Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
“My arm’s asleep,” Jackson whispered into my ear. I could feel his hot breath, and I curled up closer against him. “Baby,” he chuckled and nuzzled into my bedhead. My hair always looked like a rat’s nest when I woke up.
“No,” I pouted. “Just a little more cuddle before we start the day.”
“Any more cuddling and my arm will fall off. The tingling is killing me.” I always enjoyed listening to him whine. It was the start of almost every morning. It made him more human instead of the perfect person he usually was.
“But I’m comfy and don’t want to get up. I feel safe using you as a pillow.” I snuggled even tighter, burrowing myself into his armpit.
“I love it, babe, but I can’t even feel my fingers after eight hours of being your pillow. Roll off me.”
“No.”
He kissed the top of my head and turned towards me as best he could. I knew what was coming – it happened every morning. He unceremoniously rolled me over, smacked my ass, and pulled his arm free before I could get back on top of his shoulder. I liked his arm around me while I slept.
Before Jackson, I moved a lot when I slept. My sleep was fitful and full of vivid dreams that made me jump awake. Now, every night was peaceful, and it was all because of how he made me feel as I snuggled up against him. Over twenty years of snuggling every night – but we had been together longer than that. We were high school sweethearts.
Safe.
Jackson was safe, and I knew I was loved.
“Asshole.”
“Yes, but I’m your asshole.” He chuckled and sat up on the edge of the bed. “You have a missed call from Mona.”
“God, why does Mom call so early on the weekend? She does this every Saturday.”
“Old people don’t sleep as much. My gran-gran wakes up at four every morning and goes to bed at midnight. It’s just the way the body works, I guess.”
“Mom isn’t that old. She’s like… fifty-eight. God, is that old?”
“She’s sixty, and it’s not young,” he laughed as he stood up and stretched. I watched his tight muscles as he bent over. It was a very nice view. “But it’s also not old. I read that sixty is the new forty.”
“Then that means thirty is the new ten. You read way too many bullshit articles about health.” I groaned as I stretched in the bed.
“I thought you liked me healthy.”
“I like the muscles.” I gestured to him with my finger.
“Why did I marry such a ho.” He came over and kissed me lightly.
“I also like how you smell when you come back from the gympumped up. It makes me get pumped up, too.” My fingers circled the back of his neck.
“Are you trying to get me to come back into the bed?”
“Is it working?”
He laughed and kissed me quickly before standing back up. “Pancakes instead of morning nookie? I’m starving.”
“I didn’t say anything about nookie. You should take me out to dinner first. What kind of boy do you think that I am?”
“The nookie before dinner kind.”
“Can I have extra syrup, and will there be bacon? There should always be bacon.”
“I’ll make some just for you. You should call Mona back. Get your ass up and come downstairs, babe. I’ll get your coffee ready.”
“I love you.” I watched him walk naked over to the drawers and bend over as he opened one. Damn, it was a spectacular sight. Most people aged, but Jackson just seemed to get better with every year.
“I know,” he chuckled and pulled on a pair of sweatpants, which he had pulled out of the drawer. “I love you too.”
“Alright, I’m coming. I mean, you’re going to make me breakfast shirtless. So, I’m totally in.”
“Call Mona. I don’t want your mom calling you back five times today before you talk to her. Avoidance is not helpful.”
“Do I get a prize?”
He turned back to me and grabbed his cock in his hands. “Be a good boy,” he chuckled as he disappeared around the doorframe. I could hear the sound of his footsteps on the wooden stairs.
“Alright…” I rolled over and picked up my phone. “Three times? Jesus, someone better be dead.”
I crawled off the bed and made my way to the bathroom. “Hello, gorgeous.” I posed in the mirror. My hair was in full Heat Meiser mode and stuck straight up. I grabbed my toothbrush and turned the water on.
“Alright, Mom…” I touched her name on my favorites list and turned the speaker on. As it rang, I added a large helping of toothpaste to my brush and started brushing my teeth.
“There you are. I figured you and Jackson were sleeping in.” She sounded totally put out. Mom could be a lot and, at times, was much more than a handful. She had worked hard and was a single parent – but sometimes, she could really drive me crazy when she wanted to.
“Nope,” I brushed my teeth. “Hold on.”
“Honey, I can barely understand you. Are you in the shower? This is nuts.” Yep, totally put out.
“Bwushing teeth,” I groaned, knowing that I sounded like a child.
“Oh, why do you always call me when you’re in the middle of doing something? Just call me back.”
“Mom, you called thwee times.” I spat and put my hand under the water so I could rinse quickly.
“What? Adam, I swear!”
I rinsed quickly and spat it out into the sink. “Three times, I said. You called three times. I thought something was urgent.”
“Oh! Yeah, I thought you’d be awake.” Her voice changed coyly. She knew full well that we wouldn’t be.
“It’s not even nine, Mom. Jackson’s making pancakes and bacon.”
“Well, I’m on my way over.”
I gripped the bathroom door. “Are you kidding?”
She sighed heavily. “No, I’m actually not. I… Will you please do something with me today, honey? I never ask you to… I need you to do something with me today. Is that ok?” This was not the way Mom usually asked for anything. It sounded so needful and sad.
“Mom, is everything alright? You’re sounding a little… Have you been taking your meds?”
“Yes, Adam. I may be a little manic-depressive, but I’m not a moron. I know what happens when I stop taking them.” There she was. I preferred the mom who snapped at me to the sad one.
“Then what’s wrong?”
“Your uncle is in town, and… I mean…”
My eyes bulged out of my head. “Mom, are you alone right now?”
“I know he’s dead, Adam. That’s not what I… I’m getting in the car and coming over. Do you have plans that you can’t get out of? I know this is last minute, but I‘m not sure I could… I don’t want to do this alone, ok?”
“I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about, Mom. But…” I sighed. Drama did run in the family. “Yes. But I want to know what the fuck is going on. I’ll tell Jackson to make a few more pancakes.”
“I love you,” her voice broke.
“I love you too, Mom.”
“Thanks, Adam. I love you more. See you in about fifteen.” With that, the phone went dead. When Mom was done talking, she always hung up first.
“I guess nude breakfast will not be a thing.” I grabbed a pair of shorts and a T-shirtI’d laid out last night. I always prepared my clothes the night before. Mental health was not the strong suit of my family, apparently. My OCD had OCD sometimes, but I was as medicated as Mom, and usually, things were fine, and it didn’t rear its ugly head. But having small rituals always helped.
I grabbed the shirt Jackson had worn the day before and carried it in my arms as I made my way downstairs. I had no idea what Mom was on about, but knowing her, it could be anything. “Mom will be here in a few minutes and wants a pancake.”
“Is everything ok?” Jackson grinned as he put a tray of bacon in the oven.
“Who knows? She wants us to do something with her today. Will that be ok? I didn’t think we had any real plans.”
“Sure. I love Mona. She’s a hoot. What is it?” He took the shirt from my hands and laid it over the stool on the other side of the counter. “I’ll just keep it off until she gets here.”
“I like that,” I laughed happily. “As to what the fuck she’s talking about, I have absolutely no idea.”