Tender Troubles (A Work of Fiction)

Lara Mia Veronica submitted this story for SC's Challenge.(the writer should NOT explicitly describe the scenes...only imply them...the challenge is to make it as wholesome as possible--Lara/Nicca)

Tender Troubles

Lara Mia Veronica ~ @ StoryTeller's Challenge

May 8, 1997

Inside the editing room of a top advertising agency, Gavin Welstead watched the footage of a shampoo commercial. Julianne Langley, an eighteen-year-old model, was swaying her hair. He desired her more than physically; he wanted her soul. He knew he was not in love with her because that emotion was reserved for his wife and three adorable children, but she disturbed his thoughts day and night.

    Moving from limbo to earth, Gavin told his assistant, "Put more highlight on the back of her hair. I can imagine more people buying the product if they see how shiny her hair really is."

    Marsha, his assistant, did what she was told. "Will that be all? Hard Macro Graphic Artists have been waiting for this since this morning."

    "Yes, that would be all," he replied.

    Gavin stared at one monitor for the longest time even after it was shut off. Marsha shook her head, then politely nudged her boss to ask permission to leave. Gavin nodded at her then prepared himself for the trip home. He and his wife Helen were to dine out; she had finally managed to break free from her busy legal commitments so they could experience an evening together.

~

    Two months later, after the commercial was launched, there was a cocktail party in honor of Julianne and the product. Brother and sister stood together just outside the patio doors. The night was misty from the cool air over the nearby lake. Julianne was the star of the night. Her brother Marcus whispered, "Sis, your dreams will finally come true. I'm sure of it."

    "What makes you so sure?"

    "The state's richest billionaire, Richard Blackwell, is interested in you."

    That comment piqued her interest. "Which one is he?"

    "He's that handsome statuesque guy of forty talking to your favorite movie star." Marcus pointed to a couple standing inside a gazebo.

    Julianne was impressed. Her brother was not exaggerating. "Is he married?"

    "Ah Sis, does it matter?"

    She put her hands on her hips. "Marcus, you're my brother. How could you say that?" She stared at him, but not in disgust.

    "I'd also get ten per cent of what he might give you," Marcus added.

    "That's what I like about you brother. You don't pretend to be nice. Should I go to him?"

    "I'll accompany you."

    Marcus took her arm and the two walked toward the rich man. Mr. Blackwell excused himself from the movie star when he saw the two approaching. Julianne captured his attention all night. Her attraction to Blackwell didn't go unnoticed as Gavin watched the two most of the evening. He was particularly mindful of Julianne's flirting with Blackwell, his so-called friend. It drove him to consume three double martinis and his unsuspecting wife had to drive him home.

~

    Several months passed. The commercial had a wild, successful run but the fun was lost for Blackwell, Julianne, and Gavin. Richard Blackwell was so inebriated by Julianne's beauty that he bought her a house and a luxury vehicle. Sickening as it was, Blackwell's wife gave him the go signal. There was more to Blackwell's attentiveness than Julianne realized. One evening, she overheard a conversation between the couple and was shocked to find out her role in this madness; she was to bear the Blackwell children. She wasted no time cornering Blackwell when he was alone. As he walked by her bedroom, she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.

    "This is preposterous," she yelled in a minor rage. "I didn't save myself just to become a vending machine for your children."

    Richard slapped her face. "How did you... Damn, it doesn't matter how. I own you, Julianne. You and your brother have gotten more than you deserve. Did you think I'd give you all this just so I could gawk at you?"

    Julianne was shaking but held back her tears. He gripped her arms with force, pulled her to him then pushed her onto her bed.

    "No. I knew you wanted more than that, but..." her voice trailed as Richard claimed her. Tears thickened and ran across her temples as she lay on her back. The beast devoured his spoils.

~

    Six months passed. Not a day had gone by where Gavin was at peace. He was tormented with nightmares of Richard and Julianne and had developed a daily ritual where he leered at her photos for hours. He had reached the point where he couldn't close his eyes without her image appearing amongst the colors of hatred boiling inside of him.

    One night in their office, empty except for Marsha and Gavin, the two were completing work on another commercial. Marsha, in her usual good-nature and helpful manner, offered to stay with him to finish the work. She was in the up and up so to speak, when his mind deceived him; he thought she was Julianne. The devil possessed Gavin as he cloaked Marsha with his masculinity. Marsha shrieked, but the guards were seconds late, for Gavin was already inside the narrow cave. The guards pulled Gavin from the trembling woman. One guard held Gavin, while the other calmed Marsha.

    "I'm sorry," Gavin said, "I don't know what possessed me."

    Full of spite, she pushed the guard aside and glared at Gavin. "You're sorry? That's not enough, Gavin Welstead. I thought you were my friend. I will see you in court."

~

    The hearing finally occurred three months after the incident. It was intimate, attended only by the Judge, Gavin, Marsha, and their legal counsels. It only lasted ten minutes. Time does heal some wounds, particularly when the infliction was in some way induced by or remotely desired by the victim.  Gavin's built in attorney, his wife Helen, represented him, and they were able to settle things amicably.

    The victim, defendant, and his wife met outside on the courthouse steps. "You're my friend, Gavin, that's why I forgive you, but you must understand that I'm not cheap and easy," Marsha said, trying to ignore his wife.

    "I know that, but I was not myself that night. I was thinking of Helen." Helen blushed as she heard him utter those lies. "I promise this won't happen again. But you must promise me one thing."

    "Name it."

    "Please wear pants."

    Marsha was still angry, but she managed a faint smile while asking, "Does that mean you find me attractive?"

    Gavin chuckled a little. "Yes Marsha," he admitted, "you are very beautiful."

    Marsha was pacified a little and both had successfully ignored Helen for the moment. Helen didn't notice; she was still mesmerized by Gavin's lies.

~

    Julianne felt dirty as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had been Blackwell's keep for seven long years. Each second of it felt like being bathed in fire and brimstone. She was like the living dead. She longed for her babies. The Blackwells allowed her only enough time with them to fulfill the mother-child instincts. She was not allowed to hug them, to call them her own, to love them as their mother. As they grew older, she had less time with them and had difficulty some days remembering what they looked like. Mrs. Blackwell did not want anything to do with her. Julianne felt lower than a female dog.

    "When will this excruciating shame end?" she said to her image.

~

    One morning she woke up with fever. Richard wanted to experience Nirvana, but fell into the deep abyss when he saw her situation. He took a cold shower and after that went downstairs to feed his other appetite. He was surprised to find Gavin, his former best friend, waiting for him in the parlor.

    "What are you doing here?" Richard asked of the other man as he approached him.

    Gavin stood and faced Richard. The two did not greet in the gentlemen's way. They gave each a quiet stare.

    "I've waited too long to say this," Gavin began. "Now is the time. You know how I feel about Julianne."

    "So what am I supposed to do? You weren't invited here. What do you want?"

    "I can't stop thinking about her. I've got to see her. I..." Gavin's voice changed from a man's to a whining child's. "Please let me take her to paradise just once, then I'll leave you alone."

    Blackwell raised an eyebrow. "You're sick, man. Wait here."

    Gavin watched as Blackwell walked with deliberate steps up the staircase. Blackwell claimed the sick Julianne against her will, then returned to the parlor. "She'll see you now," he said to his ex-friend. With a cocky smile, he pointed to the stairs.

    Gavin was excited as he entered Julianne's bedroom, but when he saw her condition, her body trembling with tears, his excitement waned. He felt pity. He closed his eyes and saw her former image dance in private tribute to him. He looked at her now. She retained only portions of the physical beauty she once possessed. Julianne broke his thoughts.

    "You're not going to touch me, are you?"

    "I want to, Julianne." He sat beside her on the bed. "For years I've wanted to feel you, to claim you, but I don't think I can now. I'm sorry."

    "Sorry? I guess that requires a thank you," she said as she sat up and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "You may touch me when I get well."

    "I may still want to, but I won't." He kept his real thoughts to himself.

    She touched his face like a mother touches her lost child, now found. "Don't pity me, Gavin. Whatever has happened to me is my own doing."

    "I'll leave now." His thoughts were mixed, shocked, confused. He kissed her on the cheek and left without another word. He was not shocked to see Richard standing by the bedroom door. Gavin knew he had heard everything.

   After Gavin left, Richard looked at his keep. What's it to be? he thought. Continue to manage my keep or put her out on the street. His thoughts mingled, then coalesced into a single thought. He too felt sorry for her. The words didn't come easy for him, but just as he had managed his keep, he managed the words. "I'm sorry too, Julianne."

   

    "For what?"

    

     "For today, forcing you. I wanted to use you so that you'd be too tired for him. Then I came up here to see if you were having the time of your life. If you were, I'd planned to give you a beating. I always thought lowly of you and now I'm sorry for more than today."

    "You have every right to a low opinion of me."

    "No, I don't.  People like me force people like you to give up your principles. I knew you were different right from the start."

    "I'm no different. What happened to me was my choice."

    "We both know that's not true."

    "I wanted your money," she offered, somewhat in his defense.

    Richard sat down next to her on the bed, then played with her hair. "Thank you for being honest, Julianne." He kissed her lightly then said, "I'm setting you free. You are still young. Go, have a life of your own."

    The animosity between them melted as they embraced. After several minutes clinging to each other, Richard stood and left her to become the person of her choosing. Julianne said to herself, There is a God.

~

    Gavin drove his car. He had his chance, but he blew it. His car screeched to a stop when he saw Julianne's dead ringer. Everything about her was like Julianne, but she was younger and more beautiful.

    "Where to?" he said with a smile that erased the day's disappointments.

    The young woman looked at him through the car window. It was evident that she was attracted to him too. "The mall. I'm waiting for a bus, sir."

    The mall, he muttered to himself. "Would you ride with me, a stranger?" He smiled again for her benefit, then added, "I cannot promise you safety."

    The girl thought for a moment, but it wasn't a strenuous thought, just a fleeting notion. She slid in and rode his car so to speak.  Gavin sped to the nearest inn and got himself a room. Inside, the two were kissing hard and both felt the flames of heated passion. As he was about to claim the young girl, he saw visions of his wife and his children. They were proud of him. They loved him and he loved them. Gavin stopped his pursuit abruptly.

    "Did I do something wrong?" the young girl whispered.

    "No dear, I was about to do something wrong."

    "We both know that," she replied and giggled.

    Gavin rolled from her warm body. "But you don't even know me," he said.

    "I don't care. I'm eighteen, ready, able, and eligible. What's left but the desire and action. And for icing, I wouldn't even get you sent to prison."

    "Is this your first time?”

    The girl turned her head and looked at him. "Was I that obvious?"

    "No, but..." The girl interrupted his thought and started to sob. She moved to him and her tears trickled onto his shoulder.

    "You know, I was just out of my mind. You look like someone I yearned for. I almost had her too." The girl looked at him with interest, still tormented by the rejection she felt. He returned the look. "You're still young. I don't want to destroy your life."

    "But I want you," the young girl pleaded.

    "Yes, I want you too," he said as he cupped her chin then kissed her lightly, "but I'm a married man and I don't want to take you while I'm thinking of another." Then, something struck Gavin. Infected might be a better word. He cried on her shoulder like a little child.

~

    Helen, beautiful Helen, was sleeping when Gavin arrived home. He stared at her sweet and unsuspecting face, then went to the window to think.

    The evening landscape was dim with moonlight and a single, bright star, perhaps a planet, befriended the crescent moon. Are you here God? Do you listen to sinners like me? I almost ruined a young woman's life Lord, because of my beastly thoughts for Julianne. Please help me. I want to change, but I can't get Julianne off my mind. He sat by the window until the morning sun bathed the clouds in yellow, red and orange. He had one last thought before Helen woke from her dreams. His thought was as beautiful as the morning's sunrise. It's going to be a great day.

    Later that morning in his office, Gavin looked for Julianne's portfolio. He had no difficulty using the shredder beside his printer. He shredded the pictures that had haunted him for years. After his task was done, he smiled to himself and said, "Thank you God." He started the day's work with a lighter heart.

© Lara Mia Veronica M. Garcia 1997

"This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental."