Jaden

Yay another chapter, it\'s a short one and I had it finished so I thought why not post it up. Happy reading, hope you all enjoy.





Chapter 11

(Tying Up Loose Ends)



Ebbe Dieter paced back and forth in his apartment almost out of breath; this was the most exercise he ever had since the blond haired man dropped him. The floor boards creaking, and bending with his heavy bulk as if begging for a reprieve from his movements. He kept looking at the clock wanting to finish this and be done with it. Marcus was true to his word, in 3 days he returned to check on him. Dieter explained that the police were slow in their investigation but assured him that he was calling and checking on their progress. Finally after almost two weeks time they were satisfied. The medical examiner signing off on the death certificate due to the poor condition of the body and the severe weather, Lizzie died of Pneumonia.



Sitting on his coffee table, he glared at the most expensive urn he ever saw. Marcus gave him the name of the funeral home to use and he had already told the caretaker which urn he wanted. Dieter almost died of a heart attack when the tall thin somber man told him which urn he had to purchase and how much it cost. It was a beautiful enameled solid bronze urn with features of flames that gave the appearance of glowing embers. Dieter had to shell out one thousand for the damn thing, and then he had to pay for the funeral fees to pick up the body and agree to a viewing for one night. Two thousand dollars just so Marcus and Jaden could come in and pay their last respect, two thousand he shouted hoarsely to the urn. For one night! As if the urn didn’t understand he showed it his pointer finger emphasizing the number one. Oh and lets not forget the clothes he had to buy, no he couldn’t accept the flimsy gauzy gown the funeral home sold, he had to drag his fat ass out of the Bronx to downtown Manhattan, and go into Bloomingdales and purchase an expensive dress in Lizzie’s favorite color. He paid five hundred and fifty dollars for the dress, plus another hundred for undergarments. Undergarments! He cried out exasperatedly did she really need undergarments?

As if he hadn’t suffered enough he had to pay another two hundred dollars to pay the priest to come in and hold a small mass for Lizzie. It wasn’t a salary said the church secretary, it was a donation and did he want a receipt so he could write it off his taxes? Had it not been for Marcus standing by him, he would have taken it.



When it was all said and done, Dieter was in the hole for over three thousand, eight hundred and fifty dollars including what it costs to pay for a cab both ways. He didn’t even steal that much from Lizzie and Jaden in the first place. His expenses also did not include what he had to pay for an emergency visit to the hospital to have a cast put on his wrist. He was going out of his mind. Any money he had to spend that was not for his pleasure was the most painful thing he had to do. Maybe he should have let Marcus kill him. It would have been less painful. As Dieter turned to continue his pacing he bumped into Marcus, stepping back in surprise, he hated it when the blond haired man did that, just showing up like that gave Dieter the creeps. How did he do that?



“Dieter, you seem upset. Is there anything I can do?” Marcus chided.

Once Dieter got over his shock of seeing Marcus there, he quickly explained that due to the late hour he was becoming concerned for his safety. Oh Dieter exclaimed he was so relieved to see him untouched and unharmed. After all he said in his most sincere voice, this neighborhood could be quite dangerous at night. He actually scolded Marcus for taking such a risk to his person. Then he actually had the nerve to show a friendly smile but failed miserably. Marcus said nothing as he just stood there like a cold stone statue looking at him, which un-nerved Dieter to no end. He hoped to portray a sad and pathetic man, in the hopes that Marcus would take pity and just leave him alone and take that expensive urn with him.



In fact Marcus felt no compassion for this man, the thought that this man could think to actually try to ingratiate himself to win any kind of favor from Marcus sickened him. He preferred to walk into burning fires then the likes of Ebbe Dieter. He then saw the urn on the coffee table, and was pleased Dieter followed his orders to the last detail, not to mention his pleasure seeing Dieter turn red in the face each time he had to dig into his pants pocket for his wallet. Any more redder and the man would internally combust into flames.

And of course he was glad he could have this done for Jaden, his heart would melt when Jaden kept thanking Marcus for all he has done to take care of his beloved Lizzie. While the priest Father Romero silently presided over the mass for Lizzie, Jaden kept holding onto Marcus’s hand as they sat quietly listening to his kind words for Lizzie. In the meantime Dieter was standing outside in the cold seething with frustration; and trying to keep track of his savings the amount dwindling to almost nothing, if this kept up he would have to pay bank fees just to keep the account active.



While Marcus enjoyed tormenting Dieter it was time to conclude this business. His eyebrow arched as he realized the true meaning of Dieter’s name, how disappointing that Dieter did not represent this meaning at all.



“Hummm, Ebbe Dieter? Do you have any idea what the meaning is of your namesake?” Marcus asked.



Dieter moved back from Marcus to keep some distance from him, he most undoubtedly knew the meaning of his name; Ebbe meant strong as a boar, Dieter meant a warrior of the people. Face turning red, trying to rein in his anger. He knew the blond haired man was mocking him; he hated the rich and powerful always snubbing their nose at him. He had enough of this, in the hopes that Marcus would get the hint, Dieter called his attention to the urn asking if it was to his liking and surely Jaden was waiting to see it. Marcus almost laughed out loud knowing exactly what the idiot was doing. But he was right, it was time to complete this transaction and go home. Jaden was waiting.



All he could see was an ocean of beautiful crystals of blue floating all around him, how strange Dieter thought to feel so light and airy, and the crystals so pretty and shiny. He had this overwhelming need to come closer to the most beautiful ice blue eyes he ever saw. He could feel himself giving it up like a cheap whore, leaning his head back as far as he could. But when nothing happened he saw the beautiful eyes moving away from him, not wanting to loose them he followed it, he thought he saw diamonds floating all around him, lovely shades of ice blue, aqua and white. [Diamonds?] He thought, but where did they come from? He had to get them, he walked on air, he wanted to fly, he went tumbling down the stairs.



His body rolled and tumbled; bones were crackling and braking with a sick wet sound, excruciating pain shocking him back to reality. When he landed with a loud splat on the next landing he tried desperately to move and get up, but only managed to topple over the next flight of stairs. In his desperation he tried to grab on to the handrails but a broken wrist and sweaty fat fingers could not hold on, so much for being strong as a boar. He tried to cry out for help but bit his tongue instead, managing to utter incomprehensible sounds. He landed hard on his head snapping his neck with a loud pop. He ended up face down in a twisted mass of fat on the next landing with eyes open staring into nothing. As for any curious onlookers, in this neighborhood people paid no attention. Most of the tenets were sound asleep in a drunken stupor or high on drugs. His body would not be discovered until someone left his apartment in search of his buddies to join them on the front stoop.



Jaden cried when he saw the beautiful urn Marcus placed on a table next to the chair he sat in. Jaden was in the library staring into the flames of the fireplace when Marcus walked in. he watched Jaden admire the urn and followed his finger as he traced the intricate designs on its surface. Every now and then he whispered a loving word to Lizzie. He put the old box next to the urn, telling Lizzie that he has not forgotten his promise; Jaden then looked at Marcus and asked if he would read to him, while he was waiting for Marcus to return, he found a book with beautiful pictures of exotic places he never knew existed. He was all covered up in Marcus’s thick robe and pajamas and socks on his feet. He watched Jaden get up and offer the big chair to him. When he sat down, Jaden then climbed up on his lap laying his head on his shoulder and placed the book in his lap. What place is this, he asked pointing to a beautiful castle high up in the mountains. Marcus tenderly embraced the boy and kissed the top of his vanilla scented hair and began to tell him about beautiful places far and near. That is how they spent Thanksgiving, sitting by the fire all warm and cozy in each other’s arms.