Chapter Two

He had a nasty reputation as a cruel dude
They said he was ruthless said he was crude
Life In The Fast Lane
The Eagles

The day turned out to be rather crappy after all it was raining hard all day as they went from store to store in the chauffeured limousine buying everything that caught Andy’s eye. Calla turned over price tags and was stunned by what she saw written there but he didn’t bat an eyelash over them. Each skirt or dress he picked out seemed to get a little shorter and a little tighter as she tried them on and modeled them for him. She felt like an idiot in these stupid clothes, they were made for Colleen than a woman of her age. Andy liked them well enough and into the purchase pile they went. Andy made sure that the tops and blouses they bought had enough room in them for her to ‘grow into them’ after her breast enhancement. He was thinking those 34Bs would look much nicer once they were turned into 38Cs.

“Where’s the money coming from?” She asked as they stood at the register and the final total for that particular store came to $1678.87 for three skirts, one dress, one blouse and one handbag. That’s on top of the other two grand they spent at Sax. Now they were off to Bloomingdales’ which wasn’t one of Andy’s favorite stores but he thought she might like to have a look around and see if they could find anything.

“Don’t worry, love.” Andy said easily as he handed over the Visa Platinum and the sales lady finished the transaction. “I’ve got it all covered.”

“I have to pay you back,” she insisted and she didn’t know how she could do that if she couldn’t get her hands on her own money.

“And you will, dahling.” He cooed. “You will, I’ll take it straight out of your next sales and add it to my commission.” Andy took the bag and off they went into the rainy New York afternoon. “One more stop and then I’ve got to work, all right, dear?” He asked as they climbed into the back of the limo and took off for Bloomingdale’s. “I want you to pack this stuff up and then see if you can’t finish that painting while I’m working, all right?”

“Andy,” she stammered as they rode in the back of the plush car, “can’t we just go on the 24^th? I really want to go to graduation.”

Andy reached out and took her good hand in his. “I know my love,” he sympathized, “but really we can’t put this off.” He took his hand away and looked out the window. For him that was the end of the conversation.

“Why is it so important? Why can’t I go another time?” Calla’s voice started to rise in pitch. “I want to see my children,”

“Honestly, love,” he huffed and turned to her. “Are you sure they want to see you? After all, the wound is still fresh.”

It was Calla’s turn to turn away and to look out the window. She was fairly certain that both of her children did want to see her, they had been so bitterly disappointed on the phone when she told them she couldn’t come. “I still have to get them something,” she said sorrowfully.

“There isn’t time now, dear, I’m sure we’ll find something absolutely fab for both of them while we’re in Europe.” Andy assured her as the car stopped at Bloomingdale’s and they were off again.

By the time they returned to the brownstone Calla was six thousand dollars in debt to Andrew Hartley for the clothing he bought her. That didn’t count the make-up, new hair-do which was an astonishing $700.00 and paint supplies. All in all, before surgery and plane tickets and hotel accommodations for a European tour, she was already almost $8000.00 in the hole. She kept telling herself that was all right her paintings would sell by the end of the years, Andy would take his money back from that plus his commission and they’d be square by New Year’s day, only some six months or so away.

“All right, now, love, I want you to get these things packed up. I’ve got some work to do.” Andy told her as he dumped the bags on the bed. He hadn’t allowed her to carry them her hands were still too delicate and he didn’t want anything happening to them.

“Then I’ll work on the painting.” She said softly and began taking the clothes out of the bags.

“That’s my girl!” He said happily. “Chin up, everything’s all right dear. Don’t forget to we’re going to Amy and Ted’s tonight. Wear one of those dresses we bought today and get all yourself all gussied up.”

“If you wish.”

“I do.” Andy smiled happily and kissed her cheek. He took off the sports jacket and hung it neatly over the back on a chair. “I’ll see you in a while,” Andy said and then walked out the bed room door.

Thinking about that sports jacket hanging over the chair while she clipped off price tags, packed new clothes into a suitcase and telling herself she shouldn’t do it, Calla finally wandered over to the jacket and took out the wallet within. She wanted to go to Colorado and see her children graduate from high school. Anything and everything else could wait until after that no matter what Andy said about it. Andy never kept much cash on him he just zipped that plastic wherever he went. She knew some of it was being charged but some of it was coming out of his checking account when he used the debit card. Calla flipped through the credit cards and there were a lot of them, Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover Card, Nova (whatever that was) and several European cards. He wouldn’t miss one and she’d pay him back when the paintings sold. In the meantime he’d been pissed off but he’d get over it and she’d still make it to that damn clinic. Tucking the credit card up her sleeve Calla wandered down the hall to Andy’s computer and got online. She bought herself a plane ticket to Denver International leaving from JFK tomorrow night and rented a car. Perfect. Andy had a business dinner tomorrow night she’d sneak out after he left. The plane would land at 10:15pm Denver time and her ticket would be waiting for her at the desk when she arrived.

That was good, she could find a place to crash (maybe she could stay with Nicholas and Annie) and then get to the school in the morning for the graduation ceremony she’d see her children and be there just like she promised. Maybe she would call Daniel and tell him she was coming that way he would be ‘prepared’ as he’d requested before she left. She’d like to call just to hear his voice but he might be angry. Calla often called the house when she knew no one would be home and when Andy wasn’t looking. She’d use the cell phone he’d given her or the house line punch in the buttons to block her number from showing up on the caller id back in Colorado and listen Daniel’s voice on the answering machine. She’d listen to the whole message hang up before the beep and call back again over and over just to hear the freakin’ tape recording. Blocking the number was childish surely he knew who it was, all those CALLER UNKNOWNs showing up on the little LCD read out.

Quietly making her way back down the hall and slipping the credit card back into his wallet she closed the suit case and went up to the third floor to finish off that painting. Funny, she didn’t think to buy a return ticket. Not then and not later.

Holding the brush took some effort and the delicate detail work in the depiction would have to wait until she could get a firmer grip but all in all painting went better than she expected it to. Ares came to full-life, his smile was cold, cruel and calculating even without the finishing touches. As she painted she tried not to think about her Father and how much she hated him now. Calla never looked at him with Rose Colored Glasses as he’d once accused her of doing. She knew full well what and who he was and she loved him anyway. That was because she never thought he’d turn around and do those things to her. Yet he had. Again there was no going back. If her marriage ended some other way, if Daniel had died or found himself another Lover (which he did, twenty or more of them!) then maybe she would have run to Ares. Not now. Another door closed and locked tight.

Time passed by and the dreary dull rainy day went on and on outside her window as she worked. She didn’t think she’d been up there very long and with the day so gray it was hard to keep track of the time. Andy was in the door way now telling her it was time to get ready to go to Ted and Amy’s. Another party. More loud people. More drugs. That last part wasn’t so bad.

“It’s coming along very well, isn’t it love?” He asked as he put an arm around her shoulder and gazed at the painting. “That ones going to go quickly.” Andy said happily and smiled at her. “Any more in the hopper?”

“Not yet.” Calla told him. “Would you rub it a little bit?” She held up her wounded paw which was starting to cramp. Andy took it in his and massaged it gently for her. “Thank you.”

That was disappointing news but considering her the condition of her good hand it wasn’t much of a surprise. “Anytime love. Come on let’s get ready.”

Calla cleaned off her brushes with paint thinner and then dried them with a clean soft cloth. “I was thinking…” she began quietly, “graduation is day after tomorrow, I could fly in for that and then…well, I mean I’d fly out right after and meet you in Switzerland.”

Andy let out a heavy sigh they’d been over this a hundred times or more but the closer their stupid high school graduation got the antsier she became. “No, darlin’,” Calla could tell he was angry with her because he stressed the ‘r’ and dropped the ‘g’ in the word rather than just letting it roll off his tongue. “I know this stressing you out but really dear you just have to let it go, it’s not like they’re getting college degrees or something it’s just high school,” he quipped and then held up his hand and pursed his lips when she started to talk. “It’s a very long flight to Switzerland and we have to leave here early on the 22^nd to make your appointment. These plans have already been made we can’t change them now, darlin’.” The hand that was still lingering around her shoulders led her out of the room and back down to his bedroom on the second floor. “You’ll make it up to them.” He told her. “Now it’s time to get ready.”

End of Chapter Two
Tarnished Heroes: Life in the Fast Lane--Calla's Story
Continue to
Chapter Three