118 - Secret's In The Telling

“Nana, please... please… pretty please?!?” The loud cacophony of voices floated up around Carol’s head as she tried to gather all her grandchildren into one orderly group. 

Fat chance. 

 

Barely off the plane, the kids had gathered around her. Begging to go back to their house with Ari. Jon had told them all about the renovations they were doing at the house and told them they could change their own rooms if they wanted to.  

 

“It’s not up to me. You’ll have to check with Ariana.”

 

In the meantime, Jon’s urgent message distracted Ariana. 

 

[5:24] Jon: Call me as soon as you see this!!

 

Ari hadn’t noticed the overly excited children rushing towards her till she heard their singing pleas. Not one, but four faces looked up at her, each one having a different but similar expression… pouty lips, smiley faces, and puppy eyes.

 

“Pleeeeezzzze!” they chimed. 

 

“Whoa there! One at a time.”

 

The littlest one clenched his hands together. “Can we come back to the house with you? Please! Pretty please!”

 

“That’s up to your grandparents.”

 

“They said it was okay with them, but we needed to check with you first.” Stephanie spoke for her siblings.

 

“Sure, I don’t see why not?”

 

Ten minutes later, the waiting SUVs were loaded up and heading down the New Jersey Turnpike. One with Ari and the kids, the other with Carol and John. With a quick glance over her shoulder to check on the kids, she settled into her seat to call Jon. Ariana watched the steady flow of traffic passing by as she waited for him to pick up. 

 

“Hey! Did you just land now?” his voice came across the line.

 

“No. We landed a while ago. We’re in the car now, heading home. What’s up, everything okay?”

 

“Ar-eee. Can we have pizza for dinner?” Romeo bellowed from the seat behind her.

 

“Hold on, Jon.” Ariana held the phone away from her mouth and turned to answer. “Yes, Romeo. Your grandparents are picking it up. Now let me talk to your dad for a few minutes.” Turning around, she brought her attention back to her phone call. “Sorry. Go ahead, Jon.”

 

Surprised to hear the kids in the background, he asked, “Wait! you have the kids?”  

 

“Yup. They wanted to see the house. Your parents are stopping at home, then picking up pizza from Undici. Why? Is that not, okay?”

 

“No. No. It’s fine. I just thought they were going to mom’s that’s all.”

 

“They will after dinner. Then I’m gonna take a nice long bath and curl up on the big, beautiful mattress we just bought and sleep for days.”

 

“Thanks for that imagery. While you’re all comfy, I’ll be in a hotel bed... alone.”

 

“I’ll be alone too. Just the way I like it.” she teased. “The bed to myself.”

 

“You’re lucky the kids are in the car, or I’ll tell you what I would do to you in that bed.”

 

“Alrighty then.” Ari didn’t need him going there not with the kids in the backseats or the driver who was sitting right next to her. “What was so important that you needed me to text you as soon as we landed?”

 

“Smooth Crash. We’ll finish that conversation later. I was just calling to give you a heads up. There are photos floating around of you and Romeo at Serendipity. Along with one of all of us sitting on the beach. I’m pretty sure it was the day we told the kids about the baby.”

 

Jon heard the melancholy tone in her sigh. It was not his intention for the call. It was to let her. “Crash, it’s okay. There is nothing we can do about it from what Jeanie told me, they were making the rounds on Zimbo today. It means it’s only a matter of time before what's-her-face gets a hold of them.”

 

“Yeah, but there is nothing we can do. I just hope they aren’t waiting at the house. Should I not take the kids there?”

 

He loved how her protectiveness kicked in where his children were concerned. “You should be okay. Nowhere for them really to hang out. Did you see anyone at the airport?”

 

“Nope, but then again, I really wasn’t paying attention. The beg and plead patrol had all my attention.”

 

“Ha! Are you turning into a softy?”

 

“No way.” 

 

“Hmm. Pizza at the house instead of my parents. Next thing you’ll be telling me, they are all renovating their rooms.”

 

“Hey no fair! You told them they could.”

 

“No, I told them they could redo, not reconstruct them.”

 

“Whatever! As for dinner, it’s pizza. Who’d be crazy to say no to pizza?”

 

They both laughed at the unison, ‘’Montana’’ that echoed throughout the car.  

 

“On that note, I’m gonna go. I’ll call you tonight after I’m all settled in.”

 

“You better. Tell the kids I’ll call them later.”

 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

Pizza! Pizza! Pizza! Romeo chanted, while Carol plated him another slice. The boy was on his fourth slice. Where he put it, Ariana didn’t know. Not that she should talk since, as of late, her intake of food had drastically increased.

 

As usual, dinner was chaotic and fun watching the siblings kibitz with one another. Growing up an only child, she wasn’t privy to meals like the ones she had shared with them this past week. Ari loved every minute, and she was going to miss having them around. After dinner, Carol insisted she and John tidy up while the rest of them retreated to the family room.

 

Unlike Jon, Ariana was right in the middle of the action, playing with them. Tonight’s game of choice, Guitar Hero. Unlike their father, they were shocked to see how good Ariana really was. And competitive. boy, was she. She took her game playing seriously. When she didn’t do well, they would laugh at how she would try to hide her frustrations. They would even tease or laugh at her. She explained to them that there was a lot of downtime on the road and once her job was done, she and her crew would hold competitions. It wasn’t just the music games she was good at, either. Jesse challenged her to a game of Madden football. Of course, it was her 49ers against his Giants, and she kicked his butt.

 

When it was time for them to go, she promised they could come back the next time they were with their grandparents. One last wave as she watched the car pull up the drive, then she closed the door. The sound of silence was deafening, as she retreated to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. She had never been alone here before. She double checked all the doors in the kitchen once again, then made her way back toward the family room to watch a little television. Setting her mug on the table, she slipped her arm under her sweater, unhooking her bra, pulling the straps down one arm at time. Tossing the binding garment onto the floor, she curled a leg under her and settled onto the couch.

 

She had only been there a few moments when the chiming of the doorbell startled her. Who could that be? The security system hadn’t alerted her someone was at the gate. It must be the kids forgetting something. Opening the large oak door, it surprised her to see who it was. 

 

“May I come in?” Dorothea’s tone was sharp and short as she stepped past Ariana and into the vestibule.  

 

She was dressed in a floor length wool coat, she stood eye to eye with Ariana courtesy of her heeled boots. Her stern facial expression and demeanor told Ari that it wasn’t a pleasant visit. Dorothea tucked her leather gloves into her pockets, waiting for Ariana to close the door.

 

“Hello to you too, Dorothea.” Ariana peered out into the darkness before closing the door. “If you are looking for the kids, they left already.”

 

“Good. Because what I have to say they don’t need to hear.”

 

“Why exactly are you here?” Ariana stood with her arms folded across her chest.

 

“Let’s go inside and have a little chat.” Dorothea spoke with an air of a woman who thought she was in charge. 

 

“No!” Ari snapped. “Whatever it is you have to say you can say it right here.” 

 

“Suit yourself. I’ve seen the photos of you and my family, and I’m here to tell you that they are my kids. You’ve taken my husband, I won’t let you take my kids.” She had placed extra emphasis on the part about her family, hoping Miss Ariana would get the point. Obviously not. 

 

“You’re joking, right? You’re really picking this fight with me? Tonight?” 

 

“No, I’m not joking.”

 

Ariana inhaled deeply. She was not about to let this woman come into her house and bully her. However, she also would not lower herself either and cause a cat fight. Tucking a loose curl behind her ear, Ariana took a step closer towards the woman.

 

“First, they’re Jon’s kids too. And like it or not I am part of his life and will be part of their life. You need to figure out a way to come to terms with that. Second, he is no longer your husband, so please don’t refer to him that way.”

 

“Oh, that’s right, you made damn sure of that, didn’t you?” she sneered.

 

“Dorothea, I don’t want to continue playing this game with you. Like it or not, I’m here to stay. Which means we will most likely be seeing a lot of one another. That being said, for everyone concerned it would make it a lot easier if we… you could learn to play nice when need be and stay clear when necessary. But. let make one thing clear, you don’t get to show up here or anywhere anytime you want and bring up the past, because if you want to play that way with me, I can play too.”

 

Ariana watched as the color from her faced drained. It wasn’t like Ari to play dirty like this, but this was going to be her family too, and she would do whatever she needed to do to protect them.

 

Adjusting the lapels of her coat, Dorothea stiffened her back, “I do not know what you are talking about.”

 

“Cut the bullshit. You know exactly what I’m talking about. You wanna play games? Let’s play.” 

Ariana pivoted on her toes and headed down the narrow-marbled hallway to the family room from where she came. The sounds of Dorothea’s heels clicking against the floor told her she had followed her. Muting the television, she tossed the remote onto the couch.

 

“I’m sick and tired of you passing the blame on to me and Jon. You’re not little Miss Innocent either.” Venomous brown eyes peered back at her. “That’s right. You didn’t think I knew, did you? Surprise, surprise, sweetie. I’ve known for years. So, while you’re passing blame for something I’m sure you know nothing about, you were doing the exact same thing.”

 

“I wouldn’t go that far? What I did...”

 

“Correction honey… what are you doing?”

 

“How dare…”

 

“How dare I, what? Did you forget what I did for a living? Who worked on the same crew? Ariana transferred her weight from one leg to the other. "I knew all about you and Tom years ago. I also knew it didn’t end when you told Jon it did. Tell me something, does Jon know it’s still going on now?”

 

Dorothea took two steps towards her and stopped. A well-manicured finger pointed in her face, “You listen here. Tom and I weren’t having an affair for nineteen years. I, unlike you, didn’t destroy a marriage.”

 

“Ha! Neither did Jon and I. See, this is where you lose your facts. While you were busy having kids, I ended things with Jon and sent him back to you. I knew what having a family meant to him and as much as I loved him, it was the one thing I couldn’t give him.” Ariana's hands slid across her stomach. “Not then, anyway. That is when I found out about you and Tom.”

 

“So, I had an affair. That’s nothing compared to the shit Jon did over the years.”

 

“Is it? Do you even know what it did to Jon when you got pregnant with Romeo?”

 

“You bitch!”

 

“Ah. I hit a nerve, did I. Don’t get your la Perla in a pickle. I know Romeo’s Jon’s. But back then, before he was born, you broke that man’s heart. Whatever you once had ended in that brief moment of doubt. It was me who put him back together.” It was Ari’s turn to point a finger. “So, you don’t get to come in here and play all holier than thou with me, this!” she waved one hand in the air. “is MY family now too, and I will do whatever I need to do to protect it.”

 

Ariana walked to the doorway, then turned back and looked at Dorothea. Pointing at the door, she tilted her head. “Now, get the hell out of my house and don’t show up unannounced again. Am I making myself perfectly clear?”

 

Tucking her purse firmly under her arm, Dorothea walked out of the room and down the hall without saying a word. When she heard the front door shut, Ariana dropped back against the wall and sighed. No longer in the mood to watch anything, she headed up into the bedroom for the new mattress. As soon as she had slipped her pajamas on and laid down, she realized it would not be quite that easy. After rolling around a couple of times, she reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her phone. Typing in the familiar number, she waited as the phone rang. Just as she was about to give up, she heard his voice. 

 

“Hey, you, everything alright?” his whiskey-tinged voice immediately set to soothing her nerves. 

 

On a sigh, she exhaled, “no, not really.”