Fury

by Tammy Coons

  The next morning, rain was pouring down in sheets. Cheyenne sat alone in her room, drinking a cup of coffee and smoking a cigarette. She couldn’t get the image of Scot’s hurt expression out of her mind. Why did she push him away? She seriously thought she needed some psychiatric help. Her life had been like a ride on a roller coaster but she was tired of riding it alone. Every time a man had tried to get close to her she put up a wall. Dumbfounded, she realized she was still allowing Steve, and men like him, to control her all these years later. She’d had enough and needed help breaking the cycle.

  She sat down on her bed. Just then her cell phone rang. She picked it up. When she saw it was Ian, she sighed.

  “Hello,” Cheyenne answered as cheerfully as possible.

  “Cheyenne we need to talk. Could you meet me in The Tea Room this afternoon at 4:00?” Ian sounded stern and resigned.

  Cheyenne felt paralyzed.

  “Yes. What’s this about?”

  “We’ll talk then.” Ian hung up.

  Cheyenne closed her eyes. What a great way to begin a day! She decided to work for a while longer. She was so engrossed that she lost track of time; when she looked up it was already time to get ready to meet Ian. She hurried around, got dressed and put some makeup on. When she opened her door to leave, Goddess was standing there, her hand raised to knock.

  “What?’ Cheyenne asked. She was tempted to tie the amazon to a chair and make her talk.

  “Just saying ‘hey’. Want to go for coffee?”

  “I have to meet with Ian.”

  “OK.”

  Goddess looked like she was about to add something, then closed her mouth and walked away.

  Cheyenne entered The Tea Room and spotted Ian seated with the so called ‘business associates’. Seeing the three additional men, she wanted to turn and leave. Ian waved her over, his lips pursed in a stern line.

  “Hello,” Cheyenne greeted them.

  “Please sit. It’s time we had a talk with you,” Ian stated sternly. Cheyenne did as he asked. The four men stared at her. Ian leaned over to her and spoke in a hushed tone.

  “I am very disappointed in you, as are my business associates. You are becoming to be a big distraction to Scot and…” he trailed off, fidgeting. “I know why Scot gave Nathan a black eye.”

  Cheyenne’s mouth was dry as she quickly attempted to gather herself.

  “I ended it with Scot.” Cheyenne looked Ian in the eye and raised her chin confidently. “I am very sorry that I caused a fight.”

  “Too little too late, sweetheart,” Rodney scoffed, throwing his napkin on the table.

  “You’re a distraction and the discord your presence is causing outweighs the benefit of you being here. I really think you should consider leaving after the concert in Rome.”

  Cheyenne looked at Ian; he looked as uncomfortable as she’d ever seen him.

  She tried to appear dignified.

  “I have cancelled your travel arrangements for Venice, Athens, and Madrid.” Steve’s eyes watched her reaction to his words like a predator watches its prey.

  Defeated, Cheyenne hung her head.

  “In the meantime, I’m going to ask you to remain in your room and away from Scot,” Ian stated.

  “Who do you have left to interview?”

  “Bret and Phillip. I'm going to interview Bret while in Rome and then I guess I'll have to interview Phillip on the plane.”

  “Wonderful. It should simplify matters that you’ve managed to work ahead,” Ian said. Cheyenne glanced around the table. She felt as if she was on trial.

  “Yes. Impressive multitasking skills,” Rodney chimed in.

  “Are we finished?”

  Ian cleared his throat. “Yes.”

  Cheyenne stood and exited holding her head high. She refused to slink away in shame. As she went outside for a smoke, she made up her mind that not only would her article be a huge success, but that she would get to the bottom of what Fury’s manager was really up to.

  “Nice ride.” Steph traced her fingers along the dash of the high end sports car Phillip was driving. “Why didn’t we take a limo?” She turned on the heated seat.

  “Because it would be obnoxious to arrive at my Grandparents home in a limo.” It was the first time he’d spoken since she’d climbed into the car. Being alone with the little imp had him on edge. Today she wore her hair up and the sight of her exposed neck and adorable ears was making him mental.

  “Oh, Good. I was afraid you’d lost your voice.”

  Her retort almost made him smirk.

  They had left the city on time and cruised along at a fairly brisk pace. Phillip tried to enjoy the scenic, pristine countryside which looked even greener against the grey sky as the rain continued.

  “This weather kinda sucks.” When he didn’t respond or acknowledge her, she sighed aloud.

  Phillip turned on the radio, his eyes never leaving the road; to his horror, they were playing a Fury song. Steph chortled and Phillip turned white. It was a song he had spent a lot of time writing and he was particularly proud of it. He could feel her looking at him suddenly and she stopped laughing on the spot.

  Changing the station, Phillip brooded. It seemed fate was playing a cruel joke at his expense. He had a schoolboy crush on this obnoxious child who was obviously after David. Feeling ridiculous and hyper vulnerable to her every comment and criticism, he could not believe he’d agreed to bring her along. Normally confident, and rarely without female companionship, Phillip was riddled with self-doubt. After snogging on the plane, he was sure he’d broken the ice and was stunned when she’d turned him out at the hotel. Currently, she seemed completely unconcerned that they were alone, which was driving him bonkers.

  Steph snapped some pictures of the scenery seemingly oblivious to him. “Aren’t you going to say anything?” she asked.

  Her gaze made him look her in the eye. He noticed again that they were sea blue with a lovely green and yellow center. These beautiful eyes fixed on him with annoyance and her full lips seemed to pout slightly. Remembering how her lips tasted, he forced his eyes back on the road.

  “Nope,” he replied.

  Steph sat back and folded her arms. They were silent for the remaining miles. When the house came into sight Steph gasped, leaning forward in her seat.

  “Oh my gosh, is that it?”

  “Yes,” Phillip replied. He’d spent many a summer and holiday at his grandparents’ home, which was about an hour southwest of Dublin. Growing up, Phillip hadn’t thought much about the home, though he always considered it ‘big’. The estate had been photographed many times for calendars and books about Ireland; people considered it very impressive, he was told. The cream colored monolith was stark and stately against the emerald grounds. Vast gardens circumvented the main house. It had a dowager’s cottage across the garden that was flanked with stables. He pulled the car into the semi-circular driveway and parked. He glanced at Steph as they climbed out of the car.

  “It looks like something from a fairy tale,” Steph gushed, and her expression seemed positively giddy.

  “It’s so old!” She enthusiastically snapped pictures. Before he could reply, Phillips grandparents burst out the door, their arms opened to greet him. He bounded up the stone stairs, rushing to spare them the trip down. As they hugged him, Steph snapped a shot of the reunion.

  “Who’s this Bonnie Lass, Lippy?” his grandmother asked, her mischievous eyes looking at Steph.

  “This is Stephanie Brier, Nanna; she’s a photographer promoting the North American tour,” Phillip explained. He turned to Steph and saw she was smiling brightly at him, which he knew wasn’t necessarily a good thing. He pleaded silently that she would be kind to them. “Stephanie, these are my grandparents, Sophia and Paul.”

  “Oh my, how lovely you are. Isn’t she lovely Paul?”

  “She’s an angel.”

  Phillip watched in horror as his Nanna took Steph’s hands.

  “It’s about time Lippy br
ought home a beauty such as you.”

  “Oh, Ma’am, Phillip and I aren’t…” Steph giggled and blushed.

  “Now I’ll not have you calling me ma’am, Nanna will do just fine.”

  “Sophia, don’t embarrass the children,” his granddad said, as he offered his arm to Steph and escorted her into the house. “Please feel free to call me Granddad and please excuse my wife. Lippy is our only grandson and the eldest grandchild. She’s been waiting for a great grandchild for what she thinks is far too long.”

  “Lippy?” Steph questioned as she shot Phillip an innocent look. Arm in arm with Nanna, Phillip knew he couldn’t escape from her as he had so many other times during the tour.

  “That’s our little pet name for Phillip. He was a very lippy child.” Nanna laughed merrily, pinching Phillip’s cheek.

  “I can’t imagine,” Steph said sardonically, sparing a glance at Phillip. He couldn’t help but smile at her and shake his head.

  “We have lunch on, but we have plenty of time for a tour,” Nanna announced. She was shorter than Stephanie, and her bright sharp eyes had always belayed her years. Phillip was pleased that she still seemed vigorously healthy.

  “Well Nanna…we really should get these photos out of the way so that we can visit,” Phillip started. Against all logic, he looked to Steph, eyes pleading for support.

  “Don’t be silly, Lippy, we have plenty of time for a tour. Besides, it will help me decide where to shoot you,” Steph objected with a playful smirk. They toured the beautiful estate, the gardens, and even the dowager’s cottage. Soon his Nanna and Granddad beat a hasty retreat, on some trumped up excuse about overseeing meal preparations. They began to take photos in the various locations Stephanie selected, finally returning to the main house.

  “Why don’t you stand at the balcony and look out over the grounds,” Steph suggested. Phillip obeyed and she moved very close to him. She snapped a picture of him as he stared pensively out at the grounds. Having her so close to him was beginning to cause him physical distress. Steph stopped photographing and he could feel her eyes on him. He turned to look at her and her expression seemed peculiar, as if she was flustered.

  “What?” Phillip asked, looking down at his clothes and running a hand through his hair, concerned something was out of place.

  “I’m sorry… just… thinking.” Steph snapped a couple more pictures. They repeated this process in the sitting room, at the grand piano, and in the billiard room. “Alright, I think we’re good.”

  “That’s brilliant because it’s time for lunch,” Nanna said from behind them.

  Phillip noticed with a great deal of suspicion that Nanna had seated him next to Stephanie at the table. Lunch became a trip down memory lane. After catching Phillip up on the small amount of local gossip, conversation turned to Phillip’s parents who owned a bookstore in Cambridge. Then Nanna proceeded to tell Steph about Linda and Danielle, his two younger sisters who were unmarried and childless.

  “And they’re both at University now, so I suppose there is some hope I might see great grandchildren before I die.” Phillip could see Nanna hadn’t lost her touch; she was an expert on guilt.

  “I imagine you have a good 25 years before that’s a concern,” Steph remarked. Phillip loved her for it when Nanna’s face blossomed with a wide smile.

  They then turned the subject to Phillip’s childhood and his many antics. Most of them were embarrassing and obnoxious, ranging from his boyhood desire to move to Texas and become a cowboy to his defiant teenage shenanigans.

  “So his Granddad had to take the switch to him yet again for jumping the fence. You were always such a show off…is it any wonder you are world famous?” Nanna asked with her infectious laugh. Phillip couldn’t help but snicker at the story. Steph was laughing too, but for once it seemed to be with him, not at him.

  “I suppose I would have been arrested in America for switching him eh, Stephanie?” Granddad’s brown eyes shifted to Steph.

  Phillip held his breath, wondering what Steph would say…she was always so cheeky.

  “Oh, no. When Phillip was little, paddles were all the rage in America. Or belts. They might have considered it being soft on him.”

  Phillip chuckled, knowing her remark was a commentary on how difficult he had been with her. She was being very kind, playing along and humoring his Nanna and Granddad’s assumptive comments that they were a couple. He promised himself he would try to be kinder to her on the way back to Dublin.

  His grandparents grilled Stephanie about her family and seemingly wanted to know everything about her life. Steph obliged. Obviously proud of her parent’s success, she appeared modest about her personal achievements. His grandparents gushed when Steph mentioned her father was Irish born. She impersonated his accent quite well to their delight. Explaining that her mother had been American, Phillip was surprised when Steph added she’d been killed in an auto accident when she was a teenager.

  “You weren’t in the accident, were you?” Granddad asked. Phillip was mortified, as he remembered what he’d said to her about her mother and nepotism. He’d had no idea her mother was no longer living.

  “No. I was with my father at a concert. Cedric, my brother, was in the accident. He was driving.” Steph’s voice had a gentle quality as she spoke about the situation. Phillip listened closely, completely enraptured at the unexpected disclosure about her past.

  “What a hard thing for a young person to deal with.” Granddad whistled sympathetically.

  “Was he injured as well?” The words were out of Phillip’s mouth before he realized he’d asked them out loud. Steph turned to him and he saw pain in her eyes.

  “He was a runner. He doesn’t do that anymore.”

  She turned back to his grandparents, heaved a sigh, and continued her story.

  “The other driver was drunk,” Steph offered. “There was nothing anyone could have done for her. My brother held her hand and watched her die.”

  Phillip was tense, unsure how to respond. He watched her closely to see if she would break down. She didn’t.

  “Oh my. I’m so sorry, Darlin’,” Nanna murmured.

  “There’s no need to apologize, it was years ago. To be truthful, my brother was deeply moved by the experience. It was a very pivotal moment in his life. He decided to attend seminary in Rome. He was ordained a priest four years ago.”

  “How lovely. It must be magnificent to have a priest in the family!” Granddad chimed in, looking at Phillip approvingly. Stephanie had no way of knowing his family was Catholic. She’d just knocked one out of the park and he knew he would never live it down when he didn’t marry her.

  “He’s actually a bit of a rebel in our clan. I’m sure he doesn’t approve of my language in the slightest.” His grandparents laughed and he knew she’d won them over. Even when she admitted to character flaws they just admired her honesty. He’d had many moments during lunch that he’d forgotten entirely that they were not on friendly terms.

  “Let’s go for a ride while there is a break in the rain. The horses are ready,” Granddad suggested after lunch.

  “And, while you two are gone, I’ll enjoy visiting further with Stephanie.” Nanna put her arm in Steph’s and led her to the sitting room. Phillip eyed Nanna with suspicion but left with his Granddad.

  “So tell me my dear, how long have you been in love with my grandson?” Sophia asked the moment they were alone.

  Steph couldn’t help but laugh at Sophia’s doggedness.

  “I’m sorry, Sophia, but I’ve only known Phillip for a couple weeks and we have a purely business relationship.”

  It tasted like a lie the moment the words left her mouth. Steph laughed lightly, but saw that Sophia was eyeing her closely. “To be honest, we don’t get along well at all.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. You two really complement each other. And here I was hoping for a wedding by Christmas,” Sophia stated. “I’m not going to be around forever.”

  As they w
aited outside for the men to return on horseback, Steph observed the darkening sky. There was another storm rolling in fast. She was about to comment on the weather to Sophia when the men appeared from the tree line. Watching them approach the house was breathtaking. Both were clearly skilled riders, though Steph knew little about the subject. As they stood watching, Phillip jumped a particularly high fence. He looked like an epic hero as he approached them. His eyes met Steph’s and the moment was surreal, like something out of a storybook. She could feel her cheeks burning and noticed Sophia watching her in her peripheral vision.

  By the time they left, she was absolutely mad about Phillip’s grandparents. Many promises to visit again were made before Steph was allowed to leave the estate. After such a happy scene it pained her to think about the long silent drive back to Dublin. As they waved goodbye it began to pour again. They hurried to the car.

  “Your grandparents are fantastic!” She beamed. She waved once more. When Phillip didn’t reply, her stomach sank and she knew they were back to their opposite corners. He put the car in gear and they drove off slowly. Soon it was evident that the storm was going to make the ride home long and painfully quiet.

  They drove for some time in deafening silence. Finally Steph couldn’t stand it any longer.

  “I really enjoy driving in the beautiful countryside with you.”

  Steph had meant to sound sarcastic, but was surprised at how genuine it sounded. Phillip glanced at her, then away.

  “Another silent treatment. What did I do now?” Steph wished she could keep her mouth shut. She was finding it impossible to deal with his stoic silence. Even she couldn’t understand why she wanted to engage him in conversation now, when previously she’d been overjoyed with their distance.

  “I just would like to have some peace and quiet,” Phillip muttered without looking at her. Steph rolled her eyes and turned away to stare out the window. The torrential rain, made visibility almost nonexistent.