Distraction

Jackson snapped his head up looking in the direction she was pointing ,seeing a silver Bentley setting just down the street from the big metal gate that stretches across his drive way. Not sounding bothered at all, he nonchalantly comments " I wonder if I should invite Mr. Taylor in for a drink? He seems eager to talk to me."

Karmen scoots closer to him, shuttering and stammering " please don't let him hurt me"

He pulls her up into his lap, gently pressing her head down on his shoulder speaking calmly " Babe , I promise I won't let him near you." He embraced her gently caressing her back, her shoulders heaved slightly as low muffled sobbing sounds escaped her lips.

The limousine pulled up to the black metal gate , when the gate opens ,he slides karmen off his lap, opening the door getting out of the limousine. Telling Alex.

"take the girls in the house ,I will be there shortly."

Karmen reached out for him ,begging him

"No, no please don't leave me."

Leaning over he kissed her softly, speaking calmly "Babe go with Alex and Lexi, I will only be a few minutes."

Lexi, moved over beside her putting her arm around her shoulders,trying to calm her down. Her voice filled with compassion

"Karmen, it will be ok , Jackson will tell him to leave you alone. Just come inside with me and Alex ."

He closed the door and tapped on the roof of the limousine,signaling the driver to pull forward. The driver headed the car down the long brick driveway, circling behind the huge water fountain, pulling underneath a

Porte-co-cheer held up by four marble columns.Alex slides his phone out of his pocket pushing in a security code to unlock the front door.The driver immediately opened the car door for them, Alex stepped out first, looking in the direction of the street , he listened closely, not hearing any signs of a struggle, He put his hand out for Lexi to take . Lexi held one of her hands out for Alex and with the other one she held onto Karmen's hand pulling her out of the limousine with her. Alex calmly walked beside the two girls up to the front door, He turned the knob stepping to the side for the two girls to enter the luxurious entryway,stepping inside he Pulled the heavy wooden door closed behind him. Turning in Karmen's direction asking her "do you know your way around?"

With a shaky voice she mumbled "I have only been here once."

With a gentle smile and a kind voice Alex announced "Welcome to your new home, let me show you the way to your bedroom."

Alex walked in front of the two girls towards a grand marble staircase with huge brass candelabras sitting on marble columns at the foot of the stairs. Speaking to Karmen as they walked trying to distract her from the activities out side " this mansion was our great grandfather and grandmother Fletcher's. It's a bit ostentatious, It's the largest and most lavish mansion in The Country . I doubt if Jackson even knows how many bedrooms it has."

Alex managed to hold her attention for the time being. As engaged in the light conversation with him and Lexi.

"Do you know how many bedrooms it has?"

Lexi, jumped at the chance to tease her, asking?

"Why do you ask Karmen, are you planning to have enough babies to fill up all the bedrooms?"

Laughing loudly, Alex comments, "that a lot of babies, I believe this Manson has about 30 bedrooms."

He paused in front of a set of hand carved wooden doors, opening them wide for the girls to step inside the luxurious extravagantly decorated bedroom telling karmen , "Jackson hasn't touched a thing in this house , it still looks same as it did when my grandparents lived here."

Pointing towards the massive four poster canopy bed ,with intricate botanical carvings and marble accents in the middle of the room. Adorned with white silk drapery ,tied back to the post with a heavy white tasseled cord . She knotted her brows together Stammering

"Is that your great grandparents bed?"

Chuckling a little at her questionable expression , he continued as he showed her around the master bedroom.

Yes , that is my great grandparents bed, but I'm sure my mother bought those linens. As he opened closet doors , and showed her the bathroom he continued talking about the Grand Mansion finding it to be a useful distraction.

"My mother inherited this mansion from her grandparents.After living here just a short while, she found the house to be to large for just one person.That's when she bought her penthouse uptown .. Jackson moved from the castle to here to be closer to his work."

Chuckling, With amusement in his voice , he shared a childhood memory.

" I believe Jackson only wanted to live in great grandmother Fletcher's house so he could run in the hallway. Every time we ran in the hallway in her house. Great Grandmother Fletcher would spank us and make us sit on the sofa for the rest of the day."