Troy Read online

  “Enid, let the girl go. You are squeezing the life out of her.” I look over Enid’s shoulder to see Troy’s dad standing there.

  “Hush, Thor. Can’t you see she needs this,” Enid says. I can’t help but laugh at these two.

  “I haven’t seen you guys in so long,” I say looking around the kitchen that was my second home in high school. I love that it looks exactly the same as it did back then.

  “Your mama told me what happened after your father died,” Enid says patting my back.

  “Do the others know?” I ask hesitantly.

  “Of course not, baby. Those are your secrets.”

  “I think it would be a lot easier if they did know,” I say under my breath.

  “Your man will fix those hooligans. Don’t you worry,” Thor says. “And if not, I’ll kick all their asses.”

  “Thank you,” I say, sniffling.

  I am wiping down the huge dining room table when people start coming back in through the sliding glass door. While no one is being overly friendly to me now, they are least being cordial and including me in conversations over dessert, I am exhausted by the time we are finally ready to go home. Kari has fallen asleep on the floor with her cousins and a few of her great-nieces. They are all so adorable. I am glad Kari has other children to play with who are not completely fucked up because of their upbringing.

  In the car, he has the radio on, some country song.

  “You aren’t talking,” he says reaching over and rubbing my knee.

  “They hated me,” I say quietly.

  “They did not, Lissi. Not at all. I explained it to them,” he says like that fixes everything.

  “Troy come on. They were indifferent at best.”

  “It will get better, I promise, or I’ll kick all their asses.”

  “Your dad said the exact same thing,” I say laughing.

  When we get home, he carries Kari to bed again. He’s such a good daddy, it melts my heart. Though I am sad, I want nothing more than to feel him inside me.

  I get ready for bed quickly, brushing my teeth. I just pulled a robe on. When I leave the bathroom, I see Troy already on the bed, rubbing his cock. He’s hard and grinning at me. I drop the robe on the floor and run and jump on the bed. I kiss him with everything in me.

  “You have no idea how much I missed you, Lissi. I’ll spend the rest of our lives showing you just how much.”

  “I’d like that,” I say kissing down his chest. I have fantasized about what I am about to do countless times while we’ve been apart. When I reach his cock, I pull it into my mouth and hope I am doing it correctly.

  “Fuck, baby. Your mouth. I’ve never felt anything like this,” he groans. I suck him until he pulls me off of him. “I want to come inside your pussy baby. I want to be there every step of the way this time. You pregnant again is all I can fucking think about, Lissi.” he says before flipping me on my back. He climbs over me, leaning down licking my pussy from ass to clit and back again. Over and over until I come screaming his name. He slaps his hand over my mouth, causing me to moan. “Don’t scream, baby.” He lines himself up with my pussy and slams into me. I am losing my mind. He is so good at this. In and out he moves within me. “Come for me, Lisette, my little dirty girl. Come hard.” And I do. I have no choice. I feel his cock swell before he comes inside me.

  “Oh God,” I whisper as he pulls out of me.

  “Not God baby. Troy. Your man.”

  “My man,” I agree. We turn the lights out and less than ten minutes later, he’s out like light, snoring. I can’t sleep so I get out of bed, grabbing my robe. I check on Kari, who is still sound asleep. She has kicked out of her covers, so I cover her back up and grab her dirty laundry basket. We have been in town for less than three days, but she has somehow managed to go through what appears to be ten outfits besides pj’s. I shake my head and make my way to the laundry room. I start the washing machine and move into the kitchen and load the dishwasher and start it. It finally feels like I am doing “mom things” and I smile. I move into the living room and pick up dolls and blocks from the floor and put them in the bin Troy gave Kari for her toys. How the hell did she make such a mess in three days and why haven’t I noticed before now? I stand up and look at the mantle directly in front of me. I am surprised to see so many pictures of us from high school. Homecomings, Christmas, at the lake. We look so happy and in love, even in the early days. Why does he still have them out? I don’t really know what do with this, so I file it away for another time. I watch some late-night television while I wait for the washer to be done so I can put in the dryer. When I crawl back into bed, he pulls me closer to him and I snuggle into him.

  “Where’d you go?” he asks sleepily.

  “Mom stuff,” I reply truly content for the first time in a long time.

  7

  Troy

  Lissi has been a bit distant since the BBQ disaster and it is breaking my heart. I get it. Our family is very protective of one another. Everyone in it is this way. So, all they knew was what I thought I knew at first. I had assumed my mom had told them, but I should have known. Enid Jorgensen is notorious for ‘I mind my own business, you tell people what you want them to know’ so it doesn’t shock me that she didn’t spread the word and I knew Om wasn’t going to say anything. I should have told them before now, but it has all been too much. Once I took everyone out back and explained it, they all felt like shit but weren’t sure what to say so they opted to give her a few days.

  It has been three days to be exact and I get at least a phone call an hour from the girls asking if they could come over yet and apologize and take her shopping. I finally told mama to tell everyone to give us a full week. I need to get her back on the same page with me as well. Speaking of.

  “Hey, baby. You getting up anytime soon? Kari is already gone to school.” Walking into the bedroom, she is still in the same position she has been in since last night. Wrapped tight in the blankets, on her side. I am really beginning to get worried.

  “Baby, look at me. What is going on? Talk to me. Is this still about the other day?” I tried telling her they all understand now, but she doesn’t buy it. Maybe I should just let them all come over.

  “No. It is not about that.” Her sleep laden raspy voice informs me.

  “Then what is it, Lissi? I can’t help if you don’t talk to me.”

  “I don’t know what to do. I have no education beyond the tenth grade. No skills. No... anything. What am I supposed to do?” I sit there stunned for a moment. Feeling like a fucking jackass because that never crossed my mind. I have been so selfish, only thinking about me and my wants and needs, that her own passed me.

  “Shit baby. I’m so sorry. I am such a fucking asshole. Of course, you’re scared and confused. Fuck Lissi. What do you want to do? Do you want to go back to school? Do you want to find a trade? Do you want to be a stay-at-home mom? I mean what do you like?” My mind is whirring now, so many ideas and things popping into it that she could be doing.

  “That’s just it, Troy. I don’t know. I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere, do anything that wasn’t connected to the compound once I got there. So, I have no idea what I like, don’t like, want and don’t want. The only two things I have ever been sure of, throughout that whole ordeal, was how much I wanted and loved Kari and how much I loved you and always would. Nothing… Nothing else even registered.”

  My Lissi. So honest and sweet. Fucking girl is the only person in the world who has the power to undo me. Besides my daughter now. “Fuck baby. I never stopped loving you either. Losing you took me someplace in my mind I never thought I would recover from. It was so bad Enid Jorgensen herself contemplated sending me away somewhere. In the end, my dad, brothers, and nephews are what got me through. But you were never far from my mind.” That last bit comes out as my mouth reaches hers. Our tongues engage in a slow deliberate motion, making promises to one another for the future. As with any time I touch her, my body lights up much like her eyes when
she looks at me. I roll her over completely onto her back and brace myself over her. Kneeing her legs open, I situate myself in between them, making sure she can feel how much I want…no fuck that. How much I need her right now.

  “Troy. Please,” she moans undulating beneath me trying to gain some friction for her weepy pussy.

  “Please what, baby? I need you to say it. Tell me what it is you want.” As gruff as my voice is right now, oozing with the desire I feel for her and her alone, I know she can read the vulnerability in it as well. I know we have fucked, made love and had sex numerous times since I brought her and Kari here. But this, this somehow feels different. I need to know she needs me as much as I need her. She grabs my face and looks me in the eyes, her eyes moving back and forth between mine.

  “You Troy. It’s always been you. I love you so much.” I slam my mouth onto hers hearing all I need to hear. Somewhere between her declaration and my attack on her mouth, her nightgown comes off, baring her chest to me. Her nipple in my mouth fuels my mania. I look down and see she is without panties and fuck if that doesn’t send me over the edge. No words. None needed. Grabbing both of her legs in my hands as our mouths mate, I pull my mouth from hers, push her legs up to her ears and send my cock flying into the only place it feels alive.

  “Ahhh...TROY!!!” she yells. Her hands clawing at my back and neck. In and out, over and over I slam into her, making sure she can feel it. My jaw set, teeth grinding. Pelvis ramming in and out.

  “Shit your pussy is so fucking tight. You feel your juice running down your ass baby? My balls slapping against it making your ass bounce.”

  “Yes. Yes. Yes,” she chants. So far gone I am not sure she knows what I just said. Her hands go to her nipples and she pulls on them and suddenly the vision in my mind is of her putting them in the mouth of a newborn baby. Our baby. One I will get to see being born and hold and watch grow up from the beginning. That does it for me. I send my cock into her womb and yell my finale. Our mouths fuse together yet again, letting the cum drain inside her where it belongs. Falling down onto the bed, I pull her on top of me and kiss her head as we both try to catch our breaths.

  “Whatever you decide to do baby, you won’t have to do it alone. You won’t be alone ever again.” I vow as we both fall asleep.

  It’s been a week since the BBQ and though she is no longer moping around, I can still tell she is not settled. I hope today helps. Kari and I are having our daddy-daughter date we decided to have every Friday after school. One of the first things we did was enroll Kari in elementary school. I know she is a bit behind, socially, but otherwise, Lisette has done an amazing job. Girl is smart as a whip. The three of us have done something every day. We have gone to the movies, to the zoo, to the park for a picnic. We have even gone dog shopping. I have always been against animals because they require as much work as a human but shit on the ground. However, when my baby girl looks me in the face and says, ‘please Daddy’ what the hell am I supposed to say? So, we are on the hunt for a dog. Today, she and I are going to Color Me Mine. It’s a ceramic place her teacher told the class about. It’s where you get to paint and decorate a ceramic piece of your choice. Anything you want. We are going to do this and then it is out to dinner for the two of us to Pizza Palace. Her favorite place.

  “Daddy, can I ask you a question?” She asks as she is decorating her princess piggy bank and me my Iron Man coffee mug. What? Never too old for Marvel.

  “Of course, you can, Princess. What do you want to know?”

  “Are you and Mommy going to get married? My friends’ mommies and daddies are married. How come you are not?” Well shit! I sit back in my seat and look at the serious, yet sad face of my baby girl and know I have fucked up. I mean don’t misunderstand, I was planning on asking her. Soon. I just wanted to give her more time to reacclimate. However, looking at the forlorn face of my daughter, I know I need to step it up.

  “Absolutely baby girl. As a matter of fact, I need you to help me plan something special. Your mama deserves something perfect for a proposal. Don’t you think?”

  “Yep,” she says with her chest sticking out and her eyes gleaming with excitement.

  “Great. So, while we are out today, we should go see your cousin Torran and pick out a ring. What do you think?”

  “Yes. Can we go now? Can we? Can we?” She is bouncing up and down in her chair. I laugh so hard I almost fall out of mine. My kid is so fucking cute.

  “Are you done coloring your piggy bank?”

  “YES!” she declares throwing her arms up in the air. I chuckle as I pick up both of ours and give to the associate. Before I know it, we are inside of Jorgensen Jewelers.

  “It’s about damn time, Unc. Let me go get the tray.” He walks to the back and comes out with our heirlooms. He begins explaining to Kari about the meaning of these pieces as I look over them. I find the exact one I am looking for.

  “That one,” I say pointing to the perfect ring.

  “Oooo, Daddy. It’s so pretty. Mama is going to love it.” Who knew that validation from a child would mean so much? Knowing my daughter approves, makes it mean all that much more. It is quite gorgeous. Torran hands me the card. Apparently, it was owned by our Great-Great-Great Aunt Caitriona. It says she was the maid to the sister of the Queen. Apparently, her heart was so pure, she was permitted to marry the Queen's son because the Queen wanted her grandchildren to be honest and above reproach. She was gifted with this ring by the royal family. It is a gold band, surrounded by what appears to be vines, leading up to an open rose, with a diamond seated on top. It’s perfect. Roses have always been Lissi’s favorite.

  He promises to have it cleaned and sent over by the next day. Now to figure out how to do it.

  8

  Lisette

  I am sitting on the couch wearing Troy’s sweatpants and an oversized shirt watching some Real Housewives when the doorbell rings. I look at the phone Troy got for me. It’s only four o’clock. Can’t be Troy and Kari. They were going to some pottery place and out for dinner, so I rush to answer the door. I am surprised to see Taryn, Jaymes, Kensi, and Missy. They are all of Troy’s brother’s wives. Only one, Danhy, isn’t married yet.

  “Uh, hi ladies. Please come in,” I say stepping aside so they can brush past me.

  “Listen, we’re sorry about last week,” Taryn says. I guess she is the spokesperson.

  “No worries, guys. Really. I get it.”

  “We thought we should explain about the Jorgensen way,” Kensi says.

  “Girls, really. I hate to be a bitch and state the obvious, but I was a part of this family a long time ago. I know all about the Jorgensen way. It would be terrible if you guys didn’t act that way. You didn’t know. I don’t hold anything against you.”

  “Oh good. We are really glad that you stayed and that you let us in,” Missy says smiling, hugging me.

  “Yeah, I really really really have to pee,” Jaymes says. Her cute little baby bump is probably the cause behind that. I smile. I miss being pregnant. It was hard to do it alone, but I definitely want that again and again.

  I point to the hallway and giggle as she takes off at a sprint.

  “I was just watching tv. What are you guys up to?”

  “We are taking you out. Get dressed.”

  “Where are we going?” I ask.

  “The boutique and dinner,” Taryn says.

  “Boutique?” I question.

  “We girls have a stake in a boutique with the Crawford’s from Moosehead,” Missy chimes in.

  “Those guys have a boutique?” I ask. Last time I saw those guys was at the Dairy Shack about a week before I left. Bleak/Moosehead High had just beat the rival football team from St. Cloud. It was such a close game. 10-14. The guys were celebrating while Troy and I shared a chocolate shake like it was 1956. I hadn’t found out I was pregnant yet. It was a simpler time.

  “Oh no, their wives.”

  “Oh, that makes sense,” I say laughing. “Give me a few minutes
and I’ll be ready to go.” I text Troy and let him know I am going out with the girls. His response is quick and to have fun. I love him so fucking much. He gave me a debit card after he added me to his bank account and told me I could buy whatever I wanted. So far, I bought Kari a new dress from Walmart and groceries. I guess I could get a few things for myself. I pull on some jeans and a shirt from when I was younger. Working on the compound insured I weighed less than when I left, but I am starting to fill out now that I can eat whatever I want.

  I climb into the middle section of the minivan being driven by Missy and we are off. A little bit later we pull up in front of the boutique. Wow. It’s gorgeous. The clothes inside are gorgeous. I literally want one of everything. I settle on two new pairs of jeans that fit perfectly and a couple of blouses. I learn that Troy’s nephew Torran’s wife, Migan is the designer. Which is super cool. She is very talented. She is the only one in the store right now, so we chat for a few minutes while she rings up my purchases. She throws in a bracelet that I had been admiring.

  After the boutique, we decide to head into St. Paul for dinner. I chose not to drink since no one else is and I never have before. I really think it would be a disaster. I had a really nice time, but we don’t leave until late. We go to a steakhouse. I order a huge hamburger and an actual soda. Oh my God, it’s fizzy amazingness! It’s been so long since I’ve had a burger, that my mouth actually waters when it’s set in front of me.

  “You okay?” Taryn asks when I just stare at my plate.

  “Yeah. Um, I just haven’t had a burger in so long, I kinda wanna savor it, you know?” I say, finally acknowledging the elephant in the room.

  “You poor girl. Troy told us what happened. It must have been awful. Come to the dinner tomorrow and I’ll fatten you up with pie and some homemade meatloaf,” Missy says patting my arm.