Sugar

Chapter 5

Kevin sat in his office for five minutes, staring at the wall, when his phone rang. He stared at it for a few seconds before picking it up.

"Felds." He answered

"It's Ma," Natalie said

"Hey, Ma, what can I do for you?" Kevin asked

"What happened with your physical therapist? Did she call?"

Kevin sighed. He was waiting for the call, but his leg was bothering him again, and he was worried that he might have to have another surgery.

"Kevin?" Natalie called out.

"No. I'm waiting for a callback." Kevin said

"Do you think they'll clear you to be active again?" Natalie said

"I'm hoping they do. I know I'm a captain, but I love being in the field," Kevin said

"Any more pains?" Natalie asked

"I'm not having pains today." Kevin lied, clearing his throat.

"You're lying. I can tell you always clear your throat when you lie." Natalie shook her head. "You promised you wouldn't lie. Now, how bad is the pain? Scale it one through ten."

"Four. It's not that bad. I need a few pain..." Kevin stopped hearing the beeping on the other end. He looked at the screen and sighed. "Hey, Ma, I have to get this; this is the physical therapist."

"Okay, tell me what they say," Natalie said.

"I got it, Ma." Kevin hung up and quickly answered the other call.

***

Sugar looked up at Kevin's office. He was not listening to what Victor was saying in front of her.

"Do you think I should get a tattoo on your face?" Victor asked

"Sure. Sure." Sugar said, still distracted

"Big one right on my chest." She didn't look at him; she just nodded.

"Uh-huh."

"Will you marry me?" Victor asked

"What? No, I'm sorry I wasn't listening. What did you say?" Sugar asked

"Nothing. What's got you so distracted anyway?"

"My brother. I think something's going on with him." Sugar's brow furrowed

"I'm sure he'll tell you when the time is right," Victor said softly

"You're right." Sugar sighed. "Yeah, he'll tell me when he's ready."

Victor looked about, ready to say something, when his phone rang.

"Petrov," Victor spoke into his phone.

"Darling, it's Mommy." Frida Roderick Victor's estranged mother said into the receiver.

Victor stood there stunned. He hadn't heard from his mother in ten months. She always disappeared and then came back with a new man. That had happened since childhood; he would wake up with a note on the fridge saying I'll be back in a few days. Days would pass, then weeks, then months. And she would waltz back into the house hanging from a man's arm, each time a different man. His father came back from war and wound up keeping him full-time. But he'd still get the occasional call from his mother, which always shocked him.

Sugar stared at Victor, watching as his phone was about to drop from his hand, so she took it.

"Hello, this is Sugar Havana. May I ask who's speaking?" Sugar said

"Well, this is interesting. I'm Frida Roderick Victor's mother. Are you his girlfriend?" the woman on the other end asked

Sugar raised her eyebrows. "I'm his partner."

"Well, I was calling to see if my son would like to have dinner with me and my new boyfriend, Greg. Now that I hear he has a girlfriend, you can come too. I've never met one of Victor's girlfriends." Frida chuckled softly. Sugar stood silent for a minute as she watched Victor's eye twitch. "Hello, Sugar?"

"I'm sorry, I'm excited. He doesn't talk about you much. We'd love to meet you for dinner; text me the time and place." Sugar said, giving Frida her number.

"Okay, see you then, Sugar."

"I look forward to it."

They hung up.

Victor stood there, eye twitching and growling.

"Did she ask you if you were my girlfriend?" Victor asked, trying to calm himself down.

"Yes. But I told her I was your partner." Sugar stated.

"Now she thinks that you are my girlfriend," Victor growled.

Sugar flicked his nose. "But to be fair, I didn't say girlfriend. So, it was her assumption. So stop growling at me."

Victor chuckled.

"I guess you're right, but if she asks me what kind of partners we are, I'm telling her the truth," Victor said

"Deal. Well, it's late, and I'm going home. I'll see you tomorrow." Sugar smiled softly

"Yeah, tomorrow." Victor sighed

***

Sugar gathered her belongings and headed to her car. She was getting the key out when she heard yelling.

"Wait. Wait." Victor called out.

She stopped before opening her car door.

"What is it? Are you okay?" Sugar asked, touching his hunched back.

"Man, you walk fast. We should grab a drink and get to know each other," Victor said, taking a deep breath.

"Why? So I can drink you under the table and have you say I r***d you again."

"No, I know you agreed for us to have dinner with my mom and her new boyfriend, and she's going to question you about everything: job, likes and dislikes, and past s****l partners. Everything." Victor said

"Why?" Sugar was confused until she saw his guilty face. "You used to do it to her boyfriends," she stated.

"Yeah. So drinks?" Victor asked

"Um, yeah, but you can have iced tea so you don't get too drunk." Sugar laughed

"Shut up. Let's take my car." Victor smirked

"But mine is right here. So close." Sugar whined as Victor grabbed her arm and dragged her to his car two feet away.

"See, my car wasn't too far." Sugar got in, groaning.

"Mine was closer." Sugar said Victor just looked at her. "What it was."

"Shut up." Victor chuckled

Sugar gasped as they pulled into the bar.

"You have a nice laugh. Don't tell me to shut up again; take the compliment, " she said, getting out of the car. Victor shook his head but got out as well.

When they walked in, everyone turned and stared, with a few scowls and a lot of grins. Victor led the way to the booths, and before Sugar could sit, she felt someone behind her. She stopped walking and turned, watching his hand move up past her waist and her chest to her face. But before he could touch her face with both hands, she grabbed one of his hands and bent it back.

"What in the world possessed you to touch my face?" Sugar asked

"You're so beautiful I wanted a kiss." the man said

"Doesn't make it right. I'm going to let go now, and you'll walk away. Understood?"

Sugar waited for an answer, but the man stood silent, so she pushed back a little further.

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Okay, I'll walk away." he said

"Good."

Sugar let go and sat down.

"Wow, you're badass," Victor said

"Just because I have a sweet name and act like a sweetheart doesn't mean I'm made of Sugar Vic." Sugar smiled

"Ah, the nickname is back," Victor asked

"I don't care if you don't like it because it is here to stay. Just don't piss me off anymore." Sugar said

"I will try not to."

"What's your favorite color?" Sugar asked

"Navy denim blue," Victor said as a waitress placed two bottles in front of them.

"That's an interesting color." She sipped her beer, spitting it back out. "This is root beer. Did you order root beer?"

"I didn't order anything." Victor covered his mouth to hide his laugh, but that did not help, so he cleared his throat twice.

Sugar lifted her hand in the air. The waitress appeared with a goofy smile, and Sugar recognized her.

"Hi, Missy, can I get a beer?" She asked

"Sorry, Miss Havana, it's National Root Beer Day. That's all we're serving." Missy Colburn said

"I'll talk to your mother; she will understand I need a beer." Sugar said

"She's out today. So I'm in charge." Missy smirked

"Damn."

Victor laughed out loud this time.

"It's not funny, Victor. I need alcohol." Sugar sighed

"I can get you some wine," Missy said

"I don't like wine." Sugar whined.

"Tequila?"

"Yes!" Sugar cheered

"No," Victor roared.

Sugar sighed. "Fine. Root beer it is."

Missy walked away.

"So what's your favorite animal?" Sugar said, popping a peanut into her mouth.

"Don't laugh. But I love dragons. But if I had to choose another real animal, it would be a cat." Victor said

"I love dragons; I think they were real back in the day. I didn't think bears were into cats." Sugar said

"Not all cats," Victor said