Chapter 11
“Y ou kissed Trevor?” Becks was staring at me, sitting cross-legged on the couch in her living room. I’d brought Lacey with me after the evening we had. She was grounded for a few weeks. She, Lexi, and Nat were in Nat’s bedroom doing teenage girl things.
Nat’s two cats were prowling around on the floor, pushing a ball back and forth between them. Lucas had surprised her with them at Christmas time and they were adorable. The two brothers tumbled over each other, batting playfully as I watched.
“Shhhh.” I hushed her, glancing up at the ceiling where the girls were.
“Sorry,” she quieted. “This is a lot though.”
She gripped her coffee mug full of hot tea and leaned forward, looking at me expectantly.
“How was it? Was it just kissing? Or did you-”
“Whoa!” I said, waving my hand. “Yes, we just kissed. Well, twice. He gave me another one, before he left, that kind of took my breath away.”
I placed my own mug of coffee down on the table between us and touched my lower lip absentmindedly, remembering his small nip he’d given me there. Becks’ eyes lit up watching me.
“Oh, this is too good.” she squealed, uncrossing her legs and kicking her feet.
Rolling my eyes, I picked up a cupcake that she’d made and bit into it to avoid talking.
“Mmmmm,” I moaned. “Becks, these are amazing!” I exclaimed with a full mouth.
“Thanks.” she waved me off. “Do you wanna sleep with him?”
I choked, coughing, and grabbing my coffee again to take a sip.
“Rebecca Marshall!” I sputtered.
“Oh, shut up. You were the same way with Lucas and I.” she snorted. “I need details.”
Quirking my eyebrow, I spoke, “Is everything okay in married life?”
“Yes. Lucas is just being weird. I’m four months along and everything is fine. I haven’t even been sick. But he’s never been with someone who’s pregnant. He’s so weird about it. He’s scared he’s going to hurt the baby.”
I laughed out loud at that.
“Paul was the same way when I was pregnant with Lexi. Trevor didn’t have that problem when I was pregnant with Lacey though.” I tilted my head consideringly. “If anything it made him want me more. Not that Paul didn’t want me. He just was creeped out there was a baby and convinced Lexi knew what we were doing. Weird because Trevor and I were younger. You’d think he would’ve been freaked out. Trevor, he didn’t ever have any hangups when it came to sex.”
Rebecca was leaning forward now, grinning.
“Oh really?” she questioned.
I shrugged.
“He was so much more street smart than me when we met. He was my first and he already knew his way around a woman’s body. He is a take charge type of guy.” I blushed.
Becks groaned and fell back on the couch.
“You’d think I’d be okay having gone thirteen years without sex and ever without good sex. Now that I’ve had really good sex though, I miss it. Lucas needs to snap out of it.” she was whining.
Laughing, I nodded.
“You may have to take charge. Why don’t I take Nat tonight and you can plan a surprise for Lucas when the boys are done? Something he can’t turn down.”
Trevor and Nick had met Lucas at his tattoo artist’s shop today. Marcus and his co-worker were doing matching memorial tattoos on them for Paul. It meant a lot to me and warmed my heart. They still felt so passionately about his friendship. Lucas had gotten his done within days. Sprawled across his massive forearm, “I am my brother’s keeper” with Paul’s badge number.
Nick and Trevor had loved it and wanted them immediately. Today was the first day they’d all been able to go together.
“That may be a good idea,” said Becks’ staring at the ceiling consideringly. “What do you bet Lucas comes home with new ink even though he didn’t have an appointment?” she asked.
Leaning back on my own seat, I smirked.
“I’m not taking that bet. Lucas can’t go more than a month without some new tattoo. When are you going to break down and get one?”
Becks’ shuddered. She absolutely hated needles and anything involving them. I didn’t blame her, they weren’t my favorite thing either.
“I’ll get one when you do.” she promised, looking over at me from where she laid on her back.
“Ok. So when pigs fly?” I joked, tossing a pillow over at my laughing friend.
“We could get friend’s ones though. Small ones.” she considered.
I nodded. We were often able to share easy, comfortable silences without talking. We just sipped our drinks for a bit, watching the quiet street in front of their home.
“Mom! Lacey just called me a brat!” shrieked Lexi from upstairs.
Groaning, I dropped my head onto the back of the couch.
“What has gotten into her?” I questioned. “They always fight, but this is extreme lately. And sneaking out last night?” I picked my head up looking at Becks.
She grimaced, shrugging.
“Lacey!” I yelled. “Downstairs now!”
Stomps followed, nearing the stairs, and thundering down them towards us.
I mouthed an apology to Becks and she just waved her hand, brushing me off.
“First of all” I looked at my surly oldest when she entered the room. “Apologize to your Aunt Becks for treating her home like that.”
“Fine. Sorry.” Lacey snapped, crossing her arms and avoiding eye contact. She stared at her flip-flop shod feet. I looked her over in her shorts and t-shirt and shook my head. Something was very off with my oldest. She’d always had a teenage attitude but wasn’t ever outright defiant like this.
“It’s okay, Lacey,” said Becks, gently, standing and picking her mug up. “I’m just going to get some more decaf tea.” She paused when she got near my daughter and leaned over whispering something to her before kissing the side of her head gently and moving on into the kitchen.
Lacey at least smiled at that and then looked over at me.
“What is going on, honey?” I asked, flabbergasted. “First sneaking out and the fighting with your sister is escalating now into name calling? You’re moody and-”
“I’m fine.” she interrupted.
“Lacey.”
“Mom! I said I’m fine! I’m just tired and sore. I’m stressed about my senior year.” she said, looking at me.
I sighed, staring at her.
“You know your dad and I love you. We’re always here for you to talk to. You don’t have to hold all of this in. You can talk to me about anything. Hell. Talk to Becks if you don’t want to talk to your mom, Lacey. Just promise me you won’t keep on like this.” I begged. “I can’t lose you too.”
“You’re not going to lose me, Mom. God.” she rolled her eyes and made her way over, sitting beside me.
“Well, I sure miss my sweeter moments with you.” I joked, wrapping an arm around her and drawing her close.
“I’m almost a grown-up.” she grumbled.
“You’ll always be my baby though.” I whispered, squeezing her.
“Awww. Look at you two.” said Becks from the entryway into the kitchen. “Did you all make up?”
Lacey laughed, sitting up and pulling away from me. I rubbed my chest over my heart absently.
I hadn’t been lying when I said I was scared I was going to lose her. She was growing up too fast. Paul and she had been so close even though he was just her step-dad. He could get her to cut up and laugh. She’d talked to him about things a lot more than me. We were just too much alike.
Becks smiled at me, knowingly, taking her spot on her couch again.
“Can I babysit when the baby comes?” asked Lacey suddenly.
I jerked my head in surprise and Becks looked shocked too. We had to practically beg her to watch Nat and Lexi when we wanted her to.
Becks nodded. “That’s definitely something we can talk about Lacey.”
Lacey smiled at her and stood up.
“Thanks, Aunt Becks. I’m sorry again. I’m going back upstairs.”
We watched her leave the room and I shook my head.
“Talk about a roller coaster of moods.” I mumbled.
Becks laughed. “She’s at a confusing time in her life.”
“Who's gonna tell her it never gets better?” I joked.
Becks just lifted her mug of tea in a toast to the accurateness of my statement.