Page 43 of Then Came You

"For months, there's going to be glitter shit in places it should never be." I wave my hand at the offending material.

She cackles, her head falling back, giving me a prime view of the column of her neck.

"I'll tell you what." Her tone is suggestive and salacious, and it's not boding well for my rapidly inflating erection. She whispers with a mischievous grin, "If any part of it is found on your body, I'll personally lick it off."

I want that. I want that right now.

As I'm pondering all the possibilities of where she'll lick, I hear footsteps stomping on the pavement, growing louder and more distinct with each step. My ears pick up the sound, and I instinctively glance up at the same time as my son approaches and addresses us.

"Dad?" He has a bewildered expression on his face. "Row?" His eyes widen in surprise. "Holy shit. Row, honey, what are you doing here?" Her plate of food is flung from her lap, flopping to the floor as he yanks her up, pulling her into a lifting hug, and spinning her around.

My first thought is 'get your fucking hands off what's mine,' followed immediately by 'holy fucking shit. My son knows Row.' And intimately. His friend Row is my Row.

My lungs seize in shock, and the ability to inhale air becomes a struggle as I wheeze on the spot, as if I've swallowed something that's gone down the wrong way and it's gotten lodged in my throat. It's probably a good thing I can't breathe, let alone speak because my first words would be 'what in the actual fuck?'

A nauseating feeling settles deep in the pit of my stomach, reflux bubbling its way up my oesophagus. Somehow, I manage to tame the urge to throw up the ten sausage rolls I've eaten at this revelation.

For the life of me, my brain can't compute how my beguiling, whimsical little emo fairy. My Tinker Bell. My baby girl. Row. Is one and the same with my son's friend, Row.

I have a sinking feeling this is the beginning of the end of wherever Row and I were headed, and I’m absolutely gutted beyond belief. I have so many questions, but it doesn’t even matter about the answers, I can’t fall for my son’s best friend.

Chapter 18

Row

I'm smart enough and have been around Xan enough to know the basics of science. I rely on the principles and applications of science. I like reasoning, the pursuit of knowledge, and understanding something following a systematic methodology based on evidence.

Even when I'm mixing colours at the salon, I think about the colour Mixing Theory, where every colour or hue that exists is the result of mixing two or three primary colours in varying proportions. When all three are mixed in varying, yet fairly equal amounts, these primary colours create our natural-looking hair colours from light to dark.

But what's happening now is illogical. It lacks sense and reasoning. It defies logic.

It's a fact that the heart is the hardest working muscle in the body. It's also a fact that mine is failing me right now.

It's a fact that the human brain contains around 100 billion neurons, or nerve cells, which are responsible for transmitting information throughout the body. It's also a fact that each one of mine has stopped firing.

It's a fact that lungs are the primary organs of the respiratory system and are responsible for breathing. Yeah? You could have fooled me.

When Xander places me back on my feet, I'm unsteady and breathless. Wobbling, I instinctively and stupidly reach for Blade. "Sorry." I remove my hand, safely placing them on my hips and turning to my friends, one of whom is scrutinising me very curiously - and it's not Xander.

"What are you doing here?" Xander asks, pulling me in for another hug. "I thought you were working?"

"What are you doing here?" I ask, just as incredulous, but don't give him a chance to respond as my mind spins. "I'm Blade's hairdresser. He hired me to do Haven's party. How... how did I not know he was your dad or that Haven is your younger sister?" My voice croaks as my brain tries to catch up. He's here with Cindy. Cindy, the friend who never did end up apologising on Thursday but instead said, 'we'll agree to disagree' over the way our fight went down. "Hey Cin." She blatantly ignores me, looking at Blade like he's covered in whipped cream and she's the one who wants to lick it off.

"Doctor Renshaw, great to see you again." She pushes me out of the way and extends a dainty hand that isn't covered in glitter hairspray. "Row, how can you not know who Doctor Renshaw is?" She belittles me in front of the man I've slowly and foolishly been giving my heart to.

"Hi." He keeps it short with a quick shake of her hand.

"This is too bizarre." Xander pulls both Cin and me in for a shoulder hug. "Dad, I met Row when she was studying for her apprenticeship." Blade smiles uncomfortably, joining my and Cin's grim smiles.

"I know you mentioned having a son, but I thought you said his name was Zee?" I bite, trying my damndest to mask the what-the-fuck in my voice.

"He and my brother are both Alexander, named after my Mum, Alexandra. We call my brother Alex and Xander, Zee, for short," he explains in a business-like voice I've never heard before as he turns his focus on his son, my best friend. "Zee, I could have sworn when you've mentioned your friends in the past you said their names were Row and Sim? I thought Sim was short for Simon?"

Xander doubles over as Cindy cringes being mistaken for a dude.

"No Dad. Not Sim. Cin. Short for Cindy, and Row is Row."

"You said your name was Row?" Blade grills me, clenching his jaw.

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