Chapter 3: Date Gone Wrong

On their graduation ceremony, Stephen's family sent a dark armored car. Lisa and Stephan got in.  The Driver had keys in his hand. “A gift from your father, Mr Biscotti.”

Stephan nodded and put on his seatbelt. The driver drove off. 

 When the car stopped, Lisa stared at a glass building. “It's a law firm. Your Graduation gift is your own law firm? Stephan, you are so spoiled.”

“Afraid not, my dear. My father buys them, but I must keep it afloat. He won’t help with that. This just means I have to spend more time working and less with friends. At least it's close to Bountiful.”

 The two of them still had lunch at Bountiful every day.  Stephen insisted on that, and she couldn’t say no. Stephen didn’t give her an opportunity to say no or yes. Stephan never asked her questions. He just did something for her and demanded something in return if he thought she would reject it. That was the nature of their relationship since they first met, and it hasn’t changed yet.

A few months after Stephan got the law firm, he demanded Lisa tell him a secret.

Lisa showed her motorcycle manuals and wishes for a special custom-made bike she had been saving money for.  Stephan demanded to see the plans. Lisa showed them to him. The next day, the plans went missing.

 When Stephan showed up to bountiful with the bike five months later,   made exactly to Lisa's specifications, she couldn’t believe she was surprised. She wasn’t surprised when he fired her and demanded she become his personal assistant of his brand-new firm to pay for the bike she named baby. Stephan Stared at Lisa, a calm demeanor on his face. “I'm bisexual, that is my secret proof that I trust you. My   family can never find out that I like men, and neither can the GP. I need you to be my friend. I need   to use your apartment.”

“Why won’t you just go to a seedy hotel at the edge of town?”

Stephan's eyes never strayed from hers as he calmly spoke   in his no BS voice. “A hotel just won’t do because ever since I took Viola Graye the actress to a cinema the tabloids won’t stop hounding me thinking I'm her new guy. I'm not she was just a onetime thing.  Therefore, I require your apartment. You can use my house while I use yours, you won't be put out on the streets, what do you say friend?”

Lisa looked at her key and hand to Stephan.  When she did use his house, she often slept in his bedroom, even though she didn’t have to. One night,   she was laying against one of his shirts   when Stephan walked into his bedroom.

“I thought for sure you would use one of the guest bedrooms. That's what you told me, anyway.”

“I thought about it, but   using your bedroom felt fitting since… I mean, well, you were using mine.”

Lisa watched Stephan. He sees the shirt, I know he does, he's going to kick me out any moment now.  

“ Move over, you're on my side.” Stephan got on the bed. He wrapped his arm around her and fell asleep.  When morning came, Stephan had a dress waiting for her. “This closet is kept locked, everything in it is yours. You will pay for it by allowing me to take you to my father's house for dinner.” 

 During the dinner, his father’s business associate kept asking Stephen when he was getting married. Lisa grabbed her heart. “Stephan's getting married?”

Stephan's father said,  “Stephen is working on it, Christopher.”

 Stephen neither denied it nor confirmed it.

 When dinner was over, and they were alone, Lisa grabbed Stephan's arm. “So you're finally getting married, uh? Who's the lucky girl?” 

 Stephan chuckled.  “Oh, some spoiled brat who is always being difficult.”

 Lisa started distancing herself from Stephen after that dinner and started dating. Lisa walked across the parlor after her latest date. “I can’t believe it, what an asshole!” The bag she had in her hand flew across the room in her apartment, hitting the vase.

 “My dearest, surely it cannot be that serious for you to have broken my 650,000 vase” 

“Oh Stephan, it was awful”

 “Hush now tell me all that happen” 

“He was such a jerk, it started out ok. I drove baby to the meeting place just like you told me. I am so happy I did. He started to ask me questions about Charles, he said he spoke to him about something, but refused to tell me what. Then he started to ask me questions.” 

“What about Lisa, dearest?” 

“About you. He said that when he called me, a man picked up my phone and asked him who he wanted to speak to. He asked if it was my brother.” 

“You told him no, of course” 

“Yes, and then he asked how long have I been married. I told him I have never been married and would love to be. Then he asked me more about you.”

 “What about me? What could have been so wrong that you broke that vase?” “Stephan forget the vase, he threatened to have me reported.”

 “Reported to whom?”

 “The police, who else?”

“On what charge?”

 “Adultery without consent” 

Stephan stared at her then, not saying a word. 

“What am I going to do Stephan, what am I going to say” 

“Nothing, you have done nothing wrong” 

“He saw the credit card, Stephan”

 “How?”

 “I paid for the meal”

“ You did what? What did I tell you?”

 “He said he left his at home” 

“Does he want to see you again?”

“ Are you kidding, he walked me halfway to my apartment and said he was doing my husband a favor. He said he didn't mind giving a married woman a good time, but he will not touch another’s property without permission. Said his father raised him better than that.”

 “Do you want to see him again” 

Lisa stared at him, a slick smile on her mouth. “Can I? Will you help me?” 

“I might consider it” 

Lisa shook her head yes.

 “He handed you something in the hall, I want it”

 “it was a calling card” 

“Give it to me” 

“You did not have to ask, I was going to give it to you. It's not fair, Stephan, we aren’t married.”

 “It doesn’t matter, not to them, not to him. The important thing is that we keep you out of jail, and he doesn't find out about Derrick. Excuse yourself to the bedroom I will be there in a moment, it's our ice cream night, and you are late.”

Lisa left and started to go to the room and when Stephan was sure she wasn’t listening he picked up the phone and dialed the number on the phone. “Hello, it's Stephan Biscotti, Lisa’s Husband.”

 “Keep your Bitch on the leash before she gets us both into trouble. She's still going by her maiden name, I can’t afford to get sued by a pissed off husband or arrested by a cop who runs her ID in.”

 “I understand completely. I allow Lisa to roam because we are separated.”

“That maybe, but for all intents and purposes she is yours”

 “As long as you understand she will stay that way, we can have a beautiful relationship.” “What are you purposing?” 

“I allow my darling Lisa to have friends because I am not enough to give her what she needs, understand?” 

“I don’t think I like what you are insinuating, but I want you to tell Lisa to call me when she finally gets that divorce.  I know for her to lie that badly means only one thing, she doesn’t want to be married to you.  I want a wife, not some whore that a pimp cares to loan me.” 

Stephan smiled as he heard a click on the phone, making it clear the conversation was over, and the other caller hung up. 

Stephan got out of his suit, wearing only boxers, he headed towards the bathroom. “Lisa, you in there? You were right. Man’s an asshole wouldn’t listen to reason and doesn’t believe we are not married. He called you a lying whore. Can you believe that? Fuck him, we’ll get another vase.” 

“It's not fair, Stephan” 

“I know but fuck them all Lisa you don’t need them, You got me. What are we watching tonight?” 

“I thought we watch The best friend. Can you wash my back.”

 “You care to share?” 

“The shower? Sure, get in. you're going to your place tonight?”

 “Nah but we need to be in the office pretty early tomorrow, so I thought one movie, and we go over the Jennings case than get some sleep.” yeah 

“I need you to ride with me to court, tomorrow. I need you to handle this one personally.”

“I got a date tomorrow morning” 

“Cancel it. It's too soon.” 

“But I like this one.”

“ Yeah, what’s his name”

 “Teddy” 

“Hmm, how about not tomorrow”

 “what do I say” 

“I don’t care, but I said not tomorrow” 

Lisa stared at him but said nothing as he washed her back. 

“Wash mine”

 Lisa nodded and washed stephans back. “When’s the last time you washed your hair?”

 “Last night you?” 

“It's been bout a month”

 “A month? Jesus Lisa, you have to wash it more often, no wonder why you have split ends.”

 “Well, no one can be as perfect as you, Stephan” “that is because no one has to be. I need your apartment this weekend.” 

“Damn Stephan, how often do you need to fuck? You just had my apartment Thursday.” 

“And?” 

“It's Friday.” 

“Yeah I know. This is a special business associate. We require your place for a meeting, so you will be taking my place all weekend. I just restocked your favorite ice cream, thanks for telling me we ran out.” 

“I didn’t want to be a pain, Stephan.” 

“How many times do I have to tell you If you run out of something Lisa so do I and if we run out of it I expect you to tell me, or we will not have that something anymore” 

“Okay, okay, we ran out of Legacy”

 “We ran out of what have you lost your mind my father loves that drink he only has it when he visits” 

“Okay, so just get another one” 

“There are only twenty in the whole world and I brought them all, so tell me, which playmate did you have in our apartment?” 

 “Stephan, I’m sorry” 

“You are so not forgiven, keep your fuck buddies out of my liquor cabinet. If you want to impress them, I suggest you give them my Vieille Bon Secours Ale, it's only a grand. I assure you it will get their attention, but keep them away from my father's drinks.” 

“When is he coming, by the way?”

 “This week he will want to stay here again” 

Lisa nodded her eyes and sat on the bed, “You ready for the movie, done your hair enough?” “My father will be here in a few days, and he will not be pleased if my hair does not shine like the stars in the night.”

 Lisa stared at him before pushing play on the remote. “Sit in front of me and hand me the brush” 

Stephan did as she said, and she brushed Stephan’s flowing back hair. “Stephan, um, will you like me to cut your hair?” 

“Heavens, no. my father will kill me if I ever cut it, either him or my uncle”

“Will he be coming alone, your father, or will he be bringing your brothers”

 “I don’t even know when he will come let alone who he will bring” Lisa watched the movie with Stephan and

She looked upon his face and sighed. “Someone’s getting tired, ready for bed.”

 “We didn’t go over the case yet.”

 “We can do it tomorrow, but for now we must get some rest, Kay?”

Lisa yawned. “Okay, don’t forget to wrap your hair. Don’t forget to wake me up.” 

“Do I ever?”

 “No, of course not” 

“Don't worry, I will have your clothes ready and everything will be as usual. Now you should sleep. I will keep watch.”

 “Good night Stephan” 

“Good night, Lisa dearest.”