So... this is a story that came out of nowhere and without warning. It's dark, it's messy and it takes place in a universe where Perry is married to someone else than Della... Do I still have your attention? Good, because this story is part of another story I've written many years ago. Perhaps it is easier to understand the whole context when you've read "The Price of Love". If not, here's a short summary: Perry married Laura, because she was pregnant with his child and as a result Della left him and found another husband with whom she has a healthy son. Due to Laura's pressure and ambition Perry has gone into politics, but as you can imagine he isn't THAT happy with his life and his marriage. But what about Della? Is she happy? As you can imagine her life and Perry's will always be intertwined...
I want to thank our dear Nora for her help and advice. Every mistake you may find, is my mistake, not hers!
Semper fidelis - Always faithful
"Absence is to love what wind is to fire" ~ Roger de Rabutin de Bussy
Chapter 1 – Times of Trouble
Georgetown, Friday, 26th October 1973
Della Street Carlisle looked down on the body at her feet, but didn't dare to scream. The man was obviously dead and the heavy chest wound left no question about the cause of his death. However, there was no knife and no gun. There was a lot of blood soaking her beige carpet. It sickeningly mixed with the foamy water running down her bare legs. She had only been in the shower for five minutes, if not less. How could she not have heard what had happened in here? Suddenly, realizing she could be in grave danger, her head shot up. The radio in the bathroom was still playing. She had increased the volume, before she went into the shower, because she wanted to hear her favorite song: "You Don't Own Me."
She was shaking with fear and the towel wrapped around her body fell down into the pool of blood. She froze. What if the murderer was still here? Carefully, she let her eyes trail the room. Her instinct told her she was alone, but she was also completely naked, and she wouldn't know how to defend herself, if someone attacked her. Holding her breath, while her heart threatened to explode in her chest, she waited and listened, but there was only the rattling noise of the radio and the moderator announcing it was almost midnight.
'Pull yourself together,' she scolded.
Whoever killed this man would have killed her too, if they had wanted to, because she was certainly vulnerable enough. With her arms wrapped around her freezing body, she stepped aside and blindly searched for her dressing gown on the bed. After she tied the sash of the robe, she picked up the receiver and dialed a number she had never called before, although she knew it by heart. She didn't know what else to do and she hoped God would forgive her for breaking a vow she had given more than once in the past, but for the last time, less than two hours ago.
Her eyes were fixed on the dead man on her bedroom floor. She didn't know him and she was too disgusted by his sight to say she was sorry he was dead.
'Wait a second,' she thought…her eyes opening widely. Suddenly, she recognized his face and knew where she had seen him before. "Oh no," she muttered, rubbing her temples. If only he hadn't died in her bedroom!
The person on the other end of the line finally picked up. It was late, but he had never been one to leave the office early.
"Mason."
Hearing him bark his name into the phone instantly calmed her nerves. She could still count on him and that would never change.
"It's me," she said, realizing her voice sounded as if it belonged to another person.
"Della? What's wrong?" It was as if he already knew she was in deep trouble.
"Please, just listen to me... I think I need you..." It wasn't the best way to phrase things, but what else was there to say?
She heard something drop on his desk…probably a file or some other paperwork. Perhaps the draft for his next speech?
"What's wrong?" he asked again, concern clouding his voice.
"Perry, I'm in trouble. I'm in so much trouble..." Without going into detail, she asked him to meet her in her apartment as soon and as discreetly as possible. If she was lucky, he could get inside the building without being seen.
While she tried to figure out how to get dressed, without leaving too much evidence, her mind trailed off to a time about four weeks ago. Maybe that night had been the beginning of it all. Maybe tonight was the climax of a series of events that had started four weeks ago and she just hadn't seen it coming. If her husband lost his career because of her, he would never forgive her. And what about her son? The last thing she wanted was for him to watch his parents get torn apart by a scandal that she could have prevented - if she had only done what was right, instead of what was easy.
Near Sacramento, Friday, 28th September 1973
Della's hands were shaking as she lit herself a cigarette and inhaled deeply. It was her first cigarette since she had learned about her pregnancy almost nine years ago. She had stopped the habit when she learned it didn't do her or the baby any good.
With the first slow drag, she was shaken by a heavy cough and dropped the cigarette. Her ribs were aching, but she picked it up and lit it again. She needed something to cling to... something to help her hold herself together. She leaned backwards against her car, oblivious to the beautiful sunrise that took place in front of her. The beach was deserted…odd for this time of day. The air was too crisp for her to continue to stand there in a sleeveless dress, but she didn't feel the cold. An all-consuming fear controlled her. Almost every part of her body ached from physical and mental pain. Her wrists were bruised… so was her neck. The way her rib cage ached, she wouldn't be surprised if her upper body was bruised too. She also had a disgusting taste in her mouth that the cigarette couldn't cover up. Her head was splitting in pain and her stomach felt like a stone. Unable to comprehend what happened to her, she finished her cigarette and lit the next one. For the first time in her life, she was truly scared and this included the time when she had feared for her fiance's life after a terrible car accident. She had just experienced a blackout…the first of her life. The ultimate loss of memory and control was driving her insane. All she knew was she needed to go home as soon as possible. Her husband and her son were waiting for her. Richard and Ruben were waiting for her and she needed to be to fine for them. There was no way they could ever know about last night. She would stop at the next gas station… perhaps the one where she had bought the cigarettes. There, she would freshen up and cover the exposed marks on her body with make up or what else she could find in her purse. No one would find out about last night. No one. She would simply bury it and never think about it again.
~~tbc~~
