Authors: Nancy Hopper
CHAPTER TWENTY
It was a quiet ride back to the hotel. Tim seemed extremely tired and withdrawn. Tasha was pretty shaken by the episode with Rick; and she knew Tim was upset. She didn't know what to say, or how to break the ice, so she didn't. Tim just stared out the side window, so she left him alone.
Once they were safe in her hotel room, Tasha took a shower, put on white cotton pants and a top, and smiled at Tim as she joined him, again.
He sighed heavily. “Tasha, what in the name of heaven are you doing, going on television?” he asked tiredly.
She looked at him bleakly, tears threatening to spill. “I had to, Tim. Things were getting out of hand. Did you see the broadcast? Do you know what Pattie did in her latest story?”
Tim shook his head, admitting that he didn’t. “No. I heard she went on TV and said some things that sent you over the edge, but I don’t have any details, and I didn’t get to the station until you were backstage with Rick.”
“
Tim, I didn’t invite him to do any of that.” She snapped. “And all of his nasty insinuations are pure nonsense!”
“
That was obvious.” He said evenly. He chuckled and rubbed his eyes. “Watching you kick his shin and slap him the way you did, made me wonder. You must like me a little bit, or you would have surely done the same to me, long ago.”
She was relieved. It seemed that the Tim she knew was still in there, somewhere. “Yes, Mr. Rain. I must admit that I do like you a bit. That’s why I tried to get you in my bed. Now, how in the world did you happen to turn up here, anyway?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed where he had just sprawled.
"Flew into JFK from Venezuela, caught a plane to L.A. from there." He answered with a yawn.
"Non-stop?" she gasped.
"Mmm, hmm." He agreed sleepily. “Well, I did have a few short layovers. Felt like about a thousand, actually.”
"Oh, Tim. How did you know I was here?" she asked, agonizing.
"Because I love you, and because I have my ways." He mumbled. “Do you suppose, darlin’, that you’d invite me into your bed again?” he asked tiredly. “I guarantee you that I’ll take you up on it.” He said wearily. He looked at her, and yawned. “As long as you’ll let me sleep. I don’t think I can stay awake, anymore.”
Tasha smiled, and nodded. “You look like a bed is the only place for you to be. I think perhaps, you’d better. ” She agreed. “Help yourself. I have a few things to take care of. I’ll come back and wake you up in a few hours, all right?”
“
Thanks, Tash. I don’t think I’ll be good for much, until I get some sleep.” He said. He stretched out and was snoring softly, almost immediately.
The phone woke Timothy. He fumbled for it in the semi-darkness. "Hello." He yawned.
After a pause, a woman spoke. "Is Tasha there?"
"I don't know. Just a sec." He mumbled. He got up off the bed and staggered to the bath, to see if she was there. Then, he went back to the phone. "No, it seems she's given me the slip." He admitted groggily.
"I'm sorry that I woke you. Will you please tell her that Elaine called?"
"All right. Does she have your number?"
"Yes, she does." The woman answered. "Thank you."
"No problem. Goodbye." Tim yawned.
"Bye, Tim." She answered softly, and hung up.
Tim looked at the phone in puzzlement. He was certain he hadn't given the caller his name. "Now, who in the world is Elaine?" he grumbled darkly.
"Elaine is my new friend. She's a custom tailor, and boy, is she good! She made the green dress I wore today." Tasha answered, as she came through the door. "Did she just call?"
"Yeah, she did. And she knew who I was. How did that happen?"
Tasha chuckled. "I suspect that she is a great fan of yours, actually."
Tim growled, and rolled over. "How'd you meet this one?"
"I stumbled into her dress shop yesterday, looking for something to wear to the show. She had some things that fit me perfectly, we ended up having dinner, and she gave me some incredible coaching about how to do the show."
Tim looked a bit shocked by the information. "You confided in a stranger?" he asked carefully. "That's not like you, at all."
Tasha shrugged. "You'll understand when you meet her. She knew who I was, but she didn't mention a thing until I did. She's a great lady. She gave me the strength to go through with it, and pull it off successfully."
"So where have you been?"
"To the pool, the Jacuzzi and the sauna." She replied cheerfully. "And I feel much better."
“
Well, I'm really happy for you." Tim growled, rubbing his neck tiredly. "I've got a serious case of jet lag."
Tasha sat on the bed beside him and looked down at him tenderly. "Maybe I can help." She suggested, letting her fingers trace his lower lip sensuously.
Tim's eyes darkened to a deep glitter, in response. "I'd be careful if I were you. I'm tired, but I'm not dead yet." He warned.
Tasha laughed. "Elaine helped me realize a great many things last night." She explained. "She helped me talk through all my fears and understand why it is that you scare me to death."
"Really?" he asked lazily. "I'd like to know that, myself."
"Well; in a very few words, one reason is the fire and the glory of God on you. It takes a bit of getting used to, you know." She assured him.
He chuckled. "Oh, the anointing. Yeah." He admitted. "It does make itself felt, doesn't it?"
"It certainly does. I feel like a worn-out, burned up old piece of charcoal, every time you get close to me." She complained.
Tim smiled. "Well, you'll get used to it." He prophesied. "Provided you give me a chance." He looked at her steadily, the question in his eyes. The pain and uncertainty she saw there squeezed her heart. He’d been to hell and back.
Tasha looked away. "Tim, the last time we talked, I was so upset and confused. I'm so sorry! I was hurting inside, but I know that I was unfair to you. I didn't mean to be so harsh. I was just reacting. I was scared."
He gave her a lopsided grin. "Do you think I don't know that?" he asked teasingly. "There is nothing you can say that will drive me away. I'm in for the count. Don't you be thinking that I'm any kind of faint-hearted old dog. I've been through the fire a time or two. I fully intend to hang on to all that God has promised me."
"That is another reason that you scare the living hell out of me." She informed him with big eyes.
"Don't you fear anything but God, Tasha." He advised her immediately. "He's the only thing in heaven or on earth that you need to fear. And the best part is, He loves us. All we have to do is to give Him the honor, glory, love and respect that He deserves. And right now, He thinks that I need to get the heck out of your hotel room, and take you to dinner."
Tasha smiled sweetly. "You are absolutely impossible." She chastised. "Do you think I'm dressed all right to go to dinner?"
"You'd look good in a gorilla suit." Tim advised her dryly. "Don't give it another thought. Listen, I really need to make a couple of calls first, though."
"No problem." Tasha agreed. "I do need to put on some makeup, so take your time." She stopped in the doorway to the bath, and gave him a smoky look.
“
And by the way, Rick Snyder is full of it.” she assured him. “I’ve never heard such blatant lies in my life. I never once discussed you with him in that way. It was understood while he was there that … you had every right … that I belong to you.”
Tim’s eyes darkened in reaction to the words, and he smiled. Tasha could see the tension flow out of his face. “That’s good to hear.” he said with a teasing glint in his eye. The confident possessiveness in his eyes made her blush. She scooted into the bath.
Tim picked up the phone. His first call was to his secretary, to give her his whereabouts.
"Dana? Hi, honey, I'm in L.A. Glad I caught you before you went home. Listen, I'll give you the number of the hotel here. I'll try to get a room of my own; but for now, you can reach me in room 226. Area code 912, 888-1518. Got that?" he asked briskly.
"All right, now listen very carefully," he charged, after she affirmed that she had the information. "You need to have all the locks changed, at my office
and
my house.
Tonight
. This is very important.”
"Tell Reuben to take the money out of my ministry account; and close that account for security reasons, no matter what it takes to get it done, right now. And have somebody make sure that the alarms in both places are set. Change the keypad locks on both alarms. I’ll call you to get the new combinations when I get off the plane at home. Got that? And alert Mom and Dad to be careful; we could have some trouble coming.”
After a pause, he went on. “Now, for the next part. Be looking for Rick Snyder to return the keys to both places, but I doubt that he will. You are to cut off all his access to my ministry, my bank accounts and my private life, immediately. And, I don't want Rick to contact anybody on the team and get any information about me. Nor do I want anybody listening to his poison about Tasha or I. Dana, this is very important." He stressed.
"Tim! I can't have heard you correctly." Dana objected tightly. "Tell me again."
"You heard me right, honey. Rick Snyder is out of my life. Change the locks on my house, and at my office. Make sure everybody knows that he is to have absolutely no access to ministry money, or any information about me, beginning right now. I don't think he will return the keys willingly, even though I've asked him to. And I can't afford to take any chances with this. Do you understand?"
Dana was in tears. "Tim, you can't mean it! Rick is your best friend." She objected.
"Yes, he was one of them. Dana, I know you don't understand. Please, just do as I ask. I'll explain it all to you when I get home. All right?" he pleaded gently.
"What in the world did he do?" Dana asked miserably. "Please just tell me that much."
Tim sighed. "Dana, it's complicated. Suffice it to say, he's been hitting on my woman. I caught him forcing himself on her, and begging her to dump me; and marry him."
There was absolute silence on the other end of the line. "Tim, that is simply impossible." Dana denied incredulously. "You say that you saw this for yourself?"
"Uh, huh." Tim assured her. "I walked in and saw the whole thing. He was kissing her, mauling her, and begging her to run away and marry him. I can’t believe that I sent him to guard Tasha! He's the one I knew I could trust! It is absolutely imperative that he not be allowed to terrorize Tasha, anymore. Dana, please do this for me. Don't ask questions; I'll explain everything later."
Dana began to weep.
Tim felt a lead weight settle in his heart. "Dana, what's the matter?" he asked worriedly. "Tell me what's going on."
"Oh, Tim." She sobbed miserably. "He lied to me! He
lied
to me! He told me he wanted to marry
me
!"
Tim closed his eyes. "Dana, you're not serious."
"I am
very
serious! Tim, he asked me to marry him! I was so sure of him! How could he lie to me this way? How
could
he?"
"Dana, how far has this gone? Are you in trouble?" Tim demanded in a low voice.
"I thought it wouldn't matter, Tim. I couldn't see why we should wait, when he'd already asked me to marry him. He promised me that it would be all right! He said that in God’s eyes, we’re already married, anyway. He said that the piece of paper didn’t mean a thing!" she wailed.