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Chapter 12: Hide and Fester
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Third Wheel Chapter 13: No Strings Attached, No Complications
TaylorOn the Fourth of July, sunlight warms my face, awakening me from my dreams. I roll to my left, noticing a note on my nightstand. Sitting up, I unfold the note. Had to run to the YMCA until noon. Be ready. We are going out for lunch and shopping all afternoon. Love,KennedyI glance at my phone on the charger. It’s already ten. Slipping from bed, I shuffle to the kitchen. I grab a Diet Coke and a protein bar for breakfast. Mentally calculate the time I need to shower and be ready by noon for Kennedy, and I climb back into bed while I eat my bar. I scroll through social media and a few emails. My phone vibrates as a new text alert sounds.Jorge: r u up?Me: am nowJorge: sorry go back 2 sleep Me: JK Jorge: so u were up. Nice. Can I call?I type Y-e-s, then decide to delete it. I scroll through my contacts and FaceTime his phone.Jorge’s face lights up my screen. He is lying on a pillow, his hair a disheveled disaster. “Good morning,” he greets with a raspy voice.“What’s up?”
Third Wheel Chapter 14: A Favor of Epic Proportions
Jackson“There are my girls,” Jackson greets, turning from the stovetop, as we enter from the garage weighed down with our purchases. His eyebrows raise at the sight of our large shopping bags. “What is all that?” He motions towards the bags.“Taylor made all the purchases,” Kennedy informs him.We flop the bags on my bed. I pull out the shirt and hat I bought for Jackson, before I hand the bag with the other Royals gear to Kennedy. He’s happy with his loot and assures me it is the correct size.“What do the other bags contain?” he asks.I explain my Cardinals purchases, and he shakes his head. “How can you still be a Cardinals fan?” He teases. “You grew up in Royals land and now live in Cubs territory.” At my shrug, he continues, “Stubbornness, that's how.”I set the table while Kennedy makes a salad, and Jackson opens a bottle of wine, bringing me a glass. As I savor my first sip, I witness Kennedy with wine, too.“The pasta will be ready in ten minutes,” Jackson informs, as he chec
Third Wheel Chapter 15: We Have a Winner
BOOK TWO: THE DEEDTaylorOn Friday, with the closing of the Mustang trunk, my time in Chicago ends. I cram all that I treasure tightly inside. My new life and new opportunities lie at the end of this road trip. My heart beats excitedly as I turn the key; the engine roars to life. I unlatch two locks then press the button allowing the top to open. Sunlight warms my face as the top folds neatly in back. The old-school sounds of Train's, Play That Song escape the speakers. As the song ends, I fasten my seatbelt before connecting my iPhone to the auxiliary cable. I scroll through my playlists, selecting 'Road Trip'. Aerosmith tickles my ears as I pull from my assigned spot in the lot. Excitement courses through my veins as the over eight hours of highway, traffic, and tunes lie in front of me. I plotted my route yesterday, choosing to stop in The Quad Cities and Des Moines along my way. My goal is two stops for restroom, gas, and food, allowing me to reach my destination by dinner. Jack
Third Wheel Chapter 16: Opened My Mind to the World of Vibrators
TaylorI remember that 18-year-old me arrived at the sandbar with Chris, my guy at the time. It was a typically warm late summer evening. As the level of beer in the keg lowered, Chris grew louder and mouthier. By eleven, he could barely walk. Chris yelled my name across the bonfire. While slurring his words, he summoned me to bring him a beer.I hesitantly approached with the beer, and he tightly grabbed my wrist. I struggled to pull away. His strength, though drunk, out powered me. In front of a crowd of over thirty high school and college acquaintances, he loudly demanded I suck his cock right where he sat. When I told him to go fuck himself, he drew back his hand and punched me on the left side of my face. It happened so fast I had no time to protect myself. Drunken mayhem ensued. His buddies escorted him away as he continued yelling profanities at me and struggled to break free. Several girls swarmed my side, prattling about Chris being a lousy drunk. Many stated I should break
Third Wheel Chapter 17: I May Have Jumped The Gun Here
TaylorThe memory fading, I laugh out loud at the fact I'm driving and hearing motorcycles, led my mind to the topic of vibrators. It seems my mind always holds a predisposition for sexual thoughts. Jackson and Kennedy tease me about this often. I’m so glad they returned to my life. No one knows me like they do. They know all my secrets, my heartaches, and the hard knocks life bestowed upon me. The three of us witnessed the sucky parts of life over and over before age twenty-two. Together we have cried, we have fought through, and we have emerged on the other side. My relationships with Chris and John are just colossal speed bumps on our road of life.If I had pressed assault charges against Chris, would I have continued to choose the men I did? I vow to avoid men for the next year. No dates, no hook-ups - I need time to regroup. I’ll use my time with Jackson and Kennedy to work through my issues with the wrong type of men. I nod to myself. I mentally place ‘seek a counselor’ on the to
Third Wheel Chapter 18: Too Much Oohy-Gooey
TaylorKennedy leaps from her seat, darts towards me, and hugs me tightly. Her tear-stained cheeks wet my cheek and t-shirt. Jackson drops to his knees on my other side to join the celebration. We hug, then laugh as we all wipe our tears without speaking a word.I break the silence when I can take it no more. “We need to eat before our food gets cold,” I announce.As he returns to his chair, Jackson mumbles, “Too much oohy-gooey for Taylor.”He knows me too well. It’s as if he sees into my inner-most thoughts. I rarely cry. I feel deeply, never wearing my emotions on my sleeves. Displays of affection are not my thing.Kennedy fans her face, trying to calm her tears. Jackson and I tip our wine glasses towards each other's before taking a sip. For a few minutes, we enjoy our luke-warm Mexican rice and scrumptious chicken enchiladas.I see the wheels turning as Jackson attempts to eat. Unable to take it any longer, I prompt Jackson, “Just say it.”“Does this mean you plan to teach and mov
Third Wheel Chapter 19: Pickle Tickle
TaylorKennedy opens her notebook, flips a few pages, then begins. She states, “These are the notes I made for our phone call we planned for tonight. Since you’re here and will live with us, some items may need tweaking. My appointment with Dr. Matthews is on Tuesday. At that time, we’ll need to discuss our timeline and Taylor’s appointment with Dr. Matthews. All of this will depend on the method the doctor decides works best to harvest her eggs,” Kennedy informs. Jackson, sensing my question, says, “Dr. Matthews is the fertility specialist they referred us to. I already endured my visit to prove my boys are strong swimmers.” To this I laugh, nearly spewing wine everywhere. Mental note: refrain from sipping wine during our future delicate conversations. Jackson’s cheeks redden with embarrassment. I assume we will have many embarrassing conversations in the months to come.“Our planning and decisions will begin on Tuesday night,” Kennedy continues. She shares the items we will discuss
Third Wheel Chapter 20: Target Super Power
TaylorI wake to the bright light because of the blinds I forgot to close and the smell of breakfast drifting from the kitchen. I’m not a morning person, but the smells are enticing me from my cozy bed. I quickly pee, wash my face and hands, run a brush through my hair, then pad slowly to a kitchen island barstool.Kennedy stands dressed for the day at the stove. I smell bacon and see her flip an omelet as I nibble on the fresh fruit in the center of the island.“Good Morning,” I mumble in greeting to Kennedy’s back.“Good Morning,” she returns, turning with a smile. She fetches a bowl of yogurt to join the fruit. “Bacon will be ready in a minute. You can make some toast with peanut butter.” Kennedy points towards a loaf of bread and peanut butter next to the toaster. She remembers I do not eat eggs.We eat in silence. I make quick work of my peanut butter toast and five strips of bacon. I place some yogurt in a small bowl, then sprinkle with banana slices and grapes. Kennedy nibbles o
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