Lovers and Reprisals (Lovers Series) (24 page)

“Morpheus...let her go.  We can do this at another time.”

“Raal is right Morpheus.  If she has plans, it might be something important to her.”

Bolden didn’t chime in--mainly because his feelings mirrored his sister’s. 

Morpheus grabbed hold to Fawn’s arm.  She spun around to face him.  Rage colored her face when she said...

“You can’t make us a family just because that’s the way you want it.  You can’t treat us like we’re cogs in your mighty Gustafson’s machine.  This is one situation that you can’t fix just because you are Morpheus Gustafson.  We aren’t your puppets.”

Morpheus glared at his daughter, and he wanted to strike her because she knew how to wound and rip at his gut.  He wanted to rant a string of curses, and he would have had it not been for Mikita.  She had a way about her that was as soothing as a stream.

“Morpheus...release her.”

He felt the fingers on his hand tighten, and Fawn’s arm trembled due to his strength.  He’d never hit her, although there had been countless close calls, but something had always stifled his anger.  A thought from her childhood or an image of her when she was a little girl.  He loved her but he couldn’t abide the triggers that sparked her uproarious nature.  He was her father--he was in control; she understood this.  But this knowledge didn’t squelch her challenges.

Morpheus didn’t have placating verbiage in his vocabulary arsenal.  His terminology tended to be seething ultimatums.  He aimed one of those comments at his daughter. 

“This isn’t over--you will have to deal with me, sooner than you think.”  His hand fell away, then he said...  “I’m disappointed in you.”

“What else is knew.”  She scowled. 

She was walking out the door, taking long determined strides. 

Mikita was standing behind him, and in a soft voice she said...

“Don’t let her leave angry.  Go...make this right.”

She’d always known that Fawn harbored hate and resentment towards her.  She didn’t blame her of course; and she couldn’t fault Morpheus for the way circumstances had played out and they couldn’t turn back the hands of time.  Fawn’s mother was gone and more than likely, fear had kept her from returning.  Morpheus blew out of puff of air that sounded like a raging bull.  He was hot under the collar but he wouldn’t kowtow to his bullheaded daughter.

When Morpheus didn’t move, Mikita looked to Bolden.

“Bolden...go see if she’s all right.”

Bolden raised a brow, expressing his doubt.  He said...

“She doesn’t want to see me mom.  If I go, I’ll only make matters worse.”

“Oh fuck it!”  Morpheus angrily blurted out.  “I’ll go.  And nobody leave this room until I get back.”

Morpheus bounded down the hall in search of his daughter.  When he left the room, Raal said...

“Mikita...what’s going on?”

She shrugged...

“I wish I knew.  I was at home packing to visit my mother when Morpheus called me.  He said that he had something of extreme importance to discuss with me and that it couldn’t wait.”

Raal said...

“Kyle is out of town on business and I was in Miami inspecting one of the munitions factories.  Morpheus sent me a text, and my message was pretty much the same as yours.”

Bolden glanced at their faces, then he shrugged...

“All I have to say is--ditto.”

They looked around the room, and their eyes fell on the table and its five settings.  Was it that simple?  Were they called here to talk over an evening dinner?  They’d been invited here, but no one knew what the emergency was.  At this point, Bolden couldn’t care less.  He had a stick on his shoulder and it wouldn’t take much to knock it off.  For months he’d worked alongside Eliza, accepting that his father was responsible for him being hired.  Bo could appreciate a good joke, but he was beginning to feel like he was the punchline.  Even more so, when he considered his uncles comment; Raal knew about Eliza and the true nature of her job.  He could see it in his eyes and Bo didn’t know how to make peace with that.  So it didn’t surprise him, when he spoke the moment Morpheus reentered the room.  Due to his father’s height, his countenance was intimidating.  He crossed the floor all ‘big man in charge of his castle then he stopped short a few feet in front of them.

Bolden didn’t give him a chance to make a remark.  Being in this house wasn’t good for him and he couldn’t begin to imagine what his father had said to prevail on his mother and he questioned her account of their conversation.

He dismissed the thought to stave off a headache.

His words were spoken and intended to cut like the jagged edge of broken glass.

“I hate to run off like Fawn and...if there isn’t an emergency, I’ll have to take a raincheck.”

“But son...”  Morpheus stared at them perplex; this was a new look for him.  His face was a portrait of ‘What in the hell was going on?’.  This was not panning out as he’d planned.  One family dinner; that’s all he’d wanted.  One meal; was that too much to ask for?

“Bolden...”  Mikita said...  “Honey...can’t you spare just one hour?” 

Her heart was breaking for Morpheus, and she couldn’t take much more, witnessing his kind gesture being trampled as if his efforts were no better than cow dung.  He was a ruthless man, but she didn’t believe that he deserved this kind of treatment from his children.  In spite of Bolden’s gentle nature and his belief in fairness; Bolden was not his mother and he didn’t share her sentiment.

He leaned across the distance, pecking her on her cheek.

“Can’t do mom.  The plane is waiting to fly me back to Wyoming--then, after that, it’s off to anyone’s guess.”

The uncertainty dig had been meant for his father, but  Morpheus was too far gone to get the reference.  He needed time to regroup, and Mikita noticed the signs.  She returned her son’s kiss, then she said...

“Call me.”

She would usually add that he could text her, but not this time.  Their conversation needed to take place using words instead of symbols and shortened versions of words.

“Will do.  Say hi to Nana for me.”

With that said, Bolden was out the door.

Raal knew an ending when he saw one; and the fat lady had sang her song.  There would be ovations, but he would leave Mikita to handle that.

Raal drew Mikita close, kissing her on the side of her face.

“Is your contact information the same?”

She smiled weakly saying...

“Yes.  And please...add my name to your guest list.  I want to be at your wedding ceremony.”

He nodded, then his eyes landed on his brother.

“We’ll talk brother.”

Nothing more needed to be said.  Morpheus held a glass expression, and he didn’t bother nodding his head.  Raal gave him a reassuring smile, but he wouldn’t trade places for all the money in the world.

Morpheus walked over to a window, leaving Mikita near the archway.  She had a mind to leave him to his thoughts, but his wounded spirit beckoned her to stay.  She joined him, standing by his side.  A panoramic view of the Atlantic filled the window like a picture in motion.

“Morpheus...  Why?”

He looked at her and she didn't have to say another word.  The question was clear.  Why had he tricked them all to come?  Why indeed.  When he didn't answer her, Mikita said,

"How is Fawn?”

He smirked then said...

“Fawn is Fawn. Stubborn. Bullheaded. Defiant”

“Just like her father.”

He turned his head, and when his eyes met her gaze, they shared a laugh.  The abrupt burst of humor felt good and he couldn't recall the last time something like that had happened.

Morpheus said....

“When it comes to my daughter, her issues are as convoluted as most of her endeavors.  She was upset but not entirely for the reasons you might suppose.”

“You mean her anger wasn't directed at me and our son?”

“Oh no...she was angry about that...and I still have hope that one day that will change.  “He frowned then he said...

“She’s brooding over a boy.”

“I’m quite sure he isn't a boy Morpheus...more than likely he’s a man.”

He was agitated, and his brows rose when he said...

“Fawn likes to be the center of attention.” 

“So I take it that, her boyfriend isn't showering her with his affection.”

“That about sums it up.  That and...  Well, Fawn is upset over some Samaritan girl and she's blaming her for all that's gone wrong in her world.  Of course...that's all a load  of bullshit, but we are talking about my daughter.”

He smiled at the absurdity in this situation. 

Mikita said...

“Morpheus...Fawn has always had difficulty expressing how she feels.  Her behavior leans toward the extremes.  And when she’s overwrought, she explodes in outburst because she thinks this is the only way she’ll be heard.  Actually, her outburst are intended to gain your attention.  She want’s your notice.  She always has--and she knows no other way to communicate with you.”

He considered her assessment and on some level Mikita was right--but his daughter suffered from a larger problem.  A situation he would solve because he’d dealt with the last of her temper tantrums.  If need be, he would remove her sculptor boyfriend from the equation altogether.

He said...

“Fawn is a handful and she needs to find a real man.  Someone with time and money to spare.  When she told me about her boyfriend, I knew this Judd person would be kindling to her fire.  He isn't right for her and he doesn’t know what being with her really means.”

Morpheus huffed when he said...

“I blame myself for her insecurities because I traveled a great deal and she was raised by nannies and girlfriends.  If she had the full support of a family standing by her side; not judging or critiquing her--she would be confident and more self-reliant.  That’s’ what my daughter needs.  She needs a family--if only to make her feel like someone  other than a boyfriend gives a damn about her.  I’ve tried--but--well...”

Mikita said...

“Is that the reason you pulled this surprise stunt?”

He sighed and when she stared into his eyes, his expression spoke volumes.

His voice sounded heavy when he said...

“It's time Mikita.  It’s time to stop the petty squabbling and backstabbing bullshit.  My children are grown--and soon, they’ll start families of their own and well” 

She smiled when his words fell off, and he couldn’t rightly discern the cause for her expression. 

He said...

“I mean it Miki...”

Mikita’s face relaxed, and a warmth spanned the width of her chest.  Miki was the nickname he'd given her when they’d first met on her island home.  Hearing him call her by that name sparked a flood of forgotten memories and something else lurched out after hearing her pet name.  She’d been seven months shy of her eighteenth birthday when they met on the beach.  He’d been eleven years older than her; a university graduate, and son to a billionaire.  She’d heard the island rumors, but when he’d invited her out on his yacht for dinner and a night ride; it had not been his money that drew her.  She was experiencing that same lure, and she could respect what he was trying to do.

She sighed when she said...

"Morpheus, I would have come had you asked me; and I’m sure that Raal would say the same.  As for your children...I can’t speak for them.  Even though they’re gone and their excuses for leaving were...

“Indelicate, contrived bullshit excuses.”

She ended his rant by saying...

“Next time...be honest.  Call us or send a message, plainly stating what you desire.  But next time--start with something simple.  A dinner invitation with no talk about family or mending fences.”

He smiled, then nodded and even though the storm had passed, and a resolution had been agreed upon; something else stirred in the room.  She could feel it and her instincts told her that the time had come to leave. Mikita took two backwards steps, then she said...

“I’ll leave you to think about what we’ve discussed.”

She was walking towards the door, when he said...

“Are you still seeing Cyrus?”

Mikita stopped but she didn’t turn around.  She heard him advancing in her rear, then she felt his presence warming her back.  He lay one hand on her shoulder, prompting her to turn and face him.  So many thoughts filled her head, and every warning told her to go but she didn’t; she couldn’t.

He cleared his voice, restating his question.

“Mikita--I’ve asked around...but I want to hear you say the words.  Answer me.  Are you still dating Cyrus?”

She felt his hands sliding down the length of her arm, palming her hands, then lifting her fingers to his lips.  He kissed each finger, and she gasped when she said...

“No.”

That’s what he’d heard, but he wouldn’t believe it until she told him face to face.

“Good.”

Was his response.  Then he smiled, while saying...