69. Flying to Florida...
1300 Words
Stella was sleeping when her phone rang it was Storm.
" What time do you land? I heard Ash is picking you up, care if I tag along...I need to get out of this house, dad is on a rampage, he's not used to us boys all being home together.
It's making him stressed. He yelled at me to take my shoes off when I come into the house, but I wasn't wearing any, he got me mixed up with Ash.
I just took the hit, I mean growning up it's what we did. If one of us got in trouble, we both got punished for it."
She yawned." Oh, I was sleeping, sorry I'm kind of groggy. But please come if you want, and remind me to remove my shoes when I get there."
" Hey, I miss you and the way your back arches like a kitty when you stretch, your butt sticks out and you wag your tail." Storm teased her.
" Storm... what about you, you raise your arms up and stretch those long legs then let one rip, like everyday!" She laughed.
" Well, I eat a lot of plants." He laughed.
" What are you wearing tonight to dinner?" He asked her.
" Uh, why...is it like formal, or a dress code?" She was worried now.
" Hmm... well I think a jersey would be appropriate. 49 ers are good. No Cowboys or Steelers. Of course the Dolphins or Buccaneers are good down here." he warned her.
" I see, what if I wear like a dress?"
" I might rip that off." He laughed.
" Well, now I'm feeling very nervous." She said, biting her fingernail.
" Stella, we leave in a half hour, better get up wifey!" Drake yelled.
Storm heard Drake. "Wifey? What's that about?" He felt sick.
" Oh, it's just our thing, no... we're not...we didn't get married, I'm still with you Storm, please it's just our nick names, wifey and hubby." She assured him.
" I hate that. Please find another nick name while you are here." He said.
" Oh, yeah it's just for this house here at the ocean, Drake has his own ideas, I'm sure he doesn't like our things."
" What things Stella?" He asked.
" Well yoga, the way we exercise together. That makes him a bit jealous." She said.
" Okay we will do it everyday while you are here." He said.
" About that, we are heading to Africa, Drake has a work thing since Sam is off work, he has to sooth over a client." She said.
" Okay but why are you going?" He said angry.
" It's a safari, I have to go. Bucket list thing." She said.
" I can take you." He was sulking.
" Well, if you plan a trip, I will go all alone with only you my love." She promised.
" I will. I am going to surprise you...on second thoughts send me some of your bucket list ideas. Just to be sure." He said.
" Stella, I love you. I wish ..I wish I never made you upset, I was so dumb. I am so sorry."
" Storm! I already put it behind me. Please let it go. We are even stronger now."
He said, "See you in a few hours then."
After that call Sam called her.
" Hey beautiful, do you need a ride from the airport?"
" Oh, Ash and Storm are picking us up, but I do miss you sweetheart. Sam, if you want to come, I would like that."
" I insist, they won't be the first to lay eyes on you, I am going to run to your gate so I can kiss you first." He said.
" I will hold you to that, Bye honey." she said.
Drake ran up. " Ready?"
She shook her head.
" I was talking to the boys, be right there."
They made it on the plane in time, Drake held onto her as she walked. He carried her up the long steps to the plane door.
They spoke softly about their trip to Africa. Drake noticed that she was wearing several other rings now.
He knew the special alone time they shared would be ending while they were in Florida. He sighed.
" Stella hold me please." He hugged her, she could barely breath.
Drake was extra clingy for some reason.
" I just got you back, I want to be with you...I'm sorry, I know that I was the reason that you started seeing my cousins.
I know they were leary of my motives. I told myself that I deserved half of your money, that you deceived me in some way. I think they all believe that still."
" Drake, do you? Do you care about the money? I can give you more money, whatever you need.
I'm not the type of woman that needs very much. I mean..I want to share my good fortune, but if you think you can spend it better than me, well just tell me what you need." She said feeling unsure now.
Maybe it was all for the money. It was a dream come true for her. Things usually didn't work out as she planned, she knew what it felt like to be shunned by those she loved.
" Stella, you could be in a cardboard box, living in squalor. It's really not what you have that I need, it's who you are that my soul yearns for. It's you, I only need you." he said.
" Drake, I have jumped off the ledge of common sense where you are concerned.
If you lie, or you turn on me, or worse...shun me like my parents, I think it will be the end of me, I'm serious.
I would need psychiatric help at that point. I guess if I'm committed then I won't be alone though."....
" So we are both lost without eachother. Then enjoy your time with my cousins, because after that...just you and I in Africa." He said smiling.
" Drake, are we going to see elephants?" She asked.
" Yes, we are going to see many animals. Also we are going to be donating money to the doctors without boarders program there.
We have a dinner all set up by my secretary."
" I need to tell you something." She said.
" On my last birthday, I turned 21.
I inherited the second billion that my aunt left me.
She really wants me to give her money away. I will need help with this.
I am just one person. Can you...will you help me to give this money all away, every cent Drake. I want to do her proud." She said, trusting him.
He wondered if she knew who she was talking to, it was not in his nature to give money away, he was trying to make money, not squander it.
" Stella, I am not...well I don't do charity unless I can write it off to make my business look good. I can't really help you.
I honestly do not believe I will be any good at this.
If you want to give it to me, I will multiply it for you, but truthfully I am greedy...yes that's the word. I'm a greedy bastard."
" I see, well I'm a real bastard, and I am not greedy, not one bit. I've never had money of my own really. But...now that I do ..It changes nothing. I will give you more money, if you need it. I will give all of you a share.
I won't give it all to you, because my aunt wouldn't like that. I owe any happiness I ever had in life to her.
- Writer
