Chapter 27

I roll over to feel someone on the bed, oh it was just Eric. I turn towards him and eww, talk about morning breath and he was not cute like Bruno when he sleeps. Eric drools with is mouth wide open, he makes funny noises and he breaths heavy. It's not at all like...I got to stop talking about him. It's now 1959 & I had to spend new years with Eric. It's been a whole 8 months without Bruno now. He was out on tour fulfilling his dream that he always wanted and I couldn't stand it at all. All you heard on the radio was the guys or Adele, they were getting so big now to the point they were even on the Dean Martin show a couple of times.

Linda and Joey were growing up so fast and at 8 months you could see their personalities that they had. Linda was like her dad to the fullest but more of his mellow side. She would rock to songs that she liked, really into music. She liked pretty things but like Bruno, she was a perfectionist. If she was dirty in anyway, she would scream until I or Agatha would give her a bath.

Joey on the other hand was the opposite, Bruno all the way, hyper, always smiling and making loud noises and a little bossy but like me he liked to have his way at all times. They both were fast learners, did silly things and had a little temper, they were unpredictable little babies but I love them to death. Kim was close to the twins but me and Kim didn't really see eye to eye on somethings so I just stayed away from her.

As the days went by, Eric was more and more twitchy everyday. More controlling and limiting me to where I could go and do. We always argued and most of the time I got my way but as the days gone by we stopped going out everyday to the point we were really living in this house. Eric was a sweet guy but he had anger problem and a jealousy issue. When we would take the twins out for a stroll in the stroller and a guy would look at me he would go off. Him and I weren’t an couple but we did kiss a couple of time but only when I was in need of Bruno but it never went any further than that. I just wasn't ready. I wasn't sure if there was even going to be a yet in this situation.

I sneak out of the bed and went into the nursery, sitting on the rocking chair was Kim. She was holding Joey who was sleeping and crying. Tears ran down her face as she was singing a song in some language that I didn't know.

“Oh, Alicia hey.” Kim said smiling at me.

“Are you OK?” I said leaning on the door frame.

“....I seen Maria today.” She said.

“Well did you talk to her?”

“I couldn't....”

“What do you mean you couldn't talk to her!”

“Alicia I couldn't talk to her, I just couldn't but my goodness she grew up so beautifully.”

“Wait, where did you see Maria at?”

“I seen her with some brown skinned guy with glasses at a cafe.”

“Phil, that’s her boyfriend. But wait they're home?”

“I assume that, but God Maria's so beautiful. She looks just like her father.”

“You should of just walked up to her and...”

“And said what Alicia? Oh hi Maria i'm your mom, I know I haven't seen you since you were 6 but It's all OK!”

“Maria deserves...”

“Alicia don't push me there, I said at my own time. Like it or get out of my face.”

“I never knew how much of a coward you were until I met you.”

“I never knew how much of a bitch you were until I met you.”

“Excuse me?!”

Kim stood up and put Joey in his crib and tucked him in. She walked over to me, pushed me out into the hall, closed the door to the nursery and got in my face. This bitch was crazy, she could lose her job because of this but she couldn't blame anyone but herself.

“Yeah you heard right, I heard about you Alicia, makes me not feel bad about Bruno leaving you.”

“He didn't leave me for your information, I left him! Maybe you should get your story straightened before opening your mouth!”

“If he was smart he wouldn't come back to your ass, you’re a bitch that’s all about herself you call yourself a Faithful woman but here you are in Eric's house for 8 months!”

“I'M NOT THE ONE WHO ABANDOND HER CHILD FOR A QUICK FIX!”

“YOU SHOULD BE WORKING ON YOUR MARRIAGE BUT NO YOU'RE HERE BEING A FUCKING WHORE”!”

“WHORE?!?!?”

I raised my hand and slapped Kim right across her fucking face. How dare she come at me like that, like she was better than me but before I could think anything else I seen a flash of hand then a sting on my face. Oh hell no, this heifer just slapped me! I swing my hand back but someone caught it.

“Ladies what the hell is going on here?” Eric said

“THIS BITCH CALLED ME A WHORE!” I screamed.

“THAT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE!” Kim screamed.

“GET HER OUT OF MY SIGHT!”

“FUCK YOU BITCH!”

“YOU'RE FIRED!”

“FUCK YOU I QUIT, IF I HAVE TO LOSE MY JOB NOT TO SEE YOUR FACE THEN FINE!!”

Kim took off her apron and threw it on the floor. She took of her hat, threw it at me then stormed away downstairs. I was going to go after her but Eric still had my arm in his hand.

“You made me lose my head maid.” He said.

“She had to go, she was so disrespectful towards me Eric.” I said.

“You probably said some disrespectful thing as well, Alicia.”

“What so now you’re on her side?”

“No love but...”

“Then she shouldn't come back here & like I said I don’t want her in my sight.”

I was slammed up against the wall with Eric looking at me like I was some sort of crazy person. He was squeezing my wrist hard and had my hands up. He needed to let me go because I was already pissed of and in a mood for a fight. Man or not, i'll still kick someone’s ass.

“Now listen here Alicia, I may love you but don’t you even dare to even think you can tell me what the fuck to do in my house you hear me?” Eric said.

“...Fuck you and your house” I said.

I guess I set something off in him because before I knew it he picked me up and started kissing me all over my neck. My heart was pounding, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't scream, or yell or hit him or anything. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know if I should just go with it or if I should stop all of this. I took a big breath & decided to let it all go, I mean Bruno was on tour with his little girlfriend so fuck him.

I let my head fall back n moan and that drove Eric crazy, I wrapped my legs around him as I did this a flash of Bruno's smile came to my head. I shook my head to get that image out of my face and put my arms around Eric's neck. Eric pressed his body closer to me and I felt his manhood, that bulge screaming to be let free. Wanting to be in a dark wet warm place, with that thought another flash of Bruno came to mind but this time he was naked at fully erect standing in the door on the porch at our home.

I shook my head to get him out of my head and looked at Eric, putting my hands all through out his wavy hair he grinded into me and letting out a moan, he pulled down my straps of my silk night gown and started sucking on my collarbone. I felt myself get wet and my body grew hot and excited so I squeezed my legs around him even harder than before.

I felt my back get lifted off the wall and Eric was carrying me back into the bedroom that I was sleeping in. He kicked the door closed with his foot and my heart started pounding harder. He laid me on the bed and lifted my dress up and over, it was off and I was naked. Eric pulled back and looked at me licking his lips and mouthing damn. He took off his clothes and man did he have a body, his rippling abs bulged out from his body as if they wanted me too. His manhood was out and ready for action, ready to be taken with in me and that made me tear up. I blinked a couple of times and Eric was turning into Bruno, I blinked again but the image wasn't going away.

He started back up at the sucking on my collarbone again, he sucked his way down to my breast making me shudder, to my stomach causing me to shake, to the softest spot on my body. When he looked up at me I didn't see Eric, I only seen Bruno. That's when I realized that I had to stop him, no matter how many times I said that I was finished with Bruno, his face would always come back to haunt me because no matter what had happened, Bruno would always have my heart. No matter how broken it was. Before he could us his tongue for pleasure I sat up.

“Eric I can't do this” I said.

“Love, just relax and enjoy we got so far this time love.” Eric said.

He tried to push me back onto my back but I scooted over away from his head and put my leg over the other. Eric huffed and sat onto the bed with an expression that I seen when we were in the car. He put his head in his hands and pulled on his hair a little. I felt a sinking feeling in my gut, I was feeling guilty. Once again I had got his hopes up to having something more than a friendship but I couldn't make it more. This incident just proved that Bruno really had all of me, my heart, my soul and my mind.

I felt a hand on my thigh and I looked up, Eric's eyes were a little watery like he was about to cry. He squeezed my leg and smiled a fake smile like he always did.

“When you’re ready, OK?” Eric said.

My throat was dry and I could speak so I just nodded my head. Eric got dressed so fast it was as though he was in a dressing race. I heard a knock on the door and Eric walked over to it and answered it, it was a male butler and Eric just pushed him out into the hallway. closing the door. I heard a male cry and a door slam, I assume Eric punched the guy and went into his room. All of a sudden there was a sound of glass breaking and grunting. God I can only imagine, what was going on in that room of his. He would always so into that room and break things when something upset him. I put on my nightgown and walked to the nursery.

Linda was just awake looking all around in her crib. Her little curls that she had were just like her fathers, when I remembered that Kim had seen Maria. That meant that they were home, the tour was over. Linda had her hands out towards me and I picked her up. Like she always did, she went right for my hair but she didn't pull it like usual, she just touched it.

“Dada?” Linda said.

“No Linda, dada's not here.” I said.

“Dada!” she screamed.

“Shh, before you...”

It was too late, Joey was up. I looked over and he was rubbing his eyes, and I knew what was coming. I put Linda down in her crib and ran over to Joey but it was to late, he screamed and screamed. Joey hated to be woken up and especially if it was because of Linda. I picked him up and tried to sush him.

“Awh, Joey Joey baby baby, its OK, shh.”

“Waaa! Dadadadadadada” Joey said.

“Dadadada” Linda screamed.

“Aw Linda not you too.”

I walked over and picked her up and bounced her too. It didn't help, with two babies screaming Da Da in your ear giving you a headache was no fun at all. Eric appeared at the door and he still looked like he was mad.

“What's wrong with the twins.” Eric asked.

“ I don’t know, I came in here and Linda started crying then she woke Joey up and he started crying and now they're both screaming!” I said.

“Well they have been in the house all week, why don't you take the car and go out to your dads for a couple of days, when was the last time you seen him anyways?”

“It's been a while but that sounds like a plan, help me get them together.”

“Love, I can't I'm about to lose one of my clients.”

“Fine, I'll do it myself.”

He kissed me on my cheek and walked out of the room. I grabbed some clothes for them to wear, packed their bags washed them both up, dressed them then. The butler helped me take them downstairs and into the yellow 1959 Mercury we went to go over to dads.

We arrived there about 30mins later, had to look for his place because I’ve never been here before. I honked the horn and out came dad, I smiled. He still had the same robe he used to wear when he and mom were still together. He looked angry because it was still early so I got out the car and a smile appeared on his face. Dad walked over to the car and gave me a long hug, he still smelled the same pepper mints.

“Hello daughter of mine.” dad said.

“Hey dad.” I said.

“Well let me help you into the house.”

“Ok.”

“I'll grab the bag and...”

“No no no, I got it.”

“Ok my strong old dad.”

“Hey, I might be 53 but I can still take on a Ox.”

I just smiled and grabbed Joey while dad grabbed Linda and the bag. We walked into the house and LJ was on the couch playing some song on his ukelele. I smiled remembering when Bruno was teaching him how to play. He was really good now from what I’m hearing, I guess he's been practicing since Bruno taught him some cords.

“Hey LJ.” I said.

“Lee Lee?!?” LJ questioned.

“Yes it's me.”

He got up and hugged me. LJ was starting to look more and more like dad. It was scary but his hair was curly and light brown which weren’t my dads traits at all. I guess he gets them from his mom or something. I sat Joey on the floor and gave him a toy to play with. LJ sat down with him and started playing with him. I gave them both a kiss on the cheek and LJ started playing a song on his ukelele.

“Hey what are you playing? It sounds nice.” I said.

“You really don’t know?” LJ said.

“Nope.”

“It's Bruno's new song.”

“Oh...”

“Don't you know? He's your husband.”

“Yeah I know...”

“I'm surprised you’re here. I thought you would be on tour with him.”

“I was....”

“I say this because he always dedicate his songs to you when he's on the Radio.”

“He Does?”

“Yeah lee lee.... you really don’t know, do you?”

I sat down on the couch. Looking lost because I didn't know this. I didn't know this at all, every time they would say Bruno Mars I would turn the radio off. Just hearing him sing just made me think of the old days when we were happy and then I always see him kissing Adele. I closed my eyes, I wasn't going to do this here. I wasn't going to cry at my fathers house....

“Hey, LJ why don’t you take Jo upstairs with you so I can talk to Alicia OK?” Dad said.

“Am I in trouble again dad?” LJ asked.

“No, just go upstairs OK?”

“Ok daddy.”

When I seen LJ pick up Joey I was scared he was going to drop him but as he walked up the stairs, he didn't even struggle with him. Dad followed LJ upstairs with Linda in his arms then came back downstairs. He sat next to me with his arms wide open and I just smiled. No matter how old I got, a hug from dad was always going to make me feel better. He started rocking and singing Earth Angel. I closed my eyes and started to cry. Bruno, where are you Bruno? I need you now, I miss you so much I feel like such a fool. It took me 8months to finally realize that Bruno was my love and only mine. I looked up at dad and he wiped my tears. I guess he was right, when I was ready I would be ready. I just had to get over my anger first. Fuck, I hated the fact that I was my mother in that way. Just being so angry and taking things way out of proportion.

“Dad I...”I said.

“Shhh, I know I was right.” Dad said with a smile.

“Yeah you were, to bad it took me 8 months to know that you were.”

“Having your mom’s anger makes you that way.”

“I see.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Yeah, shoot.”

“Where were you hiding at for 8 months?”

“....With a friend.”

“You only have 2 friends, Alisia is still missing and Maria is with Phil.”

“Alisia is still missing!?”

“Yeah and so is Phred...”

“WHAT!!!?!?!?”

“Yeah he went looking for Alisia and no one has heard from him.”

“Oh my goodness.”

“Yeah, His sister Alicia is a crying mess.”

“Damn I can't.”

“Alicia, you think I don’t know your game?”

“What are you talking about daddy?”

“Well first, you only call me daddy when your playin stupid and Second of alll answer the question.”

“Huh...fine....I was with Eric.”

“What?!”

“I had no where else to go dad.”

“You could of came here Alicia, so I'm not hearing that.”

“Dad, Eric was the one who was there for me, who cared about me when Bruno didn't.”

“Bruno gave you your space just like you asked but he never stopped caring about you Alicia.”

“Dad he Cheated on me why are you on his side!?!?!”

“You really think that Bruno stopped caring about you after he kissed Adele?”

“Of course!”

“Do you really think that Adele would do something like that?”

“I don't know her at all dad!! So I assume she would!!”

“Watch your tone with me Alicia.”

“....I'm sorry OK but do you see what I mean, Eric is the only one on my side.”

“So you mean to tell me that it's OK to live with a guy that your husband hates?”

“Dad where....”

“ALICIA I'm not HEARING THAT!”

“But dad...”

“No Alicia, you know you got a lot of growing up to do. You need to deal with your problems in a better way than this. You know where I lived, I gave you my address. You could of just went to your house and called me so I could help you with Linda & Jo but no you decided to be like your mother and make things more complicated because your feelings got hurt and you didn't even give him the time of day to explain himself. You need to learn that when your in a marriage, you can't just go running off without talking about it.”

“Oh like how you did with mom?”

“Alicia don’t even go there.”

“No let’s, since we want to talk about Running away.”

“Alicia, this is not about me. This is about you an Bruno right now, we can talk about that when I feel as though you'll understand my actions but in the mean time this is not about me and Evelyn.”

“I feel as though you should talk about me making bad choices until I hear your reasons....”

“ALICIA STOP IT RIGHT NOW, THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME.”

I crossed my arms. I'm fuming right now. I'm so sick of people keeping secrets from me and not expect me not to get upset by it. This was about him, he's the reason why I'm this way because he left me all messed up.

“Look, I didn't mean to yell at you but I know Bruno Loves you still, Adele is a story he'll have to tell you and we'll talk about the incident later OK?”

“Fine.”

“Aw come on don't be that way.”

“I said fine dad I’m no Way”

“Who's dads number one?”

“Dad I'm 22 about to be 23”

“I don't care, now who's dads number one?”

“......”

“Awh come on Alicia.”

“...Me.”

“And who's me?”

“Alicia.”

“That's right angel.” He said as he kissed my cheek.

I smirked, I guess you can say that that will never get old with me and dad. It was a daddy's girls thing that I guess will never go away.

“I want you to do me a favor OK?” Dad asked.

“What is it?”

“I want you to visit your house.”

“Right now?”

“Right now Alicia”

“What about the twins?”

“They'll be fine with their pap pap.”

“You sure...”

“Just go Alicia.”

I stood up and gave dad a hug. I walked out to my car very slowly, I’ll admit that I'm scared as hell right now. My heart starts pumping fast and my hands are starting to sweat. I get in the car but it takes me a while to start the car because I kept dropping the keys. I finally start the car and drive off. As I get closer to my house, my heart pounds harder. I feel as though someone replaced it with a bass drum and my hands are trying to start a new ocean in my car. One more street to go down and I'm going to be there. The final street and I pull up to my house, oh my god. It was like new, like I just built it from the ground up. I mean it's still the same but repainted and oh god, the porch is full of dead orchids and one fresh white bunch wrapped up. I park the car and get out, I walk towards my house and notice that the flowers all had notes in them. I grab the newest one and open it to read. “I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow” I grab another one and...same thing.

“Oh I don't remember what day it was, and I didn't noticed what time it was, all I know is that I fell in love with you, & if all my dreams come true, i'll be spending time with you, oh, I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow, I love you more today than yesterday, but only half as much as tomorrow”

“Bruno?”

He just smiled at me with Purple Orchids in his hand.