Easy as One Two Three (Emma Frost) (2 page)

2

April 2014

T
HE FIRST THING HE
noticed were the tubes. They were in his nose, but he couldn't see them. He could feel they were there. Next, there were the voices. There were people talking with low voices, serious voices, authoritative voices. Mads had no idea where he was and tried to open his eyes, but couldn't. He couldn't see anything and, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't open his eyelids.

Had he gone blind? Panic spread inside of him. The voices in the room didn't seem to know he was awake.

The accident! I was in an accident. There was a car. Oh my God, I remember now. I was hit by a car.

Suddenly, he remembered in detail how the car had come closer so fast he couldn't react. He remembered thinking
this is it
before the car knocked him down. He even remembered the eyes of the girl behind the windshield. Those eyes had been so frightened, so terrified, right before she…before she drove right into Mads. He remembered the hit, the pain, and then his body rolling across the front of the car. He even remembered landing on the asphalt. He remembered seeing his own blood on the ground next to him. He remembered hearing the girl scream inside the car. He remembered a long time passed and he wondered what would happen next. He remembered the girl talking and crying. He remembered wondering if she would call for an ambulance. He must have been falling in and out of consciousness. The next thing he remembered was seeing her face close up. He remembered her looking at him. He remembered her reaching down and checking for a pulse. He clearly remembered her weary eyes when she realized what had happened. How did he remember all this?

Mads had no idea. He had to have been conscious at the time, he thought to himself, while pictures from the accident flickered inside of his mind. He saw the car again and again, moving towards him, then the pain, the scream, the girl, crying, then…then there was something else, wasn't there? There was someone there? He remembered seeing someone there before he lost consciousness.

Oh my God, I remember everything. There really was someone there. She took her. She took the girl. She forced her into the car and drove off with her, didn't she? Yes she did. I remember her standing there. I saw her. She walked closer; she looked at me, then at the girl. Then she hit her. Yes, that's what happened. She hit the girl with her fist, knocked her out, and then carried her to the car. Oh God, she hurt the girl. I have to tell someone, I have to tell…

Mads tried hard again to open his eyelids. He could still hear the voices in the distance, they were talking in a monotone, mellow fashion. Why weren't they helping him? Why weren't they aware that he was awake? They had to know. Didn't they?

Mads wanted to speak. He wanted to open his mouth and try to tell everything to the people in the room…tell about the girl and the woman and how he had seen everything. Even if he couldn't see them, they would certainly react when he started speaking.

But nothing happened. No matter how hard Mads tried, no words left his mouth. He didn't even open his mouth.

What the hell is this? What's going on?

"I am very sorry to have to tell you this, Mrs. Rahbek, but we believe that there isn't any hope for your brother."

Mrs. Rahbek? That's my sister! My sister is here. She can help me. Hey sis. I'm right here!

The male voice continued talking. "Mads was an organ donor. I do believe you and your mother should consider a transplant of his kidneys and liver."

"But it has only been three days?" His sister argued. "Couldn't he suddenly wake up from this coma? It has been known to happen before, hasn't it?"

"It has," the male voice said. "But in your brother's case, I don't believe he will wake up. There is no brain activity at all. I'm sorry. I'm not going to lie to you. There is no hope for him. We’ll run some tests on his liver and kidneys to see if someone might be able to use them. I'm so sorry, Mrs. Schou."

Mrs. Schou? Mom? That's my mother. My mother is here? Why are they talking about me in the past tense? Why is the man saying there is no hope? There is lots of hope. I'm right here, Mommy, I can hear everything you're saying. I'm not dead. I'm alive. I can hear everything! Stop them. Don't let them take my organs. I need them. I'm alive. Hello? Can anyone hear me? Mommy, don't let them kill me. Don't let them!

"We'll probably need a few more hours before we make the final decision," Mads heard his sister say.

Yes, that's it, sis. Believe in me. I'm back. I'm here. I hear everything. You just need to see it. Look at me. I'm awake. I'm right here.

"His father is trapped in Dubai. He’s trying to get on a plane to be here. We should at least wait to make our decision till he gets here, shouldn't we?" his sister continued.

No one answered. Mads wondered if his dad really was going to arrive to say goodbye. So many times in his life he had told him he was going to be there, but then forgot or ran into something more important.

"We’ve tried to reach Mr. Schou's wife," the male voice said. "We’ve left messages for her, but so far she hasn't been here. Do you have any way of reaching her? She might want to be able to say goodbye."

Say goodbye? What is he talking about? I'm not dead. I'm right here! Hello?

3

April 2012

T
HEY WERE SO HAPPY
on the day of their marriage. Mads and Signe were the couple everyone adored; they were the couple everyone looked up to and wanted to be like. From the outside, everything seemed to be perfect.

But as soon as the guests had left and Mads and Signe were once again alone, the quarreling began.

"The cake was terrible. It tasted like sweaty feet," Signe yelled. "How could you use that stupid baker from Rolighedsvej? I told you to go with the one from Nyvej. Don't you think I know why you chose her? Huh? You think I'm that stupid? You had a thing for her all along, didn't you?"

"For whom? The baker?" Mads asked.

"No. That girl who is behind the counter down there. Did you sleep with her? Did she put frosting in her bellybutton and have you lick it off, did she?"

"Ah, come on. That's ridiculous, Signe," Mads said. "But now that we're at it, don't you think I saw how you looked at Jacob during the reception? The way you tilted your head back and giggled every time he said anything. He’s not that funny, you know. No one is. I was watching you the whole time while you spoke to him and looked at him with that little twinkle in your eye."

"Ah, shut up," Signe yelled. She grabbed her shoe and threw it at Mads. He ducked and it hit the wall behind him.

"Ha. Missed," he said with a grin. Then he picked up a book and threw it at her. It hit her on the shoulder.

"You're really bad at this," she said.

Mads laughed. Signe didn't. She was still angry and determined to show him. It had been a terrible wedding day. Well, not all the way horrible. There had been good moments as well. A lot of them, to be honest. She had enjoyed herself. It was just…well he just made her so jealous. She hated the way women looked at him. She was constantly afraid of losing him, of some rich girl coming between them and sweeping him of his feet, making him realize that it was all wrong of him to marry her. That he deserved so much better.

Because he did. Signe knew he did. He was such a good man. A great catch and she was lucky to have him. But he could never know that. Of course he couldn't. He would be too sure of himself and stop fighting for her. That's what Signe's mother had always told her.

The moment they stop fighting for you, it is over. Men love the chase. Let him chase you. Keep it going. Never let him be certain of you.

So Signe made him fight for her constantly. And she was constantly jealous and afraid that someone better would come along and snatch him. She had to stay on her toes and could never rest.

"We should start packing for our trip to Egypt," Mads said, and picked up the shoe from the floor. "We need to be at the airport early in the morning."

Signe sat in a chair with a grunt and her arms crossed in front of her chest. "I'm not going," she said. "Not until you admit you like her."

Mads laughed again. "I'm not falling into that trap again. If I admit to that, you'll never go." He kneeled in front of her and took her hand. He kissed it. "So that's it?" he asked. "I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't?"

Signe still didn't say anything. It was true that she had flirted with Jacob. He was right about that. But that was only to make him jealous. She was terrified of the married life awaiting them. Now Mads knew for sure that she loved him. He knew where he had her. She belonged to him. Now he no longer needed to chase after her. It was over and it could only go downhill from now on. So she had decided to make sure he knew that he still had to fight for her. That she was still desirable to many men.

It had worked.

Mads came closer. He kissed her neck and whispered in her ear. "I was so angry seeing you with that guy. You wouldn't believe it. If it hadn't been my wedding, I swear to God, I would have…"

Signe stopped his kisses and looked at his face. "Would have what?" she asked.

"Killed him," Mads said. "If he had touched you in any way, I would have killed him right there on the spot."

Signe leaned back in the chair with a deep smile. She let him take her in the chair and enjoyed every grunt of desire coming from him.

"That's what I like to hear," she whispered. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

4

April 2014

W
E LEFT THE POLICE
station feeling frustrated. I had hardly slept in days and felt exhausted. In Morten's car, I called my ex-husband Michael.

"They found her phone," I said, when he picked up.

Michael was quiet for a long while. I hoped he was feeling horrible for all that had happened and was blaming himself. I didn't tell him, but I was secretly blaming him. Maya had been in his care and under his supervision when all this happened. I couldn't understand how things could have gotten this far out of hand without him noticing it. Maya was the type who told you if something was wrong. She didn't just run off without a reason. But Michael had no idea what the reason was, he kept telling me. Either that or he wouldn't tell me. I was still indecisive on that subject.

"So what does that mean?" he asked.

"I have no idea. They still think she ran off after hitting the guy with the car. Officer Hansen seems to think she threw the phone away in order for them not to be able to trace her. I just don't think Maya is that cunning. I don't think she would ever think about doing that, do you?"

"I…I don't know, Emma. I haven't been with her much the past few years. I have to admit, I'm not sure I know her that well anymore. She did steal a car. My car. I don't know what else she is capable of."

I felt anger rise in me as Morten drove down the road. "What is that supposed to mean? You think she did this, don't you?"

Michael was quiet again. I didn't like his silence. It felt uncomfortable. How could he say these things about our daughter?

"What happened to you?" I asked. "You used to be such a nice guy and now this? What the hell happened to you?"

"I guess I’ve grown up," he said. "And so has Maya. Maybe it is time you realize she’s no longer your little innocent daughter. She’s almost a full grown woman with a will of her own, who makes her own choices. And right now she has made a really bad one. One that will cost her dearly. There really isn't much we can do about it."

Morten sensed I was agitated and put his hand in my lap. I snorted at Michael. "You've got to be kidding me, right?"

"Listen, I have to go…

"No. Michael. I'm not letting you go this easily. She’s your daughter too. She needs you. Something happened to her after I spoke with her on the phone. I just know it. She needs the both of us right now. You need to be here for her."

I felt desperate. I couldn't stand him abandoning his daughter like this. I sensed he was pulling away more and more and I couldn't live with that.

"Emma. I’m married now. I have a wife and a child. I have a new family. I have a career. I simply don't have the time…"

"No. No. No. You don't. You don't pull out of this. You help me find her, do you hear me? You are going to help me."

"I can't…I have obligations. Victoria is…Maya isn't even…I mean she's not even my daughter, is she?"

"You're the only dad she has ever known."

"I really can't…"

So you're backing out. Is that it, huh? Is that how you want it to be?"

I looked at Morten who gave me an appalled look. He snorted loudly and mumbled something to himself. I was almost about to cry in anger and frustration when Michael suddenly hung up with a short statement:

"Keep me posted if there’s any news."

I stared at the phone, trying to hold back tears and anger. Meanwhile, Morten drove the car into the parking lot in front of the hospital. He parked it and turned off the engine. Then he looked at me.

"Can you believe this guy?" I asked.

Morten shook his head. Then he leaned over and kissed me gently. It felt nice and made my worries diminish for just a split second. I sighed deeply.

"We don't need him," he whispered.

"We don't," I said. "But Maya does. She needs her father."

5

April 2014

M
ADS WAS SCARED.
No, it was worse than that. He was terrified. What had happened to him had, by far, surpassed his most horrifying nightmare. He couldn't believe this was happening. He couldn't believe it wasn't a dream. He kept yelling and screaming inside of his darkness, but none of it ever reached the people in the room with him.