#1
The two rose from the bench, hand in hand, just outside the hotel.
“The ocean is amazing.” Thomas said, releasing her hand and walking toward the expanse of blue.
Eyes soft and dreamy, Bella watched his powerful strides as he moved away. Here was the man she had married; a man who could appreciate the wonders of the natural world, who treated her like a natural wonder herself. She wondered if he knew how amazing he was.
“Signora?” The voice jerked Bella out of her contemplation, and she gave a start of surprise as she turned to the young woman who spoke.
“My apologies,” The woman said, “I did not mean to startle you. Is this your phone? It was on the seat.” Before she could hand it over, Bella could hear the phone vibrate with an incoming message.
“Oh,” the young woman said with a smile. “Someone must want to reach you.”
Bella thanked the woman; not bothering to mention it was Thomas’ phone. That fact was of little importance. The important point was that the phone had been recovered and, indeed, there was a message.
Hoping that something serious had not come up at work, Bella thought. She remembered Thomas had mentioned wondering if the day they met would make for a suitable combination for the phone, as his work involved no matters of great security. The thought was touching, but, at the time, she had figured it was an attempt at romance. Now, she wondered if he had gone through with it. That had been over a year ago, when their romance was still in its infancy. She plugged in the numbers and the phone welcomed her. With a smile, Bella opened the message.
What she saw made the smile fall away and her heart tighten, as though in the powerful grip of a giant hand. The message was from Amanda, Thomas’ assistant at work, but it was certainly not a work-related message. What made the assistant think it was acceptable to send him provocative pictures? That it was his honeymoon only added insult to injury.
“You have plenty of time to talk to your sister when we’ve explored.” Thomas called to her. “I want to walk Lover’s Lane with you this morning.”
Bella tucked the phone in her bag and fought to produce a natural smile. As she approached him, anger and pain dueled together in her brain.
Thomas draped an arm around her shoulders, and Bella’s smile faltered. She wanted to shrink from him, her doting husband of a few days. It was as though a knife had been plunged into her heart. Could she really believe it of him, that he had married her while having a clandestine relationship with some slut he worked with?
They went on together, Thomas apparently oblivious to her turmoil. That was good. She did not want him to notice; not until she had time to sort through even a small portion of her emotions and look at the situation with a fraction of reason.
The walk would not be short, and would give her time to collect herself. If Thomas made some comment about her quiet mood, she could simply claim rapt wonder at the scenery. It would even give her opportunity to move away in order to ‘gaze at the beauty’ and take a breath.
Somewhere around the halfway point of Lover’s Lane, another couple passed them going the other way. They looked happy and completely in love. Meanwhile, Bella thought she would have to have an explanation or collapse from the strain.
“Thomas, what is this?” She blurted, with no preamble. She held the phone up for him to see, with the brazen image filling the screen.
Thomas touched the pocket from which the phone must have escaped, the color draining from his face. He stammered and swallowed hard. He licked his lips as though parched. Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head, not wanting to believe what she saw to be true.
“Bella… I…”
“Don’t speak to me!” She cried out, lifting a hand, warding him away.
She stumbled forward, half blind with tears. Grief and betrayal clamored so loudly in her mind that she didn’t hear his shout of warning. As she collided with the guardrail, there was a sickening lurch in her stomach. Her momentum pitched her forward. She heard his scream and hers as though from one strange voice. There was a brief touch of a hand trying to take hold of her leg. Then, there was nothing but empty air.
#2
Two newlyweds sat together on a small patio outside the hotel gazing out at the expanse of ocean, quiet and calm now, but always with the possibility of tempest. Bella cast a sideways glance at Thomas. He was like the ocean, beautiful with hidden depths, but as nearly unpredictable in his moods; a stormy change taking place in the space of an instant.
She loved the first side of him, the side that could be as soothing and alluring as the call of the sea. The stormy side, she viewed with an anxiety approaching fear.
Why marry him? She had asked herself that question many times in the two years that led up to the wedding. He had a good job and could provide for her. Her future would be secure. In the time she had known him, despite his temper, she had never seen him threaten physical retaliation with anyone. He was wonderful with animals; the very embodiment of gentleness, though they tended to leave him alone if they could. He was jealous, she knew, but she took that to mean he wouldn’t do anything to risk losing her, and she wasn’t inclined to look to other men when she had one that would take care of her needs.
Yet, why marry him? Her family thought very highly of him. Even her brother liked him, and her brother didn’t like anyone. Her parents approved of his job history and his upward potential. They also viewed his strength as a sign that he would be able to protect her. She agreed with them on both points. He would make a good provider and protector. He was an excellent specimen of the Alpha Male; something to be desired. She would have been flying in the face of fate to give him up. Another woman would snatch him up, and Bella would be left alone.
As a small group of workers passed by, the men smiled and waved. The couple waved back. Thomas was bold about his movements, able to make a simple wave an assertion of dominance. Bella’s wave was smaller, a simple gesture of acknowledgement; her smile small and uncertain.
The group moved on.
“You can’t stop yourself from tempting other men, can you?” Thomas said, his voice cold and quiet.
Bella gave a start and turned to look toward her husband.
“It’s a compulsion for you, isn’t it?”
Bella stammered. “I didn’t want to be rude.”
Thomas’ blue eyes had taken on a strong hint of gray. “I saw you, Siren.” His voice was now loud enough for all to hear. “You are my wife. Remember that. You have no right to consider other men or make them consider you.”
Bella couldn’t bear to look at the blatant anger in his usually handsome face, or the tides of jealousy breaking in his eyes. “Yes, Thomas.”
Those two simple words seemed to soothe him, and the deep, rapid swells of his lungs began to calm.
Ever since their engagement ten months ago, Bella had begun to fear that his ocean might drown her; drown her will, her happiness, her peace.
“Well, now.” Thomas said, as though nothing had happened. He rose from his seat. “Come. Lover’s Lane is waiting. We can build the romance to bind your wayward heart to me.”
Bella rose and took the arm he offered her.
Lover’s Lane was beautiful, almost taking away her breath. She found great pleasure in the view despite the heavy shadow of the man beside her. She tried not to dwell on how oppressive his presence had become, or how rapidly the oppression had grown since just a few weeks before the wedding. This was a moment to enjoy, and she would enjoy it.
A gust of wind came in off of the ocean. The decorative head kerchief, which Thomas had bought for her upon their arrival in town, came loose. It fluttered and flopped away down the lane, taunting her efforts to catch it. Bella let out a disappointed cry as the kerchief headed toward the edge, threatening to fly out to sea.
There was a quick movement as a spry young man bounded forward, stretching out over the rail to snatch the decoration from what would have been a watery grave.
Bella thanked the young man more than once as he presented her with the rescued item. He gave her a smile, accompanied by “It was no trouble, Signora.” and with a nod to Thomas who now loomed by Bella’s side, he turned and walked away.
Short-lived, the pleasure gasped and gurgled before sinking to rise no more. Thomas fairly crackled with fury.
He grabbed her by the shoulders, yanked her around to face him, and began to shake her in uncontrolled rage.
“You will not act like a whore!” He shouted in her face. “I won’t look away while you forget me each time some other man catches your eye!”
His hand meeting her cheek made a sickening smack, and she cried out as she attempted to pull herself free from his powerful grip.
“Don’t think you’ll get away.” He snarled. “I won’t share my bed with your lovers. I won’t share you!”
He began to shake her again, this time so hard that her teeth rattled. She became frantic and began to claw wildly.
Finally, her nails came into contact with a point of vulnerability: Thomas’ face. He yelled and released her, placing his hand over the eye she had managed to rake.
Escape was the only thing on Bella’s mind. Upon being released from his grip, she staggered back, colliding with the hard metal rail along the edge of the cliff. The impact brought with it a new panic as the force with which she hit it continued to carry her backward. The ocean took her.