Fate and Love

Illustrator Tatiana Polivanova

Translator L. Alekseeva-Kozlova

Illustrator All photos from: Pixabay.com, Unsplash.com, Pxhere.com = === Frames from: Viptalisman.com

© Lily Alex, 2020

© Tatiana Polivanova, illustrations, 2020

© L. Alekseeva-Kozlova, translation, 2020

© All photos from: Pixabay.com, Unsplash.com, Pxhere.com = === Frames from: Viptalisman.com, illustrations, 2020

ISBN 978-5-4498-4289-3

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Special thanks to Elena Kozlova and Andy Crichton for their invaluable help in editing the novel and developing some of the story lines

Illustrations by Tatiana Dmitrovsky,

Member of International Union of Artists and Graphics Professionals

Part One

A bolt of lighting flashed from the highest sky, exploding the dusk for a moment. The thunderstorm brought all its wild rage upon a small gray sedan, moving along an empty city street.

What a night! a man, driving his family home, thought, worried. Dark as in the Devil’s stomach.

He glanced at his wife, sitting next to him, then – in the rearview mirror, checking out his baby daughter, in the back, fastened into her child’s seat.

“Momma… tired!” Yawned the little girl, trying to stay awake. She craned her neck in order to look out the window. She adored thunderstorms and never liked to miss them.

“Awww, did you enjoy your birthday party, lil’ Mary?” The mother asked, turning back.

She smiled as her child nodded and slowly drifted off to sleep. Her husband wasn’t so calm. The streams of heavy rain limited his view, and the wipers were almost useless.

Driving under the sea would be easier, he mused, concentrating all his attention on the road. His wife touched his arm. “You’re doing fine, honey.”

***

A luxurious black car, dark as midnight, was moving in the opposite direction. Wearing posh clothes, a slim man in his twenties was driving it recklessly.

“Mister Noirson, sir,” sitting on the front seat, his companion, who looked visibly older, warned him. “Even humans know the rule – don’t drink and drive!”

“You’re right, Roger!” The younger man laughed. “Humans.”

“Oh dear me!” Roger rolled his eyes. “But your human body is under the influence now! Shit! We almost hit the bus! Let me drive for Satan’s sake!”

“Don’t use the name of my Father in the same breath as a swear word!” The driver guffawed again. “The Third Commandment – let me remind you!”

““Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain’, you mean, eh?” Roger’s attractive lips curved into a weird, blood-chilling smirk. “And let me remind you, My Lord, that Your Father arranged me to watch after you, and in the situation, like this, you have to listen to me!”

“Come on, Roger, I’m fine!”

“Don’t mind him, Robert, honey!” A pretty young woman in a tiny black cocktail dress reached out to the driver from the back seat. She massaged his slender shoulders, and he tilted his head back, enjoying her gloved touch. He was looking forward to arriving and watching her lace hands work their magic elsewhere.

The lights of the closing vehicles crossed, blinding the man in the family sedan.

In both cars, the women screamed, and the drivers hit the brake pedals at once.

Too late…

Slipping on the wet surface, the cars had no time even to slow down. The impact threw the young woman from the back seat, and she smashed her face against the front window. It was a sickening thud, but that was just the beginning of her fate. The rest of her body followed it, twisting like a rag doll. Bulletproofed for an outside attack, the windshield had been designed for easy access from inside, and the woman fell out onto the hood in a fountain of fragments of broken glass. She rolled down and the car slightly jumped, running over her body.

Like a killer whale, gnawing on a dolphin, the black car hit the unfortunate sedan, pushing into it with its huge mass, squashing it almost in half.

The roof of the family car was lower than another one had, and now it thrust inside the vehicle, and the cross, dangling on the rearview mirror, was swinging between Robert and his companion.

The vehicles finally stopped, and, swearing, the men rushed out as if someone splashed boiling water all over them.

Outside they looked at each other, and Robert managed a confused smile.

His companion cast a few quick glances around.

“No witnesses and no police at least,” he said coldly. He pointed the dead woman. “Go ahead!”

“If I do it, I won’t have any power for everything else!” The young man tried to argue.

His companion did not avert his eyes, Robert did.

Quietly cursing, he closed to the woman, and touched her. She sat up at once, and looked about with horror. “What happened?”

“Shut up, and do what I’ll tell you,” Robert told her gloomily. He helped her up, and led to the cars.

“Get it off,” he ordered, pointing the cross. The woman obeyed. Robert glared at her so she hurled the cross away as far as she could.

Roger smiled. “Nice job, sir.”

Not answering the mock, Robert returned to the car, and drove back a little bit. Clenched together, the vehicles didn’t separate.

“Damn you, Roger!” Robert shouted. “Hold this fucking car!”

“I can’t,” his companion replied calmly. “There are two more crucifixes inside.”

Robert spat, and got out again. He was thinking for a while. The rain stopped, and clouds were gone, showing the moon, spying at the scene with indifference.

“I liked this car,” Robert said with a sigh. “Oh well, let’s just set it in fire, and go home.”

“There’s a child inside.” His companion pointed at the family sedan.

“Alive?” Robert wondered. “Roger, I’m not human, I can’t kill an innocent one.”

“Me either.” Came the cold response.

Robert drew closer, and peeked in. The little girl was still sitting in her seat. The head of her parents were next at each side of her, but the child couldn’t understand the meaning of that.

She tagged at her mother’s ringlets then stroked her father’s blond hair. Robert and his companion watched in unbelieving, as she reached out to him, and took a cross that her father was wearing around his neck then put it onto herself.

“Mom, looky me!” she said happily.

“Very impressive,” Robert dropped coldly. He addressed to his woman; “Get the girl out!”

“Come here, little one!” The woman tried to fulfill the order. She unfastened the child, but when she took the girl into her arms, the baby started to wail, scratch and even bite.

What a monster! The woman thought, struggling to hold the girl. She felt as if she was handling a wild porky-pine.

Vexed, Robert looked around; on the empty street, the child’s voice sounded louder than any siren could.

“Do something!” he shouted, stomping his foot.

“I know!” Roger said and with a smile, quickly took the child’s safety seat out and the woman strapped the baby in. “That way, we’ll be safe from her,” he added, half-joking.

Mary still cried, but now, it was slightly easier to carry her even if she shook from side to side, trying to make them let go.

The woman and Robert ran away, leaving Roger to finish his task.

“Mama! Dada!” the child called, looking back at the car.

Soon after, an explosion was heard. The blazing flames from behind lit the dark street for a little while.

“All done.” Roger joined them again.

“Look, that sound woke someone up in that church over there! I see lights!” the woman, carrying Mary, said panting, “Let’s leave her here.”

“Can’t we get her to the police station or something?” Robert asked, grimacing.

“No, this church is the only option we have…” Roger sighed, frowning. “It’s pretty far from anything else! We’ve got no choice.”

“Oh well… Hurry up or the people in the church will see us!” Robert commanded.

The woman placed the seat on the steps and all three adults disappeared in the darkness of the passage between the buildings.

***

Robert had breakfast, when Roger threw a newspaper in front of him, and pointed an article.

“The only survivor… Maria Jablonskaia…” Robert read aloud, his look ran over the text. “Blah-blah-blah… You see, not a word about us!”

“Oh dear me,” Roger replied, rolling his eyes. “But nobody can predict how our actions can affect the future.”

“Uh-uh,” Robert answered, not listening. Another news column took his attention.

Again

It was the usual charity fundraiser and Robert Noirson was bored.

Forty-two-year old now, a respectable businessman, not for the first time had Robert been involved in a benevolent arrangement in his capacity as sponsor, so he knew the entire event thoroughly. Some speeches, some performances and he would write a check. Reporters would then take some pictures. It was easy, typical and terribly boring. Robert tried not to yawn.

He totally forgot about the car accident that he caused almost eighteen years ago. He was watching the gymnastic performance with indifference, not knowing that the leading gymnast was the very same girl, which they left all alone on the steps of the church in the middle of the night.

Now her personality attracted his attention. He liked her stern self-confidence that so corresponded with his own attitude. She was not the girl of his dreams, but her spectacular head of platinum blonde hair atop an elfin, and quite curvy frame amazed him.

Robert felt a warm, tingly feeling emanate from his stomach. Moving with hidden energy, the girl was like a genie in a bottle, and it peaked Robert’s curiosity.

“Who’s the girl in the green track-suit?” he casually asked a priest, sitting next to him.

“It’s Maria Jablonskaia, Mary J.” Father Frank smiled. “Our pride and joy. She could be a professional gymnast, but the poor girl has no ambition!”

“Everybody has ambitions,” Robert retorted derisively. “Just in different walks of life.”

Looking at her breasts profiled perfectly by her tight fitting leotard, Robert could see that it was her more mature figure that would probably dictate why she would not be a professional. Even if she had been the most dedicated athlete on Earth, she was not quite petite enough.

Damn, he was thinking hard. Why does her name sound familiar to me?

Suddenly he recalled.

Oh My Father! he screamed inside himself, ashamed. It’s her! Well, I suppose I ought to take care of her. I didn’t think her parents were her only relatives. Poor young thing… Who could expect – she was so alone.

“Could you introduce me to her?” he addressed to Father Frank again.

“Sure, Mister Noirson!” Sister Augusta joined them. “Mary is a good, obedient girl.”

“Obedient, eh?” Robert’s eyes narrowed. “How obedient?”

“Well,” Father Frank laughed nervously. “A little.” He looked knowingly at the Sister, who bit her lip with the thought of just how disobedient Mary could be.

“Don’t worry, Mister Noirson,” she said, sounding assured, but with diametrally different feelings.

***

Mary finished her part and looked across at her tutors, talking and casting glances at her. She caught the dapper forty something executive type sponsor propping his chin up with his fist, gazing at her like a snake, hypnotizing a bird for his prey.

Another rich bastard looking for a young toy, Mary thought with irritation, Last month that tarty hag, now – him… Well, he’s male, so at least it’s understandable. But anyway, why is it that when people have money they think they can just hit on anyone they like – don’t they have any moral bases?

She caught a glimpse of Father Frank waving her over. She pretended not to notice, and went off to the changing room.

“Mary!” she heard, but the girl didn’t look back.

***

Mary emerged from the shower only bothering to tie the towel around her waist. Her extremely long blonde hair was dripping wet over her eyes and she was vigorously rubbing her bangs dry as she walked elegantly across the tiled floor towards her cubicle. She jumped surprised, when she looked up, to see Sister Augusta, waiting for her.

“Mary,” the nun started with a reproach.

“Na-ah,” Mary interrupted, rebellion flowing through veins once paralyzed with fear.

“Mary,” the nun continued, “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m here to straighten a few things out with you. When you were a child, you had a lot of chances to be adopted by wealthy and caring people. You could have had a perfect family…”

“And I repeat for the zillionth time,” interrupted Mary, “I already have God as my Father, and Saint-Mary as my mother.”

“Your stubbornness is ridiculous!”

“You are a nun, aren’t you?” the girl practically screamed.

“It’s not the same!”

“Look, Sister, you know the score. I only wait for the next two years to take a veil. I’m managing our team! I’m giving the kids gymnastic lessons! I’m taking part in all the orphanage’s events!”

“And yes, that is the least you could do. We give you an apartment on the campus. Have you any idea how much it costs to raise a child? When your parents died, you were only three! Our orphanage raised you and you have lacked of nothing! But now it’s time to pay us back!”

“If you think I’ll become a prostitute to pay off my debts, you are deadly wrong!”

Augusta snorted in contempt. “That is not the point of this conversation!”

“So what is this all about then? As if it is normal to walk in on girls coming out the shower? Forget it,” She made to walk past the nun, but her way was blocked. She felt a strong spiteful hand grip her upper arm.

“This not open for discussion, my child! Mister Noirson is rich enough to buy our whole orphanage and he has enough power to close it forever. You’re not a selfish girl, are you?”

“And?”

The nun continued, “You have to think about the other poor kids that we take care of.”

“So?” Mary was breathing hard.

“I’ll take this sin on myself, Mary… The sense of duty will force you to lay with Mister Noirson if he so wishes, not lust! As you accept your penance now, think about the other girls and boys. Their future depends on you!”

“I have nothing to repent for,” trembling all over, Mary mumbled.

She dressed quick, and dashed out. She collided with Father Frank.

“Mary, guess what?” He smiled nervously. “Mister Noirson paid for you to live in building #7. Lucky you! You’ll have security, free room service…”

The girl just stared at him.

“You should thank Mister Noirson,” sister Augusta said, trying to take Mary’s hand, but the girl gasped, side stepped both adults and ran out and along the corridor, haring downstairs into the basement.

Her thoughts were mixed, her mind confused, in a panic.

Get away! Get away! was beating like a drum inside her head. What should I do? What should I do? was the chorus.

She knew one secret window in the basement. Nobody, unless they wanted to break their necks, dared enter through it, but she often used it as a means of escape.

She reached the wall, routinely spat on her hands, and, like a lizard, climbed up the brick wall to the window. She slid through it effortlessly.

The window frame was at ground level. Mary crawled out into the dusk, and once away from the building got to her feet.

The darkness of the summer night helped her calm down. She looked up at the sky.

In the middle of the city, surrounded by tall gloomy buildings, the girl felt as if she were stranded at the bottom of a well.

One or two stars were visibly twinkling from far above, and not for the first time in her life, Mary wept and cried out, “Oh, dear God! Please help me be strong!”

“Wow! What a passionate plea!” somebody said in a deep gentle voice.

Flabbergasted, the girl literally jumped in surprise. She glanced around, and her hair stood on end. Usually this street was empty but not today. A few cars were parked nearby, and a group of rough, hefty men, accompanied by their matching playmate girlfriends were getting out and gradually making their way towards her.

Mary had grown up in this part of the city; she knew all the local gangs and went to great lengths to avoid any and all contact with them. She was perturbed, not so much that she was in gangland, but that she had never laid eyes on such people before. It was not just the menace of their appearance; it was the military-like orderliness that made Mary’s blood curdle.

Oh my God, she thought looking about her, having shivers. Whoever they are, I’m not a welcome guest here, that’s for sure.

“What a nice prayer,” continued the same bizarre voice; tender and soft, yet threatening in a very obvious way.

Mary licked her dry lips.

There is no way I am going to survive this little party, she mused, grimly. She casually slipped her hands into her jacket pockets and prepared her trusted brass knuckles and switchblade for battle. Self-defense classes are an obligatory part of monastic training, and the congregation that Mary had attended was no exception. But they’ve got it dead wrong if they think they are going to have it easy.

Taking the initiative, she tried to buy herself some time.

“Guys,” she pronounced as peacefully as she could in the direction of the dozen ferocious night stalkers. “I’m a local, okay, a real nobody. I am so much a nobody it is sad.” Her declaration was met with disinterest, but she persevered. “Look, I didn’t see you, and I don’t know you. I live just along from here, so please, I only want to go home.”

“But it was a strange way to leave the church gym,” the man, invisible in the shadow, said, mocking her. “If you wanted to say a prayer, why didn’t you go to the chapel?”

Mary gazed through the dark in the direction of the voice.

He’s the boss here… she understood. He’s my only hope.

“Look,” she addressed the shadow. “Nobody wants trouble. It seems you know me, and I am begging you, just let me go.”

“Maybe I will. But only if you answer honestly why you left like you did.”

Mary swallowed hard and said quietly yet audibly, “I wanted to keep my purity. But now I see, I’m in shit up to my eyeballs!”

Everybody laughed, even Mary in her nervousness. She had lost all hope, but one bonus to her advantage was that her sense of fear had also evaporated into the night air.

“Oh, girl,” the man said, shaking his head. “That is rather improper language for a nun.”

“A nun?” an angry whisper ran through the ranks of the gang members surrounding her. Mary’s heart throbbed again, not expecting the reaction she was getting.

“Do you think God will protect you if I allow my men to do whatever they want to you?”

“No,” she answered at once.

“Why not?”

“God doesn’t rule this world.”

“Good. Who then?”

“Satan, the Devil,” Mary said calmly. “Would you like to hear quotations from the Bible to prove it?”

“No, it’s okay,” the man replied. “We have already wasted a lot of time. Look, Mary, let’s get to the point. I’m a really busy man, but I want to talk to you. Could you give me two hours a day, maybe more, I’m not sure? But two hours is what I have in mind. I promise, we’ll meet only in public places. Is it okay with you?”

“You mean, all this scary shit was just to ask me out for a date? Neat!”

“I suppose it is a bit over the top, but that is exactly how it is. So, assuming you aren’t intending to smash my teeth in with that knuckleduster in your pocket, are you in agreement to meet me – for friendly conversation?”

Mary was unnerved by his remark about her weapon hidden from view, but nodded anyway.

“Great! Tomorrow, wait for me in the ‘Green Streets’ cafe, it’s just across your street, between McDonalds and the book-shop.”

“I know where you mean. Fine.” She hoped he would let her go before arranging a time. No such luck.

“Wait for me until 1:00 p.m. if I’m able to make it, I’ll come. By the way, I’m going to pay you for your time: thirty dollars an hour. Is that okay with you?”

“What, you mean sixty dollars a day?” she had never earned that amount of money before.

“Some day, there may be more, if I’m able…” He misinterpreted her look of amazement. “Ah, you want more? I’ll pay you cash so you won’t have to pay any tax… What a Scroogette! Out of interest, before you go, Mary J, do you remember, I’m paying for your campus apartment?”

“You?” she yelled angrily. She rushed toward him, but the man also stepped forward out of the shadows. In the ghostly streetlight the girl recognized Robert Noirson.

He was smiling smugly, but when their eyes met, his grin faded, and a worry washed out his self-confident expression.

“Are you okay?” he asked, uncertain.

“Y… yes. I think so.” She puffed her mouth out and exhaled, as if in the middle of a breathing exercise, taking herself under control again. “I just realized that there is no running from fate. I honestly tried.”

“Mary, dear, I beg you, don’t think about me this way! Wait a second!” A thought had struck him. “What did your tutors say to you?”

“Nothing much. Only that you are paying for my apartment in the most fancy building in the campus. So I have to be an obedient girl in any way that you decide. And we all know what that means.”

Mary regretted saying what she had said. Robert’s eyes flashed yellow and all-consuming anger distorted his beautiful face to such an extent that Mary stepped back in fear.

But he instantly calmed down, and smiled. “Sorry for that.”

He turned to the man and the girl standing closest to him, said something very quietly, then walked back to Mary. “Let’s go.”

Robert walked her to her old apartment.

“Pack your stuff, dear,” he told her. “I’ll be back.”

***

Moving into her new apartment took less than an hour. Mary was unpacking, when she heard a bell, and when she opened the door, there was Robert.

He looked tired, upset and gloomy.

Oh poor man, Mary thought. She involuntarily reached out her arm to touch his cheek, but dared not. She was deeply surprised with herself at the strong attraction to a man twenty years her senior. “What happened?”

“I have just talked with your tutors. Don’t worry – they’ll never disturb you again. Can I hug you or do you think I’m going to abuse you?”

“No, it’s okay. I’m thankful towards you.”

It was a father-like hug. Mary finally calmed down; she melted with a feeling of security and peace. Robert unclasped his arms, and Mary J. felt a loss.

“Mary, I’m no ordinary man.”

The statement drew a smile from Mary’s stern face.

“Right, you’re my guardian angel,” she joked.

“Well,” Robert faltered. “Sort of. Look, Mary, it’s going to be a very long talk, I really have to go. See you tomorrow, I hope.”

“Good night,” she whispered.

He left, and Mary locked the door.

Not bothering to finish her unpacking, she jumped onto her new bed, drowning in “the honey-heavy dew of slumber” even before her head touched the pillow. And in her dreams, she relived the hug that she had shared with Robert but in a much different way.

The First Date

That morning Mary woke up in her new apartment. She opened her eyes and could not determine for a moment if she was dreaming or if it was real. Her entire bedroom was decorated with flowers.

She got up, ran to the living room, to the kitchen… Flowers, flowers everywhere… Even in the bathroom.

Mary called the security service: “It’s 7—26. Who sent me the flowers, and at what time were they delivered to me?”

“Sorry, Miss, what do you mean? Nobody has called in here with a delivery since I started my shift.”

“When was that?”

“Unfortunately for me, I had to start at 9 o’clock last night.”

With her face flashing, Mary smashed down the receiver. She hated not knowing.

***

Mary sat down in front of her mirror, and did her make-up, then pinned her hair up, as usual.