Heaven And Hell novel Chapter 76

"Mum, I can't take it. I want Keller to be happy. I know I can do that for her. Yet..." he exhaled. "God, Mum. I really wish you were here with me right now.

"I want your guidance and your love. But you're not here; you're not alive any longer." He choked back a sob. "I know that, Mum -- I just want to tell you that I'm not happy at the moment. Wouldn't you be proper pissed at that?" He laughed dispassionately.

"I'm in pain. Not physically, you know that. You always said I was a strong lad. But something's clenching within my chest."

With a heavy breath, Michael shook his head and knelt on the gravelly floor in front of his mother's grave, placing the white rose, from his jacket pocket, there.

"Love you, Mum," he said quietly.

Then he started turning around and walking away.

I couldn't help but cry silently. This was all so wrong. I couldn't do this any longer. Turning to Anthony, I placed my hand on his shoulder and shook my head. "I can't."

He looked so relieved and understanding that I hugged him tightly. He put his lips near my ear and whispered, "Then let's get out of here and take you back to the house. Fix yourself up there and talk to him, yeah? Resolve this over a nice cuppa?"

Smiling through my tears, I nodded. I'd begun to appreciate English tea and its ability to bring everyone together.

We tried to go back to the mansion as quietly as we could, but my dress kept getting caught up with nature's work.

It was too late when we heard Michael's voice.

"Who's there?" he called out in a fierce demand, suddenly alert.

I leaned my back on a tree and lifted the hem of my skirt. There was a slight cut on my right calf from a stocky bush that we passed by.

I knelt down to take my heels off so we could run better, and once I had that done, I pulled on Anthony's hand and we ran. Come on, Keller, you can get out of here! I thought wildly.

"Be careful!" Anthony hissed from behind me.

I couldn't respond. I was running so fast, ignoring the pain on my feet and cuts.

But that was my downfall.

Because I tripped on a root in this goddamn forest and unceremoniously brought Anthony sprawling accidentally on top of me, groaning and grasping for breath like I was doing.

That was when Michael discovered us and his eyes flashed murderously at the sight of Anthony on me.

And everything went down wrong after that.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Michael roared, grabbing Anthony's back and hurling him away from me.

"Friend?" he boomed. "You call this bastard your friend?" He pointed toward Anthony, who looked at us with pleading eyes. "After what he tried to do to you, you still think of him as your bloody friend? What kind of rubbish are you attempting at, Keller?"

"We..." I looked away from his dangerous gaze. "We had this idea to make you jealous. I wanted to know if you really cared about me..." At the angry stare he gave me, I winced. "Michael, please don't blame Anthony for this! He just wanted to help me."

I tried to grab his sleeve but he staggered back, his face contorting into a scowl.

I tried harder. "It's not what you think! We weren't going through with the plan anymore. I...I realized it was foolish. I simply wanted out of the plan and make things better between us."

I took a cautious step forward, my voice shaking and my injured foot hurting from each step. "We were supposed to head back to the mansion before seeing you, so that I could prepare. But then I tripped and Anthony crashed on me and I have this sprain that --"

I broke off at the sight of Michael, but regretted doing so. He was silent, jaw clipped, lips pursed, and eyes hard like shards of cold glass.

"Please say something..." I begged, attempting to grab his hand, but stopping when he eyed me once again with thise unfathomable eyes.

"You got what you wanted," he said scornfully in a low, dangerous voice. "I now know you heard me talk to my mother's grave. I know you heard me tell her how much I love you and how much I care about you.

"You've seen my anger when I thought Anthony tried to take advantage of you. You know," he added sarcastically, "why didn't you just make Anthony really take advantage of you to turn everything more realistic and test my affections even more? Huh?" he demanded in a hiss.

"I'm so sorry! But I realized how wrong it all is. I couldn't do it in the end!"