Say Uncle(13)

“Um…” She refused to look me in the eyes.

With my hands still cupping her beautiful face, I forced her to look at me. “Listen to me, Angel. I’m not going to tolerate lies. Does she hit you?”

She answered, “It’s been a long time since she’s laid a hand on me.”

“It was because of me, wasn’t it?” I hated that I was the trigger.

“No, it was because I was being a bitch.”

“No offense, but I hate her, and I want her away from Ted. I won’t let her ruin his life,” I declared.

“None taken. I hate her too. I have for so long now,” she said as I down the rest of the water.

“Actually I haven’t lived with my mother for years. She wasn’t the motherly type. I was the mistake that she thought would keep her rich lover, but it happened he was already married and had no intention of leaving his wife…I didn’t live a normal life until I was ten.”

“What happened then?”

“My aunt hadn’t seen me since I was born because my mom and her had a huge fallout. She tried to reason with my mother, but it never worked. So one day she decided to pay a surprise visit to my mother. When she found out that the dressing room at the strip club was my first home, she called social services and gained custody of me.” Angel glossed over the whole strip club scene, but it was vivid in my mind. She was exposed to all the vile and raunchy debauchery at a young age. Her aunt had made the move at the right time. If she hadn’t, Angel may have followed in her mother’s footsteps or worse.

“Did your mother get in trouble?”

“Not really. She was put on probation, and we only had phone conversations after I had lived with my aunt for a year. They were afraid she would be a bad influence on me.”

“How did she take it?”

“Not bad. She enjoyed the freedom of not having me around. It was her late husband that wanted me around. I came to visit often when I was about sixteen, but Vegas was too much and she wanted me to hang around with her friends. Most of them male, if you get what I mean.”

“I sure as hell do. She was no mother to you.”

“Not one bit. Whenever she needed to impress someone I would get to visit, but the moment I wasn’t needed, I was sent back, which I really didn’t mind. I like my life in Chicago. My aunt and uncle are awesome people. I don’t want her with Ted either.”

“Good. So we’re on the same page. Now, I need you to end things with that ass.”

“I can’t.” She started fidgeting again.

“Why, because he’s your meal ticket?” I said angrily, remembering her message from Candy.

“If you really believe that, you’re an asshole. If he was my meal ticket, I would have given him my virginity and let him knock me up instead of just a Boston cop,” she ranted.

It was truly an asshole thing to say, and I knew she wasn’t her mother, but it was good to hear it being said. “I’m sorry, but that was what was in the text your mother sent you.” I slipped up.

“So you were in my phone?” she screeched in outrage.

“Only after you told me that you wouldn’t end things with him. How would you like it if I told you I was seeing somebody and refused to let her go for you?” I challenged. I knew Angel wouldn’t like that shit—who would?

“I’d want to punch you in your balls, and I would beat her ass,” she jealously seethed.

“Exactly. I can’t beat your ass, and I can’t legally get away with killing him. Now you see my dilemma?” She only nodded. “Then are we done, or are you ending it with him?”

“You don’t understand,” she whined.

“Then make me understand.” I pulled her to me and pressed my throbbing head against her belly. Angel started massaging my scalp, running her fingers through my hair. It helped ease my pain, and she also relaxed. He was the only thing standing in the way of our relationship blooming.

She took a deep breath, then pushed away. I watched as she paced back and forth. I had enough when she started wringing her hands, so I stood up with a blinding pain and pulled her back to me. “Just tell me. Make me understand,” I whispered as I kissed her hair.

“It’s not that simple,” she murmured.

“Things aren’t going to end between us until I’m cold in my grave, so you can tell me anything,” I confessed.

She looked deeply into my eyes, and I saw resignation in hers. “I’m not supposed to be telling anyone this, but I’m not dating Kevin for real. It’s fake,” she announced.

“What?!” My mind was reeling with questions and anger. We had only known each other for several days, and I was already beyond hooked. I struggled with my feelings toward her relationship with him, and it was all bull. I pulled away because my head just started pounding harder.