Just The Way You Like It - Under Construction

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Wallace sighed and propped his hands behind him on the bed for support as he made his choice to respond to Alice. He had never once told anyone about his past, not even Blake, but for some reason Wallace thought that Alice deserved to know. They sat in silence on the bed for a few minutes before Wallace made his final decision and began to talk.

“I guess it all started when I was a child. My father was a drunk who left us when I was just a baby. My mother was an abusive slut who beat me every chance she got. She'd bring men back to the house and let them beat me too. She'd tell me she hated me because I was the reason that Dad left. I'd try to stay out of her way, but she always seemed to find me, and the longer she had to hunt me down, the worse the beatings were. I remember my teachers at school would always yell at me and tell me to be more careful, tell me to stop getting into fights with the other kids. I never told them that it was actually my own mother giving me all those bruises.

“Sometimes she'd let her boyfriend rape me. I hated her so much, but she was still my Mom. It killed me to see how unhappy I made her, and how much she hated me back. She died when I was fifteen, and I didn't handle it well at all. After she passed, I felt like I was missing something. You'll probably laugh at me, but I missed her. I guess I had just gotten used to it, and once she was gone, I really didn't have a purpose in life once I wasn't her punching bag.

“I was placed with my Aunt up in Portland by the State Children's Board, and lets just say she was the complete opposite of my mother. She never touched a single hair on my head, no matter how much I acted up. I started getting into fights then though, especially at school. I turned sixteen a few months later, and got myself a fake I.D. Started going to strip clubs, drinking at bars, breaking curfew, the whole bit. But, as much as I tried, my Aunt wouldn't punish me. Instead, she sent me to go see a psychologist.

“She helped me a lot, and I managed to get my life back together just in time to get through high-school. She taught me to control my anger, and to deal with the loss of my mother. I'll never forget what that woman did for me, she was a saint. No surprise then that I decided to enroll in college and study psychology. I wanted to help people like she had helped me, I wanted to be useful, and serve a purpose in life. I loved psychology, still do. I find it amazing, the whole field, everything about it. After med school, I set up shop here with Blake. We had become good friends, and I liked him. He was an all around good guy.

“Anyway, Willub was the one who suggested starting up this whole place. He had been thinking about it for years, but didn't have the financial backing to do it. Together though, we had enough. When Willub told me about his idea for a place like this, something inside of me snapped. It was like I could feel my need for revenge boil up inside of me. The idea that I could do what my mother had done to me, was . . . empowering. I could show all the sluts out there what their actions turned into. You, of course, were the first girl, although I will mention now that I never thought you belonged here. You were Willub's pick though, and I had to honor it. Willub set up the rules, got the equipment, everything like that. I bought the warehouse and had it refurbished to suit our needs. It's why I live in such a hell hole of an apartment now, I've sunk my entire life-savings into this building.

“Being that I spent the majority of the money, Willub and I agreed that I would be in charge, and he would be my second-in-command. I remember the night he brought you here, really I don't think I would ever be able to forget, even if I wanted to. You were so young, and scared, but you kept your head held high, even for a thirteen year old. I found you fascinating, I wanted to know everything about you, get to know you, but it was already against the rules, so I kept my distance.

“It seems like yesterday when I held our first meeting, even though it was maybe only five years ago now. At that time, it was still just Willub and I running the place, and we ended up in a heated argument over you. Willub had lost his need to keep you, and I wanted to keep you here, if only so I could watch you, and . . . enjoy you. Our rule, just as it is now, is that whoever brings in a girl, is the one responsible to take her back out. So, Willub had final say on your life, and he was done with you, and there was nothing I could do to stop him.

“He had you beaten to unconsciousness, and loaded you onto his private boat out at the pier. Really, I thought I had lost you, and I suppose it was only then that I realized how much you meant to me. I felt so helpless as I watched him sail away out to sea, but then I realized that I wasn't helpless at all. I left the place unattended, and got into my car. I knew where he was taking you, so I drove over to New Coves and rented a boat for myself. I found Willub dumping your body just in time, and waited for him to leave so I could save you. By the time I got to you, I really thought you were dead, but I found your pulse, and got you into the boat with me. At first, I didn't know what to do with you. I couldn't take you to the hospital, and I couldn't just leave you, and then I remembered the old retirement village down on the south bank. I sped the boat over and dropped you back in the water.

“Sure enough, Mr. McPherson found you and called 911 for me. You're the whole reason why I'm still here. I visited you everyday that you were in a coma, and I thought maybe you would remember me and wake up. Those four years past, and here we are. I guess you know the rest.”

Alice sat stunned in silence as she let Wallace's story flit though her mind. He had saved her, but for what? There were still so many unanswered questions, and Alice was determined to get to the bottom of everything. “How did your mother die?” Alice finally found the reason to speak again.

“She got too drunk one night, and found herself dead at the bottom of our stairs.” Wallace said, pulling himself back up into a sitting position on the bed. “Sound familiar?”

“That's how Willub died.” The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together. “You killed him? You killed your mother too?”

“Mother was an unfortunate accident. I didn't know that a fall like that would kill her, I simply wanted her to stop beating me, so I pushed her. Willub, was less of an accident, but an accident just the same. We were arguing again, about you as usual, and . . . well enough of that. You get the picture.”

“What about Blake?” Alice asked, feeling the tears rising up once again. “Did you push him down a flight of stairs too?”

“No. But honestly Alice, I'd really rather not talk about Blake. He was my best friend, and it's still a little too fresh for me right now.”

“What about Tess? Did you kill her too?”

“Heavens no. That woman was a saint, and believe me when I say that I miss her terribly. I could never have thanked Tess enough for taking you in when no one else would.”

“Blake would have taken me back if I had let him.” Alice said, more to herself than to Wallace.

“He pressured you, something if I may add, I did not. Just give me a chance, Alice. I think you'll find life here is not as bad as you may think it is. Speaking of such things, how about dinner?”

“I can't even remember that last time I ate.” Alice admitted as her stomach began to roil at the thought of food.

“It was just over two days ago, if I recall correctly. Do you want to cook, or shall I order Take-Out?”

“Take-Out?”

“It's not difficult. I just have them deliver it to my apartment and pick it up there.”

“You have a kitchen here though?”

“It's small and old, but last I heard it still works.”

“I'll cook. You know Take-Out always gives me an upset stomach.”

“Good, then we can keep talking while you whip something up.” Wallace carefully lifted Alice off the bed and walked her down the many hallways down to the kitchen.