Forever Together (Forever Love #2) (30 page)

“No time.” I gasp.

“Have you lost your ever-loving fucking mind.” Noah roars, stepping in.

Cindy’s pulling the hem of her tank top down, trying to cover the satin panties she’s got on. Hell, I don’t want douchebag Noah seeing my woman’s bit’s and shit. I’ll stab his fucking eyes out with a fork.

“Yo turn around man. Cinders cover… up.” Jesus Christ I need to catch my breath. I just pulled some ninja shit out there.

“Um, with what exactly?”

“Here.” I yank the waistband of my shorts down.

“Wow, dude I don’t wanna see your ass. Cover that up man.” If I see a tornado I’m chucking Noah in, it’s official.

“I thought I told you to turn the fuck around.”

“You really need to chill out. Here Cindy.” He says, pulling his wet black jacket off and passing it to her. I snatch it out his hands, scowling at the smartass and pass it along.

A pink blush spreads across her face as she puts it on. Thankfully it hit’s her mid-thigh. Still a lot of skin showing but at least my woman’s not gonna be heading out into the element
s
with her ass
on display
out
.

“Come on, let’s get going. Tuckers trucks outside.” Noah commands, putting on that dickish cop voice I usually hate. Right now it’s grounding me and keeping from spazzing the fuck out.

Ok maybe he’s right and I do need to calm down. All I can think about is keeping my woman safe. I’d die if anything happened to her. She’s my life. I got so much I need to tell her. I got so much I want to show her.

I pull myself together cause I’m the man in this equation. I gotta keep it going cause if I fall apart then it’s only douchebag Noah left to protect her. I couldn’t give two fucks if they gave him a badge, he couldn’t protect shit.

I entwine my hand with Cindy’s and shoot her a smile. If we can make it out of this without being blown to Oz, I swear to fucking God I’ll have a ring on her finger by the end of Summer.

***

“I think it looks good.” Noah nods. He’s such a dick. He’s the world’s number one dick. 

“Very pretty.” Actually scratch that shit. Tucker is the world’s number one dick with Noah coming in close second.

“When I have full use
of
my hands, I’m taking you motherfuckers down.” I point with my one good hand, keeping the one with the bright pink Hello Kitty cast on my lap.

Yeah seems not only are Noah and Tuck annoying, stupid and complete assholes. They’re also comedians. I’m not laughing.

“Now princess, don’t get yourself in a state. Then you’ll be the guy in a
H
h
ello
K
k
itty cast throwing a tantrum. Don’t be that guy.”

“And you Tuck, are the guy with gonorrhea.”

“Hey.” He points at me while Noah’s cracking up next to him. “I told you that in confidence, man. Anyway it was negative. Tucker Jameson is clean as a fucking whistle.”

“Gonorrhea, really dude?” Noah smirks.

“Hey the test was all clear,
P
p
eter
P
p
an.”

“Brady!”

“Why the fucks everyone picking on the injured guy? Have some compassion.” No sympathy from these dudes. Where the hell has Cindy gone? She’s a way better looking companion and a lot more caring.

“WHERE'S MY BABY?!” I shudder at the screeching voice.

“Oh shit, Momma's home.” I huff, running my one well hand through my hair. “Who told her I was here?”

Dumb and dumber look at each other a shrug. It’s a damn god job that Tornado didn’t hit cause if I was left battling for survival with these two, me and Cinders would be fucked.

The curtain rips open and there’s my Mom and… oh shit she’s crying. I’m a sucker for tears. Why’d she have to put the tears on?

“Brady?” She whimpers, looking at me with mascara covered eyes and a blotchy face. Her hairs all over the place. I’d feel sorry for her but I got a pink cast on and I’m in pain. I ain’t got enough sympathy in me for anyone else. “Oh honey I was so worried. Are you ok? Oh that’s a silly question, of course you aren’t. I came back as soon as we were able to fly.”

“Um, we’ll-”

“Leave you two to it.” Noah finishes for Tuck and pulls him along.

I give them the panic eyes, you know, the universal sign for “Fucking help me”. Dick one and two ignore me and swagger out though. That’s loyalty for ya.

“Mom, I’m fine.” I grind out, clenching my fist.

“Oh don’t be pigheaded. Look at you, you have that… is that a pink cast?”

“Apparently I like pink.” I shrug. “I’m setting a trend. Where’s Bob?” Please say a tornado got him. Please say a tornado got him.

“He’s in the waiting room with everyone else. He’s very worried.”

“I’m sure he is.” I roll my eyes because let’s face it, it’s not likely.

“Brady.” I can hear the warning in her voice. “Bob does care. I know he doesn’t always act-”

“Mom, please.”

I rub my forehead. I think I’m getting a stress migraine from this. How can the woman be so damn naïve? I mean she’s been on this earth for a good couple of years now. How can she spend every day with that bastard she’s married to and not realize he’s screwing Sandra slutface? Hell, I saw it pretty much straight away and I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed.

“He does care Brady. He does love you just as much as I do. He’s just old fashioned with the way he shows it. You’re a son to him, whether you get along or not and-”

“He’s having an affair Mom.” I keep my eyes firmly shut as I say every word. I thought it would feel good telling her the guy she’s put first all my life has fucked her over. It’s
doesn’t
not
though.

She’s silent. There’s no sobbing or screaming. My eyes may be closed but I think she’s still here and hasn’t gone running into the waiting room to bash Bobs skull in. I open my eyes slowly expecting something to be different. She’s just staring at me though.

“Did I ever tell you the story of how I met your father?”

“Mom, I just told you Bob is having an affair.”

“With Sandra?” I nod my head to the question. Me and my big fucking mouth. “Let me tell you something about your father.”

“I don’t wanna hear it.” I shake my head from side to side. Why is she doing this?

“As you know, we never used to be rich.”

I roll my eyes. What is this? A trip down memory lane? I just broke my hand in three places and bruised my shoulder. I’m cold, I’m tired and I want nothing more than to grab my dark haired beauty and head to a hotel. It’s not like I can go home since it’s pretty unlivable right now.

“Christ, I don’t wanna hear this. I just told you your husband who you adore is screwing some slut and you wanna take a trip down memory lane?”

“Please let me finish. Then you can talk for however long you’d like. You can scream at me and even Bob if you want to but please let me tell you this.”

“Ok.” I say quietly. I figure she’s having some kind of psychotic break so I might as well let her get this out. Maybe once she’s unloaded she’ll be ready to divorce that bastard and take every penny out of his bank account to spend on Chanel purses and a nice shiny new apartment for her son who she needs to make it up to.

“Do you believe in soulmates?”

“Um
,
I don’t know, I guess.” I shrug.

“You believe that Cindy is your soulmate?”

“Yes.” I answer., not even thinking about it. Not even having to think about it. There’s not a single doubt in my mind that Cindy’s my one and only.

“Your Dad was mine.” I sit forward on hearing this. “He was so handsome and he looked just like you. He was funny, he was lively, he was loyal and protective. He wasn’t a drunk lying in the gutter trying to fight everybody. He was an alcoholic but he wasn’t the kind you’d expect.” She takes a deep breath and a tear leaks out of her eye. “He’d drink every night. A couple of beers to watch the game or a few shots at a bar. He’d work all day and he worked hard to give us a good life. I never even noticed until just before you were born. He wasn’t violent or angry in drink. He’d laugh so much and he’d just tell jokes and entertain. Then I started to notice that he couldn’t do without it. He’d get the shakes and he’d break out in cold sweats. I was young, I didn’t think of him as an alcoholic. I knew he had a problem but I didn’t… I don’t know what I thought.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I frown.

“When your Dad died, I was at work. He’d work all day and then I’d start my shift at the diner a couple of hours after he got home. He used to love having quality time with you. I can’t even count how many nights I came home to you wide awake and being piggy backed round the house. One night I came home and you were asleep in your crib and when I walked into the bedroom… well you know the rest. He was gone.” More tears fall and she swipes them away. I may not know what point she’s trying to make but I’m not a robot. I feel what she’s saying. I feel it and it hurts like hell. That pain in my chest from the one thing missing is always gonna be there. Why is she fucking torturing me with this though?

“Things were hard for a while. I couldn’t afford the house or enough food. Then one day, a guy walked into the diner. I had no idea who he was but he had this sharp suit on. The first night he offered to take me for a drink I told him no. I had a baby at home I needed to get back to and I was still so desperately in love with your Dad. The next night he came back and he offered to take me to dinner, I told him the same thing. He came back every night for two months before I agreed to go on a date with him. Within six months we were married, he adopted you and for the first time in so long I didn’t feel like I was dying from the pain. I still couldn’t give him all of me though because he wasn’t my soulmate. My soulmate died in his sleep while I was at work. Bob is a good man. He knows all this and he takes care of us anyway. He loves me anyway. Bob is not the problem Brady, I am. I was so grateful that he took care of us, that he took the pain away, that I neglected you. I showed my love with material things rather than what you really needed, time. I am so so sorry baby boy. I will never be able to tell you how sorry I am. When I found out about the storm and that you were hurt.” She shakes her head and sobs into her hand. “I thought the pain when your Dad died was the worst but It was nothing compared to the thought of losing you.”

“Mom, don’t cry.” I pat her head and swallow my own tears. “It’s ok just please don’t cry.”

“Bob is not having an affair Brady. He came to me to say Sandra was being inappropriate. She was widowed a year ago and I felt bad. I didn’t want her to lose her job so I convinced him that as long as she didn’t try anything then she could stay. He fired her a couple of days ago. Just after you actually. He never encouraged her and I know you probably think I’m in denial and I'd agree with you but I’m not a silly woman. If I didn’t know for sure, I’d hang his ass out to dry. Did you ever see Bob act inappropriately?”

That’s the stickler ain’t it. I haven’t ever seen Bob do anything, just that hoe. Still doesn’t make it right. If this was me and Cindy, I’d have ignored her ass and fired the homewrecker. That’s on him and my Mom though. They’re fools for not doing that shit. Fuck! I’ve spent the past few months being a complete dick for nothing.

“I’m sorry.” I shrug.

“Honey it’s ok, it’s all gonna be ok. I’m just glad it’s all out. Most of all I’m glad you’re ok.” 

“Just my hand.” I wave it in the air, scowling at the picture of Hello fucking Kitty. I hate that bitch.

“I’m gonna go and see the nurse, see when you can leave, ok?” After I give her a nod, she brushes a strand of hair from my forehead and turns around with a sigh and a smile. “Oh and Brady.” She turns back. “I agree with you about Cindy being your soulmate. That girl has been worried sick out there. Her mother thought they’d have to sedate her. She’s a good one. Don’t let her go baby. Hold onto her with everything you have, do everything you need to because one day she may not be there and the pain is indescribable. Look after her.”

I don’t speak as she walks out the room mainly because I’m about ten seconds away from turning to mush and sobbing into my pillow. That is so not a manly look. Knowing my luck Noah’s probably lurking around with a video camera ready to stick my ass all over YouTube again.

“Shit, I need to do something manly.” I mumble to myself. There’s way too much oestrogen in this room right now since I’ve apparently turned into an emotional woman.

“Brady.” I jump up at the sound of the sweet voice. I can’t stop the smile spreading across my face.

Cindy’s hair looks as if it got in a personal fight with the tornado. It’s sticking up in the places there aren’t any knots. No way am I gonna stay in the room later when she’s brushing it. There’ll be tears I just know it.

Lines of mascara run down her face and line under her eyes. She’s wearing some old sweatpants that are about two sizes too big and are rolled up at the bottom
s
. I’m pretty worried since she got them from the lost and found closet at Franklin High, who it was that at one point was walking round with no pants on. Anyway, as I was saying. She looks a mess. She looks like she got dragged through a hedge backwards. Her eyes are shining though. Her cheeks are pink. Her smile is wide and relieved. Despite the state she’s in she’s never looked more beautiful.