Trailer Park Princess (22 page)

She shrugs. “Doesn’t matter now. Rome is Saige’s daddy and always will be. He loves her like a daddy should.” She gives me a genuine smile, letting me know she means it. I pull out my necklace and open it up to show her the two pictures inside.

“This is all I have left to even remind me I’m not crazy; that it was all real.” We hug again, and I turn to leave.

“Ashley, come by the house and see her anytime. You are always welcome. It’s two blocks over. The one with the fence. We have game night once a week, and Clay could use a partner,” she says, pointing towards the street.

I nod my head. “I’d like that. Later, Rory.”

I still can’t stop thinking about what Ashley told me. After telling Rome everything word for word, we just sit staring at each other. “And the necklace, it’s the same one he gave me, Rome. She had a picture of them on one side and the sonogram picture on the other. It broke my heart.” I shake my head trying to clear the image of Ashley. I bet anything this is the secret Mando knew and refused to tell me. I get it now; it wasn’t her secret to tell, just as it isn’t mine, but I had to tell Rome. If Ashley shows up here, he needs to understand that it’s OK.

Saige comes running in the kitchen screaming for chocolate milk and jerking on Rome’s pant leg. She is so beautiful. Even more so now that I know she actually had an older brother or sister she will never meet because the poor baby never had a fighting chance. Saige squeals, pulling me back to the present. “TOP, DADDY! TOP!”

He sets her down and pats her butt. “Go play, love; it’s almost bedtime.” She pouts, sticking out her bottom lip. “Sorry, that’s the rule. All two year olds have to sleep, or they turn into tadpoles.” He makes a weird swimming motion with his hands, and she takes off screaming towards her room. He refills my cup and sets the tea jug back on the table. “Don’t worry, Princess; we’ll figure it all out tomorrow. It’s too late tonight, and we need to get this crew in bed so we can go to bed, too.” Waggling his eyebrows at me, he bends at the waist and kisses me hard on the lips. It’s overpowering. I feel my legs spread open as if commanded, and I moan. “Not yet, beautiful.” He lets go and walks away, calling down the hall, “Now, where are all the tadpoles tonight?” I let out the breath I am holding and relax. How I ever questioned my love for that man beats me. I mean,
my God
he turns me into a fangirl with one kiss. A wide smile spreads across my face as I set off to get the beds ready for Denver and Rio, still thinking about how sweet it sounds to hear Saige call Rome “Daddy.” It’s something she picked up on her own at daycare, and we never corrected her. Why would we? Rome is her daddy.

(Christmas and Saige’s Third Birthday)

I swear time is flying by. It’s already Christmas break again, and I still haven’t finished planning Saige’s birthday party. I wish we didn’t have to celebrate so early, but it’s a small price to pay for Mando to be able to be here.
  My home and my heart are both full of love. This sort of happiness isn’t something I ever thought I would have in my life. But I still can’t help the nagging feeling I have that something will go badly; it’s just who I am. I worry about having it good because it means I have something to lose, and the thought of losing what I have right here in this house eats at me. I would cease to exist without each and every one of these people.

I preparing the food and light a fragrance candle to help the house smell even more like baked cookies. I’m excited to have our family and friends over for supper. I just hope Mando doesn’t freak out when she finds out who I invited. On cue, I hear my phone beep.

Mando-
OK, Santa’s little slut, I just got done at my Gran’s, so I will be over in like an hour. Don’t eat without me or I will super glue your twat shut, you dig?

Me
-
10-4

Everyone is having a great time, sitting around and laughing, when I hear the oven timer go off. “I’ll be right back, guys. Let me get the roast out.” I make my way to the kitchen and get everything ready. The back door flies open and in runs a half-frozen Mando.

”EKKK Rory, I have missed your beautiful face so much!” She grabs me with both hands and starts kissing all over my face. I push her back.

“Stop, Mando, you crazy chick! I just saw you yesterday!” Both smiling, we just dive back into each other’s arms.

“I know; I just miss you. It’s hard being away from home.” We both continue laughing as we place all the dishes on the counter to set up our buffet-style dinner.

“So, Mando, I need to tell you something…” It’s all I get out before Clay makes his way into the kitchen. “Ladies, y’all need any help?” I smirk at him. “No thanks, Clay, we got it.”

Mando turns to look at him, and I swear I am in the twilight zone because for the first time ever, she is at a loss for words. “I am sure you guys remember each other from school,” I say and dismiss them to finish my task.

“I…yeah…hey, Amandolette, how are you?” he asks, reaching for her hand. He doesn’t shake it, though; he actually kisses the top of it. She snaps out of it and drags him into a hug.

“Clay, you overgrown brute, come here and hug me.” Somehow she spins him to where I can see her face over his shoulder. Her face is plain as day mouthing, “Oh.My.God,” eyes huge as saucers. I laugh out loud at her reaction. Clay really is a looker. If you dig that rocker-type, tattooed, hot-as-hell kind of look. Milk has done his body good, for sure.

“I was just about to tell Mando about our company before we got so rudely interrupted.” I wink at Clay. “Anyways, we have another guest tonight. I know I haven’t told you yet, but me and Ashley called a truce, and well…she’s here.” I see Mando swallow hard.

“Here like
here
, here? In this house, here? Like right now?”

I give her a nod. “Yep, she’s in the living room right now coloring with Saige.” I jerk my head t
owards the living room. “It’s OK. We had a talk. She knows all about Saige, and I know all about her.”

Mando walks over to me and wraps her arms around my neck. “I’m so sorry I never told you, Rory. I wanted to, but it wasn’t my place. I know how bad you were hurting, and I swear to you I didn’t know about it when Toby first started hitting on you. It was well after, once I confronted her about being so nasty to you, when I found out.”

I push back from her so I can see her face. “It’s OK. I get it wasn’t your story, and we all ended up just fine.”

Hours later, we are lounging all over the house. Clay is spread out in the floor with his back against the couch, and my feet are in Rome’s lap. Ashley is piled in the armchair, softly snoring. The kids have long since been tucked into bed, and Mando is doing this half on/half off the couch lay with her face right beside Clay’s. They have been whispering all through the movie.

“Rome,” I whisper, “look at that.” I point at Mando and Clay with my toe. He stretches.

“You ready for bed, Princess?” I drop my feet to the floor.

“Yeah, I am. Let me get Ashley a blanket first.”

Rome says his good nights and heads to bed while I get a blanket to cover her up. We didn’t mean to have a slumber party, but it works. We are one big nonconventional family.

“Here’s a blanket for y’all. You two can share, right?” I say to Clay and Mando. They are almost touching faces they are so close, laughing at one another.

“Thanks Ror. Smooches, trick,” Mando says before directing her attention back to Clay. I drop a kiss on both of their foreheads and make my way to my room.

Once I get to my room, I start stripping as soon as the door shuts. Then I make my way to bathroom to brush my teeth. I am standing in front of the sink, cleaning my face, when Rome walks up behind me. His beautiful face is all I see over my shoulder. He presses a soft kiss to my temple, and I start to melt. This man does things to me I cannot begin to understand. His kiss makes me lose all thought, and his touch sends my body into shock.  I can’t control myself around him. I turn so I can face him and slide my arms around his neck. His hands work their way under my hips and grasp my plump butt cheeks, pulling me up him so I can wrap my legs around his waist. He carries me to the bed and drops me playfully. He smiles and lets his hands roam all over me. He worships my body. He starts at my ankles and makes his way up my legs, over my stomach, across my chest, behind my neck, and ends on my lips. His touch burns every part of me as he rubs, smoothes, and licks my entire body and soul. This man shows me what I mean to him with every inch of his body. I lose myself in him every time. When I emerge on the other side of my orgasm, somewhere between desire and bliss, I feel relaxed and whole. He does this to me. He completes me.

 
Holidays are like a sugar high: It’s all great while you’re on it, but the second it’s over, the crash will kill you. I have everyone I love around me for days on end. I spend all my time laughing and cuddling with them in our little bubble. Everyone I love is within arm’s reach whenever I decide to hug them… But then comes the crash. Everyone has to get back to real life. Some of us have jobs, the kids have school, and Mando is gone thousands of miles away for months. It’s easier now that I have a girlfriend here, but it’s not the same. I like Ashley just fine, but she’s not my BFE. That is a title reserved for Mando and Rome, no one else.

Today is
 like any other day except, instead of Saige being at daycare like normal, she is out with Mrs. Riaz. They got her a Build-a-Bear gift card for Christmas, and she wanted to cash it in today. I hear the ding of the door and look up. My beautiful child, with a head full of loose curls, comes bouncing in with a huge tie-dyed bear in a sparkly skirt, shoes, and white tee. She has a smile on her face that stretches from ear to ear.

“How was it?” I ask Mrs. Riaz while hugging Saige close.

“We had good day, dear. She had so much fun. We did frozen yogurt for an afternoon snack.” She makes her way around the counter, heading towards the back office. “Come with me, Saige. I set up a DVD for you to watch in the back until your mommy is done.” She ushers Saige through the swinging door and down the hall.

I finish restocking and shut down for the night shift staff. I hear the boys coming through the door as I make my way back up the hall from getting Saige. “Come on, guys; I’m already done.” I wave bye to the crew as I round up my rowdy four pod to leave. I love watching them every afternoon as they all sit in our booth and do their homework while they wait on me. Normally Saige isn’t in the back ready to go, so it was nice to be able to cut out a little early. I almost have Denver strapped in when a car pulls up right beside me. Out of instinct, I reach back to make sure Saige is still right by my leg.

“Hi there, little one.”

My eyes lock with the devil himself. “Come on, Saige; let’s get you in the car, baby.” I pick her up and put her in her seat, ignoring him.

“What? Too good to speak now, trailer park?” I hear the clicks of the seat lock and shut the door. Turning to look behind me, I finally acknowledge Zac.

“What do you want?”

He shrugs and looks past me. “You know, that kid really don’t look like Rome. I said that last time I saw her, but now I can say it and mean it because from here, I can see exactly who she looks like.”

I put my hands on my hips and shoot daggers at him with my eyes. “And your point is what, dick face?” I hate being nasty. It’s not who I am, but something about Zac sets me on fire. I really don’t like him. He’s bad news.

“Just curious why you’ve never told Toby? He has the right to know. I mean, your being a whore shouldn’t be the reason the guy can’t know about his own kid. I get it. At first you likely didn’t know who she belonged to, but now, it’s pretty noticeable.”

I roll my eyes and drop my hands from my hips. “Ah, yes…my being a whore,” I say tapping my lower lip in thought. Without saying anything else, I turn to leave. He reaches out and grabs my arm.

“Look here, bitch. Toby told us all how you liked it. I don’t doubt you were banging anything with a dick back then. That kid’s his, though, and I’m telling him!”

I turn back to him, pissed. “It won’t do any good, you idiot! He knows, and he doesn’t care! So go tell him whatever you want!” I spit at him. I try to pull my wrist away, but he has a tight grip.

“Rory, don’t fuck with me, you little slut. You know you want it. And I will have it,” he lowers his head close to my ear, “even if I have to take it. You’re just like Ashley: all tough girl up front. I know your game. And don’t doubt me when I say I can set your pussy on fire.”

I hear the truck door open, and before I know it, Thax is standing there. “Not sure what your problem is, man, but if you don’t take your hands off my sister, it’s gonna be me.”

For the first time, I realize Thax is actually twice my size. Fifteen is a good age for him. He is broad across the shoulders from helping Rome at the shop on weekends and late at night. I kind of just forgot he was growing up. We don’t talk about him getting a job because he has school and he helps with the kids. He’ll be sixteen soon, and I’m sure he will ask then. That’s a bridge we will cross when we get to it. Right now, all I can focus on is how intimidating he looks, staring Zac down with a death glare.