Task Number 8(1)

"James? James Weathers?"

James raised his head and looked into the bright blue eyes of Grace Wilding and her movie producer husband, J.T. Owens.Shit! He wiped the coffee from his mouth and slowly stood, giving her a gentle hug and shaking J.T.'s hand. "How are you doing?"

"Fine! What are you doing here?"

"Vacationing."

"No, really."

James gave his best anchorman smile, his eyes chips of grey ice. "I said I'm vacationing, Grace. Is there a problem with that?"

"Yes, when everyone knows that you'venever taken a vacation before. Are you heading back to rehab?"

James felt himself losing control as he gritted his teeth, angry at himself for letting her get to him so easily. "Grace, unlike you, I actually have a life."

"A life? Is that what you call it?" She laughed, no,cackled like the witch she was. "Drinking yourself silly every night is alife?"

"I don't drink like that any more, Grace, and you know it."

"What do you do instead? Fuck every bimbo you can find till dawn?"

Grace's high-pitched laugh fell on Beverly's ears and she winced. She had heard most of the conversation and was pissed off for James. Why didn't he put her in her place? Why didn't he speak up for himself? It was obvious that she was going to have to take care of things for him.

"Hi, James!" She breezed in, throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a long, deep kiss. She felt the surprise in his touch and did her best to convince him to relax, letting her tongue slide into his mouth and tickling his lips. "Sorry, I'm late."

"That's okay." James fell into the ruse easily, his face still showing his shock. "I hadn't eaten yet. Just had coffee."

"Who's your ... friend?" Grace looked Beverly up and down, the last word dangling on her tongue like a bad taste.

"Beverly Johansson." Beverly extended her hand. Grace looked at her hand for several seconds, then when she reached out to take it, Beverly whirled into James' arms, smiling into his face. "And you are?"

"Grace Wilding, anchorwoman at WCHO."

"Oh, yes! I knew you looked familiar. You did that piece on Family Market, right?"

The blood drained from Grace's hawk-like features. Everyone knew about the Family Market piece because of the interview that she did with Morton Zandee, owner of Family Market and now, well-known pedophile. Family Market catered to women and their children, providing the unheard-of service of child care in a grocery store. Once a day, Zandee would choose a lucky child to win a tour of the market and $25 worth of groceries. And somewhere between the loading dock and the cash register, the molestation would occur.

Grace Wilding was well-known because her name was front and center when the scandal broke. Grace Wilding had witnessed the molestation of a child and hadn't reported it. She had saved the footage to use for future piece she was planning and one of the series producers had stumbled on it accidentally. Grace had been sacked but she sucked her way back to the anchor desk. The station owner, Clyde Bishop, loved oral sex and she was more than happy to provide him with it.

"Uh, yes."

"Yeah, I thought that was you." Beverly gave her a blindingly fake smile and turned her grin to James. "I'm hungry, baby. It's time to feed me, Seymour."

James laughed, throwing his head back. He gathered his newspaper and left a five on the table for the waitress. "If you'll excuse me, Grace, I have to feed my lady." He put his arm around Beverly's middle and left a speechless Grace Wilding in his wake. Once out of her hearing, he grabbed Beverly and spun her around. "That was inspired!"

Beverly smiled. "I hate white bitches like that. You should have handled your own business." She cocked her head to the side, looking at him. "So, why didn't you play hammer and nail her to the wall?" She watched as the happiness fled from James' face and surmised that this was something deeper than mere words. "Why don't we get some breakfast and talk about it?"

"Beverly, I really appreciate what you just did for me but ... "

"James, " Her voice was soft and motherly. "If you don't open up to someone, you'll never get a chance to live that life you wanted."

She's right.So he was at a crossroads. He could continue on as he had been, living relationship to relationship, having no roots and no connections. Or he could choose to open himself up, to do the one thing he hadn't done since ... the accident. He trusted Beverly. He knew that she wouldn't share his personal information with anyone else. So ...So ... what do I do?

James Hawethorne Weathers lifted his weary eyes to the beautiful black woman and released a sigh that came from the depths of his soul. "All right, Bev." Her smile was warm and grateful. "But you may not like what you hear."

"You didn't like everything that I had to say, did you?"

"No."

"Then let me do the same for you. Let me be your devil's advocate." Her lovely almond-shaped eyes met his. "Let me help you, as you've helped me."

Beverly held her hand out. She'd never had anyone seek out her advice before, unless it was where the best buffet place in town was. Warmth spread from the tips of her ears to her neck when he slipped his manicured hand into hers.

"Let's go."

* * * * *

Shane almost smiled when Ashley waved at him. He took his plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and wheat toast to her table, dropping his napkin into his lap as he sat.

"I'm surprised to see you here."

She looked up. "Why's that?"

"Your lover's up there fucking her brother ... I mean, aren't you angry?"

"No. Why should I be?"

Shane just stared at her for a long moment. "Because she's fucking someone else and it's aman."

"Shane, Kevin has been Kelly Jo's brother for a lot longer than our relationship. If it's meant to be, we'll be together."

Shane just shook his head. "I can't believe you could be so calm about the whole situation."

Ashley smiled. "That depends on what you let bother you." She shoveled some eggs into her mouth, then stood up, breaking into a huge smile. Kevin and Kelly Jo had entered the dining room and were striding, hand-in-hand, giving each other shy smiles. "Wow, you guys look happy!"

"We are." Kevin said, kissing the back of Kelly Jo's hand. "She's made my dreams come true." He couldn't help but beam at his sister. Their lovemaking had only ended twenty minutes earlier when Nathan had come knocking, looking for the evidence. Kelly Jo was very happy to show him but turned down his offer to clean her out. When she turned to look at him, he knew that she had remembered her promise and that made him feel like a million dollars. She had been so patient with him, so filled with love and devotion ...

"Hey!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry!"

"Daydreaming?" Kelly Jo asked, pressing a kiss on his mouth.

"No. Nightdreaming."

"Well, you'd better grab something to eat and sit down with what little strength you have left!" Ashley laughed.

Kelly Jo came around the side of the table and took Ashley into her arms, giving her a hard embrace, then covering her sweet face with kisses. "Oh, Ashley, it was so wonderful."

"I'm so glad for you."

"Glad for us." Kelly Jo touched her cheek lightly. "I made Kevin a promise last night."

"A promise?"

"Yes, that you and he would be the only people that I would ever make love with."

Ashley's eyes glittered with unshed tears. "He didn't mind?"

"Not at all. He knows that I love you and that's good enough for him."

Ashley smiled. "He's a wonderful brother." She glanced across the table at Kevin, who was talking to Shane. He was also very handsome, she noticed.I wonder if he could love me.

"Yes, he is, darling." Kelly Jo moved close, nibbling on her ear. "But I'm really anxious to put my tongue in your sweet pussy."

Ashley blushed. "Well, then you'd better eat fast because I'm feeling a little neglected."

"Oh, really?" Kelly Jo's hand dropped to Ashley's rear, rubbing and squeezing. "I can easily solve that ... "

Nathan's arrival was a splash of cold water on the happy group, especially when they saw the envelopes in his hand. "Good morning." He smiled as they responded in kind. "First, the money from last night's task." From his inside jacket pocket, he removed six envelopes and gave Kelly Jo and Kevin the two thickest and one each to Shane and Ashley. "And now, Shane. Ashley. Please come with me."

Shane and Ashley gave each other a glance, then arose to follow the driver. Again, they went to the small room just off the dining room and Nathan handed them two larger envelopes, watching as each opened and read the invitation inside.

"By now, you should have had a nice breakfast and are ready to accomplish your eighth task on the scavenger hunt. The eighth task is to have someone masturbate you to an orgasm. Simple task? No. Shane and Ashley must be chosen to accomplish this task. The reward will be $4,500 dollars, with $1,800 for the non-participants. The proof required is a video recording of the acts. This proof must be shown to Nathan and will be destroyed immediately afterward. If you follow the instructions, you will receive the money upon completion."

Shane looked up, first at Ashley, then at Nathan. "I'm in." He turned to Ashley. "Are you okay with it?" Ashley hadn't spoken for a long moment. An unbidden memory had arisen in her mind and she was struggling with the fear it had brought. She raised haunted eyes to Shane who touched her forearm gently. "We'll be doing it together, Ash. You can trust me."

Ashley knew she could but her guts still twisted in knots just the same. She nodded to him. "It's not you, Shane. It's me." She took a deep breath and looked back to Nathan. "I'll do it."

The driver gave a nod. "I've taken the liberty of leaving the camera and a box of toys in your room, Shane. It's up to you two where you want this to occur."

"My room's fine. Thanks, Nathan."

"Fine. Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to find Beverly and James." With those words, Nathan took his leave and Shane and Ashley gazed at each other for a long moment.

"Well ... " Shane offered his arm. "Shall we?"

Ashley slipped her hand into the crook of his arm, grateful for his friendship as she tried to battle the demons behind her eyes.