and says they were going to do the last game when Angel got back then open the gifts.
Mark had not said anything to Megan for most of the trip his foot was on the floor. He is a good defensive driver but he cut his speed to take the truck out of turbo. They were about 40 minutes from the Houston mile marker. "Mark I really did try to catch her. Logan told me to fix it and I tried to but she wouldn't listen to me. Damn it Markus talk to me. So you going to what distance yourself from your little sister, over a brand new shiny cousin that you just found out about? The Candy chick isn't wrapped to too tight. She tried to pop out my eyes, before you go watch the footage or hear her side and add on to my sentence of your silence. She was talking shit and I cross choked her ass against the door. "
"So you want to talk. You came to my house crashing a party that you said you weren't coming to. When she plainly told you that you make her uncomfortable and asked you to move that should have been the end of the discussion. You can't force anyone to forgive you. Janet has a real decision to make if she doesn't test in to a college. I'm not saying I'm going to alienate you but while my wife and Angel our cousin is pregnant I would appreciate if you did not come around."
"If you give Janet a choice of not going to that school, you already know she is going want to transfer and that may mess up her Fast Track. She mad at me for jumping her shit for ditching after the locker incident. I told her I wouldn't tell you because then you would make her do the summer advanced program. I met with her teachers and said Janet turned in all her work but Mr. Keaton her fast track Math teacher says he noticed her not in class and started noticing her attendance she missed the last 5 days of school. He said he would have given her the full 5.0 but had to make her see it was important to be in class so he gave her 4.6. Mark, don't mess up her fast track cause you mad at me over Angel." Mark pulls over into a rest stop.
Mark looks out the window all of this was news to him. He'd looked at Janet's report card and saw A's and no disciplinary note. "So they don't send disciplinary notes with the report anymore" When Megan said she peeled it off and went up to the school herself. "Wait a damn minute I was in town when she was in school you could have called me." Megan said it was no big deal. "It is a big fucking deal now you're hiding shit from me about my child." Megan says she didn't have to tell him at all but she didn't want him messing up Janet's fast track cause he mad. "What locker incident?" Megan tells him and says she balled out the kid. "Did Janet tell you why she was ditching when you jumped her shit, and what exactly does that mean?"
"Well she is going to tell you anyway if you give away that I told you. I asked her why she was ditching and she just stood there ignoring me. So I took her grown ass over my knee. She didn't even cry so I know I didn't hurt anything but her feelings." Mark asked her what she hit his daughter with. "I did it the old fashion way like Aunt Vicky used to do." Megan unclips her purse chain off her purse. "See it isn't half as heavy as Aunt Vicky's chain, I only hit her 5 times one for each day she ditched school. Then I made her get up clean up her room and write her teachers an apology note."
Mark was so mad he got out of the truck. Megan gets out "You said like Aunt Vicky pants on or down?" When she said down, a tremor went up his spine. "You need to see if Logan can come get you." She says she only hit her 5 times and he acting like she beat the shit out of her. "How many times have to tuned up the band on my girl's ass? She puts up two fingers "Did you ever find out why she ditched in the first place?" she shook her head no. "I DON'T EVEN SPANK HER NO MORE." he stopped spanking Janet at Nin's request and that was when she was a toddler. "If you remember dear Aunt Vicky got charged with child abuse for hitting me in my damn head with that damn chain with her wild swinging ass. Didn't you notice we weren't allowed back over there? I didn't think I had to have this common sense conversation with you. When I said you could discipline Janet we agreed taking her phone, no computer, no tablet, No shopping, I didn't know I had to tell a person that works with abused children not to hit her own niece with a damn chain across her bare backside. My daughter is not to be in your presence without me or her mama present. If you're doing that shit to that little boy in your care you might want to stop. Well that explains why pushing a pregnant woman down is not a big deal to you."
"Number one, I don't know what fantasy you living in but Janet's mama is dead. Paula is your little fan turned second wife. She got that girl running around calling her mama. Number two with Angel, I felt wet on my face and pushed her ass I tried to catch her but I don't get no credit for not hitting her or kicking her. Everyone talking about how I crashed the party that Angel invited me to I was there to apologize I even got her a gift. Tracy won't answer my text and you threatening to leave my ass in a truck stop. My son Glenn is well behaved so no I don't have to jump his shit. Number three you pissed right now, but if you fuck up Janet's schooling, cause you suddenly don't trust me then when she asking paper or plastic don't come begging me to…" Mark grabbed her Megan slapped him with the chain of her purse across his face. He pushes her away she falls on her ass. He gets in his truck dropped her purse out the window in her lap and sped off. "You are fucking dead to me you fucking asshole." She called Logan he asked what her problem was. "Let me guess you are talking about the Angel thing. I tried to fix it. I need you to come get me I'm at IHOP truck stop. Mark got pissed about me spanking Janet. I went off on him and I think hurt his feelings. It's not like I beat on her Janet didn't even cry or nothing." Logan showed up in 45 minutes saying he was on his way home from Jonathon's job. She tells him to quit the house project since Angel wouldn't forgive her and to have his company not do the LEGNA project. When he says no these were legal contracts and he needed the work he asked her why Mark left her she tells him word for word what she said. Logon had no words. He hadn't been at the house when she had spanked Janet. He told her she knew she had probably just damaged her relationship with her brother.
Back at the baby shower Angel comes back into the room her foot was just sore she could at least walk on it now. Joshua had texted her and said they were half an hour away. Everyone pops their balloon Candy read off the name that was in her balloon "I think I have it. Jonathon-Chase Leonel Davenport." Angel shows her the card Candy jumps up and down saying the last name like she was at a sporting event. Natalie stands up and says this was rigged. Paula tells her to stop it. Explaining that all the other names in the other balloons were cartoon names. Candy walks over looks at Natalie's card "um if Natalie won I would have to hurt you and Joshua, Roger Rabbit is not a name for my godson. Janet may I have my prize?" Janet hands her a gift bag inside was a gift card worth $500.00 dollars.
Angel and Paula open their gifts. "Once Mark got rid of Megan aren't you glad you came?" Angel nods. As she unwraps the box from Sophie Janet comes over and takes a picture of her when she sees it is the stroller that she had been looking at. She would be able to use it until JC turned 5 or reached 50 pounds. Paula got one from Sophie same brand but in pink and black. Candy got them diapers. Angel picks up one gift reads the name and said Paula could have it. Paula reads the name and opened Megan's and sighs. It was a dress that said (Angie's baby Josh's Maybe.) Paula opens hers from Megan and it was a big box of diaper wipes. Natalie says that was a waste of personalization on who ever got that gift. Aside from the gag gift all the gifts were wonderfully thought out. Angel tells Paula she had a gift for her Paula opened the huge box Mark had brought in and inside were shoes of all kinds shapes and sizes Katie had shoes from 0-3months to size 5 kids. Paula hugged Angel who hugged her back. "Thanks girl well you made sure your little cousin Katie Jade was covered in the shoe department." Barbra's gift to Paula was a huge swing that vibrated. Her gift to Angel was a gift card to Nordstrom. "Oh great now you can get that Ralph Lauren outfit you were looking at."
Everyone helps clean up so Paula won't have to. Barbra thanks Paula and Angel for inviting her and she says she is looking forward to Angel's wedding. Natalie went in her room and Paula, Angel, Sophie, and Candy sit around the kitchen table. Janet says she has one more surprise for everyone. She hands Paula and Angel each a box. "Okay they won't be able to wear it right away, but Angel it is something like what you gave me." Inside each of the boxes was a half of a yin and Yang necklace on Angel's is the word Kin on Paula's is the word ship.
Later after dropping Jonathon, Sophie, and Candy off. Joshua and Angel go in to Middlebrooks office just to make sure Angel was okay. She tells Middlebrooks about Megan and Middlebrooks suggested a restraining order. "I didn't want to upset Mark or seem over the top, but she intently pushed me. For a minute I couldn't even get up I was so scared." Dr. Middlebrooks tells Angel that her foot wasn't broken and the pain she felt in her abdomen was from the way she moved her waist when she fell backwards. Sandra tells her if she has any more pain that severe to let her know. Angel says she will and thanks Middlebrooks for seeing her on such short notice.
Later that night Paula walks down the hall she heard clicking like typing really hard. She knocks on Janet's door Natalie and Harold had gone on a date. She'd got a message from Logan that Megan had went off on Mark and that her husband left his wife at an IHOP truck stop. Janet asks who is it and she had a little fear in her tone. "It's Paula may I come in?" Janet says hold on and the door is unlocked. That was a first Janet never locked her door. Her girl opens the door and walks back to her computer desk. "Are you okay? I know we didn't get to talk to your dad. He is on his way. You were terrific today." Janet tucks her legs up under her in her rolling computer chair. "Baby girl don't sit like that. That chair it will throw you." Janet gets up and paces the room.
"Mama, Aunt Megan told daddy something that was a secret. I don't think that's fair." Paula says that her aunt shouldn't be hiding things from her father. "She said in her text for me to get ready for a much needed butt busting. She had already done that. I won't be able to sit for a week if daddy hits me with what aunt Megan used." Paula had never heard of Mark actually hitting Janet. If he was going to if he was mad she would recommend he calm himself before he did so he wouldn't hurt her. She asks Janet what she had done. "I ditched school. I still passed all my classes."
Paula says "You are a smart cookie and you know education is important. How you are going to be that corporate accountant if you don't go to class? Baby girl you could get your dad into trouble by ditching school that program is highly watched. You know that the express testing isn't all they judge on when deciding on whether you reach the college bridge." Janet looks shocked saying her SAT and ACT scores were top in the state and she had transferable credits already. "If you have to go to high school after all don't ditch. A lot of these programs want to kick you out because of three factors you are female, young and they are very strict on attendance don't just hand them a reason to reject your application ok?" Janet sits on her bed and puts her hands up to her face and starts crying saying she don't want to get her dad in trouble or make her aunt right that she'll fail and be asking paper or plastic at the local supermarket. Paula hated that little scare tactic "Janet as long as you do your best you'll be successful. I want you to promise me something right now, and this goes for whichever school you are placed in or if you go to college this year, I want you to promise me and your baby sister who will look up to you. That you will try your best" Janet says she will. Paula walks over and hugs her girl rubbing her back. "Shh, don't cry baby girl"
Mark walks in the kitchen and drop his keys on the table. He walks down the hall and hearing the sniffling and calming voice of Paula brought him up short. He walks in the room and just watches Paula sitting on Janet's bed with Janet laying on her. Paula looks up and acknowledges his presence. When Janet looked up at him he saw fear. Megan had really pissed him off he must have given her a look he didn't think he did. Paula gets up and walks over to him asking him to come in their bedroom for a second. He says to Janet "Little lady I'll be back in here to talk to you about this ditching school." Janet scoots back on her bed and say yes sir on a hiccup.
He enters his room and sits on the bed Paula closes the door and walks in front of him he holds out his arms and holds her around her middle. She runs her hands through his hair. "Mark, why would Megan send Janet a message telling her that she was going to get her butt busted again when you got home did you, say that?" He tells Paula how he'd promised Nina that he wouldn't do it again and how he hadn't broke that promise in over 10 years. "Well before you ground her know that Megan took it upon herself to spank her for you."
"Paula I know and I never told Megan not to because I assumed because of her line of work I wouldn't have tell her not to tune up the band on my girl's ass with a damn purse chain."
Paula pulls her hand from his hair putting it on her stomach and says. "Wait she hit her with the chain on the purse she had today. No wonder she's afraid. Mark that's too much this is my strong opinion. A smack on the hand, or sending them to their room, but it don't take all the hitting with chains, they weren't bar fighting Janet is a child. This may piss you off but I might as well say it now. When Katie is born she's not going over there. I don't want Janet to go back not after hearing that."
"That don't piss me off it just validates my reason that I'm not making this decision for the wrong reason. Janet isn't going back over there. Not without me and it is going to be awhile before I go back over there." He sighs "Well lets go get this over with."
They walk back into Janet's room but she is not in there. Mark briskly walks back out "JANET CALLAWAY" they hear breaking glass and run towards the sound.
Janet screams "COMING" and comes running around the corner and runs into Mark and bounces off and lands on her butt and crabs walks backwards. "I was cleaning the kitchen I'll replace the mug I broke." Janet looked up at the hand her dad was offering. She reaches up and closes her eyes tightly she didn't want to see whatever he was going to hit her with. This was an old trick from her Aunt Megan. He just pulls her to her feet. What was he waiting for? The suspense was getting to her she felt twitchy.
Mark pulls her to her feet and is about to tell her he guessed that's why they shouldn't run in the house. Try to lighten the mood. Janet stood as still as doll with her eyes closed. He looks at Paula she waves him in the living room. He walks in the living room sitting on the couch. He was remembering when she stopped wanting to come home. She was afraid then and she was afraid now not of being grounded but of him hitting her. Why because his own sister had a mad on and thought she would scared the shit out his daughter using him as the object of which to fear. When he walked in Janet's room and she wasn't in there he thought she'd ran away until he heard breaking glass and her yelling that she was coming. He watches Paula talk to Janet. Megan would not get this chance with Katie Jade. If he ever found out that part of his past distance problem with Janet was his own sister's hidden agenda she could kiss any kind of relationship with him goodbye.
Paula stands blocking Janet's visual line to Mark who is now sitting on the couch when she opened her eyes. "Baby girl it's just you and me standing here now." Paula moves her hair out of her face. Janet sighs in relief and opens her eyes. "You thought your dad was going to pull you up and hit you?" the girl nods her head. "I have a secret for you. Your dad said he hadn't swatted your backside since you were a toddler is that true?" Janet says that is right, she goes on to say that's why she is so scared because she don't know what to expect she just knows that he can hit harder than Megan cause he's bigger. "Do you trust me Janet?" She nods and says yes mama. "Your dad isn't going to hit you. We still have to have this talk. You said you'd tell him if I was in the room. Dose Megan know your secret?" Her girl shakes her head no. "Okay are you ready?" She did something that was so Nina it made Paula smile. Janet waves her hand in a jerky so-so gesture that her mom was famous for. Paula steps out of the way Mark stands up when Janet slowly walks into the room.
"Daddy I'm so sorry for ditching school. I won't do it again." Mark tells her to have a seat. She sits on the rug where she was standing. When her aunt told her to sit down she meant where you stood. He says on the couch she jumps up and sits on the couch. He sits next to her and says that he thought she liked school. She looks over at him and then back at Paula. Janet explains about being locked in her locker and about how Megan came in and yelled at the 12th grader girl and how now there is an ugly picture of her that she can't get rid of, on Facebook. He asks is that the only reason she was giving up her dream over a few piss ants she wouldn't recognize in 5 years. "The Friday before the last five days of school I was in the wrong. I didn't want the Mexican pizza it's gross it doesn't taste like the one we make, it's not supposed to be orange and black."
Mark makes a face "I don't trust orange food that isn't supposed to be orange either." He puts and arm around his girl. "I guess you went off campus." She nods "Did you get in trouble?" She says they are allowed to leave the campus for lunch since she is in her college prep brick of classes they put her on the last lunch hour. "I don't agree that an 8th grader should be on a high school senior lunch hour. If not by breaking a school rule how did you get in trouble?"
"Katie my friend she's still on first lunch hour. I should have just waited until I got home to eat. I didn't go in a pair." She looks over at Paula. Paula tells her she said she would tell them. Janet open her mouth then closes it before continuing "I was coming back through the football stadium and Bobbie Jo jumped out from behind the bleachers her twin was with her his…his name is Christopher Joseph I don't know their last name. He flunked dad do I have to go back to that school?" Janet starts squirming around. He says they'll talk about that later. "Bobbie Jo asked me if I wanted free passage from her, no bullying for a whole year. I tried to do like Sophie and give her the look then asked her what it would cost. Well I guess the look only works if you know what you're talking about. She asked me did I have something in my eye. So I asked her what I had to do for her to just leave me alone. She said kiss her brother and it would get me popularity points. I said what if I didn't she said then he would kiss me. I tried to out run him really I did he's on the football team but mostly sits on the bench. He caught me and pinned me against the side of the school. I screamed at him and for help but he touched me and covered my mouth with his I tried to bite him until he moved his mouth and covered my nose and mouth. I was late for class that Friday I couldn't get air and must have fainted because I woke up in the nurse's office. Their mom is the nurse. I still don't know her last name because she has everyone call her nurse Rebeca. He was sitting in there with me he told his mom he was at practice saw something on the ground. When she left I told him I was going to tell on him. He told me he was a minor and his dad made more money than mine. I told him so what, I was still going to tell. He said you couldn't touch him and none of the local law would believe me. Before his mom told him to go back to class he said that was my first lesson in being a woman." Janet started crying "I couldn't go. No one was on my side. I asked Aunt Megan could I speak to one of Logan's cop relatives. She told me not to be melodramatic and sent me to my room. Logan wasn't home. I don't know the Kincaid's numbers I just know they are related to Uncle Logan. The last Monday came and I told Aunt Megan that I had to have a doctor's note to get back in school. She sent me in by myself. I refused to get undressed so he asked me was there something wrong at home and I told him no. He gave me the release slip. Aunt Megan dropped me off Christopher smiled at me and told me I smelled good. I went to my first brick of classes on the middle school section and after home room is lunch hour so I asked for a hall pass from the sub and walked home. The next day I went to the bus stop and Christopher drove up behind the bus and put up 2 fingers I hid in the treehouse Glenny almost gave me away. The rest of the week I would walk out of the house and hide in the garage under the bike cover with Logan's bikes." Her dad asked where Christopher touched her besides kissing her. "He left marks he scratched me here" she points to her private "and on my boobs. Daddy please, don't make me go back I don't want any more lessons from Christopher he scares me."
Mark was ready to beat the shit out of the fucker minor or not. He would be speaking to his legal team lead Sophie had to have a solution. If not he knew a few policemen that rode in his bike club. "Look right here." Janet looks him in the eye. "He being a minor wouldn't tie my hands, and I don't care if his parents are the Trumps no one is going to get away with that shit. Is that the reason when I asked you were you going to Math Camp you ran in your room crying? She nods and says that's why she wanted to be here and didn't want to go back to Megan's house here she was away from Chris Jo. Pain and Panic were her security blanket she felt safe here sleeping with them in her bed. Mark now understood why he'd walked in to check on Janet and there was a combined 400 pounds of dogs surrounding her. "What happened at Megan's house she said she gave you 5 licks because she asked why you ditched and you bluntly ignored her. That doesn't sound like you."
"She went to my meeting and came back and told me to drop my drawers. Glenny was in the room I said not while he was in the room. That's when she told me I was getting too grown, grabbed me, pulled my pants down, and started hitting me. I have 7 classes and she hit me 35 times she made me count. I didn't even miss that many, I went to first brick on Monday so that should have knocked it down to 30. She told me that she was doing this for my own good. It always is, if it wasn't for her old school tactics I would fail. I want to go to school just not Houston Fast-Track High School. I just hope I did well enough to test out altogether and that my four and half days unexcused don't stop my chance."
Mark gets up running his hands through his hair. Megan had lied to him about how many times she hit his child. Now he wanted to know what the hell had been going on. "Janet you said it always does has Megan hit you before now?" Janet looked at the floor and says Megan said if she told she would have to tell what she did to get hit and she really didn't want to. So Megan had been blackmailing his child to hide her physical discipline. "So what have you been doing? You might as well tell me. I'm not going to reground you if that's what you were thinking. Your Aunt's tactics are a copy of your great Aunt Vicky's discipline routine I know very well it usually including tuning up the band on our butts and cleaning the house am I close?" Janet nods her head. "Is that why you were in the kitchen cleaning it before, you thought you would get a head start?" She shrugs and nods saying she would pay for another coffee mug with her gift card she won today.
Paula gets up and walks in the kitchen. She looks at the broken mug it wasn't that damn important. Her girl had been punished enough. She was so mad at Megan and everyone involved. She had wondered why Pain and Panic were now sleeping in the bed with Janet. That was going to have to stop because Pain was pregnant again and kind of getting snappy. She cleaned up the coffee mug and just sat in the kitchen she wasn't in a good mood and didn't want to take it out on anyone. Mark was bound to be pissed and she couldn't hear anymore. No child was an angel all the time but Janet was a good kid. She wanted to check on her cousin. Checking the time she texted just in case Angel was sleep. She knew if she was Joshua would turn off her phone.
Paula Jo Callaway: Hey girl I was just checking on you. If you sleep you'll get the message in the morning.
Angel (JC's mommy): I'm okay. When we came back Josh took me to the doc and she said JC just didn't like the way I moved when I was pushed backwards. How is Katie Jade's Mommy doing (smiling emoticon)
Paula Jo Callaway: Happy you are okay. Pissed, that Megan is fucking with my little family. She has been busy with beating on Janet under the name of old school discipline. Then she told Janet that her dad was going to tag her tonight over something dealing with school. The only reason I found out there was something going on was I was having a talk about baby names and Janet went weird on me and said not to name it after any of her bullies.
Angel (JC's mommy): (confused face emoticon) I didn't know she was being bullied. Mark don't touch her he'll take her phone or tell her no shopping but he don't hit her or at least not anytime while he was around me. You just sent her to her room when she was acting up. I'm sure Janet didn't believe it for a second.
Paula Jo Callaway: (Red faced emoticon) Wrong, Janet was afraid of him. I spoke to her and now she's in there telling Mark about Megan hitting her from what I heard it's just little kid bullshit. I've already voiced my opinion about not having Megan watch Katie Jade. Mark wasn't pissed at me and it looks like it's going to be a cold day in hell before he lets my big girl back over there. Mark has had some distance issues with Janet in the past because of Racheal but, it's like Megan was trying to drive them apart tonight.
Angel (JC's mommy): I'm going to get a restraining order against Megan. I don't want her near me while I'm pregnant. She scared the hell out of me until I was able to get up on my own. I thought the pain was me losing JC. The only reason I forgave her in the first place at my house was because at the time I was trying to keep down confusion and I didn't want to mess up your wedding. This time it's my wedding and you and Mark and Janet are invited but I will not have her crashing my wedding. That's one of the reasons I'm having it in another state. Sophie said Bobby is going to provide security. If your name isn't on the list you won't be on that part of the beach. I hope all gets worked out for you guys. Give my little cousin a hug for me.
Paula Jo Callaway: Yeah me too (hugging emoticon) to you and Joshua from me girlie
Angel (JC's mommy): I'm sleepy and Joshua is curled up on the couch looking cute he really didn't see much of the movie we were watching he fell asleep. I'm going to wake him up so he won't be sore. We have to be at session and a meeting tomorrow. I got him a present sort of, he's always liked my truck so I got him a white raised duel cab Titan with the Personal Touch symbol on the tailgate, it's not his name so I hope he likes it. Good night Cuzo
Paula sees Angel's status turn from (active) to (off to bed with a sleeping emoticon) Angel had told her about how she had come up with JC's name. It seemed they both were having issues with names. She heard Mark tell Janet she wasn't grounded for the ditching and the stuff she'd already been "punished" for. He tells her that no matter how bad she thought he would react to never hide anything from him and that included her interaction with anyone, whether it be family or not. He told her that he hoped she understood the seriousness of hiding things from him. Janet's meek little yes sir made Paula smile. She gets up and walks back in the room with her two most important people in the world.
Later, after Janet went to bed with her two huge pillow protectors Mark walks into his bedroom. Paula was lying in bed reading yet another book on parenting wrote by some guy that probably hadn't seen a child in over 20 years judging by his way too old picture on the back. He looks over at the cover of book the dos and don'ts for Parenting. He takes the book puts the book maker in it setting it down. "So how much of what you did today was in this book?" She takes her reading glasses off and says she was flying by the seat of her pants. She was just trying to see if there was any better way she could have handled the situation. His wife wasn't the one who needed a 123 guide his damn sister was copying an approach that was proven to be negative. He believed that you didn't have to beat your kids with a fucking chain to get them to mind you. Pay attention to them, and set ground rules early on. Not every child was going to react or respond to the same type of style but Megan had hurt more than Janet's feelings She pulled her shirt up and had some bruising on her back from Megan swinging wild. She'd shyly picked up the front of her shirt since she had on an exercise bra and showed him where the Chris boy grabbed her breast there was scratch pattern going up her chest. When Paula came back in the room Janet asked her into the bathroom.
"Well darlin, if that was you flying by the seat of pants, thank you for taking a chance. I saw the scrapes on her chest from the kid that groped her." Paula tells him baby girl had fading marks in her bikini line but it looked more like rug burn she said Janet told her when she woke up in the nurse's office she was sore but not inside but on the outside. "The fact that he was rough enough through her clothes to leave marks says he's been doing this shit for a time. He thinks he is insulated because of his fucking age and his parents' wealth. I'm calling Sophie in the morning. Since Janet didn't think there was anyone that could help her I'm glad she didn't go back. I'm sorry she was punished. Megan was no help."
Paula pulls the covers back and pats the bed. He climbs in and lies with his body turned to her as he runs a hand over her belly. "I'm just glad Janet didn't keep that to herself any longer. I was pissed because she was being bullied at all then when she said she wished she could disappear. I knew I had to convince her to tell someone what was behind that statement all day everything under the sun ran through my head."
Mark says "Megan knew about me trying to repair my relationship with Janet because I was a damn fool and let it get strained with the Racheal thing. In her moment of trying to fuck me over she was trying to build a poisonous block between me and my daughter using me as an object of fear. I'm having Megan's guardianship revoked. Janet is all I have left of Nina if Megan drove her away from me or made something happen to her."
Paula pulls him closer and hugs him running her hand up and down his back saying. "She won't get that chance, because I'm here and I will not let her near my big girl. Let me tell you something look right here" he looks her in the eye. "Your relationship isn't as strained for Janet as it is for you because honey you keep beating yourself up about being human like the rest of us, yeah you made mistakes nobody is perfect. You know she has a huge heart she let me in. Your baby girl is gonna be just fine. Now get some sleep before you know it it'll be morning." They kiss and soon drift off to sleep.
Authors Note: Well now we know the baby names. I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while but with work and life stuff stepping in, I just hadn't the time. I'm back for a week at the very least and I have plenty of chapters that are almost finished. I want to thank my muse, and my beta readers. Please feel free to review I would love to know your thoughts: End Note