His Perfect Match (11 page)

Why? Despite what she'd told Darius, in nine years there had certainly been opportunities for something, if no more than the occasional fling. So, why had she rebuked every advance, every come-on in the past one hundred and eight months?

For the same reason she'd not been able to bring herself to being with Darren. Every woman had at least one secret she would take to the grave with her and for Liz, she knew her true relationship with Darren would be the one. While everyone she knew, including Darius, assumed there had been a torrid affair between them,
ending in them running off to be together, only two people knew that they'd never once had sex, and of the two people, one was dead. And after all, who would ever believe it?

Looking back, Liz now understood that the desire to bed her was Darren's only reason for taking her with him to Las Vegas. To him she was a challenge, a conquest. And keeping her in Vegas was the prize. There was never anything deeper going on with him. Looking back, Liz now understood that for her Darren had been an escape hatch, nothing more. They'd not only lied and deceived everyone they loved, they'd lied and deceived each other and themselves, as well.

What a mess,
she thought. For the most part, Liz had accepted the poor choices of her past long ago and moved on, but with Darius here she was finding herself reliving it all over and over. And on nights like tonight, the memories were too vivid to allow rest.

Finally, she climbed out of bed, heading to the kitchen to get a glass of water, when sounds from the living room caught her attention. Going to the end of the hallway, she saw the flickering lights of the television and realized Darius was sitting up against the arm of the couch watching it.

“What're you watching?” she asked, coming into the room.

Darius quickly picked up the remote and turned down the volume. “Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No, I couldn't sleep either.” She stopped at the end of the couch, staring down at the top of his head. “So, what are you watching?”

“Cops.”

He glanced up at her. “Watching the people on it
makes me feel better about myself.” He moved his legs to make room on the couch. “Care to join me, my fellow insomniac?”

She laughed. “Why not?” Sitting down beside him, she unconsciously scooted to the far corner. She could see Darius noticed, but he said nothing.

“So, why can't you sleep?” he asked, focusing his attention on the high-speed chase playing out on the screen.

She shrugged. “I don't know, just too wired, I guess. What about you?”

A small smile came to his mouth. “Sure you want to know?”

Liz felt a small stirring of excitement and considered giving a safe answer of no, but she'd been safe for so long. “Yes.”

“I remember you.” He glanced at her and then back at the TV. “I remember how we would curl up together on the couch in my apartment on nights like tonight watching movies and holding each other. And I remember how we'd end the evening. So much has changed, Liz, and in some ways nothing has changed.”

“I know what you mean. I feel the same way. But the things that have changed are too big for us.”

“What do you mean?”

“Be honest, Darius…do you think you could ever trust me again?”

Darius kept his attention focused on the television.

She sighed in disappointment. “That's why I pulled away from you in the stairwell. Not because I'm not still attracted to you, but because I remember that look in your eyes when you first realized it was me you were seeing on the beach in New Zealand. I remember the anger and resentment you felt at that moment.”

“A lot has happened since then.”

“Not enough.”

“In what way?”

“You haven't forgiven me.”

He gestured to the surrounding room. “How can you say that after the past few weeks?”

“The past few weeks have been great. You are wonderful with Marc, and I will never be able to thank you enough for what you've done.” She touched his shoulder and he turned to look at her. “But in three months, you're still going to expect me to show up in New Zealand and keep my end of the bargain. Not because you really expect payment for what you did, but because you want me to pay for what I did. Does that sound like a man who has forgiven?”

His lips firmed to a thin line. “I understand what you're saying, but I'm not letting you out of it.”

“See what I mean?”

“You have it all wrong. I know how it sounds, but it's not like that.”

“Really? Then what is it like, Darius?”

“I don't know, but it's not about revenge. Okay, it was in the beginning, but not now.”

She chuckled. “You keep telling yourself that. It's okay. I'll come to New Zealand, and keep my part of the deal, but you don't trust me. And quite frankly,” she huffed, “if I were in your shoes I probably wouldn't trust me either.”

“So, what are you saying?”

She leaned forward and gently touched her lips to his before pulling back. “I'm saying that because of everything that has come before, seven days in paradise is all we will ever have.”

“I don't agree.”

“No offense, Darius.” She stood from the couch. “But you don't have to.”

A
week later, Liz, Dee and Marc returned from a shopping trip to find a note and an envelope attached to the front door. Liz handed Dee the envelope and opened the note.

It was from Darius, explaining that something to do with the hotel had caused him to rush home, and that he was sorry he had not had time to say goodbye.

As she read the note aloud, Liz almost hated Darius for the hurt expression she saw appearing on her son's face. Until she reached the bottom of the letter and read the final sentence to herself. Before she could decide what to do about it, Dee was laughing happily.

“Look!” She'd opened the envelope and found what the note described. Three round-trip tickets to New Zealand, dated ahead almost three months exactly to the day. Dee and Marc were bouncing around in excitement,
her fifty-year-old aunt as exuberant as a child at the thought of this trip of a lifetime.

“I don't have a passport!” Dee suddenly realized. She turned to Liz. “Do you think I can get one in time?”

Liz decided to grab on to the opportunity to get out of taking her family with her. She shook her head sadly. “I don't think so. And Marc doesn't have one either.”

Dee's eyebrows crinkled in confusion and disappointment, and Liz suddenly felt the size of an ant. Dee saw right through her. Liz forced a smile. “But we'll try.”

With that mild assurance, Marc's spirits lifted once again, but Dee continued to watch her with suspicion as they all entered the house. Liz's mind was working overtime trying to figure out Darius's angle. Why was he inviting Dee and Marc to witness her humiliation? Unless he really did not have humiliation in mind? Either he'd meant what he said that night they'd talked, or he was a harder, colder man than she'd ever imagined. Unfortunately, Liz realized, it would be three months before she would know which answer was right.

 

Later than evening Darius's rented car pulled into Cincinnati and he was surprised to find how the city had changed in his absence. It took him a little longer than he expected to find his way home because many of the familiar landmarks of his childhood had been renovated into something else or wiped away completely.

As he pulled into the driveway of his parents' Colonial home, he was surprised to see several other cars parked there. He considered waiting until morning to come back, but decided he wanted this awkward confrontation over as soon as possible.

He sat in the car for a long time, simply staring at the
door. He'd been working on what he wanted to say to his parents ever since Liz had returned to his life. But now that he was here, he found that it wasn't so easy. After all, this was the home of his childhood. This was where he'd grown up in the loving protective bosom of his family. This is where he and Darren had once been friends. But for all those memories, now it felt as if he were visiting strangers.

Finally, he got out of the car and climbed the few stairs to the front door. Once again he paused. For a moment, he considered leaving without them ever knowing he'd been there. Maybe he should just leave the past in the past, and leave them always wondering why he'd never returned. But he couldn't do that. He needed to be here, for himself and for Liz. There were things that needed to be said and questions that needed to be answered.

He knocked on the door and waited patiently. When his mother answered her face spread into the familiar smile of his childhood, and Darius realized he'd been waiting for this moment for years, seeing his mother again. But now, knowing how she'd treated Liz and his son, somehow it just wasn't as pleasant an experience as he'd expected.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Darius? Darius!” She rushed forward and wrapped him in a tight hug. “What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell us you were coming?”

“It was an unexpected trip.” He returned the hug. “Sorry, I didn't know you were having guests over, or I would've called first.”

“Don't be ridiculous.” She pulled him into the house, closing the door behind him. Darius could hear voices and
laughter coming from the main dining room. “It's just the Winters and the Don—” She quickly glanced at her son and looked away. “The Winters and the Donovans.”

“Really.” Darius's eyes narrowed on the hall leading to the main dining room. “That's good, I wanted to talk to Will Donovan, as well.”

“Oh?” Carol North looked up at her only living son with a strange expression. “What did you have to talk to Will about?”

“Excuse me, Mom.” He moved past her and walked deliberately down the hall, feeling his resolve strengthening with every step. “Hello, everyone,” he said to the small group sitting around the dining-room table, playing cards.

“Darius! When did you get to town?” Jim North stood from the table and came to approach his son, but Darius held up his hand.

Jim stopped short. “What's wrong, son?”

“I just came from Columbus.”

Will looked to someone behind Darius, and he realized his mother had followed him back into the room.

His fist formed a ball as he watched Will and Marian Donovan exchange annoyed glances. The callousness with which they'd treated their own daughter was dumbfounding. Even with what he'd been told by Liz and Dee, never did he imagine it could be true. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he'd thought that maybe her parents just hadn't realized how dire her circumstances had been. Now, he understood, if Liz had died with Darren that day they couldn't have cared any less.

The only people who didn't seem to understand the importance of the Columbus reference were Rob and Ann Winters, who only looked at the others in confusion.

Will Donovan stood from the table and folded his arms across his chest. “Look, son, if you're here to scold us, you can save your breath. Elizabeth is my child, and I will deal with her the way I see fit.”

Darius took two steps forward. “No, Will, I'm not here to scold you, I'm here to put you on notice. All of you.”

His father frowned. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“My son came this close to dying.” He held his thumb and index finger a centimeter apart. “This close! And not one of you would've lifted a finger to help him.”

“Your son?” Carol whispered from behind him.

“Yes, Mom.” He turned to his mother. “Liz's child, Marc, is my son—not Darren's, as you all assumed.”

“But, I thought—”

Darius cut his mother off. “I know what you thought. What you all thought. But never once did you bother to find out the truth, not that it would've made any difference to any of you. I just thought you should know.” He turned back to the group. “I thought you should all know.”

Darius simply shook his head at the callousness. “Do you have any idea how sick your grandchild was?” He turned in a circle, watching each face for some sign of compassion. “Do any of you care?”

“I lost my daughter when she ran off with your brother!” Marian said firmly.

“Then it's your loss, Marian. Because my son is an amazing kid, and you're going to miss out on his whole life, and that of your only child.” He shook his head and looked at his father. “Darren was the only one to die, but thanks to your cold hearts you managed to lose two sons.”

“What did she say to you to turn you against us?” Carol moved closer to him to put her arms around him, but Darius pulled away.

“Not much, she just told me the truth, and your behavior told me the rest.” He lifted his hands in defeat. “I've said what I came here to say. I know what you did, and you won't get away with it.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Jim snapped, folding his arms across his broad chest. Darius realized that this man was the model he'd chosen for so many years, and in some ways he'd turned out just like his father. But not in the most important one, because there was no way he would ever turn his back on his child. Never.

“You turned your back on the two people I love most in this world. You left them to fend for themselves and if it hadn't been for Liz's resourcefulness, who knows where they would've ended up? I won't forget that.”

“How can you stand here and defend her after what she did to you?” Carol asked, still reaching for her son.

“You'd never understand, Mom. I realize that now. None of you will ever be able to see what you did wrong because you view the world through the narrow prism of your own self-interest.

“But it's okay, they have me now, and I will never let them down the way you did.” He turned to leave and paused. Turning back to the group, he said, “You know, Liz keeps saying I have a hard time forgiving people who cross me.” He frowned thoughtfully. “She may be right.”

“Darius! Don't leave like this!” Carol called behind him. “Son! Stay and let's talk our way through this.”

Darius simply kept walking, knowing the time for talking was over. He was right, he knew it just by looking into their eyes. They would never understand why their actions were wrong. They all felt completely justified given the embarrassment Liz and Darren had brought on their families. It was all about them, always
had been, their lifestyle, their children, all props to make them look better until the prop stopped working, and then it was easily and quickly tossed aside.

Later that evening, as he settled back in his seat for the long flight home, Darius realized how close he'd come to turning out just like them. As much as he hated to admit it, ten years ago, his delis and supermarkets had been his main concern. Liz had been a prop. He'd loved her, true enough. But he'd asked her to marry him because he thought she would be the perfect wife to suit his planned lifestyle. And just like his parents and hers, when she did not fall in line, instead of trying to find out what went wrong, he'd simply tossed her away and gone on with his life.

Well, he thought, she wasn't on her own anymore.

 

Driving down the avenue, Liz's mind was racing and she was growing more nervous by the day. There was only one more week before they were scheduled to leave for New Zealand. Much to her dismay, she'd been able to get Marc and Dee passports with relative ease. And the major airline strike she'd been praying for hadn't panned out either. She'd put in for vacation from her current job, teaching a fifth-grade English summer class, hoping her boss would reject the request but he'd just smiled, made some comment about how much she needed a break and signed off on it with no problem. Unfortunately, everything was moving along smoothly.

She pulled into the parking lot of her dry cleaners and turned off the car. She'd bought a few new outfits for the trip, but was still mostly depending on her elementary-teacher's wardrobe, which meant picking up a few things from the cleaners.

Even after weeks of contemplation, she had no idea what to expect when they arrived in New Zealand. What did seven days in paradise with Darius mean? She frowned thoughtfully. “A week in a tropical paradise…with Darius?”

Liz tilted her head to the side, realizing for the first time that somehow the full implication of this little wager had not hit her. Up until now, she'd only considered this from
his
vantage point, never thinking of what
she
stood to gain from it. After ten long, bone-dry years…could it be…was the drought about to be over?

She closed her eyes remembering what it was like to make love to Darius. Even after all these years the experience was still fresh to her senses—the feel of him, the scent and taste of him, maybe because those smells and feelings had so recently been within her reach. But, for whatever reason, she now understood that this was not only Darius's chance for satisfaction—it was hers as well. If she played her hand right.

Despite what he'd said before he left, Liz felt she understood what was in his heart. He wanted payback, and not even the discovery of his son had changed that. If she were totally honest with herself she knew that if humiliation and degradation were truly what he'd planned, he wouldn't have invited Marc and Dee. Darius might be spiteful, but he wasn't hateful. No, he simply planned to bed her.

The problem was he planned to bed her not out of desire, although she didn't doubt he still wanted her, but out of some misguided need for domination. Which meant that regardless of her recent revelation, she had to remain a reluctant participant. In other words, no jumping into his bed at the first glance. After all, an
eager victim was no victim at all, and Darius was just smart enough to see through that.

No, she had to play it cool and make him work for it. She nodded to herself, satisfied with her recent discovery. Suddenly, she was anxiously looking forward to their little family vacation.

She climbed out of the car and headed to the dry cleaner when the sign on the business next door caught her eye. Clippers Beauty Salon. Struck by inspiration, Liz suddenly knew the perfect way to convey her so-called defiance.
Time for a new look.
She turned and headed into the beauty salon.