Midnight in Brussels

by Rebecca Randolph Buckley

  “ … Pete was shot and killed this morning as he and the others confronted a gang of poachers. Three of our men were killed and he was one of them. I’m so sorry.”

  Her vision blurred. She shook her head. “But that can’t be. I just talked to him yesterday. No! You’re wrong! He has to be alive. He promised me. He promised! We’re getting married at Christmas!” She crumpled to the floor, still holding the phone to her ear. “He can’t be dead … he can’t …”

  “Miss O’Neill, Is there someone I could call for you?”

  She dropped the phone. It fell next to her as she began to rock back and forth, crying and sobbing.

  “You … you promised me, Pete … you promised … I can’t do this again … I just can’t … can’t do it …”

  She struggled to stand up, then staggered to the bathroom medicine cabinet.

  Chapter 32

  Carl Wilson called Paul and Belinda in the UK after telephoning Rachel in Brussels. He told them he’d talked to Rachel at the Metropole and it had sounded as if she’d collapsed at the news.

  After failed attempts all afternoon and evening to contact Rachel, and when Janet called telling them she didn’t show up in Paris as planned, Paul spoke to the hotel and learned that Rachel hadn’t checked out. He told them to go into her room to see if she was there, that he would wait on the phone.

  Five minutes later they told him they had found her unconscious on the floor, an empty prescription bottle of anti-depressants on the floor beside her, and they had called an ambulance.

  He left immediately for Brussels.

  When he arrived at the hotel, the manager said she’d been taken to Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, a local hospital. Paul couldn’t believe Rachel would have tried to take her own life. Of all people, not Rachel. He broke down in front of the hotel staff. They ushered him to an office till he was able to get control of himself. Her things were still in her room, they told him. So he asked for a key and requested that they switch the name over to his. He would be staying there till he could take her home.

  When Paul saw Rachel lying in the hospital bed, her face and eyes swollen from the overdose, she was barely recognizable. He wondered why she’d been taking anti-depressants in the first place. She’d never seemed depressed. She was one of the most cheerful people he knew and always so full of energy and life. He loved that about her.

  As he got closer to Rachel, the tears began to build again. He choked them back and shook his head. He lifted her pale hand and brought it to his lips. “My dear Rachel, nothing is worth this grief.”

  Her eyes slowly opened. “Paul?”

  “Yes, dearest, it’s me. I’m here to take you home.”

  “But—“

  “No buts. You’re coming home with me as soon as I can get you out of here.”

  She turned away. “He’s gone, Paul … he’s gone.”

  Paul could barely control his own grief over Pete, but he knew he had to at that moment. “But we’re not, Rachel. You and me, Belinda, the boys … we’re all still here and we love you. Maybe Pete has left this world, but he’ll never leave our hearts—”

  His voice broke on that one. That was it. Control gone. He stretched his arm across Rachel, buried his face next to hers on the pillow and gave in to his own sobs.

  He adored this woman. Ever since he first saw her and kissed her that New Year’s Eve at Trafalgar Square in London, he knew that wasn’t the end of it, he knew she would be in his life somehow, somewhere. And now she was. She had become a big part of his life.

  This time it was Rachel who squeezed Paul’s hand. Her eyes were closed. She whispered, “Paul … it will be all right … it will … I’m so sorry ... don’t cry … ”

  She faded into sleep.

  Chapter 33

  Two weeks later Rachel was almost back to normal, although still a little weak and fragile. She was embarrassed and regretful that she’d tried to commit suicide. The shock had been too much for her the doctors said.

  Being back home in Cornwall with her friends calling and visiting her was a blessing. She was feeling much better.

  The memorial service for Pete had come and gone and all she had left were her memories of him. With Paul and Belinda’s help, she was learning how to place the memories on a virtual shelf to take them down whenever she needed or wanted them.

  She talked to Janet and Bob, they called from Paris the day before the service; they were saddened and grieved over Pete’s passing. They were there when Pete had first proposed to Rachel two years before in Paris. His death was breaking their hearts, too. Shellie and Adrian had been there, too. All of Rachel’s friends were sorrowful and conveyed their condolences.

  As she sat and stared out the window of her cottage, she wished she could relive those six months in Paris with Janet and Shellie; such happy times culminating with Pete making his surprise appearance on New Year’s Eve, proposing to her. She smiled as she remembered.

  She hadn’t known he’d already arrived in Paris for New Year’s Eve. She thought he was still in Brazil recuperating from the deathly plane crash and being lost in the jungle for weeks, almost eaten alive by insects and infections. Then when the girls were picked up by Bob and Adrian in Montmartre, Pete stepped out of the Limo in all his glory to surprise Rachel. Later on the dinner boat Maxim’s, where Shellie was performing with a jazz combo, Pete proposed to Rachel and slipped a Brazilian diamond ring on her finger.

  But here she was alone again, without him. She couldn’t believe that he was gone, out of her life, after she’d finally admitted to herself that she needed and wanted to be with him forever, that she loved him. She just couldn’t believe he was dead. How could it have happened? Why did it happen? What was it that always took love away from her? This had been the first time she’d begun to truly believe she had found her soul mate. She had found her soul mate. And knowing that they would be together again in another lifetime was of no consolation at the moment.

  She shook her head and stood up, running her hands through her hair. She wasn’t going to spend her life questioning and grieving and wallowing in self pity. She just wasn’t!

  Rachel dropped her robe and stepped into the shower.

  She had to pull herself together. Death wasn’t new to her. She’d survived it many times before and she would do it again.

  As she stood under the hot water spray, she decided that the first thing she had to do was get in touch with Amanda. She wanted her to know that she still wanted to help her.

  Later that morning when she telephoned Amanda’s number in Bruges, no one answered. She emailed, but didn’t receive any return emails.

  She hoped nothing was wrong. Surely not.

  Chapter 34

  Amanda was in California. The trip back was even longer than it had been when she had flown to Belgium. First there was a four-hour delay before she took off from Brussels, which made her late for a connecting flight in Chicago. Then she had to wait three more hours in Chicago before taking off for California. So by the time Paula and Drake picked her up at the Bakersfield airport, Amanda was exhausted, she’d been traveling for hours.

  It was a sudden and unexpected return to the States. Arlie was in Bakersfield. He’d turned up at Paula’s wanting to know where his wife was, demanding that she tell him. Paula was able to calm him down and convinced him to wait till Drake got home that night. She’d invited him to stay and have dinner with them. He always had liked Paula and Drake so he relaxed and waited.

  After Drake got home, the two of them told Arlie what had happened and that she was in Belgium. He was stunned. He couldn’t imagine Amanda having the guts to do something like that. He just couldn’t imagine it since she was afraid of her own shadow.

  They tried to convince him that the marriage was over, that she had moved on, that it would be in his best interest to get a divorce. They told him that she would never forgive him for leaving her like he did and not letting her know where he was all that time. He begged them to lis
ten to his side of the story.

  He confessed that he had met another woman at the Plaza and had left Amanda for her, planned to go to Texas and start a new life with her. But then everything changed: he’d ended up in Arizona instead, with amnesia. Told them that he’d become a successful remodeling contractor, and also built new houses and log cabins with a partner.

  His memory had just returned and he wanted Amanda to come back to Arizona with him. What he didn’t tell them was that when his memory first came back, he had telephoned the woman in Texas. She had married someone else in the meantime and didn’t want to have anything to do with Arlie. He was devastated. That’s when he decided to go back to Amanda.

  Paula felt sure about Amanda, felt she was strong enough to face Arlie once and for all and send him off with a kick in the seat of the pants. If Amanda didn’t do it, Paula surely would. So they contacted Amanda and sent her a roundtrip ticket to come home and deal with Arlie.

  At first Amanda had said no, but then she’d decided that it needed to be settled once and for all, and she needed a divorce so she could get on with her life.

  Now she was to meet him face to face; he was coming to meet them at the house in one hour.

  “Baby, are you okay?” Paula asked. “You’re not going to let him change your mind and bully you, are you?”

  “He ain’t gonna bully me. He can’t. As far as I’m concerned, he already made his choice when he ran off to begin with. He’s out of my life forever!” Amanda declared. “It takes a truckload of nerve for that jerk to waltz back into my life after he took off for another woman and then expect me to come running back to him and pick up where we left off. I looked up Miami, Arizona, on the internet. There ain’t no way. Not after all I’ve seen and done and plan to do. I’m free of him. I just need the paper to prove it.”

  Drake came into the kitchen. “He’s here. He just pulled up the driveway.”

  They all took deep breaths. Drake went to the door to let him in. “She’s in the kitchen, Arlie.”

  When Arlie saw Amanda he was surprised at how pretty she was. He didn’t remember her being that pretty and said so as he reached for her.

  Amanda folded her arms and leaned against the countertop. “Stop where you are, Arlie. I’ve got some things to say to you. You know, you can’t blame your amnesia for not remembering that I was your wife when you first took off; a wife that you promised to take care of till death do we part. Remember them words, Arlie?”

  “I know, babe,” he said, still reaching for her. “I know I did you wrong.”

  “Don’t come any closer to me or I’ll have Drake throw you out of here after I kick you in the nuts, you son of a bitch!”

  “Why you talking to me like that, Amanda? I thought you came home to see me.” Arlie looked confused.

  Amanda frowned. “I did come here to see you. I came here to look you square in the eyes and tell you what I think of you. And that’s not much. You’re a lowlife, Arlie. You don’t deserve me. I’m getting a divorce. That’s what I’m here for. Then I’m going back to Belgium. I have a great life there.”

  “You can’t do that.”

  Paula stepped between them. “Arlie, why would you want Amanda when she doesn’t love you anymore? And you obviously don’t love her or you wouldn’t have gone off to be with that sleazy skank in Texas. Isn’t that right? So why not just sign the papers and get it over with. Then you can go your own way and do whatever and live with whoever you want to. Amanda is way beyond you now. She’s going to have her own business, Arlie. She’s been supporting herself this whole time. She’s even gone to school and learned a trade. So just let it be, darlin’.”

  He looked at Amanda, then back at Paula and Drake. “Drake, is this right? Do you think this is right?”

  “Yes, I do, Arlie. You messed up big time. She ain’t coming back to you. I can assure you of that. So you might as well accept it. It’s over.”

  Arlie looked down at the floor for a moment, his hands on his hips. When he looked up he surprised them all with eyes full of tears.

  “I’m sorry, babe. I’m really sorry I did that to you.” He turned and headed for the door. “Just send me the papers, I’ll sign. I’m staying at the Holiday Inn. Oh, here’s my card. It has my address and my cell phone number on it. My new name is John Cramer, by the way.”

  He tossed the card on the table and left.

  Amanda filed the divorce papers the next day, and then called Richard in Cupertino.

  Chapter 35

  It was mid afternoon when Richard picked up Amanda at Paula and Drake’s. They drove to Visalia, an hour north of Bakersfield, for dinner at the Vintage Press Restaurant.

  “I am so happy you’re here, sweetheart.” He took her hand in his and kissed it while driving.

  Richard’s touch was sensual. Amanda felt good. She was glad to see him and he looked more delectable than ever. She didn’t think she would react as she had toward him. Maybe it was because she knew she would be free from Arlie in six months, and that she was an independent business woman now. The slate was clean. She wasn’t just some dumb, ignorant blond, with no ambition or means to support herself.

  “I am so glad that things are finally beginning to work for me,” she said as she squeezed his hand.

  “Of course you are, and I’m proud of you, Amanda. I wish you would reconsider and come home for good. We can get married and you can open a boutique in Cupertino. We could be together and travel whenever we wanted, even go to Belgium any time you wanted. We could go all over Europe and Britain, visit your friend Rachel. I’d love to meet her, she sounds intriguing. We could invite her to the ranch. It would be a good life, Amanda. Please think about it.”

  “I will. And thank you for being so kind to me.”

  “I adore you, Amanda, and I love you with all my heart.”

  Amanda’s eyes bore into his. It was at that very moment that she truly trusted and believed him. She felt he would always be there for her, and felt so much gratitude that she could almost say the words he had wanted to hear, without any provocation. But she wasn’t through with Belgium. She might not ever be through with Belgium. It was home to her now.

  She touched his face. “I do care for you, Richard. I do. But I must finish what I’ve started in Belgium. You can understand that, can’t you?”

  “I can understand that you’re young and you want to sow your wild oats and do all you want to do before getting married and settling down again. Yes, I can understand that. But then, I want to be there with you while you do all that. I’ve already done everything I want to do, now all I want is to be with you. But, I can wait. I promise I’ll wait for you, my darling. Oh, I almost forgot. How could I?” He laughed as he reached into his inside jacket pocket. He pulled out her engagement ring, loose in his hand. “I know you want me hang on to this, but will you wear it at least while you’re here? Please?” He slipped it on her finger.

  Chapter 36

  Amanda was eager to return to Bruges. While in the States, she spent as much time as she could with Richard without taking precious moments away from Paula and the baby. She knew it was going to be hard to leave them again, but she was determined to get back and work night and day to meet the deadline she and Rachel had set. For the first time in her life she felt in control, felt her life had meaning, felt worthy.

  The day came to leave and this time Richard took her to the airport to bid her farewell. He had slipped an envelope of money and a note in her shoulder bag without her knowing. She would never ask for help, he knew that, and although her friend Rachel had come to the rescue, this way he felt he could still be as important in her life, too.

  “Please call me if you need anything, anything at all, Amanda. You must believe that I love you and want you to be happy. You do, don’t you?” He was holding on to her, not wanting to let go as she was about to board the plane.

  “Yes, I believe, you, Richard. And I hope you understand that I have to do what I’m doing.”

&nb
sp; “I know you do, darling. You just take care and don’t forget me. I’ll be there for the opening of your shop, you can count on that. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  He felt as if his heart was being yanked from his chest and Amanda was slipping through his fingers. He could do nothing about it.

  They kissed one more time.

  Amanda pulled away gently. “Bye, Richard. I’ll call you when I get there.” She began walking away.

  He stood watching her till she was out of sight, his heart aching.

  Amanda was borderline teary for the first hour of the flight. She wondered if she was doing the right thing. Maybe it would be better if she stayed and married Richard. She could have a shop in Cupertino. She could make lace and design clothing there. Why did she have to do it in Belgium? Why?

  She leaned against the window and closed her eyes. The strain of the past few days had finally taken its toll and she felt worn out. She fell sleep.

  Antoine met her at the airport in Brussels, which was a surprise. She’d given him her arrival time and flight number, but she didn’t think he would be there. She thought he would be working that morning. Nevertheless, she was happy to see him. She didn’t feel a sexual attraction to him anymore; but he was a good friend, more like a brother to her. She valued his friendship and loved his girls.

  Antoine pulled onto the main road to Bruges. He glanced at Amanda and grinned. “I’ve got some news for you, Mandy. I’m thinking about going back to university to become a history professor.” His eyes were bright and excited.

  “I didn’t know you wanted to be a teacher? When did you decide this?”

  “Before I married and had children, I was in university when my father died and I had to stop and go to work fulltime to help my mother. Then of course, I met Nadia and had the children. But now, I believe I can do it again, if I stay focused. There is an assistance program here at the university in Brussels, and they provide work, too. All I have to do is move to Brussels and enroll in the program.”