Friends Forever Or Not 2 The Betrayal Continues

Chapter 3

Americus hangs up from talking with Tanesha, Kaleigh, and Zulyeka. Cristiano knew someone was on his wife’s list because all he heard was b***h, stupid b***h, I’m going to choke that b***h, and dead b***h. “When will people learn that when you allow them to walk away once, don’t do anything dumb as hell?

He wraps his arms around. “Who are you going to torture or kill?”

"Yara. That woman asked Kaleigh about the Social Security survivor's benefit for her son. Who, by the way, isn’t Dexter’s son. We have proof of that. Kaleigh had a DNA test done. Not even one percent. Her ass could at least wait until a week or two." Americus lay her head back on his chest.

“Some people will never learn. My beautiful Phoenix, you're pregnant and will be showing soon.” He looks at her little belly. “Well, you’ll be getting bigger and can’t go around beating people up.” Cristiano rubs her belly. “This is your last ass whooping until our child is born.”

“Well then, I'd better give Yara a damn good one.” Americus’s texting. “After all, it’ll have to last a long time. Not to mention, she deserves. Crazy greedy ass. If it were Dexter's son, would you have thought she would have requested that her son see his father one last time, or at least ask to attend the funeral?"

“Speaking of the funeral, explain to me why out of all of us, Kaleigh chose me for the eulogy?” Cristiano’s feeding her a grilled chicken sandwich.

She chuckled, “Maybe because you’re the actor in our group.”

“It’s going to take all my acting skills for this.” He frowns, “I have no clue what to say. I can’t say that I knocked him on his ass. I’ll think of something. I hope.”

Americus assures him he’ll think of something, then her attention turns to Casian and Royal, who run into the room with their grandparents behind them.

“Mother, we’re sure you and Father allow them to eat whatever they want. So tonight is healthy food.” Americus points to the bags of candy Royal and Casian are holding. “Do I need to say more. You and Father are more than welcome to join us.” Americus is looking through Royal’s backpack.

Casian is sitting on her father's lap, telling him about popcorn balls she and her grandmother made last night.

Osvaldo chuckled, “By listening to you all just now, it seems we do let them eat a lot os sweets. Your mother and I will work on that. Yes, we’d love to join you all for dinner. I’ll help my son with the cooking. While you ladies relax. I see someone is starting to show and breathtaking as ever.”

Arizona is looking at Osvaldo shaking her head becasue of what he said about them working on feeding the grandkids less sweets. He pats her hand, she smiles becasue that was his way of telling her he only said that for Americus and Cristiano’s sake.

Cristiano informs them that since the other movie is on hold, he’ll start filming the movie for BCA soon. It was his first choice. Desiree texted him that Sitting Bull is on hold for six to eight months. They have to let the bad press about Lacy die down. He feels better being closer to home, especially since they're having a baby.

Americus tells her parents she wants a family business meeting. JaQuan seems to be targeting Cristiano and Hamilton. She can't allow that to happen. She believes it's his way of getting back with her and her sister for a reason she isn't sure of yet. But she's working on it. Her father had told her about JaQuin's grandfather, but Americus believes there's more to it.

Cristiano says the meeting should be after they have friends situated, unless JaQuan makes a move. Osvaldo agrees with him.

"So do you all believe Dexter really killed himself? Arizona looks around the room at them, shaking their head. "Now that's said, let's change the subject. Becasue I might not want to know the answer to the next question. She looks at Americus.

"Here we go again. It wasn't me. I was here at home with my handsome husband, cooking some delicious food for me to enjoy. Now you're beginning to think like Kalrigh and Tanesha." Americus points at her mother with her bottle of water. But her thoughts are on the man she saw at the hospital.

****

Jewel thought about attending Dexter’s funeral, but that was until Alycia called her and told her not to contact Kaleigh. If she did, she would not only have Americus, Tanesha, and Zulyeka on her ass but her, too. It’s also by invitation only, to keep all miscreant jerks from attending to cause trouble. And for her to include herself in the category.

After talking to her aunt, Jewel is only thinking about one person: Zulyeka. She can’t believe that everyone has accepted Ferris’s girlfriend so easily and quickly. Especially Americus, that woman doesn’t like anyone quickly except for Kaleigh and Tanesha.

“I always thought that after meeting Tanesha and Kaleigh, Americus refused to accept anyone else into her friendship world.” Jewel’s reading a text from Rod

Rod tells her he’ll arrive Thursday night, and he also wants her to have a list of houses ready for them to make appointments to view. Jewel replies she’s excited, and she already has a list. Hurry home, and she loves him. Jewel read the part where she says she loves him after she sent the text. “Why did I say that? I thought Rod and I would be together for a few months, and I would leave. Now he was a family. This family thing isn’t good. At least not for me. Rod isn't going to be easy to lie to as Ferris was."

Her cell phone rings, but she doesn't recognize the number. She knew it couldn't be a bill collector because all the credit cards were in Ferris's name, and he had her name removed from them and everything else, including the bank accounts, the day he caught her with Elia.

When she answers the phone, the man introduces himself as Joey Shang, an estate attorney who was hired to represent her against her father. Jewel said she didn’t hire him. He tells her no, she didn’t. Americus Silveheels hired him. Jewel doesn’t know what to say when her cell phone beeps. It takes a few seconds to see who sent it. But she sees it's from Americus. Jewels reads it out loud. "I'm only helping you becasue I don’t like bastards to take advantage of obtuse people. I know I said before that it was the last time I'll help you. But in your pitiful circumstances. I made an exception. But not again. This doesn’t change the fact that I don’t like you. Stay the hell away from Kaleigh if you don't, I'll make sure Rod knows your secret. One more thing, Ferris and Zulyrka are engaged.

Jewel screams, "Americus is a b***h. For once, can she do something nice without stabbing a knife into a person's wounds?"

****

Rod is at the funeral home at Bayley’s wake. The first person he and Bryton see is Pansy, and they quickly walk to the first row, hoping to avoid her. Bryton tells him that the family Bayley harmed isn’t happy and is scared about the woman’s medical bills. Rod tells him he’ll make sure to compensate the woman.

Bryton is about to say something when Pansy approaches them. She’s staring at Rod while inviting him to dinner. Rod declines the offer and sits down without looking at her. She tries to sit next to him, but Bryton tells her that only family and he are allowed to sit in the front row.

Some of the women are staring at Pansy and whispering. They are betting on how long it will be before Pansy goes after Rod. They had warned Bayley about Pansy's desires for Rod, but she didn’t believe them. Now that Bayley is dead, Rod is the most eligible bachelor. Why not? He has all of Bayley's properties and money. Not bad for marrying a woman old enough to be your grandmother.

Rod looks around the funeral home chapel and gets tickled thinking about how he ruined Bayley and Clarence's plan to take everything from him. Now he has everything Bayley owns and the house she left for Clarence. She never put the title of that house in Clarence's name. Bryton took care of all the legal details this morning.

Pansy hasn't taken her eyes off Rod. She even sent Trevor, her husband, to St Simon's Island, Georgia, for the PGA tournament. Now that he's out of the way, she's planning to seduce Rod after Bayley's funeral. Pansy thought about tonight, but she didn't want to be too disrespectful and desperate.

Rylie and Tanvi are laughing at Pansy, who almost knocked a man down trying to get her nasty hands on Rod after the wake. Pansy is blocked this time by the pastor and his wife. The pastor wants to speak with Rod about Bayley's service. So the woman who works for the funeral home shows Rod, Bryton, the pastor, and his wife to a private room.

Pansy stomps the floor and folds her arms. "Why is everyone always in my way?"

"In your way for what, Pansy dear? Who's in your way?" Tanvi stops beside her, looking at the closed door.

Rylie is on the other side of Pansy, looking into her face. "What is so important about that door that it has your attention?"

Pansy frowns, "Nothing, I was only thinking out loud. Don't you two have to be home to cook before your husbands arrive home? We all know neither of you can afford a cook."

"That's where you're wrong. Just becasue we don't brag about what we have doesn't mean that we don't have it. You never said who was in your way." Tanvi points to the door.

Pansy walks away, hoping they don't follow. She's about to sit, but changes her mind when she sees Tanvi and Rylie laughing at her. She walks out of the funeral home and notices two men standing at Rod's car. "Now, who are they? They weren't at the wake." Pansy decides to wait to see what's going to happen whe Rod and Bryton come to the car. She doesn't have to wait long.

Bryton and Rod man hug the two men, laugh, and say a few words. One of the men gives Bryton a large brown envelope. Then he and the other man drive away.

She watches Rod and Bryton read, points and talks about a document that Bryton pulls out of the envelope, then they get in the car and leave. "What was so important that those men brought the paper here? They look shady to me. I don't recall ever seeing them at the house when Bayley was alive. Rod Bullock, what are you into? " She's thinking.

Bryton points at Pansy with his head. "What are we going you going eo do about her. She isn't making it a secret that she's after you. Hell, everyone in there was looking at her. Pansy figures now that you're open game."

"That woman is too nosy for her own good. If she keeps this nonsense up, she'll be with her so-called best friend. Jewel is the only woman I'll marry. I'm done with my cheating ways. I wronged her once; it's time I made it up to her." Rod is reading the document, which is a copy of the offers he received for both houses. He wasn't expecting to receive any offers this quickly. The two men were realtors, and they were close to the funeral home when they contacted Rod. Bryton had told them that Rod was in a hurry to sell the houses because he couldn't stay in them without his wife, who had committed suicide.

Bryton informs Bayley had a finance company in Los Angeles that she had put up for sale. He and Rod never knew of this. Bryton wants to know if Rod wants to take the company off the market. Rod tells him not to sell it and to take the first offer if he thinks it's good. He won't have time for it. He's planning to put his money and effort into politics and raising a family with Jewel. Now that Bayley is gone, she can't control how much he spends on his political career.

Bryton still can't believe that Rod is planning a life with Jewel when, in the beginning, she was nothing to him but a tool. He hopes Jewel never discovers the truth about why Rod apporoach her; if she does, that may cause Rod's dream to blow up. Not to mention the people whom he has killed regarding her.