Duplicity Ch. 06

Layla's eyebrows wrinkled, "Merle?"

"Yes, Mr. Merle was kind enough to come to my house and help reinforce some kitchen cabinets. He knows my Kostas had a stroke a couple years back and can't do much around the house. So one day, I mentioned that my cabinet door had fallen off and that my cabinets looked a little loose. Well after that he insisted on coming and taking a look. I begged him not to go through the trouble but he would not listen; he just grabbed the tools he needed and was on his way."

Layla was deep in thought. Yea, she could see Merle doing that.

Knowing him, at first he probably threw some things around in frustration. Probably cursed and grumbled at how badly the cabinets were installed in the first place. Then efficiently and patiently, he'd set it right. He probably talked to Kostas for a bit. And knowing Eleni, she probably insisted on feeding him.

The corners of her mouth couldn't help but twitch; ending in a coy smile.

She felt her body warm and her breath quicken as she imagined Merle's strong hands securely tightening the wood pieces. She quickly remembered how adeptly those rough hands massaged her thighs and caressed her sweet spot. Unconsciously she licked her lips.

"He's such a good man. Now I don't have to worry about that heavy wood falling on my Kostas."

Layla cleared her throat and uncomfortably shifted her feet. "Well I'm glad he was able to help."

"Did you need anything else Miss?"

"No that's all Eleni, thank you."

And with that she walked away unsuspectingly leaving Layla hot and bothered.

Dinnertime came around and Layla was on her way to the dining room. She walked down the hall and heard some arguing coming from what she knew was Nicole's room. The voices were muddled but distinguishable.

"... what you wanted... make up your fucking mind!" John's voice boomed.

"Such an ASSHOLE!!" Nicole screamed.

Layla shook her head and chuckled but kept walking. As she approached the dinner table, she realized she was the first to arrive. She walked around the large table, idly running her hands on the backs of the chairs.

She shook her head. She had to snap out of it, this couldn't be healthy. She was currently residing in La La land. As she chastised herself, Sienna and Jason arrived.

"You hungry?" Jason asked.

"I am. Did you cook?" Layla jokingly asked.

"Yea right. Let me tell you, this man would cook these amazing meals in New York. I'm talking... take a picture-and- ask for the recipe- good. But here? He barely makes his own sandwich."

Sienna's eyes twinkled as she looked at Jason. She'd talked to him earlier about Sean's behavior. Jason wisely told her to not rush him. It was important to let Sean take his time opening up and that she should have faith that everything would be ok. Sienna smiled. Jason always knew what to say to make her feel better.

"Hey what can I say? In New York I had to pull out all the stops to impress my lady, right?"

They all chuckled and Jason whispered something in Sienna's ear. She gasped and smacked his shoulder. "You're so bad." She replied. Jason brought her close and gave her a deep kiss momentarily forgetting Layla was there.

Layla smiled and tried to give them privacy. This was why she became a wedding planner.

A subdued but tense John and Nicole arrived and they all took their seats. John sat next to Jason and Nicole sat next to Sienna and Layla sat towards the end next to the empty seat.

Immediately Angela the head cook and her assistant brought out several piping hot dishes and carefully set them on the table. The food smelled so good. There was rack of lamb, shish-kabobs, mousaka, rice, steamed vegetables, salad and pita bread.

"I hope my cousin makes it down in time for dinner. I don't know if I wanna save his ass any of this good food."

"Oh that's right; you said your cousin was here already. What's his name again?" Nicole asked.

"His name would be Merle." A deep voice said as it approached them.

"Merle! Oh thank goodness! You made it just in time." Sienna's voice still held traces of worry.

Merle came up and gruffly took a seat next to Layla at the end of the table. Layla looked at him and smiled but he looked straight ahead. Layla could almost feel the chill coming from his direction.

"John, Nicole, this is my cousin Merle."

"Nice to meet you." Nicole said. John nodded in greeting.

Merle was silent and wore a bored expression.

As everyone dug into the food and lightly chatted; Layla and Merle were quiet. Layla felt her frustration build. What was his problem? Such an ass. She could just as easily ignore his moody behind.

"How come I've never heard about this cousin of yours?" John quietly asked Jason.

Jason already had an explanation ready for him. "I never kept in touch with the Bane side of the family, hadn't seen him since I was little. But we recently reconnected after my father's conviction. If anyone from that side will be at the wedding, I'm glad it'll be him."

Seemingly content with his answer, John nodded. But after a while he asked, "I thought your father was an only child."

Oh crap, Jason thought. "Huh? Oh he is. Merle's mother is my grandfather's youngest sister. She had him late in life. So I guess Merle would technically be my second cousin." John pondered on his words and slowly nodded again.

Nicole silently observed Merle while she intermittently chatted with Sienna. He had this familiarity to him she couldn't quite place. Maybe she'd run into him somewhere in the City.

"So Merle, what do you do for a living?"

Merle slowly looked towards the voice that asked the question and smirked. He knew where this was going. His old friend Nicole was so predictable... not to mention a pain in the ass.

"Why, you hiring?"

"Just curious. You seem so familiar to me."

No one noticed Sienna stiffen or how Jason's eyes widened.

But Merle noticed. He chuckled and took a long drink from that trusty flask. He perused Nicole's features. It was surreal seeing and talking to her again. Her piercing brown eyes and pouty mouth never held back on what she thought of you. She sported that familiar look, intently looking at him as if figuring out a puzzle.

Memories flooded back into him, some good and some bad. And surprisingly, he was ok with it.

He cleared his throat. "I'm a retired Marine."

"Really?"

He raised his flask in salute towards her. "Really." He took another drink.

John snickered under his breath but covered it up with a cough.

This motherfucker... "You got something to say pal?"

"Merle..." Sienna warned.

"No but I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I do." John quickly countered.

"Just say what you wanna say with your pussy ass. Nobody's stopping you." Merle coolly answered.

"Calm the fuck down... both of you." Jason interjected.

"The fuck did you just call me?!"

"You heard me, you-"

"Just seem soo familiar to me... You sure we haven't met before?" Nicole asked, ignoring the tense interchange.

"The City is a big place, Nic." Sienna remarked.

"No, I know. I can't think of it now but it'll come to me."

Merle looked at Nicole and grinned as a thought came to him. "Well, I do work part-time security at an adult super store on Mercer and 8^th Street called Naw-T by Nature."

Silence.

Everyone erupted in laughter.

Nicole's face flushed red in embarrassment. She covered her face and chuckled. "Yep that's probably it." Merle laughed quietly because he recalled from his home surveillance check-ins she was a frequent customer.

After a content moment of silence, they resumed eating their food. Everyone except John, who was still pissed and deep in thought.

"No fucking way this guy was a Marine." He said under his breath.

It was so quick; if you blinked you would've missed it. With swift agility Merle grabbed his sharp steak knife and hurled it towards John. The offending object stabbed a wedge of pita bread on the tray that lay a few inches in front of him. There was a collective gasp.

"You mind passing me a slice?" Merle smiled innocently.

The color on John's face momentarily drained but was quickly replaced with a light pink color... as he became completely enraged. His fists vibrated and his knuckles turned white.

Silence

"Let's go for a walk John." Jason's voice sliced through the tension. "Come on. Let's walk it off."

Sienna silently bit her nails observing the scene while Nicole polished off the rest of her dinner as if nothing had happened.

John roughly got up, slammed his chair and stalked out of the room.

Jason shot a warning glare and pointed at Merle. "That... was unnecessary. You need to calm the fuck down." His tone brokered no argument. He kissed Sienna on the cheek, whispered something in her ear and walked after John.

Merle's fists clenched as he tried to compose himself. He breathed deeply and evenly. Through the haze of his anger, he felt a soft touch.

He looked down and realized Layla's delicate hand rested on top of his.

For the first time all day, he looked into her eyes. Everything slowed down and blurred around them.

This is why he needed to ignore her.

It was so easy to be rendered powerless in her presence. Her beautiful bright eyes held his in concern and silent strength. She squeezed his hand and he felt himself calm for the first time all day. Merle's thumb lightly rubbed hers in appreciation.

Sienna shook her head in disgust. "Have you lost your damned mind?! You better change your attitude and quick. You hear me?" Her voice was stern. She didn't even flinch as she stared Merle down. In that moment Sienna was the spitting image of their mother Sharon, when they'd finally gotten on her last nerve.

Merle pursed his lips, slightly nodded in acknowledgement and finally looked away.

Nicole looked at Sienna in admiration and was taken aback. Her best friend was not usually so direct with people. Maybe it was true what they said about baby hormones and Mama Bear instincts.

Nicole gave Merle a toothy grin. "Welcome to the family."

_______

Outside in the courtyard, John furiously stalked from side to side like a tiger in a cage. Jason observed him while he poured them a drink from the bar.

"What the fuck Jay! Are you sure this guy is your cousin?"

Jason sighed, "Yes John. Why the fuck do you keep asking that?"

"Listen man, I'm your best friend. It's my job to watch your back. And something just ain't right with that dude."

"You worry too much."

"I worry too much? It seems like you don't worry enough. If you haven't noticed you're fucking rich, man. It would be too easy for some joker to pose as a long lost family member to swindle money out of you."

Jason slowly exhaled. This was what he was afraid of. John was fiercely protective and knew everything about him. He would have to make some shit up and quick... before Merle's identity was compromised.

"John man, I appreciate your concern. But do you think I'm stupid? When Merle and I were reunited, I told him I wanted to research our lineage to complete our family tree or some shit like that and I would need his DNA. So I swabbed him and sent it to the lab; to make sure we were really related. You're my best friend man, my brother. So I need you to get along with little family I have left."

John looked surprised and his features softened. He inhaled and exhaled. "I'm sorry man... I guess I was totally off-base. I've just been on edge lately."

Jason clasped his shoulder. "It's alright man."

They drank their Scotch in silence.

"So does little Miss Nicole have anything to do with you being on edge lately?"

John's guilty expression and silence was enough of an answer.

"Right. Ok well all I'm gonna say is, be careful with that one. You need to chill out man, relax; always on edge and shit. I'm getting married, you're my best man, and we're on a beautiful island. Just enjoy it. Tomorrow I'm gonna take you to the beach so your pasty ass can get a tan."

John laughed. "Alright man. That sounds good."

__________________

After a little while Merle felt his lonely hand cool. He looked to his side and realized Layla was gone. He'd been thrown off base with Nicole's welcoming him to the family. Merle sighed and silently left the table.

He shot a glance towards Sienna. "Good night Merle. We'll talk tomorrow," was all she said.

Merle stopped outside Layla's door and hesitated in knocking. He paced up and down the hall, muttering to himself, pondering on what to say.

He knew she was probably angry at him but he needed to explain. Give her some kind of an explanation. He needed to tell her how much last night meant to him. Tell her the truth. He laid his forehead on the door seemingly conflicted. But there was no way he could tell her everything now, there was too much going on.

He had to tell her. All or nothing.

After a couple of minutes, he braced himself and knocked on the door.

No answer.

He knocked again. "Come on Layla, open up. I just want to talk."

No answer.

Was she that mad at him? If she would only open the door, he would tell her.

He banged on the door. "Open up sweetheart."

Huh.

No answer.

She obviously didn't want anything to do with him.

Maybe it was best this way.

This whole situation was already so fucked up. What did he think? He would tell her the truth. Oh hey sweetheart, guess what? I've been pretending to be a completely different person the whole time we've been together. I'm actually the bride-to-be's dead brother... who is running from the U.S. government... and Al Qaeda terrorists. Oh and I think I might be I'm falling in-.

Merle shook his head and bitterly chuckled. So fucked up.

No. This was good. The less she knew the better, the less danger she would be in.

He didn't need another distraction. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her. That was it, he made up his mind. He'd just have to make a clean break. Merle sadly looked at the unresponsive door; this would obviously be harder on him than her.

He knocked again.

No answer.

"Fuck it!" He huffed. He walked away and slammed his bedroom door.

...

Five minutes later Layla walked down the hall.

She'd decided to make a stop at the kitchen before going to bed. Her arms were full of bounty of junk food... a necessary companion tonight. She had ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate bars, marshmallows, gummy bears and potato chips.

There was enough to feed an army. And she didn't have a twinge of remorse about it either.

She didn't know why she felt the need to put her hand on Merle's at dinner. She couldn't help it. When she realized what was happening, it was too late.

It was just like two magnets that got a little too close. Kind of like them.

Layla shook her head. She didn't want to think about that now. Tonight she would have a good old fashioned pig out.

She shrugged. Tomorrow morning she'd just work it off in the small gym she'd found down the hall.