Where the Lotus Flowers Grow (30 page)

After we ate, he took me across the street to a brightly lit store.

“What are we doing here?”

“Getting you a cell phone.” He took out his wallet. “This is a credit card for your use. Don’t argue with me. You’ll need to purchase some warmer clothes. I love the way it looks on you, but you’re practically swimming in my sweater.”

I didn’t argue.

Mary

I couldn’t move. His body had to be heavy, to be crushing me, but I didn’t feel anything. I was there, but I wasn’t. The shadow on the monitor was real. He had come for me, but I was the shadow now. I moved my mouth, but no words came out. He grunted as he sat up.

The colors in the room faded together in a blur, as if they bled into each other. Every time I blinked, the shapes and colors shifted like the picture in Hannah’s kaleidoscope. I heard the sound of harsh slaps over and over. I didn’t feel it, yet, but I knew it was my flesh. Just as I knew the faint warmth between my legs was blood.

“She is useless to me. You gave her too much.”

“She fights, Sahib.”

“I wanted her to fight. I enjoy the fight.” A ringing sound invaded my head. “Shut up,” he said.

“Hello, dear. Yes, I arrived safely.”

I tried to make a sound, but it only came out a muffled choke. A hand pressed against my mouth.

“It’s street noise. Darling, I have to go. It’s the last leg of my trip.” He sighed. “What’s your problem? I always go to Jaipur every few years. This is business. What do you mean, he found it? Just calm him down.” His voice rose with each sentence. I struggled to scream, but he pressed down harder. Then I struggled to breathe. He was going to kill me while having a phone conversation.

I tried to focus on him, but I couldn’t shift my head. It lay to the side, my cheek pressed into the pillow. There were two gold birds on the nightstand. They started moving, running to the edge of the table. They flew around my head. Concentrate, I told myself. It’s not real. But his hand felt real. Why weren’t the birds real? They liquefied and shimmered as they circled me. Their wings made a hard metallic thrashing sound as they flapped. I thought they might rescue me by carrying me away from this place. But they only flapped around my head, mocking me. They were vultures coming to pick at my dead flesh. I would be the carrion that sustained them.

“It’s not what it looks like. You explain that to Bobby. You know how his mind works. No, wait. I’ll call him myself. The lines are bad here. I’ll call tonight when I arrive at the Wilshire. I have to go. Love you.”

This monster was capable of love?

His hand moved. I gasped and choked a lungful of painful air.

The darkness came. I fought it.

“Get the other girl.”

“Sahib?” The guard said, his voice hesitant. “Which girl?”

“You know which one.”

“But sir…”

“You heard me.”

No. No. No. No.

Not her. Take me. Please, please, please.

“I already had you, bitch.” A glob of wet slime drooled down my face. He had spit on me. But it didn’t matter. I could speak. He’d heard me. My voice worked.

Hannah’s screams marred me deeper than any cut. They marked my soul, turning it black.

“Hannah, think about moonstones with shades of blue and yellow in them. Think about ice creams, sticky and sweet, dripping on your fingers. Think about the red balloons the toy-wallah sells. How you always let one go, and we would watch it fly into the air and disappear into the clouds. Think about all the stories I told you. God, Hannah, go somewhere else in your head.” I wasn’t sure if I said it aloud. I prayed she heard me. Because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move. This was the only protection I could give her.

Her screams stopped. I prayed it was because he was done and not because the gold birds had taken my hands and lifted me. They were carrying me far away.

The darkness came.

I surrendered to it.

I woke up with a start.

“Are you all right, love?” he asked. “You were having a nightmare.”

“Fine.”

He rubbed my lower back.

“Where did you go?” I asked, tugging at his sweatshirt.

“For a run. Do you want to talk about it?”

I shook my head. “It was just a weird dream.” I hadn’t had the dream in so long. Truthfully, I wasn’t even sure if it had really happened, or if I’d just sewn faded bits and pieces of my fears together.

Liam held me tightly until the sun rose, filtering light into the room. “Are you sure you’re all right?” He kissed my cheek.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“You up for taking a shower with me?”

“Definitely.”

“I’ll meet you in there. I have to make an overseas call real quick.”

I ran into the bathroom and started the water. He opened the glass door, completely naked. I pulled him inside with me.

“Why is it so bloody hot?” He moved to the far corner where I stood.

I ran my hands down his front. “Because you’re in here? Also, it might have to do with the fact I have no idea how to operate this technology you call a shower.”

He laughed, cupping my face. “Lola, I was under the impression you were a tech wiz.”

I feigned the silly southern accent he claimed turned him on. “No sir, it’s the one area I don’t excel in.”

He showed me how each of the functions worked, all the while kissing my shoulders and neck.

“I want you right now,” he whispered in my ear.

“It’s mutual.”

“Did you bring a condom in here with you?”

“No.”

“Speaking of, will you go on birth control, love? It’ll make things more convenient and less risky for us.” He massaged my shoulders.

“Yes, I can do that.”

“Good.” He swept up my hair and kissed the back of my neck. I didn’t even flinch when he lowered his lips and kissed the burned part of my flesh. Then his fingers worked down my spine.
Dear God, I cannot escape my nightmare, but please don’t let me wake up from this dream.

Mary

I braved the conversation with Miss Jenkins. I handed her the revised grocery list. “I’ve made a few changes.”

She looked at it as if I’d written it in a foreign script. “I don’t know how to use these ingredients.”

“No worries, I’ll be cooking dinner for Mr. Montgomery.”

She shook her head. “He doesn’t care for heavy spices.”

“I’m afraid you’re wrong on that account. He enjoys them very much. I think we both made a bad first impression the other day. Miss Jenkins, I understand you’ve been working for him for a while. I respect that you do a wonderful job here. But I need you to respect who I am. I’m an important part of Liam’s life. I’m not a guest. I suggest you recognize that sooner than later.”

Her mouth gaped for a moment. I waited for her response.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Things between us would never be friendly, but I settled for cordial. Cordial was just fine by me. Anderson took me to a special market that carried ethnic foods, and then to the retail stores. I almost thought the saleslady would pull a
Pretty Woman
and tell me they didn’t cater to my kind, but she was very helpful. I stocked the cabinets with masala chai and the closets with warm clothes. I wanted to use my own money, but the prices were so outrageous, it would deplete me. Besides, Liam would be upset, so I swiped the credit card he gave me.

I learned how to use the kitchen. I hadn’t cooked since I made meals for Hannah and
Papaji
. I missed the smells of frying and baking and sautéing.

Thoughts about Stephen kept intruding at the oddest times. I hated him for what he’d done to Liam. At the same time, he reminded me of the story about the proud lion who had a pin stuck in his paw. He chose to live his life in pain rather than ask for help. I saw pain in Stephen, recognized it beneath the layers of his well-tailored suit and arrogance. As soon as I had them, I whisked the thoughts away like I did the eggs for our omelets on Sunday we ate before I left for church.

Liam bought me an e-reader. He handed it to me with an air of nonchalance, as if it wasn’t the greatest gift in the world. One I would never refuse.

We laid on the sofa in the media room, his arm around me. “You mean I can download any book. Any book at all? Then I can read it right away?”

“Yes, Mary, for the third time, you are correct.”

I stared at the device with suspicion. “Don’t deceive me with promises of grandeur, sir.”

“Oh, my sweet girl, you think I’d make false promises when they would get me locked up in the doghouse?” He took the device from me. He typed
highlander romances
in the subject line. The screen filled up in an instant. “Look here. Which one do you want to read first, lass?”

I shrieked with joy. I didn’t even realize there were that many highlander romances in all the world. “All of them.”

“So it shall be.” He highlighted each one and downloaded them for me.

I’d seen people with these devices at the hotel, but I never realized the lure until now. It was instant gratification at its best. He might as well have handed me drugs. “Liam, this is so dangerous. You may never see me again.”

He nibbled my ear. “Really, never again?” His hand traveled down my body. “Would you choose fiction over…friction?”

“Keep convincing me, sir.”

“Let’s find something naughty to read instead, shall we?”

He cleared his throat, and his clipped British accent filtered into the Scottish brogue he did so well. It wasn’t a very sexual scene, but I didn’t even make it to the end of the page before I told him to bookmark it.

And he did.

When I got bored, I went downstairs and chatted with Bill. He told me about his daughter in the military and his son in college. He asked me about India, his fascination evident with each conversation. Sometimes I’d cook him lunch. He raved about my saffron rice. Other times, he brought an extra sandwich for me. I was partial to egg salad.

On a particularly chilly Tuesday, I went to the lobby for my daily chat, but Bill was busy.

“Who is this handsome fellow?” I asked, pointing to the four-legged creature with hair whiter than the drifting snow outside.

“Figures, all the girls are crazy for him. This is Charlie. He belongs to the Seville Sisters in 14-E. Their dog-walker couldn’t come today due to the weather, so I offered to fill in.”

I looked outside the revolving doors. The snow rained down in heavy sheets.

“You’re going out in that?”

“Already did. Now I’m waiting for Miss Danvers to arrive with her trunk full of shopping bags. I’m not really sure how I’m going to manage this one. Charlie barks when he’s tied up.”

“I can take him back for you.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

I grabbed hold of the leash. The dog jumped in my arms.

“Some mutts have all the luck,” Bill said, petting him good-bye.

I punched the button on the lift. “You’re a pretty boy, aren’t you?” He licked my face in agreement. He had a glittering pink collar and fur softer than silk.

An elderly lady answered the door, her gorgeous silver hair resembling a halo. Her ears dripped with glittering diamonds. She wore a pink-checked suit. Although she was very different, she had the same air of grace that Dadima had. “Well, hello. I was expecting Bill.”

“I was doing him a favor. I live in the building, too.” Charlie jumped out of my arms and into hers.

“Hello, Charlie boy. Have a good walk?” She kissed him.

“Goodbye,” I said. “Have a good day.”

“Wait, dear.” I wondered if she was going to tip me. Instead, she opened the door wider. “It’s time for high tea. Sister and I can use a bit of youth to freshen up the old place. Won’t you join us?”

“I’d love to.”

“I’m Dorothy Seville, and this is Lucille.”

Lucille pushed a walker. She was older than Dorothy, but held a lively and mischievous smile, making her seem younger. I liked them both immediately.

“Mary Costa.”

Their apartment was plush sofas with soft floral patterns and tons of antiques. A small table was set up with linen napkins and floral dishes holding small white sandwiches without crusts. A shiny silver tea setting sat in the middle.

“I haven’t seen you before. Are you new to the building, dear?” Lucille asked me.

“Fairly new. I recently moved into the penthouse.”

“I thought the young British man owned the penthouse.”

“He does. I’m his girlfriend.”

“Ah, I see,” Dorothy said, her eyes sparkling as much as her ears did. “My, he’s a handsome one, although he is a bit of a loner. I offered to set him up with my granddaughter, you know. He graciously refused. I’d almost thought he was more interested in the rougher sex.”

I almost choked on my tea. “Rougher sex?”

“Jesus, Dorothy, just say what you mean. She thought he was a fruit.”

“A fruit?”

“A homosexual, dear,” Dorothy said.

“Oh, I see. He’s not.”

“Well, hot damn.” Lucille slapped my knee. “Well done, child. He has manners. He not only holds the elevator open, but he assists me inside. Plus, he’s a hottie, as the kids say. Bedroom eyes, yank-able hair, and that butt is like a work of art.”

I laughed at her analogy.

“Yes, he has all those things. I’m a lucky girl.”

Dorothy rolled her eyes. “Excuse my sister. She forgets her manners and her age.”

Lucille huffed. “Everyone should be so lucky to forget their age. I swear, if I were ten years younger...”

“Then you’d be young enough to be his grandmother,” Dorothy replied, a warning in her voice.

I expected Lucille to combat her with another quip, but she simply crossed her arms. “True.”

“I was married to a British man once,” Dorothy said as she poured me a cup of tea. She opened a decorative tin containing tiny square lumps of sugar.

“How many, dear?”

“One, please.”

She twirled a silver spoon in my cup. It was all very sophisticated. I took a sip of my tea. I held up the cup, pinkie out. “What type of tea is this?”

“Sorry, we should have told you it’s laced with brandy. Perhaps I can make you a fresh cup?”