The Winter Bride (TSBS-2) COMPLETED

Chapter Eleven

The fear really hits you. That's what you feel first. And then it's the anger and frustration. Part of the problem is how little we understand about the ultimate betrayal of the body when it rebels against itself.
- Charles Bronson

Neil Harris

November was ending.

Daylight flooded through the glass wall and into the apartment. The sky was clear but the temperature seemed to be dropping gradually. There was a cool air sneaking upon the city already.

Winter in New York was a disaster. It was an indication of foul turn of events; well, at least for me.

A sniffle behind me, reminded me of my foul turn of events.

"Your father isn't even worried." I stated, looking down at the busy stream of vehicles.

There was no reply.

I raised my eyes from the street and onto my reflection in the glass. Grim face exposed my true feelings. I was never good at hiding my emotions; not like Tyler at least. He mastered at that skill. Another skill, I admired about him.

That man had said I was right in my mind to worry about a father kicking down Sanders Inc's one of the greatest creation. This building was probably built on the reign of Tyler's father. Roger Sanders was double the man Tyler was but nonetheless, Tyler was an ideal son and his parents were proud of him all the way. It was odd to not be aware of the owner of this grand hotel. It wasn't surprising though.

When my father gifted me the top two floors of a hotel, turning them into a private duplex penthouse for my 21sth birthday, I didn't care enough to know about the details of this building. At that time, I only cared about getting the hell out of my parents house.

I was twenty one and annoyed with my parent's constant presence in my life. If only there was a way to reverse the time. If only they were here now, constantly being a presence in my messed up life.

Turning away from my troubled reflection, I muttered quietly. "Stop crying."

But she didn't. Her eyes were a tap and water flowed down endlessly. It had me curling my hands in disgust. She wouldn't stop so I might as well continue talking. In an urgent voice, I asked. "What else did your sister say? Didn't she say why?"

There was silence once again. Her head laid on her lap helplessly and every once in a while, I heard a sniffle from her.

At that time, I felt a minor pressure in my head and I massaged my forehead, driving away the ache for now. There was nothing more I hated than crying women.

"Ashley!" I called out hardly. Her shaking shoulders froze and she glanced up at me, hesitantly. Once again, pink and blotchy face stared at me. "Answer me."

"No." She said in a broken voice. "Just leave me alone."

A fresh new set of tears followed after her words and it had my skin crawling.

I stepped down the long platform, striding around the curved sofa and stood beside the glass coffee table. She picked up another tissue and cried onto it.

A repulsion went through me and I felt rage flood to the surface. Kicking the coffee table, I shouted. "Ashley!" A slight pain started on my shoe clad foot but it was soon ignored when she startled and looked up at me, with her eyes swimming in heaps of tears. "Stop fucking crying! Just stop it! Tears are for the weak! Why are you always so weak?!"