“Around six.”
Jack, Ethan, and three other friends of theirs had started a rock band the previous summer. Jack played bass and Ethan was the rhythm guitarist. She and Chas had gone to their first gig at the school talent show in the fall, and she’d thought they were pretty good. Chas accused her of being biased, and she supposed she was, but the boys definitely had talent, and she liked that they had something to do other than getting into trouble.
After Jack left for school, Addie made sure everything was ready for the women when they came over in an hour. Lighting an apple cinnamon candle, she inhaled deeply, loving the warm, robust scent. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla were the candle scents she loved most, and if she was having a bad day, all she had to do was light one, stir a generous helping of hazelnut creamer into her coffee, sit back, and look out the window, watching life unfold.
An hour later, Addie opened the door and Cherri and Belle walked into the house.
“Did you make apple pie?” Belle asked.
“It’s the candle I lit. I love the aroma,” Addie replied.
“It gives off a cozy feel. I love candles, but Jax’s freaked about fires, so I have to use flameless ones. It’s just not the same as the real deal.” Cherri handed her jacket to Addie.
For the next two hours, the women worked steadily on wrapping, stuffing, and decorating a hundred gift bags. The bags would be given out on Saturday night to all volunteers and the mothers of the children who would be at the event receiving gifts. Brighter Lives selected sixty-five children to attend the event and receive their gifts that night. The other toys collected would be distributed to other families the following week.
The chime of the doorbell interrupted their workflow, and Addie jumped up and went to see who it was. Opening the door, she cursed herself for not checking the peephole first. Brianna, decked in a white faux fur coat and thigh-high leather boots, stood on the porch.
Addie sucked in her breath and opened the screen door. “Can I help you?”
Wrinkling her nose as her gaze wandered up and down Addie, Brianna clutched the jacket collar with her gloved hand. “Is Chas here? I need to talk to him. I saw him last night at the hospital and I forgot to ask him something.”
Typical Brianna. “Chas isn’t home, but there are such things as phones, you know.”
Brianna laughed. “How’s Jack? Is he home?”
“He’s fine, and he’s in school. Look, some friends of mine are here and I have to go. I’ll tell Chas you stopped by.”
“Actually, I’d like Jack to spend the weekend with me.”
What fucking gall! “That’s not going to work out. We’re all going to a big charity event on Saturday, and on Sunday we have family plans.
Brianna narrowed her eyes. “I’m family too.”
“It’s just not going to happen. As I said, we already have plans with Jack.”
Brianna stepped closer to Addie, who still stood in the doorway, holding the screen open. “I’m Jack’s mom. So stop acting so fuckin’ high and mighty.”
Licks of anger rose inside her. “You’re the one who gave up your parental rights. I adopted Jack, and I’m more of a mother to him than you ever were.”
“I was using and drinking back then. Things have changed. I’ve cleaned up my act.”
Even though it was cold outside, Addie was burning up. “That’s great, but we still have family plans this weekend. I really have to go.”
“You self-righteous bitch! It doesn’t mean shit that you have a piece of paper saying you’re Jack’s mom. I’m his real mother. He’s got my blood flowing through him. My blood and Chas’s, and no fuckin’ piece of paper will ever take that away. Chas will always be tied to me.”
Remembering an article she’d read about stress and anger management, Addie counted to ten while inhaling and exhaling deeply. “I have to go.”
Brianna put her foot in the way and pulled the screen door open wider. “I hired a lawyer and now that I’m clean and sober, I’m going to take your fat ass to court and challenge it. You fuckin’ turned my son against me!”
“This is ridiculous, Brianna. Do what you want to do, but I’m done talking to you.”
Brianna sneered. “Chas must be hungry for a sexy woman with a good body because he couldn’t take his eyes off me. I’ve known him longer than you, and I know what he craves.” She brought her face in closer. “And flab and a big ass aren’t it.”
A bolt of white-hot anger ripped through her, and she didn’t count to ten, take deep breaths, or think of a peaceful place. She raised her hand and walloped the smirk right off the evil ex’s face.
Staggering backward, Brianna’s arms flailed before she gripped the potted tree next to the door. “Bitch!” she yelled, straightening up.
“There’s more where that came from unless you take your skinny, bony ass out of my sight.”
In that frozen second between disbelief and reality, Addie saw Brianna’s face transform from shock to pure hatred. At lightning speed, she flew at Addie, her hands over her head, long sparkly nails clawing. Addie yelled out and pushed Brianna back, then stepped out onto the porch. The fight was on. Clumps of hair, broken nails, sharp kicks, and a few well-placed punches had both women red-faced and breathing heavily.
“What’s going on?” Belle asked from behind Addie.
Not answering, Addie jerked Brianna’s long hair hard, and the woman lost her balance on her high-heeled boots and slammed face down on the porch. The area beneath her stained darkly from the flow of blood. Pushing up, she wiped the back of her hand over her mouth. Streaks of crimson painted the white leather gloves.
“Fuck you!” she cried, lunging toward Addie.
“Get the hell out of here and leave us alone!” Addie cocked her head and her disheveled hair dangled, swinging slightly in the icy breeze.
Belle and Cherri ran out and grabbed Brianna’s arms. The woman twisted and jerked in a vain attempt to get free. “Leave me alone. Let me go!”
“You need to go. Now,” Belle said as she turned Brianna so she faced the stairs. “You shouldn’t be coming over and upsetting people.”
Brianna pulled away and looked behind her. “If I broke a tooth, your fat ass is paying for it.” Cherri handed her a handkerchief, but Brianna swatted it out of her hand. “You’re all fuckin’ bitches.” Grabbing the handrail, she clomped down the stairs and stalked away.
“Are you okay?” Cherri murmured as she went over to Addie.
“What the hell happened?” Belle asked, her gaze still on the woman as she drove away.