With the Wind | A Short Novel (11 page)

             
“I wish there was another way.  She deserves better.”

             
“What?  I’m not suitable husband material?”

             
“Now that gay marriage is legal in Oregon, I suppose you are.”

             
“Thank you.  Don’t forget that I am sacrificing too.  I’ll have to live my life under a false pretense, just like her.”

             
“She could have had Daniel Novikov any time she wanted him.”

             
“Don’t be a fool, Anthony.  That boy is head over heels in love with her.  Sex is a by-product of their relationship, not the reason for it.”

             
“That’s why he must go.”

             
“Exactly.  How certain are you that your plan will succeed?”

             
“As close to one hundred percent as I can be.”

             
“So, we just sit here and wait?”

             
“I know my daughter.  She will come to us.”

             
“What if they run off to Vegas and elope?”

             
“Do you think I don’t know exactly where they are?”

             
“Why Anthony, you scoundrel.”

             
“I had them followed.”

             
“Do share.”

             
“Daniel Novikov has been making love with your wife to be all night in a little B&B at Multnomah Falls.”

             
“I do hope they enjoy themselves.”

             
“You feel nothing for Misty?  Nothing at all?”

             
“I do like her and I do appreciate that she is a very beautiful woman.”

             
“I want grandchildren.”

             
“You shall have them.”

             
“What makes you so certain?”

             
“Misty will soon realize that she can have it all – a fortune and her freedom.  She may carry on with whomever she chooses, but she can never get a divorce and she must keep up appearances.  It’s little to ask, really.”

             
“How does that translate into grandchildren?”

             
“Doctors, Anthony.”

             
“I love my daughter.  Never forget that, Wilson.”

             
“And I love my father’s money.  Don’t ever forget that, Anthony.”

             
“Forty million.  That must seem like a small sum to you.”

             
“At current stock prices it’s less than five percent of my father’s net worth.”

             
“And you will inherit it all, provided you keep your sexual orientation a secret.”

             
“Not a secret, just low profile.  No public scandals. A marriage and children, those are a must.”

             
“Just a rich Catholic guy living the dream.”

             
“Something like that.  Father even expects me to take Communion at the ceremony.”

             
“Sometimes I can’t believe that I’m doing this, but there simply is no other way.”

             
“So when shall we ex…”

             
The phone rang.  Anthony answered, listened and said “I understand.”

             
“Well?”

             
“Misty is on her way here right now.”

             
“With Mr. Novikov, I assume?”

             
“Yes.”

             
“Please go and get Jose and Eva.”

             
“Where are they?”

             
“Probably still crying somewhere near the bunk house.”

             
“Crying?  Why are they cr…”

             
“Wilson, go get them.  You’ll soon understand why.”

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

             
“Misty, are you frightened?” Daniel asked.

             
“No.  I thought I would be, but I’m not.”

             
“I am sorry it has to be this way, this is not wh..”

             
Misty interrupted Daniel with a kiss.

             
“Don’t ever say you’re sorry for loving me.”

             
“I will not let them, or anyone, ever hurt you.  Be certain of that, my love.”

             
“Let’s go.  I don’t want to be here any longer than we have to.”

             
They climbed out of the jeep and walked into the house.

             
Misty called out and heard her father answer from the library.

             
She and Daniel entered, arm in arm.

             
“Misty, honey, I was so worried about you.  Thank God you’re alright.”

             
“Daddy, we need to talk.”

             
“Yes, we do.”

             
“Hello love.”

             
“Don’t call me that, Wilson.  I’m not your ‘love’.”

             
“Thank you for seeing that no harm came to my daughter, Mr. Novikov.”              “Misty must speak with you,” Daniel answered.

             
“Please ask them to leave, Daddy,” Misty said, pointing toward the opposite side of the room.  “Jose and Eva don’t need to hear this.”

             
“I’m afraid they have to stay, darling.”

             
“They have to stay…”  Misty regrouped.  “Fine.  Daniel and I are going to collect my things and leave.  We are driving somewhere and getting married.”

             
“Honey, wait a minute now, please do…”

             
“There is nothing to discuss.  I love Daniel, Dad.  Hopefully someday you will come to your senses and we can be a family again.”

             
“You do not want to marry Mr. Novikov,” Anthony told his daughter.

             
“I love him with all my heart.”

             
“He’s a monster, Misty,” Anthony warned.

             
“Unbelievable.  Daniel was right, we should have just left.  Goodbye.”

             
Misty put her arm around Daniel’s waist and they turned to leave.

             
“You will burn in hell!” Jose screamed.

             
Jose rose from his chair.  He was enraged.

             
“Mr. Buffett said that I could not kill you or you would be dead you piece of garbage!”

             
“What are you talking about?” Daniel asked.  “Jose, we are friends.  This does not …”

             
“You are a sick bastard.  My little Eva is ruined because of you.”

             
Eva sat in her chair, tears streaming down her face.  She was pale and shaking and she would not take her eyes off of the floor.

             
Misty walked over to Jose.  “What’s this all about?”

             
“Daniel, he…he.”  Jose was so upset he almost could not speak.  “He do terrible things to Eva.  He make her touch him, he take her purity.”

             
“Liar!” Daniel yelled.  He moved toward Jose, but Misty intervened.

             
“Jose, there has been a terrible mistake.  Daniel would never do such a thing.”

             
“I wish it were not true, Miss Misty.  I no want to hurt you.”

             
Eva looked up at Misty with her huge brown eyes.  She still had not said a word.

             
Misty kneeled down beside the little girl.

             
“Eva, honey, tell me what happened.  Did Daniel touch you where he shouldn’t have?”

             
“I am afraid.”

             
“Honey, tell me what happened.”

             
“Daniel, he promised.  He told me that he loved me.”

             
“Of course he loves you, honey.  We both do.”

             
“He said he would marry me.”

             
“Daniel was just…it was words, honey. You misunderstood.”

             
“He make me touch the part between his legs with my mouth.  He said if I did that he would marry me.”

             
“Eva!  Who told you to speak such lies!”  Daniel shouted.

             
“Daniel, you’re scaring her,” Misty said.  “Calm down. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

             
“I’m sorry.  I did not want to say anything.  My father made me.”

             
“Eva, tell me what you think Daniel did to you.”

             
“Behind the barn before dinner.  He would make me put my mouth in his pants until this stuff came out.  I always spit it out.”

             
“Eva, my God.”  Misty was in a state of shock.

             
“This is all lies!  You did this, you golubaya bl’yad.  I know what you are, Wilson.  Why you want to marry Misty that is what I do not understand.”

             
“Mr. Novikov, do not try anything foolish,” Anthony said.

             
Daniel looked over at Anthony. 

He was holding a nine millimeter revolver.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

             
Daniel was standing alone now, facing his accusers.

             
Misty sat down.

             
She looked at Eva, who was crying and shaking.  Jose was doing his best to console her.

             
“Mr. Novikov, I’m going to do something I shouldn’t.  I’m doing this for the sake of my daughter, not for you.”

             
Anthony Buffett picked up the revolver and held it by his side.

             
“I’m giving you a choice.  Go back to Russia, right now.  Never contact Misty again.  If you do that, I will not call the police.”

             
“Mr. Buffett.  I never touch the girl.  Never.”

             
“I’m not interested in what you have to say on the matter.  I made you an offer.  Are you leaving or am I dialing the authorities?”

             
“Misty, I am not a zhopa.  You must believe me, my love.”

             
Misty did not know what to think.  Why would Eva make up such a story?  What reason did she have to lie?

             
Only moments ago she would have gladly died for Daniel.  She loved him, he was hers now. 

             
Have I been deceived?  Daniel couldn’t have done this, she told herself. 

             
Nothing made sense.

             
“Daniel, I…”  Misty broke down and started to cry.

             
Wilson moved by her side and put his hand on her shoulder.