Two Hearts, One Love

The first thing I realized was that I was awake. I wasn’t dead. I was still alive. The second thing I realized was I was in a warm bed and a nightgown. Frowning, I opened my eyes and looked around.

I didn’t recognize anything. The room was big and had floor to ceiling windows across from the bed. The city was spread out in front of me like a painting. The bed was comfortable with puffy red blankets and black silk sheets. I struggled out from the mass of pillows and looked at the clock on the bedside table. It read ten in the evening and I frowned, rubbing my eyes. How long had I been out?

“Ah, you’re awake.”

I jumped and turned in the bed. An older woman was standing in the doorway, her head tilted. She walked in and put her hand to my forehead. I leaned away and she waited until I relaxed. The look in her eyes told me she wasn’t the kind to fight with.

“Fever has gone down,” she commented. “How are you feeling?”

“Where-?” I erupted into a coughing fit, my back heaving slightly as I cried from the pain. The old woman rubbed my back until I stopped. I wiped at the tears on my face. “Where am I?”

She pointed at something on the wall. I walked over, my legs weak. It was a newspaper clipping with a very familiar person on it.

Everyone in the city knew about Ian Parker. He had been voted the hottest man in the magazines for the last year. He had wavy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. His skin was tan and, in the current picture, his torso was chiseled from what was probably countless hours of exercise. He was posing with his arms lifted above him to show off his muscles.

“Ian Parker,” I mumbled.

“My son,” she said, standing beside me. I could see the resemblance in the face but that’s where it ended. She was frowning at me. “Take a minute to imagine something. It’s the middle of the night and you’re fast asleep. Your son’s driver bursts into the penthouse, shouting for a bath and warm clothes. Then your son comes in carrying a woman covered in blood and looking like she hadn’t had any food or sleep in several years. What would you think?”

I didn’t know what to say right away. Then it clicked.

“Ian Parker’s house,” I said. “But how?”

“I’ve been wondering the same thing.” She shook her head with a sigh. “Well, the only person who can tell us is having a late dinner. Come. You look starving.”

“How long have I been out?” I murmured as she led me down a hall.

“A day,” she answered. She frowned at me again before walking some more. “We found a list of contacts in your wallet.”

I felt my face redden. “Who did you call?”

“Well, your fiancé first,” she said. I shut my eyes. “He said…. I called your mother next. Imagine my surprise when she said she would be by to pick you up immediately but never showed up.”

My eyes were prickling with tears. I knew my silence was probably annoying her, but the events of the last few days were still overwhelming me. I gulped a few times and my breath started to speed up. She noticed and grabbed my arm, steadying me as I nearly fell.

“Come on,” she said in a more gentle voice. “You need to eat.”

“No,” I said but I didn’t fight her.

I could smell steak and she pushed a door open. I shut my eyes against the bright lights and she put me in a leather chair.

“I’ll be right back.”

I heard her leave and blinked my eyes until they got used to the light. The table was polished dark wood and I ran my hand over it. I thought back to what she said. It didn’t surprise me that my mother never came for me. Why should she? I was lucky she took me in when she did. As for Frank, I certainly hoped they didn’t say who they were.

“Here you are.”

Ian’s mom was back and put a plate in front of me. The steak was cooked to medium well and the smell made my stomach grumble. There was a pile of mashed potatoes and some green beans on the side. Whoever had made it had already cut it up for me and his mom, who was setting the table for two more places, pushed the fork closer to me.

“Eat,” she said. “You need it.”

“Not hungry,” I muttered.

“You really should eat.”

I didn’t expect to see him. Ian Parker walked in, clearly just getting out of the shower. His hair was wet and he wore a short sleeved white shirt and a pair of grey sweat pants. He sat down and put one of the plates he was carrying across from him.

“Thanks, Ma.”

“Of course,” she said and sat down gracefully, her eyes still on me.

“So your name’s Celeste?” Ian asked but I didn’t answer. He cleared his throat. “Are you a vegetarian?”

“No,” I muttered.

“The steaks are great.”

I didn’t answer. I saw him glance at his mom but she just shook her head a little. When they were both finished eating, his mom led me back to the room I had woken up in. I stopped.

“I’m leaving,” I said bluntly. “Where are my clothes?”

“Washed and folded,” she said and pointed at the dresser. She didn’t leave as I changed. “Where will you go?”

“Where do you think?” I asked, sarcasm dripping from my words.

Her brow furrowed as I pushed by her. I had no intention of going home. There was only one place I was going and some meathead and his mother weren’t going to stop me.

Or so I thought.

I eventually found the front door, just slightly suspicious that no one was stopping me. I grabbed the knob and tried to turn it. I frowned. Nothing happened. I tried again but got the same result.

“What the hell?” I grumbled.

I looked for the lock but there wasn’t one.

“I can’t let you go.”

I spun on the spot. Ian was standing there with something that looked like a key fob in his hand.

“You can’t just hold me hostage!” I shouted.

He shook his head. “I know what you’re planning on doing. Look, I don’t know what happened but it’s not worth it. Just calm down and-.”

“Who do you think you are!?” I screeched, my patience gone. I stormed over to grab the key fob but he held it out of my reach. “You have no right to say anything to me! You don’t know what I’ve been through in the last 48 hours! Now let me out of this damn whatever it is or I’ll call the police!”

“And tell them what? That someone is keeping you from killing yourself?” I could only glare at him, grinding my teeth. “You need more rest. Go back to bed.”

“You can’t tell me what to do!”

He arched a brow. “You can do it willingly or I can make you.”

“This is against the law! I could have you arrested!”

“But you’re not going to,” he said and I stomped my foot.

“Just let me go! Why do you care so much?”

He stared at me and I realized he didn’t have an answer to my question. He shook his head a little and cleared his throat.

“It’s my duty as a high member of society,” he said and I rolled my eyes. “Now, are you going to go back to the room or will I have to carry you?”

“You wouldn’t dare,” I challenged.

He scoffed and, before I could react, I was tossed over his shoulder.