Ep. 3 - Biography of Wayne Brecklin Part Two
At Wayne's cabin, everything seemed quiet and serene. Wayne had just come home from his meeting with Gail and was so happy. There was a gleam of joy in his eyes and he was humming happily as he entered through the door. The smile on his face was immediately wiped clean when he saw a very hurt Enid crumpled on the floor.
"What's the matter, dear?"
"You know exactly what's wrong. I know the real reason why you broke things off with me. It's her, isn't it? Everyone in town has been talking about the two of you and I was too dumb and too in love to hear it before now. The two of you have been seeing each other for some time."
"I never meant to hurt you this way. I wanted to tell you myself for so long, but I couldn't. I love you like a friend. I think you are the most wonderful person in the world, but you truly deserve someone who is a lot better for you than me."
"This isn't really about you caring about me. It is all about you having more passion for another woman. I was the only one in town who would help you in your time of need. I gave you land out of the kindness of my heart. I gave you work when you needed it. I even gave you the money to start your successful business when Miss Gail was still busy thinking she was too good for you. She is only paying any attention to you now that you have money. Don't you know that?"
"I know. My head was turned. I am a bad person. You do deserve better. What can I really offer you? I am a success now, the least I can do is pay you a fair value for the land you gave me and repay that money you gave me to start a business."
"I don't want your money. I gave it out of the goodness of my heart. All I hoped for in exchange was your friendship. Friends do not treat friends in this way, but friends do make mistakes. I can forgive your indiscretion with Miss Gail, but I don't know if I could stand to see you if you continue to see her."
Wayne had to think about it for awhile. All of his money, power and success was due to Enid. Without the money, power and success, he would never have a chance with Gail. If he were to end things with Enid, he would probably lose all he had and lose Gail, too. Even if he had to live without Gail, at least he would have the security he never had before Enid. He would have to sacrifice happiness with a woman that drove him to passion over the security of a relationship without it or face a life that was worse than when he started out.
"My dear, Enid. I am truly sorry for all the hurt I put on you. If you will have me in your life, even as just a friend, I would be glad to never see that woman again."
"Thank you for telling me such things, but you did hurt me. I can forgive you as a friend, but I don't think we could be anything more than friends. I bid you farewell without hard feelings and wish you well. I need time to think, so please do not see me for awhile."
As Enid left, Wayne felt really guilty. He knew he did wrong by the only person in his life who truly cared about him. He wanted her to feel better, but not to give her any further mixed messages. He wanted her friendship, but not to be in a relationship with her. The rest of the town was starting to acknowledge him. Everyone else in town still snubbed Enid and she was still the outsider and she would only hold him back. A few hours after Enid left, Gail came knocking at the door and confronted him.
"I saw that woman leave your home earlier this evening. I told you to break it off with her. Why was she here?"
"She was upset with me and wanted an explanation. I did the wrong thing by her and wanted to make things right. I'm sorry, but I can no longer see you." " What? You can't do that. You have to marry me."
"Why?"
Gail turned away from him and tears started to roll down her eyes then she started sobbing hysterically.
"Please, Gail, tell me what has gotten you so upset. Why do I have to marry you?"
"You idiot! I am with child. If you do not do the right thing by me, I will be totally scandalized. Everyone will hate us both. This child may as well be dead. You must marry me as soon as possible. Forget about that woman and marry me this month."
"I am truly sorry I put you in this situation and I will do the right thing, but you are going to have to keep quiet about this baby until I get things sorted. If you do not keep it quiet now before I make things right, we both indeed will be caught in a scandal. Can you do that much for me and stay away from me for a few days?"
"Yes, my love. Remember, time is of the essence."
This really put Wayne at a disadvantage. Without the help he knew he was getting from Enid, he would have nothing to interest Gail and with a baby on the way, he could not afford a scandal. He would surely be railed out of town or killed.
He also made that promise to Enid, but he is not in love with her and she is used to being alone. Gail is with his child and that seemed to be a more urgent matter.
In the morning, Wayne went into the library to look for a book that might solve his problems. He remembered the book of mythical creatures mentioned something about how a mortal could have the powers of the Darkness. He needed to know how to do it because he couldn't continue to lead Enid along or use her, he had a baby on the way. Right now, that baby was the most important thing in the world to him.
When he was a child, as the oldest son, it was up to him to look after his sisters and brothers as his father was a drunk and his mother was a whore. He would have had a better time if money was not an issue so he could feed them when they were hungry or get them new clothes instead of having to mend the old ones. He promised himself if he were to ever have children of his own, they would be highly valued and he would gladly give them everything they needed. It would surely make up for the lousy childhood he had. He did not want to be like his parents.
In a stack of books that was marked for being burned, he found exactly what he needed. He grabbed it and sneaked out of the building with it under his coat. He spent the better part of the afternoon and all evening reading how one could sell their soul for the power to get whatever they wanted in life. Sure, he glossed over the consequences of what it meant, but he would be glad to suffer if he could at least have one lifetime of happiness. He knew what he had to do.
The next day he cooked a grand meal and had a vase of flowers on his table. He went to Enid's home and invited her over to apologize for how he behaved. She was reluctant to go, but still in love with him and could not stay mad for very long. They had a good meal, a long talk and then danced outside by the moonlight.
Wayne did indeed have some feelings towards Enid and could not help himself when he kissed her and she responded in kind. One kiss led to another as they embraced outside in the field, far away from the gossiping townsfolk. Before they realised, they were stark naked making love. Wayne eventually came to his senses after their moment of bliss.
"I really do care about you, my dear Enid, and I am sorry I got so carried away. A thing like this could cause you great scandal and I did not mean you any harm."
"Does this mean you do not love me?"
"Enid, I do love you. You are my best friend. I have always been honest with you about that, even when I proposed to you. You know exactly how I felt about that other woman and it would take time to completely remove her from my heart. You deserve a man much better and more worthy than I am."
"I understand. It will not happen again. I forgive you."
"Enid, be honest with me. You are not like everyone else, are you?"
"What do you mean?"
"After I proposed to you, I saw you with your mother and heard you talk."
"Oh."
"Have you used your powers to help me all this time?"
"Only because I felt sorry for you. I thought if you were given a bit of a chance that you would rise up on your own merits. I only wanted to help."
"I know. I really do appreciate what you have done for me. I also know that you have a connection that would help me do for myself what you have done for me all along. You see, Enid, I love and respect you so much as a friend that I don't ever want you to think I am using you."
"But Wayne, even if I should connect you, the price you would have to pay is so severe. Why would you trade a short period of time of happiness for eternal misery and suffering?"
"Because I love and respect you so much. How would I ever hold my head up to you unless we are on equal footing? A part of you may always suspect that I am only with you because of your powers instead of being with you because I do care."
"I understand, but that is too high a price for you to pay for our friendship. I don't mind helping you. If I were to ever die, my eternal fate is far less severe than the one you would face. My death would mean an eternity of nothingness. Your fate would be one of eternal slavery with no way out."
"I am prepared for the consequences. I wish to be master of my life and be on top, even if it is just a short lifetime. I also know that you cannot turn me down as your moral contract requires you send mortals to your side."
"I will connect you, but I do want you to be sure you realise what you are doing. Once you agree to it there is no going back. They own you. I love you too much to advise you in this direction. I am giving you one more chance to reconsider it."
"I have made up my mind, my dear."
As they stood naked by the new moon of the Equinox and right at midnight, Enid yelled out in a language of the Darkness which would shortly summon her mother whose job it is to seek souls. She told him to meet the representative over in the field by the stream. Wayne sent Enid home before her arrival so the transaction could take place without her warning him about the grave mistake he was about to make.
Her mother came to the spot to do the deed - get the mortal to sign over his soul. Wayne pleaded with the creature about his circumstances. He said he wanted to keep the land and business that Enid gave him. He wanted wealth, power and success. He also wanted to marry the woman carrying his child.
As a mother, she felt upset that she was correct when she warned her daughter about this man who was about to break Enid's heart. She could see through his heart and knew the story of his life. She was revolted, but was there to make a deal that would harm her daughter in the end.
"I know your heart and your mind. What is about to be granted to you is what you will deserve. If you do not do the right thing by my daughter, I place a curse on you and all whom you love that goes beyond the terms of this contract."
"I am not worried. I can do right by your daughter. I just have things I need to do."
"You are not going to do right by her. You are planning right now to marry a woman who does not love anyone but herself. You are her toy, a thing of pleasure for the moment. You are throwing away my daughter's heart over a woman that is not worthy of any man. The curse I place on you is deserved. If you hurt my daughter over that woman, you will clearly see her for what she is and it will harden your heart and none of the wealth and power you can acquire will ever make up for the pain she will cause you. That's all I have to say."
With a bolt of lightining that struck where they were standing, she disappeared and Wayne was knocked to the ground. He stayed motionless on the ground as the powers came over him. Slowly his heart was starting to grow cold. He finally got what he wanted.
Wayne woke up a new man. Instead of going to Enid to thank her for the connection, he went to find Gail and propose to her. He bought her the biggest engagement ring in town to ensure she would accept.
And she did. In the morning, she ran off excited to tell her friends and sisters so they could make plans for a wedding in a week. She wanted to rush it so he would not back out. All the women in town wanted him and she was not about to lose him.
Although his heart was growing cold, he still felt guilt and remorse over what he was doing to Enid. He deliberately ignored the warning of a curse with an act that would hurt Enid. Now the curse would overcome him.
In his shame, he did what he could to avoid Enid. He even had his home knocked down and spread a rumour that he moved into a hotel in town. He had plans to build the biggest mansion on that spot as a wedding gift for his new bride. He did not want to be anywhere Enid to have to explain what he was doing.
Unfortunately, it could not be avoided. Enid noticed the work being done in the lot and figured Wayne just wanted a better place with all his newfound money and powers. It wasn't until she went into town and heard the gossiping ladies talk about the big wedding of Wayne and Gail. Enid was so upset that she ran to his store to try and find him. They told him he was staying at the hotel in town. When she went to the hotel and asked for him she found out he was staying at a wing of the mansion, waiting for his new home to be built on the land she gave him out of love and friendship.
Enid was hurt as she figured out what happened. A friend does not do this kind of thing to someone they care about. Wayne may have said he respected and loved her, but he used her in the worst way. She gave up trying to look for him and went back home.
Time flew by and in a week he was married to Gail. They left town to go back to her childhood town in Paris so he could meet the rest of the family. They spent about a few months staying in the homes of relatives. She spent most of her time shopping, gossiping with her friends and flirting with the men of means. He spent most of the time trying to make business connections while getting irate that his new wife was making a play after every man in sight.
One night he was growing tired of the behavior of his wife and spoke to Gail about her refusal to make love to him and how she was flirting with all those men. She wanted to assure him that it was only something she did to make herself feel like she was beautiful and none of those men meant anything to her. She wanted to make love to him right now if he would have her.
That was a mistake on her part as she started her monthly cycle. He asked her about her pregnancy. She told him she may have made a mistake and she wasn't pregnant after all, but not to worry as now they would have more freedom to have fun without a baby tying them down.
He could not believe what he was hearing. He was tricked into marrying this woman under the pressure of a child. It was the idea that he was about to be a father that compelled him to sign his soul to the Darkness and hurt the only real friend he ever had. Now he finds out there is no child and the marriage was based on lies.
Gail informed him that she never really wanted to be a mother. Children were a burden. She wanted to be free to come and go, to do as she pleased. She said maybe in a few years she would do the expected obligations of the family and give him a son, but until then she would prefer to remain childless.
Having children meant everything to Wayne. He raised his siblings in very tough circumstances, but knew if he were older and had the money to support them he would have enjoyed it more. Now he has the money and age behind him and stuck with a woman who did not share his value of children.
As she got on top of him to make love, by the light of the moonlight creeping in, he saw a glimpse of her soul and saw that she was a vain and shallow person not capable of loving anyone but herself. She had no conscience. In fact, she was currently cheating on him with several men in town. He pushed her off and rolled over to sleep and muttered they would return home in the morning.
After months of vacation and a long journey by boat and wagon trail, they finally made it back. Although it had been four months since he had last seen Enid and knowing he left on bad terms, he felt the need to make amends. The mansion would remain their home until his was finished. It was almost done and would take a few more weeks. In the meantime, he spent more time with his father-in-law who was pressuring him in selling his business to the family so they could have a merger that would make them both wealthy.
The business tactics of Mr. Gannette were cruel and immoral. On one hand he was seen as one of the wealthiest and pious members of the community who attended church and contributed so much money to it and various causes in the town. He owned most of the land in town and if anyone merely displeased him, he would make things difficult for them until they did things his way.
When asked about his methods, Mr. Gannette laughed at his naivety. "That is how the business world works. You find your advantages and the disadvantages of others, exploit them on both ends hard and fast. Never let anyone take the upper hand. Never let anyone see your weaknesses. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
"Why on earth do you think I allowed you to marry my daughter? I hate your guts, to be quite honest. Your business threatens the well being of my local empire and I cannot have it. It is almost like you magically came across your wealth without having to work for it. When you two start having children, I hope you teach them how it really works. Make them a pillar of the community. Make them serve their country. Make them work for what they have. Make them meet the highest standards before you give them the keys to your kingdom.
"If at any time you two displease me I will write both of you off. I have other children who would love to inherit the throne. My daughter has not proved herself worthy and you are not a Gannette by blood. Now if you manage to give me a son and if my own son cannot give me a grandson, then perhaps there will be hope for you yet. Otherwise, you should not expect to run my business when I am gone.
"I want you to sign over your business to make things less difficult for the family business, but you will have money and power galore. If you displease me I will track you down and make you miserable. Are you clear?"
"Yes, sir."
Wayne excused himself as he said he had to check on the construction of the house. He finally understood the monster he married and the family he aligned with. He was full of regrets knowing what he knew now and how he hurt a woman who would have gladly given him the world without him risking his eternal happiness. He threw it away.
As he approached the building, he noticed Gail coming towards him looking sad. He could barely look at her out of the pangs of guilt which was starting to harden towards him. Suddenly he just wanted distance from her. He wanted nothing to do with her. He thought it might be best if he would move out and divorce his wife, except the Gannettes were so powerful they would track him down. Even with magical powers, he knew he did not have a chance.
"Wayne, please wait up for me."
"What do you want? I'm kind of busy and don't have time for a meaningless conversation."
"This is important." She took his hand and rubbed it across her belly. "Did you feel that? That is your child. Fortunately no one has really paid much attention to notice I am with child because we both know what this scandal would do. What can you do about this situation? Will you stand by us?"
Wayne thought carefully about it. He remembered being tricked into a loveless marriage by a false pregnancy. He knew Enid had magical powers, maybe this was an elaborate trick to snag him. Not that it was in her nature to manipulate him, but after spending time with the Gannettes, he developed a distrust for everyone, even Enid.
"I don't know what you want from me. All I can tell you is if you are smart, you will keep quiet about it. You will stay in your home and out of town. I can send delivery people to provide you with basic needs or you can make them magically appear. Quite frankly, I don't care. This is not my problem. I did not ask for you to carry my child. I did not ask for this scandal. I don't want my name smeared in town. If you tell anyone I will deny it. Please leave me alone."
Enid ran home hurt and wanting revenge. She thought maybe if she talked to his wife he would do the right thing. The next morning she went to town to find Gail who was shopping at Wayne's store. She pulled her to the side to speak with her, woman to woman.
"Gail, I know you don't like me and I don't like you. I have to tell you something very important that affects us both. I am carrying your husband's child and he will not do right by me."
"I don't believe you. You must be mad!" Gail laughed out loud causing a scene. Her friends standing nearby were now interested in listening to the conversation.
"It's true. We made love months ago, before you got married, and if you feel my belly you will see it is true." Enid grabbed Gail's hand and rubbed it across her tummy and she could feel it move around.
"Get away from me you crazy lady. How do I know this is my Wayne's child? It could belong to anyone."
"I have only been with him. It is his."
"Go away. If I ever see you again, I will tear your eyes out."
Enid ran out of the store crying. She went home to hide from the world. She hoped maybe she could just be left alone and have her baby in quiet. She could show up later and say she adopted a child from a relative.
Later that evening, Gail confronted Wayne about his former girlfriend going around town telling people she was carrying his child and she could not have people talking about things like that and laughing at her behind her back. If he didn't stop those rumours, he would make father deal with it.
Wayne did the only thing he could do. With regret, he had to stop the actions of Enid. He told her to keep quiet about it, but she disobeyed his orders and she will have to pay. After all, she had magical powers and the means to protect herself. She could always leave town and start again somewhere else. He did not have that luxury.
His in-laws were a powerful family. After digging through old records, he discovered a diary from a few centuries earlier which showed a former member of the family was an immortal who left earth several centuries ago. While putting the pieces together, he learned that while some of the offspring did have near-immortal powers, none of them were aware of it, except for one, his father-in-law who was the last of the near-immortal line. None of his children would carry the gene.
Everyone else in the Gannette family with the power died from suicide because they did not understand how they subconsciously made their own lives one of misery and sorrow. His father-in-law saw that whatever the mind could believe and conceive, it could have. His powers were naturally obtained and thus stronger than the ill-gotten powers of Wayne. No one else in town knew he had such powers, not even Enid.