Red Flags

by C. C. Brown

  “What a bitch that Stacey girl is,” Chelsea griped as we made our way back down to the guesthouse. “I know you said she was a piece of work Cara, but I didn’t think she was so shamelessly obvious with it.”

  Hunter pulled Chelsea close, his arms draped over her shoulders, and I looked at her with an I-told-you-so look on my face.

  When we got back to the guest house, Jason threw on some board shorts and told the rest of us to get dressed and meet him out on the deck. I wasted no time getting changed, in a hot pink two piece that I had recently purchased. There was a boat waiting by the dock, and some of the workers that had brought our bags in were waiting for us. There was a tube connected to the back, with enough room for two riders. Jason walked hurriedly towards them, pulling me by the hand to get to the boat. The guys handed us each a life vest, and we jumped inside, as they pulled the boat away from the dock and onto the open lake. The weather was much like the day before, so the idea of skidding through the water made me even more anxious to get going.

  Once we were safely buckled into our vests, Jason helped me onto the tube. The guys slowly pulled the boat away from the dock and began to pick up speed. The high intensity of skidding over the water, water splashing in my face and Jason holding my hand for dear life made me forget about the earlier run in with Stacey. I felt carefree, loose, and overall, I felt happy. Jason looked like a kid who had just been granted freedom, and all of the unease that had been closely following him since we arrived in Texas was set loose on the open waters of the lake. We made our way back in to give Hunter and Chelsea a turn when Jacob and Stacey made their way down to the dock.

  “No invites? That’s cool man.” Jacob yelled, and Stacey stood, laughing at his poor excuse for being funny.

  We ignored their taunts, and when Hunter and Chelsea made their way back in, Jason left our soaking wet life vests at his brother’s feet and muttered, “You wanna ride?” Jacob kicked the life vest away, but we had our backs to them so I couldn’t tell what other sort of tantrum he threw. Chelsea walked past Stacey and curled her upper lip at her, but said nothing as she passed. I just wanted to get back into the guesthouse, and feel the superficial feel of peace and tranquility.

  Chapter 20

  Chelsea fussed over my hair since she said I had to look like a slice of perfection. I didn’t really care because my hair was so often in an unruly mess that I had grown accustomed to having to fight with it. When she was done, I looked in the mirror at a perfect, messy up-do, with a few curly ringlets spiraling down over my face. Chelsea had a way with hair that I would never know. I smiled and she turned me back around, pulling out her suitcase of make-up to make me in the model that I should have become – according to her words of wisdom. She gave me a smoky grey look over the eyes, with just the right touch of mascara to separate my mile long lashes. A touch of blush and a pale pink lip gloss topped off the look. I felt pretty, yet elegant. I only hoped Jason would love the look as much as I did.

  Getting into my dress for the gala reminded me of our trip to Vegas. Jason had stupidly bet money on a whim, and somehow won. He took me on a fabulous shopping spree, which to this day I still resented. The dress was pure beauty. It was strapless, and cut in a mermaid design. It fit snuggly at all the right places, and matched with the ring, bangle, and necklace that we'd purchased that same day. The ensemble looked like I was attending a royal wedding. The light pink lip gloss that Chelsea applied to my lips perfectly matched the jewelry purchased from Tiffany’s, and I suddenly had a change of heart over Jason spending so much money on what I deemed to be trivial material pieces.

  I helped Chelsea curl her hair – the only thing I knew how to do with hair, and watched her effortlessly pin it up in a very messy, but elegant up-do. She kept her make-up light and simple, to match the light pink flowing dress that she purchased for the event. We stepped out of the bathroom and into the living room to find two very handsome, tuxedo clad gentleman laughing over glasses of whiskey. Jason’s eyes lit up when he saw me, and he hurriedly sat his glass down on the counter. He made his way to me and took a long, slow inhale of my neck, then eagerly pressed his lips to mine.

  “Back up Bradley, I worked hard on her -- you’ll get your chance tonight.” Chelsea was none too pleased watching Jason damn near devour me, and destroy all of her work in the process. I winked at her, but returned the kiss Jason had started but couldn’t finish.

  “Ya’ll ready to do this?” Jason asked, and I could tell that the whiskey had taken hold with the return of his drawl. “There’ll be a shit ton of photographers, so be ready to smile.”

  Chelsea grabbed the lip gloss and reapplied it to my lips. She gave me a stern look not to mess it up again before the pictures could be taken, and I giggled at how motherly she could be sometimes.

  There were three large white tents set up not far from the guest house. The amount of expensive cars, dresses, purses, and jewelry filling one area had me feeling very much out of my league. Chelsea felt right at home, and mingled with guests as if she had been a part of their social circle for years. Jason walked me into the entrance where a red carpet had been laid out for guests to walk down as they made their arrival. We stopped at the end and stood for numerous photographs. I stood, grinning like an idiot, feeling like a celebrity, even though I had nothing to be famous for. Jason pulled me closer and smiled, while running his hand down my back, and finally stopped at my behind and pinched it -- making me jump and smile. One of the photographers yelled out, “What’s your date’s name Mr. Bradley?”

  Jason quickly yelled back, Cara Pinkston, and she’s my girlfriend.” He kissed me, just in time for the photographer to snap a couple more pictures. His words made my heart swell, and I knew we would finally have a good night here in Heath.

  Chelsea and Hunter stopped for photos, and Chelsea posed in all sorts of ridiculous ways, leaving Hunter to laugh and hurry her along her way.

  The inside of the tents were breathtaking. If you hadn’t walked through the tent from the outside, there was no way to tell that you weren’t standing in a fully constructed building. There were lines of twinkling white lights, intermingled throughout scarves of ivory satin that draped down strategically from the ceiling. Life-like faux grass carpets had been rolled out on the floor and the distinct hue of green that permeated from them hit just right against the glass clinks of the chandeliers that were hanging throughout.

  There were round tables, seating six people each, and in the middle of each table stood a tall, extravagant, arrangement of pink and white Casablanca Lilies. I smiled on the inside, seeing as the light pink was a fixture in the design of the event, and Chelsea and I had unknowingly coordinated perfectly.

  We made our way to our table which was right in front and adjacent to the dance floor. I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture of Jason and me and sent it to my parents. I hadn’t been in contact with them much and I wanted them to know that I was having a good time.

  The round of introductions began, and before we finished, I had met the President of Operations for Bradley Oil Company, the CEO of a private transportation firm, and like Jason had said the night before, The Mayor. Of everyone that I had the pleasure of meeting, The Mayor – Mayor Hightower, was by far the most charismatic, and eccentric of them all. He hated the formality and stuffiness of greetings, and took my hand and pulled me into a warm and friendly hug. I immediately liked him, and deep down inside, I wished this was the greeting that I had gotten from Jason’s dad.

  Champagne was being served by servers, walking around making sure that no guest was unintentionally empty handed. A large, live band played soft, melodic music as guests made their way in and intermingled with one another. I spied Chelsea in the back of the room, talking, laughing, and throwing her head back, speaking to a young couple who Jason had introduced to me. They were both doctors in the Dallas area, and had been huge benefactors to the various charities that the Bradley Oil Company sponsored. Hunter looked quite content allowing Chelsea to tak
e the spotlight. He smiled, and nodded, but she did most of the talking.

  When we took our seats, Chelsea plopped down in her chair next to me and rambled on and on about how this was the social life that she was striving for. I found it nice, but much too overbearing. Shortly after taking our seats, and after hearing the MC give us five more minutes for social hour, Chelsea led me to the table full of h’orderves. My cheerful mood quickly disappeared when I saw Jacob and Heather walk in with little Abby. They looked like the picture perfect family. Unfortunately it wasn’t them that made my stomach turn, but Heather’s sister, Stacey, who was right behind them, that made me want to vomit. She was in a red, skin tight halter dress that flared out at the bottom. Her highlighted hair was pulled back into a sleek bun, and she wore fire red lipstick to match. Chelsea turned to see her enter and whispered, “The devil’s here.” That made me smile, but it did nothing to quell the solid lump that formed inside my stomach. She walked in with a rather large man, who wore a tuxedo and a cowboy hat. I suspected it was her father, and my guess was confirmed when I heard her say, “Daddy, we’re seated over here.”

  The Bradley’s and Stacey and her father were seated at the table directly next to us. I cringed at the thought of having to be so close to her and Jacob, but sat down and tried my best to pretend that she had no effect on me. They made their way over to our table and Jason stood to shake Mr. Miller’s hand.

  “Mr. Miller, this is my girlfriend Cara Pinkston…Cara, this is Mr. Miller – Head of Land Procurement, and father to Heather and Stacey.”

  “How’d ya do young lady?” His accent was thick and made me chuckle. I smiled politely and took in the warmth from his eyes, which was in direct contrast to the death stare that Stacey was currently pinning me with. Jason continued with the introductions of Chelsea and Hunter when Jacob and Heather made their way over to our table.

  Heather hugged me warmly and complimented me on my dress, but it was Jacob who sent my skin crawling off of my flesh. He hugged me from the side, whispering, “you look edible,” while stroking the small of my back. I moved away from his reach, which caused Jason to take notice and shoot his brother the same look Stacey had given me only a few minutes before.

  The Master of Ceremonies took the microphone and asked everyone to please take their seats, and I grabbed another glass of champagne before retreating back to my safe place.

  Mrs. Bradley looked angelic in an ivory gown that hugged her perfect figure in all of the right places. She looked like a trophy wife on Mr. Bradley’s arm, and it seemed that she felt that she was right where she belonged. She winked over at us, and Jason shot her quick smile. I waved, but turned to listen to the introductions that the MC was spouting out. Mr. Bradley was introduced and took the microphone to thank everyone for coming, and for their generosity. He went on to speak about the various charities that they were supporting and I couldn’t help but see a small break in the rough exterior that he often wore.

  The waiters came around, serving plates of steak and lobster tail. I had never seen a plate so large, but was hungry so I dug in. We ordered drinks, ate, and laughed at a funny story told by the older couple seated at the table with us. I was finally able to enjoy myself, even though Jacob kept flashing suggestive grins my way. Chelsea flipped him the middle finger, which only enticed him more. I leaned across to her and told her to ignore him, which thankfully she did.

  An auction had gotten underway when I felt the urge to go to the restroom. Chelsea followed me, and even though we weren’t far from the lavish outdoor restrooms, we opted for the guest house instead.

  “I swear to you Cara, if Jacob keeps looking at you like that, I’m probably going to flip my shit and give him a piece of my mind.” She shook her head and looked like she was blowing smoke from her nostrils.

  “I’m not even worried about him. He’s definitely a creeper – not sure why Heather would be married to such a guy. She’s actually nice.”

  “That’s it, she’s too damn nice. I want to grab her by her pretty little neck and pull her head out of the sand. Uggghhhh…” Chelsea was filled with alcohol and annoyance, two things that didn’t mix well with her. She re-applied my lip gloss and blotted my face, and then we hurried back to the tents.

  When we returned, we witnessed the auctioning of a weekend getaway to the Florida Keys, a weekend hunting trip to West Virginia, an old rifle, some old books, a guitar, and a collection of designer dresses. Nothing that I was around for went for less than $5,000, and the unease I felt about money being thrown around, gripped me, so I grabbed another glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

  When the auction ended, the band struck up an upbeat tune that got most of the guests on the dance floor. I moved to the beat with Jason, laughing and enjoying carefree moments. He pretended to move like he was John Travolta from Grease, and I could nothing but step back and admire his Danny Zuko-like moves. There was no way that I would be his Cha Cha out on the floor, so I proudly admired the beautiful guy that was swiveling his hips suggestively at me. When that tune ended, a slow song came on, and Jason possessively grabbed me by my waist, pulling me into him. I could feel his toned chest smashing against my breasts, and he buried his nose in my neck. I didn't want to send him into that realm of sexuality that was so easily entered whenever we got too close, so I didn't give him easy access to my neck. He pulled me back ever so slightly and smiled a warm smile, all while giving me the sensual glare that I had become accustomed to. "Have I told you how damn gorgeous you look tonight?" He asked, rubbing my back, making me tingle. I smiled and as Jason turned me around on the floor, my eyes locked with a rabid looking Stacey. She was full of rage, and not trying to hide it. If looks could kill, I would have been murdered and six feet under after the intensity of her gaze. Lobster red was a good color on her, because as she wore it on her dress, she was also beginning to wear it on her face. She looked like the angry bull that Jason had once used to describe Chelsea.

  I smiled at her, which she obviously did not return. In fact, I believe her face scrunched even more. She fidgeted with something in her clutch, but soon returned her wrathful back in my direction.

  The slow song ended and Jason went right back to his fast, flirtatious moves. He invited me to join him with his lustful gaze, but I became uneasy on my feet after too much champagne. He kissed my forehead and walked me over to the table, placing a large glass of water in front of me, and firmly instructed me to drink. He strolled back out onto the dance floor and picked up Abby along the way. The smiles on the toddler’s face showed how much she loved her Uncle Jason, and I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pain at the thought of her dad not being able to get along her uncle. I continued to drink the water when Jacob came and sat down next to me. I let out a deep breath, but thought that maybe a different tactic would work with him.

  “He adores her,” he said, pointing to Jason and Abby with his finger from the hand that was holding what smelled like Bourbon.

  “I know. You can see it whenever he gets near her.” The song ended and Abby went running to Mr. Bradley, who joyfully took her up on his lap, and shook her playfully. The next song was also upbeat, but as Jason was trying to leave the dance floor, Stacey pulled him back by his hand. Looking over to me, I gave an impassive stare, and he reluctantly turned to dance with her.

  “You know, the reason the Children’s Hospital is on our charity list is because of Abby right?” I pulled my gaze away from Jason and Stacey and looked over to Jacob, who had just thrown back the last of his drink.

  “No, I didn’t know that. What’s wrong with Abby?”

  “She has an extensive form of anemia, and required a blood transfusion. That’s why Jason and Stacey picked up and rushed out here.” The thoughts of Jason disappearing for that week skid right back into my head. He wouldn’t tell me why he left, or what he came down to Texas for, and I wasn’t sure why he felt he couldn’t tell me that something was wrong with his niece. “They came down together,” Jacob continued, and I
could feel the rage starting to build in my chest. “You do know they were once engaged right?” He asked.

  “Yes, I do. Why are you going into all of this right now?” I looked around for Chelsea, but in the midst of the wild dancing taking place on the dance floor, I couldn’t find her anywhere.

  “Because, you seem like a nice, wholesome girl Cara, and I know my brother. I don’t want to see him hurt you -- which he probably already has – you just don’t know it yet.” I whipped my head around to face him, and he continued, “He can’t get Stacey out of his system. They have their breaks, and he moves on to someone else, but sooner or later, he makes his way back to her. I thought, purely based on the amount of time they spent together down here, that you two were finished.”

  I placed my hand to my chest and took a deep breath, trying in vain to stop the room from spinning. A million and one thoughts swirled through my head, and I remembered Stacey bragging about spending time with Jason when they were down in Heath together. I reached for my glass of water that was damn near empty, and then threw one hand over my stomach and the other over my mouth.

  “Are you okay?” Jacob asked, sliding another glass of water in front of me.

  “No, I think I’m going to be sick,” I managed to say, and before I could think of anything else to say to Jacob, I jumped up and tore out of the tent.

  The thick Texas air did nothing to quell the rising sickness tearing through my stomach. In fact, the longer I stood in one spot, the more I felt myself gasping for air. I ran to the guesthouse and went straight for the kitchen sink, and splashed water on my face. That didn’t seem to do the trick, so I put my mouth under the faucet and let the water rush in.

  I heard the back door open, and Jason came running into the kitchen with panic in his eyes. Chelsea and Hunter followed closely behind him, and Jason ran over to me, helping me to a seat at the table. “What’s wrong? I saw you run out of the tent, but I had no idea what had happened? Are you sick?” His voice was trembling, and anxious. “Talk to me Cara.”