Well, sitting here worrying over it wasn’t going to change anything. So, he had made up his mind to meet her.
He went to the park at the agreed upon time and sat at the fountain. He wanted to have a good vantage point of the park and be able to see her before she noticed him.
It wasn’t too long later a strange woman showed up. She got out of her car and made for the fountain. She was a hideous woman. She had tiny little eyes and red hair. She wore a black and red shirt and a black skirt. These seemed to be her favorite colors, as that was the only color variation she wore. She looked around the park; Dmitri got a sense that this was a very evil and manipulative woman. He whispered to himself, “Lord, how did I get myself in this mess? Please help me.” He slowly got up from his bench and made his way to her.
Clearing his throat, Dmitri said, “Hello? Ms. Harrison I presume?” She extended her hand and he politely shook it. “Yes, I am Gretchen and you must be Dmitri. I feel like I know you already.” She winked at him in a way that repulsed him. “Come, young man. Let’s have a seat and relax.” She led him to the benches and started on the reason for her letter.
“The details of my life are long and sad and I will not go into them with you. As you know, I saw what happened last week. I realize it was an accident and you couldn’t have known it was going to take a turn for the worse, of course the police may not it see it so.” She smiled a malicious smile.
“What do you want? Let’s stop beating around the bush and get to the real issue. I can’t have this kind of scandal getting out.” Dmitri said. “My family is very wealthy and well respected in this town. If it were to get out, they would be shamed and all that they have worked so hard for would be for naught.” He looked her right in the eyes, as much as he hated to. “As I have stated, we are very wealthy. Anything you want I could arrange for you. Money is really no option.”
Gretchen laughed, “I find it honorable that you care so much about your family and their name. I also find it amusing that you think I need your money, but then again you don’t know me and you wouldn’t know my father was extremely wealthy as well.”
Dmitri was beginning to hate this woman. She mocked him and made him feel as small as an ant and yet he knew that he needed her.
“What is it that you want then?” Dmitri asked. Gretchen smiled again at him and his skin crawled over his arms. He was just wishing he could make this all go away. She noticed his discomfort and that made it all the more amusing for her.
“You are lucky you still have family to cling too. A family that loves you, hugs you and adores you. My father was murdered when I was but a teen. The cops claim it was an accident. There wasn’t enough evidence to charge the man I KNOW is responsible. Sadly, that man is no longer with us. He died before I could ever confront him with what I knew.” Gretchen was looking at Dmitri and a look of profound sadness came upon her face.
Dmitri not at all swayed by this woman’s story or the look of false empathy on her expression, replied, “What does this have to do with me? I am waiting for an answer.”
“Wow, you are a man who likes to get down to business. No foreplay for you, huh? Okay, as you wish. I do know this man has a daughter. She is so in love with her childhood sweetheart. They have both had a most upsetting life so far, but they have found solace in each other. It’s enough to make me vomit.” She made a retching sound that angered Dmitri. This woman hated anything beautiful and good. What kind of woman was this, he pondered. “Again I ask, what does this have to do with me?” Dmitri asked losing his patience.
Gretchen growing angry with his continuous questions, “I AM GETTING TO THAT! IF YOU’LL SHUT UP FOR FIVE MINUTES, I can explain my plans and how you fit in it. Can you do that?” Her face had turned an ugly shade of red.
Dmitri was taken aback, he didn’t want to upset this obviously volatile woman so he sat quietly and let her finish.
“That’s more like it.” She smoothed some of her hair that had shaken out of place and composed herself once more.
“Now as I was saying, this boy and girl are very happy, unrightfully so. They have no right to be so happy, when I have lost everything that was important to me. And it is all that little wench’s fault! So, I need you to make it to where she leaves her young lover for a prolonged period of time. Make her fall in love with you. I don't care what happens, but these two must never be together. Do you understand that? I want these two insolent whelps miserable like I have been for so long.”
Dmitri was shocked by what this woman wanted him to do. Tear apart two perfectly innocent lover’s lives all because of an accident that happened how many years ago. Well, he would just tell her he wouldn’t do it, he couldn’t do it.
Gretchen saw the anguish in Dmitri’s face as he considered the facts and said, “If you don’t do this, you are going to spend a very long time in prison. Do you think a man of your “delicate” nature would last long there?”
Dmitri was scared, but knew he couldn’t go through with this. It was just too horrible. “I think you’re bluffing. You really don’t have any proof that anything happened that night and this is just your sad attempt at blackmail.” He replied with a new found courage.
Gretchen stood up and placed her hands on the table, leaned right into his face, “Do I look like I am bluffing? You left the scene of a crime, a crime in which you murdered an innocent man. You didn’t stop to think if maybe that man had scratched you, if you left anything behind. You just ran off like a little frightened rabbit. What kind of evidence might be all over that area? These are questions I am sure lots of people would love to know. Or better yet, what would your beloved Yvette think of you now? She may still love you, but could she really love a murderer?” Gretchen sat down with the knowledge that this boy wasn’t going anywhere. She had him right where she wanted him and that was good. She liked to be in control, she thrived off of it.
A dejected Dmitri with shoulders slumped asked, “What would you have me do?”
Gretchen replied, “I understand your father is very rich and has a vast orchard of grapevines. He has made quite a name for himself in the wine business, has he not?”
“Don’t you dare drag my father through this mess of mine. I don’t care what you’ve got on me; you leave my family out of this, or so help me...”
Interrupting him Gretchen fumed, “What…you’ll do what!? You are in no position to tell me anything you whiny, stuck up fool!”
She settled down and continued, “My father had several stock investments before his untimely departure from us and one of those was in a University in France. The name on the deed was a Monsignor Tristan Michel. Were you aware that your father owned a Fine Arts University?”
Dmitri had knowledge of many things his father had dabbled in. He always wanted to give back to the land that gave him so much, so he had commissioned the University be made and he ran it as the Dean of Students. With Dmitri taking over the wine business he could settle down and enjoy the fruits of his labor.
“I know a lot of things about my family and their finances. My father is running the University while I take over the wine trade. He is the Dean of Students. What does this have to do with our little venture?” He asked her cautiously.
“The lovers in question are named Wesley and Elizabeth. She loves art and I have come to the knowledge that she wants to go to a fine arts school. What better college than the best of the best? Am I right? And with your father in charge, she is a shoe-in. All we need is your wonderful recommendation, which you will give wholeheartedly. Of this I have no doubt.” Gretchen was quite pleased with this turn of events. Who knew that the complete destruction of two meddlesome youth would be so easy?
Dmitri, with all his heart and mind wanted to refuse this woman. What she was asking was reprehensible, but what other choice did he have? He couldn’t let her go to the police and his family could never find out. So, with a heavy heart he agreed to talk to his father about this girl.
“I am on a flight back to the States in a few days. I can expect a letter of acceptance for young Liz then, am I right?” Gretchen asked him knowingly.
Dmitri having lost all sense of pride didn’t fight it. “I will talk to my father as soon as I get home. You’ll provide me with an address in which to mail the letter?”
“Goodbye sweet Dmitri, it’s a pleasure doing business with you.” Gretchen walked away with her head held high and a new smile on her face. Wes and Liz would finally know heartache and misery like she had known. It was a good day; she felt luck had finally come around to her side for once.
Dmitri sat at the table with his head in his hands. What was he doing? Was he really going through with this? Reliving the conversation he couldn’t hold back any longer. He sat there and cried. He cried until he couldn’t cry anymore.
When he finally composed himself, he walked home. He felt the walk would do him some good. He would be able to think about things. Mainly he thought about what it would be like to be rid of this demon in a woman’s body. With that thought playing in his mind a smile crossed his face.
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