by Kimmy Love
“No, you can still go with a long dress,” Janey said flicking the pages of a magazine. Just then, Heather's phone rang. She held up her forefinger and winked to Janey.
“I should get this.” She looked at the screen on her cell but didn't recognize the number. “Hello?” she said.
“Hello, H.” It was Lemar.
Her blood froze. “What do you want?”
“Now, is that any way to treat the love of your life?”
“How dare you...” Janey shot a look at Heather, who got up and began to walk back inside the apartment. “I'll be back in a second, Janey. You keep looking.”
Heather smiled to Janey but her expression changed as soon as she had gone into the kitchen. She looked over her shoulder to make sure Janey hadn't followed her.
“How the hell did you get this number?” Heather tried to hold back shouting at Lemar.
“Like I've always said to you, H., you can do anything you put your mind to. I mean, look at you, you got your rich man, properties around the states...and now a wedding in the Caribbean. I take it I won't be getting an invite?”
“I'm hanging up.”
“Wait, not so fast. Can't I even wish you well? What, is it three months to the wedding?”
“You know, you've read the papers.”
“I heard it isn't going to be some big society wedding.”
“That's right.”
“So the guy is making a bit of a saving.”
“What has this got to do with you?”
“Plenty. I was just thinking, I might have miscalculated when I asked for $300,000.”
“Oh no you don't, Lemar,” Heather said loudly. She looked around again and lowered her voice. “I told you that was all; a one off payment. That's all I could get. He'll suspect something. I can't.”
“You can and you will. As a wedding present to you, you give me the same amount again and I'll go, and I mean it. That money will be enough for me to disappear off the face of the earth. Something I'm sure you'll be pleased about.”
“Please, Lemar. You can't do this; I can't do this. You're asking the impossible of me.”
“You forget how well I know you. Nothing is impossible for you, H.”
Heather hung up the phone. Straight away a text came through from that same number.
I'll be kind. I’ll give you two weeks this time. That's all. If you don't meet me at the same place, same time there won't be a wedding. When your Russian finds out about the real you! LOL! I wouldn't like to be in your shoes. LB
Lemar's laugh ran through her veins and she began to shake with fear and anger.
“What happened to you?” Janey was behind her in the kitchen all of a sudden.
“Jesus, you frightened me!” Heather exclaimed.
“I'm sorry, I thought you were coming right back.”
“I was but I had some pain in the ass call – some guy from the hospital. You know when I worked part time at City? He was always creeping me out. I don't how he got the number but he called to wish me well – he heard about the wedding.”
“Weird. Oh well,” said Janey, “at least he won't be bothering you anymore. Anyway. Idea. I've got a day off work on Monday so why don't we just hit the shops for your dress? Nothing better than trying some on, right? That way, you'll know what's going to suit you.”
Heather got up from her chair and threw the cell across the table. “Good idea. It's a date.”
Janey left a little later and Yuri arrived to find Heather out on the balcony staring out across the city sky. The bride magazines were still on the table beside her, the leaves flapping open in the evening breeze.
“Hey, beautiful,” Yuri said as he stepped out onto the balcony. He kissed the top of her head and Heather looked up and smiled. “It's turning chilly out here, Heather. Why don't you come inside?”
Heather got up in a robotic manner and went inside with Yuri. She had sat outside in the same position, just thinking about her past, just thinking about Lemar's threat. She did not know what to do. She had thought hard about her original gut reaction to Lemar's demands, which was to run away. Leave Yuri, leave everything she had been working towards and go. She shivered as she sat down on a big, deep armchair in the living room.
Yuri was removing his jacket and looking at her. “Something is bothering you, Heather. Is wedding planning getting too stressful? You know Susan did recommend a wedding planner, it's not too late to call.” He came and knelt at her feet. He rubbed her hands, which were sitting limply on her thighs.
“It's not that,” she said. “I couldn't be happier planning my wedding to a great guy like you. I'm more than lucky to have you. You really are too good for me.”
“Because I love you, Heather. Meeting you has been the making of me. And you know there is nothing I wouldn't do for you.”
“I know.”
“But right now you're frightening me. You look so lost and far away I'm not sure I can bring you back from where ever you are. Maybe I should cancel tonight's plans.”
“Plans?”
“Yes, have you forgotten? Susan is coming to dinner with her boyfriend, the accountant guy. We met him at the party the other week and, well, you were the one who invited them, Heather.”
“Damn it.” Heather lowered her head for a second before looking up to the ceiling. “It completely slipped my mind. How much time have I got to rustle something up?”
“An hour, but let's just order something. Susan will be fine with that. Unless...”
“Unless?”
“You want to cancel.”
“That would look rude. We'll order something from Caravello's. Susan loves their food. I'll find the menu.” Heather got up and walked to the kitchen in that same robotic manner. She searched a drawer in the kitchen and slammed it shut when she couldn't find the right menu. “Damn it!” she exclaimed.
Yuri walked over to Heather, took her by her shoulders and spun her around. There were tears in her eyes. He hugged her close to him. “You have to tell me Heather. Whatever is eating you up inside, it has to come out.” He held her at arms length. “Now.”
She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before leaning both hands on the kitchen counter. “It's about that money you gave me a couple weeks ago,” she said.
“The money for your father? I told you I didn't have a problem with that.”
“I know, but it's just... Something I wasn't expecting has happened and I didn't know how to say it.”
“He wants more.”
She looked up quickly. “You sound as if you expected it.”
“People who do that kind of thing will always try their luck again. What do you want to do?”
“What do I want to do?” she asked, blinking in disbelief.
“Sure, he's your father. Do you think another payment will finally get him off our back?”
“I-I hope so.” She looked deep into his eyes. “But what if it doesn't? What if he just keeps on coming back for more?”
“We'll cross that bridge if and when—“
“Yuri, he might keep on asking.”
“How much does he want?” Yuri knotted his brow.
“The same amount.”
“Give it to him and say you'll add a bonus if he backs off. Tell him you won't be taken for anymore money, if he comes crawling back, you'll have the police arrest him for extortion.”
“I could do that?”
“Probably not, but he might not know it. But it might be the thing that finally gets him to leave us alone. Look, I don't want anything or anyone spoiling our plans. If I'm right about your father, he'll think he's hit the jackpot by getting more than he bargained for and he'll slip away through the cracks.”
“You sure about this Yuri?” There was the sound of relief in Heather's voice.
“Positive. Now stop crying and let's get ready before Susan and what's his face get here.”
Throughout the evening Heather couldn't get Yuri's generosity out of her mind. Th
e whole evening floated by her as if it were a dream. The only thing that kept her mind grounded though, was the lie she told to Yuri and threats that Lemar made. Threats to expose the real her to Yuri and she knew he wasn't kidding.
Just before she left, Susan took Heather to one side. She told Yuri that she wanted to quiz Heather about her wedding dress but didn't want Yuri to hear.
“You guys sit here while us ladies take to the other room.” Susan held Heather's hand and took her into the bedroom. She closed the door, crossed her arms and glared at Heather.
“What is it?” Heather asked.
“Heather, you're a great girl. You've conducted yourself in a commendable way when it comes to Yuri, all except one thing. The money. Now, Yuri just gave me instructions to withdraw another suitcase of cash, this time with a little bonus on top.”
“He did what?”
“Don't act innocent. He took me to one side while you were in the kitchen and says your father has been back in touch.”
“That's right, he has.”
“It's just that something about this doesn't ring true to me. I don't know why but I get the feeling you're playing that man for a fool.”
“How can you say that?” Heather raised her voice. “You know I love him.”
Susan approached her and took Heather's hands. “Heather, if you're in some kind of trouble it won't do you any good to start married life on a lie. Whoever or whatever this second amount of money is for, are you sure it's going to be the last time?”
Heather nodded. “I think so.”
“You think so? Do you really think it's all right for you to get married and be held to ransom like this by your father? Wouldn't it be better to have the authorities brought in and put the squeeze on him instead? This can't go on.”
“I know, I understand. But Yuri said this way was for the best.”
“Yuri is blinded by his love for you. I'm serious here, Heather. If there is something that Yuri needs to know before you both get embroiled by something you'll only regret because you didn't speak up sooner, it could cost you your marriage.”
“I understand, Susan,” Heather pulled away and opened the door. “But this is our problem and we're dealing with it. You just do as Yuri asked. This is the right thing to do.”
Susan took a deep breath and left the bedroom. She looked at Heather out of the side of her eyes as Heather held the door open. Both women joined the men in the living room.
“So, did you get all the latest on Heather's dress and the other arrangements?” Yuri asked as the women returned.
“Well, she keeps a few things close to her chest but I get the general idea. I'm sure you'll be very happy though, Yuri.” She looked at Heather who had squeezed in next to Yuri and put her hand on his thigh. “Very happy indeed.”
Yuri kissed Heather's cheek.
“Anyway, we ought to get going,” Susan said and stood up, her boyfriend followed suit.
“Already?” asked Yuri.
“Well, yes, because my boss is an evil task master and if I'm the slightest bit late that could cost me my job.” Susan made a gesture of being strangled.
“It was nice to see you,” Heather said and stood, pulling Yuri to his feet by the hand. “Let's show our guests out.”
The two couples exchanged kisses and handshakes at the door. Heather tried to avoid making eye contact with Susan but couldn't help feeling under scrutiny. When the door was closed she didn't feel relief, she felt worse than when Lemar called. She had to lie to Yuri again and it was breaking her heart.
As she and Yuri got into bed that night, Heather put out her hand to stop Yuri turning the lamp off on his bedside table.
“Oh,” he chuckled. “Not sleepy?”
“It's not that,” she said. “You and I, we need to talk.” Heather sat up and put her lamp back on. Yuri sat up beside her and stared into her eyes and waited for her to speak.
“I can't do it, Yuri.”
“Can't do what?” he asked.
“I can't lie to you and I can't marry you either.”
“Please tell me this is cold feet. What has changed since hooking up with Janey to flick through bride magazines to wanting out of the wedding? Are things moving too fast for you? Are you feeling rushed?”
“I'm feeling a lot of things, Yuri, but the main thing is guilt.”
“You feel guilty. Look, if this is about the money for your father, I told you it'll work itself out. He won't come back for more. With what I've told Susan to provide, he wouldn't be able to spend it in his lifetime. Just relax. It'll be fine.”
“Yuri it won't be fine; the money, well that's just part of it. The rest is that I lied to you and that's why I feel guilty.”
“You lied about what?” he turned is body to face her. Heather just stared into his eyes and couldn't summon the courage to speak. “You're going to tell me, so just blurt it all out. It can't be so bad.”
“It's bad, Yuri, very bad. And when I tell you everything you'll want me to go. In fact, I will go. But I have to tell you first because I love you too much to go on like this.”
Yuri shuffled around, uncomfortably and slightly pulled away. “Before you say another word,” he said. “Think about it. You don't have to tell me everything, Heather. Not if it means you'll leave me.”
“Darling Yuri,” she said, stroking his cheek. He took her hand and kissed it. “You remember I told you I was on my own from the age of fifteen?”
“Yes,” he said, “but you didn't go into detail. I assumed you had a disagreement with your parents but you gave me the impression they might both be dead. But your father has shown up so I guess at least one of them is alive.”
“To be honest with you, Yuri, I don't know if they're alive or dead. I haven't seen them in a decade.”
“But...your father? The money?”
“It wasn't my father who wanted the money, it was the man I left my family for. The man I lived with for four years before I... before I was put away.”
“Put away? As in an institution?”
“Put away, as in prison.”
“What?”
“I know, let me say it all quickly or I'll never be able to say it at all.” She took a breath, “My parents were strict, the religious kind. My dad had to move to New York for work and they hated living here. I was about ten when we moved and became good friends with a very, let's say, advanced for her years, ten year old. When we were fifteen, she told me about this party. I shouldn't have been there, I'd told my parents I was going to this friend's house to study. Trudy, her name was.
“My folks didn't like Trudy but we were best friends. Everything Trudy did, I wanted to do, too. Like I said, I lied to them, said I was staying at Trudy's but we got all dressed up and went to this party. I met this guy, Lemar Berwick. He was nineteen. To cut a long story short, I fell in love for the first time and couldn't handle any of the emotions that came with that.
“Mom and Dad told me to drop him. He was too old. They didn't like the look of him and they were right. Lemar was into drugs; not only using but a dealer, too. I was hooked on cocaine before my sweet sixteenth. My parents came home and found me wasted and kicked me out. Said never to come back until I was clean.”
“They shouldn't have turned their back on you.”
“They didn't know how to cope with me. I was out of control. The police were always at our house, trying to find Lemar's stash, thinking I was young enough and stupid enough to hide it for him.”
“And were you?”
“Not then. Not in my parents' house. But once they'd kicked me out, Lemar was all I had. I moved in with him and I did things like hide his drugs, lie and worse.”
“Worse?”
“We used to run this racket. I would pretend I was a hooker, pick up some guy and bring him to some back street and then Lemar would jump out and mug him.”
Yuri exhaled loudly. He ran his hand over his head and looked back at Heather.
“Well, you can imagine things
got out of control,” she continued. “Lemar was involved in some pretty bad deals and I was helping him. But when it all hit the fan, when we got arrested, Lemar hid the fact that I was soliciting and dealing. A guy died using drugs Lemar supplied; in fact, he died at our apartment. Lemar ran but I told the police where to find him. I was scared.
“When it came to sentencing, I was sent away for possession and Lemar took the rap for everything else. The dealing, the extortion; he never let on about anything that wasn't obvious to the cops. I served eighteen months and he served five years.
“I went looking for my folks when I was released because by then I was clean. They'd gone, moved away to God knows where. I think they changed their names. I couldn't locate them. That's when I knew I was on my own. I was almost twenty and I'd screwed up five years of my life. Five years I could never get back, five years I could never erase and five years that I will regret for the rest of my life. Especially now, when those five years mean that I don't deserve you, that I'm in no way good enough for you. I'm twenty-five now and I feel like I'm all the way back to where I started.” She looked at Yuri who was staring down at the bed sheets.
“In effect,” she said, “I've stolen $300,000 from you. Not only that, these last few months I've completely ruined any hope that you could ever love me again.”
Yuri got out of the bed and walked the width of the room. When that wasn't enough, he walked the length of it too and then left the bedroom altogether.
Heather felt cold. She couldn’t even cry. She got out of the bed and changed into a t-shirt and jeans. She took down a suitcase from inside the walk in dressing room and began to pack her things. Her hands shook and she looked down at the large diamond on her engagement ring. She took a deep breath and began to work it off her finger.
“What are you doing?” Yuri asked.
She looked up and saw Yuri walking towards her.
“Taking it off,” she said.
Yuri said nothing but walked to the window and pulled it open. Heather looked over her shoulder at him, hoping he would say something but he did not look back at her.
She picked up the suitcase, turned and mouthed the words, “Goodbye,” and left the apartment.