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More Than Darkness	By : SaMe Category: M through R > Once Upon A Time In Mexico Views: 4591 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the movie that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-1
- 2-2
- 3-3
- 4-4
- 5-5
- 6-6
- 7-7
- 8-8
- 9-9
- 10-10
- 11-11
- 12-12
- 13-13
- 14-14
- 15-15
- 16-16
- 17-17
- 18-18
- 19-19
- 20-20
- 21-21
- 22-22
- 23-23
- 24-24
- 25-25
- 26-26
- 27-27
- 28-28
- 29-29
- 30-30
- 31-31
- 32-32
- 33-33
- 34-34
- 35-35
- 36-36
- 37-37
- 38-38
- 39-39
- 40-40
- 41-41
- 42-42
- 43-43
- 44-44
- 45-45
- 46-46
- 47-47
- 48-48
- 49-49
- 50-50
- 51-51
- 52-52
- 53-53
- 54-54
- 55-55
- 56-56
- 57-57
- 58-58
- 59-59
- 60-60
- 61-61
- 62-62
- 63-63
- 64-64
- 65-65
- 66-66
- 67-67
- 68-68
- 69-69
- 70-70
- 71-71
- 72-72
- 73-73
- 74-74
- 75-75
- 76-76
- 77-77
- 78-78
- 79-79
- 80-80
- 81-81
- 82-82
- 83-83
- 84-84
- 85-85
- 86-86
- 87-87
- 88-88
- 89-89
- 88
- 89
Amelia Serbinger-Sands didn�t
walk, she glided. And she most certainly didn�t vacation, no that would be too
common, to middle class for the likes of her. She holidayed around the world as was her want. Her husband didn�t
share her wants and that was fine for her. She didn�t need him. She barely even
needed his name except it lent weight to her own. My name wouldn�t need any weight added to it were it not for that
bastard cousin of mine, she thought to herself bitterly before shaking her
head in disgust. She had left the US to get away
from the mention of and questions about her cousin; Sheldon Jeffrey Sands.
She�and more important, the rest of her family�wanted nothing more to do with
him. An only child and an orphan in a family as large as theirs was, was
something of a black sheep. A serial killer was some different kind of dark
animal not known to mankind. Just forget
him. Forget all of it. You�re here on vacation, start acting like it! She
nodded, agreeing with herself wholeheartedly. It was time to go shopping.
Many hours and hundreds of dollars later she was burdened
down with nothing but the minimal cost of having someone to porter her bags
around for her when she made an unthinkable mistake in England; she looked the
wrong way before crossing the street. She had just enough time to think of what
a stupid American thing that was of
her to do when the back of her pressed polo shirt was yanked hard and she was
saved from nearly being run over by a car.
Her brown eyes wide and dilated with adrenalin, she whirled
on her saviour to say something when her mouth hung open in a most undignified
manner and she simply stared.
"Sorry," Aida apologized good-naturedly. She and
Sands had spent the morning baby shopping while Ian was in school. She'd lost
track of Sands, but had been looking around for him when she'd caught sight of
this woman about to step into the path of a speeding car. "I didn't mean
to react like I would have with my son. He tends not to notice things like
moving cars fairly often. I hope I didn't hurt you?"
�You�you�re her!� Amelia hissed, taking in the sight of this
red-headed bitch in front of her. Forget the fact that she had just saved her
life; this was one of Sheldon�s whores!
"Her who?"
�Sheldon�s whore! I know your face,
you bitch! I ought to kill you for what you�ve done to my family!� She looked
about ready to claw Aida�s eyes out had she not just gotten a manicure.
"Umm...I'm not sure what you're talking about,"
Aida said slowly as she tried not to look around them at the crowds who weren't
yet interested, but who might be soon.
�Then clearly you haven�t been paying attention�now what was
your silly little name? Amanda? No. Aida. That�s right. My name is Amelia Serbringer-Sands, you little slut. Your charming psychopath of a husband is my first
cousin.�
"I think you must be mistaken. Excuse me." Aida
tried to extricate herself, but the other woman wouldn't let her.
�No you�re the one
mistaken,� Amelia hissed. �In ever
thinking you would have a place in my
family. We don�t take in low trash like you. And that bastard of yours should
have been drowned at birth. I would have done it myself if I had known the kind
of bad name he would give the family.�
"You may not take in low trash like me," Aida
hissed, finally fed up, "but at least I have a heart. And I know how to be
faithful. Unlike women like you."
�Oh this�ll be good. How have I not been faithful? You�re
the one with the convicted murderer as a husband. You�re the one keeping him
from where he belongs. You�re the one letting him get away with all that he
does. I hope they execute you with the same needle, bitch.�
"At least Sands stays home with me. Where's yours while
you're here?"
�Running your husband�s
business,� Amelia sneered, clearly displeased with this fact.
"You sure he doesn't have some company around while he's doing that?"
Amelia gave her a thin-lipped smile that could have frozen
polar bears. �I�ll see you in prison, bitch.� She took a breath to call for the
police.
Before she could stop herself, Aida lashed out with a fist,
sending the other woman sprawling.
For a moment Amelia just sat where she had fallen, shock
clearly apparent on her heavily made-up features, before she moved to
retaliate; manicured claws splayed and spiked heels ready to jab at an instep.
Aida ducked under the clawing arms, slamming her shoulder
into the other woman's solar plexus. She'd had older brothers. She knew how to
take care of herself in a fight.
Amelia went down gasping for breath, quickly deciding that
retreat and regrouping was the right course of action at this juncture.
�Police!� she screeched�or attempted to�as soon as she was able.
But who came running was the very last person she wanted to
see...and the person Aida wanted to see most.
Sands had never run so fast in his life. As soon as he had
seen a familiar red head moving throughout the crowd, he had quickened his pace
to catch up with what he knew had to be his wife. When he saw her�interacting�with another oddly familiar
woman, he had sped up even further. When he saw Aida and this other woman began
to fight, he had dropped what he had been carrying and ran to her side.
�You!� Amelia gasped, her eyes
widening to the point of saucers as she caught glimpse of Sands. �You stay away
from me, Sheldon! I�ll scream, I swear it!�
Sands whirled at the usage of his hated name so easily and
his eyes narrowed as he looked upon the now disheveled form of his cousin.
�Amelia. I�d say it was a pleasure, but clearly that�s not the case. Come near
my family again and I will kill you.
Call for the police, and I will kill
you. Savvy?�
Amelia seemed hesitant so Sands leaned in to make his point
clear, enjoying her flinch. �Remember your aunt and uncle,� he whispered for
her ears only. �Remember Prudence. You�re next if you don�t get up and walk
away. Tell anyone that you saw me and
you�ll be joining them.�
Amelia nodded, her face starkly
white. She got up and ran off before he could think to change his mind.
Aida rubbed her hand and glared after the woman. "Coward. I should have let her step in front of the
car."
�That�s not in dispute,� Sands muttered absently, his eyes
never leaving Amelia�s retreating form until he could no longer see her. Only
then did he turn to Aida. �Let�s get out of here, Aida. We�ve already drawn too
much attention to ourselves.�
"I'm sorry," she told him as he hastened her away.
"It just, I don't know what any of your family looks like. I mean, it's
not as if they ever came to visit me once they knew who I was. They just
sent..." No, that would be way too much information for Sands to get at
this late date. She'd best keep that to herself.
�Wait, what? They sent who? You talked to someone else from
my family?� Sands asked her, stopping her in the middle of the sidewalk by
taking ahold of her arm.
"No. I've never met anyone in your family," she
said.
�Then what did you mean? Who did they send?�
"No one. It's not important. Let's
just go home and get our things put away. I mean, Ian's going to Katie's house
after school, but we should still be home in case -"
�Who did they
send, Aida?� Sands asked sternly, clearly not being dissuaded so easily.
"Do you want to have this discussion on the
street?" Aida asked, looking around them.
She had a point. �We are
going to have it, one way or another Aida.�
"Alright. Just not here."
�Fine. Let�s go home.�
"Alright." Aida was more
than subdued now. She was unsettled by that scene with Sands' cousin, and now
she was relatively sure that she was going to get chewed out by her husband.
Sands nodded and led her back the way he had come, stopping
to pick up the shopping bags he had dropped in his haste to reach her side. He
put Amelia to the back of his mind for now though he knew something would have
to be done with her. And soon.
***
The moment they got home, Aida headed for the backyard. Their
neighbors were all workaday people, holding down regular office hours at
whatever it was that they did so there was no chance they'd be overheard. And
she didn't want to be trapped inside with Sands' anger if he got as upset as
she thought he might.
�Ok, talk,� Sands said succinctly, too agitated by the
thought of what she might have to say to be any gentler than that.
"I'm not...I'm not sure where to start," she
mumbled, eyeing the tree as if it'd be her refuge if she had to get away.
�How about you tell me who my family sent to see you, Aida?�
he asked coldly, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited for her
response.
"Their lawyer," she said softly. "They sent
their lawyer to see me."
�They sent that bastard Max to see you?� Sands asked
incredulously, remembering the family attorney�Maximilian Dellacourt�with
some great dislike. �What did he want?� Sands asked slowly, not liking the
sound of this at all.
"For things to be resolved. As neatly, and quickly as possible. And in
the best light for your family. Couldn't have stocks go down," Aida
said absently. "So many hardworking, innocent Americans supporting their
innocent children with the jobs those stocks represented."
�What did he ask you to do?� Sands seethed,
his arms now at his sides and his hands clenched into fists.
"He wanted to offer me a great deal of money to take a
plea bargain and not drag the good name of 'Sands' through the judicial
system..." Aida closed her eyes, knowing he wasn't going to like what she
had to say next.
�And?� Sands� voice had dropped to
below freezing.
"I thought you were dead," she said miserably. "I
thought my son was going to be taken from me. I had no strength for a long
fight in any case, and at least I would be able to set up a trust fund for
Ian."
�So what, you just fucking gave up?� Sands asked starkly, not quite yelling but certainly more
than furious with her. �You decided to just give up your life? Our son�s life because what? You didn�t want
to fight anymore?�
"Yes. I did. Because in exchange for my...my not fighting,
Mr. Dellacourt agreed to make sure that Ian would be
taken care of by my family, and your family would ensure he always had
everything he needed. I thought I was doing what was best; giving Ian
everything he'd need, and giving myself an option where I wouldn't have to live
daily with the pain of having lost you."
Sands shook his head. �I can�t fucking
believe this. You sold your soul to those fucking people, Aida. You sold our
son�s soul.�
That was going too far. "How was it going too
far?" she demanded. "How did I sell my son's soul? There was no way I
was going to be found innocent of anything! A fact we saw when I was convicted
of it all anyway since you pissed off so many law enforcers that no plea
bargain was offered. So how was I selling Ian's soul when I ensured he'd be
taken care of after he was taken from me?"
�You didn�t ensure anything! You don�t know those people,
Aida! They wouldn�t have helped Ian at all!�
"I don't know my family? Allowing them to adopt Ian
wouldn't have been a good thing?" Now she was just confused.
�He wouldn�t have been safe with them, Aida! Susannah still
would have been out there!�
"But she would have had me," Aida said softly. "And
I would have suffered anything to keep Ian happy. I still would."
�You can�t deal with those people, Aida. Ever.
They�ll stab you in the back the moment you start to believe you can trust
them. They�re only out for their own interests. Swear to me that you won�t deal
with them again.�
"My family? Or yours?" She
couldn't quite make sense of what he was trying to say.
Sands hesitated. �Ian�s safe with you, Aida. No one else knows him. No one else will care for him.�
"You know him. You care of him," she pointed out,
noticing he'd dropped his earlier protests. Perhaps he hadn't known the answer
to her question.
�Forget it,� Sands muttered, seeing that he had already lost
the argument. He wasn�t quite up to maintaining that much anger for that long
of time under the Lithium anyway. �Just be careful around them Aida, alright?
Their best interests are always their own.�
"What makes you think I wasn't careful?" she
asked, hurt that he didn't trust her. She wasn't sure what he didn't trust her
to do or not to do, but she knew that something existed.
�Because you trust people, Aida. You
trust that when someone makes a promise they�re going to keep it. They won�t.�
"Yes, but I'd rather trust someone and be wrong than
never trust anyone at all," she replied softly.
�You willing to stake your life on that?�
"I do daily."
�That�s not the same,� he murmured.
"You're right. It's harder. I don't love strangers off
the street. Except for in special cases."
�Fine. Forget I said anything. You
obviously know what you�re doing. Welcome to family Sands,� he muttered. �That
really was my cousin Amelia today, right?� he asked abruptly.
"Amelia Serbringer-Sands,"
Aida replied. "Not that I would know if she's really
your cousin or not. Like I said earlier, I've never met any of your
family."
�You wouldn�t want to, Aida,� he said absently. �It really was
her then. Huh. I don�t trust coincidences. Why would she be here now of all
times? And how could she possibly have run into you?�
"She almost stepped out in front of a moving car. I
just happened to pull her out from in front of it."
He shook his head. �I don�t believe it. She has to be here
for a reason.�
"From what I could tell from the three men trailing
her, piled with bags, she's here to shop. And possibly to get
away from her husband. She got very defensive about that."� Then, to herself,
Aida grumbled, "It was no more than she deserved. Low indeed."
�She�s a problem, Aida. She�s the type to sell her own kid
out to make herself look good,� Sands spoke up,
beginning to pace back and forth across the lawn, his agitation rising in spite
of the drugs.
"If she ever had kids she probably had work to cover it
up," Aida muttered, not taking Sands seriously. "Just
calm down, Sands. Everything will be alright."
�You don�t think she�s going to tell the first person she
comes across that we�re here?� Sands asked incredulously.
"London is a big place, Sands. She has no idea we live
here."
Sands wasn�t convinced, not by a long shot, but he wasn�t
about to argue Amelia�s worth with Aida now. Especially not
when he was seriously considering killing her to save his family.
Instead, he nodded and lied. �You�re probably right, Aida.�
If she was suspicious by his sudden surrender, Aida didn't
let on. "Let's go inside," she said, trying to cement their truce. "We
can start setting up all that stuff we bought."
Sands nodded. �Just how much did we buy anyway?� he mused
offhandedly as they walked to the house, both running with the subject change
and genuinely curious.
"Probably more than we should have, considering we
don't know what sex the baby is," Aida said ruefully.
�It�ll be a boy,� Sands said smugly as he held the door open
for her.
"Maybe it'll be a girl."
Sands affected a grunting snort of incredulity. �More likely
it�ll be a boy, Aida. Didn�t I say I wanted Ian to have a brother?�
"That's the only reason you think it'll be a boy?"
Aida asked.
Sands shrugged. �That�s not good enough?�
"I don't think it works that way."
�Why not?� Sands asked with a
smirk.
"You don't get to choose what suits your whimsy.
Children are more important than that."
He waved a hand, letting her know he understood and was just
teasing her. �I know, Aida. It�ll be ours no matter if it�s a boy or a girl, so
it doesn�t matter.�
"Do you want to find out what it is?" Aida asked
as they paused in the doorway of the nursery.
�Yes,� he said after a moment�s thought. �I want to know.�
"Really?" Aida preferred
not to know herself, but didn't really mind knowing either.
�Why? Do you not want to know?�
"I guess I don't mind knowing. And it'd drive me crazy
knowing that you knew while I was left in the dark."
�I don�t have to know, Aida. If you�d rather be surprised
then I can wait.�
"No, I don't mind. We can find out on your next
doctor's visit, I'm sure."
�Are you sure you don�t mind, Aida? You don�t just have to
say so because I want to know.�
"I want whatever will be easiest for you."
�It�s not a matter of easiness, Aida. I simply want to know
because I�m curious and impatient. There�s no more reason to it than that.�
Aida just laughed softly, amused at
how he was arguing against something he wanted. "I'll tell you what:
whenever you can't stand waiting another moment to know, I'll be glad to know
as well."
He gave her a half-grin at that. �It won�t be long.�
"Alright then. I can live with
that."
�You�d better,� he said with mock seriousness.
She grinned, and kissed his cheek. "Let's survey the
damage, shall we?"
�Sounds like a plan.� After a moment he smirked at himself.
�We seemed to have gone a little�overboard, love. A few cash registers and
sales associates and we could open our own baby superstore,� he said wryly.
"Well..." Aida really couldn't disagree. "But
all of Ian's old baby things were already second hand when I bought them, and
he wasn't exactly easy on them..."
�Aida, it�s me you�re talking to, remember? Rationalisation
over big purchases is unnecessary.�
"Yeah, but I mean, how much money do you actually have
squirreled away?"
�A lot,� he answered vaguely.
"And 'a lot' is enough to ensure that we can raise at
least two children and put them through college, and have enough to live and
retire on?"
�Would you like to know how much I inherited, Aida? I don�t
know if I�ve ever told you.�
"I don't know," Aida said nervously. "Would I
like to know?"
He shrugged. �I would. But I like to know things.�
That's certainly true.
"Alright, tell me."
�The amount I inherited�now this is just money not
investments or capital or anything like that, was
around seven hundred and twenty-two million dollars.� He fell silent, letting
her take that in.
"And...and you're..."
Wow, that was a lot. "You're sure you still have access to this money? I mean, some of your assets must have been
frozen the moment you first were wanted by police. Even before I met you."
He nodded grimly. �Somewhere between a
third to a half of it is out of reach. Well, except for use in paying
legal fees,� he said with a wave of his hand. �I didn�t trust my family�s bank,
Aida. I didn�t trust that one of my delightful relations not to contest my
inheritance. And believe me; if someone thought they could get away with it, it
would already be gone.�
"So that leaves what? Roughly three
hundred and ten million? And with Salida drawing on
that for her family as well?"
�Basically,� he murmured, not at all sure he still wanted
Salida and her brood to be taking his money any longer.
"And...and is that
enough?"� Aida had no comprehension
of numbers this big.
�Unless you plan to jet set around the world or buy a few
multimillion dollar houses or something, it�ll be more than enough Aida.�
Aida grinned. "It's hard to jet set with young
children."
�Well then you shouldn�t have anything to worry about.�
"We shouldn't
have anything to worry about."
He nodded, shrugging off the unconscious slip.
"Although, I suppose you were never worried in the
first place."
�I�m used to not worrying about such things, Aida,� he told
her honestly.
"I know. I've been meaning to ask every time you go
through and pay the bills, but something always distracts me."
�It doesn�t matter, Aida. You know now.�
"I know now," she agreed, stepping close to him. "I
should have known better than to worry in the first place. You wouldn't let
anything happen to us."
�Of course I wouldn�t, Aida,� he said softly.
"I do believe that. Even if sometimes
I wonder at the means."
�Don�t worry about it, Aida. I would never do anything to
hurt you Ian or the baby. And I will always protect you.� Even if it means lying to you about killing.
"I know." She stepped into his arms and nuzzled
his face against his chest. "I know."
***
It had been harder to get out of Aida�s watchful eye than it
had been to track Amelia down, but Sands had managed both with relative ease.
He told Aida he was going out for a walk to clear his head and he had just had
to locate the most expensive hotel in the city and ask for one Amelia Serbinger-Sands. Then all he had had to do was to explain
that he was her cousin and the kindly hotel manager had let him right up. It
had almost been too easy.
�Room service,� Sands called out, knocking on Amelia�s door.
"It's about time," came
the irritated reply. "I sent for that champagne nearly ten minutes ago - "� The door
opened.
�Pity,� Sands murmured with a grin, placing his foot in the
door and taking in Amelia�s badly covered-up�it looked as if she was sporting a
black eye�face coolly. �Hello, cos. Do be a gracious
host and let me in?�
"Stay away from me," she gasped, finally closing her
unattractively open mouth. "I'll scream for help. I'll call the police. I'll
-"
�You�ll let me in as you should have a long time ago. I
never knew you were such a bad hostess,� Sands sneered as he forcibly made his
way through the door, turning to lock it behind him as she backed away. �You
know what�s so great about a really nice hotel room? The
thickness of the walls. I mean just think about it. I could do anything
to you in here, even fire a gun, and no one would hear a sound. Privacy; what a wonderful thing. Don�t you agree?�
"You...you wouldn't. Everyone saw that altercation on
the street today. Your slut would get the blame."
�You think so, huh? And what if I tell you we don�t plan to
stick around long enough to be
blamed? What would say to that?� he asked casually before his voice grew cold.
�Call her that again and I�ll cut off all your fingers, cos.�
"You're crazy," she gasped, backing towards
anything that would serve as a weapon.
�I always have been, Amelia. It�s a wonder you never noticed
before,� he said with his head cocked to the side as he slowly stalked towards
her. �I mean, you must know I set the fire. You�re not that dumb.�
No, she wasn't. She'd always suspected he'd had something to
do with it. "Just leave, and I'll give you whatever you want,
Sheldon."
�You have nothing I want, Amelia.�
"Surely there's something you need though."
�Oh? Do enlighten me, cousin. What is that you think I need
that you can offer me?�
"Money! Or...or
if you're leaving the country, my home in Italy. Or
the one in South Africa. Or in Rio." Very
slowly, Amelia reached for the brass candlestick holder that was behind her.
�I have money,� Sands said casually. �And you�ll be dead
before you can even raise that thing over your head so why bother? I have
this,� he removed the new knife he had purchased for this very occasion from
the sheath on his hip, �and I assure you, I�m a very good throw.�
"I'm just reaching for my cigarettes," she fibbed.
�Oh really? How about you hand me
one?� Sands asked sarcastically, tapping the blade of the knife on his pant
leg.
"Alright." Cursing him,
her hand detoured to the drawer in the table behind her. She pulled out a
package of very expensive cigarettes and held them out; her hand betrayed only
the slightest tremble.
�Got a light?� he asked casually, the cigarette bouncing off
of his bottom lip as he spoke.
"Behind you, Sheldon."
�So I suppose you�d like me to turn my back on you to get
it, right?� he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I suppose that's up to you."
�Or I could just kill you now and light the cigarette
afterwards,� Sands offered with a one-shouldered shrug.
"I always suspected you liked to smoke
afterwards," Amelia muttered under her breath.
�Naturally,� Sands agreed with a grin.
"You don't have to kill me," she tried to convince
him. "We don't care about you anymore. We're just starting to recover from
the fiasco of your...wife's...trial, and your trial and escape. None of us want
to bring the whole messy matter up again."
�Do you honestly think I really care about them? At all?�
"I'm trying to explain that you don't have to worry
about us taking this to the authorities," she snapped. "Frankly, we
don't care what you do, as long as you keep it quiet."
�I won�t have to worry about you talking to the authorities
at all.�
"You will if you kill me. Unlike you, I'm of some use
to our family.�
Sands snorted at that. �Oh? And how�s that? Comic relief?�
"You know, your sense of humor may be your best
asset," Amelia sneered.
�Oh? Now here I thought it was my charming personality.�
"You're an ass." She was quickly loosing her fear
of him.
�Is that supposed to hurt my feelings?� Sands asked wryly,
enjoying the game more now that she seemed to be losing interest.
"I swear to god, you haven't matured at all since we
were teens."
�You really think so?� Sands asked coldly, casually bringing
up the knife to clean a bit of dirt out of a fingernail.
"Yes, I do.�
Sands grinned. �Shall I revert back to old times and set you
and your house on fire then? That could be good for a few laughs.�
"That's what I'm talking about. You were always trying
to scare us all, and you still are."
�Who says I�m just trying?� Sands asked as he took a blatant
step towards her, knife gleaming in the dim hotel room light.
"I do."
�Oh then you think I�m not going to hurt you?�
"You going to risk your
wife?"
�It wouldn�t be the first time.�
"I guess I was wrong then. Is she just another toy? Another distraction?"
�Why would you care?�
"Because she's standing in the
doorway."
�You expect me to believe that?� Sands asked with a sneer,
moving even closer towards her, murder in his eyes now. �I�m tired of your
games, Amelia. They�ve never been fun. Ever. And now
they�re at an end.�
"So you -" The words stopped as Amelia looked down
in surprise at the knife sticking out of her gut.
�You didn�t see that coming, did you, you bitch?� Sands
hissed angrily, though he never quite stopped grinning.
"Sands?"
Sands was aware of the voice on some level, and even aware
that it sounded like his wife on another, but he outwardly did nothing to
acknowledge that he had heard anything at all as he kept spitting taunts and
curses towards Amelia�s crumpled body as her blood dripped down off of the
knife onto his hands and to the floor.
The two cousins were both so still that Aida could almost
believe that she'd startled Sands into stopping. That if she just reached out -
like she was now - and touched his shoulder - as she would at any time now -
that he'd turn around and they could just go home.
Somehow in Sands� adrenalin-rushed mind, he equated the
touch on his shoulder with a threat, and he whirled on that person, hands and
bloodied knife flashing, his eyes glazed in surprise and pure rage.
Aida watched in horrified fascination as Amelia's body
folded gracefully until it was prone on the floor...and then she looked at her
husband and slowly shook her head. "No."
Sands didn�t even see her. All he saw was a threat to his
freedom and Aida�s and Ian�s safety and life. He lashed out with an incoherent
yell, determined to get rid of this witness, whoever she might be.
When the knife sliced her cheek, Aida was broken out of her
paralysis. With a cry of pain and revulsion, she turned to run, but Sands
caught her around the middle and hauled her up against his body - the last
place in the world she wanted to be right now.
�What did you think I�d just let you run after what you�d
seen?� Sands asked coldly, eying the bleeding slice across her check for a long
moment before slowly licking it clean, never loosening his grip around her for
a moment.
"You won't hurt me again," Aida said quietly as
she turned her face away from him.
�Oh? And what makes you so sure of that?� he asked wryly,
not recognising her at all but admiring her spirit.
"You say you love me." But he'd killed again.
She'd seen him do it. She'd never be able to forget the sight of it.
�I say what?� His eyes widened as he really caught sight of
her for the first time. �Aida?� he whispered, his face going white.
He let go and she stumbled away. Her only thought was to
leave. She couldn't be here with him.
�Aida! Don�t. Don�t go. Please,� he pleaded with her,
somehow sure that if he let her run away now with talking to her that she�d
never speak to him again.
"I have to." Though how she was going to get out
without people seeing the blood he'd gotten all over her was a mystery at the
moment.
�You can�t. Not like that, Aida. Look at yourself. They�ll
know you were here. Please stop,� he whispered, somehow unable to speak any
louder than that.
"I'll go out the back."
�What back? We�re in a fancy hotel, Aida. There is no back.�
"Stop it," she whispered, raising her hands to
cover her ears. She couldn't listen to him. He lied to her.
�I�m stopping,� he agreed, having no idea what he was
agreeing to exactly, but wanting to make her feel better. He reached a hand out
very slowly in an attempt to lead her out of this room to the bathroom to clean
up.
"Don't touch me!" God, he even still had the knife
in his hand.
Sands raised his hands up in a conciliatory gesture then
followed her line of sight to the bloodied knife and put it away in the sheath
on his belt. �Just come to the bathroom with me, Aida. We�ll get you cleaned
up,� he attempted to sound soothing, but it didn�t look as if he was doing a
very good job of it.
"I'm not going anywhere with you."
He opened and closed his mouth a few times but there was
nothing he could think to say to that. �Then I�ll wait right here. You can go
use the bathroom yourself. I won�t come in. You can close and bar the door
behind you if you want. I�ll stay right here.�
Aida hesitated, but finally scurried past him - making sure
to stay well out of arm's reach - and locked herself in the bathroom. Quickly
she started looking around, searching for a weapon - Oh my god, a weapon, to use on my husband! - but
possibilities were scarce.
Sands frowned as she fled the room, half wondering what the
hell her problem was. He had done this for her;
to protect her. Couldn�t she see
that? He glared down at Amelia�s body for a long moment while Aida did whatever
she was doing in the bathroom and then set about wiping down anything the two
of them might have touched in the hotel room. Given who she was and how she had
been murdered it probably wouldn�t take the brightest of police officers to
figure out that Sands had been behind it, but there was no point in making
things easy for them.
Aida came creeping out of the bathroom, plunger in her hand;
it was the best she could do. For a moment she took a long look at her husband
as he cleaned up his mess. For a moment she hesitated. But then she acted,
bringing the handle down on his head hard enough to make the wood crack.
Sands whirled on her as he fell, sending her a hurt and
confused look before his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he
crumpled lifeless to the blood-soaked carpet.
Aida lingered for a moment even though she knew that Sands
could wake at any moment.� He'd always
been resilient. But this was it. This was goodbye. She had to do what was best
for Ian, though it was too late to save her own heart.
Kneeling by Sands' side, she kissed him softly, telling him
in a whisper how sorry she was that things had to be this way. Then she stood
and left.
***
6 months. It had taken 6 fucking months to find his
traitorous bitch of a wife. Sands thought back to what he had missed during
that time as he had searched for her and only found himself growing even
angrier than he already as and that was saying a hell of a lot. The fucking bitch did it to me again!
Those lines had become his mantra of hate in the last six months after he had awoken
with a concussion next to the cooling corpse of Amelia. He had very nearly been
caught before he was able to get away. That
was what the little bitch had planned all along. She�ll do anything to see me
locked up. Well I�ll fucking show her. I�ll make her pay.
She had been cautious, he could give her that much. She had
changed her name, her appearance and even gone so far as to give up acting for
a crappy job as a secretary in some faceless corporation in the city. In the city. Ha. How fucking stupid could she be to come
back here to the US? He asked himself incredulously, pointedly ignoring the
fact that he had returned as well in pursuit of her. Why she had chosen Seattle
of all places he didn�t know or care to know, but that was immaterial. She
could go to the farthest corners of the earth and he would find her. He would always find her.
"Daddy!"� Ian came running out of his preschool. Sands
had decided the thing he wanted most - other than to see that bitch pay - was
to see his son. And he'd arranged to make Aida very late. Flat tires had that
side effect. But then Ian was right in front of him, and he decided that his
plotting could be put aside for the moment.
Sands moved with the force of his son�s leap into his arms,
holding him close in a tight hug. 6 months was a hell of a long time to be away
in a child�s life. Sands had been half worried Ian wouldn�t feel the same way
towards him as he once did. Either that, or be so full of his mother�s poison
about his murderous psychotic father that he would hate him forever.
Thankfully, neither seemed to be the case and Sands just kept holding onto his
son, never wanting to let go. Damn her
for taking him from me. Twice. �Ian,� he
whispered, too overcome to say much else. �I�m back.�
"To stay?" Ian asked
eagerly. "Or do you have to go back to work again?"
�I wasn�t at work, Ian,� Sands said softly, unable to keep
the anger from his voice. �Your mother took you from me.�
"But Mommy said you were keeping us safe again."
�Oh, is that what she told you?� Sands sneered. �You were
safe with me. I was keeping both of you safe.�
"Don't be mad, Daddy," Ian begged as he held his
father's face between his hands. "I don't like it when you're mad. You're
scary."
It took some effort, but Sands managed to smooth the lines
of anger from his face enough so that Ian stopped looking at him like he was
afraid to be eaten. �I�m not mad, Ian.�
Ian relaxed and wrapped his arms around Sands' neck.�
�How about you show me you and your mother�s new house?
Would you like that?�
Ian nodded excitedly. "And the baby's room."
Sands cheerful fa�ade cracked at that, but Ian wasn�t
looking up at him so Sands was able to regain his composure before speaking.
�That would be good. Are you going to have a brother or a sister?�
"A sister. I helped Mommy
paint a room for her."
A
girl. A
little girl. A daughter I might never have seen. �What color did you
paint it?� Sands asked as he carried Ian to his rented car.
"Green. I picked it."
�You�ll have to show it to me,� Sands said with a forced
smile.
"Okay."� Ian
climbed into the waiting car seat, then looked up at
Sands. "Is Mommy at home?"
�She�s running a little late but she�ll be there soon,�
Sands murmured as he headed towards Aida�s haven.�
***
Frustrated and tired, Aida finally made it to Ian's
preschool. She was considering just taking the afternoon off instead of
dropping him off at daycare then going back to work.
�Mrs. Grady! What are you doing
here?�
Aida looked up from the register where she needed to sign
Ian out. �I�m here to pick up Ian.�
�Ian�s not here,� the teacher said slowly. �Since you had a puncture,
your husband ��
�My husband?� Aida�s face drained
of color.
�Mrs. Grady, what�s wrong? Is it the baby?�
Aida�s hands immediately went to her belly, but she shook
her head. �I�m sorry. I forgot I called my husband.� The excuse was weak.
�Thank you for telling me.� Then she hurried out of the building and back to
her car.
***
�You did pick out a good color, Ian,� Sands assured his son
for the 3^rd time since he had been shown the new baby�s room. �Why
don�t you go outside and play for awhile, ok? Your mother should be home soon.�
"Come play with me?"
Sands dearly wanted to, especially upon seeing the hopeful
look on Ian�s face as he asked, but he couldn�t afford to have Aida take him by
surprise again. �In a little while, alright?�
"Okay." The boy grinned, delighted to have someone
to play with. Mommy tried, but she wasn't very good at it any more.
�Just be careful out there, ok? And stay where I can see
you.� Ian just nodded, having heard the same words from Aida time and time
again and skipped off. Sands� eyes followed the boy�s movement for a long time
before he took a seat on Aida�s couch to wait.
He didn't have to wait long before he heard Aida's car pull
up in the driveway. His anticipation built as he waited for her to come into
the house, as he wondered how easily her face would betray her feelings. Her fear.
The door rattled as Aida unlocked it, and then there she
was, standing in the doorway, her face free of all color, her hair a dull muddy
brown, her body swollen with his child.
For a shaving of a microsecond he very nearly threw himself
into her arms at the sight of her. A part of him had missed her, and seeing her bursting
with life made him want to hold her tight and never let her ago again. Ever.
He pushed such seditious thoughts aside with the remembrance
of what she had done. �Hello, Aida,� he greeted her casually, not bothering to
rise to meet her. �Love the hair,� he said dryly, wrinkling his nose in
distaste at the mousy color. She did look different, but then again, he looked
different as well. His hair was now well past his shoulders and pulled back in
a knot as he had had better things to do than to get haircuts as he had searched for her.
"Where's Ian?" she asked, ignoring his greeting as
her eyes darted around frantically, searching for a glimpse of her son.
�What do you mean?� he asked, unable to stop himself from
toying with her.
"Where is he!" she demanded, unable to contain her
fear any longer.
�I don�t think the neighborhood heard you. Want to try
again?�
"Ian!" Aida called, moving away from the front
door and towards the back of the house.
�Oh for fuck�s sake. Stop you�re
sniveling. He�s in the back yard playing,� Sands said with a disgusted sneer.
Aida would have gone out side to ensure that Sands was
telling the truth, but he finally moved off the couch and caught her by the
arm. His fingers bit cruelly into her muscles, and she froze, waiting for what
he would do next. Wondering if he'd do to her what he'd done to his cousin and
countless others.
�So, how have you been? I myself, well I�m sure you can
guess. It�s not every day that you wake to find your wife and child gone.
Though, I suppose its beginning to become a bit predictable for me. This is
after all the second time you�ve done it. What, did you decide you liked life
better on the run under another name? I myself have never been one for
pseudonyms really, but I suppose they have their place. Who does everyone think
you are this week? I wonder what they would say if they knew the truth; that
you were a whore who abandoned her husband to death, twice, and who stole his kids away from him. Also twice. Do you think they�d
think less of you? I imagine they would. People don�t think highly of people
who kidnap children.�
She knew there would be no explaining herself to him. It was
there in his eyes, the belief that she'd behaved irrationally, that he'd been
the innocent who'd been wronged. That her leaving him was worse than the fact
he'd killed his cousin. A member of his family.
�Did it even cross your mind that I went after her to
protect you and Ian? No, of course it didn�t. Because all murder is bad and
wrong and we should never do it. Not even in self-defense.�
"I told you," Aida whispered. "We had other
choices. Ones that didn't involve murder."
�Oh? Like what? Running? And when she sent
every law enforcement agency in Europe after us, what then?�
Aida shook her head. "You won't listen to me
anyway."
�Why should I?� he hissed, his grip tightening on her arm.
Aida winced, but she didn't ask him to let go. It was better
to wait for him to grow bored with his games.
�What am I going to do with you, Aida? You can�t be allowed
to just run off like a scared fucking rabbit at the first sign of trouble. I�m
going to have to do something about that. Wouldn�t you think so? I mean you
locked me up and left me in a
position to be locked up again so I think it�s only fair I return the favor.
Wouldn�t you think?�
She shook her head, but doubted he even noticed. His light,
amused tone scared her. It was the voice of insanity, she was sure of it.
�Yes, that�s just what I thought I should do as well. Glad
to see we�re on the same page, Aida. Oh yes, I�m sure Ian will miss you but
he�s a strong boy. I�ll just tell him that you�re �working,� right? I mean,
that�s the lie you pour in his ear whenever you�ve left me, isn�t it you
serpentine bitch? That�s what I�ll tell him. Mommy�s going on a little vacation
for awhile. She�ll be back soon. Only soon
is a rather fluid word, isn�t it? I�m sure the time will just fly by for me and
him but crawl by for you. Isn�t time funny like that? But no, soon is good.
That�s what we�ll tell him. Mommy will be back soon. Is that what you tell Ian
when he asks? Does he even ask anymore? You�ve taken him away from me twice now
so I begin to wonder if he isn�t used to my absences. Oh and I might have to
kill you for that one of these days if that�s the case. And if you turn my son
against me and I�ll make you beg me to kill you.�
"I've never tried to turn him against you," Aida
whispered.
�Well then you�ve got nothing to worry about,� he said with
a pleased smile.
He did. If what he'd done to her heart was any kind of
standard, he'd turn Ian against him all by himself.
�You do need to be punished though, Aida. And I think you
know it too,� he said with a nod. �You need to be taught a lesson, we think.�
"We?" she asked, supremely unnerved.
He shrugged with an eerie grin on his face. �You didn�t
answer, Aida.�
"Didn't answer what?"
�The question.�
"I don't remember the question," she whispered.
�You don�t? Why not?�
"Because I'm scared."
�You should be,� he said with a grin.
That's when Ian came back in. "Mommy! You're home
early!" He ran over and wrapped his arms around her legs, then
"kissed the baby," as he called it, kissing her swollen belly.
Sands sent them both a fond look as if he was the proud
father looking after his family rather than the vengeful sociopath looking for
revenge. In truth, he was neither and yet both at the same time.
"Hello, baby," Aida murmured as Sands let her go. She
knelt on the floor and gave her son a hug, more relieved than she wanted to
admit to find that he was unharmed.
�He showed me the new baby�s room. Didn�t you, Ian?� he
asked his son casually as if everything was normal and Aida weren�t visibly
trembling with fear as she held onto her son.
"I did. And Daddy said I choosed
a good color."
"Of course you did," Aida replied absently.
�Ian also told me that he�s going to have a little sister.
Isn�t that nice? I thought you wanted to be surprised but I guess you lied.
That makes you a liar, doesn�t it, Aida?�
Ian frowned at Sands, but Aida didn't say anything.
�Doesn�t it, Aida?� Sands asked again, still in the same
cheery voice though it had a glittering broken glass edge to it now.
"Yes, I suppose it does." No, I just couldn't stand any surprises.
�You�re mother and I need to talk for a little while, Ian,�
Sands said, crouching down to meet his son�s height and giving him a smile. �Go
play up in your room for a little while alright? I�ll be up to see you in ten
minutes.�
"You'll come play with
me?" Ian asked.
Sands nodded. �After I�ve talked with your
mother.�
"You'll be nice?"
�Of course I�ll be nice, Ian. And I�ll play whatever you
like.�
"'Kay." Ian gave Aida
another hug, then went down the hall to his room,
closing the door behind him.
�I think he missed me. What do you think, Aida?� he asked,
cocking his head to the side with the query. �Did you miss me?�
"Do you see the book on the coffee table?" she
asked softly.
�Can�t say I did, no. Now is there
really such a book or is this just a tricksy ploy to
get me to bend over so you can clock me in the back of the head again? You
know, you�re actually quite good at that. You put a lot of feeling into your
swing. I tell you what, that last one�what did you use, a plunger handle?
Anyway, that last one laid me out for hours.
Fun right? That�s what I thought.�
"It's a photo album," Aida said, ignoring his
commentary.
�We�ve never liked them. Too much evidence in one small
place,� he said warily.
"You can look at that one if you want."
�Why? What�s in it?�
"Pictures. Of
us." What else would he think was in a photo album?
�You took pictures of me? When?�
Sands asked quickly, an edge of paranoia to his voice now because he honestly
couldn�t ever remember seeing her with a camera before.
"In London."
�Before or after we killed our great aunt�no wait�cousin. Cousin? Cousin. Amelia. Right. Before or after I killed her?
Did you want a picture of me lying bleeding and unconscious on the floor? I
would have. I bet it was a pretty funny sight. You took it, right?�
Aida shook her head. "No pictures of that."
�You sure? Did you look really
hard?�
"There wasn't a camera there, Sands." Now that he
wasn't threatening her, she felt sorry for him.
�Pity. There�s always next time I
suppose,� he said with an easy shrug. �You�ll remember then, won�t you?�
She didn't answer. There wouldn't be a "next
time."
He nodded. �Of course you will. Because
you�re thoughtful. Isn�t that right? You�re full of thought. Except when
it concerns me, but what does that really matter anyway? You said there were
pictures. I�ve yet to see any. Were you lying?�
"You have to look inside the book," Aida whispered.
�Show me then.�
She shook her head. "I need to use the restroom."
His eyes narrowed. �Very funny, bitch. You think we don�t
know what you�re going to do in there? You go to the fucking bathroom and you
come out swinging. We know. We remember what happened last time,� he hissed.
"Sands, my bladder is the size of an orange because your daughter is squishing it."
�Oh�my daughter. Right.
Tell me about my daughter. Did you even plan on letting me see her? Ever? You didn�t did you? As soon
as you found out you were pregnant you knew I had to go. I mean, you managed it
with Ian who�s to say you couldn�t do it twice? Congratulations on a very good
try. Pity we got away, right? I imagine you�re pretty pissed off about that.�
"I need to use the restroom, Sands."
�Fine. But the door stays open,� he
growled.
"I'm not leaving the door open."
�You�re leaving the door open. What? Are you suddenly a
prude? Sugar, I got to tell you, you don�t have anything I haven�t already seen
plenty of. And the belly�s a good indication that you�ve seen all I have to
offer as well so don�t give me that bullshit. The door�s staying open. I don�t
trust you.�
"Look, I promise not to come out swinging. Alright?"
�What part of I don�t
trust you, did you not understand?�
"Apparently the part where I feel the
same way about you."
�Then there should be no problem. You don�t want to take
sight off of me for fear I might�I don�t know, go after Ian, and I don�t want
to take sight off of you because I think you�re going to come after me. The
door stays open.�
"No it doesn't."
�Then you�d rather piss in your pants like the baby you�re
carrying? Go right ahead.�
"Sands, if you ever loved me even the smallest bit, let
me close the door. You'll be out here. You'll see me coming before I get
close."
�Why do you fucking need to close the door anyway?� Sands
asked suspiciously.
"Because I don't feel like being humiliated, that's
why."
�No, that�s not it. You�re doing something in there. You�ve
got some sort of twisted plan. Well fuck that. I�m on to you.�
"Damnit! Would you just let me
use the fucking bathroom!"
�I never said you couldn�t,� he answered her calmly.
"Did you ever love me?" she asked. "Or was I
a distraction from your troubles?"
�I thought I did. But it�s hard to love someone you can�t
trust to turn on you.�
"Then you know how I feel," she said softly. "How
I felt."
�I didn�t fucking turn on you, Aida. I was protecting you!�
"You promised you would stop killing. You promised me time
after time and never did. You almost killed me more than once. You hurt me. You
used me. You were never protecting me. You were protecting yourself."
�That�s what you really think?� he asked coldly. �That what,
I just don�t care about anyone but myself?�
"No." She shook her head. "I think you care
for Ian too. And that you'll care for the baby."
�And I don�t care about you?�
"Did you or did you not just say that you only thought
you'd loved me?"
He didn�t know. He couldn�t remember. That was a lifetime
ago. �I don�t know.�
"Well, it is what you said." Aida shook her head
and turned around. "I'm closing the door.�
For a moment he just blinked at her, not knowing what she
was talking about. �Fine. Close the door. I don�t
fucking care.�
Aida nodded, and went down the hallway. The bathroom door
was out of sight if you were sitting on the couch like Sands was. She checked
to make sure he hadn't moved, then opened and closed it loudly before sneaking
into Ian's room. "We have to go, Ian.�
Right now."
"Is Daddy coming?" the boy asked as he looked up
from his toys.
"In a little bit." She threw open the window and
took out the screen. It'd be awkward, but she'd manage to make it out. "Come
here, Ian."
"No," the boy said mulishly. "I want Daddy to
come now."
"Daddy can't come now," Aida explained. "This
is a surprise. We're playing hide and seek. Now come
hide with me."
"I don't wanna play!"
Aida hurried over and scooped Ian up, trying to hush him. If Sands heard and came in...she didn't even want to think
about it. "Shh..." she said desperately.
"Come play with me. And Daddy will try to find us."
"I want Daddy!" the boy started to cry. Aida gave
up trying to make him be quiet and simply headed for the window.
�Your daddy�s right here, Ian,� Sands� voice came from
across the room. �Isn�t mommy silly, Ian? I think she forgot what a door was.
She looks like she was going to go out the window instead. I think she got
confused. Silly mommy.� He grinned at Ian for a moment
longer before crossing the room to Aida before she could move away from him.
�Come with me, mommy.�
"No," Ian said, squirming his way out of Aida's
arms. "Mommy needs to hide and you and me look
for her. That's how we play hide and seek."
�But I�ve already found her, Ian. Mommy already went to
hide. That�s why she was in here telling you to be quiet.
She was playing a game with me. She tricked me, silly mommy. She told me she
was going to the bathroom.�
"Oh." Ian thought about that while Aida stayed
silent, her eyes warily watching Sands.�
"She should hide again so we can look together."
�I have a better idea, Ian. How about you go hide and we try
to find you? How does that sound?�
"Okay." He started to leave the room, but then
turned back. "You have to count to a hundred," he said sternly.
�I promise,� Sands said solemnly. �Hide somewhere good.�
"I will." The boy disappeared and Aida cringed as
Sands turned back to her, his eyes black, hard, and cold.
�Aida, Aida, Aida. What am I going to do with you? You just
never learn, do you?�
"Looks like we have something in
common."
�More than you know,� he murmured under his breath. �Fine. Those who can�t be trusted to stay when left alone
are locked up to ensure that trust is no longer needed. You�ve only brought
this on yourself, Aida. But I�m not completely heartless. I�ll let you out
before the baby�s born. Now�which do you have, and please don�t lie because
I�ll know, attic or basement? And I�d choose wisely if I were you. But then
again, if you want to pick a shithole to live in for
the next few months that�s your issue, not mine.�
"Neither. I have a crawl space and a crawl space,"
she whispered.
Sands gave her a put-upon sigh. �Fine.
Bedroom then. And don�t worry about Ian. I�ll take
good care of him while you�re away.�
Aida didn't protest since she knew there was no way for him
to keep her in the bedroom. None of the rooms in this house had locks, all of them had huge windows. He wouldn't be able to
do it.
�You think I don�t know how to put a lock on a door?� he
asked wryly, guessing her thoughts as she was led willingly to the bedroom. �Or
nails through the windowsill so it can�t be opened from the inside? Please,
Aida. I�m not an idiot.�
It still wouldn't work, she told herself. Not when someone
would report her as missing...one of her co-workers, or Ian's preschool
teacher, or his daycare provider.
�And don�t worry about work. I�ll make excuses for you. Say,
isn�t it about time for you to take maternity leave anyway? My
how time flies.�
"Why can't you just leave me alone?" she whispered
as they reached the bedroom.
�Because you�re my wife.�
"You don't love me. And I wish I'd never met you."
�Yes I do, and if you�d never met me then you�d never have
had Ian.�
"You're right. I would have eventually met a man who'd
never thought about killing someone in his life, who I'd never have to wonder
who he was, and who I'd never need to run from. And I would raise children I'd
never have to worry that their father might one day kill them in blind
insanity."
�I�m not going to kill Ian,� he said with a frown, his brow
furrowed. �I would never hurt a child.�
"You don't know that. You've promised me other things
only to break those promises."� Aida
laughed despairingly. "Do you know what I feel for you now? Pity. That's it."
�I don�t want your pity.�
"It's all I have left to give you."
�So be it,� he said with a grim smile. He didn�t need her
love. He didn�t need anyone�s love. �You think you�re better off without me?�
"Yes."
�Then I�ll leave,� he said after a long pause. �If you don�t
love me, what�s the point of staying? We�ll end up killing each other. Perhaps even literally. Tell Ian�tell him whatever you want.
I suppose it doesn�t really matter. And�send me a picture of her when she�s
born?� He took a breath and stepped back away from her. �Goodbye Aida. I will
miss you, for what it�s worth.�
"You'll miss having sane company," she said
calmly. "Goodbye, Sands."
��A hit, a palpable hit,�� he quoted with a bow before
rising to send her a sad smile. �Act again, Aida. You always were a wonderful
actress.� He turned and left the room before she could reply.
"Goodbye," she whispered.
***
He had tried to stay away, he really had. He had tried to
put her out of his thoughts but it was as if the world was against him. He had
decided to see the city before traveling somewhere else�likely not wanting to
really admit that he was leaving her and putting off the actual leaving
part�and to his utter dismay and astonishment, leaving the city might have been
difficult anyway due to the outgoing air show traffic; the air show sponsored
by the Spitfire Society. That was the
last straw in a long line of odd coincidences and near misses with women with
curly red hair for weeks now. No, actually it seemed it was the second to last straw. May 16^th. It�s our fucking third
wedding anniversary today. That�s
fucking it. I can�t take this anymore. She says she doesn�t love me? Fine. I�ll make
her love me again. With his jaw set and determined, he set out to recapture
the only love of his life.
***
Aida went to the door as the doorbell rang yet again. She
was moving slowly, mopping up leaky eyes and a running nose, trying to make
herself presentable. Her goodbye to Sands had been final, she could feel it. Then
she opened the door and found yet another delivery of flowers on her doorstep -
roses and daisies. She wished it would stop. She was in no mood for it; not as
she was grieving her loss and trying to move past it.
So she did what she'd done with the other three bouquets. She
picked it up, carried it around the side of her house, dumped the flowers in
the yard waste bin and put the vase in a bag to be recycled.
I can do it. I can
move on with my life. I can find a safe man to love. Who'll be good to my babies. Who'll be good to me. I
can. I can. I can...
Why isn�t this
working? I thought she loved flowers? Sands thought to himself
desperately, watching from his vantage point as she threw away yet another
bouquet of flowers. Watching her discard the first had hurt. Watching her throw
out each consecutive one after that without pause had hurt more. I guess I�ll just have to try something
else. Jewellery? Surely she can�t throw that out.
***
The doorbell rang again. Thoroughly sick of this business by
now, Aida went to the door. Once again, there was no one there. But at least
there were no flowers.
If she hadn't sneezed, she probably would have missed the
small box on her welcome mat. She looked at it for a moment, debated whether
she should open it or not, then reluctantly reached for it.
Once she had removed the lid, she gasped...in shock...in
horror...in something. There was a set of diamond jewelry in the box, all of it
matching. White and yellow diamond fitted together to resemble daisies;
earrings, and a bracelet, a necklace, and even a ring.
Shaking in shock, in fear, she dropped the box and slammed
her door shut, locking it behind her. Where were these things coming from? Not
from Sands, surely. He'd left. He'd left her. He wasn't coming back. But who
else knew about the daisies? Who?
The fact that she
slammed the door is probably a bad sign. Sands couldn�t understand it. He
had picked the jewellery out himself. He knew she would love it. But then she
didn�t love it. She didn�t even smile and look up. She looked as if seeing a severed finger in the box instead. Damn it. He�d
just have to try something else. Chocolates? Opera tickets? He�d try them all. I�m going to get her back. I�m going to make her love me again.
�***
�By the time bedtime
rolled around, Aida had thrown away five more bouquets, three boxes of
chocolate, and several letters she hadn't even dared look at before tearing
apart and disposing of. As a result, she was a solid bundle of nerves. There
wasn't a part of her that didn't ache with sick anxiety, not a breath that didn't
get caught in her throat. If she didn't know better, she'd think she was having
a panic attack, but she'd never had one of those before in her life.
Trying to relax, she took a hot shower after putting Ian in
bed, then slipped into a pair of silky pajamas she'd
splurged on. Then she sat down with a book in her bedroom, all the time
unconsciously waiting for the doorbell to ring again.
Do I have to fucking spell it out for her? I can do that. He grabbed his
lighter and began dumping the fluid out onto the lawn, hoping that he had
enough for what he had to do.
When Aida smelled smoke coming in with the breeze through
her open window, she pushed herself out of bed and tried to track it down. Her
search led her to her front door where a fire was brightly burning, though the
message scared her more than the fire.� WHY WON'T YOU LOVE ME?
Unable to fear Sands when her house might go up at any
moment, Aida went into the garage and turned on the sprinkler system, quickly
putting the message out, hopefully before any of her neighbors had called the
fire department. Only then did her hands start to shake as she went back
inside.
She had been so close he could nearly smell the scent of her
hair. God how he missed that smell. The very thought
of it aroused him to uncomfortable levels. Focus
on the task at hand. Once she loves you again the one will take care of the
other. She does seem to like the big
gestures though. Keep going with those.
***
Aida had a hard time falling asleep that night, and when she
finally did, she overslept. It was Ian's excited chatter that woke her. "Mommy! Look at the animals!"
It was times like this that Aida missed Aggie. She missed
her pet desperately, and hoped that wherever she was that she was being taken
care of.
"What animals, Ian?" she asked without opening her
eyes.
"The ones outside your window!"
What? Aida opened
her eyes and felt pure dismay ripple through her at the sight of so many
sightless eyes peering into her room. And it wouldn't be an easy thing to get
or keep all those stuffed animals around considering she was on the second
floor of the house.
Oh god. Oh my god.
"Ian, go get dressed." When her son had left, Aida opened her windows
and started pulling the plush toys inside, intending to get rid of them all as
soon as she could.
�Why are you doing this to me, Aida? Can�t you see that I
love you?� he moaned to her figure, watching her yank all his carefully placed
stuffed animals into the house without care or hesitation. She had to see that
he would do anything for her and go
to any lengths to get her back. He
would make her see. He loved her. She had to love him back. She just had to.
***
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More Than Darkness