"So when are you coming back to school?" Alric asked.
"Maybe never." Arnella chuckled. "My uncle can't argue about that now."
Alric cleared his throat. "Want company on your walk?"
Arnella frowned. "I don't care."
Alric grinned. "That's Arnella speak for yes please. Can I park in your garage?"
Arnella nodded and watched as he drove off. She waited for him at the side of the road, her heart suddenly singing.
Suddenly things were not looking as bleak as they once were, and she found some of that fighting spirit that she had once prided herself on. Who knew that the missing ingredient all the while was Alric?
He jogged down to where she was standing and smiled. "I had a hellish week too."
"How so?" Arnella asked.
"Well, between studying for the interview, doing a final group project, and hearing that my friend was a porn star, things got pretty tough. Out of all of them, your news was pretty devastating. I got a video from EasterBunny too. To say that I was gobsmacked was an understatement."
"I really wish I knew who it was," Arnella said. In a hesitant voice, she asked, "Did you watch it?"
"Only the first part and only because I was in shock." Alric took her hand in his and squeezed them. "I deleted it."
"Thank you," Arnella said squeezing back his hand. "I can't remember most of what happened and I am grateful." She laughed uncomfortably. "That would have been my first time."
Alric stopped walking. "Ever. Are you saying? No wait a minute...Oh Lord," he groaned, "Arnella this is crazy. I am so sorry. They robbed you of what should have been a special moment by drugging you and then taping it?"
"Yup," Arnella smiled sadly. "I can genuinely say I don't remember my first time with a guy, or in my case, guys."
Alric was silent for a long time as they walked. They reached the intersection of Malvern, the sleepy town district. There was no one around. "Ready to turn back?" he asked.
"Sure." Arnella frowned at him. "You have gone silent."
"I am stupid." Alric shook his head. "I can't believe I listened to all the things about you. If I hadn't been as speedy to judge you, I could have saved you the trauma. I could have gotten to know you better. Things would have been different. I am so sorry." He stopped and looked at Arnella intently. "Please forgive me."
"The thought had not even occurred to me," Arnella said, "to blame you for anything. I can't forgive you. You did nothing wrong. For a time I liked being the notorious Arnella. You judged me as the town's bad girl. I judged you as the stuck up son of the pastor. We are even."
Alric grinned. "Me, stuck up?"
"Yup. Remember that night when Tracy introduced us? You looked down your nose at me."
"I was battling serious attraction," Alric said grinning, "and not to Tracy. You were in a red dress and you had your hair up in that sophisticated style that shows off your neck. You seemed to look through me. I was mad as ever and really angry that I found you attractive."
They reached the house and Alric said softly. "I am relieved that you were not into that sex video willingly. The stress of it could have had me flunking this semester."
Arnella's heart fluttered uncomfortably.
"What I am trying to say here," Alric said, "and doing a bad job of it, is that I seriously like you. Like in a love kind of way... the kind that even sex videos of you with other men cannot kill. If it were any other girl, I would have written her off, but this week I couldn't write you off. I kept comparing the girl I think I know to the girl I saw in the video, and they were irreconcilable."
Arnella smiled, moving closer to Alric, "I like you too, in a love kind of way. This week, when I was dealing with the stress of being known as the schools porn star, my biggest problem was not hearing from you. What does that say?"
Alric chuckled. "It says that we have a thing for each other." He stepped closer to her. "Is it okay if I kiss you?"
Arnella nodded, dazed. His mouth came down on hers. His kiss was soft and gentle and exploratory. The imprint on her lips was like a new beginning, a benediction. It was okay; she was a woman, and alive. A low moan sounded in her throat and she closed her arms round him, stretching up on tiptoe to intensify their contact. He parted her velvety soft lips with his tongue.
They were so caught up in the experience that they didn't notice that they were being watched. The sound of a chuckle near them made her pull away from Alric and gasp in surprise.
It was Cathy Bancroft, Adrian's wife. "Sorry to intrude but it seems as if the kiss was going to go on for hours."
She laughed when Arnella hid her face in Adrian's chest.
"I came to extend a personal invitation to Natasha's bachelorette party. It will be just us girls, two weeks from now, first week in November. It will be held here, at Deidra's. Deidra insisted. It will be a surprise."
She held out her hand to Alric, "I am Cathy. Can I tell you how marvelous it is to meet you? I was coming over here to keep my girl company only to find out she already has company."
Alric cleared his throat. "I am Alric Peterson."
"I know." Cathy giggled. "You play the organ at church. I am so happy to see Arnella in good company. Maybe now she will start attending church regularly."
"Shut up," Arnella said, still nestled in Alric's shirt.
Cathy chuckled. "I know when I am not wanted around. Remember the date and it's a surprise."
Arnella groaned when Cathy got into her car and tooted them. "Is she gone yet?"
Alric grinned. "You can look now…You are acting all shy."
Arnella looked up at him fiercely. "No, I am not. 'Shy' is not supposed to be in my vocabulary."
"So are we officially together," Alric asked, "or are we both still in denial?"
"Officially together." Arnella smiled, "I am so happy right now."
*****
"Iv'e never been to a bachelorette party," Kylie said, grinning at the punch bowl, "and I am glad I didn't look at what you guys got for Natasha: barely-there-lingerie and flavored condoms."
"What I can't believe," Natasha said grumpily, "is that Cathy wanted to invite Jackie Beecher."
"No," Deidra giggled, lying in one corner of the settee with her foot in Charlene's lap, "even though that would make the party really spicy. Jackie would make some droll observation, and Kylie or Natasha would wrestle her to the ground. Girl fight."
Natasha laughed. "In a weird way, I kind of like Jackie. She is the villain we love to hate."
Kylie snorted, coming to sit on the floor. "Not on your life. She was only living with Taj for a while and half heartedly tried to seduce him. She was married to my husband, and every chance she gets, she says in her sultry voice, 'Gareth remember when...' I can't believe how many memories she has stored in that brain of hers. I don't hate her but a polite distance is desired by all."
Arnella chuckled. She was enjoying the party. Her aunt Celeste had catered but didn't attend. Jessica was selecting music, sitting close to the laptop. Every song was her favorite, which of course was all Khaled. The other women in the family were chatting about their lives, their husbands, and their children. She loved it, the feeling of camaraderie and sisterhood. If she didn't have that video hanging over her head, she would declare the last two weeks the best of her life.
She saw Alric everyday, and they were connecting on a level that they had never quite attained before. They were truly friends. Her going back to school was drama free. People were more apologetic than gossipy. Maybe that had to do with the fact that her uncle had done an impassioned speech in general assembly on the dangers of rumors. He had hinted at the criminal nature of the boys’ offence and how quick people were to judge. He had also had a medical student expound on the dangers of accepting drinks and foods from people they didn't know or trust, and the dangers of date rape.
Yes, it was shaping up to be a good two weeks.
"What are you over there grinning about, Nella?" Deidra asked lazily. "I heard that y
ou have a boyfriend. Dish."
"Yes, Nella, dish." Natasha grinned. "Is it Pastor Peterson's son, Alric?"
Arnella looked at them and shook her head. "It's too early to dish. We have only just begun."
"Wooo," Cathy said breathily. "I think it is wonderful."
"Here here. Let's drink to that," Kylie giggled.
"Are you sure there is no alcohol in the punch?" Deidra asked, "Kylie seems tipsy."
Everybody laughed.
Chapter Fifteen
"You look happy today." Taj observed Arnella, who was sitting in his recliner with a pleased smile on her face. "Want to tell me about it?"
Arnella grinned. "It was a great bachelorette party last night. Totally good. I had quite forgotten how pleasant family gatherings could be."
Taj smiled, "Natasha told me you guys had a great time."
Arnella said dreamily, "Yes, we did. I love December weddings. Natasha said you guys are thinking about Lovers Leap. You should totally get married there. It is a gorgeous location with the sea as backdrop and that plunging vertical drop."
"I love the location too," Taj said. "The time is not really my choosing. My Dad will be on vacation then. I had to take that into consideration."
"I sometimes forget that you have two Dads. How does that feel?"
"Ah," Taj grinned, "spending too much time with me? You are asking me the feeling questions."
Arnella giggled. "Sorry. "
"I don't think of Ryan Bancroft as my Dad, well, not really." Taj said, "He's shaping up to be a good friend though. Let's talk about you. Are you sleeping better?"
"Yes," Arnella nodded. "I haven't received anymore videos. I feel really lighter since the guys are not on campus. Natasha said I will have to testify at their trial."
"How do feel about that?" Taj asked looking at her closely.
"I never imagined that there would have been justice with this whole thing, so I am fine with where it's at now."
"So how is Alric?" Taj asked.
"He's wonderful." Arnella giggled. "I feel like a girl around him…a totally wimpy female. I hate the feeling but love it at the same time."
"And Tracy? When last have you seen her?"
"I haven't seen her since that time she showed up at Alric's apartment. I think she's mad at me or something, which is ridiculous. I think I should be the one mad at her. She calls herself a friend and yet she told the most vicious lies about me."
"How do you feel about her?" Taj asked.
"I don't miss her, and her so called friendship." Arnella closed her eyes. "I had the ugliest thing happen to me at her house, and she didn't care. She said I was hallucinating. Imagine that. She was probably glad that this happened. Maybe it is some form of consolation for her that I was assaulted at her place, who knows?"
*****
Natasha sat around her desk at her apartment; finishing her final project. Her desk was piled high with papers, jottings, and post it notes. She was on her way to becoming a master’s degree graduate in Forensic Psychology, plus she had a wedding in just four weeks, and she still had that unresolved case of Arnella's sitting above her head. She had three separate white boards, which she called her sane boards, so that she could track the three important events in her life.
She was itching to solve the case of who was behind the videos that were sent to Arnella. So far, only Arnella, the two guys from the gossip paper, and Alric had received videos.
She glanced at the board that she had peppered with the photos of everybody at the party. It had taken her a while to find them in order to ask them if they knew about the SD card. She looked at Tracy's photo again. Her eyes kept wandering back to her.
She resented Arnella for stealing Alric from her. She had motive to be sending those videos. She had interviewed Tracy before, but she had this niggling feeling that she knew something. Natasha glanced at her project then at her watch. She needed to talk to Tracy again.
*****
Tracy was in the Business Center with a group of her law school pals when Natasha called. She picked up the phone and rolled her eyes. "Annoying detective," she said to her friends before answering. They snickered as she answered the phone pleasantly.
"Hello, Tracy, it's me Natasha Rowe. Can I meet with you? There is something that is on my mind."
Tracy flashed her hair over shoulders and said firmly, "It is my constitutional right not to have meetings with detectives if I don't want to. I have told you all I know. I have no idea who has been distributing videos of Arnella Bancroft. I certainly didn't do it. Now please leave me alone."
Her group of friends cheered when she hung up the phone.
"I hope that takes care of that," Tracy said haughtily. "As if I would stoop so low as to care who Arnella has sex with. I hope the boys have a good lawyer so that they can get off from this nonsense. You saw her at my party; did she look like somebody who was being drugged?"
The group laughed. There were three girls and two guys in the group. However, one of the girls, Sandrina shook her head. "What you are saying is wrong Tracy. Where is your sympathy? You are a woman. Would you like something like that to happen to you? I don't endorse what you are saying."
Tracy rolled her eyes. "If you knew Arnella like I did, you would not be taking up for her. She deserves everything she got and more."
Sandrina shook her head. "I can't agree with you on that one."
*****
It was the first week in December, and classes were ending. Exams were just around the corner. Arnella had her final lab with Alric; she was just leaving class when he detained her.
"Remember that the Med Association Fundraiser is tomorrow night," Alric said, "You haven't shown me which one of your paintings you are going to donate."
Arnella pondered that. "I am not going to show you either. I don't want you to hate it. I have severe artist sensitivity."
Alric chuckled. "I have your ticket right here with me. The Fundraiser this year will be in the President's Ballroom. This year we invited all the moneyed people that we could get contacts for."
"Sounds intimidating," Arnella grinned. "I'll just drop off the painting and disappear."
"No you don't," Alric said, "I want you to be there. I have a class and then I'll just change and meet you there. Come an hour earlier so that we can set up your painting. It's a date. Sorry I can't collect you and hand you flowers like in the movies." He kissed her on the lips, "And dress formally."
"I'll have to raid Deidra's closet."
"Wear red." Alric winked. "You look lovely in red."
Arnella pondered. Deidra had her closet color-coded, so red and all its shades shouldn't be too hard to find. "Talk to you later?"
"Sure," Alric said, "I'll be in the Med Library."
Arnella headed out of the classroom, thinking to herself which painting would be the most appropriate…the one that would make the most impact. Then of course she thought of the scene with the driftwood. It was done in oil. It was glorious, in her opinion, but as usual, she felt weird putting it on display for the world to see.
*****
Arnella arrived at the president's building in a red dress. Deidra had given her carte blanche to her closet. "Take whatever you want," Deidra had said when she called to ask. The whole closet is yours, if you want it.
Arnella had stood in the huge space, not knowing what to do. She had chosen a blood red dress, which was simple and elegant, and she had swept her hair up in the style that Alric liked.
The ballroom was decorated in pure white. She had the painting in her hand; a girl with "Usher" emblazoned on her jacket came up to her. "May I help you?"
"This is supposed to be for auction." Arnella indicated to the painting. "Where should I put it?"
"Oh, Arnella Bancroft," the girl said brightly. "I am Maria. Come this way. Alric said you would be early."
She walked toward a stage area, looking behind at Arnella. "We have five big ticket items for auction tonight. There is a dinner date for two wit
h the President."
"Seriously," Arnella grinned. "People will bid to go out with my uncle?"
"He's well respected in the business world," Maria grinned. "Then there is a weekend for two at Sandals, Turks and Caicos."
"I'd take that!" Arnella nodded. "Definitely."
"Then there are two tickets to the track and field finals at the Olympics in France next year. Marcus Bancroft hooked us up. There are also two concert tickets and a back stage pass to a Khaled concert in Kingston."
"Oh man," Arnella shook her head. "If my cousin, Jessica, heard this she'd probably get her parents in trouble by bidding millions to get that ticket."
Maria shook her head. "She's not alone. Anyway, your painting is the fifth high-ticket item. Alric said he hasn't seen it."
She looked doubtful as she indicated to the easel. "We were desperate for a fifth item though, so we trusted him about this."
Arnella sighed. "He doesn't even know which painting I was going to bring."
Maria blanched. "You mean he has never seen your work before?"
"No," Arnella said, taking off the covering and putting it on the easel.
"Whoa!" Maria said, looking at the picture. "It is gorgeous. You did this?" She was looking from the painting to Arnella in awe.
"Yes," Arnella said humbly. "You like it? Does it fit being a big ticket item?"
"Does it fit?" Maria was shaking her head. "It's gorgeous. It's oil paint? It has a glow."
"Yes," Arnella said. "I had to do it in oil for the sea to have some movement. Watercolors don't do nearly as good a job as oil does for movement, and I had to do a number of layers to get the sea to look alive. I don't like the effect acrylic gives me when I do it in layers."
Maria shook her head. "This is going to be the biggest seller here. I wish I could afford to bid on it."
Arnella smiled. She had sudden pangs about giving it away herself. It had been her catharsis; the painting had been therapy. All her emotions went into it, and it showed.
Sense of Rumor (Mount Faith Series: Book 6) Page 13