Flag On The Play Page 5

  I had let my guard down. I had relaxed and I fell asleep. I woke the next morning starving. I forgot to eat dinner. My princess was a distraction, a good one but she had me rattled.

  Kari was still in bed next to me. She had her cell phone in her hands. She was wide awake and she was texting. Shit she was texting!

  I slowly sat up in bed. My blood boiled seeing the cell phone in her hands.

  “Here.” Kari handed the phone over to me without looking my way. I took it. “I texted the people that were worried about me.”

  “Who?”

  “My brother, all my bridesmaids.”

  “Toya?”

  “Yeah and Karen.”

  “My sister Karen?”

  “Yeah.”

  “She was a bridesmaid?”

  “Yeah.”

  “She never said she was in the wedding. You never said she was in the wedding.”

  “Why? Our friendship is a completely separate thing. You don’t come up in our conversations.”

  “Karen seems to think I am the reason you didn’t get married. I saw her yesterday and she almost took my head off but she doesn’t have any proof.”

  Kari pushed back and glared at me. “She’s right you are the reason.”

  “Did you text Jack?”

  I waited what seemed like forever for her to reply. “No. I didn’t know what to say him.”

  “Do you want to talk to him?” I held my breath and waited for the answer.

  “I’m confused Mason. I don’t know what I want to do.”

  “Things would be so much easier with Jack.”

  “You want easy? That’s what you want?”

  “Yes, maybe your life has been this picnic in the park but mine has not. I’m tired of the drama. I want to just be loved and happy.”

  “That’s what I want. I can only be happy with you.”

  “Your wife will never accept us. Your kids will never accept me.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “How could they? Tess will poison them toward me. I will be the evil stepmother and you know it.”

  “Kari, I would never let that happen.”

  “You can’t do anything about it. I know you think you’re Ironman but you can’t control everything and everybody.”

  “I’m not trying to control everything. I love you and my kids will too.”

  “I already have a relationship with Jack’s kids. I’m a part of their lives. I didn’t just leave him. I left them too. Your selfish actions have affected so many people. Do you understand that?”

  “Yeah I understand. I just don’t give a shit.”

  “Obviously.”

  “I want you to be happy. You will never be happier with him then you would be with me.”

  “Why do you feel this way?

  “You know why.”

  “Because I love you more?” She answered her own question.

  “You do love me more.”

  “Yeah Mason I do. Does that make you feel superior? Does that make you feel better about luring me from my wedding?”

  “I know you want me to feel remorse. I know you want me to apologize for wasting Jack’s money. I’m not going to do it. I had to do something to get your attention. You were willing to settle for less that you deserve.”

  “I deserve you?”

  “You deserve a man that loves you inside and out.”

  “Why do you think that Jack doesn’t love me?”

  “I never said that. I’m sure he loves you. Of course he loves you.”

  “You have hurt me so many times.”

  “I know and I’m sorry. I promise to never ever hurt you again. I would never put you through anything like that again. I will live my entire life making it up to you. You just have to give me the chance to prove it.”

  “So what am I supposed to just forget what you have done?”

  “No.”

  “This is scary crazy insane. You have taken me. I mean seriously taken me, locked up, drugged and handcuffed. You called me your hostage. Mason this is extreme.”

  “I know.”

  “So what about the next time? I defy you and I end up floating in the Des Plaines River.”

  “Kari, I’m not violent.”

  “You almost beat a man to death.”

  Shit, she had a valid point. “So you’re going to through that up in my face?”

  “I’m speaking the truth.”

  “Maybe you talk too much.”

  “Mason, look, I don’t want to fight with you.”

  “Good, because you would lose.” I glared with my I mean business snarl.

  “I was thinking that maybe I could make dinner for you tomorrow night.”

  “Why?’

  “So we could talk. There is a kitchen in this house right?”

  “Yes there is a kitchen.”

  “Was I supposed to eat microwave food for two weeks?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t think about it.”

  “Well think now. How long do you need, thirty minutes or an hour?”

  “Funny bunny.”

  “After work, go to the grocery store and put up a few things. I will cook us a real meal.”

  “I would have to let you come out of the basement.”

  She smacked her lips. “Or you could bring the refrigerator and the stove down here. Don’t forget the table and the chairs.”

  “Okay fine, dinner tomorrow.”

  “I will make a list of the things I need.”

  “Are you going to try to poison me?”

  “I hadn’t thought of that.” Her eyes twinkled and her lips curled into a devious smile.

  Kari was starting to take control of the game. My offense was weak and my defense was worse. The sex was a touchdown in many ways but she was gaining yards on me. I decided to spend all of Monday alone with her. But I was to make sure tonight would be different. No sex! It was hard, my cock was slightly harder. I didn’t make any advances. I sleep next to her and I didn’t have any form of sex with Kari. It was so hard on me and my evil twin. I had to get my mojo back.

  CHAPTER 5

  Tuesday morning I arrived at the office. I walked in the front door and RJ’s girlfriend Deja was hovering over the front desk. They were in a lip lock that came to an abrupt halt when I entered.

  Deja quickly whipped around and smiled at me. She was a cute kid, a step up for RJ in the smarts department. All his past girls were pretty but none would be attending medical school.

  RJ’s harems usually were young girl pretty, not grown woman pretty but he was young. I know he did have some cougar skeletons in his closet. I hadn’t seen any other girls around since Deja so maybe he is taking this relationship serious.

  He was happy and I hoped it would last a while. He claims he’s in love. It wouldn’t be forever because young love rarely last forever. Men have a tendency to mess up. I spoke from experience but I would never tell RJ my pessimistic views.

  “Good morning Deja.”

  “Hey Mister Rizza.” She was still smiling, such a bubbly personality. Their personalities matched, RJ always wore a goofy grin plastered on his face.

  “Uncle Mason Deja just stopped by to bring me breakfast.”

  “There’s enough for you too Mister Rizza.” She added.

  “No thanks Deja.” I forced a smile and sauntered off to my private office. I had a lot of things on my mind.

  I powered up my laptop and started reading my emails. I wondered if Kari cooking dinner would be a good idea. Kari had become temperamental. It made me wonder what kind of relationship she really had with Jack. She seemed happy before but there was something missing. She was more playful and understanding when we were together. Now she seems harder, tougher. It was hard to explain but it was like someone chipped a tiny piece of her away, like a small crack in her foundation. I hope I wasn’t the cause of it. I hope I wasn’t the cause of her missing a piece of h
erself.

  It would be hard to work worrying about Kari but I had to suck it up. I pulled her grocery list out my pocket and skimmed over it.

  It read:

  2 Cornish hens

  Salt

  Pepper

  Honey

  Poppy seed

  Dry ground mustard

  Ground ginger

  Penne pasta

  Garlic

  Chopped parsley

  Olive oil

  Tomato sauce

  Parmesan cheese

  2 tomatoes

  French bread loaf

  Kurt Darting Pinot Meunier Wine

  At the bottom of the list in big bold all capital letters Kari wrote: GO TO TARGET AND GET ME SOME CLOTHES PLEASE

  I held in a chuckle. She is amazing. I started to look forward to a home cooked meal. Kari was no master chef but her food was good, better than good. She’s not Italian so I didn’t expect her to have the greatest culinary skills.

  My sister’s food rivaled anything I ever tasted. She was a great cook even better than our mother. My dad taught Karen. He made authentic Italian food. We lived for his homemade pizza when we were kids. He always made us our own personal pizzas. He would make them especially to our liking. It always made us feel special. I would give anything to feel that way again.

  It was hours before I resurfaced from my office. I had to go over a stack of papers. They pile included purchase orders, land permits, shipment receipts and subcontractor spreadsheets. It was a lot to mull over.

  I decided to go out to the reception area and see what RJ was up to.

  “Uncle Mason, you laying low?”

  “I had a lot of shit to do.”

  “My mom’s has been calling me all day.” He stopped talking in what seemed like mid-sentence.

  “That’s it?”

  “She wanted to know if you showed up to work this morning.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “I told her you were here.” RJ sighed. “My mom’s has it in her head that you know where Kari is.”

  I raised a single eyebrow. Where was he going with this? “You mother has an overactive imagination.”

  “True, but let’s just say for the sake of us being family; I know how mad sick you were over this bella nero signora.”

  “Mad sick.” I repeated his weird vernacular.

  “I was an eyewitness to said door being knocked off of said hinges.” RJ rolled his chair to the aisle and pointed at my new back office door.

  “So what, get to the fucking point.”

  “If Kari was with you or you knew of her whereabouts you know I would never rat you out. I would cut my own balls off before I snitch on family. You friggin’ know that right?”

  “I know that. La famiglia è la prima.”

  “Good, so your private swag is your private swag.”

  “Yes it is.” What the fuck is he talking about?

  “So.” RJ paused. I could tell he was apprehensive. “This is just so I can sleep better at night ‘cause my Moms is freaking me out. Is your private swag walking and talking and breathing the air.”

  “Listen kid, the less you know about my private swag or personal business the better. If I did have business with la bella nero signora she is currently walking and talking and breathing air and she will always be breathing air. There is nothing that will ever change that.”

  “Okay, I’m glad we got that squared away.”

  “Don’t ever bring it up again.”

  “Bring what up?” RJ cracked his signature goofy grin.

  After that strange conversation the day moved at a rapid pace. I knocked off work early to do my shopping. I purchased a few things from Target. I stopped at the grocery store and picked up every single item on Kari’s list. It took me some time to find the wine. I never imagined Kari would drink German red wine. I wonder if that’s something Jack introduced her to. I’m sure he did, the chiseled face, Aryan Nation, Hitler master race looking cocksucker motherfucker.

  Once I placed all the bags and groceries in the kitchen I went down to the basement to rescue my Disney princess. I unlocked the door and walked in.

  “Honey I’m home.” I cheerfully greeted my Kari. She was bundled up on the bed. Her knees were to her chest and her head and body were completely covered with the comforter.

  “What’s up? You cold?”

  “It’s fuckin’ freezing in this basement. It’s November. It’s cold outside.”

  “I’m not cold.” I asked.

  “My peoples are from Africa. We like it hot. Maybe you Europeans like it cold but it feels like Antarctica up in here.”

  “That sounds like a stereotype.”

  “Whatever, turn up the heat.”

  “You must be going stir crazy locked up down here because you are acting psycho.” Kari graced me with her middle finger. “So I guess that means dinner is a no go.”

  “No! No!” Kari popped from under the comforter and raced over to me. She slammed right into my body but didn’t have the speed and weight to knock me over.

  I grabbed her wrists. “Where did the energy come from?”

  “I want to cook. I want to go upstairs. You promised.”

  “Okay fine.” I gently pushed her away to get a good look at her. “What are you wearing?” I noticed her odd attire. She was wearing my boxer shorts. They were rolled around the waist. She was wearing my white wife beater tee. She also had my socks on. They were pulled up around her calves.

  “I’m cold. You should have packed me a bag before you kidnapped me.”

  “I lured you.”

  “Huh, abducted.”

  “Tricked.”

  “Hijacked.” She put her hands on her hips.

  Time to give in, cease and desist. “I got you some things from Target. I left the bags upstairs.”

  “Thank you.” She murmured.

  I’m hungry for whatever she has in store. I took Kari’s face in my hands and glided my lips to hers. I kissed her silky lips. Mmmm, flavored chapstick.

  “What’s that flavor?” I licked the residue off my lips with my tongue. I was trying to catch the flavor.

  “Raspberry lemonade.”

  “What happened to the mango?”

  “Change is good.”

  “What are you trying to say?”

  “Change is good.” She smirked and raised one shoulder.

  “No comment. You ready to go upstairs? I will let you adjust the thermostat.”

  Kari broke away from me. She took off running for the open door. I grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off her feet. She playfully wrestled in my arms and I tickled her on her stomach. Her laughter was so invigorating. I was in my own heaven. I had Kari in my arms and my cock was growing pressed against her ass cheeks. Kari sure looks sexy in my boxers.

  “Mason, get your dick off me!” She barely giggled the warning out.

  “Sorry, sorry.” I released Kari and she turned around to smile at me with her beautiful lush lips. “Let’s go and see the house.” I held out my hand. Kari took it and I led the way up the basement stairs.

  Kari eagerly and quietly followed me. I may be shooting myself in the foot giving her this freedom so early on. I’m not sure she has regained her bond with me.

  We walked into my new kitchen, our new kitchen if things go as I planned. I meant when things go as I planned.

  Kari went straight to the grocery bags on top of the table. “Are you going to watch me cook?”

  “Yes mam I am.”

  “I thought so.” Kari faked a smile. I faked one right back at her.

  “Is this you being nice?”

  “I will be really nice to you tonight.”

  “I will remember you said that.”

  Kari went over and preheated the oven. “It’s not that cold up here.”

  I took a seat at the table. I pulled out my cell phone and pretended to be engros
sed in it. I didn’t want to stare at her. I missed being with her like this. I felt a rush of endorphins just like when we first started hanging out. It was like when we would meet at Leamington Lakes Park. It was like we were starting out fresh. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what she would say next, what she would do next. I liked this feeling of unpredictability. Kari kept me on my toes. She made life sexy, exciting and impulsive.

  “You know what I like about you?”

  “I can think of one thing.” She turned to me and smiled.

  “I love that…but I also love that you are unpredictable. I know you so well in so many ways but then again you always surprise me.”

  “So you love that I’m capricious.”

  “Yes, if that means unpredictable. I’ve said this before and I know this sounds bad but I wish I would have met you first. I love my kids to death I just wish I had them with you.”

  “You know I don’t think that way. You know I believe that everything that has happened was meant to be.”

  “So you were essentially supposed to miss your wedding?”

  “No, yes, no.”

  “You can’t use the logic when you see fit. I was supposed to stop you from marrying him. What I did was exactly the way God intended. You can’t backtrack now. You got to keep it one thousand.”

  “You can’t keep it one thousand. You got to keep it one hundred. One thousand is just going to far.”

  “I can keep it one million if I want to. I’m Mason Lorenzo Rizza. When you fuck with me, you fucking with the best.” I did my Al Pacino Scarface impersonation for the hundredth time.

  “You know what your problem is?” She put her hand on her hip.

  “No sweetheart, tell me. I can’t wait to hear this.”

  “You don’t got nothing to do with your life.” I realized in the instant that she was quoting Tony Montana in Scarface. My lips drew into a smile at her choppy Cuban accent. “Why don’t you get a job? Work with lepers. Blind kids. Anything’s gotta be better than lying around all day waiting for me to fuck you.”

  I was at a loss for words. I stood and started clapping. Shit that was impressive. “Bravo! Bravo!”

  Kari took a bow and did a little curtsy. “Thank you very much. I studied with the best, Denzel, James Earl and Samuel L.”