***********

In an old abandoned building somewhere in Springfield

“Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for over an hour.”

“Well, it is nice to see you too. I have been attending to some business, which you told me to take care of. So, Boss, I have been following orders, so don’t you dare give me attitude.”

“I think that you seem forget who is running this operation. I’m the one in control, and I will not have you sabotage this. I was the one who brought you in, and I can be the one who takes you out..”

“You don’t control me. So, now, I can understand how he feels. You can’t control other people because they will turn on you, if you do. I am willing to help you for only one reason, and that is to make sure that the proper people do not destroy all our hard work.”

“Excellent. I can not afford any slip-ups, do you understand? I am not willing to lose and I will do anything to ensure that my plan works.”

“Y’know, I am getting real sick of this. I am not one of your lackies. I have just has much involved as you do. And I can blow this little plan of yours out of the water, if I think that you are going to double cross me. And I have no problem with giving you up to save myself.”

***********

“Hello Michelle.”

I rub my eyes to make sure that I am not seeing things. I let out a sigh of relief. Yet, I can’t get my legs to move off the bed. He was the last person that I wanted to see. Oh, please, no! He can’t know. He can’t. I had been able to keep it a secret so far, and now, here he is. So, if he is here that must mean that Danny knows. I want to tell him but I can’t because if I tell him then Danny will find out. I can’t let this fall apart now.

“Do mind if I come in? I would like to talk to you.”

Mind is racing a mile a minute. This can’t be happening. I open my eyes and notice that he is still standing in the doorway with an annoyed look on his face. I can only imagine what he thinks of me right now. As I sat stupidly on the bed, without awaiting my response, he comes in the room, and sits down next to me.

Instinctively, I move away from him and pull my knees to my chest. I decide that I have to remain in control of this situation. I can’t break now. I have worked to hard to keep this hidden..

“Um, so, I was not expecting you. What can I do for you?”

He gives me a wary glance “Michelle, you know why I am here.”

Panic starts to form in my chest. I can hear my voice crack. “No, I don’t know why you are here. If you are looking for Danny, he is not here. And I don’t really feel like talking to you right now..”

“Michelle,” he says in a low tone, “If I know that Danny is not here. Why don’t you just tell me what is going on? You are obviously hiding something, and I don’t want there to be any secrets between us…”

Oh, only if you knew the truth, I think to myself. All I wanted to do was run far away and never look back, but I could not. I would live in constant fear. Stop it, I scream at myself, this is not going to help.

“I am fine, and there is nothing wrong with me. I just wish that you and everyone else would just accept that. Just because I fainted…”

I realize my mistake when I notice his look of surprise on his face. Why did I say that? What was I thinking?

“Fainted? Michelle, what is going on with you? I see that are a few things that you have neglected to tell your husband. Michelle, please tell me what is going on?”

Before I can answer his question, the door opens. Danny strolls into the room and lets out a gasp when he notices my visitor. He leaves the room as quickly as he had come in. What the hell was that about?

**********

"Don't, don't promise anything just...just take care of yourself please." May 17th

What in the hell is he doing here? This can’t be happening. What if Michelle knows the truth? What am I going to do now? I was looking forward to coming home and having a big glass of scotch to calm my nerves. The darkness of the study seems to relax me alittle. It had a calming effect on me.

Things were starting to spiral out of control and the late nights and endless hours plotting away were starting to catch up with me. Bernard had called me this afternoon with bad news. Enrique, one of our allies, was missing. He was helping us with the other families. He had managed to convince some to sell us some of their smaller operations. He had the business finesse that both Bernard and I lacked, but lately, things were getting really tense.

We knew that it was only a matter of time before things got really ugly. And so far, they were only targeting me. Bernard was getting worried about my safety and Michelle’s. I never told him about the package that I got but he had already sensed that something was wrong.

And now with Enrique’s disappearance, things were changing. People were getting restless and they were ready to move. So, with Bernard’s help, I was able to find a bodyguard to watch over Michelle at school. She does not know yet, and when she finds out, she will be furious at me. I warned Juan to keep a safe distance from her because I could not afford to alienate my wife. I just hope that she will be able to forgive me when I tell her the truth. I would do anything to protect her even if it meant risking my own life.

Michelle was my life. She was the one person who kept me going on through all of this. And now, I was praying that it was not going to blow up in our faces. Would this be the last straw for Michelle? Would this make her leave me? God, I hope not. I could not bear the thought of losing her. It would be like tearing my heart out of my chest.

Tonight, the mood between Bernard and myself changed. The news of Enrique had a sombering effect on us. We had suddenly become painfully aware of the consequences of this world, and we knew that we had to part ways soon before anything could be linked to us. It was like the Last Supper. You never knew if this would be your last day on earth or not. And Bernard implored me to make sure that nothing would happen to me. I had to think of Michelle. I told him that she was the only person that I was thinking of.

But now, Michelle was the last thing on my mind. We knew that news of Enrique’s disappearance would spread and people were starting talking. It happened that the worst time. Things were finally getting finished. It is funny how life works.

Tonight, Bernard and I were going to tell Enrique that he could leave, it was getting too dangerous, and with fewer people involved, the better. I am so sorry, Enrique. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t.

I close my eyes and lean my head on the back of the chair. The scotch is starting to numb the pain. My hands have stopped shaking. I am so startled by a booming voice in the doorway that I nearly fall out of the chair.

“Danny. I didn’t realize that I scared you off.” He walks over to the desk and notices the bottle of scotch. With a look of disapproval, he notices my pale face. “Oh, God, Danny. What the hell happened tonight?”

“Nothing happened. I am fine. Things are just getting dangerous. It’s been a long night.”

“Something did happen. Danny, I have never seen you like this before. Something has really rattled you.” Nodding at the scotch, he continues, “And that is not going to help, Danny. Your head is not going to be happy in the morning.”

I give him a wary smile. “You are always the practical one, Ray. For once, you can stop being a Priest, and just be my cousin. I need something to calm my nerves. Will have to go to confession?”

“Danny, this is not funny. You are involved in something that is getting too dangerous, and I am not sure if you will be able to stomach this. Michelle is worried sick about you..”

“She will only be worried if you told her about my visit. I thought that you would not tell her, Ray. And I hope for your sake that you didn’t.”

“Danny, I promised you that I would not tell, and I didn’t tell Michelle. I am just very worried about her. And Michelle is scared as a jackrabbit. You need to talk to her because something is wrong.”

“Ray, what’s wrong with Michelle? I will not able to forgive myself if something happens to her.”

“Well, it seems that your wife is taking a page from your book. She will not tell me what is wrong, but something is wrong. Danny, you know that you can’t keep this from Michelle forever. If you don’t tell her then the wrong person will, and she might not be able to forgive you.”

Ray leaves me in stunned silence. I know that he is right. I have to tell Michelle the truth soon. But tonight, I can’t tell her, there are too many emotions swirling around me. The scotch has not helped.

When I walk into our bedroom, I notice Michelle bundled up in blankets on the bed. She looks so small and so fragile, like a china doll. She notices me and gives me a brief smile. I walk over to the bed and sit down on the edge. I need to be with Michelle. I need her to put me at ease, to give me a sense of peace that I never find in my world.

Michelle searches my face for any trace of emotion. “Danny, I was so worried about you. When Ray came to visit, I was so scared.” Her eyes cloud with concern when she notices my blank stare. “Danny, oh God, are you alright? Danny..”

The pain in her voice begins to clear my foggy head. I can’t do this to her. I can’t. I take her hands in my mine and start to caress them. “Michelle, Baby, I am fine. I have just had a long day. I had to come home to you. I missed you so much…”

“I missed you too, Danny. The house seems so empty without you. Danny, please promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“I want you to be honest with me. Please, Danny, I can’t bear the thought of you getting hurt.”

I give her a smile. Michelle has always provoked so many emotions in me. I love her so much.

“Michelle, I promise you that nothing will happen to you. Nobody will hurt you.”

“But Danny, I am concerned about you. Not me.”

“Michelle, I am fine. Please, can we talk about this later? Please?”

In a quick motion, I pull Michelle into my arms. I need to feel her warmth. I feel so cold. I can feel Michelle’s warm tears fall onto my shoulder. Suddenly, Michelle pulls away from me, and starts to stroke my face. I can’t help the grimace that comes from my mouth when her hand brushes over my cheek.

For the first time, Michelle notices that dried blood on my cheek, which is camflouging, a bruise. Michelle is horrified.

“Oh my God, Danny, what the hell happened to you? Did someone hurt you?”

I can feel tears starting to form in my eyes. I just nod my head no, and look away. Michelle gently takes my face in her hands and says, “I am just glad that you are home with me. And I am going to take care of you, Danny. Will you let me?”

I nod. The pain is starting to over take my body. All my muscles are ache. Michelle leans me back on the bed and looks at my bruise.

I gasp in shock when Michelle leans her head down on my cheek and gently presses kisses on my bruise. The dulling pain is replaced by a feeling of pure joy. I am so mesmizered by Michelle’s gentle kisses that I don’t notice that a tall figure outside among the bushes..

TO BE CONTINUED

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