Part 24



”I am going to die.”

Jamie is sitting next to me in the car with a painful expression. He is clutching his stomach and I can’t hold back a giggle.

”You look fine to me,” I tell him sweetly.

”You want to kill me,” he groans.

”Hey! I didn’t shove the food down your throat and you didn’t complain either.”

”Not until you ordered the dessert.”

”You’re too polite.”

”My mom raised me to eat up.”

”Mommie’s little boy,” I tease him. I look out of the tinted windows just to see Eric on his way over to us. I open the door slightly to peek out. ”Over here, Eric!” I yell to him and slam the door shut as fast as I can. I don’t want his neighbours to start wondering about what kind of people he is hanging out with. It would be weird for him to explain it if anyone asked. I just needed a ride and they happened to be there. I laugh at the thought. Oh dear, I hope I won’t get him into any kind of trouble.

”Hey!” Eric says when he opens the door and climbs into the back seat.

”Hello, Mister! Are you ready for a terrifying adventure?”

”Terri- what?” He looks back at my dumbfounded.

”It’s just, no offence Jamie, our driver for today is a bad car driver.”

”It can’t be that bad if you two are still unscratched.”

”You’ll see,” I smirk.

-

”Get me out! Get me out of the car!”

Eric jumps out of the car before the engine is turned off and I giggle at his horrified expression.

”I’m really sorry, I tried to drive good.” Jamie apologises and checks so the street is empty before he step out of the car.

”Good? That was the worst drive I’ve ever had! I don’t have a death wish of any kind.”

I walk up to Eric and put an arm around his shoulders so he can calm down.

”Next time I drive,” I promise him.

”You better, I don’t want Lilee to grow up without a mom.”

”She won’t,” I laugh and can’t help to add. ”You look cute when you are horrified.”

”Don’t you dare, Molly!” he hisses at me.

We walk up to my apartment still bickering while Jamie is quietly smiling at us.

”What’s so funny, Jamie?” I ask him after I locked the door behind us.

”It is nice to see you so careless.”

”Eric taught me how it is done. It is an amazing lifestyle, you should try it sometime.”

”Umm, sure,” he agrees hesitantly. ”I brought one of my movies if you want to watch it?”

”That sounds like a great idea, I’ll make some popcorn. Make yourselves at home in my living room!”

I prepare the popcorn and decide to be a bad girl again by putting three cans of soda on a small tray. I usually drink water but I don’t want them to call me miss skinny. Eric is quite easygoing and would definetly get Jamie on his side easily. I listen to my two male best friends conversation with a smile. They seem to get along well despite the driving incident earlier. I am so used to Jamie’s driving that it doesn’t bother me at all. I put down the huge bowl on the table and decide to squeeze myself between the two men.

”This is the best spot!” I tell them with an angelic smile. ”Anyone want some soda?” I hold up the tray and they grab one each. I put the can on the table and smile at the black screen. ”What are we waiting for?” They keep looking at me with raised eyebrows. ”Must the girl do everything for you!”

”Jetlag,” Jamie says.

”I’m dying,” Eric adds.

I sigh and make my way over to put in the movie and make sure everything was on.

”There! Happy now little boys?” I ask standing in front of the TV while the movie is loading.

”Fantastic, Darlene, I love the view already,” Jamie smirks.

-

Matt is sleeping loudly beside me and I try to leave the bed quietly. Jamie has gone home, but he stayed for three days. I smile lovingly at Matt, he didn’t relax before Jamie left but I didn’t mind the steamy sex his jealousy awoke. Men. I make my way over to his bedside table and I pick up his phone. I tiptoe over to Lilee’s room, she is so cute when she is asleep. I take a seat in the armchair next to her bed and use the next minutes to watch my perfect daughter. I will give up my career for them if I have to. There is nothing I want more in life. I still remember Jamie’s last words before he left at the airport.

Stop pretending Darlene. Just let it all out, it will be the best for you all.

And he is right of course, I am going to announce it soon. My family is nothing to be ashamed of and I can’t change who I am for them. I am famous whether I want it or not.

I check Matt’s phone, the background picture is of Lilee wide awake and laughing. Before she was born he used to have me there. We are really the centre in his life, I can’t describe this feeling of happiness, to be loved and to love. I check through Matt’s contact list and I pick out his best friends easily. I send them a text from my own phone.

What about a surprise party for Matt on his birthday? I know just what he always wanted.

I got an answer back within a few seconds.

Hell yeah!

The rest of the answers came quite fast too. All of them liked my idea. Heck, I love my own idea, I am going to give him the birthday of his life. I return his phone quietly and climbs into bed. He brings me into his arms in his sleep and I soon drift off to dreamland.

-

”I know I’m late!”

I drop my huge purse on the floor and I take a detour to the mirror in the room to check my hair before I take a seat by the table. Ned, Steel and my agent have been waiting for me to show up over an hour.

”Don’t worry about it!” Megan smiles brightly at me. Her energy is never ending, but that is one of the reasons I chose her to be my agent. ”How did the interview go?”

”Oh wonderful, thanks for asking,” I smile and turn my attention to the man in front of me. ”How are your boys doing Steel?”

”Oh wonderful, thanks for asking,” he answer me with a grin and I have to kick his leg. ”Ouch!”

”Now I was going to be polite but we can do it the hard way if you want to.”

”They are alive, so there’s nothing to complain about.”

I sigh loudly. ”I wish I had a little boy! They are so adorable!”

”You can borrow them anytime MD, I swear their fighting is driving me crazy most of the time.”

”Aww cute!” I gosh.

”Why am I not surprised?” he sighs.

”Children are wonderful! We all know that, can we go back to work talk or do you need another hour to settle down Darlene?”

I give my agent an amused smile.

”Are you trying to imitate me?” I ask her slowly.

Ned shakes his head.

”Leave it, Darlene. Let’s just finish planning. You two are going to make a music video in the two following days so try not to be too difficult.” He gives me a strict look and I gulp.

”I promise to not go overboard.”

”Do you even know the limit?” Steel says taunting me.

”Hey! I just want everything to be perfect, is that too much to ask for?” The silence talks for itself. ”Are you three teaming up against me?”

”We just want to hold the deadline and we are already late by an hour,” Ned points out to me.

”Fine,” I mutter. ”So Steel and I are going to show up on different places to perform our duet together after the release.”

”Yes,” Megan says and gives mea list. ”Here’s where we decided to keep it while you were gone.”

”Well, that’s what I pay you for right?” I smile wholeheartedly at my agent.

”It wasn’t meant for a complaint!” she defends herself.

”Neither was I!”

”Darlene doesn’t like comments like that, miss Ross. Can we please behave like adults for a moment?”

-

”You look tired.” Matt says when I finally return home in the evening.

”Thanks!” I say and wrap my arms around him. ”Hmm…” I moan. ”You have no idea how much needed your hug.”

”Was it that bad.?”

”It takes a lot of energy to piss off my agent.”

Matt laughs into my ear.

”Why would you do that?”

”I just wated to test her patience and pretend to be spoiled and…”

”You’re a diva.”

I slap him gently on his perfect shoulder.

”How’s Lilee? I want to see her before we get caught in ourselves.”

He takes me to the baby room and she is sleeping heavily.

”I think she has a cold, she’s been fussy all day.”

”My poor little girl.” I caress her forehead gently. ”She is growing so fast. She is going to start talking in a few years, what am I supposed to answer to all of her questions?”

”You will be a great mom Molly.”

”I am not going to hide her from the world Matt. We must go public before she gets too old.”

”I know Molly, we don’t have a choice. It’s bound to happen sometime even if you want her to live a quiet life.”

”I ruined that when I signed my first contract.”

”I’m glad you signed you first contract,” he says with a husky voice and puts his hand on my chin to turn my face towarsd his. I stop breathing when I see the passion in his eyes and I willingly let him devour me with his kisses. I moan loudly and hold my hand with a hard grip on Lilee’s bed.

”Maybe we should move over to our own room?” I whisper into his ear.

”I like that idea,” he says with a grin and carry me bridal style to our bed.

-

Everything seems to be making Mrs Gregory angry lately. Nothing we do is right in her opinion. She pouts her lips in an ugly way when she is displeased and her eyes are hard as steel.

”Why can’t I see my son on his own birthday? I want to cook for you.”

”I just want a romantic dinner with Molly,” Matt answers her patiently. ”I am just turning twenty-nine, it’s not anything special.”

”Every year is special to me. You and Molly can have romantic dinners every day.”

”Mom! It’s not up to you, okay?”

She is getting teared up and I bite my lip nervously at the sight. Matt is way too hard on her even though he has a reason to.

”But it might be your last birthday dinner in this house,” she whispers.

”What are you saying, you’re not selling the house mom!” Matt yells angrily.

”You know how our situation is, Matt. We are going to lose everything and it’s only a matter of weeks left before it all collides. Your father really did try his best to solve the situation and so did you. I’m glad you sold your share in time, otherwise you’d end up with nothing.”

I feel so guilty, even though their house has nothing to do with me. I just know I will save the house for them, I just need to wait until the right time. I put a hand on Matt’s arm to calm him down and he relax immediately under my touch.

”Just don’t sell the house mom, I want Lilee to take part of the place I grew up in.”

”Don’t you think I want that too? It’s really hard for me and there is no one I can talk with. I love this house.”

”Matt and I are going house hunting tomorrow,” I interrupt them.

”That’s about time! Just make sure it is a safe neighbourhood for children.”

”That’s my priority number one, I assure you.” I smile kindly at her in hope to make her feel better too. ”I can’t wait to make a new home for us, it feels so exciting!”

”Yes, we want to move as soon as possible,” Matt adds.

”I just wish Joan will find a new man in her life,” Mrs Gregory says. ”I can’t keep her living with me and she is not even trying to find a job. We spoiled her too much, but we thought we’d always be rich. It’s sad how much we take for granted in our lives. I already had to sell a lot of my belongings.”

”We can pair up Joan with Shawn Steel. Lord knows he needs someone who can tame his two little boys.”

”That’s riddiculus, Molly!” Matt snorts.

”I just thought it would be a good idea to turn his attention to another woman,” I defend myself with. ”Joan doesn’t look that bad.”

”Did Shawn show any interest in you?” Matt interrogates me.

”Yes, he did mention his liking a few times…”

”I am going to kill him!” Matt says upset and leaves the house.

”Oops,” I say to a just as surprised Mrs Gregory. ”Do you think we need to call the police?”

”I’m not sure, I’ve never seen him like this before. When did this change?”

”Well, he’s been weird for a few days.”

Oh no! It must have started because of Jamie. Maybe Matt finally realised that being together with a celebrity means a lot of competition from other men? Not that any of them has a chance but jealousy is a mean bitch.

”They are both grown up men, I’m sure they will be alright.”

”I should have kept my mouth shut,” I say anxiously. I am really happy we finished the music video today. I don’t know if a beaten up Steel in the vid would be that great. I can’t be on Matt’s side in the fight when he’s causing the fight to start with. If he even finds him. ”Now I’m really worried!”

”Let’s drink some tea in the kitchen then. He will come back when he is done.”

I follow Matt’s mom and I decide to not care about the mess my stupid second part of me does.