Pierced: Pierced Trilogy Boxed Set (82 page)

At the end of the evening when Megan and Scott are preparing to set off for their honeymoon, I leave Josh on the patio close to the kitchen doors, talking with Lucas and Dennis while I head inside the house with Meg to help her out of her wedding gown and into the white lace Stella McCartney dress that she’s picked out to travel in. We chat about the wedding and gossip about what’s gone on at the reception while we work, and we try not to cry as we say our goodbyes. She and Scott will be honeymooning in Europe for two weeks, and I tell her that I will probably be lost without her during that time.

“Oh, nonsense! You have Josh now,” she says with a tearful smile. “You probably won’t even notice that I’m gone. You two looked awfully cozy on the dance floor. He is so totally into you, Sam.”

“He told me he loves me,” I say softly, after a slight pause, and she squeals.

“Oh, Sam! When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell me?” She doesn’t give me a chance to answer her questions; she just continues right on talking. “You see … I told you that you had nothing to worry about. That man has been in love with you from day one. I could see that in the hospital the day I met him!”

“Oh, Megan,” I roll my eyes at her, and she laughs.

After a huge, tearful hug, we head downstairs where Scott is waiting for her at the foot of the staircase. I step away to give them some privacy, and start to make my way back out to the backyard. As I’m walking through the kitchen I suddenly hear my name.

“Samantha?”

I turn to see my mother walking into the room and I brace myself for the coming assault. “Hi, Mom. I didn’t see much of you after the ceremony. I thought perhaps you had left early.”

“I sort of wish I had,” she smiles insincerely at me. “Then I wouldn’t have seen you making such a spectacle of yourself on the dance floor with that … man.”

I don’t know why I’m surprised at the venom in her passive-aggressive words, but I am. Just once, I would love it if she could just support me and be happy for me. I open my mouth to respond to her attack on Josh but then think better of it, and turn to walk away. But she won’t let me. She yells at me, and it halts me in my tracks.

“Samantha! That man is totally beneath you, and you know it! If you are doing this solely to spite me, you are only hurting yourself, honey!”

I’ve had it. I can’t keep letting her do this to me. I turn back around to face her, taking a deep breath. “This may come as a shock to you, Mom, but I stopped doing things to spite you a long time ago. I simply don’t care what you think anymore to bother with trying to spite you!” I try desperately to keep my voice as steady as I can, and I think she is shocked by my words and she actually looks hurt.

“Well, at least you’re finally being honest,” she says. “You have never cared about my opinion on
anything.
Even though all I have ever wanted for you is the best of everything this world has to offer! What’s wrong with that, Samantha?” she yells, and her voice rings out loudly throughout the kitchen. “Tell me! What is so wrong about wanting only the best for my child?”

“Nothing!” I hear myself scream back at her and I can feel a tightening in my stomach as the anger boils over inside me. And I am vaguely aware of the sound of the French doors opening behind me as I continue to yell at my mother. “There is nothing wrong with that! But why can’t you
ever
trust me to know what is best for me? I am an adult. And it’s my life, Mom; not yours!”

“You cannot honestly believe that this relationship is going anywhere,” she retaliates, ignoring my question and gesturing to whomever is behind me. “What could you possibly have in common with this cave man?”

“A hell of lot more than I have in common with you,” I shout back. “You have never known who I am, Mom. At least Josh
knows
me. And he loves me!”

“Don’t be a fool, Samantha, he loves your money!”

“That is not true,” I shout back at her.

“And I suppose you think you know him? Well, I promise you darling, you have no clue what this Neanderthal is capable of. What he’s done!”

“All right, that’s enough!” Lucas’ voice cuts through our rage as he steps between us and glares at our mother. “This is not the time or the place for this Mother! You should be ashamed of yourself. And you owe Megan a huge apology!” His words are angry and harshly spoken. And I feel immensely grateful to him for shutting her up, if only for a few moments. I am so angry right now I don’t even have tears.

Taking an unsteady breath, I venture a quick glance around the large kitchen and I see Megan and Scott and Aunt Jenny all standing in the doorway, looking horrified. And at the other side of the room, I spot Dennis and Karen and Uncle Kenny all milling around by the French doors that lead to the backyard, and Josh is standing directly behind me. He’s wearing his pissed-off look as he glares at my mother and when his eyes meet mine I can tell that he is barely holding on to his temper.
Oh, no.

“I don’t understand why everyone is acting as if this is acceptable! You cannot honestly approve of this ridiculous relationship, Lucas,” Mother says, turning her wrath onto him for a moment. “I know you don’t. Tell her! Tell her what an embarrassment this is!”

Lucas shakes his head slightly at her and his hands are on his hips. He looks completely bewildered. Then he turns to me with a look of sorrow in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Pita.” His words are softly spoken and I frown at him, not really believing that he’s siding with her. “But Mom is right. This is an embarrassment. This is the most embarrassing thing that she has ever done, and I am so sorry. This is not acceptable behavior and you shouldn’t have had to suffer through it.” At his words, my tears finally come, rolling silently down my cheeks.
God, I love my big brother so much right now!

“What?!” Mom begins to protest. “You cannot seriously…”

“That is enough, Mother,” Lucas hisses at her. “Not another word unless it’s an apology to Megan!” She looks as if he has slapped her in the face and then she turns on her heel and walks toward the door. Everyone steps quickly aside to allow her to pass but, she stops and looks at Meg.

“I am sorry, honey. I didn’t set out to ruin your day,” she says tearfully. She glances briefly back at me and then she is gone.

I suddenly feel Lucas’ hand on my arm and Josh’s hand on my back as they both rush to comfort me, and I turn and step into Josh’s arms. “Can you get me out of here, please?” I ask him and he nods silently.

We stay just long enough to watch Meg and Scott flee through a shower of birdseed and rose petals and into the waiting car. And as their limousine pulls away and the guests begin to disperse, I turn to hug Lucas and Karen.

“I really am sorry about the stunt Mom pulled tonight, Sam,” Lucas says softly, looking from me to Josh. “Neither one of you deserved any of that.”

“It’s not your fault, Lucas,” I tell him quietly. “Like you said … you can’t control her.”

“Still, I feel partially responsible,” he says sadly. “When I first learned about you and Josh I assured her that I would do everything I could make sure you weren’t taken advantage of. I think maybe she took that as some sort of proof that she and I shared the same opinion about Josh. I’m sorry,” he says again, looking solely Josh’s way.

Josh nods his head but, stays silent. And I can tell that he’s still really angry, his pissed-off look still firmly in place. His hands are tucked into the pockets of his suit pants so, I can’t see them. But I’d be willing to bet that they are clinched into fists right now. His silence makes me uneasy. I want to know what he’s thinking. How he’s feeling. He looks so angry. I hate it when he gets like this.

I take a deep breath and let it out very slowly. “I need to get out of here,” I say softly. “Thanks for everything, Lucas.”

“I didn’t do anything, Pita,” he responds, obviously still feeling badly about things. He hugs me tightly for a moment and then reaches to shake Josh’s hand. And I can tell from the apprehension in his eyes that he’s as worried as I am about what’s going on in Josh’s head at the moment. There’s a slight pause before Josh responds. But he takes Lucas’ offered hand as he looks him in the eye, and strangely … my uneasiness grows.

The tension is so thick it feels oppressive, like I’m being weighted down by all the barbells Josh keeps in his exercise room. Only the weights here are anger and rage and regret and fear. Still saying not a word, Josh takes me by the hand and slowly begins to lead me away.

“Good night,” I turn and call back to Lucas and Karen.

As we wait for the valet to bring the Charger, Josh is still so silent and I get the feeling he is at war with his emotions somehow. I want to say something. Anything that will bring him out of the terrifyingly dark place that he seems to have retreated to. But I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to reach him. Normally, I would begin chattering away, nervously trying to fill the awkwardness with the sound of my own voice. But for some reason, I just can’t right now. Whether it’s the guilt and the shock over what my mother has done, or it’s the fear of what maddening thoughts are plaguing Josh right now, I don’t know. But I have been rendered mute and the tension rolling off of him is hitting me in wave after wave of misery.

When the car finally arrives and we get in, he says nothing as he opens the door for me. He says not a word on the entire drive home and I can feel his anger mounting as I watch him drive. Finally, as we turn into his neighborhood, I can’t take it any longer. I have to say something.

“Josh? I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry.” My voice sounds so small to my ears, and my words appear to have no effect on him. He says nothing as he pulls slowly into the garage next to my car. He is silent as he opens the door and gets out. He stands waiting for me to slide out of the driver’s side door after him, and when I do, I can see the barely contained rage in his fiery eyes. He closes the car door and turns to head out of the garage, not saying a word.
Oh, please talk to me!

I try again as we walk through the side door that leads into the small kitchen. “Josh, I’m sorry for the way my mother acted. What she did was so cruel. She was rude to you and hurtful to me, and I wish there was something I could do or say to make up for that, but I can’t.” He still says nothing as he takes off his jacket and tie, tossing them both onto the kitchen table, and I can see his fists clenching and his jaw tightening. Why is he still so angry? “Oh, Josh, please say something,” I quietly beg him.

“You want me to say something, Samantha? Well how about this … what the hell are you doing here
slumming with me!”
He shouts at me, and his deep baritone voice reverberates around me like a gale force wind. I am stunned into silence as I stare at him with wide, shocked eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this angry before. “Yes, your mother was mean and nasty tonight, but you know what? She was just being honest! At least she had the guts to ask the one damn question that’s on everybody’s fucking mind!”

“What are you talking about? No one is questioning why we’re together!”

“Bullshit!” He yells, getting in my face. “Your entire family wants to know what the hell you’re thinking. The only person who can’t seem to see that is you,” he shouts. I am so floored by his vehemence and by his words. I had no idea this is what was bothering him; that he feels like my whole family is against him.

“Josh, that is simply not true,” I say loudly, trying to reason with him. “Megan and Dennis and Uncle Kenny, they all really like you! None of them are looking down on you in any way. And Lucas loves you! I can tell that he genuinely respects you. Why do you think he invited you to the game tomorrow?”

“Aw, Lucas is just playing the fucking game, Sam! Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” he yells.

“Lucas wants to spend time with you,” I yell back. “To get to know you … because he knows how I feel about you!”

“Lucas is trying to protect your bank account,” he responds loudly. “He flat out said that tonight before we left. His intention is to make sure that you’re not taken advantage of by me!”

“Okay fine! So he wants to protect me in the process,” I yell with exasperation. “Where’s the problem in that?”

“There is no problem, Samantha! Not for rich girls like you,” he says as he turns and begins to walk into the living room. His words are dismissive and hurtful. And they make me want to scream. So I do.

“I am so sick of always worrying about the money with you! Why does it always have to come back to that, Josh?” I scream as I follow after him.

“Because you’re always gonna have it,” he shouts back, whirling around to face me. “And whether you like it or not, baby, it is always going to be an issue! For me and for your family!”

“Well, now it’s my turn to say bullshit,” I shout angrily, getting in his face. “The money isn’t an issue for my family, Josh, it is only an issue for
you!
What do you want me to do? You’re right, I have it! It’s there and it’s mine and there’s nothing I can do about it! No. You know what, maybe there is. Is that what you want? You want me to get rid of it? Would that prove to you how much I love you? Would that prove that I want to be with you and not the damn money?”

I know that I’m ranting right now but I’m on a roll and Josh is looking at me as if I’ve lost all my marbles. I ignore him and keep right on rolling.

“Because if that’s what you want, I will go straight to Lucas first thing in the morning and I will sign every bit of my Colby Coring stock over to him. I will give him every single cent of my trust fund if it will make you feel more comfortable being with me! Is that what you want me to do?”

“No!” He shouts at me. “Of course not! I don’t want to cause you any pain, Samantha. Ever! You think I want to come between you and your family? I don’t want that! I don’t want to be the source of contention between you and Lucas. Or between you and your mother! I don’t want you to have to choose, Sam.”

“No one said anything about me choosing.”

“You just did,” he shouts, looking at me incredulously. “Me or the damn money! Me or your family.”