Lovers and Reprisals (Lovers Series) (20 page)

Judd was a few feet from the front door.  The butler scrambled to be the first to touch the doorknob.  Behind him, he could hear Fawn's heavy breathing and the sound of clopping high heel shoes.

"Judd...is this the way you want to start a relationship with my father; by bailing on his gracious invitation."

"Make an excuse Fawn.  You're good at that."

"Will this ever end!  Judd...that was weeks ago.  Let it go.  Why can't you accept that I am not available to help you and your friends?"

Judd had one of two choices; ignore her, or confront her.  He chose the latter.

He turned on his heels and they nearly collided.  Judd didn't waste any time talking

"Fawn...when you lied to my sister in the hospital, I understood because you'd been caught off guard and you hadn't been given adequate time to consider the offer."

Fawn used the back of her hand to fan her hair over her shoulder.  She felt justified when she responded...

"Okay...that's right.  So what's the problem?  Why are you all hot and bothered, charging out of my father’s house like a freaking tornado."

"Man...sometimes you make me so angry!"

She raised her hands in surrender when she said...

"Why?  What did I do?"

His response hit her so fast, if it were his hand she would have fallen flat on her ass.

"You lied Fawn.  You lied to me."

Her face was etched with confusion.  Judd shook his head then he said...

"You don't even remember do you."

No, she didn't remember and Judd didn't give her time to search her brain.  He supplied the lie.

"When I asked you to join me at the Children’s Center, I wanted you by my side baby...I wanted to share the experience with you.  But you said that you couldn't because..."

"Because I'll be in London with my father." Fawn had said.

Judd waited.  He didn't rush because he wanted to give her time to retract her words.  He wanted to believe in her because he loved her.

Fawn stared at him, and she wondered where had she slipped up.  She tried to recall their conversations, then in an instant, her memory lit like a lighthouse.  But the beacon had not come soon enough, and she'd collided with the reefs and rocks.  There was no trip to London...and Judd knew this because Fawn had told him. The trip had been canceled weeks ago.  When she had learned about this, Fawn had complained to her boyfriend until he found his respite in sleep.  In spite of her slip up, there was always a way out.  There were any number of illnesses that affect a persons memory.

Fawn placed one hand on her hip, when she said...

"What's the real problem here?  The fact that I accidentally forgot about a business trip that had been canceled...or are you angry because you think that I lied to your sister."

Judd stared at her confused.

"Are you saying that you didn't outright lie to me?"

"Of course I didn't lie to you.  Are you crazy?"

Yep, he was feeling mighty crazy. 

"Fawn...please baby.  Tell me the truth."

Fawn lied through her pearly white teeth.  And she accepted that she would have to join him at that godforsaken charity.  She would be forced to deal with runny nosed children while they made messes that Judd would praise them for, then he’d call their monstrosities art.  Fawn couldn’t abide charities or wishy-washy events that required her to show expressive emotions.  Of course...she couldn’t share this with Judd.  He still believed  the allusion.  The fantasy that she was an ardent patron of the arts.  And that was a crock of all crocks--and she couldn’t let him in on that little do-ditty either.  Fuck!  If phony is what landed her in this relationship; then phony was what she would give him.

Fawn smiled brightly, slanting her head at an angle when she said...

"Judd...I would never lie to you baby.  I love you.  I promise you...I forgot that my father canceled the London business trip.  You have to remember how upset I'd been."

"Yes...I remember and that is why I found it hard to believe that you could forget that."

"Well, I did forget.  I had to--if I wanted to maintain my sanity."

Fawn drew closer, and her eyes filled with passion.  They weren't alone, so he said....

"When is your father due to arrive?"

"He takes his lunch at noon."  Fawn kissed him on his lips then she said...

"This is important to me Judd.  I want my father to know you like I do."

Impressing her father wasn't important to Judd--but his art was something that he highly valued.  He said...

"So....I can count on you...right?"

He was referring to Ona Zelle's charity.

Fawn wanted to shoot herself in the foot; any kind of torture would be favorable if it excused her from volunteering at some dumb Samaritans charity.  In spite of her true feelings, she smiled wryly, then she said...

"Sure baby...but we can talk about that later.  For now, let's put first things first.  I want my father to love you...just as much as I do.  So please...don’t talk to him about charities...and for goodness sake, don’t talk about your aversion for guns.”

“It isn’t an aversion--it’s a stance; my opinion.  Gun’s are not toys--they are weapons.  And those weapons mane and kill."

“Whatever...  Just keep that shit locked up in your head.”

“Are you telling me what I should think and believe?Because if you are, there isn’t much of a future for us.”

“Judd...you know what I’m talking about.  I can give a rats ass about your beliefs or the causes that you support.  You’re not my child and I can’t control your inner thoughts.  But my father is an entirely different matter.  He won’t take kindly to you sitting at his table, eating food bought with armaments money.  He isn’t a fool, and if you debate him on the topic of wars, the second amendments, gun violence or any topic concerning his financial interest; I can assure you...my father will cut you down, chew you up, then spit you out.”

“So basically, you want me to be seen and not heard.”

“Pretty much.  Just don’t do or say anything that might upset my father.”

Judd rolled his eyes because he didn’t much care for censorship, and that’s what this was.  He supposed it also explained the delay when it came to meeting her father. 

This meeting with her father was important to her; far more important than his reason for canceling their London trip.  From the moment Bolden and Mikita reentered their lives, Fawn had seen the signs.  Her father was reuniting the family; and that included everyone, except for her excommunicated mother.  Good lord; even her uncle Raal and his Belize lover Kyle had been invited and they don’t even live in the country.  She didn’t know what more she’d be forced to endure.  Already she was preparing herself to be cordial to Bolden and his mother and pulling that off would be the feat of all feats.  The entire ordeal was a major inconvenience but she'd decided to play nice; mainly because her father had threatened her.  Morpheus had made it clear; there would be no more toe to toe dances with her brother.  No outburst and it was in her best interest to be on her best behavior.  She smiled because that's what Gustafson's do.   There would be plenty of time to seek revenge if it comes down to it.  Fawn turned, then she shook her over privileged ass for Judd to see.  He followed her and she knew that he would.

**********

During her last days as a patient at Lincoln Medical, Ona’s private suite had doubled as her hospital room, and ‘Project Central’.  Day in and day out, she was visited by men and women possessing talents in a variety of creative art forms.  Rachel’s roommate Sahara had played a key role in orchestrating auditions, and explaining how the project would work.  Ona left this job to Sahara because she was a musical prodigy and she could play practically any instrument, after one or two introductory sessions.  Apparently, her brother Judd Marko had a similar gift; but sculpting was his particular talent.  He’d been helpful pooling his painter friends.  He’d also brought his girlfriend to the hospital, hoping that the project might interest her.  Ona vividly recalls this one particular day because any mention of little children, or the giving of ones time to help them; Fawn Gustafson turned up her nose, then expressed that sadly, she was unavailable.  Judd had averted their attention and it was clear that he’d felt embarrassed due to his girlfriends snub.  Sahara’s brother had suggested that until Ona’s discharge, the volunteers could begin by staging test-runs.  Small groups of children could come, and the volunteers could work with them, allowing them to move freely from station to station.  The idea had taken a life of its own, and each day  Judd or Sahara would return to the hospital, reporting the day’s events.  Each account spoke of something good and wonderful and the place wasn’t even fully functional.  With Ona’s discharge date fast approaching, it became apparent that this team of workers would have to ramp up their efforts.  Lucien informed Rachel that the entire Delors hospital wing was at Ona’s disposal.  From that day forward, Rachel and Sahara practically became fixtures;  temporarily exchanging their apartment for plush Delors hospital suites. 

Sahara was sitting on the edge of Ona’s bed, prompting her to flinch out of habit.  Two days ago, she’d had her arm and leg cast removed, then she’d been fitted with a walking cast for her left leg.  She was still a little edgy, and Sahara noticed this when she said...

“I can sit on a chair if you’d like...”

Sahara was what most people would call a hippy.  She had soft wavy hair that she’d twined in locks.  She had a pretty oval face, and soft grey eyes.

Ona shook her head...

“No...you don’t have to move.”

“I brought some tea from home if you want some.  I dried them myself.  It’s a mixture that’s proven to stimulate the bodies natural pain relief receptors.  It’s all natural...so you don’t have to worry about side effects, or any of that kind of stuff.  Plus, it’s healthier...and who doesn’t want to be healthier.  Just don’t tell Rachel that I’m suggesting that you shouldn’t foul your body with drugs.”  She turned up her nose, then said...  “That stuff will kill ya”

Ona laughed...

“I’m fine Sahara--but thank you for offering.”

Sahara pointed to a tablet when she said...

“I just got an email from the last parent.  That brings our number to thirty.  Not a bad start.”

One night, during a brainstorming session, Ona had explained how she planned to recruit children.  The idea would require canvassing the city for miles and miles and Ona couldn’t do this.  It was then that she learned about Sahara’s charity project.  In her spare time, she teaches a group of children how to play their favorite instrument.  She’d formed the group after hearing about an apartment fire on the TV News.  She’d watched footage, showing small children, who’d become homeless.  These children had been displaced after surviving the fire and a few of them had lost their parents.  Ona’s project was about helping children, and Sahara’s group of kids fit the projects criteria perfectly.

Ona said...

“Are you sure you don’t mind turning your kids over to my project?”

“Are you kidding?”  She said.  “Honey...I just want to see these kids get the help that they need.”

Ona watched as her mind shifted gears; moving on to something equally important to her.

“Judd shot me an email.  After our first few dry runs, we discovered that our initial setup formed a bottleneck, especially if the children were interested in moving from station to station.  So...Rachel and I stayed late last night, moving partitions and Judd says that the new floor-plan is perfect.  He also said that your brother stopped by this morning...and he agrees”

She lay the tablet on her lap when she said...

“Is your family coming to take you home today?”

Ona was excited for a number of reasons.  She was being discharged today, and Noah had come home to help her get settled. 

“My two brothers are coming.  My parents would have come home but I begged them not to.”

Sahara didn’t have to ask where her parents were, because she’d overheard Caleb and Rachel the other day, when the discussion of discharge had been broached.  She’d also noticed the growing tension between those two.  She didn’t now who they thought they were kidding; but Sahara knew chemistry when she saw it--and those two were made for each other.  But she wouldn’t be the one to drop that stink bomb, because she knew a thing or two about Samaritans.  She just hoped that Rachel didn’t try to pursue Caleb because she didn’t want to see her roommate get her heart broken.

“Well...”  Sahara said...  “I guess the next time we meet, it’ll be at the warehouse.”

“Yes.  The Children’s Center”  Ona smiled so wide, her cheeks hurt; but she’d been waiting for this day.  Her entire life had been about this one moment and now it was here and she was ready.

The women talked a little longer, finalizing matters.  When Dr. Norma came to say his farewell, he’d been joined by Dr. Stone, and one of the physical therapist.  Ona wanted to cry because for the past two months, these people had been like her family and this hospital had been her home.

When the doctors left, they passed Lucien as he entered the room.  Since his first visit, he’d visited Ona nearly every day.  She found herself watching the door, because he generally visited her after her noon time massage.  She wasn’t sure if it was his calming presence, the conversation or some other thing that she hadn’t rightly identified; whatever it was, she couldn’t get enough of this man--his dress, his manner--everything about him was always precise and perfect, in every detail and she enjoyed his company.