Eduardo was determined to see that Amber was transferred safely. He didn’t want to leave, but had no other choice. He gave instructions to the hospital administrator one last time and went back up to Amber’s room to say his goodbye.
How could he say goodbye? Farewell, so long? It was unimaginable, he would see her again, and he felt so in his heart.
It was dark in her room. The curtain was still drawn, but Eduardo could hear someone mumbling behind the sheet. Could it be? He got excited. Was she finally awake? He could tell her now how much he loved her now and how everything would be all right.
Eduardo gasped when he saw a large African-American orderly fondling Amber’s breasts as she lie inanimate in her coma.
“What the hell!” Eduardo shouted at him. “Get your fuckin hands off her!”
He grabbed the man’s arms away from his beloved, shoved his awkward body into nearby monitors and machines and the man shuffled along the linoleum trying to get to his feet to escape but was unable to as Eduardo held him down with the blunt of one of his crutches and kicked the man repeatedly with his one good leg. “Get the fuck outta here!” Eduardo protested, “Get the fuck out!”
The impulsive uproar echoed down the corridor. A nurse in another room heard the commotion and came pouring up the hallway and into the room. “Sir? What’s wrong? What’s going on here?”
Eduardo tried to catch his breath and wiped down his attire. He couldn’t believe what just happened, what he saw. It was appalling—it made him nauseated. Disgusted thoughts ran through his head. She was in this hospital how long? A week, eight days at the most? God only knows what went on behind the curtain! Good God, he had to get her out of this place!
“Tell that fuckin hospital administrator of yours that he’s gonna have the most expensive lawsuit on his hands...If I have to carry her out her myself, Amber leaves now!”
“I will...I will Mr. Sanchez,” the nurse continued to assert, her hands stopping his egress, “But before you leave...”
Eduardo looked down at her hands halting his exit, “What—what?”
“I might get fired by telling you this, but there’s something else you should know...”
Thirty-Two
A Year and a Half Later
Eduardo departed the plane and found himself amidst other travelers at the Ontario Airport. Heading towards the booth to pick up his rental car, he recollected his routine.
Amber was transferred out of that disreputable district infirmary and into the Palm Desert Treatment Center the very same day. With the aid of Aldridge & Watson and the nurse testifying on his behalf, Eduardo sued the Los Angeles County, the hospital, and their staff for a considerable amount of money for mistreatment of a comatose patient, and he prevailed. Aldridge & Watson succeeded by having it broadcasted on every prime time news channel, head-lined in every magazine and newspaper and acknowledgment and praise soon followed. Eduardo was taken off probation, given a promotion and Amber’s fees were compensated.
Every weekend for the past sixteen months he’s made this journey. Eduardo would stand vigil by her bedside…hoping and praying…for her healthy recovery. There was so much to share with her, why hadn’t she sprung to attention by the sheer sound of his voice? He loved her so much, hated seeing her motionless and unresponsive from just holding her hand. Eduardo was not used to Amber not clutching his body in return. Why hadn’t she responded to his contact? He missed her so much—he’s never been so in love. The one instance where he could prevail in his perseverance did not hold credence in his motivation to get what he truly wanted. So, where were the magic words?
Amber came out of the coma eleven months later. What happened? Why was she unconscious for so long? He often thought she didn’t want to recover, want to be alive again, never wanted to see him another time. He was so relieved, elated, wanted to see her the moment she awoke.
Eduardo punched Dr. Hayward in the jaw when he refused to let him see Amber. He paid for her keep, even salaried Dr. Hayward, why couldn’t he see her? Dr. Hayward acted against it, Amber was distraught, depressed—it wasn’t a good time. Eduardo didn’t give up though, how could he? Dr. Hayward was now in control, and Eduardo had to accept the rule. He complied with the doctor’s orders as his punishment for what he’d done. For what they’d done; caused two divorces, ripped The Family apart. A family that was once happy and thriving with love and happiness was now torn and beaten, scandalized. He would wait for the day Amber asked to see him. Wait with expectation, wait with his remorse.
Eduardo shoved the receipt for the rental car in the glove compartment and began his descent towards the center. His days were nothing more than solemn of late. Work was employment; it helped him pass the time, coming home late at the dead of night with hollowness in his heart and an ache that no one else could stop but Amber. Good God, however it began, he was lovesick over her! It was so hard to be forced to walk and breathe when all he could think about was being with her.
She refused to see him? Why? He’d been rejected? What was that all about? He’s never been cast aside, never! He was devastated; crying in the shower, listening to heartrending music, sitting alone in the dark, drinking. The only thing that kept him breathing was past memories...and what joined them together now.
He had the chance and should have taken it. The day the two met…Amber, so young and naive. He could have seduced her away from his brother, before they got married, had their son, bought a house and made another baby. He did it before…twice, in fact. He robbed two other girlfriends’ of Victor’s and neither their mother nor their father or family took notice or cared.
One girl was all over him the minute Victor was out of the room. Octopus hands roaming everywhere, it was Victor’s first girlfriend at the tender age of thirteen. She was fifteen and very persistent; a dirty blonde, practically straddling him in their pool when Victor was underwater diving for rocks. It was all very innocent. They only stole a few kisses, but Eduardo still felt guilty and Victor was so heartbroken.
The next girl wasn’t so easy to evade. Victor had been dating her for several months, another blue-eyed blonde, but not too exciting elsewhere. Eduardo didn’t even say the word boo to the girl and she likewise ignored him until one night. Victor and his parents were out of town and left Eduardo in the house alone to finish studying for a college exam, when a tap on his window startled him. It was nearly two o’clock in the morning, and whoever it was, was being inconsiderate. Eduardo stormed over to the window and to his surprise; it was Victor’s girlfriend—dressed in a fancy prom dress of sorts. He opened the front door and she explained to him that she just left her sister’s wedding and had to use the bathroom. Bathroom? Well, he was tired from all the studying, and thought the excuse was worthy, so he let her in. The next thing he knew she was in this incredible sexy garter belt with silk stockings and a lace bra that he just couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off of! She suddenly had this hot little body, and one thing led to another and they had sex on his bed. And wouldn’t you know it, the girl confessed to Victor to make him jealous, and Victor was so impaired, he didn’t speak to Eduardo for nearly six months. Lucky for Victor, Eduardo rented an apartment off-campus while attending UCLA and hardly ever saw his little brother and the girls he further dated.
Eduardo began to unwrap his sandwich he purchased just before he rented the car and began eating it. Chicken salad on sour dough bread toasted slightly, his favorite. He was a practical man, an intellectual…an educated male. He graduated from Harvard for crissakes! Working for top rated Aldridge & Watson producing seven figures a year. A long-established bachelor by choice, he never allowed himself to fall in love. If you wanted to spend time with him fine, but don’t go hinting at love, relationship or marriage. He ran away from commitment and never batted an eyelash or gave an excuse as to why. He was always up front with the women he dated. It was clear not to believe in silly nonsense like love at first sight, or a thunderbolt of devotion drawing two people together. It never happened to
him, so why give credence to it? It was some cruel joke God played on him when Victor presented Amber to his family for the very first time. Amber was so mysterious he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. He always looked passed brunettes (especially women with black hair) but with Amber came singularity. Her hazel eyes pierced through his heart like a sheet of lightning. His perfect woman, she was everything enhanced; body, personality, friendship, consideration and undying love for him. The chemistry they shared was so intense, he oftentimes found himself running away because he was so over-whelmed with guilt just thinking of what he wanted to do with her. His brother’s girlfriend. It was shameful, distasteful. Out of respect for the previous two times he stole what was Victor’s, Eduardo felt he had to withdraw himself from the race. He would step back, give his little brother a present. Watch with jealously, as Victor and Amber kissed and shared their dedication to each other, that acceptance of their love, their admiration for each other. Fall back from what he felt in his very soul could have been true happiness for the rest of his miserable presumptuous life.
Never in his life would he have believed that Amber felt similar. At that very moment in time, when they first laid eyes on each other, if the devil himself would have enlightened him that he would be sacrificing so much to be with her, he would have laughed his fucking head off. That’s insane! No woman would make him do that! He was insane, totally and undeniably in love with his brother’s fiancée.
He honestly didn’t realize how much he loved her until the day of their wedding. Victor presented Eduardo with Amber’s ring. Eduardo was Best Man and was supposed to hold it until the exchanging of rings during the ceremony. Eduardo held it in his palm for so long; he thought it might have melted into his skin. It was a plain platinum band. It was faultless, simple, like her and he left it in his wallet in the dressing room never intending to give it to Victor. He wanted to grab her on that altar and whisk her away; present her with the ring he bought—and make her his eternally. Amber was gorgeous that day; he wished he had said something then. Once again, he had an opening, purposely strutting in front of the bridesmaids, pretending to be lost on his way to the groomsmen. And when he saw Amber, dressed head to toe in her wedding dress that should have been for him; all he could muster up was the word wow. She took his breath away. Grabbed his heart, twisted it so tight, he felt such anguish; he couldn’t see straight the entire ceremony. The days after were filled mostly with emptiness. He went home alone, while Amber and Victor made love, it pained him physically just thinking about it. Oh, how he wanted her for himself, envisioning her in bed with him, his wife for all eternity. Days turned into years of yearning for his sister-in-law and wishing fantasy would mutate. He was totally unbalanced when he finally met Leticia.
Leticia was like a breath of fresh air. She filled up his time, his concentration, the moments he did not think about the woman he now loved. He was lonely, and constantly dreaming of Amber, that one night he practically attacked Leticia. In his eyes, as he tore her clothes away from her body, she was Amber. He wanted to make love to her, feel himself inside her and Leticia satisfied the moment of compulsion, he never intended on marrying her but her family came from a strong Catholic background and she had been a virgin and he had no other choice but to put a ring on her finger when she announced that she was with child. She was merely a stand in for the person he really wanted. And oh how he always felt guilty for having sex with his wife! He felt like he was committing adultery (which was totally absurd) and should have been diametrical. It was forever daunting trying to keep up appearances with Leticia too, forcing to show affection towards her in front of his parents and family, continuing to have intimate relations when he really couldn’t stand the sight of her. He was in love with Amber the first day he met her. No other woman would suffice.
He was so grateful for all the little incidences he had with his sister-in-law when she initiated them too. Amber constantly sought out his friendship and it fulfilled the need of wanting her for himself. Sitting on the couch, joking at the dinner table, daring each other to swim laps in the pool, unimportant moments where he could have her full attention. And when he decided to see if she felt equivalent, he would purposely walk out of the same room, absent from her view, talk with someone else or simply speak with Leticia alone. He knew he’d sparked some kind of interest because Amber would always follow him. Until one day Eduardo couldn’t take the torment any longer and decided to be so bold as to taste her lips. He needed to satisfy that constant craving of feeling her skin and, Good God; the desire was never quite fulfilled. Damn he was reckless, sleeping with his brother’s wife. Amber was everything he’s ever wanted and he found himself brutally sexually attracted to her (and if he had his way) they’d never leave the bed.
She was constantly driving him to distraction at work too. He couldn’t believe all the cases that got settled in those years; how on earth could he have concentrated so much on legal effort when all he wanted to do was passionately kiss Amber all day long?
Come to think about it, Eduardo realized, with all the places that they did make love; someone should have definitely caught them. In the car, at the park, bathrooms, restaurants, elevators, even once at his parents’ home. Good God, how that was exhilarating! The thrill that they might get caught caused them both to get excited…in the garage of all places! His father’s 60th birthday no less! All his relatives were singing Happy Birthday when Eduardo pulled Amber aside to steal a kiss. He should of known from the start that one kiss from her would lead to pulling each other’s clothes off. They ran towards the garage, it was the only place they could think of that wouldn’t be occupied. With the lights off, it was perfect, dark, sheltered and quite. Voices with song rang through the stillness as he entered her. It was crazy, it was breath taking, it was so, so immoral, but if felt so right.
Merging onto Interstate 10, trying to ease into the fast lane within traffic he thought about what Amber did to have everything come to pass.
He apprehended Amber within his arms. She pushed him away with all her might. She was strong, tougher than he expected and released her body slightly, only to have her push his size against the wall. Amber raced towards the door and ran down the hallway. Down the long corridor towards her car, he shouted down at her, but she refused to hear his failed attempts at doing so. Her car screeched away...What the hell was she doing? Was she really going to end their affair? Was she really going to leave Victor? Where the hell was she going?
He panicked, called her cell; she didn’t answer. He called again, only this time she responded. He knew something went terribly wrong when Amber yelled at him for the last time. Being on the other end of that conversation, listening to the love of his life in anguish, in pain, tore his heart out. The phone went dead. It was cut-off in mid-sentence. She said she was going to teach him a lesson? A lesson in what? What was he supposed to think? He called the cell phone carrier; they told him the cell was deactivated by the possessor. The possessor? Good God, what happened! She was driving in her car hysterical; she lost control and caused an accident? Bleeding and dying on the pavement somewhere, he was impaired himself. He had to find her wherever she was. Thinking like an attorney more than a lover, he called up the one person he knew that wouldn’t hesitate to help him out in a bind. Being employed by a five star firm had its advantages. Aldridge & Watson had access to private investigators up the yin-yang (really, really good PI’s) like former FBI Agents called ‘Joe.’
“I need a cell phone traced Joe, it’s urgent.” Eduardo recalled the conversation with him.
“You got it,” Joe volunteered.
“Here’s the number,” was all it took. And honest to God, not twenty minutes later, Eduardo received a call from Joe telling him that Amber was being rushed by an ambulance to Cedars Sinai. Eduardo went cold. It was a nightmare. He was going to lose her?
Seeing Amber in that hospitals bed unconscious did he realize what an absolute self-satisfied asshole he really was? Instead of agreeing with
her justification to seek a divorce, he forced Amber to make a harrowing decision. She wanted to die? She’d rather remove herself from the cause than face a future without him? She couldn’t bear to live with his brother anymore than she could tolerate their relationship. That was her message to him. It was a memo sent loud and clear. Good God if he’d only yielded!
The drive was nice, breath-taking in fact. The immense mountainside shaded the desert like a grandfather over its descendants with palm trees, white sand and a beautiful oasis of modern motels, restaurants, golf courses, stores and casinos.
Eduardo reached The Palm Desert Treatment Center within two hours. It was peaceful there, pleasant, upscale and professional.
Thirty-Three
Time Heals the Heart
Amber sat up then wiped the sweat away from her brow and looked down and noticed her shirt damp and moist from perspiration. Recalling in detail, her vivid nightmare, the recollection infuriated her—enraged her enough to become visibly distressed. She threw the pillows off the couch then removed her shoe and flung it at one of Dr. Hayward’s dubious plaques on the wall. The picture came sheer off and the glass shattered into several million pieces.
“Now—now Amber, why did you throw your shoe?” Dr. Hayward expressed containing his hostility.
“Because you keep asking me to rehash my depression,” Amber exclaimed, remaining on the couch. “Over and over, I can’t do this anymore! I hate you, you evil vile man!”
“Amber this is part of your therapy. You’ve come so far, you’re doing so well.”
Amber didn’t look at him, she was so overwhelmed with anger she just couldn’t see straight.
“Let’s calm down now. Only one picture today,” Dr. Hayward quipped, tsking at the sight of his treasured doctoral degree lying on the ground. “That’s a good sign.”
Unsuitable Obsession - Part One Page 25
