Part 4- Updated 05/02/2018
Chapter 49
Part 1
Darkness is feared by all even for those who have never seen the light of day. If anyone says otherwise, they're lying. Each step felt uncertain, but the fear of not knowing where that step will take her gradually lessened with her love by her side. The flowers of various colors along the healthy green lawn, the black steel gate their car just passed thru a moment ago, the surveillance cameras installed on all sides of the house and pots of green plants and clusters of bright flowers in the corner of the porch all became vivid mental images as the surroundings were described to her.
"Ready?"
Ready? What's there to be ready for? It's not like she doesn't know who's inside. Nadia, Janet, Zander, Alexis, and she has no doubt Ethan is waiting for her. And she's right except that she wasn't expecting a dog. Hugs came before she even had a chance to sit down. Tears of joy from Nadia, Janet, and Alexis could be heard.
Are you hungry? was the first question asked by Nadia which she wasn't surprised by because Scud already told them that Nadia was cooking at home when he picked them up from the airport. First class meal may be better than economy class's but it's nothing compared to Nadia's cooking.
How are you feeling? was a question from Alexis that Amy didn't feel it was necessary to respond to no matter who asked because the moment she had Zander in her arms, her smile could be seen by all.
"He's grown so much."
"Not just him…me too...but I'm determined, this time, I'll be able to lose it."
Janet's attempt in inducing laughter doesn't always work but this time it did. Even if Janet didn't say it, she already knew that Janet gained a bit of weight when she hugged her.
What did the doctor say? is a question that nobody asked probably because Lucy already told them. But did she tell them how I betrayed her? Did she tell them I did it to set her free and not because I wanted my name cleared? Do they know what my intentions were? It seems that they do because no one said anything to her that indicated otherwise.
"I'm glad you're back."
It seems that Ethan hasn't changed much, still looking out for her, tending to her needs by putting a cushion behind her back and making sure she's comfortable. There will be time to talk later. With everyone around, now isn't the time to talk privately. Now is the time to play with little Zander and hear Janet complain about not getting enough sleep and how she decided to quit her job to devote her time in losing the excess weight. Now is the time to take a tour around the house and try to remember how many steps it would take to get to the kitchen from the living room, from the stairs to the bedroom and more importantly from the king size bed to the master bathroom.
With her head resting comfortably on the pillow, Amy snuggled closer to the warmth of the body next to her, feeling as though that nothing has changed. But something has changed besides her health. Coming back here, she thought she knew what to expect but was surprised to find that Ethan has changed a bit when he told her:
If she's not good to you, if she hurts you in any way, let me know.
Was he joking? He sounded serious. Does he still not know who Lucy is? Regardless, Amy appreciated his concern but the fact that he chose her over Lucy, the one who saved him, Nadia, and Alec, surprised her. There was something else she learned today, something she never expected Alexis to say.
"Lucy, Alexis said…." She didn't forget about Alexis' request. It just wasn't on the top of her list since she wasn't feeling well. She did, however, had Max look into it but found nothing on Holly. "…she wants me to lie to Nadia about Holly. Do you think I should?" She didn't agree but would like to know what Lucy thinks.
"no" For a moment there, Lucy thought Alexis told her about the magazine cover with her and the megastar. But that ridiculous thought disappeared as quickly as it came.
"Why?"
"because she's not going to believe you…."
Oh…Amy was expecting her to say something else but not that and only now realizes that they must be feeling the same way as Aunt Erin. Lies, lies, lies…that's what you get for lying so much. Nobody believes you. Not even Aunt Erin who thought she was pretending to be crying at that moment in the hospital. It's understandable why she would think that because Lucy's sudden appearance shocked her and without being given a detailed explanation of what happened between them, it only made sense for Aunt Erin to think that she had been found, that she failed to escape from Lucy's grasp so she had to continue to play her role. Thankfully, it didn't take much to convince Aunt Erin. All it took was for Max to introduce herself as a government agent, not Lucy's lackey. But it wasn't just because of Max. She later realized it's because of Lucy.
"I don't blame you. She's insanely gorgeous. I would turn gay for her."
That's one comment Amy never expected her aunt or any mother in their 50's to say. There's no sense in saying that she fell in love with Lucy not because of her looks because who would believe that? Certainly not Aunt Erin. She was speechless and was quite embarrassed at the same time when Aunt Erin continued to describe Lucy as a looker, a chick magnet, and someone whom she too could fall for. If Sydney was the one who asked how sex is with the former criminal leader, she wouldn't be as shocked and blushing. Although uncomfortable with the questions, it brought back the awkward feeling she experienced as a child, as if her mother was with her at that moment, as if those questions were asked by her own mother.
"Does she know how much you love her?"
"Of course she does."
She was confused as to why Aunt Erin asked the question but after hearing Aunt Erin's reasons for her divorce, she came to understand why. Maybe Aunt Erin has a point. It's obvious to her but it might not be obvious to Lucy, especially after the numerous lies she told.
"Lucy…I do love you."
One minute Amy was talking about Alexis and Nadia, the next she's confessing her love. Lucy is confused with the change of topic. "umm…what are you doing?"
"Okay, I know some things might not be obvious, but…" Amy said while keeping her left hand on Lucy's crotch.
"Doc said…no sex…for at least a month…"
"What?!" Lifting herself up, Amy knows that she's overreacting but who cares. What she wants to know is why. At the hospital a week ago, she didn't realize Lucy brought two doctors with her until she was introduced to them. One of them is a brain surgeon who worked for Uncle Nick, the other is the same doctor who once operated on Lucy, the same one who knows nothing about having babies.
"Amy…calm down…okay…please…just calm down…"
I am calm……just a little ticked… Her vision is still a problem but the surgery to clip the aneurysm was successful so she's at a loss with what that has to do with having sex. Making love had always been her way to let Lucy know that she loves her. Even though she couldn't see, she didn't see that as a reason not to have sex. Makes no sense. Makes her wonder if he is crazy.
"okay…just breathe…breathe babe…just breathe…"
Lucy hugged her to calm her down before explaining.
"Doc said hypertension can cause aneurysm to rupture. If you get angry, get upset, any kind of strong emotions can raise your blood pressure. You know how you…when we…" Lucy didn't say it to embarrass her, but to let her know that there is a reason the doctor suggested that.
Amy can't deny the fact that it does make sense. If that crazy doctor remembers her question the last time, she has no doubt he remembers why she asked. A month, 2 months, she's willing to wait but if he thinks that I shouldn't have kids if my sight doesn't improve, that's out of the question.
"Lucy, whether I can see or not, I still want to have kids."
"I know…and I'm not going to try to talk you out of it because I know I can't." Lucy did think about it but knew she would fail. Just imagining Amy screaming at the top of her lungs while in labor caused her heart to pound. "Just promise me, from now on, just…don't let anything get to you…remain calm…okay?"
All Amy had wanted to do was go to sleep after taking a shower. Having sex was not on her mind nor was this topic but she was happy to know that Lucy had been thinking about their future with kids, their future with the possibility that she could never see. Just thinking about the possibility that she could never see the face of her unborn child made her want to cry but at the same time she feels blessed to have Lucy who deserves more than just a kiss.
It's dark. Lucy couldn't see but felt one hand on her face, a kiss on the other side of her cheek, then another. "I know I'm irresistible but try to control yourself, okay?" It's a joke. She had no doubt it would not be taken the wrong way.
"I have it under control." Amy whispered and continued nipping Lucy's neck lightly. "…no sex…for me…" It's not about sex. It's about maintaining control of her blood pressure which would be impossible to do while having sex but as long as Lucy keeps her hands to herself, I'll be fine. "How does this feel, babe?" She always hated when Bobby called her that but when Lucy called her a moment ago, it sounded sweet and adorable, actually better than being called 'honey.'
Quickly taking Amy's hand out of her underwear, Lucy shifted away and admitted that she won't be able to control herself if she lets this continue. Being touched feels good but touching Amy feels better. If sleeping in another room is an option, she would do so but she can't because Amy can't see. As she was about to make the suggestion of sleeping on the floor, she thanked whoever is knocking on the door. I can't sleep on the floor. It's uncomfortable.
"Lucy?"
After opening the door, Lucy was expecting Nadia to say what's on her mind not walk passed her as if she's invisible. Their quarrel might have ended that night after getting the unexpected call and Nadia might have agreed to discontinue contact with that pervert doctor for awhile but it seems that Nadia wants to continue where they left off.
"Were you able to find anything on Holly?"
Amy was expecting the question but not tonight, not at this hour.
"no, Nadia, I can't find anything on Holly. She doesn't work for Petrie. She's not an agent."
She didn't have access to the spy list, but Mr. P does and he couldn't find anyone with the name of Holly or anyone that young to be working as an undercover agent in London.
"So she's not a spy?"
"I don't think she is." Amy felt it was necessary to let her know what she thinks since she did think Holly was involved not long ago. But getting no findings from Mr. P or Helene, she felt it's safe to say that it was a coincidence that Holly left at about the same time when Petrie's agents came. She might not know why Holly left but hopefully this would make Nadia feel better.
"Thank you. That's all I want to know."
Being satisfied with the response doesn't mean she's happy. Amy could only wonder what Nadia is thinking right now. She didn't have to ask because Nadia let them know the real reason she came.
"Tomorrow, I'm going to California to look for Holly. I know you don't want me to and I'm not asking you to go with me. Ethan is going with me."
"Nadia…"
"No! Lucy! I listened to you. I didn't go back. I didn't pick up his calls. But you…how can you do this to him? He did nothing wrong! He was trying to help me!"
Lucy was about to say 'what?' but Nadia misinterpreted the sign of clueless on her face.
"Stop pretending! He quit. Are you happy now?"
Lucy had to stop Nadia from leaving because she hates being accused of something she didn't do. She's happy that pervert doctor is out of the picture, but would like to know what happened.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." That's the truth. But did Scud do something? Scuddd…. Having been worried sick about Amy in the past week, she doesn't blame him for not bothering her about this, but if he did do something, she expected him to fill her in, not last week, but there were many opportunities for him to tell her today.
"Doesn't matter. I'm leaving tomorrow. Just don't…don't try to stop me."
The loudness of Nadia's voice was enough for Amy to know how angry she is. At least she didn't slam the door to show her frustration and anger. Nadia isn't that type of person. But would she have if I'm not here? Hearing footsteps followed by movement on the bed, Amy was surprised that Lucy didn't go after Nadia and slipped into bed as if nothing happened. But then again, what could she do if she did go after her? What Nadia needs is someone more capable than Ethan to go with her. If she could see, she would.
"So what did you do and who is…he?" Amy got the point after hearing a long loud sigh but she really wants to know. Again feeling heavy movement on the bed again, she wondered if Lucy is heading to the bathroom so she waited and listened long enough to know that Lucy did not go to the bathroom.
"Lucy?"
Getting no response, she didn't doubt that she heard correctly because with one sense gone, others became better.
"Lucy!"
"Amy, calm down…breathe baby…breathe…"
Clearly, Lucy was ignoring her question so she had to shout and had forgotten what it would do to her blood pressure. It wasn't her intention to scare her but it worked. She got her answer but will have to wait for tomorrow to find out what Scud did to Doctor Stubbendick. First Holly, now a doctor? Getting a good night kiss meant end of discussion. Amy tried to move closer but was prevented from doing so.
"umm…what's this?"
"pillows…"
I'm blind not numb. Not only one, there were 2 jumbo size pillows lined up between them. "Lucy, you're being ridiculous."
"I'm not going to be able to control myself. So let's just put these here temporarily, okay?" Admitting to having no self-control would sound better than saying that she(Amy) doesn't.
This is not how Amy expected the outcome to be. All she had wanted to do is remove any doubts that Lucy might still have about her love for her since the $100 million worth of bit coins that she took from her was never discussed. If Lucy asks, she would have told her that Kim was the one who helped her. If Lucy asks, she would have told her that she didn't tell anyone with the exception of Kim who found out that Anthony is actually the account holder. If Lucy asks, she would have told her about the agreement she made with Mr. P's superior including why Max said she gave her oral sex when she didn't.
...maybe Max already told her…
...maybe Mr. P already told her...
…maybe…just maybe…she knows where Holly is?
Part 2 - updated 04/21/18
Darkness is frightening. What's even more frightening is not being able to wake up while knowing you're in a dream. She hasn't had one of these for a long, long time and each time, she failed to wake up no matter how hard she tried and just like now, each breath becomes quicker than the previous as if running out of oxygen.
"…Amy…breathe…slowly…breeeathe…"
The surrounding might no longer be dark but the brightness blinded her. Although all she could see is whiteness like puffs of white clouds, the soothing voice from her mother brought comfort instantly. "mom?"
"That's it, baby…breathe…"
Tears instantly formed, running down her cheeks because it's the first time she's unable to see her mother's face in a dream.
"ssshh…it's okay, baby…"
Amy didn't try to hold it in and burst into tears, sobbing loudly onto her mother's shoulder. "I can't see..mom…I can't see…my eyes…my brain…mommm…I…there's...aneurysm…" She knew she was speaking incoherently but also knew her mother would understand.
"I know…baby…I know…ssshhh…sshhh…"
The magical touch from her mother's hands stroking gently up and down her back combined with her mother's soothing voice always could do wonders, gradually bringing her back into the state of calmness.
"Feel better?"
She does. Despite not being able to see her mother's face, Amy does feel better, no longer wants to cry, no longer feeling the pounding of her heart, no longer struggling to breathe.
"good…"
Good? She might have had a long episode of not being able to remember who she is but since that day of the accident, her memory came back in full, not in segments like Lucy, so she knows that the only time her mother would use the word 'good' and in that tone is when she has something to say and it's never good.
"Now stop lying, Amy."
"What?"
"Amy Bradshaw!"
Amy heard loud and clear and each time she heard, her whole body would tense up, knowing that she had been found out, her mind would be thinking 'How? How did she know?' but that's not what she's thinking at this moment. Denying never crossed her mind either.
"...mom...no one has to know…"
"AMY!"
A shiver of fear ran thru her body. Even though she couldn't see, she's embarrassed to face her mother. Her head spontaneously drooped, her eyes looking down at nothing but whiteness. Now she knows why her father isn't here. If he is, he would've taken her side.
"How many lies have you told?"
Even though most of her lies were necessary, she knew it would be useless to try to defend herself and knowing that it's a rhetorical question, she didn't answer but she didn't expect her mother to come up with a number.
"39,678"
'What?' isn't the question she's thinking of. 'How did you come up with that?' isn't either. What she is thinking of is 'Is that a lot?' but she's afraid to ask.
"You need to tell her. She has a right to know...what happened to Brooke."
Brooke? Amy wouldn't have known what happened to Brooke if she did not visit Jack that day, her last attempt to persuade him to give up the location of the sex videos and the keys before she left to see her aunt. Instead of using torture, she tried using the same method she once used on Jehan. Telling him the truth about herself being an undercover agent surprised him to the point where he couldn't stop laughing until his body hurts. Was he laughing at himself for being deceived or was he laughing at Luke? Probably both. Letting him know that she succeeded in getting Luke to give up $100 million dollars in exchange for freedom, she hoped that he would be willing to do the same. Would he have if his injuries weren't so severe? She couldn't tell but his confession prior to him falling into another coma told her what a sick bastard he is.
"Why? She's going to blame herself."
"You don't know that."
Amy is shocked with her mother's response. Unless she didn't get the memo, she should know what Jack did to Brooke after she broke up with him. "Mom, do you know what he did to her?"
"You believe him?"
There is an intention in every lie but in this case, Amy couldn't think of one because who would confess to rape if he didn't do it? If he thought his reasons justified what he did to Brooke, he's more insane that she thought. He wasn't a child when he took over his step-father's place as the leader of the secret organization nor was he forced to. So to blame Brooke for encouraging him, changing him, turning him into the person that he became, that only showed what a bastard he is for not taking the responsibility for his own decisions.
"Amy, he loves her."
How absurd? If he loves her, then why didn't he leave with her when she asked him too? It's because power and money were more important. If he loves her, then why would he hurt her? It's because he loves himself more.
"Mom, he threatened her to force her to stay with him. Do you know what he threatened her with?" He may have shown remorse, but no amount of remorse would get her sympathy.
"Amy…"
Amy heard and was waiting for her mom to continue.
"Amyyyy"
Hearing her name being called again, she didn't understand until she heard her name being called the third time. That's her mother's way of telling her that she's wrong and stop talking and start thinking.
"Amy…"
Hearing her name being called the fourth time confused her. "Yes, mom"
"We're proud of you, very, very proud."
These words that she hoped to hear brought tears to her eyes. A part of her knew that they would be but another part of her is uncertain of how they would feel about the decision she made since it brought Aunt Erin problems. And now…she knows. But there is something else she wants to know and this would be a good time to ask but she realized that in a dream, her thoughts could be heard.
"I like her but not as much as your father does."
oh...That didn't surprise Amy since she had a feeling that would be the case, but she didn't expect her mother to say this.
"But you need to tell her she has to do more, otherwise I'm not opening the gate for her when the time comes, even if she is my daughter-in-law."
Part 3
One of the disadvantages of not being able to see is not knowing what time it is. 10 AM is not late but for Amy, it is since she used to wake up at 7 or 8.
"I can feed myself." Amy said after swallowing a spoonful of oatmeal that was fed to her.
"no, no, no, your mother said to do more, so…that's what I'm doing."
Amy was thrilled to get her mother's approval until she heard her last comment. She may have said she likes Lucy but her last comment clearly hinted that she's not completely satisfied with having Lucy as her daughter-in-law. It seems that Lucy is offended by it.
"You're not mad, are you?"
"Of course not…" Hearing about the dream Amy had, Lucy couldn't be happier for her. She too wished she could have dreams of her own mother but that hasn't happened for a long, long time. Getting Amy's parents approval is good to know but whether they approved of her or not, it didn't matter but she noticed how important it is to Amy who immediately told her about the dream after she woke up. Her smile, her excitement, her glow of happiness, and the way she confidently walked to the bathroom by herself in a faster pace, Lucy had thought that Amy could see until she asked her to get her clothes. But it's when Amy closed the bathroom door immediately after telling her what her mother also said that made her realized why Amy was hesitant in answering her question(What else did she say?). I'm going to hell... "…open…"
Taking in another spoonful into her mouth, Amy reached out to take hold of Lucy's hand and the spoon. "I don't think this is what she meant."
"I know what she meant."
Amy couldn't see but noticed the change in mood from Lucy's tone. This would be a good time to divert the conversation to Brooke but she has yet to understand what her mother has hinted to her. Telling Lucy what Jack did to Brooke would surely drive her insane and it wouldn't surprise her if Lucy wants to go back to the US to confront Jack, then kill him herself. So it's definitely not a good idea to tell her, at least not now. Besides, he's still in a coma.
"Lucy, listen to me…" After putting the spoon down on the table, Amy reached out to cup both of Lucy's cheeks and pulled her face in closer to her own. "I…love…you, you understand." This is to let her know that if she can fall for her, then there's no reason why her mother wouldn't forgive her. "You saved a lot of people, now, all you have to do…is…more."
Lucy believed that there is an afterlife but like many, she didn't make her decisions based on what will happened to her after death. And now having heard from Brooke and Amy's mother that she's going to the same place as Schaeffer, Benjamin, Jehan and all the scumbags whom she disliked, she realized the Lord isn't as forgiving as she thought despite all the good things she did.
"Did she say specifically what I have to do?" If donating money will help, she's willing to donate more. But she's already given up $100 million so she's not sure what else she has to do to get the heavens above, in this case, her future mother-in-law, to reconsider.
Amy didn't think Lucy would take her mother's advice seriously but she's glad that she did. It might only be a dream but she truly believes that it was a message from her mother who's now with the Lord and looking over her. "No, but you can start off with…" As she was about to say to start doing research on charity organizations to see which one is legitimate and which one is worth donating to, their conversation is interrupted by Nadia.
"Where is it?"
Very rarely does Nadia get upset and each time that she is, she has a reason to be which made Amy wonder what Lucy did this time because the question is directed to her.
"Where is my passport?!"
Amy has no idea what time Nadia's flight is since she hasn't seen her all morning. Now she knows.
"I don't know."
Is she pretending? Amy can't tell nor could she think of a reason why Lucy would prevent Nadia from looking for Holly besides the fact that she doesn't think it's safe for her to go alone with Ethan.
"Amy, please…this is very important to me…"
Amy understood why Nadia would be asking her but she's not sure if Lucy would listen to her.
"Lucy, did you take her passport?" Accusing her of doing so wouldn't be right, so she could only ask in a gentle voice.
"I didn't."
"Did you check everywhere, Nadia?" Asking Nadia would let Lucy know that she believes her even though she's not certain if Lucy is telling the truth.
"It was in my room, on my bed. It's gone after I came back."
Okay. Nadia sounded certain. If she didn't have problems with her vision, she would go upstairs and tried to look for it, but knowing that Nadia probably did and not knowing what Lucy did this morning, there is a possibility that Lucy could be lying. But again, why would she take Nadia's passport while knowing that she can't stop Nadia from going to the US? What is she going to do? Steal her passport again next time…
"Nadia, I swear to God, I did not take your passport."
That is enough for Amy to believe her but might not be enough for Nadia. "I'll call Max, I'll call Mr. P. Nadia, I know you're anxious, but I would feel better if Max is there with you." This will at least assure her that she's not on Lucy's side. "...and I'm sorry. If I could, I would go with you." Getting a hug from Nadia, she realized she succeeded in convincing her and not hearing anything else except footsteps followed by the sound of the door closing could only mean one thing. She still thinks Lucy took it.
"Amy, I didn't take her passport."
"I believe you." Whether she did or not, the fact remains. Like Alexis, she doesn't want her to look for Holly.
This being the second day back, Amy didn't expect the atmosphere to be like this. Nadia has been in her bedroom after failing to find her passport. Why she would think that Lucy would hide the passport in their bedroom is beyond her. But go right ahead. Knowing Lucy, their bedroom would be the most unlikely place to hide it. Scud and Janet went out to take a walk before dinner time. Ethan chose to stay for dinner after helping his sister searched thru the entire house. Lucy has just left to go upstairs leaving her alone with Ethan which she found this moment to be a bit awkward. But it seems that Ethan has been waiting for this moment, otherwise he wouldn't have said:
"If you need my help, just let me know."
Why did he say that? It seems that he has somehow misinterpret the information he was given otherwise he wouldn't think that she came back for a reason other than to be with Lucy.
"Do you know where it is?"
If he didn't know she was an agent, if he never heard about the Underground Chamber, the secret organization, the man-made structure, he wouldn't think that the reason she came back is to find the last key. What else can she say besides you got it all wrong?
"Ethan, I love her. I always have." I'm so sorry.
She regretted letting him think that he had a chance years ago. If she did not, he wouldn't have chosen to believe the lie she told instead of the truth. She regretted not talking to him more often. If she did, then he wouldn't think badly of Lucy. She regretted not giving him an explanation of why she broke up with Lucy, but the reason she didn't is because she thought he knew. "What are you doing?"
"You can see?"
"Amy, I found it!"
Not wanting to give Lucy the wrong idea, Amy quickly let go of Ethan's wrist. The excitement in Lucy's voice is obvious. But what exactly did she find?
"Guess what happened to the passport? Guess, you'll never guessed it."
It's been a while since she 'saw' Lucy acting this way, behaving like a child running down in excitement, but she understood why. It's because she's been vindicated. If Ethan still thinks she's pretending, then hopefully this will let him know that she's not. Putting both arms around Lucy's shoulder, Amy took one step into Lucy's private space. "mmm…what do I win if I get it right?" It's cruel to do this in front of Ethan. But she now realized it's necessary.
"anything you want"
…anything?...Wow…should have thought of using this method sooner.
"…and if you're wrong?" Lucy didn't have this in mind before she came down with good news.
"…anything…you…want…" Sorry, Ethan. Amy leaned forward, allowing Lucy to close the gap between their mouths. It wasn't a long kiss. It wasn't short either but it should show Ethan that she has no reason to kiss Lucy if she is still pretending.
"okay, guess, guess…"
Amy couldn't help but smile at Lucy's childish behavior which reminded her of how Ashley was when she was younger. "…mmm…Cocoa…" Amy didn't have to ask if she's right because Lucy stopped moving instantly. Being asked how she knew is expected. What she didn't expect is for Lucy to accuse her of knowing prior to the bet. …Sore loser…. "Cocoa was barking upstairs, then you came down." She's the one who gave it away. She's the one who was too thrilled to have found out the truth to even think of anything else. It could also be the kiss that obstructed her from thinking logically. That was the other purpose of kissing her and it worked.
Getting an apology from Nadia didn't surprise her, but what did is when Nadia made everyone laugh by telling them the time when Cocoa destroyed her purse. Who would believe that a dog could get jealous? Who would believe that a small white maltese dog would know to how to prevent the one who has been taking care of him from leaving? Laughter during dinner time is what Amy hoped to hear but she never thought that Nadia would be the one making everyone laugh. It seems that Nadia has fully come to believe that Dr. Stubbendick's resignation has nothing to do with Lucy because she didn't ask about it.
"Guess where he hid my phone?"
If others didn't hear the story from the beginning, they would think that Nadia is talking about a person not a dog. No one answered except for Lucy who guessed 'under the bed' which it's where she found the passport with pages teared and chewed up; in this case, it's under Nadia's bed.
"…no, in the coat closet, in one of Holly's boots…"
"How?"
The question came from Janet but Amy could imagine how it happened since Nadia didn't say if the closet door was closed or in what position the boot was in, standing up or sideways? Most likely, it's sideways. But it's surprising to see how a dog can be so sensitive and to be able to display that type of behavior…just like a human. Laughter could be heard including Ethan's but his state of being quieter than usual is also apparent. Does he still think I'm pretending? He shouldn't. If he still does, then this will convince him.
"I know this might not be a good time, but…I think I've waited long enough." Silence immediately could be heard except for Zander's voice so Amy knows she got everyone's attention. "Lucy, I want to get married…as soon as possible…" She could feel her own heart pounding yet she has no idea why. It's not like Lucy is going to say no. It's not like anything will be different after marriage. But maybe it's because imagining herself walking down the aisle with everyone watching that's making her nervous.
"Okay"
Okay is not the response Amy is expecting but good enough. Taking the opportunity, Amy pulled Lucy in a tight hug, then planted one short kiss on her cheek, then a few on her lips. Sorry Ethan. Leave it to Janet to create more sounds of joy by clapping her hands. No 'congratulations' could be heard not that she's expecting any because really, how many times have they tried this? Questions about the wedding arrangements is not what she wants right now and she's glad that no one asked. But she did get one from Nadia and Ethan after dinner in Nadia's bedroom with just the three of them. It seems that the announcement of her marriage didn't come at the right time like she had thought otherwise Nadia wouldn't think that she was trying to prevent her from looking for Holly. What?
"Nadia, you do what you have to do…" Even though no date has been set yet, there is a possibility that Nadia won't be here when the time comes. "…and I'll do what I have to do." Even though she wants Nadia to be at her wedding, this will let her know that she's not going to wait for her and more importantly, this will let her know that she has no intention of keeping her here.
"I'm sorry…"
"Don't be…I understand." Nadia does but it seems that Ethan still doesn't otherwise he wouldn't have asked:
"What are your plans?"
Amy had thought that he was referring to her wedding plans and only came to realize that he was referring to her mission when he told Nadia that she was pretending to be blind.
"Ethan, what are you talking about?"
It seems that Ethan has been keeping his thoughts to himself because Nadia has no clue. So before Ethan makes a fool of himself in front of his own sister, she feels it's necessary to clarify why she was able to grab hold of his hand earlier. It's not because she could see, but she's not completely blind either. If there are no lights in the room, then she wouldn't be able to tell. It wasn't her intention to hide it from them, they just never asked. But before she could give them an example of how much she could see, a loud voice could be heard. So loud, they sensed the urgency. So loud, they knew who it's from. The question is what is Alexis doing here at this time of the night without calling first. The second question is why is Alexis shouting:
"Nadia!...Nadia!"
Part 4
Nadia left the bedroom first. This would be a good time to try to explain to Ethan again but what could she say that she hasn't already said? There is one thing.
"Now you can ask her for the key."
…Ethan…anything doesn't mean anything…
Clearly, he misinterpreted her intention of making the bet. Clearly, he overestimated her ability and underestimated Lucy's intelligence.
"If she won't, then don't marry her, see what she'll say…"
Apparently, the marriage announcement didn't convince him either.
"Ethan, I…" Amy trailed off when she suddenly heard shouting from downstairs. This time it didn't just come from Alexis and this time, not only her, Ethan also felt it's necessary to go down immediately to stop the argument. Lucy, what did you do this time?
Amy went down as fast as she could but didn't have to be downstairs to know why Nadia is so upset because Alexis' accusation could be heard a mile away.
"Then why is she there?!"
The photograph in the magazine isn't clear to Amy, but clear enough for Nadia to have no doubts that the person with the sunglasses is Holly. What is Holly doing in the same picture with the megastar remains a mystery but Amy didn't think Holly is there to hurt the megastar. How Alexis came up with that? There's only one logical explanation. Love. It's because she's in love with the megastar, she feared that people would hurt her. Love makes people do crazy things. Love also makes people think of crazy things, no matter how unlikely it seems.
"It might be a coincidence."
Coincidence? It's possible since Holly is a fan of the megastar but unlikely because Holly wasn't asking for an autograph like the other people nor was she taking pictures. Then what is she doing there, standing a few feet away? And why does Lucy think it's just a coincidence? Shouldn't she be thinking the same thing as Alexis?
"Call her. Tell her about Holly. Tell her that she might be in danger."
"Alexis, don't you think you're overreacting?"
Amy agrees, however, she doesn't see any harm in giving the megastar a call. Unless Lucy doesn't have her number which I doubted and if she says she doesn't have it, I'm not going to believe it. She didn't but she did say the megastar has a lot of protection so there's nothing to worry about. But that didn't convince Alexis because the fact remains.
"Then what is Holly doing there?'
Lucy didn't respond because Nadia did. "I know what you're thinking. But you're wrong. Holly wouldn't hurt anyone. She's not a spy!"
There was silence which Amy found uncomfortable with especially when she heard the sound of sniffing from Nadia. That's it. She needed to stop this. She needed to tell Lucy to make the call but as she was about to, she realized Alexis came at the this time of the night without calling first because she has an idea which would satisfy everyone, especially Nadia because what would be a better way to find Holly than using the power of social media? Now that there is a picture of Holly, all they have to do is post it on a social media site. With the megastar's fame and her hundred million followers, news will spread faster than wildfire. The chances of finding Holly just became very possible. That sounds like a great idea but Amy had to take a moment to think about the consequences. Would the media dig into Holly's background once they find her? Would they want to find out why she's there and what connections she has with the megastar? If they do, would it lead to Lucy? Before she could think it thru and before she could tell Alexis and Nadia to hold on a minute, Lucy beat her to it.
"Wait! You can't!"
Amy might not be able to see clearly but saw their movement and heard the numerous footsteps to know that Lucy's command is being ignored. Lucy has a good point even though she hasn't yet explained why.
"Nadia!...Alexis!...wait!..."
Amy followed as quickly as she could. With Ethan's assistance, she was able to walk up the stairs more quickly. Since they weren't listening to Lucy, she too called out in the hopes that Alexis would stop and listen to what she has to say. "Alexis, wait!" Can't blame Nadia for not listening at this point because she herself acted the same way months ago to find Lucy.
"Alexis! Open the door!" Lucy knocked hard while turning the knob.
"Nadia! I know you're anxious, but let's just think about this." It's difficult to explain at the same time Lucy is knocking on the door so she had to tell her to stop. "Nadia, if you do this, it will attract attention…people might know about us, do you understand?" The chance might be slim, but still, there's a chance. At this moment, that's the only reason she could think of but it seems that Lucy has another reason.
"Nadia, I'll call her, okay? I'll call Hans! I'll warn her about Holly!"
That's not going to work. Amy is confused as to why Lucy would think that would work. If she's in Nadia's situation, she would yell at Lucy for implying that Holly is dangerous. It didn't work. Nadia didn't respond either. But there are noises inside that could be heard from where they're standing. Even without putting their ears against the door, they could hear what Alexis is saying to Nadia and that is enough to let them know that both of them aren't listening. That is enough for Lucy to decide to take one step back, then kick the door, again and again. What are you doing? If she thinks that will work, she's crazy because it wouldn't have worked with herself if she's in Nadia's position. It would take more than that to stop her from finding the one she loves. It would take more than yelling, knocking, kicking, and reasoning to stop Nadia. ...and cursing? Lucy, are you out of your mind? Being pulled back by Ethan, she realized that he must be thinking of the same thing.
"Alexis, stop what you're doing, right now!"
Telling Lucy to stop it crossed her mind, but would she have if she did? She'll never know because Lucy gave in, telling Nadia what she wants to hear.
"Nadia, I know where Holly is."
