AN: Again, thank-yous are at the bottom!
Chapter Four
Evangeline looked toward the dining room as her mother let out an exasperated sigh. Seconds later—the twins had both known it was coming—she shouted Evangeline's name. "Evangeline! Get in her right this second!"
She set down her book on the coffee table and slumped her shoulders as she walked into their large dining room. Her mother stood there over where she and her sister had been sitting for breakfast, pointing at a small bunch of crumbs on that side of the table. "I am sick of you leaving your mess everywhere you go. Couldn't you possibly learn to eat more politely? You embarrass me so much when we go out, you can never eat a meal without getting something on your shirt or on someone's lace tablecloth. I can't stand it! You're getting an etiquette teacher as soon as I can find one." Mrs. Winter ran her fingers through her hair in a very stressed-out manner. "Clean it up."
Evangeline went into the kitchen to get a wet rag, feeling like dirt for what she did, but when she came out to the dining room once again to clean up her mess, she couldn't help but notice that the crumbs were piled on the table in front of where Eliana sat.
Evangeline couldn't wait to check into a hotel room a night later. The flip-down beds had been somewhat comfortable, and she'd been fortunate enough to get a bottom bunk, completely covered by the curtain. She'd French-braided her hair and resisted boredom the entire second day, but she was hankering for a shower. She lugged two of her duffle bags over one shoulder and another over her other, while her hands carried her easel and paint bags.
"Are you sure you can make it?" asked Braiden, his hands out, offering to take one of her bags as they left the depot.
Evangeline nodded. "It would be completely out of your way to help me with my stuff. I'm checking into a hotel because my next train is tomorrow at ten. I have no idea why a train doesn't leave before that, but—"
"You're heading into Denver?" Braiden suddenly asked, interrupting her.
She nodded and frowned. "Are you?"
Braiden grinned. "What a coincidence! I'm visiting my brother who lives in Denver." He shook his head and clicked his tongue. "I thought the same thing when I bought my tickets. The layover is crazy. What hotel are you staying at?"
"Um…" Evangeline rubbed the back of her neck, which was sore after the whole two days of riding on the train. "I'm not quite sure yet. I was praying on the way here that I would find something that was available. I hope I can."
His expression immediately brightened. "This is great. I was supposed to be traveling with my brother's girlfriend… her parents live in the same city as me, and she'd come to see her sick mother. I was supposed to escort her back to Denver, but her mom took a turn for the worse. I had an extra train ticket that I gave away, but the hotel rooms are still booked."
Evangeline frowned, wondering what this had to do with her. He must have caught her expression because he continued to elaborate, "My brother insisted it wouldn't be proper for us to share a room, so I got two. One of them won't be filled tonight."
"Oh!" Evangeline exclaimed. "That's too kind… I couldn't take it…" It wasn't as if she couldn't afford her own hotel room. She had thousands of dollars to spend!
"If you don't take it, it will be left empty," Braiden shrugged. "I don't mean to pressure you or anything. It's just an offer."
She couldn't say no. "Of course. That would be wonderful!"
Braiden ran a hand through his long, blond hair, and his blue eyes twinkled back at her. "I'm sure you would agree that a stay at the Marriott wouldn't be too shabby?"
Evangeline's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "The Marriott!" She had, of course, stayed at a Marriott before, but that was with her parents. She never expected anything but the best from her parents. But this guy was offering to her a stay in one of the best hotels around, and for free! "Oh, but I'll have to pay you back."
He waved her away with his hand before coming up to her shoulder to take hold of her bags. "Allow me to escort you?"
"Of course," Evangeline grinned, handing the bags over none too reluctantly. They'd been beginning to weigh down her shoulders, and she didn't know if she could have made it to the bus station and then lugged it to a hotel. Besides, the man was carrying a simple suitcase.
Evangeline looked the man over curiously. They'd learned a lot about each other while traveling, and she'd discovered that he liked a lot of the same things she did. He liked to draw and loved books, especially Shakespeare, passionately. This man must be kind and gentle-hearted to even escort her to the Marriott, and for free! Not often had she come across someone of the male gender who enjoyed reading Shakespeare and had a quote in mind for nearly every circumstance. Once when they were passing through a particularly gorgeous town or sight, she'd caught him mumbling a poem about the beauty to himself.
They took a bus down to the Marriott. She had to wonder what kind of money he made—obviously good money. Although why, if he had money to burn, would he jump at the chance to take a free bus downtown? It wasn't looking a gift horse in the mouth, but she couldn't help but doubt—if only for a few seconds—if he really did have a sister-in-law that was supposed to be traveling with him.
Eliana raised her eyebrows as Daron reported what he'd found. The gator idling out in front of her bungalow, the door unlocked, discarded clothes strewn across the floor and bed, toiletries completely gone. All of her other personal items had disappeared, and it could only mean one thing. Evangeline had run away.
Again.
The woman had to stop turning around and sprinting in the other direction; she needed to face her fears. For all her life, when Eliana had said something sarcastic to her, not really meaning it and expecting a comeback, Evangeline had always looked at her with those sad eyes and just as soon bow her head. The girl didn't know how to defend herself, but she had an extremely hard shell, a hedge of boundaries that always seemed to hold her. Eliana had caught her opening her mouth to retort several times, but somehow the words never found their way to her mouth. She always bit them back, as if she were afraid to hurt her sister.
And yet Eliana repeatedly hurt her even though she received only a sad gaze in return. Those eyes were so unnerving. While one could say they looked blank, if you looked deep enough into them, you would see a deep ocean of knowledge, a sense of intelligence despite everything else. Her eyes shouted "I know something you don't know" even if her mouth couldn't. Sometimes Eliana couldn't help but wonder what her sister knew, what could possibly cause such a secure air about someone who was so completely uncomfortable. It was amazing someone with such a meaningless life could have such meaningful eyes. Eliana knew the sense of self-assurance was fake.
Outside the shell, Evangeline was confident and mature. But Eliana had seen those few times when she'd become vulnerable and flashed a sliver of her true personality. Her shyness was one of those traits, same as running. Running from Daron when he found out the truth beside the pool that day. Running from her and Daron, unable to accept something that might possibly be true—but wasn't. Those times when she'd gone to King Soopers to change a twenty-dollar bill into quarters before going downtown to shop. She would drop a quarter in every single one of those beggars' cups.
"What if some of them are scams? You never know when someone is out there begging when they really aren't poor," Eliana had pointed out one time as they walked down the street. She'd been slightly embarrassed to be seen with someone who went scurrying around on the sidewalks trying to get everyone with a plastic cup quarters.
Evangeline had simply shrugged. "A quarter will do a poor man plenty and a rich man nothing," she'd said, dropping a dollar's worth of quarters into a man's cup because his teeth looked like they needed serious dental work. He could at least buy a toothbrush to help. "A quarter is no problem when it's out of my pocket. What should it matter if I end up handing out one or two of them to someone who doesn't need any money? It is better to have taken the risk, for in the end I would have helped as many—or more—in need than not."
She was so philosophical, and Eliana knew that someday that would be her downfall.
"She just needs to get away for a little while," Eliana pointed out, resting back against the chair sitting on the patio off the side of their house. "I mean, it takes a while for her to get used to the idea that her sister can get anyone she wants—even someone she'd been dating for a week."
Daron sent a hard glare in her direction. "You cannot get me, Eliana. You just stole a kiss, one that was completely involuntary on my part. You only did it just to hurt your sister's feelings." He shook his head with disgust. "No, wait. I don't know why you did it, but it was horrible. You are horrible."
"And just why are you calling my daughter horrible?" Mrs. Winter asked, her feet barely making a sound as they walked onto the patio. She had a frown on her face, and Eliana couldn't help but feel proud that her mother had walked in at just the right moment. She wished she could take credit for the way Daron's face immediately turned a dark shade of red.
Daron stood, and Eliana looked forward to his explanation. "Uh, Mrs. Winter…" He looked down at his hands nervously. "I made a trip to Evangeline's cabin today. I found out she's left, and packed all of her things."
"You mean she left for good, not just on a trip?" When Daron shrugged, Mrs. Winter continued to question sharply. "Why did she decide to leave so abruptly?"
To Daron's surprise, Mrs. Winter did not seem shocked or even sad about her daughter's disappearance. She only sat down on one of the patio chairs, crossed her legs, folded her hands, and waited patiently for an explanation. And Daron didn't know how he was going to explain. How would she take it if he said that the reason why her daughter left was because she'd caught him kissing her sister?
"I think it would be best if Eliana explained this," Daron said, looking over at her. She looked first shocked, and then surprised, then angry that he would direct her mother's question toward her.
"I… uh…" Eliana fumbled for words. "Evangeline walked in on Daron and me talking in the dining room, and assumed the wrong thing. We were sitting on the same couch, and from her viewpoint we might have been closer than we were. She thought she saw something that she didn't." Eliana sent a glare in Daron's direction.
Daron's jaw went slack, shocked that Eliana would lie. But then again, why put it past her? She'd already tricked both he and Evangeline, why not her parents too? Besides, what did she have to lose? Her parents loved her and wouldn't dare think that she'd do such a thing. They wouldn't believe it even if she herself confessed to them.
Mrs. Winter looked thoughtful. "So she left in a flurry, without even talking to you guys or confirming her fears?"
Eliana nodded before Daron could say anything. "She's way too sensitive, Mother. She glimpses anything that might suggest something other than proper, and she goes running away."
"She probably took the money from her bank account, too," Mrs. Winter smiled with satisfaction.
"You put money in her account?" Eliana gaped at her mother. Of course, the only way there would be any money in her bank was if her parents deposited it. "Why? She was never a good daughter."
Daron could have sworn he saw a glint in Mrs. Winter's eye. "Ah, but that's exactly the point! We gave her money specifically for this reason: to help her run away. She was going to do it some time. She couldn't stay here in the shelter of the lake and our house forever, and when she did decide to take that step out into the world, she would have to have some money. And this way, with her thinking there's something between you and Daron, she won't ever come back." Eliana's mother stood up, flicked a microscopic speck of dust off her dress—she was a perfectionist—and began to move toward the doorway inside. "I'm going to go check to see if she's taken the money."
As soon as Mrs. Winter had left and they heard her footsteps echo in the hallway until she was positively out of earshot, Daron turned on Eliana. "I can't believe you lied about something like that! Her heart is broken because she caught you kissing me. I just don't understand why you would do that to your own sister, twist it around to make it look like she's the one with the sick mind."
Eliana flipped her hair over her shoulder and gave him a smirk. "Well, you know, I couldn't tell my mother the truth." She grinned. "And remember, it's your word against mine."
"There's Evangeline, too, you know."
"Like Mother said, she'll never come back to even give her word," Eliana pointed out. "Plus, to her, it was you making the move. Most of the time it's the man kissing the woman, not vice versa." She stood. "So either way, I am the person least incriminated."
She turned and walked into the house, leaving Daron to sit and contemplate what had just happened by himself.
Evangeline set aside her sketchpad at the sound of someone knocking. The hotel room was beautiful, and she'd already settled in and taken a shower. But, however, Braiden had not let her have even an hour of relaxation time. Her hair had still been wrapped in a towel—thankfully she'd been dressed—the first time he'd knocked, and she'd had to decline his invitation to a walk on the grounds. The second time, she'd politely said no to his proposal to go for a swim in the pool or set in the hot tub.
Now she wondered what on earth he had in mind.
Walking to the door and first checking her appearance in the mirror, she undid the chain and opened the door. Braiden stood there with a grin on his face. "You have to accept an invitation to a free dinner downstairs at the restaurant."
What harm could dinner do? Hopefully it wouldn't last long. Evangeline nodded and yawned as she walked out of her hotel room, slipping her key into the pocket of her jacket.
"You don't need to bring a coat or anything, Evangeline," Braiden pointed out, "We're only going downstairs."
Evangeline shrugged. "Sometimes it's best to be prepared. You never know what may happen, and I don't want to make another trek upstairs just in case."
They entered the elevator and rode down to the first floor. "Are you suggesting you might be interested in going for a walk with me around the grounds? I'm sure they have lights in the garden for night owls."
She shrugged. "I'll think about it. Right now, though, I'm barely able to hold back a yawn. Even though I've been sitting all day on a train, I've somehow managed to drain nearly every drop of my energy."
"Well, yes, you think about that," Braiden said. "Because you might not ever get a chance to walk in a Marriott garden again. Our train leaves early in the morning, and this is the only time we could do it. Besides, I've heard this one is special. There's a pretty pond with ducks living nearby that is supposedly a beautiful sight to see."
Braiden took her elbow and held a chair for her as she sat down, and she grinned and commented, "So chivalrous!" even though she was perfectly used to men paying her such respects. She'd learned, though, from being in public and going to college that a woman was actually lucky to have such extravagance and manners around her. It seemed like the vast majority of men today didn't even know how to pronounce the word chivalry, much less spell it or know the meaning of it.
"Ah, well, I learned from the best."
"And who might 'the best' be?" Evangeline asked, feigning curiosity. She wasn't in the mood to endure any awkward silences, and she sure wasn't going to let the conversation lean in that direction at all that evening. At least she hoped not.
"My grandmother was the very image of chivalry and manners. She has an English accent and even invites her lady friends over for tea every day. Whenever I step into her house, it's like walking in the 1800's. She wears fancy dresses and never lets her manners slip whatsoever. Her posture is straight as a board, and she walks slowly so she won't trip or stumble. She's like the Queen herself," Braiden seemed caught up in his reminiscing. "By the time I was eight my parents had her teaching all of my siblings and I the proper manners a young man and lady should have."
Evangeline wasn't sure what to say, so she smiled in return. She hadn't learned from a loving grandmother but a strict governess. It wasn't pleasant, being poked in the back with a cane when your back wasn't straight. Yes, learning manners the way they'd both learned them was like walking back in time, except she was constantly a misbehaving child during those classes.
"Of course, a lot of those things have faded as I've spent more time in the business world," Braiden shrugged, looking over at her with a half-smile. "It's actually quite a shame, the way it happens. Even though it crosses my mind every time I eat soup, it's not really considered horrible manners if you don't push your spoon forward instead of backward when you eat. A friend of mine even has a habit of raising the bowl to his mouth to make the most of the last of the broth."
"Yes, it's really sad, isn't it?" Evangeline shrugged. "But what can you do? Some of the people these days don't even know the meaning of the word ethics. A girl I met in college actually got the word confused with ethnic when I brought the subject up while we were eating lunch."
Braiden grinned. "I really do enjoy talking about such topics, considering I used to interrupt my professors' lectures in college to argue with them about these things, but I'd also like to keep the conversation light during dinner. What other topics do you propose we talk about?
Wow, this guy sounds like an English teacher, Evangeline mused. "How about world peace, capital punishment, the deteriorating O-zone layer, or world hunger?"
Braiden laughed, a big, booming laugh that seemed to echo across the dining room. "Good one, but I have to say, I'd like to hear more about you."
She resisted the urge to frown. What did he think this was? A date. No, no, no. It was nothing close to a date. She'd simply accepted his invitation to a free dinner, and she was planning on declining his idea of a walk in the garden. She hadn't wanted him to get the idea that this might be more than a three-day friendship that would end as soon as the trip, but it seemed it was a little too late. "Ah, well, there's really nothing more to tell about me." She couldn't wait to turn the conversation to him. "I've already pretty much told you everything on the train. How about you talk about yourself?"
Braiden shrugged, and she couldn't help but notice he looked slightly uncomfortable. She'd asked the same question a few times over the train ride, and every time he'd changed the subject or pretended he hadn't heard. "Like I've said before, there isn't anything that's interesting about me. I'd really rather here more about you."
That uncomfortable feeling came rushing back, like a clanging bell in her head. She'd made it clear she didn't want to talk about herself. Why couldn't the guy understand that? "Look…" she didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she also didn't want him to continue to think the wrong thing. "I don't know what you think, but when I accepted your invitation tonight, the thought that it could be a date didn't even cross my mind. In fact, I don't have anything but friendship—not even that—on my mind, at least for you and me."
Braiden didn't comment; he just sat there, watching her with a glassy stare.
She continued. "I know I might have given you the wrong idea, but we both know that the second we step off the train and go our separate ways, we're not likely to see each other again. It's just common sense."
"Sometimes love and common sense don't match up," Braiden said quietly.
The statement surprised Evangeline. How had they gone from simply talking on the train in order to pass the time to speaking of love? The silence stretched between them for a few moments, and she forced herself to speak. "There are several reasons why that cannot be. First, it just can't happen. We hardly even know each other. Even though love can be crazy, we aren't in love. I'm sorry, but I don't even have those feelings for you. Second, I don't believe in love anyway."
She let the comment set for a few seconds.
He fixed her with an angry glare. "Well, if you're going to be around any males wherever you're going, I suggest you sort out how you act around them. You wouldn't want to give anybody the wrong idea. Again."
Evangeline felt her breath leave her lungs. So it was all being twisted around to make it look like she was the bad person again. She should have expected it, because it always happened. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't make anything right. She'd just wanted to make a friend, even though she knew it would only be for the train ride. And look how it had blown over.
"Excuse me. I need to use the restroom," she said the words without feeling, got up numbly, and instead of walking toward the ladies' room, she promptly walked out the dining room door and through the main entrance of the building. She might as well see the gardens while she was escaping Braiden.
She didn't realize until later that she'd left her jacket on her chair.
When Evangeline finally made her way back upstairs to her room, she felt numb all over—emotionally and physically both—and her skin had formed into tiny hills of goose bumps because of the cold.
It wasn't until she stepped out of the elevator did she realize that she'd left her keys in her jacket, which she'd left with Braiden. Had he taken her keys? Where had he put her jacket? She hadn't noticed a jacket still hanging on any of the chairs when she'd walked through the dining room on the way to the elevator.
Perhaps he'd done the right thing and left her key somewhere for her to find. Maybe he'd left it will the clerk downstairs for her to pick up. Fat chance, she thought as she remembered the icy stare directed at her. She'd replayed the scene over and over in her head, wondering what she could have done better, said better.
Evangeline gasped. Her door was swung wide open, and inside, the room was cluttered. Things had been thrown all over her room. Her clothes were strewn onto her bed; papers torn from her sketchbook were being rustled by the heater. On her way to see if her easel and art paints had been bothered, she noticed that several of her unmentionables had been hung on the many lamps in the room.
Her entire art suitcase hadn't been disturbed, but she frowned when she saw the drawing she'd been working on shredded into little bits and laying on the table.
The anger is intolerable. I can't control it, no matter how hard I try. She must know I'm the one who did it, but I cannot let her know that. I feel guilty for letting my anger get the best of me—but it is still raging inside. I don't want to give it up. It's beautiful, the way it takes over my entire body, how good it feels just to get some of the hatred out.
No, I don't hate her. I feel the opposite.
But right now I'd rather close my eyes, live in the anger. It's not the violent anger—all of that is gone now—but the sort that feels delicious if you let it mellow. The righteous sort of anger and frustration that makes you wonder what you're going to do next…
Author's Note:
Thank you to all you guys who have reviewed!
Merryman: Thanks! I have to admit, though, I sort of hurried through that story. This next one is goign to be well thought-out, I promise. And then about your review for my new story, thanks! I think I should have made my bold-typed words a little clearer though. I think people are getting the wrong idea about them...
Crystal: Lol, I was wondering how long it would take for you to realize I haven't updated in awhile. Oh well I'm glad you like it, even though it was boring. Yeah, actually, the entire story was kinda boring. I could have done better. But oh well! Thanks! And how many times do I have to tell you to quit making me cry? Yeah, and who says you can't like fictional characters? Thanks, Crys, you've made me feel so much better. And no. Thank you!
Gi Xian
C.R.G. Maybe I got this wrong or it was a typo. You think God's a deranged stalker? Nope. And about the bold type at the end of the chapter, well, you'll see a little later... Yeah, I think I read that wrong. Anyway, no the words at teh end of each chapter are not from God, lol! Thanks!
SCelestia: Thanks! I appreciate you taking the time to both read my story AND review!
Silentescape : Yeah, it has been awhile! But it's not you, I've just been away for a long time. But I'm back! Thanks! I'm sorry I haven't been writing for a while and that it took me so long to write the end of this and start another story.
Thanks once again, guys!