CHAPTER 39 - YOU WANT UNDERSTANDING...UNDERSTAND THIS…
PITTSBURGH PREPARATORY MILITARY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS - LATE AFTERNOON
DORMITORY
JENNY
I can’t stop laughing! I am holding onto my sides and have my face buried in the pillow, and the more times I watch it, the funnier it is!
“Jenny! What’s so funny?!” Melinda asks, glowering at me. “Am trying to read here! Need to build up my credits.”
“I know the person who owned that shop and let’s just say, it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving um…”
“Asshat?” She suggests.
“Dick of an asshat.” I correct her.
“Wow. Anyway, laugh quietly!”
“So you want to go see your folks before school starts properly?”
“We’re going to do that anyway. No, I want to go see my boyfriend.” She says dreamily. “I especially want to see him as my folks don’t like him and have banned me from contacting him at all. The fuckers.”
“Why don’t they?”
“Not from the same social set as us.” She sneers.
“I see. So how are you going to get to see him?” I sit down on the bed next to her.
“Sneak out one night. It’s no biggie, have done it before. They didn’t notice.”
My initial feeling of kudos you do what you want, quickly fades as I remember Mom’s face in the hotel. “Maybe you shouldn’t do that. Maybe they do notice…”
“And maybe…” She snaps, standing up and snatching her books up. “...you should fuck off and keep your opinions to yourself!” She storms out before I can react and slams the door hard.
“Jesus, did I sound like that?” I mutter to myself, before contemplating what to do with this information. “Fuck it…” I declare and get up and head to the door as I open it and Drill Sergeant Willcox is passing and again part of me makes me pause, but then I remember Hawk’s words. “Drill Sergeant, may I speak to you?”
“Yes, shall we go back into the dorm or go to the discussion room?”
“The room please.” We walk in silence and when we get there, she indicates the seat. “First, thank you for suggesting counselling; I am going to take advantage of that…”
“You’re welcome.”
I war with the brat inside before I open my mouth. “I think, no I know, that Melinda is going to do something dangerously stupid when she goes back home and I don’t know what to do about it.”
“What is it she is going to do?”
“Sneak out to see her boyfriend. I know me telling you makes me a grass or a snitch, but I don’t know what to do. So I thought I would tell you and you could…”
“Applaud you for passing the test.” She tells me. I frown and then turn at the tapping on the window and there is Melinda, waving at me. Drill Sergeant Willcox opens the door for her.
“Oh Jenny, I am so pleased you ratted me out!”
“What’s going on? I don’t understand...this was a test?” I realise and part of me is affronted.
“Which despite your two wobbles, you passed.” Drill Sergeant Hawk comes in, looking somewhat disappointed and once again I am affronted, but in a good way.
“Told you I was going to do it, Sir and I will. May I go back to my dorm now?”
“Yes, you may. And you may return to barracks, Private Whitechurch.”
“Private...as in the army?!” I gasp. “You don’t look old enough!”
“Which is why I am asked to come in and sort out the troublemakers, of which you were a special breed. Sometimes it takes the reflection of your behaviour to see your true self.”
“Yeah. Yeah, it does.” As I head back to the dorm, I smile a little smile of pride.
BRITIN - MONDAY AFTERNOON
MASTER BEDROOM
BRIAN
“You are seriously fighting me on this?” I demand. Spitfire is channelling his spitfire at the most inopportune of times!
“Yes.” He retorts and tries to scoot back a bit, but I grab his ankle and pull him back towards me. “I don’t want to and you can’t make me...us!” He tries move back to the top of the bed so he can hang onto the headboard. So I move down a bit, trying not to smirk at the indignant expression on his face. “Hotrod…” His voice is soft and pleading. “...I don’t need it. I managed perfectly well without them when I was having Kendi and…”
“Nya and Abi had to hide your bike to make you take it.” I interrupt smugly and he glares at Nya, who shrugs.
“You had to tell him!”
“He asked. I’m not gonna lie.” She snickers from the doorway. “Look, hold your nose take it and get it over with.”
“It tastes like mouldy cum mixed with liquid scat!” He juts his jaw out.
“And you would know what that tastes like how?” He narrows his eyes at her. “Stop protuberating and take it; I have better things to do!” Nya scowls impatiently, standing by the bed.
“I am not prot...whatever you just said! I am merely pointing out that I...ummmph!” Much to my surprise, Nya sticks another spoon in his open mouth and clamps his jaw shut.
“Hold his nose!” She orders and although he squeals like a stuck pig, which in effect he is, he does swallow. I am about to let go but Nya shakes her head and stares at him.
“Can hold his breath for five minutes. Experience has taught me to wait for six…”
“But…”
“I mjnk fgivnhed akjdiy4e dj!” He mumble-shouts.
“He can speak so he has swallowed.”
“Nope.” Nya is firm. Spitting fire out of his beautiful blue eyes, Justin stops struggling and I watch his Adam’s apple bob and she smiles. “Want the honey and cream taffy now?” He nods.
“Honey and...”
“Mary Poppins had it right. A spoonful of sugar, or in his case honey and cream taffy, makes medicine go down. Mom!” She yells and Abi comes in with a jar filled with taffy, which even makes my mouth water. “We can let go now.” We do so and he glares at both of us then wipes his tongue on his sleeve. “He also won’t spit it out when Mom’s here.”
“Do I want to know why not?” I ask nervously.
“No, you don’t!” Justin gripes before turning a winning smile on Aunt Abi. “Can I have one now please?”
“Here and one for you too, Brian.” She smiles and then puts the jar on the side. “It generally takes at least two. One for the taste and one for the sulk afterwards.”
“Not sulking!” He mutters round the taffy and looking at his phone. “What was that word you said, Nya?”
“What word?” She replies carefully.
“The prot-word...they tended to mix it up.” He replies to my bemused expression. “They either took my toys away, which was very effective or said a long word that I would try to repeat and bam! Thank fuck, I only have to take that every two months!” They both walk out chuckling at the outraged expression still on his face as they don’t answer his question.
“Protuberate.”
“Pardon?” He walks into my open arm and rests against my chest. We are both pulling taffy out of our mouths to see how long we can stretch it. I win and after I stuff it back in my mouth and reluctantly swallow, I give him a tentative kiss and suckle of his tongue. No medicinal aftertaste. “Can you say that again? I need to put it on my list.”
“Protuberate. It means to jut your jaw out.”
“Of course, it does.” He snickers. “You know what I don’t understand is why it hasn’t hit the media as hard as we thought it would. All they’ve said is that he has been arrested…come in!” He calls at the door knocking and Cyn pokes her head in.
“Okay, I have a statement for you to check and then make.”
“About what?” I ask, earning a glare when I stretch the taffy again and don’t share.
“The cretin and your association with him.” She replies and I stiffen, but she gives me a small smile. “Read the statement first, okay?” Sighing, I take it off her and start to read and then start to gape. “Brian, read it out loud or show it to him.” Cyn chuckles at Justin’s tugging and frustrated expression.
“Sorry, Spitfire. Okay; I have the following statement to read with regards to the former friendship I had with Michael Charles Novotny. He is a nobody, a nothing, a persona non grata and if he is watching this...you did something that I can never forgive. And not only will I never ever forgive you, I have eradicated you from my mind and my life. And I will continue to do this by carrying a grudge against you for the rest of my life. I am not at liberty, due to an ongoing investigation and his impending trial, to discuss the charges, and even if I could I would not due to their heinous and execrable nature. I, and others, are the victims of his crimes and we hold him, and him alone, wholly accountable for what he tried to do. I will not take any questions nor when the trial starts, will I be in attendance. That is all.”
“Wow, so I know which part Nya wrote. Who wrote the rest?” Justin asks as he rereads it to himself.
“Combination of Ted and I. As a matter of interest, which bit did she write?”
“The bit with the grudge.” He murmurs and nods in approval before handing it back. “An ex boyfriend cheated on her…”
“She bought his company, I suppose?” I ask, unwrapping another piece of taffy and popping it into my mouth, then I shake my head when Justin reaches for the jar. His eyes light up.
“No, she promised him and she never breaks her promises. Oh that should go in, instead of...can I have that back please? So take out not only...and replace it with: And I promise, I will never ever forgive you. I also promise to make you cease...and then carry on the rest of the statement. When’s the press conference?” His eyes are locked on my mouth now.
“In 20 minutes, outside the gates. The quicker we do this, the quicker you can…finish off your taffy.”
“Get the Armani dark blue with the light blue shirt and grey tie. And I can be done in 10 minutes.” I whisper in his ear. He runs to the wardrobe.
COUNTY JAIL - 40 MINUTES LATER
VISITOR’S ROOM
TED
Debs and I watch the expression on Michael’s face. He looks a cross between disdainful and pissed off! “I take it Baby Daddy wrote that for him?”
“It doesn’t matter who wrote it. You need to take note and understand that Brian is saying and promising to do these things. As are we. Good luck, you are going to need it, wherever you go.”
“What are you talking about? I am not going anywhere, but to one of your homes as I have nothing...” He begins to lament.
“...and nobody!” Debs snaps. “To quote Brian, you have been eradicated!”
“But the attorney fees need paying!”
“Sit down, Novotny!” A guard bellows as we walk out. “Down, Novotny! Last warning!”
We don’t look back as there is a sound of a scuffle, but we do smile at that familiar yelp of pain!
THE LOFT - AN HOUR LATER
BEDROOM
JUSTIN
I totally understand and wait quietly for him to put the jar of taffy down. It was the only other thing he took from the bedroom. Since we all moved into Britin, we’ve hardly been here. It feels cold and informal a bit like a…
“Fuckpad. It feels like it used to. It’s not home anymore.” He says philosophically.
“Do you want it to be?” I ask, going to the cupboard to take out some bedding.
“No, but I want it to be part of ours. We created our kids here; I fell in love here, I want…” He trails off as I start to bend over to tuck in the sheets. “...you. Desperately.” He groans.
“You can’t suck me off!” I warn and then blush to the tips of my hair.
“And why not? It’s one of my favourite things to do.” He protests, nuzzling behind my ear and causing me to squirm while tugging at his clothing.
“That vitamin shot-slop makes me taste funny.” I mutter embarrassed and he stops tugging at my shirt and tries not to smirk. “What? What did she tell you?!” I groan into his chest and feel him start to vibrate with laughter. “Oh, she didn’t?! Please tell me she didn’t?!”
“What? Tell me about the time when you were so desperate to get off that you ran to the bedroom within twenty minutes, wanked off, came so hard that you got splashback and got curious about the taste?”
“No...no...she didn’t!” I am beyond mortified but will suffer for the tears of laughter, running down his face.
“No, Nya didn’t tell me that.” He flops down on the bed, wiping his eyes and reaching for me.
“If she didn’t tell you, who did?”
“Uncle Earl. Seems Aunt Abi told him after Nya asked her about washing juice out of your mouth…”
“I am going to kill them! Right after I make love to you...very slow love.” The kiss we share is sweet and deep and soon, the need for air wins out.
“But you are right about one thing. It does taste revolting.” He shudders. “I had to brush my teeth four times this morning!”
“You had a shot. Why?”
“You are my Baby Daddy and what you go through, I go through. So Aunt Abi is going to have to teach us or the kids to make that taffy.”
“Speaking of taffy…” I breathe hotly in his ear...
https://www.mommypotamus.com/honey-and-cream-taffy-recipe/