In Love With a Stripper

(Jynx’s POV)

“Jynx,” Gerard said coming into our bedroom. The way he said it I knew that there was going to be some bad news.

“What now? Isn’t if enough that I agreed to sitting in the same room with him?” I said referring to the few moment’s we’d spent before they headed off to his hotel.

“We’ll he didn’t plan to stay in town this long and his hotel room was only available until today. So he needs some place to stay and I may have…”

“You didn’t,” I said not able to believe it.

“It was your mother’s fault. It’s like she looks at you with those eyes and you can’t say no,” sadly I knew that look and I knew it was hard for anyone who wasn’t used to it to say no to it.

“I know babe, so he’s staying here now?”

“In the same room as your mom,” I just shook my head.

“Fine, she knows if she had asked me I would have just told him to go back where the hell he came from. I don’t even know why he’s still here…”

“Because he wants to reconnect with you,” my mother said coming into the room. “Gerard give me and my daughter a moment please.”

“I’ll go help Robert settle in,” then he left us alone.

“Baby girl I’m so sorry for what I’ve done. I was young when your father left and I didn’t think he’d ever comeback and some how I instilled this hate in you. I shouldn’t have told you all those things. I should have let you be a child when you could, but now it’s too late and the only thing I can do is beg you to forgive me and him.”

“Momma you didn’t do anything wrong. You’ve done everything for me that you ever could do for me. He left us both. Momma he left you to deal with me on your own and that was wrong.”

“Baby I don’t deny that his leaving was wrong, but I never should have put it in your mind that way. It wasn’t meant for you to worry about us that way. It was my responsibility and I’m so sorry that I didn’t do that well enough. In fact I did such a bad job at that it caused you to run away thinking that you were a burden and you didn’t even call for help when you needed.

You keep thinking that when you are one of the best things that could have ever happened to me. Baby girl we may have had it hard, but he’s the one who missed out,” I looked at her with disbelief.

“Really he missed your first steps, you first words. He missed every moment in your life that meant anything. I think now might be the time to let him know what he’s been missing, but also forgive him. He’s not perfect and neither are we,” I bit my bottom lip letting her words sink in. “Come on. The worse thing that could happen is that he leaves again and we made it through the first time we can do it again.”

“Ok, I’ll try,” she smiled and I could feel her pride in me radiating off her. It made me stand a little bit taller.

“Good we can start tonight,” she said grabbing my hand and pulling me off my bed. “I’m going to cook. While you and your father talk.”

“I…What should I say? I don’t know how to talk to him,” I was panicking now. How was I going to survive dinner with him.

“You’ll both do just fine,” she pulled me all the way into the living room and there he was sitting on the couch. “Go on,” she said pushing me toward the empty seat beside him. I reluctantly sat down next to him. I noticed the look he gave my mother and saw her smile out of the corner of my eye. Then she left and went into the kitchen.

He and I sat quietly next to each other I started chewing on my bottom lip and he seemed to be trying to think of what to say. I watched as Gerard came into the front door.

“Gee babe where did you go?” I asked happy to break the almost crippling silence that hung in the air.

“Oh I had to go get something out of the car. What are you doing out here?”

“I’m spending time with my father,” I said like it was a normal everyday occurrence.

“Gerard can you help me in here?” I heard my mother calling. I knew she just wanted him out of the room, but I couldn’t help that I wanted an ally in the room with me.

“I’ll be right there,” he quickly walked over gave me a peck on my cheek then turned and went into the kitchen.

“Look I’m sorry,” My father said out of nowhere. “I got scared and I know it was wrong, but I left ok. Everyday after that I regretted it so much, but I couldn’t face you and your mother knowing that I’d been such a coward…”

“So what made you come back now?” I asked.

“I came back because…because I didn’t think I’d ever get another chance to. Honestly me and your mother ran into each other randomly and when I saw her I knew I had to say something. I mean she hadn’t seen me so I could have just walked away and left the store, but I thought it was time for me to own up to what a stupid ass I was to leave.

It took me the better part of three years to get her back. Now I’ve told you my story and I’m glad you’ve listened despite you being forced into it by your mother, but I don’t want you to have to force yourself to be around me. If it takes me another three years to get you back I’ll wait.”

“You know mom never tried to turn me against you,” I said suddenly wanting him to know that my hate was my own not a by product of a scorned lover.

“I would expect that from other women, but not your mother. She’s different then every woman I’ve ever met. I never did date after your mother, I couldn’t bring myself to it.”

“She is amazing,” I said liking that we had something in common. I looked over to see he was smiling at me.

“Did your mother ever tell you why I named you Jynx?”

“I thought it was just something about a stripper you once knew,” I didn’t go into how I’d always said they just wanted a girl with a stripper name.

“No, though I probably should have thought of that before I gave you that name,” he said with a laugh. His laugh was light something that sounded familiar even though I’d never heard it before. “When I was growing up I had an aunt. Her name was Rebecca, but everyone and I mean everyone called her Jinx. She was one of the strongest women I’ve ever known. She did a lot of great things. She flew air planes, rode horses, and when my mother died. She put all her dreams and aspirations away to raise me. I wanted you to be that strong. I think you do her name honor,” I smiled.

“Thanks for telling me that. I’d always wondered about my name, but never had the guts to ask mom. I never wanted to make her think about you, you know?”

“I can understand that,” he said looking a little sad. I suddenly regretted saying that.

“But I’m sure she wouldn’t have minded telling me though,” I said trying to make him feel better and wondering why I wanted to.

“What no fighting?” My mother said coming into the room. Gerard looked like he was relived to be back in the room with me. I could tell that he hadn’t liked the idea of leaving me alone, but had learned early on not to go against what my mother told him to do.

“Yeah she hasn’t killed me yet,” he said standing up and walking over to my mother. I watched as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. What I saw then made me realize that I had made the right decision. He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.