Velvet Roses Ch. 13

After closing the door behind them, Dane's mother stuck out her left hand, which was adorned with a large diamond ring. "My name is Katherine, but people call me Kitty."

Jeneda clasped hands with her, and after engaging in a brief handshake, Kitty hugged Dane. As they parted from the embrace, her brows slightly furrowed, and she reached up to touch her son's face.

"Something's different about your nose." She lightly traced the bridge of it with her pinkie, and as it passed over a slight bump, she gasped. "It's broken."

"It's no big deal. I was walking into a building, and someone was rushing out and they hit me with a door."

"Oh dear, when did this happen?"

"Six days ago."

"Oh, you poor thing." She affectionately smoothed a hand over his cheek. "Your beautiful face has been marred."

"Mother, I'm fine."

"No, you're not. They've ruined your perfect nose. It was so nice and straight, and now look at it."

"It doesn't look *that* bad," he said. "The bump is getting smaller everyday."

"What if it doesn't heal all the way?"

"Then I'll deal with it. Worse things could happen."

"If it doesn't go back to normal, we'll get you fixed up. Your father knows a surgeon who specializes in Rhinoplasty."

"Don't be ridiculous. I am "not* getting plastic surgery."

"Alright, alright, it was just a suggestion."

She halted her fussing over Dane, then led them into a formal living room. Paintings depicting Parisian streets graced the walls, and beyond two sets of arched French doors, was an immaculately maintained garden.

Kitty gestured for them to sit on a white chaise lounge, then took a seat across from them and crossed her legs. She then gestured to a maid who was polishing a cherry wood china cabinet, and as the freckled servant reached her, Kitty made a request.

"Susana, be a dear and tell Mr. Takahashi that his son is here for a visit."

"Certainly, Miss."

As the maid hurried off to another section of the house, silence pervaded the room, and Jeneda found herself irked by the fact that Kitty had failed to mention that Dane wasn't alone. Of course she already knew that Kitty didn't care for her very much, but that still didn't excuse the fact that she was disregarding her relationship with Dane.

"I've missed you, darling," Kitty said to Dane. "It's been nearly a month since you came to see us."

"I've missed you as well, and Dad too. Sorry I haven't been around more, I've just been busy working on this new graphic novel."

"So you are still doing that."

"Of course, what else would I be doing?"

"I don't know. Something more stable, that would yield you a higher income."

"I may not be rich and famous, but I'm not struggling to pay my bills, either. I do pretty alright, considering I'm still fairly new to the industry."

"I know you do, and your father and I are proud of what you've achieved, but you could do so much better."

"I'm happy, and I'm not interested in doing anything else, so can you please just accept the fact that I'm not going to change careers?"

She lightly sighed. "I suppose. But you can't blame me for wanting the best for you."

"I already have the best." He grabbed Jeneda's hand and pulled it onto his lap, then stared pointedly at his mother.

Perhaps realizing that he was trying to shift the attention to Jeneda, Kitty shifted her eyes to her son's girlfriend. "And what do you do for a living, Jeneda?"

"I'm a sculptor."

"Really." She perked slightly, then asked, "What type of sculptures do you create?"

"Free-standing. I work with clay, mostly."

"Where did you train?"

"The Artist's Academy."

"The same school as Dane." Kitty diverted her attention to her son. "Is that where you two first met?"

"Yes, but we didn't know one another while we were in college. We met two months ago, at a lecture I was giving."

"Oh yes, you were a guest speaker." She briefly paused before asking, "So two months of dating, and no mention that you have a girlfriend?"

"I told you mother, I didn't want to jinx it," he said with slight irritation.

"Yes, I know. I'm just a little surprised, that's all."

The maid arrived with a tray of tea and cream puffs, and after setting it on a marble coffee table, she lifted the teapot and poured liquid into four cups. Once she was finished, she clasped her hands in front of her apron, then addressed Kitty.

"Mr. Takahashi will only be a minute longer. Will you need anything else, Miss?"

"No, we're quite alright. Thank you, Susana."

They each leaned forward to grab a cup of tea, then idly sipped it in silence. As they were enjoying their pastries and tea, Jeneda found herself sneaking a few looks at Dane's mother, and wasn't entirely surprised to find that Kitty was doing the same.

Whenever their eyes met, Kitty would give her one of her half-assed smiles, and Jeneda would do the same. It got so uncomfortable that Jeneda began to hope her and Dane's visit would soon come to an end, but then Kitty finally broke the silence.

"I imagine being a sculptor is very interesting."

"It is, and I really enjoy it, but it can also be frustrating as well."

"How so?"

"I'm a bit of a perfectionist. So if one little thing seems off, I start over from scratch."

"I suppose you'd have to be very precise in a field like that."

"Most definitely. But it fits my personality, so It's a great fit for me."

"Have you had any notable clients?"

"A few doctors, some high profiled lawyers."

"She just did a sculpture for the San Francisco Symphony," Dane piped up.

"Really." A look that could almost pass for admiration crossed Kitty's face. "Very impressive. I'll have to make a point in visiting soon, so I can see your work."

"You definitely should," Dane said. "She's very talented."

Jeneda couldn't lie. Having Dane boast about her felt incredibly good, and it was definitely gratifying to see the look of surprise on Kitty's face, but she was also a little embarrassed as well.

"He's laying it on thick," Jeneda said. "I'm not *that* good."

"Nonsense." Kitty's cold blue eyes seemed just a little less frosty. "You must be quite skilled, if the San Francisco Symphony commissioned you."

The sound of approaching footsteps diverted Jeneda's attention to Dane's father, and as he came closer to where they were sitting, both Jeneda and Dane rose to their feet.

Undeniably handsome, he had the same jutting cheekbones as his son, as well as thick black hair that was cut short. Dressed in a pair of khakis, a polo shirt, and shiny brown loafers, he had a sharp, well put together look. The energy he exuded seemed to suggest that he was fairly easy going, and as he gave Jeneda a smile, she returned it.

He came closer to the chaise lounge where Jeneda and Dane were sitting, and they both rose to greet him. Dane and his father hugged, and as Jeneda watched them engage in small talk, she noticed that Dane was noticeably taller than his father. Dane's skin was also a lot paler, but his facial features were very similar.

She felt Dane place his hand against the small of her back, and gently coaxing her closer to his father, he said, "This is my girlfriend, Jeneda. Jeneda, my father, Naohito."

"Nice to meet you, Jeneda." He offered his hand for her to shake.

"It's good to meet you, as well."

After parting from the handshake, Jeneda retook her seat on the chaise lounge with Dane, and Naohito sat in a chair directly next to his wife. He grabbed a cup of tea from the tray, took a lingering sip, and then set it back down before resting his eyes on Jeneda.

"So how long have you two been together?"

"Two months."

Naohito nodded, then helped himself to a cream puff. "I guess I should have known that Dane had a girlfriend. He hasn't been coming around very much, lately."

Jeneda smiled. "Sorry if I've been keeping him from you, but you know how it is when you meet someone new. You want to spend all of your time with them."

"I remember how that is. When Kitty and I first started dating, we barely spent more than a day apart." He glanced at his wife, who looked back at him with great affection. "Come to think of it, not much has really changed. Twenty-five years of marriage, and we're still going strong."

"Twenty-five years is quite a stretch," Jeneda said. "I always find it so impressive when people stay married for that long."

"It wasn't such a rare thing when Kitty and I first got hitched. Back then, divorce was looked down on. People were forced to work things out, and come to a solution. But society's changed, and not many people are willing to put in the work anymore."

"It's because of liberals, you know," Kitty said. "They want the right to do anything and everything. Divorce, open borders, an increase in entitlement programs." She rolled her eyes, then took a sip of her tea. "And they want people like *us* to pay higher taxes."

"Oh Kitty, enough with the liberal bashing. They aren't the catalyst for divorces, and never were. So let's get back on topic, okay?"

"But they certainly aren't helping things, either. If it were up to them, gays would have the right to marry."

"And that would just be horrible, right?" Dane asked. "It shouldn't matter who marries who, as long as they love one another."

"It's not that I'm against gays, darling. I have friends who are gay, so how could I dislike them?"

"Really," Dane said. "You have friends who are gay?"

Kitty nodded.

"Name one," Dane said.

"Marco."

"He's your hairstylist, mother. That doesn't count."

"Alright you two, let's give it a rest and get back to the subject matter," Naohito said. "Let's keep things light."

"It was a perfectly friendly debate," Kitty said. "But I agree that we've gone off topic." She took a sip of her tea, then directed her gaze at her son, and as her eyes drifted lower, an expression of concern crossed her face. "What happened to your hand?"

"Oh, this?" Dane lifted his left hand, which had two splinted fingers. "You know that birdcage elevator at my apartment?"

"Of course," Kitty said. "How could I ever forget such a horrible, decrepit thing?"

"I was trying to close the gate, and ended up smashing my fingers pretty good."

"When did this happen?"

"Around four days ago."

"How strange. That's only two days after you broke your nose."

"Your nose is broken?" Naohito asked.

"Yeah, somebody hit me with a door. It's no big deal."

"I didn't even notice." He leaned in closer for a better look at his son, and after a few seconds of studying his nose, he said, "Oh yeah, now I see it. There's a bump right on the bridge."

"It'll heal, Dane said, then quickly changed the subject. "Jeneda and I spent yesterday night in the lighthouse."

"You took her to the lighthouse?" Kitty's jaw nearly dropped.

"Yes, I did. Why, is that a problem?"

"Of course not." The look on her face, however, told a very different story. "I'm just a little surprised, because you've never brought anyone there before. At least not to our knowledge."

"Jeneda was the first." He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze, to which she returned.

"Well good, I'm glad you took her there." Naohito smiled. "Did you enjoy your stay, Jeneda?"

"Oh yeah, I had a fabulous time. It really is an amazing place."

"It's been in my family for more than forty years." Kitty spoke with an air of haughtiness, and she jutted her chin slightly forward in a display of pride. "It was passed down to me from my grandfather, who was the son of a lighthouse keeper."

"What an amazing inheritance," Jeneda said. "It must be nice to have something like that in your family for so many years."

"It is." She lifted the teapot and filled her cup with more tea, then took a small sip. "So, tell me about your family. What are they like?"

"My dad is a trucker, and my mom is an income tax preparer."

"I see. Do they live in San Francisco?"

"My dad does, but my mom lives in Key West."

"They're divorced?"

"Yes."

"Have either of them remarried?"

"My mom did, but my dad is single."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"One brother."

"Where does he live?"

"In Key West, with my mom."

"And why aren't you there with them?"

"I'm sorry?" Jeneda blinked.

A less than genuine smile crossed her lips. "What I meant was, with both your mother and brother living across the country, what made you choose to stay here?"

"I was born in San Francisco. I love it here, and couldn't see myself living anywhere else."

"The distance doesn't bother you?"

"Well of course I miss them, but we stay in touch through phone calls, and get together on holidays."

"So long as you keep that family bond. It's important to keep your loved ones as close as possible."

"I agree."

A moment of silence preceded Kitty's next question.

"So, what first attracted you to my son?"

"I won't lie. He's gorgeous, and that's the first thing that drew me in."

For the first time since Jeneda arrived, Kitty's lips tugged into a genuine smile, and with a prideful look on her face, she said, "He's always been a head turner. Ever since he was a baby."

"It's not just his good looks, though," Jeneda said. "He's creative, intelligent, and fun to be around. He's got a great sense of style, as well."

"I'll admit he got his beauty from Kitty, but all of his other qualities, he inherited from me," Naohito said, and he gave Jeneda a playful wink.

"My father's being modest," Dane said. "He was quite the lady-killer back in the day."

"According to who?" Kitty asked.

"Dad. He's shared some stories with me over the years."

"Oh, really?" Kitty looked fixedly at her husband.

"It was before I met you, Kitty. So there's no reason to get jealous."

"Who says I'm jealous?"

Purposely studying the teapot in front of him, Naohito opened the lid to look inside, then rose to his feet and lifted the tray it was sitting on. "Why don't I take this into the kitchen and get us a refill of tea?"

"Actually, Jeneda and I should be going."

"So soon?" Naohito asked. "But you've only been here for half an hour."

"I've got a meeting with my agent in the next few hours, and I'm sure Jeneda has stuff to do as well."

"Oh, okay." Naohito set the tray down, then along with Kitty, Dane and Jeneda, he headed for the door.

Upon reaching the entryway, they all said their goodbyes, and when it came time for Kitty and Jeneda to exchange pleasantries, they both put on their most amiable expressions.

"It was nice meeting you, Jeneda."

"Nice meeting you as well. I look forward to seeing you again soon." Her statement couldn't have been further from the truth, but it was the only thing Jeneda could think of to let Kitty know that she intended to remain a fixture in Dane's life.

"Mmm, yes. Take care." Kitty's half-assed smile made another appearance.

Jeneda and Dane then stepped outside, and after descending the stairs that led to the cobblestone driveway, they came to a halt.

"So, what did you think?" Dane asked.

"Your dad is nice, but your mom doesn't really seem to like me."

"She seemed to warm up to you when I mentioned that you created a sculpture for the San Francisco Symphony."

"That's true. But I still get the feeling that she doesn't want me with you."

"Well even if she doesn't, It's not going to change anything. We're together, and we're happy, so that's all that matters, right?"

She nodded and he gave her a peck on the lips, then walked her to her car.

"I'm sure you've got things to do, but if you have time, would you mind stopping by my place for a bit?"

"Any particular reason why?"

"Do you ever need an excuse to spend time at my apartment?" He reached a hand out to caress her cheek, then tenderly kissed the tip of her nose. "Actually, I just finished working on this new graphic novel, and I'd really like it if you gave me your opinion on it."

"Has anyone else seen it yet?"

"Nope, you'll be the first."

"Sure, why not?" She said. "It'd be an honor."

"Great. I'll lead the way home, and you follow."

She nodded, and after one last brief kiss, Dane headed for his car, which was parked directly in front of hers.

After climbing behind the wheel, Jeneda started up her vehicle, and once Dane put his Prius into gear, she followed him out of the driveway and onto the main road.

* * * *

Half an hour later, they arrived at Dane's apartment, and after taking the creaky birdcage elevator up to his loft, they stepped out into the hallway. And that was when they noticed the front door to his apartment was open.

They only had time to exchange a brief look of panic before crossing the threshold, and as they stepped inside, two sets of eyes turned to look at them.

"What's going on here?" Dane's eyes darted from one cop to the other before coming to land on his bed, which was occupied with a yellow legal pad, a baseball cap, a small pistol, and a high power laser pointer.

"What are you doing with my stuff?" He stepped toward his bed, but his progress was quickly halted by a male cop with red hair and green eyes.

"Are you Dane Takahashi?"

"Yes. Now tell me why you're here.

"We received a tip off that the person occupying this apartment is involved in criminal activities. This anonymous caller also informed us that you're part of a criminal ring, and are planning to rob Invotech Corporation, a computer chip company based in the waterfront district."

"You can't just enter my apartment without consent," Dane angrily said. "You need a warrant."

The cop retrieved a slip of paper from his pocket, then held it up for Dane to see. "We know you were casing Invotech last week. We found your notes, as well as a detailed sketch of both the front and back of the building. We located a pistol, and a high power laser pointer. We also have a witness who says they saw you parked in a car across from Invotech's building, and they correctly identified you, as well as the hat you were wearing that day." He motioned to his partner, who was a female officer with pasty skin, and she held up the baseball cap, which was enclosed in a large plastic evidence bag."

Looking quite pleased with himself, the red headed cop asked, "Do you wish to deny your involvement, or confess that you were planning a crime?"

Dane didn't say a word, only blew out a heavy sigh and put his arms behind his back. The cop retrieved a pair of handcuffs, and positioning himself behind Dane, he slipped them over his wrists.

"Dane Takahashi, you're under arrest for planning the robbery of Invotech Corporation." You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before the questioning."

By this time, the female cop had gathered up all of the evidence bags, and with the red haired cop leading a handcuffed Dane out the front door, she followed behind them. Jeneda trailed after them, and once they reached ground level and stepped outside, the two officers guided Dane toward their squad car.

Completely stunned, Jeneda had been left speechless, and was helpless to do anything except watch on in horror. But as the red haired cop pushed down on Dane's head and coaxed him into the back of the police car, Jeneda suddenly called out to Dane.

"Wait!" She threw her arms around his neck, then pressed her body flush to his, and after enveloping him in a lingering hug, she pulled back and looked into his eyes. "Do you want me to call someone? What can I do?"

"Nothing."

"What do you mean, nothing? I can't just let you to jail." Her voice cracked with emotion, throat tightening and eyes welling with tears.

Dane looked back at her with sadness in his eyes, then in a voice tinged with emotion, he said, "I'll call you when I get the chance, okay?" He kissed one of her tear streaked cheeks, and then the other. "Don't cry."