Truth

by Brittany Chapman

I nodded as he loosened his tie.

  He came to me and I laid him on the bed. There was a new excitement to being able to touch him in the sunlight, in my own room, as I lifted above him.

  His eyes lit with a wild fascination as I kissed him, teased him, and undressed him slowly, allowing him to do the same for me.

  I gasped when I wrapped myself around him. The bliss of him tore into my soul as my body clenched and gave him more, everything.

  He pulled me down into his kiss as we clawed our way further into our own madness.

  ✷✴✷

  I meant to show him around the rest of the house but when we walked into Mother's office we lost control. My fingers twisted into a lock of hair at the base of his skull.

  In a flash, he twisted me and pressed my back to the window. It was late when we jumped into the pool naked. The moon spotlighted our bodies and made everything surreal.

  We were exhausted by the time we got to his bedroom. I wanted to throw myself down on the bed but had to wash the chlorine from my skin. William followed me into his bathroom and watched me peel the saturated dress from myself.

  The way his eyes took me in told me he had yet to exhaust himself. He dropped his jeans and reached to turn on the water. I was bent over in the closet pulling out two soft, white towels when someone tapped softly on the bathroom door.

  I turned to see William staring at me as if he were ready to pull me to him again. He hadn’t registered the sound.

  They tapped again.

  His eyes widened as he pushed me gently into the closet. I held out a towel for him as he called out, “hold on.”

  The door began to open as William slammed the closet door, pushing me in. My back pressed against the shelves of the closet, but I had caught sight of Hannah as she peered into the bathroom. I muffled a gasp of horror with my hand.

  Her white button-down uniform blouse was opened at the top. A hint of purple bra flashed seductively, the kind of bra that could even force the skinniest man to have cleavage.

  “Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you said come in,” she exclaimed in a sickeningly coy voice.

  A hiss escaped my teeth.

  “I wanted to give you these towels.”

  “Thanks,” was all William said. I wished I could find a hole to peek through to see his face as he stood uncomfortably, in nothing but a towel.

  There was silence for a moment. I heard the slow click of heels on the floor.

  I hoped she would break her neck. Something heavy hit the closet door.

  “What are you doing?” William demanded. I saw his shadow in the crack under the door and heard the wood creak as he pressed himself to the closet.

  “I'm so sorry, I-” she faltered. “I felt like maybe you thought of me the way I thought of you.”

  I was pissed. I tried to shove the door open. I was going to beat her down in all of my naked glory. William shoved hard against the closet and cleared his throat loudly to cover my huff of frustration and the thud of my body being thrown back.

  “I'm flattered.” He sounded terrified. “But I don't. You’re getting out of a hard relationship and I don’t want to be a rebound.” His tone was gentle but firm.

  She sobbed. How pathetic could one person be?

  “I need to feel needed,” she sniffed. I could tell her tears were fake. The scent of her desperation made me bite my lip to keep from laughing.

  I relaxed in the tight space and listened as she destroyed her own last shred of dignity. William was quiet as though he didn’t know what to do.

  After an awkward silence, he finally spoke. “Not to be rude but do you mind leaving, I was in the process of showering and I am quite naked.”

  Her crocodile tears stopped abruptly. I heard her high pitched growl and the click of her heels as she stormed out, slamming the bathroom door behind her.

  I finally released my laughter. I tumbled forward when William opened the closet door.

  “That wasn't funny." He quickly caught me. His face told me that he was serious. I pulled in the laughter and looked at his expression. “That was mortifying. I have never been turned off so quickly.”

  I couldn’t help it, I laughed until I cried and he had to hold me up again.

  We laid in his bed with our warm skin pressed against each other, our wet hair tangled together. We fell asleep easily and quickly. I didn't dream that night. It was as if my mind knew there was nothing I could possibly imagine that could bring me more peace and serenity than I already had at that moment.

  Chapter 14- Hemlock

  His contented sigh tickled my neck as he pulled me closer to his chest. The bright sun surging through the open windows told me it was late in the afternoon.

  William was still asleep. A small smile spread slowly across his full lips.

  I kissed him gently and let my fingers run through his divinely soft curls. No matter how far I stretched them they sprang back into their perfect spirals.

  I was so engrossed with his unusual locks that I jumped at the sound of his voice.

  “Happy birthday,” his voice was sleepy and full of bliss.

  I hadn’t realized I was leaning over him. I looked down into his amused eyes. He dragged me to himself and kissed me hard as if I had done something he found irresistible.

  He rolled us until he was on top of me. He pressed himself to me and I gasped against his lips.

  He moved slowly, watching my face with every thrust. The slow, deep strokes drove my body as his face, his amazed expression, made my heart erupt.

  The horn of a vehicle coming up the drive signaled the horrific realization that my parents were home.

  Panic struck froze is together.

  We leaped from the bed. I grabbed the one thing I had to wear- my special dress from the day before. I scrambled to find my panties, alarms shrieking in my head.

  Did I leave them by the pool? Are they in the office? Was I even wearing panties yesterday?

  William threw the scrap of fabric towards me in his rush to the closet. I snatched my shoes and slid into them while running down the hall.

  In my haste, I ran past my bedroom. My mind registered the open door. I didn’t have time to stop and investigate as I rushed to wait obediently on the stoop.

  I darted down the stairs while uselessly trying to tame my hair.

  I skidded at the bottom and sprinted to the door. I stood in my usual place amongst the help on the steps.

  Everyone slid curious, worried glances in my direction as I tried to hide my harsh breathing. The black shiny car pulled up the hill and into sight as William calmly slipped through the small crowd of servants.

  I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. He looked perfectly put together. I didn’t think anyone would notice the tensed muscles in his neck and jaw or the slight flush in his cheeks. He wasn’t even breathing hard. At least he didn’t look like he had scrambled out of bed as I knew I did.

  The car rolled to a halt and the trunk lifted as the driver stood to open Mother’s door. People left us on the steps as they went to welcome my parents home or to help with their luggage. Mother grinned at me and moved toward us.

  “Happy birthday. I'm glad to see you got to sleep in today.” I saw the battle in her. She was trying not to be judgmental.

  Father squeezed past her and kissed me on the cheek. “Happy sweet sixteen, baby.” He walked into the house shaking his head and muttering what sounded like, “I'm too old. Where did the time go?”

  Mother linked her arm into mine and lead me into the house. My heart was getting back to its normal tempo as she guided me toward the stairs.

  “I know you love that dress but it's time to change. You can't wear it forever.”

  She chuckled and I tried to match her laughter as we reached the top of the stairs. I caught sight of Hannah stepping from my bedroom.

  My blood stilled with my feet.

  Hannah had yet to see us. She was looking down into my open cigar box full of secrets from William.

&nbs
p; She lifted her head and our eyes clashed. “Elizabeth. How wonderful you're home.” Her voice dripped with sickening sweetness.

  “What have you got there?” Mother asked.

  “I think it might be something you need to see.” She was trying to sound concerned but the pride in her face was unmistakable.

  “That's mine,” I growled and tried to snatch for it.

  She danced away quickly. She was betting on me not attacking her in front of Mother. I wanted nothing more than to call her bluff but knew it would make Mother more focused on the box.

  Mother threw me a curious glance. Hannah handed the box to her, not taking her eyes from me.

  I watched helplessly as Mother took out one of the notes from William and read it. We hadn’t signed them, but there was a limited amount of people in our home from whom they could have come.

  I instinctively backed away until the heel of my shoe slipped off the edge of the step behind me. I couldn’t run away, though I desperately wanted to. I had nowhere else to go.

  I was shocked as Mother looked at me with delight. “Ruth, are you having a summer romance?” Hannah glared at Mother from behind her back.

  My throat was dry. I couldn't speak or move.

  “Well? Who is it?” she prompted impatiently. She had almost every letter opened in her hand. “Is it one of the kitchen boys?” she asked slyly.

  I stared at her in shock, my brain unhinging as it clawed into survival mode.

  Mother had never shown any interest in my relationships. The one time we had spoken of such was when I got my first boyfriend. She had asked if I knew how to be careful and I had said yes.

  My body relaxed as I realized there was possibly a way out of the situation.

  I was attempting to concoct a lie about someone who worked there but wasn’t ready to tell her who yet when she dropped her eyes back to the box. Her brow furrowed and I stopped my story before it even reached my tongue.

  She pulled the pressed rose slowly from the bottom of the box. Her eyes widened in disbelief. I couldn’t imagine her realizing the truth from a common white rose compared to William’s handwriting.

  As she lifted it closer to her face I realized it wasn’t the rose she was bewildered by, but the heart-shaped ruby. “Tell me who gave this to you?” she gasped. “Tell me now!”

  “Why?” My body began to quake.

  She showed me the ruby as if I must not have seen it before. “Because they stole this,” she said as if trying to comfort me. She leaned past me to call for William down the stairs. “We have to make sure they didn’t take anything else.”

  I was trying to think of one name- someone to throw under this bus to save us. I knew it was a horrible thing to do but would prefer killing every person in the house with my bare hands rather than risk William.

  John? It was a common name. I knew someone had to have it.

  No, John retired last year.

  I heard him coming up the stairs fast. My thoughts spun without control as my brain tried to work faster.

  “Elizabeth, what...” William's voice trailed off. He stopped beside me and stared at the shimmering stone.

  His face fell and my heart tore into a million pieces. He was drowning. He lifted his eyes to meet hers and betrayed us both when he caught my stare.

  I tried to scream for him to lie, to run, that I was sorry, all through my eyes.

  “William?” Mother had not been lost on the look passing between us.

  “Elizabeth,” his voice caught as his eyes began to plead with her.

  Behind her, the realization hit Hannah with horror.

  Mother stumbled away from his outstretched hand with disgust. Her mouth gaping, she whipped her eyes to me.

  “You.”

  The terrifying croak made the blood drain from my head. Her blue eyes glowed as black as William's when he was enraged. The anger swelled through her body.

  She shrieked as she lunged toward me.

  I stiffened as William threw himself between us and caught her around the waist. He clasped onto her though she clawed at him.

  I gripped to grab the back of his shirt to keep from tumbling backward. Her nails caught me across my throat.

  Spit flew from her mouth as she screamed at me, “How could you? You're a stupid whore!”

  Father huffed up the steps behind me. “What is all this?” he cried. He put a hand on my back to stable me.

  “You are not my daughter.” She seemed to have stopped fighting William as he protected me. “You ruined my brother. You're nothing but filth.”

  "Elizabeth, stop. It wasn't her fault." William's voice sounded strong but broke as he tried to keep her from coming at me again.

  I heard the tears in his voice. I felt the guilt and knew my mother was right. I was a disgrace.

  “I’m sorry,” was all I could manage. The whisper was so weak and low I didn’t think she even heard me.

  The way her eyes grew told me she had and it seemed to spark her rage again.

  I saw her hand rear back before William felt it. I turned my face and tried to brace for the impact, my foot reaching down blindly to the step below.

  Her fist came down hard.

  I had enough time to realize that I had to let go of William as to not pull them both down with me.

  Father flung out to catch me, grasping the sleeve of my dress for before the hem of the shoulder snapped and his fingers slipped.

  My ribs hit before my hip cracked and my head made blinding contact with the sharp corner of marble. I tasted blood. I tried to protect my head with one arm and catch myself from tumbling farther with the other.

  I was halfway down the curving grand stairs before I finally succeeded in stopping myself. I tried to sit up but every part of my body protested. The agony made it impossible to catch my breath as a scream trapped in my throat.

  “Ruth!” There was a scuffling of feet above my head.

  I opened my eyes to see William running down the steps. Father pulled Mother away from the stairs.

  Her mouth gaped as if she couldn’t believe what she had done. Her hands trembled in the air as though they had a mind of their own and made the decision to strike without her consent.

  I knew that feeling. I understood it. I deserved my fate.

  William cradled my head in his lap and cried out for me. I tried to reach up to touch his face. It took too much effort.

  My body was sluggishly coming out of shock. Terrified, the first thing I thought of was the possibility of being paralyzed but my legs pulled up slowly and William sighed in relief.

  “Easy,” he whispered, helping me to support me as I sat up. I leaned against his legs and he cradled my face in his hands. His lips brushed my eyelids, nose and, lips before moving to my temples. “You’re ok. I can't believe you're ok. Thank God,” he murmured repeatedly.

  We assessed the damage. After deducting that nothing was broken, regardless of how I felt, he helped me stand.

  I wobbled and he scooped me up to carry me to my bedroom, stepping gently around the scattered proof of our affair in the hall.

  He laid me on the bed and kissed me so softly, so devotedly, it scared me. I clung to his hand as he tried to pull away.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I can't stay now. I've demolished your family.” He sunk onto the edge of the bed.

  I pulled myself up, trying not to breathe so he wouldn't hear my pain. I cloaked my arms around him and held my cheek against his back. He started to tremble with silent sobs.

  “Shh,” I pulled up to caress his hair. “We did this together,” I reminded him firmly. “We do this together.”

  He reached up to catch my fingers and kissed my palm. He cradled my arm and let his tears fall into my hand.

  ✷✴✷

  No one came to us. There wasn’t a sound in the house as we pulled ourselves together. We stared into each other's eyes for a long time, trying to heal and protect each other.

  “I need to go,” he
broke the silence.

  I shook my head. “She'll tear me apart. I can't stay. She probably wouldn’t let me if I tried.” I knew Mother abhorred me, and as much as I wanted her forgiveness I desired William more.

  He nodded to himself, but I felt like he was trying to find an excuse to leave me.

  “You don't want me anymore?” I forced my voice to be strong, preparing for cruelty.

  His expression twisted as if my words barred through him. “I don’t want to pull you away from all the family you have.”

  I slid off the bed. His eyes followed as I stormed to the closet. My body screamed with every movement, but I refused to show it.

  I heaved out a suitcase and started throwing clothes into it. I yanked the dress over my head and hung it in the closet. I almost cried when I saw the tear in the shoulder.

  I caught sight of William rising slowly, distraught lines encasing his perfect features.

  I looked down at my body in alarm. Large, angry bruises were swelling all over, the worst on my hip bone. It was already black with enraged red lines slashed through.

  I grabbed one of my few t-shirts and threw the soft gray cotton over myself in a hurry, yanking a pair of denim shorts on as well. I slipped into a pair of wedges and snapped my suitcase up with determination.

  The pain in his eyes fought with love and hope. I tilted my chin in a silent dare. He would not refuse me.

  I watched his battle of emotions. Tears sprang to my eyes as the hope and affection won. He held up a hand to tell me to wait.

  He darted from my bedroom and down to his own. Paper fluttered in the hall as he ran. I carried my suitcase to the doorway.

  I knelt and retrieved every piece of paper before folding them back into the box. Relief flooded my heart as I saw the rose with the ruby still intact.

  I placed it beneath the letters and hid the box under my dresser. I didn’t have room to take it with me and didn’t want to crush the brittle flower if I were to take it alone.

  I blew it a kiss goodbye as William stopped in my door with his own tattered brown duffel bag over his shoulder. He took my luggage into his hand while guiding me quickly down the stairs.

  We were swift and silent as we ran through the house. I tried to head out the front door in habit but he pulled me away.