A Somers Dream by Patricia Isabel

’ he thought to himself, he knew that was being selfish. Once they reached their destination, Shane walked with her as far as the security check point and watched her leave. He stood there until he couldn’t see her anymore then started to head for the parking lot. He sat in the car and waited until her plane left the runway and he could see it gaining altitude, he was feeling like crap. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so awful when someone left, even the feeling he had when his mother died wasn’t the same feeling. He was devastated when his mother died but this feeling…this feeling is more like being ripped apart. An empty feeling. He didn’t like it, not one bit. He started the car, put it in drive and headed for home. He tried to prepare himself for the meetings he had lined up in the coming week but his thoughts kept returning to Penny. She was an amazing, sweet, funny, beautiful, smart woman and so much more. She was definitely the whole package. A package he wanted to keep. He was gonna do what needed to be done to make sure they were together, he had no intentions of letting this one go anytime in the near, or far, future. With that new found determination, Shane smiled all the way home. As he pulled into the driveway, he noticed a car parked there. He wasn’t expecting anyone and he didn’t recognize the vehicle either. As he got out of his car and made his way to the house, the front door opened and there stood in his doorway the last person he ever wanted to see…Lynesse.
    He can’t believe it! How the hell did she get in?! As he got closer to the door, Lynesse gave a brilliant smile “Shane, baby, where have you been? I’ve been waiting for like…forever” She stuck out her cheek expecting a gracious kiss but Shane just bulldozed his way past her. Lyness gave a pouty look, “Is that any way to say hello to your mother?” she grinned. She knew he hated it when she called herself that. “You’re not welcome here, Lynesse. Leave before you are ceremoniously thrown out” he said through gritted teeth. “You mean unceremoniously, don’t you?” he was getting angry and she knew it. “It would be a ceremony for me, now get out” Shane turned his back ending the conversation and walked down the hall into the kitchen. He couldn’t believe she was here, in his house of all places. What the hell could she want…no, he didn’t care what she wanted he just wanted her gone. Shane hadn’t seen Lynesse in five, not long enough, years.
    Lynesse Whitcombe was the daughter of a shipping magnate whose company dated back to the civil war. She was old money while Shane’s family was new.  They had met at an auction house, Shane being there for business while Lynesse was there for personal matters. They were both bidding on the same piece, an eighteenth century Rare Rhinoceros Horn Carved Cup, which the family business needed to complete their Asian collection for the company auction. Lynesse wanted it because she thought it would look good in her living room. It was an expensive piece but Shane did have a budget to follow, unlike Lynesse, who had out-bidded him by an exorbitant amount. Shane liked her back then, she was smart and sassy with a no nonsense attitude. They had hit it off and started to see more of each other. A year and a half later, Shane had asked her to marry him. She said yes and the arrangements began for a Fall wedding. At that time, he was on top of the world. He had everything he wanted, a great job that he loved and soon a beautiful wife. Four months into the engagement, Shane had to go abroad for an auction in Japan. There was a piece that the company wanted and it was up to Shane to acquire it. Normally, he would take Lynesse with him but with the wedding fast approaching, she begged off saying there was too much to do and she couldn’t very well up and leave. He didn’t want to leave her behind but he had to go. The vase that they needed for the collection was the