Ten
1975 Words
Jerome stared at the back of Fiona's dark shoulder length hair with hard eyes, wishing her head would pop like a water balloon with his glare but reality did otherwise. It didn't pop.
He sighed. "Don't worry about them anymore. I won't be hearing from them in a while. I mean, it was so easy for them to get over their lives and live happily but I've been fooled all this time. I feel disgusted."
Jerome almost jumped out of his skin when he felt Fiona's cold touch on his thigh and gaze on his face. He looked away from her penetrating blue eyes and filled his head with thoughts of finding what to eat instead of trying to murder the woman sitting in front of him on the loveseat.
"I'm sorry it had to be this way, Jerome. I didn't want this to happen. I really wanted to meet you and know what you wanted since you had the right," she said and missed the twitch of Jerome's lips.
If only killing someone was so easy as lying. You would've been dead since the time I found out the truth, he thought and reluctantly shifted closer to her. He took her hand in his his and faked a smile.
"I know you must've felt so down with the whole break up and then the baby issue," Jerome stated and let go of her hand to cover his face.
In all honesty, his heart was heavy with the thought of still losing another child. Once in a while, he would zone out with Lex in his arms and think of what would have happened if he had not beaten up Ciara but would discard such thought when he would see how happy Ciara and her family were.
"Are you okay?" Fiona asked him and he nodded. "Have you had anything to eat expect drinking?"
"I'm not hungry and maybe you should go home," he said in a friendly tone then stood up from the seat.
He stared down at her, waiting for a response but got none. The man shrugged and was about to walk away when she held his wrist.
He frowned. "What's the meaning of this?"
"Oh, sorry."
"Listen, just because I am being nice to you does not mean that I haven't forgotten what you did to Ciara and Mason even though they killed my baby. So, don't get too comfortable around me," he warned and she took her hand away then stood up with a sad look which Jerome knew was fake.
"I know you wouldn't care or believe me but I," she paused to make a brief eye contact with the tall man. "But I really need a place to pass tonight. I'm still looking for a house and with my record and the way the news flew a year ago, people really don't get comfortable around me."
Jerome raked his eyes from her face down to her legs then did the same thing backwards. He looked away and shook his head incredulously at her next plan.
If she stays the night, she might turn this into days. Since she said she's house hunting. This is incredible, Fiona. The card you just played is just perfect but I've got a higher one, he thought and smiled to himself before turning his gaze back to the hopeful looking woman.
He dragged a sigh and rubbed his face in exasperation.
"Okay," he replied and cringed inwardly when she beamed and made a movement to hug him but he raised his hand to stop her. "Don't."
With that, he left her presence and climbed the steps leading to his room. Once he got to the lit hallway, he looked down at his phone and sighed.
"I have to be careful with the way I contact Nora," he whispered and shoved the device into his pocket.
•••
Nora absentmindedly washed the ceramic plate in her hand with the soap lathered sponge. She was so deep into her thoughts that she did not see Harry walk into the kitchen and flickered his fingers in front of her.
"Babe," he said but she only furrowed her brows. He bit his lip and shook her shoulders, which made her drop the plate into the sink but fortunately it did not break.
"What?" She asked calmly and looked over hee boyfriend's shoulder when Elizabeth walked in with a cup of tea.
"Everything okay here?" She asked and sipped from the cup.
"Yes."
"No."
Elizabeth blinked. "Uh, I'll take that as a no then."
Harry waved his hand at Nora who gave him a glare in response. He smiled at her then looked back at his friend who was still waiting.
"I came in here, and found her lost in thought," he replied.
"Oh, really?" Elizabeth asked and gazed at Nora in contemplation. "What's gotten into you, Nora? Don't tell me it's because of Jerome. You know that how he feels is justified. We shouldn't have hidden the truth from him."
"What truth? Oh, you mean the lie?" Nora asked, almost raising her voice at the end.
"Keep your voice down, Lex just slept and is in the living room," Harry said, nudging her in the arm. "And what Elizabeth just said is true. We should have told him but we only hid the truth because we didn't want to make Jerome relapse and right now, Fiona is taking advantage of his vulnerability and the concern we had for him."
Elizabeth dropped her cup on the table in the middle of the large kitchen and walked up to Nora who's lips were bent in sadness. She held both her arms and squeezed them softly.
"I know you care and love him, because he's your best friend but we know that sooner or later, Jerome will come to us to know the actual truth," Elizabeth stated in a calm tone and ignored the way Harry had rolled his eyes at her words.
It wasn't a thing of ignorance when it came to Harry not fully liking the relationship between his girlfriend and Jerome. It was natural to him to feel that way. No one liked it when the male and female gender were best friends and also had romantic partners. It never sits well with their partners.
"I know but this is Fiona we are talking about," she said and looked up at Harry who offered her a smile.
The red haired woman faced her blonde haired boyfriend and wrapped her arms around him for comfort which was granted the moment Harry wrapped his muscular arms around her petite waist.
"This is like a nightmare to me," Nora said against his thumping chest. "I wish all these can stop."
Elizabeth smiled ruefully and patted her back.
•••
Mason turned off the running shower and placed his wet forehand against the warm tiled wall of the cubicle. He kept his lips apart as he breathed silently while letting his skin enjoy the warmth of the water moving down his skin.
He moved back from the wall and touched his jaw tentatively then hissed at the throbbing pain. He had not only suffered pain from the punch from Jerome but embarrassment when some of his staffs had come to witness what happened.
"I wish you were in the wrong, Jerome. I would have beat your ass back to its senses," he muttered and turned around then opened the glass door of the shower cubicle.
Mason stepped out and put his wet feet into his rubber slides then took one of the white towels folded on its platform by the ceramic sink by him. He began to wipe his body dry while staring at his reflection in the mirror.
The door opened and Ciara walked in and gave him a smile which he read as fake. He sighed with a roll of his eyes then dragged her into his naked body. He did not miss the blush that made its way on her cheek and neck and he found himself smiling at her embarrassment.
"I don't like it when you feel sad," he whispered and placed his cold hand on her warm cheek. "It doesn't suit you and you shouldn't be down because we all know how sensible Jerome is. He'll come back to us when he's anger is manageable."
Ciara stared at his sculptured chest then traced her eyes up to his taut broad shoulders to his parted pink lips. She raised her arms and wrapped them around his slightly wet hard body and sighed.
"I'm just scared right now. I can't tell what Fiona wants from us. I'm scared for Lex and I'm scared for you," she said in a broken voice.
Mason frowned and looked down at his partner's black hair then held her away from his naked body at a few inches. He took in her furrowed brows, her tear brimmed green eyes and her bottom lip that was between her white teeth.
"No, don't be," he whispered. "I won't let her do anything to us, please believe that. I am ready to die to make sure that Fiona doesn't harm a hair on your body or our son."
Ciara sniffled. "I know, Mason but I am really scared of what she's up to. Why would she be out so soon after whoever it was bailed her out? Why are all these threats appearing all of a sudden and why does Lex have to be in our lives right now to experience all of these? Plus what she said to Jerome after meeting me and saying she wants forgiveness."
Mason found himself tongue-tied when uncontrollably tears rolled down her cheeks. He raised his shaking hands to her face and held them softly, feeling his own tears threatening to spill. He kissed her forehead and pulled her into his arms.
"Everything is going to be okay," he said against her forehead then lifted her head up to his and leaned down to kiss her lips briefly with passion and reassurance. "I love you."
"I love you too," she said over his lips.
"Let's go rest, we have tomorrow to worry about," Mason stated and took a bathrobe off the hook beside her.
•••
Nora looked around the bedroom she would be sharing with Harry for any signs of the said man. When she was sure he was nowhere close, she rushed to the balcony overlooking their bed and shut the doors quietly.
Her green eyes darted around the dim and airy surrounding before she sat down on the wooden and cushioned bench beside her.
"I hope your plan hasn't failed," she muttered and unlocked her phone then texted Jerome.
Me: Are you okay, Jerome?
You haven't spoken to me
since I left the house.
She locked her screen and looked over at the transparent glass door for any signs of Harry and exhaled when she got none but got a reply from Jerome.
Jerome: Hey, why are you doing awake? It's really late. I hope
You aren't staying up because
Of me?
Nora scoffed at his response and tapped her keyboard then began to reply.
Me: Everyone is bloody worried
about you, i***t. And I am
even more worried because
of this stupid plan of yours.
Jerome, please quit. I have
a really bad feeling.
After sending her reply, she glanced over at the glass doors then the other houses around the area. Instantly, her phone vibrated.
Jerome: Stop it, Nora. Don't
make me cut you off
From this plan. Now get to bed.
Nora hissed at this response and locked the screen of her phone aggressively.
"Calm down," said Harry.
Nora jumped up to her feet and stared at her shirtless boyfriend with wide eyes. She immediately masked it with a blank look when his eyes flickered between her phone and her face.
"Who were you texting with so many emotions across your face?" He asked with a frown.
Nora walked up to him, kissed his lips and smiled softly.
"I was just going through some annoying emails from work. I'll go sleep now. Good night, Harry," she said and brushed past him to their room.
"That's strange, she doesn't use that phone for emails. She always uses a laptop," he said under his breath.
- Writer
