Chapter 3: Home Isn't Always Where The Heart Is

          Yuri’s run in with Ayanna and Sebastian was exhausting.  She was anticipating her evening with Elliott with bated breath.  She went home that evening and took a long bath.  She used her favorite aromatherapy tools...like her almond oil and coconut wash.  She shaved her legs and continued to soak.  Drifting off to sleep for a moment, Yuri snapped her eyes back open to find Jon sitting on the edge of the tub.  She froze...then spoke.  “What are you doing? What do you want, for God’s sake?”  She covered her bosom and sat up.  Jon stood up and said, “He doesn’t know anything, Yuri.  Please do not harm Sebastian.  He was gifted with a second sight after losing most of his first.  He sees things in flashes and has a talent for transferring them onto canvas.  Don’t hurt him...he can help you.”  Yuri was about to say something, but he walked out the bathroom door and disappeared.   That was her cue to get out of the tub.  She got into the shower to do a sugar scrub and rinse, and then toweled off.  She lotioned with a caramel-scented body butter and then slipped into a gift Elliott gave her...a silk baby blue teddy with a laced bodice and lay across the bed waiting for her Elliott to arrive.  At 10:59pm on the dot, about 20 minutes after her bath, the lock turned on the door and her chocolate king entered her loft.  He came straight to the bedroom and noticed that his caramel queen had dozed off.  He sat beside her on the bed, staring lovingly at the woman he loved more than anyone he’d ever met.  He moved to use his finger to smooth back a stray hair, when she opened her eyes and smiled.  Elliott bent down and kissed Yuri passionately all while she removed his jacket and shirt, him lying down beside her.  They became swept up in one another and began caressing and kissing each other in every imaginable spot.  Their lovemaking became feverish and hungry, and they ate each other up over and over again.  They made love until they fell asleep ending hours after Elliott’s first kiss of the night.

Daylight broke and Yuri opened her eyes to a half naked Elliott walking through the bedroom door with a tray of breakfast.  They fed each other strawberries, grapes and oranges, croissants served with marmalade, and grapefruit juice.  Lovemaking commenced and they continued to help themselves to one another until mid afternoon.  Elliott, unfortunately was called away on an important business crisis, and left Yuri naked, tangled in her expensive sheets.  If there was one thing she splurged on it was her sheets.  She said bye from her bed and he walked out the door.  She fell asleep and awoke to a dark room.  Paranoid and panicky, Yuri sat up and turned on the light.  She reached over and grabbed the clock and it said 8:52pm.  She reached over and picked up her cell phone and checked that she had 6 missed calls.  The first 3 were from Giselle, 2 were from Elliott, and one was from her dad.  She decided to call GiGi to find out what she needed, finding out that it was just Giselle’s wanting to know if Yuri was still coming to her bridal shower next month.  Of course, Yuri wouldn’t miss it for the world.  Elliott called just to secure his spot for the night...he knew that Yuri had been busy, more like distracted lately and he wanted to make sure her plate wasn’t full.  Indeed by 12am, Elliott would return to do a little repeat performance.  The last missed call being dad, Yuri was curious to know if her dad’s call was related to her and her mom’s falling out several weeks before.  She decided to suck it up, because she knew that her dad was a busy man, and if he took the time to call her, it had to be of concern to him.  She scrolled down to his name and hit send, waiting for him to pick up.  “Daniel Hart”, her father said in his deep and serious tone.  “Hi daddy, it’s me.” She said reverting back to her childhood.  “You called me earlier?” she asked.  “Hey darling, how are you?  I have wanted to talk to you for some time now, and I figured now was as good as any to check in on my baby girl.”  Yuri got up and slipped her nude frame into the blue robe matching the teddy she shed the night before, securing the belt around her waist.  “I’m fine daddy, but you might as well cut to the chase and get to it, because I know why you called.” She stated.  Daniel chuckled, because no one was as straight-forward as him, except of course Teresa and Yuri...to Teresa’s chagrin.  “Yes darling, I do want to find out, why it is your mother keeps insisting I remove you from our will...” Daniel chuckled some more.  “...even though she KNOWS good and well that I’d disown her before I disowned you.”  This time they both laughed and Yuri was relieved that her father was on her side...as usual.  He continued, “I know that you aren’t the lioness type.  I told your mother you would sooner chew off your own foot then be shackled by her society group, but she wanted to “coax” you into it.  I guess she didn’t do a good job of it.”  “Dad...” Yuri began, “...I know that somewhere deep in the bones of that society that they do good for this community, but I also know that the skin is what people see first.  I don’t want to be associated with a bunch of pretentious biddies, whom pretend to care.  If there are 100 women in the Black Lioness Society, there are 10 who actually give a damn...and mom isn’t one of them.  I will not allow her to try and mold me and steal my true self and turn me into a mechanical wind-up toy like she’s done with Serene.”  Daniel knew that the tug-of- war between Teresa and Yuri was unparalleled and knew that it would take an act of God to get either of them to relent.  He promised Teresa, though, that he would “handle” Yuri.  He had been stepping out on Teresa for a while, and this was his ticket back into his own house.  He’d been away on business for weeks, and Teresa knew just what kind of business it was...but if he could convince his youngest daughter to even consider her mother’s society induction, he wouldn’t have to live in a hotel anymore.  He knew if Yuri knew his intentions, that she would feel betrayed, but he also knew that Teresa had a wicked way of making him pay for his indiscretions and the one she had planned for him this trip around, wasn’t a walk in the park.  Divorce was on the table, and he stood to lose millions to her for his adulterous actions...which would also serve to give Teresa leverage to officially oust Yuri from their family financially, if only as an incentive for Yuri to rethink her position.  This was as much for her as it was for him, he reasoned silently.   Daniel acknowledged his daughter’s feelings and then asked her out on a lunch date for the following afternoon at their favorite spot, Tea for Two, a cozy little bistro near her gallery.  She agreed to meet her dad there around 4pm, tea time.  She hung up with her dad and took another bath and shower and readied for Elliott.  He showed up like clockwork and they made love into the morning.

The following day was “Yuri & Daddy Time”. Feeling breezy, Yuri practically floated to the eatery to meet her dad.  She wore a tangerine gypsy skirt and a white sleeveless tank. She had on her coral and turquoise jewelry and wore a casual pair of white kitten heels.  Her hair flowed in loose curls under a straw floppy hat she picked up at a sale.  When she reached the eatery, she spotted her dad, wearing a polo shirt and casual slacks.  He spotted her as well and rose to greet her.  They hugged and Daniel said, “Are you going to read my palm?”  Yuri slapped him lightly on the arm and said, “Yes, I see a witch in your near future.”  Daniel took note of who the witch was, and although he agreed he checked her with a “watch it, she’s still your mother” look.  She said, “I know daddy, I know.”  She sat down across from him and thus his plan flew into action.  “I know this is a sore subject, but it needs to be addressed, darling.  Your mother is a very important woman about town, and she needs the support of her daughters...” before she could interject, he put his hand up and motioned to let him finish.  “...You love charity, your mother loves recognition.  If you were to take advantage of the charity stronghold that the BLS has on this city, you could accomplish a lot.  More than you’ve been able to do single-handedly.   You could also help your mom by allowing for her take the gallery further by shining a light on its contribution to the community and our family’s good name, sating her desire for recognition.  In the long run Yuri, you come out on top.  You can help more people charity-wise AND further the reach of the gallery’s cultural influence.  It can be a win-win situation for you and your mother.” He concluded.  Yuri put down the mimosa she was nursing and spoke clearly, “What do you have to gain, daddy?  I know you, and you’ve always known and backed me for my stance against the society that has become mom’s firstborn child.  Why NOW...what does she have on you?  Has she caught on to your philandering?”  Daniel was made uneasy by the swiftness of his child’s perception, but even more by the fact that she knew he was cheating.  He adjusted his watch, turning the face around and answered meekly, “Yes, your mother has caught on to my dealings, and she is forcing my hand, Yuri.  She is going to divorce me and take most of my money...removing you from the will, unless you agree to consider the induction...consider baby, that’s all.”  Yuri shook her head in disbelief.  Her father was at that moment a reminder of the men she had “handled”.   He was the kind of man, who she would take a knife to and slit his throat.  She could barely look at him.  She decided she would do the next best thing to being quiet and got up.  She drank the rest of the mimosa and said, “No...You will not use me to reel in mom.  You married her, you deal with her.  As far as her removing me from the will...that’s fine.  I have no problem there.  I have invested my trust fund well, and make a good living off of my galleries.  I will be fine.  Have a nice day, daddy.”  She began walking away, when Daniel grabbed her arm.  “Yuri, please...I am asking for your help.” Yuri snatched her arm away and said, “You should’ve thought of that before you made promises to my mother to help her run my life.” Yuri walked away feet planted firmly as she walked heavily, head hung low to her gallery.  The sun wasn’t shining anymore, and suddenly the breeziness she carried before was replaced with a whipping chill up her spine.

The afternoon’s events replayed over in Yuri’s mind and the more she thought of her father’s betrayal, the more she considered making him her next victim.  She hadn’t had the inclination to kill...really kill, in a while. She couldn’t even remember wanting to kill HANLEY as badly as she wanted to ice her dad at this moment.  Sebastian was more of road bump...but, her dad had become a reminder of too many of the men who had promised to always have her back and didn’t.  They made a pact when she was 9 years old.  The code was never to be shared, it was just between her and her dad.  “What’s the hand-shake, Yuri?”  Little Yuri giggled and said, “A shake, a pound, a pinky twist, a nod and a turn...ending in a hug.” Daniel hugged his partner in crime and said, “That’s our secret baby.  Don’t tell Joel, Serene and definitely not mom.  We will never betray the code, not for anyone.”  It seemed as if Teresa could sense anarchy and stepped out into the small yard of their first home.  “Yuri come inside and help Serene set the table for dinner!  I hope you aren’t filling our daughter’s head with tomboy ideas, Danny.” Teresa snapped.  Daniel said, “Just showing little darling here how to curtsy.” He said with sarcasm.  Yuri ran towards the patio door and sidled past Teresa who by now had a long hard stare directed right at Daniel.  She simply rolled her eyes and went back into the house.  From that moment on, they did that hand-shake as a signal that they could talk openly.  After Daniel hit big in the car industry, his moments with Yuri dwindled and they no longer used the secret code.  Clearly her father’s ability to be loyal faded with time.

Sitting behind her desk in a daze, Yuri sensed someone standing at the door.  She took a sigh of relief when she looked up to find Giselle leaning in the doorway with her arms folded across her chest.  “What has gotten into you lately, Yuri?  You have been entirely too distracted, and I can’t tell if it’s the sudden onslaught of new business or you being head over heels in love with Elliott...”  Giselle took a few steps until she’d reached the chair in front of Yuri’s desk and sat down.  “...help me out Yuri.  Is there something on your mind?  Are you going through family problems?  I have noticed that there haven’t been many calls from your mother and sister lately.”  Yuri hadn’t noticed, at least not before Giselle has mentioned it.  She leaned forward to assess Giselle's interest level, and decided to confide...not something that came easy to the youngest daughter of a natural-born skeptic, like Teresa.  “My mother and I had a difference of opinion several weeks back.  She has that Lioness society that she is into and she wants to induct me, but unfortunately for her, I am not interested.  My sister being made of wood with strings attached to her limbs and mouth, can only imitate what she’s been taught by my mother.  Therefore she has sided with our mother in that I am a selfish, terrible daughter.”  Yuri and Giselle laughed at Yuri’s humor. “Go ahead because I know there is more Ms. Hart.” Giselle said.  Yuri sighed, trying to put it all into as few words as possible.  She stood up and sat on the corner of the desk, and put her head into her hands.  She stood up straight and sat back down.  “My father came to me this afternoon, in an attempt to mediate the situation.” Yuri said wearily.  Knowing how close Yuri has always been with her dad, Giselle could sense where it was headed.  “My father tried to get me to consider the induction, giving me all the ways this entry into society would catapult me and this gallery into the spotlight.  He went on about me and mom being a team and both having our interests met.  I could see he was bullshitting me.  I know my dad...and not in all the years I’ve been alive has he ever felt the desire to push me in my mother’s direction...to allow her to mold me.  If anything he fought against my mom, knowing that I was an artist and needed personal and imaginative freedom.  He was the one person I knew would never let my mother pick away at my character.  So, when he talked this way, I knew it was self-serving.”  Giselle shifted in her chair, and asked, “What did he go through all of this for? What does he have to gain?”  Yuri told her all about her dad’s philandering ways, and how her mother had finally figured out a way to reel him in and get some control over her as well.  She filled Giselle in on the divorce her mother had hanging over her dad’s head, and even threw in the old pact she and her dad once held sacred...now a distant memory.  Giselle truly felt bad for her friend.  She knew that besides Joel and Breeya, there wasn’t anyone she trusted in her family except her father...and maybe the maid, Bertha.  In Yuri’s eyes, she was alone.   Joel was always way too busy and way too neutral for her tastes.  Breeya was in love and though she dropped everything from time to time, Yuri hated to impose on her.  As far as Bertha is concerned...well, as long as she was on Teresa’s payroll, her trust was conditional.  The one other true ally she had, had turned on her to save his own ass.  Devastation didn’t come any harder for Yuri.  Giselle comforted her and talked to her until a few customers came and went. Eventually, Giselle just sent her home and closed the gallery for her.

Sitting at home in her loft, the place that been her home for 5 years, Yuri took note that she had to learn to get used to being there alone.  She loved Elliott, but she still felt unsure about how much more she could or would open up.  He was attentive and loving, and she had been with him longer than anyone else.  Going on three months, Elliott was the first person she had even allowed to make love to her since her first real boyfriend, who had died a mysterious death due to poison.   Stone Livingston was a handsome club owner.  He stood 5’11”, was evenly bronzed from head to toe and slim but not skinny.  He and Yuri met in her last year of college and they dated for all of a month, before she overheard him tell the bartender that Yuri was his newest piece of ass...pointing out that she was a rich girl in need of adventure.  Yuri was infuriated for more than one reason, but mostly because she had never disclosed to Stone her financial background. Stone had heard about the cold fish named Yuri Hart who came from money.  He was 32, making him 9 years older than her, and made a name for himself off of his conquests with young girls.  He obviously didn’t know who he was dealing with.  One night he invited her to his upstairs VIP room for another rendezvous. Yuri had come prepared.  She placed an untraceable poison into his champagne glass, and before she left the room, he was keeled over on his desk...eyes open.  It was the perfect execution, because no one knew she was there.  In an effort to hide his dealings with her, he opted not to tell the manager, because he was his WIFE’s brother.  Stone was married to a pretty schoolteacher, named Melinda, and his club manager was her brother, Lyle.  Had Yuri known that, his death may have been a little more gruesome.  He was found the next morning.

For Yuri, the mere fact that she and Elliott had survived this long unnerved her.  She often grappled with whether she should continue to see him.  Her love for Elliott was so strong that she actually considered breaking up with him to avoid his possible demise.  She wanted to protect him, but it was the feeling of being protected for the first time, that made her hold on.  Falling for him was effortless and she didn’t remember ever feeling as if his goal was to bed her.  Before she had a chance to analyze his intentions, she was in love and enjoying his body as often as possible.  The thought ran through Yuri's mind that she initiated a lot of their lovemaking, which surprised and warmed her.  Throughout her thoughts, Yuri went back and forth trying to remember when if ever, before Elliott, if she’d truly liked any of the men who ended up being her victims.  They all were amazing men on paper.  They were handsome, physically fit, educated and had businesses or booming careers of their own, but none of them measured up to the tender man that Elliott was.  He was the first to wear his feelings on his sleeve.  To allow Yuri to see that he wasn’t just into her for the chase...that he had serious plans for the future, made her smile.  He was attentive and supportive and never made her feel like art was a pastime instead of the passion it truly was for her.  He often used art in his romance, and had genuinely become interested in her work.  He had become acquired a few pieces since they’d first met and had become her biggest fan.  Elliott had even suggested that she have a grand coming out party, to announce to the community’s art lovers, that she in fact was the gifted artist, Enigma.  Yuri took that into consideration quietly, but was touched deeply by his enthusiasm for her work.
As Yuri began to wind down from her thoughts, the phone rang.  She figured it would be Elliott or maybe even Breeya calling...but it wasn’t.  She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Serene.  She sucked her teeth aloud and thought twice about letting it go into voicemail, but if Serene had learned anything from Teresa, she would end up coming over, if her calls went unanswered...and that was something Yuri couldn’t deal with right now.  Yuri braced her mind and answered.  “Hello.” Yuri said with a pretend sleepiness.  “I know you aren’t sleeping so please, just drop the fake weariness.  I have been resisting this moment, but we have to talk Yuri!” Serene growled.  Yuri wasn’t in the mood for Serene’s very lackluster imitation of their mother so she got with the program Serene was on.  “Look, you called ME!  Do not talk to me that way or this conversation will end very quickly.  Now...is there something you would like to talk about?” Yuri said snidely.  “Okay, I apologize, but I am very upset with the way this distance between you and mother is affecting her.  She is quite upset at your behavior the last time you were in her home, Yuri.  Raising your hand to our mother was clearly not respectful.”  Yuri responded immediately.  “Serene, I understand that you are on mom’s band wagon right now so I get where you want to go with this discussion.  She has sent you my direction to form some sisterly alliance and buffer the shit she started.  She sent dad, but he was inept at manipulating me...and you won’t either.”  Serene’s face turned red.  She replied appalled at her sister’s observations, “I...I wasn’t trying to manipulate you...” Yuri smiled devilishly; glad that her sister couldn’t see.  “Yes...you called here to try and make me feel bad about the action I made against our mother...but in order to feel bad, one has to feel wrong, an opinion I do not hold of myself in that moment.  She disrespected me...my life choices...my desires...and she tried to use my accomplishments as bragging rights for that coven she heads.  I am not EVER, and I mean EVER going to be a lioness.  It isn’t what I aspire to be.  I don’t agree with the way they politic, and I am not that interested in pleasing “mother” to allow her to induct me into her little society.  I know the requirements, Serene. I know that you have to be married.  Elliott and I...”  Serene’s ears perked up and she interrupted Yuri’s tirade.  “Elliott?  Who is Elliott?  Are you seeing someone?” Serene asked in an almost girlish tone.  For a minute, Yuri sensed her sister’s genuine interest in her life...something she couldn’t remember her ever doing.  Yuri smiled widely on the other end of the phone and said, “Yes...I am seeing someone...his name is Elliott Carver and he has been my boyfriend for some time now.”  Serene was now giggling, and asked, “Some time?  How long is “some time” Yuri?  Why are we just hearing about this?”  The last question put a bad taste in Yuri’s mouth.  She said, “Who the hell is WE?  I'm talking to YOU Serene, who is we?”  Serene began stuttering and tripping over her words, not able to really explain or at least cover her statement...so the person on the other end spoke up.  “I should have known you would bumble this small task Serene.  Hello, Yuri.” Teresa said.  Yuri's ears began to leak steam and her hands began to tremble and she had a hard time holding the phone to her head.  “I cannot believe this...first DAD and now YOU Serene.  Is there NO family loyalty anymore?  Oh...I forgot...I am disowned!  GOOD FUCKING NIGHT, LADIES!” Yuri screamed in tears and hung up.  The phone rang off the hook for 2 whole hours.  She even heard her bell ring a couple of times but she never got up to answer.  She knew Teresa had gotten into her car and flew over there ready to chastise her daughter for her profane usage of words.  Her disrespect had reached new levels lately and Teresa would be anxious to slap her down a few notches...but not tonight Yuri thought.  She cried until she fell asleep.

A few hours later, around 11pm Yuri was awakened by footsteps in her loft.  She looked at the clock and realized that it could be Elliott, but with the day she was having, she knew that her mind was frayed, and it could be any of the many dead souls that frequented her life.  She sat up, waiting for the figure to reach the door.  She pulled the covers up close to her chin and sat there in fear.  As soon as she blinked and her eyes opened, her mother said to her loudly, “I HAD TO CONVINCE THE SUPER TO LET ME IN HERE, GIRL!  ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY OUT OF YOUR MIND? CURSING AND YELLING AND HANGING UP ON ME? I HAVE HAD IT WITH YOU AND YOUR DISRESPECT!” Teresa screamed some more steadily walking towards the bed.  When she reached Yuri, she snatched her from the bed, by her ponytail and dragged her to the floor.  Yuri was shocked at her mother’s swiftness and agility and wasn’t able to get her bearings.  Teresa sat on top of her swinging furiously at her youngest girl child with the hatred of a stranger.  Yuri tried to shelter her face but couldn’t block every blow.  At that moment, Elliott came into the room and hoisted Teresa off of Yuri.  Yuri laid there crying and trying to catch her breath.  It was a combination of shock, pain and a broken heart.  Teresa flew into an even harder and more fearsome rage at the sight of a man she’d never met...but Elliott’s grip on her was too strong.  He kept asking her, “CALM DOWN, MAAM...PLEASE!”  Finally realizing this must be Elliott; Teresa snapped back to herself and convinced the strong young man holding her by her frail arms, to relinquish his grasp on her.  She smoothed out her clothes and stepped away from him.  “I’m fine...I am fine.  So...you must be Elliott.  I am Yuri’s mother, Teresa Hart.” She said, extending her hand.  He looked at her confused and said, “Forgive me, Mrs. Hart if I do not shake your hand...I just had to pull you off of the woman I love.” He bent down at the same time and picked Yuri up off the floor and sat her on the bed.  “Oh damn, baby, you're bleeding.  He went into the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom and got a towel he ran under cold water.  He pressed it against Yuri's eyes then lip and then her upper cheek.  She was beginning to swell.  His instincts kicked in and he was now tending to his caramel queen and was no longer interested in dialogue with the mad woman, known as Mrs. Hart.  How ironic he thought glancing quickly at her that her name was Hart, and she seemed heartless.  Attacking Yuri was poking holes through his heart and he no longer felt like acknowledging her.  He continued nursing Yuri and said in an even, emotionless tone without looking her way, “Please leave, Mrs. Hart.” Teresa started to say something, but he cut her short and said, “Unless of course, you don’t mind being hauled off to jail and charged with breaking and entering, picking up a little battery charge?  That can be arranged.” Elliott promised.  Teresa smoothed her hands over her clothes and hair once more, leaving the room and then the loft.  As soon as the door closed, Yuri broke down in a hysterical cry into Elliott’s arms.  She was saved by him...he loved her like no one else.  She had found the one.  There was no way she was letting him go.  She sank into his chest with that thought, and fell asleep that way.

Waking up was extremely painful for Yuri.  Her left eye was swollen shut, her lip had ballooned also, and her cheekbone was sore.  She couldn’t lift her head off the pillow.  Elliott came into the room with a cold compress and breakfast.  He hadn’t really gotten a good look at her when he left her sleeping so he almost dropped the tray when she turned in his direction.  “Oh babe, lie down please.” He said.  Yuri complied in no shape to contest.  He placed the tray on the ottoman near the window, and took the towel that was in a basin of clean water he had brought just before she had awaken and wiped her face.  He then placed the compress on her eye...shook out two extra strength Tylenol and gave them to her with a bottle of water.  She sipped the water through the straw he’d placed in the bottle, and swallowed the pills.  She lay back down and he asked, “Are you hungry? I got a little soup in a cup, a Jell-o cup you had, and a little orange juice.  Do you think you're up to taking a few sips of soup...a couple spoons of Jell-o?”  His voice was so tender.  He was a sweetheart, the way he’d taken to task caring for her.  She nodded in approval at his suggestions and allowed him to feed her.  She finished up and he told her that he called in and got the next few days off.  She fell off to sleep smiling at the fact that he took time off even though she knew that he had big things happening at his office.  Elliott though was not fazed by the idea of being home with her.  What he had witnessed the night before was atrocious behavior from a mother to her daughter and wasn’t about to leave her in her state, to possibly be attacked again.  No...His work would be there when he got there.  Yuri was #1 on his list of priorities.  Nothing else mattered.

Teresa was sitting at her desk in her office, pretending to be consumed by a new upcoming function she was in charge of organizing...but she hadn’t read a word on the page.  She was supposed to be going over the list of contributors, but instead, she was looking at the marks on her hands, which were swollen and red.  She had come home the night before and had taken a shower.  She climbed into the bed, which she normally slept in alone, only to find Daniel sleeping on his side.  He never heard her come to bed, and she woke up to find Daniel gone to his office.  She was relieved by this, because though Teresa normally bragged on wearing the pants in her and Daniel’s relationship, she was afraid of what he would do when he found out that she had beaten Yuri like she wasn’t her own seed.  Daniel would surely be angry and his wrath was not to be tested...especially with concern to Yuri.  She got up from her chair and decided to go to the kitchen to make tea.  She needed something to calm her nerves.  Teresa had not lost control like that in ages.  She was afraid of the woman that she had turned into the previous night.  She and Yuri always had a love/hate relationship, but she just chalked it up to normal mother-daughter tension.  Serene was more easy-going and had given her few problems, but Yuri was obstinate and had challenged Teresa on more than one occasion.  At the thought of all the things she and Yuri had endured, Teresa began talking aloud to no one particular.  “All she had to do was give it a chance.  Just kept testing me and trying my patience.  She had some NERVE to curse so blatantly at me.  To look down her nose at my society group and hold contempt for my life’s passion. I tried, I swear I tried, Lord to not let her get me that angry, but she is such a rebellious child...she refuses to let me guide her.  She owes me at least the respect to consider my offer.”  The entire time, she is flailing her hands around and asking herself questions.  She was about to start talking some more, when she turned to see Daniel in the door.   He had forgotten his briefcase on the island `counter.  He looked at her and then asked, “Are you okay Teresa?  I don’t think I’ve ever seen you talk to yourself.  Is something bothering you? Is it Yuri and that induction?” Teresa couldn’t take it anymore.  She began venting and filling Daniel in on the details of the past 12 hours.  She admitted to beating Yuri and that’s when it happened.  SLAP!  It was a resounding smack on Teresa’s cheek.  She was so shocked that she immediately sat down in the stool nearest her and cried.  She couldn’t even protest to Daniel putting his hand on her for the first time in nearly 35 years.  “I don’t know what came over me Danny...she hates me so much.  I can’t take it...her disdain for me is too strong.  I’m getting older and it’s getting harder to deal with.  She makes me so mad.” Teresa explained.  Daniel wasn’t impressed.  He said to her in a raised tone, “I cannot believe that you let yourself into our GROWN daughter’s apartment and assaulted her.  It is unbelievable how you stand here and speak of how SHE hates YOU, when clearly you are the one harboring hate!  You have taken EVERY gotdamn opportunity to make her feel worthless.  She has only ever wanted to be loved and accepted for who she is...an artist.  She was never good enough, simply because she had a mind of her own.  Stellar grades and exemplary behavior weren’t good enough, because she didn’t sniff behind you like Serene always has.”  He took a breath and said his last words of the day to his wife, “Don’t ever lay hands on her again.  DO YOU HEAR ME?” he yelled.  Teresa flinched and became meek for the first time in a long time and answered yes with a nod.  He then walked out the door, forgetting his briefcase for the second time that morning.  He was on his way to see Yuri...if she would even see him.

Yuri was napping soundly, while Elliott did a little work on his laptop.  He figured if he couldn’t go in, he could at least do some things over the Internet and the fax machine.  He had checked in on his angel, and was overcome with heated anger whenever he looked at how bruised her beautiful face was.  It crossed his mind that, maiming Yuri could’ve been Mrs. Hart’s intentions.  Just as he refocused back onto the page he was viewing, the bell rung.  He lept quickly to keep from waking Yuri.  He opened the door and saw Daniel Hart, owner of Hart Motors, Inc.  He was a well known businessman, yet Elliott had only realized he was dating Daniel's daughter by accident.  He noticed a picture of the two of them and asked Yuri how she knew Daniel.  It all fell into place, including Yuri's last name, at that moment.  Elliott never thought about it again.  As far as he was concerned, Daniel Hart was now simply his lady’s father.  His interest was purely about her.  Elliott asked Daniel in, motioning towards the living room.  Daniel nodded and sat down.  He stood back up quickly extending his hand for Elliott to shake. “I'm sorry young man, I am Daniel Hart, and Yuri’s father...you probably know that by now.  You must be...” Mr. Hart created a pause waiting for Elliott to fill in the blank.  Elliott shook Daniel's hand and said, “Elliott Carver.  It’s nice to meet you Mr. Hart.  I have heard a lot about you.”  Feeling more at ease after all of the formalities, Daniel sat back on the couch and folded his hands across his knees.  “Is Yuri asleep?  Do you think you could tell her I am here?  I really would like to check on her.” Daniel said, almost pleading for Elliott's understanding.  He knew Elliott was mostly likely filled in on the betrayal he’d committed and hoped he hadn’t chosen sides yet.  “Let me see if she is awake.  I have to warn you Mr. Hart, her face is badly bruised.  Your wife took no mercy on her.” Elliott said, and then turned into the direction of the bedroom.  When he walked in the room, Yuri was sitting up looking over business documents from the gallery.  Elliott walked over and scooped up all the papers and threw them on her desk.  “HEY, Ell...I was only checking on some figures.  I promise I will lie back down in 10 minutes.” She giggled.  “Your dad is out there.” He said straight-faced.  Yuri instinctively began feeling her wounds to see if they were still tender and puffy...they were.  She asked, “Well, what does he want?  Did he say what he was here for?”  She couldn’t imagine that he knew what Teresa had done.  Yuri fully expected her mother to keep that very quiet.  She and her dad may have been on the outs, but she knew her dad well.  He didn’t take kindly to Teresa’s hateful attitude towards her, and knew he wouldn’t stand for this incident at all.  “He says he wants to check in on you...he didn’t say whether he knew...but I did warn him that you were badly bruised due to his wife.” Elliott said not blinking.  Yuri wasn’t upset at him.  She knew his guard had gone up and he was her knight-in-shining-armor right now...no holds barred.  “Okay, you can let him in...I will speak to him.” She said.  “Do you want for me to stay, Yuri?” he asked.  “No, we should be okay.  It won’t be too long of a visit anyway.”  Elliott said okay and then relayed Yuri’s response to Daniel.  Daniel then rose from the couch, and entered into Yuri’s bedroom.  She looked bad, he thought.  Her normally smooth light-brown complexion was marked with a gash above the left eye and swelling.  Her face was discolored and took on a grayish purple tone.  Her lip was cut as well and her cheek shined from the tightness.  Almost the entirety of her oval face was blue and purple.  He couldn’t imagine Teresa having done this.  He imagined at best that Teresa had managed to give her a black eye...but from the looks of it, Teresa had lost her mind on their child.  Yuri got uncomfortable with her father’s stares, so she broke the silence.  “So, dad...what brings you by?”  Daniel shook his head in disgust, and said, “I am so sorry baby.  I don’t know what was running through your mother’s mind.”  Yuri sat up and threw back the covers.  She slipped a long cotton robe over her t-shirt and pajama bottoms and slipped on her slippers.  She walked over to the window that overlooked the garden in the back of her building and sat on the window seat.  Yuri spoke while watching the garden, “I was just as shocked as you are.  All I saw was hate in her eyes.  I saw not one remnant of the woman who I call mom.  She lost her mind...I mean, I know that I cursed at her on the phone and hung up, but she did this because she hates me.  She did this because she can’t control me.  She hates that I despise everything she is about.  The truth is dad, it’s not that I despise HER, it is that I despise that she isn’t showing who she really is.  When we were younger, before the money...mom was pleasant.  She would bake cookies with us, play house and hide and seek with us.  She helped me and Serene to build a tent in the living room with sheets and furniture and served us peanut butter and jelly sandwiches under there.  She was fun.  Then when the money started to change our lifestyle and she entered this society she became this hard person.  She began putting on airs and acting too good for our own family.  She hates me, because I don’t let her forget that she is still at heart, little Teresa Torres.  She hates that I can see her...so she thinks maybe if she can turn me into her...I won’t be able to judge her.”  Yuri got up from the window seat and walked over to where her dad was seated.  She sat across from him on the edge of her bed and continued, “I don’t even judge her daddy...I pity her.  She is ashamed of who she is.  She is ashamed of where she comes from, and it is all because of those lioness bitches she beholds so dearly.  I would die before I became that.”  Daniel had always known that there were underlying reasons to Yuri's rebelliousness, but even he hadn’t considered the things she had said.  He thought he knew her, but he didn’t...at least not to the extent to which he’d given himself credit.  He nodded and said, “I understand Yuri.  Please accept my apology for yesterday.  I really wasn’t thinking. I was under the gun...her gun, and I was thinking of myself.  I promise you no matter what it costs me, that I will not ever take her side on this.  I support your choice to be who you are.  I am really sorry that you were hurt last night.  Now, that I know you are in Elliott’s capable hands, I will leave you be and return to work.”  At that moment, Daniel frowned, remembering that he had left his briefcase yet again, and would have to drive back to the house.  “Well thank you dad, for checking up on me I mean...I appreciate it.  I will be fine.” Yuri said breaking his train of thought.  “No problem, baby.  I will call you again later to see how you are.” Daniel said leaning over and kissing her forehead.  She said okay and Daniel left.   Yuri felt a little better about her dad after the visit, but not quite.  She still had been betrayed by him, which had technically led to Serene’s call.  He wasn’t to blame completely, but he had a lot to do with last night’s travesty.

Elliott planned on making her time home special, so he told her no more calls to the gallery, no more phone period.  The night was theirs to do with it what they wanted and no outsiders were allowed in.  He wanted her to relax her mind and let him lead her into a pleasure zone where no pain existed.  His body and her body were to become maps of joy and eroticism.  Yuri was game and let Elliott take the reins.  After running a bath and bathing her, he toweled her gently and applied a tasty treat that Yuri kept on hand for lust-filled nights.  He made sure to reach every inch of her skin, massaging slowly from top to bottom and back up again.  He made love to her in the most loving way he knew how.  Elliott was skilled in making love to a woman...not because he had many, but because he loved deeply and passionately.  Yuri was the center of his joy, and he planned on showing his adulation.  He let his tongue travel all over and in and out of places that made Yuri forget her headache and her woes.  His hands were strong in their deliberate caresses over her most sensitive places, but they were gentle as well.  His touches were heated and cool at the same time.  Yuri's back arched every time he smoothed his hands over her.  She was getting the very messages he intended...love, pure love.  He wouldn’t allow her to reciprocate.  His mission was to please her all night and have her be on the receiving end of his love.  By the time Elliott was finished showing Yuri what real love making felt like, they were both listless and had conked out...snoring.  Good love takes the pain away for sure.

The next week, Yuri was feeling good.  Her bruises had disappeared, except the tiny cut above her eye...but with a little magic, she made it fade into her brow.  She hadn’t heard from her mother, though she had mysteriously received a bouquet of orchids and lilies at the gallery from a “respected member of the community who acknowledges talented young people”.  She had already figured it was her mother, who else would send orchids (Teresa’s favorite flower) and lilies (the flower Yuri wore as a corsage to her ‘coming out’ party).  Teresa was transparent, but unfortunately for her, her wittiness wasn’t appreciated in Yuri’s heart.  Yuri considered her heart twisted.  How fitting, they both were twisted Harts.

As soon as Yuri sat behind her desk after returning from lunch, she got a phone call.  One she didn’t ever think she would get.  She picked up the line after being told by Bethany that a Mr. Price was calling...but what she didn’t know was it was more like Detective Price.  “Yuri Hart speaking, may I help you?” she purred.  “Hello, Ms. Hart, this is Detective Drake Price...I wanted to talk to you about the disappearance of Hanley Mills.  We found your business card in his abandoned vehicle, and wanted to ask a few questions.  Do you think you could come down to the station...or maybe I could even come there?” Det. Price queried.  Yuri's heart was pounding and even skipped a few beats.  She was thrown off guard, but not enough to show it.  “You are welcome to come to my office here at the gallery.  I am very busy, but I will fit you in.  This afternoon at 3pm is a perfect time for me...will that be okay for you?” she asked.  “Yes, Ms. Hart, 3 is perfect.  I will see you then.” He responded.  The conversation ended and Yuri’s mind went into overdrive.  She wasn’t prepared to have him question her.  She had to get herself together.  This situation had to be handled with care.  There was no way she could mess this up.  Up until this point, she had never been questioned by the police for anything, not even a ticket...not since Jon’s death.  This situation was delicate.  Yuri looked down at what she was wearing, a lavender V-neck tunic, and a pair of white slacks and white wedge heels.  She wanted to change...first impressions were everything.  GiGi was out, so, she told Bethany that she would be back.  She had an important client coming in and wanted to dress a little more to the occasion.  Yuri ran home and went through her closet for the perfect outfit for distraction.  After trying on over 7 different looks, she settled on a white thigh-high skirt and a form-fitting, toffee-colored sweater that scooped down to reveal her cleavage.  She threw back on the wedged heels that tied around her ankle and let down the ponytail she’d been wearing.  The natural curl in her hair was perfect for the moves she was about to put on poor Det. Price.  

After returning to the gallery, Yuri did her normal day’s work trying not to think of 3pm.  She was actually going over new artist’s listings in the area, when the phone buzzed and Bethany alerted her to the detective’s arrival.  She stood up, took a quick look in the mirror, and hiked up the already short skirt she had on.  She checked her lipstick and adjusted her breast in her bra, and walked to the front to greet the curious cop.  As Yuri floated towards Det. Price, his temperature rose.  Yuri Hart was a vision of heavenly beauty.  She wasn’t at all skinny or even slim...her curves were where men liked them to be.  Her legs were even toned and longer then someone her height should own.  Her hair was bouncing and blowing, even though there was no wind.  For a moment, Drake considered that the movement of her hair was in his mind.  She stopped a foot or two in front of him, but he heard angels singing instead.  “Det. Price...hello.  I’m Yuri Hart.  Are you okay?” she said.  He literally shook the trance off and responded, “Hello, good afternoon, Ms. Hart.  It’s nice to meet you.  Can we go somewhere private?”  When he made that statement, his mind had sunken and his thoughts were not on business anymore.  He watched her sashay back towards her office and thought her ass was perfect.  He even surmised that she either had on a thong or no underwear at all.  He saw himself throwing her on top of the desk and putting his back into the job of taming such a beautifully wild creature.  They reached her office, and she showed him in and offered a seat.  Instead of sitting behind the desk, she sat on the edge of the desk in front of him and crossed her legs.  Det. Price had to cross his as well.  He felt immediately embarrassed and vulnerable at that moment.  Drake had met plenty of gorgeous women in his line of work.  He wasn’t new to the game women played when they were looking to distract him...but with Yuri the game was different.  She was intense in a way that allured him.  It wasn’t mysteriousness...but more like a darkness.  It intrigued him that someone so beautiful and angelic looking, could embody such a wicked way of handling him.  He was a seasoned pro and could spot a seduction a mile away, but this time it felt like the most natural feeling in the world to sit back and enjoy.  He wanted Yuri Hart for himself...but that would have to wait.   He had to at least ask the questions he had written down.  “Okay...let’s get started, Ms. Hart.  How did you know Hanley Mills?” he asked.  Yuri uncrossed and re-crossed her legs ala “Basic Instinct” and responded, “Hanley Mills came into my gallery...looking to buy the companion piece to a sculpture someone had bought for him.”  Yuri then uncrossed her legs and let both feet touch the ground while she leaned back on both arms...making her breast pronounced.  Sweat beads ran down Drake’s forehead.  His nature was on the rise and he wished she would go around and sit behind her desk.  She was so close that all she would have to do was look down to see the salute his member was giving her.  That realization made him lean forward and place his elbows on his knees.  “Did you know him very well?” he continued.  Yuri leaned forward and bent over allowing him to see a fuller view of her breasts fullness.  She then smiled and stood up straight turning gracefully around while he stared straight at her ass.  She walked past him and shut the door.  Drake was captivated and sat up straight trying to remain composed and professional.  She sat back on top of the desk, crossed her legs and said, “Hanley was a handsome man detective.  He propositioned me each time he entered “Eclectic Arts”.  He often sent me flowers and on one occasion purchased a locket for me I refused to accept.  Men come in here all of the time looking for art, but end up eyeing me.  I am used to the overtures...but I don’t always respond.  For this reason Hanley Mills stands out...but no.  I did not know him well.”  The voice she used was of a low purr.  She might as well have been singing, because her gifts were siren-like.  He once again shook off the trance, and tried to re-focus.  Drake had more questions about Hanley, but he could not concentrate.  He decided to concede, due to the reality that Yuri was someone who he would have to go home and re-strategize over.  He spoke hurriedly and said, “Well, Ms. Hart, I have some more questions but I have another appointment and I would like to follow up on some of the information you’ve given me.  I will call you soon to reschedule another interview...is that okay with you?”  Yuri smiled sexily, and stated, “Sure Det. Price.  You are welcome to ask me as much as you need.  I am at your service.  I want to do what I can to appease you...I mean, anything to help the investigation along...I will do.”  Her little innuendo had hit it’s target.  She knew she was getting to him and she reveled in the fact that he was putty in her hands.  He nodded his head and said good afternoon and rushed out of her door, stumbling over the knob.  He damn near ran out of the gallery.   When Yuri came to the front to retrieve a portfolio, Bethany looked at her strange.  Yuri caught Bethany's look of confusion AND suspicion.  In Yuri’s mind, NO one was safe from the chopping block.  She had better watch her step or she could find herself in more trouble than just being jobless.  When Yuri made it back to her desk, she thought of Drake.  She knew that she had crossed the line of flirting and wondered how Elliott would feel if he knew she had outright seduced another man.  It didn’t matter though.  This was not personal...it was business to her.  She was in the business of staying a free woman and no one was going to ruin what she’d found with Elliott.  Even if she had to find a way to efficiently execute a cop.  It was time to step her game up.  Yuri had 3 people on her shit list right now that had to be dealt with.  Ayanna Dennison had brought about a chain reaction.  Her presence at the gallery caused her to suspect Sebastian...who she still felt knew more than he let on...and now, Det. Drake Price had come along asking the wrong questions.  These people were too inconvenient.  Someone was going to get hurt, and she would be damned if it was Yuri Loren Hart.  Not again, not this time.