A Little Bit of Us (5 page)

     “Give me the damn tablets.”

     “You know you’re very cute when you’re grumpy.”

     “You’re asking for a black eye.”

     “And adorable when you’re aggressive.”

     “Do you like your penis?”

     “Most definitely. Do you?”

      Hell yes I do,
“Then shut up or you’ll lose it.”

     He grins and wags his eyebrows before passing me two little white minty smelling things. Apparently these are chalk, or so I’ve heard. I’ve never had them. I chew, and chew and chew and then swallow. Hmm, instant relief, and they’re stuck in my teeth.

     “Better?” he asks and quickly gets undressed. I nod and turn over in a huff.
“If we could swap places I would do it in a heartbeat.”

     “Puh-lease!” I laugh and slap his arm. “You almost cried when you got that paper cut on your thumb.”

     “It was right on the underside of the knuckle, it hurt like a bitch.”

     “Baby.”

     “Meanie.”

        This morning James disappeared with Lucas. Probably to book our flight home. I should really invest in a private jet. Amelia is sat on Jacob’s knee watching another Disney movie whilst I send text after text on my phone informing people of my return home. It’s the best option… plus Jacob threatened to never talk to me again if I didn’t go home and give it a try. I can understand his point, I can understand James’ point I just don’t want to.

     “You gonna miss me?” I say to Jacob and give him a large smile.

     “Obviously, it’s not going to be the same without you.”

     “You could always come with us.”

     He shakes his head solemnly, I know he has work here, he’s in the middle of shooting a new movie at the moment. Some new movie that will go straight to Box-office. Probably win a few awards too. “We’ll still visit and stay in touch.”

    
  “I hope so,” I mean it, I really hope so. We leave it at that, neither of us wanting or needing to say goodbye, not just yet anyway. Amelia follows me into my room to help me pack. After twenty minutes Jacob silently joins me. He smiles at me fondly and taps my nose before filling my cases with my clothes. We remain silent whilst doing it, I’m scared of crying and I think he’s scared of making me cry. It’s not final, I know that. I’m too pushy for us to not stay in touch.

     Amelia seems to notice the silent tension and hums quietly to herself as she handles the task of dumping my makeup into a bag. Damn I have a lot of face cake.

     The baby books are still spread along the bed, James must have fallen asleep reading again. I pile them neatly and place them on top of his case. As soon as we’re finished I look around the room, I lightly touch the dark grey and black bedding and the black sparkly bedside table. I leave the bedding
and furniture because it suits the room perfectly.

    
“Let’s go get lunch, one last time,” Jacob grins and takes my hand. I nod and get Amelia ready before sending a quick text to James.

Maya:
Going for lunch with Jacob, taking Amelia. Be a couple of hours.

James:
Where are you? We’ll come meet you.

Maya:
It’s just for me and Jacob, to say bye. Stop doing a victory fist pump. You’ll embarrass yourself I’m only coming because of the invader.

James:
Are you watching me?

     I laugh out loud. He is so predictable.

Maya:
Weirdo!

     The three of us, meaning Jacob, Amelia and I head out, we can’t decide on a place to eat. Jacob wants a place called Mario’s, Amelia wants McDonald’s and I want this really nice little café on the beach. I think it’s called the hut. They know where I mean. My place that I’m recommending does the best cheese and tomato Panini’s ever. Seriously they are to die for. I’m craving one like mad, that and something sweet and citrusy, like maybe a lemon or a tangy orange.

    
“Come on Amelia, she’s carrying a baby in her belly. The baby gets what it wants at this point,” Jacob coos to the stroppy little girl in her booster seat behind me. I grin a satisfactory grin and stick my tongue out at her, which she returns. Jacob pinches my thigh and laughs before saying, “Smug bitch.”

     “I’m cute, I get away with it.”

     He points at Amelia with his thumb. “Nah, she’s cute so she gets away with it. You’re just an attractive pain in the ass.”

     “An adorable, attractive pain in the ass.”

     “That too.”

     The hut is similar to a place me and my dad used to go whenever we went to Spain. I used to love those trips because he’d pull me from school sometimes and stick a tutor on me who only had to teach me for three to five hours a day, then I’d get to play all day. We used to go down to this beat up little café for lunch on a daily basis even though there were better looking places nearby. I remember asking my dad why we went there, mainly because the place down the road had an outdoor park and I was a kid. He said and I quote, “Because a place like this is struggling and fighting for its right to live, not only do I feel pity for its lack of customers but they also try harder. And by trying harder they get better results, equaling the best sandwiches and pancakes anywhere in this town.”

     I asked, “But if they’re the best why does it look like it’s falling down?”

     “All it needs is a few decent recommendations. Like your first question, who would want to go to a place like this when they have all of those other places down the road? It’s good to give things a chance Maya, it may just take you by surprise.”

     The only difference is, this place isn’t falling apart and doesn’t have pieces of metal covering holes in the roof. And this place doesn’t serve pancakes. This place serves American pancakes, I prefer crepes, the thin paper like pancakes that you can fill with ice-cream and syrup and wrap it. So awesome. Now I want crepes.

     We head through the glass door that jingles a little bell, Amelia swings between us as we make our way to a cute little round table by the wind
ow. “Iced caramel latte and a cheese and tomato Panini.”

     “No caffeine,” Jacob says sternly and my mouth drops open. “But…” “No.” “Just…” “No.”

     A cute waitress with chocolate toned skin and a pretty smile comes over with a notebook, her smile falters when she sees Jacob. Of course he’s wearing a cap and sunglasses but you can so tell who he is from up close. Then she notices me. I’m not wearing a disguise, I don’t need one. Her mouth opens and closes in shock.

     “I’ll give you a fantastic tip if you keep this quiet, at least until we leave,” Jacob says with a nervous smile and the girl nods frantically. She clears her throat, “What can I get you?”

     “Three glasses of water, put the kids in a plastic cup if possible and three cheese and tomato Panini’s,” he gives me a cheeky smile before turning back to the waitress. “No matter how much she tries to bribe you. Do not give her anything with caffeine. Doctors’ orders.”

     “You bas…!”
Amelia is sitting right beside you.
“Ssss fish.”

     “Smooth save.”
He snorts.

      Face palm -- that was
really
smooth. Amelia isn’t even paying attention. I’ve missed this kid, I might ask Lucas if we can swap. Amelia is already past the gross parts and she lets me do her hair and put makeup on her and dress her and she plays Barbie’s. Not that I enjoy Barbie’s or anything… it’s totally for kids.

     When lunch arrives so does a magazine with both myself and Jacob in it, from when I first came to LA, which was madness. People assumed I’d been cheating on James with Jacob, fortunately James told them his side and said
Jacob and I were just friends. This is an article before that, a picture of me and Jacob sunbathing on his private beach. We both sign it for her and Jacob leaves her a hundred dollar tip. She almost faints, I love it when they get that reaction, and it’s so silly. I doubt she’ll ever spend it for the soul reason it has been in his hand after also being in his back pocket.

     On the drive back my phone alerts me to a text. It’s from Marie, I called her this morning to let her know I’d be back within the next couple of days depending on flights. I wonder what she wants.

Marie
: Forgot to tell you, you aren’t getting your car back :-) xx much love.

Maya:
I’m not allowed to drive anywhere anyway according to James!

Marie:
Like I said before. Rather you than me. ;) Later biatch xx

     Well I never! Who actually uses the word biatch anymore?

     Random thought… am I still allowed to have sex whilst pregnant? Is it ok? Will it hurt the invader? I may not be happy about this situation but I don’t want to bop the poor thing in the head with James’ mammoth penis.
Maybe I should read the books.

Your coochie-pop is going to flee to Amsterdam if you even think about not having sex. I hear Amsterdam is great for a little action. Be warned.

Note to self. Leave with it.

    An hour after returning home and watching yet another Disney movie, Lucas and James return and they are both empty handed. Where the hell did they go? I don’t ask, I don’t get chance because I’m being swept up by James and smothered in kisses. He’s apparently rather grateful that I’m moving back.

     Ok, so I just said they were empty handed. I was wrong. Sinus blocker Sylvia just entered the building with her own suitcase. I managed to get out of dinner the other night but now I’m going
to have to tolerate her on a plane journey home. Great. We did like each other once, very briefly, when I almost died after my appendix went pop. That wasn’t a fun time and I’m happy to report I’m fully healed save for a tiny two inch long scar just below my bikini line on the right side of my stomach. I’m definitely getting a tattoo over that beast. Can I get a tattoo whilst pregnant? It doesn’t seem like a very safe thing to do.

Read the books.

     But that will make it real.

It’s already real. Nothing you can do now but ride the wave and learn the restrictions.

     Why does my mind have to be so damn annoying? Stop thinking about it damn you! “Hi Sin…via.” That sounded like SIGNvia. She didn’t notice I don’t think. I give her a large grin. “How are you?”

     “Looking forward to meeting my grandchild,” she grins broadly and glances down at my stomach. “You’re starting to get a little bump
, I only saw you two days ago.” It’s like a centimeter more protruding than before! I’d hardly call that a bump! Ok, calm, steady breaths. I blow a breath out and step away from James.

     “I apologize for not being able to make it to dinner, as you can imagine I was not in the best of moods.” Don’t have to explain an
ything to her but I will anyway, just because.

     She gives me a
concerned smile, one that I find looks rather genuine and aimed towards my wellbeing rather than the fact I’m not exactly what you could call maternal, “I understand. This whole affair must have come as a shock to you.”

     I hear Jacob snort. He doesn’t stop there. “She trashed her bathroom and bedroom. It was fun to watch her grumbling under her breath, lobbing clothes over her shoulder because they won’t fit soon and were apparently offensive.” Lucas covers his laugh with a cough, Amelia giggles just because Jacob has spoke
n, James outright laughs and puts his arm around my shoulders.

     Sinus blocker Sylvia raises a brow, “Are you two back together?”

     “No,” I say as he says, “Yes.”

     We both look at each other and scowl. Why would he even think that?

Maybe because you’ve been sharing a bed with him and you’ve told him you’re going home. Meaning his home. That would be a pretty big hint right there.

I just can’t get over the fact you’ve been sharing a bed with him and had no urges as of yet. You know what I mean, those sexual urges you normally get on a daily basis.

That’s because you love him and have finally realized not everything is about sex.

Please, there’s no way we’ve had a breakthrough that big this soon.

     I divert my eyes from his hurt greens. “We just aren’t there,” I respond honestly to nobody in particular. He takes my hand in his, “We will be. Eventually.”

   
If you say so buddy. “I really want an orange.” Take that… wait what? He blinks at me, clearly thinking I’m crazy. I don’t remember thinking that before I said it… how strange.

     “Here you go Aunty Maya,” Amel
ia says and holds up an orange. “Got it from kitchen.”

     “Thanks princess,” peel, peel, peel, peel. Yummy.
She skips off happily straight over to Sylvia for a cuddle and a kiss before taking up residence on, yet again, Jacob’s knee. This causes Lucas to look dejected for a moment. I catch his eye across the room and wink. “So, when are we going back?”

   
“We leave in three hours for the airport,” Sylvia sits on the couch next to Jacob and Amelia. “I love your movies.”

     Jacob flashes her his best smile and even Sylvia can’t resist swooning. James gapes as his mother openly flirts and chats with Jacob
, even I’m gaping to be fair. I could catch flies with the cave on my face right about now. Look at Sylvia go! Ooooh, she just flipped her hair, now she’s… squeezing his arm! I know that trick. Oh, and the eyelash flutter… she just giggled. Hell. This woman got it bad!

     “Shall we watch a movie?” Lucas blurts seeming to notice the stillness of the room as Sinus blocker makes a fool of herself.
Although Jacob seems to be reciprocating. At least I thought so until he just gave me that wide eyed look. Yikes. I can feel his psychic waves entering my brain screaming, “SAVE ME!”