by Dori Lavelle
“So, you came up with this stupid plan to make me believe you were dead?” Melisa swallowed the sob that rose up in her throat. She refused to cry in front of him. “You didn’t trust me enough to think that, even if you might have set that fire, I might understand after what your father had put you through? Our life together didn’t mean enough to you? I didn’t mean enough?”
Scott closed his eyes and opened them again. They glistened. “You meant everything to me. You were and always will be the only woman for me.”
“So why? Why did you leave me?”
“I was scared.” He mumbled. “Prison terrified me. Also, the thought of you putting your life on hold as you waited for me to be released—God knew in how many years—was unthinkable. I wanted you and the baby to lead a normal life. If you thought I was dead and never coming back, you’d eventually move on. You’d live your life. I was thinking of you.”
Melisa clenched and unclenched her fists at her side. “Bullshit, Scott. You were only thinking of yourself. You didn’t give a damn how I felt. Your perfect little plan, well, it hurt me more than watching you go to jail would have. You took everything from me. You destroyed me.” She rose out of the armchair.
Scott shot out of his chair, knocking it to the floor. He laid a hand on her arm. “Please don’t leave. Stay a few more minutes, please.”
Melisa sat down again, but only because her head was spinning. Now that she’d heard everything, the second she got her strength back, she’d leave and never return.
“Thank you.” Scott picked up the chair and took a seat as well. He was quiet for a long time before speaking again. “I know I have no right to ask you this. I wanted to ask you about her as soon as I saw you in the park, but I couldn’t get the words out. Do you think… Can I see her?”
He was right. He had no right to ask her for anything at all. Melisa lifted her eyes to meet his. “Who?”
“The baby. Our daughter…or son. Please. I just want to see our child for even a minute. They don’t even have to know who I am. I’ll—”
“You’re not a father, Scott.” Melisa could swear she heard the pieces of her heart falling away. “I didn’t have the baby.”
She looked down when she saw Scott’s face darken. “What did you do to our baby?” he asked venomously.
Melisa shot him a sharp look. “What did I do? This is not about what I did. It’s what you did.”
“What I did was wrong,” he admitted. “I should have told you, contacted you. But for you to get rid of our baby… my baby…” He broke off. “Why would you do that?”
“I didn’t get rid of my baby, Scott.” She turned to face him again and arrested his gaze with hers. “You did. After I was told you died, I was so devastated that I lost the baby. My baby never got a chance to live because of the grief you caused. I hope you’re happy.”
Scott covered his face with his hands and his shoulders started to shake. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things. I should… Oh, God. I had no idea. I’ll never forgive myself for this.” He looked up at her then, his eyes sparkling furiously, his face red.
“I don’t think I can ever forgive you, Scott. I was a wreck when I thought you died. I did things I never thought I’d ever do. I drank and gambled until I had nothing left. I tried everything to forget you, and the memories you left behind. You screwed up my life in every way possible.” Melisa blinked away tears. “Who did I bury, Scott?”
Scott’s gaze dropped to his hands. “I don’t know. I paid someone… I paid someone to help me disappear. I didn’t want to know the specifics. After finding out I was a firefighter, he came up with the idea that I should fake my death. He never said when it would happen or how, just told me to be prepared. I followed his instructions. The night I… That night, I wasn’t even in the burning building. I was picked up by a car. He arranged for everything.”
“Including a fake death certificate.” Melisa was horrified and disgusted.
Scott didn’t respond.
“Where have you been all these years?” Melisa was trembling now. She gripped the armrests and dug her fingernails into the upholstery of the armchair.
“In a small, forgotten town in Mexico. For a fee, the people there harbor fugitives. The people who run it are fugitives themselves. It’s a well-run town. They provided me with all the papers I needed, a place to stay, and a job. Everyone called me by the name ‘Mike Owen’.”
“You mean it’s run by criminals.” Melisa scoffed. “I can’t believe this. I can’t believe I loved and married a criminal. How could I have been so blind?” She was finding it hard to get over the idea that he might have killed his own father, and so brutally. Staying here a single moment longer, watching him transform into a stranger, was unbearable. She stood up again and this time managed to walk to the door, swaying. She placed a hand on the knob and turned to him again. “Scott… Mike, or whoever you are, why did you return? Why didn’t you remain in hiding, in your criminal town in Mexico? What do you want from me?”
“Just a bit of your time… I promise I don’t want you to change your life because of me. I know that would be unfair of me to ask.” His voice caught and he paused. “I just want to see you for two months, and then I’ll leave. I missed you every single day.”
“Are you out of your mind? Are you even hearing yourself?”
“Please,” he said, his voice cracking. “I want a chance to say goodbye. After that, I’ll disappear from your life forever. I promise.”
“Scott, I can’t do that. You can’t just appear from nowhere and make demands. I have a life. And I’m married—to Heat, by the way…”
“Heat?” He shot out of his seat and almost lost his balance. “You married Heat?” He blanched. “My, my friend, Heat?”
“That’s right. He’s my husband now. And you have no right to judge me.”
Scott covered his face with his hands and Melisa listened to his labored breathing. When he revealed his face again, his eyes were like frozen marbles, and Melisa could see all the emotions swimming on his features. He’d struggle with this news after she left. “You’re right. After what I did, I have no right to question your decisions. But please give me a single month. I don’t mean for us to live together. You can visit me here. One month, then that’s it.”
“Then what, Scott? What will happen after that?”
“Then I’ll be dead for real. I have pancreatic cancer. The doctors gave me less than six months to live. It’s inevitable. The cancer was discovered too late. My condition could worsen any day. I want to spend my last moments of health with you.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth? You’ve proven to be pretty good at lying.”
“Not about this. Believe me, I wish my illness was not real.” He paused and inhaled. “I have a copy of my CT scan. I can show it to you. If that’s not enough, I can get tested in front of you…anything to convince you I’m telling the truth.”
Melisa laughed wearily. “By some shady doctor you probably paid to lie for you?”
Scott shook his head. “Melisa, I don’t want my cover to be blown, but if that’s what it takes for you to believe me, I’ll even let you pick a doctor.”
Melisa released her grip on the door handle and sank to the floor. She drew her knees up to her chest, hugged them, and laid her head on them, as if protecting herself from another wave of shock. She didn’t need tests and results to know he was telling the truth this time. Deep down in her gut she knew he was.
Chapter Thirteen
“What did he say? Where has he been all this time?”
Melisa inhaled sharply, unable to believe she had to answer this question. “In some town in Mexico. He was in hiding.”
“What?” The shock in Carlene’s voice vibrated through the phone. “What in the world… What was he hiding from?”
“It’s a long story. Do you have a few minutes?”
“I just put Daria to bed, so I have all the time in the world.”
&nbs
p; Melisa took in a deep breath and everything Scott had confessed to her spilled out.
“Oh, my God,” Carlene breathed. “He killed his father?”
Melisa gripped the phone so tight her knuckles whitened. “Maybe.” She told Carlene the rest of the story. “I don’t know whether he’s lying about the sleepwalking. I don’t know what to think or feel anymore. I can’t believe he fooled me into thinking he was dead.”
“Tell me something,” Carlene said. “After he died, wasn’t an autopsy performed?”
“They don’t perform autopsies for every death, especially when the cause of death is clear.”
“Didn’t you see the body?”
“A nurse explained to me that his face was charred beyond recognition. They asked me if I wanted to see him. I agreed, but when I saw the covered body, I changed my mind. I wasn’t brave enough. I wanted to remember his perfect face, not be haunted by the burned one. You know what I mean?”
“I do.”
“They gave me his wedding band. It was engraved with both our names. That had been confirmation enough for me to know it was him. Maybe I was stupid. I should have looked.”
“You were not stupid. You were in shock. And you had no reason to believe it wasn’t him.”
“His colleagues said they saw him enter the building, but Scott said he wasn’t even on site.”
“I wonder whose body it was,” Carlene said quietly.
“It makes me sick to even think about it. Scott said he just wanted to disappear. He never wanted to know the details.”
“Wow. I don’t even know what to say. I’m so upset that you had to suffer through all of this. Does Heat know?”
Melisa brushed the hair from her face and looked up at the ceiling. “Not yet. I seriously don’t know what to tell him. I don’t even know if I should.”
“Do you think it’s best to keep this a secret from him? What if you don’t tell him and he finds out somehow? What if Scott intends to stay in Serendipity for longer?”
“He might not find out.” Melisa’s heart crushed under the weight of fear. “Scott is dying. The doctor gave him—”
“Dying? Dying from what?”
“Pancreatic cancer. He was given only six months to live… at the most. He said he came back to say goodbye to me.”
“That’s tragic.” She paused for a few heartbeats. “He lied to you about a lot of things. What if he’s lying about the cancer?”
Melisa wet her lips. “I wish I thought he was lying but something tells me he isn’t. And there was something different about him. He looked the same as he did years ago, but something just didn’t seem right about him.” She shook her head. “He has also lost so much weight. I really think he’s telling the truth.”
“I do hope you’re right. I hope he’s not just manipulating you into feeling sorry for him.”
“He offered to show me a copy of his CT scan.”
“Will you take a look at them?”
Melisa sighed. “I don’t know. If he’s lying, what would stop him from showing me a fake scan?” She decided to rely on her gut feeling. It had failed her in the past when it came to trusting Scott, but what if it was right this time?
“True,” Carlene said. “This must all be too much for you. Should I come over tomorrow after work?”
“No, I’ll be fine. You go and be with Daria.”
“We were going to leave for Austria this weekend. Nick is building a hotel there and Stalford has a store in Vienna where I’ll be involved in some marketing campaigns for a new jewelry line. But, Melisa, if you need me, I’ll stay. You know that, right? I don’t know how long we’ll be gone for.”
“I know. You should go and have fun. I’ll be fine. Really.”
“Okay,” Carlene said. “But like I said, you should stay at the hotel for as long as you need. And don’t pay for a thing. I’ll be calling you as often as I can.”
Melisa hugged her knees. “Thank you.”
The phone went silent and Melisa thought Carlene had hung up, but then she spoke. “Do you still love him? Scott, I mean?”
Melisa shook her head. “I don’t know.” Her answer terrified her. When he first showed up, all she’d felt for Scott was hate, but now that she knew he was dying, and she might lose him again, her emotions were scattered all over the place. But she knew one thing, she couldn’t return to Heat while everything was such a mess.
***
After his shift ended at 7:00 a.m., Heat drove to Mel’s Delights, hoping to catch Josie alone before the usual stream of customers stormed into the bakery.
The doorbell signaled his entry. Apart from Josie, no one else was there.
Josie looked up, surprised, from arranging cupcakes in the display. “Heat.” She smiled. “What a surprise. You craving doughnuts too? A lot of people have been coming in lately asking for the vanilla-filled ones. You should try them.”
“I’m sure they’re great. Next time I want a doughnut, I’ll keep them in mind?” Heat leaned against the display, his hands in his pockets. He was exhausted and in no mood for small talk, but he had to be polite. Josie had always been a good friend to Melisa. And she was quite attractive. Maybe if he weren’t so in love with Melisa, he’d have been more drawn to her. Several guys from the station regularly dropped by Mel’s Delights to gawk at her. But that was as far as they could go. A man had once proposed to her but chickened out at the last minute. Mel said Josie had sworn off men ever since.
Josie finished arranging the cupcakes and emerged from behind the display to where Heat stood. “Yes, they’re delicious. They’re Mel’s newest recipe. She showed me how to bake them before…” Her voice trailed off. “How is she… and you?”
Heat glanced at the door and back at Josie. “Do you have a moment? Can we sit?”
“Sure.” Josie led him to a table by the window. “Can I get you something? Coffee, maybe?”
Heat folded his hands on the table. “I’m fine, thanks. I’m here to ask you something. Have you talked to Melisa lately?”
“Yes, but only about business.”
“She didn’t happen to mention anything about when she might return home?”
“No, I’m sorry, Heat. But I know she will. You know how she is. She likes to be alone when she’s hurting. But she’ll be back.”
“You sure about that? We do talk, but I can’t seem to get to her.” Heat felt it was wrong to talk to someone else about their problems, but he needed to talk to someone or he’d go crazy. He would have gone to Carlene, but she was out of the country.
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Give her time. Melisa loves you.”
“Thanks, Josie.” Heat stood up when he saw Old Joe, owner of the Curry Stop across the street, enter the bakery. “Sorry for taking up your time.”
“Don’t worry about it, Heat. Take care of yourself. Everything will work out fine in the end.”
Heat nodded, but he was starting to have serious doubts.
Chapter Fourteen
Melisa paced around her room for an hour, then picked up her cell. It was Friday, the day after she had planned to check out and go back home. Whatever progress she had made after losing the baby, whatever peace she had found, had been erased by Scott. She still couldn’t grasp the possibility of her first husband committing a crime, any crime. The thought of him burning his father to death on purpose tortured her. She even started having nightmares in which she was locked inside a room with a scorched corpse.
He had kept so much from her, for years—how many more lies had he told to cover up bigger ones? On the other hand, would she have fallen in love with him if he had been honest with her when they met in college? Would she have married him anyway? She found it hard to answer those questions and many others. But now that he was dying and needed her most, she couldn’t turn her back on him.
She had grieved for him once, broken down completely at the thought of never seeing him again. Now he was back and asking for her time and compassion.
She wanted to be furious with him, and with life, but her well of fury had somehow emptied, spent on all the anger she had felt in the past weeks: anger at Heat for making the wrong choice, anger toward Scott for the lies, anger toward all the people who had it easier, who were able to sleep through the night, while she was starting to forget what that felt like.
She would be there for Scott now, because if she didn’t, she would regret it. She wouldn’t turn her back on her worst enemy if they were dying.
She bit her lip hard as she dialed the number of the Drawbridge Inn.
***
Melisa hung onto the door as Scott entered her hotel room, feeling as if she was cheating on her husband with her ex-husband.
“Thanks for asking me to come over,” he said, turning to face her. “I’m truly sorry for everything.”
Melisa gave him a curt nod. “Can I get you something to drink?” Of course, she didn’t have any alcohol in the minibar, but she had soft drinks and had ordered a fresh pot of coffee to her room. “Or dinner? I can order room service, if you haven’t already eaten.” She still found it hard to believe just how much weight he’d lost. He did say there was nothing doctors could do for him, but she was sure eating a good meal would give him some strength.
“I’d like that.” Scott smiled but Melisa didn’t smile back.
She picked up the leather-bound menu from the glass tabletop, flipped through it, closed it again, and picked up the phone. She didn’t ask what he wanted to eat. She hoped at least his taste in food hadn’t changed.
She ordered pepper steak with mushroom rice pilaf for Scott, and a simple potato salad for herself.
They sat at the small round table for two that the room service attendant had brought in with the food and laid, complete with a candle in the middle.
“This is delicious,” Scott said, cutting into his steak. He ate a piece and chewed for a long time, his eyes not leaving hers. “If I may ask, why are you staying in a hotel? I thought you said you and Heat—”
“Yes, we are married. I don’t feel like discussing my reasons for staying here.” Melisa put down her fork and wiped her lips with a napkin. It really was none of his business. “Maybe you can answer one of my questions.”
