“Hey Derek!” I had on a beautiful flowery dress that screamed sunshine, cupcakes and life is magical. I was a bit overdressed for my visit to mum but I needed to force the optimism from outside into me.“Good morning miss.” He greeted back, sticking his fidget toy back into his pocket as he rose. “Are we going to the park today?” He asked, peering at me from his dark shades. I chuckled.“No parks today. I handed him my phone.”Hospital. Is this another sealed off movie set?” “No, it’s just a hospital. I promise you, no more tricks from my end.” He nodded and opened the car door for me. I snuck one last peek at my sister’s bedroom window. I caught a glimpse of her just before she hid behind the blinds.‘Please don’t make me go alone’, I prayed as I watched her window.“Go right in, miss.” Derek urged.Lily’s blind opened and she gave me a small goodbye wave. Today was going to be a solo trip for me then. I climbed in and waited for Derek to do the same. The car purred to life and
When I woke up that morning, I remained still and forced every happy memory I’ve ever had of my mum to my head. Today I did not need to be on set, which meant I had all day to wallow in bed, or play ’happy’ with my sister and tell her mum did great. But if I told her that mum was great it would make her believe that mum was like that because she wasn’t there. I let out a sigh and rolled to my side, folding my legs into a fetal position. A small knock on my door, had me cranking my neck. The door opened an inch and Lily poked her head in. “You don’t lock your door?”Force of habit from when we were small. Locking the doors meant it would take longer for me to reach mum incase of danger. And it infuriated dad, when he was moving around and doors ‘refused’ to work.“Yeah.” I whispered. She slipped in and shut it. Was this the part I told her how my visit went?“I’m heading out.” Lily said, halting my thoughts.“To where?”“A couple of my classmates are meeting up. Could be fun.”“Okay
“Visit?” Thoughts of Pierce’s skillful hands fled my mind and I was brought back to the present. “Yeah.” Pierce continued, “The one you paid to your mum? You seemed upset by it yesterday, and you came back late. The reason you live here is so I can keep an eye on you and ensure the safety of my child. Your unreliable schedule isn’t helpful.“ “I was with my mother.” I did not think I needed to explain myself further. “And you came back looking like you lost a pet, what happened? Is she good?”Several months ago I would be preening from this attention he was giving me. Now, I shifted uncomfortably on the counter. “Everything’s fine, my emotions have been all over the place since the baby.”We had to stay on common ground. Although considering we were going to have a baby between us, knowing more about each other’s family seemed smart. “Is it dementia?” He queried.“Alzheimer’s, PTSD, chronic pain…”“PTSD?”“Yeah, my da-“ it occurred to me that I was crossing a line. “Yeah, PTSD.”
Angie was back the next day like Pierce said she would be. And I did not have to deal with him that morning, thank God. “I might have missed you a little bit.” I confessed to Angie as I leaned on the counters with my elbow. I purposely avoided the stool Pierce had used. Angie didn’t seem to buy it, but she put four slices of frittatas on my plate, topped it up with parsley and dropped it in front of me. “That’s a lot of food.”“You need it to grow a baby.” She said simply as she reached into the fridge. Why was everyone obsessing over the size of my kid? “Is that gelato?” I gasped, when she pulled out a long plastic plate.“Yes, home made.”“I thought you hated gelato.”“I never said that.” I had a teasing expression on my face as she put a scoop of it in a small glass bowl. “Eat your food, you have your appointment in two hours.”Back down to reality. “Yes ma’am.” Angie removed a bottle of ketchup from the fridge and dropped on the counter. “No I don't want it.” I could not s
Lily plopped onto her bed and looked up at me inquisitively.“Gimme a sec.” I muttered, handing the bag over to her. “You can start without me.”I left her room and went into mine before I accepted the call. “Hello?”“Good afternoon, This is Paul from Peaceful Pines, am I speaking to miss Myra Thompson?” The male on the other side of my call asked brightly.“That’s me.” he sounded almost cheerful, it would be safe to assume he wasn’t delivering bad news sounding like barney’s distant cousin. “Is my mum okay?” I asked, just in case.“Yes, she’s doing great I hear.” I let out the breath I was holding. “I called for a different reason.”“Yeah, what is it?” I hope they were not planning to increase the fees or something. Maybe he wanted to advertise a premium plan.“We got a call earlier today from your representative. He made enquiries about a transfer for your mother. We just want to check in with you, to make sure he got the information across.”“Representative? I didn’t-I didn’t send
I wondered if I had been yelling again. On closer examination I realized she had a single glass cup and some pills in the plate.“Your meds,” she said simply.“Later Angie.” “I think you’ll take them now.” she affirmed as she entered the room completely, her footsteps coming to a halt beside me. I eyed the older woman before I grabbed the pills and the glass. .When I placed the empty cup back on the plate, I thought I caught Angie glaring at Pierce, but I was probably mistaken. I waited till she was gone before I turned to Pierce again.He was staring at me already with a strange expression on his face.“You insult me when I take your money and still do it when I don’t.” “Because I can see through your false modesty. I liked you better when you were straightforward.” He shrugged. “I can’t.” I raised my hand in defeat. “I can’t with this anymore.” The longer I stayed here the more likely I would build a freaking headache from listening to him and his delusions. I had to escape thi
I should go to my room. There was no good-or smart reason to hesitate. I glanced at the hallway again. I already confirmed from Angie that Pierce was not back. A quick peek at the other rooms wouldn’t hurt anybody. I walked towards the hallway, tip-toeing like a criminal before I stopped. It’s not like I was checking his office or bedroom, I just wanted to know what the third room was for. Another guest bedroom I guessed. I would take a quick look and then, my curiosity would be sated. Or… I would try and the door would be locked.I grabbed the handle and twisted.Not locked. It would be the former then. I pushed the door open, and paused to let my eyes take the beauty.It wasn’t anything I expected.Burst of colors everywhere, popping from canvases that were placed on every surface. “Wow.” I said, not realizing I had spoken out loud. In the center of the room, in front of a stool was a half done painting of a woman with flowers growing out of her skin.Pierce paints? The words
I couldn’t sleep. But I blamed it on my busy day on set. I tossed again before deciding that a midnight snack would do me a world of good. I checked my phone as I grabbed it off the nightsatand.Three A.M.I wore my inside slippers. They were quiet. And it was better than going all that way barefoot. I paused at the threshold and glanced at Pierce’s corner. I pictured him in bed, with the sheets tangled up around his legs.I held the banister and went down the stairs slowly.He could be in his office working. Maybe he would be on his computer. Would he be shirtless? Maybe only in briefs because it was past midnight.I let out an exasperated breath. Pierce, naked should not be a concern of mine. He could be working in a frog costume for all I cared. I was serious about the no sex deal. Doing that meant there would be no more portraits of me with my emotions shining in my eyes. I envisioned Pierce studying my face. Committing every ridge and sweat glistening on my skin so he could r
I thought about my neighbors while dad was acting a tyrant over us. We tried to be quiet a lot. But a few times dad would yell. Or shove us too hard against the walls. Our neighbors said nothing, and avoided eye contact. “It’s easier to pretend.” I answered quietly, staring down at my twisting fingers. “True. I got tired of pretending. I got into a lot of fights as a kid.” He continued. “So I could pretend the welts on my body were from my scuffles, not from my father. Now I cover those scars with tattoos.”“What about the scars in your mind?” He slowed his chewing, “those ones, we just have to live with. You’re doing a good job of it.” I let out a laugh, ready to deny knowing what he wad talking about, but the knowing look he gave me told me there was no point. My shoulders sagged. “You think so?” “Oh yeah, movie star.” “You know?!” He chuckled, “I’ve seen a couple of your series while in prison. Was my warden’s favorite . Seeing your…friend, jogged my memory.” “I d
His eyes zeroed on Donna with the money outstretched. “What did Donna do?” “Why do you think I did anything?” She retorted, shoving the money back in her pocket while I looked around. I had to find a place to sleep tonight. “You’re offering money to someone else and her house is empty, you did something.” “Oh piss off.” “She helped Myra’s…uhh, pack a mattress and collected a bribe for keeping it a secret.” “I thought it was a prank!” “He took your stuff?” Seth asked me, his brows raised in surprise. “Yeah, he did. But I’ll get it back.” Maybe I could just lay on the floor? I didn’t check the bathroom yet so I didn’t know if he had taken the sheets too. “When?” “Monday? Tuesday maybe.” “Where are you going to sleep?” Layla asked, hitching her bag up her hip again. “Till monday, I can crash with a friend.” “Today?” Three pairs of eyes looked at me expectantly, and I shrugged. “A motel.” “There isn’t one nearby. Oh! Seth can drive you to the closest one thou
I blinked and looked at the numbers glued to the door. It was my house, that much was true. But it was empty. No brown couch, lemon side-table, my ginormous bean bag. Even the bohemian style rug that managed to pull the whole together was hone. Every single thing was missing from the living. Color drained off my face as I wondered what else was gone. I rushed into my room and looked around in search of Yvette’s box, sighing with relief when I found her on a dingle table in the middle of the room. Everything else was gone, save for the bed frame, and a wardrobe. There was a small note and cute little teddy bear beside her urn. I grabbed the note and read it. ‘Call me.’ I didn’t have to dial the number to know it was Pierce. Did he really rob me?! “Ah there you are!” A woman exclaimed excitedly beside me and I jumped in surprise, I didn’t even hear her come into the house. She had on the biggest t-shirt and basket ball short and was grinning from ear to ear at me. “Nice to me
After the money I cost him, I figured I owed him an explanation. I wiped the corner of my lip nervously and adjusted the blazer. “When I left home today, I…someone who I didn’t want in the house was in it.” “Oh?” “Yeah.” I hoped he had deduced himself that the “someone” was Pierce. After-all he was the only touchy subject in my life. “Just to make sure we’re on the same page, we’re talking about Pierce?” “Yeah him.” “Oh.” He went quiet after that. But his face said the things he didn’t want to say. “You can…ask me about it.” I offered. “You sure?” He had stopped eating and was studying me like a wounded kitten. “I’m sure.” “Okay…why was he at your house?” “He wanted me to sign some papers.” I grimaced, remembering the amount. “He was trying to alleviate his guilt by buying me off. Such an asshole.” I muttered. Carter took another bite of his burger and chewed slowly. He had lost interest in the food but was trying to give me a sense of normalcy, so I wouldn
I cringed at the sound of the bottle shattering and cursed again. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-“ “It’s fine, It’s just a little wine I shouldn’t have startled you like that-“ “Let me clean that up.” A waiter said, a barely hidden grimace on his face. I could feel a lot of eyes on us and my cheeks turned bright red as I tried to wipe the mess on the table. Carter’s hand slipped over mine again and gave me a reassuring squeeze. When I looked up, he was smiling. “Let me do it.” He said and collected the table cloth from my shaking hands. “That was a disaster.” I muttered under my breath as the waiter left to get a broom. “It’s not that bad, a disaster would be someone slipping and falli-“ A waiter chose that particular time to walk by and I guess he did not see the dark liquid on the ground with the dim lights because he slipped, hovering in the air for a split second before his body came down, and the lobster dish he held, rained down on him. “Oh my God!” I gasped a
He cradled his helmet in his left hand and had the other in the pocket of his jeans. His eyes looked past me and were focused on Pierce, the viking braids on his head turned him into a viking , biker God, if those existed. “Are you okay, Myra?” He asked bending his head to look at me. Why on earth was I always caught staring at him? “Yeah, everything’s fine-“ I started, “wait. No. Everything is NOT fine.” I turned my back by to him, crossed my hands, heels still in them, and glared at Pierce. “But it will be as soon as he leaves.” “Who the hell are you supposed to be?” Pierce asked her neighbor, sizing him up. “The one guy here she doesn’t want gone.” He answered coolly. I felt a mini war going on from the stance both men were taking. I started to think that it was a bad idea to get him involved. “Is this your date? He doesn’t strike me as your type.” “My “type” as scarred me for life, it’s time I try something new, don’t you think so, Pierce? Now for the love of God, LEA
He had the guts to look at me like I was the problem in this situation. His bushy brows were furrowed as he scowled, his eyes showing equal parts of desire and annoyance. Ditto. “Going out with Hannah?” He questioned. “This isn’t your usual filming getup. “Well excuse me, fashion police, but you need to get out of my house!” He looked at my face finally, then around the house like cockroaches were crawling all over the place. “Really Myra? This? This is what you settled on finally? It’s a dump. Why didn’t you take the apartment I offered?” “And be indebted to you even more? No fucking thank you.” It felt so hot in the house. I had Pierce to blame for that. He was only standing by the doorway, but he managed to fill the room so far all I could see was him, all I could smell was him, all I could think for crying out loud was him! I wanted him gone. “Now if you would be kind enough…LEAVE.” “You can’t be serious Myra.” He started, moving into the room further. “did you even have
I typed the name into google, having never heard the name before. Scrolling and reading while I peeled another pepperoni slice off my pizza. The mythological wife of Yahweh according to the Canaanite pantheon. Mother of sacred trees…Erased from history like most divine females. I slowed my chewing till it came to a halt. That last bit sounded familiar.A notification from Carter popped up on my screen. I opened it.-I understand that it could be taken the wrong way. But I consider her a powerful deity. Queen of the heavens. I think looking at you feels like I’m looking at the sky. I sat up on the bed and pushed my tongue through my cheek as I read the text over and over, trying to find a double meaning, or hidden insult. There were none.-I like Asherah. I texted back.l-I’m relieved. More dots hovered and I waited. Peeling a single pepperoni from the top of my pizza. -Would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow?”I looked at the text silently.-yes* * *The next d
Trevor emerged from beside the cars lined in the lot in a tailored armani suit. A simple engraved stainless steel brooch on his collared vest. Forever the stylish icon. “Miss Myra. You look good.” He gave a quick appraisal of my clothes.“Good to see you too Trevor.” I said, not slowing my pace. “I would ask if you missed me but I can guess why you’re here.”“Doing Mr Blackwood's dirty work obviously, now could you make my life easier and wait?”I stopped and crossed my hand over my chest and waited for him to catch up to me. “Was Pierce here today?” I did see someone watching us while we filmed, I couldn’t have imagined a whole human being no matter how bothered I was by him.He crossed his own hands in a similar fashion. “Do you really want me to answer that?”“Yes.”“Alright. He left the office- after acting like piss, I might add- then he returned even more pissy and handed me back the documents he had me painstakingly work on, and told me to meet you here.”“So yes?” That meant