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her, and whether or not I had siblings.Who my father was . . . all of that. I don’t even know your middle name.”
    “Don’t have one.”
    Her shoulders rose and fell on the waves of a silent sigh. They watched as Russell Wilson threw a perfect spiral to Marshawn Lynch for a touchdown; silently took in the Seahawks cheering on the sidelines before the extra point was kicked and the network went to commercial.
    “From what I was told,” she finally began, “my parents died tragically when I was five years old. How exactly was never made clear. My memories of them are vague, perhaps even imagined. I was never formally adopted out of the foster care system, but these people were the only family I really knew. I have a sister out there, somewhere . . . but I haven’t seen her in . . . a while. After I got married my life revolved around my husband, totally and completely. I was only eighteen then and had been with him since just before turning seventeen. He was twenty-eight when we met, thirty when we married—attractive, successful—my knight in shining armor. Or so I thought. It turns out he was my warden, our palatial home my prison.”
    “Was he abusive?”
    The answer was soft, almost whispered. “Yes.”
    Nate’s jaw clenched. “What’s his name?”
    “Why?”
    “Because I would love to give him a taste of his own medicine, so he knows how it feels.”
    “He’ll get his eventually. I’m just glad I got away. Now”—she turned and placed a soft kiss on his lips—“can we leave the past and come back to the present? Here . . .” She kissed him again, on the chest this time as she repositioned herself. “And now?” She unbuckled his pants and made quick work of the zipper, pulling out his flaccid member and licking it to life.
    “Baby, I’m trying to watch the game.” Perhaps, but nonetheless he helped pull down his boxers for better access.
    Jessica chuckled, bent her head toward his groin and made a play of her own.

CHAPTER 7
    A week later Nate sat in his office, his hands poised over the laptop’s keyboard as he viewed the screen. For a search, there were several website choices: BeenVerified, PeopleSmart, Instant Checkmate, PeopleFinders, iDTrue, IdentityPI, and more. After another minute of contemplation he pulled his hands from the keyboard, leaned against his black leather office chair and gazed out the window. The forecast had called for the chance of a snowstorm, but right now the sun was bright and the ground was dry. The only storm was in his mind, brought on by the conversation with his sister when she called to discuss the holidays.
     
    “I want to talk about our Christmas plans.”
    “Okay.” Nate knew this had been his sister’s main reason for calling but had patiently indulged her with small talk about her kids, his job, and the continued crazy snow season down South.
    “Do you still intend to bring Jessica?”
    “That’s the plan.”
    “Okay, Brother. I don’t want what I’m about to say to cause an argument, but if she’s going to be in a home with the rest of my family, we have to talk about something you don’t like.”
    “A background check.”
    “Yes. And it’s not because of how I do or don’t feel about her. I’d want to know as much as possible about anybody that was coming with us on a family vacation and staying a week.”
    “I understand, Sis. What happened to you and Randall last year had to have been traumatizing. I don’t necessarily agree, and I definitely don’t like feeling that I’m going behind someone’s back and snooping on them—”
    “Then tell her! Anyone dating these days should make it common practice. Heck, she needs to do one on your behind!”
    “I wouldn’t have any qualms about that.”
    “And neither should she. If you guys are going to be together long term, there should be no secrets.”
    “Sherri, if I do this, I need you to do something for me.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Be nice to Jessica. Stop judging her.