“You did?” I quizzed her.
“Yes, I missed you.” She said with her blonde curls bouncing.
“Well I missed you too.” I told her picking her up and hugging her tightly.
“So where is Cain today?” My mother had always been able to tell when her children were hiding things.
“He couldn’t make it.” I replied without any further explanation. “Where’s Dad and Lukas?” I attempted to steer the conversation off of Cain’s absence.
“They are watching the game in the family room.” Jacks replied.
“Dinner is almost ready. Jenna can you go tell the guys?” Mom asked.
“Sure.” I knew my Mom could tell there was something off. I also knew she was holding back until the opportune moment.
After the table was set and we said our Sunday prayer, everyone began digging in to their dinner. Lukas and my father were arguing about some football game. My mother and Jacks were busily discussing the wedding and all of the details. I listened anxiously to all the conversations around me and panicked thinking of how my news would be received.
“We called things off.” I just blurted it out, not thinking about the consequences of such a shocking statement.
“What dear?” My mom looked puzzled and everyone else immediately stopped talking and focused on me.
“Cain and I called off the wedding,” I said it out loud for a second time.
“What?” My mother gasped.
“Why?” Jacks asked equally shocked.
“Something happened. Well a lot of things happened actually, and I just didn’t know about most of them,” I said flippantly.
“What are you talking about, Jenna? What happened?” My mother pushed.
I didn’t know how to say the next part. I had rehearsed different ways in my car during the drive over but now I couldn’t remember any of them.
“Jenna?” My dad looked at me concerned.
“Okay I am only going to say this once and then I never want to speak of it again, okay?” I took a steadying breath and then continued. “Something happened at my Bachelorette party. I didn’t mean for it to happen or want it to happen, it just did and now I can’t take it back.” I paused again trying to get my brain to cooperate and slow down.
“What happened? What did you do, Jenna?” My mother demanded.
“I married someone else.” The pure silence that filled the room cut me deep in my chest. I could feel my family judging me and my poor choices. I knew they would still love me but I also understood that didn’t mean they thought my actions proper.
“You married someone else?” My sister squeaked out in shock.
“Yes I got married while in Vegas. When I came home I came clean to Cain about what happened.”
“And he broke things off? Oh poor Cain!” My mother blurted out. I felt a sharp anger flash through me at her sympathy for him. I knew my mom didn’t know the full story and from the little I had told them it did look like I was the only asshole in the situation.
“When I went to confess to Cain what had happened in Vegas he then divulged to me that he too had been unfaithful in our relationship. Apparently he had never been faithful to me and never did love me. He was only marrying me because I presented to be the perfect wife for his family’s political aspirations. So I guess it was for the best this happened.” I strategically left out the slut comment. I don’t really know why, I just couldn’t tell them for some reason.
“Oh my God.” My mother gasped again covering her face with her hands as if she might cry. At one point during my confession I thought I was going to lose it, but I think I was all out of tears over Cain.
“I’m so sorry, Jenna. I can’t believe Cain did those things to you.” Jacks got up from her chair, hugging me tightly. I latched on to her in return and exhaled a deep breath that I had been holding in.
“Well I say good riddance. I never liked that preppy asshole.” Lukas offered in solidarity.
“I just can’t believe this.” Mom said again shaking her head.
My father cleared his throat from across the table. He did not look mad but he did not look happy either. There was a cold stare about him that sent a shiver up my spine. “Jenna, who exactly did you marry?” I had left that tiny detail out, hoping to just quickly gloss over it. I should have known better than to think my father wouldn’t see past my vagueness. I could tell he suspected that I knew my mystery husband. He knew his daughter well enough to know I wouldn’t just marry a one-night stand I met in Las Vegas.
This was the moment I was truly dreading. The moment I had to tell my entire family exactly who I had married in a quickie ceremony that I don’t have any recollection of thanks to the ridiculous amounts of alcohol I consumed that evening.
I could feel them all staring at me waiting for the answer. I closed my eyes and just blurted it out like before. “Jamieson Wellington.”
“Have you lost your fucking mind?” Jacks said from behind me.
“You married James? Why?” My mother breathlessly asked.
“Holy shit! That is amazing!” Lukas exclaimed with laughter.
The only one who didn’t say anything was my father and for some reason I felt as though he already knew my shameful secret.
CHAPTER TWELVE
February 7, 2010
“Jamieson stop!” I protested trying to maintain some level of modesty while we were in public.
He just winked at me and continued slipping his hand further up my skirt while we sat in a corner booth at Haven’s with our friends. We had agreed to go out to celebrate Derrick’s birthday. His real birthday was Valentine’s Day, but all of us had other plans so we agreed to go out before to celebrate. In some weird way it was fitting that Derrick the pretty boy extraordinaire was born on Valentine’s Day and he seemed to relish in it.
We had been at Haven’s for a little over two hours and it was getting close to closing time. The bar had been fairly packed for a Friday night and we were enjoying watching the crowded mix of people.
Julian and Olivia sat in the far corner of the booth cuddled up together. Something had been clearly developing between those two in the last few months. Olivia can be a hard person to read sometimes so I was impressed Julian had seen through her barriers. Audrey was crammed in next to them hanging on every word Derrick was saying and batting her eyelashes. He of course was making the most of it.
“It’s time to go.” Jamieson leaned over and growled in my ear.
I turned and flashed him a smile and then whispered back “We can’t leave yet, they will totally know we’re running off to go have sex. Wait until last call at least.”
“Hate to burst your bubble, J but we already know you two are horny as shit over there. You two might as well go get it out of your systems.” Julian chided from across the table.
I must have turned eight shades of red having him overhear our private conversation. Jamieson looked as if he could care less and threw down a bunch of money on the table.
“I couldn’t agree more. This is for our tab.” He stood up grabbing my arm and pulling me with him. “Happy Birthday, D-Bag.” he said slapping Derrick on the back.
“Night guys,” I squeaked as Jamieson began pulling me with him out of the club.
When we got outside I stopped and turned to him irritated at the hasty and embarrassing exit he had made. “What is your big hurry?”
Jamieson didn’t stop he just grabbed onto my hand and began leading me toward the car once again.
I refused and stopped moving once again. “Jamieson that was rude back there to just run out on our friends.”
He glared at me for a split second then softened. He took a determined step forward invading my personal space. I went to take a step back but he halted my retreat by grabbing onto my upper arm latching me to him.
“It may be rude but I don’t care. I can’t sit there one more minute looking at you in the tight skirt and not being able to have my way with you. I don’t think I have ever wanted you more than I do in this instant Jenna. You drive me insane.”