“
Okay sure.”
Sam started tugging my arm as I gave
Stefan a kiss. We walked towards the house and I carefully tried
not to lose my footing in the grass.
Sam started giggling. “You have my
brother totally whipped, it’s so funny,”
“
What do you mean?” I
asked.
“
It’s obvious. The way he
looks at you is so cute; I can tell he loves you. I’ve never seen
him look at a girl like that before. He’s usually so reserved,” she
smiled at me. “Being forced to take over the family business really
made Stefan grow up and become a man quickly. My mom is always so
worried that he’ll never meet a woman and settle down. She really
wants more grandkids, but I think she can finally stop worrying now
that you’re here.”
I smiled as we approached
the front door.
God, I hoped she was right
about that.
There was nothing more that I
wanted than to be with Stefan for the rest of my life.
We made our way into the house and up
the stairs, I wanted to get my makeup bag out of the bathroom in
our room so I could spritz a little perfume on me.
“
I’ll meet you out here in
just a second; I have to get some stuff out of my suitcase.” I
said, walking towards Stefan’s room.
“
Okay, just hurry.” She
said walking into her room.
I opened the door and it felt like I
had just been hit in a head on collision. Actually, a head on
collision might have been better; it probably would have hurt
less.
Lying in the middle of Stefan’s bed
was Madelyn, completely naked except for black heels. I stood,
frozen in the door frame as everything around me appeared to move
in slow motion. I felt every heartbeat in my chest, every breath I
blew out, every shiver that ran through my body.
“
Oh. My. Gosh. Jennifer,
I’m so…” she got off the bed, wrapping the white sheet around her
body. “I’m so sorry you had to see this. Oh, how embarrassing for
you, finding out the love of your life is cheating on you. I’m
sorry, honey.” She stepped back into her dress. I looked around the
room waiting for Stefan to pop out, but he didn’t. Had he been in
here earlier? Was she waiting for him to arrive? He did use the
restroom at one point; I didn’t think he had been gone that long.
Was I wrong?
Oh shit, no, this couldn’t be
happening!
Everything in my heart was screaming
to attack her!
When I was younger, my mom
would repeatedly tell me, ‘Never be so dependent on one person that
you end up thinking you cannot live without them.’ That’s exactly
what I had done. Stefan had turned into my everything; he was the
air I needed to breathe, the blood that kept my body going, the
beats that my heart produced. He was my
everything
. I had fallen completely
in love with him.
I was right from the beginning; what
did a gorgeous, goal driven, mouthwatering man want with me, a
college student? I was nothing on his grid.
“
You didn’t really think he
loved you, did you?” She said, zipping her dress up in the back.
“Well he doesn’t, he talks to
me
every day. You’re nothing but a pet to him, a
submissive, end of story. There’s nothing else to this equation,
Jennifer. I’ve known from the moment I met you that you were
nothing to him. I’m sorry you had to find that out tonight.” She
grabbed her handbag and walked towards the door.
“
If you’ll excuse me, I
have a party to get back to.” She said, walking out the door. I was
immobile and speechless. She had put the knife in my heart
and,
no fuck that!
She had pulled my heart out and crushed it. All I wanted to do
was cry and get as far away from here as possible.
“
Jennifer?” I jumped at my
name. Sam was standing in front of me.
“
Hey, what’s wrong? You
look like you just saw a ghost.” My head quickly snapped back into
reality. I couldn’t do this tonight, not on her big night; not in
front of all these people. It wasn’t fair to Sam.
“
Oh yeah….uh, I just forgot
my….favorite perfume. I’m kind of bummed now.” I said, trying to
breathe again.
“
Oh girl, I got you. Be
right back.” She went into her room and reappeared with a bottle. I
stepped into the hallway. “Here this is my favorite. It’s Juicy
Couture, it’s amazing.” She spritzed a couple of squirts on me and
set it down on the table outside of Stefan’s room.
“
Come on, we’ve got to
hurry.” She said grabbing my hand.
We made our way back to the tent and I
started walking towards Stefan but Sam pulled me to the
side.
“
Jenn, I want you to meet a
friend of mine. This is Ian.” I reached out and shook his
hand.
“
It’s nice to meet you,
Jen.” He smiled at me.
“
Nice to meet you,
too.”
“
Who are you here with
tonight?” He asked.
“
She’s here with my
brother, Stefan.” Sam smiled as she said it. I turned around and
spotted Stefan sitting at the table and talking to Charles. I saw
the empty seat next to him and thought maybe he saved it for me,
but tonight I wasn’t so lucky. I watched as Madelyn sat down next
to him. She giggled and placed her hand on his biceps while they
spoke, tilting her head back and leaning in closer to him. Right as
the Jack took the stage, Madelyn got up and walked a couple of rows
back to sit down next to her fiancé. As she took her seat, she
turned and gave him a kiss.
Sam grabbed my arm and led me back to
the table, I took my seat next to Stefan, careful not to touch
him.
“
Everything okay?” Stefan
whispered in my ear.
Right.
“
Yeah, just kind of tired,”
I faked a yawn.
He reached his hand over, grasping
mine. I wanted to tear it away, but I reminded myself, wrong place
and wrong time.
“
Alright Ladies and
Gentlemen, first up is the 50:50 raffle. If you hear your number,
please come to the front to claim your prize. If the winner isn’t
here we will redraw. Alright, here we go. Mrs. Long will do the
honor of picking the lucky winner tonight. I might add that our pot
is up to….get ready…three million dollars!” Everyone erupted in
cheers. “The winner will receive 1.5 million dollars! Go ahead and
pick the lucky winner, Mrs. Long.” She reached inside a brass
raffle drum and she handed the piece of paper to Jack.
“
Okay, number 157!” He
paused. Hayleigh jumped up from her seat. “Daddy! Daddy!” Everyone
started to clap as Alex stood up and walked to the front. Jack
handed him the microphone.
“
Thank you, everyone. Half
will go to the wonderful charity my sister-in-law has picked out
and the other half will go to my daughters college fund. Thank you
again.” He handed the microphone back and walked off the
stage.
“
Okay, let’s get this
auction started. First, we have a six day, five night stay in Maui,
Hawaii thanks to Mrs. Long.” Everyone clapped. “We will start the
bidding at $2000 dollars.” People started shouting out numbers and
I listened in awe as the price rose higher and higher.
Finally, at seven thousand dollars,
they had a winner. Next was an exclusive trip to Mexico, including
the hotel and a flight on a private jet. Stefan joined in on that
bidding but lost out to the winner who bet eight thousand dollars.
Next was the ’69 Shelby Mustang GT 500 Eleanor. It was gorgeous,
dark grey with two black racing stripes down the middle. It looked
like a real machine.
Stefan quickly won that at
five hundred thousand dollars. I couldn’t believe he could just
spend money like that,
crazy!
He looked like a kid in a candy store, he was so
happy.
The auction continued but I stopped
paying attention. The only thing consuming my thoughts was Madelyn
lying naked on Stefan’s bed. When I ordered a whisky sour from the
waitress, Stefan shot me a cautious look, but I didn’t care; I
needed a strong drink.
“
Ladies and gentlemen,
thank you for coming out tonight and celebrating Samantha’s
21
st
birthday party. Thank you again for all your donations and
remember, this is all going to Save A Life charity. Feel free to
stay and dance. Have a good night.” Jack took a bow as everyone
began to clap.
“
I am ready to take you
back to my room and tear that dress off of you,” Stefan whispered
in my ear.
“
Let’s go,” I winked at
him. This was my chance to get away from everyone, pack my stuff
and leave. I had enough money to catch a flight back
home.
We walked back up to the house and
into his room. Once the door closed, I grabbed my suit case and
started tossing my things in it.
“
Jennifer, what are you
doing?” Stefan looked confused.
“
I can’t do this anymore,
Stefan. You won’t let me in; you won’t tell me anything. I can’t
handle a relationship like this.” I said trying to change out of my
dress into something more comfortable.
He walked over behind me. “Here let me
help you.” I spun around and held my hands up to his chest, trying
to stop him but then quickly took my hands off of him. I couldn’t
touch him and he couldn’t touch me; it did things to my body that I
didn’t want happening right now.
“
Jennifer, what the hell
are you talking about? Where is this coming from?” He asked backing
off.
“
I came in here to freshen
up before the auction and opened the door to find Madelyn lying
naked on your bed, waiting for you, Stefan. She was lying in this
fucking bed that we made love on. Don’t act stupid.” My voice was
much higher then I wanted it to be.
So
much for keeping my calm.
“
Jennifer, we made
love
on my bed?” He
emphasized the word love.
I looked at him, confused, “Yes…” My
voice cracked.
“
No, Jennifer, I fucked
you. How can you love me? How can you love someone like me? Look
what I have done to you?”
“
After everything I said,
the only thing you focus on is the world love? You don’t care that
I found Madelyn naked, in your bed? You’re right Stefan, how could
I love someone like you.” I continued putting my clothes into the
suitcase.
“
How was I supposed to know
she was in here, Jennifer? I was mingling downstairs. This doesn’t
even make sense.” He said, taking off his tie.
“
Whatever Stefan, I’m going
home.” I said, zipping up my suitcase.
“
So you’re running? Just
like that, huh?”
“
I’m not running. If I was
running, I would’ve been long gone. If you want me to stay so
badly, tell me the truth; what is going on between you and
Madelyn?” I folded my arms over my chest, waiting for his
answers.
“
She’s my realtor for
Christ’s sake!” He yelled.
“
She’s more than that,
Stefan. Don’t lie to me!” I was on the verge of breaking down. This
was getting too much.
“
I don’t know why the fuck
she was naked in my bed or how she even got up here! Why can’t you
believe me? I’ve never lied to you, why would I start
now?”
I had tears streaming from my eyes.
“When you think you can stop lying to me call me.”
“
Where are you going?” He
blocked the door.
“
Away from you. So fucking
far away from you!” I grabbed my bags off the floor.
“
Jennifer, you can walk
away and say you don’t want this, that you don’t want me, but I can
see it in your eyes; you’re only lying to yourself.”
“
Well Stefan, someday you
are going to wake up and realize that you just let the best thing
you ever had slip through your fingertips. Maybe Madelyn will help
ease your broken heart. Good bye!” Stefan stepped out of the way
and I slammed the door shut behind me. I walked downstairs and, to
my surprise, nobody else was in the house. I walked outside and saw
a limo waiting. I hopped in and shut the door.
“
Where to ma’am?” I looked
up, wiping my eyes. Why didn’t he run after me? Why didn’t he try
to stop me? Wasn’t he supposed to fight for me?
“
Uh…” I chocked back the
tears. “Airport please.” I looked back at the house again.
Everything I ever needed was inside that house. The hardest thing I
had to do was walk away.
The limo driver pulled up
to the airport and opened the door. I got out and stood there for a
minute, taking everything in. I had just ran away from my one
chance at love, my one fucked up chance at love.
Why was this so hard?
He’s the one who won’t let me in. He has a chain wrapped so
tight around his heart that I wasn’t sure any woman held the key to
it.
“
Ma’am, is that a yes or
no?” The limo driver interrupted my thoughts.
“
Oh, I’m sorry?” I said,
wiping away my endless tears.
“
Do you need help with your
luggage?”
“
No, I will be fine, thank
you.” I pulled it out of the back seat and walked through the
double doors. I went to an ATM to check my balance, making sure I
could purchase a flight home.
$2,551.59.
That would be
enough.