Playing in Shadow

by Lesley Davis

  “You look thoughtful, girlfriend,” Monica said as she walked past pushing a wheelbarrow.

  Scarlet quickly moved out of her way. “Sorry, I was in a world of my own.”

  “Are you still coming with us tonight?” Monica began unloading her flower trays, shooing Juliet away and instead laying the trays within reach for Juliet to handle without bending down. Scarlet bit her lip to stop her amusement from escaping at the sight of Juliet rolling her eyes at Monica’s solicitude.

  “Yes, I’ve brought my change of clothes with me so I can leave straight from here. The guys have gotten the bathroom reasonably habitable in the house we’re working in so I’ll skip in there to get dressed up.”

  “It should be a good night,” Monica said. “A live band on stage and the club is even laying out a spread.”

  “It’s a good thing there will be food. I’ll be starving by the time I leave here tonight.”

  “You wearing the dress I made you?” Monica pushed the wheelbarrow aside and began helping Juliet sort through the plants. Scarlet nodded.

  “Yes, the one with the ornate stitching. It gets its debut tonight.”

  “You look beautiful in that,” Juliet said, having seen Scarlet being fitted for the dress. “And the stitching is the exact same color as your hair. Monica, you outdid yourself with it.”

  “I had a good form to fit. I mean, look at her…” She waved a hand at Scarlet. “She’s drop-dead gorgeous with a body perfect to design for.”

  Scarlet just grinned. “Well, as much as I’d love to stay here and have you boost my ego, I’d better go back to work.”

  “Have you taken any more candid shots we should know about?” Monica asked. “Elton loved the one you e-mailed him of me looking all imperious, directing my workers.”

  Scarlet pretended to hide her camera behind her back. “You looked delightfully bossy. I know for a fact Elton loves that about you.”

  “You have no idea,” she drawled.

  Juliet chuckled. “At least you’re dressed in your photo. Trent adores the studio picture you did of us though.”

  Scarlet was immensely proud of the professional photograph she’d done privately for Trent and Juliet. She’d set up the living room in the apartment with a simple white backdrop. Trent and Juliet had disrobed enough so that Juliet’s prominent belly had been visible and Trent’s naked body had been shielding both Juliet and their unborn child. Scarlet had positioned them so that nothing was really revealed while the nakedness of their pose was still easily apparent. Trent’s vibrant rose tattoo incorporating Juliet’s name was a blaze of color against their pale skin and the stark white of the background. Scarlet had captured a very sensual picture, Trent’s obvious dark strength in contrast to Juliet’s pale softness. The look in Trent’s eyes alone had revealed just how much she was in love with the woman in her arms. Juliet had gasped when she’d seen the finished photograph and had hugged Trent to her. Trent had been quiet for a long moment.

  “Thank you. It’s beautiful,” she’d said. “It’s going in our bedroom though because I don’t share Juliet’s naked beauty with anyone else.” That had earned her another hug from Juliet and then they’d made Scarlet promise she’d be the baby’s official photographer once the child made its appearance.

  Monica made a play of running her hands down her body. “Do you think I should get naked with Elton and have Scarlet take our picture? It would be awesome in black and white and would really display Elton’s marvelous body art.”

  “And your own,” Juliet said. “Scarlet’s very professional, and besides, she’s seen you naked enough around the apartment that it would be second nature to her.”

  “The perils of sharing a place with a dressmaker.” Scarlet nodded. She’d lost count of the number of times Monica had called for her to help her model something. She never batted an eye when Scarlet undressed before her or vice versa.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Scarlet saw Bryce heading back toward the houses.

  “She looks tired today,” Juliet said, watching after Bryce with concern. “I don’t think she’s sleeping.”

  “Has she told you what happened?” Monica asked Scarlet.

  Scarlet shook her head. “No, but then we don’t exactly hang out together. We pass in the hallways, but when I’ve popped in to see if she wants to share lunch, she says she’s busy and I don’t want to push her.” Her gaze followed Bryce. “I think she’s pushing herself too much, but who am I to call her on it. I can’t mention it to my dad. He’s her boss, and she’d likely kill me for bringing it to his attention.” Scarlet was worried about Bryce more than she wanted to admit.

  “I’ve only heard bits of what happened,” Monica said. “I know it was a very bad car crash and that the others in the car with her all died. As did the driver in the truck that hit them. They said he wiped out a load of cars. Poor guy had a stroke at the wheel. The truck ended up plowing down the road taking out other vehicles like a bowling ball striking a row of pins.”

  “Bryce was the only survivor?” Scarlet couldn’t suppress the shudder that ran through her body at the thought of how close Bryce had come to being just another accident statistic.

  “I bet her memories of that night are terrifying,” Juliet said.

  This gave Scarlet cause for pause. She’d wondered what was causing Bryce to look so haunted. The accident was obviously still very raw and present for her. Scarlet wondered how she could even begin to broach the subject with her, to let her know if she needed someone to talk to, Scarlet was there for her. Why? Why am I prepared to do that with someone who probably would rather forget what they’ve lived through than remember it? She resolved to give it a try anyway. She wanted Bryce to lose that weary look and realize she didn’t have to go through everything alone anymore.

  *

  The party had been in full swing for hours, but Bryce wasn’t enjoying herself. She’d felt sick before she’d left work and now she felt decidedly worse. The room was full of people Gerri worked with, but Bryce couldn’t see one familiar face to talk to. She dutifully picked at the food on offer, but even a mouthful of whatever it was perched on a dry crisp bread threatened to make Bryce throw up. She had reluctantly settled for soda to drink in the hopes it would ease her rolling guts. There’d been a flu bug going around, and Bryce had the horrible feeling she had caught it. Her head was hurting from the garish lights that were flashing, and she had to squint against the pain making her sight fuzzy.

  “Honey, you’re making an awful face. Stop it before other people see and wonder why I go out with you.” Gerri slipped her arm through Bryce’s and staked her claim.

  Bryce started to pull away and saw the flare of anger in Gerri’s eyes. “I’m sick. I don’t want you catching this.” I’d never hear the end of it.

  “Why do you have to be sick tonight? This was supposed to be a special night for us.” Gerri’s pout was ugly. Bryce hadn’t noticed that before.

  “It is a special night for you. Your team got the account you’ve been busting a gut for. I can’t help how I feel.”

  “Well, you’re ruining the buzz I’ve got going,” Gerri said petulantly.

  “I think I might just go home. I don’t want to spoil your party.” Bryce saw a woman standing off to their side. She was looking over at Bryce and Gerri but pretending to be nonchalant about it. “I’m sure Amber will be more than willing to fill in for me.”

  Gerri slipped her arm free. “So now you’re going to be jealous too?”

  Bryce considered that. She couldn’t even work up the energy to be jealous where Gerri’s eye wandered anymore. She didn’t think she cared enough. Gerri had been a willing partner to their no strings attached arrangement. Somehow, however, Bryce had been pressured into letting Gerri move some of her belongings into her apartment. She wasn’t even sure she liked Gerri all that much and had been made amply aware that Gerri liked Bryce on her arm mostly because they made a handsome couple. Bryce’s fair coloring and strong physique had
complemented Gerri’s darker, ultra femme looks. Tonight, Bryce had finally reached her limit of being manipulated by Gerri on what was best for them. What was best for them was always couched in what suited Gerri most.

  “I’m leaving,” Bryce said tiredly. She was barely able to keep her eyes open against the pain in her head.

  “Fine. I won’t come over tonight if you’re going to be like this.” Gerri stormed off, straight into the arms of Amber.

  Bryce walked unsteadily to the exit of the club where the party was being held. The heat of the evening hit her as she stepped out into the balmy night air. She all but doubled over as sickness ran through her.

  “Hey, you okay?” A man Bryce dimly recognized as one of Gerri’s co-workers hovered beside her. Eric someone, she remembered that much.

  “I’m not feeling too great,” Bryce admitted and managed to stand upright. “I’m going to call a cab and split.”

  “You’re Gerri’s partner, aren’t you? I thought I recognized you.”

  Is that what I am, Bryce wondered blearily. “I doubt I am after tonight,” she said. “I’m being sick on her precious time. That’s a huge black mark against me.”

  Eric chuckled softly. “Yeah, I hear that. She’s a ball breaker. No offense, Bryce, but you can find nicer. Hey, don’t you live off Anderson Street? We’re heading out that way and can give you a lift.” The man leaned in to speak more privately. “This party sucks. There’s too much ass kissing going on in there for us. We can’t climb high enough on the corporate ladder for those guys to even acknowledge us.”

  Bryce understood. She’d seen Gerri at work; it wasn’t a pretty sight. “I know what you mean.” She let herself be steered toward a waiting sports car. The others were already climbing inside.

  “I call shotgun for Bryce here. We’re dropping her off as we escape this hellhole of sycophants.”

  Bryce mumbled hello and thank you to the two other men and a woman who introduced themselves while they all piled into the backseat. Bryce got in, fastened her seat belt, and let her head fall back against the headrest.

  “You look terrible,” Eric told her.

  “I feel ten times worse, believe me. Guess that flu bug finally found me.” She closed her eyes and felt the car pull away from the curb.

  “There’s a lot of that sickness going around,” Christine said from behind Bryce. “It wiped out most of our team last week. Alan here got it and he looked like death warmed up for days. I hope you feel better soon.”

  Bryce smiled at her words. The kindness from a stranger soothed her when her so-called girlfriend hadn’t shown any at all.

  “We’ll soon have you home and then you can relax without worrying that you’re cramping someone’s party style,” Eric said.

  Bryce was already relaxed, the air conditioning was cool against her fevered brow, her eyes were closed against the streetlights’ bright glare, and within seconds, she was fast asleep.

  It was the unearthly, thunderous noise that first disturbed Bryce’s slumber, but it wasn’t until a burning bright light pierced her eyelids that she was forced awake. She opened her eyes in time to see a semi-truck loom large in the windshield mere seconds before it hit the car with an almighty crash. The impact blew out the glass from the car windows. Bryce felt something stab into her forehead and blood began to pour down her face. All she could hear was the horrendous sound of metal being crushed and the terrified screams of the others in the car with her. The car spun as the truck showed no sign of stopping in its path. It plowed right through them, forcing them to slam into the partial divide in the middle of the road that finally flipped the car up and over to rest on its roof.

  Furiously blinking through the blood blinding her, Bryce tried to get her bearings. She was trapped upside down in the seat, held in place only by her seat belt. Her shoulder hurt, her ribs were screaming, and she couldn’t raise a hand to clear her eyes. She could hear the rumble of the truck as it continued down the street, and she wondered how it managed to still drive after such an impact.

  Cautiously, she turned her head to see how everyone else was doing. At first she couldn’t comprehend what she saw when she sought out Eric who had been in the driver’s seat. That side of the car was totally obliterated, a twisted ruin of destroyed metal covered in blood that revealed only part of Eric’s remains in what was left of the seat. Bryce lost the contents of her stomach, throwing up until there was nothing left and she was shaking with the dry heaves. She realized Eric was long gone. Moans came from behind her, but Bryce couldn’t turn around from her precarious position to see.

  “Hey, are you okay? Christine? Alan? Justin? Hang in there. Someone’s got to have seen this and called for help. Someone’s coming for us, okay? Someone’s coming.”

  Please God, let someone come.

  She strained her ears to hear those behind her. Whimpers and painful gasps could be heard, and Bryce kept on talking, reassuring them someone would help them. She was quiet a moment when she heard the sound of sirens in the distance.

  “There are sirens coming. We’re going to be rescued.” She listened but couldn’t hear anything but her own labored breathing. “Hey, no sleeping back there. They’ll have us out in no time.”

  Her words were met by silence. She tried again to turn around, but the seat belt kept her pinned and her body protested at the movement. The pain in her shoulder alone made her want to vomit again so she stayed still.

  “Guys?” Bryce could hear the siren’s wail. “Someone’s coming for us.” She peered through the ruined shell of the windshield. “Someone’s here. Please let someone be here,” she whispered, more to comfort herself. She had the terrible feeling she was the only one in the car who was still breathing.

  *

  “Hey, Bryce? Bryce?”

  Bryce opened her eyes. She stared up into the face of an angel. Vibrant red hair was highlighted by the sun behind her, but there was no halo in sight, just hair resembling a living flame. Bryce slowly came back to wakefulness. A dark angel knelt before her. She was dressed all in black. Old-fashioned intricate lace covered her breasts but let the curves show through. Bryce stared at her dumbly then reached out a hand to the angel’s face. The skin was warm to her touch and so soft.

  “Did I die?” Bryce asked hesitantly.

  “Oh no, sweetie, you are very much alive.” The angel’s voice hitched with emotion.

  Bryce finally recognized Scarlet’s voice, and she snapped to full alertness. She blinked to clear her grit-filled eyes until she could see Scarlet beneath the elaborate makeup she had on. Her hazel eyes were emphasized with a skillfully applied black liner, and her lips were a deep blood red. Bryce was mesmerized by her. She really was stunning.

  “Scarlet?”

  Scarlet smiled with relief and puffed out a breath. “It’s okay. I just came in to say good-bye and you were asleep. You didn’t exactly look comfortable so I figured I should wake you up. It’s time to go home, Bryce.”

  Bryce ran her hands over her face. “Thank you. I just sat down for a minute to write up my want list for tomorrow and I must have crashed.”

  “It didn’t look like a restful nap.”

  Bryce grimaced at the understatement. “I was having a bad dream,” she admitted, surprising herself.

  “Do you get those often?”

  “Only when I sleep,” Bryce replied dryly. She got to her feet unsteadily and Scarlet hurried to help her. Once standing, Bryce could take in the full effect of Scarlet’s transformation out of her work clothes. Bryce was struck dumb. She just hoped to God her mouth hadn’t fallen open.

  Scarlet ran a hand over her long-skirted dress. “I’m going out tonight right after work so I changed here for quickness. Do you like my dress? Monica made it for me.”

  “You look…spectacular,” Bryce said. The word was woefully inadequate to describe how Scarlet looked. The dress was strikingly romantic; the design cinched the material in at the waist, making Scarlet look elegant and otherworldly. “B
eautiful.” Bryce swallowed hard. “Not that you don’t cut a fine figure in your work clothes either,” she added to lessen the heightened sexual tension swirling between them.

  “Thank you. It’s nice to know I scrub up well.” Scarlet grasped her skirt to hold the train up a little. “My contribution to the Goth lifestyle is inspired by the Goth/metal bands, the ones that use symphonic rock to sell their songs.”

  “Like the music you rock your walls with while you paint?”

  “Exactly. Monica loves everything Gothic, but I lean heavily toward the musical side.”

  “So no vampire fetish for you then?”

  “Oh, believe me, Goth is so much more than just a love of Dracula and his ilk.” Scarlet smiled at her sweetly. “You’ll have to come along to one of our music nights. You might be pleasantly surprised by the types of people it calls to.”

  Bryce didn’t make a comment as she hastily began gathering her gear. She couldn’t believe she’d fallen asleep on the job.

  “Are you going to stay here much longer?” Scarlet asked, watching her closely.

  “No, I had intended to be gone by now, but obviously I fell asleep. I can assure you that was the first time it’s happened.”

  “I’m not in here counting your time, Bryce. I came to see that you were okay. I’m not going to tell my dad I found you asleep. Yes, I’m the boss’s daughter, but if you’re having a problem you’re the one who will have to tell him. I certainly won’t. You have my word on that.”

  Bryce just nodded her thanks. “There’s no problem, I must have just relaxed too much and dozed off. It won’t happen again.”

  “Are you existing on no sleep at all? Because, honestly? You never look rested. Didn’t the hospital give you anything to help you?”

  “They did. It doesn’t work,” she said shortly.

  “Maybe you should go back and tell your doctors that.”

  “Maybe I should just finish clearing up here so I can go home and you can go show off that dress.” The conversation was over for Bryce.