Bianca
Brian Jones, as the chauffeur said he was called, drove me to a quiet residential area in the upmarket area of Hunter’s Wood, near the state highway that led out of the little town, into the bigger city of New Haven.
I had never been to this part of the town; all throughout our childhood, we had been confined to the poorer section of the town and our school, Dad’s tiny bakery and our home-all of them were around the same area. I had heard about the place I was now driving into, the residential area called Widow’s Retreat, because of the many wealthy widows who had bought homes or stayed in this beautifully designed, clean area of the town.
I stared out, looking at the houses we passed, barely aware of the scenery or the palatial condos we were driving past.
*
The Widow’s Retreat Residences was supposed to be the apex at which life and play converge. Positioned at the highest elevation in the region, the luxury condominium residences combined expansive sunset and golf course views with exclusive amenities that took luxury living to new heights.
I had heard Dad speak about it to Heather once while we were at dinner. She had been demanding that we move out of our tiny little house with the two bedrooms, and she had managed to pull up pictures of the Widow’s Retreat on her phone to show Dad.
My poor father had laughed till he saw her expression. He had stroked her soft hand lovingly and said gently,
“Heather, you do know how it’s supposed to be the prime area, with condos that sell for a price that I could not afford, even if I worked for a lifetime?”
He had led her away and I had watched them on the old sofa, her head on his shoulder as she wept. The twins and I had cleared up, drooling over the pictures on the phone. Now, here I was, I thought bitterly; I had finally managed to afford to come to his place.
And I was paying the price of a lifetime for it.
*
I remembered all the statistics, having chanted them with the twins when we were playing at being rich women, who were buying condos there:
The Widow’s Retreat ‘s 42 residences offered superior modern designs across three buildings with four single-level floorplans.
The Residences were situated at a prime location. It was just a few miles north of midtown New Haven, which was a business hub and a major city here on the East Coast.
What made it so very appealing to the rich people who turned up to buy the residences was the fact that it was surrounded by art, culture, recreation, and a myriad of dining and shopping opportunities.
*
But this evening, as we sped along, I could not have cared less.
Somehow, the image of Liam O’Grady, with Paige Hardy, as I had learnt her name later, was like a blow to me; even as I chided myself.
What had I been hoping for? I asked myself derisively; A happy ever after with two men? Come on, even Bianca Cruz was not that dumb!
It was just that, until then, I had not really thought of what I would be expected to do. The reality, of knowing I would be surrendering my body to the men, had jolted me out of my dreamlike state.
If Nelson was the Devil, were these two men far behind?
But then, I thought with a deep sigh, what alternative did I have?
*
We had no cousins, no relatives I could turn to for help. Dad had a brother who was estranged from him, and Heather’s family was broken and all over the world. A mother who had run away when Heather was three, and a father who had drunk himself to death; two sisters, one who lived in Australia but did not keep in touch, and the other, a groupie, who was…well, no one knew where she was.
I had been fighting with my back to the wall for my family and had taken what appeared to be the easiest way out…
*
But the fire and passion in Liam O’Grady’s stance, the way he kissed Paige, had left me feeling like I had been drowning…
I had only ever been kissed by a boy at Prom, and that had been a cursory liplock.
What I had just witnessed was fire and brimstone, compared to my experience.
And suddenly, it hit me; both the men were entranced by me because I was so innocent, such a green-behind-the-ears kind of person…
*
It was not a good sensation, I thought bitterly.
I was a novelty to them. Because of my complete freshness…
What will happen to you, Bianca Cruz, when you are no longer a novelty? When your body is no longer enticing to them?
Will they hand you over to another?
I drew in a shaky breath that had Brian glance at me in curiosity.
I looked away. I did not need pity.
Gritting my teeth, I told myself,
One year. That’s it. I shall leave after that and move on with my life, see that my sisters and my mother are secure too…
*
We had turned up a long driveway and I saw a stately-looking house at the end of the drive. The large gates clanged shut; electronically managed, I realized with a thud, and the entire estate was bounded by a high wall.
“Mr O’Grady got some bad enemies, Ms,’ said Brian with a grin as he noted my expression.
I nodded.
Not that I cared. I was just a commodity, that would be of use to them for a while and then, dumped…
*
As the car drove up to the front door, I took a deep breath.
Liam O’Grady had told me that my mother would be sent to The Retreat to overcome her alcoholism; the twins would be attending a residential school. So I would be entirely at their mercy, the tender mercies of O’Grady and St Just.
It had not dawned on me how alone I would be; I had been thinking ahead, thinking of doing the best thing for them…so much that I had not reflected on my plight.
But now, like a great tidal wave, despondency hit me in the gut.
*
With a muted smile and a whispered Thank you, I clambered out of the car as a woman appeared in the doorway.
She was old, around sixty-ish, I thought as I climbed the marble stairs, and she was giving me a thoughtful, frowning perusal.
“You’re Bianca Cruz?” she said in something like perplexity, and I was taken back by her voice, melodious and deep.
I nodded, brushing my damp palms on my skirt nervously.
I suddenly felt like I was back in school, preparing to be reprimanded by the Head.
She shook her head, a flash of anger in her brown eyes behind the large spectacles.
“Come in, kid.’ She snapped and stalked inside.
I followed her into the foyer, wondering why she appeared to be so annoyed.
*
The foyer was done up in whites and browns and I took it all in, wide-eyed. The ceiling was an inverted V and the huge floor-to-ceiling windows probably provided a magnificent view in the daytime. Now, the darkness outside was broken by a myriad of small lights scattered across the lawn. Wooden floors accentuated the beauty and old-world charm of the room as I trotted behind the large black woman who was marching ahead, in determination.
I heard a murmur of voices before I saw my family and when we came to the end of the corridor, the woman threw the door open and stood, glaring at me as she indicated I should enter.
In the living room, for that was where we had entered, an electric fire, so similar looking to a log fire, I would have imaged it to be a real one, was burning. Ad my poor family, Heather and the twins, were huddled together on one large white sofa, looking terrified.
The girls leapt up when they saw me, rushing to me, their arms around my waist. Heather, a very subdued Heather, came up and hugged me too.
I met the eyes of the woman who had escorted me in. She looked at me with pity in her large brown eyes.
Straightening my spine, I met her eyes boldly. I did not need anyone’s pity; I had chosen this road and I would be darned if I tried to run around, weeping and begging for assistance.
Then she stalked out, slamming the door.
*
“Bee, what’s going on…?
“That creep Nelson evicted us and threw our stuff on the pavement…”
“Bianca, that lady said you signed a deal with the owner of this house, darling, what’s going on?”
They had all begun to speak at once and the last was Heather, a plainly terrified Heather.
I sighed. I felt hungry and realized that I had not eaten since morning. It was now late evening.
‘Can I sit down?” I said softly and immediately, my sisters led me to the couch.
As I sank down, the door opened again. The woman entered.
“Come along, Let’s get some food into you,’ she snapped but her eyes were compassionate as she looked at me.
And then, she added as she walked out, her high heels clicking on the wooden floor,
“I’m Diana Benz. You may call me Benz. Like the car.”
*
“Benz? What is it?’ growled Liam as he raised his glass and smiled at one of Paige’s father’s cronies.
He had instructed his assistant to take care of Bianca Cruz’s family, make sure they were picked up and installed at his home in Widow’s Retreat.
Tomorrow, of course, the young sisters would be sent to the residential school of St Anne’s; he had already made arrangements. As for the mother, she was to be bundled off to The Retreat. Liam smiled as he sipped champagne.
And then, St Just and he would begin to train their new pet.
*
But his assistant was fuming,
“Boss, she’s barely out of diapers, she’s such a freakin’ …”
O’Grady scowled. He moved to a curtained alcove where he would not be overheard. He could see Paige looking around for him and he did not want her to listen to the conversation. he cut her off, his voice hard and cold.
“Who pays your salary, Ms Benz?”
There was a silence at the other end.
“You do, Sir,” she said stiffly after a pause.
“And who makes sure that your son’s drug problem is kept under control? Your husband’s gambling debts are paid and settled?”
A longer pause this time.
When she spoke again, her voice was tight and lower.
“I understand, Sir.”
Liam took a deep breath and snarled,
“Then just do your f*cking job, Benz. And do NOT ever question me.”
He shut off the call but a feeling of irritation lingered as he turned to Paige who had materialized beside him, suspicion on her pretty vacant face, enveloping him in a kiss that left him cold.
*