All Mixed Up

He chuckled, pulled her up to his side and pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her deep, toyed with her tongue and whispered her name before he succumbed to the darkness and left the blurred images behind.

~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

The rays of the sun peeked through the room and greeted mother and son. Jamie held her newborn baby and listened to Walter tell her that her father still was not answering the phone and neither was Susan. She knew what had happened, and she knew Walter was just as certain. "Why did Susan call my mother a whore, that night at dinner?"

The baby suckled from his mother' breast.

Walter looked at mother and child and sighed. "Susan's always been jealous of your mom. I knew this when I married her, but I was so in love with her. I thought I would be enough of a man for her, if I could just get her to see what I had to offer."

"What do you mean?" Jamie asked.

"Susan's family moved to the area our Senior year of high school. She was beautiful. She had this body that made a man weak in the knees. Your dad, he was a simple guy, good looking, and a great person to be around. Your mom, was his girlfriend. She was a cute girl, pretty and so pleasant. Everyone loved her." Walter walked over to the window and stared down at the parking lot.

"And Susan?"

"Well, she came in and thought everyone would take one look at her and melt. Well, I was the only one that did and so she latched onto me. We all hung out together. I showered her with attention, but it wasn't enough. She wanted what Patches had, she wanted that feeling that she belonged. Her and I made love and she got pregnant. I married her, and then discovered she'd lied. She wasn't pregnant at all, she just wanted to get married before Patches."

"Wow."

Walter nodded his head. "I still loved her. I still thought I could make her see that Patches was just my friend."

"And was she?" Jamie asked.

Walter sighed. "She was. I'll admit the more Susan became obsessed with having everything Patches had the more I saw your mother in a different light. I wanted her, but Steve's my friend, I would never do that to him. Susan doesn't think that though. She thinks we slept together."

"Why?" Jamie asked. Little Fred wiggled in her arms and she switched sides, allowing him to work the milk from her other breast.

"Because I told her I wanted to. I told her that Steve was the luckiest man alive, he had a wife who was pregnant and doted on him. It was obvious how much she loved our dad and I wanted that so badly. I told Susan I'd fuck Patches a thousand times before I ever fucked her again. I was sick of her and her pettiness. I told her I was leaving and then she told she was pregnant."

Jamie shook her head. "The baby that she lost?"

"Yeah. I decided to stay for the sake of the baby. She had the miscarriage and I guess I stayed because it seemed easier than leaving."

"Walter, do you think maybe..."

He interrupted Jamie's words. "Caused it?"

Her silence was her answer.

"I use to, but I don't dwell on it any more. I don't want to believe she is that sick in the head."

"I'm sorry Walter," she said. Jamie saw how much he was hurting. She pulled the baby away from her breast, raised it to her shoulder and covered herself. Her hand reached up and she began to pat her son on the back. "You know where she is don't you?"

"Yeah, I knew when I left her there what was going to happen."

"I can't make excuses for my dad. He was drunk. He --," she took a deep breath, "he was so drunk, he thought I was mom and well, he tried to..." The words died in the air.

"I'm sorry Jamie. I can go get him, I know he's gonna fill like shit for not being here and I don't know what he'll do when he realizes she used him like that."

"Walter, if you knew she was going to do it, why did you leave her there?" Jamie wondered.

"Because I was tired of fighting with the past. She was never mine and it took me over twenty years to realize that. The sad thing is she isn't Steve's either. He can't stand her and when he wakes up and realizes what has happened -- I don't know what he's going to do," Walter admitted.

"Would you go get him for me. I know it's asking a lot, a lot more than I should, but I don't want him with her." Jamie felt ashamed for asking him to fetch his wife's lover. "Never mind, he'll realize eventually where I am and..."

"No, Jamie. I'll go get him. Susan needs to go home and pack her things. She's got a lot of shit to get out of my house."

Jamie used one arm to hug her dad's best-friend. When he left, she stared down at her son and kissed the tiny patch of hair that he had been born with. He stirred and nuzzled her chest. "You cannot be hungry again," she said with laughter in her voice.

~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

A hammer banged against Steve's temples. He opened his eyes, immediately closed them, and brought both hands up to his head. He pushed his fingers through his hair; the hammering continued. Who the fuck was hammering? The air seemed heavy and thick with Patches perfume. He rubbed his eyes, trying to recall why he had drank so much and what he'd done the night before. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed that he had company. Steve frowned then paled as he remembered Jamie screaming. His stomach twisted and bile rose up to gather at his throat. He swallowed it down, and turned to face his daughter.

Susan stared back at him. Her lips were open, her tongue darting out to moisten the petals of flesh. For a brief moment Steve relaxed and then the situation took on a whole new meaning. He scurried from the bed, found his pants and pulled them on. Just as the zipper slid into place, the bedroom door opened.

Walter walked in. Steve's stomach dropped; he grabbed the dresser to steady himself as he stared at his best-friend. Instinctively his hand came up to his mouth and he covered the words that wanted to come out. He didn't trust himself and he had no clue on what might be said that he couldn't take back. He looked at Susan as if to gauge his own response.

"How's Jamie?" Susan asked; she pushed the covers off and reached down for her clothes.

Steve was taken back. "What do you mean, how's Jamie? What's wrong with Jamie?" he asked.

Walter took a deep breath. "Jamie called last night. She went into labor and I had to take her to the hospital," he told him.

"Is she okay? Is the baby alright?" Steve asked as he grabbed more clothes and proceeded to get dressed.

"She's fine. She's hurt that you weren't there, but," Walter looked at his wife, "she understands and well you have a fine grandson, Steve."

"Excuse me!" Susan shouted.

Walter lifted his right brow. "Yes?"

"Do you not see what happened here?" she asked, her voice still several scales higher than it needed to be. "Are you that fucking stupid?"

"Steve, my wife has wanted to fuck you nine-ways-to-Sunday since high school. I knew when I left her here, she was going to take advantage of you. I'm sorry. Jamie told me you were drunk and I knew why Susan insisted on coming with me last night."

Steve shook his head. "It's all a blur Walter. I swear I never would have fucked Susan if I had been sober."

"What? You never would have fucked me? Are you kidding me!" Susan hissed as she pulled on her shoes. "Why the fuck not. He fucked your wife! I bet you didn't know that!" Spittle flew from her mouth as she screamed at the two men. "Tell him, tell him how you fucked that little cunt!"

"I told Steve a long time ago that you were going to accuse me of that someday. It was just a matter of time. Patches loved Steve with all her heart and soul. She never would have slept with me and I know deep in my gut that he wouldn't have slept with you," Walter looked at the empty bottle, "without some heavy booze or manipulation on your part. I know you instigated all of this. You're a sick woman and I'm a sick man for letting you use me all these years."

Walter turned to his friend. Steve stared at the couple, still lost in all that had transpired, but knowing that his daughter needed him kept his sanity rooted to the present. "I'm sorry Walter. I really am, but I need to go."

Steve left the couple and hurried to the hospital. After clearing security and getting confirmation from his daughter, the nurse in charge let him past the maternity unit and showed him to Jamie's room. She sat there on the bed, holding his grandson. There was disappointment in her eyes, but also love. He hung his head in shame and stepped over the threshold of the room. Jamie reached out her hand, an offering for him to come closer. He did so, and was rewarded with his grandson's weight in his arms. Steve sat down and studied the small cherub features. He felt tears slip down his cheeks as the little boy stretched out his arms and fingers.

"Amazing," he said in a voice much like the one he used when Jamie had been given to him. He looked at his daughter and apologized for the night before. The trip to the hospital had cleared his head and heart, he knew he had crossed the line. As he held his grandson he prayed to that God he wasn't real close to and hoped that one day they would all be saved from their transgression.