Abandoned but Not Alone (40 page)

“
What
’
s going on Joshua, and don
’
t say nothing. I know you guys are up to something, and I want
to know what it is.
”

“
Sorry to disappoint you sweetheart, but I
’
m going to say exactly what you asked me
not to. Nothing is going on.
”

“
Josh, I could feel the tension swirling
around that room downstairs, so please don't insult my intelligence. What are
you all up to?
”

“
Nothing is going on
–
trust me. Everything is fine and will
only get better by the end of the evening.
”

“
Okay, you all go ahead and keep your
secrets. Please tell Jason I will be down in thirty minutes and that he should
have that credit card locked and loaded because I
’
m on a mission. Also, please be so kind as to order me a cab
heading for the Meatpacking District. Thank you so much, please don
’
t let me keep you from whatever you men
are up to.
”
Dismissing
him with a frown and her hands folded across her chest, Aviva watched as Josh
pulled the door closed in departure.

Re-entering
the family room Josh was eager to be brought up to date on anything he may have
missed. 
“
So what
’
s going on
…
did I miss anything?
”

“
Not much, Jason and I were just thinking
of a way to distract Aviva while our visitor is here, who by the way should be
arriving in about an hour.
”

“
Sorted, she'll be ready to go shopping in
thirty minutes. Jason, my man, she told me to inform you to have your credit
card ready. In fact, I think her exact words were,
‘
have that credit card locked and loaded because I
’
m on a mission
’
. That
’
s after I tried to convince her nothing was going on down here,
which by the way, she didn
’
t buy for a
minute.
”

“
She doesn
’
t have to buy it, as long as she
’
s not around while this goes down, that
’
s all that matters to me. Now let
’
s run through the proceedings one last time, I don
’
t want anything to go wrong.
”

The
brothers took seats at opposite ends of the couch facing Jason.  Jake took up
the narrative explaining what each of them would be doing while their visitor
was in the house. For the most part Jake spoke without interruption, only
breaking off to answer questions Jason had regarding the layout of the house,
wanting to be clear how he would reach the back door with his burden.

“
Don
’
t worry about that, it will be our pleasure to lead the way.
”

“
Did you mention that part of our plan to
Jackson?
”
Jason asked looking
back and forth between his brothers.

“
Are you out of your mind,
”
Josh retorted.
“
That part of the plan is strictly on a need to know basis, and
Jackson definitely doesn
’
t need to
know!
”

“
What doesn
’
t Jackson need to know?
”
Aviva asked suspiciously, overhearing the last part of Josh
’
s comment.

“
What Jackson doesn
’
t need to know is the same thing you don
’
t need to know.
”
Jason informed her as he rose to his feet. Giving him a dirty
look, Jason was unintimidated, setting his jaw with a stubborn determination
she now knew and disliked. Encompassing his brothers with the same look she had
just flashed at him, she received two sets of blank looks
–
she wouldn
’
t be getting any answers from either of them.

“
Whatever you are all up to had better be
legal
…
Oh, and if it
backfires on your behinds, then it will serve you right for not letting Jackson
and me in on what
’
s going on.
Card please Jason if you would be so kind.
”
Holding out her hand, she waited while Jason reached into his
pocket, extracting a credit card which he placed in her waiting palm. Looking
down at the square piece of plastic Aviva saw that her name was embossed along
the bottom. Surprised, she looked up at him, a question in her eyes.

“
I picked it up yesterday. All you need to
worry about is having a good time shopping, get whatever you need.
”
Leaning down, Jason pressed a tender
kiss against her lips before whispering in her ear,
“
I love you, don
’
t worry,
nothing that goes on here today will be in any way illegal, you have my word.
”

Not at all
placated, Aviva reached up and stroked the chiseled contours of his face,
unable to look away. A shiver ran along her body that didn
’
t go unnoticed by Jason. Concerned, he
pulled her against his chest.
“
Are you
okay, Angel?
”

“
I
’
m fine.
”
She said,
pulling away from the warmth of his arms.
“
I should really be asking you that question; you
’
re the one who just gave me a brand new
credit card.
”
Aviva
wriggled her eyebrows in an attempt to remove his look of concern.

“
Josh, has my taxi arrived?
”

“
Yeah, it
’
s outside, the gate phoned up a few minutes ago.
”

“
Okay, well I guess I
’
ll see you guys later.
”

“
I
’
ll walk you out.
”
Placing his
hand in the middle of her back, Jason escorted Aviva from the house to the
waiting taxi. Stopping her before she climbed in, Jason held her face as he
looked deeply into her brown eyes, his expression awash with how he felt about
her.
“
Do you have your
phone? What time will you be back? I love you do you know that, right?
”

“
Jason, I
’
m a big girl and I lived in New York until recently, remember?
”

Frown in
place, Jason waited with his hand on the handle of the taxi door for the
answers to his rapid fire questions.

Smiling at
his set expression, Aviva used her fingers to ensure she answered all his
questions.
“
Yes, I have
my phone. I should be back around six, if I
’
m running late I will call you on said phone. Yes I know you
love me
–
I love you too.
”

Bending
down Jason had every intention of giving her a quick peck on the lips. However,
before he could help it, he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, thrusting
his tongue into the warmth of her mouth, drinking in her taste, allowing it to
wash over him; for a moment not wanting to let her go. Pulling back, he brushed
his fingertips against the smooth skin of her cheek down towards her sensitive
neck, his eyes following the path of his hand.
“
I
’
ll see you
in a little while
–
I love
you.
”
  Opening the taxi door,
he held it for Aviva to climb in.  Shutting it behind her, he watched as the
departing taxi carried her away.

~~~~~~~~~~

Twenty
minutes after Aviva
’
s departure
the telephone rang. Picking it up, Jackson listened in silence before replacing
the handset to its cradle.
“
She
’
s here, are you all ready?
”
Jackson asked his gathered sons. At
their nods, Jackson and Jake departed, leaving Jason and Josh to greet their
visitor.

Sweeping
into the room, dressed in black from head to toe, Jason was confronted by one
of the most beautiful women he had ever seen
–
his mother. Although Diana was in her fifties she could be
described as nothing other than breathtaking. Her raven locks were cut in a
feathery bob that softened the plains of her face, adding weight to her
youthful appearance, her body still showing curves a much younger woman would
envy. The legs that extended below her black suit skirt were slim, shapely and
encased in very sheer black stockings. But the greatest shock to Jason was her
size. He had been expecting a tall woman, yet the person who stood before him
was no taller than Aviva, which would make her about five feet four.

Picking up
on his intense scrutiny, Diana cut her eyes towards him, looking him up and
down.
“
I always knew you
’
d turn into a brooder and it seems I was
right. As for you
…”
Diana said
glancing over at Josh,
“
what have
you turned into.  Don
’
t tell me
–
my guess is you turned out to be gay.
After all you never could stand me from the day you were born and darling, I
have you know, not many real men dislike me.
”

“
No Diana, I
’
m not gay
–
but if I
were, it would still be none of your business. Let
’
s get one thing straight; I didn
’
t like you when I was a child and I dislike you even more as an
adult, you viperous bitch.
”

“
Tut, tut, now is that the way to speak to
your long absent mother.  I can see Jackson didn
’
t do a very good job of teaching you manners.
”

Not five
minutes in her company and Josh was already losing his temper, old suppressed
feelings of loathing resurfacing, eating away at his insides.
“
Leave our father out of this you
…”

Lifting her
hand, Diana laughed at his show of temper, cutting off the remainder of his
retort.
“
Darling, don
’
t be such a silly boy. Of course I can
’
t leave your father out of this, your
very sick father I might add. After all he was the one who asked me to come
visit him on his death bed.
”

Jason had
heard and seen enough and Josh was rapidly morphing into a replica of him and
Jake when they lost their temper. The plan was for Josh to be the voice of
reason if he lost it, not the other way around. 
He was going to have a word with his
brothers after all this was over.  They had sat around prodding and poking him
until he bared his soul while they had obviously been withheld information from
him about how they had been treated
by the woman
standing before them.

“
Take a seat Diana, we need to talk before
you see Jackson.
”

“
Oh, Jackson is it
–
don
’
t tell me you
’
ve had a
falling out with dear old dad.
”

Her quick
riposte to his having called Jackson by his given name, immediately told Jason
two things: she was not to be underestimated and she was suspicious as to why
she was really here.
“
The last
time we saw you we were children, things change Diana, more than even you could
know. I hope you also paid special notice to the fact that I called you Diana.
With that said, you don
’
t get to
question me about what name I choose to call my father
–
do I make myself clear?
”
From all Jason
’
s thoughts
of how much he hated this woman; the reality was so much worse having met her.
Unable to keep his hatred from seeping out of his eyes, Jason stretched his
body to his full height, his expression cold with dislike and it was all
directed at her.

“
Sit down Diana, we need to talk. I have
some questions I want answered
–
and mark
my words you will answer every last one before you leave this house; whether
you like it or not.