Eight
Their Eternity
Liv
Mom graced us with her presence and flew into the dining area with a too wide fucking smile. Her outstretched arms latched onto an unlucky Raven, and she squeezed the air out of her with a tight hug. Unfortunately, I was up next. I didn’t extend a warm welcome and remained seated in my chair.
“Oh, honey…” Mom grabbed my cheeks, pinched them, and made me peer up at her. “Always shy for Mommy.”
God, Mom stank of alcohol.
Mom must’ve drank an entire bottle, but her red lipstick was perfect. She wore a white skirt with a white blouse and a red belt. She carried a ruby clutch to match her scarlet manicured nails.
“I should be when you’ve had one too many this morning,” I mumbled with a fake smile.
Mom let go of my cheeks and waved a hand at me. “Oh, shush. It’s five o’clock somewhere, sweetie.”
Mom shrieked with arms wide open. I jumped at her ridiculous sound and rolled my eyes. Embarrassment was an understatement.
Raven leaned over me and whispered, “I didn’t know Gloria was a day drinker. She’s quite a lush.”
“Neither did I,” I sighed with arms crossed over my chest, and glared at my mom. “Mother. What are you doing?”
“What does it look like, dear?” Mom hugged my fiancé. “I’m saying hi to my future son-in-law.”
Mom had Saint locked in a tight embrace, and his face scrunched up in confusion. The sight was absolutely ridiculous because she was extremely short and he was far too tall. Her arms wrapped around his midsection, and he didn’t know what to do with his limbs. Poor Saint stood there.
I snorted. “Mom. Let Saint go.”
“No,” she argued and squeezed him as hard as she could.
Saint glanced over at Sin and mouthed, “Help me.”
Sin didn’t move a muscle for an entire minute. He simply shrugged, and we exchanged a brief smile. We’d let Saint soak this bonding moment in with Mom.
“Oh, Mrs. Valencia…” Sin finally called out with open arms. “Don’t forget about me?”
Mom let go of Saint and extended the warm gesture to Sin. “Of course not!”
Sin bent his knees to be at eye level with Mom and wrapped her up in a hug. He lifted her off her feet as she heaved an excited squeal of laughter, and he swung her around in a circle. She wobbled on her high heels once she touched the floor again, but Sin held her steady.
“Whoa. Easy now. Mrs. V.” Sin playfully winked at me. “Can I get you another drink?”
“No,” I mouthed, shaking my head at Sin.
“Nah. My limousine’s got me covered, son.” Gloria hiccupped and patted Sin lightly on the cheek. “Aren’t you a dear? Call me Mom from now on.”
“You got it, Mom.” Sin grinned.
“Both of you.” She scolded Saint and pointed at him. “You’re going to be part of our family, and whatever past misgiving we had is over. Gone. Kaput. Kapeesh?”
Gloria made a poof expression with her hands.
“Gotcha, Mom.” Saint gave her a thumbs-up.
“Good.” She took each of my fiancé’s hands into her own. “Because I needed your forgiveness before the big day, which isn’t too far away.”
“We wouldn’t have it any other way, Mrs. Valencia,” Sin said.
“Mom, remember?” she said sternly.
“Right.” Sin cleared his throat. “Mom.”
I had to admit; I loved seeing them get along. My mother was doting on the men I loved, and they were being accepted into my family. Hopefully, this moment wouldn’t become short-lived after the inebriation wore off and a regrettable hangover kicked in.
“As fun as this was, Mother, we should get going.” I rose from my seat, and the chair legs scraped the floor.
“Ah, yes! My chauffeur is waiting. Care to join us, gentlemen?” my mom asked.
Saint shook his head. “Oh, no, we wouldn’t want to intrude—”
“Nonsense,” Mom interrupted with her hands up in front of her.
Sin held onto my mother’s shoulders and ushered her toward the door. “We’ll pass. This is a special time for the ladies to bond. Besides, we have more manly things to do.”
Gloria halted in her tracks and peered back at Sin. “Such as?”
“Video games,” Saint answered quickly with a smile.
“Seriously, man?” Sin glared at his best friend. “You couldn’t say something more handy?”
“What?” Saint shrugged. “That was the plan.”
I giggled into the palm of my hand, and Sin shook his head. Saint was always a man of honesty, but sometimes a little too blunt. Meanwhile, Sin knew when to use a white lie. But I loved them both equally.
“Have fun, sweetheart.” Sin kissed my cheek.
Saint brushed his lips against my ear. “Not too much fun without us.”
A shiver of lust ran down my spine.
“I concur. There will be plenty of entertainment when you get home later.” Sin tapped my ass cheek.
“Raven! Chop, chop, dear! Calvin awaits.” Mom clapped her hands in the air above her head. “You too, sweetie.”
“Coming, Mom!” I called out.
Raven and I followed her. We held hands, but I glanced back at my men over my shoulder and blew a kiss at them. They caught my love in the palms of their hands, in true Sin and Saint fashion.
Calvin was a true speed demon. The trusted limousine driver zoomed through the damn streets of downtown, and we made it through every green light. Well, sort of… if you didn’t count the red at the last traffic light and the horns blaring at him to stop.
“Calvin! We mustn’t be late!” Mom shouted beside me through her hands. “I told you to have us there on time!”
“Mom… keep your voice down. If you hadn’t insisted on a quick stop at the café for a latte, we’d be at the bridal boutique by now.” I sighed in frustration.
“I’m sorry, dear, but I needed something to help cure this upcoming hangover.” Gloria held the back of her hand against her forehead and took a sip out of the to-go cup.
“That’s why you don’t day drink over the age of fifty, Mom.” I blew a piece of hair out of my face.
“Oh, calm down, sweetheart.” Mom waved a hand at me. “Bridezilla much?”
I clenched my teeth together. If I hadn’t? I’d lay into my mom like no one’s business.
Gloria had a conceited attitude, and it shone through more when she was intoxicated. She got on my last nerve, and I was sick of her. I wanted to yank out my hair, and this special time with her wasn’t even close to over yet.
“Calvin! I need you to—” Raven touched my shoulder and shook her head.
I could see in Raven’s eyes that she knew how upset I was with my mother.
She noticed the strain between us, but if I told the chauffeur to pull over and haul my mother out on her drunk ass, I’d regret the decision for the rest of my life.
My wedding was coming. This was an opportunity that was only supposed to happen once in my life.
No matter how much she made me angry, I needed my mom there for all the significant events to do with these nuptials.
“…get us to the bridal boutique, toot sweet!” I added with a smile.
“Yes! That’s my girl!” Mom cheered and hugged me close. “Oh, how I miss these moments with you. Remember when you were five, and I used to read you fairytales with a happily ever after?”
The fictional stories of princesses getting their prince charming after a long journey of betrayal, sadness, and sometimes death.
Yes. I remembered being snuggled up against my mother, tucked safe and warm in bed while she read to me.
She’d kiss my forehead when my eyes grew too heavy with sleepiness and leave me to dream of my knight in shining armor coming to save me.
“Yes. I remember,” I whispered, my eyes growing misty at the memory of a more affectionate time.
“Now you’re getting your fairytale, sweetie.” She kissed me on the forehead. “To two men. Who would’ve thought my daughter was so promiscuous?”
“Mom!” I gasped and pulled away from her.
The wonderful moment between mother and daughter was gone.
Christ! She made me sound like a slut. Thank God the limousine came to its last stop.
I needed to get out. To catch my breath because she suffocated me and made me regret inviting her.
Hopefully, for the next few hours, she could learn to contain herself.
I got out of the car and joined Raven’s side. I peered up at the sign reading Bridal Bloom. The boutique where I’d find my dream dress, and it’d bring me one step closer to helping me say I do.
“I’m excited for you!” Raven squealed, and her heels tapped against the pavement.
“Second time’s the charm.” Mom raised her latte to toast. “Isn’t that right?”
Mom had to bring up Sebastian. She had to go there and remind me of the awful day I’d been kidnapped in a wedding dress I had worn to marry a sorry excuse of a man in order to save my life.
I couldn’t let the bitter memory ruin this important time for me. The weight of the world’s sufferings had brought me to a greater path. A track to happiness. Life with my phantoms and a fairytale I’d never thought I deserved until they loved me.
I stuffed the bitterness down and smiled at my mom. “Yes.”
Inside Bridal Bloom, we searched row after row of wedding gowns. All white, pristine, and elegant. Raven had her hands full, white lace up to her nose because my mom kept handing dresses to her as if she was a goddamn shopping cart. Mom found a wedding veil and hung it over her head.
“I think it’s time to try these on.” Raven muffled against the dress’s material.
“No. A few more,” Gloria argued.
“Fine. Here…” Raven sighed and pushed the gowns at Gloria. “Take some.”
“No way.” My mom pushed back. “I have a slipped disk. Where’s Calvin when you need him? Calvin! Cal—”
“Mom, quit shouting,” I whispered through clenched teeth. “Keep your voice down. Calvin is a driver, not your damn butler.”
Mom hiccupped. “Oh, right.”
“Why don’t we get you ladies a fitting room?” A man with dirty blond hair and lightly dyed pink ends came over. “You’ve got your hands full.”
“Thank you.” Gloria touched his shoulder.
He took the dresses out of Raven’s arms, and we followed the man dressed in pink.
He brought us to the biggest fitting room that my mom had insisted on, and we all went in.
I was hesitant because I wasn’t sure about the gowns my mom had mostly picked out.
She had gone down the traditional route while I wanted something more non-traditional, but I wanted to appease her.
Even though I wanted to truly rip my eye sockets out.
“Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be around.” The man closed the door behind him.
I tried on dress after dress. The same colorless hue on repeat, and I hated each one.
They were beautiful but not meant for me.
These gowns were intended for women who hadn’t seen their life flash before their eyes multiple times.
Who hadn’t suffered an enormous amount of pain no woman should ever have to endure.
These bridal dresses were for purity, and that wasn’t me.
I had seen demons, breathed evil, and loved the darkness.
Mom left to find more dresses, and I clenched Raven’s shoulders. “She’s killing me. Literally suffocating me, and I don’t know what to do.”
I slumped back against the dressing room wall.
Raven joined me, sighing, but we jumped up when something hit the wall at our backs.
Something fell to the floor with a thud.
Goosebumps rose on my skin as I peered at Raven whose eyes were wide with uncertainty.
Someone was in the fitting room next to ours.
No matter how much I’d like to forget, I had to remember Phoenix was a threat. He was still out there. I had to be careful.
“Did you hear that?” I whispered.
“Yeah,” Raven answered.
Another bang against the wall.
“Is everything okay?” I called out.
“Oh, yeah. Everything is fine,” said the employee who had assisted us. “I’m helping some customers beside you. Stupid heels aren’t the right fit.”
I heaved a sigh of relief. Thank you, Jesus. I could relax.
I couldn’t let Phoenix Pitrone ruin my day.