Beside the Brook

by Paulette Rae

  “Oh, I know what would have happened,” Kirsten said with authority. “Jamie would have killed you.”

  “Hey I was half tanked. He had an advantage.” Tyler tried to make light of the situation but he knew how serious it had been. He clunked his empty water glass onto the table.

  Kirsten scowled. “And a better motive. I have half a mind to thump you myself. In fact I still might,” she paused, “when your face heals from this lot.” She took Tyler’s hand and placed it over the icepack, replacing her own. “Hold this for a moment. I have to get the first aid kit.”

  “No, I don’t need that.” Tyler grabbed her arm with his free hand.

  “Yes you do.” She yanked her arm free and stood up. She felt Tyler’s eyes on her and she tugged her robe tighter around herself. It had been poor judgment on her part to wander round the house at night wearing only her robe and a thin pair of panties. She left Tyler and ventured out into the hallway, wound her way past the staircase to the downstairs bathroom. She didn’t see Jamie sitting on the stairs until he spoke.

  “Is he okay?” His voice was deep and low, with no emotion. He stood up as Kirsten stopped.

  “Jamie,” she said with a fright.

  “Is Tyler okay?”

  “Yes. Or at least he will be.” Kirsten moved toward Jamie. She could just see his face under the dim moonlight filtering through the narrow pane of glass at the base of the stairs.

  “I just wanted to make sure.” Jamie moved back as Kirsten came closer. “I’m going to bed now.”

  Kirsten frowned. “Jamie, don’t you want to talk about this?”

  “Talk about what?” He sounded tired and annoyed.

  “About what happened tonight,” she started. “I know you’ve certainly had it out with Tyler.” There was a hint of conceit in her voice as she finished the sentence. She couldn’t understand why Jamie was acting so blasé about the whole thing. “Don’t you want to hear my side of the story?”

  “I don’t know, do I?” He dug both hands deep into his pockets.

  “You must know none of it was my fault. I had no idea where the dress came from. I thought you had put it there.”

  “Jesus Christ, Kirsty. If that was the case then why didn’t you come and ask me?”

  Jamie ran a hand through his golden hair in frustration.

  “Why would I?” Kirsten raised her voice a notch. She couldn’t understand why Jamie thought any of this was her fault. “And what do you mean if? You don’t believe me?”

  “I don’t know what to believe right now,” Jamie said through clenched teeth as if he were accusing her of something.

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  Jamie sighed. “Look I don’t want to talk about it with you now. I need to get my head around everything first.” He flashed a look of contempt at Kirsten. “Besides you’re rather preoccupied with Tyler right now.”

  “Jamie, that’s not fair.” Hurt trembled in her voice. “You just about killed the man. Somebody has to look after him.”

  “Oh and how convenient that it has to be you.”

  Kirsten flared, “God the two of you are so infuriating. Maybe I should have just let you kill each other.” She turned and walked away from Jamie, so frustrated that he was in this frame of mind and not willing to listen to her side of the story. When she came back from the bathroom Jamie had disappeared. Tyler however, was still in the kitchen, feeling sorry for himself. He looked up and smiled warily as she came into the room. He looked as though he were perched on the edge of the chair, ready in case he had to make a quick exit. Kirsten smiled. “What, did you think I was Jamie coming back to finish you off?”

  “Hey, with what just happened wouldn’t you be touchy too?”

  Kirsten sighed as she sat down at the table and took the packet of frozen food from Tyler, laid it on the table to assess his face.

  “You have my wrath to come, remember,” she teased. It was so hard to be mad at him right now.

  “I’m sorry for that,” Tyler murmured. “I honestly didn’t think it would upset so many people. It’s just a dress.”

  “Just a dress.” Kirsten stared in disbelief. “Just a-,” she paused. “Tyler you have got to be kidding me.” She took out a bottle of antiseptic, poured some onto a cotton ball and dabbed Tyler’s cheek with it. The strong clinical smell reminded Kirsten of a hospital. Tyler winced and pulled away, but didn’t say anything.

  Kirsten shrugged her shoulders. “Well, now that you’ve involved me, you better start giving me some answers. Why your sister’s dress?”

  Tyler blinked up at her from under his fringe. “How about a drink first. The face is killing me. I need something to take the edge off.”

  Kirsten smiled. “Don’t you think you’ve had enough for one night?”

  “Not likely.”

  “Answer the question and I’ll get you a drink.”

  Tyler grinned. “No wonder you’re a nanny.”

  Kirsten glared at him, waited for her answer.

  “Okay, okay,” Tyler submitted. “I don’t know why I did it really. It was there, I was thinking about how the place has changed since you’ve been here, like-,” he paused, took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It feels like it did when Brook was alive. I just wanted to see what you looked like in her dress.”

  “So you snuck it into my room. What made you think I’d just put it on?”

  “Well you did, didn’t you?” He grinned.

  “Tyler answer the question, you know something don’t you?”

  Tyler sighed. “Yes, I was counting on the fact you’d think Jamie put it there. I’ve seen the way you two look at each other when you think nobody is watching.”

  “You must have realised how Jamie would take it; or me for that matter when I found out.”

  “Truthfully I wasn’t thinking about you, or Beth, just Jamie.” There was a bitterness in his voice.

  “Tyler, why do you hate Jamie so much?” Kirsten pushed the boundaries. Maybe if he was being honest about this, which she had no reason to disbelieve, he would open up about other things too.

  “Hey, I thought it was one question for a drink.” Tyler shifted uneasily in his chair.

  “Okay.” Kirsten smiled and walked to the pantry, where she knew Craig had a bottle of brandy stashed for cooking purposes. She poured a double nip over some ice in a crystal tumbler, and then returned to the table.

  Tyler didn’t need any further prompting. He offered the answer to her question without hesitation. “Jamie didn’t love Brook. Not like she deserved to be loved.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “He was never there for her like I was. I picked up the pieces when we came to New Zealand, looked after her through her counseling, picked her up on the days she couldn’t face anybody. Jamie spent most of his time away. She needed him to be there for her and he wasn’t.”

  “Maybe he had his reasons.”

  Tyler glared at her. “Don’t defend him Kirsty. You don’t know.”

  “Hey, I just don’t like taking sides. I’m trying to be objective. Do you think maybe you’re being a little judgmental, a little biased?” Kirsten put her hand on Tyler’s arm. “I know you loved her, Tyler. She was your sister and she’d been through a lot. I understand that. But despite what you think Jamie did love her.”

  “It’s my fault she died,” Tyler said without emotion. It was as if it were the first time he had said the words, like it was a confession. He took a sip of the brown liquid she had provided, and then stared into the bottom of the glass. Kirsten knew they had been riding together when Brook had been killed.

  “No Tyler, it wasn’t.” She touched his face, bringing his gaze back to hers.

  “Ah-huh.” He nodded. “We got into a fight. I knew she wanted to leave and I was trying to convince her it was the wrong thing to do. She was standing there with tears in her eyes, looking at me like I was the villain. I just wanted her to stay, make her realise she was making a mistake. Jamie
was trying to take her away from me.”

  Kirsten didn’t know what to say. It was obvious he felt so much guilt over the loss of his sister and it was easier to transfer it into the hate he had for Jamie, than to deal with it himself.

  They sat in silence for a few moments before Tyler broke it once again. “I’m sorry, Kirsty. I never meant to hurt you. Despite what you must think, I do like you, and I like having you here. I don’t want to do anything else to upset that.”

  Kirsten sighed. “Well then you have to try and get past this thing you have with Jamie. Otherwise the whole family is going to end up in pieces.” She stood up and collected the things together from the first aid kit, admired her handiwork. Tyler’s face wouldn’t need stitches as long as the dressing she had applied held through the night, long enough for the skin to mend itself. “But right now you need to go to bed and rest. I think you’re going to live. Mind you, your face might not be as pretty tomorrow.”

  Tyler grinned. “What, you don’t think I need a nurse by my bedside through the night?”

  Kirsten clucked her tongue in disapproval. “God loves a tryer, I’ll give you that much.”

  Tyler stood up and placed his empty glass on the table. “Thanks, Kirst. I owe you.”

  “And don’t you forget it,” Kirsten said with haste.

  Tyler laughed.

  “Hey, I’m serious. You owe me big time.” She glowered at him under the halogens.

  “And when you least expect it I will call that favour in.”

  Chapter 13

  Kirsten’s priority the next morning was to find Jamie. She needed to find out what had gone wrong between them. It was more than just the dress. She suspected there was a lot more behind what happened between the two men than either of them would let on, and she intended to find out what it was.

  But Jamie and Sarah were nowhere to be found when she crept downstairs just after eight.

  Craig however was in the kitchen, much to Kirsten’s surprise. He never worked Sundays.

  She grinned. “You stayed over didn’t you?”

  Craig looked awkward for only a moment before he reflected her smile on his own flushed face. “Maybe.”

  “You did!” Kirsten squealed.

  Craig grinned. “Well, it’s good to see you back to your old self this morning.”

  Kirsten pouted as she moved to the fridge and poured a large glass of milk. “I wouldn’t say back to normal, I’ll feel much better when I’ve spoken to Jamie. Have you seen him this morning?”

  “Oh, yeah. He and Sarah were finishing their breakfast when I came in. Sarah said something about going to visit some friends.”

  “Damn they’ve gone out?” Kirsten’s frustration was obvious.

  “Yep, I heard the car go about ten minutes ago, sorry.”

  “Ah it’s not your fault. I just need to talk to him that’s all.” She glanced sideways at Craig. “Have you seen Tyler this morning?”

  “No. He was happy getting drunk last time I saw him so I would think he’ll be sleeping in this morning.”

  “He was getting more than drunk when I saw him last,” Kirsten said under her breath.

  “What?”

  Kirsten smiled. “I’m sure you’ll work that one out when you see him.”

  Craig dismissed her with a shake of the head and carried on with what he had been doing.

  “Well, I promised someone breakfast in bed, so I’ll leave you to it.”

  “Don’t let me hold you up then.” With a grin, Kirsten walked through to the lounge, pushed back the heavy curtains and opened the French doors. It was another picture perfect day in the bay, the water like green glass under a cloudless sky. Warmth washed over her as she stepped down onto the patio and lifted her face to the sun. She smiled as she thought about Craig taking breakfast up to Beth. It was so sweet that the two of them had found each other. Beth, despite her sometimes frank and matronly opinions, was a wonderful lady, who deserved to be happy. Kirsten couldn’t think of a better companion for her than Craig, with his nurturing ways and carefree sense of humour. A soft breeze caressed her skin as she sat on the step. With everything that had happened over the last twenty four hours Kirsten was pleased to be going home the following week for a much needed break. Maybe everything had happened a little fast with her and Jamie; some time away from each might be just what they needed. She wondered if Jamie regretted making that first move toward changing the relationship. It

  had taken them both by surprise and seemed to have progressed rather fast into something neither of them was sure of.

  Tyler made his first appearance for the day around midday. Beth and Craig had disappeared to take a walk before lunch and Kirsten was in the kitchen, trying to decide what her own appetite deserved.

  “Morning,” Tyler said casually.

  “No, you missed that.” Kirsten looked up and smiled. Despite what he’d been through the previous evening Tyler looked well rested. He sat at the table, while Kirsten put down her butter knife and walked over to see how his face was in the daylight.

  “I slept better than I thought I would,” he said as Kirsten removed the dressing over his cut cheek. The skin beneath was purple and swollen, the area under his left eye puffy, but despite the fact it had left a vicious red mark the skin had healed nicely back together.

  “Well you’re lucky.” Kirsten discarded the used dressing. “You don’t need stitches.”

  “Great. Do I still need my nurse?” He grinned playfully.

  “You’re unstoppable,” Kirsten noted with distaste. She pulled the first aid kit across the table and flipped open the lid. “Nothing keeps you down for long does it? I was feeling sorry for you, thinking you’d be a mess this morning, but here you are larger than life again.”

  “Hey, I told you once before and I’ll tell you again. There’s no use dwelling on the negative.”

  Kirsten could feel his breath on her face as she leaned in to smother his cheek with antiseptic cream. A warm glow emanated from him, as if his internal thermostat ran higher than most. She wondered if he had a fever, but when she felt his forehead it didn’t indicate that was the case.

  “Why can’t you apply that theory to you and Jamie?” Kirsten quizzed. Tyler grinned. “Trust you to twist my words around.”

  “Not twisting, just observing.” She should have been mad at Tyler still, but the way he was looking at her with those big brown doe eyes and boyish dimpled cheeks made her melt. And yet she wondered if this was all part of his plan. Was he manipulating her still, working her to his advantage in some sick game he was playing with Jamie?

  “So where is Captain Heroic today anyway?”

  “Off with Sarah somewhere.”

  Tyler raised one eyebrow comically. “Oh? I thought he’d be swanning around gloating about his handiwork.”

  Kirsten glared at Tyler as she put everything back in the first aid kit and snapped the lid shut. “He’s not like that, Tyler.”

  “Oh and you know this how?”

  “Look,” Kirsten said sternly, her hands planted firmly on her hips. “I’m not going to be the pawn in your little game so can we just stop it?”

  Tyler gave her a tight smug smile. “I think you already are, honey.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  Tyler stood up and crossed to the window, touched his face where Kirsten’s fingers had been. “Why don’t you ask Jamie that question? Don’t you wonder why he’s playing it so cool now? He’s already proven his point. He was able to get to you before I did. He’s won.”

  “Don’t be silly,” Kirsten snapped, but her smile faltered. “Jamie’s not like that.”

  Tyler turned and smiled, his arms crossed over his chest. “No?”

  Kirsten felt the first seed of self doubt grow within. What if she had been played by the wrong person? All this time Tyler was the one she had been weary of but was Jamie really the one playing games? Tyler, although misguided in his actions had always been honest with her. Or h
ad he? Suddenly she was so confused. What was happening here?

  How did she know who was telling her the real story?

  “Anyway, thanks for looking after me.” Tyler changed the subject as he smiled in appreciation. “But I have to hit the road soon if I’m going to make it back to Blenheim before the restaurant opens tonight.”

  “You’re leaving?”

  “Hey I can’t let a little bruise get in the way. Life goes on and I have work to do.” He looked down at his gold sports watch, twisted it back into place with his fingers. “I’ll be back on Tuesday night probably with some nets for the farm.”

  “Okay. You look after that pretty face won’t you?” She smirked. Tyler shot her a dimpled grin. “Yes nurse.”

  * * * *

  Jamie arrived home a few hours later. Kirsten was in her room, but she heard Sarah’s shrill voice, greeting Beth down on the patio. She climbed off the bed and wandered out onto the tiny terrace, peered down at them to see if Jamie was with her. When she realised he wasn’t Kirsten ran downstairs to the second floor. Jamie’s door was ajar and she could see him moving inside. She tapped on the door and pushed it open.

  “Can I come in?” she asked.

  “Sure,” Jamie replied in the emotionless baritone Kirsten was all too familiar with. She sat on the end of the bed, noticed the open bag he was packing.

  “You’re going?” she asked, surprised. “Were you planning on talking to me before you left?”

  Jamie sighed. “I guess so.”

  “You guess so. Jamie, what’s going on?”

  “Why don’t you tell me?” Jamie crossed to the wardrobe and began to pull clothes from hangers as if they were the enemy. When he came back to the bed Kirsten took him by the arm.

  “Stop, Jamie. Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.” Her eyes pleaded with him. Why was he acting like this?

  “How about you tell me what’s going on,” Jamie said between clenched teeth. “Why is it suddenly I hear all this stuff from Tyler about you? Things that make me start to doubt your motives?”