The Rocky Road Pact

Chapter 1: Back in Time

"Get out of my room, you worm. GET OUT!!"

"Ow. MOMM!"

I sighed and shook my head as my husband came into the bedroom. "Is it too late to run away and join the circus?"

"We'd be running away from the circus," he said, stopping in his tracks. "You look nice."

"You look surprised," I said, turning back to my reflection and pinning an earring into place. 

"Not at all." He came around behind me and planted a kiss on my neck, giving me a familiar shiver. "You just look more glamorous than usual."

"Well it is the 30th high school reunion. I want to look glamorous!"

"Hm," he said, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. "Do you think he'll be there?"

"Who," I asked.

He scoffed. "Mr. Wonderful."

"I have no idea," I shrugged. "Who cares anyway?" I checked out my reflection in the mirror. "Not bad for knocking on 50," I said, smoothing down my dress and turning from side to side. 

Another screech came from Clara's bedroom, followed by a slammed door and a cry of outrage from Ben.

"Maybe I should stay here with the kids," he said, straightening his tie in the mirror. There was a tiny nick on the side of his face from shaving. He was always in too much of a hurry to be careful. I kissed it tenderly. "Sounds like they're going to kill each other when we're gone."

"Oh no, you're coming. They're old enough to stay alone for the weekend. And I'll threaten them with wrath and hellfire if they don't behave."

"I believe that," he said, wrapping me in his strong arms. "I love you. Still."

"Was there any doubt?" I asked, looking into his dark eyes. "Thanks for coming with me to this. I know you don't want to."

"You owe me," he said, nuzzling my cheek. "Fifty bucks."

I snorted with laughter. He could always make me laugh.

"I don't have the cash on me. I'll have to find a way to pay it off."

He grinned and swatted my behind before leaving to yell at the kids. I turned back to my vanity, selecting a pink-jewelled bottle of my favourite perfume — smoky, sweet and sophisticated with a price tag more expensive than my first car. On a whim, I bypassed it and picked up a smaller bottle; garish hot pink with bright yellow slashes. Electric Sizzle, my signature scent in high school. I found it in the bargain bin at her local drugstore for ten bucks.

I sprayed my wrists, rubbed them together and along the sides of my neck. The scent was as gaudy and aggressive as I remembered  — vanilla and marshmallow, sweet on sweet. The sickly scent slammed me back to where it all began on a hot summer night at the fair decades before. The coloured lights flashed and spun before my eyes; I could almost smell caramel popcorn and cotton candy. 

The tasteful furniture and calm neutral colours of my bedroom faded and I was there once again. I watched frozen in place as he took a bite of my ice cream, then leaned towards me, mischief in his eyes. Every nerve in my body was on high alert and I held my breath, wondering what would happen next. The full lips I'd thought about were so close to my skin, I could feel his breath. I was melting like the ice cream dripping down the front of my dress and he hadn't even touched me.

His voice was silky in my ear; as warm as his lips were cool. "If we're going to do this," he said in a soft growl. "We're going to do it my way."