What It Takes

Slippery When Wet

"No fucking way! Steven used to do that when he was her age!" Lynda was cackling wildly, laughing at my many stories of Jade and her crazy antics. 

I was just finishing painting my toenails a bright red when I decided I needed some sun. "I'll be right back, I'm gonna go put my suit on." I told the girls.

I stood up, grabbed the bottle of polish and walked towards the house. I got inside and went immediately upstairs, where our bags were sitting. I rifled through my suitcase and didn't find any of my clothes. They were all beautiful clothes in my size, but they were all brand new, with tags still on them. I rolled my eyes and sighed. He better have not. 

I grabbed Jade's suitcase and rummaged through her bag, finding the same exact thing. Brand new clothes, all with the tags still on them, but in her size. Steven did this, undoubtedly. I knew he didn't want to give us any reason to leave and go back to our old house, even for something as simple as clothes. That's why he just bought brand new stuff.

I went back to my suitcase and looked through it again. I found two bikinis. One was black and one a plush pink, two of my favorite colors. I examined them both and decided on the pink suit, since the black was a bit more revealing. I stripped from my clothes and pulled it on. It looked really good on me, and I made sure to mentally note to take Steven shopping with me from now on.

I grabbed a towel from the closet and made my way downstairs to the kitchen. I opened the fridge to find it completely stocked with every food you could imagine. I made quick work of deciding what I wanted. I pulled out a small container of fresh cut strawberries and popped one in my mouth. It was delicious. Sweet, yet tangy, but it was missing something. I glanced around the room and found just what I was looking for, geeze. Steven thought of everything.

I poured myself some scotch on the rocks and took my container of strawberries with me. I headed back outside, pushing my sunglasses back over my eyes as I stepped out the door. I walked carefully back to the deck and took my place on the lounge chair overlooking the water. 

It was a beautiful day out with equally beautiful people. I laid down and looked across the water at a sailboat off in the distance, watching carefully as it slowly slipped down over the horizon. I popped another strawberry in my mouth and watched as Jade did a back flip off of Steven's shoulders, nearly giving me a heart attack.

Everything was perfect- the weather, the atmosphere, the people, the place- And me. I felt perfect. I felt complete again, finally. The black hole that's been lurking for six years was finally filled, and it felt great. 

Somewhere between the scotch and watching the sun hang high over the sky, I fell asleep. 

I was a spectator in my own life, simply watching what was taking place. I was sitting on the dock at our house in Sunapee, with my feet hanging into the cool water. I watched Jade and Steven skipping stones on the shore line. I swam back to shore to join them, but when I got there, Steven was leaving. 

"I have to go to a show now. I'll see you soon." he told her, as if I wasn't there at all.

Then we were there- at the show. And Jade was walking in front of me. She was about to push open the door when a tall blonde pushed passed her, nearly knocking her to the ground. 

" 'scuse me sweety. Steven's not seeing fans right now. You'll have to wait." she left the door wide open for everyone to see, strutting right over to Steven and straddling his lap, grinding against him.

And I tried. I tried to grab the woman by her hair. Ask her if she knew who she was talking to. I tried to simply shut the door so my daughter didn't have to see this. But I couldn't. I just stood there.