Fawn used the back of her hand to fan her hair over her shoulder.  She felt justified when she responded...

"Okay...that's right.  So what's the problem?  Why are you all hot and bothered, charging out of my father’s house like a freaking tornado."

"Man...sometimes you make me so angry!"

She raised her hands in surrender when she said...

"Why?  What did I do?"

His response hit her so fast, if it were his hand she would have fallen flat on her ass.

"You lied Fawn.  You lied to me."

Her face was etched with confusion.  Judd shook his head then he said...

"You don't even remember do you."

No, she didn't remember and Judd didn't give her time to search her brain.  He supplied the lie.

"When I asked you to join me at the Children’s Center, I wanted you by my side baby...I wanted to share the experience with you.  But you said that you couldn't because..."

"Because I'll be in London with my father." Fawn had said.

Judd waited.  He didn't rush because he wanted to give her time to retract her words.  He wanted to believe in her because he loved her.

Fawn stared at him, and she wondered where had she slipped up.  She tried to recall their conversations, then in an instant, her memory lit like a lighthouse.  But the beacon had not come soon enough, and she'd collided with the reefs and rocks.  There was no trip to London...and Judd knew this because Fawn had told him. The trip had been canceled weeks ago.  When she had learned about this, Fawn had complained to her boyfriend until he found his respite in sleep.  In spite of her slip up, there was always a way out.  There were any number of illnesses that affect a persons memory.

Fawn placed one hand on her hip, when she said...

"What's the real problem here?  The fact that I accidentally forgot about a business trip that had been canceled...or are you angry because you think that I lied to your sister."

Judd stared at her confused.

"Are you saying that you didn't outright lie to me?"

"Of course I didn't lie to you.  Are you crazy?"

Yep, he was feeling mighty crazy.

"Fawn...please baby.  Tell me the truth."

Fawn lied through her pearly white teeth.  And she accepted that she would have to join him at that godforsaken charity.  She would be forced to deal with runny nosed children while they made messes that Judd would praise them for, then he’d call their monstrosities art.  Fawn couldn’t abide charities or wishy-washy events that required her to show expressive emotions.  Of course...she couldn’t share this with Judd.  He still believed  the allusion.  The fantasy that she was an ardent patron of the arts.  And that was a crock of all crocks--and she couldn’t let him in on that little do-ditty either.  Fuck!  If phony is what landed her in this relationship; then phony was what she would give him.

Fawn smiled brightly, slanting her head at an angle when she said...

"Judd...I would never lie to you baby.  I love you.  I promise you...I forgot that my father canceled the London business trip.  You have to remember how upset I'd been."

"Yes...I remember and that is why I found it hard to believe that you could forget that."

"Well, I did forget.  I had to--if I wanted to maintain my sanity."

Fawn drew closer, and her eyes filled with passion.  They weren't alone, so he said....

"When is your father due to arrive?"

"He takes his lunch at noon."  Fawn kissed him on his lips then she said...

"This is important to me Judd.  I want my father to know you like I do."

Impressing her father wasn't important to Judd--but his art was something that he highly valued.  He said...

"So....I can count on you...right?"

He was referring to Ona Zelle's charity.

Fawn wanted to shoot herself in the foot; any kind of torture would be favorable if it excused her from volunteering at some dumb Samaritans charity.  In spite of her true feelings, she smiled wryly, then she said...

"Sure baby...but we can talk about that later.  For now, let's put first things first.  I want my father to love you...just as much as I do.  So please...don’t talk to him about charities...and for goodness sake, don’t talk about your aversion for guns.”

“It isn’t an aversion--it’s a stance; my opinion.  Gun’s are not toys--they are weapons.  And those weapons mane and kill."

“Whatever...  Just keep that shit locked up in your head.”

“Are you telling me what I should think and believe?Because if you are, there isn’t much of a future for us.”

“Judd...you know what I’m talking about.  I can give a rats ass about your beliefs or the causes that you support.  You’re not my child and I can’t control your inner thoughts.  But my father is an entirely different matter.  He won’t take kindly to you sitting at his table, eating food bought with armaments money.  He isn’t a fool, and if you debate him on the topic of wars, the second amendments, gun violence or any topic concerning his financial interest; I can assure you...my father will cut you down, chew you up, then spit you out.”

“So basically, you want me to be seen and not heard.”

“Pretty much.  Just don’t do or say anything that might upset my father.”

Judd rolled his eyes because he didn’t much care for censorship, and that’s what this was.  He supposed it also explained the delay when it came to meeting her father.

This meeting with her father was important to her; far more important than his reason for canceling their London trip.  From the moment Bolden and Mikita reentered their lives, Fawn had seen the signs.  Her father was reuniting the family; and that included everyone, except for her excommunicated mother.  Good lord; even her uncle Raal and his Belize lover Kyle had been invited and they don’t even live in the country.  She didn’t know what more she’d be forced to endure.  Already she was preparing herself to be cordial to Bolden and his mother and pulling that off would be the feat of all feats.  The entire ordeal was a major inconvenience but she'd decided to play nice; mainly because her father had threatened her.  Morpheus had made it clear; there would be no more toe to toe dances with her brother.  No outburst and it was in her best interest to be on her best behavior.  She smiled because that's what Gustafson's do.   There would be plenty of time to seek revenge if it comes down to it.  Fawn turned, then she shook her over privileged ass for Judd to see.  He followed her and she knew that he would.

**********

During her last days as a patient at Lincoln Medical, Ona’s private suite had doubled as her hospital room, and ‘Project Central’.  Day in and day out, she was visited by men and women possessing talents in a variety of creative art forms.  Rachel’s roommate Sahara had played a key role in orchestrating auditions, and explaining how the project would work.  Ona left this job to Sahara because she was a musical prodigy and she could play practically any instrument, after one or two introductory sessions.  Apparently, her brother Judd Marko had a similar gift; but sculpting was his particular talent.  He’d been helpful pooling his painter friends.  He’d also brought his girlfriend to the hospital, hoping that the project might interest her.  Ona vividly recalls this one particular day because any mention of little children, or the giving of ones time to help them; Fawn Gustafson turned up her nose, then expressed that sadly, she was unavailable.  Judd had averted their attention and it was clear that he’d felt embarrassed due to his girlfriends snub.  Sahara’s brother had suggested that until Ona’s discharge, the volunteers could begin by staging test-runs.  Small groups of children could come, and the volunteers could work with them, allowing them to move freely from station to station.  The idea had taken a life of its own, and each day  Judd or Sahara would return to the hospital, reporting the day’s events.  Each account spoke of something good and wonderful and the place wasn’t even fully functional.  With Ona’s discharge date fast approaching, it became apparent that this team of workers would have to ramp up their efforts.  Lucien informed Rachel that the entire Delors hospital wing was at Ona’s disposal.  From that day forward, Rachel and Sahara practically became fixtures;  temporarily exchanging their apartment for plush Delors hospital suites.