July 19, 2012 - Jack...
'Stupid, stupid, stupid!,' I admonished myself, waiting for Matthew Cannon to answer his cell.
"Jack? Everything okay?"
"Fuck no. I'm fucking stupid!"
I fell silent, pacing the foyer, thinking I needed to hop a plane, destination unknown.
"Jack?"
"What, damn it?"
"Okaaaaay... What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing. What do you need?"
"You called me," he reminded in a chuckle.
"I'm an ass," I informed, after finally calming. "A dumb, stupid ass and someone should have me put down, now."
"Deep. What happened?"
"I kissed her then turned her down."
"Okay...Who did you kiss and why'd you turn her down?"
I walked into the living room, locked the doors behind me and paced again.
"Melinda."
Matthew became so quiet, I thought the call disconnected and he didn't hear my confession. I stopped pacing and listened. I could hear him breathing, so I knew he was still there. Just as I was about to say something, he heatedly spoke.
"You kissed your brother's fiancée?"
"Yeah."
"On the mouth?"
"Yeah."
"She returned the kiss, and offered herself to you?"
I groaned. "Yeah!" Again the silence. I sighed a "Matthew..."
"I disagree. You're not stupid; you're fucking dumb! Both of you! Why are you calling me, Jack?"
"I don't know. Maybe for you to tell me what an ass I am! Tell me I'll burn in hell for coveting thy neighbor's wife! Tell me how stupid I am for falling in love with that woman!"
"You fell in love with her," he asked quietly. "You fell in love with Steven's fiancée?"
"YES!"
"Jack, that's... Fucked up."
"You think I don't know that?"
"When did this happen? The kiss."
"Just now. I squashed a fight she was having with her mother and when I returned to the room, I kissed her."
"Where are you in relationship to her, now?"
"She's about a hundred feet away, in the library. I've locked myself in the living room."
"Good. You have to get out of there, Jack. You cannot be alone with her, ever again."
"I know, but... How do I do that? Everything in me aches for her. I want that woman, Matthew, more than any other I've ever encountered."
He sighed into the phone. "I know how you feel. The woman I told you about?"
"Madison?"
"Yeah. I'm in love with her."
"Yeah, I knew that. You all but admitted that to me the other day."
"Well, I'm admitting it to you now. And I'm sending you a check for a retainer so that you don't talk about this to anyone."
"Fine. I'm retained. This whole conversation is privileged."
YOU ARE READING
Forbidden
Short StorySuccessful attorney, Steven Carter, is not looking for love; he already has it with his doctor-boyfriend. Coming out of the closet to his family is something he hopes to never do, because he fears their rejection, especially that of his older brothe...
