Body Checking (Men of Havoc #3)

7

I WAKE to a chime from my phone, and I assume it’s Sasha because no one would dare text me before seven am for fearing of dying. Sasha isn’t afraid of anything.

I roll over and reach for my phone, my hand slapping against the wood surface, until I find it. I blink my eyes several times until the sleep is cleared and I can fully focus. It takes my brain a little bit longer to compute what I’m seeing because I just can’t believe it.

Hammer: Good morning beautiful. Getting on plane now. Can I text you when I land?

I bite my lip to hold back the scream that wants to burst free. Instead of screaming, I settle for kicking my arms and legs until I’m wrapped up in my sheets and just about suffocate myself. I take a deep breath and regroup so that I can reply without sounding like a teenage girl.

Me: Morning. Of course you can text me anytime. I do have to work later, so I may be delayed in responding. Have a safe flight.

“Was that stupid?” I ask myself because I don’t have a pet to ask so I’m really the only choice.

Hammer: Have a good day, Maren. flower bouquet emoji

Me: Flowers?

Hammer: Yes, because I can’t be there to give you real ones. I promise to shower you with dozens when I’m back.

Me: Don’t say it if you don’t mean it.

Hammer: I mean *everything* I say to you, Maren. Remember that.

I stare at the screen for another minute, imagining what his voice would sound saying those words.

“I mean everything I say to you, Maren,” I say out loud, dropping my voice and trying to imitate what he may sound like. “Did that really just happen?”

“Did what just happen?” I yelp and tumble out of bed when I jump out of my skin .

My elbow hits the floor followed by my head and the rest of my body that falls with a thud, still wrapped in the sheets. I look up and spot Sasha standing in the doorway of my room.

“What the fuck are you doing here? It’s six forty-five in the morning and you know I’m not awake this early. And, why are you here?” I fight with the sheets to free myself and get angrier the more I entangle myself.

“I told you last night that I’d be here early so we could hit the farmer’s market before the crowd. You said okay. Do you not remember?”

I finally free one arm and then the other, and work to get my feet out. “No, I don’t remember. I was…I was…”

“You was thinking about getting nailed by the Hammer.” She sticks out her tongue and thrusts her hips while pumping her arms.

“Please stop. I’m seriously considering moving to Denmark to escape your brand of crazy.” I slowly push to my hands and knees, then clamber to my feet.

“You can’t run because, I will find you .” Her voice pitches high as she wiggles her fingers, imitating the actress from that one movie.

“Seriously though, I truly don’t remember agreeing to go to the farmer’s market with you at seven a.m. when you know I’m no good until at least nine.” I push my wild hair out of my face and set my phone, face down, on the nightstand.

“Hm. Are you sure? I could’ve sworn I said that last night?”

“Did you say it in your head or out loud?” I ask her and she screws up her face, replaying last night. “Yeah. Thought so. I’ve told you before, babes. Just because you think the words doesn't mean I can hear them. You need to speak them.”

“Smart ass,” she says and plops down on my chaotic bed. “So, what happened that had you talking to yourself? And if you didn’t remember about going to the farmer’s market today, why are you awake so early?”

“Uh,” I struggle to think of a reason why I would be awake this early other than the truth, and my eyes flit to my phone that buzzes.

Sasha hears the rattle and quickly focuses on the phone and then on me. My eyes move from my phone to Sasha, and now we stand in this stare down. As if a starting gun sounds, we both dive for the phone. Our hands battle and slap at the other as we work to take control. Just when I think I have it, something hard and pointed slams into my boob and it has me toppling like a flimsy house of cards .

From where I kneel on the floor –what’s up with me and the floor this morning– I look up to see Sasha chuckling as she punches in the code to unlock my phone.

“You bitch. You busted my boob,” I groan, still rubbing the sore spot.

“Oh hush, you whiny baby. If you had my silicone sack boobs, I may be worried for you. But since you’re au naturale in the titty department, you’ll live.” She crosses her legs and begins scrolling my phone.

“Excuse me, but that is an invasion of my privacy.” I stand and slam the palm of my hand on her forehead.

She falls back on the bed, never losing her grip on my phone that is clutched tightly in her hand as was my plan.

“You’re an invasion of fun. Now be quiet. I need to focus on these texts that had you up so early.” I sigh in defeat and throw myself down next to her.

“Can I at least see what the last text said?”

“Shh. In a minute.” I huff and fold my arms over my chest and wait for her to allow me my phone back.

“Oh, he’s smooth with the flower thing. Don’t say it if you don’t mean it, Mr. Coach .” She uses her best Marilyn Monroe impression to repeat my words.

“I don’t sound like that. Give me my phone.” I snatch it from her hand and search for the last message.

Hammer: What do I have to do to convince you to send me a picture of your gorgeous face to hold me over?

“So the question is, are you going with young and innocent, fresh faced Maren, or are you going to vamp it up with cleavage, curls and red lips?”

“It’s seven a.m., Sasha. Why the hell would I have red lipstick and hair in full curls this early?”

She shrugs and picks at her short nails. “I dunno. Just thought you’d want to give him sex kitten Maren. But I guess girl-next-door Maren works too.”

I grab a pillow and knock her in the face with it before walking towards my bathroom.

“Make sure you run a brush through that mess you call hair,” she shouts as I walk off.

I shake my head then flip on the light and immediately pull back in shock from the reflection that stares back at me. The girl looking at me has puffy eyes, a red crease on her face from where the sheets were adhered to, and a frizzy wild mess that can only slightly pass as hair.

I give myself a nice cool towel to combat the puffiness and sheet crease, a couple of eyedrops to have my eyes looking bright and clear, and add a little hair oil to my frizzy strands then carefully comb through them. The natural waves in my brown hair are tamed and look free and not like I woke up and styled my hair for a photo shoot .

I step out to see Sasha holding a skimpy dress in one hand and my makeup robe in the other.

“Really? Those are my two choices?” I snatch them both from her and put them back where they belong in my closet.

I sort through everything and decide just to be me. I yank my David Bowie t-shirt from the hanger then dig my favorite leggings out from my dresser and slip them both on.

“No bra. Ballsy choice considering your girls fight for attention.” Sasha watches me as I change because we have no shame when it comes to one another.

When you grow up with a person who is more like a sibling, you tend to share everything. Clothes, secrets, homework, but never boys. That’s where we draw the line.

“Says the woman who had to buy hers for attention.” Did I mention that while we love each other, that means we also tear each other down the most.

We tease with love. It’s how best friends do it.

“Pose. What are you thinking?” she asks, and I grab my phone and step towards the hallway and down the stairs.

“I was thinking about morning coffee in the kitchen or on the couch. Something casual. ”

She nods with squinty eyes and says, “Yes. Give the illusion that you’re just a regular girl who enjoys a nice cup of coffee and quiet mornings.”

I pull open the cabinet only to stop and look at her. “I am a regular girl who enjoys coffee and quiet mornings. You’re the one who loves chaos and energy drinks first thing in the morning.”

“Eh. Po-tay-to, po-tah-to. What’s the difference? Hey, make me a cup, too?”

I reach in and grab two cups, plopping one under the dispenser and find a pod that I know is perfect for Sasha. Mainly because she’s the one who bought and shoved it into my pod organizer. I like a nice light roast with a splash of oat milk. Sasha, on the other hand, likes hers equivalent to an espresso with a shot of espresso mixed in with about five sugars.

Once our coffees are finished, we take them to the couch where we sit and take the first sip of heaven. I inhale the rich scent and close my eyes, taking in all that has happened in the short time I’ve been awake.

“So are we doing this, or what?” Sasha speaks, breaking my peace.

I pop one eye open and look at her. “Why do you always have to ruin my zen?” She answers me with a wide smile, which is her way of telling me that I can’t get rid of her no matter how hard I try.

“Quit stalling. Let’s get this bitch done. I wanna see what kind of picture lover boy sends in return.”

“Sasha!” I chastise and she looks at me with no cares. “ If I get anything, I will not be sharing with you.”

“Boo. You whore.”

I stick my tongue out at her then pick up my phone and hold it out in front of me. Flipping the camera around I move left and then right, then tilt my head one way and then the other, trying to find a good position.

“Oh my god. Give me the fucking phone.” Sasha snathes it out of my hands and stands in front of me.

She adjusts my shoulders this way and lifts my chin that way and has me cross my legs. Then she says, “Hold your arm out like you’re taking a selfie,” then positions the phone just so. I give a small smile and she snaps a few photos. She flips through the pictures she took, her hands flying across the screen.

“What are you doing?” I ask her.

“Shh. Just…wait.” She continues to do whatever it is she’s doing then hands it back to me. “Send this one.”

I look at the photo and it looks more like a professional photographer captured a casual moment of me sipping coffee on the couch. I guarantee my photo would have been too much forehead or too much boob. This one is perfect.

“Look at you, Miss Photographer,” I compliment.

She pretends to throw her hair off her shoulders and inspects her nails. “What can I say? I’m a woman of many talents.”

I open the text thread and attach the photo and add;

Me: Good luck at your game. I’ll be watching.

I hit send and then drop my phone face down on the couch.

“Aren’t you going to see what he says back?” Sasha’s eyes are wide and in disbelief that I’m not watching my phone for the slightest hint of life from the other end.

“Nope. They were getting ready to take off, so he probably won’t even get it until they land. Let’s just drink our coffee and then go to the farmers market. I want some flowers and honey from that local bee farmer. Remember him?” She watches me with a very sour look on her face. “Oh stop it, Sour Sally. If I sit and wait for his response it will drive me crazy.”

She shakes her head, very disappointed in my lack of desperation, and we drink our coffees. I don’t check my phone even once while we’re at the farmer’s market or even when we go to lunch. It isn’t until I’m showered up that afternoon that I finally let myself check for a response from Cade.

I have my hair wrapped up and my thin robe is tied loosely around my body. I look up into the fogged mirror and say, “Quit being a baby. Just check.”

Picking up my phone I flip it over and have to hold on to the counter when I almost fall flat on my ass.

“Holy fuck!”