Chapter Three - Pleasantview
Content warning: This story contains mature themes and may not be suitable for minors. For this chapter, adult and sexual references.
225 Main Street, Pleasantveiw
“Your hair looks very pretty sweetheart,” Jennifer told her daughter.
“Uncle Dan did it for me,” Lucy replied proudly.
John turned to his brother-in-law and grinned, “Wow, Danny boy. That’s quiet the hidden talent you have there. Did you learn hair-styling during your playing days?” he asked in mock seriousness.
“Yes,” Daniel replied seriously despite knowing full well John was goading him. But it only lasted a moment before he chuckled, “because I had two daughters Lucy’s age smart arse.”
Lucy giggled because her parents never said things like arse which caused Daniel and John to laugh even more. Jennifer could only sigh as she reminded her husband and brother to mind their language.
“Was that old colleague able to get you a job?” John asked on a more serious note.
“Yeah,” Daniel mumbled, looking dejectedly at his cereal. “Best he could do apparently, I’m a fu-” he paused seeing Lucy listening intently, “furry mascot again.”
Jennifer quickly excused Lucy from the table to get dressed before turning back to her brother, “Are you kidding me? You were assistant coach! How can that be the best he could do?” she seethed.
“I’m way past playing age Jen, and there aren’t any coaching positions available. And even so, teams prefer to hire internally,” he replied evenly.
“It’s just not right,” she almost sobbed, “you worked so hard, for years.”
“Sis, please. Don’t get upset, it’ll all work out,” he said comfortingly. He was touched by her obvious concern, even if its ferocity was fuelled by pregnancy hormones.
Daniel grinned, “I’ll be fine,” he assured his concerned family. “I’m like a cat, I always land on my feet,” he joked.
John was silent for a moment before snickering, “I thought you were going to say you’re always in heat.”
Jennifer could only groan in exasperation as the both of them laughed again.
Daniel was still chuckling as he collected the bowls from the table and put them in the sink. Crashing at his sister’s place while the divorce was sorted had been both a blessing and a curse. On one hand he’d got to spend time with sister and brother-in-law, who he got along with really well despite their many differences, and finally got to know his little niece. On the other hand, the happiness of their family was a brutal reminder, every single day, of how his actions had torn apart his.
Dancing around in a heavy and smelly mascot costume did not hold the appeal it had at seventeen when it had been the first step to sports stardom. But it was a job, and he could retire frighteningly soon anyway. His share of the money from the sale of the house was enough to buy and furnish a small place to live and he could always supplement his pension with a part time job if necessary.
He couldn’t help but feel deflated by the thoughts of his future as he rinsed the dishes of soggy cereal.
95 Woodland Drive, Pleasantveiw
Mary-Sue believed in the power of having a positive attitude. Her determination and extra hours at work had seen her elected to city council, and polls showed her as a favourite for election to the state assembly. Her divorce had been finalised, the proceeds of the sale of the house had been distributed, and she was now free to embark on a life not tainted by betrayal.
But there were times in which a positive attitude was difficult to maintain. Returning after an exhausting day at work, to the house you share with your parents, to be confronted with the now shattered image you had once held for your own future, was such a moment.
Not to mention despite her nearly fifty years, seeing her parents kissing still made her feel as awkward as it did when she was fifteen. She began to turn around and escape to her bedroom, but heard her mother giggle. “Herb!” Coral playfully scolded, “sorry sweetheart, we didn’t realise you were home.”
Mary-Sue smiled weakly, “I just got in, and ah, yeah, I’ll be in my room now.”
Herb couldn’t help but chuckle at his daughter’s quick departure which earned him another scolding from Coral.
“If you were ever subjected to seeing your father and I engaged in some overt display of affection, I will pay for your therapy,” Mary-Sue greeted Angela as she entered the room they shared.
Angela figured she was more likely to need therapy from the years of hearing her parents arguing, than any vague displays of affection she may have witnessed at a very young age. Perhaps while she was at it, she might be able to get a few pointers on how one was suppose to continue being the perfect and supportive daughter to both parents, when said parents had divorced.
“Um, thankyou?” she replied uncertainly before returning her eyes to the screen.
Mary-Sue watched as her daughter smile broadly at whatever she was watching. “What are you looking so pleased about?” she asked, although she too couldn’t help but smile to see her daughter look so carefree.
Angela hadn’t really expressed any feelings on the divorce outwardly; telling anyone who asked that she was fine, but that she was only worried about her mum, or her dad, or even her sister. It pained Mary-Sue to recognise that Angela’s fine was little more than a veneer for her real emotions, and that when she didn’t realise anyone was watching Angela appeared tired and despondent. Mary-Sue regretfully mused her daughter must have inherited her own preference for a pleasant facade.
“Chick flick, the perfect escapism,” she replied happily.
Mary-Sue placed her briefcase away and turned back to her daughter who had now risen from the bed and was looking at her very seriously. “Speaking of escaping, or in this case, not escaping,” she began, “you still haven’t told us what you want to do for your birthday. I know it’s a little while away, but we’ll need to start planning soon.”
Mary-Sue sighed and looked pleadingly at her daughter; in all honestly she just wanted to ignore her upcoming birthday. “Angela, I don’t know. I really don’t feel like celebrating at all, and the last thing I want is a party. In fact I think I’d be much happier doing nothing much at all. Perhaps we could go Downtown for dinner or something,” she suggested.
Angela stared at her mother in disbelief for a good few moments. Her mother loved parties. She and Lilith, once they were old enough, had been dragged along with their father to every event possible. Her mother had always told them she was doing it for the whole family, stressing how important it was to take advantage of the opportunity to meet and socialise with people of importance. Angela would follow her mother around dutifully being introduced to members of high society, while her father took advantage of the stocked bar and her sister sulked in a corner.
On the way home from the parties, her mother would praise her behaviour, telling her how much everyone had loved her. This of course annoyed Lilith to no end, who would then start mocking everything their mother said or start asking provocative questions like if Angela would have to die before Mary-Sue remembered she had another daughter. Angela would stay silent in the hope of not getting involved, which in turn, only made Lilith angry at her as well. Their father rarely had to suffer through the ensuing arguments as he was usually asleep or too drunk to notice.
Angela wasn’t sure what was sadder. That that was how their family life had been, or that there was a part of Angela that desperately wanted it again, no matter how dysfunctional it was.
And now it seemed like even her mother was becoming unrecognisable to her. “No, I can’t be hearing this,” she said disbelievingly. “It’s your birthday. You have to celebrate.”
Mary-Sue looked sadly at her empty ring finger. “I just,” she tried to explain to her daughter; “I’m not where I thought I’d be at this age.” Mary-Sue’s vision of her life had not included being divorced and living with her parents as she prepared to turn fifty.
In a moment of compassion for her mother Angela relented, “Fine.”
Mary-Sue smiled at her daughter in both gratitude and relief, but was interrupted before she could thank her daughter for her understanding.
“But there will be cake,” Angela promised forcefully as she exited the room.
Mary-Sue laughed, of course there would be. Angela really was her daughter.
150 Main Street, Pleasantview
Don awoke slowly to find his bed empty, and still foggy from sleep, stumbled his way downstairs. It was only once he got to the bottom of the stairs that he remembered what he was suppose to be doing today. He groaned and wondered if he had any beer left.
Entering the kitchen he paused to take in the view. He remembered not that long ago that he would have been greeted with dirty plates, takeaway containers and more often than not, discarded underwear. Now his whole house was neat and clean, unnervingly so. Don though, had to admit, that the raven haired beauty scrubbing his benches, clad only in her underwear, had made it less unsettling. Damn, he conceded, she had made it down right comfortable.
He grinned and let out a wolf whistle as he approached, “Not that this isn’t a lovely view, but don’t I have maid for this sort of stuff?”
“From what I hear she’s extremely corruptible and never gets much cleaning done.”
Don let out a long laugh, he couldn’t argue with that. Kaylynn certainly had talents and charms that he was much more interested in than her ability to clean his toilet bowl. Unable to resist any longer he pulled his fiancé into his embrace and gave her a lingering kiss.
“Good morning,” Cassandra replied.
“Certainly is,” Don agreed as he gazed appreciatively at her figure. Nina would have called her underwear matronly, but then again she didn’t have naturally ample cleavage Cassie did. Not that it mattered, where as Nina flaunted her sexuality, his fiancé was much more subtle; which Don found, much to his own surprise, even more alluring.
Cassandra smiled as she idly stroked the back of Don’s neck. She wasn’t stupid and she knew very well that Don had had more than a few partners before her. After recognising that Don’s maid was the very same one that her closest friend Mary-Sue had found in bed with her husband, she took action and dismissed her the next day. She had faith in Don, even if no one else did, but it didn’t hurt to remove the temptation.
Her attention was drawn to the present by Don’s travelling hands, “Don,” she admonished, “You’re going to make me late.”
Don chuckled. “Let’s get you married before I make you late. One thing at a time Cass. Marriage first, then babies,” he joked. Don had happily imagined living a bachelor lifestyle for a long time, but then Cassie was in his life, and his heart, and then suddenly there were discussions about marriage and children. It was a concession, but that was who she was; and he wanted her. Admittedly, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t made concessions too.
She rolled her eyes before pointedly reminding him there’d been a couple of other things that were supposed to wait til after marriage. She’d had every intention of being the virginal bride led from her father’s house but things hadn’t quiet gone to plan. Cassandra’s relationship with her father had been strained by his engagement to Dina, and only more so with the immediately following wedding and announcement of her pregnancy. Unable to stand living under the same roof as her new step-mother, she accepted Don’s offer of moving in. It hadn’t taken long for her remaining intention to be conquered under Don’s gentle, albeit persistent, persuasion.
He placed his hands on her hips before gently lifting her up on to the counter before stepping back to look at her. He looked at her carefully, searching for regret on her features. He knew she’d enjoyed it, but it hadn’t occured to him she might have regretted her decision to sleep with him before their wedding. He found the thought tore at him. “Do you have any regrets?” he asked sincerely.
Cassandra smiled adoringly at Don, how could anyone doubt he truly cared for her? It hadn’t escaped her attention that he’d placed her so that he was looking up at her. It seemed as if he often put her on a pedestal of sorts, and there had been times in which it had concerned her greatly. In the beginning, especially knowing his amorous nature, she’d been so sure it was simply a ploy to seduce her. As their relationship became more serious, she’d honestly been afraid he was going to see her for the plain, shy and naive woman she felt she was. But soon she discovered that the reassurance she had needed was found in the arms that held her as she fell asleep and until she woke in the morning. So no, she thought happily, she had no regrets.
“As long as you’re still at the altar at 3pm, we’re all good,” she reassured him.
For a split second Don recalled that there was a time, regrettably, at which he may have very well left her at the altar. But now, he was in way too deep. He couldn’t imagine a life in which he didn’t come home to her.
He smiled and moved closer, “Hmm,” he murmured, “that’s pretty soon.”
Cassandra, distracted by his hand caressing it’s way up her leg, found herself unable to provide a coherent response.
Don loved her. Marriage, fidelity, fatherhood; he could do it, he told himself. He would do it, for her.
“We’d better make it a quickie then,” he told her with a grin.