“Get to bed Mrs Holland, I’m having my very wicked way with you all night long, and you have to get a wedding dress tomorrow, because we are getting married in four days, if you still want me that is?”
“Oh hell yes and all of you, I need a bath join me?”
“I may need one too you run it I will get the champagne on ice.” We spent all night long making love, first in the shower, than the bath, then again by the fire in his bedroom and finally in his bed, and come the morning he and I were asleep and together. His arms protectively held me to him. Late morning we were woken by my mum, who wanted to dress shop, I kissed my prince as he stopped in bed.
“Get the wedding dress and get that backside back here, I would suggest getting it back in bed now, but you have an important purchase to make, and I have to rest, as I’m a damn sight older than you.”
“Pipe and slippers old man, I love you so much, I will be back soon, so keep the bed warm and see you in a while. Plan the wedding dear as it seems your lazing in bed. See you.” I leant in and kissed him. Grabbed my bag and went to see what there were in the way of wedding dresses here on St Bart’s. A task I was not relishing, and after four hours, I’d had enough.
“Mum can we not get the dress in America, these are so not me at all, and we’ve spent all day here?”
“Isabella this is important, you are my only daughter and I want to at least have a say in the dress, so we will try the next shop and if that fails yes we will look in Las Vegas after all there is bound to be a better dress there.” I liked the first one I tried on but it was too Bohemian for mum, so begrudgingly we went back to the hotel.
“Why did your sister not want to come? She will be your bridesmaid yes?”
“No, she will not, I don’t like her let alone want her to stand by my side, she’s my sister in name only. No Hills will come and stand for me.”
“Did she have a temper tantrum? She always though Chris would ask her you know.” I laughed he hated her as much as I did. She’d made a play for him on one of her trips to see dad and he was with us too, he made it clear she was not the one for him. When she tried to interrupt a building game of Lego Chris and I had been working on, she lost her temper and kicked my castle all over the bedroom, just because he said no to her ask that he joined her for a swim, Chris spent all afternoon helping me fix my castle… Come to think of it, I’ve not heard her say congratulations either.
I got in and went straight to my room, I had left my phone on charge, and there were loads of texts from Chris to come to his bungalow he was missing me… I laughed all the way up the path, and shouted for him to get ready as I ran into his room… How I wish I hadn’t because lay in his bed naked, was my own sister, the bitch...
“Ready for what? Our lover has had to fly back to Australia, he tried to contact you. Did you not get the message, to join us here? Boy does he like the kinky stuff our lover boy. Fancy him not waiting until you got back?” I was struck dumb and thinking of how I was going to kill her. I dialled for Dad, Mum and Luis to come and save her before I leapt on the bed and killed her. I did anyway, I punched her kicked her and battered the bitch. Luis and Dad arrived, just as I drew blood, and was dragged off her kicking and screaming…
“What’s going on why are you here Rachel, why are you in Chris’s bed naked?”
“Yeah tell him Princess Slut, sleeping with my fiancé. Well keep him, I’m going and going now Dad, choose, I’m leaving and I know Mum will come with me, so you stay with her or you come with me, she’s a bitch and not my sister. I hate her, I hate Chris and I want to go, before he comes back now Dad.”
I didn’t wait to hear her story I had been lied to but why? Luis ran after me trying to calm me down, I packed throwing my things in the suitcases with no care they would be creased, with everything done and everything packed, I ordered a car to the airport. I was joined in the jet an hour later by Mum, Dad, Luis and security. Apparently, she came to say sorry to me for freaking out at not being asked to be a bridesmaid, and Chris had had a drink and they talked and well one thing led to another, and I was history apparently, I was not what he wanted, that way, I was lousy in bed. I sat stone faced and desolate. I’d already wrote him a letter ending whatever we had and wished him luck, as we were better off apart, I enclosed the ring and sent it back with the driver.
We landed in Madrid, and we did the usual hide n drive to the castle, I never wanted to see him again. My heart was broken and I couldn’t ever forgive him, not this time this was just too much. Dad was livid, as was Luis, why did he run and hide in Australia instead of just telling me he had used me? I was beyond confused I was beyond angry I was beyond sad, I was alone and hurt.
We agreed never to discuss it again and never to speak to him again any of us, this was hard on Luis too, he was his best friend, Dad loved him like a son and Mum well she was heartbroken too. Rachel was cut off from Dad, without a penny too, apparently, she said some nasty things about me being the favourite, her always having played second fiddle, me always getting everything, me getting her man, she was just using him to me show him for the monster he was. She did it for me, how fucking sweet of her.
Legal letters were sent to him, saying not to be in touch, no explanations were necessary. I was not to be contacted, and I would never speak to him again and neither would any of my family. He was not to contact us and not to enter any of the hotels we owned, nor attempt to look for me or us we were through. Surely, he knew that anyway, you sleep with your fiancées’ sister, and this was a consequence? I was angry that he had left Rachel to explain it all too, and couldn’t tell me to my face, men I could do without them.
Dad took a lesser part in the hotels after this, it knocked the wind from beneath his legs, so he got a manager in and watched his businesses from Spain, happy to be alone with Mum for the first time in ages. He wasn’t worrying about the hotels either. I went back to University and I acted like the whole farce that was my twenty first birthday, had never happened. I never heard from Chris again, though he sent basket upon basket of wild flowers to each hotel Dad owned. We’d changed phones again, and Luis was transferred to London and New York, where he assures me all the time he has not been in contact with Chris. Though he has left word with his offices he needed to talk, he made a quick telephone call, he didn’t let Chris know where we were, or get a word in just that their friendship was over, well and truly over…
CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
Chris:
I lie in bed watching as she leaves, when did I come to my senses and do the chasing? I’m glad I ignored Luis now. My world is nearly perfect, well it will be in four days and she becomes Mrs Christopher Holland, Mrs Isabella Holland, I swear I didn’t think this would happen, why did it again? Umm I don’t care it did. I get a phone call from Gran.
“Hello Gran, what can I do for you this fine and lovely morning?” She is crying what the hell. “Gran are you alright, what’s the matter? Why are you crying?” I hear the sobs and I panic.
“Melissa has been in an accident, she may not last the day, and you have to get here as soon as you can? We’re in Montreal General Hospital. Get here as soon as you can Chris, please hurry.”
I promise her I’ll be there as soon as I can. I phone the jet and have it refuelled and tell them were going to Montreal and as soon as possible. Jamie is packing my things, and I try and try to get hold of Bella, Jamie says the car is here and I write her a note, telling her to ring me, telling her why and that I love her, and to come as soon as she can and I tell her where and that I can’t wait next to Bella, the two women I love most in the world are hurting.
I get to the plane, and realise I have left my fucking phone for Bella, on the nightstand next to the bed, fuck. I try ringing her from Jamie’s phone, but again it goes to voice mail, were in the air for four hours, and they are long painful hours I have phoned and managed to get hold of the only Humphries girl available Rachel.
“Hi Rachel, it’s me Chris, can you please tell Bella there is
a note on my bedside table, I have had to rush to my sisters bedside in Canada. She’s been in some sort of life threatening car wreck. Please get her to call me I would like her here with me. She isn’t answering her phone, thanks Rachel.”
“I’ll make sure she gets the message Chris, did your security go with you?”
“Yeah Jamie’s here with me. Look I’m sorry to do this to her right now, but if she rings me I will arrange for my jet to come back and get her, I need her with me.”
“Leave it with me Chris you can count on me to give her the message.” At last I can relax a little, the car service whisks us to the hospital, when I get there she has been rushed into surgery again with an embolism in her lung. Gran is in tears, and rushes towards me and hugs me. I don’t want to worry Gran too much, and go to speak to the nursing team, who tell me she was hit with a car full on, and it sent her, according to the guy she was with, into the air. She landed on the roof of the car, and was somehow was tossed off it, as the hit and run driver drove off at some speed. They point me to the worried looking guy pacing the corridor.
“Hello, can you tell me what happened, please she’s my sister?” He stops pacing and looks worried.
“Hi, I’m Jason St John, her colleague. I can only tell you what I saw the police have already asked me this. We were coming out of court, and heading towards the café over the road, the car came out of nowhere, and hit her head on, it didn’t stop it just took her along the road. He swerved to throw her off the roof, and disappeared, she wasn’t breathing at the scene, I did CPR, and got her breathing again, but she will be lucky to survive, she was in a bad way. I grabbed her phone, and besides her best friend, I have only ever met her Gran so I rang her. She came straight here, and well she was seen right away, they did some sort of head surgery this morning, and then they rushed her back in about twenty minutes ago. Look, I didn’t want to leave your grandmother alone, but now you are here, I have to be getting back into work, and report this. This could be connected to the case we are working on.” I remembered she joked about the hit on her life, shit, what sort of crap is she involved in?
“Right yes, she said something, please go, and I’m eternally grateful for helping her and stopping with my grandmother thank you.”
“If you need anything, please get in touch and please let me know if, no I mean when she wakes up.” He walks off looking tired and exhausted, as we sit and wait. Jamie brings me in another phone and I text Bella.
Bella: I hope Rachel has explained everything. I’m sorry. I will be in touch soon. Sorry, for rushing off, I will explain…
I hear nothing back. Every time I ring her, it goes straight to voice message. So I have to leave a message, each one is begging her to please ring me. I’m going out of my mind with worry, I’m worried about Mel, the news about my sister is not good, and I know I’m being stupid worrying about Bella because she is safe with her family. I have to concentrate on Mel and keep Gran calm, she may not be her granddaughter, but she’s as good as her granddaughter, in her eyes.
The surgery takes hours and I wonder what else has happened? They come and tell me after about five hours, she’s had a heart attack on the operating table, the clot had gone to her heart and her lung and they battled hard to save her, she fell into a deep coma, and still faces several more surgeries to her skull, face, both her arms, both legs too. She is going to need so much rehab even if she pulls through, just to learn to walk again, such is the damage to her legs. According to the chief of surgical staff, she’s lucky to be alive at all.
I sit by her bedside, and send for Judy and Henry, it can’t be helped, they are bringing Parker too, she will stay after Judy is put in charge of the company, Judy near on runs the place for me. I await a phone call from Bella, there is still nothing after two days, what’s going on? She isn’t picking up her phone, neither is anyone else and in desperation, I ring Rachel to ask her did Bella get the message.
“Hello, Rachel it’s me Chris. Listen, what’s going on there? Bella hasn’t called or answered her texts what’s the matter, is there a problem?”
“Oh Chris I don’t know how to tell you this, but you’ve been dumped for choosing your sister over her. She had an almighty tantrum when she got back with the wedding gown, eager to start planning it, to be told you’d left and not even bothered to find her first, she said would it have killed you to find her first, and she well has left the country. She has persuaded her mum and my dad and her idiot brother to go with her she was so nasty. She said she would always come second best to your family, I tried to tell her your sister was in a very bad way, but she has convinced herself you have flown to see a girlfriend, and well to put it bluntly you’ve been jilted. There is a letter telling you to not contact, or even try to find her. I’m so sorry but none of the family want to see you again for breaking her heart.”
“Thank you for trying Rachel, do you know where the new place is they have?”
“No, and I know you don’t believe me, but I don’t. When I saw my father it was always at the hotels, I was not allowed in Maria’s home, because she really hates me after the cancer thing. I was a little put out that when my mum had a scare, he didn’t even ask about her, but well Maria got it and for nearly eighteen months I saw very little of them. I have been cast out too, for sticking up for you. They all have new phones, and I have only got my father’s work mobile. He’s retired too, and is working from wherever they are based, until Bella gets her act together. You know, in case she gets this eating disorder back. She does it all the time, things don’t go her way and the fingers go down the throat. Sorry, I have to go my planes boarding, I wasn’t even allowed on the company jet. See you around Chris you have my number. Bye and I’m sorry I hope your sister gets better soon.”
Wow, I didn’t know Bella at all. I never thought her to be so selfish, so immature, but that’s what she is I guess? I will have the letter couriered home. I have bigger things to worry about, than a spoilt madam. Wow did I have a lucky escape I will concentrate on getting Mel stabilised, and will look at rehab in Australia for her, she doesn’t need to work and I’m her next of kin since her mum died. Dad was still a no show there’s a surprise, he’s probably licking his wounds from the non-engagement party. I await the arrival of my trusted team from Oz.
The weeks at her bedside turn into six long months, months I brooded over Bella and worried about my sister, thank God for Parker. Parker has been staying in my hotel here, and is dealing with all the calls and things from Judy. She is an amazing woman and helps keep me focused, taking the day to day shit I throw at her, all without a moan or a groan. I don’t know what I would have done without her. She has been a godsend. I have had official letters sent from Bella, nothing more than telling me to stay away, so I did. I am now over my crush. I haven’t had time to wallow in what could have been, what should have been, it is what it is, a fantasy fulfilled, I slept with her, she slept with me and now we are over.
Mel is being moved tomorrow, and is being transported to the ranch where we have had a new bungalow built, just for her with all the adaption’s she needs, and accompanying us is a physical therapist, who will be in sole charge of her care. She has taken a few steps, and is ready for the move, we all are. Parker has had all Mel’s personal things packed from her apartment and they have been put into the new place for her. Jamie stopped with Mel as her security, Henry flew back with Judy and she has been running the company in my absence.
We never heard from our dear father, though Jameson rang and said he would be willing to look at moving to Oz, when he retires in a year, plans are afoot to build him his own place on the ranch too. I lie when I say I didn’t think of Bella I did, and have a man looking for her, they will slip up and I will find them because I need answers. But for now, I have to see to the family I do have. We follow the ambulance to my jet and all pile aboard, goodbye America hello home. I am going to be spending all my time in Australia now, as I feel like it is home now, Australia is where, for now, my fu
ture lies. I’d promised myself, that I will find Bella, and I will ask her why she broke my stupid heart.
My godson Thomas was born whilst I was in the states, and I arrive back with loads of gifts for my three little treasures, they will have forgotten what I look like. However, when we land, they are the first to run and greet me and I wrap them in my arms so tightly, to be told by two very angry little Princesses that I cannot leave them again. I agree never to leave them. Thomas is the most adorable little thing I have seen, since the two terrors entered my life. I think I will be fine here for now. I have another faux family to lean on, and I have the two of the three women I love most in the world with me, and for now that will have to do, oh Bella, where are you?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
Bella:
I needed to ready for the charity ball tonight, but actually going there and pretending I was happy was a nightmare, to be honest I had better things to be doing and I didn’t want to dress up all fancy and party and speak to people, not tonight. I needed tonight like I needed to be wearing a swimsuit in the fridge, the last time I went to one of these it broke my heart. What I really wanted was a hot bath and to climb in my bed, and not have to be doing the damn paperwork for round three of more bloody fraught negotiations. I am here for two more damn weeks, as it is I have been here a week already. Dad should have been here, but the last round of chemo has been brutal, and Luis is seeing to the European hotels and Princess Rachel, well she has the Australasian hotels, she probably wants to see Chris again, good luck with that you loser bitch. I would much rather be home with Mum helping with his illness, but I am needed here and here is where I am, because I am now CEO of Humphries Hotels, Dad got his wish and I run them for him, well for now anyway…
Soul Mates. The Beginning. Page 28