A World Apart People seem so innocent when in love, yet there's always bound to be something that moves them towards corruption. I thought I knew everything in New York, but I was wrong. I didn't know Catherine enough. Now I know, but all is too late. Nothing can make her come back. Nothing can make Steven, my love, come back. Nothing is what hurts so much.
"Ouch! Richard that hurt. What do you think you're doing?" said Catherine, a young woman in her early 20's. "Making sure I'm not dreaming. You are such a vision of beauty. Your dress is magnificent and your glowing complexion matches it to a degree. I'm so taken in by you." stated Richard, a man in his late 20's. "But must you pinch me like that? I'm not one of your friends that you rough-house with." "I know. I know. I'm truly sorry my dear. Can you ever forgive me?" Richard asked. He placed his arms around Catherine's waist and leaned his chin gingerly on her right shoulder. He kissed her on the nape of her neck and inhaled the sweet smelling perfume that she wore. "Richard, not now. We're almost there." Catherine said. She looked out the window of the carriage they were riding in. Snow covered everything. The snow-covered trees seemed to glisten and sparkle as if they were crystal statues. The light from the moon shone down upon the streets, providing light to the loiters and late window shoppers. The carriage pulled up in front of a towering townhouse. Catherine and Richard exited the carriage and ascended the five steps that led to the front door of the place. Richard used the knocker to rap on the door. The door was opened by a woman in her 20's. "Catherine, Richard, how very great that you both could make it. Come in. I have wonderful news. I'm engaged!" "Congratulations, dear Lucielle. Who is the lucky chap?" Richard inquired. Lucielle made a hand gesture and soon their elite group of three became four. "Catherine, Richard, this is Steven. He's a writer. We met a few weeks ago in Paris and that's where he proposed to me. Isn't that lovely?" "Yes, indeed it is. You two make a delightful couple. Don't you agree, Catherine? Catherine?" "Oh, yes, indeed. Congratulations to you both." Catherine said. She couldn't take her eyes off Steven. His eyes never shifted away from hers either. "When is the wedding?" inquired Richard. "The day after tomorrow. I'm so excited. Do say that you'll both attend the occasion." "We wouldn't miss it for the world." Once the music started up, Richard whisked Lucielle off to the dance floor for her last dance as a virgin maiden. Steven and Catherine just stood watching their graceful movements on the dance floor. "Very good-looking man. He's your boyfriend?" Steven asked. "My fiance. We're getting married next month." "Congratulations. You two make a nice couple." "Thank you. You and Lucielle seem great together. I don't think I've ever seen her so happy before." "May I ask you a question?" "Of course. Ask away." "Did you ever make a promise to someone only to find you shouldn't have made that promise?" "What a queer question. I don't think so. Have you?" "I did. I found that I've made a mistake. I shouldn't have asked for Lucielle's hand in marriage." stated Steven. Catherine's mouth opened, but no words came out. "Come with me." Steven took Catherine by the hand and led her outside onto the patio. He took her behind some bushes that hid them from everyone's view. "Steven, what..." Catherine began, but was interrupted by his kiss. His lips pressed against her. She slipped her arms around his neck and actually indulged in the moment while it lasted. "Catherine, the day after tomorrow I will be marrying Lucielle, but my desire for you is stronger I believe. I always trust my present senses. I must see you again and soon. Tonight at midnight, meet me at Times Square." "Steven, we mustn't. It's not right. You're engaged to marry my dear friend Lucielle and I, myself am too engaged. This kiss was a mistake. I shouldn't have been so careless." "Please don't say that. Because it wasn't. I felt it in my heart, so I know." Steven said as he cupped Catherine's chin in his left hand. "Meet me tonight. The sun will not rise to meet my eyes if you don't come." "Steven, we can't. We couldn't." "But we can. If your desire for me is as strong as mine for you, how can we not. Nothing can stop two people who were fated for each other. Sweet Catherine, we are two that connect as one and that's why we were brought together by fate." "But don't you love Lucielle?" "I do, but I never knew that love and passion were boundless until I looked into your eyes. Your face so innocent, but your eyes say otherwise. They scream out that you have secrets. I want to know those secrets." "What if I don't meet you?" "You will. I'm most sure of it. And if you won't, I'll die waiting for you with your name escaping my lips and forever ingrained into my heart." "I won't go. It's impossible to even imagine I would be able to find you during the night time." "Then bring this with you, so I know it's you." Steven stated. He handed Catherine a long stemmed red rose plucked from one of the bushes. They returned back into the house and didn't speak another word to each other. "Richard and Catherine left Lucielle's about 11 o'clock. Richard's chaffeur picked them up in a black coach. Within a few minutes they arrived in front of Catherine's abode. It was a small brickhouse with a chalky white door. "Well, we're here. It's kind of late. Do you want me to accompany you inside?" Richard asked. "No, that's alright. I can get along well by myself. It's getting late Richard. You should go home." "What if I want to come in with you? Are you going to make me beg?" stated Richard as he followed Catherine out of the coach. Richard placed his hands on hers, but she pushed it off. She fumbled in her purse for her keys and then placed one in the keyhole. "If you want to come in, then come." Catherine said. A warm gust of wind greeted them when they entered the house. "Catherine, your beauty astounds me. Your face, your hair look radiant all year round. Your skin is like porcelain and your hair is smooth as silk. How I want to indulge in you and your whole being." Richard said. Richard ran his hand along the surface of Catherine's wavy, coffee-colored hair. He wrapped his left arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. "Oh Catherine, must we wait so long? My hunger for you pains me every passing day." "Richard, don't." Catherine said as she pushed him away. "Why? You're practically my wife. We'll be married within a week. Can't I express my passion for my bride-to-be? I just want to show my love for you and you treat me like dirt. Why, Catherine?" "Since we'll be married soon, you can wait. I'm waiting." "I love you Catherine. Why can't you love me?" "You already know. I don't have to say it." Catherine stated as she crossed the room to a window. Her white satin dress scraped the floor. "Catherine, that's no reason and you know it. We started on the same basis and I've..." "So what if you love me! I'm not like you, Richard. I want you to remember that and recall that I didn't chose you. My mother did. If you want someone to love you, then go to my mother. She wouldn't have arranged for me to marry you if she didn't find you appealing." "Why are you acting like this?" Richard asked as he whisked Catherine around to face him. He stared into her eyes angrily. "It's another man, isn't it? You have another lover and that's why you're behaving like this. Isn't it?" "I don't know what you're talking about." Catherine said as she averted her eyes away from Richard's. "Who is it? Do I know the bastard?" Richard asked. "There is no one else." "You're lying! Your eyes tell it all. Tell me Catherine, did you sleep with him? Did you?" Richard asked as he grabbed Catherine by the shoulders and shook her. "How could you give yourself to another person when you're going to marry me? How could you go whoring behind my back?" Upon hearing those words, Catherine slapped him. Richard stopped shaking her and glared at her. Catherine's eyes were brimming with tears. One rolled slowly down her cheek. "How dare you call me a whore. I haven't done anything wrong. Leave! I don't want to see you! I won't marry you!" Catherine screamed. She ran to the stairs leading upstairs and bounded up. She ran into her room and slammed the door shut before burying her tears on her pillows. "Catherine, I'm sorry. I was truly out of control. I'm very possessive and I know I shouldn't be when it comes to you. I just don't want to lose you to anyone. Please forgive my behavior." Richard shouted up to Catherine from the bottom of the stairs. "Catherine..." "Sir, I think it best that you head on home now. The snow storm will be getting heavier and I don't think Miss Chauncer is feeling that well right now. Come back another day." stated the butler. Richard turned to leave when the doorbell rang. The butler answered it. It was a little, skinny teenager boy with a bouquet of long stemmed red roses in his hands. "Does a Miss Catherine Chauncer reside here?" asked the delivery boy. "Yes. If those are for Miss Chauncer, leave it on the table over there." stated the butler as he pointed to a round table in the middle of the foyer. The boy put the bouquet upon the table and left the house as soon as he was tipped by the butler. "Sir, I must be getting back to my duties, so I can't see you out." "That's alright. I know my way out." Richard stated. Richard walked over to the flowers and searched for a card. He found it. "To lovely Catherine, I saw these flowers and thought of you and the kiss we shared. I miss the feel of your lips on mine as I write this. The color of the roses are like that of your lips, but your's are much more delicate than the petals on the roses. Remember: Tonight at Times Square at midnight I await you! Ever So Longingly Yours, Steven." Richard whispered out loud to himself. He threw the card onto the flowers and stomped out of the house. While upstairs, Catherine slowly turned her tears into sniffs that diminished after a while. She got up from her bed and walked over to her dresser. She sat down on the plush seat and removed the ribbon that held her hair back. She combed her hair with a wooden brush and stared at the morose-looking reflection that looked back at her in the mirror. Then she emptied the contents of her purse onto her queen-sized bed. She picked up the long stemmed red rose and cradled its head in the palm of her hand, making sure not to touch the thorns. Then the grandfather clock in the hall chimed three times. Catherine ran into the hall to see the clock face reading 12:00. She descended the stairs quickly with the rose in her hand. She left the house, never noticing the bouquet of roses on the table in the foyer. Catherine ran to Times Square as fast as her legs could carry her. When she reached Times Square, she looked around for Steven, but couldn't find him. After a few minutes of standing around, she was ready to leave. Then she heard a gun shot. It rang out loud and clear. She ran towards the sound. She plowed through some bushes and was horrified at what she saw. A body lying on the ground with blood covering the snow around it. Catherine ran up to the body and fell to her knees almost instanteously. It was Steven. "No!" Catherine screamed. She balled her hands into fists and let the rose drop to the ground. Some blood dripped from her hand because of the thorns that cut into her flesh. She noticed a gun nearby the body. The gun was a .38 magnum double-shooter black Smith & Wesson revolver. She opened the barrel carefully because the gun still felt very hot. There was one bullet left. "How could Richard have found out?" Catherine said out loud. A tear
fell from her left eye and rolled down her cheek. She raised the gun
to her right temple. "I never told him anything." Jump to another story ----Straight To The Heart or All Caught Up or Under The Skin |
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