Authors: Brenda Jackson
Ties That Bind (17 page)
Good things came to those who waited and she had waited on Randolph long enough. It was time she made her move.
Washington, DC
The excitement of returning to school was marred with anti-war demonstrations on most college campuses due to several things. One was the United States' War Mission's report which indicated that so far more Americans had been killed in Vietnam than South Vietnamese soldiers. Another was CORE, Congress of Racial Equality's resolution submitted to Congress that urged the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Vietnam, citing the draft was placing a heavy discriminatory burden on minority groups and the poor. A third was French President Charles de Gaulle's condemnation of the American policy and his arguments that a U.S. troop withdrawal from Vietnam would bring the United States greater world influence than it could achieve by continuing its military commitment. Added to those three was the country's protest of the court-martials of three army privates at Fort Dix, New Jersey, for disobeying orders to go to Vietnam.
It was the first week in September. Jenna had spent most of the day unpacking her things. Walking out of the bedroom she looked around the place she would be sharing with Leigh. The older row house had a living room, an eat-in kitchen, two smaller bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor, and a master bedroom and connecting bath on the second. Leigh had decided to use one of the bedrooms downstairs as a study room.
Jenna liked the way the bedrooms were situated, since they would provide ample privacy to the newlyweds whenever Noah was home. She'd even had a separate phone line installed in the bedroom she would be using. The house was located in a nice neighborhood of other row houses and was within walking distance to campus. With the lump sum Noah had received for enlisting, he had paid for the rental of the house in advance up to the time Leigh would be graduating in the spring.
Jenna's first class was at nine o'clock in the morning. Also on the agenda for tomorrow she had an appointment with the District of Columbia's largest architectural firm to discuss being a part of their internship program. She had a letter of recommendation from a professor who thought she could benefit greatly from the program.
She had only seen Randolph once since arriving in town two days ago. She knew he was busy trying to line up his classes as well as move into his own place. His housemate was a medical student by the name of Ben Lowell who Jenna had liked right away.
Leigh and Noah had left earlier to go to the market. Noah would be in town for another two weeks before leaving for basic training in Warner Robbins, Georgia. Randolph had mentioned that Ross would be leaving the first of October for the marines' training camp in South Carolina. She could tell the news bothered Randolph although he didn't say much about it. He really didn't have to. Since their parents' death Ross had always been the only real constant in Randolph's life, which explained their closeness. The two brothers had remained true and loyal to each other, just like their parents would have wanted.
Jenna decided to take a bath and be ready for bed when the newlyweds returned. She wanted to give them the privacy she felt they still needed and deserved.
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“Aren't you going to say something about my decision, Randolph?”
Randolph straightened from leaning against the door and took his hands out of his pockets. “Only if it's your decision and not Grandmother Julia's.”
The two brothers said nothing for a long moment. Ross had just told him of his plans to ask Angela to marry him. Randolph wasn't stupid. He knew Ross didn't love Angela and that the only reason he would even think of doing such a thing was because his grandmother was pushing it.
“Although the wedding won't take place until Angela finishes law school in two years, Grandmother Julia thinks we should at least become engaged before I leave so others will know she's spoken for while I'm gone,” Ross said as a way of explanation.
Randolph nodded. “I'll support whatever it is you want to do, Ross. I just want you to be happy.”
“Thanks, Randolph. I appreciate that.”
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Jenna picked up her phone on the first ring. “Hello.”
“Hey, baby. Did you get moved in okay?”
Smiling, Jenna tugged on the lapels of her bathrobe. “Yes. Everything is unpacked and my room looks lived in. It's so nice, Randolph. I'm going to enjoy living here with Leigh.”
“Sorry, I didn't get by to help you.”
“Don't worry about it. I know you had to get settled into your own place.”
“Yeah, but I had some help. Ross is still here. He won't be moving out until this weekend.” Randolph took a deep breath. “He's decided to ask Angela to marry him.”
That didn't surprise Jenna. Julia Fuller was expecting the couple to become engaged now that Ross was no longer in law school. “When will the wedding take place?”
“Not until Angela finishes law school.”
Jenna nodded. That was another two years. “I'm surprised your grandmother isn't pushing for an earlier wedding date.”
Randolph was surprised as well. “Maybe she just wants them engaged for now and plans to convince Ross to move the date up earlier at some point later. Who knows?” Deciding to change the subject, he asked, “What time is your first class in the morning?”
“At nine. Why?”
“So is mine. Do you want to do breakfast?”
“Yes, that sounds like a winner.”
“Good. I'll see you in the morning. I love you.”
“And I love you, too,” she whispered before hanging up the phone.
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A few weeks later, the night before Noah was to leave for basic training, Leigh tried putting on a brave face but it was hard. To give the couple privacy, Jenna made plans to spend the night over at Randolph's place.
“Don't look so sad, sweetheart,” Noah said to Leigh softly. “It's not the end of the world, you know. I'm just going to be gone for eight weeks and then I'll be back. At least we'll spend Christmas together.”
She tried smiling but found that she couldn't. “I know, but I'm going to miss you.”
Noah pulled her closer into his arms. “And I'm going to miss you, too, sweetheart. I've only committed four years to Uncle Sam and then I'll be home with you each and every night, and then we'll make all those babies that we want.” He could have done two years as a private, but going in as an officer was a four-year commitment. With an officer's salary, he and Leigh would be able to save a lot. It would be more than enough to set him up in private practice, which is what he preferred instead of going to work for a law firm.
“I've asked Randolph to check on you from time to time to make sure you're okay and have everything you need.” Noah chuckled. “With Jenna staying here with you that shouldn't be a problem for him.”
Leigh nodded, knowing that was true. She then decided to mention something to Noah that she had noticed last night at the small going-away party she'd given him. It was something she hadn't mentioned to anyone. Not even to Jenna. “Noah, did you happen to notice Angela last night?”
Noah lifted a brow. “What was there to notice about her? I admit I was surprised to see her here. She's never gone out of her way to get to know any of Ross's friends. I think the only reason she came was because she's living in Washington now and it would have looked awkward for her not to have come with Ross.”
Leigh met her husband's gaze. “I think she came because she knew Randolph would be here.”
Noah flashed her a frown. “What do you mean?”
Leigh sat up in bed. Sitting back on her heels she looked down at Noah. “I think Angela has a thing for Randolph.”
Noah's frown dissolved into a grin. “Why on earth would you think something like that?”
“Because she couldn't take her eyes off of him. Last night wasn't
the first time I've noticed it. I also picked up on it at the graduation ceremony last spring and the dinner party afterward. If looks could kill, Jenna would be dead and Randolph would be her man instead of Ross.”
the first time I've noticed it. I also picked up on it at the graduation ceremony last spring and the dinner party afterward. If looks could kill, Jenna would be dead and Randolph would be her man instead of Ross.”
Noah shook his head, finding the very thought absurd. “Honey, you're imagining things. Besides, even if she did prefer Randolph to Ross she would be wasting her time. Randolph loves Jenna.”
Leigh nodded, knowing that was true. “But still, I have a bad feeling about Angela, Noah. It's nothing I can put a finger on but there's just something ⦔
Noah shook his head. “I hope you don't tell Jenna what you suspect and get her upset. Randolph is going to have enough to deal with with Ross going away. The two of them are very close.”
“But what if I'm right?”
“And what if you're wrong? Look, if you
are
right I have all the confidence in the world that Randolph will find a way to handle Angela.”
are
right I have all the confidence in the world that Randolph will find a way to handle Angela.”
He leaned over and placed a lingering kiss on Leigh's lips. “I don't want to spend my last night with you talking, sweetheart.”
Leigh smiled. “Then I guess you're going to have to give me some sort of incentive not to talk.”
“That's not a problem,” he said as he pulled her down into his arms.
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Three weeks later
“Hi, Randolph, do you have a minute?”
Randolph glanced over his shoulder and saw Angela Douglass standing there. The two of them were in Professor Wayne's class and for the last hour they'd listen to the man give a boring lecture on the Dred Scott decision. “Yes,” he said, stopping to let other students pass. He tried to recall in all the time his brother had dated Angela just how many times he'd actually held a conversation with her and quickly concluded there hadn't been many.
He pushed the door open that led to the outside and waited while she passed through. He remembered when he'd seen her the first day
of class. She had sat in the back of the classroom trying to look like the perfect student. Although she never had a lot to say in class, whenever she was called on she was very opinionated.
of class. She had sat in the back of the classroom trying to look like the perfect student. Although she never had a lot to say in class, whenever she was called on she was very opinionated.
“I was wondering if you've heard anything from Ross? I haven't gotten but one letter from him since he's been gone,” she said quietly.
Randolph hesitated, not wanting to tell her that he had gotten a letter from Ross practically every week since he'd left. “Yes, I've heard from Ross and he's doing fine.”
“That's good news. I was worried about him.”
Randolph stared at Angela. She had said the words so softly, so meaningfully, he wondered for a mere second if perhaps he'd been wrong about her and that she did care for his brother. And maybe the reason she'd been so prim and uptight over the two years he'd known her was due to that rigid all-girl college she'd attended in Boston. He couldn't help but notice since attending Howard she'd become less uptight, less restrained, and wasn't as prim and proper. She was even wearing her hair differently. It wasn't all pinned on top of her head in the conservative style she normally wore but was hanging loose around her shoulders. It made her look younger, he thought as he continued to study her.
“There's no need to worry, Ross is doing fine. He'll be back home before you know it.”
“Yes and then what? Will he get orders to stay in the country or will he get sent to Vietnam?”
Randolph sighed. That question had been bothering him as well, but most of the time he just tried not to think about it. “Only Uncle Sam can answer that,” he said with a forced smile.
Angela nodded. “Randolph, I know you've had concerns about Ross marrying me, but I want you to know that I really do care for him.”
When he didn't say anything she glanced down at her watch, deciding to leave now that he had something to think about. “I'd better go. My next class starts in a little while. I'll be seeing you.”
“Okay.” Randolph sighed as he watched her walk off and again wondered if perhaps he'd been wrong about her.
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Later that day Angela opened the door to the house she shared off campus with Kathy. Going into the bedroom she shook off her fatigue and changed into an outfit less confining. It had been an exhilarating day. She was pleased with the progress she was making with Randolph. Each day he was acting less and less reserved with her.
She couldn't help noticing that he had looked at her differently today. Evidently he'd been pleased with the way she had dressed and the way she had worn her hair. She shivered. Being close to him always did things to her. Things that being around Ross never did.
It meant nothing to her that he thought he loved that nobody, Jenna Haywood. Like his grandmother Julia, she believed that in time Randolph's fascination with Jenna would wear off.
She glanced down at her hand at the engagement ring Ross had placed there before he'd left. She trailed her fingers over the diamond, wondering how much thought he'd put into buying it. It was beautiful but it wasn't anything she would have picked out for herself.
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