Posts
Chapter 14: Triangularity
"You're safe. I got you. I won't let anyone hurt you."
"You're safe. I got you. I won't let anyone hurt you."
Lissa looked into his eyes. Could she believe him? It seemed like all the men in her life, except her dad and Branno, were the same. She was tired of having her trust betrayed; tired of having her heart trampled. Could she trust him?
He touched her face then leaned forward and hugged her. His arms around her shoulders made her feel secure. "Thank you," she said.
She was grateful he showed up when he did. If he hadn't ... No, she didn't want to think like that. He released her from his embrace and looked at her. "I told you, I'm here if you need me."
She felt a little perplexed. Was he following her the whole time? He was very brave.
"Surely you being here when I need you has limits, you have your own life and ..." She paused trying to calm the stormy thoughts inside her head. She was very attracted to him.
"I'm limited because I'm human, but that doesn't mean I won't do all in my power to be here for you. Isn't that what friends do?"
He squeezed her left hand and looked at her. Lissa's mouth went dry. Her thoughts towards him were anything but the friendship kind right now.
"Are we friends?" she asked. Her voice held a subtle tremor.
He reached out and held both of her hands. "Of course we are. Is there something wrong?" She looked into those sexy brown eyes and melted. "Um ... no," she croaked. She cleared her throat. "No, no problem. Will you call me Lissa now?" she asked.
His mouth curved into a charming smile. "Sure, Lissa we're friends." His voice had a hypnotic tone that sent chills down her spine. She blushed and looked at her feet. Noticing what she did, he put his thumb and index finger under her chin and lifted her head. He looked into her eyes. "Unless you want us to be more?" His gaze lowered to her lips. Lissa felt hot all over.
A Week Earlier
Sharon rushed to answer her cellphone, she was supposed to have a refrigerator delivered that afternoon. "Hello," she said. She hadn't noticed that the number was very familiar to her. She was pleasantly surprised when she realized that it was her niece calling.
"Hey aunty, how are you?" Lissa greeted her.
"Lissa! Hey Hun! How are you?" Sharon answered.
"I'm okay aunty. How are you?" Lissa asked.
"Not too bad sweetie. My ankles hurt a little but otherwise I am not doing bad today," Sharon said chuckling.
"Um ... aunty?"
"Hmm?" Sharon looked around for the invoice paper from the appliance store to get their phone number. She could have sworn she put it on the coffee table. She bent down and looked under it, while trying to pay attention to Lissa.
"Well aunty, I was wondering if you would be open to additional company at your house?" Lissa asked feeling a little nervous. She hadn't visited her aunt's home in a while. The last time was soon after she was raped. She began harming herself and had moments where she 'zoned out' and wasn't speaking to anyone.
Her aunt offered to monitor her for the summer holidays since she was on leave and Sandra was starting to build her real estate business and couldn't be there to monitor her. They were afraid she would commit suicide. Lissa didn't think she would have done it, but she was glad her family had rallied around her, so she didn't have to wonder if she could.
Sharon paused. She wants to come stay here! Is she in trouble?
"Is everything okay sweetheart?"
"Well yes, and no," Lissa replied feeling tired. "Aunty, I-I'm pregnant."
Sharon sat down on the grey couch. "You're pregnant?"
"Yes," Lissa answered.
Sharon felt blindsided. Sandra never mentioned that Lissa was pregnant, and she spoke to her five days ago. What was going on over there? she wondered.
"Oh, okay ..." Sharon felt under the cushions and was relieved when she found the small square piece of paper. "Well I don't know," she began, "Things are very hectic here, besides being pregnant, I have been promoted to a senior position at work, so I won't be around much.
"You'll be bored here pretty much. Your uncle has taken on extra hours also. You know a baby is coming so ... "
Having Lissa here could be more trouble than she wanted to handle. The last time she stayed with them she had to be up odd hours making sure Lissa didn't harm herself. Each time she had a nightmare she would scream like a banshee. Sharon tried her best, but after awhile it became overwhelming.
She eventually had to call Sandra to let her know that she couldn't manage the screaming at odd hours of the night. That was when Sandra decided to take Lissa to a psychiatrist.
Sharon sighed quietly. "I'm sorry honey, some other time," she told her.
"Okay ... Okay aunty. That's fine," Lissa replied. She was disappointed but she kind of understood. "I pray a safe delivery for my new cousin," she said.
Sharon smiled. "Thank you honey," she answered.
Sharon hung up. She was very surprised that Sandra had not told her that Lissa was pregnant. Sandra was very proud of her children. Something must be wrong, Sharon thought. She would call her sister later, right now she needed to start dinner.
***
Brandon was sleeping over at the Wellington's house as usual. When he arrived that evening, Zane gave him a look, the kind you would expect someone to give a person who violated some great vow or pact. Brandon entered Zane's room, and sat down on a wooden chair in the room.
"Bro, yuh good?" Branno asked him. He watched his friend carefully. Zane was laying on the bed typing something in one of the message apps. He looked up at his friend. With a great sigh he sat up. "So you're dating my sister now?" Zane asked.
Branno smiled. He nodded. "Who told you?"
"It's all my parents have been talking about since the time Zuzu was at your house. You would think you and my sister are getting married the way my mom and sisters have been acting."
With eyebrows raised, Branno looked at his friend. He was happy to take his relationship with Zuzu to the next level, but he wasn't thinking of marriage, not right now anyway. He was trying his hardest to not even think about sex between the two of them for now.
"Suh what yuh have to seh fi yuhself?" Zane asked turning around on the bed to face him.
"So what's changed?" Zane interrupted.
A faint smile curled up Branno's lips. "I was getting to that," he said. Seeing his friend's exasperated expression he chuckled softly. "What's changed is Zuzu has grown into a very beautiful girl. What's changed is the way she treats me. You've seen her flirting ..."
"That nuh mean yuh fi try be her boyfriend!" Zane said frustrated.
"Bredda easy nuh man!" Branno shook his head laughing.
"I care about your sister. I want a relationship because she a good girl. She's kind, loving; very caring. I also think I'm ready to learn to love her."
"Suh wah this? A try out thing? Mi nuh want yuh fi try out with mi sister yuh nuh!" Zane said, his face cross.
Branno sobered, "I have no intention of test driving or 'trying out' anything with her. I care about her deeply. Bro a mee this enuh, Branno, mi know you and Zuzu for so long. Yuh really think mi wudda hurt her?!" Branno felt a little insulted.
Zane looked at him. He thought of all their good times together. He sighed and shook his head. "No, mi nuh feel suh, but bro a mi likkle sistah!" Zane exclaimed. "Yuh guh through some things with that girl you were talking to before, mi just nuh want yuh trauma spill over on Zuzu."
Branno nodded. "Understood. At first I wasn't sure too, but your sister, she's special to me. I want to give this a chance, if it should ever come to it that I would ever come close to hurting her, I'd break it off with her first."
"Suh yuh nuh think breaking up with her would hurt her?" Zane asked.
Branno sighed. "I know, and it would hurt me too to know I hurt her, and that's why I don't plan on messing things up. I want to make this thing between me and her work. Bro, I-I ..." he paused. He couldn't say the 'L' word yet, even if he believed that was what he felt for her.
"Branno, yah mi dawg," Zane said sincerely. "Nuh bruk mi sister heart."
"I promise, I won't," he told his friend.
Zane nodded. He reached out his hand. Branno took his hand and shook it. He smiled at his friend. Zane smiled back. "Yuh eat anything yet?" Zane asked.
Branno shook his head indicating 'no'.
"Good," Zane said, "mommy and your woman are in the kitchen cooking dinner in your honor." He laughed.
"My honor?" Branno was pleasantly surprised but perplexed.
Zane laughed.
"Mi tell yuh seh the people dem in this house already marry yuh off with mi sister!" He was no longer upset about the thought. He was amused as he looked at Branno's bewildered expression. He slapped his friend on the back. "Come to the kitchen," he told him. He squeezed his friend's right shoulder and walked with him to the kitchen.
Both young men grinned heartily as they inhaled the delicious, savory aromas of Jamaican cuisine. They stood at the doorway looking in.
"Zuzu, yuh man deh yah!" Zane announced loudly. Startled, Zuzu looked up from shredding sweet potatoes, eyes wide. Zane chuckled.
There were some pressed and fried green plantains in a large platter on the counter. He took two pieces and ran before his mother got to slap his hand away. He laughed and watched as she playfully pointed a spatula at him. She was frying salt-fish fritters. Zane stood at the doorway eating his stolen stash.
Zuzu smiled at Branno who was blown away by seeing her shapely legs on display in a pair of shorts. She put the grater and the large bowl with the grated sweet potatoes in the kitchen sink, washed her hands and walked up to him. She circled her arms around his waist and leaned her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating fast.
Branno closed his eyes. She felt good in his arms. "You okay?" he asked.
She nodded and looked up at him. "I'm so glad you're here. Thank you for staying over. I know the last time you and Zane ..." she paused. She looked over at her brother eating the plantains with a mischievous smile on his face, watching their mother giving him a stern look. Branno looked behind at his friend and smiled. "We're good. One thing we can agree on is that we both love you, and don't want you hurt."
"You love me?" Zuzu asked. Her grey eyes were wide.
Branno touched her face. He looked into her eyes. He didn't think he was ready to say the word, but maybe he was.
"Yeah I do. I've loved you like a little sister, and now yes, I feel much more for you than that." He leaned forward and kissed her brow, closing his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he saw Zuzu's mom, Rebecca, looking at him. He blushed. Rebecca smiled at him and nodded. He was relieved.
Zuzu's eyes looked watery. "You okay?" Branno asked.
"Mhm," she said. "I'm much better now. I love you."
"Branno, good evening," Rebecca said smiling at him. Branno smiled at her. "A pleasant evening Mrs. Wellington, thank you for allowing me to sleepover," he said. He always made sure to tell both parents thank you for allowing him to stay over. Rebecca's smile broadened. "A pleasure as always, my dear," she said. She turned to her youngest child. "Zuzu you said you felt like having ice cream?" she asked.
Zuzu nodded.
Rebecca took $2000 out of her jeans pocket. "Take my car and get a large family size." She handed the money to Zuzu.
Zuzu smiled and grabbed Branno's hand. She pulled him towards the door. She used her hips and bumped Zane out of the way. Zane acted indignant, "Mommy yuh see how yuh daughter use what grandma give her to push me down!" He smiled at his sister. Zuzu giggled on her way with Brandon to the front door.
Rebecca chuckled. Family time was always the best time for her. She was grateful. "You saying I didn't give her my wide hips?" Rebecca asked laughing.
"Sure mommy," Zane said grinning. He quickly moved forward and snatched one of the saltfish fritters cooling on a plate. Rebecca pretended she would chase him, so he ran to his room laughing. Rebecca laughed.
Still my mischievous baby, she mused. When he was a child he got himself in all sort of trouble and he was always up to something. She smiled and continued preparing dinner.
When Zuzu and Branno were in her mom's SUV, she turned to him and leaned into him. She lifted her face to his and kissed him. Branno kissed her lips tenderly. It had been a couple days since he last kissed her and he wanted to savor the feel of her lips on his.
"I love you," she breathed. He smiled at her. "I love you," he said. He could feel his heart softening a little towards her. She put on her seat belt, Branno followed suit. Zuzu started the car engine and drove slowly to the gate. She pressed the gate remote and it opened for her.When they drove out she pressed the button to close it.
"I-I've been thinking about us, you know, being together intimately," Zuzu said shyly.
Branno smiled slightly. "I've been thinking about it too," he said. "I want us to wait. I want your first time to be special. Let's get to know each other as girlfriend and boyfriend first."
Zuzu glanced at him perplexed. "I already know you," she said. "As for waiting, I've been waiting all my life." She focused on the road and increased the vehicle's speed slightly.
"I know, I know you have, but I haven't. Zuzu you're beautiful and very special. I don't want to treat you like the other girls I've been with. I want your first time, our first time together to be special, for both of us. I want to get to know you as a girlfriend first; your little girlfriend quirks." He chuckled. He took a deep breath. "I love you, but I want to fall in love with you." he told her.
"Is there a difference?" she eyed him curiously. "For me I love you and I'm also in love with you," she told him.
Brandon sighed. "I have a little more experience than you. It will take me more time. Remember, I had my heart broken."
"So why say you love me if you don't?" she asked feeling confused.
"Because I do. In my own way, I do. But it's not the same as when I really fall for someone. When I fall in love, I'm really goofy and mushy. Zuzu, you've never seen me in love," he said smiling at her.
She felt a little disappointed. "Why say I'm your girlfriend then?" she asked but didn't look at him.
"Because I want to feel that way for you, and I do care about you," he replied. He reached out and touched her hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed it. Zuzu maneuvered the car with her left hand. She looked at him quickly then turned her head to the road. "Be patient with me. I'm trying," he told her.
"Do you think you could fall in love with me?" she asked.
He nodded. "Yes, I do," he answered. She looked at him. He stared into her eyes. God knows I want to. He kissed her hand again then released it. She put it on the steering wheel. She sighed and watched the traffic before them. She hoped she could be patient with him.
***
Lissa wanted to talk to someone. Her parents had gone out to spend some time alone, and Branno was sleeping over with his friends. She was home alone, except for the fact that Campbell and Barracks were across the street in their patrol vehicle.
Her mom had cooked dinner and offered some of it to them. Corporal Barracks eagerly took his plate, but Constable Campbell was reluctant. After much coaxing from her and her mom however, Dana took the plate of stewed beef and rice and peas.
When Lissa went back for their plates, Constable Campbell smiled at her and told her to tell her mom the food was good. Corporal Barracks nodded his agreement, then said, "It shot man!" Lissa laughed and told them, "I will let the chef know the rave reviews."
It was 9 o'clock. They were supposed to go off by 8 p.m., but for some reason they were still outside. Lissa felt thankful to everyone at the station's for their support.
She lay back and thought of Corporal Stewart. Corporal Ryan Stewart, hmm. Lissa was curious about him. She wanted to talk to him. She sat up and reached for her phone on the night table and dialed his mobile number.
Ryan picked up the call after the fifth ring. "Hey, how are you?" he answered.
Lissa smiled. She lay down on her bed. She had taken a shower earlier and was now wearing a thin chemise. She wasn't sure if it was hormones or just natural attraction to him, but his voice made her feel aroused.
"Hi. I'm feeling much better. How are you?" she responded.
Her usual husky voice had a sultry quality to it that even she was surprised about. She heard Ryan clear his throat, then there was a pause. "You sure you're okay?" he asked. He chuckled softly. Lissa gave a little laugh. Then shook her head. What am I thinking? she thought. She took a deep breath.
"Yeah, I'm okay," she replied. Her voice sounded almost back to normal to her.
She heard him chuckle. "What was that about a while ago?" he asked amused.
"What was what?" she asked smiling, half laughing at herself.
She heard his voice dip to a tone she had never heard from him before. "The sexy voice, which I like by the way. Has anyone ever told you you naturally have a sexy voice?" He sounded sexy to her now. Lissa swallowed her saliva.
"No, not really, I mean no," she answered. Why am I feeling like a school girl? She sighed on the line.
"So what's up? You called, so is anything on your mind?" he asked.
"No, I just want ... never mind," she said.
"Are you sure? I just finished cleaning up my bedroom and did dishes. I made some brown stewed fish, and yam and bananas. If you were here you would love it," he teased her. His voice sounded so smooth and velvety to her ears.
Lissa felt her heart racing. This was a bad idea.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called. This is a bad idea," Lissa said.
"Ms Dixon, it's fine. I don't mind your company. You're cheering me up right now. I was thinking I would spend another boring evening staring at the TV, then you called. Talk to me. What did you want to talk about?"
Lissa smiled. Maybe she could stay and cheer him up a little. She began twirling a lock of the thin braids in her hair around the index finger of her left hand, while her right hand held the phone to her mouth.
***
She was really enjoying talking to him. He opened up a little bit and shared about his childhood. He was born and raised in St. Elizabeth. He came to Kingston to attend university to pursue business courses, but dropped out after the first two semesters. He worked as a merchandiser for awhile then left that and ended up going to college, and studied Marketing and a few Computer Science courses.
Afterwards, he found himself working for one of the country's top security companies. First, as an unarmed guard, then as an armed security officer, and then with more extensive training, he became the team lead of one of the company's armed response teams. It was his cousin who encouraged him to apply to the JCF. He passed the initial fitness and cognitive tests, and had a clean background check.
He was a part of the JCF for five years. He was grateful for the experiences in his past, for they prepared him for the role he played now. Lissa listened to his voice. She was captivated.
There was an interesting lilt in his tone as he spoke to her. It was soothing and sensual at the same time. She wondered what he would sound like if they were making love. She blushed and tried to dismiss the thought.
"Tell me about yourself?" he asked.
She cleared her throat. She spoke ... "I grew up here in Kingston. I have one sibling, a brother, his name is Brandon, but we call him Branno." She laughed softly. "I love to cook, but I don't know if I'm the best cook in the family." And realized that the timbre of her voice was betraying her. She cleared her throat again. Maybe I need some water, she thought to herself. "Um ... I'll be right back, okay?"
"Okay." His voice sounded a little husky. She felt her body respond to him. Oh god what is this!
Lissa got up from her bed and went downstairs to the kitchen. She opened the fridge and took out a bottled water. She opened it and took several sips before closing the lid. Her heart was pounding, her loins were aroused. She needed to end this conversation with him. She was upset with Shane, but she couldn't betray him like this.
She climbed the stairs, opened the door and lay on her bed. She took up the phone and put it to her ear. "Hello," she said.
"Hello," he answered. That little sexy, raspy sound in his voice made her senses tingle.
"It's getting late so ... so, I ..." She felt tongue tied.
She heard him sigh. "Okay, Miss Dixon, have a good night. Sleep well. I enjoyed our conversation," he told her. Then: "Tomorrow is my day off, I could come by and take a look at the walls for you?"
Lissa felt her mouth go dry. "I-I... I'm sorry. This-this, I don't know what this is. I'm sorry," she stuttered.
"It's okay," he said. His voice was almost a whisper. "Tell me what you're thinking? What are you feeling?"
"I find you very intriguing," she blurted out.
She heard him make a soft guttural sound. She bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes. Lord, please help me! Lissa thought.
"I find you very intriguing too Miss Dixon. You fascinate me. But if you are uncomfortable with our interactions I understand. My intentions towards you are only good," Ryan said releasing his breath slowly.
"Good night Corporal Stewart," Lissa said trying to sound more formal. Ryan noted the change and chuckled softly. "Good night Miss Dixon," he said amused. He ended the call.
Lissa opened her eyes and sighed. She was moist down there. She heard that sometimes women were more sensitive when pregnant. She hoped that was what was happening to her. Just a physiological reaction to changes in hormone levels. She turned off her bed lamp and placed her phone on the night table. She closed her eyes.
She couldn't help thinking about him; his voice and his strong arms around her. His calming demeanor and disarming personality intrigued her. No, she couldn't fall for Ryan. She didn't want to. God help her she missed Shane.
Later in the night she woke up to hear a car door slam. She heard laughter. Her parents were back home. She stretched sleepily and looked out the window to see her father crossing the road to speak with Constable Campbell and Corporal Barracks.
He shook both their hands and waved at them as they drove off. He walked back to the gate, closed it and entered the house with her mother. She heard movement downstairs. She lay back and turned on her left side. She reached for her phone. It was 10:00 p.m. She fluffed her pillow and rested her head on it. Closing her eyes, she sighed and drifted into sleep thinking about Shane.
***
The next day she woke up to the sound of laughter downstairs. It was 7:30 a.m., according to her phone. She yawned loudly. It sounded like her parents had company. She sat up feeling groggy. She was wearing the thin chemise so she decided to wear a t-shirt over her night gown. As she descended the stairs she heard the talking more clearer. It sounded like Mr Wellington. They were in the kitchen.
She ran quickly upstairs and washed her face, brushed her teeth and arranged her braids in a pony tail. She got dressed in a blouse and pair of jeans pants. They were slightly snug around her waist. She would soon need to buy maternity clothes.
She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. Her skin looked clear and beautiful. If she knew that having a baby would do that to her, she would have gotten pregnant sooner! She laughed at herself for being silly. She exited her bedroom.
As she descended the stairs she heard a knock on the front door. She heard the chatter in the kitchen pause. "I'll get it," she shouted. She skipped down the last few steps and went to the front door. She opened it. Her eyes flew open wide. Standing in front of her was Corporal Stewart. He had a large knapsack slung over his shoulder.
He smiled at her. "Good morning," he said.
"Good ... good morning. What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Remember, I told you I would come by and take a look at your walls," he replied. His smile broadening.
"Yeah, but ... but ..."
"Honey, who is it?"
Lissa turned around after hearing her dad's voice. She looked back at Ryan. Hold it together girl, she told herself.
"Dad, this is Corporal Ryan Stewart. He offered to repair the gunshot damage to the front part of the wall and the section at the top right," Lissa said trying to sound normal.
Her father looked at the young man then at Lissa. He walked over to Ryan and shook his hand. "Okay, thank you," Marcus said. "Do you have experience in this kind of thing?"
"Yes, I do. I would spend my summers helping my dad with his construction projects," Ryan told him. "I worked for him for two years after I left high school."
"So why the JCF?" Marcus asked genuinely curious.
"It's more of a calling," Ryan said glancing briefly at Lissa.
Lissa looked at Ryan and her dad, feeling like a deer caught in head lights.
Marcus nodded. "So how much will you charge us? We were going to hire a team from my nephew in law's business, but if you can do the work. I will pay what you require," he said.
Ryan nodded. He liked Lissa's dad already. Straight forward and to the point. A tiny smile crept up the corner of his lips. "It may take a few days. I will be here the whole day today until about six in the evening, but afterwards, I'll come back again on my days off. The next one should be Sunday. Is that okay with you?"
Marcus eyed the young man. "Okay, and your price?" he asked.
"I'll need to properly assess the damage first, then give you my price. Also, bearing in mind my time constraints where my job is concerned," Ryan answered.
Marcus looked at him with eyebrows raised. He liked him. Marcus looked at his daughter, then nodded at the young man. "Okay, let's see what you can do, then we can negotiate." Lissa looked behind her dad to see Mr Wellington standing at the door. His eyes showed his admiration for the negotiation going on in the foyer. Ryan nodded. "No problem," he replied.
Marcus smiled. "Okay, just give me a minute and I'll show you what I want done," he said. He looked at the young man. He found him interesting.
Ryan said, "Okay." He looked over at Lissa and smiled at her. He noted Lissa's confused, slightly nervous body language but said nothing.
Marcus walked back to his guest and said, "Kyle, I have an unexpected work man it seems my daughter has arranged an appointment with." He turned around and stared at Lissa, who was looking uncomfortable.
Kyle smiled. "That's fine," he said. "I don't mind taking a look at what needs to be done myself."
Marcus nodded. "Okay, let's go outside then," he said smiling at his friend. Kyle Wellington moved towards the door. He, Marcus and Ryan walked outside to the front of the house and started talking about repairs.
Lissa walked into the kitchen. She sat down with a sigh. "And who is that tall, handsome, cool drink of water?!" Sandra asked being cheeky. Lissa looked up at her feeling dismayed.
Uh? What is this? Lissa sighed. "That's Corporal Ryan Stewart. He and another officer were the first on the scene two days ago."
"He seems like a nice young man," Sandra said watching her daughter's body language.
"I suppose he is," Lissa's reply was non-committal. Sandra pulled out the chair beside her daughter. She stared at her. "When was the last time you heard from Shane?" she asked. Lissa cleared her throat. "It's been awhile," she lied.
"Really?" Sandra asked.
Lissa nodded. She couldn't take the brow beating anymore.
"How long now?" Sandra asked, watching her closely.
Lissa saw her mother honing in on her and looked away. She turned her body slightly away from facing her. "Maybe a month now," she said.
"Is that true?" Sandra asked. She reached out her hand and squeezed Lissa's hand. "This must be hard on you," she said. "Look baby, I have been very hard on you, but it's because I'm scared. I'm scared you will get hurt or worse. I am scared of Branno or your dad getting hurt because of this situation." She placed her other hand on her daughter's arm and squeezed gently.
"I don't hate Shane. I actually like him. I just feel whatever he's got going on will hurt you. You're my baby, I will always be protective of you," Sandra playfully pulled on a lock of Lissa's braided hair.
"I want you guys to put breaks on the relationship, at least for now. Let him sort out this issue and then if you still want to be with him, I will be happy for you. But now running all over the place with a mad man chasing after you guys is not wise, especially since you're preggo."
Lissa nodded. She sighed heavily. She was probably right.
"And I know you're lying. I know about Shane leaving," her mother revealed.
"How did you know?" Lissa asked feeling stunned.
"Yesterday, I came to your room to check on you. I wanted to talk to you but realized you were sleeping. I turned on your phone and checked your messages. I saw the missed calls from Shane and the call that you accepted from him that morning. I also noticed the calls to and from your superior, so I called him back and asked if he had heard from Shane.
"He told me you heard from him, but he was asking you to run away with him. I told him that I wouldn't let you know I asked, but I'm telling you because I love you and want the best for you. And to also let you know that hiding things from me is pointless. I'm your mother, I will find out one way or the other," Sandra said this last part with a soft laugh.
A tear slid down Lissa's face. "Mommy, I am so sorry," she said. Sandra reached out and pulled her in for a hug. "I know baby. It's okay. We've all made our mistakes where love is concerned. You're no exception. Just don't jump in so quickly, okay? Be more cautious."
Lissa nodded. She wasn't sure where her relationship would go with Shane, but her mother was right. She did need to be more cautious in love.
But, "Shane is the father of my twins," she said more to herself than as a reply to her mother.
Sandra sighed. "I know, obviously, and that was a brash move on both of you to not use protection, but your babies are growing inside you, and when they come out we'll all deal with the situation then, okay?"
Lissa sighed. What should she do now? Ryan seemed to be showing an interest in her. She looked at her mother. "Corporal Stewart, Ryan ..." Lissa swallowed. She paused. No! Nah! "He thinks he can make our walls good as new."
Sandra eyed her daughter with an amused look. She just smiled and said, "Okay." She patted her arm and stood up. Help me with breakfast?" Sandra asked. Lissa smiled absentmindedly. "Okay," she said standing up to help.
***
Marcus listened to Ryan explain how he would repair the damage. He seemed knowledgeable. But that wasn't the question he wanted to ask. He sized him up. He looked about 6'2" or 6'3", well built, broad shoulders. He looked at his hands, clasped in front of him. He looked at his stance: legs slightly apart, back straight. He seemed to be very alert of his surroundings. He would test his theory.
He excused himself from the conversation, went into the house, kissed his wife on the forehead then picked up three oranges from the fruit bowl on the counter. He winked at his daughter and walked back outside. He saw Kyle watching him closely. He smiled at his friend. Kyle smiled back wondering about the mischievous smile and what Marcus was going to do.
Marcus whistled sharply then threw an orange in Ryan's direction. Ryan turned around when he heard the whistling and was caught off guard by the orange flying towards him, but was able to catch it by reflex.
Marcus smiled. Ah hah! Knew it! he thought. Ryan tried to hand the orange back to Marcus but he shook his head. "That's part of breakfast. My wife and daughter are preparing breakfast. We'd like for you to join us, you don't mind?"
Ryan smiled slightly. He wondered if what happened a few seconds ago was a test. "Okay, thank you," he answered. He watched Marcus looking at him. What is Ms. Dixon's dad up to? he wondered.
"What did you use to do besides working for your dad and the police force?" Marcus asked the young man standing before him.
"You mean as a job?" Ryan was amused at the question. He did not smile however.
Marcus nodded. "Yes," he answered. He handed the third orange to Kyle, who was becoming more intrigued as the conversation continued. He listened keenly.
"For a while I was a merchandiser for a major food brand and worked at several supermarkets on their behalf. I worked at a call centre for a year." He smiled at that memory. "Then I worked as a security officer."
Marcus called the name of a particular company. Ryan smiled and nodded. "Yes, I worked for them for maybe seven years then decided I wanted to be a police officer," he replied. He was curious about Lissa's dad now. "How did you know?" he asked.
"I worked for them for ten years while I was studying for my current career, a lawyer," Marcus told him. He would identify the body language anywhere. It was something that was drummed into each guard that passed through their training.
Ryan looked at him with eyebrows raised. He was impressed. He looked at Miss Dixon's dad's lean build. He looked quite fit just not bulky. He nodded. More than meets the eye, he thought. He took out a knife from his work bag, peeled the orange, cut it in half, then ate it.
***
Marcus allowed Ryan to sit beside Lissa, while he sat beside Sandra on his left and Kyle on his right. Lissa felt uncomfortable. Her parents were friendly people but this was ridiculous. Lissa and her mom made fried dumplings and saltfish with baked beans. Ryan dug in. The food was delicious. He especially liked the dumplings.
"Food good?" Sandra asked.
Ryan smiled at her. "Yes, thank you. I especially love the dumplings. Tastes crispy with this creamy flavor," he answered politely.
Sandra smiled. "Lissa made them," she said while watching his reaction. Ryan looked towards Miss Dixon and smiled at her. He had heard that she was a great cook from Sudanie, but he now had proof. He bit into another one of the crispy pastry. "They taste really good," he told her. Lissa nodded shyly.
Kyle saw what was happening between the two young people and smiled cheekily. He looked over at his old friend. Marcus saw his expression and nodded. He smiled back at him. The Corporal was just the distraction Lissa needed as far as he was concerned.
***
At 10:00 o'clock that Wednesday morning, Ryan started his work. He borrowed the family's ten-foot tall triangle ladder, placed it as close to the wall as possible, and climbed up on it.
He assessed the holes closest to his eyesight. He grimaced at the damage. He took out his cellphone from his pocket and took pictures. A few holes still had bullets in them. He wouldn't work on those until after the forensic team came back for the bullets. He counted twenty holes he could work on right away.
He was wearing gloves. He removed the glove from his right hand and touched the surface of the concrete. Loose cement crumpled off slowly. He rubbed his hand on the surface and observed the porosity. To him, it looked like the cement and sand were mixed at varying strengths.
He took a few more pictures. He needed to see something. He took out his trowel from his pocket and knocked on the cement gently at first then with more vigor. He noted cement coating falling out in small pieces.
He used the pointy blade of his trowel to carefully dig away the cement. He saw a glimpse of the concrete block underneath. He brushed away as much debris as he could and looked at the surface. The concrete block's quality looked good. Well, as far as he could see.
The cement wasn't supposed to behave like that however. He couldn't do much at this phase, short of tearing the whole house down, everything had dried up and was fused together. He could probably remove some of the mortar on the areas that were loose enough, otherwise he would have to apply the cement like he planned. If he decided to clean off the faulty surfaces, it would require more money, for more of his time. He sighed. He would talk to Mr Dixon and hear what he had to say.
He climbed down the ladder and faced Mr Dixon. "I can fix it," he began, "but it may cost more than we both bargained for." He explained the situation to him. Marcus listened carefully. He looked at the pictures Ryan showed him and observed the flawed sections the young man brought to his attention. He nodded. "How much?' he asked, getting straight to the point.
Ryan cleared his throat. "$300,000," he told him. Marcus sighed. "Give me a minute," he told him.
"Sure," Ryan answered.
Marcus walked into his study and closed the door. He called Jason to ask his opinion. When Jason answered the phone, Marcus greeted him heartily asking him how things were with him and Carli.
Jason was touched by his concern. He laughed and told his uncle that Carli had taken up jogging in the mornings and was dragging him along. He didn't mind but afterwards Carli wanted them to do other friskier exercises, and by the time they came back home he was tired, he was however trying to keep up with her.
Marcus laughed. He told him that the women in the family had great stamina and he needed to step up his game. Jason chuckled and said he would try his best. He asked if everything was okay.
Marcus revealed that their house was shot up. Jason was alarmed at this news. Up to that point he and Carli still were not aware. He told Marcus he hadn't heard anything on the media.
Marcus apologized for not calling earlier but everything happened so fast. He however needed advice about a construction project at his house. He explained about the walls and the bullet holes. He told Jason about Lissa's friend and the problem he identified with the walls, what he was going to do to fix it and his price.
Jason whistled. "I would have to come by and look at the walls myself to confirm that what he says about your situation is true. Yes, what he explained about the cement shelling off and why it's happening and how to fix it is legit, but I would feel better to see them for myself to determine if what he's telling you is true," Jason said. "As for his price, it's reasonable to be honest."
Marcus listened. He sighed. "What do you recommend?" he asked.
"You can let him go ahead with what he says he's going to do if you urgently want it to be fixed. I won't be able to come out there until Saturday or Sunday," Jason answered. "If you can wait I can come out there and look at it for you. I can even recommend someone who can do it for you but it can't be me right now. I have a house up Norbrook am doing a repainting on," Jason said matter-of-factly.
Marcus nodded to himself. He cleared his throat. "Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. We'll work with him," he said.
"Okay, and it's no problem. I'm sorry about what happened," Jason answered. "How is Lissa coping?" he asked. Marcus sighed. "She's coping," Marcus replied. "She'll be fine," he told him.
"Okay," Jason said, "give everybody our love. As soon as we can, we'll come see you guys. Tell Branno he owes me a rematch. He'll know what I'm talking about."
Marcus smiled. "Okay, will do. Talk later," he replied.
Jason said, "Later uncle," then ended the call.
Marcus smiled at his phone. He was happy Carli found a responsible young man. Carli was always a levelheaded young woman. He was worried about his own daughter.
***
Ryan walked into the kitchen. He was waiting to hear if Mr Dixon agreed to his terms. He leaned on the doorjamb and watched Lissa wash dishes. He didn't know where her mom was --who was also quite stunning-- but he needed to be close to her. Lissa was very gorgeous. He stepped into the room. "Need help?" he asked, his voice soft.
Lissa turned around nervously. "Why did you do that earlier?" she asked.
"What did I do?" he asked smiling at her.
"Just show up at my house," she said annoyed.
"I told you I would come by since it was my day off to take a look at your walls. Plus, I wanted to see you," he told her.
"Why?" she asked. Her heart was racing.
"Why what?" He chuckled. He came closer to her.
Lissa put her hands out between them. "Not a step further, please," she said. Her voice didn't sound strong to her. She sounded weak. He stopped before her. His eyes raked over her slowly. She felt self conscious.
He smiled and shook his head. He laughed softly.
"What's so funny?" she asked feeling indignant.
"You say you have swollen feet. Your feet look fine, but maybe they need a massage." He came closer. He stood right in front of her and looked into her eyes. "I haven't felt this way in a long time," he told her.
Just then, her phone rang. She jumped nervously. She swore under her breath, dipped her left hand into her jeans' back pocket and took it out. She looked at the screen. It's Shane!
Ryan saw who the call was from. He stepped back and looked at her. She looked at him warily then answered her phone. "Hello," she said. Ryan left the room.
***
"Baby, I love you," Shane said with a whisper.
"Hi baby," Lissa replied. She was happy to hear his voice. "I love you too."
"I'm really sorry about everything. I'm sorry for asking you to come away with me. Please forgive me," he said.
Lissa sighed. "I forgive you. I wanted to come with you but I couldn't leave my family just like that," she told him. She cleared her throat.
"It's okay baby," he paused. "I'll be coming back nine days from now. I can't wait to see you." Shane sighed.
"Where are you?" she asked.
"I'm in Miami," he said.
"Oh okay."
"Yeah, my parents have a house here. We got reports from the caretaker that people are trying to squat on the property. It's my parents' place but I think they should sell. I'm up here to check out what's happening. I'm hoping that I can convince them to sell."
Lissa sighed. "Tell me something?"
"Hmm, sure. Go ahead," Shane answered.
"If I came up with you would we be living there?"
Shane chuckled. "No. More like staying here for a few months," he replied.
"Oh," Lissa felt sad, "I wish you had told me," she said.
"I know, but at the same time I was worried about our call being compromised," Shane told her.
"Okay."
"I'm really sorry. I promise to make it up to you. I'm coming back to you. After the nine days you will see me."
Lissa smiled. "I hope so," she told him.
Shane chuckled. "I will, I promise. I gotta go now. I love you."
"I love you," Lissa said softly.
Shane blew kisses at her then hung up.
Lissa leaned against the kitchen counter and smiled. She would count down the days till seeing him.
***
Ryan left after 7 p.m. He avoided Lissa for the rest of the day. She was relieved. Later in the night, he sent her a text saying that he was sorry for how he behaved towards her, and it wouldn't happen again. She looked at the text but did not reply.
Lissa felt her heart sink. "How long?" she asked.
"Baby, I am so sorry. Maybe ten more days," he answered. Lissa was perplexed that he would go beyond the thirty days leave he was given. She couldn't believe he was really resigning from his job.
"As soon as I get back I'll come see you. I promise." She heard him say but her mind was muddled up.
"Yeah, sure," she answered. "And you're sure you're in Miami and not somewhere in Jamaica refusing to come see me?"
She heard him sigh. "My sweet baby, I am so sorry. I will make it up to you I promise, and no I am still in Miami. I'll send you a picture of the house, after I hang up.
"Okay," she answered sadly.
He blew her a kiss then ended the call. Lissa lay back. Lissa heard the text notification on her phone. She opened it and saw him standing in the middle of an expansive kitchen. He was a sight for sore eyes. She sighed heavily and reacted with a thumbs up emoji. She felt like the joy was sucked out of her. Looking up at the ceiling, she hugged her pillow and cried.
***
Marcus was standing at his daughter's door. He was coming to commend her for recommending Ryan. But here he was outside her room, listening to her cry.
After Ryan left in the evening, Marcus called the CEO of the security company and asked for details on his performance while he worked there. Marcus was impressed when he learned that Ryan was a team leader for one of their armed response teams, and that he was very proficient in the use of firearms.
He asked the CEO what he thought of Marcus hiring him as a body guard. The CEO told him that he would highly recommend him. Marcus was pleased. That was exactly what he wanted to hear. He told him thanks then asked when was the company's next shareholders' meeting. He told him. Marcus said thanks and hung up.
He wanted to tell Lissa that he wanted Ryan to act like a 'shadow' for her. He knew he needed to speak to his superiors at the JCF, but he would ask her how she felt about it. Now, hearing that Shane was away and would be gone for an extended period of time, he felt like he needed to be more proactive. He quietly walked downstairs. He walked to his study, opened the door and closed it behind him. He dialed Corporal Ryan's number.
Marcus heard the phone ring then went to voicemail. He waited a minute then called again. A breathless Corporal Stewart answered the phone. "Hello," he said slightly winded.
"Corporal Ryan Stewart?" Marcus asked to clarify.
"Yes, it is," Ryan answered.
"This is Marcus. You were at my house earlier today," Marcus said.
"Miss Dixon's father?" Ryan sought to confirm. He wondered if he was changing his mind about using his services.
"Yes," Marcus replied.
"Okay," Ryan answered.
Marcus said, "As we've negotiated, I will pay the $300,000 for the repairs we discussed," he cleared his throat, "but there's another job I want you to do for me, if you're interested, and if you're schedule allows."
Ryan was intrigued. "Okay, sure I'm listening," he said. He sat on his couch. He reached for the remote and turned off the TV. He was just coming back from his evening jog. He needed to shower, but that could wait for a few more minutes.
"By now you know that there's a man by the name of Mr. Z hunting down your colleague, Sargeant Crosby, and because my daughter is involved with him, Mr Z's vendetta has spilled over on us and my daughter is now a target. Well, you've seen my house," Marcus spoke bitterly.
"I need someone to be my daughter's shadow, someone to watch her, protect and guard her. It would be good that she doesn't know that's what is happening. I did a background check on you with your former company. It seems you're highly recommended. Team leader for your armed response team is a big responsibility, and is not for the weak hearted," Marcus said.
With eye brows raised Ryan listened. He did want to spend more time with Miss Dixon, but never saw this opportunity coming his way. He cleared his throat and coughed a little. He was also surprised that her dad would do a background check on him.
"Well, what do you say?" Marcus asked.
"Based on my current duties and schedule, my time "shadowing her" will be sporadic. Sometimes my shift is a day shift, other times it's nights. I would love to help, but with my schedule, I can't guarantee I can be there for her. Does she know you're talking to me about this?"
"No, she doesn't know. It's the perfect time as well since you'll be working at our house," Marcus replied.
"True but, Mr. Dixon, I do have my duties. I won't receive leave until about September. That's the only way I can guarantee I will be available to her, if she wants me there," Corporal Ryan told Mr Dixon. "Also, if I can't tell her I'm her body guard how will I justify being in her personal space more often? Yes, you said she shouldn't know, but at times I may need to guard her at close quarters."
Marcus processed what he said. "What do you recommend?" he asked.
Ryan sighed. He leaned back on the couch and looked at the ceiling. He closed his eyes remembering her reaction to him earlier that day. There was obvious chemistry between them, but of course she was with another man, his superior, and to an extent his friend.
He never planned on this attraction towards her, but he enjoyed his conversations with her. It felt like she was giving him signals that she was attracted to him too. He couldn't resist seeing her today. But when he showed up she acted nervous, even a little scared. Yeah, he was acting rash, she already had a man.
"Speak to my superiors about your concern and maybe they'll agree," he replied. "I know officers of higher rank are trained to guard high level government officials. I'm barely off the ground level as an officer and Lissa isn't a high ranking official. I'm sorry."
"I'm willing to pay whatever you ask," Marcus told him.
Ryan chuckled. "For Lissa I would do it for free," he answered, "but as I said, my hands are tied."
Marcus grimaced. "I'll speak to your superiors. My daughter needs protection."
Ryan listened to the anguish in his voice. He sympathized with him, but he couldn't do much. "Okay. I hope they agree."
"Okay. Thank you for your time. When will you be able to come by to work?" Marcus asked.
"On Sunday, around 1 o'clock," Ryan replied.
"Okay. Thank you," Marcus said.
"Yeah, no problem," Ryan said, then ended the call. He groaned loudly. Everything was so complicated.
Marcus looked at the phone. He just realized something. Did the young man say he would guard her for free? "Hmm, interesting," Marcus mused. He went upstairs to his bedroom. His wife was already asleep. He took a shower, changed into comfy pajamas and lay beside her.
She was so beautiful. He came closer and pulled her into his arms. She made a muffled sound and threw her arms around him while still sleeping. He smiled at her. Settling his head on his pillow, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
***
Thursday - One week later (The day of Lissa's OBGYN appointment)
The phone rang. Mr N answered while Zavier was on an international call with a shipping company's representative in the next room. He answered, "Hello?"
A scratchy voice came on the line. "Hellerr," it said.
"Yes?" Mr N responded, eyes brows raised.
"Is me Beverly," the voice said.
Mr N sighed. Her again!
"Yes Beverly. How can I be of help?"
"A weh mi can do for you and yuh boss, Mistah Zee," Beverly answered cheerily. "Yuh sound sexy on the phone yuh nuh baby!"
Mr N hissed his teeth. "Get to the point please," he answered her feeling exasperated.
"Okay well, the police guy weh Mr Z is looking for. One likkle birdie pinch mi and tell mi seh him gone a foreign. Not so sure where but it is in the U.S. And the next thing is this, the woman weh him deh wid, she's pregnant for him!" she said the last part with excitement.
Mr N smiled. Maybe the rumours about him were true. "Okay Beverly, you did good. I will make sure your usual amount is deposited in your account, but you know we have to confirm your info," he said.
Beverly laughed. "Yeh man, not a problem. Tell Mr Z seh if this info is legit mi want likkle more on mi usual next time. It's three times in a row mi a give unnu good info."
Mr N chuckled. "We'll see," he said amused.
Beverly spoke softly, "Yuh know seh yuh sound nice on the phone though. You married? Yuh have a woman?"
"Good bye Beverly. I'll send you your payment as soon as I can verify your info," he said hanging up. He shook his head, a tiny smile curved his thin lips. She was something else.
He waited an additional hour for Zavier to end his call and knocked on his boss's office door. He heard him say, "Come in."
Mr N stepped into the room. Zavier was typing on his laptop. "All went well?" N asked him. Zavier nodded. "Yeah, I was able to negotiate a contract for cheaper shipping costs after I told them what the Chinese were offering." He smiled. He observed how his associate was standing and looking at him.
"Is something wrong?" Zavier asked.
Mr N smiled. "Good news actually, depending on how you see it," he answered.
"Okay, let's hear it." Zavier said. He leaned back in his leather chair.
"Our cop friend is not on the island. He's overseas. We haven't identified where yet, but we'll find out. But there's additional info you might find interesting," N said smiling.
Zavier knew that 'we're on to something smile' from his closest associate and friend. "Well? Spill it?" Z asked finding himself anticipating what N would say.
"This cop's girl, she's pregnant," Mr N announced. He watched his friend's eyebrows shoot up with a surprised look.
Zavier sat upright. "Really?" he asked.
N nodded. "Mhm," he replied smiling. That meant the cop was definitely vulnerable.
Zavier looked at his ring. He promised Midnight he would not go after the girl or her family. Now however, he was wondering if he was hasty in making that promise. "And you don't know where he is exactly?" Z asked.
Mr N shook his head. "But I'll make sure we know very soon," he replied. Z nodded. Things were getting interesting. "Get Lequan on the phone and tell him I need to speak to this girl. Find out where she is and bring her here before the close of corporate business hours."
"Bring her here?" Mr N asked surprised.
Z nodded. "Yes," he answered. His voice indicating no objection. N bowed his head slightly. He looked at the floor. "Of course sir," he answered. "I'll call him."
"And N, I want her unharmed. I don't want her roughed up too much. She's pregnant."
N nodded. "Of course. Will do."
"Do you think the rumors are true?" N asked.
Z smiled. "They could be, we'll just have to dig deeper," he told him. N nodded. He stepped out of the room and called Lequan with the info and instructions.
Zavier looked at his ring. He was curious about this young woman. From what he was hearing she was very good looking and curvaceous. He wondered if she really knew her lover.
***
Brandon dropped Lissa off at the OBGYN for her 1:30 a.m. appointment using their mom's car. Sandra would get a ride with Marcus to work, while Brandon picked up Zuzu to attend classes.
Zane had to meet with a client for his website and app building company, so he couldn't drop them off to school that day. Lissa hugged her brother and gave Zuzu a peck on the cheek. She stepped outside of the vehicle and waved good bye.
She walked slowly to the medical centre's front door. Ryan was at their house doing repairs. When he came in the morning he barely said anything to her.
She felt guilty for how she was behaving towards him. They were still friends. And in a sense it was her fault. She was sort of, kind of, flirting with him. He was handsome and he made her feel good talking to him.
He shaved off his mustache, had a fresh trim and cleaned off the light stubble on his face. When he walked in she couldn't stop staring at him. He looked very handsome. She nearly bumped into the trash can in the kitchen pretending she didn't notice him. Lissa sighed and took a deep breath.
She opened the medical facility's doors and stepped inside. She told the receptionist that she had an appointment to see Dr. Vanessa Gordon. The young lady smiled at her and checked the appointments' file.
"Yes Ms Dixon, your name is here. Please have a seat and Dr. Gordon will call you shortly," the young woman said smiling.
Lissa smiled at her and went to sit in one of the nice comfy chairs. She looked around her. Very nice! she thought. Her phone pinged indicating a notification. She took her phone out of her bag to check her WhatsApp messages.
Shane sent a heart emoji with "I love you sweet baby." She smiled happily and sent him a 'beating heart' and the words "Love you more." She sat back smiling. After ten minutes she heard another 'ping' and checked thinking it was from Shane, but it was from Ryan.
He sent a text which read:
"Trying to get your mom and dad, but not getting through. I'm leaving early today, something came up. Please inform your parents," his text said.
Lissa sighed. She texted him back: "Will do." That was how their conversations were now, even in person: short and to the point.
"Okay," he replied.
After ten more minutes, Dr. Gordon called her and she went into her office. She spent 20 minutes with the doctor. Lissa found Dr. Gordon very jovial, and able to clearly explain the development of the foetuses in a simple but detailed way as she performed the ultrasound procedure.
Lissa asked how far along she was. The doctor told her three months and two weeks. She told Dr. Gordon about her unprotected sexual encounter with Derrick. After some back tracking of dates, she remembered the day it happened. She told her. Dr Gordon smiled at her then said, "Based on their development I can confidently say your babies are not the result of that sexual encounter."
Lissa was relieved. "Thank God," she said.
Dr. Gordon looked at her and chuckled.
"Will I get a print out of the ultra sound?" she asked.
"Yeh man," Dr. Gordon replied. "Just have a seat in the waiting area, when they call you to pay, they will also hand you the print outs in an envelope."
Lissa nodded. "Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome hun," Dr Gordon answered smiling. "Please rest and as I said, I have prescribed more of the same supplements given to you at the University Hospital."
Lissa nodded. She tucked the prescription paper in her bag.
"When next for an appointment?" Lissa asked. Dr. Gordon handed her medical chart to her. "Please give it to the nurse on duty." Lissa nodded.
"All being well 21 days," the doctor said.
Lissa nodded. "Thank you."
Dr. Gordon nodded and opened the file of her next patient.
Lissa opened the door and stepped into the waiting area. She gave her chart to the nurse who said thanks and smiled at her. She told her to have a seat and then they would call her.
After twenty minutes had passed, they called her to the reception area. The nurse handed her an envelope and told her to go to the next window to pay for her consultation. She paid for her visit using her health insurance card and decided to walk to the curb at the end of the road to take a taxi.
A black vehicle drove up. A man came out and walked towards her slowly. "Excuse me Miss, can you tell me the time?" he asked. Lissa looked at him suspiciously.
He was wearing a black suit similar to what Devon wore the first time she and Shane saw him at the Boys' Home. Then, she only knew him as 'the black suit guy', she didn't know his name. She stepped back a little.
The man looked her up and down. She was a very good looking woman. He hoped Mr Z was telling the truth about not hurting her. "Mr Z would like a word with you. He's heard that you're pregnant. For your own good he would like to speak with you," the man said.
What? How did he know this? Lissa felt fear grip her body.
"I have nothing Mr Z wants," she said. "I'm just an ordinary girl. The other day he shot up my house and put my family in danger for no reason." She stepped back. "Why would I come with you?" Lissa asked defiantly, though her feet were shaking.
"Mr Z promises that no harm will come to you. He just wants to talk," the man said.
"I'm not going anywhere," Lissa said. "I swear to God if you come closer I will scream," she warned.
The man moved swiftly and put his hand over her mouth. She tried to scream but felt groggy. There was something in his hand and he was holding it firmly over her nose and mouth. The more she struggled, the more she inhaled something strange. She felt tired. She 'blacked out'.
Looking around him, the man saw a few curious onlookers. One took out her phone and snapped pictures. Lequan hurriedly placed Lissa in the black SUV and shut the door. "Drive!" he told his colleague sitting around the steering wheel. The man floored the engine. The tires screeched as dust flew up in their wake.
***
Three (3) vehicles behind the fast moving black SUV, a man was riding on a motorcycle, steadily increasing his speed. He kept his eyes on the vehicle. He took out his cell phone from his jacket's pocket and dialed a number.
"Some men took your 'sparrow'. I'm close behind them," he said. "Yeah, sending my location to you now. Looks like she's in the back seat." The man hung up, then turned on 'location' for his phone. He tucked the phone away in his jacket and continued to follow the SUV.
The SUV slowed down and stopped as the traffic light turned red. Lequan did not want to draw suspicion to themselves by breaking a stop light. He sighed. He heard groaning sounds. He looked behind him and saw the young woman moving on the back seat. He was told she was pregnant. To avoid any harm coming to her or the baby, he diluted the dose of the 'knockout' solution he would normally use.
Out of the corner of his eyes he saw a vehicle speeding towards them. The car screeched to a halt, partially blocking them from driving off. Lequan was reaching for his gun when he heard a motorcycle pull up on the other side. The motorcycle rider pulled out a gun and aimed it towards his driver's head. He couldn't see his face. He was wearing a mask that only showed his eyes.
The driver of the car that blocked them off stepped out of his vehicle with a Magnum handgun in his hand. He too was wearing a mask. "Move and yuh dead!" the man said. "Open the back door." The man pressed the muzzle of his gun to Lequan's right temple.
Lequan pressed the button to unlock the car door. The man opened the door and with one hand reached for the young woman. He leaned forward and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. He helped her to stand up. Lequan watched him, waiting for an opportunity to attack.
The traffic light turned green. Some drivers behind them honked their horns impatiently. Meanwhile curious passersby videoed the incident. A few cars swung around them, driving past, several of the drivers hurled expletives at them, while others stared at them as they drove away.
Lissa groaned. She opened her eyes, saw the masked face and tried to pull free. The man tightened his grip on her. That was Lequan's cue. He reached for his gun. The man on the motorcycle smacked the driver hard across his face, knocking him out, and aimed his gun at Lequan. "Move again and your mother will be planning your funeral," he warned.
Lequan watched as the other masked man held the woman firmly. "Stop!" the man growled. She started to cry. "Stop," he whispered. "It's okay. I got you."
Her body went limp. That voice. Those words. They sounded familiar. She turned and looked at him. She could only see his eyes. She looked at them closely. Her heart skipped a beat. Ryan?!
He looked into her eyes. His gaze softened. "It's okay," he said his voice gravelly. It was him! How? She nodded, then remembered: The ultrasound results! "My bag!" she told him. He reached into the car and retrieved her bag for her and gave it to her. She slung it over her shoulder.
"Are we good?" the man on the motorcycle asked. He was aware that people were by now exiting their vehicles and watching the scene unfold. Many had their cellphones out and filming what was happening.
Ryan nodded, then said, "We're good." He still had his gun aimed at Lequan's head.
"Good," he said. He aimed the gun at Lequan's head. "Give me your weapon."
Reluctantly, Lequan handed his gun to him. The man tucked the gun in his waist. He leaned over and took the keys from the ignition and threw them far away on the roadway. Riding around to Lequan's car window he pointed his gun at his head. "Tell yuh boss seh him fi stop teck set on di people dem daughter," he said.
Taking the butt of his gun, he smacked Lequan across his face twice, knocking him out. He revved his bike, rode off a few meters, then turned around and aimed at the vehicle's back tires. Ryan moved quickly, pulling Lissa away from the vehicle. The man on the motorcycle shot at the two back tires, puncturing them. He rode off leaving Ryan and Lissa alone.
Ryan holstered his gun on his waist and lifted Lissa in his arms, carrying her to his car. He placed her inside and hurried to the driver's side of his vehicle. He started his car and sped away from the scene.
"Where are you taking me?' she asked
Ryan cleared his throat. "Some place safe," he answered using his normal voice. He pulled off the mask and threw it on the back seat. Lissa stared at him. She couldn't believe it. "Who was that guy who helped you?" she asked.
"A good friend of mine," he answered. "And let's leave it at that."
She nodded. "Okay," she replied. "Thank you." She looked at him, her heart swelling with appreciation.
"No problem," he said. He smiled at her and turned his attention to the road.
After driving for forty-five minutes, he brought her to a house in rural St. Andrew, that was closed up. Grass was overgrown in the yard, and the yard was generally unkempt. The house needed a fresh coat of paint. He stopped the car at the gate and shut off the engine. He got out and came around for her. "Are you feeling better to stand?" he asked.
"My legs still feel weak," she said. "The guy, he drugged me or something."
Ryan nodded. "Okay, let's do it this way then." He reached for her and pulled her towards him. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the front door. Lissa felt the warmth radiating from his body, and was tempted to relax and curl up in his arms, but refrained from doing so.
He made her rest her feet on the front porch while he opened the door. Lifting her in his arms again, her body hit against his chest. The impact made her feel weak. She couldn't resist resting her head on his shoulder and relaxing on him.
Ryan felt her body relax on him. She felt so soft. He squeezed her closer to his chest. Her curves felt good to him. He wished he could caress her all over.
Lissa felt his arms tighten around her. The contact made her swoon. She bit her bottom lip, suppressing the groan of pleasure that nearly escaped her lips. His strength made her feel weak for him.
He looked into her eyes while taking her inside to the living room. He wanted to kiss her. Using his right leg, he shut the door then gently laid her on an old couch in the room. He moved away from her and locked the door. He turned on the light switch and looked at her.
She looked around. The room was cleaner than she expected. "You live here?" she asked shyly.
"Used to," he said. "This is my grandmother's house. I sleep here sometimes, but I have an apartment elsewhere." He sat down beside her. He reached for her hand and squeezed. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Lissa nodded. "Yes, just a little groggy from whatever they put over my face." She gazed into his eyes. Gosh they are so expressive. Besides concern, his brown eyes held an emotion she couldn't quite read. She smiled at him.
"I'm okay," she said. He didn't look convinced. She touched his arm. "Really I am. I was so scared though, but you came for me. Thank you." She wrapped her arms around her torso, and comforted herself by rubbing her hands on her arms. Remembering the last time she did that, he came closer to her.
"You're safe. I got you. I won't let anyone hurt you."
Lissa looked into his eyes. Could she believe him? It seemed like all the men in her life, except her dad and Branno, were the same. They didn't count, they were family. She was tired of having her trust betrayed; tired of having her heart trampled. Could she trust him?
He touched her face then leaned forward and hugged her. His arms around her shoulders made her feel secure. "Thank you," she said.
She was grateful he showed up when he did. If he hadn't ... No, she didn't want to think like that. He released her from his embrace and looked at her. "I told you, I'm here if you need me."
She felt a little perplexed. Was he following her the whole time? He was very brave.
"Surely you being here when I need you has limits, you have your own life and ..." She paused trying to calm the stormy thoughts inside her head. She was very attracted to him.
"I'm limited because I'm human, but that doesn't mean I won't do all in my power to be here for you. Isn't that what friends do?"
He squeezed her left hand and looked at her. Lissa's mouth went dry. Her thoughts towards him were anything but the friendship kind right now.
"Are we friends?" she asked. Her voice held a subtle tremor.
He reached out and held both of her hands. "Of course we are. Is there something wrong?" he asked. She looked into those sexy brown eyes and melted. "Um ... no," she croaked. "It's just that the other day, you know, we had a little misunderstanding. Well, I mean, you don't really talk to me like you used to."
He chuckled softly then said, "I wanted to give you space. I may have misread what was happening in our conversations on the phone. But we're good. It's good. Okay?"
Lissa nodded. "Okay," she replied feeling better.
"Any other problem?" he asked, his tone sounded gentle to her frazzled nerves.
She cleared her throat. "No, no problem. Will you call me Lissa now?" she asked.
His mouth curved into a charming smile. "Sure, Lissa, we're friends." His voice had a hypnotic tone that sent chills down her spine. She blushed and looked at her feet.
Noticing what she did, he put his thumb and index finger under her chin and lifted her head. He looked into her eyes. "Unless you want us to be more?" His gaze lowered to her lips. Lissa felt hot all over. She swallowed hard. She licked her lips. She noticed he was watching her lips closely.
"When .. when will you take me home?" she asked nervously.
"As soon as my friend gives me the go ahead," he answered. He leaned back, turning his body towards the door.
Lissa nodded feeling on edge. "Okay," she said.
Ryan heard the tremor in her voice. He touched her hand. "I won't do anything you don't want me to." He took a deep breath. "Lissa, I find you very attractive and very fascinating. I won't lie to you about that. But I respect the fact that you have someone else. I thought you found me attractive too, that's why I acted the way I did a few days ago, but as I said I am your friend, and I won't violate your trust."
Lissa relaxed a little. She did find him attractive, but it could never work.
While they were there, they chatted and he made her something to eat. She fell asleep on the couch while he went on the road. When he came back she was awake watching television. He smiled at her. "We can leave now," he told her. She smiled at him. She was getting really comfortable in this house tucked away in this quiet St. Andrew community.
She grabbed her bag and stood up. He took her hand and helped her down the steps, some of which were cracked. He helped her to the car. She sat inside and waited for him to come around. He started the engine and drove off slowly. When he went on the road earlier, to meet his friend, he called Lissa's dad and told him what happened. He told him he would make arrangements for them to sleep at a hotel that night. Ryan was to drop her off at that location. He agreed.
When Lissa saw them stop at the entrance of the hotel, she was puzzled. "What are we doing here?" she asked.
"I called your dad. He said you guys will sleep here tonight." Ryan took out his cellphone and called Marcus, telling him that they were out front.
After five minutes, she saw her dad walking towards them. She had so many questions: How did he find her? How did he know she was kidnapped? Was he following her the whole time while she believed he was still at her house?
She looked at him, her eyes watering. Whatever the scenario, she was grateful. She touched his arm. He turned and looked at her. She leaned forward and placed a soft peck on his cheek. "Thank you for helping me," she said quietly.
He touched her face. "You're welcome." Gently, he brushed his clean shaven face on her left cheek and felt her body shiver. He pressed his face on her cheek a little more and slowly rubbed his skin on hers. He closed his eyes. Her skin felt so good.
A rush of soft air escaped her lips, but Lissa tried not to make any sound. She closed her eyes. What he did was unexpected. It turned her on. She bit her bottom lip, feeling her loins respond to him.
Ryan opened his eyes and looked at her. He could see she enjoyed what he did. He wanted to kiss her, but held himself back. Ryan reached out and touched her face. She opened her eyes and he felt his own body respond when he saw the look in her eyes.
He smiled at her. Lissa smiled back at him. There was a look in his eyes that called to her, making her want to go with him. She lowered her gaze.
Marcus was at her car door. Ryan composed himself and unlocked it for her. She reluctantly pulled on the lever and stepped outside. Ryan pulled in the door, shutting it for himself. Marcus put his arm around his daughter's waist. He looked at Ryan and nodded. "Thank you," he said. Ryan nodded. "No problem," he replied. He started the car and drove off.
Lissa watched him leave. Her heart felt conflicted. On the one hand, she loved Shane and wanted to be with him, not to mention she was carrying his kids, but on the other hand, she could feel herself falling for this brave, young police officer. What should she do?
She felt her dad tug at her waist. She turned and walked with him to the hotel's reception area. She never wanted this situation. She wished things were different for all of them.
Comments
Post a Comment
Hi! Liking our content so far? Please leave a comment and we will get back to you.