RANSOM (18 page)

   She doesn’t say anything back, just takes a sip of her mimosa as she waits to be served her new breakfast. The wait isn’t long, because before I know it I have a heaping pile of steaming pancakes in front of me, something I haven’t had since I was around ten because mother was scared it would hurt my figure and ruin my possibilities of ever finding a suitable man to marry.

   Mary-Anne puts a bottle of maple syrup down, and I drench my plate in it. The first bite pretty much melts in my mouth. The next bite I take, I look up and catch my dad smiling at me with a true happiness in his eyes that I haven’t seen there in years. That is when I realize he has never been the bad guy in my life. I just grew up and away from him. Granted, my mother is still high up on my negativity list, right up there with Richard and Amanda.

   She doesn’t say anything and hardly touches the pancakes. Actually, she pokes them around like I was doing with the damn oatmeal, but eventually gives up and leaves the table with a fresh glass of OJ-Champagne mix. Dad and I talk more about everything that went down and cut up about how perfect Richard and Amanda really are for each other.

   When I am finished, I go to my room and change into some running clothes. A run through the historic district and back is exactly what I need to clear my mind and relieve the stress of everything. I put my ear buds in and head out the door.

Lynkin

   I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking trying to bring her check back to her in person. Did I expect to just walk up to the man who ruined my life’s front gate and ask to see his daughter? He is going to want to know why. What the hell do you do then, Lynkin? Do you tell him the whole story? Do you make something up? Can you tell him it is none of his damned business?

   I pass back and forth on the sidewalk a block away from their house, debating my options and whether or not I should just give up and head home. When I decide to finally cut my losses and turn to walk back to my car, everything stops. My steps, my heart, and my breathing. My Beauty is running towards me with a determined look on her face.

   It’s not until she is half a block away that she realizes who I am. Her speed slows until she comes to a complete stop about fifteen feet away. She pulls her headphones from her ears and throws them over her shoulder. She doesn’t say anything, but doesn’t need to I can see it all. First, confusion for me being here. Second, worry that I might get into trouble for being here. Third, excitement at the possibility that I am here for her.

   So what comes out of her mouth is understandable and shocking at the same time. “You have to go. You can’t be here.”

   “Why do I have to go? Do you want me to leave?”

   “It’s not about what I want, Lynkin. If Richard were to catch you with me…” she trails off.

   “What is he going to do? Nothing. Besides, how would he even know that I am here?”

   “It doesn’t matter how he will know, the problem is I don’t know what he will do to either of us when he finds out,” she says. Her voice is laced with fear.

   “What do you mean what he will do to us? Has he hit you before? I will kill him!”

   “No, he has never hit me,” she replies with hesitation. 

   “So he hasn’t ever laid a hand on you before, but you fear him. Why? Talk to me, Sage.”

   Before she speaks again, I see a finality come across her face. “Look, Lynkin, you did us both a favor by walking out on me that morning. You and I, we can’t be anything. We are from two different worlds. Just go home, use that money I gave you, and forget about me.”

   I step towards her and grab her hand in mine, placing the check in her palm. “I came here to return that to you. I don’t need it,” I pause. “In the letter that you sent with it, you said that you loved me.”

   I swipe a piece of her beautiful auburn hair, which is glowing red in the sunlight, from her face. She leans her head into my hand as if my touch is all she needs. “I did.”

   “You did love me?

   “I did what I had to do.”

   “You’re telling me that was a lie?” I drop her hand and pull back from her.

   “I am telling you that you need to turn around and leave. I don’t want you in my life.”

   That stung. A lot. I open my mouth to say something but when I look into her eyes I see how truly horrified she is at what could happen if I was caught with her, and give in. “Fine.” I lower my voice just in case someone is around, “But this doesn’t feel right and I don’t trust you with Richard. I will be back.”

   I don’t glance over my shoulder as I walk off. I’m sure if I see her break, I will come back, and right now it seems better for her if I just keep going. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I plan on getting to the bottom of it.

Sage

   I know I should be relieved that he left. It’s best for both of us. There is no telling what Richard is capable of doing, and I don’t want to find out. Lynkin got swept up into this mess and it has caused him so much shit. Now I am just adding to the top of his misery. I won’t continue to let him be the victim.

    “Who was that?” I jump when I hear Richard behind me. His voice sends a jolt of panic through my entire body. How long has he been standing there?

    “Just a tourist asking how to get to Bonaventure Cemetery.” I walk past him and into the gate towards the house. “Not that is any of your business anymore.”

   “You just got back from being kidnapped. You shouldn’t be wondering around the town by yourself.”

   “Don’t pretend like you care.”

   He grabs my elbow and yanks hard, forcing me to turn back to him. “I’m not faking. I do care about you.”

   “You sure showed it by fucking my best friend behind my back all this time. You really showed it when you left me to be held for ransom by a guy that was doing god knows what to me.”

   “I am sorry you have to find out about me and Amanda, especially like that, but you can’t call off our marriage over one fuck up, Sage.”

   “Is there a better way for me to find out that the two people I was sure I could always depend on ended up being the ones I should have been more wary about?” I jerk my arm from him. “And I can and I have called of our marriage over such a thing. I don’t trust you, and I can’t spend the rest of my life with someone like you.”

   As I reach the front door he shouts out, “You are mine, and you always will be!”

Lynkin

“Hang on, help me understand this. You are telling me that you gave a one hundred
thousand
dollar check written out to you, back to Sage?” Jen questions me.

   “You know I don’t take charity, and there is no way I can take it from her. Besides, I told you I don’t need it now,” I explain as we sit on Mom’s front porch swing.

   “I know, but damn, you could’ve cashed it and given that shit to me.” I give her a sideways look and she starts laughing, “Ah, come on man, I am just cutting up with you. You need to smile.”

   “I can’t.”

   “Why? Because you think that sweet little Sage is in danger? She isn’t yours to worry about.”

   I cringe at her words, but she’s right in a way. “I love her.”

“Finally! Holy shit, man, that took you long enough,” Jen says, excitedly.

   That same time, Mom comes running from the house and squealing, “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I am so happy for you, honey!”

   “Why the hell are you two so damn excited for me to be in love with a girl that I can never be with? It’s like you both want me to be miserable!”

   “Of course we don’t want you to be miserable,” Mom says.

   “Who says the two of you can’t be together?” Jen ask.

    “Reality does! I can’t afford to give her the things she is used to, her father wouldn’t allow it, and even if none of those reasons were staring me in the face, the biggest of all is the little fact of her impending marriage,” I fill them in.

   “Excuses! That’s all that is,” my mother counters.

   “No, Mom, they are facts.”

   “What the hell? You have never backed down from a sticky situation. Take some of your own advice and dive right into this,” Jen suggests.

   I sit there as the swing continues to sway back and forth until it slows to a stop. They’re right. I shouldn’t be letting any of this get in the way of me at least trying. “You’re right, but
I can’t just jump into this one blind like I normally do.” I stand. Looking over at Jennifer I hint, “It’s going to need a spy on the inside.”

   “Why do I always have to be drug into this stuff too?” she whines.

   “Just one of the perks of being my best friend!”

   “Ugh!” she grumbles out before relenting. “Fine. What do you need me to do?”

Sage

   I have been sitting on this damn bed, in this damn room, looking at the same damn thing for over an hour. My wedding dress. The tailor that had it fitted to me the same week that Lynkin took me just delivered it. I don’t guess the news of me calling off the wedding has made it very far at all, considering that the maid brought it in here and hung it up on my closet door, then proceeded to congratulate me and tell me I will make a beautiful bride. As soon as she left, I unzipped the garment bag and pulled the dress out. I backed up until my legs hit the bed, and I have been sitting here ever since.

   A knock on the door brings me out of my stupefied condition. “Come in.”