by Jez Strider
“Just follow my lead and agree with the option I set forth.” He smiled and his pale eyes sparkled with a familiar glint. “Trust me.”
I looked at Gavyn again. His jaw was tight with tension. The judge began speaking so I faced forward.
“If this can be settled without a trial, I’m all for it. There’s no reason to waste the good and loyal taxpayers’ hard earned dollar. Both parties join me in my chambers please.”
I stood slowly, fearful of what was about to take place. Gavyn entwined his fingers with mine and I found the reassurance I needed when his eyes met mine.
“I’m here,” he said, “no matter what happens.”
Brody had already begun walking ahead of us, but I saw him pause when Gavyn spoke, almost as if he’d winced in pain. He continued onward without a word.
The judge’s chambers were decorated in a similar style to what I had seen on television. A large desk filled one corner of the room. Tall book shelves lined the walls. The center of the room held a round table with six chairs. The judge seated himself at the head of the table. Mr. York chose the chair opposite him. My parents stared in my direction as they sat down on the side furthest from us. Gavyn still held my hand firmly, but I didn’t move until he gave it a squeeze and guided me forward. He pulled out the chair for me before taking his seat beside me. With nowhere to sit, Brody simply stood at my side with his briefcase in front of him once again.
“So, I’ll let the younger York explain his proposition to settle this matter. The floor is yours.”
“Thank you again, Your Honor.” Brody bowed his head slightly. “I have been part of both these families for my entire life and I know that, though they lack tact, there is plenty of love.”
I had to force myself to keep a neutral expression on my face, but somehow I managed it. All the while I focused on my hands folded in my lap.
“As governor,” he gesture to my father, “I realize you’d like to keep the media out of this, especially when elections are around the corner. What I propose is this…,” He paused for dramatic effect.
“Go on,” the judge urged.
“The concerns of Farrah’s parents come from their own hardships and personal experience with mental illness. I propose that Farrah agrees to check into a health facility for monitoring and diagnosis for a period of one month after this meeting. During this time she will not be allowed visitation so she can focus on her health. This includes her parents and her husband.” Despite his professionalism, Brody had trouble saying the last word.
“Is that all?” The judge asked.
“No, Your Honor. Afterwards, she will continue to visit a psychiatrist once a month to make sure she’s not exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia or other problems.”
Gavyn and I both spoke aloud in shock, “Schizophrenia?”
“Is this true?” For the first time I acknowledged my parents’ presence.
Mother covered her mouth with her hand. My father hugged her sideways with one arm before speaking.
“It is. We’ve tried to shelter you from it. Your brother was older when the illness began to show itself. The illness is one of the reasons he watched over you like a hawk. I thought if you moved home and were with us, we could keep an eye on you. That we wouldn’t have to expose you to the truth. Brody could have taken care of you.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I said.
“When you were a child, your mother ran away without a warning of any sort with you and your brother in tow. It took me two weeks to track all of you down. After that, we made sure she got the help she needed, though it’s still not always easy.”
“What does this have to do with me? I’m fine.”
My mother finally removed her hand from her mouth and cleared her throat. “Do you remember the nanny you had as a child?”
I stared at the dark cherry colored wood of the table before me, trying to remember, but shook my head slowly. “No.”
“Robyn, that was her name, she was a wonderful, elderly lady that cared for you.”
Father broke in. “I’m not sure we should be bringing this up.”
My mother held up a hand. “She needs to know she’s susceptible.” Her tearful eyes stayed locked on mine. “She passed away from old age in her sleep one night. We told you she went to Heaven. A few days later we caught you speaking, not to yourself, but to her.”
“Sounds like a coping mechanism for a kid,” Gavyn said. I nodded in agreement.
“So we thought as well. Somehow you unlocked the door leading to the highest balcony and walked outside. A gardener saw you wedging yourself between the rails. Your father and I tried to talk you into coming inside, but you kept saying the nanny wanted you to jump because you could fly like an angel.” Her voice faltered with sobs and my father took over again.
“Your brother finally convinced you to come inside. He was the one person you always trusted.”
“I did trust him and I miss him terribly.” Beside me, Brody breathed heavily and I knew he was fighting with his emotions. “I had a weird episode as child, that doesn’t mean I’m crazy.”
“It’s dangerous to ignore the signs. You ran away, shut yourself off from your family, and even missed your beloved brother’s funeral. Then there’s the weird paintings and the sudden marriage.”
“Please, just let me live my life.”
Father turned his attention to Gavyn. “The marriage can be annulled easily. I know none of this is your fault. Your background was checked and you seem like a good guy. Do you really want another woman who’s likely to have suicidal thoughts after what happened with your son’s mother?”
Gavyn rubbed his hand over his mouth and chin as he processed the new information. It wasn’t exactly the support I’d been promised or expected. He shook his head, “I’ll never leave my wife. I love her.” His eyes held a strange sadness when he squeezed my hand and smiled softly at me. “But… there’s nothing wrong with seeing a doctor to make sure you’re okay. We have a responsibility to keep Mac safe, right?”
Tears filled my eyes. I blinked to hold them back, but this only caused them to be pushed out over my cheeks. “I would never hurt him.”
“If you stay at this place they’re talking about and see a doctor monthly, all this court stuff goes away. It’s not that bad of a deal.” He stroked my hand with his thumb to reassure me.
“We can’t afford that.”
My father scoffed, “I will take care of it. I know you hate me right now, but you are my daughter and the only child I have left. We need to fix this… rift. Brody is right and this is the best way.”
“I want it in writing. You’ll never try this guardian or conservator shit again. You will let me live my life with my new husband and son.”
“Agreed. I would also ask that you pose for a few smiling photos with your mother and me. You know… the election and all.”
He’d almost had me convinced that this was all for my health. His words killed that idea. Everything was always about saving face and publicity. He was afraid I’d do something stupid and embarrass him if I didn’t get treatment. “Sure,” I said and tried not to glare.
Brody reached across the table and shook my father’s hand. He took my mother’s when she offered it, held it softly, and patted the top sympathetically before turning his attention to me. “The Winford Pleasant House is an hour north of here. I’ll take you myself.”
“That’s not happening,” Gavyn rose to his feet.
“Gavyn, it’s a long drive away from our home. You’re going to need to get back to Malcolm and work.”
“You can’t be serious,” He lowered his voice. “You were engaged to this… American Eagle poster boy.”
“I’m married to you. I’ll never have the nerve to walk into that hospital if you’re standing there. My heart will break,” I whispered. Though we were quiet, I’m sure everyone could hear us.
“Alright.” He looked upward and sighed in defeat. “I can believe I’m agreeing to this.”
The paperwork was drawn up and placed in front of me a short time later. I read through the documents three times before signing.
“Is there somewhere I can talk to my wife in private before she leaves?” Gavyn asked the judge.
The judge turned to his bailiff standing at the door. Other guards had remained in the courtroom. “Give them a few minutes in one of the empty offices.”
Gavyn helped me up and we followed the man to a room across the hall. It was much smaller with only a desk, two chairs, and a computer. He closed the door behind him.
Immediately, I threw my arms around Gavyn and pressed my face against his chest. His warmth and scent usually comforted me, but at the moment, all I could think of was a month without him.
“Shh, it’s okay. I don’t want to be apart either.” He kissed the top of my head several times while rubbing my back. “Maybe you’ll make some new friends.”
I laughed softly between sniffles, knowing he was trying to cheer me up. “I doubt that. Are you sure you want to deal with this? My dad is right. You would be granted an annulment.”
He placed his hands on my shoulders and pushed me away from his chest. “Look at me, Farrah Valmore.” I did and I saw tears were in his eyes as well. “True love doesn’t come around often in this lifetime. I’m not letting you go. I won’t lie. I’m not happy about this, but we’ll get through it.”
“Okay.” I nodded faintly before he pulled me into his strong embrace once more. I hope so.
Chapter 39
Gavyn left the room first. I decided it would be best for him to leave the courtroom and head home so I could control the waterworks. I had bawled for five minutes as he held me. His shirt was soaked with my tears by the time he let me go.
I’m not sure how long I stayed there after he walked out the door and shut it behind him. I stared at the speckled Berber carpet as I tried to compose myself. All I kept thinking was that I would never see him again. I feared that our brief and beautiful love had ended forever.
The door knob twisted and the door opened slowly. Brody smiled, the left corner of his mouth curling up in a sympathetic way while the rest of his lips stayed in place. He extended his hand to me. Instead of accepting, I used my hands to push off the desk I’d been leaning against and crossed my arms.
“We should get out there. There’s only going to be a few photos. The usual happy family shit.” He’d dropped his courtroom act and sounded like the jaded boy I used to know.
“Why did you do this? I mean… it still sucks, but you saved my ass.”
“That lawyer didn’t show up because he was paid not to. I’m sure you figured that much out. I’d been snooping around since they laid this on you at the restaurant. I found out about your mom’s illness and then I brought the media so your dad would be pressured to settle this without embarrassment.”
“You’re an amazing lawyer. Thank you.” I started to hug him, but opted for a handshake instead.
“I did it because I’m your friend.” He sighed. “Now we need to go out there and pretend we’re thrilled to greet the public.”
“Remember what we used to do as kids?” I asked.
“Hide from the guests and make-out?”
I smiled a little. “We’d pretend like we were actors in a movie.”
“That’s every day of my life.” The softness of his tone held sadness, but he shook it off. “At least I’m photogenic.”
“Sure. I remember all the scowls on your family Christmas cards,” I said as he led me toward the courtroom.
“They’re still like that.” He winked.
Chapter 40
The press had a field day with questions. What is this trial about? Is your daughter addicted to drugs, Governor Caine? Farrah, did you really marry a man you’d only known a couple of months? Weren’t you engaged to your lawyer?
I kept my mouth shut the entire time. It was stretched into a plastered on smile as the flashes went off around me from all the cameras. The crowd outside resisted parting, but Brody held out his arm, leading me through the people. The media was more interested in my father, so we were mostly left alone once we’d crossed the parking lot.
Brody clicked the button on his keys and the lights blinked on a sleek black Mercedes. He opened the passenger door for me. I looked toward where Gavyn and I had parked. He was leaning against the hood of his car, staring in my direction. I wanted to run to him, but I couldn’t. Instead, I placed my fingers to my lips and blew a kiss in his direction. He lifted his hand and pretended to catch it. Then he placed his hand over his heart and patted the spot.
“Get in,” Brody said impatiently.
For a moment longer, I looked at Gavyn and then slid into the leather seat. Brody stood beside my door. His head was turned in the direction Gavyn was in. I knocked on my window and he walked around the car, climbing in. He started the car and swung the vehicle out of the parking spot way faster than I was comfortable with. The Mercedes was shifted into drive and he squealed the tires, peeling out of the parking lot.
“What the heck, Brody? You’re going to get me killed.” I realized my words and closed my eyes.
“Sorry,” he said.
“What’s wrong?”
He gripped the steering wheel over and over again without looking at me. “Holding in all that anger while we were in there was difficult. I can’t believe you married that guy.”
“I didn’t plan it, but I fell in love.”
“I’m not mad at you. I just… really don’t want to hear that.” He shot me a sideways glance.
“Okay….” I stared out the window without saying anything else.
“You loved me that much once. Love letters and blowing kisses. All of it.”
“Brody, take me back and I’ll ride with someone else if you can’t handle this.”
He kept his eyes straight ahead. “I’m fine.”
“It could be worse. I’m going to some place called Pleasant House. Sounds like a horror movie. I’m going to be tortured in the basement by a mad scientist.”
A small laugh escaped Brody’s lips. “You always said things to pull me out of a pissy mood. I’m sorry.” He glanced at me then looked at the long stretch of road in front of us as we headed out of town. “I checked the place out myself. It’s safe and it’s nice. Minimal torture.”
“You did?”
“I wouldn’t send you some place I didn’t know was quality, Fairy.”
Hearing him call me Fairy made my heart ache a little and I frowned. It had been the nickname he’d given me when we were children because he thought Farrah “sucked.”
“They probably didn’t show you the secret dungeon.”
“I promise it’s not scary. Your mom stayed there.”
“And look how she turned out.”
“She’s not that bad, Farrah. Scared. That’s all.”
I shrugged and squirmed to get more comfortable. A loud noise came from me rubbing against the seat. My eyes went wide.
“Did you fart?”
“It was the leather seat.”
Brody reached over and patted my leg. “I know. I’ve heard you fart before.” He reached into his pocket and plugged his phone into the stereo. “You’ll like this.”
“I’m not really in the mood.” I knew what he was planning.
“You can listen.” He scrolled through his playlists, chose one, and hit play.
The Bon Jovi song began blaring through the speakers. In his first car, we’d driven around singing the classic greatest hits at the top of our lungs. The kids at school had never understood since the music’s heyday had been before our time, but we didn’t care.
Brody began singing out loud, smiling over at me. He still knew the words by heart. I joined in on the chorus, unable to resist. We did this for a while. Laughter and singing filled the car. When the first slow, intense love song came on, “Always” by Bon Jovi, I stopped singing and reached for the volume to turn it down. He caught my hand and didn’t let go as he sa
ng the song to me. Time melted away.
Six years earlier—
“I love singing to you.” Brody nuzzled against my neck. We were cuddled up under the stars in the back of his red Mustang.
“Makes my heart all weird.”
He slid his hand into my blouse between the buttons and rested his palm underneath my breast. “Right here?”
“My heart’s actually on the other side, but close enough.” I crushed my lips against his. He returned the kiss with such intensity I was forced down onto my back.
“I’ll marry you someday, Fairy.”
“I know.” I whispered, running my hands through his soft hair. “We’ll get married, build a big house, and have triplets.”
“Triplets!?” He laughed as he buried his face into my neck once again.
I giggled. “Maybe. I can’t predict the future.”
“Me either, but none of it matters as long as we’re together.”
“Good. Now kiss me again before I go crazy.”
“I’m going to do more than that.” He undid a few buttons as he grinned down at me.
The song ended and he turned down the volume. I couldn’t speak at first. My heart felt like it was in my throat. I rolled down my window for some fresh air.
“I wasn’t thinking. I shouldn’t have done that.”
I forced myself to look over at him and I saw his pain. It had aged him a few years. Losing me and dealing with the accident had taken its toll. Anger and sadness bubbled beneath the surface. It scared me. Regret for leaving him after the accident hit me hard.
“I’m sorry I left you like I did when you needed me.” I asked a question before he could say anything. “How much longer until we get there?” It was pretty bad to want to get admitted to a mental hospital, no matter how pleasant the name was, instead of deal with issues with my ex. Maybe I was crazy.
“Not long,” he said without taking his eyes off the road.
Chapter 41
The road leading to the Winford Pleasant House was barely more than dirt. We had passed through a nice subdivision, made a few turns, and then headed down the untrodden path. Trees stood high on each side of the road. Their limbs were like ominous arms looming above, waiting to grab me.
