Chapter 10: Tell no lies.

Carlos parked in the driveway of their home. The lights in the living room were on. Sharon was home after all. This thing about fraud was crazy. Why hadn't she said anything to me? He thought. 

He exited the vehicle, locked and armed it, and entered through the front door. It was unlocked. He smelt the aroma of food being prepared. It smelt like stewed beef, his favorite, but this was something Sharon only cooked on weekends. Now he wondered how serious this situation was. 

He began thinking: 

What should I do? Should I just come out and confront her about what I heard? Paul has probably called her to let her know that I know now?

Maybe I should pretend like I don't know anything and see what she will do? Yeah, that's what I'll do. He thought. Let's see if she'll say anything to me.

Carlos entered the kitchen and saw his wife mashing potatoes, cooking stewed beef in a dutch pot, frying chicken on the stove top and it looked like she was baking some kind of pudding in the oven. Carlos watched her for a minute without saying a word. He knew what this was. 

Over the 24 years he's been married to Sharon, Carlos knew this was a classic sign that she was stressed, and maybe scared too. She hadn't seen him yet. She was shredding carrots to put in the stew, just the way he liked it. If she was making something for him, he knew this meant she wanted to apologize for something or she wanted to ask him something important. Either way he liked watching her work. 

She was a beautiful woman. Carlos was lucky to have her. It was just that sometimes he infuriated her with always going ahead and trying to take care of things without letting him know. No doubt she tried to solve this problem on her own and got burned or was about to get burned. He watched for another minute before she looked up startled, seeing him watching her by the doorway.

She brushed a lock of hair away from her face. 

"Hey," she said nervously. 

"Hey," he said smiling at her. 

He entered the room slowly. 

"What's for dinner? Something smells really good." He looked at her. 

He allowed his eyes to roam over her face, down her neck and across to her bust, then down to her thighs. She was wearing a pink t-shirt and cute cotton shorts that hugged her hips. She was very tempting. 

She still had on her earrings she wore to work. Sharon never wore jewelry at home except for her wedding ring. Her hair was loose about her shoulders. She had gone into Mandeville two days ago to have it pressed. It still looked good. Her tresses were thick and luscious. Whenever she let her hair down whether natural or straightened it was tempting to touch. He came close to her and touched her hair. 

Sharon was stunned. It had been a few days since Carlos had touched her, since their big argument over the money. Now as he looked at her, Sharon saw that his eyes roamed across her body. She was pretty sure he would make sexual advances towards her before the night was over.

Carlos observed that she looked like a deer caught in headlights. He was having too much fun toying with her. Let's see what she'll do, he thought. 

For a woman in her forties, Sharon still had firm supple skin. She took care of herself, watching what she ate and making sure she exercised at least four (4) mornings each week. She hadn't been doing that this week though. He just assumed that it was because she was still upset with him. Now he wondered if this fraud thing was the problem.

Sharon cleared her throat. "We're having stewed beef, and I decided to do some fried chicken as well. You can take the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. She looked over at the wide bowl filled with mashed potatoes. One thing Carlos also knew when Sharon cooked when she was stressed, she over did the amount of food she prepared. 

"Mashed potatoes and I'm also doing a cornmeal pudding. Thought you might like that," she said, walking away from him. She opened the oven door to check on the pudding.

"About ten more minutes," she said, more to herself than to him.

"Sharon ..."

"Look Carlos ... Oh, I'm sorry. You wanted to say something. Go ahead."

"No, it's okay. Go ahead," he said. Sharon, baby tell me what's going on. He thought. It's okay. Let me help you. 

"Okay," she cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry for hitting you. I had no right to. I was upset, but I shouldn't have," she looked at him with a sheepish smile. 

Carlos reached for her hands and she gave them to him. "Shar, I understand. I was wrong to have done any of that without consulting you."

He pulled her closer but didn't hug her. "I have good news. I heard from Red Man. He gave me back $50,000 and has promised to get another $300,000 to me in about two months."

Sharon was a little happy about that news, but still...

"Can you trust him?", she asked.

"Yeah I think so," he replied. Can I trust you Shar. He thought. Tell me something.

"To celebrate I bought you some cheesecake," he said. He smiled at her.

Sharon smiled back. "Thank you." He was a really good man. She sighed. Should she tell him? She asked herself.

Carlos picked up on the sigh. "You okay?", he asked. Come on baby. Tell me what's going on? He watched her. She was struggling with her emotions. Could he help her to talk it out. 

"So how was work today? How come you're home so early?", Carlos asked, his expression neutral. 

"Oh, I wasn't feeling well. I was having cramps and a headache so I told them I would be going home early." She moved away from him to continue mashing the potatoes. She focused her gaze on what she was doing. "Dinner should be ready in about ten to twelve minutes or so," she said.

Carlos was disappointed. 

"Okay honey," he said. "Hope you will feel better. Tell me if there's anything I can do," he said quietly.

She nodded. "Thank you," she said, but she didn't look at him.

He loosened his tie and went into their bedroom to put down his work bag on the floor by the door. He sat on the bed and removed his shoes. He hissed his teeth. Sharon was as stubborn as an ox. If she wasn't going to tell him what was going on he would have to find out another way.

***** 

Carli and Jason sat comfortably on the navy blue couch in Aunt Sandra's living room. They had finished eating dinner and were now relaxing on the couch watching a movie. Jason had tried his best to keep his physical distance but Carli wasn't having any of that. 

After the third attempt to put some physical space between them, she stubbornly pressed her body weight on him. Finally, Jason took his gaze off the movie and looked over at her. He saw her cheeky expression and laughed.

"Come here," he said reaching for her. She eagerly curled up in his arms. Jason laughed softly and kissed her head. 

"Better?", he asked.

"Mhmm, yes," she said.

Jason smiled. Her voice had that cute, soft baby tone some women make when they want to be pampered by their lovers. He found it endearing. He loved it. Stretching over, he circled his arms more securely around her shoulders. 

This is nice, he thought, very nice.

"What did you want to talk to me about." he asked her, his voice was soft to her ears.

"About us."

"Okay," he said.

"I want to be more than your friend but if things don't work out I am content being a good friend to you," she said.

She began toying with the sleeve of his shirt. "I know that I don't have much experience where sex or even relationships are concerned. You also want to be celibate and do the right thing. I guess we can be celibate together until you know ... marriage, or we can just be friends," Carli said smiling at him shyly.

Jason didn't know what to say. He always wanted a girl who would understand the journey he was on. He didn't want to impose this on anyone. It was hard to keep his hands off her, but if they chose to be in a serious relationship, he had no doubt that Carli was worth the wait.

Jason sighed. He wanted to be her man but he needed her to be sure. "Nothing would give me more pleasure than to have you right now in my arms and me doing all the things we both want to do, but I can't. Carli, I want you to understand that the way I feel for you consumes me, and it's all I can do to exercise self control, but if we go down this road I won't be able to caress you, or kiss you, or make love to you until you become my wife. You have to understand that. This is something I have to follow to the 'T'. I almost broke my vow, but I care about you and about us, and I care about what the Lord requires of me. If we do end up in a relationship we can't do anything until I make you my wife. Do you understand?", his eyes searched her face, hoping she would understand the gravity of what she was signing up for.

She nodded. "Yes I understand. Promise me this though," she said. Her eyes were wide, expressing her sincerity. 

"What?", he asked. He wanted her to feel safe.

"That if at any time you want us to just be friends you let me know, just be honest with me. And all I ask from you are hugs. I need to know you want to be near me."

"Yes, I can do that," he said. 

"Promise me this," he countered.

"Anything," she said.

"That you will allow me to take it slow with you. I know we've already done some things, but let's reset, okay?"

Carli turned her self slightly in his arms so she could partially see his face. His expression held a seriousness she had never seen before, she knew he meant business.

"What do you mean?", she asked, seeking clarity.

Jason used his arms to turn her body to him. Carli tucked her feet under buttocks and shifted her body so she could look at him. He held her more loosely in his arms. 

Jason touched her face. "It means I won't kiss you the way I have been, or touch you the way I want to. It means I'll be seeking God about our relationship. I'll be praying about us, and I do this not because I don't want to be with you, or I don't value your feelings. I am doing this because I believe there is something here between us I want to nurture, I want to grow beyond a friendship, but only if the Lord allows. I am sorry for how things have escalated between us, but kissing you in the garden made me realize something," he said.

"What?", she asked.

"It made me realize how soft and tender you are, and that you really trust me. I want to be worthy of that trust, in every respect. If we do become a couple, I want to make sure I give you a relationship that will make you feel secure and happy. I also want to give you an experience between us that is pure and beautiful. I want the first time we make love to be something we both will remember as special. I want to give that to you."

Carli was touched by his words. She had always wanted someone who would dote on her the way her dad did to her mom. She leaned into him. He kissed her forehead. 

Carli's thoughts went back to earlier while she was preparing dinner. She had allowed him to take a shower in her bathroom and helped him lay out his clothes on her bed. She was nervous about the fact that they were the only ones at home but somehow after their encounter in the garden she felt that there was something different about him. His mood became solemn, almost sad. She wanted to cheer him up but didn't know what to say. While they were eating he complimented her on how delicious the chicken was and told her that he enjoyed the sweet potatoes and veggies. The ginger ale was the one he enjoyed the most and he made sure to tell her how much he enjoyed his meal.

Afterwards, they decided to watch a movie on cable tv but all she could think about was being in the warmth and safety of his arms. 

Now as she processed what he was saying to her, she knew she didn't want to go back to just being his friend. She wanted to explore where this would lead them, even if it meant "taking it slow" like he said. Carli grabbed his left arm and wrapped it around her. He was worth the risk. 

"I would like that too," she said. 

Jason pulled her to him. He planted a kiss on her forehead. He was relieved. That was all he wanted to hear. He pulled his phone out of the right front pocket of his jeans and looked at the time. 

It was 8:30 p.m. 

He kissed her forehead again. "I have to leave now."

Carli sighed. "Okay," she said disappointed. "I wish you didn't have to leave."

Jason chuckled and touched her face. "Hopefully one of these days, I won't be leaving, because we'll be together."

She smiled.

"There is something I need to tell you," he said, his expression solemn.

"I'll be spending some time in Montego Bay. My dad got a paint contract down there and he wants me to come down and help him." He paused, his eyes searching her face.  

She was happy for him but wanted to know if she would get to see him. "Will I get to see you?"

"Yes, mostly at school. I'll be back and forth between Kingston and Montego Bay so I can juggle school and work. My dad has a link in this job so he should be able to cover me so I can get time to come back and forth. One thing I'll make sure to do is call you on the weekends. I'll call you on Saturdays or Sundays, and maybe some nights during the week so we can talk. Okay?"

"Okay," she said nodding. "How will you get back and forth?"

Jason smiled. It was a logical question. 

"I'm planning to ask Omie to help me, but I'm not sure if he'll be able to. The car I borrowed is his personal vehicle so I don't know."

A light bulb went off in Carli's head. Her aunt had said recently that she looking to sell her car, maybe she could help.

"My aunt was saying just this week that she wanted to sell her car, Maybe she would be willing to rent it to you or something." 

Jason was surprised. Mrs Dixon hadn't mentioned anything like that to him. Then again, he was a stranger. Why would she tell him her affairs?

"Would you be interested in talking to her about it?", Carli asked.

Jason nodded. "Yes," he said. "That would be very good. Thanks Carli." 

"Okay, I will let her know."

"Thank you, beautiful."

He squeezed her to him. He looked at his phone. 8:45 p.m. He needed to leave. 

"I'll be coming back for my tools tomorrow. I'm just allowing the paint to soak out of them overnight," he said.

"Okay," she said. "I'll let aunt know." She was toying with his shirt sleeve again.

Jason observed what she was doing. He wondered what other cute quirks she had.

"How will you get home?", she asked, noticing that he was watching the time on his phone.

"Omie will be coming for me," he said. 

Jason unlocked his phone and sent Omar a text message. After twenty minutes had passed, they heard the sound of a text notification come in on Jason's phone.

"Okay, that will be him," Jason said.

He stood up, pulled her up to stand in front of him and hugged her. He kissed her forehead. "Call me tomorrow?", he asked, his voice low and tender to her ears.

Carli nodded. "Yes I will." she said. She was happy in this moment with him.

He went through the front door quickly. She heard the car door slam, the engine started and the car drove off. She sat back down. Stretching herself out to relax, she basked in the body heat that he left on the couch. The warmth felt like a warm blanket to her skin. She closed her eyes and drifted asleep.

Carli woke up to find her cousin hovering over her. She sat up abruptly. Melissa still had on her work clothes. Carli stretched. 

"What time is it," she asked her cousin.

"11:15 p.m.," Melissa said. She threw her bag on the grey couch and sat on the loveseat looking at her cousin. "Been sleeping awhile?", she asked her.

Carli yawned softly and nodded. She rubbed her eyes to take some sleepiness out of them.

"Yeah, from about some minutes after 9 I think." She crossed her legs.

"Okay," Melissa said, eyeing her cousin with a curious look.

"Did your friend stay for dinner?"

Carli yawned again. "Oh, sorry ..." She apologized to her cousin who just smiled. "Yeah he did. I made sure to  leave dinner for you and aunty. Don't worry."

Melissa smiled. "No man. That's okay. I ate something, but I will take it for lunch tomorrow."

Carli smiled. Her cousin was really thoughtful and down to earth. Though she was in her early thirties, she didn't make her feel like she couldn't relate to her.

"So what's the deal with you guys?" Melissa asked. She had a mischievous look on her face.

"Me and Jason?" Carli laughed softly.

"Mhm."

"You could say we're friends, but we're feeling each other out to see if there can be more," Carli said.

Her cousin leaned forward. "Sorry I couldn't get away earlier. Something came up and I had to review a case, then write a report recommending counselling."

Carli nodded. "No. It's okay. Your job is important."

"So is my little cuz," Melissa said smiling. 

"Well based on the chemistry I've noticed between you too I guess you guys will be official very soon." Melissa said cheekily.

"I'm not sure."

Melissa frowned, her eye brows raised. "What do you mean?", she asked.

"He wants to take things slow." Carli said. She leaned back on the couch.

"Oh really," Melissa said, her eyes rolling. "Are you sure he likes you?"

Carli nodded confidently. "I am sure."

Melissa was skeptical. "And how do you know?", she asked.

Carli stretched out again on the couch. She lay on her back and looked up at Jason's handiwork. Even in the dim light the ceiling looked great. 

"The way he kisses me. The way he touches me. I know," Carli said, her eyes closed.

"Wait! Alright now. Hold up! Say What?! Y'all have made out already?" Melissa's eyes were wide with a surprised look.

Carli turned on her side to face her cousin. "Lissa when he kisses me I feel like I'm burning up, I'm hot all over, but then when he touches me I feel so safe with him," she said. 

Melissa got up and sat on the couch beside her little cousin. "Scoot over," she said.

Carli sat up and looked at her cousin's facial expression. She laughed. "True true," she said. "That's how he makes me feel."

"Well now," Melissa said. "I don't think I've felt like I was burning up in any of my past relationships." She chuckled.

She looked at her cousin keenly. "Have you guys had sex yet?"

Carli blushed. She looked down at the floor. "Only phone sex, and we've kissed but no real sex."

Melissa was surprised. "Don't you guys want to?"

"I want to. He wants to, but he's celibate," Carli said matter of factly.

"What?!" Melissa looked at her incredulously. She never heard of a Jamaican man refusing sex, especially a young, virile one.

"Is he you know?" Melissa lifted her left hand and did a motion with it.

"No he's not. He likes women." Carli said laughing.

Melissa couldn't believe what she was hearing. "So what is it? Is it you? You're not ready?"

Carli thought about it. She had no experience, but understood the mechanics of the activity. She wanted to explore her feelings with Jason in the most intimate way, even though she was a bit scared too. She heard the first time could really hurt.

Carli cleared her throat. "I will admit I am nervous about my first time. I'm a little scared, but I actually want to explore, you know what's between us, me and him. He makes me feel really good. I don't think I've ever felt this way about anybody else."

Melissa crossed her legs, placed one elbow on her lap and rested her hand on her jaw. "So what's the problem?"

"He's a Christian and he's celibate as I said before. He doesn't want to have sex until he's married," Carli said. She rested her torso on the arm of the couch, supporting her weight with her elbow. She tucked her feet under her buttocks. 

Melissa couldn't believe it. That guy! That handsome guy was celibate? Nah! She thought. He's playing my little cuz. No way will I let him get away with that sh%t. 

Melissa pursed her lips. How can she break this down for her?

"Hun," she said trying to be careful of her cousin's feelings. "I have no doubt that this Jason guy likes you. You're beautiful, you're smart and yuh shape nice!"

Carli giggled. Melissa reached over and touched her on her arm. "Hun," she said slowly. "He may be playing you."

Carli was a little perplexed as to why she would say that. 

"No Lissa," she said calmly. "I know it looks kind of weird but trust me. He really likes me. I know he has feelings for me."

"He also has a strong faith in God and wants to honor him by waiting to have sex," Carli said. She was going to defend him strongly.

"Is he a virgin?" Melissa asked sarcastically. 

"No," Carli replied. "But ..."

"I thought so," Melissa said interrupting her.

"Look cuz. Men are tricky creatures." Melissa said. She watched Carli raise her eyebrows while listening to her.

"I want to have confidence that he will be a straight up guy but he's probably playing you. Nowadays being a Christian and abstaining from sex does not necessary go hand in hand. I know people who are Christians as far as I can tell, good friends of mine, but they had their moment of weakness and had sex. Some are married couples now, while others it didn't work out. They weren't compatible, but after being together they found out and they decided to end things and move on. Some of the couples who had sex are now married, the sex didn't ruin their relationship."

"Well, they were probably going to be married anyway, so if they waited there wouldn't have been a problem. Why not wait then and experience everything fresh and new on the wedding night?," Carli countered. 

"So can you wait? Can he? Because you said he's already been touching you sexually," Melissa asked skeptically. 

Carli needs to get a wake up call. She thought. 

This guy is not into her. He's just toying with her to get her to let her guard down to have sex. She's just a chair in the waiting room of his life until something better comes for him to move on with. Melissa could feel it in her bones.

"And how long is this "waiting" going to be?" Melissa asked, putting her fingers up mimicking quotes. 

"I thought you would be happy that Jason isn't pressuring me for sex? Damn cuz? What is this?" Carli asked perplexed.

"I don't mind if a man says he likes you but he doesn't find you attractive, or that maybe he's seeing someone else or something like that. But to say he's celibate and then be kissing you and evoking all kinds of feelings in you. I think is cruel. That's sending mixed signals," Melissa replied.

A light bulb went off in Melissa's head. "Wait! Wait ... Does he know you're a virgin? Please tell me you didn't tell ... " Melissa looked at Carli's expression and knew.

"Oh my go ... Carli!", Melissa exclaimed. She lifted her hands in the air and slapped them down on her lap in exasperation. She looked at her cousin and shook her head.

Carli hurried to explain: 

"It just happened. I was at his house and he was kissing me and then he asked me what I wanted him to do, and he was looking at me the way he does when he's ... when he touches me, and he asked me what I wanted him to do. I panicked and told him I was a virgin."

"Did he tell you he was celibate after that?" Melissa questioned her.

"A couple days after, yes." Carli said, feeling uncomfortable.

Melissa swore under her breath. Player player, huh? She thought. 

Melissa grabbed her cousin's hand closest to her. "Carli, he's playing you. He knows you're a virgin and as a virgin, you will be scared to have sex. You've been a virgin for so long. It will be hard to just give that up willy nilly, he knows this, so he's taking his time to warm you up to him, so you can let your guard down with him. Until he thinks the time is right to pop your cherry. Ha! That drankro!" Melissa was angry.

Carli was doubtful. "I don't think that is what he's doing. He really cares for me."

"Oh really. Let's do an experiment. Shall we?"

Carli was curious. "What do you mean?"

"When next will you see him?" Melissa asked.

"Tomorrow, he coming back for his tools."

"Excellent!" Melissa said, smiling wickedly. She had a plan.

*****

Jason lay back in bed. He was only wearing his underpants. He was tired from the days activities, but he always spent some time thinking about Carli before falling asleep. He wished he could hold her close to him right now. He was tempted to call her. He lifted up his phone and checked the time. It was 11:30 p.m. She was probably asleep now. She said she goes to bed early. 

He thought of earlier today. Her warm personality was like a balm he didn't know he needed. It felt like being with her was healing his heart. Her touch also did things to him he never expected, not to mention those soft lips. She tasted like honey to him. Maybe he was tripping. 

He laughed softly to himself. Either way he wished things weren't so complicated. She said she wanted to take it slow with him. He would have to make sure not to take advantage of her when they were alone. He sighed. He would have to make sure they weren't alone too often. He couldn't trust himself with her. 

Her body was a treasure trove he gladly wanted to explore. The way she responded to him, so fervently, also made him go crazy. Maybe being alone together isn't a good idea. If she was assertive about a sexual encounter between them, would he able to resist her? He wondered. He had to try. He wanted to be that man for her. He wanted her first experience to be special and with him as her husband. There was no way he would let her be damaged.

He turned on his right side. He closed his eyes and fell asleep. 

*****

What a fine specimen of a man, Marsha mused, as she watched Jason sleep. He was on his back, fast asleep. He looked so peaceful. She had snuck out of the house after her parents had gone to bed and come here to see him. He was ignoring her calls and she wanted to know if he was okay, if even to just stare at him while he slept. 

Jason rolled onto his left side. Marsha watched as he mumbled something and slid into REM sleep again. She wondered what he was dreaming about. Maybe it was Carli he was dreaming about. A twinge of jealousy rose up in her. She felt stinging tears develop at the back of her eyes. She pressed her eyes shut. She choked the faint cry that was about to come from her mouth. She had to be quiet. 

What a fine time to be emotional, she thought. She was being silly. She looked at his face. As he got older his chiseled jawline became more pronounced and his voice had dipped to a low, silky timbre that sent chills down her spine every time he spoke to her. She wished he would say sensual things in her ear. No doubt Carli was getting that privilege. She hated that girl so much! Most of all though Marsha really hated herself. If she hadn't done that prank those years ago, maybe she and Jason would be a couple now. 

They never kissed but there was that weird moment after he tried to help her screw in a bulb in her room and he had to save her. He said he would do it for her and even went for the ladder to replace the damaged bulb for the new, but she insisted she could do it. She hadn't thought to remove her slippers when climbing the ladder.

She was able to install the new bulb properly but as she was climbing down her right foot slipped and she fell backwards. Jason was right there to catch her. He hadn't left the room. He had stood by the ladder quietly watching her. He initially grabbed her mid-air and then had to adjust his stance to secure her in his arms. She was shaken up and did not speak. He placed her on her bed and put the ladder back in the garage. He then went back to her room to check on her. He asked her if she was okay but all she could do at the time was nod. 

Jason stayed the whole day with her until her parents returned from an event her dad's company had hosted. It was a Saturday night. Chayelle had gone to a sleep over with her best friend

When they returned and heard what happened they thanked Jason profusely for being there for Marsha and scolded her for being irresponsible. She hadn't said a word. When her parents had gone to bed, she snuck into Jason's room and asked if she could stay with him. He lifted the covers and she climbed in. He sleepily put his arms around her and told her to go to sleep. That night she felt safe with him. She hoped he would have kissed her but he didn't. 

When she woke up in the morning, she opened her eyes to see him watching her. The look that crossed his face disappeared when he realized she was awake. She was wearing a thin cotton chemise that was semi-transparent. Marsha figured he could faintly see the shape of her breasts. She reached out to touch his hand but he pulled away, sat up and told her she needed to leave his room. She complied but always wondered if she hadn't done the prank months before if he would have made a move on her.

Now as she looked at him, she was tempted to lay under the covers with him just one more time. She sighed. The sound was audible enough for Jason to stir on the bed. His eyes blinked and he opened them. He closed them again and opened them. Marsha was frozen. What should she do? Quietly, she stood up to exit his room when she heard his voice call out to her.

"Don't leave," he said. "Stay."

Marsha turned around slowly. Her eyes were wide with anxiety. He was going to cuss her out now. Jason stretched and sat up slowly. He was groggy from waking suddenly. He looked at her. His eyes focused on her in the dark. 

What was she doing here? This is so annoying. Jason thought.

She was wearing a miniskirt that brushed her thighs and a blue tanktop that she squeezed her breasts into. Marsha was an attractive woman and under other circumstances he would have dated her, but her obsession with him made her unattractive to him.

"What are you doing here?", he asked her.

Jason threw his feet off the bed and planted them on the floor. He stood. He was much taller than her. His imposing presence always made her feel weak. He reached for her in one quick motion and threw her on the bed. He climbed on top of her and slapped the soft surface of the bed near to her face. 

"What are you doing here, Marsha?" His eyes burned into her. He was angry. His voice was menacing. 

"I would turn you on my knee to give you a good spanking for taking the risk to come here this time of the night, but you would probably enjoy it too much," he said, his hot breath on her face.

Marsha never backed down from a challenge. "You probably would enjoy it too," she quipped.

Jason swore.

"Maybe I should let you leave, and if anything happens to you, just don't give a damn, eh? What do you say?", he threatened.

He lifted her hands over her head and squeezed her wrists in his hands. Marsha struggled to break free. "You're hurting me!", she said angrily. "Let me go!" She wrestled with him but he did not let her go. 

Jason looked at her. Her cleavage was rising and falling with the effort she made to wrestle away from him. He always thought her breasts would look like smooth dark chocolate. He just never made them cross his mind too often.

Marsha observed that his eyes furtively glanced at her breasts. She smiled seductively. She stopped struggling against him. "Want some milk?", she asked him. 

Jason got up off the bed and lifted her to her feet. "What do you want Marsha, hmm?" He shook her. "You want to be walking the streets all hours of the night like a prostitute? Is that what you want? You want to be treated like a prostitute?" He released her hands. His breathing was erratic. 

"The other day I came home, y'know what happened? Do you know?", he snapped at her.

Marsha was breathing heavily. She used her hands to massage her wrists. She shook her head.

"One of the guys in the community. You could say he is a don, he and his cronies said they saw you coming out of my house. Imagine my surprise when they told me a tall, dark skinned chick was coming out of the house I rented, in a ghetto that I moved into just to keep costs low. A ghetto place where I have no clout and anything can happen to me at any time. And this guy is telling me that you, you were coming out of the house after 2 in the morning. Can you imagine how scared I was?!" He shouted at her. "What if they had hurt you Marsha?" 

Marsha looked down at the floor. She did feel uncomfortable with how the guys looked at her but she wasn't thinking.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I wasn't thinking." She was still breathing fast. She tried to control her breathing.

"You're damn right you weren't thinking!" Jason snapped at her. "I had to tell them you were my woman." 

Marsha eyes widened. He took the risk for her.  "Jason, I am so sorry." She approached him.

Jason backed away and raised his hands in front of him. "I don't want an apology from you, Marsha. What I want you to do is to stop this madness. Yes Marsha, you are a beautiful girl. Yes, I think you're attractive. Does that satisfy you?!" He was livid now. 

Marsha grimaced. 

She stared at the floor.

"Yes you are a beautiful girl, but I am not interested in you like that," Jason said. He ran his hands through his hair frustrated at her stubborn and risky behavior.

His words sparked anger in her. What? If that was the case why did he look at her breasts like that? She thought to herself.

"So what was that earlier? You pinning me on the bed? You ogling my breasts? What was that?", she asked defiantly.

"I am not blind, nor am I dead Marsha. As I said you are an attractive woman, but that doesn't mean I am willing to disrupt my peace to be with you. Also, you're like my little sister, you know ..."

"Bullshit!", she interrupted him. She was really angry now. "Little sister! Oh please! You like what you see Jason. You know you like it. There's always been this sexual tension between us!"

In a swift movement she lunged towards him, pulled him forward and kissed him. She circled her arms around his neck and teased his lips with hers. Jason stood motionless and allowed her to kiss him to prove her point, but he was disgusted with her. Her childish behavior was putting them both at risk. 

As she kissed him he found himself dissecting the moment between them. Her lips didn't taste the same as Carli's. She pressed herself on him, but she didn't feel like Carli's delicate curves on him.  After about 20 seconds had passed he pried her arms from around his neck and pushed her off him. He hadn't even felt a spark. Carli's taste was what consumed his thoughts.

Marsha was heaving now, breathing heavily. She felt embarrassed. He hadn't even kissed her back. His body didn't even respond. She screamed angrily then started crying. She was about to rush through the door when he grabbed her. 

"I'll be damned if I let you go outside for someone to harm you. Sit your ass down." He pushed her onto the bed.

"Why do you care? You don't want me?" she yelled at him.

"I care about you, for one thing, because your parents gave me a place to stay to focus on my studies when I really needed that kind of help. Your family opened their home to me and showed me kindness, unlike yourself."

Marsha started crying harder. "You never forgave me did you?", she said sobbing.

Jason was angry but he wasn't cruel. He softened his voice. "Marsha, look at me. Look at me." He touched her shoulders. She swung away from him. "Marsha damn it! Look at me!"

She looked at him, her eyes throwing daggers. "What?!" she said angrily.

"I forgave you a long time ago. I have no grudges against you."

"What if I do?" she asked, her eyes burning with anger. 

"That's up to you Marsh," he said sadly. "I always wanted us to be good friends, but you ruined it with this crazy behavior. If you really cared for me, you would want me to be happy. If you say that you love me and you care about me, why wouldn't you want me to be happy? Why would you want me to be happy the way you think I should be? On your terms? That's not love Marsha. Love is not selfish. It doesn't think of its own benefit, nor does it have an agenda." 

Jason picked up his phone from the floor. It had fallen off the bed during his tussle with her. He pressed the power button and looked at the time. It was 4:30 a.m. 

"It's 4:30," he said to her. "I'm going to take you home."

She was about to protest when he gave her a warning look. "This is not a negotiation," he said. "You want to be treated like a child, well, that is what you are going to get from me. And I think your parents should know what you've been up to." 

She looked up at him from the bed. Her eyes showed a growing disdain for him. Jason laughed mockingly. 

His eyes bored into her. "You wanna know the real truth Marsha." He stood in front of her now. His voice seething with anger. "Maybe, just maybe I could have liked you beyond a friendship, but you are toxic." He saw her expression of shock. He was gonna send it home to her even if it meant she never spoke to him again. 

"Yes you are! You bring out the worst in me! You're a selfish little brat that has never known what it is like to struggle and you think you are some princess. Well, think again! You look good, yes, but you need more than good looks to be wife material. I am looking for a wife, not a spoiled brat!" 

The dam of defiance broke in her. Marsha threw herself on the bed and bawled. 

Jason felt sorry for being cruel but it was necessary. He needed her to stop this madness. It was for her own good.

His voice was icy cold when he said, "Do not move. I'm going to take a shower. I don't want the men to see you leaving and try anything. I won't take long. Stay put!"

After about five minutes Jason exited the bathroom. He was fearful she would leave before he got out, but when he came out she was there sitting where he left her. She had stopped crying and sat on the bed motionless. Jason could see that she looked forlorn but at least she was safe. That was what he cared about. He pulled on a pair of grey jeans over his underpants and a black shirt. He dressed his feet with a pair of black and grey sneakers.

"Grab your bag," he said tersely.

Marsha retrieved her bag from the floor beside the bed and stood up. Jason looked at the time. It was 5 am. He opened the door and allowed Marsha to exit first then shut the door behind him. He was so angry with her he didn't hold her hand like he did with Carli the times he brought her there. He observed that Choppa was already on the outside sitting on a wall watching the two of them. As Jason walked beside Marsha he told her to walk closer to him. 

"Do not look at them," he said.

Jason called to Choppa and the other men and nodded at them. They nodded back watching him and Marsha closely. When they were gone on the road and to the nearest bus stop, he said, "Did you see how they were looking at you?"

Marsha nodded. 

"Good. Do not come back here again. You know I will not bring you here, so if you come here again it will be on you. You take the risk. I won't care! Give me the spare key you stole from me." Jason held his hand out. 

Marsha fished through her bag and retrieved two identical keys and handed them to him. She had made another copy! Jason couldn't believe it. He looked at her and shook his head.

Jason was so angry with her. "Your parents are gonna know what you did today," he said. After ten minutes passed, a number 78 JUTC bus drove up. Jason waved it down. It stopped and he waited for Marsha to enter, he boarded it behind her. They would take this bus then a taxi to get to her house. 

Jason was seething with anger. She had disturbed the dream he was having of Carli. Now, he hoped she understood in no uncertain terms that there was no future with him. None.

*****

Carlos woke up at 6 o'clock the next day. He had made sexual advances towards his wife and she responded favorably. After dinner she had cut off a slice of pudding for both of them. She said she would eat her cheesecake while she was at work. He was full and content. Even though he was disappointed Sharon hadn't told him about the fraud case, he did not want that to ruin his time with her. He had pulled her to her feet to slowly dance with him, even though there was no music playing. 

She had laughed and said, "Cade, there's no music playing."

He had chuckled and said, "Yes there is, playing in my head." He started humming their favorite song by Luther Vandross. She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. When he kissed her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and told him she loved him. 

The night was a passionate one. It was as if she was trying to wear herself out in order to forget what she was going through. He didn't mind her vigorous lovemaking though, once she was satisfied and he was too, he was happy. He was surprised to see her still fast asleep beside him. She would usually be up by then. She must be very tired. He smiled to himself. He made sure to match her energy. He would never back down. He watched her sleep for a few minutes. 

She was so beautiful but very stubborn. He shook his head. He got out of bed. He'll make breakfast. She would probably like that.

After about ten minutes of figuring out what was where, he got breakfast started. He would make her favorite: banana fritters with scrambled eggs and bacon. He also set to brew a pot of coffee for both of them.

When everything was ready he retrieved a tray from a cupboard, placed a plate filled with delicious food and a large mug filled with piping hot coffee. She usually added condensed milk to her coffee, no sugar, so that's what he did. 

Carefully, he walked into the room and laid the tray at the foot of the bed. He went up to her on the bed and gently brushed the back of his hand on her face. She moved and slowly opened her eyes and saw him. She smiled.

"Hey babe," she said sleepily.

"Hey baby," he replied, his voice was low and gentle.

"You hungry?", he asked.

"Mhm ... oh my gosh! Honey, I am so sorry. I'm so sorry." She sat up. "What time is it?" She looked at the clock on the night stand. It was 9 a.m. 

She was about to jump out of bed when Carlos stopped her. "It's okay baby," he said. "I already prepared breakfast."

She was surprised. "You did?" She looked up at him.

"Mhmm, I did." He extended his hand out to her. She took it and he pulled her slowly to her feet. He brought her to the foot of the bed so she could see what he made for her. 

Sharon saw the fritters and everything he had prepared, and emotions started welling up in her. Her legs buckled under her and she sat on the bed. Tears started streaming down her face. Carlos kneeled down in front of her.

"Baby, what's wrong?" He touched her face.

She shook her head.

Carlos went into the dining room area and retrieved two chairs. He placed one at the end of the bed and placed the tray of food carefully on it. The other chair he placed beside his wife. 

"Sharon, how long have I known you?" Her head was down while she sobbed. He leaned forward and touched her face, using his fingers he lifted her face so he could look into her eyes. 

He softened his voice. "Sharon, baby? How long have we known each other?"

"Twenty-four years," she said sobbing quietly. 

"Do you trust me?", he asked her.

Sharon could see there was hurt in his eyes. Did she hurt him in some way? 

"Yes I trust you." 

Carlos cupped his wife's face. "Then tell me what is going on? Why are you crying?"

Sharon sighed. She took a deep breath. "It's possible I am being framed for fraud."

Carlos eyes widened. Paul said it was fraud but not that she was the main suspect. He had to probe carefully.

"Tell me what happened?"

Sharon cleared her throat. "A few days ago." She sighed. "The Saturday, after we had our argument over the money you gave to Red Man, I didn't feel like going to work so I called in and told them that I wouldn't be able to make it to work that day. A few minutes after I told the secretary this, she called back to say that Paul wanted to speak with me and it was urgent. He was waiting for me to come in to work. When I went he told me about money being siphoned off little by little, and cheques being signed that I wasn't aware of, that somehow had my signature, or a signature that looked like mine."

Carlos moved to sit beside Sharon. She scooted over to give him space beside her on the bed. As he sat down he circled his arm around her. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

Sharon sighed. "I didn't want to bother you. I wasn't sure what you would think. I slapped you. After that you haven't been talking to me much. I thought you were still angry with me."

"I am a little angry. That slap did hurt, but honey you can always come to me. Always. I need to tell you something."

Sharon nodded. She looked at him curiously.

"Paul, your boss, he called me yesterday. He wanted to apologize for the way the cops were handling you. He said it was procedure. When I asked him about the fraud, he realized I didn't know and told me to ask you about it and hung up." 

"Why would he call you instead of me?" Sharon felt outed. She was a little embarrassed now.

"He said he was trying to call your cell but you weren't answering. He figured you must have turned off the phone."

Sharon turned fully to face her husband. "So since yesterday, you knew?"

Carlos nodded."Mhm."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was going to but when I saw you cooking up a storm in the kitchen I knew you were stressed. I didn't want to add fuel to what could be a fiery situation if I had confronted you the way I felt yesterday. So I played it cool and hoped you would tell me. When you didn't say anything last night I was hurt that you didn't trust me."

Sharon now realized what that hurt look in his eyes was about. She touched his face.

"Baby I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you but you weren't speaking to me, and I felt ashamed about what I did, hitting you, and I was angry with you for putting me in a position of feeling that angry."

Carlos chuckled sadly. "A vicious cycle, eh?"

Sharon nodded her agreement. "I'm sorry." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Carlos shook his head and pointed a finger to his lips. Sharon laughed and kissed him on the mouth. He held onto her and made sure the kiss was much more than a peck. Pulling away from him, she had one question.

"What would you have done if I hadn't confessed?", she asked him.

Carlos sighed. "I was thinking of confronting Paul about it, then after getting the information I'd take you out to dinner and tell you what I know, hoping you would confess then."

"Oh," Sharon said. Her husband was a class act for sure. She was lucky to have him. "I'm sorry hun. From now on I promise to tell you everything."

Carlos smiled. "We're a team Shar. I love you and you love me. I'm sorry for the thing with Red Man." Carlos had a niggling thought in the back of his mind about the comment Red Man made saying to him to tell his wife "sorry for the inconvenience" but decided to let it rest. She was feeling better and there were more pressing concerns, like saving her job.

Carlos squeezed Sharon close to him. "Feel better now?"

"Yes. Thank you baby."

Carlos kissed her forehead. He released her and got up to take the tray from the chair and placed it on her lap. "It might be a bit cold now."

Sharon smiled. She held on to his hand. "That's fine. My husband makes the best banana fritters, hot or cold."

*****

Jason showed up at Aunt Sandra's house at 8:30 a.m. He was supposed to come back for his tools but he would have retrieved them around 1:00 in the afternoon. That was what he told Carli. He however needed to see her. He needed to hold her close to him, to bask in her warmth. He was planning to tell her what happened with Marsha as well. He wasn't about to keep any secrets from her. He knocked on the door expecting to see either Carli's aunt or her, but instead a fair skinned young woman answered the door. 

"Oh, hi. I was looking for Carli. Is she in?", he asked.

The young woman shook her head. 

"I'm Jason." Jason wondered if he was suddenly thrust into the twilight zone and somehow the Dixon family had disappeared.

"Oh hey. Come in." Another young woman said.  He had seen her before. She was Carli's cousin. She came down the stairs smiling at him.

"Heather, move one side mek di man come in nuh," she demanded.

Heather opened the door wider and stepped aside. 

The other young lady came up to Jason and extended her hand for a handshake. She smiled broadly.

"Hi. I'm Melissa. This rude young woman," Melissa turned towards Heather and rolled her eyes. "... is Heather."

Jason smiled at them both and nodded at Heather, who cracked a tiny smile.

Melissa released Jason's hand and motioned for him to come further into the foyer. "My mom and Carli went Christmas shopping. It's sort of a tradition in this household to go the week before and do some shopping for trinkets to decorate the house, et cetera. Carli hasn't bought anything for her parents yet, so mom decided she would let her tag along too."

Jason liked Melissa. She had a bright personality. "Heather is a good family friend, aren't you Heather?" Melissa said, smiling mischievously at her friend.

Heather snorted. "I guess so," she said.

"You've come for your tools?", Melissa asked matter of factly.

Jason nodded. "Yes. I was hoping to talk to Carli as well."

"Oh okay," Melissa smiled at him, eyebrows raised. "They've been gone from as early as 6:30 a.m.. Mom said she would try to get back by about 10 or 11:30. She wants to brew some sorrel."

Jason listened to Melissa. Was everyone in Carli's family this friendly? He wouldn't mind being married into this type of family dynamic. Coming from a family that didn't really celebrate Christmas or any holiday, he would look forward to Christmas being a big deal for once.

Tell you what, Melissa said, "Why don't you stick around until about 10. If they don't come back by then, you can leave and I'll tell Carli you wanted to talk to her. In the meantime, you can go for your stuff."

Jason nodded. "Okay, sounds like a plan."

Yes indeed. Melissa thought. A good plan!

Jason went through the kitchen to the garden and checked on his paint brushes and roller. They looked clean enough. He would have packed them away in some towels and stuffed them in a zip lock bag and dried them at home, but since he was waiting on Carli to come home, he would try to find a sunny spot in the yard to place them to dry. 

After looking around he found a spot and placed the brushes with the bristles upright and the roller in a vertical position. He went to sit on the old tree stump he and Carli had made out on before. As he sat there he thought about her. She would be surprised to see him so early. He told her he would be by in the afternoon, but after the hectic early morning encounter with Marsha, he needed to be close to her. He knew she would understand him. 

He was sitting there for half an hour when Heather came up to him and asked if he was hungry.

"Yeah," she said. "Melissa is making some sandwiches for breakfast. She wanted to know if you would like any?"

Jason nodded. "Sure. I could eat," he said smiling at her. She didn't smile back but that was okay. At least Melissa was friendly, and Heather was just a family friend. Heather turned and walked away. 

After five minutes she returned with a plate of two sandwiches, both eggs and bacon in whole wheat buns with sesame seeds. She also handed him a glass filled with what looked like orange juice but not quite.

He took the food and thanked her, but he was curious. "What's in the glass?", he asked Heather.

"Orange juice with passion fruit," she said. She smiled awkwardly and went back inside.

Jason shrugged his shoulders. Okay he said to himself. That was weird.

Jason ate the sandwiches. They were delicious. He could taste a hint of black pepper. He loved pepper so this was a treat for him. He was about to take a sip of the juice when Heather came out of nowhere and slapped the glass out of his hand. 

The glass fell and the contents spilled out. Jason looked up at Heather in shock.

"Why did you do that?!", he asked. He was getting annoyed with her rude behavior.

"For your own good," she said. Her eyes narrowed.

Jason paused. "Wait ... What?"

"Lissa put something in the drink."

Jason stood up. "What?! Why?"

Heather dropped her voice to a whisper. "She doesn't trust you with her cousin, Carli. She thinks you're playing her, considering the fact that you told her you were celibate after she told you she was virgin."

Jason put his hands on his head surprised. "Is that why you've been so unwelcoming earlier?"

Heather smiled a genuine smile now. "You are very perceptive." 

"Melissa is not really my friend," Heather admitted. "I'm closer to Brandon. I'm more a friend of the family because my mom and Lissa's mom were best friends growing up. My mom is deceased, but Lissa's mom still likes me to come by to visit. Last night Lissa called to tell me that her mom wanted me to come by for a visit. I haven't been around them in months. Naturally I believed her. So I came by this morning to look for the family. When I came over Sandra and Carli were already gone."

"Which means Mrs Dixon didn't know you were coming," he said filling in the blanks.

"Exactly," Heather said.

"She wanted me to help her make it look like you would cheat on Carli at the drop of a hat. So she wanted me to pretend like we were kissing. Meanwhile you would be drugged out of your mind and not aware of what was happening. When Carli comes back she would see you and I wrapped up together. I agreed to see what she would do. Plus, I knew if I didn't do it she would find someone else who would probably be willing to carry out her instructions for money. I pretended to agree to see what she would do. I was hoping my behavior would turn you off and you would leave." 

Jason was in shock. He couldn't believe it. Melissa seemed like such a nice person. 

"So what should I do now?", Jason was confused as to what to do. 

"Pretend to be drugged. I will take it from there," Heather answered.

Jason agreed, but he didn't trust her either. He would play this delicately.

At around 10, Jason pretended to stagger in. He knew how to play drunk. He also researched the drug Heather claimed Melissa had put in the juice. 

He sat down on the couch and started laughing uncontrollably. He removed his shirt and was only in his marina. He had thrown some water on himself to make it look like he was sweating profusely. 

Melissa came into the room and saw him. She had a cheeky smile on her lips. 

"You okay?", she asked. Her voice sounding concerned. 

Jason pretended to look at her through bleary eyes. He slurred his response, "Yes ma'am. I am just fine." He used his shirt to fan himself down as if he was burning up. Melissa left the room and called Heather.

 Jason quickly took out his phone, unlocked it and opened an app for voice recordings. He turned it on and tucked the phone behind him underneath the cushions. He was sitting on the navy blue couch. Carli's favorite couch. 

Heather walked in and looked at him. "The thing worked Lissa," she said.

"Of course I told you it would work. A police friend of mine gave it to me. It's evidence for a case, but he managed to retrieve a little. The amount of this drug he gave me is more than enough. Any more I probably would have killed him," Melissa said with a smirk.

"So what should I do now?", Heather asked.

As soon as the door rings you're gonna sit on his lap and pretend to make out with him. Carli needs to see that this guy is just playing her. I called mommy, They're about fifteen minutes away."

"Okay," Jason heard Heather say. 

He leaned back resting his head on the couch and started singing the lewdest dancehall song he could think of. Just then there was a knocking on the front door. Melissa moved to open the door. 

"Get ready," she said to her. Heather nodded.  

"Be cool," Heather said to Jason. "Let me take care of it." 

Jason nodded. Take care of my ass. Jason thought. Y'all don't know who you're dealing with. 

Sandra walked into the living room and placed their bags by the doorway. Sandra was the first to look up to see Heather her family friend, her best friend's daughter making out with Jason. 

Jason! What was he doing here so early? 

Carli was about to walk in. Sandra tried to divert her to the kitchen but she looked up in time to see a young woman sitting in Jason's lap. 

"What is this?" Melissa walked in shouting. 

"Mommy, I told you that Heather could not be trusted." She looked triumphantly at both parties sitting on the couch.

"Jason, what is this?" Aunt Sandra asked. Carli was about to reach over to pull Heather off of Jason when she held on to her and shook her head. "Wait," she said.

"Mommy, yuh nuh see wah gwaan? Obviously Jason and Heather were making out before you guys walked in." Her tone was accusatory.

"Is this true Heather?" Sandra turned to the girl she saw like a daughter.

Heather laughed vulgarly. "Ask your daughter what she was doing earlier with Jason. Weren't you the one making out with him. Didn't you spike his drink and then kiss him full on the mouth?"

"What?!" Carli shouted. "Drugged? Lissa what did you do?"

"I did no such thing!" Melissa shouted angrily.

 Heather continued: "Jason was already drunk when he got here. He said he was looking for you but he was drunk. I was trying to send him home but Melissa insisted on letting him inside. She spiked his juice with some drug even though I told her he was already drunk," Heather said. She got off Jason's lap and stood beside him. 

 Melissa's eyes threw daggers at Heather. "Lies! That is not true!"

Suddenly, Jason pushed Heather away from him and stood up. Heather crumpled to the floor. She looked up at him in shock. He dug under the cushions, retrieved his phone and stopped the recording. He pressed play back. Everything that was said by Heather and Melissa before Carli and aunt Sandra entered the room was heard. The two women looked at him surprised.

Sandra's face became red with anger. "Melissa? What is this? If your father knew he would be so disappointed."

Carli was in shock. She leaned forward on the back of the loveseat. Her elbows, sinking into it. Jason went over to her and held her close to him.

"How did you know?" Heather asked.

"How did I know that you were playing reverse psychology on me? I heard that Melissa is a psychologist. I knew she would probably come with something out of the ordinary to confuse me. When you came and told me that she spiked my juice I said to myself if you were really concerned, you would have told me from the beginning what was happening. You would have said something while you and I were standing at the door, before Melissa came down stairs. Melissa was probably uncomfortable giving me the drug in the first place, just in case she could cause harm with an accidental overdose. Each person's body reacts to Speed differently, but I do know it messes with your heart rate. I could have a heart attack and die. She couldn't take that risk." 

That wouldn't look good on your resume would it?" He looked at Melissa, his voice dripped with sarcasm. 

He turned his gaze to Heather again.

"She told you to pretend like she put the drug in my drink and asked you to give it to me. You pretended to tell me what she was doing so you could gain my confidence. I would pretend to be drugged and then you could still carry out your plan of making Carli think I was cheating. If I knew the whole plot and still went along with it, then that would make my character questionable, to know what was happening and still go along with a lie. And as you showed awhile ago you would say I was drunk. I bet you didn't think your partner in crime would turn around and say that it was you who planned this all along. I agreed to go along with it but as you can see I had plans of my own." He lifted the phone and put it back into his pocket.

Heather was speechless. Melissa was in shock. This guy was cunning. She was even more concerned for her cousin but said nothing.

Sandra looked at Jason with admiration. "Well played. I am impressed. Ever thought of being a lawyer?

Jason smiled. "No enuh. Business is more my speed."

He looked down at Carli. Her face showed her confusion. "Carli, baby. Look at me."

She looked up at him. "All you need to know is that I never did anything. Heather kissed me. I did not kiss her and as you heard from the recording. It was Melissa that was the master mind, but Heather you are also culpable." He looked up at Heather. His eyes looked dark with anger. This made Heather shiver. "I only went along with it to make sure I could expose them. If I had railed against them they would have denied it and there would be no proof," Jason said, a mocking smile on his lips.

Carli looked at Melissa. She couldn't believe she would do something like this.

 Is this the reason she asked when Jason was coming by? Carli wondered.

"Lissa, why?!" Carli asked. She was very upset.

Melissa sighed. "I was only trying to find out if he was really serious about you. The celibacy thing sounded off."

"It's off to you because you don't understand the relationship Carli and I have. You should have trusted what she said about me," Jason responded. He would defend he and Carli's relationship.

"How did you know what she said about you?" Melissa's eyes widened.

Jason turned to Carli. He cupped her face as he looked at her. "I don't know everything. I'm not clairvoyant, but you just said she mentioned I was celibate. No doubt she told you I was a Christian also." He looked up at Melissa. Her reaction confirmed his suspicions. 

Jason was angry. This was one hectic day. He thought.

"There must have been something she said that seemed too good to be true to you, that triggered you to do this. Ma'am I don't even know you and you went through great lengths to do this. It tells me you love your cousin but your skepticism is misplaced. You should be looking at your friend Heather here. If she was a good friend to you, she would have rebuked you and told you this was not a good idea. Think about that." Jason said, his expression sarcastic.

Melissa looked over at Heather who averted her eyes, staring nervously up at the ceiling.

Jason turned to Sandra. "Mrs Dixon," he said, his voice solemn. "I think Carli needs some fresh air. I'll take her with me for awhile and bring her back a little later. Okay? I know you were doing Christmas shopping and no doubt you have plans, but ..."

Sandra nodded. "Go right ahead." Sandra touched Carli's cheek. 

"Carli, it's okay," she said to her. "Go with Jason. I have some unfinished business I need to deal with," she looked angrily at Heather and her daughter.

Jason put his arms around Carli and guided out of the house. He picked up his work bag that was outside and retrieved the semi-dried tools. He wrapped them in a thick, old towel and stuffed them in his bag. He hoisted the bag over his shoulder.

"Omie isn't here to pick you up, Jason," Carli said. Her eyes and body language showed her sadness.

"I know," he said looking at her worried. "We can walk the distance to the nearest bus stop and take a taxi."

"Maybe I can help. While we were shopping Carli told me you needed a car to rent."

Jason turned to see Aunt Sandra coming towards them. Jason nodded. "Yes. I did tell her that."

Sandra opened the palm of her hand and showed him a car key.  She turned to the vehicle it belonged to and pressed the alarm to disarm it. Jason heard the alarm beep and lights flashed on a Nissan 2017 Sentra motor vehicle. 

"I've hardly driven it since I got the SUV," Sandra said smiling at them both. "You can have it. Pay me about $200,000 up front and another $1,200,000 over the next several months. We can work out the details when I see you again. You can take it home with you now and come back later today or tomorrow to pay the $200,000. It has about half a tank full."

Jason nodded his agreement.

"Thank you," he said.

"No, thank you. You looked after my niece's interest. I appreciate that." She handed him the car keys and went back inside.

Jason went towards the vehicle and looked at in appreciation. It was almost good as new. He smiled. God sure knows how to work in mysterious ways. He knew a vehicle like this was much more than the price she asked for it. He unlocked the car door on the passenger side to let Carli in. He then slid in the driver's side and started the engine. He listened to it purr. Jason laughed.

"Thank you father God!", Jason shouted happily.

He turned the key in the ignition and drove up to the gate. He got out and opened the gate, drove out and closed the gate. He drove off carefully down the road.

Carli leaned on him. He put his left arm around her for a little bit, then placed it back on the steering wheel.

"Where are we going?" she asked

Jason smiled at her. "To meet someone very special to me," he said.