11

Gloria had never been so happy. The weekend in Deerfield was turning out better than she could have imagined. There was no greater high than being in love. And this was love. Real love. This was not a contest where one combatant tried to abuse and hurt the other.

Real love.

True, they had only been together for a short time, but Gloria knew. She had never been so sure of anything in her life.

Gloria turned her gaze toward Stan. He smiled back at her. A warmth quickly spread throughout her body. She did not want to eat or sleep or do anything but be with Stan.

They strolled down the deserted street toward the Deerfield Inn. The small New England town was straight out of a postcard. It was September, still a little early for the leaves to change color, but the sparse population and the sun creeping through the thick branches more than made up for it. It was warm. Both of them wore shorts and a T-shirt. In their haste to get out of the city, Gloria had forgotten to bring a T-shirt, so she had to borrow one from Stan.

There were only twelve rooms in the Deerfield Inn’s main building. The back annex held about a dozen more. But on this particular weekend, business was not too brisk, which suited Gloria just fine. Last night, they had dined, walked through the Deerfield Academy campus and sat quietly in front of the fireplace in the inn’s back room. The silence worked on her like the most relaxing masseurs.

Stan put his arm around her shoulders. Gloria nestled in closer against his chest. She felt safe and snug and deliriously happy. The inn was coming into view around the corner.

Stan stopped and turned toward her. ‘I love you, Gloria. I know we’ve only known each other a short time but – ’

‘I love you too.’

Her heart burst with joy as he bent down to kiss her. When he pulled back, she could see his face was troubled. ‘What is it, Stan?’

His eyes swerved around for a moment. ‘It’s so beautiful out here. I wish we could stay here forever.’

‘So do I.’

He nodded. ‘It’s time I told you everything about me, Gloria. The good and the bad.’

She hugged him. ‘There is no bad.’

‘Yes, there is.’

‘You don’t have to tell me.’

‘Maybe that was true before I fell in love,’ he said, ‘but now I have no choice.’

She looked up at him with scared eyes. Stan stepped back and paused. ‘I’m a gambler,’ he began slowly. ‘Baseball, football, horse-racing, you name it. It’s a disease, Gloria, like what you went through with drugs. I have cravings that I can’t control. Sure, I’ve tried to stop, but I just can’t do it. I gamble and I gamble until I lose everything I have. And then I still can’t stop. I borrow money and build up an even bigger debt which I can’t pay back.’

He started to walk back toward the inn. Gloria followed silently, watching him stride purposefully. ‘Sometimes, I do criminal things to pay the money back,’ he continued. ‘You see, the men who I owe money to are gangsters. They hurt people who are late with payments. I even owe them money now, and I still can’t stop betting. Gloria, do you remember what it was like when you were cut off from drugs? Do you remember the cravings in your bloodstream until you thought the agony of withdrawal would drive you insane?’

Gloria nodded. She had felt those cravings. They had nearly killed her.

‘Money to gamble with is my fix. I’ve tried to cure myself but I guess I don’t have the strength you have.’

Gloria reached out for his hand. ‘But that’s because you’ve never had any support,’ she assured him. ‘I could never have done it without Laura. Not in a million years. But you can beat this thing, Stan. I know you can.’

Stan looked at her hopefully. ‘Will you help me?’

She hugged him again. ‘Of course I will. We’ll beat it together.’

‘I love you, Gloria.’

Her face lit up. ‘I love you too.’

They walked together holding hands until Gloria spoke again.

‘You said you owe money?’ she began.

‘Nothing for you to worry about.’

‘But I have money, Stan. I can help.’

‘No chance. I don’t want you involved in this.’

‘But – ’

He gently put his finger up against her lip. ‘End of discussion, my love.’

They reached the entrance to the Deerfield Inn. Stan kissed her again and they disappeared into the lobby.

Two men – one normal size, the other monstrously huge and hairy – watched the kiss from a parked car in front of the inn.

‘Is that them?’ the big man asked.

B Man nodded.

‘Did you see her body?’

‘Very attractive, Bart,’ B Man agreed.

‘She should be a movie star!’ enthused Bart. ‘Boy, I’d love to fuck her.’

B Man patted his giant friend on the back. ‘Bart my boy,’ he said, ‘you might just get the chance.’

Gloria grabbed a quick shower. When she stepped out, Stan was there to dry her off.

‘You are so incredibly beautiful,’ he said. ‘Am I getting repetitive?’

‘Never. Say it again.’

He put down the towel and began to caress her body. ‘You’re beautiful.’

A knock at the door interrupted their foreplay. ‘Talk about timing,’ she said. She picked up the towel and tied it around her.

‘Who is it?’ Stan asked.

‘Room service. A little champagne on the house.’

Stan smiled. ‘Stay here, my little dove. And don’t you dare put on one shred of clothing.’

Gloria giggled.

‘I’m coming,’ Stan said as he headed for the door. He turned the knob. Without warning, the door flew backward. The wood smacked Stan’s forehead, knocking him to the floor.

B Man and his gorilla/henchman stepped in and quickly closed the door behind them. Gloria gasped.

The blond man smiled down at Stan. ‘Isn’t this nice?’ B Man began. ‘A nice quiet weekend in the country. Isn’t this just wonderful, Bart?’

‘Wonderful, B Man,’ the gorilla agreed.

Stan struggled to his feet. ‘What do you want?’

B Man ignored his question, circling instead toward the other side of the room where Gloria stood trembling. ‘Who is this lovely lady?’

‘Just leave her alone,’ Stan said sternly. ‘She’s got nothing to do with this.’

‘True enough,’ B Man replied, turning back toward Stan. Gloria remained huddled by the wall, noticing that the ugly giant had not yet taken his eyes off of her. She had seen that leer before, and she suddenly felt very exposed in just a towel.

‘Do you have the money?’ B Man asked.

‘I told you,’ Stan replied. ‘I’ll have it for you in a week.’

‘Not good enough.’ B Man turned his attention back to Gloria who was still crouched against the corner, looking at Bart with frightened eyes. ‘Did Stan tell you how he hurt his finger, lovely lady?’

‘I said leave her out of this.’

Again B Man ignored Stan. ‘You see, lovely lady, Stan has not lived up to his obligations, his responsibilities. I found this most troubling. He left me no choice but to bend his middle finger back until it cracked in half. It was a most unpleasant noise.’

The blood drained from Gloria’s face.

‘Enough, B Man,’ Stan shouted.

‘But do not worry, lovely lady,’ B Man continued. ‘A broken finger is paradise compared to what I have in store for him now.’ He signaled to his gorilla who was still staring at Gloria. The gorilla snapped out of his trance and began to walk toward Stan.

‘Wait a second,’ Stan said. ‘Just let her get out of here. I don’t want her involved in any of this.’

‘I’m sorry, Stan,’ B Man said with a slow shake of his head, ‘but it’s too late. Bart here has a crush on your lady friend.’

Bart leered at Gloria, spit forming in the corners of his lips.

Stan stepped forward, blocking Bart’s path. ‘Do what you want with me, B Man, but leave her alone.’

B Man looked at him, surprised. ‘This is a switch, Stan. Since when do you care about somebody else?’