“This is all your fault”

The accusation came from his side.  He lowered his gaze, seeing Sahara standing next to him.  Her expression was fixed and hard.  He furrowed his brows because he’d been lost in thought.

“Excuse me?”  he said.  Sahara pursed her lips, restating her words in terms that he would grasp.

“Whatever happens to her--you are to blame.”

Lucien was no fool.  He’d seen Sahara’s attentions in the hospital and her fondness snowballed the longer she remained in Ona’s company.  But on a day like today, he couldn’t be bothered with crushes or any other jealous nonsense.

He expelled a sudden force of air, then he said...

“Sahara...if you have something to say, then say it.”

This had been exactly what she’d wanted.  For months she’d watched Lucien cozying up to Ona and the thought had made her sick.

She perched a hand on her hip, when she said...

“What did you think would happen when her family returned?  You’d ride in on your white horse--or one of your limos.  You’d hoist her up side saddle, then ride off into the sunset, and her family would share a meal with you at the dock?”

“I had imagined another scenario.”

“Oh yes--you’d thought that you would charm them--just like you charmed Ona.”

Lucien’s eyes narrowed and he didn’t dignify her comment with a response.  Sahara snorted when she said...

“You’re delusional.”

“And what are you?”  he should have left well enough alone because there were no winners in this game but he couldn’t abide her point of view.

Sahara rose one brow when she said...

“I’m thinking about converting.”

“What?!”  he’d heard her but the word burst free without a second thought.

Sahara said...

“Ona and I have talked about it--and she says that it isn’t as difficult as one might think.  Of course--one of the Samaritan families will have to adopt me...but I’m a brilliant musician and that shouldn’t be difficult to achieve.”

Lucien had thought, that she might be a brilliant musician but to his ears, she was beginning to sound a little crazy.  She was uttering nonsense, and her fantasies weren’t worth his contemplation.  Lucien began to walk away, but he stopped when she said...

“If they talk to you--I'm sure you know that it’ll only be a pity invite.”

Lucien turned on his heels, and he didn’t hide his anger.

His voice was abrupt when he said...

“Do you hate me that much?”

Sahara took a few steps closing the distance.  Her lip curled up and the expression was anything but cute.

“You aren’t worth my hate.”

“Then what is it...because as I see it; I’ve never done anything to you.”

“You don’t like the fact that I’m not like Rachel.  I don’t fawn all over you...saying, yes--yes Lucien; I’ll lie for you, if it means you’ll get to spend time with Ona.  And Rachel is crazy if she thinks that Caleb will turn his back on the family that raised him.  God...you’re both so pathetic.”

When he stared at her, an awareness struck him.  He couldn’t prove it, but he was pretty sure that Sahara was to blame for Noah and Caleb finding him and Ona in her office.  He was just about to say this when she spoke first.

“You know...there’s a big difference between me and you.  I would give up my life for Ona--and that means giving up my music; and music means everything to me.  I’m not a religious person, but I would become a Samaritan, like her; if it meant spending just a moment with her.  And I know what that means.  I’ll have to share her with the other members of the Sect.  Then when she marries Geff--and you shouldn’t delude yourself, because their marriage is inevitable.  When they are married, I’ll become her best friend, and everything will be as it should be because when women are in a loveless marriage, they rely on their girlfriends.  And that’s where I’ll come in.”

She leaned in so close, Lucien could smell the breath mint that teetered on the tip of her tongue.  Sahara’s eyes held an expression that would frighten most, and he included himself.  There was something about this woman that was off-balanced.  He didn’t have a degree in this area, but her ideas didn’t come from a rational mind.

Sahara rose one brow when she said....

“I would give up everything to be with her.  My life--my freedom--my music.  Can you say the same?  Would you give up everything to be with Ona Zelle?”

Lucien stared at this woman, and he realized that he’d underestimated her.  She wasn’t just crazy--Sahara was obsessed and her obsession was fixed on the woman that he loved.

**********

Chapter 18

Happiness, heartache, woes

A wave of voices rose and fell with emotions.  Each perspective lit her ears, and more than anything, Ona wished for quiet.  The disagreements started the second she and her brother hit the streets outside of the Children’s Center.  Noah’s had begun by reciting verses from the Creed.  He’d maintained his normal level temperament, modulating his voice by subtle degrees to emphasize important points.  Caleb on the other hand; no part of his diatribe had been restrained, and he didn’t care that his voice carried, calling attention to them.  And the way he’d spoke to Rachel; she didn’t believe she’d ever forget the shock that rushed from her friends throat.  Rachel had hurried down the street beside them, tugging on Caleb’s arm.  She’d pleaded with him to leave Ona and Noah to talk, because it was obvious that he needed time to curb his anger.  Ona hadn’t witnessed the outburst with her eyes but she’d heard it.  Caleb had bellowed out words that sent a shutter coursing throughout her body.  He had berated her, insisting that she return to her life.  Ona had always believed Rachel to be a strong confident woman, but she also knew the cost of love; and Rachel dearly loved her brother, and the expense had been unthinkable.  When Caleb charged ahead of her, in the rear she had heard Rachel’s pleading outcry.  Her voice had cracked, and she’d begged him to see reason, but the only reason any of them noticed was his resolve and the sternness of a man who refused to look back.  On the ferry, it had taken Noah’s suggestions to tame his tongue.  But from the second they crossed through the door of their parent’s home, the only thing that slowed his rant was the fact that he had to stop, when his lungs would run out of air.  What galled her more than the finger pointing was the fact that the men wouldn’t allow her to take part in their conversation.  Her father had thought it best to speak with her brothers alone, since they had appeared the most disturbed by her actions; he’d left her mother to deal with her.  For the past two hours, Ona and her mother moved around each other in the kitchen like two orbiting planets.  Except for a few simple questions, Aldeara appeared more tired than upset.  Seeing her mother this way pained her because according to Noah, they had traveled halfway around the world, and their return had been to celebrate two special occasions involving their children.  Noah had made his intentions known to Ester’s parents, and soon they all would travel to Virginia.  Geff had done the same, and her parents had been thrilled over the match.  They had not even waited to hear if Ona would accept Geff’s offer of marriage because they’d all supposed that the time had come for her to marry.  For Samaritan families, marital unions were a blessed occasion but she didn’t sense exhilaration in the house.  Her parent’s home was a fog, shrouded by a bitter truth.  For months, Ona had led a secret life, seeing a man outside of her Sect.  A man that neither of her parent’s knew personally.  And this action broke with tradition.  She recalled the way her mothers face looked when Ona had said Lucien’s name.  Each wrinkle that creased her forehead seemed to deepened as she detailed their encounters.  When her mother asked if Lucien had asked things of her that were immoral; Ona had replied, saying that he had not forced her to do anything.  She’d felt that it had been her duty to protect his character, then she told her mother that she had kissed him, more than a few times; but that was all that had happened.  She’d pointedly stated, that no other part of her body had been touched.  After that, the conversation ended and her mother busied herself, preparing a dish to compliment the meal at the dinner party.  The casserole was one of Geff’s favorites, and she’d made it especially for him.