With the vows exchanged, Josalyn tried to keep the flow going. Her head throbbed, signaling that today was overwhelming. She’d pay for it in the end. That’s part of what she hated. This wasn’t something she could predict or prevent. No one around her understood. She sought a calm space for a brief rest. She had not had that for hours. “Okay, everyone. That’s the last signature! We’re officially married again! At least, off stage.” Which set off a laugh throughout the gathering. The people there had a long day. Let’s set up again. Then we’ll do a second run through. This time we’ll record the ceremony part for the special program. So, this will be a dramatic ceremony. We want to catch comments and gossip. So, guess and give our viewers something to sink their teeth into. Just remember. Rebecca and Everett are perfect for one another. Several of you have cues to base your gossip off of. We want those out there.” Rebecca rolled her eyes at this. They w
Gena couldn’t believe the trouble they were in. The police weren’t standard city police at the stop. No, these were federal agents. They took her uncle and several others. “I’ll come get you when I’m finished with Rebecca.” Gena said. Her uncle stood there in handcuffs and panic crossed his face before his anger got the better of him and he yelled at Yuri. “No, you foolish girl. You’ll ruin everything if you make a scene. Yuri, make her stop and deliver the message to Edward Black. He’s a wedding guest. You know what he looks like don’t you? This is all a mistake and I’ll have it cleared up soon. Gena did nothing foolish. Everett Stone is not worthy of being a member of this family. Marrying him means leaving our family. All connections and resources will no longer be accessible by you.” Alberto’s words rushed out of him while the officers assisted him into the back of a police vehicle. “Uncle Alberto! He’s the father of my baby. Doesn’t
Edward Black looked up when the producer approached him. “Looks like you got your wish. The officers just called and reported that your ex-wife and her cousin are in custody. They couldn’t hold Gena though and she’s on her way here they believe.” The look of dread in the producer’s eyes was not reflected in Edward’s. He knew the woman was petty and vindictive, but she’d never grown up. She’d dig her own grave in respect to her image and reputation. “She doesn’t know what’s happening, does she?” Edward asked. The producer shook his head. “I don’t believe so. Or she doesn’t know the severity of it.” Her uncle’s arrest turned into many arrests throughout Gena’s family and their businesses. Edward’s defense team not only found proof he wasn’t involved in the crimes Gena’s family had pinned on him. They’d found evidence of who orchestrated the crimes originally. They’d found evidence to prove who was the offenders to the mastermind in charge. Now the pro
“So, the rumors about Yuri were true? He hurt those women, and someone paid them off?” Josalyn asked. Jake nodded. His stern expression told her he wasn’t happy about all of this, and he watched the paramedics load Gena into the ambulance. Everyone could hear Gena call out in weak, plaintive tones for Everett. “It looks likely now. Gena was spotted by a parking attendant struggling with Yuri’s driver. He noticed what he thought was blood and called security. They called the police immediately.” Jake tried to ignore Gena’s cries, but Josalyn could see a painful expression mixed with annoyance on his face. She faced a second attack within weeks. This is insane. Who did this? Was it Yuri or his driver that did this?” Josalyn knew little about Leo, Yuri’s driver. Only that he lurked on set when Yuri worked. No one felt comfortable with him around and several times he’d been kicked off a sound stage. “I don’t know about the first attack, but
Josalyn’s day-long headache vanished when an evening rainstorm arrived from the lake. With relief, realizing the headache was a false alarm. The storm lasted an hour. Sufficient to cleanse before departure. The parking lot examination was brief, as they concluded the limousine was the crime scene. Once the ambulance was gone and the police cleared the parking lot of people. The wedding coordinator insisted on the wedding reception continuing. While the inn boasted enough space in their grand dining hall, and the shift into the inn happened fast. The locals suspected it would rain and prepared for it.Jake and Edward kept their promise and the wedding planner guided everyone through the rituals until Jake whispered to Josalyn. “It’s time we made our escape. The boat is ready, and we can be gone before anyone realizes it.”“I thought this time would never happen. Have you heard anything about Gena’s status?” Josalyn asked. She was more than ready to end this even
Jake closed the cottage door behind Josalyn. “It’s just us again. I’ve waited all day for this. It’s been nothing but a pain watching that disaster. But we fixed our mistakes and I’m hoping this means we’re back on the right track again with our lives.” Josalyn listened to Jake and could see his eager happiness. She believed he wanted this to happen, especially after rushing to the hospital with her. Josalyn didn’t want to show her financial situation to him. He’d question the purpose of the medical bills. He was aware of celiac disease, but not its true impact on her. But after he revealed the cottage renovations, and the staff. Josalyn feared their divorce would worsen from the earlier one. Both times he’d promised not to divorce her. Would he fail this time to keep that promise? She couldn’t ask him about that right now. Josalyn struggled with her guilt about Gena and her memories of lying there alone, losing her child. “Jake, would i
Jake led Josalyn into the bedroom, turning on the water and helping her out of the dress. “Can you explain to me why wedding dresses always seem to have either a million buttons or miles of ties holding them closed?” “Anticipation of unwrapping the present? I don’t know, it’s tradition. I’ll be glad to leave this. Do you know how heavy this is? I’ll be honest, I regret not having a reception dress to change into. Dancing was difficult, and using the bathroom was even worse. Men ponder women’s group bathroom visits. It takes many hands to protect a dress like this from accidents.” “Well, it’s served its purpose. Will you keep this dress? I know you sold the first one for rent.” “Yeah, I sold it. But what else could I do? We wouldn’t have had a roof over our heads if I hadn’t. Nor did I get much for it.” “What happened to the photos?” “Some photos were stuffed in an attic drawer. I didn’t have the heart to look at t
Josalyn lay on their bed at Jake’s teasing mercy. His hungry gazed followed his hands, and he toyed with her body. He’d just told her he wanted to see her orgasm before he satisfied himself. Then, without missing a beat, his fingers found her depths and thrust into her core, searching for that spot that would send her spiraling out of control. Her breath became heavy. “I want to share this pleasure with you. Let me touch you, Jake.” “Later. Now focus on what I’m doing and enjoy it. Breathe and focus. His other hands slid along her inner thighs with gentle caresses that left her thighs shaking and her mind forgetting to breathe. Along with her rich moans, the room filled with the slick sound of his fingers thrusting in and out of her. Josalyn knew he loved to hear what his actions did to her body. “Jake, oh god. Please I want to touch you.” “You know the rules love. I want to start tonight off right. Come on my hand. Show me h
“I lost our first baby. It’s my fault Everett didn’t know about it. I didn’t tell him because it would’ve killed him and I feared he’d think I was using it as an excuse to cling to him. If I told him he’d want to know why it happened and then blame me for it. I was too tired from losing the baby that I’ve agreed to almost anything. Mentioning pregnancy, I indeed recall feeling the same way before. Rebecca leaned against the door jamb and gave a heavy sigh. Hopefully, this time yields better results. Can’t do it again.” “Then I’ll go call them now and see if I can catch the receptionist before she leaves for lunch. I hope it’s a baby and nothing bad.” Jill left the dressing room and the other to speak between themselves. “A baby…” Rebecca sounded like she was stunned. “Oh, good grief. I hope the doctor was correct when he told you I could still have children.” “We’ll find out soon enough.”(SEVEN MONTHS LATER- MERCY GENERAL HOSPITAL, LABOR, AND DELIVE
“Are you alright love? Should I call your doctor for an appointment?” Everett asked Rebecca when she left the bathroom of the dressing room they now shared at work. He looked at her with concern in his eyes. “I don’t know. I’m nauseous but there’s no pain. “Perhaps I’m coming down with something,” Rebecca said, her pale face lacking its usual smile. “This will pass soon too.” “Perhaps we should secure the appointment now, rather than later. We’ll play it safe and catch whatever it is early. Why don’t you go sit down and relax? I know our lunch will arrive at the set soon. Then we can enjoy it and see how you’re feeling.” “The truth is I’m a little tired and nauseous. That’s it. No headaches, no pain, or weakness. There’re no mystery rashes, and my breathing is fine. I can’t find even a simple mystery bruise, and no strange bouts of acne. My hair isn’t falling out like it was, at least not yet.” “Can we sit and list your exper
Coming out of the interview with Everett, Josalyn sat down an hour later with the man she knew was her father. She’d spent hours researching stories and coming up with questions. The writers added questions to the lists well in advance. The questions went through the Studio’s legal department and her father’s legal team went through them as well. It became a lengthy-drawn-out process because of all the legal complications. Everett insisted on staying with her for support and sat in the dark shadows off to the side, away from the cameras, watching everything. He’d become protective and a little obsessive of Rebecca, but at this point she didn’t mind so much. Rebecca still basked in his attention and his attention hadn’t become intrusive yet in her eyes. Something had changed and Rebecca knew that. Her father sat there and shifted in his seat. He didn’t appear comfortable, and she’d not hesitate to say he appeared nervous. She attributed it to his pri
(SIX WEEKS AFTER THEIR WEDDING) Everett took a seat beside Rebecca on a sound stage. He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. Then his smile changed from the genuine one he gave her to the smile he’s known for when he looked at the interviewer. This was their explanation of events. Legal advice urged them to take a preemptive measure to defend against Gena’s potential slander. “Thank you for being here Mr. Stone and Ms. Jones.” Ken Douglas said to them as he settled into his own seat after greeting them. The cameras were rolling and picking up everything. “Thank you, Mr. Douglas. But it’s Mrs. Stone now.” Everett said to Ken. He corrected the interviewer before Rebecca could. “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t realize you changed your name.” Ken Douglas looked at his notes, already off kilter with this interview. “It’s a recent development. My wife and I decided it would better reflect our leaving the past in the past.
“Morning, everyone. Thank you for settling down so quickly. Let’s start immediately. I’m afraid we have had several events in the past few weeks and several rather disturbing events last night.” Surprisingly, the Studio handler, who never attended a meeting like this before, assumed control. He let the comments and surprises fill the room. “It’s with a heavy heart that I must tell everyone that Yuri will not return to the set as he and his driver were found early yesterday morning dead in their cell. The cause of their deaths isn’t known, but suicide has not been ruled out yet.”Shock spread among everyone, including Josalyn. Though she knew the reputation of Gena’s family and two suicides this early didn’t sound right to her. Gena’s family had conflicting feelings about the women in their family. Hurting their own women was one thing, but an outsider doing so was another. Then there’s the baby. She wondered if they could have killed Yuri not for harming Gena, but for caus
They had two weeks for their honeymoon. Jake promised to arrange for something better later. He wouldn’t tell her where they’d go. It would be a surprise. He believes it’s important to be nearby for her health since her recent injuries stopped her from doing physical activities in a foreign country. If something happened, he didn’t trust the medical system of a foreign nation. Jake let her decide if she would show up at the studios without her wig. It’s odd to see the reaction she received when they arrived at the gate this morning. “Well, here we go.” Jake’s choice of driver eased their way through security and fans. They’d been lying in wait for them. Nunzio and Ben, both warned them that there’d been clashes between two groups of fans. One group supported their marriage, and a second group opposed it. “Yeah, I wonder what they’ll do when they learn we were married before this.” Josalyn asked Jake, “What they would make of that?” Their
Jake and Josalyn relaxed and enjoyed their usual activities at the cottage. Without the crowd of friends, of course. This time they weren’t window shopping for antiques. They could go through the shops and buy whatever they wanted. Though Jake found Josalyn hesitant to use his money. He couldn’t risk lowering his guard. He had to watch her to see what caught her eye and then ensure that he purchased it. These pieces weren’t for the cottage, but for their city house. Once they completed the renovations, they needed to refurnish the entire house. They needed everything from the floorboards to the ceiling. They won’t understand everything right away, but they can start. Afterwards, he would hire a professional to finish the space. “Jake, over here. Look at this. I love these cabinets; wouldn’t they make perfect nightstands for the master bedroom?” “Found a blanket box bench over there. Place it at the bed’s foot. It’s not just a box but has several dra
The next morning, they ate their breakfast on the back deck overlooking the lake and enjoyed the silence of nature as the sun rose. Josalyn forgot the joy of sitting without worrying about schedules, scripts, or getting through the day. Jake’s presence was soothing rather than grating on her nerves. She viewed him differently last night, absorbing new information about her long-held experiences. Her fears were unfounded sometimes and in others she found herself exposed to far too much. This time, when she tried to bring up the problems, Jake stood with her, and they formed a consensus. With that consensus came a plan. The plan’s activation is uncertain, but it would provide clarity to the public. They agreed not to involve the Studio’s PR handler. They’d handle it alone and let the chips fall where they may. She came clean about her finances and today they’d hand them to Jake’s family’s accounting firm and allow them to sort out her debts. Jake wasn
Josalyn lay on their bed at Jake’s teasing mercy. His hungry gazed followed his hands, and he toyed with her body. He’d just told her he wanted to see her orgasm before he satisfied himself. Then, without missing a beat, his fingers found her depths and thrust into her core, searching for that spot that would send her spiraling out of control. Her breath became heavy. “I want to share this pleasure with you. Let me touch you, Jake.” “Later. Now focus on what I’m doing and enjoy it. Breathe and focus. His other hands slid along her inner thighs with gentle caresses that left her thighs shaking and her mind forgetting to breathe. Along with her rich moans, the room filled with the slick sound of his fingers thrusting in and out of her. Josalyn knew he loved to hear what his actions did to her body. “Jake, oh god. Please I want to touch you.” “You know the rules love. I want to start tonight off right. Come on my hand. Show me h