Hot Southern Mess (Hide Your Crazy) (28 page)

“Of course.
Oh, and by the way I’m almost done with your presentation.”

“You’re a life saver
, Molly. I can see why Reid had taken such a liking to you now,” she remarked while walking away.

“Friends.
We are just friends,” I mumbled softly, once again trying to convince my heart of the same thing.

Chap
ter 27: Raining cats and dogs was an understatement.

I waited outside of Black Laden’s dressing room for the guys to start wandering out. I knew what went on behind closed doors, and would rather not be part of the ‘ho’ fest that was going down. Ryder and Tysen were the first to come strolling out; smiles plastered on their smug little faces.

“Nasty,” I muttered quietly.
I don’t think I would ever get over the crazy amount of pussy those guys managed to get. Or maybe it was the fact that women knew they weren’t going to hear from any of the guys ever again, yet they willingly opened their legs and mouths.

“Hey
, Molly, you riding with us tonight? I thought of a sick riff a little while ago that I want to pen out later,” Tysen stopped and asked casually.

“I think so. Well, my laptop is on your bus, and I really need
to keep working on this project. Trying to finish it on the crew bus wouldn’t exactly work in my favor,” I exclaimed.

“Good, you can pull out that guitar of yours and help
me then.”

Nodding my head, I smiled as the two of them headed down the hallway. I would love the opportunity to play tonig
ht, but the project came first. I was to have it perfect and finished by tomorrow, so I was going to be pulling an all-nighter. There was going to be outrageous amounts of coffee consumed tonight.

“Hey slugger,” Brody yelled while walking out of the room, causing my body to jolt to attention.

“Do you ever pay attention, Brody? I told you, I fell.”

“And I have a small cock.
” Brody laughed, grabbing his junk right before me.

“Get on the bus
, you Neanderthal,” I scolded, completely grossed out at the weirdo. Each day that goes by on this tour, I wonder how he doesn’t contract something. Safe sex is one thing, but I doubt he wrapped his wang when some chick’s lips touched it.

“Do you know how much longer Reid is going to be?”

Brody just laughed and followed in the same path as Tysen and Ryder earlier.

My stomach about plummeted out of my ass when Brody started laughing. I really wanted to believe all the shit that Reid had been saying to me,
but actions speak louder than words. Unfortunately, his actions were even more mythical than his words.

“Reid?” I called out, opening the door just a crack. Silence smacked me in the face, as I sat there stupidly wi
th my head up against the door.

“Reid?” I yelled again, this time pushing the door open further. My eyes darted around an empty room, as immediate gratification
swept through my body. Brody was such an asshole; Reid wasn’t even in there.

Smiling, I started down the long hallway back to the bus, when fifty or so yards up I noticed Reid’s back facing me. Instant nausea hit me like a ton of bricks when I noticed some skanks arms wrapped around his waist and his arm over her shoulders. And to think I wanted to believe his lies this time.

Reid: two-million and one serviced

Molly: a big fat zero, again.

“
We need to get going; so say goodbye to your little friend and get on the bus,” I snapped, glaring at the woman hugging Reid’s side. I didn’t understand the attraction these guys had to women like that. There was absolutely no mystery in their appearance, considering all of them usually showed as much skin as possible. Most of them giggled at the slightest of comments from one of the guys, and when asked what their name was it was always something slutty. Sure, they normally had big boobs and a summer tan; but I’m sure I had more brains than most of the girls here tonight.

Jealous?
  Yes. Should I be? No.

I didn’t even give Reid a chance to
respond before I stomped over to the door, slamming my hands into it and thrusting it open.

“What happened to her face?
” I heard the girl ask Reid.

“I fell
, bitch, next time why don’t you ask me?” I had officially lost it. Not only was I questioning who I was, but now all manners that I was raised with apparently disappeared, too. I might be crazy, but fuck, I had feelings too.

I fumed onto the bus and grabbed my laptop from the cupboard; flopping myself down on the couch.

“What got your panties in a twist?” Brody exclaimed, giving me a puzzled look.

“Does it really look like I want to talk about it? If I wanted to talk about it, I would have found a girl, considering you have a penis and that is basically my main problem right now,” I spat, narrowing my eyes at him.

“Shi
t, Molly, you need a drink?”

Fuck yes I wanted a drink, but if I got sloshed right now, then this stupid project would never get done. I would kill to just toss a couple shots back; try and dull the memories of what Reid had told me the last couple of days, but I doubt they had enough alcohol to make it happen. Dealing with my emotions wasn’t going to happen. I just needed to lock it away once again, and bring back that black hearted bitch that seemed to always lurk around.

“What the fuck was your problem, Molly Anne?” Reid growled, stepping onto the bus.

“Really
, Reid, I never pegged you as stupid,” I sneered, letting an evil smile spread across my lips.

“
You’re fucking impossible.”

I just smiled as he stormed by, walking to his back room and slamming the small door.

“Well, isn’t this going to be one hell of a ride to Charleston,” Tysen commented, glancing back and forth between the closed door and me.

“I didn’t do anything,” I remarked,
focusing my eyes on my computer screen.

“
Pretty sure you have done a lot.” Brody laughed tensely, flipping the television on.

“Whatever,” I said softly. He was the one with his arms all wrapped up on that woman back there. Actions speak louder than words, and the body language between those two said enough.

“Do you want to come to bed?” Reid’s voice echoed through the darkness of the bus.

“What?” I replied groggily, rubbing my eyes harshly with me hands.

“Are you coming to bed, or going to sleep out here?”

“Really
, Reid? I think tonight pretty much told me where you stand with us. You always claimed that you didn’t share, so why in the hell would you think I’m okay with it? It is never any different between us; just maybe more good times than bad lately. At the end of the day, it’s the same argument I have with myself every day being around you. There is no commitment on your end, and there never will be.” I sighed, repositioning myself back on the couch.

I refused to
go crawling back into his arms, knowing damn well I didn’t mean shit to this man. One of these days my damn heart would realize it, too.

“You’re not even going to let me explain?” Reid questioned quietly.

“Nope, I really don’t want to hear any more excuses, Reid. Goodnight.”

Reid acted like he wanted to say something back, but he pursed his lips tightly together and sighed. I closed my eyes before I had to watch him walk back t
o his room. The silence was bad enough that I didn’t need to torture myself with him walking away, too. I was destined to be alone, forever. Better get started accepting that now.

The sun spilled through the tinted windows of the bus, as I felt the motion of driving stop.
We must be in Charleston
, I thought. Pulling myself up, I stretched my limbs and picked up my phone next to me. The digital layout read a little after eight, and I knew the guys had a radio stint at eleven with a local station. Hopefully, the guys would wake up on their own in the next hour or so; this way I didn’t have to risk my life doing it myself. It truly was like poking a sleeping bear. One needed protective pads when telling those guys they needed to get up.

Grabbing my phone, I sent a quick text to Stephanie to have her check and see if she liked the pres
entation. I had the rest of the morning to tweak anything she hated, so hopefully she got the text soon. Who was I kidding? That woman never slept.

Picking up my small bag, I wandered into the bathroom to put myself tog
ether. I pulled on a clean pair of jeans and a black and white striped long sleeve. Brushing my fro, I pulled my bangs back and slapped a couple bobby pins in them. I was almost finished brushing me teeth when a pounding noise came from the other side of the door.

“I have to take a leak.”

“One second,” I yelled back, gathering my goodies I had spread across the small sink.

“I’m not waiting,” the voice came again, as the door slid open and Reid pushed his way into the cramped bathroom.

“Really? Just give me a moment and I’ll get out.”

“Nope,” was all he spoke, dropping the sweats he was wearing and relieving himself in the
toilet.

“Men,” I groaned, grabbing my bag and squishing myself out the door. I really should be ashamed at myself, considering I did take a peek before walking out. Heck, he did have a large cock.

“Are you ready for this morning?” I asked Reid as he emerged from the small bathroom.

“Yep,” he grunted, walking back to his bedroom.

“Good talk,”
I commented, my voice dripping in sarcasm. Stuffing my things back into my bag, I crawled back on the couch, tucking my legs up underneath me. My phone pinged again, signaling I still hadn’t listened to the message my sister left last night. Well, might as well listen to the verbal scolding from my little sister who thinks I’m wasting my life away. Yep, today was going to rock.

My cell slipped from my hands and crashed to the floor. I didn’t know what to do. The words my sister spoke on the phone couldn’t be true. Telling someone something like t
hat wasn’t what you did through a voicemail. Even my evil family had better manners than that. So, why was I completely frozen in terror that what she spoke of was true.

“Molly?” Brody’s voice came from the hallway.

I felt the hot moisture of tears starting to slip down my chin, but I couldn’t seem to move or speak.

“Molly, are you okay?”

I had never experienced anything like that call in my entire life. I thought my heart ripped from my chest when I caught Jefferson cheating on me, but that moment paled in comparison to what just happened.

“Reid!” I heard Brody shout down the bus, but I still couldn’t move. The outside world didn’t
matter; I was trapped inside my own body, just waiting for a moment to break free.

“Molly Anne, what
’s wrong?” Reid asked quickly, kneeling down in front of me. “Baby, please tell me what’s wrong. I can’t help you until you tell me what’s wrong.”

I could tell my body was shaking, but Reid’s touch didn’t register in my brain.  His hands gently cupped my face as I blankly stared into his eyes

When I was younger, I was terrified of the dark. Even the slightest shadow would trigger a panic attack, sending me spirali
ng into my own personal hell. I had to sleep with the light on in my bedroom for almost four years. My mother called me stupid, and told me I was being childish. Besides the fact that I was only six, apparently didn’t matter in her world. At that point in life, she had already started trying to groom me to be a lady; great job she did there.

My father
, who didn’t completely agree with the way my mother had been raising me at that point, gave me a flashlight to keep under my pillow. Every couple weeks he would sneak into my bedroom and change the batteries; this way I never went without a light even when my mother insisted on turning my bedroom one off. He was my saving grace during a time that I needed him; going behind my mother’s back and helping me deal with my fear. Eventually, I didn’t need the flashlight anymore, and my irrational fear of the dark subsided. Sure, my father continued to grow distant over the years, and eventually my mother’s crazy ways devoured him into society; but I never forgot what he did for me when I was younger.

“Molly Anne,” Reid called again to me. His voice seemed so distant to my ears.

“He’s dead,” I managed to choke out, the tears cascading down my cheeks.

“What are you talking about?”

“My father, he’s dead.” My eyes snapped shut and the dark
ness of the moment overtook me, sending me once again spiraling out of control.

Chapter 28
: Don’t forget your pearls honey.

Reid took me into his arms as he gently rocked our bodies back and forth on the couch. I vaguely remember the words he spoke softly to me while his lips grazed the side of my head. My entire body felt numb to the outside world, while my insides seemed to be fighting to break out. I couldn’t understand why my heart was hurting so much, yet my brain was frozen in stature, allowing me to do nothing but sit there.

My ce
ll rang again in the background of the commotion.

“Give me that,” Reid reached out for Brody to
hand him the phone.

“Hello?”

I could hear my sister’s bitchy voice on the other end of the line. Even with all that happened in the last day, there was very little compassion to her tone. But hell, what did I expect from her? She was a carbon copy clone of my mother. And that woman showed no emotion what-so-ever.

“Dry your eyes
, Molly Ann. You’re a McGlenister; we don’t cry,” my mother’s voice rang through my mind.

“I have her right here, she isn’t speaking or moving. No, I’m not going to let you talk to her. I’ve been on the phone with yo
u for thirty seconds and you are already screeching at me,” Reid’s voice boomed as it filled the large bus easily.

“
Give it to me,” I managed to speak out, holding my hand up for the phone.

Reid’s eyes grew large as he tightened his
grip around my waist and passed me the phone.

“Rebecca,” I croaked out.

“Are you really that busy to not take my damn calls, Molly Anne? Seriously, our father died yesterday and you are just now finding out. How selfish are you?” Rebecca barked on her end of the line.

“I’m coming home,” I said meekly, closing my eyes to try and dull the pain once again.

“Well, that would be the proper thing to do. Mom has so much to do planning the wake and funeral in the next couple days. The last thing she needs to worry about is you out flittering about; maybe you should hurry it up.”

I let the phone fall from my fingers again as it clattered to the floor.

“Hello?” Brody said quickly as he picked up the phone once again. “The line is dead.”

“I’ve got to get home,” I stammered, climbing out of Reid’
s embrace and walking to the door.
I had to go home.

“Let me help you,” Reid stated, reaching out to grab my hand.

“No, I’ve got to do this on my own.”

For once in my life I was lucky, considering that we were only a little over four hours from Athens, and maybe forty-five minutes by plane. Apparently
, the Gods were looking out for me this once, considering I could be home this afternoon at the latest.

I opened an app on my phone and purchased the first flight I could find out of Charleston. It didn’t matter how much I spent, I just needed to get home.

“Molly Anne,” Reid called, and I stopped and turned around.

“I need to get my stuff off the other bus and get to the airport,” I mumbled to myself, shaking my head to try and clear the fog that settled in my mind.

“What can I do?” Reid asked, moving quickly to catch up with me.

“I’m fine.”

“Molly Anne, let me help. I’ll call Stephanie and see if she can push back a couple more dates.”

“You’re not coming with me
, Reid,” I said calmly. There was so much on my plate right now, that having Reid with me only added to the clutter. I couldn’t deal with my father’s death, my mother’s craziness, and Reid all at the same time. My sanity was already worn thin, and that would just push me over the edge.

“I want to help
, Molly Anne; you shouldn’t be alone right now.”

I stopped my power walking and turned to face Reid. “I have been on my own since I was little. Sure, I might not be handling things exactly the way I should be, but I make it work. I can’t have you there
, Reid; I’m sorry.”

I knew I
was killing Reid by not letting him come, but I didn’t have the time nor the energy to deal with it right then.

“I’ll call Stephanie,” he finally spoke, flashing me a small smile.

“No, I need to. I might not have a job to come back to, but she should hear it from me,” I stated firmly. I was trying to stand on my own two feet during this troublesome time, and letting Reid do the work for me did nothing for my own wellbeing.

“Damn it,
Molly Anne, let me help you.”

“I’ll
see you later, Reid,” I said, ducking on to the crew bus to finish grabbing my things.

My plane touched down back home a little after four. I sent my sister the flight information before I boarded back in Charleston, hoping she would come pick me up. However, standing outside the baggage claim waiting for her to arrive seemed like a losing battle. Why she couldn’t be a decent human being right now, and show up to take me home, was beyond my comprehension. I dropped everything when I got that message this morning. I finally had my dream job, and I basically just threw it away for my family. She could have sent a car for me at least.

Waving a t
axi down, I helped load Simon and my small suitcase into the trunk, then gave the driver directions to my parents’ community. Fuck, I guess it was just my mother’s now. My phone beeped in my pocket, and I rapidly went to grab it.

*Just say the word and I will be on a plane to you.*

*Have a good show*
I texted back, then pressed the power button on my phone. I needed a breather from that life, in order to deal with this one.

I punched in the gate code for the taxi cab, and then held my breath. Looking ahead at the house, there were at least fifteen cars parked out front in the large circle driveway.
Glancing back down at my attire, I was in no shape to see my mother, death in the family or not.

“You can just stop here,” I said quickly to the driver, having him stop far away from the front door as he could.  Handing him cash for the fare, I waited as he grabbed my bags from the trunk.

“Deep breaths, Molly, deep breaths,” I reminded myself, standing there staring at the large mansion up on the hill.

My father was gone, and I was absolutely terrified to deal with my mother. Feeling this way shouldn’t be real.  Family was meant to stick together; through the good times and the bad. That was the staple that people needed to survive in this world; always knowing that you had people to stand behind you. Sadly, the only man that ever showed an ounce of what family really was to me, was now gone.
No wonder why I’m so screwed up.

I snuck through a back door, quietly making my way through one side of the house to a spare bathroom. I knew I had stuffed a pair of black skinny jeans and my grey sweater in my bag, so hopefully I could make it to the bathroom unseen, so I could change. My jeans and long sleeve shirt were not proper attire for my parents’ home, and this wasn’t a time I wanted to battle my mother on the subject.

I made it to the bathroom and quickly changed my clothes. Catching my reflection as I stuffed my other clothes back in the bag, I almost broke down for a second time today. My hair was purple. Why in the hell did I color my entire head purple?
Not only was my head the color of a damn Easter egg, but it matched my bruised face, too. I was starting to panic when a knock came through the door.

“Molly?”

My heart plummeted when I recognized the voice; Jefferson.  Biting my lip, I unlocked the door and turned the knob.

“I noticed a taxi pullin
g out of the driveway, then saw your jacket by the backdoor…………… and wow, your hair is purple,” Jefferson remarked, his eyes fixated either on my disaster of a face, or my bright as fuck hair color.

“Yep,” I managed to blurt out,
squeezing my lip tighter between my teeth. At least he was polite enough to not talk about my horrible face.

“Come here,” Jefferson stated, holding his arms out for
me to walk into.

Had you told me three years ago that I would have been standing here, contemplating letting Jefferson hold me again, I would have claimed you were fucking bat shit crazy. Now, the familiar face that had been there for me so long
ago was almost comforting to my soul.

My eyes began to burn with the te
ars pooling up under my lashes. Without giving it a second thought, I stepped right into Jefferson’s outstretched arms, letting the familiarity of his touch comfort when, when no one else could.

I cried quietly for several minutes in his arms. When I had finally composed myself as much as my body could, I pulled back and wiped my face with the back of my hands.

“Thanks,” I said softly, laughing lightly.

“Not a problem Darling.”

“So, who is all out there?” I asked cautiously. I had to face them eventually; however there were certain people I would rather not deal with right now. One of them would h
ave been Jefferson, but obviously that’s not an issue now.

“Several of your father’s business associates, some of your mother’s friends, my parents, and I think your sister’s husband
’s parents too.”

Taking one last look in the mirror, I wiped my face again and forced a smile. “Well, I guess I better go say hello.”

Jefferson nodded and reached out to grab my hand. I really didn’t want to be holding his hand right now, but I guess since I told Reid not to come; I was going to need someone in my corner when I faced the masses. Sure, this was the ass-wipe that broke my heart into unfixable pieces, but at least he was someone.

Gripping his hand tighter, I let him lead me down the hallway to the great room.
Breathe, Molly Anne, just breathe.

My mother was seated on the couch, trying her best to keep it together. All I wanted to do was scream Mommy, and run into her arms. But, that wasn’t how this family worked. I had to show my composure in this situation; crying was for the weak my mother always told me. A few heads turned as we walked into the room. Unfortunately, I bet most of the smiles were because of my appearance, not the fact that I had lost my father.

“Mother,” I said
timidly, holding my breath until she acknowledged me.

“What have you done to yourself?
You look like you were beaten senseless, and that hair………….your father would not approve of this look, young lady,” she scolded, dabbing the corners of her eyes with her tissue.

This woman was unbelievable. I hadn’t seen her in almost three months and the first time we set eyes on each other was because my father died. Who gave a fuck that my hair was purple, or
I wasn’t in the best of attire? She didn’t even ask me if I was okay, considering the entire right side of my face looked like ass.
At least I fucking made it home, you stuck up bitch.

“I’m sorry
, Mother.”

“Can you call Francis
, Susan, and see if they can get Molly Anne in before the wake tomorrow evening?” my mother asked her friend sitting next to her.

A hard lump developed in my throat, as I refused to let these people see me cry.

“I’m going to go get myself situated in my old room, if that’s okay with you, Mother?”

“
That’s fine, Molly Anne; and don’t forget your pearls when you come back down,” mother replied, basically ignoring the fact that I came home for her.

“Welcome home,” Jefferson whispered into my ear while squeezing our still connected hands.

“Thanks,” I muttered, still fighting the lump that continued to grow in my throat.

The noise had moved to the kitchen with all the house guests, so I figured dinner was ready. I had sat in my room alone for the last couple of hours; contemplating on how I was going to get through this. It was obvious that my mother didn’t need me here, and I had yet to see my sister. So there I sat, in my old room, wondering what I was going to do next.

I grabbed my phone from my side bag and turned it back on. I really didn’t want to talk to anyone, but I had promised to update Stephanie as soon as I knew what my plans were. I don’t know how I still had a job with NP, but apparently I had someone looking out for me. I knew who that person was, but it didn’t make our relationship any easier.

“Knock, knock,” Jefferson’s voice came as he stepped into my old bedroom.

“Hi,” I said softly, stuffing my cell phone under a pillow.

“I just wanted to let you know that dinner had arrived,” he said from the doorway.

“Thanks.
Um…………..Jefferson? Do you know what’s going on?”

“What do you mean
, Molly?”

“Like the plan for everything. Mom mentioned that the wake was tomorrow night, but I haven’t heard anything about the funeral or burial services,” I said softly.

“All I know is that the wake is tomorrow night, and they have a graveside service planned for Tuesday,” Jefferson offered, giving me a weak smile.