“Did you just...your top is off. Jesus, it’s definitely off. Fuck, woman, I’m not going to last much longer.”

“You’re going to have to,” I said as he jumped in the water, coming for me fast. I dodged him, running up the stairs then towards the gate.

“Better step your game up, Jay,” I said as he caught up to me just as I closed the gate, separating us.

“For you I will,” he said sincerely.

“That means coming up with all new lines,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned into the gate separating us from the waist down. He leaned in as well, his forehead to mine, as we shared a breath. “Thank you for tonight, Jayden.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow...fishnipple.”

Looking into his beautiful blues, I smiled and pressed my lips gently to his. We said nothing else and I felt his eyes on me until I disappeared down the stone path back to my apartment. I heard no moaning as I entered and made my way quickly to my bedroom. Stripping off the rest of my wet suit, I dried with Jay’s towel, which smelled amazing and like him. I replayed our date over and over until I drifted off.

Gerri: You are never going to believe what happened last night.

Me: I saw the red panties, MONA. I’m scarred for life.

Gerri: Mona?

I gave her a second to think about it.

Gerri: Ha ha very funny and so worth scarring you.

Me: Talk later, my mom is lecturing me. I have news too!

Gerri: :)

I set my phone down as my mother drove her point home. “I’m just saying, Hilary, it’s time you made a decision. You’re going to blink, and then you’ll be thirty and stuck in a dead end job.

“Mom, that’s what I’m trying to do. Trust me, I’m putting enough pressure on myself already. My new prospects may not be a career choice, but they are better than waitressing. I’ll handle it. You already have the successful lawyer in Alexis, the young tycoon in Bradley, Molly’s about to graduate and take over the fashion industry, and well, I can’t help you with Sabrina. Three out of five ain't bad. Cut your losses.” I gave her a stern look as I cut dough for fresh biscuits at her long, marble, kitchen counter.

“Never, and I don’t categorize my kids into a good pile and bad pile, or by what you’ve accomplished. I want you happy, and the way you’re burning through your years, I just worry. You aren’t married and you are still stuck in your habits from years ago.”

“MOM!” I heard Alexis call as she joined us in the kitchen. I’d never been so thankful for the interruption. She deposited a box full of liquor on the counter and my Mom eyed her suspiciously as she emptied its contents.

“What in the hell, child? We aren’t getting sauced at brunch,” she scolded as she studied each bottle.

“Chill, Mom, half of them are mixes and I wanted to stock up for later. I’m staying with you. I am officially on vacation for the next three days.”

My mother’s eyes lit up as she beamed at her first born. Alexis went and wrapped herself around our mother then pulled back and eyed her with concern. “How are you?”

“Most days are okay. I miss him.” She was referring to our father who had died suddenly last fall. One minute he was griping about raking the never-ending pile of leaves in our yard and the next he was gone. At least that was how it seemed it happened. He’d gone up to bed after Sunday brunch for a nap and never woke up. A brain aneurysm had taken him without apology, leaving us all completely devastated.

“It’s okay to talk about him, Mom, especially with all of us here. We need it, too,” Alexis encouraged. Our mother held his death close to her, but rarely spoke of him. We all assumed it was too painful for her and were giving her time to deal with it her way, but we were becoming concerned with each month that passed with little mention of him. Her denial was beginning to wear on us.

I stopped cutting the dough to watch my mother’s reaction to Alexis’ statement and it was the same response she always gave. “I will, baby, I promise. I just can’t do it yet. I know it’s not fair to you kids, but not yet, okay?”

Alexis nodded, cutting her concerned eyes to me. “Sup, sis.” She made her way to me and gave me a long hug. Alexis and I were the closest next to my baby sister Molly. We’d all agreed Sabrina was just weird but somehow she fit. My parents had managed to create five of the most insanely different children on the planet. Not only were our personalities unique to each of us, but our looks as well. Our family portrait looked like it had been cropped from others and pasted together. And my family was what I cherished most in the world.

“Mom!” Bradley entered the kitchen next, sans his forbidden girlfriend, and gave us all pats and grins until he reached my mother, who he hugged fiercely. “How are you, Mom?” It was the same concern Alexis had shown, which both comforted me and worried me. But today was not the day we would try and get her to crack her well placed stoicism where my father’s death was concerned. It was a special time for us all to be under the same roof and I relished in it. An hour later, and with the arrival of the rest of the clan, we dined on a five star breakfast courtesy of my amazing mother, with only a hint of my help.

I enjoyed cooking, but noted having to do it constantly when I wasn’t in the mood would ruin it for me. I mentally crossed it off of my list of possible career choices.

Chef

Sighing heavy, I sipped my extremely strong Bloody Mary and munched on my mother’s rosemary baby potatoes while looking absently around the house. Our family home was absolutely beautiful, and it was massive as well. It was a colonial style, country home complete with old fashioned shutters, and I’d always hoped to own one like it one day. I’d begged my mother after my father’s death not to sell it, for selfish reasons. I never really told her why, but I think she knew deep down I’d hope she’d keep it in the family. Somehow, I felt like it was the last piece of my father I had left. I sat in the expansive kitchen at the table thinking that if I didn’t get my act together, I could never afford to keep it up for her once she was unable to. The thought alone had me sipping more vodka and spiced tomato juice.

I looked down at Molly, who was her usual quiet self. She was doing her typical observing and only put in a comment here and there. Most of the rest of us were outspoken and it just seemed fit one of us would need to be more reserved. The funny part about it was if you pissed sweet Molly off, she would become the loudest and most obnoxious of us all. I chuckled thinking about her last outburst at Bradley. She’d mentally scarred him.

Bradley looked between me and Molly, seeming to read my mind. “Hilary, you still dating that douche bag?”

“No, Brad, I broke up with him almost a year ago and I tell you every time we come to brunch.”

“Good, I couldn’t stand him,” he said, shoveling a heaping amount of egg into his mouth.

“Well, it’s a good thing I have Jayden now.”

Every head at the table turned to me as my verbal diarrhea caught up with my brain.

Why the hell did I say that?

“Who is Jayden?” Sabrina asked as she moved her weave out of the way to take a bite of eggs. Yes, Sabrina had a weave. She also had thirty-two piercings, unlimited tattoos, and only dated men who used their last name as their first: e.g. Harrison, Ford, Turner, Carter. She was even more exhausting than me when it came to indecision. She had worked every job imaginable, as well as exercised her freedom in religion. She’d delved into Buddhism, Hinduism, the Wiccan practice, and actual witchcraft (which is different, just ask her) to everything else available. I looked at her with an honest answer.