Jay devoted every spare moment he had to her body. As a lover, the insecure and fumbling, all thumbs boy was gone and in his place was this very satisfying, affectionate lover. She was smitten. Her overall mood did a 360, nice, pleasant and nothing and no one got under her skin. She was accommodating to everyone and happy. He had put a smile back on her face. She felt alive again. She hated to admit it, but she felt the pull to him that she felt when she was 14. He made her feel good. He made her blush. When he touched her, her belly flip flopped, she felt her pulse and she was never so scared in her life. She waited for the other shoe to drop. She worried she wasn't enough. She worried she'd fuck it up. She worried about worrying too much. When she felt something, she spoke it. He was easy with her, held her, cuddled her, stared at her and flirted with her.
"This feels good, Jay." She admitted even though it scared her to say it. She hit the joint and handed it back to him. "Enough." She said, sliding her arms around his waist to keep warm in the January deep freeze on the back patio.
"I'm not smothering you am I?" He asked. The response was no. He knew when to back off her, when she'd had enough. She was so much easier the second time around.
When they stepped back in the house, Tavin waited for the lovebirds. "I'm not asking again." Tavin warned them, opening a beer. He offered one to Julia and Jay and they passed on the offer. "Have you two decided on where mom's going?" He asked. They didn't answer. "Well? Cause I can decide this for you." He warned them. Julia looked to Jayson. "Did you lose your voice this month, Red? Speak."
"Um, we haven't talked about it."
"Let's do that then." He said, looking at Jay. "She'll be here in a few days. Jay, where do you sleep every night?"
"In the she-cave." He answered, which was what they called it.
"Rename it the we-cave and move the fuck out of the upstairs. Or are you moving up?" He asked Julia.
"I kinda like my bed, Jay." She said quietly.
"What is taking you so long to figure this out?"
"Oh, I am not sure if he should live with me. That makes things kind of permanent." Julia said.
"Permanent?"
"It's not a problem. I could really screw this up and then it'll be a mess and then..."
"Julia, you're not going to screw up anything. Don't think like that." Kelly said, coming into the kitchen to get Tavin. She put her arms around Tavin's waist, looking up at him. She smiled as she tugged at Tavin to move.
"I don't want to make it sound like I'm forcing you, but arrangements have to be made, guys. You got a week." They looked at him, but didn't respond. "Guys, we have time to change our minds. Do you not wanna do this?"
"Do you?" Julia asked.
"You're very similar. You know this. You figured that out a long time ago."
"I think I know what you mean, Kell."
"You know exactly what I mean. It has its upside. You two should be able to understand each other. You were in two different prisons, but you learned the same lessons."
"Kelly, stop reading her." Tavin told her.
"I only give what I receive, Tavin. I can't just turn it off." She told him. She looked to Julia. "You're worrying you'll see yourself in her."
"This oughta be fun then." She sighed, looking at the beer in Tavin's hand. She thought about it. One after another after another. No, she reminded herself.
"You can have a life of your own."
"Kelly, stop it."
"You could. Your vibe is. Your whole aura-"
"Kelly, she said stop." Tavin urged.
"It is what it is. I know you don't like hearing it, but let it go. Nothing with them will change, like they know what you are and all. They won't quit loving you cause mom is here. And you're more worried about it than they are."
"Let it go?" Julia repeated, an angry red flush to her skin.
"Don't get angry. You're ugly when you're angry." Kelly said.
"You're not ugly, Julia." Tavin told her, thinking she'd take that the wrong way.
"I didn't mean physically. It makes her soul sick, then she starts feeling sick, then she is sick."
"The soul's about to get naked." Tavin pointed at Julia.
"You told him about the naked souls..." Jay smiled. "I love seeing you naked."
"Awe," Julia smiled shyly.
"Really, Jay. Naked. Is she naked now, Jay?" Tavin teased him. It was easy to tease him. "Are you gonna pull it out and 'transcend' right in front of us, Jay?" Tavin asked sarcastically.
"Don't make fun of them. You should try it yourself sometime, Tavin Keller." Kelly suggested.
"So you move into the basement. Yes?" He looked at Jay. "Go transcend in the she-cave."
Julia and Jay descended to the she-cave and left Kelly with Tavin in the kitchen. "It's love, stupid. That's all transcending is."
"I know." He told her, finishing his beer.
"It's not hard to do. Just open up." She suggested.
"You don't wanna see what's in there. It's dark inside."
"Well, this is a start." She said, pulling him away from the counter. "You don't trust me?"
"Nothing to do with trust. There's some things that should stay private is all."
"You told her." Kelly pointed to the kitchen.
"It's not about who I love more or who I trust more. There's a time and a place."
"I could find out. It's all underneath her mess though. And that's a lot to pick through."
"Well, why don't you wait then? I'm not ready to go there with you."
"You go everywhere else with me."
"No, I don't."
"What do you think is gonna happen if you let me in?"
"Probably nothing. Climb in if you want, but it's not all puppies and kittens and rainbows."
"Let me skim the surface, please." She asked. He backed them to the sofa and sat down. She settled on top of him as he embraced her.
"Like what do you wanna know?"
"Show me something that would shock me to see. Something disgusting."
"Oh, well that was the weekend from hell."
Jay knelt at the end of the bed, head between her spread legs. She lay back enjoying him, eyes closed and her body hot, legs trembling over his shoulders. As she told him how gifted his tongue was the movie started playing in her head. The weekend. She had no control over it. What the fuck...she groaned to herself. She didn't go there. He did. With her.
"Jay, stop." She said, pulling her legs up. She set her feet on his shoulders.
"Why? What did I do?"
"Nothing. Babe, it's not you. Gimme your hands." She said, bouncing her palms on the bed. His hands slid up to hers and she folded her hands around his. "Close your eyes and look." She said, hoping it would work for him as it worked for her.
"Jesus Christ." He snapped after watching a few minutes. He pulled his hands away from hers.
"Mind fuck."
"Are you thinking about that while I'm eating your pussy?" He asked, shocked.
"No." She answered, sitting up. "She sees things in pictures or it plays out like a movie. She's rooting around in his head." She pulled Jay's tee on and got up. She went upstairs. "Get out of his head." She yelled at Kelly. It may have appeared that they were just sitting there on the sofa, but to Julia it was more than that. "Do not show her that, Tavin. That's between you and me."
He was caught off guard that she'd seen anything at all. "You told Jayson about it."
"I don't want her seeing that. That is private. Tell her what you want, but do not show her that. There's a difference."
"Get out of his head." Julia snapped at Kelly again.
"For you."
"Yes, for me. Respect that." She looked at Kelly on top of Tavin. "Sit over there and listen to it. Don't watch it. I should have a say over what you see and what you don't see." She paused, thinking a moment. "Why are you even going there?"
"She asked me about the last disgusting thing I did."
"Disgusting?" She yelled. "That wasn't disgusting. Strange, weird, extreme even."
"I can skip what I did to you."
"Skip what I did to you too. It's embarrassing."
"What is ok to share?"
"If you wanna share someone bottoming out, show her you bottoming out. You can't share your own soul, so you gotta reach into mine. That's not yours. It's mine."
"That's what I asked for." Kelly said, sensing Julia was thinking of Tavin bottoming out in Pittsburgh.
"Kelly, don't. Julia stop thinking about it."
"puppies, kittens, rainbows..." Julia said aloud, then repeated it till Kelly only visualized puppies, kittens and rainbows. "He'll tell you when it's time to tell you." Julia informed her, feeling pissed off.
"Is this about the guy in Pittsburgh?" Jayson asked sorting through this confusing conversation.
"What the fuck, Jay?" Tavin yelled.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know she didn't know. Why wouldn't you tell her about that?"
"Maybe it's none of her business. You can't push the naked soul. It gets naked like we get naked, one piece of clothing at a time. You can't force someone to get naked. It makes people uncomfortable."
"Kelly, you never had the naked soul talk with Chess, so you don't understand the theory here."
"Should I call him?"
"Oh, no. You should be with him, like in person and stoned, that helps." Jay informed her.
"It helps if you're dead as fuck too. Death brings you closer to the light, which brings you closer together on all levels. No one transcends like Chess. It can be enlightening or so god damn sexually stimulating."
"Oh, really, Julia?" Tavin smiled.
"Oh my god, yes. For a female, personally, it was very sexually stimulating." She explained. "Kneeling at the monument."
"God, " Jay muttered.
"What? You remember, Jay. We all have monuments, babe. Depends on whose you kneel in front of."
"So I should get stoned with Chess."
"It's more than that. You need to connect with Chess first on some level. He just doesn't go around spouting the prophecy."
"How do I connect with him?" She asked.
"It's different for everyone obviously. I was not kneeling at the monument." Jay smirked.
"I don't get high or drink. It makes my senses weak."
"Maybe you need to get weak and let him reconstruct the universe."
"I find it difficult to believe you got all this from Chess."
"Don't underestimate Chess."
"Ok, sorry. He's just not that deep to me."
"Me either." Tavin agreed.
"You don't fuckin' get it. You only see shit on a certain level when it comes to our connections. You see it only on this level. To us, there is no level." Jay nodded. "This runs so much deeper." Julia said, motioning in a circle around the room. "Deeper than anything you could ever imagine."
"Agreed." Jay said.
"There's still the guy in Pittsburgh." Kelly told Tavin.
"You. Let her in or this is all bullshit. It's a good place to start."
"I don't know about that."
"Speak it. Some things shouldn't be seen or felt again like that."
"You could feel it too?" Tavin asked her.
"Yes, I could."
"Like we were there. Did you feel high?"
"Yes." Julia said, walking away from them.
Post conversation, Julia couldn't settle down. Maybe it was the talk about the universe or the talk about the connections, or the depth to which she felt for her people. They had effectively brought up memories, or the feeling of those memories. Jay felt the same, pent up, frustrated. They sat next to each other on the bed, staring at the four walls.
"Jay, wanna fuck tonight?" Julia asked, cause that's how she felt. They'd been making love for a month, but the rush they were feeling was different. "Well," She said, looking at him.
"Well?" He shrugged. "What? What are you thinking?"
"Just go with it. We'll be fine."
"Go with what? No knives, Julia."
"Never. No." She laughed. "Unless you have a mountain of narcotics hidden here somewhere."
He shook his head. "Damn." She frowned, crawling toward him. "Wanna meet the slut, babe?" She grinned, letting down the red hair from it's pony tail.
"Y-yeah, yes."
"Oh, you're gonna love her." She grinned. She reached up and pulled his hair down, too, which surprised him. She latched onto a handful of soft black hair and switched it around her fist.
He couldn't look at her the same way afterward. They passed a couple hours manhandling each other, saying dirty and despicable words to each other. It was rough, but good. When she finished with him, there were no sheets on her bed, the mattress was crooked on the frame, they dripped with sweat. It was a work out. He had no idea she could move like that or control him like that, encouraging him to bring a certain rage to the surface, fuck her with his dick instead of his mind. Rough substituted for gentle. There was no caressing, no sweet words whispered in her ear.
"That's treating you like a whore?" He asked, wrapping a towel around his waist.
She laughed a little. "That's me treating you like one. You didn't say anything, so I figured you liked it."
"Wow, yes." He agreed, pulling his hair back up.
She got off the bed. She fixed the mattress and looked around for the sheet. She could feel his eyes on her as she bent over to pick up the sheet. She lingered a moment, bent in half before standing back up straight. He helped her with the next sheet and then the blanket. He found the pillows and threw them on the bed. He looked around the she-cave, thinking. She approached him, pressing the slut against him, "Whatcha thinking?"
"Where am I putting the Xbox? Is this cave cable ready?"
"I'll take care of it, babe." She laughed. That wasn't exactly what she was hoping for as a response.
He watched her wrap in a towel. He shook his head. "Robe, please." She dropped the towel and pulled on her fluffy robe.
"No one's even up."
"Doesn't matter." He replied. They climbed to the bathroom, up two flights of stairs and met up with Julia, too, sneaking out of Alex's room half dressed. She jumped a little, shy from being caught in her underwear and a half top. "Find some clothes, Julia." Jay ordered.
"I was. In there." She pointed to the bathroom.
He and Julia waited for her in the hall. "See, I told you it didn't matter, Jules."
"K, you're right." She whispered. She glanced into Jay's room and looked at how neat and orderly he kept it. She thought it shouldn't take long to move his things downstairs. When Julia came out, covered this time, she scooted past them shyly back into Alex. Jay and Julia went in for their shower.
"Are they doing it too?" Julia asked.
"He hasn't mentioned it. Babe, can I be honest with you?"
"Yes, please." She said, turning on the water.
"I don't like the slut. I'm in some kind of mood now."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Was it too much? I shouldn't have completely fucked your dick raw?" Julia asked, voice full of sarcasm.
"No. I liked that, but you call it the slut. I don't like slutty."
"Oh, well, I can put her away. You'll never see her again." Julia teased him.
"No, don't do that. I loved that." He argued, watching her take off the robe and hang it up.
"So I can bring out my inner hoe, we just cannot call her a hoe?"
"Yeah, kinda."
"Whatever, Jayson." She stepped into the warm water. He stepped in behind her.
They showered, went back down two flights of stairs and snuggled up clean in bed next to each other. As she neared sleep, she heard his voice.
Jay was up early, out for his run and Julia followed not far behind him, making coffee and getting lunch ready for Tavin. He arrived to the kitchen sick, said he wasn't going to work and that he needed medicine. What exactly had happened to him over night was a mystery, feverish and stuffed up, he was sickly. And had a piss poor attitude along with it.
"Help, Julia. You know what I need." He frowned, putting his head down on the table. She dosed him with Tylenol, mucinex and Benadryl, then sent him on his way to the sofa where he collapsed and curled up like a little kid. "Hungry or nah?" She called.
"Toast, OJ." He called back.
"There you go, boss." She said, bringing him his toast. "Anything else you need?"
"I miss you in my room." He said in a matter of fact way.
She smiled at him over the counter, dismissing his statement. "How was your talk with Kelly?" She asked, pouring a cup of coffee. "Did you tell her?"
"She's not having me locked up. No."
"You really think that, Tav?"
"I don't know, so I would rather not go there yet. I told her about the weekend instead. I got some pretty good ass off that story."
"Glad I could help. And so did I." She added, sipping her coffee. Julia watched him finish his toast. She fetched a box of tissues from the laundry room shelf and brought them in to him, took his plate from him. "Could you please keep what we say between us?"
"Yeah, Red. Sure."
"If he knew I was talking like this, he'd be upset and I don't want him upset."
"Then why talk to me about it?" He asked. "I mean, yeah, we always talk about our shit but if it bothers him, then why do it?"
"What the fuck else are we gonna talk about, Tavin?"
"It kind of is all we talk about."
"So..." She smirked, avoiding the sex conversation.
"Yeah, so..." He continued. The room filled with a few minutes of awkward silence. "I won't tell. Anyway, did you see Julia, too is back?"
"I did. I saw her sneaking out of Alex's room last night." She said.
"Yeah, I got him more condoms."
"Oh, thank you, cause Jay didn't know and I don't want the kid uncovered."
"He says Jay will lecture him. That's why he asked me."
"He would, but only cause he cares."
"But he's busting cherries up there. You know she's the third right? There was another one."
"No fuckin' way. Who?"
"Some girl at school." Tavin said, shaking his head. "I told him that was too much. Slow it down. He's worse than I was."
"At the rate he's going..."
"Know what he told her? If she didn't give it up, he'd find someone who would. He'd never talk to her again. She was a waste of time and space. Straight up like that. No respect at all."
"Ouch. Did you smack him?"
"I made him apologize to the kid. I took him to her place and sent him in there apologizing. She was devastated. He made her feel worthless. She still fucking let him hit it."
"They had make up sex before regular sex."
"Yeah, I guess. He is too young. You were right." Tavin said. "He just doesn't know how to treat a girl. It was bad. I mean, I can be pretty heartless and insensitive and all the shit I ever did, I never spoke to any girl like that. Even if you fuckin' mean it, hold that shit back." He paused, looked at her. "I never made you feel like that did I?"
"No. I've been lucky in that aspect. Even when you guys hated me, you still took care of me."
"I never hated you."
"You sure about that? You been mad at least."
"Mad, yes. Hate, no."
"Chess hates me."
"No, he doesn't. No one hates you. Stop it."
"Tavin, he tells me he hates me. It's a red flag, babe."
"He also tells you he loves you, Mrs. Morgan."
"Well, yeah." She smiled. "Speaking of Mr. Morgan, he hasn't called me all month. The dick."
Julia reached for her phone and texted Mr. Morgan, asking him what was up and when he was coming home? She set the phone back down, disgusted. "He does look kinda cute in his tactical gear." She glanced at Tavin. "Don't tell Jay that either."
"Where is he anyway? He's usually home by now."
"Don't know, Tav." She answered, looking at the clock. She got up and roused all the kids for school, including Julia, too. She was the easiest to wake up and get moving. She got hold of Tatia's head before she could start complaining and got her hair brushed out and put up in a tail. She made her brush her teeth, then came back down stairs and had their breakfast ready and on the table. As they ate, Jay came in looking ill and carrying roses.
"Awe, babe. That's so nice." She smiled, taking her flowers. She smelled them, looking at the bright and colorful blooming roses.
He kissed her cheek. "I love you. I feel like shit."
"You look it. Where you been?"
"Walking." He answered. "I started out running. Felt weird and stopped. I had to walk home."
She felt his head and sent him to lay down. She got out the same medicine she got Tavin and took it downstairs to him with a water bottle. She handed him his medicine. "Thanks for the flowers, Jay."
"Well, we made it a month." He groaned, taking the pills and looking at them. "What is this?"
"Tylenol, mucinex for congestion and Benadryl for peace of mind."
He swallowed them down. "Benadryl. That makes you sleepy." He said, peeling off his under armour and kicking off his shoes.
"My peace of mind." She said. "Sweet dreams." She smiled, tucking him in.
She looked at the kids who appeared well so far. She started feeling their heads. "How you feeling?" She asked them.
"Ok." Alex and Julia answered, eating their cereal.
"Julia, I'm gonna throw up." Tatia announced, turning pale in front of her eyes.
"Trash can." She pointed behind Tatia. Tatia rose and vomited cereal in the can behind her.
"Tav, go up and lay down." She told him.
"I'm fine here." He said.
"Tatia's staying home. I wanna sit down here with her."
"I can sit with her." He volunteered.
Julia took her back upstairs and made her swish her mouth and spit out mouth wash. She had her change and get back in the very pajamas she took off. "Is Kell still here?" She called.
"Yeah. She said leave her alone."
"Shit," Julia muttered under her breath. She sent Tatia back downstairs and checked on Kelly. "Kell,"
"What?" She groaned under her blanket.
"You sick too?"
"Kind of." She replied, pushing back the blanket and getting up. She started getting dressed in front of Julia, pulling the tee over her head and putting her bra on.
"Kell," Julia said, observing her naked little body. "How far along are you?"
"Is it obvious?"
"Very. Yes." Julia answered, stepping closer to her. "Can you feel him moving yet?"
"Yeah." She answered, pulling the baggy school shirt over her head. "Jules, please don't lecture me."
"I won't." She smiled, reaching toward her belly. "Can I?" Julia rubbed her little pouch that protruded from her body. "Oh, my God, Kelly." She smiled. "I didn't even notice. You been keeping it to yourselves. Why?" She didn't answer. She opened her mouth to speak when Tavin came up.
"I had enough of her and her talking." Tavin said, climbing back in his bed.
"Already?" Julia laughed.
"Already." He agreed. He looked at Kelly, then back to Julia. "What?"
"You don't -you didn't tell him?" Julia asked. "Tav, look at her."
"Look at what? What about her?"
"You sleep next to her. You don't see this?" She asked, pointing to Kelly's belly.
"She's getting fat. Yeah. I told her it didn't matter."
"It does matter, Tavin." Julia smiled, rubbing the belly again. She lifted the uniform top. Julia turned the girl sideways and showed him her profile. "Oh, Tavin. He's in there." Julia started tearing up as she leaned over and looked at the belly.
"What the fuck, Kelly?"
"Stop, Tavin." Julia warned him. "Come here. Feel."
"No." He closed his eyes.
"This is not a good time to be having a baby." Kelly whispered.
"There is no good fucking time to have a baby." Tavin yelled. "Kelly, what the fuck? Did you do this on purpose?"
"No."
"Hi, little baby. Tarin, hi, Tarin." Julia cooed at her baby bump. "I am so excited." Julia gushed.
"How far, Kelly?" Tavin asked, anger raging through his sickness.
"Four-"
"Please say weeks, Kell. Please say weeks."
"Months. He moves. He kicks. He hears." Julia squealed. "Tarin, you hear me baby."
"He's kicking." Kelly said, crying because Julia was happy and because Tavin was angry.
"I cannot wait to see him!" Julia cried. "I miss the babies so much. I gotta tell Jayson." She stood up. "It is him right?"
"Yeah." Kelly said, wiping tear away from her face. Julia scurried away to tell Jay and left her there alone with him.
"I can't believe you were this irresponsible. How long were you going to wait to tell me?"
"I-I'm not sure."
"You're so sure about everything else."
"I know, but it was over so fast and it happened and we shared that night together. I thought it would be ok just once. I thought it was only gonna be once, Tavin."
"Bullshit, you feel stuff. You couldn't feel this?" He yelled.
"Please, don't yell at me." She cried.
"Kelly," Tavin said, lowering his voice. "You know how I feel about children."
"I know."
"I'm fucking pissed off."
"I know."
She stood crying in front of him in her underwear and a school uniform shirt, feeling about as naked as she truly was. Her belly overhanging her panty line. Her belly jiggled a bit. He noticed, then kept on staring at it. He had a million thoughts racing through his mind on top of feeling absolutely wretched.
"I'm glad I'm sick or-" He started to say it, but held it back. He was about to be cruel and mean, but he held it back. He'd given Alex the same speech, treat her right.
"Or what?"
"Or I would be at work and I wouldn't know." He replied, changing his attitude. "Jesus, I thought you were getting fat. You shoulda told me." He said.
"I am getting fat."
"Did you tell your parents?"
"No."
"Come here and stop crying. We'll be alright." He said, reaching his hand out to her. She took it and curled up next to him in bed. "We'll be alright." He told her again, trying to believe that himself.
"I'm scared, Tavin."
"I know, Kelly. I guess I'm right there with you."
Julia passed the next couple days taking care of sick people and moving Jayson's stuff downstairs to the basement. She moved his stuff while carrying out her usual routine. She had him all piled up in the basement neatly, because Jayson would want it that way. When his stuff had been cleared out of his room, she scrubbed it down and left it as empty as the day that he had moved in there. Tavin kept to himself and his thoughts, only coming out of his room for food.
"How you feeling, Red?" He asked eating his soup.
"I feel ok." She replied, feeling his forehead. She backed off the Tylenol and the Benadryl as he'd started to complain that she was drugging him on purpose. It was the magic pill as far as she was concerned. It kept them sleepy, they asked for less, whined and complained less and she was at peace with no whiners.
"You going to work in the morning, Tav?"
"Yeah, I feel better." He answered. "You got the room cleaned out. It looks good, Julia. Thank you."
"You know, Tavin. Are you sure that you want to do this, Tavin? That room-"
"I know and it's too soon. One thing at a time."
"Time's gonna fly, Tav." Julia reminded him as he rose from the table.
"I'm happy that you're happy, Julia." Tavin said.
"You're gonna be a good daddy. Have some faith."
Julia sat in the kitchen at the table listening to Tavin and his mother talk. Karen sat opposite Tavin and Julia and detailed her immediate future as a free woman, a semi-free woman with 4 additional years of parole. She had requirements that she had to fulfill for the state of Pennsylvania in order to remain free. All her appointments, Julia had called and made for her. All her needs had been immediately met by Julia as she'd arrived with little to nothing. She had no clothes, no belongings. Julia signed into the state welfare site and arranged her appointment with the caseworker for cash and had filled out her application. Karen was looking forward nervously to the future, especially when it came to getting a job.
Karen Keller was an awkward quiet and distant woman at first, trying to feel out the people around her. Territorial, she didn't like people in her room or touching anything that belonged to her. She was soft-spoken, mild mannered, but tough and short tempered at times. She was an attractive woman. Looked nothing like the typical Keller brood. She stood apart from her siblings and she suggested she'd had a different father, but her mother would never verify that. Her blood had always run hot, thus the lifestyle her siblings had avoided. She had also been the youngest of all of them, the least watched, the least paid attention too and spent the most time with her crazy mother. She was curvy and darker skinned as opposed to the plain and fair skinned Kellers. She felt as though there was little Irish blood coursing through her veins. Since their father had died so young, the questions she had were never truly answered. She was left with only suspicion.
Karen kept her long brown curls down and pushed back with a head band, wore only jeans and tees and had no affinity for bras anymore despite the C cups that were on her chest. She still had 'it', she said as she and Julia went shopping. Julia understood what 'it' was as it oozed off her as she tried on her jeans, over super wide hips and that flat stomach of hers. Karen was more leg than anything even at 5'7. She liked her jeans tight and her tees tight too.
She had transitioned from the prison state of mind to the free state of mind cautiously, anxiety ridden all the way. Chewing at her nails and pulling constantly at her hair. Karen, they came to realize sooner than later, had no filter. She said what she pleased, got feelings off her chest up front. Is it a Keller thing or is it a prison thing? Julia had wondered. The longer she spent observing Karen, the more she felt it was in her blood. Tavin was really similar to her in affect and temperament. Julia was shocked at the similarity. It was uncanny, the mannerisms and moods of the two headstrong Kellers. Their genetics were completely aligned. She'd been the most sober with Tavin and her personality and traits had rubbed off on him before she went over the edge into the drug abyss. Karen felt comfortable letting Julia continue with all her normal house chores and duties. Karen didn't want any part of it.
"I don't like staying still, sitting around doing nothing." Karen told her. "Never did. I gotta get a life, kid." Karen told her flat out.
"I don't think of what I do as nothing." Julia argued.
"It's not, Julia." Tavin assured her, covering her hand with his. Karen noticed, then called them out on it.
"Oh, you got them wrapped don't you?" Karen laughed at her. "That's how you live for free?"
Julia looked away, bit her tongue. Her small hand trembled beneath Tavin's. Keep the peace, Julia, keep the peace...she thought to herself. Get up and walk away...walk away, Julia... She had to talk herself out of an argument, force it down.
"She doesn't live for free, ma." Tavin spoke up, taking her hand and moving it beneath the table. He held it tight against her thigh.
"I see. Whatever you like, kids. Whatever works." She got out of her chair and wandered off.
Julia yanked her hand away from his.
"We haven't told her anything about anything. She's just going on assumptions, Julia. Let her think what she wants."
It had been a roller coaster week that had started January 31. The eldest 2 boys were more relaxed and at ease with her having seen her on and off through the incarceration. Alex was distant and kept it moving. Tatia was clingy with Julia, having no idea who Karen was. The night before Karen came home, Tavin and Jay sat her down and told her Karen was coming to live with them. She was familiar with the idea of Karen as real mommy as Julia had told her the truth from day one and never hid the fact that she herself was not her birth mom. But to be in her presence was different altogether. The youngest children, Karen would have to take things one day at a time and vice versa. The eldest, there was that animosity that still ran inside them. Even at 18 and 22, the boys were struck by the memories and the feelings they could put away and forget. As Karen stood in front of them or sat at their dinner table with them, Tavin and Jay chose to actively focus on the present not the past, start new and fresh and not drudge up the hurt feelings and the history. As the days passed though, Julia felt it couldn't be avoided. Karen wanted to bring it up, talk about it, work on it, but she met a brick wall with Tavin. Jay was more than willing to have the conversation.
"I might need bail money after work tomorrow." Tavin laughed nervously. "Me and Kelly are telling her parents about the baby."
"You have to eventually." Julia said. "You'll be alright. You've been with her this long. It's not like you're a one night stand or anything."
"I'm 22, she's 17, Julia. I feel this isn't going to be easy."
"Bring the kid home, Tavin. That's the right thing to do."
He looked at her funny, "That's what I want to do, Julia. Getting them to go along with it, I don't know."
"You putting a ring on that?"
"No. No rings."
"Ok, whatever. I'm excited." Julia smiled. "We can fit her in here, no problem."
"Glad someone is excited about this." Tavin sighed. "Julia, she's not. I mean. I was unfair with her the first couple days after I found out. I wont lie, but I'm ok with the idea. Her, she's miserable."
"Once you tell the family, maybe that'll change. She was not a happy teen mom the first time around either."
"She's obsessed with zombies, worse than you and your zombies. I thought once I stopped sleeping with you, I wouldn't have to hear about that shit anymore. I don't know what to do with what she tells me."
"I do, though. We'll figure it out. I just sit around here all day with nothing to do." Julia laughed, getting out of her seat.
"Ah, Julia, I thought you were gonna go over the table at her."
"I wouldn't."
She head downstairs and waited for Jay to come home from work. Flopping on the bed, she looked at her cell and had missed calls from Chess. She called him back and he answered.
"I'll be home this weekend." He said.
"Ok, Chess. You coming over?"
"I want to. What's going on? You keep texting me."
"I text you cause I think you might answer, Chess."
"I'm busy." He replied.
"Me too. Anyway..."
"Anyway, you have me on the phone now. You miss me or somethin'?"
"Yeah, we all miss you."
"How's things with Jay?"
"Good." She answered, avoiding the conversation about Jayson. "So you're coming home. You can see your fucking aunt. And Kelly's baby bump."
"Aunt who? Karen's out?" He started laughing.
"Yeah, Karen's out."
"How's Kelly doing?"
"Good. You know how much I miss the babies. I can't wait to see him again. Can you give her the prophecy? We tried explaining it to them, but it sounds so good coming from you."
"I'll think about it for Kell, but she already knows the truth. And Tavin can fuck off for all I care."
"I'm not feeling the love, Chess."
"I need a break is all. I need to get drunk and laid."
"Katie coming with you? It's ok."
"Nah, Kate, I still see her, but I been talking with Mace."
"That's fine."
"I shoulda never stopped talking to her. I was pissed she went there with you two. She knows that. She's crazy for even thinking anything would come of that." Chess explained. "She came back at me with that, 'I do what I want with my body' line that you like to throw at me."
"They still talk. You know that right?"
"I know that she made a new friend. So...I'll see you this weekend. Tell Jayson to get some weed."
"K. I'll do that."
"I love you, Julia."
"Awe, I love you too. I'll see you soon."
Early Saturday afternoon the Keller family started showing up out of nowhere. Tavin's day off and he slept till he couldn't sleep anymore. As the family started showing up, Julia was unnerved as she wasn't expecting them. In fact she hadn't expected anyone till later. Karen took over the downstairs with her numerous siblings, catching up on years worth of absence. Julia was alright with the reunion till her dad dropped in. Julia spent her whole life being Cal's daughter. Calling someone dad for nearly 19 years, she occasionally forgot that her dad was a man too. As he sat at her table shooting the shit with a family he'd known since high school and flirting with a woman he also always liked named Karen.
Julia fetched dad a beer and slipped quietly upstairs to Tavin.
"Tavin, wake up." She urged, pushing on his shoulder.
"What's up, Red?" He asked.
"OMG, Tav. Did you know the fam was coming over today?"
"Yeah, Karen mentioned her brothers..."
"My dad is here."
"So." He shrugged. He patted the mattress. "Wanna get in?"
"No." She answered. "They're flirting with each other, Tavin."
"Who? Cal and Karen?" He laughed.
"Omg, yeah, Tav." She said uncomfortable with that idea.
"Red, your dad is a guy. Let him alone."
"My daddy is my daddy. I don't think of him like that."
"Why's it make you so uncomfortable?"
"Cause it does." Julia said, tugging his shirt.
"Why you up here? Where's Jayson?"
"He took the kids to the movies with Kelly."
"Get in here then." He said, pulling her arm.
"Tav, I can't get in here." She said, smacking his hand off her. "Fuck, I'm gonna go hide in the basement."
"Hide under this blanket with me."
"You can't seriously be that fucking horny."
"How can you say that you're not?"
"I didn't say I wasn't."
"I forgot you're in love."
"Love and in love are two different things, lover." Julia teased, backing away from him.
"You want it. I knew it, Red. You can take the girl outta the whore, but not the whore outta the girl."
"Are you insulting me?"
"No. Never, Red." He called behind her. "No cock blocking down there either."
Long after the siblings left, Cal still stuck around with Karen. Julia picked up after them and tossed the beer cans and pizza boxes and all their mess in time for her to make a mess of their own. She'd taken Tavin's advice and avoided cock blocking. Her dad was nothing if not a gentleman. From all that Julia had listened to, she learned that Karen and Cal were more than just friends. No wonder he liked their mother so much. Karen had come before Rose. If not for the turns they took in high school, down two different roads, then Karen could have been the one.
Julia went back upstairs. Tav was awake, watching TV.
"They did it already." Julia said from the doorway. "Tavin, they were a thing. Before my mom."
"Seriously."
"The conversation I just heard, Tav. They...you know..."
"No shit? Dad was hitting that?"
"That is your mom."
"From the sound of it she almost coulda been your mom."
"No wonder he always liked her. I always wondered why. Now I know. You coulda almost been my brother. Ugh..." She moaned. She heard the truck start, so she went to the window and peeked outside. "They're leaving, Tav." She cringed.
"Oh. Really? They are?" He asked, getting up and peeking out with her. "Oh, they are. He moves fast as you."
"Oh, please, she's the one who moves fast." Julia corrected him.
"I would. Like how long's it been since she got laid? I don't blame her."
"I know how you Kellers are, Tavin."
"I know how you Fry's are. He'll be good for her. He's a stand up guy."
"But Tavin. He's my dad."
"And dad is a man, Julia. It's simple as that."
"I need a drink."
Jay and Kelly showed up after the movies with the kids and Julia, too. Chess and Macy showed up shortly after that. Macy met her at the door with a kiss and she had to back off that. "I want to talk, Mace." Julia told her.
"You mad at me, Julia?"
"Never, baby girl, but damn...I missed you."
"I missed you too." She replied as Julia welcomed her inside. She kissed Julia again and Julia let her, then pulled back after a minute.
"Come on, inside. God, quit kissing on me." She smiled, leading her through the house.
"Are you smoking, Julia or making out with Macy?" Chess asked.
"I don't want any, no." Julia answered, tensing up under Macy's hands on her hips. She waved them away and let Macy make her weak and hot. "I'm not sure I should be doing this, Mace." She said, pulling from her and heading to the kitchen. Macy followed her and watched as she got a beer from the fridge. She handed one to Macy.
"You can't make out anymore?" She frowned.
"Um, not sure. Jay and I didn't talk about it and-"
"I thought we do what we want with our bodies, Julia." Macy told her, kissing her again.
Julia left her continue. She wondered through the whole Macy experience what Jayson was gonna say, but Macy was Macy and she wanted to kiss her back. She wanted more than kissing.
Kelly and Tavin were first downstairs when they heard Chess and Macy arrive.
"Oh my God, they're kissing." Kelly had whispered.
"That's what they do." Tavin said.
Macy broke the kiss to give Tavin a quick hug and said hi to Kelly. "You said she was pregnant, but damn, Tav." Macy smiled, touching Kelly's round bump. "How did the parents take this news anyway?" Macy asked, still rubbing Kelly's belly.
"At first, it was angry, but we talked them down." Kelly told her. "They were worried about my future, but we got this worked out I think."
"How's that, Kelly?" Macy asked.
She and Tavin looked at Julia. They would have this baby in July sometime, then that would give her plenty of time to get recovered to go back to school. Julia would watch the baby during the day and hopefully by then she would be living with Tavin. They would bring her in a little at a time, gradually spending more and more time at Tavin's before the baby came and then make the complete jump when he actually arrived. Tavin had to give them the talk of a lifetime, swearing to do the right thing for Kelly and the baby. They'd already spent a couple years time together. Whatever happened, he'd make sure she and the baby were taken care of. He didn't expect any help from her parents other than being grandparents. It helped that they liked Tavin, he was responsible and worked, had a good steady job with an decent income.
"I had to tell them how responsible I was despite the fact getting her pregnant was the most irresponsible thing I could ever do."
"Are we ordering wings? I could eat about 100 of them."
"Sure, whatever you want." Tavin told her.
Jay and Chess came back inside the house, reeking of pot. Chess gave Kelly a hug, "Like history repeating itself." He said, pulling back and rubbing the bump. "Hey, I hear you want the universe talk?"
"I can't get high." Kelly said. "That may have to wait."
"You only have to be willing to hear it. Like I even have to explain it to you." He said, taking her little hand and placing it under his on her own belly. "You could probably explain it to me. Right?"
"Wanna talk, Chess?" She asked, feeling his vibe through her hand, through her belly.
"No kneeling at monuments." Tavin said sarcastically, fetching a beer from the fridge.
"She kneels at yours, you dick. If you'd listen to the universe when it speaks to you, you'd understand that."
"You should take a page out of your own book there, guru."
"He doesn't get it, but you will and it won't take long. Come with me. Where are you most comfortable in this fucking house?"
"You have to ask?"
"Oh, come on then." He said taking her upstairs.
"He taking her to bed?" Tavin asked.
"The freaking chair where she sketches, idiot." Julia answered. "It isn't about the bed per se. Tav, how can you not see what's right in front of you? You're blind to the universe."
"So are you." He pointed at her and Macy.
"The virgin trifecta." Jay said to his brother as he tugged Julia away from Macy.
"Did she tell you about mommy and daddy?" Tavin smirked.
"Whose mommy and daddy?"
"Maybe it's one of those universe things?" Julia suggested, thinking of Karen and Cal.
"Maybe it's a dick that needs to get wet." Tavin retorted. "Anyway, guess whose dad took our mom out of here while you were at the movies?"
"No, fucking way."
"Guess who popped mommy's cherry?" Tavin asked.
"I knew there was history there. But..."
Julia thought a moment. "Hey...who are your dads? Do we know who any of them are?"
"I don't think that information is available, Julia."
"Yo, she never caught a name? Not even the first name? Jay?"
"No, really. I'm not really missing a dad, though. Tavin?"
"Um, I never really asked. She might know mine, but...why bother at this point?"
"Aren't you guys the least bit curious?"
"Nah, not really. Not now. Maybe coming up. It woulda been nice to have a dad, but not now. I'm grown. I don't really need one." Tavin said.
"Yeah, I always liked your dad, though. And Uncle John. So I had guys around, you know."
"What about Alex and Tatia? No clue?"
"No." They answered together.
"Where's your brother? I thought he was bringing Anthony over here? I wanna know why they split up." Jay said. "Him and Ellen."
"He said my dad wasn't coming home. He said he had someone. A side chick."
"Not your dad." Jay said surprised.
"You guys think dad is a saint. Like I told her, dad is a man. Dad has needs."
"He's a good guy though." Julia sighed.
"I completely agree. But it doesn't matter. I'm a good guy. See what happened..."
Alex and Julia, too made an appearance from the upstairs, looking for food.
"Oh, Macy is here." Alex smiled, giving her a hug. "You single, girl?" He asked, sliding an arm around her waist.
She smiled, kissing his forehead. "No, not single enough for you, kid." She answered. She was introduced to the other Julia.
"What's Chess doing with Kelly?" He asked.
"They're explaining the universe to each other."
"Oh, ok. So are we ordering or what? Kelly wants a lot of wings. She said the hotter the better. And cheesy fries."
Julia took that as her cue to order food.
Chess sat on the floor with his back up against Kelly's sketching chair. Kell sat with her legs stretched out in front of her. She sketched Chess a drawing on her book while they chatted. It was not a complicated chat as Kelly was already enlightened. What she enjoyed was hearing the theory from his point of view. Having someone reflect her own reality who was not psychic was unreal. She had been tuned in as Chess called it. Another believer. He seemed enlightened himself. Chess swore she was closer to the universe than he ever could be. He had a theory, but she had the truth. The length of the discussion varied from person to person, but Kelly didn't need the talk, rather she could see and feel the talk. He explained everything, showed her everything. He bared his soul to her. He'd always backed off Kelly, avoiding her tentacles sinking in too deep. Her senses were dead on accurate usually and that was off putting to Chess. He hadn't been open to undressing his soul for her. It was dark in there in parts, but Kelly bore that burden, sucking up the stress from him.
"What do you want from me?" She asked when Chess had finished showing her the universe. "Trust." She stated without him having to answer. "You can. Some people, Chess, I put stuff in a vault for later. So what you say or show me stays locked up."
"Her, Kelly."
"Not now. It's a long way off."
"A long way off..."
"Years, Chess." Kelly replied sadly. "Keep those rings on you. Hold onto them, never let them off you after it happens."
"When?"
"Soon enough. You'll know when to give up the mission. You'll know when it's time to rebuild. You'll just know. The universe will tell you. You'll see the signs."
"So I should stay alone for years?" He asked.
"No. No, Chess. She's in the kitchen. Why do you think you have two rings?"
"Oh. You're fucking shitting me. Julia was right on this?"
"Julia is right about a lot of things. She's got her own gift."
"It's a gift alright." He muttered.
"No. Chess, you want the truth. Listen." Kelly advised him. "And you got a lot of nerve. Quit disrespecting her. You go back n forth with the love and the hate. Pick one. I personally would pick love. You'd still do anything for that girl regardless."
"I know."
"And the universe sends her signals. She takes them seriously, but with Jules, sometimes the signals get crossed. She follows her heart, how she feels in a moment and with some people she makes that moment last a lifetime."
"Her circle is small and strong." He paused. "She is such a slut though. I know you don't want to hear that."
"She expresses herself that way. She takes care of people that way. You condoned this how many times, but when she's overexpressing, you get pissed off."
"Overexpressing...you're ok with that overexpressing...."
"No. You want a replacement, your wife found you one. You need to be honest about the divorce too, Chess."
"Ok, I know. I really thought that we would get back together. I had no idea- I been dropping her hints here and there."
"She told you not to leave. You didn't listen. Jules isn't sensitive to your hints, Mr. Morgan."
Kelly and Chess came back downstairs after a lengthy talk about the universe. She appeared emotionally moved.
"Julia, I need to talk to you." Chess announced as Kelly sat at the table.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Come out with me?" He said. Julia picked up her beer and her ass off Jay's lap. She stepped onto the patio and waited.
"What's up, Chess?"
"We are-uh-."
Julia smiled up at him, waiting. She saw he was nervous. "We're what, Chess?"
"Well, I need to be honest with you."
"Ok, tell me." She said, taking a drink from her bottle.
"We are still married."
"Excuse me." She said, looking confused. "I signed the papers, Chess. You brought them with the insurance stuff and the -"
"I tore em up and threw them out." He said, stepping back from her a little. She was, after all, holding a bottle in her hand.
"Um, ok. We can draw them up again."
"I-uh-think that in the end it won't matter...you're my wife. You'll always be my wife."
"What happens to Jayson?" Julia asked.
"Julia, I don't know. Honestly."
"But we live. And you do what he asked you to do a long time ago, make sure I am ok."
"I guess so, Julia. With all the training I got, I might be able to actually do it right."
"Fine." She nodded. "I guess worse shit could happen. I love you."
"I love you too. And we work there. The three of us."
"Who's our third?" Julia asked, looking toward the door. "Macy..." She sighed. "I was fuckin right on that girl, Chess. You never fuckin listen to me. You don't fuckin trust me."
"I trust you. Julia, this isn't the shit I expected to hear tonight. I wanted to get drunk and laid, babe. That's all."
"The night's young." She answered, putting her hand on the door knob.
Julia sat with Jayson once inside and Chess sat beside Macy. He started eating quietly.
"What was that about?" Jay asked her quietly.
"I'll tell you later, babe."
Julia got drunk fast, too fast. The events of the night passed in somewhat of a blur. Jay kept her close initially, knowing exactly where the night could lead for a drunk, uninhibited Julia. This night though, the drunker she got, the clingier she got. Julia drunk usually amounted to multiple problems, but all she wanted to do was hug and kiss. He let her do her thing, but cut her off the beer awhile, giving her soda instead. She was drunk enough and feeling good, she didn't need to take it any further. To his and everyone else's surprise, Julia listened, agreed and asked for more soda and some chips. She appeared to be a happily, drunk girl.
"What's your secret?" Chess asked when Julia head to the bathroom.
"No secret." Jay replied, shaking his head.
"She's like happy."
"You want her angry and belligerent?" Tavin asked Kelly. "I like her like this."
"Thanks. So do I." Jay nodded to Tavin.
"Where is she anyway?" Macy asked, looking up from her lap top. She chose not to play poker, rather she was working on a paper for school.
"I'll get her. I gotta pee anyway." Kelly volunteered, hoisting herself out of her chair. Another female down, Jay looked at Tavin.
"She's already walking funny."
"Her back hurts." Tavin said, rolling his eyes. "Whatever she says, I just agree with her. I'm steady trying to dig myself outta the hole I got into."
Kelly peed and then went looking for Julia who she found in the bedroom looking through the sketch book. Drunk, Julia swayed on the divan and pointed at the picture she'd drawn for Chess. "This where you're gonna live?" She asked.
"It's not done yet. I think so." Kelly told her.
"Not exactly a farm house, but whatever works for you kids." Julia smiled. "Chess told me, Kelly."
"It not written in stone, Julia."
"Bullshit. What's with all the secrets? Why can't you be more open with us about this?"
"Well, look at you. You're all upset. You know what it's like for me? A baby, Julia. What are the odds he'll even survive?"
"Kelly, don't think like that."
"There's nothing I can do about it either. You said it was bullshit yourself..."
"Kelly, I don't know what to say."
"Yeah, neither do I. There are people we love...Julia, it's ugly, the dreams, the premonitions. The things that will happen."
"But I live. Chess lives. Macy obviously lives." Julia said, crying, motioning to the downstairs.
"Yes."
"And...you know...tell me."
"Julia, there are things I don't say to you for a reason. Julia, there are people alive that I don't feel with us. There are people alive that I don't feel as alive. I don't want to say anything because I hope I am wrong."
"That's not an answer." Julia said. "Know what I know? I know for 100% fact that we choose our path in this fucking universe with the choices we make and the company we fuckin' keep. To say that anything is for sure is bullshit."
"I only know what I see and what I feel, Julia."
"We lived it. We fucking changed the universe once with that whole Caleb Downing ordeal. We, me and you and Amanda. We said fuck you, universe."
"We did." Kelly nodded, acknowledging fact.
"So, we can do it again. If we did it once successfully, we can do it again."
"Julia, it would be nice, cause what I see, what you saw sketched there-does that look even mildly appealing to you?"
"Why would you keep this to yourself? You have so many outlets for that shit. Maybe your picture would change if you brought this to our attention?"
"Oh, well, I-"
"The table is downstairs. That's our table now. Have you learned nothing from us?" Julia yelled at her. "You have all this in your head, Kelly. It's a map of what to avoid, who to avoid, like clues. We could alter whatever the fuck happens to us."
"You think we could?"
"It's my fucking job, Kelly." Julia yelled.
"Quit yelling at me, please."
"I'm sorry. I'm loaded." Julia said, standing up on wobbly legs. "Forgive me if I seem to take this seriously. I don't take the news that my family is going to die lightly. And fuck if I will accept it."
"Ok, ok, calm down, Jules. Please."
"You understand where I am going with this?"
"I think so."
"You want your kid to live? Yes or no?"
"Yes."
"Than you need to trust me."
"Ok."
"Our circle is small, but it's strong."
Kelly stared at her looking mildly confused. "Chess just said that. Earlier."
"He would. You don't understand yet do you?"
"Let me see." Kelly said, taking Julia's hands. "I hate looking through your eyes when you're drunk."
"I get the best fucking ideas when I drink." Julia informed her. "You stick to the apocalypse, too. Got it?"
"Got it."
She could sense Kelly flipping through her memories. Sifting through the mess like she was turning pages in a book. She got stuck in Philly, though. She could sense Julia, pulling her out of the city.
"No, Julia, stay there a minute." Kelly said, seeing Kevin's small apartment. "You need to call Hayley."
"Why?"
Kelly sifted through the apartment, turning through the small rooms in the darkness. She heard the heartbeat, the lub-dub of two hearts. "He's in danger." Kelly hovered over Kevin, connecting into his brain. "It has to do with the shooting. It has to do with the revenge. I think you know what I mean."
"I do. Get the fuck outta there too."
"Chess is involved. It wasn't just drugs."
Julia backed them out of the bedroom, slamming the door shut on her.
"Kev's not a rat, Julia."
"I'm aware of that."
"Go back in, Julia." Kelly urged her, opening the door again and stepping back inside the room.
"Why?"
"You tell me, Julia." Kelly said reconnecting to Kevin. "What do you feel?"
"Kelly, come on." Julia whined as she sifted around Kevin's memories. "Revenge." Julia said.
"Who? You know who, right?"
"I do not. But I know who knows, so..."
Kelly separated from her before she saw too much. "If what you say is true, Julia, then you change it. Cause I see them dead."
"I'll fix it. This is an easy fix. All they need is some warning. I can't guarantee the outcome, of course, for him, but for Hayley I can." Julia said confidently. "I'll need to talk to Chess."
"I'll tell you something. I think if you tried, you could communicate to him like you do with me."
"That would be rad." Julia grinned. Oh, she could have so much fun with that. The dirty thoughts that coursed through her mind at that moment, being able to show him the goods...She had an idea. "I'll be back." She smiled. She went in the bathroom and locked herself in. "Whoa, I am drunk." She said, righting herself as the room danced wave like around her. She closed her eyes and lifted her shirt. She had to concentrate a little, seeking out the energy inside the house, deciphering which energy belonged to which person. "Boobies" She squealed inside her mind. Considering she hadn't thought this through, she wondered if she was focusing on the right energy, maybe she shouldn't have flashed him like that being unsure who was who exactly.
"I see it." He answered.
"It works." She said, feeling dizzy and strange.
"It's working, cover yourself up." He chided her.
"Oooooh, focus. Open your eyes and look around." She giggled, dropping her shirt, holding onto the bathroom counter, to stay on her feet as she swayed.
"I don't like your drunk fuckin' mind." He monotoned, sweeping the table with his eyes.
"Can you do this too?" She asked, starting to feel a headache coming on. He was stressed maybe? She looked directly at Macy's tits. Julia giggled excited. "I have information...we need to talk about Philly." Julia opened her eyes and disconnected her train of thought of Chess's.
She exited the bathroom and then met Kelly in the hall. "What were you doing?"
"Connecting to Chess."
"It worked."
"Yeah." She replied. "Can I connect with anybody?"
"I assume so, sure."
"So I can just hippity-hop any damn place I want?" She asked excited.
"You may not want to. Julia, really. You have to be mature about the gift, girl."
"You never have fun with it?"
"I do and you get pissed off."
"That's cause I know you're there."
"It has its benefits." Kelly said heading downstairs. "Once you open this up, Julia, you can't close it. Think about it first."
"Like what do you mean?"
"You'll be stalked by the dead. You'll meet all kinds of energy. That's all it really is. You have to be able to handle it, talk to it, disable the power. Ugh, wonder why I am miserable all the time. Shit's everywhere. It'll come to you."
"Oh. Wow. Now that's a bummer." Julia frowned.
She sat on Jay's lap again. "You get lost?"
"Me and Kelly were chatting." She answered, looking at Chess. He seemed a bit upset. "Chess, what's up? You alright?" She smiled at him.
"Fine." He answered, thinking he'd like another beer. Julia got up and fetched him one. He looked at her, grinning from ear to ear, thinking he'd like to see her on top of him again. She laughed. This is gonna be fun...
