Fairplay, Denver Cereal Volume 6 Read online

  FAIRPLAY

  Denver Cereal, Volume Six

  Claudia Hall Christian

  Cook Street Publishing

  Denver, CO

  Also by

  Claudia Hall Christian

  THE DENVER CEREAL SERIAL FICTION:

  The Denver Cereal

  Celia’s Puppies

  Cascade

  Cimarron

  Black Forest

  Fairplay

  ALEX THE FEY THRILLER SERIES:

  The Fey

  Learning to Stand

  Who I am

  Lean on Me

  THE QUEEN OF COOL

  Originally published at DenverCereal.com :

  June 2011 – January 2012

  copyright © Claudia Hall Christian

  Licensed under the Creative Commons License:

  Attribution–NonCommercial–Share Alike 3.0

  Smashwords Edition Licensing Notes:

  Thank you for purchasing this ebook and welcome to Denver Cereal! You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by Claudia Hall Christian.Thank you for your support

  ISBN (13 digits) : 978-1-938057-03-8

  Library of Congress: 2012911931 (print)

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE:

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  First edition © July, 2012

  Cook Street Publishing

  PO Box 18217

  Denver, CO 80218

  For Michael Moore,

  more formally known as my friend Michael.

  Author’s note

  How many times have you wondered why life isn’t fair? When Charlie first brought it up, my editor and I wondered out loud if there was an answer to the question besides: “Get over it. Life isn’t fair.”

  Like Charlie, I went on a hunt for answers. I asked people, why isn’t life fair? And found that most people don’t have great answers to the question.

  Why is it that life isn’t fair? What’s your answer? Drop me an email or shout out on the Denver Cereal Facebook page and let me know what you think.

  Another fabulous cover by Brion Sausser.

  In the meantime, enjoy the story. Fairplay is a book of family strife and rejection, desperate sorrow, and ultimately choice and love. But then again, Denver Cereal is always a labor of love – romantic love, child and parent love, friend love, love of community and work, love for elders and grandparents and certainly love for you the reader.

  Enjoy!

  July, 2012

  The Denver Cereal

  In the Denver Cereal, we meet Jillian Roper when she pulls on her thigh high leather boots and crashes her abusive ex-husband Trevor’s engagement party. At the party, she meets the man of her dreams, Jacob Marlowe. Together, Jill and Jacob begin a crash course through grave injury and illness, to find love. Along the way, we meet Jacob’s movie star sister, Valerie, and learn of her struggles to have her own dreams and share a life with her husband Mike. Jill’s best friends, Sandy, Heather, and Tanesha, begin new courses in their life that take them to confront their greatest fears and deepest longings.

  Celia’s Puppies, Denver Cereal, Volume 2

  Jacob and Valerie’s mother, Celia, had a habit of helping lost people, called Celia’s Puppies. In this second Volume of the Denver Cereal, Celia’s puppies come to the forefront. We meet Jacob’s noble step-sister Honey, we learn more about Jacob’s ‘cousin’ Blane, and, via Oprah Winfrey, Valerie learns of Mike’s terrifying time away from her. Trevor and his fiancé attempt to kidnap Jill’s daughter Katy and her best friend Paddie at a holiday party. The fiancé all but kills Honey. She is saved by her childhood sweetheart MJ and they reorient their lives and love. Jill and Jacob dance around getting married and, in the very end, they marry in a beautiful ceremony in the Castle Chapel.

  Cascade, Denver Cereal, Volume 3

  Peace comes to Denver Cereal, but demons from the past refuse to stay in the past. We learn of Sandy’s horrific childhood and her boyfriend Aden responds with violence. His violent act ends with Sandy getting shot by her pedophile father and Aden lands in jail. Jill, her mother, and father tell the story that was never to be told and her family begins to heal. With the help of Heather, now his wife, Blane confronts his past loves and battles Hepatitis C. Beloved Delphie must confront a demon from her past. When he arrives to kill her and everyone else, he meets what he could never expect. Delphie’s family battles for her. In the end, Delphie survives a life threatening stroke.

  Cimarron, Denver Cereal, Volume 4

  In Cimarron, the characters of Denver Cereal grapple with the consequences of their actions to restart their lives. Aden heals and continues his jail sentence. Delphie has to come to terms with almost dying to start her life again. Valerie launches herself as a movie actress while Mike’s painting career flourishes. Jill and Jacob face their first true relationship challenge. Sandy holds everything together only to become gravely ill herself. Her child, Rachel, is born 2 months early. They fight their way through the problems to come together as a family. And just in time! Six pairs of human remains under the Castle Chapel draw everyone into a dark murder mystery.

  Black Forest, Denver Cereal, Volume 5

  The Denver Cereal takes off into the wild, action packed pursuit of the child killer, Saint Jude. Danger lurks and evil’s host threatens to destroy the lives of those we live. Friends are murdered and even with Jacob and Delphie’s abilities, Saint Jude continues to rampage against the children of the city and even tries to steal Rachel. When all hope is lost, the bond between the women and children triumph over the serial killer and the evil that drives him.

  Confused? Download the Denver Cereal, Volume 1 from Smashwords or from our store at: CookStreetStore.com. You’ll find all Denver Cereal books in every electronic format and paperback at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and your local independent bookseller.

  CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED and FIFTY-SEVEN

  Frappe

  Saturday morning – 8:15 A.M.

  Tucson, Arizona

  “Will you stop that?” Charlie growled at Sissy.

  Sissy’s foot touched her opposite ankle and then tapped the floor in front in a ballet frappé. Her foot was a blur as she repeated the movement over and over again. Nervous, she’d been doing this for almost an hour. They were sitting in the middle of the suite waiting for their mother to call. Noelle, Teddy and Nash were already at the pool.

  “Sissy!” Charlie yelled.

  “Fine,” Sissy said. She began moving her foot from her ankle to side in the same rapid motion.

  “Stop it,” Charlie grabbed her leg.

  “Ow! Let me go!” Sissy squealed. “You’re hurting me.”

  She resumed the motion the moment he let go of her leg.

  “Sissy!” Charlie yelled.

  “Charlie!”

  “Hey! Hey!” Sandy came into the sitting area. “What’s going on?”

  “She won’t stop doing that!” Charlie yelled. “She’s driving me crazy!”

  “I have to practice!” Sissy said. “I’m supposed do at least a hundred a day in every direction and…”

  “You’re driving me crazy!” Charlie yelled.

  “That’s a short trip,” Sissy yelled.

  For the first time since they’d come to live with Sandy, the siblings were face to face screaming at each other.

  “ENOUGH!” Aden yelled.

  Surp
rised, Sissy and Charlie looked at Aden.

  “We’re all nervous today,” Aden said. “We can’t take it out on each other.”

  “He started it!” Sissy said.

  “Come on, Sissy, you know those Frappés drive people crazy,” Sandy said.

  “Right!” Charlie sneered at Sissy.

  “You’re not off the hook, Charlie,” Sandy said. “You have your reading exam as soon as we get back. Your high school placement depends on it.”

  “I would be studying but she’s making me crazy!” Charlie yelled.

  “You were already crazy, Mr. Short Bus,” Sissy yelled.

  And they were off. Charlie hurled an insult at Sissy. Sissy returned the favor. Like all siblings, they knew each other’s vulnerable territory and launched laser targeted verbal bombs. Rachel started crying at the top of her lungs in the other room. Aden pointed toward the bedroom and Sandy nodded. He left to take care of Rachel.

  Sandy put a hand on Charlie’s shoulder and another on Sissy’s. Not speaking very loud, she said:

  “Please stop.”

  Charlie clamped his mouth shut and Sissy followed suit. They turned to look at their sister.

  “This is what she does,” Sandy said. “She rejects us. It’s so wretchedly painful that we take our pain out on each other.”

  “Oh Sandy,” Sissy threw her arms around her sister. Charlie put his arms around the two of them. The three siblings held each other for a few moments before Sandy shifted back a bit.

  “How about this?” Sandy asked. “Why don’t we figure out what we’d like to do today? We can fit Mom in after she calls.”

  “But what if Mom calls while we’re out?” Sissy’s eyes were huge orbs of sadness.

  “We can have the room phone forwarded to our cell phones,” Sandy said. “That way Mom can get us at the pool or horseback riding or whatever we decide to do.”

  “I don’t understand it,” Sissy said. “She called every night last week and told me we should come to see her as soon as we get here. Then…”

  “She bailed,” Charlie glared. “What a surprise.”

  “Listen,” Sandy said. “I know the whole thing sucks. I know that. But we…” She put her hand on her chest, then Sissy’s and finally Charlie’s chest. “We have each other. We love each other. We have friends and family and work we like and everything that matters. We can afford to be generous with Mom.”

  “I can’t,” Charlie said.

  “Charlie!” Sissy gave a teary plea to her brother.

  “Fine,” Charlie said. “What do you want to do?”

  “The boys are going on a horseback ride in a half hour,” Sandy said. “Aden, Nash, Jacob, Mike, Teddy – all of the boys. MJ came in this morning. You and MJ always have a great time, Charlie. Why don’t you go with them?”

  “But what if Mom calls?” Sissy asked.

  “We’ll make a plan to meet her,” Sandy said.

  “What will I do?” Sissy asked. “I don’t want to be alone.”

  “Noelle, Valerie, Jill and I are going to get our nails done,” Sandy said. “Honey picked up MJ on the Navajo reservation last night. She’s coming with us too.”

  “Honey too?” Sissy smiled. “She makes everything fun.”

  “She didn’t tell you they were coming to surprise you,” Sandy said. “Have you ever been anywhere with Valerie?”

  “No but Noelle told me about it,” Sissy said. “It’s pretty wild.”

  “And very fun,” Sandy said.

  Aden came out of the bedroom with Rachel. The baby’s entire body was bright red and her face wet with tears. She fussed until Aden gave her to Sandy. Aden pointed toward the door. Sandy nodded. He left to get the kids from the pool.

  “What’s wrong with Rachel?” Charlie asked.

  “She can feel everyone’s anxiety,” Sandy said. “I can too. We have to get on with our lives. For all of our sakes.”

  Charlie picked up Rachel from Sandy. He nuzzled her face and blew on her stomach. She giggled and patted his face. He set Rachel back in Sandy’s arms.

  “I think we should wait for Mom,” Sissy said.

  “I don’t,” Charlie said. “I’m going horseback riding. Jake said we were going to see some cool old Indian caves today and tomorrow we’re going to hot springs. You should go with the girls, Sis. When will you ever have a chance to hang out with a real movie star?”

  “Go clean up,” Sandy said.

  Undecided, Sissy stood for a moment. Charlie turned her around by her shoulders. Sissy gave a woeful sigh and slunk off to the bathroom. With Sissy gone, tears welled in Charlie’s eyes.

  “Mrs. Anjelika is here,” Sandy said. “She said she’d go horseback riding with you if you wanted.”

  “She can go with you,” Charlie said. “I’m supposed to study with her this afternoon. If Mom wants to see us this afternoon, I can’t go.”

  Sandy nodded.

  “What do you think she’s up to?” Charlie asked.

  “I don’t know,” Sandy said. “In the last year, I’ve been so happy. You’ve been pretty happy in the last few months. I think she can’t ever be happy. She’s kind of broken in that way. She sees our happiness and it makes her mad.”

  “That’s not right!” Charlie’s voice was indignant.

  “It’s not,” Sandy said. “I can’t help but feel sorry for her. Who could want better kids than you and Sissy?”

  “And you.”

  “And yet she feels like she has nothing,” Sandy said. “I tell you this all the time, but when you spend your time focusing on what you give, you miss the love that surrounds you.”

  Charlie reached his finger over to stroke a renegade tear off Rachel’s cheek and nodded.

  “She only sees herself,” Sandy said. “So she only has herself. When I’m feeling sad or blue, I can talk to you or Aden or Jill or Sissy or play with the dogs or cuddle Rachel or… I have so many options.”

  “She doesn’t have any,” Charlie said.

  “She doesn’t,” Sandy said.

  “Did we take it away from her?” Charlie’s eyes blinked at his mother’s cruel words that lingered in his heart.

  “No,” Sandy said. “I’ve known her a long time, longer than you or Sissy. She’s always been like this. I think Dad thought he could help her, make her better but…”

  Sandy shrugged.

  “Dad was really great,” Charlie said.

  “He was amazing,” Sandy said. “The kids look up to you like everyone looked up to Dad.”

  “That’s ‘cuz I’m tall,” Charlie smiled.

  “No,” Sandy said. “It’s because you have the same strength and brightness. Everyone has had a tough week. We killed a serial killer, two evil creatures…”

  “And all those baby creatures,” Charlie nodded. “Noelle has nightmares about them.”

  “I need you to be a leader today,” Sandy said. “Help me by being stable and strong for me and the kids. I want Mom to be all right too.”

  “I’ll try,” Charlie said.

  “Good,” Sandy said. “Now go get dressed.”

  “Do we have time to eat before we go?” Charlie asked on his way to the boy’s bedroom.

  “You just ate!”

  “I know but…” Charlie rubbed his stomach.

  “Go! Get dressed!” Shaking her head, Sandy laughed.

  “Thanks,” Charlie gave Sandy a nod and disappeared.

  Sandy sat down on the couch to feed Rachel. The baby grabbed her breast but couldn’t seem to clamp on.

  “I don’t know, Rachel,” Sandy said. “Are you worried too?”

  Rachel looked up at Sandy and blinked her beautiful eyes. Sandy smiled. She offered Rachel the other breast and she began to nurse. Sandy sighed.

  “We’ll find out soon enough,” she said.

  The door burst open with a whirl of noise and excitement as Noelle, Nash and Teddy rushed in from the pool

  “EW!” Nash gave his usual response to Sandy breast feeding.
<
br />   Teddy dragged him into their bedroom to change. Noelle stopped to say hi to Rachel and went to change. Aden came to sit next to her.

  “You okay?” Aden asked.

  “Not really,” Sandy said. “Makes me furious to see the kids upset. Again. By the same bullshit from the same woman. I feel like an idiot for dragging everyone here.”

  “I thought you a good job taking care of Sissy and Charlie,” Aden said.

  Sandy shrugged.

  “Do you have another plan?” Aden asked.

  “While you guys are out, I’m going to that treatment center to put an end to this once and for all,” Sandy said.

  “I won’t let you go alone,” Aden said.

  “Thanks,” Sandy gave him a vague smile.

  “And Rachel?” Aden asked.

  “I was going to ask Anjelika or Delphie if they could sit her,” Sandy said. “They plan to hang out together and gossip. Or that’s what they said.”

  “Have you pumped milk?” Aden asked.

  “I brought some frozen. It’s in the hotel freezer downstairs,” Sandy said. “Rachel doesn’t seem to mind the substitute.”

  “I’ll go ask Delphie and get the milk,” Aden got up from the couch. “What will you tell Charlie and Sissy?”

  “The truth,” Sandy said. “They’ll probably be relieved.”

  “Why don’t I tell them?” Aden said. “I can be the bad guy.”

  Sandy’s eyes scanned his face to see if she could determine his motivation. He gave her a soft smile.

  “I love you,” Aden said. “That’s why I’m doing it.”

  Nodding, Sandy gave him a worried look.

  “You’re a great mother, Sandy,” Aden said. “To them all. We’ll mother your mother together.”