Chapter 7
Antonio crossed the parking lot heading towards his car, his mind on his wife and the problems that seemed to be plaguing them.
He knew that everyone seemed to think that he had no clear what was going on right in front of him, but he did. It was hard not to when the woman who you held in your arms at night called out the name of another man in her sleep.
He knew what people where saying behind his back,
Were calling him.
But he wasn't that bad. And if she'd come to him with the truth he'd either try to work things out the way his religion told him he should or worse, face a second divorce.
Sighing, he paused as he looked up at the window of his apartment. "Why can't you just be honest with me, Jessica?" he wondered as he watched her shadow cross it. Shaking his head he turned and caught sight of a familiar car sitting near his.
Curious, he crossed to it. Touching the hood, he frowned.
He had known that he hadn't seen Natalie on his way down but had hoped that he had just passed her on the way, but the metal was cold meaning the car had been there for a while. "Maybe she just had car trouble. . ." he muttered, but knew if she had she would've come up. Unless she had and the scene last night was more than his wife, her baby's daddy and his brother and proclaimed it to be. "Please, just let her be safe," he muttered as he pulled out his cell phone.
John moved around the apartment getting ready for the day, enjoying the peace the morning alone gave him, while feeling a little guilty. Sipping his coffee, he started to brood over what he was going to do about Natalie.
He knew if he didn't love her so much, it wouldn't be such a problem.
But he did love her, he just didn't want to marry her.
Shaking his head, he crossed the room to get his jacket as his cell rang. Cursing, he answered it: "McBaine."
"John, its Antonio, is Natalie there?"
"No. I think she stayed at her mother's last night. Why? Everything alright with Jess and the girls?"
"Ummm . . .yeah. . . are you sure she stayed at her mother's?"
"Antonio is something wrong?"
"I don't want to alarm you, John. But. . . Natalie's car is outside my building. Its cold. We didn't see her last night. . ."
"I'll try her cell. .." John answered with some exasperation.
"Call me back when you know something. . ."
"Will do."
"You didn't have to come with me," Natalie chided Evangeline as they slid into a booth at the diner.
"You've seen the state of my refrigerator. If I wanted to eat breakfast, I did," the other woman shot back. "Besides. I'm still worried about you. And you needed a ride."
"I can't believe I left my car parked by Jess's."
"Yeah, well, you better call before they get worried."
"I would, but my cell died," Natalie shrugged.
"Why didn't you say something? You could've just used mine," Evangeline muttered as she started digging in her purse.
"Evangeline, since when do they worry about me?"
"Your brother-in-law is being targeted by a hate group. So are two of your close friends. And a former aunt. Call," she said as she handed her the phone.
"Not necessary," Natalie shot back as the door to the diner opened, and Antonio walked in. "I'll just go over and talk to him. He'll believe me better in person, right?"
"If you say so," Evangeline sighed as she picked up the menu.
"No, John, Jess hasn't. . . I know. . . I . . . wait. . . you're not going to believe. . . she's here. . . no. . . it gets better. . . Jones just walked in. . ." Antonio said into his cell as Natalie walked over to him.
"Hey, got a minute?" she asked.
"Did. . . but I wasted a lot of them looking for you," Antonio shot back, annoyed now to see that she was ok.
"Why was. . . my car. . ."
"Yeah. .. your car. . . outside of my building. . .. we never saw you. . .'
"Yeah, well, you guys were in the middle of something when I came. . . I. . .I forgot where I parked my car . . ." Natalie sighed tiredly, annoyed that she was being chasied.
"We tried calling you."
" My cell died. I didn't realize, I'll call Jess and tell her. ."
"You better call your mom, and Dad, not to mention Bo. John's probably on his way here. . ."
"Because I left my car outside your building? Don't you think that's overkill?"
"Think about who you hang out with and then ask me that again," Antonio shot back, then at the stricken look on her face shook his head: "look, I'm really glad you're ok," he added as he kissed her forehead.
"Thanks."
"Where were you last night anyway?"
"Evangeline's."
"Where?"
"Long story, I'll explain later. . ."
"OK. Come by for dinner. You and John. You can explain then," he added as he grabbed a take out bag and headed out.
Turning, Natalie looked at Vincent and rolled her eyes: "I don't believe them. I left my car outside the building and they call in a freakin' search party like I'm a child and I have to explain my whereabouts?" she vented as they moved to the booth she had been sitting in.
"They were worried," Vincent sighed. "And he did have a point. That's why I left Sean there," he added as he shrugged out of his jacket. "Counselor."
"And did you get the 'hangs out with' dig?" she asked.
"I picked it up."
"He's related to a crime boss and he throws that in my face. I so don't think so."
"Natalie," Evangeline sighed. "You need to calm down."
"He doesn't believe me about being at your place last night."
"Well, that's where you were," she answered.
"And why was that?" John asked from over the back of the booth. "And why are you here now? You said you were going to your mother's. You know how much time Antonio and I wasted this morning trying to. . "
"My cell died. We came here for breakfast and to finalize our deal," Natalie cut him off annoyed.
"What deal?"
"I told you I had an interview last night. I kinda lied. I went to meet with Vincent about backing one of his projects. Then I went to Evangeline's to get her opinion on the paperwork. It got late. I stayed at her place."
Evangeline glared at Natalie, annoyed but not surprised that the younger woman would lash out in such away, "Vang?"
"What?"
"Did she?"
"Stay at my place?" Evangeline asked looking back at John: "yeah. She did. In Layla's old room. Is that a problem?"
"No. I'm just surprised. I hope you tried talking her out of this. . ."
"No. Just looked over the paperwork," Evangeline shot back, now annoyed at the man who seemed to think he could control Natalie's future. "Its her deal to make or break. Told her the risks. Made some suggestions on things to change in the contracts. Told her I'd check them over again when the new ones where made up. But, I've learned not to try to convince stubborn people what to do or not do. Besides, John, everyone at the station knows that she hasn't been happy since she lost the place in the forensics program because of you."
"Because of me?!?!?!"
"Well, that's what the rumor mill has it. And really, who else besides Rex would she have tried to protect. And personally, I think if it were Rex she'd have let him hang, but anyway, I was trying to get her to come work for me. Maybe think about looking at law from a different end. . ."
"And I'm still considering it. . ." Natalie jumped in, hoping that her need to hurt John at the moment wouldn't cost her her new job.
"Good. But, I want an answer in the next couple of days as to whether or not you'll be taking the position," Evangeline responded as she looked around the diner. "Now, John are you going to be joining us, because I have the feeling that you are what's holding up us getting service, and I for one am hungry."
"No. Have to get to the station. Call your mom and let her know you're ok," he addressed Natalie. "You can take my phone if you want. . ."
"That's ok, Evangeline said I can use hers,"
"What about picking up your car?"
"Antonio invited us to dinner tonight. Figured I can do it then, unless you don't want to go to dinner."
"No, dinner's good. I'll see you at work."
"Yeah. I'll be there," she said as she looked down at the menu.
Vincent watched John go and shook his head: "backing one of my projects?" he asked as he tapped his fingers on the table.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time," she mused. "Truth is, it still does."
"Natalie. . ." Evangeline chided.
"Why not?" Natalie asked. "I mean, if I'm going to change things I need to start somewhere. And just changing from being my uncle's assistant to yours isn't going to help. I have a trust fund I don't touch. Why don't I start? Why don't I start making some business investments that I'm interested in? If I'm going to go to. . . if I'm going to follow through with the career path we discussed I'm going to need to have some back up while I'm starting up."
"And if this project doesn't work out you'll have that much less money to fall back on," Evangeline pointed out.
"I need something that's mine, Evangeline. Since I have to put off the other. . .I'm backing one of Vincent's projects, if that's alright with you?" she asked shifting to look at him.
"Have if I have to have a partner, it might as well be you," Vincent commented. "And if its what you want, then lets do this."
