To Love & To Protect (11 page)

Nicole washed and roller set her hair. Then she applied her make-up. As Jasmine sat under the dryer, Sandy did her manicure and pedicure. After her timer went off, Jasmine slid back into her sandals and Nicole took her rollers out of her hair and teased her curls into a flirty bouncy style. She took her flat irons and gave her a layered fanned out bang. Nicole completed the look with long gold and pearl earrings and a matching bracelet.

“Go kill that interview girl,” Nicole said.

“Thank you for everything, Nicole,” Jasmine said as she handed Nicole her credit card. She hugged her once again and walked out the door, to the cars that had been pulled around.

The ride to the studio had been uneventful. Sonya Mayfield and Claire met her in studio A. She was greeted warmly by both ladies. Many of the students from Emerald Grove University were in the audience area. She walked through and spoke with as many as she could before the taping was to start. She even took a few pictures with some. FBI was backing up her security detail, so she felt safe for the most part.

Jasmine was placed on stage between, Claire and Sonya, and her microphone pinned on. Music was cued, the audience applauded.

Claire began the introduction, “We are here today, with my friend, one of our State Representatives, Jasmine Anderson.

Jasmine waved at the audience and smiled as they applauded.

Sonya Mayfield said, after the audience had stopped clapping, “You have a message for these young people and amazingly enough, getting shot was not enough to quiet your voice.”

Jasmine responded, “The message that I have for them is not the same one that I was going to give on that tragic day, where I was shot in front of them as well as my family. I am not the same, so I couldn’t possibly give that message to them today,” Jasmine finished sincerely.

Applause erupted through the studio.

Claire came back with, “Representative Anderson, you are known throughout our state, and nationally, because you made history by becoming the first African American single mom to be elected to this office. You have been open and honest about your struggle to get to where you are today in your number one bestselling book entitled ‘Getting Back to Me’. Some of us have even visited one of your twelve soul food restaurants, with recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. You are incredible, accessible to the public, like no other elected official has ever been.”

“Thank you Claire,” Jasmine responded. “I take pride in the fact that life has thrown me some pretty huge curve balls, and by the grace of God, I have survived. I want women who are victims of domestic abuse, especially women living in a state that is ranked high in domestic violence, to know that they don’t have to stay stuck. I want to make them aware of programs that can help them get up on their feet, and provide a safe environment for them and their children while they do it. I share my life story so that they can know that one, they are not alone, and two, so that they can know that if I can overcome it, then they can too.”

The audience erupted in applause.

Sonya continued with, “You have lived out some pretty tragic moments. You have endured domestic violence at the hands of someone who had professed to love. Your parents were killed in a car accident. You recently underwent a custody battle with your children’s biological father. Lastly you were shot at one of our states major Universities while giving a speech. You underwent a major surgery and have started physically therapy. How do you keep pushing forward?”

“As horrific as my story sounds, there is someone whose story is worse than mine. I want to be a beacon of light for people sitting in the dark. It is not something that I choose to do per say, but rather a calling. It is embarrassing to share those parts of my life with the world. I am not perfect, I am very much human, but I have lived and learned.”

“In the midst of this you have two beautiful healthy girls,” Claire said. “You have a host of friends that you endorse as often as possible, what’s that about. And you have a new love interest…tell us about him.”

“My girls are my miracle and my blessing. They were my strength to get through some of the storms in life. I might have given up if it weren’t for them. As far as my friends, it’s like this, they are my family. If they have a marketable tool or asset, that is legitimate, then I will endorse them and help them as much as I possibly can. Like for instance, my friend Nicole Alexander, She and her staff at the Emerald Grove Day Spa, dressed me, and did my hair and make-up for today’s event. She makes my life easy and takes a lot of the stress out of this for me, with the services and amenities she offers. So I use her. You are my friend, Claire Blake-Moore, you are an incredible journalist and you respect my boundaries, so I am going to use you to help with whatever publicity that I need done. Alena and Alexis run my restaurants for me, quite successful, I might add and as long as those partnerships meet our needs, I am keeping it. When you are blessed, you pass the blessings down to others.”

The audience erupted in applause.

It was Sonya, who brought the questioning about her boyfriend into play again.

Jasmine sat up straight in her chair, and said, “I did know that I was missing him until he showed up. It’s like he has always been a part of me. He is sincerely my better half. I say this because when I am with him, I can be a lady, soft and sweet. He handles things without being asked too. He loves my children enough to watch girly cartoons with them. He is my partner, my friend, and my lover. He is not competing with me, he is allowing me to do me, while he does his thing and it just sweetens our thing. I am blessed.”

“This guy sounds like he may be the one,” Claire said. “Look at you glowing and stuff,” Claire teased.

“I certainly hope so,” Jasmine responded.

“Do you have any last words that you want to leave the audience with,” Sonya asked.

“Life is seriously hard. It is full of ups and downs, twist and turns. Through it all, find yourself a belief system that you honestly believe in and live by it. Make it your code. Help others up when you can and never ever give up.”

Claire began, to close out the show, when Jasmine noticed Kennedy standing to the side looking anxious. When they were cued that they were all clear, Jasmine and Claire walked briskly over to Kennedy. “What’s wrong?” Jasmine asked.

“First and foremost, the plane has landed safely in Italy with all aboard being accounted for,” Kennedy informed them.

“That’s good news,” Jasmine said.

“So what’s the bad news Kennedy?” Claire asked.

“The jailhouse suicide was more than just a murder to take out Samuel for confessing to his crimes. It was a ploy to get Ethan, Trujillo, Trent, and Townsend back into the jailhouse. Ethan had ordered a roundup of the Red Vipers the night before. They took over the jail and are holding them hostage. Your girls weren’t the target, Ethan was. It’s me and a few FBI agents left to get you to safety, then I am joining the others as we try to force our way inside.”

“Come on lets go,” Jasmine said.

Kennedy got them both to Blake-Moore Estates in record time. Jasmine and Claire ran into the house, were everyone was gathered.

Ethan, Trent, Trujillo, Townsend and Jamieson had barricaded themselves in a small room. Trent and Townsend moved quickly placing a desk under an air vent. Trujillo climbed up and removed the air vent and two tiles surrounding it. One by one they climbed into the ceiling then they replaced the tiles, and air vents. It was only a matter of time before the Red Vipers were inside the room. Trent had called Kimberly and made her aware of the situation. Michelle was working on getting them the floor plans to the police department and FBI had been called in for back up.

“We missed something with our Intel,” Trent said.

“I just figured it out,” Ethan said. “I am the target.”

“Dammit,” Trujillo said. “How did we miss this?” he asked.

“Easily, he said that he wanted to take someone close to Jasmine, so that she would always have to live with the pain. We assumed it was her daughters,” Townsend responded.

“Look, I will stay behind and hold them off as long as possible. You guys get out and come back with help,” Ethan said.

“Hell no,” Trent said. That is the stupidest plan I have ever heard of.”

“I am with Trent,” Trujillo said. “They will have to take us all out. You are my brother and I will not leave you behind.”

“We are sitting ducks right here,” Ethan said.

Trent stepped in, two to the right and two to the left. Jamieson you have to go all the way to the last tile and get out and let the cavalry in. On my single, which will be as soon as they come through the barricade, Team A will shoot the incoming and Team B will shoot the ones waiting on the other side to get in. Shoot to kill, because if we don’t then they will kill us. Everyone’s ammo is straight and protective vest are on, correct?” Trent asked.

The men nodded in the affirmative.

“Jamieson, go and do not fail,” Trent commanded.

The few more minutes, it took the Red Vipers to get to the barricade seemed like an eternity. When they finally burst through the door, Ethan lit them up from one end and Trujillo from the other.

When they realized they had been set up, they began to scatter like roaches trying to find cover.

Every time one of them attempted to move, Ethan, Trujillo, Trent and Townsend picked them off.

Jamieson had made it to the outside, and informed the team on the ground of the location of the barricade based on the floor plans. Kimberly, Stacy, Kennedy and Jamieson, went around the outside perimeter and threw in gas bombs to smoke them out.

Trent, Ethan, Trujillo and Townsend followed the trail that Jamieson had used to get away from the gas and exit the building.

Trent looked at his team and said, “I am getting to old for this mess.”

The police helped them get to the ambulance bay, as the doors were swung opened and FBI and local law enforcement moved in.

When the dust settled, there were twelve casualties, several injured and few treated for gas inhalation. The team from Blake-Moore and Associates had survived with no injuries or casualties.

Jasmine had been so grateful to see them all walk through the door, later that evening. It was over.

Ethan came to the villa and soaked in a hot tub of water Jasmine had run for him. Everyone met back up at the main house, where Jasmine had warmed up her stuffed shells, made corn on the cob, tossed salad, and garlic bread, served with her signature iced tea.

They ate their meals, and Kennedy went on and on about how good it was.

If someone would have told her that the day would end with all them sitting around a table, enjoying a meal. She would not have believed it. A single tear slid down her face then was followed by many more. Jasmine got up and excused herself from the table.

Ethan followed her out.

She felt him before she saw him. She turned and said, “I am happy, these are happy tears, I promise. I was scared, scared that I had lost you when I had just found you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Ethan said.

“The assignment is over? You guys caught the bad guys? You will have other missions,” Jasmine countered.

“And hopefully, I will be able to come home to you and our kids at the end of the day,” Ethan responded.

“What you are saying Ethan,” Jasmine asked.

“Marry me. Be my wife,” he said looking down into her tear filled eyes. “I know it’s sudden, but I know you are the one that my heart longs for,” Ethan said.

“We were supposed to take it slow,” Jasmine countered.

“It took us a lifetime to find one another. I want to tell you every day that I love you, provide for our family, and protect you all always,” Ethan said.

“Yes,” Jasmine said. “Yes.”

“You have just made me the happiest man on earth,” Ethan said before kissing her deeply.

“We don’t have a house,” Jasmine said.

“We will buy one. One with a big backyard, so we can have a dog,” Ethan said. He was holding her hand and smiling down at her.

“Can it be in Emerald Grove?” Jasmine asked.

“Yes, baby. I don’t care where we live as long as it’s together. It has to be big enough for more children,” Ethan said.

“You want more children,” Jasmine smiled up at him, enjoying the life that he had planned for them.

“Yes, I can’t wait to see your belly round with our child,” Ethan said. I want it all, baby.”

Jasmine stood on her tip toes and said, “You can have it baby.”

Ethan wrapped his arms around his future bride and kissed her slowly and deeply.

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