Fire - Betrayal

by Amelia Grace

  As he savored every mouthful of his dessert, he watched me devour mine. I was glad to have my appetite back. I knew that I had lost far too much weight in his absence.

  Alerted, Ben and I both looked up toward the heavens at the same time. The air around us had suddenly become still. We both knew what this change in the air meant – the storm was very near, nearer than we realized.

  Quickly we both arose from the table and fled, running to the motorcycle, me giggling with laughter. As we rode along the tree lined road towards Ben’s beach house, the clouds released the heavy rain, saturating us on the motorcycle. It was very dark along the winding road, but it was illuminated frequently by the bright flashes of lightning.

  I held on tightly to Ben, feeling exhilarated as I could feel the wind and rain on my face. My high feelings were intensified by the element of danger in riding on the motorcycle in a storm with the driving rain. But, I held onto Ben, my hero. He had saved me from a lifetime of depth and despair.

  Running to the porch entry of the beach house, we stopped as an ear splitting clap of thunder echoed and rumbled around us.

  Ben looked at me, soaked from top to bottom from the rain. My clothes clung revealingly to my body. I saw Ben breathe in deeply, and then look away.

  Ben was drenching wet too, and very desirable. I slowly took three steps towards him, enjoying every millisecond of feelings of longing for him.

  He remained still. I knew that he was fighting himself - the manly urges that he felt for me. He had made a promise to me. He had to be the strong one. Yet he remained still, breathing shallowly as I came closer to him.

  I looked deeply into his eyes as I bought my face closer to his. My hand gently caressed his chest and neck and then to the side of his face. I slowly brought my eager lips to his.

  He remained still, but I could see him fighting for control.

  Our kiss was light and gentle at first, but then became deep and passionate. I groaned as I let my feelings overtake my mind. I loved him so deeply, and my head started to spin.

  Then, all of a sudden, the house was lit up with the headlights of a car and the repeated honking of a horn.

  We parted from our passion and turned to see Ben’s brother and his wife excitedly running from the car.

  Ben’s eyes widened in shock and embarrassment, we had been caught in a very private embrace. He gently pushed me behind him. I was glad. I didn’t want his brother or his sister-in-law to see my body through my wet clinging clothes.

  “Ben!” they both yelled at the same time, while running through the rain towards him. “When did you get in? We didn’t even know that you would be here. It is soooo good to see you again, and you too Cate!”

  “Michael, wow…. You took me by surprise. We only got in today, late. How are you both? You guys look great! How did you know I was here?” Ben asked.

  “Small Island, news travels real fast!” replied Michael.

  “Michael, I don’t mean to be rude, but, we’re both soaking wet and need to get changed. And you should really go to your beach house while you can in this storm. They’re predicting hail – it’ll damage your car. How about we get together in the next few days?” Ben commented, manipulating the conversation to brush off the visitors quickly.

  I was standing behind Ben shivering. I was wet, and the strong wind from the storm was making me cold. Michael’s eyes shifted to me.

  “That would be perfect Ben, and, thanks for the warning with the storm. If you go to the lobby of the resort tomorrow, you will find out where our beach house is. We would love to have you around big brother!”

  “Good. It’s a done deal then…continued tomorrow!” Ben said enthusiastically, glad to be getting rid of his brothers presence.

  Then Ben turned to find me shivering, my lips with a blue tinge. He wrapped his warm body around me and unlocked the door and led me to the bathroom to have a warm shower. Then he went and prepared a hot cup of tea for us both, after removing his soaking clothes and wrapping a towel around himself.

  I was so grateful for the warmth of the shower. I had felt chilled to the bone waiting for Michael and his wife to leave. I also felt very disappointed that my passion with Ben had been extinguished. But I knew that it was for the best. I was about to lose control.

  I put on my summer nightwear that I had packed, and walked to the kitchen to find Ben. The pouring rain on the metal roof was a joy to my ears. How I loved the sound of rain falling on the roof, on the trees, dripping and whooshing.

  Ben smiled shyly at me when he saw me approaching in my short summer pajamas. I wondered if I should have packed different pajamas.

  He handed me a cup of hot tea, and I sipped it slowly, in silence, enjoying the activity of the storm outside.

  After a short while, I walked over to the french doors to look out at the beach. I watched the powerful flashes of lightning, and felt the vibrating sounds of the loud thunder, as they traveled through my body. It was the perfect way to start my holiday with Ben – at the beach, with a night time storm. Nothing could be better, except…….

  Ben had quietly walked over behind me and gently put his arms around me. I closed my eyes and relaxed my body into his feeling happy and safe.

  “I love you,” Ben whispered, “let’s go to bed.”

  I turned to face him, worried. Night time terrified me. It was when the nightmares would come.

  “Hold me Ben. I need to feel your arms around me. I need to hear your heart beating. I need to feel your breathe on my head.”

  Ben drew me close to him, and held me tenderly. I smelled his scent, and felt his strong protective body against mine.

  Again he whispered, “let’s go to bed.” And then took me by the hand and led me to the bedroom.

  Chapter 5

  Defenses Down

  The house remained dark, except for the brilliant flashes of lightning that lit our way as we walked. I followed Ben closely, holding his hand. He led me through the great room with the ridiculously high cupola, to the main bedroom that overlooked the beach.

  It was as dark as a moonless night. But then, a great flash of lightning lit the entire room revealing its nothingness of furniture.

  Then a less powerful second flash of prolonged lightning revealed a queen size mattress lying on the timber floor. It had been made up in white sheets and white pillows. It faced the french doors that led out to the back terrace. To the right of the mattress were three timber windows that held a view to the beach and the ocean beyond.

  Ben stopped and turned to me. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness now and I could just see him in the muted light. His face was intense, absorbing me.

  I stopped inches from him and put my hands onto his bare muscular chest, and melted into his eyes.

  He moved his hand lightly up to my neck and brushed his fingers along my jaw line, before he brought his lips to mine, kissing me lightly, and briefly.

  But as Ben pulled himself away from our kiss, I placed my hand behind his head and pulled his lips back to mine. I kissed him deeply before I pulled away momentarily.

  “Ben…” I whispered.

  And then Ben walked away. Backwards towards the windows, his hands over his face which was pained, and then he turned and put his hands behind his head, looking out into the heavy rain.

  I stood shocked and motionless, as I watched him. I could see how difficult I had made it for him. The last thing that I wanted to do was to push him away from me. Was it my fault that he had walked away?

  In silence, I walked over to him, and hugged him from behind, hoping that he wasn’t angry with me. I placed my head against his back and gave him a single kiss against his neck. I could hear him breathing heavily, and I could feel the stress in his body as he was fighting to gain control of his feelings.

  “Ben, I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  “No Cate…I’m sorry. My whole body becomes overcome with a powerful urge to become one with you Cate. It is extremely hard to fight.” He hung his head and
breathed deeply, “I made a promise to you a long time ago, and I cannot break that promise – no matter what the circumstances. I will feel like a weak man if I cave in and break our promise. I want you to hold me up on that pedestal that you have built for me for eternity. I never want to let you down Cate. I love you,“ he said, his whispered voice breaking with emotion.

  “And I love you, madly and deeply,” I whispered, my heart overflowing with love and adoration for him.

  As the rain continued to pour down, and the lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled, I stood with my arms wrapped around him. Slowly, I could feel him starting to relax. He turned to me and kissed me lightly on the lips.

  And I understood. I understood perfectly.

  We made our way to the bed that lay on the timber floor. I rolled onto my side, and watched the lightning out of the windows, and Ben lay behind me, cocooning me.

  I was exhausted. The day had so many emotional elements entwined into it. It had been truly exhilarating. I prayed that my days of self-pity and deep depression were gone, and I vowed never to return to that dark state of being no matter what happened. Then I fell into a deep peaceful sleep.

  * * *

  She slept soundly in my arms, but sleep did not find me. I lay with my body snuggling into Cate’s, smelling her sweetness. Then I placed my right hand onto her forehead. I wanted to read her emotional state, and see how her healing was progressing.

  I felt the warmth of my hand on her forehead as I closed my eyes and concentrated my energies into the emotional centre of her brain. I felt the positive energy electrons as my mind searched to find and heal any negative deficits in her emotions. I was elated to read that her emotional mind was 99% healed, but was perplexed about the other 1%. This part I could not read, nor did I understand the messages that it was giving me. I had thought that the mind training I had received in Une Autre Terre was complete. But the fact that my mind was blocked from this small portion of Cate’s emotional mind was testimony that my training while in the parallel world was not fully developed.

  I relaxed my concentration into Cate’s head, and then released my hand from her. I had put her into a very deep sleep cycle, for renewal of cells, healing of tissues and nerves, re-energizing and revitalizing.

  Then I rolled onto my back and was overcome with emotions, uncontrollable and unexpected.

  I carefully got off the bed and went to the window, placing my hands on the window sill leaning forward, trying to understand my feelings. I had the strong urge to sob. So I ran out of the french doors and into the rain, standing in my nakedness. I looked up to the heavens and then let my body succumb to my deep indescribable feelings of sadness. I let out loud and long deep sobs, my body heaving with sadness, and relief.

  Sadness because I had become acutely aware of the depth of Cate’s suffering while I was in Une Autre Terre, and relief because I had seen the unbelievable healing that had occurred in her in a very short time. In my mind I knew that I had saved her from certain death – this was evident as my mind had searched hers.

  I started to dwell on the 1% of Cate’s emotional mind that I could not read, nor did I have the knowledge to heal, and again I became overcome with emotion. Then I realized that, perhaps, this part was not for me to heal. Perhaps, this is what Cate needed to work on herself, to complete her journey back to being my beautiful, beautiful Cate.

  As the last tears left my eyes, and I felt my body rid of the pain and sadness, I fell to my knees and lifted my head to the Heavens. Then I breathed deeply and turned to go back into the beach house.

  Finding my towel on the timber floor of the bedroom, I thoroughly dried myself off, before I lowered myself back into bed beside my beautiful Cate. Cate stirred, rolled over, and placed her head against my chest, her hand draped over my stomach.

  When I was with her, I was complete. My heart beat as one with hers.

  I kissed her head lightly and breathed in her presence, before finally falling into my own deep sleep. The world was perfect again.

  My beautiful, beautiful Cate….

  Chapter 6

  The Historic Stone Church

  I awoke to the amazing view of the ocean from the bedroom windows. I rolled over to Ben to share my delight, but, he was not there. Panicking, I sat up, my heart beating fast and hard in my chest. Momentarily I was terrified I was in a dream, no, a nightmare. If Ben was not here with me, it was a nightmare.

  Then at that exact moment, he entered the bedroom.

  He was smiling exuberantly at me, and then leaned against the door frame of the double doors that led to the large bedroom.

  “Good morning my beautiful Sleeping Princess,” he said with enthusiasm.

  I smiled and fell back onto the bed, my hands over my heart, relieved. Ben walked over to me, found my hands and pulled me up off the bed and into his arms.

  “Breakfast on the beach, 2 minutes,” he whispered into my ear, and then left.

  I quickly dressed in a beautiful white flowing sleeveless dress with blue floral designs over it, and headed down to the beach to meet my beau. He was waiting on the picnic blanket for me, his eyes closed.

  I touched his shoulder lightly with my hand, and he looked up at me, his cerulean eyes majestic. I had to look away from him lest I fainted. I drew in a short sharp breath as I sat next to him.

  “You are so good at looking after me Ben. Sometimes I wonder if I deserve you….” I said to him, suddenly doubting my worth to him. Why should he be attracted to me? What have I got to offer him, except a wounded heart?

  Ben looked at me, frowning, his face serious.

  “There are so many beautiful women out there who would kill for the chance to be with you,” I said, and then I looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back at me, unconvincingly.

  Then he leaned over and kissed me lightly.

  “It’s true Cate. There are many beautiful women out there, but they don’t make me feel alive as you do. You are my soul mate. You are the reason that my heart beats. Our destiny is together, I know it.” I stared into his eyes, wanting to believe his words.

  I hung my head slightly and smiled weakly, doubt lingering.

  The beach breakfast was wonderful, but the walk along the beach with Ben after we had finished eating was perfect. His cerulean eyes were more captivating than I had remembered them. Maybe, it was the light reflecting up off the sand illuminating them more. No matter what the reason, each time that I looked up into his eyes, I had trouble keeping eye contact – such was their beauty. It reminded me of Grandy’s memory when she first looked at the Terreans as an eleven year old.

  I looked to the sand as we walked, and recalled Grandy’s quote, “Ben is a gift to us.” I breathed deeply, wondering if I had any control at all with my destiny. Was my life plan already laid out before me, and no matter what I did, it was headed on a path that I could not alter?

  I looked out over the blue ocean. The question that I had just asked myself was too difficult, and I did not want to go into a deep conversation with anyone, even myself about philosophy, fate or other ponderings of life. I had to change my introspection. It was starting to depress me.

  I gave Ben a gentle shove, putting him off balance, and then took off running down the beach back towards the beach house. He was startled, completely taken aback.

  He ran after me, easily finding his speed to catch up to me and tackled me to the ground, softly, ensuring that I would not be hurt.

  And there I lay, on the soft white sand, laughing and giggling, Ben partially on top of me after the tackle. He put his arms around me and rolled me on top of him. There I relaxed putting my head down on his chest. I was so truly happy.

  I lifted my head to find Ben’s eyes closed. I admired his stunning looks, his perfect nose, his angular jaw line, his dark wavy hair that parted to the left because of his dominant cow’s lick. He was beautiful.

  Then he opened his cerulean eyes and looked at me with intensity. My breath was taken away, and my heart ski
pped a beat.

  He placed his hands on either side of my face and then brought my lips closer to his. He kissed me slowly and tenderly, melting my heart, making me hungry for him. But I pulled away from the kiss, and rolled off onto the sand. I placed my hand over my heart and closed my eyes. I wanted to keep him – forever.

  Then he left me on the beach, alone.

  I looked up into the perfect blue sky and smiled to myself, loving the feeling of being in love with the man of my dreams, and the way he made me feel – so loved and cherished. I breathed deeply, calming myself, then sat and looked out at the ocean.

  Am I in love or infatuated?

  I looked down at the sand, concerned with the revelation that had just weaseled its way into my head. Why must I analyze everything? I stood and turned on my heel to walk to the beach house, disappointed in my questioning of my happiness.

  He stood at the door, car keys in his hand watching me, casually leaning against the door frame, looking like some sort of a god. I tried to lock away my somber mood, hiding my negative analysis from him. I didn’t want to give a detailed insight into my thoughts.

  He took my hand in his and led me to the black four wheel drive.

  The island was scenic after last night’s storm as we drove along the road to the resort. The car was far more comfortable than on the back of the Triumph Thunderbird Motorcycle I must admit. I laughed at myself. I couldn’t believe that I had kept up the charade and went against my fear to be a passenger on the motorcycle. Ben must have thought that I was nuts!

  We arrived at Michael’s beach house. I had decided that Ben’s Gran had played favourites, for Ben’s beach house was much larger, attractive, and had many more decorative elements adding to its uniqueness.

  Michael and Rachel greeted Ben as if he was the prodigal son. The brothers talked non-stop as we sat outside on the decking of the terrace, to a very delicious spread of morning tea.

  Then Michael turned to me and said, “Cate, I never got to thank-you for keeping the family informed while Ben was away for two years in the top secret undisclosed location. Thank-you. Our family is indebted to you.”