7.
The advantage of living in such a high effluent and luxurious apartment building was that the Bale family had protection from the fanatical media. Not so in the public arena.
Jonathan pulled into the parking lot of the church he and his family attended and simultaneously was assaulted by a mass of journalist clambering onto his car, running with it until he brought it to a stop in a parking bay. The family usually adored the journalist’s attention, but not today for obvious reasons.
People that had already arrived for the morning service helped to get Jonathan and his family into the building, fighting and pushing away the cameras that callously got shoved into their faces.
The Bale family slightly traumatized sat in their regular seats waiting for the church service to begin while their friends and other members comforted them, especially the children.
The journalists crowded the back of the auditorium, their cameras set up waiting, hoping for a scoop.
Jonathan, knowing that the scandal-starved journalists would not leave, got up and went to the back of the stage to speak with the leader (pastor) of the church.
The cameras went frantic.
He returned to his seat and spoke earnestly in Cassia’s ear.
The cameras went frantic.
The pastor stood in front of the auditorium behind his pulpit. He raised his hands toward the journalists ‘Before we begin service today; I have an announcement. Since we have been overrun this morning by these journalists, Jonathan Bale will give a statement to them. And then I asked you all please to put away your cameras and enjoy the rest of the service.’ The journalists murmured and grinned in sensational hunger, nodding their approval to the pastor. The people seated in their pews had all turned around to look at the journalists and then swung around again back to face the pastor.
It was moments later when Jonathan stood up to a loud clicking of camera shutters, people’s low-toned voices and applause. What the applause was for no one knew but some felt it was justified.
He stood behind the pulpit without shame or anxiety - this was his talent; he played with an audience every week it was only the setting that was different.
‘Pastor Mike, members of the congregation, press thank you for affording me this opportunity to repent and to hear my apologies. Yesterday I behaved wickedly. I am ashamed at the way I reacted to the incident, I can only pray that Alex will truly forgive me and so will you all. That includes those of you watching on the TV. I cannot make an excuse for why I reacted the way I did. I simply don’t have one, when I realized what I was saying it was obviously too late. Clearly this is not a behaviour we are trying to instill in our children and the future generation, so I beg of you, please do not use that outburst as true guidance but to rather listen to my apology and learn from my experience. I ask God to please forgive me. Please forgive the harm I have caused and I ask God that people will not do as I did ever in their life.
May I also ask the journalist to now, please turn off your cameras and remain for the rest of the service?’
His words were, so sugar coated they melted in his mouth, he even shed a few tears that crawled into everyone’s sympathetic hearts. Meekly he sat down next to Cassia after embracing Pastor Mike in a sobering hug. Cassia linked her arm through his and rested her head, crying, into his neck with such affection every person watching felt the tears she shed with their own.
The journalist switched off their cameras and left the building – the front page scoop was all that interested them, certainly not meaningless words from a pastor.
After the service Jonathan suggested they take a drive out to the country, to get away from the madness for awhile. Surprised Cassia agreed, it would do them all good to have a change of scenery.
He drove their Mercedes S-class sedan out of the city, and immediately the stillness of the outer city limits relinquished the tension in the interior of the car. Willow and Zayn started watching a movie on their TV screens with the earphones on. Jonathan and Cassia sat in silence for several kilometers.
Way into their journey through the countryside Cassia broke the silence ‘Any idea where we are going?’
Jonathan shrugged his shoulders ‘Let’s just see where we land up. It’s been a long time since we’ve even ventured outside of the city.’
They smiled at each other Jonathan reached out to hold Cassia’s hand that she’d willingly offered.
After an hour and a half of driving through luscious green forests and farmlands, hardly speaking but rather listening to their favourite music played just loud enough for them to hear and appreciate Jonathan ushered his family into a country hotel on the outskirts of Ceres.
While Jonathan reserved a table for him and his family for lunch in the posh A-La-Carte restaurant, Cassia took the children to the bathroom.
‘Uhm, Mr. Bale, so that wouldn’t be the TV Mr. Bale now would it?’ The concierge asked with a glimmer of hope and adoration in her eyes.
‘If I say yes, you will not call the press I hope. Sure had enough of them this week.’ He smiled his charming grin, flashing his perfect white expensive teeth.
‘Only if I can have a photo with you, I love your shows.’ She flirted.
‘Okay that we can arrange. You have a camera or phone.’
She whipped out her cell phone got to the camera app in a flash and stood next to Jonathan, her arm around his waist smiling in the pose for a selfie. Jonathan put his arm around her waist, his hand touched the front of her tummy as her waist was so tiny. As he bent down to her side to fit in the photo, her perfume whiffed up his nostrils. Immediately he felt aroused.
‘So you going to send me the photo?’ He asked watching her delight as she excitedly checked that the photo was perfect. It undoubtedly was her next Facebook profile picture within the next few seconds.
‘Really?’ she asked surprised.
‘Yes sure, here is my number.’
‘Myra could hardly believe her luck – having a photo with the famous and gorgeous Jonathan Bale and getting his phone number too.
Cassia rejoined them with the children and ushered to their table on the patio overlooking the vast vineyards and majestic mountains.
‘This is our most private table only offered to honoured guests.’ She proudly stated with the warmth of a professional host.
‘And we are most honoured. Thank you.’ Jonathan replied in slick response.
They weren’t seated for long when his phone buzzed. ‘I thought you were going to switch it off today?’ Cassia asked a little disappointed.
‘I am.’ He pretended to switch it off. Instead, he only turned down the volume and observed as his beautiful model of a wife immediately released the frown creasing her emerald green eyes. He looked at her, leant over and kissed her ever so tenderly ‘I love you.’ He whispered stroking the back of his forefinger down her porcelain cheek.
She glowed, her cheeks red and with the slight breeze her jet black hair fluttered about making her more beautiful, more vulnerable than he had noticed in a long time. Already aroused by Myra’s tiny waist he had the urge to grab her in an embrace and kiss the life out of her. He sat back and smiled, blowing her a kiss and chasing down the desires he was experiencing.
A waitress brought their drinks they had ordered and informed them the first course was on its way.
After the second course of the menu, Jonathan excused himself to go to the bathroom passing the concierge along the way, smiling and winking at her watching as her heart floundered into a crimson respondent.
Once in the bathroom stall, he locked the door and sat on the toilet (the lid down) taking out his cell phone.
He replied to her message “Thank you for the photo. You are beautiful.”
He sat waiting just in case she sent a reply.
He kept the phone on silent, just in case and watched the screen for a few minutes. It flashed alive; quickly he opened the message.
It read “Thank you. I am flattered, especially coming from you. I think you are a wonderful person.”
He replied, “How wonderful?”
He waited, his heart beating slightly faster while his desire to conquer his urges took precedent in his mind.
“Where are you?” She replied.
“In the men’s room.”
The door flung open and locked shut. Jonathan smugly grinned. He prided himself on his charm. He clicked open the stall door, reached out and pulled Myra into his arms locking the door behind him again.
He left first leaving Myra to make sure she did not get caught leaving. She quickly locked the door, so she was able to adjust herself before another male came bursting through the doors. She looked at herself in the mirror, flushed and out of breath. She smiled at herself completely convinced she had won the heart of Jonathan Bale.
‘What took you so long?’ Asked Cassia when he finally sat down to begin the next course on the menu.
‘I had the worst cramps, probably just the stress of the day.’ He looked away and paid attention to Willow and Zayn instead.
‘Is everything to your satisfaction?’ Myra asked as she approached the table, gleefully gazing at Jonathan.
‘Just fine.’ Cassia said and without missing the star-struck look on Myra’s face.
Myra hesitantly left them alone disappointed it was not Jonathan that had spoken to her, that he had other than a nod and a smile ignored her.
‘Shame she can’t believe she is in your presence.’ Cassia giggled.
‘What do you mean by that?’ Jonathan retorted.
‘Oh come on babe. All women glow when they’re in your presence. We all know that.’ She laughed teasing him.
‘Do you glow?’ He teased her back placing his hand on her thigh under the table sliding it up to her groin.
‘Stop it.’ She laughed pushing his hand down. ‘Wait till we get home.’
‘Don’t know if I can wait that long.’ He kissed her intently until the children groaned their disgust and he pulled away laughing.
He leant backwards in his seat looking over his shoulder behind him, deliberately wanting to see Myra as she stood sullenly watching them in the shadows.
The meal finished, and while Jonathan paid the bill, Cassia walked on the smooth, bright green grass in front of the patio. He felt the vibration of his phone in his pocket took it out half under the table and read the message. “You are incredible. Can we meet again soon?”
Jonathan replied, “Who is this?”
Myra was devastated finally realizing that she had fallen victim by the world’s smoothest player, that all she had done was to increase his desire to have his wife in fullness and that she was wrung out like a used wash rag. She ran out of the building to her car not wanting to see him again.
He was beyond happy all the way home. The children went straight to bed tired from the traveling, and that meant Jonathan could ravish Cassia until his frustration, desires and needs finally met his lust.