Chapter 16
Jasper
“I don’t want to go to America. This is my home. Why are you making me leave?” Reesa asked, her eyes filled with tears.
I reached across the kitchen table and held her hand. “Because I want you to be safe. I can’t protect you here.” I had two choices: send her away or abandon my presidential campaign. As long as I was in the running, Ocalla would view me as a threat and eventually start hurting those I care about.
“If it is not safe for me, then it is not safe for you, either. You should come with me,” she said.
That wasn’t going to happen. This was my home and I needed to stay and fight. Even if it cost me my life, I had to fight. I wouldn’t be the first to die for the cause, and unfortunately, I wouldn’t be the last. What plagued Tabiq was funneled by greed and corruption. My life had a price on it. Eventually, someone would take up the offer and snuff me out. It was a reality I tried not to dwell on. If I did, I might lose my courage and walk away.
I can’t let another generation grow up living in fear.
“Reesa, you are not staying, that is the end of it,” I said firmly.
She got up and said, “I am not a child. You cannot tell me what I must do.”
As if things weren’t bad enough, at that moment Alysa entered the kitchen and rushed up to Reesa. “What’s the matter?”
Oh, God. Here we go.
“He’s…he’s sending me away,” Reesa stammered.
Alysa turned to me, glaring. “Why don’t you want your sister here? I thought I agreed yesterday that I wouldn’t say anything.”
“Not just here…but…Tabiq,” she cried.
“You’re leaving the country?” Alysa asked.
“Yes,” I said. “And so are you,” I added.
She spun around to face me, looking shocked. “Excuse me? Am I fired or something that you failed to mention last night?”
There were certainly things I hadn’t said. And now was not the time to share them. “I need to focus on the election. You are distractions I cannot afford.” And risk I can’t take. You’re both too special to me.
“I don’t need you to nurse me back to health. Give me another week and I’ll be good as new, ready to work. Which by the way, you still need handled,” she said.
“Not anymore,” I replied. My cell phone rang, and it was James. It’s time.
I answered.“Hello, James.”
“Florraz, we have an issue.”
“The jet?” I asked. That was more of an inconvenience than an issue.
“No. After we spoke yesterday, I reached out to Logan. He informed me that Alysa shouldn’t fly for at least another week.”
“Why?” I saw no issue. She was doing fine around here. Just some discomfort. Just last night she wanted us to have sex. That didn’t sound like someone who needed to be grounded.
“A risk of blood clots. Sending her back now to protect her might actually be fatal,” he said.
Fatal?I’d never risk that. This meant a change of plans once again. Should I send Reesa on ahead, alone? At least I wouldn’t need to worry about her secret being revealed if she was no longer in Tabiq. No matter what, these ladies were going to be furious with me. Might as well just bite the bullet and make the hard decision now.
“We are still on for one.” And I hope you forgive me for this later, Reesa.
“Okay. I’ll be by shortly.”
I ended the call and turned back to the Reesa and Alysa, who both were staring at me. “Who was that?” Reesa demanded.