Dangerous Confessions of the Heart (Dangerous Secrets of the Heart) (10 page)

              I hurriedly got dressed and headed for the airport to purchase my ticket. The flight departs at 10pm tonight. After I purchased my ticket I headed to the aquarium. At the door there was a trail of white rose peddles. The sign said “This way Jamie” with an arrow. I followed the rose peddles through the aquarium and reached the dolphin’s pin. Austin was standing there with a suit and a white tie. He smiled at me. I began to tear up.

              “This is what I had planned the night of your accident.” He admitted.

              He whistled and a dolphin popped up with a box in his mouth. He removed it and thanked the dolphin. He walked over to me and opened the box as he bent down and got on one knee. I began to realize what this was. He was purposing to me. I looked down at the elegant ring. It was two dolphins and on their noses was a diamond and the tails were the ring. The dolphins represent us and the diamond is our future.

              “Austin…” I said.

              “Don’t answer. I just wanted you to have all your options available.” He admitted considerately. “If this ends poorly and we come back empty handed. I want you to know I will be waiting. If and when you decide…that ring is available. The option to be with me is always available.” He confessed sweetly.

              Truth is I wanted to accept it. Jesse doesn’t want me. He would have come looking for me by now but I had to be sure.

              Austin phone rang. “I have to take this. I’ll see you at the airport. 9pm.”

              “Wait what?” I asked.

              “I’m coming with you.” He said.

              I hung my head as I looked upon the ring. A dolphin chirped at me. I smiled and placed the ring on my right hand ring finger. ”If I decide then I will switch the hand.” I thought to myself.

Meanwhile:

              Austin had answered the call.

              “You’re telling me that you still haven’t been able to reach him.” Austin said with frustration.

              ‘No, something isn’t right.” The man on the phone said.

              “Maybe Jesse is getting married. We are heading to Niagara Falls tonight. I’ll take care of her.” He said and hung up the phone.

Chapter 11

              I went out to eat at the restaurant that Austin first took me to. I began to eat the enjoyable meal. “Maybe I should stay here in Hawaii.” I said to myself. “I love it here, I love Austin, and I have no reason to go back.”

              Then I began to think about what it would mean if I found out after he got married that he still wanted me. Could I really break up a marriage? Perhaps, James leaving me that note was his way of telling me that Jesse is still holding out hope for me. He wants me to come to that wedding. I knew what I had to do. I needed to find Jesse, tell him that I’m alive and well, and then find out what he really wants. I have to. I finished my food and the waitress came to the table. She said my tab was taken care of by the gentleman at the bar. I looked up to see Austin gazing at me. I smiled at him as he walked over.

              “You didn’t have to do that.” I said. “Did you follow me?”

              “Yes I did, and no I didn’t.” He said with a laugh.

              “Okay so yes you did have to and no you didn’t follow me?” I asked.

              “Precisely...” He said.

              He took my hand and led me out. He began to run his fingers over mine. He lifted my hand and noticed my ring. He smirked. I pulled my hand away from him.

              “This doesn’t mean…” I started to speak.

              “I know.” He said. “Let’s get this over with.”

              We traveled to the airport and arrived early to go through security. My stomach began to churn as we sat and waited for the plane to board. I was still second guessing this decision. Now I was putting Austin life in danger as well as my own.

              I had left Cody at home. He’s never flown before and I don’t know if he would be okay.

              Finally the flight was called and we began to board.

              Once on the plane and up in the air I began to speak inaudibly and freely to Austin. He kept me calm as we flown through the air. I learned what I had missed in the two months I was in a coma. I learned that he had graduated, Dickey had started dating another girl (one that was sweeter) and everyone was sending me get well cards and wishes. They all were a big support to Austin; that made me feel good that he had people to lean on. He told me that he didn’t surf or hang out much while I was in the hospital; that made me feel bad for keeping him away from what he liked to do.

              “So, are you ever going to tell me about that guy; the one on the beach that you were fighting with?” I asked.

              “Maybe one day…” was all I could get out of him.

              I hung my head. I had begun to get sleepy. He pulled me close to him and I laid my head upon his chest. I drifted off to sleep.

              I began to dream:

              I was in a sky blue wedding dress. It was long and sparkling. I was at the ocean. It was nearly sun set and but you could barely see the sun. The sky was bright pink and orange all around us. My groom was standing before me with a sky blue bow tie. His face was blank as he quietly said “I do.” I repeated “I do.” I leaned up and kissed his lifeless lips. The ground began to shake and the sky turned blood red. Austin and Jesse laid upon the floor at my feet. They had been shot and dark, sticky blood was covering my sparkling heels. I looked down at my hand and seen a gun in it. People began to shout at me “MURDERER! YOU KILLED THEM. HOW COULD YOU DO THAT? THEY LOVED YOU.” I threw the gun down and began to run. I was running for what seemed like hours and miles when I turned and seen a huge shadow crossing toward me. “Leave me alone Bill.” I screamed. I looked over and seen my mother and father. “Don’t Bill, please don’t.” I pleaded as blackness came on them and they disappeared. I began to see flashes of everyone I know and one by one they were engulfed in blackness and with everyone I heard a single gunshot. I looked down at my hand as I watched them disappear; the gun in my hand going off every time. I was the one killing them. It was me. I breathed in as Bill approached me. “Murder them Jamie. Do as I command.” He said in a demotic voice. “No, no I won’t, stop this, I can’t, stop.” I pleaded.

              I closed my eyes and began to feel shaking. As I opened them I looked upon Austin’s face. “Where are we?” I asked.

              “We just landed. You were breathing heavy; you okay?” He asked in concern.

              “I’m fine.”  I told him.

              He helped me out of the chair to exit the plane. We were finally here; the Niagara Fall’s airport; I was finally home. I stood in the center of the room taking in the warm feeling; well I thought it was warm anyway.

              “Damn, it’s freezing.” Austin said.

              I looked at him and noticed that he was wearing shorts.

              “We’d better get you some clothes.” I said and took his frozen hand. I took him to the nearby gift shop. They had jackets and pants with Niagara Falls written on it. He chose a few and paid for them.

              “We’ll have to rent a car.” I said.

              “Okay. I’ll take care of that.” He said and disappeared into the crowd. I looked around the gift shop and after about 10 minutes he returned to my side.

              “Cabs here to take us to the car place.” He announced.

              “Okay, let’s go.” I said. We left the airport in the taxi and it took us to a rental car place. We rented a car and climbed into it. Austin started the engine up and drove us where I directed him to go. The airport was about an hour away from my house so we had quite a bit of driving to do. We drove through town and I asked Austin to stop the car at Charles Steakhouse and Grill. He pulled into the driveway and I noticed that Kevin’s truck was parked outside.

              I entered the restaurant. Charles saw me right away.

              “Oh Lor’d look what the cat dragged in.” He said with a smile.

              He grabbed me and hugged me.

              “Jesse! It’s good to see you again brother.” He said.

              “No, no, no. Charles, this isn’t Jesse.” I admitted.

              “Oh, sorry. May I have a word?” He asked me.

              “Sure, Austin could you go get us a table, I’ll be right there.” I said.

              Charles took me by the hand and led me out of ear-shock. “What you doing girl?”

              “What do you mean?” I asked.

              “What happened to Jesse? He proposed right in front of us.” Charles asked.

              “It’s a long story Charles, but I’ve been living in Hawaii. That is my new boyfriend Austin.” I said.

              We continued to talk and I explained what I could to Charles, omitted a lot; while Austin found a table. Kevin approached him.

              “So, who are you?” Kevin asked.

              “My name’s Austin and you’re?” he asked.

              “I’m Kevin, Jamie’s boyfriend.” He lied.

              “Oh, okay?” He said in disbelief.

              I looked over my shoulder and noticed that Kevin was talking to Austin. “Oh, shit.” I exclaimed.

              I ran over to Austin’s side. “What do you want Kevin?” I asked.

              “Hey, great to see you baby. It’s been awhile.” He said.

              “Don’t pay any attention to my nosey ex-boyfriend.” I said to Austin.

              “…Wasn’t planning on it.” Austin said and began to look at the menu.

              I pulled out my chair and started to sit down. Kevin snatched my arm. “No one ignores me!” He whispered hatefully into my ear. “I told you I would have you one day and I don’t see Jesse around so I guess today is my lucky day.” He assumed.

              “You two enjoy your dinner.” He stated. “I’ll see you later.” He whispered in my ear.

              I jerked my arm away and sat down.

              “He seems delightful?” Austin said ignoring the display of violence that Kevin just did.

              “He’s drunk; which doesn’t surprise me.” I said.

              “He wouldn’t hurt you…would he?” He asked.

              “Well…you remember the first night we met and I told you about my ex and my best friend?” I asked.

              “Yeah?” He said.

              “That’s him; and on the same night he was sleeping with her…he tried to rape me. But Jesse caught him and shot him in the leg.” I said. “He just threated me again but he would be smart if he left me alone. I’m not the same terrified little girl I was when he tried to rape me. I’ll kill him.”

              “Not before I do.” He said watching him leave the restaurant.

              We ordered our food. Austin couldn’t believe my choices. “I’ve never met a woman with such a hardy appetite and that likes steak. Most girls I know like salad or seafood.” He said.

              “Yeah, not me. I’m very different.” I said.

              We ate our meals and talked about movies, music, etc. I was feeling normal for just this brief moment. But what I needed to realize was that the next two days were the most important days of my life.

              After we finished dinner he drove us to a nearby hotel. I asked some of the locals that don’t know me if they knew about the Anderson wedding. They said it would be happing on the 23
rd
at 3pm at the Church on 39
th
street. I wrote down the information and went back to the hotel room to be with Austin. As I approached to door I was grabbed. Someone violently shoved me against the wall. I looked upon his face. It was Kevin.

              “Did you follow us?” I asked.

              “Yes.” He admitted.

              He began kissing me hard. I tried to break free but his grip got stronger. I wasn’t going to let this happen I needed a way out. I struggled to break free as he hauled me down the hall and out the back door.

              “Let go!” I shrieked. “Damn it Kevin! Let me go!” I yelled as he stuffed me into his truck. He started the truck. “Where are you taking me?”

              “Nowhere, I just don’t want you to get cold baby.” He said as he jerked at my pants. I noticed the cigarette lighter was pushed in, as soon as it popped out I reached for it. He looked up at me and the lighter went straight in his eye. He screeched as I kicked him. I opened the passenger door and jumped out. I reached back in the car and pulled out the gun out of the glove compartment. I knew he had always stashed it away in there. I pointed it at him.

              “You going to kill me, Jamie?” he asked.

              “Don’t move.” I advised.

              “Come on baby.” He said as he jumped at me. I pulled the trigger but nothing came out.

              I gasped as I threw the gun at his face.

              I ran for the door to the hotel. I slipped in as another gun was pushed past my shoulders and I was pushed to the ground. I looked up. The security guard of the hotel had seen everything on camera and was pointing his gun towards the door. As the door opened and Kevin entered I heard a loud, ear-piercing gun shot.

              Kevin fell dead at my feet.

              “Are you okay?” the security guard asked.

              “I’m fine. Thank you.” I said.

              I stared at his lifeless body as the security guard checked for a heartbeat.

              “He’s dead.” He announced.

              A outsized grin came upon my face. “Thank you sir, Thank you so much.” I said to the guard.

              “Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked again.

              “I am no, thank you.” I said with a grateful look.

              I got up and headed back to my hotel room. I entered the room. Austin was sitting on the bed.

              “Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you.” He admitted and grabbed me for a hug.

              “Kevin tried to rape me again. But he’s taken care of.” I said.

              “If I would’ve known I would have been there to save you. I’m so sorry baby.” Austin exclaimed and apologized.

              “It’s fine. I’m fine. ” I said. “The security guard shot him.”

              “Are your sure you’re okay?” he asked again.

              “I’m fine. Where were you? Didn’t you hear me scream?” I asked.

              “No, I was in the shower…hoping you would join me. But when you didn’t show up I got worried and began looking for you. I had no idea that this was happening.” He said. He grabbed me and gave me a protective hug.

              “I’m fine.” I said then I proceeded to tell him what had happened.

“I wish I was there to save you.” He said.

“Come on, we have a long two days.” I said disregarding him.

I took a quick shower and climbed into the opposite bed from Austin. He was already asleep and I was still planning on crashing a wedding in a couple days to steal the groom, I didn’t want to give him the wrong idea.

Chapter 12

              The next morning I got up and Austin wasn’t there. I looked in the bathroom and he wasn’t there either.

              “Maybe he is letting me do this on my own.” I said to myself hopeful.

              The door opened and Austin had breakfast in his hand.

              “…You hungry?” He asked laying a bagel in front of me with a side of cream cheese.

              “Thank you Austin.” I said half disappointed.

              “So, what do we have planned today?” He asked.

              “Well, I need a dress.” I said taking a bite of my bagel.

              “Okay cool, I suppose I’ll need a tux.” He said.

              “Wait? You’re coming to the wedding too?” I asked.

              “Of course, you need a look out.” He admitted.

              I knew he was right so I accepted it.

              “Okay.” I said.

              We finished up our breakfast to hurry out to get our outfits for the wedding.

              I drove us to a formal shop where I picked out my prom dress. I proceeded to try on dresses and model them for Austin. He was patient with me. He told me I look beautiful in anything. I realized I was getting nowhere with the dresses I was trying on. Austin tried to pep talk me.

              “Jamie, if he sees what I see then he will love you no matter what you wear.” He said.

              My eyes began to tear. “You really do love me, don’t you?” I asked.

              “I do…but this is what you want. I’m willing to let you go; for your happiness.” He admitted.

              “I love you too Austin.” I confessed.

              “Are you not having any luck ma’am?” The sales person asked.

              “No such luck.” I said.

              “What are you buying the dress for?” the sales person asked.

              “A wedding….” I admitted.

              “Oh congratulations…!” She said.

              “No, not mine...” I hastily said.

              “Oh. I’m sorry for assuming.” She apologized.

              “It’s fine.” I said.

              “Well what colors do you like?” She asked.

              “My favorite is sky blue.” I told her.

              “Well, I’ll be right back then. I think I have the prefect dress for you.” She said and rushed to the back.

              When she returned she had a dress zipped in a white bag. “We just received this not too long ago. It’s a used dress but we fixed it up and it’s in good condition.”

              My heart sank as I looked upon my mother’s dress. “He…he sold it…” I said with tears in my eyes.

              “Actually a young woman brought this in.” She admitted.

              “Sarah sold my mother’s dress.” I said as I began to feel rage and hatred toward her.

              “This was your mother’s?” The sales lady asked.

              “Yes, How much…?” I asked.

              “$20.00; just for the fixing of the rip in the side...” She said.

              “Are you sure ma’am?” I asked.

              “Yes. I couldn’t keep your mother’s dress from you.” She admitted.

              “Thank you.” I said and handed her $40.00.

              “This is too much.” She said.

              “No, it’s your tip. Thank you.” I said as I picked the dress off the counter and exited the store.

              “Are you okay Jamie?” Austin asked.

              “I can’t believe he let her sale my mother’s dress. He knows what this dress means to me.” My eyes began to fill with tears.

              “Maybe he didn’t know, maybe it was all her…” Austin tried to encourage me.

              “Did you find a tux to wear?” I asked ignoring him defending Jesse.

              “Yeah, I’m ready.” He said.

              I knew tomorrow was going to be hard. We were going to have to work together for me to not get seen.

              “I trust you to keep me safe and hidden tomorrow.” I said.

              “You can always trust me Jamie.” He admitted.

              I gave him a half smile. We decided to get a bite to eat at another one of my favorite places in town. But this whole town reminded me of Jesse. David and Mrs. White were sitting at a table a little ways down from where the hostess had seated us. Fortunately she didn’t see us as they left. When our food arrived I hurried and finished so we could leave. Austin did as he was asked and took me back to the hotel.

Once there I climbed in the shower. I gradually pulled off my clothes, threw them on the floor and turned on the water. The hot, steaming water trailed down my body. I heard the door open.

“Austin?” I asked.

“Yeah...” He answered back.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Just using the bathroom…” He said.

I peeked out. He was fully dressed leaning against the wall.

“I thought you were using the bathroom?” I asked.

“Umm…” he said.

I laughed.

“I’ll leave you alone to take your shower.” He said and began to turn around

“Austin…wait...” I called out.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Make love with me?” I said.

“What?!” he asked hesitantly.

“If tomorrow ends badly for us…I don’t want this to be our last memory.” I admitted. “I love you and always will.” I confessed.

“And if it doesn’t…” he started. “You know…end badly?” He asked.

“Then this will be one of our many nights together.” I said.