When Forever Ends

Amazing. Simply amazing. The way something that was once so small and dependent on me can now walk across the floor of the bookstore and look at me with the those big eyes. The eyes that are a clear indication that she is Vince’s daughter. It’s like someone stole his hazel eyes and gave them to my daughter. If the eyes aren’t enough proof, the hair is. The sandy brown curls are one hundred percent Vince. Though, not many people know he has curly hair because he straightens the crap out of it.

“Did you walk to mommy?” I coo at her. She laughs a deep belly laugh and fall down on her bum. “Oppsie daisies!” I coo again and she laughs so hard she makes no noise. She’s a happy baby.

“What the fuck’s up?” Shayne asks happily with Gavin trailing at her side. I shake my head. She’s curses like a sailor in front of a young and impressionable child. Gavin laughs and throws his skateboard down on the floor.

“Come on, baby.” Gavin says and picks my little girl up and sits her down on the skateboard. He then begins to push her around on it. She quite enjoys it. Shayne is set on corrupting her to become a skateboarder...not a dancer or gymnast.

“Shayne, there are young ears in the room.” I warn her.

“Ah, Gia doesn’t understand and Gave knows not to use it.” I shake my head and walk away with stack of books that need to be stocked. Since Milo and I took over the bookstore Mrs. Lucas has been able to retire and is healthy once again. Shayne uses a good chuck of her growing wealth to pay for her to stay at a nice retirement home.

“Okay. Food’s here.” Milo says walking into the store with his boyfriend, both of them carrying bags of Chinese. What can I say...we’re addicted. Not so much Shayne or Gavin. Shayne has this whole organic foods obsession. She actually eats healthy and forces Gavin to eat healthy as well. The last Friday of every month is Chinese food day when they take a break from organic.

Every time I eat Chinese takeout I think about the way Vince used to taunt me when I was pregnant with Gia. I was on a strict no takeout diet then. I really wish he would have believed me. I wish he could see how adorable she is and how much she looks like him.

“Hey! Stop!” Gavin orders snapping me out of my daze.

“What?” I ask confused.

“You got that ‘I’m thinking about Vince’ look on your face.” I swear this kid knows me just as well as Shayne. They’re like the same person Gavin puts one of his hands on each side of my face and then gets very close and stares me directly in the eyes. “You. Do. Not. Need. Him. I repeat. You. Do. Not. Need. Him.” and then he drops his hands and moves back into his own seat.

“Shayne. You tell him way too much.” I say honestly. He knows things I didn’t know until I was like...thirteen.

“Hey!” She holds her hands up in defense. “He’s a smart kid, he’s observant, he likes to watch horror movies, and he goes to public school! It’s not entirely my fault.”

Just then the bell above the door rings. I peek my head out of the back room. My eyes almost pop out of my head. Ace! Right there! I throw myself back into the room.

“What’s wrong with you?” Shayne asks laughing.

“Ace.” I say simply and point toward the front. Shayne’s face drops.

“Nate! Go take care of that costumer!” Shayne pushes Milo’s boyfriend out toward the front. “Don’t tell him shit about us!” Shayne reminds Nate. Of course Nate knows the whole story.

So we’re all quiet listening to what happens.

“Hey, can I help you with anything?” Nate asks in a friendly manner.

“Uh, yeah.” Ace says. I watch Shayne close her eyes tightly. Her finger is to her mouth signaling Gavin to stay quiet. Shayne will never admit it, but she misses them. She misses him. She’ll also never admit that she has had more than friendly feelings for Ace since the night they shared a bed in some hotel. Her face says it all when you talk about it. “Is Marley here, because her parents said that she owned ths place.”

He talked to my parents? My parents talked to him! They promised they wouldn’t! Traitors!

“I’m sorry. Marley isn’t here, she owns this place but she works full time in New York City.” Good, Nate. Send him away. Shayne can’t deal with this. She’s just starting to get over the things he said to her.

“Well, can you tell me where?” he asked hopefully.

“I’m sorry. I am not at will to release that information.” Nate recited.

“Okay. Shayne. Marley’s best friend. Can you tell me where she is?” Ace asks starting to sound annoyed.

“I’m sorry. I can’t.” Nate says staying calm. Gavin starts to pull on Shayne’s sleeve at the mention of her name.

“Thanks anyway.” Ace says sighing and then the bell above the door signals that he left.

“That was fucking scary!” Nate says joining us.

“Okay! How many time do I have to warn you guys about that word?” I snap. They throw it around like a little boy isn’t sitting in the same room with them. I’m not too worried about Gia...yet. Soon enough she’ll be saying more than a few words and I do not need that filthy word to be one of them.

“It was like he knew I was lying!”

“Well, there was no way he could know. So, let’s not worry about it.” Shayne says dishing out vegetable lo mein for Gavin. And we leave it at that.

“So the big seven?” Milo aks Gavin in order to change the subject.

So the night passes smoothly, as does the morning. No more Ace scares. So, I pack Gia up in the car along with the rest of the stuff I need to spend the weekend in New York with Shayne. Gia and I only live about half an hour away from Shayne and Gavin. It wasn’t bad.

“Shit!” I curse when we’re almost at Shayne’s apartment. “Shit!” I hit my hands against the steering wheel. I left Gavin’s present at home! How could I forget it! I pull into a grocery store, and rush in with Gia. I need to at least get a card for him.

I shift Gia in my arms while I stand in front of the birthday card section. Why don’t they make birthday cards with the dude from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Gavin loves those movies. I can’ believe Shayne allows him to watch them, but he loves them. They would give any normal child nightmares! Though, considering that Gavin is Shayne’s child, I shouldn’t be surprised.

“Marley?” I freeze. I know that voice far too well. “Is that you?” I think about running. That would be a little weird though. So I do the only thing I can. I turn around and smile at Jake.

“Oh shit! It is you!” He says happily. “Fuck! She looks just like Ford!” Jake says looking at Gia then. “You gotta come with me! Vince and Ace are looking for you. Where’s Shayne?” he asks looking over my shoulder.

“No. Jake. I can’t. I have to go.” I say grabbing a dull dog birthday card and hurrying off to checkout. Why would that ever be enough to shake off Jake?

“Hey. No! They’re looking for you!” Jake says following me. “Where are you going?” he presses.

“Jake, you found me. Okay, you can call me or whatever...just leave Shayne alone. Okay?” I plead writing my cell phone number down and handing it to him.

“But Ace needs to talk to her! I need to talk her!”

“He hurt her, Jake. She’s just starting to get over it. She really doesn’t need him verbally attack her again.” I say paying for the card.

“No! He wants to apologize! He’s all screwed up without her! He’s fucking in love with her!” Jake yells while I strap Gia into her car seat. I shake my head and get in my car. I can’t trust him. This is probably some sort of sick plan so they can cause Shayne and I pain. I wouldn’t put it past them.

“He loves you!” Jake yells as I pull out of my parking spot. “He’s fucking depressed without you, Marley! He’s sorry!” I do my best not to cry while I drive away. I try my best be strong like Shayne is in such situations. I will not let myself cry over a stupid guy! Especially not Vincent Ford.

When they call me. They can expect an earful. If there’s one thing I learned from living in New York City for half a year, it was how to have a sharp tongue.