"You've not said a word in about six blocks, that's a record."

Regina spared her mom a glance and allowed her a small smile. "Why are you complaining? I thought you detested my blabbermouth."

They had left Regan's house and were now in Regina's car heading home. Since her house was close to her mom's, Regina decided to drop her mom off before heading home.

Angel laughed. "Oh I do, trust me I do, but I don't think you should be doing anything that changes you from your original self, or that makes you unhappy or uncomfortable. If it's selfish, let it be so. Your happiness comes first."

"Thanks, mom," She said dryly and then heaved a sigh.

"What's on your mind?"

"I'm worried about Regan."

"Me too. Probably more than you are."

"Mom, those accusations against him are appalling."

"I agree."

"Regan would never give the order for anyone to go ahead to shoot unarmed civilians if there wasn't a good reason."

"Yes, Reggie, yes. But people have reasons to believe that he did without thinking of the consequences."

"But he's innocent."

"Saying it won't convince the grand jury, honey. We just need to have faith in his lawyer that she'll deliver." Angel glanced at her daughter. "She seems like a good one."

Regina snorted. "Because she got him out on bail? Even a retard knows how to get someone bailed out, much less a black."

"Certainly not someone accused of a massacre that involved women and children," Angel said defensively. "Unharmed ones too. And blacks don't have horns and excreta on their body. It's their skin and it's beautiful if you ask me."

Regina nodded. "I didn't ask you."

"You know what I don't seem to get?"

"What?"

"Dad, Conrad, and your husband all have friends in power whom they could have met to call in a favor for them -- I do not in any way suggest that justice shouldn't be served but they could have done something, pulled some strings, for Regan."

"They might have a good reason not to. I don't think they'll watch Regan go to jail for the rest of his life and do nothing about it."

"I hope not. Although it seems as though it would be hard, given the way Regan is acting towards them."

Regina waved her off. "He'll come around. He's probably just pissed that no one stood up for him."

"Poor boy," Angel said and looked out the window. "Drop me here, I want to get to the convenience store."

"Okay."

"Don't worry I'll get a cab back home."

"I never asked, but great."

Angel alighted from the car laughing, then Regina stepped on the accelerator. The day was beautiful so she rolled down the windows. It was typical of Bethel in the summer. Hot sun but enough wind to reduce the intensity.  In no time she got to the gate of her large house and was buzzed in. She parked, cut the engine, opened the door, and slammed it shut.

As if on cue, one of the maids came toward her and collected her handbag.

"Welcome, ma'am."

Regina nodded back. She looked up at the three-story house and sighed. She shut her eyes, mentally preparing herself to continue the vicious cycle in her ever-boring life.

She wished she was unmarried and free and able to do whatever she pleased. But her grandfather and father dictated everything she did, down to the man she married. Every day, everything was pretty much the same.

Her friends whom she went on trips with occasionally, mostly to escape the boredom than for the fun of it had deserted her after the news with Regan broke. She didn't blame them. In societies like the one they were, people looked after their skins. Not that she was mad, she was beginning to get sick of the routine trips anyway.

The only other person she had enjoyed hanging out with was Erin. It had hurt her bad when Erin passed. The thought of her death made her mouth bitter. Erin was sweet as she was wild and daring. Regina had gotten drunk for the first time when Erin had taken her to a bar with her boyfriend. She had smoked weed and had danced to wild music under swirling multicolored lights. Erin had brought the fun. Too bad it had been cut off.

Too bad she was too scared to confront her grandfather. Her father was another thing entirely, then there was her husband. She remembered the first time Erin had returned from spending the night out and they had used Regina's house as a cover-up because Erin still lived with her dad then. Luckily, her husband had been out of town and so the lie had gone smoothly.

Regina had asked Erin the next day, "What did your dad say when you told him the truth?"

"Who said I told him?"

She had respected Erin since then. Erin was bold and wild while Regina on other hand didn't have the balls to do anything in secret. She was too scared of the men in her life.

Shortly after, Erin got married to Regan and she changed. She became withdrawn, and cautious -- especially when she got pregnant barely a month after. She said she had to become better for her child but was obvious Erin was unhappy with the marriage that had been arranged.

Little wonder she had committed suicide.

Well, Regina told herself as she plodded on into the house, Erin was gone but she had left a mark on Regina, that life was short and one needed to live it to the fullest. She also needed to live it with excitement, or something scary, something that would make her pulse race.

She stopped short when she saw a shirtless man in the garage, bent over a car's hood.

Her first instinct was to call the cops. You don't trust a black man bent over your car. He could be stealing parts of the car for all she knew.

"Who the hell are you?"

He straightened and turned to face her and she almost gasped. He was very tall, and sexy, might she add. His body was glorious and the sweat over them made it glisten in the sun. She took a steady breath as he jogged over to her. Her throat became dry.

"Hello, ma'am."

She swallowed to moisten her dry lungs. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I was just leaving."

"With the car parts? Are you mute or what? What the fuck are you doing with my husband's car?"

"Well, I --"

"Yes? Are you stealing parts?" she walked towards the house. "Joseph!"

Her husband was out in an instant. "What's the problem?"

"There's a black man in our yard!"

Joseph used his hand to shield his face from the sun and said, "Oh yeah, that's the gentleman who saved me from resuming to the clinic late yesterday. My car broke down and he was passing by and came in handy. He even offered to come over if the car acted up again. Say thank you to Ryan for me."

So his name was Ryan? Angry for no apparent reason, Regina stormed into the house, pushing her husband out of the way.

"How did it go with Regan?"

"This is fucking unbelievable." She threw her bag on a couch and started to undo her strap heels.

"What is?"

"You needed a mechanic and the one you picked was a black?"

"So?"

"What happened to all your lectures about how blacks are slaves and do not belong in our country?"

Joseph calmly sat. "I still stand by that but I've come to realize that these blacks come in handy at the right time. He's fixing my car for half the price a white would charge, and he seems pretty good at it too."

"Bravo. Should I offer him some champagne?"

"Honey," Joseph took her hand. "I have this great proposition. Why don't we let him open the repair shop once again

"What?"

"The repair shop in our garage. He runs it and we pay him. We'll make more money that way."

She yanked her hand away. "Joseph. You're a doctor. What do you need money for? Besides, lack of a mechanic was not the only reason you closed down the repair shop. The smell of oil and gas irritates me."

"This is for our good. We make more money and you'll be one of the richest women in the state. You'll be able to go anywhere in the world, anyhow you please. Isn't that exciting?"

After a few minutes, Regina agreed. She needed excitement. Anything exciting. And she was afraid the shirtless mechanic was it.

~

Jody turned off the shower and stepped out. Her body ached badly that she was sure she needed at least twenty hours of sleep to be sane again. She dried herself with a towel and applied lotion to her body. She was stepping into her night clothes when the doorbell rang.

She went to get it. It was her mom, and she had a boy with her. Not wanting to sound rude, she decided not to ask who he was and stepped aside for them to come in.

"How was your day?" She asked her mom.

"Hectic. Yours?"

"Same here."

"Let me introduce you to Blaire. Blaire, this is my daughter Jody. Jody, this is Blaire."

Blaire raised huge grey eyes at Jody and looked down at his hands.

"Say hi Blaire."

"Hi," he said with a small voice.

Jody hugged him. "Hello, Blaire. I'm Jody and you can call me Jo the rabbit."

He gave her a quizzical look, then she said in a stage whisper in his ears, "They say I have rabbit teeth, don't tell anyone or they'll laugh at me -- oops! there you go, you're laughing too!"

Blaire was laughing but he placed his hand over his mouth in an unsuccessful attempt to hide his laughter. "No, I'm not."

His hands were tiny and they looked cute to Jody. She took them and caressed them. "Thank you."

She straightened, looked at her mom and angled her head towards the kitchen.

"Blaire let me get you some milk. You want cookies too?" Terri asked.

He nodded with a shy smile.

"On it."

When they were in the kitchen, Jody asked who he was.

"I'm his nanny."

"Oh, right. But why is he here?"

"He's spending the night."

"Really? Why?"

"It's a long story. His dad just got released from prison. I guess he's frightened to stay with him."

Jody nodded. "Poor kid."

"I wonder why he insisted on coming with me, though."

"It's because you have a good heart. Who wouldn't?"

Terri laughed and slapped her playfully on the back. Then she looked at the kitchen table.

"Oh, you made dinner? Thank you."

"I got off work pretty early today. Thought I could as well put the extra time to use."

"You must be awfully busy, with your new client and all."

"I know. I am. Should we wait for Ryan?"

"No, I didn't tell you? He found a job."

"Really?"

"Yes, Jody. He met a Dr. Joseph Grey by chance and he hired him on the spot. He went to his house today to start."

"That's amazing news. Wait, did you say Dr. Joseph Grey?"

"Yes."

"Isn't that the husband of Regina Walberg?"

"He is? Oh my, Regina Walberg is the twin sister of Blaire's dad!"

"What?" She pointed at the direction of the living room. "That's the son of my client?"

"It seems so. What a small world!"

"I knew I had seen those grey eyes somewhere," Jody muttered.

"Poor thing, he has no other parent. I heard it was suicide."

Jody nodded. "He's the reason Mr. Walberg wanted bail. I'm sure of it now. The thing he wanted to do was to see his son."

When her mother looked confused, Jody explained her conversation with Regan Walberg.

"I wonder how he must be feeling now that his son doesn't want to stay with him." Jody finished with a solemn sigh.

"Do you think he's capable of what he's being accused of?"

"Only time will tell, Mom, only time. It's funny though."

"What is?"

"That the three of us are working for a Walberg. It's funny."

"I don't think it's funny, I think it's fate. I think we three have big roles to play in their lives."

"Now that's funny. Well, you know what is actually funny? How I told you that you never have to work again when I got this job. How did we get into this? You and Ryan? Working?"

"I said it before and I'll say it again. It's fate."

~

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