by P Mulholland
Abbie and Farrah did a reasonably good job of lightening the atmosphere by chatting like women do. But I was quick to leave after helping Abbie with the dishes, as I wanted to get home to Newman.
As soon as I stepped inside my dark, cold apartment, greeted by the happiest dog on the planet, it occurred to me the hero in this story was one you’d least expect. Cold-blooded, sullen, dangerous, yet he’d do whatever it took to save the woman he loved, even though it likely pained him that she didn’t love him back.
Chapter Forty Five
Brydie
I’d been feeling unwell, off and on, for the past few weeks.
And I just couldn’t shake it. My lower back complained continuously, my head felt thick and achy making me fatigued, and my stomach often felt as if a bear had clawed it. I had an insatiable hunger, yet when I ate, I felt nauseated. Furthermore, I’d been experiencing intermittent heavy bleeding, which was unusual for me.
I had a PAP smear and pregnancy test, both of which came back negative. My gynecologist recommended that she remove my IUD to see if the symptoms improved. I guessed she was grasping at straws as to what was wrong with me. Yet there I was weeks later, still feeling hung over as if I’d been up all night on a drinking bender.
I slept in late because I had nothing to do that day, and eventually I got up, pulling the drapes across to be greeted by a gloomy day. The silver sea mirrored the low cloud, grey upon grey, and it was drizzling. At least it wasn’t cold.
Yesterday I joined a tourist group to bike around some of the island. There were twelve people in the group, coming from London to Shanghai, and I thrived chatting to folk from different backgrounds and different cultures. For a short time there I felt well and energetic, until the tour finished and we went back to our hotels. I went alone, slept alone and cried alone.
I missed Jake terribly. And I felt awful lying to him. I hadn’t heard from him for a couple of days, and wondered if I’d screwed things up between us. I wouldn’t blame him for coming to his senses and doing a runner.
I’d never admit it to him, but I cried most nights since leaving Chicago. Once again this was unusual for me. I’d never considered myself much of a crier until I moved in with Jake. The handsome 21 year old came along and unsettled my concrete foundations, churning me up, doubting what I thought I wanted from my life.
Then I became a stupid, weak crier. I cried on day two living without him. I cried days after. Cry, cry, cry. What the fuck is the matter with me?
I came to the conclusion that it might be premature menopause and contacted Farrah about it.
“You got hot flashes?”
“No.”
“Night sweats?”
“No.”
“Dried up vagina?”
“Definitely not.”
“Baby girl, it doesn’t sound like menopause to me. You sound depressed.”
“Depressed?”
“Yes. Come back to Chicago. Be with Jake. Let yourself be swept up in love with Jake.”
But, of course, this conversation took place before Leon’s apartment got smashed up and photographs of me and the rest of the family left on his coffee table.
I took a shower, got dressed in a pretty flowing skirt and top to make me feel a little better, then checked my bank account on my phone. I was eating into my savings, and without a job my money will vanish before my eyes. Travel, hotel and food bills cost a lot of money. I’d been eating only two meals a day to save money, but still remaining as healthy as possible, trying to eat plenty of vegetables and vegetable proteins. But some days my stomach couldn’t handle most food that I shoved down my gob, so I wasted a lot as well. Food wastage was one of my pet peeves.
I needed a purpose, something to get out of bed for, rather than mindlessly doing tourists’ expeditions that often cost money. I contacted Sarah to see if she needed a diver on Ocean Warrior, but she came back saying that her original diver was back on board, but she’ll put me on standby. My heart sank. I sat on my bed and gazed out at the horizon, wondering what my next step should be.
I scrolled through local tourism websites for the hundredth time to see if any job opportunities had arisen since I last looked. Nothing. No one wanted an experienced diver with a stupendous résumé at that time in the Cayman Islands.
Surrendering to my pathetic unwellness, I lay back on my pillow and closed my eyes. There was a tap at the door that I assumed was my neighbors’ place since I wasn’t expecting anyone. I’d done that the previous day, opening the door hungry for company, only to find that it was the door next to mine that was being knocked on. I won’t be fooled this time and I ignored the knock, until they knocked again, a little harder this time. It was my door.
I stepped towards the door, swung it open and faltered, my breath whisked right out of my lungs at the gorgeous sight before me.
“Are you going to let me in?” Jake asked, grinning.
“Um, yes,” I stuttered, opening the door wider. He slapped a kiss on my forehead, as he slid past me, carrying an overnight bag, then landed himself on the only chair in my room. He let out a sigh as he sunk into the cushions, giving my room the once over with his brown eyes before he focusing on me.
“You look as if you’ve seen a ghost,” he said, lacing his fingers behind his head and stretching his jean-covered legs out.
“I’m just stunned.”
“I know the real reason you left,” he said. “It’s not going to happen again.”
“What?”
“You getting attacked. Not on my watch. I can’t forgive myself for the first time, I’ll be damned if I’m going to let it happen again.”
“Jake, this is not your…”
“Bullshit! It is my problem,” he bit. “You’re my girlfriend, remember? Or had you forgotten that?”
I climbed on the bed opposite him. He was wearing a white tee shirt, blue jeans, his dark hair sticking out in all directions, as usual, but his stubble was coming along nicely. He was beautiful and he was mine.
“I hadn’t forgotten. I missed you a lot.”
“You’re not going through this alone, Brydie. We’re a team, remember.” He was dead serious using my full name, instead of Brydes or my pet name, Chucky.
My eyes blurred up in tears. Oh God! I was crying again. Would someone put me out of my misery. This was what the 21 year old opposite me had reduced me to.
“How long are you planning on staying for?”
“Three days. Pure madness. A six hour flight to stay here for three days. But I think you’re worth it. And I suspect you’re just as mad as I am.”
“All the best people are,” I whispered, stealing a quote from Alice.
He turned somber again. “I’m not going back alone, Brydie. You’re coming home with me to Chicago.” He raised his hand to hush me, before I had the chance to protest. “Don’t argue! I should’ve done this months ago. I’ve set up extra security in my apartment including the best guard dog ever. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
I was stunned. I’d never let anyone dictate to me before, yet weirdly, it felt right. It felt right for him to step up and take control of my shitty situation. Jake Austin had finally found his balls and I loved it.
I was moved to silence. He waited for me to rant and rave, but I had nothing left. I was broken and running on empty. It occurred to me at that moment that the very thing I needed, he was giving to me. And I graciously accepted it with open arms.
“Anyway,” he said, frowning in surprise at my lack of a usual rebuttal, “we’re going to spend three days of bliss together to celebrate.”
“Are you celebrating the kidnapping you’re about to do?” Okay, so I had a little fire left.
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his bent knees, then began rubbing his hands together, nervously. “No. We’re celebrating the fact that I’m not twenty one anymore.”
I gasped. “Did I miss your birthday? When was it? What date is it today?”
“It was yeste
rday US time. I wanted to spend my birthday with my two favorite people, you and Newman. I spent some time with him yesterday, today is your turn.”
I rolled off the bed and slowly walked towards him. “You’re a loner, aren’t you?” I asked.
He nodded. “I’ve come to the conclusion that I am. Except when it comes to you. You fill my cup.”
I took his head in my hands and softly stroked his hair, inhaling the citrus scent rising up off his dark curls. He buried his face into my breasts, breathing heavily.
“Do you want to see what I got myself for my birthday?” he said with a glimmer in his eye.
“Definitely.”
He pulled up the sleeve of his tee shirt to reveal a square of dressing.
I squealed, clapping my hands together excitedly. “You got your first tattoo! Let me see it.”
He slowly and teasingly pulled off the dressing. Underneath was a mermaid with long golden hair and an emerald tail. She was both ethereal and tough with clenched fists, yet her smile was sweet and alluring. “You.”
“Me? That’s how you see me?” I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The piece itself was intriguing, but the artist was obviously extremely adept. “I love it, Jake.” He beamed in pride and I leaned down and pressed my lips against his. I held them there for several seconds, until I got the urge to look at the mermaid again.
“You said to me once that one day I might discover a cause more important than me, and when or if I do, I’ll fight to the death for it.”
“I did.”
“Well… I found my cause. It’s you.”
Chapter Forty Six
Jake
We went out for a birthday brunch, then sauntered back to her hotel room and didn’t leave again for hours. I was hoping for some birthday sex as well as brunch, and man did I get it. That woman just about snapped my cock in two as well as the bed.
I was a little disappointed that I had to wear condoms because she’d had the contraceptive removed, but equally relieved that I remembered to bring a stack.
There was only one session where I didn’t use a condom. We were walking through tropical bush and we both got the urge for some jungle sex. I didn’t have a condom on me, so I pulled out…sort of…before I came. “Ooops,” was all she said.
I noticed when I first arrived she was looking a little pale and drained, but the color was back in those cheeks after our first round in the horizontal gym. The woman filled my world and I loved her to bits. I didn’t want to let her go. She was my everything.
Weirdly, she didn’t complain once about me putting my foot down, demanding that she came back to Chicago. Actually, I gave her no choice. Even if she protested wildly, I’d still throw her over my shoulder and toss her on the plane next to me in first class. Luckily, she surrendered and came quietly to avoid any dramas.
Over the 3 days on the Cayman Islands, we chatted about everything. She was not only the woman that I loved but she was my best friend, and I trusted her with my life. Even though it stung that she lied to me, I knew that she did it to protect me, although it was she who needed protecting.
“I wonder if Underwater Safaris will take me back?”she said, thinking aloud. We’d just taken our seats on the plane and she was in awe of what life was like in first class. The wide, comfortable seats, the spacious leg room, the service, the bar.
I wondered if I misheard. “What did you just say?”
She cleared her throat. “I was just wondering if Underwater Safaris would take me back.” She dropped her head sadly, then answered her own question. “Unlikely.”
“Wait a minute. Are you seriously planning your future in Chicago?”
“I don’t know how long I’m going to be there and I’d rather be busy and useful.”
I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close and kissing her temple. Those few words made my spirits soar.
“So, Newman is a bit of guard dog is he?”
“An unsuspecting guard dog. People get fooled by his sweet looks, only to find that he’s a pitbull on the inside.”
“Really?”
“No. He just barks at people walking past the door.”
“So, is your apartment tidy in expectation of a visitor?”
“Ummmm.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve still got damp towels and dirty underwear on the bathroom floor.”
“Urrr.”
“I bet you haven’t washed your bed sheets since I was living there.”
“Ummm.”
“Ew! Gross. They’ll be all sticky from your Righty sessions.”
“I’m beginning to regret kidnapping you now,” I said, tugging on a blonde curl. The engines roared and the plane began to move down the tarmac. “Unfortunately, it’s too late to throw you off.”
She laughed like an evil Santa Claus, rubbing her hands together in glee. “You’ve done it now, mister. No going back.”
I tipped my head back and laughed, happiness was fizzing through every cell in my body. I finally got my girl back.
She seized my hand and began to massage the back, playing with my fingers and kissing them now and again. I closed my eyes and relaxed into the seat. When I opened them again, the air hostess was asking if I’d like a drink. I asked for a bourbon straight, while Brydie requested a spring water, then balked when it turned up in a plastic bottle. “Do know how many of those I see floating around the ocean?” she hissed.
“Millions,” I said.
“Yes. Millions.”
I took a sip of bourbon and cringed at the taste, spitting it back into the glass. It tasted watered it down with a hint of acid, as if someone dared squeeze lemon juice into it. Brydes took a sip and smirked. “Yuck!”
“See, there’s something wrong with it.”
“It tasted like normal bourbon to me. I hate bourbon.”
“You hate bourbon? That’s news to me. How can the woman of my dreams hate bourbon?”
“I didn’t think it was relevant, since you’re not actually allowed to drink any more. Does your father still make you take random urine tests?”
“Not for ages.” I called the hostess over and asked what brand of Bourbon she used. She came back with the actual bottle of Jim Beam, swearing that it wasn’t watered down and no lemon was squeezed into it. But she was happy to give the complaining son of a billionaire another glass. This time she poured it in front of me and it still tasted like shit. I came to the conclusion that the bottle was past its expiry and refused to drink any more.
“I’ve got a Winkle at home, anyway,” I muttered to no one in particular.
Brydie shot me a look.
“What?”
“You’re supposed to be a recovering alcoholic.”
“Says she who forced me to drink beer at the beach party.”
“I didn’t force your hand. I just wanted you to relax and have a good time amongst strangers. But you’re right, I shouldn’t have done that.”
I leaned in and kissed her cheek, then nibbled her neck, making her giggle. “I did have the best time,” I whispered. “The best time ever, like back there in the Caymans.”
“Maybe you’re losing your taste for it,” she added.
“Does that actually happen? For real? We’ll see when I crack open ol’ Rip again.”
I loved spending time with her, the banter, the sexual tension, the honesty. My heart melted when I gazed into those emerald eyes and my crotch stirred whenever I see those tattoos. I was on cloud nine, happiness overload.
Little did I know that my current state of heightened bliss was about to come crashing down.
Chapter Forty Seven
Brydie
There were three messages from Abbie when I turned on my phone in O’Hare airport. Her voice was shaky, sounding on the verge of tears, but she didn’t say why she wanted me to call her urgently. Without giving myself time to think of a thousand and one awful scenarios, I rang her back immediately.
“We need you to come back home,” she said, sniffin
g.
“I am back. What’s happened?”
“You’re back in Chicago?”
“Just arrived in the airport with Jake. Abbie, what’s happened?”
“They got mom and…” She couldn’t finish the sentence. “Just come over.”
“Who got Farrah?”
“I can’t explain, just come over.”
I clicked off the phone, I didn’t need to explain to Jake that something was terribly wrong. A hired security guy named Pete was waiting to escort us to our car and driver. I felt like the president’s wife being herded through the crowd by this fiercely serious dude in his dark blue Elite Security Services uniform. I was going ask Jake why he chose the Malones’s business to protect us, but I guess it made sense since they were personally involved.
“I’m going to kill them,” I said to Jake, as we stood at the front door waiting for someone to answer. It was just after 9.30pm, damn cold…and if someone didn’t hurry up and answer the door, I’m going to kick it down. I banged harder, this time with my fist. I was losing my fricken cool.
Leon casually opened the door and as was his usual manner, said nothing. Abbie came running down the stairs, her eyes wet and raw from sobbing. She wrapped her arms around me, breaking into a heaving blubber. I felt the color run from my face. I stroked her dark curls and tried to console her, still having no idea what was going on.
“She’s upstairs,” Abbie said, when she finally pulled away. I glanced at Jake who was white as a ghost, expecting the worst like me. Abbie took my hand and led me up to Farrah and Isaac’s bedroom, while Jake stayed downstairs with Leon.
All I could see was her black hair, the rest of her was buried in blankets. “Baby girl,” she sounded surprised, reaching out her hand for me to lie next to her, “when did you get in?”
“What the fuck happened? Abbie’s upset-”
“Abbie’s in shock.”
I crawled onto the bed and lay down next to Farrah on the blankets, a scent of frankincense rising into the air. Farrah liked her incense, essential oils and herbal medicine.
