Hush (21 page)

I hugged her one more time and kissed her cheek. “Bye Mommy,” I whispered.

Siva took my hand and we climbed in the elevator. The doors slid closed and he turned to me.

“Are you ready to get away from everything?” he asked.

I smiled. “I’m ready to have you all to myself. I certainly hope you left your cellphone behind,” I joked.

He grinned. “I left my blackberry. I only have my personal phone.”

Siva opened the Acura’s door for me
. Siva loved this car. It was a nice car but I didn’t like the feeling of sitting on the ground.

Siva climbed in beside me. I didn’t know how he fit his long legs under the steering wheel. He smiled over at me and picked up my hand before kissing it. “I never thought this day would come for me. I never thought I’d find someone whom I loved with every fiber of my being and I never thought that I would find someone that taught me that I was worth being loved. I’m beyond happy,
no,
I’m honored to have you sitting beside me Sloane. My partner, my friend, my life, my love, my wife,
my everything
. Thank you for teaching me about love,” he said.

I wasn’t sure what to say to that speech and he didn’t seem to want an answer. He simply squeezed my hand and drove to the airport.

Chapter Seventeen

The sun beat down on my bare stomach. We had only been in Spain for three days and I was already several shades darker. I was warm all over and I knew I needed to take a dip in the ocean to cool off but I was so sleepy that I didn’t want to move. A much needed wind ruffled my hair and I decided that maybe I could take a five minute catnap. Or ten. Or fifteen.

When I finally managed to open my eyes my sunglasses were falling off the side of my face and my hat had fallen off my head. I grabbed the big floppy hat before it could blow away and stuck it back on my head. Siva was lounged beside me on the towel.

“Hey sleepy head,” he said.

I blushed. “Sorry, I know I’m not much fun.”

He chuckled. “It’s okay. I get to watch you sleep. You make cute faces when you sleep,” he said.

I shook my head at him and sat up. “I’m going to cool off. Care to join me?” I asked.

He grinned and fingered the string of my bikini bottom.

“Of course,” he said. He stood and put his hands on my waist. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. His fingers tangled in my multi-hued hair. “I love you, Sloane.”

I smiled up at him. “I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”

“Never,” he said and then grinned, “Race you?”

He was gone in a flash, darting into the water. I shook my head. The little boy was back.

I chose to walk instead of run. I preferred not to have people give me funny looks. I joined Siva in the cool ocean water. It was such a pretty blue-green color. I wished I could bottle it up. Siva came up to me and pulled me against him. The water lapped between our bodies. I ran my fingers over the naked skin of his chest and arms.

“No shirt?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I am in the water.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I thought you didn’t like to show your scars?” I asked, running my finger over a pale raised ridge.

“You’re the one that taught me to bare my scars. I’m trying,” he whispered the last part.

“I’m glad that you’re trying,” I said softly.

“Only for you,” he said and kissed me before he pulled me under water.

I came up sputtering. “Siva! Why did you do that?”

He laughed and shook his wet head. “Because I wanted to.”

* * *

~MacAuley~

I narrowed my eyes at the newspaper article. Married. She married him.

I threw the newspaper down along with my glass of water. The glass shattered and sprinkled my skin. I watched the tiny red rivers of blood run down my legs.

I hated him.

I hated her.

He ruined me.

She fought me.

I had thought I’d found my revenge when I destroyed his house. But no, that hadn’t been enough.

Alexa had thought that pushing herself at him would end them. But nothing worked.

Hate bubbled inside me.

Hate was poison.

Hate was greed.

Hate was power.

I had a lot of hate.

I turned to Alexa who lounged on the couch watching me. She fingered her dark hair with a fingernail painted bright red. Her lips were the same color and at this moment they were lifted in a sneer.

“What are you going to do now, Mac?” she asked.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “We,” I said. “We are going to make them pay.”

She smiled beatifically at me. “I hoped you’d say that. What do you have in mind?”

I grinned wickedly and pulled the metal object from the end table beside the couch. I held it up and her eyes widened.

“They’re going to pay and their going to do it with their lives.”

She laughed. “I’m so happy I ran into you Mac. We think so similarly. I certainly hope you have another one of those. I don’t plan to be left behind.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, “you won’t be left behind.”

“Good,” she said with a smile and then I pressed my lips to her blood colored ones.

* * *

It was early in the morning when the sickness started. I couldn’t get out of the hotel bed fast enough. I threw the covers off and ran into the
bathroom
not caring how much noise I made as long as I could throw up.

I crashed down onto the floor. The tile floor hurt my knees and my wedding band clacked against the toilet. As soon as I got the lid up I promptly emptied my stomach contents.

“Sloane?” I heard Siva call and then he was in the bathroom with me.

“Go away!” I batted at him. Tears were now running down my face.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, holding my hair out of my face as I started to retch again. When it appeared that I was done he wet a cool wash cloth and held it to my face. “What’s wrong, Sloane?” he repeated.

“I don’t know,” I said, holding the cloth to my face. Its cold temperature was soothing. “I think maybe I’m sick.”

“Well, that’s obvious,” he said roughly. “What can I do?” he asked in a more gentle tone.

“I’ll be fine,” I said. “I always get sick when I go on vacation it never fails.”

“I’ll take you to the doctor. Sur
e
ly this hotel knows a decent doctor.”

“Siva, I’m fine!” I snapped. “Just go back to bed,” I motioned him out the door.

“Sloane-” He began.

“Siva,” I said, “I just want to brush my teeth and go back to sleep myself. I’m fine.”

“Sloane-”

“If I think I need to go to the doctor you’ll be the first to know.”

Siva sighed, “Fine.”

“Thank you,” I said, as he finally left the small, but lavishly decorated bathroom. I knew he was none too pleased but I absolutely hated being sick around other people.

I turned the water on in the sink, splashed my face, and wetted my toothbrush. I spread a generous amount of toothpaste on it and furiously scrubbed my teeth. I rinsed my mouth out and made sure that the only taste that lingered in my mouth was the cool of spearmint.

I leaned against the sink for a moment making sure the nausea had passed.

Finally satisfied that it had I returned to the bed.

Siva lay on his side fully awake. I
laid
down on my back and watched the sunrise blink through the blinds. Siva pushed the bottom of my tank top up and stroked the warm, tan skin, of my stomach.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes Siva,” I said. Sometimes he was worse than dealing with a child.

He pulled me against him and said against my neck, “I don’t like seeing you sick.”

I laughed. “This from the man that used to suck on cancer sticks.”

“Damn,” he grinned against my neck, “now I want a fucking cigarette.”

I sighed. “No you don’t.”

“No, not really,” he agreed. “Although it would be nice.”

I smacked his arm. “Your poor lungs. They’re probably ruined beyond repair.”

“Nothing is beyond repair,” he murmured and pulled me closer.

My eyes began to close and I hoped for an hour more of sleep. Siva rubbed my arm and the soothing motion was the end of me.

* * *

I awoke to the smell of food. I sat up and looked around blinking owlishly.

“Morning beautiful,” said Siva.

I stirred. “Do I smell breakfast?”

He grinned. “I called for room service. I wasn’t sure if you’d be hungry and then I thought maybe
you would be. I wanted to be prepared
,” he shrugged. “If you’re not up to eating that’s fine.”

I climbed out of the bed and tiptoed cautiously towards the smorgasbord of food. I picked up a bagel with cream cheese and sniffed it. My stomach didn’t roll so I took a hesitant bite. Siva smiled and waited for my reaction.

“I think I’m good,” I said and sat down at the little dinette.

“Good,” he said and sat down across from me. He pulled a plate towards him and took a forkful.

The smell of what he was eating nearly choked me. “What is that?” I asked pointing to his plate.

He looked up at me. His black brows were drawn and his violet eyes flashed. “Quiche.”

“It smells horrible,” I said and put my hand to my mouth. “I’m going to be sick!” I cried, jumping up from the table and running to the bathroom. For the second time that morning I emptied my stomach.

“Don’t say anything,” I hissed at Siva as he appeared in the doorway.

“Sloane, you’re sick. You should go see a doctor.”

“I’ll be fine once we get home. I always get sick on vacations. My body doesn’t handle climate change well,” I defended.

Siva narrowed his violet eyes at me. “I don’t want to argue with you on our honeymoon.”

“Then don’t,” I pleaded. “I’ll be fine once we get home.”

Siva sighed and raked his hand over his face. He seemed to be struggling with something.

“Fine,” he finally said and pointed at me, “But if we get home and you’re still sick then you’re going to a doctor. No arguments. I’ll drag you there myself if I have to.”

“Deal,” I sighed.

* * *

I was sick every day for the rest of our honeymoon. I knew it worried Siva but he chose to keep his mouth shut. He was probably afraid that I might lapse into a mood and snap at him. I guess he could dish but couldn’t handle a taste of his own medicine.

Stupid, arrogant, moody man!

You married him.

Despite my bouts of nausea I thought our honeymoon was pretty perfect. Spain was beautiful, the beaches were beautiful, and Siva was pretty even tempered which was a pleasure. I was sad to leave.

The taxi pulled into the hotel pickup area and the bellhop loaded our luggage. Siva tipped the man, held the door open for me, and then we were heading for the airport.

I looked out the window and said to Siva, “I’m really going to miss this place.”

He squeezed my hand where it rested on the seat. “We’ll come back some day.”

“I hope so,” I said. “It’s so beautiful here.”

“Anywhere you want to go,” breathed Siva, “I will follow.”

* * *

We walked into the flat and I breathed a sigh of relief. Home.
I collapsed onto the fancy white sectional. “I’m so tired,” I said and my eyes closed with my words.

Siva chuckled. “Usually people come back from vacation refreshed. You seem to be the opposite.”

“Shut up,” I said, putting my arm across my eyes.

Siva’s arms closed around me and the couch disappeared from beneath me.

“Siva put me down,” I said with a giggle.

“I didn’t carry you over the threshold,” he said, “so I’ll just have to carry you to bed.”

He carried me up the stairs and laid me down on the bed. “I can’t move,” I said, trying to take my shoes off.

He laughed and pulled them off for me and then the rest of my clothes. He grabbed my favorite pair of worn plaid pajama pants and then one of his shirts. He slid the shirt over my head and then the pajamas up my legs and hips.

“Sleep,” he said softly and pressed his lips to my forehead.

I awoke with Siva’s arms around me. The morning light was filtering in through the windows. I was covered in a thin layer of sweat and my stomach was rolling. Whatever bug I had picked up
in Spain wasn’t going away. I lifted Siva’s arm off of me as gently as I could so as not to wake him. He looked so peaceful and I hated to disturb his dreams.

Once free of his arm I ran as quickly and as I quietly into the bathroom as I could.

“Sloane?” asked Siva as I was finishing brushing my teeth. “You’re still sick aren’t you?”

I sighed. “No,” I said.

He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t lie. I heard you.”

“It’s just a bug,” I said and tears sprang to my eyes. I was becoming certain that this was
not
a bug.

“Go to the doctor,” he said. “I can call Dr. Fletcher if you want.”

From the stubborn set of his jaw and shoulders I knew he wasn’t going to let it go. “Okay. Fine,” I said. “I’ll call Dr. Fletcher and see if he can get me in.”

“Thank you,” he said and walked away.

I heard him leave the bedroom and start down the steps.

I sighed and pulled my phone out. I rang Dr. Fletcher
’
s office
and a kind woman answered. She was able to fit me in on Wednesday during my lunch break. Two days away.

I puttered down the steps. Siva was in the kitchen making breakfast. “Did you call the doctor?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I sighed, sitting down. “I can see him on Wednesday.”

Siva narrowed his eyes. “No, he can see you now.”

“It’s fine,” I said waving my hand.

“You’re sick Sloane,” he said.

“I think I’ll live for a few more days,” I said with a smile to ease his worries.