Negotiations - Ch 1 - Home Again

 

Elissa hugged Collette tightly and blinked away tears, she didn’t want to go home, but with her sister’s wedding fast approaching, Elissa had received more than enough emails from her and the families business asking her to come back home again and help out.

“You’ll be fine ma chérie cousin.” Collette laughed as lightly as her thickly accented voice; she gave Elissa one more good squeeze before letting her go. “You ‘ave done so much an' been so good to me an' my family chérie, we shall miss you.”

Elissa smiled blinking away more tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks.

“I shall miss you too, merci beaucoup for everything Collette, and I will be back as soon as I can.”

They kissed each other’s cheeks once more with sad sighs and laughter.

 Before she changed her mind and ran back upstairs to unpack her bags and hide under her bed, Elissa left her cousins nectary as fast as her legs would carry her.

The plane ride back to Midnight Valley would take long enough as it was, delaying anymore would only hurt more.

In the coolness of dusk, Elissa stood in the towns’ central park watching and listening to a family play catch, laughter echoed noisily in the stillness of everything.

The slightest of breezes rustled the trees leaves slightly and wafted the beginnings of evening meals being prepared down the street.

It was taking everything she had not to just turn on her heels and go back to the airport; she took a deep breath in before forcefully letting it out again.

Across the street the town clock chimed loudly and firmly that it was six o’clock, each toll of the bell making her shudder knowing that she was already running late. She stepped down from the pergola and started to make her way out of the park.

 

“Well, if there ever was a beauty, you must be the original version.”

The smooth somewhat deep male voice grated against her ears like steel wool, again, it took everything she had not to clench her fists, teeth and charge at where the voice came from, screeching like a raging banshee.

Stopping and casually turning her head, she blinked lazily and gazed at Donavin as he stood looking at her in the fading light of the evening.

His perfectly cut suit, fitting him as if he was born wearing it and his hair so perfectly neat it was disgusting. She felt like tearing the suit and messing up his hair beyond recognition in her building fury.

 

He walked right up to her, bold as brass and leaned in slightly as he spoke to her.

“Now I know everyone in this quaint little town, and you I’ve never seen before. Visiting family, friends?” His gaze was warm and his eyes glittered with interest as he gave her a quick glance over. Elissa knew her newly acquired, slender but still curvaceous figure had been a head turner in the small quaint town she had been living at in France, but she had put it down to her different skin and hair colouring.

Now it was obvious that her slenderness was a new attractive asset of her very own.

She guarded her words carefully, Donavin had never really paid attention to her name or her, and now that she was slender and two years older, he was falling all over her like a stupid hormonal schoolboy.

“Family, my sister is getting married in a few weeks.” She answered quickly, her choker felt very itchy from a slight nervous sweat and she restrained herself from reaching up and scratching the spot, least it show she had a weakness.

 

A bitterness rose in her veins like poison as Elissa looked at Donavin standing before her in the ever fading dusk light of the evening.

A slight smile on his lips that were framed by a perfectly groomed chin beard, his slender muscular frame fitting into a tailored suit and silky straw blond hair just resting on his shoulders all making him Elissa’s perfect day-dream of a man.

Now... it was fading fast for her.

Small talk ensued for a while, the whole time she cared less and less for the man she had once clawed after as if she had needed him to breath her very last.

‘How dare he!’ She thought angrily to herself as he spoke to her.

He seemed to have no idea who she was, not even a little bit. As much as it annoyed her, it also made her feel slightly devious as well. She wasn’t hiding who she was, but so far Donavin hadn’t even thought to ask her name, all he was doing was talking about what he did, liked and thought.

‘For the Watchers sake!’ Elissa thought suddenly with a cold sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. ‘He’s so full of himself he could be an overstuffed chicken for Sunday dinner.’ The thought made her smile slightly; the sudden sound of him clasping his hands brought her back to what he had been saying.

 

“Wonderful, so I can give you a lift to where you have to go?” Donavin finished saying, Elissa quickly shook her head as she gasped a quick answer.

“Oh, no... Really it’s not necessary. I have my own car and know my way very well around here.” Her heart was pounding so hard that she was sure it was going to burst out her chest.

Her answer seemed to fluster Donavin and suddenly she saw what she may have looked like to him over a year ago on that dreaded day.

“Well, can you tell me where you’ll be staying? Maybe I could take you out to dinner sometime?” His voice lowered an octave as he gazed at her in a way that made Elissa feel uneasy and as if he could see right through her clothes.

Lifting her chin slightly so that she was looking down at him slightly, Elissa smiled over so slightly and gave her best flattering blink.

“You know, I really think you’ll be seeing me again without the need for my address. Good bye...” She paused as if she had forgotten his name.

Donavin answered back all too quickly, almost making her laugh out loud at his eagerness to get to know her on an obviously intimate basis, which was more than she could say for him over a year ago. “Donavin, Donavin Hatch of Hatch Publishing House here in town.”

With that she gave him a small nod, turned and walked away ever so casually making sure that her hips gently swished her long skirts accenting her new, hourglass figure.

 

The family house was still the same.

It wasn’t as though Elissa had expected the place to change in just over two years, but with her sister living there with her fiancée and aunt, she didn’t really know what to expect. Her father’s will did specify that the mansion would go to her, as long as she allowed her aunt (by marriage into the family) and little sister to live there until she herself married or set up a business agreement with the Hatch publishing company. She planned to get a meeting arranged between her lawyers and the publishing companies as soon as possible.

‘She’s back!’

The exhilarated voice of her little sister came from inside making Elissa look into the foyer window, but she couldn’t see anyone as she continued into the house.

Coming inside the lounge room, Elissa’s aunt, Tabitha rushed over and embraced her in warm, jasmine scented hug, then stepped back, happy tears making her eyes shine like wet chocolate.

“Oh it’s so good to see you...” She suddenly gasped as she noticed how slim Elissa had become. “And you... you’ve changed so much, you never mentioned anything in your emails or phone calls, sneaky girl.” Tabitha gave a warm throaty laugh and Elissa couldn’t help but feel welcome and very much loved and was happy that no one seemed to be upset or angry with her.

Tabitha hadn’t been very happy since she had lost her husband and son in a fire three years ago; it was good to see her smiling again.

Mitchell gave his own small hello and Bianca stood out of the way for the time being while their aunt gushed over Elissa’s fancy French clothing and hairstyle.

Footsteps from the kitchen side of the lounge room made Elissa look up, Donavin had come in and stopped dead just inside the archway.

His eyes showed that he was processing the whole situation from the park up to now; he tried to hide his expression and fiddled with his jacket cuff, pretending to fix a button.

Elissa felt the cold feeling come back to her stomach again, only now it was beginning to start creeping up her spine like a python curling around a tree branch.

Finally Elissa was able to go to Bianca and surprised her little sister with a gift.

“Presents, oh thank you Ellie, you really didn’t have to you know.” Bianca gushed and Elissa handed her a package. She had picked up one too many nick-knacks during her stay in France and knew that jewellery she had picked up she would never wear, but knew that Bianca loved jewellery and would wear it proudly.

Again, Elissa’s gazed shift to Donavin who hadn’t moved.

He was staring at the floor near her feet as if she had caught him eyeing her over again, she couldn’t be sure and did her best not to clench her teeth.

Donavin was watching everything from behind Elissa on the other side of the lounge room; Tabitha was watching Elissa like a mother hen does over her chicks.

Everything suddenly seemed to become a blur of activity as Bianca whisked Elissa upstairs to her newly refurbished bedroom, insisting that everyone join her and Mitchell for drinks at the pub that they had already planned to go out to that evening.

She clenched her teeth and felt her jaw beginning to ache.

 

The whole evening was an uncomfortable affair and Elissa felt odd sitting on a couch with Tabitha and Donavin while Bianca and Mitchell sat at another spot a bit away from them.

Elissa could hear Bianca talking a little too loudly, demanding that she have what she wanted for the wedding arrangements to Mitchell and telling him that he was being unfair and spoiling everything.

For the entire evening, no one really spoke to each other, except to say how wonderful the new furniture and drinks were.

It was more uncomfortable than having loud hiccups at a funeral that you couldn’t leave; Elissa began to wonder why she hadn’t just sent an expensive gift with her apologies for the wedding and stayed and France.

 

When everyone got back to the house, Elissa was more than happy that her aunt had already organised everyone’s sleeping arrangements, she didn’t feel like sleeping alone in for fear of having to confront Donavin on her own just yet, so she decided she was going to get the key off Tabitha so she could lock her door.

Just before she went into her room after getting the key, Tabitha stopped her in the hallway.

She looked worried. “Elissa, what are you doing back here? I can see it in your eyes you would rather be anywhere else but here.” She spoke softly and the concern in her voice was so gut wrenching, Elissa didn’t want to answer her.

None the less, as she readjusted some of the pins that were sticking uncomfortably into her head, she gave her reason.

“For the family’s name. I’m not going to have it dragged through the muck of every paper from here to the coast because of that coward!” Without knowing it she had almost shouted the last part, she firmly shut her mouth and looked away from Tabitha for a moment feeling ashamed of herself for saying how she really felt out loud. A familiar sting in her eyes told her she would cry if she blinked, so she didn’t.

Tabitha gave her that pitiful smile again when she did manage to glance up, the very same one she had given her at the wedding; Elissa snapped. “Don’t give me that look, I’m not a child anymore, I grew up while I was away and I’ve put all my transgressions behind me.”

Tabitha replied with the soft wisdom that older woman seem to have. “Did you Elissa?”

Elissa opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a small squeaking sound as her words caught in her throat.

Inhaling deeply she huffed out the breath and went into her room, locking the door and crawled into bed; her sleep was troubled from her thoughts which kept her tossing and turning throughout the night.

 

To Elissa’s amazement, Bianca had a ‘welcome home’ party organised by the next evening, old and new friends came and filled the living room with chatter, laughter and noise.

Elissa found herself reacquainting herself with old friends, everyone commented on how wonderful she looked and how impressed they were with her running her father’s nectary business, and doing so well standing alone without a business partner.

It grated her that no one thought she would be able to do so well without some silly attachment to her family’s name, but she smiled and accepted the comments graciously and participated in idle chatter, until she found herself standing alone.

***

 

This chance Donavin took to step in and finally confront Elissa, now she couldn’t make a scene, after all of her polite chatter and niceties she wouldn’t risk it and he knew it.

“So, the polite enchantress from the park is not so much of a stranger to this place after all I see. You cleaned yourself up nicely; I may have to visit France myself someday.”

His words were tipped to bait her, he felt slightly pleased with himself as Elissa looked anywhere across the room but at him until she had to, her perplexed expression showing how uncomfortable she was to even be near him.

It seemed inside she was still somewhat the shy, awkward, dumpy young girl she had been two years ago before she had run away to France to hide after he had left her at the altar.

 “I don’t think France could fix anything about you, or is it that you feel the need to suddenly take off again at the sight of me, Mr Hatch?” Her bemused question caught him off guard; she had wit, since he had never really gotten to know Elissa all that well, he found it refreshing that she could fight back. Her lioness eyes flashed angrily at him, she hated him, and she had every right to.

He accepted that, but also wondered if he could convince her not hate him.

“I’ll remind myself not to go playing in parks at dusk in the future then, unless I have you for company, Miss Whitmore.”

He smiled at her, her gaze returned to him with ever so slightly narrowed eyes and he could see her jaw had clenched behind her slightly pouted lips.

She spoke low and calmly, her eyes never leaving his. “Keep your distance from me Mr Hatch; I know a sour grape when I see one.”

Before he could make a remark to her threat they were interrupted.

 

“Oh Elissa,” It was Tabitha who came over and gave a polite nod to Donavin then turned to Elissa. “I was hoping to finally catch you to speak to you about your sister’s wedding plans and I have to go into town early tomorrow to pick up half of the decorations. Now Bianca said...”

Donavin watched as Elissa turned her attention fully to her aunt and ignored him completely, even though he stood right by her side the entire time.

In that moment he realized that Elissa had changed from the dumpy shy girl he had been supposed to marry two years ago. But it wasn’t just her new, goddess slender figure, redone hair or peach perfect skin, she was still the same person but at the same time she had transformed into someone different and he decided that he very much wanted to get to know this new person.

Her protective aunt though had her eyes on him and he knew it, another barrier to get through. Donavin wandered off after half an hour to get himself a drink and mingle with some of the guests.

 

Finally, the last of the guests left just after midnight and Donavin was able to catch Elissa sitting on one of the couches, while Bianca and Mitchell still danced away, lost in their own little paradise, created by the stereo across the other side of the room.

He sat down next to Elissa; to which she promptly got up and perched on the arm of the other couch watching him with an uncertain look in her eyes, as though she wasn’t sure what to make of him.

“So then, have you finished organising the wedding decorations with your aunt now?” He was purposefully sarcastic and settled into the comfortableness of the sofa.

Elissa’s perfume had wafted across his face as she had moved; he unnoticeably inhaled the faint scent of roses mixed with spices of some sort, a heavy yet soft scent that suited her perfectly.

Donavin wanted to become very close to his ex-bride and become wrapped up in her scent, but the chill that was emanating from her, was as though she had a thousand daggers pointed firmly in his direction.

“As much as we could; yes. Why, did you have some input for one of the crystal platter decals, or maybe the napkins?”

Her heated quip at him was unexpected and took Donavin by surprise; he cleared his throat slightly and shifted, leaning on the arm of the couch to seem relaxed.

 

Almost as soon as he went to quip back, Bianca and Mitchell said something about heading up to their room. Elissa was up from her perch like a bolt of lightning and heading upstairs herself before Donavin could say anything more to her.

“Have a pleasant sleep everyone... Mr Hatch.” Her last remark was dripping in cynicism and although Donavin was usually calm with such matters, it took everything he had not to jump up and grab her delicate wrist, pull her back and demand to know what she had meant by her tone.

But he couldn’t, so he stayed on the couch and let her go upstairs.

He could hear various doors open and then close, the sounds of soft footsteps, before silence; he heaved a heavy sigh and slumped right down onto the sofa rubbing his face and muttered a few curses at himself.

 

After a while, Donavin got up to go to drag himself to bed.

Just as he was leaving the lounge room he heard fast and firm footsteps coming up behind him from the kitchen, as he turned he found himself face to face with an angry Tabitha.

“Don’t you think for one second, that I don’t know what you’re up to Donavin Hatch!” Her voice was full of anger; her dark mud-brown eyes were fiery, her gloved finger almost poked him in the chest as she pointed accusingly at him. “You are a disgrace of a man, and I swear if it were up to me you’d be tossed out of this house without a moment’s thought and I would have you as far away from Elissa as possible!”

Donavin and Tabitha had never gotten along; she disliked most men that didn’t prove they were worthy of her nieces, and he had done nothing from the very start to even show that he was worthy to even stand in Elissa’s shadow as far as she was concerned.

To Tabitha’s disgust, one part of Elissa’s father’s will did strictly specify that all fiancées, friends and business associates of the family could stay in the house until all matters between all parties were concluded; this included Donavin.

He gently pushed her hand away with a smile and spoke gently, a condescending tone tipping the edge of his smooth deep voice.

“My dear lady, I have no idea what you’re going on about, but I do know that as soon as I draw up a new contract for my family’s business and Elissa’s father’s business to become joined with-out the nonsense of  before, I will be as far away from here as possible.”

Donavins’ sharp blue eyes glanced about the lounge room, a hint of distaste in his expression. “As for Elissa, I have no intention of conducting anything but business with her. Your niece is a sarcastic and childish young woman; I have no time for that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, goodnight.”

Before she had a chance to say anything more, Donavin retreated upstairs to the safety of the guest room.

His thoughts reeled as to how he could mix business with pleasure and not get himself into too much of a tangle as he climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.

***

 

Just after dawn, Elissa found herself having to get up from being too awake and restless to sleep anymore. Sleepily yawning she made her way downstairs make some breakfast and have some coffee.

Coming into the kitchen and sighing she looked over everything in the room for a long moment, birdsong echoed from the always darkened woodlands at the back of the house and the towns’ clock chimed six in the quietness of the morning.

“I need to hire a maid...” She muttered to herself as she organised cups of coffee for everyone else when they woke up.

Being as sleepy as she was, Elissa didn’t notice Donavin had also come downstairs and was standing just inside the archway to the kitchen from the dining room.

“I’m sure you have more than enough money to hire two if you wished.”

His sudden speech made Elissa almost lose the tray she was holding, she cursed herself for not thinking to put on a dressing gown over her thinly strapped nightie.

Lifting her chin up slightly, Elissa squared her shoulders and scowled at Donavin. “Normal people announce themselves with a small cough or throat clearing before speaking and scaring others half to death like that.” She clenched her jaw feeling a shudder run through her body.  “You’re lucky I don’t throw these coffees at you, but as it happens, one is for you, and the others are for everyone else.”

She felt even more exposed as Donavin smirked at her as she lashing out at him, again his eyes travelled over her body, she felt a chill creep up her spine again.

Her eyes met his deep sapphire blue ones his as they came to her face, feeling as though her knees were about to give out on her, she walked out of the kitchen after setting down the tray and moved into the living room.

 

Without even looking to see if Donavin had followed, she settled herself and turning in a fury, her hair whipping across her basically bare shoulders in a waterfall of black curls. Elissa found that he had followed right on her heels and gave him a threatening look that made him stop and take a step back from her. She felt good that she had shocked him and silently hoped at the same moment that her lips hadn’t betrayed her.

She was finding Donavin to be intimidating towards her, looking about the room she realised that she had walked herself into a dead end of sorts and resisted every urge to cross her arms over her body in self-defence as she turned to face him properly.

Somehow she became frozen to her spot on the floor as she recalled what a fool she had been in matters concerning Donavin two years ago, though much of that water had passed under her own proverbial bridge since then, the scars of her trampled pride still stung and she was determined not to let him do anything of the sort to her again.

“I made a rule to not be predictable, if you plan to make your new life a success, I suggest you do the same.” He suddenly quipped at her moving a little closer to her. “And,” He breathed out in a slightly husky whisper to her. “Walking off into another room when another makes you uncomfortable is very predictable, Miss Whitmore.”

Her heart thudded in her throat before her mind took over for her. “Don’t underestimate me Mr Hatch, nothing you do could surprise me.” Elissa warned in her own low tones and smiled at him, but it did not show in her eyes.

Her eyes betrayed her insecurity; Donavin could see it as much as she felt it.

She hated how he had a way of being devastatingly handsome with everything he did; it was annoying and made her wish she had a vase to crack over his stupidly perfect skull.

 

Donavin took a step towards her; Elissa countered him by putting up a hand to his shoulder and keeping him at arm’s length from her.

“Running scared are we my dear?” He chided at her.

She stiffened her arm and squared her shoulders. “Why, should I be?” She snapped at him not caring what he thought of her anymore, all she wanted was to have her coffee in peace.

“Well, common sense might dictate that maybe you should be. Especially with your family’s business still recovering from your father’s absence, you wouldn’t want anyone spreading bad rumours, now would we?” He spoke softly in a threatening tone.

Elissa felt her blood begin to boil and her mind raged at his warning, she felt her cheeks flush in anger and her toes gripped into the rug under her feet.

Why hadn’t she bothered to fix up everything to do with the family’s business assets before returning home, that way she wouldn’t have had to deal with Donavin.

 

Elissas’ lash out at Donavin was swift, determined and painful. The sharp sound of the slap echoed slightly thought out the silent house, like the sudden cracking of glass.

“I don’t intend to stay here any longer than I have to, I am the one in command of my family’s assets and they have nothing what so ever to do with you.” She firmly assured him, but the frown that reached his eyes showed he wasn’t convinced.

Colour began rose on the cheek she had slapped him on just under his high cheekbone. His gaze was dark and guarded.

“Accept my apologies then.” His voice sounded gruff and strained as he rubbed his cheek and moved his jaw a little, Elissa knew she had been working out, but hadn’t taken into account that she may have gained some strength as well.

Her fingers stung like she had stuck her hand into a pot of boiling water, but she kept her gaze firmly on him and showed no emotion.

 

Without accepting Donavins’ apology, Elissa stormed upstairs leaving him standing in the living room watching her leave.

Once she made her way back to her room she was sat down in one of her chairs and brooded. The closed door did nothing to keep her little sister out; she quickly blinked away tears as Bianca sat down opposite her and fiddled with her hair tie while watching her.

As always her silent stare coxed Elissa to express herself.

“I hate him, and I also refuse to let him ruin my homecoming, your wedding or the family’s business.” She huffed and sulked determinedly not removing her chin from her hand or looking up at Bianca as she spoke.

“Nor should you.” Bianca replied still playing with her hair. “But neither should you sulk here in your room all day either, now, I want some company at the salon and your coming with me since you’re my head bridesmaid and we have to look awesome for my party tomorrow night.”

Before Elissa could reply, Bianca had gotten up and left, which meant ‘Be ready in ten minutes or I’m coming to yell at you and make you feel guilty.’

Heaving a sigh that she was sure could have knocked down London Bridge; Elissa got up and dressed to go out.

Bianca was right, sitting in her room all day wouldn’t help make her feel better, and all it that succeed in achieving would be to show Donavin that he had won.

Putting on her shoes with a forceful firmness, Elissa knew she was never going to let that happen.

Negotiations - Prologue

 Tightness, a horrid choking feeling enveloped Elissa’s throat like cold hands as she stood watching the man she was suppose to be marrying just, walk away from her.

Donavin hadn’t spoken a word when he had seen her; he had just looked at her for a moment, his eyes had easily shown his disgust and remorse, even pity for her as he had looked her over before he had then turned on his heel and walked away from her and the scene as if she had been a total stranger and it was some boring party.

Her sisters eyes seemed to burn into her, while her aunt she could feel looking at her with pity, like she had suddenly turned into an abandoned puppy that was missing a leg.

 After a few moments an uncontrollable sob escaped from her throat, she almost fell over from how much it racked through her entire body.

Elissa had never been beautiful or thin like her sister; perfectly blonde, Bianca had been referred to more than once in front of her.

The wedding had been planned and arranged by her father just before he had died a few months ago.

The union of both families names by marriage, would secure a multi-million dollar business partnership for the families’ nectary franchise in France and a publishing company that supplied newspapers and magazines to all of the major Sim towns, including a new contract for ten years to Bridge Port.

Heavy tears rolled down her chubby cheeks like an unstoppable waterfall, Elissa felt as though her heart was tearing into tiny pieces and being flung carelessly about like confetti, tossed into a stiff breeze only to fall in a muddy puddle and be leeched the bright colours.

 Lifting her head, Elissa wiped away her tears, after a few more uncontrollable sobs she squared her shoulders and marched down the boardwalk following in Donavins’ footsteps, but she wasn't chasing after him though.

She was done with running after people from that moment on.

Her head itched from the chemicals of the dye she had used, Bianca thought it would look ‘sweet’ if her hair matched her grooms in the photos, not to mention the flowers stems that were poking into her scalp with a million bobby-pins. 

The fur trimmed velvet dress was hot in the summer evening and it was unforgiving with her movements. She worried that any moment she might split it open with how snug the material felt as it clung to her skin with her sweat.

“Elissa, you know what you should do...” Bianca began, but was cut off before she could finish.

Speaking through gritted teeth, Elissa stomped down the steps of the boardwalk speaking with each step to make sure her words were emphasized. 

“I, don’t, care, Bianca, really.”

She got to the wedding car, since Donavin had taken a taxi to where ever he had run off too, and tossed her shoes onto the passenger seat with such force they bounced to the floor of the car with a heavy 'thud'.

 Getting into the car, Elissa sat for a moment gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles were white as she took a few long deep breaths to calm herself down.

Mitchell, Bianca’s fiancée spoke softly and kindly to Elissa. “Where are you going?”

She gritted her teeth thinking for a moment, she then turned the cars key making the engine roar to life a little too loudly.

“France, someone’s got to enjoy the honeymoon, so it may as well be me.” Elissa breathed out forcefully and glanced at Mitchell giving him a small quick, half hearted smile.

“Keep in touch; we'll see you when you get back.” He gave a small smile with a slight wave; Elissa glanced in the rear view mirror and saw her aunt give her a similar smile and wave as she began to drive away.

“If I come back...” Elissa muttered to herself as she drove down the serine tree lined, cobble paved street and turned out of town.
She would stay with her cousin Courtney in France and take charge of the families nectary business for herself. 
She was going  to be the one who called the shots from now on, no one was going to use her as a negotiation piece ever again.