Authors: Vivienne Harris-Scott
When
their eyes met again Julian added,
“
Let me deal with Ethan. Only I can
…
I think I know him better than anyone
…
After all, he
’
s my brother.
”
((~~!~~))
It was James turn to feel his heart
explode.
“
Excuse
me?!
”
he demanded in booming voiced that echoed in Julian
’
s library.
“
James. Ethan is my brother from another
mother. We know each other very well. Too well. This is one of the many things
Vi left out when she told you some of her secrets. She trusted you with some of
her life, not all of it. This is why I need to do this. I will get the full
story from him, whatever it is that happened, Ethan will not lie to me.
”
James
was silent, deep in thought, digesting this new piece of information that shed
a brand new light on the whole situation.
“
Don
’
t sweat it James. Seriously, don
’
t question her. Not now. She trusts you.
She told you more than she told me. She told you more than necessary actually
…
for the virtual stranger you were to her
at the time.
”
As he sees James nod, he pursues,
“
The
fact that she didn
’
t
tell you Ethan and I are close is probably because she doesn
’
t know the extent of our bond
…”
he takes a sip of his scotch, and adds
softly,
“
To
be totally honest
…
No
one really does.
”
His
hand goes through his hair and he sighs,
“
Most people only know we went to school
together and assume the friendship stopped when I left Australia nearly 25
years ago
…
And,
since I didn
’
t
even attend his wedding to Vi, and obviously, I did not know what she told you
about what happened to the two of them
…
most people would be right I guess
…”
his voice trails, laced with regrets,
“…
Assume that we just know each other from
the past and know nothing of each other
’
s life
…
so Vi didn
’
t lie to you
…”
He
takes another sip as his eyes meet James
’
s and then rest back on his glass, while a
finger circles the trim, he confesses,
“
But E. and I
…
E. and I are close, James. Even if I haven
’
t seen or spoken to him in a while, years
really
…
he is the closest thing I have to a brother.
”
Swallowing
the last of his drink, he concludes,
“
This is why I have to face him to tell him
I am in love with his wife.
”
.
Julian
As he was settling in his seat for the
17-hour flight, Julian tried his hardest to focus on the goal he wanted this
visit to accomplish. Yet, his past resurfaced in his mind the minute the pilot
of the private jet greeted his one and only passenger onto the long haul and
wished them both a safe journey till landing in Sydney.
He
hadn
’
t
set foot in Australia for over six years. He had sworn to himself, he never
would. Ever again.
Yet,
here he was, on a trip to get answers.
For
himself and for the woman who stole his heart.
Vivid
and painful memories assaulted him as he buckled the seatbelt for take-off.
He
felt tears appear at the corner of his eyes as he closed them when the plane
lifted into the air.
He
wouldn
’
t
cry.
He
felt his breath becoming short.
He
almost got up to ask the pilot to open the doors to let him out, to set him
free.
Almost.
Instead,
he poured himself some scotch and took two Ambien, hoping the drug would make
him sleep, and make the memories fade away.
((~~!~~))
Yes, going home may be a mistake.
Now
that he was in the cabin, Julian realized this, but what other choice did he
have?
Vi
still hadn
’
t
been located, and granted, it had only been a few weeks, a little month really;
but if James was to be believed, -in the worst-case scenario-, another six
months could pass before there was any sign of her.
He
couldn
’
t
wait this long. He wouldn
’
t.
Her
passport flashing up unexpectedly in Europe didn
’
t tell them where she was or where she was
headed.
He
couldn
’
t
just forget her or pretend she didn
’
t exist. He tried that and miserably
failed.
He
had to act instead of react.
He
had to be proactive. Seeing Ethan was the only thing that made sense.
There
was no other alternative.
He
was going home.
Belinda
August 2004. Sydney. Australia.
The situation is untenable.
Some
lies are unforgivable.
I
have no choice.
These
were the thoughts occupying Belinda
’
s mind while she was driving speedily on
Pacific Highway on her way to Sydney Kingsford Smith International airport
where a private jet was waiting for her.
She
looked at the rear-view mirror at the sleeping silhouette in the back seat.
She
was taking her daughter home.
((~~!~~))
Julian lied to me. When I received his
call telling me he wanted to discuss Maddie to reach a more suitable
arrangement than the current state of war we were at, I should have known
better.
I
should have known. He wasn
’
t
trying to be amenable. He wasn
’
t
trying to mend fences: he was still trying to punish me for my deceit.
Our
divorce has been final in April, and Julian had been granted sole custody of
our daughter Madeline. To my utter dismay, my lawyer told me my best chance of
reversing this order would be to contest it in the US where I usually resided
with my daughter; any appeal in Australia would be a waste of my money. For the
first time since I had married Julian, I realized how ruthless he could be, and
the fact that we were in Australia, - his turf-, gave me no choice but to
accept the current state of affairs until Maddie was well enough to travel and
come back to LA with me.
I
meant it when I told Julian he would have to kill me before I left my daughter
in his care just because he
’
s
decided he no longer wanted me as his wife.
So,
I bid my time. I settled myself at the Marriott, and would visit the McCarty
estate three or four times a week. Since Julian had full custody, he could
actually prevent me from seeing my daughter. My saving grace was that Maddie
was still recuperating; my little girl had noticed I was no longer around in
the house, and kept asking for me. Julian had no choice but to comply with her
crying demands as he told me he wouldn
’
t allow any setback in her health. Her
crying out for me was distressful and affecting her, so he relented. Although,
he also warned me, once she was totally recovered, I could kiss her goodbye. He
simply did not want me in their life any more, but I had made it clear to him,
this simply would not happen. I would fight for my daughter until some legal
visitation schedule would be established, and then would try to get her back,
full time, no matter how long it took.
When
Julian had rung three days ago, I had been hopeful. I mean, things were icy
cold between us; after all, we had been divorced for nearly four months, and
that was fine, but he said, the visiting specialist had cleared Maddie for
good. She was now up and running around totally free and clear of medication or
aid since her accident, which meant she was 100% back to being the vivacious
little girl, we both knew and loved, and more importantly, she was ready to
travel a long haul. He was organizing a garden party for her third birthday,
which would happen in two weeks, and Melissa had invited me over, so I could
spend the day with her and discuss the party planning. He had been courteous
and for the first time since our divorce, when I broached the subject of a more
permanent visitation arrangement, he hadn
’
t hung up on me, but said,
“
Just come over, we
’
ll discuss it.
”
I
should have known better.
((~~!~~))
It had been a long road to get her there.
At first the doctors had told us, it would only require 2 months for her to
recover from the operation and back to normal, but in truth it took nearly four
months before she could actually stay out of bed for more than a few hours a
days, much less travel, therefore both Julian and I were stuck in Australia.
He
took advantage of that to kick me to the curb. Of course, the divorce bothered
me, but what really stung was losing custody of my only child. I was a good
mother, and Julian showing I had no revenue was all took for the judge to grant
him full custody. My lawyer was outraged, and made an immediate appeal, which
was denied. He told to me, he had never quite seen anything like this, and he
was certain some type of bribery was involved, but of course, we could not
prove it, and raising the question officially would make matters worse, so he
advised me to refile in the US.
In
the meantime, I visited my daughter when Julian allowed it, and he made a point
of being out of the house when I came by; the day nurse always lurking around
to ensure I would not take my own child out of the property. The only
communication we had was over the phone, and I think over the course of the
past months I can count on one hand the number of times we actually were in the
same room together.
I
had received $350,000 as per our pre-
nup
once the
divorce had been pronounced, but my funds were dilapidating quickly. And just
in the past three days, I had spent over $100,000. I had a rented house waiting
for us in Cambridge, and chartering a private jet to take us there had been an
expensive exercise. I also hired a top-notch family lawyer to get the appeal in
motion on the very day we both returned. I was willing to spend my last dollar
if it would ensure me getting my daughter back.
And
I knew I would. A better life was waiting for us in Cambridge. I had contacted
Madeline biological father as a last resort measure when I realized there would
be no other way to strip Julian of custody. My Australian lawyer had told me if
I took that road, Julian stood no chance. I had hesitated before the divorce
hearing, but no more.
While
he had been Madeline father for three years, we both knew if the natural father
came into the picture, Julian
’
s
chances to keep any rights over Maddie would be close to nil. He never asked me
who he was and I never volunteered the information either. It was unnecessary
at the time, or so I mistakenly thought. He had been lucky I hadn
’
t played that card while in court but then
again, I had no idea he would be successful in gaining full custody. I missed
my child, and if he was determined to be unreasonable, then he left me no other
choice.
Once
the full custody order has been granted to him, my gloves were off, my decision
was made, I would get Maddie
’
s
natural father involved at some point; this much was settled in my mind, the
timing was more uncertain. After hearing Julian
’
s confession to Melissa, I made the call
the next day. Julian would have a surprise just in a few weeks when his
non-paternity would be exposed in court.
I
simply had no other alternative.
Contacting
Maddie
’
s
father had been a long and hard thought decision to make. He was married, had a
very public life, much like my now ex-husband, but mulling over all the
possible scenarios, I was left with no other recourse.
She
was our daughter, I was taking her home, and he needed to help me keep her.
Period. I wasn
’
t
above blackmailing him to get the result I wanted.
Julian
had left me in a tight corner; the truth would get me out of this conundrum.
To
say that Maddie
’
s
natural father was surprised to hear from me was an understatement. I had
disappeared from his life rather unexpectedly.
To
hear that he had a daughter was a shock, but when I told him the clincher was
that his paternity would need to be exposed in court proceedings, I thought he
would have a coronary.
((~~!~~))
She had heard it. Clear as day. Her baby
’
s birthday would be the last time she
would see her.
That
’
s what Julian had said to Melissa, not
knowing, Belinda had been just about to enter the kitchen where the two
siblings were discussing his departure to New Zealand, scheduled the very next
day after Maddie
’
s
birthday.
After
hearing Julian
’
s
conversation with his sister, Belinda had retreated, and sat in her daughter
’
s bedroom, waiting for the nurse to bring
her back from the garden where she had been playing with the twins. She made
her decision, right then; she would take her daughter with her on her next
visit, in exactly three days.
As
she had been sitting on Maddie
’
s
bed, she was thinking about the drastic measures she needed to take to get her
daughter back, once and for all.
In
the darkened bedroom, holding her baby
’
s blanket against her nose, smelling her
comforting scent, Belinda had felt almost numb. She had known the day would
come when Julian would know the truth, but had hoped it wouldn't happen until
she was old, grey, and so sure of her marriage to Julian that she wouldn't care
if the secret came out. She hadn't expected when arriving in Sydney, that
Julian already knew that he wasn't Madeline's biological father. How in the
hell had he found out? When had he, and how long had he known the truth? Why
hadn't he said anything before this? These thoughts had been foremost in her
mind, as she had thought back to the beginning. Back to where she had screwed
up so badly that her marriage was now over and her relationship with her
daughter was very much in doubt if she didn
’
t take desperate measures.
((~~!~~))
Belinda Carmichael and Senator John
Milligan had met at a cocktail party in Boston in July 1996. A model friend of
hers was dating a political aid, and had dragged her to the affair on the
premise that Belinda needed to expend her dating pool. She was a beautiful
woman, and was wasting herself with photographers and other fashion types.
Michelle had convinced her to come to the gathering saying adamantly,
“
This is where you will find blue blood
husband material.
”
and while Belinda had only turned 25 a few months back, and marriage wasn
’
t really on her radar or her immediate
agenda, it was never too soon to look for prospects.
After
all, she grew up in Chicago, the only daughter of an Irish middle class couple,
and the only true friend she had from her childhood was, according to her
folks,
‘
from
the wrong side of the track
’
.
Her best friend, Gabriella Conti was the daughter of a local infamous Italian
mob boss, and their friendship was frowned upon from both sides, they kept it
secret after being forbidden to associate with one another, until they reached
womanhood. Then life took over, and Belinda moved to New York to pursue
modelling while Gabriella stepped into her father
’
s shoes to everyone
’
s surprise. Blue Blood types had never
been within her reach.
Belinda
was a stunningly beautiful girl but during that time, as she was used to being
alone in life, and as she was building her career, she had no time for
seriously dating or a relationship. She did occasionally date some of the male
models or photographers but none were steady and few involved a sexual
relationship. She made it clear to these guys that she wasn't going to hop into
bed with them just to make their day. This made most relationships short and
not sweet. This was fine with her as her work was what she most loved to do.