Page 45 of Loving My Enemy

“I brought them here.”

“You trying to help, she’ll understand.”

“Maybe.” Elka was a nice woman with a big kind heart that could’ve gotten her in trouble if she hadn’t landed in Tulip, under normal circumstances she might have understood. “But I’ve been such a shit to her from the beginning I don’t think she will.”

“If she loves you, she will.”

That was a big fucking if. She loved me, she’d said as much herself, but that was before I screwed up royally. Before I violated her trust and proved all the worst things she believed about herself. “There’s the judge now.”

Mayburn entered the room hunched over with a bright smile on his face as he made his way to the bench, smiling and waving at so many of his friends and neighbors in the seats below. “Good morning. We have a big turnout this morning, am I missing some things on my schedule Judy?”

Judy shook her head and kept her gaze on the oversized calendar that lay on her table to the left of the judge. “No, Judge.”

“All right then,” he grinned and banged the gavel which always seemed to put an even bigger smile on his face. “Court is now in session. Today we’re here because Miles and Clara Nyland want to stop Elka from collecting on the life insurance policy on which she is the beneficiary. Stop me if I’ve got anything wrong.” The Nyland’s lawyer stood, flustered by Mayburn’s informality.

“Our understanding is the same, Your Honor.”

They went back and forth and I looked around the room, wondering where in the hell Elka was. This was her chance to stand up to her parents, to tell them where to shove it, and she hadn’t shown up. Did that mean she was done fighting or was she already gone?

“Good. Ms. Nyland has opted not to attend this hearing, for personal reasons.”

“Your Honor,” the lawyer was back on his feet, scowling at no one in particular.

“After reviewing the evidence Ms. Nyland dropped off with my assistant,” another nod to Judy, “I granted her request not to attend. But this is a court of law and as such we must abide by the laws and rules and such. We’ll play the evidence for the record and then I’ll make my ruling.”

The sounds of muttered conversations all around the courtroom rose up, curiosity and gossip and theories were the main topics while everyone waited for Judy to set up the laptop connected to the giant flat screen donated by Preston’s parents.

Finally the black screen dissolved into a smiling face that looked just like Elka. Austin’s skin was pale, making his strawberry blond hair appear closer to red as he sat on a bed with dark blue bedding. Shockingly blue eyes smiled into the camera, the freckles on the bridge of his nose the only real difference between him and Elka. “I know this isn’t something you’d ever do for yourself even though no person with a heart or a brain would blame if you did. Luckily you have me to do it for you. Inside my old stack of titty mags you will find a life insurance policy for a re-damn-diculous amount of money.” His smile was wide, similar to Elka’s when she had those rare, unguarded moments of happiness. “You were deprived of everything normal because of me and even though I was so damn grateful to have you by my side, I hated that it was a prison for you. My sister and my best friend.” He shook his head, floppy waves making him look so damn young it was heartbreaking. “This is my gift for you and I’ll be dead so you have to take it or the evil insurance company gets to keep it. Take this money and go to one of those pins on the map in your closet, conquer the world and make your dreams come true. Hell, make a few of mine come true too by jumping from a plane or climbing a big ass mountain. Miss me everyday kiddo because I’ll miss thehell out of you, but don’t cry too hard. You’re an ugly crier.” He laughed again and discreetly wiped a few tears from his eyes. “Love you. Live big.” He winked into the camera, pale face still full of life and fight, not ready to say goodbye.

Eyes sad but trying to hide it, just like his sister.

I walked out of the courtroom before the judge made his ruling because it was clear Elka had done nothing wrong and probably would have found a way to make Austin take it back if she’d known about it before his death. I needed to get home, to her. Now. She didn’t need to be alone, not now. Not when I know she spent all weekend watching that video, wondering if she was worthy of it.

I needed to make her see that she was, that I thought she was worthy. Hearing that even Austin knew what kind of hell Elka had lived in, was disheartening. It was actually fucking heartbreaking to know that she hadn’t had a life of her own until now. And I was the one who threatened her new life. “Dammit!” Her brother was an example in selfless love, spending what was probably a small fortune to make up for all that she missed because of him. No, not him, because of her parents.

I could now understand the depth of her pain at missing him and that made me even more determined to make her listen to me. Elka needed more than just a little tender loving care, she needed someone to let her shine. To show her just how special she really was.

“You’re leaving.”It wasn’t the most scintillating thing I’d ever said but pulling into the driveway to see another damn trailer blocking the sidewalk threw me for a loop.

“That’s the plan.” She didn’t look up which was fine by me because I didn’t have my words yet and because she was still a damn fine sight to these eyes. “Why are you here Antonio?”

“Figured it was time we talked.” It was clear Elka had no plans to make it easy on me.

She scoffed and pushed up from her spot on the floor where she’d packed books only recently unpacked. “You mean now that you have unequivocal proof that I’m not the terrible person you think I am? No thanks.”

“I deserve that,” I conceded because I’d condemned her without any facts.

“Damn right you do, but thanks for your permission.” Even though she was pissed at me, I liked this fiery, take no prisoners version of my little fairy.

“I’m not…shit, Elka, stop twisting everything I say. I’m trying to apologize for-,”

“Don’t you get it Antonio, I don’t want your apology. I wanted you to trust me, to see me for mebeforeyou made up your mind. That’s what I wanted.” And once again, what she wanted didn’t matter. She didn’t have to say it for me to know she was thinking it.

“So you’re saying its too late?” I couldn’t stand to hear that, not for one fucking second. “I screw up one time-,”

She laughed and it was pure, unabashed bitterness. “One time? Let’s not do this, Antonio. Knowing you has been…,” she trailed off and when her blue eyes landed on me, her smile was sad. Almost wistful. “A learning experience.”

I was sure that wasn’t what she’d been about to say but I also wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the original ending to that sentence. “Don’t you want to know how it all turned out?”

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