Part 2 (2/2)
Erica handed Tayler the rose.
”I was so surprised to see you this morning. I thought you moved to London.” Erica said fumbling for her keys.
”I came back to Minneapolis a short while ago.”
They continued to walk down the hall in silence. When they reached the entrance, Christina reached out her hand and stopped Erica. ”You're still angry, Eri.”
Erica found Christina's directness and the use of her old nickname unsettling. She tried not to look at Christina, but the magnetism Christina exuded made it too difficult. Her indifference turned to anger. ”You left me,” she said with dry bitterness.
”I never meant to hurt you.”
”But you did,” Erica retorted knowing she sounded like a spoiled child. ”I tried to find out what happened, but you wouldn't even return my calls. I drove by your house - you were never there.”
”I'm sorry, Eri, but I had to leave. I feared that if we went further I'd never be able to let you go.”
”That was really nice of you, Christina,” Erica replied hotly, ”but I wasn't going anywhere.”
”Yes, you were. That's exactly my point,” Christina stopped and leaned against the wall. She was shaking. The tiny lines under her eyes deepened. She bit her lower lip. ”You became my obsession. I wanted you with me for the rest of my life.”
”And that's what I wanted.”
”Oh, Eri, it was never that simple. You had just turned eighteen and were on your way to college. You wanted to spend your time in the library and I wanted to spend my time in Paris, the Caribbean -anywhere. I couldn't stand the thought of only seeing you on the weekends. I was too old for that. I just didn't know how to bridge the years between us. It wouldn't have worked. Don't you see?”
Christina's words tore at Erica's heart. She knew Christina was right. ”I do now, but I didn't back then.”
”I'm so sorry. I was only doing what I thought best.”
Erica turned toward the door. ”So, why didn't you tell me you had a daughter?”
Christina looked out the door into the dark night. When she looked back at Erica there were tears in her eyes. ”It's such a long, complicated story.” Christina searched Erica's face for compa.s.sion. ”If you can give me a little time I can try to explain.”
”Time is something I don't have right now, Christina.” Erica struggled to find the words, any words, to explain the h.e.l.l she was living-but there were none. Every moment she lived the curse drew closer.
”I have to go.” At her car, Erica leaned her head against the door and clenched her fist. ”d.a.m.n you, Raven. Why don't you make a move?”
Three.
”I don't understand why you created this foundation,” Erica's accountant said fidgeting with his pen, ”but your dad was the same way. I think he gave to every charity in town. You're a lot like him.”
”I'm not sure that's a compliment, Tony. He had a size 13 shoe.” Erica smiled at the gray-haired man sitting across the desk from her.
”I.. .I meant to say that you have his generosity and genuine concern for people,” Tony Fittipaldi blushed. ”Your dad and I were roommates in college.”
Erica nodded. She had heard this story a number of times before, but nonetheless, loved the mood of reverie the discussion created.
”He was a bright student and a tremendous athlete. He was a handsome boy - tall, muscular and lean, dark brown hair, blue eyes -I practically had to be his bodyguard. The girls wouldn't leave him alone. At first I couldn't figure out why he didn't date. Then I realized that Weston was shy. By the end of our senior year, your dad wasn't acting like himself. I told him to see a doctor, but he said what he had no doctor could cure.” Tony scratched his head.
”What was wrong with him?”
”Rebecca Kirsten -your mother,” Tony laughed. ”She was the most incredible woman I have ever known.” He peered out the window lost in his memories. ”The night your parents died I headed to the nearest bar. I had lost my boss and best friend, and the woman I would've married if your dad hadn't married her first.
”You take after your mother,” Tony continued. ”You got her dark brown eyes, cheekbones and figure. I couldn't help but fall in love with her.” Tony smiled sheepishly ”Your parents were so sad when they were told they'd never be able to have children, but they never gave up hope. The day you were born your dad was so happy he gave everyone in the company the day off. He was so proud. A fine man to work for -your dad. What a tragic end to a fairy tale love story.” He wiped his eyes on a white handkerchief.
”I know you were a good friend to my parents, Tony.”
”Well, anyway, I guess I've taken enough of your time,” Tony stood. ”I really just came up to have you look over these reports on the merger and to sign this check.”
”Why didn't you sign it?” Erica raised an eyebrow.
”Because the bank needs your signature on this amount.” Tony handed the check to Erica.
The quizzical expression on Erica's face froze. She stared at the check.
”Is something wrong?” Tony stood and switched from one foot to the other. When she didn't respond he added, ”I know you're busy. Why don't I just come back later?” He started to remove the check from Erica's hand.
”No. No, it's okay, Tony.”
Erica's hand shook as she signed her name. The normally healthy color in her face turned a ghostly white. When she finished, Erica snapped the cap back on her pen and laid it down on the desk. ”There. That should do it for another year.”
”Thanks, Erica.” Tony took the check, collected his things and turned to leave.
”Oh, Tony, before I forget, I'm meeting with my attorney this afternoon to have my will updated.” She saw the concern in his eyes.
”You're not ill are you, Erica?”
”No, but I suppose my timing is pretty poor considering we were just talking about my parents. I'm sorry. It's just that I want you to oversee the financial arrangements for this charity. It's very important to me that their work continue.” Erica rubbed her eyes.
”You're not-” Tony blushed, ”I thought your dad was ill until he told me he had fallen in love. You're not in love are you?”
”Oh heavens, no.” Erica rose from her desk and walked Tony to the door.
”You know, your dad waited for the right woman to come along. Maybe you're just waiting for the right man.”
Erica smiled. ”It's an interesting thought, Tony. Thanks for stopping in.” She shut the door and leaned against it.
With her eyes closed she fought against the memory of Patricia Locksley's senseless death. The guilt she still felt scorched like white hot steel. Her tears burned with remorse. She grabbed a tissue from a nearby table and blew her nose, walked to the window and looked down at the world fifty floors below. From her south window, Erica could see the lakes - Calhoun, Harriet, Nokomis and Lake of the Isles. She longed to be outside enjoying the weather, but the sands of time were running out-just as they had for Patricia Locksley.
The Patricia Locksley Foundation was a charity she had established in honor of an innocent woman who had been brutally murdered - twelve hours after she and Erica had made love. Raven's curse went immediately into effect and had a fatal implication for Patricia.
She looked down at her hands, but all she could see was the emptiness they held -all because of Raven, the evil enchantress who had seduced Ana and made Erica's love for Ana a sheer mockery. Raven, the green-eyed demon who had trapped Erica's life in her cold, jealous heart. No matter what end of the earth Erica ran to, she could not escape what Ana had done.
Erica walked back to her desk and looked around the room. Her office was elegantly furnished with a large mahogany desk, rich shades of blue fabric on the cloth furniture, and silver lamps and picture frames. She placed her hands on the desk and closed her eyes. With increasing horror, Erica feared she would lose all that she had created in the loving memory of her parents.
The Kirsten-Laird Architectural and Design Company was known worldwide, and Erica had a reputation for designing buildings that were not only breathtaking, but also sensitive to and protective of the environment. She was both a gifted architect and an intuitive diplomat.
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