Chapter 6 A Shocking Reunion

Under the soft sway of the taxi, Elizabeth became lost in thought as the gorgeous Hamptons scenes opened out before her like a living canvas. Curious bungalows with well kept gardens gave place to magnificent chateaus, their exquisite veneers a testament to the money that entered this privileged area. Jeremy's face was pressed against the window beside her, his eyes wide with wonder as he devoured the views and hints of this other world. Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at her son's wild enthusiasm in sharp contrast to the whirl of her own feelings.

As the taxi approached their location, a trepidation that threatened to catch her in its thorny grasp started to grow root. She understood this trip was about more than just a craftsmanship exhibition; it was a confrontation with the phantoms of her past, a retribution with the choices that had shaped her life and the one who had previously held the key in to her happiness. Before them stood the magnificent exhibition, its sleek lines and current design a startling contrast to the conventional charm of its environmental elements. Elizabeth walked Jeremy out of the taxi and onto the pristine grounds, a deep, steady breath soothing her nerves in any case. Elizabeth was struck with wonder as they got closer to the door. This was all there was to it: the pinnacle of long periods of penance, of restless evenings spent perfecting her art, of dreams maintained despite obstacles. At last, she was exploring the world she had always yearned for, one in which her vision would be cherished and her talents would be honored. She was at peace in the brilliance of this earth shattering occurrence, but a familiar name caught her eye and sent a thrill of recognition coursed through her bloodlines. Drake Resorts of Luxure Elizabeth felt her breath stop in her throat and her steps stumbled as the physical power of that name descended upon her. Michael Drake is the man whose very core had once set her ablaze with a passion only to be extinguished by a callous indifference that broke her heart into a million pieces. Her eyes swept over the lavish surroundings, absorbing the understated beauty and grandiose furniture from every angle as though pulled by an invisible force. This was his space, a world of wealth and glory he had cut from the base of his own assurance and wish. She turned to see the massive man walking across the great entrance. He seemed to be radiating strength and assurance that would control the surroundings. She noticed a slink of motion. Dream of development and prosperity, Michael Drake was a man who had conquered the world and bowed it to his will. He was brilliant in a tailored suit that accentuated his wide shoulders and etched highlights. Elizabeth felt her heart skip a thump, a forced reaction to the naked attraction emanating from his very core. Time seemed to slink back to a slither as their glances locked, an accused second bursting of the weight of implied tales and unmet obligations. Elizabeth felt free in the profundities of those steel-dark eyes, suffocated in the blustering ocean of emotions that moved to clear her away for an endless instant. Once more that wide-eyed dreamer, she was caught by the seductive appeal of a man whose touch had set flames within her ablaze with an intensity she had never known. The years had seemed to evaporate. But the hard facts of the present broke the illusion right away. Michael's look grew tougher and his features settled into a mask of inexplicable indifference as he turned away, his focus absorbed by the needs of his magnificent realm. The weight of his rejection, which felt like a physical blow, sharply brought Elizabeth back to the rejection that had once split her planet. She had come here searching for closure, a chance to firmly let the dark spirits of her past go. She was trying to reject them. But now, in Michael's apathy, she was adrift and the whirl of feelings threatening to overwhelm her sapped her will. A light tug on her sleeve startled her from sleep, and she turned to see Jeremy's worried look riveted on her. His voice tethered with honest blamelessness, he questioned, "Mom, would you say you are okay?" Elizabeth attempted to muster a comforting smile, her heart full of love for this wonderful youngster who had grown to define her universe. Mumbled, "I'm fine, darling," she brushed a wayward lock of hair from his temple. "Let's go inside and work out where we are, okay?" As they walked across the great entrance, Elizabeth couldn't get rid of the discomfort that had seized her. This place, this fortress of wealth and honor, was a world independent of anyone else's perspective, where the rules were controlled by riches and influence, and pariahs like her were simple gatecrashers, endured but never really acknowledged. But even as she battled the weight of her own instability, a glimmer of hope seized within her. She was here to assert her importance as a craftswoman and a woman who had battled like the devil to shape her own path, therefore ensuring her rightful place. Should Michael Drake choose to overlook her presence, she would not let her victory to be reduced. Elizabeth walked steadily to the registration counter, her head held high, her spine straight, The faultlessly groomed chaperon greeted her with a polished smile, her eyes flickering momentarily to the child next to Elizabeth before she returned with a practiced warmth. Her voice was velvety and she said gently, "Welcome to the Drake Luxury Resort". "How might I help you today?" Elizabeth's comments rang with a conviction she had believed lost a long time ago, and she felt a flood of pride swell inside her breast as she explained her drive. "Hello, my name is Elizabeth Parker and the summer show features me among the highlighted artists." The attendant's eyes slightly widened, a trace of recognition crossing her features before she came back under control. "Surely, Ms. Parker," she answered, her voice straying into reverence. "We have been quite looking forward your arrival for some time." Elizabeth let her eyes stray as the attendant handled the formalities of check-in, absorbing the opulent surroundings that seemed to radiate easy elegance. She had only seen from far-off a world of honor and excess, one that had once seemed to be so wonderfully appealing. Elizabeth, though, felt a fresh clarity come over her as she stood among the privileges of money and power. She did not really want for this to be her reality. Her route had been created from the furnace of her own challenges; a voyage of self-discovery and emancipation had brought her to this point of triumph. Elizabeth nodded with a kind smile as the orderly showed her the way in to her facilities; her fingers twitched over the cool metal as though it were a charm, a picture of her hard-earned success. She said, "Thank you," her voice calm and soothing. "I see myself making money here." Turning to guide Jeremy to their temporary residence, Elizabeth couldn't help but glance over her shoulder one more time. Her eyes were pulled relentlessly to Michael Drake, whose easy magnetism drew everyone around him. She knew in that split-second, with perfect clarity, that she was no longer the dreamer with wide-eyed vision who had lately fallen under his influence. She was a woman roused from slumber, shaped in the furnace of adversity and cooled by her own adaptability. Elizabeth also knew that she would meet any obstacles head-on, her spirit intact, her will relentless, as she left, her steps imbued with a fresh sense of direction. She had claimed her success at that time, not over Michael Drake or the qualities of wealth that surrounded her but rather over the questions and shortcomings that had formerly sought to overwhelm her. She was warrior and artist Elizabeth Parker. She could now control her fate, free from the pledges that had imprisoned her in the past. Elizabeth felt harmony fall over her like a robe as the sun sank beneath the skyline and sent its bright tones over the extravagant natural elements. The weight of her convictions strengthened her spirit; the road ahead was unknown and full of countless possibilities and obstacles. But even as she reveled in this newly acquired sense of strengthening, a dark shadow lurked not too far off, an evil power trying to untangle her delicate tapestry of hard-earned triumph. Deep within the Drake empire, a dark plan was under progress; it was a web of deceit and treachery ready to catch Elizabeth and the people she loved.