by Kylie Parker
“Oh, my God.” A sigh of despair left Helen’s lips, as she dropped her head into her hands.
“That’s why I wanted you to get that job, honey.” Debbie explained, as a tear spilled from her eye. Her mother’s words brought the night of their conversation back to her mind. Helen remembered that convincing her was much easier than she had expected, but she was too happy to wonder why. But now, everything was clear to her.
“I’ve brought four thousand with me.” Patricia spoke, her voice riddled with sadness. “It’s all I have. He’s got by tomorrow to pay him or…”
“Or?” Helen whispered, sliding her hands down her face. She glanced at her sister and then down at her mother, but neither of them could utter a word. Tears welled up in her eyes, as their prolonged silence gave them the answer that she so much dreaded. Dull despair settled over her, as her mother collapsed in her embrace. Debbie burst into loud, wailing sobs, as Helen slipped her arms around her back. Patricia hugged her mother from behind and held her tightly, as Helen sensed her tears flowing down her face. It was at that moment that James’s words flashed through her mind:
“There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do to protect the ones closest to me; nothing at all.”
Helen’s initial reaction was to reject the thought of asking for help. James and Olivia had already done more than enough for her. Sadly though, she had no one else to turn to. They were the only choice she had.
“Mom…” She sniffled, easing out of her mother’s hold. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of this.”
“How?” Debbie wondered, curiosity written all over her face.
“I need to make a phone call.” Helen said, her voice picking up volume. “Just wait here.”
Helen turned around, opened the door and went outside. Finding her purse between her suitcases, she bent down and picked it up. Then, she pulled her cell phone out and called Olivia. Michelle’s smoky voice and piano notes filled her ears, as soon as her friend answered.
“Hey, girl! How was your trip? Is everything alright?”
“Hi, Liv,” Helen replied as she attempted a lazy tone of voice, while she wiped the tears from her face. “Yeah, it was fine. I’d almost forgotten about Michelle’s gig. How is it?”
“It’s great! They should be done in a few.”
“Listen, I need a favor. God, I wish I didn’t have to do this.” Helen sighed, looking up into the sky.
“You sound worried, girl. What is it?”
“I need money.” Helen stated, running her hand through her hair, as a sense of guilt overwhelmed her. “A lot of money: my father owes money to some loan shark.”
“What?” Olivia squeaked. “A loan shark? Why?”
“He’s been gambling for a while now. I’m really sorry, Liv.” Helen’s voice lowered once more, as tears welled up in her eyes. “I didn’t know who else to turn to.”
“How much money are we talking about here?”
“Eight grand.”
A weighty silence lingered over the line. Michelle’s voice and the piano became fainter. In a matter of seconds, all that Helen could hear was the click-clacking of Olivia’s heels on the floor.
“I’m sorry. I had to get away from the stage.” Olivia finally spoke. “It’s not the money that worries me, Helen. I’ll talk to James. We could lend you the money. Can you be sure that your father will stop gambling? Loan sharks are criminals, girl. Can you guarantee that he won’t pull off anything smart on you?”
“I can’t be sure about either of those things. I just know that if my father doesn’t come up with the money, he’s…” Helen paused and bit her lower lip. “He’s going to kill him.”
“How much time do you have?”
“Forty eight hours.”
“Great.” Olivia sighed in relief. “I’ll wire the money tomorrow. You’ll have it in time; oh, and Helen?”
“Yeah?”
“I’d call Marcus, if I were you. Goodnight.”
“Thanks again, Liv. Goodnight.”
Helen hung up the phone, overflowing with a sense of joy. Once again, her friend had not failed her. Olivia’s suggestion was precisely what she had been thinking about, but it could wait. Helen couldn’t wait to share the good news with her mother and sister.
“Mom, Pat…” she started, a big smile spreading across her face, as she rejoined them in the living room. “I was just on the phone with Olivia. She and James will help dad out.”
Helen watched relief entering their eyes, visibly loosening the tension in their faces. The two women walked towards her with open arms as they smiled at her. Within seconds, Helen found herself lost in a group hug. Her mother burst into happy tears, as Patricia rubbed her hand up and down her back.
“God bless that girl.” Debbie sniffled, as her tears soaked her daughter’s shirt.
“And James,” Patricia corrected her. “I’ll never forget this.”
“Guys, can I ask you a favor?” Helen politely requested.
“Yes, dear?”
“Can I please go to bed? I’m exhausted.” Helen said in her sweet voice, causing Patricia to burst out into joyful laughter.
“Mom, she’s right,” Patricia said, reaching to pull her mother’s arm away from her sister. “She just got back from L.A.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart,” Debbie whispered, leaning back.
“Goodnight.” Helen murmured, as the idea of contacting Marcus lingered in her mind. Still, it was 2:10am. She could hardly keep her eyes open; another phone call was simply out of the question. Before going to bed, Helen chose to send him a text message:
“Please come here, ASAP. Something big has come up and I need you. I’ve missed you.”
19
A tickling sensation on her left cheek woke Helen up from her deep sleep. Slowly opening her drowsy eyes, she discovered that Patricia was standing at the foot of her bed.
“Rise and shine, princess,” Patricia spoke loudly as she smiled down at her little sister. “Old habits die hard, don’t they?”
“Old habits?” Helen asked in a voice hoarse from sleep.
“Yeah, you like to sleep late.” Patricia’s smile turned into a grin. “It’s almost 1:30.”
“I was too tired.” Helen maintained, rubbing her blurry eyes. Patricia was about to come with a rebuttal, when she looked out her sister’s window, to the left.
“That cabin at the edge of town.” She spoke in a mild tone, pointing at the same time. “That’s James Farrell’s place, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Helen croaked. “Why?”
“Someone’s over there.” Patricia’s short sentence made her sister’s eyes snap open. Helen sat bolt upright, unable to believe her ears. Unfortunately for her though, she could not ask anything further. James’s cabin was more than two miles away; Patricia could simply not describe to her anything else. Swiping the sheet away, Helen jumped out of bed, looking for her clothes. “What is it?”
“James is in California.” Helen spoke too fast, pulling her jeans up. “It can’t be him.”
“Then, who the hell is at his place?” Patricia asked.
“I don’t have time to explain.” Helen stated with a smile of content forming on her face, as she buttoned up her pants. “Let’s just say he’s not a burglar.”
“So, you know him!” Patricia’s eyes flashed with excitement. “What’s his name?”
“Not now…” Helen gave a short laugh, as she put her red, t-shirt on. “I’ll tell you later, ok?”
“Oh, come on!” Frustration was lingering in Patricia’s voice. “You’re not going to give me his name?”
“Marcus.” Helen’s response was sharp, as she put her sneakers on. “It’s got to be him.”
Without wasting any time, she stormed out of her house, with the keys to her pickup truck in her hand and her heart pounding in her chest. Helen hopped into her car, in the hope that Patricia had noticed her boyfriend, even though such a thing sounded very unlikely to say the least. It was humanly impossible fo
r anyone to ride across the states in less than three days and Michelle’s next venue was only two days away. James would not leave his protégée back in California. Her heartbeat quickened, as she approached the cabin. Marcus’s motorcycle was nowhere to be seen, but, on some level, Helen expected that. The tires screeched, as she brought her truck to an abrupt halt, right outside James’s house. A simple glance to the left gave her the answer she needed to have. Indeed, it was Marcus. He had brought outside a large amplifier and he was about to strap a black, electric guitar around his neck. Helen’s heart fluttered, as she jumped out of her truck. His face was lit up with a huge smile, as their eyes met. Immediately, she started running towards him, as a sense of happiness rushed through her. Marcus opened his arms, as Helen lunged towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, laughing heartily as she planted short kisses all over his face.
“Oh, you crazy little devil,” Helen spoke in her sweetest voice, as she rested her head on his shoulder. “How did you get here so fast?”
“I got your message.” Marcus sighed, caressing her back. “I talked to James. I know.”
“You know about…”
“Yeah,” he interrupted, as she leaned back. “I was just outside New Mexico, when he called me last night. I had to act fast.”
“You flew to New York…” Helen concluded, her voice lowering to a soft, loving whisper. “What about all that stuff you said the other day, about avoiding cameras?”
“I figured ‘what the hell’. My country girl needs me.” Marcus said, soothingly.
“What about your b…” He didn’t allow her to finish her sentence. Tilting his head forward, he pressed his lips against her mouth, as his grip around her became tighter. In spite of her surprise, Helen kissed him back, gripping the back of his neck, as she stroked his upper back. Drowning in his manly scent, she savored his kiss, enthralled by his gesture. Marcus had risked exposing himself, just to be there as quickly as possible. That simple move had made her heart melt. It was by far the noblest thing anybody had ever done for her. Helen’s hand crept around his head. Her fingertips explored the rasp of his beard, as she laid one last kiss on his lower lip.
“It’s in a parking lot in Mexico City airport.” Marcus said, with a wily smile on his face, as she pressed her forehead into his.
“I really don’t know what to say.” Helen whispered, gazing deep into his eyes, as she stroked his face. “I mean, you fl…”
“Yeah, I did.” He interjected once more, easing her down onto the ground. “You don’t have to repeat it every two seconds.”
“And the guitar?” She posed yet another question, pointing down at the instrument.
“I wanted to surprise you.” Marcus shrugged his shoulders. “This amp’s pretty powerful; I’m sure you’d hear it.”
“I kind of…” Helen paused, “… spoiled it. My sister saw you.”
“So, this is Shandaken,” he said, looking around him, “Lots of greenery. The view from up here is amazing.”
“Has your friend told you anything about this cabin?” Her last question made his eyes glint with amusement.
“Ten years, full of agony and fantastic music.” Marcus spoke, nodding at the same time. “Up until he met Olivia. I also know about the time you kissed him.”
“Oh…” A gasp of surprise left her lips, as she dropped her gaze from him. “I’m not really proud of that.”
“It’s ok.” He assured, tipping her chin up. “You just did what you thought was right.”
“I was totally drunk that night.” Helen said, as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I wasn’t thinking straight.”
“Nah, forget about it.” Marcus waved his hand in front of his face. “We all make mistakes. Let’s go inside. I want to know more about your father’s problem.”
20
Marcus listened intently, as Helen told him the whole story about her father’s gambling issue. However, it wasn’t long before she started talking about herself, her childhood, and her life in the small town in general. And, although he seemed to appreciate the fact that she was willing to share this information, Marcus frowned when he heard her complaining about her mundane life. As soon as Helen brought up the night that she had attended Michelle’s first ever concert in her new style in a new type of venue, her tone changed. She was much more cheerful, as she narrated the night that she met Olivia. Proud of herself that she had brought her and James back together, she could not stop smiling and bragging about it. Helen claimed that her life was turned upside down when she became friends with her and Michelle. The life that they showed her was light years more interesting and fun than what she had been used to so far. Marcus continued to shake his head in disapproval, but he didn’t interrupt her. Instead, he waited patiently for her to finish her long narrative.
“That’s quite a story.” He commented, taking a deep breath. “I only have five words for you. Living here is a blessing.”
“I like it, too.” Helen declared. “I just wish it was more exciting, you know?”
“We talked about this in my apartment.” Marcus put a little force in his voice. “Life in the city comes at a price, country girl. You should remember that.”
“Is it bad that I want to try it and see for myself?” She wondered, leaning against him. “Just for a little while.”
“It’s not.” He shook his head sideways. “But, let me tell you something about it. You won’t be able to enjoy much. Most of the time, you’ll be too exhausted.”
“It’s funny.” Helen laughed, shortly, dragging her gaze away from him. “My mother said that to me the other day.”
“She’s right.” Marcus replied in a firm tone. “It’s not easy, especially for a girl like you. Think about it. So far, you’ve only been to major cities as a tourist or something. You’ve never had to work and live there.”
“I just want try new things.” She said, her voice lazy, as she leaned her back against the couch.
“Try something else.” He urged, folding his arms behind his head. “Life in the city? Nope. Too demanding. Too exhausting.”
“I will think about it.” Helen smiled up at him, as she put her hand down on the cushion. Rolling to the right, she began to crawl towards him, maintaining eye contact. Just when she reached his lap, she rolled over onto her back and laid her head on his thighs.
“I’m only looking out for you.” Marcus spoke in a gentle tone.
“Let’s not talk about that anymore.” She suggested, as he cupped her cheeks in both of his hands. Helen closed her eyes, loving the sensation of his soft hands on her skin. “This feels so good.”
“I still remember what you did in Barbados.” He said with a smile. “All of a sudden, I saw this gorgeous blonde, blocking my way: gutsy.”
“You’ve never mentioned this before.” Helen remarked, slowly opening her eyes. “How come you’re bringing it up?”
“Because I loved what you did back there.” Marcus confessed, as his smile disappeared. “It was pretty much the only thing I liked in Barbados.”
“Why?”
“Don’t get me wrong. I liked seeing James again after so much time had passed, but then came the questions about my past.” He spoke in sighs. “I had to tell him everything.”
“Please, explain to me something.” Helen said in a soft voice. “How can a man like you be so calm all the time? I mean, you’ve been through so much and you’re always so peaceful that I’m starting to wonder what I could do to upset you.”
“I focus on the immediate,” Marcus said, his baritone mild, as he ran his thumbs across her cheekbones. “That’s how I’ve kept my sanity all this time. That’s what I should have done on our first date, but I didn’t.”
“You can make it up to me,” she said in a raspy voice, as she slid her hand up his stomach.
“Don’t get any ideas:” he commanded; his face stiff. “I’ve already ridden for 18 hours and I’ve just been through a 4-hour flight. I’m exhausted.”
“Too bad,” Helen shook her head in mock sadness.
“I have to talk to your father, too.” Marcus declared. “I need to know their history.”
“Hold on.” She murmured, reaching towards the living room table. Helen pulled her cell phone out of her purse and called her father.
“Hello?”
“Hi, dad. Listen, I’m at James’s cabin. Could you come over?”
“What, he’s back?”
“No. I’m here with a friend. How soon can you get here?”
“I’m half a mile out. See you there.”
“Bye.”
“What do you want to do when this is over?” Marcus inquired, running his hand down her neck.
“I never thought I’d say this, but…” Helen smiled, reaching up to cup his hand. “Drive across the states. We’ll drive up to New Mexico, you’ll get your bike and we’ll continue west. I can’t wait to see my friends again.”
“You should know that James told me about the investigator he’s hired.” His words sent shockwaves down her spine. She stared up at him, trying to come up with a rebuttal, but Marcus had not finished speaking his mind. “I thanked him, but I don’t think he’s going to have any luck. Marines don’t break easily.”
“Achem…” Dwight’s hoarse voice made her tear her gaze away from Marcus. Helen’s father was standing under the doorframe, with his hands on his waist.
“Oh, crap.” Helen hummed, rolling out of Marcus’s lap. She landed flat on the hardwood floor, as he rose from his seat.
“Mr. Weir, my name’s Marcus Hurst.” He said, offering his hand for a handshake, as Helen’s father sauntered towards him.
“Pleasure,” Dwight croaked, shaking his hand, as Helen got up from the floor.
“Dad, Marcus will escort you to the meeting with Kendrick.” She informed him, straightening her t-shirt.
“I’ll need a gun,” Marcus requested. “Preferably unregistered.”
“You got it.” Dwight said with a nod.
“Mr. Weir, you just owe the guy money, right?” Marcus eyed her father with some squinted suspicion. “I mean, you haven’t…”
