Chapter 13
(Previously )
A voice behind them interrupts her as soon as her sentence came out of her mouth.
"Can we talk?"
Helen stops talking, she looks over her shoulder, slowly turning around, confident that she knows who this voice belongs to. She's not surprised to see Lauren standing in front of her, then a brow goes up and at her without blinking.
Helen glances at Seyeed and then at Nazreen before fixing her gaze back on Lauren.
"Are you talking to me?" Helen asks with a look that's half annoyed and half haughty.
"Yes, I’m talking to you Hels" she replied overconfident.
Helen bows her head for a couple of seconds, wondering whether she should talk to her former friend or not.
then stands up to follow Lauren.
"I won't be long," she says to Seyeed, " Don't move from here, we need to finish this conversation." She then follows Lauren out of the room, Iggy and Floyd's eyes on them.
Once outside the room, Lauren walks a few steps towards the bathroom, then stops abruptly, turning to Helen.
The two former friends stare at each other blankly, Helen keeps Lauren's gaze, raising an eyebrow as if to order Bloom to start talking.
"To say I was amazed to see you here, would be putting it lightly." Mildly embarrassed defensiveness bordering on hostility.
"What do you want Lauren?"
"What are you doing here, Helen?"
"What do you really want to know, Lauren? Just ask."
*********************************
Seyeed leaves the room and heads for the terrace. On his way to the patio, he spotted Helen in the middle of a conversation with her former friends. Not wanting to disturb her, he quietly stepped through the glass door to the outside. As he approaches, he realizes he's not alone. He slowly makes his way to the balustrade, leans against it and pulls out a gleaming box from a famous luxury brand. He immediately puts a cigarette between his lips.
"Cigarette?" He asks, handing one to the man beside him.
"No thanks, I don't smoke," Max refuses politely.
"Good for you! Once started, it's impossible to stop."
"Congratulations by the way on your hard work, and your speech was truly inspiring." Max said
"Congratulations to you too." Seyeed continues " I'm impressed with your background and experience Dr Goodwin."
"Really?" Max says surprised
"Not really," Seyeed replies as he chuckles. "I was trying to be polite," as he blows the smoke out through his mouth and nose. Max turns to him, both shocked and surprised.
"Listen, why do you have this kind of attitude towards me? Why don't you like me?"
"What do you think?" Seyeed said, turning back to Max, his gaze fixed on his. "Do I need to tell you? Do you really want to know what I'm thinking about you Dr Maximus Goodwin? "
In an ideal world, Max wouldn't have bothered to confront the man Helen sees as a father figure, but he's more than fed up with Seyeed's attitude toward him.
"I don't like you, Dr Goodwin."
"Why's that? You don't even know me."
"No need," Seyeed's cocky behavior annoys Max, but he tries to contain himself for the sake of his relationship with Helen.
"My niece loves you," he says, approaching him, "and I wonder why? You don't deserve her."
"It's not for you to decide, Seyeed, who Helen should or shouldn't love."
"For you it's Pr Ali. Seyeed is for my friends, my family. And you, Dr Goodwin, are nothing to me." Max rubs his beard with his hand, refusing to be bullied, but Seyeed doesn't end it there.
"She gave you everything, she gave up so much for you. But what about you? What have you done for her, other than leaving her when she was at her worst? She survived herself at her lowest"
"You have no idea what happened between Helen and I." Max did not know why Seyeed was suddenly bringing this up again. He honestly thought they were done talking about the past. He wound up looking down apologetically.
"I know absolutely everything. Should I tell you, Dr. Goodwin?" His words come out like a bullet, as he emphasizes the name Goodwin.
"People like you, I know them! Whatever you were doing in New York, whoever you were with, I don't care... My niece was alone. You took away her radiant smile and caused her pain."
"Helen called off the wedding, not me. "
"Have you tried to find out what led her to call off the wedding? Do you hear yourself talking?…A wedding on the roof?" He shakes his head "Helen Sharpe getting married on New Amsterdam’s roof?"
"It wasn't the place that mattered, it was what it meant to both of us."
"Did you ever ask her?" Seyeed's voice gets loud and stern.
"My niece deserves more than that! She deserves more than a roof and ten flowers going into a battle. She deserves the world. SHE deserves the world," he repeats " she deserves a man going through thick and thin for her. Not some pathetic man making her sleep in a shoebox he shared with his late wife."
"Did Helen tell you all this?" Max is stunned by all the anger coming out of Seyeed's mouth like weapons.
"She didn't have to tell me anything! Despite all this, she fought for you and continues to do so." while he pauses, putting his hand inside his expensive tux, showing him a photo,
"What is it?"
Seyeed smiled and said, "Look at Helen here." His eyes gleamed as he described, "Do you know this is the last photo of her and Bahram? my brother! Helen’s father."
The little Helen, was only 5 years old, wearing a red dress. "My niece never saw her father after that." Seyeed leaned back and said, "I spent several years to just going through her anger with us, and tried to make amends for my brother's mistakes. For not fighting hard enough for this wonderful little girl." Seyeed described
"Helen is the little girl my brother walked away from and the little girl I never had... she is my daughter as much as I became a father to her... the father she never had. You could say I'm the closest thing she has to a father figure. I came to offer you a piece of advice. Don't ever ask my permission to marry her. I'd say no"
"But I fully intend to marry her."
"Are you sure, Dr Goodwin? She's already said no once, Are you willing to risk going down that same road all over again?"
Seyeed crushes his last cigarette and throws it across the railing. Patting Max's chest and whispering in his ear. "Don't put yourself through this a second time. Enjoy your evening, Dr Goodwin, and congratulations again on your prize," Seyeed said as he makes his way to the door.
Max runs his hand through his beard, then his hair, elbows resting on the railing, looking out over the lighted city, wondering if Seyeed is right. He knows he was wrong with Helen, but they spent months talking about it. She's better, and so is he. He forgave her, but did she?
He shakes his head to prevent the bad ideas from running through his mind. The item in his pocket pierced the fabric and burned his skin. He'd planned everything, asked Seyeed for Helen's hand, do things the right way. But now he had doubts and after the conversation, his soul was full of mixed feelings..Helen loves her uncle and his opinion means a lot to her... Just as he's asking himself all these questions, a woman's voice behind him brings him out of his dark thoughts.
****
"Hi stranger"
"Oh hi," Max turns at the voice behind him
"What are you doing here alone?"
"Need some fresh air, how about you?"
"Need some air too," Benett said, taking a place next to Max, right where Seyeed was standing a few minutes earlier.
"Helen's looking for you, we were both headed here, but we met Seyeed on the way and he asked his niece for a dance. And before you go back to the room, you should know that YOUR friends have spoken with Helen" Benett said with a smile! "And for what it’s worth, I’m so proud of her she said with a hand on her chest. I’m not sure Dr Bloom liked it, but who cares?" Benett laughs.
Max is unable to hear their friend's words because he is still in his thoughts
"Is everything all right?" Benett asks
"Yes, I'm fine," he replies without looking at her.
"I could have believed you," she says, giggling, "but I've got a pretty good ability to feel things, and... Max," she turns to him, "Seyeed just walked out of here and I know he doesn't like you. What happened?"
Seeing that Max was reluctant to open up, Benett insisted, placing a hand on his forearm.
"Max, you can trust me. I know your friends haven't always behaved the way friends should, but I love Helen and I've kind of grown to like you too. " She says with a smile on her face, nudging him lightly with her shoulder. "I'd never do anything to hurt her."
"Why... Why doesn't he like me? Well, I know exactly why... but... Helen's happy. She is happy, isn't she?" he’s concerned, starting to stutter and ramble.
"She is happy."
"Would you tell me if she wasn't? I know she’s your best friend, but-"
"She is, Max."
"So why isn't that enough for him? He hates me. He really hates me and he'll never give me Helen's hand." He says frustrated
"Helen's hand?"
"I want her to be my wife, Benett! I love her so much and I want to marry her." Benett remains silent, listening to him.
"You think like him, don't you? You think she'll say no?" Benett takes a deep breath before starting to speak.
"Did Helen tell you about Seyeed? I mean, did she tell you about their family history, and how they got back in touch?"
"Yes, she did."
"Then you have to understand that See is very special to her, he's the father she never had. "
"So you think she'll listen to him if he tells her not to marry me?"
"Max, I'm going to tell you something and I want you to make me a promise."
"I promise "
"You must know that the decision to call off your wedding was because See talked to her."
"What?" Max's eyes widen. "Why?"
"Because he told her that you didn't deserve her! That she deserved better. He thinks a relationship shouldn't be like this…You in New York and everything that happened after her stroke. He thinks, you're not good enough for her. "
"Serwa, then him, I don't stand a chance with them."
Benett made a short pause to sneer. "There's a big difference between Serwa and Seyeed, you know."
"Are you sure about this?"
"Of course I am... the difference is that Serwa is mean, the way she loves Helen is almost impossible to believe. She never values her, never shows her love... Seyeed, loves Helen deeply, like a daughter. He thinks he's trying to protect her."
"From me?"
"Max," Benett crinkles her big blue eyes, "I don't need to remind you what happened between you. I don't need to remind you that Helen was in London, all alone, none of you, those she called her family, none of you, of them tried to find out what happened to her. Listen, I'm nobody to judge you, Max, and I only know about you what Helen has told me, and what I can see with my own eyes.
I like you Max and I know you really love Helen, but if in the future I'm forced to choose between you and my best friend, there's no doubt I'll do everything in my power to make you pay for the pain she'll feel because of you."
Max bows his head and stares at his shiny shoes.
"I'm not saying Serwa doesn't love Helen, I'm not saying See will never love you, but you proved him right by staying in NY while she was in …London.
"So, what am I supposed to do with this?" Max takes the black satin box out of his pocket and hands it to Benett.
When she opens the little box, her eyes widen in amazement.
"Wow, Max... you spent all your savings on this ring?" Benett says joking. Max picks up the ring and his eyes remain fixed on the piece of gold.
"Maybe it's too soon, maybe she doesn't want to marry me, he begins to babble."
"Max, listen...if it wasn’t Seyeed, would you have asked her to marry you?"
"Without hesitation."
"Why?"
"Because I love her, because I know she loves me, because I want to spend my life with her... But what if she's not ready?"
"Max, she hasn't been home for months, you've been living together for months. She's crazy about you Max, she loves Luna so much.
The hole never fills, but new life will grow around it, so don't worry about See, just go for it. Ask her." Benett says, patting him on the same spot as Seyeed had done earlier, then leaves him alone with his thoughts.
***
A few minutes later, after clearing his head of dark thoughts, he hears heels clicking on the floor behind him, and doesn't need to turn around to recognize that this is the main source of his worry.
He doesn't turn around and lets her approach him at a slow pace. She doesn't speak, just stands there, contemplating the brightly city. Not much to tell the truth, if not the sound of horns, which echoes incessantly, dangerous taxi drivers, smokers who are numerous and can smoke everywhere despite the late hour. Without looking at her, he senses that she's somehow tense, could it be because of what Ben has told him? their old friends? what happened? what did they say? Max wants to ask her about it, but he knows her and prefers to let her speak first.
"Hi" he starts, nudging her lightly with his shoulder.
"I heard you had a pretty heated conversation with Lauren."
Helen doesn't reply and Max immediately regrets having decided to start with that topic. She takes a deep breath, "I wouldn't call it a heated conversation, but she wanted to talk, so, I listened and then I told her what I thought."
"Witnesses overheard the two of you having a heated conversation." Max adds
She rubs her forehead with her thumb before continuing.
"If by witness you mean Ben, then you shouldn't believe everything she says, you know very well how she tends to exaggerate and extrapolate everything."
"Okay, so you want to tell me about it? tell me what happened? what they said?"
She told me about you and Wilder, about how… She pauses and turns to face him, her hands still on the railing. She talked about luna, and how they've all been a big support to you. "
"I'm sorry she thought telling you all of this was normal."
"Oh don’t be… In fact, I told them what I thought. I told my truths." She paused, looking distantly, "You okay?"
Max smiled, rubbing the back of his neck and admitted, "Yes, but i don't like the fact that they waited until i wasn't there to talk to you. I don't like it at all.."
Putting her hand on his arm, quite affectionately, she asked, "Are you sure you okay ?"
Max chuckled, "Don't tempt me because I will go big on that query."
"Ask away. I might just say yes." She maintained her smile and suggested, "I might just grant it."
Max froze. He looked at her and studied her expression. It did not appear to him that she was bluffing.
Thus, he brazenly asked, "I want time alone with you, I have a surprise for you." he added, his eyes full of yearning.
Soon, she replied in a soft tone, "Of course." She blushes while putting her hand on his cheek.
"You said yes?"
"I said yes," she replied. "You have to tell me about that ."
"You really said yes?" He asked again.
"You want me to take it back?" She asked, seeing how he doubted her.
"No! You can't take it back! You already said yes!" Max responded.
"So stop questioning me and plan for the surprise!" She ordered, making Max laugh.
"Oh, I will. You are going to enjoy every moment! You are going to want to kiss me!" He declared, his smile reaching his ears.
Helen beamed, challenging him. "Let's see about that." She takes his offered arm and they both head for the stairs to the main hall.
"I can't wait to get you out of this dress"
"As long as you're careful, it's very delicate" she says "You wouldn't want to damage it, would you?"
As they make their way into the room, Max catches a glimpse of a group of people, who turns out to be his friends
Helen moves towards the room while watching him. "Max," she says, "Don't,"
"Go get your things," he says to Helen, "I'll be right behind you." She tries to hold him back, but his footsteps are already far from her.Max walked a little further, but realized that Helen was still watching him.When he reaches them, they all turn to face him, interrupting their whispering.
"Hi," he says, scratching the back of his neck.
"hmm. what happened with Helen earlier?"
"That's what we were talking about," begins Iggy. "She was very upset. If you'd seen the way she talked to us... to Lauren in particular... she looked so haughty, I couldn't believe it was the Helen Sharpe we knew.
"Iggy..." but Iggy keeps talking without listening to him
"Iggy..Iggy...this isn't the same Helen you knew. And Lauren, you had no right to tell her about Wilder. No right. Look guys, I... I would be eternally grateful for the support you've given me throughout this period. But, you have no right to interfere with what's going on between Helen and I. But time went by and I realized how Helen must have felt throughout this situation. She was alone while all of you stood behind me.
Which one of you checked up on her? which one of you asked her what was going on in her head? asked her anything other than what the fuck? ... And I can't believe none of you thought it was wrong. Why am I, a year later, the one who needs to stand up in front of you and tell you that you were wrong about her? About us? and you're shocked by her behaviour towards you?"
"Max, we were there for you," Lauren continues.
"I'm not talking about me, I'm talking about her," he sighs frustratedly, directing his gaze towards Helen, who hasn't moved from her position. He pauses for a second, his eyes still on Helen. He extended his hand, but she was determined to keep her hand by her side.
"Joins me." He says, his hand still extended, his voice suddenly calm and tender.
Helen too astonished to think, does as he's commanded; She moves towards him and grabs his outstretched hand. Her hand in his, he places a soft kiss, then redirects his gaze to them.
"NA had always came before our happiness, but that was a long time ago. I can't be friends with you anymore if you don't respect the woman I love."
keeping his gaze on Helen, he continues." I love her more than anything" he continues, "Yes, I love you," he says, before laying a kiss full of promise on Helen’s smiling lips.
"Let's get your stuff." he finally says, as he pulls his lips away from hers. It's hand in hand that they leave this place together, leaving behind old memories but the promise of the future is full of assurance and promises.
***
Immediately the next day, Max was ready early. He had been waiting for the opportunity to take Helen out for months, and this was his moment. After she said yes, he did not wait another day, another week, and definitely not another month. Fortunately, it was the right season for his ideal surprise with his ex-fiancée. He thought about it a hundred or a maybe a thousand times. When Helen left, he had imagined taking her to one of her favorite spots.
"Wow! You look beautiful," Max remarked, seeing Helen walk out of her suite, wearing a casual dress. Helen shrugged, saying, "You said it wasn't formal. And you don't look so bad yourself." She commented.
They were on the road for almost four hours. In between, they Facetimed with their little girl, she still couldn't understand why she couldn't join them at the event. Helen also confirmed that she had given notice to her landlord, who agreed to let her leave before the end of her lease.
"But-," she says, facing him, "I won't move in until you agree that the penthouse, umm-"
"What?"
"Can we give our home a complete makeover? Please…"
"Anything you want, as long as you don't you don't go into my study"
"Deal" Helen says with a grin, getting what she wanted.
Luna had asked her several weeks ago, in a beautiful card written by Max but signed with her full name Luna Olivia Goodwin. The little girl had praised the advantages of moving in with the Goodwins, and Helen had naturally agreed, suspecting that Max was behind this. Halfway through their journey, Max put a blindfold over her eyes. He guided her out of the car, holding her hand, feeling the softness of her palm against his.
"Where are you taking me, Max?" Helen asked, After walking for minutes.
"Smell it," and she did as she was told.
"I smell the beach," she replied. "Oh, god. I miss the beach. It has been ages!"
"I know that for a fact, and I drove you here, to your favorite beach spot," he declared.
Hearing him, Helen stilled. She gasped before asking, "You mean to say - Max?" She removed her blindfold hurriedly and found herself on the beautiful beach.
"Montauk!’ Helen delightfully exclaimed. "Oh, my god, babe. You remember!"
Helen ran to the beach, removed her sandals, and stepped onto the sand. She had probably hiked several meters when she turned to Max and asked,
"Come on, Max! Join me."
Max walked toward her and offered his hand. He said to her, "Better than old times."
Helen studied his hand for a second, but then she took it, responding, "I suppose."They walked along the shores holding hands, sometimes submerging their feet into the water.
They continued to march further into the shoreline until arriving at the tip of the sandbank. The resort had set up a picnic blanket under the stars with candles lying around the sand and all her favorite dishes. A bucket of ice was buried halfway into the sand, an expensive bottle of 2003 Dom Perignon P2 Plenitude Brut champagne, a platter of assorted cheese, strawberries, grapes and raspberries sitting next to it. This bottle of champagne costs almost eight hundred dollars, and she doubts it's just for a candlelit evening.
In the next hour, they simply drank champagne, paired it with cheese and fruits, lay on the picnic blanket, and watched the stars shine against the night. Helen had a smile on her face as she studied the skies. It was lovely. It was the most relaxing night of her life, coupled with the sea breeze and a Kick of booze.
"I know this isn't a fancy date," Max said. "But -"
"I think this is a special date you have taken me to, Max," cutting off his trail of thought. She glanced at him, and their eyes locked. She bit her lip and softly said, "Thank you, babe."
Max badly wanted to propose Helen that night. She kept smiling throughout their date, and he thought she looked more beautiful. He was this close to asked her to marry him, but he was afraid he was pushing his luck .
The way back was in peaceful silence, Helen’s head resting gently on Max’s shoulder and her hand remained in his all the way back. They walked down his suite, they were about to make it out to the hallway when Seyeed called their attention.
"Dr Goodwin, a word please," Seyeed said, his head leaning toward Helen’s suite. "I was waiting for you"
"Seyeed Please, not now" Helen said annoyed.
"I won't be long." Helen stands between the two men.
"What did you just told him yesterday," she asks sternly in farsi.
"Nothing -"
"Don’t you dare lie to me uncle" she cuts him off still speaking Farsi
"Nothing that I don't think"
"Will you answer me?" His niece replied.
"Babe," Max said, but she is not moving... "Helen…" he insists, placing his hand on her waist to reassure her.
"Let me talk to your uncle and wait for me inside. Please."
Helen glares into Seyeed's eyes, then tells him in Farsi "My personal life is none of your business. Stay out of it, Seyeed. I'm not joking."
Before stepping into Max's room, she turns towards him, caresses his cheek with her hand and with her mouth slightly open, she begins to kiss him, brushing her relaxed lips lightly against his. After entering the room and closing the door, Max rests his back against the door for a while. But now he knew without doubt, that his previously wrong viewpoint, and the experiences to which it had led, was a special preparation enabling him to appreciate the truth on the subject more clearly than might otherwise have been possible.
Helen was holding her phone, scrolling through her camera roll. While lying on the bed. "What happened?" She asks Looking back at these pictures, she just can't believe how fast time flies.Hearing no answer, she stands up from the bed and puts down her phone.
"Max?" She watched him run his hand through his beard, then lifted his back from the door as he walked towards her.
"Nothing… nothing, don't worry, I can handle your uncle." He finally says, seeing the concern on her face.
"Was he rude? Tell me."
"Your uncle is evil, Helen." Max said calmly. Helen's eyes widen.
"You can't be serious! What did he say to you? Because I'm going to his room right now and tell him what I think! He has no right - "
"Mmmm," Max acknowledged. Because of the way Helen was talking, Max laughed thoroughly.
"What?" she smacked his arm repeatedly. "Why are you laughing?!"
"Because, the way you are talking, you are making it all too complicated with him," Max pulled her into his lap. He hugged her tightly and kissed her arm, saying, "let's not forget the reason why we’re together - ok? And Seyeed-" Max thinks back to their conversation.
"I'm sorry, Max. I'm sorry about everything. I know I was selfish." Seyeed looked at Max and declared, "I want you to know that I will back off, but if you ever hurt Helen again, I swear to god, Max, I will initiate Helen’s next leaving, and I will make sure you never see her again." The two stilled for an undetermined time until Max cleared the air. "While I don't like the threat, I want to clarify that it won't happen. I have learned from my mistake."
"Let's just say that the most important thing is that he apologized!"
"What? Are you serious?" Max nods up and down.
"What did he say? Tell me, I need to know word-for-word what he said. " Max laughs, then slides his hand down Helen's neck and brings his lips to hers.
"No. This is a private conversation! "
"Private?" Helen asks, moving her lips away from Max’s. Max nods.
"Do you want the private part of my body that you love so much to remain private for an indefinite period of time?"
"The important thing is that he apologized. Isn't it?" He says, pulling gently on Helen's neck, bringing her back to his lips.
After slowly undressing her, his eyes locked with hers, and laying her on the bed, Max hold her tight, dragging his tongue through her folds, and right along her backside. She nearly melts into the mattress, back bowing deeper, lifting her hips like she wants more.
He slides his tongue higher, following the line of her spine to her neck, moving his mouth near her ear, leaning his body over hers until his entire front is plastered against her back.
"I want to claim you everywhere, my love," He says, touching her middle. "Do you want that?" Her body contracts against the pad of his finger. "Yes," she whispers, sealing her eyes shut. With the other hand, he run the head of his dick through her wetness, coating his skin before he thrust in deep and hard, in one single stroke. He’s pounding into her and she lets out a moan as soon as he touches her.
When his hard, wide, thick member’s moving out of her sweet middle, creating a whole new level of sensation, her body shudders, her insides quiver, and she moans louder with each pass and swipe of his width.
Within minutes, Max can't hold back, thrusting harder until her body inches forward with each push and their bodies are covered in sweat. Marry me. He lets it slip from his lips like a breath. Helen screams through an orgasm, squeezing his dick , milking him through each wave and crest of pleasure until she is gasping for air. He followed, unable to stop the orgasm from ripping through him before he collapses on top of her, their bodies sticking together.
" I love you. I adore you" Max whispers in her ear, barely getting the words out as he tried to catch his breath. She hums her agreement. "Marry me." He says once again plucking up courage and Helen is now sure she heard him right the first time.
She gulped, Unable to move or maybe not sure if she should. The only thing she knows for sure in this moment is she’s right where she was always meant to be, Looking forward to tomorrow, which she is sure will be full of emotions.