The Betrayal In Mackinac Island

Chapter 3 The Real Test

Chapter 3 The Real Test

Jay's Thoughts

I get up and head to my office. It's about two am and I am wide awake. I guess the dream has taken a toll on me. I decide to be proactive to appease my curiosity to see if Ms. Perez has done what I asked. I don't understand why but I am excited to see if I am wrong. That has never happened...

When I open my computer I see file folders added to my desktop. One saying 'Urgent' another saying 'Semi-Urgent' and another saying 'Redundancy'. I smile at the last envelope and I decide it is time to get into my rental properties. Alicia pretty much destroyed my database and I don't know how far back she went.

My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. I yell out not meaning to "What!" Susana walks in and she doesn't seem to be intimidated "Sir your coffee and the reports for the work I did on all the receipts dated back to 2015 and just to be quite blunt with you Sir your accounts were way out of order and you actually owe on a few years for unpaid taxes on quite a few properties residential and commerical."

I hold the smile in and reply sternly "And your sure on this?" She looks at me and replies dead serious "Sir if you don't believe me then check the work you did the night before. Just a word of advice don't leave your notes on the papers you have me work on if your trying to test me. I am going out for a lunch break. Thank you for your time Sir have a great day." She walks out without another word.. I am shocked with the audacity of this woman.

I am still curious so I go through everything, because I didn't show up to be short on anything on my end.. Has the hours pass I go over and over and over again because she is right! I freaking owe from the time Alicia started here. What the f**k!

Just as I was going to call Leticia in she walks in with lunch in her hand. I say in an annoyed tone "Did I ask.." She interrupts me and says "As a matter of fact your stomach asked me, and to be quite honest with you; You don't eat.. Soo I think in order for me to stay employed I need to keep you nourished.. Now stop complaining and eat your grilled chicken salad it's very healthy."

She leaves the food on my desk along with a bottle of wine with a sticky note 'To relax Sir' I will be in my office just ring me if you need anything. My extension is 1000 and press the check mark.. Just in case if you don't know.'

I kinda get angry with her because of her act of bluntness, but I push that to the side and open the top of the container with my so-called salad... Like she knows what.. I am stopped with the delicious smell that comes out and when I look inside I see black bean with corn and chives. There is also shredded mozzarella cheese on top. My mouth started watering and my stomach started grumbling. I caved in and devoured the whole bowl.

When I take a drink of the wine she set out it went nicely with the salad and my stomach was gracious. I was about to call her and she walks in with a smile "Are you done Sir?" I nod my head and she comes in and grabs my container and utensils and tries to grab my wine glass and I immediately said "That will be all thank you. " She turns around and leaves. Okay she is smart now let's see if she is creative. I will give her a task with an outrageous deadline for lets say tomorrow evening. Let's she is she can handle that.

I buzz her in and she comes in with a bottled of Ozarka water "Yes sir how can I help?" I accept the water and reply "I have a project that I am about to be busy with over the next couple of weeks I will need you to handle all of my meetings and personnel and to collect rent. The daily deposits need to be deposited everyday.

Everything you need is here in my office, any major decision this is my personal cell text me. Do not call I will not answer."

She nods her head and I am pleased with her response. All the other employees just didn't understand me. This woman here definitely gets me. I say "Okay I will be back in a couple of days, your more than welcomed to stay here if you like."

Her wide eyes told me I stepped too far.. I quickly say "Or if not it's fine, I won't be here either way." Her smile really gets to me and I barely met her. How could someone make an impact on me in just one meeting? I leave hurriedly before I say or do something I may regret. I can feel her eyes on me and I fight with the urge to go back. I stayed strong and made it to the elevator to leave.

I get a text "Sir this is Susana, I just wanted to make sure you are reassured everything will be at tip top when you return. I hope everything goes well for you. Have a safe trip."

I decide to leave it at that and head to the beauty in Pennsylvania. I call Alexander and he is already heading there. I can only hope everything will still be standing when I get back. As my driver takes me through the beautiful city of Mackinac Island. This is the most serene part of my day to bask in the history that is embedded into this town.

I just love the red bricked road and the colors everywhere on the buildings and the murals that you can tell was painted from the eighteenth century. This is an old Victorian city and you could tell by the carriages they were used in the eighteen hundreds up to this day. It is late in the afternoon and how the sunset touches the earth is just breathtaking. I love how the oranges, blues, and purples mixed together I bask in this natural beauty. As I sit and stare out the window I start to think of the woman I lost. That stays with me either way.

I get a text "Everything is good here sir. I am leaving for the day."

I don't reply and for some reason I feel confident that this Ms. Perez is going to make a difference somehow. As I am going through the check ins at the airport I couldn't help but smile when she was curt with me earlier.. The woman makes sense I need to take care of myself. I haven't really cared for the last three years and I feel something growing inside but I shut it down. No one will take Justinas place in my heart or life. I will be a widower until I see Justina again in Heaven.

I fall asleep once we are in the air, and I dream of her oval shaped light brown eyes and luscious lips with that beautiful smile. When I wake I see we have landed and I was grateful. I got away from Susana and for some reason I seem to be upset about it. I brush it to the side, because I see Alexander's driver waiting holding a paper with my last name written on it. He is a short fellow but looks like he can handle his own.

He says "Hello Mr. Alexander?" I nod my head and he grabs my bags. We head to his car and we are off. When I look at the land that hasn't been touched by construction it takes my breathe away. The driver announced we would be arriving soon and Mr. Nguyen is waiting.

When I arrive it's about three am in the morning and I am wired. When Alexander sees me he smiles and I see my father in him. They were good friends for a good long while and they were inseparable. When my father passed Alexander kind of took me under his wing and helped me through Justinas death.

We exchange hugs and he shows me where I will be sleeping. I say "Alex I really am wide awake. I think I will walk down the street and look at the houses." He replies "I will take you on tour myself later after I have gotten to sleep."

I have learned not to argue with this man so I just nod my head and head to his man cave. He owns quite of few residences down the road. The only difference between me and him is I buy run down Victorian homes and fix them up. Depending on how much I spend on restoring the homes determines if I rent them out or flip them.

Either way I enjoy what I do. The feeling I get when I restore a home or hotel is indescribable. I just know it heeds the pain I carry in my heart everyday. That has been good enough for me the last few years. I sit on the sofa and turn on the TV. There isn't much on so I settle for a music channel that only plays Nirvana. I lay back and drift to my usual unsettling dreams. Good night Justina my love.