by Len Webster
“All right, let’s head to the checkouts.” He led her towards the front of the store to the first free register they could see. Then, one by one, Rob put the groceries on the black belt and the young teenage girl behind the register scanned through the items.
When she was done and packed everything in a plastic bag, she swung her gaze from the screen to them. “That’s twenty-two dollars and twenty cents, thank you.”
“Right,” Ally said as she dug into her handbag and retrieved her wallet. When she opened it, she found her black credit card. The same credit card that had no limit. If she hadn’t agreed to her deal, she’d use it. But she was cut off, and the moment she swiped it, it was game over. She’d have to return to Sydney.
“It’s okay. I got it,” Rob said, as he pulled out his wallet from his suit jacket.
Ally shook her head. “I have to, remember?” He nodded and put his wallet away. Taking out a fifty-dollar note, Ally handed it to the checkout operator with a smile. When she received her change, she thanked the employee.
Rob took the plastic bag and began to walk her out of the grocery store. When they were out into the cool night, Ally stopped. He had made it two steps ahead of her before he too halted. He turned around and faced her. The questioning gaze he shot her way had her taking the few steps needed to meet him. Then she settled her right palm on his cheek. “Thank you for this.”
“You’re welcome,” he said with a grin. His light blue eyes shimmered under the car park lights. “I’ll take you home so you can cook.”
“Stay for dinner? I can’t promise that it’ll be cooked correctly, or on time, or even that it’ll be editable,” she admitted.
“I’d love to,” he’d said before he bent down and his lips found hers.
This kiss.
It felt natural.
It felt real.
But the lips that kissed her had been the pair that had previously destroyed her confidence and splintered her heart. His lips, she could not trust. They had been what coerced her heart to beat his name.
The apartment smelt amazing and delicious. She’d barely eaten all day and couldn’t wait to try the risotto she and Rob had made. He’d read out the recipe she had on her iPad as she cooked. The beeping of her phone had her glancing at it on the bench. She noticed Serge’s name and her eyes widened and her heart raced.
“Rob, do you mind taking over? I gotta get that,” she said.
He stopped unwrapping the deli paper. “Sure.”
“Thank you. I’ll be right back.” With a deep breath, she abandoned her risotto on the stove and picked up her phone on her way towards the balcony. When she stepped foot on it, she went to the railing and opened her messages. Ally peeked over her shoulder to make sure Rob hadn’t followed her out.
Serge: Piccola, it is almost seven p.m. Are you okay? What is your blood pressure today?
Ally stared at his message. She could lie and tell him the same result as yesterday, or she could tell him that she had been at work and hadn’t checked. But knowing her bodyguard, he’d make her do it then and there. And she couldn’t run the risk of Rob seeing. So she decided she’d lie. Continued to lie, to be correct.
Ally: 130/90. See, my blood pressure is fine.
When she pressed send, she moved her gaze from her phone and stared at the city skyline in front of the gorgeous twinkle of the stars. It was beautiful to see. From this balcony, she felt free. Minus the part where she had lied to one of the closest people she trusted. She was afraid to take the test. Afraid to see the truth of her health. Tomorrow, she’d change the results and tell him a different pressure to derail any suspicion.
Six days without a test.
Six days without medication.
Six days barely eating.
Her fatigue had increased and her headaches were more frequent. Water was essential and she found herself having to use the bathroom often to pee. But when she worked, she got off on the adrenaline of her freedom. She didn’t feel sick at work. She loved working. No one suspected she was a millionaire heiress; she was just the woman who poured their beers. And she was content with that. Her phone vibrated in her hand and she read Serge’s reply.
Serge: This is good news. Your blood pressure is consistent. Dr Fuller believes if you’re on dialysis, it can help your kidneys get better. You won’t be on it long. He says we can wait six months if you continue to stay healthy.
Ally: That’s great. We’ll make it, Serge. Me and my half-functioning kidneys will make it.
All lies.
She knew that, but it didn’t matter. Not right now. She was putting her health at risk, but she already knew the signs and the symptoms to know that someday she’d need a transplant. It would be years of waiting, and she didn’t mind. So long as she got that kidney the fair way. A kidney not even money could buy.
“Hey,” she heard Stevie say.
Ally quickly locked her phone and turned around to find her roommate on the balcony. “You’re home. How were your classes and assignment?”
Stevie sighed. “Both terribly boring.”
“Is Julian home?”
“Yeah, he’s in the kitchen helping Rob. We were gonna see if you wanted to order Chinese but saw that you were cooking.”
Ally stepped away from the railing. “There’s enough for everyone. I’ve just got to cook the garlic bread that’s in the freezer.” As she was making her way back into the apartment, Stevie’s serious expression stopped her.
“I have a question to ask you. And you’re allowed to say no,” she said.
“Okay,” Ally said, slightly afraid.
Stevie took a deep breath. “Would you like to come to uni with me tomorrow? I can show you around campus. I only have one marketing lecture. I can give you a tour and you can see if uni is something you still want.”
Ally’s eyelids fluttered. She was surprised that Stevie would go out of her way for her. “Are you serious?”
“Only if you say you’ll come. We can take the train together. My lecture isn’t until eleven so we miss the peak hour trains.”
“I’d love to!”
Stevie’s grin deepened. “Great! Well, let’s go inside. I know you’ll love university, Ally. Just wait and see.”
When dinner had finished and the dishes were completed, Ally walked Rob to the front door. She’d noticed that he was a lot quieter when he was around Julian. But he’d glance her way and smile. And for Ally, that was enough. Those silent exchanges were loud statements that had deafened those around them.
“Thank you for taking me to the grocery store and cooking with me. I appreciate it,” Ally said with a smile she hoped expressed her gratitude.
“Dinner was amazing. You should be proud of yourself.” The softness in his eyes had her heart pumping and left her breathless.
“I’ll be sure to tell Jamie Oliver your thoughts,” she commented.
Rob set his hands on her shoulders. “Trust me?”
She nodded.
The curve of his smile presented itself as he walked her several steps back, turned her body, and then gently pressed her back into the hallway wall.
“What are you doing?” she asked in a breathless whisper.
“Changing what happened in this very spot.”
In this very …
His hands left her shoulders and cupped her face in quick movements. Ally flinched in surprise as his mouth found hers, sealing their lips, and replacing the memory of what had happened in this very spot five days ago with something new. She clung to his hips as her pulse raced. Unlike the last time they kissed, his tongue passed her lips, meeting hers in slow strokes. She’d never been kissed this way before. Almost slow enough to be considered torture. Each stroke and each flutter of his lips caused sensations to settle in the pit of her stomach. Just as she pulled his body to crash to hers, a loud sound of a throat clearing quickly broke them apart.
“Now, what is this?” Julian asked, serious and not at all like him.
“Uh
hhh,” Ally mumbled.
Rob shook his head and muttered, “Here we go.”
“Robert, I’d like you to stop being very indecent with my girl there. Allison, as long as you live under my roof, you will not be fornicating with the opposite sex.” There was no teasing in his voice as a very stern expression consumed his face.
“Julian—”
“Go to your room!” Julian ordered loudly.
“Seriously?” Ally huffed.
“I better go anyway,” Rob said.
“Yes,” the younger Moors brother said, tapping his foot. “You should.”
“I can’t believe this,” Stevie cried, stepping into the hallway. Then she pulled on her fiancé’s arm. “You’re being ridiculous, Julian. Leave them!”
“But—”
She glared at the sulking Julian. “They’re not children. If they want to kiss, let them. Come and read my marketing assignment and tell me what you think.”
He sighed. “Fine.” Then he squinted at Ally and then Rob. “Allison, we are having a talk later, young lady.”
Once the hallway was empty, and Julian and Stevie were in their bedroom, Rob circled his arms around her waist and pressed his forehead against hers, breathing hard. “My brother is an absolute child. I’m sorry.”
Ally laughed lightly. “Nope. I should be. I could have moved in with my brother, but I wanted to live with Stevie.”
“Okay, I better go. I have to work in the morning,” he announced and gently kissed her.
Those light kisses of his caused her head to spin. Short and sweet. They caused delusion. And just like little white lies, she believed in them.
Just like the little white lies she had told Serge.
Nausea swept through her stomach, she pulled back and clenched her jaw to stop any sickness from escaping her lips. Either the lies were getting harder to tell or she was as unhealthy as she had expected. She’d have guessed the latter.
“You okay?” he asked, the worry caused the bleakness on his face.
She nodded. “Yeah, sorry. I’m fine.”
Rob released her and headed for the door. When his hand was on the handle, he turned around and smiled at her. It wasn’t one of those cocky grins. It was sweeter. Wholesome, even. “I’ll call you,” he promised.
The way he said it echoed the way he had months back. He did call. But he had told her he felt nothing. The hit of nausea doubled and she felt the sweat line her forehead.
“Okay,” she managed to say and then he was out the door.
When the click had rung loudly in the apartment, she bolted to the toilet. Once inside, she hunched over the bowl and threw up everything in her stomach. Pressing her forehead into her arm, Ally focused on her breathing. That was when she threw up for a second time, surprising herself. She reached out and pulled at the toilet paper. When she had scrunched some up in her hand, she tore it off and wiped her mouth.
“Ally?” The concern in Stevie’s voice had her peeking over her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You look pale. Come, I’ll take you to bed.”
“No, I’ll be okay,” she insisted as she reached up and flushed the toilet.
“You’ve been sick since you got here. I’ll take you to my uni another day. You need to rest.” Stevie’s hands were under her arms as she pulled her up. For once, Ally didn’t argue. Instead, she let her roommate walk her to her bed. She wouldn’t bother to change out of her black jeans and T-shirt, opting to sleep off the nausea.
Deanna Ryan: We need to talk.
Rob: About?
Deanna Ryan: As your manager, you should tell me when you date someone that could be toxic to your public image.
Rob: I would if I were dating anyone.
Deanna Ryan: Ally O’Connor? Ralph told me. What do you think you’re playing at, Rob? You can’t clean up a scandal like her. You can’t be associated with her.
Rob: Ralph shouldn’t be telling you shit. YOU work for ME.
Deanna Ryan: Rob, I’m serious. Rowing is a family friendly event on the sporting scene. It’s not swimming or cycling. A scandal hasn’t hit the sport. And you don’t want to be the first. This will be a PR nightmare!
Rob: She’s not who the papers say she is.
Deanna Ryan: Doesn’t matter if they’re lies or the truth. Society still believes them. I say this as your manager and with your career in mind. Let her go. Win the Olympics then get the girl. You turning down the chance at London already screwed you over with Rowing Australia. Don’t give them another reason not to pick you for Worlds.
Rob: You think they won’t pick me because of someone I care about?
Deanna Ryan: Not if they think you can’t be controlled. Rob, it’s my job to make sure you get sponsors and handle your PR. I can’t handle what she could do to your image. I’m sorry, but you gotta leave this girl behind until AFTER Rio. If she cares about you, she’ll wait. She’ll put your dreams first.
Rob rubbed his palms over his face. Deanna Ryan had been working for him since he was sixteen. She was one of Australia’s best sports managers. And when Ralph pitched him to her, she signed him up before anyone else could. Now, his manager had advised him to stay away from Allison. Just like his coach. He’d never read a single article about her. He knew she hated being a socialite and that it was all a façade. Curious, Rob opened a new Safari browser on his Mac desktop at work and then went to Google. In the search engine, he typed:
Allison O’Connor.
The first result of the search was pictures of Allison. She looked intoxicated or high in most of them. Her dress was hiked up her thighs, her hair a mess, and her makeup was all over the place. Pictures upon pictures of her with different men. She didn’t look unhappy or upset. She had a big, fat smile on her face as her arms were looped around strangers. It wasn’t the Allison he knew or the Allison he loved. It was an Allison he had never known.
Then he scrolled down to see the first web page on his search. It was titled: “Ally O’Connor is a whore and here’s why …”
He winced at the abrupt title. Unable to help himself, he clicked on the link and was sent to a page that had a list of pictures of her under each number.
She’s been seen with five different men this week alone.
She was caught with Home and Away star Dustin Fletcher’s hand up her skirt at a club.
The time DJ Pelt appeared to have her against a wall… probably doing the dirty.
Caught doing the walk of shame leaving Dustin Fletcher’s Bondi apartment.
Reported to have been THE reason why actress Delilah Williams dumped Dustin Fletcher (We’re with you, Delilah!).
There were twenty more reasons as to why Allison was a whore. Links to videos were also included with the gifs and pictures. No one was that great of an actress; she appeared to be enjoying the spotlight.
He knew it himself that being linked to her previous life would affect his rowing career. He knew she was unhappy, but he had no idea that her public image was that bad. It would be a PR nightmare. He’d never get sponsors. His integrity would be questioned. He himself, as a rower, would be examined. Rob had already let down Rowing Australia by not competing towards the Olympics in London. He had requested that they never release his name on the team when they had selected him. No one but his manager and coach knew. He had let his country down. He couldn’t let them down a second time with a scandal. He’d never win his mother a gold medal. He’d never achieve a dream he’d had since he was ten.
With a regretful sigh, he picked up his phone and typed a new message.
Rob: How about dinner soon?
He waited, wondering if she’d message him back.
Jewel: It’s about time. I’ve been wondering when you’d get in touch. How’s Friday night?
His stomach recoiled and his chest burst into flames. Slamming his eyes shut, he breathed out and whispered, “I’m sorry, Allison.”
Rob: Sounds great. I’ll pick you u
p at seven.
Rob had avoided PJ’s all of Wednesday. Thursdays he didn’t have work or training; it was a rest day, and Rob had gone to the grocery store and grabbed the things he needed to restock his fridge. He never bought more than what he needed for the week. He hadn’t called Allison as he had promised. It’d been almost two days since he’d said goodbye to her. And it had been a day since he had agreed to go on a date with Jewel Monroe. It made him sick inside knowing that he was saying goodbye to Allison, but the Olympics came first. His manager and his coach were right. There was no way of coming out clean if he were with her. Her image would shatter his.
Mentally preparing himself, he took a deep breath and entered PJ’s, expecting to see her. When Rob stepped inside, Mitch was behind the bar instructing one of his female waitresses. The pub was quiet for a Thursday morning, but he had to get it over and done with. See Allison, explain that he needed to focus on the Olympics, and then be done. That was it. Towards the back corner of the pub, he noticed his brother and Stevie sitting down. Rob nodded at Mitch and received a shake of his head in return. Ignoring Mitch’s less than impressed expression, he made his way towards Julian. Once he reached their table, Stevie glared at him.
“You guys drop off Allison?” he asked, looking at them both.
They shared glances until Stevie let out a heavy exhale. “You’re an absolute idiot!”
He winced. “Excuse me?”
“Stephanie,” Julian warned.
“He doesn’t care! Don’t you see that? How he treats her? He leads her on every goddamn time. She’s my friend,” Stevie cried. Then she got up from her seat and pointed at him. “I can’t believe you.”
“What are—”
“No,” she interrupted, shaking her head. Before he could even say another word, she stormed off.
