Lily's Dream (Unexpected Lover Series) (14 page)

Miami is so beautiful,” Lily commented.
Molly agreed. “I just love the white buildings with unique architecture and
palm trees. It’s so different from anywhere else I’ve ever been. I particularly
love the ocean breeze and, of course, the beautiful ocean, although I’ve only
seen it once,” added Molly.

“When I get back from Chicago, we will
go to South Beach and swim, do water sports or just walk along the boardwalk…. whatever
you want to do,” Andrew told Molly. “I leave tomorrow morning and will be gone for
about a week, maybe less. I’m in a hurry to finish up there and get back,” he
reached for her hand and smiled. She blushed and smiled back at him.

Lily was unusually quiet and Andre
reminded her they left uncertainties behind and were going to have fun.

The Red Parrot
turned out to be unique indeed. The sidewalks and floors were
made of shells, with numerous species of parrots in cages at intervals both
outside and inside. There were several floors, with one outside along a canal.
Shells decorated the walls along with palm trees and other tropical shrubbery.
They decided to sit outside where different colored lights revolved making an
interesting atmosphere. Keith had told them to sit in a corner or with a wall
behind them so they found a corner and asked to be seated there.

There were boats bobbing at anchor along
the canal where the owners had come by boat for dinner. Both women were
enjoying the atmosphere and Andre complimented his father on finding such an
interesting restaurant. “It would be cool to have a boat and just ride up and
down the canal. I guess it would get tiresome, though,” commented Lily.

“No, it wouldn’t. It’s very restful to
float along on a boat and try not to run into another boat or a jet ski,” Andre
added. “Actually it is restful if you are careful where you go. It’s very
crowded around here with so many boats. Find a place less crowded and it’s
wonderful to spend a day on your boat. I sold mine because I never used it but
perhaps now I might use one if my wife wants to.”

Their drinks had arrived, their food
orders placed and Molly asked Andrew, “Okay, what’s this big surprise you have
to tell us?”

Andrew told him about his plans for his
store and that he had already talked with the mall manager. “Your plans for the
store sound exciting. It would certainly be different from the other three high
end dress stores in the mall but there are no empty store spaces right now,”
pointed out Lily. “We will have to wait and see about that. The manager is
going to discuss my plan with the owner and if he wants a store such as I have
in mind, spaces may become available,” responded Andrew. “I want my store to be
the most unique high end store anywhere. I hope both of you ladies will give me
your input.”

Their food arrived and they continued
discussing Andrew’s store idea. “I will call my lawyer tomorrow and ask for his
opinion but I think my contract with Jacqueline reads that she sells the
Lily
Collection
but not all the clothes I make if they are part of another
collection with another name. I want to start another collection for older and
bigger women and am thinking of calling it the
Chic Collection.
If I do
that, then it wouldn’t be part of the
Lily Collection
unless the
contract implies any clothes I make. Of course, this would make Jacqueline
furious and present a very awkward situation.”

Suddenly Lily tensed and was staring at
the entrance to their floor. She had paled and Andre said, “What’s wrong,
sweetheart?” Then he looked where she was looking and said, “Oh, hell.” He
started to get up from his seat but Keith had suddenly appeared at their side
and motioned for him to keep seated and cautioned them not to say anything.

Jenny and Jack looked around and spotted
Lily and started walking toward them. “Well, if it isn’t my loving sister and
her boyfriend. We thought we might join you. No? Now that’s not very friendly
of you. I’ve been so friendly with you lately, sending you notes and stuff.”
She was getting very annoyed that no response was coming from Lily. “Hell,
can’t you can talk to your sister after we hurried to get here?”

By this time Jenny’s voice was loud and shrill.
Both she and Jack looked unkempt as if they had dressed in a hurry. Patrons
were beginning to notice the commotion. The manager hurried up to the table and
asked if there was some problem. “The damned bitch won’t talk to me!” screamed
Jenny. Jack just looked embarrassed.

The manager told Jenny she was causing a
disturbance and would have to leave. “Hell, no I’m not leaving. I just got
here.”

The manager motioned and two large
muscular men took her arms and led her out of the restaurant with Jack
following. The manager apologized to Lily and her friends for the
inconvenience. “Crazies aren’t tolerated in our establishment,” he said.
“Consider your meal on the house as our apology for this interruption. I hope
you enjoy your meal.”

“She is crazy but smart crazy. How did
she know where we were?” commented Andrew. “They knew our destination and
looked like they had dressed hurriedly, perhaps in the car.”

Andre had immediately put his arm around
Lily and, to his surprise, found her angry. “I’m tired of this. She is stalking
me, deliberately trying to upset me. I don’t know how far this mental problem
of hers will take her but I want this finished. I want to go home and talk with
Mom. It’s time I know the truth. After thinking about it, I believe that Jenny
has always had a mental problem which explains her temper tantrums and perhaps
why my parents always gave in to her to avoid one. I want to fly to Cincinnati,
Andre, and confront my parents. She may follow me there and then maybe we can
finish this. I have truly had it.”

“If you want to go to Cincinnati, then
we will go tomorrow. Keith should go with us. Andrew, can you postpone your
trip to Chicago to stay here and look after Molly?” asked Andre.

“I don’t need looking after! I’m not a
baby, for goodness sakes. I have been looking after myself for many years,”
Molly interrupted.

“Of course I will postpone it. You are
precious to me, Molly, and I wouldn’t leave you alone. Actually it would be my
pleasure to look after you,” Andrew said with a smile.

Andre had been thinking about the ease
with which they are followed by Jenny. “We always take the same car and there
are electronic bugs that can be placed on a car to trace it. I think that’s
what they’re using. We’ll get Keith’s take on this when we get home. Let’s go
now and discuss our future plans.”

They left the restaurant slowly giving
Lily and Molly time to look at the parrots. Many of them talked and Molly
particularly liked a red Macaw that said, “Hello baby.”

They arrived at the apartment and all
went on up to the penthouse apartment anticipating Keith’s take on the incident
at the restaurant.

After all were seated, Keith said, “I
learned several interesting things tonight. I think they have an electronic bug
somewhere on the car. That’s how they know where we’re going and I will find it
either tonight or tomorrow but let’s discuss that later.

They have a room somewhere close where
they can watch with binoculars for Lily to emerge the building. There’s a hotel
and an apartment building in the right position across the street but I would
guess they’re staying at the hotel and take turns watching your apartment
entrance. They are really determined to spend that much time watching the
building. Jenny admitted that she sent the envelopes. I was hoping she’d get
mad enough to let something slip and she did. I think she has had enough of
trying to scare you and intends to end it. I saw in her eyes tonight the
kill
look
. In the business we call it the
kill look
which is just a
sharpening of the eyes, a certain look that you will recognize once you’ve seen
it several times. I think she would have tried to kill you if there hadn’t been
so many people around.

If you’re serious about ending this once
and for all, then I suggest we leave the bug on the car so they’ll know where
we’re going. Lily and Andre leave with luggage and they will get to the airport
as soon as possible. Let your Mother know, Lily, in case they call her but it
is possible for them to find out your destination. Hopefully they will arrive
there, too, and we will be ready for them. How does this plan sound to you?”

Andre and Lily both thought it was good
and agreed to Keith’s plan. Andre called and was able to get reservations for
three on a flight tomorrow morning.

So it was
settled.

Molly and Andrew looked at each other as
Andrew pushed the button for Molly’s floor. When they entered the apartment,
Andrew picked her up and kissed her lightly. “Why do you always pick me up?”
Molly asked. “Because I like to have my arms around you and you’re as light as
a feather. How much do you weigh anyway?” “One hundred five pounds.”

He sat down and settled her in his lap.
He started playing with her hair, pulling a curl out and letting it spring back
close to her head. “I just love your hair.” She smiled and they looked into
each other’s eyes. Moments passed and he continued, “I think it’s time for us
to reach an understanding or perhaps a commitment would be a better word. You
know how I feel about you. I have told you many times how much I love you but
you have never said how you feel about me. I want to know. Just tell me the
truth.”

They looked into each other’s eyes and
Molly said, “Andrew, I am attracted to you but am not ready for a relationship.
I have just started going out and you are coming on too fast for me. You need
to give me more time. Once you are divorced, we can go out. You need to meet
and date other women. Please give me more time.”

“Exactly what are you saying?”

Molly put a hand on each side of his
face and declared, “I am attracted to you. I like you very much and it’s
possible that I might fall in love with you. But this is just too soon.”

 “Rosa is coming to sew today and I
promised Lily I’d be there so I need to shower and get ready. I really need to
hurry.”

.

***********

Lily, Andre and Keith arrived at the
Cincinnati Airport and rented a car for the drive. The Cincinnati International
Airport is actually in Kentucky so they drove across the Ohio River and into
Cincinnati with Lily directing them to the suburb where her parents lived. She
had called her mother that morning and told her to expect them. She realized
her mother knew her well enough to know that something was wrong. The three of
them arrived to find her mother very puzzled. Lily introduced Andre, her new
husband, and Keith as a close friend. Her mother was surprised because Jenny had
called to ask if she expected Lily and Andre today. When told she was, Jenny
told her mother she and Jack would arrive today also.. “She hasn’t called in
months and now she calls to tell me they’re visiting the same day you are.
That’s very strange. Something is going on and I’d like to know what.”

“That’s why we’re here, Mom. I want some
truthful answers to questions that I have. I know that Jenny is not my blood
sister.”

Her mother interrupted to tell her she
was very wrong and couldn’t imagine what gave her that idea.

“Here are the facts. Jenny has been
stalking me for weeks and has tried to harm me several times. She has send threatening
letters and caused scenes at restaurants. The police compared the DNA of the
saliva on the envelopes with mine and found that we are not related. She is
acting more and more unstable and we think she has mental problems. Everywhere
I go she follows me and we expected she would show up here. I want to know why
I have been raised thinking she is my sister and why you have lied to me all my
life.”

Lily’s mother seemed to wilt when faced
with the facts. She started crying and they all waited for her to compose
herself. “I never wanted you to know this, Lily. But it seems the time has
come. Your father was Kevin Houston, my high school sweetheart. He joined the
Army and was sent overseas where he was killed. You were six months old.

Harold’s wife was having serious mental
problems and she was put in a mental hospital where she killed herself. He had
a daughter three years old. We decided to marry and to avoid questions, changed
your last name to Walters. We saw early on that Jenny had inherited some mental
problems from her mother and we didn’t know how to handle it. Maybe we did the
wrong thing, I don’t know. We let her have her way to avoid her temper tantrums
and she could be violent at times.

I know it was difficult for you when you
were growing up. She was so slow learning to walk and talk that we decided to
tell everyone you are older when, in fact, she is.”

“Do you have any idea what hell Jenny
put me through all the years we were growing up? Why I stayed in my room all
the time, shy and with no self-confidence? Sometimes I’d spend hours making
something and when I got home from school, it was cut into pieces. I didn’t go
crying to you because I knew it would do no good. It seemed Jenny could do no
wrong.

There is no way I would put a child in
the situation I was in all the years I lived here. You and Dad were just too
damned scared of her to care at all about me. I will never forgive you for what
you let happen to your own child.”

Footsteps were heard on the front porch
and into the room burst Jenny and Jack following. “Well, well, well…..what a
lovely little family gathering. I guess Lily brought her fancy husband to meet
her family. Oh, yes, I know you got married in a pathetic little Justice of the
Peace ceremony. I figured out a way to know everywhere you went. Pretty smart
of me, don’t you think? You think you’re so smart, sweet little shy Lily
suddenly turned into a blond trying to be like me. I’ve got news for you.
You’ll never be as pretty or as smart as me. I’ve always hated you. You were
always in the way and now I can finally get rid of you once and for all.”She
pulled a revolver out of her purse and pointed it at Lily.

She was so focused on Lily and Andre
that she had not even noticed Keith who had slowly removed his gun from its
holster and held it close to his leg.

“Say goodbye, Lily” and she aimed her
gun at Lily but Keith was quicker and shot the gun out of her hand. She
immediately started screaming that her hand was shot and it was indeed bleeding
profusely.

Lily had jumped up from the couch when
Jenny was shot and Keith quickly moved her over to his right out of his line of
fire. He had been watching Jack, not sure what he was going to do. Jenny was
screaming and crying that she was bleeding to death and begging someone to call
an ambulance.

Jack stepped away from the fireplace
mantle where he had been leaning and said, “Sorry folks. It’s not over yet. I
have something to settle with Lily, too. She was engaged to me and just left me
in the clutches of this crazy bitch. I think the best way to get back at my
darling Lily is to kill her loving husband. Then she will know how I felt.” He
removed his hand from his pocket to point a pistol at Andre.

Suddenly Lily’s father appeared at the
dining room door and asked, “What’s going on in here?” This started Jack and he
turned his head toward the door giving Lily a chance to grab one of her
mother’s heavy brass lamps and slam it into Jack’s head with all her strength.
At the same time a shot rang out as Keith shot at Jack’s hand holding the gun
and hit his wrist.

Andre rushed over to Lily and took her
in his arms asking, “Are you okay, Lily?” She replied, “He was going to kill
you. Are you all right?” “Yes.”

Lily rushed over to Jack’s body lying
motionless where he’d fallen and kicked him. Andre quickly grabbed her and took
her in his arms, “I’m okay, darling girl. Calm down.”

They all heard the police siren and in
minutes the room was taken over by the police. They saw two bodies and at least
two guns and called for backup. They demanded all weapons and Andre pointed out
Jenny’s gun as she continued her screaming that she was dying and nobody would
get her medical help. The second gun was lying beside Jack and Keith handed
them his gun with registration and identification card.

Satisfied that they had all the weapons,
the police examined Jenny and declared she had been shot in the hand. Jack was
beginning to moan and the police realized he’s been shot in the wrist. The
police photographer had been taking pictures. When she finished, the police let
the paramedic load Jenny and Jack into the ambulances. “He won’t be using that
wrist for a while. It was sure torn up,” commented one of the policemen.

Lily’s father was looking on in
confusion from one person to the other. “Will somebody please tell me what’s
going on? Jenny’s screaming she’s bleeding to death and Jack is bleeding and knocked
out cold or dead, I don’t know which.” A policeman told him to sit down,
nobody’s dead so just shut up.

Andre told the policy about the
situation in Miami and gave them the names of the two detectives they had been
working with there. One policeman immediately called Miami to verify this
information. He spoke with Lt. Malone who explained the situation in Miami. He
gave Keith an excellent reference and said he was glad the threats and attempts
to kill Lily were over. To everyone’s relief, everything checked out and Andre
asked, “My wife is exhausted. Can we leave now?” “You need to give a statement.
Come on down to the precinct and we’ll get that done quickly. Then you’ll be
free to go.”

Lily’s mother had not said a word since
Jenny rushed in. She had been sitting unmoving in her chair looking on in
shock. Lily glanced over at her mother, went over to her and sat down next to
her. “You are still my Mom and I love you in spite of everything. I will get in
touch with you later when the wounds aren’t so raw. I realize you did what you
thought was best at the time.” Lily’s mother started crying and softly said, “I
have always loved you.”

They went down to the precinct to give
their statements. While Lily was giving her statement, Andre expressed his
concerns with the police that Jenny and Jack would resume their attempts to do
harm to them. The policeman said he didn’t think so since Jenny and Jack would
be charged with attempted murder and likely Jenny would be put in a psychiatric
facility. He didn’t know what would happen with Jack but considering his father
is a prominent banker in Chicago, he thought Jack would be kept out of any
further trouble by his father.

After Lily, Andre and Keith had
completed their statements, they were told they could go.

Lily went over to Andre and put her arms
around him. “I want to go home,” she said.

“You’ve had a long and stressful day.
Wouldn’t you prefer to stay somewhere here for the night and fly back
tomorrow?” responded Andre. He looked at Keith who said either way was okay
with him. Andre sighed and they all got in the rental car. “I’m not taking you
to the airport and have to wait hours for a fight. I’ll call first and see if
there is anything available.”

After making the call, he found the
first direct flight was the following morning. He made their reservations and
headed toward the airport to find a place to stay close to the airport so the ride
tomorrow would be short. The Airport Hilton looked nice so he went in and
reserved their rooms. When he handed Keith his room key and Keith had picked up
his small overnight bag, Andre made arrangements to meet at the hotel entrance
tomorrow morning. He picked up his and Lily’s overnight beg and they went up to
their room.

Upon entering their room, Lily immediately
lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. Andre sat on the bed next to her and
kissed her gently. “This has been a tough day for you, sweetheart. You need a
warm shower, food and a good night’s sleep.”

She opened her eyes and looked into his.
“I’m glad I hit Jack.” Andre grinned and brushed her hair away from her face. “I’m
glad you did, too, since you saved my life. Keith’s shot completely missed
Jack’s hand, although hitting his wrist. You’re one tough little woman.”

Lily smiled, “Don’t you ever forget it.
I’ve heard that if you save someone’s life, then their life belongs to you, or
they become your slave….something like that.” Andre kissed her. “I agree. My
life is yours and I will be your slave.”

“I need to call Father and give him an
update.” Andre called his father and gave him a short report of the recent
events. “We are staying at the Hilton Airport tonight and will fly back to
Miami tomorrow morning. You’ll get a full description of all that happened when
we get back. Lily is emotionally drained now. We will see you and Molly
tomorrow.”

Lily lay on the bed watching Andre. He
leaned over her with both hands on either side of her face and kissed her
lingeringly. “What would my lady like her slave to do?” “Hmm let’s see. I would
like to be undressed, showered, fed, loved and put to bed. Can you handle all
that?” He replied, “I’ll give it my best try.”  When he had her naked, he undressed
himself in record time, then took her in his arms. “I love you so much. I am
your slave even before you cold cocked Jack.” “And I love you, too. You know I
am your slave, too,” Lily replied.

They both got in the shower and soaped
each other. When Andre got his erection, Lily began to rub it with soapy hands.
Andre took her hands and turned her around so she couldn’t reach his front. He
soaped and rinsed her, and when she turned around, she put her arms around his
waist and they stood that way for a while. “I almost lost you,” she said in a
quivering voice. “But you didn’t and that’s what is important. Your quick
thinking saved the day. Keith’s shot could have missed and another shot might not
have been in time so don’t keep thinking about it. I learned early on not to
dwell on the play I missed but move on and concentrate on the next play.”