Nocturne

by Heather McKenzie

  The clock on the wall said 6:15 in the morning. Thomas glanced at it, stretched his arms over his head, and then irritably told her to piss off.

  But that didn’t stop Marlene from barging in. There was a scowl on her face and a thousand questions on the tip of her tongue—which quickly gave way to horror.

  “Good God, Kate, you’re naked! And Thomas is right there!”

  Thomas rolled onto his back and burst into laughter. Embarrassment instantly heated my cheeks—not because I was naked, but because I was standing on the nightgown he’d thrown to the floor and was vividly recalling the things he’d done after it was removed.

  Marlene, wide eyed, looked at Thomas and then slowly back to me, then realization settled on her face. “Oh,” she said, with a roll of her eyes. “At least you made one good decision, because yesterday was a hornet's nest of bad ones.”

  She stared at the ceiling while I scrambled for clothes. I picked my sweater off the floor and yanked it down over my head, grateful it was long enough to cover my butt. “What do you mean?” I asked, rubbing sleep out of my eyes.

  “First of all, taking my hat.” She glared at me now. “Don’t ever do that again. And running off in the morning by yourself? The weather here can change in the blink of an eye, so… yeah. Probably not such a good idea. And that whole accident thing—”

  “I’m so grateful for you, Marlene,” I interrupted. “Without you, me and that baby…” I didn’t have to finish that sentence. “You saved our lives.”

  She was angry. “You gave me no choice! Was I going to stand there and watch you get burned to a crisp? Friends have to help each other out. That’s an unbreakable law. And, Good Lord, running back for that kid. It was so stupid!” Her gaze softened, and she sighed heavily. “But so brave.”

  I stared hard at her flushed face. She had put makeup over the birthmark, but the dark color still showed through. It seemed odd she was trying to cover it.

  “I’m sorry I put you in that position, Marlene.”

  “Yah, well, what’s done is done. And anyway, I have a feeling you would do the same for me. And apparently for butt-head Thomas, too,” she said bitterly.

  Thomas had remained quiet, hand propping his head as he watched with a sleepy gaze. The sheet had fallen away from his bare chest, and Marlene had a tough time keeping her eyes off him.

  “So,” she said, remaining in the doorway, “After all that nonsense, I think that given the circumstances you can give me some answers. Like first, why was Thomas calling you ‘Kaya’?”

  Her arms were crossed over her chest. There was no way she was leaving until she got what she wanted. I took in a deep breath. “Because Kaya is my real name.”

  “Ah,” she said, still glaring. “And what is your last name?”

  “That I can’t tell you,” I said firmly.

  She sneered. “Then what can you tell me? Huh? My mind is racing, and I need an excuse not to hogtie you and haul your ass down to the cops.”

  I returned her stare and squared my shoulders. She was trying to appear intimidating, but it had no effect on me. I did owe her some sort of explanation, though. “I am hiding from my father, who is a complete psycho and wants me for the sole purpose of providing him an heir, so he can claim my inheritance. And… I am hiding from my birth mother whom I have never met, who wants nothing more than to put my head on a stick and flaunt it to daddy dearest. She’s already tried to kill me once and will do so again. I left those I love to keep them safe and wound up here—with you. But I am leaving today so I won’t involve you and your family anymore.”

  Marlene wavered, the anger on her face dissolving. “Huh.” She sucked on her lower lip. “The reason Thomas was so desperate to get you away from the accident before the cops showed up was so your mom and dad wouldn’t catch wind of your whereabouts? They are that bad?”

  I swallowed hard. “You have no idea.”

  Marlene nodded as if she understood, and the glare she’d fixed on me completely faded. “So, you’re not some criminal, thief, drug dealer, or murderer?”

  I stifled a laugh. “No. I promise.”

  She let out a relieved sigh and charged into the room, the smell of something sweet coming from her flannel shirt. “Okay, well thank heavens. So, what do we do now?”

  Thomas sat up, thankfully making sure the sheet covered his lower half as he moved to the edge of the bed. “Kaya and I have a plan,” he said, reaching for his jeans. He put his feet in the leg holes and tugged them halfway up, keeping the sheet over his midsection. “We are going to—” He stood to get the pants up to his waist, but plunked down on the bed instead. “Whoa,” he said, putting his hand to his forehead.

  “Are you okay?” Marlene asked, voice dripping in concern, eyes glued to his glowing skin.

  He’d become extremely pale. Where he had hit his forehead on the truck dash was now a good-sized lump that looked painful to touch. “Yah. Just have a headache from hell,” he said.

  “Upset stomach, too?” I knew all too well what a concussion felt like.

  “Yeah,” he said flatly. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter though, I’m fine. Anyway, Kaya and I are leaving today, Marlene. It’s not safe for her to be here anymore.”

  Marlene cracked her neck. “Then I’m coming with you.”

  “No way. Besides, you have a family here. A wonderful family that loves you. Why on earth would you want to leave?”

  She shoved her hands deep into her jean pockets. Her amber hair bounced around her shoulders as she started pacing the ratty rug. “I’m not going to live with Mom and Dad forever. Geezus, I’m not exactly sure what I want to do with my life, but digging holes and shoveling shit certainly ain’t it. I need an excuse to get out of here—just like you do—or I’ll be trapped forever. That’s what happens to people like us, Thomas. If we don’t go now, we’ll never get off the damned ranch.”

  Thomas remained oddly quiet.

  Marlene cleared her throat. “Helping out a friend is a good reason to blow this popsicle stand.”

  I readied myself for an argument. “That said, you’re still not coming with us. You’ll have to find another excuse. Sorry.”

  Her eyebrow lifted with a confused stare. She studied me as if trying to put pieces of a broken puzzle together. “You’re different. Something about you has changed. I can sense it like I can sense a storm coming on.”

  She was right. And that change made me realize that being mean was going to be the only way to keep Marlene from following me out the door. “Marlene, I don’t need you. Understand? I don’t want you to come with me.”

  Apparently, I was in the business of hurting those I cared about to keep them safe. And judging by the look on Marlene’s face, I was good at it. It killed me to see her crumple slightly and reel in the shock from the blow I’d delivered.

  “Yeah, all right. I get it,” she said and turned to head for the door.

  I reached for her hand, making her face me. There were tears in her eyes, a sadness that mirrored my own if I’d allowed it to surface. “I’ve never met anyone like you. Under any other circumstances I think we would be best of friends.”

  “Oh, piss off, Kate, Kaya, or whoever the hell you are. I don’t need friends.”

  I squeezed her hand, maybe a bit too firmly; there were so many things I wanted to tell her, like how she never ceased to amaze me, her strength was an inspiration, she was beautiful… wise, and someone I wished I could have gotten closer to.

  But words failed me.

  Marlene saw it, though. My bad acting hadn’t fooled her. Squeezing my hand back just as hard and leaning in to my ear, she whispered, “I understand.”

  I leaned in and choked slightly on my whisper, “Look after Thomas for me.”

  She let go and gave me a nod. “I’ll go tell Daddy you’re running away from an abusive ex-husband, some prick of a cop who keeps hunting you down or something. That’s what he and Ben figure is going on anyway. Oh, and by the way, he’s here.” There wa
s no mistaking the disgust in Marlene’s voice at the mention of Ben’s name.

  “Why the hell is Ben here?” Thomas asked, suddenly on high alert.

  “He’s taking Zander home now he’s sober and says he has extremely important info for Kaya. But Daddy won’t let him down here unless she says it’s okay.” She shivered. Something dark—maybe a memory best left forgotten—seemed to rattle her. “Personally, I wouldn’t let him anywhere near me.”

  Whenever Marlene had talked about Ben before I thought it was just hatred. But now, as I watched her shift her weight between her feet and wring her hands, I knew it was something else. Something her and I shared—fear.

  I spoke quietly. Carefully. Hoping the question I was about to ask would be met with a shrug or an incredulous laugh. “Marlene…” I breathed, my chest tightening. “Did Ben… did he ever… try anything with you too?”

  She froze and stared at me so hard it was like she was trying to will her thoughts into my head. Her teeth gritted, and her nostrils flared. “Let’s just say I’m way stronger than you, and today I made my Daddy’s best friend a really great cat food sandwich for the drive home.”

  I felt my jaw hit the floor. Thomas gasped.

  “And after what he did to you, I figured I’d go ahead and disconnect the brakes in his truck as well.” She kept her chin up, our eyes remaining locked. “Anyway, I’ll send the asshole down in about five minutes. I guess you better hear what he has to say in case it’s important. Afterward, feel free to let Thomas beat the crap outta him.”

  And with that, she was gone, leaving my mind reeling in her wake.

  “I’m gonna kill him,” Thomas hissed, and he stood, letting the sheet drop as he pulled on his jeans. “I’ll show him how it feels to—” His words were left hanging, and he promptly sat back down on the bed again.

  “Your head is really hurting, isn’t it?”

  “Man, I didn’t feel this bad yesterday, or last night. It’s like I got hit with a hammer in my sleep. I’m so dizzy the world disappears when I stand.”

  “I think you have a concussion.” I moved before him, cradling his forehead against my stomach. I ran my hands through his dark hair, wishing I could take his pain away. “I’ll find out what Ben has to say, and then you and I will leave here. Don’t worry about him, okay? What’s done is done. He’s not worth your time or energy. I don’t want you to talk to him or fight him. Do you understand?”

  “You’re giving me orders?”

  His face was hot against me, hands safely at his sides. “Yes. Got a problem with that?” I challenged.

  He shrugged. “Normally, I wouldn’t. But… Marlene, my God. His best friend’s daughter. How could he? The sick bastard. He’s not getting away with this, Kaya. I’m going to beat him senseless—”

  “Shh.” I felt Thomas’s heart rate speed up and knew it would put extra pressure in his head. I needed to keep him calm. “Marlene has gotten back at him in so many ways. Believe me, he’ll get what’s coming to him. But not by your hands, Thomas. Promise me, not by your hands.”

  If Ben had done to Marlene what he’d tried to do to me, maybe I’d kill him.

  “I don’t know if I can make that promise,” Thomas said.

  I pushed his head back to see his dark eyes; they were swimming in his head, barely able to focus. I had to be the protector now. I had to make sure Thomas wouldn’t get in a fight and end up having his brains scrambled completely. I was going to have to use ultimatums to keep him safe.

  “If you want to be with me, Thomas, and run away with me, I have to know you can promise me things like this. It’s not a huge request. If you can’t promise you will leave Ben alone, then we’re through. I’ll walk out that door and—”

  “Okay, okay!” he said quickly, wincing at either the pain in his head or the thought of me leaving him. “I won’t touch him. I promise.”

  I pulled him back to me. “I’ll look after everything. You just sit here and rest. Let me handle Ben,” I said, caressing his neck, kneading the muscles there and feeling him relax. “It’s time for you to trust me now, all right?”

  He sighed. “Uh-huh.”

  Ben’s boots shook the stairs, and I braced myself. His voice, followed by a knock on the door, made my skin crawl. It brought back the memory of his hands on me, but instead of cowering, I kept my posture as straight as possible and my expression neutral—no way would I allow him to know how he affected me.

  The remains of a black eye reaching his temple and the bruises dusting his jaw were bittersweet. He was sweating, his cowboy hat off and in his hands, fingers pinching the edges of it. His eyes were crystal clear and he appeared sober, so at least the man who came down the stairs was the Ben who had rescued me. He eyed Thomas perched on the bed and failed to conceal a cringe of jealousy. “Kate… I… came to talk to you about something private. Could Thomas leave us for a moment?”

  “Not on your life,” Thomas hissed, ready to leap from the bed and start swinging.

  “Just say what you have to say, Ben,” I said sharply and cast Thomas a warning look.

  Ben uncomfortably cleared his throat. “Well… first, I’m so sorry for what happened. Really and truly I am. It was the alcohol. I drink sometimes and I blackout. I don’t remember a thing. But Jeb told me what I did. I swear I would never do something like that sober.”

  “You need help.”

  “I know. And I promise I’m working on that.” He was full of remorse. Guilt was written all over his face and rightly so. “I never meant to hurt you,” he added sincerely.

  I knew that. Ben was a good guy, a really good guy. I thought of the morning I’d found him at the holding lot, how he was ready to defend my honor from whatever he thought I was running from. And the gas station… I was about to walk off and die, and he stepped in. And the diner… who knows what would have happened to me if it weren’t for him. I wanted to forgive him, but not yet.

  I swallowed hard. “What is this essential information you have to tell me, Ben? Get talking or leave.”

  Ben’s face fell when he didn’t receive the forgiveness he was hoping for. He glanced at Thomas, then back to me. “Someone called my house again and hung up. I’m sure they were searching for you. Now, after that accident, they will know where to find you. The ‘girl who mysteriously disappeared after saving the baby’ is big news. Marlene’s mug is recognizable—for obvious reasons—and there’s footage of her running from the fire with you and then getting into the truck and driving off. The name of this farm is advertised all over that truck.” Ben paused and glanced at Thomas. “Should I be saying this in front of him?”

  It took a moment to find my voice. “Thomas knows everything about me, Ben. More than you do. So go ahead.”

  Ben didn’t like that. He spoke through gritted teeth. “Well, there are more people looking for you. The mother of that baby is offering a reward and wants to personally thank you, and the police want your statement. Your face is everywhere. Hell, someone even sent me a picture of you on Facebook with the caption anybody know this girl? Jeb’s phone has been ringing off the hook with people who recognized Marlene…”

  That was why Marlene was wearing makeup. “This isn’t good,” I muttered.

  “Nope. So, pack your stuff and let’s get moving. You need to come with me.”

  Thomas tensed. “And why is that?”

  “Because I can look after her,” Ben said.

  Thomas let out an incredulous laugh. “Do you really think she’s better off with a drunk who will rape her the first chance he gets?”

  Ben turned beet red and the veins protruded at his temples. Seething, he tried to ignore Thomas to concentrate solely on me. “Thomas here is just using you,” he spat, clenching his fists.

  “I know.” I felt a wry smile tug at the corners of my mouth. “And I am most certainly using him, too.”

  Ben dug his fingers into the hat bearing the brunt of his anger. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

 
“I appreciate the information, Ben. And…” I stared hard at him. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me. I truly do. I just hope you do seek help. You’ve got a demon on your back you need rid of.”

  His eyes welled up, and he choked back a rolling boil of emotions with a nod. “Should I be worried about my friends upstairs? Are they in danger too?”

  “Absolutely,” I said without hesitation.

  Ben took his wallet out of his back pocket, and produced a thick wad of cash. He extended his arm to me, and I instinctively recoiled; the weakness brought on by fear I couldn’t suppress. I remained where I was, though, even though my feet were itching to bolt from the room.

  “Take this,” he said. “It’s your pay, Thomas’s too. Now, hurry up and get the hell outta here.”

  I had no interest in the money, so Ben tentatively took a few steps toward the freezer and set it down. Sidestepping me carefully, he cleared his throat. “I’m gonna convince the Carlsons they need to go on a little emergency holiday for a few days till things blow over.”

  “Good. I wish you well, Ben,” I said formally.

  He wavered slightly like I’d shoved him, gaze drifting to his watch. “I’ll have the family out in fifteen minutes. Make sure you head east, not toward Radville, all right?”

  “We’ve got it under control,” Thomas said.

  Ben turned to leave, but paused at the door. “Kate…” he said, giving Thomas a concerned glance. “I hope you’re making the right choice.”

  I bit my lip. So did I.

  Fifteen minutes passed in the blink of an eye. I put what few belongings I had into a backpack and said goodbye to the room that felt more like home than anyplace else had in a long time. By the time I zipped up the pack, Thomas had fallen asleep.

  He was hurting more than he admitted, and I was torn between leaving him and taking him with me. If I left him here and Henry showed up…I shivered. But if he was with me in the line of fire…

  I snuck out of the room and quietly made my way upstairs, tiptoeing even though I knew everyone had left. I would give Thomas a few moments to rest and get him some aspirin. Hopefully, he’d be better upon waking. In the bathroom medicine cabinet, I found something for his pain and something I was all too familiar with—sedatives. When my anxiety would reach freak-out level, Stephan would shove a couple of the blue pills down my throat and Oliver would hold me until I passed out. It was a timeout in medicinal form, forcing my mind to let go of everything to drift off into sleep. It was Marlene’s prescription. Now I understood why she might need them.