Soul Mates. The Beginning.

by Christine Wood

  “I will be fine, I will not open the door and you can be back up in no time, I promise I will not open the door to anyone but you.”

  “Alright, I will use the loo, get a coffee and be back. Do not, I repeat do not come out of the room for anyone. Should someone come in the room, lock yourself in the bedroom wardrobe and hit the panic button.” Oh a tad over the top, but I agreed. I knocked on the door.

  “Hello Sir, you called for room service?” Oh crap someone was in the room, as I was told to wait I did and he ran to the bathroom. Crap, was he naked? I’ve walked into quite a few rooms where worse has happened, but here Preston had left me alone, keep calm and carry on.

  “Mr Hayes room service, can I come in or do you later?”

  “Yes, yes carry on I’m in the tub, will that be alright?”

  “Err yes, yes, but please stay in there until we leave, this is highly irregular Sir.” I would hate to have to pepper spray an amorous guest.

  “Sorry, I wanted to shower before breakfast, I will be a while in here and I can assure you I will be in here after you have gone. I like a long soak after my shower.”

  Err too much information on his bathing habits, but I plug in my iPod, and change the bed and then pick up the rubbish, errkie, damn it what are these? God used condoms, just what the fuck did this man do in here last night? I shifted seven wow a busy and productive man. I’m so going to leave him a fucking note, saying throw the used birth control away yourself. I sang along to ‘Ironic,’ which it was, when I sang the lyrics.

  “Mr-Play-It-Safe was afraid to fly. He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye. He waited his whole damn life to take that flight, and as the plane crashed down, he thought, well isn't this nice, and isn't it ironic... Don't you think? It's like rain on your wedding day. It's a free ride when you've already paid. It's the good advice that you just didn't take. Who would've thought... it figures.” I heard the knock at the door as I finished.

  “All done Sir, and your breakfast is here, enjoy it. Luis what are you doing here, and why the hell did you not come back last night?”

  “I was with friends, and I am here checking on Cooper, he’s an old friend from college here for Cameron’s bachelor party.”

  “Why, oh never mind, I am sick of asking why you get out of these mornings Dad has me working, Mum is pissed at you and pissed Chris isn’t coming, the arse. Still he has better things to do than come ruin another party of mine.”

  “Really and the flowers, the teddy and the necklace he got you were crap then?”

  “No, no they weren’t, they were beautiful I would have liked to thank him for them in person, I texted him to thank him. I may have been a little rough on him. Had he come though I would have smacked him stupid and enjoyed it too, this birthday is ruined and he’s not even here, damn him. Right I’m off, see you for dinner. Julie is here now and we still have eight more rooms to do. See you.” I left Luis and pushed my cart to the next room.

  “Why did you come out?”

  “I didn’t Luis came in, that’s his friends room, he’s here for the bachelor party thing? Apparently, it will be a busy night, there are two parties in one night for Luis, my birthday party, the ball thing that is my bloody eighteenth birthday and though I can drink at home, here I still can’t drink, so yeahhhhhh for me. Why can I not be in London, or back in Spain getting hammered, you’d prefer that to being at a ball wouldn’t you?”

  “Bella anywhere would be better than here it’s going to be a nightmare. The security issues are stressing both your father and Bedford out, but they cannot cancel or your mother would know something was wrong, as you know she is in the dark about the whole Gina incident.” Oops again, because she is right when Mum finds out she will flip. We finish the rooms just before dinner and I run along my check my sheet, shit I have to do the bathroom of the man in 401.

  “Julie, I need to do 401’s bathroom, let’s get that done and get lunch I’m starving how about you?”

  “I could do a chicken salad and a coke.”

  “Right lunch is on me, I can do this, it will only take two minutes, can you ring down for room service to the apartment please and I will have the same, thanks?” I knock. “Room service... Sir new towels...” No reply so I go in, good nobody’s in, so I head through to the bathroom, and as I do I notice Christopher asleep in the bed, what the fuck, this is Cooper Hayes? Luis’s friend Cooper, is really Chris? I will kill Luis. I quietly make my way back to the cart and tick off as complete, that’s what the ‘do not disturb’ signs are for dumb arse. Damn it is this the surprise they had in store for me? I didn’t know what to think, and then I did think, about all those bloody condoms, so he hadn’t changed at all. Damn him and damn Luis for lying to me, Julie looked at my handful of towels.

  “Did he not want those?”

  “No, he was sleeping, but he can call room service for some, if he needs them. Right lunch is on me.” We head to the service rooms, restock the cart and hand in the room notes and I leave with Julie to get changed.

  “Julie, do you know what the surprise is they are getting me? You know for my birthday?”

  “I’m sworn to secrecy, but suffice to say I know you will love it, only thing is you can’t use it here, but the girls get to use it in the stables before you?”

  “He got me the damned dog’s bollocks horse carrier I was thinking about buying, hasn’t he?” She laughed and nodded, so if Chris wasn’t my surprise after all, why was he here, and who had got him here then? Luis! I went back to my room, and had some quality time with my horses, they were all stabled and looking great, Chocolate is beautiful and big. The girls were taking me on a virtual look see at their new home, and I now couldn’t wait to get back, wow, it was as big as Hilly said, and the house in the distance looked equally amazing. I loved it and as my laptop picked up the pictures of my horses I cried, I was missing my horses.

  “Hill’s, what are the Lipizzaners like, take me to see them please?” She walked me to their stables and their gray heads nodded over their stable doors, wow more tears were had as she patted their heads and introduced them.

  “They needed name plaques on their doors, what are they called Hill’s?”

  “Aren’t they lively young things, their names are funny hahaha, and snobby. Your sire here is called and get this he’s got a gob full of names, Pluto Ancona Fantasca the fifth, he is from here, in Spain and is a local boy. I’m calling him Paff, for obvious reasons, the dam’s names not so grand, Princess Anastasia of Prussia, who is from a Croatian stable and is called simply Princess, and Little Snow here is Austrian, she has the sweetest snow white marks on her rear legs, it looks like she has netting on them, and she is staying as Snow.

  I’m in love with your new babies, and their bloodline pedigrees are off the chart amazeballs. We have ten generations of pedigrees on all three and all three are from different bloodlines, your dad did very good in the bribery buying.” I cried again. “These have been here a month already and are favourites with the girl who came with them she is heartbroken she has to leave them, Little Snow was her horse, her dad had to sell him, as they had money problems.”

  “Oh hell, does she want to stay on? I mean she can if she wants, if there’s enough sleeping accommodation?”

  “There is and yes she would, we need her, what she doesn’t know about these horses isn’t worth knowing, Bella she will be a great asset to you.”

  “To us Hill’s, to us, stop saying all that’s mine, you do the work I just bask in your glory.”

  “Bask away girl, look at getting another Aztec whilst your there, another stallion, Gallant is refusing to go near Coffee, and Cappuccino is in season soon, old Gallant has had it easy too long, it seems he only likes Chocolate.”

  “I will get my man on it, he is here, in town for my party. See you later, I have a dinner to go to and a ball tomorrow night and hopefully I will be there Monday, if I can swing it, I can’t wait.” I had a bath and changed for the show and dinner, funnily en
ough I was not in the mood for it at all. A very pleasant night was had by Mum as she was spoiled by Luis and I. She was rather tipsy by the interval of Cats and by the end she was nearly asleep in her seat. On the way to the restaurant, I asked Luis all about Cooper, aka Chris, in the car on the way to dinner.

  “Luis this friend of yours Cooper, have Mum and Dad met him yet?” Mum’s interest in Luis friend was perked, now to go to work on my brother and see him wiggle out of introducing us all to the illusive Cooper.

  “Oh, that’s an idea, bring him around for lunch tomorrow, I’d love to see him, you don’t talk about him often.” I bet it will be a good excuse he uses. Come on what excuse are you going to use brother dear.

  “He’s a very private guy folks. I will ask but don’t hold your breath.” Private and still sexy as hell and here, Chris is here yeah and my heart flutters. Will I lose it this weekend, and will he still be up for it? Damn I hope so. Err did I really just think that? Shit hopefully not aloud, judging from the looks Luis is giving me, I could have!

  “How rude of him, he’s in a complementary room, the least he can do is come and see you to thank you for our parents hospitality, what do you think Mummy?” Luis gave me that look as I stared out of the tinted windows smirking, wiggle brother dear…

  “Yes very rude, Bella you’re right, have him come meet us Luis, I insist.” I smiled.

  “I will ask he joins you Mum, right we are here. I will give Bedford a ring when we are done. Preston are you and… I’m sorry are you called, Jones?”

  “I am Sir. Yes, how can I help you?”

  “No, no help needed, I have reserved the next table for you two.”

  “Thank you, but Sir we would be fine outside watching the door.”

  “Umm, slight problem with that they don’t want you looking like bouncers, and you have been asked you sit inside, so you’re having a meal on us. No arguments, besides Julie deserves it looking after the brat, doesn’t she Mum?” I kicked Luis as Julie smiled, damn him, Mum smiles and tells us to stop and grow up as he tickles me. We happy band of five went to eat, and Mum disappeared to the toilet, followed by Preston.

  “Why is Cooper here really? I have never heard you mention him before, we have met most of the guys you went to college and uni with.”

  “He is in town doing business, and he very rarely gets to the Big Apple these days, he’s overseas for the most part, he was here so he is stopping for Cameron’s bachelor party and your none birthday ball of course. Oh, he asked what you wanted by way of a gift. He’s mega rich Bella.” So I hear, but I don’t need nor want more gifts from Chris.

  “Oh I don’t know? Nothing can better the necklace Chris got for me, so anything else would be a let-down, perhaps he could make a donation to charity in my name but I don’t know to which one though, so, how about the children’s ward at the hospital, see it gets some new toys? I don’t really have a charitable choice.”

  “I’ll see to it he does that, he is pretty clueless as to what to get you.”

  “He could however make a donation at the family planning centre for the women of the streets. You know help pay for medical care and supplies, it keeps them safe and topped up with condoms and such like. Perhaps, he could even pay for a free week at the clinic, down town. After all he seems to enjoy the sex thing he had going on. I know, because I shifted all the bloody evidence of his night of passion.” Luis went red.

  “I err, I told him to you know to err shift them? He was very apologetic, he was shocked and sorry you had to move them. He also says it won’t happen again.”

  “Umm I believe you, thousands wouldn’t. Come on order, I’m knackered and I need sleep, I have to help Miss Brown with tomorrows little bit of a do, thankfully I stopped Mum doing fancy dress, though I am now look forward to meeting this elusive Cooper, as I said I’ve never heard you mention him before, what does he do?”

  “Real estate in the main and he’s a quiet, but busy kind of a guy, he may have to rush off, he has a big deal going through, it’s all up in the air and he only came because he didn’t want to let the star of the party down.”

  “Aww, that so sweet, it’s not a party though, it’s just a stag do surely? I have to do his room first thing, and hopefully he isn’t in the bath when I go around tomorrow and he has shifted his own prophylactics this time too?”

  “Umm, yeah he will, and no he will be out, as I said he’s busy. Eat, Mum’s here.”

  “Are you alright Mum, you don’t look too well, are you feeling sick again?” I ask.

  “No, I’m tired can we go back to the hotel and get the dinner delivered please Luis?” I sent Julie to sort it. Mum looked ill, never mind tired. Mum was put in the back seat and the food was being delivered for us. As we got back Bedford and Dad were waiting for her, along with the doctor in her room, what the hell was happening? Had her cancer come back? The food came too, and we sent it to the security rooms, as no one wanted to eat. When the doctor finally finished his visit with Mum, we were told that we were simply overreacting, she was just as she said exhausted, phew and wow. I gave her a huge hug, had a cry and went to my room to sleep. Getting in my room, my phone was flashing, I had several texts from Jack apologising for being crass. Two from Dad asking what was wrong, Luis had texted him, then one from Chris.

  ‘Bella, glad you liked them, would love to be there and dance with you, I was after all promised a dance, when you turned eighteen, wish I could be there to claim it. One day soon, we will be in same city on the same night and have the dance. Goodnight sleep well. Chris x’

  Oh, should I go to his room and phone him from the door? Use my key card and catch him missing me? Nahah, I’m not going there again, but hell, I want to, I really want to. I wondered if he would remember the promise we made, and if so why is he avoiding me? Perhaps this Gina business was too much for him, was his past messing with his head again? I know his past has ruined another damn party. I sleep, I dream, I have a nightmare, I wake, and I cry but I do sleep eventually.

  Waking up I grab my sweats and go for a run, three security run with me, headphones in and I hit the ground hard pounding the pavement, I run around the park and lose myself, security run with me, I slow down and stop cool down and we head for breakfast. I eat and eat and eat. Then I wish I hadn’t, because then I battle with myself to rid my body of all that crap. Julie looks concerned as she pays for breakfast and we head home, or what was home, the damned hotel.

  “Bella are you alright? Do you need me to phone Luis, or Doctor Travis?”

  “No, I over ate, I’m not going to throw up I was really hungry, I didn’t eat yesterday, apart from lunch with you. Thank you, I swear I’m not going back there Julie. I’m going for a shower and then Ms Brown needs my help.” I pass Mum on the terrace drinking tea and reading a book.

  “Are you alright Mum?”

  “I am darling, sorry to worry you, I haven’t been feeling great, I have a bout of flu coming on and I have exhausted myself with the ball, so Dad has roped everyone in to help, you and I are to sit and chill before the family get here, the cousins are in Spain and can’t get back.” Good they are way too bloody talkative for me and still say cool and OMG all the time, and talk and talk until the cows come home.

  “Right, I will get a bath and change I want to check in with the stables and see how Chocolate is.”

  “Okay, I will see you in a moment then, take your time and Bella…?”

  “Yes Mum?”

  “Thank you for being a great daughter and my best friend.” Oh my word did she just say that?

  “Love you too Mum and if anything was to happen to you?” I went in for a Mum Hug, the universal cure for illness and depression. She kissed my head and I snuggled. I fell asleep on her lap, a blissful sleep. I woke however on my bed. Oh wow, I’m refreshed and full of beans. Tonight I see Chris, whether I see him or him in this other persona of his, that of Cooper Hayes? I don’t care I just want to see if he remembers the promise we made. If we had no one else in our
lives we would give it a try, when we or rather I, was of legal age, and I am as of midnight, midnight was my birthday and his as well. He would always be older than me, and at twenty-seven, he was that alright. He is still nine years older than me, but it is less than the twelve of Mum and Dad, keep saying that and it sounds better.

  “Dad I’m so sorry I slept, I should be helping you?”

  “Nonsense, it’s all done and dusted, lunch is in the fridge, a Cobb salad and a chocolate fudge cake, Mum is resting for tonight, your hairdresser and makeup artist and nail persons will be here at five, so eat and take in the afternoon sunshine on the terrace.”

  “I will Daddy and thank you. Luis, I need to ring Christopher, I need to buy another Aztec, apparently Chris’s horse Gallant is just as his name says, and he’s a one mare stallion and won’t service the other two?” Dad looked shocked, having I guess spent a small fortune on the three grays.

  “I have to get you another horse?”

  “No Dad, I am buying him, I make money at this Dad, or I will do if I get the other two paired with a good sire.”

  “Ring him I’m sure he’d gladly take your call. He is so sorry he can’t be here, but this has been a nightmare.” Dad, you’re so wrong, he’s down the corridor just two doors down.

  “I will later. He and the guy Dad bought Chocolate from are the only ones I know of, for pure colour Aztecs. I will do it this afternoon, whilst I wait for the torture team to come, Daddy please don’t jump in and pay for it, the three grays you bought me are more than I needed.” Luis was lounging on the couch reading something on his iPad he was laughing too, more girls?

  “More girlie conquests asking for your services brother of mine. you dirty old stop out stud you?”

  “No, so shut up you spoilt brat.”

  “Man whore”

  “Crabby knickers”

  “Dirty stop out.”

  “Children, children you will be waking your Mother.” We both laughed and slapped each other.