Modern Fairy Tales Ch. 10

"Wha...., what the hell are you doing!?" Dmitri shoved Emily off of him and a very naked Emily landed awkwardly on the sand.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Dmitri shouted again, jumping to his feet and pulling his swim trunks back up.

Emily just laughed from where she was sitting on the sand. "You have to ask?" she smiled coquettishly at him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you! I am engaged to your sister!" He shouted, his accent becoming thicker in his anger, "I am not interested in you."

Emily rose to her feet, her tall naked body glistening with tanning oil. Anne could see that the only thing she was wearing was a bracelet that sparkled in the sun. "You wanted me," she told him, "why else would you come in my mouth? I can't believe that my frigid older sister could keep a man like you happy."

Dmitri stared at Emily in absolute amazement. "Anne is a wonderful girl. She will soon be my wife. Don't you dare say such things about her."

"If she is so wonderful then why is you have been flirting with me, brother dear," cooed Emily pressing herself up against him. "Do you want to fuck? Will you dream about me when you are sleeping next to her? Call my name maybe? She will never get you off the way I can."

Dmitri pushed her away from him and she landed on her ass, sprawled in an ungraceful heap. "Your sister deserves better than this from you. No wonder she didn't want to visit with such a whore for a sister. Do not bother to fly over for our wedding; you will not be welcome in my house."

"You bastard," Emily hissed. "She won't even look at you when I am done telling her what you did. I'll tell her everything."

Dmitri laughed, "She would never believe you. She would put it off to you being the little slut that you are. I have a feeling that your parents might actually believe me when I tell them why you are no longer invited to our wedding. So if you think that you can blackmail me into keeping quiet you are wrong. Now if you don't mind I think I am going to take a shower, I feel a little dirty for some reason."

Emily sat there looking stunned as Dmitri left her there, following the path the hundred yards to the house.

"Bastard," she said again standing up and walking over to the lake's sandy shore. Knee deep in the water she began to splash water over herself, washing off the sand that clung to her oil covered body.

In his anger, Dmitri had passed by the trees Anne was behind, without seeing her, as he stormed up the path. Anne just sat for a moment, still stunned by what she had witnessed. Without even realizing what she was doing Anne found herself walking across the hot sand that burned her bare feet and then into the cool water behind her sister. Emily looked up and for one instant their gazes met. And then Emily found her feet kicked out from underneath her, and held firmly by her hair and one arm under the surface of the water, her other arm pinned with her torso, between Anne's legs.

Anne's mind was blank even as her rage crystallized. Emily had taken advantage of her fiancé falling asleep on the beach. She had tried to ruin the best thing that had ever happened to her, just like she had tried to sabotage her life in so many other small ways; like Aunt Silvia's bracelet, like her parent's love and attention. Emily had everything. She had always been first. She was gifted, beautiful, and she still had to try to take every bit of Anne's happiness away from her, just for fun.

Emily struggled, and Anne held fast to her, holding her down despite the fifty pound difference in their weight, pushing her down so far her own face was almost touching the water. She felt detached even as she sobbed hysterically, feeling her sister struggle and kick under her, fighting for air, for breath. In a strange way she felt that she was fighting for her own life as well. Fighting for Dmitri, for her parent's love, for a life without the constant comparison to Emily: perfect, perfect Emily who could do no wrong.

Emily's blue eyes were wide and frantic, pleading; the bubbles from her watery screams breaking the surface and distorting the view of her face. And then the struggles slowed and then stopped.

Anne stayed there; long after Emily had stopped moving, mesmerized by the long blonde hair in the water waving with each small movement of the water. She finally stood upright, her back aching, and her eyes sore from the glare of the sun on the water. Her head was pounding again, throbbing in time with her heartbeat.

She stumbled out of the water, almost staggering. The bracelet that Emily had been wearing had come loose in her hand; Silvia's bracelet. Anne gazed at it, holding it carefully; it was finally back where it belonged. Anne grabbed her bag from where she had dropped it on the beach and started walking up the path to the house. As she walked she pulled off the long strands of golden hair that were wrapped around her hand and fingers. Absently she tucked that into her beach bag as well.

Walking back to the house was rather like walking in a fog. When she got to the house she could hear the sound of the hot tub jets. Crossing the grass she peered around the corner of the house to see the back of Dmitri's head as he soaked.

Wiping the sand off of her feet in the grass she went upstairs and crawled into the shower. She stood under the spray for a long time, her mind empty, and her emotions numb. She took a few more Tylenol for her headache and slipped in between the cool sheets.

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Dinner was almost ready, a quick stir fry of the vegetables and two minutes of boiling for pasta, and it would be finished. Anne had decided to change the menu that her step-mother had left her. She had resented the fact that she was the guest and yet Marie expected her to cook. Anne had decided to use it as an opportunity to show off her cooking skills. She hated Spaghetti Bolognaise; instead she pulled out some shrimp and Alfredo sauce and quickly cranked out some homemade pasta. Besides, she knew that Marie would be irritated that she had changed the menu. That gave her just a little bit of satisfaction.

Anne had roused at about five thirty, Dmitri sound asleep snuggled up next to her in their bed. She had grabbed his clothes as well as her own and tossed them in the wash. Her cheeks felt a little hot and she knew that she must have a burnt them a bit. She put some aloe vera lotion on and gone down the stairs to start supper.

She ran up the stairs and smiled at Dmitri's sleeping form. She loved him so much that it made her chest ache. Gently she began stroking his back. "Dmitri honey, it is almost time for supper."

"Hmmm?" He rolled over and gave her a sleepy smile that was so sexy her heart skipped a beat.

"Time for supper sleepy head," she teased.

"Mmmmm I would rather you crawled into bed with me," he said in a sleepy voice. He pulled her willing body on top of his and she could feel his arousal against her. She kissed him and felt that familiar tingle deep in her belly. She loved him so much she ached with it.

"Tonight," she told him after their heated kiss ended. "You need to get out of bed; my parents will be getting home any minute." She laughingly avoided his attempt to pull her back into bed. She was still laughing as she went down the stairs and set the table for five. She heard the garage door open and popped the pasta into the boiling water and put oil in the frying pan for her veggies.

"Hi Dad," she caroled as her tired looking father walked in through the mudroom door.

"Hi Anne. Mmm it smells great in here."

"Supper in three minutes."

"Oh, you are a life saver. I didn't know if we would have time to eat before we have to leave for that damn fundraiser." Her father set his briefcase and coat on the sideboard and helped himself to a glass of white wine chilling on the counter.

"Can I get you a glass, Dmitri?" he asked as a tousle haired Dmitri entered the kitchen.

"Yes, that would be great," he said, scrubbing a hand through his hair. "I was more tired than I thought."

"That's not surprising," Alan grinned at him, "by the time you are adjusted it will be time to go back to Greece."

They laughed and chitchatted as Anne set the serving dishes on the table. They were just sitting down when Marie breezed in.

"Oh, thank you Anne," she said hanging her coat in the entryway closet, "I was hoping that you would see my note."

"No problem at all Marie," Anne smiled. "I changed the menu just a bit. Dmitri's mom taught me some tricks in the kitchen. That woman can work miracles with sea food."

"Where is Emily?" Marie asked.

"I haven't seen her," replied Anne. "I guess I assumed that she was out with her friends."

"She was down at the beach this afternoon," said Dmitri after a small hesitation. "I haven't seen her since."

"Probably just lost track of time," said Alan, taking another bite of his pasta.

Kelly's car was parked at the top of the path going down there," said Marie, "I saw it when I was driving up. They will probably both be up for food before to long."

The food was passed around and her father and Dmitri were discussing the merits of different wines when Anne heard faint screams.

She held up her hand to silence the table. Hitting the back door at a dead run was a pretty brunette in absolute hysterics.

"Kelly what is going on!?" asked Marie, standing as Kelly raced around the table.

"Emily, Emily," she sobbed, frantically trying to pull Marie with her, "I think she's dead, please you have to come, please, please."

Alan turned to Anne, "call an ambulance," he told her and then raced out of the still open door.

Anne stood so fast she knocked over her chair. The phone fell to the floor on her first attempt to grab it. She scrambled after it and dialed 911.

The next few hours passed slowly, like a bad dream that wouldn't end. Anne couldn't go down to the beach, she just couldn't. Instead she sat on the sofa and shook. It had been a dream, hadn't it? A horrible dream, Dmitri coming in Emily's mouth, Emily under the water, screaming soundless screams, her face obscured by the bubbles, it was just a dream she told herself.

She answered the policeman's questions mechanically, the situation not sinking in until she saw the gurney with the full body bag strapped to it come up the path and around the house to the waiting ambulance. Anne stopped talking and just watched it through the closed sliding glass doors.

"Emily got a scholarship for swimming," she said out loud to no one in particular. "How?" her voice trailed off. She leaned into Dmitri's warm body, seeking comfort, "How could this happen?" she asked, looking up at the policeman's face.

Anne could see the pity written on the officer's face and for the first time recognized Marie's hysterical sobs coming from the kitchen where her father was holding her as she screamed and ranted.

It was the look on her father's face that caused her to burst into tears. He looked lost, so lost as he held his hysterical wife, trying to be the macho man that had everything under control. He was completely out of his element.

"Anne, honey, I am going to talk to the police. I will be right back, ok?" Dmitri said.

"Kay," she said, releasing him, trying to get her sobbing under control.

With the rest of the family unable, Dmitri took over and spoke to the police about what procedures to follow for funeral arrangements. He also got the name and number of Marie's best friend, the name of the family pastor, and the family doctor and called them all. All of them came immediately. Kelly's parents had been called by the police, and they had both come to pick up the still sobbing girl sometime before.

With other capable people there to help Dmitri returned to Anne. She was still curled up on the couch. She had a stunned expression on her face although she was no longer crying.

The same could not be said for Marie, despite a valium that the Dr. Gibbs had given her. She was crying hysterically and shouting her anger and grief by turns. She rose to her feet, pacing and came to a stop were Anne sat with Dmitri, holding tightly on to his hand.

"Why weren't you with her," Marie demanded, her face looking pale with no make up and her eyes red rimmed.

"What?" asked Anne, not really registering the question.

"Why weren't you with her," Marie was shouting now. "You should have been with her at the beach! She said that she was going to be going down with you and Dmitri. Why weren't you there?! You could have seen that she was in trouble, you could have saved her!"

Anne recoiled as her step mother advanced on her.

"Don't you yell at Anne," said Dmitri angrily, getting to his feet. "She was not a babysitter for her 18 year old sister! She is a guest in this house."

"She is a rotten excuse for a sister!" Marie screamed. She rounded on Anne where she was sitting, stunned, her mouth open in shock. . "Emily would be alive if it wasn't for her. She should have been there!"

"I was to damn busy cooking YOUR dinner Marie," Anne said angrily. "Apparently guests get to do the cooking and a list of housework while they are here instead of spending time on the beach. Maybe if Emily had had chores to do up here at the house it wouldn't have happened!"

"This is all you're fault! I never should have invited you. You have been a thorn in my side for your entire life."

Anne's temper flared. "At least I am not a home wrecking slut like you Marie. Tell me, did you get pregnant with Emily on purpose to try to get Dad to leave my mom? It must have been convenient for you when mom died in that car accident. Christ, her body was hardly even cold when you moved your pregnant ass into this house."

Marie launched herself at Anne, screaming obscenities. Anne was bloodied by the time Dmitri and Alan had pulled Marie bodily off of her step daughter.

Anne ignored the others in the room and walked up the stairs to her room. After staunching the flow of blood from her nose, she pulled her suitcase out from under the bed and began folding her and Dmitri's clothing neatly as she packed it.

She was in the adjoining bathroom, gathering up their toiletries when her father entered the room. He stood in the doorway and watched her neatly pack up her belongings.

"Anne, honey, she didn't mean it," he said quietly. "She is overwrought."

"She meant every word," replied Anne, "and so did I," not bothering to look up as she continued packing. "She has never liked the fact that I was around to remind you of mom. From the day she moved into this house she has done her best to try to completely erase mom's existence. And you let her. From the moment Emily was born she replaced me in every way. I was just a leftover from your earlier life. If I had died with mom in that accident you wouldn't have cared. You already had a replacement on the way."

"That is not true," he protested.

"Isn't it dad?" Anne stopped and looked him straight in the eye, bitterness and anger coloring her voice. "You have never really acted like you gave a damn. To tell you the truth I was amazed that you showed up for my college graduation. You never bothered to call me, email me or anything else. Everything was about Emily. I graduated top of my fucking class a year early from high school and all I heard about was that Emily made the varsity team a year before she should have been eligible."

Anne walked past her father and put her toiletries carefully into their zipper plastic bags and closed the suitcase.

"I give up," she said as she checked the room one last time. "I have a family that loves me, Dmitri's family. I didn't realize how bad things were here until I had them to compare things to. They love me; they accept me for who I am. I was a complete stranger and I felt more welcome after five minutes in their home than I ever did in my own."

Anne stopped again and looked at her father. He looked like he had aged ten years in the last few hours. "If you want to keep in touch with me fine, but you are going to have to make the first move."

Anne grabbed her bags and walked out the door.

"You're not staying for the funeral?"

Anne stopped in the middle of the hallway. She closed her eyes. "No," she replied. "I have no desire to be accused of neglect and murder in front of the entire congregation. If I never see Marie again it will be too soon."

"I'm sorry Anne," her father's voice was full of regret, "I am sorry for everything. I really am."

"So am I dad, so am I," she replied heavily.

A quick call for a taxi later and Anne and Dmitri left for a hotel close to the airport. Anne was too wound up to sleep and paced while Dmitri made arrangements for their tickets to be altered for the next flight out.

It was a hellish trip, with delays due to weather at every turn. It was a full 48 hours later that they finally stepped out of the taxi in front of Dmitri's family home. Dmitri's mother Rosa was there to greet them. Anne took one look at the concerned face and her outstretched arms and fell to pieces.

Rosa and Dmitri practically carried her into the house, incoherent with sobs. Three days of no sleep and emotional upheaval had left her with no reserves and she sobbed her heart out in Rosa's arms. Rosa just rocked her, singing a lullaby in Greek that Dmitri recognized from his childhood.

Dmitri sat on the other side of his fiancé and stroked her back as he rested his own exhausted body. He didn't realize that he was crying until his mother wiped some of the tears from his cheeks.

He realized with a start that he must have dozed off. Anne was sound asleep with her head pillowed on Rosa's legs, her breath still hitching occasionally as she slept.

With out even being asked he poured out the story. He left nothing out, not even Emily's actions on the beach. His mother just listened, shaking her head at some parts.

"Why don't you take Anne upstairs to bed," she told him. "You both need to rest and recover yourselves." She looked down at the girl sleeping in her lap and stroked her hair gently. "No wonder she seemed so surprised and grateful for every small compliment, with such a family like that. Poor thing. Well she will thrive with us Dmitri," she said firmly. "She will know true family."

Dmitri kissed his mother's cheek. He was truly grateful that she was his mother and he told her so.

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

Dmitri scrambled through the small upright cabinet that held Anne's jewelry. Where in the hell were his cufflinks and tie tack! He knew that they were there somewhere. Christ he was getting married in less than twenty minutes.

He took a few deep breaths and tried to stop the shaking of his hands. Continuing to open the small drawers in the jewelry cabinet he shook his head at the amount of jewelry that his fiancé had managed to collect.

Dmitri pulled out a small, shabby velvet box and opened it. Still intent on his cuff links it didn't register at first. It was a garnet bracelet, identical to the one he had in his pocket, with a small tangle of blonde hair put in the box with it. It was Silvia's bracelet, not the custom made copy that he had had made for Anne's wedding present, but the original.

"What in the hell?" he whispered out loud.

That day on the beach he had taken pictures of the bracelet that Emily had been wearing. He had recognized it from its description. The fact that Emily was wearing it on the beach made him wonder if she was wearing it to anger Anne. He had decided then and there that he would have a replica made for his fiancé. Emily had quite willingly modeled it for him and he had also taken some close-ups with it on the beach blanket before she had put it back on.

Later, after Emily's funeral he had called Alan, Anne's father and had a long talk. It had been a very good talk for both of them. Alan had called Anne several days later and the two had tentatively begun a relationship. Alan had eventually asked if he could come to the wedding, without Marie, and Anne had been ecstatic. Dmitri had kept in touch with Alan over the next few months and finally worked up the courage to ask if he could have the bracelet for a short time so the jeweler could look at it as he made the copy. Alan was surprised to learn that Emily had been wearing it the day she died and told Dmitri that she had not been wearing it when he had given her CPR on the beach. She hadn't been wearing anything except a small pair of gold hoop earrings that had been returned later by the hospital.