Authors: Ellen Wolf
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Emily, darling!’ Marlene was dressed to go, her slim, elegant figure wrapped in a cream-colored cashmere coat that matched her rather exotic-looking hat. She hugged Emily tightly, the fragrance of her perfume dizzying for the second before Emily managed to fill her lungs with fresh air. ‘I can’t tell you how glad I am to go home. This place gives me the creeps; it always has.’ She smiled at the doctor, his forgiving smile reassuring her that he didn’t mind her derogatory remark at all. ‘I mean, the doctors are wonderful, and all else is too, but I miss my home.’ Blue eyes huge and wistful, she batted her lashes at Dr. Bern, totally locked into damage control mode.
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And that’s how it should be,’ he grinned in response, shaking hands both with her and Emily. ‘Think of us as a necessary, but temporary, addition to your life, Mrs. Marrows, and we will be happy.’
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Where is Sophie, darling?’ The dreaded moment arrived, and Emily put on her most radiant smile, hoping to be convincing enough.
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She’s waiting for you, mom. It’s a part of the plan, you know.’
It worked, for Marlene smiled in response, her elegant features perfectly serene.
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Oh, yes, the plan. Silly me, I almost forgot in all this excitement. She called me yesterday, the angel she is. She said not to panic when we stop at the restaurant instead of going straight home, dear. Told me about something she was working on to surprise me, and that you helped her a bit, Emily. That’s very nice of you, dear.’
Emily nodded and took care of the discharge process. Quick and straightforward, the cheerful good-byes from the staff and other patients soon faded into the background as they rode the elevator downstairs.
She installed Marlene inside the car, put her bag into the trunk and slid into the driver’s seat with a sigh of relief. Their departure had gone better than she expected, and for once she was grateful for Sophie taking initiative and calling her mom, even if it was something they hadn’t talked about before. Marlene had something to look forward to as she sat in the passenger’s seat, her manicured, long-fingered hands folded neatly in her lap.
They didn’t talk much on the way home, and Marlene’s quiet demeanor worried Emily as she repeatedly cast cautious glances at her stepmom’s perfectly sculpted profile. It wasn’t like her to be that quiet, and Emily couldn’t help but worry about what was awaiting them at the restaurant. Hopefully, Sophie lived up to her promises and was actually there, ready to welcome her mother. If not, it could trigger a true domino effect of destruction, Marlene’s newfound self-control and peace of mind too fragile to be undermined so soon. Emily glanced at her yet again, only to be caught by her blue stare.
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Emily, you worry too much.’ Marlene smiled, her golden hair up in an artistically disarrayed chignon that glittered in the lights of approaching cars. ‘You are all pins and needles, dear. It is quite unnecessary, you know.’
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I just want it to be a perfect day for you, that’s all,’ she replied honestly and was rewarded with yet another dazzling smile.
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Let me tell you something, Em. Getting out of the hospital puts this day very high on my scale of good days.’ She laughed before reapplying her red lipstick with quick efficient moves that were unaffected by the motion of their vehicle. Emily had to think what a goddamn mess she would have made of herself if she got the suicidal idea of refreshing her own makeup in a moving car.
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That’s great.’ She nodded cautiously, her eyes on the road once again. They were almost there, and she had to fight her urge to pick up the phone and check with Sophie how things were at the restaurant. Not only was it impossible because of Marlene sitting right next to her, but also she wasn’t sure how to deal with the remote possibility that Sophie wouldn’t actually be there.
Panicking wasn’t an option, she thought as she pulled into the driveway, almost sagging with relief as she noticed Sophie’s elegant little Porsche parked next to many other cars. Well, if her beloved little sport car was here, so was she, Emily thought as she got out and looked around.
The weather gods must have had a soft spot for Sophie, the brilliant sunshine bathing the landscape with intense, golden light so typical of autumn. It was a total turnaround from the gloom of yesterday. The air was chilly, true, but the blue sky and colorful leaves still clinging to the old, gnarly oaks and beeches around the restaurant looked positively cheerful, November or not. Large pots filled with cheerful moms lined the steps leading to the restaurant, the purple, yellow, and orange flowers almost glowing in the brilliant sunshine that poured down from the cloudless sky.
The main door, painted a glossy red, had a brass knocker in the shape of a lion’s head, the patina-covered sculpture the only concession Marlene made to preserve the old charm of the place. It had been here for many years, and time had softened the lion’s face into a more gentle expression, the sharp lines blunted and mellow. Emily knew that both Marlene and Sophie would replace it any day with something more fitting for the Mediterranean theme that dominated the interior, and she appreciated their good will to let her decide that one small thing in the otherwise overwhelming overhaul. She tried to repay them by doing her best to recreate a southern atmosphere with numerous pots overflowing with geraniums and nasturtiums each and every spring. Large, round Mexican pots held the cascading blooms that spilled over their raw, simple edges, the vibrant picture something alike to the impressionist’s pictures from the south of France.
Red, orange, and yellow—the splashes of color livened up the otherwise austere façade, since Marlene couldn’t really decide if she wanted to invest in a major renovation, putting stucco on the old, crumbly walls of the restaurant. If done properly, the yellow walls paired with green shutters could create an almost perfect illusion of a southern retreat, she had argued, waiting for her daughters to support her project.
Emily hesitated to reveal her true thoughts, knowing that every cell of her body rebelled against the final step that would erase forever the place she had grown up in and loved for as long as she could remember. It was enough that the interior had been totally redecorated, the ochre and mango-colored walls and murals depicting Italian countryside replacing the typically English décor. ‘Are you ready?’ She asked, watching the older woman hesitate slightly before pushing the door open. Emily was far more nervous than she would let on, only her usual self-control making it possible to smile gently and reassuringly at Marlene. She had to be strong and help her the best she could, she mused as she saw her mother nod and smile in return, her face youthful and at ease.
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Of course, dear.’ The red-tipped fingers pressed down on the knob, and the door relented, offering them the first glimpse of the brilliantly lit interior.
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Happy Birthday, Mama!’ Suddenly Sophie was right there, her slim frame pressing against her mother, the elegant red dress she was wearing molded to her curves like a second skin. Her pale arms went to hug Marlene, as she kissed her with exuberance that was at odds with her rather poor record of visiting her in the hospital. Emily watched the older woman relax and kiss her back, laughing loudly in delighted surprise.
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Sophie, my sweet!’ She sounded absolutely happy, and Emily felt guilty for harboring such vindictive thoughts about her sister’s behavior. It wasn’t her business if Sophie’s idea of being a good daughter was different from hers, after all. Marlene was happy and so was everyone else gathered in the room, judging by the radiant faces of the staff and family friends that she and Sophie had invited for the celebration. Emily knew everyone present, her eyes going from one happy face to another, pleased with the turnout. It would make Marlene very happy to see how many people cared about her and her return to normal life.
And then, suddenly, as if a cold wind had blown into the warm room, Emily felt her heart tighten with dark premonition. Her skin prickled with awareness that something was amiss, even before she saw him.
A man stood at the far end of the room, leaning against the stone windowsill with an ease that was deceptive for his tall, well-built frame. He was watching the happy reunion with an expression that could have been carved out of stone. She had never seen him before, Emily thought feverishly, knowing that she would have remembered if he had ever crossed her path. Dark, motionless, and as graceful as a panther, he was certainly not someone that could slip a woman’s memory, if only because of the air of danger that surrounded him like a cloak.
She let her gaze travel over his perfectly sculpted face with its straight dark eyebrows, elegant nose, and sensual mouth pressed together into a thin line. He was breathtakingly good-looking, she thought helplessly, annoyed with the instinctive feminine response that was so foreign to her usual composed and cool reaction to any man she had met so far. His jet-black hair was slightly longer than the average, with silky dark strands grazing the impeccable white collar of the crisp shirt under his charcoal suit. Black as raven wings, it glistened in the sunlight pouring through the window, the slightly olive tint of his skin and the elegance of his high cheekbones adding to his exotic appeal. His was the face of a Mediterranean god, she thought breathlessly, wondering for one absurd second what he must have thought of their rather poor replica of the style he seemed to represent to such a high degree.
But it wasn’t his masculine beauty and almost animal-like grace that kept her spellbound. She watched him wide-eyed and still, like a scared animal that senses danger and destruction. It was the look in his imperial eyes, as he watched Marlene and Sophie hugging and laughing in their loving embrace. His gaze was cold and speculative, some unexplained dark emotion flickering in the depth of his onyx eyes. Her throat closed in atavistic fear as she watched him staring at her stepsister and stepmother, an untold instinct telling her that she was trespassing on a private moment, and that she would be wiser to run for safety before she could be found out and punished.
Only, she realized, it was already too late. He suddenly moved his head, their eyes meeting across the room for the first time. She knew she should have looked away as calmly as possible, ignoring the almost hypnotizing power of his dark gaze. And yet she couldn’t do so, her knees weakening as she confronted the icy cold contempt of his eyes. She sensed instinctively that he knew she had been watching him and didn’t like it one bit. As if she were in on some secret, she had stepped into forbidden territory and would have to suffer the consequences.
She swallowed convulsively and was certain that his eyes had noticed and correctly interpreted the slight tremor of her hands as she brushed an imaginary speck of dust off her dress. He must have noticed that his dark glare intimidated her, she thought unhappily, watching his mouth curve into a sarcastic smile.
He allowed his eyes to travel down her throat to her chest, offensive in the thoroughness of their inspection. She might just as well be naked and vulnerable, she thought angrily, trying very hard to ignore the heat that spread through her body, painting her cheeks red and rushing her blood into a river of lava. Gathering all her strength, she looked back at him, determined to stand her ground and not let him push her even further into a silent duel of wills. Whoever he was, he was not worth her time. He deserved to be offered the same treatment, she thought rebelliously, her instinct taking over. She mimicked his glare and let her gaze roam down his face to the solid column of his neck and lower, where his broad chest was perfectly outlined in his superb suit jacket. She couldn’t go any lower, she realized desperately, her flushed face burning as she abandoned her survey and lifted her eyes, only to be met with his cold smile, telling her that he knew exactly what she was trying to do and that she had failed.
A loud burst of laugher distracted her momentarily, and she turned around, grateful for the unexpected diversion. It was insane to let a stranger get to her that way in the first place. She would find out who he was as soon as possible, almost certain that he must be one of the dates belonging to countless girlfriends Sophie had invited to the party. That would explain his forbidding expression, as he was most probably regretting letting himself be dragged along to such an event.
She had a pretty good idea what kind of men Sophie’s friends usually dated, the cheerful circle constantly competing in the affairs of the heart. Knowing Sophie, she had already managed to spread the news about her wonderful new fiancé, which prompted the other girls to bring along their own companions, if only to make sure they didn’t look any less successful. The man who managed to shake her to the core in a span of seconds certainly had what it took to keep his girlfriend happy, she thought resentfully, his good looks and air of command compensating for his rather poor manners.
Or maybe he was one of Sophie countless flames, somehow managing to sneak in and watch her new-found happiness with someone else. That would explain his thunderous expression as he watched her sister and her mother. She made a mental note to mention it to Sophie as soon as possible. The last thing they needed was some kind of a confrontation, especially since it was Marlene’s day, and Emily was determined not to allow anything to come between Marlene and her new peace of mind.
Speaking of the devil, she found herself pulled in an embrace, the sweet fragrance of an expensive French perfume filling her nostrils like a cloud.
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Oh, Emily.’ Marlene hugged her tightly as she looked around the decorated room and laughed again, her voice as youthful as that of a young girl. ‘This is so fantastic. Isn’t it wonderful that Sophie had this idea to invite everyone? It must have been so much work to get everyone together. I am so glad she had you as her helper, dear.’ A kiss that almost touched her cheek finished the conversation, as Marlene turned around to chat animatedly with some of the invited guests, soon drowning in their hugs and embraces.