Unsuitable Obsession - Part One (31 page)

“I—I, couldn’t help it,” Eduardo managed to get
out.

“You dirty cheat. You
used
my daughter and
played with her affections for years now...you’re so God damned
selfish!” Sheila began shouting, “Get outta here! Go away! You
don’t belong here!” She didn’t care that Victor was within hearing
distance; all she cared about was Amber—to protect her daughter
from further harm. Eduardo was the damaging influence now and
Sheila wanted to shield Amber from any further pain. What kind of
man would allow his loved one to self-destruct? Sheila slapped
Eduardo across his face again. Wanted to kick him in the groin
when—

Victor suddenly appeared, eyed his mother-in-law
hitting his brother, his face drawn—in shock. “Eduardo—Sheila? What
the hell is going on?”

Eduardo shot a look at Sheila…Sheila managed to
reach Victor’s side; caressed his shoulder then let out a huge
sigh. The truth had to come out one-way or the other. She just
couldn’t believe that she would be the one who would liberate the
infidelity. In a calm voice, she allowed herself to say, “I’m so
sorry Victor, but the reason he’s here is...is because they were
having an affair.”

Victor’s face went vacant. Eduardo gulped, looked
beyond Sheila—
froze.

Sheila wandered out of the moment and did a
double-take at Amber’s in-laws: Fabrizio, Rosalba—their faces white
with shock.

OH HELL!

She didn’t mean to let The Family know as well!
Victor, Eduardo, Rosalba and Fabrizio were all in disbelief
now.

Eduardo? Did she just say that Eduardo was sleeping
with their daughter-in-law? “Que?” Rosalba let out, shaking with
trauma, “Usted hombre
estúpido!
What were you thinking?”

“Su hijo de esposa, Leticia, don’t you love your
wife?” Fabrizio asked angry.

“You’re the devil Eduardo,
el Diablo
, hurting
your brother this way,” Rosalba cried, crumbling in her husband’s
arms.

“Look what you did to your brother Eduardo, look
what you did to his wife,” Fabrizio stated, sadly unable to look at
his eldest son.

Eduardo walked away from his family at that moment
and doesn’t worry about what they think of him…Good God, he doesn’t
care? With his head down he contemplated his next move. How to get
back in to see Amber, how to wake her up, how to tell her he’s
sorry, how to tell her to
hold on
. “But I love her.”

Sheila thought she almost missed it, like a whisper
from one of the nurses down the hall. “What did you just say?” She
could not believe it. Maybe didn’t want to allow herself to believe
when she heard those particular words.

“I’ve always loved her,” he replied, staring at
Sheila’s doubtful gaze.

Sheila scanned his attire, all business-like…so
fashionable, with the best coat and ties, the fancy shoes, hair all
neat and combed, so unlike Victor. “And when were you planning on
telling her that?” She threw at him, a laugh still in her words.
Sheila was wise. After all the husbands and lovers, and
men
,
she had to be shrewd. It was armor she wore well; a medal she
cherished and was proud of.

“She knows I love her,” Eduardo confessed honestly.
“I tried to make her come back. To tell her that I was sorry...I
was going to leave my wife.”

Sheila started to express amusement. “You are a
piece of work, you know that? Keep shoveling those hearts and
flowers out you bastard, but it’s still after the fact now isn’t
it?
She almost killed herself today!”

“It’s the goddamn truth!” Eduardo angrily yelled
back at her, the harsh attorney now emerging. “I’ve always wanted
to take care of her, Sheila, always wanted to be near her. I’m the
one she should have married,” he motioned, pounding his chest. “I’m
the one who should have fathered her children. I love her more than
anyone here could ever imagine!” Eduardo shouted back at Sheila in
addition to everyone in the hallway. The Family heard everything
that was hollered. He didn’t need to be so complacent about it.
They all nodded their heads in shame. Rosalba crying
uncontrollably, Fabrizio tried to calm her down, disbelieving his
brother’s proclamation, Victor ran out of the glass doors
nearby.

“Eduardo, even I don’t believe you...When Amber
wakes up I don’t want you near her. I want her as far away from you
as humanly possible. You’re going to have to live with your guilt.
Amber was going to sacrifice everything for you today, her
marriage, her children, and her life…
because she loved you.
It’s obvious to everyone here you didn’t love her; she wouldn’t be
lying unconscious if you did…I hope you’re in hell right now, a
special kind of hell.”

Making Things Right

“We’re going to send her to county,” the doctor
stated, “It’s a good facility there; she’ll be tended to well.”

Sheila eyed Amber’s body. Amber was still in a coma
and it was going on four weeks now with no relief in sight.
Hospital bills were mounting and Amber’s HMO denied any further
benefits directed to an out of network hospital; she would have to
be moved to another hospice where her insurance could cover an
all-inclusive residency. “Anything, I just want her well.”

“I’ll have it arranged.”

It was the only solution really, Sheila didn’t have
the resources; neither did Sam after spending practically his life
savings on getting remarried in the Bahamas. Amber needed a
full-time nurse and the watchful eye of monitors and
medications.

Two days later, Amber’s body was wheeled away into a
transport van ready to be sent to the county building. Sheila was
by her side…but the Sanchez family was nowhere in sight. Amber had
been abandoned once again. The family she once loved, cherished had
suddenly turned their backs on her. In a sudden rage, Victor had
gathered up all of Amber’s belongings and stuffed them inside
suitcases and plastic bags, banishing them to the garage for Amber
to pick up when she awoke and was out of the hospital.

“You her mother?” The medic asked Sheila, who was
standing near the ambulance door.

“Yes,” she replied concerned.

“You can follow me if you’d like. We’re just
transporting her to another location,” the medic stated, properly
shutting the rear doors and getting back into the driver’s
side.

Sheila turned away. It was raining. It was
appropriate. No crisp sunny days for her little girl from now on,
Amber would hereinafter be thought of as unsound…unstable even
around her own children, forever having to explain the scar on her
wrist when she woke up. If she ever woke up. That comprehension
overtook Sheila with emotion as she opened up her car door. She was
just about to get in when Eduardo reached for her as she tried to
sit down.

Sheila rolled her eyes and choked back tears, “I
told you I never want you near her again.”

“I can’t Sheila,” Eduardo broke down in front of her
crying. “I know I don’t have to continue to justify myself to
you...but that’s
my wife
in that van.”

Even in the rain, Sheila witnessed the redness in
his eyes and permitted tears of her own when she actually felt his
grief. She covered her mouth with the understanding. “Let her go,”
she breathed through heart-rending sobs.

Buckling over in pain, Eduardo went for her body and
grabbed her into him.

Sheila cried a few more seconds within Eduardo’s
arms—then suddenly pushed him away. As much as she truly wanted to
loathe the man, she was so grateful that someone other than herself
sincerely cared enough to be there for Amber’s transport.

“How is she?”

Sheila gazed over to the back of the van. “She’s
still the same.”

Eduardo choked back more sorrow. “I miss her so
much, what are you doing with her?”

Sheila wiped the water away from her face, away from
her eyes. “I’m taking her to Valley Hospital.”

“Valley Hospital?” Eduardo expressed delicately, a
bad taste in his tone. “What about her insurance? Victor’s
insurance? There are no other possibilities? Goddamn it—this can’t
be right!”

Sheila couldn’t believe it, but Eduardo’s dominating
presence shot through her entire body. It was an electrifying
response, his authoritative tone. She could see why Amber was so
drawn to him; Sheila herself was suddenly being pulled in by his
magnetism. “What can I do? They won’t cover her stay any longer; I
have no other choice but to send her to a public facility.”

Eduardo eyed the van again; he just couldn’t grasp
the fact that Amber was half-dead in that back cargo. “Keep me
informed of her recovery...will you do that for me please?”

Sheila noted his sincerity. “Sure.”

“I mean it Sheila. Amber’s not going to be there for
very long. I’ll make sure of it.”

She nodded her head just to get away from him.
Sheila then opened up her car door and finally got inside; honked
at the van that was waiting for her patiently in the rain and drove
off.

Eduardo pulled himself back together and ran his
hands through his wet hair, watched as the van pulled away while
Sheila followed directly behind it. What absolute terror; his
future bleak, driving away to a county hospital no less. Sheila
asked him to let her go. Let her go? Impossible. He wanted what was
his. He would never abandon Amber.
Never.

* * * * *

“Daddy? Will you tuck me into bed?”

Eduardo stared down at his little girl. Round green
eyes, long black hair tied together in two ponytails, she was the
illusion of her mother.

He lingered for a moment before responding. Amber
consumed his every thought lately. He had no time for Kyra. “In a
moment sweetheart, Daddy’s had a rough day.”

Leticia suddenly appeared behind the doorway.
Subtle, introverted, she had a wineglass in her hand. “Kyra honey,
go to your room for a moment, Mommy wants to talk to Daddy
alone.”

Kyra stretched out her pajama top and flipped it up
over her face playfully exposing her skinny frame, “OK Mommy.” And
she ran out of the room.

Eduardo then eyed his wife. “Don’t start.”

“Start what?” Leticia asked, sipping her
chardonnay.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Touchy subject, Leticia gulped. “I just wanted to
know about Amber, that’s all. I spoke to your Mom earlier, but
everyone’s so hush-hush about it all…how’s Victor? Have you spoken
with him yet?”

Eduardo searched her eyes...Good God, she doesn’t
know? All these weeks and his family hadn’t relished in the justice
of telling her? It was up to him, he realized again. They wanted
him to confess his infidelity—he wasn’t in the mood. He would keep
her in the dark a couple more days; he didn’t feel like having a
heart to heart with her, especially when his heart was somewhere
else. “No.”

Leticia took down a long gulp of her wine, “I can’t
believe Amber tried to commit suicide. What would make her do such
a thing? I thought she and Victor made such a sweet couple; they
made such a great pair. I feel so sor—”

“Enough!” Eduardo yelled at her with all the grief
he was feeling at the moment.

Leticia’s mouth closed up, “What’s the matter with
you?”

“Leave me the hell alone—”

He pushed passed her and stormed out of his study
and found himself inside his bedroom. The moment he arrived, his
clothes were ripped away from his body. He threw his coat clear
across the room, his jacket was tossed across the bed, his tie
yanked off and thrown at the nearby armoire. He was incensed,
exhausted and utterly at Amber’s mercy. Without her...without being
able to talk to her daily, see her smile...feel her touch...he was
reduced to nothing. Nothing! Nothing he could think of would come
close to the equivalency of Amber in his life. How could he have
been so stupid? How could he have been so blind? He was such a
smart man, intelligent, quick-witted and admired, respected among
his peers…how could he have allowed the woman he loved, try and
take it all away? Why couldn’t he just bow down to the
companionship he had with Amber? He kicked himself for not being
more experienced in holding together a relationship. Good God, he
practically dictated connection with a jury, but he couldn’t comply
with one simple request? Good God...what did ...he do?

Eduardo finally sat down on the edge of the bed and
bent over clasping his hands behind his head before setting free
his penance for being so gluttonous in need. He would push and prod
until he found his answer; after all, he still possessed
tenacity.

The Truth Stings

After several long weeks Eduardo finally heard from
Sheila. He couldn’t believe it, but even the mixed up County of Los
Angeles seem to lose tract of her. One week she was at one
hospital, the next week she was moved somewhere else. It made him
pale the way the county mistreated patients, he was going to defend
her to the death, whatever it took.

Assisted by his crutches and dressed in a camel coat
over head-to-toe finest suit apparel, Eduardo looked fashionably
out of place as he went down the corridor towards the information
desk. Various nurses and staff members all stopped to watch him
hobble by.

All around him were lunatics, drug attics,
transients, and God knows what else they let roam in those halls.
He felt sick to his stomach. Eduardo couldn’t believe that Amber
was there. Amber was too good for this, if she was going to go to
an extreme, then he was going to follow her lead. Amber was going
to go to a private hospital, a place where they displaced
compassion
daily.

Within reaching the reception desk of the district
rest home, he said, “I’m here for Amber Sanchez.”

The intimidated medical Assistant nervously looked
up at him, “Who sir?”

“Amber Sanchez.”