Page 44 of Safer Together
This word makes Elliot snap, “Angela is not a gold digger, Mom.”
Maggie retorts right away, “Of course she is. All she sees you for is your money.” Before I can stop myself, I stand up and walk toward the cluster of Elliot’s family.
“She is not. You have no idea what you’re talking about.” Elliot’s voice is filled with anger.
I lay my left hand on the small of his back. “It’s okay, honey, I can speak for myself.” He looks back at me and he nods. “You think I’m a gold digger, Mrs. Sands.”
Even though it’s a statement, I leave it open for a response. “Of course you are,” she spits at me.
“Why do you think that?” I ask calmly.
Arthur speaks next “Angela, you’re a real estate agent from Nashville who even with commissions wouldn’t make any more than $80,000 a year. Elliot runs a company that earns that in a few hours. You can see our concern.”
I begin to speak “Arthur....”
Elliot cuts me off. “You don’t need to answer that, Baby”
I turn to him and stroke his back like he did to me, trying to calm him. “It’s okay, sweetheart.”
“Arthur, when you take into account my earnings from my wages, then yes, you are right. I earn maximum one hundred thousand dollars a year. However, I also earn several hundred thousand in interest per year on my bank account.”
I pause I see Arthur and Maggie look at each other, “You don’t have to tell them anything, Angie” Elliot speaks.
Maggie pipes up “I think she does, Elliot. Explain yourself, Angela.”
“I may not be as wealthy as Elliot, but I have my own money.” I look at Elliot before continuing. “I’ve told Elliot everything, he knows my financial situation, and he is fine with it. So, I don’t see why it’s any of your concern.” Even though Elliot doesn’t know my exact net worth, he acts as though it isn’t news to him.
“That’s my girl” Elliot is talking only to me. He leans down and plants a kiss on my lips. I pull away after a moment and smile at him.
“Well Elliot, if you’re happy, I’m happy. I never thought you would get married.” We both turn to look at Beth who is talking. “I’m finally going to have a sister!” She takes a measured step forward and wraps her arms around the both of us. I allow myself to hug her, too.
“Thanks, Beth, me too.” She steps back and smiles at me, she then turns to her brother.
“Congratulations, brother of mine”
“Thanks, Beth” He pulls her to him and gives her a hug. I sneak a look at Arthur and Maggie, who still seem upset.
I’m certainly not going to tell them everything about myself. I haven’t even told Elliot yet. I need to let him know it all, “Elliot, can you please help me upstairs for a moment?” I turn on my heel and make my way up to Elliot’s bedroom. I sit on the bed, then get up and walk over to the Juliet balcony, opening the French doors to look out at the gardens.
I start shaking, a sob threatening to come out. They called me a gold digger. A gold digger. And because they have brought it to light, I now have to tell all the secrets I have kept for years. I need to tell him more about my past, and my present that I keep myself distant from. I breathe slow and deep trying to calm myself, so the tears won’t fall, a minute later he enters the room and sees me still shaking, “Angie, sweetheart. What’s wrong?” He closes the door and crosses the room so quickly and is enveloping me in his strong arms. “Baby, what’s going on?”
He runs his hand over my hair. “I need to tell you something. Something only my parents and one other person know.” I pause, readying myself.
“Angie, you don’t need to tell me anything, you don’t need to explain anything to me. I love you and I don’t believe for even one second that you are a gold digger.” I take a step back from his embrace. I can’t feel his touch right now. Instead I look into his eyes.
“I’m glad, because I’m not, Elliot. I have money, lots of it. My Grandfather was property developer Ernest White, my father is John White, the architect who has designed ninety percent of the buildings that have been built in the past twenty years in New York. I am a part of a very wealthy family, probably just as wealthy as you are. When my grandfather passed away, he left me a significant inheritance. Some I already have; some I will receive when I turn thirty. Another portion will be released if I ever marry, along with an amount to be put away for any children I have.”
I pause. Next is the hardest bit of all. The next piece involves Dylan. I ready myself, and decide to just spit it out. “When I got my first amount, I was with Dylan, he found out about the money and tried to take it. That’s why he assaulted me the last time. I found out that he had tried to withdraw a significant amount of money from my account. When I confronted him, he turned on me and almost killed me. My money made me a target, even from the one person who was supposed to love me unconditionally. That’s why I have been alone for so long. Ever since that happened, I’ve felt safer alone. Then you came into my life and changed all of that. I fell in love with you and decided that love like what we have is worth the risk.”
I don’t say anything else; I just look at Elliot. He is looking into my eyes. I want to ask him what he is thinking but I don’t. I stay quiet. I clasp my hands together and start to wring them, he takes a step towards me and reaches to hold my hand. “Angie, I will never, ever hurt you. Physically or emotionally, you know that don’t you?”
His eyes are filled with truth. I want to believe him. He continues, “I don’t need your money either, I have enough of my own. I’m worth billions of dollars myself. I will sign any document you want in order to secure your money. I’ll sign a prenup protecting all of your assets. I don’t want either of us to be alone. I want to be with you, Angela. I want to share the rest of my life with you”
I look at the man who I have agreed to marry. Do I trust him? I certainly want to. He has been so honest with me, promising me he doesn’t want any of my money. And why would he? He is worth so much more than I am. And for that reason, I trust him implicitly in regard to my financial situation.
For the past four years I was sure the only way to be safe was to be alone. Yet here I am with the man I love, declaring that he will never hurt me. Do I believe him?
“We better go back downstairs before your parents come after us. I’m sure they want an explanation.”
Elliot shakes his head. “I don’t care if they want a fucking explanation. You don’t need to give them anything. Angela, we are going to be married. You will be a part of this family. What is mine will be yours, as long as you still want to.” His face falls slightly; he is worried about my answer.
I know how I feel, I know what I should say, instead I step toward him and kiss him. I kiss him with all of my feelings, trying to push all of my love into this connection, I twirl my hands in his hair and tug at it gently, his moan opens his mouth and gives access to my tongue, his hands pull me close to him so our bodies are hard pressed against each other. I can feel his heartbeat and his warm breath in my mouth, I pull back just enough. “Elliot Sands. I love you. I want to be with you forever, that’s why I said yes to marrying you. I’ve always felt that I would be safer by myself, but when I am with you, I feel even safer. As though we are now safer together.”
I kiss his lips gently. “Don’t hurt me.” It’s a plea. He lifts his hands from my waist to either side of my face, he presses his forehead to mine and looks into my eyes.
“I promise I will never hurt you, Angela. I love you so much it scares me, forever can’t come quick enough.” With his final word spoken, he kisses me again. He lowers his arms and wraps one around my back, bending slightly he picks me up with his other arm under my legs, he takes a few steps and lowers me onto the bed. I lay back pulling him with me so he is on top. We kiss slowly, each brush of our lips full of meaning, full of love.
My hands drop to the hem of his sweater and slip under so I can feel his skin, it’s warm and at my touch he shivers. I run my fingers along the top of his waistband “Ah, baby. We should pick this up when everyone leaves.” His voice brings me back to the here and now. He is right, I groan in response and then we both laugh. We kiss twice more and then he sits up, holding his hand out to me. I hold up my left hand and he kisses my ring, the symbol of love that I will wear for the rest of my life. He then pulls me up to stand in front of him. “I love you, baby”
“Right back at you, Sands.” We turn around and make our way back downstairs.
