"Okay," Jossette said quickly.
He looked down at Kylie and chuckled. "Bad timing."
Kylie glanced at him shyly. "I can't believe we kissed in the middle of your driveway. Jossette works in my Dad's office, and she is going to tell."
"So what? We are consenting adults." Gareth kissed her on her forehead. "And I intend to kiss you quite a bit."
*****
Gareth was true to his promise. They had taken to greeting each other with long hot kisses, and would arrange dates then spend half of the time staring at each other with longing.
It was the Monday morning before Adrian's wedding; she could not believe that time had sped by so fast. Her days were filled with hanging out with Gareth, and fine-tuning the algorithm for their computer game. Gareth's agent had expressed some interest in it.
"I hardly see you anymore," her mother, Celeste, complained as she entered the kitchen. Celeste popped slices of bread into the toaster.
Deidra was already around the table doing a final read before her exams.
"Gareth is keeping her busy," Deidra said cheekily.
"And my project," Kylie retorted swiftly.
When her father entered the kitchen and sat down at the table with the morning paper in his hands, Kylie twisted her head to look at him. "Good morning, Dad."
"Morning," Bancroft said gruffly. "Why are you so chipper? Been kissing men in their driveways again?"
"No," Kylie said hastily. "Hasn't that gossip died down yet?"
"Does Jossette have lips?" Deidra rejoined from the end of the table. "I heard it from a friend of a friend that Jossette said it was the fireworks from the kiss that brought her outside."
Celeste laughed. "I remember my first kiss. My boyfriend slobbered all over my lips. It was icky. To have fireworks on the first outing is remarkable."
"Just keep it at kissing." Bancroft lowered the paper. "If you are tempted to go further, just remember Adrian's long path to finding Cathy again, and their secret child, and her brush with death. It all started with kissing. Better yet, don't kiss at all."
"Yes, Sir," Kylie said sarcastically.
Bancroft grunted and went back to his paper.
"I have to go visit Cathy today," Kylie said, going for some orange juice. "I am going to help her move her stuff to Adrian's place."
"What's wrong with her car?" Deidra asked, looking up and rubbing her eyes.
"She sent it in for servicing."
"I wanted a large wedding," Celeste said mournfully. "My first child is getting married; why are they having such a small thing? The cat is already out of the bag. All of Jamaica knows that they have a child together already. They should do something big."
"Talking about me?" Adrian entered the kitchen, a smile on his face.
"Yes," Celeste said, holding up her cheek for a kiss. "I want a big wedding with bridesmaids and lots of flowers, not an intimate church thing on a Wednesday, for crying out loud. Who gets married on a Wednesday these days?"
"It's not the wedding; it's the marriage," Adrian said. "I shouldn't have to tell you that Mom. Then he looked around. Good morning everybody. I am excited!"
"About what?" Kylie and Deidra asked, almost at the same time.
"Two days until I get married," Adrian said. "I have been counting, and I have been remarkably good at the whole waiting till you are married thing. You would be proud of me this time around Dad."
Bancroft mumbled. "Your wait is one child too late."
Kylie giggled.
Adrian looked over at her squinting. "Why are you giggling? I heard that Jossette Carrington heard birds singing at an alarming crescendo and came to check out what was going on and saw you passionately devouring Gareth Beecher."
Kylie giggled again. "You guys should stop listening to gossip. I have to go; I am going to help Cathy move into your place today." She paused, an idea springing to her mind. "Maybe I should move into her old apartment and try the independence thing for once."
Bancroft lowered his paper slowly, in shock, and Celeste was still.
Even Deidra seemed as if she was frozen. Only Adrian looked unconcerned and was shrugging.
"Technically it is not Cathy's place. It was Natasha's place, Taj's girlfriend. She gave the place to Cathy when she came back up to Mount Faith because she had to go on an undercover job shortly after Cathy came. I think she'll be back, but you can always check."
Celeste had her hand over her heart. "I can't believe this. You would just leave us like that?" Celeste asked, concerned, "What if you have an asthma attack? Who is going to insist that you eat?"
Bancroft was looking at his daughter, then nodded purposefully, as if he had reached a decision. Leave her alone Celeste; she's a big woman."
"But... but that's my line," Celeste sputtered, "I always tell you that! She's moving out, away from Mount faith Drive into the big bad world."
Bancroft grinned. "You have Jessica to baby, and Deidra is still here. The house will be full for a while."
Deidra closed her textbook and looked at all of them in despair. "You are the noisiest bunch of people when somebody is trying to study. Don't worry Mrs. B, I will stay with you until Micah marries me and snatches me away. I've got to run; I have an exam."
Celeste served her husband breakfast, then turned to Adrian. "Want breakfast Adrian, or are you too excited to eat?"
"Already had breakfast with Avia. Apparently, she has a boyfriend at school; she told me all about him this morning."
Everybody chuckled.
"Got to go too." Kylie drained her glass of juice and kissed her father on his forehead. "Thank you for realizing that I am finally a grown woman, Daddy."
Bancroft grunted. "Just don't follow in Adrian's footsteps, get the ring first. I don't think I can take another rumor about this family this year."
Chapter Nine
Kylie, Deidra, and Jessica had opted to wear pink to Adrian's wedding because Cathy said she liked baby pink. They thought it would look as if they were bridesmaids and lend to the color coordination.
It was an intimate wedding, but there were also curious snoopers. Adrian and Cathy had developed something of notoriety since Cathy was kidnapped and locked up for weeks on end by the notorious drug lord, Nanjo Jones, who had been her boyfriend.
The media found the concept of a former stripper marrying her first love somewhat of a novelty, and for weeks, various national papers had write ups about it.
Just last week it was on the news that Nanjo Jones was denied bail at his preliminary hearing. He had so many charges against him that Kylie knew that no matter how good his lawyer was he could never get him off for all of his crimes. He would be rotting in jail for years to come.
Kylie spotted Gareth sitting in the middle of the church and waved to him vigorously. She knew she was preening a little too because Deidra had pulled out all the stops to make them look gorgeous. Like a mother hen, she had chosen the dresses and insisted on the hairstyles and had made sure that all the females in her radius were well put together.
"I have to go and check that Cathy is okay in the vestry," Deidra said walking up to her. "Coming?"
"Sure." Kylie blew a kiss to Gareth and followed Deidra to the vestry.
The vestry was crowded, with several women moving around. Kylie spotted Cathy's grandmother, Miss Icy, who Cathy had confessed was somewhat of a prostitute. She caught herself looking at the older woman longer than she should and almost bounced into Nurse Pink, who was fussing over Avia's hair.
Kylie's mother was tightening a lace on the simple, off-the-shoulder wedding dress being worn by Cathy, who looked golden and radiant. She was beautiful ordinarily, but as a bride, she looked exceptionally beautiful.
She kept glancing at the clock. "Is it time yet? I really want to get married, people. Is Adrian here yet?"
"What you really want is the legal sex," Miss Icy said smugly.
She fanned off Miss Icy and waved over Kylie and Deidra. "Hey sister-in-law, and Deidra. I
am happy you guys pitched in to help me out. I can't tell you how really happy I am to be here right now."
They went over to her and hugged her.
Cathy started sniffing. "I am so grateful to God for his mercies. I could be dead now or trapped in my old lifestyle, but he made a way out. I am so happy right now."
"Don't bother with the crying," Miss Icy said, wiping her eyes because she was a little teary too.
Everyone was teary-eyed, even Deidra, who kept saying, "The mascara is not waterproof ladies," was scrambling into her purse for a handkerchief.
"Let us join hands and pray," Celeste said, sniffing. "I am grateful to God that my son is happy again, and I want to thank Him. I also want to ask Him to bless your marriage, Cathy. You two have come through various tests, but sometimes, it's the small things that erode a marriage, so don’t forget to turn to the only third party that should be in your marriage… God. As women, I want us to combine our requests to the Father to make this a blessed marriage."
They held hands, and Celeste prayed. It was a simple, heartfelt prayer. When she was finished and the women had said ’Amen’, Cathy hugged her mother-in-law. "I am looking forward to being a part of this family."
Celeste hugged her back. "You already are, my dear."
"Okay, ladies, let us give the bride some breathing room, and allow her to get her bearings. The organist is ready," Mrs. Pink said, peeping through the door that led to the chapel, "and the groom is fidgeting, let's get this marriage on the road."
*****
It was a simple and sweet ceremony. Gareth held Kylie's hand through the whole ten minutes. "I have to get back to class," he whispered to her when the ceremony was over, "I am invigilating an exam."
"They are throwing a party on Saturday night after they get back from their honeymoon in Negril," Kylie whispered back to him, "you are still invited as my plus one."
Gareth nodded. "I'll be there. See you later. Meet me for dinner, at my place."
Kylie smiled and nodded. She had her smile on as the bride and groom were chauffeured away.
"Nice ceremony," Bradley said, standing beside her. She jumped; she hadn't heard him coming.
"Yes, it was." Kylie squinted up at him. "You are going to write a piece about it for the school paper?"
"Nah," Bradley said grinning. "That's too small. I am officially a correspondent for the Jamaica Gazette on this one."
"Why is the media still interested in this?" Kylie frowned.
Bradley looked at her incredulously. "Do you have any idea how interested the public is in your family?"
"No," Kylie frowned. "Is that why you befriended me in the confidence class?"
"No," Bradley said adamantly. "At first I found it strange that you would even need the class, and of course, I found you attractive and witty, but I also knew that you were the least accessible Bancroft. I just wanted to get to know you. Is that so wrong?"
"I am the most private," Kylie said. "I hate the spotlight. Please don't report anything on me. What makes my family so interesting anyway?"
"Well, your father is the president of the most prestigious institution on the island."
Kylie shrugged. "Okay, so what? I don't know anything about any other university president's children."
Bradley shrugged. "Marcus Bancroft is a well-known quarter mile athlete. Adrian Bancroft got married to Nanjo Jones' mistress. And there is that whole issue of Taj Jackson being your brother."
Kylie shrugged. "My family is your standard run of the mill family."
"But you guys are practically treating Deidra Durkheim, who sent Micah to prison, as if she is family. That's not run of the mill. You are a strange bunch."
"I have no drama though," Kylie said to him smugly, "and neither does Jessica."
"Jessica is young, and you are a drama waiting to happen, unless the rumors about you and Gareth Beecher are untrue. Want to go to lunch?"
"No," Kylie said, genuinely shocked, "not with you. You are just trying to get close to me so that you can report something on my drama filled family."
"Not really," Bradley said sheepishly. "Truth is, I like you. I want to get to know you better."
Kylie shook her head. "No, thanks."
"So the rumors about you and Dr. Beecher are true. You are rejecting me because of him, aren't you? What is it about that guy that gives him so many female fans?"
"What I do is none of your business." Kylie headed to her car. "Leave me alone Bradley, I mean it."
Bradley looked at her, a hurt look in his eyes. "You were nicer before you started dating him. I could tell you stuff about this guy that you wouldn't believe. Don't date him Kylie. He has dated other girls here and..."
"Stop it," Kylie said viciously. "Just stop. Gareth is a lovely human being, a stellar citizen. There is nothing you can tell me about him that would stop me from seeing him." She opened her car door. "Leave it alone Bradley!"
"We'll see if he is so nice," Bradley said leaning on the car. "Stuff about him will soon come out. He deserves to be outed. You should stop seeing him."
"No," Kylie said heatedly. "We are meant to be together. Now stop hounding me and go find somebody else to bother."
She drove away and glanced in her rearview mirror. Bradley had his hands crossed contemplatively, a sarcastic twist to his mouth.
Chapter Ten
The early days of May carried with it copious showers. It also meant that Kylie had summer school to teach, and with Natasha's blessing, she had an empty apartment to occupy. Her moving out of her parent's house ended with a somber procession. Her sister, Jessica, had taken out one of her lightest bags for her with her MP3 stuck firmly in her ear, listening to her favorite Khaled.
"Gonna miss you, Sis," she said, her braces gleaming.
Kylie highly doubted that. Jessica was the typical teenager, spaced out and music mad.
Deidra had slowly carried out an iron, with a frown on her face. "You have no idea how to decorate. I bet you throw floral and stripes together. It will totally turn Gareth off when he comes to visit."
"No men allowed in your apartment," Bancroft said, looking up at her while watering the flower garden. "And make sure you come by here regularly so that we can see you, or I will be forced to have a private investigator follow you around."
"Dad! You wouldn't do that to me, would you?"
Bancroft raised his brow and went back to watering the garden.
"He would," Jessica said. "I know he doesn't have two eyes in the back of his head, and he is always busy, but yet he knows everything that is going on with me."
Celeste came down the steps. She was already dressed for work and looked cool and business like. She had come to terms with Kylie moving out for a while now.
"Kylie," Celeste came over to her and kissed her, "if you feel any tightness in your chest at all. Call me, or your father. You got that."
"Yes Mom," Kylie said, suddenly feeling nostalgic. She had really grown up in the last couple of weeks. She had gone from sheltered recluse to having a boyfriend, experiencing her first kiss, and now she was moving out. Most young women her age would probably find the romantic developments in her life par for the course, about six or seven years late.
She was excited and ready to take on the unknown. She waved to her family as she started the car. It was onward and upward. A new chapter in her life had started.
*****
Gareth had only two things that he was looking forward to today. He wanted to finish the beta version of the game with Kylie and then have dinner with her. These days his life was revolving around Kylie in an alarming way.
He was completely smitten. He was even humming in the shower, something he hadn't done in years. He used to do that, long before Jackie, but now he was hearing songs in his head again. He was, for the very first time in his life, ecstatic about a woman. He felt new again, alive again, like he had been in a deep dark tunnel and had just encountered light.
His phone rang as he hauled on his
boots. He answered it, hooking the phone to his ear while he attended to his boots.
It was the president of the university. Gareth felt a fissure of fear. Last time he checked his work permit was up to date, and he was doing a fine job with the students. His heart skipped a beat; was this about him and Kylie?
He didn't have long to wait because President Bancroft was not one to indulge in small talk.
"Doctor Beecher," he said, without preamble, "do you know a Lauren James?"
"Yes," Gareth said, exhaling swiftly, "she was in the master's program in my department; I was overseeing a final year programming project that she was involved in."
The head of the police division in Malvern just called me. Apparently, Lauren James was reported missing by her family and the authorities have found several correspondence in Lauren's apartment indicating that you were the last person to have contact with her."
Gareth frowned, "I last saw her three weeks ago. She came to my house to drop off a jump drive one Sunday. We had a group meeting and she was unable to make it so she delivered her contribution to me."
Doctor Bancroft sighed. "What time was that?"
"About 10 a.m. I was on my way to the meeting, which began at ten-fifteen."
"She made a call to her mother near that time and has not been seen or heard from since," Dr. Bancroft said, "I am afraid you are going to have to speak to the police about this."
Gareth involuntarily shuddered. "I hope nothing is wrong with her."
"I am going to have to alert legal counsel about this, to protect the university's name from any repercussions. Luckily, the replacement for Valerie Ennis arrived yesterday and is ready to work."
Gareth felt his palms get clammy. The office of legal counsel only became involved in these things if they presumed that the case was worth it. Did they really suspect that he had anything to do with Lauren James' disappearance? What could be in that correspondence?
Goodbye Lonely (The Bancrofts: Book 4) Page 7