by AnDerecco
Dennis and Ian exited the restroom and back into the hall. Jeremy and Monique were still in the same spot. Jeremy looked Ian directly in his eyes. Ian gave him a stare but tried not to look to long.
The petit woman came over again and told them that it was time to start. Dennis took the stage while Ian, Monique and Jeremy sat at a table in the front.
DENNIS
Good morning everyone. You will have to excuse me for my business partner has not arrived yet.
Eric came walking into the venue. He saw Dennis on the stage speaking. He walked towards the front and gave him a wink as he sat at the table with Monique, Ian and Jeremy.
This crossed Ian for the last time.
IAN (standing up and leaving the table)
You know what. You have some nerve.
Jeremy followed Ian out. Once they were out of the hall Jeremy grabbed Ian by the arm to stop him. Ian snatched his arm away.
JEREMY
Would you please listen to me?
IAN
You have five minutes.
JEREMY
I can understand why you are so upset. I would be too. But I love you and I would never do anything to hurt you.
IAN
But you can bring Eric here and you don’t think that hurt me?
JEREMY
I came here to talk to you. I want you in my life. These last few weeks have been miserable. I need you. I can forgive you for not coming to the hospital when I was sick. I am…
IAN
What a minute, not coming to the hospital. Jeremy, who do you think took your ass to the hospital? I came home and found you in the middle of the hallway passed out. I was with you from the beginning. You can ask Dennis.
JEREMY
Eric said that I was found in my car and they called him since he was the last person I talked to on my cell phone.
IAN
That bitch lying.
Jeremy and Ian discussed everything that had happened. They both wanted to make their marriage work.
______________________________
Dennis stepped off the stage and came to the table where Monique and Eric were.
DENNIS
Where is Jacob?
ERIC
I don’t know. He said that he wanted me to drop him off somewhere and that he would be on later.
MONIQUE
This is the bitch that my Pops left with?
ERIC
Why do I have to be a bitch?
MONIQUE
I guess because you mother didn’t raise you right.
ERIC
Well at least I have a mother.
This struck a nerve with Monique since her mother died in childbirth with her. She looked down at the table and drew circles on it. She wanted to hit Eric but didn’t want to cause a scene.
DENNIS
Do you know the location you dropped him off?
ERIC
Not really. You know that I am not from here.
Jeremy and Ian came walking back in hand in hand. Eric was not happy at all about that. He stood up and asked what was going on. Jeremy told everyone that they reconciled and were planning on working things out. Eric cut his eyes at Ian. Ian showed him a prefect bright smile.
DENNIS
I am glad that you two have worked that out but we have got to find Jacob.
Dennis went back on stage and made the announcement that the workshop has been canceled due to unforeseen situations. He grabbed his material and walked out of the building.
XXXI
Jacob began to wake up. He found himself lying in an unfamiliar room. He turned to look around the room. When his view got to the right side of the room he was surprised at what he saw. He jumped from his laying down position. He could not believe his eyes. His mind was playing tricks on him.
JACOB
I must be dreaming. It can’t be you. You are dead.
MATT
No I am not dead. I am very much alive.
Jacob walked over to Matt and rubbed his face. Matt flashed him a big smile. Matt was indeed Jacob’s dead former lover Ellis Walker.
Jacob didn’t know whether to hug him or try to run.
JACOB
I don’t understand. I was told that you shot yourself.
ELLIS
That night was a big mess. I caught you cheating with your ex Gerald. I was angry and frustrated. I do remember you bumping into the gun and it going off.
JACOB (lifting his shirt to show the scar)
Yes I remember. Every time I see this scar I have that nightmare of that evening. But they told me you shot yourself in the head. There is no way you could have survived that.
ELLIS
Well I did. From what the doctors told me the bullet velocity was high and there was no side to side movement of my brain and it passed through a non-critical part. The graveside service that my sister arranged was for the old me. You were in the hospital. Your old secretary Janet was there. This is the new me. New life, new walk and a new talk. I just need you to complete this.
JACOB
Why haven’t you contacted me before now?
ELLIS
I tried. Then I found out that you were with Dennis. That hurt me so much.
Jacob heard his phone ringing and looked around the room for it. Ellis pulled it out his pocket and shook it at him.
ELLIS
Are you looking for this?
JACOB
Give me my phone.
ELLIS
It’s no one but Dennis. You can forget about him. You will not see him again. I want us to reunite our family. Me, you and Monique.
JACOB
That’s not going to happen.
ELLIS
Yes it will. I got you here in D.C. for the workshop so my plan is working.
JACOB
You arranged this workshop?
ELLIS
Yes. I even met that little trifling boy Eric. He wasn’t part of my original plan but he came in handy.
JACOB
Ellis I have to go.
Jacob tried to walk to the door but Ellis put his body in front of him. Ellis wrapped Jacob in his arms and tried to kiss him. Jacob turned his face each time. Ellis pushed him on the bed and jumped on top of him.
ELLIS
Stop resisting me. You know that you miss me as much I miss you. I want to feel that inside of you again.
Ellis took his face and rubbed it against Jacob. Jacob thought about how good Ellis felt against him. He knew in his mind that he could no longer live that life.
JACOB
Ellis stop!
ELLIS
Why are you fighting me?
JACOB
You have some explaining to do.
ELLIS
What do you want to know?
JACOB
First get off me.
Ellis rolled off of the top of Jacob and lay over to the side.
JACOB
Why didn’t you tell me you were alive?
ELLIS
Like I said, I tried. But every time I was close to you someone would pop up. Then you all had those other issues going on. I thought about knocking Dennis off but that plan backfired.
JACOB
What do you mean it backfired?
ELLIS
Before I could call the house and try to get Dennis to come out the door – Teddy opened it and was killed. I didn’t mean for it to be him. I just wanted you and Monique back in my life.
JACOB
I can’t believe what I am hearing. You killed my son-in-law. You almost killed all of us.
ELLIS
I wasn’t trying to kill you.
JACOB
If Dennis had open the door and he was killed and you came back from the dead what makes you think that I would fall into your arms?
ELLIS
You love me don’t you?
JACOB
I did but I am with Dennis now. You are no longer in my life and to hear that you killed Teddy – NO!
Ellis was not about to let this opportunity go.
ELLIS
OK I hear you. But you are not leaving this room. I will keep you locked in here.
JACOB
Ellis you can’t do this. You cannot hold me prisoner.
ELLIS
To late…so get comfortable.
Ellis walked towards the door and Jacob followed him. Jacob tried to force himself out of the door but Ellis pushed him back in. As soon as Ellis was free of Jacob he exited the door and locked it quickly.
XXXII
Matt gave Monique a call to check on things also to apologize for his tardiness. Monique informed him that they canceled the workshop because Jacob was missing. Matt expressed his concern to help them find Jacob. He asked Monique a series of questions about Jacob as to whom he may have known in D.C.
Monique began to cry as she was on the phone talking to Matt. She could not control her feelings that she may not see her “Pops” again. Dennis came and took the phone from her and finished the conversation.
Matt told them to stay at the venue and that he would meet them in about twenty minutes. Matt figured this would give him time to come up with a plan to get Monique to come with him.
Monique wiped her last tear and walked over to Eric. She grabbed him by his collar and pulled him to the side.
MONIQUE
Where did you drop my Pops off?
ERIC
I told you before. He wanted to be dropped off at some building. He said that he would be on. I didn’t ask any questions. Mr. Jacob is a grown man. He knows what he is doing.
MONIQUE
If anything happen to him I promise you this day that I will hurt you down like a rabbit dog.
ERIC
Moni, stop with all the violence. That is so unbecoming of a lady.
MONIQUE (putting her finger in Eric’s forehead)
Don’t you ever in your life call me “Moni” again.
ERIC
Oh I’m sorry. Teddy did give you that nickname. You know I miss him. I remember once when we were in high school and he saw me walking and decided to give me a ride to my house. I really enjoyed that. He was so caring and considerate. And so gentle.
Monique was fueling with anger on the inside. She knew exactly was Eric was trying to do. In her heart of hearts she also knew that nothing happened between Teddy and Eric.
MONIQUE
You are so evil. Nothing good will ever come to you. If Teddy did mess with a guy it would never be with someone like you.
ERIC
Baby, there are a lot of things that you didn’t know about Teddy. I love wrapping my legs around his waist when he would pick me up playfully.
Monique took all that she could stomach. She gave Eric three quick punches in the nose, mouth and forehead. Ian heard Eric hollering and peaked around the corner. His mind was telling him to let Monique whip Eric’s ass for all that it was worth, but he knew that she would kill him. Jeremy raced over and grabbed Monique’s arm before she could get another hit in.
JEREMY
What is going on?
ERIC
This bitch hit me for no reason.
JEREMY
Monique why would you hit him?
MONIQUE
Jeremy you cannot be this stupid. Don’t you see that he is trying to tear you and Ian apart? Eric is the common denominator of all of yours and Ian’s issues.
Jeremy helped pick Eric up from the ground. He took his sleeve and wiped the blood from Eric’s face.
Ian stayed in the background and watched all of this. He wanted to say something to Jeremy but he let him comfort Eric.
Dennis walked over with his phone to his ear. He threw his arms around Monique. He knew he had to protect her. He walked her over to the rental car.
DENNIS
I have tried to call everyone that I know here.
MONIQUE
What about Jonas? He and Pops were friends in college. Maybe Pops went to his house.
DENNIS
Yeah I tried Jonas. He and Dai are on vacation in Martha’s Vineyard.
MONIQUE
This is so not like Pops. He would never miss a workshop. Eric knows something. I wished that we would have arrived earlier to the hotel. I would have never let him leave with Eric.
DENNIS
We will find him.
Dennis embraced Monique with a tight hug of protection. He felt it was his fault because he told Jacob to go ahead. Monique spotted Matt walking up. She let go of Dennis and walked over to Matt. She grabbed him by his hand and guided him to Dennis.
MONIQUE
I guess this is your first time officially meeting and speaking face to face. Dennis this is Matt and Matt this is my dad – Dennis.
Matt’s heart skipped a beat when he heard Monique introduce Dennis as her dad. Being the gentleman that he is, Matt extended his hand to shake Dennis.
MATT
Have you heard anything from Jacob?
DENNIS
No. I have called everyone that I know here. No one has seen him today.
MATT
Do you think that he went shopping?
MONIQUE
No – Pops is not too fond of shopping and plus he knew this workshop was today. He would not miss an event for anything.
Jeremy came out of the building with Eric. Eric stopped in his tracks when he saw Matt talking to Dennis and Monique. He turned to Jeremy and patted him in the chest.
ERIC
Um, why don’t we go to lunch?
JEREMY (as he tries to continue to walk to Monique)
I don’t think so. I need to be here for Monique and Ian.
ERIC
Well I am hungry. I want to go eat.
JEREMY
Can you please stop thinking about yourself for once? This is my family. I need to be here for them.
ERIC
Well you go be with your family, I am going to lunch. Do you want me to get you something and have it in the room when you get there?
JEREMY
Thanks but I don’t think so. I will get something later. Plus I will be getting my things and stay with Monique and Ian. I will be your associate but I can no longer trust you.
Jeremy walked over to Monique and everyone. Eric folded his arms and watched Jeremy walk off.
XXXIII
Jacob paced around the twelve foot by thirteen foot room that was now his cell. He pondered exactly what Ellis had planned for him. He looked around the room to find no windows. Only a thirty-three inch plasma TV, a small air vent in the ceiling that he knew could not be an escape root, a full-sized bed, a nightstand, a chest of drawers and a few pictures and paintings on the wall.
He walked over to this large picture of him and Ellis holding Monique when she was about sixteen months old.
His mind went back to the day that photo was taken.
That morning Ellis gave Monique her bath and dressed her. He placed her in the middle of the bed with her sippy cup while he and I finished getting dress.
Ellis was tying his tie when he noticed that she was too quiet. He looked over and realized that she had figured a way to open her cup. She sat in the middle of the bed completely wet.
ELLIS
Monique! How did you get that top off?
Monique released her famous baby laughing and turned over on her stomach. Ellis grabbed her from the back and held her up.
Jacob was in the bathroom brushing his hair.
ELLIS
Jacob, get out here!
Jacob came from the bathroom with the brush next to his head.
JACOB
What?
ELLIS
Look what your daughter has done. She took the top off her cup and now she and the bed is wet.
JACOB
Change her! I will get the sheets off the bed.
ELLIS (turning Monique to face him)
Next time, I am getting dressed first and dress you last.
Ellis love
d Monique as if she was his biological child. Jacob felt tears forming in his eyes but he quickly blinked them back. He was not going to allow himself to get caught up in the past.
Jacob walked over to the bed and lay down. When he turned his head he saw a picture of him and Ellis on the nightstand. He picked it up and looked at it. With anger he threw the picture across the room.
JACOB
Dennis, I need you to find me. Feel me calling out for you. I need you right now Puppy.
XXXIV
Everyone convened at Monique’s house. She and Ian were in the kitchen fixing dinner. Monique was chopping onions when her phone rang. She grabbed it off of the microwave. Ian continued to roll the crescent rolls.
Monique said a few quick “yes” and “thank you” and hung up the phone. She placed the phone back on the microwave. She explained to Ian that that was a co-worker. She heard about Jacob being missing from her husband who was a police officer.
Jeremy came in the kitchen to get a bottle of cognac to refresh Dennis, Matt and his drink. He grabbed the bottle from the cabinet and went up behind Ian and gave him a nibble of the neck. Ian turned his head and gave him a kiss on the mouth.
MONIQUE
I am glad you guys are working this out. Don’t let anyone or anything take the love that I know you have away.
JEREMY
You know that I will never leave my baby. He may leave me.
IAN
If you act a fool again I will.
MONIQUE
OK – OK – let’s get off the negative and dwell on the positive.
Jeremy slapped Ian on the ass as he walked back into the living room.
IAN (smiling and talking to Monique)
He makes me sick.
_________________________
