Between You and Me
She ran across the lawn with her brown hair flying off her shoulders restricted in two clumps, which must have been a failed attempt at putting in pigtails on a little girl's birthday. She was blind to everyone but the person she was running to through the crowd, and he picked her up by her armpits and swung her around once in one fluid motion. Her laughter was all Jude could hear. A small smile crept across Jude's face as she watched the little girl whispered and then giggle into the man's ear. Then Tommy lowered the girl slowly to the ground and took her hand leading her over towards Jude.
"Hey" smiled Jude standing up from the bench and pulling the little girl into a hug "Happy Birthday!"
"Thank you" smiled the little girl in her cute tone and held out her dress for Jude to see. "Look at my pretty dress! Daddy got it just for my special party" giggled the girl starting to twist back and forth, watching the dress shift side to side with her.
"Well Daddy was always good with that" smiled Jude shifting a loose strand of curly brown hair out of the girl's small moon face and tucking it behind her ear.
"Patricia!" came a booming voice from behind. Jude straightened and turned as Darius strode across the lawn. "There you are" smiled Darius leaning down and scooping Patricia up into his arms. A series of giggles escaped the little girl's mouth as Darius tickled her sides.
"Daddy" Patricia giggled "Stop it".
"Does the birthday girl want to go open some presents?" smiled Darius bouncing her slightly on his hip.
"Yes!" squeaked Patricia already struggling to get down out of Darius's arms and dart through the crowd to the pile of presents that had accumulated on the deck.
"Go ahead" smiled Darius setting down Patricia and watching her as she dashed through the crowds of people by the pool, gardens, lawns, patio, deck, and all the other places at his mansion.
"Eight years old D" smiled Tommy "Feeling old yet?"
"When she's a teenager I'll have reason to feel old" said Darius craning his neck to see Patricia grabbing a present and sitting down with one of the nannies.
"And for now?" laughed Tommy.
"I'm just trying not to imagine it all. It happens too fast anyways" said Darius sliding on a pair of sunglasses. "One day their born, and then you blink and their driving" said Darius shaking his head.
"Well it's a great party Darius" smiled Jude as Tommy wrapped his arm around her waist and held her closer to himself.
"Well consider it your day off you two" said Darius pointing his finger at them "That album isn't going to finish itself".
"Two more tracks D and it's done" said Tommy waving it off.
"Triple platinum!" boomed Darius "…and nothing less".
"Told you last week D, it's almost there" sighed Tommy.
"Well I have five pending offers for that CD's production, so I'd like to get it out before this wave dies down. This is it Jude" said Darius changing his focus to Jude "This is the album that is going to skyrocket your career to a whole new galaxy!"
"You never run out of those 'Instant Star' metaphors do you?" smiled Jude shaking her head.
Darius just let out one of his booming laughs "Well I have to keep it fresh in my number one diva's head where she came from! Enjoy yourselves" said Darius fixing his sunglasses one more time before moving onto another cluster of guests.
"Hey" smiled Tommy looking down at Jude once they were alone again.
"Hey yourself" smiled Jude as Tommy leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. Jude reached up and rested her palm against Tommy's clean shaven cheek and smiled into the kiss.
"Feeling better after this morning?" asked Tommy taking Jude's hand and walking her back over to the bench she had been sitting on.
"Yeah, I'm just exhausted" sighed Jude sitting down next to Tommy and leaning her head against his shoulder "I hope it's just stress".
"Stressed Harrison?" smiled Tommy, knowing she was, even if she didn't like to admit it.
Then again there are exceptions "Yes!" sighed Jude "Finishing an album that is expected to be triple platinum and planning a wedding! Suicide Tommy that's what this is" moaned Jude.
"Well if you want to put off the wedding…" started Tommy sarcastically.
Jude sat up and looked at him "No" Jude whispered pulling Tommy's face into her hands "No, I've waited too long for this" Jude smiled.
"Thank god" whispered Tommy leaning forward and pecking Jude on the lips again.
"Mhh" breathed Jude holding her eyes closed a moment more than necessary.
"So" smiled Tommy as he watched Jude's eyes peeling apart again "after this little kids party…why don't we…have a little stress relief afternoon?"
"Depends what you consider stress relief" smiled Jude.
"Well there are a few things I can think of" grinned Tommy evilly.
Jude slapped Tommy across the shoulder "Trust me if I'm getting sick you don't want to be close to me tonight".
"I think I could risk it" smirked Tommy again leaning down and pulling Jude's mouth to his.
Jude pressed her palm against Tommy's chest and parted them slowly "We're in public Tommy" Jude sighed looking around at the crowds of businessmen, Darius's family, G-Major employees, Patricia's friends from school, and everyone else Darius felt necessary to invite to this event.
"Come on, we're as good as married" whispered Tommy into Jude's ear, while placing a delicate kiss on her neck.
Jude shrugged her shoulder so that Tommy leaned away. Jude twisted her face to look at him "I know babe" sighed Jude "…but it's an eight year olds party…lets try to keep it G-rated" smiled Jude.
"Fine" Tommy sarcastically sighed "Want something to drink?" he added standing.
"Water would be great" smiled Jude happy that he had moved on.
"Okay" smiled Tommy pulling out his sunglasses and placing them over his eyes before moving on over to the outdoor bar across the patio and next to the pool. Jude watched as he feed through the crowds of people, till he slipped out of sight and it was just her again on the bench surrounded by flowers and greening grass from the early spring.
"Hey there darling" laughed Sadie sitting down next to Jude on the bench.
"Hi" smiled Jude as Sadie pulled her into a hug "I didn't know you were coming today".
"Please" waved off Sadie taking a sip of whatever kind of drink she had in her hand "I practically planned it for Darius. Not to mention…" smirked Sadie "I was the one who had to go out and pick up little miss Patricia's gift".
"Oh and what did Big D chip in for this year?" smiled Jude knowing it was going to be something over the top.
"Horses" said Sadie with a small nod.
"As in plural?" gasped Jude.
"As in two of the nicest horses I have ever seen in my life" sighed Sadie "God, what I would have killed for Mom and Dad to get me one as nice as that when I was riding".
"Well Mom and Dad weren't millionaires" said Jude looking around Darius's property again. The acres of lawn stretched out as far as the eye could see only interrupted by the lake it bordered nearly half a mile down and the three guest houses he had when 'company' came and there wasn't room in the fifteen bedroom house…if you could even call it a house.
"Nope that'd just be you wouldn't it" smiled Sadie turning all the way to face Jude now.
"Come on Sadie, you know I don't" said Jude shaking her head.
"Well I guess when you blow some of it on a new Viper for you Fiancé…" said Sadie.
"Come on" laughed Jude "he's my producer…I couldn't have made all that music for the album without him…besides it was one song…"
"Exactly one song!" answered Sadie excitedly pointing her finger at Jude's face "One song that has already made three million off of just online downloads!"
"Sadie come on" said Jude "its Tommy…"
"Mhh" grinned Sadie "I know…Tommy and you have a lot of 'inspiration'" she put the last word in air quotes and laughed audibly after.
"Sadie!" whispered Jude sharply under her breath looking around at the swarms of people.
"Come on Jude!" laughed Sadie quietly "I know you two have got to be getting it on again".
"Yeah!" shot Jude "How about you and Kwest! How's it been shaking up with your boyfriend" mocked Jude back.
"Oh it's amazing" sighed Sadie, obviously not catching the sarcasm, while looking up at the sky "You should see him in the morning when…"
"Ew!" said Jude holding her hands up between herself and her sister "I am not having this conversation with you!"
"Fine" smirked Sadie taking another sip of her drink "It's just…"
"It's just what?" asked Jude slightly perturbed.
"Well I'll say again…Tommy and you both left your birthday very quickly a few weeks ago didn't you" smiled Sadie wickedly taking another gulp of her drink.
"Sadie!" yelled Jude whacking her across the arm.
"Ow!" shot Sadie smiling "What, I just said you two looked like you were in a hurry to get out of there!" Jude just shook her head and looked out across the lawns again.
"Where is Tommy by the way?" said Jude exasperated looking across the patio he had disappeared to.
"I don't know" shrugged Sadie following Jude's gaze.
"I'm going to go find him and avoid more awkward conversations with you" sighed Jude getting up from the bench and heading across the garden path to the patio.
"See you later" called Sadie. Jude waved over her shoulder and then started to feed her way across the clusters of people.
After just a few moments "Jude!" called a familiar voice.
"Hey Kwest" smiled Jude.
"Have you seen Sadie?" he asked looking around the crowd near Jude.
"Yeah she's back there in the garden" pointed Jude for Kwest to see.
"Thanks" smiled Kwest and took off in that direction. Jude watched him feed through the crowd for a few moments then she turned around quickly and slammed right into another person walking her way. The drink in that person's hand splashed slightly over the rim of their cup and Jude just managed to jump out of the way before it would have spilt down her shirt.
"I'm so sorry" came a male voice Jude knew she knew. Jude looked up slowly and saw the man's face squint for a moment in concentration then go slack in realization. Jude felt her face blush slightly as he said "Uh…hi Jude".
Jude glanced up at his gaze "Hey Shay" Jude breathed.
Author Note:
Welcome back everyone! Are we all excited for another round? Here's part two of a series. If you haven't read "Secrets and the Lies I Told Him" by Thinkpink14148 then I suggest reading it because it's part one and this is part two. BUT don't let that turn you away! You can still understand this one without reading the previous! To all my wonderful returning readers THANK YOU and to all my new readers WELCOME!
Love you all. I LOVE reviews and comments and speculations! Send it all my way! Oh and of coarse vote on my uber secret poll on my profile for a very important aspect of this story! Just pick 1,2,or 3...mysterious numbers...interesting interesting...
Hope you all will love this as much as my other stories! Love writing for you all!
soooo...
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