Kicking and Screaming Read online

  "Good one dad, do you see your daughters, especially the youngest one? What happened to all that etiquette training that mom forced us to take? They're like a pack of hyenas on a carcass’ ass."

  "Imp, you're going to have to stop it with the one liners, your mother is already threatening to scalp me for encouraging you, but how can I help laughing when you come up with this stuff?

  And by the way, that’s not a very nice thing to say about your sisters.” That didn’t stop him from chuckling under his breath.

  "I say we make a run for it dad, just head for the border. I'll play in little out of the way dives, and you can finally do all the fishing you want to without mom harassing you. I have about fifty bucks in my purse what you got?"

  "Hahaha, see what I mean, you really are a delight daughter mine, my favorite girl. You tell your sisters I said that I'll deny every word."

  I hugged his arm closer to my side. "I think they know already dad, what do they care? They've got mom, besides I'm the son you never had."

  "I'm sorry to tell you imp, but you're all woman, you just don't know it yet. You're more prissy than all of your sisters put together, just not in the same way."

  "Dad, did you get into mom's Xanax again, I mean what's with the insults?"

  "Your mother doesn't take Xanax imp, and I'll explain what I mean at a later date. Right now I think your mother has already informed our guest that you're going to play, so we’d better get to the music room."

  "Grrrrrrr, fine, but I'm playing the death march." I slipped out of his hand before he could say anything about my choice in music.

  I hate it when mom tricks me out like her little pet poodle, let her deal with it. Like I’d waste my talents on the likes of him.

  I heard my mother's gasp of outrage as the strains of the death march begun, so I thought it wise to segue into Achille Claude Debussy before she had a conniption fit.

  I was soon lost in the music as it was one of my passions. I ran through the prelude book two in a harmonic composition I'd come up with on my own as a young teen.

  Nothing soothes my beast like good music, the feel of the ivories beneath the pads of my fingertips, the cadence of the beat within my chest.

  The indrawn breath that came from across the room was easily identifiable, seems the earl of dip shit was impressed by my technique. Well, la di da.

  When the recital was over I stood and took a bow to the applause. I distinctly avoided looking at him but I could feel my face heating from his stare.

  "Isn't she just splendid Jackson?" Janet was beaming from ear to ear like the proud big sister that she is.

  "Oh please, so she can play the piano, what's the big deal, she's just a big fat, ugly show off."

  My dad's 'imp, don’t' and my mom's 'oh dear Lord' came way too late to save Jenny baby from the crystal vase that connected with her fat head. Imbecile.

  Chapter 8

  Before I could reach her to finish her off with a hand around her scrawny neck, my dad was there pulling me back.

  "That's enough Maxie Irene."

  Uh oh, dad never called me anything but imp or pretty girl, he must be really steamed.

  "But..."

  "Not another word, look at your poor mother. Into the study with you, I'll meet you there."

  Mom did look a little green around the gills, that's what she gets for sticking me in a room with her two brainless china dolls.

  First chance I get, I'm kicking the chrome off Jenny baby's ass for trying to embarrass me.

  "Maxie, you're such a thug." Miranda the pest sniffed at me; always have to put in her two cents.

  "Your mama..."

  "Geez imp, go, now." Dad pushed me gently towards the door.

  I didn't dare look at lord douchery, because if he had any expression on his mug other than blank, I was so going to brain him next.

  I barely kept my head up as I put one foot in front of the other. No one said anything as I left, but I was sure there was going to be plenty said after I was gone.

  I heard Jenny’s screech just before I reached the study and smiled. Good, let her try looking pretty now with her red blotchy face and runny nose.

  I always forget how young she is when she starts tramping it up. I didn’t question why it was that I was so upset with her, or more so than usual.

  I refuse to believe that I could possibly be jealous of the attention she had garnered from lord stick in the mud.

  Dad was the only one to follow me thankfully, as anyone else was still in danger of catching a left hook from me and knew to keep their damn distance.

  I didn't see you know who for the rest of the night. Dad read me the riot act, but in his usual way when dealing with me, he had to fight his laughter.

  I'd just escaped to my room after the festivities, to hell with them. I'll apologize to my Jan tomorrow.

  She was the only one I cared a fig for anyway. Poor dad I did feel for him. It must be hard having spawned such wasteful human matter as those two brain dead twits.

  I was on my last lap in the indoor pool the next morning when I saw that one. Shit, shit, shit, I’m trapped.

  "Towel?" He bent down and picked it up, holding it high in his hand.

  "Turn around."

  "No."

  "The fuck, what do you mean no?" I swam towards the edge ready to commit murder.

  "Does your father know you swear like that?"

  "Yes, he also knows that I'll put my foot up your ass if you don't stop telling me no."

  "What's this obsession you have with putting your foot up my ass?" He was actually laughing at me, the sod.

  "I don't know, I think it might balance out the stick that already lives there."

  "Have you been diagnosed with some type of disorder or something, or do you have a lady's complaint?"

  "Lady's complaint my ass, if you're asking if I have PMS, the answer is no. Trust me, if I did, your ass would've been on the ground already.

  Now turn your prissy, stuck up ass around and head out. And another thing, my father doesn't need your damn money for the wedding.

  I made ten million dollars last year alone from my recitals; I'd give every penny before my family takes a red dime from you lord Priss.

  Dammit, look what he’d made me do. Me and my damn blasted temper. Dad was right I needed to learn control. I was hoping that maybe he hadn’t caught on, but...

  "Wait a minute, you're The Dove? You...but..."

  "Shit, you shut up about that." Dammit, me and my big mouth. He was just standing there staring down at me in wonder, and I wanted to dive beneath the water and drown myself.

  ***

  "Why did you deny both my requests for a performance? That was two years ago so you were what, eighteen? And that was way before Mike met your sister, so this hatred of me goes back farther. Want to tell me about it?"

  She huffed at me and rolled her eyes. Even with her hair wet and stuck to her head, she was gorgeous. Such an enigma, all that fire and anger and yet she played with the soul of an angel.

  "Don't flatter yourself. I'd have to actually care about you one way or another to actually hate you, I assure you, I don't, care; about you that is."

  "Could've fooled me, so tell me, why the secrecy, why not use your first name?"

  "That's personal. Now would you get out of here? I need to get out of this water."

  "Nope, not until you tell me what your problem is with me."

  "Does the name Sophia Ambrose mean anything to you?"

  "Sure, the Ambrose family have been close family friends for generations, why?" What game was she playing now? What could the annoying little brat from next door have to do with this?

  "I was on the circuit with her when she played the violin, before she suddenly had to leave, but you know all about that don't you?"

  "I don't think so, mind enlightening me?" now I’m intrigued. This was the first I’d heard of any such thing but that wasn’t a surprise.

  There had never been a reason f
or me to know anything about Sophia’s goings and comings. But I had been overly interested in this one though.

  "Oh I'd enlighten you alright..." Such venom, what the hell? I braced myself for what was to come next as she swam swiftly towards me.

  "Oh Jackson there you are; sissy and I were just about to take our morning swim, care to join us? Maxie what are you still doing down here, aren't you usually done by now?"

  Oh boy, this was not going to be good, this one didn't seem to like being told what to do at all if the sparks of fire shooting out of her eyes were anything to go by.

  Yep, she was glaring fire- balls at her sister who was already sporting a lovely lump on the side of her head thanks to her handiwork.

  Chapter 9

  MAXIE

  "Don't you have a breakfast to upchuck Jenny? Why don't you take Mr. Clueless and your twit of a sister to the outdoor pool? I think I'll stay here for another hour or so."

  The nitwit actually stomped her foot. If I’d been born with half her malfunctions I would’ve drowned myself at birth.

  "You get out of there right this minute, it's our time, and besides, it's cold out there, we can't use the outdoor pool."

  "You could do with a cooling down, it's thirty degrees outside, just enough to cool you off hot pants."

  If she got any redder she’d singe. “That shade of puce does not suit you at all Jennifer. It does go rather well with the yellow tinge on your head where I knocked you one.

  You wanna try for another one, keep pestering me. Now take your entourage and head out so I can get back to what I was doing. That goes for you too Don Quixote.”

  The jackass had the nerve to shake his head at me and grin while folding his arms like he was preparing for a show.

  "I'm telling mother about this." Geez was she still here?

  "Why don't you take a long walk off a short pier? Oh dammit, here comes the other one. You better tell her not to say one word to me or I'll finish what I started with you last night on her bony ass."

  "I can't believe we're related, I think mother brought home the wrong baby, I mean look at us and then look at you."

  Oh she was going to get it. So what I have a plump ass, it's not like I made myself, besides its the only thing big on me.

  "Listen you anorexic bean pole, don't start or I'll drown you swear to..."

  "Ladies, ladies lets not degenerate into violence. Again."

  "Oh stuff it you twerp; who the hell speaks like that? Get a grip would ya."

  "I'm thirty two sweet cheeks, I think I've outgrown twerp status."

  "Don't call me that, I don't like it." I was about to turn into a prune if I had to stay in this water one second longer. Why can’t these people just leave me alone anyway?

  "I pretty much don't care what you like, you haven't been exactly welcoming to me now have you? In fact you've been downright rude and obnoxious, so why should I care what you like or don't like?"

  "What did I do to you, except stay out of your way?" I don’t like the way he was trying to make me feel like a recalcitrant child. I had a very excuse for my behavior, not that he would think so the snake.

  "If you don't know, then you're more screwed up than I thought."

  "Eat shit and die."

  "Maxie...." Dammit, why was she always catching me? How come she was never around when Jenny Baby and Miranda the pest were being menaces? It was always me, crap.

  "Out of there this instant young lady."

  "But mom...”

  "Now!"

  Crap, now he's going to see my bubble butt, just great. I’m going to die of mortification.

  I fixed my bikini before climbing out, head down and face red as fire.

  Just one word and I’ll knock you into next week ass-wipe.

  I just know he was staring at the extension that was attached to my lower back.

  My ass is a great source of confusion, or has been in the past. Men seem to salivate over it and women seem to see it as an abomination that I should be doing everything in my power to eradicate.

  I have no idea where it came from, since neither my mother nor any of my sisters suffer from the same dilemma.

  Whatever, if he makes any off color comments I’ll just push him into the pool.

  JACKSON

  Sweet merciful...it should be a crime for someone with such a sour disposition to have such a magnificent ass, not to mention the rest of her.

  She was pure magic, but somehow I doubted she knew it. She’d pretty much sewn me up with her piano playing, but that ass alone was worth putting up with her mouth.

  I felt my cock twitch when she leaned to the side to wring the water from her hair. Fucking perfection that’s what she was, and I knew I was in trouble.

  Wait a minute what the fuck was I thinking? Down boy, that one would snap you off at the root for sure. No way, we're not going there, I like my balls just where they are.

  But damn I sure would like to, the problem was, I didn’t have the time it would take to tame her. Someone with that much fire and passion, it would take me a week at least to ride her into submission.

  The more I thought of having her beneath me, the more appealing the idea became, but no, I don’t think so.

  She seemed embarrassed, and I didn’t like the way she seemed to be trying to hide her body, like she was ashamed of it or something. It was only at her sister’s next words that I understood.

  Chapter 10

  MAXIE

  "You really ought to look into some sort of surgery." Jenny snickered behind me and I felt anger as well as tears well up inside.

  "It's like she has another human being coming out of there." Miranda just had to ass her two cents as well.

  "Now girls, play nice." Well that took care of the tears at least. "What the...now girls play nice? I get yelled at like a two year old and all you can say to these two evil twats is play nice? Thanks a lot mom way to be impartial."

  I finally grabbed my towel and brushed past Jackson. I'm so embarrassed. I can hardly pick my head up. No doubt he wanted to laugh like the rest of them.

  "Maxie..."

  "It's okay mom, nothing new, you've been doing it all my life why change now?"

  I practically ran from the room before the stupid tears could fall. What did I care what that old stuff shirt thought anyway? He wasn’t going to be here much longer, and after the wedding I probably won’t have to see too much of him.

  Upstairs I got dressed in jeans and a thick sweater, which I covered with my bomber jacket. A nice ride out to the Club is just what I need.

  I turned up the radio as I brushed my hair just to give me a little pep I guess, and my song beat through the air.

  Mom would probably be up here any second telling me to turn it down. ‘Girl I heard you were a wild one, ooh ooh ooh ooooooohhh.’ I sang at the top of my voice to exorcise the pain that was in my heart.

  I didn’t let myself think of the embarrassment as I finally made my way down the stairs and out the door.

  I was still a little peeved, but already I felt better. Nothing like escaping the madness to free up my mind and make me feel human again.

  I should never have stayed home in the first place. I knew from past experience that the tow banes of my existence loved to show me up in front of strangers, they seem to get some type of inordinate satisfaction from it. I wish to hell I knew what I’d ever done to them.

  Oh well, I don’t have to think about it anymore, mom can bitch all she likes I’m done.

  I hopped on my bike and could already feel the wind on my face as I rode to freedom.

  ***

  JACKSON

  What the hell are they talking about, are they insane? There's nothing wrong with her body; she's amazing. Well all except for the attitude, but if she had to deal with what I'd just witnessed on a regular basis, then I guess I could understand.

  "Come on Jackson she's gone, we can have fun now." Jenny came over to grab my hand.

  "I don't think so." At least
I kept the censor out of my voice, which was as much as I was willing to give.

  I turned and left the room, their stunned gazes following me. I might come off as a bit of a bastard, but I never liked bullies and that's exactly what they’d been to their sister just now.

  She had a lot of spunk that one, but I noticed she never attacked unless she was attacked. She was no shrinking violet that’s for sure, but I think her barbs were more about self-preservation than any real need to be mean.

  And I could just be full of shit because she was growing on me and I didn’t like the idea of anyone picking on her.

  I heard a bike revving outside the window as I walked through the vestibule, and was just in time to see black locks under a helmet, as the sweetest ride I'd ever seen disappeared down the driveway.

  "You have got to be kidding me, no way, it can't be."

  "She's something isn't she? My little Jack-of-all-trades! She built that thing herself, started when she was sixteen. Says it's her de stressor, after a concert tour she'd come home and work away in the garage."

  Her father appeared out of nowhere to stand next to me in the window where I was still coming to terms with what I’d just seen.

  "She's one talented lady. I didn't recognize her at first, I mean I've never seen her in concert, but I do have her recordings, the name just never registered and Mike never said anything."

  "Jan probably asked him not to, that's imp's deal, she'll have to be the one to tell you about it."

  "Imp?"

  "Oh, I meant Maxie, force of habit."

  "I was just thinking how appropriate the name is." It brought a smile to my face, and I was pleased to see that at least the father had a genuine affection for her. It made me feel better somehow, knowing that she had someone in her corner; so much for not getting involved.

  "Don't tell her I called her that in front of you, she'd use my guts for garters."