- Who Wants to
Steele You?
- Part Three
- Written by
Ulrike Gubelt, 1998,
1999, and 2000
Both recognized that the blonde woman was Felicia - and she was
naked!
Laura swallowed hard.
<NO!> was all she could think.
Tears welled up in her eyes. She looked to Harry, who swallowed,
too.
He didn't know what to say! He just thought about killing Felicia!
Finally he tried, "Laura, I... uh..."
"Oh don't worry," Laura said bitterly, "I get
it!" She pushed his arms, still wrapped around her, away,
and started to move towards the door.
<Out! As soon as possible!> she thought.
But Harry grabbed her arm " No, Laura, please. I didn't
-"
"Stop it!" Tears were running down her cheek now as
she screamed furiously at him. "I don't want to hear your
excuses..." She freed herself and ran out.
As she left the room he heard Felicia laugh. For a moment he
just stood and thought what to do first follow Laura or kill
Felicia? He sighed and than ran after Laura, but he was too slow.
He just saw her driving away in the Rabbit. "God, Laura,
I didn't deceive you!" He screamed after the car.
He just hoped she wouldn't do anything foolish. If something
happened to her he surely would kill Felicia!
Felicia! She was still inside with Danny! He turned and saw Felicia
leaving the house, a big smile on her face.
"Still not convinced of your honesty, your little Lisa,
is she?"
Harry ran to her, grabbed her arms and screamed. "Shut up,
you bloody...!"
Felicia stayed calm. "My, my... Michael! You definitely
stayed too long in this country... your vocabulary!"
Harry was about to box Felicia's ears but stopped, and instead
of getting aggressive he let her go. He realized that beating
up Felicia wouldn't solve the problem. He'd sworn to himself
he'd never strike a woman, even Felicia.
"What now, Michael? You want to beat me, don't you? But
you don't... Why? You're such a coward!" Both looked angrily
at each other.
"Oh, how I hate you and your damn holy little world!"
Harry laughed a bitter laugh. "So that's it! You're jealous!"
"No, my dear! That would please you, wouldn't it? But I'm
not jealous of someone who is locked in such a boring life. Plays
to be happy, just lives his life without seeing the problems
people around him are confronted with."
"So this was your revenge because I wouldn't help you last
night?"
She smiled and turned to leave. "Only part of it, darling!
Only part of it..."
Harry watched her leaving. <Yes, I really hate her!> he
thought. <But maybe she was right about her problems? Maybe
he should've... No, it was quite obvious what she wanted from
him last night... There was no sign of serious problems! She's
just jealous!> he told himself again. Then he walked in again
to get dressed and start to search for Laura...
::::::::::::::::::::::::
<He did it! He actually did it! Even today it was their anniversary!
Well, that doesn't matter really. Probably he did it all those
years... Met her in hotel rooms and...>
Laura stopped thinking any further... it hurt too much. She parked
the car in front of the old warehouse and bend herself over the
steering wheel.
<You're a fool, Laura! How could you trust a man like him?
Even conceive a child with him... He was a cad and always would
be one!>
She sighed once again, got out from the car and ran into the
house, upstairs to her old loft, where Jenna and Murphy lived
now.
She knocked a few times and finally heard Jenna's voice.
"Yeah, I'm coming!" She heard the keys turning and
then finally Jenna stand in front of her.
"What the... Laura? God, what's wrong?" Jenna watched
her worriedly and in surprise.
Laura threw her arms around her younger sister. "Laura?"
"He did it! He did it!" she cried.
"Who did what? I don't understand? But first, come in..."
She pulled her older sister inside as Murphy emerged from the
bathroom. When he saw Laura he looked worried and came closer.
"God, Laura..."
Laura looked at him and said, "Oh, Murph, you've been right...
all these years!"
"Right? About what?" He didn't understand - no, it
couldn't be what came to mind... Remington was in love with her!
He had needed some time to realize that but now he was sure he
wouldn't hurt Laura! Okay, almost sure... But he is an ex-con-man...
"Murphy?" Jenna brought him back from his thoughts,
"Didn't you mention jogging this morning?"
She looked pleadingly at him and he understood. " Oh, sure.
I was just about to leave." Jenna pulled the crying Laura
to the couch while Murphy left the loft, still thinking.
"Now, Laura. Start again. Who made you cry like this?"
"I've been such a fool, Jenna!"
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jenna laughed a short laugh. "No, Laura! I can't believe
that! Remington would never -"
"But he did! I know what I've seen.... That blond poison!
In our bed - naked!"
"Yeah, you told me that already, but... maybe he didn't
know she was there!"
Now it was Laura turn to laugh, but it was a bitter laugh. "Oh,
Jenna, come on...."
"No, I'm serious. From your and Mildred's description of
this Felicia, I think this fits. Besides, do you really think
he would have brought you to the bedroom, knowing she was in
your bed?"
"Maybe he forgot it!"
Jenna watched her amused. "Laura, really, I don't think
a man would forget about hiding his lover when his wife returns..."
Laura sighed.
There was a knock on the door. Laura froze. " Jenna, if
it's Harry, I'm ...I'm not here!"
Jenna rose. "That's childish, Laura!" shaking her head
and, hoping this would be Harry with a good explanation, she
went to the door. How she wished that this morning would end!
It was him - with Danny in his arms.
He looked at least as bad as Laura did. "Jenna, is..."
he asked breathlessly.
Jenna said nothing, just nodded and took Danny from his arms.
"Thank you."
"It's okay, just get this cleared up, okay?"
"I'll try." He entered the loft and Jenna left them
alone.
When Laura noticed her husband she ran to the kitchen and tried
to escape through the window! But this time Harry was quick enough.
He grabbed the screaming and struggling Laura from the desk and
put her on the floor again. She hit his chest, but he didn't
let her go.
"Let me go! Let me go, you... liar!" Laura screamed
furiously.
"No, Laura. Damn... stop it!" He answered breathlessly.
"No, no! Why are you here? Did my appearance disturb your
little tête-à-tête and now she's not in the
mood for -"
"Stop it! Listen to me and stop hurting yourself...."
Laura fought against his strong grip once again, but failed.
She started to cry.
Harry feared he hurt her with his grasp but he knew that she
would ran away if he let her go now. He loosened his grip a little
bit and repeated, " Listen to me, will you?"
"No, I don't want to listen!"
"This fits, doesn't it? Once a cad, always one, isn't that
what you think now?"
Remington noticed that Laura stopped fighting against him and
that gave him his answer.
"But I didn't betray you... you left me without reason!"
Laura blinked angrily at him.
"Without reason? And how about what I've seen?"
"I know what you've seen... but it's not what it seemed
to be! I didn't deceive you... I don't know how she got in our
bed!" She laughed bitterly. "Laura, it was Felicia
who took your seat on that airplane..."
"Ha! That's wonderful! It seems not only on the plane..."
"No! She could never.... I threw her out of the house last
night when she tried to seduce me. I went to sleep... alone!"
She looked down.
"Laura, look at me."
Slowly she looked up again. Was he really telling the truth?
She looked in his eyes and only could see seriousness in them
when he said, "I love you, Laura. Only you... Do you really
think I would risk you and our family, now that I finally have
one, for a woman like this? Laura, do you really think I would
have carried you to our bed when I knew Felicia was waiting there?"
Laura sighed and looked down again. <So, he really was innocent?>
She felt ashamed. <God, she hurt him! She didn't trust him
once again!> He loosened his grip once more and lifted her
face with his fingers. He looked straight in her eyes. "I
swear I slept alone and dreamt of you..." Laura sighed and
nodded.
"Your old girlfriends really like to be in your bed without
your knowing..."
"What?"
"Just remember Shannon Wayne!"
"Yeah... I see. That time I was as innocent as I am now.
Shannon just needed money..."
"And Felicia?"
"She said she had a problem and needed my help, but I made
clear that I would not help her... I know her problems! Laura,
please believe me. I hate that woman!" Laura nodded again.
He sighed, not sure if Laura was angry anymore. "Can you
forgive me? "he asked.
"I must ask you to forgive me!" Laura replied.
"You?"
"Yes, I... You were right. I really thought 'Once a cad...'
That... that was mean, I know..." she said ruefully.
"It's okay. A man with my past... it's not so easy to believe
in a con-man. I understand that..."
"You do? I don't! I mean... we're married a year now, we're
in love, parents of a wonderful daughter and... I still have
those old fears. I'm so sorry..." Tears rolled over her
cheeks. "I know how much my mistrust hurt you... but I swear
I'll trust you from now on!"
He wiped her tears away and smiled. "Thank you." Laura
smiled back.
Harry opened his arms and Laura nestled into his embrace. "I
love you, Harry." "I love you, too." Laura looked
into his eyes and smiled. Harry smiled back and bent down to
met her beautiful lips. They kissed passionately for a few moments,
but suddenly Laura realized that they weren't at home, and this
wasn't the right place to get lost in passion.
She stopped the kiss and smiled at Harry who seemed to understand
her reaction.
"What do you think of asking Jenna to take care of Danielle
all day long?"
He grinned, and Laura continued, "I mean... she always complains
that she sees her niece only occasionally, and it's our first
anniversary. We definitely need to celebrate today..."
"I always loved your ideas!" Laura smiled, left his
embrace and took his hand.
While rushing towards the door she said, "We shouldn't waste
another minute after the disaster this morning." She swung
the door open and hauled Harry behind her.
He laughed "Laura! Slow down... You're so impetuous...!"
"Yes, I am..."
Jenna laughed when she saw them which stopped Laura in her tracks.
She smiled happily at her sister.
"I take it all is resolved?"
"Yes, you were right, Jenna! Fel-"
Remington laid his finger on her lips and said, "Laura,
I never want to hear that name again!"
They looked at each other for a moment and Jenna, who was still
carrying Danielle on her arm, thought she had to remind them
of her existence. She cleared her throat.
"Well, and now family Steele is returning home happy again?"
Laura and Remington smiled at her. And Jenna could tell by this
smile what was coming.
"Actually..." Laura started, "we thought that
you could..."
Jenna smiled. "No problem. I'll take care of Danielle!"
Laura laughed happily and embraced her sister.
"Thank you!"
"It's okay! It's my present to you both for your anniversary
and besides..." Jenna sighed.
"It looks as if you have the chance of returning this favor
quite soon..."
Laura and Harry looked at her in surprise, than at one another,
and finally Laura asked, "You're..."
"Yes. I'm pregnant..." She smiled shyly.
Laura embraced her once more. "Oh, Jenna... that's... that's
wonderful." When Laura let Jenna go Harry bent down to give
her a kiss on her cheek. "Congratulations!"
"What does Murphy say?" Laura wanted to know. Jenna
sighed once more.
"He... he doesn't know yet."
"Jenna!" Laura admonished.
"I know, Laura... I know what I told you a year ago, but...."
"There's no but! You have to tell him!"
She looked at both of them and nodded. "I will!"
"Promise?"
"Yes. But now go and celebrate your anniversary!"
They smiled, and Laura said, glancing at her husband, "We
will!"
She started her way to the stairs and pulled Harry with her.
"Sorry Jenna, I don't know what's on Laura's mind..."
"Oh, I do!" she laughed as Harry disappeared around
the corner. She looked down at her niece. "You've strange
parents, Danny!"
She thought about her child. She wasn't sure if Murphy liked
the idea of being a father. He had never told her how he felt
about starting a family, but Laura was right! It didn't make
sense to hide the fact - they had to talk about it!
"Hey, Jenna... What's going on here?" Murphy was standing
in the door to the stairs and pointed downstairs.
Jenna laughed.
"I've never seen them running down those stairs before."
" They're just about to celebrate their anniversary."
"Oh, I see. But earlier."
"That was a misunderstanding!"
Murphy nodded, not really satisfied. He went to Jenna and pointed
at Danny. "I think they've forgotten something..."
"Oh, I... I thought you wouldn't mind. Look, it's only a
day, and." she said nervously, but his answer relieved her.
He reached for Danny and took her on his arm while saying, "I'm
not complaining, Jenna. I like children. Really!" Jenna
smiled.
"Why are you smiling, darling?" he asked confused.
Jenna took her arm around his waist and pulled him towards the
loft.
"I think we need to talk, Murphy..."
To be continued...(Yes, although this might look like a happy
ending...it isn't! There's steele more to come. Just wait and
see...)
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