by John Mathews
“You told me to stop taking those anti-depression meds. You said that they were keeping me sick. I’ve been off of them for a year now and feel pretty good. But sometimes the migraines come back and then….”
“You are getting better, and that’s what’s important. You never needed those silly meds in the first place.”
“But really, Stephen, people have failed to recognize how dang amazing I am from the time I was a little girl. And people have tried to control things about me when they had no right to. I told you about when I was in kindergarten and my teacher wouldn’t let me leave the classroom to go to the bathroom. Do you remember what I did to get back at her?”
Stephen nodded.
“I just sat there and peed right in my pants. You can’t blame me, now can you, honey? Maria, I bet if you were in that situation you might have done the same thing. I remember the look on that teacher’s face – just priceless! I always loved making her angry.”
Stephen squeezed Tammy’s hand gently to comfort her. “Relax, honey. That’s all behind us now. The important thing is that we’re all here now, together and happy. And remember, you’re not the only one who’s had to deal with hard times. I told you that not long before we met I lost my parents in a tragic auto accident. Do you know how grief-stricken I was? I was so close to them but also felt such guilt that Maria would have to grow up without a mother OR any grandparents.”
Tammy gave a look of agreement. “I know, baby, I remember…”
“I desperately wanted a mother-figure and some more stability in Maria’s life. I was traveling so often for work and was just sick of having to hire a nanny to watch after her. I knew that she needed a consistent and more personal female role model.”
Tammy took in a big mouthful of warm air. Her heart had started to race and she needed to calm down a bit. “I know, I know. Thanks as usual for being so understanding. How can you be so wealthy but yet compassionate and humble? I thought that all rich guys were complete sociopaths.”
Stephen chuckled and kissed her hand gently. “Not the ones that had to work long, grueling hours in retail for twelve bucks an hour while going to Business school, I guess.”
Stephen finished his first glass of wine while looking over the exquisite fare on the meticulously crafted menu. “And the fact that we have such a good marriage just shows that any two people can make things work if they want it badly enough. After all, we’re almost total opposites, and here we are, happily together.”
“Well opposites attract, now don’t they?” Tammy looked at him with a wry smile. “If I wanted some hot, buff stud, I would’ve had to settle for a poor, boring dimwit. I’d rather have a man who is sensitive, brilliant, and charming. And let’s not forget how successful you’ve been – you’re a totally self-made multi-millionaire!”
“Well thank goodness for small favors!”
Stephen poured himself a second glass of the wine. “And you chose the location of your most vivid childhood dream for us to celebrate together as a family. I know that you like adventure, honey, but what was it that made you choose this place over all of the other resorts and destinations?”
“Well I done told you, sweetie. It was an old hunting cabin built in the 1800’s and is totally private and secluded. Imagine that back in the day, settlers used to stay there, and had to find food by killing animals in the woods. Then someone else bought it, totally remodeled it, and added on the extra bathroom and den – so it’s like a luxury place set away from everything up here in the mountains. That’s so romantic and we get to feel like we’re a part of the local culture.”
Stephen tucked his cloth napkin over his necktie as the buttery grilled clams he had ordered arrived. “The wait staff here is entirely professional and they pay attention to every little detail. I love the feeling that someone really cares about the customer’s entire dining experience. It’s much better than all of the stuffy business dinners that I’m used to where they’re in such a hurry to get you out of there.” Tammy gave a faint nod. “So this cabin was used as a shelter for hunters? And since then it’s been all fixed up, inside and out. Well that’s good, because if we have to forage for food, we’ll soon starve to death.”
Maria giggled, looking up from a plate of fried jumbo shrimp.
Her father smiled at her. “I guess you might be able to see some things out here in nature that you never have before. And for what they rent it for, we need to take advantage of the amenities.”
Tammy tasted one of the mouth-watering grilled clams. Although it was delicious, she didn’t eat more than one, always maintaining a small food intake in front of Stephen. “Of course, hon, they done fixed this cabin up like brand new again. You can’t find a place like this at one of those modern resort hotels. It has all the luxuries that you’ll need. It’s furnished in a Southwest and Mountain theme, with hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings. You already got a glimpse of the wood-burning fireplace. We’ll take full advantage of the spa-sized bathroom with Jacuzzi, and private wine cellar.”
Stephen grinned, starting to feel the effects of the wine. “I hope there is room for two in that Jacuzzi.”
***
Stephen had colleagues all over the world that trusted in his business advice and expertise. He had a real sense of satisfaction with his professional life. He was not exactly a “party boy”, but he enjoyed fine wines, good night life, and young, beautiful women.
He had close friends from childhood that he could still talk to about any problem and would trust unconditionally. They were down to earth people who led a more modest lifestyle, but had a loyal partner and loving family. Stephen had always wondered if he could meet a woman who appealed to his tastes and physical desires while still able to love him for who he was more than what he had accomplished. Maria received the best care, private schooling, and a lot of love and affection from her father, but Stephen knew that she felt different at times from other children in their affluent neighborhood who had more family life.
Tammy’s parents were traditional and had a modest family-owned bicycle shop. She was one of three children growing up and shared a room with her younger sister. There had been a fourth child born when she was twelve, but he died tragically in the hospital just a day after his birth. The cause of death was asphyxiation as a result of a genetic breathing disorder. When the infant rolled over in the incubator he had been placed in, he was unable to breathe and died in less than two minutes. Tammy’s parents sued the hospital for wrongful death but only won a modest settlement.
Tammy loved the allure of wealth and fame and dreamed one day of making it big in Hollywood. She firmly believed that you had to fake success until you achieved it. Her mother was over fifty and still glamorous. She had gotten several plastic surgeries and was determined to look her best as she got older. Despite a two-year long affair that her father had had with another woman, her parents had been together for more than twenty-five years. Tammy felt disconnected with them and although she had to live with them to save money after high school, she had much bigger plans for herself.
Just a month after meeting, and following a week-long visit at Stephen’s spectacular villa in Brentwood Park, Los Angeles, the two were engaged to be married. Stephen’s colleagues were floored by this decision and told him again and again that he barely knew this girl. His long-time friends had mixed reactions, some harboring a bit of jealousy, and others downright sure that she must have some other less than heartfelt intentions.
The time he had spent with Tammy was so passionate and easily the best sex that he had ever experienced. Tammy’s family seemed happy and even eager for her to start a new life with someone successful and accepted the engagement with open arms. And Maria loved talking with her about fashion, beauty, the glamour life, and how to be a classy lady. They had already formed a bond.
After the wedding, the couple lived together in Stephen’s marvelous villa, and Tammy took time off from a standard job to help Stephen keep his professional life organize
d and take care of Maria. Although a housekeeper and gardener routinely kept the villa clean and the grounds orderly, Stephen’s personal office space was a disaster. He traveled too often for work which kept him from taking the proper time to get things in order, and being home to spend more time with his daughter. Tammy went through all of Stephen’s personal papers while he was away and created her own filing system for his files. She was patient and calculated, and also helped him to relax more and not get as anxious about day to day things.
Her relationship with Maria blossomed quickly from the start, but had its limitations. She always asked her stepdaughter about school friends and activities, but never spent time with her doing anything outside of the villa. When Maria tried to engage Tammy in doing more with her, Tammy always had an excuse as a result of her responsibilities to Stephen. But she made grandiose promises to Maria of the amazing future adventures they would go on and splendid things they would see together. Maria had high hopes and expectations about sharing her life more with Tammy and her father together.
Tammy loved being spoiled and Stephen had gotten her the most exquisite wedding ring made of white diamond and blue sapphire. The thing that Stephen worried about the most was the fact that Tammy had not yet shown an interest in furthering her education. Because of her strong Southern slang he didn’t really want her to socialize with conservative executives. He felt that since she did not need to contribute financially to the family Tammy could attend a local University and study something to improve her level of culture or even business finance so that she could eventually help him with his work. But Tammy said that the challenges and excitement of living in the big city and being with Stephen and Maria were enough for now. He accepted this explanation but held the belief that she would change her mind somewhere in the future.
After a year together and doing pretty well, it was Tammy’s idea that the family go celebrate together in style. At her request Stephen had booked the private cabin in the snowy Colorado mountain tops. Maria was bursting with excitement at the chance to get to play in the snow for the first time. The views from the mountain top in mid-January were supposed to be breathtaking.
***
Tammy inched closer to Stephen and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “So darling…did you get things all set up with the attorney before we left? Just the way that we’ve been talking about?”
Stephen smiled and held Tammy’s hand. “Yes, of course, everything is all set, and you are the sole inheritor in my will with a trust fund set up for Maria. But neither of us will have anything to worry about for such a long time, honey. I’m here to provide for you and Maria in every way that I possibly can. I’m only forty-six and hitting the new prime of my life!” He knew that Tammy was very insistent on family financial security and well-being. She had been discussing the completion of the new will with him for months.
She rubbed his hand gently. “Well, you just need to be prepared for anything. You really trust Mr. Murphy and know that he is an outstanding probate lawyer with a proven track record. There are terrible accidents that happen all the time baby – I just want what’s fair for the both of us and to make sure that Maria will also be taken care of.”
She sipped the wine slowly while maintaining that deep gaze into Stephen’s eyes that had pulled him in from the very beginning. Her thick black eyelashes were complimented with charcoal eye liner, coral eye shadow, and creamy peach lipstick. He really thought that at this moment he might be sitting across from the most beautiful woman in the world. And she deserved security in her life as she had been a devoted and loving partner and mother. Maria seemed to adore Tammy and having a young, ambitious female role model in his daughter’s life was exactly what Stephen wanted. “Yes, of course darling, I want you to feel safe and secure. I agree with your idea to have the new will set up now. Honestly, I’m glad that it’s all taken care of.”
“Perfect. And Mr. Murphy is also your close friend, right? You told me that he’s someone that gets things done professionally just the way that you would do them yourself.”
“I’ve known Tom for many years. In fact, he’s been handling my parents’ estate since their passing. I trust him as much as any of my closest colleagues, if not more. I told you that most of my other friends have disappeared since my marriage to you. They seemed to prefer me living the life of a wealthy bachelor. I made a standard will with Tom named as the executor. He is best fit to handle all of the asset distribution since…”
“Great! I don’t need all the gritty details, baby. I know that he will do an excellent job.”
Stephen squeezed Tammy’s hand, giving her a look of reassurance. “Tom will take care of everything. He will handle all of the asset distributions. You and Maria are totally set. But there is no need to even worry. I mean it’s not like we are going to need to….”
“I know, baby, you’re right! I just wanted to understand it all. We’ll never have to worry about anything or even bring up the subject again for a very long time. Thank you for taking care of this.”
Stephen smiled. He remembered the story that Tammy told him about the government seizing her grandparents’ property right after their death, with very little compensation. Tammy had started asking about his company stock holdings and business investments soon after their marriage. He was deeply in love and firmly believed that she was just starting to take more of an interest in business and finance which was exactly what he wanted. He had total trust in her and gave her access to his personal files both online and on paper since she managed his office space from home.
***
They left the restaurant around 10 pm and took the long walk back up to the cabin. Snow was coming down heavily as big fluffy flakes parted the black nighttime sky. It had gotten really frigid outside and some icy patches made the small roadway feel slippery. Stephen walked briskly to keep warm, breathing rapidly through his nose out into the dark night. This was the most physical exertion he had done in a long time. Tammy and Maria seemed to have no trouble keeping up with him.
They approached the cabin from the small, winding road, and the three of them hurriedly went inside to warm up. Rubbing his hands together, Stephen turned on an overhead light just inside the living room. He couldn’t wait to put his daughter to bed and unwind in a hot, relaxing bubble bath with his beautiful wife. He started to take off some layers of clothing.
Tammy put her hand on his shoulder, with a pleading look in her eye. “Oh honey, shit – I just remembered. I need some more Capri cigarettes as I’ve finished my last pack. Can you run back to the restaurant down the road and get me some? I’m sorry for being such a bother.”
Stephen knew that after a few glasses of wine, a fine meal, and before getting in the mood for love and romance, Tammy needed to have a good smoke. “You want me to go back out into the cold? Why didn’t you remember to get some when we were down there? The roads are terrible tonight with the snow falling and that restaurant is two miles back down the mountain! The road is really steep in that direction if I remember correctly and I’m not about to walk all that way again. Can’t it wait until morning?”
“Who said anything about walking. Just take the car and drive slowly – it’s really not that far. Please, sweetie, you know I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t important. You will be there and back before you know it. I’ll get our bags unpacked and turn on the Jacuzzi in twenty minutes.” Tammy had that look that he knew all too well. He did not need to respond to this statement and put his coat back on.
“You are incorrigible – go start the bath water. And please make sure that Maria gets her things unpacked and ready for bed. I should be back within half an hour.” He kissed his wife and daughter goodbye and headed out the front door.
THREE
As soon as Stephen had left, Tammy helped Maria unpack her things and get ready for bed in the smaller of the two bedrooms. “Now you should be all set in here, especially with that big, warm bed all to yourself. Don’t forget to brush your teeth befor
e going to sleep. I’m gonna go put some of your father’s clothes away and undress.”
Maria nodded sleepily.
Tammy went into the master bedroom and closed the door. She opened her luggage and changed into her long sleeved nightgown. She decided not to unpack any of Stephen’s things and left his suitcase on the floor. Then she set her cell phone down on a small wooden end table. Sitting on the king-sized bed, she took a Capri cigarette out of her purse and lit it. After a deep inhale, she let out a big puff of smoke as she looked out the window, gazing at the dark trees against the whiteness of the snow. She was swinging her legs over the side of the bed and bursting from the inside with excitement.
***
Stephen was driving in first gear, with his foot kept close to the brake pedal, down the winding mountain road. The wind had picked up even more and the trees were swaying as gusts of snow kept coming down. He had the windshield wipers on high and the defroster blasting hot air to keep a circular spot on the glass clear. I’ve had such little practice driving in treacherous conditions like this – I can’t believe that she forgot her damn cigarettes. Heck, I can barely see more than a couple of feet past the front headlights. Stephen slowed down even more while keeping his face pressed up against the windshield to see the road better. Mesmerized gazing into the blinding sheet of white in front of him, the constant squeaking of the wipers seemed inaudible. At least I remembered to put new snow tires on this thing. As long as I’m patient there shouldn’t be a problem. Sweat was dripping off his brow.
As the road wound down the mountain, a dangerous hair-pin turn was approaching. Stephen only saw the turn a few seconds before the car reached it. He turned the wheel suddenly and tried to slow down even more, but the brake suddenly gave out, and the pedal fell flat to the floor of the car without any resistance. Stephen’s heart leapt into this throat as he tried to straighten out the wheel. The car sped up and skidded down the incline. He yanked on the emergency break but the car gained more speed on a huge patch of ice just before the razor-sharp turn in the road. Stephen threw his hand up against the windshield. Sliding out of control, the car started spinning in 360 degree turns, and then crashed into the guard rail. A portion of the rail gave way and the car flew right through it, tumbling down the mountainside. Falling more than 300 feet, it finally crashed against the snow-covered rocky ground, rooftop first, and immediately burst into flames.