“She used to be your friend. Doesn’t it bother you at all that this might ruin her life?”
“She stopped being my friend when she threatened and tried to hurt you. She ruined her life. That had nothing to do with me.”
“You can be so callous sometimes.”
“Jada, she tried to hurt you and you expect me to take this lightly?”
I sigh. “I feel like we’re sending this woman off to jail—”
“For a crime she committed. Jada, neither the FBI nor the police need your testimony on this one. They have all the evidence they need on tape. And don’t forget, she did this several times, even after I warned her and filed a formal complaint.”
“I know. For some reason, I’m not feeling happy about this.”
“If she weren’t my friend, would it have made a difference?”
“I’m sure it would. But I suspect you’re angry and hurt about it; that’s why you’re so eager to see her arrested. Think about it, days from now, when those feelings have worn off, would you want to see her in jail?”
“It depends on her attitude. But the last time I spoke to her about us, she had a very nasty one. Unless that’s changed, I’m not sure if I care whether or not she goes to jail.”
I exhale.
“Jada, I wanted tonight to be special. We’ve spent the last forty-five minutes talking about a woman who tried to hurt you. A woman who threatened your life… among other things.”
I’m not sure how to respond, but the mood has definitely changed, and I’m not sure what I should do to change it back.
“I wanted the same. I had big plans for later tonight.”
“You did?” His eyes twinkle mischievously. “You didn’t tell me that.”
I ease a little. “They’re for later… much later…”
His lips curve into a smile. “Sounds intriguing.”
“If we don’t allow this situation to ruin our night, we might still be able to enjoy it.”
“What do you have up your sleeve?”
“I’m not telling. You’ll see when we get home.”
“You know I don’t like surprises.”
“I think you’ll like this one.”
“Well, speaking of surprises… I have one for you,” he says, pulling a pretty red envelope from his blazer and placing it in front of me.
“What’s this?” I ask.
“Open it and find out.”
I feel something moving around on the inside. As I pull the seal away, a stunning lapis lazuli and diamond bracelet slips out onto the table.
“Johnny… it’s gorgeous.” I caress it between my fingers. “Why? What’s the occasion?”
“There’s more in the envelope.”
I look inside and pull all the contents out. The first thing I see is a postcard with beautiful scenery and Chile marked across the bottom. Then a second and a third with the same. There are probably ten of them, with different sites of the country, then the last card says:
When this is all over, will you go to Chile with me?
I look up at him. Such a sweet sentiment. At that moment, I wonder if he’s been thinking about a future with me the same way I’ve been thinking about sharing one with him.
“Thank you. This is all so beautiful. I’d love to.”
“Really?”
“Of course… it might be quite the wait, though. You sure you’d want to wait that length of time?”
“Positive,” he replies, attaching the bracelet to my wrist. “Did you know that lapis is mined in Chile?”
“I might have read that somewhere.”
“Well, I wanted you to have a reminder that you owe me ten to fourteen days of your time outside of this country when this is all over.”
I’m touched that he would go through the trouble of planning months ahead. At that moment, I realize that no matter what, he plans to see this through with me until the end. I am a little overwhelmed at the thought. I take his hands in mine and bring them to my lips and kiss them gently.
“I promise. You have that. Not that I need this stunning bracelet to remind me, but I’ll take it. It’s so beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it. I’m looking forward to that day.”
“Slip into some comfortable clothing, we’re heading out,” I say when we get back home.
“We’re going out?”
“Yes, we are,” I reply as I slip into a pair of jeans and a sweater.
“It’s almost midnight.”
“So?”
“Jada McLean, what do you have up your sleeve?”
“You’ll see… I’ll meet you downstairs when you’re ready.” I put on a pair of loafers and head to the garage with my luggage in hand to prepare for the night ahead.
He joins me as I close the trunk.
“Keys, please,” he says.
“Absolutely not. You get to relax while I drive.”
He shakes his head and slides into the seat beside me. Five minutes later, as we cross the Golden Gate Bridge, he fidgets nervously in his seat.
“I’m not going to hurt you. Relax,” I say, caressing his thigh.
“I’ll relax when I know where we’re going,” he responds, his voice filled with anxiety.
“Well, make sure your gun is loaded, we’ll be there soon.”
“What!”
I giggle. “I’m kidding.”
After crossing the bridge, I get off the highway and start the climb up the hill. Behind us, San Francisco glows under the night’s darkness. We come upon a dirt road that’s barricaded, but as planned, my contacts open it up and allow me to climb what is, in reality, a hiking trail.
“Where are you taking me? Are we even allowed here? Should we even be doing this?”
“Don’t panic, Worrywart. I slipped on some fake plates just in case anyone sees us.”
“You what?”
I am amused that he’s so serious about this, but before he gets any worse, I better put his mind at ease.
“I promise you, Counselor. I’m a law-abiding citizen. I paid good money so we could be here, so sit back and relax. It’s in the glove compartment if you want proof.”
He obviously doesn’t believe me and proceeds to check my papers. I arrive at the summit, and before us are the amazing vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge in the foreground and the city of San Francisco in the back. Alcatraz pokes her head in the distance to the side.
“Welcome,” I say.
He finally looks up, taking his attention away from the permits.
“I seriously considered sneaking in, but I wasn’t trying to get arrested for yet another crime.”
“You better not. This time you wouldn’t be so innocent.”
“Come on, let’s go,” I shout, leaping out the vehicle. For some reason, I feel a sense of freedom here. We’re alone up here, surrounded by the darkness and beauty of San Francisco.
“Babe, I don’t know how you pulled this off, but this is awesome,” he says, holding me in his arms.
“Contacts… Remember that conversation about three things we should do before we die?”
“I remember.”
“Well, I’m hoping tonight we get to do two of them—sleep under the stars…”
“And watch the Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise.”
“I figured there might be too many people here at sunset.”
“Wow. When you go, you know how to go big.”
“You like?”
“This is incredible,” he replies, folding me in his arms.
“I brought food, some nice wine, and most importantly, an air mattress so we can take in the beautiful stars.”
“You amaze me.”
* * *
I can’t believe what Jada went through to get us here. She obviously went through a hell of a lot of trouble and thought to make tonight happen.
A while later, we set up on the mattress, sipping on a nice glass of Chablis while we take in the vistas.
“This was an amazing surprise,
Babe. Thank you.”
“I’m so happy you like it. I sort of wanted to make up for not being there tomorrow.”
“It will be okay. Right now, all I want to do is hold you in my arms and take in these views.”
She makes herself comfortable between my thighs as I lean against the fully stocked cooler. It’s chilly tonight, but she brought blankets, so we’re comfortable. I have no idea what the weather forecast is for the night, but if things got too cold, the vehicle and its heater are right behind us.
“How’d you find this place, anyway?”
“I came up here with my photography club when I was in college.”
“Have you been here since?”
“No. It’s the first time in about fifteen years.”
“You’re full of surprises.”
“You know, with all that’s been going on, I can’t believe how happy I feel right now. You make me so happy.”
“I’m happy to be with you too.” I look into her eyes and there’s a spark that I’ve never seen before. I start to wonder if she’s falling for me, the way I have for her.
We sit for hours, under the black night’s sky. The stars shine brightly, and for a while, we sit in complete silence. In the distance, I hear a tad of traffic. It’s a little breezy, but what surprises me most is that I can hear the waves crashing against the shoreline below.
I look down on Jada. She’s fallen asleep in my arms. She is so beautiful. I think back to when we met, and sometimes, knowing all that she’s been through, I still can’t believe she’s allowed me into her life. I’m lucky to have her. She’s made tonight one of those memorable occasions I’ll remember every single time I see the Golden Gate Bridge.
Drip… drop… Liquid hits my face. I open my eyes, and I can’t really see, but I hear a heavy shower fast approaching us. Jada wakes and we scramble with as many things as we can and make a run for the vehicle. We leave behind the air mattress and a few plates, but at least we have the blankets to keep warm and food for ours stomachs.
“I don’t remember you saying anything about sleeping under the stars and rain,” she laughs.
“We’ll look at them as showers of blessing.”
“So much for sleeping under the night’s sky.”
“I can take care of that,” I reply, pressing the button to drop her seat back. “We can make use of this wonderful glass panoramic roof.”
She giggles. “Not like I can see so much with the rain coming down so hard.”
She pulls her seat up and climbs over the seats into the trunk.
“What are you doing?”
“Making our bed,” she replies, folding all the seats down to convert the back of the SUV into a flat surface. She pulls one of the blankets, laying it out flat, and the other, she rolls into a form that resembles pillows.
“Ever so efficient.” I climb in to join her.
“I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as planned,” she says as I hold her in my arms.
“It’s perfect. This is special. I’ll never forget this.”
I drift as the heavy droplets pound onto the roof above. I hope in a few hours the clouds will clear and we’ll wake to an awesome sunrise.
* * *
Jonathan’s still asleep when I wake. The rains have ceased and a golden hue forms over the horizon. I pull the flask nearby and pour us each some coffee. Six hours after pouring it into the flask, and it is still piping hot. I kiss him tenderly on his lips and he wakes.
I sit on the hood of the SUV, and he leans back between my legs. Together, we watch the most spectacular sunrise unfold. Navies, blues, and golds fill the skies above as the bridge wakes before us. It’s been an amazing night, and a fantastic start to the day. He turns to face me. I look into his eyes, and I’m completely overwhelmed by the moment.
“You’re okay, Babe?”
“I’m scared,” I whisper.
“Why?”
“I’m falling in love with you.”
He cups my face in his hands and draws me into him.
“Don’t be. I’m in love with you too.”
Our lips touch and gently and slowly, I part my lips and invite him in, gently caressing his tongue with mine. It’s intimate. Loving. As he holds me in his arms, I realize how scared I am that this deal with the FBI somehow won’t work out, and I’ll be thrown in jail, and I’ll have to let him go.
“I promise I’ll take care of you. I’m never going to let anything happen to you.”
“Can you do me a big favor, please?”
“What’s that?”
“Take me home and make love to me.”
“I’d love to.”
Later that evening, I sit and watch Jonathan as he prepares for his big night. I lie on his bed and watch while he slips into a tux.
“It’s not too late for you to change your mind.” He smiles.
“Let’s not go there. I’ll be thinking about you the whole time, though. You’re going to be great. Your dad would have been proud.”
“Well, I’m reading a speech he prepared himself. I think I’m the one that’s honored.”
“Be sure to use your contacts and get me a video recording of tonight.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Can you help me with this bowtie, please?”
“Sure,” I reply, standing at the edge of the bed so I’m looking down on him.
“You know what you’re doing, right?”
“Of course,” I laugh. “I had a father, and I have a brother… thank God.”
“He’s fine. Stop worrying. You’ve spoken to him every single day… at least ten times a day since Wednesday.”
“Not ten… maybe five. If you think I’m bad, he told me our mom calls every few hours.” I chuckle. “Are you nervous?”
“A little. If you came with me, it would help me calm down.”
I look seriously into his piercing greys.
“You mean the world to me. If for one second, I thought this was in your best interest, I’d be escorting you out of here tonight.”
I pull his tie snugly in place.
“You have to know I’m doing this because I love you.” I fold my arms around his neck and kiss him lightly on his lips.
“I know, Sweetheart,” he replies and pulls me in an extended embrace. He holds my French braid in his palm and wraps it around his wrist then gently tugs my head back. He intensely gazes into my eyes for what seems like minutes. He leans towards me then his lips touch mine.
“Make sure you’re up and waiting when I get back home. I’d like to show you just how deeply I love you too.”
“Immm, round two… I’ll be waiting.”
I escort him down to the garage, and before he gets in the vehicle, he kisses me deeply once more.
“Make sure you activate the alarm as soon as I leave.”
“I will…”
“You remember the code?”
“You mean your ten digit code?”
“That would be the one.”
“0-7-5-8-5-3-0-4-1-5.”
“Good girl.”
“I’ll be thinking about you… I promise.”
“I’ll be thinking about you too. Love you, Baby,” he replies, pecking my lips, then backs out of the driveway.
Once upstairs, I activate the alarm.
I want to make his return home one he’ll never forget.
I cuddle up on the sofa with the doggies at my feet. I think of ideas on how to make his return special.
I search through the kitchen to see what I have to work with. Let’s see… some fruit. Grapes and strawberries in particular. I am pleasantly surprised that when I open the wine cooler, two bottles of Dom Perignon occupy the top shelf.
Searching through the cabinetry, I get my hands on two flutes and a glass champagne bucket. I neatly place all my finds on the island in preparation for the evening ahead. I find a few tapered candles in one of the kitchen drawers. It’s not nearly enough for what I have in mind, but if I cut them into three each, I’ll make do.
As I’d expect, he doesn’t have more than one or two decorative candleholders. I improvise with the two dozen or so rock glasses that he owns, securing pieces of the cut candles to the bottom of each with melted wax. I line the candles up the spiral staircase then to his room and all the solid flat surfaces around his bed. When I know he’s on the way, I’ll light them.
When I look in his linen closet, I am very surprised to find that he owns a set of red satin sheets. I swap them out with the brown ones currently on the bed.
I’ve set the scene, but I need to appeal to all the senses. I have sight taken care of with the candles and red sheets, then there is always moi. The fruit and champagne will take care of his taste buds. Touch will be those satin sheets and my body. That leaves hearing and smelling.
I look through his MP3 player in the living room, but nothing strikes me. Some doors under the window seat, for some unknown reason, grab my attention. I open them and am surprised to find a stack of maybe a hundred jazz records. This I didn’t expect. Mr. Jonathan Kole is full of surprises. Pleasant surprises.
I pull a few of the records out, one by Billie Holiday, another by Miles Davis, and a third my John Coltrane. I can’t remember the last time I operated a record player. I don’t even know where it is. After some searching, it’s in the credenza nearby. Carefully, I switch it on. If I screw this up and scratch that record, I’m certain he’ll be extremely pissed. Somehow, I get the first album playing without a hitch.
He has one or two scented candles lying around, so I’ll use them to appeal to his sense of smell when he walks in the house. When he gets to his room, my perfume will handle the rest.
I feel a bit mischievous. I take a picture of my bare legs and send him a text message.
JM: Thinking about you. Dying to wrap these around you.
Within seconds, he responds.
JK: I’m looking forward to getting between them.
JM: I’m going to have a bubble bath… maybe I’ll text you some pictures to show you what you’re missing
JK: Behave woman. I’ll be making my speech in a sec.
JM: Good luck. I’m so proud of you. I have a surprise waiting for you when you get home.
Love, Lies & The D.A. Page 37
