Meanwhile, Rebecca and Jamie MacClife invited Anthony and Letitia Rochester, Victor and Lydia Jonson, and Frederick Cameron. They are sitting in the living room and talking about the latest news with a cup of hot coffee or tea, being truly worried and upset.
“Unfortunately, trying to find Wainwright does not give us results,” Victor says with sadness in his eyes, sitting on the sofa with a cigarette that he almost smoked and sometimes shaking the ash off it. “The police made him a wanted person a long time ago, and they question the people, who know just something, and promise a reward for any information, but…”
“As we thought, he is hiding,” Frederick replies thoughtfully. “He knows he would get caught.”
“Gosh, how long will he be hiding and scaring people?” Rebecca sighs heavily, holding a cup of tea. “What if that sick man meets a girl? She wouldn’t run away from him! She would experience what the poor Natalia did…”
“I understand everything, Rebecca, but sadly, the police can do nothing,” Victor throws his hands up with pity in his eyes. “We do even check unpopular and desert places, but no result!”
“Where is that stinker hiding that nobody has been able to find him for more than one month?” Jamie wonders, sitting on the sofa with a magazine in his hands and reading it at times.
“There are many abandoned places where he could hide.” Victor puts the rest of the cigarette in the transparent ashtray. “The police obviously check them out, but it takes some time.”
“I wish they found that bastard,” Anthony replies confidently and drinks some tea from his cup. “To calm down and stop shaking at the thought that my daughter might meet him.”
“No, Mr. Rochester!” Lydia exclaims. “I’m sure that the guys understood everything and wouldn’t go where that man might be.”
“Yeah, have some of the young people met Wainwright again?” Victor asks.
“Edward and Terrence say nothing, but I think they haven’t done it,” Jamie shrugs.
“And Raquelle and Natalia?”
“My daughter said nothing,” Letitia shakes her head. “But I think she would say it.”
“And her friends?”
“Same,” Anthony pronounces.
“Oh, they have too many problems…” Lydia sighs heavily. “They not only have to worry because of Wainwright’s escape… Also, the weird story of amnesia and the attempt on that guy…”
“Yeah…” Rebecca pronounces thoughtfully with sadness in her eyes. “The men would rather think about their band, and the girls would rather support them. But they need to get ready for the wedding of Edward and Natalia and Terrence and Raquelle.”
“Oh, my darling, they hardly think about the wedding now,” Frederick assumes confidently. “They should help Daniel get his memories back and find Anna.”
“Yeah, but sadly, the case is getting harder,” Jamie notices with anxiety.
“The case is stuck on the dead point?” Victor frowns slightly.
“It doesn’t move. And it gets worse.”
“What do you mean, Mr. MacClife?” Lydia wonders.
“Don’t you read the magazines or check out the Internet?”
“I think I read something about Daniel,” Anthony confesses thoughtfully. “People say he is kept under hard bullying and hears wishes of dying.”
“Oh, Jesus Christ!” Frederick gets horrified. “They wish Daniel to die? But why?”
“He’s blamed for bringing Peter to the suicide attempt. Daniel was kind of humiliating him, insulting him, beating him, and even threatening to kill him for a long time. And… He allegedly brought his friend to the moment when he took a knife and opened his veins. So, the people found it out, got mad at Daniel, and started to call him what I had never heard.”
“Oh, gosh,” Letitia pronounces with horror in her eyes. “Are you serious, Mr. MacClife?”
“Read the magazine. There is an article on this page.”
With these words, Jamie gives the magazine to Anthony and Letitia sitting against him, and they quickly read the article that says about the charges against Daniel and his possible departure from the band.
“Wow…” Letitia pronounces. “I didn’t know it…”
“I barely read it all, but I got shocked by the way they treated Daniel,” Anthony confesses.
“Let me read it, Mrs. Rochester?” Frederick asks.
“Yes, sure.”
Frederick takes the magazine from Anthony, puts on his glasses placed on the coffee table, and closely reads everything from start to end.
“My gosh, poor man…” Frederick shakes his head. “I don’t know what to say!”
“That guy hasn’t been lucky…” Lydia notices and drinks some coffee from her cup. “He lost his memory, his girlfriend disappeared, and he became a victim of this bullying…”
“Somehow, the lads said he had been chased by misfortune for a long time,” Rebecca confesses. “Not exactly misfortune… He couldn’t just focus on performances.”
“Still, the article is a fake,” Victor replies confidently. “You told us about what actually happened between those two.”
“Right!” Frederick exclaims. “Raquelle and Terrence explained why Peter wanted to die. Yes, they had a conflict, and Daniel hurt him with his words many times. But that guy didn’t make him kill himself.”
“We know, Mr. Cameron,” Rebecca says quietly. “But sadly, you can’t explain it to the people, and everybody bullies the poor guy. Though, I believe Daniel is a good man. Educated, gentle…”
“And very talented,” Jamie adds. “He sings and plays guitar well. And in the article, they charged him for using autotune and not being able to sing.”
“I’m afraid that Daniel might believe this article if he read it all,” Anthony expresses anxiety.
“And knowing about his amnesia, it would hardly be easy for the girls and the men to assure him that it’s a lie,” Letitia adds.
“Has that man not recalled anything yet?” Victor wonders.
“Nothing but the fact that Peter wanted to die,” Jamie replies. “But there is an assumption that Daniel could recall something about Terrence.”
“About Terrence?” Frederick asks.
“Yes. Edward told Rebecca and me that he, Terrence, and Peter met Daniel and their assistant, who told them many bad things and gave them some photos taken near the hospital on the day when the suicide attempt happened. So, Daniel viewed them and definitely recalled something. At least, the guys think so.”
“What if it’s true?” Lydia asks.
“By the way, he left shortly after viewing the shoots.”
“I guess those photos were taken by the band’s fans…” Frederick notices thoughtfully. “There were Daniel, Terrence, and the doctors carrying a gurney with Peter on it.”
“Yes, yes, that’s them.”
“I remember. I saw them many times in a show… Celebrity news…”
“Do you think Daniel will believe the guys if they say the article is fake?” Anthony asks and puts the magazine on the coffee table. “Couldn’t someone use him?”
“Anything is possible, Mr. Rochester,” Victor replies confidently. “I actually doubt that the guy trusts someone.”
“Edward said that their talk with him yesterday didn’t end very well,” Rebecca says thoughtfully. “Daniel disliked something and was in a bad mood.”
“Oh, that’s bad…” Frederick expresses anxiety. “The guys must make him remember everything as soon as possible. Who knows what might happen… What if Daniel really believes that the article is true and rejects Peter and all of his friends.”
“But what could they do?” Letitia throws her hands up after she puts her cup of coffee on the table. “Natalia said the guys tried everything, but it didn’t help.”
“By the way, I’m surprised that Daniel cannot remember anything for so long…” Victor confesses, stroking his chin. “I’m not an expert at these things, but I thought the guys did everything right.”
“I guess they need a strong memory,” Anthony shrugs. “Something like Peter’s suicide attempt.”
“Yeah, have the guys shown Daniel what was found near him when he was unconscious? You said about the knife and the ring…”
“I think, no,” Rebecca replies thoughtfully.
“But why? What if it helps them? Why do the men and the girl do everything but that?”
“Who knows, Victor… But if it’s so, we also believe it’s weird that they haven’t shown him the ring and the knife.”
“Maybe, they have so many problems that they forgot about the ring and the knife,” Frederick assumes confidently. “They are also trying to find out what’s happening to Anna.”
“Oh, what’s happening to this girl is a dark story…” Letitia sighs tiredly. “Anna did a bad thing by leaving Daniel at a hard time, but she is not so cruel to leave a person for nothing.”
“Hasn’t she shown up?” Lydia wonders.
“Alas,” Jamie shrugs. “She was swallowed by the ground.”
“Do the men or the girls have the phones or addresses of her parents?” Victor frowns slightly. “She could visit them and say something! Maybe, those people would help the guys find the girl.”
“Yeah, but Natalia said nobody had contact with them,” Anthony replies.
“If she has nothing to go, she is surely living with her parents,” Rebecca concludes.
“Yes, she’s got no place to go,” Frederick says confidently. “That girl lived with her parents all her life before she moved into Daniel’s house. She doesn’t have an apartment, house, and money… She wouldn’t be able to live alone.”
“Could Daniel know where to find Anna’s parents?” Lydia asks.
“He must know. He’d been at her home many times before they started to date and live together.”
“But the problem is his amnesia,” Jamie throws his hands up. “Everything depends on Daniel. When he remembers everything and can say something, the case will be moved off the dead point. Now it’s stuck!”
“Yeah, ladies and gentlemen, both cases are very complicated…” Victor notices thoughtfully. “I can say nothing about that girl because the situation is not clear. But as for the man, I only hope for the ring and the knife. They were there for a reason!”
“I believe you must insist that the guys show those things to their friends before it’s too late,” Lydia adds. “Maybe, Victor’s guess is correct.”
“Don’t worry, Lydia, Jamie and I will talk to Terrence and Edward and insist on it,” Rebecca promises confidently.
“Yes, yes, we will do it,” Jamie adds.
“And then tell the guys to give me those things, so I examine them closely,” Victor says.
Silence settles in the air for a few seconds, during which everybody drinks some coffee or tea.
“Oh, talking about the girls and the men, I’m starting to understand that I miss Raquelle so much…” Frederick sighs heavily. “Although she has her personal life, I still miss her very much.”
“Don’t you meet her?” Lydia wonders. “Doesn’t Raquelle visit you?”
“No, we just talk on the phone sometimes. But not for a long time… I should go somewhere, or she is busy…”
“Ah, Mr. Cameron, when children leave home, they forget about their parents and work on their lives,” Lydia replies with a slight smile.
“I know, but I miss her much. As well as Alicia.”
“Oh, Mrs. Middleton…” Letitia smiles slightly. “How long we haven’t seen her… Sorry that she’s living in London and not able to see us often.”
“By the way, I recently talked to her on the phone, and she said Raquelle didn’t talk a lot to her, either.”
“I must confess that Terrence visits us much more rarely,” Rebecca confesses thoughtfully. “He often visited me before, but now he does it rarely.”
“It’s sad to realize it, but let’s be open – our adult children should live their lives. Marry, make children, build a career…”
“By the way, Mr. Cameron, how is Mrs. Middleton doing?” Anthony asks.
“She says she is fine. Alicia is still working on adopting a girl.”
“Oh, it’s a very long thing…” Lydia says thoughtfully. “I don’t know how it’s going on, but I know it takes a lot of time.”
“A wish to have children is stronger. And the spent time will be worth it.”
“Doesn’t she have children?” Victor specifies carefully.
“No, she didn’t become a mother,” Frederick replies with sadness in his eyes. “She gave her mother’s love to Raquelle, who she has always loved like her own daughter.”
“But why?” Lydia asks.
“Maybe, she would’ve had children. A few years ago, Alicia got married to a good man and was ready to give birth. But their marriage lasted for two years, and then her husband died. The throat cancer killed him.”
“Oh, God…” Lydia closes her mouth with a hand with horror in her eyes. “So sorry… Poor Mrs. Middleton…”
“I imagine how much she loved him if she agreed to get married to the man, who was fatally ill,” Letitia sighs heavily.
“Alicia didn’t know her husband was ill,” Frederick confesses. “He was hiding his diagnosis until the end. Only after the death of that man, his doctor told Alicia that her husband was fighting cancer. For her, it was a great shock. I didn’t know him, but Alicia always said very good things about him.”
“God, how unlucky that good woman is…” Jamie gets horrified.
“I understand her feelings,” Letitia nods with sadness in her eyes. “My mother is also fighting cancer. Blood cancer. She does it successfully, but since it’s a horrible thing, I may expect anything.”
“By the way, is she going to be at the wedding?” Rebecca asks. “Or is your mother not able?”
“Come on, Mrs. MacClife!” Anthony exclaims. “My mother-in-law says she will not miss the wedding of her granddaughter and is getting ready for it so hard.”
“Yeah, she says she will not die until she watches Natalia getting married,” Letitia smiles shyly.
“But before, she is going to check on Edward and look at the one, who our daughter chose as her husband. So, Mr. and Mrs. MacClife, tell your son to get ready.”
“He is ready,” Jamie chuckles kindly. “Natalia has told him about it many times.”
“I hope Alicia will take her adopted daughter to the wedding if she ends the adoption by that time,” Frederick expresses hope. “I personally can’t wait to meet that girl.”
“I hope Mrs. Middleton will be lucky with her daughter.” Rebecca expresses hope. “As God didn’t give her children, may she educate a strange girl and become a close person to her.”
“We will all be happy to look at that girl,” Lydia replies with a slight smile.
“Raquelle can’t also wait to meet her,” Frederick confesses. “She is excited that the girl, as Alicia said, is similar to her at a young age.”
“I’d like to believe that the girl would help Raquelle stop being so sad and worrying about something…” Letitia sighs heavily.
“Worrying? What do you mean, Mrs. Rochester?”
“Don’t you know? Natalia told Anthony and me that Raquelle has been very weird lately.”
“Yes, yes, Terrence and Edward say the same thing,” Jamie confirms confidently. “But I don’t know what’s happening to her.”
“And her mood is changing: Raquelle is happy, laughing, and smiling then, but now she’s sad, withdrawing into herself, and even crying,” Rebecca adds.
“My gosh…” Frederick pronounces with sadness in his eyes. “I didn’t know it…”
“The girls can confirm it,” Anthony says confidently. “They all notice your granddaughter’s weird behavior. They say Raquelle withdraws into herself when nobody pays attention to her, or when she’s alone.”
“God… Does she have problems with Terrence? Did they start fighting again?”
“No, no, I don’t think the problem is him,” Jamie shakes his head. “Terrence says everything’s perfect between him and Raquelle. And I prefer believing him.”
“Yes, Terrence says it truly,” Rebecca confirms.
“But what happened then?” Frederick wonders. “What bothers my granddaughter?”
“Maybe, Raquelle is hiding something?” Victor assumes. “Maybe, there is something that she is afraid to tell her fiancé and everybody around her.”
“But what, Mr. Johnson?” Rebecca throws her hands up. “Raquelle has always been honest with Terrence! They agreed to tell each other everything.”
“But it means nothing. They can say anything, but the situation might be different.”
“Yeah, maybe, there is something that Raquelle is afraid to tell Terrence,” Lydia says confidently. “Something that he might dislike.”
“Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Johnson, why are you so sure that Raquelle hides something from Terrence?” Frederick wonders. “They have always been honest with each other.”
“Maybe, not only from Terrence but also from her friends,” Letitia says thoughtfully. “Natalia and Helene know nothing about it, too. But they suspect that something is not right with Raquelle.”
“My gosh…” Victor frowns strongly and drinks some coffee from the cup that he takes from the table. “And how long ago did it start?”
“Terrence says it all started during the trial of Michael,” Jamie exhales sharply.
“During the trial of Michael?” Victor puts his cup on the table. “But it happened a few months ago!”
“As he says, he has noticed her weird behavior since that time.”
“But what could happen at that time?” Lydia wonders.
“I can’t even imagine!” Anthony exclaims.
“Of course, I did also notice that she was weird,” Letitia adds. “But I thought the case was about Michael. Everybody was worried about the result…”
“Oh, ladies and gentlemen, I don’t also know what to think,” Victor throws his hands up. “What could happen?”
“But hasn’t Terrence tried to talk to her?” Frederick wonders.
“Many times, Mr. Cameron!” Jamie exclaims. “But Raquelle says nothing and assures him that everything is fine.”
“Jesus Christ…” Frederick shakes his head and runs his hands over his face. “What did my granddaughter do again? Why does she make us worry about her?”
“Maybe, you should talk to her?” Rebecca suggests. “Go to her home and talk to Raquelle. You are her very close person, and she will surely tell you everything.”
“Yes, Mr. Cameron!” Anthony agrees. “Why don’t you really ask her? If you don’t find it out now, it will probably be too late. If something serious is happening to Raquelle, and she needs help, we must do something now.”
“I think I shall do this,” Frederick promises confidently. “I wanted to go to her home and talk. But after what you told me, I am much more determined about my wish.”
“I think talking to Terrence and Raquelle’s friends would also be good,” Victor frowns slightly, stroking his chin. “Yes, they know nothing, but what if they want to tell you something.”
“Sure, Mr. Johnson. If Terrence can get nothing out of Raquelle, I will do it. I know how to talk to her and will make her stop being silent and torturing herself, her fiancé, and those, who surround her.”
Silence settles in the air for some time, during which everybody drinks some tea or coffee from their cups.
“By the way, does anybody know what time it is?” Anthony frowns slightly.
Victor checks out the time on the watch that he is wearing on his left hand and says quietly:
“It’s almost six o'clock.”
“Six?” Anthony specifies.
“Yes. But why? Problems?”
“No. I just need to meet someone for one important case in two hours.”
“Oh, Mr. Rochester, you and Mrs. Rochester should better have some rest,” Jamie laughs amicably and drinks some coffee from his cup. “Even if you are free in the morning, you have something planned for the evening.”
“No time, Mr. MacClife! Letitia and I must work a lot. Although we’ve reached many things, we should keep working to save it all.”
“I think you don’t actually have an absolutely free day,” Rebecca laughs shyly. “Both of you are too busy every day.”
“You’re wrong, my darling,” Letitia replies amicably. “Sometimes my husband and I have free days that we spend together, with Natalia, or with our friends. Today, we couldn’t refuse the invitation to your home.”
“Wait, Edward is going to join you and visit your family dinners soon,” Frederick says with a slight smile.
“We will not mind it,” Letitia smiles shyly. “Anthony and I are thrilled that we are going to get such a great son-in-law.”
“You know, Rebecca and I are delighted to have such amazing daughters-in-law,” Jamie replies amicably.
“Your sons have excellent taste in girls,” Victor notices confidently. “They should be proud of choosing the best.”
“And the girls got a lucky ticket,” Lydia says with a slight smile. “Those two men became truly decent. Anyone would die for a chance to be with them.”
“You said it right, Mrs. Johnson,” Frederick exclaims cheerfully.
“By the way, do you know how Edward protected Natalia from Wainwright?” Anthony asks with pride. “How he attacked that sick bastard!”
“Oh, yeah, we are really proud of his bravery and grateful to him for saving our daughter,” Letitia adds.
“Us, too,” Rebecca nods confidently. “But Jamie and I were scared when we saw the bruises and scars on his forehead.”
“And when he told us that the sick psycho hit his head against the ground several times, we got much more horrified,” Jamie confesses. “Edward could have died in the worst case.”
“I know. But, thank God, he is alright. He only got the scars and bruises.”
“It’s the most important thing,” Anthony nods confidently. “We were also excited when we heard it.”
“I don’t know what we would’ve done if something happened to Edward,” Jamie sighs quietly with sadness in his eyes. “God shall not let that scumbag harm him!”
“And God shall not let Natalia suffer because of him. My daughter was madly lucky that your son was with her and hid her behind his back. Otherwise, we would have never seen our girl.”
“I must confess that the guy is very brave,” Victor says confidently. “Although he says that Michael’s bullying made him weak and insecure, that’s not the truth. It made him very brave and helped him get some kind of immunity.”
“Maybe,” Rebecca smiles slightly. “But one more reason is Natalia. For her, my son is behaving so worthily. When the case is about her, Edward doesn’t care who to fight with.”
“And he has a feature…” Frederick pronounces thoughtfully. “Edward is a fighter for justice… He does not like when something is not in its place. And he aims to fix it too hard. At first, he tried to take what Michael stole from his family, but now he frets and fumes because of his wish to see Eugene Wainwright in prison again.”
“Yeah,” Jamie laughs shyly. “You are right.”
“But let’s not forget about Terrence. He is also a very brave and confident man. How hard your son was protecting my granddaughter from Simon Ringer! He was ready to strangle that man just to save Raquelle.”
“Let’s be honest, Mr. and Mrs. MacClife, you can be proud of your children,” Lydia says with pride and drinks a little bit from her cup. “They are both role models.”
“Who said we are not proud?” Jamie rounds his eyes. “There is no limit to the pride of Rebecca and me.”
“Our boys are the best!” Rebecca exclaims with a wide smile.
Everybody smiles shyly and drinks some coffee or tea. But a few seconds later, they hear an old-fashioned melody, which Victor recognizes quickly because it’s the ringtone of his phone that he takes from the table.
“Oh, it’s from my work,” Victor says thoughtfully. “Excuse me, I will answer…”
Victor presses the button “Accept the call” and says quietly:
“Hello.”
Victor listens to what someone tells him for a few seconds and takes a big sip of coffee from his cup.
“Yes, yes, this is Captain Johnson,” Victor says confidently. “Speak.”
Frowning slightly, Victor stands up from the sofa and goes aside.
“Any news about Wainwright?” Letitia frowns slightly.
“It would be great,” Jamie replies. “That stinker must be where he belongs.”
“Early or late, he’ll be back there and pay for what he almost did to my daughter,” Anthony says confidently.
“And for almost depriving me of my son,” Rebecca adds.
A few seconds later, everybody can see that Victor gets more excited but tries to stay collected.
“I understood you, do not worry,” Victor says confidently. “Yes, yes, I am coming to you immediately! Keep me aware of everything! I will come shortly. Wait!”
Victor turns off the call and quickly goes to the others to tell them something important that he heard on the phone.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I got a call from my work,” Victor says confidently, looking at everybody by one. “The police received an anonymous call from someone, who called the possible current location of Eugene Wainwright.”
“What?” Letitia rounds her eyes immediately. “He was found?”
“The anonymous called a place where he might be hiding.”
“Are you sure that man is there?” Anthony asks with anxiety.
“I can say nothing. Although the call is anonymous, we must check that place and send the police there.”
“Will you go, too?” Jamie asks.
“Yes, Jamie, I will also go to that place with my colleagues.”
“If you find that sick man, please, let us know,” Rebecca begs with pity in her eyes.
“Sure.” Victor clears his throat quickly and takes something from the coffee table. “Alright, I am leaving! See you later, ladies and gentlemen. I will call you when I know everything.”
Victor kisses Lydia on the cheek and shakes Jamie, Anthony, Frederick, Letitia, and Rebecca by the hand. The latter one gets up from the sofa and comes to the hall door to walk the man out and close it after he leaves the house. And then the woman returns to the living room, while everybody looks at each other.
“Do you think there’s a chance that the call can help them get that man caught?” Lydia asks with sadness in her eyes.
“I would like to believe it, Mrs. Johnson…” Letitia sighs heavily. “I want my daughter to walk on the streets quietly. Without a fear to meet that stinker.”
“Early or late, it all will be over, Mrs. Rochester,” Frederick says confidently. “People like Wainwright will not be free. He will obviously go to prison and stop scaring everyone.”
“Let’s try to believe in the best…” Jamie says thoughtfully. “And wait for Victor to tell us something.”
“Now this is the only thing we can do,” Rebecca notices. “Not saying that we need to be careful.”
Everybody looks at each other with sadness in their eyes and drinks the rest of the coffee and tea from their cups, having anxiety at the thoughts about what’s happening to their close people, who do not know how to solve the situation that is getting harder every day.
***
Natalia went to the hospital to find out the reason for the skin itching that has tortured her since this morning and to try to find out something about Blanca. The girl is sitting in the office of a middle-aged man in a white robe. She explains what she complains about, while he examines the bright redress and red tracks on her hand.
“So, Ms. Rochester, a strong itching points to your allergic reaction,” the doctor says thoughtfully.
“Allergic reaction?” Natalia rounds her eyes. “But why?”
“Many things could be the reason. So, as you have itching on your hand, I can assume that the allergic reaction might be caused by household chemistry, some food, citruses, or the bites of some insects.”
“I only know about my allergic reaction to cats. But I do not have any other ones. And the itching on my skin lets me know about it.”
“Think better, miss. Maybe… You ate something, used some chemistry and cosmetics, or someone bit you… Moreover, it’s the time for an allergic reaction to cereals: wheat, rye, oat…”
“No, I do not have an allergic reaction to cereals.”
“Then, you are probably allergic to some food or chemistry.”
“Oh!” Natalia opens her mouth slightly. “By the way, I forgot to tell you that I recently had strong redness on my neck. And I had to hide it with cosmetics.”
“Is your cosmetic checked?” the doctor frowns slightly, stroking his chin. “Do you always use it?”
“Yes, of course. I do not change things and buy only what I’ve been using for ages.”
“Do you not have any redness or itching when using it?”
“No, never.”
“Alright…”
“But…” Natalia thinks for a few seconds, looking around the doctor’s office. “You know, I recently bought a new pounder. I never used the cosmetics of the company that made it… I bought it at a cheap store when the one that I used wasn’t available. So, I bought that one… I liked a beautiful box…”
“I suspect that one of the reasons for your allergic reaction might be the pounder,” the doctor says confidently. “Moreover, you bought it in a cheap store. They may add nobody knows what, and it might lead to your death.”
“Well, it’s kind of good. I do not have claims for it.”
“Do you have it with you now? I would like to look at the box and the name.”
“No, unfortunately. But I do know that the brand of the pounder is kind of strange… Either Chinese or Taiwanese… I did not understand… There were some hieroglyphics.”
“My advice for you, Ms. Rochester: try not to use that pounder for a few days and see how your organism would react. If nothing happens, the reason is that one.”
“Alright… I will try.”
“I see. Did you not contact any animals? Dogs? Cats, which you are allergic to?”
“No, doctor, I haven’t contacted cats since I found out about my allergic reaction when I was a child,” Natalia shakes her head. “And I have never had an allergic reaction to dogs and quietly play with the dog of my friend.”
“Do you not have any kind of rash or runny nose when playing with dogs?”
“No, nothing.”
“Alright… In this case, I have a suspicion about your powder… Probably, that’s what causes your allergic reaction.”
“Oh, wait!” Natalia thinks for a few seconds and puts a finger on her lip. “I think I know one more possible reason!”
“Speak, I am listening.”
“Yesterday, before sleep, I drank fresh orange juice that I had never drunk. My mother usually drinks it, but I wanted to drink so much that I did not care. And the juice was the first one to show up before my eyes. I drank it and went to sleep, but today I woke up in the morning with redness on my hand that I did not pay attention to and started to feel itchy.”
“Yes, yes, maybe,” the doctor nods confidently. “An allergic reaction to citrus is a frequent thing. And if you drank the fresh orange juice for the first time, you may probably have this type of reaction.”
“And what do I do?”
“Oh…” The doctor takes a small piece of paper and a pen and writes something down. “I do recommend that you give samples and do tests to know the real reason for your allergic reaction. And find out if you have an allergic reaction to something else.”
“Alright, I will do everything.”
“And while we do not know the reason for your allergic reaction, I ask you not to drink citrus juices and not to use the pounder. And next time, pay much more attention to any kind of rash on the skin. If you say you often get this type of reaction, you should remember that strong itching and rash might let you know about an allergic reaction.”
“I went to you shortly after I started to scratch it.”
“That’s good. And in order for your itching to go away, I will prescribe a curse. You can buy it at any pharmacy. The effect will happen after the first take. And if you have an allergic reaction in the future, it will help you make your symptoms milder.”
“Thank you so much, doctor,” Natalia thanks with a slight smile. “I will buy it today.”
The doctor writes something on a piece of paper, grabs another, takes some notes on it, and gives them to Natalia.
“So, I wrote a prescription and a recommendation for doing tests,” the doctor says confidently. “When I get your results, come back to me, and I will write a correct prescription for you if you need it.”
“Alright, I got it,” Natalia replies thoughtfully, looking at what’s written on the pieces of paper, and bites her lip slightly with the thought that now is a good moment to try to find out something about Blanca. “Erm… Excuse me, doctor, could you tell me where I go to do these tests?”
“You need to go up two floors and go straight until the first turn on the left,” the doctor explains with a slight smile. “Then you go until the end, and see the door with the table, on which there is a signature “Tests”. There will be nurses, who work on tests. Show them your prescription, and they will take some blood.”
“Thanks a lot. I think I will not get lost.”
“Did you come to the hospital for the first time?” the doctor laughs shyly.
“No…” Natalia falls into silence for two seconds and looks around the office. “I was here a few days ago. I went to another doctor, but I got kind of lost. But that’s good one man helped me by telling me how to find the doctor.”
“Alright…”
“And I did not find you immediately. I decided to come to one cleaning woman, who was working not far from me, and asked her how to find an allergist. But she was rude to me and said nothing.”
“Was she rude to you?” the doctor frowns slightly.
“Yes. And I heard that she said something unclear… Not in English…”
“Not in English?”
“I thought she was a foreigner because her English was bad. As if that girl has not lived in America for a long time.”
“Foreigner? No, Ms. Rochester!” The doctor takes off his glasses and puts them on the table in front of him. “No, you are wrong. A cleaning woman, for whom English is not a mother language, is not working here.”
“No, doctor, I am not wrong,” Natalia starts to protest confidently. “English is definitely not the mother language of that cleaning woman. I think… She understands everything, but she speaks badly.”
“Trust me, I do know every doctor and person, who works in this hospital. But there are no foreigners.”
“Oh…” Natalia looks down for a second and bites her lip, briefly thinking that Blanca could not be a cleaning woman, and she just found a cleaning woman’s uniform and went to Daniel’s room quietly. “I do not know then… Maybe, I was really wrong… I’m sorry… My head works poorly because of the itching…”
The doctor says nothing for two seconds, looking at Natalia with interest, while she glances at her purse placed on her laps, and then he frowns slightly and locks his fingers, and folds his hands in front of himself.
“But you know…” the doctor pronounces thoughtfully. “One foreign girl was really working here…”
“Yeah?” Natalia rounds her eyes.
“Yes, her name was Blanca. Blanca Moreno. She was working here as a cleaning woman. I heard she came from Spain.”
“From Spain? So, is she a Spaniard?”
“I think so.”
“And…” Natalia bites her lip slightly. “What can you say about her?”
“Nothing good! She was an idler! She could go to a cafeteria to eat, visit some patients in a room, and hide in the whole hospital not to be found. She did anything but washed the floors.”
“That’s how…” Natalia gets a little excited.
“Doctors, patients, and visitors complained about her many times. She was rude, pissed everybody off, and was very mean… Oh! Honestly, we had many problems with her.”
“She is young?”
“Yes, she is twenty-three. I guess she is one of those ladies, who wants to find a rich man and never work, spending his money non-stop. As far as I know, she does not even have an education.”
“Did she have a relationship?”
“No, Blanca dated nobody. But somewhere one month ago, there was a patient in the hospital… A young man… He was brought here in quite hard condition. As far as I know, he was diagnosed with brain damage and partial amnesia. Blanca found the room where he was and started to visit him every day, several times.”
“That patient… He…”
“Honestly, I don’t know why that girl got so attracted to him. But the guy’s doctor said that he always saw Blanca in his room and kicked her out. She went to him when some people did not visit him. I don’t know… Friends, familiars, or someone else…”
“She fell in love?”
“I do not know, miss. But until that guy was released, she did not leave him alone. But that guy did not mind it and spoke to her.”
“And what were they talking about?”
“I do not know,” the doctor throws his hands up. “And his doctor does not also understand Blanca's great interest in that guy.”
“Maybe, they know each other?”
“Maybe, but I can say nothing. I never saw that guy and heard about him from my colleague, who worked on him.”
“I see…” Natalia pronounces thoughtfully and glances aside. “And how did she speak English?”
“Very bad. She always said unfamiliar words, and people did not understand her.”
“And how long had she lived in the USA? Do you know?”
“I do not know it exactly, but I believe it’s been two or three years,” the doctor replies thoughtfully.
“So long?”
“Yes. And it’s very weird because Blanca could have learned English very well by talking to people, for whom this language is the first. It takes a few months of practice before a person speaks any language fluently. I know one person, who lived in another country for some time and learned a foreign language from the beginning.”
“But why did that girl get fired? She did her work badly?”
“It’s one of the reasons. Blanca was wanted to be fired for a long time, but she was allowed to work here out of pity. A girl kind of needed to earn money for life. But she was fired for a different reason.”
“Which?”
“She had some problems with documents and lived in the USA illegally: no citizen, no green card, no visa. I mean, she had a visa, but it expired, and Blanca did not want to work on renewing it.”
“So, did she originally get a job without problems?”
“Yes, everything was fine. It happened two or three years ago… But when we found out that the girl lived here illegally, we decided not to have problems and dismissed her two weeks ago.”
“Wow… Does Blanca live here alone?”
“No. As far as I know, that girl has parents and a younger sister. And I think her whole family is living here illegally. Even if they work somewhere, their bosses take a lot of risks. If everything gets clear, they will have big problems.”
“And what about their wealth?”
“Bad! Blanca’s family is very poor and lives in a small apartment in one of the terrible neighborhoods in New York. They kind of have a familiar that allows them to live there.”
“I think they must understand that they may be deported to Spain early or late if they have problems with documents.”
“You know, it’s none of our business. We do not need illegal staff members and their problems. Our hospital is prestigious and one of the best ones in New York. Highly qualified doctors with a brilliant education are working here. Everyone, who comes here to get a good job, passes hard tests and works as an intern for a long time before getting it.”
“This hospital is really very good,” Natalia says with a slight smile. “I am happy with everything, not saying about that foreigner.”
“I am sorry if that girl really insulted you. But I promise that Blanca Moreno will no longer work here.”
“It’s alright, doctor. It did not make my opinion of the hospital worse. Moreover, I promise I will come here every year for a planned check.”
“I completely support you, Ms. Rochester,” the doctor nods in approval. “Health is a very important thing that requires a lot of attention. Even if you are young and full of energy, you should watch your health anyway.”
“Absolutely agree,” Natalia pronounces with a slight smile.
Silence settles in the air, after which Natalia decides not to waste the doctor’s time, being happy with what she found out.
“Alright, I have to go,” Natalia says thoughtfully. “Do the tests that you meant.”
“Yes, sure,” the doctor pronounces correctly. “When you get the results, come back to me.”
“Sure. Thank you so much.”
“It’s my job, do not need to thank me.”
Natalia smiles shyly, gets up from the chair, places the belt of her purse above her shoulder, and goes to the exit from the office.
“Goodbye, doctor,” Natalia says goodbye.
“Goodbye, Ms. Rochester,” the doctor nods with a slight smile.
Natalia opens the door, leaves the office of the doctor watching her, and slowly starts to go down the hall, thinking about what she found out. The blonde goes down the hall with both arms crossed over her chest by many children and adults, doctors, nurses, paramedics, cleaning women, and some staff members, who are busy with something and not paying attention to what is happening around them.
“So, that girl is a Spaniard…” Natalia thinks. “She was working in this hospital but later got fired… Many people were complaining about her… Her English was terrible…”
Natalia frowns slightly and bites her lip.
“So, Edward was right when he said about her broken English and her Spanish. And the version that she really wants to marry Daniel to get a green card or become an American citizen might be true. She was fired because of the problems with documents…”
Natalia shakes her head, glancing aside for a second.
“Her whole family is living here illegally. I don’t exclude that their documents might be fake… To get them officially, they should spend a lot of time…”
Natalia stops slowly and leans on the wall with her back, while some people keep going by her.
“Not very much information, of course, but it’s just something. At least, we can have a potential picture and understand the motives for her wish to get married to Daniel. And now we exactly know that Blanca does exist. Though, I’m sorry that the girl was fired – I would’ve talked to her… Tried to find out something…”
Natalia glances aside and sighs quietly.
“Okay, I need to tell the guys what I found out. I can’t talk to them on the phone ‘cause I need to do the tests. But I will text them on WhatsApp.”
Natalia takes the phone from her purse, unlocks it, opens the group chat on WhatsApp, types the message, and sends it.
“Natalia: Guys, I found out something about that foreigner. Luckily, the doctor was talkative… That girl’s name is Blanca Moreno, she was born in Spain. I was told she was working in the hospital for some time, but she was fired later due to document issues. Also, she has parents and a younger sister, and they are also probably living in the USA illegally. I don’t exclude that they all have fake documents. So, as they’d have to spend a lot of time to get a citizen, Blanca could really decide that the easiest way to get it was to get married to an American. So, she sank her teeth into Perkins.”
After this, Natalia puts the smartphone in her purse and keeps thinking for a few seconds, frowning slightly and still standing near the wall, on which she leans with her back.
“I wonder if there is a chance to get her family arrested and deported from the country if we tell the police about her? Though… What could we do against her? Words are not enough! Only Perkins could report her and blame her for a chase. But since he lost his brains, Blanca will stay unpunished…”
Natalia sighs quietly and puts a hand on her forehead.
“Oh, Daniel Perkins, you’re in trouble…” Natalia moans silently with sadness in her eyes. “Why do you believe that girl more than us? Do you really think we’re so terrible and could harm you? What were you thinking of when you said that? When you blamed Peter for such stupid things! I don’t get… I don’t get…”
Natalia tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.
“And now we found out that Anna got in touch with a stinker that beats her… And her parents don’t mind that Seymour communicates with that man. Did they really approve it, as Pete said? Or don’t they know who he really is?”
After standing aside and thinking about the current situation, Natalia decides to go to do the tests, holding down her wish to scratch her hand, which is still itchy strongly.
***
The next day, Edward and Natalia began arguing over their wedding. They are now at the girl’s home and sitting in the living room, while her parents went somewhere for their business. While the blonde is sitting on the sofa, the man is nervously walking from one side to another, gesticulating actively and trying to make his future wife sure about what he thinks is right.
“Damn, you started to talk about it again!” Edward resents. “I did tell you that we better save this talk for later!”
“For when?” Natalia wonders. “Until it’s only five minutes before the wedding ceremony?”
“I don’t understand, why did you decide to talk about it now? We have too many problems, but you think only about the wedding!”
“But we need to discuss the details now!”
“You must worry about our friends! But I think you don’t care about them!”
“Don’t you care about our wedding? Do you want me to do everything? Do you refuse at least to move your finger?”
“I didn’t say you should do everything! And actually, I don’t understand, why did you want to talk about it now?”
“Because it will be too late later!”
“Why late? Are you gonna get married now, when we’re the fuck trying to solve tons of problems that have to do with our friends?”
“Do you think you’ll do everything quickly two hours before the ceremony?” Natalia shakes her head sharply. “No, Edward, you are wrong!”
“I understand everything, but I want to delay this talk for better times.”
“Do you know that people get ready for the wedding a few months before? Not a few hours!”
“Yeah, do you remember that we haven’t chosen a wedding day? Moreover, we haven’t even talked to Terrence and Raquelle about it.”
“Exactly! We’ve chosen and decided nothing! But I want our wedding to be gorgeous! So, people remember it for a few years.”
“It will happen,” Edward replies quietly.
“No, it won’t happen if we decide everything at the last moment.”
“We will not decide anything at the last moment. When we solve our problems, we will start to get ready and discuss everything.”
“I want a perfect wedding!” Natalia protests. “I want many people to come to congratulate us! In order them for to have good impressions, we must think about everything carefully.”
“What?” Edward rounds his eyes, stopping sharply and turning on Natalia. “But I don’t want this type of wedding! I’ve always dreamed of the simple ceremony in front of close people!”
“That’s wrong! A wedding is something that happens only once! At least I’m gonna get married once and for life! And I want to remember it forever!”
“Do you think you can’t remember a modest wedding that only your closest people attended?”
“No! There must be many guests at my wedding!”
“Damn, do you want to make a show out of it? To invite as many people as possible and push the boat out? I don’t want this type of wedding! That’s not what I dream about!”
“I don’t want a wedding that wouldn’t have memorable moments!” Natalia says loudly with the offense.
“We will do everything to make it memorable.”
“How? Start to decide what to put on, who are gonna be our witnesses, where the ceremony will take place, who will serve and amuse the guests? Choose a photographer, wedding rings, and a person, who’s gonna marry us!”
“Everything will be chosen and discussed. But let’s talk about it later!”
“Oh, no! I want every single detail to be planned! My wedding must be the event of the century!”
“No, Natalia, forget!” Edward exclaims harshly. “Our wedding is gonna be very modest, and only our relatives and close friends will be invited. No strangers will be there. And I think my brother and your friend will agree with me.”
“You decided it!”
“I wanna share my happiness with those, who are close to me. I don’t need the high hat! I wanna have a quiet, modest wedding ceremony!”
“But it’s a wedding! It must be chic, grandiose, and great!”
“That’s what you think. But I don’t need it.”
“So, don’t you care about me and my wishes?”
“No, I do care. It’s just not for me. I will invite only those, who are close to me. No strangers will come to my wedding.”
“But…”
“And stop thinking of the fairy tales about princes and princesses that you watched and read in childhood! Yes, they have beautiful weddings, to which future kings and queens invite almost the whole kingdom. But it’s not for me! I don’t want to invite literally the entire of New York. The only thing I will probably do is post a few photos and videos from the wedding ceremony. I can do this. I can make the band’s fans happy. But inviting lots of people to such an important event is too much.”
“But I…”
“Trust me, I also want my wedding to be memorable and gorgeous. Sometimes an event that people don’t get ready for may be much better than the one, about which people started to think literally a few months before.”
“Ah, I think I know what’s wrong!” Natalia clicks her fingers. “You’re greedy for money! You don’t want to spend lots of money on our wedding! Or do you think if I need it, I should pay for everything?”
“The case is not about the big money that we’re gonna spend on wedding suits, photographers, people, who’re gonna serve and amuse people, a judge, or a priest. The case is that the wedding is an event for us and our closest people. Strangers don’t have to know everything.”
“I didn’t say we should invite people from outside.”
“But you do hint at it!”
“I just want to do everything for our wedding to be gorgeous and remembered for many years.”
“My parents didn’t actually have any kind of ceremony! They just exchanged their rings, gave their pledges in front of witnesses and the judge, and celebrated it quietly. The case is not the fact that they didn’t have money. They didn’t just want to make it grandiose! Even if they had had money, they would’ve spent it on something necessary.”
“But I think it should happen!” Natalia protests. “A wedding is not just a hangout with your friends. It’s a special event, the memories of which should warm your soul up even twenty or thirty years later.”
“It’s like you closed your ears and don’t wanna hear me.”
“Don’t you really want to spend money on the celebration? Do you just want to get a document for our marriage as soon as possible?”
“I did say the case is not about money! The case is about a wish to keep something personal and share it only with my close people!”
“But nobody’s gonna ban you from sharing your happiness with close people!”
“Listen, Natalia, even if you have an opportunity and a wish to have a royal wedding and make it the event of the year, it doesn’t mean I want it.”
“But my parents had this type of wedding! They did everything they wanted and invited very many people! It’s been twenty-nine years, but my parents say that their friends still remember their lavish wedding.”
“And why’s the modest wedding worse than the luxury one?”
“It’s special!”
“It seems like you care about the fact that you’re gonna have a wedding soon. You want it just to have fun. Show off and show yourself, your body, dress, hair, makeup, and everything like that…”
“Not truth! If I hadn’t wanted to marry you, I wouldn’t have accepted your proposal.”
“So, if you wanna marry, does it really matter where it will happen? Would you get better if thousands of people admired how beautiful and happy you are?”
“It does matter to me!”
“Oh…” Edward moans tiredly and puts his hand on his forehead. “Why don’t you want to hear my wish or find a compromise? You and I have our own lives and should decide what to do. Nobody imposes their opinion on us, as well as you’re trying to make me sure that only your decision is right.”
“But, Edward… Why don’t you want to do what I want? I want to remember my wedding all my life! I want it to be memorable and colorful! It’s very important to me! There must be nothing that I could regret twenty years later.”
“In order to remember a wedding your whole life, you don’t have to make a show out of it. We can think about a very modest wedding that everybody would remember for much longer than a pompous one, at which nobody the fuck knows how many unfamiliar people would visit it.”
“But there’s so much we need to talk about.”
“I know. And we will talk about it. But a little later. When our problems are solved.”
“Do you want to make me do everything and be a part of nothing? Do you care about nothing?”
“Natalia, do you want us to fight?” Edward frowns strongly, crossing his arms over his chest. “It seems like you want it! As if you felt bored and decided to find a reason to make me mad.”
“No, you make me nervous!”
“Since we decided to marry, we must do these things together. If we can’t agree on everything, we’ll hardly do all of that without drama. Moreover, we’re getting married alongside Raquelle and Terrence. You’ll also have to talk to them about everything. Not just me. Because we’re gonna have a double wedding.”
“Okay, then, what do you want except a cheap wedding?” Natalia asks, also crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m listening to you, MacClife!”
“I only need it! I want to marry quietly and celebrate it with my close people.”
“Oh, yeah!”
“I don’t aim to prove something to someone and make a show out of all of that. Moreover, we could save some money. For example, to have a honeymoon and fly away somewhere for a couple of weeks.”
“No, I am not going to give up on a honeymoon. Two weeks abroad! Not less!”
“Besides, we can do a bigger part of the things ourselves. For example, to think about music, decoration of the wedding ceremony place and celebration, food, and fun… To find someone, who could be a photographer, an operator, and even drivers… Do you understand how much money we would spend if we decided to hire the people we need? And I say nothing about dresses, suits, hairstyles, makeup… A wedding is by far not the cheapest thing!”
“So, don’t you want to spend money on something that usually happens only once?” Natalia asks loudly, rounding her eyes. “Don’t you want to spend big money one time to make the celebration that you, me, and our guests will remember our whole lives?”
“I didn’t get used to throwing money around, Natalia. Through the years of living in poverty, I learned to count and save. And you will never do it because you’ve always lived in luxury and literally been a princess for your parents, who made any of your wishes come true.”
“Do you wanna say I’m getting married to a cheapskate? Who would strangle me if I spent a couple of dollars?”
“I say again, the case is not about money, it’s about principals,” Edward explains quietly. “I don’t care about the high cost and steepness, I care about comfort and nice emotions.”
“So, do you want us not to have any celebration? You want us to invite a judge, listen to them, give our agreement, sign everything we should, share the rings, and get pronounced husband and wife?”
“It will be happening in front of our friends and relatives. And then we will quietly celebrate it.”
“But I want to be a queen! I want to be a star on that incredible day! I want people to say that our wedding is truly incredible!”
“Oh, my gosh…” Edward moans with rolled eyes up.
“And I want people to look at me with admiration. Say how beautiful I am, how gorgeous and expensive my dress is, and how amazing my hair, makeup, and jewelry are.”
“Dresses, hair, makeup, and jewels are your cares and your friends’. Now we are talking about our joint problems and costs. Not about your wish to show off and get a couple of compliments.”
“So, don’t you actually care how I will look on my wedding day?” Natalia opens her mouth slightly. “In a dress, a robe, or actually be nude!”
“I didn’t say it!”
“You did! You clearly let me know you don’t care about me or my wishes. You just want to hear you’re pronounced a husband as soon as possible.”
“What?” Edward opens his eyes widely. “Do you think I proposed to you because I didn’t want to make you upset? Succumbed to people’s pressure? Or did you annoy me with your wish to marry so badly?”
“Maybe, that’s true! Seeing that you don’t care about me at all!”
“If I hadn’t wanted it, I wouldn’t have ever thought about the wedding! I decided that the time had come, chose the ring, and proposed to you.”
“I don’t believe you, I don’t!” Natalia exclaims loudly, shaking her head sharply.
“That was my couscous choice!”
“You would hear me and make my wish to have a lavish wedding come true if you didn’t give a fuck about me!”
“So, is my opinion wrong? Are you the only one to be right?”
“I didn’t say it… Though…” Natalia throws her hands up. “If you don’t care about everything, okay, I will organize everything and pay for it. My parents will spare no money for my wedding. And you can buy only a suit and spend it on your bachelor! Though, you’ve got a rich bro that could organize a men’s party!”
“Because you have money doesn’t mean you can throw it around carelessly. You won’t understand how hard your parents earned and earn it because you’ve never worked a day. You’re used to getting money on your card, going to a store, and buying something. But I do know what that is. I know how hard it is to get it because I’ve worked since my teenage age. And I’ve never hidden that I got almost nothing and could not rent an apartment or buy clothes and food. Only one thing!”
“Yeah, but everybody used to call you an idler that lived on someone’s account.”
“I have never been an idler and have done my best to survive. And now I can finally stand on my feet. But just because I earn enough money thanks to writing songs and working with the band doesn’t mean I went crazy. I still don’t want to waste my money on stupid things.”
“So, do you think I’m a spender?” Natalia opens her mouth slightly and gets up from the sofa slowly. “That I don’t actually think when I spend money?”
“If you lived the way I did for one month, you would probably learn to count money.”
“Ha!” Natalia puts her hands on her hips. “If it were true, I would have bought an apartment and changed my car a long time ago! Buy many designer, expensive clothes, go to a hair salon and a beautician, and spend lots of money on self-care. But I’m still living with my parents, driving an old car, and buying clothes in budget stores. Or I actually borrow something from my friends. And I take care of myself at home and go to a hair salon once per year. Just to cut my hair a little.”
“If it’s so, do the same to the money for the wedding,” Edward replies gloomily, crossing his arms over his chest. “Or let’s share the responsibility and agree on what we should do. We will do it and spend our personal money.”
“But you like nothing!” Natalia replies loudly. “Or you care about nothing! If I did something, you’d say that either you don’t care, or you don’t like it. And you’d say only your opinion is right. Moreover, I wouldn’t be surprised if you also made Terrence deprive Raquelle of the chance to feel like a queen.”
“Oh, Natalia…” Edward runs his hands over his face with a tired and slow sigh. “Sorry, but you are now unbearable… Talking to you is impossible.”
“You know, your face does make me enraged, too…”
“I feel terribly hurt because you don’t want to hear me and agree with my opinion or look for compromises. I naively thought we’d have no problems with it.”
“I also thought you’d support my wish to do everything at the highest level and organize a royal wedding,” Natalia replies a little coldly. “But I don’t feel your support.”
“Oh, God, give me patience not to strangle this girl…” Edward moans with closed eyes. “If you’re stuck, anyone shouldn’t come to you…”
“Yeah… Your brother didn’t warn me that you could be a too stubborn donkey.”
“But your friend has said many times that you may be very capricious.”
“Come on!”
“Listen, I also want everything to be over without a hitch. But to do that, we don’t need to have a grandiose celebration that would make us spend nobody the fuck knows how much money.”
“But, Edward!” Natalia exclaims. “I wanna be the queen on that day! Any girl wants to feel special on her wedding day. And me too! I think I do deserve it! As well as Raquelle.”
“You and Raquelle will be the queens at your wedding! Everybody will admire you. Nobody doubts that you will choose the best looks and get everybody shocked.”
“You understand nothing!”
“Please, let’s not make everything worse. I don’t wanna fight with you at all.”
“Are you going to solve everything a day before the wedding?” Natalia resents irritably. “What if something goes wrong? Someone tells us that something is not right or that we can’t make a celebration? My dress rips? I destroy my hair or makeup? Something else happens? Everything gets messed up at the last moment? And my wedding is ruined! I won’t get married!”
“It’s gonna be okay, sweetie, trust me,” Edward takes Natalia by the shoulders softly, while she looks at him gloomily. “Stop making up some nonexistent problems.”
“It seems like you don’t care about it!” Natalia says a little louder and steps back from Edward sharply. “Do Raquelle and I have to get ready for everything on our own? While Terrence and you have only to go to the ceremony, say, ‘yes’ and put on a ring on our hands! And before, you have a bachelor and drink to hell along with the men!”
“Rochester!”
“Are we the only ones to care about everything? Or do you actually hope that my parents will give us money?”
“Natalia, calm the fuck down now!” Edward exclaims. “I don’t understand why you need to decide everything right now. Don’t you understand that we have too many problems? The situation is too complicated, but you wanted to fight and make me nervous!”
“You just find excuses to avoid this talk. But you’ll have to talk about it someday if you still want to marry me.”
“Oh, Natalia…” Edward puts his hands together, puts them to the bridge of his nose, and exhales slowly with closed eyes, trying to hold himself down, so the situation does not get much worse. “It’s impossible to talk to you! I do quietly try to reach you, but you keep being stubborn and insisting on what you want.”
“I just want everything to be perfect, but you don’t care!”
“I care about everything!” Edward raises his voice. “How many times do I have to repeat it? Just calm the fuck down and stop acting like a capricious girl!”
“You don’t want to hear me!” Natalia keeps being capricious. “You don’t want!”
“Alright!” Edward glances aside. “If you want to get rid of all the problems, let’s actually cancel our engagement and our wedding?”
“What?” Natalia rounds her eyes immediately, feeling that these words are like the cold water splashed above her head. “Cancel our engagement?”
“I am serious, Rochester,” Edward says quietly. “If you don’t wanna marry me, let’s tell everybody that there won’t be a wedding. Let only Raquelle and Terrence have a wedding. They will obviously agree on everything.”
“But…”
“Or let’s actually break up if you want! Let’s not torture each other. Since we can’t agree now, is there any point in continuing it all?”
“But… B-but… Edward, w-why? Do you…” Natalia shakes her head, calming down sharply and forgetting what she said a few seconds ago. “Do you wanna leave me?”
“You don’t want to solve the problems! So, I am suggesting we end it all shortly. Not to have them at all.”
“No, no, don’t do it…” Natalia pronounces excitedly. “Not a breakup… No! I won’t bear it! I love you and don’t wanna lose you!”
“Me too, but should we actually marry? Is there a point in being together?”
“No, honey, don’t do this…” Natalia begs in a shaking voice, taking Edward by the shoulders and looking at him with half-wet eyes. “I don’t wanna cancel anything… I want to marry you! I wanna live with you… I wanna take care of you… I want you and me to have a gorgeous and memorable wedding.”
“Damn, here we go again…”
Edward does not speak his mind because his phone starts ringing in the pocket of his jeans. Being truly happy with this call, the man takes it and puts it to his ear without emotions on his face.
“Hello,” Edward pronounces quietly.
While Natalia being shocked by Edward’s idea of canceling the engagement and the wedding looks at the man with widely open eyes, he closely listens to what someone tells him on the phone and says something sometimes, nodding in approval and frowning slightly.
“Alright, I got you,” Edward says quietly. “Yes, yes, I will come soon. I am not far from there and will go there just in time. Alright. See you soon.”
Edward turns off the call, puts his phone in his pocket, and glances at Natalia looking at him with her widely open, wet eyes.
“Sorry, I got something to do,” Edward throws coldly. “A meeting with someone, who wants to offer me a collaboration.”
Edward finds the keys from his car on the coffee table, while Natalia still looks at him surprisingly and says nothing, just blinking her eyes and breathing a little heavily.
“We will talk when you calm down and can understand me,” Edward adds coldly. “All the best.”
Edward leaves the apartment quietly but quickly, while Natalia watches the man with sad and wet eyes until he closes the door. And then she looks around the whole living room with the same eyes, shakes her head, and puts a hand on her forehead, feeling she crossed the line while arguing with her fiancé. But it does not make her give up on her wish to have the most lavish celebration that people will remember for many, many years.
***
Terrence went to the home of Frederick to talk to him about Raquelle and her weird behavior that has made everyone worry not for one or two weeks. The man is driving his car on a free highway with open windows, watching the road closely, and feeling how the wind is blowing on his face. He drives in silence for some time, but later he turns on the radio, misses a few radio stations, and starts to listen to music that helps him distract from bad thoughts. And a few minutes later, he starts listening to “Against The System”’s only officially released song, titled “The Story About Us” on the radio. Terrence enjoys the benefits of the efforts of his band with a slight smile on his face, trying not to think that everything is not as colorful as he would like.
He gets so busy with his thoughts that he does not notice that he comes to the skyscraper where Frederick’s apartment is placed. After looking around quickly, Terrence finds a free place in the small parking lot, places the car, and switches off the motor. The man does not hurry to leave it and sits in the automobile for a few seconds, seeing people that go by and are too busy with their problems and cares. At some moment, MacClife, Sr., takes the whining steel with both hands, contacts his forehead with it, and hides his face in his arms, keeping the same position for a few seconds. But later, Terrence gets straight sharply, exhales, claps himself on the cheeks to shake up a little, leaves the car slowly, and locks it with a key. He comes to the entry to the apartment building confidently, enters it, and goes up to the necessary floor on the elevator, leaning on the wall with his back, keeping his arms crossed over his chest, and thinking about something. Then the man takes some distance, looking around at times, and finally comes to the apartment he needs. After hesitating for some time, Terrence exhales sharply, rings the doorbell twice, and waits for the reaction. A few seconds later, the door opens, and Frederick wearing home clothes shows up on the doorstep.
“Terrence?” Frederick pronounces surprisingly. “I didn’t know you’d like to visit me!”
“Hello, Mr. Cameron,” Terrence greets gently. “I hope I don’t bother you?”
“No, no, you don’t.”
Frederick and Terrence shake each other by the hand and hug each other amicably, sharing a slight clap on the back.
“Okay, man,” Frederick pronounces quietly. “Come in if you’re here.”
Frederick steps back from the doorstep and lets Terrence come into the apartment with a gesture. The man does it, looking around with a slight smile, while the old man closes the hall door.
“By the way, did you come alone?” Frederick asks.
“Yes, I came alone,” Terrence replies a little hesitantly.
“And Raquelle? Didn’t she come?”
“She’s busy today. A meeting with her managers and a couple of shootings.”
“I see… So, very sorry…” Frederick points at the side of the living room. “I must confess that Raquelle hasn’t visited me for a long time. Of course, I don’t make her do it, but I would like to talk to her.”
“She is embarrassed, too,” Terrence replies amicably. “She always says she should visit you, but she has no time.”
“I see… It’s alright. When she has time, she will come.”
“Don’t worry, I will come here with her next time.”
“It would be good.”
Silence settles in the air for two seconds, during which Terrence and Frederick come to the living room and sit on the sofa in front of each other.
“And how are you doing?” Frederick asks.
“I’m doing more or less fine,” Terrence replies. “There are some problems, but I’m trying to solve them.”
“Haven’t Raquelle and you picked up the wedding day?”
“Not yet. We don’t have time for it now.”
“Alright. So, what made you come to me? I have a feeling that you came here for a reason.”
“You are right, Mr. Cameron… I would like to talk to you about Raquelle.”
“About Raquelle?” Frederick rounds his eyes. “What happened to her?”
“Something that is unclear to me.”
“You know, Terrence, that’s good you came to me. I actually wanted to go to your home and talk to you and Raquelle. But since you came, I have a talk for you.”
“I believe we want to discuss the same thing.”
“Maybe. Yesterday, I spent time with your parents, the Rochesters, and the Johnsons. And they said something weird was happening to Raquelle. She is kind of always sad, but she refuses to explain what’s wrong.”
“Actually, that’s true…” Terrence says thoughtfully.
“You want to tell me something?”
“Yes. I want to ask you for some advice. As a smart and wise man, who knows Raquelle much better.”
“Alright, I will listen to you.” Frederick glances aside. “By the way, do you want to drink something? Maybe, you need to drink water to get ready? I guess you’re a little nervous.”
“Oh, no, thanks, no need,” Terrence refuses gently, rubbing his hands nervously.
“Alright. Speak then.”
Terrence says nothing for two seconds before he exhales sharply, runs his hand over his hair from the top of his head to his neck, and starts to speak, looking at Frederick with sadness in his eyes:
“Mr. Cameron, something weird is happening to Raquelle. And I don’t know what. Her mood changes several times per day: at first, she may be funny, sanguine, and smiling, but later she suddenly gets sad and broken and cries for nothing. I have woken up at night several times because Raquelle was crying in a restroom, a room, or on a balcony, and barely calmed her down. And sadly, I still haven't found out the reason…” Terrence falls into silence for two seconds and shakes his head. “It seems like she is worried too much because Raquelle has lately seen nightmares. She wakes up in a cold sweat and cries… And some time ago, she saw something that she felt bad… She collapsed from a strong shock… And… From that day on, she constantly talks about a bad presentiment. It’s about me… Your granddaughter thinks something is supposed to happen to me.”
Terrence throws a sad look at the bracelets on his hand and starts pulling one of them nervously.
“I swear, I don’t know what could happen to her. I’ve tried to talk to her many times, but Raquelle refuses to speak. And one day, I met Steven, the photographer, whom your granddaughter befriends, and he told me that Raquelle’s assistant saw her crying in a restroom for nothing. Natalia and Helene also see that something is not right with her, but they can say nothing.”
“She…” Frederick pronounces hesitantly. “Doesn't she say anything to anyone?”
“Exactly! Many people see her weird behavior, but they can do nothing. And I’m in despair…” Terrence shakes his head and moves his sad look to Frederick. “What do I do, Mr. Cameron? How do I make your granddaughter speak? I want to help Raquelle so much, but I don’t know the reasons for her sadness and tears. I don’t know how to behave… How to comfort her… What to say… Nothing helps!”
“Oh, Jesus Christ…”
“Sometimes I think I do something wrong or don’t give her everything. Maybe, Raquelle wants something, but I can’t or don’t want to give it… I don’t know! But I feel pain when I see her tears and hear her crying… When I know she wakes up at nights and is worried about something. It hurts that Raquelle says nothing and doesn’t trust me, even if I am her fiancé and have the right to know what’s going on. I want to find out what bothers her as soon as possible and do my best to make her happy. But how do I do it?”
“So, that’s the truth…”
“Please, Mr. Cameron, help me,” Terrence begs with pity in his eyes. “Advise me something! You know Raquelle much better and understand her feelings like nobody else! What do I do, so your granddaughter stops behaving so weirdly and making me nervous? What did I do wrong? Why does she treat me like this? I am ready for anything for her! But… Raquelle doesn’t appreciate it… She thinks silence is better… As I understand…”
The more Frederick listens to Terrence, the more he gets horrified by what he hears, even if he does not know what to tell the fiancé of his granddaughter.
“Yeah…” Frederick pronounces thoughtfully, scratches his chin, and frowns strongly. “What a twist…”
“What if you know something?” Terrence asks. “Maybe, Raquelle told you something? Complained about something? Reveal her wishes?”
“Sorry, Terrence, but I know nothing, as well… Moreover, I found out about what happened to her yesterday. I’ve already said your parents and the Rochesters told me about it.”
“Seriously, I am in despair! I don’t know what to think and do!”
“It’s all very weird…” Frederick says nothing for two seconds. “Yeah, is that true everything started during the trial of your uncle Michael?”
“True,” Terrence nods. “I’ve been noticing Raquelle’s weird behavior since that time. At first, I didn’t find it suspicious because we were all worried. But seeing that nothing changed a few months later, I began to be worried and understand that the case wasn’t about the trial. Or… Something could happen during the one…”
“But why didn’t you tell me about it before?” Frederick wonders.
“I thought it was girls’ caprices. I don’t know… It happens… Girls start to cry and get sad for nothing… But the reason is not about hormones… It’s something different. Something very serious.”
“Maybe, you have problems in your relationship, but you say nothing?”
“No, no, everything is great between Raquelle and me. Your granddaughter and I complain about nothing and have no claims.”
“That’s how…”
“She kind of reflects on something that happened in the past, during the trial of Uncle. Well… You know, she is kind of in the present, but her thoughts are somewhere in the past… It gets clear when nobody talks to her… I mean… Raquelle behaves as if nothing happened. But when she stays alone or says nothing, while other speaks, this girl starts to think about something. Actually, she has lately been less active in talking… I’d say she became a little similar to Edward. When something happens to him, he withdraws into himself and rarely speaks.”
“Maybe, Raquelle hinted at a wish, but you didn’t pay attention and didn’t want to do it or didn’t have an opportunity?”
“No, it did not happen,” Terrence shakes his head. “But sometimes I think she really needs something, but is afraid to ask me about it. Or… She lies to me when she says she feels good with me.”
“Hm…” Frederick frowns slightly, stroking the chin. “You say, her friends know nothing?”
“Everybody suspects, but nobody knows a thing,” Terrence shrugs. “I recently talked to Natalia and Helene, but they can’t help me. The men also know nothing and can’t give me pieces of advice. So… I don’t know what to do.”
“It’s strange… I thought the girls would share secrets with each other…”
“I thought so. But Raquelle wants to tell them nothing. I think she is afraid that the girls would say it to everyone. The most untrustworthy person in this case is Natalia. She could easily talk about something that must be a secret. So, your granddaughter is afraid…”
“And didn’t she fight with anyone? Maybe, my granddaughter is sad because of that?”
“No, she has a good relationship with the girls. And she gets on well with the men.”
“Oh, I don’t know, then…” Frederick sighs tiredly.
“Of course, Raquelle may be worried about Daniel and Anna, but I don’t think this is the case.”
“I heard something about Anna… They say she disappeared some time ago, but nobody knows why. She doesn’t answer calls and messages.”
“It’s true,” Terrence replies with sadness in his eyes. “But the situation with Anna is much worse than we thought.”
“What do you mean?” Frederick rounds his eyes.
“The case is that Peter met Anna in a shopping center yesterday. She was with one man, who pretended to be her boyfriend and future husband, but later beat her and mocked her. When they didn’t see Peter…”
“Gosh, Terrence, what you’re talking about!”
“It’s the truth, Mr. Cameron. Anna has spoken to that man since she left Daniel. She’s living with one of her parents and meeting the one, who Peter saw her with.”
“Did Peter try to protect that girl?”
“He was scared. He was afraid he wouldn’t deal with him alone. As he said, that man was quite tough and gave strong enough hits.”
“You know, no matter how well I treat that guy, I must confess that he did a bad thing,” Frederick replies confidently. “He must have helped Anna and saved her from that man.”
“Peter does know everything. And we expressed our recentness. At least, we appreciate his honesty and are glad that he confessed everything and found no excuses.”
“Daniel will hardly like it when he remembers everything and finds it out.”
“My friend is ready for that. He says if Perkins wants to insult and hit him, he will tolerate it silently. Because he deserved it.”
“That’s good he knows he is guilty and did not hide the truth.”
“In this case, it’s his only benefit.”
“Oh, how awful!” Frederick runs his hands over his face with horror in his eyes. “Poor Anna… Did she become a violator’s victim?”
“Most likely. She did nothing to that man, but he was beating her strongly anyway. When she barely opened her mouth, Anna got a slap from him.”
“God, there are sick cads…”
“And the worst thing is that we can do nothing,” Terrence says with sadness in his eyes. “We don’t have contact with her parents, who probably approve of her relationship with that man. We know we must warn them, but we cannot do it.”
“What if they don’t know it?” Frederick assumes. “Violators can pretend to be angels very well and make people think they are good! And because of that, nobody will believe even Anna. I mean, I am sure that’s the truth: the girl asks for help, but nobody believes her.”
“Maybe. But it gives us nothing. There is only hope for Daniel. He should know where at least one of her parents is living. But… It’s worthless now.”
“Yeah, but what about that weird story about Daniel?” Frederick frowns slightly. “I heard he was hit by a car and got amnesia.”
“Peter and Helene somehow found him unconscious in a terrible condition in the middle of the road in a deserted place. It’s been a long time, but the only thing that Daniel recalled is Rose’s suicide attempt.”
“Yes, yes, your parents, the Rochesters, and the Johnsons talked about it. I heard that Anna did a very bad thing by leaving Daniel after that case.”
“Likely, Anna left him not because she got deeply shocked and didn’t love Daniel.”
“Got or not, but she did a bad thing. It’s not what a loving person is doing.”
“That man probably cheated on her. And he could know nothing about it…”
“Cheated?” Frederick wonders. “But with whom? Does that guy have another girl?”
“A certain foreigner used his condition, making Daniel sure that they were going to marry.”
“A foreigner? How did she show up?”
“We don’t know,” Terrence shrugs. “That girl just started to go to Daniel’s room regularly when the guys and I didn’t visit him, and she lied to him when saying she was his fiancée.”
“God…”
“I swear we knew nothing about that girl before Daniel told us about her and showed us a photo of hers. Later, Edward remembered that he saw her in the hospital and said she worked there as a cleaning woman. And Natalia went there yesterday and found out something about the Spaniard. An idler, who arrived in the USA on a visa along with her family, lives in poverty, got fired two weeks ago due to her document issues, and really went to Daniel’s room regularly. His doctor kicked that girl out when he caught her there.”
“As if she is an obsessed fan of him. I think the girl heard about Daniel thanks to the band and decided to use the moment.”
“There is an assumption that she might use him to stay here legally. A marriage with an American man is one of the ways to get a green card.”
“Yes, yes, it’s possible…”
“It’s okay that she wants to stay here and is afraid to be deported to Spain. But why did she use the sick person and make him believe the lie? Early or late, the lie would come to light! And Daniel would understand that he was fooled.”
“I think she thought about it much less.”
“And the most important thing is that the girl got us to fight with Daniel by telling him what made him blame us for the lie and tell us to leave him alone.”
“Fight with Daniel?”
“Yes, the guys and I fought with him yesterday,” Terrence says with sadness in his eyes. “The Spaniard washed his brains well, and he believes only her and called us liars. The article about Daniel being charged with bringing Peter to the wish to die is also guilty. That girl got a benefit from it and said it happened because Rose was guilty of it.”
“My gosh…”
“She made him think that Daniel did that because Peter allegedly hated and insulted her. He allegedly called her fat and ugly… And… Perkins believed it and blamed Rose for that. So, the blond denied everything categorically because he doesn’t know that girl.”
“Yeah, she worked on him well.”
“That girl also got Edward and me involved in it. We allegedly did not approve of his relationship with her and agreed to help Peter destroy Daniel.”
“Oh, wow!”
“But you know the stupidest thing? Daniel also blamed Peter for the fact that the blond started the bullying. He kind of paid someone to get an article, in which Perkins would show up as a horrible man, to be posted. And my brother and I allegedly supported Rose…”
“Stinker!” Frederick resents.
“That’s not everything! Daniel dared to blame Peter for organizing the attempt against him. He either hit him with the car or paid someone.”
“It seems like Peter got all the hits?”
“Sadly. That’s why the girls and the men did not make Daniel sure that it was a lie. He used to believe us somehow. But now Perkins believes the Spaniard, who has him wrapped around her finger and wants to make him marry her.”
“Yeah…” Frederick exhales slowly. “What a twist…”
“Although we understand he will understand everything when he gets his memories back, we are hurt. It hurts that we’re blamed for those things for nothing. We tried to help Daniel, but he did such a disgusting thing to us.”
“I think you still have a chance to change everything.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve got the knife and the ring found near Daniel. So, why don’t you show those things to him? I think it would change the situation at all!”
“It’s too late, Mr. Cameron,” Terrence shakes his head. “Speaking rudely, Daniel pissed us off and will hardly wish to talk to us. At least until he remembers everything. After this, he will come to us and ask us for forgiveness for everything he’s done.”
“Alright, then show those things to Mr. Johnson. He wanted to look at them and find out whether they could belong to the one to blame for what happened to Daniel. He asked the parents of you and Edward to tell you about it.”
“Of course, we will do it. But it will not help us make Daniel remember everything and realize that he did stupid things. Because of his amnesia, he has done too much… And who knows whether he can solve everything…”
“It’s okay, don’t worry. It will not last forever.”
“That’s not the Daniel that we all know. It’s a different man. The man, whom we want to strangle with our hands. We don’t recognize our friend! It’s like we lost him…”
“No, you did not lose him. He will be back!”
“When? It’s been so long! We’ve tried everything to help him! But nothing helped! And it will not help because he decided to end our friendship.”
“Oh, Terrence…” Frederick shakes his head and strokes his chin. “I don’t even know how to help you… Everything is too tangled and terrible to some extent… I want, but I can’t.”
“It’s very hurtful… And we have to solve not only this problem but also a few more…”
“I get it.”
“You know, although I try to stay calm and collected, sometimes I think I’m on edge,” Terrence confesses hesitantly, rubbing his hands. “So many things have rained thick upon us out of the blue again… We thought we’d have fun at the wedding soon, and my band would release an album and go on tour. But one event turned everything upside down… Our plans went wrong… I know that life is not an endless fairytale and only positive emotions, but it’s all too complicated.”
“Don’t fall into despair, Terrence,” Frederick says softly. “You are a strong man and can tolerate many things.”
“Not everything.”
“So much has happened in your life, but you stood on your feet. A strong storm was trying to strike you down on the ground, but you stood like a brick wall and kept living. So, if you stood earlier, you would do it again and again, getting much stronger every time. Any life difficulties can help us make the invisible armor, with which we protect ourselves, tougher. The more trustworthy it is, the easier it is for the person to fight off the sticks and stones that get into them.”
“Do you know the reason why I stand on my feet even in the hardest storm?” Terrence falls into silence for two seconds, looking at Frederick with sadness in his eyes. “It’s Raquelle. I live and fight for that girl. She is the meaning of my life. The best thing that I have. If she is happy and smiling, I’m happy and smiling, too. But if something is not right with her, I get nervous. Now I’m hurt and in despair. Because I know she is not alright, but I can’t help her because I don’t know the reason for her condition… She says nothing. Even if I am her fiancé. Even if your granddaughter says she trusts me completely.”
“I completely understand your feelings,” Frederick says with sympathy, sits next to the sad and tense Terrence, and puts his hand on his shoulder, which he squeezes slightly. “I also feel hurt because something is not right with my granddaughter. It hurts that I can’t help her, either. I’m not sure if Raquelle wants to trust me if she withdraws into herself and cries bitterly…”
“You’re right…”
“Listen…” Frederick falls into silence for two seconds. “Don’t you know which nightmares she saw? What are they about?”
“She told me only about one that she recently saw…” Terrence replies hesitantly. “It was about me and… My death…”
“Your death?” Frederick rounds his eyes immediately.
“Because of Simon Ringer. Raquelle said so.”
“But…” Frederick says nothing for two seconds and shakes his head. “But that stinker has gotten what he deserved. Why did she see nightmares about him and your death?”
“She saw not only him but also Uncle Michael, Eugene Wainwright, and the woman, who tried to kill Alicia to get revenge for the murder of her father. They… Mocked her and… They were happy about my death…”
“Oh, Jesus Christ…”
“Yes, Mr. Cameron, I know it’s horrible… But who knows… Maybe, she is yearning for her parents. Even if they died when she was a little baby. Even if it’s been so many years since their death…”
“I also miss them and wish everything was otherwise… I wish my son and daughter-in-law were alive… But sadly, they died because of the terrible man. Who was obsessed with love for Raquelle’s mother and couldn’t accept the fact that she chose another man.”
“I agree, that’s unfair… Those people became victims of that stinker… But I’m glad he paid for that.”
“Not only him, but also your uncle and Eleanor, who went crazy after the murder of her father.”
“But I’m sorry that Eugene Wainwright ran away.”
“So, do you know it?”
“Yes, Edward said. Natalia and he met him one day when walking at a quiet place.”
“By the way, you said Raquelle started to feel something bad that is supposed to happen to you…”
“Yeah,” Terrence nods. “She thinks something is going to happen to me soon. Just because I was killed in her dream… I think if she could, Raquelle wouldn’t let me go outside with the hope of saving me from bad things.”
“You know, I would advise you not to forget about her words. Her representatives have always meant something.”
“And honestly, it scares me… Although I said nothing to Raquelle, I also felt some anxiety. It doesn’t mean I’m terribly afraid to walk on the streets, and I look around with fear, as if I’m seeking danger. But your granddaughter made me nervous…”
“Nevertheless, I would advise you to be careful, Terrence. You remember that Raquelle felt some trouble and begged you not to do something many times, but you didn’t listen to her and did what you wanted. If my granddaughter tries to dissuade you from something, you better stop. She does it not to control you, but for your safety.”
“I know, Mr. Cameron.”
“Her late mother had the same thing. Elizabeth could also forebode some trouble that really happened. But it didn’t save my daughter-in-law and son anyway…”
“I always tell myself to listen to her, but then I start to think my fiancée is just shocked and raving. And I eventually get into trouble.”
“That’s why you must watch out. Do nothing that might put your life in danger. Don’t start a fight if you know you cannot do this alone. Stay far from all of that if you don’t want to make my granddaughter suffer.”
“I guess you’re right,” Terrence nods. “This time, I will try to listen to her words and presentiments.”
“But don’t act like a paranoiac, thinking that danger is any person and any place. Try to listen to yourself. If you feel uncomfortable, you better leave. Maybe, a danger would find you, but you would know that you need to be as careful as possible.”
“I got it,” Terrence cracks a smile at Frederick. “Thank you so much, Mr. Cameron.”
Frederick nods with a slight smile but says nothing. And a few seconds later, someone suddenly rings the doorbell.
“Who is that?” Frederick wonders. “I’m waiting for nobody…”
Frederick gets up, goes to the hall door, and opens it quickly. He sees an average-aged woman with a long dark bob, gray eyes, square black-rimmed glasses with rounded edges, and a little harsh look. And a little girl at the age of eight is standing next to her, holding the woman’s hand, and pressing a little teddy bear to herself as if it’s something important. The girl briefly reminds him of Raquelle thanks to her gray, kind eyes, but she has light brown hair worn in a pigtail.
“Alicia?” Frederick pronounces with an amicable smile.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Cameron,” Alicia smiles shyly.
“Gosh, what a surprise!”
Frederick lets Alicia and the girl into the apartment and closes the door. After this, they hug each other and share an amicable kiss.
“Don’t I bother you?” Alicia asks.
“No, no, come on!” Frederick exclaims. “Not at all! I am very glad you’ve come!”
“I missed my close people and decided to come for a while.”
“But why didn’t you tell me that you arrived in New York? I would have met you and driven you home!”
“Oh, I just wanted to make a nice surprise for everybody,” Alicia waves a hand with a slight smile. “And I came here for some business.”
“Did you stop at a hotel?”
“Yes, in the hotel. But today or tomorrow, I shall bring my stuff to your home. Would you mind if I lived with you?”
“Of course, no, my darling!” Frederick exclaims with a wide smile. “I am always ready to accept you here when you arrive in the USA.”
“Excellent then!”
“Yeah…” Frederick moves his eyes to the little girl looking around with interest. “Who is this girl?”
“And this girl is…” Alicia looks at the little girl, who is holding her hand, with a slight smile. “My adopted daughter.”
“Your adopted daughter?” Frederick rounds his eyes. “Have you finally finished this process?”
“Yes, thank God. Two weeks ago, I finally took the girl with me. And now I can call her my daughter. All the documents are officially registered.”
“My gosh… What happiness! I am so happy for you, Alicia.”
“Thanks a lot. Let me introduce her.” Alicia looks at the little girl again and encourages her to pay attention to Frederick, bending at her slightly and hugging her around the shoulders. “Sweetie, let me introduce Frederick Cameron. He is a grandfather of your cousin, Raquelle, whom I shall introduce to you soon.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Cameron,” the girl says in a thin voice, looking at Frederick with widely open eyes. “My name is Amanda. Amanda Middleton. But my friends sometimes call me Mandy.”
“Nice to meet you, Amanda,” Frederick replies with a slight smile. “I’m glad you have a mother.”
“Me too! You cannot even imagine how long I waited for that.”
“By the way, I must notice that you are really similar to my granddaughter. You remind me of her when she was a kid.”
“I know, Mother told me and showed me photos of Raquelle. I can’t wait to meet her and know if she is really so beautiful.”
“Oh, my granddaughter is stunning. She gets more beautiful every year.”
“When shall I see her?”
“Soon, sweetie, soon,” Alicia says with a slight smile and caresses Amanda’s head softly. “We arrived here to meet Raquelle and her family.”
“I can’t wait! I can’t wait!”
“You know, let’s go to the living room?” Frederick suggests confidently. “I can give you a cup of tea or coffee. And I have some sweet food.”
“No, thanks,” Alicia refuses correctly. “Later.”
“Go to the living room, then.”
Frederick lets Alicia and Amanda go forward and goes to the living room after them. The woman is surprised truly when she enters it and sees Terrence sitting on the sofa and looking at one of his bracelets with sad eyes.
“Terrence?” Alicia pronounces surprisingly.
Terrence immediately moves his eyes to Alicia and smiles slightly.
“Alicia?” Terrence pronounces and gets up from the sofa quickly. “My gosh, what a surprise!”
Alicia and Terrence hug each other amicably with slight smiles on their faces and share an amicable kiss on the cheek.
“Glad to see you,” Terrence says amicably.
“I’m happy to meet you, too,” Alicia notices with a slight smile. “It’s been a while since we met.”
“I must confess that you look very good.”
“I do,” Alicia looks at Terrence better. “But I can’t say the same about you. You look kind of tired.”
“I am…” Terrence shrugs.
“I hope you’re okay?”
“I can’t say everything is bad, but I can’t say everything is good…” Terrence replies thoughtfully.
“What does it mean?” Alicia frowns slightly. “Do you have problems?”
“There’s something. But I’m solving it. Don’t worry.”
“And how’s Raquelle doing? I know nothing about her! My girl doesn’t almost call me! I know that she’s got her life, but she shouldn’t forget about her beloved auntie. Moreover, I still don’t know when you’ll have a wedding.”
“Erm, honestly, I wouldn’t say she is fine…” Terrence replies hesitantly, massaging his neck. “Mr. Cameron and I had been talking about her before you came.”
“Something happened to her?” Alicia wonders, looking at Frederick standing next to her or Terrence a little scarily. “Mr. Cameron?”
“We will surely tell you everything,” Frederick promises confidently. “But I must notice that it’s going to be hard.”
“God, don’t scare me! Something bad happened to my girl?”
“It’s a long story, but we will tell you everything.”
“Hey…” Terrence pronounces thoughtfully and moves his eyes to Amanda, who is pressing her bear to herself. “Who is that sweet girl? Alicia, did she come with you?”
“With me,” Alicia smiles slightly. “This is Amanda, my adopted daughter.”
“Your adopted daughter?”
“I’ve said many times that I wanted to adopt a daughter and was working on it for a long time. And I’ve finally done it. I’ve officially become the mother of this precious girl.”
“Great!” Terrence smiles much wider. “I’m so happy for you.”
“It was a long, exhausting way, but it was worth it. I don’t regret the time that I spent on it.”
“Very sweet girl,” Terrence looks at Amanda again. “What’s her age?”
“Eight.”
Meanwhile, Amanda looks at Terrence with interest and then comes to him shyly.
“Hello,” Amanda greets shyly.
“Hi,” Terrence waves a hand with a slight smile. “Are you Alicia’s daughter?”
“Yes! And you must be Terrence? Terrence MacClife?”
“Yes, it’s me,” Terrence squats down in front of Amanda with a slight smile. “My name is Terrence.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. MacClife!” Amanda gives her hand to Terrence, who shakes it. “My mother has told me much about you.”
“You can call me Terrence if you want.”
“Alright, Terrence! As you wish!” Amanda shows her bear to Terrence. “And this is my bear, Tommy. Tommy, wave your paw!”
“Hey, Tommy,” Terrence waves a hand with a slight smile, not hiding his tender feelings, as he looks at Amanda.
“I don’t leave him alone. This is my favorite toy.”
“By the way, you are a little similar to my fiancée.”
“Your fiancée?”
“Yes. I’ve seen some childhood photos of Raquelle and understand that you’ve got something that she has.”
“Raquelle?” Amanda pronounces amazingly. “Wait, are you her fiancé? The fiancé of my cousin!”
“Yes, that’s me. And you probably know that Mr. Cameron is her grandfather.”
“Of course, I know. Mommy introduced me to him. And she said you loved Raquelle very much.”
“It’s true, I love her very much,” Terrence smiles much wider.
“Is she really as beautiful as Mommy says?”
“Very beautiful. And she’s very smart and caring. I’m madly lucky to have such an amazing girl.”
“Could you introduce her to me? Please! I can’t wait to meet my cousin! I’ve heard so much about her!”
“Ask your mother to go to my home at any time. She knows where Raquelle and I live. We will be very happy to accept you and show you our house.”
“I hope we will like each other. I really want to meet her, but I’m worried that Raquelle might not accept me.”
“No, Amanda, don’t say it. Raquelle will surely like you. And you shouldn’t be afraid of her. She’s very good and kind. Moreover, my fiancée also wants to meet Alicia's adopted daughter. She always asked when her aunt would end the adoption process.”
“Great!” Amanda exclaims happily. “I can’t wait!”
“I will surely tell her about you, and we will think about when we can meet you.”
“Thank you! You are so good and kind! As well as Mr. Cameron. I am sure about it!”
Terrence laughs shyly, and Frederick and Alicia shake their heads with slight smiles.
“Oh, Amanda…” Alicia pronounces.
“What a precious girl,” Frederick says confidently.
“By the way, I really like being in this country,” Amanda confesses with a slight smile. “There is usually so much rain in London, and it’s always gloomy there. But it’s so sunny today. I do love the sun! And my Tommy loves it, too.”
“But there is bad weather here, as well,” Terrence notices with a slight smile. “There might be rain and snow.”
“I know, but I love the sunny weather more.”
“I get it. It’s good it’s summer now.”
“Yes, yes! I told Mommy that I wanted to go to a beach and swim in the sea. And she promised to take me there.”
“You will like it. Raquelle, our friends and I love being there. We could have a lot of fun and spend a good time.”
“I know!”
“Yeah…” Terrence glances at Amanda’s bear. “How long have you had this bear?”
“I’ve played with it since I was little. This is my favorite toy. I love playing with Barbie dolls, but I love my bear much more.”
“It means so much to you?”
“Yes, Tommy is very important to me, and I always take it with me,” Amanda replies confidently, pressing the bear to herself. “It understands everything, even if it doesn’t talk to me.”
“Good.”
“You want to hold it? Take it!”
“Okay…” Terrence takes Amanda’s bear and looks at it with a slight smile. “Very beautiful…”
“It’s nice for him to hear it.”
“You know, I thought of my childhood,” Terrence confesses and gives the bear to Amanda. “Although I didn’t have teddy bears or something like that, there was a toy that I loved so much and took with me anywhere.”
“Really?” Amanda rounds her eyes. “What was that?”
“A little car. My mother gifted it to me for my birthday… It was very small and could be lost super easily. And I sadly lost it… And I was saddened because of that… I loved playing it so much… I didn’t even want to let other guys take it. That’s why they called me greedy.”
“And I love giving Tommy to other people. I don’t give him only to bad women and men. I give it to good folks with pleasure.”
“So, I’m good?”
“Very good! I do feel it!”
“Glad to hear it,” Terrence smiles slightly.
“Did you have only that car? Or did you like something else?”
“No, I also had a toy guitar that I loved playing so much.”
“Guitar?” Amanda wonders, while her eyes light up with a gloss and open much wider.
“Yes, I loved it,” Terrence says with a slight smile. “Mother said that was a gift from the man, who helped us sometimes.”
“That was your father?”
“No, sadly, I didn’t have a dad. I was growing up without him.”
“Huh! That was your second dad! Who your mother got married to!”
“No, Mother wasn’t married to that man. That was just a good friend of our family. He knew that we had a hard situation and helped us somehow. And that guitar was his gift for Christmas. I didn’t remember him then, but now I speak to him sometimes.”
“But why was it a guitar?”
“I’ve just always loved music. Loved singing something. And when I got that guitar, I didn’t leave it alone. And it helped me decide what I wanted to do.”
“Music?”
“Yes. And now I’m playing and singing in a band alongside two friends of mine and my younger brother.”
“Brother?” Amanda rounds her eyes. “Do you have a brother?”
“Yes, I have a brother,” Terrence replies with a slight smile. “His name is Edward.”
“He is your sibling?”
“Sibling. But I have two more brothers. And they are half-brothers. They are just the sons of Father. And he and Mother have only two children – Edward and me.”
“Good! You have a sister?”
“No sister.”
“Is it good to have so many brothers?”
“Sadly, I don’t speak to the brothers on the father. They live their lives. But I regularly speak to my sibling.”
“And does he also love playing the guitar and singing?”
“Yup. We actually have many common things.”
“Do you get along well?”
“Very good. I don’t know what I would do without that guy. I’m really very lucky to have such an amazing brother, who understands me better than anyone. I would say… We have a connection, thanks to which we feel each other. We can be silent about something, but every one of us knows what we have in our mind.”
“Wow!” Amanda smiles widely. “And how does your brother look?”
“Gosh, Amanda…” Alicia shakes her head with a shy laugh. “Don’t ask Terrence so many questions. You have got him exhausted.”
“No, no, Alicia, it’s okay,” Terrence replies with a slight smile. “I will have the pleasure of answering any questions from Amanda.”
“I want to ask him so much,” Amanda says confidently.
“Oh, dear…” Alicia sighs with a slight smile and moves her eyes to Terrence. “Sorry, Terrence. She is a little talkative.”
“It’s okay,” Terrence replies.
“So, how does your brother look?” Amanda frowns slightly.
“Imagine one more man, who is similar to me but younger and lower than me.”
“Is your brother similar to you? Are you twins?”
“No, Amanda, we aren’t twins. But Edward and I are really alike. And some people do even confuse us and often say we could exchange our places, and nobody would see the changes.”
“Do you want to say he looks literally like you?”
“Almost. He’s got a different hairstyle and round eyes, but my eyes are slanting. And as I said, he’s a little lower.”
“Great! I knew a couple of twins. There were girls, who looked different because of their eyes, hair color, and character, in the orphan house where I lived. One was sassy, and another was bold.”
“It happens. But Edward and I aren’t twins. And we can’t be because we have a two-year age difference, while twins are born on the same day.”
“I see…” Amanda pronounces thoughtfully. “Does your brother love someone?”
“Sure,” Terrence smiles slightly. “He loves one girl and is even gonna marry her.”
“Really? Is she beautiful?”
“Yes, that girl is very beautiful.”
“Don’t you and your brother hurt your girls?”
“Of course, no. We care about the girls like brilliants, and they don’t leave it without an answer.”
“There was one boy at my orphan house,” Amanda confesses thoughtfully. “But he was very bad and always hurt others. Even me.”
“He hurt you?”
“Yup. He hurt me with his friends and made me cry.” Amanda presses her bear to herself with sadness in her eyes. “You know how many times I cried because of him. But the girls defended me, and the sassiest one hit him on the head with a book.”
“Don’t be upset, Amanda.” Terrence caresses Amanda’s shoulders and head with a slight smile. “Don’t pay attention. And don’t take it all so seriously.”
“But it must not happen! Boys must not hurt girls! They must treat them well.”
“Little boys always behave like this. And when you grow up, you will choose a boy, who will truly love you and protect you from your offenders.”
“And what could you do for Raquelle?”
“Anything,” Terrence smiles shyly. “I’m ready for anything to see her happy and smiling.”
“And are you ready to stand for her if someone dares to hurt her?”
“Anyone to wish to hurt Raquelle will regret it. But you shouldn’t worry because there is nobody, who would hate her. Everybody loves that girl. There is no reason not to love her.”
“Great. Tell me something about her. I want to know much more about my cousin.”
“With pleasure.”
“How did you meet her?”
“Erm… It’s a… Long story… But I will tell you now,” Terrence quickly gets up. “It all started when…”
Terrence takes Amanda’s hand, sits on the sofa with her, and starts to tell her something with a slight smile on his face. Alicia and Frederick have been watching the man being so sweet and touching toward the little girl, who is pressing the toy bear to herself, and do not hide their smiles and tender feelings.
“He is so happy,” Frederick notices with a slight smile. “He could probably be so happy only next to Raquelle.”
“I can clearly see that he loves children,” Alicia replies confidently. “Terrence has never hidden it and always said he wants to have his own child. And now we can see it very well, watching him and Amanda.”
“I believe Terrence is ready to be a father and raise his child or children. I think it’s his time to think of a baby.”
“Yeah, I believe so. But it’s a little weird that Raquelle and Terrence haven’t talked about a baby.”
“Ah, Alicia, their problems don’t let them focus even on getting ready for the wedding and the thoughts about a baby.”
“By the way…” Alicia frowns slightly and moves her eyes to Frederick. “Why did you and Terrence say that something was not right with Raquelle? Has something happened to her? Or is something not right between these two?”
“Only Raquelle, I guess,” Frederick replies with sadness in his eyes. “Terrence says she’s been weird since the trial of Michael.”
“But it ended a few months ago!”
“Raquelle has been silent for a few months.”
“Gosh, but why? What could happen?”
“My granddaughter doesn’t want to say anything to him, her friends, or us. She just cries constantly for nothing and withdraws into herself. And somehow she did even see a nightmare with Simon Ringer and Terrence.”
“Nightmare with Simon and Terrence?” Alicia rounds her eyes. “But what did my girl see?”
“Terrence’s death. And she saw Michael MacClife, Eugene Wainwright, and Eleanor Woodham.”
“What?” Alicia gets horrified. “Eleanor? Michael? Eugene?”
“Terrence said so. She told him.”
“Oh, my God…” Alicia shakes her head. “I’ve got nothing to say…”
“And as Terrence died in her nightmare, Raquelle believes that a danger is threatening him.”
“Oh, what a twist…” Alicia closes her mouth with a hand with horror in her eyes and glances at the smiling Terrence having the pleasure of playing with Amanda and telling her something.
“And I believe there is a reason. Not because I started to believe in dreams. Because Raquelle never says these things without a reason. Everything she says comes true, early or late.”
“Yes, yes, it happened to Elizabeth, too. My sister could feel some trouble very well.”
“That’s why Terrence started to be afraid and nervous,” Frederick confesses. “But I told him not to become paranoid.”
“Gosh, what could happen to her if Raquelle even started to see nightmares?”
“Sadly, I can say nothing, Alicia. Moreover, I heard about Raquelle from the MacClifes and the Rochesters yesterday. And today Terrence visited me and decided to talk about my granddaughter. He asked me for help, but I can’t help him because I don’t know what’s happening to her.”
“Maybe, that's why she forgot about us?” Alicia frowns slightly.
“Maybe. But don’t forget that she has her life.”
“I know, but agree that it’s not good.”
“I think she’s also worried about her friends, who have some problems.”
“Friends?”
“Yes, don’t you know what happened to Daniel?”
“Well, I read that Daniel was hit by a car on the Internet. And someone blamed him for bringing Peter to the suicide attempt. The band’s fans believed it and started terrible bullying against that guy. I read what they wrote and got shocked. I don’t even want to pronounce what they said.”
“Sadly, it’s all the truth. But you know what’s on the surface.”
“Don’t scare me, Mr. Cameron, for God’s sake!” Alicia puts a hand on her head. “What could happen?”
“The case is that, Alicia, Daniel was diagnosed with amnesia. This is the consequence of the head trauma. And a certain girl used it and made him believe that he wanted to marry her. So, he cheated on Anna, who somehow found out about his betrayal and left him, and blamed his friends for telling him a lie.”
“Do you want to say he believes a liar, not his friends?”
“Yes,” Frederick nods. “But Peter suffered much more. That girl used the scandal with the suicide attempt and made Daniel believe that he treated that guy so terribly because he was mean to his alleged fiancée.”
“Didn’t the guys explain that he was wrapped around a finger?”
“Of course, they did! But Daniel believes that girl. The foreigner, who is living here illegally. And she charged Peter with starting the bullying against him and even organizing the attempt.”
“Jesus Christ…” Alicia pronounces with horror in her eyes. “What did the girl tell him that Daniel believes her so easily?”
“And she also made Edward and Terrence involved in it and blamed them for supporting Peter's fight with Daniel. They didn’t kind of like the girl and supported Rose. So, Perkins believed it, fought with his friends, and, let’s be honest, pissed them off.”
“Yeah, that man got serious problems… He will hardly fix everything in one day…”
“I believe the guys got too mad. They feel hurt because the guy did it to them. Yes, he can’t remember them, but they do know the truth and don’t lie.”
“Let’s see what he’ll say when he remembers everything.”
“While he has a chance to get his friends’ forgiveness, it’s gonna be hard in Anna’s case. If that girl knows about his betrayer, you can think this is the end of their relationship.”
“By the way, what happened to her? Where did she go?”
“She got in touch with a man, who beats her for nothing and pretends to be her boyfriend to her parents and other people. She left Daniel’s home, went to one of her parents, and started to get slaps for the reason and without.”
“Oh, God!” Alicia opens her eyes widely and closes her mouth with a hand. “Poor girl…”
“I don’t know if she can take it… Anna has always been so soft and sensitive and isn’t used to being beaten.”
“So, can they do nothing?”
“Alas, my darling,” Frederick throws his hands up. “The case will move off the dead point only when Daniel remembers everything and says how to find her parents.”
“Wow… How much I missed…”
“So, I think you understand the guys have no time to think about the wedding of Raquelle and Terrence and Natalia and Edward.”
“I get it…” Alicia sighs heavily. “We thought nothing could be worse than what was happening during the trial of Michael MacClife.”
“Yeah, I forgot to say! Do you know that Eugene Wainwright ran away from prison and almost killed a prison staff member?”
“Yes, I heard about that bastard…” Alicia nods with sadness in her eyes. “I’m still shocked and can’t believe that he’s free. I get horrified when I think about his wild eyes, with which he looked at all the girls in the courtroom. The fact that Edward almost died because of him.”
“We’re all shocked. And Natalia and Edward are much more shocked. They met that stinker face to face.”
“Natalia and Edward saw him?”
“Yes, somewhere in a desert place.”
“Gosh…” Alicia shakes her head. “I hope that stinker did nothing to them.”
“No, thank God, they are both fine. But the poor Natalia was terribly scared of him when he tried to mock her again, and Edward had to risk saving her life.”
“Do Mr. and Mrs. Rochesters know it?”
“Yes, Edward and Natalia told them and Mr. and Mrs. MacClife about that. Mr. Johnson is working hard on trying to find him and keeping us aware.”
“Oh…” Alicia sighs heavily. “I came here in a good mood, but it got worse when I found out what happened here.”
“I get it. I quickly understood that Terrence came to me to talk about the problems.”
“That’s bad Raquelle didn’t come with him. Maybe, we could talk to her and find out what she is hiding.”
“He said she was meeting her managers. But who knows…”
“What do the MacClifes and the Rochesters think about it?”
“They can say nothing.”
“We’ve gotta talk to them later. I haven’t met them for ages… And I miss so much, honestly.”
“They miss you, too, and asked me about you yesterday when we came together.”
“Well… I believe I’ll have enough time to talk to them. I’m gonna stay in New York for a long time. And…” Alicia says nothing for two seconds. “I’m thinking of moving here and looking for an apartment.”
“Do you want to move here? In New York?”
“Closer to my family and close people. And I want to change the atmosphere and forget the past that London still reminds me of. I love my mother city, but I understand I want to leave it.”
“Is this your final decision?”
“Not yet, but I think so. But I must confess that I’m a little afraid to leave everything and move to another country. Where I should start everything again.”
“Are you able to buy something? Are you able to make these purchases with the money you earn from your job at the university?”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Cameron, I’ve saved enough money to buy a small housing. And I’d get much more if I sold my apartment in London. I would like to buy an apartment with two rooms.”
“Wow…”
“By the way, can’t you help me now? Maybe, you have familiars that are selling something? And you could help me get all the documents for getting American citizenship.”
“Erm, well… I can say nothing now… I need to think… But none of my familiar people sells anything. And you’ve gotta spend a lot of time registering your documents.”
“I don’t rush and am just examining advertisements in newspapers and on the Internet. But I like nothing yet.”
“If you have enough money, you can rent out your apartment in London. You’d always have money if you lived here. You’d need it if you didn’t get a job quickly.”
“Yeah… So many difficulties… But on the contrary, I would like to be closer to my close people. It would be sad to say goodbye to my friends from London, but I will go there sometimes. Besides, my daughter likes being here…”
When Alicia moves her eyes to Amanda, who is laughing funnily and playing with Terrence, using her hands, she thinks the man relaxes and starts to feel like a careless child.
“I’m making sure about it,” Alicia says with a slight smile. “And it would be good to give Terrence and Raquelle a chance to babysit Amanda and get some experience to use when their baby is born.”
“That’s right,” Frederick pronounces thoughtfully.
“Tell me more about what happened here. Maybe, there is something you missed?”
“Let’s go to the kitchen and drink a cup of coffee. Let Terrence stay here and play with Amanda. I think they liked each other.”
“I won’t refuse.”
After watching Terrence and Amanda for some time, Alicia and Frederick quietly go to the kitten to drink a cup of coffee and quietly discuss what is happening in the lives of Raquelle, her fiancé, and their close friends.
***
Meanwhile, Peter is at home of Helene, her grandmother Scarlett, and the doggy Sammy. The girl still lets nobody come to her, and the man is literally pulling his hair out and does not know what to do. But he really wants his girlfriend to stop being mad at Scarlett and start taking care of Sammy, who yearns for her and suffers from depression as well as his owner. After talking to Scarlett and trying to comfort her, Peter makes another attempt to talk to Helene, and Sammy follows the man. However, Helene is not happy to see the visitor and does not turn to him, standing in front of the window and looking through it with both arms crossed over her chest.
“Why did you come here?” Helene asks coldly in a low voice. “I have said I do not want to see you!”
“Helene, please, stop doing this to me,” Peter begs with pity in his eyes. “How long are you going to blame me for all the sins?”
“And I think I told you not to go to my home anymore.”
“Have you really understood nothing? Don’t you understand that you are doing a stupid thing? You are unfair to me! You treat your grandmother terribly.”
“I don’t have a wish to listen to another lecture of yours. The door is behind you – open it, leave the room, close it, and never come back here.”
Peter says nothing and exhales slowly, running his hands over his face.
“Damn, it’s been so long since you discovered the secret of your birth, but you still keep behaving like this,” Peter says quietly. “I completely understand that you feel hurt. But what would change if you said nothing and were angry at your grandmother and me? What would you get if you said bad things about us?”
“I will handle my life and my problems by myself,” Helene throws coldly.
“You say it like I no longer play an important role in your life.”
“After what you did, I struck you out of the list of my close people.”
“No, Helene, don’t say it…” Peter begs with pity in his eyes. “You’re hurting me…”
Sammy whines quietly, standing next to Peter and looking at Helene with sadness in his eyes and suffering because she does not pay attention to him.
“Your pain is nothing, unlike mine,” Helene says with anger.
“Trust me, I’d feel as bad as you do if I knew my mother wanted to abandon me or kill me before my birth,” Peter replies confidently. “Sometimes I think she never wanted to have a baby and gave birth to me because someone made her do that. I understand that you’re mad at your mother and father. But what’s the fault of your grandmother and grandfather? The fact that they saved and raised you? If they hadn’t done it, you either wouldn’t have been born or would’ve spent your childhood in an orphan house where people mightn’t have loved you.”
“You have said it a million times!”
“I will say it as many times as I have to, so you finally get it and stop acting like a capricious child.”
“I want to hear nothing, Rose! Get out of my room and leave me alone.”
“Don’t kick me out, sweetie,” Peter says softly and takes two steps forward. “I wanna help you. I want you to recognize your mistake and start to speak to your grandmother again.”
“You better go to talk to my grandmother and discuss the ways to make me go crazy!”
“Nobody makes you go crazy. You dreamed up that someone wants to betray and destroy you.”
“Stop making me enraged by your fucking excuses and attempts to defend that woman,” Helene throws rudely, feeling how much every single muscle of her body is tense. “If I could, I would kick you out of my home and live alone. You would live at your home!”
“Damn, Helene, do you understand what you are saying?” Peter rounds his eyes. “Do you hear yourself? You want to kick the old woman out? The old woman that raised you!”
“Take her with you! What’s your fucking problem?”
“Did you hit your head against something?” Peter puts his hands on his hips. “Become Perkins number two? Who lost his brain as well as his memory!”
“He talked to you like that for a reason. Because you don’t deserve to be treated well.”
“Damn, just don’t tell me you also started to think that his problems are my fault? That I started bullying him, organized the attempt, and pretended that I was worried when he was taken to the hospital!”
“I would not be surprised!” Helene exclaims loudly. “I would not be! You, cad, can do anything! Be a betrayer, a coward, an avenger, and a murderer! Of course, your face is cute, but your soul is rotted.”
“You are crazy, Helene!” Peter resents. “Just crazy! You’ve known me for so many years, but you say these things now!”
“So, I knew you badly! It’s disgusting that you try to excuse your cowardice and meanness so hard and want to be sweet and fluffy for everyone! You want everybody to stop saying that you did a disgusting thing to me!”
“Do you really think that just because I do my best for Mrs. Marshall not to go to a hospital because of you, I can be called a betrayer?”
“Not only that!” Helene turns on Peter sharply and looks at him with anger, clenching his hands into fists. “You both wanted to hide the truth from me and make me believe the lie! But you forgot that you would have to tell me everything, early or late.”
“We do understand everything,” Peter says quietly. “We do. You just don’t want to hear us. You’re stuck and don’t want to listen to anyone or anything but yourself. You made yourself think your grandmother and I are guilty, and you’re taking it out on you.”
“Ar-r-r, shut up!” Helene rolls her eyes. “Stop the fuck pretending to be an innocent lamb!”
“I am guilty of nothing for you! If I know it is my fault, I always apologize and feel sorry. But now I have nothing to apologize for.”
“Because you are a coward!” Helene says loudly. “The coward that cannot recognize his mistakes.”
“Not truth! I do always recognize them if I know I did something wrong!”
“Say it to my grandmother! She will feel sorry for you and not judge you. Because she is the same! She doesn’t want to recognize her mistakes!”
“Your grandmother knows that she should’ve told you everything before. But I just wanted to let you talk about everything without meddling in that case, with which I don’t have to do.”
“Stop trying to make me sure that what you both did is right!”
“So, do you think your grandmother shouldn’t have taken care of you and your mental health? Must she have said everything to the little girl, who was too young to know those things?”
“Taken care of me and my mental health?” Helene wonders loudly and sneers contemptuously. “TAKEN CARE? She would’ve better told me everything when I was a child! I wouldn’t have felt as fucking hurt as I do now! I could understand her if I had heard the truth many years ago! When I asked her about my parents. But she lied to me! She covered my allegedly late mother and father, who gave a fuck about me! She made me believe in their death and remember them every fucking year. But all of that was a lie! Lie!”
“If your grandmother and grandfather had told you everything, would you have had the same hysteria and threatened to kick out those, who saved you from death?”
“I wanted to hear the truth! TRUTH!”
“Yeah? So, you heard it! And what? What changed? Not saying about you acting like a hysterical girl for many days!”
“Do not dare to insult me at my home!” Helene throws rudely, threatening Peter with a finger.
“It’s okay that you’re mad at your parents! I can get it! They literally betrayed you. But it is not the fault of your grandmother and grandfather! And there was no!”
“If those people showed up on the doorstep of my apartment, I would tell them everything. I’d tell them how terrible they are! Let them know I hate them for leaving me and wishing to kill!”
“It won’t happen because you are here, not there. They won’t be able to find you, not knowing where your grandmother and you moved and not having the numbers of you and common familiars.”
“I do give a fuck! I am not going to forgive them, even if they stand on their knees. And I am not going to forgive my grandmother! And you, too! You all betrayed me! Betrayed! I do not want to see you! I DO NOT WANT!”
“Would you dare to kick the old woman out? Knowing that she has no place to go!”
“I did say you could take her with you!”
“You really went crazy, Marshall!” Peter says a little rudely. “I know that girls might go crazy because of stupid things, but you cross all the lines. You never behaved like this, but now you went on the wrong side.”
“You also always seemed sweet and fluffy! But you are a mean stinker! Who betrayed me!”
“Nobody did betray you! No-bo-dy! Hear me, at last! Turn on your fucking brains!”
“Stop, Rose!” Helene throws loudly and irritably. “I am sick of hearing that you and Grandmother are so good, while I am so bad, that lying is good, and that my parents aren’t guilty of rejecting me after my birth! I’ve heard it many times! MANY! AND I AM SICK OF IT!”
“Calm the fuck down, at last!” Peter demands a little louder. “Stop it! Wake up!”
“Go to the fuck, cretin!” Helene strongly pushes Peter off herself and starts to give him painful hits on his whole body. “Get out! Get out of here! And never show up on the doorstep of my apartment!”
“Helene! Helene! Helene, stop it! Stop!”
“SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!”
When Helene starts beating Peter on his arms and pushing him out of the room, Sammy barks quietly not only from a scare but also from a wish to try to stop his owner, who, however, does not hear her dog.
“Stop it now!” Peter demands loudly, trying to hide some parts of his body from Helene, who gives him much stronger hits. “Marshall! Marshall! Calm down now!”
“I want to hear nothing, Rose!” Helene screams at the top of her lungs. “NOTHING! GET OUT OF HERE! SCOUNDREL! STINKER! BETRAYER! HATE YOU! HATE! GET OUT OF MY WAY!”
“Wake up! Wake up! ENOUGH!” Peter sharply takes Helene by the wrists and shakes her, while she groans irritably and tries to set her hands free with a heavy breath. “STOP IT NOW!”
“Let me go!” Helene starts to resist. “LET ME GO, I SAID! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!”
“Alright, enough! I am sick of being good to you! If you do not want to be treated well, I will treat you BADLY.”
Peter sharply pushes Helene off himself, while she is literally ready to kill him with her icy look, and Sammy whines quietly and watches the two with pity in his eyes, putting his tail between his legs out of fear.
“You will listen to me now!”
“I don’t care!” Helene throws rudely.
“Shut the fuck up and listen to me SILENTLY!” Peter starts crying.
Helene shakes sharply in surprise with widely open eyes.
“The people have QUIETLY tried to explain that you’re acting fucking stupidly by blaming me for a betrayer and saying you are ready to kick out your grandmother,” Peter says loudly, irritably, gesticulating actively. “But you refuse to listen to them and keep saying that everybody is the one to blame!”
Peter glances aside for a second.
“How many people have the fuck tried to get through your head that NOBODY wished you evil, and everybody did those things for your best? MANY! But you hear nobody but yourself! Even your friends! Are the girls guilty, as well? Or the men? Who don’t have to do with it! You decided to make them guilty?”
Peter sharply shakes his head, starting to breathe much heavier, and feels that every single muscle in him gets strongly tense.
“It’s okay you decided to take it out on me and picked me as your victim. I will take it somehow! I don't get beaten for the first time! If you want, take it out on me! But stop being the fuck angry at your grandparents! The people, who have ALWAYS wished you all the best and spent so much strength and time raising you! They hoped to get thankfulness, love, and care from you! But what did they get? Charges for the betrayer! They SAVED your fucking life and let nobody take you to an orphan house or give you to strangers! And you MUST be grateful to them for wishing to babysit with you! Deciding to spend their strength, time, and money on you!”
Helene says nothing and keeps looking at Peter gloomily with her both arms crossed over her chest.
“Maybe, my mother also hated me and always regretted my birth, but I never treated her like this and never thought of rejecting her,” Peter says loudly. “Though, I felt a strong pain! You know how it’s fucking hard to be an unloved baby for your mother, who gave a fuck about you and loved only drinking alone or with her pals? Who could easily insult me, humiliate me, and even beat me! You DO NOT THE FUCK KNOW what that is! And I had nobody but her: no father, no brothers, no sisters, no grandparents, no uncles, and no aunts! I had only my mother! But I felt lonely anyway! I couldn’t come to someone and ask them to take me away. I lived with the one, for whom I was always unloved! But you had and have relatives, who took care of you and gave you a roof over your head!”
Peter breathing too heavily and being really angry clenches his hands into fists tightly or waves his hands, while Sammy whines quietly and literally curls up in a ball because the man is screaming so loudly at Helene, who looks a little confused.
“You had EVERYTHING!” Peter shouts. “You were loved, fed, and clothed, and your close people worked like crazy and did not sleep at nights to make your life better! They just wanted to save you from a shock, even if they understood that they would have to tell you the truth someday! But you got mad at them, blamed them for all their sins, and threatened to kick the old woman out! I know you feel hurt. But it’s been nobody the fuck knows how much time, and you still pretend to be a hurt, cold girl, who pushes everyone off and blames them for what happened!”
Peter shakes his head sharply, not moving his eyes off Helene and clenching his hands into fists tightly.
“You know, I am sick! Sick of trying to be good, tolerating the way you beat me, and hearing your insults and humiliations! UNDESERVED! Pity me a little! Think of my feelings! I have too many problems and have to try to calm you down! I’m on the edge! You know how much I want to piss everything and everybody off and tell people to deal with this shit on their own! I can’t! I CANNOT! I am the fuck hurt that I am treated like this! At first, you started to make me guilty, but now Perkins went crazy and blamed me for what I have NEVER done! Having problems with that stinker is enough for me, but I also have to deal with you! I might easily go crazy, take something sharp, and do what I did again! I have not come to myself after what happened a few months ago, but you are provoking me to start to cut myself again and take another attempt to die. And I am going to say more: I almost did that somehow. Yes! Right here! At your home! I wanted to do that again! But I held down! I did not do a stupid thing!”
Sammy whines quietly with pity in his eyes, keeping his tail between his legs out of fear.
“My patience isn’t endless, Helene. Someday, you might make me leave you and kill myself. Because I will not be able to bear all of it. I HAVE NO STRENGTH! I AM SICK OF ALL OF THIS! SICK! And the first thing I want to do is piss you off. Let you solve your fucking problems by yourself and live as you want! I am sick of being good to you. SICK! I can’t stay with you anymore. You did annoy me! ANNOYED! I CANNOT TAKE THIS ANYMORE!”
Peter throws a quick look at Sammy looking at him and Helene with pity in his eyes.
“And stop making Sammy suffer!” Peter keeps screaming, waving his hands sharply. “Pity him! The poor dog is suffering because you forgot about him! That you don’t even wish to pet your dog. He does also try to help you and support you, but you got mad at him, too. Even if he has done NOTHING bad to you! Is this dog guilty, too? Is Sammy a betrayer? The dog is worried about you so much that he stopped eating well, forgot about his favorite toys, and fell into depression. He lies in the corner and whines all day. He whines from sadness and grief. From loneliness. From stress. Just because his owner turned off her brains, and she has been behaving like a hysterical girl. And I can do nothing with that! NOTHING! Because I am not his owner and do not have the power that you have over him!”
Sammy whines quietly with sadness in his eyes, as if he agrees with Peter’s words.
“What do you want, Marshall? What? Do you want your grandmother to end up in the hospital with a heart attack? Me to go insane, leave you alone, and break down, starting to cut myself and hurt myself with the thought that I deserve it? Sammy to keep starving himself, suffering, getting weak, and dying at last? ALRIGHT! If you want, ALRIGHT! Since you don’t care about my feelings, alright, I will leave you! I will no longer care about your life! DO WHAT YOU WANT! MAY EVERYBODY LEAVE YOU! SO, YOU STAY ALONE! And don’t complain that nobody wants to help and support you. Because YOU will be guilty of it! JUST YOU! Early or late, you will really stay alone if you don’t turn on your brain. AND YOU HAVE JUST LOST ONE PERSON! I NO LONGER WANT TO DEAL WITH YOU! AND I AM NOT KIDDING! I AM BREAKING UP WITH YOU! AND I DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS ANYMORE!”
Peter clenches his hands into fists tightly, breathing heavily and starting to shake from how much every single muscle of him is tense.
“NEVER COME TO ME AND COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR LIFE!” Peter screams at the top of his voice. “I HAVE TOO MANY PROBLEMS! AND I WILL SOLVE THEM! BUT YOU LIVE AS YOU WANT AND SAY ANYTHING YOU WANT ABOUT ME! I DO NOT CARE! I GIVE A FUCK!”
Peter exhales sharply, comes to the window quickly, leans on the windowsill with his hands, and looks at everything he sees behind the apartment, feeling a little better after he said everything he kept inside. And his words impact Helene, whose emotions were changing all this time: from anger and evil to confusion and pity. Her anger goes away, and she suddenly feels a pang of regret and starts to understand that she behaved badly toward this man, her grandmother, and the scared Sammy, who is sitting aside and quietly whining. When the blond started to scream, the girl could do nothing but stand like a column, look at him with widely open eyes, and get surprised that it actually happened. That the one, who never raised his voice on her, looked like he was ready to strangle her…
Helene silently watches Peter standing with his back turned to her, leaning on the windowsill, watching the window, and trying to breathe quietly to calm down a little and get rid of the strong tension for a few seconds. The girl understands more and more that she has been too rude and unfair to him all this time. Her eyes get full of much more pity, regret, sadness, and shame every single second. Her heart squeezes painfully, as she watches the man, who is sometimes knocking on the windowsill with a fist. Helene knows that she should come to Peter and say something, but she cannot do it. Being shocked and confused, she is just standing in the same place, watching him with widely open eyes, and blinking her eyelashes. But when she decides at least to take a step, the man sharply steps back from the window with an irritated sigh, sits on the bed, doubles over, and closes his face with both hands, shaking his leg nervously at times, fidgeting about the bed, and shaking from tension strongly enough.
Seeing Peter in not the best condition, Helene feels that her eyes get wet, and her wish to cry gets stronger. No, not because of the offense that has been instantly gone. Because of her pity for the man, for whom she is madly ashamed. After hesitating a little, the pale girl comes to the bed slowly and sits on it hesitantly, leaving some place between herself and the blond, who is doubled over. Helene keeps watching Peter breathing heavily with wet eyes full of pity and shame and shakes her head later, swearing at herself for being so unfair to the one to be guilty of nothing for her and struggling with hesitance that does not let her sit closer to the man and say just something.
At some moment, Sammy slowly comes to the girl and barks to get her attention. She moves her eyes full of sadness to him, while he whines quietly, not stopping to look at her. The dog raises his paw, touches her knee with it, moves it off, and just watches his owner for a few seconds with wet eyes full of sadness. He whines as desperately as he has never done before, putting his tail between his legs at some moment. Seeing all of it, Helene feels that the tears are slowly rolling down her cheeks. Just like in the eyes of the dog that sits on the floor, inclines his head, and touches his nose with his paw, begging the girl to think of him and not to leave him in despair. Being unable to fight with herself, Helene eventually lets her emotions out and starts to cry bitterly, looking at her dog guiltily, while he lets her know that he feels bad without her.
“Sammy…” Helene pronounces in a quiet, shaking voice with pity in her eyes. “Sammy… I’m sorry… Forgive me… Please… I didn’t want you to suffer… Please, baby, forgive me…”
Sammy puts his paw and his face on Helene’s laps, still whining with pity, and the girl sniffs quietly at some moment, squats down in front of him, pets his head, scratches his neck, and presses the dog to herself, feeling that she is strongly shaking from a strong tension.
“Please, Sammy, forgive me…” Helene whispers and sniffs quietly again. “I’m so sorry, my boy… You shouldn’t have been suffering because of me. Please, forgive me… I’m really, really sorry… I am an idiot. A stupid idiot that thought of nobody. I swear I didn’t want… I’m sorry, Samuel… Sorry…”
Helene steps back from Sammy wagging his tail slightly, grabs his face, kisses him on the nose, and smiles shyly through the tears.
“Sammy, sweetie…” Helene whispers. “Your owner is an idiot… An absolute idiot, who thought of nothing… Don’t get mad at her…”
Sammy whines quietly and then shyly licks the nose and cheek of the crying Helene, making her smile much wider.
“Aren’t you mad at me, baby? Please, let me know that you forgave me… Don’t turn your back on me, Sammy… I swear I will take care of you… I promise… Don’t be mad… Please… I love you so much…”
Sammy barks quietly two times, stands up on his hind legs, and, wagging his tail, puts his front ones on Helene’s shoulders, while she hugs him with pleasure, scratches him, and strokes the dog’s hair with a slight smile on her face.
“Thank you, Sammy, thank you…” Helene says in a shaking voice with a slight smile through the tears. “I promise I will never leave you. Never. I will always be with you.”
Sammy barks quietly one time, hugs Helene for a few seconds, steps back from her, and raises a paw, looking at the girl with a much happier look with his tongue hanging.
“My boy…” Helene sniffs quietly, sits on the bed, and pets Sammy’s head. “I missed you so much… Forgive me for being so bad… You’re not guilty… I behaved like an idiot… Don’t get mad at me… Please…”
Sammy puts his paw on Helene’s hand because the girl wants to move it off his face, which she caresses tenderly. The girl smiles much wider through the tears and yanks the dog by the ears softly, feeling a little better. But some time later, Sammy throws a sad look at Peter, who is still sitting on the bed, doubling over, closing his face with both hands, and pulling his blond hair out at times. Then the dog understands that he needs to make the man’s mood better and try to make Helene sure to reconcile with him and her grandmother, Scarlett.
“What’s up, baby?” Helene asks, still stroking Sammy’s hair, while he starts to whine quietly again. “What? Sammy…”
Sammy begins to glance at Peter, letting Helene know that he is suffering a lot, and that she should apologize to him. The girl completely understands it, but she cannot find the courage to take the first step and apologize to him for her terrible behavior, being tortured by shame, pity, and twinges of conscience. So, the dog feels it and decides to play on sympathy, starting to whine much louder, looking at her and Peter, closing his nose with his paw at times, or inclining his head. But Marshall keeps hesitating, folding her hands in front of herself, fingering over nervously, and thinking that the man is going to get mad at her this time. Sometimes she looks at him scarily and sees that he is still doubling over with his face closed with both hands and breathing heavily enough.
After watching it for some time, Sammy decides to be more determined. The dog carefully takes the sleeve of Helene’s dark gray hoodie with his teeth and puts her hand on Peter’s lap. She shakes with scare in her eyes, but does not resist what the dog is doing. And the man moves his hands off his face for the first time in a while, moves his eyes down, and sees the girl’s hand lying on his lap, looking at her at some moment and seeing that she looks much sadder and quieter. And a few seconds later, the man gets up slowly from the bed with a tired sigh and goes to the exit of the room. It becomes Helene’s motivation to do something. She understands that she is madly missing his hugs, caress, care, love, and kisses. So, when the blond wants to leave, the girl gets up sharply and comes to her boyfriend shortly, pronouncing in a quiet, shaking voice full of despair:
“Peter, wait… Don’t go…”
Peter stops, turns to Helene slowly, and looks at her without emotions, deciding to say nothing and just wait. He expects anything: screaming, blaming, hitting, slapping, kicking out of the room, and even announcing the breakup. However, none of what he thinks about comes true because the girl looks at him with pity in her wet eyes for a few seconds. At some moment, she lets her emotions out, crying bitterly with the realization that she is shaking strongly. After hesitating for two seconds, Marshall hugs Rose without words as tightly as possible, putting her hands on his back and pressing herself close to the blond’s chest with the thought that it’s still soft and warm to feel it. At first, Peter gets a little confused, throwing his hands aside and literally being afraid to touch Helene. But seeing that she is crying louder and bitter, as if she is terribly afraid that he will push her off, the blond hugs her tightly with both arms, starting to caress her head and kissing her on the top of her head at some moment.
But it does not calm her down. Vice versa, it makes her let much more emotions go out. Helene is still crying bitterly from shame for the man and the fear that she could have ruined everything, starting to shake much stronger and barely standing on her feet due to the great tension that deprives her of strength. At some moment, Helene hugs Peter much tighter, squeezes his t-shirt that is put under his black denim jacket, runs her hands over his back, holds him by the shoulders tightly, and sniffs quietly. And even a few seconds later, Rose does not calm Marshall down. She is not feeling better, even if the man’s strong arms hug her and press the short, fragile girl to his body as if she is something very important and valuable, and he tenderly kisses her on the top of her head, her temple, or her forehead.
“Okay, okay, calm down…” Peter pronounces quietly after a long silence.
“I’m sorry, Peter…” Helene begs in a shaking voice with tears. “Sorry… I’m so sorry… I am such an idiot!”
“It’s okay. Don’t do it.”
“Please, forgive me for everything I told you and the way I treated you. Forgive me… I was terribly unfair to you…”
“Don’t blame yourself.” Peter caresses Helene’s head tenderly and kisses her on the temple. “I completely understand your feelings and would feel the same. I wouldn’t forgive a lie like the one you had to hear for a long time.”
“I’m so sorry…” Helene pronounces with pity in her eyes and makes a loud sob. “Really… I didn’t want it to happen… I don’t know what I was thinking… You’re right… Right about everything…”
“I’m glad you recognized it.”
“Everybody told me I wasn’t right… But I didn’t want to listen to anyone. I was mad at everybody and blamed them for what happened.”
“Listen, Helene…”
“I’m really very sorry… I’m sorry for saying so many terrible things. I’m really stupid and brainless… I behaved like a hysterical girl… I thought of me…” Helene shakes slightly. “My god… Where were my brains? Where?”
“You hurt us too much… You hurt me and your grandmother… How could you say so much about her? You even threatened to kick her out of home!”
“I swear, I’m so ashamed!” Helene exclaims with despair. “I will never kick Grandmother out and always be grateful to her and Grandfather for saving and raising me.”
“You must apologize to your grandmother and stop ignoring her,” Peter says confidently. “She is too worried about you and has literally lived with tablets in her hands. She got so exhausted that this woman could’ve ended up in the hospital.”
“I know… I’m sorry… I’m very sorry.”
“Apologize to her, not me. Because she is guilty of nothing and did everything for your best.”
“I’ll apologize, I will… I promise. I swear…”
Because Helene weakened her grip slightly at some moment, she hugs Peter tightly again and puts her head on his shoulder, running her hands over his back slowly and nervously.
“Okay, I believe you,” Peter says quietly.
“Don’t leave me…” Helene begs in a shaking voice and sniffs quietly “Please, Peter, don’t do this! I don’t want to lose you! Please, please… I need you! I won’t be able to live without you!”
“Don’t worry, sweetie, I will not leave you,” Peter replies softly, caressing Helene’s head.
“I know I behaved terribly and made you think about it, but I’m begging you, don’t leave me. Please, Peter… I’m ready to do anything for you to stay with me. Just don’t leave me…”
“I won’t, I won’t.” Peter kisses the top of Helene’s head and caresses the back of it. “Don’t worry.”
“But you told me not to come to you and to solve my problems by myself.”
“I said it in anger. I’m sorry about saying so much… I’m very sorry… I shouldn’t have done that.”
“No, no, don’t apologize.” Helene sniffs quietly. “You said everything right. I am a brainless idiot… A hysterical girl, who said nobody the hell knew what! Who’s burning from shame now!”
Helene clenches her hands into fists and puts them on Peter’s chest, sobbing quietly sometimes, while he is holding her in his arms tightly and trying to calm her down.
“Okay, okay, my baby, calm down,” Peter says softly and caresses Helene’s head and back. “I’m here, with you, and will not leave.”
“Sorry, Pete…” Helene begs with tears in a shaking voice. “I don’t wanna lose you… I don’t want… Don’t turn your back on me… Please…”
“I have no reason to be angry at you. And I completely understand your feelings.”
“I’m so ashamed. I screamed, insulted, humiliated… B-beat you… God, I’m burning from shame… I wanna bury my head… I can’t… I can’t…”
“I felt pain, but I understood I should’ve tolerated it. I couldn’t leave you and did everything I could… I just wanted you to calm down, talk about everything to your grandmother quietly, stop being angry at her, and pay attention to Sammy, who missed you.”
“How much you had to tolerate… My God…” Helene steps back from Peter a little and grabs his face softly, looking into his eyes shamelessly and sniffing quietly at times. “I said God knows what! I felt no sorry for you and thought only about my offense… And you tolerated those insults and hits…”
“It’s okay, Helene, don’t think about it,” Peter replies quietly. “I get it.”
“I swear, I don’t think you’re as bad as I called you. I don’t consider you a betrayer, a coward, a mean man, or a two-faced fellow. That’s not the truth! I swear on my grandfather Roger’s grave.”
“I know, my sweetheart, I know.”
“I’m so ashamed…” Helene shakes her head, sniffing quietly. “Forgive me, Peter, please… Sorry… I’ll no longer do that to you… I promise! It won’t happen again! Don’t leave me, I won’t bear it. I waited for the beginning of our relationship for too long to ruin everything so easily. No, I don’t want it… I don’t!”
“Please, Helene, stop apologizing,” Peter steps back from Helene and grabs her face, looking into the girl’s red, wet eyes. “I understand everything and know why you reacted like that. And that’s fine.”
“No, that’s not fine.”
“I reacted almost in the same way when I was in depression. You… You kicked me out of the room the way I kicked Jessica out of my apartment… With screaming, by force… It’s like… A boomerang came back to me…”
“I know…” Helene makes a quiet sob. “I’m very sorry… Very, very sorry…”
“Don’t think about it, sweetie. It’s gone now.”
“Peter…” Helene moves a little strand of hair off Peter’s eyes and softly runs the back of her hand over his cheek, looking at him guiltily. “Aren’t you really angry at me for being an idiot, who almost messed up everything? Please, tell me you’re not mad… Say you wouldn’t leave and would stay with me.”
“I will never leave.” Peter tenderly puts his hands on Helene’s cheeks with a slight smile, wipes tears under her eyes, which he carefully kisses, and touches her forehead with his forehead. “Never…”
Helene smiles through the tears, looking at Peter with wet and red eyes, puts her arms around his neck and hugs him tightly but very tenderly, and sniffs quietly. A little later, she runs her fingers through the blond hair on the back of his head and caresses the nape of his neck while he, smiling much wider and feeling great relief, answers her hug as tenderly and touchingly as she does it. The blond snuggles his face in the curve of the girl’s neck, and his arms are confidently wrapped around the small of her back. But later, one palm of his hand starts to caress her back, and another hand strokes her short, black, slightly matted hair.
Sammy has been watching the lovers with interest and getting much funnier from realizing that his owner will take care of him, feed him with something tasty, and play with him again. Of course, the dog was ready to wait for a very long time, but he would hardly be happy and enjoy his life. And at some moment, Peter still caressing Helene’s back and head, stroking her hair, and kissing some parts of her face tenderly, moves his eyes to Sammy, who, to his surprise, has not tried to take them aside, as he loved doing it before because of jealousy. The man winks at him with a much wider smile, running his hand over the hair of Helene, who is still making quiet sobs at times. The dog raises a paw with his tongue out, draws something in the air, and barks quietly. The blond says silently, “Thanks, buddy!”, and the pet barks again, as if he says, “Thank you!”
A few seconds later, Helene and Peter slowly step away from each other with slight smiles on their faces, not breaking eye contact, take each other’s hands, put them to their chests, and let their foreheads contact for a few seconds. Then the girl caresses the man’s cheeks with both hands with a wider smile on her face, looking into his eyes. She hesitates a little, cutely kisses him on the cheek, grabs her sweetheart’s face with both hands, and gives him a tender, continuous kiss on the lips, to which the blond answers with pleasure. Maybe, Sammy would like to have some fun, but he is just sitting in front of them and watching them happily, deciding to play the fool with the lovers later. While they understand how much they missed each other and the emotions that they feel when they are together.
A little later, Peter grabs Helene’s face with both hands and gives her a few short kisses on her lips, the corners of her mouth, her cheeks, and the tip of her nose, while she laughs shyly and makes the man happy with her tender smile. Then the girl gives him a couple of the same kisses, hugs the man around the shoulders, and puts her head on one of them, while he strokes her hair.
“I love you, sweetie…” Helene whispers with a slight smile on her face and with closed eyes.
“I love you, too, sweetheart,” Peter smiles shyly. “Very, very much!”
Helene smiles much wider, kisses Peter on the cheek cutely, and caresses his head. A little later, they step away from each other, move their eyes to Sammy, who is still watching them with great interest with his tongue hanging out, look at each other, and glance at the dog again.
“Thank you so much for not playing a jealous man, buddy,” Peter says with a slight smile and hugs Helene a little tighter.
“I think he won’t bite your ass for a while,” Helene replies funnily.
Sammy barks quietly two times, comes closer to Peter and Helene, and brings his face closer to them, so they caress it. They scratch his neck with shy smiles on their faces and run their hands over the fluffy hair, while he enjoys one of the things that he does adore. And some time later, Scarlett enters the girl’s room a little hesitantly with a wish to say something to Peter, who steps back from the girl.
“Peter, could you help me with something?” Scarlett asks quietly, not even looking at Helene.
“Sure, no problem,” Peter shrugs with a slight smile. “What should I do?”
“Come with me, I will explain.”
When Peter wants to come to Scarlett and go with her, Helene stops the woman, at whom she looks with widely open, scared eyes, saying hesitantly:
“Grandma… Wait, please…”
“What’s wrong, Helene?” Scarlett turns on Helene with sadness in her eyes.
“You see, I…” Helene comes to Scarlett slowly, bends her arms at the elbows, and locks her fingers, looking at the woman guiltily. “I… I want to… Apologize for being so rude…”
“Listen, Helene…”
“I know I’m guilty of you and really very sorry about it. You didn’t want to give me pain, but I didn’t understand it and… I thought you wanted to hurt me…” Helene looks down for a second and sniffs quietly. “I behaved terribly toward you, Peter, and Sammy. You had to suffer because I was angry at you and Grandpa Roger for the lie that you always told me. Now I understand that Peter was involved in it against his wish and just wanted us to solve this problem. And Sammy… Sammy suffered because I forgot about him… I literally made him guilty…”
Helene throws a quick, crying look at Peter, who is watching what’s happening and standing next to Sammy, who whines quietly.
“I swear, I didn’t want to hurt anyone!” Helene exclaims in despair and makes a quiet sob. “I don’t know what I was thinking of when saying such bad things to you… Blaming you for a betrayal and a conspiracy… I… I behaved like a brainless idiot! And… I’m really ashamed…”
After barely calming down, Helene starts crying again, as she explains everything to Scarlett and looks at her with great pity.
“Please, grandmother, forgive me… I’m sorry for behaving so terribly with you and blaming you for so many things. I swear, I’ve never thought you and Grandpa are bad and am truly grateful to you for literally saving and raising me. You are my closest people in the world, and I will always love you. Who I’m really guilty of… Grandpa Roger is probably… Turning in his grave because of my disgusting behavior… Because I did a bad thing to everybody, who was guilty of nothing…” Helene closes her mouth with a hand and shakes her head, making a couple of loud sobs. “I’m really very sorry for being so stupid and bad… But I don’t want to lose my closest people. Please, Grandmother, forgive me… Don’t turn your back on me… I need you so badly… Yes, I’m bad… But I don’t wanna stay alone… Please, Grandma, please…”
Listening closely to Helene, Scarlett smiles wider and wider every single second at the realization that her granddaughter understood everything. The woman cannot hold down the tears that start slowly rolling down her cheeks and says nothing for a few seconds, which seem like torture for the young girl.
“Helene, sweetie…” Scarlett pronounces with tears.
“Please, Grandma Scarlett…” Helene says in a shaking voice and takes Scarlett’s hands, still looking at her with wet eyes. “Forgive me… I’m really ashamed of everything I did…”
“No, Granddaughter, you forgive me. I’m sorry about being silent and not telling you the truth much earlier.”
“I understand it… I understand why you did it…”
“I didn’t have the courage to tell you everything. Your grandfather Roger was also afraid to hurt you and thought we’d rather tell you everything later. I’m very sorry that we were afraid to tell you the truth, but weren’t afraid to lie and make you believe what never happened. Believe in the death of your parents, who are actually alive.”
“Those, who must be judged, are them,” Helene sniffs. “I will never forgive them. I won’t forgive them for leaving me. I won’t forgive my mother for wanting to kill me. I won’t forgive my father for refusing to fight for my mother. Since they chose that way, I don’t need those people.”
“They were too young.”
“I know, but… How could you kill something alive? Kill your child! Your flesh and blood! Why didn’t Mother feel sorry?”
“Your grandfather and I never understood how Wendy could reject her child. Thank God, we didn’t at least let her get an abortion. For us, it’s unforgivable. If a child is growing in a woman’s body, she must give birth.”
“Father is the one to blame. If he hadn’t been a mamma’s boy, who listened to his family, everything would’ve been otherwise.”
“I think your father didn’t want to kill you. Brooklyn would’ve hardly approved of your mother’s wish to get an abortion. He wanted a child when he heard about your mother’s pregnancy. But his family had different plans: an education first, then a job, and later a family.”
“So, he didn’t love my mother so much if he left her, knowing that she was expecting a baby.”
“Who knows, baby,” Scarlett sighs heavily. “I don’t know everything about their relationship and am telling you what I heard from your mother.”
“Anyway, they don’t deserve forgiveness.”
“I know… Your grandmother and I did our best to make Wendy change her mind. But sadly, your mother refused to look at you. When Roger and I were holding you and showing you to her, her heart didn’t melt. We thought the problem was postpartum depression, but we decided to give therapy to our daughter too late.”
“I will never understand it… Never…”
“Besides, she knew that raising a child would’ve taken all her time. But sitting at home was not for her. Your mother rarely stayed at home when she was a teen and didn’t go to school. She was spending her time with her friends and your father, whom she fell in love with. Roger and I had enough control over her when she was a kid, but when our daughter grew up, something was missing. Sadly.”
Helene says nothing and just sighs heavily, looking down at her hands with sadness in her eyes.
“Anyway, I’m sorry about hiding the truth and lying to you. I understood that you’d find out everything early or late, but I was worried about your reaction and mental state. Roger and I thought we would tell you everything later, but… We always delayed it… We were afraid of your reaction… We were afraid to imagine what would happen if you knew your parents were alive, not dead.”
“I think it's better late than never,” Helene replies with a slight smile. “I’m glad I know the truth. Maybe, it’s not very good, but now I know there is no meaning in remembering Father and Mother and wonder why I’ve never seen their graves.”
“You know everything now.”
“Yeah… And I’m asking you for forgiveness again. I didn’t want it to go too far…”
“Don’t worry, my sunshine.” Scarlett caresses Helene’s cheek softly, looking at her tear-stained face without makeup with wet eyes. “I didn’t even think of being angry at you. You had a right to be angry at me and hate your grandfather and me.”
“But I shouldn’t have done that to you,” Helene notices guiltily.
“The most important thing is that you truly regret it. Regretting is appreciated much more.”
“Aren’t you really mad?”
“No, baby, I'm not.”
“Ah, Grandma…” Helene smiles through tears, puts her hands together, and brings them to her mouth. “Don’t forget that I love you very much. And I will always love. No matter what.”
“I love you so much, too, Helene. The most innermost treasure that I have.”
Helene smiles much wider and takes Scarlett in a touching hug, which she accepts with pleasure. The woman starts crying quietly and feels like a heavy burden has fallen off her shoulders. Peter is standing next to Sammy and watching what’s happening with a slight smile on his face, feeling ease at the thought that one problem has been solved. At some moment, the blond moves his eyes to the dog and winks at him. When the pet barks quietly, he gets down on his knees and shows the palm of his hand to him. Then Sammy touches it with his paw, as if he gives him a five.
“Ah, buddy, you can’t imagine how happy I am now,” Peter says with a slight smile, stroking Sammy’s hair. “I thought she’d never realize her mistake.”
Sammy whines quietly and comes closer to Peter, so he keeps petting him.
“Thanks a lot, Sammy. You found a way to reach your owner and wake our Sleeping Beauty up.”
Sammy puts his paw on Peter’s shoulder and barks quietly.
“Although you can play on pity, I love you anyway,” Peter notices with a kind chuckle. “And I wanna thank you. When you’re at my home, I will show you a surprise. I’m sure you’re gonna love it.”
Sammy jumps happily two times and licks Peter’s nose and cheek shyly.
“Thanks, friend!” Peter thanks with a true smile. “I don’t know what I’d do without such a wonderful doggy…”
Sammy puts his paws on Peter’s shoulders and presses himself as closely to the man as possible. The man embraces the dog with pleasure and scratches and caresses his soft and nice-to-touch thick hair that is in perfect condition, feeling great relief and smiling truly for the first time in a while.
***
The next day, Victor Johnson went to the home of Edward, Jamie, and Rebecca MacClife, who were spending time with Natalia, Terrence, and Raquelle. Although MacClife, Jr., and his fiancé try to keep the distance, it does not prevent them from talking quietly about anything with each other and the others. All of them hope to hear some good news about Eugene Wainwright, but Victor tells them something different, while Rebecca and Jamie are sitting together against him, Raquelle and Natalia are on the left of them, and Terrence and Edward are on the right of them.
“Sadly, I can’t make you glad,” Victor throws his hands up with sadness in his eyes. “The anonymous call that we got was false. The police immediately went to the place, which the person called, and explored everything closely, but they didn’t find Eugene Wainwright.”
“And was there nothing that could belong to him?” Jamie wonders.
“No, nothing. No hints at the fact that he was actually there.”
“So, is the situation still very hard?” Edward asks hesitantly.
“We’re doing our best, Edward. But alas, our efforts don’t give us any results.”
“And is there no hope of catching him?” Rebecca asks with a scar in her eyes.
“There must always be hope, Rebecca. None of you must give up and think that Wainwright will never be caught. He will be caught. Early or late.”
“But you said you didn’t have any ideas about where that man could be now,” Terrence throws his hands up.
“Yeah, but I promise that the police will not give up and will be finding that man anywhere, asking people, watching the streets, and checking out any suspicious person, with whom he could agree.”
“Do you think he agreed with someone?” Natalia frowns slightly.
“Everything is possible. We check out any information and keep the city under permanent control.”
“Yeah, the cad hid so that we couldn't find him…” Jamie exhales sharply.
“Agree. But please, don’t lose hope. I personally control this case and go to any place where that man might be.”
“We are trying to do it, Mr. Johnson,” Raquelle says with sadness in her eyes. “But the situation seems so hopeless that it would be better to let everything go.”
“No, Raquelle, don’t even think about it!” Victor protests confidently. “If you let everything go and let that man be free, he can harm many innocent people. None of us need victims! The fact that Wainwright almost killed a member of the prison staff is enough.”
“Is he really fine now?” Rebecca asks.
“Yes, he’s fine! He was released from the hospital and will be back to work soon.”
“Thank God…” Natalia says thoughtfully.
“Anyway, don’t worry, ladies and gentlemen. That man will get his punishment and will be kept under closer control. He will get what he deserves, early or late.”
“I hope it will happen,” Edward expresses hope.
Victor takes a cup of hot coffee from the table and drinks a little before deciding to change the subject.
“Alright, ladies and gentlemen,” Victor says confidently. “Let’s talk about other things. Edward, Terrence, Natalia, Raquelle… I would like to talk to you about the story that happened to your friends.”
“Yes, Mr. Johnson,” Edward nods. “That’s the truth.”
“I know that your friend has amnesia and was blamed for the fact that another friend of yours almost died because of him. And I also know about his girlfriend’s disappearance.”
“Everything is much harder than it seems in both cases,” Terrence confesses with sadness in his eyes. “I’m afraid we can do nothing anymore.”
“What?” Victor frowns slightly.
“It’s true, Mr. Johnson,” Raquelle confirms. “We lost the chance to help Daniel. And… We can hardly call ourselves his friends… At least now…”
“He is insolently deceived by a certain girl, who wants to marry him,” Edward explains. “She told Daniel something that made him blame us for lying, tell us to leave him alone, and fight with us to the hell.”
“God!” Rebecca gets horrified. “How tangled everything is!”
“A girl?” Victor wonders. “Who is that girl?”
“A foreigner,” Natalia says quietly. “Two days ago, I went to the hospital where she worked and found out something about her. Not very much, but we at least found out that Daniel didn’t dream up that girl. She does exist.”
“Oh… My gosh… And what about his girlfriend?”
“Everything’s much worse about Anna,” Raquelle says with sadness in her eyes. “Two days ago, Peter saw a certain man mocking her and even beating her. And he told Rose that he was dating her.”
“Beating?” Jamie gets horrified. “But why?”
“For nothing,” Terrence shrugs. “When she barely opened her mouth or looked at the wrong side, she got a slap in the face.”
“God…” Rebecca shakes her head. “Does it mean Anna got in touch with a violator?”
“Sort of.”
“Oh, poor girl…” Jamie gets horrified. “Violators are horrible people. It’s hard to recognize them because they can make everyone think they are angels. They find the words to say, so nobody believes their victims. And the victim believes that they’re guilty of everything, and their violator behaves rightly toward them.”
“And Anna’s offender is using it,” Edward replies. “For her parents, he is an angel, but for Anna, he is a nightmare.”
“That’s very serious!” Victor notices confidently. “You must report that man to the police! He might be very dangerous. That man might be put in prison for many years, even for beating her only once. And if he harms her health, he will not avoid the punishment.”
“Yeah, but we could hardly prove his fault for beating her with Peter’s words. And that man might get away from it somehow or make Anna cover him. Father is right – her offender would say something so that the police don’t listen to that girl. If he calls her a crazy lady, they will believe him much more.”
“You have nothing to worry about, guys. I will personally control any case at your plea and do my best to prove the fault of all the criminals.”
“We know, Mr. Johnson,” Terrence says confidently. “But we need real proof and the words of Anna. Otherwise, we’ll look like we slander someone.”
“Hey, what do her parents think about it?” Rebecca wonders. “Aren’t her father and mother worried that Anna got in touch with such a horrible man?”
“Peter heard that man saying that Anna’s father approved of their relationship,” Raquelle notices with sadness in her eyes. “And he added that if she tried to run away from him, tell her father about him, or go to the police, he’d give her a harder pain. He’d literally kill her.”
“And if that man is nobody to Anna, he treats her like she is his wife,” Natalia adds. “He wants to control her and know what she does, where she goes, and who she talks with…”
“And that man is definitely a hater of women,” Edward notices confidently. “As Rose said, for that man, a woman is a creature without rights, who can only be silent, serve a man, do what he wants immediately, give birth to children, and please him when he wants it.”
“People cannot be born like these bastards,” Jamie says thoughtfully, crossing his arms over his chest. “I believe he saw an example of treating women badly, but it was called fine. Or he just had an affair with a girl that hurt him too much.”
“Gosh, why did Anna actually get in touch with him?” Raquelle exhales sharply. “She never spoke to such horrible people, but now she gets attracted to stinkers.”
“I guess this case is very serious and must not stay unnoticed,” Victor notices confidently. “That girl might suffer seriously if she is not rescued.”
“Yeah, but how?” Terrence throws his hands up. “We can do nothing! As well as in the case of Daniel!”
“Alright, have you tried to talk to her parents?”
“Sadly, we don’t have contact with them.”
“No contacts at all?”
“Daniel could know at least her mother’s address,” Edward says quietly. “But as you know, he has amnesia and fought with us.”
“Well, do her parents know one of you except Daniel?” Victor moves his eyes to Natalia and Raquelle. “Girls! Raquelle, Natalia! You’ve been Anna’s friends since childhood, as far as I know! Don’t you really know her contacts?”
“Alas, Mr. Johnson, we don’t know how to contact Anna’s parents,” Natalia shrugs.
“Anna’s parents didn’t like us, even if there was no reason for that,” Raquelle adds quietly. “They explained their cold attitude toward us by saying that ‘these girls impact our daughter badly.’”
“And haven’t you ever visited her at home or talked to her parents?” Victor wonders.
“We did, but as far as we know, they moved into different apartments after their divorce and sold their common one. It happened after Anna left their home.”
“And can’t you even call the approximate address of her parents?”
“No, unfortunately,” Natalia shakes her head with sadness in her eyes. “And we don’t have common familiars…”
“Yeah…” Victor exhales quietly and rubs his forehead. “The case is very hard… And even dangerous… I don’t even know what to tell you…”
“And it hurts,” Terrence says tiredly. “It hurts that we can do nothing. We are really powerless now. Because we fought with Daniel, who does not want to see us, and don’t know how to contact Anna’s parents and protect that girl.”
“Yeah, as for Daniel…” Victor, stroking his chin, moves his eyes to Edward and Terrence. “Terrence, Edward, I heard you have the knife and the ring that you found near your friend when he was unconscious. Why haven’t you shown those things to him and asked him whether they are familiar to him?”
“Well, first, we don’t have those things, and Peter has them and found them…” Edward replies thoughtfully. “And second, it’s too late to show him the ring and the knife because we fought with Daniel because of his, speaking rudely, stupidity and naivety.”
“You must have done it first. Yes, you all took Daniel to some places and told him something about you. But you forgot the most important thing – to show him what was found at the crime scene.”
“We weren’t sure it would’ve helped us,” Terrence confesses. “We’ve tried so much to make him remember everything, but everything just seemed familiar to him, as he always said. And the only thing Daniel remembered was Peter’s suicide attempt.”
“Wrong, guys, too wrong,” Victor sighs tiredly. “Those things were found near him for a reason. There’s a great chance that the ring and the knives belong to the one to blame for what happened.”
“Right, but would there be a point?” Natalia throws her hands up. “I don’t think that Daniel would easily tell us whose those things are. He doesn’t know what happened to him on that day, and why he was found on the road unconscious in a terrible condition.”
“Very sorry. I think it could help you.”
“Oh, honestly, we’ve actually lost hope that something could help him remember everything…” Raquelle confesses thoughtfully, scratching the back of her head. “And now, when he blamed us for lying about the Spaniard, who washed his brains, there is no point in doing something. We only have to wait for Daniel to remember everything and realize that he behaved disgustingly.”
“Victor is right, guys,” Rebecca says confidently. “You should’ve thought about it.”
“By the way, do you know something else about that foreigner?” Jamie frowns slightly. “You say she worked in the hospital?”
“Yes, Natalia found out that the girl worked in the hospital as a cleaning woman but was fired due to bad work and problems with documents,” Edward explains.
“And how do you know that’s the girl?” Rebecca wonders.
“First, Daniel showed us a fake photo of him and her. Even if there were actually Anna and him in it. And second, I remembered that I saw the foreigner in the hospital when Perkins was there. When I asked her about something, she was rude to me. She pissed me off in Spanish.”
“So, how did you find out something about that girl so easily?” Victor wonders.
“The doctor was just talkative,” Natalia smiles slightly. “When I briefly mentioned the cleaning woman, who pissed me off in a strange language, he told me everything. Not at once… I had to turn on the silly girl mode and pretend that I came to the hospital for the first time and ran into the rude cleaning woman. But I found out everything I could.”
“Were you in the hospital for nothing?” Jamie specifies.
“Nope, I went to an allergist.”
“Allergist? You have an allergic reaction?”
“Yes. Two days ago, I woke up with strong itching and was scratching my hand, which was covered with a rash and blisters, for a very long time. So, as everything happened, the guys and I decided that we could find out something about the girl, who lied to Daniel. So, we let the fish in the water.”
“And what did you find out?” Victor asks.
“That girl is from Spain and has lived in the USA for two or three years along with her parents and younger sister in very bad condition. She was working in the hospital as a cleaning woman, but she was fired due to document issues. The doctor said she came to the USA on a visa that had already expired. Moreover, he confirmed that she went to Daniel’s room several times when the guys and I weren’t there, and his doctor kicked her out regularly. He said the girl showed a great interest in him.”
“But how did she find Daniel's room?” Rebecca wonders.
“I don’t know it, Mrs. MacClife,” Natalia shrugs. “But that girl exactly knew that it was Daniel because his band is more or less famous and got some fans and haters.”
“Do you want to say she is a fan obsessed with him?” Jamie frowns slightly.
“I guess so. But on the contrary, the guys and I think that the Spaniard could use Daniel to stay here legally.”
“Yes, one of the ways to stay here legally with a foreign citizen is to get a green card,” Terrence notices confidently. “And by marrying an American, she can get it, even if she has to spend a lot of time on documents. And after living here for a few years, that girl could easily apply to become a citizen.”
“Anyway, that girl will have to spend a lot of time on documents,” Jamie replies. “Even if she’s married to an American man, it won’t make her mission easier or shorten the time of waiting. If that girl thinks everything is easy, she’s wrong.”
“But I don’t know how the Spaniard is going to live here if she can barely connect two words,” Edward says quietly. “She barely speaks English. With a terrible accent. So, as she hasn’t learned to speak well for two or three years, it might mean nothing. For example… She is stupid… And lazy… Knowing that she did nothing at work and was just walking somewhere…”
“Right, you could learn any language fluently if you lived two years among those, who speak it,” Rebecca notices confidently. “That’s clear that the girl is really by far not hard-working…”
“She’s probably the type of girl, who wants to get married successfully and do nothing,” Terrence replies. “Well, Perkins does fit her so well: he’s young, single, provided, lives alone, and looks attractive… Just a dream of any girl that wants a beautiful life.”
“And that’s why the foreigner used his condition, made him think what she wanted, and did everything for him to believe that we wished him bad,” Raquelle adds. “I must confess that she used the article, which blames Daniel for bringing Peter to the suicide attempt very well. That girl made Perkins sure that he bullied Rose because he allegedly disliked the foreigner, insulted her, humiliated her, and minded their relationship.”
“And she actually made Anna his ex-girlfriend, who had hysterics and pretended to be hard to reach,” Natalia says confidently. “Daniel allegedly wanted to leave her. And he did it when Blanca Moreno, the foreigner, allegedly stood in his way.”
“So, she washed the brains of our present or former friend and made him believe the lie, ruin his friendship with us, and cheat on Anna. We’re sure that Daniel kissed and hugged that girl, believing that she was his fiancée.”
“Oh, God…” Rebecca exhales sharply. “What a twist…”
“Yeah…” Victor pronounces thoughtfully, stroking his chin and frowning strongly. “It sounds like illegal immigration…”
“Maybe, there is a way to get off her?” Edward asks.
“Of course, there is. If some services checked her family and found out that they lived here illegally, they would be immediately deported to the motherland. After this, they’d be banned from coming to the USA for a few years. So, as she is living here, she might be banned from coming to this country.”
“Could we make her pay for deceiving Daniel so insolently?” Terrence asks.
“Daniel could report her to the police or the court and ask for a restraining order. But he does need great reasons to do that. For example, a danger to his life. If she threatened to kill him at least once, there is a chance to get her arrested for an attempt. And that girl could actually be sued due to the charges of meddling in his personal life.”
“And if that girl is mentally ill, it also might be a reason why he could demand an order,” Jamie notices thoughtfully. “She would be checked and brought to forced therapy if a doctor concluded she was out of her mind.”
“Yes, right. I have had a few cases in my practice when a mentally ill person chased someone.”
“If she is a fan obsessed with Daniel and uses him so insolently, she already has mental issues,” Raquelle says confidently. “Even if she knows about the band, she chose him. Not Peter, Edward, or Terrence.”
“God, she and her family just must be deported to Spain!” Natalia exclaims. “A couple of calls to the migration service before someone visits them with a check.”
“It’s possible, but don’t forget that many illegal foreigners are living in our country,” Victor replies confidently. “According to the official statistics. And how many people aren’t included in it! Millions of people from around the world arrive here regularly in search of a better life, and do not always do it legally.”
“Yeah, but she must leave Daniel alone. And the only way to get it is to tell someone that she is living here illegally.”
“Oh, may she live here with her family here as long as she wants,” Terrence sighs tiredly. “She should just leave Daniel alone and stop slandering us and blaming Peter for what he didn’t do.”
“She’d hardly leave him alone so easily,” Rebecca assumes.
“And what do we do?” Edward throws his hands up. “Because of that girl, we almost lost our friend, and the band almost lost its member.”
“Don’t worry, young people, I will think about everything you told me,” Victor promises confidently. “But remember that if you want the police to open the case for that girl, Daniel must report her himself.”
“We know.”
“And yeah, as you didn’t show Daniel the ring and the knife, I’d like to look at them and try to find out if those things could belong to the one, who is already featured in a police case.”
“Alright, Mr. Johnson, we will ask Peter to give us those things or show them to you,” Terrence nods.
“Thanks a lot. I will do my best to help you.”
“What we would do without you,” Natalia smiles shyly.
“I can say just one thing: never lose hope. Remember that any problem might get a solution when you don’t expect it. Where we don’t look for it. Don’t rush to try to solve all the problems at the same time in one day. You better wait and have some rest. Moreover, your four look a little tired.”
“Oh, Mr. Johnson, you are optimistic in any situation, as always,” Rebecca laughs shyly.
“I’m an optimist for life, Mrs. MacClife! And I try to find something good in everything.”
“I’m a little jealous of your endless optimism,” Raquelle says shyly with a slight smile.
“You don’t better be jealous, but do believe in the best and don’t lose hope,” Victor replies amicably.
“We will try,” Edward shrugs.
Silence settles in the air for two seconds, during which everybody looks at each other, and Victor drinks coffee from the cup that he takes from the table.
“Alright, ladies and gentlemen,” Victor pronounces thoughtfully. “Excuse me, I have to leave you. I should go to work. I came to you just to tell you the news about Eugene Wainwright.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Johnson,” Edward thanks with a slight smile. “If you know something else, tell us, please.”
“Sure.”
Victor says goodbye to everybody with a slight smile on his face, sharing a strong handshake. Then he clears his throat and takes his things from the table. Jamie goes to the door along with the visitor, opens it, closes it after the police captain leaves the house, and returns to the living room, where there are Edward, Rebecca, Raquelle, Natalia, and Terrence.
“Oh, what a hard situation…” Rebecca says tiredly.
“That’s right…” Edward replies thoughtfully. “We’re stuck.”
“Definitely,” Terrence agrees.
“I used to think nothing but the situation with Uncle Michael could be worse.”
“Maybe, your case is not the worst, but it’s definitely complicated,” Jamie notices confidently.
“What if Mr. Johnson is right that we should relax a little and wait for some time?” Raquelle asks. “Why would we dig a hole, in which there is nothing? We’d waste our time… And nerves…”
“But we may wait for too long until our dearest Mr. Perkins remembers everything and realizes that he is a brainless idiot,” Terrence replies thoughtfully.
“Agree,” Edward nods. “What if he remembers everything one or two years later? What if he really marries the foreigner and… And even loves her?”
“Nevertheless, Victor is absolutely right,” Jamie notices confidently. “You don’t better try to solve a few problems at the same time when you don’t know how to do it. Maybe, something’s gonna get clear soon, and a solution will be found by itself.”
“Ah, if everything was so easy…” Natalia sighs heavily.
“That man wouldn’t say anything for nothing,” Rebecca says quietly. “Victor is a very smart man and can find a solution to any problem. We believe that you should better have some rest, think of yourself, and forget about Daniel and Anna for a while.”
“I don’t think it will help, but I guess we’ve got no choice,” Terrence replies thoughtfully. “We can do nothing. We did everything we could, but it didn’t help.”
“So, just forget it,” Jamie advises. “Now this is the best thing you can do.”
Although Edward, Raquelle, Natalia, and Terrence are not sure that the solution will be found by itself, they agree with Rebecca and Jamie and nod, looking at each other silently.
“Alright, my dears, let’s distract ourselves and spend some time together,” Rebecca suggests confidently. “Don’t you wanna stay with us until dinner? Huh, Raquelle? Natalia? Terrence? We haven’t sat at the table together for ages! And the girls come here once in a hundred years.”
“I won’t mind it,” Natalia replies with a slight smile. “I have nothing to do. Stay home alone or spend time with you…”
“Terrence and I agree, as well…” Raquelle says thoughtfully, looking at Terrence.
“Why not!” Terrence shrugs. “Since we got a chance, we should use it.”
“Great!” Rebecca smiles widely.
“By the way, Natalia, what did you say about your itching?” Jamie frowns slightly.
“Huh, yeah…” Natalia stutters. “The doctor assumed that the allergic reaction could be caused by the fresh orange juice that I drank once or the pounce that I never used.”
“Don’t you know the exact reason?”
“I did a few tests and was told they’d complete working on them in two or three days. Today, I will hardly take the test and go to the doctor. But I will do it tomorrow in the morning.”
“How are you feeling now?” Rebecca asks.
“I’m fine now. The doctor prescribed an ointment and told me how to use it. And…” Natalia glances at her hand, on which rash, blisters, and redness are seen yet. “I think I stopped scratching it… But my rash hasn’t gone yet…”
“Everything will be gone, sweetie, don’t worry. Once, I also had a terrible rash from cosmetics that I bought nobody knows where. I was scratching strongly and couldn’t understand why for a long time. I did it when I stopped using those cosmetics.”
“People are right when they say you can’t be greedy for yourself. I bought a Chinese powder, and I am suffering from itching.”
“Lesson for the future.” Rebecca slightly fixes her hair with a slight smile. “Alright, my dears, I will go to the kitchen. I’m going to cook dinner. Girls, you will help me with something later.”
“Sure, no problem,” Raquelle shrugs.
“Excuse me…”
Rebecca turns and goes to the kitchen, while the others watch her.
“For your information, she is allergic to oranges, too,” Jamie says thoughtfully with a slight smile. “Never give her juice from those fruits. Or she’d get covered with a rash and scratch herself.”
“And you’re allergic to citrus, too,” Edward frowns slightly. “I remember you refusing them, while Isabella drank them with pleasure.”
“Right. I was not allowed to drink any fresh citrus juices in my childhood, even though I always loved them. Although your grandmother Margaret banned me from it, I drank a cup sometimes. And I didn’t care about rash and blisters.”
“Weren’t you afraid?” Terrence wonders.
“Nope, my love for citrus was stronger. But I stopped drinking them when I ended up in the hospital because of Michael. He always knew about my allergic reaction to citrus and somehow filled my thermos instead of the hot tea that I often took with me. I quickly understood that there was no tea in the thermos, but it was too late because I drank a lot of juice and didn’t notice it due to the strong dryness. And I’m gonna be honest, my dears, I never felt as bad as I did then. I almost destroyed my stomach.”
“I’m not surprised,” Edward crosses his arms over his chest. “If that old bastard hadn’t used that… It wouldn’t have been Michael MacClife.”
“It happened in childhood. And I refused to drink those juices before the wedding with Isabella. One day, I couldn’t resist when she was drinking fresh juice from oranges and mangos. I drank a whole glass and was surprised that nothing happened. I was probably no longer allergic. It happens: you aren’t allowed to drink or eat something in childhood, but you can do it after getting old. So, I started to drink them again. Rarely and carefully at first, but more often later. And now I quietly drink everything I want.”
“I think I never had this problem…” Edward says thoughtfully.
“Me too,” Terrence shrugs.
“Maybe, you did,” Jamie assumes. “But you could just not drink juices.”
“I dunno… Maybe… Mother never let me drink them… And now… Now it’s kinda fine… Nothing happens when I drink them.”
“Anything happens,” Raquelle says with a slight smile.
“I’m sorry that I have to forget about juices from oranges,” Natalia sighs quietly. “I must confess that I liked it…”
“You never drunk them?” Jamie wonders.
“Never. Actually, my mother loves fresh orange juice, and I drank it just because it was the first thing I saw. I was literally dying from dryness…”
“I see…”
Silence settles in the air for a few seconds, during which Jamie glances at the watch hanging in the living room.
“Excuse me, guys, but I should leave,” Jamie says thoughtfully. “I’ll call someone for work and solve a couple of problems. I will be back in five minutes.”
Jamie turns around and goes up to the second floor, while Terrence, Raquelle, Edward, and Natalia stay alone n.
“Okay…” Edward pronounces, looking at everybody and putting his hands on his hips. “What are we gonna do, while they’re busy?”
“What about a short warm-up to sing something and stretch our fingers?” Terrence suggests.
“Agree!”
“Let’s start with ‘The Story About Us’,” Natalia says with a slight smile. “I’ve recently heard it on the radio and thought of the shooting in the music video.”
“Yes, yes!” Terrence exclaims. “I also heard it on the radio when I was doing my business yesterday.”
“And I watched the behind-the-scenes video,” Edward confesses. “I laughed a little… Very nice memories…”
“Yeah, the memories, with which everything might end if Mr. Perkins didn’t understand that he’s an idiot,” Raquelle sighs heavily. “Brainless and naive.”
“But when he does, he will come to us on his knees and find excuses for his stupid actions.”
“The foreigner might charm him so much that he might not want to speak to us anymore,” Natalia crosses her arms over her chest. “Even if Perkins remembered everything.”
“Could the liar be better than such a wonderful girl like Anna?” Raquelle wonders. “Would Perkins prefer an absolutely non-attractive Spaniard over her? Who definitely wanna do nothing and spend his money.”
“He’s gonna be a stupid idiot,” Edward says confidently. “If he stays with Blanca, even if he remembers everything.”
“C’mon, stop talking about him!” Terrence waves a hand. “Let’s really forget about him for a while. We can do nothing now… And Perkins can live as he wants.”
“Oh, Terrence, something tells me that this is not the last thing that we’ll have to find out,” Natalia says confidently. “We don’t probably know much about Daniel and might find out much more if he remembered everything.”
“And the worst thing is that we can’t help Anna without Daniel’s help,” Raquelle says with sadness in her eyes. “In this case, everything depends on him. On how soon he’ll help us contact her parents.”
“Yeah, what if it’s worthless, too?” Edward assumes. “What if they look at us like idiots and say we slander the one, who beats their daughter?”
“Early or late, they must open their eyes,” Terrence replies confidently. “No loving parents would let their child spend time with the one, who mocks them.”
“I think so,” Natalia nods. “Maybe, her parents aren’t the best, but they hardly wish this ‘happiness’ to their daughter. They might just not know who Anna speaks to. They might not guess there’s a monster beside them.”
“So, we’ve gotta assure them that they’d lose their daughter if they didn’t protect her from that man,” Raquelle replies. “If they do nothing, we must do something.”
“I agree with you, guys, but let’s save this talk for later,” Terrence suggests quietly. “Without Perkins, we can do nothing. We may know all the truth, but now we have nothing to do with it.”
Everybody nods silently and looks at each other with sadness in their eyes.
“Oh, okay, let’s distract a little,” Edward suggests tiredly and puts his hand on his forehead. “Or we will go crazy. I’ll find my guitar. I need to tune it on…”
Edward turns, goes to the stairs quickly, and goes up to the second floor, while Terrence, Raquelle, and Natalia stay alone. And when MacClife, Jr., hides, the brunette frowns slightly and looks at the blond, who is thinking about something.
“Hey, does it seem to me that you two are kinda weird?” Raquelle asks, putting her hands on her hips. “You don’t almost talk to each other…”
“Yeah,” Terrence agrees. “Although you speak quietly, something is kinda not right about you…”
“Nope, it’s okay,” Natalia throws gloomily, crossing her arms over her chest. “Your brother is just a stubborn ass. That doesn’t want to hear me.”
“Damn, just don’t tell me you fought again.”
“Yes, we fought.”
“But why?” Raquelle wonders.
“Because of the wedding. We need to talk about all the details and decide how everything will go on, but Edward doesn’t care. He treats it too carelessly. As if you can get ready for a wedding for five minutes before the beginning of the ceremony.”
“Oh, Natalia, you found a bad reason to fight… Right now… We haven’t even picked a day, but you want to organize everything immediately.”
“If I had known he’d treat our wedding like this, I wouldn’t have agreed to get married to him.”
“You say it like we’re all gonna get married today or tomorrow, but nothing is ready,” Terrence notices.
“Of course, not today. But I want everything to be perfect. However, MacClife doesn’t care about it at all! He doesn’t wanna hear my wishes.”
“Sorry, Natalia, but do you really think it’s a good time to talk about these things? Do you understand that we’ve got lots of problems that we must somehow solve? Save this talk for later! What did you the hell think about it? Did you want to fight?”
“Oh…” Natalia rolls her eyes. “You speak like your brother…”
“If Edward doesn’t wanna talk about it now, he’s right. If Raquelle started to talk to me about our wedding, I would react in the same way.”
“But it may be late to do something later!”
“Gosh, Rochester, don’t go crazy,” Raquelle says quietly. “I completely understand you, but we’ve got a lot of time. It would be okay if we picked up a wedding day. But not… We’ve decided nothing yet.”
“Ha, we’ll never get married because of his irresponsible attitude to the wedding!” Natalia crosses her arms over her chest. “MacClife wants everything to be on me. I wouldn’t be surprised if you and I were responsible for everything. And our men would be sitting and waiting for everything to be done.”
“Stop, friend,” Terrence shakes his head.
“He does know that I wanna feel special on that day and plan everything ‘till the last minute, but he doesn’t wanna hear me. He refuses to have a luxury wedding. He wants us to have a modest ceremony.”
“What’s wrong?” Raquelle wonders. “We could just invite your friends and relatives. There are enough potential guests.”
“Yeah, but he’s acting like he doesn’t even wanna invite those people.”
“Maybe, you shouldn’t make him do what he doesn’t want?” Terrence asks carefully. “Yes, I understand that you wanna have a fairytale and lavish wedding, but it’s possible to have not a less perfect one by spending a little money.”
“No, Natalia, c’mon!” Terrence smiles slightly. “Edward will surely invite his closest friends and relatives to his wedding. Don’t worry about it.”
“Your brother spares money. He wants to save on everything and not to spend money on a luxury ceremony.”
“Do you think you need much money for a luxury ceremony?”
“Sure!” Natalia exclaims. “I don’t wanna save on what happens only once in life.”
“Listen, we completely understand you want a fairytale, luxury wedding,” Terrence says quietly. “But you can have not a less gorgeous wedding even if you spend little money. You don’t have to spend money as if we’re expecting literally a royal wedding.”
“Yeah, on which literally three hundred or four hundred people are invited,” Raquelle adds.
“I don’t need three hundred guests,” Natalia protests and glances aside. “I just want everything to be perfect and happen. I don’t want any confusion.”
“But you don't have to spend much money on that. There will not be so many guests at our double wedding. And we could save a lot of money.”
“I ain’t gonna save on such an important event,” Natalia says confidently. “If MacClife is so greedy and would have no ceremony and celebration, I don’t wanna give in to him and live that day like a usual one.”
“Edward wants to have a modest ceremony because he doesn’t need to make a show,” Terrence explains. “He just wants to get married before his close friends and family. That guy has said many times that this is the wedding of his dreams. And I agree with him. Yes, I used to want luxury, but now getting married in front of my close people and relatives would be enough for me.”
“I imagine how he was literally crying when he spent every single cent on the ring for me.”
“If my brother was greedy, would he have bought such a gorgeous ring? It costs very much! Edward spent a bigger part of the money that he earned on writing songs for other artists.”
“So, if he brought such an expensive ring, why doesn’t he wanna agree to have a gorgeous ceremony with photographers, directors, and a service staff?”
“Don’t worry, Natalia, if you want it, you will have it,” Raquelle calms down. “And yeah, you don’t have to hire a whole team to organize everything. You, Terrence, Edward, and I have so many friends, who would help us, and we could ask your parents about something.”
“Yes, maybe, we should get someone involved in this process?” Terrence suggests. “There is nothing bad about it!”
“Oh, I don’t actually know if we’ll get married…” Natalia says with sadness in her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest, moving her eyes down. “Edward suggested that we cancel our engagement and wedding. So, only Terrence and Raquelle get married.”
“I’m sure he said it in anger,” Raquelle says confidently.
“No, MacClife said it seriously. He said, if you don’t want problems, let’s solve them for two seconds.”
“I think Edward just tried to cool you down,” Terrence assumes. “If you’re so excited now, everything could be much worse during your argument.”
“Oh, my gosh…” Natalia sighs heavily. “I thought we were on the same wave…”
“Don’t worry, friend, it’s okay to be nervous because of a wedding,” Raquelle smiles slightly. “Many people get through it and want everything to be perfect. But you should understand that these problems can’t be solved in one day.”
“And I’m gonna tell you a secret, Rochester: when you get married, you and your husband will have to agree and look for compromises all your life,” Terrence adds confidently. “Yes, yes, you will have to. Talking about your wedding is just the beginning, my darling. And if you wanna be happy in a marriage, get used to it now.”
“Or delay this talk for a better time,” Raquelle advises. “Now it’s not the best time to talk about it. If you don’t understand it and keep behaving like this, Edward and you will really have to cancel your wedding and actually break up.”
“I know, but what can I do if Edward doesn’t wanna hear me?” Natalia shrugs.
“Edward did the right thing,” Terrence replies confidently. “He tries to avoid a conflict, but you want to start it. And if you don’t wanna lose him, keep your mouth closed. At least now. Otherwise, you will make my brother give up on his wish to marry you. He’ll get scared. The decision to get married is always hard for a man. To get a proposal from him, being just beautiful and seducing him with short skirts is not enough for the girl.”
“Don’t you wanna lose him, huh?” Raquelle asks.
“Yeah, who’s gonna make us happy with your appearance and encourage us to smile even when we don’t want?” Terrence smiles shyly.
“But I wanna feel special on that wonderful day,” Natalia replies with sadness in her eyes. “And MacClife doesn’t wanna hear me…”
“Believe me, friend, you’ll be special for Edward anyway,” Raquelle says confidently. “Even if you have tousled hair and wear shapeless pants and a shabby sweater.”
“That’s right!” Terrence exclaims. “My brother loves you anyway.”
“I know,” Natalia cracks a smile and moves her eyes down, thinking about something.
Terrence and Raquelle look at each other and shrug, as if they do not know what to say or do. But at heart, the lovers are a little nervous and afraid that the situation might get worse and lead to the cancellation of the event everybody is waiting for with patience.
***
One day later. Daniel is walking on the streets of the city with a slow, quiet step. Maybe, the man tried to get what he lost and forgot back, but now he does not see the meaning of doing it. He tries not to think about his friends, who are allegedly lying to him, and just enjoys his life, literally not caring that the memory has not come back to him yet. Daniel is watching everything he sees with interest, orienting himself very well in every single place and knowing where everything is. The man goes by some people, stores, street artists, attractions, stands with announcements, posters, photos, and much more that he looks at with interest, stopping at times to examine something better. And a little later, he receives a call from Blanca, who wants to tell the man something. And after hearing her sad and broken voice, he understands that it’s something not very nice.
“By the way, Blanca, I think you have a weird voice…” Daniel says with sadness in his eyes, not stopping to go somewhere in a slow step. “Are you sad? Or someone hurt you?”
“¡Oh, no, no, mi amor[1]!” Blanca jabs. “Nobody to hurt me… I want to tell you something. Something that to be sad… That to make me sad.”
“Yes, sure, speak,” Daniel shrugs, bends one arm at the elbow, and grabs the other with his hand. “I’m listening to you. If you have problems, tell me. I will try to think up something.”
“No, the problem not to be you, Daniel.” Blanca says nothing for two seconds. “My parents just to talk to my grandfather from Spain and… Mi abuelo[2] to say that he to have a problem and ask us to go to our mother country and help him.”
“So, are you leaving?”
“Si[3]. I to be very sad because I tell you that. But I to have to leave… I to be very sorry…”
“It’s okay, I understand…” Daniel gets upset. “And how long will you stay in Spain?”
“I not to know, honey. But I really hope we to help mi abuelo[4] and come back to the USA very soon. He to need our help.”
“It’s okay, honey.” Daniel cracks a smile. “Go to your grandfather for as long as you need.”
“Okay, mi gatito[5], I go. But remember that I miss you very much and call you as often as possible while I to be there.”
“I will miss you, too. And… Feel lonely…”
“I swear, Daniel, I make my family not to take me with them, but they to insist and say that my grandfather to need me. And because I love him so much, I not to refuse.”
“And when are you gonna leave?”
“Tomorrow in the early morning. My parents and sister already take their stuff and to be ready to go.”
“I hope you’ll be back here as soon as possible.”
“But I to always have you in my mind, sweetheart,” Blanca says with a wide smile. “Even if we to be at a distance, I always think of you and want to see you as soon as possible.”
“Solving all your problems with your relative is the most important thing for you and your family. I shall stay here and wait for as long as needed. I will work on my health.”
“Oh, mi amor[6]. You not to imagine how much my heart to hurt at the thought that you to stay here alone.”
“Don’t worry, Blanca, I can take care of myself. I just lost my memory. Which will come back early or late. I didn’t forget how to serve myself. And I don’t feel like I lost some skills.”
“I promise I to take you with me to Spain next time and introduce you to my family,” Blanca promises confidently. “To let you feel good at our wedding.”
“I will be ready at one hundred percent,” Daniel smiles widely. “I will even try to learn a few words in Spanish to let them know I’m ready to become a part of your family.”
“You can do it, querida[7],” Blanca says softly with a slight smile. “I know it.”
“It’s nice to know you believe in me.”
“I always believe in you.”
Silence settles in the air for two seconds, which Blanca breaks:
“Oh, okay, Daniel… I to be sorry, but my mother to call me… And Mia to want the phone because she to need to solve something.”
“Okay, I will not hold you,” Daniel replies softly.
“Remember that I call you as often as possible and make sure that you not to be stolen by someone.”
“Oh, Blanca, please, stop… We’ve talked about it…”
“It to be one of the reasons why I not to want to leave the country.”
“I swear I will be waiting for your return with impatience and thinking of nobody else. You’ve saved me from those liars, and they will no longer bother us.”
“Okay, querida[8], I believe you and hope for your honesty.”
“Thanks, Blanca.”
“Then see you soon.”
“Have a safe trip.”
“¡Gracias, mi amor! ¡Adíos![9]”
“Erm… Yup… Bye…”
Daniel turns off the call and puts the phone in the pocket of his leather jacket, still going where his legs lead him in a quiet, slow step. He gets a little sad that Blanca has to go to Spain for some time, but he is not going to hold the Spaniard and wants her to solve all her problems. The man still bans himself from thinking that he does not feel comfortable with Blanca and does not have special feelings for her. He tries to be the man, who the foreigner wants him to be too hard. Not himself, but someone else. Maybe, somewhere at the bottom of his heart, the man understands that he feels someone not himself, talking to the Spaniard. But his belief that the girl tells him the truth is too strong. He prefers believing her, not those, who are actually right.
Daniel is walking in the city quietly and not thinking of anything bad, trying not to think about anything bad. And some time later, he ends up in an unpopular but very beautiful place. After looking around, the man glances at a free bench and, realizing that he is tired after a long walk, comes to it, sits down, and looks at what surrounds him, while the cold wind blows up his face. At some moment, the man thinks of the song of “Against The System” called “The Story About Us” that he has lately often sung under his nose. He does it now, clapping on his knee and being surprised that it happens by itself, as if he has always known the words.
But Perkins sings only the first verse, the chorus, and some lines from the second verse. At some moment, he feels the vibration of the phone in the pocket of his leather jacket. The man thinks that someone calls him and decides to answer the call. But he finds out that this is not a call, but… A message… That was sent from an unknown number…
“Hey, Perkins, how are you doing? As I understand, you survived after our last meeting. Well, if it’s so, it’s time for us to meet! I shall remind you that someone to be very close to you will be dead soon. Will be cruelly destroyed. If you want, you can give me what I want, but remember that it would not save the one. Soon, I shall contact you again and tell you what you should do. Before I skin you alive. Since you didn’t die then, you will die next time. You will not get off me so easily, asshole! I will catch you! You may not even try to run away from me.”
Daniel gets a little white from the excitement, opens his eyes widely, and understands that his heartbeat gets faster, setting his surprised look on the phone screen.
“What the fuck?” Daniel frowns slightly. “Who is that idiot, who sent it? How do they have my number? What do they the fuck need from me? I don’t know this number…”
Daniel shakes his head and reads the message sent from the unknown number again.
“How do they know about me? How do they know that I survived? And who do they mean in this message? Who is gonna be dead?”
Daniel exhales slowly, closes his mouth for a second, and starts to stroke his hair.
“Fuck, I’m starting to be kinda afraid…” Daniel thinks with a faster heartbeat. “What if someone really threatens me? What if they want to terrify me? I do exactly know that someone threatened me… No, no, I don’t want to believe it! It must be someone’s evil joke…”
Daniel closes his eyes for two seconds and chuckles nervously.
“Yes, right! A certain bastard decided to mock me, terrify me, and make me scared. And who actually needs me? Maybe, someone typed the wrong number? What if it’s not for me? Though… No… There’s my last name… No, then… But who is that? Who wants to scare me and…”
Then Daniel thinks about Terrence, Peter, and Edward and suspects that they sent him this message.
“The men…” Daniel thinks and scoffs ironically. “Of course! Why didn’t I guess it before? It is clear who needed it! Those bastards can’t leave me alone and keep making my life hell. I guess the ugly blond did it. He keeps revenging me for kicking his ass for a reason. And those brainless brothers support him!”
Daniel runs his eyes through the message again.
“Ha, I’m not afraid of your threats, jackasses!” Daniel thinks with a contemptuous sneer. “You can text me hundreds of messages, but I will not get scared. I will be ready to fight with any of you. Beat the face of anyone of you! I shall revenge on you for treating Blanca so terribly and using my condition. And you, blond asshole, will pay me twice. I swear I shall strangle you with my own hands for trying to kill me. You, bastard, will go to prison and die there! As you wanted! You will not get off me.”
In anger, Daniel grips the phone too tightly and grows quietly, looking into the distance with icy eyes.
“And I will deal with those two if they don’t leave my fiancée alone. I will destroy you, scumbags. You better run as far as possible if one of you sees me a few meters away. I will not let you go so easily and will make you regret what you did. You will confess what you did and pay enough for it. I do have the right to put every one of you in prison. Though, the younger brother is experienced because he was there for the murder. He was released thanks to the money of his brother. His sick brother, who must’ve been put in a mental hospital.”
Nervously putting his phone in one and another hand and barely holding himself down not to break down before people that go by him at times, Daniel shakes his leg and breathes heavily with a feeling of strong tension in his whole body.
“It’s okay, early or late, you will leave Blanca and me alone, and we will be very happy. I will do my best for you, scumbags, not to dare to meddle in my life. Burn in hell, bastards! I hate you! I hate!”
Daniel glances at his hands, which start to shake strongly from the tension, with which he is obsessed because of the thought that Peter continues to revenge on him for all the humiliations, and Edward and Terrence help him with pleasure.
***
Nothing changes in Anna's life. Even the fact that her mother, Lillian, feels something bad does not comfort the girl and gives her hope that she will get rid of Julian. No thoughts about Daniel now. Anna has him in the last place. The girl needs only one thing – to save her parents from trouble. She does not care that she has changed lately and stopped feeling happy, even with the hugs and nice words of Maximilian and Lillian. She does not have a wish or strength to cry… Her eyes literally hurt from endless tears, and her head is tearing apart after the hits that she gets from Julian… No happiness, gladness, smiles, or good emotions. As well as anger, sadness, evil, and a wish to do something bad. It seems like the girl is kind of living, but she is kind of dead. She has no meaning in living and reaching something. She is an inanimate creature that just exists and cannot feel any pleasure or happiness.
Despite the recent conflict, Maximilian and Lillian are sitting in the living room as if nothing happened with a cup of tea and something tasty that they are eating with pleasure. Anna is also sitting with them, barely making herself drink tea and not even touching the tasty food.
“Honey, why don’t you eat anything?” Maximilian asks with anxiety. “Take some cookies. Don’t drink tea with anything.”
“Thanks, Dad, but I’m not hungry,” Anna replies very quietly, looking at her cup without emotions. “I wanna eat nothing…”
“But you’ve always loved everything we’re eating now,” Lillian notices with sad eyes. “What happened if you refuse to eat just a little cookie?”
“Nothing… I just don’t want to eat. That’s all.”
“But, sweetie, you must eat just something. Your father says you’ve eaten as little as a kitten.
“Just don’t dare to think of diets,” Maximilian says harshly. “You’re skinny now. But if you lose much more weight, you will be shaking your bones.”
“I ain’t gonna lose weight,” Anna says quietly. “I just want to eat nothing… I can’t make myself eat…”
“Please, honey, stop torturing yourself and start to eat well,” Lilian begs with pity in her eyes. “That’s wrong! You must eat! Or you will not be able to stand on your feet!”
“I’m fine, Mom,” Anna replies, looking at Lillian without emotions. “If I want to eat something, I will do it.”
“Anna, stop saying that you’re fine. You are not fine! If everything were fine with you, we would see it, and my heart wouldn’t hurt for you.”
“Don’t worry. I just don’t wanna eat.”
“Daughter, it would be okay if you didn’t want to eat now,” Maximilian says quietly. “But you eat nothing. That’s bad. There is so much food in the refrigerator, and you can cook anything you want.”
“I eat. You just work and don’t see it.”
“I only see that you don’t almost touch food.”
“Not true! I don’t starve! Moreover… J-julian… S-suggested me to g-go a r-restaurant…”
“I hope he sees that you eat nothing and could make you start to eat well.”
“Yes… S-sure.”
Although Lillian still minds Anna’s meetings with Julian, she decides to keep silent not to start arguing with Maximilian in her daughter’s presence and just looks at the girl’s father a little gloomily.
“By the way, sweetie, why don’t you speak to your friends?” Lillian asks. “You befriended some girls!”
“Huh…” Anna stutters and bites her lip slightly. “Yeah… I… befriend three girls…”
“Why don’t you spend time with them? I think they could also help you get rid of your depression.”
“You’re serious?”
“Sure! What’s wrong with it?”
“Excuse me, Mom, but since when have you loved my friends?” Anna puts her cup on the table. “You’ve never loved them and always been against me talking to them! You and Father always tried to make me speak to people, with whom I felt bored. What changed now?”
“Much, daughter,” Lilian replies with sadness in her eyes. “Many things changed after you left home.”
“But…”
“If you’re those girls’ friend, it’s okay. I don’t mind it.”
“Wow…”
“I see you’d love to talk to your friends.” Lilian takes Anna’s hand softly. “Why don’t you meet them? If you want, meet them in the city! If you want, bring them here! I think your father wouldn’t mind it.”
“Yes, I’d love to talk to them, but…”
“Your mother is right, Anna,” Maximilian says quietly. “We see you feel lonely and can’t get enough attention: I work, Julian works, and your mother has a business.”
“It’s okay, Dad,” Anna replies quietly. “I understand it.”
“Don’t you want to visit your friends and talk to them someday? Julian is also truly surprised that you speak to nobody but him, your mother, and me.”
Anna says nothing and, frowning slightly, thinks:
“I think you’d be truly surprised to know that Julian banned me from seeing my friends. Though, I’d talk at least to the girls with pleasure… I miss them so much… But I can’t. Potter is gonna kill me if I meet them. He's gonna kill you and Mother! I can’t let it happen!”
“Anna, what’s wrong?” Maximilian wonders. “Why are you silent?”
“Nothing, Dad, nothing,” Anna replies hesitantly, moving her eyes aside and locking her fingers tightly.
“Did you fight with someone? Tell me, we will understand it!”
“No… I didn’t fight with them… I just…” Anna falls into silence and looks around the whole living room slowly. “I just…”
“But what’s your problem?” Lillian rounds her eyes. “Are you ignoring them just because you don’t want to talk to anyone?”
“Erm… Yup, you’re right,” Anna bites her lip slightly. “Absolutely right. I want to talk to nobody…”
Lillian frowns slightly and looks at Maximilian, who just shrugs and shakes his head.
“But, Anna, you can’t hide from them forever,” Lillian notices. “Moreover, I’m sure that they’re worried about you and trying to find out why you suddenly stopped speaking to them. What if they think you’re mad at them.”
“I know, Mother, I know…” Anna replies in a quiet, shaking voice, looking at the cup in her hands.
“Listen, Anna, let’s choose a day, so your mother or I can drive you to one of your friends?” Maximilian suggests quietly, putting his hand on Anna’s hand. “Or I give you money for a tax or a bus, so you visit someone.”
“Nope… I want to see nobody… I don’t want…”
“Why, honey? As Julian cannot get you out of depression, let one of your friends do it.”
“They can do nothing… I’m too unhappy…”
“My God, you got yourself exhausted because of the depression about Daniel,” Maximilian moans tiredly. “Stop it, honey. Since you left him, what’s the point in withdrawing yourself from everybody and suffering? You felt sad for a while, but now you should stop! You must go on!”
“But I can’t…” Anna pronounces in a shaking voice, understanding her heart briefly stops at the mention of Daniel and not trying to hold down tears coming to her eyes. “I can’t…”
“Honey, I don’t know what happened between you, but I advise you to forget that guy,” Lillian says softly with pity in her eyes. “Indeed, why would you suffer if you knew you’d never be with him? Moreover, we did warn you that this relationship wouldn’t give you happiness. He doesn’t deserve such a wonderful girl like you. You deserve something much better.”
“I still can’t accept the fact that it happened…” Anna sniffs quietly. “I wanna wake up and realize that it was just a nightmare. But that’s not a nightmare…”
“Darling, please, stop killing yourself because of him,” Maximilian begs with pity in his eyes. “That guy will not be back to you, despite all your tears and sufferings. Forget him and strike him from your life.”
“But what can I do if I love him?” Anna wonders with tears in her eyes. “What? Do you think it’s so easy? That people can fall out of love with someone for one day? No, that’s not true! I won’t be able to forget the time that we spent together! It was the best time of my life! I never felt as good as I did then! And now I’m unhappy!”
“We understand it, sunshine, but you must not torture yourself,” Lilian replies confidently. “You must brace yourself and keep living.”
“What if I want him to come back to me someday? Yes, I’m mad at him for his betrayal! But if he proved to me that he wanted to be with me, I’d think whether I could forgive him. And I think I would forgive him. Because I can’t live without that man.”
“You said you’d never forget a betrayal,” Maximilian says confidently.
“Yeah, but I love him anyway!” Anna confesses with tears and despair. “I need him! Right here and now! I can’t live without Daniel!”
“If a person betrayed you once, nothing would stop them from doing it again.”
“You will never understand me,” Anna shakes her head and sniffs. “You’ve never loved someone very much, and you don’t know what that is. That feeling is unfamiliar to you two.”
“My sunshine, we completely understand everything,” Lillian says softly, puts her hand on Anna’s, and caresses it. “But Maximilian is right, betrayers shouldn’t really be forgiven. If they betray you once, they will keep betraying you. If that guy wanted to be with you, he would’ve never done it to you. You deserve a much worthier man.”
“I love Daniel, mother. I love this man much more than you think. I’d take any pain and torture and do anything for him. I never loved anyone stronger than him. He was always like a shoot of sunlight in my life, which made it much brighter and more colorful. Next to him, I lived like in a fairytale and was incredibly happy.”
“You will surely meet a man, next to whom you will feel good.”
“I doubt it. Yes, I’m terribly suffering from my crazy love for him, and I would be happy to forget him. But the memories will stay with me anyway. Any little thing reminding me of him is gonna make me cry and suffer.”
“But if you always hide from anyone, think of him, and cry your eyes out, – that’s why you have terribly red eyes – you will never forget him,” Maximilian notices confidently.
“Daughter, there’s so much interesting in the world!” Lilian adds. “You should stop hiding from everyone, leave home, and see that your experiences are a waste of time. Stop torturing yourself because of one man and start to speak to other people. For example, your friends.”
“You both understand nothing!” Anna exclaims a little louder in despair. “Nothing! None of you experienced such strong love! It’s easy for you to say it because you’ve never loved someone. You got married by force. But as they say, you can’t force someone to love. And your case confirms it.”
“Listen, daughter…”
“Don’t explain anything! I don’t…”
Anna does not speak her mind because someone suddenly rings at the door.
“Oh, God, is that Julian?” Anna gives a start with widely open eyes. “No, no, I don’t wait! Oh, God! Please, please! Although my parents are with me, I’m ready to die of fear next to this man. I don’t wanna see him… No, please, no…”
Maximilian gets up from the sofa and goes to the hall to open the door. Anna’s fears come true because her father sees Julian, who shows his wide, false smile and looks at him with slightly squinted eyes.
“Oh, hello, Julian,” Maximilian says amicably with a slight smile.
“Hello, Mr. Seymour,” Julian replies gently.
Maximilian and Julian share a handshake and clap each other on the back.
“I’m glad you decided to come,” Maximilian says confidently.
“I hope you are in good health,” Julian expresses hope.
“I’m chipper and full of energy. Just like always.”
“That’s good,” Julian nods. “I’m very glad for you.”
“Come in, don’t be shy. Feel like home.”
Julian enters the apartment with a slight nod and looks around with a sly smile, while Maximilian closes the door. Then Anna’s father comes to the visitor and points at the living room, saying:
“Go to the living room, I’m not alone now.”
Julian follows Maximilian and goes to the living room, where Anna and Lillian are still sitting. And when the two see the visitor, they feel the kind of same emotions: fear, coldness, stupor, and a wish to run as far as possible. And Anna gets sharply white from horror and rounds her eyes, being literally afraid to move from the fear of provoking Potter.
“No, no, God…” Anna shakes her head with a faster heartbeat. “I was afraid of this so much! God, why? Why do You make me suffer? I thought I’d be separated from Julian, at least today. But no… ”
When Julian comes to the living room, he smiles at Anna much more falsely, playing the role of a perfect man too well.
“Hello, Anna,” Julian pronounces.
“Hello,” Anna greets quietly, not even looking at Julian.
When Julian hugs Anna around the shoulders not very tenderly – or more specifically, squeezes her tightly – and kisses her on the lips, scratching them and her sunken cheekbones with his bear. It immediately makes her obsessed with strong coldness, and her body aims to step away from him. But she subdues her disgust too hard and does not resist what he is doing.
“Today, you look much sadder than yesterday,” Julian pretends to be anxious.
“Maybe…” Anna pronounces without emotions.
“Are you really still worried about the man, who dared to leave such an amazing girl like you?”
“No, I’m coming to myself slowly… Though, It’s very hard to forget everything in one day.”
“I get it, sweetie, I get it.”
Julian, scratching Anna’s cheek with his beard and kisses her again, while she sets her dead eyes into the distance. And then the man moves his eyes to Lillian, who immediately notices how hard he is pretending to be good.
“Oh, Mrs. Seymour, you are here,” Julian says with a false courtesy.
“Hello, Julian,” Lilian says gently, hiding her emotions skillfully. “It’s been a while.”
“I’m endlessly happy to see you.”
When Lillian stands up from the sofa, Julian comes to her, shakes her by the hand, and kisses it, while she smiles at him falsely. But the woman pretends that everything is okay and keeps holding herself down like a well-educated lady.
“How are you doing?” Julian asks.
“I’m doing wonderful,” Lillian replies quietly. “What about you?”
“It could not be better!”
“And what about Norman and Ryan? Are they fine?”
“Yes. Father is doing fine and working hard, but Ryan does not still separate from textbooks.”
“Is he still studying?”
“Yes, the guy is studying…” Julian shakes his head. “My father often jokes that his head is going to explode from his knowledge.”
“As I understand, is he going to work with you after he finishes studying?”
“He will. Father found him a perfect job, which could let him feel in his element.”
“He probably hopes to accept the loss of his mother in this way,” Maximilian assumes with sadness in his eyes.
“Maybe… Ryan loved Mother so much… And Father and I do not forget her. We often remember her and talk about her at family dinners. My brother and I remember our childhood years that we spent with her, and Father tells us much about how they met and how he loved her…”
“Yeah, she was a good woman…” Lillian nods with sadness in her eyes. “I’m so sorry that Genevieve left us. It’s unfair that God takes such wonderful people.”
“Trust me, I also miss her very much and would hug her with pleasure,” Julian pretends to be sad. “And Father grieves for her. He says nobody else could replace that wonderful woman.”
“There are many reasons why she must have been loved,” Maximilian notices confidently. “Your mother was a very generous woman.”
“I was madly lucky to have a mother like her. That’s why Father refused to marry someone else. He was too attracted to her and does not want another woman to live in his house and sleep where Mother slept.”
“I get it, Julian, I get it,” Lilian nods.
“By the way, Julian, do you want to drink something?” Maximilian suggests. “Lilian, Anna, and I were drinking tea with cookies.”
“Yeah, join us,” Lillian suggests with a slight smile.
“I would drink coffee with such amazing people with pleasure,” Julian replies with a false smile.
“Anna, honey, could you make a cup of coffee for Julian?” Maximilian asks.
“Sure, I’ll do it now,” Anna shrugs without emotions on her face.
“But don’t add sugar, please,” Julian says. “You know that I do not drink sweet tea or coffee. That I do not actually eat sweet food.”
Anna nods silently and slowly goes to the kitchen, inclining her head and rubbing her hands nervously. Julian watches her with a contemptuous look and then looks at Lilian and Maximilian with sadness.
“Poor girl…” Julian shakes his head. “She is suffering a lot because of the man, who does not deserve such a wonderful girl.”
“And she doesn’t hide that she loves him,” Maximilian notices.
“I really want to help her, but sadly, I do not know how to make her happy. I have tried literally everything, but I still do not see a charming smile on her face and a gloss in her beautiful eyes.”
“Ah, Julian…” Lilian sighs heavily, crossing her arms over her chest. “You must understand that you can’t forget your love immediately.”
“Of course, I understand, Mrs. Seymour. Forgetting you’re a strong love may sometimes be much harder than forgiving someone for all the offenses. And the memories that will always stay with us make this process much harder.”
“Besides, this is the first time Anna fell in love so seriously,” Maximilian says with sadness in his eyes. “She had some admirers, but she didn’t have such strong feelings that she got for that man.”
“Yeah, I completely understand you…” Julian nods. “Somehow, I also had a strong love for one girl, who cheated on me. I did everything for her and tried to be the one, who she wanted me to be, but she found another man and left me…”
“Yeah…”
“You know how hurt I felt! I loved that sweet girl so much, and Father liked her. And then I was cruelly betrayed. Everything was fine, and then it was like I was splashed with cold water.”
“Sadly, everything happens,” Lillian concludes with sadness in her eyes. “Failures are a part of our lives that we cannot forget and strike out.”
Julian nods silently and sits on the sofa in front of Lillian and Maximilian at their invitation.
“To be honest, we don’t know how to help her…” Maximilian sighs heavily. “Anna doesn’t want to accept the breakup and believes that the guy will come back to her.”
“It’s always harder for girls to survive the breakup,” Julian notices. “Your daughter has loved stories about princes and princesses since childhood and believes that they live happily ever after. She thought she found her prince, but alas… He left her… Her dreams were ruined by the cruel reality.”
“We’ve always told our daughter that life is not like a fairytale,” Lilian says confidently.
“Sadly, Anna does not want to grow up and understand what real life is,” Maximilian adds. “She still lives in her own world and dreams of a prince, a carriage with horses, and a gorgeous castle.”
“Understand,” Julian pronounces. “But you might make it worse. It’s like telling a child that Santa Claus does not exist. That their parents and close people leave gifts under a Christmas tree.”
“That’s why I worry about my daughter. It’s going to be very hard for her to live with the belief that a fairytale exists. She can’t be a realist and rate the situation soberly. Just like now: the guy cheated on Anna, but she believes a miracle will happen, he will be back to her, and they will live as if nothing happened. Though, my daughter doesn’t understand that she will always remember his betrayal and will not forgive him completely.”
“Cheating is a madly hard thing that you can’t forget and forgive. And you know that I want to distract Anna from bad thoughts and get her attention to other things. Let her know that people could keep living even after that.”
“Maximilian and I told her that she’d regret getting in touch with that guy,” Lilian says confidently. “But you know that love makes a person blind. Everybody thinks a person is terrible, but you’re obsessed with your feelings and cannot see it. You start to come to yourself when you are literally pushed into the mud.”
“I would never betray Anna and give her pain if I were her boyfriend. With me, she would smile and get happier every day.”
“Julian, tell us secretly,” Maximilian smiles mysteriously. “Could you love my daughter? Do you like Anna as a girl?”
“What kind of question, Mr. Seymour!” Julian rounds his eyes. “You know that I find Anna a special girl, whom I endlessly appreciate and respect. A precious diamond… I would be madly happy if such a wonderful girl paid attention to me.”
“Aren’t you afraid that you wouldn’t give her enough attention due to work?” Lilian asks. “Anna does need permanent love. She can’t live without it.”
“I would do my best. And I could sometimes take a free day. Father would understand me and let me miss one or two days to spend time with that girl. Moreover, I use it sometimes when I understand I overwork.”
“That’s good.”
“And could she love me? What do you think? Mr. Seymour? Mrs. Seymour?”
“I believe she could love you if she did not love that betrayer,” Maximilian assumes thoughtfully. “You are so good, kind, and caring. In my opinion, you and Anna would look very good together.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you could be a good couple,” Lillian says with a slight smile. “And… If you were much better than that guy and showed love and care for her, Anna could forget about that man and pay attention to you.”
“Lilian is right: touching care, compliments, love, and attention are your key to the heart of my daughter,” Maximilian nods confidently.
“Yeah, but I don’t think Anna is interested in me,” Julian replies with sadness in his eyes. “She’s always distanced herself from me.”
“No, don’t say that, Julian.”
“Sometimes I think your daughter does not want me to come here. She literally despises me and does not even want to try to get closer to me. I do everything for her to feel good, but Anna does not let me get closer.”
“Patience, Julian,” Lilian pronounces quietly. “Early or late, the wall between you and Anna will be broken.”
“Ah, Mrs. Seymour, you do not even imagine what your daughter says about me,” Julian says nothing for two seconds. “She always tells Mr. Seymour that I treat her badly. That I am literally a tyrant that treats her terribly. She begs him to protect her from me and ban me from spending time with her.”
“Gosh, Julian, what are you talking about?” Lilian pretends to be horrified. “Anna couldn’t say that! She’s known you for a bigger part of her life!”
“But that’s the truth. And you know how hurtful it is for me to hear these things. I wish Anna only the best and do everything for her to come to herself as soon as possible. But she wants to make me bad. She considers me one of those scumbags, who dare to insult and beat women.”
“Did you really do nothing bad to her?” Lilian frowns slightly. “Maybe… Were you rude to her? Or… Something like that?”
“Mrs. Seymour, how do you dare to say?” Julian gets horrified. “You are hurting me a lot!”
“I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to know what could be a reason for my daughter’s behavior.”
“Gosh, I took it out on her once… Screamed… What’s wrong? I did apologize to her, standing on my knees! Could I be made literally a violator because of such a stupid thing? I just shouted at her! Broke down because your daughter asked me too many questions about my problems at work… But Anna said terrible things to her father! My eyes almost socked out when I came here to invite his daughter somewhere, and he told me everything.”
“You know, Julian, although Max and I were harsh parents, none of us screamed at Anna,” Lilian confesses. “We never told her to do something in a loud voice. I think my daughter is not just used to that and got shocked when you screamed at her.”
“I completely understand it, Mrs. Seymour. But I asked her for forgiveness and explained everything to Mr. Seymour. He understood me, but she started to fear me! And it makes me very upset. Though, I am guilty of nothing!”
“You know, a child starts to be afraid when someone screams at her or him. It leaves a print in their memory, and they remember that someone raised a voice somehow.”
“Do you want to say she will keep running from me?”
“For a while. But if you show much more love and care for her and don’t let yourself scream at her, she will forget everything and open herself to you.”
“I think she withdrew herself from everyone. As far as I know, Anna does not even talk to her friends. I persuaded her to go somewhere with the girls, whom she befriends. But she says she does not want.”
“Depression, Julian,” Maximilian pronounces confidently. “I see no other explanation. Stress caused by the breakup with that guy.”
“Yeah… That thankless scumbag brought Anna to this… I wish he was in hell!”
“Did you notice that she lost too much weight, and her arms got too thin?” Lillian asks with pity in her eyes.
“Oh, yes…” Julian shows horror in his eyes, putting his hand on his heart. “Her weight does scare me a lot.”
“My girl has always been skinny and tried to eat healthy food. But looking at her makes me terrified! That’s just a – heaven forbid – skeleton. A skeleton covered with skin.”
“I see… Clothes are hanging on her…”
“The poor girl eats almost nothing,” Maximilian confesses with pity in his eyes. “Anna has always loved the cookie that you see on the table. But now she did not even look at this and made herself drink coffee with us literally by force.”
“Gosh… Are you serious?”
“Absolutely. Lilian can confirm it.”
“That’s true, Julian,” Lilian pronounces quietly.
“Oh, come on?” Julian pretends to be horrified. “It must not happen! A person must eat well! Otherwise, they would be able to stand! I am against starvation and diets! They kill a person and deprive them of pleasure!”
“We have already said that,” Maximilian replies confidently. “But she says she is fine and doesn’t just want to eat. Though, she has lately eaten almost like a kitty.”
“I’m horrified… My God…”
“You see what’s happening,” Lilian throws her hands up. “We can do nothing. God shall not let her bring herself to anorexia and get therapy her whole life!”
“Oh, Mr. Seymour, Mrs. Seymour…” Julian shakes his head with widely open eyes. “I am so sorry… My heart squeezes from what you say.”
“Have you ever seen how much she eats?” Maximilian asks.
“Yes. I see that Anna does not eat a lot when we go somewhere to eat. Of course, I understand that girls care about their bodies, but your daughter really eats like a kitten.”
“Don’t you try to make her eat a little more?” Lillian asks.
“Of course, I do, Mrs. Seymour. But it gives me nothing. And honestly, I do not know how to help Anna forget the one, who does not understand that he did a stupid thing by letting such a precious diamond go.”
“She loves that guy very much, even if he betrayed her,” Maximilian sighs heavily. “That was her first serious relationship… As we’ve said, my daughter is suffering without him so much and still believes that he will be back to her.”
“No, Anna must not be back with him!” Julian replies confidently. “He is not worth her! Your daughter deserved a better man.”
“We know, Julian,” Lillian nods.
“But do not worry, I promise I shall do my best for your daughter to come to herself and stop thinking of that betrayal.”
“Anyway, thank you so much for trying to help my daughter.”
“I cannot hide that I like this girl very much,” Julian confesses with a slight smile. “And I would be happy to get her heart.”
“I think she will pay attention to you, early or late,” Maximilian replies confidently. “I think you are a wonderful partner for my daughter. And I know that you can provide for her and give her anything she needs. An adult man with money is the key to her happiness and careless life.”
“Do not doubt, Mr. Seymour. I am obviously able to provide for her because the business of my father and mine is doing perfectly, and the money kept rolling from all sides to us.”
“That’s good,” Lillian pronounces with a slight smile.
Julian smiles slyly, stroking his chin and thinking about something. And a few seconds later, Anna returns to the living room and carefully gives the cup of coffee to the man.
“Thanks, sweetie,” Julian nods with a slight smile.
After making herself forget about all her fears, Anna exhales quietly and sits down next to the man, who drinks hot coffee and pretends that he is delighted with its taste, barely holding himself down from criticizing the girl a lot.
“Amazing coffee!” Julian pronounces with delight and a slight smile. “M-m-m… Delicious.”
“Glad you like it,” Anna replies in a low voice without emotions, moves her eyes to her hands, and pulls a sleeve of her shapeless sweater.
“By the way, I talked to your parents a little, and they complained that you eat very little.”
“You say it like I am going to refuse food. I’ve always eaten not very much and am not used to taking big pieces.”
“But now you eat much less,” Lillian notices with anxiety. “Or sometimes you eat nothing, as your father says.”
“It’s okay, Mother, I told you about it.”
“Oh, Anna…” Julian moans tiredly. “When will you start to enjoy your life?”
“I dunno… I think, never…”
“Stop, sweetie…” Julian carefully puts the cup on the coffee table and hugs Anna around the shoulders, making her shake slightly, while her heart literally jumps out of her chest. “You are surrounded by such wonderful people, but you waste your time and nerves on a certain thankless man.”
“I know…” Anna sighs heavily, still looking at her hands with dead eyes. “But I can do nothing with it…”
“Think about your parents. They are so worried about you. And think of me. I am also madly worried and really want to give you peace and happiness. I want you to stop thinking of the one, who does not deserve it.”
“I can’t… I can’t do this…”
“Oh, sweet Anna…” Maximilian sighs heavily. “What do we do to you? How do we make you feel better and let you know that life might be beautiful even after a breakup with your boyfriend?”
“Anyhow…” Anna replies without emotions on her face, setting her dead eyes into the distance. “Nothing can help me…”
“Do not worry, Mr. Seymour, I will not leave it as it’s happening,” Julian promises confidently. “Early or late, I will do my best for you and Mrs. Seymour to see Anna happy and smiling. You know that I always get what I want and am used to reaching my goal.”
“Please, Julian, do the possible and the impossible,” Lillian begs with pity in her eyes. “Maximilian and I want to see our daughter happy. It’s hurtful for us to see her in such a terrible condition.”
“I shall care about it.” Julian glances at Anna, who thinks about finding an excuse to leave quietly and get rid of the man, at least for a few minutes. “With me, Anna will be very happy. Will you let me do my best for your happiness? Huh, Anna?”
Because Anna is thinking about something and does not answer, Julian frowns strongly and starts to look at her more closely.
“Anna?” Julian pronounces. “Anna, sweetie… I am calling you… Stop dreaming…”
Julian pushes Anna’s scapula secretly from Maximilian and Lillian so strongly that the girl shakes strongly and stubs her leg against the coffee table. So, the hot coffee in the cup eventually spills on her legs, and destroys her shapeless sweater.
“Ah, how it’s hot!” Anna winces strongly, doubling over and starting to wince because of the hot temperature of the drink. “Ah… Oh… God…”
“Anna, sweetie…” Julian pronounces with horror in his eyes, holding down his wish to laugh at her for being clumsy and playing the role of a caring man too hard. “Why are you not so careful? The coffee was so hot!”
“N-nothing, it’s ok-k-kay,” Anna replies in a shaking voice, understanding much her stomach and the top of her legs are burning. “It’s my fault… I touched the table with my leg…”
“I think it was your cup, Julian,” Maximilian notices thoughtfully, holding the cup that he took some time before Anna splashed coffee on her.
“I’m so sorry… I didn’t want it…”
“It’s okay, I am not mad,” Julian says quietly. “You better go to change your clothes.”
“Yeah… I… I will change my clothes and turn on the washing machine to wash them.”
“Only washing is not enough, honey,” Lillian meddles confidently. “Let’s go together. I will help you wash coffee spots.”
Lillian stands up from the sofa confidently, and Julian helps Anna do the same, while she winces in pain. The woman softly takes her daughter’s hand and goes to her room, while he stays with Maximilian, watching the women.
“I must confess that Anna has been a little distracted lately…” Julian notices thoughtfully, as he frowns slightly. “When she was at my home, she also knocked a cup of coffee. But only the rag suffered.”
“Really?” Maximilian wonders.
“Yes, I was afraid that Father would swear because he bought that rag abroad for big money. But luckily, he understood everything when I explained that Anna did not do it on purpose. He said he would find someone to solve this problem.”
“You know, sometimes my daughter is really not with us in her mind… She may easily trip over herself or run into a sharp corner. Somehow, I even saw a wound on Anna’s forehead, and she said she tripped over and hit her head against your car.”
“Yes, yes, I almost forgot!” Julian claps himself on the forehead. “That’s true! When Anna was getting in the car, she tripped over and fell to the ground. She hit her head against the door of my car…”
“Oh, God…”
“You know how much I was so scared!” Julian puts a hand on his heart, looking at Maximilian with pity in his eyes. “Hits on the head are always dangerous. But luckily, your daughter did not hit it too strongly and only got a couple of bruises that I treated. I always have a first aid kit that I needed that time.”
“Thanks, Julian,” Maximilian thanks truly. “Thanks for helping her. I am so glad you were with her.”
“You must do something immediately in these cases. I insisted on a visit to the hospital and an examination, but Anna refused and said she felt good and wanted to go home.”
“Don’t worry, I will drive her to the hospital somehow.”
“Yes, Mr. Seymour, do it. And please, do not delay it.”
“My gosh, how caring you are!” Maximilian pronounces with admiration. “So careful… You’re worried about my daughter so much… I am sorry that she, silly girl, does not appreciate your care and withdraws into herself…”
“And it really hurts me,” Julian replies with sadness in his eyes. “Of course, I completely understand her feelings, but I really want her to let me help her. I actually love her. I have always liked Anna like a girl and would die to be with her. To marry that wonderful girl… She would give birth to a son that I dream about so badly…”
“Would you really marry her?”
“Of course! I have dated many girls, but none of them were as wonderful as Anna. Your daughter is the woman of my dreams. If I marry, I will marry only her or someone like her.”
“I’ve always known you are not indifferent to her,” Maximilian smiles mysteriously. “And I’m sure that you would be a perfect husband of hers and a father of my grandchildren.”
“Oh, it’s a great honor to me, Mr. Seymour.”
“I’m praying that Anna forgets the betrayal and pays attention to you. And actually… I’m sorry that she didn’t do it much earlier.”
“Sadly, I can’t make her love me. Even if I feel something for her, it will stay inside me. If she does not want to look at me as a man.”
“You know, Julian…” Maximilian puts his cup on the coffee table. “The situation with Anna starts to scare me. Her condition is not fine. I understand that she feels hurt, but she must brace herself and keep living. My daughter literally prefers suffering. As if Anna likes it! She likes being surrounded by everybody… Though, that’s wrong! She is no longer a child and must grow up and become a smart and wise woman.”
“She just does not want to accept what happened to her,” Julian replies confidently. “But trust me, it will happen, early or late. Your daughter will get through a few stages. At first, she will not believe it, and she will blame herself, withdraw into herself, and suffer. But then she will start to get used to it slowly, open herself to people, and eventually come to herself.”
“It drives me insane… And I’m starting to think of bringing her to a psychologist. If she does not overcome her pain in the nearest time, I will have to talk to Lillian about Anna’s visit to a doctor.”
Getting sharply pale, Julian rounds his eyes and gets tense enough, locking his fingers tightly.
“Psychologist?” Julian pronounces excitedly.
“It’s not fine that a young, beautiful girl literally buries herself,” Maximilian replies confidently. “She must speak to her friends and people, fall in love, go somewhere, and make improvements on herself… But Anna wants nothing! She just lies on a bed all day or walks in the apartment and suffers from her love.”
“Come on, Mr. Seymour… Why do you need a doctor when there is me, the man, who is ready for anything for your daughter? You do not have to go to a psychologist because she will not tell them anything. Your daughter would mind it.”
“We can’t solve it by ourselves, Julian. She needs a good doctor’s help. At first, Lilian and I will go to consult, and then we will bring Anna, so the doctor works on her.”
“Come on… Anna would tell the psychologist the same things that she says to us.”
“A doctor could tell us how to behave and help our daughter forget her love. Make her sure that life is going on, and nothing stops after someone cheats on you.” Maximilian nods confidently. “Yeah! In the nearest time, I will talk to Lilian, and we will ask our familiars about a good doctor.”
“You will just waste your time and money. Those doctors take big money for one consultation.”
“We will pay any money, so they help my daughter come to herself. I am not going to lose her because of her suffering for the guy, who will never be back to her.”
“Listen, Mr. Seymour, you shouldn’t find anyone. I briefly know psychology and know what to do in this case. Just give me some time. I swear on my mother’s grave, I shall make her forget about that stinker and realize that she must keep moving on.”
“Listen, maybe, your father has some familiars? Tell Norman to call me if he has familiar psychologists. What if we find someone to agree to work on this case.”
“It will not help her, trust me. Those doctors will just recommend that your daughter take antidepressants and have much more rest. Though, it's not enough. She needs talks, some walks, and hobbies… Do not even hope that those people will help Anna.”
“No, don’t say it, Julian!” Maximilian protests. “Doctors are experienced people, who know their job like five fingers. Don’t treat them so badly!”
“Listen, Mr. Seymour…”
“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. But I decided to wait and hoped Anna would come to herself some time later. However, now I’m absolutely sure that my daughter needs doctors’ help.”
“My father has a familiar woman, who was also worried about breaking up with the man of her dreams for a very long time. She asked a psychologist for help, but they did not help her, even if she paid a lot of money. All their pieces of advice were worthless and banal. Only the man, whom she met and fell in love with, helped her.”
“Yeah, but she doesn’t want it! She wants to open herself to nobody! And we must end it.”
“I am the only one, who can help her and is ready to wait for her reaction as long as she needs. Early or late, Anna will say, ‘thank you’ to me for saving her and teaching her to love life again.”
“I don’t doubt that she will feel good with you. But she also needs professional help.”
“If I have to, I will take a vacation and spend time with your daughter. I can take her somewhere abroad, so she has a rest and lives in another place for some time. A change of place could help her come to herself.”
“No, no, it’s decided!” Maximilian pronounces determinedly. “When Lillian and I stay alone, I will talk to her about it and find out what she thinks about it.”
“But, Mr. Seymour…”
“Gosh, Julian, why do you mind Anna’s visit to a good psychologist?” Maximilian wonders. “It seems like you don’t want it!”
“It goes without saying, I want your daughter to come to herself. I just told you that it would not help her.”
“Talking to a physiologist is not a terrible thing. Anna would feel better if she told them anything and revealed the reason why she is suffering so much. Even if she didn’t want to speak, a psychologist would find a way to get the truth out of her and work on her until she gets better.”
“The reason is clear – her breakup with that beggar, who deceived her so insolently! And we do know it well! And Anna needs to spend a lot of time with people, who do not remind her of her pain and wish to help her, to forget that betrayal. She would not have time to think of him. Thus, your daughter would forget him little by little and start to enjoy her life again.”
“I don’t argue with you. But a psychologist could give us good pieces of advice that would help her and us. We should know how to behave in these situations.”
“You do not need it, Mr. Seymour. Anna will survive it! Just give her time!”
“Survive?” Maximilian wonders a little louder, rounding his eyes. “Is it normal that my daughter looks horrible, tortures herself with starvation, kills herself, and started to think she was ugly and talentless? Anna never suffered from a lack of self-confidence, but now she hates herself so much that she ignores mirrors and wears some terrible clothes that don’t fit her! A young, beautiful girl dresses up nobody knows what! At her age, girls wear clothes that could make them look good. Not add ten or fifteen years.”
“It’s temporary,” Julian says without emotions. “Your daughter is overcoming certain stages. But Anna will look much better very soon. You know how often women get better after a breakup or a divorce! They understand that they wasted time on some jackasses. They decide that we’ve got just one life and use it to the fullest.”
“If we don’t help her, she will never be herself. It really scares me. I want to see my daughter healthy, happy, and quiet. So, I am going to ask a doctor for help.”
“No, Mr. Seymour!”
“Stop, Julian!” Maximilian throws harshly. “I no longer want to torture my daughter and make her suffer! Enough! It’s hurtful for me to see her crying all day in her room and losing interest in life.”
Julian sneers contemptuously and smiles slyly, deciding to end this show and stop pretending that he is worried about Anna and her mental health.
“She will never be happy,” Julian says in a low, rude voice. “This brainless, worthless chicken will suffer all her life. As she deserved it.”
Maximilian does not react to Julian’s words at first, but later he gets frozen for a second, opens his eyes widely, and moves his dumbfounded look to the man.
“I did not get it!” Maximilian pronounces. “What did you say? Julian! Come on? How do you dare to say it about my daughter?”
“So, I can finally tell you everything I think of your allegedly wonderful daughter,” Julian laughs evilly, gets up from the sofa, and crosses his arms over his chest. “And I am madly happy that I am able not to pretend anymore.”
“Gosh… Julian… You… What kind of demon did you get obsessed with? I… I cannot believe it.”
“You better believe it. And start to accept the fact that the gal will be dead soon.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Maximilian wonders loudly. “Did you go crazy?”
“Not at all,” Julian shakes his head, looking at Maximilian insolently. “I am just doing what my father wants. Who is going to take revenge on your family.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about!”
“He still remembers how you and your ex-wife almost bankrupted him with your tricks in the past. So, Daddy decided to take revenge. And he decided to start with your beloved daughter. Father told me to torture her as strongly as possible. And I believe I’m brilliantly doing my mission.”
“You’re crazy, Julian,” Maximilian shakes her head. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“This gal is too obedient and cowardly. And if someone terrified her, she would obviously say nothing and tolerate any hellish tortures to save her close people.” Julian falls into silence for a second and rolls his eyes up. “For example, her parents…”
“What did you say, bastard?”
“Anna says nothing about it just because her mommy and daddy would die if she opens her fucking mouth. The girl naively thinks that it would save her fucking family. Which was, however, ruined to the fuck. Even your daughter could not save the marriage between you and Lilian. You divorced anyway.”
“Is that your work? Is my daughter suffering because of you?”
“And the most terrible things are waiting for her. That gal will do everything I tell her. Otherwise, she will get slaps on her baby face. For non-obedience. Since she was not reined in her childhood, I will work on her education. Make her a normal woman, who obeys a man in everything!”
Maximilian just realizes why Anna always said Julian was bad and was begging him to protect her, and why Lillian told him about her suspicions.
“I can’t believe it, I cannot believe it…” Maximilian pronounces slowly, shakes his head sharply, and gets up from the sofa. “So, did she not lie to me when she said you were terrible, and your apologies were fake, as well as all the words you just said?”
“Did you, brainless sheep, just wake up?” Julian sneers contemptuously. “Just like a girl in love, who blindly believes that her boyfriend is an innocent angel, whom everybody tries to slander.”
“So, have you been mocking her?” Maximilian resents loudly. “Anna is suffering not only because of her ex-boyfriend, but also you!”
“You did ask me to do everything for her to stop thinking about that beggar.” Julian throws his hands up with a sly smile on his face. “So, I did what you asked. I mean, I almost did. Seymour cares about the lives of you and Lilian much more.”
“Now I understand why you the fuck refused the doctors’ help. You knew the truth would come to light! They would say that she was suffering because of you! You knew that Lilian and I would know the truth. The truth about you putting her to mockeries.”
“Although I am terribly sick of pretending to be an angel, I must confess that it was fun.” Julian sneers evilly. “You and your wife are so stupid that it was super easy to play the fool with you! I had fun when Seymour was begging you for help so hard. But you, Maximilian, did not believe her. You said your daughter was delirious and going crazy because of the breakup with her deadbeat. And as I understand, her chicken brains started to work if she shut her month down. Or she got scared that she would get a slap in the face again if she kept believing in her salvation.”
“Bastard… Nasty bastard… ASSHOLE!”
“It’s too late to regret it. Your beloved daughter is at my mercy. And I can do anything I want to her. And she would not dare to squeak. Because she would be afraid that Father and I would bring you and Lilian to the cemetery.”
Maximilian clenches his hands into fists so tightly that his knuckles get white, and he gets obsessed with a very strong anger.
“What did you do to her?” Maximilian hisses through his teeth. “Answer, stinker! What did you do with my daughter?”
“Nothing special,” Julian shrugs with an innocent smile. “I just terrified the gal. I said if she dared to tell someone about the hits that she gets for the reason, go against my wish, and not to do everything I want immediately, her beloved parents would be dead. In the beginning, your beloved daughter was trying to resist, but later, she realized that she would get worse. Her little brain started to work. The first time in her life. She only needs to become an obedient woman, who will open her mouth when she is told. Make her remember that she is the creature without rights that must be the shadow of the man.”
“BASTARD!” Maximilian, breathing like a furious bull, grabs Julian by the collar with both hands and shakes him. “SCUMBAG! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO MY DAUGHTER? HOW?”
“I am doing all of that not only by the order of my father. I have enough reasons to make tons of claims against your daughter. Who will pay me. While you and Lilian will pay my father.”
“No, nasty scumbag, YOU will pay me and Lilian for bringing Anna to this condition. Gosh… I, idiot, naively believed that I gave my little girl to the trustworthy hands, but I almost gave her to the wolf to be eaten. I almost killed my own daughter!”
“That little girl is just too tender,” Julian throws coldly. “She shakes like a bunny, cries like a hysterical girl, and always blunts something… That fucking princess is not used to a harsh attitude. Just because you did not beat her in childhood. You did not teach her to obey men and older people. But if she was the daughter of my father, he would beat her on her ass every day for the reason and without. So, she, the fuck, shakes in front of a man and does anything by his order.”
“ASSHOLE!” Maximilian shouts. “She does feel too bad because of the breakup with her boyfriend, but you got her much more exhausted! She only needs to think of suicide, so her mother and I go crazy from grief.”
“It would be great!” Julian sneers with contempt. “Maybe, my father and I would not have to kill you and the gal’s mother for revenge. You would die because of grieving for your talentless and worthless daughter!”
“Do not dare to insult my daughter! DO NOT DARE!”
“That gal is a fucking freak, who nobody knows why is living in the world.” Julian sneers quietly again. “And what did that poor deadbeat find about her when she ruined the wedding that would’ve given us a great benefit?”
“I shall not let her marry you, son of a bitch!” Maximilian exclaims loudly. “You will bring her to the wish to die if she becomes your wife! I will not let you do something horrible to my daughter. You, scumbag, will lose your head if you dare to hurt Anna again.”
“If I want it, the wedding of your daughter and me will happen. Not that little nerd Ryan will be standing in front of the altar, but ME. The one, who my father originally wanted to get married to Anna.”
“I said you WOULD NOT MARRY HER!”
“It will not stop me. I will be torturing your daughter without documents for marriage. You and Lilian will be able to do nothing. None of you will avoid your death. As well as Anna.”
“You will not touch her with a finger anymore,” Maximilian threatens with a finger. “Lilian and I will do everything for you and Norman to pay for the suffering that you put our daughter under.”
“If you go to the police or somewhere else, you three will die on the same day. And nobody will even know anything because any proof and your copses will be liquidated. I shall deal with Anna, and Father will deal with you and Lilian.”
“I’m not afraid of your threats, bastard! NOT AFRAID!”
“Wrong. Now I am dealing with Anna, but one day my father will press you to the wall and remind you of everything he still hates you for.”
“BASTARD! BURN IN HELL!”
Maximilian raises his hand to slap Julian in the face as strongly as he can, but Potter dodges the slap deftly, takes Anna’s father's hand sharply, and looks at him with contempt.
“Wrong, brainless sheep!” Julian laughs evilly. “If you try to hit me, I will kill you right here.”
“Stop threatening me, bastard!” Maximilian hisses through his teeth.
“Do you think I am kidding and telling your fairy tales that you believed like a naive little boy? No, Mr. Seymour, everything is serious! My father and I are going to bring our revenge to an end. I will be very happy to destroy your beloved daughter, whom you have always praised so much. It was Anna this, Anna that, Anna is so talented, smart, and amazing…” Julian sneers with evil and sharply pushes Maximilian off himself. “Yeah, there are so many talents that the brains might explode! She does not have talents! She is a talentless, stupid, worthless, and clumsy freak that must have died in the womb.”
“Do not dare to say these things about my daughter! I will cut your tongue if I hear something like this again!”
“I’m telling you the truth. Your daughter is a worthless and talentless creature. She does not want to watch her step, always falls down, and spills coffee or something else. She even managed to make a cup of bad coffee and spill it on her. I asked her not to add sugar, but she added! And after this, will you deny that Anna is stupid and deaf?”
“Do not make me enraged, Julian!” Maximilian hisses with evil in his eyes, breathing heavily enough. “You have no right to say it about the girl, who is MUCH kinder and MORE talented than you! You are jealous that my daughter is smart, educated, kind, caring, and provided with everything, but you have nothing but a bag of money. I am not surprised that you are a thirty-five-year-old, but have not created your own family yet. I will tell you why! Because you are too nasty, jealous, and greedy! Your father taught you nothing! Because he is the same nasty bastard! And he teaches his sonny to be the same!”
“Do not dare to say it about my father!” Julian threatens Maximilian with a finger. “DO NOT DARE! Unlike you, he has always been able to educate children and keep them under strict control. I am proud to have a father like him! Thanks to him, I’ve become a real man, not someone like a girl.”
“I think I was deeply wrong when I thought that my daughter was a silly baby. She is actually smarter than all of us! And more insightful! Anna quickly understood that she would be doomed to suffer if she got in touch with the Potters. That’s why my daughter avoided this marriage so hard! She did not even want to connect her life with Ryan, even if he is the only normal man in your family.”
“Do not pretend to be a perfect father. You and Lilian have never been good mother and father! As well as your parents! They taught you nothing, and you did not control your daughter, who thought that a woman could do anything.”
“I am banning you from getting close to my daughter,” Maximilian says confidently. “From this day on, do not even dare to show up at my home and take Anna with you. She will go NOWHERE with you!”
“Relax, Maximilian, I am no longer going to care about this chicken. Take her everywhere, feeling ashamed to be next to such an ugly woman. To whom nothing can help: no good clothes, no good hair, no makeup. Though, she will not get off me so easily. I have done almost half of what I planned, and my next step is more terrible. I swear I will do everything for your daughter to do anything my father and I want obediently. I will teach her to behave as ANY WOMAN MUST BEHAVE.”
“You will not dare to come to her!” Maximilian screams. “You will go to prison if you dare to hurt my daughter again! I will cut your throat for her, bastard. You got it?”
Maximilian manages to slap Julian in the face a couple of times before Potter rudely pushes him off himself, takes a jackknife from the inside pocket of his jacket, opens it with one movement of his finger, and puts it to the throat of Anna’s father.
“I advise you not to move, jackass!” Julian threatens in a low voice. “Or I will give a fuck about my promises and cut you all to the fuck. I can easily do this!”
Maximilian did not expect that Julian would take a knife and put it against his throat. The man getting sharply white stops trying to attack Anna’s offender and raises his hands to his shoulders’ level, breathing heavily enough and feeling how fast his heart is beating. While Potter keeps the knife against Seymour’s throat with a sly smile on his face and raises his head proudly.
[1] esp. Оh, no, no, my love
[2] esp. My grandfather
[3] esp. Yes
[4] esp. My grandfather
[5] esp. My kitten
[6] esp. My love
[7] esp. Sweetheart
[8] esp. Sweetheart
[9] esp. Thank you, my love! Bye!
