"I'm so embarrassed," Jona said.
"Don't be," Nicole assured her. "I've had Mitch lay out your accessories for tonight, but I couldn't decide which dress you'd like and I thought you should decide."
There were two very expensive after five dresses lying on the bed.
Jona had never had to decide on wearing something so nice and the decision flustered her. "I'd wear anything, but do you have to keep buying clothes for me? There's just so much."
"James opened an account at several boutiques I go to so don't think this is on Ethan and I. He insisted that anything you need you'd be provided for," Nicole explained.
"But I don't need a new pair of underwear everyday!" Jona said. "It's such a waste."
Nicole chuckled. "What if I insist Mitch washes your underwear you've already had and you can start reusing those. I've thrown your other clothes out."
"I can wash my own things!"
"In what? The sink? Umm, no. Tomorrow, I'll have Mitch show you how to use a washing machine and dryer. We'll compromise, but I'll insist you at least come with me and find new clothes. Not much, but just something to look decent in, then you can go from that wardrobe for anything James might plan for."
Jona sighed feeling overwhelmed by this "charity" James was showing. "It's just so hard to live in a normal world."
"Well, if changing your underwear is your biggest problem here, then you're lucky. Now choose," Nicole ordered.
Jona liked both dresses and just closed her eyes and pointed.
Nicole ticked her tongue but put away the dress Jona had not chosen in the closet. "I should also warn you of something."
Warily, Jona questioned, "Yes?"
"Monica and her husband will be joining us for dinner. I've asked Jaelen and his wife to join us to kind of alleviate the tension that will happen, but I saw your upset earlier when Monica was here so I felt I should warn you."
The name made her stomach sink and the yearning to get her case back made her heart hammer. "Thanks for the warning," Jona said and turned away to get a grip of her own frustration and misery.
Nicole stood there for a moment as if waiting for Jona to say something, but when nothing was said, she let herself out with, "I'll see you down in an hour. James will use the other guest room to get ready and he has to speak to his brother, so he won't be bothering you anymore before dinner."
Jona felt like trying to escape now. Facing Monica again was going to be the worst.
She stood there for a long moment because she wanted to scream and cry at the same time. Yes, Monica bothered Jona immensely. In a couple of hours Jona would have to face the demon for another couple of hours.
Monica must have known because this was how she was going to help Jona escape.
Jona hadn't felt this frustrated since she had found herself in her father's house faced with evil from all sides that she couldn't see. Her stomach churned as she listened to her aunt's lawyer just outright lie as if Jona was stupid as sheep.
"There's no way to prove paternity so you'll have no claim of anything of Jonah Crump's."
There were words to fight with, but her spirit wasn't there and Jona hated trying to fight evil she couldn't see. Where was Shadow when she needed her?
Jona was determined to find her.
Warm arms came around her waist and a soft kiss to her neck told her James had come in the room.
She composed herself quickly. "Nicole said you were dressing in the other room."
"I know, but I wanted to see you before I had to meet with my brother privately," he said. "Once Ethan starts talking business, it could be hours."
Turning around in his arms, she looked up at him suspiciously. "You remember that?"
He frowned briefly and then said, "No, but Nicole warned me."
Her gut twisted and maybe since she was on high alert from her troubling thoughts, she knew deep down, James was lying. He remembered something and didn't want to say.
The observation made her ask herself did he remember other things?
He quickly changed the subject. "What were you thinking about that was bothering you when I came in."
"The past," she said.
"I'm sorry. I must've brought up some things about going to see your father's relative that hasn't set right with you. It must have been hard to have them lie in your face like that."
"She made sure of that - Even having her fat lawyer husband tell me nothing could be proved." She trembled a little remembering his ragged breath, bad skin and ... limp. He'd had a limp, just like the person who'd shot James. What a coincidence, but she didn't voice this out loud. Moving out of James’ arms, she said, "I need time to get ready, James."
"I know, but I just wanted to make sure you were okay, with everything. Mostly us."
"You were worried about what I think of all this?"
"Yes," he said.
"You don't look like a person who worries about what goes through the mind of silly females."
"I'm usually not, but your opinion and how you feel matters to me unlike others, Hope."
He was telling the truth. She could tell and his genuineness tugged at her chest, but at the same time she realized he did remember something about the past and was keeping that from her. "I'm okay," she assured him keeping her cool. "This afternoon was good and I'm hoping tonight we can-"
James kissed her passionately before she finished and Jona responded feeling his semi hardness against her stomach instantly forgetting her suspicions about memory. This was nice and she wished they could jump into his red truck, drive away from here and forget all this.
A knock on the door interrupted their kiss and Ethan opened the door with disapproval in his eyes.
"You can have dessert later, brother. You need to get dressed so we can hurry up and talk before our guest arrive,” Ethan grumbled.
James stole another kiss from her and winked with a promise to get "dessert."
Jona couldn't help but giggle, as he seemed to skip out of the room. Once the door was closed, she could feel the dread in her belly again. Leaving him would be very hard for her, but she knew this was best. This life wasn't for her. Even if she told James about what she had done or returned the ring to him and tell him of Monica's deceit, there was going to be more.
Her mother had been right about this world. Nothing was normal here. Nothing was happy and one had to fight for their happiness everyday.
Jona was like her mother. She didn't want to fight. She just wanted to wait to die. On the streets it was much peaceful to wait.
* * *
"I hope you used protection," Ethan sneered.
"My love life has always been a bane in your side, Ethan," James said as he straightened his tie in a mirror. "Can we get back to business, brother, and quit beating around the bush trying to protect my feelings or my precious mental state? I can take it."
Ethan couldn't wait until James was dressed and down in the front room. When James had come out of the bathroom semi-dress to greet Ethan who had been pacing back and forth, James knew whatever Ethan had to say this was vital to the business.
"We're firing Lawton Berg."
"Why?'
"I told you my suspicions of him already and I knew when I asked for those papers to be drawn up, he would find some way to stall."
"Why the need to fire him tonight?"
"Well, it'll be the only time we don't have to meet him on his territory and number two, he'll be face to face with both of us. He's away from an office and he can't make any important phone calls to any bank to take anything of ours before we can shut him out, but I need your permission. In order to block him from our accounts the bank needs to have us both present. If you hurry and dress we can get over there right away and be back before they get here."
"Okay, Ethan, why the hurry? What did he do to make you feel this should be hurried?"
"When Lawton was confirming that he was in route here, I mentioned that he should just bring the papers for you to sign. He f
lubbed a lot and said, he wouldn't be able to draw the papers up for a couple of days."
"And?"
"He's lying. I spoke to Kenneth Bianchi, another lawyer, and he said that there shouldn't be a problem and Kenneth also found out that there are three large bank accounts in Lawton's company name in Europe that he doesn't account for."
Even though he felt he needed to take this into account, he had to defend his father. "Dad trusted him. They go way back. Why would Lawton steal from us? Steal from Dad?"
"In case you haven't noticed James or choose not to accept this, Dad is not around. And you've been so focus on just doing jobs that you haven't taken to account what the business is like. Our company is a goldmine to others and Lawton's asked many times to just buy us out after Dad died. He even had the nerve to say he gave Dad the money to start the company, which Dad paid him back twice fold, not including the incentives he'd given Lawton through the years and the five percent he left to Lawton when he died. I don't think that's enough and now Lawton wants it all."
"These are just suspicions, right Ethan?"
"I'm going on my gut, yes, but-"
"Ethan, I just want to make the right decisions for the company and for Dad's memory."
Ethan cringed because of the old animosity that he had about their father.
"You're going to have to lay whatever you have about Dad on a personal level aside and really be sure of what you feel, Ethan," James said. "Are you really making the best decision for the company that Dad built with blood, sweat and tears or are you letting your personal feelings cloud your judgment?"
"I'm making the best decision for this company," his brother said determinedly.
James moved over to get his jacket and turned to his brother. "Then let's go. Tonight we'll fire him and work together to make this company a success." By now he had walked up to his brother.
Ethan looked shocked because he had really expected a bigger fight about this, but James really knew Ethan was very much for the company and for a long while there had been some doubts about Lawton, but only because ...
James couldn't remember and his head hurt to think about everything.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would think about everything.
Chapter 25
Getting dress in a hurry, Jona also had a chance to find a small bag where she could pack up some items. There was a brief moment of funny as she put in two pairs of clean underwear and three pairs of socks. Thinking of Nicole's insisting about clean underwear made Jona's almost want to stay because she wished there were more small moments of hilarity in her life.
Humor and the streets never mixed. Everything was taken seriously and she hadn't laughed so much in a very long time.
She took a toothbrush and something to comb her hair with. Mitch knocked on the door and asked if she needed anything before dinner.
"Is James nearby?" she asked.
"He left for a moment with Mr. Ethan. Would you like to call him?" He handed her the charger for the cell phone she had received earlier from Nicole.
"No, it's nothing, but I was thinking about going to my coat before dinner," she said. "Is the shed open?"
He looked a little disturbed. "In that dress?"
"Yes, Mitch."
"I can suggest after dinner, ma'am or more insist upon it. You could get your dress stain with your coat and you won't get the smell off."
That was even more perfect. "So you'll make sure the shed is open?"
"I'll make sure the shed is open and I won't turn the perimeter fence on until much later so you can come through the back to immediately take a shower after you've touch that coat." His disdain regarding the coat was almost funny.
"Thank you Mitch."
"You're quite welcome. Is there anything else?"
"No, Mitch."
Mitch gave her a skeptic look as if he didn't believe her, yet accepted her response and said, "Ms. Nicole sent word for you to join her in the front room when you are done. The first guests have arrived." He looked skeptically and then left the room, but immediately Cami came in dressed in her pajamas. She looked as if she were sneaking.
Cami reached up to indicate she wanted to be picked up.
Jona felt a little reserved, but picked the child up. "Are you going to bed?"
The child nodded and smiled as if that was the most fantastic thing in the world.
"I wish I could go to bed instead of the party."
"Friend, Ms. Jona?" Cami asked.
Jona loved the little girl's lack of words, but her father's green eyes said so much, "Yes, Cami, I'm your friend."
Cami reached in the pocket of her pajama top. "This for my friend." She pulled out a thickly threaded friendship bracelet.
Jona watched fascinated as the child’s small fingers tied a perfect knot. "Thank you, Cami. It’s beautiful. I’ll never take it off."
The child wriggled until Jona set her down. Once she was on the ground she ran out o the room, but not before giving Jona an anxious wave of goodbye.
Looking down at the beautiful array of colors on the bracelet, Jona lovingly caressed the material glad that at least she had something to remember this whole experience by that she carry with her always.
She put the small case with everything she was taking behind a dresser by the door and then put her shoes on to join Nicole and their first guests. Holding her stomach for a brief moment, she decided to get this night over with as calmly as possible so she could get back to what she felt was normal - life on the streets for the rest of her life.
* * *
Kimberly Gates was a soft spoken comely black woman, who was a direct contrast of her husband. Her smile was warm and inviting and she was so nice it was sickening. How could Jaelen be married to such a woman? Jona couldn’t figure out the mystery for the life of her, but she felt bad for the woman.
"I'm just amazed at what you've gone through your whole life, Jona," Kimberly said as they sat down together. "You are strong, no doubt and James needs that."
"James can take care of himself," Jona said.
"Except when there are bullets involved," Nicole teased. “Or two strange men in an alley.” She winked teasingly at Jona.
Jona covered her mouth to hide her giggle.
"Oh please don't be embarrassed to laugh. When the men get here, this will be too serious," Kimberly encouraged placing a gentle palm on Jona's knee. "We need laughter now to get us through the night."
"Is that what you call that horrible noise?" Jaelen said sourly at the doorway holding a drink as if he needed the alcohol very much. The room seem to have suddenly gone cold with Jaelen's presence.
His disposition didn't discourage Kimberly's smile at all. Matter of fact, to Jona, the woman seemed happier to see the horrible acerbic man.
"Ignore my Jaelen," Kimberly said quite possessively as if there were others in the room that wanted this man's attention. "He's just a little bit sour we've arrived late so he couldn't go with the men."
Jaelen rolled his eyes and left the doorway.
"How do you put up with him?" Jona demanded to know.
"Lots of love."
"You have to love him to put up with that."
"Oh no," Kimberly said. "He loves me." A glow all over told Jona that either the woman was delusional or hopped on some kind of drug.
"I should warn you that Monica will be here," Nicole warned.
Kimberly's disposition immediately soured. "And did you tell Ethan she really didn't have to come. The business is with her husband, right?"
"No, I didn't say anything like that,” Nicole answered. “But I should have. I just want this whole thing to be over. With James coming up missing, it really put a hitch in Ethan's plan to get rid of the lawyer."
"It's almost over," Kimberly said.
Mitch came to the doorway with a stoic look on his face. "Dinner is ready, ma'am. Would you like us to wait for the gentlemen to return?"
"We'll start with the appetizers because I'm starving!" Nicole sai
d.
"Thank you," Kimberly said. "I'm so hungry I could eat anything. Jaelen bought out a salon in Davenport and I've been on the road all morning getting back just for this."
"How's your brother?" Nicole asked.
"He's doing well," Kimberly answered. "All the children are just excelling at everything. Do you have any children, Jona?"
A look of panic came to Nicole's face, but Jona wasn't ashamed to admit what happened. "No, Kimberly. I was pregnant, but I lost the baby."
Nicole looked a little guilty, but didn't speak.
"Oh dear," Kimberly said sympathetically. "That must've been difficult."
"It was, but I think meeting James shortly afterwards, kind of made things better. I think I wouldn't have saved his life if I wasn't still emotionally getting over losing the baby."
Kimberly took a disheartening breath. "Well, if anything, you found a rainbow to your storm, Jona."
The words were so eloquent and Jona really wanted to take them to heart.
"Let's get to the dining room," Nicole said. "Ethan just texted me and said they are on their way back and Lawton should be here in a moment."
Jona followed them into a dining room almost across the hall, behind the stairs where a large table was set out and looked like something from her magazines. Even her name was on her chair and she saw that James was going to be across from her. Kimberly was sitting on the left of her and there was a name of Lawton Berg would be sitting to her right.
Kimberly smiled gently at her as they sat together, while Nicole went to check on everything in the kitchen with Mitch. "Jaelen's bark is worst than his bite, Jona," Kimberly said perfectly reading Jona's early thoughts. "So if you're wondering whether I'm on drugs or deluded, I'm not. There's a different side of him to me, he rarely shows to others. Sometimes love changes a man and I wouldn’t love Jaelen any other way."
"It must be very rare and I was thinking you were on some type of drugs," Jona honestly admitted.
"Lots of people do once they meet Jaelen before they meet me."
Speaking of the devil, Jaelen appeared and leaned down to tenderly kiss his wife on the cheek before giving Jona an icy glare. "Are you telling her what a horrendous monster I am, Kimber?"
Hope Is Love Page 20