Broken Obsession - Part Two

by Trisha Fuentes

  Eduardo was about to go mad. His heart swelled to a point where he was about to fall to his knees. He felt as if he were going to have a heart attack. “I thought as much,” he relented, nodding his head toward the ground.

  “Well, if you’re sure we can’t be friends, then you’d better run along then,” she teased, flipping her fingers over his head, waving him away. “See ya around,” Amber revealed, revolving toward the perimeter again.

  “Yah...see ya,” Eduardo uttered, leaving her alone on the balcony.

  Amber gazed over at her glass of Perrier water. Good Lord, she could really use something stronger! The temptation was so great but she was going on two years sober and had been so happy, thrilled at times, but now all of a sudden, she was lost and miserable, drowning from the short sight of her charismatic ex-husband.

  Should she jump off the balcony? She sure did feel like it. Would anyone care? She thought about it for a moment and held back her inducement while feeling her shoulder being touched. Amber turned around and smiled at a beaming Tony. He grabbed her into his arms and picked up her body to twirl her around.

  They walk arm-and-arm back into the party. “I’m going to go talk with a potential investor, meet you in ten minutes by the buffet?”

  Amber gave Tony a small peck on his lips, “I’ll be there.” She then watched her fiancée walk over to his colleague and felt something wasn’t quite right. Amber didn’t have to look around to know full well that her ex was somewhere in close proximity. She walked away...gingerly, strolling about, smiling at other guests passing her by when she found a familiar face, Tony’s friend, Kristen Goldberg, the hostess for the event.

  Kristen Goldberg, Hubert’s second wife, was a flamboyant Southern Belle with violet eyes and golden hair. Harvested from Georgia, Kristen met Hubert at a prestigious horse race. Coming from old money, Kristen didn’t have to marry at all, but fell in love with Hubert’s sense of honor and undying respect for women in general.

  “Save me,” Amber asked Kristen, watching her friend’s eyes light up in wonder.

  “From what honey?” Kristen asked in her Southern drawl.

  “From the man behind me,” Amber asserted, watching Kristen’s eyes gaze at the rear. “No—don’t look, I know he’s there, I can still feel his eyes.”

  But Kristen did it anyway. The only man she saw behind Amber and looking their way was... "Oh my, you mean that sinfully handsome gentleman pretending to talk to some woman while his eyes undress you?”

  “Good Lord, it’s not that obvious, is it?”

  “Oh honey, welcome that seduction, but by all means, don’t let Tony see you,” Kristen purred while gazing back at Eduardo one last time. “God help us all, the man is just too wicked for words.”

  Amber rolled her eyes and pushed along with Kristen, passing her well-stocked bar. Amber hesitated, then stopped cold, eyeing all the alcohol displayed on top of the shell: Scotch, Rum, Tequila, Schnapps, Liqueur, Brandy, Bourbon, Champagne, Wine, Cognac, beer and Vodka…SKYY Vodka.

  Kristen was suddenly pulled away from another guest and Amber was left alone—alone with her sobriety, alone with the constant urges, alone with the painful, dull ache and alone staring at all the enticing bottles.

  “Don’t do it,” she heard him say behind her.

  Amber felt her body turning around and eyed Eduardo with his hands down his suit pant pockets. “Don’t do what?” She asked in a seductive timbre.

  Shades of their past come flooding back in tidal waves; their blazing encounter in the copier room when they once worked together, before their affair and before their supposed devotion; those awkward heated moments whenever Eduardo was around her or vice versa, one of them was always tormented with their unsuitable obsession.

  He stared at her for a few short seconds trying to wash away the memory of their past and gruffly said…“What you’re tempted to do.”

  She aroused him. Good, she needed that little boost of confidence, because Stacey was suddenly springing up behind him. By the fire ignited in her eyes, Amber knew exactly what she was thinking. Stacey wanted to make sure Eduardo was still hers.

  “Oh honey, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Kristen said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere and beside Amber now.

  Amber sighed with relief and entwined her arm within her friends and purposefully gazed into Kristen’s eyes and blinked her thankfulness for the rescue. “Kristen Goldberg...Eduardo Sanchez.”

  “Charmed, I’m sure,” Kristen said awarding him her hand.

  Eduardo’s ardent smile amplified. “In no doubt you are,” he said kissing her offer.

  Kristen threw her head back in good fun. “Oh my, is it hot in here or what?” She flirted with him, fanning her face with her diamond-rimmed hand.

  Amber was amused by her game and not a bit troubled by her flirtation with her ex because Stacey suddenly flushed red with annoyance.

  “Don’t we have other acquaintances we still have to meet sweetheart before we leave?” Stacey gushed, pulling at Eduardo’s arm. But Eduardo wouldn’t budge.

  Amber simply smiled at him then raised her eyebrow to incline her grin. Eduardo stared at Amber’s lips as she bit down on them. He returned her playful pleasures by presenting her with an overzealous smirk.

  Having witnessed the obvious fire between the two of them, Kristen almost expired at that moment. Did he just make love to her with his eyes? She pretended to faint and brought her palm up to her heart. “Oh honey, where were you when I was searching for a husband? I barely know you and I already want to see you naked.”

  Eduardo laughed along with her, “Perhaps another time,” he expressed still aroused, feeling his body being pulled away anxiously by Stacey. “It appears I’m being summoned, nice to have met you Mrs. Goldberg.”

  Amber watched Eduardo and his ladylove melt away through the crowd of guests.

  Kristen then yanked at Amber and pushed her into a nearby corner. “You gonna tell me who that female connoisseur was, or do I have to beat it out of you?”

  Amber started to cackle; she hadn’t had this much fun in years! She thought about Tony suddenly and how much he needed Kristen’s financial support. “Would you agree to aid my fiancée in his project?”

  “That’s blackmail honey, from where I come from, we shoot grafters like you,” Kristen spilled out, watching Amber’s eyes grow wide from the intimidation. But she was already going to offer assistance to Tony; his project was a first-rate transaction.

  “Are you really going shoot me?”

  “Oh honey, relax, you’ve got yourself a deal, now tell me who that man was; were you lovers?”

  “No,” Amber suddenly looked down. “He was my husband.”

  Kristen noted Amber’s heartbreaking look. “Husband? You mean you ravished that body daily?”

  Amber started to hoot, “And sometimes even several times a day!” She added, joking along with her. But that had been the sad awful truth she had recalled.

  “What a scoundrel, he didn’t even introduce you to his lady friend.”

  “That’s OK.”

  “He’s still in love with you if you ask me.”

  “No he isn’t,” Amber incredulously let go.

  “How can you be so sure?” Kristen asked, peeping around the corner.

  “He’s getting remarried.”

  Kristen watched Amber’s face turn from cheerful to gloomy. “What about my friend Tony?”

  “What about him?”

  Kristen noted also Amber's shaky voice, “What are you going to tell him?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What I mean honey, is that it’s quite apparent that you’re still in love with that man, and I’m no fool you see, knowing love as well as I do, Tony is head over heels in love with my friend Amber.”

  Amber gulped. She knew that. Now that Eduardo had truly moved on with his life she needed to do the same. “You’re wrong Kristen, I do care for Tony and I agreed to marry him. He’s been nothing but he
lpful and gracious and kind and nice to me.”

  “...But love honey...you did not once mention love.”

  Amber suddenly let the realization sink in. She turned the corner to watch Eduardo hand Stacey her coat and head toward the door hand-in-hand. She still loved him, she realized. Never mind about still harboring resentfulness. Never mind about what she thought and the reasons behind him leaving, never mind about him being with another woman and she being with another man and the feelings they felt towards them.

  Amber closed her eyes instantly and envisioned Peyton in his father’s eyes. That little frightened boy who needed her arms around him for comfort and she never gave it to him when he asked for it. Never showed him she was sorry…never showed him. Good Lord, whatever she did, whomever she’s met, Eduardo is whom she would always love! Eduardo Sanchez would always be her one and only true love…

  *****

  “Tony?”

  “Yes honey?”

  “Would you come here and sit down next to me?”

  He dropped what he was doing and ambled over. “What’s wrong, love?”

  Amber thought about all the days that she enjoyed being his date for dinner and on vacations and business events. The times they made love in the early mornings and kissed and held each other till they feel asleep at night. All those comforting words and in each other’s arms, and that made her start to cry. She began to weep because she would miss his friendship most of all. She was really going to miss Anthony Rivera. “You’ve been nothing short of wonderful," she suddenly blubbered, "You’re such a generous loving caring human being, and you’ll make a wonderful husband.”

  Tony stared at her for the longest time before saying, “But not yours.”

  Amber then began to bawl in her hands when Tony grabbed her body near to his and held her shoulders. "I won't let you leave, you can’t. I don't care that you don't love me as much as I do you—oh God, I love you so much!"

  Amber continued to cry, “I tried Tony, I really truly did. There shouldn’t be any reason why I shouldn’t be in love with you. You’re such a decent man.”

  “Please don’t do this,” he continued to plead with her.

  He seemed desperate in his beseeching but Amber continued to whimper even more so within realizing how much she still loved Eduardo. “Tony, I’m so sorry.”

  Tony closed his eyes and held her body near to his until he felt her body slip away.

  Amber had to step away, her heart was about to burst. “I’m only going to hurt you more.”

  Tony tried to swallow through pain, “Let me be the judge of that.”

  Amber continued to allow her tears to fall. “I love him,” she finally confessed. “I was never to meant to be with you…I still love him.”

  Chapter TWENTY-SEVEN

  That following Monday, Amber learned from Victor that Eduardo had been downtown mitigating a case for Yazmine and Amber headed to Los Angeles to try to find him.

  His name was everywhere and on everyone's lips when she arrived when Amber also learned that Eduardo had been in one of the courtrooms on the fourth floor from reporters talking about the case.

  Amber followed two other observers into the courtroom and found an empty seat amongst the spectators inside the large room.

  Eduardo was in the middle of his summation when she noticed he stopped in mid-sentence to pause to catch his breath. Did he know that she was there? Was their bond still intact? She watched him from afar as Eduardo spread his wizardry across the enthralled forum. He was still magnificent; his words, his eloquence, his demeanor, his rationale wherefore the jury should acquit.

  Before she knew it, the jury was being dismissed and the court was being adjourned. Amber wanted to talk to Eduardo as soon as he left but noticed that he and a few others had walked across to the judge’s chambers. Amber then noticed the blond at the seat next to the defendant, Yazmine. Her platinum tresses pinned tightly into a power-ponytail. Stacey, she realized and watched her from afar as Eduardo appeared back in the courtroom and walked toward the two of them. Eduardo awarded a smile to Yazmine first before setting his smile on his fiancé.

  Amber decided that it was better to wait for him outside and waited patiently in the hallway, while piles of onlookers and media poured out of the courtroom alongside with her.

  In between flashing cameras and microphones, Amber managed to get a good look at Eduardo while he stopped mid-point to give a couple of reporters a few lines. She couldn’t hear what was said, but the verbiage took all of five minutes for the media to be satisfied. Eduardo then led his entourage of legal minds away from the circus and headed toward the parking garage where more reporters had been stationed awaiting anything else from the heroic attorney and his legal team.

  Amber was still only a few feet away and not once had he turned around to notice her. Or had the feeling already vanish? Eduardo always seemed to notice when she was around, he admitted that once to her a long time ago. That he could always sense when she was in the room and vice versa.

  Eduardo did hesitate for the moment, only to converse with one of his associates and took the podium again to give a speech about the day’s events. Amber again, stood back with the crowd and watched, as everyone was silent, listening to his reply about his famous client and the vindication.

  Amber nearly gave up when she noticed Eduardo leading Stacey and another attorney to their driver and limousine. Amber started to follow them, but held back until she knew it was a good time to approach them, but Stacey kept hovering over him as if he were giving her a piggy-back ride!

  At that moment, Eduardo turned around but didn’t see Amber surrounded by people walking in front of her.

  Amber wanted to speak to him, but couldn't seem to find him alone. That blond had her hand wrapped between his now and hadn’t cut him loose. What, was she worried he’d run away? Huh!

  Eduardo still continued to feel odd and out of place, when Stacey looked up at him and wondered at his bizarre look. Stacey placed a hand on his cheek and kissed his lips lightly. Eduardo gathered her head and kissed her back. Unexpectedly, the third attorney, away from Eduardo for a second, summoned Stacey unexpectedly. Eduardo halted; gathered up some papers inside his briefcase and then paused to see the crowd lifting to expose Amber stationary before him.

  For a split second he thought it was an allusion, but then realized it really was his ex-wife. “What are you doing here?” He asked with a mild smile embraced to his face.

  “I-I don’t know,” Amber confessed, starting to walk backwards. She wanted to cry in his arms, she wanted to thump him, but didn’t, couldn’t, why? Was it Stacey? Was it the fear of rejection? Was it that kiss? Good Lord...it was that kiss! Eduardo was in love with Stacey now and he just declared his affection for her in public by that loving flaunt!

  Eduardo followed her as she walked back to her car. She was wearing a baseball cap on her head with her ponytail pulled through its snap, that’s why he wasn’t able to recognize her before. But he knew, deep down inside he knew his ex-wife was somewhere in the courtroom.

  “Don’t follow me,” Amber turned around halting him with her hand.

  “Why’d you come here then? What’s wrong now?”

  Thoughts of Stacey and him kissing swarmed her brain again. The way he held the back of her head, the way she pressed her body into his—they were in love—it was way too late. “I just wanted to see you action. I wanted to tell you something—but you continue to break my heart.” Amber subsequently turned around and ran this time; dashed faster than she ever could or thought possible. She barely reached her car when she felt her body being swung around and her shoulders being tightly clutched within his strong tight grip.