CHAPTER 6 - DECISIONS
Peter,
Long time no see. I need some help. Can you arrange for the villa to be vacant and for a top chef to cook a meal for a party of two next Saturday? I want to surprise my daughter Sydney and her friend to a meal out on the terrace. I realise it's a big favour but you still owe me from back when I helped with 'the party'.
Thank you for your assistance, I would appreciate if this was kept a secret and that the chef does not stay on the premises during the meal.
I await your confirmation,
Laura Bristow
Sydney sat at home, reading her mother's letter. She knew for a fact that Irina did not want her to read it, but how could she not? Admittedly, Sydney felt a tiny bit guilty, but years of being a spy had taught her to never trust anyone completely. So she just sat there, on the couch, reading the slightly crumpled page, again and again, trying to digest what she had just learned.
Syd winced when she saw that her mother had signed the letter using her old alias and was instantly angry. She had no right to! Laura Bristow was dead! The few memories she had of Laura flooded back to her and a stray tear trickled down Sydney's cheek. She quickly wiped it away, and reasoned that if it was a friend of her mothers from when she lived here so long ago, then she had to use the name 'Laura'. Still, it was painful.
To be honest, Sydney couldn't believe what she was reading. A million questions whirled around in her head, making her almost dizzy. Was this what her mother was planning? A meal at a picturesque villa? It sounded too good to be true, there must be a catch somewhere. And who could the friend be? She had never mentioned Will or Francie to her mom which only left..Vaughn. "Don't be stupid Syd; Irina is no way setting you up on a date with him! Wishful thinking! She's not that nice! Is she?" Sydney mused. She couldn't believe this was happening. Were her dreams coming true? Could she finally have a date with her Guardian Angel? Sydney couldn't think what to do, the questions just kept coming and coming - then reality struck. This couldn't happen. What if someone followed her or Vaughn to the villa? What if it was a set up? - I mean, who was this Peter? And what was 'the party'? Why did the words have apostrophes around them? Was it a codename for something? Sydney hated the fact that being a spy had left her not even trusting her own mother or a probably completely innocent letter. But she didn't trust them and Syd knew that the only way to calm down, other then having a nice hot bath and a glass of wine (which in this case probably wouldn't work), was to run a background check on this 'Peter Wright'.
Which is what she did later that day and was slightly disappointed that nothing came up on the CIA records, he was just an average wealthy businessman who dabbled in a bit of everything but showed no signs dabbling in espionage or arms dealing. Sydney knew she should be glad but the truth was that she had almost expected him to be KGB and learning that he wasn't came as a bit of a shock. Also, it somehow, made the possibility of this actually happening, more real - and that scared her. At least if he had turned out to be a spy, she could have thrown away the letter and forgotten about the whole thing, but now, she was faced with the decision between keeping her word and delivering the letter or getting rid of it and forever wondering what could have been.
Sydney let out a heavy sigh. She knew that she loved Vaughn, and her mother knew and of course she wanted more then anything to go to this villa with him but she couldn't help but be worried sick for them both. There were countless things which could go wrong! Had Irina not thought about this? Didn't the fact that her daughter hadn't been on a date with him yet say something to her mother? Because to Sydney, the words date, her and Vaughn just didn't belong in the same sentence (much as she wished they could) and only shouted to her 'AGAINST PROTOCOL' and 'DANGER'.
Besides, even if this could work, how was she going to get Vaughn there, without telling him? After all, it was intended to be a surprise for both of them - she now knew but that didn't mean that she had to spoil it for Vaughn too. Then again, Syd knew that he wasn't just gonna get in a car, drive 70 miles to a place neither of them knew, and have a meal cooked by some random chef, all the while risking their lives! Actually, if she asked him, he probably would do that, for her. Sydney chuckled at the thought but that wasn't the point, it was too much of a risk and she had no idea what to do.
The only person that could help sort this out was the last person she wanted to tell! Sydney smiled; she could always talk to Will. Then again, maybe not such a good idea, she knew how jealous he was of Vaughn and how overprotective of her. A small chuckle escaped from her lips, how ironic, Vaughn was jealous of Will too!
Distractedly, Sydney glanced up at the clock. Stores would be closing soon and Irina wanted the letter delivered today. She needed to make a decision, fast.
So there and then, Sydney jumped head first into possible danger and followed her heart. She decided that she and Vaughn would find a way to make this work, even if it meant taking complicated routes to the villa and leaving at different times - it was going to work. Sydney realised what a wonderful thing her mom was trying to do for her and she couldn't be so ungrateful as to not even try to go to the villa. She got up, put her coat and shoes on and headed out of the door to the jewellery store, satisfied that she had managed to think this through and come to a decision - something which Syd doubted she could do when first reading the letter. Now her only problem was Vaughn - should she tell him, or not?
Peter,
Long time no see. I need some help. Can you arrange for the villa to be vacant and for a top chef to cook a meal for a party of two next Saturday? I want to surprise my daughter Sydney and her friend to a meal out on the terrace. I realise it's a big favour but you still owe me from back when I helped with 'the party'.
Thank you for your assistance, I would appreciate if this was kept a secret and that the chef does not stay on the premises during the meal.
I await your confirmation,
Laura Bristow
Sydney sat at home, reading her mother's letter. She knew for a fact that Irina did not want her to read it, but how could she not? Admittedly, Sydney felt a tiny bit guilty, but years of being a spy had taught her to never trust anyone completely. So she just sat there, on the couch, reading the slightly crumpled page, again and again, trying to digest what she had just learned.
Syd winced when she saw that her mother had signed the letter using her old alias and was instantly angry. She had no right to! Laura Bristow was dead! The few memories she had of Laura flooded back to her and a stray tear trickled down Sydney's cheek. She quickly wiped it away, and reasoned that if it was a friend of her mothers from when she lived here so long ago, then she had to use the name 'Laura'. Still, it was painful.
To be honest, Sydney couldn't believe what she was reading. A million questions whirled around in her head, making her almost dizzy. Was this what her mother was planning? A meal at a picturesque villa? It sounded too good to be true, there must be a catch somewhere. And who could the friend be? She had never mentioned Will or Francie to her mom which only left..Vaughn. "Don't be stupid Syd; Irina is no way setting you up on a date with him! Wishful thinking! She's not that nice! Is she?" Sydney mused. She couldn't believe this was happening. Were her dreams coming true? Could she finally have a date with her Guardian Angel? Sydney couldn't think what to do, the questions just kept coming and coming - then reality struck. This couldn't happen. What if someone followed her or Vaughn to the villa? What if it was a set up? - I mean, who was this Peter? And what was 'the party'? Why did the words have apostrophes around them? Was it a codename for something? Sydney hated the fact that being a spy had left her not even trusting her own mother or a probably completely innocent letter. But she didn't trust them and Syd knew that the only way to calm down, other then having a nice hot bath and a glass of wine (which in this case probably wouldn't work), was to run a background check on this 'Peter Wright'.
Which is what she did later that day and was slightly disappointed that nothing came up on the CIA records, he was just an average wealthy businessman who dabbled in a bit of everything but showed no signs dabbling in espionage or arms dealing. Sydney knew she should be glad but the truth was that she had almost expected him to be KGB and learning that he wasn't came as a bit of a shock. Also, it somehow, made the possibility of this actually happening, more real - and that scared her. At least if he had turned out to be a spy, she could have thrown away the letter and forgotten about the whole thing, but now, she was faced with the decision between keeping her word and delivering the letter or getting rid of it and forever wondering what could have been.
Sydney let out a heavy sigh. She knew that she loved Vaughn, and her mother knew and of course she wanted more then anything to go to this villa with him but she couldn't help but be worried sick for them both. There were countless things which could go wrong! Had Irina not thought about this? Didn't the fact that her daughter hadn't been on a date with him yet say something to her mother? Because to Sydney, the words date, her and Vaughn just didn't belong in the same sentence (much as she wished they could) and only shouted to her 'AGAINST PROTOCOL' and 'DANGER'.
Besides, even if this could work, how was she going to get Vaughn there, without telling him? After all, it was intended to be a surprise for both of them - she now knew but that didn't mean that she had to spoil it for Vaughn too. Then again, Syd knew that he wasn't just gonna get in a car, drive 70 miles to a place neither of them knew, and have a meal cooked by some random chef, all the while risking their lives! Actually, if she asked him, he probably would do that, for her. Sydney chuckled at the thought but that wasn't the point, it was too much of a risk and she had no idea what to do.
The only person that could help sort this out was the last person she wanted to tell! Sydney smiled; she could always talk to Will. Then again, maybe not such a good idea, she knew how jealous he was of Vaughn and how overprotective of her. A small chuckle escaped from her lips, how ironic, Vaughn was jealous of Will too!
Distractedly, Sydney glanced up at the clock. Stores would be closing soon and Irina wanted the letter delivered today. She needed to make a decision, fast.
So there and then, Sydney jumped head first into possible danger and followed her heart. She decided that she and Vaughn would find a way to make this work, even if it meant taking complicated routes to the villa and leaving at different times - it was going to work. Sydney realised what a wonderful thing her mom was trying to do for her and she couldn't be so ungrateful as to not even try to go to the villa. She got up, put her coat and shoes on and headed out of the door to the jewellery store, satisfied that she had managed to think this through and come to a decision - something which Syd doubted she could do when first reading the letter. Now her only problem was Vaughn - should she tell him, or not?