Traffic (Complete two-hundred pages) (Moving to Kindle Vella in 30 Days! )

7

FRIENDS

REALITY TV CELEBRITY KIM KARDASHIAN'S VOICE shook the railings with a sonic boom. The women were squealing downstairs and he let gravity pull him downward with the least bit of effort.

Where the hell was Pat when you needed another guy in the house? Jack was seriously considering fetching him from the hellhole intersection that was Devonshire and Reseda. But too late. Jack was downstairs and one of Katelyn's friends, Leah, spotted him. Fucking Leah.

"I wish the president would grab me by the pussy," said one of the other girls.

"Jack!" said Leah. She nearly slipped while she chased him down across the wooden flooring. A Sex on the Beach in a martini glass loosely spilling over her fingers splattered on the floor behind her. Her acrylic fingernails illuminated under electric blue nail polish that made Jack think of a wicked witch. "Darling!" She kissed him straight on the lips and the women laughed heartily. Including his wife.

"Leah, you bitch. Get away from my husband." The women paraded over and Katelyn, who was actually the shortest of the group and had the shame never to tell any of them that she had any Mexican or Native American heritage in her blood, jeered and pushed Leah out of the way, causing her to spill even more. "This is the last time you come over and steal alcohol from my cupboards at 8am. Ha ha." The ha ha was fake and so was her smile once her eyes turned to glisten at Jack. But of course only Jack knew that she was only playing the part. Only Jack really knew his wife. The rest of the bunch were too thick to notice. And too selfish to care. Too catty to listen. And too sheltered to understand.

"Sorry," said Katelyn to me. She had a beautiful smile. Cute and held back. She was a sweetie pie, she really was. Too bad her life didn't portray her as such.

Leah jumped at her immediately and kissed Jack's wife on the lips. The women cawed and Katelyn pushed her off—a real smile was on her face now. She was laughing, and sure, Jack couldn't help but smile but really though there was something wrong about this drunk woman kissing his wife at 8am and his wife inviting her over to do so in the first place. It was irresponsible perhaps. That could be the word. And Jack looked upstairs hoping his daughter had not seen this.

In fact however there was Jack's daughter Elise standing at the top of the stairs, speechless on her third birthday, wondering what the hell just happened. What the hell just happened? Jack could hear her thinking just now. What the hell mom? Dad, are you going to just stand there and watch a horde of bisexual women kiss my married mom? Your married wife? Or is polyamory part of your marriage proposal? Signed at the top of your lover's contract?

I didn't realize what I was getting myself into, Elise, I'm sorry.

Think better next time, Dad.

There won't be a next time. I married your mom. And divorce would be most painful on you than on us. Believe me, your mother and I would move on fast but you my sweet pea, never would.

I understand, Dad.

Jack's wife saw him stare at his daughter and was horribly embarrassed. To hide her feelings like she always did, she touched his shoulder. Jack looked down on her, figuratively and literally, and Katelyn tried a smile. She really tried. She really hoped Jack would smile back at her. And as her husband, Jack did. She kissed him on her tippy toes. And afterward they looked up and their daughter seemed less confused. Still confused. But less confused.

"It's my birthday!" she realized. And the horde of witches ran up the stairs with their party hats and roll-up whistles, and the tickle attack manifested in seconds.

My poor daughter, Jack thought. These women would raise her more than he ever would.

Jack peered back down at his wife and she seemed wet at the eyes as though to say, Please still love me. Jack could not manage to kiss his wife but he did pull her in close to his chest. And she hugged him tightly. Like her dog, she expected his love.