Games (23 page)

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.” She smiled and offered him some of her drink. She didn’t ask him what he was thanking her for; she knew he was referring to the intimate time they shared earlier.

Brian finished off the
Arnold Palmer and refilled the glass for her. He looked at his watch. “It’s almost four o’clock; you must be tired.”

“I am starting to feel the effects of the time difference. I’d better go and check into the hotel before it gets too late.”

Brian placed his hands on her shoulders. “Shay, why don’t you stay here with us?”

“That’s a good idea. That way you won’t have to drive back and forth,” Mark added from the archway.

Shay would have refused, but the pleading look on both Brian and Mark’s faces wouldn’t let her. “Where will I sleep?”

“You can sleep in my old room,” Brian offered.

Shay tilted her head to the side. “And where will you sleep?”

“He can squeeze his oversized body on the couch.” Shay looked over Brian’s shoulder to see Alysse standing next to Mark.

“Please,” Brian asked again, stroking her cheek. He didn’t say the words with his mouth, but his eyes told her that he needed her close to him.

“I guess I’d better get my things from the rental car and call the hotel,” Shay finally agreed.

“Give me the key; I’ll take care of it,” Brian offered.

Keeping her eyes locked with his, Shay slid her hand into the front pocket of her white walking shorts then held the key out to Brian. When their hands met, Brian expressed his gratitude by squeezing her firmer and longer than usual.

Alysse sat down at the kitchen table. “I don’t know why you resisted. You know that boy can’t function without you,” she said when Brian was out of earshot. “My baby lost twenty pounds after you left for school. I had to stay with him nearly a whole month to get him eating properly again.”

Shay poised a neutral position. “Ms. Alysse, what are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. You know my baby’s in love with you.”

Shay blushed and joined her at the table. “Do you really think so?”

“I know so. Brian’s not interested in anyone but you.”

“Did he tell you that?” Shay asked hopeful.

“I’m not going to tell you what he told me, because I’m not one to gossip. But trust me, I know my son.”

Shay placed her right hand over her heart and prayed Alysse knew her son as well as she thought she did. Her stomach growled. “Do you want me to help you with dinner, Ms. Alysse?”

“It’s too hot to cook. I’d planned to send Mark out for Chinese, but you and Brian can go instead.”

“Shay and I can go where?” Brian asked, returning from the car. He turned to Shay. “Your luggage is in my room.”

“You two can drive into town and pick up dinner,” Alysse answered.

“I don’t want to leave you,” Brian firmly replied. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Brian’s declaration infuriated Alysse. “I’ve had enough of your overprotective attitude. Boy, I told you I’m fine. You’ve been in this hot house all day, you need to get some fresh air and I need some space before I kill you.”

“You don’t need space, you need to sit down and take it easy!” Brian snapped back.

Alysse stood and pointed her index finger at Brian. “This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you anything. You worry too much.”

Brian stood and yelled in his mother’s face, “I’m allowed to worry; I am your son. Now sit down!”

Mark stepped into the kitchen.

Shay reached for Brian’s arm before things got out of hand. “Brian, we’ll only be gone for
a short period of time. Mark’s here, she’ll be fine.”

Brian’s sudden cold eyes bore into her. “You’re supposed to be on my side. But you don’t understand.”

It was out of his character to yell at her and she didn’t take it personally. Shay kept her voice low and steady. “Brian, I am on your side. I do understand, but I agree with your mother: You need a break.”

“You’d better listen to her, before you find yourself in the hospital. Just because you’re a twenty-four
-year-old man, doesn’t give you the right to raise your voice at me!” Alysse yelled back.

Brian glared at both of them and stormed out without saying another word. Shay found him outside sitting in her rental car.

“I’m scared,” he said after she closed the driver’s side door.

She turned and faced him. She wasn’t used to seeing this vulnerable side of him
, her giant afraid. She ran her fingertips along his jaw line. “I know you’re scared. I felt the same way when my mother had her emergency surgery.”

“I almost forgot about
you running and screaming through the hospital ward and then collapsing on the floor outside of Mama J’s door.”

“Do you want to know who helped me get through that the most?” she asked.

“Your uncle Jonathan,” he assumed.

She moved closer to him and held his face steadily with her hands.  “No, Brian, it was you.” She worked hard to keep her voice from breaking; her emotions threatening to pour out like a gushing river. “It was the words, the promise you made to me in the nursery that gave me the assurance I needed. Do you remember those words?”

Brian nodded his head. “Yes.”

“And just like you told me that I’ll always have you; you’ll always have me, Brian. I’ll always be here for you.”

Brian had to pull away from her like he’d suddenly been scorched.

The heat from his inward inferno leaked outward and grabbed Shay.  Too much for her to handle, Shay turned away from him and looked out the window. At that very moment she wanted to take him into her arms and love him. She wanted to be the vehicle that drove his pain away, but she couldn’t.

“We’d better get going, if we’re going to beat the crowds,” he said after a long silence.

She drove all the way to the restaurant without saying a word and very little on the return trip.

Alysse held Sunday dinner late to allow time for Reggie and Julia to arrive from
California. Mark and Brian tried to convince Alysse to rest and let them prepare dinner, but she insisted on cooking dinner herself. To keep Brian off Alysse’s case, Shay helped her prepare a traditional backyard barbeque with all the trimmings and helped her pack for her three-day hospital stay.

The four of them were playing Monopoly when Reggie and Julia arrived. Shay noticed when Brian greeted his dad, he held onto him longer and tighter than normal; he did the same thing to Julia.

Alysse stood back and watched as Julia and Shay then Reggie and Shay then Reggie and Mark, and finally Mark and Julia exchanged hugs. “I hate to interrupt ya’ll little hug-a-thon, but it’s time to eat,” she fussed.

Julia planted her hands on her hips. “Girl, shut
up and give us a hug. You know you want one.”

Alysse smiled as Julia and Reggie gave her a group hug.

At dinner, Brian sat between his mother and Shay.  The non-traditional family enjoyed good food and good conversation.  They had come a long way in five years. Julia and Alysse were friends. It didn’t bother Alysse at all that Brian referred to Julia, as Mama J. Mark and Reggie were also friends, but Brian still chose to address Mark by his name. And of course, Alysse loved Shay like she was the daughter she never had.

Reggie, Julia and Alysse watched how their children interacted over dinner. Every time Shay called Brian
“honey”, Reggie and Julia exchanged glances. And when Brian wiped barbeque sauce from the corner of Shay’s mouth, Alysse nearly fell out of her chair.

When she finished eating, Alysse got up the nerve to verbalize the thoughts parading
through her mind ever since receiving the breast cancer diagnosis. Things she may have never said if not faced with a life-threatening illness.

“I have something I
’d like to say,” she announced, rising from her chair. “There are a few things actually.”

Brian expressed his immediate concern. “Is something wrong, Mom?”

Alysse scolded her son. “I told you, I’m fine,” she paused, “but I do have some things I want to say. Actually, I need to say them.”

The room silently sat on pins and needles, because Alysse was known to say whatever came to her mind with little regard for one
’s feelings. Finally, Mark encouraged her, “Say what’s on your mind.”

Alysse surveyed the table and took a deep breath. “First, I want to thank you, Reggie, Julia and Shay, for coming to support me through this little crisis. As you know, I don’t have any blood relatives outside of Brian and I really appreciate you for extending yourselves.”

“It’s not a problem,” Reggie interrupted.

Alysse huffed and put her hand on her hip. “Look
, Reggie, this is hard for me, so don’t interrupt me or else I’ll change my mind. Just because you’re a preacher doesn’t mean you always have to talk.”

Reggie held up both hands in surrender. “Go ahead.” He was used to Alysse’s defensive and offensive behavior. That’s just who she was.

She continued. “Like I was saying, Julia, I’ve never told you how much I appreciate you and your family for accepting Brian and treating him as your own. I have watched you and Brian together and I know you love him. It’s comforting to know that if something does go wrong and I’m no longer around, that Brian will have someone to mother him.” 

Brian opened his mouth to speak, but Alysse stopped him with a raised open hand.

“Also, you’re the first female friend I’ve had in years. The last female friend I had ended up sleeping with my trifling fiancé.” She paused to glare momentarily at Reggie then softened her expression for Julia. “Thank you for being a good friend to me. I’m eternally grateful to you for taking the time to find me. I can honestly say my life has truly changed for the better as a result of knowing you.”

Julia patted her hand. “Thank you, Alysse. It means a lot to me to hear you say that.”

Alysse inhaled deeply and turned to Reggie. “Now as for you, motor-mouth. I spent over seventeen years hating you, but today I can honestly say I have nothing but absolute respect for you. You were a lousy boyfriend, but you’re a great father to Brian. I have forgiven you for what you did to me, but now I need to ask you to forgive me for what I did to you.”

“What are you talking about?” Reggie asked, guardedly.

“I’m sorry for taking Brian away from you and for depriving you and your parents of being a part of his life.”

Reggie swallowed hard and Julia placed her hand on his. “Alysse, I forgave you a long time ago.”

“Thank you.” Alysse walked around to Reggie and hugged him then continued with her speech.

“Shay, I told you what I wanted to say earlier. Mark, I’ll talk to you in private. Now, as for you, Brian. Boy, you have gotten on my last nerve from the moment you entered this house two days ago. And you know what
, I’ve enjoyed every minute.” Alysse kissed Brian’s forehead. “When I look at you, I see my past, present and future. You’re the one thing in my life that I’m most proud of and the only thing I’ve done right. I love you, son, and I’m so proud of the man you’ve become. You’ve worked hard and overcome obstacles others would have walked away from.”

When Alysse finished hugging Brian, he left the kitchen in tears. Reggie stood to follow him, but Shay stopped him. “I’ll go.”

Shay found Brian sitting on the side of his bed, crying with his head in his hands. Shay hunched on her knees in front of him. After seeing Alysse, who never showed her true emotions, so open and transparent, Shay felt it was time for her to come clean with her own feelings. Maybe it would help ease Brian’s pain.

She gently removed his hands from his face and lifted his chin. “Honey, I have something to tell you.”

His mouth didn’t move, but Brian’s wet eyes told her to continue.

She swallowed hard and exhaled. “I love you.”

“I know.” He lowered his head again.

She lifted his head again and held his face steadily in her hands. “You don’t understand. I’m trying to tell you that I not only love you as my best friend, but I’m
in
love with you and have been for a long time. Do you think I could’ve made love with you if I didn’t love you?”

The tears subsided and a faint smile creased his face when she removed her hands. He remained silent and she sat back on her legs and continued speaking. “When you asked me over the phone, if I meant what I said at
Emery Bay, I lied to you. I do love you. I love everything about you, even the things that irk me. You were right; I can never give my heart to another man, because it really does belong to you. It has since the day I met you.”

She let out a deep breath, closed her eyes and leaned her head back. She felt so much lighter now that she’d voiced what she’d been hiding and trying to suppress.

She felt his fingertips encase the back of her neck, but kept her eyes closed as he pulled her closer to him. His lips touched hers just as her eyelids fluttered. His kiss was soft and sweet, gentle, but void of passion. He waited for her to open her eyes fully and for her breathing to return to a normal pace before continuing. He then kissed both cheeks and her forehead, before returning to her lips for a deeper kiss.