Dexter was discharged from hospital a few days before Christmas, Ashton was fussing over him like a mother hen and driving him crazy. The only peace he would get from his overprotective big brother was when he said he felt a headache coming on and went to lie down.
Selena was hovering around outside, Dexter knew exactly who she was and as she called to him, "Oh you're awake, I missed you lover!" It all came back to him, he'd had sex with her in a moment of weakness and he felt nothing but shame over it!
Ash went outside and gave her what for, she soon shuffled off with her tail between her legs, but not before calling out that she'd already found her wedding dress. Dexter felt sick!
Selena was hovering around outside, Dexter knew exactly who she was and as she called to him, "Oh you're awake, I missed you lover!" It all came back to him, he'd had sex with her in a moment of weakness and he felt nothing but shame over it!
Ash went outside and gave her what for, she soon shuffled off with her tail between her legs, but not before calling out that she'd already found her wedding dress. Dexter felt sick!
Lainie wasn't sure how to approach him, he couldn't remember her so what was the point in hurting herself by being around him? There was a knock on her door as she mulled over her situation.
"Hi!" Ashton's handsome smile was infectious, he stood in the hall by himself, no Dexter! "Listen honey we're having a little welcome back thing for Dexter in the practice room so...I hope you'll be there?" Well thanks for that, how could she possibly say no to that sweet face?
"Sure Ash, when?"
"About an hour, that okay for you? You don't have, um, plans?" No she was not seeing Alex today, or any day hopefully but he did turn up like a bad smell most of the time. Lainie smiled back, trying to be as genuine as she could,
"None at all, I'll be there!"
"Great! Maybe it'll jog a few memories eh?" As he was leaving he gave her a cute wink, obviously he wanted his brother to remember her just as much as she did.
Ash had a hard time getting Dexter out of his room, and an even harder time getting him to the practice room. "Can't I just sleep?"
"Dex you sleep enough these days, come on half an hour won't kill you!"
"Will Lainie be there?" Was Dexter sure he couldn't remember her? Because he sure as hell talked about her a lot!
"She might be, come and find out!"
To Dexter's delight she was there, and she was cuter than he remembered. After the day he woke up, she never visited again and he was a little disappointed. Ash told him that it hurt too much for her to know he didn't remember who she was, and he felt bad about that, because he really wanted to! He stared at her for a long time as the others all cheered and chatted away at him, he wasn't listening, he only had eyes for the girl with the freckles...FRECKLES!!! I call her freckles! It came to him, but that was all that did, maybe he would get the memories of her back soon? He really hoped so!
To Ashton's disgust, Alex Wilder had the audacity to show up, standing next to Lainie like she was his possession! He'd had to break it to Dexter that Lainie was not single, that there was a pain in the arse of a boyfriend in the mix but she didn't love him...she loved Dexter and Dexter loved her back! This confused Dex, he couldn't understand why the two of them weren't together if they were in love. Ashton couldn't answer that because nobody knew why!
As he drew closer to Lainie to get a good look at her pretty little face, Dexter spotted the raven haired pale guy standing next to her. Boy did he get nasty vibes from him, he reeked of dickhead! I don't like him, Dexter thought to himself, and he doesn't like me either! Little bits and pieces were coming back to him as he reached his freckles and smiled, "Hi Lainie!" Her cheeks went pink and she let out a small giggle.
"You remembered my name!"
The pale dude glared at him and said "Hi mate, good to see you up and about. How's your head?" You are a fucking twat! There was a nauseating air to his voice and his whole demeanor, yep Dexter really hated him!
"Thanks, um..." The pale twat laughed,
"Oh yeah I forgot you forgot, heh, I'm Alex, Wilder? Lainie's other half!" Yeah you're the Antichrist and she's a heavenly angel!
"It will come back to me, I can assure you of that!" Yes he was threatening him, because Dexter knew there was more to this exchange under the surface.
"You look very pretty Lainie, I remember that I like to call you freckles!" Lainie visibly choked back a sob as Alex let out an irritated sigh.
"Yes, yes Dexy you do!" Dexy! That's right she calls me Dexy, no one else does, only her!
"Well, that's sweet, now babe we need to go, I have reservations at a cute little place down the road. See you later mate!"
Dexter watched Alex nudge Lainie towards the door as her eyes never left his, she loves me! I know she loves me! He just needed to remember more, then he'd get her away from that creep! "Bye Dexy! See you later!" She gave him a sweet smile and his heart skipped a beat.
"Yes, definitely!" Dexter gave Alex a look that indicated he wasn't giving up without a fight.
Shooting another evil glare at Dexter, Alex smirked as he put his hand on Lainie's butt and it made Dexter want to hit him....
...then he was on the stairs at the gallery, Alex was there with that smirk, PUSHING HIM!!!
Dexter stood on the spot, feeling completely numb! Lainie was leaving with this asshole! Alex Wilder was dangerous as well as a nasty piece of work! He had to get that cute little blonde away from him! Searching the room for his brother, Dexter dragged him out of the practice room.
"Hey, where's the fire?" Ash groaned in annoyance.
"Ashy, I..." He only ever called his brother that childhood nickname when he was stressed or in trouble, and right now he was both!
"Dex what is it?" Looking concerned, Ash was no longer annoyed with him for taking him away from the mini party he had going on for him as Dexter ushered him into his bedroom.
"Ashy, you said I fell down the stairs at the gallery, yeah?" Ash nodded in confusion,
"Yeaaaaaah?" Where was Dex going with this?
"Well, I had a memory...of...oh this can't be fucking true, can it?"
"Well if you clue me in I can answer that!"
"I think, I think...I think Alex pushed...he pushed me down the stairs Ashy and he's with Lainie and..."
"Calm down little brother, go through it with me slowly!"
"No, what if he hurts freckles?" Dexter's voice was panicked and tears stung his blue eyes as Ash rubbed his arm affectionately.
"Dexter are you absolutely sure he pushed you? What was he doing at the gallery that early?" This made no sense.
"I have no idea, all I know is that when he gave me that smirk? I was back at the top of the stairs and I could feel his hands push me!" Dexter closed his eyes and concentrated.
"He said I would never touch her ever again and...that's when I felt myself going down and then it's all a blur!"
"We have to go to the police!" Ash started for the door, but Dexter stopped him.
"And tell them what Ashy? I have no proof! Who's gonna believe a memory?" Ash hated to admit that he was right, but he was.
"We tell Lainie!"
"No Ashy, no! Gimme time to get the proof we need, then we can get rid of him for good! If he's banged up then he can't get to her, and that's all I want, is for her to be safe, even if she hates me for it!"
"Why would she hate you Dexter?" Dex looked sadly into his brother's eyes and replied,
"Because she loves him!"
Ashton scoffed, "No she doesn't Dexter, we discussed this!"
"Ash, she might not be in love with him, but I can tell she loves and cares for him in some way. Why else would she put up with his shit? No I was there once before, I think, and it doesn't feel like it went down well!" Despite the situation, Ashton was smiling, "What?"
"You're remembering! Gah, this is awesome!"
"Look don't tell anyone, okay? I'm only getting snippets. I feel love when I look at Lainie, I know she is my freckles, I know I hate Alex and I know he pushed me and left me to die! But...that is all I know, they're only fragments and...I still know nothing about the woman I feel love for, I don't know if I've ever felt her touch or kissed her lips..."
"...Ashy I don't even know if I actually told her how I feel!"
"Trust me you didn't do any of those things or you would have told me bro! Except you did get stinking drunk one night and she let you sleep on her bed with her, but that's a story for another time!" Dexter agreed that Ash was right, they didn't have any secrets, he told his big brother everything!
"Well right now I need to just keep trying to jog my memories, retrace things and...I just want him gone!"
Don't we all, thought Ash, the guy was dangerous and right now the only thing from stopping him smashing his face in was Dex. That piece of shit tried to kill his little brother, and at some point Ash was gonna pay him back!
Dexter stood on the spot, feeling completely numb! Lainie was leaving with this asshole! Alex Wilder was dangerous as well as a nasty piece of work! He had to get that cute little blonde away from him! Searching the room for his brother, Dexter dragged him out of the practice room.
"Hey, where's the fire?" Ash groaned in annoyance.
"Ashy, I..." He only ever called his brother that childhood nickname when he was stressed or in trouble, and right now he was both!
"Dex what is it?" Looking concerned, Ash was no longer annoyed with him for taking him away from the mini party he had going on for him as Dexter ushered him into his bedroom.
"Ashy, you said I fell down the stairs at the gallery, yeah?" Ash nodded in confusion,
"Yeaaaaaah?" Where was Dex going with this?
"Well, I had a memory...of...oh this can't be fucking true, can it?"
"Well if you clue me in I can answer that!"
"I think, I think...I think Alex pushed...he pushed me down the stairs Ashy and he's with Lainie and..."
"Calm down little brother, go through it with me slowly!"
"No, what if he hurts freckles?" Dexter's voice was panicked and tears stung his blue eyes as Ash rubbed his arm affectionately.
"Dexter are you absolutely sure he pushed you? What was he doing at the gallery that early?" This made no sense.
"I have no idea, all I know is that when he gave me that smirk? I was back at the top of the stairs and I could feel his hands push me!" Dexter closed his eyes and concentrated.
"He said I would never touch her ever again and...that's when I felt myself going down and then it's all a blur!"
"We have to go to the police!" Ash started for the door, but Dexter stopped him.
"And tell them what Ashy? I have no proof! Who's gonna believe a memory?" Ash hated to admit that he was right, but he was.
"We tell Lainie!"
"No Ashy, no! Gimme time to get the proof we need, then we can get rid of him for good! If he's banged up then he can't get to her, and that's all I want, is for her to be safe, even if she hates me for it!"
"Why would she hate you Dexter?" Dex looked sadly into his brother's eyes and replied,
"Because she loves him!"
Ashton scoffed, "No she doesn't Dexter, we discussed this!"
"Ash, she might not be in love with him, but I can tell she loves and cares for him in some way. Why else would she put up with his shit? No I was there once before, I think, and it doesn't feel like it went down well!" Despite the situation, Ashton was smiling, "What?"
"You're remembering! Gah, this is awesome!"
"Look don't tell anyone, okay? I'm only getting snippets. I feel love when I look at Lainie, I know she is my freckles, I know I hate Alex and I know he pushed me and left me to die! But...that is all I know, they're only fragments and...I still know nothing about the woman I feel love for, I don't know if I've ever felt her touch or kissed her lips..."
"...Ashy I don't even know if I actually told her how I feel!"
"Trust me you didn't do any of those things or you would have told me bro! Except you did get stinking drunk one night and she let you sleep on her bed with her, but that's a story for another time!" Dexter agreed that Ash was right, they didn't have any secrets, he told his big brother everything!
"Well right now I need to just keep trying to jog my memories, retrace things and...I just want him gone!"
Don't we all, thought Ash, the guy was dangerous and right now the only thing from stopping him smashing his face in was Dex. That piece of shit tried to kill his little brother, and at some point Ash was gonna pay him back!
Charlotte had put up a tree in the house despite most of the gang not being there for Christmas day. Only she and Drew planned to stay there over the festive period and spend it with Winston, so she opted for a blue theme...her boyfriend's favourite colour. Dexter and Ashton were going to their mum's, Lainie was going to her parents and taking Roxy with her, Matthew had to go home to his parents in Bridgeport, and Erin was seemingly gone for good which made Charlotte very sad.
"Hey, why the frown huh?" Drew could see she was troubled.
"I'm just going to miss everyone over the festive period that's all, but I am looking forward to being with Winston again. I'm so grateful you allowed Rob to come too, neither of us want to spend Christmas with our mother, she's the epitome of the Grinch...no he's actually misunderstood, no she's more like Krampus!" Drew chuckled and held her hands, oh how he adored this lovely girl!
It was Christmas Eve and Lainie was packing to go to Brindleton Bay with Roxy. Dexter was sad that she was going, he was so drawn to her and he spent the past couple of days glued to her when Alex wasn't around. He sat on her bed and sighed, "I'll miss you!"
"Will you?"
"Yes, very much!"
"You're going to your mum's! You'll not have time to miss someone you barely know!"
"Freckles I do know you, my heart knows you!"
"Dexy don't say things like that..."
"Why? Does it scare you?"
"Dexy..."
"If you knew something, something that was crucial to my well being, would you tell me?" Lainie locked eyes with him and frowned.
"What is this?"
"Will you just answer the question, please?" Lainie sighed and played along,
"You mean like, if you were in danger would I warn you? Duh! Of course I would Dexy, have you any idea what it did to me to see you lying in that hospital? Do you want me to go through that again? Nu-uh!" She was so adorable, he was falling deeper in love every time she moved, spoke, did anything! But he had to be careful, he didn't want Alex getting wind of his suspicions so he would have to take it slow, and keep it cool!
"Freckles, you're very special to me, you do know that right?" Careful Dexter, don't go there!
"And you are to me Dexy, and I'll miss you too! But we'll see each other in the New Year!" Lainie was so confused by this conversation, but she had to make allowances for the fact that Dexter had suffered a head injury and might be a little loopy, he was still on very strong painkillers due to headaches that he might have to live with for the rest of his life.
"I just wanna remember, but if you're not here, how do I do that?"
"Dexy take time to heal, remembering will have to wait!" But he did remember some things, he just couldn't tell her what those things were. At least she would be safe with her parents in Brindleton Bay!
"God you're so pretty!" Lainie blushed, why was he being like this? Like drunk Dexy?
Suddenly he stood up and leaned his face close to hers placing his hand on her cheek, "You're so beautiful Evelyn! Do you know how beautiful you are?" Lainie's heart pounded at the sound of her christian name and the fact that his lips were inches away from her own.
"Dexy...have you taken your pills today?"
"Promise me you'll keep away from Alex over the holidays, I know it's a weird request but...do you trust me?"
"Yes!" She breathed, God he had her under some kind of spell, if he asked her to undress and give him her body right there on the spot she would!
"Then please, don't see Alex while you're away. Just take a break from him, for me? I know I have no right..."
"I will!" She agreed before he could finish.
Dexter stepped back, leaving some distance between them, "I have my reasons, please believe that!"
"I do!" She said in a whisper, "I will do what you ask! If I'm honest, I'm not sure I want to be with him any more so maybe a break would help me decide..." Please say it's a good idea.
"Yeah, yeah you totally should do that! Safe trip freckles! I'll see you next year!" That little smile, it made her tingle in places she never felt tingly in with Alex while they were being physical, but one smile from Dexter Maloney and she was on fire!
Dexter left her in a mess, she wanted him so badly and not seeing him for two weeks would be torture! Roxy came breezing in and smashed through her dirty thoughts, "Hey does your mum have straighteners?"
"Hmm?"
"I saw Maloney leaving here, what did he do to get you so hot and flushed eh?"
"He asked me not to see Alex this holiday..."
Roxy let out a little squeak of excitement, "He did? Ohhhh, I like this new Maloney! He's...manly grrrrr!"
"Roxanne stop! I don't know, he's being weird...weirder than the old Dexy, but he's concussed so..."
"He's in luuuuuurve!" Roxy cackled and punched her lightly on the arm. Was it possible that amnesiac Dexy was falling in love with her? Before his accident he was very into her, that was true, could it be happening again?
"You know he told Ashton that he thought you were cute?" Roxy gave her a coy smile, "He also asked if you were single!" And then she
winked.
"Roxanne!" Lainie sighed impatiently. He did, did he? No, he was recovering from a head injury, he wasn't making much sense at all. She just had to get away from all men and enjoy Christmas with her family, forget everything like he had!
"Now you just sit here and relax, aww my baby! How's your head?"
"Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!" Dexter groaned at his mother while she fussed over him, "I'll go home if you don't stop it!"
"No he won't he's been hankerin' for your Crimbo cookies all day!" Ash nudged him playfully.
"Quit it!" Dexter snapped.
"Now now boys, play nice!" Avril chortled at her grown up sons aged 34 and 36, they had never changed since they were little.
"He started it!" Dexter mumbled and took a mouthful of cookie, man did he love these!
"Well now I've finished it, I won't stand for this bickering all over Christmas, you hear me?" Both Dexter and Ashton replied defeatedly in unison,
"Yes mum!"
"Dexter sweetie, how's Lainie?" Dexter almost choked on his cookie, why mum, why?
"I dunno, she's at her folks place in Brindleton Bay..."
"It's okay to admit you're pining for her!"
"Mum she only just left..."
"It doesn't make you any less of a man to miss a young woman you're fond of!" Ash was enjoying this immensely, especially since their mum hadn't interrogated him about Erin yet. Let Dex take all the heat, this was fun! He was squirming really good right now!
"Mum, seriously, Lainie is my friend..."
"Who you're in love with!" She nodded with a knowing look on her face.
"Are you gonna let me finish a sentence without interrupting?" He gave her the eyebrow, a little habit he inherited from her.
"I notice you didn't deny that you're in love with her!"
"Ho ho this is pure gold!" Ashton laughed and slapped his thigh.
"Hush, I'll get to you in a minute Ashton James Maloney!" Ashton gulped and the colour drained from his face, he was not laughing now...but Dexter was!
"Quick mum, go get some Aloe Vera, I think Ashton might blister from your buuuuuurn!" Little shit, he was gonna pay for that!
"Enough both of you! Dexter, you're in love with Lainie and I think you know it! Ashton, call Erin for pity's sake and say you're sorry! Pair of dumb asses! I didn't raise you to be pussies!" Both Ash and Dex sat gaping at their mother.
"Honestly, all I ever wanted was two happy young men with good young women and a handful of grandbabies, and what do I get? Eunuchs!" Avril muttered away to herself as she left the boys in the living room.
Looking at each other, shocked at their mother's outburst although knowing she was right, neither Ashton or Dexter were in the mood for cookies anymore!
Lainie and Roxy had settled in one of the spare rooms and when they eventually went downstairs, they were met by a barrage of questions from Sadie Robertson, Lainie's mother. "So Roxanne, how is rock star life?"
"Mrs R, I'm hardly a rock star!"
"Yes you are, she is! Did she tell you they've signed with Gryffin Records?" Roxy was so thrilled to hear her best friend talking her up, she sounded so proud too.
"No, Roxanne that's wonderful!"
"Pfft!" The noise came from the other side of the room, Olivia Robertson sneered in their direction.
"Something to say Liv?" Sadie looked over at her eldest daughter with an interrogative stare.
"Nope, congrats fatty, now you can gorge yourself with food and stick all the powder you want up your nose!"
"Olivia, that is an awful thing to say! Roxanne is not fat, go away! You're souring the mood again! Why did you even come home?" Sadie scrunched up her nose and squeezed her eyes shut in disapproval of her.
"Gee I dunno, free food? I'm gone, I think I'll split before you get to little stinky monkey butt and her tales of the greasy spoon!" Sadie let out a frustrated sigh as Liv left the room.
"I am so sorry about that girls, she's been moody since she got here! I told her to stay in San Myshuno with Brian but she just..."
"Wait!" Lainie interrupted, "Brian? As in Brian Swift? He's her boyfriend?"
"Well, yes..." Sadie blinked as Lainie laughed bitterly.
"He's the guy that liked me in high school, the one she was caught with behind the gym during the Christmas dance?"
"Ohhhhhh!" Both Roxy and Lainie's mother looked at each other with realisation. Every boy that took an interest in Lainie through her teens, Liv stole for herself! The last one being Brian Swift, he was a couple of years older than Lainie and a couple of years younger than Liv.
"Well they had a falling out and she appeared last night, as much as I love having both my girls here for Christmas, Liv isn't really known for playing nice!"
"Oh well mum, never mind, maybe she'll defrost over the next couple of days. It might be alright!" Lainie lied, when Liv was in one of her moods it was never going to be alright! Now she was dreading this Christmas, no Dexy and her twisted sister...joy!
Matthew sat perusing the room service menu, he had lied to his house mates, he wasn't going home. He'd checked into a cute little hotel in Sulani, he'd also lied to his parents that he was staying with Roxy for Christmas, he'd lied a lot, he told his mother she was his fiancee...
...he told his father he was far too busy to come home. He'd stay here in Sulani, it was warm and picturesque despite the rain storm, and Lainie had sold the place to him when she described her time here. He texted Roxy, lying again that he was going out for Christmas Eve drinks with his father.
He was getting good at lying, and that worried him! But all of these lies were necessary, because he couldn't face the truth right now!
Dexter was going through his phone that night to check if he had Lainie's number, he wanted so badly to contact her. As he was scrolling through old text messages, he noticed that he did indeed have her number, she was under freckles. Going back a month he was both shocked and aroused to come across what looked like a sexting exchange between them. The stuff they had said, hot! "ASHTOOOOON!"
"What?" Ash appeared looking grumpy.
"Ash, did you know Lainie and I had text sex?"
"You what now?" He squinted, "Are you high?"
"No, I...whoa it's intense!" Dexter's cheeks flushed and he clasped his phone to his chest.
"I did not know this, how...why...how?"
"No idea but she calls me Roky and I call her Cookie? What's that all about?" Ashton's eyes grew wide and he gasped,
"OHHHHHHHHHH!"
"What?"
"It was HER?"
"What was her?" Dexter was growing impatient, having memory loss sucked, especially losing his memory of this x rated exchange!
Ash needed to sit down for this, "Okay so you met someone called CookieGurl on the band forum and you struck up a, er, thing! You never knew who she was and you never met her, she kept making up excuses about how she couldn't meet up with you and eventually you told her sayonara because you were just done with it! There was also this whole thing about you not telling her who you were either, she was kinda freaked when she found out you were the lead singer!"
"The last text says, please come home I miss you freckles-slash-cookiegurl! Whoa, was Lainie Cookiegurl?"
"Apparently, I'm just finding this out now too!" Ash shrugged, sly little Lainie, she was a dark horse!
"This is so...God she didn't know, what the hell happened?"
"I dunno, like I said you broke it off and we never heard another thing about it. That was right around the time Alex was giving her some kind of grief and she went to her mum's to avoid him..."
"...but he turned up there and took Lainie to Sulani to sort things out! Ugh, the fucker!"
"I'm so confused Ash!" Dexter shook his head, he wanted even more to text Lainie and find out what was going on. He wanted to text Hey CookieGurl, this is Born2Rok, were we in love?
"So I guess you did keep something from me then huh?" Ash broke into his thoughts, and he looked hurt.
"Ashy, I am so overwhelmed right now and I cannot apologise for something I do not understand okay? I love you, I must have had my reasons, so please don't be mad at me?" Ash softened and ruffled his hair.
"I'm not mad baby bro, just...kinda bummed you didn't tell me. But I know you, and I know you would have a reason you're right."
As he stood up, Dexter's thumb hovered over the send button, he'd typed what he wanted to say, he just didn't have the guts to send it out there to her. Ash looked at his phone and his thumb wiggling back and forth, suddenly he pressed it for him as Dex yelled "SHIT ASH WHAT DID YOU DO???"
"I dunno but we're gonna find out!" He snickered, and left him alone with a ticking bomb in his hands.
Lainie was ready for bed as she checked her phone and saw she had a text, from Dexy! "Oh my Goooooooooodddddddd!!!" She began to hyperventilate as Roxy grunted at her.
"What? Lain?"
Lainie showed Roxy her phone through chants of "Ohmygodohmygod!"
"Roxanne, it's Dexy he...look!" Roxy read the text and laughed uncontrollably. "What the fuck Roxanne? This is not funny!"
"Oh but it is!" She chuckled.
Roxy took another look at the text, "WHOOOOOOOAAAAAA! Baby girl you are in there! Whooooo!"
"No Roxanne, this is bad I don't want to go over that again, he hated me remember?"
"Well, we just...glaze over a few things, it's cool Lain, Maloney wants you so bad right now!" The grin on Roxy's face lit up the room as Lainie felt sick.
Over an hour later she lay in bed, unsettled while Roxy's heavy breathing could be heard next to her in the other bed. She hadn't replied, she had no idea what to say! She knew there was only one answer she could give him, it would cause multiple problems but she had to be honest, she owed him that...
...she gave Dexter Maloney the only answer that he truly deserved....
...and what he made of it, would soon come to light and possibly change everything...again!
To Be Continued...
I wonder what Dexter will make of Lainie's reply? He's certainly a more confident Dexy, someone who knows what he wants and is willing to work to get it...it being Lainie! But what of Alex? Next chapter it is the new year and the slate is wiped clean, how do they all move on from here?
Anyway Merry Christmas to those who read this, and Happy New Year when it comes!
x Linda Jane x
"Hey, why the frown huh?" Drew could see she was troubled.
"I'm just going to miss everyone over the festive period that's all, but I am looking forward to being with Winston again. I'm so grateful you allowed Rob to come too, neither of us want to spend Christmas with our mother, she's the epitome of the Grinch...no he's actually misunderstood, no she's more like Krampus!" Drew chuckled and held her hands, oh how he adored this lovely girl!
It was Christmas Eve and Lainie was packing to go to Brindleton Bay with Roxy. Dexter was sad that she was going, he was so drawn to her and he spent the past couple of days glued to her when Alex wasn't around. He sat on her bed and sighed, "I'll miss you!"
"Will you?"
"Yes, very much!"
"You're going to your mum's! You'll not have time to miss someone you barely know!"
"Freckles I do know you, my heart knows you!"
"Dexy don't say things like that..."
"Why? Does it scare you?"
"Dexy..."
"If you knew something, something that was crucial to my well being, would you tell me?" Lainie locked eyes with him and frowned.
"What is this?"
"Will you just answer the question, please?" Lainie sighed and played along,
"You mean like, if you were in danger would I warn you? Duh! Of course I would Dexy, have you any idea what it did to me to see you lying in that hospital? Do you want me to go through that again? Nu-uh!" She was so adorable, he was falling deeper in love every time she moved, spoke, did anything! But he had to be careful, he didn't want Alex getting wind of his suspicions so he would have to take it slow, and keep it cool!
"Freckles, you're very special to me, you do know that right?" Careful Dexter, don't go there!
"And you are to me Dexy, and I'll miss you too! But we'll see each other in the New Year!" Lainie was so confused by this conversation, but she had to make allowances for the fact that Dexter had suffered a head injury and might be a little loopy, he was still on very strong painkillers due to headaches that he might have to live with for the rest of his life.
"Dexy take time to heal, remembering will have to wait!" But he did remember some things, he just couldn't tell her what those things were. At least she would be safe with her parents in Brindleton Bay!
"God you're so pretty!" Lainie blushed, why was he being like this? Like drunk Dexy?
Suddenly he stood up and leaned his face close to hers placing his hand on her cheek, "You're so beautiful Evelyn! Do you know how beautiful you are?" Lainie's heart pounded at the sound of her christian name and the fact that his lips were inches away from her own.
"Dexy...have you taken your pills today?"
"Promise me you'll keep away from Alex over the holidays, I know it's a weird request but...do you trust me?"
"Yes!" She breathed, God he had her under some kind of spell, if he asked her to undress and give him her body right there on the spot she would!
"Then please, don't see Alex while you're away. Just take a break from him, for me? I know I have no right..."
"I will!" She agreed before he could finish.
Dexter stepped back, leaving some distance between them, "I have my reasons, please believe that!"
"I do!" She said in a whisper, "I will do what you ask! If I'm honest, I'm not sure I want to be with him any more so maybe a break would help me decide..." Please say it's a good idea.
"Yeah, yeah you totally should do that! Safe trip freckles! I'll see you next year!" That little smile, it made her tingle in places she never felt tingly in with Alex while they were being physical, but one smile from Dexter Maloney and she was on fire!
"Hmm?"
"I saw Maloney leaving here, what did he do to get you so hot and flushed eh?"
"He asked me not to see Alex this holiday..."
Roxy let out a little squeak of excitement, "He did? Ohhhh, I like this new Maloney! He's...manly grrrrr!"
"Roxanne stop! I don't know, he's being weird...weirder than the old Dexy, but he's concussed so..."
"He's in luuuuuurve!" Roxy cackled and punched her lightly on the arm. Was it possible that amnesiac Dexy was falling in love with her? Before his accident he was very into her, that was true, could it be happening again?
"You know he told Ashton that he thought you were cute?" Roxy gave her a coy smile, "He also asked if you were single!" And then she
winked.
"Roxanne!" Lainie sighed impatiently. He did, did he? No, he was recovering from a head injury, he wasn't making much sense at all. She just had to get away from all men and enjoy Christmas with her family, forget everything like he had!
"Now you just sit here and relax, aww my baby! How's your head?"
"Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!" Dexter groaned at his mother while she fussed over him, "I'll go home if you don't stop it!"
"No he won't he's been hankerin' for your Crimbo cookies all day!" Ash nudged him playfully.
"Quit it!" Dexter snapped.
"Now now boys, play nice!" Avril chortled at her grown up sons aged 34 and 36, they had never changed since they were little.
"He started it!" Dexter mumbled and took a mouthful of cookie, man did he love these!
"Well now I've finished it, I won't stand for this bickering all over Christmas, you hear me?" Both Dexter and Ashton replied defeatedly in unison,
"Yes mum!"
"Dexter sweetie, how's Lainie?" Dexter almost choked on his cookie, why mum, why?
"I dunno, she's at her folks place in Brindleton Bay..."
"It's okay to admit you're pining for her!"
"Mum she only just left..."
"It doesn't make you any less of a man to miss a young woman you're fond of!" Ash was enjoying this immensely, especially since their mum hadn't interrogated him about Erin yet. Let Dex take all the heat, this was fun! He was squirming really good right now!
"Mum, seriously, Lainie is my friend..."
"Who you're in love with!" She nodded with a knowing look on her face.
"Are you gonna let me finish a sentence without interrupting?" He gave her the eyebrow, a little habit he inherited from her.
"I notice you didn't deny that you're in love with her!"
"Ho ho this is pure gold!" Ashton laughed and slapped his thigh.
"Hush, I'll get to you in a minute Ashton James Maloney!" Ashton gulped and the colour drained from his face, he was not laughing now...but Dexter was!
"Quick mum, go get some Aloe Vera, I think Ashton might blister from your buuuuuurn!" Little shit, he was gonna pay for that!
"Enough both of you! Dexter, you're in love with Lainie and I think you know it! Ashton, call Erin for pity's sake and say you're sorry! Pair of dumb asses! I didn't raise you to be pussies!" Both Ash and Dex sat gaping at their mother.
"Honestly, all I ever wanted was two happy young men with good young women and a handful of grandbabies, and what do I get? Eunuchs!" Avril muttered away to herself as she left the boys in the living room.
Looking at each other, shocked at their mother's outburst although knowing she was right, neither Ashton or Dexter were in the mood for cookies anymore!
Lainie and Roxy had settled in one of the spare rooms and when they eventually went downstairs, they were met by a barrage of questions from Sadie Robertson, Lainie's mother. "So Roxanne, how is rock star life?"
"Mrs R, I'm hardly a rock star!"
"Yes you are, she is! Did she tell you they've signed with Gryffin Records?" Roxy was so thrilled to hear her best friend talking her up, she sounded so proud too.
"No, Roxanne that's wonderful!"
"Pfft!" The noise came from the other side of the room, Olivia Robertson sneered in their direction.
"Something to say Liv?" Sadie looked over at her eldest daughter with an interrogative stare.
"Olivia, that is an awful thing to say! Roxanne is not fat, go away! You're souring the mood again! Why did you even come home?" Sadie scrunched up her nose and squeezed her eyes shut in disapproval of her.
"Gee I dunno, free food? I'm gone, I think I'll split before you get to little stinky monkey butt and her tales of the greasy spoon!" Sadie let out a frustrated sigh as Liv left the room.
"I am so sorry about that girls, she's been moody since she got here! I told her to stay in San Myshuno with Brian but she just..."
"Wait!" Lainie interrupted, "Brian? As in Brian Swift? He's her boyfriend?"
"Well, yes..." Sadie blinked as Lainie laughed bitterly.
"He's the guy that liked me in high school, the one she was caught with behind the gym during the Christmas dance?"
"Ohhhhhh!" Both Roxy and Lainie's mother looked at each other with realisation. Every boy that took an interest in Lainie through her teens, Liv stole for herself! The last one being Brian Swift, he was a couple of years older than Lainie and a couple of years younger than Liv.
"Well they had a falling out and she appeared last night, as much as I love having both my girls here for Christmas, Liv isn't really known for playing nice!"
"Oh well mum, never mind, maybe she'll defrost over the next couple of days. It might be alright!" Lainie lied, when Liv was in one of her moods it was never going to be alright! Now she was dreading this Christmas, no Dexy and her twisted sister...joy!
Matthew sat perusing the room service menu, he had lied to his house mates, he wasn't going home. He'd checked into a cute little hotel in Sulani, he'd also lied to his parents that he was staying with Roxy for Christmas, he'd lied a lot, he told his mother she was his fiancee...
...he told his father he was far too busy to come home. He'd stay here in Sulani, it was warm and picturesque despite the rain storm, and Lainie had sold the place to him when she described her time here. He texted Roxy, lying again that he was going out for Christmas Eve drinks with his father.
He was getting good at lying, and that worried him! But all of these lies were necessary, because he couldn't face the truth right now!
Dexter was going through his phone that night to check if he had Lainie's number, he wanted so badly to contact her. As he was scrolling through old text messages, he noticed that he did indeed have her number, she was under freckles. Going back a month he was both shocked and aroused to come across what looked like a sexting exchange between them. The stuff they had said, hot! "ASHTOOOOON!"
"What?" Ash appeared looking grumpy.
"Ash, did you know Lainie and I had text sex?"
"You what now?" He squinted, "Are you high?"
"No, I...whoa it's intense!" Dexter's cheeks flushed and he clasped his phone to his chest.
"I did not know this, how...why...how?"
"No idea but she calls me Roky and I call her Cookie? What's that all about?" Ashton's eyes grew wide and he gasped,
"OHHHHHHHHHH!"
"What?"
"It was HER?"
"What was her?" Dexter was growing impatient, having memory loss sucked, especially losing his memory of this x rated exchange!
Ash needed to sit down for this, "Okay so you met someone called CookieGurl on the band forum and you struck up a, er, thing! You never knew who she was and you never met her, she kept making up excuses about how she couldn't meet up with you and eventually you told her sayonara because you were just done with it! There was also this whole thing about you not telling her who you were either, she was kinda freaked when she found out you were the lead singer!"
"The last text says, please come home I miss you freckles-slash-cookiegurl! Whoa, was Lainie Cookiegurl?"
"Apparently, I'm just finding this out now too!" Ash shrugged, sly little Lainie, she was a dark horse!
"This is so...God she didn't know, what the hell happened?"
"I dunno, like I said you broke it off and we never heard another thing about it. That was right around the time Alex was giving her some kind of grief and she went to her mum's to avoid him..."
"...but he turned up there and took Lainie to Sulani to sort things out! Ugh, the fucker!"
"I'm so confused Ash!" Dexter shook his head, he wanted even more to text Lainie and find out what was going on. He wanted to text Hey CookieGurl, this is Born2Rok, were we in love?
"So I guess you did keep something from me then huh?" Ash broke into his thoughts, and he looked hurt.
"Ashy, I am so overwhelmed right now and I cannot apologise for something I do not understand okay? I love you, I must have had my reasons, so please don't be mad at me?" Ash softened and ruffled his hair.
"I'm not mad baby bro, just...kinda bummed you didn't tell me. But I know you, and I know you would have a reason you're right."
As he stood up, Dexter's thumb hovered over the send button, he'd typed what he wanted to say, he just didn't have the guts to send it out there to her. Ash looked at his phone and his thumb wiggling back and forth, suddenly he pressed it for him as Dex yelled "SHIT ASH WHAT DID YOU DO???"
"I dunno but we're gonna find out!" He snickered, and left him alone with a ticking bomb in his hands.
Lainie was ready for bed as she checked her phone and saw she had a text, from Dexy! "Oh my Goooooooooodddddddd!!!" She began to hyperventilate as Roxy grunted at her.
"What? Lain?"
Lainie showed Roxy her phone through chants of "Ohmygodohmygod!"
"Roxanne, it's Dexy he...look!" Roxy read the text and laughed uncontrollably. "What the fuck Roxanne? This is not funny!"
"Oh but it is!" She chuckled.
Roxy took another look at the text, "WHOOOOOOOAAAAAA! Baby girl you are in there! Whooooo!"
"No Roxanne, this is bad I don't want to go over that again, he hated me remember?"
"Well, we just...glaze over a few things, it's cool Lain, Maloney wants you so bad right now!" The grin on Roxy's face lit up the room as Lainie felt sick.
Over an hour later she lay in bed, unsettled while Roxy's heavy breathing could be heard next to her in the other bed. She hadn't replied, she had no idea what to say! She knew there was only one answer she could give him, it would cause multiple problems but she had to be honest, she owed him that...
...she gave Dexter Maloney the only answer that he truly deserved....
...and what he made of it, would soon come to light and possibly change everything...again!
To Be Continued...
I wonder what Dexter will make of Lainie's reply? He's certainly a more confident Dexy, someone who knows what he wants and is willing to work to get it...it being Lainie! But what of Alex? Next chapter it is the new year and the slate is wiped clean, how do they all move on from here?
Anyway Merry Christmas to those who read this, and Happy New Year when it comes!
x Linda Jane x
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