“No. As a matter of fact, they’re not correcting the inaccurate report. They think you’ll be safer if he thinks you’re dead. He won’t be plotting and scheming what damage or hurt to do next.”
“That’s smart.”
“He’s also been driving a black car. From the two stores across the street, the police were able to get a picture with him leaving the hotel after he dropped off those letters.”
“Do they know the make of the car or plate numbers?”
“No plates, but they think it might be a late model Toyota Corolla.”
“I’m so eager for this to be over.”
“Me, too. Chella, there’s something I have to tell you. I didn’t tell you earlier because I didn’t want to upset you last night.”
“What is it?” she asked, sipping some of her water.
“Remember that small package that came with the mail?”
“Oh, yeah. I’d completely forgotten about that. Where is it?”
“The police opened it. It was delivered by Aaron, as well.”
“What was inside?”
“Gruesome pictures of a woman’s corpse. Your face was photoshopped on them.”
She sat quietly, fidgeting, rubbing her hands together then said, “Well I guess he did pursue graphic arts after all.”
“Are you okay?”
“I guess. I really don’t know what to say. I’m glad I didn’t see them.”
“I thought it might upset you if I told you last night.”
“It may have, but I’m okay. It’s by no means comforting, but it didn’t hurt me or you and there’s nothing I can do about it. He’s just mounting the evidence against himself.”
“I’m happy you see it that way. Let’s put it behind us and find more pleasant things to talk about.”
“Like what?”
“You. What you want out of life. How you’d like to live, your hopes, your dreams.”
“Wow, that’s a loaded sort of question. I don’t know where to start.”
“Start the day after Aaron Stewart is arrested.”
“I don’t know that there would be any grandiose gesture or celebration. I’d just love to walk down the street, or in the supermarket, or on the beach and not feel afraid or like I have to constantly look over my shoulder. I’d love to settle down in my own place and not leave half the suitcases packed, buy artwork for the walls, or see a set of glasses I like and purchase it. At the end of the day, it’s really the little things. I’d love to sign a lease that’s not week-to-week or month-to-month, or drive a car. The big things matter, but it’s the little things that pop up throughout the day.”
“What about the big things?”
“I’d love to travel and see the world. He didn’t stop me from doing that directly, but it’s something I’d rather do with someone. I’d rather share it—not necessarily with a man, friends would be acceptable—but as you know Vicky and Kacy have lives and husbands of their own.”
“Do you want to get married?”
“I do. What about you? Have you been burned too badly?”
“I used to think so. I’m not so sure anymore.”
“If it weren’t an issue, how many kids would you have liked?”
“Maybe two… that seems like such an insurmountable dream though, at least kids of my own. There are other options, but I never was at a place in my life where I was secure enough or felt the need to explore the options. Do you want more kids?”
“Maybe one. I’ve been blessed to have Emily, but I’ve never been a full-time dad to her. The longest I’ve ever had her at any one time is two months. I suspect being a full-time dad might be very different. It’s not something I’m opposed to. In fact, I sometimes wonder what it would be like. What about your dreams?” he asked gazing into her eyes.
“I dream about being happy. The only place I’ve ever felt a true sense of happiness is at work. I feel truly fulfilled when it comes to work.”
“When was the last time you felt happy, and it didn’t have anything to do with work?”
“Not too long ago. You might be surprised. This weekend, on the boat, I felt safer than I had in years. Being surrounded by stunning natural beauty is always a recipe for happiness for me,” Chella said as she looked at him and smiled.
And when I’m here… with you...
“What about you? What makes you happy?”
“Being with Emily and my mom, when she’s not antagonizing me. And of late, being with you.”
She blushed at his words, “Really? In my mind, all I’ve brought you was stress, hospital visits, and expensive fixes with a bunch of worrying on top.”
“When you take all that away you know what’s left?”
“I presume you’re going to enlighten me.”
“A huge heart, lots of love to give. Not to mention you’re a kind, sweet, caring and selflessness soul.”
“That’s sweet of you to say.”
“I say it because it’s the truth.
The following day, Chella and Mitch hoped the police would call with some good news about Aaron but there were no viable leads. On the third day, Detective Carter called to say there were sightings of him in the Chula Vista area just north of the Mexican border, but none of them panned out. He posed a flight risk, so immigration and border patrol were on the lookout for him. If Aaron had skipped town, he would be away from Mitch and Chella, but the fear would always be there. He could show up at any moment, leaving Chella in the same position she was in a few weeks prior.
In the meantime, Chella’s health improved. Most of the bumps and bruises had completely disappeared, the cuts were healing nicely, and the swelling on her hand had gone down a bit. Mitch routinely cleaned and replaced the bandages and started her on a bit of exercise that would enable her to regain the flexibility she had prior to the burns. She still occasionally had pain and headaches, but the painkillers took care of that for the most part.
By Friday, five days after the incident and four days after Aaron’s picture went public, not one lead had panned out. Chella began to notice negative energy from Mitch. She wasn’t sure if it was because they were cooped up in the house or Aaron not being found or a combination of the two. He would usually spend some time at the gym in the early morning then work from the den, but today, for the second day in a row, he holed up in his room for the better part of the day.
She was starting to wonder if this was about her. She wanted to talk to him about it, but she also wanted to give him his space. Making him uncomfortable in his own home was the last thing she wanted to do. She got out of bed and was about to go into the kitchen when she spotted a large, flat box sat on the floor in front of her bedroom door. It simply said, To Chella, From Mitch.
She picked up the box and took it to the bed, deciding that it was too heavy to be any sort of clothing. Lifting the lid, she smiled when she saw the logo. He had purchased her a laptop. She opened another note inside.
It’s all set up when you’re ready to get back to work.
The software is installed,
and all your old files are there.
Hope you like it.
xoxox
Mitch
Maybe he wasn’t upset with her after all. Perhaps it was the situation they were in, being locked in the house. Either way she had to thank him. She headed to his room and knocked his door. He answered, wearing his favorite outfit.
“I just wanted to thank you for the laptop. You’ve done so much.”
“No problem. I know you must be having a hard time without one,” he replied with his arms folded, leaning against the doorframe.
“That was sweet of you. You really didn’t have to do that, but thanks. I’m not sure how you got my files on there, but thanks for that, too.”
“You’re welcome”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Can I make you some tea or a sandwich? Anything?”
“I’m good, thanks.”
“Well, I’ll leave you alone. I’ll be in my room. On my new laptop.”
He smiled at her but said nothing as he quietly closed the door between them.
That was awkward. Something’s up with him, but I’ll give him his space.
Seeing Mitch so reserved was not something Chella was used to. She wanted do something to make him smile and cheer him up, but because of the distance that she had put between them she was towing a very fine line between cute and coming on too strong.
She was finding it hard to keep track of her own rules, and she didn’t want to lead him on. She wasn’t even sure what the dos and don’ts were for this thing they shared. This living arrangement and the on-again-off-again relationship was starting to take its toll, and after thinking about it for five minutes, it frustrated her. She realized that none of this was fair to him, and she felt guilty. Really guilty. And because of the living arrangement they were in, any decision she made had the potential to make things worse between them. She needed to make a decision so they both knew where they stood. She wanted to be careful not to hurt him. He deserved more.
She needed help to make a decision, but Kacy and Vicky were clueless when it came to the circumstances of her life. That left Mitch and Craig, and Mitch couldn’t be trusted to help her make an unbiased decision. She called Craig.
“Hey, Chella, how are you?”
“I have a bit of a dilemma, and I really didn’t know who else to call. I was hoping you could help me see things from a new perspective.”
“What is it?”
“From the first time I met Mitch I was attracted to him, but I’m so afraid to get involved. We’ve been seeing each other on and off for that past few months, but that’s because I’m scared of him getting hurt. His involvement with me is dangerous.”
“Does he know this?”
“Yes, I’ve explained that to him. I think he sees my lack of commitment as a lack of trust in him. I think that bothers him.”
“Chella, I hate to tell you this, but he’s right.”
“We were hoping an arrest would have been made by now, but Aaron is still out there. And if he’s out there, Mitch and his family are a target. He has a five-year-old daughter. I could never forgive myself if something happened to her dad because of me.”
“Chella, I understand how you feel, but after you told me about this, I realized what you’d been doing for years. Darling, you can’t continue to ignore your emotional needs forever. You’ve shut everyone near and dear to you out of this for years. You’ve allowed this idiot to invade every aspect of your personal life. You’ve given him too much control for too long.”
“In a space of a few weeks, Aaron has cost Mitch almost seventy-thousand dollars in damage. How could I, in good conscience, date Mitch when I know his life would be in danger because of me? It hurts so much more when Aaron attacks those I care about.”
“This psycho is in your head. He knows how to push your buttons and do what he wants you to do. You’re playing right into his hands.”
“How do I change things?”
“You can’t live the rest of your life in fear, and that’s exactly what you’ve been doing from the day your parents died. From what I’ve seen, and from what you tell me, Mitch has gone out of his way to be there for you. Darling, at some point you have to be there for him, and if you’re not careful, this on-again-off-again relationship is going to complicate things further. I know you do not intend to hurt him, but that’s exactly what you might end up doing. He’s becoming more and more emotionally invested in you with no clue of what the outcome is going to be. That’s treading on very dangerous ground, Chella.”
“But I have these feeling for him, too.”
“I know you’re torn, but you have to make a decision and stick to it. Either you’re in or you’re out. My instincts tell me you like him more than you’re willing to admit. The decision is yours, but I think you’d be making a huge mistake if you let him go.”
“Thanks for telling me how you feel.”
“When you make your decision, remember that you’ve been doing things this way for years. Look where it’s gotten you. Perhaps it’s time you try something different.”
“I’ll remember that. Thanks for everything.”
“No worries. I love you, Darling.”
“Love you, too. Send my love to Maggie.” As Chella ended the call, Mitch knocked on her door.
“Chella, there’s a gas leak in the building. Toss a few things into a bag, quickly. We need to get out of here.”
Mitch and Chella headed to a resort nearby. By the time they had left the penthouse, the streets were already closed-off and the gas, fire and police departments were on the scene. Neither of them were comfortable walking the streets due to the circumstances, but after a quick walk, they arrived safely at the hotel.
The only available room had a king-size bed. While it may not have been the ideal situation, they quickly grabbed the thirty-third floor room. There were enough restaurants and amenities located on the property that they would be set for the short time they expected to be there.
They got up to the beautiful corner room with panoramic views of the ocean. Chella was eager to get into the shower after the sweaty workout they had walking down the street. She rummaged through her bag to find a short tank dress, but after completely emptying the bag, she realized she had forgotten the small bag with her undergarments at the penthouse.
“What’s wrong?” asked Mitch.
“Nothing. I forgot something on the bed at the penthouse.”
“Anything I can help you with?”
“I doubt it. Don’t worry. I’ll be okay. I’m going to get a shower.”
“If you need me to get you anything, I’m sure there’s a gift shop around here.”
Right… even if you knew it was underwear?
“I’ll think about it. Thanks.”
After she showered, she slipped on the navy tank dress and hoped like hell that he wouldn’t notice that she wasn’t wearing underwear. She washed the panties she had been wearing, laid them flat on the granite countertop then used the blow dryer to dry them. Five minutes into her chores, Mitch knocked on the door.
“Chell, how much longer are you going to be? I need to get in there.”
“Just a sec…”
She quickly tidied her things on the counter and switched off the blow dryer. Panties crumpled in her hand, she left the bathroom.
“Chella?”
“Yes?” she replied as she brushed past him in the bathroom doorway.
“Why is your hair still wet?”
“What do you mean? I just showered.”
“Yes, but the blow dryer was going in there forever.”
“Why don’t you do whatever it is you need to do in there and stop asking questions?” She casually slipped her hand to her side, hoping he wouldn’t notice her closed fist.
“What’s that you’re hiding in your hand?”
She tried to keep a straight face, but she felt her cheeks warm and could no longer contain a smile. “Just leave me alone. Mind your own business. Will you help me dress my hand when you’re done, please?”
“Changing the subject? I’ll think about it.”
As he turned around, she sighed, relieved.
Embarrassing…
Her back turned to the bathroom door, Mitch’s arms engulfed her in a bear hug.
She giggled hysterically. “Mitch let me go,” she exclaimed as he carried her over to the bed.
“Tell me what you’re hiding and I will be more than happy to,” he replied, pinning her hands down, as she lay face down on the bed.
“No.”
“No, huh? Maybe a tickle will inspire you to tell me.”
“Don’t,” she laughed. “Let me turn over, and I’ll tell you.”
“I don’t believe you. Open your hand.”
“No,” she said.
He tickled her.
She giggled hysterically, still managing to keep
her panties hidden in her left fist.
“Until you tell me what’s in your hand, I’m going to tickle you.”
“Please, don’t,” she laughed. “I’m not wearing any panties.”
Mitch froze. “What?”
She turned over to face him. “I forgot the bag with my underwear on the bed, so I washed the one I was wearing and tried to dry it with the hair dryer. That is, until I was rudely interrupted and accosted.”
Now it was his turn to be embarrassed. His face turned rosy red.
“Wow… Look who’s at a loss for words now. Cat got your tongue?” she said, smiling and easing her way off the bed.
“That’s the last thing I was expecting you to tell me.”
“What did you think I was hiding? Candy?”
“I had no clue.”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to the task at hand.”
“I can get you some underwear. I’m sure the gift shop carries some.”
“You’d do that?”
“In case you hadn’t realized by now, there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for you.”
“I’m starting to realize, that, yes.”
He picked up his wallet off the bedside table. “I’ll be right back.”
“Aren’t you going to ask me my size?”
“I’ve committed your body to memory. I got this.” He responded, shutting the door behind him.
Ten minutes later, he returned with a huge bag.
“Did you buy the whole store?”
“There’s some extra stuff in there. I was thinking we could go to dinner at one of the restaurants over here. We both could use a change of scenery.”
“That sounds great. What did you get?”
“Hats and sunglasses and some really interesting panties.”
“Interesting panties?” she asked, reaching into the bag. She pulled out a thong and boy shorts emblazoned with I Love San Diego logos.
“They’re perfect.” She laughed. “I’ll be a real tourist.”
“If we hurry, we can grab an early dinner and watch one of those sunsets you love so much.”
Sexy new underwear in place, she finished her disguise make-up, threw on a pair of thong sandals and the enormous wide brimmed hat and sunglasses from the gift shop.
Uncorked Page 13