CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - ABIGAIL
I must have slept for two days straight. By the time I got back up, everyone was gone to church. My Dad would give me hell for missing it, but knowing my Mom, she would take my side and calm everyone down.
After taking a long shower and brushing the tangles from my hair, I walked down to the kitchen and breathed in deeply. Janice, my Dad’s chef, had a pot roast in the crock pot and was singing Bruce Springsteen at the top of her lungs.
I laughed and tapped her on the shoulder.
“Oh hell!” She jumped, turned around and pulled her ear buds out. “Child, you scared the hell out of me!”
I laughed and moved into the warm hug she provided. “See there? No need for church when you can get the hell scared out of you in the kitchen, right?”
“Don’t let your Daddy hear you say that.” She laughed again and released me. “You gave us a big scare, missy. You know you’ll always be the baby around here. You’re the only one we got to raise.”
“I realize that.” I moved around her and picked up an apple before hopping up to sit on the counter beside her cutting board. “I’m not a baby anymore though. I’m a grown woman, and I want to start living my life. It’s stupid that I still have to ask to go places and take a bodyguard with me.”
“Really?” She glanced over at me and put a hand on her portly hip. “Girl, you’re out of your mind. I saw that bodyguard, and I’m telling you this… he can guard my body any time he wants to.”
I chuckled and almost choked on my apple. “He was handsome.” A dreamy feeling raced through me, and I realized how badly I wanted to see him again.
“Your Dad is handsome. This man was F-I-N-E, fine.” She handed me a napkin as juice from the apple ran down my chin. “He and your Daddy had a rough talk though from what I gather.”
“Rough talk?” I tilted my head to the side as my heart sunk in my chest. “Harley saved my life and got me back home safely.”
“And your Dad thinks something happened between the two of you.” She lifted her eyebrow and pressed me with a hard stare. “Now you know I don’t gossip, but did something happen?”
“That I can’t share, Janice.” I hopped off the cabinet and walked toward the front door as the sound of my parents coming into the house filled up the foyer.
“They replaced the twelfth disciple, honey. I’m telling you. It’s in the book.” My Dad turned to face my Mom with his hand on his hip. That was never good.
“No. They didn’t.” My Mom leaned around him. “Hi, baby. You look good.” She moved in front of me and gripped my shoulders. “Are you feeling okay? You slept forever.”
“Two days, Mom. Not forever.” I hugged her and eyed my Dad. “Can I talk to you for a minute, Dad?”
“Yep. In the office.” He turned and walked toward the office, lifting his hand in the air. “And I’m telling you, there was another disciple after Judas. Look it up honey, and then you can let me know that I’m the winner.”
“You’re wrong!” She yelled playfully behind us as I followed my Dad. It was nice to see that he had a regular relationship with someone, but he always had that with my Mom. They were friends, lovers, partners in all things.
It’s the type of relationship I wanted my whole life, the type of relationship I could see myself in with a man like Harley.
“Right this way,” my Dad said and moved back. “And tell me now… is this about Harley?”
I stopped in my tracks and turned to face him. “Yes. Why?”
“Lauren. You’re needed in here with us.” He left the door open and walked to his black leather couch, dropping down and letting out a long sigh.
“And why does Mom need to be in here?”
“Because,” he gave me a stern look, “Your Mom and I have been discussing you and Harley for the last two days, sleeping beauty. It’s not right.”
“What about Harley and me?” My voice rose as heat scorched my chest. This wasn’t going to go well. It never did with my Dad.
“About whatever happened between the two of you over in Madrid, baby.” My Mom walked in and stopped beside me, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. “We could tell something was up, and your Dad saw you kiss him.”
“He saved my fucking life.” I pulled away from her as tears burned my vision.
“Watch your language,” my Dad barked out.
“Robert. She’s hurting. Leave her be.” My Mom wrapped me in a tight hug and kissed the top of my head. Of course she was going to treat me like a child. I was acting like one. “You know that we love you.”
I pulled back and glanced up at her. “Yes, well then, let me live my life. Please?”
“Your Dad and I have reservations about you being with someone like Harley.” She brushed my tears away.
“Like?” I glanced over at my Dad. The conversation was really with him. My Mom was just cannon fodder of sorts.
“Like him being ten years older than you,” my Dad lifted his fingers, counting off the things wrong with me and Harley like he was working on a how-to manual, “and he has a tormented past, and he’s not a relationship kind of guy. He’s killed people before, baby.”
“Dad. You have a tormented past. Just because you fought for freedom in a different way doesn’t mean you haven’t seen some crazy shit.” I pulled out of my Mom’s hold and walked over to my Dad. “Don’t make me choose between you and him. I’m tired of always having to let go of the things I want most to prove my dedication and respect to you. I’m twenty-two years old!”
“Robert.” My Mom moved up beside him and patted him on the chest. “Go check on the roast. I want to take this conversation with Abi, okay?”
My Dad glanced over at her, his jaw locked. Surprisingly enough, he nodded and walked out of the room without a word.
She turned and smiled. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”
I dropped down on the chair beside me, feeling so incredibly deflated all of a sudden. “I don’t know, Mom, but I… I…”
“You want him in your life?” She sat down next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“Yes.” I glanced over at her. “And I gave him my virginity. I don’t want that to be it between us. He was so gentle and loving. I can’t just walk away from this. I can’t.”
“Then don’t.” My Mom kissed my shoulder, taking my v-card confession much better than I thought. “But understand that he’s nothing like you. He’s a different type of person, baby, and he’s much older than you. I don’t want you getting your feelings hurt if he’s not willing to start a relationship with you.”
“I have to try.” I leaned against her and closed my eyes. “I have to.”