Aubrey (Axis Rising)

028:

         

*****028:

It was going on eight. I thought we should start getting the kids ready for bed. My mom and Angie were washing up the dishes and kitchen after the party, when I came in and waddled over to get some water.

"How are you feeling Aubrey?" Mom asked as she dried the last of the serving platters Laura had brought. All the excess food had been wrapped or bagged and put in the fridge.

"I'm good. Just tired."

"I remember that, the always tired feeling. Yuck." Mom said, wiping her hands and folding the towel.

"Ha!" Angie said. "I didn't carry multiples and I was tired every day. I still haven't gotten over it!" She glistened with sweat.

I humphed at them and went to the den to my sofa and plopped down. "Slaves! Oh, slaves! Will you get me some lemon water?"

To their credit, they both leaned over to get the glass first and banged into each other in their eagerness. That made us all laugh.

And that was how Hannah found us when she came in with her new boyfriend a few minutes later, bearing gifts.

Grandma (meaning my mom) hugged her enthusiastically, having not seen her since Angelee's funeral (she hadn't come to our sealing, because it was Jeremy and Abbie's wedding day as well.) Now she looked flushed, (and that could be the heat--- it was the end of May and it was Southern California), or it could be the idea of bringing her new boyfriend, because, oh boy, was he a doosy!

"Everybody, this is Jack." She introduced, looking around at the everybody in question. Angie and Grandma, me and Fred and Doug. Everybody else was still outside.

Except I guess Rafe must have seen the new addition and come running. Can't help it if this guy looked like a gangsta.

Okay, not to be racist or anything, but I'm honestly not sure what nationality he is. His skin is darker than mine, naturally so, his hair--- well it was shaved on one side and long across the top and the other side, and had been tattoo'ed on the side that was shaved. And his face-- his face was covered in tattoos also. He wore a longish black ribbed knit tank top, droopy jeans and a huge silver belt buckle, and he was smoking in my house.

And Hannah looked like his queen.

He raised his dark glasses to smile at us, a kind of sinister smile that didn't reach his eyes, what little I could see of them, with the tattoos that covered them in diamond shapes.

"Hello, Jack!" My mom said and actually, true to mom style, she went right to him and hugged him. That's my mother, the always accepting thug embracer. Whatever.

Hannah went into the kitchen. "I'm sorry we're late, we were out riding and lost track of time."

"Out riding what?" Rafe said as he came in, he got Jack a glass, and pointedly indicated he should extinguish his cigarette in it. I'm not sure where he kept ash trays if he even had them. Rafe didn't allow smoking in his house either. "I'm Rafe Stryker, this is my house. This is my wife, Aubrey, she's expecting as you can see, we don't indulge in nicotine here. You're with Hannah tonight?"

It was such a blatant put-off, I was rather shocked at his warning. But Jack just shrugged. "It's cool." He tamped out the ciggie and left it in the glass, then went to the patio doors. "Hey, nice to meet ya, Rafe Stryker. I think your music sucks, you guys're a sell-out, but you're old school, so whatavahr. It's still nice to meet ya."

Rafe took that without even a flinch. Hannah didn't even introduce her famous grandmother at all, but was looking around. I assumed she was looking for Jeremy.

"This ain't your kinda party, dude." Rafe said, barring the way to the patio. "It's a five year old little girl's princess party. I guess you guys just stopped by to say hi?" Rafe was totally taking care of this himself, although my dad had come in from wherever he was in the living room or someplace. Fred was now standing.

Yes, we had judged him by his looks, but his few actions had also branded him. He was too quick and perceptive, not interested in people, only things. He'd insulted the host and not greeted anyone else.

Jack looked around, and seriously, I know it's the stereotype speaking, at least I think I know that, but it looked like he was casing our house. He literally went from the patio to the den bookshelves and started picking things up and examining them. Like Rafe's Grammy award which had been in a case, on its own little stand. He lifted the glass and picked the darn thing up. You're talking a gold old-time phonograph on a wooden stand. It's not little, and it's not lightweight, and it's not to be picked up. You just don't do that.

"Dude." Rafe gave him the head shake. Jack went ahead and put it back only to move on to the next item. I noticed that Lance and Ben had come in now and both wore expressions of wariness.

Rafe calmly walked to Hannah. "May I have the pleasure of your company for just one moment?" He didn't give her a second look but ushered her upstairs, and we all stood there, until Ben turned Axis on the speakers and outside you could hear the screams and laughter from the assembled group as they started dancing.

"Guess the party is out there, huh?" Jack started to head outside, non-plussed by the fact that Rafe had just disappeared with his girlfriend. Ben simply barred his way by striking up a conversation with him, and the swirling milling gaggle indoors started talking normally to cover up their weirdness.

*****