What did Curtis mean, 'life isn't all it appears to be', was it some abstract way of letting him know he suspects something about Anya and himself? He forgot to tell Anya that Curtis was on his way right now. It didn't bear thinking about. Jake decided rightly, or wrongly he would confront the question at the time if it ever came to that. Anyway, what was he getting so wound up about? It's not as if they'd done anything wrong. If only Curtis knew why Jake was doing it in the first place, he would thank him for it.
Jake couldn't stay still for long, he paced up and down, reconciling various scenarios that played on his mind. He looked out of the window, but couldn't see any signs of them.
Anyway, Jake my lad, the reason you're dreaming these imaginary scenes up in the first place is down to your God damn, guilty conscience. Curtis could have been referring to any number of reasons.
He ground his palms together. They were clammy with perspiration. He obsessed with these thoughts. He needed a distraction, not that he was short of those at the moment.
He wondered what Merc was up to right now? No! Thinking about that wasn't going to distract him too much. She's probably having a high old time with her friend. It'll do him good, having a rest from her. Anyway, they're girls together, what more can you say?
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
"You're where?" said Anya speaking on her cell for the second time. "I thought you told me you weren't coming up?"
"Well, Liz and I were sat, twiddling our thumbs, getting pretty bored, and I said, 'Liz, my old fruit, why don't we head on over and see how our good friend Anya is managing our investment. You never know, she just might need our help along the way, so here we are!"
"Okay," said Anya looking over her shoulder as she walked through the grounds. "I'll meet you at the bottom of the driveway, but please, don't come up, otherwise, our cover will be blown."
"Oh, and I was so looking forward to seeing Jakey boy again. Tell me, is he behaving himself?"
Anya heard giggles at the other end. "Sure, but I'll tell you all about it when I get down."
"You don't understand," said Anya leaning against the granite entrance of the driveway. "This isn't a game. You run the risk of being seen; you should go."
"But we've only just arrived," replied Mercedes.
"Nothing is what it seems anymore. You're best out of it. Don't worry, if everything goes according to plan, you'll get your money."
"What's that supposed to mean, 'nothing is what it seems anymore'?" asked Liz.
"Come on," said Anya ushering them back to their car. "I'll explain later, for now, I need you to get away from here, let's head downtown. I'll tell you there."
Anya climbed in the front. Liz drove, making her way down to Highway 101, eventually taking a left onto State Street. They found a cafe, parked up, and sat themselves down outside in the early morning sunshine.
"Let's get one thing clear," said Anya, looking across at them both, "this is a business arrangement, and although it helps, it isn't mandatory that we have to like each other."
"Well, this has been two years in the making, and I wouldn't want to throw it all away because one of us was having a temper tantrum," replied Liz sarcastically.
"I understand. There's no excuse for any of us to lose our cool, as long as we're clear who's ultimately calling the shots and paying," added Anya.
"... and, I'd like to add that we don't forget who's boyfriend holds all of the aces," retorted Mercedes.
"As if we're ever allowed to," quipped Liz uncomfortable.
"Hey, that's unfair," and Mercedes grabbed Liz's hand, bringing it up to her lips, kissing it. They continued to hold each other under the table.
Anya watched them intently; her mouth slightly agape. "Are you two...?"
"... had been before I'd met Jake," responded Mercedes.
"But that's over..."
"...two years, I know. I couldn't believe my luck at the time, here was a journalist hitting on me, so I decided to play along at first, but when Liz told me about your plan, it happened I had the perfect candidate, didn't l? If I was unsure of my predilection for women then, my time with Jake has confirmed it. Couldn't wait to get down here. It's been too long," she said, kissing Liz affectionately on the cheek. "Definitely, won't be going back, whatever happens."
"Does Jake know about this?"
"God no! That would dent his ego."
"All-the-same, I think you should tell him."
"I don't know that would be a good idea at this stage," cut in Liz. "There's no knowing how he'd respond, and we've got to keep him on-side, we'd prefer a sense of normality for now. Normality equals predictability, at least, let's aim to keep it that way until the job gets done."
Mercedes nodded, "which leads us to the matter of you keeping him sweet if you know what I mean," she said winking.
Anya went red. Mercedes and Liz looked at each other in a knowing way. "Ah, I can see, you already know what I mean. Maybe you've already taken him for a spin around the block," she mused. "I hope you weren't too disappointed."
Anya sat up. "Look," she remarked, agitated. "Let's get one thing straight, there is no way I'm going to compromise the relationship with my husband," she lied, "However much the alternative may cost me. So you'd better come up with another way to keep Jake 'sweet' as you call it, or it's going to cost you dearly as well. I'll get a taxi back, sorry you've had a wasted journey."
She stood up to leave, and Liz immediately got up knocking over her chair in the process, but catching Anya's arm in time. Other people who sat close by turned to look at what all the commotion was. "I apologise for my partner; she didn't mean what she said. Let's not part on unfriendly terms, let's all just calm down," she said, staring at Mercedes in an accusatory way.
"Alright, but I haven't got much time; otherwise, Curtis and Jake will grow suspicious. So say what you have to say."
"Just tell us, what did you mean when you said, 'nothing is what it seems anymore'?"
Anya didn't reply straight away. She gave it some thought. "Both of you have made certain decisions which alter everything from this point on. It's not every day that two women fall in love, and you've brought that relationship into the equation. I'm just saying that it's an additional aspect that we need to consider, do you follow?
Let me know what alternatives for dealing with Jake you come up with," added Anya as she got up to leave again. She hailed a taxi from the kerb and said her goodbyes.
In the cab, she reflected on the events of that morning and what they now meant as the car made its way through the morning traffic. What she did realise was that she had an unfettered, free reign on proceedings, and that was quite liberating. She hadn't felt like this since those days in Columbia in her early courtship with Curtis. Most of the time now though she felt either lonely or burdened in some way. Playing this deception was quite exciting. It reminded her that life could be fun. She didn't need to be alone anymore.
She missed Columbia, and the youthful vigour she felt in that university town. The energy of the place, the historical columns, Saint Stephens Park lake, the freezing winters, and hot, sweltering summers. That's what she missed most of all. You don't get those extremes here, everything is just so, everything is always beautiful; the sun always shines every single day. Same constant temperatures, same length of days, same nights, same everything. Your senses became numb. Intensity is good, contrast is good, at least, it would give you something to talk about, if that is, you had a neighbour.
That's why she liked Jake, despite what Mercedes and Liz thought. He made her feel alive, wanted, heard. She didn't realise how much she'd missed it until she had it. She laughed at the thought, but she felt sad all the same.
The taxi pulled into the drive, and she asked him to stop at the entrance. She didn't want the risk of being seen, it would only raise more questions from the already doubtful mind of Curtis, and left the driver a tip. She walked back through the grounds meeting Curtis halfway. "I was beginning to think I'd lost you," he exclaimed.
You lost me five years ago, thought Anya. "I was just out walking, getting some air."
"I feel excited," he said enthusiastically. "I think it's having Jake around that's done it. He has a different way of looking at things, it's quite refreshing, don't you think?"
"Yes, I do," she said smiling to herself, "but you two have had more to talk about, and you've needed it, I think... we've both needed it, in a way," she said spontaneously.
"I want to postpone going away for a second honeymoon until all this publicity stuff has been cleared up if that's okay with you."
"If you're talking about the Bilderberg fiasco, I agree. We'll be in a better frame of mind once this is sorted."
He stopped walking, searching her eyes. "I'm glad you do. In some ways, this weekend has saved our marriage."
This announcement completely caught Anya unawares. "What do you mean, saved our marriage?"
"Oh surely you couldn't have failed to have noticed Anya; we've not been getting on for a while now. This weekend, in particular, all that 'going behind my back' and the deceitful activity. I can't believe you didn't realise it."
"Well, yes; of course, I realised it; I just thought you hadn't noticed yourself."
"These are just some of the ways I think Jake has inadvertently helped us, and that's one of the reasons I want him to do this article and get it published. Bilderberg be damned."
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Curtis wasn't as totally unaware, or as thick skinned as she'd thought, and having Jake around was giving greater momentum to the very thing she was trying to prevent! It was all too much for Anya; her head was spinning.
Maybe she would have to ask Jake to leave sooner than she would like, but there were so many advantages to having him around. Not least of which she just enjoyed his company, and what he represented, the unfettered freedom, and the feelings she felt when he paid her some attention. To sum it all up, the passion he stirred within her, represented that youthful vigour she'd missed for so long. Jake didn't just turn away and ignore her, or smother her with kindness as Curtis did. He challenged her, spoke his mind, let her know how he felt, where she stood. When she sensed this in him, she felt energised and alive. She had to do everything in her power to restrain herself from ripping his clothes off, and making frantic love to him right there and then. She hadn't acknowledged until now; this frustration had built up like the wall of a dam denying the very emotions she'd needed to give vent to. Jake coming along, had acted as a release valve, quenching her thirst.
She thought about their plans, their shared promise, and the informal betrothal.
As they walked back to the house, she looked across at Curtis. For all his annoying habits, and the times he could be insensitive, he did have a heart of gold. In a way, having Jake around made her feel closer to Curtis, and not the other way around as she'd first thought. It was a perfect, imperfect combination in so many ways.
As they drew nearer, the sound of New Order singing, 'Love Will Tear Us Apart (Again)', was coming from the sitting room. Very appropriate, thought Anya.
Curtis went to the bathroom, and she found Jake sitting humming the tune with his back to the door. She crept up behind and covered his eyes with her hands.
He pulled her hands down, holding them, turned, looked behind. Confirming they were alone, he smiled, and brought her hands to his lips and kissed her fingers and palms, sending a thrill coursing her body.
He looked sad; she wanted to hold him, remembering the confession of Mercedes and Liz. She selfishly wanted to tell him so that she could have exclusivity, but, in reality, knew it would never work; she would be too burdened with guilt. Disappointed she pulled away, and walked around the sofa and sat down beside him. "Will love tear you apart Jake?"
"Deception will," he replied.
She looked down at her lap. "Can any of us truly deny what we feel?" She said looking up. "I just wonder whether it's what you represent, or whether it's you that I'm drawn to."
"So, you do have feelings toward me," he questioned. "I thought it might have been a clever ruse to shake me off the scent."
She shook her head. "Both Curtis and I appreciate what you have given us this weekend, but I no longer want to ... No, I simply can't deny my feelings any longer."
"Have you spoken to Curtis about this?"
"Don't be silly; of course, not. I don't know whether I'm giving vent to my fantasies and the potential of what you represent, or whether I'm attracted to you anyway if you see what I mean. I don't want to go upsetting him for no good reason."
Jake knew this much, once again he was confused. He initially thought she was setting out to deceive him, so stupidly played along, but now it turns out she genuinely does have feelings toward him. Nevertheless, he felt things were happening too quick and decided to take a step back while he still could. "Anya, I like you ... a lot, but ... I've got a significant other half to consider, and I don't want to create an upset."
Just at that moment Curtis came into the room and Jake felt relief; the tension was palpable. Curtis seemed to sense which made Jake think he'd picked up on it as well. Fortunately, the sun reappeared from behind a cloud which seemed to lift the atmosphere in the room. If Curtis's thoughts were preoccupied with uncomfortable feelings before, they weren't now.
Jake was backed into a corner of his self-doing. He got up and walked over to the window. He felt suffocated and needed to go outside and get some air. He excused himself and left the house to think.
Anya watched from the window as he walked down amongst the trees deep in thought. Curtis studied her thoughtfully, from the far side of the room. At that moment, he knew he'd lost her.