The Love Of Money - S01 E199

Story 2 months ago

The Love Of Money - S01 E199

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 199

Mom hesitated before saying, "We didn't really date. I was sixteen, and he had nine years on me, so I was a secret. Oh my, but was starstruck by that man! I thought I was gonna marry him."

"Then he died?"

"He disappeared," Mom clarified, and a little sadness crept into her expression. "I tried to find out what happened to him, but that's when the man showed up and warned me to back off. It was four years before I found out that he died."

I felt a pang of sorrow for my mom, imagining what it was like to be stuck as a single mother after being ghosted by someone you thought you were head-over-heels for. It made me feel a little guilty for berating her on the phone a couple weeks ago. "God, I'm sorry, Mom.

"Don't be," she said, "I got you out of it. Then I met your father and Emily and had the boys. Everything turned out just how God Intended."

And that was Mom in a nutshell - unbreakable.

"Anyway," she said, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. Now, we should catch up with the others."

"Hang on," I said, fishing my phone from my pocket. "I wanna show you something." I opened my pictures folder and showed her a picture of Cartwright. "Is this the guy who showed up that day to buy you off?"

Mom took the phone from me and stared at it intently for several moments with a look of pure bewilderment. "That's him! He's older, but I'd recognize that face anywhere. Looks like you could carve a roast on it." She looked up at me. "Where'd you get this?"

I decided not to tell her that I met him when he pulled a gun on me. "He worked for Colin Gerrard. Apparently, he's still on the payroll."

Friday 5:53 pm

"Broooooo!"

With arms raised and drink in hand, Dillon strode over to me as soon as he saw me approaching. He crashed into my chest and wrapped his arms around me in a hug. "This party is fucking lit, dude!"

He wasn't wrong. The entire rooftop had become a festive gathering with a large D.J station. The bar was fully stocked and manned by someone I didn't know. Furniture I didn't recognize was scattered chaotically and being utilized by people I couldn't have pointed out in a police lineup-most of them beautiful and well- dressed. In front of the DJ station was a dance floor filled with even more unfamiliar faces.

On the way to Dillon, I spotted a couple of people I recognized. Honey and another dancer I only knew by her face were talking to my old college roommate, Ryan. Joel, my temporary chef, was there with a woman I guessed was his wife, and I spotted Shea coming off the dance floor with a man I didn't know. Both of them were making their way to the bar.

"Glad you're enjoying yourself," I said with a chuckle.

"Enjoying myself?" Dillon said as he guided me to where he and Jonah were talking to two ladies. I vaguely recognized the one facing me while she was talking to a dark-skinned woman who had her back turned to me, but I couldn't quite place her. That didn't last long as Dillon made introductions.

"Ladies! This is the man who orche... ochre... who made the whole party, Marcus Upton! Marcus," he pointed to the young woman I vaguely recognized, "this is Venus."

That was it. Venus was a streamer Dillon and Jonah had introduced me to, and because they had shown me several of her clips, I randomly kept seeing her pop up on various feeds. It didn't break my heart. Half the reason she had a fan base was that she was a fine-looking young woman. The other half was that she had a really good sense of humor.

"Oh!" I said and shook her hand. "I didn't know you would be here!"

She seemed pleased with my enthusiasm as she shook my offered hand. "Happy to meet you, Mr. Upton!"

"Call me Marcus," I said. "I really enjoy your videos." I had to fight to keep it from being too thick.

The dark-skinned woman turned around at that moment, and I immediately recognized her.

Dillon started to say, "And this is R-"

"I know who this is," Rose said, cutting my friend off as she grabbed my arm and pulled me into a hug. As we embraced, she brought her lips close to my ear and said, "Thank you for taking care of my girl, Marcus. I'm gonna have to get a second round with that cock again real soon to show you how grateful I am."

"I'll hold you to it," I said before she let me go.

"Wait... you two know each other?" Dillon asked.

"We met at a work function," Rose said with a conspiratorial smirk. Venus had just brought her cup to her lips and sputtered into her drink; at least someone understood what Rose meant.

"Good to see you, man," Jonah said, giving me a brief hug and a clap on the back. "It's been a while."

"You too, man," I said, hugging him back.

"So, what happened to you?" he asked, pointing at my face. "I've heard the rumblings."

"I'll tell you about it a little later," I said, spotting Helen standing by the pool. "I've got to make the rounds and see some people. Don't you dare leave without seeing me."

"Sure thing," he said, and I left the group to approach Helen. I heard Dillon let out a whoop behind me as the music changed pace to something with a fast-paced beat.

She was watching the dancers and didn't notice me approaching. She was radiant in a light blue dress that fell just short of her ankles. It was nearly backless, and the cut across the chest showed a fair amount of cleavage without it being scandalous. Her blonde hair was in a complicated braid wrapped around the back of her head into an even more complex bun, and if I squinted, she almost looked like she was cosplaying Elsa in Frozen.

"Want to build a snowman?"

Helen glanced at me and then did a double-take once she realized who I was. She gave me a half-smile and said, "What?"

I shrugged. "You just look like you should be casting ice spells or something."

"Oh," Helen said. "That horrible movie." She looked back at the dancers, and I noticed her tightening her arms across her midsection. Something seemed a little off with her, which definitely hadn't been the case the last time we saw each other. I remembered falling asleep entangled in each others' arms while a naked Bobbi lay at our feet.