Chapter 6: Hit and Run Pt. I
James looked at the dark-haired woman who was resting her legs in his lap. If there was one thing he had learned, it was that Manny Santos made being pregnant fashionable. She made sure that her swollen stomach did not draw attention away from her other assets, such as flawless hair or dimples.
"So you'll help us right?" James's attention turned to the blonde in his kitchen.
"Sure Em." James said.
"Question," James heard Jay say as he finished his cigarette on the balcony and reentered the condo. "Why don't you have parties here again?"
"Because he can't. Stop asking the same damn question." Manny replied.
"It's alright." James said rubbing her legs in an attempt to soothe her. "Just breathe."
Manny gave him a stern look. "James, if this brat doesn't play soccer, I swear to you that I will rip his legs off and beat him with it."
"Well somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed." commented Jay in a low tone, though his wife heard him and reprimanded him with a slap to the arm. "Seriously Greenpeace, boxing. You would be great in it."
"How many bedrooms is the house?" James asked.
"Three." Emma said. "But they're kind of small."
James shrugged. "Better than your dorm and Jay's apartment, right?"
"Hey. My apartment is more than just a crappy apartment. It's my crappy home." While James smirked at this, Emma and Manny rolled their eyes. "I'd appreciate it if you showed it some respect. Not all of us have our fancy condo bought by our rich ex-girlfriend."
"Speaking of which," Manny said shifting the pillow behind her head a bit. "I spoke to Fiona two days ago." James frowned. "I got her number off of your cell. She was doing some sort of art project, but she says hi."
"Ignoring that you probably stole and broke into my phone love," James began. "But why did you call her again?"
"Because she's my pick on who my son's future stepmom should be and he totally agreed with me." James saw the smile on Manny's face and let it go. He would never win anyway.
He then rested the back of his head on the couch. School was over for the day and he still had to go to the Sinclair's for dinner. The only problem he had was Anya being here alone. She had refused to crash Holly J's dinner (though they both agreed that Heather would do just that) and stated that she would be fine alone.
"Seriously babe," Manny continued. "I seriously don't like the idea of having my son around the infamous Holly J Sinclair. I would prefer Fiona in everyway."
James did not reply again. He could tell her that Craig's crack addiction was a worry for him, but he didn't. While James got away with a lot with Manny, bad-talking Craig Manning was not one of them. And he was in no mood to argue.
"Maybe you should date her then. You'd have a better shot than Jaime would." Jay said.
"Jason!" Emma chastised.
James laughed at this. Not at the statement of course, but how this was becoming a normal thing. Emma loved her husband and James understood that clearly. Yet every so often, Emma would go on one of her rants on Jay and made it seem like they hated each other.
"You cannot say things like that! Be courteous of Jaime's feelings!" Emma continued.
Jay only shrugged. "He's alright with it, so lighten up Greenpeace."
Emma crossed her arms. "You're so immature."
"And they're the married couple." Manny said causing James to laugh a bit harder.
"Better married to him than pregnant with Jaime's baby." retorted Emma. "Especially while you're dating Craig, of all people."
"And what's wrong with Craig?" Manny asked seconds before James heard his door opened. "Oh great… She's here."
Holly J moved into the room frantically, her breath unsteady.
"Jaime…" she panted. "I need… Your help…"
James frowned as he sat up. "What's wrong?"
"Riley…" That was all Holly J had to say as James stood up, making sure to keep Manny's legs on the couch.
"Where is he? Where's Anya?" Holly J gave James a worried look which caused James to move for his keys. "Coming Jay?"
"Of course." Jay said. Emma was going to argue, but he kissed her in order to keep her quiet. "See ya later Greenpeace."
"Bring back something to eat." Manny said.
James gave her a nod before leaving with Holly J and Jay.
"Where are they?" James asked.
"Our dorm room." Holly J answered. "He's gone completely crazy Jaime! He punched Peter!"
James only sighed. This was going to be a long day.
James pushed his way through the small crowd in the hallway and into the room, Jay and Sean on his heels. Declan was already on the scene, staring at his cousin's boyfriend who was nursing a bloody (possibly broken) nose. Victoria was comforting Anya on a bed.
"What happened here?" James asked.
Declan sighed. "Well, Riley went on a rampage and Peter caught a blow to the face." James gave a small nod. "And as you can see, it was pretty painful."
"Fuck you." Peter mumbled.
"Why did he hit you, mate?" James asked.
"Because Peter claims that Riley kissed him." James stared at Declan. "Look, I'm only telling you what I've been told. If you want the story, ask Anya as soon as she stops crying. Again."
James turned to see Anya, now crying onto Holly J's shoulder as Victoria rubbed her back. He did not see any bruise on her, so he was alright for the moment. If Riley had touched Anya…
James closed his eyes and sighed heavily. He really needed to get Fiona out of his mind. Not only was he thinking of her, he was thinking about what she did or did not go through with Bobby.
"Where'd he go?" asked Sean.
"He ran like a fucking bitch." Peter said, the bloody napkin over his nose making him sound nasal.
Declan smirked. "I don't think you want to try that Peter. He might finish what he started."
Peter did not respond verbally, his eyes giving Declan a dark glare. James looked at Sean and Jay who both shrugged before moving to Anya and the girls.
"Hey," he said as squatted in front of her. "You alright Anya?" She shook her head. "What happened? Did he hurt you?"
Anya seemed to have calm down a bit and looked at James. He momentarily cringed at the sight. While she looked physically fine, safe for her smeared makeup and slightly disheveled hair, he could see the emotional pain this was causing her.
"This isn't him Jaime. It's the steroids." pleaded Anya. James saw Holly J roll her eyes, but Anya missed it. "I don't know what to do anymore!"
"He kissed me!" Peter called from his spot.
James heard Sean and Jay snicker from behind him yet kept the grin from his face. While it was humorous to picture Peter's face if Riley kissed him, this was a serious matter. James would see it that way until after it was done with.
"Listen mate," James said calmly to Anya. "I'll talk to him." Anya actually rolled her eyes much like her friend beside her. "What's that for?"
"Like how you 'talked' to Bobby? No thanks." James would have retorted, but he heard the humor in her voice. That was good. "Why can't I just find someone to be happy with?"
"Honey, let me tell you. A good man is so hard to find." Victoria said. The four males in the room shot her a hardened glare, all but one of them being in a relationship. "I didn't say it was impossible, jeez."
James stood up, his legs actually growing tired of his squatted position. He looked over at Sean and Jay knowing that they could read him at the moment. They did help him find Bobby after all.
"Don't tell Emma and I'm in." Jay said.
"Deal." James replied.
"Um, Captain America," James looked at Holly J. "When were you going to run it by me that you're going to play hero again?"
"HJ-"
"I don't necessary like it, you know? And what about dinner? Did you forget that too?" Holly J asked. "Seriously Jaime, I think you worrying about some Greco-Neanderthal on steroids is pretty stupid. Even if it is for Anya's safety."
James only smiled. While he had told her a partial lie two nights ago, he knew for a fact that Holly J could indeed be bitchy. And sadly, he loved that side of her as much as he loved the not-so bitchy side of hers.
"I won't go before tonight. I promise, love." James said.
Holly J just crossed her arms. "Uh-huh."
"Well," Jay said. "If you guys don't mind, I have a wife. A really hot wife at that and not some large quarterback trying to rape me."
"Fuck you." Peter said again.
"Uh, I have to get to the garage." Sean said. "Jay, don't be late for your shift again."
James saw that Jay went to go for some comeback, but Sean left before it came out. Obviously, Sean was still a bit sore that Jay and Emma decided to stay married. Then again, everyone knew that Sean still had feelings for Emma. Amy was just an in-between.
"Jaime," Declan said breaking James's thoughts. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
James nodded and followed his friend out into the hall, glad that the crowd had left.
"So what is it, mate? Need help on a play or something?" Declan sighed heavily causing James to realize where this is going. "Something's wrong with Fiona."
"Charlie walked in on her passed out." James released a soft sigh. He figured it would happen sooner or later. "She said she didn't tell our parents, but if she did, you know what she's going to do."
James nodded. "I do. But what do you want me to do about it? My place is full so it's not like I can hide her there."
"Talk to her." James released a small snort. "Jaime, I wouldn't ask this if I thought she'd ignore you, alright? But obviously something is causing her to drink again. You know first hand how she once used drinking to escape things."
"What does she have to escape?" Declan gave James a look that questioned if James's question was rhetorical or not.
"You're kidding, right?" replied Declan. "Look, call her sometime today."
"With all due respect, but your sister may need help. More than I can give." James said. Declan's eyes showed his momentary anger. "Hear me out, alright? I can't do anything for Fiona. Your mom doesn't want me near her and sneaking off to see her makes me look like I'm cheating on Holly J."
"Right. See you around." Declan said backing away.
"Hey. When do I ask you to step out on Jane for something like this?" Declan paused in his steps and glared at James. "Besides, it was you that passed on the message for me to leave her alone? That's what I'm trying to do here."
"I'm asking for you to help the woman you claimed to love." Declan told James. "Or were you lying to my sister just to sleep with her?"
"It wasn't a lie." James replied.
"Then prove it." Declan said walking away.
James only sighed heavily. He once believed that he would run into Fiona in the future, they would laugh about their past, and that was it. However, now he was wondering if this was going to be more complicated than that. Holly J and Fiona's former hatred for each other had diminished, but there was some tension there. And since returning from Hawaii, James could feel some tension from Declan as well.
Sighing again, James moved back into Anya and Holly J's dorm room, Victoria now talking to Peter on Anya's bed while Holly J and Anya talked on Holly J's. He frowned, realizing that Jay must have slipped out during his talk to Declan.
"Hey, is everything alright?" James did not immediately reply to Holly J. He figured she heard the conversation. She normally did.
"I wish." Holly J gave him a nod that meant that they would talk about it later. "How's she doing?"
"I got in touch with Sav." Anya announced. "He said that he'll find Riley and talk to him. I'm going to stay with Chantay tonight."
James frowned. "Why's that?"
"I don't want to intrude on you and Holly J. It's bad enough that…" Anya's words died and James saw the angered look his girlfriend shot his ex. "I just don't want to intrude."
"You're not 'intruding' on us." replied James.
Holly J looked at her cell before sighing and rising.
"I'm going to be late for work." she said. "Anya, do what you want. Just don't get yourself killed. I'll never forgive you." James saw the smile on Anya's face, knowing that this was just how Holly J showed worry. Holly J then moved towards James and kissed him. "See you later. I have to go get my uniform."
James smirked. "That plaid skirt can't really be considered 'uniform'. I've seen lingerie that reveals less than that, love."
Holly J smiled. "Well then I won't wear it for breakfast anymore, now will I?"
"She serves you breakfast in that? Lucky bastard." Peter said before Victoria elbowed him in the arm. "Ow! Dammit woman, can't you see I'm injured here?!"
Holly J took that moment to leave, muttering about immature losers as she did so. James looked at Anya, ready to question what she was going to say, before Victoria spoke up.
"Declan tell you about Fifi?" James nodded. "Hmm… I told her that it would happen. If I didn't need Peter to win my races, I'd jump on you the first moment I got."
"Way to make me feel important." Peter said rising. "I need a cigarette. This is… Hell, I need something stronger than that."
"I know who's making special brownies." Victoria said in a giddy voice as she stood beside Peter. "It's like two birds with one stone. No pun intended."
"Wait," James said. "What do you mean that you told her that this would happen?"
Victoria shrugged. "When you guys were doing your down-low thing, I told her that she should just break up with Bobby and move on with you. You kept her sober Jaime, I'm not going to lie. And after she went back to New York, I told her to keep in touch or else." Victoria paused and released a tired sigh. "No one seems to listen to me for some reason."
"Trust me. It does the world good not listening to you." said Peter as he led his girlfriend to the door.
"Seriously Jaime," Victoria said as she paused beside him. "I'm worried that she might do something dangerous and stupid. Call her. She's dealing with Aunt Laura and Uncle Harry's problems firsthand. She needs you."
"Me?" Victoria nodded with a small smile.
"You're the only one that listens." she joked as she left.
James shook his head a bit to get the words out. Truthfully, he was agreeing with both Coynes and what they had to say. He needed to talk to Fiona. He needed to at least attempt to help her. Not just because he loved her dearly, but because he worried about her. That, plus it would stop Declan from bugging him about it.
James sat down on the bed beside Anya, she instinctively leaning onto his shoulder. His exes and current were driving him to the brink of… Well, becoming his father. There was nothing he would like to do than to hop on the first plane to Australia and go stay at his grandparents' estate in Newcastle. But, his mother had told him to face his problems and solve them. So now he cursed his mother for his upbringings and thought of a way to solve his problems so that he kept his girlfriend, Fiona was sober, Anya was safe, and Manny was happy.
The women in his life…
The dinner at Holly J's parents' house went pretty smoothly, even with Heather throwing constant jibes here and there at the couple.
"So, Manny's doing fine?" Mary-Kate, Holly J's mother, asked James. He nodded in response though quite uncomfortable with the conversation, even if it was nothing new. "That's good. So do you know the due date?"
"Sometime during the second week of May." Mary-Kate nodded at the response. "They've actually picked out a good name for him."
"Really? What is it?" Mary-Kate asked.
"Does it have something to do with Las Vegas and promiscuous parents?" Heather added.
James spared Heather a small glance. Like Holly J, there were moments where he found Heather's comments completely unnecessary. Of course, he was used to them now, but he still hated them.
"No. They've named him James Joseph Wilder. My first name, Manny's dad's name, and my father's last name." Josh, Holly J's father, seemed interested in the topic now.
"So you'll be able to raise a boy, huh? You're lucky. Raising two girls is not fun." John said with a smile.
"Gee Dad, thanks a lot." Heather said.
"Yeah. Way to make us feel good." Holly J added.
"Yeah, well, that's if I get to even look at him." James replied to John's statement. "Between Manny and Emma, they're going to smother the poor boy. And then there's my mom and Manny's mom and Emma's mom. I won't get to see my own son."
Mary-Kate smiled. "The media will flip when they see the first and only grandchild of Michael Lee Wilder."
"I'm sure his mother will take more pictures than the paparazzi. First Christmas and embarrassing pictures and such. Then again, that's what parents do right?" James somehow regretted this as the Sinclair parents looked at one another.
"I don't know," Holly J said. "There isn't a lot of embarrassing baby pictures of me."
"Oh we have tons!" Mary-Kate said.
"My first Christmas?" Holly J questioned.
The room grew quiet before Heather yawned loudly.
"I should be getting home." Heather said while stretching a bit. "Dinner was great Mom, as always."
Holly J frowned. "What are you doing Heather?"
"I'm leaving Holly. Seriously." Heather said.
James watched his girlfriend's eyes narrow. This was slightly odd, seeing as Holly J did not correct her older sister, something she always did whenever Heather left off of the "J" in Holly J. He then realized that Mary-Kate had stood up, collecting the dirty dishes and began to move quietly towards the kitchen.
"What is going on?" Holly J asked, her eyes looking at her father.
"I-" John was cut off by James's cell phone ringing.
"Sorry." James said, ready to turn it off.
"Oh no, take it." John said standing. "Dinner's done anyway."
James shrugged it off and answered his phone.
"Adam this better be-"
"She ran away James!" James frowned heavily. "Alli! She ran away!"
James rose from his seat. "Mate, calm down. I'm on my way, alright?"
Adam did not respond, hanging up. Holly J stood up with James, worried about whatever it is he was so tensed about.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Alli ran away." James told her. "Adam's freaking out. I'm going to go over there." Holly J nodded. "Thanks for dinner Mr. Sinclair."
"Anytime James." John said.
As James left for the door with Holly J, he listed the number of problems he had now. The first one was Anya and Riley. Anya was his friend and Riley had blown a gasket. He worried about her. Next was Fiona. He had yet to call her and he wondered if she talked to either her brother or cousin. His mind then wondered to Manny for some reason. All the talk and questions about her pregnancy had him thinking about her former drug addiction. Finally, his mind wondered to the Sinclair family. Obviously something was amiss and he had no choice but to understand what she felt. Her parents and older sister was obviously hiding something.
Sighing quietly, James realized that all of these problems had to be put on the back burner for a while as he went to the Torres home. Alli was missing and Adam was probably worrying more than he should. Then again, James knew how it felt when a potential lover disappears.