Chapter 1 – Dagger In The Ashes Of A Rose
Each red pill was an alternative pathway, a route to freedom, the illusion of a drugged-up mind but the comfort blanket for a broken soul. Only in the morning did remorse and guilt pummel Audrey and that was only because of her sons. Her husband, a dreadfully plain workaholic never acknowledged her struggles or maybe he pretended not to know. Either way, Audrey Willow, detested her domestic prison and yearned to leave behind the laundry, the tantrums, the school runs, and just go to a nightclub or take a drive into the desert. Audrey took three pills with a tequila sunrise, the void that burrowed a chasm into her heart, and soul was locked into its cage. She felt her mind stir as her thoughts floated away, butterflies of someone else, a version of her that would never truly belong to her.
The AA meetings had become the highlight of Audrey's week. She had been clean for three months. Audrey wasn't sure if it was a placebo effect but her thoughts had become nicer, and the void she had been feeling started to subside.Gabriel had been so supportive, even encouraging Audrey to go back to school. She had considered it in the past but felt like she was abandoning her boys if she did. But they were eight and six. It wasn't like they were toddlers who needed constant monitoring with consistent nurturing. Being a mother wasn't all bad, she loved her sons but she had no maternal instincts. If they had been birds, she probably would have kicked them out of the nest by now. Audrey's new perspective was thanks to Gabriel who had opened her mind to ideas she had long dismissed as "Pipe dreams." Audrey spent more time on hobbies
Audrey had her identity changed to Katherine Hardier. She felt liberated but it was strange hearing other people address her this way. Gabriel was the only one who still called her Audrey amongst other nicknames. She was living in a cottage with him, and life had straightforward so far. Audrey thought of her boys now, and again, there were times she wanted to hold them but she couldn't go back. The hurt looks she had seen from the pictures taken at the funeral was enough to convince her that aside from her idea being hurtful in the first place, if she went back that would be unfair to her former children, and husband.In regards to Gabriel, she knew that as much as she adored him, she didn't want kids or marriage. At first, he seemed sad about the revelation but understood her reasoning. However, the pain they had both endured wa
The political mask he wears in public, the person he is by himself, and the mask he started wearing for Audrey. "So many masks, yet none of them seem to fit anymore." Gabriel muttered kicking a pebble into the water. He had snuck out early this morning to clear his mind. The world around him felt smaller each day. Gabriel missed his job, being a politician gave him a purpose beyond being Gabriel, the great boyfriend, and washed-up model. He kicked another pebble watching it break the rhythm of the waves. The urge for power had festered in his heart a few days after leaving his office. Then the guilt that followed was awful, Audrey gave up her life to be with him and now his mind was having second thoughts about staying with her. Gabriel knew in the depths of his soul that his love for Audrey could transcend every star, and continent but the lure of adulation would always top it.
In the weeks since they found out about her pregnancy, Gabriel had become the definition of husband material. He was grinning everyday, and had an extra spark in his stride.He dedicated himself to her. Audrey felt as if she was in heaven, he was sweet, loving, doting, caring, and protective. She couldn't understand what she did to deserve this kind of love. Gabriel was happy, beyond that, he felt like a joyous, reinvigrated and motivated. He walked with purpose and with pride. His dreams seemed to be realized now, and that made into a different kind of man. Responsibility, became the center of his core values. She couldn't believe this was the same politician that had to decieve the public on a daily basis because the people around him wanted things to be a certain way. She could see the toll that had taken on him, but she could also see how much of his personality, heart and soul had returned to him since leaving the political world.He walked up be
A detective sat back in his chair, the light of the table lamp shining across his five o'oclock shadows as he sorted through an assortment of pictures, reciepts and documents on his desk. His client was specific in his orders. He wanted to be absolutely sure that his wife was dead. The man found this case particularly strange since they had buried the body and the husband had identified her as his wife before the funeral. According, to his client, a neighbor had a approached him at the funeral asking why a certain gentlemen friend had not showed up to pay his respects. When he delved further he found out that this said individual had came over to his home in many instances.He fetched a clean glass from underneathe his desk before pouring himself another glass of whiskey. He downed the amber liquid, letting it burn across the contours of his vocal cords. His eyes were bloodshot and his shirt was unbottoned at the top. The neat black thi
Finding out that Audreys husband was in pursuit of answers had put a strain on herself and Gabriel. He decided to go to Canada and attend the interview with the detective. He really didn't have a choice. Suspicion would grow if he acted out of character. The press didn't pay him much mind here, but that would likely change if the whiff of a scandal started to float around. He couldn't risk that, not with Audrey in the later stage of her pregnancy and considering how cruel her former husband could be. He needed to sort this out, before the situation became a trojan horse.Audreys hormones had formed into in a hurricane of tears as Gabriel packed his suitcase. They both sat in the room not uttering a word to each other. He stuffed his folded up socks into the tight space between his ties and underwear. He was deep in thought. He understood why his wife was upset but if he were to help protect her identity and get this detective out of the way then he needed to thi
The trip to Canada had been long and thoroughly unpleasant for Gabriel. His flight had been delayed twice due to unsafe weather conditions and when he did get up in the air they were forced to stop at the nearet airport because of a bomb scare. It had turned out to be a moronic prank carried out by a couple of teenagers who were swiftly detained, before the flight was able to set off again. His mood was completely soiled by the time they reached the final stop. He was drenched through, the rain just as terrible in Canada as it had been in Scotland. A rain drop dribbled from the curl of his black hair that hung over his face, down his nose, past his chin and onto the floor. He ran his hand through his hair. He decided that his first priority would be to dry up, get a meal, then head to his hotel to get ready for this meeting. He looked to his wedding band, he missed her already. Without her knowing, he had taken a bottle of her perfume with him. Two days would feel like two eternitie
The mountainous terrain of Ontario sent a pang of nostalgia into his heart as he made his way from the area he was staying at, into the city. Once he had checked into the hotel the night before, he had managed to get his contacts together and build a bulletproof picture of his life during the time he was around Audrey. His stride was confident as he walked along the road. He decided not to take a car because he wanted to enjoy the scenery of his old stomping grounds. The cool crisp Canadian air sent shivers across his back as he exhaled happily. The mist from the mountain tops was moving across the black spruce tree's and covering the road ahead of him in a blanket of white cotton. Twigs crunched beneathe his boots as he continued on. His mind conjured up a couple of possibilities. One of them being, what if he had met Audrey, before her former husband had. Would they have been happy? would they have had an army of children by now? he wasn't entirely sure of the answers to these que