The One (38 page)

She
was Ethan
’
s
wife? What?! How was this even possible?!,
seemed
to be plastered all over his devastated face.

He
sat down still looking at me, his face displaying a mix of emotions ranging
from anger and hurt to pure stupefaction, but also guilt.

He
looked stricken, shrunken even, as though the impact of the revelation of my
identity had paralysed him.

A
deafening silence stood still between us.

I
had hurt him, this much was certain. I needed to leave.

I
didn
’
t
say a word and opened the door. Within a minute, the bellboy was there,
handling my luggage.

Julian
hadn
’
t
moved, his eyes were unfocused, lost in a far-away land, and he seemed
oblivious to my presence. I walked back into the room, and standing right in
front of him, I reached behind his head, forcing him to look at me. His
expression was somewhat unreadable. The look he was giving me was something in
between longing and pure rage. His eyes finally narrowed hard on me, his jaw
twitching. I tangled my fingers in his hair and brought my head down to his;
our forehead touching, I placed a soft kiss on his lips, and with eyes
shimmering with tears, said,
“
I
’
m sorry.
”

He
didn
’
t
move, nor respond.

I
stood up, gave him a last glance, and walked out of the room, and out of his
life, once again.

CHAPTER 33

Old promises
…

Ethan
and Julian

April 2004. Sydney Darling Harbour
Australia.

 
“
You do realize, if I do this, at one
point, I will come to collect?
”
he said coolly, needing
him to understand this one favor would come with a price.

“
I do. Anytime. I owe you, but get it
done...Please.
”
was the determined answer.

Sometimes
you have no choice but sell your soul.

((~~!~~))

Julian had rang Ethan that very morning,
going straight to the point asking him if he recalled their last conversation.

“
The one in church?
”
Ethan questioned.

“
Yes. That one,
“
Julian confirmed.

“
What about it, Jay?
”
Ethan asked, curious to see where this
was going.

“
I need your help with my
‘
nudge
’
.
”
Julian stated.

“
Ok
…
I
’
ll help you if I can. What do you need
precisely?
”
Ethan enquired, taken by the seriousness of his friend
’
s voice.

“
My daughter. I
’
m getting a divorce and I want sole
custody.
”
Julian said in one breath.

There
was a silent pause between the two men: no doubt, each was thinking about the
ramifications of the statement.

Ethan
cleared his throat and finally said,
“
I see.
”
He paused again, before adding,
“
I assume your lawyer needs a particular
judge for this to happen
…”
his voice trailed.

“
Yes,
”
Julian said nervously.

“
Jay, this is going to take some serious
pull. I will have to call in some political favors to get the result you want.
I
’
m
not saying it can
’
t
be done because it can, but the price will be hefty. Do you realize what
’
s involved here?
“
Ethan asked, slowly but forceful, to make
sure his point came across clearly.

“
E. She
’
s my daughter. I won
’
t go into details, but I simply can
’
t let her mother have her
…”
Julian replied, a mix of determination and
despair lacing his voice.

Ethan
interrupted,
“
Julian.
Don
’
t.
”
he sighed,
“
I don
’
t need to know what happened in your
marriage. Man to man, father-to-father, I just take it that you are thinking
about your child. That
’
s
enough for me. I
’
ll
help you, as long as you do get that someday I might come to you, asking for
your help
…”

“
Anything E.
”
Julian said seriously.

“
All right. Who
’
s your lawyer?
”
Ethan asked, scribbling on his desk pad.

“
Todd Spencer.
”

“
Have Mr Spencer call me, and I
’
ll get it sorted.
”
he said reassuring.

“
E?
”
Julian sighed with relief.

“
Yes?
”
his friend asked.

“
Thank you,
”
he replied with sincere gratitude, adding
in a serious voice,
“
And
E.? Anything. Anytime.
”

“
No worries.
”
Ethan concluded before disconnecting the
call.

((~~!~~))

Julian

I have no choice.

That
’
s what I kept telling myself after
speaking to Todd. He had drawn up the dissolution of marriage papers and they
would be filed in an Australian court, and since Belinda and I got married in
Sydney, no delays nor complications were to be expected. Todd assured me, she
would have no financial standing, the pre-
nup
she had
signed was fully enforceable, and he didn
’
t foresee any difficulties in that regard.
I would write her a check for $300,000 once the divorce was finalized and she would
be out of my life. The main issue was custody of Madeline. When I told Todd
about my wishes, he asked me to reconsider until he realized a few days later
that he was wasting his breath; I wouldn
’
t change my mind. He then relented, and
told me
“
In
that case Julian, we need this to go to the right docket and in the hands of
the right judge. You will get your divorce within a month, this I can
guarantee, but only the right connection can give you full custody. It
’
s time to use that infamous name of yours,
mate
”
.

It
’
s
the only way. If you don
’
t,
she will take her away from you.

I
thought about it, and this is the one and only time in my life, I regretted not
cultivating the political connections that came with my father
’
s legacy. This was a highly sensitive
matter, and I couldn
’
t
afford to have details of my personal life hit the Sydney rumor mill or the
newspapers. I would have to thread very carefully, whomever I ended up
approaching with this request.

Then,
it hit me that I had all the sway I would ever need in one person: Ethan. We
were still friends, we were still sort of brothers, and he was the Premier of
NSW. He could help me get what I wanted.

I
recalled him saying,
“
If
you are willing to pay the price, then do what needs to be done,
“
He gave me the answer, in church no less.
I don
’
t
believe in signs, but if I did, this was one by all accounts.

I
’
m
willing to give anything to keep my daughter.

So,
I made the call that would change my life forever.

((~~!~~))

Ethan

I would be a father in a few months if God
allowed.

The
strange part was, even though my child was not born yet, I totally understood
where Julian was coming from with his request. I knew in my heart that if
someone tried to take away my child from me, I would go to extremes too.

I
already had.

After
speaking with Todd Spencer, I had the information in hands. I started to make
calls. I knew I would help Julian, even before he explained what he wanted. He
was important to me. Still.

Besides,
one never knows when a favor might be needed in the future. Julian was not a
politician, but he was a man of vast means and connections, and to be reckoned
with.

We
were sort of friends, sort of brothers, and even though he spent most of the
last twenty years overseas, and we barely interacted, we had a bond that was
quite inextricable and ran deep. He was family.

I
was certain if the situation were reversed, Julian would be there for me. No
questions asked.

I
didn
’
t
know when or even if it would ever happen, but it was irrelevant. Real friends
who will be there for you in times of need are hard to come by, especially for
people like Julian and I; and when life is a bitch, one can never have too
many.