"I need your help."
"Since when does Victoria need my help?"
"You're the only one that knows me so well Michael."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes, so when are the two of us going to get together and fuck?"
"You get straight to the point don't you?"
"Why waste time?"
"So besides sex what else is on your mind," Michael asked. "Why did you call me out of the blue after all these years, remember I know you very well Victoria, and I know there is more to this call than just a free fuck."
Victoria smiled, Michael was the only one that knew her so well, "I told you I need your help!"
"And what might that be?"
"You once told me you knew a hit man."
Michael laughed, "And what, you want to kill someone?" More laughter. But when Victoria wasn't laughing with him, he asked, "you can't be serious!"
"I am very serious!"
"No, no way, I'm not getting involved in this!"
"Even if I tell you that all these years I couldn't get you out of my mind?"
More laughter, "and that's why you left me and disappeared into thin air!"
"I left you because you weren't motivated enough and my father threatened me!"
"And now you heard I'm a millionaire and you want me back." He said bitterly
"Yes, that is true, but I swear it I still love you!"
There was a pause on the line before Michael spoke, "Truth is I never got over you either."
Victoria closed her eyes, and released a breath of air, "I love you."
"I love you too, but you're married, or did you forget that?"
"And since when did being married stop me from getting what I want?"
"You were always cold and heartless, but it was the one of the reasons I fell in love with you. You are not afraid of anything or anyone."
"So will you help me?"
"No," he said flat out, "I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a killer, and neither are you!"
*****************
It was the first time Steven had ever traveled to Africa, and making this trip with his son was one of the best things he had ever done.
"Wow daddy look over there, elephants!" Stephan's excitement melted Steven's heart. "And over there daddy, giraffes!"
The excitement that shined bright in Stephan's eyes and the way his voice sang with joy when he spoke had Steven thinking that bringing his son to Africa was the best thing he could have ever done.
The driver rode the jeep farther south from Johannesburg where most of the exotic animals roamed the land, and the view was just spectacular.
There were two other Jeep's following behind this one, Steven had hired them for more protection, they had all sorts of weapons with them in case they were attacked by vicious animals.
"Daddy why does the man sitting in the front seat have a gun?" Stephan asked, "he's not going to kill these beautiful animals is he?"
"Only if they become a threat," Steven answered, before he realized the words that came out of his mouth, but then he quickly added, "don't worry nothing will harm us these are friendly animals."
That moment Stephan jumped up from his seat and screamed with excitement, "over there!" He pointed his finger, "a huge lion daddy, look!"
Suddenly there was commotion, the driver conversed with the passenger in the front seat, and the passenger pointed his gun towards the lion.
"No!" Stephan screamed, "daddy please stop them they're going to kill the lion!"
"What's going on?" Steven asked the driver. "His eyes never once leaving the sight of the exotic animal that was watching them from a few yards away.
"We prepare to shoot if the lion attacks!" The man said in broken English.
"Don't shoot him," Steven ordered, "we are safe in the jeep there is no need to kill the animal!"
There were gunshots from the jeep behind them and Steven bellowed "Stop them, the animal is not a threat to us!"
"Lions are very dangerous Mr. Colby, they target you and attack out of nowhere, do not trust these creatures they kill easily." The passenger explained.
Stephan cried his little heart out when he heard the gun shots. He kept his eyes on the lion and when the beautiful creature ran in the opposite direction, Stephan was relieved and wiped his wet eyes with his hand.
The safari didn't go as Steven had thought, last thing he wanted was to place Stephan in a dangerous situation. "I think it's time to head back to our hotel."
"No papa not yet, I haven't seen the tigers or rhinos yet!"
"Look over there," the passenger pointed to the east, "you see the rhinos?"
Stephan averted his attention in that direction and his eyes nearly popped open, "Wow! Can I pet him?"
Steven smiled, "Yes if you want your arm bitten off."
Everyone laughed except for Stephan who stared at the animal quizzically, "He eats people?"
"He sure does." Steven laughed, "these animals are in the wild and they don't like it when we interfere with their life, they want to be left alone."
"But can't I get a picture next to them to show my friends at school?" Stephan begged, "please daddy just one picture!"
"Maybe a picture with a giraffe or an elephant," the passenger in the front seat said, "I don't recommend any other animal.
"Thank you sir." Stephan said, eagerly waiting for the opportunity to snap a picture with these beautiful creatures.
After many pictures and a long ride back to Johannesburg, Stephan was famished, and he said, "Do they have cheeseburgers here?"
"Yes son, they have anything your little heart desires!" Steven ruffled Stephan's hair, as they walked inside a beautiful restaurant that was located in the center of neighborhood.
"Daddy did you know that Africa is the second largest continent in the world, did you know that it lacks sanitation, food products and clean water, and did you know that Jameela means beautiful?"
"And how do you know all that?" Steven asked, as they sat down at a table near the window, overlooking the busy streets of Johannesburg.
"I couldn't sleep so I read it last night in that book you bought me from the hotel gift shop!"
"Your son can read?" The tourist guide who was invited to have dinner with them asked, "how is that possible he is only five years of age?"
"He went to pre school and pre k, and he learned fast," Steven said proudly, "it was a Montessori boot camp school and the children get a higher education there."
"Wonderful you have a little genius on your hands!" The tourist guide beamed.
"Thank you, and not to change the subject, but where can I find the finest spices and herbs, Alice my housekeeper would be very grateful if I brought back with me some."
"I'll drive you there myself after we finish here with our meal."
The drive took about twenty minutes, and as they entered Seweto, an urban complex Gauteng Province, Steven and Stephan got an eyeful on the way there. There were people everywhere walking around barefooted and in worn out casual clothes, and occasionally they saw those who wore their traditional colorful clothes.
Many children played ball in the dirt streets and they were barefooted, but they looked happy and their laughter rang out and echoed throughout the poverty ridden streets of Seweto.
"Daddy why are those kids barefooted?" Stephan asked, as his father waited patiently for his son to exit the jeep. "And why are they wearing clothes with holes in them?"
"They are poor and hungry," the tourist guide said, as he wiped his sweaty bald head with his hand, "but look at them, they don't complain, they are happy kids that have learned to cope with their poverty."
Walking inside the little grocery store that had seen better days, the tourist guide said, "this little shack of a place has the best herbs and spices in the entire area, and by shopping here you are helping them to a better life."
For a second, Steven lost Stephan and alarmed he rushed outside only to find Steven playing ball with the other children.
"Stephan is fine no harm will come to him here," the tourist guide said, "this part of town is poor, but it's a safe neighborhood."
Steven quickly stacked up all the herbs and spices he thought Alice would appreciate and then placed five hundred dollars on the dirty counter. The store owners eyes popped open, but Steven smiled and walked away.
When he stepped outside he found Stephan sitting on a huge rock taking off his shoes. Walking swiftly to his side, Steven asked, "What are you doing!"
"I'm going to give my shoes to this little boy daddy, he has no shoes and the bottom of his feet are bleeding!"
Steven watched as Stephan handed the shoes to the little boy and the little boy blessed Steven with a wide, toothless smile, before he sat down on the dirt ground and slipped into the shoes. A hoard of children ran up for them and silently watched the little boy admiring his new shoes.
"Papa can you please give the children money so they too can buy shoes and not have to walk around barefooted?" Stephan begged, "please."
"There is a shoe store down the street, if you're inretested in buying shoes Mr. Colby."
All three of them walked down the street to the little shoe store, behind them followed a group of children silently praying that they would get a pair of shoes.
An hour later after each and every child in attendance wore a brand new pair of gym shoes, they headed back to their jeep. The entire group of children happily hugged Stephan and thanked him for their kindness.
In the drive back to their hotel room, Stephan felt compelled to say, "Thank you father, I'm so happy that the kids now have shoes! I also gave them my allowance, they looked hungry!"
Father?
Stephan had never called him father before, it was always papa or daddy, and Steven studied his son for a moment before he said, "Your welcome son."
Steven wouldn't be surprised if Stephan grew up to be a philanthropist, that thought pleased him, and he hoped and prayed that it was true.
"What's next boss, would you like to visit Morocco?" The tourist guide asked, knowing the longer they stayed in Africa the more money he would make. "
"I think I've had enough of Africa to last me a lifetime," Steven answered, "maybe we can go to Greece, the islands are superb this time of year."
**************
"You're going where?"
"To Greece mama!"
"How long do you plan on staying there," Abby asked, concern laced in her voice, "let me talk to your father!"
Stephan handed the iPhone to his father and Steven hesitated before he grabbed it and said, "Hello?"
"You never said anything about going to Africa and Greece!" Abby said accursedly, "you were supposed to go to Walt Disney and then..."
"I have him for the entire summer I can take him where I please." Steven said calmly.
"His school starts....."
"Not until the end of August and I shall have him back home by then."
"I don't know," Abby said, with a worried tone of voice, "he's too young to be traveling across the world."
"I will not allow anything to happen to him." He soaked in her beautiful voice and his hand tightened on the iPhone. "You can be assured that he is safe with me."
"I'll hold you to your word." She said, before she hung up the phone.
His eyes were closed and he allowed the image of her to fade away, before he turned to his son and smiled, "Are you ready to go to Greece son?"
Stephan nodded, "Yes father, I especially want o visit Sparta and Monevasia!"
Raising an eye brow Steven asked, "Sparta amd Monevasia?"
"Yes daddy, I don't care for the big cities I want to go to small villages and eat their traditional food and find out about their culture!"
Surprised, Steven asked, "How do you know about these places?"
"I read the book that you bought me on the plane daddy, and I'm most interested to also go see the ancient ruins, especially the Acropolis!" Stephan said excitedly, "did you know that Kolokotroni the super warrior from Sparti was the original warrior who took down a massive army of enemies with only three hundred warriors in his army? Remember the movie 300, it is based on the true story of Kolokotronis!"
Steven listened carefully to his son and was amazed, was his son a genius, he thought, "what else did you read Stephan?"
"I read how the shepherds in Greece make their milk and cheese, and how Peleponisos has the best Greek olives in the world, and do you know why daddy?"
Shaking his head, Steven said, "No why?"
"Because their farm land has red soil and that is the best soil in the world because it has the most vitamins and minerals in it, so when they make their oil it's acidity level is super low which makes their oil the best and healthiest in the world!"
Blown away, Steven kept quiet to see what else he could learn from his son.
"And did you know how they used to make their world famous wines before machines took over?" When Steven just stared speechless at his son, Stephan continued, "they collected the grapes and placed them in a room where they stepped on them with their bare feet and smash them to squeeze the juice out, and then they would throw a party and celebrate their accomplishments, but now machines have taken over and do the work for them."
**************
Jeff was sitting on the wooden floor and played with his daughter Lexi while Claire cooked dinner.
"Did I tell you that we are having visitors over for dinner today?" Claire called out from the kitchen.
"No you didn't, who's coming over?"
"Abby and Moss."
"What time are they coming I'm starving!" Jeff said, just as the door bell rang. Lifting himself to his feet he walked over to open the door. "Welcome."
Abby kissed Jeff on the cheek and walked past him to find Claire, and Jeff shook Moss's hand when he walked through the door.
"What smells so good?" Moss asked, as he handed a bottle of expensive wine to Jeff.
Raising an eyes brow, Jeff asked, as he eyed the bottle of wine, "Caymus Cabernet? Where the hell did you find such a treasure?"
"I have my ways." Moss smiled, "it's a secret."
"It's an eight hundred bottle of wine!" Jeff said, "why wouldn't you save it for a special occasion!"
"It is a special occasion!" Moss said, and his eyes gleamed with joy.
"What's the special occasion?" Jeff asked.
"Abby finally agreed to have my baby!" Moss beamed.
"That's wonderful man!" Jeff slapped Moss on his back, even though he knew very well that Abby was lying to her husband. He knew Abby well and she did not want to have anyone's baby unless it was Steven's. Poor shmuck, he thought, "come on let's open this baby and celebrate!"
****************
"What was that I just heard Moss tell Jeff?" Claire whispered, "you want to get pregnant?"
Abby kept silent and busied herself with cutting the salad.
"Why would you lie to him Abby, he is a good man and deserves the truth!" Claire whispered, "it would kill him if he found out the truth!"
"Please Claire I don't want to talk about it." Abby snapped.
Placing the wooden spoon on the plate, Claire walked up to Abby and whispered, "He is one of the best things that ever happened to you and I don't want you to fuck it up, and besides why would you want to hurt him!"
"It was not intentional," Abby wiped her tears, "he keeps begging me and I finally gave in."
"And you're going to have his baby?"
"I'm taking birth control pills and you know that!"!Abby hissed, "now leave me alone!"
Claire shook her head in disapproval, but chose to remain quiet for now not wanting to ruin the evening, but she promised herself that she would give Abby a piece of her mind soon when they were alone.
***************