Fire and Ice

    CHAPTER ONE

                 "Ms. Aimes! Ms. Aimes!"  A group of reporters and photographers ran across Holly Aimes's yard to corner her at the front door.  Their breath formed puffs of smoke in the cold, February morning air.

                "How do you feel about the marriage of Trey Christian and Marla Johnson?  Did you know he was seeing other women while you were engaged?"

                The questions were fired at her like a round of bullets from an automatic weapon.  Holly's heart raced with fear.  She knew from experience how cold hearted and single minded reporters could be when a melodramatic story like hers came along.  The interview that she and Trey had given a few days ago about their engagement had appeared yesterday in a local Atlanta newspaper.  This morning, she learned that her fiancé, up and coming actor, Trey Christian had married super model Marla Johnson last night in Las Vegas. 

                Holly took a deep, calming breath before she pulled up the collar of her black, wool coat.  She walked quickly from the front door of her small brick home toward the detached garage, dodging outstretched microphones and bumping into reporters.

                One reporter asked, "Have you heard from Trey Christian?"  She recognized the raspy voice.  It was the same reporter that she and Trey had spoken with a few days earlier in Trey's home.  The question was like salt in the wound of her broken heart.  She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.  Her calm expression like a fragile mask hid the hurt and pain of Trey's betrayal.  Pride kept her walking to her car. 

                Her garage seemed a million miles away and the group of reporters formed a tighter circle around her.  She tried to block out the rapid fire questions and concentrate on reaching her car but she could feel a cold wave of panic rise up within her.

                "No comment," her voice was barely distinguishable over the noisy crowd.  She kept her head down, focusing on placing one foot in front of the other until she finally reached her car.  Her fingers trembled beneath her black leather gloves when she tried to insert her key into the door of her two year old Honda Accord.

                "Miss Aimes, could you tell us..." the noise of her car's engine blocked out the rest of the question.  Holly put her car in gear and backed out of the driveway.

                As she drove away, the tears that threatened to fall earlier rolled down her cheeks.  She remembered the plans she and Trey had made since their engagement a week ago.  The happiness she'd felt during last week's interview seemed like a dream to her.  Today, this cold Monday morning, Holly had to face the fact that Trey Christian had never loved her.

                Holly entered the highway and headed north to her parent's home.  She knew that another group of reporters might be there but her father, Senator Robert Aimes, could handle the press.  Holly brushed the tears from her cheeks.  She had been careful, so careful, to stay out of media...until last week.  Her family enjoyed the spotlight but she wanted no part of it.  Now, she would have to endure the constant questions, the photographs, and the total lack of privacy while her heart was breaking.

                A strong gust of wind shook her car as she drove on the highway.  Her hands tightened around the steering wheel in an effort to keep her car under control.  She had to get to her parent's house.  They would know what to do.

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