Wrecked (9 page)

With no subtlety whatsoever, Ethan had arranged for Bess to
get the perfect dress for their dinner date. A local vintage clothing store had
some exquisite pieces, according to Regina, so Ethan had called the owner and
confirmed that Saturday morning Regina would take Bess to the store before it
opened to the public and choose whatever she wanted, at his expense, of course.

As expected, Bess balked at his offer, which he ignored,
much to her chagrin. Eventually, however, her anxiety about the date won over
and she agreed to go. She was grateful he’d suggested she go with Regina as she
needed a friend to help her decide what to wear. Bess had never been to a fancy
dinner and she was desperately worried that she would somehow embarrass Ethan.
At least Regina could help her dress in the appropriate attire and look the
part, even if on the inside she was completely out of her element.

Bess had watched the movie
Pretty Woman
and loved it.
It was the fairytale all girls dreamed of. Well, not the whole prostitution
thing, but the rich, handsome man and falling in love in just a few days and
living happily ever after. There were actually a few moments after Bess left
home that she’d been terrified that her situation was so desperate that
prostitution may just end up being part of her life, as she had to earn money
to pay rent somehow. Flipping burgers and emptying garbage cans paid only so
much and landlords didn’t care where the rent money came from, just as long as
it was paid on time. Julia Roberts made it look so easy. In real life, hooking
was not glamorous, nor fun and exciting. Bess had known several girls who ended
up on the streets. Rape, drug addiction and getting beaten up were just a few
of the
perks
… perks that Bess wasn’t interested in. Yet, as Bess stood
in the dressing room of
Satin & Lace
, she stared at herself in the
mirror feeling just like Vivian Ward with Edward Lewis’s credit card.
Prostitute or not, Vivian had ended up living the dream with her charming prince,
and had looked fabulous doing it.

There was truly something magical about trying on dresses
that made Bess feel nothing short of a Disney princess. Clara, the owner of
Satin
& Lace
, had picked out some amazing dresses for Bess to try on and Bess
was sure that an actual princess must have had them made because they were
dazzling. The decades of the thirties and forties had gifted women with some of
the most delicate and gorgeous fashion and Bess was enjoying the leftovers.
Clara informed her that some of the dresses were, in fact, from that era, being
carefully preserved for the modern-day woman to enjoy, although not many
realized what they were missing.

Regina and Bess drooled over many of the gowns that Clara
had selected, and Bess tried most of them on, but once she found the
one
,
it was all over. She stood in the small room outside the changing room and
stared at her reflection in the multitude of mirrors that surrounded her. From
every angle she was amazed at the way she looked and Regina could only gasp in
delight.

“It’s like it was made specifically for you,” Clara declared
with joy.

“Ethan isn’t gonna be able to take his eyes off you,” Regina
whispered. “I mean, you are gorgeous without the dress, but wearing that?
Damn!”

“I’m taking it you like it?” Bess asked hesitantly.

“Uh, yeah!”

Clara fiddled with the long skirt, pulling it so it fell to
the floor in soft flares and folds, making her look tall and elegant. “You’ll
need shoes with about two inch heels,” she noted.

“That works,” Regina replied. “Ethan is a good five to six
inches taller than her.”

“I don’t wear heels,” Bess worried.

“Two inches aren’t heels,” Regina laughed. “They’re just
heel lifts.”

“Oh! I think I might just have the perfect pair. What size
shoes do you wear?” Clara asked Bess.

“Eight.”

And Clara hurried off to find shoes to compliment the dress.

“You seriously look amazing,” Regina said as she walked over
to Bess. “If he hasn’t already, Ethan is gonna fall head over heels for you
tonight.”

“Pfft,” Bess huffed. “Ethan would never want a girl like
me.”

“You’re clueless, aren’t you?” Regina chuckled.

“Here!” Clara interrupted as she shoved a pair of silver
sandals into Bess’s hands.

“Oh, man. They are cute,” Bess grinned. “I think I might
even manage to stay upright in these.”

Regina and Clara scoured the store and found a couple of
perfect accessories to complete Bess’s ensemble, and once they were carefully
wrapped and placed in her shopping bag, Bess was set for the evening with an
outfit that truly made her feel beautiful. She couldn’t wait to get home and
get ready for her date with Ethan.

*****

Ethan stood on the porch and adjusted his bowtie for the
umpteenth time. He felt much more at ease in scrubs and tennis shoes, but he knew
he looked good in his Armani tux. He just hoped like crazy that Bess would
notice. He’d never really cared what a woman thought of him, but Bess was very
different from other women. Talking a step forward, he wrapped his knuckles on
the wooden door a couple of times and waited.

When the door swung open, his breath was snatched from his
lungs as he saw Bess standing before him. She was nothing short of stunning and
his jaw dropped in response. The first thing he noticed was her eyes, dark and
smoldering under thick black lashes and expertly applied makeup. Her lips were a
pale mauve and glossy… so ready to be kissed properly.

She wore a silvery satin gown that gathered at her waist
with a belt and then fell to her feet that were adorned with silver sandals.
Even her toenail color matched her lips. Ethan’s eyes rose back up to her face
and golden hair, ringlets cascading down her back, begging him to run his
fingers through the silky curls. She literally had stolen his breath… and his
heart.

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” he
whispered softly as he reached for her hand.

“Thank you,” she blushed.

“Are you ready to go?”

Bess grabbed the silver clutch from the table next to the
door and nodded with a deep breath.

*****

Andrew stood in the window watching Bess walk to the car
with Ethan. She looked dazzling and he looked smitten. Andrew smiled. There was
nothing quite like the feeling of new love blossoming. He remembered it well.

Andrew had only ever been in love with one woman – his
Elizabeth. From the moment he laid eyes on her he knew he would never love
anyone else… and he hadn’t. She had been his one and only and he missed her
terribly.

Andrew watched the car back out of the driveway, turn onto
the highway and disappear over the hill. There was something about Bess that
had taken hold of him. He wanted to get to know her… to care for her… protect
her. There was nothing romantic at all in his feelings but more of a concern
for her well-being. In some ways it was very similar to the way he felt about
little Andie.

William Sherton, stern-faced as usual, whispered in
Elizabeth’s ear and grabbed at her arm, trying to pull her in his direction.
Andrew stepped forward to intercede. It was pointless he realized as his arm
went straight through William’s, without the old man even flinching. Lizzie
pulled her own arm away and told her father that she would meet him at his
house after she dropped some biscuits off at old lady Brinkley’s house. William
pleaded with her to come and when she refused once again, offered to take Andie
with him, to which Lizzie eventually agreed.

Andrew watched the young child eagerly accept the old man’s
hand and skip happily alongside him along the dirt road and up the hill until
they were no longer in his sight. He hurried to catch up to Lizzie who was
quickly making her way to a small and poorly maintained wooden house, more of a
shack really. It was just fifty yards or so off the main road and there were
several chickens roaming free in the grass in front of the rickety old porch.
He watched Lizzie empty her basket on the chair just inside the door and he
smiled. That was his Lizzie – always caring for others. It was one of her many
character traits that he loved. She was an extremely generous young lady, always
very aware of her fortunate circumstances and knowing most were not nearly as
lucky. She didn’t stay long with the frail woman, and then hurried back to the
main road and up the hill, the same way her father had gone just a few minutes
earlier.

Andrew walked beside her, gutted that he couldn’t talk to
her… or reach out and touch her pale soft cheek. He found himself crying tears
of unparalleled despair, knowing that they would never be together… that the
happy
ever after
they had both dreamed of… and waited years for… would never be.
How cruel it was that he had made it to the new world and died just feet from
her.

Lizzie strode with purpose to a large home up on the hill
above the town. It was an impressive sight and Andrew immediately knew that is
was the Sherton home. He continued to follow Lizzie up the brick steps and to
the front door. It magically opened and Andrew instantly recognized Mary, the
Sherton’s maid that they’d brought with them from England.

“Miss Elizabeth,” she greeted. “Your father is in his
study.”

“Where is Andrea?”

“She’s in the kitchen with June.” Andrew knew June too – the
Sherton’s cook. William must have brought the entire house with him when he
came over the ocean.

Mary took Lizzie’s outer clothing and her gloves and Lizzie
marched down the hall to see her father. She shut the door behind her, leaving
Andrew standing in the hall. With hesitation, Andrew stepped forward and found
himself in the study, apparently being able to walk through walls. Although
somewhat incredulous, and almost making him chuckle at his ability, he would
gladly have traded back to being alive and mortal.

“Please sit, Elizabeth. We need to have a hard
conversation,” William was saying.

“All of our conversations seem to be difficult,” Lizzie
retorted, but she sat on a leather armchair as her father had directed.

With a deep breath, and subsequent deep sigh, William looked
at his daughter. “I have some news that will not be pleasant to hear.”

“It never is,” Lizzie muttered under her breath. “If there
is anyone questioning who Andie’s father is again, I swear I will find a musket
and…”

“It’s not that,” her father declared loudly.

Andrew looked from Lizzie to William wondering what these
claims were about the child.

“Once Andrew returns to us there won’t be
anybody
who
will doubt that he is her father.”

“My God!” Andrew gasped. He hadn’t even thought of the
child’s parents… and who they might be. It hadn’t dawned on him that she was
Lizzie’s daughter, but then he’d only had a few minutes to take it all in.
Lizzie had a child… his child. “My God,” he repeated. He was a father.

“Elizabeth,” William gulped. “Andrew will not be returning.
He has died.”

“No!”

William nodded. “His ship wrecked in the storm two nights
ago and all aboard have perished.”

The wailing broke his heart as Andrew watched helplessly as
Lizzie fell to the floor, overcome with grief and sobbing for what seemed like
an eternity. Her father sat watching the scene unfold in front of him, and
eventually kneeling beside his daughter and pulling her to his chest. It was
the first time Andrew had ever seen William show any kind of physical affection
towards his child.

“I am so very sorry,” he whispered as he stroked her hair.

“No you aren’t,” Lizzie spat as she sat upright. “You hated
Andrew and told me that you would never allow me to marry a man so beneath my
station. I’m sure you are not sorry at all!” she yelled.

“Elizabeth,” William began, but Lizzie stood and ran from
the room straight to the back of the house and the kitchen. She gathered her
daughter in her arms and ran from the house, Andrew following closely behind
her.

“Mama,” Andrea cried as Lizzie ran from her father’s house.
“Mama.”

“I love you Andie. Mama loves you so very much,” she choked
as she held her child to her breast and hurried down the hill to the road and
then she slowed to a walk.

“Me walk?” Andie asked.

“Yes,” Lizzie managed to smile. “You may walk.” Placing her
on the ground, she took hold of her hand and they continued on their way. “You
are named after your papa. His name was Andrew, but I couldn’t call you that,
now could I?”

Andie laughed as she swooped to pick a purple wild flower.

Andrew stopped, everything coming in to focus. Their night
together before he left had produced a child… a beautiful baby girl and Lizzie
had named her after him. He may have been already dead, but the gut-wrenching
feeling deep inside him felt real enough. Pain ripped through his body and he
fell to the earth and sobbed.