Cajun Vacation (25 page)

Justin was a perfect specimen of a man. The kind she would have once eyed and perhaps seduced. Now all she noticed was how closely he walked with Erica. He stayed a half-step behind her while she led him across the street. His eyes alternated between gazing at Erica and looking at her waiting for them. As they moved closer, she saw a sparkle in his eyes that she’d never seen in any of Erica’s boyfriends. It contained the same affection and desire that she saw in their father’s eyes whenever he looked at her mother.

She waited.

Erica let Justin’s hand go and gave her a hug. “I’m sorry I didn’t call,” she said, but the unrestrained smile on her face said otherwise. “Justin, this is my sister Alicia,” she said, as she reached out for Justin.

He stepped forward, hand outstretched. “It’s wonderful to meet you,” he said.

They shook hands, and Alicia noted a firm grip, but nothing more. Whatever sex appeal he had, it belonged to Erica. Her eyes sparkled as much as Justin’s and they quickly went back to hand holding. It was love. She could see it as clearly as within her own parents. Erica waited for her to say something. Inside she knew that she should congratulate Erica, or say something encouraging. But all she could see or think about was Peter.

“Alicia, are you OK?” asked Erica, her face becoming concerned.

She pushed the images of Peter away. I’m fine,” she said. Then she turned to Justin. “It’s nice to meet you too, but we really should find Sara.”

Justin exchanged a concerned look with Erica as she turned back to Le Soul and pressed against her heaving stomach. Erica had found someone who truly loved her. She should be happy for her sister, but all she felt was sick. How hurrying to find Sara, who would gush over Erica’s new love would help her, she didn’t know. But she pressed on to the restaurant. She had to know what Sara had done with the time that she had.

The crowd waited for a table snaked outside the entrance, but Alicia made her way inside. The host looked up as she approached. Erica and Justin followed a foot behind.

“How many?” he asked.

“I’m looking for Sara Canning,” she said, and the host’s eyes hazed over a second before clearing. He didn’t have to say anything. Through the chatter and noise of the patrons in the dining room, she heard the tell-tale laugh of her sister carry through from the kitchen. Without waiting for permission, she circled around the host. “I’ll only be a moment,” she said.

She spotted through the kitchen door windows. Energetic, laughing, and positively glowing as she ate at a back counter. But not a meal by herself. Next to her and sharing food together sat one of the most gorgeous men on Television. Her entire body shook at the sight and her stomach fell out.

Erica moved up next to her. “What the matter?” she asked, her arm on Alicia in worry. Then she glanced through the window and sucked in a breath. “Is that the Laurent Stein? With Sara?”

Alicia couldn’t stand it. Both her sisters had met men this weekend? And they were still together? She shoved the swinging doors open and all the cooks in the kitchen turned their eyes to the door, and her. “Are you kidding me?” she said, her voice shaking. “You didn’t even want to come here and now you’re…together?” She pointed at Laurent.

Sara bolted out of her chair, knocking her plate off the counter. “Alicia, I can explain,” she said through the shattering of her plate as it hit the floor. Alicia watched as Laurent’s hand went to Sara’s back to steady her, and how Sara melted into his touch without a second thought.

Her legs began to shake, and she felt the room spin. The weekend had turned into a personal nightmare. Both her sisters had new men, while she walked around almost certainly pregnant and alone. She turned from the kitchen to find a bathroom as her stomach heaved. A restroom sign hung left from the kitchen and she sprinted down the short hallway. She had hoped that it was a single bathroom with a lock, but it wasn’t, so Erica pushed into the room.

“Alicia, what’s going on?” she asked. Sara quickly followed inside, the worry plain on her face.

Alicia took deep breaths to calm her stomach and her nerves. She had to think and get a hold of herself. Her sister’s hadn’t done anything wrong. They weren’t responsible for her problems or her potential pregnancy. She brought them on herself by being careless and letting her guard down with Peter. Erica and Sara looked so happy, and she should be happy for them. Even if she wasn’t.

They both stood on either side of her as if waiting to catch her if she fell. She loved them as much as they cared for her. Why shouldn’t she tell them what happened to her? What could she say? What did she want? Peter came to mind. She wanted him to be here with her too. To be able to introduce him to her family like they wanted to introduce their men to her. But she had left him and didn’t look back. After the way she said goodbye, he probably didn’t want her either. A man was all about lust, and Peter had had his fun with her.

The words fell flat. No matter how many times she said them, she’d never convince herself they applied to Peter. Even as she spewed her goodbye to him at the park, his eyes had the same sparkle that Justin had for Erica. The same sparkle that Laurent had for Sara as he protected her from falling. And when Peter’s eyes had sparkled that way, he had been looking at her. He said that he loved her, and she didn’t believe him. But it was true.

She looked between Erica and Sara. Tears came down her face. “I think I made a mistake,” she said.

Since unwilling losing her virginity, she had thought that she had taken control of her sexuality and her relationships. That no man would ever control her. But it was a lie, and her first mistake. Instead, she had allowed that one terrible moment to change what she believed, and how she acted. She hadn’t taken control of anything by rejecting the chance of love. Maybe none of the men she had been with before could really love her, but Peter did. And when she rejected him, it was another mistake. But that one she could correct. She hoped.

“We’re here for you,” they said, but she knew what she needed to do. She grabbed a tissue and dried her eyes, and then exited the bathroom. Justin and Laurent waited outside the door, concerned, but deferring to Erica and Sara on what to do. There would be time to apologize and get to know both of them, but not now. She made her way to the door, ignoring the stares directed at her.

The night air washed over her and increased her resolve to find Peter. But where would he be? At his studio? At home? There was so much she didn’t know about him. Like where he’d go if he was upset.

“What are we doing?” asked Sara.

She wasn’t sure, but she felt that she needed them with her. That she needed to make her own introductions, and that reconciling with Peter with her family as witness would convince him that she was truly sincere. “Will you come with me?” asked Alicia. “I think I know where to go. It’s not far.”

“OK,” said Sara, while Laurent emerged from the restaurant without his chef’s attire and went to Sara’s side. Erica nodded and took Justin’s hand.

It really wasn’t that far either. She had walked these streets with Peter last night. He wouldn’t be looking for her. Not directly. She had left with too much anger for him to do that. But he’d want her to know that he was still there for her. So if she didn’t come back to him, in order to see her for one last time, and capture the memory in a photo, he’d go to the one place he knew she’d pass.

She past the club where they danced and remembered the turns they took to the river. Her heart quickened when she saw him. He had already arrived and stood near the spot where she had waved to the passing cruisers. A camera rested on a tri-pod next to him. He didn’t notice as she walked up behind him. But then, as if a surge of energy hit him, he jerked his head up and spun around to face her. His eyes went past her family and straight to gaze on her. Her mouth went dry and she fumbled at words, while her heart wanted to burst from her chest.

“You’re going to miss your boat,” he said in barely a whisper. His eyes held the same sparkle they had earlier.

Behind her, she heard Sara and Erica exchange words. They could see plainly, what she had tried to ignore. Peter’s love for her.

“I love you,” she said. “I’m sorry.” She hadn’t finished her apology before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his warm embrace. The gasps of her sister’s barely registered as her hands weaved through Peter’s hair and they kissed. Deep, passionate, and full of unrestrained love. They had so many things to learn about each other, and she’d have to warn him about maybe being pregnant. But in his arms, she knew that whatever she threw at him, he would take, and return back to her with more love than she ever imagined.

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Grip This

Excerpt - Grip This

Faye screamed. She couldn’t see anything past her blindfold, but she knew exactly what was going on around her. Her hands and feet pulled at the restraints, fighting to get free. She twisted her body, but another strap held her hips down. Tears fell from her face and she stopped moving.

“Please,” she said. Cool air blew against her cheek. She didn’t move, but could hear the slow, steady breath of her captor next to her face. Tears rolled out from under her blindfold and she turned her head toward the man she knew was holding her.

“Please,” she pleaded again. “I have a little girl. She needs me.”

Light flooded her eyes as the blindfold tore away from her head. Her eyes squinted. She still couldn’t see anything and waited while her eyes adjusted. Slowly the form of a man became clearer. His face held no emotion. His eyes were utterly expressionless. Without a word or any change in his face, he lifted his hand to her face. A surgical knife twisted between his fingers.

Faye’s eyes widened in terror and he stepped toward her. She screamed again.

BOOM!

A small army of silent onlookers burst into sudden activity at the explosion.

“CUT!” said the director. She heard others voices in the background too.

“What happened?”

“One of the lamps blew.”

She looked at the torturer. “Well, are you going to get me the fuck out of the rack or just stand there?”

“Oh sorry,” he said sheepishly before getting to work loosening her straps. One of the prop guys rushed up to help.

The two of them finally undid the last restraint and Faye swung her legs over the side of the torture rack. She rubbed her wrists and looked down at them. Faint marks formed on her skin.

“Idiots, you tightened the straps too much. Look at my wrists!” Faye looked around for the torturer, but he had already left. She jumped off the rack and marched straight to the director.

“So who the hell screwed up my shot?” she asked, her hands placed on both hips.

The director took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He opened his eyes and looked at her. “After looking at the shot on the monitors the DP and I thought the lighting would be better if we had it blocked differently. But we’re running late today and didn’t have time to re-block so we added another light to the blocking we had to get a similar effect. The light had a bad bulb and blew. It’s no one’s fault.”

Faye’s nostrils flared. “No one’s fault? Is that what you’re going to tell my father when he has to write another check to cover expenses on this already over-budget film? This first installment of the
Inn
horror franchise is going to be a breakthrough production for everyone. If it ever gets shot and to the editors.”

She shook her head and looked up at the exposed duct-work in the ceiling of the fake killing chamber. “My father isn’t going to be a limitless source of funds. He says you need to stick to the budget or he’s going to take control of things.”

The director raised his hands. “Alright I’ll talk to your father. He is after all paying for all this. And don’t worry so much about the costs. We’re doing fine and once we sell international rights we’ll all be making money on this whole project.”

“I’m not interested in the money. I just want to be a star,” she replied.

“Fine. You’ll get your fame and we’ll all get paid,” said the director. He turned from her toward the crew. “All right that’s a wrap for today. We’ll pick up from here on Monday and then get into close-up shots.”

“So where’s the key grip?” she asked.

The director turned back to her and pointed. “Why do you need him?”

“If he had done his job and blocked the lights right the first time, you wouldn’t have needed that extra light and we could have finished up today. Someone needs to set him straight if you’re not going to,” she said, then marched off to the chew out the key grip.

***

Faye looked around the now empty killing chamber. It certainly had the creepy feeling you’d expect from someplace a psychopath would kill people. It the movie it’d be the boiler room in the basement of the Inn she had been kidnapped from. In reality it was the basement of a closed church that they had leased the space from. She considered it ironic that a church would let them us their building for a horror movie about a killing cult, but everyone apparently needed money and they signed the contract.

The boiler took up most of the space, but a large area was available for the torture rack and all the supporting material that a film shoot needed. She liked the stone work, even in the basement. It didn’t just look old. It was old. The crew had added faux-removable symbols on the walls to give a stronger cult-like feel the scene needed.

A rumble of thunder sounded outside, followed by the steady flow of rain starting to come down and beat against the walls. She expected the storm to last all night, no one would head back to the church to bother her tonight. No one except Paul.

This show would be a hit with the cult film crowd and from there she could springboard to bigger features. She had to be a star — adored and loved by fans.