📎A/N ... Hello my lovelies.. I hope you weekend has gotten off to a wonderful start :-)
Well, I've managed to jinx myself... I was interviewed by one of the lovely authors here on Wattpad, and one of her questions was how I dealt with writers block.
I, without thinking of the consequences, said I really didn't suffer from it.
And like fate trying to teach me a lesson for my 'famous last words' I promptly was afflicted with it... I have spent days staring at a blank page, willing the words to flow... and.... nothing.
After begging fate to forgive me for my rash words... I finally managed to get something out.
I hope you week has gone better than mine :-)
Take care
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Sydney's phone alarm went off at seven in the morning. Already up and dressed, she raced back to her bedroom to turn it off. After a restless night and a series of very erotic dreams, which featured a masked lover with grey eyes, she rolled out of bed well before dawn.
After ridding the apartment of the blaring sound, she headed back to her office and continued to troll through yesterday's' emails. Her mind took in less than half of what she was reading and she gave up on her attempt to catch up with her correspondence. She glanced at her watch and groaned. 7:05... nearly an hour to kill before she needed to meet Jackson.
This is ridiculous! she growled to herself and headed to the large windows overlooking the small park.
Outside the perimeter of the prestigious gated park, only accessible by a limited number of keys, dogs of various sizes were walking their owners. It never ceased to amaze her, how these animals and their walkers would battle the elements throughout the year for their morning constitutionals.
An elderly couple sitting on one of the benches in the park caught her attention. She smiled when she noticed the way the old man helped his equally frail wife up from the seat. As they walked, arm-in-arm towards the exit they began to laugh as if having just shared a joke. The devotion to each other was evident, even at this distance. The couple exited the park and walked in the direction she and Ethan had come down the previous evening.
A feeling of dread rose up and clutched at her heart, squeezing it until it became a physical pain. She was scared. The attraction to Ethan that had developed on Martha's Vineyard had returned in full force. As much as she wanted to deny it, push it away or lock it up, she couldn't.
With each conversation, she uncovered another layer to who he truly was. The person hidden behind the persona he presented to the outside world was a universe away from the man she was discovering lurked inside.
Sydney sighed and headed towards the kitchen. Thank God, it'll be a while before I bump into him again.
More to have something to do to keep her mind occupied, she spent the next forty-five minutes cleaning her already spotless fridge. Determined to keep her mind well away from the rabbit hole it was threatening to jump down. Once she was done, it didn't take long for Sydney to reach the coffee shop she had agreed to meet her brother at, and had already ordered a hot drink by the time he walked in.
"Sorry, I'm late. I had to call in at the office on the way," he said, as he sat down across from her.
She smiled. "It's not a problem. I've only just arrived myself."
Since Jackson's return into her life. Sydney was cautious with their relationship. She had been down this track before only to be hurt. So far, he hadn't gotten back into his old habits and had kept in regular contact with her. This was the second time they had gotten together since her return to the city.
"So, how's life?" he asked after they had ordered. "Stephen said that things are a bit hectic at the moment."
Her brothers continued relationship with her friend and agent was still in its early days. Both carried baggage from their past and neither wanted to rush headlong into something that might end up hurting each other.
Sydney shrugged her shoulders. "No more so than usual." Then asked, "What's happening in the real-estate world?" to move the topic onto safer ground.
She was relieved when her brother didn't flinch at her reluctance to talk about herself and promptly gave her a rundown on the current state of affairs of New York real estate. She was surprised at how animated he became as he expounded the virtues of being a property broker. It was clear her brother had found his calling in life and was good at it.
It wasn't long before their breakfast arrived. "I don't suppose you've heard from mother dearest have you?" Jackson asked as he cut into his short stack of pancakes.
"No. Why?" It wasn't unusual for Sydney to go weeks if not months between conversations with her mother. Since their last encounter, she didn't expect her mother to contact her for quite some time. And, only then, it would be because she wanted something.
"She tells me she's in France, but I'm not so sure."
Sydney raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why not."
Jackson reached into his suit jacket, pulled out a slip of paper and slid it across the table. "Uncle Vic has sent me her latest credit card statement and she's not charged anything to it for the past three weeks."
"That's impossible," Sydney said, dismissing his claim and reached for the statement. There was no way her mother went a day in France without buying something extravagant that she didn't need. "It must be a clerical error."
Jackson returned to his food. "That's what I thought. I phoned the bank and they confirmed that she hasn't used it lately."
Sydney scanned through the transactions, which confirmed what her brother had just said. She folded the bank statement, placed it back on the table and brought her fingers up to rub her temples. She was tired of her mother's shenanigans. "But you said you've spoken to her. You have haven't you?" she asked. There was a hint of alarm in her voice coupled with exasperation.
"At least once a week. Don't panic, she's fine."
"Did you ask her about it? Are you sure she's not gotten access to another line of credit?"
He shook his head, telling her this was not the case. "As soon as I got the statement I phoned her."
"And...? What did she say?"
Jackson picked up his knife and fork and glanced down at his food. "That she's staying with a friend. When I asked her what money she's using she got defensive."
Sydney frowned. "She doesn't have any friends in France that would let her stay with them," she said, sifting through her memory for who the mystery person could be. "She burnt that bridge years ago."
Jackson finished his mouthful before speaking again. "If I thought she was defensive when I asked her about what money she was living on, it was nothing compared to when I asked her who she was staying with."
The headache that threatened erupted in full force. Sydney placed her elbows on the table to support her throbbing head. "What the hell is she up to?"
Jackson pushed the food around his plate and thought about it for a moment. He then looked directly at her. "I don't know, but I've got a bad feeling it's got to do with dad."
She closed her eyes and groaned. They had pushed Penelope's slip up to the back of their minds in the hope they had made too much out of it.
Mother, what have you done?
Sydney slid her plate away, her appetite suddenly gone. "Do you really think she'd do something that stupid?" she asked as the last conversation with her mother repeatedly played in her mind.
Jackson finished his meal and sighed. "To be honest. I don't know anymore."
Once they had paid the bill, and her brother had dashed to his first showing of the day, Sydney couldn't face going home to her quiet apartment. If she did, she felt her brain would explode from the possible scenarios playing havoc with her mind. She was feeling claustrophobic at the thought of the ticking time bomb her mother just may have set off.
Three hours later, she regretted her decision. Fifth Avenue on a Saturday was a nightmare. Shoppers were scurrying from store to store, and in their eagerness to find the next bargain, didn't hesitate to push and shove others out of their way.
Still not wanting to be alone with her own tormented thoughts, she phoned Grace. She was in luck, her cousin was biding her time until she was due to meet Mason at a midtown eatery. They agreed to meet at Serendipity 3 and catch up before he arrived.
When she got there, Grace was already seated.
After hugging her cousin, Sydney sank into the booth and gratefully accepted the latte that materialised in front of her. She was famished and thirsty. Mostly thirsty. Her abandoned breakfast with Jackson had ensured she hadn't yet eaten and had only had a fraction of her normal caffeine intake for the morning.
After settling in, Grace sat back in her chair and stared at Sydney with a frown, making her feel uncomfortable.
Grace's perfectly shaped eyebrows scrunched together as she leaned forward. "Is everything okay? You look a bit... flustered."
"I'm all right," Sydney lied. "The shops were just a bit mad today."
Not convinced Grace pushed further. "Didn't you have breakfast with Jackson this morning?" She gave Sydney a pointed look. "Did something happen?"
Sydney fussed over her large cup so she didn't need to meet her cousin's gaze. "Don't be silly. We caught up, that's all."
Grace's noncommittal "hmmm" told Sydney this wasn't the last she'd hear on the matter.
Before Grace could say anything further, Sydney chose a distraction tactic to move the conversation to one that she was more comfortable with. "Speaking of which," she said, "how did your pamper day with Stephen go?"
With her busy schedule, Sydney hadn't been able to get away to join her friends for their bi-monthly spa day. A tradition they had practiced for some years.
"Very relaxing, but it wasn't the same without you."
Sydney was relieved when Grace gave her a rundown on the latest gossip from the spa. This quickly moved onto other topics and, for a while, Sydney's mind was freed from the trauma of her morning.
They had been talking for some time before Grace's phone beeped. A gentle smile overtook her face as she read the message. "Mason's just finished up at racket ball and is on his way."
"Big plans for the afternoon?" Sydney asked before reaching for her cup to finish the contents.
"Not really. Mason's taking me to a Renaissance faire."
Sydney was so caught off guard at where Grace was intending to spend the afternoon, her drink went down the wrong way and she snorted out a spray of coffee across the table. As she choaked uncontrollably, she reached for the napkin to hide her half-laugh half-cough that had erupted at the same time.
"A Renaissance faire? You?" she asked after finally calming down enough to speak.
Grace eyed her indignantly and said, "I don't understand why you find it amusing."
This only served to set Sydney off again in a fit of laughter. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh, but you do know what a Renaissance faire is?"
"Of course, I do."
"And you're still going?"
Grace nodded, clearly confused at Sydney's reaction. "Yes. I don't see why you think I wouldn't."
Sydney grinned as she mopped up the last of the spilt coffee. "Make sure you take photos. This I have to see," she glanced up at Grace and her grin became wider. "Just wait until I tell Stephen. He'll have a field day with this."
"Pftt," Grace waved dismissively. "I don't know what the fuss is. Mason thinks it might be a lot of fun."
"So what are you going to wear," Sydney teased. "Aren't you supposed to get all dressed up in medieval costumes or something?"
Not taking the bait, Grace glanced over Sydney's shoulder and smiled broadly. Sydney didn't need to turn around to know Mason had arrived. The way her cousin's face lit up told her everything she needed to know. "There's a costume shop there we can hire something appropriate," said Grace as she turned back to Sydney.
This again set Sydney off in hysterics. "You," she wheezed between laughs. "Hire a costume?"
"What's so funny?" asked Mason as he arrived at their table and glanced between the two women.
Sydney's laugh froze when she realised Ethan was with him.
"I don't think Sydney believes where we are going this afternoon," Grace said after greeting both men.
Mason slid into the booth seat next to Grace, indicating for Ethan to sit. "Oh, why not?"
Ethan shook his head and remained standing. "I can't stay," he said. "I've got to get to work."
Mason frowned. "Nonsense man. Sit down and join us for lunch. All the markets have closed so there's no crisis needing your attention. Besides, you spend far too much time at that place."
Indecision flickered across Ethan's face. He was about to protest when Mason pushed further to get his friend to stay. "Look, it's been ages since we've caught up and with your bloody awful schedule who knows when we will again."
Ethan shrugged his shoulders and let out a deep breath. "Okay, but I can't stay long."
Sydney, who had remained rooted to the spot, gave him a weak smile and shuffled over to let him sit. Her earlier declaration that she wouldn't be seeing him for a while came to mind and she groaned inwardly. Famous last words, she thought.
She resigned herself to joining them for lunch. If Ethan caved, what chance did she have?
Mason reached for the menu, opened it and glanced over the table at Sydney. "So, why didn't you believe Grace?"
Sydney stared at him opened mouthed. "So you're seriously going?"
Mason's brows knitted together at her answer, and he glanced at Grace. "Yes. I'm not sure I'm following why you're surprised by it."
"Surprised by what?" Ethan asked, joining the conversation.
"Somehow, your friend has managed to convince my cousin, the epitome of style and grace, to spend the afternoon at a Renaissance faire."
Ethan's reaction was similar to Sydney's. With the exception, he was drinking a glass of water at the time and managed to keep the contents in his mouth rather than splayed across the table as she had.
She looked triumphantly across the table. "See! I'm not the only one who thinks it strange."
Mason gave Ethan a mock glare. "Betrayed by my closest friend. I believe that we need to settle this with a duel."
Ethan burst out laughing. "When you said you were going to a re-enactment, I thought you were talking about a play."
"No," said Mason shaking his head. "I was helping Grace deliver some books to a school in the Bronx the other day and got talking to one of the kids. He was telling me about a place his aunt works on the weekends. It sounded interesting, so I thought it might be something different to do."
All conversation halted as their waiter arrived to take their order.
"Why don't you both join us?" Grace asked once they were alone again. "It'll be fun."
Both Ethan and Sydney spoke at the same time. Both making their excuses.
"Actually, Grace is right," Mason said, ignoring their protests. "I think it'll be jolly good fun for the four of us to go."
***
"Remind me again why we're doing this?" Ethan asked Sydney as they approached Mason's car an hour later.
"Don't look at me," said Sydney. "You're the one who caved first."
"Yes, well, when he threatened to supply full details about the mascot incident, I really didn't have much choice.
Sydney raised her eyebrow and glanced at Ethan. "Sounds like there's a story there."
Ethan chuckled as he opened the back door for her. "American college kid in a foreign country... what could go wrong?"
Her phone beeped as she climbed into the backseat. Quickly reading the message, she turned the phone over, closed her eyes and leaned her head on the headrest with a strained expression marring her features.
"Is everything okay?" Grace asked from the front seat.
Sydney forced a smile on her face and glanced across at her cousin. "Fine. Everything's fine."
A few minutes later, they were on their way. While the others struck up a conversation, she stared out the window not focusing on anything in particular. The message from Jackson replayed in her mind. >>What are we going to do if she is with him?
Sydney's chest tightened as if a vice was squeezing the air out of her lungs. She cast a furtive glance at Ethan, who sat beside her. How was he going to react if Jackson was right, and the information got out David Hutton was still in contact with his wife? How would the world react?
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📎A/N ... Woah!!! So good old Penelope strikes again. What do you think? Is she with her husband or is she telling the truth?
.. and Sydney has bumped into Ethan again.. and they are off for an afternoon at a Renaissance Faire... that should be interesting ;-)
Till next time, don't forget to vote and take care.
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