The Designer Pt. 02 Ch. 03

Aly stretched and yawned, still naked from the tryst in the kitchen, "I had a weird dream, J," as she got up and hugged me close, feeling my need for comfort before I recognized it.

"The crash on the bridge?" I asked just recalling that part.

Aly nodded, "I think we need to tackle that box of your father's when we get back, there are clues in their, and we need to get to that safety deposit box."

"What are you talking about?" Carmen said, pulling at the wrecked bodice of her dress, before giving up and just pulling it over her head, discarding it, and looking through her pile of clothes. "I dreamt of a crash, but what does that have to do with J's father?"

Lexi nodded with Carmen, "Why are we all having the same dream? Who was in that car?"

Kelly gasped, "was that the crash that killed you mother?"

"and my father, and his wife," I added, "Aly and I just found that out this morning. I think we dreamt about their deaths."

I walked over to my dresser and got the letter my father had written to me a few years before his death, and gave it to Carmen, "This is all we really know, I got that from my uncle the day you and Lexi came home. He also left me a box of papers, a lot of money from his accounts, and a key to a safety deposit box.

Lexi leaned against Carmen as the both read the letter.

-------------------

Jeremiah,

If you're reading this then I'm dead. I've always been plain with words. I left when you were four and I've thought of you often in the last ten years. I owe you an explanation for why I left.

I loved you and your mother very much, Jeremiah. I know it might not seem like that. I haven't enjoyed been away from either of you. I have kept a close eye on you, and have tried to provide for you as I could. I could not stay with you for reasons that may have become plain to you, or will become plain to you.

It's hard to just say this in a letter. So I'll just say it. I'm a psychic, or something. I don't know exactly what to call it. This ability was passed down to me by my father, and has been in our lineage for generations. I'm able to see people's emotions, and can influence how they make decisions. If you're old enough, you might have experienced how this works. If you're too young to have had it manifest, then I hope you never do.

It can be a blessing or a curse. My grandfather was able to help many people. My father, however, used his gift selfishly, and brought ruin to our family. I followed my father's example, and shamefully damaged the people I loved. Specifically your mother and you. Be careful, Jeremiah, use your powers sparsely, and only to help. Don't use it for selfish gain.

I know that sounds trite coming from your absent father. It could be true that I left selfishly. I have thought on that much over the years. You need to know, I left to protect you. You and your mother. I hope you can someday understand.

I love you Son,

Isaiah Jackson.

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"Well wasn't he nice to tell you in a letter from the dead," Carmen said sarcastically.

I shrugged, "I'm resigned that this has become a thing of fate, and I want to get ahead of it. My mother died when I was in high school, three years ago. On my 18th birthday, just before graduation. I'm wondering if my father was coming to talk to me, as I was getting old enough to have these powers manifest."

I hung my head, and thought of my mother, "She told me she was going to meet a friend in a nearby town, and she'd be back. It rained so hard that night... She collided with another vehicle, and both cars crashed into a ravine. It took two weeks to retrieve her remains. The other bodies had no identification on them, and their car was destroyed, nothing identifiable."

Lexi slipped beside me and hugged me, "Oh J, I'm so sorry, I didn't know any of this about you."

"Well, I think we're all about to find out a lot more about me," I replied hugging her tightly." I can't help but think it's all connected somehow, that my powers or whatever, are more than I could ever imagine."

"I still smell like sex, and that lovely sun dress is ruined, you animal!" Carmen complained with a smile, as Aly, Kelly and I started up the stairs, "Do I have time to shower? I want to look nice for your uncle and not smell and look like a whore."

"If you're quick, we have a little over an hour," I said with a smile, "think you can look fabulous in that short amount of time?"

"Lexi will help me," Carmen said with her fabulous sexy smirk, "the damn girl still has sex all over her too!"

Lexi giggled and let Carmen take her hand and drag her into the shower, while the rest of us headed to the kitchen. Next to the door was the box of paper from my Father. After redressing with her discarded clothes from this morning's bawdy scene, Aly lifted up the box and started looking through the contents, adjusting her glasses as she peered through the contents. Kelly, still looking worried and shocked, started putting away the remaining groceries that were left out while we had our impromptu scene.

Aly looked at me, and turned her eyes to Kelly, and I knew she wanted me to help her, and stay close. Aly had already started making piles of similar documents, notebooks, envelopes and batches of photographs. I slipped next to Kelly and helped her put things away.

"I think it was that first night," Kelly said softly, "The first time we had sex, when you took my virginity, among other things. I've done the math, and it had to have happened then, maybe at the hotel."

"I was partially drunk, and I wasn't thinking," I started softly, "I'm sorry, Kelly."

"You're sorry, I'm pregnant?" Kelly asked turning to lift her blue eyes up to mine, "Or sorry you're going to be stuck marrying me?"

"Kel," I said softly, grabbing both of her hands, and pulling her to me, lifting my hand to her cheek and tilting her chin up to look at me, kissing her softly, then pressing my forehead to her, "my love, I'm not sorry about the consequences, I'm sorry that I didn't think things through. I was too overcome with just discovering my power. I had no..." I drifted off, feeling like I was babbling, then restarted, "It was fate, it was meant to be, you here with me, feels right, as much as it feels with each of the others. You were meant to be the mother, I feel it, the more I think about it."

"I'm a mess of emotions, J," Kelly said, her eyes dropping to my chest, then lifting, "But I know what you say is true, I'm happy to be carrying your child, it's not how either of us would have planned it, but it was ... meant to be."

"Do either of you know where Pinebluff, Montana is?" asked Alyssa.

"Never heard of it," I said, but went to go find my road atlas, and settle into the couch, Kelly filed after me, and settled next to me, as I looked through the index.

"Well it is where most of your father's accounts are," Alyssa said and slipped on the other side of me, as I started flipping through the sheets.

"There is my college," Kelly said, pointing the the town as I went through the pages, "or... was my college..."

The college town was on the border of Washington and Idaho, and I flipped three more pages and found the minuscule town of Pinebluff just over the Idaho border on the edge of Montana.

"About 50 miles south of Missoula, in the shadow of the Bitterroot Mountains." I said, then backtracked a few pages following a road, "And about 250 miles from the girls' old school. Is that a coincidence...?"

"I don't know," Alyssa said, "your powers bloomed a lot closer to Pinebluff than they would of if you were home. There might be a geographic component to it..."

Carmen swept up the stairs in a blur, with the red-headed Lexi right behind. Carmen looked lovely in a pair of jeans and a nice blouse, her black hair neatly pulled into a ponytail, wearing dark eye makeup that set off her eyes. Lexi chose a simple green dress, that brought out the sparkle in her eyes. She wore her hair down, still damp and forming ringlets as her hair dried. They both looked marvelous.

The four girls gathered in a circle and primped each other, Carmen smoothing Aly's dress, making sure the bodice supported her bra-less breasts. Lexi hugged Kelly in her special way, then checked her makeup and smoothed her skirt. I took a moment to remind myself how lucky I was, to have four sexy and caring girls in my life, and wondered what I had done to deserve this.

The shift of the mood had brightened as Carmen and Lexi had joined us and we were ready to go.I gathered my family together and we walked the short distance to my uncle's office. Greeted warmly by his secretary as I introduced all of them to her, then we filed into his office.

"Uncle Thomas, I want you to meet, Kelly, ... Alyssa, ... Carmen and Alexis," I said to my Uncle.

"Please, call me Lexi, I can't stand being called Alexis." Lexi said with a smile.

"Then I demand you call me Tommy, young Lexi." Thomas said with a wink.

I sat down between Kelly and Aly in a small love seat, while Carmen and Lexi sat in chairs. Uncle Thomas had five sets of documents piled in a row, and was about to talk about what they were, when I stopped him,"

"Uncle, there has been a development, surprising and unforeseen, and we need your advice." I said, trying to work my way up to telling him.

"I'm pregnant with Jeremiah's child," Kelly said with a smile, "I just found out this morning."

Aly leaned in with a smile, as Thomas' face turned a shade darker in concern, "We're all happy about this, me especially. This doesn't change the relationship we have, it just makes things different in the eyes of government."

Thomas chuckled, "I had you pegged as a pragmatist, Alyssa, I take it that the marriage license will need to be in Miss Kelly's name?"

Alyssa smiled, and gripped my hand, "Yes, that is what is best for Kelly and the baby."

"That only changes two sets of documents," Thomas explained, "The marriage license is something that will take some time, there are requirements the state has, for pre-marital counseling, that we'll need to jump through. For now, though, these documents will do for all of you as written. They name you as beneficiaries of Jeremiah's estate, in the case of his death. I don't think that will be anytime soon, but Jeremiah wanted to make sure all of this was in order as soon as possible."

The girls shared glances and looked at me, as Thomas continued to explain my conditions.

"Some of the documents give you access to a joint cash account, this is part of Jeremiah's normal funding and is supplemented from his grandfather's trust," Uncle Thomas passed each girl a smaller set of documents and pens for their signatures, the balance on the account caught them by surprise, each looking at me.

"You've got to be kidding," Carmen said, "J, I can't accept this, how do you know I won't just take the cash and go back home? This is a bit reckless."

"Carmen, I'm certain you don't want that, and you hypothetical is invalid," Uncle Thomas continued, "The contract also has stipulations that will close any account at the behest of Jeremiah. This is really quite standard for people with a sizable inheritance."

"Well, I ..." Carmen closed her mouth, and looked at the papers then signed her name.

.

"This next set of documents sets up the insurance requirements and rest of Jeremiah's assets, including the funds that he just received from his father's estate." Uncle Thomas droned on, "The probate on that lasted three years because it took so long to declare him dead, since they never found his body. The only connection was a stray serial number on his destroyed car. The accounts are well established, and have been accruing interest since his death. It has effectively doubled Jeremiah's wealth."

Kelly now blushed red, as she looked at the figures, "You don't need my parent's investment in this at all, do you?"

"No, I don't," I stated, "but it helps to have other investors, the inn is a bit of a risk. If it doesn't work out the way we expect, I may have to get a job."

The whole document signing took a little under an hour, and by then the girls were all in various states of shock. Even Alyssa hadn't realized how wealthy I was. I wasn't very comfortable with my wealth, I never made a show of it, and the whole thing usually left me in a state of embarrassment. I was relieved though, to have the cat out of the bag. I felt a little unburdened at knowing my companions had full knowledge of my wealth. They knew, and at least forgave, my character flaws and all. They understood I was a man that wanted the best for them, to treat them well. I knew they loved me for that, and not for the money I had.

"With that all finished," Thomas said, "Let's talk practical matters." As he looked at me with a serious look.

"You need to figure out where your father comes from, Jeremiah." Thomas started, "This much money moving will gain attention, and the events of his death have become ... very strange. As usual the accounts are secure and private, much of the big money offshore, but in these circles people don't mind bribing to get a name, and then they'll soon find out about you. What you are doing with your life might become more and more scrutinized."

Thomas looked over at Kelly, "Do you think your parents will understand about your pregnancy? Will they be happy, or pull out of the partnership with Jeremiah?"

"I don't know, Tommy," Kelly said, "But we're meeting with them tomorrow, I can't hide anything from my mother, and I'm no longer willing to keep things secret."

"None of us are," I interrupted, "at least not with family. Kelly's parents are family now, I will hopefully explain that well to them."

"Okay, I think that is wise." Thomas said settling back into his chair. "I'm going to try and use some resources to back-trace this money, so we can get an idea of who might be looking over your shoulder. I will do it discreetly, but we need to all focus on finding out more of Jeremiah's father."

"We'll sort through that box tonight," Alyssa said, "We'll bring back any money related papers to you. I'm curious about his history, I think we might need to go to Montana to find out."

"All of you?" Thomas asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uncle, we're not ever going to be apart, so yes, all of us." I stated with determination.

"Good, then I think you're ready." Thomas said, "Come back tomorrow and we can talk again."

We all left and started walking home, silent in our own thoughts, but all twisted together.

"I am glad I never knew how well off you are, J," Lexi said, holding one of my hands in both of hers, and leaning into me. "I know I love you for you, and this .. it's nice, but I don't need it.

"Me too," said Carmen, "I know what I said in there was ... well, it's what the people I grew up with would do, it's messed up, and I've seen lived ruined over much smaller amounts of money. I don't want or need your money, Jeremiah."

Alyssa smiled, "I don't think Jeremiah wants it either," as she bussed my cheek with a kiss, "which is why he hides it, money isn't important to him, which is why it isn't important to us.

"Well, it's nice to not have to fret over keeping the heat on," I said nonchalantly.

I chewed on the words Aly just said, I could interpret it as myself being the catalyst for how my girls felt about things. I wasn't sure it was true, but I couldn't discount it as false.

"Anyway, that's over," I continued, "Should we order Chinese and dig into that box of papers?"

"Yes," said a chorus of four voices, and I smiled at their enthusiasm, but also thought it was too easy getting four females to agree on anything.

I shouldn't have worried, it took them the rest of the walk home to decide on what dishes to order, and the order kept growing until we had enough food ordered to last three meals.

*****

Author's Note: Synopsis - Kelly is pregnant, and all the group is going to stay together and raise the child as a family. Jeremiah is filthy rich, and his father's inheritance made him even filthier. The chemistry hive-mind of the fivesome is very entangled and that is sometimes a worry for Jeremiah. We find out how Jeremiah's father died and some pretty shady characters were following him, what do they have to do with any of this?

More to come, and more sex, I promise. Still looking for an editor, trying to be careful and edit myself, but that's not my strength.

As always I covet your views, votes and comments. Thank you.