One Night Stand With My Husband’s Brother

“Yes, we do.” The manager responded and turned to the security men, “Check the parking lot footage, of that same date.”

Jeffrey stepped back in front of the large screens and watched it carefully. There was a figure on the screen, stepping out into the parking lot and carrying a woman in his arms.

“Right there! Wait.” Jeffrey pointed at the screen, something bitter like bile rising in his throat as he recognized who the man was. They did not even need to zoom in for this one. He recognized that fucking infuriating set of broad shoulders, and that tall build, even if the face was hidden under a face cap.

It was fucking Chase.

His teeth gritted when he looked at the woman in his arms, and saw that it was the same woman walking away from him back at the bar area. The woman with the curly long hair, skimpy dress and high heels.

His mind automatically flashed back to the picture the reporter had taken of Chase holding Mackenzie and protecting her from another man.

Chase.

Mackenzie.

Chase.

The unknown woman on the screen. Together. In his arms

Only, she was not unknown anymore.

Jeffrey’s suspicions were just confirmed. It was Mackenzie, all along. The wheels in his head were all turning, as everything that happened that night suddenly started to fall into place and make complete sense. She must have recognized him, that was why she tried to get away, even as he called her back.

He had followed her up to the VIP section, where she disappeared. There was no other exit from that hallway, so she could only have gotten into one of the rooms. And the exact room he suspected she went into .. was Chase’s. He had come outside and made him leave, ignoring all his questions about seeing a particular woman.

Now, in the parking lot, Chase appeared, carrying Mackenzie in his arms.

The realization was a cannon blast in his mind.

“Fuck.” He muttered, then his tone got louder and angrier, “Fuck, fuck, fuck!!”

The manager asked, “Are you alright, Mr. Jeffrey-”

“Shut the fuck up, I am not talking to you!” Jeffrey roared like he was about to go unhinged and insane with anger.

He was seething, his blood boiling and his fists trembling. What the fuck was Chase and Mackenzie doing together? In a club, in a room, her in his arms, in a fucking picture?

What. The. Hell?

Jeffrey could not stand to stare at that footage anymore. He stormed out of the room, leaving the manager and the other occupants staring at each other in confusion. As he headed out of the building, his phone began to ring with a call from his mother. He ignored her calls and instead dialed another number.

“Hello? Remember me? Yes, it’s Jeffrey Axford.” He started. After a moment he continued, “You worked for my mother one time, and the job was flawless. Now, I have a job for you. I want you to work for me. I’m sending you the name and picture of a woman in Greensville.

“I need you to comb every part of the city in your search for her, and get me her address, down to her contact information, numbers and all that shit. Before the end of today. Name your price.”

The voice on the other end of the call named a price, which made Jeffrey let out a devilish smile.

“It’s settled then. Get to work.” He said.

“Yes, sir.”

Jeffrey ended the call and pulled open the door to his Tesla, and slammed it shut, driving out of the parking lot with a screech and burn of tires, filling the area with the smell of burnt rubber.

*************

The next day, Felicity had prepared the kids to go visit Mrs. Weston in the hospital, who the kids simply called Granny. However, they would stop by the shelter first to drop the Pomeranian puppy off. The shelter was too crowded yesterday, so they were told to come back this morning.

Because the next batch of newly adopted pets had already been picked up by new families, so it was no longer as crowded.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Besides, they could not leave him alone in the house, or take him to the hospital. And the shelter was the right place for him to go through necessary medical checks.

On getting to the shelter, a caretaker led Felicity and the twins to a fresh cot to place him in. After Calista reluctantly handed him over, she was particularly delighted to watch him scramble around in the space, energetic and yipping happily.

Her eyes were literally shining with happiness as she clapped, “Look! He’s running around now! Not like yesterday. He was so sick, but now he’s so cheerful. Aunt Felicity, it’s because we took good care of him, right?”

Felicity nodded. “Yes, sweetie. And they’ll take even better care of him here. Remember he was injured, so there must be something we could have missed but we did a fantastic job.”

Calista looked at the caretaker, saying earnestly, “Please take good care of Rony. He’s a really good boy. Right, Cameron?”

Cameron nodded, even if he was completely detached from the conversation. He was just staring around the shelter with awe and curiosity.

Felicity was amused that Calista had even gone ahead to give the puppy a name, and she laughed. The caretaker smiled fondly, “Don’t worry, we will help him get to a safe home and a loving family.”

Calista shook her head. “Nope, I am going to come back here to properly adopt him. My mommy said she is thinking about it, and she will finish thinking soon.”

The caretaker let out a laugh, looking at Calista in admiration, “Aw, such a sweet little soul.”

Felicity agreed to let Calista spend a few extra minutes with Rony, before they left the shelter and got a cab ride to Axford Medicals. Felicity led the kids up the elevator to the VIP ward that held Charlotte’s mom. As they stepped in, Charlotte’s mom looked away from the TV across the bed.

A smile appeared on her weak face at the sight of the twins.

“Oh! Finally, my little babies are here to see me!” She exclaimed.

Cameron and Calista both hurried to her side, and Felicity moved over to raise them up to the bed so they could give her hugs. Charlotte’s mom was overjoyed as she fussed over them, patting their hair and commenting on how fast they were growing.

Soon, Cameron was trying to squirm away so he could explore the hospital room, while Calista asked Mrs. Weston softly, “Are you okay? They say sick people live in hospitals. Are you sick, granny?”

Charlotte’s mom smiled fondly, “I was, but I’m not sick anymore, Cali.” She looked over at Felicity and asked, “How is Charlotte? I hope she is not too nervous about her new job offer?”

“Nervous?” Felicity laughed. “Charlotte makes the people around her nervous, not the other way round. She was bursting with confidence when she left home this morning. She would be fine.”

While Felicity and Mrs. Weston had their conversation. Cameron had found his way to the large glass wall on the extreme side of the room. He pressed his small hands against it and looked down at the great view of the hospital it provided.

“Woah, we’re so high up. This place is huge! It feels like I’m standing in the sky!” He exclaimed in awe and excitement, then turned back to call Calista, “Cali, come see this!”

She hurried over to stand beside him, looking down as well. “What do you see?”

“Look over there! Can’t you see it?”

“No, what is it?”

“I see so many cars and trees too…-” His excited gush of words was cut off when Charlotte’s mom called out to them from her bed.

“Kids, would you like to go on a walk with me? There are good drinks here. How would you two like cups of hot chocolate?”

Felicity smiled at both of them, “You want some, don’t you?”

“Yes!” They answered eagerly. Felicity nodded, “Alright, kids. Cameron, come here let me fix your shoe laces. How did they come undone?”

She moved over and fixed their clothes. They were both in small, comfortable sneakers, shirts and loose pants. Calista’s hair was parted into two pretty pigtails, with her favorite scrunchies on each pigtail. Felicity moved to help Charlotte’s mom out of the bed, saying,

“I have to go see your doctor, since Charlotte isn’t here. She made me promise I would.”

Mrs. Weston gave a slight shrug, “That’s fine by me. I’ll head out with the kids to the garden, and you can join us there.”

So, Charlotte’s mom led the kids down to the beautiful and large garden behind the hospital building, with so many beautiful flowers and greenery. Calista was more than delighted to see the burst of colors, and the pretty butterflies flying around.