CHAPTER 25
Rebecca made her way down to the kitchen preparing her self a late night snack. "Countess," Justus walked up behind her, "Justus, you startled me," She answered, "Has everyone left?" She further mentioned. "Everyone has left Countess, can I get you anything else?" He asked placing some champagne bottles back in the cabinet, "Have you seen Tristan?" She inquired wondering if he was alone or with Abby. "The last I saw of him was in the study about an hour ago," He replied with a smile, "Good night Countess." He left her to turn in for the night. Rebecca began to head up the stairs she entered the dimly lit hall, "Rebecca," Tristan spoke in a sarcastic tone she could tell he had been drinking heavily. He approached her, "I just asked Justus of your whereabouts," She stopped to face him he stumbled towards her, "Me?" He chuckled, "Yes and then I thought you might be with Abby," She looked at his facial expression for a clue. "She left earlier, I think with Marlene," He rested his back against the wall closing his eyes.
Rebecca lowered her shoulders, "Did she say something to you?" She asked digging for an answer. "No she didn't have to, she questioned me about Marlene in an odd way, shit!" He exclaimed slamming his fist to the wall. Rebecca lowered her head he opened his eyes giving her a blank stare, "My little sister, juggling two women at the same time," His voice slurred, "How do you manage? Huh? Poor Katherine she'll never be able to understand you the way I do." Rebecca gritted her teeth, "Stop being an asshole for once, Abby should have told you the truth about Marlene." She cried out confirming his suspicions about her, he settled himself, "You know when she told me she was only interested in being friends and she gave me the cold shoulder after I made an advancement towards her, I should've seen the warning signs." Rebecca embraced her brother, "At least she didn't let things get out of hand, she was trying to be upfront with you from the start, I'm sorry." She comforted him. "He shrugged, "Nah, I really liked her but nothing sexually or romantically ever happened between us." He laughed becoming amused with the situation.
"What will you do Rebecca?" His questioning sobering, "I don't know, it's you I'm worried about, Abby has a thing for Marlene, you have to stay out of it, I know how you felt about her but at least nothing ever happened." She stopped short, "Like it did with you and Marlene is what you wanted to say," He remarked coldly, "Marlene and I have a past, I can't deny that, I can only apologize for our misgivings so many times Tristan, I thought we were beyond that now, I knew about the two of them and I asked Abby to come clean with you." Tristan grimaced, "You were afraid I would react unkindly?" She could see the fire in his eyes, she hesitated to answer, "Yes only because I know how you are, I didn't want you to be hurt again, you're my brother and I love you but I also have to be cautious where Marlene is concerned, you have to understand Tristan, you've had it in for Marlene for a longtime her return here has opened a lot of old wounds." He looked at her in bewilderment.
"I feel sorry for Katherine, she doesn't deserve this, you have the opportunity of a lifetime with a woman who will give you everything unconditionally, don't throw it away with someone who can't give you what you want," Tristan was adamant. Rebecca sighed looking away from him briefly, "I love her Tristan actually I love them both." She answered arching her head back against the wall, gasping and rubbing her face with her hands. "Katherine loves you and I know you love her, you've said it, don't ruin it Rebecca." He straightened himself up making his way down the hall and away from Rebecca. Not another word was spoken between them she watched him open the door to his room and stumble in.
Rebecca retreated to her room flopping down on the bed she picked up her sketchpad and opened it to a blank sheet. She began to pencil in a sketch of a wedding dress, one for Marlene. Rebecca worked diligently on it late into the night.
Marlene and Abby lay in each other's arms in silence, Marlene groaned causing Abby to stir. "Hey you awake?" She questioned Abby, "I am," She answered snuggling closer to her. "The party, did something happen between you and Tristan?" Abby sighed, "Tristan got a little anxious, upset because I asked where you were and I told him we needed to talk," She remarked quietly. "Did you tell him about us?" Marlene inquired further raising her head up to get a look at Abby's face. "I tried, I think he knows, he scared me a little, we were in the study and he became angered, I left and then that's when I found you." She pulled Marlene closer holding her tightly in her arms. "So he doesn't really know? You should have been upfront with him Abby, Tristan has become very perceptive since our breakup." Abby rolled away from her sitting up in the bed. "I'm sure he found his sister and if I know Rebecca she told him everything." Her tone echoed a dis taste for Rebecca.
Marlene became curious of her words, "Rebecca wouldn't do that, if anything she would have tried to head off his anger and calm him, she warned you several times Abby, I don't think she would intentionally do that." Abby rolled her eyes, "Don't bet on it, when it comes to you she'll do anything to undermine me, us, this relationship," Marlene could see the stress on Abby's face. "By the way when you disappeared earlier, where were you?" Marlene thought back she slightly grinned as she relived the aggressive kisses that Rebecca had bestowed on her, "On the terrace taking in the night air, summer is about over and I wanted to enjoy it." She looked deeply into Abby's eyes, "Why?" She further asked, Abby shrugged, "Was Rebecca there?" Marlene's heart began to flutter, "Yes, yes she was." Abby moaned, "Did she corner you about Tristan? Me? Perhaps she wanted to feed you some bullshit about me, I don't want you seeing her," Abby demanded causing a shock to course through her. "What, I'm sorry but I work with her and there will be times she and I will be alone together Abby, where is this coming from?" Marlene became discontented.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that, I don't know what I was thinking, I realize you two have a history and I'm sure Katherine feels the same way as I do." Marlene felt anger and despair, "Really, Katherine, we don't need to discuss Katherine, that's Rebecca's worry not mine or yours, don't involve her, please." Abby tried to comfort Marlene, "I need to go, I have a family day planned for tomorrow, early," Abby grasped her, "It's late Marlene stay the night, I promise I'll have you up early." Marlene climbed out of bed, "Not tonight Abby," She began to dress. "Come on Marlene," She begged lifting herself up to her. "I'll see you tomorrow," Marlene wrapped the shawl back around her shoulders she kissed Abby's cheek, "Really, I'll see you tomorrow," She showed herself out. Abby laid back in her bed thinking, she picked up her phone scrolling to Tristan's number then quickly turning it off. She sighed rolling over, she knew she would have to call him and set things straight.
Abby awoke with the thought of how to approach Tristan she text him and anxiously awaited his reply. She dressed herself in hopes that he would contact her for a meeting she brushed the strands of her long hair looking in the mirror when the chime of her text startled her. Tristan had agreed to a meeting. Abby slipped on her jacket and headed to No Limits for coffee.
Abby sat at a table in the back when Tristan walked in with an apparent hang over. "Good morning," He offered gesturing for an expresso, "Good morning," Abby replied he sat down across from her. "I want to apologize for last night, I, we should have talked." She lowered her head. He remained quiet, "I should have told you about myself, my fault," She grimaced. "I don't know what to say Abby," He answered sternly. "I have an interest in Marlene as I'm certain your aware," He gasped, "Yes I am aware but don't get too cozy," She looked at him oddly, "Why would you say that? She and I have a good relationship." Abby pleaded as if trying to make a firm statement to him.
He became gruff and insensitive, "If you want to call screwing a relationship," Abby found it hard to swallow her coffee she nearly choked on it. "Tristan, how rude and ridiculous," She blurted out loudly. "You have no idea and you don't know Rebecca very well do you?" Tristan's questioning became abrasive. "Rebecca is not involved in our relationship, Marlene has lost any interest in her, are you forgetting about Katherine?" She winced, his laugh cruel, "She may love Katherine in a certain way but she'll never love anyone the way she loves Marlene, I know for a fact because I dealt with it first hand, I loved her she was my world, my life no matter how hard I tried to hold on, I couldn't, her love for Rebecca was way too strong," Abby began to tremble the force of his words were overbearing and arrogant. "She's with me now and I'll do what it takes to keep her, Rebecca doesn't know me at all Tristan so I wouldn't make such trivial statements," Her tone guarded but stern. Tristan finished his expresso, "We should keep things in a business way from now on my office will stay in touch where work matters are concerned, Marlene will never love you the way she does Rebecca, you should remember that when dealing with them, don't say I didn't warn you," He pulled out some cash from his pocket and tossed it on the table leaving Abby to contemplate how she'd handle things from now on.
Rebecca stirred the sunlight beaming through the window prickled her face she sat up looking around lost in a daze. The sketchpad she had been drawing on still atop her lap she gazed at the wedding dress she had drawn the night before. "It will look beautiful on you," She announced out loud and then looked around the room to see if any one else was present. Rebecca felt sad in a small way her attempts to get Marlene to stay the night were in vain she needed to remain positive and not let it become a setback. She set the sketchpad down reaching over to the jewelry box and lifting out the necklace. A thought came to mind she would return it to her making it a chance to see her. Rebecca raced from her bed and pulled out some stationary she would offer it back in a note Marlene could read. A plan had been set in motion tonight she would make her move.
Abby entered Marlene's flat a bottle of wine in hand and take out for dinner. "Hmmm, Chinese, my favorite," Marlene met her with a smile they sat on the sofa enjoying a movie. Abby laid back in Marlene's arms sipping her wine, "I met with Tristan this morning," She commented casually. Marlene picked up the remote turning the TV off, "When were you going to tell me?" She questioned anxiously. "I'm telling you now," She snickered quickly kissing her. "He wasn't very happy, rude actually," She reported with a raised brow. "I told you, I'm sure he was very arrogant and insensitive you have to realize I hurt him badly," She spoke running her fingers through Abby's hair. "I don't think he'll give us a problem, he told me we should remain business like and that I should be aware of Rebecca." Abby looked back at Marlene, "Rebecca won't be a problem, I think she understands we are seeing each other." Marlene spoke with assurance. "I don't know Marlene he seems to think there's something between you that can't be broken, a tie that binds you two." She remarked. Marlene's heart raced at the thought of the lovemaking they had recently shared.
"Abby, you shouldn't worry, really we've been over for a longtime." She held her tightly grasping her from behind and laying her head on the back of her shoulder. "I'm not worried, why should I be, I'm here with you," Abby reminded her she stood up taking her by the hand and leading her into the bedroom. They made love, Marlene clutched her hand holding it up, "That was nice," She told Abby romantically kissing the tip of ear. "I'm thirsty," Abby announced climbing out of bed and slipping into Marlene's robe, "Would you like a glass of wine?" She whispered, "Yes," Marlene lay against the pillows. Abby retrieved the wine from the refrigerator and began pouring them a glass when she heard a light rapping on the door. She craned her neck towards the bedroom to see if Marlene had stirred, she hadn't. Abby sat the wine glasses down and walked to the door answering it.
"Oh Rebecca it's you," She spoke with a soft quiet tone. Rebecca was speechless at first everything she had feared about their relationship was confirmed. "Is Marlene here?" She asked unable to swallow her lower lip begin to tremble as she bit it. Abby looked back towards the bedroom, "Really Rebecca she's busy right now," Rebecca nodded almost shameful of her uninvited visit. "Could you give this to her please," She asked in a kind manner not wanting to cause distraction or anger. Abby took the envelope from her and quickly closed the door leaving Rebecca standing there alone. She tossed the envelope on the countertop returning to the bedroom handing Marlene her wine, "Was someone at the door? I though I heard a knock," She asked curiously. Abby cleared her throat, "Yes, it was Rebecca, she wanted to see you, I told her you were busy, she left you an envelope, I put it in the kitchen." She replied with a half grin.
Marlene had a strange look, "I'm sorry I didn't know she would show up here," She voiced. Abby felt relief she figured that she might be miffed for not allowing Rebecca access to her. "She sat her wine glass down embracing Marlene kissing her passionately. Marlene's mind wondered to Rebecca her heartbeat quickened as the kisses from Abby reminded her of Rebecca, she dreamed of her, her touch the way she made her feel. "As much as I'm enjoying this, I should go, I have early meetings in the morning." She slipped off Marlene's robe and started dressing, Marlene began to shiver the need to retrieve the envelope left by Rebecca encompassed her, "Mind showing yourself out, I'm going to shower," She related to her, Abby obliged showing herself out. She waited for the clicking of the lock on the door before springing from the bed and racing to the kitchen.
With a knot in her stomach she slowly opened the envelope the necklace enclosed fell into her hand. Marlene groaned clutching it tightly she read the note.
"My Dear Marlene," It began, "I love you beyond this earth, you've had my heart since the day I held your hand at the hospital, I, was your moral support, you my best friend, I hope that one day we can be friends again even though our lives have gone separate ways, this necklace was the bond that held us together once, keep it safe and in remembrance of me, All my love, Rebecca." Marlene wept she folded the note back up, placing it in the envelope. She carried the necklace still clutched in her hand to the bedroom and laid in the bed thinking back to the time she was pregnant, she felt alone but Rebecca was there, Rebecca was always there, she fondly remember the touch of her hand the smile on her face telling her everything was going to be alright. Marlene continued to weep until sleep took her over.