Climbing the stairs in silence, Aviva listened to Josh’s non-stop conversation. His commentary giving her facts about the house, hoping they enjoyed their stay, did they have a good flight, blah, blah, she tuned him out. They were definitely up to something, and she wanted to know what was going on. Waiting while he opened a door that led to a beautiful bedroom, Aviva stepped inside and turned to look at Josh who had followed her inside.
Looking around the room his glance landed on the bags sitting at the foot of the bed. “Good, I see your bags have been brought up. I’ll leave you to get settled in. Come on down when you’re ready.”
“What’s going on Joshua, and don’t say nothing. I know you guys are up to something, and I want to know what it is.”
“Sorry to disappoint you sweetheart, but I’m going to say exactly what you asked me not to. Nothing is going on.”
“Josh, I could feel the tension swirling around that room downstairs, so please don't insult my intelligence. What are you all up to?”
“Nothing is going on – trust me. Everything is fine and will only get better by the end of the evening.”
“Okay, you all go ahead and keep your secrets. Please tell Jason I will be down in thirty minutes and that he should have that credit card locked and loaded because I’m on a mission. Also, please be so kind as to order me a cab heading for the Meatpacking District. Thank you so much, please don’t let me keep you from whatever you men are up to.” Dismissing him with a frown and her hands folded across her chest, Aviva watched as Josh pulled the door closed in departure.
Re-entering the family room Josh was eager to be brought up to date on anything he may have missed. “So what’s going on…did I miss anything?”
“Not much, Jason and I were just thinking of a way to distract Aviva while our visitor is here, who by the way should be arriving in about an hour.”
“Sorted, she'll be ready to go shopping in thirty minutes. Jason, my man, she told me to inform you to have your credit card ready. In fact, I think her exact words were, ‘have that credit card locked and loaded because I’m on a mission’. That’s after I tried to convince her nothing was going on down here, which by the way, she didn’t buy for a minute.”
“She doesn’t have to buy it, as long as she’s not around while this goes down, that’s all that matters to me. Now let’s run through the proceedings one last time, I don’t want anything to go wrong.”
The brothers took seats at opposite ends of the couch facing Jason. Jake took up the narrative explaining what each of them would be doing while their visitor was in the house. For the most part Jake spoke without interruption, only breaking off to answer questions Jason had regarding the layout of the house, wanting to be clear how he would reach the back door with his burden.
“Don’t worry about that, it will be our pleasure to lead the way.”
“Did you mention that part of our plan to Jackson?” Jason asked looking back and forth between his brothers.
“Are you out of your mind,” Josh retorted. “That part of the plan is strictly on a need to know basis, and Jackson definitely doesn’t need to know!”
“What doesn’t Jackson need to know?” Aviva asked suspiciously, overhearing the last part of Josh’s comment.
“What Jackson doesn’t need to know is the same thing you don’t need to know.” Jason informed her as he rose to his feet. Giving him a dirty look, Jason was unintimidated, setting his jaw with a stubborn determination she now knew and disliked. Encompassing his brothers with the same look she had just flashed at him, she received two sets of blank looks – she wouldn’t be getting any answers from either of them.
“Whatever you are all up to had better be legal… Oh, and if it backfires on your behinds, then it will serve you right for not letting Jackson and me in on what’s going on. Card please Jason if you would be so kind.” Holding out her hand, she waited while Jason reached into his pocket, extracting a credit card which he placed in her waiting palm. Looking down at the square piece of plastic Aviva saw that her name was embossed along the bottom. Surprised, she looked up at him, a question in her eyes.
“I picked it up yesterday. All you need to worry about is having a good time shopping, get whatever you need.” Leaning down, Jason pressed a tender kiss against her lips before whispering in her ear, “I love you, don’t worry, nothing that goes on here today will be in any way illegal, you have my word.”
Not at all placated, Aviva reached up and stroked the chiseled contours of his face, unable to look away. A shiver ran along her body that didn’t go unnoticed by Jason. Concerned, he pulled her against his chest. “Are you okay, Angel?”
“I’m fine.” She said, pulling away from the warmth of his arms. “I should really be asking you that question; you’re the one who just gave me a brand new credit card.” Aviva wriggled her eyebrows in an attempt to remove his look of concern.
“Josh, has my taxi arrived?”
“Yeah, it’s outside, the gate phoned up a few minutes ago.”
“Okay, well I guess I’ll see you guys later.”
“I’ll walk you out.” Placing his hand in the middle of her back, Jason escorted Aviva from the house to the waiting taxi. Stopping her before she climbed in, Jason held her face as he looked deeply into her brown eyes, his expression awash with how he felt about her. “Do you have your phone? What time will you be back? I love you do you know that, right?”
“Jason, I’m a big girl and I lived in New York until recently, remember?”
Frown in place, Jason waited with his hand on the handle of the taxi door for the answers to his rapid fire questions.
Smiling at his set expression, Aviva used her fingers to ensure she answered all his questions. “Yes, I have my phone. I should be back around six, if I’m running late I will call you on said phone. Yes I know you love me – I love you too.”
Bending down Jason had every intention of giving her a quick peck on the lips. However, before he could help it, he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue into the warmth of her mouth, drinking in her taste, allowing it to wash over him; for a moment not wanting to let her go. Pulling back, he brushed his fingertips against the smooth skin of her cheek down towards her sensitive neck, his eyes following the path of his hand. “I’ll see you in a little while – I love you.” Opening the taxi door, he held it for Aviva to climb in. Shutting it behind her, he watched as the departing taxi carried her away.
~~~~~~~~~~
Twenty minutes after Aviva’s departure the telephone rang. Picking it up, Jackson listened in silence before replacing the handset to its cradle. “She’s here, are you all ready?” Jackson asked his gathered sons. At their nods, Jackson and Jake departed, leaving Jason and Josh to greet their visitor.
Sweeping into the room, dressed in black from head to toe, Jason was confronted by one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen – his mother. Although Diana was in her fifties she could be described as nothing other than breathtaking. Her raven locks were cut in a feathery bob that softened the plains of her face, adding weight to her youthful appearance, her body still showing curves a much younger woman would envy. The legs that extended below her black suit skirt were slim, shapely and encased in very sheer black stockings. But the greatest shock to Jason was her size. He had been expecting a tall woman, yet the person who stood before him was no taller than Aviva, which would make her about five feet four.
Picking up on his intense scrutiny, Diana cut her eyes towards him, looking him up and down. “I always knew you’d turn into a brooder and it seems I was right. As for you…” Diana said glancing over at Josh, “what have you turned into. Don’t tell me – my guess is you turned out to be gay. After all you never could stand me from the day you were born and darling, I have you know, not many real men dislike me.”
“No Diana, I’m not gay – but if I were, it would still be none of your business. Let’s get one thing straight; I didn’t like you when I was a child and I disli
ke you even more as an adult, you viperous bitch.”
“Tut, tut, now is that the way to speak to your long absent mother. I can see Jackson didn’t do a very good job of teaching you manners.”
Not five minutes in her company and Josh was already losing his temper, old suppressed feelings of loathing resurfacing, eating away at his insides. “Leave our father out of this you…”
Lifting her hand, Diana laughed at his show of temper, cutting off the remainder of his retort. “Darling, don’t be such a silly boy. Of course I can’t leave your father out of this, your very sick father I might add. After all he was the one who asked me to come visit him on his death bed.”
Jason had heard and seen enough and Josh was rapidly morphing into a replica of him and Jake when they lost their temper. The plan was for Josh to be the voice of reason if he lost it, not the other way around. He was going to have a word with his brothers after all this was over. They had sat around prodding and poking him until he bared his soul while they had obviously been withheld information from him about how they had been treated by the woman standing before them.
“Take a seat Diana, we need to talk before you see Jackson.”
“Oh, Jackson is it – don’t tell me you’ve had a falling out with dear old dad.”
Her quick riposte to his having called Jackson by his given name, immediately told Jason two things: she was not to be underestimated and she was suspicious as to why she was really here. “The last time we saw you we were children, things change Diana, more than even you could know. I hope you also paid special notice to the fact that I called you Diana. With that said, you don’t get to question me about what name I choose to call my father – do I make myself clear?” From all Jason’s thoughts of how much he hated this woman; the reality was so much worse having met her. Unable to keep his hatred from seeping out of his eyes, Jason stretched his body to his full height, his expression cold with dislike and it was all directed at her.
“Sit down Diana, we need to talk. I have some questions I want answered – and mark my words you will answer every last one before you leave this house; whether you like it or not.
“You will not speak to me in that tone of voice…do you hear me you sniveling piece of shit. You think I don’t remember how you used to cry for your daddy when I took you both away. Well you may be all grown up, but I still remember you pissing your pants because you couldn’t get to your brother and daddy didn’t come for you both.” Diana laughed in Jason’s face as she strolled across the room, settling herself in a chair, crossing her shapely legs; relaxed awaiting his next volley.
Disgusted, Jason watched and listened as this beautiful woman spewed memories of the mistreatment she had inflicted on the two little boys who were in her care. Seeing a haze of red, Josh rushed her, intent on squeezing every last breath from her body. How dare she come into his home, taunting his brother as though she were not to blame for what Jake had suffered, using his protective instincts towards his younger brother against him. Moving so quickly, Jason was almost too late intercepting an enraged Josh from reaching Diana. It took all of his considerable strength to hold him back. Wrapping him in a bear hug, Jason repeatedly whispered soothing words in Josh’s ear as his big body rippled with fury.
Outwardly, Diana didn’t flinch as Josh had rushed towards her; inside she was quaking, unable to believe that these two giant men had sprung from her body. Boys no longer, she realized they were capable of doing her serious harm if she pushed them too far – but she couldn’t help herself. As much as they so obviously hated her she hated them just as much. Loading her voice with as much scorn as she could manage, Diana taunted the brothers. “Still the protector I see, Jacob – no matter how things change, they still somehow remain the same.”
Unable to stand Diana’s show of contempt, Jake dashed into the room, hands clenched into fists, ready to defend his brothers. “Shut your mouth you filthy whore. If you have something to say, then you say it to me.”
Seeing the twins together in the same room, Jackson standing by the door looking far from his death bed; Diana understood just how thoroughly she had been duped. Knowing she needed to get away before the shit really hit the fan, she sprung to her feet intent on putting as much distance as possible between herself and these enraged men. Jackson blocked her path, the only man she had ever truly loved stood with a look of contempt emanating from his black eyes as they shot daggers through her heart. Didn’t he know she loved him, had always loved him, would do anything for him? How could he love those sniveling boys more than he loved her? “Jackson, please let me explain. I…”
“You what, Diana…please do explain to my son how he ended up tossed away with the trash, left for rodents to devour his flesh. Come along now Diana, we’re waiting for more of the lies and deceits that surround your treacherous soul. What kind of being are you? God knows you can’t be human. I also want to know what you did to my sons who you lied and deceived to take away from me. You will tell me; what did you do to my children?” Jackson demanded his rage almost completely out of control.
It was at that moment, Jason realized that in this whole twisted scenario that represented his life, even with all that he had been through, he was fortunate for not ever having had to call this warped woman his wife or mother. Taking control of the situation, Jason looked at a visibly shaken Diana, feeling no sympathy for the position in which she found herself and demanded she take a seat.
“You have some questions to answer, Diana. Why don’t we start with what you did to my brothers?”
Retaking her vacated seat, before her quivering legs gave out, Diana stared into space, her only response – silence. No matter how many questions were asked of her, Diana remained determinedly mute. Jason's anger was soon replaced with contempt. He shook his head as he taunted the beautiful cold woman sitting as still as a statue before her accusers.
“Seeing as how you have nothing to say, I’ll say my piece. You are the most despicable example of a woman I have ever had the misfortune of meeting. You are an abuser of helpless children, who when confronted by those you have abused, retreat in silence like the coward you are. Creatures like you are the dregs of the earth, believing they have the right to pass judgment on who should live or die; treating children in their care with disdain, causing them so much anguish it may never be banished. But I’m here to tell you something Lady, you lose. As you can see, against all the odds, you stacked against us, we found each other and together we will expunge you from every fiber of our lives. Whether you live or die means nothing to me.
I’ve got to say however, you wasted time high-tailing it over here once you were convinced Jackson was dying and there was something in it for you. Well you lose again. There is no money – for you. Oh don’t get me wrong; between us we have plenty of money. You like the trappings of wealth don’t you Diana? Well you lose again, I think I speak for all gathered here. We wouldn’t give you a cent if your very life depended on it.”
“By the way, what’s your name? On second thoughts, don’t tell me. I didn’t give you one all those years ago and I can honestly say I’m still not interested. Yes, I dumped you with the trash, you want to know why – if you really want to know why, I’ll tell you. You haven’t changed from the day you were born. I dumped your ass because you wouldn’t shut the hell up!” Diana screamed at Jason.
“Ah, at last a reaction from the ice queen.” Jason laughed in her face. “Lady, I already told you, you mean nothing to me, what you have to say means nothing to me.”
Turning to his brothers, Jason raised his brow in inquiry. “Shall we?” Nodding their heads, Jake and Josh walked towards the door.
“What’s going on?” Jackson asked, at a loss as to what was taking place.
Jake and Josh looked back towards Jason who answered Jackson's question. “I think you’re going to like this – we’re about to put out the trash.” Striding towards Diana, Jason pulled her from her seat and tossed her over his broad shoulder. Josh bow
ed them through the open door with Jake leading the way followed closely by Jason carrying a screaming and kicking Diana. Unwilling to suffer any bruises from Diana’s high heels, Jason clasped his arms around her flaying legs to keep her still, never breaking his stride. Exiting through the main door they all strolled leisurely around the side of the house, down a winding pathway towards the back gate. Jake who was leading the way opened the tall gate with the key he carried and waved them through. Halfway to their destination Jackson understood what was taking place. Unable to contain himself, he laughed out loud rubbing his hands together in amusement.
Jason stepped through the gate and came to a sudden halt. Making sure Diana’s back was still facing the direction from which they had traveled, he raised her above his head and threw her into the industrial sized dumpster ordered especially for the occasion. Their instructions had been followed, the dumpster was to be placed outside the gate and be half filled with food waste and cooking oil. Jason now realized why Jake had been so emphatic that the dumpster only be half filled with waste, Diana was a small woman and with the dumpster only partially full she would have difficulty extracting herself. The oil was Josh’s idea and was just plain mean. The oil meant she would not only slip and slide, hindering her exit; it would also embed the waste into her clothing.
Standing back the men watched as Diana’s head popped over the rim of the dumpster, slime running down her face and old bits of food embedded in her hair. As they continued to watch the heartless woman struggle to gain her footing her head disappeared from sight as she slipped down into the muck. Feeling slightly embarrassed at their actions the younger men looked towards their father to gauge his reaction.
Amusement still apparent on his face, Jackson turned towards his youngest son. “Joshua, the oil has you written all over it. Go back to the house and get a stool for her; otherwise she’s never going to get out and call for a car for her while you’re at it. The rest of us will wait for you here.
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