Why You Have Backup

Ch 2

"What?" Jay asked, noticing Erin smiling at the espresso machine.

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head and causing her loose, sandy brown-highlighted waves to twist on her shoulders.

"Okay," Jay shrugged and looked back down at his phone.

"Fine," Erin says in a sarcastically-exasperated way. "Since you're SO interested . . . I guess I'm just happy. I was overjoyed when you moved in with me so I had company after long days. But now, we're married. We're married, Jay." She laughed, showing her beautiful white teeth and tilted her head like she always did when she was amused.

Jay half-smiled. He was happy, too, but way more than he could express. "Me too," is all he said.

Erin leaned across the counter and kissed him. She lifted a hand and held his jawline, moving her thumb across his cheek.

Suddenly there was an extremely loud knock on the door.

"Expecting anyone?" Jay asked, frowning.

Erin shook her head. "Uh, should I . . . ?"

He shook his head. "No guns. I'll check it out, you stay here."

Erin crossed her arms over the counter and peered at the door as Jay walked over to it.

As soon as he opened it he wished he had just ignored it.

"Jay," Bunny Fletcher mused with a fake-happy tone. "So nice to see you in your--new house. It looks very nice and fancy. A nice ring you've got, too." When he didn't move from the doorway, she glared at him. "I need to talk to Erin."

Jay shook his head and glanced over his shoulder. "I don't think she wants to talk to you."

"Well she doesn't have a choice," Bunny snapped, showing a tint of drunkenness. "Let me in before I have to force myself in."

Jay shook his head and chuckled a bit. "No, thanks."

"Bunny?" Erin approached the door, still without pants on. She crossed her arms tightly against her chest. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," Bunny said, looking head to toe at her daughter. "Don't you look all grown up. Too grown up to invite your own mother to your wedding."

Jay sighed and rubbed his forehead. When was Bunny going to realize that she was a negative influence on Erin, and Erin didn't want her in her life anymore? She made that very clear last time she left Bunny at dinner unexpectedly, with Jay there.

"How could you?" Bunny said, shaking her head and squinting. "You invite Teddy and you don't invite your mom? I gave birth to you, Erin Lindsay, and raised you--"

"How DARE you take the credit for raising me!" Erin shoved the door the rest of the way open. It swung until it hit the tall, fake house plant behind it. "You did nothing but treat me like a brat and threw me onto the STREETS two weeks after I turned sixteen. You need to stay away from Jay and I. You need to never show up here or anywhere else again just to "talk." The closest person I ever had to a mother was Camille. But she's gone now, so this is me saying I don't want you here." Her eyes welled up with tears, showing the rare side of Erin Lindsay that Jay hardly ever witnessed.

Not wanting to make her mad and interfere, he took her hand and watched her intensely.

But when she just heaved a sigh and wiped under her eye, he swallowed back a lot of harsh words. He turned to Bunny and stared at her dead in the eyes. For once he wasn't worried about disrespecting her. "Leave."

She shook her head in disgust and spat on the floor.

"Leave, Bunny, before I make you." He gave her a cold, daring look.

She spun on her heel and stormed back out to her old car.

Jay shut the door calmly but didn't let go of Erin. He pulled her into a hug. "She doesn't deserve you."

Erin took a deep breath and laughed. "I don't deserve you, Jay."

He shook his head. "We better get ready. Who knows what time it is now and we've got to head out before we're late."

Erin nodded and sighed again. "We should've gotten a honeymoon."

Jay smirked and nodded before kissing her. He started up the stairs, sifting a hand through his hair.

"Hey," Erin said as though just remembering something.

When Jay stopped and looked down at her she continued.

"Thanks for having my back with Bunny. She's . . ." She laughed for a second and raised her eyebrows. No words could describe what she was.

Jay smiled at her. "That's why you have backup, Lindsay."

She partially smiled, just the corners of her lips curving up slightly. Her eyes sparkled but she rolled her eyes, trying not to look impressed.

Jay laughed and went upstairs.

It was true; he'd always be her backup . . . wherever and whenever.