That's a Promise (19 page)

“Now, how come I didn’t know you were dating somebody?” she said, playfully slapping his arm. The unneeded touch was definitely unnecessary and it made the anger and jealousy start swirling in my stomach. Blake came over to sit with me again, and Alice followed way too closely.

“I’m sorry dear,” Joyce said quietly to me as Blake explained how we had met to Alice. She patted my knee and continued, “What did you say your last name was?”

“Um, it’s Sommers, why?” I was trying to focus on Alice and her wandering hands, but I knew I shouldn’t be rude to Blake’s mother either. It was just that her hand had made its way to his thigh, and my face heated with a rage I couldn’t let out in front of his mom.

“Oh, just Blake never mentioned it before. Thought I may have recognized that name,” she wondered aloud.

“Oh, well my dad owns an auto shop, and I used to help him out there all the time. Sommer’s Auto. Maybe you had to get your car fixed there?” I tried to explain, bringing my attention back to her.

“Yes, dear. I think that’s exactly what it was. I remember my car broke down around where Blake said you’re from once.” Blake turned and creased his eyebrows.

“I don’t remember that,” Blake said, finally pulling himself out of the bubble that he and Alice had made, and turning back towards me and his mom. My hand immediately went to his upper thigh and rubbed him in hopes to get rid of the foul touch from that witch.

“Oh that was some time ago, dear. You wouldn’t remember. Hmm isn’t that funny how we probably crossed paths at one point in your life before you two ever met,” she said, and seemed to be lost in thought after that.

Blake placed his hand over mine as Alice started talking about something I didn’t care about. He leaned in closer to me, and placed his mouth next to my ear. His hot breath against my ear made me squirm in my seat. I tried to hold it together since I was still trying to pretend I cared about what Alice was saying, but as he spoke, I lost focus completely.

“You better have something planned for what you’re doing to me with your hand,” he said huskily. I turned to him slightly and smiled.

“I might… I might not,” I teased. I heard him groan softly before returning his mouth to my ear.

“You be careful teasing me, love. I hold all your pleasure in my hands and mouth,” he teased back. Ugh, he was so sexy. When he said that and then licked the side of my neck, I couldn’t stop the moan from coming out of my mouth. I tried coughing to cover up my moan, and Blake laughed at me.

I turned my attention back to Alice, who was giving me an evil glare, but managed to still hold a conversation with Joyce. They were talking about some people that I didn’t know, so I sat back on the couch, continuing to rub Blake’s thigh. Joyce eventually interrupted Alice, and asked Blake to help her make some tea for everyone in the kitchen, leaving Alice and me alone.

“So…” I started, “How do you and Blake know each other?”

“Oh he didn’t tell you? Oh I am so surprised! We used to date back in high school. High school sweethearts and all.” She said it with a wistful look in her eyes, and I could tell she loved being the one to tell me. I looked into her pretty light blue eyes, and I couldn’t understand how he could go from her to me. And why had he told me he never dated, if he did date back in high school?

“Hmmm…” It was the only thing I could come up with at the moment. I didn’t like her, and wanted the conversation to end immediately.  

“Oh don’t worry sweetheart, we broke up because he wasn’t faithful… you know how boys are!” she said in her disgusting southern voice, rolling her eyes. “We stayed friends ever since. Every time he comes home, we like to hang out with each other. I help his mom with the garden out back, so that’s why I come over.” I didn’t know whether to be relieved by the reason they broke up, or worried. I just nodded my head, and we sat there in silence for a few minutes before she took off back to where she came from.

Joyce and Blake were taking a while, so I got up to go search for them. I was startled when I heard an unfamiliar sound. Blake and I had been dating for almost eight months, and I had never heard him yell. I heard him threaten any guy who touched me, but never yell. But on that day, I heard him yell for the first time, and I couldn’t believe what I had heard. I leaned against the wall and kept myself hidden from them.

“What the
fuck
, Ma!” he yelled at her.

“Do you not pay attention to anything?” I heard her ask in return, clearly baffled.

“No, I don’t fucking pay any attention to his goddamn life! This can’t be fucking happening!” I heard a thud, and I winced because I knew he must have hit something. I heard his mom say something softly to him, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying.

“What the fuck am I supposed to do now? I can’t…” he broke off, and I thought I may have heard a cry or sob come from him. But Blake was a strong man, he wouldn’t cry. I heard his mom try to comfort him, and I wanted to be the one to do it. I just didn’t think I’d be welcome. I couldn’t tell if he was murmuring or crying, and I felt useless.

“He ruins fucking everything good in the world. God
dammit!
” I heard another pounding sound, and winced again. I had never seen, or heard this part of him, and I didn’t know what to think of it. I heard him walking, or stomping, and I tried to turn back before he caught me snooping, but I wasn’t quick enough. The look on his face was pure rage when he saw me.

“Did you hear that?” he demanded and pointed toward the room he just came out of. I flinched slightly at this unfamiliar person, and I shook my head.

“No… I… um… I just heard you yelling, but I didn’t hear what was wrong. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to snoop,” I said to him. But of course, I did mean to snoop. I wanted to know what the hell could make this man who was so in control, spiral out of control. He walked up to me quickly, and grabbed my face gently. He laid his forehead against mine, and I felt his heavy breathing against my face.

“I love you, Josie. No matter what, just remember that I love you. Ok?”

“Yes, Blake. I know you do. I love you too,” I reassured him. I wanted to kiss him and make everything okay, but he pulled back abruptly and nodded his head.

“Ok, good. Now where’s Alice?” he asked.

I furrowed my brows in confusion, but pointed in the direction that Alice had gone. I was hurt when he immediately turned to leave. Was he going to confide in her instead of me?  I didn’t understand what was happening, but I didn’t have much time to reflect because Joyce came walking out of the room with tears streaking down her face. She saw me, wiped her face, and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, to lead me back towards her living room.

“Seeing your child hurting will never get easier,” she said, shaking her head. She must have noticed my confusion, because she squeezed me tightly. “Don’t worry dear, we just are having some family issues right now. He’ll tell you when he’s ready,” she tried to reassure me. “You love my boy don’t you, Josie?”

“Yes very much. I just want to make sure he’s okay,” I replied.

“Good, good,” she mumbled as we took our seats on the couch. “Just remember that you love him. Just him. Okay, dear?” I nodded my head, because I wasn’t really sure what else to do.

I was completely confused and hurt. Every fiber of my being told me that Blake shouldn’t be with Alice, but how was I going to stop him? We sat together on the sofa, lost in thought, until finally Blake came walking back in. Alice was right behind him, and it took all of my willpower to stay put. He knelt down in front of us, and I could still see the storm raging behind his brown eyes. They almost seemed black.

“Ma, take care of Josie tonight. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I need to leave for a little bit. I won’t be back later than tonight. Ok? Just watch some movies together or read a book or something.” I was shocked by his request. I didn’t understand what was going on, and I certainly didn’t understand why it looked like he was about to leave with the beautiful blonde and leave me behind. What scared me the most, was that his eyes wouldn’t look at me.

“Oh, Josie and I will be fine. You be careful, son,” Joyce answered for the two of us. But I didn’t think it was fine. It wasn’t fine at all. I was shaking my head and I know my face showed my confusion, but Blake ignored it and got back up.

“Alright then, don’t wait up,” he said briskly before turning and walked out the front door, Alice in tow.

I hurt. My heart hurt. My chest hurt. My throat hurt. My head hurt. I couldn’t focus on anything that night. Joyce tried her hardest to keep my mind off of what was going on. She made me help her cook in the kitchen, but I was too distracted by doubt that Blake would even be back for dinner.

She made me sit and watch Footloose with her, because she said everyone had to see that movie at least once, and I had never seen it. I tried to read after we ate alone, but I couldn’t focus on what I was reading. So the only thing I could do was sit on a stranger’s couch and wait for the man I loved to finally come home to me. I replayed the scene from early over and over in my head, but nothing clicked. My anxiety got so bad at one point that I had to excuse myself to the bathroom in order to calm myself down. I told myself everything would be okay. He would explain what happened, and then we would be okay. I had to believe that we would be fine.

Joyce received a couple of phone calls during the night, and excused herself from my company for a few minutes each time. I wish I had paid more attention to those phone calls, because it didn’t even cross my mind that Blake may have called her while my phone remained silent.

“Okay, dear. I talked to Blake, and he said he wants you to take the guest room that’s down the hall. I can take you to it, if you want. I’m about to head to bed. I can’t stay up as late as I used to,” she said to me with a smile. He didn’t want me in his room. I felt like someone had stabbed a knife right in my chest.

“You talked to him? What did he say? Where is he? Is he coming back?” I needed to know. I needed to know why he couldn’t talk to me, and why he went out with his ex.

“Honey, he needs to work some things out on his own for right now. Yes he will be back tonight. I am sure of it. And yes, I did talk to him briefly. He’s safe, and he wanted to make sure you were okay. He told me to let you sleep in the guest room, since he won’t be home until later. Now, come on, I’ll show you to your room.” She started walking in the direction of the room, so I followed, not wanting to be rude.

I had no intention of staying in there if he wasn’t there. I did not want to miss Blake coming home. Blake took his car, which had all my things in it anyway, so it wasn’t like I could get comfortable. She left me alone in there, and as soon as I heard her go upstairs, I went back into the living room.

When he finally did walk in the door, I realized it didn’t matter if I had been in that bed, because the whole house could have heard him. He was drunk, and that girl had her hands all over him, trying to keep him steady.

“Oh my god,” I whispered. I had never seen him that drunk before, another shocking discovery that day. He must have heard me, because his fallen head shot up and looked right at me. I saw a swirl of emotion pass through his eyes: sadness, love, hatred, anger, but ultimately settled back to sadness. I gasped at how much he revealed in that one look, pain obstructing my throat. Alice said something about getting him some water, and dumped him in the chair opposite of me.

“You are supposed to be in bed, love,” he slurred in my direction.  

“I wanted to see you. Make sure you were okay. Are you? Are you okay?” I asked sitting up and leaning towards him.

“No. I’m not okay, but seeing my beautiful girl sure does make me happier,” he said. I wasn’t sure if he meant me or Alice, but I didn’t want to entertain the idea that he meant her. I took a closer look at his face, and noticed dried blood on his lip and nose, and a black eye forming on his right eye. I let out a shocked gasp, and immediately went to sit in front of him.

“Blake! Oh my god! What happened?” I touched his face gently. He grabbed my hands and kissed them quickly before pushing me away from him. I loved that he touched me, but I didn’t love that pushed my hands away.

“You’re a fucking angel, Josie. I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve for you to touch me,” he said roughly to me.

“No, Blake, that’s not true. You-,” I started, but his strong voice cut me off.

“Don’t, Josie. Just don’t try to make me feel better right now. You don’t fucking know anything, so you can’t decide,” he said it forcefully, and I knew I needed to stop trying while he was like that. I learned that I didn’t really know Blake as well as I thought I did. “Go to bed, love. We’re getting up early and taking you back home tomorrow,” he said as he got up from his chair.

I was shocked. Alice was standing in the entryway, waiting to take care of
my
man. I was angry. I was hurt. But most of all, I was fucking confused!

“What do you mean I’m going home tomorrow?” I demanded at his back.

“Just what it sounds like, Josie. You can’t stay here anymore,” he ground out, finality lacing every word. He didn’t even spare me a glance as he said it, just continued to walk towards Alice, who helped him up the stairs. I stayed grounded in my spot, waiting for Alice to come back down those stairs. She did eventually come down, and she headed to the door to leave, but I called out to her before she left.

“Is he okay? What happened?” I asked in hopes of getting a straight answer. She glanced up the stairs and then back at me.

“Oh don’t you worry yourself, sweetheart. He just likes to work off his anger on other people’s faces sometimes. Actually, it
is
quite sexy to watch. He’ll tell you about it if he’s ready, I’m sure,” she smiled at me in a way that I think was meant to be reassuring, but was actually devious. I would have liked to take out
my
anger on
her
face. I didn’t trust her at all, and I really didn’t want Blake to be telling her things and not me. I had a headache, so I laid back down on the couch until I fell asleep.