Alicia's Misfortune Read online

  ‘I didn’t because it’s not off,’ Jack said and matched up the stairs.

  Clarissa was right behind him. She was like a housefly, determined to make a nuisance of itself.

  ‘You’ll soon have to choose Jack, you can’t have it both ways.’ She told him.

  He tried to ignore her as best as he could. He was glad that tonight he and Leila could escape and for dinner at his parents’ house. Finally, Clarissa seemed to tire of following him and she flopped in the living room and flicked on the TV. He decided to go in search of Leila. He found her in the stables leaning on the stall and looking as though she carried the world’s problems on her shoulders.

  His heart caught when he saw her. He wanted to take her in her arms and protect her from the world. Guilt clawed at him knowing that he was the cause of her sadness. She had sacrificed so much to come to Texas to be with him. He imagined that she was now regretting at having made the decision to come. He hoped not because he couldn’t imagine life without her.

  She filled his life with light and suddenly he had found himself with a purpose in life. Something to look forward.Someone to come home to.

  Despite everything, Jack was glad that she was here. Those few days he had been alone with Clarissa had been a nightmare. She had tried her best to seduce him, even accusing him of impotence. She did nothing for him now and she knew that. She had the resorted to threats of leaving and him never seeing the baby.

  By the time, Leila came, Jack had been at the end of his endurance. She had been like a ray of sunlight and now that light was fading. Her smoky grey eyes looked pale and haunted. But what could he do? Clarissa had him by the balls and he had no one else to blame but himself.

  ‘Leila my love?’ he said gently.

  She jumped, startled.

  ‘Hey,’ she said without much enthusiasm.

  ‘I was wondering where you had gone to,’ Jack said.

  He wanted to hold her, except that she had an invisible sheath around her that did not invite familiarity.

  ‘I just needed to escape,’ Leila said with a small smile.

  ‘I know how that feels like. At least this evening we can escape. My parents invited us for dinner. They really want to meet you.’

  ‘That would be nice. I would like to meet them too.’

  Finally, he gathered up courage and pulled her into his arms. As soon as her head lain on his chest, she burst into tears. His own eyes were wet and he crooned and soothed her like a baby.

  ‘That’s better,’ she said, laughing haltingly and disengaged herself.

  They did not return to the house until evening with just enough time to shower and get ready. Clarissa was still slumped on the seat and when she saw them, she merely looked up and the continued watching.

  Jack finished dressing and then knocked on Leila’s door. She opened it and when he saw her, his heart did somersaults and his libido which had been asleep for days woke up with a roar. She wore a simple blue dress that hugged her in all the right places ad showed off her well tones arms. Instead of taking her hand and walking downstairs, Jack gently pushed her back in and closed the door.

  He stooped to kiss her. It was gentle at first and then because of the frustrations of the last few days, the intensity of the kiss intensified. He grabbed the cheeks of her ass and squeezed them. His hands were everywhere. He stroked her bare hands ad felt her body quiver. Her skin felt hot and cool.

  Tremors shook her body and he kissed her even harder. He stopped for a moment when he tasted salt and when he looked at her face, he saw that she was crying.

  ‘Are you alright?’ he said. ‘I know, that’s a foolish question.

  ‘Don’t stop,’ she said.

  ‘I love you Leila,’ he said and then took possession of her mouth again. She tasted sweet and her body felt perfect against his. He could feel his bulge pushing against her and she in turn grinded herself against him, sending stars in his brain. She was his and his alone and he was hers. He struggled with the catch at the back of her dress and when he finally got it open, he peeled the dress off her.

  He stopped to admire her, in a lacy black bra and matching panties. With his finger, he touched the edges of her panties and she moaned driving him wild. He loved the sounds that Leila made when they made love. It gave him confidence and joy to know that he pleased her. Now, he edged a finger further on, under the lace and teased her folds, gently prying them open with his index finger.

  With his other hand, he undid her bra, and her breasts spilled out. She was gorgeous and natural and he couldn’t get enough of her. She buried her fingers in his hair and he held both breasts, kneading them and pushing them together. Then he brought his mouth down and licked each nipple until it was hard.

  He came up again and teased the edges of her mouth with his tongue. Then he grinded his erection against her.

  ‘See how hot you make me?’ he whispered into her ear.

  ‘You make me hot too. Touch me there,’ she groaned.

  He slipped his fingers in again and gasped at the wetness he found there. He pushed his finger further in into the tightness and warmth and she gave a small cry. Unable to bear the distance between them anymore, Jack hooked his fingers on her panties and lowered them. Leila stepped out of them and then came to him and unbuckled his belt and lowered his trousers.

  His hardness sprung out and she stroked it up and down. Then she went on her knees and licked him, her tongue darting up and down. Without warning she took him into her mouth. Jack was that close to coming and he wasn’t ready for that yet. He wanted to give her pleasure first. He pulled her up and ran his hands over her hips, her buttocks and her back.

  He teased her by rotating his hips over her tummy, his hardness touching her. He bent his head and swept his tongue into her mouth and greedily sucked her sweetness. He returned his hands to her swollen and hard breasts. He held their weight, massaged them and then pinched her nipples, stopping short of inflicting pain.

  He wanted to make slow sweet love to her as though by doing so he could erase the pain he had inflicted on her. He led her to the bed and gently lowered her. Then he positioned himself between her legs and started by kissing and licking her inner thighs. He moved further up and her hands went to his head she pushed him down.

  She was soaking wet and he inserted his tongue deep inside and tasted her, loving the sweet taste.

  ‘Oh Jack,’ she cried out.

  He knew that she was begging for release but he wanted to prolong their love making for as long as possible before they faced the world. He slipped a finger inside her tightness as his tongue teased her folds. Knowing that he could not stand it for much longer, Jack positioned himself above her.

  Tonight he was not using any protection. His eyes roamed over Leila, her eyes dark with desire. Her thighs trembled with need and her chest heaved up and down. Her hands went round to his back and pulled him to her. He positioned himself and pushed himself inside her. The instant warmth and tightness that folded him almost made him come.

  He paused and took a deep breath. Then in steady movements, he began to thrust, each time going deeper and deeper.

  ‘Jack! Jack!’ Clarissa’s voice called out.

  He stopped pumping and his body went cold. Leila underneath him stiffened.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The ride to his parent’s house was awkward to say the least. He and Leila sat at the front, avoiding making eye contact and Clarissa sat at the back sulking. She had insisted that she too was going and had opened the door and gotten in. Leila had suggested that she might want to change out of her shorts but Clarissa had behaved as though she had not heard her.

  With a shrug, Jack had put the car into gear and driven off. At the gate, he wondered at the wisdom of showing up for dinner with two women. However he couldn’t have physically removed Clarissa and they had been late already. He parked the car and got out. Both women jumped out and he allowed them to go first.

  The door flung open and his mother
stood there smiling. Her smile froze when she saw the two women. She looked at Jack questioningly. Jack shrugged helplessly.

  ‘Mum, this is Leila, the girl I told you about. Leila this is my mum Mrs., Foley.’

  ‘Call me Gloria dear.’

  Leila gave his mum a strained smile.

  ‘Hello Clarissa. Welcome, everyone is waiting at the table,’ she said, standing to the side.

  When the trio walked into the dining room, there was a hush silence. His brother, sister and father, all gaped at the three of them until his mum walked in and guided everyone to their seats. She hurriedly set a place for Clarissa, who sat down with flair and smiled at everyone. If she was aware of the tension, she obviously preferred to ignore it.

  ‘How are things at the ranch son?’ his father said, the vein in his forehead throbbing.

  ‘Good, everything’s good.’

  Jack knew he sounded glum but he could not help it. He felt frustrated with the situation, from the moment Clarissa had interrupted them in the bedroom to insisting on coming with them. He knew how ridiculous the whole situation looked.

  ‘I didn’t know you were back Clarissa?’ his mum said politely.

  ‘I am for good now. Didn’t Jack tell you? We’re expecting a baby,’ she said, happily forking her steak.

  There was a stunned silence.

  ‘You’re pregnant?’ Helen asked, her mouth open.

  ‘Yes and I think it might be a boy.’

  Throats were cleared and someone coughed. No one knew what to say especially with Leila there. He searched her eyes but her head was bowed down. She pushed her chair back and excused herself. Jack immediately went after her. He found her outside, crying softly.

  ‘I’m sorry Jack, I can’t do this.’

  He pulled her to her and hugged her tight.

  ‘I know sweetheart. I can’t do it either,’ Jack said. ‘Let’s just get this over with and I promise I will sort everything out.’

  ‘OK,’ Leila sniffed. ‘Alright.’

  She led the way back into the house and in the hallway, they met Aaron. He signaled to Jack and after squeezing Leila’s back, he followed his brother out.

  ‘What the hell is going on?’ he demanded. ‘I knew you were crazy Jack, but this is pure madness.’

  Jack proceeded to tell Aaron everything from the moment when Clarissa had showed up to her news about the baby.

  ‘And now she has you by the balls, or so you think,’ Aaron commented.

  Jack nodded, feeling relieved at confusing in someone.

  ‘I’m telling you this as your lawyer, not your brother,’ he said earnestly.

  Jack raised an eyebrow. Since when was Aaron his lawyer?

  Aaron saw the raised eyebrow. ‘You need my help bro. It’s not right for that woman to hold you in ransom over a baby that you’re not even sure is yours.’

  It hit Jack then that he had not given much thought to the baby’s paternity. He had assumed that the baby was his.

  ‘Even if the child is yours, she will need to prove it first with a DNA test. The laws have changed bro, if the child is yours, the she’ll have no choice but to allow you shared custody.’

  Jack swallowed hard. All this was news to him. He had no idea about the laws on children. He had assumed that mothers had automatic custody. It gave the whole thing a whole different angle.

  ‘These days, fathers and mothers have equal rights under the law. Things are not as bleak as you think.’

  Jack felt as though a load had been lifted off his shoulders. He grabbed his brother’s shoulders and then hugged him.

  ‘You’re a life saver bro,’ he said.

  Back in the dining room, the mood appeared to have soured, if that was even possible. Leila though looked serene and she was sipping on her water calmly. Clarissa looked ready to murder someone and as soon as she saw him she stood up.

  ‘I want to leave right now!’

  ‘Wow hold it. What’s the matter?’ Jack said.

  ‘Your family has insulted me and I don’t have to take it. They implied that I’m a gold digger and only out to get money off you,’ she said.

  ‘That’s not quite right Clarissa,’ his mother said.

  ‘Which woman breaks up with her boyfriend, because of her spending habits and then returns when she finds herself pregnant. You found Leila and still stayed. Had I been you, I would have talked to Jack about raising the child together but separated. Clearly he has moved on whether you accept it or not,’ Helen said.

  ‘But I love Jack!’ Clarissa cried out though her voice did not hold much conviction and everyone heard it.

  ‘We never interfere with our children’s love lives but in this case I fear that we must,’ Jack father said and then looked at his wife.

  She nodded and he continued.

  ‘I don’t like what I’m hearing but most of all I’m upset at the position you have put this young lady in,’ he said and glanced at Leila. ‘She has carried herself with dignity and I applaud you young lady. As for you, next time you step into our home, kindly dress yourself with decency. We are a family with values and we expect the same of people we associate with.’

  Jack swallowed hard. He felt embarrassed and sickened. What in God’s name had he been thinking to come with Clarissa? He was in lucky that his parents were decent people. Had he been in their place, he could not guarantee that he would behave in such a calm manner.

  ‘Now I’d like to call this dinner off. We can have it another day. And as for you Jack, I have plenty to say to you but I’ll leave it for another day.’

  ‘I didn’t even want to come,’ Clarissa shot, before she stormed off.

  ‘Leila?’ Jack said and offered her his hand.

  She took it and at the door she turned to his family.

  ‘I’m very sorry about tonight and ruining your dinner,’ she said.

  ‘It’s not your fault my dear,’ his mother said, shooting Jack an angry look.

  They said their goodbyes and left. Outside, he held Leila close to his side as they walked to the car. Clarissa had positioned herself at the front. Leila shrugged and went to the back seat. The only good thing about the night, Jack thought was that thanks to his brother, he now had a way forward. He knew exactly what he would do.

  It was true that he really wanted to be part of the baby’s life. But first things first as his brother had pointed out. There was need to establish paternity first and then after they could discuss about financial support and custody, if the baby was his. He was willing to be very generous if she was indeed having his child.

  He did not wait until they got home. He had had enough of blackmail and moreover, he did not want to waste any more time. He was going to marry Leila, the woman he loved. He glanced at her thought the mirror and their eyes met. He mouthed to her ‘I love you’ and she did the same.

  ‘I’m done Clarissa. That’s it,’ he said to her.

  The words finally seemed to register in her rain and she sat bolt upright.

  ‘What do you mean you’re done? What about the baby?’ she shrieked.

  ‘What about the baby, you tell me? The first thing we’ll do when the child comes is to establish paternity—’

  ‘Are you saying that the baby is not yours?’ she screamed.

  ‘I’m saying that the baby may not be mine,’ Jack replied in a calm voice. ‘Once we establish that the baby is mine, we can talk about support and shared custody.’

  ‘I’ll make sure you never ever see the baby!’ Clarissa threatened.

  ‘That’s up to you. I’m ready to offer you financial support and to share custody, should the baby prove to be mine. But until then Clarissa, we’re done, finished.’

  She broke into sobs then.

  ‘You can spend the night but tomorrow I want you gone,’ Jack said.

  Clarissa’s response was to cry harder.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Leila walked down the aisle in Bob’s arm. Susan had gracefully agreed to loan Leila her hu
sband to walk her down the aisle. Through her veil she smiled at familiar faces of people she had worked with and friends from California. Most of the crowd though was made up of Jack’s huge family.

  She thought of her parents and wished that they were here. Her father would have been so proud to walk her down the aisle. As for her mother, Leila knew she would have been in tears throughout and missed the whole ceremony. Feeling low, she pushed the memories of her parents to the side with the comforting thought that they were watching her from heaven.

  She admired the Christmas decorations on the sides of the church pews. It was crazy getting married on Christmas day but it had been the only time where all Jack’s relatives would be gathered in the same place. For Leila it was perfect. The perfect Christmas. The perfect Christmas present and one she always cherish.

  Finally she got close to the altar and she looked at Jack. He looked stunning in a white tuxedo and so did Aaron, his best man. Susan was Leila’s maid of honor and Helen, Jack’s sister was a bridesmaid too. As she passed his parents, they smiled at her warmly and she returned the smile. They were good decent people and she felt honored to be part of the family and to be accepted by them.

  Jack took her hand from Bob’s and his eyes told her exactly what he felt about her. Leila had never thought that this day would come. After that disastrous dinner at Jack’s parent’s house, they had returned to the house where Clarissa had gone on to throw tantrums and issue more threats. Jack had stood his ground and when she realized that he would not back down, she had flounced upstairs, packed her bags ad announced that she was leaving. She had waited at the door for Jack to go after her and when she realized he had meant it, she had left but not before giving Leila one last nasty look.

  Leila just felt sympathy for her. She seriously doubted her claims and women like Clarissa could not be trusted. Whichever way it turned out, Leila had dealt with it in her mind. Of course she would have loved to be the one to give Jack a child. In the meantime if Clarissa allowed she would be happy to play a part in the baby’s life.

  They had not heard a peep from her since then, though Leila knew she would talk when the baby came. She and Jack had spoken about the issue at length. Leila had told him that she had no problem with the baby being part of their lives. In fact she preferred the child to grow up knowing his father. Jack had turned to her in relief, happy that she was willing to have the child in their house.