"I have an idea. How about a shower? You and I are sufficiently oily enough to warrant one."
"Have you seen the bed? It looks like we swam in the stuff."
She takes a good look around and announces that we need to change the sheets. I have to agree with her. We put them in the washer before getting in the shower. As usual, the shower session turns into a sexcapade, where the hot water turns cold by the time we're done.
As we're getting out, I say, "Merry Christmas, Little Wolf."
"Merry Christmas to you, too."
Chapter 36
Vivi
It's tricky getting everyone here for New Year's without Prescott's knowledge. Weston handles most of it, but I drag Prescott out of the apartment that day, telling him I'm dying to see a movie. Of course it's a chick flick, one he has no interest in. Only I know he'll go, because at this point he'd walk on hot coals for me and I'd do the same for him. For example, for the week in January when Joe Delvecchio's trial will be, he said he'd clear his entire schedule just to be with me. It's not necessary because I'm stronger now than I've ever been. But it's nice knowing he's got my back.
We go to the movie and I have to pretend it's awesome, when it's awful. I hide my yawns and keep checking the time on my phone. Thankfully, we got popcorn, so at least I have that to enjoy. The timing is perfect, though. When the movie gets out, unless something happened, they should all be there, waiting on us when we get home.
On the way there, I suggest stopping at one of the liquor stores for some champagne. It's a decoy because I had the housekeeper load up when she did the weekly shopping earlier this week. We have tons of stuff for snacks too. Good thing Prescott doesn't pay attention to what's in his refrigerator.
We walk in the door and it's quiet, but I told them all to wait upstairs, and then to come down after we're home for a few minutes. We go into the kitchen to put the champagne up to chill and I ask him if he wants some water. As we're standing there, they all run down the steps, yelling "Happy New Year!"
Prescott nearly falls on the floor and I crack up.
"What the fuck? You almost gave me a heart attack!"
I bend over him since he's resting on his knees. "Merry late Christmas."
"This was your surprise?" he asks.
"Yeah. I wanted you to spend New Year's with all your friends, and me too."
He stands up and wraps his arms around me. "You're the best." Then he kisses me. They all clap.
Weston walks up first and we talk and then Harrison.
He starts with, "I can't believe you're the same Vivienne Renard."
"Yeah. No more fat girl, huh?"
"Damn. You sure got better while the rest of us suck."
"Hey, I don't think this guy does." I pull Prescott close to me. "He's pretty damn special in my eyes." Then everyone laughs.
Weston breaks in saying, "Speaking of Special." And he introduces me to his wife. We talk for a little while the men do their guy thing. I immediately like her. She's a no-nonsense kind of girl, but friendly to the point where I feel like I've known her forever.
"Prescott is something else. Remind me to tell you about the time I met him last New Year's Eve."
"I will."
The guys shout about something, and then they try to one up each other. Special shrugs when I look at her.
"Be prepared. The next couple of days will be like this. All I can say is I'm damn glad I'm not the only woman anymore."
"Harrison doesn't date?"
"Weston and I think he's seeing someone, only he's being totally tight-lipped about it."
"I see. Intriguing. Well, come on. Let's get some appetizers out. If they start drinking, we need food to soak up the alcohol."
The night goes on and everyone has a great time. Special and I let the guys catch up, but every now and then I catch Prescott eyeing me. He doesn't drink as much as the others and they comment on it. Then they say something else.
"Hey, Scotty, where's your bowl?" Harrison asks.
"In the bedroom, why?"
Harrison says, "Aren't you puffing on the weed anymore?"
"I haven't smoked much lately. Well, not since Vivi and I have been together."
"Well, fuck me. That's a first," Weston says.
So Prescott was a weed smoker. I'll be damned. I never knew. Not that it matters, but it does surprise me.
Special nudges me. "He must really care for you. He's completely different from the last time I saw him."
"You can say it's mutual."
She smiles broadly. "I'm so happy for you two. I hope it all works out."
"Thanks. That means a lot. I made him work for it, though."
The remainder of the night flies by in a blur and we ring in the New Year by watching the ball drop. The next morning everybody trickles into the kitchen, one by one, for coffee and juice. I volunteer to make breakfast, but Special steps up to help. She's the real cook in the house.
"I didn't invite you all up for you to cook. Now sit."
"Hey, it's what I do, Vivi."
The two of us put together a huge breakfast and the rest of the meals are eaten out. The group leaves the following morning and we promise to get together again real soon.
After they're gone, Prescott and I collapse onto the couch for a day of lazy TV.
"Best gift ever, Vivi. You don't know how much that meant, getting together with all of them at the same time. And you seemed to hit it off with Special."
"I really love her. She's awesome."
"You ought to meet her adopted son, Cody. He's a cutie."
"She told me stories about him and he sounds like a little charmer. I can't wait to go down to Atlanta and visit them."
We're lying on the couch where Prescott lifts up to one elbow. "I need to ask you something. I'm going to see my father about the house. It'll be very uncomfortable. Would you come with me? I totally get it if you don't want to."
"I'll be with you, one hundred percent. Just name the day."
"Tomorrow. I want to get this over with. I was going to do it this past week, but I didn't want to ruin our holidays."
The following afternoon, which is Sunday, we head out to Prescott's father's house around one. Prescott thought it would be best to take a couple of guys from the security team at Whitworth, just in case. This is more than a little scary for me. When I questioned him about it, he tried to allay my fears by explaining it was for witnesses in case his father tried to act out or do something crazy. But it sets me on edge, nonetheless. So here we are, headed out there, with two big burly guys in the front seat, as I clench Prescott's hand in the back.
"There's nothing to worry about, Vivi. Just think, you'll be getting a dose of the mega boobs too."
"You're not making me feel any better, you big goofball."
He throws his arm around me and pulls me into his side.
"You will. Have your camera ready for this train wreck."
Then I say, "Maybe you should call or give them a heads-up we're coming."
"That's the last thing I want to do. Catching him unprepared is for the best. Then he'll be defenseless."
"Was he always that mean?"
Prescott stares at the cars we speed past. "I was so busy acting out and trying to cause him as much trouble as I could, I honestly can't remember. He was always pissed at me, but I thought it was because of my shitty behavior. Now, after knowing what I know, maybe it wasn't. We probably just fed off each other. So toxic, you know? And then when I was a teenager-around fifteen, I think-I told him about why I didn't speak for all that time."
He talks about how he told his dad that he was afraid his mom couldn't breathe in the body bag and that she was suffocating, but no one could hear her. But his dad only looked at him and laughed. Basically let him know he was just a dumb kid.
I take his hand, only to show him how much I care. Any loving parent would've supported their son in that moment and not laughed at him.
"I'm sorry. It's too bad he couldn't see what beauty and love was in your heart."
Prescott is silent for the rest of the way to the house.
When we pull into the long drive, I admire the home when we finally make it there. It's a beautiful, sprawling brick mansion. Unlike the Whitworths', which is a white New England styled home, this one reminds me of something you'd see on a Virginia plantation. "This is really beautiful, Prescott."
"Yeah. Too bad my memories aren't."
I squeeze his hand.
"Ready?" he asks.
"Yep."
The four of us traipse to the front door and ring the bell. I'm shocked when the large-boobed woman answers. And nothing could've prepared me for those breasts. Sara was right about the misguided direction of each of them. They are the weirdest looking things ever. She wears a super low cut V-neck sweater that is way too tight for her. I almost feel like my eyes are spreading out, trying to focus. But the bad thing is I can't stop looking at them.