It is ten minutes past noon.
My phone rings.
Trayton ~”Why are you phoning me?”
Mary ~”Do you have him?”
Trayton ~”Yes I do.”
Mary ~”Is he okay?”
Trayton ~”Yes he is.”
Mary ~”What does he look like?”
Trayton ~”Like a person.”
Mary ~”Don’t get clever with me.”
Trayton ~”We will see you soon.”
I drop the call.
Kenton ~”Whom are you talking in riddles with?”
Trayton ~”My dumb ass girlfriend.”
Kenton ~”Don’t tell me you have a fucking girlfriend.”
Trayton ~”I know it is scary ass shit.”
Emma ~
“He used to be a real man whore.”
Kenton ~”How do you go from being a man whore to going steady?”
Emma ~”He got pussy whipped.”
Kenton ~”It’s probably not the whipping that I’m thinking off.”
Trayton ~”No not the sick ass shit you are thinking of.”
Emma ~”I like the way you think though.”
Kenton ~”Do you like being whipped Emma?”
Emma ~”I have never been whipped but I’d like you to be my first one.”
Kenton ~”Baby I will do a lot more than whip you.”
Emma ~”I would like for you to show me.”
Kenton ~”If my brother can stop this car, I will show you now.”
Emma ~”Who says we need to stop the car.”
Kenton ~”Oh so you like being watched.”
Emma ~”I like what you are going to do with me.”
Kenton ~”Baby you are not going to be able to walk.”
Emma ~”Who says I plan on walking.”
Trayton ~”Shut the fuck up.”
Kenton ~”Close your damn ears.”
My phone rings.
Trayton ~”Why are you phoning me again?”
Mary ~”I wanted to check how far you are.”
Trayton ~”Pretty damn far away.”
Mary ~”Can you hurry up.”
Trayton ~”Can you stop phoning me?”
I drop the call.
Kenton ~”Your girlfriend sounds quite clingy.”
Emma ~”Oh she is real damn clingy.”
Kenton ~”Your legs are going to be clinging to my waist.”
Emma ~”I hope that is not all that is going to cling to you.”
Kenton ~”Baby the rest is going to be sucking you.”
Emma ~”Oh I know of something that is going to suck you up.”
Kenton ~”I can think of another that can do sucking too.”
Emma ~”Which one do you prefer first.”
Trayton ~”Damn Emma. I brought you to keep him company not fuck him with your mouth.”
My phone rings.
Trayton ~”Hey baby.”
Mary ~”How far are you?
Trayton ~”Why are you phoning me again?”
Mary ~”To check how far you are.”
Trayton ~”I am halfway there.”
Mary ~”Can’t you go any faster?”
Trayton ~”No so stop phoning me.”
I drop the call.
Kenton ~”Your girlfriend sounds very annoying.”
Trayton ~”Oh, believe me, she is very annoying. She is going to get it when I get home.”
Emma ~”Why can you talk dirty and I can’t.”
Trayton ~”Because I don’t have a big ass boyfriend.”
Kenton ~”Do you have a boyfriend baby?”
Emma ~”Yes a big dumb ass one.”
Kenton ~”Don’t worry that won’t be for much longer.”
Trayton ~”Emma remember what I said.”
Emma ~”Yes I remember Trayton.”
Kenton ~”Is he being bossy again?”
Emma ~”Just a tad bit.”
Emma ~”He said that he would chuck Dominic out if I messed around with you.”
Trayton ~”Emma you not supposed to tell him what I said.”
Kenton ~”Is Dominic your big ass dumb boyfriend?”
Emma ~”Yes that very one.”
Kenton ~”I am not scared of him.”
This is so exactly what I knew was going to happen, I was hoping they would hit off but I did not think Emma would want to jump Kent’s bones.
Kenton ~”So this mean you are still in the business.”
Trayton ~”Yes I have not stopped since the whole incident.”
Kenton ~”Does she know?”
Trayton ~”Who? Ava?”
Kenton ~”No Emma?”
Trayton ~”Only what we do but not what happened.”
Kenton ~”When last were you down there?”
Trayton ~”Six months ago.”
Kenton ~”How is she doing?”
I am going to lie to him, I don’t want him to know that his very annoying mom is at home waiting for him.
Trayton ~”She is still the same.”
Kenton ~”You never go visit.”
Trayton ~”I went to go ask for advice.”
Kenton ~”But she never answered.”
Trayton ~”I did not quite expect her to.”
Kenton ~”I want to go out there. I need to see her again.”
Trayton ~”Don’t worry I will take you to see her.”
Kenton ~”Do you think she is still mad?”
Trayton ~”She has never been one to stay mad at you.”
Kenton ~”And you? You still pissed off with me?”
Trayton ~
“No not at all Kenton.”
Trayton ~”I just wish you would have let him taken me.”
Kenton ~”Then we would be fetching you today. That was not going to happen.”
Trayton ~”I don’t even know if you say thank you for shit like that.”
Kenton ~”Hey you turned out decent, that is the best I could have wished for.”
Trayton ~”And you lost nearly seven years of your life. I don’t want to even know what that place does to you.”
Kenton ~”I am still a decent man Trayton, just a bit more harder.”
For the next hour he shares all his horrific prison stories with us while I share my seemingly boring life with him. In between I tell him about Ava ~ while he still flirts around with Emma.
My phone rings.
Trayton ~”Hey baby.”
Ava ~”Hey baby.”
Trayton ~”What is wrong? Are you okay?”
Ava ~”Mom wants to know how far are you.”
Trayton ~”I told her to stop phoning me.”
Ava ~”That is why she asked me to phone you.”
Trayton ~”Tell her to stop telling other people to phone me.”
Ava ~”She asks how far are you?”
Trayton ~”Tell her we still two hours away.”
I drop the call.
We not two hours away in fact we are just about five minutes away from pulling into the driveway.
As we finally pull in, I suddenly feel incredibly nervous and anxious again. I hope that he is going to like Ava and I hope he won’t kill me for lying to him about mom.
Trayton ~”You ready to meet everyone?”
Kenton ~”Hey anything better than a jail buddy would do”
We walk in where we are first greeted by Dominic.
Dominic ~”Hey man it is good to see you again.”
Kenton ~”Can’t believe your dumb ass is still around.”
Dominic ~”What can I say, someone needs to keep him in his place.”
Kenton ~”I don’t think he ever needed someone too.”
I forgot how much Kenton actually hates Dominic. But that is something I will worry about later.
Next it is Joseph that comes up to greet us.
Kenton ~”Oh fuck why are you still around? Seriously Tray?”
Trayton ~”Hey he comes in handy.”
Kenton ~”I am sure you can find someone less irritating than him.”
Joseph ~”It’s good to see you bro.”
Kenton ~”I am not your bro, it is Kenton.”
Joseph ~”I can see you still a bitch.”
I better put an end to this before my mom comes bursting out.
I pull Ava that has been hiding behind Emma closer to me.
Trayton ~”Kenton this is Ava.”
Ava ~”Hey Kenton.”
Kenton ~”Hey there. You even prettier than Trayton told me you were.”
Ava ~”And you are far hotter than what Trayton described you to be.”
Kenton ~”But you a bit clingy though.”
Ava ~”I don’t understand what you mean?”
Kenton ~”Girl, you phoned four times while we were coming back.”
Ava ~”Oh that.”
Ava ~”I had some encouragement.”
Just then I see her for the first time in a couple of days again.
Trayton ~”Baby girl what is she doing here?”
Ava ~”Who baby?”
Trayton ~”Becca.”
Ava ~”Oh she brought me something I forgot at my old place.”
Trayton ~”Baby girl I don’t want her near my brother.”
Ava ~”Baby I won’t let her even try her shit with him.”
Then she walks up to where we are standing.
Becca ~”Hey Trayton.”
Trayton ~”Becca.”
Becca ~”I hear your handsome brother is coming up to stay with you. Is this hottie him?
Trayton ~”Yes Becca this is my brother. Or do we just look alike for fun
Becca ~”No need to be a bitch about it.”
Ava ~”Becca watch your mouth.”
Becca ~”Fuck Ava I was only saying.”
Trayton ~”Go only say somewhere else.”
Becca ~”Well are you going to introduce me.”
Trayton ~”Kenton this his Becca, Ava’s other friend
Kenton ~”Hey Becca.”
Becca ~”You are a hottie. We should hang out sometime.”
Kenton ~”Honey I don’t think that is going to happen.”
Becca ~”You have not even tried yet.”
Kenton ~”You are not my type.”
Damn take that bitch, I thought I used to be mean to girls but he just straight up says it. Maybe it’s his lack of women for all these years or he is just immune to Becca’s shit. Either way he put her in her damn place.
Kenton ~”So this is all your bitches?”
Trayton ~”There is one more.”
Kenton ~”I hope it is a hot chick that is not taken.”
Trayton ~”I don’t think she is your sort of type.”
Kenton ~”And what type is she?”
Trayton ~”She is the much older type.”
Kenton ~”So which one of you horny asses has a sugar mommy.”
Then Joseph has to go and open his damn mouth. I was still trying to ease Kenton into this one, I take no responsibility for what happens next.
Joseph ~”That would be me.”
Kenton ~”Fuck which woman is stupid enough to date your damn ass.”
Mary ~”That would be me.”
My mom comes walking into the kitchen.
Kenton ~”I know that voice. I know that voice very well. I am just wondering if I am fucking dreaming.”
Trayton “No you are not.”
Kenton ~”Is that mom?”
Mary ~”Yes baby it is me.”
Kenton ~”No mom should be in a hospital. And mom don’t talk.”
Mary ~”Kenton it’s me.”
Kenton bursts out crying like a little boy that has just lost his marbles. He is confused and surprised both at the same time. If it is joy he felt a few hours ago as he left that prison, then this must be pure happiness.
Kenton ~”Mom I missed you so much. I thought I was never going to see you again. It killed me to know that while I was wasting away in that prison, you were wasting away in that hospital. I was so scared you were never going to get better.”
Mary ~”My baby I thought we never going to see you get out that shit place. If it was not for your little brother then I don’t think we both would have sat here today.”
Kenton ~”Mom we all did what we had to do to get through what happened to dad.”
Mary ~”Yes baby but you paid the ultimate price.”
Kenton ~”No dad did, we just did what we had to so we make it better. And anyway I would do what I did a hundred times over if it meant I save my little brother.”
My mom pulls my brother and me into a big hug and we all burst out crying, our family was for far too long broken, we deserve this, we deserve to be happy. It does matter what messed up things we have done but we deserve to be together and happy again. With teary eyes I pull Ava close to me into the hug. She deserves to be here, she is my family too after all.
Mary ~”Enough crying for now. I made your favorite pastries and Trayton got some of that shit whiskey you like so much. What do you say we all go sit outside by the pool.”
Kenton ~”In a second mom. I just need to do something first.”
I know that look in my brother’s face, that is a look I saw in his eyes that fateful day. I need to stop him from whatever he is about to do. But I am too late.
PUNCH
Joseph drops like a sack of shit. Completely knocked out unconscious on the kitchen floor.
Mary ~”Kenton.”
Kenton ~”A shit like him has no place dating a woman like mom.”
Trayton ~”Fuck Kenton you knocked him out.”
Kenton ~”That was the whole fucking plan. I don’t want the asshole near our mom.”
Mary ~”Baby he won’t be near your mom anymore.”
Trayton ~”What are you talking about mom?”
Mary ~”I am breaking things off with him.”
Trayton ~”Why what happened mom?”
Mary ~”We can talk about it later, let’s go have a nice afternoon.”
As we walk past Dominic that is trying to pick Joseph off the floor, Kent can’t help himself but kick Joseph in the ribs.
Trayton ~”Kenton.”
Kenton ~”Hey I have never liked the asshole from the start.”
Passing the pool house, I only see now that my mom has been living in here for a while. I don’t come near this way, if I did I would have noticed and I would have done something about it straight away. I have officially run out of space, someone has to go and I don’t know who.
Much later the evening after a great afternoon between my family and friends , I head up to my room, kicking my shoes off I drop down onto the bed, Ava is nowhere to be seen scratching around in the room as she has been for the past few days.
Then there is a knock on the door.
Mary ~”Trayton.”
Trayton ~”Come in mom.”
Trayton ~”What’s wrong?”
Mary ~”It is Ava.”
I sit up straight away, my heart immediately beating out my chest.
Trayton ~”What is wrong with her?”
I jump off the bed.
Trayton ~”Where is she?”
Mary ~”She is fine Trayton. She asked me to call you.”
Trayton ~”Why?”
Mary ~”I don’t know, she is waiting by the pool.”
I immediately get dressed again and run down to the pool where I find her standing at the bar counter. She has an enormous smile on her face as I walk on up to her.
Trayton ~”Hey baby girl.”
Ava ~”Hey baby yourself.”
Trayton ~”What are you up to?”
Ava ~”Mom made us dinner and dessert.”
Trayton ~”But we had dinner.”
Ava ~”No she made proper dinner. Since I kinda ruined dinner last night, I want to make it up to you.”
On the far side by the dimmed lights of the pool, they have set a table for two with candlelight and red roses, next to it there is a hot tray keeping the dinner warm, there is an ice bucket with champagne and some light music in the background.
Trayton ~”Did you do all of this baby girl?”
Ava ~”Mom helped me as well.”
Trayton ~”We could have gone to a restaurant.”
Ava ~”I think we have discovered that it does not work so well for us. I thought I’d save us both from another embarrassing situation again.”
Trayton ~”You right there. And mom’s cooking is far better than those places.”
We talk for the next half hour about everything that happened today, me trying to avoid the big question I popped completely out our conversation. Not so easy though.
Ava ~”Baby did you ask me that because someone told you it was a good idea too?”
Trayton ~”No baby girl, nobody even knew I was going to ask you last night.”
Ava ~”So you really meant it?”
Trayton ~”Baby girl am I someone that does something they don’t mean.”
Ava ~”No I guess not, I just thought that maybe Dominic told you too.”
Trayton ~”Dominic did buy the ring but it was never supposed to have been a ring.”
Ava ~”What do you mean?”
Trayton ~”I wanted to get you something nice but I am stupid when it comes to buying a gift so I asked Dominic to.”
Ava ~”That is funny cause I did the same, but I asked Becca to.”
She goes to fill our plates with dinner while I pour two glasses of champagne.
Trayton ~”You seriously got mom to make me steak and egg.”
Ava ~”Yes because it is your favorite and I like it just as much too.”
Trayton ~”I have never had steak with champagne though.”
Ava ~”Can’t say that I have either.”
Trayton ~”Baby girl can I ask you something?”
Ava ~”Of course you can.”
Trayton ~”We are getting too many people in the house and I am going to have to ask people to leave cause there is just not enough rooms.”
Ava ~”Who you going to ask?”
Trayton ~”I want you to tell me, we must make these decisions together.”
Ava ~”You want the two most indecisive people to make a decision.”
Trayton ~”That is funny, how on earth are we going to decide.”
Ava ~”I think I know who I want to go.”
Trayton ~”I think we are both thinking the same.”
Ava ~”I think Joseph.”
Trayton ~”I was thinking that too.”
Ava ~”Look we made a decision.”
She gets up again, before she dishes desert she gives me a kiss on the forehead.
Trayton ~”I don’t think I have ever had pancakes and steak at the same time.”
Ava ~”Mom put some chocolate in it so it is really nice.”
Trayton ~”So baby girl what do you think of my brother?”
Ava ~”I like him a lot, he is more scarier than you.”
Trayton ~”He just came out prison I would think he is.”
Ava ~”Baby why was he in prison?”
Trayton ~”Baby girl can you give me a bit of time before I can tell you that?”
Ava ~”Take as long as you need.”
Then the time for casual chat is over
Ava ~”I am sorry I did not answer you last night, you just really caught me by surprise. You even went on your knees to ask me. The thing is…”
Trayton ~”I am sorry I put you on the spot.”
Ava ~”No that is not it.”
Ava ~”I also wanted to give you your gift last night, if that is what you call it.”
Trayton ~”Baby girl I don’t understand.”
She takes out a small little bag and what is inside it.
Ava ~”This is what I wanted you to have.”
Trayton ~”I still don’t understand.”
Ava ~”You beat me to it.”
Then I realize what she is talking about.
Trayton ~”Baby girl that is the wrong way around.”
Ava ~”Who said so?”
Trayton ~”I don’t know.”
Ava ~”So I am not going to give you that whole speech you did and I am not going down on my knee. But what I am going to do is ask you to marry me. So will you marry me baby?”
Trayton ~”Fuck I don’t know what to say.”
Ava ~”Hopefully you will say yes.”
Trayton ~”Yes baby girl yes.”
She jumps off her chair and come sit on my lap.
Trayton ~”So what do you say to my question?
Ava ~”Yes baby I will marry you.”