Electric, The Beginning, Book I

By Carly Compass

When Gina Parrot, a Catholic, married, mother of four meets Mikhail Vladimir, master of deception, it's Electric! Gina takes on a new job as his Office Manager and has no idea, how in one short year her life will be irreversibly changed. Vladimir's obsession and deception soon have him stalking her without limits. Holding on to her dream of a wholesome traditional life she fights against the current, while forces beyond her control, in the guise of a devastating diagnosis and memories from her past rear their ugly heads to leave Gina to question if she has made the right decision. The electric current between Gina and Mikhail soon cause a violent short circuit that change both of their lives, revealing that things aren't often what they seem when we dig to find the truth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carly Compass
• Release date: Sep 30, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310833267

Carly Compass

Carly Compass has a Bachelors Degree in Writing and English from Elmhurst College. She is an avid reader, reviewer as well as a member in good standing of both Phi Theta Kappa and Sigma Tau Delta International Honors Societies. She has a number of short stories under her belt published in: the Prairie Light Review, Black Widows, Web of Poetry, and the Middle Western Voice. Her first series, Electric was published in the fall of 2014 with critical acclaim and five star reviews across the board for all four books. She became a best selling author on Amazon when Book 4 came out to the waiting arms of her readers in April of 2015. Electric, The Beginning Book 1 is available for a free download. Books 1, 2, 3 are also available in a discounted combination set. All books read well as stand alone, but you'll want to read every word and leave no page unturned. Pick up your copy today and let the world know what you think by leaving a review! Carly loves hearing from her readers, feel free to connect across the board on all social media.

Book preview

Gina sat despondent, disheveled and disillusioned wondering what she could have done differently? How did this happen and over such a short period of time?

Was she to blame? Did she ignore the signs? Now, two people whom she loved very much were gone, lost forever. Dead.

She poured over the letters. One line stood out to her: In my mind and heart you will always be with me, and I will carry this into the next life.

Did he hope to have some sort of relationship in the afterlife? Is that why all of this happened? She should have known from that first day she met him. She had a vision. Why didn’t she take it as an omen and just walk away?

Now, all the signs were clear. Hindsight is 20/20. Gina’s mind drifted back to that first day…

CHAPTER I

CHANCE ENCOUNTER

The parking lot was dark and desolate as Patty and Gina stepped down the stairs of the old loading dock in the back of the building. The evening was hot and humid as they both tried to adjust to the climate change having just left the air-conditioning. I wonder how the ducks are doing? Gina asked, thinking how nature was all but pushed aside leaving this poor mother duck to make a nest behind the dumpster in the parking lot. A van whizzed up nearly hitting them, Gina grabbed Patty’s arm to pull her back from the van’s path.

The driver rolled down his window two inches from where the two shocked women stood and said with a flirtatious undertone, Good Evening Ladies, did you just get off work?

Patty, the 22-year-old brunette Russian equivalent of Farah Faucet, smiled exposing her perfect pearly whites. Her brunette hair glistened in the phosphorescent light that beamed down from the electric pole that doubled for telephone lines not ten feet away. She tilted her head and gently brushed her hair away from her soft tawny complexion widening her pale green eyes as she added an uneasy giggle and said, Yeah, we’re just heading home.

Gina felt a little more at ease at this point, at least Patty knew the driver. Gina wanted to haul off on him for nearly hitting them, but since Patty knew him, she guessed he was just kidding around, albeit asinine. She resumed her way back toward her van when she remembered the ducks. Patty motioned for her to wait.

I just renovated my office, do you want to see it? asked the driver.

Well, I have to get going, Patty replied.

It’ll just take a minute. Come in and see it, he insisted.

Hey Gina, come in and see his office with me.

I have to get going, Gina replied.

Patty turned her head away from the driver’s view, her thick dark hair hiding her contorted expression. She widened her pleading eyes and motioned with her hand, just below the passenger’s window for Gina to come with her. Come with us Gina, you know you want to see it too, she giggled trying to make light of the situation and not show any fear.

Gina lagged behind as he parked his van and jumped out. He seemed to be reorienting his feet with his medium built frame in a youthful stance. He stepped out toward the loading dock, wearing a locomotive engineer’s railroad cap, a bright white t- shirt tucked into a large burnished silver steam engine buckle that belted his faded Levis. He stepped toward the women in his heavy black construction boots with his hand extended in greeting.

This is Gina, Patty said shaking his hand, and this is Mr. Vladimir of Vladimir Electric.

Hi. Nice to meet you, Gina said, extending her hand.

He looked down at her 5’4 frame, flashing a confident smile of impeccably brilliant white teeth hidden beneath a thick well groomed salt and pepper beard, while he enveloped her frail hand into his large calloused hands in greeting and said, Nice to meet you too."

They proceeded back up the steps to the entrance.

His office/warehouse was located on the first level of the old building, while their office was on the second floor, but shared the same entrance. They walked through his immaculately kept warehouse to the main office that was lit with fluorescent ballast in a drop ceiling, with the silver square light covers, giving the appearance of daylight. The office was warm, inviting and meticulously arranged; a stark contrast to the insurance office where they worked, a dusty, stale, paper-piled room with a hodgepodge of ripped up amber and avocado furniture from the 70’s.

Vladimir installed powdered blue sculptured Berber carpeting, painted the walls a sky blue, replete with light oak office furniture and a surround sound system, all state of the art. It was clean, sharp and efficient.

This is really nice! Patty exclaimed, as he drew their attention to a model he had protruding from the wall.

Check out my train model, he said, as he turned on the sound system, Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in C, Allegro streamed through the surround sound speakers as they walked over to the model.

The model was a scene of a train coming out of the side of a mountain through a tunnel. I carved it out of Styrofoam and painted it to look like the Rocky Mountains, he said as they looked at the tiny pine trees, shrubs, and boulders scattered across the rocky surface. The colors were rich glossy black, blue green spruce, evergreen, wheat and slate gray; a stunning contrast to the sky blue walls. That’s the C & C Rail Road going through the Rocky Mountains, he beamed and continued, I made it myself. I’m going to convert my entire basement into a train model, but these ones will actually run through the tunnels. I’ll have the Colorado River running alongside the rail road just like it is in Colorado.

Admiring the scene, Gina exclaimed, Wow, you’re an artist! This looks so authentic.

Yeah, well, I love trains, he relinquished modestly.

It’s a good spot for your office then, with the train right across the street, Patty added sarcastically, because she hated the location of the office and the many times she was stuck at the train tracks while a freight train meandered through the little town of Riverdale. Patty had big dreams and this town was going to be a distant memory for her very soon she thought.

Yeah, that’s right! Now that I have my office finished, I’m looking for someone to work part time to run things for me. Let me know if you know of anyone?

What hours are you looking for? Gina asked.

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. he quickly replied.

Well, I have children in school and I’m not sure I could be available all the time.

I’m flexible, he replied. I’m completely flexible and willing to work with you, he said looking intensely into Gina’s eyes, which she nervously averted.

Okay, I’ll drop off my resume and we’ll see what we can do.

Patty started to get uncomfortable and said, We better get going.

Okay. It was nice meeting you, Gina said, extending her hand again.

He shook her hand and said, Don’t forget about that resume, all while holding back a smirk with a knowing smile.

I won’t, Gina said, as they left the building.

As the women walked out to the parking lot Gina sensed tension and said, Patty, I work with you in the evening, so no worries, it won’t interfere with my job.

Patty smiled, and said, It better not, I would hate to lose you.

With that said they went to their separate cars, I forgot about the ducks, Gina said to Patty as she walked over to the dumpsters. Patty reluctantly followed her feigning interest. Gina peered behind the dumpster. Immediately behind the true link fence there was a tiny nest among the overgrowth of weeds, it now appeared abandon. Good, Gina sighed with relief, I don’t know how they did it, but it appears that the ducks are gone now.

Well, nature has a way of taking care of itself, Patty added as she headed back to her car.

Goodnight Patty, drive safe, Gina, said as she entered her van.

You too, Patty said as she unlocked her car door and got in. They drove off into the night toward their respective homes.

CHAPTER II

ROUTINE

When Gina arrived home, the house was a mess; she had to navigate the ten shoes and three backpacks strewn in the doorway entrance. She rolled her eyes as she surveyed the dinner dishes still on the table in the small sunroom where her family took their meals, and she winced at the laundry that was piling up in the corner just off the utility room where the washer and dryer were kept. Just once I wish Brad would help. I wish he would help without being asked, but mostly I wish he would just follow through on what I already asked, she thought as she continued to survey the galley kitchen that still had the dinner she prepared before work sitting in their pots and pans as she heard Brad snoring off in the direction of the living room. She rolled her eyes in disgust and shook her head in despair.

YOU WOULD THINK WHILE I AM AT WORK THAT HE COULD PITCH IN AROUND HERE AND TAKE CARE OF THINGS! Gina thought as she went through the den and up the stairs to check on the kids to make sure they had brushed their teeth, it was already 9:30 p.m. and the kids had just started school that week.

Did you eat your dinner Lisa? Gina asked as she surveyed the girl’s bedroom.

Yeah, Lisa said looking up from her book, already snuggled up in her bed. Amanda however was sitting in a pile of Polly Pockets still wearing her school clothes. Amanda, let’s get that cleaned up, it’s past your bedtime, Gina said with exasperation, Where’s Duncan? Did he eat his dinner?

Yeah, Lisa replied.

Gina peered into the boy’s room and said, Rob, stop playing that video game. Let’s get to bed now. Come to the bathroom and brush your teeth.

Okay, Rob replied still playing his game.

Hurry Rob, Amanda hasn’t even taken her bath yet, at this rate you guys will still be up at 10:30. Then she thought she would let him play his game while she bathed Amanda, and called out, Amanda let’s get you into the tub so you can get into your pajamas. Gina ran the bath and asked again, Where’s Duncan?

He’s sleeping on the couch, Lisa called from her bed.

Gina went back downstairs as Amanda undressed for the bath and found Duncan’s downy little head sticking out of a sleeping bag with his body sprawled out, his right foot dangling off the couch. He was drooling contentedly on his pillow, across from Brad who was stretched out on his recliner with his arms folded across his chest, snoring loudly.

Gina gently shook Brad awake; You were supposed to have the kids in bed by 8:00. It’s already 9:30. They have school tomorrow, she said with an annoyed look on her face nudging him again, Carry Duncan upstairs, she whispered. Brad got up groggily and picked up one-year-old Duncan and carried him up to bed and went to bed himself. Gina followed him back upstairs to get everyone in bed.

Come on Amanda let’s get you out of the tub. It’s getting late. She washed, rinsed and dried Amanda, struggling to get her damp body into her soft linen pajamas. Gina combed Amanda’s wet hair into a tight ponytail twisting it into a swirl. Let’s brush your teeth honey, she said and proceeded to get Amanda’s tooth brush from the brightly colored holder displaying six tooth brushes and brushed her first grader’s teeth, with a rinse and a spit, Gina bent down to give Amanda a swift kiss on her chubby little cheek and sent her off to bed.

Rob come in and brush your teeth already, it’s 10:00!

Okay, okay, Rob, said, finally shutting down his video game.

Rob brushed his teeth as Gina pulled the plug from the tub drain.

Good night honey, she said to Rob when he was finished brushing his teeth.

Gina rinsed the basin of toothpaste residue and said, Good night everyone. Stepping into the boy’s room she pulled the covers up over Rob making the sign of the cross on his forehead. She looked up at the top bunk where Duncan was sleeping soundly, don’t forget to say your prayers, Rob, she whispered and stepped across the hall to the girl’s room. Let’s say our prayers girls, Gina said, as they started