by Hannah Ford
It was like she’d been living in a dream world, and now she was waking up. The shimmering glow of this new world faded and everything became just normal once again—her old world had returned with a vengeance. She was just a regular girl, going back to Boston, looking for work, trying to find a place to live.
The wild, restless soul that had pulled her out of her shell and shown her places within and without that she’d never imagined—that restless soul was moving on. He would never be tamed, never settle for someone ordinary like Raven.
She was on her own again, and she was going back to her old life.
Maybe that would be a relief in a way.
Raven turned and walked away from the pool, wondering if Jake would even notice she had gone.
* * *
She took almost nothing with her, in the end—just the clothes on her back, choosing to leave behind the suitcase full of couture that Kurt had brought to her room, along with his sneer and his manipulations.
Besides, Raven didn’t want any clothing that would remind her of this time spent with Jake—it would be too sad.
Before leaving, she stopped by Skylar’s room and said goodbye. Skylar was planning on returning to Boston late the next day with her parents. She had another doctor’s appointment to go to, but she seemed in great spirits.
It seemed as though Jake had continued to be in contact with Skylar and the staff at Sloan Kettering, which made Raven both relieved and desperately sad all at once.
Skylar seemed to sense that there was something going on between Jake and Raven, but didn’t ask any questions. That was a relief, because if Raven had had to talk about any of it, she’d have broken down sobbing. And that wouldn’t have been at all fair to do with her friend who’d just received a cancer diagnosis.
Skylar promised she would make Raven aware of any important updates, and then they hugged and said they’d see one another back in Boston.
A few minutes later, Raven was walking through the hotel lobby, about to catch a cab to take her to Port Authority, and from there, a bus back to Boston.
She was so distracted thinking about the way things had ended so suddenly and prematurely between her and Jake that she didn’t even notice when a man started walking right next to her.
“Leaving us so soon?” he asked.
The voice was all too familiar and dreaded. Raven turned and looked at Kurt’s smug face.
She tried to sound polite. “I guess you must be happy with how it all turned out.”
Kurt’s smile grew wider. “If you’d accepted my initial offer, you’d have made a hundred thousand instead of just fifty, and your sex tape wouldn’t be floating all over the web right now.”
“Fifty’s plenty and it’s more than I need or even want.”
“It’s definitely more than you deserve,” Kurt said.
“Just leave me alone—it’s over.” Raven tried to keep walking to get away from him, but he grabbed her arm with a vice-like grip.
“Look, you got off easy this time,” Kurt whispered, his breath hitting her face. It smelled of old coffee and breakfast gone rancid. His smile was gone now. “If you try to weasel your way back into Jake’s life, mommy seeing your sex tape will seem like fond memories compared to what’ll happen to you.”
“Take your hand off me before I scream,” she said through grit teeth.
Kurt’s smile appeared again, and he did take his hand off her arm. “Disappear from Jake’s life for good this time, Raven. Stop fucking around—you got in way over your head and you were very lucky to skate by with your fifty thousand dollar payoff.”
“Kurt,” she said, “you’re kind of handsome, but your breath stinks like a dead animal. It’s disgusting. Just like everything else about you.” She made a face. “Please get away from me before I puke on your expensive shoes.”
Kurt’s smile wavered and turned into a grimace as he stepped back. “Stupid bitch.”
Somehow, her comments had rankled him, and that did make her smile.
“Bye, Kurt,” she waved, starting to leave again. “Good luck getting your halitosis under control.”
Raven continued towards the exit, but the concierge stopped her. “Miss Hartley?” the man asked stiffly.
“Yes, that’s me.” She looked at him uncertainly.
“Mister Novak asked that I make sure you get to your car when you’re ready to depart. Are you leaving us now?”
“Well…yes, but I don’t have a car.” She shouldered her purse.
“Perhaps I was unclear.” The concierge referred to his clipboard. “A car has been arranged to take you to Boston. Mister Novak has covered all expenses and you’re to have the car and driver as long as is needed.”
“Oh.” Raven’s emotions were swirling around inside of her now—a mixture of intense grief, longing, frustration and even some anger. Why did it seem like he still cared about her, and yet he was sending her away?
She still couldn’t make sense of their connection.
On the one hand, he claimed to be angry and disgusted by the way she’d withheld parts of her past, and then on the other he wanted to pay her more than he owed her for the time they’d spent together.
He claimed that she’d failed to do her job, but insisted on paying her above and beyond the agreement and was even sending her back home in an expensive car with a driver.
What did it all mean?
She couldn’t understand anything anymore.
Regardless, Raven allowed herself to be led outside by the concierge and a couple members of Jake’s security team. They shielded her a little bit from the paparazzi, but not as well as Jake usually did.
The photographers seemed extra aggressive, as she walked outside and they started snapping and clicking and bombarding her with questions.
“Did you really have sex with all those guys at the party?”
“What do you think about the video of you that was released? Do you deny that’s you?”
“Have you and Jake Novak split up?”
“Where’s Jake?”
“Raven, Raven! Over here, Raven! People from Southbridge say that you were a liar and a nymphomaniac, Raven. Is any of it true?”
One of the security guards gave that particular paparazzo a hard shove and the photographer fell onto his rear, cursing and threatening lawsuits.
Raven had to smile a little at that. She got inside the black sedan and the driver turned to look at her. “To Boston, Miss Hartley?”
“Yes,” she said softly. Once she got back, she’d have him drop her at her car, which had been sitting parked and probably had more than a few tickets by now.
They started to pull away from the hotel and a large sense of desolation threatened to overwhelm her.
She was probably never going to see Jake Novak again, except on television and in the movies. She’d hear his voice on the radio, but never again would she hear it in person.
His voice, saying dark and sensual things in her ear, telling her everything he wanted to do to her for her own good.
“Miss Hartley?” the driver said again.
She snapped from her reverie. “Sorry. Yes?”
“I was instructed to give this to you.” The driver extended one hand back towards her, and there was a white envelope between his fingers.
Her brow furrowed, but she leaned forward just the same, and took it from him. “Who instructed you to give it to me?”
“Jake Novak, ma’am.” The driver went back to focusing on driving the car.
Raven took a deep breath and let it out. She examined the plain white envelope, as if somehow it was going to tell her the secret to what lay within. She was afraid of what she might find inside, what it might or might not say.
Eventually, though, she ripped it open and took out the piece of lined hotel stationary. There was a handwritten letter, apparently penned by Jake, and his handwriting was precise and neat.
Raven,
I told you that I wired fifty thousand dollars to
your account. I know you can’t understand why I did it, but I have good reason.
Although your plan to rehabilitate my image didn’t work, I very much appreciate the personal risk you took in attempting to be part of my life at this difficult time, and I recognize that it came at a high cost to both you and your family.
Thinking about the way my presence has negatively affected your privacy and the stability that you’d built for yourself since leaving home years ago, I think the money is the least I could do to make up for it.
Also, I’m very much aware that my affiliation with Club Alpha has also been detrimental to your safety and wellbeing. They’ve threatened you, got you fired from your job, and kicked out of your apartment.
Because of these inconveniences and more, I took the liberty of renting an apartment for you, in Boston, for one year. The lease is paid in full, all utilities are covered.
The driver will give you the keys when you arrive at your destination.
Hopefully, both the apartment and the money will allow you to have the freedom to accompany Skylar through the difficult time she’ll be facing going through treatment these next few months. Having you by her side as she undergoes this experience will be very comforting for her.
Please know that she will never have to worry about money for any of her medical expenses. She will get only the best treatment—I will make sure of it.
Now that you are no longer burdened by my presence in your life, I’m very hopeful that the media will turn their ugly spotlight away from you and leave you in peace.
I think you’re much better off this way.
Be well, Raven. And please take good care of yourself.
-Jake
* * *
It felt like a very long ride back to Boston after reading Jake’s letter. Raven tried hard to put him out of her mind, to think instead of Skylar and what she must be going through.
Raven spent some of the time in the car reading up about her friend’s particular type of cancer and what type of treatment and prognosis could be expected. The good news was that it tended to be a very slow growing cancer, and so the likelihood of it having spread was low.
However, from what she was reading, the combination of chemotherapy and radiation that they were likely to pursue would be a fairly grueling, even hellish process for Skylar.
In the end, the prognosis was good that she’d be cancer free at the end of it all, and that was what Raven tried to keep in mind. Whatever discomfort Skylar was going to go through, she would be better at the end of it all.
Eventually, this whole period of Skylar’s life would seem like nothing but a bad dream.
Is that what this will feel like for me? Skylar thought, as they crossed into Boston via the Mass Turnpike. Nothing but a bad dream with faded memories to look back on?
The driver expertly maneuvered the sedan through the winding city streets of Boston until finally stopping in front of two very tall buildings, double-parking because there were never any free spots in Boston.
He turned his head and looked at Raven. “This is your stop, ma’am.”
She craned her head up. “Where are we?”
“The Ritz Carlton Towers, Miss Hartley.” He produced a set of keys and handed them to her. “You’re in apartment 907.”
Raven took the keys, thanking him, and then also put the envelope which contained Jake’s letter in her purse. “Are you allowed a tip?”
He shook his head firmly no. “Mr. Novak has taken care of everything, ma’am. There’s no need, but I do appreciate the offer.”
“Okay, then.” She took a deep breath and let it out, before exiting the car and walking across the entryway to the towers.
It took her a moment to find the right entrance, as the residents apparently used a different lobby than the hotel guests.
However, once she found her lobby, she started to make her way to the elevator. But the attendant at the front desk stopped her and requested her reason for entering, so she told him she had newly rented an apartment and showed him her key.
He welcomed her with a wide smile and told her that if she needed anything at all, just to call down for assistance.
Raven couldn’t believe that Jake had really rented her an apartment in this building. It must’ve cost a small fortune. This was, after all, a prime location in the heart of Boston.
She knew that Jake Novak was extremely wealthy, but he didn’t owe her any of this. Why had he done it?
Why does it seem like he still cares and is still thinking about my needs?
She had little time to ponder the question on the brief elevator ride to the ninth floor. Then the doors opened and she made her way to 907, opening it, butterflies dancing in her stomach as she wondered what awaited her on the other side.
She gasped as the door opened on an absolutely stunning room. This was pure luxury, and the thought of staying here for any length of time seemed absolutely ridiculous.
There were enormous windows the entire length of two of the walls, and each displayed a stunningly different view of the city. Raven crossed and immediately stared out at Boston Harbor, where she could see boats passing to and fro in the distance, and people and cars winding their way along the various roads that intertwined below.
Then she went to the other window, where there was a view of the Charles River.
“Oh, Jake,” she said, softly. Tears were in her eyes, and with no one to hide them from, she let them cascade down her cheeks.
The entire apartment was furnished with tasteful, modern stuff—she’d have decorated it much the same if she’d had the time and money.
How he’d secured her this place in such a short time, she couldn’t even imagine.
Perhaps he already had this apartment ready for some reason. Maybe this is the place where he kept previous lovers. Perhaps he has an apartment like this in every major city in the United States. Could be some other women in apartments in Tokyo or Paris.
Raven wiped the drying tears from her cheeks and collected herself, sniffling, laughing a little at her own emotional ups and downs.
The truth was that she had no idea what this apartment really meant to Jake. It could have been for any number of reasons, and she would never be able to figure the truth out anyway.
Walking around the apartment, she kept getting dazzled by new details. The bedroom was beautiful, a king-sized bed, flat screen television mounted on the wall across from the bed, and another gorgeous view overlooking the Boston skyline.
The kitchen was small, but the countertops were granite and the refrigerator was large and state-of-the-art.
There was a sheet of paper hanging on a magnet on the fridge. Raven got closer and saw that it was a list of amenities that came included with her apartment. She apparently had access to housekeeping and room service from the hotel. She could also use the concierge service.
And the paper told her that she was automatically a member of the fitness center on the ground floor, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Raven was absolutely dizzy with everything that was being thrown at her. She continued walking through her new apartment.
The living room was spacious, with a table that doubled as a breakfast nook, two leather couches, a couple of chairs, cherry hardwood floors.
And then there was a library/office with bookshelves that had a wide array of books in them—they ranged from encyclopedias to classic literature to the newest thrillers. And then there was a large mahogany desk and ergonomic chair.
Raven sat down in the chair in the office and spun around to look out on yet another picture window that showed the harbor in all its glory.
I guess I’m home, she thought.
* * *
The rest of her day was spent getting acclimated. She went to the nearest ATM and looked at her account balance, and found that there was indeed fifty thousand dollars in checking.
She shook her head, in awe of the numbers staring back at her on the screen. Immediately, Ra
ven took out a couple of hundred dollars in cash, and then she moved forty-eight thousand dollars into savings, leaving just about two thousand dollars in checking.
In the last four years since leaving home, Raven couldn’t recall a time when she’d even had two thousand dollars in her bank account at one time.
She’d been living paycheck to paycheck for so long, it had never even occurred to her that things could or would ever be different.
As much as it pained her to have been sent away from Jake, Raven had to admit that her heart felt lighter now. She felt somehow taken care of by him, even if now he was doing it in a very different way, and from a great distance.
Jake had given her freedom that she’d never experienced before. Fifty thousand dollars could easily last her two years, especially if she didn’t have to worry about rent or utilities for the first year.
Raven picked up her car that she’d left sitting near Jake’s old hotel.
She drove it back to her apartment and parked it in her new spot in the underground garage.
It took her a few trips, but she managed to unpack most of her clothes and boxes that she’d taken from her old basement apartment.
After that, she was starving, and went to the nearby grocery and picked up some food, including some ice cream as a treat. Back up in her luxury apartment that night, with the television on, and the beautiful blinking lights from the Boston skyline shining outside her picture windows, Raven made a comfort meal of mac and cheese, and then settled on the couch and watched TV.
After dinner she ate ice cream, went and had a nice shower, climbed into some sweats and a t-shirt and got into bed.
She found that she was exhausted.
As she drifted off to sleep, Raven wanted nothing more than to have Jake next to her so she could tell him everything he’d done for her and how much it meant.
But Jake wasn’t there, and even though she was warm and comfortable and happy in so many ways, one last tear drifted down her cheek before she finally drifted off to a peaceful sleep.