The Marked One (The Marked Series Book 1) (16 page)

Prof. Li began to laugh out of her belly, which made Aaliyah’s confidence plummet as low as it could get. “Oh, dear.” The professor shook her head. “You only needed to identify up to order. If you go too deep into species, it has far too many changeable factors and then you’d need to do a lot of other measurements of the water variability of both locations. It is far too complex. What you attempted to do was something you’d need to do for a master’s or doctorate. Calm your soul and look at the data again.”

“Oh, okay,” Aaliyah mouthed. She wanted to get up, thinking she should go do it and then come back.

“No, stay here, but do you see now that asking for help or just making sure about things isn’t so bad?” Prof. Li was smiling at her kindly.

“I didn’t want people to think that I wasn’t doing it by myself or that I needed too much help,” she whispered, quite ashamed of herself, but she knew the prof wasn’t being malicious.

Prof. Li smiled at her. “There is nothing wrong with needing help sometimes.”

It nearly had Aaliyah uncomfortable, but she looked over the data again, with just the orders of the insects in mind. “Prof, but if I look at it that way, many of the species within the orders aren’t even properly taken into account.”

“That would be normal, as species found upriver won’t show up downriver and vise versa,” she easily explained easily the simplicity Aaliyah was ashamed to admit, that she hadn’t really taken in account, as she had been stressing over what was going to happen to her due to the mess of her project.

She looked over the water measurements of both locations and tried finding things that made sense. “Because of the slightly higher pollution at…” Then it clicked. “That’s it. On an overview, the change only shows in order numbers due to the influence of human activity, the river bank compositions, and obviously the water temperature, alkalinity, and turbidity changing.”

Prof. Li gained a bigger smile.

“Which then only indicates fewer insects appearing, because there aren’t as many plants to attach to and thus the point of the entire experiment. It wasn’t supposed to have a full conclusion, as the areas are environmentally unstable and aren’t exactly what these animals need to survive throughout the year or during their reproduction cycles. The plants are removed by humans, and just that change causes their life cycles to be interrupted and the numbers to be inconsistent.”

“See, this is why you should ask questions,” Prof. Li stated again. “Then this entire project would’ve caused far less stress and you would’ve enjoyed it more. You would have realised it wasn’t about just data collection, but rather about what it means as an environmental impact study.”

“If enjoying the activity of sorting though critters I’ll have nightmares about for the rest of my life, then maybe,” she joked. “But yes, it all seems so simple now.”

Prof. Li smiled back at her. “I think you will do great here, and I’ve already read your report on the diatom project of last week. You have done excellently, for having done it all in such a short time.”

Aaliyah was holding her breath.
Is this it? Am I being approved?

“Now, while I won’t be here to see you settle in with us and become part of the Gerardo Labs family, I want to say congratulation on your degree.”

Aaliyah’s mouth felt like it was dragging on the floor. “You’re serious?”

Prof. Li smiled. “Yes, the dean at the university approved your degree this morning, so hopefully by the time I’ve returned from my expedition, the physical document will be here.”

Aaliyah had to fight the tears teasing on her eyelids.

The professor smiled. “Now, with that said, I would like to know if you still want to continue here, or is that too presumptuous of me?”

“No, I want to stay here, very badly. This place, the people, everything is just amazing. I’m just trying to not ugly cry,” Aaliyah said honestly.

“I’m glad to see you appreciate it so much. Now.” Professor Li rose from her seat behind the desk and rounded it, causing Aaliyah to jab all her notes and things back into her bag. “I believe we are expected in the cafeteria.”

“Why?” Aaliyah wondered if this was going to be her first meeting to see what all the projects were, or if it meant they thought she needed something to eat.

“We all knew you got your degree, so it is time to celebrate before I go away and miss out on it.” She was overwhelmed by a number of feelings. “Welcome to the team.” Prof. Li shook her hand. Aaliyah was in a state of euphoria.

Silently, she followed Prof. Li. In the cafeteria, everyone was there to congratulate her. It was like she already was part of the group, and their kindness and acceptance was something she thought mythical. Yet, as she stood there and finally got a chance to call her father with the amazing news, the words
“Your mother would’ve been proud,”
caused her tears of joy to finally spill over. She had made her dream a reality, and she’d never felt happier.

***

Madeline

Madeline
stood in front of the portrait named
Butterfly
and wondered how she could make it look like more than just two oddly shaped things connecting. She turned around and looked at the other pieces, which were brought out of storage for next week’s show, and that didn’t help her much either.

“Why? Why? Why!” The frustration began to get to her, so she moved the canvas off the easel, placed the half finished portrait with the rest, and silently cursed it. She grabbed her cell phone and fell onto the couch, grunting in frustration. She checked her phone and called her grandfather.

The old man had made it a rule that she had to call every week, since he and her grandmother had moved to live in Florida. The amusement of old people always retiring there was never lost by Madeline, as she imagined they played bingo, pestered springbreakers, and joined clubs she would rather not know about.

As the dial tone continued to make its annoying little sound, she wondered what they would think of Aaliyah’s basic transformation from the mostly shy girl into the now more confident and comfortable woman she was showing more and more every day. It only caused Madeline frustration, as that was supposed to be the message of the butterfly portrait, yet she couldn’t find a way to bring it to life with her paints.

Her granddad still hadn’t picked up the phone and she wasn’t feeling like leaving a voice message, so she ended the call and tried again. Somehow the moment reminded her of the awful memory from when her parents had gotten into a car accident and she couldn’t get hold of them.

Ending the call, she jumped up and headed for the kitchen wanting some water, but as she passed the stacks of portraits leaning against the wall, her foot nicked one’s corner, causing a domino effect of paintings falling over. She paused, took a deep breath, counted to four, opened her eyes, and began stacking them again.

As she sat
Lover’s Hope
upright, she grabbed
Butterfly
and before she had set it down, inspiration hit in a different way. She found
Mark Me
, the black and white portrait of Aaliyah with the birthmark in red, and held
Butterfly
in front of it.

Rearranging things so that they were more stable, she grabbed a new canvas and began with a rough sketch of Aaliyah’s face. She had drawn it so many times, she had the basics down in a few minutes, but then came the fun part, as she worked on replacing the birthmark with a butterfly instead. It was turning out to be one piece she would never forget. She almost didn’t want to add it to the collection when she began adding the brilliant colours.

It burst with twirls and swirls and pretty little things to show that that was exactly what the birthmark was. Beautiful. Madeline painted and played with the colours, seeing something as perfect as
The Marked One
coming to life.

“Wow!” Aaliyah’s voice nearly caused her to ruin it all, as she was startled.

Madeline turned around, confusion most likely smeared across her face—along with some paint she felt where her skin was tight—and asked, “What are you doing back already?”

Aaliyah’s brows knitted together. “It is way past five o’clock. It took ages to get here from the supposedly closest bus stop. And I’ve been calling all day. It seems your grandpa is also worried. He called me like ten minutes ago.” Aaliyah sat her bag down and came closer to look at the portrait.

Madeline peeked at the oven’s clock in the kitchen and realised she had been painting for more than five hours and spacing so much that she hadn’t even realised she was starving. “I did this,” she cheered.

Aaliyah smiled. “I thought
Butterfly
was going to—”

“Yeah, I changed my mind and, well, this just looks so much prettier!” Madeline felt her back aching and stretched it as much as she could without hurting her side.

“It has the same style as
The Marked One
? I love it,” Aaliyah mused, looking closer to see the fine detail within the butterfly’s wing taking the position of the mark.

“That was what I thought,” she finally said. Aaliyah looked at her again, but before she gave her a chance to get a word in, she noted Aaliyah had a gleam in her eyes. “You have something to tell me, don’t you?”

A shy smile crept onto her lips. “I basically got my degree today.”

It took a second, but then Madeline yelled out and grabbed Aaliyah into a hug. “Congratulations! This is just an awesome day all round!” She was so proud of Aaliyah and their enthusiasm soon had them jumping like idiots, but it was worth the shame. “If I’d known, I would’ve made you cake!”

“I like this way more.” Aaliyah pointed at the portrait.

“It’s not done,” Madeline protested and aimed to continue painting.

“Nuh-uh, call your grandpa first,” Aaliyah warned.

Madeline simply turned on her toes, making a perfect little twirl and grabbing her phone. “Fine.” She called her granddad and found out that they had been at a friend’s birthday party, thoroughly reminding her that older people held those in the day and not at night time. She told him about Aaliyah’s great news and confirmed them being at her exhibition the following week.

Once the call was done, Aaliyah had removed her makeup and gotten dressed in more comfortable clothes.

“Aren’t we going to go out and celebrate?”

Aaliyah made a face. “I rather want to celebrate by being lazy and eating everything I want, because once I put that dress on tomorrow night I need to act ladylike.”

“Still so jealous about that, but…I really want to finish this portrait, so if you are happy…could I maybe…” She gave her a childish give-me-what-I-want smile.

Aaliyah chuckled. “Sure thing, just promise we are going to eat soon.”

Madeline scampered to the kitchen, grabbed the pile of takeaway menus, and then jogged back. She threw everything in Aaliyah’s direction, causing the papers to fly all over the place and went back to her canvas. “It is your turn to choose anyway.”

Whatever Aaliyah said didn’t matter after that, because once their dinner had arrived, she chomped hers down in record time so she could return to her painting.

She heard Aaliyah tell Tristan the good news, make arrangements for their soiree, and even saw Aaliyah falling asleep on the couch, but before midnight, the portrait was done and she smiled to herself. It was better than what she initially imagined, but then she woke up Aaliyah and before Aaliyah even got into the bed, Madeline was softly snoring, as the exhaustion hit her.

Chapter Eleven

Tristan

Tristan hadn’t felt excited about going to an event in ages. Not only was the event the same shelter that helped him find Isabella, but Aaliyah would be at his side. Knowing the press were aching to get a photo of the woman he was “rumoured” of being with did make it all a little staler, but his mind was only set on the good.

He was less than a week away from being free of Valerie, which made him smile more than it should have. His thoughts at that moment were focussed on the fact that Aaliyah had arrived earlier to get dressed at his house, as she was spending the evening. When she had arrived, her hair and makeup had been done so her birthmark was exposed. Her eyes were decorated, her lips that beautiful cherry red he had come to love. She looked more beautiful than words could ever describe, and though he had not expected to see her exposed, he could tell she was feeling confident.

Luckily for him, Ivan had reassured him that at next week’s gallery exhibition, where she was to be the focus of Madeline’s work, she would be exposed as well, which made him hope that she was finally accepting herself. Yet she hadn’t even mentioned the event to him, and it made him only wonder why. He surmised her week going so well likely had a lot to do with it.

On his way to feed Isabella her dinner, her growl was the first indication of someone being at the door, so he made his way to open it. But he should’ve known who was standing on the other side of the door before he even got there, because Isabella only ever growled when Ivan came around the back, and at Valerie.

With her long brown hair, tight smile, and sparkling blue eyes, an unkind comment was sure to follow. Still, she was beautiful. There was no doubt that the short woman with the perfectly shaped body had any shortcomings when it came to looks.

“Well, you look rather dashing for a man who should be wallowing in self pity.” Her bitchiness, paired with her stiff British accent, bruised him, even after all this time.

“Valerie, why are you here? Why are you ruining my life all over again? It has been nearly a year and then you come back, hide yourself away in the Aspen house, and tell the press I’m cheating on you with someone else?” He couldn’t stand her sneering smirk.

She gave a chuckle. “Oh, Tristan.” She nonchalantly shook her head. “But isn’t it the truth?” She pouted.

Fury burned within him and he clenched his hands. Isabella gave frightened growls beside him. He rubbed one of her ears, to attempt and keep her calm—or maybe even himself. “Valerie, you are not welcome here.”

“I know.” She seemed to think for a second. “See, I know that you and I…it’s just not what I want. It never was. But if I can find a way to get a little more money out of you, I’d be happy.”

“How did you become like this? Valerie,     what—”

“Agh, don’t give me soppy questions. Are you going to invite me into the house or do you have a visitor?” Her sneer came back. It was one that meant she knew exactly what was going on. He kept quiet and then she spoke again, “Well, I saw your little charity case walk—”

“She’s not a charity case. I love her,” Tristan said truthfully. Saying the words out loud for the first time felt amazing, even more so while facing a devil.

Valerie laughed out. “Love? Oh, you never learn, do you? It has been what? Two weeks? Three? Gods, Tristan, she might be another me for all you know. She’s likely more than me, since she comes from that third world continent. It is quite horrifying you’d fall—”

“That is enough! You will leave now. If I spot you even close to this house again, I swear to you, you will lose more than the money from the divorce that
will
be taking place.”

She continued to smile like the devil she was. “Is that a threat, Tristan?”

“It is a warning. Now leave.” He was once more reminded that this woman brought out the ugly in him. He hated the person he became when she was close by.

“Very well then. Goodnight, husband dearest.” Her eyes showed a wickedness only an evil witch should have as she turned and walked toward the opulent car in the driveway.

Isabella let out a final soft growl. “I know. She’s awful.” He turned and walked with the large dog at his side toward the kitchen. He gave her her dinner, and a few minutes later, he heard heels fall on the wooden staircase. He felt like a child as excitement bubbled inside. He already wanted to hug Aaliyah, so his equilibrium could be fixed after Valerie’s unexpected visit.

The footfalls stopped right around the corner of the kitchen entryway, and he could just imagine Aaliyah taking a deep breath as she rounded the corner. Her tall, slim frame was enveloped by a light yellow gown, which not only contrasted her caramel skin to perfection, but also emphasised her body’s shape with a slight flare at her knees. The beaded bodice sparkled, while she bit her lip and then smiled at him with equally glimmering eyes.

“So?” Her tone held a titbit of hesitance mixed with excitement.

“Aaliyah, you are always beautiful.” He walked toward her and she held her hands out, inviting him to hold her, and so he did. “But this is perfection.” She smiled shyly as he cupped her cheek. He could see she was happy. He was so sure of this that he was nearly certain that she loved him almost as much as he had her.

He bowed his head and met her cherry-stained lips, where he felt her soft sigh of relief. It felt like the moment captured the perfection between them, but a sad reality stepped back into his mind.

If Valerie was back and if he was seen being affectionate toward Aaliyah in the romantic sense in public, it could possibly mean that Valerie would be able to plea over their divorce. That was exactly Valerie’s game.

She wanted him to screw it up now, and now with the gala marking exactly a year since the date Valerie left, it meant that he still had to be careful. The money he had no care for, but Valerie was an awful person and he wanted her out of his life as soon as possible. Somehow he knew she would make even Aaliyah’s name bad through the process, just to win her sick game of being a life ruiner.

He drew away from Aaliyah, who smiled at him with sweetness, but his mind was haunted now. “Ready to go?” he asked, wanting get in the car so he could focus on driving instead of the worry festering the beauty of the evening.

Aaliyah nodded. “As I’ll ever be.”

“I’ll be right there with you,” he said to reassure her. She had nothing to worry about, because he was the one who needed to do that.

***

Aaliyah

Aaliyah believed Tristan’s words up until they had arrived at beautiful Omni William Penn Hotel for the fundraiser. The place was elegant, and the hand-painted murals left her in awe. But the situation with Tristan was indescribably confusing, because as the photographers began circling them like vultures, snapping pictures of her with her face so brutally exposed, he was distant. He seemed different. It made her feel like she had made a mistake with keeping her face exposed, as she feared he might have been regretting that decision as well.

She was sitting at their table while he was talking to a man a few tables away. A group of women had clustered together close by as Aaliyah was resting her feet, waiting for the event to actually begin.

“Well, aren’t you something special?” Aaliyah faced a man with blond hair and an awful smirk, who looked like a true privileged rich kid who thought he ruled the world. “I haven’t seen you at these events. I’m Chris Parker, obviously.”

Aaliyah felt her brows rise and as she let out a disbelieved chuckle. That didn’t please him at all. “I’d rather not share my name with the likes of you.”

He leered. “Seems Gerardo always gets himself these real bossy bitches.”

“Now, the last time I checked, that is no way to speak to a lady,” a beautiful woman with a British accent said as she stood behind Aaliyah. “Run along now, Chris. Wouldn’t want to have me explain to this lady what a piece of shit you are, now do you?” Aaliyah loved this woman who had carried herself so perfectly, but spoke what she was thinking.

“Yeah, better to leave the filth where they are,” the guy said, and left.

“Thank you, I am used to remarks, but that guy is…” The word Aaliyah was thinking about was one she had never allowed herself to leave her lips.

“He’s a Parker. They all think they are something better than other people, while that entire family is falling apart.” The woman took a seat next to Aaliyah, which made her feel a little uncomfortable at first, but she seemed kind. Her pale skin had nearly faded in with the ivory tablecloth, while her bright blue eyes were piercing. She smoothed her hand over her blonde hair, making sure nothing of the perfect bun was out of place.

Aaliyah noted the woman hadn’t looked at her mark how most of the other people had, which gave her some temporary relief.

“Oh.” The woman faced her. “I was so furious with finding Parker here, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Elizabeth Gerardo. Ivan didn’t do justice in telling me how beautiful you are.”

Aaliyah was gobsmacked. “Mrs. Gerardo? I…uhm…I’m Aaliyah.” She let out a few more incoherent stutters, but then she gave up.

She smiled. “He told me that Tristan said he liked your food better than mine. Words that devastates a mother, I’ve come to realise.” Aaliyah felt guilty as hell, but then Mrs. Gerardo chuckled. “I’m teasing you, but I’m very glad Tristan has met you.”

Aaliyah just kept smiling.

“Mother, I’m glad to see you have introduced yourself,” Tristan said as he appeared from seemingly nowhere, with someone she assumed was his father. This was not what she signed up for. She’d agreed to be seen with him at the event, but no one said anything about meeting parents.

Tristan took his seat next to her, and his father gave her a kiss on her cheek. “Ms. Labuschagne, very pleased to meet you. I assume no introductions are needed, since we had already exchanged a kiss.”

Aaliyah chuckled and Tristan looked like he wanted the earth to suck him in, but she, on the other hand, had already found a liking toward his mother and his father reminded her quite a lot of her own, so she was comfortable, though cautious.

They spoke about the normal things, like where she came from, what she did and other things one would ask the person your child was with. But Tristan was just shaking his head, which made her wonder if he hadn’t told them all these things and they were just teasing him with it.

As the event began with the master of ceremonies making a few jokes, she leaned in closer to Tristan. “Meeting parents?” She knew she sounded surprised.

He pretended to not notice she was speaking to him, like a true old hand at these covert things, and said, “I didn’t know until a little earlier. Are you okay though?” He looked at her.

Assuming this knowledge was why he might have been a little distant, it eased her in the slightest sense, but she still countered, “Are you?” She wanted to ask “we,” but stopped herself and stayed with only asking about him.

He smiled, nodded, and kissed the top of her hand, which his mother saw and it made her softly smile. It was a small gesture that caused her to want to swoon and forget all the uncertainty, as the event began full swing with auctions on fancy wines, stays at holiday homes, and even art that would have had Madeline going mental, being sold for amounts Aaliyah never knew could be used for splurging.

After the main proceedings were over, they ate the delicious food, and before long, Aaliyah was standing in Tristan’s arm, swaying as the singer sang a Nina Simone song Aaliyah remembered her mother singing to her as a child.

“My mum and I always danced to this song,” she told Tristan.

His thumb smoothed over her cheek. “I wish I could’ve seen that.”

“There is still an old VHS somewhere in our house that my father took. Maybe when we go visit in South Africa someday, I’ll show you.” The thought had her quite pleased, because it was the first time she even thought something like it possible.

“When do we leave?” he teased with a smile. She laid her head against his chest and felt him giving into whatever was eating at him for the first time that evening. He held her tightly, kissed her, and then they continued to sway along. “I want you to move in with me.”

She peeked up at him. “Isn’t that a bit hasty?” She could see he meant it, so she smiled. “It is up for discussion,” was all she said and laid her head back against his chest, feeling all the gushy feelings one in love experienced.

***

Tristan

Tristan was more than relieved to finally have gotten home. He hadn’t counted on his parents being at the event. He would have felt awkward enough as it was if they hadn’t been there. But, all in all, Aaliyah made him realise in the slightest of ways that he was drawing away from her, after she was the one to give her all to him.

It made him realise the most important thing about her was that she cleared the darkness that loomed over his heart. Even the anniversary of Gabriella’s passing had been far better than any year prior, simply because he had a chance to see and speak to Aaliyah that day. She was his freedom.