Chapter 23
I found Adam in his office. I didn't bother knocking I just shut the door behind me and walked over to him. I sat on the edge of his desk with my legs slightly parted. He sat in his desk chair. For a few moments we sat it silences.
"Well? What was that about?" I asked.
He turned and faced me," Welcome to the family, I think we all asked that with him."
"I think he's trying in a way to be a good Dad. He just has an emotionally scarring and messed up way of doing it".
He smiled and stood in between my legs and leaned on his knuckles to get closer to me.
"Don't waste your time trying to see good in him. He's a fraction of who he use to be. Now he's just a bitter old man who's a burden to everyone he comes in contact with. I have no idea how my mother can put up with him after 47 years you would think she would leave."
What happened here?
I put my hands on his shoulders and said," Your a good man. You know that?"
Chucking he said,"You have no idea the type of person I am".
"I see your actions. How you treat your family- Brandon, Michael, Kairi, Celine, me. You do right by people who deserve it. Even now, when your pissed at Rodger you still haven't thrown him out on the streets. A real man handles his business and doesn't do the easiest thing. So lets hear you say it. Who's the man?" I pulled him even closer and started to move my hip up and down his. He was hard.
"You're playing a dangerous game, love."
"Good" I lustfully.
He kissed me deeply his mouth searching and sucking mines he started to grind against my sex and I matched his paced. Slow as first letting the friction between our bodies and build. I felt how hard he was and that only turned me on more. I ran my hand down his body and felt every curve and dip. "Say it" I said with a heavy breath. I was panting as he ran his finger threw my hair letting him kiss me at new angles. He all but ripped my nightgown off and tossed it to the floor. He moved his hips faster. Every nerve in my body was alive. "I am" he said roughly.
There was a knock at the door. Still kissing me he said,"What!"
"It's me sweetie", Celine voice came through the door "Can I come in"
Fucking great.
Catching my breath I hopped off the desk and started looking for my nightgown. Adam held it out for me and said,"We are nowhere near finish here."
Smiling I walked over to the couch and he opened the door. Celine came in with a sad smile and said to Adam, "Don't let him get you upset"she held her hand to his cheek. He pulled back.
Hiding her disappointment she walked farer into the office and saw me. "Great your both here, we can start planning".
She held up a binder thicker than any textbook I never had,"Shall we begin?"
"Ummm Mom I have work, but Jen knows what we want. So, I'm going to leave you two to it".
Just then Kairi came into the room "Your getting married! Why didn't you tell me! I want to be the flower girl."She came and sat hard on my lap.
"I'll leave you guys to it. Love, give me the quick note version tonight at dinner I'll be back around seven". Adam came over and kissed me passionately, but I broke the kiss ultimately not liking the PDA in front of his mom.
"See you tonight", I said and with that he turned and walked out of his office.
Celine, Kairi and I spent the rest of the day planning the wedding. Celine decided the guest list would be 300 people, only 75 would be at the actual wedding. She gushed over all the possibilities for the venue, but she decided to go with the Château de Challain-la-Potherie.
Never heard of it.
I really didn't have to do anything just agree with whatever Celine said. Every little possible thing she thought of , from the dresses, to photos and color schemes and more. We planned for nine hours, then Celine was finally satisfied.
"This is wonderful, so much easier than expected. The day after Christmas and you'll officially be Mrs. Caffery. I'll have the dressmakers come by tomorrow to get your measurements and show you some samples for dresses."
"For me too?" Kairi said.
"Of course!"
Satisfied with her days work Celine turned and walked out the door leaving me and Kairi. "The weddings going to be like my fairly tale book".
"Yup" and I gave her a weak smile.
I looked over to the clock 5:13.
"Hey, do you want to help me get ready for uumm umm..."
"Your date!?" Kairi said excited.
"Ya, we're going to call it that."
"Yes!"
She hopped off my lap and ran to my room and I followed behind her. When we reached the room I saw someone had cleaned here.
"Come on!" Kairi shouted from a room I hadn't looked in.
Nice wall in closet.
All of my purchases from yesterday were hung neatly together. I found Kairi in the back standing in front of a three mirror on a platform holding some very sexy lingerie. I didn't buy that and there's no way I bought that at home. "This, this, wear this!"
Shocked and embarrassed I came up with an excuse, "I think it's a little cold outside for that don't you?"
"O right, then this one!" She pulled the red dress out shaking it. Yesterday felt so long ago, I had forgotten about it. I decided why not? Kairi was loving playing real dress up, for child she did a really good job of picking items out. She picked the red dress, a black pair of heels, a bracelet and long earrings . Diamonds no doubt. I decided to go with big Southern curls and a thick lose French braid to act as a headband for my hair and a bold red lip for makeup. Kairi watch me intensely, "You look like a princess."
Smiling at her I said, "Only because of your help!"
We heard a knock at the door and walked out to see Brandon standing at the door.
"Have you seen a little munchkin running around here?"
I sidestepped and let Kairi go to her Dad. "You causing trouble?" Brandon said playfully picking her up.
"No, I helped plan the wedding and we played real dress up"
Brandon turned his head and said,"You look nice. Going out?"
Kairi interrupted and said,"Uncle Adam asked her on a date. He didn't ask right though ".
We both ignore that comment, "Thanks for watching her today."
"No problem, it didn't even feel like babysitting". And then I had a wild thought,"You know if Cecilia ever wants a day off or doesn't work out I can watch Kairi I don't have much going on, free of charge".
"Really? That would work perfectly seeing as Cecilia just quit. She couldn't handle yesterday's excitement."
I feel you, Cecilia.
"So do I have the job? I have a clean background and references if you like?"
"If you don't mind it, it would help me out; not having to go searching again. It's just watching her until I get done with work I'm in the South part of the astate over the hill in the back."
So there's more house I haven't seen.
"And I'm here everyday"
"I'll drop her off tomorrow around 7am?"
"Yes! I never get the cool nannies" Kairi exploded.
"Sure. You don't live here?"
"No, we live next door. Michael lives here".
And beats off here.
Looking at Kairi, Brandon said, "Ready to go?"
"No, I want to stay" Kairi said pouting.
"To bad, its time to go" Carrying her out of the room. I heard them talking down the hallway
"Five more minutes?" Kairi asked.
"No"
"Three more minutes?"
"No".
"One more minute?"
"No".
I returned back to my room and waited.
6:45. Adam said 7ish.
I laid back on my bed. Then I remembered the tablet. I went to the table and got it to find it had a password lock. I tried the numbers Adam told me remember to unlock the doors.
It worked.
Hackerman
I when to Facebook and logged in. Nate was online and had sent me 15 messages. I didn't open them, but I wanted to; I could only read the first couple of words of the messages.
Hey
Yo where u at?
Is everything ok?
Hey
Ok I'm officially worried give me a call...
Jen?? Are you ghosting...
O Nate, I wish we could talk. I was probably going to get in trouble just for having the tablet. I closed Facebook and opened YouTube I watched a Jacksflims YIAY video to past the time. After watching a couple more videos I decided to go downstairs.
I saw Thomas at the bottom of the stairs and wave hello. "Ready to go, ma'am?"
"Yup, lets do this!"
"Mr. Caffrey was delayed, he'll meet you at the restaurant. Shall we go through the basement?" My heart picked up. I didn't want to go through the basement. I didn't move. "Ma'am?"
Turned and walked back up the stairs.
I thought back to the letter run, run, run. If I go outside I could be killed.
"Ma'am? Is everything ok?"
Click, click,click.
That sound played over and over in my head.
"I can't go", I said over my shoulder.
"Should I tell them to wait or..." I was too far out of earshot to hear the rest.
Click,click, click.
I started to remember my dream this morning. I ran back to my room passing Rodger who tried to say something to me, but I was on a mission to get back to safety.
Click, click.
It's my heels my heels that are scaring me! I kick them off, grabbed the gun off of my nightstand and crawled underneath my desk.
I'm okay, I'm okay just having a panic attack.
It will pass.
I took some deep breaths trying to calm myself. It didn't work I ended up hyperventilating in the fetal position on the floor the carpet was soft on my cheek.
"What's this?" Rodger bent down. He came and sat by me under the table. "Try to breathe in for seven seconds, hold for two seconds, then breathe out for nine seconds."
I did and some of the urgency left my body. I did that five more times and felt my body return to normal. I sat up and looked at him.
"Better?" Rodger asked.
"A little, embarrassed a lot".
"Don't be, happens to the best of us" He stated.
"To you?"
"Everyday, damn near. Never been the same after Vietnam. You learn to live with it."
I don't like that answer
"Was is the cellar?" Rodger asked.
"Yes, and the sound of heels. Keeps playing over in my head."
"Then ditch the fucking heels"
I pointed to the corner.
"Sliske is going to kill me. If I leave the house I'm a open target"
"That cunt has been making threats to this family even when I was in charge. He wrote one of his letters to my boy. Michael was five."
"What did you do about it?" Really curious.
"I sent him his wife's wedding ring with the her middle finger. Thankfully, Michael couldn't read."
"Jesus Christ!"
"Yeah it's Tit for Tat, in this world. I don't know what Adam's goin' do but the message will have to be clear."
He stood up and offered me his hand and," Now you're all dolled up, ready to go out. Go, we have some of the best security in the world. Nothin's goin' to happen to you."
"Ok" I said a little apprehensively. I went in my closet and put on a pair of flats. I decided if I was going out I was going to be prepared this time. I grabbed a purse and put the gun in my bag. Rodger saw me and gave me nod then and he walked me to the front door. Thomas was still waiting for me.
"Better, ma'am?" Thomas asked with worry in his eyes.
"Yeah, just forgot some minor details makeup and all".
He started again to lead me to the basement when Rodger said," What kinda fucking operation makes a lady leave through the back. Nah, nah, nah bring the car around front."
"Yes sir", Thomas quickly walkie-talkie "Come around front".
Rodger helped me with my coat as we waited for the car to pull around. I turned to Rodger and said, "What happened between you and Adam? You just walked me through a panic attack so you can't be all bad".
"I am, I'm not going to lie. I've been alive a long time. I've done plenty of shit I'm not proud of. To make a long story short I wasn't the greatest dad or husband when the boys were little."
"It's never too late to start again, you still got air in your lungs".
"Are you religious?"
"Why do you think I cheer for Notre Dame? Catholic born and raised. Why?"
"You know the big man upstairs got a sense of humor ? This is my punishment watching my kids hate me everyday. Listening to Celine worry that she'll never see her grandkids. Because they'll cut us off".
"If Adam and I have kids, I won't let that happen."
"Thank you", he said with a small smile. The cars finally came around. I got into the middle black SUV and Rodger shut the door behind me. I heard him say have fun through the glass. Then we took off into the night.