Monique put on a dinner party where Glen and Bev announced their intention to get engaged. Brad told the gathering that he and Morgana would be skipping the engagement part of it and they would just have one big party where they would do everything. Glen told them that it would be next month in Hershire Heights. Darren was also there and was wondering why his mother had refused him permission to invite Sheree to the dinner.
Monique told everybody present that she was sticking to her earlier resolution. Once she saw off her two daughters, she would give serious consideration to walking down the aisle with Val.
When the dinner party was over, Sally and Vernon left hoping to catch the last of a function that they had totally forgotten about. Darren had long gone to his room, leaving the couples to drift to various parts of the spacious garden to talk. Brad didn’t leave Morgana until eleven thirty that night. Val had left a half an hour before and Glen an hour later.
***
Bilton had at least discovered where Teddy lived and was on his way to collect his money from him. He had been bailed for thirty thousand dollars, but had no intention of turning up in court so that meant that Teddy would have to pay the bail bond. He had sent another man to bail him, but the man refused to tell him who was putting up the bail bond. Teddy had to come up with his money. He had no intention of turning up at the trial so Teddy and the man who bailed him had their work cut out for them.
He drew up at Teddy’s gate and stopped and blew his car horn. Teddy wouldn’t recognize the car as he had borrowed it. A woman was coming out and she seemed to be in the early stages of pregnancy. She had one of those loose fitting dresses that he knew pregnant women wear. Bilton didn’t come out of the car.
“Tell Teddy that Anson Wright is here to see him,” Bilton told her. Anson Wright was Teddy’s friend and it was he, who had given him this address. Presently the woman returned inside and he saw Teddy coming out and Bilton waited until he reached the gate before he exited the car with his machete.
Teddy seeing Bilton with the machete turned around and
ran back towards the house and Bilton climbed over the gate and ran after Teddy but he ran inside and locked the grill.
Bilton made it to the grill, but realized that it was locked.
“You have to pay me my money, or else I’m going to chop you up,” Bilton threatened.
Teddy’s woman, Bethlyne, had also come to the patio and started screaming. It was the same woman who had come to the gate Bilton realized. He found it curious that Teddy had a woman pregnant for him and was nevertheless pursuing Rick’s woman. Teddy shouted for her to shut up which she did.
“I don’t know him, must be some crazy lunatic. I’m going to call the police to come for him,” Teddy told her.
“What are you saying; that you don’t know me? I helped you fight this guy, Rick, and he beat up both of us.”
“I said I don’t know you and you’d better get away from here before I call the police.”
“Okay, so you don’t know me. I’m going down to the police station to let them know where to find you,” Bilton said and started for the gate.
Teddy watched him go before telling Bethlyne that he would go after him as he wasn’t sure what the idiot would tell the police and it was possible that the man could accuse him of assaulting him.
Teddy caught up with Bilton in Half Way Tree. He paid him ten thousand dollars and agreed to pay him the balance of the money at the weekend. He also told Bilton to attend court as he was likely to be only fined and he, Teddy would pay that fine. Teddy knew he was only tricking Bilton but the man was blinded by the money, he had just received. Teddy had no intention of paying any fine and he hoped that Bilton would be sent away for at least a year.
***
Stewart was in his office at around ten o‘clock that Tuesday morning when his telephone rang. It was April.
“I’m leaving Jamaica and I hope for good. I hope I never see you again.”
“Why are you leaving the island again and so soon? We did a lot of bad things to each other. It wasn’t totally my fault.”
“It was all your fault. Imagine after I was ready to forgive you for what happened with Morgana, you had to do that to me.”
She was virtually in tears.
“What about you? You had to go and sleep with one of my best friends, Jose.”
“I went out with him a few times, but I never went to bed with him. What do you think I am, somebody like that Treena, you had sleeping with you? Jose is just like you. I would be a fool to be running away from you only to run into his arms.”
Stewart was at a loss for words. He couldn’t very well tell
her that he had been following her around.
“Somebody told me that they saw you and him going into your apartment early one morning.”
“Did they tell you that they saw him making love to me?”
Stewart didn’t answer her.
“Do you know what love is? Did you love Morgana, Bobbette or me?”
“It was only you I loved, but then you had to go and do that. What did you expect me to do?”
“Do what? I fought Treena and I would have fought Morgana and Bobbette if I came and saw them in your apartment. I called that girl a tramp and a slut, but I was all of that and more for you and look what you did to me. If you believe that I slept with Jose that’s your business because any man who wants this girl’s body again is going to have to pay big.”
“I’m about to leave for the airport, but even if I return to Jamaica, I might go to another part of the island just to avoid you.”
“Are you saying that you don’t want to see me again?”
“I told you already and I’m telling you again.”
“We had a good thing going. I’m ready to forgive you if you’ll do the same for me.”
“After so many girls have dropped you and have moved on, I want to know why I should come back to you. Bobbette went and got married and Morgana is almost married to Brad and that little girl, Treena, I’m sure she’s found another boyfriend.”
“Like I said, you were the only one, who meant anything to me. Tell you what, April, you go up and let’s keep calling each other and try to work things out.”
“There is nothing to be worked out between us. Goodbye,” she said and hung up.
Stewart felt frustrated that April had hung up on him so suddenly. The fact that she had called him must mean something and if they kept in contact with each other who to tell, they might be able to patch up things between them. He took up his briefcase and car keys before heading out for meetings with some clients.
***
Tuesday evening Stewart was relaxing on his patio. He was still digesting the news that April had re-migrated. He wondered what she would do if she knew that since she left him he had found three other women. Haydee was telling him that she wanted a serious relationship with him. She had been a bit vague, saying that when she came at the end of September she would explain everything. He hoped that she wasn’t thinking of them getting engaged. She would have known about what happened between him and Morgana. He just had to wait and see what she had in mind. Both Meesha and Raileen were fun to be with. On both weekends he had let them set the pace. He didn’t rush them for sex. It was the first
ime he had ever been on a holiday weekend with a woman and had that little amount of sex and it wasn’t because he was slowing down.
Instead, they had enjoyed the food, taking in the various shows, and partied the nights away. They had enjoyed the drive to Ocho Rios and Negril. They had stopped along the way and bought all sorts of foodstuff. He had stayed away from any hard liquor, though in Negril he had to virtually carry Raileen into their room one night. He and Raileen had spent the Emancipation weekend in Negril and he and Meesha had spent the Independence weekend in Ocho Rios.
***
Rick called Celia and they were on the phone.
“I spoke to my general manager and told him that I wanted to relocate on account that I would soon be getting married to you and he has agreed for me to make that move,” Celia said.
They had both agreed to get married. Rick felt that they should settle down and start a family. He had spoken to both his stepmother and father about it. His father had heard about his fights with Teddy and though he didn’t approve he understood what Rick had gone through. He knew Celia and knew that she wasn’t a bad girl, but understood the trouble she had got herself in with Teddy. His step-mother had met Celia more than once and didn’t disapprove of her.
“Yeah, baby, I’m glad you said yes. I don’t know what I would have done if you had turned me down.”
Celia laughed at what her man had just said.
“That I didn’t do what? You know I wouldn’t do that, darling. Remember that this is the same girl, who has been in love with you since she was seventeen. I’ve always wanted to be your wife and have children for you.”
Rick was moved by this woman expressing her love for him. He should never have doubted her.
“Bilton came by me, begging for us to drop the charges against him and I agreed. He agreed to be a witness against Teddy. He even took the police to where Teddy lives, but they didn’t find him there.”
“I hope they do find him and put him away.”
“I am coming down next weekend and I’ll be speaking to your mother.”
He wanted to tell her about Bev’s upcoming engagement to Glen but didn’t know how and decided not to mention it at all.
“I’ve already told mummy and she couldn’t be happier.”
“My parents are elated too, so it’s smiles all around.”
“There was some hesitation in your voice as if there was something you wanted to tell me”
“You know that Brad and Morgana are going around. He was at this dinner party at her house and Glen and Bev were there announcing their upcoming engagement.”
“Three cheers for my old schoolmates,” Celia said. “Hey, come to think of it I haven’t given Bobbette a call to find out how she’s doing.”
“I think she’s doing okay. Alex ‘the party animal’ from our office was at Jimmy Chang the other night and saw her out with her husband.”
“Oh good, I must give her a call.”
“Darling, will you be coming up this Friday?”
“Sure I will.”
“Bye, until then,” Rick said hanging up.
***
Thursday evening Brad and Morgana agreed to go to Janine’s Place in the Pavilion Mall. It was a comfortable little place and Jannine, the twenty-five year old proprietor had fixed up the seating so that couples could come here and enjoy the ambience of the place and the food and indulge in intimate conversation.
“My mother has invited you up for dinner this Sunday and daddy is pleased as punch that you’re coming,” Brad told her after they were seated and had ordered.
“How do you know that I’m going to come, Brad? I bet it was you who told her to invite me up there,” she told him as their finger foods and drinks arrived.
They started eating.
“Mummy says that since she saw me and you dancing at that party Blake put on for us, she thought that I was in love with you. The way she saw me looking at you and she became convinced at my house-opening.”
“Wow, I never knew that mothers could be so intuitive,” Morgana said as she ate some more food.
“Mine keeps reading my thoughts all the while but you haven’t told me if you’ll come.”
“Sure I’ll come, but I don’t know if I’ll fit in.”
Brad laughed.
“What are you saying? I thought I fitted in very well at that dinner party at your home the other night,” Brad told her. “You know mummy and daddy, so what are you afraid of?”
“I don’t know how I measure up to your other women.”
“Come off that. If I didn’t think that you measure up I wouldn’t be around.”
They continued eating in silence, both of them thinking about the person in front of them.
When both of them had finished eating and were having their drinks, Brad said.
“Seems like we have a lot of parties to attend next month, Rick and Celia are getting engaged and Glen and Bev are getting engaged too.”
“I’m glad for my sister, but more for Rick and Celia. I hope they can put all that behind them.”
“I’m not that sure as Rick told me that Teddy called Celia and threatened to shoot her.”
“What’s with that guy? He must be crazy or something. Celia must regret she ever met him.”
“That’s why people have to be so careful. You meet somebody and when you’re ready to let go they are still holding on and there lies the problem.”
“I don’t think you would have gotten rid of me that easy,” Morgana said and Brad laughed. They continued talking and finally decided to go down to Jimmy Chang’s sports bar and spend a few more hours there before going home.
***
Friday evening when Glen and Bev went partying at Reasons they saw Stewart there with Raileen. They danced to several songs before Glen went to say hello to some friends and Stewart came over to Bev’s table.
“So how’s my former sister-in-law?” he asked, taking a seat.
“Stewart! I didn’t know that you remembered me. I’ve seen you in so many places and you act as if you don’t know me,” she told him.
“Most of the times I always wave to you.”
“Waving to me, you ought to have come over and say hello to the sister-in-law, you’re glad you won’t be having.”
“I don’t believe that. So how’s Morgana?”
“She’s gone out with her boyfriend. You know who that is of course?”
“Sure I do, say hello to her for me and tell her don’t forget to invite me to the wedding,” he told her, getting up from the chair as Glen returned.
He said hello to Glen and returned to Raileen and they got up to dance again. Glen and Bev also went on the dance floor too.
Brad and Morgana were at Corners dancing the night away. Celia had come up and she and Rick were at Solid Mix.
***
Saturday was Sally’s birthday and she was being feted by a friend of hers and her husband at their home in Millsborough Heights. Val, Monique, Brad, Morgana, Bev, Glen and a host of friends and well wishers were there to usher in Sally’s birthday with her and to wish her many more. Darren also attended the party along with his new girlfriend, Sheree. Rick and Celia were also there.
***
Rick and Celia were at home sleeping. They had left Sally’s birthday party early and had gone to a party in Beverly Hills, put on by one of Rick’s former classmates. Rick was in deep sleep when Celia pinched him thus waking him up.
“I think somebody is in the house,” she whispered in his ear.
Rick heard what she said but wondered if he was dreaming. He remembered the fights with Teddy and Bilton when he heard like crockery being dropped on the floor and breaking.
He crawled out of the bed and made his way downstairs in the darkness telling Celia to stay put.
There were three rooms downstairs apart from the front and back patio. There was a living and dining room, a kitchen and a guest bedroom. It seemed to him that the intruder was in the guest bedroom. He heard sounds coming from that room and maybe that was where he had entered from. Rick knew that he could not allow whoever it was to go upstairs and attack Celia. He saw the figure of the man coming out of the guest bedroom and it was a man the same height and build as Teddy and he had a gun. The man headed for the living room and to go upstairs and Rick crept furtively behind him. At the bottom of the stairs Rick dived at the man’s legs and brought him down. But the man still had the gun in his hand and then the gun went off sending a bullet into the glass of some furniture and glass splintered showering them with splinters and Rick heard Celia scream out his name. Rick and the man wrestled for the gun when suddenly it fell out of the man’s hand and he and Rick rolled on the floor. Rick got up off the floor and drew the man up, it was Teddy! Celia had come to the top of the stairs and was screaming. Rick pushed Teddy away and kicked the gun out of his reach. Celia had turned on the stair light and recognized Teddy.
“You!” she screamed out. “Why don’t you leave us alone?”
Rick stood a few feet away from Teddy, his body primed for the man’s next move. He didn’t want to fight him in the living room. Teddy dived for the gun, but it was out of his reach and Rick was quicker than him and kicked it out of his reach again.
Then they heard their neighbors calling and Teddy bolted, going into the guest bedroom again and Rick gave chase. Rick grabbed hold of Teddy in the room as Celia went to let in some neighbors. Two of them ran into the room where Rick and Teddy were struggling. They helped him to hold Teddy until the police came for him.
After the police and the neighbors left both of them sat in their living room unable to come to grips with what had just taken place. Celia was quietly sobbing. They both knew that Teddy had come to kill them.
“I think he has learned his lesson now. I don’t think he’ll ever come after us again,” Rick said. But he knew now how precious this woman was and what her straying from their relationship had nearly caused. Both of them headed back upstairs to try to get some sleep before heading out to church in the morning.