Mari

I finally got in touch with Jeffrey, who I found out was a very hard person to catch up with. He has a busy lifestyle and it took a couple of days for us to actually connect. Jeffrey and I decided to meet in downtown Chicago at a small place called Elite. It was a nice bistro on the northside of Chicago. When I arrived, he was sitting at the table along with someone else - a beautiful man. He donned long flowing hair that looked as if he just left the salon, full of body and luscious soft curls draping down his shoulders.

As I approached the table, he turned my way; smooth, dark chocolate skin flowed all over his body down to his pedicured feet as he wore a pair of Gucci slides. Jeffrey smiled his winning smile and pulled out a chair for me to take a seat.

"Hello Love, you're looking fabulous today." He voiced as I sat down.

"Thank you, you're not looking so bad yourself."

"Well I'm always looking good. I have a reputation to uphold." I smiled and shook my head.

"Who is this lovely specimen here?" The Beautiful man quipped.

"Oh," Jeffrey sat up straight in his chair. "This is my fiance, Mari Worthington." His face dropped. "Mari, let me introduce you to Fabian Deveraux."

"Nice to meet you." I said.

"The pleasure is all mine, gorgeous." Fabian said, leaning towards the table.

"Fabian, stop it. You know damn well you ain't interested."

"That doesn't mean she is not gorgeous." he snapped.

"Thank you," I blushed. "I was just about to say the same thing about you. You are a beautiful man."

"Thank you darling, I know. But it never gets old hearing it." Fabian smiled, Jeffrey rolled his eyes; I chuckled and shook my head.

"Don't mind him, how have you been doing? Has your father been getting on your nerves?"

"Not as much, but he is asking how the wedding plans are going."

"Wait, you two are seriously getting married?" Fabian placed his drink down on the table. I looked at Jeffrey who had an irritated look plastered on his face.

"No, not exactly."

"Then what?"

"Our families want us to marry to keep our money in the family. Therefore, our family practices arranged marriages." I offered some clarity.

"Oh Shit! So y'all two were arranged to get married?"

"Yes."

"But Jeffrey, your family knows you are out, right?"

"Yes, they do. It's all for show. But Mari and I don't want to be attached legally at all, therefore we have come up with a plan."

"Oh," Fabian raised his eyebrows, sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. "Well do tell."

"We've devised a plan that will allow Jeffrey to go missing, in turn delay and perhaps call off the wedding."

"Oh, I see. So you are running away again?" Fabian's tone changed.

"Yes, but for only a few months." Jeffrey answered, taking a sip of his drink.

"And when were you going to tell me?" Fabian was getting frustrated which made me think, was there something going on with Jeffrey and Fabian that I didn't know about?

"I was going to tell you when we ironed all of the details. Don't get your panties all twisted." Jeffrey snapped.

"And who are you going with this time?" Fabian asked. I raised my eyebrows and looked at Jeffrey. This was a more interesting conversation between the two of them over what we were discussing. I sat there like a little church mouse taking in the entire scene.

"I'm going with Joseph."

"Oh. I thought you were going to go with the dude you met the other day, what was his name? Richard? Ricky? Randy? Something that started with an R." Jeffrey cut Fabian a stern look that shut him up.

He looked back at me to see if I was paying attention, which I was. I blinked so obviously trying to figure out what was going on.

He smiled at me and played it off. "Never mind him, he's just jealous I'm not taking him." I figured I would put a pin in it and come back another time when Fabian wasn't around.

"Who wouldn't want to go with you for a few months out of the country." Fabian stabbed his fork into his plate, picked up a bite of food and stuffed it in his mouth.

"Yes I know, everyone wants to come with me when I go missing."

"Out of the country? This must be a regular thing?" I asked.

"It is, but it varies on the time of year and how I feel." I nodded with understanding. "So, Mari, it looks as if our mothers have gotten together to choose the venue and since they are loving the time with each other, I say, let them pick whatever as it will never happen anyway."

"I agree."

"Ok. So how about we set up an appointment for the cake? That way we can have lunch and visit the bakery together and try some cake for dessert?"

"That sounds nice. I like that. When would you like to do this?" I asked as I was getting excited playing along with him.

"Oooo, can I tag along?" Fabian asked.

"Sure, you can be our wedding coordinator. No one will question it." he answered. "I will make a call out to this baker I know from a previous engagement and see when they are available to accommodate us. I will let you know at least by the middle of next week."

"That sounds good. Seems like everything is getting this ball rolling."

"Yep, just enough for it to drop off the edge of the cliff." We laughed, clapped our hands and gave each other a high-five.

"I like you, Mari. Why haven't I heard of you?" Fabian asked, trying to get details of who I was and where I came from.

"She's from a different breed. Her and her sister, Vicki. They are the women who refused to play the game they were dealt."

"Oh ok. Is it just you and your sister?" Fabian asked. Jeffrey picked up his fan and opened it forcefully while giving Fabian another stern look. Fabian frowned at Jeffrey wondering what the problem was about him asking questions.

"Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Why are you tripping on me asking questions? Damn, Bitch, I'm just trying to have a polite conversation! Isn't that how you get to know a person by asking questions?" Fabian readjusted in his chair and rolled his eyes.

"It's okay, Jeffrey." I replied. "I have a brother as well. It's just the three of us."

"Thank you Mari," He gave Jeffrey a bitch face look with the twisted lips. "Your brother, is he single?" he smiled hoping he was.

"I'm sorry, he's not. He's happily married with children." Jeffrey snickered and stuffed a bite of food into his mouth.

"How happy is he?" Fabian was relentless. I laughed at his persistence.

"See?! You see now Mari, what I was talking about. Once this bitch starts, he won't stop. Don't encourage him." I laughed at the two of them arguing back and forth like an old married couple.

"How long have y'all known each other, because y'all sound like y'all have been together forever." I asked.

"Forever." Fabian sang quickly.

"Too long!" Jeffrey uttered tirelessly.

And to think, I thought this meeting would be just about the wedding scheme and it turned out to be so much more.

§

Vicki

I've always known that Father had a child with another woman, but I wasn't sure how to find him. I'm sure Father made a way for the child not to carry the Worthington family name; it would bring too much unwanted attention. I had done a bunch of research trying to find out who Father was with when I overheard the conversation with his brother, Gregory.

I remember Father talking about how the woman was related to someone that Uncle Gregory knew. It narrowed it down but not so much to the point where I knew exactly where to turn. I decided to try to ask my cousin for assistance as she had a great relationship with her father, my uncle, hoping she could shed some light on who this person was.

I hadn't spoken to my cousin, Natalie in a while as we don't really run in the same circles. Her father, even though she was the product of cheating, made it a point to acknowledge all of his children. He didn't shy away from his infidelity, he admitted it and took full responsibility for his actions, which is way more than I can say for Father.

"Hey cousin!" she said excitedly as she answered the phone. "It's been ages, how are you?"

"I'm good, you know how it is. Living my best life."

"I feel you girl. Wow, it's been a while since we've spoken. We really gotta catch up."

"Yeah, to be honest I wanted to meet up with you because I'm trying to find out some information about our family and I know you have the hookups on finding information."

"Yes, girl you have called the right one. And if I can't find the information I know someone who can." she replied. She's always been resourceful given the fact that she doesn't hold a regular job, but that's a story for an entirely different time.

"Good. I was wondering since you were so close to your father if he has ever mentioned my father having any kids outside of his marriage?"

"Girl, you know the men in our family are good for that. They will have babies popping up all over the place. It seems like the men in this family can't keep their dick in one place." she quipped. We both laughed at how true it was.

"Girl, ain't that the truth."

"Shit to be honest, after what I've just found out, it isn't just the men in our family for that matter." she uttered.

"Are you serious? Who else girl?"

"My fake ass sister. No, let me rephrase that - my half-sister."

"Wow. I didn't expect that from her." I was floored. Her sister was married to some football player that played for Dallas. What a waste!

"Neither did I until I found out she's just as bad. I would say it's the genes, but I ain't like that. I don't have a man to cheat on."

"Yeah, I'm not like that either. I don't even know how to explain it." I answered.

"But give me some time to dig around and see what I come up with. I'll call you when I find something and we could do lunch, my treat. Tell Mari too, I would love to see her."

"Thank you so much, I appreciate that. And I will take you up on that lunch girl."

"Good, and don't forget to ask Mari too. I heard she's getting married."

"Yes girl, you know how my father is with this arranged marriage shit."

"I heard. I'm so glad my father was not like his brother. He just allowed us to do whatever."

"I could only wish. But I will tell her. Just let me know anything you come up with."

"Will do. I'll talk to you later. I'm about to go into a meeting but I'll contact you soon."

"Okay, and thank you again." I replied.

"Girl, no worries. We are family and we of all people need to stick together and find shit out!" She laughed and hung up the phone.

I sat back and smiled knowing if there was anything to be found, she would find it - it was just a matter of time. I texted Mari and let her know that I had reached out to Natalie for help to find out if Father had another child somewhere. I'm sure if and when we find out, Mari will use this info in her story, to which I have no problem in allowing her to do so. It would definitely increase the views on her story and most likely piss off Father.

I smiled at the thought. It would be nice to have another brother in the family.