Why Romeo Hates Juliet (43 page)

They were like two teenagers making out in the back seat of a parked car - frantic, clumsy, desperate, raw and fun.

“Where’s - the condom?” she asked, and then saw it beside him on the couch cushion. She grabbed it and tore the packet open. She slowly put it on him as he watched her. She saw the beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead as he moaned at the pleasure of her hands touching his penis.

Juliet straddled him quickly and as he sat still on the couch, she lowered herself onto his erection, feeling like she was absorbing him into her, body and soul. Her wetness completely surrounded him and she threw her head back with pleasure as his hot hands circled her hips. Feeling wild and free, Juliet began to circle her hips on him as she squeezed and released her powerful muscles around his hardness.

Romeo moaned then and half closed his eyes at the exquisite sensations he was feeling from her, and when she arched her back and began to ride him, he lost it and exploded inside her. Within seconds, he felt Juliet release too, as her muscles began to rhythmically contract, milking every last drop out of him. He heard a moan of ecstasy escape her sweet lips, as he watched her take her own pleasure and his breathing was still heavy even though his own climax was subsiding.

“If this is makeup sex - remind me to fight with you more often…” he choked out, as he gasped for air.

Juliet half-smiled at him as she came back down to earth herself. “Did that make up for losing out on Rosie’s stripper show?”

“Oh yeah…” was all that a satisfied and worn-out Romeo could mutter.

~ ~ ~

The next morning, Romeo had suggested they take a stroll together along the beach. He had a strong arm around Juliet’s shoulders as they trudged through the sand not too far from the water’s edge. The weather was balmy and the ocean breeze gently cooled their bodies made warm by the sun.

He looked down at his wife’s bent head ensconced in the crook of his arm. It was time to put his little plan about her fear of the water into action and see what her reaction was going to be.

“Juliet?”

“Yes?”

“We need to talk.”

“About what?”

“You know that night when we first made love and I told you about my father - and - and what I did for him when I was a kid?” Juliet’s head immediately bobbed up to look at him as they continued walking along the beach. “What about it?” she asked him, concern suddenly etched in her tone.

“Well, we haven’t really talked about it, but do you want kids?”

His voice sounded shaky and Juliet was worried. “Why? Don’t you?” Where was this coming from, she wondered? Was he trying to tell her that he didn’t really want children? That maybe kids might cramp his Holl ywood lifestyle?

He gave her a tight smile. “I asked you first.”

“Yes, I do want them. Not right now - but maybe in a couple of years. What about you?” She nervously bit her lip, as she anxiously waited for his reply.

Romeo frowned. “I love kids, but…” He let the last word hang like a knife between them as they continued to walk along the beach.

“But what? What are you trying to say to me?”

“Well - it’s just that I don’t want to be like him - like my old man, I mean.” A light bulb of realization hit Juliet. “Romeo, are you saying you’re afraid you’re going to be a terrible father, like yours was to you? Is that it?” He nodded. “Apples don’t fall far from the tree they were grown on, isn’t that how the saying goes?” Juliet stopped walking and turned into his arms. She clasped his face between both of her hands and tenderly looked up at him. “Listen to me, when we have children, you’ll be an amazing dad. You - you’re a wonderful person; you’re kind and patient and full of love. Any kid would be lucky to have you. You are NOT your father, you hear me? I don’t care what kind of apple tree he was, you’re nothing like him.” He sheepishly gazed down at her from his superior height. “Do you think so?”

“I know so.” She raised her lips up to his and gave him a sweet kiss of reassurance. As she pulled away, she heard him mumble a ‘thank you’

under his breath. She smiled at him then. “So what would you like first, a boy or a girl?”

“A little girll- with Madonna eyes like her mother,” he quickly answered, without even thinking about it.

Juliet wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and she felt his hands circle her waist firmly. “Even though we won’t be making babies for a few years, why don’t we go inside and practice some?” she giggled.

“Great idea, but you should do something else first.”

“What?”

“Look where you’re standing.”

Juliet looked down at her feet and saw that she was actually standing in the ocean surf and the water was up to her ankles. She let out a bloodcurdling scream and ran out of the water and out of his arms back to the safety of land. “Oh my God, oh my God…” she kept screaming over and over again, her hands covering her mouth in shock.

What Juliet hadn’t realized was that as they had been talking about Romeo’s fears of being a dad, he’d gently been pushing her closer and closer to the water’s edge, banking on the fact that she was too preoccupied over what they were talking about to notice that she eventually was standing in the water. And their talk hadn’t been a complete ruse either. Romeo had always harbored a deep-seated fear of turning out like his own father and he certainly never wanted to subject any child of his to that sort of toxic environment. It was always in the back of his mind, and in a way, he was relieved to have brought up the subject with her. He felt like a weight had been lifted off of him.

He turned back to his wife, who was still yelling at the top of her lungs.

“What the hell, Romeo? Didn’t you see where we were?” she screamed.

“I saw.”

Juliet paused. “Are you telling me you did it on purpose?”

“Yes, I did because we’re going to deal with this fear of yours together, one way or another. I’m here to help you, Juliet.”

“Not like that you’re not,” she shouted, before turning to march up the beach, back to their house.

He caught up with her in a nanosecond, grabbed her arms and brought her back around to face him. “Listen to me. All I’m asking is that we walk together along the beach in the water, nothing more than that. We can do it several times a day and I’ll be right beside you holding you in my arms. I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”

“No - I can’t…” she whined, as her anger dissipated and was replaced by fear.

“Yes, you can, Juliet. Trust me. I’m strong; look at these muscles…” his eyes twinkled humorously as he showed off a bicep. “I saved you once and I can do it again. Believe in me, that’s all I’m asking.” She didn’t say a word and he could see that she was trying to decide. “I promise, I will protect you no matter what,” he continued to beg.

Juliet’s nervous frown finally morphed into a shy smile. “Will it make you happy?”

“More than you’ll ever know.” His beseeching eyes bore into her, silently pleading.

“Okay… I’ll try - for you, but only an inch of water, no more than that - I mean it, Romeo.” Juliet saw his shoulders lower in relief as his tense body finally relaxed. He put his arm around her and drew her closer to the water’s edge.

“Look, I’ll stay closer to the ocean and you just hang on to me. All I ask is that we walk together in the surf for a while, okay?” She nodded and clung to him like a life jacket, still terrified but willing to try.

As the first of the ocean surf gently touched her feet, Juliet flinched and scooted away, but she came back into his arms and tried again; and again; and again.

And that’s how they spent the rest of their morning - with Juliet trying to get used to the feel of the water, and he with his powerful arms around her to protect her.

~ ~ ~

Romeo’s court date for his drug arrest had been set for that Friday and more paparazzi had arrived on the island for what promised to be another spectacular Holl ywood circus, this time at the Charlottetown courthouse.

Romeo and Juliet had met with his lawyer who’d informed them that he thought that because this was the movie star’s first offense, he would probably only have to pay a $1000 fine and do some community service if he pled guilty. Even though the drugs had belonged to Chase, Romeo had already decided to plead guilty in order to have this entire debacle over with as soon as possible. He was anxious to get back to Los Angeles and introduce his new wife to their life out there, and besides, in his own mind he was guilty - guilty for all of the drugs he’d bought for his father when he was young. This was a way for him to wipe the slate clean for everything he’d done in his sordid past.

He had also spoken to Knox, his agent, who’d told him that he was going to receive a batch of film scripts. It seemed that many of the top ll.A.

producers now wanted Romeo to star in their new projects, and Knox’s phone had been ringing off the hook with offers. Even though the A-lister’s last films had all bombed at the box office, all of the paparazzi press that Romeo had received that summer had generated a great deal of public interest in him and Holl ywood had taken notice. When he’d gotten off the phone with Knox, he’d given Juliet a big kiss and told her how all of her crazy antics had revived his flagging movie career and she’d laughed at that, teasing him that there was probably more to come.

The remaining days leading up to the court date were idyllic. The happy couple had remained at their secluded beach house and not ventured out in public much except for a couple of rehabilitation sessions for Romeo’s shoulder which was now completely healed. They’d also spent their days and nights making love and talking and laughing and enjoying each other.

One morning after his shower, a perplexed Romeo had commented that his wedding ring seemed to be staining his finger a greenish hue and Juliet had guiltily confessed how little she had paid for the cheap bands. He’d laughed at that and promised to buy proper rings and a huge diamond engagement ring for her when they got back to ll.A. - the sky was the limit.

They’d also taken many walks on the beach together and Juliet had grown bold enough to actually walk in the water up to her knees. Romeo was always by her side, of course, and she trusted him with her life. She knew that he’d never allow anything bad to happen, and her faith in him gave her the courage to try to overcome her fears. Ever so slowly and by taking baby steps, it seemed she was doing that.

Sara had called many times and a day rarely went by without the sisters speaking to each other. She had constantly pestered Juliet to tell Romeo about her financial woes, but her big sister had stood firm. She would tell him in a few weeks time after his court date and after things had settled down a bit.

Friday finally came and the paparazzi had followed their Escalade all the way to the courthouse, embarking on a feeding frenzy of photos when the couple emerged from their truck and entered the building.

When Romeo’s case was called to the bench, he’d looked to Juliet first, who was sitting behind him and smiled at her, reassured that her love for him was making him strong enough to face this like a man. He’d then turned back to the judge and pled guilty to all charges of drug possession.

The judge had nodded and pronounced his punishment. Romeo was to pay $1000 in fines and do one month of community service on Prince Edward Island. He was forbidden to leave the island until then, and if he was to leave for any reason, a warrant would immediately be issued for his arrest and he’d be put in jail to serve his sentence there. The judge had then announced that the community service the movie star was to perform was that he was to work for the City of Charlottetown’s Sanitation Dept - as a garbage collector. The court had received a clean Bill of health from Mr. Boyd’s doctor regarding his shoulder and Romeo was to report for duty that Monday morning at 6 a.m. sharp.

The courtroom had burst into laughter as they’d tried to imagine a movie star hauling trash along the streets of the city, and the one who had laughed the loudest was Juliet, who’d tried to suppress her giggles with a hand over her mouth. The only one in the room who hadn’t been laughing was Romeo, who’d turned to his wife then and had given her an ominous look, none too happy at her outburst.

~ ~ ~

At 5:30 on Monday morning, Juliet had packed her husband a lunch and after giving him a resounding kiss of support, had seen him off to his first day on the job. At noon time, she’d gone online to Gossip World’s website and sure enough, there were already many uploaded paparazzi photos of Romeo, dressed in a regulation uniform and hard hat provided by the municipality, walking the city streets behind a garbage truck collecting trash. It seemed the press was having another field day at his expense and it was obvious that the photos had already brought in a lot of money for them.

Later that afternoon, Juliet received a large box that had been delivered to the house by courier. It was from Romeo’s agent and upon opening it, she found twenty film scripts for her husband to read. Knox had also sent copies of five of the major tabloid magazines, including Gossip World, depicting the pictures of their crazy wedding and house fire, all photographed from the helicopters on that fateful date.

When Romeo walked in the door that night, he looked beat. He complained that even his toes were tired, but a deep, welcoming kiss from Juliet certainly seemed to revive him. When he’d seen the scripts on the dining room table, he’d told Juliet that since she was the writer in the family and he had his hands full right now with a ‘real’ job, could she maybe read them and pick out his next movie role? He said that he trusted her instincts and whichever one she picked for him, he’d do.

Juliet had balked at first, not wanting that responsibility, but he’d insisted and she’d finally capitulated to his request. He’d asked then why Knox had sent all of those tabloid magazines too, and she’d proudly announced that they were their ‘wedding album’, the only photos they had of their insane nuptials.

He’d flipped through them then and laughed loudest at the one of him dropping Juliet on her ass in the sand after their wedding kiss when she’d bitten his lip. She’d deserved that, he’d told her, for putting him through that, but in the end he wouldn’t have changed a thing if it meant having her in his arms right now.

* * *

One night over dinner, Juliet announced that she had found his next movie role. It wasn’t his usual action flick, but a sensitive American Civil War drama. His part in the film was only a supporting one but it was good. The story had touched Juliet’s heart and she knew her husband could play it well. Shooting for the film would begin in October in Hungary. Romeo had asked her how she felt about going to Hungary with him. Yes, it was far away to go, she’d told him, but she was a writer and could do her job from anywhere in the world as long as he was by her side.

The Civil War drama in Hungary it was then, Romeo had declared, not even bothering to read it. He trusted his wife implicitly.

~ ~ ~