Twisted Pursuits

by Krystal Morrison

  “Talk to me Lauren”, his eyes were pleading, “I know something is wrong”.

  “Everything’s fine, I was just busy that’s all”, she gave him the best smile she could muster in her present sate. He searched her face for a few seconds then shrugged in defeat and released her.

  “Can you break for lunch now”, all traces of emotion was gone from his voice, “I have someone I’d like you to meet”.

  She scowled, who could he possibly want her to meet? She wondered.

  He seemed to have guessed her thoughts, “my lips are sealed, you’ll have to come with me to find out”.

  This was her only chance at happiness and how long it lasted didn’t seem important anymore, an inner voice sanctioned; she saw herself growing old and wondering ‘what if’. At least she’d have memories, she told herself.

  “I’ll go and find Mrs. P”, she said breathlessly feeling like a child about to steal a cookie.

  THEY TURNED ON THE HIGHWAY ON the outskirts of the town and drove for about five minutes until they stopped at a whitewashed building that resembled a house.

  Jordan assisted her out of the car and strode purposefully towards the front door; by this her curiosity was piqued.

  A balding man looking to be in his early fifties with a friendly smile opened the door and he and Jordan greeted each other with familiarity.

  As soon as they were seated in what appeared to be a living room except for the blinds, Jordan proceeded through the formalities.

  “Lauren this is Harry, Harry, Lauren”, he said, “the young lady I was telling you about”.

  “Oh, yes, yes, pleased to meet you Lauren”, he shook her hands smiling broadly at her and she had the distinct feeling he was someone she could grow to like.

  “The pleasure is mine... Harry”, she faltered, not accustomed to calling strangers by their given names.

  “Harry has several bands that perform across the island at hotels, weddings and several other events”, Jordan said sheepishly.

  “Jordan, you didn’t”, Lauren said her eyes widening in shock as his intentions became apparent.

  “Why not, you have a great talent".

  “Enough with the chit chat kids, let’s see what the girl can do”, Harry interrupted.

  She was led into a room decked out to be a studio, instruments and all, against her protestations and given a microphone. She stood there rebelliously, not saying a word.

  “Come on Lauren”, Jordan coaxed, “Don’t be like that”

  She conceded, deciding on a local artiste; Alaine’s, ‘You are me’ and very soon the tension drained from her body and she totally forgot that she was being observed. Jordan was here and he believed in her and that’s all that mattered. Sweet melodies belted from her throat and she rode the keys sounding as if she was a performer at the Grammy awards rather than an amateur at an audition. She didn’t have to ask what they thought; the looks on their faces said it all.

  “You can start on Friday”, Harry said smiling from ear to ear.

  “Well done Lauren”, Jordan said, his face filled with pride.

  She hardly heard them though; her mind was groping for a means to free herself from her predicament; so like her to stick her foot in her mouth. They were conversing out of earshot for the next few minutes until they finally broke apart and made their farewells. They were barely seated in the car before she began pleading with him to see reason.

  “Jordan I can’t do this”.

  “Can’t or won’t”, he said; irritated.

  What could she say to that? She wondered.

  “I thought as much”, he declared, “You’ll have to stay over at the hotels on weekends as I assume you won’t want to quit your day job”.

  She tried to stop him but he persisted, telling her that Harry was the best around and that he had worked with several individuals who went on to being international artiste. He went on to tell her the substantial amount that she would be paid for her troubles plus the publicity would be priceless.

  “Didn’t you hear me? I said I cannot do it”, she shouted frustrated at being given such a wonderful opportunity and not being able to decide for herself and his blatant refusal to listen to her.

  “Why the hell not”, he roared, furious by this.

  She had never seen him mad before, it wasn’t a pretty sight. His eyes glittered dangerously, his teeth clenching as he turned his attention back to the roadway, grasping the car steering in a death grip.

  She realized she might have hurt his pride by shunning his help and decided to take a different approach.

  “I’m sorry Jordan” she said softly and his shoulders visibly relaxed, “I’m happy that you care enough to do this but my aunts are Christians and I don’t think they'll approve”.

  They had reached the parking lot at the diner by this but he was still griping the steering wheel as if it was his lifeline.

  “You’re always telling me what your aunts think and want, what about you? When will you start making your own decisions?”

  “I can’t just do as I please, there are rules”, she said defensively.

  “Do you want this job Lauren?” he was dead serious.

  “Yes, but...” she didn’t get a chance to finish before he started speaking.

  “Then I’ll deal with your Aunts”.

  She stared shell shocked as she grasped his meaning while he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips and gentle shoved her from the car.

  “Pick you up at five”, he promised leaving her staring after him, utterly befuddled.

  JORDAN WAS SITTING IN HER LIVING room totally unabashed even though Nana was shredding him to bits with her cold stares. Lauren had begged him to refrain from this foolhardy plan but he had driven right up to her gate and here they were in the Lion’s den.

  “What is he doing here?” Nana raged at Lauren, her dark eyes cold, “I thought I made it clear there would be no ‘loose living’ in this house”.

  She sensed Jordan stiffening beside her, his hands clenching at his sides. She expected him to explode at any moment and her heart fell to the souls of her feet. Instead he propped his leg on his knee, unbuttoned his jacket and relaxed against the plush cushions, his brows creasing into a frown of disapproval.

  “Mrs. Small, I assure you, my purpose here today is strictly business”, his voice, even though charming, was lined with steel.

  “Forgive me Mr. Myles”, Nana was all charm now, her wrinkled face cracking into a smile “what can I do for you”.

  “I have discovered that Ms. McKenzie has a magnificent voice”, he muttered neutrally, “and I would like to sign her to a band for weekend performances; she could very well become famous”.

  “Lauren is a Christian and she will never sing the devil’s music”, she spat wagging her fore-finger in Lauren’s direction, “I knew you had something to do with this, you ungrateful girl, I’ve always known you had the devil in you”.

  “Mrs. Small!” his voice didn’t raise an octave but its chilliness raised goose bumps on Lauren’s skin and his face was pinched with suppressed rage.

  Nana who had been standing all this time found a chair opposite them, her cheeks rosy with embarrassment.

  Aunt Dorothy who had been silent finally spoke, “Give her a chance Nana, she’s a good girl”.

  “Hush Dor! What do you know?” Nana hissed.

  Aunt Dorothy said not another word; she just marched out of the room.

  “I don’t think you realize what’s at stake here”, Jordan said impatiently, a muscle twitching in his cheek as he named a majority of the figure he had told her she would earn.

  Nana brightened visibly, “well we are poor people and a little extra money couldn’t hurt”.

  Lauren noted the rich furnishings around them and knew Jordan had too. She was utterly disgusted at Nana’s low groveling.

  Lauren sat quietly while Jordan outlined to Nana that she would have to stay over at the hotel on weekends plus she’d have to attend rehearsals durin
g the week if necessary, wishing with all her heart that the earth would open and swallow her up. She breathed a sigh of relief when Jordan extended a chilly farewell and ask Lauren to follow him to his car.

  “I’m afraid to leave you here”, Jordan said as he neared his car.

  “Don’t be silly”, she gave a forced laugh, “I’ve lived here all my life”.

  “I cannot see how”, he observed, a look of distaste on his face.

  “Nana’s not that bad, she just takes her religion seriously”, Lauren explained.

  He made to say something but she cut him off, “I have to go now, I’ll see you tomorrow”.

  She turned and ran to the house, she was so ashamed she wanted to curl up and die.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  LIFE BECAME A BIT HECTIC FOLLOWING her decision to accept a place as lead singer in one of Harry’s bands. On Wednesday, after her second rehearsal Jordan and Harry informed her that she needed a brand new wardrobe for her new job and so he instructed her to take Friday off so he could take her into the island’s capital to do some shopping. Rehearsals were a different matter all together as she had been to one every day since Tuesday because according to Harry she needed to build her ‘stage presence’ as people tended to get bored with a good voice and poor performance.

  On Friday at precisely eight in the morning, as he’d promised, he picked her up in Ocho Rios.

  “Where are we going?” she asked when she noticed that they were heading in the opposite direction of their original destination.

  “We’re taking the Jet”, he informed her nonchalantly, “that is if you don’t mind”.

  “No, not at all”, she answered trying to grasp the idea of travelling in a jet as they pulled unto the airstrip.

  Her mouth fell open as she saw in bold print on the waiting jet, “Myles Adventures and Tours”. She collected herself quickly as she climbed into the luxurious interior of the jet.

  “Jordan”, she said shocked, “I thought you were working today”.

  “You didn’t think I would leave you up to your own devices, did you”, he muttered, patting Harry on the back, “besides Harry has poor taste in fashion”.

  Harry chuckled, “I leave that up to you, my boy. Too much of a task”.

  “I’m sorry about the inconvenience”, she frowned as he indicated to their surrounding, “I would've used my personal jet, which is much more comfortable but it's being repaired at the moment”.

  She had never been on a jet before but she couldn’t imagine how much more comfortable they could get. She began to admire her environs as the jet lifted off the ground. Even though the space was confined, the furniture was arranged to create an air of roominess. There were elegant sofas lining both sides of the plane with a coffee table in the centre while to the rare stood a small kitchenette. She wondered absently how long the trip would take as he removed his black jacket and loosened his tie to make his way over to the kitchenette and she felt the familiar heat settling in her stomach.

  “Coffee”, he asked rolling his sleeves to his elbows as he poured the aromatic brew into a cup.

  “Sure”, she said breathlessly, enthralled by his movements while Harry grunted a reply as he was already engrossed in the morning paper.

  He placed the coffee cups on a tray with a box of donuts and returned to sit adjacent to her and to her chagrin spoke only of her impending performance the following day. She stared longingly at his lips, wishing that he would kiss her. He hadn’t touched her since that night in his car and she wondered desperately if he did not want her like that anymore. She blinked in surprise as she realized where her thoughts were leading; she should be happy, she chastised herself, at least she wouldn’t have to depend on her fickle resolve. Then why, she asked herself did her heart sink to her toes at the thought of never kissing or touching him again.

  “We’re here”, he announced, roughly thirty minutes later and she recognized that they were landing.

  They emerged from the jet to a waiting chauffeur driven black Range Rover that whisked them away as soon as they were settled, to a store she did not remember seeing when she and Anna went shopping a few months aback. She knew why as soon as she entered; it had a glass structure with leather settees and loveseats decorating the marble tiled floors, the entire surrounding spoke of wealth and elegance. Harry had excused himself a while aback saying he had business in the city.

  They were greeted by a petite woman, who looked to be of Indian decent and in her late thirties, dressed in an elegant cream pants suit, her hair falling loosely around her face.

  “Jordan”, she purred, her eyes glittering with feminine appreciation as she embraced him warmly.

  Lauren could feel her face heating as something dark and dangerous reared its ugly head inside her as she watched the two of them.

  “Dianne this is Lauren”, he introduced and began to list the items she would need.

  “I have just the thing for you”, she said brightly to Jordan, disappearing behind a door but not before Lauren glimpsed the cold stare the older woman directed her way.

  “I don’t see why I need more clothes”, Lauren grumbled for the hundredth time since he had told her of his decision.

  “Now is not the time for such a discussion”, he said dismissively as Dianne reappeared followed by a female clerk with an array of clothes in different shades and styles.

  Two hours later and she was weary of visiting the changing room. She had to admit; even though Dianne had been sending her chilling looks all morning, that hadn’t prevented her fabulous choice of clothing, purses, shoes, perfumes, jewelry and even negligees; whatever for she couldn’t comprehend. She surveyed her figure in the floor length mirror in the changing room; she was wearing an aqua alter top dress that gave a peak of creamy breast, clung to her rounded hips and flared at the knees. She smiled when she remembered the heat in Jordan’s eyes when he’d her in the dress a few moments ago.

  She was shocked to see another figure appear beside her in the mirror. How dare her, Lauren fumed silently; she hadn’t even knocked.

  “I can see why he seems taken with you”, Dianne said brushing her fingertips across Lauren’s shoulder, “You are beautiful”.

  Lauren relaxed, thinking she must have misread the other woman this morning, but irritated that she would not mind her own business.

  “But I’ve seen him with women more beautiful and classier than you”, her voice dripped venom, yet her pretty heart shaped face remained pleasant, “and it never lasts, take my foolish advice; take all you can get now because he’ll soon tire of you in his bed”.

  Lauren turned in astonishment, prepared to tell the other woman what she thought of her meddling but she had already exited, the door closing behind her. Lauren had to will the tears to remain behind her eyes. She wondered despairingly if she had already begun to bore him. Her face was pale and drawn as she glimpsed it in the mirror; she stiffened her spine, changed and stormed from the room, her head held high, in search of Jordan.

  “I want to leave; now!”, he seemed about to protest but something in her face must have convinced him.

  “Ok”, he said, a puzzled expression crossing his features.

  He said something unintelligible to Dianne after which he collected their bags and followed her to the Car. She sat stiffly in her seat as the car pulled away from the store, praying that there was no outward sign of her inner misery; her heart was ripping into two, inch by painful inch. Was Dianne right? Was he tired of her already even though they had not slept together? Maybe he had decided she was not attractive after all.

  Jordan made several attempts at conversation during their trip back to Ocho Rios but she was so preoccupied cursing Dianne for being meddlesome, Jordan for being a womanizer and herself for being stupid, that all she could muster in terms of response was a grunt here and there. She wanted to confront him, have him deny what Dianne had said, but what would she ask him. She chided herself for her foolishness; besides it wasn’t as if he h
ad proclaimed love and proposed marriage. She fought to control a hysterical laugh at the thought.

  She breathed a sigh of relief as they disembarked the plane and boarded his car where they had left it that morning. He had a meeting so he wouldn't linger to see her settled in at the hotel when they got there.

  “Are you feeling well”, Jordan finally asked, his face filled with concern as his eyes shifted from the road to her.

  “Never better”, she said sweetly and his expression became wary but he said nothing.

  Despite her inner turmoil she could not help the way her heart melted at his show of concern. She stared at the vast ocean as they made their way into the town and unto the hotel property where they were greeted by two bell boys who took her bags and waited at a respectable distance for her to follow. She waited for him to kiss her goodbye but all he did was peck her quickly on the cheek and drive away. She was beginning to have serious worries; Jordan had been so aloof this past week and Dianne’s announcement this morning was doing nothing to soothe her fraying nerves.

  THE MOMENT SHE CHECKED INTO the hotel her life took on a whole new perspective. She had been escorted to her room by the bell boys, which to her astonishment included a sitting room that led unto a balcony, two bathrooms and a bedroom with a huge four poster bed along with two night tables, a dressing table, a chest and a huge flat screen television hanging on the wall opposite the bed. She wondered if all performers got this extensive service and had a nagging feeling that Jordan had something to do with it.

  She began unpacking and concluded that she would have to repay Jordan for the clothes; however after checking the price tags on a few items, she decided she would be in debt to him for life at this rate. She was placing the last item, which happened to be the aqua dress when her phone rang. To her disappointment it was Harry telling her to meet him in the lobby so they could get a look at the hall she would be performing in the following day and if possible do a rehearsal.