The Fake Wife

Wrong Move?

Jake

I was impatiently tapping my finger on the side of my whiskey glass. Stormy was 45 minutes late, and he was doing it on purpose.

Finally, the restaurant manager brought him to my quiet corner table. I choose this place because it was expensive. That was what he wanted, was it not? He was after her because of my money.

Patrick smirked with his shitty face and ordered the most expensive drink from the menu as soon as his skinny bum touched the fancy seat.

"Sorry, Brother. I was late because Alison didn't want me to leave."

Of course, he was with her after school. Alison was no longer grounded. Did Stormy tell her he was meeting me? I bet he did not.

Clenching my hand on the glass not to show Stormy, he knew the right buttons to press to make me mad. I stared at him. "I'm not your brother."

My voice was collected. I had to make my brain believe this was only a business transaction and there was nobody else more equipped than me to get it through.

He smiled. "Are you not? I thought that was what I should call the person who is married to my sister. Sorry, I'm not sure what is the right etiquette here. But what would I know? I'm just a poor orphan boy from Pennsylvania."

I sat back. Patrick will disappear from my face today. "Well, Stormy. That is why I called you here. To rectify it."

I put a 250-thousand-dollar cheque on the table and slid it to him with a first-class one-way ticket to Dubai. And I hoped Dubai was far enough away from us.

Patrick looked at it, and I continued trying not to punch him. "You can have all of this if you leave Alison and my family alone. Forget you ever met her at the Central Station. You won't call, you won't visit. You won't send even a single postcard. Tell Alison you have to go away, and I will pick up the pieces."

I glared at him. "Alison will be sad, but she will get over it. By the end of the year, I will make sure she won't even remember the Storm you are creating in our lives now."

His eyes scanned the things on the table. Stormy got up abruptly and shouted. "Is that what you think about me?? You want me away from her because you are rich and I am poor."

I looked around, not liking the scene he was creating. And I said through gritted teeth. "Sit and keep your goddamn voice down."

He pointed at me and spat out. "I won't!! I had my doubts about you, but now I know what you are. You're the same as those rich, spoiled kids. You're ashamed of her past and you were glad she lost her memories and became a different person."

I lifted my face to stare into his eyes. "If you walk away from this. I will make sure you leave without a penny. Because I know who you are, Stormy."

Patrick pointed at the cheque. "You can shove this offer up your ass."

He left marching from the restaurant, and everybody was whispering, looking back at me.

I rubbed my palms on my face. What did I do? Was Doctor White's idea better than mine? No!!! I could not be wrong here. I smelled the lie coming in waves from him. He's a parasite and if it is not money, he was after. I would soon figure out what Stormy wanted here.

***

Patrick

"Hey, hey!! Pat my man. Where have you been? I was waiting for you for a little game and you disappeared on me."

"Hey, man! I was lying low for a while." I smiled at my buddy Karl Windy. He will not believe me when I tell him what I have scored.

Karl went to the fridge and got two beers. I sat back on his rundown couch and gulped the beer. Today was too hot and after my move at that Playboy, I needed one.