by Groovy Lee
“Ella, no. That’s not entirely true.”
“Oh? Just how long did the two of you date before he asked you to marry him?”
Gracie’s eyes fell away from her observing ones. She couldn’t pretend anymore—not to her.
“What does your family think of my son?” came the next question.
Relief swirled through her tensed nerves finally releasing that burden from her shoulders. “So you know.”
“Of course I know,” she patted her knee again. “But, I also know this—before he and Felicia ended things, he’d been acting strange, you know, as if something or someone was in his head that he couldn’t stop thinking of. I’m pretty sure you’re the culprit. You always came up in our conversations. And he promised to make up for not inviting me to that hastily arranged ceremony. That inheritance is small peas. I know my son loves you. If he didn’t, you wouldn’t be Mrs. Indigo Farrell.”
“But, Felicia…”
“If he loved her, she’d be here instead of you, Lord help us all. No, you’re the one he loves and I know you love him. I’ve been living too long not to know it when I see it.” She gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then lean forward and kissed her forehead. “You need this time together, trust me.” She laid back against her pillows and covered a yawn. “Those pills are starting to kick in, and if I’m to be ready for your friends tomorrow, I’d better get a good night’s sleep, don’t you think?”
“Good-night, Ella.”
Gracie closed her door and strolled down the hallway. (The old saying you can never fool your parents is certainly true) Ella may be right about Indigo’s plan to get his inheritance, but to say that he ended his engagement to Felicia because he loves her? Gracie shook her head. That’s where she’s wrong. She’s not the reason he and Felicia broke up. They’ve been making plans to reunite. Will Ella be ready for that when it happens?
She slid the patio door open and walked out to the edge of the deck. She threw her head back to admire the sparkling stars in the black sky, and allow the breeze to sweep over her.
“So.”
The sound of that had her swinging around to the voice coming from behind her. Indigo stood leaning against the other end of the patio door. His black, see-through shirt was partially buttoned, revealing his smooth chest; The overhead lights from inside spilled out into the night enabling her to get a good view of him.
“The prodigal wife returns.”
“You’re surprised?” she crossed arms, ready to defend herself.
“To say the least. I’m surprised your two friends didn’t rush you back to California to a safe house after you revealed what a sordid villain I am.”
“Too bad we didn’t think of that,” she turned away. “If it weren’t for Ella we probably would have.”
His sharp exhaled was the fuel she needed to push it further. (Why stop there? Give it to him for all the trouble he’s put her through. He deserves it) She swung back around with a smug twist to her face and eyed him from head to toe. “What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you be with Felicia? Or was the ice queen not in the mood?”
He pushed away from the house and chuckled at that. “Who says she wasn’t?”
It seemed her pushing backfired as the bite from that fueled her anger and hurt even more. “I can’t wait to leave here so you can have at it, if you haven’t already.”
He walked across the deck to her. “What happens between Felicia and me when your time’s up is really none of your business. You just play the good little wife until I say otherwise.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Did it sound like one?”
She swallowed away the weak urge moving her to put some space between them. “I wouldn’t continue to throw them out lightly if I were you. I may just take you up on them.”
“And what?”
“I think you know. Good-bye inheritance.”
“Now who’s threatening who?”
Her sassy gaze was drawn down to his muscled torso under the light material of his shirt causing her defiance to weaken. But the sudden thought that on those nights he was with Felicia at her hotel, she may have ran her hands over his hard abs up to his chest recharged her determination to be contentious. “I’m going to my room.” She turned away and left him standing alone. But when she got to the patio door, she turned for one last sting. “I’m going to make myself clear one more time. I can’t wait until this farce of a marriage is over so you can go your way and I can go mine. I’m sure you’re just waiting for Felicia to join you out on the beach at nights. That way, you won’t have to take those swims alone.”
He turned full-face around and tilted his head to one side. “What did you say?”
“I said good-night—sir.”
A desirous fear overwhelmed her once mutinous attitude making it difficult to hold that look of bold astonishment staring back at her. She rushed inside for the sanctity of her room away from the provocation. Overwhelming calm surged through her when she made it and was just about to close the door tight when something prevented it mid-way. Indigo’s strong hand was barring it from closing. She held her breath and backed away.
“What did you say?”
“I didn’t say anything. Please leave.”
“So—not only do you insist on testing me, but it seems you’ve been doing a little bit of spying in the wee hours of the morning.”
“I most certainly have not,” she faked indignation. She stumbled against her bed but quickly regained her footing and edged her way along the length of it toward her bathroom, thinking that if she locked herself in there, he would go away.
“What else did you see, my dear, loving wife? Did anything interest you?”
“You’re disgusting. G—get out,” she pointed toward the hallway.
He came all the way inside, his eyes firing a roguish twinkle as he stood looking at her. “Not until I hear more.”
“I have nothing more to say,” she answered with her arms crossed defiantly against her, her head held high. “I’m just tired, and I really want to go to bed. There’s a lot of work to do tomorrow.” It looked as if that statement was enough to move him to back down. He exhaled a silent chuckle as he turned to exit. He was just about to close the door between them when she added rather bravely, “Sir.”
He froze, then his back straightened. She heard him inhale a sharp breath before swinging around and pushing the door back hard into the wall. She instantly regretted that hasty jab, but from the look on his face, she had pushed his patience too far, and he was way pass accepting a mere apology. She realized that indeed locking herself in the bathroom was her only safe getaway. But he was two steps ahead of her, and before she could make a dash for it, he grabbed her and pulled her back against him; He then swung her around, lifted her up, and fell with her onto her bed where he straddled himself on top of her, imprisoning her arms between them as she struggled to get him off. The darkness on his face was now replaced by a wicked joy of the moment that coaxed her into lying still and timorously wait for his next move.
“What a shame,” he taunted, shaking his head in mock disappointment. “You should have joined me out there. I assure you, it would have been well worth it.”
“Stop it.” She managed to get one of her hands free to push at his bare chest, but he grabbed it back. “Get off of me.”
The mocking eyes above her grew intense with desire, causing her breathing pattern to increase its rate. He leaned down and touched his mouth to hers.
“Indigo,” she tried to turn her head away.
“Exactly,” he whispered before he consumed her lips, parting them with little effort.
She tried to resist the heady excitement swelling through her, enticing her body to respond, but his exploration of her weakened her resolve. Her hands pulled out of his vice grip and pushed at his chest, but his frame was unmovable. His kiss filled her with an intoxicating rapture. He grabbed her wrists and held them with one hand, while with the other, pulled her top up
exposing her yellow sports bra underneath. He tore his mouth away and kissed a trail of pleasure down her neck to capture the softness of each of her breasts contained inside.
“No, Indigo,” came her weak cry.
His passion flamed against her as his trail of pleasure continued back up to her neck before claiming her soft lips again. She pulled a hand away and buried it in his thick hair. When he felt her submitting to him, he released her other hand so it could wrap around his neck. She arched herself to him, a signal that she desperately wanted him to make love to her. Her firm stand to remain professional and not be a substitute for Felicia wasn’t important anymore, nor the fact that he wasn’t in love with her. All that mattered was now and how much she wanted him, ached for him.
It was then he released her mouth, his body stiffened and he sat up, his passionate hold on her abandoned, their hard breathing the only sound to be heard in the quiet of the night. The eyes that looked back at her now held cold contempt. “Next time I won’t be so lenient.” He planted another hard kiss on her mouth before pushing away and standing to his full height. His harsh gaze traveled the length of her once more before he marched out of the room with the door slamming behind him.
Gracie lied there until she could gain some control of her warring emotions, then lifted herself up to the edge of the bed. Her insides tightened in pain from the hard-hit fact that she had betrayed herself to him by actions that exposed just how desperately and eagerly she would submit to his touches. She knew his desires didn’t spawn from any feelings for her, but to show who held the reigns, to certainly not test him again by calling him sir or Mr. Farrell, and her threats of leaving were just that—threats. Her pent-up tears began flowing down her face.
*****************************************
Gracie managed to drag herself out of bed early the next morning and have breakfast ready by the time Ella and Indigo took their seats at the table. A heavy silence prevailed over the meal. Gracie kept her red eyes diverted from Ella who seemed to detect that something had happened between her and her son. After breakfast, she took her coffee cup and excused herself to her room.
Gracie began gathering the dishes from the table. Indigo scooted his chair against the hard floor, causing her to subconsciously look in his direction. Their eyes met when he stood. He watched her for a long moment with a sad turn of his mouth; His eyes seemed to flicker somber remorse before he quickly turned away and headed off to his room. As her eyes traveled along his retreating form, she swallowed at the tightness in her throat, and the tears aching to fall.
As she loaded the dishwasher, she looked outside, hoping that those dark clouds rolling across the horizon threatening to unleash a downpour wouldn’t start before she had a chance to show Heather and Bitsy around. She exhaled a big sigh of relief that they would be with her; The support of her friends would be the strength she needed. After everything was cleaned and put away, she did some light house cleaning, then joined Ella in the front room and watched her favorite show with her. She had just finished preparing the salad and sandwiches for lunch when the blast of a car horn sounded from outside.
She ran out of the kitchen, through the front room, out the front door, and onto the porch. “You’re here.” She ran down the steps as they emerged from the car. “Did you have trouble finding us?”
“No.” Heather closed the car door and took off her sunglasses to peer around. “Wow. You weren’t kidding when you said this place was beautiful. And look at that gorgeous house.”
Bitsy came around from the passenger side. “Just wait until the fourth floor hears about this. We’ll be the envy of the entire building for having spent the night at the king’s royal castle.”
“I’m sure you’ll waste no time in getting the rumor-mill started,” Gracie laughed.
The front door opened and Indigo came out onto the porch.
“Hello, Mr. Farrell,” Heather and Bitsy waved to him.
He came down off the porch to join them. “Hello, ladies. Welcome. I’m glad you made it. I’ll get your bags while Gracie takes you inside.”
While she led them across the yard, he opened the back door of the car and retrieved their luggage. Ella was waiting in the front room eager to welcome them when they entered the house.
“Bitsy, you can stay in the room across from me, and Heather can stay in the one close to Indigo and Gracie. Come on, Bitsy, I’ll show you the way.”
Indigo sat the two suitcases on the floor then excused himself to the back of the house.
“Don’t worry,” Gracie said to Heather as she picked one of them up to show her to her room. “Ella turns in early. You sneak into the room with Bitsy, there are twin beds in there. Just don’t let her catch you coming out in the morning.”
As they sat around the dining table eating the lunch Gracie had prepared, Ella listened intently as the women sang the praises of their adventures in London. She remembered a lot of the places they mentioned having gone there on her honeymoon almost thirty-five years ago. Then she enchanted them with her tales of almost becoming a Broadway actress. But of course, love intervened and she never made it. She then switched to her second baby, Indigo, and the memories of him as a healthy, round baby who drank from a bottle and nursed from her. Even Gracie had to laugh along with everyone else at the picture she painted of him.
“Mother,” he sighed and stood. “That’s my cue to leave.”
The fact that they had just witnessed the great Indigo Farrell embarrassed by his mother had them still chuckling as he left them to continue. Afterwards, Gracie took her friends outside to show them around.
“What’s off about this picture?” Heather stood amazed at Patches and Starbucks’ stand-off.
Bitsy took a picture with her phone. “This has to go on Youtube.”
They stood at the shore’s edge and let the waves roll back and forth over their feet. Then Gracie took them through the woods to explore the same path Indigo had taken her.
“What a lovely way to spend the day,” Heather said as they emerged back onto the road that led to the house. “Are you okay, Gracie?” she asked having noticed the sad set of her face. “I didn’t want to say anything before, but your eyes are a little red.”
“I didn’t get much sleep last night, that’s all. It’s nothing.”
Heather put a detaining hand on her shoulder. “Are you sure? Have things between you and Mr. Farrell improved any?”
Gracie chose her words carefully. (No need in spoiling their day with that episode from last night) “It’s civil, Heather,” her smile lasted for a second. “But don’t worry, Ella’s leaving in a few days, we’re on the last chapter of his book, and that means I’ll be home sooner than planned.”
“Have you thought about how you’re going to go forward once this thing is finally over?” Bitsy asked.
“I can’t even begin to sort it out, Bitsy. Maybe, when I get home I can think more clearly.”
“We’ll all think of something to get you back on the road to some normalcy,” Heather assured her.
But Gracie knew things would never get back to so-called normalcy—not without Indigo. Getting over him is going to be tough. Maybe spending some quality time with her grandmother will help. (How in the world will she be able to explain this to her?) She felt a drop on the back of her neck and looked up. “We’d better walk faster, it looks as if it could rain any second.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth when lightning bolted across the sky causing them to scream and curl up in fear. Then the rain poured, fast and hard. They ran down the road for home still screaming at the top of their voices. Once they dashed through the front door, they took one look at one another and burst into laughter.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Little Red Riding Hood and her little wolf friends,” a familiar voice drawled from across the room.
Laughter froze when all three turned and saw Felicia seated on the sofa like an Egyptian princess.
“Hello, Gracie, Heathe
r.” Her hateful gaze switched to Bitsy. “Ni-hao, Bitsy.”
“For the millionth time, Felicia, I’m Japanese, not Chinese. If you’d like, I can come over there and repeat it with great emphasis upside your head until you get it right.”
Gracie and Heather held her back when she decided she should.
“She’s not worth it,” Gracie said as she rubbed her back to calm her down. “Felicia, what are you doing here?”
“Waiting for Indigo, of course.” She uncrossed her legs and stood. “We’re going into Montreal. Oh, don’t worry. I’m not taking him away from you,” she said with delight at the look of surprise on Gracie’s face. “Not yet, at least. Something’s come up and I have to return home. He’s just giving me a lift. But, I’ll be back.” Her mocking stare took in their wet hair plastered to their faces, and the rain soaked shorts and tops. “A little old to be playing in the rain, aren’t we?”
Gracie wiped the wetness from her face and straightened her shoulders even though she felt like a second class citizen in the presence of all that glamour. But fiancee or no fiancée, she’s had enough of Felicia. Heather held an arm in front of her and shook her head to keep her from marching toward her.
Felicia crossed her arms, jingling the thin, gold bracelets on her wrist. “You know, Gracie, if you ever expect to get a man and hold onto him, you’ll have to remember one thing: Men, especially men like Indigo, want a woman to love, not a child. But it won’t be long before he’ll come to his senses—And, I’ll be waiting.”
“One more insult, Felicia, and I let her go,” Heather shot back.
Felicia’s laughter was dismissal. “Touchy, touchy. And so quick with the violence.” She sauntered over to the door and picked up a small umbrella from out of the corner. “Tell Indigo I’ll be waiting in the car. Later—girls.” She threw a nasty smile and with one last contemptuous glance at Gracie, walked out.
The hard rain had dropped to a mild sprinkle. It seemed it had done so just so Felicia could make it to the car without getting soaked. All three shook their heads at the unfairness of it all. Just then Indigo came in.