Unsuitable Obsession - Part One (33 page)

How could he say goodbye? Farewell, so long? It was
unimaginable, he would see her again, and he felt so in his
heart.

It was dark in her room. The curtain was still
drawn, but Eduardo could hear someone mumbling behind the sheet.
Could it be? He got excited. Was she finally awake? He could tell
her now how much he loved her now and how everything would be all
right.

Eduardo gasped when he saw a large African-American
orderly fondling Amber’s breasts as she lie inanimate in her
coma.

“What the hell!” Eduardo shouted at him. “Get your
fuckin hands
off her!”

He grabbed the man’s arms away from his beloved,
shoved his awkward body into nearby monitors and machines and the
man shuffled along the linoleum trying to get to his feet to escape
but was unable to as Eduardo held him down with the blunt of one of
his crutches and kicked the man repeatedly with his one good leg.
“Get the fuck outta here!” Eduardo protested,
“Get the fuck
out!”

The impulsive uproar echoed down the corridor. A
nurse in another room heard the commotion and came pouring up the
hallway and into the room. “Sir? What’s wrong? What’s going on
here?”

Eduardo tried to catch his breath and wiped down his
attire. He couldn’t believe what just happened, what he
saw
.
It was appalling—it made him nauseated. Disgusted thoughts ran
through his head. She was in this hospital how long? A week, eight
days at the most? God only knows what went on behind the curtain!
Good God, he had to get her out of this place!

“Tell that fuckin hospital administrator of yours
that he’s gonna have the most expensive lawsuit on his hands...If I
have to carry her out her myself, Amber leaves now!”

“I will...I will Mr. Sanchez,” the nurse continued
to assert, her hands stopping his egress, “But before you
leave...”

Eduardo looked down at her hands halting his exit,
“What—what?”

“I might get fired by telling you this, but there’s
something else you should know...”

A Year and a Half Later

Eduardo departed the plane and found himself amidst
other travelers at the Ontario Airport. Heading towards the booth
to pick up his rental car, he recollected his routine.

Amber was transferred out of that disreputable
district infirmary and into the Palm Desert Treatment Center the
very same day. With the aid of Aldridge & Watson and the nurse
testifying on his behalf, Eduardo sued the Los Angeles County, the
hospital, and their staff for a considerable amount of money for
mistreatment of a comatose patient, and he prevailed. Aldridge
& Watson succeeded by having it broadcasted on every prime time
news channel, head-lined in every magazine and newspaper and
acknowledgment and praise soon followed. Eduardo was taken off
probation, given a promotion and Amber’s fees were compensated.

Every weekend for the past sixteen months he’s made
this journey. Eduardo would stand vigil by her bedside…hoping and
praying…for her healthy recovery. There was so much to share with
her, why hadn’t she sprung to attention by the sheer sound of his
voice? He loved her so much, hated seeing her motionless and
unresponsive from just holding her hand. Eduardo was not used to
Amber not clutching his body in return. Why hadn’t she responded to
his contact? He missed her so much—he’s never been so in love. The
one instance where he could prevail in his perseverance did not
hold credence in his motivation to get what he truly wanted. So,
where were the magic words?

Amber came out of the coma eleven months later. What
happened? Why was she unconscious for so long? He often thought she
didn’t want to recover, want to be alive again, never wanted to see
him another time. He was so relieved, elated, wanted to see her the
moment she awoke.

Eduardo punched Dr. Hayward in the jaw when he
refused to let him see Amber.
He
paid for her keep, even
salaried Dr. Hayward, why couldn’t he see her? Dr. Hayward acted
against it, Amber was distraught, depressed—it wasn’t a good time.
Eduardo didn’t give up though, how could he? Dr. Hayward was now in
control, and Eduardo had to accept the rule. He complied with the
doctor’s orders as his punishment for what he’d done. For what
they’d done; caused two divorces, ripped The Family apart. A family
that was once happy and thriving with love and happiness was now
torn and beaten, scandalized. He would wait for the day Amber asked
to see him. Wait with expectation, wait with his remorse.

Eduardo shoved the receipt for the rental car in the
glove compartment and began his descent towards the center. His
days were nothing more than solemn of late. Work was employment; it
helped him pass the time, coming home late at the dead of night
with hollowness in his heart and an ache that no one else could
stop but Amber. Good God, however it began, he was lovesick over
her! It was so hard to be forced to walk and breathe when all he
could think about was being with her.

She refused to see him? Why? He’d been rejected?
What was that all about? He’s never been cast aside, never! He was
devastated; crying in the shower, listening to heartrending music,
sitting alone in the dark, drinking. The only thing that kept him
breathing was past memories...and what joined them together
now.

He had the chance and should have taken it. The day
the two met…Amber, so young and naive. He could have seduced her
away from his brother, before they got married, had their son,
bought a house and made another baby. He did it
before…
twice
, in fact. He robbed two other girlfriends’ of
Victor’s and neither their mother nor their father or family took
notice or cared.

One girl was all over him the minute Victor was out
of the room. Octopus hands roaming everywhere, it was Victor’s
first girlfriend at the tender age of thirteen. She was fifteen and
very persistent; a dirty blonde, practically straddling him in
their pool when Victor was underwater diving for rocks. It was all
very innocent. They only stole a few kisses, but Eduardo still felt
guilty and Victor was so heartbroken.

The next girl wasn’t so easy to evade. Victor had
been dating her for several months, another blue-eyed blonde, but
not too exciting elsewhere. Eduardo didn’t even say the word
boo
to the girl and she likewise ignored him until one
night. Victor and his parents were out of town and left Eduardo in
the house alone to finish studying for a college exam, when a tap
on his window startled him. It was nearly two o’clock in the
morning, and whoever it was, was being inconsiderate. Eduardo
stormed over to the window and to his surprise; it was Victor’s
girlfriend—dressed in a fancy prom dress of sorts. He opened the
front door and she explained to him that she just left her sister’s
wedding and had to use the bathroom. Bathroom? Well, he was tired
from all the studying, and thought the excuse was worthy, so he let
her in. The next thing he knew she was in this incredible sexy
garter belt with silk stockings and a lace bra that he just
couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off of! She suddenly had this hot
little body, and one thing led to another and they had sex on his
bed. And wouldn’t you know it, the girl confessed to Victor to make
him jealous, and Victor was so impaired, he didn’t speak to Eduardo
for nearly six months. Lucky for Victor, Eduardo rented an
apartment off-campus while attending UCLA and hardly ever saw his
little brother and the girls he further dated.

Eduardo began to unwrap his sandwich he purchased
just before he rented the car and began eating it. Chicken salad on
sour dough bread toasted slightly, his favorite. He was a practical
man, an intellectual…an educated male. He graduated from Harvard
for crissakes! Working for top rated Aldridge & Watson
producing seven figures a year. A long-established bachelor by
choice, he never allowed himself to fall in love. If you wanted to
spend time with him fine, but don’t go hinting at love,
relationship or marriage. He ran away from commitment and never
batted an eyelash or gave an excuse as to why. He was always up
front with the women he dated. It was clear not to believe in silly
nonsense like love at first sight, or a thunderbolt of devotion
drawing two people together. It never happened to him, so why give
credence to it? It was some cruel joke God played on him when
Victor presented Amber to his family for the very first time. Amber
was so mysterious he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. He always
looked passed brunettes (especially women with black hair) but with
Amber came singularity. Her hazel eyes pierced through his heart
like a sheet of lightning. His perfect woman, she was everything
enhanced; body, personality, friendship, consideration and undying
love for him. The chemistry they shared was so intense, he
oftentimes found himself running away because he was so
over-whelmed with guilt just thinking of what he wanted to do with
her. His brother’s girlfriend. It was shameful, distasteful. Out of
respect for the previous two times he stole what was Victor’s,
Eduardo felt he had to withdraw himself from the race. He would
step back, give his little brother a present. Watch with jealously,
as Victor and Amber kissed and shared their dedication to each
other, that acceptance of their love, their admiration for each
other. Fall back from what he felt in his very soul could have been
true happiness for the rest of his miserable presumptuous life.

Never in his life would he have believed that Amber
felt similar. At that very moment in time, when they first laid
eyes on each other, if the devil himself would have enlightened him
that he would be sacrificing so much to be with her, he would have
laughed his fucking head off.
That’s insane! No woman would make
him do that!
He
was
insane, totally and undeniably in
love with his brother’s fiancée.

He honestly didn’t realize how much he loved her
until the day of their wedding. Victor presented Eduardo with
Amber’s ring. Eduardo was Best Man and was supposed to hold it
until the exchanging of rings during the ceremony. Eduardo held it
in his palm for so long; he thought it might have melted into his
skin. It was a plain platinum band. It was faultless, simple, like
her and he left it in his wallet in the dressing room never
intending to give it to Victor. He wanted to grab her on that altar
and whisk her away; present her with the ring he bought—and make
her his eternally. Amber was gorgeous that day; he wished he had
said something then. Once again, he had an opening, purposely
strutting in front of the bridesmaids, pretending to be lost on his
way to the groomsmen. And when he saw Amber, dressed head to toe in
her wedding dress that should have been for him; all he could
muster up was the word
wow.
She took his breath away.
Grabbed his heart, twisted it so tight, he felt such anguish; he
couldn’t see straight the entire ceremony. The days after were
filled mostly with emptiness. He went home alone, while Amber and
Victor made love, it pained him physically just thinking about it.
Oh, how he wanted her for himself, envisioning her in bed with him,
his wife for all eternity. Days turned into years of yearning for
his sister-in-law and wishing fantasy would mutate. He was totally
unbalanced when he finally met Leticia.

Leticia was like a breath of fresh air. She filled
up his time, his concentration, the moments he
did not
think
about the woman he now loved. He was lonely, and constantly
dreaming of Amber, that one night he practically attacked Leticia.
In his eyes, as he tore her clothes away from her body, she
was
Amber. He wanted to make love to her, feel himself
inside her and Leticia satisfied the moment of compulsion, he never
intended on marrying her but her family came from a strong Catholic
background and she had been a virgin and he had no other choice but
to put a ring on her finger when she announced that she was with
child. She was merely a stand in for the person he really wanted.
And oh how he always felt guilty for having sex with his wife! He
felt like he was committing adultery (which was totally absurd) and
should have been diametrical. It was forever daunting trying to
keep up appearances with Leticia too, forcing to show affection
towards her in front of his parents and family, continuing to have
intimate relations when he really couldn’t stand the sight of her.
He was in love with Amber the first day he met her. No other woman
would suffice.

He was so grateful for all the little incidences he
had with his sister-in-law when she initiated them too. Amber
constantly sought out his friendship and it fulfilled the need of
wanting her for himself. Sitting on the couch, joking at the dinner
table, daring each other to swim laps in the pool, unimportant
moments where he could have her full attention. And when he decided
to see if she felt equivalent, he would purposely walk out of the
same room, absent from her view, talk with someone else or simply
speak with Leticia alone. He knew he’d sparked some kind of
interest because Amber would always follow him
.
Until one
day Eduardo couldn’t take the torment any longer and decided to be
so bold as to taste her lips. He needed to satisfy that constant
craving of feeling her skin and, Good God; the desire was never
quite fulfilled. Damn he was reckless, sleeping with his brother’s
wife. Amber was everything he’s ever wanted and he found himself
brutally sexually attracted to her (and if he had his way) they’d
never leave the bed.

She was constantly driving him to distraction at
work too. He couldn’t believe all the cases that got settled in
those years; how on earth could he have concentrated so much on
legal effort when all he wanted to do was passionately kiss Amber
all day long?