Chapter 16

"You know it brings me great joy having you come to see me at work, mom. But frankly this topic is the last thing I want to discuss," he groaned stretching his body that felt lethargic from the constant hours spent working as opposed to resting. He had been exerting himself a lot more as of late, doing everything in his power to keep his mind away from straying to that dreadful wedding.

And he had been successful for some time until the universe decided to remind him that the woman whom he once thought was his one true love was getting married to another by having his mother arrive to complain about it.

"Forgive me if I happen to think it's rather disrespectful that she had the audacity to think you'd show up at her wedding especially after all that she put you through."

"And yet you RSVP'd," he replied wearing a bored expression that refused to fade once his mother guffawed on her words at the fact she was going to the event.

"W-Well it's a social obligation. This wedding is the talk of the town and how would it look if the Dawson family didn't make an appearance? The last thing we want is for people especially that woman's family to think were the least bit affected by what she did."

"Everything is always about appearances with this family, and I don't think I'm going to show up."

"Nonsense," she shrieked waving her hand dismissively, "we've already told them you're coming and that you'll be bringing a date."

The last word had him sitting up in his chair flabbergasted and perplexed at where the notion came from that he was coming with a date. "Wait, wait, wait what?'

"You didn't honestly think you'd go alone, did you?" she cried out.

"I wasn't even going at all!"

"Calm down."

"You can't honestly expect me to calm down about this."

Evelyn's brow rose in question before she smirked in his direction, the expression did more to unnerve him than soothe him, "I don't know why you're so worried. It's not as if you don't have someone, need I remind you of Ruby? Not only does she come from one of the most respectable families, but she is very much age appropriate."

Just the sound of her name made his body tense in discomfort at having to take her to the wedding knowing that it would only spark unnecessary gossip and rumours sprinkled in the glitter of falsehood there was something romantic between them when he wanted nothing to do with her. Despite his parents (especially his father) trying to unite them in the hopes it would appease her father for some odd reason, Jack just couldn't do it.

Maybe it was that reason alone that made him allow the next set of words to leave his mouth without thinking it through. "I don't think my girlfriend would appreciate me going to a wedding with another woman."

Stunned, Evelyn silently plopped into the chair across from him and leaned in dying to hear more about the new development in his life, "You have a woman in your life and you're only telling me now!"

"Well, I was going to mention her at a later time if it weren't for this wedding," he lied ignoring the snide comments his conscious made about him going to hell. But the look of utter glee on his mother's face made him more confident to proceed further with the lie, "and I really see myself having a future with her."

"Excellent! Well, what's her name?"

Jack was taken aback by the sudden interrogation and in as much as he was hoping to have a moment to at least come up with a better plan his mouth already proving to be possessing a mind of its own spilled out, "Erica..."

***

The sweet melody of Luther Vandross's "Here and Now" bounced off the walls of her room as she idly laid on top of her bed covers allowing the music to ease her from another busy day. Closing her eyes, she sunk in to the days under the stars dancing to the stereo on the lawn, her mother would be sitting on a chair on the porch. Sometimes when the song was an up-tempo tune, she'd join Erica, barefoot and carefree on the grass dancing with her. Those memories were a part of the reasons she wanted to pursue music. Seeing the joy on the faces of people in the crowd satisfied her at knowing that she played a part in making them happy especially if the lives they happened to live had seen very little of that emotion.

And just when she felt herself drift off to sleep Sabrina barged into her room grinning from ear to ear. "What part of do not disturb don't you get?" she huffed covering her head with the pillow not bothered to look her way.

However, Sabrina didn't seem the least bit deterred choosing instead to yank the pillow off Erica's head, "Someone's here to see you," she sang lightly plopping herself onto the bed to poke her cousin's side until eventually fed up with the childish antic she sat up frowning at Sabrina.

"Couldn't you tell me that from the other side of the door?"

"Wouldn't have been as entertaining," she pouted earning an eye roll from Erica who stood up and walked out of the room but not without flipping off the other girl who could do nothing but chuckle at the crude gesture. She knew deep down past Erica's annoyance there was nothing but love and affection for her.

She moved wearily towards the living room stopping short at the man's profile eyeing a picture of her and her mother on the wall. Even though his back was facing her, Erica didn't need to see his face to know that given the immaculate suit framing his body perfectly just who it was.

And she refused to bother hiding her bewilderment in her voice, "Jack?"

Swivelling on his feet, the nerves simmering inside him grew immensely to the point he feared the space provided by his chest wasn't offering the ample room needed for his heart as it pounded against it. Placing the glass of water Sabrina had been kind enough to offer on the table he cleared his throat, "H-Hey, how are you?" he nearly face palmed himself given the way her head cocked to the side at the rather awkward question.

His nervous energy was far too easy to detect, and Erica could tell there was something adrift in his demeanour but chose to answer despite a superfluity of questions forming inside her mind as to what he wanted. "I was enjoying a quiet evening after a busy day of school and work until somebody disrupted my peace."

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly stuffing his shaky hands into his pockets. "I promise it wasnt my intention to disturb you. But it was urgent that I came to speak to you."

"Oh my god! Please don't tell me you killed your ex and want me to help you bury the body," she giggled lightly taking a seat on the couch. However, her laughter died down at the emotionless look he was giving her, "That's not it right?"

"No!" he groaned, "it's got nothing to do with my ex... well not entirely," he sighed moving slowly towards her and the statement immediately caused Erica to shift closer, intrigued by where this conversation was going. "Remember how I mentioned she was getting married?"

"Yes..." she replied, knowing that she hadn't been able to forget the conversation. It had surprisingly been a good night. But she refused to dwell any further on the peculiar feeling she felt whenever he was near.

"Well, uh w-well I kind of left out the part where my parents have been trying to get me involved with this other woman who is..." he grimaced trying to find a euphemism that could put Ruby in a slightly better light, "unique. And they wanted me to go with her to the wedding, but I-I told them," he paused wishing to disappear in this very moment as looked up to find her watching him intently.

"Just say it," a voice inside him urged.

"I told them that I have a girlfriend," he murmured lowly into the space between them.

When he heard no response fearful, she had missed the confession he glanced up to find her eyes wide, mouth gaping as confirmation that she had heard him, "Why are you telling me this, Jack?" she asked. Jack felt antsy hearing the calmness behind her tone knowing it was just a preamble to the storm that was to come.

But he knew he'd have to face whatever her reaction would be since he failed to be honest in the first place. "I told my mother it was you. But please understand that I panicked – I wasn't even going to go to the wedding in the first place if it weren't apparently some fucking obligation, Erica I swear- oh god!" he groaned plopping onto the other seat across from her gripping the loose ends of his hair. And yet despite him wallowing further into the dark hole he had created she sat still unsure of what to say, her mind was still processing the words uttered her way.

"So much for a quiet evening," she thought leaning further back in her seat as the weight of his words finally affected her.

"Jack, I-I'm sorry but whatever favour you're about to ask me, I'm going to have to decline."

"Please Erica," he begged standing up from his seat to come before her, he knelt in front of her and gripped her hands. He had already made up his mind that despite how this was wrong it was too late to back down now if the messages his aunt, brother and father were anything to come by. When he came to her apartment Jack had already made up his mind that he would beg her if he had to, "Please. I wouldn't have to come to you if it wasn't serious."

"You wouldn't have to come to me at all if you hadn't lied in the first place!" she snapped pushing his hands away.

"Please believe me when I say it wasn't my intention to drag you into this, but I really need your help and I swear if you do this, I'll never bother you again. I just need to show up with somebody, show face and be done with it once and for all."

His eyes bored into hers, the look earnest telling the tale of a man at the end of his rope. Everything inside her was telling her to just say no right there and be done with it, "Please Erica," he pleaded choosing to grip her thighs gently out of fear that reaching for her hands would resort in her pushing them away as his eyes bore into hers.

"Look this is this is just too weird for me," she sputtered standing up, "besides I-I don't feel right about this. I-I'm sorry but you're going to have to get yourself out of this. Hell, hire someone else for all I care!" she urged moving away from him ignoring the look he was giving her.

"What if I told you that you could benefit out of this?' he blurted out knowing that this was the only other card he had left in his arsenal in the hopes it would work. She paused briefly in her pursuit to the door and turned to eye him carefully. Taking that as enough encouragement to continue he stood up and moved cautiously towards her, "this wedding is going to be the event of the season. And in as much as it's a wedding to most people these social events are great ways to network. So, I can guarantee you that some of the guests there won't only consist of business tycoons but people who can give your voice the recognition it deserves."

"I don't need your help in getting my dream, Jack."

"But you can at least admit that all the legends you respect needed help. C'mon you can't honestly tell me that Luther got to the top all on his own."

"Well first leave Luther alone and second I'm sure he certainly didn't have to be used as a pawn in someone's lie to be the legend he is," she challenged crossing her arms with attitude. He bit his lip in the hopes she wouldn't be able to tell he was more of amused rather than intimidated by her.

"How would you know? No one else would know that you and I aren't a real couple, Erica. Just give it some thought," he pleaded reaching into his coat to bring out his card that had his number scribbled on it. She looked at it debating with herself whether to take it and yet without much incitement from him, her hand reached up and took it from him.

"Just give it some thought, please," he coaxed gently taking her silence as his cue to leave. She followed his profile taking note of how anxious he looked. And a part of her felt bad for his predicament. Grabbing the cold, metal doorknob he ceased his movements and gave her one last look, "I know I shouldn't have dragged you into this but I'm sick and tired of people thinking I'm weak and need help to survive. And maybe, maybe it would be nice to have her see me with someone beautiful on my arm and know she didn't completely destroy me."

Not waiting for her response, he silently opened the door and left...