by Wylde, Tara
Tricia leans forward on the sofa and takes my hands in hers .
“Why?” she asks. “Why give it away? And to us , of all people ?”
I squeeze her hands and smile. Sometimes I love her so much, it hurts. If God had asked me to design the perfect sister, it would have been her .
“Simple,” I say. “Because we do want to give it away, and you two are the best people to do that for us. We want you to oversee a charitable foundation that distributes the majority of the fortune. How much you decide to give is up to you .
“After all,” I smile, “one of us has to still be obscenely rich .”
Carson claps Maks on the back .
“That means the penthouse is yours,” he says. “But you still can’t smoke cigars in the study. Sorry .”
Maks smiles absently. He looks like someone waiting for the alarm buzzer to go off and wake them up .
“You didn’t answer my question,” says Tricia. “Why us ? Why not someone else who would be better at it? Neither of us has even been to college .”
I glance at Carson. It’s his money, and it was his idea. He should be the one to explain it .
“Well,” he says. “As to why we chose you, it’s simple. It’s not because we consider you family – you already know that much. It’s because you two are the kindest people we know .”
He looks at Maks. “I’ve never met someone like you, man. You never judge, ever. You’re kind and accepting to everyone. You don’t have a mean bone in your body. Sometimes you remind me of Leo that way .”
I see tears shimmer in Maksim’s eyes, and next thing I know, I’m fighting my own .
“Thank you, brat ,” he breathes, using the Russian word for brother. “That is greatest compliment I ever have .”
“And you ,” I say, looking Tricia in the eyes. “You have a way of looking at things that cuts straight through the bullshit and gets right to the heart of the matter. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you .”
Carson and I exchange a glance .
“We wouldn’t be where we are without you,” he says. “If you can help others the way you helped us? We couldn’t ask any better use for the money .”
The two of them look at each other and link their hands. Tears are flowing freely everywhere now .
Tricia wipes at her eyes with the heels of her palms .
“Good thing you got this out of the way tonight, bitch,” she rasps. “It’d be just like you to ruin my make-up on my wedding day .”
Carson and I simultaneously position ourselves on either side of them on the sofa, wrapping our arms around their shoulders. We were prepared for this .
“So,” I say. “Is that a yes ?”
They look at each other and back at us .
“Yes,” says Maksim. “I mean yes, it is yes .”
“And you know I’ll be calling you every five minutes asking you what to do,” Tricia snuffles .
I smile. “Wouldn’t have it any other way .”
“But wait,” she says, finally rummaging a tissue out of her purse. “What are you guys going to do? With the $90 million, I mean ?”
She looks at Carson. “You’re already retired, you lazy ass. What are you going to do, just downsize ?”
We exchange another glance .
“Well,” I say. “Therein lies a tale .”
* * *
“Y our mouth is hanging open again,” I tell Tricia. “It’s getting a little old .”
“You’re the one who keeps kicking my feet out from under me,” she breathes. “Are you serious ? ”
“Very,” says Carson .
“But why?” Maks asks, clearly baffled .
“I was blessed for a long time,” says Carson. “And when I found Cassie, I finally understood what the term ‘embarrassment of riches’ meant .”
Maks opens his mouth and Tricia holds up a hand .
“It means he has more than he deserves. Go on .”
“I realized when we got together that I had wasted a good portion of my time, abilities and fortune,” says Carson. “I don’t know if I believe in a god, but I do know that if there is one, he really put me at the front of the line .”
He looks at me .
“And when I learned more about Cassie’s life, I realized what a selfish shit I’d been. There are so many people in the world with real problems .”
“That’s where the idea to give away his fortune came from,” I say .
Tricia nods. “Okay, I get that. But what about this other crazy scheme ?”
Carson smiles and shakes his head .
“Maybe it is crazy,” he says. “But we have to try. There are a lot of women – and girls – in this world who are being bought and sold as possessions. That’s wrong. And I, of all people, have a lot to atone for in that department .”
I take his hand. We’ve had a lot of long talks about this. We’re both ashamed of ever getting involved in the Chase – each for different reasons, of course, but both for lowering ourselves. Me for money and Carson for thrills .
But what we saw that day in Brighton Beach, with Bogdan and Anna… no one should ever have to deal with people like that. But thousands of women and girls around the world have to, every single day of the year .
“We’ve got a unique combination of resources,” I say. “We have an obligation to use them to help those who can’t help themselves .”
“It’s a tall order,” says Maksim .
The rest of us gape at him .
“Maks!” Tricia cries. “You got it right !”
He beams at us like a kid who brings home an A+ test to his parents .
“You’re right, buddy,” says Carson. “But we have to start somewhere .”
Tricia’s tears are flowing freely again now, and I’m barely keeping mine in check. This might just be the most emotional moment of my life outside of Leo’s birth .
“You guys are my heroes,” she sobs .
That’s it; the dam’s breaking again .
“What do you mean?” I say. “You saved both our lives that day! And Maks risked his life to try to save mine !”
Jesus, now we’re all blubbering. We sit there like that for a while, laughing, crying, hugging .
Finally, we get ourselves under control, outside of the occasional snuffle .
“All right,” she says. “Now that the fucking love-in is over, let’s eat .”
We lose it all over again, and laugh so long and hard that we wake Leo from his nap, and he starts to wail from his bedroom at the noise .
* * *
T he sun has begun to go down in a ball of fire by the time they come around to collect the dishes from the banquet. Leo is squirming in my lap at the head table; he’s normally an easy kid to keep entertained, but a wedding where he’s surrounded by Russian women constantly pinching his cheeks has pushed his patience to its limit .
I sneak into my purse and pull out a small Rubik’s cube, which he snags greedily and takes with him under the tablecloth. It should keep him occupied for an hour at least – or until he solves it, whichever comes first .
Out in the courtyard across from us, the string quartet is warming up for the dance to follow. I get the feeling Maksim’s family will enjoy it, but Tricia’s will be calling for a DJ within an hour .
Carson reaches over and takes my hand, bringing it to his lips. His kiss is warm and familiar and still sends a tingle through me after all these years .
“Penny for your thoughts,” I say .
He frowns. “I don’t think we can afford that anymore .”
I slap his arm with my free hand and roll my eyes .
“Are you ready for all this?” he asks softly. “It’s not going to be easy .”
“Neither of us has ever done anything the easy way, my love .”
He sighs. “I suppose you’re right. The curse of being blessed with an embarrassment of riches .”
I squeeze his hand in mine, feeling the warmth there, the familiarity. I
imagine I can feel the beat of his heart in time with mine .
“Hey,” I say. “Guess what ?”
“What?”
“I’m still so happy it was you .”
Tricia comes trotting over, radiant in her dress and rimmed with the blazing colors of the sunset against the rich green of the courtyard behind her. She yanks up the tablecloth, startling a shriek out of Leo. She picks him up and hauls him off, giggling with him like a loon, onto the dance floor, where she does her best to keep him moving to the delicate strains of the chamber music .
Carson leans in and kisses my cheek .
“I’m still so happy it was us,” he says. “All of us .”
We sit there in silence a long time, drinking in the beauty and reveling in the utter contentment of this perfect moment .
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