DONNA JACKSON-Still That Boss Chic

Donna wished all that love she felt that morning, with Ethan and his family, would spread to her brothers. The reception was cold when she made it to her office that morning. Hardly anyone said a word to her. Had she been the gossip of the week?

Did everyone know of the secret she kept for over eighteen years? About her and Ethan and their lovechild.

Let them say anything to her face. She dared anyone to say or do something to her, her son, or Ethan.

When she walked into her office, Anita sat in her chair with her feet up on her desk scrolling on her cellphone.

Anita jumped up and dropped her phone when she saw Donna, dressed in her sharp red business pantsuit, hair pulled back in a bun, and her all-business look on her face.

"Donna!" Poor thing looked scared. "Uh...uh...You said you were out all week."

She stood there and watched her gather her things that were spread all over her desk. She must have been using her office while she was out.

"Can't get caught up at home."

"Oh, well I-"

"You like my desk?" she said as she walked to her chair. "Earn it."

"I plan on it!" Anita gathered her things and sat on the other side of the desk.

She liked Anita, so she would not make a big deal out of her using her desk. "I know you will."

Donna sat her bags on her desk and pulled out her laptop and all the manila folders she had couriered over. She did not get any work done with them, that was a waste. Too much time was spent in Ethan's arms. Kissing his boo-boos. Kissing him anywhere she pleased.

That made her smile.

"Did I miss the joke?" Anita asked.

"Pull up your chair Anita, I need a lot of catching up."

She and Anita worked great together and they accomplished a lot. There were a lot of contracts to read and review. Signed a few. Made her brothers some more money in the process.

After a few hours, her office phone rang and Anita grabbed it.

"Good morning, Donna Jackson's office, how may I help you?"

Donna was too into her work to notice Anita frown as she listened. She slowly passed the phone to Donna.

"It's for you."

Donna took the phone. "Yes?"

"I miss you."

Donna sat back in her chair with a big smile on her face. Then she noticed Anita frowning at her and stopped smiling. She turned her chair slightly away from her.

"I'm at work."

"I need nurse Donna."

"I'm not a full-time nurse."

"I pay better."

Donna giggled, then stopped, back to her professional voice. "What do you need?"

"You. Come see me tonight. Pack a bag, you might be here a while."

"No, no, Tony just came back home. I need to spend time with him."

"I need to spend time with my kids too, so ask Tony to come too. Please! I need you."

"Okay, okay, I'll call you later."

"Love you."

"Same," she said and hung up.

Anita's cold stare is what prevented her from saying the words she knew Ethan wanted to hear. She grabbed her cell and texted him.

I love u so much E, C U tonight

"What was that about?" Anita asked.

"Oh, a friend."

"Ethan Van Russell?"

She waved her off, not wanting to make a big deal over it. "Yeah, an old family friend. We grew up together."

"I thought you all hated each other?"

"Not really. Not anymore."

Just when they were making headway again, her doors burst open. Antonio stood there like The Hulk.

"We heard you were here today," Antonio said. "Get to my office, now!" He walked away.

"Uh oh. Well, Anita, it was nice working with you." Donna stood and headed to her brother's office.

When she walked into her brother's office, Quinton also sat there in the chair in front of Antonio's desk. Antonio typed away on his computer.

She was not about to play their game. She took a seat in front of his desk. "What's up, bro?"

"The fuck is this all about baby sis? Some kind of ploy to get us locked up? One of us could have killed that dude," Antonio said.

"You were wrong for putting your hands on me."

"He put his grubby hands on you, I think it was high time I laid that punk mother fucker down."

"Word," Quinton added.

"You had no right to push me, Tonio. He was defending me, but then, go ahead and justify your actions. I could make this a lot worse for you. I could get Ethan to sue. Remember, I am the lawyer in the family. I took pictures and documented every one of his bruises. You could pay lost wages and medical bills, trauma, and stress. I could financially ruin you."

She was bluffing. She had none of that and Ethan refused to press charges.

"The fuck you think you doing?" Antonio barked.

"I will do whatever I can to make sure you never harm him again, are we clear?"

"I don't give a fuck, sue me," Quinton said. "Ethan's a joke. A fraud. He lies and steals for a living. All those Van Russells are crooks. So you're sleeping with the enemy."

"If you see it that way," Donna said and stood back up. "I'll see you in court."

"Sit yo ass down you ain't doing shit," Antonio said.

Donna did not move. She crossed her arms across her chest. She didn't like to be bullied.

"Sit, please Donna," Antonio said with a nod.

Donna sat back down.

"If you choose to be with a Van Russell, we can't stop that. You're a grown woman. But you understand, since you're sleeping with the enemy, we need you to sign an agreement that no Jackson Properties business gets...pillow talked, into Van Russells' ears."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"This is business." Antonio took a sheet of paper and slid it over to her.

"I'm a damn lawyer, I know better than this."

Donna picked up the sheet of paper, ripped it into pieces, and tossed it at her brother.

"My business here has always been confidential, big brothers. I take what I do seriously. You two, go fuck yourselves."

Donna stood up and headed out.

"Told you she wouldn't sign it," she heard Quinton say.

Her brothers were giving her a headache.

ANITA COHEN-Confused

Anita could not believe her ears. Did Ethan call Donna? And did Donna smile when she talked with him? What the hell was going on?

She had not heard from Ethan in a week. When she called his office his assistant said he was out. She even stopped by the mansion and he was not there. Even drove to Simona's place, and he was not there.

Now he was calling Donna, who he despised. Was this part of the plan to take the Jacksons down? When was this going to go down?

She texted Ethan while Donna was in her meeting.

What the fuck is going on? Call me. Come over tonight.

It was about ten minutes before he texted her back.

I'm out sick. Bed rest

Oh no! Ethan was sick. He should have told her.

Baby what's wrong?

Can't talk. Resting

K. Call me later

And nothing more from him. Anita was worried. This still did not explain why he called her boss and why he put a smile on her face as she had never seen before.

ETHAN VAN RUSSELL-The Bad Son

"Fuck!"

Why did he have to call Donna's office and Anita pick it up? He had to get ahold of the situation before Anita aired his business. He knew dumping her would do no good. He had to finesse the situation.

He would feel better if he could show his face around town. The swelling had gone down, some of the bruising, but none of the pain. He would feel a lot better if Donna was there. He fought off calling her again and decided to wait it out.

He tried to make himself busy around the mansion but Doreen wanted to fuss over him, He retreated outside to get some fresh air. He wished he could jump in the pool and enjoy the cool water. Maybe with Donna. They could go skinny dipping.

He grinned.

Wait till his brother found out.

Marty was never as cool with the Jacksons as he was. He always felt older, but he was only three years older than him and two older than Antonio. Marty never hung out with them.

In fact, he was the one that would catch them up to no good and tell. Marty was the good son and Ethan relished being the bad son.

Ethan's phone buzzed. He checked his texts and then smiled.

OMW

Donna must have left work early.

Yippee

He went to the chef and put in a request for dinner. He picked a wine from the cellar and some chilled glasses. He poured two glasses. He took a long sip of his and then refilled it.

Donna walked in with a big smile.

"Hey, you."

"Nurse Donna."

"Have you been a good boy?" Donna took the wine glass from him. "This and those pain meds don't mix."

She sipped the wine.

"This is good."

"You taste better," he said and nibbled her neck.

Donna moved closer to him, fitting her small warm body to his like a puzzle piece. Her head on his chest. She let out a deep sigh.

"Hard day at work?" He caressed her hair and did not want to admit how much he missed this woman being away from him.

"To say the least."

It was going to be hard to not talk business with her. Their businesses were not even related, but he knew the runnings of Jackson Properties better than even her.

"Any problems?"

"None I couldn't handle" She took another big gulp of wine.

"Told you to stay here with me."

Donna kissed him. "We can't just stop our lives."

Donna walked away with her wineglass.

"Tony doesn't think he's ready to do the whole...'we are family' thing. He's staying at home. I couldn't make him come. Didn't try."

"It's okay. You okay?"

"Yeah, sure," she said, took another big gulp of wine, and finished the glass. "I think we're going to need more wine."

"You're a good mother, stop second-guessing yourself."

Donna turned to him with a smile.

"How do you know me so well?"

"I just do. Come on, let's rest before dinner is ready."

They watched TV and did a little making out before the kids made it home.

"Hey, dad. Hey Ms. Jackson...I mean, Donna," Chrissy said.

"Hi Chrissy, hi Ejay."

Ejay didn't say anything just stormed off into another room.

"He's okay," Chrissy said. "I gotta go do my homework. Bye guys."

Ethan did not know what to do about Ejay. All he could do was give him time and hope.

"I don't want us to tear our families apart," Donna said to him.

"We're not. I won't let it."

TONY JACKSON-No Kissing and Telling

"So wait, Chrissy Van Russell is your sister? Yo! That's bananas," Xavier said when they were hanging out at his house.

"Tell me about it."

"So wait, you and Elayne are like, what?"

"Cousins."

"Dude! You were feeling her. Man, that's gross. Did you ever hook up?"

Tony was not going to tell his best friend he made out with his cousin. That was too much.

"No. We hung out, but that's it."

"Aw, cool," Xavier said as he look into the refrigerator. "So you met your dad?"

"Yeah, he seemed cool."

"A'ight." Xavier grabbed the juice container. "Your moms got busy with Richie Rich white dude over there. What's he worth?"

"Man, stop talking about my moms like that. Nobody cares how much money this dude got."

"You should. They got money like that!" Xavier drank from the container and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "So yo, since we got two Van Russells on the loose, I got my shot at one. Oh yeah!"

"Dude!"

"What? They are smokin' hot!"

"Well, they are my family now, so just watch your step."

He did not want to imagine Elayne with another guy, especially his friend who was a dog. He could not do a thing about it, Elayne could see whoever she wanted to see.

"Let's hit the books chump. I gotta keep my grades straight if I want to get into college. I'm not rich like you."

"A'ight."

Xavier was about to put the juice back when Tony stopped him.

"Yo, that's yours."

Hey readers!

How is Ethan going to explain the Anita situation? And she low-key a stalker.

XOXO
Kimberly