Secret Smiles and Three Little Words

Hello readers! I would like to thank all of you for following along with me, but after 250k words and 850+ pages it's time for a break. In this chapter Alex and Gavin take a sabbatical of sorts so I think I will join them. Not for forever, just for a bit.

I love the fact all of you have taken the time to read my story and many of you have left feedback or sent an email to me with encouraging words or some helpful critique which I need as I do want to improve as a writer. I even enjoy the one reader who is constantly criticizing what a terrible story this is, hoping it will end or believing this story is about abuse. I would prefer 'constructive' feedback but if nothing else it pushes me to work harder. My only confusion is, if it is so horrible, why are you still reading 30+ chapters later? There are other stories, by much better writers, on this site to choose from!

This story is far from over but I need to take a break for a while. I have set my target date for September 1

st

, (my birthday) for my next posting. I may go back to writing before then, as this is a passion of mine and sometimes I think I am going to take a break only to be inspired to write, but I will just keep them on the computer until then. Instead I will have to do some editing of my next novel to be released, it has been put on the back burner as I have taken Gavin and Alex to heart.

Again, thank you so much for coming along with me, and while there will be a brief interruption in our story and time together, it won't be forever. Thank you from a humbled writer, I'm humbled to have you as readers!

CJT

*****

Chapter 37

Alex awoke with a start, the phone ringing had her jumping in the bed. It wasn't Gavin's cell so it was odd to hear the condo phone go off, with its loud angry shrill.

"Hey man," Gavin said sleepily as he pulled the phone to him. "What?" Gavin shook his head as she turned on the light next to the bed.

"Ok," Gavin said slowly. "Ok, slow down!"

He listened as Alex scratched her head and watched him.

"Dude," Gavin said but seemed he was interrupted.

"No," Gavin again tried to say something only to be cut off.

"If you will just shut up for a fucking minute I might be able to answer you!" Gavin laughed. "I've got you

brat

."

That told Alex all she needed to know, it was Pavel.

"Is Pavy ok?" Alex asked immediately.

Gavin nodded as he continued to listen answering her question while listening to his friend rattle on. He pulled a note pad to him and began to scribble on it as Pavy continued to talk into his ear, Alex could do nothing but watch.

"I'm on it," Gavin said firmly. "C'mon dick head, you know me better than that! I'm on it." Gavin laughed as Pavy said something that made him look at Alex and that had her wondering what Pavy said about her.

"You know you can always count on me," Gavin said firmly, he then laughed heartily. "No, you still can't have her, she's all mine." He said this with a wink at Alex, again the two men were talking about her but leaving her in the dark. Judging by Gavin's eyes, the conversation was inappropriate.

"Alright," Gavin said standing up. "I'll call you back in five hours, I should have some sort of update by then." Gavin smiled at whatever Pavy said then hung up.

"What's going on?" Alex asked him.

"Pavy's med supplies were hijacked by the military," Gavin frowned. "All the begging he just did for supplies a few months ago is now in the hands of the warlords."

"What's he going to use?" Alex asked getting up.

"He's got a few days worth of supplies left, but he needs more," Gavin said leaving the room with Alex on his trail. "I'm going to call in some favors, why don't you go back to bed?"

"No," Alex said. "Let me help, with the two of us we can cover more ground." Gavin shook his head as he knew better to argue with her.

"Ok," Gavin agreed. "Call Madelyn, let her know what happened."

"What's Madelyn going to be able to do?" Alex asked him pulling her cell phone up.

"Madelyn has friends all over, right now, I need some of them from the State Department," Gavin smiled. "I'm going to wake up a few hospital directors and see what I can rustle up."

By dawn, they had both been on the phone for hours. Gavin with hospitals and local medical distribution facilities, Alex talking to Madelyn, who gave her a list of numbers to call.

"Ok," Alex said walking into Gavin's office. "I can't get anyone to give me a meeting with the State Department, Madelyn says they should be able to get us there, but she doesn't know how much help they can be when we get there."

"That figures," Gavin nodded. "I've got literally a ton of stuff for him so far, some of the medicines he wants are going to be tough, but I'm calling some pharmacology companies."

"Ok," Alex nodded. "I'll deal with the State Department, you keep working on supplies."

"Alex," Gavin shook his head.

"You have to get that medicine," Alex said firmly walking towards the bathroom. Gavin started to follow her when the phone rang stopping him.

He caught her coming out of the bedroom forty-five minutes later, dressed in a formal business suit.

"Are you sure you're ok with this?" Gavin asked her as he looked her over.

"How is the medicine coming?" Alex asked letting him drink her in, not answering his question except with her demeanor. Brushing it off as she didn't want to argue with him for that would go against her desire to be submissive. If she didn't vocally argue she was still holding true to that promise, wasn't she?

She watched him judge her outfit and frown, this was not an outfit he would have approved of as it was stiff and formal. But she was heading to the State Department local office and she wanted to appear professional. She couldn't walk in looking like Gavin liked her, skin showing and sexy.

Although the thought did cross her mind to use her sexuality to get someone to talk to her. She then figured, with her luck, the one person who could help her would be a feminist, and totally disapprove of her sexy attire.

So, she went business like, striving for looking professional. She hoped she was making the right decision. According to Madelyn, the only branch of the government that could help, was the State Department. So this was the only shot they had of getting the medicine to Pavy in a hurry.

"I have Merc, Novartis and Roche scrambling to put something together for me," Gavin said with a smile. "It's a good start."

"Ok, well keep working, a good start is a lousy finish," Alex said grabbing a light jacket. "I'll be back when I can."

"You are not going to just walk in and get a meeting at the State Department," Gavin warned her as he shook his head.

"I'm not leaving without talking to someone," Alex said firmly.

"Get ready for the run around," Gavin said with a tilt of his head. "I'll work on a backup plan while I wait."

"Good deal," Alex smiled.

"Hey," Gavin stopped her. "Thanks."

"I love you," she smiled and blew him a kiss. He gave her a wink then went into his office as the phone rang.

***

Alex had been sitting in the Jackson Avenue Office waiting for nearly four hours. Gavin had texted several times but Alex was getting the run around that he warned her about. She was trying to be patient, but this was starting to piss her off. How long does it take to talk to one person behind the desk? She was about to get up and go bother the receptionist again as that had been the only thing she had been able to accomplish today. Annoy the only person she had been able to see.

"How long have you been waiting sweetie?" Alex turned and saw Madelyn standing there.

"Four hours," Alex said standing and hugging the woman. "Did you have any luck on your end?"

"Yes," Madelyn smiled. "C'mon it's time to press some buttons."

The two women walked up to the receptionist and she grimaced as she saw Alex coming up again. She was tired of telling the woman that there was just no way anyone, would see her without an appointment. The receptionist admired her persistence, but it was making for a long day for her.

"I'm here to see Ashton Waltz," Madelyn smiled pleasantly.

"As I told Ms. Lasko...repeatedly," the receptionist began again. "Without an appointment it's just impossible to see anyone! Let alone the Director!"

Madelyn nodded but paid little mind to the woman behind the desk, as she was busily tapping away at her phone. She then smiled and waited while looking at the woman.

"Really, I'm sorry, there is nothing I can do," the woman said apologetically. Madelyn nodded never dropping her smile, the phone rang at the desk. "Excuse me." Madelyn nodded as the woman answered her phone.

"You have really been here for four hours?" Madelyn gasped. Alex nodded, it seemed that Madelyn was in complete control but Alex was losing her patience.

"It's so nice spring is coming, isn't it? Not as nice as I hear your Bahama trip was, but it will be nice to see you keep that tan you have," Madelyn went on like she didn't have a care in the world. Alex blushed at the thought that Gavin had given Madelyn personal information similar to what Alex and given to Lena.

"Ms. Faultz," the receptionist said with an embarrassed smile.

"Yes?" Madelyn winked at Alex.

"If you ladies will follow me," the woman said leading Alex and Madelyn through a door to the side.

"Are you kidding me?" Alex growled. "Less than five minutes?"

"Baby, when you have been around as long as I have, you accumulate lots of favors!" Madelyn explained taking Alex by the arm and hooking hers in.

"How?" Alex asked her.

"I happen to know the Chairman of the Armed Service Committee," Madelyn smiled. "Who just happens to know the Director of Foreign Intelligence, and he just happens to be having a meeting right now with the Secretary of State."

"Name dropper," Alex teased.

Ok there was no way Alex had the ability of Madelyn she frowned. Madelyn knew politicians! Alex barely voted, never listened to a political debate and wouldn't know a politician if she was introduced to them.

"Ms. Faultz," the local director smiled shaking her hand.

"This is Ms. Lasko," Madelyn said firmly. "She had been waiting for four hours!"

"I'm sorry, but we are really busy today," he said taking the reprimand in stride.

Alex wanted to gripe about the fact he just dropped everything to talk to Madelyn, but didn't want to ruin what little shot they had with a temper tantrum right now. If this didn't work she would have plenty of time to scathe the man in this room.

"What can I do for you Ms. Faultz?" the director asked.

"Absolutely nothing," Madelyn smiled pleasantly sitting down. "It's Ms. Lasko that's in charge." Madelyn smiled patting Alex's hand, the man looked to Alex.

Alex explained everything to the man who seemed to be perplexed as to why he was having to hear this.

"I'm not exactly sure what you think I can do for you," he finally said after Alex finished and looked at him as if to say, 'how do you plan on fixing this'.

"Well, I need to arrange a flight from the U.S. to Africa," Alex said shaking her head. Was this the reason this country was so confounded? Everything had to be spelled out, letter by letter?

"It sounds like you need a cargo company," he said leaning forward. "Customs and the like."

"No," Alex said in a near growl. "You're not hearing me! That would take weeks if not months!"

"I am sympathetic," the man began.

"Pavy doesn't have that type of time!" Alex interrupted. "He has enough supplies to get him through a couple of days, with the war spilling over the boarder he is dealing with thousands of refugees!"

"Again, I'm not sure the State Department...,"

"You can supersede the whole customs thing," Alex told him. "In times of emergency you can deliver medical supplies without the normal red tape."

"That is in times of disasters," the man explained.

"What the hell do you call a war?" Alex asked him, the exasperation filling her voice. "A normal occurrence?"

"Africa is not considered a disaster," he explained calmly. "It is in the midst of a civil war that has been going on probably longer than you have been alive."

"People are dying, people that have nothing to do with the war!" Alex said her temper rising. "Women...children!"

"Ms. Lasko," he said with a deep sigh.

"Do you like your job?" Madelyn asked after being quiet letting Alex work. She was enjoying watching Alex's passion. The way she was determinedly going after this man and not letting him break off into his diatribe of what he couldn't do.

She loved Alex's tenacity, it would serve Alex well when the time came. Madelyn knew Gavin, and only Alex's tenacity would keep him on the path of what Madelyn wanted, and that was him settled down with a family.

"Excuse me?" he gasped.

"What I mean is, is Chicago where you really want to be?" she asked. "From what I understand you want a foreign post?"

"Yes," he nodded with a smile, seeing where she was going. He leaned back into his chair and watched her. "Are you saying you have some ability to help facilitate that?"

"Are we not sitting in your office?" Madelyn smiled, intimating that by that fact alone she had some clout. "I'm assuming someone above you called?" He nodded with an appreciative grin.

"Help Alex now," Madelyn smiled. "I'll make a few calls, I have lots of markers out. I'm an old woman so I might as well start calling some in."

The man looked at the woman admirably for a few moments. He then shifted his eyes to Alex.

"What exactly do you need?" he smiled.

"I need a plane," Alex said matching his smile. "Preferably a military plane, a big one!"

***

Walking out of the State Department office Alex looked to Madelyn in disbelief.

"What the hell?" She smiled shaking her head at the woman.

"This is politics sweetie, which is what my late husband did," Madelyn smiled. "I became quite adept at dealing with these type of men. I even began to make my own maneuvers after a while as it seemed even the wife of political shaker had some sway."

"I had the shaker that politicians wanted, and as his wife, I had him exactly where I wanted. So to get to him, some came through me, which benefited all. That is why I have been at many State dinners in both Springfield and D.C. I still have a lot of friends in...well, a lot of different places. Markers sweetie, favors, that is the currency of politicians. Money gets you elected, markers get you re-elected."

"There were many people that needed my husband's help moving up and around!" Madelyn said proudly. "He accumulated lots of markers and after his death, those transferred to me, as some of the things he did, well let's say there are certain people that would be better off if those favors didn't come to light!"

"You're amazing!" Alex laughed hugging her.

"Now, you owe me a marker," Madelyn smiled. Alex pulled back. "Oh yes, sweetie, nothing in life is free, if I am going to call in some markers I have to get a marker in return. That's how you stay relevant in this game. So to call in markers, I have to get one as valuable, and that is you."

"I'm not in politics!" Alex gasped.

She had no idea how she would be of any use to Madelyn in this world of deals. She was an artist and a substitute teacher, she had nothing to contribute to the world of politics!

"No, but now you owe me a big favor," Madelyn shrugged. "That's the nature of it."

"What do you want?" Alex asked her, surprised at the heavy handed statement.

"Nothing right now," she smiled. "But soon...I will want something from you."

"What if I can't pay it?" Alex asked her.

"You will pay it, this is not something you can welch out on, Dear," Madelyn said firmly as Charles pulled the limo door open. "You will have to find a way to give me exactly what I ask for. If that means you have to owe someone else for that, then that is your problem."

"Madelyn!" Alex gasped.

"Bye Sweetie!" With that Madelyn closed the door. Alex watched the car pull away with a slack jaw look of disbelief.

"Why do I feel like I just made a deal with the devil?" Alex asked herself.

***

"Hey!" Gavin said meeting her in the living room. "I was starting to get worried!"

"I got the run around," Alex said as she tossed her jacket haphazardly to the side. She was still deep in thought at what Madelyn had said. What happens if she can't pay Madelyn back? Would that ruin their friendship? Would it ruin Madelyn's relationship with Gavin, which would in turn ruin her relationship with Gavin?

"What's wrong?" he asked her rubbing her shoulder as he put his hands on them.

"Madelyn showed up," she told him with a worried brow.

"Yeah, she called and I mentioned you were going down there," Gavin shrugged. "So she showed up?"

"Yeah," Alex nodded. "If she hadn't...I guess I'd still be there...she says I owe her a marker?"

"Uh-oh," Gavin frowned. "You know that never ends well." He smiled.

"This is not funny! What if I can't come through for her?" Alex gasped sitting down the couch.

"She won't ask for something you can't do," Gavin assured her.

"Do you owe her any markers?" Alex asked him.

"Absolutely not!" Gavin laughed. "I don't make deals with the devil!" Alex laughed because he was laughing and she had made a similar statement. At least they were thinking like a couple, both on the same page.

"How did your day go?" Alex rolled her eyes. "Seeing how you didn't have to sell your soul!"

"Well, the Pharmaceutical companies aren't much better, but they are coming in big," Gavin smiled. "They should, as I have contacts in just about every major hospital...so they were eager."

"So we have all we need?" Alex smiled.

"We have a bulk of it," Gavin nodded. "Shit, it's time to call Pavy!" Just then Alex's phone went off but she didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?" she asked apprehensively.

***

"You still have him on the phone?" Alex asked coming into the office after Gavin had been on the phone with Pavel for ten minutes. Gavin nodded and pushed the speaker phone on.

"Hey Pavy!" Alex called out.

"Hey Beautiful!" Pavy called out. "I hear you got the same run around I did!"

"Were you successful?" Alex asked him.

"No chance!" Pavy fumed. "I'm not an American citizen, so that didn't help at all...I think in some corners of your government they still believe the cold war is going on!"

"Well, I'm learning that to do anything in this world you have to give and take markers!" Alex smiled. "So now you owe me one!"

"Oh how I would love to pay that off!" Pavy flirted.

"Back the fuck off my girl you piece of shit!" Gavin warned jokingly.

"Oh shit," Pavy laughed in tease. "I thought I was just talking to her, didn't know you had me on speaker phone!"

"Keep your slimy hands to yourself!" Gavin said with a smile and a shake of his head.

"Ok," Alex continued after she stopped laughing. "The State Department is giving us a military transport plane...they said that way it is protected by the U.S. Government. That includes any cargo inside."

"Sounds fantastic!" Pavy said with a deep relieved exhale.

"Sorta," Alex frowned. "The problem is, once the cargo is offloaded...it is no longer protected."

"Shit," Pavy growled.

"Which means the military there can do exactly what they did before," Alex explained. "Now if someone can meet the plane, then the cargo will be signed over to them, then that person will be protected by the U.S. Government as a courier. Meaning they will have some sort of weird quasi-diplomatic status."

"So somebody needs to be there," Pavy said finishing up Alex's thought.