Disclaimer: Don't own. If you did, you'd totally notice. Because the show wouldn't suck as much. And Babe and Krystal would have been abducted by aliens a long time ago.
Title: The Dance That We Do
Author: Jayta
Rating: PG13
Show: All My Children
A/N: I am surviving you guys...I think. Actually, I'm pretty happy that I managed to bring out this update. Since I didn't know when I'd get another chance. Plus, Liz was harping on me...AGAIN.
A/N 2: Beth. Beth. Beth. You're sooooo not going to be happy with me. Actually, be prepared. This chapter is pretty short. But I hope all of you, with I'm sure with the exception of Beth, will be pleased with the update ;)
Chapter Thirteen: Losing It
Padding around the hotel room was not as fun as she imagined it would be. The weather had turned from slightly gloomy to worse. And she did not know a living soul. Part of her feared she was going to have to make friends with the housekeeping maids.
Zach was gone. She had no one to turn to. But she was stranded, for who knows how long. Then her thoughts turned to Zach, whom she assumed caught the first plane out yesterday night, and whether he had gotten caught in the storm. It hadn't turned for the worst, but depending on where he had gone, he could have headed straight into the storm. Her heart skipped a beat. Oh God, please let him be all right. Let the pilot have the wisdom to head away from the storm.
Silently Kendall kicked herself for even going there. She did not need to think about something that horrible. Hers was the imagination that went into overdrive. She had the imagination of a six-year-old, capable of coming up with the most fantastical and illogical scenarios. Suddenly she began wringher her hands, as her imagnation took flight.
The plane could have been caught in the fog, been unable to land. Which wouldn't be so bad, since they would just have to fly around until the fog passed, or cleared enough so the flight tower would give them clearance. She smiled nodding, telling herself that was exactly what could have happened. Or, they could have run out of fuel and their plane crashed.
Yeah that was a cheery thought. Kendall rolled her eyes, pacing back and forth. She could call him on his cell phone, find out of he was all right. However, he had asked for some time alone. C'mon, it's not like you need to hear the sound of his voice.
"Okay," she breathed, walking over to the dresser drawers. "Don't freak out. Don't panic. He's probably sitting on some hot beach somewhere, sipping on some Mai Tai."
'Or caught in some electrical storm, which has sort circuited their navigational instruments, causing them to be lost in the middle of the ocean somewhere,' another voice offered.
"No!" Kendall shook her head, pulling on a thin cream sweater and wrapping it around her. "You, Kendall are not going to think that way. You can't. You're going to see him again. You're going to get a chance to tell him that you don't want a divorce." She walked out onto the terrace, staring out at the overcast sky, a slight mist in the air, so she could only see a few meters out. The wind was blowing, causing the tops of the palm trees to bend in the wind; and causing a haunting howl and high-pitched shriek.
Images of him trying to stay afloat in the ocean floated past her eyes, as well as images of a flaming heap of metal spiraling down through the night sky, with him in it. Okay, you're going to drive yourself insane.
"Maybe if I took a walk," she spoke to herself out loud. The wind had picked up, but she thought that the howling might keep the voices in her head - accusing or otherwise - at bay. Pulling the sweater tightly around her body, her arms hugging herself, she set out into the foggy mist, hoping that it would have cleared near the waters.
Kendall pondered what she would do if she heard knews that Zach's flight had gone missing. Her pulse sped up at the thought. No charming smirk? No one to explain to her the exasperating understanding of who she was, when she didn't understand it herself? I don't think I can picture that. For some reason her walk was not clearing her mind or relaxing her, instead it was making her more uptight and tense.
Blindly she stumbled her way onto the beach, feeling her way around, trying not to walk into a palm tree. The air seemed to cool even more as she got closer to the beach. Her body was trembling now, but it felt good. The thought of the cold kept her from thinking of other things.
She stood on the beach, the white surf lapping at the shore only inches away from her toes. It was clearer out here. She could see some of the night sky, through the patched clouds. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, letting the cold air fill her lungs. Then slowly, and methodically, Kendall exhaled, letting go of the tension that filled her body.
Zach, where are you?
--&--
It was a brisk night. Part of him finally had to admit that the tower controllers actually knew what they had been talking about. He had been headed south, and from the reports on the television, it would have been far worse had he flown last night.
Getting up from his desk, which was filled with scattered papers, he peered out into the grey mist. Kendall's room wasn't visible from his window, and for that he was grateful. Zach knew how much she loved to stand out there during the night, letting the cool breeze float over her. Almost every night he watched her stand with her eyes closed, her body swaying slightly, as if to some inaudible music only she could hear.
Okay, this has got to stop. He cleared his throat, running his fingers through is hair. It was a little longer than he liked it; he would soon need a haircut. Of course he hadn't been thinking of such things when down on this island with Kendall.
There he went again.
"Maybe if I just take a walk," he said to himself. His eyes narrowed, trying to see through the mist. He didn't imagine anyone would be out in this kind of weather.
Just to clear my head.
--&--
Taking a flashlight with him, Zach still could not make out hide nor hair of the obstacles in front of him. It was more fog than he had anticipated. But with careful effort, he finally managed to find his way to the beach. He stood on the outskirts of the sparsely forested area, as his side of the resort was not as well landscaped as his previous room, staring out into the majestic beauty of the creation in front of him. It was amazing. How the elements combined to meld into such a beautiful landscape, he could never understand.
The mist still lingered, wafting out towards the water, like a thin sea of grey. He stood leaning against a nearby palm tree, resting a moment and taking in the scenery. Zach had brought no coat, and had not packed for this unexpected drop in tempurature; instead, he stood slightly cowering against the wind, the barrier of the tree trunk his only shield. Suddenly out in the mist, Zach furrowed his brow, as he thought he saw something moving out by the waters. As he drew nearer to the ocean's ledge, his eyes made out a tall, thin figure, standing in the surf. He couldn't imagine who was crazy enough to be out in this weather, other than himself, of course.
It wasn't until he was only a few feet away that Zach suddenly realized who it was. Kendall.
----&----
Where is he? Kendall wrapped her arms around her arms, shuddering slightly as a chill ran down her spine. She began rubbing her arms, trying to stave off the cold. The wind had picked up.
Maybe I should head in?
Kendall was ready to head in when out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw something move in the shadows's mist. Freezing, she felt her heart leap into her throat, wondering whether it was some dangerous animal or possibly a thief, murder or worse. Squinting, she leaned forward trying to discern whether it was her imagination or reality. "Who's out there?" she yelled, hoping that if it was an animal it would frighten them away. "Hello?"
Zach took a step back, finding safe haven under the coverage of the plants and trees. He hadn't expected her to see or even notice him. Part of him felt compelled to drag her back to her room, and lecture her on the dangers of being out in weather like this. Yeah, and she'd come back with the fact that he was being a chauvinist because here he was in the same weather. The corner of his lip twitched at the thought, knowing that was exactly what she would have done.
"If you're some stupid scary beast, shoo!" Kendall jumped forward quickly, hoping it would startle the animal or human away. Waving her hands in front of her, she shouted, "ShOO! Git!" Inching forward, towards the area where she had thought she had seen the mysterious animal/thing, she couldn't believe what she was doing. If she had any sense, she would have run. Where is Zach when I need him?
He watched as she drew closer, making strange jerky movements with her body, hopping forward like a retarded monkey. It took everything in him not to laugh out loud. The poor girl.
Kendall slid her hand down by the sand and picked up a smooth stick that lay nearby. "Here kitty kitty," she called softly, her eyes darting around, prepared for just about anything. "Mama's gotta nice little present for you."
Zach turned his back to her, unable to watch anymore; he needed to regain his composure, before he broke his cover. She really was something. Even willing to face down lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my.
"Hey, anyone out there?" she said, repeating herself, as loudly as possible.
Zach glanced from behind the tree and found her only a few feet away from where he was. His body tensed, not wanting her to find him. When he had told Kendall he needed time, he hadn't been lying. As much as he cared, he knew he could not be around her right now. He needed time to cool off - time to figure out what to do with his life now that it couldn't include her.
"Hey," Kendall frowned, leaning forward, stick held up, ready to strike out at anything that might come rushing at her. She thought she had seen something move again. It was hiding behind some plants to her left. "I see you. Come out now!"
She was, of course, bluffing. Not knowing if it was some guest wandering, or a peeping Tom, or something else, Kendall hoped they would finally acknowledge her. C'mon! I know you're out there.
Zach brought his arms in, trying to make himself as small as possible (as if that were somehow possible), and grimaced as she was only a foot away from him and his hiding spot. Thankfully it was still foggy, so it wasn't quite as easy to see what was straight in front of you. He glanced down at his feet, carefully maneuvering his way around the sticks and plants, trying not to make any noise and give away his position.
Damn it! Why did it have to be so foggy? Kendall growled, hating how her heart was pounding against her chest, able to almost palpably feel the presence of who or whatever was out there. Her eyes darted around, trying to catch a glimpse of it again.
He stepped to his right, as she approached from his right; and suddenly he heard a light 'crack'. Zach held his breath, pressing himself up against the tree trunk, hoping she missed it. Kendall's head snapped to her left, her eyes narrowing. She had heard it.
Whatever it was, had suddenly given its' position away. Instead of revealing that knowledge, she turned her head in the opposite direction, hoping to give her prey a false sense of relief. C'mon, I'm so close.
Zach hung close to the tree, even though she seemed to have dismissed the noise he had inadvertently made. When she moved a few steps away from his position, he leaned forward, preparing to make a dash for it. Taking a deep breath, he counted, 'One. Two. Three...' His first stride was long, trying to get as much distance between them in the first step, before she could catch on.
Kendall felt a shift in the air. And now she knew it was a person, not an animal, that was her mysterious companion. Spinning around and taking a sidestep in one motion, she reached out with her free hand, grasping smooth material; it felt like a suit jacket. "Gotcha," she exclaimed victoriously.
Startled, Zach managed to keep his body turned away from her. She had caught a part of his elbow, and by pulling back, he was able to release her grip on him. It was enough time for him to get a few strides in between them. She must have been wearing heels or sandals because he heard her swear stumbling on the tangled vines that ran along the ground, trying to catch him. He slowed slightly, turning back to make sure she was all right; she hadn't further injured herself from the other day.
The mystery man took off ahead of her, jogging lightly, as if taunting her to come get him. She reached down pulling off her sandals and continued to pursue her quarry. "You can't run far," Kendall yelled irritably. "The hotel surrounds you on ever side, unless you want to go deeper into the jungle."
Zach shook his head as he jogged lightly ahead, as he listened to her trying to lie about which direction he was going, and where they were headed. He knew she would continue the chase, she was stubborn like that. In a snap decision, Zach headed straight towards her suite, knowing she would get lost if he tried to ditch her. He knew their surroundings well enough that he knew how to lose her near the east side of the hotel. Plus he had a flashlight, which she didn't. Part of him just hoped she would lose interest once they had arrived back at her hotel room.
"Who are you?" She thought he looked familiar, but couldn't place it. Wet plant foliage slapped her in the face, as she tried to keep up with him. Her ankle was aching slightly, as she trampled upon uneven ground in bare feet. She tried to keep an eye ahead and one on the ground, a plan that wasn't working well for her. Luckily for her, the path ahead was emptying of plants, and became more of a trail. She was only a couple of feet behind him, if she just hurried...Kendall reached out her arm, her fingers nearly grazing his back.
He hadn't been paying attention. She must have picked up her pace in the last few feet. But it didn't matter, they were almost in front of the suite. Zach leaned forward, ducking the large leave hanging in front of him, he began to sprint, weaving through the trees that anchored each side of the terrace.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Kendall lunged forward, but didn't see the large fern-like plant dangling in front of her before it was too late. It smacked her in the face, causing the moistness collected upon its' foliage to spray into her eyes, blinding her momentarily. "Ugh," she cried, falling to her knees.
Zach turned around in time to see her drop to her knees. He was a few feet away, hidden in the shadows, as he watched her nurse her eyes. Wavering slightly, he had to stop himself from running to help her back to her room. I have to let her go. She can do this on her own.
Once he saw her get up, on her own accord, Zach knew she was fine. She glanced around, still on the prowl for her 'chase', but when she realized she had lost him, she turned to back to the suite. Zach let out a sigh of relief when Kendall seemed to give up on him and go back to her room. "It's for the best," he whispered, before turning to make the long trip around back to his room.
--&--
Her ankle was throbbing again. Kendall dragged her tired body into the clean, dry, warm room, glancing only briefly over her shoulder, just in case her stalker-turned prey was still near. Nothing. Part of her was relieved. She didn't know why she had gone off like that, chasing a total and complete stranger.
But was he? There was something familiar about him. Great, now I'm obsessing over a stalker.
Kendall peeled off her now damp sweater and pulled out a pair of pajama bottoms and a tank top, changing into the warm clothes. The night had been a complete bust. The fact that she had gone out to the beach wanting to get away from Zach - thoughts of him, wanting him - and ended up completely engrossed in a total panic attack about whether he was all right...Which I still don't know the answer to! She fell backwards into her bed. Did the guy never hear of a cell phone?
She closed her eyes, letting out something between a frustrated cry and an angry growl. "You suck, Zach Slater!" Suddenly her phone rang, which caused her to jump up, freaked out at the timing of it all. Splaying her body across the bed, she tenatively picked up the phone, "Hello?"
"Hey," A low husky voice greeted her on the other end of the receiver.
"Z-Zach?" Her heart beat hard against her chest, her breath caught in her throat. "Is that you?"
The man certainly had timing. Here she was cursing the guy and he has the nerve to actually call. She looked at the receiver, debating whether to throw it across the room.
"Kendall?" A wisp of a voice could be heard at the end of the receiver.
I bet you would just looooove to know that I was worried about you. Kendall glared at the phone, which kept calling her name. Here she was almost on the verge of a panic attack and he was probably snuggled cozily by some fireplace, or on some luxury yacht.
"Kendall?" She could hear him almost shout over the phone.
"What?" she said irritably. "What is it? Why did you call?"
"I...I just wanted to let you know I was all right," he said softly. "I know I didn't leave things...well, I should have at least said goodbye."
Kendall rolled onto her back, her anger dissipating, glad to just hear his voice. "Well," she breathed, trying to think of what to say. "You should be."
"And that's why I'm calling you."
"Well, I-I'm glad." It took everything in her to just say that. Kendall closed her eyes and sighed softly. Yeah, the whole admitting you're in love with him would have been much easier.
She couldn't even tell him how glad she was to know he was all right.
"Yeah," he cleared his throat, "well, I just wanted to let you know I was all right."
"You didn't get caught in the storm?" Kendall rolled onto her stomach now, intrigued to know how he missed the storm, which rolled upon them so suddenly. "It came on so fast, how did your plane manage to get clearance?" she asked curiously.
"U-Uh, yeah," he stammered. "I guess I was lucky. You know, to not get caught in the storm." There was a pause. "So you were thinking about me?"
Kendall felt her stomach tighten at his unexpected question. "Well, uh, of course," she muttered, kicking herself for opening herself up like that. "I-I would have felt guilty if your plane had crashed or something."
"Nope. No crash."
"Well that's good." Her eyes darted around the room, trying to think of what else they could possibly talk about. He had left her. The only thing he wanted to hear from her was when the divorce would be.
"Well, if there was..." She could hear him slightly hedge. "You would be well taken care of. Since you're still Mrs. Zach Slater."
Her eyes shot open. He had not just said that to her. As much as they had 'kept their distance', Kendall couldn't believe Zach believed she would rejoice in his death. "Y-You jerk!" she exclaimed angrily, sitting up. "How...how can you even say that?"
There was silence on his part.
Good thing. She didn't want to hear any excuses. "That's the most inconsiderate thing you've said in the span of a whole five minute's conversation!"
"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean it like..."
"Like what?" Kendall barked. "Like I'm just after your money? I'm a gold-digging opportunist? Sorry, but you're wrong there. I had my own business, Zach, if you so conveniently forgot. And I didn't need your money. If you recall, you were the one in danger of losing your casino licenses."
"I know."
"Well good," she huffed. Before she went into another tirade, she heard the soft padding of feet. She glanced towards the door. It was probably the bellman. "Zach..."
Before another word was uttered, she heard scratching over the phone, as if Zach were muffling the receiver. He didn't do a very good job, as she heard his footsteps and what sounded like knocking against wood. Where is he? Is that a slut to satisfy his needs since our marriage was so obviously not about that?
'Room service,' said a muffled voice over the phone.
Kendall furrowed her brow at the odd timing of it all.
"Sorry," Zach breathed heavily, as if he had run to the door. "Just had to get the door."
"Uh, yeah." She had the craziest notion pop into her head. What if Zach was still here? Kendall shook her head. That was ludicrous. Zach left the island. He said he had to get away...get away from her.
"Well, I, uh, better get going," he said restlessly. "I've got a lot of work to get back to..."
"No," Kendall replied quickly, biting the inside of her lip. "I-I don't want to keep you." She chuckled nervously. "I completely understand. I've got some of my own stuff to do."
"You're okay then? Not...well, good? " His question seemed double-edged, as if he had somehow heard about her mysterious stalker-prey friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine!" she boasted, putting on a brave face. "Just dandy. Couldn't be better!"
Liar.
"Great then," he breathed into the receiver. "I'm glad. I'm glad I made the right choice." There was a long pause. "Take care, Kendall."
She waited to hear something more. Part of her expected him to find someway to prolong their conversation, but she was only met with a soft click. Kendall stared at the receiver, unable to grasp what had just taken place. Was she so easily forgotten? Was she so easy to let go? Staring at the phone, she realized she had just let another opportunity go.
An opportunity to say: I love you.
--&--
"What do you mean it's gotten worse?" Kendall strode down the corridors of the hotel and was now entering the main lobby. "You get me a flight out of here, now!" she demanded. "I want the first flight out..." Before she could finish her sentence, the ticket agent had hung up on her. Of all the nerve...
"Mrs. Slater!" The same front desk agent that had forced her and Zach into the same living quarters beckoned her over. "Are you leaving us today?" he asked curiously. "Because I did not think anyone would leave the island with the onset of the hurricane."
"H-Hurricane?" Kendall's eyes widened. Hurricane? Oh, no. This is not happening.
"Only a minor one," said Mujab. At least that is what it said on his name tag.
"What do you consider minor?" she asked, shaking her head. "Flying coconuts or flying monkeys?"
The man laughed, seemingly undisturbed at the mention of 'hurricane'. "You're safe here," he explained reassuringly. "We hardly ever receive the brunt of the hurricane's wrath."
"Hardly," she repeated the only word that seemed to matter. "Which means there's a probability of it receiving it all?" Placing both hands on the desk, she lowered her head, trying to take long deep breaths. She didn't want to die like this. First Zach disappeared and now she was going to die in a hurricane?
"Mrs. Slater, I did not mean to upset you," he said earnestly. "Please, calm down."
"I. Am. Calm." She hadn't been feeling well this morning, her head spun momentarily as she dressed. However, Kendall wasn't quite sure what the cause was. Was it that her marriage was over - all that needed to be done was the paper work? Or could it have been the damp cold that embraced her last night?
"Please," Mujab said soothingly. "Rest yourself in your room, and I will have our bellman bring you something to eat."
"No. No. Nonono," she muttered, as she closed her eyes - the room spinning around her. "I want to get off this island!"
"You did not enjoy your stay here?"
"No." Kendall lifted her head and met the hotel employee's inquiring gaze. "No, I did not," she grimaced. Her head dipped, unable to hold her head up. "Of course, what should I expect when coming down here for a divorce..."
"Divorce?" The front desk agent seemed shocked and dismayed. "I-I did not know," he said apologetically. "I-I had no idea. Mr. Slater never mentioned..."
"Well, Mr. Slater isn't one for much conversation," she hissed, trying to force the nausea away. "At least, when it comes at the convenience of other people. No, he likes to blurt things out and then run away..." She wasn't directing her comments to the man in front of him really. It was just venting.
"Mrs. Slater," Mujab paused. "Or should I refer to you as something els..."
"Mrs. Slater is fine," Kendall informed, as the swirl of the room began to slow down. "We haven't gotten divorced...yet."
"Well, I've had several guests return, as their flights were cancelled due to the weather," he explained slowly. "And I would hazard a guess that no plane will be leaving Port au Prince anytime soon."
"Great," she groaned, running her hands through her hair. "This is just great!"
"Do you need help back to your room?" he asked worriedly, leaning over to help her upright. "I can call the bellman to escort you back to your room."
"No," Kendall said firmly, straightening her posture, her hand resting on the counter for balance. "I'm fine. Really." She took her first step away from the security of the counter and stumbled. For some reason her sense of balance was just slightly off.
Wihout another word, Kendall felt a strong arm come up along side her. The casually dressed bellman did not treat her like an invalid, for which she was grateful, as he helped her back to her room. She wasn't sure what it was, but Kendall was positive she was coming down with something. As they made their way down the corridor, she had a hard time keeping her eyes open, as the cool walls and lights seemed to spin and swirl around her, blurring in front of her eyes. Her surroundings kept coming in and out of focus.
Kendall squinted her eyes, trying to keep the objects around her from moving, when she saw a tall figure in front of her. His back was to her, but she recognized him as the mystery man. "Hey!" she bellowed down the hall. "You! Stop!"
"Miss," the bellman said softly. "Please, keep your voice down."
Kendall glanced at the young man in his mid to late teens. She knew that look. He thought she was intoxicated. Great! I'm sick and the bellboy thinks I'm a drunk foreigner. "Listen," she said determinedly, pointing with her purse in hand. "That man, was stalking me last night."
"Miss?" He looked quite skeptical.
"I chased him down in the jungle," she exclaimed, pulling him towards the figure who had disappeared around the corner. "But I tripped and lost him! Now help me chase him down."
The boy pulled back a moment, seemingly uncertain as to what to do.
"The customer is always right," Kendall reminded irritably. "Or does that not apply here in Haiti?"
This seemed to motivate the boy, who continued their forward movement towards her room and towards the mystery man.
"I'm not crazy," she muttered to the bellboy. "I did chase him. I was standing on the beach and there was someone watching me..." Kendall stopped talking as they rounded the corner. She knew that was what the bellboy was thinking, as he tried to keep his gaze ahead, instead of meeting her gaze. She must have sounded insane.
Of course how was that different than any other day?
"Miss," the bellboy hedged, stopping in front of her suite. "We must have lost him."
Kendall scanned the corridor for any signs of a door closing or a door left ajar. There was nothing. Damn it. She had lost him again.
--&--
Zach knew it had been close. He hadn't expected to encounter Kendall in the hallway that afternoon. He had been very careful to monitor where she was. So much for the staff keeping him 'in the know'.
He had been surprised though, that she hadn't caught up to him, when she had been so close. However, for some reason there had been a bellboy at her side. He had heard her 'discussing loudly' why the sudden need to chase him down. When he had was certain that she was not hot on his heels, Zach got a quick peek around the corner, where Kendall was discussing something with the bellboy. They were standing outside her door, his hand seemed to be grasping hers, and she seemed upset. After much gesturing, Zach knew they were coming after him. Luckily his room was only a few steps away and he scurried into his room before they made it around the corner.
Kendall looked pale today.
As he walked towards his window with the ocean view, Zach could not help but wonder why there had been a bellman at her side. In fact, the boy seemed to be helping her, not hindering her in her pursuit of him. "What is wrong with Kendall? he asked himself out loud.
There was no point mulling over what could be wrong with his wife. He walked over to the phone and punched in '0' for the front desk. A friendly voice greeted him over the phone. "Hello, Mujab," he answered. "I saw my wife just a few moments ago. Can you tell me what happened? Has her ankle worsened?"
"Ah, Mr. Slater!" the front desk clerk greeted excitedly. "Yes, yes. Your wife seems to have taken ill."
"What do you mean?" he frowned. His thoughts drifted back to yesterday evening. She had been wearing only a thin sweater, and it had been quite cold out in that fog. "What happened to her?"
"She seemed to be having problems walking," he explained. "I suppose she was having dizzy spells, as you call them. I had our bellman escort her back to her room."
"Well did you send a doctor to her room as well?"
"Our bellman offered, but your wife seemed to refuse. In fact, she threatened to sue after Janan tried to get her to reconsider."
Zach shook his head and sighed. Stubborn to the hilt. "All right," he answered anxiously. "I want you to keep an eye on my wife. Send her refreshments - orange juice, fruit, whatever else she might possibly need - and don't let her out of your sight."
"Well, Mr. Slater," Mujab hesitated. "OUr hotel is not..."
Zach interrupted, knowing what the hotel agent was going to say, "I am not asking you to spy on her."
"Oh good, you understand..."
"But I need you to keep an eye on her, for the specfic reason that she is not feeling well and has refused medical treatment," he said, speaking over top of the Haitian. "And I'm sure you do not want any lawsuits against this hotel for mistreatment of its' guests."
"No, of course not, sir," Mujab replied quickly.
"I'm not asking much. Just keep an eye on her movements," Zach explained. "If she leaves the room or calls down for anything, let me know."
"B-But Mr. Slater," the front desk clerk hedged, "would it not be easier for you just to check in on her? You seem quite worried about her, and I am sure she would appreciate the concern?"
"No," he stated firmly. "And you will not tell her I am here. Am I clear, Mujab?"
There was a pause and then a loud sigh. "Yes, Mr. Slater," Mujab answered. "We will do our best to accomodate you and your wife."
"Good."
Knowing they would monitor her gave him a minute amount of relief about her condition. But part of him could not help but be concerned at whether this might have anything to do with her miscarriage. There was a low probability, but he did not want to take any chances. For all intensive purposes, Zach suspected she had just caught a cold.
But I have to be sure.
--&--
Kendall lay in bed, in and out of consciousness. Once she had gotten back to her room, she found she wanted to do nothing more than curl up under the covers. She couldn't open her eyes because whenever she did, the lamps and the flowers spun together and danced before her eyes.
Maybe if I just slept a little...
--&--
Night had fallen, and Zach had not heard a peep from the front desk or from Kendall. It was a good sign. He had inquired to Dr. Mulatto about her symptoms, to which he had responded, "It sounds as if she has caught a bug or maybe a virus." There was nothing he could do about that.
When the bellman had come up with room service, there had been no answer at the door. Zach watched from around the corner, as the tanned boy waited patiently at the door. When there was still no answer after the third knock, Zach had given him permission to enter the room. Janan had been hesitant, but he had reassured him that it was all right. He was her husband. Zach waited for the bellboy to leave before peaking in on his wife. She was sound asleep in bed.
It had alevated a lot of his anxieties that something far worse was wrong with her.
He hovered at the edge of her bed, not wanting to disturb her sleep. Deep down, Zach knew this was defeating his purpose of staying away, but he could not help himself. Her cheeks were flush from a slight fever; but somehow it made her even more beautiful. His finger grazed her temple, as he pushed a stray lock of hair back into place.
"Sweet dreams."
--&--
"Zach!" Bolting up, Kendall struggled to open her eyes, as the haze of her dreams still lingered in her mind, as if expecting someone to be there. Through the haze only darkness abounded.
Kendall rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her head was clearer than earlier that afternoon, but she still felt ill. Acclamating herself to the darkness, Kendall realized it was the middle of the night. Evening had fallen unbeknownst to her. She had slept the entire night away. As she lay in bed, she could hear the howling of the wind; its whistle sending a shiver down her spine. The palm trees leaned, as if testing its' flexibility, the tops floundering wildly outside.
The eerie atmosphere sent her thoughts back to her dream - or nightmare; she wasn't quite sure which it was. It was as dark, if not darker than it was now, and she had been alone, as she was now. Greenlee and Ryan had been standing over her. They wore black - a solemn expression on their faces.
She had tried to speak, but no one could hear. They had this expression of intense grief and sorrow. For a moment, Kendall thought perhaps she was dead. Maybe the hurricane had swallowed the resort whole, with her inside. But it hadn't made sense. Then, without another thought, she now saw what they saw.
A child's coffin.
Her chest tightened at the thought of that image again. A polished black enamel finish, the coffin hovered in front of her, as she stood speechless. The air seemed to get sucked out of her as she caressed the final resting place of her unborn child. Kendall hadn't thought it could get worse. But then a familiar voice called to her, 'Kendall.' Recalling the memory sent a shiver down her spine as it did in her dream.
----&----
"Zach?"
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his head dipping slightly to touch hers. "You would have been a great mother."
"It wasn't hers," Greenlee growled.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Greenlee glared accusingly, a harsh and brightlight shining behind her. "It never did belong to you," Ryan reasoned calmly, as he came alongside his wife. "I am surprised you came."
"I told you to be careful," her best friend said, her teeth clenched.
Kendall couldn't understand their callousness. Greenlee had shared this pregnancy with her. She understood what this meant to Kendall. "Why are you saying this to me?" she asked in disbelief.
Their expressions were blank and cold. It was as if they saw right through her. She watched as their gazes turned back to the black coffin.
"It wasn't my fault," she whispered, turning to look up at Zach. "It couldn't be helped, right?"
"This wasn't your fault."
"Then why are they treating me like that?" She pointed at the two grieving parents, their backs turned away from her. "I did everything for them!" she cried, her heart breaking. "I loved them both. I showed them what they meant to me."
"They just don't understand," Zach said soothingly, as he fingered one lock of hair. "They don't understand how much it took for you to give to them."
"But why..." Kendall moved towards the coffin, but Greenlee and Ryan's angry gazes warded her away. "They...they hate me for this," she whispered. "They hate me." Suddenly the void was filled with familiar faces, surrounding the two grieving parents - all of them staring at her. It was like they were against her. A mixture of disappointment, anger, disgust surrounded her - accusing her.
"Don't believe them," Zach whispered into her ear. "This isn't your fault. You did the best you could."
"B-But they all hate me now." She took a step back, feeling his hands on her shoulders, steadying her. "How...how can I face them now?" she stammered. "I can't face them. They won't understand."
"We will make them understand," he declared, spinning her around until she faced him. "We will make them understand how much you loved this child."
"How can you sound so convinced?" Kendall stared at him in disbelief and awe. "Why are you still here with me?" she hedged. "How can you still say these things when I've given you nothing in return?"
"Because I love you."
Kendall reached out and touched his cheek. His eyes were full of hope and love. He did love her. She hadn't imagined that look in his eyes. There was no mistake. He spoke the truth.
"Everything you touch turns to dust!" Greenlee's voice echoed hauntingly.
Kendall spun around to face her accuser; but where there had been a funeral procession, there was now a black empty void. She furrowed her brow, confused at what had happened. "Z-Zach," she said, her back turned away from him. "Wh-What happened to them?"
She spun around trying to see where they went, but there was no trace of the hateful crowd.
"I don't know, Kendall."
"Zach," she said, her tone urgent. Kendall turned to Zach, meeting his concerned gaze. In the face of loss and death, she knew what was important - living for today. Here was her chance - he was here with her, alone. She could tell him how much he meant to her. "I have to tell you something..."
She could tell him that she had fallen in love with him, too.
But before she could say another word, the eyes that had looked at her with such patience, caring, and passion, now looked at her with pain and sorrow. Kendall did not understand what was wrong. Suddenly his eyes turned away from her and was now focused somewhere else. She followed his gaze, down to where her hand lay upon his chest. There was something clasped underneath it. It was a piece of paper.
"I understand," he said, pulling away from her.
"Zach, wait," Kendall exclaimed desparately. She fumbled with the folded paper in her hand. What was it? What had Zach so hurt? As she peeled the seal off the backing, Kendall was confused by the medieval styled writing. Bringing the paper closer, she deciphered the swirls and curly-ques.
Her mouth moved as she read the words under her breath. "...disillusionment of said contract between Kendall Hart Slater to Zachary Slater."
"You've made yourself perfectly clear," Zach said, his tone distant. "And I will respect those wishes."
Kendall shook her head, pulling her head out of the papers she did not remember holding a moment ago, "No. This is not what I wanted." But again, as with the procession, Zach was nowhere to be found. "Zach!" she cried out, her eyes darting around for any sign of the enigmatic man. "Zach, this isn't what I was going to tell you!"
She spun around, silently praying he would come back. Closing her eyes she willed it. "Come back. Zach?
"Zach!"
----&----
Kendall gasped, her eyes snapping open, as she awoke from her living sleep. Her heart was pounding against her chest, as if she had just lived the whole dream over again. She pulled her knees in tight against her chest, with the covers bunching in between. The pain of losing both seemed so real.
God, why can't I get you out of my head? Or out of my heart?