TIT FOR TAT

TRUST/CHAPTER 5

Emily/October 29, 2017

She was sitting with her elbow on the desk, her chin resting on her palm, staring blankly at the computer screen as she listened to her mother, Rita, relay yet more information about Jackson Clayborn.

"When I saw Maggie at church this morning all she could talk about was how your friend threw that big fundraiser for Donny May who's running for mayor. Of course, we weren't invited. I can only wonder why. And then there's talk about your Mr. Clayborn being seen around town having drinks and dinner with different women. They say he's been traveling a lot, too.

"Sweetheart, I hate to ask you this again, but what in the name of sweet baby Jesus did you do to that man? Your father and I thought he was crazy about you. We always have. You know, it could be that attitude of yours. You don't always have to be so intimidating. It's okay to let the man be a little domineering."

Emily gave a little squeal and tears sprang to her eyes, trying to keep from laughing as the thought of being Jackson's sex slave ran through her mind.

"Are you okay? Sweetheart, you know I'd never say anything I thought would hurt your feelings but—"

"No, mom really it's okay. I'm just trying to hold back a sneeze. Really, I'm fine. Look it's been almost exactly five months since I've seen him. I know he's busy. I know he has a lot of women friends he hangs out with. I thought everything was fine, but just like that, he ghosted me."

"Ghosted you?"

"Yeah, Sybil is one of the younger girls that reviews and edits the books I post, and we've gotten to be friends...sort of. She says when they don't return texts, emails and quit calling, they're ghosting you."

"Oh my, but I thought back in June he was responding."

"Humph," she snorted, "let's just say his responses were perfunctory at best. It didn't take me long to figure out I just needed to leave him alone."

"But do you have any idea why he just suddenly turned?"

"Mom, you've asked me that for five months now and I've been telling you the same thing. I don't know what I did or if it was something I didn't do. You know, I could have sworn that deep down that man really cared for me, maybe even loved me. Do you realize how long we've been friends? He has always been there for me. I thought he always would."

"Well, one thing's for certain, you still love him. I can hear it in your voice."

Emily sighed and tapped the phone against her forehead and put it on speaker. "No, Mom, no I don't. I'm done. Jacks and I have been doing this for years...the back and forth. Oh, I can't be with him because I'm married, then I'm finally free and he's in Aspen, living with some snow bunny, then I start seeing someone in Austin and he's free, then that doesn't work out and I come home for a visit and he's with that last woman...what's her name?"

"Crystal."

"Okay, whatever, Crystal...then I go back to Dallas and take that newspaper job and meet Greg and when that breaks up, low and behold, I come back here and Mr. Clayborn and I are finally free at the same time. Perfect timing, wouldn't you think? But hell no, that mother-fucking-son-of-a-bitching bastard takes me up to his mansion on the mountain and makes me believe he wants me to be his..." she had to catch herself from saying sub. "Sorry, Mom, I got choked up there. I started to say his girlfriend and he made me think all sorts of things then doesn't talk to me for weeks and on and on it goes."

She heard her mother's sigh. "You know, you get that from your father."

"What?"

"That foul mouth of yours."