by Nicole Bella
By the time the night came to an end, Jackson realized that this wasn’t just a great night for Anthony, but it was an amazing one for him too. So much so that he didn’t really want it to end. And, as fate would have it, the night wasn’t quite over yet…
CHAPTER FIVE
Dinner For Two
It was getting late as the last of the party guests began to leave. They were all mostly kids of course which meant that it was their parents picking them up; having to carry the sleeping children out to the cars.
‘Thanks for coming.’ Jackson said as the parents picked up their kids. ‘I hope they had a great time.’
As he waved the last few off, he began to wonder where Vanessa had gotten herself off too. Had she gone home already? It was possible of course. She didn’t live here and would always go home after tucking Anthony in. Maybe she left without saying goodbye? As this thought sunk in, Jackson couldn’t help but feel a little saddened. He was hoping to say goodbye and thank her for the day…well that was the reason he gave himself; anything to explain the sinking feeling in his stomach.
‘Daddy!’ Anthony called out from the front door.
‘Hey buddy.’ Jackson called back, running to the door to pick his son up. ‘What are you doing still awake?’
‘I’ve got something I want to show you.’
‘OK. What is it?’
‘I can’t just tell you. I have to show you.’ Anthony took Jackson by the hand, leading him through the house. ‘I wanted to thank you, for today. It really was great.’
‘Oh you should thank Vanessa too. It was mostly her idea…OK that’s a lie. It was all her idea.’
‘I know.’ He said. ‘That’s why I have something for the two of you.’
‘What do you mean?’ Jackson asked, generally confused by his son’s cryptic statement.
Anthony led Jackson into a spare room at the back of the house; one that Jackson hadn’t been in in years. Even if he had been in there recently, there was no way that he would have been able to recognize it. The room, a small study like dwelling, had been transformed into a veritable restaurant for two. At the center of the room was a small table, complete with red table cloth and burning candle. Sitting by the side of the table was a bottle of chilled wine and two glasses. And of course, seated at the table was the main event.
Vanessa, still wearing her nurse’s outfit, sat alone at the table, looking as surprised as Jackson felt. The lights in the room had been dimmed just enough so as to allow for the soft flickering of the candles to bathe her face in a warm, orange hue; like the setting of the sun, it was a beauty that was enough to take Jackson’s breath away.
‘What is this?’ He asked, still in shock.
‘I saw you two eating candy and cake at the party all night and thought…and thought you might want some real food. And also some time off.’ Anthony responded; a sly smile spreading across his face which suggested this wasn’t all he had in mind.
‘Anthony you really didn’t need too…’
‘It wasn’t any trouble dad. Seriously. After all you two did. You deserve it.’
There was no arguing with the boy as he led Jackson over to the table, pulling the seat out for his dad to sit in.
‘I’ll just leave you two to it.’ He practically whispered, disappearing out the door.
‘Did you know anything about this?’ Jackson asked Vanessa when they were finally alone.
‘Not a thing.’ She answered, the shock on her face indicating that this was indeed the truth. ‘Wine?’ She asked, holding up the bottle.
‘Why not?’ Jackson responded as he took as seat, residing himself to the dinner.
‘He really is a sweet kid.’ She said as she poured the bottle.
‘Like his mother, I assure you. He doesn’t get it from me.’
‘Oh I don’t know about that.’ Vanessa joked. ‘You have your moments.’
It was a night that Jackson wasn’t going to forget anytime soon. And one that he didn’t want to either. Coming off a day that he thought couldn’t be improved, the night only served to prove this thought false. If you had told him in advance that this was going to happen, he would have protested. He would have assumed the whole thing would be awkward or forced; this wasn’t like him at all. But really it was the complete opposite. It felt almost natural, like the dinner was the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle that he had been looking for, for a long time.
They spoke well into the night, covering just about every topic that they could think of, never pausing, and never feeling uncomfortable. Here was a safe space where every topic was breached; ones that Jackson had never spoken about with anyone before
‘Anthony was two when she died.’ He told Vanessa, speaking of his dead wife for the first time in years.
‘How did it happen?’
‘Car crash. That’s actually that main reason that I fight. She used to hate that I did it, telling me how dangerous it was, that I was going to get hurt one day. And truth is, I thought she was right. But after she died from driving…well I just thought, what’s the point on doing anything else? Life is short. Do what you’re passionate about. You know?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘I was going to be a builder if this didn’t work out. Believe it or not there was more money in building back in the day. But I never got into this for the money. That’s not what it’s about.’ He continued, not knowing why he was telling her all this but loving how interested she seemed.
‘I couldn’t agree more. That’s why I want to be a nurse. Because I love it. Not because I want to get paid.’
‘Then why don’t you be one?’
‘Oh…well I was always going to be but you know, one things leads to another and next thing you know…you’re thirty years old and your degree is fading into obscurity.’
‘So you are trained then?’
‘Oh yeah. I am. I just don’t use my training…for some reason.’
‘Well if you like I can make some calls? I know a lot of people in the field. I’m sure I can get you some hours at a clinic or something -- only if you like. I don’t want to overstep or --,’
‘No. That sounds amazing. Are you serious?’
‘Of course I am.’ He said, reaching across the table and taking her by the hand. ‘Why wouldn’t I be?’
The whole night was as effortless as that. He didn’t know why he was offering to help her; he just knew that he wanted too. And what’s more, he loved how much she appreciated it.
And then, when the night was coming to an inevitable end, he found that that was the last thing he wanted.
‘Vanessa. I was wondering if…it’s getting late and there’s no point on your driving home if you have to be back here the next morning.’ For the first time her could remember, he was struggling to talk a woman into his bed. And not just struggling, but downright failing.
‘Are you asking me to stay?’ She asked, smirking at his awkwardness.
‘Something like that.’
Let’s be clear, Jackson had had a lot of sex, more than that even. Just like his ability in the ring, he rated his performances in the bedroom in an equally high manner. But what transpired between himself and Vanessa wasn’t sex. It was so much more than that. It was something that he hadn’t experienced since his wife died seven years ago.
After dinner he lead Vanessa into his bedroom, telling himself that this was going to be like all those other times; they had been together half a dozen times before. But the moment he started he knew that this wasn’t to be.
Gone was the dominating MMA fighter who would usually throw her on the bed, tear off her clothes and mount her while she pretended to struggle under his hulking frame. This time it was softer, gentle even. As Vanessa lay on her back he delicately removed her outfit, careful not to damage it or her. He ran his hands over her thighs and body, gauging her breathing as he did; reacting in tangent to it, rather than forcing to his will.
And when it finally did come time to enter her, it wasn�
�t a hot, passionate thrust that started the deed. Instead he baited her, teased her until she was begging for him; until she was forced to take control and guide him to the finish line.
It was a session that may have only lasted minutes but felt like hours as their bodies thrived and moved in complete simpatico, as if it were a dance to a silent beat that only the two of them knew.
And then, when it was finally over and Jackson lay on his back, covered in sweat as he stared up at the ceiling, he was surprised to find that he didn’t want her to go. Usually he would have her halfway out the door by now. But not this time. Tonight he wanted her to stay. To spend the night wrapped in his arms as he fell asleep listening to her breathing.
And to his delight that’s exactly what Vanessa did.
CHAPTER SIX
The Resignation
Vanessa stared up at the white ceiling, studying it as if it were some sort of map that she hoped would lead her to the answers that she sought.
She had just made love to Jackson. That’s right, made love. Not fucked, or slept with or banged. It was an experience that she had never had before; creating a feeling in the deepest parts of her heart that she had never felt before, not for anyone. On the one hand it felt amazing; like her heart was about to burst wide open, spilling out its contents over anyone that was willing to stick around and see. And more interesting than that was that this seemed like a good thing too. Not messy, or embarrassing, but natural. At least in her mind it was anyway. Was this what love felt like, she thought to herself?
But as that word struck her over the head, she couldn’t help but recoil. As she looked at the man that lay asleep beside her, she knew that this wasn’t something that she should be feeling. Not because it was wrong, or gross; but because it was a feeling that was definitely not reciprocated. In fact, she was pretty certain that the moment he woke up he would have her out the door a second later.
And as this realization hit her, that swelling feeling in her heart soon turned to a sinking one; that feeling where you suddenly drop down on a roller coaster and your stomach goes through your mouth like it’s trying to escape. Now the bursting of her heart, a feeling that just moments ago threatened to engulf her with positivity, revealed the true life, ugly consequences that would follow; the heartache, the mess that would take months to clean up.
No, she told herself. She wasn’t going to let that happen. She had been in this situation a dozen times already, quite literally in this exact bed. She knew how the story was going to go. She wasn’t going to let herself become a victim. She was going to take the power back and strike before she could be struck. Only then could she maybe, just maybe, salvage a tiny fragment of her dignity.
‘Hey.’ She whispered, shaking Jackson awake.
‘Heeeey,’ he said groggily as he slowly came too. That adorable smile spreading across his perfect face….no! Stop! She scolded herself.
‘I’ve got to go.’
‘Really?’ He asked, actually sounding surprised. She knew that he would. This was probably a first for him.
‘Yeah. Before Anthony wakes up and see’s us.’ She justified, sure that would be enough to get her out of the room. ‘And you’ve got that doctors appointment you need to get to.’
‘Oh yeah right. Good thinking.’ Jackson sat up quickly. ‘Yeah you better get going.’
There it was. The response she had expected. It actually hurt a little. She was hoping that he might surprise her. ‘No. Stay. Please I want you here.’ He would beg, wrapping his big beautiful arms around her…But of course that wasn’t too be.
Less than a minute later and she was out the door and wandering the halls to the huge mansion. As she made her way to the front door her eyes fell on the backyard, the streamers coming down, and the balloons deflating. She could help but sympathize with them. Last night they had been so engorged and full of life. And now that their purpose was served, they looked as disheveled as she felt. A relic from a better time.
*
Jackson had decided that he was going to tell Vanessa how he felt.
Last night was one of the more incredible nights of his life, or at least in recent memory. Something about it just felt right. It wasn’t just the sex, or the dinner. It was all of it. The whole day and night had merged together to form a perfect union. When he had woken up in the morning to see that she was still there, he had been truly happy. In the very recent past, the idea of having to deal with the woman the next day was the worst part of the sex…really the only bad part about the sex. But this morning this could not have been further from the truth.
Naturally it was a little bit upsetting that she had to leave so abruptly, but the reasoning behind it was fair. It would have been a little hard to explain to Anthony what was going on, especially until they had a chance to discuss it themselves.
Plus there were the impending results from the doctor’s examination. He went in first thing in the morning and after two solid hours of poking, prodding and scanning he was no closer to finding out what was wrong.
‘The result will take a few days.’ His doctor had told him at the end of the marathon session. ‘Until then I suggest you take it easy. Ease up on the training and just try and stay positive.’
So, in light of this advice, that’s exactly what Jackson planned on doing. The first step towards this was to see Vanessa and tell her exactly how he felt.
He wanted to see her as soon as possible. He left her a quick text message, inviting her to dinner that night at what he knew to be her favorite restaurant. She had agreed with a brief ‘OK,’ and thus the date was set. He spent the whole day rehearsing what he was going to say. Jackson wasn’t too good at this sort of thing and didn’t want to make a fool of himself. So he practiced and practiced and by the time the evening rolled around he had the words down pat. Now all he had to do was say them.
--
He arrived at the restaurant early, wanting to get a good seat and set himself up.
He had been involved in a grand total of thirty MMA matches. From these he had twenty-seven knockouts, two technical knockouts and one win by decision. He was undefeated in every sense of the word. And each fight was challenging for a variety of reasons. Some opponents were bigger then he, others were faster. But each time he went to the ring with the utmost confidence that he was going to win. Tonight though…well this was without a doubt the most nervous he had ever been. He had never lost before…he didn’t know what would happen if he lost tonight.
Fifteen minutes after the date was set to commence and Vanessa hadn’t turned up.
Thirty minutes and there was still no sign.
It was now forty-five minutes after they were meant to meet and still no Vanessa. About to get his phone out and call her, Jackson was saved the hassle by the maître d’, who handed him a note that was, as the maître d’ explained, hand delivered by a beautiful young woman who refused to come inside the restaurant.
I could go into painstaking detail as to what the note said. It was full of apologetic language, euphemisms and platitudes…but there’s really no need. To repeat the words exact would only cause heartbreak for all those who had to bear witness.
To put it simply, the note was a letter of resignation from Vanessa. For a handful of reason, each more ludicrous and inventive than the last, she was no longer able to work for Jackson McCall, effective immediately. And, just to rub salt into the wounds, there was a specific request of no contact following tonight. It would be as if she had never worked at the McCall mansion in the first place.
So this is what losing feels like? Jackson thought to himself as he processed what the letter said. It was worse than he had expected. There wasn’t any physical pain of course, but something much deeper, much more raw. He’d rather lose a hundred matches than have to go through this feeling ever again.
Jackson left the letter on the table, dropping it as if it were some sort of poisonous beast threatening to bite him. He only read it once. Once was enough. And as he climb
ed into his car, turning on the engine and making his was back home, Jackson decided that that was that. He had tasted the bitterness of defeat and he didn’t think he could go through it again. He would be true to the letters words and never contact Vanessa for as long as he lived.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Doubling Down
‘You’re sure about this?
‘Very.’
‘Because this isn’t the type of offer that should be taken on a whim. Maybe you want to think about it before --,’
‘I said I’m sure!’
Jackson and Charles were currently in the middle of a ‘work-lunch.’ A work-lunch was one set aside each week where the two would discuss business matters. This could be anything from sponsorship deals through to new fiduciary concerns. As it were, today’s work-lunch was built around discussing Jackson’s next fight.