Fairy Rings

13. The Jay Bird

The morning came so quickly that Navaeha didn't want to wake up. Her pleasant dreams of a tall, slightly tan man with inky black hair whose arms were tightly woven around her on a beach with waves lapping at the shore. Gentle hands brushed through her rebellious tangles, and a gentle voice whispered to her. "Navaeha, darling. It's time to get up. We're stopping for breakfast in a little bit, and I'd appreciate it if your father doesn't think you were missing when he wakes up ." Grumbling softly to herself, she wrapped her arms around the broad frame she had slept on and buried her face in more, eliciting a grumble from her warm pillow. Her nose and lips had brushed against something warmer and much softer than the rough sweats she had slumbered on all morning.

"But what if I don't want to get up." Her protesting whispers were met with a nervous laugh.

"I'd rather not be skinned alive." More fingers ran through her hair. Groaning and whining more, Navaeha rubbed her tired eyes and sat up. You don't think he'd really panic, do you? Not once he saw me in the front seat with my head in your lap. . . she thought out loud with a yawn and a stretch. "That's exactly why I would like to get rid of my little problem before he wakes up." Adjusting his pants, Ambrosia's red cheeks matched hers as he noticed her eyes following his hands. Woah. . . that's-. Ambrosia covered up with a little bit of her blanket before facing her. "Seen something you like?" Her eyes got wide; how terribly embarrassing! Covering her mouth with her hand, she stared at him. She was going to have to stop this thinking-out-loud business! Especially since it was already getting her into problematic situations. . . not that she didn't want him to lean in and kiss her, maybe pin her against a wall and devour her.

"I'm so sorry." Her eyes averted his confused gaze.

"Don't be. It's not like it's a bad problem. Just one I have to fix; it doesn't help that you're sitting there ogling me." As she turned back to him, he flashed a flirtatious smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief. In a split second, he suddenly jerked the steering wheel hard, causing the car to hit a large and deep pothole on the road. The impact jolted the vehicle, sending the passengers bouncing in their seats. "It's a very welcome problem." Snorting and a bit of coughing came from the back seat, causing both of them to settle into their seats. "Think of it as a compliment."

The backseat of the car was silent again until the large man, who had been dozing off, stirred awake. His movements were slow and deliberate as he stretched his arms high over his head, letting out a deep sigh. His voice was low and gravelly as he spoke, his eyes still heavy with sleep. He rubbed his eyes briefly before finally sitting straight, fully awake and alert. "Coffee." Ciaran groaned, his head pounding. Squinting hard at Navaeha, he groaned some more. Is he already having her sit with him? Did something happen while I was out? "Why haven't we stopped yet?"

"We're stopping at a place up ahead." Only now did Navaeha look around. The cafe that they had been meeting at recently slowly rolled on by, and the box truck was nowhere to be seen.

"Where are we, Mutt?" Taking the half bottle of liquor out of the ice chest, he popped the cap off before taking a few good swigs and wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt.

"You agreed to come here last night. Navaeha gave me the directions." Ambrosia gave Navaeha another wink before turning the car into the Jay Bird parking lot.

The Jay Bird was just like any other breakfast stop; it had coffee, it had breakfast items like scones and croissants, but the thing that made it special was a large dish called Monster Mash consisting of eight eggs, 10 slices of bacon, a mountain of unlimited pancakes and a heaping dollop of mashed potatoes. Her father gave another groan as he spotted the mascot on the sign; it was a cringy blue bird with a humanlike appearance. "Why did I agree to this? I like it when Samantha makes my coffee. . . she puts just the right amount of scotch in it." As soon as the car came to a stop, Ciaran let out a loud, grating whine that sounded like a child throwing a tantrum. He made a big show of getting out of the car, slamming the door behind him, and marching towards the entrance with exaggerated steps. His face was twisted in a scowl that made him look much younger than his age, and he seemed determined to make his displeasure known to everyone around him.

Gawking in the front seat, Navaeha looked to Ambrosia for an answer. On the other hand, he did not act like a child; he opened his door calmly and walked over to hers to collect her. Still sporting a problem that was ever so much clearer in the awkward-fitting sweats. "He's a high functioning alcoholic. . . when he's drinking, but when he's not. Well, you're seeing the fit. I just hope the little he drank before storming off did the trick." With a mix of hesitation and curiosity, Navaeha cautiously reached out and took his hand, feeling the warmth and security of his touch. Together, they walked towards the door, where he graciously opened it for her and a friendly elderly couple who happened to be passing by. As they stepped out into the fresh air, the couple couldn't resist commenting on how adorable the two looked together - a sweet and unexpected compliment that brought a smile to both their faces.

A friendly waitress who had sat Ciaran down at a table came by, a forced smile on her face. "Are you with the kind gentleman?" Her mood lightened when she realized who her new customers were. "Oh! You two again, how are you doing today?"

"Out with the father, if at all possible, sit us away from him a little bit." Navaeha motioned towards Ciaran with a smug expression.

"Oh, I'm sorry, honey. Let's get you seated at the VIP." Watching the confusion, she explained more. "Our VIP is for our university students, and you are in here a lot, so the owner started a VIP section. Here, follow me." Leading them to a back room filled with other students, she sat them at a table, gave Navaeha a knowing look, and left to tend to her father.

"He won't be too pleased about this, but when is he ever pleased?" Ambrosia murmured. Flipping through the menu, he settled on a plate of chicken and vegetables. Snickering came from another table, far across the room, but Navaeha didn't mind it.

"Why did you stop here?" Navaeha asked. He placed his open hand on the table and smiled at her when she took it.

"Must you question all my actions?" Caressing her fingers, he paid extra attention to her wrist and forearm. His hands gliding across her skin made her shutter. "I'm not a bad man."

"Navaeha?" A squeal came from the corner. Glancing up, Navaeha found arms wrapped around her shoulders that dragged her away from the table. "Navaeha! Where were you? I looked—humph!" A mighty fist crashed against the intruders face, sending him out into the restaurant. Their server rushed back to stop the commotion.

"Tom, isn't it?" Ambrosia rubbed his fist. "You're lucky we're in the presence of a little lady, or I'd have done a lot worse." Picking Tom off the floor, Ambrosia helped him back into the room before giving him a pat on the back, grabbing his shoulder, and whispering, "Touch my little lady again, and I'll kill you."

Sending him back to his table, Ambrosia quickly checked on his lovely little lady. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Her voice was low, tears welled in her eyes. Ambrosia's hand was quick to wipe them away.

"Oh, don't cry, sweetheart. That garbage won't touch you again."

"Are you two alright? I didn't see what he did, but I know enough of what he's done to be able to piece it together." The waitress asked as she sat coffee on the table, "Is there anything I can do? I can kick them out."

"I don't think he will retaliate. That hit might have knocked some sense into him." Ambrosia thanked her for the drinks before giving her their usual order and returning his full attention to Navaeha. "What on earth got into him, do you think?" Taking his seat, he sipped the hot, bitter coffee.

"Last night, I might have called him before I tried to escape. I thought it was a prank because his girlfriend cornered me in my apartment and told me she had a surprise for me when I got back home." Navaeha sighed, "I didn't call him for help. I called him to yell at him so he would possibly leave me alone."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ambrosia glared at the table Tom sat at with his girlfriend. She was barking at him for what he had done. "I thought long and hard about sneaking into your room. Maybe if I had, then you would have gone peacefully. I'd have still found reasons to kill those idiots, though."

"That's comforting." As she sat there, she started twisting her silverware into the table, looking uncomfortable. Her phone was no doubt buzzing incessantly. Soon, their food arrived, and she found the pancakes to be delightful. By the time they finished eating, Tom was walking over again; this time, he was accompanied by his girlfriend.

"Hey. I just wanted my boyfriend to apologize for his pigheaded behavior." Her sickly, sweet voice chimed. Tom's mouth gaped, as did Navaeha's.

"Thank you for the apology. It is not accepted." Ambrosia took a sip of his coffee. The tension quickly rose as he stared at her shocked expression. "Oh, I guess you'd like me to apologize too." With a loud clank that echoed through the room, he carelessly placed the coffee cup on the table and stood up, towering over the two of them. His sour expression sent a clear message of displeasure, and his imposing figure made it clear that he meant business. "I'm sorry for not kicking his ass more; I'm also sorry for not doing it a few months ago when you two started harassing my little lady." Stunned, Tom ushered his girlfriend out of the restaurant before either party could say any more. The waitress soon came over with a check, which was paid before they returned to her father, who was sitting happily before a sizeable empty plate and an empty gravy bowl.

"Ready to go?" Navaeha asked.

"I believe so." Ciaran slowly got up from his chair and made his way out the door to the car; the two followed him closely. Ambrosia placed Navaeha in her seat and then took his own. They spent the day driving for hours, stopping at restaurants that served alcohol, and then continuing to drive to make it home on time. However, Navaeha soon grew tired of the long journey ahead of them. Her father was snoring in the backseat as if he was in a coma, while Ambrosia kept his eyes on the road instead of paying attention to Navaeha's sweet fingers. Breaking the ever-long silence, Ambrosia startled her.

"When we get there, you need to be careful. Your father is a lot darker than this, and you need to have some manners," he told her. Manners and behavior worse than what she'd seen already? She groaned, bowing her head in disdain. "My little lady, don't protest. I know, but I'm telling you this because we will be at the house by early morning."

"How much worse will it be?"

"For starters, I can't be happy-go-lucky there. I actually have work to do, and I can't kill everyone who opposes you." He quickly added, "But I will never leave your side. A promise is a promise." As he sat driving, Ambrosia couldn't help but notice the deafening snores emanating from the backseat. The rhythmic and consistent sound was almost mesmerizing, he found his mind wandering aimlessly. His imagination took over as he visualized all the things he could encounter behind the closed doors of Navaeha's room. The possibilities seemed endless, and he couldn't wait to explore them all.