C. Brown - Compromising

“It has a nice ring to it,” she whispered, kissing me again.

My grandmother stood and walked over to us, looking at me and then to Cassie. Her face showed no emotion, her body language just as dull. I really hoped she wasn’t about to turn a beautiful moment into shit because with the high that I was on, I wouldn’t allow anyone to ruin it.

She took Cassie’s hand and looked long and hard at the ring, then looked to me. “Good job, Alejandro.” She hugged me then pinched my cheek. “He love you so much, Cassie. And I am okay with it. I love you, too,” she said, wrapping Cassie in her arms.

“Let me have a look at that ring, Cassie!” Nat shouted, strolling over to where we stood. She took Cassie’s hand in hers, staring at the ring from all angles before again shouting, “Damn, Alex! You went all out, didn’t you? You see this shit, Chris? I want something equivalent.”

Riley’s eyebrows furrowed, but he said nothing as he took a glass of champagne from the tray that Nat had earlier sat down. He walked it over to me, then handed out the others, giving Cassie a glass of sparkling cider in lieu of the alcohol.

“So tell us about this ring, Alex. I’m intrigued.”

“I went to a jeweler and had this ring made because I knew I’d never find what I wanted. It’s a one carat, princess cut stone on top with emerald butterflies around the band. Cassie understands the significance.”

She held her hand up and stared at the ring, smiling as tears slid down her cheek. I kissed her tears away, tasting every bit of love cooped up inside of her. I saw everything I had ever wanted in life in Cassie, and couldn’t help the silly fucking grin that seemed to take over my own face.

“Well, I’m starving,” Adriana announced. “Who cooked?”

“Riley and I cooked the birds, Nat cooked the sides. Cassie kind of helped.”

“I’m sure it’s still edible,” she joked.

We took our seats at the table, then Riley led us in a Christmas prayer before we dug in. I didn’t say much as I looked around the table and saw the people who meant the most to me all in one room, enjoying one another. I missed my mom tremendously, and the fact that she wasn’t there left a hole in my heart.

There was a loud couple of knocks on the door, followed by a pause and then a couple more.

“Who’s knocking like they’re the police?” Riley joked, then laughed as if he were hysterically funny.

“I don’t fucking know, but whoever it is better step away quickly,” I angrily replied. I looked to Adriana. If she’d invited Jensen over, I was going to kick her ass out right along with his.

I marched over to the door, forcefully swinging it open to find a young blonde girl standing there that I didn’t recognize. Our eyes met, but she didn’t give off any emotion.

“Are you Alex?”

“Who the fuck wants to know?” I replied, ready to throw this chick off of my property.

“I want to know. Where’s Cassie?”

“Alex who is it?” Cassie asked, walking up behind me. “Oh my gosh, Taylor! What are you doing here?” she asked, bypassing me and engulfing the girl in a hug.

“Cassie! You look great.”

Then, in the blink of an eye, the un-fucking-thinkable happened, and I immediately went into defense mode.

“There you are, Cassie. I thought you’d fallen off the face of the earth.”

Emmalyn Bennett walked up, looking stoned out of her mind as she sneered in a way that made my skin crawl. Cassie’s joy and excitement immediately faded away, and she recoiled from Taylor’s grasp.

What the fuck was her sinister mother doing on our doorstep on Christmas Day?

The Christmas joy was gone.

My mother, the one remaining thorn in my side, was standing before me, looking like she’d seen much better days, and smiling in her sinister way.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice laced with malice.

I looked Taylor in the eye, wondering what had gotten into her. She, unlike so many others, was privy to the tortuous relationship I’d had with my mother, so it was a bit baffling as to why she would bring her to me. A minute before I was enjoying the best Christmas that I could remember, and now the mere sight of my mother threatened to take that all away.

“Well, you act like you don’t know how to answer a phone. I had no choice but to come.”

“You could have fucking stayed away. That was always a choice,” Alex grumbled. “You’re not welcome here.”

“This is my daughter—”

“A daughter you never fucking wanted!” Alex yelled. All of his pent-up aggression with my mom was exploding, and there was no containing it. “A daughter who was fucking cannon fodder to you. A daughter who you’ve belittled for years, called a whore, and told would never amount to anything. She’s your daughter in fucking blood only. You don’t fucking matter in any way that truly counts.” Thickly defined veins protruded from his neck, accompanying the deadly and icy glare of golden eyes.

“Alex…” I couldn’t blame him for his reaction to her surprise visit, but I also didn’t want him to lose it and open himself up to unnecessary consequences.

“Wow, he’s everything your mom told me he was, Cass,” Taylor quipped, igniting the fire inside of Alex once again.

“Who the fuck are you, and why are you on my fucking property?”

“I’m Taylor, Cassie’s friend. What more do you want to know?”

“Why the fuck you showed up here unannounced, and why you brought her piece of shit mom with you?”

“Wow, Cass, this is who you made a baby with and plan to marry? Just, wow!”

Adriana joined the party, her eyes trained on Taylor with the same intensity that Alex had in his. She was small but deadly, and fear flashed through me as I pictured Adriana brawling with Taylor.

“Who the hell are you talking about my brother like that?”

“Adriana it’s okay.”

“No, it isn’t, Cassie. Alex is going to be your husband and is the father of your baby. Don’t let any bitch talk to him like that.”

“I had no idea my coming would cause all of this…” Emmalyn croaked, feigning innocence.

“Yes, you did. That’s why you came. You hate your own fucking daughter so much that you wanted to spoil her Christmas. Did you really think she’d jump up and down at the sight of you?” With every word, Alex’s voice grew deeper and harsher.

“Taylor, why did you bring my mom here?”

Taylor was still firmly entrenched in a death stare with Adriana, neither of them willing to look away. She finally rolled her eyes, then looked over to me. “I ran into your mom about a week ago and we got to talking. I was telling her how excited I was to have talked to you and congratulated her on becoming a grandma. I had no idea you were still locked in this childish shit. She had no idea you were pregnant, Cassie. It’s been years. I thought you’d let all of that go.”

“It hasn’t been years, Taylor. She’s kept up her shit ever since the day you left.”

“Who gives a shit about all of this, Blondie? Get their asses off my property before our entire Christmas is ruined.”

“You know what? You’re a supreme dick!” Taylor yelled, now drawing Riley and Nat to the doorway.

“You better shut your fucking mouth before I shut it for you!” Adriana yelled back. She slowly stalked towards Taylor, almost reaching her, but coming up short as Riley raced out of the house, grabbed her and pulled her back.

“Fuck this chick, Riley! She wants to run her mouth—”

“Adriana, Abel is in there with your grandma. You’re not doing anything right now.”

“Nat, take Cassie back inside,” Alex barked.

Nat jumped, racing over to where I stood. My mom looked at me, mixed emotion etched in her haggard face. I thought I saw a trace of sadness, but she was high as hell, so her expression could be misleading.

“This is what you’ve become, Cassie. Even if I am as bad as your boyfriend claims, you were stronger then than you are now.”

“Whoa!” Nat shrieked, surprising filling her voice. “Is this your mom, Cassie?” Her horrified expression said everything.

Alex stormed over to where she stood, standing erect and intimidating. “Unfortunately, yes,” he gruffly replied. “And she’s getting ready to take Cassie’s loud mouth friend and get the fuck out of here.”

Emmalyn laughed, the same mocking and condescending laugh that I had heard so many times before. It stirred up some very bad memories, making me shudder with the thought alone of what she was capable of.

“Mom, I think it’s best that you go.”

“Cass!” Taylor shrieked. “What’s gotten into you? Your mom made the effort. Meet her half way.”

“That fucking ship has sailed,” Alex threw in. “Let’s go, Cassie.”

“Cassie!” my mom called out.

I looked back at her, a piece of me surprisingly feeling something for her. I took in her deep and gaunt face, the dark circles around her eyes, her scraggly hair and immediately pinpointed the feeling.

It was sorrow.

I felt sorry for her and what she had become, but I didn’t know why. She had been this same sad, pathetic woman for years, and only now that she was standing before me looking lost and helpless did I finally feel for her.

“Nat, take Cassie inside. She doesn’t need this shit right now.” Nat took me by the arm and led me back towards the house.

“Cassie, grow a pair!” Taylor shouted. “This is your mom. Put the bullshit aside and let your baby have a grandmother.”

“Fuck you! She’s got everything she needs here. And don’t worry about my baby. She’ll have everything she fucking needs. Now get the fuck out of here before I remove you for fucking trespassing,” Alex yelled, clearly losing his patience.