Change of Heart by Rina Pattinson (book club recommendations TXT) 📕

kindness and sincerity of the way Ian spoke in it. Second, the apology he gave. Third, the way he ended simply with his name and not with the usual: Love….. you know who this is. Lastly− and the most disturbing− the date. October 20th. Was it just by coincidence that Ian had chosen that date? It had to be. He couldn’t have known…..

I walked back inside where everyone was happy and seemed free of worries. October 20th was in three days. Three days until the smiles on their faces were permanently wiped. Three days until their last breaths were drawn. Three days until they were dead. I know I already was.

 

He sat in the cold lonely room where Adrian once was. He wasn’t on the floor like Adrian though. Instead he sat at a hard iron table on a cold iron chair; the steel dagger in his hands pounding against the table going in time with the loud ticking of the overhead clock on the wall. It was almost six o’ clock which meant he would return soon. The rain hadn’t stopped. In fact it was falling a lot harder than this morning. Despite the heavy showers of rain, the room was silent, with just the pounding echoing through its horror like atmosphere. The turning of the doorknob triggered the pounding to stop. He put the blade down on the table and waited. The door opened and the person walked inside, his eyes immediately going to the corner where he left his prisoner. Confused he scanned the entire room.

“Where is Adrian?” He asked sounding angry.

“Not here. But you noticed that.”

He was pissed as he walked up to him, grabbed him off the chair and held him up against the wall in a choke. “Where is he?”

“Relax Ian.” The man laughed. “Now, let’s not forget who’s really in charge here.” He said twisting Ian’s hand off of his neck breaking his wrist. “I let him go.”

“Why?” Ian asked wincing as he broke his bone back into place.

“Because I can. Don’t question me.” He walked to the other side of the room.

“He’ll tell them he saw you.”

“No. I compelled him to forget my face.” He said looking back at Ian. “Did you send the letter?”

“Why are you doing this to them?” Ian asked.

“Did you send the letter?” He asked, ignoring his question.

“Yes. She must’ve gotten it by now.”

“Good.”

“You didn’t answer me. Why are you doing this? You were supposed to look out for them. You were their leader, Vince. This doesn’t make sense.”

“Nothing ever does. Not until you see the whole picture. Hear the entire story. Know the entire truth.”

“I don’t think we should−

“Are you backing out now, Winters?” Vince looked at him.

“No. No of course not.”

“I thought so.” Vince said walking towards the table, picking up the dagger and twirling it in his hand. “Because there is gonna be bloodshed on October 20th.” He stopped twirling the dagger. “Some a little unexpected than others.”

“Come in.” He called, in response to the knock on the door. He was lying on his back, both hands behind his head, on the bed he missed so much.

“Hey.” Cate smiled closing the door behind her. “I just came to make sure you were ok.”

He smiled and touched the bed for her to join him. “I’m fine.” He whispered to her when she was next to him.

“Well,” she said, moving closer to him –her dress sliding higher up her legs as she moved− “you look fine.” She said, giving him a quick peck.

“I like your dress.” He said softly, tracing his fingers along the edges. “It looks great on you.”

“Really? Because I think it looks better…. off.”

Adrian laughed, turned to his side to face her and soon their lips were crushing each others. Her hands went to one of her favorite places: his hair. Her fingers danced between his lucks and slightly tugged on them when he deepened the kiss. She felt his warm breath bounce off her face as his mouth left her lips to explore her neck. Delicate moans escaped her mouth while she enjoyed what he was doing. She got even happier when he placed his left knee to the other side of her so that he hovered completely over her now. Without delay she unfastened the buttons on his shirt and tossed it on the floor.

“Cate…” He whispered.

“Sshhhh.” She silenced him as she pushed him onto the bed and got on top of him. As if it were a reflex, he ripped the beautiful lavender silk dress off of her body. Cate barely noticed. She was too busy devouring his bare chest; however, in no time the pants he was wearing now joined his shirt and Cate’s dress –well what was left of it− on the floor.

“Cate?”

“Yes?” She asked moving back to his lips.

“Do you − think− we’re− rushing into− things?” He asked in between kisses.

“Do you think so?” She asked, looking at him.

“It’s just that, it’s−

“It’s Kai isn’t it?” She asked.

He nodded.

She sighed. “I understand. If you don’t want me to−

“No, I want us to work but, I guess perhaps I need some time.”

She smiled. “I’m sorry, I rushed it.”

“It’s not your fault. I’m actually glad that you did.”

“Why?”

“I have trouble expressing how I feel to girls. It’s because of that, Kai never knew how I felt about her. You came to me and I like that.” He said rubbing her cheek with his thumb. “I just want that, when I tell you that I love you, you’ll know for sure that I mean it. I’ll know for sure.”

“You don’t love me now?”

“Of course I love you, Catey.”

“I know you do,” she smiled. “and I totally understand what you’re saying.”

“I got a bit carried away just now,” Adrian chuckled softly. “I’m sorry about your dress.”

“It’s ok.” She said coming off the bed.

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“It’s almost eleven, I should get some sleep.”

“You can sleep here,” He said pulling her back onto the bed. “with me.”

“Are you sure? You might get carried away again.” She smiled.

“Well, I guess there’s no harm in that.” He said, lying next to her.

The atmosphere in Moscow was way different to that of Manhattan. He almost forgot about how cold his homeland was around this time. He was barely out of the airplane when he had to put his second sweater on. The snow wasn’t here yet, but it sure felt like it was. Collecting a small amount of luggage he made his way to the exit gates, when he heard his name being yelled out from not too far behind him. Damn it! He didn’t really wanna see anyone right now.

“Ian!” The girl with waist length blond hair said his name with pure delight, flinging herself into his arms causing him to drop his bags.

“Emily, hey.” He said with a lot less enthusiasm than she held; however, he returned her hug genuinely.

“I’ve missed you so much. Where have you been?” She asked but before he could even think of answering he was tasting the strawberry flavor of her lip-gloss.

“Wow um Emily,” he said, breaking the kiss “I am really happy to see you but I need to go.”

“What? No, you can’t. We have to go out. Let’s go to the movies, let’s go have dinner, let’s –

“Look Emily, I have some really important stuff going on in my life right now. I don’t have time for you and I. In fact, there is no you and I.” He explained, trying not to hurt her feelings. “There never was, and I’m afraid there never will be. I’m sorry.” He said touching her face before he turned around to leave. He didn’t look back to see her face but he could hear her crying softly. He wasn’t trying to be a jerk. These days, he just was.

After waiting almost twenty minutes, he hoped into a cab and was on his way. The drive to the house was nearly thirty minutes. Hundreds of curves and turns contributed to the journey there but he didn’t mind. Before he sent the money over to his mother, she lived in small apartment on the bad side of town. The roof in the apartment was always leaking. The water supply was never dependable and she was lucky if the electricity ever came on. She had been robbed twice since she lived there and the apartment was about to be completely overtaken by rodents. Living conditions like that was not suitable for his mother and definitely not for his little sister either; not after she got really sick.

The new house was just as his mother described. A little too big for just two occupants, but that was alright. There was a medium sized lake in the front yard which Lizzy would have enjoyed, had things been different. A driveway leading up to a secure garage where Susan−his mother− could park the new car he had bought for her. Inside the house was warm and comfortable. Oh how he would have loved to be here living with them but he couldn’t. He set his bags down at the front door and walked a little further inside.

“Mom?” He called, continuing to walk. “Lizzy?” No one answered. He was confused. They knew he was coming. In the kitchen there was a pot on the stove. He opened it to find uncooked soup. Placing his hands on the pot itself he realized it was cold. This had to be here for quite some time which meant that his mother and Lizzy left a long time ago. It must’ve been an emergency if his mother couldn’t finish cooking. They left last night. He thought to himself as he took in a good whiff of the air, obtaining their fading scent. In a hurry he pulled out his phone and punched in the numbers to his mother’s cell; however when to phone began to ring he heard it right next to him on the table in the kitchen.

“Goddamn it!” He shouted out loud grabbing the phone. “Oh no!” He gasped in panic dropping the phone. The last number dialed belonged to the emergency room. The keys to his mother’s Toyota which once hung on the kitchen wall was now placed in the ignition and in a couple of minutes, Ian was speeding down the freeway. The first two hospitals he tried had no patient by the name of Elizabeth Winters nor had they seen or heard from Susan Winters. A kind young woman at the second hospital contacted a few other medical institutions for Ian and she was able to gain information that Elizabeth Winters was brought into a hospital, about three miles away, last night.

“Thank you so much.” He spoke to the woman who helped him.

“It was no problem.” She blushed, but was a bit disappointed when he ran through the exit without asking for her number.

He got to the hospital in five minutes and wasted no time at all. As soon as he got inside he went straight to the receptionist.

“Hello,” she smiled “can I help you?”

“Elizabeth Winters, I’m looking for Elizabeth Winters!” He repeated impatiently.

“And you are?”

“Does it matter? Where is she?” He shouted.

“I’m sorry sir but I’m gonna have to ask you to wait−

“Wait? Look lady I didn’t come here for a check- up! I am not gonna sit down and wait! I have to see Elizabeth Winters right now−

“Ian?” Someone called behind him.

“Mom!” He said, running into his mother’s arms like a child. “What happened? Is Lizzy ok?”

“There’s the doctor.” His mother said pointing to a man in a white coat down the hall. Together they approached him.

“Excuse me, are you Elizabeth’s doctor? Elizabeth Winters.” Ian asked.

“Yes.” He replied checking his documents.

“Is she gonna be ok?”

“Are you her brother?”

“Yes.”

“You have the same nose.” The doctor observed. “I’m afraid your sister doesn’t have much time left.”

Susan began to cry.

“What do you mean?” Ian asked; a stupid question, he knew.

“The Cancer, it’s at its worst. I’m sorry.”

“How much is it gonna cost? Name your price I’ll−

“We