Chapter 46

The week seemed to fly by for Leah, she had many questions about herself and how she felt about so much, but she kept kicking that can down the road. It didn’t matter, her course was set for the summer and then choices would have to be made. For now she was Leah, life was easier with people telling her where she needed to be, what they were doing. No worrying about balancing a checking account, the price of gas or if a bill was paid on time. She got up in the morning, did her aerobics and then went off to the hospital to do volunteer work and then take the bus to music lessons. At least one of those days she got to see Bailey and Candi, but no matter how much she pushed or prodded Jeremy he wouldn’t go. She thought if the right person saw him and heard him that the sweet young man could have been picked up by a boy band. The days daddy didn’t have to drop her off at the hospital she spent time at Miss Megans practicing for the pageant, standing just right, sitting right, walking right, things to say and playing the saxophone.

Over the week she made sure to give Miss Megan no reason to punish her, and the contrast between her and her brother only grew as days brought the beauty pageant closer. Leah didn’t think she could win or anything, but she told herself she had to compete in the feminine competition. Fully settling in to the fact her summer was on a train track she couldn’t change, but could only control how bumpy of a ride it was she did her best to prepare, something daddy wasn’t on board with. “Walking around the house with a book on your head isn’t going to make you a girl, why are you even doing this? It isn’t like I’m making you and that crazy woman isn’t around.” Was at least one thing he had said to her when she was practicing.

Then the day finally came, she sat in the backseat of Miss Megan’s SUV with daddy in the front passenger. Leah found herself more excited than she expected and the fact that her brother was actually coming to see it after all his grumbling meant a lot. Before buckling her seatbelt she leaned between the two front seats and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for coming to see me today Daddy.” Leah gave him a big smile, showing her braces on her white teeth. With how mean he had been lately the fact that in the end he was going to be here for her meant the world.

Reaching over Megan patted Charles on the leg after seeing the grimace on his face as he rubbed his cheek where he had just been kissed. She wanted to make sure he continued to stay nice and positive today like she had told him. The previous night he had been pacing, working himself up more and more about today's events. “I just don’t get it Megan, why does he always look so happy? I know you have beaten into him that he always has to smile, but that look of defiance in his eyes is gone.” Chuck rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, as he looked into Megan’s blue eyes for an answer.

“Her name is Leah, and maybe you should have a talk with her.” Chuck just gave the woman a flat look. “You don’t understand, when I used to make him stand in the corner and sing the little teapot song, sure he did it but the look in his eye said he would get even. Now I see him sitting in front of the tv painting his nails humming while some reality tv show plays. He shouldn’t be happy, he should be miserable.” Chuck left out the rest of what he was thinking, miserable like he was.

“Charles, it is important you support Leah, she is more fragile than you know.”

“Bullshit, Liam is anything but fragile.” Megan gave him a half smile, wondering how he could be so blind, but then Liam had been acting like a macho ass for so long the world thought that was who he really was.

“Tell you what, how about we make a deal.” Chuck gave her a hard look, one of the last deals he made with her ended up with his dick locked away. It was a problem from the start, but at least she let him free so they could have some fun now and then, but that had been happening less and less. “What kind of deal?”

“The kind that will help Leah, and give you what you desire. Tomorrow you are going to be polite, and supportive of Leah. Then after the pageant you are going to sit down with her and have a conversation.”

“What kind of conversation?”

“The kind that I’m betting you never have had with anyone. You are going to ask her how she is doing and then actually listen. You will then ask her what would make her happier and what you can do to make that happen. If you can promise me that, then I will remove that cage around your dick and it can stay off.”

“Be nice and then have a conversation?” It felt like there had to be more to it, he had gotten to know this crazy woman. She was the type to get him worked up and then decide all she wanted was for him to use his tongue instead of unlocking him and now she was just offering to have it removed. She had been on board with his plan to punish Liam on his own, making sure his brother stayed in line after what he pulled, but that hadn’t gotten him free. “What’s the catch?”

“The catch…” Megan leaned closer, moving into the taller man’s personal space. “That if you don’t do what you promise I will put another cage around your cock that is smaller and spiked.” Chuck tilted his head back, he believed she would try, though he had no intention of letting that happen. The threat of going to the police was still a heavy one, but at this point he was sure the police wouldn’t really go looking for him if they had Liam. “You got it, I will be on my best behavior.”

Sitting in the car, Chuck took note of Megan’s hand patting his thigh. He put a smile on his face and turned to face Liam in the backseat who was wearing a simple cotton sundress. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world, I believe in you.” He could see how that brought a large smile to his little brother's face, it really was like he was talking to a girl instead of his brother. Not long ago if he said something like that to Liam he would have come back saying he believed in himself too and didn’t need belief from him like he was some fairy from Neverland. It bothered him on a deep level, his brother could be a jerk, but this person didn’t feel like him. Leah looked like a younger version of his mother and acted like a teen girl, not the confident man he had grown up to be. Still he kept his emotions off his face, smiling as per his agreement.

The location for the Miss Teen Beauty Pageant was about an hour drive, one done in mostly silence, each person in the car feeling their own anxiety for different reasons. No sooner had they pulled into the parking lot when Leah pressed her long nailed index finger to the tinted glass window. “Jeremy is here!” She proclaimed happily as she saw him leaning against his new car.

“Of course he is…” Chuck said under his breath.

“What was that Daddy?”

“I said, of course he is, I’m sure he wouldn’t miss this for the world either.” Chuck half turned his head to the backseat wishing he hadn’t said anything, while a small blush came to Leah’s face thinking how lucky she was to have people to think that way about her. A small voice in the back of her mind told her none of it was real, because she was really a boy. She tried to squash it, but the best she could do was wish this was all real. Soon as the car came to a stop she practically jumped out of the car and into his arms, loving how he grabbed her by the waist and spun her around like it was some kind of movie.

As her heeled feet touched the pavement she felt his lips on her own, the kiss a long lingering one, followed by a quick peck. “I missed you.” Jeremy looked into Leah’s blue as he spoke to her.

“Stop, we like video chatted this morning.” His hand’s hadn’t left her sides as he gave her that goofy grin. “That was nice, but any time away from you will cause me to miss you.”

“Good morning Jeremy, I’m surprised you are here by yourself.” Megan gave the boy a bright smile, he seemed much more confident than when she first met him.

“Good morning Mrs. Best and ah.. Umm… good morning to you Mr. Summers.” Jeremy looked back to the girl in his arms, letting go and quickly turning back to his car to pull out the half dozen red roses he brought for her. Something he didn’t consider was how they would hold up in the car and more than a few were starting to wilt. He held them out to her, feeling much more sheepish, kicking himself for the oversight and not thinking ahead.

“They are beautiful.” Leah took flowers, leaning in close to smell them, paying little attention to their condition as she realized this was the first time she had gotten flowers. She had given them to impress a girl or as an apology, girls liked flowers so it was something simple you could give, but getting them felt different. Everyone could agree roses looked good, but the act of getting something pretty just because someone was thinking about you was something different.

“Isn’t that sweet Charles? I don’t think you have gotten me flowers.” Chuck gave her a **** smile thinking he might have if this was anything close to a real relationship. He didn’t reply to her, seeing how the boy was giving away shabby flowers.

“Little advice, on hot days like this bring a cooler and put a few ice packs at the bottom, they will hold up a lot better.” Jeremy nodded, thankful for the advice that he should have thought of. He could have even gotten them in a vase, it wasn’t like she had anywhere to put them. Leah couldn’t leave them in the car and wouldn’t have a place for them inside.

“Thank you sir, I ahhh. I was wondering if you and umm well the two of you would like to come to a baseball game with Leah and myself. I got the tickets for my birthday and I thought maybe...” Jeremy shrugged, feeling incredibly nervous talking to Leah’s father. They had bonded a little over sports and he really wanted his approval. The last thing Chuck wanted was to see anymore of his brother dolled up and kissing a boy.

“Sorry kid, I’m booked solid for a while.” Chuck felt an elbow to his ribs before Megan took his elbow in her own.

“Jeremy he would love to watch a game with you, but I think an outing like that would be better without you having chaperones around. How about we figure out a time for Charles, Leah and myself to come over to your house when you and your father are going to watch a game, or we can host it.”

With how happy he was at the offer Jeremy didn’t even think of the original objection and readily agreed to a game day party, positive his parents would both be happy, especially his mom with being able to check in on him whenever she wanted. When he looked back to his girlfriend he saw how some of the petals on the flowers were ready to fall off from their time on his backseat in the sun. “I’m sorry about the flowers, I will…” He wanted to say he would do better in the future, but found himself being hugged.

“They are perfect, thank you.” Jeremy hugged the girl back, giving a kiss to her cheek and realized he had been asked a question earlier that he completely spaced on.

“Oh, Mrs. Best, you asked me if I was alone. My mom is actually coming out, just not till closer to the start so she could work a few hours at her store and from what I understand both Candi and Bailey will be coming too.” What he didn’t say was that he drove alone so that not only could he get to see Leah before the pageant, but also in the hopes he could take her home after.

“I’m happy to hear it, now why don’t you come over here and help us with our bags.” Megan opened up the back of her vehicle, handing over a small suitcase that had makeup, hair products and the four pairs of heels for Leah’s different outfits. Then grabbed the garment bag with the changes of clothes. The last thing in the back was the saxophone case, Leah took that in one hand, holding onto the flowers in the other. Taking one last wiff before giving Jeremy another smile.

Over the week she had thought alot about her feelings toward him. It made no sense why she felt safe and comfortable around him, or thought about kissing him. She knew she wasnt attracted to men, making how she felt about him so odd. Dismissing the thought she tried to focus on today. With everything in hand she nodded to hwrself as the group started to head inside so Leah could start getting ready.