Trick-or-Doggy Treat

Chapter 2

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Dana trudged up the winding marble staircase. She leaned heavily on the ornamental iron banister. She was bone weary from the flight, battling with the press, and conjuring the strength to banish Michael from her life once and for all.

The master bedroom at the end of the hall seemed a mile away. Clicking the door shut, she threw the deadbolt. Security experts built the elegant sanctuary with state-of-the-art locks, cameras, and security panels at Gail’s insistence in response to a worrisome fan. Some fellow had sent her letters professing his love for her and assuring her he was “keeping an eye” on her. He signed it “Always, Your Protector,” in a neat combination of print and script lettering.

Michael had his own suite where he and his clothes lived. He would sleep there until he found another place to live. Dana hoped that was sooner than later. She had waited one trip too many to ask him to leave. Her instincts alerted her to his affairs, and she stopped sleeping with him to avoid sexually transmitted diseases, but none of them resulted in murder until now. Even though he insisted he had no idea what happened, and the police said it was an accidental death, her gut told her otherwise.

Dana peeled off her clothes and stepped into the shower. The powerful stream of water and lavender soap washed the stress and airplane grime from her body. She washed her hair with her favorite gardenia shampoo. Free of the wigs and the weaves required of her on the movie set, it felt good to massage her scalp and release some tension.

Lotioned and powdered, she slipped into her favorite peach silk, floor-length negligee and slid between soft ivory sheets. The embroidered duvet cover pressed against her, the extra bit of weight making her feel secure.

Dana took a deep breath, glad to be back in the luxury and safety of her home. She stared at the gentle lighting that surrounded the tray ceiling above her bed and thought about how far she had come from her childhood in an affluent area of Montego Bay, Jamaica. The lush forests and grand resorts, some of which were owned by her family, gave her a taste for both luxury and nature. From beautiful clothing to educational opportunities, she moved in the wealthy circles of both business and government.

From the outside, it seemed Dana lived a charmed life, better than most in her native country. But the natural and financial abundance wasn’t enough to keep dealing with her controlling parents. She met their expectations with grace. Her beauty was the envy of every woman and the desire of every man, yet Dana was a loner; she never fit it. Her perspective on life and what she wanted out of it deviated from family and schoolmates. She had a way of seeing beyond her circumstances and upbringing. Even with friends, she felt isolated.

With no one to confide in, the unexpected pregnancy made the 18-year-old Dana feel more alone than ever. An amorous evening with a United States Congressman from Virginia, Steven Hartford, visiting her family’s resort put her in a precarious position. That he was Caucasian was not an issue. Her family considered conception out of wedlock, and with a married man, a shameful act, especially because of their stature in the community.

The Honorable Steven Hartford assured her he had no interest in the baby, and that his wife could not find out. He offered her money to end the pregnancy, but her heart would not consider that an option.

Torn between keeping her offspring and being cut off from the family with no means to support a child, she agreed to live with family friends in Easton, Pennsylvania for the duration of the pregnancy and the first few months of the child’s life. The baby was born on Valentine’s Day. She was told that the adoptive parents, who remained anonymous, were excited to get the baby. The closed adoption provided sealed records, preventing the adoptive parents from knowing who the birth mother was. Dana’s despair grew as the time to give up her baby girl came closer.

After they completed the heartbreaking transaction, she realized she wanted to stay in the United States. Steven Hartford helped her get fast-tracked to citizenship on the agreement that she would not contact him again. That suited Dana perfectly.

She moved to Los Angeles, California and spent the next few years quelling her Jamaican accent to a velvety smooth California dialect. When she went home to Jamaica, she reclaimed her heritage and felt her natural idioms flow from her tongue. During those visits, her circle never discussed the pregnancy or the fate of her daughter.

She often thought of her daughter and wondered what she looked like as a teenager. What guidance were her guardians giving her? Did she wish to seek her biological parents? Would they ever reunite? Dana sent love to her child each day, along with blessings for health and happiness.

Michael’s betrayal reminded her of the congressman who had cheated on his wife, and her jaw clenched. Dana’s humiliation made her feel powerless, reminding her of when she had to give up her child. She’d been searching for ways to get her power back, and part of her healing journey included banishing Michael from her life.

She clicked the television remote control and was asleep five minutes after she started watching a show about people in search of an island to buy.