CHAPTER FOUR

Luay tossed and turned in his bed. Messenger boy? He said to himself in disgust. He'd rather stay jobless.

That old man was indeed crazy to have brought him such an offer, matter of fact, no one asked for his opinion. He sat upright then looked around, everything he owned was for Sidney and that thought stung him in the chest. He was grateful but he hated living off her. Tempting as the offer of two-hundred dollars per month was, he never imagined himself to be a messenger boy. Not to anyone.

Two-fucking-hundred-dollars-per-month! He hated the fact that it ran through his mind and drummed in his head. The old man had made it sound so easy;

Drive around delivering paper cups for a couple of hours three times a week. Two hundred dollars per month. Fuck joblessness.

****

"Oh I remember you. You were kind to me. I know you'll change your mind"

Luay felt a bolt tighten in his jaw "When do I start?" There was desperation in his voice

*****

"Oh my dear friend, it took you three months to finally dig in eh?" There was mockery in Tony's voice and Luay hated it. It took him two months, so what?

He looked at the large workshop; it was lined with machines that were used for making those paper cups; some were cutting, some were packaging but most of it were broken down and abandoned. Luay could spot only three machines functioning. How was Tony going to get him paid? "I know, I know what you are thinkin' but it wasn't always like this." He steered Luay to a table at the end of the workshop and they sat at it. Just immediately, an old woman with grey hair came towards them with a tray of drinks in her hands.

She set it on the table with a wide smile on her face and spoke softly "Hello"

"Oh, meet my wife Margo." Tony introduced and she smiled softly at Luay and he reciprocated with a warm smile.

"Pleased to meet you Margo" he was such a gentleman.

"I will leave you two to talk." She said politely and soon disappeared through the wide doors of the workshop.

"Workers used to flood this place and we made thousands weekly. I had dispatch messengers as far as Europe and we sold our cups and disposable plates as far as Africa" Tony continued

"In this place?" Luay arched a brow in surprise but it looked to Tony like in disbelief.

"Yes." He frowned lightly "I and Margo lived in New Orleans but came rushing here as soon as the disaster happened. This is all we have left"

"What disaster?" Luay became keenly interested in the old man's story. He was an architect and he knew better not to judge things or people by their appearances; the foundation was everything. On a solid foundation, you could build an empire; perhaps from Tony's story he could learn about the old man and how he got the three deep pin tattoos on his cheek. He looked like an holocaust survivor.

"Oh." A sorrowful look dawned on Tony's face and he shrugged like cold swept up his spine as he sipped from his bottle of  lemon drink and shifted his gaze to Luay's before he spoke "Walt Edna came to town" he said like it was a real disaster.

"Walt Edna" Luay arched a brow. He had heard of him. He was a billionaire who owned central America and the company he worked for had made the construction design for one of Edna's major companies in New York. The man was a very generous man and even though he hadn't made any physical contact with Luay, Luay have heard amazing stories about him and how he donated huge amounts to the orphanages and how he was a great sponsor of the Feed The Poor Reform Group. What could  Edna have done to this old holocaust survivor, he thought.

"He had a company in town that made millions and millions of foam cups and plates and they drove little businesses like us down the drain." He shuddered. "Margo fell ill, almost died; poor sweetheart" he sipped again to keep his voice from trembling "we put our heart, money, soul and everything we've got to our business and those sharks, they eat little businesses alive to keep themselves fat and beautiful for public eye." He said with bitterness then looked up at Luay "forgive me, I'm boring you out with stupid history. We should get you started"

But Luay wanted to hear the rest of the story. He couldn't believe Walt Edna would do such a thing but he decided not to judge people by rumors and appearances; he made investigations himself - one of the reasons Jokovich loved him as an architect.

He took Luay on a tour of the large workshop and the large gardens behind the workshop. His house was located at the end of the wide field; it was a little cottage but it was homey. The trees served as envelope that kept the house in its safe fence and at a distance, you could see the graceful skyscape. He wondered how beautiful it would be to be living here.

"Unlike some of many other firms Edna drove out of business, I managed to keep some of my faithful customers." Tony smiled "they think foam cups causes cancer. And of course it does. Those foams contains chemicals that dissolves in whatever drink you put in it, and slowly, the side effects pile up. Most people don't see that. They just want to make money" and Luay agreed. "Do you want to know how I manage to keep my customers?" Luay shook his head. "I sing for them" he said.

This made Luay burst out in laughter; absolutely ridiculous! He didn't mean to be rude but that was too much information to contain. Singing, puh-leee-se!

Tony smiled at him "I know, you'd be thinkin' this old fella must be crazy! I am crazy" Luay felt tears rise to his eyes as he subsided his laughter. This man would have been better off as a comedian. "But my boy, its not about the song. Matter of fact, I have a horrible voice"

Luay believed him "It definitely isn't"

"Its about my human relation. I know how to manage people." He said and Luay was attentive "yes, I have been swindled by some mad men and women, but I still have faithful customers because of the trust and loyalty I have built in them. I try not to get angry at people and if I am pushed to the wall, I stay quiet and go for a long walk." Luay looked at him. He was such a knowledgeable man from the way he spoke and Luay found himself comfortable with him. This man reminded him of someone, someone he couldn't remember.

They talked more about politics, and Luay told him a bit about architecture and quantity-survey, he found Tony to be knowledgeable about it as well.

******

He got home that evening with a kind of warmth in him that sent the cold climate away and he went straight to Sidney's apartment. Matt was out with Cole and she was busy drawing out designs for the next costume party that was coming up at St. Mariah high school. She was the costume designer for the school and she was the one they called for amazing costumes when they needed one.

"Look who is smiling" she teased him as soon as he stepped into the room. He had a bright look on his face and he went over to kiss her on the head then he settled in the seat in front of her.

"My God! Is that an antelope?!" He exclaimed and Sidney gave out a short laugh.

"Its the new design for the costume party at St. Mariah coming up this Saturday" she explained quickly "what's up?"

"Nothing" he sat back and observed her for a minute. She shrugged and went back to her design.

Silence stretched for many seconds before he finally spoke "I met someone" Sidney knew there was something. She looked at him quickly and bit her lips in excitement. Finally, he met someone!

"His name is Tony"

****************

Alex bought herself a new phone and she only gave its number to the hospital, to the police, to Edward and to Sara and now, she was settled at her computer to look for news on Brandon and what he was up to. She needed to move fast. She needed to make him pay.

Bradon buys the two million dollars yacht on the Bahamas. She read from the screen and fury built inside her. She could see his grin touching his eyes and that dark scar across his face; he was such a monster and right beside him was her mother looking as gullible as always in that beautiful satin dress, diamond jewelries and smile.

She had once adored that woman that bore her until she had heard her say "I am tired of you, I'm marrying Brandon" to her father. The love turned to pain, to sore, to scar, to hate and fury.

She thought about Simon, and a smile formed on her lips. The sound of the iron rod smashing into his jaw drove a little bit of satisfaction in her. She had seen his face; the shock and the horror and it made her smile even wider. Pricks like him should be taught lessons and she was glad she handled him quite well.

Before she threw him into the trunk of her vehicle, she had told him she would kill him if he ever came close to Eden or Sara ever again. And she meant it.

She had seen the fear in his eyes then, she bashed his head once more. He fell unconscious and she managed to lift him into the trunk.

The police called her earlier, told her Simon had woken up to say he was involved in an accident. So typical of a money-grubber and an egocentric prick; didn't want people to know he was whacked badly by a female, especially the one that was less than half of his size. Alex rolled her eyes in disgust. She would see that men like him reduced in the streets.

She looked keenly at the man on the screen and mouthed "you are going down Brandon, you are going down"

***********

It was Saturday, cold and misty but that won't stop her from having her regular routine at the Cleeboo's cafe. She had gone to see Eden at the hospital first, the doctor said they would bring a specialist from India to look into the case.

"This is a dangerous case" Doctor Welby said "but there is..." She didn't hear the remaining words. She was only thinking about her poor baby.

When she left the hospital, she drove round town for a while looking for familiar faces, she did that every morning. It was another routine. She was looking for that man with a three pin tattoo on his cheek and when she find him, she'll destroy him.

She sent a word out to her private investigator who was lurking around in Oklahoma too about the strange call and he told her he would look into it.

She steered into the Cleeboo's parking space and once she opened her door, she smashed into something - into someone!

She stepped out of the vehicle quickly and looked to see if her car got scratched and unluckily for her, it had an indentation at the side and this made her angry. She was careful enough to drive into the parking space, her pointers were on and she looked into the review mirrors to be sure something like this never happened. Where did this creature come from?.

The creature turned out to be a hunk of a man and he had ran his bike into the side of her car. How clumsy!

She had no expression whatsoever on her face so, he didn't know if she was angry or hurt or indifferent.

He took off his crash helmet and his beautiful face shone in the morning sun. He looked like a greek god, like he was a Renoir or one of Goya's painting.

But all that didn't matter to her. She glanced at her wrist watch and won't want to miss her prey because of this imbecile!

"Are you hurt?" He looked worried "the brakes on this thing are just so..." He gazed at her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He had thought Katherine was beautiful, Miss Welch and Lasha too but she was gorgeous, beautiful! Those were even understatements. His words got lost in his throat.

She looked at the lust in his eyes and scoffed within herself. He is just like other men, just like other stupid men. But the light in his eyes died and he pulled up his bike; he didn't have time for women.

She looked at him and doubted if the look in his eyes was lusting after her beauty or feeling sorry he smashed the door of her car. He made her puzzled, something no other man had ever done. Yes, she knew how to tell what one was thinking from the look in their eyes. She was a prolific writer and a critical observer.

She shouldn't waste time with him, she had to look for Brandon's lick-spittle.

"Sorry about your car..." He said again when he found his voice

"You owe me seventy dollars and twelve cents"

"What?" He didn't hear her clearly

"Money for damages" she was accurate. She retrieved her phone, took a quick picture of him it, saved it, and before he could know what was happening she said "I'll prefer it in cheque. I'll have my lawyer collect it. If you try to run away, I'll have this published on every newspaper in town and it would ruin your reputation, you have a week"

"Ma'am" he wanted to say but the only thing he saw was her body disappearing through the door of the cafe.

His mouth fell agape.

*******

She was seated at her usual table and Tade came to take her order. Aside his normal quest of saving enough to finish college and to become an exquisite chef like Mrs. Cleeboo, his second mission was to investigate this beautiful stranger that came here every Saturday to enjoy her meal and play scrabble alone.

Dibbs had been given orders not to let anyone sit at the table with Miss unknown. It was no problem to the cafe because Saturday wasn't a very busy day and few people came to eat in the morning so, with Miss unknown around, they earned pretty much like they had a full-Monday-morning-rush.

Luay was perplexed then puzzled. What just hit him? Seventy dollars? Face published in the news? Ruin reputation? Who the hell does she think she is? Hilary Clinton? He shook his head and marched right into the cafe.

At the time, she was just spreading out her scrabble sheet and she had placed the letter A on it when he stormed to the chair opposite her, and bumped the letter off the board. "Excuse me, I don't care who you think you are but I want my picture deleted from your phone"

She was angry. She was mad. She controlled it. She raised her glare and met that deep frown on his face.

Dibbs saw this. Omigod, I'm going to get fired. she thought as she raced from behind the counter. "Excuse me, Excuse me sir" she said on-getting to Luay. "Excuse me sir, you can't sit at that table".

 He looked up at her with a relaxed frown "why?"

Alex was burning. This creature was under her skin. She looked wearily at the costumers that entered through the door but Dibbs and Luay were arguing making it difficult for her to concentrate. Her heartbeat began to thump and hot heat rose to her head. Damn! It is happening again. It is happening again. I need to get out of here.

She stood up to her feet, quickly packed her game and hurried out the door. Her breathing became irregular and sweat formed on her forehead; she was becoming nauseous.

She stumbled to her car and her vision began to dazzle and she saw things in double, her breathing became really irregular and she found it difficult to get air into her lungs. I need to get out of here.

She retrieved her car keys, managed to open the door but as she made to enter the vehicle, Luay had reached the front before her and stopped her from entering. She looked up at him and his face began to fade but his words stung her in the ears.

"Take my picture off your phone" the last thing he wanted was his face on the news headlines after what happened at New York. He was determined to make sure she deleted it but the look on her face was terrible. She clutched her chest like she couldn't breathe and she was trembling, not from the cold but from within.

She was saying something but he could not hear her and his tone changed. "Ma'am" he held her shoulders "are you okay?" He raised a hand to her forehead and she was burning up. "Shit!" He held her as her legs gave away and he lifted her into the vehicle. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" He took her keys from her and stepped into the driver seat.

The lights in her eyes finally faded and she could hear nothing but her Audi leaving the park then, she could hear no more.

***********

Luay sat at her bedside and watched the even rise and fall of her chest. "Is she going to be fine?" He asked Sidney and she smiled at him.

"It's a minor attack" she said. When she wakes, we'll have to take her to the hospital for main check-up, now, she's just asleep"

He would have taken her to the hospital but the weatherman had said it would rain and the roads would be terrible.

He took her home to his cabin, lay her on his bed, removed her jacket, scarf and shoes and raced to call Sidney with his heart in his throat. This couldn't happen to him again, he couldn't have another person die on him. Since Sidney was a per-time doctor at the town's hospital, she seem to be the right option - veterinary doctor.

He explained the whole scenario to Sidney. "She is a very obnoxious woman" he had told Sidney but now that he looked at her, lain there, she looked peaceful, she looked like someone who had wounds that weren't healed, she looked defensive, she looked hurt and innocent. Innocent like him.

Matt was using a wet towel to mop her forehead and Sidney had told him to let her sleep. He left the towel on her head and sat at the bedside with Luay. "She looks like a doll" Matt confessed as he moved in his seat "do you know her? Is she your friend?" But Luay was silent. Sidney had told him that it was a panic-attack and she knew this because Cole had treated one few years after the fire incident but she assured Luay that it was just a minimal shock and not the real thing but that was what Katherine had told him the day he went out, came back and found her dead in her bed.

The scenario at the cafe flashed through his mind again and he realized it was funny. She was swift, she took his picture and... He chuckled ruefully.

*********

The evening fell and Matt had gone with Sidney to get groceries from the store and Cole wasn't back from work yet. Slowly, consciousness settled over her and her eyes blinked in a slow incessant flutter and when the room finally registered, she shot to her feet. "Where the hell am I?" She whispered as she looked around frenziedly. Had Brandon finally kidnapped her? She took a step away from the bed and crashed into the side stool; this made Luay run out of the kitchen compartment.

Their eyes met.

"You are awake" he said gently but several thoughts were streaming through her mind. What the hell just happened? Why was she standing in a strange room with this creature? She remembered him. He was the mad man that bumped into her at the cafe, he had sat at her table too and he had stopped her from getting away when she had the attack. How did she wound up in his.... She looked around... Bedroom? She looked at her jacket and scarf on the headboard and she looked at him, his shirt was half buttoned and sweat was streaming down his jaw line.

Her head began to ache with disgust, fury and contempt for him.

"How dare you?" She said quietly and took a step away from him "How dare you!" She screamed. How dare he lay his hands on her? She had sworn that no minute would ever touch her again, no man would ever humiliate her and make her feel defenseless, she would never feel vulnerable to any man ever again!

"Calm down, you are still in shock" he moved towards her and she moved even further away from him till her back touched the wall. She grabbed the landline and pointed it at him for defense.

“Take one step closer and you’ll find out this thing can send you to the deepest part of hell” she said through clenched teeth. The fever was still in her bloodstream, she was weak and still trembling from within but she was trying to look strong even when he could see plainly through the charade.

"You passed out at Cleeboo's. I wanted to take you to the hospital but the rain came and..." He sighed "I brought you here. My sister is huh, a veterinary doctor so, she..." he stopped, realizing how stupid that sounded. The look on her face turned bitter and she looked even more disgusted then, her eyes flew to the wall clock above his shoulders. It was almost seven PM; she thought she would scream.

She rushed to her phone and there were ten missed calls on it. She picked her jacket, wore her boots, snatched her keys from the table beside the bed and stormed outside.

"Hey, you still need to see a doctor..." He raced after her but she ran faster to her car. She had been planning to catch Brandon's lick-spittle for many years and one day was enough to miss him.

The rain began to fall again but she was already in the vehicle. She saw the mad-man outside the window trying to stop her but she didn't have his time, she would definitely deal with him later. She put her key into its hole and turned on the ignition.

She turned it...

She turned it, it made an unusual roaring sound and went off. She tried again many times and it did the same thing.

"Shit!" She cussed and banged on the steering wheel. That idiot left her car lights on and the battery was dead. She scoffed, she felt rage burn through her veins for him. She looked outside the window and he was still in the rain waiting for her to come out of the car.

She would kill him.

She pushed the door open, stepped out into the rain and made for him. "You left the lights in my car on and you killed my battery" she was breathing heavily as she made to punch him but all the energy in her pushed against his chest like a child and he was standing firmly; indifferent to the attack.

"Yeah, thank you. You saved my life, I am grateful and would gladly take your picture off my phone; that is what a normal human would say" he was yelling back at her and of course not, that is not what a normal human would like to say when he or she just found out her car battery died  no thanks to his carelessness . What kind of maniac was he?

The rain grew heavier and the splattering noise on the ground made him shout so she could hear him. "The rain is heavier, come inside so you won't catch a cold" he said gesturing towards his cabin "then we can discuss about the damages and how I can get my picture off your phone" he pressed. But she didn't want to do any of that. She wanted to go home to Eden, she wanted to search for that bastard who killed her father and there she was wasting time in the rain with someone who aided none of her cause.

The rain began to fall even heavier now and she was drenched from head to toe, she felt her panty-hose and bra drip with water beneath her heavy woolly jackets, and jeans and she felt like a lost puppy in the rain. This man was making her feel that way and he was offering her solace in his warm cabin so she could take his picture off her phone; that was something Brandon did for years. He made her feel like he was the only one who could give her the comfort she needed only if she gave him ass. All men were the same; all men except for her father.

She was shivering from the cold but would rather freeze out here than accept going with him into that stupid-warm-cabin of his.

"Pride kills" he yelled at her but that was the only thing that kept her strong for years, that was what made her look forward. She hissed at him, opened her car door, sat inside and slammed it shut.

He looked at her for a while and shrugged "suit yourself" he left her there and went back into his warm-cozy-home.

She mouthed curse words and tried to turn on the heater but it was dead as the battery in her car. The cold shook her to the bones and the rain became intense. The cloud were grey and the night blankets began to cover the clouds. She tried to cuddle herself but there was nothing the cold clothes she wore could do.

Tears rose to her eyes but even that was hidden well by the water that dripped from her hairline to her face.

Luay made coffee and as he settled to drink, he thought about that obnoxious lady in the cold outside his cabin.

Well, she made her choice. He shrugged and took a sip of his coffee when something pulled him to his feet. Damn! He wouldn't want someone to die on him again.

He took an umbrella and a dry blanket from his drawer and went to her car.

She was forcing herself to remain conscious when she heard light knocks on the side glass. She used her palm to clean the steam marks on the glass and there he was again. "You are going to die there" he mouthed with a frown "you'll freeze to death" the rain didn't look like it would stop soon and it would fall into the night. She had called Edward but the network signal was awful. She tried a lot of times and soon, she ran out of phone battery. "I'll break the door if you don't open it!" He found himself saying.

After one deep sigh, she unlocked it and pushed it open. She was looking pale and her lips were dry and she was shivering. Not minding the intensity of the rain, he threw the umbrella aside and wrapped the blankets around her "can you walk?" He asked and she nodded.

It was only a matter of seconds before she found herself in his warm-stupid-cabin.

***************

She sat on the edge of the sofa looking at him with contempt and he sat opposite her. She had a warm cup of coffee in front of her she refused to touch and he was observing her carefully “You know, for a lady, you are…”

“ninety dollars and fifty cents” she cut him short. That was the only conversation she wanted to have with him “for the bashed bumper, the dead battery…”

Now, he was having second thoughts “Are you all about money?” he frowned but it was none of his concern. She was looking at him coldly, without any expression whatsoever on her face and that spooked him. Hope I haven’t brought home a serial killer or a psycho? He blinked.

The silence stretched between them for many minutes and her warm coffee tuned cold and it began to freeze and after many seconds, she spoke in that bland voice that hid everything she could be thinking. This puzzled Luay.

“Can I use your phone?”

“Yes” he said and slowly.

Still wrapped in that sheets, looking like Dracula, she moved to the landline she once used as weapon, dialed a quick number and waited for the receiver.

“Hello, Hello” There was an urgency in the voice that reached her.

“Edward, it’s me” she said slowly.

“Good gracious Alex, where the hell have you been?”

“Grady Gulch…”she looked at Luay and she caught him staring “Address?” she raised a brow and he told her “6^th Avenue, middle-stone bridge” she continued on the phone. Can you get me out of here as soon as ten minutes?”

“Jesus! Alex, Grady-fucking Gulch?” Edward exclaimed “what are you doing in that planet” well, it wasn’t important to him or anyone and it was unnecessary to tell him. “The road leading east is blocked honey, I’ll try to get you out of there as soon as possible but I can’t in ten minutes” He was honest and she knew it. She muttered a silent curse and replaced the receiver.

She turned slowly to the man who had caused all this “it’s your entire fault. All of this is your fault”

“You had a panic-attack! What in God’s name was I supposed to do?”

she didn't want anyone to know about it. Just like she had been living a different life ever since she left New York, she kept her health issues to herself alone.

In a cold bitter tone, she said “Leave me the hell there” she meant it. She was crazy.

“No I couldn’t.”

“Why?”

“Because you have my picture on your damn phone!” he loathed her every passing minute. She felt disappointment tie a knot in her belly, she couldn’t believe she was expecting him to say something different but they always proved her theory right. They were all the same! And by the way, what was his obsession with the picture on her phone anyway. “I don’t want my name to be on the news headlines again.” He didn’t know why he added that last part but he really meant it. “And so you know, I am fucking broke! I don’t have eighty dollars to pay you in a week, I’m yet to have my pay!”

“Ninety dollars and fifty cents" she corrected.

"Ninety whatever!"

"And why didn’t you say so?”

“Because you are a self-centered bitch who just want my money and nothing else” he didn’t think he would say that and as a matter of fact, it came out wrong but he already did and he couldn’t take it back. He found out that he was lashing out his frustrations as well.

She scoffed.

Of course not! How untrue! So outrageous! She cared about other things too, other things like trying to carry out her revenge on Brandon and any other man that took advantage of women or weaker people. She was a total communist that hated partiality and cheating and screwing people who are innocent over. She wasn't like her mother who was a money-grubbing-prick!

She wanted to grab a lamppost and smash it into his head but she refrained, she was keeping her anger issues in check even though it was difficult to do so around this man. He was pushing her to commit another felony, he was pushing her way too hard. She took in a quick breath and said "I'll get it after a month then" she was considerate.

This woman is nuts! Luay thought. She is a freakish-lady. Just then, there was a little tap on the door, a little twist on the knob and little Matt rushed in, taking off his rain coat at the doorstep. He hung the wet rain coat on the hanger and looked up to see the human-doll on her feet, draped in blanket. A wide smile cut across his face "you are awake!" He rushed to her and threw his little arms around her, hugging her tightly.

In shock, she looked at him. Where the hell did this maniac bring her to? She wriggled herself away from his touch, stood back and watched him in horror then she shot Luay a look.

"Matt, I thought you went with your mother to the store"

"Yes. We came back shortly because of the rain. She is on her way here with a bowl of soup" and just then, Sidney showed up.

"Oh my, you are awake. You scared the hell out of all of us"

She assessed Sidney from head to toe. She must be the animal doctor and like the insensitive person that she was, she blurted out "you are the animal-doctor"

And with pride, Sidney responded "why, yes."

This couldn't get any worse. She wanted to get out of here, she wanted to be among the sane she mingled with and not these people. She looked at the clock and it was past thirty minutes. She sat stiffly back at the edge of the sofa and Matt sat right in front of her. She was really uncomfortable with the way he grinned up at her and Sidney had placed the large bowl of soup in front of her. Edward, Edward, Edward she began to chant within her. She had never wanted Edward so badly the way she did now. She watched as time slowly slid by and nothing registered to her again apart from the ticking of the clock. The soup turned cold.

Then, there was someone at the door. She had never been so happy to see anyone in her life. "Oh dear, you look like you've been run over by a truck or something" and Matt found that funny. It was Edward and he was here to save her from the insanity she had found herself in. He removed the terrible looking blankets from over her shoulders and glanced at the Sidney and Luay. "Thank you. Here is my card, I'll be in touch" and Matt snatched it from him.

And they disappeared through the door.

"Oh yes. We'll be in touch" Luay collected the card  from Matt and settled on the sofa.

"It's just a photo" Sidney said to calm him but it wasn't. It never was.

*********************