Victor held Monica’s hand as they walked along the beach. The simple act of being with her, having her near was satisfying. The stars, the waves, and her. It was beautiful, but most of all it was her. He could watch her for hours. The week was coming to an end. It was going by so quickly.
“It’s been a great week so far, Monica.”
“It most definitely has had its moments,” Monica said softly as the wind blew her hair around her face. She was enjoying herself, especially all the special attention her husband had been giving her.
Victor thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. From the moment he first laid eyes on her in that bar, he knew she was the one. He fought it for so long because he had commitments he thought he had to keep. Ending his first marriage had been one of the toughest decisions of his life. It had been incredibly difficult for him. But it had been the right choice.
His ex-wife was happier and had just recently remarried. His daughter was happy seeing both of her parents happy. Blended families could work. They were a testament to that. And he was so blessed to have this woman in his life. She knew his secrets and she didn’t hold them against him. And he knew her, all of her, her fears and desires, and loved her more and more each day. “I miss the boys,” he admitted, “but having this time with you has meant so much to me, Monica. We’ve got to do this more often, make time for us to be a couple.”
“I agree. I have missed this. I mean, I love the boys, but this week has been so wonderful.” Monica stepped into his path and stopped him, pressing her hands against the open collar of his shirt.
Victor’s arms effortlessly wrapped around his wife. “We always have to remember to give each other this time together. It’s been hectic with the kids and work, but I always want you to know that you come first for me. This marriage means everything and having your love means everything. It’s like I said when we got married, ‘You are my lover and my best friend. You have shown me patience, caring, and understanding. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you, to have you come into my life. But you did, and for that I’ll forever be grateful.’”
He saw the tears spring to his wife’s eyes as he recited words he had written for her and spoken in front of their family and friends when they married five years earlier. That he remembered them so well moved her beyond words. Victor stroked her cheek as he wiped one stray tear away.
“Victor, ‘Since you have come into my life, I’ve felt cherished and protected and . . . You make me feel safe and desired, and there’s no one who means more to me than you. I . . . [will] honor you by standing by your side . . . and give you my love all the rest of our days. I’ll love you forever and a day.’” She recited the words she remembered and could see he was deeply moved that she had remembered them.
It was fitting that they recited them there, too, as they had married on the beach near where they lived now. They had come along way.
“I’ll love you always,” he reiterated.
“And, I’ll love you forever,” she repeated another line from their wedding vows.
Victor’s hand pushed up her chin and he tilted her face up to him for a kiss that promised so much more. It was a kiss that promised a lifetime.
Someone clearing their throat could be heard a few feet away, and like kids caught in the candy store, they both jumped back. Monica turned her head to see another couple coming up the beach and was surprised to see it was Fiona and Cookie.
“Hey, fancy meeting you two here,” Cookie called out. He hated interrupting, but he and Fiona liked to walk this stretch of beach some nights, and then walk down to the end of the pier where they could feel the wind and hear the waves crest.
“It sure is,” came Victor’s reply. He had recovered, though he regretted the lost moment with his wife. “We thought we’d have a stroll before we headed back to the hotel.”
“Great minds think alike,” Cookie stated.
“Cookie and I like to walk along the beach and then up onto the pier. The view is amazing from there.” Fiona kicked at the sand with her toe. “Care to join us?”
Victor shrugged leaving the decision up to Monica. “Sure, why not! We haven’t gone all the way to the end yet.”
“Let’s do it then. You can’t leave Riverton without going all the way to the end of the pier.” Cookie passed Monica and began the trek to the famous Riverton pier.
Victor stepped up to walk with Cookie leaving Fiona to walk with Monica.
“It seems like you have a really great marriage, Monica,” Fiona confessed as they followed behind their men more leisurely.
“We have a great marriage, but making time for each other, that’s important.” Victor was always good at making time for her and she knew that’s why their marriage was so strong.
“Cookie is very good about making time for us, too. We like to hang out with the gang and all, but we always make sure to have time for just the two of us. We didn’t mean to intrude tonight,” Fiona added apologetically. They could have gone around them, but there had been a group of rowdy teenagers around a bonfire and they hadn’t wanted to intrude there either.
“Not at all. It’s actually been a lot of fun hanging out with all of you. At home, we spend most of our time with family, so it’s nice to see how you all make it work out here with friends.”
“Friends? I don’t consider them friends. They may not be blood related, but they are my family. That’s how strongly I feel about them.”
“I can understand that, Fiona. My family is pretty small. When I married Victor, I married his whole crazy family. He’s got these four cousins and all of their wives and children, and it’s like overnight I had this wonderful, crazy family. Every Sunday we all have dinner together.”
“That’s nice. That’s why I love all of Cookie’s friends and their wives. They’ve all become my family.”
Monica didn’t want to push but she had to ask. “And Patrick and Julie too?”
“You don’t ask easy questions, Monica, do you?” she teased.
“I’m sorry, Fiona. I guess it’s the teacher in me still. I am always probing for more. I really don’t mean to pry. But I can see your relationship with Julie is a little bit different from everyone else’s. I spent a great deal of time with her this week. She hasn’t told me anything other than the basics because she said it was your story to tell.”
“She would have left me in that jungle if Cookie hadn’t heard me.” Her comment was made nonchalantly, but Monica sensed the pain it took to say those words aloud.
“I know. She told me.”
“I want to forgive her. I mean, I do forgive her. She was a victim too. My mind tells me that. And, I did some crazy stuff afterwards, too.”
“Everyone reacts differently. I retreated into myself and ousted the entire world for nearly a decade. She freaked out. You . . . well, I don’t know how you reacted, but we are all survivors.”
“Yes, survivors. And I guess, like you I retreated into myself while it was happening. I blocked it all out. It was like an out of body experience for me. But then, afterwards, when I came back, I had these episodes of PTSD. I mean I really freaked out. So, I think I had both of your reactions. And I think for her it was the same thing. It just happened quicker.”
“Yeah, I think so. I think that is exactly what happened to Julie. She went right into survival mode. For us it took a little while longer to get there.”
“Yes. That sounds right. I just . . . just don’t know where to start with her.”
“Just let her know you understand.”
“I need to do that. It took me a while to see her reaction was more out of fear than anything else. At the time it came off as so selfish. But I didn’t know any better as I didn’t have a lot of friends growing up. But she’s not the person I thought she was. She’s not selfish or self-serving. She is one of the most kind-hearted, generous people I know.”
“Well, tell her then. She is living with so much guilt, I am surprised she hasn’t broken under the weight of it. It takes a strong person to face up to her own faults and improve herself. We are all a product of our past, but change is possible. I’ve seen that with me and my husband. I think you have seen that with her.”
“I have, and I’ve seen it in myself, too. I was always very independent, but now I crave friendship and family. I know I don’t have to do it alone, and I like it that way.”
“Is that why you’re going to give Congressman Reynolds a chance?”
Fiona nodded. “Yes. And again thank you for agreeing to go to lunch with me and my dad and Julie tomorrow.”
“Same time? Same place?” Monica asked.
“Yes, 11:30 at the Riverton Golf Club. Do you need a ride?”
“Julie already offered to pick me up,” Monica informed her. “She was so glad you asked her along.”
“Caroline’s been pushing me to figure out a way to mend fences with Julie. I thought you picked up on that at the barbecue earlier. I know just avoiding the situation isn’t getting either one of us anywhere.”
“You really have a smart friend.”
Fiona smiled. Caroline was amazing. Everyone thought so. “She likes you. They all do. And I’ll tell her you said that.”
Monica laughed and noticed the guys were way ahead of them. They were already at the end of the dock.
“Hey Mon, hurry up you got to see this view.”
“Let’s go check it out,” Monica stated exuberantly as she took Fiona’s hand and pulled her along towards the end of the pier where their men were waiting.
* * *
Tomorrow at the Golf Club. This time nothing would go wrong. He’d followed them from their hotel to the barbecue wondering what to do and how he’d be able to get Monica. He failed in his last attempt because one of the girls had walked out abruptly and he hadn’t been ready. That, and everybody had come out with her. Strong arming three women was going to be difficult enough without having to worry about the two men who had accompanied them.
When they left the barbecue, he followed Monica and her husband to the beach and pier, and had watched from afar hoping to overhear something. And when they had run into that other couple, he had almost given up hope of getting a chance at nabbing her here in California. He had spent a couple of days on the Internet finding out where she now lived. He had even thought he might have to go to Florida and track her down there.
But this was perfect. He would still be able to get all three of these beauties. He’d have Fiona and Julie, and make Monica watch. He’d show her what her rejection of him had turned him into. And then he would finally have her.
He had the van and a place to stash the women where no one would ever find them. The plan was perfect. Now all he had to do was continue to watch and wait. His time was coming.