Betrayal (2 page)

‘What guy?’ I
reach for my comb and begin to detangle my hair.

‘Well if you shift
your eyes up now and then you may notice’ Courtney reprimands me.

‘I am not
interested Court’ I turn to her my brown eyes pleading her to understand.

‘Come on
Maddie it’s been nearly a year’ she tilts her head towards me empathetically.

‘I am
perfectly aware of how long it has been thank you I have been living it’ I snap. 
The pain no longer pierces but that is because my heart no longer feels I
merely exist.   I work day and night at the coffee shop surrounding myself in
people but noticing no one.

‘You have to
live again’ she cajoles gently, ‘come on Maddie you know I love you I want you
to be happy again’

‘I am
perfectly happy thank you there are no complications in my life’ I remind her.

‘Relationships
aren’t all about complications Maddie.  What about the advantages like the
companionship and sex!’ she hisses, ‘you must miss the sex!’

I smile
slightly at her as I contemplate the sex, I do miss the sex Mason and I had a
lot of good sex!  Then I recall it didn’t prevent him from leaving me for
another woman and the smile ceases to exist on my face.

After lunch I become
fidgety and sit up, ‘do you fancy going for a walk along the beach?’ I ask
Courtney.

‘Hmmm?’
Courtney is dozing.

‘Nothing, I
won’t be long’ I stand draining my cocktail and push my feet into my flip
flops, pulling my hair up into a high ponytail I slip on my sunglasses and turn
to the beach.

I begin to
relax as I stroll slowly towards the water’s edge and watch as people participate
in my favorite pastime of water sports falling, laughing and spluttering into
the turquoise waters.  I smile lightly and sigh, Courtney is right I do need to
concentrate on the future. 

I believed my life
was planned out before me, Mason and I were intending to reside in the flat for
another year before purchasing a house and trying for babies.

My parents
died when I was thirteen years old in a tragic boating accident leaving me with
my grandmother who I lost a few years ago to dreaded cancer.  I am alone in
this world but for a few aunts and uncles in various locations who barely
remember to send me a birthday card. 

I am
financially stable due to the fact my parents had great life insurance and my
grandmother left me her house and estate – however all the money in the world
could not begin to compensate for family I would donate every penny I have to
possess a clan of my own. 

I earn well at
the coffee-shop and am set to open another upon my return with the possibility
of eventually creating a chain.  The long, tiresome hours I work are optional,
I have reliable staff who are more than capable of managing the shop but prefer
to be in control of my own destiny rather than rely on others.  A baby would
bring me unconditional love, a family of my own of which I crave fiercely. 

As I stroll
along the beach I notice a photo-shoot taking place and stand to observe as the
shapely models poise for the camera in various positions.

‘Ok Sofia do
you actually know how to play Volleyball?’ a deep voice questions and I turn to
note that the guy from the pool is in fact the photographer.  My eyes move over
his taut body dressed in beige linen shorts and a black t-shirt pulled across
his toned physique.  He directs the camera lens down from his face and I
observe his features while he is frowning at the blonde dizzy model who
obviously has no concept of Volleyball.

‘Don’t we require
a bat?’ the model questions pouting and he sighs in frustration.

‘No Sofia’ he
turns as if to locate someone and I note his warm chocolate brown eyes are framed
with the longest lashes I have ever witnessed on a man.  I tilt my head as I
attempt to deduce his age, I would put him at approximately late thirties,
forty maybe.  His dark hair has a peppering of grey at the sides which only
accentuates his attractiveness.

‘Lauren’ he
calls his eyes searching around.

‘Yes Brad’ a tall,
slim, short haired woman with a clipboard arrives and he has a quiet word with
her turning his friendly eyes from the giddy model.

‘Ok’ she nods
her lips thinning slightly, ‘no problem’ and she scurries in the opposite
direction.

‘Sofia, take a
break will you’ Brad attempts to be courteous but I notice an edge to his
voice.

As he turns
his eyes clash with mine and I gasp before I immediately return the sunglasses
that I had discarded to assess him back onto my nose and turn in the direction
of the water.  When I am a safe distance away I turn back casually and discover
that he is in fact checking me out with a small smile against his lips.  I tilt
my lips gently before returning to the pool area with a definite sway to my
hips, maybe it is time to return to the living even if it is just for the sex.

                                                                    ********

The complex contained a number of
restaurants each based on a different country, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and
of course Caribbean.  Courtney and I sit in the Caribbean restaurant for our
first meal and enjoy the gastronomy of the island.

‘It’s good to see you eating’ Courtney
states as she closes her eyes appreciating the delicious mouthful of red
snapper that she had just taken a bite of, ‘the food is gorgeous’ she adds
covering her half-filled mouth with her hand.

‘I eat’ I reply as I place my fork back
onto the plate and retrieve my wine glass.

‘What happened when you went for a walk?’
her astute eyes regard me carefully.

‘Nothing, why?’ I question as I sip my
wine preferring to keep my gaze on my plate in front of me.

‘You drink too much’ she states and I
roll my eyes. ‘You came back with a secret’

‘I did not’ I assure her although I feel my
cheeks flush ‘it’s the sea air is all.  Do you fancy hitting the bar after
dinner?’ I change the subject smoothly.

‘Sure.  I promised to call Dave shall I
meet you there?’

‘Ok. He doesn’t mind you accompanying me
does he Court?’ I check. 

‘No of course not! Besides it will do him
good to miss me’ she smiles.

‘Do you miss him?’ I enquire curiously,
they had been together since university and have been devoted since.

‘Of course’ she shrugs as if it was a
forgone conclusion, ‘he is the other half of me’

My mind rewinds to a time when Mason
attended business trips and returned a week later ravenous for my body.  We
would inevitably spend the following twenty four hours in each-other’s arms
constantly reconnecting our bodies and minds, where did it all go wrong?

‘You ok?’ Courtney tests gently noticing
the dark cloud that had re-established itself above my head.

‘Yes I am fine’ I smile gently towards
her, ‘when do you think you stop remembering all the good times?’

‘When you move on’ she instructs sternly,
‘you have to create new memories Maddie, they don’t have to be long term
relationships but you need to dip your toe back in the pool.  Even if it is
just to satisfy your needs and provide a glimpse of optimism for the future’
her blue eyes warm towards me.

‘I could never trust a man again’ I state
plainly.

‘Maybe, maybe not but you have to look
around you and observe your surroundings.  Your eyes are constantly on the ground
as though you are a child believing that if you cannot see them they cannot see
you.  People see you Maddie, well a shadow of you.  Where is the bubbly girl we
all know and love?’

‘I don’t think she exists anymore’ I
inform her gently.

‘Then he has won Maddie.  Maybe he
doesn’t want you but he has ensured no one else will – who wants to be around a
misery guts?’

‘That’s a bit harsh!’ I shock my eyebrows
arching.

‘Harsh but true’ she tips her glass back
emptying the contents ‘I will meet you in the bar I just need to touch base’

Maddison remains at the table for a while
absorbing the words of her dearest friend before standing and making her way
slowly to the beach bar.

********

Brad’s camera was taking one image after
another in rapid succession as the models clinked glasses at the bar.  Dressed
in bright short dresses with their hair buffed-up to perfection and make up
piled onto their young delicate faces they beam into the lens.

‘Try not to look directly into the camera
girls it is supposed to be natural’ his patience for a couple of these girls
was wearing thin, these are the basics.

‘We can’t help it’ Sofia winks at her
colleague ‘you are extremely handsome Brad’

Brad ignores the compliment moving to a
different angle attempting to catch the shot.

Out of the corner of his lens he notices
her arrival, dressed in a lemon short dress which is fitted at the bodice held
up by small spaghetti straps at her surprisingly rounded bosom and flaring out
at the hips swirling as she walks in wedges that the women all wear.  He
continues to snap moving the camera to where she sat up on a stool at the other
side of the bar.  She is hot as hell!  Her hair was long, dark brown and shiny as
it hung over one shoulder her lips glistening with gloss.

He lowers the lens and regards her as she
takes the barman’s attention to order a drink.  She glances across casually and
notices him there with a camera and for a moment he imagines he notices
something awaken in her sad brown eyes.  He smiles towards her and she flushes
before treating him to a slight upturn of those full glossed lips before turning
back to the barman who places a pink looking liquid which I presume is a
cocktail in front of her.

‘Are we done?’ Sofia calls.

‘Yes’ he waves her away distractedly,
‘where are the couple?’ he glances around to locate Lauren.

********

Maddison’s heart skips a beat when he
smiles over towards her.  So, a good looking guy is interested she tells
herself it doesn’t mean a thing.  He sure does look hot though in jeans and a
short sleeve polo shirt pulled tightly across his bulging chest, he must work
out he has a fantastic body.  She imagines her hands moving over his strong
arms and feels a tingling inside.  Maybe I do need sex she sighs sipping her
drink.

She observes as a young stunning couple
enter into the partitioned off area where the photo-shoot is taking place. 
They look flawless with their fit bodies and bleached white teeth, the woman is
robed in a white maxi dress her blonde hair coiled to perfection at her slim
neck her make up immaculate.  The man is dressed in lightweight grey trousers
and a white shirt his dark hair combed back off of his chiseled face.  They are
directed to an area to the left of the bar which holds a variety of green
tropical plants where water is trickling from a small fountain onto shiny white
stones. 

‘That’s it now gaze up into his eyes
Toyah with a promise of a passion fuelled night’ he coaches, she giggles before
obliging she has obviously done this before. ‘Now pull her into your groin Matt
one hand on her hip and stroke her hair away from her face with the other as
though she is the most precious entity in your life’ Brad instructs as he
wanders into the area moving their clothes and adjusting her hair.

‘Great! Now imagine you are the only two people
in the room.  Hold that…..fantastic I almost believe it myself’ he snaps away
totally engrossed in his lens as he stretches into different positions to
capture the shot he requires. ‘Now Matt, take her chin and place a gentle kiss
on the corner of her lips’

Matt grins before attempting it, ‘no! Don’t
suck her lips’ Brad is obviously getting impatient again, running his hand
through his hair he grasps Lauren beside him.  ‘May I?’ he enquires. Lauren’s
eyes widen in horror but she nods regardless.

‘Watch’ he instructs and he takes
Lauren’s shocked chin in between his thumb and finger and tilts her head up
before placing his lips gently against the corner of her mouth the whole room
remains silent.  ‘Like that!’ he murmurs suddenly ‘like a butterfly landing on
the petal of a flower, a soft flutter!’ he elaborates gently.

Maddison wasn’t aware she was holding her
breath until she exhales, that was the most romantic kiss she had ever
witnessed. Her eyes move to Lauren who appears to be bright red with
embarrassment and a slight tinge of wonder as she gazes up into the face of the
photographer.

‘Hey’ Courtney plonks herself down next
to me and follows my line of vision ‘what are they doing?’

‘A photo shoot of some description, what
you having?’  I remark impassively although I feel my cheeks flush at the
images that had been flashing through my frustrated mind.

‘Hey isn’t that the guy from the pool?’
she detects suddenly as her perceptive eyes find mine.

‘Is it? Do you want a cocktail?’ I
attempt indifference.

‘Just one’ she grins towards me, ‘he
wasn’t on the beach earlier by any chance was he?’ and I roll my eyes towards
her in reply.