Chapter Four Part 1

He wiped his eyes before discarding the patched sheet. His nose twitched as the scent of pastries drew him to the kitchen. There, two women stood with flushed cheeks and a savory look on their faces. Leaned against the door jam with a look of distain Jethro spoke. 

"I see you bought drugs."

They spun around hiding the dark brick behind them.

"Drugs? What drugs bro?" The short one said.

"We don't have any drugs JJ." The tall woman looked away.

"I gave you money for groceries not for chocolate. By the way the eggs are burning."

They panicked and resumed to prep the meal. Eggs, bacon, sausages, cereal, orange juice, milk, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches and cereals were what they prepared.

Is this all you can eat buffet? "Can we afford this?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you." Another man stood beside him looking up. "Mr Rich and switch."

They chuckled. "More like Mr only four hours sleep. College plus two jobs really takes a toll."

"I feel you man. Grinding those dungeons at night just to get one item with a two percent drop rate only to be killed by other players."

The tall woman strut by them with two trays as Jethro stared at her behind. "How's playing a video game compare to college?"

"What do you mean? Being a pro gamer is just as hard as going to college if not harder." The short woman waddled by with three trays as the eyes of Jethro's friend followed her. Jethro smirked at him. 

"How? He has to learn and remember his course plus work two jobs."

"Listen, having ten accounts on multiple games and still managing to be in the top ten is really hard if not harder. By the way you can bribe professors nowadays and the rising rate of unemployed graduates, getting a diploma is a useless."

The two men look from the women, who continued to argue, to each other. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since you started beating the main provider of this household. Lucia has been taking more of an active role since it's your money that's being spent."

"Which leads to them butting in heads." Jethro sighed as his friend nodded. 

Both men stepped forward. "None of you can play games so I don't see the point of this conversation."

"And none of you finished high school so this argument is stupid." Jethro took his tray and sat on the floor as did his friend who sat beside his tablet engrossed son.

The women sat on their beds. "Hmf! Why are you always on his side!" Both women said but we're waved off by the men with full mouths. 

"So JJ, what's this second job exactly? I know that you're an intern at some acquisitions company, but it's the first time I'm hearing about the second job. How long have you had it?" Lucia was lying down as Jethro feed her. 

"Probably a gun store." They all stared at her. "What? Where else could you get a gun like that?"

"Good point." Lucia raised a brow at him.

"I'm an intern and an assistant correspondent. It gets a bit hectic and that why I give you those documents to prepare."

She shuddered grumbling. "So I literal have a metal break down and gray hair three days a week is because you're giving me upper class level work to do and pretending its reference work for my online resume?"

He tilted his head. "The work you get is just above high school level. You're over reacting."

She pouts. "It's not. It's hard." Her tone was that of a child as he patted her head.

"And the guns bro?"

"For protection obviously. Isn't that why your man has one?"

"That's different and you know it. He's a farmer and needs to protect his assets. You know, the small farm that's on the roof that cuts the food expenditure of everyone in this building. According to the law, only those with assets to protect can LEGALLY own a gun." She folded her arms.

"That right and I do have something to protect. I have sensitive work related data on my phone and laptop so my boss had me registered as a firearm holder. I even had to password protect multiple apps on my phone." He held up the device surprising everyone.

But what was more shocking was Lucia's bewilderment. "You did know either Lucia?"

Lucia smiled nervously at her question as Jethro simply sipped his orange juice. "And where'd you get that vintage car?"

"Because we looked up after you went to sleep." The short woman said. "That car is Pre Cataclysm limited edition and worth a fortune. Last I checked you aren't the long lost son of some billionaire or powerful figure so how'd get it bro?"

Your 'changing the topic' skill is still a bit too rough around the edges. "How'd you know it was vintage?" He stopped drinking. 

He was nonchalant as he stared at her. "Come on bro, aren't I your dear sister? You can tell me right bro?"

Sister? Since when are we related?

He glared at her as she batted her lashes. "Sold my front." He leaned back. 

"What?" Both women stared in confusion while his friend laughed. 

Jethro gestured to his grind while chucking. "Now, I belong to the streets."

The woman looked away while Lucia smacked him down with a pillow. 

"You wouldn't dare. You don't have the balls to cheat on Lucia. After all you guys have been together for almost eight years. Hmm…Jethro I can recommend you to a good fertility clinic."

He choked on his orange juice. "For what?" He looked from her to Lucia. Hope she doesn't say anything to upset her.

"Eight years and still no baby so you must be infertile."

This Lucia was choking on cereal as Jethro patted her back. Her coughs couldn't mask her giggles. 

"Why do you assume it's me?" A frown plastered on his face.

"Because dude, Lucia is young , fertile and pure unlike you." Jethro's friend collapsed in hysteria. 

Why am I being targeted? 

"Mmm hmm, mr I want a threesome."

The laughter abruptly stopped. His friend shook his head and took out his phone.

Lucia glared at him with a smile. "Oh really? Is that right Jethro? You want a threesome?" 

Sister my ass! What kind of sister would put me in this shit storm by saying some out of pocket shit. He glared at her before turning to Lucia. 

"Baby, that was when I was younger and I didn't have you then-"

"Oh no don't mind me, go on ahead have your threesome." She continued to smile with her eyes closed.

Her fake smile is pretty good though yet she can never tell when I'm faking. How odd. "Really? You sure that's what you want to say?"

"Of course, I'm sure those college bitches will be more than happy to jump on your dick."

"I know right? Got a few already, even a professor." He reached for her. She scowled slapping away his hand.

"Don't touch me!" He tacked her on the bed then sat on her rear. "Get off me you man whore!"

"Uh huh. Is that all?"

"Cheating bastard. Liar. Jerk!" She flailed against his weight.

"There there baby."

"Screw you, you cheater!" She pouted making him smile.

"Love you too baby."

"Enough to never look at another woman again?" Her tone was that of a child. 

He flicked her forehead. "Don't be ridiculous." He closed in for a kiss but she turned away earning a bite on her cheek. She shrieked rubbing her cheek as he got off her. 

She tackled him back into bed as they wrestled each other.

She's pretty strong for someone who's always saying she's weak.

"So Jethro when are you going to marry Lucia?" Everyone stared at her. 

There she goes again saying out of pocket things.

"You just always keep talking until you talk shit don't you?" Jethro's friend frowned at her.

"What? I am not. I'm just saying that since we can afford good food now Jethro's fertility problems will be fixed"

Wait, why does it sound like she's saying its because we're too poor to eat healthy why I have fertility problems??

 "And it won't be long before Lucia's pregnant and we have to make sure the baby isn't born outside of wedlock or else that'd be a sin."

"Ah, forgot you believed in that pre catalyst religion and their horseshit."

"Hey it's not horse shit! And don't tell me you believe in the 'New God' that everyone has been worshipping?"

"No I don't but frankly I don't believe in yours either. I'm not saying I don't believe there is a God, but yours and the new God are full of shit."

"Jethro I can't believe you'd say that. After he protected us last night and has been looking out for us our whole lives. We could've died." 

"As far as I've recalled, I've been fending for myself my who life and it was ME, HIM and Three GUNS that protected us last night. I've never seen any miracles saving me."

"It's not always going to be miraculous Jethro. All those little things are his doing."

"So your God is weak?"

"No, God is almighty with nothing above him."

"Oh then he's cruel."

"No Jethro, God is loving and loves us and wants to save you from damnation but you have to accept him."

"You see that's the horseshit I don't get. All powerful and all good yet we, his children suffer, starve, kill, and die in agony at the hands of his own creation that is the adversary of all good and that he supposedly can put an end but he chooses to does nothing."

"That's not true and you're taking things out of context and only highlight worse." She gripped the cross necklace around her neck.

"And what good is there to ignore? The Cataclysm that happened over a hundred years ago that wiped half the human race by merging the seven continents together and filled the oceans with God knows what and imposed the class system upon humanity is definitely the mark of a loving God."

"That's the work of the adversary not God."

"Even so God allowed it. According to your doctrine, the creator is cruel and jealous God." He smiled. "Which I have no problem with."

The women raised a brow. "My problem is when you turn a blind eye to the truth that's spitting you in the face so you can live in your delusions. God is all powerful but not all good. After all... humanity was carved in his image."

He walked out slamming the door behind him. I lost my temper, but as long as I apologies and admit my faults and also agree with a few of their points then everything will be on track again. Deep breaths were the remedy to his temper. Unfortunately that rarely worked. Only a brief rush of pain and venting would work and that wall was looking punchable.

"JJ?" Lucia Stood in front but no joy was in his eyes. "You okay?"

"Yeah just sorry I lost it in there. It was wrong of me to impose my opinions on her." He smiled nervously scratching his head.

She nodded. "Yeah you did go overboard in there and was being a jerk. And a dick. A big fat one too. Like why'd you have to dog on her so much like an insensitive asshole. I mean so what if you don't care about you soul burning in hell but I care."

That's my Lucia, show an ounce of weakness and she'll gut your heart out. He sighed heavily glaring at her.

Only then did her tone change. "But in your defense, she started it." She rolled her eyes releasing an exasperating sigh.

"Yeah it must have been rough on you since… you know." She clenched the necklace with a cross in her pocket. "Especially with all the paperwork you owe me." She grit her teeth dashing inside as she cursed him under her breath.

He smirked wondering of. Soon he found himself at the parking garage. His phone vibrates leaned against his car. 

"Hello."

"Nice to hear from you too Jethro. Thought you said you'd call once you found her." He disconnected the call then dials. "Hello?" Said the woman justifiably confused.

"Found her."

"You're such an asshole."

"Had to keep my word didn't I?"

"That you did, in more ways than one. Everything went exactly how you said it would."

"That much is obvious. What's your own conclusion of her?"

"To be honest, between the second guessing herself on her questionnaire and during the interview I'd agree that she has a communication issue, but the way she ran out when I offered her to job is throwing me off."

He sighed. "She misunderstood what you were saying as you kicking her out because she wasn't qualified."

"What? If anything she's more than qualified. Better than those flunk heads that come through connections and almost as good as any personal secretary from upper class. At least based on the documents you've been sending me over past few months. She's even gotten better based on the ones you sent me a few minutes ago." 

"Yes but do you think she has what it takes?

"No, not at all. She's needlessly defensive, introverted, and overly pessimistic and has an attitude that she thinks she hides but always shows because she wears her heart on her sleeve. I can tell from that interaction alone that she doesn't have any friends." 

"Yes, that sums up my Lucia." The smile was evident in his tone.

Honestly you could do so much better. Is what she wanted to say but she knew better than to speak ill about what he considers his. She sighed. I had my chance but I let him slip through my grasp. But how was I supposed to know that the naïve little boy who was wide eyed when viewing the world would turn into such a fearsome man. "The only reason why I agreed to this is because you recommended her and because she's overqualified, I can under pay her and as much as I hate to admit it, she has potential."

"Of course she does. I was just like her when I was younger." She probably is even more capable than I am.

"If there's even a possibility that she turns out like you, makes it all the more worthwhile to groom her into exactly what I need."

"You'll have to wait a bit longer."

"Do hurry. I don't have much time left. You know the condition I'm in."

He hung up as she approached. 

"Who were you talking to? One of your side chicks?" 

He crossed his arms and blinked at her. "I don't see you phone ringing." She pouted. "just kidding. No I only talk to them on Sundays. Today I was talking to my boss about selling you into The catfishing business."

"That's not funny Jethro." She slapped his shoulder. He pulled her into a hug. "You won't hurt me, will you Jethro?"

He replied to Briar with one hand typing away on his phone. "I won't ever hurt you... Without good reason."