The Undergrad Years: Always And Forever Vive Part 6

"Why, I never..."

Thor, Taddy, and Blake started to laugh as Brez's cheeks began to fill with air then blow out, similar to a blowfish.

"Don't you dare point your boney finger at us ever again or so help me G.o.d, I will break it off your hand and shove it up your boyfriend's hairy a.s.s."

Everyone, except Brez and Marshall, started to laugh. Taddy cackled, and then came the infamous snort.

"Marshall would probably love your finger up his b.u.t.t. Wouldn't you, s.e.xy?" Blake winked in his direction, causing him to become all the more irritated.

"He sure would." Thor licked his lips sarcastically, blowing him a kiss.

"Brez. Leave 'em be. We shouldn't be a.s.sociating with students like this. After all, we have a reputation to uphold." Marshall grabbed his girlfriend by the elbow as they turned and walked away from us.

I rolled my eyes and sunk back down in my chair as my cell phone chimed from my purse, causing Hedda to yap.

Blake's phone in his pocket, Lex's on the table, and Taddy's in her purse all beeped at the same time.

"Group text. Probably some party alert." I reached in my Chanel handbag to see whom it was from.

The screen read: Poppy White.

Feeling the color drain from my face, I glanced up at my besties and asked, "Poppy?"

Each staring at their phone, they nodded.

I clicked on the 'open' b.u.t.ton and read the message.

Hey, Manhattanites! Sorry I've been MIA. My book research took longer than expected. It's finished and ready for your viewing. Come over to Jay Austin's tonight for drinks. 8pm. I'll have copies printed out for you. Let's celebrate.

Get The f.u.c.k Outta Here!

"I can't say I ever 100% agreed with Lex, Taddy and Vive when they'd claimed someone was out to kill us. Or that Birdie's penthouse explosion, the plane crash, and us all getting roofied were somehow linked together. That was until I had been tied up next to Poppy White's dead body!"-Blake Morgan III, New Englander, boyfriend to Diego, crusher on Miguel.

Kins.h.i.+p Revenge Later that night Upper West Side I left Hedda at home that night and took the Farnworth limo with my best friends over to Jay Austin's apartment. He and I had talked earlier in the day. He'd said he'd received the same message from Poppy and would be there, waiting for us.

When I stepped out of the car, I received a text from Seneca. Good luck, Luyu. Text me when you're done. Let's go see a movie tonight. Just us.

Will do. This shouldn't take long, I texted back, a warm feeling coming over me. The night before, in bed with Seneca, had brought us closer together.

Maybe letting my walls down with these boys hadn't been such a bad idea. In a way, I felt stronger and better about myself. I slipped the cell phone into the front pocket of my skirt and glanced down at my heels.

A pair of five and a quarter inch stilettos, gold-dyed metallic, python-skinned, pointed toe with leather lining adorned each of my feet. Made in Italy by some designer I'd never heard of before, I l-o-v-e-d those shoes.

The previous week in journalism cla.s.s, Dr. Henry had said if you dressed your best for a media interview with a journalist, you'd feel your best, thus do your best. Honey, nothing felt better than those shoes. I was almost as tall as Taddy when I wore them. Poppy White can suck it!

As we came off the elevator, Taddy motioned for us to huddle and spoke in her usual bossy tone. "Listen, darlings. We've been down this tabloid-trash road before with reporters such as Poppy. There's nothing new here she can dig up on us. So, let's keep our calm. Try not to react and just play nice."

"Agreed." Lex blew a watermelon-scented bubble from her neon pink gum.

"Yeah. Let's be quick with this. I have to meet Diego after." Blake nodded and crossed his arms.

"Vive?" Taddy elbowed me as Lex's bubble popped.

"Fine." I huffed in sarcasm, minutely shaking my head. "But seriously, how long is this nightmare going to shadow our lives? I want to put a stop to it today. Right now! I cannot believe she's equating our misfortunes to karma, simply because we're born into money." Rolling my eyes, I didn't want to be in some book with the Kennedys. I knocked on Jay Austin's door.

Gathering me in his arms for a hug, he planted a kiss firmly on my lips, then greeted the gang and let us into his apartment.

During the semester, I'd been to his co-operative (one his late mother had left him a year or so before) at the legendary Beresford, a white-glove-service, luxury-doorman building, a few times.

He'd told me the apartment had originally been built as a four-bedroom home and was later converted into a one-bedroom, thus providing an over-the-top walk-in closet, gourmet kitchen, and library. The Central Park-facing living room with fireplace was connected to the dining room.

Filled with old world charm, the place felt a bit museum-like to me. As if Jay Austin didn't really live there, but rather used it more as a mausoleum to remember his mother, whose cremated ashes were on the nearby fireplace.

"Poppy isn't here yet. Can I make you some drinks?" he asked.

"The usual, please," I replied, mentally taking note of how clean and pristine everything appeared.

"I'll have the same." Taddy agreed. "Anything to take the edge off."

"Lex. Blake. That good for you, too?"

They nodded as we each took a seat on the lush velvet blue sectional sofa. Jay Austin headed into the kitchen to make our drinks.

"This place is fancy," Blake commented.

"Next to the El Dorado and San Remo, the Beresford is one of the most prestigious residential buildings in town," Taddy informed us.

She should know. When she was a kid, before her parents had dropped her off at boarding school (and never picked her back up), she and Lex had lived at the San Remo a few blocks away with their families.

"Thank my stars Mom moved to SoHo. I just hate this part of town. It's too uppity for me." Lex sighed, chewing on her gum.

"Certainly brings back some painful memories," Taddy added with somberness in her eyes.

I smiled at my besties, hoping for the best outcome, and muttered, "Who knows? Maybe Poppy can be bought out of her book deal and the rubbish will never see the light of day."

I'd certainly brought my checkbook.

"Your mama would love that," Blake admitted, and I agreed.

A few minutes later, Jay Austin returned with a tray of drinks and some nuts, olives and other snacks.

"Thanks, babe." I took a sip, stuck a finger in the gla.s.s to stir the ice, then took a big-a.s.s calm-yourself gulp, and then another.

A half an hour or so must've pa.s.sed with no sign of Poppy. d.a.m.n her. We were on our second or third round of drinks, the olives and nuts were all eaten, and so were the chips.

"I'm already tipsy." The c.o.c.ktail had gone straight to my head. Foolish me. "Guess I should've eaten dinner before I came." I'd been so focused on what the girl had to say about us in her d.a.m.n book, I couldn't do anything except get dressed and be there.

"Do you think she's going to stand us up?" Blake asked, unb.u.t.toning a notch on his s.h.i.+rt. "It's warm in here."

"I don't feel so good," Lex said, tucking her blonde hair behind her ears as perspiration beaded her forehead.

"Me, either." I stood, hoping this would stop the rush of heaviness going to my head. I made my way over to the artwork, photos of what must've been family members hanging on the walls.

Everything became unusually quiet as I tapped one of my heels.

Hardwood floors with crown molding decorated the room, along with a baby grand piano in the corner. Sterling silver frames, black and white photos, candid pics along with family portraits. "Who's that?" I asked, clearing my throat, pointing to a woman with two boys on her lap as my mouth suddenly felt dry.

"Mother," Jay Austin replied, walking slowly in my direction. He took the drink from my hands and set it on a nearby ledge. Pus.h.i.+ng himself gently against the hollow of my back, he ma.s.saged my neck. "Feel good, babe?"

Yesss. "I have a knot...yes...right there. That feels...so good." I smiled girlishly while his thumbs worked their magic over my tense shoulders. Suddenly, I felt a sense of exhaustion.

I glanced at my besties who remained on the sofa. Blake's eyes appeared sleepy. Poor guy was probably up late the night before with his lover, Diego. Taddy and Lex were growing quiet, Taddy rubbing at her temples, while Lex had stopped chomping on her gum.

"Who's the boy in the pic with you?" I asked. Something about him-maybe his blond hair, or his expressive eyes-looked familiar to me.

"That's my brother. We were babies then."

"You never told me you had a brother..."

"Half-brother. We have different fathers and last names."

"Does he ever come to New York? I'd love to meet him." About to yawn, I covered my mouth quickly. I don't know what's come over me.

"Not anymore."

"Where's he live?"

"He pa.s.sed away a few years ago."

"Oh, Jay Austin, I'm so sorry to hear that." I whipped around to face him.

His handsome features, usually warm and welcoming, seemed stoically smooth and expressionless with an extreme coldness I'd never seen on him before. Glancing over his shoulder, I noticed my besties pa.s.sed out on the sofa.

"Looks like Poppy isn't gonna show. We should probably get going." I grabbed his hand. It felt cold against mine.

"You-killed-him." His voice stammered in my ear.

A sudden ringing in my head prevented me from hearing him correctly. I seriously need to lay off the gin. For a second, I thought he'd said I'd killed him. "What...did you say?" Everything seemed to go in slow motion.

"My brother's name was...Sanderloo."

"No!" I shouted, gasping for air, pus.h.i.+ng him to the side while trying to side-step around him. My left heel caught on the Oriental area rug and I tripped, falling flat on my face.

As I lay there, unable to move my legs and hands, it felt as if I'd been roofied all over again. Then Charmaine's words came back to me.

Trust no one!

That was the last thing I remembered.

Next thing I knew, I was in some type of a playroom with Baby Rose.

Wide-open s.p.a.ces surrounded us. A place for children to learn and socialize. There was a mural of an elephant and a s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p on the wall. On the opposite side of the room were billiards and foosball.

I was dreaming...

"Mommy!" she cried out as I approached.

With blue eyes identical to my own, her blonde hair, almost white, matched mine, too.

"My little girl. So beautiful. Look how you've grown." I picked her up, spinning in a wild circle, and hugged her, noticing a tingle of happiness running through my veins. Inhaling that toddler smell. Her soft skin felt as pure as silk. "The last time I held you in my arms, you weighed eight pounds, five ounces. My heavens, I've missed you, Baby Rose."

"Rose," she repeated her name and pointed to a potted flower sitting on a nearby table.

I nodded, bouncing on my feet with glee to have finally found her again. "That's you, petal. My flower. My girl." Tears streaked my cheeks as she squirmed in my arms. "I'm sorry I gave you up. I wasn't ready to be a mother. I thought I was doing what was right. I've never gotten over having to give you away. How could I?"

All that depression, which had consumed me over the years, the pain, and my addictions, all of it, seemed like such a horrific price to pay.

She cooed at me.

"I wasn't given a fair shot when you were born. I want a second chance. Please, Baby Rose, will you give me one more chance?

Her eyes started to fill with tears. Maybe she sensed how nervous I was to be with her. I was totally terrified. At the hospital, back when she was born, they'd said giving my baby up for adoption was a wise, self-sacrificing, and wonderful thing to do.

I realized I'd sacrificed myself for her. A large part of me had died the day I gave away my parental rights.

Just then, a woman, must have been in her mid-thirties, appeared at the doorway.

Baby Rose turned and cried out to her, "Mama."

My heart sank as she reached for the woman, kicking me to break free of our embrace. My jaw clenched, throat constricted.

"Mama," she repeated as I ignored the tightness in my chest and lowered her to the floor.

She took a few steps away from me and toward the woman.

My heart felt as if it were tearing in half. "Please, Baby Rose, come back to me. Stay with me. Don't leave me." I started to cry.

Her cute legs stumbled at first, but she found her way across the room.

I couldn't take my eyes off my baby. It would be the last time I'd see her. I knew it. I'd had many dreams like this before, dreams where she'd been abducted and I'd found her, but never one where her adoptive mother faced me. It took every ounce of strength I had in me to make eye contact.

"Thank you," the woman said with so much grat.i.tude and happiness in her voice. "Thank you for giving me such a beautiful daughter."

I hugged myself, watching Baby Rose run into the woman's arms.

"You're welcome," I cried back in her direction. "I love you, Baby Rose. I'm so sorry. I hope one day you can forgive me and not hate me. Please, don't hate me."

Scratch.