Playlist - Kansas City by Wilbert Harrison

Ares

My every move was considered, debated, and evaluated—yet this situation has gone completely out of hand. There was a simple plan to execute: Make my Luna's life complete miserable and leave her at her lowest.

That was what Chase and I had originally agreed on, and have our own little fun with it, but the strategic turn of events just threw everything out of the window. This was no longer ìnnocent- it wasn't innocent to begin with yet it didn’t involved in death of anyone.

A tragic automobile accident had claimed Mia Carter-Henry’ life and nearly Luna’s life. A sudden pang of guilt hit me at the news of Mia’s death and I couldn’t imagine how I would have felt if...

Bright side, Luna was still alive, but fighting for her life. The doctors said that her head was badly affected due to receiving several hits. It was a miracle that she even had a beating pulse.

Since her accident I have devoted my time either to spend time outside her room or with Chase. I know Mia’s death has affected him more than anyone. Although the CPD has ensured the families that the accident was not due to reckless driving, but because of the wet road.

I wasn’t buying it. The story seemed absolute bogus to me. I had a feeling that it was a suicide. Mia had committed suicide.

Truthfully, even now, I think I was a small persona who encouraged her suicide and the guilt was wrenching my guts. I should've stopped Chase from going hard on her to the extent of getting her pregnant.

I clutched my hair in my hand, frustrated. Today was Mia’s funeral. It was a closed casket. The arrangement would take place in St. Peters Church at two. The Henry family was a wreck; at least her mother. It was awfully quiet at their estate when I walked inside. 

The aura of the place reeked of funeral. Knowing my way around this place, I immediately headed to Chase’s study. Not bothering to knock, opening the door I found Cade Henry standing in the room.

“Oh, Ares. You're here. I was waiting for you.”

“Me?” I asked, incredulously.

“Son, step inside. There's an important matter I have to discuss with you.”

We both settled on the couch. Cade offered me a drink and I declined it. If I started drinking now then I wouldn't be able to stop.

“”I'm facing a grave situation here.” He stared into the cavity of his glass. “When I met Rosa she had been recently divorced with a baby almost the same age as my son. When I married her, I thought it would be better if her daughter lived with us, some sort of a sibling to Chase.” He chuckled at his own words.

“Yeah, great siblings,” I commented.

“I wouldn't have suspected my son to fall in love with her even in my wildest dreams. It makes me want to go back in time and have Mia’s father take her away from my family. But that's not what happened. Right now, my wife's a wreck and my son more of a wreck than her and I can handle my wife not my son.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Do whatever he asks of you. I know I would've done whatever Silas had asked me to do. Nothing makes me happier to know that our sons are best friends. I want you to help him recover from this havoc. I would require yours and your sister's help?”

“Why my sister?”

“They are going to marry someday, then why not be together now?” 

The idea of a new test intrigued me, but there were risks prevailing in there. I think I might just have the bourbon. Cade handed me a glass of it, and I gulped the potion in. 

I entered Mia’s bedroom and found Chase going through her belongings, searching for something, frantically. It seemed to be emptying the contents from what appeared to be, a bag.

“Chase, what are you doing?” He didn't bother to respond to my question. “Looking for something?” I closed the door behind me and went to his side.

“YES!” He yelled. “I can't find a necklace. It was a gold chain with a Cornelia flower pendant, and to the back of it C&M engraved on it. It was in this room, but it has disappeared.”

“Maybe it's gone. Lost.”

“No.” He appeared crestfallen, punctured by my words. “Don’t fucking say that and help me find it. I need it.”

“Listen to me, Chase.” I pulled the bag away from him. “We lose things in life because nothing is permanent. Snap out of your daze.”

“Shut up.” He pushed me away. “I will do what I want to. You cannot stop me.”

Instead of getting angry and punching him square on his face, I took the high road and engulfed him in a hug. He tried to pull away, but right now he was emotionally too weak to do anything.

“You are not responsible for her death. Don’t beat yourself up. She loved and cared for you and the last thing she would've wanted was to see you damaged.”

“I should've stayed away from her. I just wish…” Not caring to complete his words he drowned on the floor clutching his head. “That necklace meant a lot to me. To us. I can't let them bury her without it. Help me find it or else I'll go crazy.”

“Fine. Let's get to the task.”

After searching in every corner of the room, we finally gave up and went to Chase’s room.

“It has to be somewhere. It can't just disappear.” He moped.

“When was the last time you saw it?”

“She threw it at me when she heard the news of my engagement and walked away. I think we were in the library at the time of the incident.” A twisted smile appeared on his face. “It led to a night full of hot sex and I made her promise to never take it off…”

The fog around his gaze dissipated and realization hit him. “Shit. Library it is.”

In the library, Chase went directly for the second shelf and removed a worn book from it. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter was in his hands for several minutes. He was bracing himself for whatever content it held and when he flipped the pages; it was there.

The gold Cornelia necklace was there in the book. He sighed in relief and held onto it as if it were his lifeline.

“She was never a promise keeper.”

                                 ***