Always Means Forever

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  He looked confused, his expression asking what she was talking about.

  “Moments like that,” she said, pointing after the family. She watched as the child’s father swept him up into his arms and onto his shoulders, the short length of the boy’s legs wrapped around his father’s neck.

  Darwin stared where she pointed. Then he shrugged. “No. I know you and I will make our own moments.”

  “But—”

  “But nothing,” Darwin interrupted. “I’m sure there are going to be times when you and I both are going to have what-if moments or moments of regret. And I’m sure neither one of us will be able to stop ourselves from wondering how things might be if we’d done something differently. But I know that as long as I have you by my side, loving me back, then there will be little in this world that I will ever miss out on.”

  Bridget smiled, then changed the subject. “Did you know hydrangea are my favorite flowers?” she asked, admiring the cobalt blossoms surrounding them.

  “Mine, too, but just the blue ones. That’s why this is one of my favorite spots.”

  “One day I want to have a yard full of them.”

  “And a rose garden. I love roses, too.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “Did you know you can eat the petals?”

  “Rose petals? For real?”

  “Yep. They can be a nice addition to the right salad or an omelet, and they’re great to garnish with. You would be surprised by the number of flowers and plants that are actually edible: dandelions, nasturtiums, pansies, even violets. Can’t use too many at one time though. They’ll give you gas.”

  Bridget laughed. “I guess they’d stop being pretty then.” She curled up closer to the man, pulling her knees into her chest as she leaned against him.

  “Did you know you snore?”

  Darwin chuckled. “That wasn’t me. That was you.”

  Bridget giggled with him. “I don’t snore!” she retorted cheerily.

  “Woman, you sound like the rush hour trains rolling into New York’s Grand Central Station!”

  Bridget gave him a playful punch in the arm. “I do not!”

  “Choo, choo!” Darwin teased, making strange train noises.

  The duo giggled a while longer, then fell back into the tranquility of the peace and quiet. They sat for some time, watching an elderly couple who were themselves watching birds, a middle-aged man practicing Tai-Chi techniques and three teenage girls who were giggling nonstop as they talked fashion and boys.

  Bridget broke the quiet. “No one will ever love you as much as I love you, Darwin. Don’t you ever forget it,” she said softly.

  Darwin pressed a kiss to the top of her head and hugged her tightly. Bridget closed her eyes, giving in to the sensations sweeping through her, and she imagined the two of them spending the rest of their lives right there in that space, together and happy.

  Chapter 21

  The local weatherman had predicted cloudy skies with intermittent rain showers for the entire day. Intermittent didn’t begin to describe the swell of water that had been pouring out of the sky since she first awoke. As Bridget stood in her kitchen watching the morning news and weather report, she could only shake her head at the ensuing flood warnings.

  Her enthusiasm over the day’s meeting with Ava St. John and her attorney had diminished with the previous day’s sun-filled sky and moderate temperatures. There was something foreboding about the climate shift with its dreary atmosphere, Bridget thought. When she awoke that morning she’d been tempted to cancel but Darwin’s early-morning telephone call and anxious anticipation had dissuaded her. The man was eager to be done with this mess with Ava. Bridget knew that once they settled with her, the tabloids wouldn’t be too far behind, particularly if Ava admitted to lying about having had an affair with Darwin.

  The previous day had been a whirlwind of things the duo’d had to accomplish and neither could have picked a prettier day to do them in. Bridget was still in awe that by that very time the following week she would be Mrs. Darwin Tolliver, every dream fathomable having come true.

  With a good deal of cajoling, Dr. McKinney had agreed to marry them immediately following the Sunday service. Her parents were actually planning to be in town and not away on one of their vacation jaunts, Roshawn would be landing at the Seattle airport early Friday morning, and the Tolliver clan—Mama Frances, Uncle Jake and sister Paris—were flying in on Saturday. The only major details still to be handled were what Bridget would wear and if she needed to buy new shoes.

  Bridget wrapped her arms tightly around her torso and hugged herself. Taking a quick glance toward the digital clock on her microwave oven, she dropped her coffee mug into the sink and hurried back up to her bedroom to dress. She had just enough time to shower, change and get to her office to unlock the door. And if she got tangled in a minute of traffic she would surely be late. That definitely wasn’t the impression she intended to start the meeting with.

  An hour later Darwin was waiting in the building’s lobby when she stepped inside. Behind her, the sky had opened just as she’d stepped out of her automobile, soaking her raincoat and leather shoes. She shook the moisture to the polished floors as Darwin shook his head at her.

  “Where’s your umbrella, woman?” he asked smugly, wrapping her in a deep bear hug.

  Bridget rolled her eyes. “I swear that cloud parked itself directly over my parking space and waited for me to get out of the car. I can’t believe how it’s pouring out there.”

  Darwin chuckled. “Let it rain all it wants to now as long as the sunshine comes back on Sunday.”

  Bridget grinned. “I know that’s right! It’s supposed to be sunny and warm all day Sunday.”

  “What’s happening Sunday?” Joshua interrupted, making his way inside the building.

  Bridget cut an eye toward Darwin, then extended her hand to the opposing attorney. “Good morning, Mr. Bayer.”

  “Good morning. I hope I wasn’t interrupting?”

  The couple shook their heads.

  “Not at all,” Darwin answered, slipping a possessive arm around Bridget’s waist. “We were just discussing our wedding plans.”

  Joshua could not hide the stunned expression on his face as he glanced from one to the other. “Well. Oh, my. Congratulations,” he muttered, his gaze meeting Bridget’s. “What a pleasant surprise.”

  “Don’t look so sick, Joshua,” Bridget said as the elevator finally landed, its heavy doors opening widely. She moved inside the conveyor, both men at her heels, and pushed the button for the fifth floor.

  “I said I was surprised. Shouldn’t I be?” the man wondered. “The last time we talked you had just started seeing someone and now you’re engaged.”

  Darwin chuckled. “What can she say. I was just that persuasive.”

  Josh laughed with him. “I’d say so.” He extended his hand. “Congratulations. I’m very jealous. She’s an amazing woman.”

  “Yes. She is,” Darwin said, shaking the man’s hand.

  As the elevator deposited them on the upper level, Bridget led both men down the short expanse of corridor to the office entrance. Inside, she turned on the lights and pointed in the direction of the conference room.

  “Make yourself comfortable, Josh. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

  The man waved his head yes. “Since it’s too early for a real drink that’ll be fine.”

  “Just give me a quick second,” Bridget responded. “The machine is new.”

  “Need a hand?” Darwin asked.

  Bridget smiled. “Sure,” she answered, giving him a wink as he followed her out of the room.

  Josh watched them leave, noting the playful gestures the two exchanged. He had never known Bridget to be so at ease, her carefree attitude a nice complement to the air of confidence surrounding her. As he sat waiting he had to rethink his reasons for having fired her in the first place. It wasn’t hard to see that he’d made a huge error. He wondered if she might reconside
r and come back to work with him, then chuckled under his breath, knowing that he wouldn’t even think about coming back to work for himself.

  The man glanced down to his watch, wondering where his client was. Reaching for the cell phone in his pocket, he dialed Ava’s number and waited for her to answer the call.

  The two sisters were standing toe-to-toe in the building’s lobby when Ava’s cell phone rang. She ignored the chime as she stood glaring at Ella.

  “Why are you here? Did you follow me?”

  “Someone has to stop you from messing things up completely.”

  “Did you hear a thing I said to you the other day?”

  Ella snarled. “Look, Ava—”

  “No, you look. I told you before. I’ve had enough. I have to do what’s right for me now. Not what’s right for you. You are on your own. Now, I have an appointment to keep. Go home, Ella. Go home and leave me alone.”

  Stepping past her sister, Ava pushed the button for the elevator, staring up as she watched it descend from the top floor. She refused to glance back over her shoulder, turning only when the elevator doors opened in front of her and she stepped inside. As she hit the button to go up, her gaze met Ella’s. For a brief moment the intense hatred and anger gleaming in her sister’s eyes threw her offside. The emotion was so intense it knocked her breath away, air catching somewhere deep in her chest. She gasped out loud, even more unnerved as Ella smiled, her mouth bending into a twisted snarl that was anything but comforting. Neither woman said another word as the elevator doors closed between them.

  Ella watched until the conveyor reached its destination. She pushed a hand into the pocket of her coat, wrapping her fingers around the barrel of the gun hidden in the lining. Ava had left her with no other choice. She would have to do whatever she needed to do.

  Darwin didn’t recognize the woman who swept into the conference room, greeting them all nervously as she moved to her attorney’s side. Ava St. John, who’d reminded him of an overinflated balloon when they’d first met, appeared to have been deflated, hot air no longer filling her spirit. She was as attractive as he remembered, but there was a different energy sweeping over her presence. Her makeup was as meticulously applied, her hair swept into a conservative bun, and she wore a form-fitting, camel-colored linen pantsuit. But there was no hint of her earlier bravado and arrogance. There was no lingering boldness, no air of irrefutable confidence. The woman seemed almost fragile, on the verge of breaking into many small pieces. She smiled anxiously, appearing almost shy as she acknowledged him.

  “Mr. Tolliver, good morning. I’m sorry that we have to meet each other again under such unpleasant circumstances.” Her voice was barely audible, just a hair shy of being a whisper.

  His head waved slowly up and down. “Ms. St. John.”

  She turned to Bridget and nodded her greeting. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning,” Bridget said, a formal demeanor washing over her presence. “May I get you a cup of coffee, Ms. St. John? Or a glass of water, perhaps?”

  The woman shook her head no. “I’m fine, but thank you.”

  Bridget gestured toward one of the leather chairs. “Then why don’t we get this started.”

  Joshua and Ava took a seat on one side of the elongated conference table, and Bridget and Darwin took a seat on the other. Bridget directed her attention to Joshua.

  “Since you asked for this meeting, Attorney Bayer, I’ll let you start.”

  “Thank you. My client and I are hopeful that we can settle this business amiably. Ms. St. John is prepared to take full responsibility for her actions, as well as make a public apology to you, Mr. Tolliver, for the distress you were caused. She would also like to take this opportunity to apologize personally and perhaps explain how all of this came about in the first place.” Joshua’s gaze moved to Ava’s face. “Ava, why don’t you begin?”

  “Thank you,” she said softly, anxiously chewing on her bottom lip. “Against my attorney’s advice I’m ready to settle this any way you decide, Mr. Tolliver. I have no excuses for my actions. What I did was wrong. I know it and I will do whatever I have to do to make amends for it.” She paused, taking a deep breath, then continued speaking. “I don’t know if I can make you understand why I did what I did, but I’d like to try and explain.”

  Darwin leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows against the table and his chin against his folded hands. He motioned for her to continue.

  “Everything that happened the night you and I met was planned. I was invited to that event to specifically meet you and try to seduce you.”

  Bridget jotted notes onto a lined white notepad. “Were you paid for your participation, Ms. St. John?”

  “No. No. Nothing like that,” Ava said, shaking her head vehemently. “I did what I did as a favor for someone.”

  “Some favor,” Darwin muttered under his breath. He shifted back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “I’m not proud of what I did, Darwin. I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t always made good choices. But I can tell you that I honestly don’t think anyone was trying to hurt you on purpose. It just got out of hand and regrettably my participation further aggravated the whole mess.”

  “Ms. St. John, although we can appreciate your efforts to be forthcoming, you really are not telling us anything,” Bridget said. “Who were you doing all of this for? I think Mr. Tolliver has a right to know.”

  Ava hesitated, her gaze shifting from Bridget’s face to Darwin’s, then to Joshua’s and back to Darwin. She opened her mouth to speak but sputtered, suddenly unable to find the words. The last image of her sister flashed across her mind and she could feel a rise of perspiration dampening her silk blouse. She suddenly felt Joshua’s hand pressing against her forearm.

  “Ava?” Concern tinted the man’s tone.

  She shook the vision from her head. “I’m sorry.” Her eyes locked with Bridget’s. “I don’t know if I can tell you who. I thought that I could but…” She hesitated for a second time.

  Bridget cut an eye toward Darwin, then turned her gaze back to Ava. “Was Ella Scott involved with this at all?” Bridget asked.

  “Ella?”

  “Yes. Did Ms. Scott know what you were up to or was she responsible, in any way, for what happened?”

  No one could miss the wave of anxiety that suddenly swept up and over Ava. The woman was visibly shaking, her hands twisting anxiously in her lap.

  “Ella…she…” Ava stammered, tears burning hot against the back of her eyelids. She closed her eyes, taking a deep inhale of air that she held deep in her lungs.

  Bridget moved as if to ask the question a second time when there was a harsh pounding against the closed door. Bridget cast a quick glance toward the two men, then rose from her seat to answer the knock.

  “I need to hire some help soon,” she said casually, trying to make light of the moment. “Excuse me, please.”

  Before she’d taken her second step, the large wooden structure was thrown open, slamming harshly against the wall. They all jumped, startled by the abrupt intrusion as all eyes swept to the entrance and the woman standing in the entranceway.

  Voices all chimed simultaneously.

  “Ella!”

  “What the…?”

  “Ella?”

  “May I help…?”

  Just as quickly the room fell silent as Bridget took a step backward. Her earlier sense of dread suddenly resurfaced with a vengeance. That apprehension was manifested in the sight of the gun waving from side to side in the other woman’s hand. Everything seemed to spin in slow motion as Ella pointed the pistol directly at Ava’s head. The next thing Bridget was aware of was Darwin pushing his way in front of her, using his own body as a protective shield.

  “You don’t have to be a hero, Darwin,” Ella said with an evil laugh. “I’m not interested in you or your attorney.”

  “What are you doing, Ella?” Joshua asked softly.

  “Since certain peo
ple won’t listen to me,” she said as she stroked the barrel of the gun against Ava’s hair, “I have to take matters into my own hands. I need to clear things up. Ava here has just made a big mess out of it all.”

  Ava swallowed hard, her body shaking as cold metal tapped against the side of her skull. “Ella, please, don’t do this,” she whimpered, her tears beginning to stream down her face.

  Ella shouted loudly. “Don’t do what, sister dear? Don’t fix your mess? Don’t protect myself from all your lies? What should I do then?”

  “Sister? You two are sisters?”

  Ella looked toward Darwin, a look of surprise crossing her face. “You mean she didn’t tell you?”

  The man shook his head. “No. In fact, she was just telling us that she couldn’t expose the person who was responsible. She was taking full blame for what you did.”

  Ella suddenly raged. “What I did? I didn’t do anything, you smug little rodent! I was trying to help you, to help us. If you hadn’t been such a crybaby we wouldn’t be here right now.”

  Darwin nodded his head slowly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Joshua take a small step toward the woman, the movement so slow and deliberate that no one else noticed. “You’re right, Ella. I don’t know what I was thinking,” he said, taking a step to his right side. He pulled Bridget along behind him.

  “Don’t move,” Ella shouted. She waved the gun at him, then Joshua and back again. “Both of you need to sit down. Now!”

  The two men exchanged a quick look. Darwin lifted his hands, palms up as if he were surrendering. “Just stay calm. No one’s doing anything. I just want to apologize for hurting you. I couldn’t see the big picture back then, but I do now.”

  Ella chuckled. “I’m not stupid, Darwin. You can’t fool me. I know exactly what you’re thinking. You’re just like the rest of them. You think I’m crazy, too.”

  “No. I don’t. In fact, I think you’re very smart. It took a lot to plan all of this out. Not just anyone could do something like that. I imagine it takes a brilliant mind to accomplish what you tried to do.”