Seventeen, all he's ever seenThe Devil is describing his plans for an in-ground lap pool/sauna/jacuzzi arrangement when I make my way out to the boys that are standing in a loose semi-circle. John bends at the knee and I jump on his back, looping my arms around his neck as he stands back up straight, his hands coming up under my knees. Caleb meets my eyes and loses his train of thought completely. PJ reminds him instantly and he continues on but he doesn't look at me again.
Is living in between the lies
It's kind of funny how a mind
Can keep living in denial
Eighteen is a very strange scene
He's still playing with the past
Expelled, maybe someone could've helped
If someone had known to ask
Hey, look what you did to me
When you were taking me home
Getting me stoned
Leave me alone
The pool will be in Daniel and Schuyler's yard, technically. They have a huge rock wall and a larger flatter expanse of yard before the cliff. I should know, I carved the whole damn thing up the night I took my epic naked motorcycle ride. So much room. It's going to be amazing. I nod along with everyone.
But really I'm not impressed.
(I hate pools.)
(Also hot tubs. I hate those too.)
(Did you know the province I was born and raised in has seven thousand, six hundred kilometres of seacoast? Right. Who needs pools? Salt trumps chlorine any day.)
(A sauna might be okay though)
Then they all head back inside and I am dropped gently back to ground. I stay in that spot though and Caleb turns back to stare at me. The wind is ruffling his hair ever so slightly. His medium blues are washed out in the cloudy brightness. His expression is terrible.
PJ grabs my hand. Come, Bridge.
In a minute.
Want me to wait with you?
No, I'm fine.
PJ looks at Caleb and Caleb meets his eyes. I won't keep her long, the Devil says, his words flat, expressionless. PJ accepts that for some reason I can't comprehend, heading inside. He knows better than to bite the hand that feeds him. He is the pet bird of the Devil and he doesn't even know it. I chew on that hand like a dog.
Happy Birthday, Dollface. I have something for you at the house. It seems there was a concentrated effort to keep me from you on your big day.
It wasn't that big a day and it was pure coincidence. They weren't trying to prevent birthday wishes but you know that already.
What is the plan, Neamhchiontach?
For what? I'm waiting for Ben to come back.
I'm well aware of what you're all doing. Don't play coy with me. I never liked that.
I'm waiting. For Ben. To come back. Was I not loud enough?
Belligerence isn't a good plan.
Neither are demands!
Is your plan to stick it to me by marrying Pyro before he turns fifty? Just to twist my screws a little more? Does he think you'll suddenly stop coming to me if you're married? Like you stopped with Jake except you didn't and we all know how that turned out. Hell, you've never dropped either of us in spite of any new husband you've taken up. I hope Lochlan doesn't expect that to change suddenly.
We're not getting married for a long long time, if at all.
Bridget, regardless of when, this is one life choice I can't allow and I have put up with a lot from you over the years. You left my brother and took away his childen, you took up with Jacob who assaulted me, you remained in league with Loch even as I warned you to stay away from him, and now you're slowly trying to shut me out again. I wouldn't advise that at this point in your life but you keep at it as if it's going to work somehow.
I wouldn't. We have to coparent.
Then what? What is the plan?
Well, according to you I'm going to marry Lochlan and you're going to walk away from me. You've got it figured out already, I guess.
What about Cole?
He's gone. At some point I'll have to say goodbye. It isn't him that I come for anymore anyway. It's you.
Neamhchiontach, if you say things like that, don't expect me to walk away from you without the biggest fight Lochlan's ever seen.
Wow.
Yes, wow. Wow would be the biggest understatement of your lives. Bigger than an amusement park, bigger than the circus, bigger than anything you could even imagine. So yes. Wow.