Chapter VII

Seven months later

Brynn Wydd, Wales

Heidi was soaked when she came back into the cottage. She had gone to pick a handful of tomatoes when the rain appeared out of nowhere. Suddenly black clouds filled the sky, followed by a torrent of water and then a strong, fierce wind. It was the wind that made the door handle slip out of her hand, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Sorry!" she called out and walked into the living room to see Alex lying on the floor, on her back, holding Max in the air, while singing 'Leaving on a Jet Plane'. The baby shrieked in delight, making Alex laugh.

"Oh look, he is drooling all over your beautiful blouse," Heidi moved to take him from her, but Alex was already up, holding him in her arms. She was quick and agile, something Heidi couldn't say for herself.

"That's ok, we're not expecting company, right, my little Count?" Alex made a face at Max and he started to play with her hair. Then she turned to Heidi, "By the way, your English is getting so good, I'm really impressed."

Heidi blushed. "That is only because of your help."

Alex spent four nights a week teaching her grammar and diction from some local schoolbooks she had bought for her.

"That's not true, and you know it."

Alex seemed to adore her and as much as Heidi relished living in a household where her employer was fast becoming her friend, there were times when it surprised her that the two of them got along so well. Physically they were polar opposites. Heidi was tall and large. In fact, large was perhaps too delicate a word. Most standards would rate her as distinctly overweight. She had a messy head of thick blond, curly hair that no amount of styling could keep under control, whereas Alex, well, Doctor Alexandra Marick looked effortlessly elegant no matter what she wore or did. Even now, with Max's drool on her blouse, Heidi thought she could easily step into a soiree and not look out of place.

She was smart too, that much Heidi could discern just from the articles she caught her reading. Articles whose contents shouldn't even vaguely determine and not because English wasn't her first language.

Not that Heidi thought she wasn't smart. But it certainly wasn't that kind of smart.

Cool, sophisticated Dr. Marick, and plain and simple Heidi, living and raising little Max together as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

At first Heidi had kept a respectful distance from her new employer, addressing her as "Doctor Marick," and doing her job with an unnoticeable efficiency. However, given their complete isolation in the countryside, such formalities soon became ridiculous and Alex seemed to welcome their growing closeness, insisting that she wasn't an employee so much as she was a member of their tiny family.

Their isolation in the green, rolling hills of Wales didn't bother Heidi. She had grown up in a mountain cabin in the Swiss Alps and she knew very well what it felt like to look down to the village lights in the valleys below. Lights that seemed deceptively close, yet in the winter months were often so unreachable, they might as well have been on the moon.

Isolation comforted, rather than bothered her. It made her feel at home, and she was beginning to like the little boy she was taking care of, as much as she liked his mysterious mother.

True, there were endless questions she wanted to ask Alex. Questions that her curiosity desperately wanted answered. But her respect stopped her from asking.

Questions such as why didn't anyone ever visit Alex? Why had she received only one piece of mail during her entire seven-month stint here? Why wasn't it possible to make outside calls from their telephone and why was there only a single line that connected them to Alex's employer? Why didn't Alex seem to have a single friend or relative in the world?

Although she was often gone for the entire day, Alex spent every free moment she did have with Max and Heidi. On the rare days that she didn't head to work, she took Max and Heidi to the village to dine in the local pub, or to the church service. Sometime they even went for hikes along the hillside trails.

Tonight, following their dinner, Heidi cleaned the kitchen and Alex put Max to bed.

Afterwards, Heidi had seen her going to sit outside, watching the summer rain subside from the door of their cottage.

She didn't seem to notice when Heidi sat down next to her.

Heidi handed her a glass of sherry. Alex preferred it over the bitter herbal liqueurs that Heidi had once offered her as an after dinner drink.

"Here, for you."

Heidi saw Alex wipe away an embarrassed tear as she took the glass. "Thank you."

They sat in silence together, until finally the rain stopped and Heidi spoke, "You're so sad sometimes. It breaks my heart."

Alex's eyes were wet and beautiful in the pale light of the moon. "You and Max make me very happy," was all she said.

Heidi saw Alex fingering her exquisite gold and diamond wedding band.
"Do you miss him? Max's father?" she asked her softly.

Alex took a sip of the sherry and nodded.

There was more she wanted to ask her. So much more. But Alex didn't volunteer, and Heidi wouldn't press her. She had no right.

Maybe she had asked too much already, she thought with regret, as she saw Alex covering her face with her hands, not wanting to show her tears.

Heidi wanted so much to comfort her, but she didn't know where to begin.

Instead she wrapped her large arms around her and let her cry.

Wildwind, Pine Valley, PA

Dimitri had just returned home from a five-day trip to Canada's Northwest Territories. The trip had left him exhausted and rejuvenated at the same time. Instead of remaining at the mine's office headquarters in Yellowknife, he had flown four hundred miles north, in a bush plane, to a place called Ekati, where the actual ore extraction was taking place. There he had spent three 17-hour days familiarizing himself with his investment. He had walked the grounds, gotten to know the machinery, the nuances of every ore body in the ground, and as a result the men working on site gained a newfound respect for their employer

Back at Wildwind, Dimitri now looked at himself in a mirror and saw the growing beard and the dark circles under his eyes that stared back at him.

"Don't push too hard," he told himself, "You already cheated death once."

He was about to undress and shower, when a voice greeted him from behind, "Welcome home, darling."

It was Erica, wearing nothing but a rose colored satin negligee.

"Well, this is quite the surprise." Dimitri couldn't help but smile at her audacity.

"I wanted to remind you of where we left off, before you had a sudden need to take off for the Arctic Circle."

Seeing her standing there, in his dimly lit room, wearing next to nothing, did indeed remind him of the last night he spent here with her. It also reminded him why he left for Canada the next day, without a word.

"Erica, I'm not sure this is such a good idea…" he started.

"You didn't seem to mind that night. What wrong Dimitri?" She made a halfhearted effort to cover her negligee, and sat down on the sofa, mildly annoyed at his less than enthusiastic reception.

"I don't regret that we slept together," he lied. "I just don't know if I'm ready for this yet and I care for you too much to hurt you."

It was obviously not what she hoping to hear. "Oh for heaven's sake, Dimitri, we're both adults. We both care deeply for one another, we always have, and we've always been attracted to one another. Tell me how is that wrong?"

Dimitri sat down next to her, "It's not…wrong, and you're right I do care for you a great deal. But I…"

Erica looked at him with knowing eyes and sighed. "I know exactly what it is. Oh darling, you have to let go of Alex. It's been a year and a half. You've mourned her and grieved for her. It's time to let go. Do you really think she would want you to stop living?"

He shook his head. No, Alex wouldn't. It was the truth.

Erica took his hand in hers and kissed it gently. "She would want you to find happiness again, the same way you wanted that for her when you thought you were going to die."

Her words made sense, Dimitri told himself. Erica was right. There was no reason to live in the past; it would not bring Alex back.

Let go. Everyone was always telling him to "let go", but how could he explain that he couldn't let go of something that he didn't think was gone? That he still felt was a part of him?

It wasn't that he couldn't let go. It was that he didn't want to.

Erica's kisses made her way up to his mouth, and Dimitri returned them with a genuine hunger and passion. He might not have wanted to let go, but he was capable of focusing only on his immediate needs. Of shutting out the world around him.

He took Erica into his arms and made love to her in the hunting lodge.

Brynn Wydd, Wales

Alex watched two agents practice a unique form of Thai kickboxing in the gymnasium at Brynn Wydd. Both agents were exceptionally good and Alex was so engrossed in watching their duel she barely noticed when Justin Black stepped in front of her.

"That's how well trained Charlotte wants all her agents to be." Justin pointed out.

Alex ignored him.

"You'll never even come close to that level," he reminded her.

"I can live with that, thanks."

Justin loved to rile her. Alex realized that the less annoyed she appeared, the less it would encourage him. Being around him made her feel like she was back in grade school.

"Get off your rear and show me what you can do," he ordered her.

"What do you want with me? Don't you have someone your own size to pick on?"

"Charlotte asked me to help you improve your martial arts technique. She said it leaves much to be desired. It certainly won't improve by sitting on your rear."

Not wanting to start another argument, Alex got up and stood next to him.

He towered over her and, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and white karate pants, she could see every one of his well-trained muscles. Physical fitness was a religion for Justin Black and he loved to show off its results.

Alex decided she would let him show off his skills and be done with it. Hopefully the humiliation wouldn't take too long. Although she was skilled enough to protect herself against the average enemy she faced, Alex knew she was no match for the size, stamina, and expertise of Justin Black.

Charlotte had been right about one thing; Anna was the warrior, not Alex.

Justin began attacking her with some basic martial arts moves, which she fended off easily. As their sparring went on, he started combining kicks with punches, one after the other, relentlessly and Alex fought hard to keep up. Then, finally, in one swift move, he had her on the floor.

He pinned her down hard and Alex conceded defeat. "Okay, you win."

He looked at her in disgust, "You're pathetic." He didn't let go of her, instead pressing down on her neck with his right arm.

She coughed, "Stop it, let go."

He didn't let go, pressing harder instead. His eyes were full of anger and it scared her. This wasn't a game anymore.

"Stop…I can't…breathe." Her lungs ached with the effort it took to get in a hint of air.

"Is that what he told you? Is it?"

Alex had no idea what he was talking about, she could barely croak out a word in reply.

"Guy. Guy Donohue. He was my friend and mentor. He saved my life and you killed him, Alexandra. I hope you haven't forgotten, because I will never let you forget what you did to him!"

Guy Donohue. Alex did remember him. She wouldn't ever forget.

He had been one of Charlotte's agents, sent to kill her, back when Charlotte hadn't yet found a use for her and decided she was better off dead than alive.

"He…tried to…kill me…" Her efforts to speak against his grip caused her to cough up several drops of blood.

"That's right, you should have died, not Guy."

It all made sense now; the barely masked hostility she saw in his eyes every time he looked at her.

His eyes locked with hers. "Don't think I'll ever forget what you did to him and don't think you won't pay for it. Charlotte needs you now, but there will come a time when she won't, and then you will remember what I'm telling you today. And it will be the last thing you'll ever remember."

Alex's vision was beginning to blur from the lack of oxygen, and just as she thought she was about to pass out, Justin let go of her neck and in one quick movement, he grabbed two fingers from her left hand and pushed them back until he heard a crack.

Alex screamed.

Justin stood back up and left her lying on the gym floor, gasping, trying to breathe while clutching her broken fingers in pain and shock.

Wildwind, Pine Valley, PA

Dimitri woke up with a jolt, gasping for air. It was as though someone had knocked the wind out of him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Erica sat up next to him.

"I…I don't know."

Erica smiled slyly, "I didn't think I exhausted you that much."

Dimitri had to make a huge effort to get air into his lungs and he noticed that his left hand was suddenly, inexplicably sore.

"Dimitri?" Erica's expression quickly changed from amusement to concern, "Do you want me to call a doctor?"

He shook his head, coughing, "I'll be alright." He tried to offer her a lop-sided grin. "Maybe I'm allergic to your fragrance. I'll have to sue Enchantment."

"You'll never win." She teased him, seemingly relieved that he was well enough to joke. "But do try."

Dimitri got up and poured himself some water, while Erica remained in bed, watching him.

Slowly, his breathing returned to normal but the pain in his hand persisted. Wanting to get away from Erica's watchful eyes, he went outside to the living room and opened the window to let the cool air in, before lighting the oil lamp that sat on the mantle of the fireplace. He eased himself down on the couch, not wanting to disturb Erica further.

Suddenly, a strong draft that came out of nowhere knocked down the only picture on his cabinet and extinguished the oil lamp.

It was a photo of him and Alex at their wedding.

Dimitri stood to pick it up and as he did the pain in his hand intensified.

It was as though something, or someone, was trying to tell him something. To give him a sign. It was something he desperately needed to know, something that would change his life forever.

Dimitri had mixed feelings whenever these sensations assaulted him. He hated that he couldn't fully understand them, but at the same time he wanted them to continue because they comforted him and gave him a strange, inexplicable hope.