by Leen Elle
"Are you still wanting to escape with Jade?" She suddenly asked.
"W-What?" I said. So this wasn't about James and I.
"Remember, you wanted to find a way to escape and I agreed to help you. Do you still want to escape?" She asked again.
Leave?
Leave James and Jaime? Leave something I finally found to care for? I looked down at my hands. If I leave now with Jade, then, I would have to leave James and Jaime as well. It would be as if nothing ever happened, I don't think I would be able to bear that amount of emotion pain. How about Jennifer? Do I really want her to go back to her life and shatter everything I worked so hard to fix? Will she break Jaime again?
"Um, I wouldn't actually say escape."
"Oh, Jesus! Don't tell me you're having second thoughts!" Jennifer exclaimed. I jumped at the tone of her voice. She seemed very edgy, and I don't think I had anything to do with it.
"What's wrong? You already found a way to get back at Aaron?" I asked.
Jennifer ran her hand through her red hair and sighed in frustration. "Yeah, I stole everything from him. He doesn't have anything to drop dead on." She replied.
"I don't understand."
She told me, she told what she did in order to steal Aaron's fortune from underneath him. She also told me what she was planning to do next, but she wasn't completely convinced herself on that part.
"That's why I'm asking you if you want to leave. If you're really serious about this, I can get you a plane ticket to anywhere, and Aaron won't be able to do anything about it." She said. I looked down at my hands again, and this time, Jennifer noticed.
"Jasmine, you grew attached to them didn't you? To James and Jaime?" She asked slowly. "Especially to James."
I couldn't help the tears welling up in my eyes. "I couldn't help it, Jennifer…"
She sat back in disbelief. "You didn't…"
"I did…" I nodded, tears rolling down my cheeks. "Plenty of times."
"Shit." Jennifer said. She looked lost, dumbfounded actually.
"I tried not to, I really did try, but you have a beautiful family, and James makes me so happy." I said. Jennifer then glared at me, and I shrank back.
"Do you have any idea of the kind of mess we are in right now? You have no damn idea. You've established a relationship with my husband, and now you don't want to leave? I just stole all of Aaron's money for you, and you could leave with your daughter unharmed. Instead, you sleep around with my husband, and-!" She stopped and she stared at me.
I hastily tried to wipe my tears away. "Jennifer-"
"I'm just as guilty…" She sighed, sitting back in her chair.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I mean that Aaron and I have been together plenty of times too." She explained, rubbing her eyes.
"You've established a relationship too?" I asked, my eyes widening.
"It's not a relationship, we are just messing around, but…" She closed her eyes. "I never should have suggested this…but it's too late to turn back now."
"No, it's not." I said. I was just as tired of this as she was. I wanted to end this already, I can't stand pretending to be her anymore. I wanted to reconstruct my life with James as Jasmine, not Jennifer. I want my family to say my name, to be able to be me without any insecurities. I want to start all over.
"What are you talking about?" She asked, clearly not in the mood.
"We can tell them, the truth, I mean." I whispered.
"Are you stupid? We can't expose ourselves now, we've already dug a hole to deep to climb out of. I say we take Aaron's money and leave, you, Jade, and I." She said.
"No! I'm done running away! For the first time in my life I found someone who treats me like I'm something valuable. I have a home, a real home. I have a precious son, and he will never be without a mother again; and I have James, and I know that he is the love of my life, the one God mistakenly gave to you. I want this life, it's rightfully mine, you don't deserve it. If you don't want to tell the truth, then I will. It's your choice…" I told her, the tears coming again.
Jennifer looked away. She stared out the window for several seconds and gazed into my eyes.
"Fine, we'll tell them."
* * *
Aaron
"Jasmine, Jasmine, Jasmine. What the hell are you doing to me?" I sighed as I leaned back into my office chair. I've been with women, several beautiful women, but something in Jasmine triggered something in me; something about her character got to me. I've never met a woman I had to crawl to, but Jasmine, ever since she changed, she found ways to just capture my attention, but what?
I couldn't even concentrate on my work, all I could think about was Jasmine and her hot, sweet passion.
"Mr. Hale? You have a phone call. It's from the bank, something about you withdrawal." My secretary called.
"I'll take the call, Jean, thank you." I picked up the receiver. "This is Aaron Hale."
"Mr. Hale, there has been an issue involving your former account." A woman said.
"Former?"
* * *
Jasmine
"What's this?" I asked as Jennifer handed me a bag. We were sitting at a park near the café, the day after we agreed to tell Aaron and James the truth.
"Well, I was supposed to give it to earlier, but we got involved in all this crap." Jennifer said as I took out a beautiful white purse. "It's Prada."
"Jennifer, you didn't have to." I said, it must have been really expensive.
"Don't worry about it, I got one too, just like yours, see?" She asked, showing me. We were about to meet Aaron and James at the café, and Jennifer suddenly came up with the idea of giving me a present.
"Why now, though?" I asked.
"Well, something tells me we won't see each other for a while after all of this mess is cleared up. Just something to remind you of me, and yes, I know it's a purse." She added. I looked at the only real gift I have ever gotten from her.
"Thanks, I'll put all of my things in there right now. Remind me to give you back your license later." I told her.
"Jasmine, no matter what happens, stay strong, okay?" She asked. I felt my throat go dry as I wordlessly nodded. She stood up and I followed her to the café.
* * *
James
It was a weekday, so I wasn't surprise when the café was nearly empty. What I didn't understand, though, was why Jennifer wanted to meet me here. She sounded a little anxious over the phone, and I couldn't help but worry about her. She acted really strange last night, and now she's wants to meet up?
Something doesn't seem to fit with this picture.
The café door slammed open wide as a man stormed in. He was wearing a business suit and I knew immediately that he had to step down from his throne to come here. He seemed to be around my age, blond and green eyes full of unmistakable anger. He sat at a table not far from mine and glared at the windows, waiting for somebody; at least that was my guess.
"Would you like some coffee, sir?" A young waitress asked.
"No thank you." I was too nervous to drink or eat anything at the moment.
I waited for ten more minutes, and I was about to call Jennifer when I saw flaming red hair pass the café window. I saw Jennifer head for the café doors, and I stood up to call to her, but something happened. The minute she set foot in the café, the man at the different table shot up from his seat and charged at her. He grabbed her viciously by the arm. Jennifer gave him a glare, and I was already making my way towards them, when the café door opened again. Both the man and I froze.
Standing behind Jennifer was someone who looked exactly like her, only this one had genuine fear in her eyes, and the sickening feeling in my stomach told me exactly what was going on. The person I had spent the last beautiful weeks with found my gaze.
They were twins.
And that wasn't Jennifer.
* * *
Jennifer
Aaron's grip loosened as he stepped back to look at us closely. I could feel Jasm
ine grab the back of my blouse, I could almost feel her fear, her anxiety, and her rapidly beating heart.
"What the hell is going on here?" Aaron asked. There was an agonizing silence, and I saw James approach, a look of disbelief on his face. After weeks of not seeing him, I had almost forgotten how much I disliked him.
"W-We came to tell you two something…" Jasmine softly began.
"No shit, you don't think I haven't figured that out?" Aaron said harshly. I saw James flinch and Jasmine shrank back. I grew angry at Aaron, he doesn't talk to her like that in front of me, no matter how guilty she was with this situation.
"Don't talk to her like that! If you have to get mad at someone, get mad at me!" I yelled at him loudly. A lot of people began to stare.
"Of course I'm going to get mad at you, you little bitch. I know what you did, I know what you were planning." He said, unlike other times, I've never seen Aaron this angry before; I didn't back down, however.
"You switched places on us?" James asked, more to my sister than to me. Jasmine looked torn.
"Yes, but please listen to what I have to say-"
"You don't have to, these two were after my money all along! You planned this from the beginning, didn't you? Taking her spot while she stole everything from underneath me! You lied to me, you lied to us! What are you going to do now that you have everything I own? Are you going to leave and laugh at how stupid we both were to fall for your lies!" He yelled.
"Is this true?" James asked.
"At first, James, but I later fell in love! I love you, James!" Jasmine cried, tears forming in her eyes.
"I don't even know who you are." James said, looking at my sister differently.
"My name is Jasmine Hale, I have a daughter named Jade, and I'm a veterinarian. I'm not Jennifer, but everything we shared these past weeks were-"
"A lie? Yeah, I finally understood that part. How long were you planning on playing this game?" He asked.
"It's not a game, James, it was something more serious than that! Please, if we can just talk.-"
"We have nothing to talk about!" Aaron cut in. "We get it, you two switch places, take my money, and then what? Tell us so we can go ahead and let you go? You were hoping that we would never want to see you again? Well, you succeeded!" He threw at her and especially me.
"The only reason-" I started.
"Don't give me your damn excuses! I'll will see you in court, don't think I won't fight! I'm going to crush you with everything I have!" He yelled. Jasmine stepped forward.
"Aaron, this is all-" Aaron grabbed her harshly by the arm and pulled her to him so hard, I could even feel the pain she felt in her arm.
"You, I will deal with you later, I'm going to kick you out onto the streets and say good-bye to Jade, because I will make sure you will never see her again!" He shoved her towards me and she fell back. I saw James move but I caught her in time.
"You asshole!" I yelled, and I slapped him. This time there was a commotion. The manager of the café came from around the back and approached us cautiously.
"Excuse me, I'm going to have to ask you to leave…" He said. Aaron turned to the manager in a rage.
"You don't have a wife and a good for nothing sister who plan behind your back! Get away from here!" He said, pushing the manager back. The manager hurried to the back again. James was the only one who remained calm, but I could see the anger and pain in his eyes, and they were directed toward Jasmine.. Aaron was a lost cause, but I could at least try to save whatever happiness my sister had left.
"James, this wasn't Jasmine's fault, I convinced her to make the switch because this good for nothing jerk made her life hell! Yeah, I stole everything from you, but it was all revenge for all the shitty stuff you ever did to her! She's never done anything to you, why do you have to bully her around! Now I see what she had to put up with, and I hate you for it!" I yelled at Aaron.
"Well that makes two of us!" He shouted back. There was a sharp pain in my chest, leaving me momentarily confused. "You used me, you used me to get to everything I had!"
"And you didn't! How many woman have you used? Huh? How many women have you used to get all your dirty money! You were using me, I'm sure of it!" I shouted at him.
"I loved you! I fought for you!" He yelled. My breathe caught in my throat and Jasmine's hands flew to her mouth. "And I don't even know your name." He said, his chest heaving.
"Jennifer Miles, her name is Jennifer." Jasmine finally said. Aaron gave me a hard look and he turned away from me.
"Everything I did was for a purpose." I said.
"Even being with me in my bed?" He asked. For the first time in my life, I was speechless.
"So that's what it was, then, everything had a reason behind it, it all led up to this moment. You two are one and the same." James said as proceeded to leave the cafe. Jasmine grabbed his arm and held on tightly.
"James, I love you, please, you know how much I do! If you won't give me a chance, let me tell you something, something that can change things between us-" James pulled away from her.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hale, but you and I have nothing to talk about. Excuse me." He said and was about to head out the door before he turned back to look at us. "Don't, don't call me, ever. Jennifer, obviously you have nothing left to do with my family, I want a divorce, and I want the two of you out of my life."
"James…" Jasmine sobbed.
"I will see you in court, the both of you." Aaron said. I watched Aaron run his fingers through his hair and exited the café, followed by James.
Jasmine sobbed. "I-I wasn't able t-to tell him…"She cried. I gently took her shaking form and guided her to my car.
She didn't stop crying and I was driving, driving to somewhere I didn't even know. Aaron's words kept echoing in my head over and over. I pressed on the gas and watched the cars fly past me. Why did Aaron's words haunt me? I felt my that my cheeks were wet and I wiped the tears with a shaky hand. Why the fuck was I crying! Why? Why? Why? I slammed my fist on the steering wheel and Jasmine jumped.
"Jennifer, your seat belt, put it on, you're going too fast…"
"Shut up, Jasmine, just shut up; I can't think, you won't let me think!" My hands wouldn't stop shaking. Jasmine unbuckled her seat belt.
"I have to call him, I have to call him.. He has to know!" She cried, reaching for one of the white purses. She sat up and as she did she shrieked.
"The lights! Jennifer!"
I barely had a second to see the red stoplight before something hit us from the side. I heard screeching of tires, and the shattering of glass. I felt the car give a jolt as we drove off the street. A sharp pain hit me and-
* * *
A boy was eating his ice cream cone when he heard a horrible sound. There was a loud screeching sound followed by metal hitting metal. There were many cries as a car ran off the road and hit the sidewalk, crashing into a nearby tree. Just as the car made impact, a body went flying through the windshield and hit the ground like a rag doll, where the young woman remained motionless, blood coloring the sidewalk.
The little boy was taken away from his frightened mother as a man ran to the scene. He stopped and took in the scene. A few minutes later, they had both the women in stretchers and lifted into an ambulance. The last thing he saw was the medical team trying to resuscitate one of the young women.
A bar, he had to go to a bar. He had to get the horrible images out of his head of the young woman broken up and lifeless; and especially of the one with all the blood, spattered against the pavement.
Chapter 14: Fading
James
"I don't drink…" I told Aaron as he passed me a glass of whiskey. We were sitting in a bar not far from the café, and Aaron was already on his third glass, but he still seemed normal enough. Aaron rolled his eyes as he attempted to lift the glass to my mouth.
"I'm paying, so don't reject it, it's disrespectful; also, it's not like you don't need it." He said, drinking his whiskey in one swing, all while trying to mak
e me drink that blasted alcohol. I turned away and it sloshed down my front, I glared at him.
"You should know…" I muttered, grabbing the glass and pushing it away. He placed his glass down a little firmly.
"What? Are you bothered with the fact that I put my woman I her place?" He asked, his eyes flashing with anger. I took my glasses off and rubbed my eyes, trying to ignore the "my woman" part.
"I just think you could have handled the situation a little differently." I told him. He reached for my glass and emptied it in two seconds.