by Christina OW
He’d expected a lot of things, shock being at the forefront, but he never expected laughter. Dale doubled over laughing and he and Ellie were left staring at him, a little stunned.
“Middle D, you can’t be that gullible. Hell, I need a drink.” He sauntered off to the kitchen, still laughing.
Ellie took Damien’s hand and squeezed it, “Don’t mind him. He cares nothing for Ellsa, but you and I do. Tell me about him?”
Damien shook his head. “Maybe another time, Ellie. Good night.” He kissed her cheek and walked to his room, locking the door once inside.
He paced the carpeted floor, his mind jumbled with thoughts. Dale’s laughter had set warnings off in his head. He couldn’t sit down and discuss his son when all he could think about was those walls now closing in faster after his stupid mistake. He should never have said anything. He yanked his shirt off and dropped onto the bed, his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees. What was he going to do when DJ called and Dale answered? Now he wished Elaine would find his phone in DJ’s backpack. He needed to come up with a plan tonight and then tomorrow he was going by his son’s school with a new phone. One just like his—couldn’t be tapped, traced, hacked or cloned. Searching for Victoria Secret all those years had made him paranoid, but not paranoid enough if Elaine could pick up his trail behind them.
It was time to put his big brain to better use.
****
“Tasha.”
She lifted her head and met her sister’s concerned gaze. With a weak smile she said, “Hi Elaine. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“How could you? You were a million miles away. Something you’d like to talk about?”
Talk, talk about what? She barely had memories and her thoughts were all jumbled up in her head. And if her stupid brain kept on crashing she wasn’t going to be left with much of anything. She was on her way to being a drooling cabbage always seated in front of the window watching life pass by her while she wondered about nothing!
She wiped the kitchen counter with more vigor, what she had been doing before the reality of how fast her mind was slipping froze her in the little thoughts she had left.
Elaine’s hand clamped down on hers, stopping its movements. “I’m all for cleaning counters, but that isn’t going to shine more than it already is.”
Tasha huffed, pulling her hand away and throwing the rag in the sink. She leaned against it, fighting the tears burning her throat as she remembered DJ’s dejected face last night. She should never have left the room. She should have stayed there until everything began making sense again.
“Tasha, turn around. Talk to me.”
“Why?” she croaked.
“Why what?”
She turned then, still leaning against the sink, her head bowed, “Why did that happen? Why did I wake up with no memories, again?”
“Tasha, come here. Take a seat.” Tasha pushed away from the sink, moving to the island and taking a seat opposite Elaine. “I’m sorry that happened and I’m sorry you feel guilty for hurting DJ like that again. If we weren’t fighting and looking after you. Instead, I would never have let you leave that room without jogging your memory first.”
Tasha looked up at her sister, quickly wiping a tear that was dislodged by the movement, “Why did it happen, Elaine?”
Elaine reached across and took Tasha’s hands in hers, “You remember what happened yesterday?”
Tasha nodded, “And every day before that for the past year—at least for the time being.”
Elaine pinched her finger, “Don’t be morbid. It doesn’t suit you. What do you remember about yesterday?”
Tasha had already gone through that day with DJ that morning before Mike drove him to school. Tom didn’t want her to leave just in case she had another episode. Yeah, he called her sudden loss of memory episodes. In fact, he looked annoyed that she had been able to remember everything after hours of DJ speaking nonstop about all they’d done together after her first memory loss.
“I woke up, broke up the normal morning fights, drove DJ to school, came back, cleaned the house, worked on a few things until it was time to pick up DJ.” Her heart beat picked up tempo, “got to the school a—and met…” him. DJ’s father—that is, according to her son.
“Who did you meet?” Elaine pressed gently.
Rolling her lips into her mouth, she said, “Him.”
Elaine chuckled, “Who’s him? You’re going to have to say it sooner or later.”
Tasha shot off the stool and made her escape to the living room, “I don’t know who he is! Remember, my memory has taken a hiatus!”
“Say it,” Elaine taunted, chasing after her. “You know you want to. I bet you had some serious wet dreams about him. I know I did.”
That pissed her off. Why, she had no idea and was better off thinking about it later when her brain was functioning right. Rounding on her sister, she said, “You are not permitted to have any sort of dream about the father of my son!” Tasha slammed her hand over her mouth.
Elaine smiled indulgently, “See? Now was that so hard to admit?”
Shaking her head she fell onto the couch. “I feel like a spectator, watching my life go by as my past crashes into my present. What is it about him I’m forgetting, besides everything?”
“Nothing that I can help you with and everything you need to find out on your own.”
“I’m going to have to meet up with him, aren’t I?”
Elaine shrugged, “Only if you want to.”
Tasha sighed, “It’s not really a choice. DJ wants to be with his father.”
She harrumphed, “He’s five. He doesn’t get a vote.”
“He gets a vote and veto power when his mother forgets him.” She held up two fingers. “Not once, but twice in his five years of life.”
God, Tasha had never felt so ashamed in her life—well she was sure no moment could compare to this, even those she couldn’t remember. She wasn’t just ashamed as a mother, but as a wife too. DJ wasn’t Tom’s son. And Tom… she didn’t understand what motivated him to do it, but it was selfless of him to claim a child that wasn’t his just to ease her confusion. Having amnesia sucked! But one question did boggle the few brain cells she still had.
“How did this happen, Elaine?”
Her brows wrinkled in confusion, “how did what happen?”
Tasha stood, pacing the carpeted floor. “How did… this man and I end up having a son?”
With a coy smile Elaine said, “I know you’ve forgotten pretty much everything, but surely… do I have to go over the birds and the bees with you? Do you even know what I mean by the birds and the bees?”
Tasha rolled her eyes and gave Elaine a withering glare. “This isn’t the time for your nonexistent humor.” Tasha stopped and faced her. “Tom and I were married right out of college—that’s a little over eight years ago. DJ just turned five.” Tasha could feel an ulcer in her stomach begin to form. “I had an affair? Is that it?”
Elaine stared at her, her expression blank. Tasha knew her sister wasn’t very affectionate and for some reason she understood that. But sometimes it amazed her how adept she was at hiding her emotions, barely showing any reaction to any news whether good or bad, but this was no time for her poker face.
“Did I cheat on my husband? Tell me!” she shrieked. Elaine seemed to wake up then, her face etched with concern and a little guilt.
“Stay calm, we don’t want you passing out and forgetting everything again. Come, sit.”
Tasha followed the directive, forcing calming breathes into her body. The last thing she wanted was another episode. That only seemed to happen when she felt like she was stressed and under a lot of pressure.
“Tasha, some things just happen.”
She shook her head. That wasn’t reason enough to cheat. “I may not remember who I am, but I refuse to believe I’m disloyal.” She grabbed Elaine’s hand and pleaded. “Please tell me he raped me!”
With a sad smile Elaine said,
“I think you know deep down why I can’t say that.”
Tasha knew alright. A woman’s body doesn’t burn hot as if she’d been held over an inferno of desire for her rapist. She let go of Elaine and dropped her head in her hands with a tortured groan.
“Then I cheated because I wanted to. Because he spoke to my baser instincts.” Did I at least try to fight it?
“Having met the man, I believe that.” Tasha groaned again. “And or because your husband wouldn’t give you the one thing you wanted—a child.”
Tasha’s head shot up, “What?”
Elaine shrugged, “I’m just speculating. You’ve been married eight years with just one child, who isn’t Tom’s.”
Tasha thought that over. Tom wasn’t exactly the warmest person. She could see him not wanting children. But… “What if he can’t have children?”
“There is nothing wrong with me!”
Tasha jumped at the thunderous declaration, but Elaine, as always cool as a cucumber, didn’t even flinch. “Tom! We didn’t hear you come in.”
“I did,” Elaine interjected dispassionately as she stood.
Tasha gazed at her sister and saw the smirk. Ow! The bitch! “You said that last part on purpose, didn’t you?” It was more of a statement than a question because Tasha already knew the answer—Elaine didn’t like Tom one bit and no one was willing to tell her why.
Elaine shrugged then turned fully to face Tasha, “I’m going to be gone for a month and you won’t be able to reach me. Call Mike if you need anything, or if you feel sick again.” Call Mike? Yup, her sister didn’t care for her husband at all. “I’ll say goodbye to brainiac when Mike picks him up from school at the end of the day.” She hugged Tasha and whispered, “Head up, eyes open.”
Stay alive. Why did she just think that?
Elaine pulled away. She turned, took a few steps and stopped in front of Tom at the entryway and stared—or glared at him. Tasha couldn’t see because Elaine’s back was to her, but the scowl, reddening face and clenched fists on Tom’s rigid body made her believe it was a glare as he glared back at her. Then Elaine walked past him, turning slightly so as not to touch him as she went by him and disappeared behind the wall. The opening and closing of the door signaled her departure. Tasha was left alone with an enraged husband and she wasn’t sure how to handle it.
Nervously she rolled her lips into her mouth and began, “Tom…”
“You want to know why you cheated on me? It’s because you are a faithless whore!” he yelled, turned around, rushed to the steps and stomped upstairs. His bedroom door banged shut, echoing in the whole house and inside her chest.
His bedroom door. A room they did not share. She had a son who was not Tom’s. Her son bore the names of his true father. She’d cheated on him and he hated her for it. So why were they still married six years after their relationship clearly broke down?
She fell back onto the couch, cradling her head in her hands as she rubbed her already aching temples.
“What am I missing here?”
****
Damien stood outside the school building, watching for his son to come out after the final bell rang—finally. He had hoped VS would be the one fetching him, but he’d spotted Uncle Mike sitting in his car across the street and he’d clearly seen Damien also. It made him worry that she was still sick. He wanted to go ask after her, but he was sure he wouldn’t get anything from the stone-faced mercenary. Damien wasn’t sure about meeting his son in clear view of this guy—well, not only this guy but Dale’s team alsoand expect their exchange to go unnoticed. He was sure his cousin was hiding behind a bush close by ready to pounce. He never gave up that easily.
“Dad!”
Damien felt his whole mood brighten at that. He lifted his gaze to see his son run to him, his backpack bouncing on his back, his arms pumping at his sides and the biggest grin on his face. Day two of finding out he was a father and he loved the feeling it gave him. He felt fear too, because from now on his every decision would influence the kind of man his son would grow up to be and he was afraid of making a mistake and destroying his future. He squatted and like he’d seen VS do the day before, held his arms open and prepared to be barreled into. DJ didn’t disappoint, slamming into him with so much force, Damien wobbled on the balls of his feet.
He chuckled, returning his son’s fierce hug. Day two and he loved his son with depths he didn’t understand. Damien tried to pull away, but DJ just tightened his grip around his neck. Then he lifted his legs, effectively sitting on Damien’s lap. Worry began to set in. Something wasn’t right.
“DJ?” his son didn’t respond, just hugged him tighter. His first instinct was to stand, pull him away and demand what troubled him. But he’d come here with a plan and their current position worked well for him.
“DJ, where’s my phone,” he whispered in his ear.
“Pocket at my back,” DJ whispered back but his voice was teary. That made Damien’s chest clench.
Discreetly, Damien swapped phones, replacing his with one he’d bought and programmed for DJ that morning. After zipping up the pocket, Damien went with his first instinct. He stood, holding DJ to him, pulled him slightly away to see his face—he’d had to be forceful because DJ wouldn’t let go—seeing his tear streaked face he demanded to know what the problem was.
“DJ, tell me what’s wrong?”
He sniffed, his chest jerking with each pull, “It’s Momma.”
Stay calm, stay calm. “What’s wrong with your mother?”
His face crumbled then and he buried his face in Damien’s collar. Damien hugged him tight, praying whatever it was, it wasn’t that bad and this was just the overreaction of a young child.
“DJ, I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.”
He pulled away, wiping his eyes and cheeks dry with the back of his hands, “Momma,” he hiccupped, “when she woke up,” he hiccupped again, “she didn’t remember me.”
“What, why—” he hissed, “Did Mr. Turner make her forget again?”
“He tried but my little man here slapped the syringe right out of his hand.”
Damien turned, his entire body going rigid as he faced the mercenary. He didn’t look all that dangerous with that placating look on his face. Damien did a quick sweep of his body. No gun—at least he wasn’t holding one and if he had one on his person it was out of sight.
“Mike.”
“Damien.” He returned with the same hardness. It didn’t surprise him that Mike knew his name. Apparently they knew a lot about him, information they’d gathered over the years when he was searching for VS—Ellsa.
“Time to go home, buddy.”
Damien held his son tighter “Is that why she’s not here, because she doesn’t remember him.” It was hard to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but damn, if he ever ran into Turner, he would string him up by his balls for putting his son through such agony.
Mike’s gaze softened as he stared at DJ, who was quiet now, his head tucked under Damien’s chin. “She remembers him, took a few hours, but her memory—well the one year of it that she has—came back. It’s not the first time something like this has happened, but it’s the first time it took hours instead of minutes for her to remember.” His eyes shifted, glaring at Damien, “I have a feeling you caused it.”
Damien wasn’t sure how to react to that. “When can I see her?”
Mike scoffed, his lips turning up in a condescending smirk. “Don’t hold your breath.”
Damien bit down his back teeth to keep his temper in check. “I wasn’t asking.”
He felt a hand on his arm and he turned to it. Elaine. Great, another road block.
“Calm down hot pants. You’ll see her soon, as soon as you can shake your cousin off your tail.” Then to DJ she smiled and said, “Kiddo, time to go. You’ll spend more time with your dad, just not today.”
Mike’s jaw clenched at that and it was Damien’s turn to smirk. “Yeah, son, we’ll spend time toget
her and soon.”
DJ sniffed, looked Damien straight in the eye and demanded, “Promise?”
Damien couldn’t help but feel proud of his tenacity. “I promise. Go with your aunt and take care of your mom until I can get you both back, okay?”
DJ answered with a hard nod, “I promise. I love you, Daddy.”
Damien’s breath hitched. Those were the most disarming words anyone had ever said to him.
“I love you too, son.” Giving him one last tight hug and a kiss on the forehead, he handed his son to Elaine, ignoring Mike. The man had rubbed him the wrong way and he’d shoot his toe off before he gave his son to him.
“Mike, you’re going to have to run interception.”
Damien didn’t need to be told what that meant. Dale was waiting for them. To follow them to where Ellsa was so that he could arrest her? He clenched his hands, biting down on his jaw. He was never going to allow that. DJ had been through enough already.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Keep standing there, like you’re waiting to meet someone.” Elaine answered.
He nodded and then watched them walk away, heading to different cars. They were both SUVs, black and with nothing to differentiate them except for the number plates. But he had a feeling those plates weren’t registered and maybe one of those changeable ones. Who’s to say a mile down those plates won’t change?
And true to Elaine’s word, two cars pulled out behind them chasing after them, picking up speed as Mike and Elaine increased theirs. He prayed Elaine got home safely with his son. He didn’t want to worry about an accident that would steal DJ away two days after Damien had found him.
He stood there until the place emptied of kids and cars. It was quiet, eerie quiet. Urban legend kind of quiet. That was, until he heard footsteps behind him. He had a good idea who it was, but he turned around, just in case.
“I should never have trusted you,” Dale accused, glaring daggers at him.
“Ditto. How long did it take before you spilled everything I told you? Did you tell them about my son too?”
