“Ellen, please, wake up.” Joyce felt for her wife’s pulse, and almost panicked at how weak it was. I’ve got to get her out of here. But how? Joyce’s rising panic almost choked her, as she furiously tried to release the seat belt from around Ellen’s waist. When she couldn’t get it to release, she turned back to her side of the car, and felt for the door handle. Her wobbly legs almost gave out from under her as she stepped out, and then had to lean against the car for support. Using her hands as her guide, she walked around the car to the driver’s side. Her right hand caught on a piece of torn metal and cut a deep gash in it. “Son of a bitch!” She grabbed her hand in pain, and felt the blood trickle down her arm. She instinctively ripped away a piece of cloth from her shirt, wrapping her hand with it. Then she turned her attention back to Ellen. Joyce found the door handle and pulled on it as hard as she could, crying and screaming desperately for it to open, but it wouldn’t budge. It was then that she smelled smoke. God, Ellen! Please hang on!
“Help me! Oh, God, please someone help me!” she screamed as loud as she could, making her way back to the passenger’s side of the car. “Help! Help!”
Joyce crawled back in on the passenger side and pulled out her scalpel pocket knife. Her hands shook so badly she could barely unfold the blade. When she got it out she carefully felt around for Ellen’s seatbelt. The blade sliced through the belt and fell away. She quickly folded the knife and stuffed it in her pocket, and then grabbed Ellen’s limp arm and began pulling. She was able to turn Ellen enough to grab under her arms, giving her more leverage to pull with. Suddenly she heard a whoosh sound, and then what sounded like pops.
“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Joyce knew the car was on fire, and that she was out of time. Using every ounce of strength she possessed, Joyce, now almost completely hysterical, pulled Ellen across the seats and out the passenger’s side door. She picked up her wife’s lifeless body, and carried her as far away from the burning car as possible, praying that she wasn’t walking into oncoming traffic. The sound of footsteps running toward her, caused her heart to leap with relief. “Over here!” she screamed at the top of her voice, as she carefully laid Ellen on the ground.
“Are you all right, miss?” The stranger asked as he knelt beside her and Ellen.
“I’m fine, but‒‒”
“Your eyes! They’re bleeding.”
Joyce felt her face and it was then that she realized the mask was gone. But she didn’t feel any pain or any blood.
“What are you talking about?”
“Your eyes. It’s like they’re gorged with blood.”
“Really?” I wonder what that’s about? But Joyce couldn’t worry about that now, her wife’s needs were much more important.
“Please, I’m a doctor, but I’m blind. Please tell me what wounds my wife has.”
He looked immediately at Ellen’s left leg, which had the most obvious wound on it. “It looks pretty bad,” was his non-professional opinion.
“Can you see any bones? Any skin torn away?”
He ripped away her pant leg and looked closer, “No, just a nasty gash in her left leg. Seems to be bleeding pretty bad though.”
“Quick, wrap it tight with your shirt or something. We have to stop the bleeding.”
The Good Samaritan took off his shirt and used it as a tourniquet on Ellen’s leg.
“Not too tight, just enough to stop the bleeding, okay?” Joyce felt her way to Ellen’s leg and the man guided her hands down to the tourniquet. She felt it to be sure it wasn’t too tight, then she tilted her head in his direction and said, “Good job. Now, can you elevate her legs with something?”
As he looked around for something, Joyce made her way back to Ellen’s head, and wrapped her arms around her. “Please, wake up, oh, God, please, wake up.”
The man found an empty box in the trash bin near the curb. He slid it under Ellen’s legs, effectively raising them almost eight inches from the ground.
“I think it’s going to blow!” Someone screamed from the other side of the wreck. Joyce could hear loud popping and suddenly a loud explosion that sounded like it was coming straight towards her. She immediately shielded Ellen with her body. She could hear a lot of screaming from onlookers, and then the sound for heavy footsteps coming toward her. Next came a loud thump and a deep groan. They had rescued the other driver from his car just before the explosion, and laid him beside Ellen. Joyce could smell the sickening mixture of alcohol and gasoline, and knew even before she overheard the conversation among the onlookers.
“I think he was drunk.”
“You’re not serious? Another stinking drunk. Just look at what he caused.”
“Miss? Miss can you help him? I think he’s dying.”
Joyce’s Good Samaritan touched her arm, but she recoiled.
“You want me to help with who? The drunk bastard who caused all this?” Joyce screamed angrily.
“You’re a doctor, aren’t you?” he asked.
Joyce growled, “That’s my wife bleeding on the ground, unconscious, because of that bastard? Let him die!”
Chapter Sixteen
After the luncheon, Aidan and Vicky returned to their hotel room to change clothes, but one thing led to another, the clothes came off and they ended up in bed together. Aidan had put the camera pin and the microphone in the bathroom and shut the door. She didn’t want to take the time to give the equipment back to Bradshah, so for now, the bathroom would muffle any sounds they would make. And they did make a lot of unrestrained sounds that shouted to the world, their love for each other. An hour later, sated and satisfied, they lay in each other’s arms, looking for an excuse not to get out of bed.
“Honey, can we talk?” Vicky rolled over in bed and faced Aidan.
“Sure, kid, what’s up?”
“I have a suspicion about something, that’s probably nothing, but I thought you should know.”
“Baby, if you’ve got a suspicion about something, I always want to know, because I trust your instincts. What’s on your mind?”
“I think there’s more going on with your aunt than meets the eye. Like something is purposely being left unsaid.”
“Yeah, I got that feeling too. Some things just aren’t adding up, like her fascination with your ring.”
“I noticed that also,” Vicky said. “Since we got here, people have been gawking at my ring. Remember the singer back in the pub? She seemed almost, I don’t know, upset to see it. Like it was cursed or something.”
“Yeah, and that South African fella wanted to buy it. I definitely think there’s something about the ring, but what that is, I don’t know yet.”
“What do you want to do about it?”
“I was thinking of going to the library tomorrow and doing some more research on Senator O’Malley,” Aidan stated. “They should have her family tree listed, and what was in her dossier didn’t address stuff like that. And maybe stop at a jewelry shop and have them look at the ring.”
“Oh, no, you mean you want to take my ring with you?” Vicky was already feeling anxious. Not having the ring on her finger took away her strength, her armor, because the ring was an extension of their love and commitment. She knew it wasn’t a rational feeling, but when it came to love, nothing is ever as rational as it seems.
“Don’t worry, baby,” Aidan lifted her hand and kissed the ring, “I promise, I’ll keep it safe.”
“Sorry, just being foolish, as usual.”
“Okay, I think I know where this is coming from.” Aidan felt that Vicky’s insecurities with her, stemmed from when she had run away at age fourteen, and now were being pushed to the surface by the upcoming trial with Aidan’s father. “Baby, listen to me, you’re not being irrational at all. Regardless of whether you have that ring on or not, I’m not going anywhere, ever again. But you need to remember that my love for you exists outside that ring. That’s just the conduit to my heart. If that ring was lost, would our love be?”
Vicky lowered her head, and lik
e a child feeling dumb, murmured no. Only with Aidan would she allow herself this moment of insecurity.
Aidan tucked her finger under Vicky’s chin and looked into her shimmering blue eyes, “My love for you is in everything I see, everything I touch, and in everything I hear. When I’m away from you I still feel my arms around you, and when I’m with you, my heart skips a beat when I touch you, my breath evaporates at the sight of you. Is it the same for you?”
“Yes. Exactly the same.” Vicky was grateful that her spouse understood, and always seemed to know exactly what to say. “I love you so much, sweetheart. Here’s the ring,” she took it off her finger and handed it to Aidan, “So what can I do to help?”
“You just did. But if you’re willing, would you distract Brigh while I’m at the library?”
“Sure, I’ll get her to escort me to one of Dublin’s hospitals. That would be a normal request, don’t you think?”
Aidan nodded, “Yeah, perfect.”
“Besides, I would really enjoy seeing how the Irish do their healthcare.”
“You’re missing your hospital, aren’t you, kid?” Aidan asked with a knowing smile.
“Yes,” Vicky grinned, “just a little. But back to the subject, why don’t you just talk with your aunt?”
“Not yet. If there is something to all this, she obviously needs more time before she’ll discuss it.”
“More time?” Vicky asked.
“More time before she says what’s really on her mind. So while I give her that time, I want to find out more about her. All I know is her life as a politician. There’s more to her than that.”
“I think that’s probably a good idea. In the meantime, what about the terrorist? Any leads on him?”
Aidan shook her head, “Bradshah ran every person we met through the database and nothing popped from any of the agencies. He’s still processing the waiter that had the gun, so I don’t know about him yet. I have a few suspicions about some of them that I would like to follow up on. The problem is that my hands are tied. All I was supposed to do was be the mechanism for getting their photos.”
“And that’s not enough for you, is it, dear?
Grinning, Aidan replied, “You know me to well, kid. No, it’s not enough. There has to be more I can do. I want to catch these bastards so bad I can taste it.”
Vicky looked at her lovingly. Her strength and determination, and her desire to do the right thing was one of the reason’s Vicky loved her so much. “If you were running the show, what would you do, honey?”
“For starters, I’d like to interview your love struck admirer, that South African guy. My gut tells me there’s more to him than the front he puts on. Then there’s the waiter. He kept checking his watch and looking around, and I’m sure he was going to shoot someone. Who that was I don’t know, and I want to find out.
“What about the abusive Senator and his alcoholic wife?” Vicky asked. “She was acting strangely when she was talking to me, and I’m not talking about her being inebriated.”
“Most likely it was her fear of her husband that made her act that way, but if I was running the show, I’d check into them also.
“Okay, then let’s do it. Let’s talk with them, and‒‒”
“Whoa. Slow down there, kid. I think Bradshah would balk at that.”
“Not if we don’t tell him,” Vicky said. “Leave the camera and mike at the hotel. We’ll just have a casual drink, or dinner, or something innocent like that, with those people and you can ask all the questions you want. No one will be the wiser.”
“Oh, man, what am I dragging you into?”
“Sex, adventure, and espionage. I’d say the perfect honeymoon, sweetheart.”
It was then that Aidan realized that it wasn’t right. “I’m sorry, I’m not being fair to you.”
“I don’t understand, what are you talking about, darling?”
Aidan raked her fingers through her hair, before she said, “This was supposed to be our honeymoon, and instead of it being about us, it’s become all about me. I’m sorry, I should never have agreed to come here.”
“My wedding was all about me, Aidan, so it’s only fair that you take the honeymoon. Sweetheart, look at me,” Vicky sat up.
Aidan positioned herself so that they were looking at each other.
“Now it’s my turn to make you understand something,” Vicky smiled, and touched her ring in Aidan’s hand, “We are married now, but even if we weren’t, for me, it will always be all about you, no matter what we’re doing. You are the single most important thing in my life and if it’s important to you, it’s important to me. And besides, don’t ever worry about taking me for granted, because, darling,” she grinned and with a twinkle in her eye, caressed Aidan’s cheek, “I simply won’t let you.”
“Damn, baby.” Aidan smiled at Vicky from the very depth of her soul. “I love you so much. And you need to know that I am nothing without you. The smartest thing I will have ever done in my whole life was to marry you. Understand that you are the only thing, the only thing that’s important to me. I can give this other stuff up in a heartbeat, if that’s what you want?”
“That’s not what I want at all, Aidan. Don’t you understand, honey? You’re not whole without all this other stuff, and I’m selfish, I want all of you. It’s what makes you the woman you are, the woman I’m in love with. The woman I love more than life itself.”
There was no more to be said. Their love for the other was so strong, so magnetic, that it drew them into each other’s arms, deeper into each other’s soul. Their lovemaking was gentle in its intensity, compassionate in its passion, and fierce in its need to possess. This time, just as their souls came together, so did their climax and they shared the orgasm as one, as if to symbolize the binding of their hearts.
*
“I thought Aidan would be joining us?” Brigh asked, confused when she saw only Vicky waiting for her at the hotel. All it took was a phone call to the Senator, and Vicky was on her way to tour the largest hospital in Dublin. Though it was a ruse to give Aidan time to do some research, Vicky was really interested in seeing how healthcare was administered in different cultures, so she was looking forward to this tour.
“Oh, she’s not as keen on touring hospitals as I am, so she found something else she wanted to do. So, it’s just going to be you and me.” Vicky thought she saw a note of discernment in Brigh’s face. “That’s all right isn’t it?”
“Oh, of course, well then, let’s be on our way, shall we.” Brigh showed Vicky to the waiting car, and as soon as they were settled in, she said, “Things seemed a little tense this morning, I hope Senator O’Malley and Aidan can make amends.”
Vicky looked at her curiously, “I don’t know, Aidan was really hurt by that whole exchange. Put yourself in her place. She’s wondered all her life about her mother and her heritage. And then, when she finally did meet her mother’s sister, the Senator as much as told Aidan that her constituents meant more to her than she did. Once that bubble has burst, it can’t be reinflated again.”
“I’m so sorry. I’m sure she didn’t realize‒‒”
“Listen,” Vicky interrupted her, “inside that strong, independent, stubborn woman, is a little girl crying for her mother.” Vicky watched as Brigh’s face melted. “And do you know how I know this? Because she’s been my best friend since I was six years old. I know her heart, her hopes, and her dreams. Having a family of her own has always been a dream of hers, and her aunt has all but destroyed that now. And to be perfectly honest with you, I’m pretty angry with Peg myself, for hurting her like that.”
“Vicky, please,” Brigh’s voice cracked, “don’t let her think that. Things are, um, complicated. Peg, I mean Senator O’Malley, just needs a little time to be sure of some things.”
“I don’t understand what it is she needs to be sure of, but I can guarantee you one thing, family or not, I’ll do what I have to in order to protect my wife, and if that means leaving Ireland today, b
efore she can hurt Aidan again, we will.” Vicky knew she would never dictate what Aidan could or could not do, but her anger got the best of her.
“No, please, I’m sure it won’t come to that.” This isn’t working. I’ve got to keep her from taking Aidan away.
“You’ve been raped, haven’t you?” Vicky stated bluntly, “I could see it on your face when I mentioned mine.”
“Oh…, um, yes, I was. But I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I felt that way too, and kept it hidden, even from my parents, until my rapist showed up at their doorstep fifteen years later.” Brigh gasped, as Vicky continued, “He was my next door neighbor and he raped me when I was thirteen-years-old, and then he just disappeared. Come to find out, he enjoyed beating his only child routinely. He seemed to take pleasure in demeaning her, and made her live in filth. Then, a few months ago, he saw me on television and started stalking me. He fixated on me with the intention of raping me again. But, Brigh, I faced my rapist. Looked him straight in the eye and told him he doesn’t scare me anymore.”
Remember, It's Our Honeymoon Page 15
