Adjournment (The Fate Series) (38 page)

His face is filled with surprise.

“So eat up… Pet,” I sneer.

His eyes widen then squeeze together in a squinted stare.

“I’m surprised you don’t have your black pants on… Sidney.” He tosses the words out in a way that I know they are meant to insult.

“I unfortunately only brought one pair. I left the rest home… you know where I live… in the city,” I snap. “I’m surprised you aren’t missing your freshly fucked suit look.” I wrinkle my nose at him.

He stares at me, his mouth gaping open.

“Children!” Grams voice cuts in. “Behave.” She looks at me.

“That’s strange, I didn’t know Miss Priss cursed,” he mumbles.

Every muscle in my body tenses.

He dips his sandwich in the gravy again before taking a bite.

I scan the table quick trying to think of some way to ruin Simon’s breakfast the way he has mine.

“Grams can I have…” I reach my hand out knocking over Simon’s drink and spilling it onto his plate. “Oh. Shit. I’m such a klutz.” I try to frown even though inside I’m laughing.

“That seemed deliberate,” he deadpans, as he grabs his napkin to soak up the liquid.

“It was.” I lift my napkin to wipe my mouth off, not bothering to help him.

“What happened to you two? Yesterday you were grossly feeding… Molly!” Dean shouts. His body jerks forward. “Why did you kick me?”

I glance away from Simon to look at Molly.

“Sorry my leg twitched.” She gives a childlike smile.

No it didn’t, but I appreciate her sisterly move. 

“Are you not going to apologize?” Simon rips my napkin from my hand.

Are you serious?

“Of course not… because I’m not.” I grab Lexi’s napkin from her hand dabbing it on the side of my plate where some of Simon’s drink splattered on it.

“Hey!” she yells.

“This is what you wanted, right?” I stand to leave the table. “What you
needed
…” I grab my plate and turn to walk away.

“Well, I trust you three went home at some point.” Our mother changes the subject.

That’s when I feel something, a twinge in my chest when I feel his eyes on me.

Yeah… they went home. At least two of them did.

I scrape the food into the garbage.

“Of course, what kind of men do you take us for?” Chase smirks.

“Oh, I have a good idea,” I mutter.

“Care to share that with the group, Pet.” Simon’s body twists in his chair to face me.

“I said I have an idea.” I look him dead in the eyes.

Morgan suddenly jerks, breaking my focus, and I am left to believe that Chase just squeezed her knee. She sends a cold glare in his direction. It’s nice to know she is still on the outside of the love bubble.

“Unless you want this in your lap I wouldn’t touch me again.” she growls, pointing to her coffee.

With a quick movement Grams slaps Chase’s head. “Not at the breakfast table… we are trying to eat,” Grams scolds him.

“I love it when you’re angry.” He lifts her coffee to take a drink.

Morgan doesn’t share her drinks with anyone.

“That’s yours now.” She wrinkles her nose at him.

“I know, that’s why I took it.” He grins, tipping the cup back to finish it.

She slowly closes her eyes, her lips moving silently as she counts.

“Okay, well, I don’t think I need to get involved in any of this. So I will say what I came to say and leave you all to… kill each other. You three girls are going to help your father,” Mom says just as our father walks in.

“While the boys do the girly stuff your mother has left on her list.” Dad laughs at his own joke as he drops the list in front of Morgan. “Sidney please don’t forget to check the pressure on those guns,” he yells over his shoulder at me and walks out of the room.

“Guns?” Lexi looks at me.

“Paintball… there’s this annual game tomorrow… oh, you guys didn’t know. Well, it’s okay.” Molly smiles as her.

Oh, we know about it.

“Yes boys, I need the lighting hung and the back patio hosed off.” She drops her list in front of Simon and smiles as she walks over to the counter to start cleaning up.

Reaching across the table, Simon grabs the list from Morgan. “Unbelievable, you three are going fishing while we’re stuck here…”

He stills, his entire body going stiff when he hears my mother’s nails on the counter. “Dean! Stop being such an asshole,” he yells at poor weak Dean. “This is the least we can do for Madness.” Simon shakes his head in disgust. “Madness,” he then turns to look at my mother, “I’m sorry for him, I would be more than happy to help with whatever you need.” He grins.

Told you people don’t change.

“I’m so happy to hear that. I need you to go with Sal.” She flashes an evil smile.

His grin fades. “Anything but that.” He gives a pleading look. “He thinks it’s funny to lock me out of the car and drive away.”

“You know, you’re not twelve anymore.” I look at him.

“I know.” He looks at me. “That happened the other day before you got here.” He exhales.

Well it’s a good thing Uncle Sal doesn’t change.

When breakfast is over everyone gets up to clean up their mess and start getting things done.

“The boat leaves in an hour!” Mom announces.

What did I do in life to deserve this? I’m going to be stuck on a boat with him for the morning.

“Well Morgan I guess that leaves us as a team.” Chase extends his hand out.

“I just ate… give it rest.” She walks past him.

“Are you coming?” Simon looks at me.

I wish I could say no.

I exhale. “I guess I have to.” I frown.

“I’ll get the Epi-Pen.” He walks away.

Fantastic…

It’s all fun and games till someone leaves with a bloody nose…

Placing my fishing pole into the holder I lean back to relax in my chair next to Mea.

“I wish I could live at sea.” She sighs.

“Yeah, I agree. It’s peaceful out here.” I close my eyes.

“Molly, I swear if you don’t stop bumping me I am going to push you over the side of this damn boat. Now I told you I will set yours up in a second!” Morgan yells.

“If you had just done mine first I wouldn’t have to stand here waiting,” Molly huffs.

“Well, it would be peaceful it they weren’t here,” I mumble.

I have listened to these two fight the whole way here. I really thought it would have stopped once we got on the boat.

“Dean, help her out, please,” Chase begs his brother.

But we all know he is going to say no. You see no one will help Molly because she can’t kept the damn rod still. Every time someone goes to help her she ends up hooking them and if you’ve ever been stuck with a fishing hook you know that it’s a ‘lesson learned after one time’ kind of thing.

“You are all jerks!” she pouts. “Dad, no one will help me.”

“I—I am steering the boat, sweetheart,” he shouts down to her.

I wonder how long it will take her to realize we’ve stopped.

“Oh, just give me the damn thing,” Morgan finally gives in. 

Mea and I begin to laugh. She must have known Morgan would give in eventually, too.

Everyone is silent for a few minutes. I don’t have to look at them to know they are studying the water as though they have x-ray vision and are looking for the fish.

“Okay, what exactly do I have to do?” Lexi asks someone.

Oh, this is going to be good. 

“Psst. I cut our lines,” Mea whispers.

I open my eyes and toss a confused look at her. “I’m not sure I heard you correctly.”

She turns her head toward me, a devious smile on her lips. “I. Cut. Our. Lines,” she says again. “You know… so the fish won’t bite. I figured that way we could just lay here and nap.” She closes her eyes, turning her face back to the sun. I stare at the side of it.

How is it that I never thought to do that before?

Watching her for a few more minutes I think back to why I didn’t like her.

Jealousy, that’s why.

What a senseless reason not to like someone.

Laying back, I close my eyes and whisper back, “That’s genius.”

“A toast?” She nudges me with her elbow.

Yes, I think we are going to be good friends.

Lifting my glass, I smile. “To napping?” I ask.

“No, to Fate. I’m glad it finally brought us together.” Her voice drops for a second like she is going to get emotional on me.

“I don’t do that—that crying thing. If you can’t hold it together I am going to make you go play with Molly or Lexi,” I warn her. 

She laughs loudly causing everyone to turn and look while she clinks my glass with hers.

“I will remember that,” she says between laughs. “You really are a lot like Morgan,” she says into her glass.

“I can show you how to cast, Lex.” Simon’s voice catches our attention. “So you’re going to want to hold the rod firm when you feel it bounce in your hands,” he begins to explain.

Is it me or did that just sound really dirty?

“Do I have to hold it the whole time?” she asks.

I close my eyes, adjusting myself in my seat.

“No, only when it’s ready. You can put it in the hole until then.”

I need to stop listening to this.

“So chess?” she asks.

“I beg your pardon?” My eyes open.

“You said you used to play chess? I’ve played with your sisters, but they aren’t very good,” she muses.

Aren’t very good is an understatement. They are terrible.

“My parents taught us when we were younger. My aunt loved the game. I guess they thought if we were good at it, then we were strong minded… tactful… like her.” My voice trembles toward the end. 

She gives me a sympathetic smile.

“What do I do when it moves?” Lexi cuts into the conversation.

“Grab it with both hands and hold on to it tight while giving it a quick yank,” he instructs her.

We both turn to watch them.

“Do you think they know how that sounds?” Mea asks.

Shaking my head, I close my eyes to lay back down.

“Well, you will be happy to know I found your missing piece.” She continues our conversation. “It was on the boat actually.” She reaches over into her bag to dig it out. “Here.” She hands it to me. “I damn near stepped on this when I went downstairs.”

I look down at the piece.

I’ve never had this on the boat before… I sit up grabbing my bag to find the other but it’s gone. Lost in the abyss that is my purse.

She sits up, her hand on my shoulder. “You okay?”  

“Of course. Just trying to think how long it was lost for.” I laugh it off.

I’m going crazy… that’s it. I must be because I’ve never had this particular set on the boat, and I’ve been away for ten years.

That’s when today’s date hits me.

Today is ten years since I made the decision to walk away and as if by some cruel trick Fate has pulled me back in just long enough to make me see what I’ve missed and now remember exactly why I missed it.

A wave of nausea rushes over me.

“Is it supposed to be this long? I mean this is kind of boring… and it’s really hard,” Lexi pouts.

I choke down the bile that rises in my throat, my body begins to ache. I slowly roam from one person to the next. My brain saving this moment so I can remember it, but my heart now knows it can’t last. I’m not so naïve to think they are as oblivious as I was to what today is.

They do… they just don’t want to say it. 

“Oh, come on, seriously? You don’t think she knows what she’s saying?” Mea asks.

“Lexi never hears it when she’s the one saying it, but she’s the first to call you out when you say it.” I struggle to contain the emotion building in my throat.

“Do you get motion sick? You don’t look well.”  She looks me over.

Truth is I don’t feel well—I don’t know if I can leave this as easy this time. 

“What are you doing? Yank it!” Simon yells.

“I’m trying to but it’s moving too much, and I can’t get my hands around it! If you’re such a man, grab it yourself!” she shouts.

Mea begins to lose control of her laughter. 

“On the count of three pull with me,” he says, wrapping his arms over hers. They begin to count and on two Lexi pulls back and slams her head off Simon’s mouth.

Nausea gone.

I grab the towel I’m lying on as we jump up to rush over to where Simon’s face is bleeding and Lexi is on the ground holding her head.

“I am so sorry,” she says from where her head is between her knees.

“Three Lex, I said three.” His hands cover his face but the blood is leaking through his fingers.

“Right. Three.” She rubs her head.

I hold the towel to Simon’s face while he wipes his hands off on it.

“In the future maybe you two should stay away from each other?” My tone is joking but I mean the words.

“From this point on we are even. I don’t want to ever hear about those fucking shoes again.” He points a warning finger at her.

“Never again.” She holds up a scouts honor.

She also has never been a scout.

He stalks away holding the towel to his face.

“They were my favorite shoes… twat,” she mutters.

My eyebrows shoot up. “I think you’ve been here too long.” I help her up off the deck.