Chapter 53: Hellish Weekend

Saturday morning, Hath woke to the light tapping of keys. David was working quietly on his laptop in the corner of the room.

“Hey baby,” he said. “Sorry to wake you.”

“Nah, that didn’t wake me,” Hath answered. “What are you doing?”

“Downloading the pictures from last night to the computer,” he said distractedly. “You, sexy Momma, take one hell of a good picture.”

Hath got up and padded across the room, and bent over the desk; looping her arms around David’s neck. “No, you took good pictures. I just kind of sat there and – HOLY SHIT!” she exclaimed, looking at the picture David had up on screen. It was the one of her in the bed, sheet barely covering her, her face a mask of pleasure, lust, and longing.

David turned his head to kiss her cheek. “Yep, pretty much,” he said, quite pleased with himself. “Look at you,” he said, tracing the screen with a finger. “Amazing.”

Blushing, Hath pulled David back so she could sit on his lap. “Show me the others,” she said, and he did. Her favorite was the one of the two of them. The look on her face was one of utter devotion and love. “Wow,” she said. “You’re good.”

“Nah, baby, we’re good,” he said.

“You aren’t going to show these to the guys are you?”

“Would that bother you?”

“Ordinarily no, but these are just so, blatantly sexy,” she was blushing furiously. “They’d razz me forever about these. I think I want to keep them between us. At least for the time being. Maybe I’ll feel differently later, but,” she trailed off, lost in the photos. Shaking her head, she reiterated, “Nope, not for them. I may show the girls, but they won’t make fun of me.”

Later, David and Hath went to David’s mother’s for lunch. They had a nice visit and a wonderful lunch. Hath met David’s sister and her family, and the two women got on instantly. They chatted amiably for hours and ended up staying for dinner, too. That night, Hath helped David pack for his trip to LA for the Grammy’s.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?”

“It’s not ‘don’t want to’, it’s that I really shouldn’t take any more time off work right now.” Hath rolled her eyes. “I did bail for shopping, and I have the Chicago trip…”

“Yeah, yeah,” David said, kissing her cheek. “So, what are you going to do tomorrow?”

“I think I’m going to tear this place apart, looking for your secrets,” Hath said seriously.

David just laughed. “Good luck with that,” he said.

* * * * *

Sunday, I waved to David as the car took him away. He’d be back tomorrow. I wasn’t completely honest with David, but I didn’t want to worry him. I wanted to try to make nice with April. If I was going to be a part of their kids’ lives, I didn’t want her hating me. I mean, personally, I really don’t care if she likes me or not, but David was just so upset the other night that I have to try to make it right.

I showered and dressed carefully in faded jeans, my favorite Angora sweater, and low-heeled boots. Snagging the keys to David’s car, I headed for the garage. Though I was sorely tempted to take the motorcycle, I needed the GPS, so climbed into the Nav. A short time later, I was pulling into April’s driveway.

I was apprehensive when I approached the door. But, I was here, and I didn’t want to back out. I rang the bell and waited. April opened the door, and was less than thrilled to see me. “Yes?” she said haughtily.

“April, do you have a couple of minutes to talk?”

“What could we possibly have to talk about?” she asked. I could tell she was trying to bait me, but I held back. I didn’t want to give into the temptation of just lighting in to her. She and David have history I will never understand, and I need to respect that. But, David and I have a future together; she has to respect that.

“I wanted just a minute or two to talk about what kind of relationship I’d like to have with your children,” I said, “if you’ve got the time.”

With a dramatic sigh, she stepped out onto the porch and shut the door behind her. “So, talk.”

“I would like to be friends with your kids,” I said. “They have a mom, I know that, and I know they don’t need or want another one. I’d never try to usurp your authority, and the rules that you and David have set for them are obviously the ones I’d abide by.” April didn’t say anything, but didn’t go back into the house, so I guess this was going as well as could be expected. I took a deep breath and finished my little spiel. “So, if it’s alright with you, I’d like permission to get to know your kids, to learn what makes tick, and to include them in the baby’s life. I’d like to be friendly with you, but understand if that isn’t going to happen, in which case, I won’t be rude, and ask you afford me the same courtesy. That’s it.”

April considered me for a minute. “That’s it?”

I was puzzled. “Yeah, that’s it. Why, what else do you expect?”

She laughed an ironic laugh. “I expected you to be all up in my face about the other night,” she said. “David did not look happy when he left here on Thursday, and I expect he went bitching to you, and I assumed you’d be over here all full of yourself.”

“And would that have worked?”

April blinked in surprise, and let out a genuine laugh. “No, not in the slightest. Look, Hath, I’m not going to lie to you. This bothers the hell out of me. Not you personally, but it rankles that David has moved on to a new family so neatly and completely. You’ll learn, honey, that you need to get whatever attention you can from him when you can because when he’s touring, you’ll be an afterthought. Another family for my ex-husband means less time spent with our children. They deserve better.”

I started to get upset, but reined my emotions back in. “You’re right, they deserve his attention. But so do I. I have absolutely no intention of keeping him from the children you have together, but the fact is, there is a new baby coming, and she is going to be as important to David as your three kids. I want her to know her brother and sisters. I and I want to know them, too.”

April looked at me critically. “You have backbone, I’ll give you that. You’ll need it.”

“Lady, I’m a bona-fide smart ass, with delusions of grandeur and self-importance. If I’m not afraid of Jon, I’m certainly not going to be afraid of you. You’ve got nothing on him in the scary-ass department. Backbone is the least of what I’ve got.” She looked at me, shocked. “But, I figured if I came up in your face shouting and ranting, all that was going to do was piss you off more than you already are.” She nodded. “So, I went with Normal Hath.” I pulled out a business card, scribbled my cell number on the back and handed it to her. “Call me when you decide what you want to do.”

I was halfway back to David’s car when she called my name. I turned and looked at her. “Do you want to say hello to the kids?”

I nodded and followed her into the house.

* * * * *

When David came home on Monday, he was beat. Though they didn’t win the awards they were up for, they attended a couple of the after-parties, and got in to the hotel pretty late. With an early flight this morning, he was dragging ass by the time he arrived. He smiled when he saw a pair of Hath’s high-heeled shoes tossed haphazardly in the jumble of sneakers and boots by the door. He opened the closet and grinned like a fool at seeing her long coat hung there. She must be wearing a pantsuit today, he mused, and is wearing the short coat. He loved how he knew that.

He loved the thought of her always being here when he got home, or he being here when she got home, or of them coming home together. David shook his head. He was getting all sappy stupid, and that was not like him. He wanted her here with him permanently. He just had to figure out if she wanted the same thing.

Over the next few days, he made little hints and asked Hath’s input on room décor or menu planning, and asked her questions about how the household should run. She didn’t catch on to what he was talking about which meant that either she was preoccupied with things at work, or she didn’t know what he was trying to do. He bet on the former, because he knew that if she was really paying attention, she’d be onto him in a flash.

By Wednesday night, David was ready for Valentine’s Day. He thought that was a good time to ask her to move in with him. He’d talked to Stephanie about it, because she seemed to be close with Hath, and he was really nervous. He’d talked to Jon, who was less than helpful, and preoccupied with Sam’s hair change. Stephanie made him feel better, telling him that he should just ask Hath to move in with him. He hoped like hell that Steph knew what she was talking about. Another rejection from the woman he loved might just kill him.