***
No sooner had Tristan and Tanesha taken their seats at KFC than Aaron entered. He’d taken off his jacket just like Tristan but he still had on his tie. Tanesha wondered whether he was coming from the White House or the office. Aaron was a banker in one of Chris’ banks.
“I’m so hungry,” Aaron said, taking a seat. “Have you spoken to Winnie already?” He asked Tristan.”
“Yep. She’ll bring it soon.” Tristan answered.
“Great.” Aaron turned to look at Tanesha. “You know you can’t be mad at me don’t you?”
“And why not?” Tanesha scowled.
“You pinched me this morning. And I haven’t retaliated.” Aaron shrugged. “Want me to retaliate now?” He started swaying closer to Tanesha.
Tanesha started to laugh. “Don’t you dare.” Still laughing, she took her clutch off the table to make room for their order which had arrived.
“Listen Tanesha.” Aaron began. “If he had gotten in touch with you, he would have been booted off the force. It was against the rule…is against the rule.”
“But he could have at least told me he was okay. Is that too much to ask?” She gushed.
“If I were in your shoes, I’d be very angry too Tanesha. But you have to understand him. Thing is, the guy is not allowed to be with you in that way…ever.”
“What?” Tanesha screeched, attracting the attention of other diners. “Are you saying we can’t be together?” She whispered harshly suddenly feeling sick.
“Oooohh…” Tristan couldn’t help teasing. “Looks like someone can’t stand the thought of not being with…”
“Zip it, Tris. Aaron?” Tanesha turned confused eyes on Aaron.
“He had to make a deal.” Aaron tried very hard not to laugh at how desperate Tanesha suddenly looked. “He was to wait till after today’s ceremony to contact you in any way.” He explained. “This hasn’t been easy for him at all.”
“He could have at least called me,” Tanesha whined. “Just to tell me he was okay. At least he had you to tell him I was okay. I never had that privilege. All the sleepless nights, the tears, the misery…do you have any idea what I’ve been through? I wouldn’t have told anyone if he’d asked me not to. Really, he has no excuse.”
“He’s a soldier, Tanesha.” Tristan chipped in. “They’re sticklers for rules and following commands. That’s just how they’re wired. Please don’t punish him for something he had no control over.”
“Besides, you can’t win if you take on those guys,” Aaron added, taking a sip of his coke.
“Which guys? The SEALS?” Tanesha looked bemused. “Who said anything about taking…”
“Not the SEALS.” Tristan laughed. “The squad.”
“And who’s the squad?” Tanesha asked with a curious look on her face.
“Your Ty, Matt, Cole, his Kyle,” Tristan pointed his thumb at Aaron. “Michael, my Damon, Chris, and Dean.”
“Eight,” Tanesha whispered.
“What?” Tristan asked.
“He told me on the Island that they were a group of eight guys who are very good friends…who would go to great lengths to help each other,” Tanesha muttered. “That was the only personal thing he ever told me about himself.”
“And he’s very right, hon.” Tristan nodded. “They are the best group of friends you’ll ever meet. And you can’t stay angry at them for long. Unless of course, you’re not in love with them.”
“Or in lust with them,” Aaron added with a lecherous grin.
“Oh, but she so is.” Tristan drawled. “You should have seen her face when she came back from wherever she disappeared to with Ty after the ceremony, Aaron. You had already left for the office. Her lips were all swollen and red from kissing and…”
“Tris…” Tanesha groaned and then suddenly gasped. “Oh God, I think I pissed Chris off.” She moaned, putting her head on the table. “I understand what you guys are saying but…” Tanesha looked up. “I feel like I’ve been lied to. It’s not a pleasant feeling. And the ‘squad’…urgh.” Tanesha muttered, giving the word quotations with her fingers. “They…” She trailed off when her phone started to ring.
It was her mum, wanting to know where she was. They were home but couldn’t see her anywhere in the house. She told her mum where she was and promised to be home soon.
Tanesha had a good talk with Tristan and Aaron. They assured her that she wasn’t just a job to Ty and that he was totally into her. By the time they were ready to leave, she felt a whole lot better. She promised Aaron that she wasn’t going to miss that evening’s dinner in the White House. She also told them that she really wasn’t ready to talk to any member of the squad that evening. After both Tristan and Aaron laughingly promised to keep the guys away from her, Tanesha got back into Tristan’s car and headed home. Much as a part of her was still angry at Ty, she couldn’t wait to see him that evening. A shudder passed through her at the thought of seeing that gorgeous face again.
“Oh God, I’ve missed you, Skull.” She muttered to herself as she watched Tristan’s car disappear.
“Who was that?” Dora Ashton asked her daughter as she came to the door. “That looks like a really expensive car.”
Tanesha smiled. “That’s my friend, mum. He’s called Tristan. I told you about my new friends.”
“You sure did,” Dora said as she followed her daughter up the stairs. “But then you tell me everything…or do you?”
Tanesha groaned as she entered her room. She wasn’t surprised when her mother followed her in and closed the door behind them. When her mother felt she was on to something, she never let go. Dora Ashton didn’t usually care what she had to do to get stories out of her children. Most of the time, she would tease them and make them laugh so hard they’d just spill so they could be left alone. She rarely made them cry. They called her the family tease.