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Chapter 12(Part I)
John F. Kennedy Airport
Lisa practically ran to the customs area, frantic. Dammit, I'm late! She couldn't believe that she'd overslept. She was about to take the most important flight of her life and she'd overslept! It would have appeared ironic at any other time, but right now Lisa was concentrating on making it to her flight. After much commotion at the customs, Lisa finally made it to her appropriate gate just as the announcer said, "Pemberley Flight 001 now boarding."
Lisa sighed in relief as she hurried towards the gate with her boarding pass. I made it. However, the thought of what lay ahead detracted much of the fun from the anticipation of the thrills of Europe. For a long, silent moment, Lisa toyed with the idea of turning on her heels and never coming back. Sure, they'd miss her for a while, but then, they'd forget about her and move on. At least that way, all the memories would be pleasant. At least that way, she wouldn't regret a single moment of her experience. But she couldn't turn back, couldn't run away; it was just not meant to be that way.
"Miss?"
Lisa snapped back to reality and presented her boarding pass. She began the long walk to the private Pemberley jet waiting to take the few employees to Europe. Lisa remembered the last time shed had been on that plane. They had been heading to Mexico...William and her. Them. Together. But, Lisa reminded herself, there was to be no William and her, not now, not ever. Mexico would always remain in her heart a symbol, a memory of what could have been. Perhaps she would visit it again, go back to the same restaurant, but this time she'd be alone. There would be no William. She'd be alone, all alone. Alone. Why did that thought frighten her so much suddenly? She had fancied herself something of a maverick, one who needed no one. The realization that she did, in fact, need someone else, shocked and confused Lisa. But, Lisa thought, Bernardo was right. She would have to keep reminding herself that there was no room for any emotional attachment, if only for her own sanity.
As Lisa ascended the steps of the plane, a man appeared. "Ms. Benz?"
"Yes?" said Lisa, expectantly.
"Mr. Darcy asked me to bring you. Follow me, please."
After a slight hesitation, Lisa followed the steward without a word. She saw, to her surprise, that he was leading her to William's private area. As Lisa walked, her eyes caught Rick settling down on his aisle seat. He glanced at her, briefly locking eyes with her. For a moment, Lisa could detect a glimmer of his former tenderness in his expression. There was a glimpse of his former passion in his intense eyes. He seemed almost happy to see her. But all too soon, that look vanished and was replaced by the haughty, cold, contemptuous expression he had worn of late. Lisa held his eyes for a few moments longer, hoping to recapture that moment, but all in vain. At length, she gave up and continued on.
"Here we are," said the steward as they entered the private area. This section of the plane was rather separated from the rest of the plane. It was comfortably and tastefully furnished to resemble a living room. On the huge sofa was seated William who looked up as Lisa entered and smiled.
"You're a little late."
"I know," said Lisa as the steward left them. She did not move, "William, are you sure this is a good idea...it might just fuel all the gossip?"
"I thought the gossip didn't bother you," said William.
"It doesn't," replied Lisa. "I was only thinking of you...your reputation is at stake here." God Lisa, listen to yourself. What on earth has come over you?! Lisa shook her head gently as if to quiet that little voice.
"I have nothing to hide," declared William, smiling. "It's my life and no one has the right to tell me how to live it. Now, would you like to join me here?"
Would I? Lisa simply nodded in response. William smiled knowingly. "Good."
But Lisa still did not move. It was as though the weight of years of guilt had rendered her immobile. This first step would be her first step towards eternal damnation. It was a point of no return, Lisa knew. She still had time to turn back and run; run away from the gorgeous guy sitting in front of her, run away from all the lies, the deception, the pain, the heartache, run away from Lisa Benz forever to reclaim her own life and identity. But Lisa did not, could not move, neither forward nor backward. She stood still in some sort of limbo, her life, and her future depending on her decision. To stay or not to stay? The question had never been so deafeningly obvious as it was now. And Lisa stood, stricken, unable to decide between her heart and her head.
"Lisa, what's wrong?" William's concerned voice broke her thoughts.
"I...nothing, nothing at all," Lisa sighed imperceptibly. "Nothing's wrong." She repeated as if to convince herself, more so than William. She quietly deposited her bag and sat down next to William. There, the decision had been made. And Lisa felt a huge sense of foreboding.
"Wine?" offered William.
"Why not?" smiled Lisa, endeavoring to put aside her internal conflict.
William nodded as he poured her some wine. She accepted the glass with a smile. William touched his glass with hers. "To the future!" he toasted.
"To the future," murmured Lisa, attempting to smile though she felt sick to her stomach contemplating what sort of future he was referring to. If he only knew!
The flight captain announced the imminent take off of the flight. Lisa and William buckled their safety belts without a word. Then as the plane began to taxi down the runway, Lisa unconsciously touched William's hands. The brief contact sent chills up and down her spine and she looked up at him in surprise. His big brown eyes were warm, smiling, almost teasing. He reached out and held her hand that she'd quickly withdrawn. His hands were so big, so warm, so reassuring. Lisa relished in the contact, savoring the feel of his tender touch, his soft skin. She had averted her eyes on first encountering his hands, but now found the courage to look at him again. His eyes resonated with his innate warmth, his gentleness. The hard lines about his mouth were curved upwards in the hints of an elusive smile. He gently rubbed her hand with his fingers causing Lisa to wish she were someplace else; anywhere but here. With every passing moment, she felt her resolve of keeping all emotions at bay, go to naught. Indeed, how was it possible to restrain herself when William was the epitome of every manly perfection.
The plane was now in the air, well on its way to Spain, its first destination. Lisa hastily withdrew her hand to unfasten her safety belts. There was the faintest hint of color on her cheeks as a result of that one, brief contact. Lisa busied herself in flipping through the movie guide in such a hurried, haphazard manner that it brought a smile of satisfaction to William's lips. He observed her in her vain attempt to appear occupied and chuckled softly to himself. Lisa could no longer pretend not to notice his fixated gaze and looked up.
"What's so funny?" she demanded, finding the boldness she had thought she'd lost.
"You," smiled William.
"Really? Why exactly?" said Lisa, smiling in return and putting away the movie guide.
"You are so adorable when you try to avoid me."
"I wasn't trying to avoid you," declared Lisa, a trifle discomfited.
"Oh yeah?" said William, as he drew her closer to him till her face was only inches away from his. He paused, looking into her eyes with a kind of open wonderment. "What are you so afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid...," whispered Lisa, her breathing highly irregular. His closeness was devastating on her heart, her peace of mind, her entire sanity. Her heart was beating faster, her pulse was racing and her sharp intakes of air came in the form of rapid shallow gasps.
"I think you are," contested William, not moving closer but not moving away. He held her with his intense eyes, challenging her, intriguing her.
"Am not," Lisa said defiantly, managing to sound confident.
"Oh, but you're lying. What will you do when I do this?" said William as he drew he touched her face with his hands, gently stroking the side of her face. Lisa closed her eyes, not daring to breathe. "What happens when I touch you?" William's fingers wandered to her lips and her eyes flew open as she shrank away from him. "See? This is what happens when I get close to you...every time. What are you afraid of?"
Lisa looked at him, her heart rate gradually returning to normal. Dammit, she was supposed to be seducing him, not the other way around. Lisa tried in vain to collect her thoughts, but the mere proximity of William drive every sane thought from her mind. She looked at him helplessly, "I'm not afraid. I...I just need time."
"I can respect that," conceded William, smiling again in his now-familiar teasing manner.
Lisa bristled at the sight of that smile. He seemed satisfied at having gotten what he wanted. It irritated her. Why should he be so calm and collected when she was all but melting in his arms? He seemed almost amused at her discomfiture. How dare he laugh at her like that?
"Tell me, William," began Lisa. "Do you always get what you want?"
"Always," replied William with a smile.
"Including women?" Lisa's tone bordered on belligerent.
"Including women," said William, but hastily added. "Until now...Lisa, you must realize, in my position, I've had so many women throw themselves at me. It's never been an issue before. But now...now, I feel as if I'm a normal guy trying to impress a girl. The millions don't matter anymore. It's just you and me. I don't know what we have here, but it's very special."
How could Lisa remain angry after that? She couldn't help but smile softly in submission. The scariest aspect of it all was the fact that with William, Lisa reverted back to her former self, to Elizabeth Bennett. Her thoughts, her reactions, her emotions were no longer that of the cold, ruthless Lisa Benz. Somehow, William managed to touch her core and stir her dormant heart. He managed to bring back some of her hidden love, her long-forgotten tenderness, her camouflaged desire. He managed to do all that with a simple touch; a touch that had infinite repercussions and endless promise. And he was right, Lisa was afraid, very afraid; afraid of him, of herself, of what might happen, of her own wayward heart. She was afraid of falling in love, of feeling lost, of having to break William's trust. She was terrified of waking up and realizing that she had made the biggest mistake of her life and then, not being able to do a single thing about it. Yes, Lisa was very much afraid.
"Lisa, we don't have to rush anything," William interrupted her thoughts. "We'll take things as slowly as you want. Anything you want, as long as you're comfortable."
"Thank you," she whispered in reply.
William said nothing. They relapsed into silence. It was neither overtly uncomfortable nor unduly unfriendly. Rather, there was an air of camaraderie, of trust and promise, of friendship. Lisa found herself staring out the window at the perfect, white clouds in the vast sky. At that moment, she marveled fate that had brought her to this point. Had she never known Wickie, she might have never known William. And Lisa determined that in spite of all the pain and doubts, she would not have given up knowing William for the world. It was an experience to cherish, something that she would live by for the rest of her life, no matter what the outcome. William would always be etched in her heart, for all eternity.
"I used to want to open the window and touch those clouds when I traveled with my dad as a little girl," said Lisa suddenly.
William looked at her in surprise. This was the first time she had revealed something personal. This mysterious woman who had appeared out of nowhere as far as William was concerned, did have a past. William was highly intrigued. He looked at her, expectantly, as if waiting for her to continue, but she did not. Then, William said, "You know Lisa, I know nothing about you, about who you are, where you came from? What makes you laugh, what makes you cry? Absolutely nothing."
"Maybe it's just better that way," said Lisa softly.
"No, it's not," said William. "I want to know all about you."
"No, William...it just, it just hurts too much."
"What does?" William persisted. He looked at Lisa as if coaxing her to divulge something of herself. But he saw such deep pain in her eyes that he couldn't press her anymore. There was such a raw pain in her eyes, making her appear weak, vulnerable, emotional that all William wanted was to touch her and erase all the pain from her life. But he couldn't. She wouldn't let him that close to her. He had seen a glimpse of her real self and had wanted to see more, but whenever he tried to get closer, she backed away from him. William realized that she was still fighting demons from her past and whatever they were, he was willing to stand by her and help her overcome them. He wished she would share her pain with him, but if she didn't want to do so immediately, he'd understand. He was willing, as he'd said, to give her all the time she needed to tell him what was bothering her. Now, as he looked at that face in front of her, without any facades, he summoned all his self-restraint to prevent himself from crushing her against his chest and tasting her sweet lips.
"You know, my life has been a huge roller-coaster," Lisa finally said, looking away. "I've had some ups and so many downs. I just don't feel up to going through them over right now."
"I understand," said William huskily and Lisa turned to face him. She smiled softly, losing herself in his eyes. William held her gaze for what seemed to be an eternity. They exchanged silent looks of mutual understanding. There were no words required to convey their feelings at that moment. William could bear it no longer. He bent forward and found her lips. She offered no opposition. He claimed her lips with an almost feral passion. He possessed her, not asking, but demanding. The kiss proved disastrous for both their self-controls. As the kiss deepened, Lisa wrapped her arms around William's neck, driving him to the edge of sanity.
"Mr. Darcy, we...oh!"
William almost jumped away from Lisa at the steward's voice. "Yes?" he demanded, annoyed at having being interrupted when things were just beginning to get interesting.
"I just wanted to make sure you didn't need anything..." stammered the steward miserably.
"No, we're fine here," stated William. As the steward departed hurriedly, William turned to the still dazed Lisa and said, "I'm sorry, I've been wanting to do that since the first day I met you."
"Then, why didn't you?" demanded Lisa, recovering her wits.
"That's the question, isn't it?" smiled William.
"Yes, it is."
"I'm way too careful for my own good," stated William.
"I won't argue that," laughed Lisa.
"But so are you."
"Am I?" asked Lisa.
"Oh, believe me, you are," said William with conviction.
"Then, you're probably right."
William was about to say something when his secretary suddenly appeared.
"What is it, Alethea?" said William.
"I'm sorry to disturb, Mr. Darcy," began Alethea, glancing at Lisa. "but I just got a call from the Madrid office and they've ran into a little problem. There was a fire in the warehouse last night and all our purple fabrics were destroyed."
"But we need purple for the new line," said William. "Did you call Jenny? Well, do it then and get her to contact Hong Kong. I don't care what time it is there. Just do it. And get me Denny's number, I'll talk to him myself."
As soon as Alethea departed, William turned to Lisa and said, "I'm sorry but I'll have to deal with this."
"No problem," said Lisa. Indeed, it was no problem. This would give Lisa the opportunity to become intimately acquainted with the particulars of William's business. She felt a pang of passing guilt at betraying William so, a pang which she summarily ignored.
"Okay, great," smiled William as Alethea appeared. "Let's get to work."
Chapter 12(Part II)
Two weeks later; Paris
The starry night was dark, chilly and very beautiful. Lisa walked slowly, enjoying the view and thinking. Thinking how fortunate she was to be in this romantic locale, thinking how pretty the night was and how much she missed William. Her mind dwelled on the latter for a considerable amount of time. She had seen little of William in the past few weeks. He was always flying from one crisis to another. When she did see him, it was at some big meeting or convention or fashion show. At those times, he would briefly exchange glances with her before returning to something more important, like making another million. Lisa certainly didn't reproach him for paying attention to his business, but she had just thought...What did you think? Did you expect him to put his business on hold just to attend to you? Did you expect him to be with you all the time? As a matter of fact, that was exactly what she had expected, but Lisa realized that she had been stupid in believing it to be so.
How had she even dared to presume that she meant to William a fraction of what he had come to mean to her? A sickening realization that followed was that perhaps to William, she was nothing more than a casual flirtation. She recalled the kiss on the plane and felt the heat rise in her cheeks at the mere thought of its overwhelming passion. If William had been pretending to care about her, he was a damned good actor. Lisa could not decide what his motive was in pursuing her as he had done when he'd dropped her at the earliest opportunity. But what do I care? I'm here to do a job, Lisa reminded herself. She would have to distance herself emotionally from William if she was to finish the job. She had gathered enough information to satisfy and as soon as she got back to New York, all would be over. A few tears sprung to her eyes as she contemplated that. Would it really end this way? Would she even get to say goodbye? But what was the use. Saying goodbye would be too hard, anyway.
Lisa walked slowly until she had reached one of the numerous bridges overlooking the river Seine. She stopped to take in the beauty surrounding her. It was really a huge contrast to the ugliness inside her, she thought. It was ironic that she was here, in Paris with such thoughts in her mind when she had always wanted to go to Paris for her honeymoon. I guess this is the closest to it I'll get. It was a humbling thought that this was the closest to the fulfillment of her dreams that she'd ever get. But this was the truth of her life and Lisa had learned to accept it as her reality. Just as Lisa was contemplating those somber thoughts, she spied a familiar figure on the other side of the bridge.
"Rick?"
He looked up to look at her. "Hey," he mumbled before resuming his blank stare at the river below.
Lisa walked towards him. "How've you been? I haven't seen you for a long time."
"I've been busy," was Rick's short reply. Then, he said, "Mr. Darcy left for Switzerland this morning. I'd have thought you'd be with him. What happened, you two broke up so soon?"
"Rick, please," Lisa was flustered. "I wanted to talk to you, but clearly I can't do that if you're still so bitter. Good night."
With that, Lisa would have walked away had not Rick said, "Wait."
"What?" Lisa turned to face him warily.
"I've been thinking a lot lately and I'm sorry," he sighed. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk. I'm sorry for shouting at you and calling you names. It's just that you...you really hurt me. I loved you so much and you broke my heart, but I realize that it wasn't your fault. I blamed you for something you didn't do. If you're happy with Darcy, then I'm happy for you, too."
"Oh, Rick, you're so sweet," Lisa embraced Rick, holding him close. "I didn't mean to hurt you." At least, that much was true. Lisa had never intended to hurt him, though she had led him on to suit her own purposes.
"Okay, now that that's over," said Rick extricating himself from her embrace. "What do you say we paint the town red...just you and me...for old times' sake?"
Lisa hesitated, but only for a moment. "Sure, why not!"
"Great, let's go then."
The next morning
Lisa woke up with the indescribable feeling that something momentous was about to happen today. She knew not what it could possibly be, but she was prepared to face the day. Last night had been extraordinary, Lisa thought. Being with Rick was just so much fun. There was no pressure, no expectations, no awkwardness. They had been all over Paris, together, through most of the night. It was such a perfect moonlit night that had it not been for her resolve to do no further damage, the romantic evening would have ended differently than their separating at dawn. Lisa sighed as she sat up. She would be flying to Switzerland with rest of the Pemberley party today. William was already there. She wondered what he was doing, whether he ever thought of her the way she constantly thought of him. She wondered whether at night, after the day's hectic routine, his arms ever ached for her as hers did for him. She wondered whether his dreams and thoughts were plagued by the memories of that one amorous kiss the way her dreams were. Yes, she wondered constantly whether she meant anything at all to him.
As Lisa showered, dressed and proceeded down to checkout from the hotel, the receptionist said, "Leaving, mademoiselle?"
"Oui," said Lisa, smiling.
"I have une lettre for you..." He handed Lisa a note.
Lisa took the letter and said, "Merci, monsieur."
"Je vous en prie, mademoiselle. Bon voyage."
Lisa walked away slowly, looking at the small envelope. She recognized William's small writing on the front...To Miss Lisa Benz. But Lisa didn't open the letter immediately. She could not. She was overcome by a sense of gloom, of panic. What was in the letter? What did William have to say that could not wait till she got to Switzerland? And why a letter, he could have called? You'll never find out, Lisa, unless you open it, thought Lisa. Okay, then, I'll open it.
Dear Lisa,I know I have been very negligent of late, and have spent hardly any time with you. Believe me, there is no one as disappointed as myself at that unfortunate turn of events. I had looked forward to spending some time with you, but what with all these crises I've not been able to do so. So, I came up with an idea and just wanted to run it by you. By now, I'm probably in Switzerland. I've booked us a small lodge near the skiing slopes. When you land in Switzerland, there will be a limousine waiting for you. The driver will bring you here. In case you decide not to come, just tell the driver and he'll give me the message. I do hope that you come, though because we'll have some fun. So, what do you think?
Love, William
p.s.: No one knows about this plan, not even Alethea, so don't tell anyone. This will be our little secret.
As Lisa finished reading the letter, she almost screamed in surprised. Oh my!!! Whatever she had thought prior to opening the letter, she had not expected this. William wanted to getaway for a few days...with her?! Maybe he did care about her, perhaps a little? Lisa felt exhilarated, happy beyond anything she'd ever experienced. She would be all alone with William. A thousand wicked ideas swept through her mind and she smiled to herself. It would prove to be an interesting few days, very much so.
Later that day; Switzerland
Lisa stepped out of the plane filled with nervous excitement of a little child waiting to open his Christmas presents. She checked out her baggage and spotted a man holding her name on a sign. She approached the man, who when he beheld her said, "Madame Benz?"
"Yes," said Lisa.
"Come this way, please."
Lisa followed the man wordlessly. She was too preoccupied in anticipating the meeting to be able to think of much else. Once they had reached the limousine, Lisa simply stepped inside, offering no conversation. The limousine quickly made it out of the airport and headed towards the skiing lodge. Lisa looked out of her window, but did not see. It was a blank, vacant stare that signified nothing other than her occupied mind. Gradually, the terrain outside began to change and Lisa glanced at her watch. It had been an hour and a half. How the time flew...when you're in love.
"How much longer?" asked Lisa.
"Only 15 more minutes, madam," replied the chauffeur.
Lisa settled back on her seat and relapsed into golden silence. She tried to visualize what would happen when she first saw William. Would there be any awkwardness? What exactly did he have in mind when he said 'fun', Lisa thought with mistrust. She had no way of knowing what was in William's mind, but she was prepared to go along with whatever he might have planned. Lisa realized that this might be her last chance to be with William. Suddenly, all her excitement vanished. It was true. They'd be returning to New York in a few days and then...I'll go back to my old life... The 'old life' which consisted of lies and deception and intrigue. For the first time in so many years, Lisa had felt like a human being, treated with the respect she deserved. But she'd have to give it all up and go back...to the way she was before Pemberley, before William, before falling in love.
"Here we are, madam," informed the chauffeur, coming to a stop.
Lisa nodded slightly and stepped out of the car. She was pleasantly surprised at the sight she beheld. This was a more rural part of town in the backdrop of the beautiful Swiss Alps. Even from her present circumstance, Lisa could spy the snow-laden slopes in the distance. In front of her was a small cabin; the only sign of inhabitance being the smoke rising from the chimneys. Even as Lisa regarded the view with wonder, the front door opened and a figure emerged.
"Lisa?"
"William!" exclaimed Lisa as William came into view. For the first time, Lisa saw him dressed in something other than his usual Gucci suits. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a sweater and Lisa's heart skipped a beat. There he was...after all the speculation and the anticipation, there he was; his face adorned by his familiar teasing grin and his eyes sparkling with a familiar light. Now that he was here, what was she going to do about it?
"I missed you," said William, advancing till he was at an arm's length away from her.
"I missed you, too," said Lisa. Who made the first move was not quite certain, but at any rate, before they knew it, they were in each other's arms. Lisa held on tightly to William, not knowing what to think or how to feel. She could hear his heartbeat, racing as fast as hers. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. She rested her head on his shoulders, a few tears escaping her eyes. She did not raise he head for fear that he might see her tears. Whatever happened, she did not want him to see her tears, never ever would she allow him to see her pain and misery. Neither of them moved; indeed, there was no reason to move. In each others arms, they finally found the home they had been searching for.
"Um...shall I leave, monsieur?" the chauffeur cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Ah, yes, thank you," said William, untangling himself from Lisa. He tipped the chauffeur and watched him drive away. Then, he brought his attention back to Lisa. "So."
Lisa looked at him and then, all of a sudden smacked his arm.
"What's that for?!" demanded William as they walked inside.
"That's for leaving me all alone," pouted Lisa.
"I had no choice," smiled William. "You know...business."
"I know," sighed Lisa. "I know."
William saw that she was still not entirely happy. He stopped, put his arms on her shoulders and said, "Look, Lisa, I'm sorry...I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'll say it as many times as you want me to say it."
Lisa looked at him and smiled ever so slightly, "You're forgiven."
"That's more like it," William grinned. "Now what do you think of this place?"
"William, it's beautiful," giggled Lisa. "But you're being very bad...no one knows we're here, so won't they be looking for you..."
"Nah...I left a note for Alethea, telling her that I was going to get away for a few days."
"Great," said Lisa, suddenly smiling wickedly. "Now that you have me here, what are you going to do with me?"
William looked at her and smiled his own teasing smile. "Well, there are so many things we could do...but first of all, what do you say we go skiing?"
"Now?" asked Lisa.
"Yeah, why not?"
"Sure!"
2 hours later
"I think we should head back, Lisa," shouted William at the figure racing down the slopes in front of him.
"What?!" she shouted back.
"We should go back...it looks like a storm's coming."
"Okay, race you back!" shouted Lisa.
William grinned inwardly as he began to chase Lisa. The past few hours had been more fun than he could have ever imagined. Lisa was just so versatile. She could ski better than him and had beaten him on several occasions. They had skied, laughed, talked and played with snow. Now, once they got back, they could warm up, and William had many ideas as to how they'd do that. He looked up at the sky again, a little worried. It did look like a storm was approaching, but he wasn't worried. The cabin had several days' worth of supplies. Who knew, perhaps being snowed in would be a blessing in disguise? William looked in front of him. Lisa was tearing down the slopes. He increased his pace so as to catch up with her. Then, suddenly, she tripped and fell, rolling down the slope.
"Oh no!!!!!!!!!!"
Chapter 13
William watched helplessly as Lisa tumbled down the slope, a tree finally breaking her fall. He rushed to her side as quickly as he could, a thousand somber thoughts racing through his head, filling his heart with dread. When he finally made it to her side, he immediately saw traces of blood oozing from her forehead. Panicking, William bent down and turned her around gently so that he could discern the damage. Lisa was unconscious, and the only visible signs of immediate damage was the gash on her forehead. Having observed Gina several times, William did not move Lisa, but attempted to determine whether she had any broken bones. After his initial survey, he decided not. William sighed with relief. No broken bones.
Williams next course of action was trying to awaken the unconscious Lisa. He gently stroked her face as he said, "Lisa? Lisa? Can you hear me? Please, say something. Anything. Lisa?"
But it was of no avail. She did not say anything, or indeed, make any indications that she had heard him. William looked at her unconscious form and had no way of knowing how severe the internal damages were. She seemed to have taken quite a knock on her head but that was about all that William's untrained eye could tell. A sudden rumble in the sky made William look heavenward. The past few minutes had drastically changed the outlook of the sky and the storm that had just a few minutes ago seemed far away, was now almost upon them. William hesitated moving Lisa, lest he cause further damage, but there was no other way. He undid her ski gear and deftly, in one sweep, brought her in his arms before slowly heading towards the ski lodge.
William fancied that Lisa moved slightly in his arms, but he knew that he was deluding himself in that belief. Her small, lifeless body was almost weightless. It was a sweet burden that William would have relinquished to no other. He held her close, her head resting on his chest and her arms around his neck. His heart beat wildly, in spite of himself. He had never been so close to Lisa before. He could smell the sweet scent of her hair and feel the softness of her body. William tore his mind from such thoughts to the more immediate emergency of Lisa's well-being. He had witnessed her descent with his own eyes and it had not seemed to have caused much damage. At least, not yet. William hoped it remained that way, but either way, he knew that he would have to cut short their romantic getaway and call for help. He had no choice.
William arrived at the lodge and entered it with some difficulty. He went to the small bedroom furnished with a sumptuous master bed and gently laid her on the bed. His first concern was to stop the bleeding from her head and he ran to find a first aid kit. He found it in the medicine cabinet and returned to Lisa, cleaning her wound and covering it with a bandage. He stepped back to observe her for a second. Her face was ghostly pale as though all the blood had been drained from it. Her fiery red hair had escaped the confines of her cap and tumbled down most becomingly on the pillow. Her lips were slightly pouted the way they were when she was upset. She seemed to be lost in her own world, a world of dreams and fantasies, a world of magic and intrigue. William stood there watching her for a few moments, unable to define the intense wave of emotions that washed over him by simply seeing her immobile. Her glassy complexion and closed eyes suggested imminent danger and yet, the rosy red of her lips conveyed healthfulness. The contradiction led William to determine, however, that he needed to get Lisa to a medical care facility as soon as possible.
William located the phone in the living room, but to his surprise, it was dead. That's strange he thought to himself before replacing the phone. The phone lines were down. William did not panic. There had to be another way. The closest neighbors were about a mile away. He hesitated, he did not want to leave Lisa alone in the lodge, but getting her to a hospital was equally important. At length, he decided to forgo his scruples and walk to the nearest neighbors for help. He bundled up and walked back to the bedroom to have a peek at Lisa. She seemed to be resting peacefully and the chances of her waking up while he was away were negligible. Thus satisfied, William sighed and walked outside only to be greeted by an unpleasant surprise. It was snowing hard accompanied by blizzard-like winds and force. William stepped back inside the house shakily. Now was the time to panic. William reviewed to situation objectively. Lisa was unconscious, possibly terribly hurt. The phone lines were down and the blizzard would prevent him from seeking help lest he got lost himself. No one knew where he was and would not miss his presence for at least a week. On the up side, the electricity still seemed intact, but who knew how long that'd last. Suddenly the idea of a secret getaway did not seem like such a great idea as William contemplated the situation he had gotten himself and Lisa in. If anything happened to her...No, nothing will happen. It can't.
Suddenly overcome by that fear, William went back to see Lisa. It was hard to imagine that just an hour ago they had been skiing on the slopes, carefree, unaware of the tragedy to come, happy. So happy. That was the word. Happy. Exquisitely, unwittingly, animatedly happy. William could not recall the last time he had been so happy. That is because I have never been this happy before. He had passed his childhood with the pressure of being the perfect son, unwilling to disappoint his lovely parents. He had been happy, but never without reservations. Then, at 15, his mother had died after a long battle with breast cancer. A part of him had died with her. He had been extremely close to her. His father had, understandably, been affected even more. The burden of raising young Gina fell upon them. But the old Mr. Darcy did not survive his wife much longer and at 18, William had found himself in charge of a mansion, a big business and his young, fragile sister. He had never been the same after that. He had seldom been happy, never carefree or simply satisfied. There was always a void, something missing in the hollows of his heart. He had become engaged to Anne with the conviction that he would never truly experience the thrills and passions of real love. But then, Lisa came into his life and all that changed. He felt such deep stirrings within him that he instinctively knew that he was meant to be with her. It was not luck, it was providence, it was simply meant to be. With Lisa, he had finally found happiness, a happiness he had believed nothing could take away from him. And now this.
It would be a cruel joke for fate to give him such a transient taste of happiness, only to snatch it away from him. Surely, Lisa was not seriously injured...or was she? That nagging doubt drove William crazy. He approached Lisa's lying form and stroked the side of her face. Surely, fate could not be that cruel. It could not take Lisa away from him. Could it? William shook his head. It occurred to him that perhaps he should get Lisa into something more comfortable. He found her luggage and extracted a pair of PJs. As William turned to Lisa, he blushed. What am I thinking? I can't undress her...it just isn't right. He hesitated. But it's for her own good.... So, William determinedly went to work. He withdrew his eyes from her form, unwilling to compromise her position or weaken his own self-restraint. With much difficulty, he got her pants off and hastily replaced them with her pajamas. William blushed deeply as his fingers touched her soft skin. He recoiled his hands immediately, guilty at the thought that he might be viewed as taking advantage of her. Next, he undid her sweaters and shirt before quickly putting a shirt on her. Next, he tucked her under the blankets and sat back to watch her.
In the entirety of his mission, she had not moved once. William feared that the knock on her head had been dangerous. Was she simply unconscious or was she in a coma? It was hard for him to tell. She was breathing and her heart was beating, of that much William was certain, but that was where all his certainty ended. William hated not being in control, but what could he possibly do to help Lisa. Nothing, absolutely nothing. The blizzard only got more violent with passing moments and William would have to wait for it to abate before hazarding outside. In the meantime, he watched Lisa breathe steadily, her chest rising and falling. It was a welcome sight for it assured him of her life, for the present. That was all he could do...watch her from a distance. William was overcome with physical and mental exhaustion. But he obdurately refused to sleep. For two hours, he just watched Lisa lie on the bed quietly. He did not allow himself to dwell on what happened. He did not allow himself to feel. That would be fatal to his peace of mind. He could not allow himself to feel for he would not be able to think. It was difficult, to be sure, to watch her without feeling the need to take her in his arms and comfort her. But he had to survey the situation objectively if he were to save Lisa from death and from himself. It was a sobering thought, that, and yet William forced himself to stay awake and be in eternal torture.
William's eyes began to droop and he got up from his chair. He stretched and went to the living room where a huge fire was roaring. He smiled cynically. This was where he had planned to spend a quiet evening with Lisa. But here he was alone. William gazed into the fire for a few minutes, hypnotized by its bright red intensity. It seemed to reach out to him, seemed to share his hopeful view of the future. Warmed and not a little optimistic, William returned to the bedroom. He paused, then purposefully went to Lisa's side. He gingerly kissed her forehead and her eyelids. Wordlessly, he said a silent prayer and got into the other side of the bed. Tomorrow was another day, another chance, another opportunity and William was certain that tomorrow would amend the situation and bring back the love of his life.
Meanwhile, in New York City
Caroline was tired of waiting. He was an hour late and she was losing her patience. It had been over two weeks since she had hired him and had yet to see some tangible evidence of the investigation. He had asked her to meet him at the café and she had been there at the appointed time and there was no sign of him. He had said that he had some urgent communications to convey, but she doubted it could be very crucial. Caroline was skeptical of anything he might have to say. She was determined to discharge him today for he was costing her a lot for doing nothing. Surely even William could not be worth spending such thousands. She deserved him without having to spend all that money. It was simply not fair that the tramp, Lisa got William without having to spend a penny while she had spend upwards of $10,000 already. Caroline fumed inwardly as she ordered another expresso and trained her eyes on the door impatiently.
About half an hour later, when Caroline had given up and was just about to leave, a tap on her shoulder made her aware of him standing behind her.
"There better be a damned good reason," she said. "You're almost 2 hours late."
"I had to shake them off."
"What are you talking about?" Caroline demanded as Collins sat down opposite her.
"Them. The Mafia," Collins whispered as he bent forward, his eyes darting across the café.
"Okay, what the hell are you on about? The Mafia?! What does that have to do with anything?!"
"Don't you see?" said Collins, looking at her with his wild eyes. "It's got everything to with this. She's in the Mafia..."
"Lisa?? Are you crazy?" Caroline cried.
"Yes, and don't shout. They might have followed me," Collins said. "Yes, Lisa is in the Mafia."
"Are you sure?" Caroline asked, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Of course I am. Everything points to it," said Collins firmly. "Lisa is not her real name. I'm not sure what her real name is. But I should be able to find that out by tomorrow."
"Oh my god, she's in the Mafia," Caroline repeated. "This is good...much better than I'd imagined. This is too good to be true."
"Listen, I have to go. I can't stay here too long," said Collins. "Meet me at Frena's Bar tomorrow. You know where it is, right? Good. I'll have some more evidence for you then. Bye."
And he was gone, leaving Caroline stunned and delighted beyond words.
The next day
Caroline returned home fuming. He had stood her up! The nerve of the guy! He had not shown up at all...no messages, no apologies, nothing. He should have at least called her to let her know that he wouldn't show up. And she had been so eager to find out more about "Lisa." Caroline was disappointed but she rallied around with the thought that maybe tomorrow she'd learn more. This was priceless beyond words. Lisa was in the Mafia. Caroline could not believe her luck in having stumbled on that. Now the $10,000 seemed to have been well-spent. Caroline returned to her good humor, and was even willing to forgive Collins for his offense. She changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and poured herself a drink before turning on the TV to catch "Who wants to be a millionaire?" She was thus employed when her eyes fell upon the paper. She opened it and just skimmed the headlines when her eyes caught something that made her spill her drink. It read:
LOCAL PI KILLED IN A HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT
Private Investigator William Collins was killed by a speeding black Mercury outside his home. No suspects have been detained at this time due to the lack of motive...
The article went on, but Caroline could read no more. She was in total shock. Oh my god...the .
Chapter 14
The morning did not exhibit any prospects of the blizzard abating. The several feet of snow that had fallen overnight almost buried the little lodge, blocking any means of communication with the outside world. Meanwhile, as the early hours of the morning progressed, one of the inhabitants of the lodge stirred slightly. William slowly opened his eyes and for a moment was disoriented in the strange room. But as he became more aware of his surroundings, he suddenly turned and beheld the sleeping form of Lisa. And then it all came back to him; the secret getaway, the skiing, the accident,... William's first instinct was to reach out and gently touch Lisa to ascertain whether anything had changed since last night, whether she was still unconscious. She did not respond and the threat of coma instantly flashed before his eyes, but William rationalized it by telling himself that she could just as easily be in deep slumber.
He was motionless on the massive bed for several minutes, just looking. Looking at Lisa, really looking at her; her, the person, Lisa; not the exterior being, the flesh, the blood, but Lisa, the spiritual being, the person, the soul. He saw so much, so much that she had to live for, so much she could do, accomplish, and contribute to the world. She had touched his life and made it better in so many different, indescribable ways. His mind just spun at the thought of what incredible things she could do for so many other people; with just a look, a smile, a touch. It was not her time to go, William was convinced, not now, not like this. She couldn't be in a coma. It was not like her to be so still, so silent, so un-Lisa. When William thought of Lisa, the words that came to his mind were witty, vivacious, full of life, full of love. It was just not like her to lay dormant on the bed, unconscious, lifeless, helpless.
William sighed and closed his eyes. At that moment, he felt so very, utterly, undeniably selfish. He knew that none of those reasons were why he wanted Lisa to live. His reasons were entirely self-serving. He wanted her back for himself. His own, selfish self. He had realized in the sleepless hours of the previous night that he could not live without her. That stunning realization hit him like a ton of bricks because of its complete suddenness. He had known, prior to this that Lisa was special and this relationship was different, but it was not until now that he stood the chance of loosing her forever that it actually struck him exactly how much she had come to mean to him. The twenty-something years he had spent prior to knowing her seemed to melt into oblivion when he contemplated the few, short weeks he had known her. It was true, he had known her for a very short time, but love knew no boundaries, no time constraints. Love. William paused. Love. So, this is love? He allowed that tingling feeling to wash all over him. It felt marvelous and strangely liberating. He didn't have to hide anymore, not from himself, not from her, not from love.
On some level, he had known since the first moment he laid eyes on her that she was the one, the one and the only. Was it infatuation? William believed not. It could not be, for what he felt for Lisa went beyond the physical. Granted, he hardly knew anything about her past, but he cared nothing for that. It was not what Lisa had done that interested him, or even who she had been with. What did interest him was what Lisa was and what she could be. And she could be his. William realized how reckless he sounded and even felt. He had known her for but a few weeks, and already was looking towards the future, towards eternity because he had not one doubt in his mind that he wanted to be with her, always, for the rest of his life. No, this couldn't be infatuation, and if it was, it was a wondrous infatuation that would last a lifetime. William looked at Lisa again and suddenly, a terrible fear swept his heart. What if she didn't love him back?
It was very conceited of him, he supposed, to have been planning their life together without even knowing if she felt a fraction of what he felt for her. She had always been friendly and flirtatious and even inviting at times, but nothing to signify that she cared, at least, with the same intensity that he did. What if this was nothing but a casual flirtation for her? What if she did not want to be with him as violently as he wanted to be with her? William blocked such thoughts from his head. The important thing was here and now. He would have to concentrate on helping Lisa heal from her accident and then...who knew what would happen from there on? If she liked him, even a little, that would be enough for him...for now. He would be tenacious in pursuing her and ere long, she would be his, of that he was quite certain. But he would have to be careful, not to blurt it out, not to scare her away. A small, playful smile spread over his face and his nose crinkled. If only she'd wake up.
William got out of bed, went over to Lisa's side, bent down and gently kissed the tip of her nose. He did not move for a second, his face inches away from hers, his hot breath fanning her face. He withdrew quietly and with one parting look would have proceeded to the bathroom had not a slight movement caught his eyes. The next instant he was near Lisa again. Her hands stirred again slightly and went instinctively to the spot that William had just kissed. She did not open her eyes, but William knew that she was awake. His fervent prayers had been answered.
"Lisa?" he said excitedly. "Can you hear me?"
Lisa groaned and still did not open her eyes. Encouraged by that proof of her consciousness, William repeated, "Lisa, I need you to wake up. Listen to me, open your eyes, please, for me. Just open them so I can see you're okay?"
Lisa's eyes fluttered, and with some considerable effort she opened them slowly and looked at William without any sign of recognition.
"Lisa!!" exclaimed William joyously. He could hardly contain his excitement. "Lisa."
She looked at him blankly and for a moment William feared that she had amnesia and didn't remember anything, but his fears were unfounded as she softly said, "Don't shout, I have a pounding headache."
"Sorry," muttered William sheepishly as he sat down next to her. "I got carried away."
"What happened? Where are we?" mumbled Lisa distractedly looking around.
"Back at the cabin. You remember us skiing?" he asked. Lisa nodded. "You...fell down the slope. No broken bones. You were very lucky. I was so scared when you became unconscious. It could have turned out much worse than this. How do you feel?"
"Lousy," complained Lisa, not attempting to get up. She raised her hand to her head. "My head really hurts."
"I know, but it'll be fine...soon hopefully," William assured her with a small smile. He brushed her hair off her face and stroked her face. "You had me so terrified, you know that? If anything happened to you, it'd be all my fault."
"No, it wouldn't, I was the one who was skiing, remember?" Lisa attempted to smile.
"Yeah, but I was the one who brought you down here," William reminded her. "Now, it seems like we're stuck here. There's a bad blizzard going on as we speak. The phone lines are down and even if they weren't, it would be hard for anyone to get to us in this weather. Thankfully, we still have electricity and running water, but who knows when that'll go. In short, we're pretty much stuck here."
"Oh, how exciting," Lisa joked, feeling some of strength return.
"Hardly," said William. "You need to get to a hospital to have your injuries checked out."
"I feel fine," declared Lisa. "Except for that whopper of a headache, I'm feeling A-okay. In fact, I can get up and fix myself some coffee right now." To prove her point, Lisa raised herself and would have gotten up had not William restrained her with his strong arms and said,
"No, you're not going anywhere. You were unconscious for 12 hours. You're probably weak and tired. You're going to stay right here, in bed, and I'll make coffee." Seeing Lisa's incredulous look, he added. "I mean it."
"You can't do that, I feel fine, I can get up and...," Lisa didn't get to finish her sentence.
"No, you're not fine and you're not getting up. You're staying right here," William declared. "Don't give me that look."
Lisa pouted even more. "I don't take have to listen to you."
William smiled faintly. He was enjoying this too much. "I'm not asking. This is an order."
"Oh yeah? Well, I don't take orders from anyone either," said Lisa emphatically.
"But I'm your boss," said William, his grin widening.
"Oh, I almost forgot about that. Well let me see, I guess that changes things...," said Lisa. She paused as if pondering that, then looked up at him again. "I suppose there's no harm in staying here for a while."
"I knew you'd come around," William smiled triumphantly.
"And what if I hadn't?" Lisa raised an eyebrow.
"I have other ways," William's eyes danced with mischief and mystery.
Lisa felt an unfamiliar tingle run up and down her spine. "Such as?"
"You'll find out soon enough, I dare say," William smiled.
"Is that a promise or a threat?" asked Lisa.
"Depends on how you look at it," replied William.
"Well, Mr. Darcy, I can't wait," declared Lisa.
"And neither can I," He looked into her eyes and stood still for a moment. "I'd better get that coffee."
"Yeah," said Lisa, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks. As he headed for the door, she called out. "One thing before you go, William."
"Yes?" he paused.
"You put on my shirt backwards."
William blushed furiously in response and caused Lisa to burst out in laughter. He shook his head in embarrassment and hastily vacated the room. Lisa watched him leave and as her laughter subdued, touched her head again. It did hurt terribly and she honestly didn't feel strong enough to get up at that point, but arguing with William had just been too much fun. She liked this easy going side of him that prevented her from dwelling on how deep she had gotten herself into the mess. Lisa couldn't think about that anymore because the pounding in her head wouldn't allow any such thoughts. She closed her eyes and shooed away any painful thoughts about William, but that was hard to do, especially when he was so close and when he looked at her so suggestively. No matter how hard she tried to keep her heart intact, Lisa knew that this brief interlude in the beautiful foothills of the Alps would alter her life forever.
"Lisa? Your coffee?" William's voice broke into her chain of thoughts.
She opened her eyes and said, "Thank you."
He nodded and laid down the tray next to her. "I made some coffee, and here's some cake." He helped her sit up and pulled up a chair next to the bed.
"No really, thank you," repeated Lisa. "For, you know, taking care of me."
"You don't have to thank me. It was my pleasure...not seeing you hurt...I mean, oh forget it," William looked at her sheepishly.
"I know what you meant," Lisa assured him smilingly.
"That's good because I had no idea myself," William grinned. "Now come on, your coffee's getting cold."
Lisa obediently reached for the cup and sipped the coffee. "Ummm...this is good. Cream and sugar, just the way I like it."
"Why do you sound surprised? You will soon discover that I am an excellent cook."
"And so very modest," added Lisa mischievously.
"Yes, and that too," laughed William.
They fell silent after that. Lisa drank her coffee quietly, looking at William now and again. For his part, William did not tear his eyes away from her even for a second. He watched her every move, every expression on her face and line about her mouth as if memorizing her every aspect. Lisa glanced at him again and caught his scrutinizing gaze.
"Are you done?" she suddenly said.
"Huh?"
"Are you done with scrutinizing me?"
"I was staring, wasn't I?" William blushed.
"Yes, quite a bit," replied Lisa. Seeing that he was embarrassed, she changed the subject. "So, William, now that you are unfortunately stuck here with me, what important multi-billion deals are you missing?"
"I don't know, and frankly don't care...for there is nowhere else I'd rather be." Even before he finished that sentence, William knew he had bungled up. It was too personal, too soon. By the expression on her face he knew that he had surprised her. But that was better than scaring her, he supposed.
"Oh," was all that Lisa could utter. She had meant for her question to be taken lightly, but his response completely took her by surprise.
"I...I should check the conditions outside and see how things are going...," William said distractedly.
"Yes," Lisa nodded, hardly hearing him, as if lost in her own thoughts.
William looked at her and then left the room cursing his big mouth. Lisa was motionless for several seconds and then opened the drawer in the nightstand to find a piece of paper. Having found that and a pen, she began to write as she often did to express her thoughts and feelings.
It wouldn't have lasted anyway
But what hurts even more isI wonder what you'd say
Lisa read over what she had written and promptly crumpled it. She closed her eyes for a moment, then laid back her head and let the tears flow.
If you found out the truth
About me
About who I am
And what I represent
I wonder if you could see me
For who I am
And not what I represent
But I fear that if you knew the truth
You couldn't bear it
Not for a second
This thing between us
Has no chance, not one chance
Not even one
It's over before it really began
It never did really have a chance
I wonder what I was thinking
To have let myself fall for you
So badly, so badly that it hurts
That I'm hurting you
Lying to you, deceiving you
I wish I had the courage
To tell you the entire truth
But, I don't, I can't, I won't
But I will, I must, I have to
Maybe now, or later
But you have a right to know
No matter what happens
Just remember that I love you
But it's not supposed to be
Not now, not ever.
Chapter 15
Lisa opened her eyes as the sound of approaching footsteps indicated William's impending arrival. She quickly wiped off her tears and attempted a feeble smile. The footsteps were almost at the door and Lisa closed her eyes again momentarily to compose her thoughts. She opened them just in time to see William enter.
"The storm still seems pretty strong," William announced.
"Oh?" Lisa managed to utter.
"Yeah," William nodded. "It might be a day or two before it lets up."
"I see," Lisa lowered her gaze. How would she be able to survive for so long, alone in William's company without submitting to her heart? How would she able to guard the guilty secret that would surely poison any semblance of a normal relationship she and William shared or rather, could share? How would she be able to live with herself knowing how much it would hurt him if he ever found out the truth? Lisa had no answers for this or the other million questions running through her head.
"Lisa? Are you okay?"
The sound of William's anxious voice brought her back to reality. Lisa looked up at him again and said, "Yes..."
"No, you're not," said William with finality. "You're probably tired. You've been up for too long. Maybe you need to sleep."
Damn! You're just so...nice. Oh gawd. "William, please, I'm fine...will you just..."
"No, I won't listen to any of your excuses. You're going to have to put up with me."
Lisa looked at his laughing eyes filled with mirth and said, "Look, you don't need to nurse me like this. I can take care of myself."
"I'm sure you can," replied William. "But I don't intend to let you. You had a bad accident and you're very fortunate to have escaped with such little injuries. I don't want anything to go wrong or I'd never be able to forgive myself."
"I don't want your sympathy," Lisa found herself saying, and she didn't. Pushing William away was the only sane thing for her to do at this point or she would never be able to complete her mission.
"Believe me, sympathy has nothing to do with this," William said, with a significant glance at Lisa.
She looked away and said, "You're right, I'm tired, will you please leave me alone?"
"But Lisa...," William began to say.
"Just go away, okay!" she exclaimed forcibly taking William and herself aback.
"Sure, whatever you say," mumbled William and left the room without another word. Lisa sat motionless for a second, then collapsed onto her pillow and sobbed.
New York
"She isn't back yet, Bernardo. Why?"
"I don't know, Wickie."
The dingy room reeked of smoke and alcohol, the combination of which pervaded every last inch of the stale air. Wickie was smoking a Cuban cigar, his black hair shining due to an excess of hair gel and his dark green eyes darting fleetingly across the room. He shifted a little in his chair, then reached to pour himself another drink. He sat back and looked at Bernardo again.
"I damned well expected her two days ago. Did you find out about the trip to Europe?"
"Yes, Wickie," replied Bernardo. "Everyone except Darcy and Lisa came back. No one knows where the two are."
Wickie finished his drink with a gulp and said, "That's just super. The b**** better have something for me when she gets back."
Bernardo did not reply, knowing it was best that he didn't. After a brief silence, he ventured. "Um...Wickie, can I ask you something?"
Wickie looked at him. "Shoot."
"What do you have against Darcy?"
"Just settling an old score," said Wickie enigmatically. "Why?"
"Well, I was thinking...if Lisa can't do it, then, well...maybe you should order a hit on Darcy."
"No!" exclaimed Wickie passionately. "No, I don't want him to die that easily. No, I'll get him where it hurts, Bernardo, I'll get him where it hurts. He'll fall for Lisa and she'll break his heart."
"But is that really what'll hurt him?" asked Bernardo. "What about his money? His companies?"
"No, no, Nardo, you don't understand," said Wickie. "You have to study these people and find out what exactly their weakness is and that's where you gotta get 'em. Darcy is a sucker for love, romance, that kinda thing. D'ya know how many times I've messed with his love life? Too many. And this is the last one. The ultimate. He's gonna come begging for mercy, you hear me? That's what he's gonna do."
"What if he doesn't fall in love?" said Bernardo quietly.
"Oh he will," laughed Wickie. "I know Darcy. He will fall for her. But he won't have her because she'll come back to me. To me! Me. This is much better than killing him, Nardo, you know what I mean. He's gonna squirm in pain and I'll laugh at him. It's gonna be beautiful."
"What about Lisa?" asked Bernardo.
"What about her?"
"What if she falls for him?"
"Lisa?!" exclaimed Wickie. "I don't think she knows how to love. She's a machine, Nardo. She does what I tell her and that's the end of it." He glanced sharply at Bernardo. "Why, is there something I should know? Did she talk to you?"
"No," said Bernardo hurriedly. "No...I was just thinking."
"Don't think," sneered Wickie. "It ain't healthy. Now, go and see if Lisa came back yet. And when she does, ask her to come and see me. I gotta find out how it's goin' with Darcy."
"Yes, Wickie, I'll do that," Bernardo coughed slightly.
"Good," nodded Wickie. Very good.
Lisa blinked her eyes open only to find that she'd been sleeping for almost 2 hours. She must have cried herself to sleep, Lisa concluded, noting the wetness of her pillow. She sat up with a little effort and sighed. She wondered where William was, what he was doing, whether he was angry? Lisa shook her head. It wouldn't do, it just wouldn't do to care so much. If there was one thing Wickie had taught her, it was never to let herself care again because it always ended in hurt. And she believed him. Once she had made that one choice, she had altered the course of her life. In that one critical moment, she had chosen a life of crime over what might have been one of intellectual and emotional fulfillment. But she had not had many options. What would she have done differently? After all, what choices did she have? None. Lisa closed her eyes as she recalled that horrible day, so many years ago...
Flashback
The oppressive July sun accompanied by the almost intolerable humidity caused the sweltering heat to become unbearable. It was the worst heat wave in many decades, the meteorologists proclaimed and to Elizabeth Bennett it seemed that one didn't need any professional degree to assert that. She felt the effects of the heat even as she sat in the shade while her friends ventured into the warm waters of the ocean. Some of them waved at her and Elizabeth waved back, smiling as she did. She sighed and sipped her cold lemonade. Life was so wonderful. Sometimes, Elizabeth had to pinch herself to remind herself that it was not all a dream, that she was, in fact, living the fantasy life. Just out of freshman year in a prestigious college, Elizabeth felt so very unspeakably blessed. Those who knew her felt that she led a charmed life. She was intelligent and beautiful and had a wonderful, wealthy boyfriend. What more could a girl ask for?
A cold hand crept up and dumped sand into Elizabeth's hair. She shrieked and exclaimed, "Andy!!"
Andy grinned at Elizabeth's dismay. Tall, muscular and very attractive Andy Dickinson was one of the most eligible bachelors since he combined the two rather elusive qualities: good looks and money. He traced his lineage to bankers from centuries past and some claimed that his family was vaguely related to J.P. Morgan himself. Andy was fun-loving and flamboyant and very wicked, hence making a great match for Elizabeth. They had known each other as children and still managed to stay close even though Andy had gone away to Princeton. Elizabeth genuinely loved Andy although not for his wealth, as many of her acquaintances surmised. He could be poor as a pauper, but she'd still feel the same way about him. And nothing could ever change that.
"Andy! I'll pay you back for this!" exclaimed Elizabeth, attempting in vain to rid her lush red locks of the sand. "Look what you did."
"Oh, poor darling," grinned Andy in a manner that indicated that he did not regret what he had done in the least bit. "Will you have to wash it again?"
"Yes!" groaned Elizabeth.
"Then let me help you," Andy said with a suggestive grin.
Elizabeth blushed. "Oh, Andy Dickinson, what would your mother say?!"
"What would I say about what, dear?" asked a soft, feminine voice and within seconds Julia Dickinson appeared. A tall, slim and imperial looking figure, Julia exuded power, grace and gentility. Her pale face was ageless; she could have been thirty or fifty, it would be hard to tell, but at any rate, she commanded respect wherever she was seen.
"Nothing, mother," Andy kissed his mother while throwing a warning look at Elizabeth. "I was just teasing Elizabeth."
"I see," said Julia as she sat down. "Nothing inappropriate, I assume, Andrew?"
"Not at all, Mrs. Dickinson," Elizabeth chimed in. "In fact, he was just teasing me about my fear of the ocean."
"Yeah, she's seen 'Jaws' one too many times, I think," laughed Andy.
"Oh," muttered Julia. It was a known fact that Julia did not completely approve of her son's relationship with Elizabeth, who, in spite of her good manners, was only a doctor's daughter and a medical examiner at that. But she indulged her son, it was said, because she did not believe it was serious and as her husband once remarked, every young man must have his fun. And as long as it stayed just that...nothing more than 'fun', Julia would be satisfied. But sometimes she intensity in Elizabeth's green eyes scared her and she only hoped that her son wouldn't get too wrapped up in that girl.
"So, mother, we were hoping, Elizabeth and I, that we could go back to New York for a few days...," Andy began. "you know, to see her family. She's spent most of her vacation here with us, so I guess it's only fair that I visit her family."
Julia eyed Andy and then, glanced at Elizabeth. "For how long, Andrew?"
"A few days," replied Andy.
"Your father expects you to be at the dinner with the governor and your dean," reminded Julia.
"Yes, mother, I know," said Andy with the faintest hint of exasperation. "I'll be back before that."
Julia looked at Elizabeth again and then said, "Alright. When are you leaving?"
"Tonight. I'll drive up there and we'll be back in a few days," said Andy.
Julia nodded. "Just tell your father before you leave."
"Okay," said Andy. He stood there, motionless for a second and then said, "Are you coming Lizzy?"
Elizabeth nodded and followed him after uttering a small goodbye to Julia. As they walked slowly towards the hotel, Elizabeth remarked, "I don't think your mother likes me too much."
"Oh no, she loves you!" said Andy. "My mother's just...well, she can be a little difficult sometimes...you know, but she's quite fond of you."
"You're such a bad liar," smiled Elizabeth.
"I'm not lying!" defended Andy. "Just wait and see. She's gonna open up to you."
"I hope so," said Elizabeth. "I really do. But I would never reproach you on your mother when I'm forcing you to see mine. Are you sure you wanna go through with this, Andy? Seeing my family, I mean? It's gonna be rough."
"Are you kidding me, I love your family!" laughed Andy.
Elizabeth laughed and shook her head once again not believing how terribly lucky she was to have such an understanding boyfriend.
Early next morning
Elizabeth stretched and opened her eyes, the winds fanning her face in the front seat of Andy's Corvette.
"Sleep well?" asked Andy, seeing that she was awake.
"Yeah," yawned Elizabeth. "Are we there yet?"
"Almost," grinned Andy. "You know you sounded just like my 5-year old cousin when you said that."
Elizabeth stuck out her tongue and looked out the window. The familiar streets of her neighborhood appeared and she sat up, a little anxious at the prospects of bringing Andy to see her family again. She was not concerned about her father or Jane, but her mother and younger sisters, she feared. Elizabeth sighed as the road curved and braced herself for the onslaught, but as the car slowly came to a stop, Elizabeth suddenly saw a different scene and felt panic well inside of her. There were several police cars, ambulances and fire engines lined in front of her house...or rather what appeared to have remained of her house. From her position, Elizabeth saw the charred burnt remnants of her house and felt the tears sting in her eyes. Her next thought was of her family and she was out of the car and running towards her house in an instant.
"What happened here?! Can someone tell me? Please!" pleaded Elizabeth.
"Ma'am, I'm Deputy Carson, who are you?" a police officer asked her.
"Elizabeth Bennett. I live here...this is my house. What happened? Where's my family? Where are they? Can I see them?"
Deputy Carson exchanged glances with another uniformed officer and said, "Maybe you should sit down before I tell you?"
"Officer, what's the matter?" By this time Andy had come up behind Elizabeth.
"Andy, they won't tell me what happened," said Elizabeth. She looked at the deputy and shouted, "Where is my family?"
"Miss Bennett, your house was reported to be on fire at approximately 3 a.m. this morning," began Deputy Carson. "The fire department arrived, but the fire was out of control. They couldn't...save anyone from the house...it was too late. We're sorry, but they really tried their best. Many of their men got injured, but it was no good. There were no survivors."
The world seemed to whirl before her eyes as Elizabeth managed to ask, "Who...who was in there?"
"We found 5 bodies," said Deputy Carson. "I'm sorry, this is quite a shock. Your other sister was here earlier...Jane, is it?"
Elizabeth was numb. Her family was gone. Gone. Forever. "Jane? What about Jane?"
"She wasn't here when it happened. She was the one who called the fire department. She's in a bad shape. We've taken her to a hospital."
Elizabeth could take no more. She buried her head in Andy's chest and sobbed till blackness enveloped her and she lost all conscious thought of her sorrowful present and forlorn future.
1 hour later
When Elizabeth opened her eyes, she was awake of a pounding in her head that threatened to tear it up in two. Slightly groggy and disoriented, she surveyed the strange room that appeared to be a hospital ward and sat up with a bolt as the realization of what had happened struck her. For a moment, she honestly believed that it had all been a horrible, horrible nightmare, but the appearance of Andy spoke otherwise.
"You're up," said Andy, entering the room.
"Andy, tell me it didn't happen, please, I was just sleeping, right?" Elizabeth trembled slightly as Andy sat down next to her and shook his head in negation, his eyes speaking for his grief. Elizabeth looked at his blue eyes and searched for any sign of reassurance before collapsing in his arms again and crying for several minutes. When she finally subdued, she said, "But why?!"
"I don't know, Liz," sighed Andy. "I'm really sorry."
"All of them...my dad, mom...my sisters...," Elizabeth trailed off when suddenly a thought struck her. "Is Jane here?"
"Yes, do you want to see her now?" asked Andy.
"Yes," said Elizabeth and the couple left the room for the ward that Jane was being held in. But Elizabeth was stopped at the door by a doctor.
"I can't let you in, ma'am, who are you?"
"I'm her sister," declared Elizabeth.
The doctor paused thoughtfully, then said, "Well, alright, you can go in for a few minutes, but make it quick. Your sister's in no position to talk."
"Okay," mumbled Elizabeth, but she wasn't even listening. She walked slowly and Andy said, "Want me to come with you?"
"No," replied Elizabeth. "I need to do this alone."
She entered Jane's room and was instantly filled with a sense of foreboding. The pervasive sense of gloom and misery in the room was inescapable as Elizabeth saw Jane lying in the bed, her eyes open. She approached the bed and looked at her sister. Her eyes were wide open, but did not appear to see. They were lost in another place, another time and Elizabeth was just about to say something when Jane began to mumble,
"Someone help me...there's a fire...please. My god, I can hear them scream. Mom, it's okay, I'm coming. Dad! Oh...Lizzy! Someone help me! The door's locked. Oh my god. Fire! Someone help me please. Call 911. Can anyone hear me?!"
By this point, Jane's mumbling had escalated to a loud shriek. Elizabeth tried to calm her sister down, but failed and several nurses arrived to give her a sedative. One of the nurses indicated Elizabeth to leave and she left with tears escaping her tired eyes. She came outside the ward where Andy was waiting.
"I heard her scrams. Is she alright?" asked Andy.
"No, she's not," said Elizabeth. "She's not alright, Andy. She was screaming for help. Why didn't anyone help her? She was desperate Andy, but no one came to help her. Why didn't they help her?"
"I don't know, Liz," sighed Andy and was prevented from making further comment due to the arrival of Deputy Carson.
"Miss Bennett, I understand that you are very upset right now, but can I ask you some questions?"
Elizabeth looked at him for a moment with disbelief, then said, "Yes, of course."
"Step this way please," said Deputy Carson. "Not you, sir," he told Andy.
"I'll be waiting outside," said Andy, as he gave Elizabeth a quick kiss.
Elizabeth nodded and followed the deputy to a small, private room. After asking her to be seated, he asked her, "Miss Bennett, are you aware of any reason whatsoever that might prompt anyone to act in a violent manner against your family."
"No," frowned Elizabeth. "But I don't understand. Are you saying...?" She trailed off.
"You must think harder, Miss Bennett," said Deputy Carson. "Any enemies? From the past maybe?" He leaned forward. "The Mafia?"
"No, no!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "Look, deputy, what are you suggesting exactly? Can you tell me what's going on?"
Deputy Carson sighed, "Your father was a medical examiner, correct?"
"Yes, but..."
Deputy Carson continued, "I'm not sure whether you are aware of it, but recently a body of a criminal, Joey Cartelli was stolen from your father's office..."
"So?"
"So, we think that might have something to do with the fire in your house."
Elizabeth felt a sick fear in her stomach. "Are you saying that someone burned my house...on purpose?"
"I'm not saying anything at this point," said Deputy Carson. "But we suspect that there might be a connection...what about your neighbors?"
"What about them?" asked Elizabeth apprehensively.
"Were you on good terms with them?"
"Yes...why?"
"Well, for some reason, no one recalls having seen or heard anything strange around your house last night," said Deputy Carson. "It's almost as if someone threatened or paid them not to speak."
"Oh my god," uttered Elizabeth.
"So, you see, it is essential that we have your co-operation at this point," said Deputy Carson. "Did your father ever speak about Joey Cartelli?"
"No...," said Elizabeth, choking back sobs.
"Are you aware that your father was being blackmailed?"
"Blackmailed?!" said Elizabeth with horror.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. He's been withdrawing huge amounts of money lately without any apparent reason," Deputy Carson saw that Elizabeth was upset beyond words. "I'm very sorry about all of this, Miss Bennett. Maybe you'll like to come back and talk later?"
"Yes, thank you," said Elizabeth in a steely voice. She got up and quietly left the room.
2 weeks later; Longbourn Cemetery
The conclusion of the funeral two days prior had ended a chapter of Elizabeth's life. The arrangements had taken a toll on her and she could barely identify herself in the pale, tired face she saw in the mirror. Many distant relatives and friends had attended the ceremony, but they were all gone, leaving Elizabeth alone to ponder her future. Going back to college was out of the question. The medical degree she had hoped to pursue would come with too high of a price. A look into her father's finances had indicated that she was left penniless. While some relatives had offered temporary support, Elizabeth knew better than to expect their help. No, she would have to face this alone. She had gone to see Jane earlier in the day. Her condition was still fragile and it killed Elizabeth to see her thus. But there was nothing she could do, nothing. The police had questioned her several times, but there seemed little hope that they'd uncover something in the near future. Elizabeth despaired of their ever finding the culprits for after all, this was the Mafia. Well at least I have Andy, thought Elizabeth.
"Liz?" said a soft voice behind her and she turned around.
"Andy!" she exclaimed and reached to hug him, but stopped on seeing his expression. "What's wrong?"
"I...," he began, his face clouded and his blue eyes dark with some mysterious sorrow. "You know, we've had a great time and it's been really swell and all, but..."
"But what?" said Elizabeth, fear creeping up her heart.
"But like all other good things, it can't last forever..."
"Are you...are you breaking up with me?" whispered Elizabeth, tears stinging her eyes.
"I...I guess I am," Andy hung his head. "But I'll always love you Liz, it's just that...you know..."
"No, I don't know, what is it, Andy?"
"This whole thing with the Mafia...it's not a good reflection on my family for me to be involved, you know what I mean...I can't have that."
Elizabeth retreated slowly. "I...I see." She turned her back to him.
"No, don't turn away, Liz, we can still be friends, you know," said Andy lamely.
"No, I don't think we can," said Elizabeth.
"Please, Liz, think of what we've meant to each other," pleaded Andy.
"Then why are you leaving me?" asked Elizabeth.
"I'm not...well, you have to understand my position here...," Andy trailed off.
"Oh, I do understand, better than you think, Andy. This is not you, but your mother speaking," said Elizabeth, a hint of bitterness in her voice.
"It's not like that, Lizzy. Try to see it my way."
"I am," said Elizabeth. "I understand, Andy. I don't blame you for any of this."
Andy hung his head, then said, "I...I have some money...you might need it..." He extended a wad of bills towards her and Elizabeth looked at him in disbelief.
"Isn't it enough that you made me feel ashamed of my family? Now you have to make me feel like a cheap prostitute. I don't want any of your money!"
"Elizabeth, please...listen to me."
"No, you listen to me. You made your choice and I'll make mine. I don't want to see you again...ever. Now please go away and leave me alone," Elizabeth turned away from him again, not wanting him to see the threat of those tears which remained forever her greatest weakness. Then, she suddenly turned around and added, "Andy, before you go, tell me one thing...did you ever love me?" She saw the expression in his eyes and hurriedly said, "No, don't, don't answer that."
Andy sighed and with one last look, rapidly walked away. Elizabeth watched his retreat and felt the last connection to her former life die. No one could now call her life 'charmed.' What a difference a few weeks had made for the once vibrant young girl with a bright future? What a contrast to the dismal, pale girl standing all alone. Elizabeth felt the great desire to cry in a corner, but she didn't. She wouldn't. She wouldn't waste one more tear. She had to be strong for herself, for Jane, and for her family. As she walked out of the cemetery that day, Elizabeth decided on two things: she would never allow her heart to be touched again, and she would seek vengeance on those who had destroyed her life and taken away her family.
Even as Lisa contemplated that painful period of her life, she felt a chill run up and down her spine. She wondered where Andy Dickinson was today. Probably married to some heiress and a banker on Wall Street. She had been so naïve to have actually thought that Julia Dickinson would have allowed her to pursue some sort of relationship with Andy. But ultimately, it was Andy's choice and he had chosen everything over her. Lisa had long given up on Andy, but sometimes the reality hurt her very much. Nonetheless, Lisa had survived all the turmoil and she had Wickie to thank for that. He had taught her everything she knew and had helped her support Jane. Lisa knew that his motives weren't completely altruistic, but he had given her shelter and a promise that he'd help her find the lowlifes who had burned her house. Many years had passed and Lisa had still to find those creeps, which was as well, because if she ever did, she would have to add murder to her other accomplishments.
A knock on her door roused Lisa from her reverie. "Come in," she said.
William peeped in. "Are you sure you want me to come in?"
Lisa smiled faintly. "Yes, William, I'm sorry for losing my temper earlier. I wasn't myself."
"Apology accepted and totally unnecessary," William assured her. "I'm just glad that you got some rest."
Lisa attempted to smile as she looked at William, but all she could think was: Is he another Andy Dickinson? "William, I...."
"No, wait, before you say anything," said William. "I've been thinking and I think that this is not a good idea."
"It's not?" asked Lisa, confused as to what he was referring to.
"No," William shook his head. "You are obviously not accustomed to staying in bed for so long and since you feel fine, I've decided that I won't pressure you into staying in bed all the time. It's your call. If you feel string enough to walk about, I say, go for it. I realize that I've been rather over-protective, but that's only because I care about you." He looked into her eyes and held the gaze. "I really do care about you, your well-being, and it's not just sympathy. So basically, I'm sorry for being a jerk and upsetting you before and it won't happen again."
Lisa could not help but smile. "Oh, you're not a jerk. You're the sweetest, most thoughtful person I've ever known. I'm just a little cranky, that's all."
William sat down on the bed, next to her. He smiled as he slowly reached for her hands and enveloped them in his own large, masculine hands. He held her hands between his palms and brought them to his lips, kissing them tentatively, looking at her for a reaction. Lisa did not move, but did not recoil, which William took for a positive sign. He leaned slowly towards her till his face was inches away from hers. He looked into her green eyes, searching for any sign of resistance, and finding none, lowered his mouth on hers. The sheer force and intensity of the kiss surprised them both, making them oblivious to time and place. The passionate embrace would have continued undisturbed had not Lisa pulled back.
"What is it?" asked William, fearing he had over stepped bounds.
Lisa looked into his eyes and replied, "William, there is something I have to tell you."