her.”
“Yeah,
but I decked her husband. And, I called her girlfriend a bimbo. I’m not sure
she wants me around her wife,” Jeffrey said.
Pearl
laughed raucously. “Jameson? Trust me, Jameson can handle you all be herself,”
Pearl told her son.
“You
really like her, don’t you?”
“Jameson?”
Pearl asked. Jeffrey nodded. “I love her almost as much as I love you two
fools,” she said.
Jeffrey
laughed. Pearl always called Jeffrey and Candace her two fools. Jeffrey had
always looked up to Candace. Candace was his big sister in every way that
mattered. He emulated her constantly, even following her footsteps into law. He
was also fiercely protective of her. At times, Pearl thought her son’s
protectiveness of Candace might surpass her own. It had caused a few issues
over the years. No one was good enough for his Candy, no one. He had never
liked Jonathan Fletcher, not from the moment the man walked into Governor
Stratton’s home. He thought Jonathan was smug. Jeffrey had told Pearl more than
once that he would love to wipe the smug look off Candace’s husband’s face.
That finally happened late one night after a family party.
Jeffrey
was just getting ready to enter law school. He’d spent four years studying
Russian language and culture. Now, he wanted to delve into international law.
Candace had helped him with his applications and encouraged him forward. He had
been anxious to see her before leaving. Jeffrey had gone off to find Jonah, who
was five at the time. He found Jonah staring into his great-grandfather’s study
where his father was engaged in a lip-lock with some woman Jeffrey had never
seen before. Silently, Jeffrey had guided Jonah away and to his mother, his
temper simmering. He had promised himself he would confront Jonathan Fletcher
calmly. But, when he came face to face with Candace’s husband he lost all hope
of civility. Words were exchanged. Jonathan told the young Jeffrey to mind his
own business. Candace was his business, not Jeffrey’s. Jeffrey’s answer was a
swift and hard punch to the man’s jaw that sent Jonathan Fletcher cascading to
the floor.
That
indiscretion had been forgiven almost immediately, at least by Candace. Some
years later, Jeffrey would confront Jessica Stein in much the same manner. Jessica
was out at a restaurant in Washington. Jeffrey happened to walk in and see her
with another woman. Jessica feigned innocence. Jeffrey had seen enough at a
distance to understand that it was not a simple business meeting. He strolled
up to her, said hello and then pulled her aside. His words of warning were
harsh. She, of course, took the altercation to Candace, who in turn chastised
Jeffrey for his behavior. It left Jeffrey angry and embarrassed. They had, of
course, seen each other since. Jeffrey had kept his distance. Perhaps he had
overstepped his bounds. He adored Candace. She had always protected him. He had
only ever wanted to do the same. She’d even secured him his position at the
State Department. She insisted he had earned it on his own merits. Jeffrey
moved up the ladder quickly. That required advocates. There were few better
advocates to have than Candace Fletcher.
“I
don’t know,” he said quietly.
Pearl
frowned. “Jeff,” she said. “You have to give Jameson a chance. Just don’t throw
any punches,” she laughed. “Trust me on this one, Jameson Reid would die before
she would let a soul hurt Candy, or me for that matter.”
“I
hope you’re right.”
“Of
course, I am. ”
***
“Are
you going to tell her?” Jonah asked his mother.
Candace
folded her arms across her chest and regarded her son for a moment silently. “I
can. I think maybe you should tell her yourself.”
Jonah
went pale. “Grandma Pearl…”
“Will
want to know what on earth you two are talking about,” Pearl’s voice boomed
from the doorway.
Candace
raised a brow at her son. “Nothing, Grandma,” Jonah moved his chair aside and
made his way to the older
“Yeah,
but I decked her husband. And, I called her girlfriend a bimbo. I’m not sure
she wants me around her wife,” Jeffrey said.
Pearl
laughed raucously. “Jameson? Trust me, Jameson can handle you all be herself,”
Pearl told her son.
“You
really like her, don’t you?”
“Jameson?”
Pearl asked. Jeffrey nodded. “I love her almost as much as I love you two
fools,” she said.
Jeffrey
laughed. Pearl always called Jeffrey and Candace her two fools. Jeffrey had
always looked up to Candace. Candace was his big sister in every way that
mattered. He emulated her constantly, even following her footsteps into law. He
was also fiercely protective of her. At times, Pearl thought her son’s
protectiveness of Candace might surpass her own. It had caused a few issues
over the years. No one was good enough for his Candy, no one. He had never
liked Jonathan Fletcher, not from the moment the man walked into Governor
Stratton’s home. He thought Jonathan was smug. Jeffrey had told Pearl more than
once that he would love to wipe the smug look off Candace’s husband’s face.
That finally happened late one night after a family party.
Jeffrey
was just getting ready to enter law school. He’d spent four years studying
Russian language and culture. Now, he wanted to delve into international law.
Candace had helped him with his applications and encouraged him forward. He had
been anxious to see her before leaving. Jeffrey had gone off to find Jonah, who
was five at the time. He found Jonah staring into his great-grandfather’s study
where his father was engaged in a lip-lock with some woman Jeffrey had never
seen before. Silently, Jeffrey had guided Jonah away and to his mother, his
temper simmering. He had promised himself he would confront Jonathan Fletcher
calmly. But, when he came face to face with Candace’s husband he lost all hope
of civility. Words were exchanged. Jonathan told the young Jeffrey to mind his
own business. Candace was his business, not Jeffrey’s. Jeffrey’s answer was a
swift and hard punch to the man’s jaw that sent Jonathan Fletcher cascading to
the floor.
That
indiscretion had been forgiven almost immediately, at least by Candace. Some
years later, Jeffrey would confront Jessica Stein in much the same manner. Jessica
was out at a restaurant in Washington. Jeffrey happened to walk in and see her
with another woman. Jessica feigned innocence. Jeffrey had seen enough at a
distance to understand that it was not a simple business meeting. He strolled
up to her, said hello and then pulled her aside. His words of warning were
harsh. She, of course, took the altercation to Candace, who in turn chastised
Jeffrey for his behavior. It left Jeffrey angry and embarrassed. They had, of
course, seen each other since. Jeffrey had kept his distance. Perhaps he had
overstepped his bounds. He adored Candace. She had always protected him. He had
only ever wanted to do the same. She’d even secured him his position at the
State Department. She insisted he had earned it on his own merits. Jeffrey
moved up the ladder quickly. That required advocates. There were few better
advocates to have than Candace Fletcher.
“I
don’t know,” he said quietly.
Pearl
frowned. “Jeff,” she said. “You have to give Jameson a chance. Just don’t throw
any punches,” she laughed. “Trust me on this one, Jameson Reid would die before
she would let a soul hurt Candy, or me for that matter.”
“I
hope you’re right.”
“Of
course, I am. ”
***
“Are
you going to tell her?” Jonah asked his mother.
Candace
folded her arms across her chest and regarded her son for a moment silently. “I
can. I think maybe you should tell her yourself.”
Jonah
went pale. “Grandma Pearl…”
“Will
want to know what on earth you two are talking about,” Pearl’s voice boomed
from the doorway.
Candace
raised a brow at her son. “Nothing, Grandma,” Jonah moved his chair aside and
made his way to the older
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