“Are you sure you have to leave so soon?” Sabrina begged. She could still feel Bethany’s hands all over her from the night before. She hoped a few more moments with her wasn’t too much to ask.
Bethany giggled at the pleading Sabrina managed to fit in-between the goodbye kisses Sabrina was drowning her in.
“I have a meeting that I can’t miss in the city.” Bethany apologized. It pained Bethany to stay for the night and leave at the crack of dawn but unfortunately, this was the way things needed to be. Being mayor meant Bethany had to prioritize the city’s needs before her own. Even if that need was a certain desire for her lover.
“Do you kiss all of your clients like this?” Bethany teased.
“Only my top clients.”
Sabrina felt like Bethany’s lips fit perfectly with hers. If she could, she would sit here all day with Bethany, just kissing, giggling, and touching.
Sabrina’s phone broke the lovers out of their bliss. Sabrina quickly scrolled through to check her notifications. Like Beth, she knew that her clients’ needs were sometimes a higher priority than her own.
“Duty calls?” Bethany asked.
“Not necessarily. It’s Marlene… Oh no.”
“What’s wrong?” Bethany questioned. She could see the immediate shift in Sabrina’s mood. Sabrina reread the text that was sent to make sure she understood what she was going to say.
“Someone stole all of the donations from last night.” Sabrina admitted.
” Who in their right mind would steal from a charity that supports children? Call the police! They can’t get away with something as vile as that.” Bethany suggested.
Sabrina hesitated before responding. “She can’t…”
“What do you mean? Just let the police find the guy and have them deal with it.”
“My sister and her family have been stalked and harassed for years now. They’ve gone to the police before and nothing comes out of it. And now I think the situation is bigger than that. They need real help.”
Mayor Landers understood what she meant. Mayor Landers had been blackmailed, extorted and even held for ransom but each and every time she has gotten her revenge. But coming up on top in these sticky situations means getting your hands just as dirty. It’s always a game with no winners.
“I know someone who can help them.”
Ken planned a peaceful morning with his wife. Cuddles in bed and coffee in the morning. But when he woke up, Marlene’s side of the bed was cold. As he begrudgingly made his way to the kitchen, he was disappointed that his wife already started the morning without him.
Marlene could hear the disappointment walking towards the kitchen. “Sorry. I went through the first pot by myself. I couldn’t sleep.” Marlene admitted without looking up.
“How was last night?”
“Our friend Shio made a visit. He stole all of the donations. Every last check.”
“I’m sorry, Marlene. I know you worked hard for that event.” Ken consoled his wife but his words went in one ear and through the other.
“We moved all the way from Mt. Komorebi to Willow Creek and we’re still getting stalked! When are we going to do something about this?”
Ken didn’t have an answer for his wife. In his mind, moving was doing something but clearly, that wasn’t enough.
“I’ll handle it. And I’ll cover whatever was stolen. And I’ll still match the donations like I originally promised.” Ken said. A tiny smile pulled at the corners of Marlene’s lips but it was quickly dismissed with the thought of the last two years of her life.
Ken could afford to write a check and make the situation disappear but Shio always came back. This left Marlene restless. She was constantly looking over her shoulder and wondering who was watching her. Someone had to be if they knew exactly when to stop by The Blue Velvet to pick up the donations. And why were they stalking the Satos?
That question lingered on her mind. Sure there were people that they pissed off through out the years but what could they have possibly done to deserve this type of behavior?
Marlene thought back to the moment that when she received that box on her doorstep. The box was plain and unassuming yet what was inside haunted her. It left Marlene so disturbed that she urged her husband to move the family all the way to Willow Creek.
This time she isn’t going to run or hide. If Shio was back, this time had to be different. This time Marlene needed to fight.
miss moodring musings 
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