Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jaiden awaited the sound of her mother's voice on the phone after speaking with Brandon.
The seconds of waiting it took before Olivia got on the phone seemed like hours to Jaiden --she really didn't want to tell her mother that she would be staying longer in Paris.
"Bambina!" Olivia said into the phone.
"Mama --what a surprise that you are at Brandon's when I call." Jaiden said; partly happy about it and partly not.
"I just got here. I had some things to talk to your brother about." said Olivia while sitting at her son's kitchen table.
"So how are things at home? What have you been doing?" asked Jaiden as she attempted to stall.
"Well, your father and I have been waiting for you to come home." Olivia said, but her voice trailed off a bit.
Jaiden's heart leaped into her throat. She had hoped by asking her mother how things were, that it would give Jaiden enough time to think about how to tell her mother her plans.
"Oh. Of course you are, Mama. I am looking forward to seeing you and Daddy again." Jaiden said. "Uhm, but Mama, see, I've decided that, well, that maybe I should stay for a little while longer. I don't have the picture I've been hoping for and so I was thinking......"
Olivia stopped Jaiden speaking.
"Bambina, you should do what you need to do. Don't think twice about it. It's okay. I understand." Olivia said.
Jaiden being left speechless was a rare event. She sat on her bed, her mouth crooked and her brow furrowed.
She expected her mother to be upset; to be somewhat disappointed or even sad.
Knowing her mother, Jaiden imagined that Olivia had already been planning a welcome back gathering or dinner or something. So why did she seem okay with Jaiden's news?
What was even more odd was that Olivia almost seemed ...relieved.
"You're okay with this, Mama?" is all Jaiden could think to say.
"Yes, why wouldn't I be? Take all the time you need." Olivia smiled into the phone and to Jaiden, Olivia's positive tone sounded genuine, but to Brandon, seeing his mother's face, he knew something wasn't right.
"Are you sure? It's just that I thought you'd be upset. I was afraid to tell you." Jaiden said to her mother.
Olivia leaned forward a bit in her chair and reached up for her son's hand before replying to Jaiden.
"It's for the best, Jaiden. We love you. I'm going to say goodbye now." Olivia said.
"Alright, Mama. Okay. I love you too. And Daddy. Tell Brandon bye for me." Jaiden said.
"I will, Bambina." Olivia said and then gently hung up the phone before looking up at Brandon.
"Brandon, we need to talk about your sister. I'm worried." she said and stood to go into the living room.
Brandon was immediately concerned. What could possibly be wrong? His mother would stop by from time to time, but she would usually call first.
This time the look on her face bothered him.
He followed her into the living room, but not before glancing back over at the phone and praying his sister was okay.
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Jaiden hung up the phone, but somehow didn't feel like the conversation was over. There was something about the tone of her mother's voice that bothered Jaiden. Yet the thing that bothered her the most was what Olivia had said a moment before hanging up: 'It's for the best'.
What did she mean by that?
Jaiden poured herself another cup of tea from the tiny teapot in her room.
She took a teaspoon and dipped it into the sugar and put it in her tea and swirled it around before taking a sip.
What's for the best? She wondered again. What did her mother mean?
Shaking her head, Jaiden began to think she might be reading too much into her mother's words. Likely her mother just wanted Jaiden to do the work she needed to do because it was best for her career. That had to be it.
Sometimes Jaiden's curiosity lead to her over analyzing things.
She then found herself giggling aloud as she remembered the beginning of the conversation with her brother.
Prank phone calls and disguising their voices was always something they did. Sometimes she and Brandon would take turns calling their grandmother just to see who did a better job at fooling her. It might have worked out differently if their grandmother hadn't caught on the first time they tried to trick her, but she always seemed to know.
Jaiden and Brandon's grandmother had died many years ago when Jaiden was eleven years old.
She was their father's mom and used to be a soulful singer at a club in Chicago. Jaiden's father grew up listening to his mother singing in these clubs and he told Jaiden that is why he wanted to be a part of that world. He loved the mood in the clubs. It was always so relaxing and laid back. The lighting was low and the music was just loud enough to fill the place, but not too loud that one couldn't have a conversation with the person next to them.
Taking another sip of her tea, Jaiden began to feel sleepy. She missed Michael over the past couple of days and knew he had been very busy because she didn't even get a phone call from him. She knew he was doing an album signing, but didn't know where it was being held and also wasn't sure if he would want her to surprise him there.
Jaiden was good at finding things out and it would have been very easy to find out where the signing was. Besides, it was likely advertised all over the place.
What if she had showed up? What would Michael have done? Would he have acknowledged her and who she was to him? Or would he have been discreet and treated her like a fan who had come for an autograph like the others?
Oh well, it didn't matter now anyway.
She glanced over at the clock and wondered if Michael was already sleeping. Maybe she'd see him tomorrow.
Slipping off her pajama bottoms and then her pajama top, Jaiden went into the bathroom to run herself a bath. Her hot tea had made her tired and a bath would relax her just enough to go to sleep.
Jaiden took her bottle of honey scented bubble bath and poured some under the hot, running water. She swished the water around with her hand and then stood to unclasp her bra. Dropping her bra to the floor, she was just about to take off her panties when she thought she heard the phone ring.
She peek her head out of the bathroom and listened.
Sure enough the phone was ringing. She quickly shut of the running water and went over to the phone.
"Hello?" she said.
"I miss you." said Michael.
Jaiden smiled a huge smile and curled up on the bed.
"I miss you too. I thought maybe you might be sleeping." said Jaiden.
"I was going to soon. It's been so busy. I had that signing a couple days ago, remember? It was good, but real hectic. And then I've been in meetings and the man I did the signing for wants me to do another one, only this time in New York and.... ....I miss you." sighed Michael.
"You already said that." Jaiden giggled.
Michael played with the phone cord.
"What are you doing? The phone rang a few times before you answered." he asked.
"Well, earlier I spoke with my brother and then to my mom who was at my brother's place. And I was just running myself a bath when I heard the phone ringing." replied Jaiden.
"Honey." Michael said.
"Honey what?" Jaiden asked.
"The bubbles. Your skin. They smell like honey." he answered.
Jaiden laughed a quiet laugh.
"Yep." she said.
"You taste like honey. Your shoulders. Your neck. Your lips..." Michael said quietly.
This was a test of Jaiden's strength. She knew she could suggest that Michael open his door and come down the hallway, open her door and be greeted by her wearing nothing by panties and they could both enjoy her bubble bath.
She would slowly undress him and let her lips slide all over his mouth. She would let her hands feel every part of his sexy body --every muscle, every bump.
Jaiden pictured her hands cupping his buttocks and squeezing it and then pressing his body against her own.
She imagined his hands feeling her breasts while his mouth devoured her neck...
But this was a test she would pass.....
"I should go. I'm tired, so I'm going to have my bath and get to bed. Will we see each other tomorrow?" Jaiden asked.
"Uhm. Okay, yes. Maybe in the afternoon. I'd like to see you." Michael said, but he was puzzled. Why did she suddenly want to end their phone conversation when he mentioned how amazing she tasted and how good her skin smelled? Was she really not interested in hearing that anymore? Did it make her uncomfortable?
"Sounds good. I want to be out early in the morning. I'm going to take pictures of a bakery tomorrow." Jaiden said.
"A bakery?" asked Michael.
"Yes. A very kind baker asked me if I would take pictures for him. I already took some, but I want to take some more until I feel I've gotten the very best shots for him. It's such a lovely place ...and a lovely story. I will tell you about it some time." she said.
"Alright. I will call you in the afternoon then." Michael said.
"I look forward to it." smiled Jaiden.
"Me too." said Michael.
He hung up the phone and sat for a moment. His insecurities threatened to keep him awake all night, but he pushed them as far away as he could and prepared himself for bed.
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"Yes! I did it!" said Jaiden out loud.
She hadn't given in to her desires and she felt good --proud.
She went into the bathroom and slipped off her now slightly damp panties before sinking down into the tub.
"It certainly wasn't easy though...." she thought.
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The seconds of waiting it took before Olivia got on the phone seemed like hours to Jaiden --she really didn't want to tell her mother that she would be staying longer in Paris.
"Bambina!" Olivia said into the phone.
"Mama --what a surprise that you are at Brandon's when I call." Jaiden said; partly happy about it and partly not.
"I just got here. I had some things to talk to your brother about." said Olivia while sitting at her son's kitchen table.
"So how are things at home? What have you been doing?" asked Jaiden as she attempted to stall.
"Well, your father and I have been waiting for you to come home." Olivia said, but her voice trailed off a bit.
Jaiden's heart leaped into her throat. She had hoped by asking her mother how things were, that it would give Jaiden enough time to think about how to tell her mother her plans.
"Oh. Of course you are, Mama. I am looking forward to seeing you and Daddy again." Jaiden said. "Uhm, but Mama, see, I've decided that, well, that maybe I should stay for a little while longer. I don't have the picture I've been hoping for and so I was thinking......"
Olivia stopped Jaiden speaking.
"Bambina, you should do what you need to do. Don't think twice about it. It's okay. I understand." Olivia said.
Jaiden being left speechless was a rare event. She sat on her bed, her mouth crooked and her brow furrowed.
She expected her mother to be upset; to be somewhat disappointed or even sad.
Knowing her mother, Jaiden imagined that Olivia had already been planning a welcome back gathering or dinner or something. So why did she seem okay with Jaiden's news?
What was even more odd was that Olivia almost seemed ...relieved.
"You're okay with this, Mama?" is all Jaiden could think to say.
"Yes, why wouldn't I be? Take all the time you need." Olivia smiled into the phone and to Jaiden, Olivia's positive tone sounded genuine, but to Brandon, seeing his mother's face, he knew something wasn't right.
"Are you sure? It's just that I thought you'd be upset. I was afraid to tell you." Jaiden said to her mother.
Olivia leaned forward a bit in her chair and reached up for her son's hand before replying to Jaiden.
"It's for the best, Jaiden. We love you. I'm going to say goodbye now." Olivia said.
"Alright, Mama. Okay. I love you too. And Daddy. Tell Brandon bye for me." Jaiden said.
"I will, Bambina." Olivia said and then gently hung up the phone before looking up at Brandon.
"Brandon, we need to talk about your sister. I'm worried." she said and stood to go into the living room.
Brandon was immediately concerned. What could possibly be wrong? His mother would stop by from time to time, but she would usually call first.
This time the look on her face bothered him.
He followed her into the living room, but not before glancing back over at the phone and praying his sister was okay.
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Jaiden hung up the phone, but somehow didn't feel like the conversation was over. There was something about the tone of her mother's voice that bothered Jaiden. Yet the thing that bothered her the most was what Olivia had said a moment before hanging up: 'It's for the best'.
What did she mean by that?
Jaiden poured herself another cup of tea from the tiny teapot in her room.
She took a teaspoon and dipped it into the sugar and put it in her tea and swirled it around before taking a sip.
What's for the best? She wondered again. What did her mother mean?
Shaking her head, Jaiden began to think she might be reading too much into her mother's words. Likely her mother just wanted Jaiden to do the work she needed to do because it was best for her career. That had to be it.
Sometimes Jaiden's curiosity lead to her over analyzing things.
She then found herself giggling aloud as she remembered the beginning of the conversation with her brother.
Prank phone calls and disguising their voices was always something they did. Sometimes she and Brandon would take turns calling their grandmother just to see who did a better job at fooling her. It might have worked out differently if their grandmother hadn't caught on the first time they tried to trick her, but she always seemed to know.
Jaiden and Brandon's grandmother had died many years ago when Jaiden was eleven years old.
She was their father's mom and used to be a soulful singer at a club in Chicago. Jaiden's father grew up listening to his mother singing in these clubs and he told Jaiden that is why he wanted to be a part of that world. He loved the mood in the clubs. It was always so relaxing and laid back. The lighting was low and the music was just loud enough to fill the place, but not too loud that one couldn't have a conversation with the person next to them.
Taking another sip of her tea, Jaiden began to feel sleepy. She missed Michael over the past couple of days and knew he had been very busy because she didn't even get a phone call from him. She knew he was doing an album signing, but didn't know where it was being held and also wasn't sure if he would want her to surprise him there.
Jaiden was good at finding things out and it would have been very easy to find out where the signing was. Besides, it was likely advertised all over the place.
What if she had showed up? What would Michael have done? Would he have acknowledged her and who she was to him? Or would he have been discreet and treated her like a fan who had come for an autograph like the others?
Oh well, it didn't matter now anyway.
She glanced over at the clock and wondered if Michael was already sleeping. Maybe she'd see him tomorrow.
Slipping off her pajama bottoms and then her pajama top, Jaiden went into the bathroom to run herself a bath. Her hot tea had made her tired and a bath would relax her just enough to go to sleep.
Jaiden took her bottle of honey scented bubble bath and poured some under the hot, running water. She swished the water around with her hand and then stood to unclasp her bra. Dropping her bra to the floor, she was just about to take off her panties when she thought she heard the phone ring.
She peek her head out of the bathroom and listened.
Sure enough the phone was ringing. She quickly shut of the running water and went over to the phone.
"Hello?" she said.
"I miss you." said Michael.
Jaiden smiled a huge smile and curled up on the bed.
"I miss you too. I thought maybe you might be sleeping." said Jaiden.
"I was going to soon. It's been so busy. I had that signing a couple days ago, remember? It was good, but real hectic. And then I've been in meetings and the man I did the signing for wants me to do another one, only this time in New York and.... ....I miss you." sighed Michael.
"You already said that." Jaiden giggled.
Michael played with the phone cord.
"What are you doing? The phone rang a few times before you answered." he asked.
"Well, earlier I spoke with my brother and then to my mom who was at my brother's place. And I was just running myself a bath when I heard the phone ringing." replied Jaiden.
"Honey." Michael said.
"Honey what?" Jaiden asked.
"The bubbles. Your skin. They smell like honey." he answered.
Jaiden laughed a quiet laugh.
"Yep." she said.
"You taste like honey. Your shoulders. Your neck. Your lips..." Michael said quietly.
This was a test of Jaiden's strength. She knew she could suggest that Michael open his door and come down the hallway, open her door and be greeted by her wearing nothing by panties and they could both enjoy her bubble bath.
She would slowly undress him and let her lips slide all over his mouth. She would let her hands feel every part of his sexy body --every muscle, every bump.
Jaiden pictured her hands cupping his buttocks and squeezing it and then pressing his body against her own.
She imagined his hands feeling her breasts while his mouth devoured her neck...
But this was a test she would pass.....
"I should go. I'm tired, so I'm going to have my bath and get to bed. Will we see each other tomorrow?" Jaiden asked.
"Uhm. Okay, yes. Maybe in the afternoon. I'd like to see you." Michael said, but he was puzzled. Why did she suddenly want to end their phone conversation when he mentioned how amazing she tasted and how good her skin smelled? Was she really not interested in hearing that anymore? Did it make her uncomfortable?
"Sounds good. I want to be out early in the morning. I'm going to take pictures of a bakery tomorrow." Jaiden said.
"A bakery?" asked Michael.
"Yes. A very kind baker asked me if I would take pictures for him. I already took some, but I want to take some more until I feel I've gotten the very best shots for him. It's such a lovely place ...and a lovely story. I will tell you about it some time." she said.
"Alright. I will call you in the afternoon then." Michael said.
"I look forward to it." smiled Jaiden.
"Me too." said Michael.
He hung up the phone and sat for a moment. His insecurities threatened to keep him awake all night, but he pushed them as far away as he could and prepared himself for bed.
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"Yes! I did it!" said Jaiden out loud.
She hadn't given in to her desires and she felt good --proud.
She went into the bathroom and slipped off her now slightly damp panties before sinking down into the tub.
"It certainly wasn't easy though...." she thought.
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