"When Lisa Trubin falls in love with Mark Wally and discovers that he's not all he seemed to be, can she save herself from his seductive grasp and overcome his power over her?"Lisa Trubin, a thirty-year-old single mother, is happy with her life. She works as a massage therapist to support her son, Irving, and although her life isn't the easiest, she doesn't feel as though it's lacking in anything. Then she meets Mark Wally, an attractive, confident and seductive man who overwhelms and excites her. As she falls in love with him, she realizes that she had been longing for something: a father for her son, a man to protect and support her, and a way to complete her family. But as Lisa gets to know Mark better, and their relationship progresses, she suspects that he's not the man she thought he was.
Readers will be inspired by the unfolding of Lisa's story, which is told in this insightful debut novel from writer Erin Aslin. Written from the heart, this novel will appeal to diverse audience, especially women, inspiring them to awaken to their dysfunctional relationships, and to see that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
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CHAPTER ONE
The plane glided through silvery clouds, offering its passengers a glimpse here and there of the patchwork landscape below. Divided by tiny threads of roads and serpentine rivers, the flat rectangles of cities, small towns and fields crawled by despite the high speed.
Lisa Trubin’s twelve-year-old son, Irving, focused on the view. It was his first flight, and he was amazed by the entire experience. The panorama that sprawled beneath him captured his whole attention, and it seemed that nothing could distract him. Lisa smiled and stroked his soft hair. Then she plugged her earphones into the outlet and lay back in her seat. The plane’s engines droned, lulling her into a dreamlike state. She reclined her seat farther back and closed her eyes. Soft music filled her ears, and she didn’t notice when she began to envision scenes from her life.
When did it all start? The darkness, the infinite stress, and the pain? Had it started when she met him, her only love, hope, and dream? How could that be? Everything she had with him promised her a great future…
***
Sunlight had filled the apartment with light, washing over the fresh flowers in vases at the windows. The flowers had looked beautiful and alive, nourishing the living room. Beyond the windows, the trees were showing off their colorful late-September leaves, tossing in a playful breeze. Fluffy light clouds hovered over the landscape in a blue, almost transparent sky. It was 75 degrees—perfect weather in every way for Chicago. Lisa thought it would be a sin to stay inside on a beautiful Saturday afternoon like this.
The phone rang. Her friend Sonya sounded excited. “Isn’t it a great day? I’m having a picnic for a few friends today. Can you come?”
“Of course I’m coming!” Lisa said. “I’d be thrilled to come.” Her seven-year-old son, Irving, was spending the night at a friend’s house, and being home alone, especially on such a beautiful day, hadn’t appealed to Lisa.
“When, where, and what should I bring?” she asked happily.
Sonya laughed. “Just bring yourself. We’ll pick you up in an hour, and I have a surprise for you,” she added in a mysterious voice.
“What’s the surprise?” Lisa asked, intrigued. “What are you talking about?”
Sonya laughed again. “Don’t even ask. It’s a secret. Bye now, and see you soon.”
An hour later, a white SUV pulled up in front of Lisa’s building. The horn blew. Lisa grabbed her linen purse—a Liz Claiborne that she had packed earlier with a small blanket and a makeup kit containing lipstick and a mirrored compact—and ran downstairs. Within seconds she was outside, looking at the faces of the people in the SUV who waved to her through the open windows.
“Get inside,” Sonya invited.
Lisa got into the SUV and sat next to Sonya. There were ten people in the van, most of whom Lisa had met before. “Okay,” Sonya said loudly, “I think everybody knows everybody, but if you see any unfamiliar faces, please raise your hand.” One hand at the back of the van went up. A tall man in his late thirties, wearing designer glasses, asked with a smile, “Who’s this pretty lady you were hiding from me, Sonya?”
“That’s my little surprise,” Sonya whispered in Lisa’s ear before she said, “Mark, meet Lisa. Lisa, this is Mark.”
Lisa couldn’t say a word. She couldn’t explain what was happening. It was as though a bolt of lightning had shot through her, taking her breath away. She managed to smile back at Mark and murmur something indistinct. He kept looking at her. He was poised and confident. Waves of attraction washed over her. A miracle was taking place. It was something that couldn’t be explained rationally. She had never experienced this before. It was as if an unspoken message had passed into her subconscious, giving her understanding. Lisa couldn’t see straight. She knew in her heart that he was the ONE. He was the man she was meant to be with. She also knew that the feeling was mutual. That was how she met Mark Wally and how her new life began…
“Mom, Mom, are you sleeping?” Irving tugged at her shoulders. “Look, we’re inside the clouds.”
Bending into Irving’s seat, Lisa peered out the window. Their big plane was suspended in a milky-white powder puff.
“Are we stuck, Mom?”
The plane’s engines were working with all of their might, pulling them above the clouds.
“Don’t worry, Irving,” Lisa said softly. “We’ll make it out. See how strong the plane is!”
True to her word, the plane carried them out into the bright sunlight and blue sky, leaving the clouds far behind.
“It’s awesome,” Irving exclaimed, pressing his nose against the window again.
Lisa smiled at him. She thought again, as she had so often, how blessed she was to have this boy as her son. He was her own blood, a part of her soul. He was the only one in the world who gave her a reason to live, to struggle, and to win.
Lisa lay back in her seat and closed her eyes, drifting deeper into her memories again. She envisioned the events that happened after her meeting with Mark.
***
He called her the next morning. He sounded a little nervous and less confident.
“Do you mind having dinner tonight?” he asked with barely disguised hope. His voice was deep and soft at the same time. “Yes, I’d like to,” Lisa replied. “Just let me see if I can find a baby-sitter on such short notice.”
“Yes, of course,” Mark said promptly. “Would it be all right if I call you back later?”
“Sure, you can call me around three. I’ll know for sure by then.”
Lisa hung up the phone and smiled. He’d called her! She knew he would!
She dashed to the kitchen, pulled her address book from a cabinet and opened the page that had the baby-sitters phone number. She was an older woman who occasionally helped Lisa by watching Irving. Oh, please God, let Mary not have any plans for tonight! Lisa prayed as she picked up the phone and dialed. Her prayer was answered—Mary was home and was happy to baby-sit Irving. Lisa was very excited. Everything was just going perfectly for her. Mark called five minutes past three and they set a time for the date.
He was standing at the corner across from Lisa’s apartment with a big bouquet of white and red roses. Lisa looked at him as she approached from behind. Mark had broad and slightly rounded shoulders, which she hadn’t noticed yesterday. He looked very elegant in his midnight blue suit. He was carefully holding the flowers out in front of him. There was something in his pose; something in the way he held those flowers, that mesmerized Lisa for a moment. She felt an indefinable closeness to him, as if she hadn’t just met him yesterday but had known him all her life. Lisa’s heart started to beat a bit faster, and she stopped walking for a moment to allow it to slow down. Suddenly, Mark turned around and saw her. He smiled.
“Hi, Lisa, I’m so glad you could make it.” He held the flowers out to her. “These are for you.”
The flowers were fresh, vibrant and beautiful. There was no doubt that he hadn’t simply bought them at the grocery store but had carefully chosen them one by one, at a flower shop. It was very sweet of him.
They spent a lovely time at a fabulous restaurant that evening.
Lisa remembered that night now as if it were yesterday. They left the car with valet parking, and Mark opened the heavy glass door into the lobby. The classic, old-fashioned style of the restaurant pleasantly surprised Lisa. There was an antique cherry wood desk in the right corner, and overhead, a large crystal chandelier and red linen curtains on the windows, all creating a fashionable atmosphere. The gray-haired host welcomed them and escorted them through the main hallway covered in a handmade brown carpet to their table. It was in a cozy corner across from a pianist who was playing a light, romantic piece. The ceiling lights were dimmed. Two gorgeous candles in crystal candelabras glimmered on the table, casting merry shadows.
“Do you mind if I smoke?” Mark asked, putting his cigarette pack on the table.
“No, I don’t mind,” Lisa said, smiling. “I smoke sometimes.”
A tall, shorthaired waiter with a thin, curly tipped mustache appeared to take their order. Mark suggested that Lisa try the White Zinfandel with fried calamari for an appetizer and filet mignon for the entree. Then he chose Merlot and Absolute steak for himself. While their dishes were being prepared, they drank wine and listened to the soft music. Mark gazed passionately at Lisa through his designer glasses as he blew smoke out in a haze. There was something very sexy about him—the way he looked at her, the way he held his cigarette.
“How about dancing?” he asked, putting his cigarette down.
Lisa smiled at him and didn’t have a chance to answer. Mark held his hand out to her and gently pulled her up, guiding her from the table. They proceeded onto the hardwood dance floor where a few other couples were dancing. Pulling Lisa close, Mark placed her arms on his shoulders so her right cheek was buried in his chest. They moved to the sounds of the music. Lisa felt his strong body pressed against hers and his strong arms wrapped around her. He smelled like cigarette smoke, which affected Lisa like a strong sedative, making her pleasantly light-headed. It was strange, because usually she couldn’t stand other people’s cigarette smoke unless she was smoking too. She managed to raise her head to look at Mark and smiled. “I can feel your heart beating,” she said.
He didn’t say anything, just bent toward her and lightly touched her temple with his chin. Then his cheek gently tapped hers, softly tickling it with its stubble. Lisa shut her eyes. Mark held her tightly in his arms. His lips moved to the side of her neck, burning her skin with his breath. They moved into her hair, softly caressing it, and then brushed over her eyelids. Lisa felt herself shiver. She felt giddy. She couldn’t resist anymore. Her lips opened toward his. Mark gently kissed her and then slightly relaxed his embrace, still holding her in his arms.
“I see our food is already on the table,” he said. “Let’s sit down.”
“Yes, I’m starving,” Lisa said awkwardly, trying to compose herself. Holding her hand, Mark led her back to their table. Then he pulled the chair back for Lisa to sit down. He filled the glasses with wine, and they started eating. The calamari looked very appetizing with its creamy white sauce and was in fact tasty. Her filet mignon was tender and delicious. Mark asked her to try his steak, and it was so tasty and juicy that it melted in her mouth. Undoubtedly, Mark had a sense for good food. From that moment, she always trusted him to order for her when they were dining out. He’d often encourage her to try different foods at different restaurants, and she was never disappointed with his choices. It was very comforting not having to go through the list of fancy menu items but just letting Mark order for her.
Mark drove her home around midnight and walked her to the door.
“Last kiss?” He smiled, opening his arms and hugging her. He sounded so eager and acted so skillfully that Lisa couldn’t help but welcome his hot lips on her eyes, then on her cheeks, and finally his hard and hot kiss on her lips. Then he moved a little aside, and Lisa noticed his look had changed to guilt and discomfort. His look told her that he wasn’t sure if he had crossed the line by kissing her, and he was apologizing with his heart. There was a mixture of male confidence on the one hand and gentle hesitation on the other, which Lisa found very appealing.
“Do you want some coffee?” she asked, moving toward his arms and his lips.
“Yes. I’m desperate for some strong, black coffee and a cigarette.”
They went up the stairs to the second floor, where Lisa’s apartment was. When she opened the door, the small hallway that led to the living room was lit, but the rest of the apartment was dark. Mary was a very economical person, and she always turned the lights off when there was no one in a room. She kept the hallway light on though, as she didn’t want Lisa to come home to a dark apartment. It was one of the sweetest things that she did for Lisa, and Lisa always appreciated it.
Putting her finger to her lips, Lisa showed Mark to the kitchen. Then she went into Irving’s room and found him asleep in his bed. Mary was sleeping on the couch to the right of Irving’s bed. Lisa smiled, quietly closed the door, and went back to the kitchen.
Mark was sitting in the dark; the only light in the kitchen was coming from the tip of his cigarette. Lisa’s heart lurched with warm waves of attraction. She quickly turned on the light and started to make coffee. She was so glad that she had good-quality coffee and a small porcelain coffee set.
“Why are you alone?” Mark asked suddenly. “Are you divorced?”
Lisa held her breath. Her heartbeat increased. It had been around six years since her husband, Irving’s father, died, but even after all those years, talking about it was hard for her. “My husband died in a car accident,” she said slowly.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Mark added, and silence filled the room.
“Well, it’s not your fault,” Lisa said. “It happened six years ago. Irving was about a year old,” she added and tried to change the subject. “Tell me more about yourself.”
Mark drew on his cigarette and paused, pensively looking at the tiny stream of bluish smoke drifting off the tip of the cigarette. “I’ve been divorced for two years now. Have two kids—a girl who’s ten and a boy who’s eight,” he finally answered. “They aren’t here. They live in New York with their mom.” He drew forcefully on his cigarette.
“Do you miss them?” Lisa asked quietly, turning away to watch the coffee maker.
“Yes,” Mark said. “I miss them, and I hate that judges automatically favor giving children to the mother. It’s unfair, and it discriminates against fathers’ rights. I dream of the day when I’ll gain full custody of my children.” Suddenly, he rose and hugged Lisa from behind as she stood at the kitchen counter. “How’s the coffee coming?” he whispered in her ear.
It was ready, but Mark didn’t let her answer. His lips slid to her neck as he turned her around and pressed against him, burning her skin with his hot kisses.
“No, Mark, no.” Lisa softly pushed him away.
Mark stepped a little aside. “Let me help you with the coffee,” he said.
Lisa poured it into her beautiful porcelain cups, and then placed them on the saucers. Mark carried them over to the table. They sat down and ended the night by talking and drinking coffee.
There was a lot of kissing and touching that night, but Lisa believed that it would be inappropriate to have sex on their first date, so they didn’t.
After a while, Mark started getting ready to leave. The next day was a workday, and he was apologetic for staying so late. He gave her a good-bye kiss—one that made Lisa always remember that moment. Standing at the open door, ready to go, Mark bent and gently touched her lips, his eyes intent on her. There was a mixture of passion, confidence, and softness in his look and in his demeanor, and there was something else too, something indefinable that made her heart sink. That was the image of Mark that Lisa carried throughout their life together. Visualizing that moment would help restore her love for him later in their lives. It always worked.
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