Lovers and Reprisals (Lovers Series) (14 page)

“Not a lie...just an omission.  In fact...i wouldn’t even call it that.  You know what Eliza does for a living.”

“Of course I do...and I’m sure that her last boyfriend knew what I know.”  she paused, then she said...

“I’m sure you heard the news reports detailing Tollin’s death.”

His eyes were dull, lacking any sign of a soul.  His choice of words wreaked of condescension.

“Mikita...I can understand your reason for concern...but, Eliza didn’t have any involvement in that.  Tollin was a loose cannon and I never got the impression that he was a stable man.  His desperation proves that point.  Tollin committed suicide; that’s what the city’s medical examiner said.”

Silence filled the room, and neither spoke to spoil the stillness.  Mikita sat straight and stiff, watching his hand reach across the table.  Her breath caught, when he enveloped her hand with his.  His warmth seared her, and she could still recall every emotion that had ever touched her heart while being in his presence.  It was all still there.  Every wonderful strike that had ever touched her heart.  It had always been Morpheus...and no one else.  Damn.  Why now, she thought, then her eyes filled with a vacant expression.  She didn’t know if this was a renewal of something fresh, or perhaps a warning, reminding her of the past.  She poured the notion into her guileless heart, reminding herself to be sensible.  If not for herself; then for Bolden’s sake. 

Mikita pulled her hand away, loosening his hold.  She went through the motions, pretending that being with him had not affected her.  She recalled their conversation, then her thoughts latched hold to the idea that bothered Morpheus the most. 

The pride in her voice, pricked at his manhood.

“Morpheus...I’m here because of our son.  You are responsible for him accepting that job...and it will be your responsibility to protect him.”

“He’s my son honey.  I love him--just as much as I love you.  As for me asking you to move back to New York--that was personal, and I made the request because I’d like to know what’s going on in your life.”

“I don’t feel that you have a right to know about my personal life...but, I also don’t have anything to hide.  Yes--I’ve been dating Cyrus for a few months.  It was his idea that I join him at your New Year’s Day party.  I guess he wanted you to see that I had moved on...but, since you’ve already impregnated another woman, perhaps he needn’t have bothered.”

Morpheus charged like a bull in a china-shop; defending his manhood, and his unwise blunder, not to cover his penis with a prophylactic. 

“Cindy was a mistake Mikita.  It was never my intention to impregnate her.”

Mikita dismissed his excuse, when she said...

“I’ve heard this all before.  Don’t forget about Fawn’s mother.”

“No, you haven't heard everything.  Bolden was my last child...and Fawn’s mother...”

Mikita didn’t want to talk about Fawn’s mother, because the bitch had threatened to kill her, and she might have, if Morpheus hadn’t intervened. 

Mikita said...

“Morpheus...I don’t care about any of that.  I have a life apart from you...and I’ve already explained to you that I am dating again.”

Morpheus frowned, but he was wise enough not to push this.  Instead, he took a calmer approach.

“Mikita...I am a changed man.  I just want you to know that.  And as far as Cindy is concerned...she left, shortly after the New Year.  In fact, she went back to Texas the day after the New Year’s party.”

Mikita stared at him, baffled, but Morpheus did not share the specifics.  He didn’t explain, that he’d given Cindy little choice in the matter.  From the second he’d set eye’s on Bolden’s mother at the New Year’s Day party; in those few moments, Morpheus had made up his mind.  And as for Cindy; there had been no other choice for her.  She could leave...or suffer the consequences.  So, Cindy had left...taking his unborn child in her belly with her.  He would see to their needs, in the same manner that he’d taken care of Fawn’s mother.

Mikita said...

“Morpheus...we don’t have to do this.  We don’t have to go down this road, digging up the past.”

“I’m not doing that hon.  I just want you to know that...  Well, I still feel the same about you sweetheart...that hasn’t changed.  And as for New York...  When I suggested that you move back to the city, my reason wasn’t wholly selfish.”

“Oh really.:  she said because the Morpheus that she knew only had selfish bones in his body.

Morpheus appeared serious when he said...

“Eliza owns an apartment in SoHo.  When she isn’t traveling, she returns here, to her home.  I own several buildings in that district, and Bo plans to move into one of the lofts.”

“Bo is moving to SoHo?”

“Yes...  He says that it makes good business sense because Eliza keeps crazy hours.  So you see...  I wasn’t just thinking about myself.  If you live here in New York, then you’ll see more of him.”

“I see.”  She couldn’t deny this logic.  Hearing this, Mikita’s heart rushed with excitement, and she couldn’t lie to herself.  Morpheus Gustapshon still loved her--and she harbored the same feelings for him.  She pulled away, and her eyes wildly took in the room.  The garden restaurant was a wildly popular establishment, and he’d bought out the entire place, to be alone with her.  Yes...he did love her but she couldn’t allow herself to be easily misdirected. 

Mikita reached for her purse while saying....

“From hereon-out---whatever I do....I do for our son.”

He didn’t like the feel of this but he forced the words from his mouth.

“Agreed.  And from hereon out...whatever I do...i do for our son.”

Mikita averted her eyes.  She looked at her shoes, when she pushed away from the table.  All had been resolved, so the room should have glowed with resolution...but it didn’t.  She could feel an incompleteness that had to be resolved.

Mikita stood, then she walked to the outer doorway.  She noticed that Morpheus had not joined her, and she was glad for this.  She needed the leverage.  She stopped, then turned to face him.  She said...

“We shouldn’t talk further Morpheus.  I think we’ve resolved all of our differences.”

Morpheus stared at her, starting at her beautiful feet, then slowly gliding his eyes upward, until finally, he latched hold of her beautiful hazel eyes.  He replied saying...

“We shouldn’t talk...but I can assure you, that we will.”

She stood, stumbling backwards and she knew enough not to respond.  Mikita left, shielding all that remained of her resolve; and the portion was barely measurable.  She had numerous doubts and no part of her brain could refute his pronouncement.  They would talk again, and that’s what frightened her; more than any nightmare or night terror she’d ever had.  She stood on the street, and the smells and sounds overtook her.  But her head was still filled with images of Morpheus Gustafson, and she knew any idea beginning with him, wouldn’t be good.

**********

Chapter 9

Lincoln Medical Facility

February 18

“I’m fine Caleb...you don’t have to babysit me.”

It had been six weeks since Ona had awoke, learning that she’d been recovering in a Non-Samaritan Hospital.  After the initial shock, then coming to grips with her multiple injuries; each day had been an uphill climb.  In spite of her adopted brothers cross words, she didn’t feel like she’d fallen into the hands of evil or Baal, himself.

Caleb spoke using his concerned voice...

“I promised our parent’s that I would remain at your side...and at the very the least you could acknowledge my efforts.”

Ona did appreciate her brothers concern, but as a Samaritan he should have understood her opposition.

“Caleb....I am recovering just fine...but what about those orphaned children in the Congo?  They don’t have a tenth of what I've been provided.”

That much was true.  In fact, the orphaned children in the Congo didn’t have one percent of what his sister had been provided in the private hospital where she’d been since she’d awaken weeks ago; and she was still to unstable to transfer to the Samaritan hospital on their commune. 

Caleb tried to make his point when he said...

“I will join our parents as soon as I can report to them that you are back at our Samaritan home and all is as it should be.”

Ona held back her remark because this had been a merry-go-round conversation from the moment the doctor’s downgraded her condition from critical, to serious.  Even though she had not been cleared for transfer, Ona’s condition had improved.  She’d been stating this point, explaining to her brother that he should join their parents in the Congo.  Caleb had disagreed, telling her about a proposition he’d made before Noah and their parent’s had left.  Caleb explained, that he wasn’t leaving the city, until Ona had returned to the Samaritan commune, using the willpower and strength of her own two feet.  He wanted to witness her working and directing her philanthropic deed.  Since her body was a long ways off from being healed; her slow progress gave her little ammunition to debate with.  Exhausted, Ona said...

“Caleb...I’m tired.  We’ve talked about this subject about as much as I can tolerate for today.  We can continue this discussion tomorrow.”

Her adopted brother stood firm, when he said...

“My stance won’t be any different, than any other day.  I’m not leaving until I know that you are fine and according to your doctors, that’s still weeks ahead.”

Caleb looked at his wristwatch then he said...

“Did you make that list of errands for me?  When I last talked to mom, she was concerned that the Conclave will revoke your funding if there aren’t any signs indicating that you’ve begun this years project.”

Ona had lost the continuous intravenous fluid, but she still had something the nurses called an INT.  The port allowed them to leave a portion of a catheter in her vein to use whenever they wanted to administer intravenous medication and when it wasn’t being used, the nurse would flush the port with saline, to prevent the blood from clotting in the tube.  Her eyes landed on a desk, then she pointed, using the only appendage that had not been immobilized by a cast. 

“The nurse placed it over there.”

Caleb walked over to the desk looking for a piece of paper or a notepad.  Confused, he turned to face Ona.

“Where is it...the only thing that’s over here is an iPad.”

“When I asked for a piece of paper, they told me that this is a paperless facility.”

“Do you mean to say that there isn’t one scrap of paper in this building?”  he rephrased his question.  “Are you saying...that there aren’t any sticky notepads...looseleaf paper, legal pads--there isn’t anything like that in this trillion dollar facility?”

Ona smirked when she said...

“Not even blank paper for a copy machine; because they don’t have any copy machines.”

Caleb picked up the device, turning it from side to side.  He’d never owned one, and he was certain that Ona was just as dumbfounded when it came to how the thing worked. 

“Did the nurse put the information on the device for you?”

Ona raised up her one hand, when she said...

“My nurse didn’t want me to get frustrated using one hand, so she offered to type the information on the pad for me.  She said that since I’m the only patient on the unit...she didn’t mind offering her help.  They say that except for my daily procedures, I’m one of the easiest patients they’ve ever cared for on this unit.  I’ve been told that the Delors are a very generous family and that Lucien...that man responsible for me being here--the nurses say that he’s interested in my recovery.”

Caleb didn’t doubt the truth of this statement--especially after meeting her benefactor.  He palmed the iPad in his hand, then he cleared his throat before changing the subject.

“Are your notes clear?  Will I have questions after I read this thing?”

Caleb knew exactly what to say, to redirect his sisters attention.

“The notes are very specific...and it’s exactly what I would have done--if I weren’t in the hospital.”

“Before I came...I got a call from Geff.  He wants to return to help with your project.  Actually, most days--after Noah and I finish our conversations--Geff get’s on the line.  I’ve kept him up to date on your progress from the very beginning.”

Caleb could see by her expression, that this wasn’t the news she’d been itching to hear.

“Ona...he wants to help.”

“No, Caleb...I don’t want that.  Geff--he wants to help but I don’t think accepting his offer is a good idea.”

Caleb had known for a while about Geff, and his intentions.  He’d not been a friend to him, like Noah...but he also thought that Geff would be a good husband for his sister.  On the other hand, Caleb respected Ona’s judgment of character. 

“Don’t worry yourself over Geff.  I know what to say to dissuade him.”

Ona couldn’t think of anything good to add.  Caleb wasn’t anything like Noah and she didn’t fully understand the inner workings of his mind.  Also, when it came to Geff, she didn’t want to imagine her brother’s thoughts.