Naked Obsession

by Rice, Rachel E.

  He realized that the whole idea had to be with Sydney. Sydney had to make this happen if he was ever going to have a chance with her. Yet he didn’t know how Sydney felt about him. Oh, he knew that she was fond of him, but now she hated him.

  Jeremy threw the clothes he would need into several cases and proceeded to the door.

  “Why are you leaving Jeremy?” Sydney said giving up the fight.

  “I thought that was what you wanted. Didn’t you want me to find someone and have a family like you and Danny?” Jeremy taunted Sydney because he realized that she didn’t mean everything she said to him. He tried to punish her because he was hurt.

  “I’m sorry Jeremy, but I’m not myself. Please stay.”

  “I can’t. I met woman Nadia’ and I like her.”

  “Do you love her?” Sydney moved closer.

  “That’s not important now Sydney,” Jeremy gazed into her brown eyes as he eased passed her. Their bodies touched and ignited a spark, passing in the hall in front of his bedroom, like the ocean passes over sand.

  The electrical shock jarred both of them and they moved closer to each other. There was no air between the two of them and they seem to share the same breath.

  Their breathing became intense and they grew closer until their lips were caressing the other’s lips. Then like a blanket, Jeremy’s kiss covered all of Sydney’s mouth. He devoured her neck, then her breast. Swooping Sydney into his arms, he spirit her away to his room, and closed the door with a bang.

  The door made a booming sound as if the wind had marched in. He slammed the door to hide his shame from the world and to take Sydney’s shame from her.

  He laid Sydney on the bed to hear the heavy breathing of a woman in heat, but he was a man in love and that loved manifested itself into something strong, intense, helpless, demanding, and animalistic.

  He tore every piece of outward clothing from her body and used his hands to release the bondage of her breast and waist. He stared at her and she lay there in his bed in a trance. He had never seen a body that perfect and beautiful in her four months of pregnancy. The light shown on every part of her body, which he hadn’t seen the night she accused him of taking advantage of her. He finally knew that she had known all along that it was him and him alone.

  “I cannot do this.” Sydney said as she came to her senses.

  Jeremy didn’t say a word, he found out all that was necessary. All he wanted to know was: did she want him? He found out in those few moments—that she wanted him.

  He rose from the bed, put on his clothes in silence, and left Sydney in the bed looking up at him in disbelief. He drifted out of the apartment with Sydney pretending that nothing had ever happened. Yet both of them knew that something devastating had occurred.

  Sydney had knowingly broken her vows to Danny. Sydney did what she said would never happen again. Allow another man to destroy her love and fidelity with Danny. It didn’t matter that the man was his brother. She and Jeremy had crossed a line, like a drug addict that had gone too far. All addicts are the same. Sooner or later they will walk the same road of destruction.

  Sydney addicted to hurting Danny and Jeremy addicted to stealing from Danny. Sydney needed someone to blame for the whole disgusting incident, otherwise, she could not live with herself.

  It was Danny that insisted that his brother remained with them even as she tried to convince him that there was a reason to send him away. It was Danny and not her fault that he had his brother in their home. It was not her fault that Jeremy wanted her and did the vilest things to get her and seduce her when Danny was away. It was Danny that chose to leave her when she was pregnant and leave her with his conniving brother.

  It was not her fault: It was Danny’s fault! She rationalized.

  Sydney finally found peace within herself where she could sleep. She hadn’t slept well since the lover’s moon. That moon conspired against her and caused her to become pregnant. What a notion. She was now certain that the child had to be Jeremy’s child.

  Chapter 8

  Love is Strange

  It had been a month since Danny left, nevertheless, Sydney heard from Danny almost every day; but now he was in a remote jungle of Brazil and could not call. Sydney thought she would never want another man as much as she wanted Danny, but she appeared not to mind that he wasn’t there. Her longing subsided. It was not Danny she longed for now—it was Jeremy.

  No one knew where Jeremy disappeared to since he walked out. She could tell he was upset and he probably thought she was playing games with him, but she wasn’t. How could he know the reality when he barely knew her?

  Sydney felt that she couldn’t sit in the house and go crazy with her thoughts and desires. There were only so many books she could read before she lost her mind. She decided to visit her old friend Steven. Besides, she needed an expensive massage and whatever else Steven was peddling. She had spent a fortune over the years in his salon.

  Her mind stayed on Jeremy again for the umpteenth time and she wondered where he had gone. He didn’t call her to tell her if he was well or sick, alive or dead. He just disappeared. When she told Danny about Jeremy leaving, he only commented that Jeremy had found him a bird and he would come back after he plucked all her feathers. Sydney remembered thinking that she wasn’t certain what he meant but it became clear when he did not return or call.

  * * * *

  The cab eased up to the salon, Sydney stepped out, and then she noticed that every month there were changes at Steven’s salon. There were extra space added and different types of services. Before, Steven only concentrated on hair, now he had a spa and a restaurant that continued to become larger and more elaborate. Sydney thought that Steven was over his head. She strolled in peeping in doors, when out popped Steven with a bottle of expensive wine and glasses setting on a tray.

  “Steven you are coming up in the world,” Sydney stated taking the glass from Steven’s hand.

  “Well Sydney you are not the only one that is reaching for the stars. I’m so happy now that I have met Jose. He takes care of everything for me. He’s away making some purchases and investments for the salon. Isn’t that wonderful. We have big plans for this business. We may even branch out into different avenues, clothing, perfume who knows we may produce some movies,” Steven said with a wild excited look as he twirled around Sydney.

  “Steven get a hold on yourself. It took you a life time to accumulate your money and now you are allowing someone else to spend it?”

  “I didn’t ask you to comment on how I handle my business. I know what I’m doing,” Steven said.

  “Steven you are talking to me, remember me I was with you on that cold night when you were in deep shit, when the police accused you of killing your boy friend’s wife. Remember me,” Sydney said snapping her finger in front of Steven trying to get his attention. Trying to get him to think and reason out what he was doing.

  “Why are you hating on me Sydney? Are you that miserable in your life that you don’t want to see me happy for the first time in my life?

  “No Steven, I’m just saying,” Sydney paused. “You can’t trust everyone.”

  “I know I can trust him,” Steven said turning around with the glass in his hand.

  “Look at this place and do you recognize the people we have in here Sydney? Jose brought them in here with his ideas. He works hard to establish this place. There is an old friend of yours over there. Don’t you recognize her?” Sydney peered around the corner, “that is Zack’s wife? The one from Texas, you know the one you told me about, the one that danced topless. Look at her she’s the toast of New York with that Southern Bell “honey child” accent.

  “Yes, I see her now...Allison.” Sydney leaned around the Grecian column to get a better look.

  “Well the talk around New York is that Zack is going to divorce her.”

  “I talked to Zack and he didn’t say anything about that.” Sydney said in disbelief.

  “Do you think he’s going to tell
you? Some of my workers heard my customers tell their friends that she doesn’t want to have children and he is going to cut her loose and leave her with nothing.” Steven said pointing and waving at Allison. “This is from reliable sources. These are the wives of his lawyers; they know everything that goes on in New York, why they knew that that billionaire was going to divorce his actress wife before she knew.”

  “I can’t believe it, that doesn’t sound like Zack.”

  “Trust me if I told you, you can bet the house on it. It’s going to happen,” Steven stated as if he had a crystal ball and looked and saw her future.

  “So what brings you here?” He turned smiling.

  “I was wondering whether you heard anything about Jeremy, considering you know everything that goes on in town with the high and the low.” Sydney said trying not to sound desperate.

  “Well it just so happens that Nadia Brule’ frequents my salon. I told you that everyone who is anyone comes in here. I get all the gossip. None about you lately, I guess you can’t cause too much trouble being pregnant.”

  “Shut up Steven and get to the point. Finish the conversation concerning Nadia.”

  “Nadia was bragging to one of the clients here…”

  “Who?

  “I can’t tell you who. Remember a salon is like a doctor’s office.”

  “Sure Steven.” Sydney rolled her eyes upward.

  “Nadia confided in this customer that she sold all of Jeremy’s paintings of this mystery woman and he had enough money to buy a studio and an apartment. He was even going to buy a home in Italy. Your man is coming up in the world.”

  “Steven, he’s not my man.”

  “O.K. if that’s how you want to play it…”

  “Steven, just finish the story.”

  “Then she said… get this... they were getting married.”

  Sydney face became warm. She could not breathe well, she could not see and she became dizzy. She swayed.

  “Steven, do you have a place where I can rest?”

  “I knew that would get you, and he’s not your man?” Steven questioned as he walked Sydney to his office where he had a day bed. Sydney eased down to get her breath.

  “Steven call an ambulance and call Jeremy, this is Jeremy’s number,” Sydney said handing Steven her phone. She held her stomach trying to breath.”

  “What’s wrong Sydney, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing yet, just call 911.”

  “OK…OK,” Steven hit 911 and asked for an ambulance.”

  “It’s coming Sydney hold on, you OK?”

  “I’m fine are you OK Steven?”

  “Yea! Yea! I don’t know nothing about birthing no babies.”

  “Shut up Steven and stop making me laugh it hurts too much.”

  “Call Jeremy!”

  “OK…OK” Steven dialed Jeremy’s number and there was no answer.

  “Try texting him Steven. Send him the name of the hospital.”

  The ambulance arrived in ten minutes.

  * * * *

  Sydney and Steven arrived in the emergency room. Her pediatrician arrived five minutes later and admitted her for observation. Steven stayed in the room with Sydney and when Sydney glanced up, there stood Jeremy.

  Steven looked up and saw Jeremy after he kissed Sydney on the forehead, then Steven left without being introduced.

  Jeremy appeared worn and worried. His hair wasn’t combed. He had paint splashed on his shirt and hands.

  “I dropped everything and came. Are you alright Sydney?”

  “I’m doing fine, but I don’t know about the baby.”

  “The baby will be fine he is a McCloud we come from sturdy stock.” Jeremy walked closer to Sydney’s bed and held her hand. For the first time Sydney could see a man that was caring and loving and not the cad she thought he was. She looked into his green eyes and saw how vulnerable he appeared.

  Sydney held on to his hand and fell asleep. She didn’t want to let go. He sat in the chair near her and watched her as she slept. He could not imagine leaving her and letting her go but he knew he had to—she was not his wife.

  As he watched her, he envisioned a portrait of her he had to paint. He found a pencil and pad and began to sketch her as she lay in the bed turned to her side with her stomach showing. She was now five months pregnant. She appeared beautiful as she slept. Her face was rosy, her skin flawless and her breast full. He knew he had to capture every moment of it.

  When Sydney woke, she saw Jeremy sitting in the same spot and still holding her hand. She smiled, “You don’t have to stay all night, go home and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “I don’t want to leave you.”

  “I’ll be alright and when I’m ready to go home, I’ll have Steven call you, and you can bring me home.”

  That was the only way Sydney could get Jeremy to leave her. As he walked out of her room, he looked backed and smiled, and then he walked back to her bed and kissed her softly on her lips and ran his hands over her stomach.”

  “Take care of little Jeremy. I don’t know what will become of me if I don’t have you and him.” And he walked slowly out of the room.

  Somehow the sound of Jeremy’s words didn’t make her skin crawl. Somehow his voice had a natural and comforting sound.

  Sydney missed Danny so much that she forgot that the man standing in her room telling her to take care of their baby was not Danny. His words and responses were too natural, like a man with his wife, a woman with her lover.

  Doctor Wolff entered the room passing Jeremy. He had the look of someone who never figured out how to hide emotions. He was one of those doctors that were too sensitive to be in his profession. He was the type of doctor everyone wanted—sensitive and caring.

  “I see you have quite a few visitors.” He said holding Sydney’s hand. “You seem to have a host of family and friends.”

  “Not too many Dr Wolff. I only have my brother-in-law because my husband is in Brazil working, he will be there for another month.”

  “I was hoping I could talk to him,” Dr. Wolff said staring over his glasses.

  “What’s wrong?” Sydney held her breath.

  “You know that when a woman is pregnant there could be complications.” Dr. Wolff continued to speak without taking a long breath. “You are going to have twins.” His forehead wrinkled and he took off his glasses.

  Sydney interrupted with a sigh of relief, “Oh is that all…”

  He inhaled then exhaled, “No Sydney… My colleagues didn’t realize that there were two babies because one was so small and the way the babies were positioned. We only heard one heart beat, but there are two heart-beats. The boys are identical twins, what we call mirror twins, but they have something called TTTS.”

  Sydney held her breath; she was waiting for the next shoe to drop.

  “TTTS is Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, where one twin is literally draining the life out of the other. They are growing at different rates because one has all the fluid and the other has barely any to survive.”

  That was the story of Danny and Jeremy. Jeremy had drained the life out of Danny.

  The news hit Sydney hard and tears flowed.

  “That’s why I wanted to talk to your husband. My team and I may have to operate and one may die.” Dr. Wolff’s head fell and he took a deep breath.

  “Oh no!” Sydney held on to the doctor’s hand. “Can you help me?”

  “Sydney, you know I will do whatever I can to help you. Try to get your husband here, because we may have some decisions to make.”

  Dr. Wolff comforted Sydney and gave her a sedative to rest. He left and when she awoke, there stood Jeremy with flowers.

  “Jeremy you came back.” Tears began to stream down her cheeks. She took her hand and wiped her eyes.

  “I would never leave you when you are sick.” Jeremy kissed the tears on her cheek.

  Sydney didn’t know whether to tell him about the babies. She decided to confide in Jeremy, hoping
he would help her sort out everything. She needed a shoulder to cry on.

  “Jeremy I’m having twins.”

  “Is that why you are crying? I think that’s the best news I’ve heard in my life. You and Danny are so lucky and I’m too.” Jeremy didn’t let Sydney complete the confession. He had news he wanted her to hear. “Hold on Sydney, you know how you wanted me to get married, well I’m getting married.” Jeremy searched Sydney’s eyes for approval.

  “How could you Jeremy. I’m sick and the babies are sick and I don’t know where Danny is and you talk about your marriage.”

  “Wait Sydney you didn’t tell me that the babies were sick.”

  “You didn’t give me a chance. All you wanted to talk about was how you had found someone to marry.”

  “I’m sorry Sydney, but I thought that was what you wanted,” Jeremy said, praying Sydney would beg him not to throw his life away with a woman he didn’t love. “Tell me what the doctor said.” Jeremy sat on the corner of the hospital bed and held Sydney’s hand.

  “Dr. Wolff said one of the babies may die. They may have to operate. I don’t know what to do. I can’t get in touch with Danny. He’s at a remote location in Brazil and I haven’t talked to him in weeks.”

  “I’m here with you. I’ll postpone whatever plans I have, and I’ll be there if you need me,”

  Sydney looked down at his hands to see the strong fingers that resembled Danny’s and the touch that made her feel that everything would be fine. She fixed her gaze on his eyes, and saw what she had been longing for—the face of Danny and the comfort and peace he brought to her life.

  Sydney was about to make a decision that paled in comparison to the ones where she walked out on Danny and permitted Robert Farrell to adopt their son Sean.

  Time may have erased the wounds from her mind but no amount of time could excuse what she had done to Danny. Sydney didn’t consider the cost of the decision to welcome Jeremy into her life after what had transpired between the two. She only thought about her needs and Danny was not there to meet them. She suddenly became angry at Danny for leaving her.