The Prodigal Daughter

The Prodigal Daughter - Chapter 7

A/N - OK I was sure she would be going to the FCC, then my wonderful proofreading husband tells me tonight (after I said FCC about a dozen times in various chapters) that is should be the SEC (Security Exchange Commission) so sorry if my reference messes anyone up.  I hope everyone understands!! 

============

Chapter 7
 
After returning home from her shopping extravaganza with Joey, MaryBeth showed her purchases to her parents who were pleased to see them spending time together. They were especially pleased to see their daughter laughing and they invited Joey to stay for dinner. Afterwards, MaryBeth excused herself saying that she was tired and just wanted to rest.

She took a shower and on more than one occasion she thought of Joey, more than any friend should think of another while in a hot shower. Getting out of the shower and drying off, MaryBeth noticed her stomach. Something was different. It was no longer flat, it had a little curve to the front. She rubbed her stomach and for the first time talked to the growing person inside, “I will do right by you. I don’t know what I am going to do, but you are safe in there.” In the past eight years she had never imagined herself being a mother, and yet, now she was one. She needed to think about the baby and what to do when it was born. She had not thought much about it, but now standing naked in front of the mirror she wondered if she should keep the baby or give it to a family to love? She had plenty of time to decide, but she would need to decide before the baby was born.

Getting dressed for bed, she went to tell her parents, ‘goodnight’ but heard them talking before she made it to the living room and paused in the hallway.

“Another package arrived today.” Joshua said. His voice was low, but not low enough.

“Who received it?” Ann asked.

“Douglas.” Joshua said, “It was bad enough when he was sending them to us. Now he is sending them to my deacons.”

“Did Doug watch it?” Ann had concern in her voice.

“He started to and saw what it was and stopped. He brought it to me right away.” Joshua paused thinking, “I explained without too many details and he said he would be praying for us. But, I don’t know what we are going to do.”

MaryBeth froze in the hallway, her heart sank. One part of her wanted to know who was getting these videos of her? But, another part wanted to go into her room and pull the covers over her head and never come out again. Finally, she revealed herself in the hallway.

“Who has gotten these videos?”

“Baby girl, I didn’t hear you.”

“Obviously, but who is getting the videos?”

“Several people. So far everyone we know about has brought them to us.” Joshua said calmly.

“How many? How many videos?”

“About a dozen so far.”

“A dozen?” MaryBeth said sitting on the sofa and putting her head in her hands. “That you know of. He has gone too far. Well, if he wants to play dirty,” she said suddenly looking up, “I learned from the best! HIM!”

“What are you going to do?” Her parents asked in unison. Worry for their daughter written all across their face.

“Well, when I told him I would contact the SEC, he thought I was bluffing. But who do you think had me video tape these ‘bedroom confessions’, as he called it? Did he really think I was too stupid not to video tape him as well? I have eight years of plotting, scheming and confessions on how he was breaking the law and using it for his personal gain. ALL on video. Not to mention a couple of videos of him blackmailing people with videos of them in a compromising position.”

Her parents sat silently for a few minutes. They had never seen their sweet, innocent daughter like this and it was hard for them to take.

“Seriously,” MaryBeth asked, “did he not think I would fight back?”



The next day, she was in full on work mode. Contacting a lawyer and the SEC, she would make sure Richard paid, not just for what he had done to her, but for what she had stood by for eight years and been a witness to. The lawyer sat up an appointment with the SEC for the following week. Spending the rest of the day going through her detailed notes of the last eight years, and the last four in particular, she gathered evidence for her case.




While her body and her heart wrestled over Joey, MaryBeth’s dreams paid the ultimate price. She would go from seeing Joey happy and as a friend to closely intimate, just as she had been in the arms of many men. These dreams with Joey confused her more than anything. In her dreams, they would be sitting and talking like any normal day and then suddenly she would have a desire to touch him, kiss him passionately without abandon and be in his arms. When she would wake during the night from one of these dreams smiling happily, she would shake herself free of the memories and repeat over and over ‘We are ONLY friends! We can ONLY be friends!’

Then these dreams started crossing over into her daily life. She would be sitting having a cup of coffee in the morning and wishing Joey was there for her to run her fingers through his damp hair. Or, vividly watching him build up a sweat mowing the yard, only to realize it was her imagination playing with her.

With her days consumed with fighting Richard’s attack, and her nights and days dreaming about Joey, the week passed rather quickly for MaryBeth. Before she knew it, Friday was there. She had been looking forward to tonight since Joey mentioned his mom and ice cream. Both were sweet and something MaryBeth loved dearly. MaryBeth had not told Joey about the videos, but would wager anything that he knew about it already.

He picked her up at six o’clock and drove the five minutes to his mother’s house. As soon as they walked in, MaryBeth was confronted with all the wonderful smells coming from Mrs. Davidson’s kitchen. She had spent many days in this kitchen with Joey and Mrs. Davidson growing up. It had become her second home. Then when she started dating Joey, she spent even more time here.

“Something smells delicious!” MaryBeth said coming in and washing her hands to help. She loved working in the kitchen, but her life in LA would not normally allow such activities. Taking clients to fancy and hard to get into restaurants was the norm in her job.

“Well,” Mrs. Davidson said, “I am making some of your old favorites. Lasagna, garlic bread, salad and homemade minestrone soup.”

“Well, what can I do to help?”

“Why don’t you help Joey get the ice cream maker ready. As soon as the lasagna comes out, I will put the brownies in so they are nice and warm later.”

“OK. That sounds great!” MaryBeth said with a smile.

“Joseph, another package came for you today.” Mrs. Davidson yelled from the kitchen. MaryBeth stopped in her tracks. Could it be one of the packages Richard was sending?

“OK Mom, I will get it when I come in.” He said as he was opening the door to the garage allowing MaryBeth to walk through. She had a panicked look on her face and Joey knew that she understood what packages had been coming in. He had been working with Joshua not to stress MaryBeth out about the videos.

As soon as they made it into the garage and the door closed, MaryBeth rounded on him and was inches from his face. “How many videos have you received?” Anger was in her face and Joey knew not to lie or sugar coat the facts.

“I have received three.” Joey said. “I didn’t want you to get upset.”

“Well, I would be less upset if you and my parents were not trying to keep things from me.”

“Yeah, your dad told me that you found out last night.”

“And I have been dealing with it all day just fine. I have a lawyer and I have a meeting with the SEC. I have something else I can do, but I need to make sure I want to go there.”

“Lizzie, don’t do anything stupid.”

“Well, sometimes doing something stupid pays off.”

Joey reached out and took MaryBeth’s hand, “Lizzie, talk to me. What are you thinking.”

“I don’t know right now.” She said, Joey could still see the anger in her face.

“You do know. Please talk to me.”

“I just need to see someone. Someone I don’t want to see, but will be able to help me out as long as the deal has not gone through.”

“What crazy idea do you have going through your mind?” Joey was worried. When Lizzie had a good idea, it was great. But, she often got a crazy idea and from past experience, this worried Joey.

“Mr. Windham.”

“Mr. Who?”

“Mr. Windham, he is a very wealthy older man that I was working with to close a deal. We have been working together for the last year. I was days away from closing the deal when I left. Mr. Windham likes me, a lot. If I talk to him about this, and confess everything, all the stuff that Richard had me do. He will come out fighting. He will defend me and Richard won’t see what hit him.”

“I don’t like this.” Joey said. He did not like the fact that Lizzie was going to have to be in contact with one of the men that used her sexually. He did not want her anywhere around that life. He wanted to protect her.

“Oh, don’t worry about him. I can handle him.”

“Not without me you don’t.”

“You can’t go with me. That won’t work.”

“Why not? I am not going to let you walk into the lion’s den by yourself!” Joey said getting agitated.

“I told you, I know how to handle him.” MaryBeth said. But that is what Joey was afraid of, her handling him like old times.

Before he knew what was happening, Lizzie had eased close to him and was patting and rubbing his chest. Her pelvis was pressed up against his thigh and she sighed heavily. “Joey,” MaryBeth said so sweet and angelic, “Trust me,” she said as she leaned close to him putting her mouth so close to his ear that he could feel her breath on his neck. Joey was leaning up against the door and now there was no space between their bodies, all he could think of was how bad he wanted her at that moment. “I know what I am doing.” And Joey knew that she did know what she was doing.

Suddenly without warning, he grabbed her by the waist and now she was the one with her flesh pressed against the door, her only way out. And he was pressed tight against her body, Like two puzzle pieces that fit snugly together. He lowered his mouth tempting her and gently his lips brushed hers with Lizzie anticipating the kiss, she closed her eyes and Joey said, “A little steam never hurt, it is when you play with fire that you get burned. Don’t play with fire, let me come with you.”

MaryBeth just nodded. “But, I meet with him alone or it won’t work.”

“In a public place with me there watching.” Joey sighed slowly, with his body screaming to kiss her already!

“OK.” MaryBeth agreed. She was leaning in to him begging to be kissed.

Slowly Joey’s lips moved away from her mouth and towards her ear, “And next time, you play this game with me,” he said as he put his hands on each side of her head pressing close to her body,  “know that I play for keeps.”

By the time Joey released her, her whole body was one big pulse and she was sure that he could feel it in tune with his heart beat. She wanted him more than she has ever wanted anyone and she did not want to let him go. But, then her brain came back to her and she pushed him away, mentally and physically. “Joey! I said just FRIENDS!”

“Oh, I know what you said!” Joey said with a half grin and a twinkle in his eye. “Now, where is that ice cream maker?”

===========

Don't forget to vote, comment and add to your library to let others know you like the story.