Magnolia Blossoms (17 page)

The next morning, I spring out of bed, thoroughly excited about the new day. I take my time putting on my makeup and fixing my hair just right, before sliding on a pair of jeans and a lacy emerald green blouse. I’m happy with my reflection, so I call a cab to take me to town. The driver stomps on the gas as soon as I exit the cab, and I’m left alone on the street in front of the sterile looking building.

There are about ten steps to the front door, so I take them two at a time and practically run into a gentleman who is exiting as I’m entering. “I’m so sorry,” I say, thankful I didn’t tumble the ten steps down.

“My fault,” he says. “I haven’t seen you around here before. Is there something you need help with?”

“I’m here to see Nick Ferrera. I’m his girlfriend, Maggie.”

“Maggie. I’ve heard a lot about you. Come with me. I’ll bring you to him,” he says with a huge smile.

“Nick talks about me?” I ask.

“All the time,” the mystery man replies. Hearing that makes me feel great. He uses a passkey to open a few doors, and finally, he leaves me standing in a hall. “Nick’s office is the last one on the right once you make that corner at the end of the hall. He should be in there, but if he’s not, just wait for him. He’s floating around here somewhere.”

“Thank you.” The man shuts the door as he leaves, and I’m suddenly alone in the corridor. I start in the direction he pointed me, and as soon as I round the corner, I hear loud talking and laughter. The door that the man said is Nick’s is cracked open, and the sounds are coming from inside. Not wanting to disturb him since he is obviously with others, I quietly wait at the end of the hall.

“...she has no clue. She’s putty in my hands.” I recognize the voice as Nick’s.

“But dude, she broke your dick,” says a voice I don’t recognize.

“Yeah, but she’s smokin’ hot, and she’s a virgin. As long as she don’t cut the sucker off, I’m fine. Knowing how good it’s going to feel to dive into that unchartered territory, I’m getting hard just thinking of it.” Laughter spills from the room. “Think about it. I’m getting old, man. The chance of bagging a virgin is practically nil, much less one who looks good. That bitch is my conquest, and you know what? She’s gonna squeal with delight when I give it to her.”

“Is it true you took her to meet your family? That has to mean something,” says another voice I don’t recognize.

“It means I’m gonna get Momma and Nonna to cater to my every whim when I tell them I had to break up with her because I caught her cheating on me.”

“That’s cold, man. I can’t believe you’re going to play that girl like that. Fuck her, and dump her. That’s harsh.”

“I do it all of the time. No sweat off of my back. How do you think I got the name Nick the Dick? I earned that bitch.” More laughter spills from the room, and I’m going to be sick. I run out the door, down the hall, and into the ladies room where I dry heave until tears flood my eyes. I sink to the floor, and I want to cry, but the only tears that will come are the ones that accompany the heaving.

I want nothing more than to be as far away from the building as possible, so I stumble my way out of the bathroom and, though I get some strange looks along the way, out of the door. I pull out my cell phone and try to call Honey, but it goes directly to her voicemail. There is only one other person I know I can talk to, and though he’s an ass, he’s a shoulder to cry on.

“Jace?” I sniffle. “Are you at work?”

“No, just getting off a shift. Are you okay, Mags? What’s wrong?”

“I’m not okay. Can you come get me?” I ask.

“Where are you?”

“The park near the police station where Nick works.”

“I’m on my way.”

I end the call and tuck the phone into my purse. I manage to take a few deep breaths before Jace arrives. I think I’m doing well, but as soon as I see him, the tears flow freely. He looks concerned as he walks me to his truck and helps me into the passenger side. Once he’s in the cab, he asks, “Do you need a doctor? Are you hurt?”

I shake my head. “Can we go to your place? I want out of here.”

He looks hesitant at first, but then he puts the truck into gear and veers into traffic. We reach a very nice stucco apartment complex, and he pulls into a parking spot somewhere in the middle of the well-manicured facility. He opens the door to the first apartment on the left, and then holds his hand out usher me inside.

Though elegant, his apartment is very sparsely furnished and extremely plain. The walls are white, there is a sofa and a TV, but that’s all. It’s obvious that he doesn’t spend very much time at his place.

“Have a seat,” he offers. I take him up on the offer, and after plucking a box of tissue from the snack bar, he sits beside me.

“I know you’re probably not going to care about this, nor do you really want to hear it, but I need someone to talk to. Honey isn’t answering her phone, so she must be with a client.” Jace stays quiet, but gives me a look that says he wants further explanation. “I overheard something just now. A private conversation Nick was having with some of his coworkers. Everything has been an elaborate ploy so he can take my virginity then dump me. Jace, the things that came out of his mouth. Things like, ‘I’m gonna make that bitch squeal,’ and ‘I fuck and dump all the time. How do you think I got the name Nick the Dick? I earned that bitch.’ He’s never been anything but charming around me, and I fell for it. Oh, my God. I fell for it.” I begin to sob. “I went to the station to tell him that I was ready. I’m such a fool.”

Jace pulls me close, and hugs me tightly. “You’re not a fool. You had no way of knowing that he was taking advantage of you.”

“Being an ugly freak is so much easier than this shit. How am I ever supposed to trust anyone again? When am I going to know it’s for real and not because I’m being used? He took my dignity, Jace. How can I ever look anyone in the face again? There’s no telling how many people he’s bragged to about his plan. I’m so humiliated.”

“I’m sorry, Mags. I know you’re hurting now, but please don’t judge all men based upon his actions. Not all of them are bad news.”

“I don’t know, Jace. I’m ready to quit. I think I’m going to talk to Big Daddy to see if I can come home. I think he’ll be okay with it.”

“And then what? You’re going to go back to hiding from the world? Damn it, you were given the gift of rebirth, and you’re just going to throw it away?”

“I’m scared. I don’t want to live in your world anymore.”

“It’s your world, too! You just choose to ignore it.”

“I’m done,” I say, my voice laden with defeat.

“Me, too. I’m not going to beg you to stick around. If you want to give up, then so be it. I’ll bring you back to Honey’s.” He makes a grab for his keys, and storms off to the front door. He angrily taps his foot while holding it open for me. We’re both silent on the ride back to Honey’s. He’s silent when he drops me off, too. I get out of the truck, and he drives away.

Heavy hearted, I begin to pack my things. I don’t even have the heart to dig the scooter from Honey’s garage, so I call a cab instead. I’m sure Big Daddy can find someone to fetch it for me later.

Once home, I explain to him some of what has happened, and he agrees that I can have my old garage apartment again. The first thing I do is make it look less like the abode of a sex-starved teen and more like an adult woman is in residence.

Sunny is happy to help me pick some new paint colors and furniture, and I actually enjoy spending time shopping with her for these things. A few days after moving back home, Big Daddy finds Sunny and me sitting at the kitchen table discussing a bathroom remodel for me. He tosses his thick leather briefcase onto the counter, then in his usual melodramatic voice, he begins, “I suppose I can finally divulge my recent whereabouts since the issue has now been adjudicated. Would you care to guess the matter of which I’m speaking, Magnolia?”

“No, Big Daddy. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Ah, well, let me enlighten you.” He begins to pace up and down the length of the kitchen, his index fingers on the bridge of his nose. “Two nights ago, I received an urgent phone call from one Jace Taylor, who informs me that he’s being detained for assault and battery on one Sergeant Niccolo Ferrera. It seems that Mr. Taylor caused severe personal injury to Sergeant Ferrera’s face, said injury requiring stitches and a jaw realignment for the Sergeant. After meeting with representatives of all sides, Sergeant Ferrera insisted the charges be dropped, and has since been put on administrative leave for provoking the aforementioned attack. No future legal ramifications will come from the incident. Your friend is a very lucky man.”

I finally get over my shock enough to ask, “How’s Jace?”

“Mr. Taylor is fine. He left the conference and went right back to work.”

I sigh with relief.

For the first time ever, Big Daddy struggles to find the right words. “Magnolia, there was full disclosure at the meeting, and I want you to know that you are welcome to stay with us as long as you desire. I’m full of remorse for forcing you to leave before. I suppose I should have thought my plan through a little better. I really thought I’d be helping you.”

“It’s okay, Big Daddy. I know that your heart was in the right place. Thank you for allowing me to stay.”

Sunny looks on curiously, and Big Daddy motions to say that he’ll tell her about it later. I ask to be excused, and they both nod. I dash up to my apartment, and once I get to the top, I realize that I haven’t done my ritual since moving in with Honey. I’m no longer terrified of stairs. When I get inside, I have a slew of emotions racing through me. Jace beat the hell out of Nick for me. I know without a shadow of a doubt that it was for me, but why? What does it matter to him? He put his job and his life on the line in retaliation of Nick’s atrocity. Part of me feels relief that Nick got what was coming to him, but mostly, I feel confused.

I try calling Jace, but he doesn’t answer his phone. Tightly hugging my pillow, I curl up in bed and cry until I fall asleep.

I’m standing at the kitchen sink eating a spoon of peanut butter. Three weeks have passed since the Jace/Nick showdown, and I haven’t heard from either one of them. Though I’ve reverted back to being an introvert, I do occasionally get out of the house. Big Daddy has been giving me driving lessons, and I’ve done so well that there is a somewhat shiny, ten-year-old Toyota in the driveway.

I drive to the store every once in a while to try on some clothes or to buy something pretty for my apartment. Sometimes, I visit with Honey. She says that word on the street is that Nick packed up and left Baton Rouge. He’s supposed to have a job in New Orleans or a surrounding area. As long as I don’t have to see him, I couldn’t care less. Honey has tried on several occasions to set me up on blind dates, but I always decline. I can tell that it makes her upset, but she doesn’t harp on it much.

I toss the empty spoon into the sink and walk down the long corridor by Sunny’s art studio. It’s lesson time, and nothing has changed. Saggy balls and droopy boobies are everywhere. I even spy Diablo in the corner. A shudder runs through my body. I don’t realize that I’m staring, but some of the old men do. My thoughts are on Jace and the day he came to the house to pick up the patients. Then I think about how he came back and took care of me after the pig leg incident. He can’t be all bad, despite his insistence on the contrary.

The room comes back into focus, and I notice two of the old men making googly eyes at me. Sunny notices me standing at the window and shrugs as if to say, “Is everything okay?” I nod and move away from the classroom. I hear one of the old men ask when I’ll be joining the class. Pervs!

I go upstairs and put on a pair of running shorts, shoes, and a tank top. It’s been so long since I’ve felt a real honest-to-goodness endorphin release, so I grab my keys and head to the trail.

I take my time stretching, and also use the time to scan the area for any unwanted guests. The park appears to be deserted, so once I’m limbered up, I start down the asphalt path. I let my mind wander, and I think of how far I’ve come in a relatively short time. My heart is beginning to heal from the hurt caused by Nick, and though I’m not ready to throw myself out there, I realize that I’m not completely opposed to the idea of dating again. I also realize that being the way I was before the transformation is incredibly boring. I vow to find some hobbies, and I’m not talking about nude art lessons. I’m thinking that learning a martial art wouldn’t be a bad thing. Maybe I could learn to play tennis or golf? I’d keep an eye out for something that interests me. Hell, maybe I’ll even go back to school.

I’m pondering degree programs when I stumble across something on the path and land head first into a pile of leaves. Shaking them off me, I blow pine needles from my lips. “Yuck!” I’m pretty sure I tripped over a log, so my intention is to move it off the path before someone else trips over it. My heart sinks when I notice Jace sprawled out on the ground. His back is propped up against a tree, and his feet are extended out in front of him. I had tripped over his legs.

“Jace!” I cry, tapping his cheek. “Jace! Wake up!”

He barely stirs, but my heart starts to beat again when I realize he’s alive. “Jace! Please! Look at me.” I scan his body and notice that his knuckles are bloodied, bruised, and swollen. A bottle of whiskey is to his right and a baseball cap to his left. He’s not in his running attire; instead, he wears a simple gray jogging suit.

I give him a hearty shake, and he struggles to open his eyes. “Mags? Is that you?” His breath practically knocks me on my ass.

“Yeah, it’s me. Had much to drink, Jace?” I ask, taking a seat next to him.

“Why yes, I did.”

“Want to tell me what happened?” I ask, taking his hand in mine so I can get a better look at his injuries. He pulls it away from me.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. You look like shit. What happened?”

“Nothing for you to worry about. Just finish your run and head home. I’ll be fine,” Jace insists.

“No way am I leaving you here. Come on. Stand up,” I say, wrapping his arm around my neck. He laughs when I try to pick him up. Rightfully so. I fall over and land in his lap. Instead of jumping up, I take advantage of the closeness to gently palm his face. “You’ve helped me so many times. Please let me help you this once.”

With that, he wraps his arms around me. Tremors wrack through his body, and I realize he’s crying. “Oh, Jace. I’m so sorry. Whatever it is that’s made you so sad, I’m here for you.” Seeing him in so much pain makes me want to cry, but I don’t. I decide to be strong for him.

After a few minutes of me lightly stroking his hair, he begins to talk. “You remember how I told you that my life revolves around work, booze, women, and running?”

I nod.

“Though most of that is true, it’s not the whole truth. I had to work all of those extra shifts because my brother was diagnosed with cancer five years ago. I’m his only family, so I worked to pay for his treatments, his caregivers, anything he needed. He went into remission, and I worked more shifts to pay for a special vacation for the two of us. He goes out of remission, and I work extra shifts to take him to baseball games, football games, basketball games… he loves his sports. I worked my ass off to give him everything he could possibly want, but I couldn’t give him what he needed. Fucking cancer. I’d have given him anything: my marrow, my kidney, anything, but he had to get it in his brain.

Radiation and chemo made him sick as a dog. False hope and vague promises about life expectancy. It’s so unfair. He’s all I had left in this world, and now he’s gone. I held my brother as he breathed his last breath. His last words to me were, ‘Thank you for all you’ve done for me. I love you.’ I don’t want his thanks. Mags, I want my brother back.

It was so painful to watch him waste away. That’s why I went out drinking so much. It dulled the pain of watching him suffer. The women, well, I guess I was just looking for some comfort, but I never got it. All the rest of my time was spent with him, caring for him, sitting with him, trying to say all of the things that needed to be said before he left me.

I knew this day would be hard, but I had no idea how much it would hurt. He’s only been gone for a few hours, and my life is already so empty without him. Why did he have to leave me! I save people every day. Why couldn’t I save
him
? My big brother. Gone.
Fuck! It hurts so bad!”
he screams. He tosses me from his lap, and starts to punch the tree trunk. Now I know why his fists are so messed up.

I carefully get between him and the tree. “Shhh, Jace. Don’t. Be mad if you want to, but don’t hurt yourself.”

“What does it matter?” he asks, his red rimmed eyes desperate for the right answer.

“Because it matters to me. You matter to me. A lot.”

He’s stunned for a moment. “I treated you like shit.”

“You were going through a difficult time. I understand that now.”

“I pushed you into the arms of another man, a man who tried to hurt you.”

“I think you made up for that one when you kicked his ass.”

“This is absurd. I need to go home.” He tries to stand but buckles back to the ground.

“No way are you driving home. Wait a minute? How did you get here? I didn’t see any cars in the parking lot.”

“I walked.”

“From your apartment? Jeez! Why come here?”

“Aside from being with Johnny, being here running with you is my favorite thing to do. I wanted to be in a place that holds good memories.” His words touch me.

“There’s no way you’re going to get yourself home in your condition. Come on. I’m driving.”

“I appreciate it, but I don’t think I can handle riding bitch on the back of a bright yellow scooter, Magnolia.”

“If you’d bothered to answer my calls, you’d know that I don’t have the scooter anymore. I drive a sedan, and I do it well.”

“No shit?” Jace asks.

“No shit,” I answer. Because of his weight, it’s difficult to get Jace into the car, but somehow I manage. Getting him out and into his apartment is a little easier because he appears to be sobering up. While he’s in the shower, I fish around his sparse kitchen and find the things I need to put on a pot of coffee. I have a steaming mug waiting for him when he takes a seat next to me on the sofa.

“I’m sorry,” he says after taking a gulp.

“For what?” I ask.

“For laying all of that on you. I never should’ve done that.”

“Why not?”

He gives me a look.

“Seriously. Why do you feel like you can’t lean on me a little? Do you know how much you’ve helped me?”

“I did my job, Mags. I patched you up, and I got you to the hospital.”

“No, you went beyond that. You saw something in me that others didn’t, and I appreciate that.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Like that day I showed you my before picture. You didn’t act repulsed or taken aback by my ugliness.”

“Because you weren’t ugly.”

“Jace, I was ugly.”

He shakes his head.

“Do you realize that you’re the first person to treat me with respect? That day in the ambulance, as I lay there with a busted up face and no teeth, you made me feel special.”

“It’s my job, Mags. It’s what I do.”

“No, it’s beyond that, Jace. I’m having a hard time describing it, but it was real. A sort of feeling that I got simply being near you.”

“There was no missing oxygen cylinder.”

“What?” I ask.

“That day you torched yourself, and I showed up looking for an oxygen cylinder. It was never missing. I just wanted to see you again.”

I shake my head. “No,” I say with disbelief. “You couldn’t have. Look at you. People like you don’t find people like me attractive, especially when I had no hair and a wired jaw.”

“People like me? What are you talking about?”

“Beautiful, gorgeous people.”

“You don’t get it, Mags. To me, you
are
one of those beautiful and gorgeous people. Inside and out. I’ve felt that way since the day I picked you up in that art store, and I’ve watched as you’ve blossomed into a creature so beautiful that you bypassed my league long ago.”

Tears begin to well the corner of my eye. “Out of your league? No way in hell. I’m just plain, ordinary Magnolia Berrybush.”

“Not anymore, Mags. There is nothing plain or ordinary about you.”

“Jace,” I say, as I move in to hug him. He returns the embrace. I pull away then lightly brush my lower lip against his. I wait for him to respond, but nothing happens. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. It’s too soon, and I don’t even know if…”

Jace takes my face in his hands and pulls me toward him, kissing me with fervor that is unmatched by anything I’ve ever experienced. “Mags, I’ve never felt this way for anyone. This is new for me.”

“It’s new for me, too,” I reply.

Jace leaves a trail of tender kisses along my face. I move to look him in the eye. “Jace, I want you to make love to me. Now.”

“Mags, not this way. I don’t want this to happen because you feel bad for me or because you’re only just discovering that I have feelings for you. I want it to happen when and if the time is right.”

I stand after taking his hand in mine. “I’m asking because it’s what I want. Please, Jace. I want this for both of us.”

“This is big, Mags. Once your virginity is gone, you can’t get it back. Maybe you should wait a while before making this decision?”

“I’ve been waiting for thirty-two years. It’s safe to say I’ve thoroughly contemplated the decision.” I guide him to his bedroom and shut the door behind us. He’s working hard to keep his passion at bay; I can see it in his eyes. “Don’t overthink this, Jace. It’s okay. I’m asking you for this, not the other way around.” I kiss him long and hard to drive my point home, and it works. He’s no longer timid and uncertain; he’s commanding and assured.

He stoops down to lift me in his sturdy arms, and then gently lays me on the bed. He crawls on top of me, and I bask in the sensation of his closeness. He kisses me for a long time, some short and sweet, some heavy and demanding… all of them making me want to fill an ache I’m feeling deep in my core. That feeling is amplified when Jace pulls off my shirt and unhooks my bra. He is the first man to see me topless, and instinctively I want to cover myself.

“Don’t,” Jace breathes into my ear. “You’re beautiful. You have to know that.” His lips move down my neck, across my collar bones, and down my sternum. I nearly come off of the bed when he takes one of my nipples into his mouth. He gently eases me back to lie flat and slowly releases the suction on my now erect bud. “How does that feel? Do you like it?” he asks, softly rolling it with his thumb.

“Yes,” I admit. “Will you do it again?”

He smiles broadly. “Of course.” He lashes his tongue out to tease the tip of the other nipple, and once it’s semi-erect, he pulls it into his mouth. He teases me by alternating sucking and pulling, and I realize there is a fire roaring down below. Everything he does to my breasts sends sumptuous sensations to my sex.