A Saucy Sunday

By Olivia Gaines

Scott returns from Europe ready to see Zelda, but he is not prepared for Grandma Lula.

In the past three weeks, Michael has wrestled with giving her the diaries and faces the dilemma of being truthful with his sister, not only about their parents, but their less than idyllic childhood.

Grandma Lula has a lot to add as Scott and Zelda face a very real threat to the new found happiness. To combat it all, Scott calls in backup which turns out to be just the perfect thing for Zelda and Michael to aid in the healing process.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bryant Street Publishing
• Release date: Apr 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781094434704

Olivia Gaines

Olivia is a USA Today Best Selling and multiple award-winning author who loves a good laugh coupled with some steam, mixed in with a man and woman finding their way past the words of “I love you.” An author of contemporary romances, she writes heartwarming stories of blossoming relationships about couples not only falling in love but building a life after the sensual love scene. 2015 Swirl Award Winner, Best Erotic Romance, Thursdays in Savannah. 2017 IRAE Award Winner, Best Contemporary Romance, Wyoming Nights 2019 IRAE Award Winner, Favorite Series, The Men of Endurance 2019 IRAE Award Winner, Reader's Choice Award 2019 Nominee, Top Female Authors, The AuthorShow.com When Olivia is not writing, she enjoys quilting, playing Scrabble online against other word lovers and spending time with her family. She is an avid world traveler who writes many of the locations into her stories. Most of the time she can be found sitting quietly with pen and paper plotting more adventures in love. Olivia lives in Hephzibah, Georgia with her husband, son, grandson and snotty evil cat, Katness Evermean. Learn more about her books, upcoming releases and join her bibliophile nation at www.ogaines.com Subscribe to her email list at http://eepurl.com/OulYf Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olivia.gaines.31 Twitter: https://twitter.com/oliviagaines Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaines.olivia/

Book preview

Chapter 1- To Grandmother’s House We Go

Michael gripped the steering wheel tightly as his head flooded with thoughts about his sister, Zelda, who was sitting next to him writing in her diary. In his heart, he had always known she would be some kind of journalist because she had such a way with words.  Even as a child, she managed to capture emotions, feelings, and minute particulars often missed by others.  It was by accident that he picked up one of the notebooks, his eyes drawn to the words written by a ten-year-old whose ability to chronicle details brought fear into his heart.  Details most kids wouldn’t pick up on, let alone understand the nuances of adult relationships, but she did.

Zelda even captured on paper the clever dance between their mother and Mr. Bautista, the Filipino neighbor. So clever was her wording that Michael hid the diary from their parents. It didn’t stop his sister, who picked up a fresh journal and began a new one.

There was something special about her that no one could put their finger on, but everyone who came in contact with her recognized.  It was that same year that their lives all began to unravel. If a child could have a power, Zelda’s started manifesting at the age of ten, drawing boys and often grown men to her. Like an army of ants to a picnic, they came from high and low, sniffing, seeking out the bearer of sweetness. It terrified him, sending him into a protective mode to watch over her from eyes that would rake over her young body with a hunger that was unnatural.

Iris, their mother, saw this power in her as well.  Her solution was to either punish Zelda by locking her in her room all weekend or beating the child until she feared opening her mouth.  Retreating into the world of her pen, Zelda scribbled on paper every emotion which raged through her young body.

Richard Fitzsimmons, an engineer on the move, was also drawn to his young daughter.  His love and affection for Zelda often sent Iris into fits of rage, which she unleashed on Zelda when they were alone.  Michael, noticing the constant bruises on his sister's arms, legs, and back, stayed close to her, never leaving Zelda and his mother alone. It had become a tricky balancing act because he couldn’t take her around his friends—she would distract them all—and he couldn’t leave her at home.

Instead, he opted to have Grandma Lula become an intermediary.  He didn’t know which was worse, the frying pan or Grandma’s constant rants of fire and hell stones. At least with Grandma Lula, Zelda didn’t get beat, at least not physically.  Emotionally, it was another story.

The one story which replayed over and over in his head was the horrific weekend at the lake on a family getaway for Labor Day weekend.  Celebrating Richard’s promotion, their father rented a cabin at a nearby family fun spot, only to have the whole weekend turn to shit.  The weekend was also the moment which instilled the fear of swimming in fresh water in Zelda’s head.

At the age of 10, Zelda understood she was pretty, but the power she wielded, she didn’t know how to harness for good, if there was such a capability in a precocious ten-year-old.  Her long black, wavy hung down her back swinging in the wind as she walked. Her large brown eyes would cut to the side, practically glancing flirtatiously at young boys.

The trip to the lake should have been a healing time for the family; instead it fractured an already tenuous familial dynamic to its breaking point. The second day into the weeklong getaway broke the bough, forcing the family tree to a slow, deciduous rot. A rot that ate through everything until that fateful night when Richard and Iris ceased to exist.

Zelda, left to her own devices, had been sent outside to play.  After nearly an hour, Michael feared the worst for his sister’s well-being and set out looking for her.  Iris and Richard, also concerned, set out as well looking for little Zelda, only to find she’d created a lemonade stand out of an old crate and was selling kisses for $1 to the little boys.  Upon their arrival, the empty mayo jar held at least twenty dollars with the line curving around a tree of others waiting for a kiss.

Where did all these lil’ boys come from? Richard asked in dismay.

There’s a boy scout camp over there, Daddy, she said with pride.  Holding up her jar of hard-earned loot, she beamed with pride at her ingenuity at earning money to buy more notebooks.

Iris, unamused, flew into a tantrum, coming after Zelda, who felt brave and did not bother to move or run.  Instead, she puffed up her chest, speaking with braggadocio to her mother.

I know you are not going to hit me in front of all of these people, Mommy.  They will call the police on you. I was thinking, the next time you hit me, I may call the police myself, Zelda said with her cute little button nose turned up in the air.

I brought you into this world, Zelda, and the Lord will forgive me for taking you out, Iris said to the child.

And if you do, Michael will give my notebooks to the police and you will go to jail.  Do you think Mr. Bautista will come and visit you there? Zelda asked innocently.

The cat had left the bag and was running freely about the lake, scent-marking everything it came in contact with.  Richard balked at the softly spoken words, troubled and confused as well as concerned about what the child was inferring.  The line of boys had dwindled to one pimply faced kid holding a five-dollar bill and would not be deterred from purchasing his first kiss.

Go on, get out of here! Richard yelled at the kid, who reluctantly walked away.  It was in that flash of his head turned that Iris went after Zelda.

In a blaze of energy, Zelda was on her feet, running, but with the woods behind her, she ran into the lake.  Unable to swim, it was unclear to Richard if Iris was trying to save Zelda from drowning; to Michael, it looked as if she were trying to do the opposite. A cold shudder ran through him as he went over the details in his head.

Mike, the light has changed, Zelda said, touching his arm, bringing him back to the present. Are you okay?  You went down the rabbit hole there looking for Alice.

Yeah, I’m good, he said, turning right into the Settegast district, heading towards their grandmother’s home.  Three more turns down the suburban streets and he pulled into the driveway of the brick home, the yard bursting with flowers and bright colors.

I’m not. I don’t want to go in there for dinner at 2:00 in the afternoon.  The moment I walk through those doors, she is going to start in on me and I am not in the mood today to let that crap roll off my back, Zelda said.

Be a duck, Zelda, he told her. 

Nope.  I don’t want to be a duck sitting calmly in the pond.  If she comes at me, I may just swim over and peck her ornery old ass, Zelda said.

She only sees us once a week. The tradeoff is if we come here, she won’t come to us, he reminded her.

That is a pitiful tradeoff.  At least in my own home, I can go to my room and close my damned door and shut her out, Zelda said.

It won’t be so bad, Michael assured her.  We go in, listen to her have a little talk with Jesus, tell Him all about her troubles, he started to sing.

Then you can hear my faintest cries as I sock her in her eyes, Zelda sang along with him.

Be nice, Michael warned.

It would be nice if you gave me your keys and let me come back and get you after you choke on her dry ass cornbread, Zelda chuffed.

Come on, let’s get this over with, and besides, a few more of these and you are off to Vegas for almost two months, he said.

Yes, but Scott wants to come meet the Devil when he gets back from Europe in three weeks. I so want to say no to that shit, she added.

That should be a fun, saucy Sunday afternoon, he said.

It is going to be Hell wrapped up in meatloaf and smothered in greasy gravy, Zelda said with her lips twisted as Michael climbed out of the car.  She followed behind him, entering the home which smelled of spice, liniment, and old grease. Grandma Lula was one of the primary reasons Zelda learned to cook at an early age, to avoid the woman bringing over greasy meals which made her face break out in pimples.

There are my babies! Right on time, Grandma Lula said.  She gave Michael a big embrace but stopped when she reached Zelda.  Frowning at her granddaughter, she scrunched her nose, sniffing Zelda. Hmmph.

Good to see you too, Grandma, Zelda said softly, skirting the old woman’s embrace.

I know why you are stepping to the side, walking in my house, smelling like the sin that’s been rolled in all night long,

Reviews for A Saucy Sunday

[Linnie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book . So funny and just sexy enough. WOW....