Chapter Two: Of Past Lives
"Ms. von Heltrich," the portly doorman greeted her as he held the door open, "you've been away a long time."
"Too long, I think," the woman replied, "how's Bertie doing?"
"She's well," the man nodded, "she keeps asking me when her favorite girl is coming to visit her."
"Tell her, I'll try to come by and see her next week, Barney."
"Will do."
Walking across the marble floors to the bay of elevators, the black clad figure drew plenty of stares, but the woman didn't care she was accustomed to this type of treatment at the Regal. Safely ensconced in the elevator taking her up to the eighth floor apartment, the woman relaxed against the smooth hardwood finish at the back of the elevator.
Looking around the Regal, one might think the Pulse never occurred. Marble floors, working elevators, expensive security system, five star restaurant. The Regal in Seattle was about the best one could hope for, but the woman hated it. All that was here to greet her was coldness, detached phony sentimentalities from people who didn't know her but wanted something from her, and loneliness, which is why she never spent the night in the apartment anymore. Barney was the highlight of her trips to the apartment, and he couldn't always talk to her because he needed the job to pay Bertie's medical expenses—even though he had recently received a sizeable amount of money. The woman smiled, she did like doing nice things for people she cared about.
Withdrawing her key as the elevator doors opened, she pushed in her security code and then unlocked the door.
The apartment was brightly lit and, where the wood paneling left off, painted in the most inviting shades of yellows and blues. Framed photos littered the walls and coffee tables, all showing different variations of her with her parents.
Ignoring her surroundings the woman walked the length of the apartment and found herself in the master bedroom. She strode towards the open walk-in closet and randomly extracted an ivory pantsuit and matching heels. The clothing smelled faintly of lavender, a fragrance she had not cared for growing up.
Pulling on the clothing and the shoes, she sorted through the jewelry scattered about on her dressing table. Locating her mother's string of pearls and watch, she decided she had enough accessories for her ensemble.
After dressing, the lithe woman went in search of a satchel to match her outfit. The bright light, streaming through the windows caught and danced on the embossed lettering of a nearby bag. Unconsciously, she found herself tracing the letters.
"IvH," she said to the empty room. Smiling sadly, she shook her head. "It seems like a lifetime ago."
She had never touched the von Heltrich money before; always content to sign it away to some charity in need of a benefactor, until the last few months. Today she was going to the bank to put her signature on a check, and if need be, withdraw more than the monthly stipend.
"How did this happen to me?" she asked quietly, as she found herself staring back into the mirror. "When did I start to care about him this much?" Are you stupid, she thought irritably, you connected with him the first time you looked into his eyes.
Straightening her ensemble, she smiled softly, taking in her appearance. Oh yeah, she could definitely blend in with the snooty types in this outfit. Her eye caught a glimpse of something in the mirror, and turning, she stared at the beautiful painting she had acquired a few weeks ago.
Too bad, she thought miserably, that Vertes didn't leave more than his initial fee in the safe. Brushing an imaginary speck of lint off her jacket, she squared her shoulders and walked out the door into the overcast city.