Still, Forever, Promise

by D. L. Merritt

  Ben stood up and headed toward the door.

  She took another step back.

  “Mr. Caro has the documents in his office if you want to call and verify my story,” he said, his eyes sad and weary as he picked up his suitcases and opened the door.

  He’s telling the truth.

  She knew it without having to make the call. She’d known all along. She needed reassurance, and he’d given it to her. That was why she couldn’t make love to Riley. She loved Ben. He would never hurt her. He couldn’t even kill a spider. If he found one in the house, he’d capture it and release it outside. He’d say it lost its way, which wasn’t unlike her. But she’d found her way back.

  “Ben.” When she whispered his name, he stopped and turned around. “Please . . . don’t go. You’re nothing like your sister, and I won’t let what she did come between us. I love you too. You’ve been honest with me, and now I have something I need to tell you.”

  “You do? What is it?”

  The weight of what she was about to tell him settled over her, and her shoulders drooped. Brianna led him to the sofa, where they sat facing each other. “You deserve to know the truth about Riley.” Her eyes sought his, and she saw him as a man with flaws and imperfections, but she’d never loved him more. For them to move forward there could be no more secrets between them.

  For over an hour, and with painstaking detail, she explained her past relationship with Riley. She told him about the night he spent at the manor, driving to Charleston together, and tonight’s meeting by the river.

  He winced more than once but listened until she’d finished.

  The atmosphere in the house had changed. She’d never felt so cold or empty as she waited for his response. His silence was unbearable.

  Ben sighed and focused on her, his brown eyes intense and thoughtful. “I thought there was something between you when I came into the kitchen that night. It was the way he looked at you. I know he still loves you, but do you still love him?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “I’m a big boy. I can handle the truth. All I’ve ever wanted was to make you happy. If I can’t do that and he can, I’ll step aside.”

  Brianna chose her words carefully. She was fighting for her future. “I won’t lie and tell you I wasn’t confused when I saw Riley again. I’d loved him once, as much as any sixteen-year-old girl is capable of loving. What we had was an idyllic, fairy tale romance.”

  “It’s hard to compete with that,” Ben muttered.

  Brianna covered his hand with hers. “It wasn’t real, and I’m no longer sixteen. Riley is my past, and that won’t ever change, but I want you to be my future, if you can forgive me.”

  “Are you sure?” Ben asked.

  With a wicked light in her eyes, she grabbed hold of his shirt collar and pulled him to within inches of her lips. “Stop talking and kiss me.”

  In a split second, he swept her into his arms and did as she asked. Lifting his head but still holding her close, he said, “I have to admit, for a minute there, I was worried.”

  She kissed him again, stood and took his hand in hers. “Can we discuss this tomorrow? I’m tired. It’s been a—”

  “I know, and we do have the rest of our lives.”

  Together they walked up the two flights of stairs. Brianna immediately went to the window, Sarah’s window, and stared into the night where the full moon cast a silvery glow across the landscape, and a slight fog drifted off the river.

  Ben draped a strong arm over her shoulders. “It’ll be okay, Bree,” he whispered, though his words sounded hallow rather than reassuring. “We’ll take it one day at a time.”

  She buried her face in the warmth of his neck, and felt content.

  ***

  For the first time in weeks, Brianna slept, wrapped in Ben’s arms. No longer was she plagued with dreams of green eyes and a dashing grin.

  Bang! Crack! Crash!

  “What the hell was that?” Ben said, sitting up in bed, and looking at the clock. “It’s 2:00 in the morning.”

  Brianna sat up too. “It sounded like glass breaking. It came from downstairs. We forgot to set the alarm. Do you think someone broke in?”

  Ben shot out of bed and yanked on his jeans. “Stay put. I’ll go down and check it out.”

  She wasn’t sure if she was more afraid of a burglar downstairs or of being left alone with the ghosts. She ran to the closet for a robe. “You’re not leaving me here alone. I’m coming with you.”

  “Then stay behind me.” He searched the room for something to use as a weapon. He picked up the lamp from the nightstand and lifted it over his head. “This’ll do.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh. He looked ridiculous with the cord dangling between his legs. Then she frowned. A lamp wouldn’t be much good against a gun. She grabbed his arm, and together they crept down the stairs.

  When they reached the first-floor landing, he switched on the light for the entry chandelier, and scanned the room. It was empty.

  “Ben, look at that.” Brianna pointed to the ceiling. The chandelier swayed back and forth on its own. They continued down into the reception area. All the chairs were turned upside down and scattered around the room. Ben’s clothes hung halfway out of the suitcases; a shirt and pair of socks lay ten feet away next to the door leading to the café. The photograph she’d taken of the Queen Anne and had blown up and framed no longer hung behind the desk. It was on the floor in shattered pieces. Brianna assessed the entire area before coming back to the broken picture. “Who could’ve done this?”

  Ben shrugged and bent down to pick up a stray piece of glass, flipping it over in his hand.

  “That picture is so heavy, I had the carpenter hang it with heavy screws, directly into the studs, to make sure it was secure,” Brianna said. “There’s no way it fell without help. Why would someone do that?”

  “I don’t know. A crazy burglar?”

  Brianna checked her purse, still lying on the counter where she’d left it the night before. “Nothing’s missing.”

  “Maybe we scared them away before they could take anything.”

  Not convinced, she checked the door and windows. All were locked.

  She returned to the reception area and found Ben was gone. Panicked, she called out, “Ben? Where are you?”

  “In the utility room,” he replied, his voice muffled.

  “What are you doing in there?”

  “Getting a broom and dustpan. Be careful where you walk. I’ll be there in a sec.”

  Her face sheet-white, she sat on the bottom stair and took another look at the destruction. This display was intentional, meant to frighten, meant as a warning. If she couldn’t find a way to eliminate the evil from this house, it wouldn’t be safe for anyone to stay here. The risk would be too high. She’d have to scrap this location and start over somewhere else.

  A sudden chill made her shudder, and she rubbed at the goose bumps on her arms. She knew she was being watched. She always knew. Her eyes flicked around the room, settling on the door leading into the café. Ms. Kennedy glared back at her, her eyes black and soulless.

  She did this. She’s trying to scare us away.

  Anger boiled to the surface. Brianna was tired of feeling out of control, tired of being manipulated, and tired of being afraid. “Go away and leave us alone!” she yelled as loud as she could. “Why are you doing this? We’ve never done anything to you.”

  Ben trudged in carrying the broom in one hand and the dustpan in the other. “Why are you shouting? I’m right here.”

  “I wasn’t yelling at you. I was yelling at her,” she said pointing to the empty doorway.

  Ben glanced at the entrance to the café. “There’s no one there, Bree. Are you sure you’re okay? You’ve had a rough day. It’s understandable you might see things.”

  “I saw her. I swear. Ms. Kennedy was right there.”

  “Well she’s gone now. You need to get some sleep. Let me sweep up the glass and make sure the alarm is set be
fore we go back to bed. Tomorrow I’ll call the police and have them come and dusts for fingerprints in case it was an attempted robbery.”

  She would wait to see what the police had to say, but Brianna knew they wouldn’t find any evidence of an intruder. Ms. Kennedy was responsible for this mess. She was certain of it.

  The spa’s success was an important part of her healing. She couldn’t move on with her life until she’d honored her parents. It was her way of paying them back for all the years of love and support they’d given her.

  If she couldn’t dispel the evil at Monroe Manor before the grand opening of Eve’s Eden, all her hard work would be lost.

  Chapter 40

  Ben fell asleep minutes after climbing into bed, but Brianna wasn’t so lucky. The fear that Ms. Kennedy wasn’t finished with them yet kept her awake.

  Ben slept curled on his side. She pressed against his body to absorb his warmth, and listened to the steady rhythm of his breathing.

  Splinters of light escaped through the blinds, but it didn’t help to diminish the sinister shadows.

  She had come to accept that Sarah would be around to protect her, but her iridescent essence refused to appear tonight. Had she moved on? Brianna was torn between wanting Sarah’s freedom and needing the comfort of her presence. Selfishness won out, especially when it concerned Ms. Kennedy. Her evil face haunted Brianna, asleep and awake.

  Brianna slipped from the bed and crossed to the window to look out at the first rays of daylight as it appeared over the horizon. The golden orb rose higher and higher. A strand of inconsequential clouds streamed past in a sky turning blue, and a slight breeze whistled by the window, making the wind chimes clang on the front porch. Her stomach churned with the unpleasant task that lay ahead of her. She had always wanted to get revenge on Riley, but now that day had arrived, it didn’t bring her any pleasure.

  Riley would be arriving at the river soon. She tiptoed across the room, got dressed in the closet, and returned to glance out the window. He was there, as promised, leaning against the sycamore tree facing the trail. He believed in promptness, even as teenager. He hadn’t change all that much.

  The minutes on the clock ticked by as Brianna continued to watch, full of sorrow, knowing the trail would remain empty. How long would it take before he figured out she wasn’t coming?

  He pushed away from the tree and began to pace. She almost gave in and went to meet him until she spied Ben sleeping so peacefully. She’d tried to prepare herself for this moment all night, knowing it would be difficult. But witnessing Riley’s pain firsthand was agonizing to watch.

  She’d made her decision. She wouldn’t falter.

  Riley waited for an hour before he gave up and headed to his car. His eyes never left the ground.

  Brianna watched as Riley climbed behind the wheel, and the Porsche bounced over the gravel road as it headed to the main highway. She lost sight of him for several seconds in the dense brush before the car reached the turnoff and came back into view. When the car stopped at the crest, Riley was visible through the windshield. He stared up at her bedroom window, and their eyes fastened on each other.

  She put her hand against the window pane in farewell.

  His face somber, he waved back, gunned the engine, and sped out of her life. Riley always kept his word. He’d never bother her again.

  Letting go of Riley had been a painful decision, but it was the right one.

  He’d been wrong all those years ago. They were not soul mates. A soul mate comes into your life and brings peace, not chaos. They may challenge you, but they support you with unconditional love. She’d come to realize love isn’t all about passion and adventure. Passion fades with time. Love must be based on commonality, friendship, and compassion. She had that with Ben. He understood her, accepted her, and wanted the same things out of life.

  She rubbed the tattoo on her wrist as if wanting to erase its existence. Every time she looked at it now, it reminded her of Charlene. No longer would it be a symbol of her youth, but a symbol of what she’d lost. The time had come to have it removed.

  Strong arms wrapped around her waist, and she leaned back to rest against Ben’s sturdy frame. He would always be her source of strength.

  “Are you okay?” he whispered, his lips buried in her hair. “You’ve been staring out this window for a long time.”

  He’d been watching her. She was touched by the worry in his voice. She wouldn’t spoil what they’d recaptured by bringing up Riley. “I’m fine. In fact, I’m ready for some breakfast.” She turned away from the window and gave Ben a peck on the cheek. “How about you?”

  “I’ll make my famous omelets,” he said. “How does the sound?”

  “Famous?” She laughed.

  “Well, maybe not yet. I thought we should eat before I call the police and file a report. No telling how long it’ll take them to get fingerprints. If it’s anything like yesterday . . . I’m sorry, Bree. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

  “We can’t avoid talking about what happened forever. You lost your sister, and I lost my best friend. I know how painful it is to lose someone you love.”

  “I lost Charlene a long time ago. I try not to think about what she did. That way I can pretend it didn’t happen, at least for a little while.”

  The phone rang. Brianna hustled to the nightstand and grabbed the receiver before the answering machine picked up. “Hello. You found something? I understand. Thanks for calling.”

  “What was that all about?”

  “That was Ms. Jane. She wants us to come by this afternoon. She has some new information she thought I’d be interested in seeing. Ms. Jane’s quirky, but you’ll love her bookstore. It’s full of old manuscripts and first editions. I’ll have to drag you out once you see what she has.”

  Ben’s omelets were a hit. She cleaned up the kitchen while Ben went upstairs to dress.

  The police arrived while he was in the shower. She greeted the officers and led them into the reception where they went to work documenting the scene and dusting for fingerprints.

  Ben came down as they were wrapping up their investigation. The officer in charge told them the results should be available within two or three days.

  She already knew what the results would show—a ton of prints. Every man on Mr. Moretti’s crew had worked on the house during the renovation, along with the utility and security alarm technicians. As far as the personal items in the reception area, those would only show hers and Ben’s. She didn’t think ghosts left fingerprints.

  It was past noon by the time the police left. Ben told her they were going to put last night behind them, because today was her birthday and they were going to celebrate. He’d planned to take her to the new bistro in town for lunch.

  ***

  The restaurant was packed when they arrived. At the front entrance was a miniature replica of the Eiffel Tower. Ben spoke with the hostess in a hushed voice. She nodded and immediately led them to a secluded table in the back.

  Their table faced a wall that held shelves full of wine from around the world. The sheetrock had been stripped away from the wall behind them to expose the original brick of the 1840s building. Brianna loved the cozy, cramped feeling of the interior, where every wall held unique and interesting pieces. Baskets, plates, and utensils hung haphazardly from antique French hooks.

  She enjoyed listening to the waitstaff, their lilting French accents sweeping her away, back to the time she ate lunch at L’Amie Jean on the Rue Malar in Paris.

  Ben ordered the coq au vin. She had the goat cheese crêpe with spinach and prosciutto.

  After finishing the incredible meal, the waiter cleared away the dishes. He came back in minutes, carrying a cake designed to look like the Queen Anne in minute detail. Ben said he’d ordered it before he left for Canada. She hesitated destroying the masterpiece, but she loved yellow cake with buttercream frosting and dug right in.

  After dessert, Ben escorted her to the car and punched an address
into the GPS.

  “Where are we going now?”

  He squeezed her hand. “I have one more surprise for you,” he said, his eyes twinkling.

  Ten minutes later, they pulled up in front of a plaque shop. The clerk behind the counter greeted them when they entered. Ben leaned across the counter and whispered in the man’s ear.

  With a toothy grin, the man hustled to the back room, and returned pulling a platform cart with two cast bronze plaques.

  “What’s this?” she asked

  With a sheepish grin, Ben explained. “I thought about giving you a diamond necklace for your birthday, but I got these instead.”

  One plaque was etched with The Home of The Daniel Rossi Foundation and the year of establishment. He told her he’d gotten permission from the YMCA to place it at the entrance to the building. The other plaque simply stated, Eve’s Eden in honor of Evelyn Rossi with the date of her birth and death.

  Brianna was so overcome with emotion, she could barely speak. After composing herself, she managed to thank both Ben and the owner while wiping tears of gratitude.

  Ben spoke with the clerk again, arranging delivery and installation for the following week.

  Brianna spent the drive to Ms. Jane’s gushing about the gift. She couldn’t think of anything that could outdo the plaques. Not even a diamond necklace could compete. Ben’s thoughtfulness had made it obvious she’d made the right decision in choosing him.

  After driving around the block several times, Ben found a parking space two blocks from Ms. Jane’s store. They walked down the street hand in hand, stopping on occasion to window shop.

  The day was hot and humid, and the blue sky of that morning had turned dark, full of ominous gray clouds. She hoped this wasn’t a portent of things to come.

  The bookstore took up the entire first floor of the three-story brick building in the restored downtown area. The second and third floors housed a publishing company. Ben met one of the editors in front of the bookstore. They talked shop while Brianna waited impatiently for the conversation to end. When Ben mentioned he was close to finishing his first novel, the man handed him his business card. He told Ben once he’d completed his manuscript to give him a call, and he’d be happy to look at it. The day continued to bring one surprise after another.