Out Of Bounds (Balls To The Walls) (6 page)

Time to get this over with. Time to face the music. This will be awkward. I’m hoping not too awkward.

I bent to give my wide-eyed stunned sister a kiss on the cheek. She smelled like our Mom. Maybe I had imagined that scent. Weird. I took a seat and watched Karen’s eyes as they battered and bruised me.

“Hi sis.” I couldn’t help but to grin.

“Mason Lorenzo.” Her mouth hung slightly ajar. She was surprised to see me; confused too, I’m quite sure of it.

“I love you Karen.” I decided to start off with endearments, butter her up. 

“What is going on?” Karen’s eyes landed on my new beautiful wife. “Kari.”

“A few things.” Kari shyly added. She’s not shy. So why is she acting?

“Obviously, what are the few friggin’ things?” Karen charged us with her mouth, which is better than being charged with the little baby prostitute gun she keeps in her purse.

“Well Karen--”
Kari decided to make a dramatic pause as she swiftly pulled her hand from under the table and displayed her wedding ring. “This.” Kari summed up everything in a single word and a single hand gesture. It reminded me of the first ring I had given to Kari. We were at her place in her kitchen. Her words were
Bling! Bling! Bitches!
If I remember that joyous day correctly.

Karen’s eyes shot over to me and then back to Kari. “That’s a wedding ring.” Karen’s forehead wrinkled. I wasn’t the only one aging in the family. 

“Sis, don’t hurt yourself thinking to hard.” I joked. “We got married in Vegas.”

“Get the fuck out of here.” Karen waved her hand out and shooed us away.

I chuckled. “You know how much I love Kari. So we did it. I made her my ball and chain.”

“Kari, seriously did you marry my friggin’ brother?”

“Yes mam, I did.” Kari was grinning widely.

“This is not a joke.” Karen snipped.

“No really, I’m married to Mason.” Kari smiled and my sister grabbed Kari’s hand and inspected the diamond carefully.

“You two are both friggin’crazy. I can’t friggin’ believe this.”

“Karen, I’m crazy insane about Kari, Hannibal Lector crazy.”

“Joe Carroll.” Kari joked.

“Norman Bates.” I added. 

“Patrick Bateman.” Kari upped the ante and added a new guy.

“Who the fuck is Patrick Bateman?” Karen asked.

“Christian Bale,
American Psycho
. Baby that was a really good one.” I blushed.

“I know. He’s sexy, has muscles and he loves eighties music just like you.” She beamed. I leaned over and give her a deep kiss on her lips. My wife knows me so well.

Karen gawked in our direction in sheer amazement. “You two are friggin’ meant for each other. Two weird crazy people.”

“Yeah, you know that. We are crazy about each other.”

“So Kari you’re cool with this?” Karen asked my blushing bride and killed the mood.

“Yeah she’s cool.”
I answered.

“Mason, I’m not talking to you.” She rolled her eyes at me and sneered.

“Mrs. Palazzo, I love Mason. Everything is cool.”

“Kari, welcome to the family. I’m glad you married my brother. He needs a kick in the ass from time to time. I hope you have your kick ass boots laced up tight.”

“I do. I will keep Mason in line.” Kari reached over and squeezed my bicep. My cock got hard. Her touch does that to me.

“I’m happy you’re back safe and sound.” Karen glared at me but was talking to my new wife.

“I’m okay. I needed time to think.” Kari said.

Karen pressed her lips together. “Mason helped you to think.”

“Yes.” Kari smiled widely and looked over at me. “I love your brother.”

“He didn’t brainwash you?”

“Yes of course he did.” Kari giggled. “I’m a part of his cult. I belong to the church of Mason Rizza and Latter Day Saintly Witnesses.”

“I see, so finally I get a normal sister-in-law.”

“You get a sister-in-law and a friend.” My wife said exactly what my sister needed to hear.

Karen raised Kari’s hand and she took a closer look at the huge rock. “This is real nice.”

“Mason was very generous when he picked this ring.”

“Yes obviously.” Karen become silent as she took it all in. I couldn’t figure out what she was thinking but I’m sure she thought we were crazy.

“Tomorrow I meet my new mother-in-law.” I was trying to keep the conversation going

“He’s never met your mother and now you’re married?”

“She’s seen him at the ball park.” Kari added, I’m sure to make me feel better.

“Yeah we shared a few sentences but that was it.” Mrs. Fenderson is going to love me. Everybody loves me.

“Mason, Mason Mason, does Tess know about this?” Karen waved her hand across the table.

Just then our waitress appeared. She was a gangly young black girl that resembled Venus Williams. She was new. I could tell. She seemed a little nervous and unsure of herself.

We all placed our orders and waited for Venus to scurry away. I opted out of ordering alcohol but my sister ordered a margarita. She didn’t seem to notice that we had elected against ordering booze. I think she was distracted by the rock on Kari’s finger and our joyous news.

“So, does Tess know?” Karen was eager to hear the gossip.

“Yeah. I told Tess.”

“Did she friggin’ flip?” Karen leaned into the table.

“Ah, she wasn’t happy but its just reality.”

“No shit. I can’t even believe it so Tess must be shocked as shit.”

“Well probably but we’re divorced so I mean this was going to happen eventually. People move on with their lives. You and your husband have an understanding so everything runs smoothly. You have a love that’s been going strong for years.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said.”

Karen squinted her icy blue eyes at me. “Kari did Mason tell you I’m bisexual.”

Jesus sis. “Karen I never told her that.”

“Well you were just talking in your friggin’ Rizza riddles so
I assumed you had blabbed.”

“No, Karen I’m not the blabbermouth brother. I never said a word.” I looked for my wife to back
me up. “Kari did I tell you?”

“No he didn’t. This is the first time I’m hearing about it.”

“Karen Christ, what makes you think I go around discussing your sexuality?”

“Mason please spare me. You have a vicious mouth and you say things to hurt people all the time. You’re a hot head, Mafia Mason.” Karen smacked her lips at me.

“That’s the old Mason. I’m trying to be a better man.” Being a better man is a hard thing to do. It’s hard as my cock when I see Kari step out the shower but I am trying. I’m a work in progress. I didn’t smash Jack’s face in when I went to see him and I think that should count for something.

“I have to see this new Mason.”

“Karen honestly I don’t think Kari cares that your husband let’s you sleep with girls.”

“Mason you are still a smart ass.”

“Seriously no one cares that you’re a carpet muncher, a muff diver, a vagitarian.”

“You are such an ass.”

I turned to Kari. “It’s a little family secret. Mike doesn’t know, RJ doesn’t know but I know. Kari can keep a secret, right Kari?” I smiled at my wife and she returned it with a smile that rivaled mine.

My wife is beautiful. I hit the jackpot with her. Maybe not the jackpot, I hate to use the word jack. I have to erase the word jack from my dialect. I hit the lottery when I landed such a fine woman. I bent over and give Kari a kiss on this lips that she wholly accepted. Her lips tasted sweet and fruity, like raspberry chapstick. I love this woman.

Karen cleared her throat and snapped me back into the reality that Kari and I weren’t alone. We were in a crowded restaurant.

“Sorry we’re newlyweds.” I replied to my sis.

“You guys are supposed to be together.”

“We are.” I stated what I knew to be true.

“Mason I’m glad you finally found someone that makes you happy. I know you tried to hide it but I know you have been unhappy for years. It’s nice to see you two finally together.”

I looked over at my wife and I could see her emotions starting to get the better of her. I took her hand in mine.

“So are you guys going to have kids now or are you going to wait?”

Why the hell hadn’t I anticipated that question? I was off my game. I looked at Kari because I was stumped. Was I supposed to say something or keep silent?

“Karen, I’m pregnant.” My wife blurted out what I believed we were going to keep to ourselves.

“You’re pregnant?” Karen glared over at me for confirmation.

“Yeah, we’re pregnant.” I gave her confirmation.

“Shit, did you get pregnant on your wedding night?”

“Probably.” Kari answered. “I’m still very early so we’re not telling anyone until I’m in my second trimester. I just want to be cautious.”

“Of course I understand. I won’t say a word. Congratulations, Christ brother you work fast.”

“Well we got to have kids when we still have a little energy left in us.”

“Kari, you better be careful. I believe my brother wants to start his own band.”

“Funny sis.”

There was laughter and conversation. This night was good. It was really good for Kari and me. There was a distance between us
that was created by that bastard Jack but tonight it had vanished. I had almost forgot that my wife was possibly carrying another man’s baby. We were in a good place at this moment and if I could bottle this moment up and preserve it forever I would do just that. The reality is that tomorrow life will certainly go back to the way it was, a controlled mess.

After dinner my wife and I went home. We made love. I was gentle and passionate. I was patient and I treated her like my black princess.
Kari fell asleep in my arms. I slept sound for a change, not the usual tossing and turning I had grown accustomed to. For this one night I had let go of all the things I was feeling about this fucked up situation. This is how I could fall into a deep sleep.

CHAPTER 6

MASON

Last night I had crossed one person off my list, Karen. But I had a long ass list. Today I was Ben Stiller and I was going to meet the parents. Trey was at his Uncle Mark’s house. We were going to pick up my stepson and I was going to meet my brother-in-law.

Then we were going to go by Kari’s mother’s house. This is going to prove to be an exciting day for me.

I had never officially met Kari’s brother but I had seen him at the Annerino ballpark a few times. We had exchanged head nods and hellos. Mark made me feel uneasy back at the ballpark. It wasn’t his fault or anything he had done. I was sleeping with Kari and befriending her brother seemed like the wrong thing to do.

I respected Kari’s
brother because he showed up to more than a few of Trey’s baseball games even though he had an infant child of his own. Trey is a good kid so I could see his Uncle was trying to fill in where Trey’s deadbeat dad failed. Lamar is just another of Kari’s exes that I despise. I would love to punch Lamar in the mouth.

Kari and I made it to her brother’s place.
I was greeted at the door with a firm handshake. Kari was quick with her introductions after she hugged her brother and his wife. I recognized the wife from the ballpark. Her hair was a little shorter than before. Mark’s wife was a dark chocolate color and extremely attractive black woman so it was hard not to notice her. She was just as beautiful as my Kari but in a completely opposite way.

The living room was neat clean and mostly brown and tan in color. The laminate flooring was a light color that was only upstaged by the white walls. There were family pictures everywhere. Most of the pictures were of their one-year old son Kari’s nephew Carter. Maybe he’s two now.

After the introductions the ladies vanished to the kitchen. Now I was left alone with Kari’s brother. Mark was shorter than I remember but he was a buff dude like me. He hit the weights but he wasn’t ridiculous with it. I remember that he was the NAGA fighting champion a year ago, I think. In order to fight in any MMA style match you can’t be too bulky. You have to remain agile and too much muscle will slow you down.

“Let’s go downstairs.” He said and I followed him down the hall to the door that lead to the basement. Is he taking me down here to beat the crap out of me? Why do I always think such dumb shit?

We took the stairs down to what can be best described as a man cave. The entire room was decorated in all things Chicago Sports team related. There were framed posters of Michael Jordan and Walter Payton. I instantly feel in love with this guy. Once again I hit the lottery. I got the best brother-in-law ever. There was no way in hell we wouldn’t get along.

The huge flat screen television was tuned into a Mixed Martial Arts fight. Mark took a seat on the couch and that was my cue to sit. I sat on the loveseat that was in front of a huge green Chicago Bears astro-tuff rug. When I sat my feet landed right on the thirty-yard line.