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2024-10-29 19:42:56Inara reached the hotel a few minutes after 6:00 pm and was greeted by the girls at the reception.
They were dressed in pink tee-shirts with the words Inara Anthony- Bride to be
crested on the back. Inara was overwhelmed by their kindness."This is yours." Cassy said, presenting her with a similar tee-shirt in white.
"Wow, this is unexpected. I am moved." said Inara and wore it over her sleeveless blouse.
"It's our pleasure." said Amy.
"Let's take you to the room we booked." Eve said excitedly.
They led her away from the reception, then walked her along the hotel lobby to a room where on the door, a colorful banner was hung.
The banner bore boldly, her engagement picture where Lemuel was kissing her hand. On it, a fancy digital writing proclaimed Congratulations! Inara Anthony.
"You guys did all these for me?" Inara couldn’t believe it still. The girls had really troubled her in t
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Dark Love 20
Zee had managed to get Inara to stop crying during the drive and they reached Inara's home at about 8:30 pm.Inara took off the bridal shower tee-shirt and dumped it on the floor of the truck, hating it with every fiber of her being.“I’ll trash it for you.” said Zee.
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Inara would have liked more time to try and calm herself but remembering her last episode with him on timing, she hurried to her parent’s room and knocked on the door.“Dad, mum, Lemuel is taking me out.”She hoped they couldn’t hear the tremor she was fighting to keep from her voice.“Enjoy your courtship.” Her mum said.“Chastely.” her dad added.“I love you.” she said and hurried to the room Amara used as a studio. The door was open and her sister was engrossed at her canvas, replicating the picture of a lavender garden in sunset.“Nice work. Lemuel is taking me out.”“Thanks. Great. Have fun.” Amara said without turning. She was always concentrated when she worked.“Thanks.” Inara said and paused as her phone buzzed again with Lemuel’s call. She picked it up and brought it up to her ear.“Hello.”“What are you wearing?”“Jeans and tee-shirt.”“I want you in a dress. Two minutes.”The call went off and Inara hastened back to her bedroom and changed into a simple straight knee-length
Dark Love 22
“You can wrap your arms around me, Nara. It’s okay.” he said softly. Gingerly, she slowly brought her arms around him, coming to rest her head against his brawny chest, her sobs gradually reducing as the intense pain on her bum started to ebb.“Let’s get you a bit comfortable.” he said and lifted her onto his shoulder, taking her to the living room where she noticed for the first time that there was a big automatic couch that doubled as a bed in there. Gently, he lay her on her side, brushing her hair away from her wet cheeks. Her sobs were down to sniffles by now. “Shh, it’s okay.” He encouraged soothingly and she was surprised at the tenderness he was showing her but it helped her finally stop crying. “I need you to relax. I’ll get some balm so you can heal quickly.”She tensed up, her body protesting any reference to contact with her smarting bum.“Shh, just relax, I’ll be gentle, I promise. I gave you the pain. Now I’ll take it away.”Her protesting muscles slowly gave way as sh
Dark Love 23
“Hey, pumpkin.”Inara turned to find Alex coming up behind her where she was standing out on the terrace of the church building trying for the second time to see if Zee had shown up for the wedding rehearsal. It was 8:00 am and Zee was not there yet.Inara noticed that Alex had lost some pounds. His weight loss efforts were paying off. He was looking good.“Wow, you are slimming down.”
Dark Love 24
By evening, after dinner, Inara realized that she had not written her vow. She got into her room, grabbed a pen and sheet of paper, then sat down at her dresser to think. Words didn’t come.She tried to remember what the other brides she had watched in church used to read from their paper. They always said sweet things. But her own wedding wasn’t normal. It made it difficult to write anything.After more pondering with no headway, she decided to let her heart lead her and before long, she had finished writing the vow that she would read.
Dark Love 25
Reverend Anthony's Church,Heavens Vinewas brimming with the arrival of guests for Lemuel and Inara's wedding.Outside the entrance to the church, a banner had been erected with the picture of Lemuel's proposal to Inara. It was the picture where he was kissing her hand, the one that had the engagement ring on it.The words "Inara weds Lemuel" had been boldly inscribed on the banner with a romantic handwritten font.Some paparazzi were hanging around by the church entrance waiting eagerly to take pi
Dark Love 26
After the wedding ceremony, Inara found herself in a familiar situation, which was being in a car alone with Lemuel.The only difference was that, they were in their wedding clothes and she was seated beside him in the Range Rover that had brought him to church. The luggage she had carefully packed the previous night was in the booth and a low jazzy music was playing in the car as he navigated them through the streets.Inara recognized the apartment where he had punished her and quickly looked away. That hadn’t been funny.
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After Inara stopped crying, sleep overtook her and she found herself in her wedding dress, studying her reflection in the mirror at the dresser in Lemuel’s room.It then occurred to her that he had earlier yanked her wedding dress off her. How could she be wearing it now? Then it dawned on her that she was in a dream. She gasped as words formed a sentence across the surface of the mirror like smears of dripping blood. The Last Dare is Lifted, it read.
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Dark Love Epilogue
One Year, Six Months Later The day was bright and sunny with a clear blue sky that was almost surreal. Heaven’s Vine had a full congregation witnessing the wedding ceremony between Nana and Feedwell. Reverend Anthony was officiating the ceremony at the altar where the love stricken couple stood, facing each other before him. In the congregation, Lemuel was seated beside Inara, her hand in his. He was wearing a navy colored suit while she was wearing a long peach colored dress. She looked radiant and a bit plump like a nursing mother. “I still can’t believe that I’m supporting those two.” He said, smiling. “They clearly broke the domestic rule.” Inara chuckled. “Because you love them.” She said. “They captured your heart.” “Just like you captured mine.” He said caressing her hand with a finger. She blushed. “Definitely, sir.” “Hmn. That’s true. They are very efficient and I will miss them.” “Why? They made it clear they weren’t leaving.” “I know but I’m sure it’s out of loyalty
Dark Love 79
The room was a six-by-six with soft ashen vinyl walls and low, level ceilings. A hospital bed fitted with leather restraints took up most of the floor space. High up on one wall was a solitary window. It had the translucent look of old Plexiglas and steel posts kept it barred.Detective Kyle was talking to a nurse who was already leaving them. She gave Lemuel a glance and walked away with a sullen face.The detective walked up to Lemuel.“This is Suzy’s room. She had a crazy moment an hour ago, kicking and screaming but has been stabilized. You’ll see her right about now.’’“Okay, I’m ready.”“Your conversation will be recorded and monitored by the Psychiatrist in charge of this place and other officers.”“I understand.”Shortly after, Lemuel was in a small room with the detective, a technical sergeant mounting a recording equipment and a male Psychiatrist in a white doctor’s coat who was in his sixties.Before them was a transparent glass that clearly showed a blank room fitted in the
Dark Love 78
“I should be aware of something like this.” Lemuel said furiously through gritted teeth. He didn’t want Inara knowing that something like that was going on. She hadn’t fully recovered from the trauma and the last thing he wanted was for her to know about what Milo had just told him.“The police detective thought it better not to tell you so that you can concentrate on taking care of your wife.”“That is not their call to make.”
Dark Love 77
The hospital sat on a headland overlooking the lake, enveloped in acres of emerald green trefoil that rolled and toppled into the city mist. It was a paragon of modest architecture, auburn-colored bungalows thrown unevenly around a two-story administration building, the compound veined with pebble pathways and flower beds, partly shaded by the spreading branches of shore live oak.Blade points of grey tile roof intruded upon a cerulean sky so untainted it bordered on the imaginary. At the intersection of land and sky, a single twisted city pine clawed at the sky. Beneath its swaying trunk, patches of yellow and blue lupine flowed like paint drips down a slanting green canvas.
Dark Love 76
Milo moved the seat-belt around Vann and belted her in. She was starting to panic, her eyes rounding with fright.“Hang on.” he said as he belted himself in.“Is the Officer following us a bad man?” Vann asked nervously.“Relax.” Lemuel said, “Even If he probably is, I’m sure he has orders from your beloved daughter not to harm a hair on your precious head.”
Dark Love 75
“What’s your name?” Lemuel asked the woman as he rose to his feet.“Vann.”“Get up. You’re coming with us.” he told her and the agent pulled her up to her feet quite roughly.“I’ll come willingly.” Vann stated. “There’s no need to be heavy handed with me.”“Desperate times.” Lemuel said and led the way t
Dark Love 74
“Is there somewhere you think she might be?” Lemuel pressed. “I really need to see her.”The woman shook her head and remained silent.“I’ve been trying her phone number but it isn’t connecting. Has she changed it like, does she have another one?”Lemuel pressed again.The woman hesitated and he suspected that she was not willing to divulge information about that. It w
Dark Love 73
The City’s bustling landscape receded as Lemuel rolled off one of the main express roads that gave way to a single lane road on which he drove for a few minutes until an arrow with a sign that said pal estate directed him northward.The estate was low cost and situated on a property line marked by a large flowering tree that shadowed low wooden gates. The gates were open, meant for décor rather than security.Lemuel parked across from the third apartment, which he knew, was Suzy’s and the agent parked behind him. Alighting from their vehicles, they both squinted at the harshness of the sun’s glare.Lemuel wondered where Inara was. Was she in a shelter or burning in the heat of the sun? Was she alive or dead? God forbid! He thought. She must be
Dark Love 72
The sun was out in its full glory, casting its shimmering rays across the horizon, scorching the earth and raising temperatures all around.In the woods, it was worse because there was no shelter but most of the wildlife didn’t mind and still carried themselves about. Birds flew, called and sang, perching atop branches of trees and surrounding hills while crickets chirped amidst varying sounds from different unseen creatures that filled the air as they wandered and basked at home in their habitat.Inara was not faring well. The forest wasn’t her element and under the heat of the sun, she was strapped to a dying tree with scan
