{Best Friends is partly fictional. As I am writing this story, I am above the age of 21. If you want a story with lots of sex, look elsewhere.
This is a love story. Seeing, as it is a love story, sex is in there, but it is in realistic balance in the characters' lives.
Any similarity to any real events, names, or life events is purely accidental. If you are underage, (according to your state laws, a minor), if this literature is offensive to you or to anyone around your viewing area, or it is illegal for you to view such content where you are reading it, stop reading the story.
This story cannot be distributed in any way; shape or form without the author's expressed written consent.}
Written by Romeo
Edited by Trish
Here is the link to all my story where you can find future chapters before they're posted on Nifty:
Chapter 26
Early Monday morning Christian and Tyler was abruptly woken by Franky's voice coming from the house intercom telling them to come to the security room. Both men quickly got out of bed, dress, and ran downstairs. On the way, they met up in the hall with Carlos and Mark who was running down as well. They knew it had to be important because they had never been woken by security before.
They rushed into the room and Carlos immediately took charge. "What's going on Franky?"
Franky turned to see them coming in before turning back to his monitor. "I've been reviewing a disc that was left by nightshift. It seems that a vehicle had been parked across the street all night watching the house and is still parked there." Mark asked him if he had run a check on the plates as he, Carlos, and Christian looked over his shoulders at the monitor. "Not yet. I'm waiting for the car to turn around in order to get a clear visual of the plates."
"Okay. Let me know when you have the info on the plates. In the meantime, get a close up on who's in the car. If they're planning to make any trouble, then I want to know ahead of time."
"Make sure Chris and I get that information as well Franky." Tyler ordered. "I'm pretty sure who's behind this, but I want to be completely sure before Chris and I have a little talk with them!"
Franky swallowed hard and accepted the order. The ice cold tone in Tyler's voice sent chills up his spine and he didn't want to be in hot water with his employer. He kept trying to bring the occupants faces into focus but due to the darkness and the position of the vehicle it was nearly impossible. Seeing the same vehicle still parked across the street on another monitor, Franky called to another security guy in the room.
"Transfer screen 6 to my monitor please Jordan. Now that it's lighter outside I should be able to get a view of the occupants' faces. We need to put a stop to this quickly before the head boss man wreaks havoc all over town."
"You got it Franky." Jordan acquiesced. He too heard the tone in Tyler's voice and didn't want what he knew could happen when Tyler feels threatened to happen.
Tyler scowled at Franky but was smiling on the inside. At that moment the view from outside popped up on the monitor. Franky immediately went to work in bringing the view into focus and soon had it on the screen. There was no mistaking who the occupants of the vehicle were; they could see it clear as day. The profanity that came from Carlos and Mark immediately put Tyler on alert but he said nothing. He silently agreed with Franky's request to allow his guys to handle this before he intervene and he will hold to that. He has no problem in giving them that opportunity. His guys are very competent at their job and know how to resolve any type of situation that occurs.
Seeing that he was just in their way, Christian said that he and Tyler was going to start making breakfast. The others gave him an answering nod as they continued discussing their first course of action. Taking Tyler's hand, Christian led him to the kitchen deciding on what to have. Once they had all the ingredients out, Christian started frying the bacon while Tyler made the batter for the waffles. Midway through the preparation, Travis and Kevin walked in asking if there was anything they can do to help. Christian asked if they could make the eggs and set the table. With the added help, it didn't take much longer to have breakfast ready.
Once he finished making the bacon, Christian put them in the oven to stay warm before going upstairs to get Terry and Jeff. On the way He passed Tyeceonna and her crew coming down for breakfast themselves. He returned with the boys shortly later and everyone enjoyed the delicious meal. Christian and Tyler put on a happy façade so as not to alarm anyone about the suspicious vehicle but Tyeceonna wasn't fooled. She could always tell when her brother was hiding something, and this time was no exception.
After breakfast, everyone helped with the cleaning while Christian and Tyler took Terry upstairs to give him a bath. Tyeceonna and David took the other children to the game room so they wouldn't be in the way. Once Terry was dressed, he was placed in his pen so his daddies could take their own showers before going back downstairs. After giving Terry a hug, Christian gave him to Tyeceonna before giving Jeff one as well. Tyler asked his sister and brother in law if they could watch the boy for a while he goes into the office for a couple of hours. They both said they'd love to and he and Christian thanked them and called for their security.
Outside, the spies observed them coming out and getting into their vehicles. Not wanting to risk the chance of being seen; they quickly turned their car around and sped off not realizing that when they did, they were caught on the front gate's security cameras.
As soon as the vehicle was captured on the cameras, Franky immediately went to work on enlarging the plates. He then ran a check on the numbers and soon had the information he needed which he passed on to his bosses. Now that they know who the car was registered to, Carlos and Mark whispered to each other about some adjustments to their plans as they drove to Néné Incorporated. After hearing the information himself, Tyler was also making plans but was keeping them to himself for now.
A few miles away the two spies had returned to their base of operation and quickly went inside just in case they were followed. They joined their two coconspirators for breakfast as they began giving their report of the night's surveillance. When they had all the details and the table was cleared from breakfast, their coconspirators left for work while the ladies went to get some sleep after being up all night surveying.
Across the country a pair of fugitives was conspiring to invade an account as they were treating themselves to a nice lunch out. They were running low on money and needed some quickly but only knew of one way to get it. By the time they had finished eating they figured they came up with a surefire plan to invade the account and get the money without setting off any alarms until it was too late to do anything about it. After paying their bill, they went to get the items they needed to set their plan in motion.
Back in Malibu, Tyler was sitting in his office doing some research on his computer when Janet brought him his coffee. A little curious about what he was researching, she questioned him on it. "I'm looking up some information before taking more steps in protecting my sons from any attempts by assholes that want to harm them."
That caused Janet to get a concern look on her face. "Are you saying the boys maybe in danger?"
"Not if I can help it!" Tyler exclaimed venomously. "No one will hurt my boys in any way as long as I'm alive. They'll have to go through me first, and you know that's not easily done. But I promised to let Carlos and Mark take care of the situation before I get involved, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't have any backup plans prepared just in case."
Janet shook her head in amazement. "I don't know how you and Christian can survive all the battles you guys go through to protect your family. You guys have some tough inner strength to take blow after blow and keep fighting. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."
Tyler nodded as he kept his focus on his research. "Thanks Janet, but everything's under control at the moment. Just so you know, I'm only going to be in the office part of the day for the next few days, maybe even the next few weeks, because my grandmother is in the hospital." He then told her about Mrs. Maria's condition. "So if there's anything that needs to be taken care of right away, then send it to my home computer."
Janet told him she'll do that and that she hopes Mrs. Maria wakes up soon. Tyler thanked her for her concern and said he will keep her updated. Janet went back to her desk and Tyler finished compiling all the information he needed before he strategized a plan of defense. Satisfied he's done all he could do until he has Chris's ideas and suggestions he put it aside and focused on some business work. After a couple of hours of working, he called for his security and locked up his office.
"I'm leaving for the day Janet. Contact me if there's something I need to handle right away." he told her on his way out. Once again Janet said she will, and she'll see him tomorrow or the next time he comes in.
For Christian the morning was going rather slow. He wanted to be by his family's side than on base but he have some duties to perform if he wants His and Tyler's project to stay on track, and right now scheduling some of the shoots was one of them. Until Tyler can assume management of the project again, He decided to manage it himself so they wouldn't fall behind.
From time to time he kept losing focus because his mind was somewhere else. He desperately wanted to be with his family through this difficult time and give them all the support they needed. He shook his head to once again snap out of his daydreaming when there was a knock on his door. "Come in."
As usual, one of his security crack the door opened to announce his guess. Christian gave his okay and the door was fully opened to allow the person entrance. Travis walked in and sat down raising an eyebrow at the expression on Chris's face. "Okay, out with it. What's going through that mind of yours?" Without any hesitation, Christian spilt what was on his mind to his best friend. "Well, if you really feel that way, then talk to the base commander. After all, there's nothing saying that the projects you're working on can't easily be done at home, is there?"
That revelation lifted Christian's morale. "Damn, you're right!" He smiled. "I can't believe I didn't think of that! The files are already on my computer at home so there's no problem there. I'll just take the folders home with me just in case I need a written copy and have all my messages forwarded to my email."
"That's what I'm talking about." Travis nodded. "But before you go, I wanted to see if you needed any help. I thought that with everything he has going on; Tyler's not giving much attention to the calendar. And since I basically have nothing going on right now myself, I can give you a hand with it."
"Thanks, I sure can use the help." He picked the sheet of paper up off his desk and handed it to Travis. "This is the list of potential models. The names with a plus means yes, the one with a minus means no. The names with no mark are the ones we haven't asked yet. Can you find out if they want to pose for the calendar for me?"
Travis took the paper and looked it over. "No problem, I can do that. Do you need an answer by a pacific deadline?" Christian told him as soon as he can get one. "That's no problem either. I'll tell them to get back to me with an answer within a day or two."
"That's fine with me. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go talk to the commander." They stood and Christian came from behind his desk and gave his friend a hug. "Thanks again for the help man. I really appreciate it."
Travis hugged him back. "Don't sweat it bro. You know I'm always here whenever you need me." They held the hug for a couple more minutes before letting go and walking out of the office. Christian went directly to the base commander's office and Travis went to his.
When Tyler walked into the house he smiled at the live atmosphere coming from the game room. His morality was lifted a little knowing his sister and brother in law was keeping the children spirits up. After stopping in the kitchen to get a soda and check on lunch, he joined them letting the innocent of youth wash over him. He will need the strength to give his family the update on Mrs. Maria's condition but he will wait for the right time to do that.
Thirty minutes after Tyler returned home, Christian came home as well. Seeing him home in the middle of the work day surprised Tyler so he questioned Christian about it. Christian told him about explaining his situation to his commander and getting special permission from him to work at home for the rest of the week. Tyler then told Christian the same was for him, except that each day he may have to go in to the office for a couple of hours to check on things. Both lovers were thrilled that their man would be around if they or their boys needed a sympathetic shoulder to lean on. A short time later they got the call from their new chefs that lunch was ready which ended that conversation.
Meanwhile at the enemies location the two Ladies were getting up to get something to eat themselves not knowing they were now the one's being watch. As soon as they found out who the spies were Carlos and Mark put a twenty-four hour surveillance on the location and the occupants. After eating and putting the dishes in the dishwasher, the ladies decided to cruise the city for a while. One vehicle followed them while another stayed behind. After checking to be certain they were clear, they quickly made their way towards the house and picking the lock. They took another quick look around before entering and locking the door behind them. Now it was time for them to get down to work and do what they did best.
Back at the Jackson manor, Tyler was pacing back and forth as he waited for his best friend and his boys to arrive. Everyone could see he was nervous about something but didn't know what it was so they just waited quietly. It was another five minutes when they heard the doorbell chimed. Shortly after, their guess was escorted in by their new butler Collin. They all greeted each other as Justin and the boys took their seats and waited for Tyler to begin.
Once he had their attention he took a deep breath to settle his nerves. "I'm sure you all are wondering why I called you here." He then took another deep breath as he got confirmation from everyone. "Well it's like this..."
He then told them how he stopped in at the hospital on his way home from the office to check on Mrs. Maria's condition and spoke with Dr. Blythmoore. Dr. Blythmoore explained to him how Mrs. Maria's condition was the same and she may or may not wake up. If she does, then there may be some complications like brain damage, lost of vision, partial or total paralysis, and etc. "Then he told me what we all had been dreading. It seems that hospitals have this policy where they only keep critically ill patients on life support on a monthly basic. At the end of the month the next of kin needs to decide whether or not to take them off. That way the nurses know whether or not to exchange the equipments out for new ones for the following month."
That left the room so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was so shock that no one could say anything. Finally after several minutes, it was Justin who asked the question they all were thinking. "Ty, you're not saying what I think you're saying, are you? Surely you're not suggesting we give up on her coming back to us?"
"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just explaining what Dr. Blythmoore told me; and asking for everyone's opinion on it. Although you, Manny, and I have the final decision J, Manny and I think everyone should have a say in what we do."
"Of course they should. But I think I can speak for us all, when I say we're going to keep her hooked up to the machines for as long as it takes for her to wake up." He looked around and got an answering nod from everyone. "See, we're all in agreement. We'll help her keep fighting."
Tyler smiled and nodded knowingly. "That's what Manny and I thought, but we wanted to hear everyone's opinion first. I'll give Dr. Blythmoore a call tomorrow and let him know what we decided if I don't see him at the hospital."
"That sounds good to me." Justin agreed. "Now that we have that taken care of, there's a couple of things I like everyone to know. One I'll tell you now, the other I'll wait until tonight. I want to invite you all to the house for dinner for that one."
He then explained about the fire at the condo and how Danny and Davy will now be living with him and JR. Once again everyone was left shocked and speechless at the news. "So I'm just letting you know it all now before it hits the papers or the TV news, if it hasn't already."
Everyone expressed their sympathy to the Carson boys and accepted Justin's invitation to dinner. The meeting then broke up and Christian pulled Tyler and Justin aside for a private chat while Tyeceonna kept an eye on her brother. She could tell something was still bothering him and it wasn't Mrs. Maria's condition. But whatever it was, it was starting to worry her because she can see that Tyler was holding back a lot of anger, and god help the poor soul who bears the brunt of it when he lets it out.
The conversation only lasted ten minutes before Justin and his boys left. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching the children playing until it was time to head over to Justin's house for dinner. When they'd arrived, they were greeted at the door by Timothy who surprised Christian and Tyler, but Timothy just smiled welcoming them in and continued playing host. They greeted everyone including Manual and offered their contributions to dinner to Timothy and Justin. After giving thanks to both men, Justin took them to the kitchen as he had to go and check on the food.
As they waited for dinner, Christian and Tyler kept wondering what this whole thing was about. Each time Timothy or Justin glanced their way they could still see confusion on both of their faces but neither one gave an explanation, they both will just have to wait until dinner for that so they kept on socializing. Forty-five minutes later everything was ready and they were called to the table.
Fifteen minutes into dinner when there was a low in the conversation, Timothy figured it was the perfect time to tell everyone their news and gave Justin a signaling nod. After clearing his throat to get everyone's attention, Justin explained the reason for the dinner invitation. Although surprised at the confession, everyone was happily smiling and congratulated them. The rest of dinner was a joyous affair with delightful conversation. Afterwards, they adjourned to the living room to continue talking and let their food digest before having the desserts that Christian and Tyler's new chefs had made for the occasion.
As it was getting late in the evening, Christian and Tyler announced they had to get going so they could put their boys to bed. Manual also stated he better get going as well because he needed to get up early the next morning. After hugs all around, they wished each other goodnight then Justin and Timothy walked their guess to the door where they gave them another good night hug.
When they got back to the manor all of the children had already fallen asleep so they were put to bed by their parents. The adults were also kind of tired so they too went to bed to get some sleep. Soon the house was completely silent except for some snoring coming from some of the rooms.
The next morning Christian and Tyler actually woke up on time thanks to setting the alarm the night before. They did their usual morning routine and arrived in the kitchen just as breakfast was being placed on the table with everyone else shortly joining them. Conversation centered on what they found out over dinner. No one saw it coming but was truly happy for Justin, Timothy, and the boys, especially Christian and Tyler.
After breakfast, Carlos and Mark went to check in with the night security while Tyler went to his office to make his call to Dr. Blythmoore. Christian talked with David and Tyeceonna in the game room as they attended the children while waiting. Five minutes later the three of them came in and they along with Christian left for the office. Along the way they discussed interviewing for the position of corporate president and other positions for the McDonald's as well as other business matters. They were still discussing it when they reached Christian's floor so Tyler got off with him to finish the conversation before going up to his.
Across country a man and woman walked into a Bank of America appearing as a loving couple although there was no love in their agenda. They gave the cashier a story about moving and needing to transfer banks to a local one. After getting the account information, the cashier punched some numbers into her computer. "I'm sorry, but I need to get the manager on this. I'm not authorized to handle this amount of transaction."
They nodded in acceptance as the cashier walked away to get the bank manager. They knew the amount was quite large but wanted an employee back up with the manager in case of any trouble. She soon returned with an older gentleman who introduced himself as Ronald Morgan the bank manager as they shook hands. "Why don't we go to my office and I'll take care of your transaction for you."
They nodded with a smile and followed the manager to his office. He gestured for them to have a seat as he closed the door behind them before sitting behind his desk. He pulled the account up on his computer with the information he got from the cashier and reviewed it being careful to hide the screen from being seen. After hitting several more keys, he looked at the pair with no facial expression. "I see that there's a substantial amount of money in this account. We can either give it to you in cash, cashier check, or a wire transfer. I suggest we do a wire transfer. That way there's no hassle and the money doesn't get lost or stolen on your way to the new bank."
"Cash or cashier check will be fine." The man answered for the two of them. "After all, once we leave here, we're going straight to the bank to deposit it into the new account. There should be no hassle at all."
The manager nodded and completed the transaction. "I'll be right back. I need to get the form for you to sign and print out the check. It shouldn't take long, and then you can be on your way."
They both smiled with satisfaction. "Thank you."
Paul kissed Jennifer's hand playing up the charade of being a happily married couple. Convinced that their plan will work, they came straight to the bank after a precelebratory lunch to put their plan into motion. The manager gave them a fake smile and walked out to get the form and check. True to his word, he shortly returned with both items. After signing the form they were given the check for the full amount. The manager wished them good luck in the future as they shook hands and left his office. What they didn't see was him giving a signal to someone in the lobby.
The two walked out of the bank to see a couple of police officers approaching the building. Not realizing they had been caught, they kept walking towards their car. Just as they were about to open the door, two more officers came out of the bank and surrounded them on all sides. After placing them under arrest, Paul and Jennifer was read their rights and put in handcuffs. they were then walked around to the side of the building where two police cruisers was parked where they were put into separate vehicles to be taken to the police station.
After discussing business with Christian, Tyler went up to his office to conduct more business. He made a call to check on the status of Jackson Agency and Karmyn's Place before making a note to himself to call later and check on his nightclub. He was about to make another call when Janet buzzed his office to inform him that he had an important call. Tyler thanked her and picked up the line.
It was his officer friend Steve calling to give him some great news. Tyler smile kept growing bigger as he listened to the report on Paul Black and Jenifer Thompson's arrest. Steve could hear the satisfaction in Tyler's voice when he asked what the next step will be. He told him that they will be charged and trialed in Maryland before being expedited back to face charges in Malibu. Tyler thanked him for his help and invited him to dinner to celebrate being a step closer to having the two being held accountable for abandoning a defenseless little boy in a strip mall where anything could have happened to him. Steve told him that he'll get back to him after he had talked to his wife and find out when they both were available. Tyler accepted that reasoning and they hung up. He then called Christian to give him the news.
"I'm glad." Christian stated with delight. "I want them to pay for what they did to our son. No child should be treated like that, and if I have anything to say about it, they're going to get everything they deserve and more."
Tyler agreed. "I'll let Steve know to keep me updated on the case. I want to be in the courtroom when they get trialed for today's crime and let them see who has guardianship of him now. That should really put a scare in them and throw them off guard."
"Not without me you won't!" Christian declared. "I don't want you anywhere near them. So if you're going to be there, then so am I. We can take the boys with us and make a little trip out of it. You know, take a tour around the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, the Smithsonian, and other historical monuments."
Tyler agreed to those plans thinking everyone would love that. Noticing it was lunchtime, Christian insisted they go and get a quick bite to eat before heading over to the hospital. After shutting down his computer and locking his office, Tyler left giving Janet consent to leave for the day if there's something she needed to take care of. Janet said that there is something; but she'll just leave early and take care of it later.
After a quick lunch of sandwiches, chips, and drinks, they arrived at the hospital to find Dr. Blythmoore going over Mrs. Maria's medical files. "Hey there Christian and Tyler, it's nice to see you both again. Sorry I couldn't get back to you guys earlier, but I was busy seeing patients and didn't have any time."
"It's okay." Tyler waved off the explanation. "I figured that if we didn't catch you here, then we would have gotten a call from you later today. So how is she doing?"
"There still haven't been any changes." Dr. Blythmoore gently replied. "Manual is in there with her now, but I think someone should take him to get something to eat. He's not going to be much help to her if he doesn't keep his strength up."
"Leave that to us." Christian said. "I don't think he'll want to go far so we brought him some lunch that he can eat out here. In the meantime, Ty and I will stay with her so he won't have to worry about leaving her alone, and have some time to himself to enjoy his food."
Dr. Blythmoore agreed with Christian. They then talked about Mrs. Maria's condition and Tyler told him the family's decision concerning removing her from the respirators. The doctor then left to tend to his afternoon appointments and Christian and Tyler went in to sit with Mrs. Maria while at the same time releasing Manual to have something to eat. They visit with her for a couple of hours before promising him they'll come back later and leaving for home.
They arrived to a semi quiet house and walked into the living room where the light sounds was coming from. The sight that greeted them put a delightful smile on Christian's face. "Ah, that's so cute. How is everything going in here?"
Tyler wasn't surprised when David told them that everything was fine but Christian's comment had him a little confused. "I'm glad. But how is it that our youngest ended up lying on top of his brother, asleep?"
It dawned on Tyler what Christian comment meant and he smiled. "Well, as you can see, all the children are huddled up around each other watching a movie. Tye was holding Terry on her lap, but Jeff insisted that his little brother `be a part of the kids group,' and we couldn't disagree with that, so Tye put him on the floor with them." It was then a teasing smile formed on David's face. "I guess Jeff wasn't satisfied with that, because as soon as she did, he picked his brother up and laid him on his chest."
They all burst out laughing at the cuteness of the act. Once they had caught their breath Christian and Tyler told them of their visit at the hospital. Although sad there was still no improvement with Mrs. Maria's condition, none of them are giving up hope that she'll come back to them. It's just a matter of when she'll come back.
Since the kids was contented with watching the movie, Christian and Tyler went to their offices to do a little work. They emerged just before dinner was ready and the kids had finished watching their second movie. Afterwards, Tyler asked his sister and Mark to join him in his office to discuss some business involving Mark's new product. Once they were certain on what the next step was, they ended the discussion and Christian dragged Tyler to the gym to workout with him.
The workout was great and had both men pumped and stressed free. After showering, they joined Tyeceonna, David, and the kids in the game room until it was time to put them to bed before turning in themselves.
At one point during the night Christian was awaken to some crying and flapping around in the bed. It took a moment but he soon realized it was Tyler in the mist of another nightmare. He pulled Tyler closer to him and whispered in his ear what had become his trademark fraise that always gave his lover a peaceful night rest. Soon Tyler was sleeping soundly with Christian joining him once he was sure his man was okay.
When they walked into the kitchen for breakfast everyone could see the tiredness on Christian's face. Carlos and Mark knew the reason for it and Carlos mouthed to him `again'? Christian just gave a slight in perspective nod and left it at that. Only Mark and one other person noticed the exchanged between the two but gave no indication. Half way through breakfast Tyler suggested they hang out at the mall a bit just to get out of the house while also doing a little school shopping for Jeff. Everyone agreed thinking that would be fun and will keep the children from dwelling on their current situation.
After breakfast one of the chefs pulled Christian and Tyler aside while the others was getting ready. He informed them that they will need to do some grocery shopping soon to restock the kitchen. Tyler handed him several debit cards with joint names explaining that they were tied into a new household account that they had set up for that purpose. Christian then asked if he could distribute the rest to the other three and Nowah assented to the request.
After a short discussion everyone decided on a change of pace, so they went to Santa Monica Place to shop rather than the usual mall. The time was spent leisurely strolling around checking out the different shops and their items on display. They enjoyed the morning so immensely; that by the time lunch came around all but the two littlest ones had a bag to carry. They found a fast food place and refueled before putting their bags into the trucks and resuming their shopping spree.
They stayed for another hour or two before heading back home so Tyler and Christian can catch up on some work and they wouldn't be late for dinner. They all had a great time that they left with smiles on their faces in accomplishing their goal. They made plans to come back again before Tyeceonna and her family returned home since there was some things that they wanted but didn't have time to get. Most of the children fell asleep on the ride back that they had to be carried inside and put down for a map.
Two hours later their parents woke them and brought them down for dinner. Tonight the menu was country style with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Drinks were either sweetened or unsweetened ice tea, and dessert was blueberry pie with whip cream. Everyone loved it and made sure to compliment Caleb and Nowah on their terrific culinary skills.
Talk around the table was lively until a news segment came on that drew Christian and Tyler's attention to the television. After quieting everyone, they could hear the anchorman's report better and got all the details. When the segment was over, every adult who was directly or indirectly involved with the situation had a smile on their face. Jeff on the other hand looked confused as to what it all meant.
After dinner they all separated to do their own thing. Tyler called Christian into his office to discuss the calendar project. Since Travis was helping them, Christian included Travis in that discussion in order to get an update from him. Tyler also had Mike on the phone so they were all on the same page with everything. For over an hour they threw ideas back and forth settling on a solution that suited everyone before tackling the next problem. Once they had every dispute covered, the meeting ended and so did work for the day. The rest of the night was spent with the family.
Around eight thirty the children started to get sleepy. They were given a little nighttime snack then was put to bed. Just as the last one was tucked in, Carlos, Mark, Christian, and Tyler was called down to the security office. Once again a vehicle was spotted outside the front gates spying on the property. Carlos and Mark gave the night shift their orders then the four of them headed for bed to get some sleep themselves. They will deal with it tomorrow.
In the morning Carlos and Mark was updated by the night shift before they left for the office with Christian and Tyler. This time Alex drove instead of Carlos because he and Matt was taking the truck to be washed and refueled. On the elevator ride up Christian told Tyler that he'll be up after his interview for his shops to begin the ones for the McDonald's. Just as they reached Christian's floor, Tyler nodded that he understood so he gave Tyler a kiss before getting off.
When he walked into his office, His secretary looked up surprised to see him there. He wasn't scheduled to be in the office that day and that peaked her curiosity. "Don't worry Trish, everything is okay." Christian smiled humorously trying not to laugh. "I'm just here to conduct an interview for the position of president of the shops before I go up to Ty's floor to do the ones for the McDonald's."
She looked at the schedule on her desk before looking back at him. "But there's no interview schedule for today. At least none that I have on my schedule."
"No. You wouldn't have this interview on your schedule because I didn't have a chance to tell you about it. It was just confirmed yesterday and I wanted to get that position filled as quickly as possible." He then told her who the interviewee was. "So just show them to my office when they arrive, please."
"You got it boss. Anything else you need?" She teasingly asked. "Just a cup of coffee if you don't mind?" Christian answered back teasingly. "No problem. I'll get it for you now and bring it in."
Christian smiled and thanked her before going into his office. He likes when Trish jokes around with him because it gives the office a delightful atmosphere and makes the day more enjoyable. She always has a sunny disposition whenever he feels troubled which Christian really appreciates her for. As he was checking his messages, she quietly came in and set the coffee on his desk and left. Ten minutes later she was escorting his new potential president in.
On the floor above Tyler was negotiating a deal with one of his models, although at the moment he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to renew the contract or not. This particular model doesn't measure up to his agency standards; but Tyler didn't want to let her go without at least making an effort to improve her performance.
"Okay, here's the deal." He paused to make sure he had her complete attention. "I'll give you a ninety day trial. But, if you cancel, or are a no show for even one shoot without a valid excused, then your contract will be terminated. I also expect you to be there on time and ready to get to work, no exception.
Lastly, I've been told that you're getting a little overweight. I'm not telling you what to eat, but I expect you to stay in shape at all times. After all, you're a calendar model, and no one wants to buy those types of products that shows models who aren't in great shape."
Although the model felt insulted she couldn't argue with the logic or wisdom. She didn't think she was overweight; but Jackson Agency was the best agency in the whole state, and probably even the whole country, so she promised to keep in shape. Tyler then explained to her that he will have a contract drawn up and sent to her so she can have her attorney review it before she signs. They concluded the meeting and the model left passing Christian coming in on her way out.
He walked in and leaned over Tyler's desk to give him a kiss. "Was that one of your models?" Tyler said it was and asked why. "I was just wondering, is all. She looked a little thick around the middle so I didn't know if she was one or not."
"That's what I've was told by several people as well. But I laid it on the line that if she wants to continue modeling for me, then she has to keep in shape because I won't have anyone costing me money from bad merchandise. After all, there's a lot of others out there who would love to take her place in the spotlight if she can't get with the program."
"Then I hope she listens. Because if she doesn't, I'll bet all my shops that her modeling career will soon be over. You can be fair, but you're also a no nonsense kind of boss. That's one of the many things I love about you."
Christian said the last statement with a loving smile. Tyler returned it with his own smile and a wink then finished what he was doing on the computer and heading for the conference room to begin the interviews. Once they were prepared, Tyler buzzed Janet to send in the first candidate. As soon as the man walked through the door with a snotty attitude Christian knew right away this person wouldn't be a finalist for the position.
For the next two hours they interviewed candidates after candidates. While some had potential and others didn't, their last three candidates were the best suited for the position. Around lunch time they decided to call it quits for the day and left for home stopping along the way to get something to eat. They didn't want to get in the way of Caleb and Nowah and hindered their progression. The two chefs mentioned the day before about making some treats for everyone, and they didn't want the children missing out on it.
They arrived to a silent house which had them wondering upon the whereabouts of everyone. When they came upon Collin in the hall, Christian asked him and Collin told them that Tyeceonna and David took the children out to play in the park for a while so they could get some fresh air. Christian thanked him then him and Tyler continued on to the kitchen. They wanted to speak with Caleb and Nowah about making a special meal to thank Tyeceonna and David for their help with the boys in their absence time of need. Since they hadn't started with making dinner, the two consented upon doing that for the evening meal.
At the park, the children was having fun playing around as Tyeceonna and David sat on the swings with the little ones. The laughter coming from all the children was a heartwarming sound to their ears which boosted their determination to keep the children's spirits up. Even though she didn't know it, David also kept an eye on his wife to make sure she was holding up as well. He could always tell when she needed a shoulder to lean on even though she tries to emulate her brother in emotional strength. She just could never pull it off because the truth always showed in her eyes.
Out in the semi full parking lot sat a vehicle. The occupant of that vehicle was intensely focused on the children playing that they didn't noticed they were spotted by someone until the sound of a car door closing grabbed their attention. When they looked across the console, they were staring into a face with a devilish smile and evil eyes. As they stared at each other, the more nervous the driver became as the passenger's smile grew more devilish until the silence was broken. "Tell me why I shouldn't turn you in for spying on those children, hmmm?"
Not knowing who this person was, or what they wanted, the suspect remained quiet so as not to incriminate themselves but the passenger wasn't accepting silence for an answer. "You might as well tell me because I already know who you are." He then proved it by naming the driver. "So, let me ask you again, why are you spying on those children?"
Still not trusting this person the driver gave a sob story that was only half true. The passenger knew that, but didn't let on that he did. As he listened, a plan was starting to form in his mind on a way to get in on this scheme and walk away with something he needed desperately. The driver knew there was a hidden agenda behind the passenger's offer to help but ignored it for now. After exchanging numbers, the passenger got out and returned to his post as the car drove away.
When it got close to dinner time, Jeff's head of security came up to informed them that they needed to head back home. David called for the kids who said goodbye to their playmates before coming over and being surrounded in their cocoon of protection. As they left the park, all the adults there shook their heads in enquiry as to why they needed so many bodyguards. Had any of them known which family they belong to, they would have had their answer.
Not far from the park, someone else was also pondering a few things. Their most Dominant thought was centered on their new partner's offer to help, and what was he getting out of all of this? Is it for revenge, money, or something more sinister? Whatever it is, there was no doubt he would have to be watched for any opportunity of double crossing or backstabbing, that's for sure. In the meantime he may be just what's needed in order to get close to the target.
Once back at the house the others was informed about their new conspirator and the short interlude that occurred at the park. Now that they had a connection on the inside, everyone was in more of a positive mood that they will be successful. They began making some changes to their plans which included as little interaction with their new accomplice as possible, but would leave him holding the bag if they were caught in the process.
Back at the Jackson manor Tyler was also making some changes. After a short discussion with his three main security guys plus Christian, he decided to increase his security around the property. To that ends he made a call to Mr. Chang to hire more men. He also insisted on Kevin taking their new employees down to the range for some target practice just in case someone does manage to get in the house. That way they'll have a better chance of protecting themselves. Just as they had finished the arrangements, they were called to dinner.
They walked into the kitchen and were surprised to see the others there. They were so engrossed with their meeting that they didn't hear when they arrived back home. As he was taking his place at the table, Tyler's senses went on alert. He could feel some tension in the air, but couldn't exactly pinpoint where it was coming from. Being so in tuned with his signals, Carlos, Christian, and Mark noticed the eye movement but gave no indication that something was a mist.
Once dinner was over Tyler asked Nowah to prepare a plate for him to take to Manual at the hospital before pulling the three guys back into his office. "I don't know what it is, but something isn't right. The atmosphere all through dinner felt off balance. Like there was a dark cloud hanging overhead or something."
The three looked at each other with concern but it was Christian who voiced the question. "Could you tell who and/or where it was coming from?" Tyler said no but he knows it's there. "Then all we can do is keep our eyes and ears open for anything suspicious."
Carlos and Mark agreed with Christian assessment and they left the office. Tyler went to get the plate of food for Manual while Christian went to ask Travis and Kevin if they could watch the kids for them. After getting their consent, he went looking for Tyeceonna and David finding them in the living room. "Would you two like to go to the hospital with me and Ty to visit grandma for a bit?"
Both said they would and followed Christian to meet up with Tyler in the foyer. A minute later Carlos and Mark pulled up out front and they left for the hospital. The ride didn't take long and soon they were parking the truck. When they reached Mrs. Maria's room; Christian and Tyler pulled Manual out to eat while Tyeceonna and David took seats to visit with her. Tyeceonna held Mrs. Maria's hand with her left hand as they started talking to her while David held his wife's other one.
As she recounted the story of when Mrs. Maria danced with David at their wedding, Tyeceonna thought she felt her hand being squeezed. Just as she was telling Mrs. Maria's private duty nurse, the other three walked in. Tyler and Manual started to go over to the bed but Christian held them back so the nurse could check her vitals. A few minutes later she shook her head with sad eyes indicating there was no sign of her regaining consciousness.
"I'm sorry, there's no change. Most likely it was just muscle spasms. Patients in Mrs. Lopez's condition do get that kind of spasm frequently because they're so still that their muscles are not getting any exercise." Seeing the disappointment on everyone's faces, she figured she better say something encouragingly. "Try not to give up hope though! Even though there's no change now, doesn't mean she won't wake up. We'll just have to wait and see."
They all nodded in understanding and agreement. Their spirits may have dimmed a little, but it hasn't been burnt out, and the nurse's last statement gave them a small flicker of hope once again. They stayed with her for another thirty minutes until the bell rang ending visiting hours. When they got down to the garage, Tyler once again invited Manual to spend the night with them, but Manual declined stating that he needed to be alone tonight to do a little thinking. Tyler understood and they all gave him a hug and wished him a good night before going their separate ways.
They arrived home to total chaos in the house. The children were jumping around like they had ants in their pants, the security guys was trying to get them to settle down, and Travis and Kevin were arguing with Caleb and Nowah who were laughing their heads off. They didn't know whether to laugh at the pandemonium or not. As usual, it was Tyler who made the decision. "Freeze rugrats!"
He used his authoritarian voice that had everyone frozen in their tracks. "What in the world is going on in here? We leave home for a couple of hours and come back to Peewee's Playhouse."
"You can thank your new chefs for that!" Travis bellowed exaggeratedly. "They thought it would be a good idea to give the children chocolate milk and cake with a sandwich for a bedtime snack which got them all hyper! We've been spending the pass twenty minutes trying to get them to settle down so they can be put to bed."
It wasn't easy, but they all kept a straight face although Carlos and Mark had a hint of a smile on theirs. Christian then raised an eyebrow at Caleb and Nowah who just smiled innocently. "I see." Then he smiled mischievously which got them squirming nervously. "In that case, I think they should be the ones who put the children to bed, don't you think?"
Now the two were really squirming which amused everyone else. They all started agreeing with Christian just to tease them for their own enjoyment. They watched them squirm a little longer then Tyler decided to let them off the hook. "It's okay guys, we'll put them to bed. Just go and make some warm milk for them to help them sleep."
Nowah and Caleb let out the breath they didn't know they had been holding. They quickly agreed and hurried back to the kitchen. When they were gone, everyone roared with laughter at the joke Christian had just played on them. Once they had calmed down enough to catch their breath, they took the children to the kitchen for their milk before taking them upstairs to bed. The adults stayed up for a meeting with Christian and Tyler to discuss the new changes with the security arrangement.
All through the meeting Tyler still felt that dark cloud; but was getting closer to finding out whom and/or where it was coming from. At the same time Christian, Carlos, and Mark was nonchalantly scanning the room for any possible suspects of betrayal. When there was nothing left to go over, they all turned in for the night. It had been a busy day for some, and they wanted to get some sleep before they had to get up and do it all over again.
Tyler, Christian, Mark, and Carlos stayed behind to talk in private. They wanted to compare notes on Tyler's suspicion about a trader within the house. Tyler claimed to feel vibes coming from Todd's area when he was speaking and enquired who was sitting close to him. Carlos said it was Todd, Ryan, Aaron, and Eric, and they all had intense looks on their faces. Christian then asked who protection they were and Mark gave him that information. They discussed the situation a bit longer before calling it a night and heading up to bed.
To Be Continued...
Writer's Corner:
Welcome back one and all to another chapter of Best Friends. I hope you had enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. Now let's get to the summary of this chapter, shall we?
The week started off with Christian and Tyler plus their head of security being woken early Monday morning by Franky. The four of them quickly rushed down to the security room because that had never happened before. Franky informed them of a suspicious vehicle that had been spying on them all night which got them worried.
When they couldn't get anything right then, Christian and Tyler went to make breakfast for everyone. It wasn't until the four was on their way to the office when they got the information they needed; then Carlos and Mark began quietly making plans to deal with this new threat. Tyler is also making plans but keeping them to himself until he needs to step in.
The new employees started and are fitting in quite well. It looks like everyone will have to stay on their toes around these two pranksters. I thought of that joke at the last minute and threw it in to keep the chapter from ending completely on a sad note. I hope you liked it.
Who is this mysterious person spying on the children and what do they want? It looks like they may have an inside connection and are going to use it to their full advantage.
Christian and Tyler may have a trader in their circle. Who could it be, and who are they assigned to protect? I hope none of the kids are in any danger because I don't think anyone will be able to hold neither Christian nor Tyler back if anything happens to one of them.
Can anyone figure out who Christian interviewed for the corporate president position of the Lucky Shops?
That wasn't the only interview Christian conducted that day. He and Tyler finally got around to interviewing candidates for the president position of the McDonald's franchise as well.
Did Mrs. Maria really have a muscle spasm, or is she beginning to wake up? I guess we'll just have to wait and see. What the nurse said is true because my mother had them all the time while she was on life support. What do you guys want to see happen with that plot?
If I had missed anything in my corner, I hope my editor will catch it in her corner. I need to get started on writing the next chapter for you guys to enjoy reading.
So much is going on and not enough time to write it all out! New plots are going to open and some will close. Keep reading the future chapters and enjoy! Please let me know how I'm doing. I look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions at {romeo1.jacobmillertex@gmail.com} thanks.
Editor Corner:
What a great chapter this turned out to be? I do feel sorry for whoever is on the inside that Tyler is getting the black cloud from. I wouldn't want to be on Tyler's bad side.
There's a lot of question to be answered hopefully in the next chapter.
With Tyler's female model gaining weight why wouldn't Tyler think to do a shoot with plus size shoot?
Drop Romeo a line and let him know what you think.
Writer's Corner:
I'll leave creating a plus size model department up to my readers. Do you want to have a plot with plus size calendars in the story?