Chapter Six Steppin-in-it
Belle
“Ideas?” I asked Ma. “Just to decorate the ballroom, I guess. Then maybe have a small party for Scarlet…” I paused. “No, maybe not. I mean since no one can leave here, they can’t get gifts for her.”
“They can order them,” Fate suggested.
“We don’t have time for that,” I said.
“A week,” Fate replied. “That would be enough.”
“We don’t do a lot of that here,” Ma spoke up. “Draws attention. There’d be too many deliveries when no one is supposed to be here.”
I stared at her. “What do you mean no one is supposed to be here?”
“Oh, that’s right, you probably don’t know,” Liberty said.
I slowly shook my head.
“Deacon used this place first.”
I stared at him. “What?”
“He held both my sister Glory here along with Jewel and Scarlet.”
I felt totally confused. “Here at the bed and breakfast?”
“Yep. Talon and Liv suggested that we hide out here,” Liberty went on. “For one, he would never use the place a second time because we already knew of the location. For two, he would never expect us to use it.”
“Wow, that is ballsy.” I knew why they were here. I learned that the hard way. Deacon planned to drop bombs on the Walker ranch. At first, when they told me he would actually kill a whole family in their own home, I never believed it, but after the rocket launch attack and all the shooting at the house they set up as a decoy? I believed it after that. I looked over at Ma. “Well, it sure has the room and two wings, three kitchens and 3 living rooms. It was actually the best place to use.”
Ma nodded. “It is roomy here, I miss home though. That”s where my heart is so to speak. All my gardens and our family plots are there. Raised my kids there.”
The kitchen went quiet.
I felt bad for Ma and her family. I now paused to think about how hard and stressful this all had to be. I’d been busy thinking about how it had affected me when everyone here had been through the wringer with this Walker War, so to speak.
Ma tisked. “Don’t be feeling any pity for me, younguns. If the good Lord”s willin’ and the crick don”t rise, He’ll be fixin’ things soon. I have no fear of that. Sometimes it takes a while to get rid of evil. It took years to find out about what was really happenin’ to the Walkers, then it got taken care of. People may think I’m over religious or something, but I’ve seen it too many times. Yes, I lost plenty to evil. But I still got my kids and they all are gettin’ set to give me some grandkids too. I got yer Daddy in my life.” Ma looked at Fate and Liberty. “When I never expected to have someone to grow old with. I’m blessed and you will all see this come to an end. It just ain’t time yet is all.”
We all stared at Ma.
I felt amazed by her deep belief. She just seemed so strong, so sure of things. I wanted to be like that. Oh, I worked at it, but I wasn’t nearly as tough as this woman. I also never had faith really. My childhood scared that out of me. No one helped us out. When they came in and took us from mom, that hadn’t been helping. She had been the only good thing in our lives. They thought we would be better off with foster parents. Boy, were they wrong. I could say it was great when we got to be with her again, but she had been the one to work for that. Constantly jumping through their hoops and making sure she could get us back home. All when it had been our dad’s fault, not hers.
Ma now broke the silence in the kitchen, “Ok, so you did find wedding decorations in the room?”
“We did,” I replied. “The box said, ‘anniversary,’ but it was all silver and white streamers.”
“Well good.” Ma nodded “There”s probably more than one box too.”
I shook my head and shivered a little. “Well, I’m not checking on that.”
Ma laughed and reached over to pat my arm. “We’ll get the place sprayed and dig them out for ya. No worries.”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do at all,” Liberty admitted.
“For starters you can deal with the boxes, Liberty. You and Fate,” Ma said.
He nodded. “Oh, I planned to.”
“I think you should just concentrate on the reception,” Ma said. “Have a huge party for that. Decorate the ballroom. Make sure we have music for the wedding dances. Help the bride and groom with their clothing for the ceremony and help with setting up the tables and the food being brought out. It’s pretty simple really.”
Nodding, I said, “Not in that order though.” I looked over at Liberty. “First off, make sure Justice has a nice suit.”
Liberty laughed. “That’s all Mr. GQ usually wears. I think he’s got that handled.”
Fate nodded. “The man dresses to the nines and not a hair outta place. He’s good to go for this.”
“So that chore is done,” Liberty said. “Then what?”
“Music,” I replied. “Do we have any way to produce music for the party?” I asked.
“Sure,” Ma answered this. “Logan’s got a setup. You can talk to him about that.”
“So, do we pick the music ourselves?” Liberty asked.
Fate laughed. “You”d better not. I mean not everyone likes Metallica, Lib.”
Liberty scoffed. “I wouldn’t pick that for a wedding…”
I shook my head and said, “I have to wonder what you would pick.”
“Well, a White Wedding maybe?” He smirked at me.
My mouth formed an O. “You are kidding, right?”
He chuckled. “No one wants to hear Billy Idol at their wedding. So yes, I’m kidding.”
“Ok, so I already know what Scarlet likes.” I nodded. “I’ll ask her if there’s anything special she wants for their official wedding dance.” I set my empty teacup down. “Thanks Ma. The tea was awesome.”
“Anytime, sweet pea.” Ma smiled.
“Hey everyone,” Justice said from the kitchen doorway.
Looking over, we all saw him and Scarlet.
“There’s the soon to be newlyweds!” Ma greeted them. “Come, have some tea.”
They smiled and came over to the table.
I stared at Scarlet. She was beaming at me with bright eyes and pink cheeks. I paused at this. I’d never seen her this happy. Not with her two previous boyfriends certainly and not for a long time… if ever.
“Legend just rolled up,” Justice announced.
I felt confused and asked, “What legend and how could it roll up?”
Justice chuckled. “He’s with our MC, a doctor actually. He brought my grandmother’s ring with him from Sugarland.”
Scarlet jumped up and down excitedly as she extended her hand out to me. “Justice proposed!”
I gasped and stared down at her hand. The ring was gorgeous. Gold and diamonds in an antique setting. “Wow,” I gushed and grabbed Scarlet up in a hug.
“Well congrats, brother,” Liberty said. “It is now official.”
“Hell yeah, it is!” Justice looked happy.
“We were just having a prenuptial planning session before you came in,” Fate told them.
“We?” Liberty asked him with a raised brow.
Fate shrugged. “Sure, I’m in this too.”
“That is so sweet Fate,” Scarlet said and leaned down to give him a hug.
“We’ll see when it comes to him actually working at this with his hands,” Liberty scoffed.
“Hey, I’m good for whatever is needed,” Fate retorted. “I can wield a hammer or tape up decorations. I can also be an usher.”
Scarlet beamed at him. Then turned to stare at me. “What are you wearing, Belle?” he asked me as she stared at Liberty’s sweat jacket.
Looking down, I read the lettering. ‘MMA Certified.’ I laughed and raised my head. “Liberty loaned it to me. It’s a long story.”
Fate nodded and looked at Justice as he blurted, “Liberty was playing itsy bitsy spider.”
Liberty gasped and glared at Fate. “Man, you know that isn’t true.”
Justice looked back and forth at his brothers. “What are you two going on about now?”
“Come on Justice, you cannot have forgotten itsy bitsy spider, right?” Fate asked in disgust.
Justice slowly shook his head then he froze. “You didn’t!” He swung his shocked gaze over at Liberty.
“I didn’t!” Liberty exclaimed. “Those boxes were full of baby spiders and Belle had them crawling all over her.”
Scarlet gasped and grabbed Justice’s hand. “Oh, my God. Those things are terrifying!”
Slowly nodding my head, I said, “It was horrible.” I shuddered a little.
“Fate is just trying to stir shit up again,” Liberty grumbled. “There is no way I could have planned that.”
“You still got her out of her clothes though, didn’t you?” Fate asked.
Liberty crossed his arms over his chest and replied, “We aren”t fifteen anymore, Fate. If I wanted her naked, she would be.”
Me and Scarlet gasped. Then the kitchen suddenly went silent.
Ma shook her head. “Boy, you just can”t seem to help yourself, can ya? You got a bad case of what I call steppin-in-it.”
Fate shook his head. “Wow Ma. That is the best explanation I have heard yet. Liberty steps in it on the daily. He needs some mud boots actually.”
Justice snickered a little at this jibe but he seemed wise enough to keep his mouth shut.
Liberty scoffed at Fate then turned to look at me and opened his mouth to speak.
Raising my hand at him, I said quietly, “Hand me my clothes, please.”
He reached back to get them, handing them to me.
Taking them, I stood up. “I would have to be drunk, on drugs and half blind for you to get me naked, asshole!” I headed through the kitchen to go to my room.
“That did come out totally wrong,” Liberty mumbled.
“Ya think?” Justice quipped.
I moved away until I was out of earshot. I was so mad I wanted to scream. Just when I thought he could be decent, he turns around and says something like that. If he wanted me naked I would be.The asshole!
“Belle!”
Yeah, I heard him calling me, but I refused to engage.
“Come on,” he said. “I didn”t mean it like that.”
Nope. I was done letting this guy insult me. I kept walking.
Next thing I knew, Liberty stood in front of me and I bounced right off of his hard form. “What the hell?’ I exclaimed.
Catching me by the arm, he said, “Will you slow down for a second?”
I shook my head. “I don’t have time for your BS.”
“God damnit, why am I always apologizing to you?” he asked.
“Because you keep opening your big mouth to insult me,” I snapped. “Now let go of me.” I yanked my arm from his grasp.
“That wasn’t an insult, Belle.”
I scoffed. “Oh, really? If you wanted me naked I would be already? So that was some sort of compliment?”
“I admit. That sounded bad. It came out wrong.”
“It came out as arrogant and conceited,” I argued.
“Yeah maybe,” he said. “So I’m sorry I said it. Even though with most girls I’ve met, it is true.”
I rolled my eyes. “Wow. You are pretty goddamned conceited aren’t you?”
He chuckled. “I guess in many ways I am. It just happens that what I said is true. I’ve never lacked for female company. And yes, if I wanted it, naked female company.”
I slowly shook my head. “Well, bully for you and your bimbo blondes but just remember one thing.”
He stared at me. “What?”
“I am not most girls. I don’t think you are irresistible, I don’t care about your trophies or fight record. Or your money and not even your looks. So therefore, I will not be dropping my panties for you now or anytime soon.”
He stared at me then leaned his head back to laugh.
I growled and stepped around him.
“Come on, you have to admit that was funny. Dropping your panties.”
I kept rushing through the main room. The man was racking up points toward getting slapped.
“Dang, can you just wait a second here?” Liberty called to me again.
I did stop then flipped around and glared at him. “Wait for what? For you to grow the fuck up? For you to change from a conceited asshole into a regular guy? Well sorry, I don’t have that kind of time since apparently, you have the emotional maturity of a teenage boy.”
“I have been trying with you but you are a temperamental, high strung babe, Belle. You cannot seem to take a joke. You fly off the handle and judge me in an instant. I am trying to meet you halfway and all you do is yell and run away.”
“So, you are saying this latest crap you said is my fault?” I braced my hands onto my hips.
He shook his head. “No, Fate set me off and I was mad at him, not you. Damnit, if you and I cannot find some way to get along, this whole idea of you going home will not be pleasant.”
“Liberty,” I replied. “I haven’t had a pleasant minute with you since the day we met. For now, just leave me the hell alone.”