Chapter 117 - Stick Around

"So, what can I offer you?" Brandy asked as she set Jamal on the couch and turned to look at Matt who was looking around the living room curiously.

"I don't mind a glass of water," Matt said with a smile of gratitude, grateful that he had been invited in, even though it wasn't by Candace.

"Order coming up shortly," Brandy announced as she walked away leaving Matt alone with Jamal.

"So, how did you become my mom's friend?" Jamal asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously once they were alone.

Matt looked at the little boy, slightly taken aback by the unexpected and bold question, "We have come a long way," Matt said, unable to shake off the feeling that he was about to be interrogated by this kid.

"How long have you both been friends?" Jamal asked, crossing his hands over his chest, with a facial expression that told Matt that he was unwilling to buy any false story.

"Some months?" Matt asked uncertainly making the kid's brow arch.

Jamal snorted, "That isn't a long way," he said before asking him the next question, "Why doesn't she want to be friends with you anymore? Did you hurt her?"

Thankfully before Matt could say a word Brandy returned with his glass of water and sat down on the couch beside Jamal who was watching Matt with his hawk-like gaze.

"Did you?" Jamal asked again when it seemed like Matt was avoiding his question.

Matt had thought the kid would stop questioning him once his aunt returned to join them, but it seemed not. He glanced at Brandy who had an amused smile on her face as she tilted her head to one angle as though she was also waiting for his response.

Matt sighed inwardly, "I didn't."

"So why doesn't she want to talk to you?" Jamal pushed on, making it clear that his mother was dear to him and he wasn't going to allow just anyone to mess with her.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that question. Only your mom can do that," Matt said with a sigh.

"But..."

"To your room, Jamal. Now!" Candace called out sternly from the bedroom passage, making the kid get off the couch. He narrowed his eyes at Matt in warning before walking away.

Once he left Brandy giggled, "Jamal is fiercely protective of us. He considers himself the man of the house," she explained with an amused smile.

"I understand," Matt said, returning her smile as he raised the glass of water to his lips to take a sip. He was curious about a lot of things, but he couldn't ask any questions now.

"You must like Candace a lot," Brandy said, looking at him curiously.

The only reason she had invited him in was that she knew for a fact that even though Candace was pushing him away, Candace had been crazy about him when she didn't know his true identity. She had always been eager to chat with him and had laughed out crazily every time they were chatting online or speaking over the phone.

She had been excited on Candace's behalf that she had finally met someone she really liked after such a long time, and as such, she had felt sad when Candace returned after their first date looking so heartbroken as she broke the news to her that she couldn't be with him because he was a celebrity.

"What is there not to like? Have you met your sister? She is a really brilliant and interesting lady," Matt said, making Brandy giggle. Candace did prefer to be referred to as intelligent instead of beautiful.

"I know, right?" Brandy said with a proud smile. Between them, Candace was the brain. 

"Andy, can I have a word with you in the bedroom before I leave?" Candace asked from the passageway.

"Excuse me," Brandy said with a small smile as she stood up and walked away.

"You know I don't like this. I really don't want any of it and you know why!" Candace hissed at Brandy the moment she walked through the door and shut the door.

"Why? Because you don't want Jamal to know about our night job? Jamal is a smart kid..."

"There is that, but it's more than that! I can't believe I need to spell it out to you," Candace said, cutting her off. 

"Are you going to lie to me that you don't like him? I watched how you transformed into a very happy person when you first met him on the site. Do you have any idea how flustered you looked after meeting him at the club last night? You know I will always have your back, and I'm only out to do what makes you happy," Brandy said in a soft voice as she took Candace hands in her own and rubbed them gently.

"If my happiness means anything to you, then you will send him away. I won't be happy if my relationship with him exposes us all to danger. You know what it took us to be able to live like this," Candace said with a sigh making Brandy pause with a frown on her face. 

"Are you talking about J..." She stopped, remembering that they agreed not to mention the name of the person.

Candace gave her a nod as tears gathered in her eyes, "Yes,"

"I don't think he will be able to find us. He's still locked up in..."

"Andy, please. Just listen to me and ask him to leave," Candace pleaded desperately.

Brandy looked like she was going to argue, but seeing how Candace was trying to not to breakdown in tears, she heaved a deep sigh, "Just for the record, I think you are making a mistake by letting him go without even trying, but I will do as you have said," Brandy said before turning around to leave the room.

Matt who was seated in the living room could guess that the conversation was about him leaving, so he stood up immediately Brandy returned to the living room, "Thanks for your hospitality. I should be leaving now," he said with a small smile not wanting to put Brandy in the difficult position of asking him to leave.

"I'm sorry to see you leave when we haven't even talked yet. Thank you for stopping by," Brandy said with a serious expression on her face since she was feeling really sad for both Candace and Matt. She didn't know much about Matt, but she knew only a great guy could have made Candace as happy as she had been before they met. 

She walked him to the door and just as he walked through the door she placed a hand on his shoulder, making him turn to look at her with questioning eyes.

"Maybe if you hang around a little you could drop her off since she is going for her Sunday tutorials," Brandy offered in a whisper so that Candace wouldn't hear her.

"Tutorial?" Matt asked curiously, before recalling that Candace had once mentioned that she was studying for law school.

"Yes. So stick around, okay?" Brandy said with an encouraging smile and patted his shoulder, giving Matt the impression that she was asking him not to give up so easily on her sister. 

"I will try," Matt said as he returned to his car

He waited in his car for about thirty minutes until he saw the door open again and all three of them stepped out. Candace was now dressed in a simple purple-colored knee-length gown and low flat shoes. He watched as Jamal embraced her and Brandy waved at her before returning inside.

He thought about doing as Brandy had suggested by offering Candace a ride to her tutorial, but he didn't want to be turned down again. There was only so much that a man's ego could take, and he had taken enough for the last three days. Perhaps he was being selfish by asking her to give their friendship a chance when even he knew that by associating with him, she would be thrown into the spotlight which she was desperately trying to avoid. Maybe it was best he gave her some time to rethink her decisions. Now that he had come to that conclusion he couldn't help but wonder why he had been out here waiting for her for the past thirty minutes only to change his mind now..

Candace looked in the direction of the car parked away from her apartment and narrowed her eyes when she noticed that Matt was the person inside. She drew in a deep breath, ready to match over to where he was to ask him to leave her alone, but before she could take the first step he turned on the car's ignition and drove away.

Matt watched her from his rearview mirror as she watched him drive off, and he let out a sigh. He wasn't giving up on her, he just needed to give her time to sort out her feelings while he did the same.