"Charles," Mr.Pruce said feeling rested and relaxed after his deep tissue massage. "Xation is driving me back over there to pick up my car, so he wants to know if you need anything from the store for his wife?"
"Uh.., " he passed the phone to Leah, who took the receiver from him and spoke softly to Bengiman as she told him a laundry list of items: lady razors, facial cleanser, apricot scrub, toner, moisturizer, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, tampons, bananas, Frosted Flakes, three bottles of Concord grape juice, and two half-gallons of Blue-Bell ice cream, one strawberry, one rocky road. She thanked Bengiman, who was happy to oblige her, and Xation paid for everything, as always.
About thirty minutes later at 5:35 p.m. Xation pulled up in his expensive black BMW as Mr.Pruce gathered all the bags from out of the back seat. He implored Xation to come inside and speak to Leah, but he declined saying it was much too difficult for him to see Leah in her wretched condition and Mr.Pruce understood.
"Well that's alright mate. I totally understand, so one good thing about today." he said before he closed the side door.
"And what might that be?" Xation asked wishing this day had never transpired.
"It stopped raining." Mr.Pruce said grocery bags in hand as the clouds parted and the sunlight came streaming through far across to the west on the horizon shining on Bengiman's face warming his skin. Xation said nothing only driving away to tend to his business meetings and social functions.
Charles opened up the door for him and helped him with the bags. As the two were in the kitchen Bengiman asked to see Leah but Charles informed him that she became ill again, freezing cold this time so she was in the steam shower of the master bathroom.
"Yeah Charlie," Mr.Pruce said opening up the family size box of Frosted Flakes and pouring himself a bowl he spoke "she's gonna get really bad, but.., you used to be doctor so I don't have to tell you. I don't envy you Charlie," he said using a nickname Charles loathed. "but," he said mouth full of cereal "I do admire you." Charles said nothing, thinking his slight concussion made him a bit more kinder and not so loathsome, a nice change. "So listen." Mr.Pruce said a serious tone coming to his voice, a meanness in his eyes.
"Yes?" Charles asked his pulse quickening.
"Hays,Serena and myself will be taking care of a problem in few hours, when it's dark. I'm sure you know what I'm talking 'bout." he said looking Charles in the eyes, who shook his head yes. "Well then, Serena wants to know if you have a Polaroid camera? She wants to take pictures for some reason."
"Yes, I think so." Charles said as he we went to his bedroom closet and retrieved it along with a fresh pack of film. When he returned to the kitchen he found Mr.Pruce slicing a banana into a bowl of cereal for Leah who sat at the table in her bathrobe and her wet hair wrapped in a towel. She was smiling and seemed to be feeling better as she rummaged through her bags of goodies she had asked for. "Feeling better?"
"A little, not cold anymore, Bengi brought me breakfast for dinner." Leah smiled eating a spoonful of sweet corn flakes. "Thank you Bengi, and you too Charles.., I did miss you and I am glad to see you." she said smiling at her two friends who were happy to have her back.
"Think nothing of it my love," Mr.Pruce said kissing her on top of her head "you're like the little sister I never had, and I want you to know that I would do anything required to keep you safe, Leah." Bengiman said looking down at her as she stared up intently into his dark small eyes. "from anyone that mean to do you harm.., past, or present."
"Okay, I appreciate that." she replied a cold chill creeping up her spine.
"Right then," he said taking the camera and film from Charles "Thanks mate, and you young lady I hope you feel better at noon tomorrow, Serena wants to take you to Nieman Marcus to buy some new clothes and make-up and what ever else you require my dear sweet lady." he said kissing her hand "and do what this man tells you, he may not look like much but he is very helpful." Bengiman laughed "and we will have you back to good as new in no time."
"Great, I can't wait." Leah beamed standing to hug her huge British buddy.
"Cheery bye." he said as he exited the kitchen and went out to his Range-Rover where he climbed in took a small bottle of Crown Royal whiskey out of the glove box and took three long sips before he called Serena and informed her he had secured a camera. She gave him instructions to drive east out into the country to a deserted old property deep in the Piny Woods, where she and Hays were waiting with their victim and Bengiman Pruce was about an hour away.
"Uh.., " he passed the phone to Leah, who took the receiver from him and spoke softly to Bengiman as she told him a laundry list of items: lady razors, facial cleanser, apricot scrub, toner, moisturizer, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, tampons, bananas, Frosted Flakes, three bottles of Concord grape juice, and two half-gallons of Blue-Bell ice cream, one strawberry, one rocky road. She thanked Bengiman, who was happy to oblige her, and Xation paid for everything, as always.
About thirty minutes later at 5:35 p.m. Xation pulled up in his expensive black BMW as Mr.Pruce gathered all the bags from out of the back seat. He implored Xation to come inside and speak to Leah, but he declined saying it was much too difficult for him to see Leah in her wretched condition and Mr.Pruce understood.
"Well that's alright mate. I totally understand, so one good thing about today." he said before he closed the side door.
"And what might that be?" Xation asked wishing this day had never transpired.
"It stopped raining." Mr.Pruce said grocery bags in hand as the clouds parted and the sunlight came streaming through far across to the west on the horizon shining on Bengiman's face warming his skin. Xation said nothing only driving away to tend to his business meetings and social functions.
Charles opened up the door for him and helped him with the bags. As the two were in the kitchen Bengiman asked to see Leah but Charles informed him that she became ill again, freezing cold this time so she was in the steam shower of the master bathroom.
"Yeah Charlie," Mr.Pruce said opening up the family size box of Frosted Flakes and pouring himself a bowl he spoke "she's gonna get really bad, but.., you used to be doctor so I don't have to tell you. I don't envy you Charlie," he said using a nickname Charles loathed. "but," he said mouth full of cereal "I do admire you." Charles said nothing, thinking his slight concussion made him a bit more kinder and not so loathsome, a nice change. "So listen." Mr.Pruce said a serious tone coming to his voice, a meanness in his eyes.
"Yes?" Charles asked his pulse quickening.
"Hays,Serena and myself will be taking care of a problem in few hours, when it's dark. I'm sure you know what I'm talking 'bout." he said looking Charles in the eyes, who shook his head yes. "Well then, Serena wants to know if you have a Polaroid camera? She wants to take pictures for some reason."
"Yes, I think so." Charles said as he we went to his bedroom closet and retrieved it along with a fresh pack of film. When he returned to the kitchen he found Mr.Pruce slicing a banana into a bowl of cereal for Leah who sat at the table in her bathrobe and her wet hair wrapped in a towel. She was smiling and seemed to be feeling better as she rummaged through her bags of goodies she had asked for. "Feeling better?"
"A little, not cold anymore, Bengi brought me breakfast for dinner." Leah smiled eating a spoonful of sweet corn flakes. "Thank you Bengi, and you too Charles.., I did miss you and I am glad to see you." she said smiling at her two friends who were happy to have her back.
"Think nothing of it my love," Mr.Pruce said kissing her on top of her head "you're like the little sister I never had, and I want you to know that I would do anything required to keep you safe, Leah." Bengiman said looking down at her as she stared up intently into his dark small eyes. "from anyone that mean to do you harm.., past, or present."
"Okay, I appreciate that." she replied a cold chill creeping up her spine.
"Right then," he said taking the camera and film from Charles "Thanks mate, and you young lady I hope you feel better at noon tomorrow, Serena wants to take you to Nieman Marcus to buy some new clothes and make-up and what ever else you require my dear sweet lady." he said kissing her hand "and do what this man tells you, he may not look like much but he is very helpful." Bengiman laughed "and we will have you back to good as new in no time."
"Great, I can't wait." Leah beamed standing to hug her huge British buddy.
"Cheery bye." he said as he exited the kitchen and went out to his Range-Rover where he climbed in took a small bottle of Crown Royal whiskey out of the glove box and took three long sips before he called Serena and informed her he had secured a camera. She gave him instructions to drive east out into the country to a deserted old property deep in the Piny Woods, where she and Hays were waiting with their victim and Bengiman Pruce was about an hour away.
