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The Reason Is You; Jason/OFC spin off of olyamet's "I'm the One..."
Topic Started: Aug 22 2011, 08:17 PM (1,575 Views)
Unforgiven
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"This is my sober face"
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Thank you ! :heart:
This is amazing.
I'm not a writer, I'm not good with words and my English sucks, so I can't say any fancy words or describe how I feel, but I simply just love this story. :heart:
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Margarita
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Sand[wo]man
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@Kimmi - thank you so much for reading and commenting! It's not about how much you write, it's about how honest it is and your comment made my day!!! Plus, your English is just perfect.
Here's more, hope you get time to read it soon. :hug:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 5

“Hello?” a familiar voice reached his ears. The abyss disappeared. He breathed freely again.

“Hi. It’s Jason.”

“Jason! Is something wrong, is everything ok with Lucky?”

“Yeah, yeah, Luky’s fine. Sorry for abusing your offer to call. Am I bothering you?” he rubbed his forehead.

“It’s ok, I could use a break actually” Magdalena threw herself onto her hotel room bed.

“Did you have a busy day? How are the horses holding up?” He jumped for the remote and turned off the TV. He made himself comfortable on his back, tucking a pillow under his head.

“Well, I had better days. But it’s ok. What matters is that horses are fine. Top shape. We have a new champion in our stables you know. It’s Storm”

Storm was a beautiful, elegant, black Thoroughbred. He had a temper Jason noticed and liked the horse immediately for its independence and rebellious spirit. He was very young and very restless. But Magdalena had a way with him, just like she did with all others. And with her, Storm was at his best. She recognized Storm’s potential immediately and persuaded the owners to take him on. She worked with him hard, and he finally proved she was right.

He expected her to be joyful about this, but she certainly did not sound so.

“Somehow you don’t sound as happy as I’d expect”.

Magdalena turned to the side and curled into a ball. No. She wasn’t happy. Not happy at all. She hated going out to races. That meant she had to spend time with Simon, her boss, the owner of the stables, an annoying rich bastard, who inherited the business from his father. It was his father who had given her the job. He was a sweet and caring man, who loved what he did, and who bred horses for their beauty and intelligence, not just for money and prestige. She saw a replacement for her own father in him. She was deeply stricken by his death.

Simon then showed up, fresh from Columbia University, smug and sleazy. He asked her out immediately, and she refused. That is when hell started. She needed the money and he knew all about it. Every time she would submit her resignation he would raise her salary, getting it up to the amount that was way above anything she could get anywhere else. She would then justify her staying by being able to save more and leave sooner. The only thing that allowed her to maintain at least an appearance of dignity was that she was the best in what she did, and he knew it. She never tried to be civil with him. When they would not be fighting fiercely, she would squirm due to his inappropriate innuendos or touches. Those were the moments when she hated herself and felt as a whore. Today was one of those days.

“Yeah, I’m having a bit of a trouble with my boss. I don’t like going to races, he’s there all the time then. When I’m at ranch, I don’t see him much.”

“He can’t possibly have any complaints to your work?” Jason frowned.

He heard her sigh on the other side of the line. His eyes snapped open. That was not your usual “I had a bad day at work” sigh.

“Magdalena? Are you ok?”

She kept her eyes shut tightly, fighting nausea. Events of the day flashed before her eyes like clips from a movie. His condescending sneer during lunch with other contestants, all of them potential employers. His sweaty, greedy hand on her shoulder, her knee, stroking her thigh. His bragging about her achievements, as if they were his own. Him calling her “honey”. The respect anyone might have had for her slowly vanishing from their eyes. The business attire was not enough, hair in a tight bun was not enough, professional talk was not enough. By the end of the lunch she was just Simon’s bimbo vet and every man at that table thought about him being a lucky son of a bitch.

“Yeah. It’s just you know, one of those days… It’s not easy to be blond, smart and a female in this world. Let’s talk about something else, shall we. How are you doing?”

“Oh… Can I use my wild card on that question.” he laughed, embarrassed, pressing his eyes shut.

She laughed. “Yeah, I guess that’s fair. Well, there’s always the weather talk.” She started talking in a mock voice “What’s the weather over there, Mr. Newsted?”

“Oh, it’s sunny and warm, as usual, Ms….? Gah, I knew that spelling was gonna come back and haunt me.” He slapped his forehead.

She laughed again and relaxed from her curled up position, stretching herself on the bed.
“OK, let’s get that out of the way, Mr. Newsted, shall we? It’s French. Deschamps. Du-sh-a-mmm-p.”

“Dashump?”

“No, no, no, short, guttural “u”, elongate the “m”, soften the “sh” she gesticulated with her hands like a teacher in a classroom.

“Dshump? No, that sucks. Wait, wait, Du-sh-um-pppp”

She burst into laughter. “Repeat after me, Du-sh-a-mmm-p”

“Du-sh-a-mmm-p” he frowned, concentrating.

“There, perfect, you got it. Now just say it all together. Deschamps”

“Can I get that again?”

“Deschamps”.
He never thought a plain combination of vowels and consonants could sound so sexy. He could listen to that for hours on repeat.

“One more time, I think I have it.” he smirked.

She smiled into her pillow, feeling giggly. “Deschamps”

“OK, one more, I still have to catch that softened “sh”

She coughed meaningfully. “OK last time, Deschamps. Now you.”

“Deschamps” he gave his best performance.

“Perfect.”

“You say it better. Can you repeat it once more.” he barely suppressed laughter.

“Oh no, language tutoring pays. So does hot line, Mr. Newsted.” she giggled.

“Busted.”

“Yup.”

“What’s with the French surname?”

“I’m French. I was born and bred in Marseille. I came to the US as an adult.”

“But you speak without accent?”

“I do. Except when I’m tired or very emotional and when I talk to my parents, after that it takes me a few minutes to get back. My father was very ambitious, I had native English speakers as language tutors since the age of 4 and I got my university degree in the US. The equine veterinary association I talked about, well I got there as an interpreter first, while I was still a college student. Over the years I met everyone and I finally qualified for membership upon getting some practical experience. Now, I’m a full-time member and a member of the organizational committee. Got there after my PhD.”

“You hold a PhD?” he exclaimed “What on earth are you doing on the phone with a dumb high school drop out?!” he said with fake exasperation.

“Oh, you dropped out? Really? I don’t think my father would survive something like that. Though, if you asked him now, I think he’d prefer that over what I did later on…” Stop! She trailed off for a second and then added hastily.

“Well, you’re a famous musician, what on earth are you doing on the phone with a boring veterinarian?”

“Having a first enjoyable moment of the day” he said, without thinking it through. The words surprised him but he did not regret saying them. It was the truth.
Her answer made him smile.

“Interesting. Me too.” She looked at the ceiling and smiled to herself.

A moment of silence followed. Jason felt comfortably numb and relaxed, as if he’s just had a good massage. He realized he was extremely tired. He heard Magdalena yawn on the phone.

“Sorry.”, she said through the yawn.

“Call it a day?”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

“Don’t be, I’m tired too. Um, can…”

“You could call tomorrow.” she interrupted him half sentence. “I mean, if you have time…”

“I was about to ask you for permission to call again.” he laughed, relieved.

“Great! Night, Mr. Newsted.”

“Night, Ms. Deschamps”

“I knew you got it right.” She laughed. “Bye”

“Bye”. He returned the phone to the nightstand and stripped into his boxer shorts. He was asleep in a minute.

Talks with Magdalena became a part of his daily routine. It was like taking antidepressants. He needed them, otherwise he would just sink in the abyss and fester there. The talks with her made him feel like his current life actually had some meaning. When he was alone and not immersed in work, nothing made much sense. He did everything that needed to be done with Echobrain and he was satisfied, but not happy. He often felt completely detached from everyday life, floating in some middle space. And he was constantly standing on the edge of the abyss. Just one thought, one word, one memory was sufficient for him to fall over.

Magdalena offered a way out of the depression. He felt happiness in her voice whenever she would pick up the phone. He felt that unique excitement in the way she would say hello, in her happy laughter, words spoken by smiling lips. He read the signs. He was not stupid. The tiny voice of guilt scolded him that he was using her kindness and the fact that she liked him. Every day he would try and abstain from calling. Every day he would fail. His conscience never really stood a chance against the fear of the dark abyss. He kept telling himself that he would make it up to her somehow, but he knew it was a lie.

Nonetheless, he would call every day. And she would be there every day. Sometimes they would talk for hours on end. They talked about childhood and the crazy teenage years. They made each other laugh by all kinds of stories, like his 80’s mop hair and her mishaps in the vet clinic, when she only started working. They talked about their families, life views, even politics. It was easy to lose track of time because she was so interesting, smart, funny, warm… He never really talked to anyone like that, just sit and talk for hours about everything and anything. At times he was amazed how similar they were, dedicated to their dreams, loyal to their principles. Her determination was what he liked the most about her. It colored her every sentence, even her tone of voice. Unknowingly, she challenged him to face every next day with determination of his own.

On a couple of occasions he was tempted to tell her why he had left. He had a feeling she would understand. He craved her perspective on that. But the wall was too thick and he could not break it, even in moments when he actually wanted too. It stood there, menacingly towering above him, like an invisible mountain that he could never climb. Thus the only thing that was never as much as mentioned was his Metallica years and, as he came to realize over time, her years in France between graduation and return to the US. It gave him comfort that there was a topic she wanted to avoid. He wanted to know what it was but he never asked, thinking it only fair, as she never touched upon the band.

One night, the phone rang six times before she picked up. That had never happened before and by the fourth ring Jason was already going through a series of scenarios in his head.
She had enough… She realized I had nothing to give… She got sick…. She’s hurt…. Maybe it’s the horses…What if…

“Hi Jason” her words put a stop to panic. He breathed in. In a far corner of his mind he observed a note of French accent in her voice.
“Hey, I was worried already.”
“Sorry, I… I didn’t hear the phone right away and…” she struggled to keep the tremble out of her voice.
Wait, is she crying? His heart sank. He yelled at himself for being such a selfish jerk, because at first he was just happy she answered his call.
“Magdalena, have you been crying?” he asked quietly.
She sighed. The silence played on his nerves but he decided to wait for a few seconds.
“Yes.” her voice still trembled.
“Would you like to talk about it?” he closed his eyes and his hand unconsciously reached out into the air. The tremble in her voice agitated him.
“Yes… No... I…” her breathing was fast and restless. She chocked on the tears.
“Sssshhhh, it’s ok, it’s ok, I’m sorry, I should not have asked you. I’m sorry. We don’t have to talk at all, if you don’t feel like it.” Please don’t ... He rubbed his forehead.

“No. I just… I… Jason… There are things you don’t know about me and I… God!” she coughed.
“There are certain things about my past that I am not particularly proud of.” she managed to put her voice under control.

“Well, that makes two of us. And probably six billion other people” he winced at this lame attempt to cheer her up.

She laughed through the tears. “Yeah, I guess the broad perspective is always helpful” she sniffed.
“Sorry, that was lame, but I can’t stand to listen to you cry, I had to give it a shot. Do you want to tell me the reason?”

She sighed. “Life decided to remind me that I can’t afford to relax”, she tried to sound indifferent, but the accent gave her out. “I… I have been repaying a considerable bank loan for a number of years now and I hoped that it would be over soon, so that I can finally start making plans about the future and leave… leave my current employer” she went silent.

“So what happened?”

“Well, I got a letter today, the bank raised the interest outrageously and I realized I will have to reprogram to extend the repayment period and consequently I will have to put up with that bastard…” her voice trembled again.

“Who? Your boss?”

“Yes, Simon”

The amount of disgust and contempt with which she uttered the name alarmed him.

“Is he… Is he… Is he giving… you a hard time?” he struggled to formulate a question that would not sound too imposing. All he came up with was this and it sounded plain stupid. He winced again.

“He… I don’t want to talk about him now.” she retorted. He heard her sigh again.

“It’s ok. But you should know that you can tell me if he’s troubling you, ok?” he said quietly, the last part of the sentence almost a whisper.

“OK.” She fell silent. He sat with his eyes closed, listening to her breathing and thinking furiously about the ways he could help her.

“Jason?” She interrupted his thoughts with a whisper. The accent was still there.

“Yes?” his whisper mirrored hers.

“Tell me about Montana. You said you had been there before, can you tell me about it?”

He grinned with his eyes closed. There it was, he will take her to the ranch! And he’s going to make it a surprise.

“Of course I can, but do something for me first”

“What?”

“Make yourself comfortable, lie down, tuck yourself in.”

“Ooooookkkkkaaaayyyy”, he heard the shuffling of sheets and pillow. “Done” she said and he could hear she was smiling.

“Well, it’s the closest I can get to pampering you right now. OK, ready? Where should I start. The skies of course…”

So he started talking about the breathtaking vastness of skies above Montana. He told her about the blood red sunrises and fiery sunsets reflected on silvery lakes; snow-capped mountain peaks striving proudly to reach the heavens, like gigantic kings and queens with lush green capes sprinkled with delicate flowers showing off their surreal colors, making the best use of the short time they have before the winds get cooler and the whole scenery succumbs to the invasion of rich gold and auburn, taking over the forests and slopes reverberating with the last symphonies of bird orchestras before everything falls silent under deep snow that will transform the landscape into an empty canvas for an invisible impressionist to paint on again with the first echoes of spring.

“But what I cherish the most are the mornings, whatever the season, whatever the month, just the feeling of everything around you waking up to embrace a new day, like a fresh start, a blank page, a new chance, every day… I will have to show you…” he bit his tongue. Did she hear that?

The only thing coming through from the other end of the line was soft, peaceful breathing.

“Magdalena?”

“Mmnmhn”. Shuffling.

Jason’s lips stretched into a wide smile. His heart felt too big for his chest and a surge of energy filled him up, making him stand up for no specific reason. He managed to make her feel better and to get her mind off things. And it felt unexpectedly good.

“Sleep well, beautiful” he whispered and hung up.
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olyamet
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Let's Dance
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Aaaawwww.... the ending is so precious!! He like her!!! He want's to protect her, to comfort her!!! :heart: :heart: :heart:

So... Jason... FLY TO THE WHEREVER THE HELL SHE IS RIGHT NOW AND KILL THAT FUCKER SIMON!!!!!!!
I hate guys like him!!! :stfu

Poor Magdalena... had to put up with that shithead!

Now I'm really interested to know, what the hell happened in her life between the graduation and the move to US...
Their relationship flourishes so nicely, and although Jason, just like any other man being a bit selfish, I think he'll get it sooner or later... she's the one! Not just a happy pill, but the real thing!

Bo, I love you!!! This is so sad, frustrating, deep and wonderful at the same time!!!
Can't wait to find out more! And I want to know her story!!!!!!!

Amazing writing! :heart:
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Unforgiven
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"This is my sober face"
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Aww, so cute. :heart:
Just like Olya said, I want to hear her story too. :eager
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Margarita
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Sand[wo]man
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@Kimmi and @Olya - thank you both so much for reading and commenting! Means a world! You wanna know more about Magdalena? Well, here it is :biggrin
___________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 6

There is no easy way to tell you this Magdalena so just listen carefully please. …. No, no, no, no…. faces swirled … considerable damage… no, no, no, no…. darkness expanded swallowing everything in its path, her eyes hurt… heavy bleeding, terminate…. no, no, no, no… so empty, so empty, so sore… long term consequences….no, no, no, no, stop, stop… not able to … her head throbbed, no, no, no….

Magdalena jumped up in her bed with a cry. She looked around the room trying to orientate. Her chest hurt and she breathed fast. She sighed propping her head on her hands. Always the same horror, always the same pain. She turned around and saw her cell phone next to the pillow. Jason! She fell asleep! Is it too early? She dialed the number. Her head cleared up and her breathing steadied while she listened to the rings.

“Good morning!” Jason mumbled.

“Morning! Did I wake you up? Sorry.”

“No, actually you didn’t, I woke up some ten minutes ago. So, did you sleep well?” he smiled.

“Yeah.” embarrassment filled her voice, good he couldn’t see her blushing now, “I’m really sorry, I don’t know how that happened, I mean, I was listening carefully and you talked so beautifully, I felt like I was there and I just don’t know when my eyes closed, I’m really sorry and…”

“Hey, hey, stop it. I’m happy that I finally did something for you, ok? What are you going to do today?”
“It’s the last day of the races, we’re coming back tonight and then I’m flying out to Canada tomorrow early in the morning, I have to get back with the horses to see they’re all back ok.”

“So, one more week and Lucky finally gets to see you?”

“Oh, I doubt Lucky misses me, I’m sure he gets enough love and attention as it is. I left him in good hands “she smiled, drawing small circles on the sheets with her index finger.

“Wait, I’ll ask him. Yup, he says he misses you and will be happy to see you when you get back. In fact he offers to meet you up at the airport and take you to dinner”. Jason feigned a serious tone.

“Lucky is such a gentleman. How could I refuse”, she laughed.

“It’s a deal then?”

“It is. Tell him I’ll give him his vaccines when we meet. It will be just the right time.”

“He’s thrilled.” Jason said mockingly.

“I bet. OK, gotta go now, don’t know when I get to talk to you again though. I should arrive from Canada at 6:30 pm, just so you know.”

“OK, take care.”

“Jason, thank you. For last night. I promise to tell you more when we meet.”

“Don’t mention it. It was nothing, really.”

“It was. Thanks. Bye.”

“Bye”

She kept smiling for hours after that. Simon fortunately decided to stay away from her, so she worked without pressure. Before she knew it, the last day of the races was over. She took her seat on the plane and buckled her seatbelt, turning on her iPod. She closed her eyes to catch a bit more sleep. Her mind drifted to Montana, the colors and sounds that Jason had described the night before, at least what she could remember.

Her tireless reason kept interrupting her with questions. Was it wrong that she answered his call last night? Was it wrong to expose herself, open up to him? But I didn’t tell him anything basically. But you did promise to tell him more. Are you sure? Was that a smart thing to do? Shouldn’t you be more careful? But I feel so at ease with him, it didn’t feel wrong, none of my alarms set off with him. Maybe it was time to try and open up again to someone?

Did you forget what happened last time? Did you forget how easily you fell for lies? How perfectly deceived you let yourself be? Her stomach clenched at the thought. It all came back in an instant, as if it just happened, the feeling of complete stupor, an out-of-body experience. As if it was happening to someone else. And then the terrible pain when her heart sank under the weight of realization that it was her life that disappeared before her eyes. The castle that was her marriage turned out to be made of sand that was now running through her fingers and she could do nothing to stop it. She had nothing to hold it together. Her beautiful prince was just a fraud, a gambler and a thief. And everything she thought she owned was not hers. It was no longer her house, her land, her car, her savings, her inheritance. They were all just neatly listed items of a forfeiture inventory.

She sat at the family lawyer’s office and stared at the piece of paper holding everything she managed to achieve and earn to date. Her hands were shaky. An invisible weight was pushing her deeper into the chair. The lawyer was talking but she was unable to comprehend anything he said. Her eyes wandered between him and the paper and the only thing she could think about was the day she met Luc.

It was at her friend’s seventeenth birthday party. The host’s brother brought some friends of his, they were all older, well into their twenties. She didn’t pay much attention to them, she danced and sang with her friends. She recently turned seventeen herself. She could not really explain why, but she felt that particular age as a turning point in her life. She saw herself through different eyes, stronger, smarter, wiser and also wilder. All other girls threw glances at the group of older guys. They giggled and whispered, parading around with cigarettes and glasses of wine or vodka in their hands in a vain attempt to look older. Not Magdalena. She just danced and danced, enjoying her new empowered self. She was often aware of someone’s gaze on her but didn’t pay attention. Let them come to her if they want to, she thought.

And he did. While she was waiting for her ride home, she heard a male voice behind her
“Excuse me…”
She turned with a questioning look and saw Luc, as she later learned was his name. He was one of the older guys. He wasn’t beautiful, definitely not a model face. He didn’t need beauty. There was such an air of confidence around him paired with undeniable charm. It was compelling, enchanting, defeating, deadly. Just then, as she turned, a gust of wind swept over the ground, creating a cloud of dust and making her stagger with her eyes closed. In a second he was behind her wrapping his jacket around her shoulders.

Magdalena stared at the moving lips of the attorney and smiled bitterly. How little it took!

He followed her home that night. He asked her out the day after. He waited patiently for the fourth date before he kissed her. She had never been kissed like that before. It was aggressive, possessive, demanding, claiming, marking, deceiving. It was enchanting. And it was the first real kiss she ever experienced. His age impressed her and flattered her. Foolish adolescent mind is the most powerful of hallucinogens. And in her trip she was a seventeen year old who managed to seduce an incredible twenty-five year old man. The self delusion was so strong that she turned a blind eye to the reaction of the people whose opinion mattered the most to her.

Her parents never tried to forbid her to see him. There was never much drama, it was not their style. They knew she was aware of what they thought about him. And they trusted her. Too much as it turned out.

She lost her virginity to Luc. As with the kiss, he waited patiently. He never rushed her. He did not need too. She was already a puppet in his hands, eager to please, eager to surrender completely. Moments of pleasure she experienced with him made her ask for more very soon. And he happily obliged. It was pleasuring. It was exciting. It was also aggressive, fast, demanding. She was not kissed, she was marked. She was not touched, she was claimed. She was not loved, she was taken. But she did not know anything different. She thought that was how it was supposed to be. The exotic and adventurous side of it all fed her ego further, making her feel superior to her peers, fostering her delusion longer.

Time flew with Luc by her side, often absent on business, but rarely talking about it. He pampered her with expensive gifts and travels. She got used to her father’s raised eyebrow whenever she would announce yet another trip he was taking her to.

He was there through some rough patches too, like when her grandmother died. She comforted herself thinking how she had him to lean on. She neglected the fact that he was not actually there, not when granny Magdalena died, not at the funeral, not afterwards. He was away on business. And coincidentally he was back on the day when she told him her grandmother had left her all her estate, including a considerable size of vineyards.

A few months later at her graduation party in her parent’s garden he took her for a dance and then kneeled before her pulling a diamond ring out of his pocket and asking her to make him “the happiest man on the planet”. She was twenty-one. She said yes through tears. A gust of wind raised clouds of dust, making her close her eyes to fight the prickling sensation.

She worked hard to get the vineyards going. Her father helped her, because Luc was ever more absent on business. He would call daily and that masked his absence a bit. He would come back with gifts for the whole family and usually take her away for a romantic getaway for the weekend. She was happy. She made herself believe she was happy. And she shortened the days of his absence by work. She managed to build a respectable business of her inheritance. That enabled her to mend fences with her father, at least partially, after a terrible fight they had when she accepted Luc’s proposal.

That day, a year later, she was particularly impatient for Luc to come back from his business trip. She sat in her study, glancing at the clock nervously, waiting to hear the car, or the door. She couldn’t stop smiling. She had big news to share with him. Finally, the doorbell rang and she flew downstairs, thinking just for a fleeting second how unusual it was for him to ring the bell.

A solemn face of the court officer chased the smile away from her face. She gasped in horror, thinking that something must have happened to Luc. He was fine, the court officer said and handed her a piece of paper. A list. Of everything.

A few hours later the lawyer summed it up for her. Luc was arrested and awaiting trial on charges of money laundering and tax evasion. All their property was forfeited and their accounts blocked. She had nothing. That wasn’t the end of the story. Luc was also a gambler with enormous debts to various creditors who would soon learn about their situation and demand their money back.

She had no where else to go but her parents. She stared at her feet as she told them about what had happened. She had no problem to look her criminal husband straight in the eyes through the glass of the prison visitation room earlier that day. Now, she just couldn’t meet the stunned looks of her parents.

Her father stood silent for what seemed an eternity. Than he spoke with a broken voice and she finally managed to look up. His eyes were still warm but sad. Incredibly sad. Her heart broke into pieces. He would get a mortgage on the family home and business he said. With some additional loans that should be enough to settle the creditors. With that he turned to leave the room. She took a step to go after him and…


Aggressive perfume snapped her out of her thoughts. Simon.

“Mind if I sit here, honey?”

“Stop calling me honey Simon. I thought we all had our seats for ourselves. “

“Well, honey, I want to discuss a few things with you.”

Her eyes flashed with anger. She spoke through her teeth: “Stop. Calling. Me. Honey.”

He laughed louder than necessary. “Or what?” he snorted “You’ll quit? I know you want to get out of the mess your hubby made honey, so spare me. You don’t like me calling you honey? Do you like this?” he drew his finger up and down her lower arm. His touch was unbearable. She felt sick and withdrew her arm immediately.

“Get off me Simon!”

“Oh, touchy today, are we? Well, look, there’s only one thing you need to do to get me off your back. But you keep refusing, so that makes me think you’re actually enjoying this. Am I right hon?”

“Fuck off Simon.”

“Oh, I like when you talk dirty!” He stood up and then leaned towards her, his chewing gum breath all over her face.

“By the way, honey, I hope your baby Storm keeps up till the end of the season. Otherwise, I might just get rid of him, you know, the old fashioned way…”

She stared at him in shock. He sneered and winked, clicking his tongue and returned to his seat. Her legs felt like jelly and her heart raced in her throat, forcing her to cough. She tried to put her earphones back on but she trembled and could not make her fingers obey her. Her whole body shook. That had nothing to do with Storm’s performance. That was aimed at her. He knew how attached she was to that horse and he knew her weak spot. By getting rid of Storm he would hurt her deeper than he could ever do himself. He would spit on years of her hard work and he would tear her heart out and step on it. This just had to stop. It had to be over once and for all. She stood up, still trembling. Her lips twitched and her ears buzzed. She made a few steps towards his seat and then she froze.

The image of her father falling on the floor in front of her sprang up from memories dug deep down. Her heart raced even faster at the image, hitting her painfully in her chest, like a lion slamming into cage bars. Her knees buckled with grief and she gasped for air, grabbing the seat next to her.

That was my fault! It was my fault and I have to pay for it. I must… I must fix everything. It was my fault. I must… I must…

She turned around slowly, feeling nauseous and collapsed back to her seat. Tears filled her eyes and she pulled her knees up to her chin, working hard to steady her breathing and swallow the tears.

The plane engines roared and soon it was up in the air. Magdalena stared at the sun drowning on the horizon. Her head felt heavy on her shoulders. She spent the flight dozing off and waking up. Her eyes burnt and her legs hurt.

As she was walking through the airport building, the thought of going back to her empty house terrified her, even if it was just for tonight. I should call Jason. The sliding doors opened and strong wind blew into her face, making her close her eyes.
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olyamet
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Let's Dance
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Okay... first of all...
I want to have a little talk with Simon and Luc.

*grabs AKA*

Die, you fuckers!!!

I really hate guys like them! One is spoiled, rich bastard, who thinks he can do anything and the other is... well, the other is the Devil himself. Smooth, charming, greedy, mind controlling. He completely took over a poor young girl's heart and her mind, making her believe that he is her prince! Fucker... Grrr..

I love how the wind blowing dust every time Magdalena fails to see his intentions. It's like he's masking his true colors sweeping dust in her eyes!

And Jason part.... makes me melt... so cute, her heart already knows the answer to her questions! She reached for him after the nightmare (btw, really want to know more about it), and after the fucked up day! She needs him!

And as she exits the stuffy airport building, with the thought of Jason, wind blows into her face... but no dust this time. The wind of change?

Love every word!
Love you!
:heart: :heart: :heart:

More! :eager

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Unforgiven
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"This is my sober face"
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Oh, those bastard guys. :thorv: :finger
But there's a better one at sight...
I can't wait to read more. :eager
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Margarita
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Sand[wo]man
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@Olya and Kimmi - thank you girls for your support and your comments! Love you! :heart:

So, here's more, sorry for the wait, life has been hectic...

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 7

Jason sat on his living room couch. A glass of vodka was at the table, at his reach. He needed that glass to be close. He stared at the ceiling that was no longer white. It was black. A part of the black hole he hovered in ever since he came back from that interview.

Limited acceptance. That was a nice choice of words. The right choice of words. Limited. In everything. Not good enough. In anything.
He reached for the glass. The liquid did not burn his insides anymore. It brought no solace and no relief. He kept drinking, hoping that it will come, knowing that it will not.

Would you consider coming back, they asked him, off the record. He smiled, trying his best to cover up the quivering lips. No, he said. There is no going back.

How is James doing, he asked them, off the record. No one knows, they said, except his wife, but she was very clear about staying out of this project all together.
His wife.
He closed his eyes. The black hole expanded.

On the record they went. And it came out from his heart, the summary, the explanation, surprisingly coherent, surprisingly short for fifteen years of… Limited acceptance. Limited acceptance of his dedication, of his talent, of his contribution, of his character, of his friendship. Of his love.
Limited existence in the background of the monster band, the backdrop of inexplicable friendship, the outskirts of passionate love.
Just a player, an observer, a helper, an entertainer, a piece of inventory.
Just a friend.

He bound his head between his arms and squeezed it. He wished to vacate his mind, make it blank, void. He wanted the memories of all the bullying, disrespect, putting down, his submissiveness, false hopes and useless optimism out. He wanted her out. He wanted memory of that kiss erased forever. He needed to forget.
He reached for the glass again and his hand stopped midway at the sound of the doorbell.

Jason got up from the couch reluctantly. He opened the door. Magdalena stood at his doorstep, wind throwing her curls over her face.

“Am I interrupting?” she smiled, embarrassed.

He looked at her for a few seconds.
“No, no, come in, please” he mustered a smile.

He helped her with her jacket. He asked her about the trip. She answered but he did not hear it. He was still floating in the darkness. She took him by surprise, it was so hard to put the mask on, the ethanol roaming through his system making it even more difficult.
Lucky ran to the rescue. He wagged his tail and jumped all over Magdalena clumsily. She picked him up.

“Hey you sweet boy! You have grown so much! I left you in good hands.” she looked up, searching for Jason’s eyes but as soon as she found them, they fled. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. Shit.

“I brought your vaccines. It wouldn’t be wise to leave you waiting for your first shots, you know” she stroked Lucky behind his ears reassuringly.

“Maybe the kitchen table?” she looked up at Jason.

“Hm? What? Sorry, I got a bit distracted.” he forced his eyes to stay still.

“I thought I could use the kitchen table to give Lucky his shots.”

“Oh, yes, sure, sure, of course, let’s go” he walked fast in front of her. His back burnt from her questioning look.

Lucky trembled on the kitchen table. Magdalena whispered to him, patting him gently.

“OK, I’m gonna need you to hold him, like this” she adjusted Jason’s arms. “Hold him tight, he’s not going to like this. OK, Lucky boy, let’s get you all healthy”. Lucky squeaked and it was done. He immediately sprung up on his legs and sought refuge in Jason’s arms.
“Yup, I guess you’re not going to like me for a while now”, Magdalena smiled, leaning against the table.

Jason looked at her. She fumbled with her hands nervously. There was a reason why she came, but his mind was too hazed to try and grasp it. Her voice startled him.

“I think I’ll go now, I’m sorry I came like this, without calling first. It was rude and I…”

“No, no, come on, stay, at least for a beer. I’m sorry, I had better days, you caught me unprepared for company, but... Stay.” he still avoided her eyes and went to the fridge to grab the beers.

They sat on the living room couch and clinked their bottles.
“Tell me about the races and Storm” Jason asked. Get her talking, otherwise she’ll be the one asking questions. Magdalena described Storm’s first victory to him. The sparkles made her eyes flash with pride. He listened to her, looking at her mesmerizing green eyes and his mind quickly escaped to revisit the painful memory of Angel’s kiss all over again. His lips still burned from that kiss. His body still trembled at the memory of her body next to his. Why couldn’t he just stop her before she ruined him forever? Why couldn’t he just push her away? Why did he consciously let her use him like that?

Magdalena talked, revisiting her happy memories from the recent trip. When she got to the end of the races, she skipped Simon’s threat. She didn’t have the strength to repeat it. And even if she did, Jason could do nothing about it. There are no princes to save the day. She learned that lesson all too well. Why are you here then, huh?
Her eyes lingered on his face. She could see his thoughts were again somewhere else. The darkness underneath the blue surface of his eyes dominated. His brows were furrowed, making him look older and sadder. She imagined reaching out to him and straightening the line between his brows with a gentle sweep of her thumb. She imagined kissing off the sadness, making him smile. Why are you here Magdalena? the voice in her head roared angrily. But she dismissed the roars to tend to her lonely heart. She craved company and sharing. She yearned for a comforting touch, a gentle kiss. She was so alone. And he was there, at her reach, and it felt like he could put an end to her willful isolation, make her tear down her walls and help her carry her burden.

She needed to belong. And he was there.

Prolonged silence brought Jason back from his thoughts. Angel’s final blow still felt like a never ending grip around his heart, as he became aware again of Magdalena sitting next to him. He needed to forget, he needed to reassert himself in his own eyes and she was there, at his reach, studying him with her dreamy green eyes.
What if he tried to dominate? What if he tried to be more like James and less like Jason?
It’s there, at your reach, your chance to be in control, your chance to take, instead of give. Take it. Take! It! The voice of fear echoed in his ears, like the voice of the devil.
She likes you, you fool! You do not heal by hurting others. There is no easy way, just deal with it, you coward! His reason took the role of the angel whispering on his shoulder.

Forget, just forget for one night. It worked before, it should work now too, the devil argued.
She’s not from that world. She’s not a whore! Look at her! Look! the angel reasoned.

And he looked at her and met her dreamy gaze. He looked at her lips, and her neck, her arms and hands, the contours of her breasts. Yes, he looked. But he did not see. Fuck you, angel, the devil sneered.

The voice of reason faded in the background and unreasonable lust fueled by fear took over. Jason closed the distance between them and saw Magdalena leaning in. There was something in her eyes that forced him to stop for just a second and hear the voice of his conscience urging him to reconsider, but then he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to hers.

All voices disappeared taking all his thoughts and considerations with them. He was floating in absolute emptiness. It was just what he was looking for and he sighed with pleasure, the sigh coming out as a moan into her warm mouth.

She responded to that immediately, opening her mouth more and running her fingers through his hair. His tongue barged into her mouth, rushing to taste her in one take. Her tongue fought to slow him down, seeking more contact, a slow dance, instead of a wild ride. But it was the wild ride Jason wanted. He rushed to his ultimate goal of blissful oblivion and he did not have the time to linger.

His lips moved down her jaw to her neck, devouring the soft skin like a lion feasting on its prey. His senses did memorize her soft perfume, but he would remember that only later. His hands reached under the shirt greedily, undoing her bra in one swift movement of his fingers on her back. He wanted to see more of her flesh, so he stripped the shirt off with speed, pushing her down on the couch and arching above her. He looked at her naked torso below him and the tidal wave of mindless hunger crashed against his insides making him oblivious to the confused look on her face. He sucked and bit her nipples, without as much as an attempt at gentleness. His hair fell on her belly, red curls crawling down her skin like snakes, as his lips moved to her waist quickly and carelessly.

She started squirming under his hands and lips, but he ignored it. More, more, more the wild voice in his head urged him, his erection following it, his head throbbing with boiling blood. His hand rushed inside her panties and was welcomed with warm, sleek wetness. His finger slid inside of her, sending sweet pre-taste of impending release to his groin. More, more, more, his body urged, the oblivion at his reach, just a few more moves and he will be inside her, getting his release, both physical and mental, and reach the point of intoxicating nothingness. His hand worked automatically, his fingers moved in and out, his other hand pulling the panties down her thighs.

“Jason” her voice reached his fogged brain from a distance. His urge colored her voice with false passion and deceived him into thinking that she was calling out for him, he pulled at the panties with more force.

“Jason!” the voice got louder. The fast drowning reason grabbed at the thin straw of that voice, there was something wrong in her tone, in the way she uttered his name. The thought pulled him back to reality and he stopped, breathing fast, and looked at her. All the euphoria vanished at the sight of her green eyes glistening with tears. He stared at her, breathing fast, speechless. Guilt and shame emerged under quickly withdrawing waves of hunger and landed on his heart, pressing it to the point of physical pain.

She avoided his eyes and picked up her clothes in silence, dressing up quickly.

“I don’t know what you’re running from Jason, but, I… I can’t…. I don’t want to be your rebound girl.”

She walked towards the door, the sound of her fast steps echoed off the walls. Staring at the still warm spot on the couch where she lay a minute ago, Jason heard the click of the entrance door closing.
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olyamet
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Let's Dance
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Beautiful! Jason deep in his dark abyss, Magdalena in her turmoil.
Both needing each other and both clinging closer for the wrong reason!!!

Her, lonely.
Quote:
 
She needed to belong. And he was there.

He was there!!!!!! Not good enough! That is why it was wrong and felt wrong!

Him, listening to the devil.
Quote:
 
What if he tried to dominate? What if he tried to be more like James and less like Jason?
It’s there, at your reach, your chance to be in control, your chance to take, instead of give. Take it. Take! It! The voice of fear echoed in his ears, like the voice of the devil.


Wrong reason, wrong time, not out of love, but out of despair! Both were wrong! That is why it failed!

PERFECT!!!
Just perfect!

Oh... and I have to stand up for my Angel... I just have to... sorry.
I know she hurt him, but not intentionally! She didn't know he loves her. She didn't used him on purpose... it was.. well it was just that. He was there.
Don't hate me!!! lol
I love my baby and I'll always protect her. :biggrin

I love you!

This is great update! Was worth every minute of waiting!!!
Deep, real and amazingly written!
:heart: :heart: :heart:

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Unforgiven
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"This is my sober face"
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I don't know whether to say poor Jason or poor Magdalena. Maybe poor both of them. :-/
Amazingly written, just like Olya said.
I can't wait for this to continue. I hope Jason will sort out his feelings finally. :heart:
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Margarita
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Sand[wo]man
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@Olya - you know I could never hate you OR your baby Angel :heart:

@Kimmi - thank you! Here is more and sorry for the long wait! :heart:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 8

Jason lay on the couch and rubbed his eyes.
What the fuck just happened?! What the fuck were you thinking?! Where are you heading Newsted? What were you hoping to achieve?

He stood up abruptly, reaching for the glass. The movement stirred up the air and the draft brought the scent of Magdalena’s perfume. It was a soft musky note, delicate and yet strong, just like her. The scent put the recent events in a whole different perspective, making him actually see her for the first time. Only then did he see that look she gave him before she leaned in for the kiss, her dreamy eyes filled with emotions. Only then did he see the soft curls, her beautiful statuesque face, neck, hands. Only then did he feel her touch, her fingers sliding gently, appreciatively down his back and arms. Only then did he feel her kiss, slowing him down, inviting him for a slow dance. Only then did he appreciate her wet lips, the smell of wind in her hair. Only then did he become aware of the warmth she radiated. It felt so good on his skin, it spread all over his body, rushing straight to his heart, wrapping his tired soul in a soothing embrace, and offering comfort to his distraught mind, leaving its trace there, a memory, a refuge, something for him to come back to in the moment of darkness, in the time of need.

If only there was something to return to. Someone to return to. He had that something right there, under his nose, he held it in his arms, and he chased it away in a pathetic run for a quick cure.
Jason sighed. Her tearful eyes hovered before him.

He grabbed his phone and turned it in his hand anxiously. No way she’ll answer now. Maybe still… He pressed the call button and quickly cancelled the call. What are you going to say? I’m sorry? You’ve got no explanation to offer. At least no explanation you are ready to offer.

He found himself standing in front of the wall again, the wall of his own making. He stared at it helplessly until his heart jumped, pulling his eyes inwards, to the memory of the warmth she radiated. The sound of door closing behind her tolled in his head.

Enough, the resolution rose in him, making him larger than the wall in front of him. Enough. He breathed in the air carrying her scent and his heart leapt, aching for more of her warmth, more of her touch. Aching for her.
No more mistakes. Enough.

Magdalena zipped up her suitcase and sat on the bed. She stared at the suitcase, as if it might suddenly open up and offer her answers. She was so tired, she needed sleep but she knew that as soon as she closed her eyes, all her failures would start their wild dance in her head, laughing in her face and reminding her how she still did not learn anything.

Her chest felt heavy. Crying would be the best relief, she knew that, but she could not cry now. She tried several times, while she was packing. She tried to force tears to her eyes, but there was nothing, just heaviness on her chest and numb nausea in her stomach.

What the hell were you thinking? Where the hell are you heading to Magdalena?
She bowed her head staring at the floor. She tried to go through her packing list, to check if she had everything, but her brain refused to obey. She could not concentrate. She looked at her hands. Her fingers were still shaking from shock and anger.

How could you not see it?! After everything! How could you be so naïve all over again?! When will you learn?! You fool!
Perhaps self-disdain would bring much needed tears? No. Still the same weight on her chest, nausea in her stomach.

Her eyes fell on the pile of clothes she had thrown on the floor before taking a shower. It was the first thing she did when she came home. Shower. Wash the humiliation off. Too bad things didn’t really work that way. She grabbed the pile to take it to the laundry basket. Her nose picked up Jason’s scent. She pressed her eyes shut as the images started jumping up. The absent look in his eyes, the hungry touches, the fierce kisses, his hair on her belly, his hands in her panties. So painfully familiar! It could have been Luc, lying on top of her. It could have been Simon biting at her neck triumphantly. It was all the same. It felt the same. It hurt the same.

Maybe I provoke it? Maybe it’s some kind of vibe I send out? Maybe I am not capable of more? Maybe I do not deserve more? Damaged, incomplete, empty. Maybe that’s all there is?
She dropped the laundry in the basket. Her legs felt weak. She leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor.
There really is nothing else. There never will be.

The shadow of loneliness crawled up to her heart, gripping it, squeezing painfully, leaving scars that will never be erased. The pain grew in intensity, the weight on her chest pushing its way up her throat, dragging all air out of her lungs with it, forcing tears to her eyes. She opened her mouth, fighting for air. Tears trickled down her cheeks. She thought she would scream, once she managed to start crying. But there was no strength left in her. There was no voice. Just tears falling on the floor in silence.

When the last tear dried on her face, she stood up. Her body didn’t feel lighter. The weight on her chest transformed into numbness.

She slept restlessly. The same nightmare haunted her again. She welcomed the sound of alarm with relief. Thank God! Outside it was still pitch dark and pouring rain. The alarm set off again. The sound of it was strange, though. Walking towards the nightstand, Magdalena realized that her phone was actually ringing.
Great, just what I need, some maniac calling at 4 am. She glanced at the screen, ready to press the ignore button. It said Jason. She stared at the name short of breath. What is this? Just ignore it. But what if something happened? Well why do you care? Oh fuck! She pressed the answer button.

“Hello?”

A second of silence, two seconds of hesitation, then he spoke.
“Um, hi, Magdalena, it’s Jason”

“Yes, I can see as much.” she answered. Her cold tone startled her.

Anger reared its ugly head deep inside and started spitting flames of disdain all over her body. She stood in front of a pile of bricks. With her first sentence she started building a wall. She had no control over it, she kept picking up bricks and laying them neatly with every word. No more mistakes. No more.

“I’m sorry, I’m… um… I knew you had an early flight so…”

“Yes, as a matter of fact I do, and I’m in hurry, my cab is already on its way, so goo…”

“Wait, Magdalena, please, just… just a few words, could you just hear me out?” he almost whispered his plea.

She stopped, holding another brick in her hands, and her resolution faltered for a second. Her heart unwillingly skipped at the sound of his voice. The brick was heavy in her hands.

She didn’t say anything and Jason took that to be a sign of approval. He spoke quickly, aware of the limited time he had for this conversation and rushed by the urge to get the chance to make amends.

“I’m so deeply, profoundly, honestly sorry, I know that words cannot fix things, but that wasn’t me, that ISN’T me, it was a bad moment, our friendship means so much, I can’t even begin to describe how much… it’s just… it was a bad, bad, unfortunate moment, I had an interview with this crew working on a Metallica documentary and it just… that interview was too much to take and I sank, I sank again, I was weak and… I know that is no excuse but please, please tell me how to fix it and I’ll do it, I’ll do anything…”

“There’s really nothing to fix, Jason. Don’t attach too much importance to this. It’s ok. No bad feelings. Now, excuse me…”

The trace she left on his heart, that little warm place he started to cherish in slow dragging hours of that sleepless night now burnt and hurt him. Fear crawled up his spine and wrapped its long fingers around his neck forcing out a whisper.

“I have never thought of you as a rebound girl. “

She choked. His words brought no solace, just additional pain. They echoed as yet another reminder of her as an emotional failure. Anger flared up again under layers of pain.

“I really have to go now, Jason. Goodbye.”

The cab sped towards the airport. Magdalena watched the thin streaks of water crawling down the window. She was still so angry at Jason. At herself. What the hell did he mean by that last sentence. What was I supposed to say to that? Oh, great, that’s good to hear, see you tomorrow then. Her wall was long finished by now. She squatted safely hidden behind it. But his words flowed through the bricks like a ghost and lingered in her mind, taunting her heart until the voice of the cabdriver put a welcomed end to the torture.

Jason stared at the dark clouds speeding away to poor out their burden somewhere else. Some were faster than others, so that the cloud veil tore up at places giving out glimpses of bright blue sky. He remembered the last time he stared at the skies. His heart stirred. Sun peeked defiantly through the receding clouds.

You will not give up on this one. No way.
His head cleared up. He knew what he had to do.
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Unforgiven
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"This is my sober face"
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Aww, so sad for both of them. ;cry
I wish they both can sort out their thoughts soon and start "living" again.
Great writing again. :heart:
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Margarita
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Sand[wo]man
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Thanks Kimmi!

Finally, after many moons, here's an update, I hope you're still interested ;)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 9

Days dragged on, making Jason more anxious with every passing minute. He somehow managed to control his urge to call Magdalena every day, even though his hands reached for the phone of their own accord. He decided not to call. He will give her some time instead and then he will go to the ranch when she comes back and he will apologize in person. He will offer her a fresh start. He will promise to be completely open and honest with her. He will not try and use her as a cure for his past.
Every plan and thought necessarily brought up the same set of what ifs. What if she said no once and for all? What if she asked him to leave her alone, to disappear from her life? What if… No. No. Not an option. He would do whatever it took. Whatever.

He drove towards the ranch thinking about the best opening line. He could just say: “Hi, I’m Jason. Pleased to meet you.” No. She wouldn’t buy that. Perhaps start with “I’m sorry.”
He thought about buying flowers, but dismissed the idea as too lame. He brought some treats for the horses instead. She’ll like that. He clenched the steering wheel to keep his shaking hands calm. He was nervous. Loosing Magdalena to his fears and frustrations finally made him look beyond his depression and self-doubt. He reached a surprising discovery that he had cared for her more than he thought. He liked her. The trace she left on his heart refused to fade. It reminded him of everything she could give him, of everything he now wanted to give her. It gave him an idea of what life could be like.

He parked in front of the main gate and almost ran to the stables. All the lines he had practiced and planned for days vanished. His nerves tickled from excitement and anxiety. He slowed down to catch his breath. He could hear voices from one of the stables. He recognized Magdalena’s voice immediately, but there was something disturbing about it. He strained to discern what it was that made him worried. The other voice was male.

“You have no right to do that, we have agreed on this years ago, you know I have to attend the conferences, it has never been a problem before.”

“Sorry honey, that was a deal you made with my late father. I advise you to read your contract, I’m sure you’ll understand it. You’re a bright girl.”

“Stop this Simon! What the fuck is your problem?”

“I have no problem whatsoever. Storm, here, however, has a problem with your absence. He was very disobedient, trainings were impossible, so I doubt we can expect any success at the upcoming races.”

Jason stood by the stable not knowing what to do. So this was Simon, the bastard boss. The strange tension between Magdalena and this Simon guy disturbed him. On the other hand, he could not just barge in and interrupt, she could use Simon’s presence as an excuse not to talk to him. Nevertheless, he felt completely idiotic by just standing there eavesdropping like a character in a soap opera. Magdalena’s angry voice interrupted his chaotic thoughts.

“Leave Storm to me, Simon.”

Simon sneered.
“Sorry honey, no can do. I decided to sell him, he’s too high maintenance. And you are about as much high maintenance as I can take at the moment.”

From where he was standing, Jason could hear Magdalena’s loud breathing. After a few seconds she yelled “You… You scum!”

Jason walked in place nervously like a caged animal. He wanted this scene to be over as soon as possible. He wanted to take her in his arms, tell her everything was going to be alright. He wanted a few moments alone with Simon too.

Simon snickered.
“Don’t get all moral with me, honey. I am not the one stuck with my ex husband’s gambling debts. I am not the one who almost killed my father with my stupid choices. I am not the one foolishly hoping to be able to collect enough money one day to repay everything. Face it. Your ridiculous pride aside, you’ve got nothing honey. And you’re way overpaid, but I’ll indulge you there, you’re fun to have around. Plus, I’m sure you’ll pay me back one day. See ya”. He turned around to leave triumphantly.

Magdalena ran after him.
“I quit! Do you hear me you prick? I. Quit!”
Simon turned to face her.
“You quit, huh? Spare me.” he laughed.
Magdalena held his gaze defiantly.
“You sell Storm and I leave.”
Simon’s lips twitched and his face turned menacing.
“Good luck with your future employment then. I’ll make sure you get just the perfect recommendation. Plus, you don’t quit. You’re fired. You ungrateful, pathetic bitch.”

Jason clenched his fists. Magdalena’s hand landed heavily on Simon’s face, leaving red traces of her fingers on his cheek. He stormed off towards the office building and she ran back to the stable. Jason weighed his options frantically. No way she would talk to him now, his timing could not have been worse. After this, she had more important things to deal with, than his pathetic attempts at getting her forgiveness.

What was that about her ex husband and her father and the debts? And his threat in the end? Fuck! He was still lingering at the door when he heard the sound of hoofs on the ground. A few seconds later he was standing in a cloud of dust as Storm galloped off obeying Magdalena’s order and taking her away.

He watched her until she and Storm were just a speck in the distance and then he realized he knew what he wanted to do, even while he was listening to the bitter exchange in the barn. It just took some time for him to process his wish into an action plan.
I guess our talk will have to wait, he thought and pulled out his cell phone.
“Steve, I need a favor.”

If anyone knew how to actually bring this plan into reality it was Steve, his assistant, well former assistant now, and also a good friend. It felt good to talk to Steve again, especially because of the honest joy in his voice. He was obviously happy to be in touch with Jason again and Jason felt happy that they could still communicate normally. After a short exchange of how are you and what’s up Steve asked what the favor was.

“I want to buy a horse. A race horse. And I need you to find me a place to keep it at. A good place, renowned, with history, not some pretentious new stuff. “

“Ooooooookaaaaaayyyyyyy” was the only word Steve offered in reply. Jason wasn’t sure if it conveyed shock, irritation, surprise, or just a bridge to a real response. He waited for a few seconds. Steve was silent, but typing could be heard in the background.

“Steve, are you there?”
“Yeah, yeah, man, just a second… OK, I guess you’re looking for something in the state, there’s “Helena…”

“No, Helena is not an option, I’m buying from them”

“Well, the only other place that meets your criteria is “Madeline”. Seems they are even older than Helena, long family tradition, blah, blah…”

How does he come up with all this information so quickly? Jason smiled.

“Do you want me to make a call for you?”
“That would be great, thanks Steve, you’re the best!”
“Well, if you ever need an assistant again…”
“Wait, they didn’t fire you, did they? I mean, I made sure they didn’t, you’re…”
“They didn’t. But I quit. It just didn’t feel right anymore.”

This caught Jason by surprise. He always had a great relationship with Steve. He felt bad for neglecting him after leaving the band.
“Steve, I’m sorry man. For getting in touch only now, I should have done it before, and I shouldn’t have called just to ask for a favor.”

“Come on, Jason, we have known each other for a long time, there are some things you don’t have to explain. I knew you’d call sooner rather than later.” Steve chuckled.

“Thanks man. I gotta do something now, talk to you later.”
“Yeah, I’m going to call Madeline, you do your thing.”

Back at home, Jason looked at his suited up self in the mirror. His hair was tied in a tail on the back of his head. He had his indifferent face on. He was ready.
During the drive back to the ranch he thought about the scene he had accidentally witnessed. Obviously, there were things he didn’t know about Magdalena. She even told him so, during one of their conversations. He was aware of certain period of her life being avoided in their conversations. It was not that he was not interested to know. He was afraid that if he asked her about it, he would have to reciprocate an unhappy memory of his own and that was not an option at the time. Gambling debts, ex husband and father’s illness somehow caused by her, that was what he knew now, courtesy of Simon the harassing boss. The new knowledge about her augmented his burning conscience about what he did. Or tried to do. But there was no use in dwelling on it. This was his chance to do something nice for her, he intended to use it and make things right.

With that thought, he smiled at Simon’s busty assistant. She smiled back, taking him in with a greedy look and led him to Simon’s office.

“Mr. Cowle” he held out his hand.
“Mr, ummm, Newsted, I believe”

A limp fish handshake. It figures. The condescending “honey” Simon had said more than once that morning forced Jason to squeeze his hand more than the etiquette required.
Simon looked him in the eye then for the first time, confused by unusually strong handshake of a man who allegedly came to talk business. Jason returned the gaze. His eyes conveyed no emotion.

“How can I help you Mr. Newsted. My assistant informed me of your desire to discuss a business arrangement.”

“Yes, your assistant was quite right. I’m interested in buying a race horse, and I was told this was the right place to look for one. “

“Would you mind my asking who referred you to us?”

“I consider that information irrelevant to our arrangement, I am sure you’ll agree. “ Jason threw another expressionless look at Simon.

Simon shifted in his chair uncomfortably.
“Yes, certainly. Well, whoever your sources may be, Mr. Newsted, they certainly informed you well. I have a couple of horses you might be willing to consider.”

“Thank you. There is however, one particular horse that I was advised to buy from your stables.”

Simon’s eyes widened.
“Which one?”

“It is a black Thoroughbred you have. Storm, I believe, is its name.”

Simon gaped at Jason. After a few seconds he smiled smugly.
“I am sure we will be able to accommodate you by offering another horse. We do not intend to sell Storm any time soon.”

“Really?” Jason asked, leaning towards Simon. “I am sure you will be willing to reconsider.” He pushed a piece of paper over the desk.

Simon’s eyes darted to the paper and his smug face was soon adorned with a greedy grin.
“This might come as a good incentive for reconsideration, yes. But not for sale.”

Simon’s face turned serious, but he couldn’t keep his hands still.

Fishing for more, huh, you greedy prick. Jason stood up and buttoned his jacket. Simon stood up too, a little too nervously. Jason kept his gaze on the table for a few seconds and then looked up at Simon.

“This is my only offer. It also includes termination of employment by mutual agreement with your chief veterinarian, her severance pay and a mighty good reference letter”.

Simon was quick to reply, his voice shaking with anger.
“I should have known. So, tell me, is she any good, she must be, hence the impressive figure” he waived with the piece of paper Jason had handed him before.

That was Jason’s cue. Before Simon could realize what was going on, his back hit the wall with a painful thud. The collar of his shirt suddenly felt very tight.

“The money makes you feel good, right? Makes you feel untouchable? You think you can do whatever you want, treat people like dirt? Well, guess what, prick, there are people with more money than you, like me for example. Now, you’ll have your lawyers prepare everything as soon as possible. Otherwise, I am going to make it my personal mission to have you sued and investigated for everything and anything. And I am sure that will not require much effort. Your lovely assistant there has my number. I expect to hear from you by the end of the day.”

He released his grip and took a step backwards.
“One more thing, Magdalena will not know about this little chat we had.”
Simon nodded.

Jason walked to the car slowly. Just as he opened the door his cell rang. Steve had some information about Madeleine. Seemed the stables were renowned but currently struggled financially. But when it came to horses, there was no one better. They were not too eager about the idea of taking in a horse. The best Steve could do was to arrange a meeting for Jason tomorrow.
During Jason’s drive home, his cell went off again. The seductive voice of Simon’s assistant informed him that Mr. Cowel’s attorney would visit Mr. Newsted for the signing of the purchase contract as soon as possible.

After finishing the conversation, Jason dialed a number.

“Steve, consider yourself employed as of today.”
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olyamet
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Let's Dance
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It's PERFECT!!!

You made my day with your update! Great read, awesome plan!
Too bad Jason didn't kill Simon.. but.. the way he handle him is even better.
Jason in suit... all angry, pinning that ass to the wall... :drool
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Unforgiven
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Yay, an update ! :woop

Way to go, Jason! Good job. :biggrin
And I totally agree Olya, for everything she said.

Jason in a suit... nice... :fan
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