by T. L. Haddix
Owen shook his head. “Ben said just about the same thing to me, that he had never understood why she was with him. Which I don’t understand, because Ben doesn’t have low self-esteem.”
“I think they were so dazzled by each other, they didn’t quite believe it was real,” Byrdie mused. “For different reasons, maybe.”
“That would make sense,” Sarah agreed. “So how did Geneva take Ainsley’s relationship with Ben?”
Byrdie sighed. “That’s the thing. Until it all went south, we didn’t think she knew about them. Because we were close, Ainsley had told me, and I kept it quiet. We were careful, very careful, but we were also both so naive. Stupid, really, to think she wouldn’t know. Geneva had known from just about their first date. And she used Ainsley’s feelings for Ben against her, against them both. I need to excuse myself. There’s something you need to see. It’ll help explain. I’ll be back.”
The kitchen was silent for a minute after she left. Jonah broke the silence when he sat forward. “How is Ben?”
Owen answered, “He’s coping. He broke his wrist Friday night, fell on the mountain in the dark. He’s completely shut down where Ainsley’s concerned.”
Jonah’s mouth tightened. “I figured he might. Do you know who told him about the baby? Ainsley had already told him she’d miscarried, but she didn’t tell him who the father was.”
“No, he won’t talk about it. Where is Ainsley, by the way?” Owen asked.
“She’s sedated.” He looked down at his hands. “When she miscarried, she had a lot of problems. She almost died. As a result, there’s a lot of scarring. To be very frank, she needs to have a hysterectomy, but she’s stubborn. She doesn’t want to give up that last thread of hope that she can have a child someday. So things are difficult for her when she has her cycle. I’m a doctor, and I supervise her medications when she needs them. Pain meds, muscle relaxers. That sort of thing.”
“Things are that bad, that she has to be sedated?” Sarah asked, somewhat skeptically.
“Yes. And it isn’t just about the need for sedation. Ainsley fell apart after the miscarriage. She’s a recovering alcoholic and addict.”
Sarah drew in a startled breath and sat back. “So she can’t just take what she needs to cope with the pain.”
“No.”
Owen scowled. “How long has she been sober?”
“Two years. Since right after Doug got sick.”
Byrdie came back in, carrying a file folder. “Sorry it took so long. Ainsley was awake and needed me for a minute.”
“I’ve been explaining her condition to them,” Jonah said. “About the scarring and the addiction.”
“The poor child has been through hell and back, make no mistake,” Byrdie said. “Before I show you this, you need to understand something. Her resentment of Ainsley aside, Geneva Brewer was not a nice person. She had an ability to read people’s secrets. I’m not sure how it worked, exactly, but she just knew things. That sounds like New Age voodoo mysticism, but it was fact. She said she got it after a lightning strike when she was a teenager. And she used that to build her empire. There was no line she wouldn’t cross to get what she wanted. All she cared about was herself.”
Sarah got a chill up her spine, and she rubbed at the gooseflesh that broke out on her arms. “What’s in the folder, Byrdie?”
Byrdie handed it to her. “That’s the reason Ainsley married Doug. She’s been searching for it ever since we got here. Of all the files Geneva kept, about forty all told, it was the one Ainsley cared about most. The one she was desperate to get her hands on so she could destroy it. She found it this weekend. She’d just about given up hope.”
The first paper on top of the stack inside the file was a letter addressed to the board of directors at the library. As Sarah read the contents, her body went numb, and every hair stood straight up. Without a word, she passed the letter to Owen, then started skimming the next.
All in all, only three letters filled the file. But Sarah knew how powerful people in Geneva’s position worked. Cronyism and favors to cancel debts were commonplace, particularly in small towns, and especially if big money was involved. If Geneva Brewer was as vicious as Byrdie and Jonah were saying, Sarah had little doubt the folder and its contents could be wielded as a weapon—a very effective, destructive weapon.
“I don’t understand,” Owen said. “This is ludicrous. No one would believe this.” He looked at Sarah, clearly confused.
“It’s not about getting people to believe it. It’s about hitting as hard as possible, as quickly as possible, in every area. If she’d used this, it would have destroyed us. Our lives would have become a circus, and by the time the dust cleared, the damage would have been done.” She looked at Byrdie. “Could you point me to a restroom?”
“Of course. Right down here.” Byrdie led her down the hall. “Are you all right?”
“I just need a few minutes.” In the bathroom, she braced herself against the counter and fought down the nausea. As soon as she’d read that first letter, she’d understood the threat. It all would have come out. Rachel and Amelia, who were also shifters, would have been in danger. The whole family would have been subject to ridicule and speculation, and there was enough truth hidden in between the lines of the letter that some of it would have stuck.
The letters calling in the favor to get Jack fired and the one accusing Gilly of fraud were as damaging. But for the grace of God, and the courage of a young girl, everything they had worked so hard to build and the family they’d fought so hard to protect would have been torn apart. They’d come so close to disaster, and hadn’t even known it. That knowledge shook Sarah like nothing had in years.
When she went back to the kitchen, Owen was standing next to the glass wall, staring into the yard as he and Jonah made small talk. He turned to her, concerned. “Sweetheart?”
“I’m okay.” She resumed her seat. “Could I have some water?”
Jonah got up. “With or without ice?”
“With, please.” She took a long drink when he handed it to her, closing her eyes as the cold liquid hit her churning stomach. “How old was Ainsley when she married Doug?”
Byrdie answered as Owen sat back down. “Nineteen.”
“Dear, God. Nineteen years old.” Sarah swiped at a tear. “How’d Geneva use that folder?”
“She gave Ainsley a choice. Marry Doug and stay away from Ben for the rest of her life, and Geneva would leave you all alone. Refuse to marry Doug or even try to warn Ben? Geneva would do her worst. And her worst was about as bad as it gets.”
Jonah ran a hand through his hair. “Well, she used Ben’s other girlfriend as a weapon, too. Or what Ainsley thought was Ben’s other girlfriend.”
Owen sat forward. “Explain.”
“Like I said, Geneva made it her mission to learn everything she could about anyone she could exploit. And she knew Ben met every Wednesday with his brother and sister-in-law for lunch. Somehow, she learned that Ben would be meeting with just Zanny, and she put Ainsley in place so that she would see them together. She planted enough doubt in Ainsley’s mind that, when she saw them playing around with each other, she interpreted it as a romance. She didn’t know who Zanny really was until she ran into her in town a few weeks ago.”
“Oh, no. It’s shades of what had happened with John and Zanny all over again. So Ainsley thought he’d been toying with her, that he hadn’t been serious. And that low self-esteem played into it,” Sarah guessed. She had a sneaking suspicion she knew the source of Geneva’s information, and the knowledge made her shudder with anger.
“That’s exactly right. And Ainsley knew her mother. Geneva didn’t make idle threats. So she married Doug.” Byrdie wiped at her own cheeks. “She would have given up everything to be with Ben. The money, the social standing, none of that ever
mattered to Ainsley. But she didn’t get that choice. She did the only thing she could to protect him.”
It was so much worse than Sarah had expected. So much worse. Looking at Owen, she saw her own distress reflected in his eyes.
“How could she do that to her own child?” he asked.
“There’s more. You need to know it all,” Jonah told them quietly. He put his arm around Byrdie’s shoulders and took a deep, bracing breath. Sarah was sure that she didn’t want to know what was worse, but she didn’t have much choice. They’d started this; they had to finish it.
“Ainsley didn’t know she was pregnant when she married Doug. When she found out, she was so happy. And then reality set in. She wanted to tell Ben. Had to tell him. But Geneva’s threat was still looming over them. It wasn’t a good time for anyone. Doug understood her need to tell Ben about the baby, but you all weren’t the only ones who would face dire consequences if the truth came out.” Byrdie gave him an encouraging nod, and he continued.
“Doug was gay. He and I were more than just friends.”
Sarah winced, her heart going out to the young man. “Oh, Jonah. He married Ainsley to hide the truth?”
He nodded. “People were starting to talk. His family was scared. They’d never really supported him, even though they loved him, and they had business interests to protect. So they arranged the whole thing with Geneva. They were thrilled to find out Ainsley was pregnant. It would put one more stamp of validity on her marriage to Doug.”
“Even though they were forced to get married, Doug and Ainsley liked each other from the beginning. Over time, they ended up best friends, supporting each other. Love, but not romantic,” Byrdie explained. “He wanted her to be happy. But they were fighting, and the stress was getting to them both. Jonah suggested they go to Mexico, get on neutral ground, and try to figure out what to do.”
“I wish to God I’d never made that suggestion.”
She chided him. “Sweetie, you know it wouldn’t have made a bit of difference. What happened would have happened, no matter what. You see, when Ainsley found out she was pregnant, she called me, here. And I gave Geneva my resignation that day, packed my bags, and went to my girl. I knew she’d need me,” she told Sarah and Owen.
“What we hadn’t counted on was that Geneva was hell-bent on destroying Ainsley’s every chance at happiness. Her passport was still here, and Ainsley didn’t want to come back for it. Doug drove down and got it. He didn’t know at the time just how twisted and sick Geneva was. None of us did. She knew they’d be flying out, and she knew Ainsley had problems with flying. She gets migraines. Geneva gave him some pills to give to Ainsley, assured him they wouldn’t hurt the baby, and that she wouldn’t want to take them.” Jonah halted, looking away. Sarah saw a muscle tick in his jaw, and his cheeks flushed. She realized he was fighting tears.
“When they landed in Mexico, she was so sick, with the headache and morning sickness together. So he gave her the pills. The medicine wasn’t anything to do with airsickness, however. Geneva had found something to cause an abortion. Excuse me. I need to check on Ainsley.” He left quickly, but the sound of him sniffling back tears followed him from the kitchen.
Byrdie also stood. “I’ll give the two of you some privacy.”
Owen moved closer to Sarah and pulled her into his arms. He quietly held her as she cried softly. She could feel the fine tremors that coursed through him every so often. They matched the ones running through her.
“Those poor kids never stood a chance, Owen,” she finally whispered. “Not against someone like that. How in the world are we going to tell Ben? This will kill him.”
“You believe the story, then?”
She pulled back so she could see his face. “I do. Those letters… they’re so cold. And you and I both know that people can be that cruel.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “I know. Ben’s going to blame himself. Assuming we can get him to listen.”
“Can you imagine what she must have gone through? Nineteen years old. And her own mother destroyed her. Tried to, anyhow.”
“It took a lot of guts for her to do what she did.”
Sarah nodded. “I’d like to see her before we leave, even if she’s asleep.” She got up and carried the mugs to the sink, then rinsed them out, just to have something to do. Byrdie came back in as she was finishing up.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know. I needed something to do, though. May we see Ainsley?”
Byrdie searched her face. “All right. Just please, be gentle with her.”
Sarah touched Byrdie’s shoulder. “I won’t hurt your little girl. I promise.”
“Then come with me. She’s up. She’s having a hard time letting the medicine work this go round.”
“Should I wait here?” Owen asked.
“You don’t have to. She’s dressed and on the patio. She’s just a little drowsy.”
They followed her to the patio door. Ainsley was sitting on a lounge chair, a pillow pressed to her stomach, Jonah beside her. Sarah’s nerves jumped back into her stomach and crawled up into her throat. Owen sensed her anxiety and reached for her hand.
“Baby girl, feel up to some company?” Byrdie asked.
“Of course.” Ainsley’s eyes were hidden behind a large pair of sunglasses. As Sarah and Owen drew up alongside her, she pulled off the glasses. Lines of strain were etched around her eyes, and white brackets around the corners of her mouth told Sarah more than words that she was suffering.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other,” she said softly, pulling up a chair next to Ainsley. “I hear you haven’t had a good week, to say the least. I’m sorry.”
Ainsley studied her without speaking, then lifted her gaze to Owen. “How is he?”
“Upset.”
“Jonah said he broke his wrist?” she asked Sarah.
“He did. Stayed out in the woods after dark, tripped over a log. But he’s okay. No lasting damage.” Sarah wanted to pull her close and hug her. She didn’t think Ainsley was ready for that. “I need to ask you something. Feel free to tell me to go jump in a lake. But I have to ask.”
Ainsley was wary now. “Okay.”
“Do you love my son?”
She didn’t answer for a long, long time. Sarah could see her gathering her courage.
“I do. Always have, and I think I probably always will.” Her smile was beautiful and heartbreakingly sad. “For all the good it does me.”
Sarah smiled back. “Things are quite the mess, aren’t they?”
Ainsley laughed soggily. “You could say that.”
“You probably think Owen and I are the nosiest people in the world, barging in here like this, sticking our noses where they don’t belong. But my husband, in all his wisdom, thought we needed to. Turns out he was right. So I have one more question for you. A request, really.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t give up on Ben. Not yet.”
Tears sprung into Ainsley’s eyes, and she took the tissue Jonah handed her, winding it around her fingers. “I don’t know if I have the strength to face him again.”
“I understand you’ve been through a lot. And I’m not asking you to go to him. To be honest, he won’t listen to you if you do. He’s too angry, too hurt. But if he comes to you, don’t shut him out. That’s all I’m asking.”
“I won’t. If he comes to me, I’ll do what I can.”
“So will I,” Sarah assured her. “I’m hoping I can influence him a little. Get him to at least consider that what he’s been told is not true and come talk to you about it. I can’t guarantee he’ll listen. He’s stubborn, like his father. But I’ll try.”
“Hey, now.” Owen laid a hand on her shoulder. “I’m not stubborn. That, he ge
ts from you.”
Ainsley smiled, and this time the expression was more natural. “He’s so lucky to have you two. All of you, really.”
Sarah couldn’t stand it. She leaned in and hugged Ainsley tight. After a startled second, Ainsley hugged her back. Sarah kissed her temple.
“Thank you for protecting him. Protecting us,” she whispered. “I can’t imagine how hard that was for you. You never should have had to make that decision. I’m sorry.”
“It was what had to be done. But he won’t see it that way.”
“Oh, I don’t know. We’ll see what we can do about that.”
“Byrdie gave you the file?”
Sarah nodded. “She did.”
“Take it with you. It should be with you all.”
After she and Owen left, all the energy drained from Sarah’s body. She kept fingering the papers in the file.
“Where to, ma’am? Home or work?”
“Home, please. There’s no way I can go in today.” She undid her seatbelt and slid across the bench seat, buckling the lap belt once she was seated next to Owen. “Can we just hold each other when we get home? Go to the studio and lock out the world?”
He put his arm around her. “Of course. That sounds like a wonderful plan to me. We’ll figure this thing out, Sarah.”
“Promise?”
“One way or another, I promise. I can’t guarantee it’ll turn out the way we hope, but it will turn out.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder. “That, my dear, is exactly what I’m afraid of.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
When the phone rang early Wednesday morning, Ben was awake, but he wasn’t yet out of bed. He didn’t have anywhere to be or anything in particular to do.
