Mundahlia (The Mundahlian Era, #1) (27 page)

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Yet again my Romeo was gone once I’d awoken about an hour passed noon. It was cloudy today, and freezing—even more so than yesterday when it was just a cool, brisk day.
I thought this was supposed to be spring, not winter?

I found Mark in the kitchen, violently stirring a purple colored frosting in a mixing bowl. He was different today, seeming irritated about something.

“Where’s Jett?” I asked smoothing my wild hair.

“
Ha!
” he exclaimed. “Your
boyfriend
took that sniveling little
bitch
to get something to eat because she didn’t like what I made for lunch!” He slammed a drawer after fetching a smoother to spread the icing over a freshly baked chocolate cake. In a whiny, high-pitched voice he mimicked her voice, “I don’t really like this, maybe Jett can take me somewhere to eat. This is
too
bland! This is
too
salty,
bleh!
” He looked up at me, dropping the fake voice. “Well, she can shove it! I’m a good cook right? You like my cooking right, Rini?” He pointed the smoother to me in a manner that made it seem like I was being held up. Okay, this was the guy that was basically the perfect husband. He cooked, he cleaned, he took care of the baby. He was basically taken straight from a romance novel, and plopped into reality. Yet, here he was, freaking out because someone didn’t like his cooking.

“Uh Del!” I called out, not even sure if she was even in the cabin.

“What?” I heard from their room in the back.

“Could you come here a sec? I think your husband is spontaneously combusting.”

“What happened?” she paced to the kitchen and spotted him. “Babe? What’s the matter?”

“That girl, that-that
creature
criticized
my
cooking!”

“Oh, honey!” Del sounded somewhat relieved. “You’re still worked up over
that
?” I guess she thought it was something more serious. “Do you want me to kick her ass?” She wrapped her arms around him. “I will,” for you my love.” She kissed his cheek, “And you are
not
a good cook—” for a second he looked irate. “—you are a great cook!”

“It’s true,” I added. “I’ve only eaten here a few times, but your food is amazing! Definitely better than a restaurant. That girl doesn’t know what she’s saying.”

He seemed to relax a bit and dropped his shoulders, “And that is why
you
are getting this cake!” he said.

“Cake?”

“Remember when you told me about your birthday being today?” Del said. “I told Mark to make you a cake so you can celebrate it with us. I even had Max invite Sarah.”

“You shouldn’t have!” I blushed. “Really.”

Mark was twisting a bag of lime green icing as he decorated the borders of the cake in a neat little shell pattern. “Oh, it’s the least we could do Rini.” He looked pleased and stuck his tongue out as he carefully rounded the bottom and top of the deep-purple frosted cake with a border.

“I don’t really like green, though,” I stated, jokingly.

Pop!

Both Del and I looked over to Mark. He had squeezed the bag of icing so hard that it burst and splattered onto his apron and arms. He was ticked—and growling. The last straw had been broken, and I was the klutz that broke it. I broke, so I had to buy.

“I’m kidding! I’m kidding!” I said. “Sorry!”

Del intervened, “Babe, you need to relax!” She took his apron off and set it on the counter, taking his hand and tugging him toward her. “Come with me so I can like all that frosting off,” she said seductively. “That’ll calm you down a bit,” This relaxed him and he smiled. If he had a tail, it’d be wagging.

“Eww,” I said.

“What?” Del sided. “It’s perfectly normal.”

“Just remember, you all already have one kid that’s young, are you sure you wanna add another so soon?”

“Maybe we do!” They were at the entrance of the hallway. “And speaking of kids, watch the one we have now, please?”

“Fine.”

I went over to Kaylee. She held her stuffed seahorse up to me and smiled. “Aww, for me?” I said taking it. But when I gripped the toy, she tugged it back and nearly cried. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry.” I set a hand on my neck then flinched. The pain was still there. Not as harsh, but still pronounced. My necklace was the only thing that didn’t disturb my neck. Every turn and every graze stung like hell!

“Martin?” I called to the lump of a man curled up on the sofa with his book.

“Yes?” he returned.

“Do you mind if I get something to drink?”

“Of course not, go right ahead. I think there is some fresh sweet tea in the fridge. But dear?—you may want to check up on Jett too. He went to pick up some lunch with the girl we’re taking in. They took off the moment we got returned from picking her up and ate lunch and haven’t been back yet.” His voice was concerned.

“Um, yeah—Mark told me, but I guess a text won’t hurt, right?” Jett
was
just getting food, he couldn’t be busy now. I took my phone out and typed.

You (1:34pm):
Hey, where are you?

I slid the phone into my back pocket and opened the fridge. In a small container, there was some leftovers of the meal the girl named
Vienna
had criticized. Chicken Parmesan. Looks fine to me. I got a glass from the cupboard and pulled out a yellow pitcher of tea and poured it in the cup. I took a sip.
Mmm
. Refreshing.

“Help yourself to the leftovers,” Martin’s voice called. “Just a minute in the microwave and it should be ready.”

“How’d you-”

“I can smell it from over here.”

“
Ah
.”

There was a knock on the front door.
Jett!
Max, who I hadn’t noticed was laying in the corner of the living room with his computer, opened the door and let the visitor in. I turned the corner and found Sarah yielding a gift bag. My hopes were slightly crushed.

“Rini!” she bursted, making her way over once she and Max had kissed and hugged. Sarah had her fake glasses on, and her hair was parted. She was wearing the purple sweater I had seen her in on my first day at school, and a white shirt with the picture of a camera on it.

I went to retrieve my drink when Ray stepped out of the hallway. He was shirtless and in his underwear and socks. He looked at us awkwardly, and backed away into the room slowly. I hadn’t even noticed him in the room when I woke up this morning.

“So, now you are officially my age,” Sarah said from a seat at the table. I smiled and sipped my glass of tea.
Beep!
announced the microwave. “Vera’s still missing,” Sarah continued. “Her parents were on the news last night, they’re really worried.”

I shuddered the image of
Cruella
out of my mind. “Really?” I said uninterested. Instead of responding further, I moved my plate to a spot next to Sarah at the table and started digging in. Vienna must have been psycho. This food is delicious!

“Where’s Jett?” Sarah asked, just as I had shoveled the largest piece of food into my mouth. I had to swish it around to keep it from burning the inside of my mouth.

Buzzzzz.

Gulp!
“Hold on, my butt’s vibrating,” I said, reaching for the lively phone in my back pocket.

Jett (2:04pm):
I’m busy, Rini. Just give me a few minutes, I’m almost home.

Grr.
“He’s off being a
dick!
” I said responding to Sarah’s question as I typed. Was he really giving me that, again?

You (2:06pm):
Liar. You’re just getting food. That is NOT being busy! Please don’t give me the “I’m busy” bull crap again unless you really are busy. Look where it got me yesterday.

“Why, what happened?” She asked, suddenly worried. As though I’d just told her that I’d heard life changing news.

“Oh, it’s nothing, he just took a family friend to go get something to eat, because she complained about the cooking.”

“
She
?” her voice was suddenly concerned as if she plucked that particular word from my sentence and threw it back into my face to make sure I had noticed what I said. “Who is
she
?”

I looked to Max, sitting beside her and tracing her fingers in his hand. “Care to take this one?” He shook his head. I turned back to Sarah.“She’s some girl that is going to say with the family for a while,” I said. “She is—”

“A
bitch
,” Max finished. So much for staying out of it.

“Aye, Rini. Be careful!” Sarah said. “I don’t want to put it in your head, but his attention should be on you. Especially since your relationship is so new. Right now it’s at its most fragile moment.”

“What? Why do I have to be careful?” The thought was never in my mind, until now.

“I just don’t like the sound of it. Jett taking
her
to get something to eat. He should be taking
you
to get something to eat.” She saw my changing expression. “Just—be careful. That’s all I’m trying to say.”

Bzzzzz.

“Sarah, it’s nothing!” I said opening my phone.

Jett (2:08pm):
I said I was sorry. But seriously Rini, I’m busy.

You (2:08pm):
doing?

“It’s fine. I trust him.” I said.

“I dunno…” Sarah trailed as if hinting at something she didn’t want to say directly.

I thought to myself in silence as I ate a few more forkings of food. “Sarah, it’s fine!” I finally said. Now, all I had to do was believe it.

Buzzzz.

Jett (2:12pm) :
Don’t worry about it, I’m eating at a restaurant. Just calm down, I’ll be there soon.

You (2:13pm) :
Restaurant?! I thought you were just going to pick up something. You haven’t even taken me out to a restaurant by ourselves. Of all the days to take another girl out to a restaurant, Jett. Really?

I
hope he doesn’t pay for her!
Even on our date, I paid for myself! Okay, maybe I offered to pay for myself and he didn’t exactly protest it, but still!
Grr. He’s pissing me off!

Bzzzzz.

Jett (2:20pm):
Yes a restaurant, now bye! I’m busy. And, I’ll take you to one some other day, maybe next weekend.

Next weekend won’t be my birthday!
I couldn’t hide my anger when I text him back.

You (2:21pm):
Quit saying you’re busy! You’re pissing me off!

I sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity waiting for him to respond while Sarah and Max starting talking to each other.

Jett (2:46pm):
Oh, I’m pissing you off? How do you think I feel with you interrupting me every damn minute? Seriously, just leave me alone right now, okay! I said I’ll be there soon. Drop it Rini. And don’t bother texting back, I’m turning my phone off!

Ouch
. I felt a lump growing in my throat, and tears beginning to well in my eyes. I didn’t know who Vienna was, but I already hated her like the rest of the family did. Except Jett, of course. He loved her, apparently.

“Rini?” Sarah said, noticing my sudden change in expression again. “You all right?” I’d just had my first fight in a relationship—and I had no clue what do next.

I couldn’t eat anymore. “Yeah,” I said holding back a tear as I pushed the plate aside. “I’ll be fine.”
I hope so.

I excused myself to the bathroom and dialed his number. Sure enough, I got his voicemail. Feeling both scared of losing what I was trying to build and just feeling like this was somehow all my fault, I left him an apology voicemail, in hopes that when he does decide to turn his cellphone back one, he’ll know that I was only doing it to make sure he was okay. But just before I finished my message, I uttered a word that I wasn’t too sure I should have, and it was too late to take it back. Somehow, I didn’t feel bad for saying it. I thought it was right of me to do so. But there was still a small part of me that felt that maybe I should have just kept it to myself—for now.

Jett

24

I felt really bad
after I had sent the text. It was the kind of feeling I knew I was going to regret, like last night. I had reacted in the heat of the moment. But in all fairness, it was her fault for being too damn attached. Today wasn’t any special day, so why should I give her all of my attention, especially when I was trying to help Vienna settle in and get to know her better. This was Vienna’s day, not hers. And she needed to respect that. But no, here was my girlfriend, annoying me with her persistent texts. Sure I felt bad for what happened yesterday, but she had no right leaving our cabin anyway, like Vienna had said when I’d told her about it on the car ride to the restaurant. She said Rini should have been the one to apologize, and once she explained her reasoning, I began to feel it too. I specifically told Del not to let her go out on her own, but Rini did anyway. I just needed to go on a walk, like I usually do when I’m stressed or thinking heavily of something. I just needed
me
time for a little while. Since yesterday, I’ve started noticing how little things Rini does now are starting to try my nerves. Especially her persistent texts.