Maybe Someday

October past in a blur, and before we knew it, it was mid-November. The hockey season was still a no-go and it was killing James. It breaks my heart watching him mope around. Even if he still gets to skate, meet up with team mates and work out, it’s not the same.

I know it’s selfish of me, and I feel guilty for always thinking it, but I’m glad the hockey season has been postponed. Spending so much time with James, especially when are relationship is still new, is refreshing. I’d be going crazy if he was traveling right now. It’s hard enough without Alex and having James’ whole family in Canada, I don’t want to have to be without him too.

I know soon I’ll have to get used to it. And I’m sure I will, but right now, I’m just not ready. It’s nice having James all to myself, with no games, fans, and miles getting in-between us. Soon he’ll be here-and-there and I’ll be wishing for the summer. All I can do is cherish the moments I have with him, like right now.

“James, stop it!” I giggled uncontrollably while he grasped my sides tickling me. He laughed along with me, dropping down to cover my body with his.

“Love you, Annie,” he mumbles before sealing it with a kiss. I wrap my arms around him and let him in, tangling our tongues together.

I pull his shirt from his body and melt when his muscles are exposed. “God, I’ll never get used to this.”

He lifts his arms and flexes bringing them to his head, making his whole torso bulge in response. I moan in delight and he smiles devilishly before collapsing down onto me. He un-buttons my jeans and slides his hand down, when the door bell rings.

I groan in frustration but he shakes his head, “Ignore it, nobody ever comes unannounced.”

We do. But then pounding on the door breaks us apart and James’ wild eyes tells me he’s not happy.

“I’m going to kill whoever that is.” I giggle and shimmy up my pants and zip them up.

“I’ll get it,” I motion to his jeans, “Get that down and then come join me. It’s probably for you anyway.” He nods and kisses me fiercely before releasing me.

“Getting rid of whoever’s at that door and then finishing exactly where I started, baby.” Mmm I like the sound of that.

I open the door smiling but my face drains and shock overloads me when I see the all-to-familiar woman standing on our doorstep.

“Mom?”

“It’s time to come home, dear,” she says while taking in the surroundings. “You’ve been gone long enough. Made your point, now it’s time to put the drama to sleep and come home.”

“What?” I asked flabbergasted. Why the hell is she here? How did she find me? Come home? Is she crazy? Yes, of course she is.

“Annie, I do not have time for your games,” she sighs dramatically and rolls her eyes at me. “Go on and pack your bags, we have a plane to catch.”

“I’m not leaving,” I state firmly. “What are you doing here mother?”

“I told you, I came to take you home. It’s been years and people are starting to talk. We can only make up so many stories, Annie, it’s time to come home and face the music.”

“Are you crazy? I am not going back. This is my home now mother, not New York, not with you. I don’t care what people are saying, that’s not my problem, it’s yours. I told you the day I left that I was never coming back, and I meant it. Now it’s time for you to leave. I don’t know how you found me or why all of a sudden you want me to come back, but it is never going to happen. This is my home now. And you need to respect that.”

“This is not your home, Annie. I don’t know what that hockey-playing neanderthal has put in your head, but you need to snap out of it.”

Anger rips through me at her words and I step forward lowering my voice until I’m practically growling.

“Don’t you dare,” I spit sharply at her. “Don’t you dare talk about James that way. You don’t know him, and you never will, because I do not want you in my life. But, I will tell you that he is a good man. Who treats me wonderfully, who loves me, and who respects me. You will not pollute the one good thing in my life.”

She’s taken aback and before I know it, her always manicured hand reaches out and smacks me right across the face. I step back in shock, clutching my burning cheek. James rushes into the room, from the shadows and gathers me in his arms. He inspects my cheek first before turning to my mother, angrily.

“You need to leave. Now. And don’t ever come back.”

“How dare you speak-”

“No! How dare you put your hands on my woman, on your daughter. And how dare you try to control her. It’s time for you to leave. And unless Annie wishes to see you again, you never come back around her again.”

I have my head buried in James’ chest and was surprised when no final rebuttal was made, and the front door slams shut. He strokes my hair and then grips the back of my neck tipping my head up.

“Are you okay?” Worry creases over his face and he bends down to lightly kiss my stinging cheek.

“I’m fine, James,” I say honestly.
“Babe, I know you wanted to do this on your own time, but you gotta give me something here.” I nod my head in understanding and take a deep breath. “Let’s go sit down.”

He leads me to the couch and sits down pulling me into his lap. I cuddle into him, getting comfortable and loving how sweet he is.

“So that was my mother.”

“Yep.”

“She’s crazy.”

“Yep.” He smiles at me and I run my hand along his jaw.

“My mother didn’t marry for love, she married for money, status. I think my father really loved her, at first I mean. He fell in love with this beautiful, selfless girl and once they got married she changed. All she cared about was materialistic items, and being in Manhattans top elite. I don’t think she ever loved him. I think she manipulated him into thinking she did. When he finally saw her for who she really was he filed for divorce. It was such a scandal in my mother’s society and she feared her image, the weight of her wallet. After she was served the papers she tricked my father into thinking she changed. She got him drunk, and she got pregnant. She never wanted Alex. She just wanted to lock down my father.”

“Holy shit,” James whispers and I nod my head. He tightens his hold on me, pulling me closer.

“Of course, he threw out the divorce papers. My father was a good man. He just married the wrong woman. Once Alex was born my mother instantly hired a full time nanny, wanting nothing to do with the maternal aspect of it. She went back to the high-class parties, balls, spending every dime my father made, and drinking entirely too much. All she cared about was her image. Kind of ironic since she was the first to cheat. She started an affair with another wealthy man only a year after Alex was born. It wasn’t just him, either. My mother got bored quickly, and didn’t have any love to give. When my father found out years later, he was already falling in love with another woman. And he was ready to leave my mother for her when I was conceived. I don’t know how she did it, whether she got him drunk or was just an amazing manipulator. Either way she did it out of spite. She had found out about my father’s mistress and knew he was planning on leaving her. My mother made sure his mistress knew she was pregnant and that woman ran crying for the hills. My father finally broke, throwing himself into work and booze. I grew up in a no-parent household. I have no fond memories of my parents because there were none. “

James catches a tear with his thumb and kisses my shoulder. “Babe, you don’t have to go on.”

“No, I want to. I don’t want any secrets between us anymore James. I need us to be completely open with each other.”

“Okay, okay.” He kisses me lightly and once I’m calm enough to continue on, I do.

“Alex was everything to me. He was my protector when mom came home with too much to drink, my tutor when dad had no time to help me with homework, and my best friend when my mother forbade me to be seen with anyone without money to their names. I had horrible parents, but at least I had Alex. When he left for the Army, I thought my life was over. I knew it was the only way out for him, but I couldn’t help but feel abandoned. Without him there was nobody to keep my mother from controlling my ever breath. I was suffocating. By the time I was eighteen she already had a prospective husband picked out for me. He was 22, and going into med school. His family was extremely wealthy, and his father worked with mine. They were practically planning our wedding when I packed up and left. My mother was furious, but my dad. My dad took one look at my suitcases, lifted a scotch to his lips and walked back into his study.”

“Annie,” he whispers my name and when I look down at him he has anger blazing in his eyes. “You don’t deserve that. And I promise you, you will never feel that pain ever again. I love you too much to let them treat you that way.”

I smile softly at him and hold his head in my hands. I just stare at him, watch the love in his eyes, the love that’s all for me. And I realize how lucky I am.

“I love you, James.”

“I love you too, baby, always.”