Delusion by Avery North
Chapter 5
“Is this my bedroom?” Adam asked, looking around the room in awe. Amber had decorated it perfectly for a little boy. His three-tier bunk bed, dresser, and desk were painted shades of red and blue, and pictures of various trucks decorated the walls, which Adam was fascinated with.
Amber smiled as she watched him walk around the room, touching everything, including the large toy box full of Lego and racing cars.
“Yes, Adam. It’s all yours and no one else’s,” Amber said, smiling as Jake came up behind her.
“Do you like it, Adam?” he asked, putting his hand on Amber’s shoulder, making her flinch away. Although they were friendly with each other, the past events still weighed heavily on their minds, and Amber was still very cold towards Jake when he attempted any type of intimacy.
“Can I invite Timmy and Stevie over to play with my stuff?” Adam asked, sitting down on the bottom bunk and looking up and Amber and Jake.
“You most certainly can,” Amber answered, going over and sitting down on the bed beside him. “You can have them over anytime you want, and you can even have sleepovers. That’s why we got this bunk bed for you. They will each have a bed.”
Adam looked at her and furrowed his little brow. “What’s a sleepover?"
Amber looked up at Jake sadly. She sometimes forgot that he had spent most of his life at the Cornerstone. “It’s when you have your friends over to sleep at your place, and you do silly things like play games or watch television all night and eat chips and drink lots of pop.”
"And have burping contests and tell ghost stories under the blankets,” Jake added, making the boy break out in giggles.
“Would you like to do those things?” Amber asked the boy.
Adam’s eyes lit up as he looked at her. “Oh, I’d really like that.”
“Perfect. So how about we go downstairs and have some fresh-baked cookies and a glass of milk, and then we have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise? What type of surprise?" Adam asked, grinning from ear to ear.
“Well, it seems to me that someone doesn’t have a bicycle yet. What do you say I take you shopping for a bike?” Jake said, smiling.
“I’m gonna get a bike?” Adam cried out excitedly before suddenly going quiet.
“Adam, what’s wrong?” Amber asked.
“I don’t know how to ride a bike. Miss Warren said I was too small to ride the bikes at the home.”
“Not to worry, Adam. I happen to be an excellent teacher,” Jake said, smiling at the boy. "We'll go get your bike, and when we come home, I'll teach you how to ride it."
Adam nodded his head excitedly as he jumped off the bed. “Thanks, Dad.”
Jake looked at Amber and smiled, feeling a lump form in his throat. Looking at Amber, he nodded. “Okay, let’s go, son.”
After Jake and Adam left, Amber made herself a cup of tea and sat on the couch. They could be so happy right now if those damn pictures weren’t looming over their heads, Amber thought to herself. They had agreed not to let Adam know there was anything wrong between them, so although Jake and Amber currently slept in separate bedrooms, Jake would make sure he was in Amber’s bed in the morning, so Adam didn't suspect anything. She wanted more than anything to have Jake hold her, make love to her. She wanted desperately to feel his lips on her skin, feel his hands tease her until she begged him to finish, but she just couldn’t. Images of Jake in the photos kept filling her head, making it spin.
Hearing her phone buzz, she reached over and picked it up.
“Hey, Susan,” she said, answering it.
“How are things going over there. Is the little guy settling in?” Susan asked excitedly.
Laughing, Amber answered. “He is a little overwhelmed, I think. Jake has taken him out to buy a bike, and I’m sure there will be other things coming home too.”
“Speaking of Jake, how are things with you two?” Susan asked.
“We are doing the best we can under the circumstances,” Amber answered. “I’m trying very hard to believe that Jake couldn’t have done what he did, but it’s hard, especially with those damn pictures. Having Adam come live with us is a great distraction. There are times when it doesn’t feel like we have anything looming over our heads, and I think everything is fine, then I’ll remember.”
“Well, Jake loves you and what you had before is far too great to throw it all away without knowing the true story,” Susan answered. “Have you tried to get ahold of Corrine?”
“No,” Amber said, shaking her head. “I have no idea where she is. I wish I did because I certainly have a few questions to ask her. I tried calling her on the cell number I had, but it’s been disconnected.”
“Did Jake ever speak to the bartender?”
“He’s going there tomorrow. He tried after we got back from the cabin, but the guy was off. I’m hoping he can shed some light on what happened. I’ll let you know,” Amber said. “We are also going to hire a private investigator to find Corrine and get to the bottom of all of this.”
Hanging up, Amber lay her head back on the couch. She hoped they would have some answers soon because, without answers, she would always be suspicious of Jake. As much as she didn’t want to believe it, the doubt would always be there.
✽✽✽
“Shit. That really does look like you,” Kevin Stewart said, looking at the pictures Jake had given him.
"I know, and I need to find out who this guy is," Jake said. “Whoever did this wants my reputation ruined. It’s causing problems between Amber and me too.”
“No shit. What does Amber say?”
"Well, at first, she was convinced it was me, which really upset me. I mean, how can she think I would do something like that? She was determined to put an end to our relationship, our future, everything. I was finally able to convince her to give me a chance to prove my innocence. I swear to god to you, Kevin, that is not me.”
Kevin nodded. “Well, I’ll do my best. Corrine Earle is the woman you said was involved?”
“Yes. She raised Amber, but after Amber’s parents passed and an inheritance was involved, it caused a rift between the two of them. I should also tell you that there is a clause in the will that if anything happens to Amber, Corrine gets everything,” Jake said, taking a deep breath. “Everything was going so perfect for us and now this.”
"Okay, my friend. I’ll do my best. No guarantees, but I can tell you are in pain, and if you say this is not you, that's good enough for me," Kevin said, putting two of the pictures in his briefcase. “I will do everything I can to find out who did this and why.”
“Thanks, Kevin. I really didn’t know who else to turn to. I wish Amber thought like you,” Jake said. “She was ready to send me to the curb for good.”
“I’ve got one case I’m just finishing up, but once that’s done, I’ll start working on yours. If I can’t find this guy, I’ll certainly get proof that it isn’t you,” Kevin said, standing up. “Don’t worry, Jake. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”