Page 14 of Atlas
“You said that everyone thinks you’re an idiot,” she says, checking some touchscreen device. There is so much I have to learn, I’m terrified I’m not going to remember it all. “I don’t think you’re an idiot. I actually think you’re really smart.”
Blinking at her, I wait for the punchline, but it never comes. She sets the device down and looks over at me. I avoid eye contact and stare down at my tablet. I don’t know how to respond to that. No one has ever said I was smart without a “if only” or a “but” attached to it. I’m about to respond when Ren changes the subject.
“Oh, I need your ring size so I can go get us a couple cheap bands.” She says as she cleans up the wrappers and syringes that she had on her table.
“Why? Also, I’ll try not to be insulted by ‘cheap rings’. I mean, I just bought you that beautiful wedding. Where else in this state can you go and walk down the aisle with that color carpet? Did you notice it was green and blue?” I smirk and raise my brows.
Ren lets out a laugh that could rival an angel singing. It is otherworldly and so musical. “Oh my god! It was green and blue! It was a sign!” She sits on the other end of the couch and Bruno instantly gets up from his place next to me to go lay beside her. “But seriously,” she says after her laughing fit subsides. “We need rings because my parents will expect to see them.”
Right, her parents. I guess as a married couple, I will have to go with her to family events. I’ve never met a woman’s parents before. And I get the feeling that the upper class Dr. and Judge Locklear will not welcome me with open arms when they find out about Ren eloping with me.
“And then I’ll have to meet your family, I’m sure.” I snap my head back up from my tablet as I turn to look at her. “Do you have siblings?” She asks.
“No.” I say sharply and wince. “I mean yes, I don’t know. I’m not close with anyone in my family. You don’t have to worry about meeting them.”
Ren’s eyebrows knit together and her warm eyes narrow in suspicion. I can’t blame her, everything I said sounds shady as fuck.
“I just,” I sit my tablet on the end table and turn to look at her. “I don’t get along with them very much and I’ve tried to keep my distance the last few years. I don’t really have much contact with any of them, besides my mom on a rare occasion.” And those rare occasions I will protect Ren from at all costs. The emotional vampire that is my mother is something I never want Ren to have to be around.
“But what about the holidays?” Ren asks softly. “What do you do for Thanksgiving or Christmas?” I shrug, feeling a little uncomfortable like I’m sitting here naked, but not in a fun way. More so like my soul and feelings are bare, and it’s not a pleasant feeling.
“Uhh well, usually I’ll eat with Ash or Fox on Thanksgiving and I don’t really do anything on Christmas. Maybe watch a corny movie or something. Pig out on cookies from the store.”
Her eyes watch me for a beat before she looks away and shakes her head. “Well, you will be expected to come to my family’s holiday parties. They are torture, but afterwards I’ll find a way to make it up to you.”
A smirk pulls at my lip, and I watch her eyes roll as she stands. “Not that way, you pervert! I meant I might bake you cookies!” She can “pervert” me all she wants, but I see the blush she is trying to hide as she storms off.
Yeah, I definitely made the right choice in marrying her.
Chapter 6
Lauren
Sunday stretches on the floor of her pole dance studio while I sit on the bench watching her, envious of the ease in which she performs each move. I shouldn’t be, it’s no one’s fault that my body is currently going through what it is. I’m still recovering from the hospital and the illness. Add to it the high amount of stress and lack of sleep, and it’s no wonder I have no energy or strength.
“So how’s married life treating you?” Her sweet voice instantly puts a smile on my face. Sunday Sutton has been my friend for a few years now, though our friendship is unlike mine and Janie’s or even Stevie’s. Sunday is a very private person and will tell you immediately to mind your own business if she doesn’t want to talk about something. It’s probably why she and I are as close as we are because I am very much the same. Janie and Stevie are the “share your feelings” types, and I love them for it. But Sunday and I are just different, we don’t talk about problems, we just try to fix them on our own.
I shrug as I lean back on the bench, stretching my legs out in front of me. “Okay. I need to go ring shopping in the next day or two. Dad’s birthday party is this weekend and my parents are expecting us.”
“How did it go telling your parents about Atlas?” I wince, unwilling to meet her gaze. Sunday laughs lightly. “So why take him if you haven’t talked to them?”
I blow out a breath, feeling a little overwhelmed all of a sudden. “Sunday, how about we discuss why I haven’t seen where you live?”
Sunday’s face goes stoney as she nods. “Point taken. So you wanna go get the girls and day drink?”
Whining, I roll my head back. “I wish I could, but I have to go get an outfit for the party and the damn rings.” After letting out a breath, I stand, deciding it’s time to face the music and head out to go shopping.
Things to know about me:I would be classified as a girly girl. I like dresses, skirts, florals, funky jewelry and hats. My favorite color is blue, but I never wear that color because I was once told it made me look even fatter than I am and regardless of me trying my best to love myself, some things just stick with you. And finally, my dream is to one day go into one of those fancy clothing boutiques where they have a private room and I get to have clothes brought to me.
But that dream is not today. Today, I am in the very busy department store in the very busy mall, looking between a green dress with a high neck and a black one with sequins and shoulder pads. I hate both and my eyes keep glancing over to the pretty fall print maxi dresses. Finding formal wear in my size in this area is not easy, unless you are willing topay for a higher end designer, which, considering my current employment status, isn’t going to be happening anytime soon.
I feel the anxiety twisting in my stomach. The dresses suck. I feel bloated and I’m not feeling like being in this crowded store. My thoughts keep drifting to my mom, and how she has been blowing my phone up for a week now since one of the EMTs from the chapel said something to somebody at the hospital and it made its way to Mom that I bottomed out at my wedding. Which I mean, I know there is doctor patient confidentiality, does that not carry on to EMT and the dumb girl that forgot her diabetes pouch?
Mom lost her ever-loving shit. Frantic calls and texts that were nearly impossible to ignore. Key word beingnearly.I have managed to avoid–thus far–every attempt to contact me, including my Dad when he found out I was no longer working at the law firm. Funny, as much as the two of them have tried to get a hold of me, neither has come to the apartment. Typical though, always having to go to them instead of the other way around.
The ringing of my phone rips me from my thoughts, I look and see the name on the screen and I hate the smile that I feel forming as I put my earbud in and answer his call.
“What do you want?” I ask with fake annoyance in my voice.
