RANSOM

by Faith S Lynn

  “Stop being a smart ass and raising your voice, Sage. It’s not lady like. We can work this out. Let’s just go upstairs and talk.” He reaches for me but I step back.

  I pick up a vase from the small table next to the door and chuck it at him. Sadly, he jerks to the side, avoiding getting hit by the flying porcelain. “How’s that for lady-like? Now, both of you get out before I have you escorted out of here in front of all of our guest!”

  They both walk out with their heads bowed in shame, even though I am pretty sure neither of them are ashamed of what they were doing, but that they were caught. I walk over to the sofa sitting off by itself in the area that father calls the library and take a seat. I place my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands. I should be crushed. My heart should be broken into so many pieces that it would take years to repair.

  But I’m not crushed, and my heart is not shattered, because it isn’t with me. I realized a while back, when I started falling for Lynkin, that I didn’t really love Richard. My “best friend” Amanda wasn’t really a friend to me. She was more just someone to hang out with to pass time. I learned that while spending hours and hours with Jennifer, talking about absolutely nothing. I have more of a connection with a girl I’ve known for a month and a half than with one I have known most of my life.

  The door to the office creaks open further, and I raise my eyes from the floor to see my dad walking in. “I’m sorry. I am so very sorry.”

  I close my eyes and hope he goes away. Of course, that doesn’t happen. A few seconds later I feel the couch dip beside me. “Explain. I need to know what the hell is going on. Nothing make sense to me anymore. So, explain.”

  And he did. He started from the moment when Richard came to work for him. “I always thought he was such a wonderful young man with a ‘Go get ‘em’ attitude. The longer he worked for me, the more aggressive he got about making it further. I just thought it was him just being a goal oriented person.”

  “What was it?”

  “No that’s it. The problem is, his goal was to have you, the company, and the world under his thumb,” he deadpans.

  “Little over dramatic, don’t you think? Obviously, he can’t take over the world with a hospitality company. What’s he going to do, ‘Welcome’ them to submission?” I joke.

  “It’s possible.” Dad laughs back. “He could beam pillow mints at them, too!”

  “I can see it now. Dick takes over the world!” Both of us belt out laughter. “Anyways, back to the story, old man.”

  The more he goes on about how rude and conniving Richard has been this whole time we have been together, the worse I feel for not noticing all of this. “This year,” he explains, “has been scheming on top of more scheming. The first time I realized he was taking money from the company was shocking to say the least. He was writing off a lot of expenses and it just didn’t add up at all. I started researching, and he was writing up tens of thousands in fake work expenses.”

  “Did you confront him about it?”

  “I waited a few days. I wanted to process the fact that my future son in law was stealing from me. I had come to the conclusion that he had to be in a financial tight spot and was too ashamed to ask for help. I called him into my office, presented my evidence to him, and asked if he needed help.” He takes a breath before finishing. “The whole time he never looked remorseful or scared that he had been caught. When I finished, he actually laughed and said ‘You really are a dumb fuck, aren’t you?’”

  “Oh, no! What’d you do?” I say, sitting up a little straighter as I get sucked into the story.

  “Nothing for a good bit. He had made me speechless. I didn’t expect that reaction. Eventually, when my wits came about me I started shouting obscenities at him, asking him what in the hell was he thinking ruining his future like that. I told him there was no way in hell he could marry my daughter after that. And that is when his laughter stopped. He gave it to me straight. He said that no matter what happened, I wasn’t going to keep you from him. The two of you would be together, and if I or anyone got in the way of that, he would make me pay by hurting you.”

  He looks at me acceptingly as I process the information. “Oh my god! Was he behind my kidnapping?”

  A smile comes across my father’s face when he answers, “Lord, no! He and Lynkin are on two totally different ends of the humanity board.”

  “Woah, hold the boat! You knew Lynkin was the one who had me this whole time? Why haven’t you told someone?”

  “I knew you were with Lynkin because I did, no matter if you believe it or not, search for you. I pulled out all the stops to make sure you were ok. I didn’t tell anyone for the same reason I didn’t rush to come get you. You were better off being held ransom by Lynkin than here with your insane fiancé. The things that man said he would do to you if I didn’t bend to his wants....” my father stops when a shiver passes through him.

  “What did he say he would do?” I ask as a chill runs down my spine, and I’m not sure I even want to know.

  “He kept saying to keep in mind that the happier he stayed and the more successful he got, the better off you would be. One time I went to his office to discuss an important meeting with a new hotel we were trying to buy out. I walked in on him with Amanda. The twisted fucker didn’t even stop after he saw me standing there. He had her bent over so that she couldn’t see me, and just looked at me like I should discuss what I needed from him while he continued his business. I walked out, and an hour later, five minutes before we had to go into the meeting, he comes to my office. He straightens his tie after closing the door behind him, walks to my desk, and slams his hands to the wood. That was the first time I saw the craziness in his eyes, like in that moment, if he didn’t calm down, he was about to do something stupid.”

  “How did I never see any of this? I feel so stupid because I always felt like him and Amanda were all I would ever need,” I say, exhausted.

  “You aren’t stupid. He pulled the shades down on all of us. Amanda, on the other hand, I have never liked her,” he states, seriously.

  “Can you answer something for me?”

  “One more thing, and then you should get some rest.”

  “Why did you accuse Lynkin of the things that Richard was doing, if you knew it was Richard?”

  “In a way, I was protecting him from Richard’s wrath, the same as I was you. I noticed Richard was getting short with him when he noticed me working with Lynkin on anything. If I were to take the time and explain anything to Lynkin in order to help him succeed, Richard would come storming over and pull me away with something that was far more important, so he said. Then later, he would tell me I was wasting my time on someone who didn’t belong in our world. He was like a jealous child.”

  “If you were trying to protect him then why did you make it known to everyone in the corporate world that he was fired for stealing from you?”

  “I didn’t. When we let Lynkin go, I convinced the other members to sign a non-disclosure that stated if a future employer called looking for reference for him we would tell them that he left on his own accord,” he explains.

  As I open my mouth to ask another question he shushes me. “Go to bed. We can talk more in the morning.”

  “Ok. Goodnight.”

  Sage

  Breakfast the next morning is a little odd for me. Dad and Mom are both at the table, and for the first time in a long time, my mother seems to be completely coherent. I push my blueberries around my bowl over my low fat, sugar-free oatmeal, which has been my regular breakfast for as long as I can remember.

  “Something wrong with your oatmeal, darling?” Mom asks.

  “No, not really. I guess I am just not all that hungry,” I answer as I set my spoon down.

  “Mary-Anne!” Dad hollers to the cook. In just seconds, the tiny, middle-aged woman comes rushing into the dining room.

  “Yes, Mr. Donovan?”

  “Could you please clear the table?”

  “Is
there something wrong with the food, sir?”

  “Goodness, no. As usual Mary-Anne, the food is immaculate. But, I think this family needs a switch up. Chocolate-chip pancakes for everyone one, with extra butter!” Dad exclaims. She picks up what she can carry, and as she starts to head into the kitchen, Mom speaks up.

  “Carl, do you realize how many calories are in butter?” Mother appeals to him.

  “Who fucking cares?” he retorts, then signals for Mary-Anne to go ahead with his request, and she does.

  “Language! My, Carl what has come over you?”

  “Nothing. I just think that sometimes we should enjoy the little things,” he explains.

  She doesn’t say anything back, just takes a sip of her mimosa as she waits to be served her new breakfast. The wait isn’t long, because before I know it I have a heaping pile of steaming pancakes in front of me, something I haven’t had since I was around ten because mother was scared it would hurt my figure and ruin my possibilities of ever finding a suitable man to marry.

  Mary-Anne puts a bottle of maple syrup down, and I drench my plate in it. The first bite pretty much melts in my mouth. The next bite I take, I look up and catch my dad smiling at me with a true happiness in his eyes that I haven’t seen there in years. That is when I realize he has never been the bad guy in my life. I just grew up and away from him. Granted, my mother is still high up on my negativity list, right up there with Richard and Amanda.

  She doesn’t say anything and hardly touches the pancakes. Actually, she pokes them around like I was doing with the damn oatmeal, but eventually gives up and leaves the table with a fresh glass of OJ-Champagne mix. Dad and I talk more about everything that went down and cut up about how perfect Richard and Amanda really are for each other.

  When I am finished, I go to my room and change into some running clothes. A run through the historic district and back is exactly what I need to clear my mind and relieve the stress of everything. I put my ear buds in and head out the door.

  Lynkin

  I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking trying to bring her check back to her in person. Did I expect to just walk up to the man who ruined my life’s front gate and ask to see his daughter? He is going to want to know why. What the hell do you do then, Lynkin? Do you tell him the whole story? Do you make something up? Can you tell him it is none of his damned business?

  I pass back and forth on the sidewalk a block away from their house, debating my options and whether or not I should just give up and head home. When I decide to finally cut my losses and turn to walk back to my car, everything stops. My steps, my heart, and my breathing. My Beauty is running towards me with a determined look on her face.

  It’s not until she is half a block away that she realizes who I am. Her speed slows until she comes to a complete stop about fifteen feet away. She pulls her headphones from her ears and throws them over her shoulder. She doesn’t say anything, but doesn’t need to I can see it all. First, confusion for me being here. Second, worry that I might get into trouble for being here. Third, excitement at the possibility that I am here for her.

  So what comes out of her mouth is understandable and shocking at the same time. “You have to go. You can’t be here.”

  “Why do I have to go? Do you want me to leave?”

  “It’s not about what I want, Lynkin. If Richard were to catch you with me…” she trails off.

  “What is he going to do? Nothing. Besides, how would he even know that I am here?”

  “It doesn’t matter how he will know, the problem is I don’t know what he will do to either of us when he finds out,” she says. Her voice is laced with fear.

  “What do you mean what he will do to us? Has he hit you before? I will kill him!”

  “No, he has never hit me,” she replies with hesitation.

  “So he hasn’t ever laid a hand on you before, but you fear him. Why? Talk to me, Sage.”

  Before she speaks again, I see a finality come across her face. “Look, Lynkin, you did us both a favor by walking out on me that morning. You and I, we can’t be anything. We are from two different worlds. Just go home, use that money I gave you, and forget about me.”

  I step towards her and grab her hand in mine, placing the check in her palm. “I came here to return that to you. I don’t need it,” I pause. “In the letter that you sent with it, you said that you loved me.”

  I swipe a piece of her beautiful auburn hair, which is glowing red in the sunlight, from her face. She leans her head into my hand as if my touch is all she needs. “I did.”

  “You did love me?

  “I did what I had to do.”

  “You’re telling me that was a lie?” I drop her hand and pull back from her.

  “I am telling you that you need to turn around and leave. I don’t want you in my life.”

  That stung. A lot. I open my mouth to say something but when I look into her eyes I see how truly horrified she is at what could happen if I was caught with her, and give in. “Fine.” I lower my voice just in case someone is around, “But this doesn’t feel right and I don’t trust you with Richard. I will be back.”

  I don’t glance over my shoulder as I walk off. I’m sure if I see her break, I will come back, and right now it seems better for her if I just keep going. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I plan on getting to the bottom of it.

  Sage

  I know I should be relieved that he left. It’s best for both of us. There is no telling what Richard is capable of doing, and I don’t want to find out. Lynkin got swept up into this mess and it has caused him so much shit. Now I am just adding to the top of his misery. I won’t continue to let him be the victim.

  “Who was that?” I jump when I hear Richard behind me. His voice sends a jolt of panic through my entire body. How long has he been standing there?

  “Just a tourist asking how to get to Bonaventure Cemetery.” I walk past him and into the gate towards the house. “Not that is any of your business anymore.”

  “You just got back from being kidnapped. You shouldn’t be wondering around the town by yourself.”

  “Don’t pretend like you care.”

  He grabs my elbow and yanks hard, forcing me to turn back to him. “I’m not faking. I do care about you.”

  “You sure showed it by fucking my best friend behind my back all this time. You really showed it when you left me to be held for ransom by a guy that was doing god knows what to me.”

  “I am sorry you have to find out about me and Amanda, especially like that, but you can’t call off our marriage over one fuck up, Sage.”

  “Is there a better way for me to find out that the two people I was sure I could always depend on ended up being the ones I should have been more wary about?” I jerk my arm from him. “And I can and I have called of our marriage over such a thing. I don’t trust you, and I can’t spend the rest of my life with someone like you.”

  As I reach the front door he shouts out, “You are mine, and you always will be!”

  Lynkin

  “Hang on, help me understand this. You are telling me that you gave a one hundred thousand dollar check written out to you, back to Sage?” Jen questions me.

  “You know I don’t take charity, and there is no way I can take it from her. Besides, I told you I don’t need it now,” I explain as we sit on Mom’s front porch swing.

  “I know, but damn, you could’ve cashed it and given that shit to me.” I give her a sideways look and she starts laughing, “Ah, come on man, I am just cutting up with you. You need to smile.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why? Because you think that sweet little Sage is in danger? She isn’t yours to worry about.”

  I cringe at her words, but she’s right in a way. “I love her.”

  “Finally! Holy shit, man, that took you long enough,” Jen says, excitedly.

  That same time, Mom comes running from the house and squealing, “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I am so happy for you, honey!�
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  “Why the hell are you two so damn excited for me to be in love with a girl that I can never be with? It’s like you both want me to be miserable!”

  “Of course we don’t want you to be miserable,” Mom says.

  “Who says the two of you can’t be together?” Jen ask.

  “Reality does! I can’t afford to give her the things she is used to, her father wouldn’t allow it, and even if none of those reasons were staring me in the face, the biggest of all is the little fact of her impending marriage,” I fill them in.

  “Excuses! That’s all that is,” my mother counters.

  “No, Mom, they are facts.”

  “What the hell? You have never backed down from a sticky situation. Take some of your own advice and dive right into this,” Jen suggests.

  I sit there as the swing continues to sway back and forth until it slows to a stop. They’re right. I shouldn’t be letting any of this get in the way of me at least trying. “You’re right, but I can’t just jump into this one blind like I normally do.” I stand. Looking over at Jennifer I hint, “It’s going to need a spy on the inside.”

  “Why do I always have to be drug into this stuff too?” she whines.

  “Just one of the perks of being my best friend!”

  “Ugh!” she grumbles out before relenting. “Fine. What do you need me to do?”

  Sage

  I have been sitting on this damn bed, in this damn room, looking at the same damn thing for over an hour. My wedding dress. The tailor that had it fitted to me the same week that Lynkin took me just delivered it. I don’t guess the news of me calling off the wedding has made it very far at all, considering that the maid brought it in here and hung it up on my closet door, then proceeded to congratulate me and tell me I will make a beautiful bride. As soon as she left, I unzipped the garment bag and pulled the dress out. I backed up until my legs hit the bed, and I have been sitting here ever since.